WHERE YOU COULD REALLY HELP - IF YOU CARED

Ruth A. Sheets

Every day, my inbox contains notices from candidates who just learned the Koch brothers or some other super rich entities are financing an opponent's campaign for amounts of money that ordinary citizens in their thousands will never be able to match.

This is disturbing. In a democracy, financial interference in elections by the super wealthy should be obscene, unacceptable. But, in reality, it is just the opposite. It's encouraged and Supreme Court approved. We hear both parties do it and so it's OK.

First of all, this level of financial interference with elections is not equally applied, but should not be allowed at all. There should be a reasonable limit to contributions any citizen can make to candidates, no matter their wealth. This won't happen any time soon because this super money gets people elected who are beholden to particular individuals, corporations, industries, or causes. The gains bring excessive, usually undeserved power and influence to the donors. This goes to the highest levels of government, all three branches as well as the most local levels for school board and town councils.

Rich people want to know their money will get them influence and recognition, even celebrity. They name things after themselves, establish foundations that give money to grateful groups who will make the donors seem legitimate and philanthropic. They want something for their dollars, and that something is name recognition, political influence, and a variety of "unacknowledged" special privileges.

The wealthy of the world believe they got their money by their own hard work, skill and talent, so, owe nothing to anyone else, but generously choose to share their largess with those they deem worthy. And, of course, those they deem worthy are those who have the same political and social views. Their foundations draw supplicants who come begging on their knees for the dribbles of help distributed to the poor and pathetic.

Toss a few bucks to local charities (not too much, though). Support a cultural institution, especially if your name can be on something. Give to your college/university to get a chair named for you, or perhaps an important building on campus. That also gives your kids free tuition to the institution. What a deal!

If the wealthy of our nation really cared about the country, its people, and its institutions, they would pay their workers better wages. They would name their buildings for great Americans like Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, or Caesar Chavez who made major contributions to American life and discourse. Then, they would seek out and help struggling local organizations that support people whose luck did not lead to the same level of wealth the donor has.

A million dollars to a place like Bethany Children's Home in Womelsdorf, PA that serves children from troubled home situations could indefinitely provide essential fees for graduating seniors attending school in local districts. Knowing they could attend proms, receive yearbooks, and walk at graduation would make a huge difference to so many young people. But, there would probably not be a lot of publicity. It's not glamorous, but truly needed.

That same million dollars, though is more likely to be contributed to a campaign to put some mega conservative in office who will promote fossil fuels in the face of global warming or try to limit women's right to choose as women have no right anywhere but in the home cooking, cleaning, and caring for their master. And, Oh yes, it will help to elect people who can make the donors even richer. Yeah, that's what America needs.

So, shame on you because you rich guys could make such a huge positive difference that would benefit so many more people. You could help real kids, support artists just starting out. You could help local schools get supplies and take trips that would make the education experience so much more valuable to kids. You could help communities preserve local historical sites. You could support community groups that provide after school recreation and study for kids who don't yet have the luck you had. You could do so much more with your money, a drop in the bucket for you, but you don't.
I get it, such largess might help people who don't share your ultra conservative views. Right now, you are hoarding your funds to obtain the greatest influence you can. Shame on you when you could help so many because you've received so much.

Genealogical Inertia: Does It Make You Royalty?

by muon

Paul Ryan: Master of Disguise

The first line of Paul Ryan's bio on his congressional webpage (paid for by your taxes) states "Born and raised in the community of Janesville, Paul Ryan is a fifth-generation Wisconsin native." In fact, everything I've read about him or heard from GOP pundits for the last 24 hours have mentioned the "generation" thing. Well, actually, his Wikipedia page, sourced from Ancestry.com, says he's only 4th generation, but I'm not here to quibble. 4th or 5th, what does it prove about his character except that he was born?

I'm a 2nd and 3rd generation American, and I have to admit, I have nowhere near the strength of character and sheer guts of my original immigrant ancestors. Two of my great-grandmothers came to this country with children in tow, but no man at their side. Imagine leaving your home in the late 19th century, a lone mother with a couple kids, packed into steerage on a slow steamer, for a 2 month voyage with all kinds of strangers, some probably not honorable. Then you arrive, not knowing if someone will meet your ship, or how far you'll have to travel to be reunited with your husband or other family?

Would I have the chutzpah to make that trip? No way. I don't even walk around my neighborhood after dark. The courage of my ancestors boggles my mind. Two generations later, because of the better life those kin made for me, I don't need to be courageous. I've evolved into a marshmallow, whining about things like rush hour traffic.

