Saturday, October 2, 2010

State Employment Greed

How excited is everyone else to see Gordon Gekko back on the big screen? Nothing nails home the status of America more than when he opens his mouth and utters the words greed. Ladies and gentlemen, I do not care what Mr. Gekko says, greed is not good, it is destructive. When you look around your town, state or country and begin to complain, remember greed is what brought us here. Now it has brought that oh so precious false sense of entitlement to a new level. Although I could tell you infinite amount of stories to nail this point home, I am going to focus on just one. If you want to make a great living, become state employed. The State of Illinois pays better than other states, just look at our neighboring states. It also blows the private sector away. This is because Chicago sets the standards for all state employees on what is a decent wage. But I don’t want to focus on the wages earned. I want to focus on the pension taken. A lot of state employees have become scared because Senator Bill Brady, running for Governor, wants to change the pension system. Not for current employees, but for future ones. No longer will they become part of the broken pension system, but a 401k program instead. The reasoning is simple; the state can no longer afford to keep sliding in the hole like it is in the pension program. State employees do not realize that every time they get paid, and the money they put into the pension program disappears instantly, because the pension system lacks the funding to survive. It keeps getting stolen to pay for other things. I have asked these state employees that complain, “What is wrong with a 401k? It works fine for the private sector.” I can never get an answer. The bottom line is that state employees feel that the taxpayers should pay them for the rest of their lives for their service. It wasn’t until recently that Correctional Officers were force to pay a percentage of their wages into the pension system, meaning they were setting up a retirement for free. What makes state employees think they are above the rest of the taxpayers? In a time when the state is one of the poorest in the nation, concessions need to be made. State employees, especially unionized ones refuse to sacrifice anything to help repair the damage of over a decade of mismanagement. As much as you’re being paid, you can be like the rest of us, and use a 401k to save up for retirement. You are entitled to nothing. Your greed is out of control.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Real Change Coming

I know I have been gone for a while, but I have been busy working the campaign trail for various candidates. In my absence, a lot has happened, and we are just going to fast forward to what is happening now.

Today is another "Super Tuesday." The Tea Party Express must be recognized as a powerful political action committee. Some tea party groups are too radical, but after you take them out of the equation you have a core of people that are quite impressive in holding rallies, raising funds, and most importantly, helping people win races. As I watch the news, I see more and more candidates, supported by the teas party, winning their primary elections. In some states record turnouts are occurring.

This is important because it shows that the American people have become fed up with being pushed around by their government. Not only are they attempting to throw out the guilty ones, but they are trying to bring in Washington outsiders to change the way our country does business. No longer is business as usual acceptable. In my state, Illinois, Senator Bill Brady is running a successful campaign for governor. A position filled by Governor Quinn upon the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich. Instead of seizing the opportunity to repair a damaged state, Quinn chose to continue with the backroom deals, spend money the state does not have, and then in the middle of a recession, ask to raise taxes by over 30%. As he takes the raises away from the everyday state employee, he turns around and gives his own political appointees large raises. I could rant about Quinn for days, but the bottom line is he has failed the people, and now he must go.

Bill Brady on the other hand promises to force the state to live within our means, trim the wasteful spending out of the state budget, and most importantly, run the state like a business. He understands that in order for the people, businesses, and the state to get back on track, real changes need to be made. Tough choices will need to be made to save our state. Senator Brady is a man who can do this with the voters best interests at heart. I encourage you to visit bradyforillinois.com and learn more about him, and to vote for him in November.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Dear Attorney General Madigan

The following is a letter I have sent to the Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan in reference to the Health Care Reform bill. I hope you enjoy, and feel free to contact her as well:

