More thoughts about - A New Day

Remember Michael Milken?  Some of us do.  I must confess, I only knew him by name and his uncanny ability to get that name into newsprint.  He is now, President of the Milken Institute.  If you don't know about him, it might help to take a look at his Institute.  Meanwhile, here is what he had to say with regard to - Renewing American Prosperity:

:The late social scientist, Gary Becker, once demonstrated that at least three-quarters of natural wealth, can be found in the knowledge, skills and experience of people, what he called human capital.   There are three ways to increase human capital.   Expand knowledge and skills through education, extend the length and and quality of life by investing in health and, welcome skilled immigrants.

The focus of education should be in the classroom.  We give Oscars to actors, Grammys to singers and Nobel Prizes to scientists.   Recognizing that effective teachers and school principals are the most important school-based factors influencing student achievement, the MILKEN FAMILY FOUNDATION launched an awards program nearly 30 years ago to provide similar recognition for great educators.  An affiliated public charity, the National Institute of Excellence in Teaching has developed  extensive programs to to ensure skilled, motivated and competitively compensated teachers.

At least half of economic growth since the Industrial Revolution can be traced to improvement in public health and the results of medical research that have more than doubled average lifespans world-wide.  We can now prevent or cure many of the infectious diseases that plagued mankind for millennia. America's greatest health challenge, representing 75% of current health-care spending is the burden of of chronic diseases.   Public-health programs emphasizing prevention and wellness will help to reduce that burden.  And to assure progress against all diseases, the National Health Institutes of Health budget should be restored to to at least the 2003 level, when it was 25% higher in real dollars.

Immigration restrictions that keep out highly skilled workers, investors and entrepreneurs are counterproductive.  These ambitious people can stimulate economic growth and create more jobs for all Americans.  We should greet them with open arms.

Policies that expand human capital in these three areas (education, health and immigration) will increase productivity and help us to sustain our global leadership."

I commend Mr. Milken for his thoughts as well as is efforts to focus on the reality of the challenges we face and has shone a bright light on the failures of those we have sent to Washington to represent us. Alas, they have given US what WE asked for - more than likely, but the problem has always been, it is what "I, the voter" wanted, rather than offering an accurate assessment of what was good for all of us.  It was NO mistake that our fore-fathers gave us the name, the United States of America.

As a college graduate in the late 50's, I left school wondering why the examples of cooperation with one another appeared to have been so widely ignored while we had just experienced the greatest and most effective example of forces cooperating with one another to achieve a common goal was being lauded - and ignored, on so many levels in our society.  60 years later, we still do.  We seem to believe the competitive nature of collegiate and professional sports should inspire us without seeming to realize, the scores that we use for measurement are achieved only as the athletes cooperate with one another.  We seem to want to believe that the roles we see being portrayed in the movies or on our TV sets are - in fact, real, whereas they represent nothing more than a figment of someone's imagination, brought to life by those behind the scenes, working together for their mutual success.

Yes, of course, we need to laud our teachers at every level in our society, but somehow we tend to ignore the environment in which they are often asked to teach.  It would appear they we have yet to figure out how to provide the necessary tools the students use in their studies, without appealing to the community for help in obtaining those supplies.

Of course, we need to fund our public health facilities and resources, but we also need to examine why the sale of cosmetics and drugs appear to be a critical resource for the revenues required for the public to have access to radio and television. 

And we need to CLOSE our borders to stop the chaos that confuses us when we read and listen to the immigration crises that appear to be happening regularly.

In short, we need "citizen solders" as our representatives in Washington and our State capitols who realize and stand for the citizens of our nation, rather than competitive political forces whose only goals seems to be winning the next election. 

In search of answers...

Well, I really don't know what or "Who" controls my computer, but there are times when I have to believe there has to be something beyond my control - at least, beyond my competence.  Every time I tried to reach this site, I was rejected.  Asked my "expert" and she told me what to do, but it did not work.  Then, I come home from church, today, and well, here I am "a-typin..."

What intrigues me is the fact that in this interim,I have learned that a good friend of mine, a Civic servant, who I had always thought of as being the epitome of concern and caring for the public, is under attack by people who would replace him when the next primary election is held.  Yes, people from both of the prevailing political powers are opposing his bid for re-election.

Well, of course, that happens.  Not often, but it seems to be happening here - as they say, "right here in River City."

What troubles me is that I have known my friend to be a really fine Christian.

He is well known a a member of a significant local church and - in particular, is highly regarded for his skill in playing with the church orchestra.

But now I read in one of those politically oriented web sites being read locally that he is being called a scoundrel, intimidating the employees in his office and other suggestions that he is incompetent.  I have heard from people opposing him in the primary election who agree that he is not competent.

I have heard that he has been dismissed from participating in the church orchestra.