So what kind of asset is it to be 4th or 5th generation like Paul Ryan? He's pretty far removed from the journey his ancestors made to Wisconsin. I'm not knocking his forebears; they were no doubt as brave as my own ancestors. Yet character is something forged by trial, not inherited like blue eyes. By my own experience, if your family's been in one place longer than other families, it usually means you've had more security and comforts handed down to you.

The Ryans have certainly inherited their share of America's wealth. Not that being rich is a bad thing in itself. But money doesn't bring courage and character. Often the opposite.

I heard this morning that Ryan snuck off for his meeting with Romney "in disguise"--wearing "a T-shirt, blue jeans, sunglasses and a baseball cap." He flew to Hartford and got into a rented SUV. By the next night, he was "eating Applebee's takeout at a nondescript chain hotel..."

So...he was "disguised" as a typical middle-class tourist on summer vacation? (Or, at least, typical until Bush killed the economy in 2008. Now many more people can't take a vacation. They can't afford a plane halfway across the country, and even if they could, they rent economy cars instead of SUVs. They eat off fast food value menus instead of Applebees. They go for cheap mom and pop motels or stay with relatives.)

Yet somehow, we're supposed to be amazed at this trip, as if, for a brief moment, royalty had walked amongst us poor common folk and we missed it. Shucks.

I'm not impressed by Mr. Ryan's claim of being a 5th generation Wisconsonian. Give me an honest immigrant any day over people like Romney and Ryan who act like they think they're born to the throne. We need more courage and character right now than they can muster.

You Think You Know A Person

by muon

This morning when I signed into Facebook, I noticed that one of my friends had "Liked" Mitt Romney.

This friend isn't a bosom buddy, so it wasn't like I'd found out my best friend was a serial killer or anything, but I couldn't help but wonder why this person would support Romney.

I've met her face-to-face, so I know she's female. She has a job in a profession not often pursued by women. Does she honestly think she ought to be paid less than the men who do the same work? She's been married for a couple decades and has 2 kids. Only 2. That kind of seems to indicate use of contraceptives. So...she's okay with other women being denied contraceptives and with women being forced to submit to state-mandated ultrasounds? She's okay with her own daughter having to be forced to have an ultrasound?

She and her husband aren't millionaires, or even likely half millionaires. Beyond that, I don't know her financial status, though she's definitely not in the 1%. Possibly she has enough bucks that she can't fathom how much more of her income will be funneled to the .01% under a Romney presidency. Here's how that works: government projects that benefit you are cut, making you spend more money on either private or local government substitutes, while the very rich get more tax breaks. You lose money, they gain.

Maybe she's pro-life. Of course, you'd think anyone calling themselves pro-life would object to the dismantling of programs that keep starving children alive and warm and healthy. You'd think they'd balk at the war on contraceptives, the very things that prevent the unwanted pregnancies that lead to abortions (because, seriously, what woman would intentionally get pregnant just for the chance to have an abortion?).

Maybe she's okay with being forced to drive gasoline powered cars and to heat her home with fossil fuels, at increasingly higher fuel costs, more carbon emissions, a dirtier environment, and more severe climate events each year, simply because the GOP refuses to lose their ties with the oil, gas and coal industries. Maybe she doesn't care about leaving her grandkids the legacy of having to fix the environment before her great-grandkids suffer the toxic effects?

Maybe she's just not too bright...that she lacks the reasoning power to know that a vote for Romney is a vote completely against her own interests and that of her family and her descendents? Of course, she's got a college degree in a scientific field. You'd think she'd have the smarts necessary to achieve that.

So, I don't get it. What makes an intelligent woman and mother "like" Mitt Romney? You tell me.

A COMMON SPIRIT?

By Ruth A. Sheets

Was there ever a time when all people in America valued sharing and giving to the next generation?  Probably not, but I believe there was a time when many people felt that we had some responsibility to those who have less than we do and also to those who are yet to be born.

Through the 1970’s, even early 1980’s few Americans would have thought it was a good idea to undermine public education.  Few would have considered it  "good for business" to deceive people about their ability to buy a home. Only a small minority of Americans would have acknowledged the belief that folks in poverty were there because they deserved to be.

In those days, people believed in the American Capitalist system, but understood that if you had made it, you shared at least part of your success with others for the general good.  If fellow citizens received a good education, everyone benefited because it could lead to more innovation, more jobs, more progress for everyone.

