Today, being the official 4th anniversary of this blog, I would like to introduce a word that a couple of people didn't seem to have a grasp of...
pow·er - [pou-er] - noun - (From Dictionary.com)
1. ability to do or act; capability of doing or accomplishing something.
2. political or national strength: the balance of power in Europe.
3. great or marked ability to do or act; strength; might; force.
4. the possession of control or command over others; authority; ascendancy: power over men's minds.
5. political ascendancy or control in the government of a country, state, etc.: They attained power by overthrowing the legal government.
Just because you don't acknowledge something does not mean that it does not exist!!!
What I got from this meeting: Paul Byrd is an alright guy. I appreciate that he supports his side. I just happen to not agree with him. I think he realizes now that we aren't Radicals. There are many issues that we would be in a lot of agreement on. As a matter of fact, we probably agree on a lot more than we disagree on. We just have a fundamental disagreement about representation from our local city government and some of those very issues were highlighted on this night through the actions of others, not Mr. Byrd. Notice that I didn't say anything about thoughts or speech, I said actions.
The debate starts around the 6:00 mark and goes for over an hour
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
No Steps Forward either -- Silence DoGood
The Hound - For the newcomers, I am not Silence DoGood. Mr. DoGood is a pseudonym for a good guy. A former public servant who cannot make his name known, because it would cause him personal irreparable harm at this time. That doesn't mean that DoGood, or people like DoGood, shouldn't have a platform to speak from. DoGood's opinions do not necessarily reflect my own, but they are always interesting and many times thought to be controversial by the Powers That Be. Below is another of his contributions and everyone is entitled to their own personal interpretation of what he is attempting to convey.
I’ve just read and reflected on the post on “The Hickory Hound” of September 8th and the latest exchange in the HDR concerning the impending referendum written by Larry Clark. The points of view proffered certainly leave indelible images of the thought processes toward both points of view. I find pondering the commentary filled with more questions, which no one seems to have offered answers to.
Following the flow of the Hickory Hound text, and certainly mine is based on content without context, but it does seem apt and accurate given the writer and his subject; however my first question would be, why is it the citizen’s responsibility to call council? Is there not sufficient staff to handle the problems and concerns that council seems compelled they must involve themselves in directly? Did the citizens call council with regard to ‘The Sails on the Square’?
I thought it was that entire lack of speech that prompted an outcry of deliberate indifference on the part of City Council, which brought impetus to the ‘Citizens for Equity’ movement. Besides, if they already know best, why does one need to call them? They already know, right? With regard to working hard at a thankless job. They are the ones who made themselves candidates. Those representatives offered themselves up as political servants of the people. Except, serving the people was not quite what was in mind, I don’t believe. It became a phrase, rhetoric; hollow words with no meaning or purpose except to garner the prize sought. Now, there may be a candidate or two that will say they were ‘approached’ to run. That may be very true. But would anyone out there care to wager that those that made the request comprise that same group the former power broker council members claim are unknown to them? This brings me to that astute group of citizens.
No one really cares how much tax they’ve paid. How does that amount, however great or little it might be, make them better able to speak about this issue in this debate? How does the amount of one’s tax assessment make them better able to envision a future? How does it make one wiser or a better leader? It doesn’t of course, but they think it does. They don’t like the word “elite” because it labels them as what they really are, identifies them with their thoughts and actions, and brings into the forefront in cold sobering words what has actually transpired across the decades in Hickory in simple language that everyone can understand. They don’t like that. They would prefer to backdoor politic and socialize at the Country Club with those of their own kind.
In the meantime, the local Powers That Be subvert and re-direct those who would question or challenge their intellectual capabilities and capacity; deride, make fun of and belittle in order to show their superiority. After several cycles of that, apathy sets in. These people understand that. It was their generation after all that kept the unions out of the furniture factories. Whether you agree or disagree with that premise is not the point, the rumors that spread, “if you vote the union in, they’ll shut it down…” is the point.
The Mayor likes to spout that as one of his finest accomplishments during his tenure. ‘He kept the public unions out of the City of Hickory.’ Bah! North Carolina is the least organized State in the Union. That had about as much chance of passing as the current Sails on Union Square have of propelling the USS Constitution to a win in a Yacht race. But, not according to the Mayor. He did it, all by himself. For the transplants, they are of like mind. What they don’t understand is they are tolerated only as long as they spend their money and support those who are in power and don’t try to ascend into power themselves. When that paradigm shifts they will be told precisely what I saw uttered in the comments section before “The Hickory Hound” began moderating comments. “If you don’t like it, leave.” They think they can roll in here and bind with the old power structure. They don’t have a clue. Their purpose is purely to support and provide a convenient mouthpiece.
The problems we have in Hickory were enabled at the National and International levels. Rules and regulations were passed, with local political support, that enabled the off-shoring of jobs. Hickory’s manufacturing base was moved to China and other parts of the globe where people were willing to work for even less money than people in the Catawba Valley earned. This was done all to and for the benefit of those ‘Elites’ the former council members don’t seem to recognize without a mirror or the ‘A’ list from the Country Club. The compromises in education and wages have stacked up across time. Now, with the excesses of one group at the expense of the other so patently obvious, and one group wanting equal representation, we find ourselves at odds with something that should have never been done in the first place.
The Office of City Manager is supposed to be the implementer of policy and process from Council. Mick Berry is supposed to run the day to day operations of the City so that Council can focus on big picture ideas they have and answer all the calls from the citizens they seem to think they should be getting. Mick is the head bureaucrat, not the politician. If they (City Council) insist on running everything hands on as the solicitation for calls would seem to imply, why do they need a manager? They need a call center and personal assistants. If they are going to micro manage, skip the middle man. If not, stay out of his office and let him do his job and hold him accountable for the job he does, not on personal likes or dislikes. Having said all of that, Mick works at the pleasure of Council. It is in his best interest to keep at least a voting majority happy. In that regard with Council’s voting record, he’d better keep them all happy! He can’t afford to even alienate one.
I’m sure many are afraid of the future. It is, after all, unknown. It is natural to fear the unknown. But, we know too that nothing ever stays the same. The land of furniture factories, hosiery mills, and all of those little support cottage industries won’t be coming back any time soon, if ever. It took time to put the regulations in place that allowed the evacuation of manufacturing. It will take time to undo the wrong done, if it can ever be undone.
So yes, in that regard, Hickory has searched for a sense of self. Has the ruling ‘Elite’ facilitated that search with any meaning or regard? No, the message has been, “We know what we’re doing, trust us, erstwhile look at this, this, and this. It proves we know what we’re doing and we’re trying to get Hickory back on track and shut you people up. This is why we should have never educated you. As long as you knew just enough to run the machines and put the stuff together that we decided you should do, everything was fine.”
