Who Is Responsible?

We live in a society where it is easy to place the blame on everyone except ourselves. Think about it! Our current economic disaster could have been prevented if those so called experts had done their job. Now they ask for a bail out? Yet corporations like AIG give $500 million in executive bonuses for leading the company into near bankruptcy? If anybody should have a pay cut its the incompetent morons who bath in champagne while the rest of the company is wallowing in their waste. I'm with Andrew Cuomo, make them pay it back. Why should the rest of the US take responsibility for what they did. If you made that big of a mistake with your employer would you have a job? Why should these executives keep their job? I liked what Congressman Elijah J. Cummings said at the hearings concerning the bail out money. When Neel Kashkari said that AIG needs to use the bonus incentives to keep their executives in place, Congressman Cummings said let them quit, there are thousands of people who want them to quit so they can get their jobs. I'm with him. Why reward incompetency?

Next comes our auto makers. Between their inability to globally compete with vehicles that will last, the high cost of labor thanks to the unions, and more than likely a top heavy corporate office, they can't build an automobile the average person can afford. Now they want a bail out from tax payers. Again, lets reward incompetence with more money. How much have they cut their bonuses, salaries, and wages? If they are producing more than what is being sold, then they need to go back to school and relearn theories of supply and demand. Who is taking responsibility here? Everyone is pointing fingers at each other with nobody stepping up and taking responsibility. Will the UAW make concessions to help save the industry? Who is stepping up to take responsibility?

Look at some of our politicians. "I did not have sexual relations with that woman." A criminal we would have called a sociopathic lier. Barney Frank is another example of our politicians not taking responsibility. Our president elect has not been forthwith with his associations. These are elected officials, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. How many more lies are being told to the American people? Who is taking responsibility to protect us as Americans? How can we trust our politicians? What happened to leaders like Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was prepared to take responsibility for D-Day should it fail? Are those leaders with integrity, honesty, and resolve gone forever?

Parents need to step up and be responsible. Look at our schools. Do we really have an educational system or a dumping system? I worked 3 jobs to put our sons through school, and my in-laws covered the rest. I remember when my wife and I would attend parent conferences for our kids. They were filled with "caring parents." That was at a Catholic school and Catholic High School. If you didn't get there early, you had a long wait. My wife would spend hours with the boys helping them with school work and projects. I did what little I could between jobs. I remember a lot of trips to the library with our sons.

Not so when our god son lived with us to graduate from his mother's high school. We almost got mugged by the teachers who were overwhelmed that parents cared to show. We tried to help him with homework, but he never had homework. He like his father was more interested in partying. We did what we could to help him graduate. What a contrast. But, he was the typical student with typical parents. Dumped on the system.

My wife volunteered for the local public school district to help parents. She had to beg parents to attend. They had to have incentives, sometimes out of their own pockets, to get parents to come. Attendance was dismal. Parents didn't care, they dumped their responsibilities on the schools. Many were more concerned about going out on the weekend than in spending time reading with their kids. This is typical in today's society, parents are not being responsible for raising their children. They want the schools to be responsible. Then they wonder why our educational system is failing. Duh? Parents need to get involved.

Our labor force is suffering from lack of responsibility. Many young workers don't want to pay the dues of time and experience. They want what everybody else has "now." It takes time to be productive in many jobs. There are too many older workers who are settled in who are along for the ride and not producing. Napoleon Hill said it best when he said words to the effect of, "If you do what is expected of you then you have no right to ask for a raise. Only if you do more than what is expected of you should you ask for a raise." I have seen some workers who feel they should get a raise for showing up. Where is the responsibility? If you want your company to be around to pay you in the future, you better be taking care of business today to insure it will be there.

Then there are those who can work and won't. They are too busy putting their hands out and blaming everyone else for the delema. Rather than trying, getting training or an education, they are more interested in scoring cocaine, getting drunk, getting laid, socializing, or hanging out. They want what you worked for, and they're gonna take it. Whether with a gun or welfare check. These blood sucking leaches who fill our prisons, who are drying up our social security money, and who find it easier to complain and live off the sweat of others. They have the same chances of those who were born into that mess and who choose to better themselves. There are great stories of those who rose out of disparity to live a decent life. So why can't others be responsible? Why is it everybody else's fault for their lack of drive?

