GOTV

Minnie Bee's Rant:

     If you've worked on a political campaign, then you know that G-O-T-V means "Get Out The Vote."  This Tuesday, November 8th, three states - Mississippi, New Jersey, and Virginia - are holding local legislative elections.  A fourth state, Louisiana, will hold legislative elections on November 19th.  These elections, because they are local, are projected to attract much lower voter turnout than national elections - as low as 20% of registered voters.  With this post, I am making an effort to "Get Out The Vote." 

      Why bother to vote?  Because voting in elections is one of the primary ways that shifting the balance of power can be accomplished.   Whether you are very rich or very poor, a Ph.D. or a high school dropout, well-connected or not connected, live in a mansion or one room, own your own company or are unemployed, you have one vote.  In local elections, your vote counts even more than in national elections because local issues affect your daily life much more than national issues do.  Local elections directly impact your community, your schools and libraries, your police and fire departments, your local economy, the value of your home, and your local taxes.  Moreover, in a local election, your  vote doesn't get formulated through an electoral college.  Voting in a local election is truly "one person, one vote."  It is truly shifting the balance.

     Two weeks ago, I wrote that shifting the balance is the primary message of the "Occupy Wall Street" movement.   By voting, the 99% of us who have less of the money and less of the power can shift the balance.   By voting, we empower ourselves both as individuals and as a group.  By voting, we are greater than the 1%; we have the power. 

     Therefore, if you live in one of those three states - Mississippi, New Jersey, or Virginia - holding elections this Tuesday, November 8th, or in Louisiana, holding an election on November 19th, find out who your candidates are and what their backgrounds are; inform yourself on the local issues and where the candidates stand on those issues; look at the voting records of those candidates who are seeking re-election; find out where you vote and then vote on Election Day.  By exercising your right to vote, you put democracy into action, you make a difference; you empower yourself; you help to shift the balance; you determine your future and the future of your community; you are a patriot.  Vote!

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We create, maintain and support U.S. jobs when we demand, promote and buy "Made in USA" goods and products.

Whether you're deciding who to vote for, or working for a particular party or candidate, if you crave a snack, support U.S. jobs by having one that's "Made in USA" like the ones recommended below.  As always, check labels before buying, and feel free to post your own research to this blog.  Remember, "distributed by" or "manufactured by" does not mean that it was made here, regardless of the company address.  It must state that it was made in or a product of the USA!

 This week's recommended products:

·         popchips - Made in USA by popchips, San Francisco, CA

·         Pretzel Crisps - Made in USA by Snack Factory, Princeton, NJ

·         Goldfish - Baked in USA by Pepperidge Farm, Inc., Norwalk, CN

·         Stacy's Pita Chips - Made in USA by Stacy's Pita Chips, Dallas, TX

Job Standards for Members of Congress - Why Not?

     In the past few years, it's become a popular trend to blame teachers for student performance.   This has led to the establishment of more precise standards for teachers .   Last year, teachers and school administrators in Rhode Island were fired due to underperforming students.   A few days ago, teachers in Washington, DC, were fired because they were judged to not meet performance standards, and in many cases, their students did not do well on standardized tests.

     To be sure, an effective teacher plays an important role in the success of a student.  That being said, there are also factors a teacher must deal with in educating a child that are beyond the  teacher's control - things like a family's economic situation,  whether the child is eating nutritious food, whether the child is getting enough sleep,  how many or few adults are raising the child, how involved the parents/guardians are in the child's education, the parents'/guardians' own educational levels, whether English is spoken in the child's home... and so on and so on.  Considering these out-of-school factors, it's easy to conclude that it's unfair to put all or even most of the  blame for student performance on teachers.
    
     On the other hand, in order to do an effective job of working for the success of constituents and the country as a whole, a member of Congress must deal with very few factors that are beyond his or her control - what comes to mind are sudden acts of nature, the surprise hostile actions of foreign nations, and the philosophies and principles of the other members of Congress he/she must work with.  As to the last factor, in order to perform, a member of Congress, whether he or she is a member of the House or the Senate, must put politics and rhetoric aside, and make an honest effort to work with others, including negotiating and compromising at times.

     Since taking office in January of 2010, the present members of Congress have delivered an ineffective performance.  They have done nothing to help the U.S. economy; they have done nothing to create U.S. jobs; they have done nothing to reduce spending or the deficit, and they have brought the U.S. to the brink of default.  Why?  Primarily because conservative lawmakers have refused to put aside politics and rhetoric; they have refused to work with Democrats or the President; they have refused to negotiate or compromise.  (Ed. Note: "negotiate" means to bargain, as in reaching an agreement between parties settling what each shall give and take or perform and receive in a transaction; "compromise" means an agreement reached by adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles, etc., by reciprocal modification of demands.)  These lawmakers have continued to insist that it's either their way or no way.  
    