Yes, the elites can blame themselves for this one. It was the industrial potentates influenced the regulations that enabled the outsourcing of the jobs that brought the house down around their heads. They did it all for the bottom line. They got theirs. They used their positions and connections to profit. Looking out for “me, me, me, me, and me” and not caring about us. What they failed to plan for was what is happening now. They failed to account for the people standing up to demand their rights. That’s why they’re frightened and scared.
And that is why everyone that can vote should. It’s a forgone conclusion that I support this referendum. Not because I think those in power now are evil or diabolical; I don’t. They as persons and personalities don’t enter into the equation. No, this is about undoing something that should have never been done.
I realize that the leader of the opposition thinks he’s losing votes. No, he’s relinquishing something that never should have been his to begin with. The right of the individual to decide and determine, to the fullest extent possible, which one of their neighbors will represent them and their neighborhood. Not a group collective from every other part of the city that doesn’t even travel through on occasion. What do they know of the day to day concerns and problems not living in other areas? Or some name with a face that is only known through name recognition by virtue of their birth right. And after having contemplated that, the average person decides why bother, their vote won’t count for anything. Leaving 1,000 or fewer people to select the representatives of 40,000. 1,000 people of like mind; No Steps Backward. Said another way, No Step Forward either.
I’ve just read and reflected on the post on “The Hickory Hound” of September 8th and the latest exchange in the HDR concerning the impending referendum written by Larry Clark. The points of view proffered certainly leave indelible images of the thought processes toward both points of view. I find pondering the commentary filled with more questions, which no one seems to have offered answers to.
Following the flow of the Hickory Hound text, and certainly mine is based on content without context, but it does seem apt and accurate given the writer and his subject; however my first question would be, why is it the citizen’s responsibility to call council? Is there not sufficient staff to handle the problems and concerns that council seems compelled they must involve themselves in directly? Did the citizens call council with regard to ‘The Sails on the Square’?
I thought it was that entire lack of speech that prompted an outcry of deliberate indifference on the part of City Council, which brought impetus to the ‘Citizens for Equity’ movement. Besides, if they already know best, why does one need to call them? They already know, right? With regard to working hard at a thankless job. They are the ones who made themselves candidates. Those representatives offered themselves up as political servants of the people. Except, serving the people was not quite what was in mind, I don’t believe. It became a phrase, rhetoric; hollow words with no meaning or purpose except to garner the prize sought. Now, there may be a candidate or two that will say they were ‘approached’ to run. That may be very true. But would anyone out there care to wager that those that made the request comprise that same group the former power broker council members claim are unknown to them? This brings me to that astute group of citizens.
No one really cares how much tax they’ve paid. How does that amount, however great or little it might be, make them better able to speak about this issue in this debate? How does the amount of one’s tax assessment make them better able to envision a future? How does it make one wiser or a better leader? It doesn’t of course, but they think it does. They don’t like the word “elite” because it labels them as what they really are, identifies them with their thoughts and actions, and brings into the forefront in cold sobering words what has actually transpired across the decades in Hickory in simple language that everyone can understand. They don’t like that. They would prefer to backdoor politic and socialize at the Country Club with those of their own kind.
In the meantime, the local Powers That Be subvert and re-direct those who would question or challenge their intellectual capabilities and capacity; deride, make fun of and belittle in order to show their superiority. After several cycles of that, apathy sets in. These people understand that. It was their generation after all that kept the unions out of the furniture factories. Whether you agree or disagree with that premise is not the point, the rumors that spread, “if you vote the union in, they’ll shut it down…” is the point.
The Mayor likes to spout that as one of his finest accomplishments during his tenure. ‘He kept the public unions out of the City of Hickory.’ Bah! North Carolina is the least organized State in the Union. That had about as much chance of passing as the current Sails on Union Square have of propelling the USS Constitution to a win in a Yacht race. But, not according to the Mayor. He did it, all by himself. For the transplants, they are of like mind. What they don’t understand is they are tolerated only as long as they spend their money and support those who are in power and don’t try to ascend into power themselves. When that paradigm shifts they will be told precisely what I saw uttered in the comments section before “The Hickory Hound” began moderating comments. “If you don’t like it, leave.” They think they can roll in here and bind with the old power structure. They don’t have a clue. Their purpose is purely to support and provide a convenient mouthpiece.
The problems we have in Hickory were enabled at the National and International levels. Rules and regulations were passed, with local political support, that enabled the off-shoring of jobs. Hickory’s manufacturing base was moved to China and other parts of the globe where people were willing to work for even less money than people in the Catawba Valley earned. This was done all to and for the benefit of those ‘Elites’ the former council members don’t seem to recognize without a mirror or the ‘A’ list from the Country Club. The compromises in education and wages have stacked up across time. Now, with the excesses of one group at the expense of the other so patently obvious, and one group wanting equal representation, we find ourselves at odds with something that should have never been done in the first place.
The Office of City Manager is supposed to be the implementer of policy and process from Council. Mick Berry is supposed to run the day to day operations of the City so that Council can focus on big picture ideas they have and answer all the calls from the citizens they seem to think they should be getting. Mick is the head bureaucrat, not the politician. If they (City Council) insist on running everything hands on as the solicitation for calls would seem to imply, why do they need a manager? They need a call center and personal assistants. If they are going to micro manage, skip the middle man. If not, stay out of his office and let him do his job and hold him accountable for the job he does, not on personal likes or dislikes. Having said all of that, Mick works at the pleasure of Council. It is in his best interest to keep at least a voting majority happy. In that regard with Council’s voting record, he’d better keep them all happy! He can’t afford to even alienate one.
I’m sure many are afraid of the future. It is, after all, unknown. It is natural to fear the unknown. But, we know too that nothing ever stays the same. The land of furniture factories, hosiery mills, and all of those little support cottage industries won’t be coming back any time soon, if ever. It took time to put the regulations in place that allowed the evacuation of manufacturing. It will take time to undo the wrong done, if it can ever be undone.
So yes, in that regard, Hickory has searched for a sense of self. Has the ruling ‘Elite’ facilitated that search with any meaning or regard? No, the message has been, “We know what we’re doing, trust us, erstwhile look at this, this, and this. It proves we know what we’re doing and we’re trying to get Hickory back on track and shut you people up. This is why we should have never educated you. As long as you knew just enough to run the machines and put the stuff together that we decided you should do, everything was fine.”
Yes, the elites can blame themselves for this one. It was the industrial potentates influenced the regulations that enabled the outsourcing of the jobs that brought the house down around their heads. They did it all for the bottom line. They got theirs. They used their positions and connections to profit. Looking out for “me, me, me, me, and me” and not caring about us. What they failed to plan for was what is happening now. They failed to account for the people standing up to demand their rights. That’s why they’re frightened and scared.
And that is why everyone that can vote should. It’s a forgone conclusion that I support this referendum. Not because I think those in power now are evil or diabolical; I don’t. They as persons and personalities don’t enter into the equation. No, this is about undoing something that should have never been done.
