Comments for Why We Vote http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote The Register Star has brought together a group of people from all over the Rock River Valley to serve on our Election 2008 Voters' Panel. These men and women are Republicans, Democrats, Independents and Green party members. Some are high school students. Some are retired. And some fall in between those two age groups. They all share this: The upcoming election is important and voters do have voices. They'll share them in this blog. Fri, 16 May 2008 19:58:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=wordpress-mu-1.2.4 Comment on Hurrah for Bangor, Maine! by Don R. Gugliuzza http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/05/04/hurrah-for-bangor-maine/#comment-165 Don R. Gugliuzza Mon, 05 May 2008 21:46:02 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/05/04/hurrah-for-bangor-maine/#comment-165 I had written a comment expressing my admiration for those in Bangor, ME, who are not judging the war but are honoring our servicemen who go where they're told to go, do what they're told to do and are a shining example of the type of people this country has produced. I don't know what happened to it. Must have gotten lost in the internet scrap yard. So I will say again that the people of Bangor are owed a debt of gratitude from all of us who may not agree with the war, but want to show gratitude and respect for those who have served their country so well. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I had written a comment expressing my admiration for those in Bangor, ME, who are not judging the war but are honoring our servicemen who go where they’re told to go, do what they’re told to do and are a shining example of the type of people this country has produced. I don’t know what happened to it. Must have gotten lost in the internet scrap yard. So I will say again that
the people of Bangor are owed a debt of gratitude from all of us who may not agree with the war, but want to show gratitude and respect for those who have served their country so well.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

]]> Comment on Jimmy Carter for Secretary of State by Don R. Gugliuzza http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/05/04/jimmy-carter-for-secretary-of-state/#comment-164 Don R. Gugliuzza Mon, 05 May 2008 21:39:08 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/05/04/jimmy-carter-for-secretary-of-state/#comment-164 Good old Harry was an honorable man. When he and his partner went bankrupt in their haberdashery, Harry made sure that no creditor lost a nickle. He integrated the armed forces. Prior to his presidentcy, if you were Phillipino, you were automatically a steward's mate (waiter). If you were Black, you worked in the boilerroom. He changed that. He was decisive whether it came to his country or his family. He made the decision to use the atom bombs on Japan. It was estimated that we would have lost a million men if we had to invade Japan. His choice was having us lose the men or our enemy. In his mind, there was no doubt who it should be Every four years or so, when historians get together to rank the presidents, Harry Truman climbs up a notch. I truly believe that he was our last great president. There's more I could say about him, but this should suffice to show why I feel as I do about him. Good old Harry was an honorable man. When he and his partner went bankrupt in their haberdashery, Harry made sure that no creditor lost a nickle.
He integrated the armed forces. Prior to his presidentcy, if you were Phillipino, you were automatically a steward’s mate (waiter). If you were Black, you worked in the boilerroom. He changed that.
He was decisive whether it came to his country or his family. He made the decision to use the atom bombs on Japan. It was estimated that we would have lost a million men if we had to invade Japan. His choice was having us lose the men or our enemy. In his mind, there was no doubt who it should be
Every four years or so, when historians get together to rank the presidents, Harry Truman climbs up a notch. I truly believe that he was our last great president.
There’s more I could say about him, but this should suffice to show why I feel as I do about him.

]]> Comment on Jimmy Carter for Secretary of State by Jon Murray http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/05/04/jimmy-carter-for-secretary-of-state/#comment-163 Jon Murray Mon, 05 May 2008 15:37:12 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/05/04/jimmy-carter-for-secretary-of-state/#comment-163 Don...What qualities did you like in Truman? Don…What qualities did you like in Truman?