     This past week, friends sent me an email listing proposed measures for reforming Congress.  I personally think that in addition to these measures,  Congressional reform should also include minimum job performance standards.  Therefore, I have taken the liberty to add a couple of my own congressional job performance standards (marked with an asterisk *)  to the list.  Read the "Congressional Reform Act of 2011" and let me know what you think.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011

1.  Term Limits

     A maximum of 12 years total may be served in the House or the Senate.

 2.  No Tenure / No Pension
     A member of Congress collects a salary while in office and receives no pay
     when he/she is out of office.

3.  Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security
     All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social
     Security system immediately.   All future Congressional retirement
     funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates
     with the American people. Social Security funds may not be used for
     any other purpose.

4.  Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.

5.  Congress no longer voted themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay
     increases according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) or by 3% per year,
     whichever is lower.

6.  Congress loses their current health care system, and participates in the
     same health care system as the American people.

7.  Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American
     people.

8.  All contracts with past and present members of Congress are void effective
     1/1/12.  The American people did not make these contracts with members
      of Congress.  Members of Congress made these contracts for themselves.
      Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers  
      envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go
      home and go back to work or, if age allows, retire on Social Security.

 *9.  Each member of Congress, during the course of his/her  first term in office,
       will be able to show proof that they made at least one contribution to
       legislation designed to improve the quality of life (e.g., education,
       transportation,  safety, health, wealth) of all of the residents of their district.

 *10.  Each member of Congress, during no later than his/her second term in
         office, will co-sponsor  with a member of Congress from a different political
         party, legislation designed to improve the quality of life all Americans.
 **********************************

We create and keep U.S. jobs when we demand, promote, and buy Made in USA goods and products.

This week's recommended product:
·       Bayside apparel - Made in USA and union-made by Bayside USA, Anaheim, CA
    (http://ethixmerch.com/supplier/bayside-usa-unionmade)

Blog Sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/24/rhode-island-teachers-fir_n_475234.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/206-low-performing-dc-teachers-fired/2011/07/15/gIQANEj5GI_story.html

 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/06/randi-weingarten-michelle-rhee_n_792841.html

Bringing Back Jobs - Really?

     This week, two Congressmen, Mark Warner (D-VA) and Frank Wolf (R-VA), proposed legislation to give low-interest, "forgivable" loans of $5,000 to businesses for every new "high-value manufacturing job" they establish in a rural or economically distressed area (which is most of the US, these days.)  Eligible businesses must employ a minimum of 50 people, and must also pay wages for the new job that are higher than the average wage of the county where the job is established.  For every year that the job is maintained, the employer gets $1,000 knocked off the balance of the loan. If the job is established for at least five years, the business doesn't have to pay back the loan at all.  The lawmakers hope to lure manufacturing jobs back to the US from overseas with their proposal. 

     Although I like the concept of bringing back manufacturing  jobs to the US,  I don't think this plan will do that.  First of all, $5,000 per "high value" job for five years doesn't begin to compete with the money that greedy, unpatriotic manufacturing companies are making off of workers in third-world countries.  It's difficult to find recent information on wages paid to those workers, but according to information from the World Bank, in 2004, apparel industry workers  were making an average of  13 cents per hour in Bangladesh,  44 cents per hour in China, $1.62 per hour in the Dominican Republic,  49 cents per hour in Haiti, $1.31 per hour in Honduras, 34 cents per hour in Indonesia, 76 cents per hour in Nicaragua, and 26 cents per hour in Vietnam.  Wages in those countries in 2011 are probably not a lot higher, so I hardly think that $5,000 per job over five years is going to do the trick.  In addition, when you take into consideration that these companies have to pay payroll taxes on each US job, the chances that a $5,000 incentive will have any effect are slim to none.

     I believe that the best plan for creating US jobs is to: (1) create a demand for USA-made goods and products by buying "Made in USA" goods and products whenever that option is available, and (2) stop giving federal subsidies and tax breaks to the greedy, unpatriotic US companies that outsource jobs,  or offshore their operations. 

     As concerned Americans, we can't do anything about tax breaks and incentives, other than electing representatives who value our country over their own political war chests, but we can do our part for our country by buying and promoting "Made in USA" goods and products. 

