Archive for May, 2008
May 15th, 2008
At Tuesday night’s Voters Panel meeting, we broke into small groups to discuss several “pocketbook” issues and what the government’s role in managing them is.
One decision my group made was unequivocally unanimous: NOTHING the candidates are saying on pocketbook issues is resonating with any of us.
The Mighty Dubya’s call to action (oops, I used the D word…someone is going to criticize me for being disrespectful to POTUS)….anyway, Dubya’s call to action, “GO SHOPPING,” hasn’t helped. While we’re eyeing that logo-clad Coach handbag while fondling an oh-so-British Burberry scarf, our creditors are rubbing their hands together in anticipation.
The personal debt many of us are racking up pales in comparison to the mountain of foreign debt this administration has managed to accumulate. GO SHOPPING! Oh, yeah, baby! Let’s see what a trillion borrowed dollars can do for America. Bombs and humvees and machine guns, oh my! But wait….sorry….!….we just have to draw the line at giving our Iraq veterans the care they were promised. That’s just way too extravagant.
What we members of the Voters Panel want to hear is a challenge, a call for sacrifice, a dare, even, for us to come together as one nation, under God, and — you guessed it —indivisible, to put this country back on track.
And if WE can sacrifice together for a shared purpose, so should our leaders. Let’s hold them to a higher standard. When they say “Go shopping,” let’s tell them to “Get packing.”
Audrey HaynesÂ
May 14th, 2008
Last night, the Register Star’s Voters convened for the second time. I was shocked to learn that one of our most conservative members, Jeff Rushing, died of a brain aneurysm in late March. He was only 45.
I haven’t been keeping up with our blog for the past two months because I started a new, demanding job, but I want to express belated condolences to his family.
When I “googled” Jeff’s name last night to find out what happened, I came across something his stepdaughter had written about the man she called her “hero.”
“He was a die-hard Republican, and said we were all Republicans…we just didn’t know it yet.”
So today, I will put aside my bleeding-heart Liberal tendencies and become a Republican - just for a day - in Jeff’s memory. I’ll miss his contributions to our group….his ideas stopped many of us in our tracks and he made us think twice about important issues. I’m sure his children will carry on his legacy - even if they don’t know it yet.
Audrey Haynes
May 8th, 2008
Ok, I know I have some nostalgia for the ‘70s and the back to nature and simple living lifestyle, but I’m thinkin’ the current economic crisis has roots in our desire to live way too big and way too fast. Here’s what’s behind my theory…people are wanting bigger houses, bigger cars, more fast food and just more toys. Along the way we’ve become a disposable society with little regard for anything used. Of course to acquire and live bigger and faster it takes more money. Lots more money!  We have created a never ending cycle of seeking much higher wages resulting in much higher consumer prices.   It’s almost a crazed frenzy of wanting more and more and it’s to the point of spiraling out of control.  I think we need to return to a lifestyle that encompasses more simplicity …recycling, growing our own, buying locally, making our own, shunning bigger cars and bigger houses, renovating old neighborhoods instead of building new subdivisions, fixing our cars and making them last longer, etc.  Â
Since I’m not an economist this theory may be completely off base, but I have a feeling there is at least some truth in what I’m saying.   You might think I sound like an old hippie, but, in our family we’re going to be seeking more of the simple life.  Â
 
Jon MurrayÂ
May 4th, 2008
I was listening to Prairie Home Companion last night (I know, it’s one of those liberal Public Radio shows). They were broadcasting from Bangor, Maine.  Anyway, I learned that most flights with servicemen and women returning from the middle east land in Bangor.  Has to do with the length of the runway and it’s location on the east coast. So, what the city of Bangor does is to ensure that there are at least 200 citizens of the Bangor area to meet each and every flight. This can be any time of day…24 - 7. They bring cookies, cheers and good wishes to those returning. This story brought a tear to my eye. Despite the the fact that this is a ridiculous conflict, I’m glad that the returning servicemen/women receive a reception that reminiscent of the homecomings of old.
Jon Murray
May 4th, 2008
Jimmy Carter has accomplished more in a week of negotiating in the middle east than what has happened in the past seven years of double talk and posturing from the Bush administration. Common sense, honesty, intelligence, a knowledge of history and people skills are the ingredients for successful diplomacy. Jimmy Carter has been the recipient of a lot of criticism over the the year, but, I sure miss his presidency.
Jon Murray
May 2nd, 2008
Give the voters the option of recalling ineffective or corrupt elected officials in Illinois? What a stupid idea. Who can trust the same people who mistakenly elected those people in the first place, with the power to un-elect them? Apparently, the Illinois Senate is proud of the tradition in Illionois that sends a high percentage of Governor’s to prison. This is the same body of elected officials that allowed themselves a 10% pay increase and will, in all probablility get another pay increase of 11.7%. This is the same group that governs over a state that has a $3 billion shortfall, is slow in paying it’s bills, has a crumbling infrastructure and, in general, is mismanaged to historic proportions. Why in the world would they be afraid to let the electorate in this state be able to cull out the corrupt, self-serving and/or inept elected “representatives?”
Well, here’s a news flash for those Senators who voted against giving us the opportunity to vote on whether we want the ability to recall those that don’t deserve the public trust. We do have recall in this state. It’s called a general election. All we need to do is identify those Senators who voted against the constitutional amendment that would allow recall and vote against them in the next election. We need to bring democracy back to our state and our country. This would be a good start.
