This column presents a conservative viewpoint about items of interest in our community and our lives. Focus is on items impacting your pocket book, your personal freedoms, and your rights. I hope you will read the column regularly and it occasionally influences your opinions and actions.
Just before the primary vote I had a “crat” friend whom I respect call and ask me to support candidate Cutris Richardson because he had always “looked after the interest of the State Workers”. After the call I had to pause for a moment to be sure I fully realized what that phrase really meant.
I decided it meant that in order to get the votes of the massive numbers of State employees this candidate always pushed for increased benefits, higher wages, and more “perks” for this group….usually at the expense of the general public. Needless to say, I did not respond to the friend’s request. Richardson lost in his campaign for State Senator, and I am sure the chances are good that he will now find some juicy job within the bureaucracy. After evaluating that fact, another realization surfaces.
To read the rest of the story visit our virtual paper by clicking on this link!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Where Have All the Jobs Gone?
This column presents a conservative viewpoint about items of interest in our community and our lives. Focus is on items impacting your pocket book, your personal freedoms, and your rights. I hope you will read the column regularly and it occasionally influences your opinions and actions. Now, on to the subject of the week:
Mostly to China.
That is the answer to the question posed in the title of this week’s column. China has consumed a major portion of all of the industries which once flourished in America and made our nation great. They also took our jobs.
We are left with empty or converted factory buildings, a sagging economy punctuated with huge unemployment statistics, foreclosed homes, failing businesses, unfunded government programs, and a growing segment of the population living in poverty. Meanwhile things are booming in China with entire huge cities being built at an unbelievable pace, new factories filling buildings as quickly as they can be built, and a fast growing middle class emerging out of poverty into prosperity.
How did this happen?
It was allowed to occur because of our bad management, stupidity, and greed.
In my opinion, those were the characteristics which were demonstrated by our leaders over the past five decades. It all cumulated during the Clinton era when the “elite leadership” endorsed the concept of a global economy and free trade among nations. It might have sounded good on the surface, but it also sounded the death knell for American industrial production. Passage of this legislation is a perfect example of how the system often works. Congress enacts a body of laws and it then takes a decade of so before the public can realize the full impact of what was passed. By then, the guilty politicians are no longer in office...and everyone has forgotten who really is to blame.
It will be the same story for the Health Care Bill and Cap and Trade if it is passed. At the state level, the Land Use Comprehensive Plans will eventually become a real issue for property owners years from now.
In order to accomplish the ruination of our once booming and dominant role as an industrialized society, our leaders took the following steps to create an industrial environment which could not compete on a global scale:
● Tax industries at the highest tax rate in the world.
● Pass laws which encourage unionization of industries. This leads to unreasonably high labor costs, generous retirement programs, luxurious health benefits, plentiful vacations and holidays, and plant rules which prohibit full utilization of productivity enhancing equipment and procedures. These elements are enabled by politicians purchased with union funds and collective voting power.
● Increase government regulation of all industries and place expensive administrative costs on businesses in order to comply.
● Place ever tightening environmental and social responsibilities on industry.
● Once this ‘High Cost” production environment has been created, suddenly adopt a policy of “free trade”, remove all protective tariffs and quotas, and allow full access to America’s markets for goods made in China, where their industries enjoy low labor costs, high productivity, little government internal regulation, very low taxes, and government subsidies to encourage exportation.
American industries quickly found that goods made in their U.S. plants had such a high total production cost that the Chinese made goods were 40-50% less expensive on the shelves of American retail stores…even after the Chinese goods have been transported half way around the globe.
Then we wait ten to fifteen years as American industries either closed their domestic plants and transitioned into sourcing arrangements from Chinese makers….or went out of business. In the process, millions and millions of jobs were transferred out of the United States to those shiny new Chinese factories.
Just as each payroll dollar is multiplied by five or six in its total impact on the local economy when a plant opens, the reverse is true when those dollars are lost. The negative impact is similarly multiplied as retailers, suppliers, and other infrastructure components to industries also fail.
That is where we are as a nation. The government imposed economic policies of the last fifty years combined with the foolish trade deals made in the 1990’s, have changed our world for the worse….In fact, they destroyed the backbone of our economy.
Those jobs will never come back….no matter how much “stimulus” we try to give industry. As a nation, we are most likely facing a future of continuing decline in our standard of living and a diminished ability to support those in need within our society.
Some restoration might be possible if we instituted new rules of trade which began to somewhat “level the playing field” for American made products. We should not be totally focused on exporting, and should attempt to once again make American made products attractive on a cost basis to the American consumer.
This would involve reinstalling some selective tariffs, using subsidies to help American made products compete, and use of aggressive programs to assist in the rebuilding of factories and industries.
We should remember that wealth is only created when we add labor and functional capability to raw materials which add to its value to an end user. Companies which produce durable and consumable goods create wealth. Wealth creating jobs include mining, farming, construction and manufacturing.
This newly created wealth is then shared with governments at all levels which then consume this wealth to provide infrastructure and services to societies. Service functions such as doctors, lawyers, retailers, media, retailers, banks, and others simply redistribute wealth…they do not create it.
Schools and federal, state, and local governments are the major consumers of wealth.
When the wealth creating elements of this formula are removed or decreased, the cycle of wealth begins to fail. When our leaders foolishly traded away the wealth creating industries which once produced items across almost every town in America, they began a negative cycle which may now be uncorrectable.
We need to elect new leadership which understands the mechanics of what has transpired, and who will dedicate themselves into restoring wealth creation within our economic system. We need leaders who can “Get it Right”. This November is the time to start.
Rudiments: Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning-
● The Tea Party Message, plain and simple:
♦ Quit Taxing!
♦ Quit Borrowing!
♦ Quit Printing!
♦ Quit Spending!
♦ Reduce Government and give us our Constitutional personal and property rights back!
Your Tax Dollars At Work!