]]> Comment on Jimmy Carter for Secretary of State by Don R. Gugliuzza http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/05/04/jimmy-carter-for-secretary-of-state/#comment-162 Don R. Gugliuzza Mon, 05 May 2008 13:55:07 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/05/04/jimmy-carter-for-secretary-of-state/#comment-162 Jimmy Carter is a much better ex-president than he was a president. The stupidity of this administration that will only talk to it's friends and not it's enemies. After seven years in office, Bush must be getting pretty lonely having no friends left to talk to. You're right, Carter has done more for peace in two weeks than Condi Rice and the rest of her cohorts have done in seven years. I look forward to seeing this buch of incompitents go out of office. Unfortunately, I don't look forward to any of our choices taking over. They may not be as bad as Bush, who could be? But they're certainly not anyone that will do what's right for the country and its citizens. Can anyone bring Harry Truman back to life? I miss him. Jimmy Carter is a much better ex-president than he was a president. The stupidity of this administration that will only talk to it’s friends and not it’s enemies. After seven years in office, Bush must be getting pretty lonely having no friends left to talk to.
You’re right, Carter has done more for peace in two weeks than Condi Rice and the rest of her cohorts have done in seven years. I look forward to seeing this buch of incompitents go out of office. Unfortunately, I don’t look forward to any of our choices taking over. They may not be as bad as Bush, who could be? But they’re certainly not anyone that will do what’s right for the country and its citizens. Can anyone bring Harry Truman back to life? I miss him.

]]> Comment on Let’s Not Become Gasoline “Victims” by James Harnden http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/28/lets-not-become-gasoline-victims/#comment-159 James Harnden Tue, 29 Apr 2008 16:32:40 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/28/lets-not-become-gasoline-victims/#comment-159 Oil needs to be replaced as our main source of energy. Hemp is a good option. it came be grown in marginal land requires no pesticides or herbicides, increases soil health, and has the highest cellulose content. Oil needs to be replaced as our main source of energy.
Hemp is a good option. it came be grown in marginal land requires no pesticides or herbicides, increases soil health, and has the highest cellulose content.

]]> Comment on Let’s Not Become Gasoline “Victims” by Don R. Gugliuzza http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/28/lets-not-become-gasoline-victims/#comment-157 Don R. Gugliuzza Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:13:27 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/28/lets-not-become-gasoline-victims/#comment-157 I agree with you both. A few other things to be considered as part of the problem. We have spent ourselves into a deep deficit hole. That has reduced the power of the dollar thus making everything not produced in this country more expensive. Our federal government can bring the dollar back up by being fiscally conservative. As we pay down the debt, the dollar will increase. We can also start to bring back our manufacturing jobs. Those products that used to be manufactured here are now produced elsewhere and imported for our use. The resulting huge trade deficit also contributes to the devaluation of the dollar. My solution to the outsourcing of jobs? Make the corporations pay a fine equal to the difference in wages between this country and wherever they send the jobs, for every article imported. We could also create jobs by doing as other countries do, insist that everything shipped to this country be shipped on American owned and flagged ships. We need to have our merchant marine back again and this is the only way to do it. There are those who would argue that unions and the high wages and benefits they have won are the cause for exporting jobs. How can that be when less than 14% of our work force is unionized? No, it's caused by the greed of the large corporations and their lack of concern for the country and it's people that made their very existance possible. Want to save oil? Give a tax break to any company that ships their goods by rail. The over the road truckers that lose their jobs can be employed bringing the goods from the railhead to the consumer. This would save oil and our interstates. I agree with you both. A few other things to be considered as part of the problem. We have spent ourselves into a deep deficit hole. That has reduced the power of the dollar thus making everything not produced in this country more expensive. Our federal government can bring the dollar back up by being fiscally conservative. As we pay down the debt, the dollar will increase. We can also start to bring back our manufacturing jobs. Those products that used to be manufactured here are now produced elsewhere and imported for our use. The resulting huge trade deficit also contributes to the devaluation of the dollar.
My solution to the outsourcing of jobs? Make the corporations pay a fine equal to the difference in wages between this country and wherever they send the jobs, for every article imported. We could also create jobs by doing as other countries do, insist that everything shipped to this country be shipped on American owned and flagged ships. We need to have our merchant marine back again and this is the only way to do it.
There are those who would argue that unions and the high wages and benefits they have won are the cause for exporting jobs. How can that be when less than 14% of our work force is unionized? No, it’s caused by the greed of the large corporations and their lack of concern for the country and it’s people that made their very existance possible.
Want to save oil? Give a tax break to any company that ships their goods by rail. The over the road truckers that lose their jobs can be employed bringing the goods from the railhead to the consumer. This would save oil and our interstates.