      What exactly does "promote" mean?  We can start by telling our friends, neighbors, and even people we meet when shopping, that such-and-such a product (e.g., paper plates, dog food, etc.) is "Made in USA" as opposed to those made elsewhere.  I have found that most Americans really do want to buy "Made in USA" goods and products when given that option.   In order to do a better job of promoting those products myself, starting with today's blog, I not only will be recommending goods and products that are "Made in USA," but reporting on competing products that are NOT "Made in USA."
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Taking calcium supplements is a good way to ensure that we are getting enough daily calcium to develop and maintain strong bones.  Following are those recommended calcium supplements "Made in USA" followed by those NOT recommended and NOT Made in USA. Product research was done in stores.

 This week's recommended products:

        ·         vita fusion calcium gummy vites - Made in USA by northwest natural products, 
                Vancouver, WA

·         up&up adults' gummy calcium dietary supplement with vitamin D; up&up calcium + vitamin D chews - Made in USA by Target Corp., Minneapolis, MN

·         Citracal with vitamin D plus magnesium tablets; Citrical calcium + D3 caplets; Citracal calcium gummies with D3 - Made in USA by Bayer, Morristown, NJ

NOT recommended:

·         Caltrate calcium tablets + vitamin D tablets; Caltrate calcium + D soft chews; Caltrate  calcium + D chewable tablets - NOT Made in USA

·         NatureMade adult gummies calcium + vitamin D3; NatureMade calcium tablets - NOT Made in USA

·         Origin calcium + D3 soft gels; Origin calcium tablets - NOT Made in USA

·         up&up calcium + D tablets - NOT Made in USA

·         Viactiv calcium + D soft chews - NOT Made in USA

Blog sources:

http://hamptonroads.com/2011/06/va-lawmakers-propose-5k-job-lure-employers

http://www.independent.org/publications/working_papers/article.asp?id=1369

Helping the Least Among Us

   

     The major religions of the world pretty much agree that it's important to help those who are in  need.  In fact, this is the basis of true Christianity.  According to the Gospel of Matthew 25:31-46,  Jesus challenges his followers to help others:   "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. . .Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me."

     I can't help wondering , then, why many of our elected lawmakers, who profess to be devout Christians and even want the US to be officially identified as a Christian country, are targeting programs who help the poor, the working class, the young, the old, and the sick in order to reduce the deficit?  These lawmakers are considering cutting healthcare, welfare and food stamp programs, tuition assistance, affordable mortgage programs, social security, Medicare, Medicaid, and  pension plans for state and federal workers, and charging interest on student loans for graduate students.  Yet they refuse to consider cutting programs and legislation that bring more money into the coffers of the wealthy and wealthy corporations.  Oil subsidies paid to big oil companies, tax loopholes that allow profitable corporations to avoid paying US taxes, programs that give corporations tax breaks to help them pay taxes to foreign nations where they are building factories and outsourcing jobs, and doing away with tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans are all off the table. 
 

     These lawmakers allege that to touch the programs and the tax cuts that keep money flowing to the rich will impact new job creation in the US.  This hasn't worked well, so far.  Instead of creating new jobs at home, these wealthy individuals and corporations continue to hold on to their money, or use it to create new jobs in foreign countries. 

     On the other hand, putting money into the wallets of those who need it most - the poor, the working class, the young, the old, and the sick - injects money immediately back into the economy.  These people, unlike the wealthy, can't afford to save their money;  they will spend it locally, therefore supporting local businesses, and creating additional local jobs. 
 

     In addition, the products these consumers choose to buy will create a demand for those products.  At present, the options in the US marketplace, thanks to many big corporations,  are mostly limited to food, clothing, and other items produced overseas.  Promoting and buying  "Made in USA" items will create a demand for "Made in USA" products, thereby creating more jobs here at home.  This isn't rocket science.

     In order to reduce the deficit and cut spending, eliminating or reducing programs and tax cuts for the wealthiest corporations and individuals, instead of targeting those programs who help the neediest Americans, makes more sense for the US economy.   It is also the right and Christian thing to do.  
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Do you love to snack as much as I do?  Here are two tasty, low-fat snack foods "Made in USA."

This week's recommendations:
      ·         Goldfish - Baked in USA  by Pepperidge Farm, Inc., Norwalk, CT   
           (http://www.pepperidgefarm.com/)

      ·         popchips - Product of USA by popchips, Inc., San Francisco, CA  
           (http://www.popchips.com/)

Sources:

http://www.patheos.com/community/holywrit/2011/02/04/matthew-25-helping-the-least-of-these/

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+25%3A31-46&version=NIV    

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-02/ryan-s-deficit-cutting-proposals-too-ambitious-even-for-fellow-republicans.html

http://chronicle.com/article/House-Republicans-Spending/126356/

"Democrats target big oil companies," Rucker & Montgomery, The Washington Post, 5/11/11