The following was posted on the internet by NY Conservative on 9/15 from an article in Cybercast News Service in a feature written by Matt Cover:
“The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), spent $823,200 of economic stimulus funds in 2009 on a study by a UCLA research team to teach uncircumcised African men how to wash their genitals after having sex. The genitalia-washing program is part of a larger $12-million UCLA study examining how to better encourage Africans to undergo voluntary HIV testing and counseling – however, only the penis-washing study received money from the 2009 economic stimulus law. The washing portion of the study is set to end in 2011. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/75198
● “If America dies…it will be a suicide, death by dry rot from the inside. We dare not let that happen. It is time to be involved.”
~ Dr. Tom Kitchen, Baptist Bible College of Florida
Note: The opinions stated in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Hatcher Publications.
Mostly to China.
That is the answer to the question posed in the title of this week’s column. China has consumed a major portion of all of the industries which once flourished in America and made our nation great. They also took our jobs.
We are left with empty or converted factory buildings, a sagging economy punctuated with huge unemployment statistics, foreclosed homes, failing businesses, unfunded government programs, and a growing segment of the population living in poverty. Meanwhile things are booming in China with entire huge cities being built at an unbelievable pace, new factories filling buildings as quickly as they can be built, and a fast growing middle class emerging out of poverty into prosperity.
How did this happen?
It was allowed to occur because of our bad management, stupidity, and greed.
In my opinion, those were the characteristics which were demonstrated by our leaders over the past five decades. It all cumulated during the Clinton era when the “elite leadership” endorsed the concept of a global economy and free trade among nations. It might have sounded good on the surface, but it also sounded the death knell for American industrial production. Passage of this legislation is a perfect example of how the system often works. Congress enacts a body of laws and it then takes a decade of so before the public can realize the full impact of what was passed. By then, the guilty politicians are no longer in office...and everyone has forgotten who really is to blame.
It will be the same story for the Health Care Bill and Cap and Trade if it is passed. At the state level, the Land Use Comprehensive Plans will eventually become a real issue for property owners years from now.
In order to accomplish the ruination of our once booming and dominant role as an industrialized society, our leaders took the following steps to create an industrial environment which could not compete on a global scale:
● Tax industries at the highest tax rate in the world.
● Pass laws which encourage unionization of industries. This leads to unreasonably high labor costs, generous retirement programs, luxurious health benefits, plentiful vacations and holidays, and plant rules which prohibit full utilization of productivity enhancing equipment and procedures. These elements are enabled by politicians purchased with union funds and collective voting power.
● Increase government regulation of all industries and place expensive administrative costs on businesses in order to comply.
● Place ever tightening environmental and social responsibilities on industry.
● Once this ‘High Cost” production environment has been created, suddenly adopt a policy of “free trade”, remove all protective tariffs and quotas, and allow full access to America’s markets for goods made in China, where their industries enjoy low labor costs, high productivity, little government internal regulation, very low taxes, and government subsidies to encourage exportation.
American industries quickly found that goods made in their U.S. plants had such a high total production cost that the Chinese made goods were 40-50% less expensive on the shelves of American retail stores…even after the Chinese goods have been transported half way around the globe.
Then we wait ten to fifteen years as American industries either closed their domestic plants and transitioned into sourcing arrangements from Chinese makers….or went out of business. In the process, millions and millions of jobs were transferred out of the United States to those shiny new Chinese factories.
Just as each payroll dollar is multiplied by five or six in its total impact on the local economy when a plant opens, the reverse is true when those dollars are lost. The negative impact is similarly multiplied as retailers, suppliers, and other infrastructure components to industries also fail.
That is where we are as a nation. The government imposed economic policies of the last fifty years combined with the foolish trade deals made in the 1990’s, have changed our world for the worse….In fact, they destroyed the backbone of our economy.
Those jobs will never come back….no matter how much “stimulus” we try to give industry. As a nation, we are most likely facing a future of continuing decline in our standard of living and a diminished ability to support those in need within our society.
Some restoration might be possible if we instituted new rules of trade which began to somewhat “level the playing field” for American made products. We should not be totally focused on exporting, and should attempt to once again make American made products attractive on a cost basis to the American consumer.
This would involve reinstalling some selective tariffs, using subsidies to help American made products compete, and use of aggressive programs to assist in the rebuilding of factories and industries.
We should remember that wealth is only created when we add labor and functional capability to raw materials which add to its value to an end user. Companies which produce durable and consumable goods create wealth. Wealth creating jobs include mining, farming, construction and manufacturing.
This newly created wealth is then shared with governments at all levels which then consume this wealth to provide infrastructure and services to societies. Service functions such as doctors, lawyers, retailers, media, retailers, banks, and others simply redistribute wealth…they do not create it.
Schools and federal, state, and local governments are the major consumers of wealth.
When the wealth creating elements of this formula are removed or decreased, the cycle of wealth begins to fail. When our leaders foolishly traded away the wealth creating industries which once produced items across almost every town in America, they began a negative cycle which may now be uncorrectable.
We need to elect new leadership which understands the mechanics of what has transpired, and who will dedicate themselves into restoring wealth creation within our economic system. We need leaders who can “Get it Right”. This November is the time to start.
Rudiments: Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning-
● The Tea Party Message, plain and simple:
♦ Quit Taxing!
♦ Quit Borrowing!
♦ Quit Printing!
♦ Quit Spending!
♦ Reduce Government and give us our Constitutional personal and property rights back!
Your Tax Dollars At Work!
The following was posted on the internet by NY Conservative on 9/15 from an article in Cybercast News Service in a feature written by Matt Cover:
“The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), spent $823,200 of economic stimulus funds in 2009 on a study by a UCLA research team to teach uncircumcised African men how to wash their genitals after having sex. The genitalia-washing program is part of a larger $12-million UCLA study examining how to better encourage Africans to undergo voluntary HIV testing and counseling – however, only the penis-washing study received money from the 2009 economic stimulus law. The washing portion of the study is set to end in 2011. http://cnsnews.com/news/article/75198
● “If America dies…it will be a suicide, death by dry rot from the inside. We dare not let that happen. It is time to be involved.”
