Posts
Today I found out that the most influential teacher in my life passed away at the age of 92. Herschel Abbott was a mentor, teacher, advisor and friend. Herschel taught many forestry courses at UMass. While great in the classroom, he was even better in the woods. I totally absorbed his techniques for learning about the environment. There was nobody that knew the woods better than him. I have used his techniques in my own classroom. I will remember him for the rest of my life.
Herschel not only taught me in the classroom, he gave me life lessons that I have followed throughout my life. None of those lessons were political, they were lessons of the woods.
After Herschel's retirement, he was run over by a hit-and-run driver that broke over 90 bones in his body. Hospitalized for almost a year, Herschel survived. I think he was around 72 years of age when the accident happened. Herschel was tough, caring and committed to the forests of New England. He mentored hundreds of students and cared deeply for them.
It has been a long time since I have posted on line. I can't pass this day without expressing my love for this great man.
tomtoak
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Gun control for tomorrow
As you read this blog I want everyone to understand that I am a gun owner. I used to hunt as a kid and enjoyed my best days with my father and friends hunting upland game birds on Cape Cod and in other locals. I would not trade those experiences for anything. I raised hunting dogs, English Pointers and had either a pointer or Brittany Spaniel for most of my life. My favorite Christmas gift was when I got a 410 shotgun when I was in 7th grade. I still treasure that shotgun. The last time I bought a gun was a few years ago when I purchased a 410 over and under shotgun. A few years before that I purchased my first muzzle loading weapon with the intent to do some deer hunting.
With this as the background, I have to question; is this country nuts? How and Why do we allow people to buy assault weapons, extended magazine clips and enough ammunition to supply the Syrian rebels. There is absolutely no need for this. The National Rifle Association is the enabler for much of the violence we see around us. Don't tell me otherwise. This organization needs to rethink its guiding principles and help this country address gun violence in the 21st century.
I received an opinion questionnaire from the NRA a year ago and I gave them hell. They take the position that under no circumstances do they want government to know about their gun activities. The funny thing here is that when I was a kid in the 1960s, I joined the NRA. At that time, you could not gain membership unless your local police force approved. That's right, you had to get permission from the local police force before you could join. I think the police represent government. Where and when did the NRA take such a drastic turn against sanity? I don't know! I have not been a member for almost 50 years.
I am not blind to the fact that stronger gun control laws will not end gun violence and may not even end the tragedies that we have endured during the past decade. I am confident that it time, with sensible gun regulation, some tragedies may be averted and the tragedies that we witness may not be so deadly. We can only hope.
Gun advocates point to the 2nd amendment of the Constitution to claim their rights and the courts have always taken a broad view; "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" Gun nuts even jump on the preface to this right by establishing their private militias thinking that they have a Constitutional right to do so. I am referring to the "...well regulated militia...." here. What the nuts don't seem to understand is that they have no Constitutional right to create a private militia. If they read their Constitution, they would be well aware that only Congress can establish a state militia and only the President of the United States can command any such military body. "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States......"
I personally believe that we should have a national firearm identification card, much like a credit card. When we purchase a weapon or ammunition it could be swiped and yes, information tracked to ensure a safer society. I would not have a problem applying for such a card and 99.9% of NRA members would not have a problem getting a card issued either. Let's not forget this part of the Constitution; "....well regulated militia....." I would emphasize the word "regulated" here. It seems to me that the Commander and Chief has every right to move to regulate weapons. Heads up to the private militia crowd: You have no right to provide a platform for possible insurrection in this country. Clearly our founders did everything they could to ensure the continuity of government in the United States of America.
I'm a progressive and nobody is going to take my favorite Christmas gift away.
tomtoak
With this as the background, I have to question; is this country nuts? How and Why do we allow people to buy assault weapons, extended magazine clips and enough ammunition to supply the Syrian rebels. There is absolutely no need for this. The National Rifle Association is the enabler for much of the violence we see around us. Don't tell me otherwise. This organization needs to rethink its guiding principles and help this country address gun violence in the 21st century.
I received an opinion questionnaire from the NRA a year ago and I gave them hell. They take the position that under no circumstances do they want government to know about their gun activities. The funny thing here is that when I was a kid in the 1960s, I joined the NRA. At that time, you could not gain membership unless your local police force approved. That's right, you had to get permission from the local police force before you could join. I think the police represent government. Where and when did the NRA take such a drastic turn against sanity? I don't know! I have not been a member for almost 50 years.
I am not blind to the fact that stronger gun control laws will not end gun violence and may not even end the tragedies that we have endured during the past decade. I am confident that it time, with sensible gun regulation, some tragedies may be averted and the tragedies that we witness may not be so deadly. We can only hope.
Gun advocates point to the 2nd amendment of the Constitution to claim their rights and the courts have always taken a broad view; "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed" Gun nuts even jump on the preface to this right by establishing their private militias thinking that they have a Constitutional right to do so. I am referring to the "...well regulated militia...." here. What the nuts don't seem to understand is that they have no Constitutional right to create a private militia. If they read their Constitution, they would be well aware that only Congress can establish a state militia and only the President of the United States can command any such military body. "The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States......"
I personally believe that we should have a national firearm identification card, much like a credit card. When we purchase a weapon or ammunition it could be swiped and yes, information tracked to ensure a safer society. I would not have a problem applying for such a card and 99.9% of NRA members would not have a problem getting a card issued either. Let's not forget this part of the Constitution; "....well regulated militia....." I would emphasize the word "regulated" here. It seems to me that the Commander and Chief has every right to move to regulate weapons. Heads up to the private militia crowd: You have no right to provide a platform for possible insurrection in this country. Clearly our founders did everything they could to ensure the continuity of government in the United States of America.
I'm a progressive and nobody is going to take my favorite Christmas gift away.
tomtoak
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
4 More Years
Today America votes for a President or a "Decider and Chief". Let's hope we have a President for the next four years. God only knows what we will have if Romney were elected. I have been decidedly quite during this campaign cycle. I'm speechless when it comes to understanding Republican voters. I'm saddened by the stupidity of people and the process that has created disgust for a great President. I am disgusted by a man running for President that stands for nothing; no, I mean everything; no, I mean flip a coin. How the hell can any intelligent being vote for such a dolt as Willard Romney? The etch-a-sketch candidate was very well phrased.
Romney; the schoolyard bully that will send our troops to fight his battles. His kids won't be fighting, you can be sure of that. Romney's character can be simply determined by understanding the nature of a man that would hold another human being to the ground and cut off his hair because he saw him as potentially gay. Romney; the candidate that organized counter protests that favored the war in Vietnam but had no intention of entering the military. Romney; the candidate that did not once stand up to the hatred exhibited towards his opponent. On the contrary, Romney endorsed the hatred. Romney encouraged the hatred.
Barack Obama said it best when he told the American people that Romney's foreign policy was from the 80's, his social policies were from the 50's and his economic policies were from the 30's. I could not say it better.
Last night I watched Obama's last campaign speech from Iowa. What a class act - enough said! We will be hearing from Barack Obama for many years following the end of his presidential service in 2016. The world wants a winner and America has been lifted to great heights because of Obama's leadership.
What has also saddened me this election cycle was the passing of a great man that made the election of Barack Obama more likely. That man was George McGovern. George McGovern was a true World War II hero. McGovern was a pilot of a B24 bomber and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery during war time. McGovern had to crash land his flying fortress aircraft on 3 occasions and each time brought his crew to safety. On one occasion he had to pick out a small island in the middle of the Adriatic sea. He always offered his men the opportunity to bail out but they always trusted him to bring them to safety. McGovern was a man that saw the necessity of war yet hated war. He was a man that was to be trusted while "Tricky Dick" was not.
McGovern once said that it was better to be right than to be elected. I suppose this will provide solace to anyone from the losing side. One thing for sure; McGovern was no loser and he helped establish the politics of the left and gave us the opportunity to elect a person as great as Barack Obama. I am proud to have known George McGovern and I'm proud that I stood by him in 1972 and in 1984 as his Rhode Island campaign manager. You will always be within my thoughts.
In the picture, McGovern and wife Eleanor are standing at the podium in Syracuse New York on October 31, 1972 (not my picture and I apologize for losing the credit). I am standing in the 3rd row waiting to hear his speech. As he begins to talk, the church bells begin to ring and drown out his voice for many minutes (probably a Donald Segretti trick). A little old lady stands behind me and is struggling to see him. I say to her, "please, stand in front of me so you can see better". She accepts and moves to the front for 30 seconds then turns to leave. I say to her, "where are you going?" She says to me, "I just wanted to see him, I didn't want to hear what he has to say." Unfortunately, a lot of America is like this.
tomtoak
Romney; the schoolyard bully that will send our troops to fight his battles. His kids won't be fighting, you can be sure of that. Romney's character can be simply determined by understanding the nature of a man that would hold another human being to the ground and cut off his hair because he saw him as potentially gay. Romney; the candidate that organized counter protests that favored the war in Vietnam but had no intention of entering the military. Romney; the candidate that did not once stand up to the hatred exhibited towards his opponent. On the contrary, Romney endorsed the hatred. Romney encouraged the hatred.