Attorney General Madigan,
You have always seemed to be a person who fights for the people of the state. I think you are doing a great job, and have stepped up to the plate when we needed you most. I have sat back for the last few weeks waiting for you to once again protect us from unlawful acts. As of yet, you have made no action, and I know you will not be. You have stood before the press and stated firmly that you will not be joining the other states to block the enforcement of the bill in Illinois. Although I doubt I can change your mind, I am going to try none the less. I will not argue the fact that reform to America's health care system is needed. But the changes coming are not the right ones, and I think you know it. Just because President Obama is from this state, does not mean we have to stand behind him on every issue. To open the debate, the bill is unconstitutional. As a lawyer, I am sure you are aware of this. The 10th Amendment states, "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” The reforms in the bill violate the peoples' rights by imposing a new mandate on individuals to obtain health insurance or face a penalty and imposing on the states new costs by expanding Medicaid, which is a federal-state program. Now granted, people are forced to purchase auto insurance, but that is imposed by states, not the feds and you can opt out of the car insurance if you opt out of having a driver’s license. I am not forced to have auto insurance unless I want to drive. I want to live; does that mean I am required to have health insurance? Also let us not forget that our state, thanks to the past two Governors is in dire straits. We are facing a $13 billion deficit this fiscal year alone. The state can't pay the bills as it is. How are the people of Illinois going to afford this new mandate? The fact is, we can't. I know that no person can put a price on another life. Like I said, we do need reform, but it has to be better planned out, and not violate the rights of the people. Remember, you work for the people. We do not work for you. If it is found that a majority of the voters of our great state do not want this bill. Then you must place your personal ideology aside, and do what is right. Thank you for your time and consideration.

David Bourne,
americarebourne.blogspot.com

Friday, April 2, 2010

Opportunity Knocking

The Republican party is in trouble, and they probably are too blind too see it. The leaders of the party feel that they are doing right, and will will the country back thanks to Obamacare. As much as I hope for this to be true, I feel that it will not be. The party, just like the Democrats, are no longer in touch with the American people. This is no longer the country of our fathers, and views have changed. Conservative voters find themselves a little liberal on issues that the party denounces. And being the "Party of No" has not been good publicity for a party still scarred by the Bush/Cheney era. When the next generation of conservatives try to get involved, they are shunned by the leaders for people already in the party. Another case of politics as usual. If the party expects to regain the support of the people, reform is needed. Instead of always saying no, and sticking to the people in the party that have already damaged the conservatives, new ideas and people need to be presented. Everyone wants health care reform, just not the one Obama pushed through. With the problems arising in the local, state, and federal levels, the Republicans are in an ideal spot to regain some control. But without change, the days of King George Ryan and Dubya will just be replayed. Get new people involved, and make the right changes needed to bring the party back in touch with how people think today.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

New York, New York

It's not getting much press, and it should. It is ignored by the lamesteam...err mainstream media, and it shouldn't. It is the Manhattan Declaration. People are busy talking about health care reform, and they should be since it will socialize our country. The declaration can be found here...

http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/

It is a call of Christian Conscience, and in a nutshell states,

"We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:
  1. the sanctity of human life
  2. the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
  3. the rights of conscience and religious liberty."
I have said in past posts. I am a religious man. I love God, and what He has done for all of us. I can support this declaration for the most part. I struggle with #2, as I have also said in former posts. None the less, let's break this down and see what this declaration is saying, and how this group could change the way the country thinks if they receive enough support.

1. The sanctity of human life. Yes all you P.E.T.A. treehuggers are going to have to take a seat, they don't care about Bambi or Thumper. This is a kinder way of saying, "Anti-abortion." I support this with all my heart. With the exception of emergencies, people should not be allowed to get an abortion. There are people out there willing to adopt your baby. I know what you are going to say, there are over half a million children in foster care, which just shows that we need more people willing to help. Just because there are a lot of children looking for a good home, does not mean we need to start eliminating life. Someone call all the celebrities that think it is cool to adopt a foreign child, and tell them to buy American.

3. I know I skipped #2, but in order for me to prove my point, I have to discuss #3 first. The rights of conscience and religious liberty. Liberty is just another word for freedom. You are free to consciously believe what you want and what god you want. Not only does the declaration say it, so does that little thing we call the constitution. You can not force people to believe what you do, or bow down before the Lord Jesus Christ, no matter how hard you try.