~ Dr. Tom Kitchen, Baptist Bible College of Florida
Note: The opinions stated in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Hatcher Publications.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Some Issues For Your Representatives
This column presents a conservative viewpoint about items of interest in our community and our lives. Focus is on items impacting your pocket book, your personal freedoms, and your rights. I hope you will read the column regularly and it occasionally influences your opinions and actions.
If you want to become active in the processes in government which often have very significant impact on your life and your finances, I am going to offer some suggestions on issues which you can discuss with your political representatives when the opportunity is present.
Your Utility Bill –
The terrible situation which has developed for many residents in Jackson County, especially those around Marianna who must buy electricity from Florida Public Utilities, cannot be resolved by any local action. Our Commissioners have no authority or voice in the determination of electric rates.
As I see the situation, the high electric rates suffered by too many across the State of Florida are the result of a corrupted process which involves excessive control over the activities of the Public Service Commission being exerted by the large utility companies in the state. Through buying political influence with funding from the utilities being distributed to “buyable” politicians via the powerful lobbying organization, “Associated Industries of Florida”, they have gained control of the nominating committee which selects PSC Board members.
As has recently been demonstrated, any PSC Board member who dares vote against the wishes of the powerful utilities soon finds themselves booted off of the Commission by the nominating committee. Ultimately this process shows up in your mailbox in the form of a “sky high” utility bill.
How can this deplorable situation be corrected? The only way I see to instill a degree of fairness into this system is to move as much control as possible back to the local level where citizens can have more influence. The PSC members were once elected positions, but the system was not properly designed and the combination of politics with money soon became a serious problem….as it is today.
I recommend returning to a nine member PSC Board, each elected from nine local districts which are carefully designated on a geographic and population based formula. The elected positions would be non-partisan, with each candidate only allowed to raise campaign funding up to a reasonable limit (Example: $70,000), with full sunshine disclosure of all contributors. Utilities, their employees, and family members of employees would not be allowed to contribute. Voting would be on a District by District basis.
We can encourage our elected State legislators to organize support for a bill which would create this new system for selection of the members of the Public Service Commission. This is the only way I see to ever restore any real protection to the public from these greedy monopolies.
Increased Oversight of the FDEP –
The unregulated, unabated, continual string of expensive regulations, decisions, and over exuberant legislation emitting from the bureaucracy within the federal EPA and the FDEP are consuming property rights, reducing personal liberties, and costing businesses and individuals billions of dollars….all in the sacred name of the environment. The problem is these are accepted and implemented with little or no attention to proof of justification, realization of consequences, or concern for those who the rules impact. Too often our legislators have taken the approach “If it has a ‘green’ label…I’ll vote for it.”
While scientists argue over the validity of global warming, or the proof that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are destructive for the atmosphere…the radical environmental loonies which seem to fill the bureaucracy of the EPA and FDEP are busy enacting rules, laws, and departmental edicts which are seriously impacting our economy, our lives, and our pocket books… with little or no oversight from our elected officials.
It is from this existing weak system of departmental control that costly regulation after costly regulation is bombarding the economy and the public. These are implemented in a harsh, authoritative manner, causing businesses to close, projects to be abandoned, and pocketbooks to be drained. If you don’t think these things are costing you money, or are impacting your property rights, let me list a few examples.
● The incoming septic tank regulations which will cost rural property owners thousands of dollars.
● The retention pond requirements which are applied on a universal basis whether the location justifies it or not. These ugly mosquito larvae infested ponds often are in areas where they will never catch any water or perform any useful task. The construction of these unsightly ponds and the cost of land which is put into a useless condition are increasing the cost of every project by thousands and are costing millions across the state and billions across the nation. Much of it is unnecessary.
● The regulations regarding handling of asbestos border on ridiculous. Through their codes and regulations they have made many simple, miniscule situations into expensive major problems for many home and business owners. The regulators make handling an asbestos tile seem more dangerous than catching rattle snakes. I feel that unless you work in an asbestos mine, or in a factory that creates asbestos dust every day, your chances of suffering medically from handling a few shingles or pipe wrappings are miniscule….excluding those who might falsify a medical claim to use our lucrative legal processes for personal gain through fraudulent claims.
● The same goes for the fear they try to generate over ever encountering any old paint that might have a taint of mercury in its composition. From this they recently enacted a costly procedure for any project done on a structure built before 1978 in which all dust from the project must be contained by placing plastic sheeting over the work area, and only using certified construction people wearing elaborate protective gear. And certainly all of the materials must be carefully bagged and taken to a specially designed land fill for disposal. So, property owners, the next time you get ready to paint your old house, or rebuild that old shed….hold on to your pocket book!
● They forced over 1500 businesses out of business on January 1 because of the unreasonable manner in which they implemented new regulations on gasoline storage tanks for thousands of filling stations and mini-markets across the state. They caused the loss of over 15,000 jobs in Florida, and not a single legislator made a public, negative remark about it. These small businesses had to replace their existing tanks immediately….whether they were leaking or not. As a result, the small, independent gasoline station is squeezed out of existence. Do you suppose the big retailers of gasoline might have been pushing for these rules?
● Remember Freon in air conditioners? It was outlawed because it supposedly hurt the ozone layer…then later they decided there was no problem with the ozone hole and it occurred and varied naturally.
● Every drop of dreaded oil or gas which any business allows to touch sacred mother earth is quickly punished, fined, penalized, and quarantined by the envirocrats, no matter how small or insignificant. Remember the millions spent on the “dirt burners” at the airport because of the small crop spraying business that once operated there. Of course some was spilt and ran off the tarmac onto the ground. It had to immediately be scooped up and burned at great costs. Isn’t it funny that those same chemicals were flown to the fields, sprayed, allowed to run down into nearby ditches which were undoubtedly then as contaminated as the ground at the airport?
● The justification used by the electric utilities for raising your electric rates is to recover the cost of the “scrubbers” they were forced to spend many millions for under the regulation of EPA.