Barack Obama said it best when he told the American people that Romney's foreign policy was from the 80's, his social policies were from the 50's and his economic policies were from the 30's. I could not say it better.
Last night I watched Obama's last campaign speech from Iowa. What a class act - enough said! We will be hearing from Barack Obama for many years following the end of his presidential service in 2016. The world wants a winner and America has been lifted to great heights because of Obama's leadership.
What has also saddened me this election cycle was the passing of a great man that made the election of Barack Obama more likely. That man was George McGovern. George McGovern was a true World War II hero. McGovern was a pilot of a B24 bomber and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery during war time. McGovern had to crash land his flying fortress aircraft on 3 occasions and each time brought his crew to safety. On one occasion he had to pick out a small island in the middle of the Adriatic sea. He always offered his men the opportunity to bail out but they always trusted him to bring them to safety. McGovern was a man that saw the necessity of war yet hated war. He was a man that was to be trusted while "Tricky Dick" was not.
McGovern once said that it was better to be right than to be elected. I suppose this will provide solace to anyone from the losing side. One thing for sure; McGovern was no loser and he helped establish the politics of the left and gave us the opportunity to elect a person as great as Barack Obama. I am proud to have known George McGovern and I'm proud that I stood by him in 1972 and in 1984 as his Rhode Island campaign manager. You will always be within my thoughts.
In the picture, McGovern and wife Eleanor are standing at the podium in Syracuse New York on October 31, 1972 (not my picture and I apologize for losing the credit). I am standing in the 3rd row waiting to hear his speech. As he begins to talk, the church bells begin to ring and drown out his voice for many minutes (probably a Donald Segretti trick). A little old lady stands behind me and is struggling to see him. I say to her, "please, stand in front of me so you can see better". She accepts and moves to the front for 30 seconds then turns to leave. I say to her, "where are you going?" She says to me, "I just wanted to see him, I didn't want to hear what he has to say." Unfortunately, a lot of America is like this.
tomtoak
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Obama - the fiscally responsible president
Needless to say, there has been a lot of push back from conservative bloggers and Republicans in general. We all know that statistics can sometimes play with the truth. If we want to prove something, just turn to statistics. The funny thing here is that this information comes to us from non-partisan sources. In reality, the slow pace of Federal spending is hurting economic recovery. Paul Krugman has been a critic of Obama from time to time because of his fiscal restraint. We all know that Congressional obstruction is behind the slow economy. If you don't know that by now, you live in a bubble!
Barack Obama's plan to increase Federal revenues through a modest tax increase on the wealthiest Americans is a step towards fiscal sustainability. Republicans are blind to the fact that government needs to pay for wars, fix infrastructure, protect our environment and improve the lives of everyone by raising revenue judiciously. Republicans and the wealthiest Americans used to be true patriots. They are not anymore. There seems to be no sense of responsibility to this country when it comes to paying for the freedoms we all enjoy. I guess that includes the freedom to hide your money is Swiss bank accounts and accounts in the Cayman Islands-Mitt Romney.
As for those that feel violated by the facts displayed in this government report, I'm sure you will read your conservative blogs and find lying vindication. I suggest however that you turn to the Politifact analysis of the debate where you will learn that Obama has slowed the growth of Federal spending more than any president in the past 60 years. Politifact rates the Obama spending story as mostly true.
If you want your government to be fiscally responsible, the chart demonstrates the need to elect Democrats.
tomtoak
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Does Mitt Romney have any core values?
We all need to be concerned about candidates that don't take the time to get facts right. What happens when the office holder is making decisions on bad information? Need I say Iraq! Take for instance last night's news where Mitt Romney claimed the shooter in Colorado got his weapons illegally. Where is he getting his information from? Maybe Sarah Palin's newspapers - oh; that's right, Sarah doesn't read newspapers.
Stories like this beg the question, does Willard Romney have any core values? We all know that dogs don't like him. I need to ask the following question; Which candidate in America has, during their political career, both supported and opposed abortion, "Don't ask don't tell", assault weapons bans, LGBTQ equality, anti-tax pledges, stem cell research, campaign finance reform, raising the minimum wage, belief in global warming, limiting carbon emissions, Bush tax cuts, pathways to citizenship, capital gains tax, TARP bailouts, automotive company bailouts and the list goes on and on? There is only one candidate to fit this description and that is Mitt Romney.
It seems to me that Mitt just can't settle on a political philosophy and is willing to say just about anything at any time. Above all, our President needs to be a leader. An individual that seems to lack a set of core values should not be seeking the highest office in the land. I respect politicians that can take guidance and change their mind from time to time. This trait is a good thing; however, in Romney's case it is clear that his mind changes with the political wind. Sarah Palin may be out there, but there is no confusion about her political view.
I don't think there is confusion over Barack Obama's political views. While I want him to step up to the plate at times, it is clear that he believes in a prudent approach to governing. Why fight the fight when the votes are missing in Congress?
I measure people by the strength in their beliefs. I like both Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals. I would not have a clue how to carry on a conversation with Mitt Romney and I'm confident that voters are shaking their heads too.
tomtoak
Stories like this beg the question, does Willard Romney have any core values? We all know that dogs don't like him. I need to ask the following question; Which candidate in America has, during their political career, both supported and opposed abortion, "Don't ask don't tell", assault weapons bans, LGBTQ equality, anti-tax pledges, stem cell research, campaign finance reform, raising the minimum wage, belief in global warming, limiting carbon emissions, Bush tax cuts, pathways to citizenship, capital gains tax, TARP bailouts, automotive company bailouts and the list goes on and on? There is only one candidate to fit this description and that is Mitt Romney.
It seems to me that Mitt just can't settle on a political philosophy and is willing to say just about anything at any time. Above all, our President needs to be a leader. An individual that seems to lack a set of core values should not be seeking the highest office in the land. I respect politicians that can take guidance and change their mind from time to time. This trait is a good thing; however, in Romney's case it is clear that his mind changes with the political wind. Sarah Palin may be out there, but there is no confusion about her political view.
I don't think there is confusion over Barack Obama's political views. While I want him to step up to the plate at times, it is clear that he believes in a prudent approach to governing. Why fight the fight when the votes are missing in Congress?
I measure people by the strength in their beliefs. I like both Republicans and Democrats, conservatives and liberals. I would not have a clue how to carry on a conversation with Mitt Romney and I'm confident that voters are shaking their heads too.
tomtoak
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Remembering Andy Griffith
I have been away for a long time. Traveled to the west coast and enjoyed the view of the Pacific. Before I start posting again I thought it would be appropriate to honor an icon who just passed away. Andy Griffith was a life-long Democrat who supported progressive causes. He will be missed. I thought that the best way to honor him is to re-post my March 29, 2009 story; "A good dose of Andy Griffith". Keep the original date in mind as you read the story. Also, the link in the story to the video no longer works as it has been removed by the originator, Ron Howard.
In the episode, a local Mayberry family is going through some tough times and is going to have their mortgage foreclosed by the "Scrooge" like character, Ben Weaver, who owns Weaver's Department Store. Of course, Sheriff Taylor has to serve the papers on this family that is an important part of the community. The family; down on their luck had a few children, not 14 children like "Octomom".
While the community worked on ways to assist the family, Andy was faced with a dilemma. It was his responsibility to serve the foreclosure papers. He was deeply concerned because the Ben Weaver character only wanted to foreclose so he could build a new factory. Andy knew the law and as we all know, had unique ways to walk around it when it involved people. Andy reasoned that the law required the homeowner to have full knowledge of the foreclosure action; therefore, if he stole his friends glasses, he would be unable to read the foreclosure documents. Of course, Andy stole the glasses and the foreclosure action was delayed long enough to find a resolution. That resolution involved shaming the Ben Weaver character into giving the good folks some more time to settle their debt. In the end, the factory took a back seat.
Wow! What a powerful message. People are given a break and can stay in their homes; and, this is more important than the new factory. Whenever I hear political pundits referring to those that have "toxic" mortgages as "losers", I am disgusted by their attitude. Every Mayberry loving American should be disgusted too.
Sheriff Taylor and Aunt Bea didn't consider those people losers. Heck; they didn't consider Otis Cambell to be a loser. Everyone in the community was important. Where have those times gone? We all accepted and loved the message back in the 1960s. Why do we have to listen to the hatred spewed forth on talk radio against some people that have been eaten up in this economy?
I think each and every American needs another good dose of Andy Griffith, Mayberry and the values of true patriots. During the election, I had a nice dose of the old Andy Griffith and the, now old, Ron Howard. If you want to see how these men have responded to today's politics during the election of 2008, follow the link (click here).