I realize that the leader of the opposition thinks he’s losing votes. No, he’s relinquishing something that never should have been his to begin with. The right of the individual to decide and determine, to the fullest extent possible, which one of their neighbors will represent them and their neighborhood. Not a group collective from every other part of the city that doesn’t even travel through on occasion. What do they know of the day to day concerns and problems not living in other areas? Or some name with a face that is only known through name recognition by virtue of their birth right. And after having contemplated that, the average person decides why bother, their vote won’t count for anything. Leaving 1,000 or fewer people to select the representatives of 40,000. 1,000 people of like mind; No Steps Backward. Said another way, No Step Forward either.
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Economic Stories of Relevance in Today's World -- September 9, 2012
Spinning Bad Financial News Into Good ~ Paul Craig Roberts - August 8, 2012 - Friday’s payroll jobs report says that 96,000 new jobs were created in August and that the unemployment rate (U.3) fell from 8.3% to 8.1%. As 96,000 new jobs are not enough to keep up with population growth, the decline in the U.3 unemployment rate was caused by 368,000 discouraged job seekers giving up on finding employment and dropping out of the work force as measured by U.3. Discouraged workers are not included in the U.3 measure of unemployment, which makes the measure useless. The only purpose of U.3 is to keep bad news out of the news. the U.3 unemployment rate only measures those who have not been discouraged by the inability to find a job and are still actively seeking employment. The government produces another unemployment measure, U.6, which includes people who have been discouraged by the inability to find a job and have been out of the work force for less than a year. This measure of unemployment is 14.7%, a number that would get attention if reported. When the long-term (more than one year) discouraged workers are included, the US unemployment rate is about 22%. In other words, the real US rate of unemployment is almost three times higher than the reported--headline rate--of 8.1%. What is the purpose of reporting an unemployment rate that is about one-third the real unemployment rate? The only answer is deception through Happy News. Let’s have a look at those 96,000 jobs. What kind of high-tech, high-income super jobs is “the world’s only superpower, the indispensable nation, the world’s greatest economy and capitalist heaven” creating? The answer is lowly paid third world jobs, which is why there is not and cannot be an economic recovery. All the good jobs have been moved offshore in order to maximize the incomes of the rich. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 28,300 of the 96,000 jobs or 29% are waitresses and bartenders. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t17.htm Health care and social services, primarily ambulatory health care services and home health care services, provided 21,700 jobs or 22.6% of the jobs. So, 52% of the new jobs created by the American superpower are lowly paid waitresses, bartenders, practical nurses, and hospital orderlies. Highly paid manufacturing jobs declined by 15,000. The incomes lost by these jobs most likely exceed the income gains from the waitresses, bartenders, and hospital orderlies jobs. Where did the other 46,000 jobs come from?
Are you better off? Just 96,000 jobs added in August as 368,000 people LEAVE the workforce in bleak employment report dealing blow to Obama re-election hopes - The Mail Online - Tony Harnden - September 7, 2012 - Just 96,000 American jobs were added in August in a bleak monthly jobs report as 368,000 left the workforce, bringing labour market participation down to its lowest level for 31 years and dealing a blow to President Barack Obama’s re-election chances. The national unemployment rate dropped to 8.1 per cent, down from 8.2 per cent, but this was only because so many people gave up looking for work. If the participation rate had not dropped so precipitously, unemployment would have risen to 8.4 per cent. Factory employment fell by the most in two years and temporary-help companies eliminated positions for the first time in five months. The 69.9 per cent labor force participation rate for men is at lowest level recorded since the US government began tracking it in 1948. According to James Pethokoukis of the American Enterprise Institute, the unemployment rate would be 11.2 per cent if the labour force participation rate had remained what it was when Obama took office in January 2009. The U.S. Labour Department also said that 41,000 fewer jobs were created in June and July than previously reported.
Drop in jobless rate a bad sign for economy - Reuters - Jason Lange - September 7, 2012 - Following are some key details from the report: * The unemployment rate, which is derived from a separate survey of households, fell because the workforce shrank by 368,000 during the month. That is worrisome because some of the outflow was likely caused by people giving up on their job hunts. To be in the workforce, a worker must be either employed or seeking work. The participation rate, a measure of the amount of people employed compared to the size of the workforce, fell to 63.5 percent in August - the lowest since September 1981 - from 63.7 percent a month earlier. * A big drag on hiring came from the manufacturing sector, where payrolls dropped by 15,000. Long a major support for the recovery from recession, factories now appear to be sagging as the global economy cools. * Temporary hiring also held back the gain in payrolls, falling by 4,900 last month. Companies often hire temps to test the waters before adding people directly to their payrolls. The water appeared to be a bit frigid in August. * In a more positive signal, a gauge of the total work effort rose last month. The government's index for aggregate weekly hours rose 0.1 percent to 96.0. The average workweek was steady at 34.4 hours. Hourly earnings were about flat.
Seven Ways the Markets are manipulated - The International Forecaster - James Corbett - September 1, 2012: Corbett counts off seven ways the markets are manipulated, from bots, plunge protection, insiders, shorting, and many more of the dirty tricks your money encounters one way or another when you invest. - #1 – High-frequency trading - #2 – The Plunge Protection Team - #3 – Naked Shorting - #4 – Selective Enforcement - #5 – Insider Trading - #6 – Rate rigging - #7 – Back door trading...
Fed Unintended Consequence #267435: Homeowners Front-Running QE By Not Refinancing
- Submitted by Tyler Durden - September 6, 2012 - For the fifth week in a row, MBA mortgage applications fell - dragged lower by a notably consistent drop in the refinance index - which dropped 3% this week alone and represents almost 80% of the total number of loans. Surely if rates are rising - as they have in general in the last few weeks - we would expect the 'rational homeowner of olde' to rush to his friendly local mortgage broker and refinance immediately for fear of missing the turn and the 'opportunity of a lifetime' to lock-in low rates. Unfortunately, just as retail equity investors appear to the be the smartest players in the room as they sell into strength, so the homeowner has now become conditioned by the Fed's central-planning and repression to expect rates to remain low - and QE3 to be implemented later in the year - and therefore will wait for the 'expected' lower rates rather than accept a periodically rising rate. Yet another unintended consequence that hints at the fact that should we see 'real' recovery (we know, but go with the thought experiment) then higher rates will act as a drag on a burgeoning mini-stimulus from refinancing and normalize us back to lower growth.