● Every time you fill up your vehicle you pay extra because these regulators won’t allow drilling in Alaska, off shore, and won’t allow mining of oil shale, won’t allow building of nuclear plants, and won’t allow construction of new refineries.
● Just around the corner here in Florida are new bodies of regulations from these loonies which will deal with establishing unreasonable water quality requirements for every Florida river, lake and stream. Then they plan to force expensive recycling laws for all trash from every source.
● Just wait until they finally push through “Cap and Trade” that will surely help our suffering economy.
Ideally, these environmental loonies envision a planet devoid of destructive humanity, and filled with lush vegetation and healthy earthworms. Tell your legislators to get involved in creating a system of oversight and increased pre-implementation justification procedures before the FDEP and the EPA can shove this crap down our throats.
Communicate with your legislators….and you will be “Getting it Right”.
Rudiments – Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning
● I see a lot of political signs still on display from the losers in the August 24 primary. They and their supporters need to pick them up.
● (Say something good)…..Boy! All of this road and sidewalk work really has me stimulated!!
● I congratulate Willie Earl Paramore for being appointed to the County Value Adjustment Board which hears property evaluation complaints before the tax roll is finalized. However, the last time that Board ever adjusted an appraisal for the benefit of a taxpayer was when the Yankees burned the Episcopal Church!
Note: The opinions stated in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Hatcher Publications.
If you want to become active in the processes in government which often have very significant impact on your life and your finances, I am going to offer some suggestions on issues which you can discuss with your political representatives when the opportunity is present.
Your Utility Bill –
The terrible situation which has developed for many residents in Jackson County, especially those around Marianna who must buy electricity from Florida Public Utilities, cannot be resolved by any local action. Our Commissioners have no authority or voice in the determination of electric rates.
As I see the situation, the high electric rates suffered by too many across the State of Florida are the result of a corrupted process which involves excessive control over the activities of the Public Service Commission being exerted by the large utility companies in the state. Through buying political influence with funding from the utilities being distributed to “buyable” politicians via the powerful lobbying organization, “Associated Industries of Florida”, they have gained control of the nominating committee which selects PSC Board members.
As has recently been demonstrated, any PSC Board member who dares vote against the wishes of the powerful utilities soon finds themselves booted off of the Commission by the nominating committee. Ultimately this process shows up in your mailbox in the form of a “sky high” utility bill.
How can this deplorable situation be corrected? The only way I see to instill a degree of fairness into this system is to move as much control as possible back to the local level where citizens can have more influence. The PSC members were once elected positions, but the system was not properly designed and the combination of politics with money soon became a serious problem….as it is today.
I recommend returning to a nine member PSC Board, each elected from nine local districts which are carefully designated on a geographic and population based formula. The elected positions would be non-partisan, with each candidate only allowed to raise campaign funding up to a reasonable limit (Example: $70,000), with full sunshine disclosure of all contributors. Utilities, their employees, and family members of employees would not be allowed to contribute. Voting would be on a District by District basis.
We can encourage our elected State legislators to organize support for a bill which would create this new system for selection of the members of the Public Service Commission. This is the only way I see to ever restore any real protection to the public from these greedy monopolies.
Increased Oversight of the FDEP –
The unregulated, unabated, continual string of expensive regulations, decisions, and over exuberant legislation emitting from the bureaucracy within the federal EPA and the FDEP are consuming property rights, reducing personal liberties, and costing businesses and individuals billions of dollars….all in the sacred name of the environment. The problem is these are accepted and implemented with little or no attention to proof of justification, realization of consequences, or concern for those who the rules impact. Too often our legislators have taken the approach “If it has a ‘green’ label…I’ll vote for it.”
While scientists argue over the validity of global warming, or the proof that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are destructive for the atmosphere…the radical environmental loonies which seem to fill the bureaucracy of the EPA and FDEP are busy enacting rules, laws, and departmental edicts which are seriously impacting our economy, our lives, and our pocket books… with little or no oversight from our elected officials.
It is from this existing weak system of departmental control that costly regulation after costly regulation is bombarding the economy and the public. These are implemented in a harsh, authoritative manner, causing businesses to close, projects to be abandoned, and pocketbooks to be drained. If you don’t think these things are costing you money, or are impacting your property rights, let me list a few examples.
● The incoming septic tank regulations which will cost rural property owners thousands of dollars.
● The retention pond requirements which are applied on a universal basis whether the location justifies it or not. These ugly mosquito larvae infested ponds often are in areas where they will never catch any water or perform any useful task. The construction of these unsightly ponds and the cost of land which is put into a useless condition are increasing the cost of every project by thousands and are costing millions across the state and billions across the nation. Much of it is unnecessary.
● The regulations regarding handling of asbestos border on ridiculous. Through their codes and regulations they have made many simple, miniscule situations into expensive major problems for many home and business owners. The regulators make handling an asbestos tile seem more dangerous than catching rattle snakes. I feel that unless you work in an asbestos mine, or in a factory that creates asbestos dust every day, your chances of suffering medically from handling a few shingles or pipe wrappings are miniscule….excluding those who might falsify a medical claim to use our lucrative legal processes for personal gain through fraudulent claims.
● The same goes for the fear they try to generate over ever encountering any old paint that might have a taint of mercury in its composition. From this they recently enacted a costly procedure for any project done on a structure built before 1978 in which all dust from the project must be contained by placing plastic sheeting over the work area, and only using certified construction people wearing elaborate protective gear. And certainly all of the materials must be carefully bagged and taken to a specially designed land fill for disposal. So, property owners, the next time you get ready to paint your old house, or rebuild that old shed….hold on to your pocket book!
● They forced over 1500 businesses out of business on January 1 because of the unreasonable manner in which they implemented new regulations on gasoline storage tanks for thousands of filling stations and mini-markets across the state. They caused the loss of over 15,000 jobs in Florida, and not a single legislator made a public, negative remark about it. These small businesses had to replace their existing tanks immediately….whether they were leaking or not. As a result, the small, independent gasoline station is squeezed out of existence. Do you suppose the big retailers of gasoline might have been pushing for these rules?