I'll continue to watch the Andy Griffith Show to regain my balance from today's "talking heads" that don't know what they are saying. By the way, Andy did return his friend's glasses. We all should have the vision of Sheriff Taylor.
tomtoak
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
A Good Dose of Andy Griffith is What the Doctor Ordered!
I like to watch a lot of 1950, 1960 and 1970 TV shows. I probably catch 3 or 4 reruns of the Andy Griffith show every week. The show last night really "struck a cord" with me. It made me think of more innocent times; a time when neighbors really cared about each other. With today's "toxic mortgage" discussion in the background, this show really drew my attention.In the episode, a local Mayberry family is going through some tough times and is going to have their mortgage foreclosed by the "Scrooge" like character, Ben Weaver, who owns Weaver's Department Store. Of course, Sheriff Taylor has to serve the papers on this family that is an important part of the community. The family; down on their luck had a few children, not 14 children like "Octomom".
While the community worked on ways to assist the family, Andy was faced with a dilemma. It was his responsibility to serve the foreclosure papers. He was deeply concerned because the Ben Weaver character only wanted to foreclose so he could build a new factory. Andy knew the law and as we all know, had unique ways to walk around it when it involved people. Andy reasoned that the law required the homeowner to have full knowledge of the foreclosure action; therefore, if he stole his friends glasses, he would be unable to read the foreclosure documents. Of course, Andy stole the glasses and the foreclosure action was delayed long enough to find a resolution. That resolution involved shaming the Ben Weaver character into giving the good folks some more time to settle their debt. In the end, the factory took a back seat.
Wow! What a powerful message. People are given a break and can stay in their homes; and, this is more important than the new factory. Whenever I hear political pundits referring to those that have "toxic" mortgages as "losers", I am disgusted by their attitude. Every Mayberry loving American should be disgusted too.
Sheriff Taylor and Aunt Bea didn't consider those people losers. Heck; they didn't consider Otis Cambell to be a loser. Everyone in the community was important. Where have those times gone? We all accepted and loved the message back in the 1960s. Why do we have to listen to the hatred spewed forth on talk radio against some people that have been eaten up in this economy?
I think each and every American needs another good dose of Andy Griffith, Mayberry and the values of true patriots. During the election, I had a nice dose of the old Andy Griffith and the, now old, Ron Howard. If you want to see how these men have responded to today's politics during the election of 2008, follow the link (click here).
I'll continue to watch the Andy Griffith Show to regain my balance from today's "talking heads" that don't know what they are saying. By the way, Andy did return his friend's glasses. We all should have the vision of Sheriff Taylor.
tomtoak
Monday, June 4, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Disgusting Rhode Island and Studio 38
I think they need to change the name of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations to, "Nausea Island and Providence Robber Barons." While driving home to Rhode Island the other day one of the first things you notice is a rest stop along Route 95 that is now closed to the public. This rest stop was recently constructed, within the past 8 years, and cost the state $millions to construct. Why is it closed? Simply put, the state refuses to hire anybody. There is no problem building facilities, but damned to hell if anyone wants to hire people to care for those facilities.
Now we come to the predicted demise of "Studio 38", the Curt Schilling gaming company that was heralded as a savior for the Rhode Island economy and that was granted $75 million in loan guarantees from taxpayer money. To follow the story more closely, I suggest you visit RIFuture.org. This is the best progressive political site in Rhode Island.
Yes, Rhode Island has not only stolen from the future financial security of its public employees by attacking pension systems state wide, but it has stolen from everybody throwing money at ill-conceived ventures. Rhode Island acts like a venture capital firm, but is never successful with its investments. This has to be the only state that built a major downtown hotel (The Westin) and then suffered operating losses of $25 million per year for over a decade. This has to be the only state that is stupid enough to guarantee the profits of a gambling casino which will one day cost $millions because of the casino bill in Massachusetts. This has to be the only state that stupidly backs a gaming company that could not raise its own revenues from venture capital sources. How about spending over $44million on the new Wickford train station that nobody uses. These disasters are just the tip of the iceberg.
This state has robbed from the poor and middle class to give to the rich and there is no sign that it is willing to stop. Sounds like Republican politics but beware, we happen to live in a "Republicrat" state, if you know what I mean. The state has reduced the state work force by over 3000 employees during the past 10 years while the state budget skyrockets to new heights each and every year. Stop blaming the public employees and stop stealing from them. Rhode Island is throwing its money away in the direction of rich people and that is why our unemployment rate remains higher than 11% and is growing all of the time. As our problems grow, the state continues to throw money haphazardly in every direction except the right one. Government has to do what it is suppose to do. Government needs to use its tax dollars to educate, regulate, protect, and preserve. Government should not be in the "business game".
Until Rhode Island can move in the opposite direction of its leadership and whiny radio talking heads, you can expect higher unemployment, growing government debt and the scapegoating of public sector employees. Welcome to "Nausea Island"!
tomtoak
Now we come to the predicted demise of "Studio 38", the Curt Schilling gaming company that was heralded as a savior for the Rhode Island economy and that was granted $75 million in loan guarantees from taxpayer money. To follow the story more closely, I suggest you visit RIFuture.org. This is the best progressive political site in Rhode Island.
Yes, Rhode Island has not only stolen from the future financial security of its public employees by attacking pension systems state wide, but it has stolen from everybody throwing money at ill-conceived ventures. Rhode Island acts like a venture capital firm, but is never successful with its investments. This has to be the only state that built a major downtown hotel (The Westin) and then suffered operating losses of $25 million per year for over a decade. This has to be the only state that is stupid enough to guarantee the profits of a gambling casino which will one day cost $millions because of the casino bill in Massachusetts. This has to be the only state that stupidly backs a gaming company that could not raise its own revenues from venture capital sources. How about spending over $44million on the new Wickford train station that nobody uses. These disasters are just the tip of the iceberg.
This state has robbed from the poor and middle class to give to the rich and there is no sign that it is willing to stop. Sounds like Republican politics but beware, we happen to live in a "Republicrat" state, if you know what I mean. The state has reduced the state work force by over 3000 employees during the past 10 years while the state budget skyrockets to new heights each and every year. Stop blaming the public employees and stop stealing from them. Rhode Island is throwing its money away in the direction of rich people and that is why our unemployment rate remains higher than 11% and is growing all of the time. As our problems grow, the state continues to throw money haphazardly in every direction except the right one. Government has to do what it is suppose to do. Government needs to use its tax dollars to educate, regulate, protect, and preserve. Government should not be in the "business game".
Until Rhode Island can move in the opposite direction of its leadership and whiny radio talking heads, you can expect higher unemployment, growing government debt and the scapegoating of public sector employees. Welcome to "Nausea Island"!
tomtoak
Friday, April 20, 2012
Catholic Church leadership continues to spew nonsense
I really don't want to post this article but I am compelled to. I grew up Catholic and did my 12 years; if you know what I mean. Nothing has upset me more than recent attacks by the church hierarchy on President Obama. I hope my mother never sees this (she would not understand), but I feel I have to share my opinion to others. What I am about to say does not speak to the majority of church officials that think otherwise and that have always lived up to their vocation.
Lately, I have been upset by stories I have seen on the History Channel that relate to World War II and the role of the Catholic Church in facilitating the escape of Nazi war criminals that were Catholic. These criminals included Adolf Eichmann, Martin Bormann (who was presumed dead) and Josef Mengele. Eichmann was responsible for developing the "final solution" and designed the gas chambers, Bormann was the "right hand man" to Adolf Hitler and we all know the disgusting things that Mengele did. These three criminals escaped through what was known as the "ratline" that was orchestrated by many Catholic leaders. The church was responsible for hiding these Nazis for 5 years until they provided a means for their escape to Uruguay in 1950. Creating false documents and passports were all part of the church conspiracy and the evidence has been well documented. Additionally, I learned that after the defeat of Germany, many Bishops in some European countries required all parishes to offer their Mass on Easter Sunday to Adolf Hitler.
This is very disturbing to learn at this point in my life, but it does not stop here. Just yesterday I had to be treated to the hate filled garbage from Bishop Daniel Jenky from Illinois who proclaimed that Barack Obama is traveling the same footsteps as Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. This occurs just weeks after Pope Benedict (member of the Nazi Youth) appoints Bishop Timothy Dolan of New York to the College of Cardinals to further ensure the extreme conservative agenda of the Catholic Church in future leadership voting. You may remember that Bishop Dolan recently asserted that the Catholic Church did everything right in the sex abuse scandal and the controversy was aimed at destroying the Catholic Church. Forget the fact that the church reported nothing, forgave the sins of the priests time and time again and neglected to help those abused. I can't begin to speak of how I feel about the church position on contraception.
I am furious with the Catholic Bishops and each and every Catholic should be furious too. I am tired of reading anti-Semitic stories of Bishops abusing their power by selling nonsense. Do you want to see something very scary? (Watch this interview). Do you want to see the truth about the Holocaust and the involvement of the Catholic Church in its aftermath? (Watch this documentary).