Are You Better Off? 40 Statistics That Will Absolutely Shock You - The Economic Collapse Blog - Are you better off today than you were four years ago? This is a question that comes up nearly every election. This year the Romney campaign has even created a Twitter hashtag for it: #AreYouBetterOff. The Democrats are making lots of speeches claiming that we are better off, and the Republicans are making lots of speeches claiming that we are not. So are most Americans actually better off than they were four years ago? Of course not. One recent poll found that only 20 percent of Americans believe that they are better off financially than they were four years ago. But the same thing was true four years ago as well. Our economy has been in decline and the middle class has been shrinking for a very long time. The Democrats want to put all of the blame on the Republicans for this, and the Republicans want to put all of the blame on the Democrats for this. A recent CNN headline defiantly declared the following: "Decline of middle class not Obama's fault", and this is the kind of thing we are going to hear day after day until the election in November. But obviously something has gone fundamentally wrong with our economy. So who should we blame?
Sadly, you hear very little on the mainstream news networks or the talk radio shows about the institution that has the most power over our economy. The Federal Reserve has far more power over our financial system than anyone else does, but the media and both political parties tell us that the Federal Reserve is "above politics" and that their "independence" must never be questioned.
Unfortunately, most Americans have gone along with that.
But the truth is that the debt-based financial system that the Federal Reserve is at the core of is absolutely central to our economic problems. If you do not understand this, please see this article: "10 Things That Every American Should Know About The Federal Reserve". The Federal Reserve has done more to mess up our economy than anyone else has. So shouldn't they be held accountable? That is a very good question. Have you ever wondered why financial markets move so dramatically whenever Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gives a speech? The same thing does not happen when Barack Obama gives a speech. That is because the financial markets know who holds the real power in our financial system. But during this election season the American people are told to put all of their attention on the "red team" and the "blue team". We are told that the two major political parties are philosophical opposites and that they want to take the United States is two completely different directions. The "true believers" on the blue team are completely and totally convinced that Barack Obama will be able to rescue the economy and save America. The "true believers" on the red team are completely and totally convinced that Mitt Romney will be able to rescue the economy and save America. Once upon a time I was one of those political activists. I was fully convinced that America could be turned around if we could just get enough Republicans into office. But then I noticed that nothing really seemed to change no matter who was in power. I became disillusioned as I realized that Republicans were doing things pretty much the exact same way that Democrats were doing them when they got into power. Yes, there are some minor differences between the two parties on taxes and regulations.If we elect one guy over the other our economy might decline at a slightly different pace. But in the end both political parties are taking us to the exact same place. Down the toilet. I wish that wasn't true. But we need to be honest with ourselves.... -Both parties fully support the Federal Reserve. -Both parties supported the nomination of Ben Bernanke to a second term as the head of the Federal Reserve. -Both parties endlessly push the job-killing "free trade" agenda of the global elite. -Both parties see nothing wrong with running absolutely enormous trade deficits with the rest of the world. -Both parties supported TARP. -Both parties supported the "economic stimulus" packages. -Both parties supported the auto industry bailouts. -Both parties have run up massive amounts of federal debt when in power. -Both parties have greatly expanded the size of the federal government when in power. -Both parties are full of control freaks and both parties have added more layers of ridiculous regulations to our already overburdened society when in power. -Neither party supports getting rid of the income tax or the IRS. -Neither party has any intention of doing anything to prevent the coming derivatives crisis that could bring down the entire global financial system. -Both parties are absolutely showered with cash from the big Wall Street banks. -Both parties think that the TSA is doing a great job. -Both parties supported the NDAA and the renewal of the Patriot Act.
-Both parties have greatly expanded the unconstitutional surveillance of American citizens by government agencies. -Both parties are extremely soft on illegal immigration. -Both parties have treated military veterans horribly. -Both parties are absolutely packed with corrupt politicians that are living the high life at your expense. -Neither party plans to balance the federal budget in 2013 if their candidate wins the election. -Neither party has a plan that will fix our deeply broken health care system. -Neither party has any plans to shut down the Federal Reserve. In fact, both parties see absolutely nothing wrong with our current system. Of course this list could go on indefinitely, but hopefully you get the point. But I can understand those that are deeply frustrated with Barack Obama and that desperately want to avoid another four years of his policies. I also believe that Barack Obama has been the worst president in U.S. history and that he and his entire cabinet should immediately resign in disgrace. However, the Republican party foolishly chose to nominate the Republican candidate that was most like Barack Obama to run against him. That was an enormous mistake. No matter what the talk radio shows are telling you, the truth is that this country will continue on pretty much the same path no matter who wins the election. I know that statement is going to make a lot of people angry. But it is the sad reality of what we are facing. Even if you focus on just the economy, the truth is that Mitt Romney's "five point plan" is almost exactly the same thing that Barack Obama has been saying. Many Americans believe that since Mitt Romney made lots of money on Wall Street conducting leveraged buyouts of vulnerable corporations that he understands how to fix our economy. Sadly, that is not the truth. I have listened to many Romney speeches about the economy and I keep waiting for some pearls of wisdom, but I have found that he is just as clueless about the economy as our other recent presidents have been. Look, I know that there are a lot of people out there that have good hearts that want to have someone that they can believe in. They want to believe that things can get better. They want to have hope. And I don't blame them for that. I just think that it is time to pull our heads out of the sand and realize that things are not going to be getting any better. A political savior on a white horse is not going to come riding in to save the day. So by this point in the article a whole lot of Democrats and a whole lot of Republicans are very upset with me. But I am not against you. There is way too much hate in our society today. Even if we disagree with someone else we can still love them. I just think that it is very important that we understand that there is not going to be a solution to our problems on the national level and that our economy is headed for collapse no matter who gets elected. The total amount of debt in the United States has risen from less than 2 trillion dollars to nearly 55 trillion dollars over the past 40 years, and there is nothing that Barack Obama or Mitt Romney can do to prevent the "correction" that is coming. So are Americans better off than they were four years ago? Of course not. But things will soon get a whole lot worse no matter how the election turns out. The following are 40 statistics that will absolutely shock you....
Nearly 17 million Americans repeatedly short of food: report - Reuters - Charles Abbott & Philip Barbara - September 5, 2012 - he number of poor Americans who repeatedly ran short of food shot up by 800,000 in 2011 to nearly 17 million compared with 2010, the U.S. government said on Wednesday. The Department of Agriculture said in a report that about 5.5 percent of Americans, or nearly 17 million, suffered "very low food security" last year, meaning they had to skip meals or not eat for a day because of a lack of money to buy food. That is a rise of 800,000 over the prior year, it said. The food-security report was released one day after the government said that a record 46.7 million Americans were enrolled for food stamps in June, up by 173,000 in May. High unemployment and slow growth since the deep 2008-2009 recession has driven enrollment in food stamps, the major U.S. anti-hunger program, to record levels.
