2018

I wanted to write about my hopes for 2018.
But I have fears.
I fear that if we do not become engaged as a people, the rich will continue to control our politics, and the working class and the poor will continue to suffer.

Something like 60% of eligible voters voted in the last presidential election.
That means 93 million eligible Americans didn’t even vote!

What has followed is a yearlong attempt to strip healthcare insurance from millions of Americans, rewrite the tax code to further favor the richest of all Americans at the expense of the working class and the poor, and an erosion of safety, environmental, and labor laws through executive decisions.

We like to complain about our “government” but we should remember that our own constitution begins with the words “We the people,” and Lincoln reminded us at Gettysburg of a “government of the people, by the people, for the people”

I understand people are frustrated.
I understand they feel helpless.
I also understand that it could be the downfall of this social experiment we call America.

My hope for 2018 is that we can shed that thinking.
Shed the idea that one person, one vote, will not matter.
Shed the idea that foreigners, or gays, or people of color, or _______, are out to take what we have.
My hope is that we can come together as a people, become engaged, and put “US” before “me.”

We will be tested this summer as the Janis v AFSCME decision comes down from the Supreme Court.
Public sector unions will become “right to work.”
Each member will need to decide,
Do I stand with my sisters and brothers in unity?

The answer to that question will determine the future of our society.

What do you get God for Christmas?

On Monday, we celebrate the birth of Jesus of Nazareth.
Born to Jewish parents, prophet to Muslims, Savior to Christians, and to many others, a man who taught how to live a good life.

But religion in general, and Christianity in particular, are too often used as a justification for beliefs that, in my opinion, are in direct contrast to the teachings of Jesus.
Jesus taught love, acceptance and non-judgement of others.
As a practicing Catholic, I must admit, my own church does not always practice what it preaches.

Jesus was priest, profit, and king.
All Christians, in our baptism, are called to also be priest, prophet, and king.
What does that mean?

First it means that we are not called to be spectators.  We are called to be involved.
How often do we complain, but do nothing to improve things?
We are called to do more.

Second, it gives us direction on how to be involved; as priests, prophets, and kings.
As Priests, we are called to act justly, to love tenderly, to walk humbly in imitation of Jesus.
As Prophets, we are called to speak for God, not so much in words, but in actions.
As Kings, we are asked to imitate Jesus in being humble leaders, as he did, when he washed the feet of his disciples.

We Christians love to quote the Bible as a guide on how we should live our lives.
I know of many passages that give guidance as to how we should conduct our own lives.
I know of no passages that say we should judge others.

As we near the birth of the Nazarene, let us look at ourselves, instead of judging others.
Let us embrace those of other religions or of no religion.
Let us love those who are different from us, be it by race, color, language, sexual orientation, or other differences.
Let us roll up our sleeves (as the carpenter did) and wash the feet of others.
Let us build a world of love of neighbor (all neighbors), a world where everyone has enough food, everyone has shelter, everyone has healthcare, everyone has education, everyone has the dignity of a job that pays a living wage.
Let us truly follow the teachings of the Nazarene.

I think Jesus would like that.

Clear vision

It started as a slight blur this past spring.
The first thing I did was clean my glasses, but that didn’t help.
I noticed I had lost perifial vision in one field of my left eye.
This can’t be good I thought to myself.
Usually, when something is wrong with myself, an ache or pain, I ignore it.
It almost always goes away.
This time, thank god, I did not ignor it. I got to my eye doctor, and the very next day I was having surgery to repair a partially detached retina.
Had I ignored it, I could have gone blind in that eye.

After surgery they gave me the good news and the bad news.
The repair was suggessful, my vision was safe, but I would almost assuredly develop a cataract.

Friday, I had cataract surgery which was a complete success.
My vision since the retina repair had gotten so poor in my left eye that even with a stronger prescription, everything was a blur.
Yesterday, the patch came off the eye, and my vision in my left eye is 20/20, without glasses, for the first time since I was ten years old!
I will wear a contact in the other eye (and I still need reading glasses) but what started out as potential blindness in my left eye, after two surgeries, has given my pefect vision.