2. The dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife. Contradiction alert! I have said in the past that this does not bother me. People will remain who they are, and love who they love whether they are able to marry or not. The contradiction here is #3 says people have the liberty of religion. The husband and wife idea, which is a politically correct way of saying man and woman, comes from the views of religion. It is sinful to be be a homosexual according to the Good Book, and you are to only marry the opposite sex. You can not have it both ways, where people are free, but you restrict them through your own religious beliefs. They will still live with each other, still love each other, and still hold hands in public. So allowing them to marry will not change a thing. Only God can judge mankind. Quit trying to do His job for Him. In America people are free, so let them be.

As of this writing, only 297,426 people have signed this declaration. A drop in the bucket by American standards. A lot more people believe in what is being said here, but I think they can't get past the marriage part, or they just don't know it exists. The lamestream media will not talk about such a religious stance against the direction of our country. I only found out about it myself when the Father at my church discussed it. The actual Manhattan Declaration is way too long to attach, and I gave you the cliff notes. I recommend you use the link to read the whole thing, and please sign it if you support the cause. Very powerful religious people began this movement, and with what is happening to our country right now, we need these people to help us as much as they can. So we will need to help them. I will try to get past the marriage part.

Saturday, November 14, 2009

Tis the Season

It is almost that time. I can smell the ham, candied yams, fruit salad, and violence. That's right people! Black Friday is only two weeks away, and I want you to try and behave yourself this year. If the economy was tough last season, it can only be worse this year. People are looking for deals that can only be had by waking up before the rest of the world, lining up at your favorite superstore, and waiting for that sweet, precious moment when people will trample, beat, shoot, stab, or cart rob for that oh so special item your loved one has always wanted. I agree, the prices are harder to beat than the 300 pound woman swinging a broom stick in isle 5. But it is too early and hectic to me. And dangerous too! I am not making it up either. Last year, a Wal-Mart employee lost his life when the stampede of consumers broke down the front door, trampling him. "He was bum-rushed by 200 people," Jimmy Overby, the man's 43-year-old co-worker, told the New York Daily News. "They took the doors off the hinges. He was trampled and killed in front of me. They took me down too ... I literally had to fight people off my back." Oh there is more:

Shortly after midnight yesterday, an estimated 15,000 shoppers pushed and shoved their way into the Fashion Place mall in Murray, Utah. Police soon joined them, responding to reports of nine skirmishes. Once inside, shoppers ransacked stores, overturning piles of clothes as they looked for bargains. A retailer's dream — too many customers! — quickly turned into a nightmare, forcing store clerks to shut their doors, and only let people in after others left. The mall even briefly closed its outside doors to avoid a fire hazard.

At the Wal-Mart outside Columbus, customers dashing toward 5 a.m. deals pinned employees against stacks of merchandise. "Oh, my god, stop pushing me, oh, my god," screamed Linda Tuttle, a 47-year-old employee at the store.

The rush at Roanoke's Best Buy turned violent, just seconds after the doors opened at 5 a.m. NewsChannel 10 caught a man on video hitting someone over and over. Watching in slow motion you can see him hit someone at least 5 times.

The scene at many stores was part Woodstock, part Lord of the Flies, as hundreds hunkered for hours bundled in clothes, wrapped in blankets and holding coffee cups and crumbled newspaper inserts.

As the 5 a.m. opening at Best Buy approached, latecomers crashed the line marked by yellow tape, jockeying for pole position with people who stood in the cold for hours. Attempting to quell the crowd, a store manager jumped on a garbage can and threatened to call police. Store employees handed out tickets, entitling the bearer to one of the limited number of so-called "doorbuster" items. Many of those in the line circling the building had no idea that the front of the store was on the brink of chaos, or that items they waited for were already claimed.

An elderly woman and nine other bargain hunters were injured Friday in a rush for gift certificates dropped from the ceiling of a local mall. Some 2,000 shoppers rushed for 500 falling prize-filled balloons at the Del Amo Fashion Center, leaving nine with minor wounds and sending an elderly woman to the hospital.

