Opinion and Commentary on state, regional and national news articles from a conservative feminist point of view expressed and written by conservative moderate: Tina Hemond
What this boils down to in plain speak, is that consumers are finding higher prices at the retail grocery level, and may see steeper increases over the coming months due to the rising costs of fuel.
As the Middle East Implodes, and the ban on offshore drilling continues, the price per gallon of gasoline, climbing above $4.00 in some states, will, most likely go to $5.00 per gallon. That said, even at $4.00 per gallon, it affects not only those who commute to work and school, cutting back expendable income, but affects, again, the price of food. Delivery is factored into the price of groceries reaching the market. The end results are that families will be making some tough choices in the coming months, like so many were forced to in the 1970’s.
While the President weighs options, among them anything but opening up the U.S. offshore oil fields at a fast clip, should the price of a gas of gallon reach $5.00, he may opt to cut the Federal Gas Tax and/or Open Strategic Oil Reserves (which would be a national security issue).
During the 1970’s, when fuel prices rose dramatically, demand and supply fell dramatically, one might park in line for hours only to reach a pump and find the gasoline “sold out” – cars were routinely abandoned in favor of public transport, and car pooling (if one could find the fuel) became the norm. The crisis then, the return of the Ayatollah with the help of one Jimmy Carter to Iran, and the solution: new leadership.
The cycle that the United States is experiencing now, has happened before, and recently at that (The Carter Administration late 1970’s), the fact of the matter is that it will correct, but the process is painful. Those most at risk are individuals living on fixed incomes, such as the nation’s retirees. Things to do: Keep your gas tank full at all times, find, in advance, bus schedules or public transportation modes to get one back and forth to work, and then hunker down until the economy rights itself.
An article yesterday in the UK’s Daily Mail revealed a video that depicts children re-enacting a suicide bombing – one child is the bomber, while the others glorify the suicide (sub-titles). What is, perhaps, most shocking, is that journalist routinely ignore the fact that children in certain countries, are taught from an early age, to become suicide bombers. An organization, Palwatch.org or Palestinian Media Watch, has released video evidence beginning in 2000, of Palestinian children being taught to hate the West and commit suicide in the name of religion. Further they post their videos on the organizations YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/palwatch, a sample is shown below.
What is most disturbing regarding the Daily Mail revelation are the comments made by readers, arguing for the “game of suicide” as the norm in a variety of cultures – including the United States, where children played “Cowboys and Indians”. The problem with this theory is that, although children do play “war games”, those are treated as such, and from the U.S. perspective, war games were played out in backyards, not in the school room or on national TV. In addition, “Cowboys and Indians” were played from a perspective of history, rather than to create future wars between “Cowboys and Indians”. It is as if those children being brainwashed (for that is truly what these videos, played by adults to children in classroom settings) to become the next wave of suicide bombers. There are those protagonists that speak about the Children in Israel who are taught from an early age to defend themselves and their nation in the same light. The exception again, the Israeli’s do not glorify death in the name of God; it is a question of preparedness against their next door neighbors, who do just that.
The Palestinians even use Christianity in the narrative, to explain an ends to a means against the Jewish State (and by default the West (i.e. the U.S.), insisting that Jesus was the first Palestinian Martyr. It is apparent, that heads of States, and those who are paid by nations to achieve a means (Hamas via Iran), using children as the conduit, are well aware (or should be given their educational standards - most of these “elite” are educated in the UK and US) of World Religions, and the teachings of the same. It is the very perversion of religion, taught as truth to children in certain Islamic societies that should raise a hue and cry from every nation who has a penchant for human rights, and the protection of children. What is mind-boggling is that, evidence included, this scenario, suddenly discovered, is completely ignored, or considered justified in some cases. (Read comments section of the Daily Mail for full impact.)
The cult of death and teachings one’s children, has an economic advantage to Palestinian families, as they are paid when a member commits suicide. Yet another example of the use of the “Religion of Peace” to wage war by any means available. What of the mothers who are glorified in the Hamas videos by their countrymen, and children, as suicide bombers for Allah? Although these videos and evidence is relatively new (circa 2000), it follows that this type of education may have been taking place for decades, therefore, those women are no more or less brainwashed (and family compensated financially) than their children.
Although it is certainly arguable that the United States is in moral decline (and most certainly is given the rhetoric from those would be jihadists) given abortion, women’s rights, Gay and Lesbian rights, the Republic under which we live, takes the rights of all under consideration. In addition, the Judeo Christian Values upon which this nation was created, also instilled a sense of protection towards women and children, (granted imperfect) and has created law to protect the same. However, in those nations that teach hatred for the west, the aforementioned are seen as aberrations by the same groups that would teach their children to immolate themselves in the name of religion and state.
It is a catch-22, or is it the fact that the global media, in general, does not offer a hue and cry of shame on those would commit this most atrocious form of child abuse, (in basic terms), rather, it is ignored, while the Palestinian Cause is taught at Universities as pure. Historically, certain political philosophies do support educating children for the good of the state, or a particular political ideology. From Hitler, to the Progressive Movement in U.S. Classrooms, regardless of the fact that one promotes violence, while the other promotes a political ideology, the simple fact is that the end product is a child – your child, my child, a Palestinian child. In the United States, we would no sooner train our pets in this manner.
It is through education, based in fact, not in political theories, which will win the hearts and minds of future generations. Organized religions and political movements have no place in the classroom, period. If the UN had any relevance at all, those nations that support this type of child abuse, would be countered with monies better spend on an attempt to reeducate, be it through flyers dropped, and or despots removed.
