Apparently some school district in Oregon (?) told teachers they might decorate their doors/rooms with Christmas items, but to be "respectful" and "sensitive" to others and refrain from putting up pictures of Santa Claus. So, now Santa isn't proper? How far are people going to go? Well, if the fools are at it again, how appropriate that its those running the public schools who are leading the way.
Is there anyone who thinks Jill Stein (Green Party) isn't in cahoots with the Clintons and/or Democrats? The woman received 1% of the popular vote, no Electrical College votes, and is seeking recounts in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and my own Michigan. A good question is why she is doing this? I heard her being interviewed on the radio yesterday and she mumbled something about "preserving the integrity" of the electoral system, that voters can be assured their votes really count, or some mumbo-jumbo like that. The interviewer did once, but only once, ask her if she'd have asked for a recount if Clinton had won. Stein didn't answer, but talked around the question, saying more things about voters deserving to know their votes were counted. To my dismay, the interviewer didn't ask the question again or, esp, ask Stein why she didn't answer the question. It is a simple "yes" or "no" question.
I guess the matter in question is why, say in Michigan, 70,000 people voted, but skipped voting for President. According to some newspaper reports, that's not too far off the same numbers in 2012 and even 2008. About 50,000 voted in those elections, but didn't cast a vote for the top of the ballot. Why is that any indication of fraud or mistakes or anything? I was one of those who didn't vote for Clinton or for Trump. Neither one, still, in my view deserves/d to be President. Why should I one more time "hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two evils?" I value my vote too much to do that. Why wouldn't another 20,000 or even more people feel the same way, so disgusted by the candidates and the process/system that they couldn't bring themselves to vote. Weren't these to two lousiest candidates the two major parties have even thrown at us? (Maybe not, but close.)
For that matter, where were all the cries of "recount" when so many irregularities showed up in previous elections? Heck, we laugh them off as "the cemetery vote" in Chicago or "cats and dogs voting." Isn't it odd that Clinton and the Democrats (and remember, I do not consider myself a Republican, not by any means) lambasted Trump for questioning the integrity of the upcoming election, for saying he didn't know if he'd accept the results, yet who is it who is contesting the results--after they lost? (C'mon, nobody really thinks Stein is acting as the Green Party candidate, with 1% of the vote, do they?) And who has been the only other party to contest a Presidential election in recent memory? Recall 2000.
The "$15 an hour" protesters are back at it again. I think Gus had a great comment a while back, asking why some of these multi-millionaire and even -billionaire CEOs, etc. couldn't do with a couple fewer millions and raise, voluntarily, their workers' pay. That said, I just wonder. First, the talk is about "a living wage." Is a fast-food job intended to be one that will help raise a family? Second, if the worker or the protesters are intending that, why haven't they acquired the skills to get a better-paying job? Aren't the fast-food jobs there for kids, entry-level steps, or for others, including we oldsters, seeking to supplement their incomes? Third, why is the emphasis, at least seemingly, on the fast-food workers' pay? I was talking with someone the other day who makes "about $2 more" than the protesters demand. Her duties and responsibilities are a universe apart from, say, someone flipping burgers. Yet, the pay isn't too far from the demands. For that matter, if I use the Obamacare formula for determining hours at a job, at one of my college positions, $15 an hour would be a raise of almost $1.50 an hour for me. So, maybe I should join the protesters. Oh, I can't today. I have a couple hours of essays to grade. I still like the suggestion I have made many times in the past to folks supporting the $15 an hour protesters. "The next time you go to a fast-food place, why don't you leave a tip?" Why do I doubt any of them do that?????
I threw this idea out during one of our runs last week--actually our only run due to weather, injuries, a funeral. Every day--and I mean that literally--there is another report or reports of yet more murders in Detroit. It's a daily thing. As I've noted in the past, some of the murders, because they've become so common, show up back on page 11 or page 12 of the newspaper. Why are there so many shootings? Where do people pick up the idea that they can just shoot others for the silliest of reasons, such as "He dissed me" or "I wanted his jacket?" Toss in, too, assaults, kidnappings, and carjackings that also seem to fill our newspapers. Why are there so many? Maybe it's just that now they are reported and in decades past they weren't. I don't buy that, but perhaps. Is the proliferation of violent crimes a product of our cultural norms, our dumbing-down of values? Do people think such violence is fine because it's seen everywhere we turn--television, movies, video games? Have those venues become reality to so many people that sensitivities (Boy, I hesitate to use that word considering the "Santa" post above!)? After all, we know that advertising on television and radio, on Internet sites, etc. works. Ads get people to act. So, if advertising on television, for instance, influences people to buy things, can all of the violence also lead people to act violently? I suppose there are studies to show if that's so.
Friday, December 2, 2016
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2 comments:
When shopping during the Christmas season I say Merry Christmas to the cashier. . They say it right back. Doesn't seem to bother them.
Sure hope they count all of the votes Jill Stein got correctly this time. Hers and her cats. Ugh!!!!!!
fHey Ron, are we, the taxpayers (who voted) going to have to pay, out of OUR taxes,
for this recount, or is the fedearl govt. paying for it using (improperly) some
money out of an account they should not be using?
I did not request a recount, nor did any Michigander, so, I hope we are not paying
for this.
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