I don't think the leadership of the Catholic Church is walking anywhere near the footsteps of Jesus Christ. I think the church is lost in the wilderness. Barack Obama won the vote of 57% of Catholics during the 2008 election; lets hope he gets 99% in 2012!!
tomtoak
Lately, I have been upset by stories I have seen on the History Channel that relate to World War II and the role of the Catholic Church in facilitating the escape of Nazi war criminals that were Catholic. These criminals included Adolf Eichmann, Martin Bormann (who was presumed dead) and Josef Mengele. Eichmann was responsible for developing the "final solution" and designed the gas chambers, Bormann was the "right hand man" to Adolf Hitler and we all know the disgusting things that Mengele did. These three criminals escaped through what was known as the "ratline" that was orchestrated by many Catholic leaders. The church was responsible for hiding these Nazis for 5 years until they provided a means for their escape to Uruguay in 1950. Creating false documents and passports were all part of the church conspiracy and the evidence has been well documented. Additionally, I learned that after the defeat of Germany, many Bishops in some European countries required all parishes to offer their Mass on Easter Sunday to Adolf Hitler.
This is very disturbing to learn at this point in my life, but it does not stop here. Just yesterday I had to be treated to the hate filled garbage from Bishop Daniel Jenky from Illinois who proclaimed that Barack Obama is traveling the same footsteps as Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. This occurs just weeks after Pope Benedict (member of the Nazi Youth) appoints Bishop Timothy Dolan of New York to the College of Cardinals to further ensure the extreme conservative agenda of the Catholic Church in future leadership voting. You may remember that Bishop Dolan recently asserted that the Catholic Church did everything right in the sex abuse scandal and the controversy was aimed at destroying the Catholic Church. Forget the fact that the church reported nothing, forgave the sins of the priests time and time again and neglected to help those abused. I can't begin to speak of how I feel about the church position on contraception.
I am furious with the Catholic Bishops and each and every Catholic should be furious too. I am tired of reading anti-Semitic stories of Bishops abusing their power by selling nonsense. Do you want to see something very scary? (Watch this interview). Do you want to see the truth about the Holocaust and the involvement of the Catholic Church in its aftermath? (Watch this documentary).
I don't think the leadership of the Catholic Church is walking anywhere near the footsteps of Jesus Christ. I think the church is lost in the wilderness. Barack Obama won the vote of 57% of Catholics during the 2008 election; lets hope he gets 99% in 2012!!
tomtoak
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Update on Rhode Island Pension Thefts
I was sitting at a bar with an old friend and former state employee and the conversation shifted to the pension disaster in Rhode Island. I was surprised to hear that the retiree was not as concerned as I was about the loss of our COLA for 19 years. I asked him if he knew how much money he would be losing if the courts don't reverse the pension theft. He responded around $40,000. I was shocked. He had not really looked at the issue in depth. When I told him he is actually losing around $400,000, he gasped. I explained the additive nature of the theft. I'm left wondering how many other retirees are not doing the math.
I guess a lot of smart people are not thinking mathematically, but you can bet your last penny that Gina Raimondo knows the bottom line. The Rhode Island legislature, Gina Raimondo and Lincoln Chafee must really like following in Bernie Madoff's footsteps. $Billions are being stolen from the retirees.
After having another conversation with a different retiree that I respect for her dedication to her profession, I became more concerned about the thought process of retirees as a whole. In this conversation, my friend stated that she is glad the issue is behind us and we will never have to face this problem again. I chuckled and told her that she needs to remember how government works. Once government goes to "the well" for money to bail out their pet projects, they spend all the money and face the exact same dilemmas a few years down the road. When resources dry up, politicians continue to return to "the well". This is the nature of politics as we know it.
I ask you, do you really think this is the end of it? Can't you see the politicians 4 years from now demonizing the public retirees again because they get "exorbitant" pensions? I explained to my friend that this is the very reason why the court has to put a stop to the theft now.
I was a big supporter of Lincoln Chafee when he ran for Governor. At one point he was asked in a union setting his position on the public pension debate. Chafee's response was; a promise made is a promise kept. Chafee went back on his word. Raimondo said at the beginning of the process that all parties would have to pitch in to solve the pension crisis. Raimondo went back on her word. The entire solution was laid in the laps of the retirees and current public employees. No new tax solution was even debated to assist the state with keeping its promises.
Bottom line: Chafee is not trustworthy and Raimondo is not trustworthy. Hope lies with the courts and the unambiguous language found in the Rhode Island Constitution. What these crooks did is not constitutional and all public employees should not rest until the court draws the line. Retirees and public employees should not grow complacent and let the thieves get away with it. If our politicians get away with this one, they will most definitely come back to "the well". Mark my words!!
tomtoak
I guess a lot of smart people are not thinking mathematically, but you can bet your last penny that Gina Raimondo knows the bottom line. The Rhode Island legislature, Gina Raimondo and Lincoln Chafee must really like following in Bernie Madoff's footsteps. $Billions are being stolen from the retirees.
After having another conversation with a different retiree that I respect for her dedication to her profession, I became more concerned about the thought process of retirees as a whole. In this conversation, my friend stated that she is glad the issue is behind us and we will never have to face this problem again. I chuckled and told her that she needs to remember how government works. Once government goes to "the well" for money to bail out their pet projects, they spend all the money and face the exact same dilemmas a few years down the road. When resources dry up, politicians continue to return to "the well". This is the nature of politics as we know it.
I ask you, do you really think this is the end of it? Can't you see the politicians 4 years from now demonizing the public retirees again because they get "exorbitant" pensions? I explained to my friend that this is the very reason why the court has to put a stop to the theft now.
I was a big supporter of Lincoln Chafee when he ran for Governor. At one point he was asked in a union setting his position on the public pension debate. Chafee's response was; a promise made is a promise kept. Chafee went back on his word. Raimondo said at the beginning of the process that all parties would have to pitch in to solve the pension crisis. Raimondo went back on her word. The entire solution was laid in the laps of the retirees and current public employees. No new tax solution was even debated to assist the state with keeping its promises.
Bottom line: Chafee is not trustworthy and Raimondo is not trustworthy. Hope lies with the courts and the unambiguous language found in the Rhode Island Constitution. What these crooks did is not constitutional and all public employees should not rest until the court draws the line. Retirees and public employees should not grow complacent and let the thieves get away with it. If our politicians get away with this one, they will most definitely come back to "the well". Mark my words!!
tomtoak
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
We need to take back our country - What?
It's time for me to move away from state issues and begin to focus more on the upcoming election of 2012. The phrase in today's politics that upsets me the most is; "we need to take our country back". Back from whom? Even Barack Obama jumped into the fray with his state of the union speech by proclaiming, "our country is back". Obama is referring to the return of a healthier economy, but what do Republicans mean by proclaiming; "we need to take our country back"?
There have been 56 presidential elections in US history and 44 Presidents. Barack Obama won the last election by 9,549,105 votes which is the 5th largest margin of victory in US history. Only Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Dwight Eisenhower and Franklin Roosevelt for one of his four terms had a larger margin of victory. Obama's victory was 1 week old before Republicans started proclaiming the need the take "our" country back. Who the hell is "our"? What about my country and the majority of Americans that chose to support Barack Obama? Republicans continue to claim they speak for all of us when clearly, they only speak to a minority.
What did Barack promise in 2008 and has he lived up to the promises made to the majority? Let me recall a number of promises; end the war in Iraq, universal health care for everyone, increase our efforts in Afghanistan to better pressure al Qaeda, maintain middle class tax cuts and only increase taxes on those earning over $250,000 each year, end "don't ask, don't tell", support gay unions but not gay marriage, promote equality for women in the work place, pass a stimulus package to jump start the economy and get people back to work, save the US auto industry, pursue greater regulation of Wall Street, work towards a secure energy future, support alternative energy and close Guantanamo Bay prison.
That was a lot of promises and that is what the 9+ million majority expected out of this President. Has Obama delivered? I grade his performance as an A-. Obama has delivered on most promises although some solutions required compromise. Obama has not been able to close down Guantanamo Bay because of intransigence in Congress. His health care plan leaves a lot to be desired, but it's a start. Nobody has been able to achieve what he has on this difficult issue. Obama has performed remarkably in an atmosphere of hatred towards his presidency.
Let's be honest, "we need to take back our country" is all about racism. I don't think you could find a President that has so closely aligned his governing with his promises. Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana gave the Republican response to Obama's address to Congress and stated that there are fewer people working in the United States today than at any point during the last 3 years of the Obama presidency. Is this propensity to lie going to be the future of our politics? Republicans that can't make the facts fit their agenda just like to make things up. We have had steady job growth in this country in 18 of the previous 24 months, there has been 15 consecutive months of steady job growth and the unemployment rate has declined from 10% to 8.5% nationally during the past 24 months. Given the state of our union when Obama became President, I think he is truly heading towards being one of our greatest leaders.
