TMI a little place to whine

New York Times today has an editorial (10/29) about Future Tax Shock. The current Republican administration has set it up so that when they are out of office a new bunch of tax increases will hit the middle class - you know those Red States conservatives who put the Republicans in the White House in the first place.

The Republicans love to paint the Democrats with the Tax and Spend lables, when they are doing it more often and more deviously.

The point is, many people say they read about politics because they pick up the Sunday paper from their hometown, and they occasionally watch the sound bites that make up the National news on nework broadcasts or they tune in to the ever repetitive Fox and CNN for their "up to the minute news" about Britney Spear's child's name, or Tom-Cat Cruz and his soon to be wife, or Madonna's adoption story. But they don't really read about what effects them most.

Two years from now when someone gets wind of the tax increases and a sensationalized story about the huge tax increases gets national and repeative press coverage they will cry, "Why didn't anyone tell us?"

Well the answer is quite clear. "You were told, but you didn't want to see, hear or read about it."

So when someone tells me they are well versed in the news I tend to doubt that they even know what news is.

So the UM administration finally replied to my (and many other) e-mail protests about the health insurance.

And what did they say?

In a carefully worded message it was "This is the best we can do, if you don't like your current coverage costs then pick another plan." They will be having more "meetings" so everyone can find out what the plans offer. Rhetoric worthy of the Republicans in the White House, as far as I am concerned. Plasuable deniability, isn't that what it's called?

I for one am not satisified with that answer.

People kept asking me when I was forming a union. I said I am not a union organizer, nor am I willing to delve into the politics involved in starting one. However if one is formed I will join.

If I am asked to support a union on UM's campus, I will.

I will only be working at UM a few more years at my age, but I will do what I can to see that others who follow me are treated with respect and dignity and made to feel that they are important.

It's the least I can do.

So in last nights mail I get a solication from the UM Annual Giving Fund asking me to donate to the school.

Considering the current health care cost increase I simply wrote across the donation form:
"I work at UM and cannot afford the cost of health insurance and a contribution to the Annual Fund".

Then I very calmly inserted the form into the postage paid return envelope and mailed it.

So now they don't get my donation, and they have to pay for the postage for me to tell them so.

Sweet revenge.

We got the news about the "new" health insurance plan at work this week and it sucks.
I went to an "open house" explaination of benefits on Monday and nearly blew a gasket. Luckily I thought about it a while and made no comment until Tuesday.
If I keep my husband on the plan with the same coverage for next year I will have to pay another $108 per month for the same lousey coverage. So I will drop him, and let the government pay for his health care.

So on Tuesday, after I cooled down enough to send a letter without 4 letter words and threats of violence, I e-mailed the University of Miami president.It's a strong worded letter pouring out the frustrations of a plebian in a society that is being ruled by the clueless elite. I poured out MY own frustrations, but I included enough universal truth so that she realized it was not a personal complaint, but a complaint echoed by many other employees. I let others read it, workers and professors alike.

Now I am being pointed out as a hero for the workers. Other university workers call me on the phone, at work or at home, or come by the office to shake my hand. Some have asked what protests I have planned, or if I will now organize a union on behalf of the workers. I tell them I will do neither, but if they agree with me and understand my frustrations and want to back up what I said they should write a litter to the university president themselves and detail their own frustration and what hardship will be caused by the cost increases, some of the choices are so expensive that they will take half a pay check to cover the premium.

I had to do something. Now I feel like one of the leaders of the French Revolution facing the French royality who have no concept of the suffering of their own subjects. Of course I may pay dearly for voicing my opinion, but it had to be done. Enough is enough.

Someone had to take a stand.

I guess it's only the people with enough balls to do it, like me, who will do so.

How gullible does the Bush administration think we are?

As soon as things go wrong for the Republicans they suddenly discover another threat to our security.

Nothing ever comes of it, but it's enough to put the fear back into the hearts of those in the Heartland. You know, those idiots in the red states who believed it from the begining because, by God, "W" is protecting our way of life.

What way of life?

The way Americans waste resources? The way Americans think it's their sovern right to pollute,in the name of economic progress (and at the expense of American workers)The way of life that lets Americans assume that the reason the world hates us is jealousy, and not because we are bullies trying to dictate terms to the world?

Maybe people are actually waking up and seeing reality.
America is not always right, and maybe Americans should wake up and realize it.

But as long as Republicans and this administration feeds the fear eyes will be closed and ears will selectively not hear.

I just returned from a 3 day cruise to the Bahamas. Now, you have to understand that from here in Miami, Nassau, the Bahamas is NOT at 1 day or even a half day cruise away. It's 90 less than 30 minutes flight time and it's about 3 hours by boat - even a little motor boat. So a "cruise" is just another way of saying you will get on board the ship, spend a full day going round in circles, dock in the Bahamas for one day and then spend another full day going round in circles in the ocean until you dock back in Miami again.

Carnival advertises that they are "the Fun Ships". Don't beleive it. Or maybe if your idea of "fun" means ganbling, eating and spending money then it's fun. I found it to be not a very fun experience. Dinner was ok in the dining room, with assigned seating and a reasonable menu. But when you hear "food" you always get told about the fabulous buffet, food available around the clock, no limits. Wrong. Oh there's a buffet ok, but it closes at certain hours, to be replaced by...nothing.

There are duty free shops...that save you 40% (of the suggested retail price, meaning you can get better bargains at your mall in your hometown if you watch the sales.)

You can drink all you want (and pay a hefty bar bill upon disembarkation). There are shows comparable to Las Vegas shows. Wrong, there are shows, but not all of them good.

There is always something going on. Sure, if you want to go to a towel folding class, or pay extra for some gym or spa thing. There are games (if you call playing golf on a miniture golf course on a VERY windy sports deck" fun. Or you can play 1/2 court basketball in some caged in area. Shuffleboard tournaments? Never saw one in 3 days. Bingo? yeah, if you want to play for a big jackpot you have to pay $$.

You can gamble and drink or smoke and drink, or just drink and eat.

See any pattern here? The "Fun" ship seems to equate the word fun with alcohol, gambling and spending money. I don't.

And since I don't I didn't have any fun.

It had a picture of two Pilgrims, all dressed as we see them for Thanksgiving decorations. Beside the picture were the words. American's first illegal immigrants.

Sort of puts thing in perspective, doesn't it?

So, Jeb Bush was in Pittsburgh attending a Republican fundraiser for Senator R. Santorrum. Some people were there to protest and apparently scared poor Jeb so he had to hide in a supply closet until he could be whisked away to safety.

Looks like "W" isn't the only chicken-shit in the Bush family. Since George H. W. Bush served honorably in WW2 and was an honest to goodness war hero that could only mean that "mamma" deposited those yellow genes.

Just my humble opinion, but if you are too afraid to face citizens because they may disagree with you then you shouldn't be in politics and claim the right to lead.

But had to comment on hypocrisy in the form of Republicans and their moral values.

A Republican "friend" of mine, when confronted with the fact that ex-congressman Foley has been accused (and caught) making advances toward congressional pages, who are under aged, actually had the balls to mention the Monica and Bill scandal, as if they were equal.

Are Republicans that stupid? Since when does the sexual act between two consenting adults equal the depravity of a grown man soliciting sex from youths?

I didn't think that even Republicans would try to compare the two. If I were to chose who was less guilty of a crime it would be an adultery over a child molester any day.

Republican moral values? That's an oxymoron.