Somehow, we have lost a common spirit.  Instead of lifting others, as we lift ourselves, it is now "I’ll get everything I can and everyone else can get what they can.  But, I will do everything I can to be sure they don’t get even the smallest part of what I have."

We want to fight a war, no problem, let someone else fight and pay for it.  We’ll just make money from it.

We need roads and bridges?  Let the states and locals pay for them, they’re not really "National", you know. 

"I got an education and I worked hard at it," they say.  "If someone wants an education, they can get one and we’ll make money from it, and I don’t mean the teachers, who aren’t worth what they are paid anyway."

"Health care?  I’m healthy, I don’t need to worry about that.  Besides, insurance companies should have the right to decide who they will cover and for how much.  That’s how the free market works."

If those people took out a mortgage they should have known they couldn’t pay for it.  I’m not responsible for their stupidity.  

When one percent of the population has the bulk of the resources, and they can’t relate to the 99%, it is hard to see our society successfully coming out of the current recession or dealing with the other challenges that face us:  military spending, public education, collapse of the housing industry, infrastructure, health care, our children’s future.

After all, the 1% can go to another country if this one falls apart.  Money is money and they keep theirs all over the world.  We’re just tools for their use.

We have somehow decided that’s OK.  When did we do that?

The Wealth Factor

by Ruth A. Sheets

The “New York Times” columnist David Brooks’ piece published on January 20, 2012 is entitled “Wealth Issue.”  In it he contends that “money didn’t make Mitt Romney.”  He asks if Romney’s character was formed by his wealth.  He answers the question with a no and says that thinking money has spoiled or in any way corrupted him is “preposterous.”

Mr. Brooks then proceeds to say that Mitt Romney has been an exceedingly hard worker “all his life.”  He earned two degrees at Harvard and built a business.  The implication is that if a wealthy person works hard and earns degrees at a prestigious university that his wealth didn’t shape his character in any meaningful way.

Readers are informed that families have a story and that one’s character is actually shaped by the family’s story.  Romney’s story is a series of advancements and setbacks over time by his grandfather and great grandfather, often dramatic changes of fortune, but always with the good fortune winning out.

I find Romney’s story fascinating and I suspect that one can’t help but be influenced by losing everything, then getting it all back again several times as Mr. Romney’s forebearers did, .  However, I suspect that the “money” factor is at least as important in Mitt Romney’s life.  Even Romney’s great grandfather came from money.

I work in one of the poorest communities in Pennsylvania.   I teach “Mentally Gifted” students.  I know that I have students at least as bright as Mr. Romney with as much potential as he had, but my students will not be earning any degrees at Harvard.  The chance that they will get the opportunity to build a business is quite small.  My terrific students didn’t go to the prominent school that leads directly to Harvard because they would never be able to afford either institution.  Their families will not have the funds to help them get set up in business and to help cover their expenses while the going is a bit rough.

My students will have to be concerned about being hired and fired and as most of them are African-American or Hispanic, or a combination of the two, they will not be judged by the content of their character but by the preconceptions of those who might hire them or back their enterprises.

Their family stories are as intriguing and inspiring as Mr. Romney’s yet theirs will not even be recognized because wealth and its acquisition are not part of any of them, and in our society, wealth is what counts.  Wealth determines who is worthy of our homage.  It leads to power and more wealth. 

To be poor means that you have not worked hard enough or taken advantage of the crumbs that have slipped from the table of the wealthy.  Poverty is your fault and if you weren’t so lazy, you’d be rich too.  Anyone who is not a “have” is a “soon to have” if they have the right stuff. ”

Does wealth automatically corrupt those who have it?  Possibly not, but it does mean that the wealthy have the cards stacked in the favor.  They receive its advantages from birth, probably even before birth. 

I can’t help but wonder if Mitt Romney’s arrogance, disconnectedness, expedience would have served him as well had his family been poor or even, middle class. 

Everyone who has succeeded likes to think they did it all by themselves, but that’s not how it works.  Wealth allows its beneficiaries  to start off near the top of the heap, and unless they are really foolish or have other problems, they will not sink below that point. 

The wealthy have every incentive to work hard and strive because they know that even the smallest effort will provide security and yield a level of power that most people, no matter how motivated, will never attain.  Those who are in poverty can only hope that their family story will inspire succeeding generations who, with a lot of luck and support, may be able to rise.