● Remember Freon in air conditioners? It was outlawed because it supposedly hurt the ozone layer…then later they decided there was no problem with the ozone hole and it occurred and varied naturally.
● Every drop of dreaded oil or gas which any business allows to touch sacred mother earth is quickly punished, fined, penalized, and quarantined by the envirocrats, no matter how small or insignificant. Remember the millions spent on the “dirt burners” at the airport because of the small crop spraying business that once operated there. Of course some was spilt and ran off the tarmac onto the ground. It had to immediately be scooped up and burned at great costs. Isn’t it funny that those same chemicals were flown to the fields, sprayed, allowed to run down into nearby ditches which were undoubtedly then as contaminated as the ground at the airport?
● The justification used by the electric utilities for raising your electric rates is to recover the cost of the “scrubbers” they were forced to spend many millions for under the regulation of EPA.
● Every time you fill up your vehicle you pay extra because these regulators won’t allow drilling in Alaska, off shore, and won’t allow mining of oil shale, won’t allow building of nuclear plants, and won’t allow construction of new refineries.
● Just around the corner here in Florida are new bodies of regulations from these loonies which will deal with establishing unreasonable water quality requirements for every Florida river, lake and stream. Then they plan to force expensive recycling laws for all trash from every source.
● Just wait until they finally push through “Cap and Trade” that will surely help our suffering economy.
Ideally, these environmental loonies envision a planet devoid of destructive humanity, and filled with lush vegetation and healthy earthworms. Tell your legislators to get involved in creating a system of oversight and increased pre-implementation justification procedures before the FDEP and the EPA can shove this crap down our throats.
Communicate with your legislators….and you will be “Getting it Right”.
Rudiments – Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning
● I see a lot of political signs still on display from the losers in the August 24 primary. They and their supporters need to pick them up.
● (Say something good)…..Boy! All of this road and sidewalk work really has me stimulated!!
● I congratulate Willie Earl Paramore for being appointed to the County Value Adjustment Board which hears property evaluation complaints before the tax roll is finalized. However, the last time that Board ever adjusted an appraisal for the benefit of a taxpayer was when the Yankees burned the Episcopal Church!
Note: The opinions stated in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Hatcher Publications.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Labor Day!.....Bah! Humbug!!
This column presents a conservative viewpoint about items of interest in our community and our lives. Focus is on items impacting your pocket book, your personal freedoms, and your rights. I hope you will read the column regularly and it occasionally influences your opinions and actions.
It is always great to see families out on outings enjoying each other and having a good time. This holiday weekend was a good example of that happening. However, I would like to have the holiday renamed to something like, “End of Summer Day”, and remove the idea that those who celebrate the day are recognizing the accomplishments of the U.S. Union movement.
I just can’t bring myself to celebrate the U.S. Organized Labor movement and the
horrible, ruinous contributions it has introduced into our nation’s economy. In my opinion, the actions of our industrial unions are one of the primary reasons the U. S. economy has been brought to its knees as industries flee our high taxation, over regulation, and escalating labor costs.
It is undisputable that during the early phases of the industrial revolution, which covered the first three or four decades after the turn of the century, many abuses of employees by unscrupulous owners of businesses existed in industry. The impact of organized labor did much to correct and reverse these situations. As a result many jobs were made much safer, child labor was eliminated, overtime pay was recognized, and wages and benefits were improved.
However, during the last half of the century most of these needed components were covered by labor laws, and the government had assumed the role of enforcement. The unions were really no longer needed. Yet they remained a powerful political force which used their might to steadily push for more, more, more, satisfying the greed of the membership. Unions also greatly restricted introduction of new technology, and multiplied operational costs through foolish restrictions on in-plant practices. Eventually, this constant escalation of costs resulted in the demise of the industry, the loss of the jobs, and reduced membership for industrial unions. Their greed killed the “golden goose”.
Their unbridled power fostered by millions they collected in union dues bought them political influence which then resulted in liberal, unfair labor legislation. These one sided laws weakened the ability of companies to resist their cost increasing practices. This finally all ended in the early 1990’s when our foolish, inept politicians adopted the emerging concepts of an emerging “global economy” and “free trade”. Without properly evaluating the potential impact these concepts would have on our own economy, in a bipartisan movement they enacted a series of disastrous legislation which during the ensuing fifteen years resulted in the decimation of the once great United States industrial sector.
This disabling legislation included NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), Redesigning GATT (Generalized Accord on Tariffs and Trade) under the WTO (World Trade Organization), and voting to give China “Most Favored Nation” trade status. This legislation was passed during the Clinton years, but was generally supported by foolish members of both parties. These changes opened the doorway for unhindered access to the U.S. markets by foreign made goods, with little or no restrictions or tariffs. Since these countries had not experienced the seventy years of escalation of their manufacturing costs which had occurred in the U.S., their products could be bought, delivered, and sold in America at prices which rendered U.S. made products non competitive. During the next fifteen years U.S. companies were forced to begin closing their domestic plants while they opened new plants in other parts of the world, or reached purchase agreements with industrialists in other nations, mostly China and other parts of Asia.
Consequently, millions of high paying, industrial manufacturing jobs were lost forever. No matter how much “stimulus” money is thrown into the economy, no matter how many tax breaks are given, no matter what meager efforts our desperate politicians attempt to implement….those jobs will never return. As a result, the national tax base has been reduced, governments are experiencing revenue shortfalls, unemployment and underemployment has soared, and the standard of living for the average American is falling. Our future generations face an even bleaker situation.
Meanwhile, as industry after industry failed, declined, and left the country, and the union movement suffered high membership losses. As a means of survival they turned their attention to the public sector. They began aggressive organizing programs in the areas of schools, hospitals, city workers, county workers, state workers, federal workers, police, firemen, nurses and teachers. As a result, union membership and union dues collections soared. As they destroyed our industry and once powerful unions such as the Auto Workers, Steel Workers, Boilermakers, Machinist Union, Plumbers Union, Carpenters Union, and others became shells of their former selves…new, powerful unions emerged.
