Entitlements, time for a change

I remember growing up in the Charlestown section of Boston, Massachusetts with very working class, predominately, Irish immigrant families. We had moms that stayed home and raised the kids and a dad that worked himself half to death just to make ends meet. We did not have the best brand names of cloths nor did we go out to eat often. We had what we needed to get by and never thought we were un-provided for.
What has happened to We The People of today? We seem so ingrained in an entitlement society we can’t begin to imagine doing without something. I do believe society should help people out when something bad happens in their lives making it difficult to get by. I do not believe we should help people out to make it easy for them to not attempt to make their own lives better.
I drive by fast food joints all the time and see the signs that say EBT accepted here. At first I thought they were talking about ATM cards until my sons clued me in. This is the card we in California give to people who are in need, to help them get food. We used to call it food stamps.
In times gone by you could only buy certain items with food stamps, but today you can go get fast food for dinner using the EBT card. Some say this is a good thing because it makes the people feel just like everyone else. Well I am a firm believer in only having what you can afford to have. If things are tight in my family, we don’t go out to dinner, we eat at home.
A lot has been said and written about the obesity problem in our country, so why are we encouraging poorer people to serve fast food to their families? If we as a society are really concerned for people we should make sure that the food bought with government, I mean, We The People’s money, be spent on nutritious food and not the same food that is turning our society into a very obese people.
Recently I was at the check-out at the grocery store and the people in front of me bought a whole lot of soda and a case of Monster drinks. I did think it was excessive but, to each their own. I was floored when the person paid with an EBT card. My wife and I both work but would never consider spending money on a case of Monster drinks. This is what is being purchased with We The People’s money.
Our local governments need to really take a look at this situation and make some changes to the system so that the people they serve are given the opportunity to get healthy food and given a chance to get back on their feet. Entitlements are not meant to be a lifelong endeavor, they only are meant to help people out for a short time. Time for change is now.

Technorati Tags: entitlements,EBT,food stamps,fast food

A letter to the Arab League

Recently the Arab League asked the United Nations to impose a no-fly zone over the skies if Libya. After the United Nations agreed and put together the forces of many nations to implement this very complicated endeavor the Arab League complained about civilian casualties and wanted the bombing mission to stop. Arab League leaders, where have you been in condemning the following issues:
Tunisia- In February police shoot into a crowd of protesting killing 2.
Egypt- More than 360 killed in revolution by government forces.
Syria- Syrian police kill 15 anti-government protestors in March bringing the death toll to 22.
Yemen- In March 50 anti-government protesters killed by Yemeni forces.
Bahrain- At least 12 killed by government forces.
Oman- In February 6 protestors killed by security forces.
Libya- In February Libyan forces fire on a funeral killing 12 of their own citizens. Human Rights Watch claims the death toll in Libya is over 170.

During all these atrocities by Arab governments where was the Arab League to condemn the activity of the Arab Dictators? Not one word from the Arab League to denounce the use of force by an Arab government killing their Arab citizens.
Why is the Arab League silent to these atrocities? If the Arab League wants to be a major player in the Arab community they need to show some courage and support the Arab people that are brutalized by Arab rulers. It is remarkable that the Arab League calls upon the west to solve an Arab problem and then is first to condemn how the west does it.
The Arab League needs to start to police its own issues so that the west can stay out of their regional issues. The villains in this situation are not the west that is there cleaning up what the Arab League would not do, the villains are the dictators that are brutalizing their own Arab citizens and the only people willing to stop the atrocities are the western powers. This must change if the Arab League wishes to be considered a legitimate entity in the region.

World powers, responsible?

The world has had it’s share of tyrants and dictators that brutalize their own people.  The unfortunate part is that the rest of the world just looks the other way.  Do the world powers have a responsibility to police the rest of the world?

First, who are the world powers today: United States, China, and Russia.  Of course you have India up and coming but not there yet.  So let’s look at the big three.  If they wanted to, could they influence every country on this planet to do what is right by the people they govern?  For the most part they could.

Look at the last vote in the United Nation to impose a no fly zone over Libya, China and Russia abstained from voting.  Whey would they not vote for the no fly zone?  Shouldn’t every country be concerned about a dictator killing his own people just to stay in power?  If everything in the world was correct the answers would be easy but that is not the world we live in.

China and Russia could very easily be experiencing the very same protests by We The People in there own countries.  It has already happened on a small scale in China.  Just take a look at the history of the former Soviet Union that fell when We The People took to the streets in protest.  China and Russia could be next.