47 Million Americans on Food Stamps
Food stamps is chump change. The 14 trillion dollars that went to the Banksters and Wall Street? Now that's news. And more welfare to the Banksters is coming soon. Called Q.E. 3. It's not the unemployed. Who are the problem. It's the BANKS! about 314,316,326 souls in America, 83,320,200 families, and 46.7 million are on food stamps, Over half American families rely on food from the govt. WOW. What is even more sick is 67,767,865 are retires or on Social Security. and 19,504,437 work for the government or state. US unfunded liabilities are 120,478,377,000,000 dollars grows 1 million every 10 seconds and liabilities per tax payer = 1,054,184 dollars. And Obama just gave Israel 70 Billion 2 weeks ago. Can you say COLLAPSE?
Are you better off? Just 96,000 jobs added in August as 368,000 people LEAVE the workforce in bleak employment report dealing blow to Obama re-election hopes - The Mail Online - Tony Harnden - September 7, 2012 - Just 96,000 American jobs were added in August in a bleak monthly jobs report as 368,000 left the workforce, bringing labour market participation down to its lowest level for 31 years and dealing a blow to President Barack Obama’s re-election chances. The national unemployment rate dropped to 8.1 per cent, down from 8.2 per cent, but this was only because so many people gave up looking for work. If the participation rate had not dropped so precipitously, unemployment would have risen to 8.4 per cent. Factory employment fell by the most in two years and temporary-help companies eliminated positions for the first time in five months. The 69.9 per cent labor force participation rate for men is at lowest level recorded since the US government began tracking it in 1948. According to James Pethokoukis of the American Enterprise Institute, the unemployment rate would be 11.2 per cent if the labour force participation rate had remained what it was when Obama took office in January 2009. The U.S. Labour Department also said that 41,000 fewer jobs were created in June and July than previously reported.
Drop in jobless rate a bad sign for economy - Reuters - Jason Lange - September 7, 2012 - Following are some key details from the report: * The unemployment rate, which is derived from a separate survey of households, fell because the workforce shrank by 368,000 during the month. That is worrisome because some of the outflow was likely caused by people giving up on their job hunts. To be in the workforce, a worker must be either employed or seeking work. The participation rate, a measure of the amount of people employed compared to the size of the workforce, fell to 63.5 percent in August - the lowest since September 1981 - from 63.7 percent a month earlier. * A big drag on hiring came from the manufacturing sector, where payrolls dropped by 15,000. Long a major support for the recovery from recession, factories now appear to be sagging as the global economy cools. * Temporary hiring also held back the gain in payrolls, falling by 4,900 last month. Companies often hire temps to test the waters before adding people directly to their payrolls. The water appeared to be a bit frigid in August. * In a more positive signal, a gauge of the total work effort rose last month. The government's index for aggregate weekly hours rose 0.1 percent to 96.0. The average workweek was steady at 34.4 hours. Hourly earnings were about flat.
Seven Ways the Markets are manipulated - The International Forecaster - James Corbett - September 1, 2012: Corbett counts off seven ways the markets are manipulated, from bots, plunge protection, insiders, shorting, and many more of the dirty tricks your money encounters one way or another when you invest. - #1 – High-frequency trading - #2 – The Plunge Protection Team - #3 – Naked Shorting - #4 – Selective Enforcement - #5 – Insider Trading - #6 – Rate rigging - #7 – Back door trading...
Fed Unintended Consequence #267435: Homeowners Front-Running QE By Not Refinancing
- Submitted by Tyler Durden - September 6, 2012 - For the fifth week in a row, MBA mortgage applications fell - dragged lower by a notably consistent drop in the refinance index - which dropped 3% this week alone and represents almost 80% of the total number of loans. Surely if rates are rising - as they have in general in the last few weeks - we would expect the 'rational homeowner of olde' to rush to his friendly local mortgage broker and refinance immediately for fear of missing the turn and the 'opportunity of a lifetime' to lock-in low rates. Unfortunately, just as retail equity investors appear to the be the smartest players in the room as they sell into strength, so the homeowner has now become conditioned by the Fed's central-planning and repression to expect rates to remain low - and QE3 to be implemented later in the year - and therefore will wait for the 'expected' lower rates rather than accept a periodically rising rate. Yet another unintended consequence that hints at the fact that should we see 'real' recovery (we know, but go with the thought experiment) then higher rates will act as a drag on a burgeoning mini-stimulus from refinancing and normalize us back to lower growth.
Are You Better Off? 40 Statistics That Will Absolutely Shock You - The Economic Collapse Blog - Are you better off today than you were four years ago? This is a question that comes up nearly every election. This year the Romney campaign has even created a Twitter hashtag for it: #AreYouBetterOff. The Democrats are making lots of speeches claiming that we are better off, and the Republicans are making lots of speeches claiming that we are not. So are most Americans actually better off than they were four years ago? Of course not. One recent poll found that only 20 percent of Americans believe that they are better off financially than they were four years ago. But the same thing was true four years ago as well. Our economy has been in decline and the middle class has been shrinking for a very long time. The Democrats want to put all of the blame on the Republicans for this, and the Republicans want to put all of the blame on the Democrats for this. A recent CNN headline defiantly declared the following: "Decline of middle class not Obama's fault", and this is the kind of thing we are going to hear day after day until the election in November. But obviously something has gone fundamentally wrong with our economy. So who should we blame?
Sadly, you hear very little on the mainstream news networks or the talk radio shows about the institution that has the most power over our economy. The Federal Reserve has far more power over our financial system than anyone else does, but the media and both political parties tell us that the Federal Reserve is "above politics" and that their "independence" must never be questioned.
Unfortunately, most Americans have gone along with that.
But the truth is that the debt-based financial system that the Federal Reserve is at the core of is absolutely central to our economic problems. If you do not understand this, please see this article: "10 Things That Every American Should Know About The Federal Reserve". The Federal Reserve has done more to mess up our economy than anyone else has. So shouldn't they be held accountable? That is a very good question. Have you ever wondered why financial markets move so dramatically whenever Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gives a speech? The same thing does not happen when Barack Obama gives a speech. That is because the financial markets know who holds the real power in our financial system. But during this election season the American people are told to put all of their attention on the "red team" and the "blue team". We are told that the two major political parties are philosophical opposites and that they want to take the United States is two completely different directions. The "true believers" on the blue team are completely and totally convinced that Barack Obama will be able to rescue the economy and save America. The "true believers" on the red team are completely and totally convinced that Mitt Romney will be able to rescue the economy and save America. Once upon a time I was one of those political activists. I was fully convinced that America could be turned around if we could just get enough Republicans into office. But then I noticed that nothing really seemed to change no matter who was in power. I became disillusioned as I realized that Republicans were doing things pretty much the exact same way that Democrats were doing them when they got into power. Yes, there are some minor differences between the two parties on taxes and regulations.If we elect one guy over the other our economy might decline at a slightly different pace. But in the end both political parties are taking us to the exact same place. Down the toilet. I wish that wasn't true. But we need to be honest with ourselves.... -Both parties fully support the Federal Reserve. -Both parties supported the nomination of Ben Bernanke to a second term as the head of the Federal Reserve. -Both parties endlessly push the job-killing "free trade" agenda of the global elite. -Both parties see nothing wrong with running absolutely enormous trade deficits with the rest of the world. -Both parties supported TARP. -Both parties supported the "economic stimulus" packages. -Both parties supported the auto industry bailouts. -Both parties have run up massive amounts of federal debt when in power. -Both parties have greatly expanded the size of the federal government when in power. -Both parties are full of control freaks and both parties have added more layers of ridiculous regulations to our already overburdened society when in power. -Neither party supports getting rid of the income tax or the IRS. -Neither party has any intention of doing anything to prevent the coming derivatives crisis that could bring down the entire global financial system. -Both parties are absolutely showered with cash from the big Wall Street banks. -Both parties think that the TSA is doing a great job. -Both parties supported the NDAA and the renewal of the Patriot Act.