I think our country is facing a simular vision problem, but perhaps, long term, we can have an equally good outcome.
Donald Trump ran on a promise to make America great again, great for the common man, great for the workers.
The republican tax plan will make America great again for the richest of the rich in this country, the Donald Trumps, the big republican campaign donors, not for the working families of this country.
Polls already show that Americans understand this.
The Republican tax plan will destroy our economy, and destroy our healthcare system.

And the fault will be the Republicans.

Now, lets be fair.
There is a reason Donald Trump and so many republicans have won election.
Many Democrats have let down working families.
But let me repeat.
This is a Republican tax Plan.
They own it.

My hope is that American working families will awaken from the clouded vision that has affected us and see with clear vision a path forward.
My hope is that we will become educated and engaged, and work to elect people who stand up for our values, such as a tax system that asks everyone to pay their fair share, a living wage and healthcare for all Americans, not just the rich.

But my sisters and brothers, if we do not take action, the result will be the same had I ignored my blurred vision last spring.
In the end, its up to us.
We can chose to have the vision to make change happen.

Sandy Hook

My heart goes out to the people of Newtown Connecticut today, and especially to the families directly effected and my sisters and brothers of the Newtown Locals.
Five years ago today, 26 souls went home to heaven, gunned down at Sandy Hook School.
Among them were 20 six and seven year old children.
Among them were 6 educators.

The day will be remembered quietly.
There is no reason for big shows of public rememberence.
They are remembered in our hearts every day.

Fiscal responsibility

This may surprise people, but I am a fiscal conservative.

In my family budget, in my decisions in regards to my position as vice president of a 30,000 member labor union, and in my thoughts about how town, state, and national government should be run.

I understand most of my views would be seen as “progressive” or “liberal,” and I do not deny this to be true, but when it comes to money, I am conservative. (Just ask my wife, she might call me cheep)

I try to live by a few fundamental fiscal principles.

I believe I should not spend more than I earn.

I believe in looking for and negotiating better deals.

I know that sometimes it makes sense to borrow money, but that I should have a workable plan to pay it down. (Examples would be a home mortgage or car loan)

I believe that I should expect to contribute according to my means. (If I earn more than my spouse, I should contribute more to the family expenses)

I think most of us try to live by there principles.

I feel the same way about my union, my town, my state and my nations finances.

I feel all union members should contribute dues to help pay for the needed expenses of the members, and that this money should be spent in a fiscally responsible manner, directed by membership, and reviewed by a yearly independent audit. (Our audit was this week)

I feel that all residents should pay taxes enough to fund town, state, and federal government and that these funds should be collected according to an individual’s income and ability to pay, and that they should be spent wisely with resident’s oversight.

I oppose deficit producing budgets, much as I oppose an unbalanced family budget, expect in rare circumstances. 

This does not mean I don't believe in spending money on those things we value as people and a society.

The state of Connecticut recently passed a budget after a 4 month delay.

That budget is now running at a deficit, and seniors are being hurt by a rollback in eligibility standards of the Medicare Savings Program. Legislators will likely return for a special session to address these concerns.

State employees voluntarily gave back $1.6 million in the current budget.  

Teachers are contributing an additional 1% of their pay. 

Working families are facing possible increased town taxes as a result of state cutbacks to towns.

Seniors and the disabled are being harmed.

And still we have a deficit!

There is one group that have not been asked to contribute their fair share.

The Rich.

It’s past time for legislators to ask them to do so, to balance the budget, and to stop kicking the can down the road as they have done for far to long. 

Last night the US Senate passed a major tax reform bill.

It will cut healthcare to 13 million Americans, increase the deficit $1.4 trillion, cut taxes for the Rich and Corporations, and even eliminate the estate tax for the Super Rich.

(Let me ask you, do you feel the Rich and Corporations are suffering and need a break?)

From the party that is supposed to be the “fiscally Conservative party” we have the most fiscally irresponsible piece of legislation in recent memory.

Imagine running your family budget on their principles.

Spend money you don’t have, borrow without a plan for repayment, cut services that are most needed.

It’s shameful.

Elections have consequences.