While the unemployed steel workers in Pennsylvania and Ohio sat in their aging Union Halls wondering what happened to their $30 per hour job….new unions were forming. Among these are the now politically powerful SEIU (Service Employees International Union), NEA (National Education Association), AFT (American Federation of Teachers), AFSCME (American Federation of State County and Municipal Workers), and the mafia controlled Teamsters Union which ironically represents a large portion of the policemen in the country.
These unions are now busy escalating the cost of government to the American tax payer. These unions have a lot to do with the unreasonable salaries and benefits which many bureaucrats and politicians are enjoying while the public sector suffers.
No, I can not celebrate LABOR DAY! I see unions as terrible, negative, disastrous elements for our society.
I hope you and your family enjoyed a great “End of Summer” holiday. If you did, you were “Getting it Right”.
Rudiments: Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning-
● (Always include something nice) I congratulate Chuck Hatcher and the Jackson County Parks Department for another great season at Blue Springs Park. The swimming area has become a significant attraction for our area.
● Don Moore, popular radio commentator with WJAQ is recovering from a serious heart attack. We wish Don a speedy recovery.
● I applaud Richard Harrison for his continuing work on making the public aware of what the terrible new septic tank legislation will do to our rural resident. He encourages everyone to contact involved legislators on the issue.
● Our Washingtonians are planning to throw another barrel of “stimulus money” at the suffering economy in a desperate attempt to buy time and perhaps create a few jobs. They plan a massive rebuilding program for roads, airports, and railroads. This will make contractors, engineering firms, and architects richer…but when the projects are over these jobs will again fade away. They are only investing in the public, government sector and ignoring the business sector which would create permanent jobs.
● I noticed that on this holiday most of the shops and businesses which have to work every possible day to survive, pay their bills, and pay their taxes, were open and did not get to enjoy the day. Meanwhile, all of the bureaucrats, politicians, and companies which survive by suckling from the public teat were enjoying another of their many paid holidays.
● The unions in France are demonstrating today because the Government is planning to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 in a desperate attempt to reduce their soaring national debts. These unions would rather see the nation fail than give up any of their benefits.
● All of the losing candidates in the primaries and their supporters need to get busy and remove all of their signs from the streets and yards.
I have often wondered why it is that the conservatives are called the “right” and the liberals are called the “left.”
Then by chance stumbled upon this verse in the Bible:
Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NIV)
“The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.”
(Sent to me by Coach Phillip Clikas.)
Note: The opinions stated in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Hatcher Publications.
It is always great to see families out on outings enjoying each other and having a good time. This holiday weekend was a good example of that happening. However, I would like to have the holiday renamed to something like, “End of Summer Day”, and remove the idea that those who celebrate the day are recognizing the accomplishments of the U.S. Union movement.
I just can’t bring myself to celebrate the U.S. Organized Labor movement and the
horrible, ruinous contributions it has introduced into our nation’s economy. In my opinion, the actions of our industrial unions are one of the primary reasons the U. S. economy has been brought to its knees as industries flee our high taxation, over regulation, and escalating labor costs.
It is undisputable that during the early phases of the industrial revolution, which covered the first three or four decades after the turn of the century, many abuses of employees by unscrupulous owners of businesses existed in industry. The impact of organized labor did much to correct and reverse these situations. As a result many jobs were made much safer, child labor was eliminated, overtime pay was recognized, and wages and benefits were improved.
However, during the last half of the century most of these needed components were covered by labor laws, and the government had assumed the role of enforcement. The unions were really no longer needed. Yet they remained a powerful political force which used their might to steadily push for more, more, more, satisfying the greed of the membership. Unions also greatly restricted introduction of new technology, and multiplied operational costs through foolish restrictions on in-plant practices. Eventually, this constant escalation of costs resulted in the demise of the industry, the loss of the jobs, and reduced membership for industrial unions. Their greed killed the “golden goose”.
Their unbridled power fostered by millions they collected in union dues bought them political influence which then resulted in liberal, unfair labor legislation. These one sided laws weakened the ability of companies to resist their cost increasing practices. This finally all ended in the early 1990’s when our foolish, inept politicians adopted the emerging concepts of an emerging “global economy” and “free trade”. Without properly evaluating the potential impact these concepts would have on our own economy, in a bipartisan movement they enacted a series of disastrous legislation which during the ensuing fifteen years resulted in the decimation of the once great United States industrial sector.
This disabling legislation included NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement), Redesigning GATT (Generalized Accord on Tariffs and Trade) under the WTO (World Trade Organization), and voting to give China “Most Favored Nation” trade status. This legislation was passed during the Clinton years, but was generally supported by foolish members of both parties. These changes opened the doorway for unhindered access to the U.S. markets by foreign made goods, with little or no restrictions or tariffs. Since these countries had not experienced the seventy years of escalation of their manufacturing costs which had occurred in the U.S., their products could be bought, delivered, and sold in America at prices which rendered U.S. made products non competitive. During the next fifteen years U.S. companies were forced to begin closing their domestic plants while they opened new plants in other parts of the world, or reached purchase agreements with industrialists in other nations, mostly China and other parts of Asia.
Consequently, millions of high paying, industrial manufacturing jobs were lost forever. No matter how much “stimulus” money is thrown into the economy, no matter how many tax breaks are given, no matter what meager efforts our desperate politicians attempt to implement….those jobs will never return. As a result, the national tax base has been reduced, governments are experiencing revenue shortfalls, unemployment and underemployment has soared, and the standard of living for the average American is falling. Our future generations face an even bleaker situation.