]]> Comment on Let’s Not Become Gasoline “Victims” by Dan Campbell http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/28/lets-not-become-gasoline-victims/#comment-156 Dan Campbell Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:49:29 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/28/lets-not-become-gasoline-victims/#comment-156 I agree with your opinion regarding personal consumption of oil. I agree that we must look for alternatives to oil as well as conserve oil. One issue I believe your have failed to address is the inflationary pressures the price of oil has put on day to day items that your average American needs. The cost of food continues to rise because of increased costs of delivery. The cost to heat and light your home has went up as well. Personal incomes have not kept up with this inflation. With less disposiable income our economy will shrink which will result in a loss of jobs. A vicious cycle. I agree with your opinion regarding personal consumption of oil. I agree that we must look for alternatives to oil as well as conserve oil. One issue I believe your have failed to address is the inflationary pressures the price of oil has put on day to day items that your average American needs. The cost of food continues to rise because of increased costs of delivery. The cost to heat and light your home has went up as well. Personal incomes have not kept up with this inflation. With less disposiable income our economy will shrink which will result in a loss of jobs. A vicious cycle.

]]> Comment on Pennsylvania Primary, Campaign generally by Don R. Gugliuzza http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/22/pennsylvania-primary-campaign-generally/#comment-153 Don R. Gugliuzza Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:16:44 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/22/pennsylvania-primary-campaign-generally/#comment-153 I agree with you Dyanna. There are so many problems to be addressed and our candidates prefer to ignore them and attack each other. This is an indication of how shallow our politicians are. They play silly games with the electorate to make us believe they're doing real work when they're not working at all. We as voters have to wake up and tell them that enough is enough Do what you're hired to do or we'll find someone who will. We can't keep rewarding this type of behavior by re-electing them every time their term is up. New faces, new ideas and a message that either they do what they're supposed to to or we'll hire someone else to take their places. I agree with you Dyanna. There are so many problems to be addressed and our candidates prefer to ignore them and attack each other. This is an indication of how shallow our politicians are. They play silly games with the electorate to make us believe they’re doing real work when they’re not working at all. We as voters have to wake up and tell them that enough is enough Do what you’re hired to do or we’ll find someone who will. We can’t keep rewarding this type of behavior by re-electing them every time their term is up. New faces, new ideas and a message that either they do what they’re supposed to to or we’ll hire someone else to take their places.

]]> Comment on “The Differences” by Mary Tuite http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/23/the-differences/#comment-151 Mary Tuite Thu, 24 Apr 2008 03:01:14 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/23/the-differences/#comment-151 I agree with Dyanna. The voting breakdowns in Pennsylvania found my jaw dropping with disappointment. I was so sad. I, too, am confident that we can face our differences and move forward. We need leaders who are not afraid to make people feel uncomfortable when they are challenged with the truth. Thank you for your comments, Dyanna. I agree with Dyanna. The voting breakdowns in Pennsylvania found my jaw dropping with disappointment. I was so sad. I, too, am confident that we can face our differences and move forward. We need leaders who are not afraid to make people feel uncomfortable when they are challenged with the truth. Thank you for your comments, Dyanna.

]]> Comment on Where are all the bloggers? by Floretta Leavy http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/19/where-are-all-the-bloggers/#comment-145 Floretta Leavy Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:36:04 +0000 http://blogs.e-rockford.com/whywevote/2008/04/19/where-are-all-the-bloggers/#comment-145 Here I am Don? I am in the room now, had to find my way around. I am out of the box and ready to blog. Along the way (finding my way around) I ran into "confession of a trusted counselor," by David Nadler. Anyway, he made a very interesting point that I like to share with you, well all of us for that matter. "Do we not fall in love with us," he said. "Our people are smart, they're funny, they're interesting to be around. But the minute you fall in love with us and start thinking we have all the answers, you lose your value. You're not there to be one of us." I pondered that advice, it could very well be useful for our leaders, advsiors and couselors. In that working more effectively together and understanding that good judgement and common sense can be an interdependent strategy. I guess my view might be different from yours. I'm sticking to blogging. Here I am Don? I am in the room now, had to find my way around. I am out of the box and ready to blog. Along the way (finding my way around) I ran into “confession of a trusted counselor,” by David Nadler. Anyway, he made a very interesting point that I like to share with you, well all of us for that matter. “Do we not fall in love with us,” he said. “Our people are smart, they’re funny, they’re interesting to be around. But the minute you fall in love with us and start thinking we have all the answers, you lose your value. You’re not there to be one of us.” I pondered that advice, it could very well be useful for our leaders, advsiors and couselors. In that working more effectively together and understanding that good judgement and common sense can be an interdependent strategy.

I guess my view might be different from yours. I’m sticking to blogging.

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