For the racists and haters out there that want to "take our country back"; love it or leave it! It's my country!
tomtoak
There have been 56 presidential elections in US history and 44 Presidents. Barack Obama won the last election by 9,549,105 votes which is the 5th largest margin of victory in US history. Only Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Dwight Eisenhower and Franklin Roosevelt for one of his four terms had a larger margin of victory. Obama's victory was 1 week old before Republicans started proclaiming the need the take "our" country back. Who the hell is "our"? What about my country and the majority of Americans that chose to support Barack Obama? Republicans continue to claim they speak for all of us when clearly, they only speak to a minority.
What did Barack promise in 2008 and has he lived up to the promises made to the majority? Let me recall a number of promises; end the war in Iraq, universal health care for everyone, increase our efforts in Afghanistan to better pressure al Qaeda, maintain middle class tax cuts and only increase taxes on those earning over $250,000 each year, end "don't ask, don't tell", support gay unions but not gay marriage, promote equality for women in the work place, pass a stimulus package to jump start the economy and get people back to work, save the US auto industry, pursue greater regulation of Wall Street, work towards a secure energy future, support alternative energy and close Guantanamo Bay prison.
That was a lot of promises and that is what the 9+ million majority expected out of this President. Has Obama delivered? I grade his performance as an A-. Obama has delivered on most promises although some solutions required compromise. Obama has not been able to close down Guantanamo Bay because of intransigence in Congress. His health care plan leaves a lot to be desired, but it's a start. Nobody has been able to achieve what he has on this difficult issue. Obama has performed remarkably in an atmosphere of hatred towards his presidency.
Let's be honest, "we need to take back our country" is all about racism. I don't think you could find a President that has so closely aligned his governing with his promises. Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana gave the Republican response to Obama's address to Congress and stated that there are fewer people working in the United States today than at any point during the last 3 years of the Obama presidency. Is this propensity to lie going to be the future of our politics? Republicans that can't make the facts fit their agenda just like to make things up. We have had steady job growth in this country in 18 of the previous 24 months, there has been 15 consecutive months of steady job growth and the unemployment rate has declined from 10% to 8.5% nationally during the past 24 months. Given the state of our union when Obama became President, I think he is truly heading towards being one of our greatest leaders.
For the racists and haters out there that want to "take our country back"; love it or leave it! It's my country!
tomtoak
Monday, January 9, 2012
Open letter to the "Providence Journal"
This letter speaks for itself:
Dear Editors:
Dear Editors:
After over 35 years subscribing to your newspaper, we must inform you of our intention to cancel our subscription. This action is not taken without significant thought towards what the people of Rhode Island deserve. We have determined that they do not deserve your unbalanced and hateful treatment of public employees. Your incessant use of page one headlines biasing the pension debate was nauseating, especially when scant attention was paid to many important national and world events that required coverage.
Your paper’s cheerleading of the stealing of $billions from the retirees of this state showed a lack of fairness that is required from a major state newspaper. Your intimidating tactic of making sure all readers in the “Letters” section know when a point of view emanates from a public employee is truly classless. Your lack of judicious treatment of the pension debate was obvious even to those without a direct stake in the issue.
Your newspaper continually allowed one-sided arguments in major editorial pieces that demonized public workers until the vote was taken. After the vote, you finally allowed one major editorial writer to provide a defense of the state retirement system. Your newspaper refused to seek the truth regarding the flawed actuarial assumptions made by the General Treasurer, Gina Raimondo which inflated the pension liability to epic proportions (average life expectancy of 87.6 years) (see attached). Your paper refused to make the case that Raimondo’s assumptions were based on recession era math and that through cost averaging, the pension fund will rebound (The pension fund made 20.4% last year).
Additionally, your newspaper refused to investigate the financial assumptions being made by the Raimondo team that the state would have to contribute 35% of salary for the foreseeable future (pure hogwash). Try doing the math yourselves: An absolute lie was forced down the throats of Rhode Islanders and you made decisions to ignore the truth. Working until the age of 67 is also unwise. This requires a new worker out of college to work 45 years before retirement and carries with it many economic realities not properly addressed or debated by decision makers.
One of your pet providers to the “Letters to the Editor”, Karl Stephens, Barrington (December 17, 2011) criticizes your newspaper for not blasting Jon Corzine for the $billions missing from MF Global Holdings solely because he is a Democrat. Typically, Mr. Stephens is concerned about the $billions stolen from investors but could care less about the $billions stolen from the public employees that invested their lives and money in the state retirement system. We are sick and tired of your 3 nut-case letter writers from Pawtucket, Saunderstown and Barrington that you give voice to every month (you know who they are!)
Simply put; your newspaper is no better than Bernie Madoff. At least Bernie Madoff ended up in jail for life. Nobody will do time for the stealing of $billions from the retirees of this state and your newspaper put the blame solely on the shoulders of the public employees. We all cared about the folks that got robbed by Madoff and others but nobody cared about the public employees. You all should be ashamed of yourselves.
Now it’s time to pay the piper; so to speak. We will no longer support your biased newspaper to the tune of $416 per year. The debate about loss of funds to “Crossroads Rhode Island” is just the beginning. Have you checked out the demographics of the folks who go to Twin River Casino? Do you think there are a lot of retirees? Do you think they will continue to drop their extra cash there? Not if they don’t get a COLA for 19 years! The economic fallout from the disastrous decision to so radically change the pension system is just in its infancy.
If you think you treated public employees fairly, just ask the person in the street what they think about public employees. We were demonized by Raimondo and others but you folks at the “Providence Journal” did the greatest disservice to the public employees by not seeking truth as journalists should. It is every journalist’s duty to be fair and unbiased in their investigation and reporting.
After over 35 years; farewell!
tomtoak
Friday, December 16, 2011
Raimondo's faulty pension data begins to sting Rhode Island
As seen in this blog in prior posts, the pension law changes shoved down the throats of our weak kneed legislature was based on faulty assumptions that I argued would lead to economic decline in this state. Raimondo's most egregious error was to rely on data from actuaries that live in outer space. Her insistence that the life expectancy for retirees should be 87.6 years on average is absolute hogwash. Using such bad data created the crisis which she so joyfully capitalized on.
I draw your attention to the chart. This chart represents a random study of deaths in Rhode Island during the Fall of 2011. Days were randomly selected and age at death calculated from the obituary page of the Providence Journal. In total, there were 257 deaths recorded. The average age of death was 77.4 years and out of the 257 deaths recorded during the study; 50 people lived past 88 years. The green line represents Raimondo's science fiction while the red line represents today's reality. (Please note: On the chart the green line says 88.6 but it represents the 87.6 year target - my mistake) Raimondo's unbelievable pension plan actually adds on 10 years of life in one giant leap of economic whackyness.
I know this information is anecdotal and not a scientific study. This chart does provide a view of the present day longevity of Rhode Island residents. It can be used for comparison purposes. You need to also remember that the chart represents only those people with the hard cash to pay the Providence Journal for the listing. These folks may actually live a little longer than those without the cash. Regardless; the assumptions made by Raimondo are wild-ass assumptions.
Now on to the state's economic decline. Today's Providence Journal rag has a lead story entitled; "Job losses edge up for fourth month." (Please note: I no longer link to the Providence Journal as policy for this blog) Rhode Island lost 1,900 jobs in November and the unemployment rate is again increasing for the first time in nearly 2 years (10.5%). In the same edition of the Journal, the national news headline is: "The Economy: Edging toward recovery" The national unemployment rate has ticked down to 8.6%. While things are getting better in the nation, Rhode Island's downward spiral continues. I guess stealing $billions from retirees is not working. Rhode Island can't even add jobs during the Holiday season. Do you think it has something to do with consumer confidence and retirees holding tight to their money? You bet it does! Get ready for 19 more years of this. Is it coincidence that Rhode Island has been faltering economically during the past 4 months: The same 4 months as the pension debate boiled?
In other more promising news: The Rhode Island Supreme Court denied the state's request for summary judgement on the issue of state pensions being contractual. The Supreme Court sent the case back to Superior Court for trial because the unions have a solid case. Maybe it will take the courts in Rhode Island to straighten up the economy. God knows, the Governor and Treasurer can't do it. Retirees have won round 2!
tomtoak
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Anti-Union = Anti-American
In a country filled with political braggadocio, politicians that despise unions are UN-American. I am sick and tired of listening to people blast unions. The landscape in America today has 1% controlling a near majority of wealth in this nation while the middle class struggles to pay the bills, put kids through college and plan for a decent retirement. When will the 1% be happy? When they control 100% of the wealth? Are we all to return to slavery - working our entire lives to enrich our owners. Now just imagine what this country would be like if there was never a union.