-Both parties have greatly expanded the unconstitutional surveillance of American citizens by government agencies. -Both parties are extremely soft on illegal immigration. -Both parties have treated military veterans horribly. -Both parties are absolutely packed with corrupt politicians that are living the high life at your expense. -Neither party plans to balance the federal budget in 2013 if their candidate wins the election. -Neither party has a plan that will fix our deeply broken health care system. -Neither party has any plans to shut down the Federal Reserve. In fact, both parties see absolutely nothing wrong with our current system. Of course this list could go on indefinitely, but hopefully you get the point. But I can understand those that are deeply frustrated with Barack Obama and that desperately want to avoid another four years of his policies. I also believe that Barack Obama has been the worst president in U.S. history and that he and his entire cabinet should immediately resign in disgrace. However, the Republican party foolishly chose to nominate the Republican candidate that was most like Barack Obama to run against him. That was an enormous mistake. No matter what the talk radio shows are telling you, the truth is that this country will continue on pretty much the same path no matter who wins the election. I know that statement is going to make a lot of people angry. But it is the sad reality of what we are facing. Even if you focus on just the economy, the truth is that Mitt Romney's "five point plan" is almost exactly the same thing that Barack Obama has been saying. Many Americans believe that since Mitt Romney made lots of money on Wall Street conducting leveraged buyouts of vulnerable corporations that he understands how to fix our economy. Sadly, that is not the truth. I have listened to many Romney speeches about the economy and I keep waiting for some pearls of wisdom, but I have found that he is just as clueless about the economy as our other recent presidents have been. Look, I know that there are a lot of people out there that have good hearts that want to have someone that they can believe in. They want to believe that things can get better. They want to have hope. And I don't blame them for that. I just think that it is time to pull our heads out of the sand and realize that things are not going to be getting any better. A political savior on a white horse is not going to come riding in to save the day. So by this point in the article a whole lot of Democrats and a whole lot of Republicans are very upset with me. But I am not against you. There is way too much hate in our society today. Even if we disagree with someone else we can still love them. I just think that it is very important that we understand that there is not going to be a solution to our problems on the national level and that our economy is headed for collapse no matter who gets elected. The total amount of debt in the United States has risen from less than 2 trillion dollars to nearly 55 trillion dollars over the past 40 years, and there is nothing that Barack Obama or Mitt Romney can do to prevent the "correction" that is coming. So are Americans better off than they were four years ago? Of course not. But things will soon get a whole lot worse no matter how the election turns out. The following are 40 statistics that will absolutely shock you....
Nearly 17 million Americans repeatedly short of food: report - Reuters - Charles Abbott & Philip Barbara - September 5, 2012 - he number of poor Americans who repeatedly ran short of food shot up by 800,000 in 2011 to nearly 17 million compared with 2010, the U.S. government said on Wednesday. The Department of Agriculture said in a report that about 5.5 percent of Americans, or nearly 17 million, suffered "very low food security" last year, meaning they had to skip meals or not eat for a day because of a lack of money to buy food. That is a rise of 800,000 over the prior year, it said. The food-security report was released one day after the government said that a record 46.7 million Americans were enrolled for food stamps in June, up by 173,000 in May. High unemployment and slow growth since the deep 2008-2009 recession has driven enrollment in food stamps, the major U.S. anti-hunger program, to record levels.
47 Million Americans on Food Stamps
Saturday, September 8, 2012
"No Change!" will not work.
The following points that will be made here are important and I have made them before, but they are important and should not be dismissed. These are points that you really need to think about as we move forward. There are some around here who seem to have a problem with freedom of speech and/or expression. They do everything they can to shut down anyone and their ideas who don't fit into the template of Hickory's accepted norm. In
the end, my point is that I think this community would be better off if it were to become more accepting of diversity of cultures and ideas, even if I'm not comfortable with what some others do and/or say.
In my opinion, there has been a general acceptance of the status quo that seems to be ingrained in the attitudes of many of the local citizenry. I went to the Referendum forum the other night and witnessed the people from the "No" side and they certainly fit into a Status Quo - "No Change" mentality.
I was glad that these people spoke so that I could understand where they were coming from. The Mayor and four of six City Council members spoke and their message seemed to be that they haven't made any mistakes, it is citizen's responsibility to call them, they know what is best for the community, they are working hard at a thankless job, how the Yes people were just trying to divide the city and it's just one city... I heard no comprehension of their role as public servants.
Then there were the former City Council members who got up and told us that they were delivering our water, picking up our garbage, making sure the streets operated properly, and it is such a thankless job. They fussed about the current power structure being called a club and talked about how much tax they paid and about how the word Elite being attached to the Power Structure really bothered them, because they didn't know who these elite were. There was no mention of the little sweetheart deals they had been involved in that were tied directly to this power structure.
Then there were all of the people who spoke and informed us that they weren't from Hickory, that they had moved into Hickory, and seemed to have felt it necessary to tell we Yes people that we don't know how good we've got it. We don't know what being poor is. We don't know how good our leadership is. That they didn't know why we should want to change such a wonderful system of such kind and caring souls as we see on the Hickory City Council.
Well, what we saw the other night was the Power Structure in Hickory that we are up against. There was no diversity amongst that group. The people who spoke for the status quo were 60 to 75 years old. They are getting their pensions and they have their businesses, and when they want something the current City Council is right there for them. They take care of their own. They can't see things from another perspective, because they're drunk from the Kool-Aid.
I can understand the "No Change" group. They don't see anything wrong with Hickory City Council, because they are in the club with them. They don't see anything wrong with the Power Structure, because as long as it stays in place they stay in place. It takes care of their needs. Whatever they want, they get... Whatever they don't want, we don't get.
I heard it said again the other night by council members that we are in a good position to succeed and yet the economy here in Hickory has been stagnant for over a decade. When do we start down this path to success? The unemployment rate is over 11%. We have the second highest unemployment rate in North Carolina. Our per capita income rate is the lowest of any metropolitan area in North Carolina. We have the worst education attainment numbers of anywhere in North Carolina. Our young people have fled and we are replacing them with seniors who are just above the poverty line. And the "No Change" group is telling you that everything is just fine. We are set up for success.