This year's Black Friday shopping sprees were tinged with violence, as incidents on both coasts left shoppers wounded, or dead. The New York Post has disturbing video from the scene of the Black Friday Wal-Mart stampede in Long Island where one worker was trampled to death and four shoppers, including a pregnant woman, were injured and had to be hospitalized. "Police said about 2,000 people were gathered outside the Wal-Mart doors before its 5 a.m. opening. The impatient crowd knocked the employee, identified by police as Jdimytai Damour of Queens, to the ground as he opened the doors, leaving a metal portion of the frame crumpled like an accordion." Meanwhile, in Southern California, there was a Black Friday shootout at a Toys 'R' Us that left two men dead. Truly frightening.

All of these articles can be found easily on the web. Yes getting that gift for your loved one, or yourself is important. But not so important you need to harm yourself or others. Let us remember that Jesus is the reason for the season, and that gifts are just an added bonus. If you can't afford the item today, maybe you shouldn't buy it on Black Friday. But if you must, please for the love of mankind, do it peacefully. This is not just a day of "great deals" but another example of just how greedy We the People have become, and how far we will go to get what we want. Be smart, be safe, wear a flack jacket. I am predicting worse violence than last year.

Happy Holidays.



Friday, November 13, 2009

Interesting Court Case

This email was forwarded to me from a Republican friend of mine:

Federal Judge Carter sets Trial Date for Obama's Eligibility!

The expedited trial has been set for Jan. 26, 2010!

Many concerned veterans and citizens attended the hearing in Federal Court in Santa Ana in the lawsuit against Barack Obama to determine his eligibility to be President and Commander in Chief. About 150 people showed up, almost all in support of the lawsuit to demand that Obama release his birth certificate and other records that he has hidden from the American people.

Judge David Carter refused to hear Obama's request for dismissal. He indicated there was almost no chance that this case would be dismissed. Obama is arguing this lawsuit was filed in the wrong court if you can believe that. Obama would prefer a "kangaroo court" instead of a Federal court! Assuming Judge Carter denies Obama's motion for dismissal, he will likely then order expedited discovery which will force Obama to release his birth certificate in a timely manner (if he has one).

The judge, WHO IS A FORMER U.S. MARINE, repeated several times that this is A VERY SERIOUS CASE which must be resolved quickly so that the troops know that their Commander in Chief is eligible to hold that position and issue lawful orders to our military in this time of war. He basically said OBAMA MUST PROVE HIS ELIGIBILITY to the court! He said Americans deserve to know the truth about their President!

The two U.S. Attorneys representing Barack Obama tried everything they could to sway the judge that this case was frivolous, but Carter would have none of it and cut them off several times. Obama's attorneys left the courtroom after about the 90 minute hearing looking defeated and nervous.

Great day in America for the U.S. Constitution! The truth about Barack Obama's eligibility will be known fairly soon - Judge Carter practically guaranteed it!

Video from the press conference after the hearing coming soon. Congratulations to plaintiffs attorney Dr. Orly Taitz! She did a great job and won some huge victories. She was fearless!



Now if you can tell, I am not the President's biggest fan. Evidently, I am not his biggest enemy either. Let us discuss how a person becomes an American citizen by birth. 1- Be born on American soil, read Hawaii. 2- Have a parent that was born an American citizen. His mother, Ann Dunham, was born in Fort Leavenworth Kansas in 1942. Those are the only two ways. So it doesn't matter if President Obama was in fact born in Kenya, Mexico, your back yard, Antarctica, Mars, or in a test tube in Germany. According to the laws set forth by this land he is in fact, an American. This debate keeps going on, though subtly, and if this court case is true, and some of the searching I have done shows that it possibly is, it is a waste of money and time. I found the best information on the suit here http://obamacitizenshipdebate.org/lawsuit-updates/ which states the suit has been dismissed because it needs to be filed in Washington D.C. where the President resides. Now if you are a supporter of this suit, God help you. If you think it is going to make Senator McCain president, your wrong. Lord help us, Joe Biden will be your next president, and that scares me even more. We the People need to take all this effort and apply it to something more useful; things that will actually challenge the federal government. Learn your laws, and then you will see ways to use them against the powers that be.