Unions have fought for the middle class and stood up to the powerful interests that could care less about worker health, safety, security and retirement. The system has been tipped too far in favor of the wealthy and this needs to change. Take for example the pension systems of private companies. Thanks to our enlightened Congress, pension plans of private corporations are company assets that can be leveraged in favor of the big money interests. When the corporation is sold, the pension plans frequently get stolen leaving the workers with little and the Federal Government partially filling the void. We subject ourselves to constant bailouts of industries that want to do business overseas so they don't have to pay taxes here at home and their actions are always at the expense of the working stiffs.
To get to my primary point, anti-union is anti-capitalism. Why in a free society can't workers organize to argue for justice in the work place? Unions have found a capitalistic niche that should not be overlooked. While unions collect dues from workers, they serve as a leveling force in our society. As unions falter, so will the middle class. Let me think of a government system that hated unions and outlawed them: How about communism? The Scott Walkers of our country, most Republicans and the fanatic radio talk show fringe would turn this country in the direction of communism. I'm serious, there are those that feel that outlawing unions is a good thing. There are those that feel that autocratic rule is the way to get things done. The way to keep the rich rich and to hell with anyone else.
Let's get one thing straight, unions are capitalistic ventures and free marketeers ought to be supporting their role in our society. Management at the negotiating table represent the many (stock holders and monied interests) while unions represent the workers. Unions have a way of leveling the playing field and Americans need to understand their importance to the middle class. Remove unions and we are far closer to totalitarian rule. If you oppose unions, you do not support free market systems. If you believe that the wealthy have a right to make their millions while workers are silenced, then you are anti-American.
We just witnessed another step towards autocratic rule in Rhode Island when General Treasurer Gina Raimondo pushed her pension reform legislation. She did not even consider negotiating with unions. She could not be bothered. Again; I tell Rhode Islanders and Americans, be careful what you wish for.
tomtoak
Unions have fought for the middle class and stood up to the powerful interests that could care less about worker health, safety, security and retirement. The system has been tipped too far in favor of the wealthy and this needs to change. Take for example the pension systems of private companies. Thanks to our enlightened Congress, pension plans of private corporations are company assets that can be leveraged in favor of the big money interests. When the corporation is sold, the pension plans frequently get stolen leaving the workers with little and the Federal Government partially filling the void. We subject ourselves to constant bailouts of industries that want to do business overseas so they don't have to pay taxes here at home and their actions are always at the expense of the working stiffs.
To get to my primary point, anti-union is anti-capitalism. Why in a free society can't workers organize to argue for justice in the work place? Unions have found a capitalistic niche that should not be overlooked. While unions collect dues from workers, they serve as a leveling force in our society. As unions falter, so will the middle class. Let me think of a government system that hated unions and outlawed them: How about communism? The Scott Walkers of our country, most Republicans and the fanatic radio talk show fringe would turn this country in the direction of communism. I'm serious, there are those that feel that outlawing unions is a good thing. There are those that feel that autocratic rule is the way to get things done. The way to keep the rich rich and to hell with anyone else.
Let's get one thing straight, unions are capitalistic ventures and free marketeers ought to be supporting their role in our society. Management at the negotiating table represent the many (stock holders and monied interests) while unions represent the workers. Unions have a way of leveling the playing field and Americans need to understand their importance to the middle class. Remove unions and we are far closer to totalitarian rule. If you oppose unions, you do not support free market systems. If you believe that the wealthy have a right to make their millions while workers are silenced, then you are anti-American.
We just witnessed another step towards autocratic rule in Rhode Island when General Treasurer Gina Raimondo pushed her pension reform legislation. She did not even consider negotiating with unions. She could not be bothered. Again; I tell Rhode Islanders and Americans, be careful what you wish for.
tomtoak
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Profiles in Cowardice
I want to make it clear that what I am about to say is not meant to reflect on those legislators that voted against the Raimondo-Chafee pension reform bill that was passed last week in Rhode Island. I give a special thanks to my local representative, Scott Guthrie, who did the right thing.
The rest of you are truly profiles in cowardice! You have fixed nothing. You have gone after the middle class in this state with a hateful, shameful, immoral and illegal strategy that will put a stranglehold on our state's future. You are asking 50,000 individuals to come up with the $ billions to bail out over 1 million people. You have not lived up to your oath of office; you are thieves and you lack the intelligence to ask the appropriate questions.
Reneging on your oath of office is quite despicable. You all took an oath to uphold the constitution of the state: Am I right? The RI Constitution insists that no ex-post-facto law may be past regarding any contract(Article 1: Section 12): Am I right? The Constitution further stipulates that all taxation will be fair and equitably distributed(Article 1: Section 2): Am I right? To date the superior court has ruled that pensions are in fact contracts and the COLA is a part of that contract: Am I right? You ignored the court's ruling and voted for a bill that, to the best of your knowledge, was unconstitutional: Am I right? You choose to pass a law that uses absurd assumptions regarding the longevity of retirees (87.6 years): Am I right? You choose to tax public employees only, an act so outrageous that the average state retiree ($27,000 annual pension) will lose over $180,000 during a 19 year period: Am I right? You ignored your oath of office by not upholding the Constitution: Am I right? You should all resign immediately: Am I right? You will not resign: Am I right? You are cowards: Right!
General Treasurer Gina Raimondo said in the Providence Journal that as she looked out her window, she felt good knowing that the teacher below will have a pension one day. She was proud of the fact that the system which was less than 50% funded is now over 60% funded. I have news for her! Change the longevity assumption back to a reasonable figure and the pension fund will be 80% funded so the promises made to public employees can be kept.
I just read an article in the "Science News " magazine, February 26, 2011 (this information was available to Raimondo). The title; "U.S, falters in life expectancy gains", discusses the United States falling behind other developed countries in life expectancy gains. The average life expectancy for those over 50 years of age is 79 for males and 83 for females. How dare you rob our future without the appropriate questions being asked.
I hold no allegiance to thieves and I really don't like cowards. Have a nice Thanksgiving.
tomtoak
The rest of you are truly profiles in cowardice! You have fixed nothing. You have gone after the middle class in this state with a hateful, shameful, immoral and illegal strategy that will put a stranglehold on our state's future. You are asking 50,000 individuals to come up with the $ billions to bail out over 1 million people. You have not lived up to your oath of office; you are thieves and you lack the intelligence to ask the appropriate questions.
Reneging on your oath of office is quite despicable. You all took an oath to uphold the constitution of the state: Am I right? The RI Constitution insists that no ex-post-facto law may be past regarding any contract(Article 1: Section 12): Am I right? The Constitution further stipulates that all taxation will be fair and equitably distributed(Article 1: Section 2): Am I right? To date the superior court has ruled that pensions are in fact contracts and the COLA is a part of that contract: Am I right? You ignored the court's ruling and voted for a bill that, to the best of your knowledge, was unconstitutional: Am I right? You choose to pass a law that uses absurd assumptions regarding the longevity of retirees (87.6 years): Am I right? You choose to tax public employees only, an act so outrageous that the average state retiree ($27,000 annual pension) will lose over $180,000 during a 19 year period: Am I right? You ignored your oath of office by not upholding the Constitution: Am I right? You should all resign immediately: Am I right? You will not resign: Am I right? You are cowards: Right!
General Treasurer Gina Raimondo said in the Providence Journal that as she looked out her window, she felt good knowing that the teacher below will have a pension one day. She was proud of the fact that the system which was less than 50% funded is now over 60% funded. I have news for her! Change the longevity assumption back to a reasonable figure and the pension fund will be 80% funded so the promises made to public employees can be kept.
I just read an article in the "Science News " magazine, February 26, 2011 (this information was available to Raimondo). The title; "U.S, falters in life expectancy gains", discusses the United States falling behind other developed countries in life expectancy gains. The average life expectancy for those over 50 years of age is 79 for males and 83 for females. How dare you rob our future without the appropriate questions being asked.
I hold no allegiance to thieves and I really don't like cowards. Have a nice Thanksgiving.
tomtoak
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
A Veterans Day Comment
This Veterans day I did a lot of thinking about my father who passed away 8 years ago. He served in the Navy in the North Atlantic before the official war. He was an original crew member of the Battleship Massachusetts (1941) and stayed with her throughout the war. He served as a signalman so he had opportunity to observe the war from the bridge. When decisions were being made in the heat of battle, he was there. From Casablanca and then to the South Pacific, he took part in numerous battles; Tarawa, Leyte Gulf, Coral Sea, Guam, Siapan, Palau, Okinawa, the Marshall Islands and the Gilbert's. Like most war veterans who were in the thick of things, he never spoke of his experience; at least not often. Beware the veteran that is always talking about their war stories.