Meanwhile, as industry after industry failed, declined, and left the country, and the union movement suffered high membership losses. As a means of survival they turned their attention to the public sector. They began aggressive organizing programs in the areas of schools, hospitals, city workers, county workers, state workers, federal workers, police, firemen, nurses and teachers. As a result, union membership and union dues collections soared. As they destroyed our industry and once powerful unions such as the Auto Workers, Steel Workers, Boilermakers, Machinist Union, Plumbers Union, Carpenters Union, and others became shells of their former selves…new, powerful unions emerged.
While the unemployed steel workers in Pennsylvania and Ohio sat in their aging Union Halls wondering what happened to their $30 per hour job….new unions were forming. Among these are the now politically powerful SEIU (Service Employees International Union), NEA (National Education Association), AFT (American Federation of Teachers), AFSCME (American Federation of State County and Municipal Workers), and the mafia controlled Teamsters Union which ironically represents a large portion of the policemen in the country.
These unions are now busy escalating the cost of government to the American tax payer. These unions have a lot to do with the unreasonable salaries and benefits which many bureaucrats and politicians are enjoying while the public sector suffers.
No, I can not celebrate LABOR DAY! I see unions as terrible, negative, disastrous elements for our society.
I hope you and your family enjoyed a great “End of Summer” holiday. If you did, you were “Getting it Right”.
Rudiments: Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning-
● (Always include something nice) I congratulate Chuck Hatcher and the Jackson County Parks Department for another great season at Blue Springs Park. The swimming area has become a significant attraction for our area.
● Don Moore, popular radio commentator with WJAQ is recovering from a serious heart attack. We wish Don a speedy recovery.
● I applaud Richard Harrison for his continuing work on making the public aware of what the terrible new septic tank legislation will do to our rural resident. He encourages everyone to contact involved legislators on the issue.
● Our Washingtonians are planning to throw another barrel of “stimulus money” at the suffering economy in a desperate attempt to buy time and perhaps create a few jobs. They plan a massive rebuilding program for roads, airports, and railroads. This will make contractors, engineering firms, and architects richer…but when the projects are over these jobs will again fade away. They are only investing in the public, government sector and ignoring the business sector which would create permanent jobs.
● I noticed that on this holiday most of the shops and businesses which have to work every possible day to survive, pay their bills, and pay their taxes, were open and did not get to enjoy the day. Meanwhile, all of the bureaucrats, politicians, and companies which survive by suckling from the public teat were enjoying another of their many paid holidays.
● The unions in France are demonstrating today because the Government is planning to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 in a desperate attempt to reduce their soaring national debts. These unions would rather see the nation fail than give up any of their benefits.
● All of the losing candidates in the primaries and their supporters need to get busy and remove all of their signs from the streets and yards.
I have often wondered why it is that the conservatives are called the “right” and the liberals are called the “left.”
Then by chance stumbled upon this verse in the Bible:
Ecclesiastes 10:2 (NIV)
“The heart of the wise inclines to the right,
but the heart of the fool to the left.”
(Sent to me by Coach Phillip Clikas.)
Note: The opinions stated in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Hatcher Publications.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
“Heed the Call…or America Will Fall”
This column presents a conservative viewpoint about items of interest in our community and our lives. Focus is on items impacting your pocket book, your personal freedoms, and your rights. I hope you will read the column regularly and it occasionally influences your opinions and actions.
“Restore America”-
This weekend a truly unique and spectacular rally was held at the Lincoln Memorial in our nation’s capital city. A crowd estimated at over 200,000 assembled at the call of popular conservative talk show host, Glenn Beck. They came on a mission of expressing their peaceful, patriotic concern over the future of our great nation. They carried no political banners; they had no clever signs protesting the actions of our government. These attendees came in a spirit of reverence and concerned prayer, seeking guidance in their participation in helping to “Restore America”.
Glenn Beck delivered a sincere message of concern for our country and what it stands for. He stressed the idea that we must return our nation to basic Christian precepts in order to overcome the destructive effects on the US society which has resulted from the growing secular progressive influences within our culture. He stressed restoration of religious influence in our families, our schools, our relationships, and our governments. We must re-embrace morality and character as necessary human attributes. These attributes formed the foundation of our Constitution and formation of our Government in 1776, and must be restored as the basic components of our guidance as a population.
We must remove the sinful “ways of operating” which have corrupted government and business. Recent examples of these corrupt, self serving systems are the disclosure of how the powerful Associated Industries of Florida lobby group has purchased enough political influence to gain control of the Public Service Commission which was intended to protect the consumers from abuses at the hands of the Utility Monopolies, and has instead become a pawn which serves those greedy institutions. Another example is how the septic tank lobbyist managed to further their greedy interests by getting irresponsible legislation passed under the guise of an environmental need. In both instances the rights of the citizenry are reduced, and money is taken from the suffering, helpless public.
Beck is right. We must “Restore America” or we will see our once great nation fade into commonality. History is replete with similar examples where social and moral decay of a nation’s population resulted in that nation’s decline from an era of greatness to become a land of struggle, strife, and reduced quality of life. These examples include the “Roman Empire” which once covered most of the civilized world, the “Days of Spanish Glory” and the Spanish Armada which stretched tentacles of exploration throughout the New World, and the tremendous breadth and power of the “British Empire” which spanned the globe. All of these great nations rose to days of glory, power, and affluence, then suffered moral and social decay which led to intense divisiveness, corruption and greed. Finally each nation was reduced by internal failures from its days of glory to become a struggling shadow of what it had been. ….America is on course to repeat these unlearned lessons from history.
Glenn Beck is sounding an alarm. We must begin to put “America First”, or we will suffer a fall to depths of economic and social decline which might seem unfathomable to many. We must put AMERICA before:
● Any Republican agenda
● Any Democratic agenda
● Any Environmental agenda
● Any Union agenda
● Any Minority agenda
● Any Business agenda
● Any World Order agenda
● Any Religious agenda
● Any Personal agenda
The American society must focus on the “Restoration of America”, which includes restoration of the basic values of honor, character, morality, and Godliness which our forefathers placed at the forefront of our nation when it was born. If we allow the social progressive movement to continue to weaken, remove and destroy these vital elements from America’s governments, America’s laws, and from our basic social structure, we are forming an environment which assures future generations of misery and suffering.