They said it the other night. The problems we have in Hickory are all National and International issues. There has been an acceptance that we can't do better, because of external forces; that the State and Federal Governments hold all of the cards when it comes to our Economic Development and none of our plight is our current local government's fault. I do not accept that conclusion. While I understand that the Federal Government has done us no favors, what I believe is that we can and should do better.
Yes, I understand that we have a City Manager form of local government. Does that absolve the Mayor and City Council in the decision making process, when they are responsible for hiring and oversight of the City Manager? Is the City Manager supposed to be responsible for everything? Folks, you do understand that they always have the ability to fire him or buy out his contract, don't you? So who is really in charge?
And guess who is supposed to bring city issues forward and vote on them? The Mayor and the City Council. It is supposed to work as a partnership, although this Council, for the most part, has abrogated that responsibility. The only thing the City Manager (and staff) is supposed to do is study issues and make recommendations. The City Manager has no vote!!!
The way that Hickory's local city government has worked is that it has provided cover for the Mayor and Council and built layers of bureaucracy that disband processes towards accountability. This puts the Mayor, Council, and City Manager in the position of protecting one anothers' interests and what we have seen, in my opinion, is our City Manager looking to please the Council and our Council waiting for the City Manager to lead the way.
We have stated what we firmly believe when we say Hickory has been directionless for the the last decade. These are revolutionary times we are living in and the Mayor and his friends just don't get It. I think he and his friends have a sense that they are vested in Hickory, but what they see as "Hickory" is the "Old Hickory" -- Textiles, Furniture, Mills, and Factories. Maybe it is a generational issue, but I don't sense that they can envision the new era that this world demands that Hickory move into.
Many of these "Old Hickory" people seem to be scared to death of change. I've told you about the meeting I was at nearly two years ago where the gentleman said Hickory just needed to get back to what it was and tweak around the edges a little. The Mayor at the Republican debate about this Referendum said that he didn't know what this was all about, but next it could be coming to you. And that this was a bunch of Democrats with a handful of Republicans involved. Then the other night with all of the seniors telling us how great everything is and we should be grateful. Where is the humility with these folks? It really hit home that none of them think about legacy and what the future holds for Hickory. All I heard was me, me, me, me, me...
"New Hickory" is represented by people who are struggling to find themselves and their identity in a world that no longer has a road map, while trying to break free from the constraints placed on it by the interests of "Old Hickory." "New Hickory" wants to join in with this new world's technology, and is willing to take more chances and be more creative, but "Old Hickory" is worried about what they construe to be risky ventures.
"New Hickory" has much more at stake in this adventure, because their future (THE FUTURE) is imperiled. What we need to see is the reality of all of Hickory coming together. "New Hickory" seems to be expected to create their own path to the decision making process. "Old Hickory" does not seem to understand that we have to encourage participation and start grooming the future leaders of this city. They seem to be more interested in hanging amongst themselves and the echo chamber of ideas, which leads to "group think."
I think that "Old Hickory" has always been obsessed with issues of Authoritarian Control and the people of this city were accustomed to being told exactly what to do. I remember the old days of hearing all of the whistles going off during the day at Hickory Chair. People were basically trained when to wake up, toilet, shower, shave, arrive, break, lunch, break, go home, and do it all again tomorrow. The "Powers That Be" made all of the decisions and the citizens were basically told not to worry themselves with details. That arrangement worked fine in the days of Bean Counting and Mass Production, but those days have long since passed. Yet, many of our leaders and citizens are systemically attached to those old ways and the nostalgia of the old days. Yet, those good ole days weren't so great for all.
"No Change!" will not work. We have to evolve. It used to be no big deal for teenagers to quit school and go work in a factory, but we have learned over the last decade how important knowledge truly is. But, with knowledge come opinions and that isn't something that the "Powers That Be" in this community seem to be comfortable with. The old mindset was, "If we want your opinion, we'll give it to ya." That mindset is not productive and it stifles creativity.
I have said it before and I will say it again. We the People are the government and if we don't start demanding results, then we will see none. If we don't expect openness, then we shouldn't cry when the surprise hits the fan. We all have to work together to create hope for the future. The Mayor and Council have tried to intimidate people about this referendum and the changes it would bring. What are they really so afraid of?
Business as usual is a cancer in this community. We're attempting a cure. We have invested a lot of time and energy towards this effort to bring Hickory's government back to all of the people. We have done this so that none of us should have to be burdened with the prospects of a Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda Future. This is the time to seize this opportunity that we believe can transform Hickory into a Can Do, Shall Do, Will Do Culture.
It is time to move forward by voting YES!!! to more citizen input. YES!!! to more creativity. Yes!!! to effectiveness. Yes!!! to efficiency. Yes!!! to accountability. YES!!! for this referendum.
In my opinion, there has been a general acceptance of the status quo that seems to be ingrained in the attitudes of many of the local citizenry. I went to the Referendum forum the other night and witnessed the people from the "No" side and they certainly fit into a Status Quo - "No Change" mentality.
I was glad that these people spoke so that I could understand where they were coming from. The Mayor and four of six City Council members spoke and their message seemed to be that they haven't made any mistakes, it is citizen's responsibility to call them, they know what is best for the community, they are working hard at a thankless job, how the Yes people were just trying to divide the city and it's just one city... I heard no comprehension of their role as public servants.
Then there were the former City Council members who got up and told us that they were delivering our water, picking up our garbage, making sure the streets operated properly, and it is such a thankless job. They fussed about the current power structure being called a club and talked about how much tax they paid and about how the word Elite being attached to the Power Structure really bothered them, because they didn't know who these elite were. There was no mention of the little sweetheart deals they had been involved in that were tied directly to this power structure.
Then there were all of the people who spoke and informed us that they weren't from Hickory, that they had moved into Hickory, and seemed to have felt it necessary to tell we Yes people that we don't know how good we've got it. We don't know what being poor is. We don't know how good our leadership is. That they didn't know why we should want to change such a wonderful system of such kind and caring souls as we see on the Hickory City Council.
Well, what we saw the other night was the Power Structure in Hickory that we are up against. There was no diversity amongst that group. The people who spoke for the status quo were 60 to 75 years old. They are getting their pensions and they have their businesses, and when they want something the current City Council is right there for them. They take care of their own. They can't see things from another perspective, because they're drunk from the Kool-Aid.
I can understand the "No Change" group. They don't see anything wrong with Hickory City Council, because they are in the club with them. They don't see anything wrong with the Power Structure, because as long as it stays in place they stay in place. It takes care of their needs. Whatever they want, they get... Whatever they don't want, we don't get.