My dad spent his later life working to memorialize the Battleship Massachusetts and spent thousands of volunteer hours on her behalf. This is the way he coped. I know he saw a lot - he saw a lot of men die. I can't relate to his experience but I can relate to the man he became. I remember the way he treated an employee who had been scarred horrifically from war. The man's name was Red Brady and he had a serious drinking problem. Red was a binge drinker and would disappear for a week or more. His psychological hurt was so debilitating that he was claustrophobic and could not go behind any locked door. Because of his drinking, his wife had to drive him to his appointments (he repaired kitchen and laundry appliances for my father's business). He couldn't even service my father's largest client; a psychiatric hospital in Waltham, Massachusetts, because they locked the doors behind you when you entered. My dad had to cover all of those calls.
One day, sensing the frustration in my father, I asked him why he kept Red working when anyone else would have fired him long ago. My father then told me that Red has some trouble that is not his fault and he is coping as best he can. Wanting further clarification, I pressed on. My father then told me that Red was aboard ship when it was torpedoed and the ship partially sunk. Red was trapped for days below deck before he was rescued. I then understood; my dad knew that Red's story could possibly have been him. My father would never judge him or fire him for that matter.
This is truly a great memory that I have preserved over the years. My father made his decisions long before anyone invented the term "post traumatic stress". Red certainly suffered from post traumatic stress and my father didn't need any psychologist to explain it. This lesson taught me to recognize post traumatic stress in veterans that I would have to supervise one day. And, yes, I had to deal with a severe case of post traumatic stress in a Vietnam veteran that sought the help he needed. That person went on to become a great supervisor within the division I was managing. I learned from my father; I learned from a veteran; I've learned from all veterans. There are wounds that we can not see, we can not totally understand, but we have to learn to live with. I'm glad that Red Brady had my father to help him. I'm thankful for the service of Red Brady, my father and all veterans.
tomtoak
My dad spent his later life working to memorialize the Battleship Massachusetts and spent thousands of volunteer hours on her behalf. This is the way he coped. I know he saw a lot - he saw a lot of men die. I can't relate to his experience but I can relate to the man he became. I remember the way he treated an employee who had been scarred horrifically from war. The man's name was Red Brady and he had a serious drinking problem. Red was a binge drinker and would disappear for a week or more. His psychological hurt was so debilitating that he was claustrophobic and could not go behind any locked door. Because of his drinking, his wife had to drive him to his appointments (he repaired kitchen and laundry appliances for my father's business). He couldn't even service my father's largest client; a psychiatric hospital in Waltham, Massachusetts, because they locked the doors behind you when you entered. My dad had to cover all of those calls.
One day, sensing the frustration in my father, I asked him why he kept Red working when anyone else would have fired him long ago. My father then told me that Red has some trouble that is not his fault and he is coping as best he can. Wanting further clarification, I pressed on. My father then told me that Red was aboard ship when it was torpedoed and the ship partially sunk. Red was trapped for days below deck before he was rescued. I then understood; my dad knew that Red's story could possibly have been him. My father would never judge him or fire him for that matter.
This is truly a great memory that I have preserved over the years. My father made his decisions long before anyone invented the term "post traumatic stress". Red certainly suffered from post traumatic stress and my father didn't need any psychologist to explain it. This lesson taught me to recognize post traumatic stress in veterans that I would have to supervise one day. And, yes, I had to deal with a severe case of post traumatic stress in a Vietnam veteran that sought the help he needed. That person went on to become a great supervisor within the division I was managing. I learned from my father; I learned from a veteran; I've learned from all veterans. There are wounds that we can not see, we can not totally understand, but we have to learn to live with. I'm glad that Red Brady had my father to help him. I'm thankful for the service of Red Brady, my father and all veterans.
tomtoak
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Is Rhode Island being lied to about pensions II?
OK: The title says it all. We continue to learn about more lies to Rhode Island regarding the proposed pension changes of Governor Chafee and General Treasurer, Gina Raimondo. This article follows a previous article posted on October 4, 2011 in this blog.
First and foremost, we now learn that the General Treasurer is using 87.6 years as the projected life expectancy of the average retiree. No wonder why she says that the state contribution to the pension has to increase to 35% of salary. How truly foolish is this? The U.S. government says the age should be 78 years. (I'm not linking a source because I read this in the Providence Journal and I do not want people to migrate to that site to make more money for that rag). I just attended a Bar Mitzvah where the oldest person was 85. She was frail and had trouble walking because of a previous stroke. While we all know some people that make it past 87.6 years, start counting all of the people you know that did not make it to that age.
Here is another lie to confuse the issue, courtesy of the Providence Journal. A recent article listed "myths" surrounding the pension system. One myth that they tried to tackle involves issues surrounding the state's required contributions. The Journal clearly states that this issue is simply not true, the state made all of its contributions except for some $60 million in payouts to rescue the wealthy in this state during the banking crisis (they didn't say the "wealthy" - I did because our Governor chose to meet all obligations in bank accounts that exceeded $100,000). Your public employees paid for your bailout.
Here is the rub! Even the General Treasurer has the intelligence to say the following: "The state made contributions "as required by law" (note the quotation marks). When I was working budgets, I was livid when Governor DiPrete tapped into the pension contribution for the first time. I remember seeing half of the state's contribution disappear. This trickery continued during the Sundlun administration and yes, they cooked the books to please the legislature. Gina Raimondo is right when she says that unrealistic numbers were used to justify the state's robbery of its pension accounts. The robbery continued. Don't tell me that the state always made it's contribution. When union bosses have robbed the pension accounts of its members, people go to jail. Nobody in this country has been jailed for pulling corporate pension funds or public pension funds. The Journal rag is lying to everyone when it refuses to make this point perfectly clear. The Providence Journal was absent from these facts at a time when it needed to let the public know. We all know that the Journal wanted to be absent because they never liked public pensions because it makes their newspaper operation look cheap in their worker's eyes. The state did not meet it's pension contribution for over 2 decades. The employees made every contribution and also took a 20% pay cut to bailout the banks. We bailed out the banks with our pensions and our salaries. Thank you very much!
Additionally, the $60 million that the Journal seems to brush aside today would be approximately $232 million out of the projected $7 billion shortfall that Raimondo is claiming because we are all going to live to be 87.6 years of age. Yea!
tomtoak
First and foremost, we now learn that the General Treasurer is using 87.6 years as the projected life expectancy of the average retiree. No wonder why she says that the state contribution to the pension has to increase to 35% of salary. How truly foolish is this? The U.S. government says the age should be 78 years. (I'm not linking a source because I read this in the Providence Journal and I do not want people to migrate to that site to make more money for that rag). I just attended a Bar Mitzvah where the oldest person was 85. She was frail and had trouble walking because of a previous stroke. While we all know some people that make it past 87.6 years, start counting all of the people you know that did not make it to that age.
Here is another lie to confuse the issue, courtesy of the Providence Journal. A recent article listed "myths" surrounding the pension system. One myth that they tried to tackle involves issues surrounding the state's required contributions. The Journal clearly states that this issue is simply not true, the state made all of its contributions except for some $60 million in payouts to rescue the wealthy in this state during the banking crisis (they didn't say the "wealthy" - I did because our Governor chose to meet all obligations in bank accounts that exceeded $100,000). Your public employees paid for your bailout.
Here is the rub! Even the General Treasurer has the intelligence to say the following: "The state made contributions "as required by law" (note the quotation marks). When I was working budgets, I was livid when Governor DiPrete tapped into the pension contribution for the first time. I remember seeing half of the state's contribution disappear. This trickery continued during the Sundlun administration and yes, they cooked the books to please the legislature. Gina Raimondo is right when she says that unrealistic numbers were used to justify the state's robbery of its pension accounts. The robbery continued. Don't tell me that the state always made it's contribution. When union bosses have robbed the pension accounts of its members, people go to jail. Nobody in this country has been jailed for pulling corporate pension funds or public pension funds. The Journal rag is lying to everyone when it refuses to make this point perfectly clear. The Providence Journal was absent from these facts at a time when it needed to let the public know. We all know that the Journal wanted to be absent because they never liked public pensions because it makes their newspaper operation look cheap in their worker's eyes. The state did not meet it's pension contribution for over 2 decades. The employees made every contribution and also took a 20% pay cut to bailout the banks. We bailed out the banks with our pensions and our salaries. Thank you very much!
Additionally, the $60 million that the Journal seems to brush aside today would be approximately $232 million out of the projected $7 billion shortfall that Raimondo is claiming because we are all going to live to be 87.6 years of age. Yea!
tomtoak
Friday, October 28, 2011
RI General Treasurer's pension plan will devastate businesses
It's curious why General Treasurer, Gina Raimondo would propose her pension reform act before the RI Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality. To date, she has lost in the courts. After seeing her jubilant waves to the "Engage Rhode Island" rally and her refusal to speak to the retiree rally on October 26, 2011, it became clear to me that she only cares about her political future. She should have been saddened by having to be the instrument of broken promises. The jubilation was a shameful act.
The Providence Journal’s pension reform chart (COLA Wars, October 27, 2011) tells an interesting story. Raimondo’s plan is the largest business killing legislation that anyone could dream of. How can the Rhode Island business community and the Governor wave the flag?