We must take Glenn Beck’s call to heart. He spoke only as a patriot and as a very concerned American citizen. He is “Getting It Right”, I hope our nation does the same.
Rudiments: Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning-
● Always say something nice (Keeping my New Years Resolution)…Isn’t it great to see businesses doing their part to give back to the community they serve. The policy at Zaxby’s to engage in helping identified needy families in the area is heartwarming. We should also mention other examples of restaurants in the community demonstrating their desire to help the citizens of Jackson County. These would include Sonny’s engaging in a special fund raiser within the restaurant at Christmas to buy toys for needy children, and Madison’s having special spaghetti suppers as fund drives for the Cub Scouts. These are wonderful businesses doing wonderful things to help those who need support.
● I hope the beautiful, computerized Chipola entrance sign on Kelson Avenue isn’t against Marianna City Codes. It has flashing lights, changing scrolling text, and may be illegal. Of course it is also beautiful, informative, modern, and classy….but that often doesn’t matter.
● I do not blame Mr. Carmichael, the owner of the historic Stone Hotel, for protesting against the City by putting up a sign stating the city had taken control of his property. The existing codes have rendered the building unusable and thus have caused him to suffer a great financial loss. Their inflexible approach to this beautiful historic structure will eventually result in it being torn down and that part of our history being lost. The city would be better served if they attempted to find remedies which would result in restoration and continued usage.
Note: The opinions stated in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Hatcher Publications.
“Restore America”-
This weekend a truly unique and spectacular rally was held at the Lincoln Memorial in our nation’s capital city. A crowd estimated at over 200,000 assembled at the call of popular conservative talk show host, Glenn Beck. They came on a mission of expressing their peaceful, patriotic concern over the future of our great nation. They carried no political banners; they had no clever signs protesting the actions of our government. These attendees came in a spirit of reverence and concerned prayer, seeking guidance in their participation in helping to “Restore America”.
Glenn Beck delivered a sincere message of concern for our country and what it stands for. He stressed the idea that we must return our nation to basic Christian precepts in order to overcome the destructive effects on the US society which has resulted from the growing secular progressive influences within our culture. He stressed restoration of religious influence in our families, our schools, our relationships, and our governments. We must re-embrace morality and character as necessary human attributes. These attributes formed the foundation of our Constitution and formation of our Government in 1776, and must be restored as the basic components of our guidance as a population.
We must remove the sinful “ways of operating” which have corrupted government and business. Recent examples of these corrupt, self serving systems are the disclosure of how the powerful Associated Industries of Florida lobby group has purchased enough political influence to gain control of the Public Service Commission which was intended to protect the consumers from abuses at the hands of the Utility Monopolies, and has instead become a pawn which serves those greedy institutions. Another example is how the septic tank lobbyist managed to further their greedy interests by getting irresponsible legislation passed under the guise of an environmental need. In both instances the rights of the citizenry are reduced, and money is taken from the suffering, helpless public.
Beck is right. We must “Restore America” or we will see our once great nation fade into commonality. History is replete with similar examples where social and moral decay of a nation’s population resulted in that nation’s decline from an era of greatness to become a land of struggle, strife, and reduced quality of life. These examples include the “Roman Empire” which once covered most of the civilized world, the “Days of Spanish Glory” and the Spanish Armada which stretched tentacles of exploration throughout the New World, and the tremendous breadth and power of the “British Empire” which spanned the globe. All of these great nations rose to days of glory, power, and affluence, then suffered moral and social decay which led to intense divisiveness, corruption and greed. Finally each nation was reduced by internal failures from its days of glory to become a struggling shadow of what it had been. ….America is on course to repeat these unlearned lessons from history.
Glenn Beck is sounding an alarm. We must begin to put “America First”, or we will suffer a fall to depths of economic and social decline which might seem unfathomable to many. We must put AMERICA before:
● Any Republican agenda
● Any Democratic agenda
● Any Environmental agenda
● Any Union agenda
● Any Minority agenda
● Any Business agenda
● Any World Order agenda
● Any Religious agenda
● Any Personal agenda
The American society must focus on the “Restoration of America”, which includes restoration of the basic values of honor, character, morality, and Godliness which our forefathers placed at the forefront of our nation when it was born. If we allow the social progressive movement to continue to weaken, remove and destroy these vital elements from America’s governments, America’s laws, and from our basic social structure, we are forming an environment which assures future generations of misery and suffering.
We must take Glenn Beck’s call to heart. He spoke only as a patriot and as a very concerned American citizen. He is “Getting It Right”, I hope our nation does the same.
Rudiments: Odds and Ends Worth Mentioning-
● Always say something nice (Keeping my New Years Resolution)…Isn’t it great to see businesses doing their part to give back to the community they serve. The policy at Zaxby’s to engage in helping identified needy families in the area is heartwarming. We should also mention other examples of restaurants in the community demonstrating their desire to help the citizens of Jackson County. These would include Sonny’s engaging in a special fund raiser within the restaurant at Christmas to buy toys for needy children, and Madison’s having special spaghetti suppers as fund drives for the Cub Scouts. These are wonderful businesses doing wonderful things to help those who need support.
● I hope the beautiful, computerized Chipola entrance sign on Kelson Avenue isn’t against Marianna City Codes. It has flashing lights, changing scrolling text, and may be illegal. Of course it is also beautiful, informative, modern, and classy….but that often doesn’t matter.
● I do not blame Mr. Carmichael, the owner of the historic Stone Hotel, for protesting against the City by putting up a sign stating the city had taken control of his property. The existing codes have rendered the building unusable and thus have caused him to suffer a great financial loss. Their inflexible approach to this beautiful historic structure will eventually result in it being torn down and that part of our history being lost. The city would be better served if they attempted to find remedies which would result in restoration and continued usage.
Note: The opinions stated in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Hatcher Publications.
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