Whether its financial management, building widgets, working yourself out of poverty, raising children, or becoming a politician, Americans need to be responsible. We live in a society where it is too easy to blame others. We live in a society that accepts irresponsibility.

You get what you got coming.

Are Unions Good For Our Economy?

In the late 1800's and early 1900's American workers suffered in factories, mills, on our railways and in numerous other industries. Workers of this era were the forefathers for today's unions. Many suffered abuse, torment, and some even lost their lives to create a better working environment. Unions were for the workers. Are they really for the workers today? There was a time when unions worked for the workers. Today it is easy to get the impression that workers work for the unions. What changed? Did unions get too big and lose their focus? Are unions good or bad for the economy? Are union demands creating jobs or hindering the growth of jobs? Is there a way to balance unionization and economic demand? These are questions that will raise enormous debate, singe nerves, and cause intense emotion. Only an open mind can prevail in this debate.

Lets take a look at the history of unions. Founded in 1886 was the American Federation of Labor. The Congress of Industrial Organizations was formed roughly four decades later in 1932. In 1955 the AFL and CIO merged together as a formidable force for labor. Today the AFL/CIO represent over 2 million workers in America, and over 10.5 million workers around the world. In America there are 146,743,000 workers. That means that the AFL/CIO represents 1.36% of the American work force. UAW has a working role of 640,000 workers and 500,000 retired members. Of the working UAW work force they represent 0.44% of American workers.

UAW President Ron Gettlefinger makes $145,126 a year to head a large union. A humble salary for such a position. The UAW operating budget it $13.9 million. He and his board took a pay cut in 2005. Commendable for the board. Average pay for UAW workers was another issue.

While the median income for most Americans was below $58,000, wouldn't we all like to make that. Autoworkers pay in 2006 ranged from $96,000 to $151,000 with a high school diploma. The low end was for Nissan workers in America. Any question why automobiles cost as much as they do? I have a Master's degree, can't find a job and made under $15,000 so far this year as a Realtor. In my best year I made $110,000. Before real estate I worked over 20 years in a state prison and retired with the highest pay of $45,000 a year. My retirement barely covers my $1,000 a month health insurance. Now I as a taxpayer am being asked to bail out the auto industry? Unions played a big role in raising the price of automobiles to unreachable levels, as did overpaid executives. Now an industry of greed is asking for a bail out. I personally experienced the effects of greed in the real estate industry. This is an example of how unions can negatively impact the economy. How many of those auto workers had to work in a hostile environment, break up fights, manage multiple employees, resolve disputes, train personnel, plan budgets, and make sure the public is protected? How many police officers, teachers, and nurses make less?

Good luck trying to find the AFL/CIO budget or what their president John J. Sweeney is paid. Why is the UAW transparent compared to the AFL/CIO? This is the same organization that back a less than transparent presidential nominee. If there is nothing to hide, make it public. Member of the AFL/CIO should be asking these questions.

Organization by unions is not the solution to reviving our economy. Global competitiveness is important. For those unions working toward competitiveness, good for you. For those who are working to cost taxpayers and consumers more, I say get out of the way and let our economy get back to being healthy again.

You get what you got coming to you.

Americans Beware

Americans should be aware of the danger that is building concerning our financial stability. With the current economic distress that our country is in, there is an effort to introduce dollars that are a Trojan Horse. We all remember the horror we felt on September 11, 2001. That was an open, blatant attack by terrorists. There are more suttle attacks threatening us as well.

Our elected officials have put up over $700 billion of our dollars to help revive our economy and prevent collapse. We have all heard it and are aware of it. Are you aware of Islamic Finance 101?
The US Treasury Department if hosting a Shariah Compliant Financing Forum. A key speaker is the person entrusted with managing our $700 billion. What happens to our economy if Islamic radicals take significant control of economy? We are already over dependent on oil.

Let your voice be heard. Contact your elected officials and let them know that you do not want our country put at further risk. Don't be fooled or naive. Don't just believe me. Research, tell everyone you know, share information.