The Providence Journal’s pension reform chart (COLA Wars, October 27, 2011) tells an interesting story. Raimondo’s plan is the largest business killing legislation that anyone could dream of. How can the Rhode Island business community and the Governor wave the flag?
The average state retiree will have a cumulative income loss of between $185,500 and $139,386 and the average public school retiree will experience a cumulative income loss of between $227,406 and $146,464 over the next 19 years. With over 50,000 retirees in the system at any one time, the loss to Rhode Island’s economy will be close to $10 billion during the next 19 years. Now let’s assume a subset of retirees is pissed off enough to move out of state. If 20,000 people with their spouses move to states without a state income tax and the family income is $60,000, the state’s economy will be losing an additional $1.2 billion each year. Over the 19 years the total loss to the state’s economy could be well over $30 billion. Make a COLA adjustment but don’t eviscerate retirees and businesses.
I’m glad I don’t own a small business in Rhode Island. If I did I would be fighting this legislation. Be careful what you wish for.
tomtoak
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Random Reasonings XVII
An occasional column of random thoughts and observations:
tomtoak
- No COLA for 19 years is what Rhode Island's General Treasurer came up with? I was willing to give some back for the benefit of everyone but I am not going to get raped without fighting.
- Regarding the RI rape of retirees; I wrote the governor, treasurer and every single legislator. You should all do the same. I wrote the Providence Journal today that reported the average retiree ($27,000 pension) will lose $9,286 over the first 10 years of the treasurer's plan. Fact checkers at the Providence Journal are too stupid to do the math as is the treasurer's office. The $9,286 is the loss of income in year 10 alone. What about year 1 through 9? The average state employee will lose $48,805 in the first 10 years and $165,142 in the 19 years of the treasurer's plan.
- Barack Obama has been the greatest foreign policy president in my life time. I wonder if he was born in the United States?
- Did you hear that Mitt Romney said Obama's job program would make everyone millionaires and then we would all have to pay higher taxes? Nice one Mitt: make me a millionaire, the 99% are all for it.
- Did Dick Cheney's pace maker stop? I thought I heard a sucking sound!
- That sucking sound was actually public employee retirees leaving Rhode Island and moving to New Hampshire or Florida to avoid paying state taxes on their pensions.
- Only democrats can overthrow terrorist regimes without losing a single U.S. troop. Obama - great job in Libya and Clinton - great job in Bosnia.
- Funny; the Iraq war is over but the Republicans are still fighting it. I guess they are still looking for the WMD.
- Herman Cain - be serious - order pizza!
- Rick Santorum - do you still practice rhythm - I hope so.
- If the General Treasurer of Rhode Island is raping the retirees, can we all have access to abortion?
- There is no truth to the rumor that Sarah Palin has a "thing" for Herman Cain. There may be truth to the rumor that Sarah had a "thing" for Barack Obama. He was a black basketball player and they both spent time in Hawaii. Was that before Hawaii was a state?
- What Tea Party?
- What will happen when 10% of Rhode Island's population moves out of state because of General Treasurer, Gina Raimondo? I would not even invest in a McDonald's in this state.
- Obama has delivered on almost all of his campaign promises, the exception being the closing of Guantanamo Bay prison.
- Raimondo and Chafee make Wall Street look like it has compassion on a par with Mother Teresa.
tomtoak
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Is Rhode Island being lied to about pensions?
I suppose because I have a direct interest in the outcome, I've studied this issue fully. The brickbat bullies that dominate the airwaves and printed word have not done their homework. Some folks are just fighting for the sake of fighting. They truly believe that they are paying my pension. They are very wrong.
I paid for my pension. Any problem with the system is a direct result of the leadership in this state not living up to it's promises. Are there problems? The current issue has been largely driven by the move of the State to decrease the actuarial growth chart and assume a longer living period for it's retirees. The power of a defined benefit pension plan is in the long-term cost averaging advantages that the state will realize. Individuals may be vulnerable in a defined contribution plan because of market fluctuation and timing associated with retirement dates.
While there may be small problems to deal with, we are being lied to and I mean a whopper of a lie. Rhode Islanders are being told that the state will have to now contribute 35% of salary to save the system. What? Are you fucking kidding me? 35%? Nobody has said that this is a one year issue to infuse the system. We are being led to believe that this is for the future - the foreseeable future at least. Please everyone, I beg you to get out your calculator and do the math. A school teacher that starts at $40,000 per year and tops out at $100,000, 35 years from now would have contributed somewhere in the vicinity of $5 million. Now the teacher retires and let's assume a small actuarial growth of only 5 percent annually, the teachers pension check should be $250,000 per year. This is how absolutely crazy the sob story is. For those of you that are math checkers, don't forget that the teacher is contributing 9.5 % each year (total annual contribution would be 44.5% of salary and don't forget the 7% compounded growth).
Now I know that there were tremendous abuses that the system is still paying for, but those problems are dying. Abuses have been addressed during the past 25 years. Did you know that the Rhode Island system grew by over 20% this year and the actuarial certainty being provided to our citizens is based on old data? Do you know that Rhode Island finished last year with a $60 million surplus which brings the rainy day fund to $130 million?
Now our infamous "Republican" Treasurer (she calls herself a Democrat - just another lie) wants to establish a hybrid plan so that retirees share the risk of the system. Are you kidding me? Do you know what a money maker this is for the state? If the state only met it's fair contribution, dollar for dollar, and made minor adjustments to pay for the sins of the past, a defined benefit pension plan is a huge money maker for the state. Pensions are paid from the accumulated wealth of the system generated by the hard working employees. When the employee or spouse dies, the system swallows the principle. In the case of a school teacher, 19% contribution, half from the teacher, is more than enough to meet the defined benefit.
I know that there are certain jobs that might really want to swing the way of the 401K plan that the General Treasurer is proposing. If I were press secretary to the governor, I'm probably only there for a short time. If you are a school teacher and have chosen the career for your future, you want a defined benefit plan. We need this in place to retain and recruit the best teachers. For new hires, I am not opposed to a choice. Treat the employees like people not pawns. Provide a choice even if you decide that the employee contribution needs to increase to pay for the sins of the past. Give the employees that are not fully vested a choice! Stop shoving things down our throats and try a little honesty.
tomtoak
I paid for my pension. Any problem with the system is a direct result of the leadership in this state not living up to it's promises. Are there problems? The current issue has been largely driven by the move of the State to decrease the actuarial growth chart and assume a longer living period for it's retirees. The power of a defined benefit pension plan is in the long-term cost averaging advantages that the state will realize. Individuals may be vulnerable in a defined contribution plan because of market fluctuation and timing associated with retirement dates.
While there may be small problems to deal with, we are being lied to and I mean a whopper of a lie. Rhode Islanders are being told that the state will have to now contribute 35% of salary to save the system. What? Are you fucking kidding me? 35%? Nobody has said that this is a one year issue to infuse the system. We are being led to believe that this is for the future - the foreseeable future at least. Please everyone, I beg you to get out your calculator and do the math. A school teacher that starts at $40,000 per year and tops out at $100,000, 35 years from now would have contributed somewhere in the vicinity of $5 million. Now the teacher retires and let's assume a small actuarial growth of only 5 percent annually, the teachers pension check should be $250,000 per year. This is how absolutely crazy the sob story is. For those of you that are math checkers, don't forget that the teacher is contributing 9.5 % each year (total annual contribution would be 44.5% of salary and don't forget the 7% compounded growth).
Now I know that there were tremendous abuses that the system is still paying for, but those problems are dying. Abuses have been addressed during the past 25 years. Did you know that the Rhode Island system grew by over 20% this year and the actuarial certainty being provided to our citizens is based on old data? Do you know that Rhode Island finished last year with a $60 million surplus which brings the rainy day fund to $130 million?
Now our infamous "Republican" Treasurer (she calls herself a Democrat - just another lie) wants to establish a hybrid plan so that retirees share the risk of the system. Are you kidding me? Do you know what a money maker this is for the state? If the state only met it's fair contribution, dollar for dollar, and made minor adjustments to pay for the sins of the past, a defined benefit pension plan is a huge money maker for the state. Pensions are paid from the accumulated wealth of the system generated by the hard working employees. When the employee or spouse dies, the system swallows the principle. In the case of a school teacher, 19% contribution, half from the teacher, is more than enough to meet the defined benefit.
I know that there are certain jobs that might really want to swing the way of the 401K plan that the General Treasurer is proposing. If I were press secretary to the governor, I'm probably only there for a short time. If you are a school teacher and have chosen the career for your future, you want a defined benefit plan. We need this in place to retain and recruit the best teachers. For new hires, I am not opposed to a choice. Treat the employees like people not pawns. Provide a choice even if you decide that the employee contribution needs to increase to pay for the sins of the past. Give the employees that are not fully vested a choice! Stop shoving things down our throats and try a little honesty.
tomtoak
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