I happen to know his Pastor and asked him if he was aware of the comments being distributed in our community and his only response was, ..."lies, all lies."

He is my friend!  I have visited him in his office while on official business and always, he has handled my business efficiently and effectively.  We have talked on a number of occasions and it has always been a heart warming experience.  Of course, we are "brothers" in the same faith, but - to me, that is not why I vote for or against others.  As a civic servant, I have expected him to be efficient, not only in the way the office operates, but in his concerns for the public he serves.

My heart is broken.  I cannot understand the accusations, except that possibly, his political opponents are exaggerating the claims made on the web site I referred to earlier.

What do I intend to do?  What "brothers" are expected to do, to pray for him, for the people in his office, for his opponents and perhaps, most important of all, for his family.

Voting, your responsibility and mine

March 1, 2014

I attended a meeting earlier in the week, sponsored by people involved in the local Democratic Party, most of whom I have known for years.  The topic to be discussed was:  Income Equality and the Importance of a Living Wage.  There were three speakers; one, a retired Pastor who had spent many years in the Appalachians, whose ministry was concerned with caring for people in need and most of us who have studied American history are aware of the fact that most of those people - if they could even find a job, were asked to support a growing family with little more than a minimum wage.  The other two speakers were engaged in Union activities, one involved with home care, sanitation and public employees and the other, involved in college campus workers.

All three spoke well of their efforts and the attendees were invited to respond.  Then, the fun began.

One of the problems with meetings like this, if the activity is not well plannedt in advance, chaos is the probable result.  A dozen people rose to offer their opinion, but without specific guidance, we were offered  twelve different opinions of close to twelve different situations.  The only real positive result of the meeting was the general opinion, it was a good meeting and we needed to have more like it.

In my opinion, the case for an increase in the minimum - or living wage, was lost in the confusion.

That saddens me as we do need an intelligent discourse on the subject.  As it is, our nation is divided; the Democrats demanding an increase and the Republican staunchly opposed to it.  Thus we are led to believe, nothing will be accomplished.

We seem to forget that there was a day when every citizen was encouraged to exercise his or her most solemn duty - that is, to vote, in every election.   As a child, growing up in Michigan in a farming area, I vividly recall my family and all of our neighbors stopping what they were doing to go and vote even when that often meant standing in line at the polling office.  I joined the Air Force at age 17 and so it was that I was not even eligible to vote until I was 21 and I had to wait two years to vote in a national election.  And I have never missed an opportunity in the years that followed, regardless of the issues.

In 1955, a good friend encouraged me to get involved in the Senatorial race in Georgia, where two candidates were widely known throughout the area.  My natural response was to support the incumbent, Walter George, and was chosen to become part of the statewide organization, Collegians for George. It was great fun, attending speeches, applauding loudly and encouraging the folks who were not seated to be sure and support the candidate who had spent a life time supporting them.  It was exciting.

Then another friend offered to take me to a Talmadge rally, George's opponent.  I had heard a lot about him as his father had been a controversial Governor of Georgia and so I was curious to hear what he was saying.  After the speech, one of his aides sought me out and told me that Talmadge wanted me to ride back to Atlanta with him.  I must say, I was overwhelmed, considering the fact that I was a "Yankee" in the eyes of many, so I was curious as well.  We were not out of town before I knew that he knew a lot about me and he wanted me to do something for him.  There are 159 counties in the State of Georgia and he wanted me to pick up reports from a number of those counties.  Could I do it?  I would be paid well for my efforts - and I was.  He told me he intended that the campaign would carry the vote in every one of those counties.  And he did.

I learned a lot about politics in those days, starting with the fact you do not offer to run for an elected office if you do not have the resources.  Of course, that meant money and if you did not have it or could not raise it, you were not a viable candidate.   (That also meant, if the voter does not know where the candidate has raised the money - and campaigns take a lot of money, then he or she is not worthy of your vote.)  Next, you need an organization of dedicated people.  By dedicated, it should mean that as a prime supporter. your family, friends and neighbors will all be voting for your candidate.  Then, you need a map of every square mile of your district and a marker that will eventually indicate that every house in that district has been contacted and you know, precisely, how they intend to vote.  Finally, if you do not know whether or not you will be elected, two weeks before the election, you can get your
concession speech ready.

Many people tend to believe that elections have a "romantic" flavor, they are exciting, challenging and suspenseful.  They are none of these things.  Essentially, they are hard work by many people and if they really know what they are doing, they are prepared to lose.

That was yesteryear in practice.  Today, they rely on huge sums of money to support a candidate and those involved in the campaign are not really involved.  They are asked to phone people they do not know and somehow, the campaign managers believe they are making an effort.  To be realistic, the only effort involves spending lots of money and, in the process, the voters who care are left out.

It is not democracy.  At best, it is dollarocracy.