Tunisian Protests

By NotiZulia Maracaibo

So why can’t governments govern justly?  It appears that the fear of loosing power over We The People causes some regimes to resort to violence to keep control.  The people only want to be governed justly and not be taken advantage of.  This does not seem to be rocket science so when will world leaders wake up to the fact that the people will only take so much abuse before revolting?

Back to the big three world leaders, The United Stated, China, and Russia.  Between the three countries they have some type of influence with just about every country in the world.  Don’t you think that China could control North Korea if China wanted to?  The big three could influence the rest of the world if they would clean up their own human rights issues.

Power does not have to corrupt, it can be used in a civilized way to the betterment of the world.  When will the world powers see this?

Check me out at http://www.examiner.com/boomer-life-in-long-beach/dennis-dennehy and at http://denlyn3.wordpress.com/

 

Technorati Tags: World Powers,China,United States,Russia,protest

World leader or isolation for the United States

The world is changing around us and the US Government has become a spectator.  In Bahrain youth protestors continue to protest in the streets demanding change.  The Bahrain response is to impose a three month State of Emergency, firing on the protestors with rubber bullets and tear gas.  Saudi Arabian troops enter Bahrain, an invasion or an invitation?

The most important event to happen in the middle east in the last few years has been the protest turned revolt in Libya.  The people have taken to the streets and have decided they have had enough of Gadhafi rule.  This opposition to a brutal dictatorship made fast advances on Tripoli until pro-government forces started using fighter jets and navy ships off shore to bomb the anti-government positions.  The rebels have been asking, begging, for the UN and the west to impose a no-fly zone over Libya to support their efforts.  The Arab League even has requested the same from the UN. 

So what has President Obama done?  Nothing.  He has possible lost an opportunity for this country to do the right thing for the people of Libya who have put it all on the line to take back control of their country.  All Obama had to do was support the no-fly zone and give these people an even chance at obtaining a change of leadership.

Senators McCain (R), Kerry (D), and Lieberman (I) have all came out in support of a no fly zone over Libya. 

It has been more important for President Obama to push wife Michelle’s Anti-Obesity message, deal with cyber bullying,  and planning a trip to South Africa on Friday.

These are not the only issues We The People are looking to our President for some leadership.  How about leading the charge to a budget deal, doing something about the rising food prices, up 1.6% the largest increase in 36 years, dealing with the fact that housing starts are down 22.5%.

Mr. President is the United States of America going to continue to be the world leader or are we headed into an age of isolation from the rest of the world?

Flat tax sees it’s time

We The People send elected officials to take care of this country and none of them can see the obvious waste in government and do anything about it.  Let’s just look at the IRS.

The IRS should be around to just collect our taxes and give it to the Federal Government.  Instead we have a complicated tax system that the average person is clueless about.  Sure this has created lot’s of jobs in the private sector in the tax preparation sector but even more Federal positions.

Why do we insist on taking money from our checks and then forcing us to file lengthy and complicated forms to get some of the money back.  The time has come for a flat tax of 10% with no one filing a tax return.  Just take the 10% out of our paychecks and spend it.  No more filing tax returns and no more need for the highly inflated IRS.

Why give elaborate loopholes to the wealthy and why spend so much money on tax returns.  The time for a flat tax has arrived.

The same type of flat tax system can be created for businesses as well.  There is no need for loopholes in the tax code, the IRS is only suppose to collect not complicate the system.  Our elected officials need to listen to We The People and start making life simpler and more economical.  Elected officials listen to your bosses, We The People who put you in office.

The voice of We The People

While watching all the events unfold in the Middle East, watching We The People topple oppressive governments I wonder why our elected officials in this country are not learning any lessons.  In Wisconsin the people voted to reduce the power of the public unions.  The elected official must vote on the issue to make it law.  So a few elected officials that disagree with the demands of the people have left the state and refuse to vote on the issue.  We have a few in power ignoring the demands of We The People.

The lessons of the Middle East are not learned.  Are these elected officials in Wisconsin more important to the will We The People or are they just trying to hold onto power ignoring the demands of the ones they are supposed to represent, We The People.

It is not about these elected official being for or against the issues, it is about our elected officials doing the job they have been elected to do.  They cannot run to another state every time they don’t agree with an issue.  The voice of We The People is strong on both sides and ultimately the will of We The People will overcome.  Just look to the Middle East for your history lesson.