My Soapbox Is Slippery When Wet

Probably because I use liquid detergent. I heard on the radio this morning a couple of things that I usually wouldn’t post about. They both involve politics of one sort or the other. I will admit that I don’t follow the full details of some of these things so I will say right now … I know I am NOT an expert and I am NOT speaking with knowledge of all the facts … probably not even most of the facts

First thing is about the pensions “reform” in my home state of Illinois. A new boll was signed into law today that will do something with the pension system that unions in particular are not fond of. That is all well and good. Like I said, I don’t know the facts so I am not sure what is being decreased, increased, taken away etc. The argument I keep hearing though is that the law is unconstitutional.  I am unclear exactly what is unconstitutional, and how pensions are part of the constitution in the first place for any changes to be un.

GOAL!!!!

Sorry, the Hawks are on while I am typing this.

As I was saying, is it a constitutional right that we get pensions or is it something about the changes themselves that are violating a constitutional law? I don’t think pensions are an inalienable right.

The second thing I heard was a discussion about the minimum wage protests. I am not against a minimum wage increase. I don’t think the people talking on the radio were either … in principle. The gist of it was this. Yes, there should be a minimum wage increase however, it can’t just be “hey, you used to make $7 now you make $15.  Here is why.

1)   The money will have to come from somewhere. That will mean price increases and no more dollar menu.

2)   If the lowest paid worker gets a 100% increase in wage. (I am just using round numbers because I suck at math) then the more skilled worker will think, “wait a minute, if they get more money, and I am more important to the operation of this company, then I want a doubling of salary.

3)   It isn’t a guarantee, it is called “earnings”. I hate to say this and I know that there are people that have these jobs because they can’t help it or circumstances are whatever they are but … if you are doing something that pays that low and you don’t like it, then there are plenty of other people that would gladly take that job. Better yourself to get a better job.

Hate on me all you want for that last part but I am playing devil’s advocate here. Like I said, I agree the minimum wage is too low. You can’t live on what it is. But, like everything else in this country, no matter who wants it, people just want it to happen but nobody wants to pay for it. It would be real nice to just say “BAM! The minimum wage is higher!” Then the employers can say “BAM! Our prices are higher!!” Then the same people will again say “We can’t afford anything we need the minimum wage higher!” It will be an endless cycle.

I don’t have a solution. I don’t have all the facts. I am not a politician. I don’t have a raccoon in my bedroom. I’m just sayin’ is all.

Oh yeah, Abe Vigoda is still alive. God bless him.

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Stimulate This

This weekend, I received in the mail, a letter from the Census Bureau telling me that I was going to receive a letter from the Census Bureau that will be asking me to fill out a special census count. In this letter telling me about the letter, there was a flyer in different languages saying the same thing. I immediately was upset by the waste that this obviously cost the American taxpayer. First, the time it took to put that together, the cost of printing and the cost of mailing … only to tell us they will be sending something. Why couldn’t they just send the Census and have us fill it out in one mailing? It seemed like a colossal waste of time and money, until I realized this was probably a stimulus package of some sort.

Of course, it has to be. The government, in all of its wisdom, decided that they would stimulate the economy by doing everything twice, thereby adding money to the economy in the form of wages for the printers, money going to the post office so they don’t have to close on Saturdays, and more money to all the people that put the flyers and letters together. Not to mention the paper mills, the recycling centers to deal with all the extra paper that everyone will ignore and throw out. GENIUS!

I’m glad that our government, no matter what party it is run by, and what department is represented, is doing the best that it can to stimulate and rejuvenate our economy.

 

Burn Out

My posts lately have been a little lacking in quality and I admit that. It is getting to that point again where I am getting a little burn out. It isn’t 100% of the blog. It is work, home, politics … everything. I am just tired I think. Part of it also is that I saved all of my vacation for the end of the year. Not a great idea. I will have to re-think that next year. All I know is that I can’t wait until Vegas in a few weeks. WOOHOO!

Speaking of politics, if Cain would have just said he did what he did, it would have been over and I wouldn’t have to hear about this crap on the radio every hour. He should have just done what Quagmire Clinton did and just admit it.

 

My street has Halloween lights still up on one of the houses. Another house has all their Christmas lights up and on already. It is like the Nightmare Before Christmas on my street!

 

 

I Want To Raise My Debt Ceiling

Dear politicians, I would like to raise my own debt ceiling to an unholy level so that I can quit my job and stay home with my daughter. I will pay for this by charging you a fee to rule over me and make stupid laws like telling me I can’t eat salt. If you fix my road, I will pay you a very low wage and give you a performance review once a year.

I will decide eventually IF I want to pay you back or if I just want to continue to raise my debt ceiling. I will be spending far more money than I will ever take in and you will not be able to foreclose on me, or sue me for anything.

Thank you,

Voices

 

This of course is a simplistic view but it gets the basics across. I usually don’t get political but I am really getting honked off at them messing with my TV shows.

It’s Time For A Change

Hi. My name is Bob Richardson and I am considering thinking about forming a possible committee to look into whether or not I should decide on forming a focus group that would research the possibility of hiring a consultant who would determine the feasibility of me potentially gathering feedback on helping me decide if I should ponder the possibility of running for office.

In communities all over the area, citizens, just like you, ordinary, every day people, are begging for change. Some of them have a sign they hold up, others just have the tin cup and dirty clothes, but they all are longing for the same thing … money. Too many politicians today ignore this fact and focus on what their opponent has done or not done, and not on what the people need.

If I decide to run, I promise that my campaign will touch on what is important, depending on what I am running for. I will not lie about my opponents during any event that is being recorded. I will not stray from the issues, whatever they may be and I will give up front and honest answers if it is determined that it will help me win.

My opponents, whomever they may be, have voted to kill all flowers on the planet. They have not voted on whether it is an African or European Swallow. They have taken money from the “need a penny” tray without ever adding a penny. They have supported causes that Robot Chicken wouldn’t even parody. I also have it on good authority that 3 of the other candidates actually enjoyed Ishtar. These are not qualities that we wish for the leaders of our next generation of children.

How am I going to make a difference you ask? What are MY qualifications? I was born a number of years ago and have lived my entire life. I have never really cared about politics and still really don’t now. Yes, when I was younger, I was a witch … but I got better. I have been hunting with friends before and managed to NOT shoot anyone. I was never a Russian femme fatale, however I do occasionally enjoy Russian dressing on my salad. I do admit that on occasion, when I was younger, I lost my biscuits after a night of partying, but never lost my desire for them covered with a nice sausage gravy. I know how to deficit spend and in whatever office I hold, I will bring an integrity and professionalism not seen since Mr. Howard, Mr. Fine and Mr. Howard taught the alphabet at Mildew College in 1938.

With this in mind, please turn out to vote and see if I decided to give a damn.

This message was not paid for by any friends of Bob Richardson, in fact, they asked him to not even mention that they were affiliated with him in any way.