I heard it said again the other night by council members that we are in a good position to succeed and yet the economy here in Hickory has been stagnant for over a decade. When do we start down this path to success? The unemployment rate is over 11%. We have the second highest unemployment rate in North Carolina. Our per capita income rate is the lowest of any metropolitan area in North Carolina. We have the worst education attainment numbers of anywhere in North Carolina. Our young people have fled and we are replacing them with seniors who are just above the poverty line. And the "No Change" group is telling you that everything is just fine. We are set up for success.
They said it the other night. The problems we have in Hickory are all National and International issues. There has been an acceptance that we can't do better, because of external forces; that the State and Federal Governments hold all of the cards when it comes to our Economic Development and none of our plight is our current local government's fault. I do not accept that conclusion. While I understand that the Federal Government has done us no favors, what I believe is that we can and should do better.
Yes, I understand that we have a City Manager form of local government. Does that absolve the Mayor and City Council in the decision making process, when they are responsible for hiring and oversight of the City Manager? Is the City Manager supposed to be responsible for everything? Folks, you do understand that they always have the ability to fire him or buy out his contract, don't you? So who is really in charge?
And guess who is supposed to bring city issues forward and vote on them? The Mayor and the City Council. It is supposed to work as a partnership, although this Council, for the most part, has abrogated that responsibility. The only thing the City Manager (and staff) is supposed to do is study issues and make recommendations. The City Manager has no vote!!!
The way that Hickory's local city government has worked is that it has provided cover for the Mayor and Council and built layers of bureaucracy that disband processes towards accountability. This puts the Mayor, Council, and City Manager in the position of protecting one anothers' interests and what we have seen, in my opinion, is our City Manager looking to please the Council and our Council waiting for the City Manager to lead the way.
We have stated what we firmly believe when we say Hickory has been directionless for the the last decade. These are revolutionary times we are living in and the Mayor and his friends just don't get It. I think he and his friends have a sense that they are vested in Hickory, but what they see as "Hickory" is the "Old Hickory" -- Textiles, Furniture, Mills, and Factories. Maybe it is a generational issue, but I don't sense that they can envision the new era that this world demands that Hickory move into.
Many of these "Old Hickory" people seem to be scared to death of change. I've told you about the meeting I was at nearly two years ago where the gentleman said Hickory just needed to get back to what it was and tweak around the edges a little. The Mayor at the Republican debate about this Referendum said that he didn't know what this was all about, but next it could be coming to you. And that this was a bunch of Democrats with a handful of Republicans involved. Then the other night with all of the seniors telling us how great everything is and we should be grateful. Where is the humility with these folks? It really hit home that none of them think about legacy and what the future holds for Hickory. All I heard was me, me, me, me, me...
"New Hickory" is represented by people who are struggling to find themselves and their identity in a world that no longer has a road map, while trying to break free from the constraints placed on it by the interests of "Old Hickory." "New Hickory" wants to join in with this new world's technology, and is willing to take more chances and be more creative, but "Old Hickory" is worried about what they construe to be risky ventures.
"New Hickory" has much more at stake in this adventure, because their future (THE FUTURE) is imperiled. What we need to see is the reality of all of Hickory coming together. "New Hickory" seems to be expected to create their own path to the decision making process. "Old Hickory" does not seem to understand that we have to encourage participation and start grooming the future leaders of this city. They seem to be more interested in hanging amongst themselves and the echo chamber of ideas, which leads to "group think."
I think that "Old Hickory" has always been obsessed with issues of Authoritarian Control and the people of this city were accustomed to being told exactly what to do. I remember the old days of hearing all of the whistles going off during the day at Hickory Chair. People were basically trained when to wake up, toilet, shower, shave, arrive, break, lunch, break, go home, and do it all again tomorrow. The "Powers That Be" made all of the decisions and the citizens were basically told not to worry themselves with details. That arrangement worked fine in the days of Bean Counting and Mass Production, but those days have long since passed. Yet, many of our leaders and citizens are systemically attached to those old ways and the nostalgia of the old days. Yet, those good ole days weren't so great for all.
"No Change!" will not work. We have to evolve. It used to be no big deal for teenagers to quit school and go work in a factory, but we have learned over the last decade how important knowledge truly is. But, with knowledge come opinions and that isn't something that the "Powers That Be" in this community seem to be comfortable with. The old mindset was, "If we want your opinion, we'll give it to ya." That mindset is not productive and it stifles creativity.
I have said it before and I will say it again. We the People are the government and if we don't start demanding results, then we will see none. If we don't expect openness, then we shouldn't cry when the surprise hits the fan. We all have to work together to create hope for the future. The Mayor and Council have tried to intimidate people about this referendum and the changes it would bring. What are they really so afraid of?
Business as usual is a cancer in this community. We're attempting a cure. We have invested a lot of time and energy towards this effort to bring Hickory's government back to all of the people. We have done this so that none of us should have to be burdened with the prospects of a Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda Future. This is the time to seize this opportunity that we believe can transform Hickory into a Can Do, Shall Do, Will Do Culture.
It is time to move forward by voting YES!!! to more citizen input. YES!!! to more creativity. Yes!!! to effectiveness. Yes!!! to efficiency. Yes!!! to accountability. YES!!! for this referendum.
Friday, September 7, 2012
City Council wants you to call them
if you need anything.
Jill Patton told the people at the forum the other night that it is the citizens' responsibility to call her if they need anything or have any ideas. And she said she represents the whole City, so she appreciates calls from anyone in the city. She said her phone contact number is on the city's website and you should not hesitate to call her. So, as a public service, I am providing those numbers to help facilitate her wish. I will also provide the link at the top of the page. Rudy Wright and Hank Guess have both emphasized much the same thing.
Hickory City Council Home Page
Ward 1 - Brad Lail - 322-3510
Ward 2 - Bruce Meisner - 324-4100
Ward 3 - Danny Seaver - 322-5155
Ward 4 - Hank Guess - 320-5363
Ward 5 - Sally Fox - 962-5555
Ward 6 - Jill Patton - 781-1155
Mayor - Rudy Wright - 238-1465
Jill Patton told the people at the forum the other night that it is the citizens' responsibility to call her if they need anything or have any ideas. And she said she represents the whole City, so she appreciates calls from anyone in the city. She said her phone contact number is on the city's website and you should not hesitate to call her. So, as a public service, I am providing those numbers to help facilitate her wish. I will also provide the link at the top of the page. Rudy Wright and Hank Guess have both emphasized much the same thing.
Hickory City Council Home Page
Ward 1 - Brad Lail - 322-3510
Ward 2 - Bruce Meisner - 324-4100
Ward 3 - Danny Seaver - 322-5155
Ward 4 - Hank Guess - 320-5363
Ward 5 - Sally Fox - 962-5555
Ward 6 - Jill Patton - 781-1155
Mayor - Rudy Wright - 238-1465
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