It is also, perhaps, a question every mother in the United States should be asking of their Senators, and Congressional Representative, given that our children are viewed as the highest priority of mothers, and a national treasure, why are we not more pro-active in freeing the minds of those who would murder our children in the name of religion, be it a cut in funding, or though use of broadcasts, leaflet drops. Certainly, any action of this type would be seen as meddling, yet our foreign policy continues to meddle, for much less worthy causes. Government aside, another question arises, where is organized religion (Christian Denominations, especially Catholics) on this question? Perhaps with the United Nations who has ”strongly condemned” the use of children as human bombs.'
Strongly condemned.
Those two words carry little weight in the real worlds, and only serve as a reminder to those who continue the abuse unabated, that there will be no consequences – they carry on as usual. These nations carry on much in the same way Hitler did in the late 1930’s, with no interference, in plain sight, as the nations “strongly condemned” until they were forced to take action after millions of innocents were murdered (Jews, Catholics, Gypsies, any German Political opponent), and only in the name of self-preservation, not to save a single soul. The only way in which to ensure that your children are at the very least, aware of the impact of indoctrination in the classroom is to offer them options and the truth, otherwise, leaving it to those who follow doctrines, or “Strongly condemn” sets the stage for the future, one which places our children in peril.
A Classroom circ 1950 pre budget woes - image: pinellas county schools k-12
When Wisconsin Governor, Scott Walker, took over the task of filling a budget gap, he went straight for the Public Employees Unions, asking those teachers to contribute to pension and health plans, at a rate slightly lower than those in the public sector. In addition he proposed ending forced union enrollment, giving teachers an option to opt out of the Public Employees Union, save the money on dues, and buy into the State’s Health Insurance, rather than the Teachers Unions Health Insurance. It was the straw that broke the camel’s back, as thousands of union protestors moved into Madison WI and the battle began. The Democrats in the Senate fled the State in order to avoid a vote on the budget, which includes the aforementioned provisions, in hopes that with enough pressure, Walker would change his mind. He hasn’t.
It appears that Walker is not alone, however, in the need to make deep cuts, confront Teachers unions and put State Houses in order. With the expiration of the Stimulus, those States that had kept the status quo or worse, increased spending based on a limited Stimulus, are now faced with making decisions that fly in the face of the Progressive “Tax the Rich”, mantra. The problem – the “Rich” who, in certain states, were taxed more, simply packed up and left, with the high and sustained unemployment, state income suffered from a drop in real middle class taxpayers, and the result is that Public Employee Unions are now in a power struggle over cash. Nowhere is this more apparent, that in the smallest state in the Union: Rhode Island.
Rhode Island has a state legislature and senate that is similar in scope to neighboring Massachusetts, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans by wide margins. In recent months, however, individual cities have taken steps to rein in spending – mayors are going to – the Unions, specifically Teachers.
The union, of course is up in arms, and the author of the Boston Globe Article, Jim Stergios, points out that Massachusetts may be next. The income of larger urban areas in Massachusetts is derived from tax receipts and aid from the Commonwealth and the Federal Government (both broke), and two in particular are mentioned in the article as on the brink: Holyoke and Fall River. It is noted that both are “worse off” than Providence, and additional State cuts to municipalities can be anticipated in 2012.
Over in New York State, Governor Cuomo is facing an insurrection in his House, as the Governor has suggesting cutting benefits to School Superintendents, the rambunctious New York Democrats in the legislature are, of course, making waves. (Fox 23 news).
All of these Governors and Mayor from Walker to Cuomo and more to come as budget woes will force a realization that there is simply not enough money in this economic climate to sustain the lavish lifestyle the Teachers Unions and public employees unions (SEIU) to which they have become accustomed.
It is not about “union busting” per se, it is about survival of the state, asking those employees to take nominal cuts, and have an opt out to being in a union, (Wisconsin), or in the case of Providence, just firing the teachers, in order to hire back those deemed competent (now, that’s union busting, taking the Holy Grail of tenure and throwing it out based on competency). Come to think of it, it does appear to be a bit like “Union Busting”, but as the nation looks on, they do understand that there are those who need collective bargaining, and perhaps those who do not. Those that put their lives on the line, yes, those that don’t – do not – very simply put.
As a byproduct of the rage against inflated salaries and pension for public workers and retirees, the media (local) has found a new story line which is bound to bring in viewers. Today, WWLP Springfield MA an NBC Affiliate promoted today’s news cast with a Special Report, on – yes – which city (Springfield) retirees have the highest pensions. Of course, this is in the interest of the people’s right to know where there money is going – suddenly.
In retrospect, although the unions are taking center stage, along with their alleged protagonists (the Governors or Mayors), sooner or later those that rabble rouse professionally, must protect those rank and file who rely on having a job and simply let go of some of the power they have – or face a staggering loss of power as the balance of towns, municipalities and state governments realize they can no longer afford the “high price tag” associated with unionized public employee unions. It will not be a choice, it will be a necessity, as one cannot manufacture money (unless one is the Fed), to keep up pensions and salaries and health benefit plans that are the envy of the private sector (which, is, in the long run, more effective.) Case in point: in Western Massachusetts public schools have an average graduation rate in larger urban areas of approximately 50%, in private college prep schools, the graduation rate is 100% with those students going onto a 2 to 4 year college (100%), the cost of educating these students: Public schools: $12,000 to $14,000 approximately, the cost for college prep (varies) approximately $10,000. The question arises, is, in a private setting, students are able to learn, graduate and move onto college at a near or perfect rate, how is it that the nation’s most funded school systems, with union teachers, cannot manage to do the same, especially as they are obviously better funded.
This is what the nation has discovered, and as the press looks for increased ratings, more of these “exposes” will occur - Walker may have started the ball rolling, but the revelation of the incompetence and greed, will be the end of the era substandard unionized education.
