Speak For Those Who Cannot Speak For Themselves

This is the second time I feel compelled to write my blog about the children who are coming to us for help and understanding from Central America.

Thank God we still have good people whose heart has not turned to stone. I know my list is incomplete but my information is only as good as the daily paper chooses to print. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said, “We are an empathetic people in this country and we don’t like seeing people suffer,” despite bashing our President in the process. Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner said her city “has a long history of welcoming immigrants” – from her grandparents to recent waves of refugees from Bhutan, Iraq and South Sudan. She suggested six buildings on the old campus of the former Maria Regina College be used to house and care for them.

Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, said, “You have to take a step back and say, ‘We’re talking about kids as young as five’ – “What’s our role as human beings?” Barrett, Davenport, Iowa Mayor Bill Gluba, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, and Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland have said they would put together teams to look for suitable locations to help.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, each and every one. Great leaders rise to the top by not always looking for votes but for something like this – thinking outside the box to look out for these children; children not unlike your son or daughter.

In an article in the same paper there was a story about a very young boy in San Pedro, Sula, Honduras, who had two of his friends, eleven years old, snatched from their home. Their bodies were found chopped to pieces. That is how he lives each day – in fear of the same.

If each of our states would take 1000 of these children we would save 50,000 children. An example is my state of Kentucky; we have 122 counties. If each county took nine children, that would be 1098 children saved. Please use your creative ability and please do something to help these children. If we had not had some visionaries in our government in the sixties, it is possible we would still have our African-American brothers and sisters in the shackles of racism and a second class existence.

Please America – open your hearts. Ministers of all faiths, find in yourselves the voice of humanity. Let’s help these children of God. They need to be supported with the voices of caring people. Let the choir start by adding each of our voices.

They’re In the Money

My morning paper is my morning friend. I read my paper, front to back. I try to, if not always successful, understand both the good and the not-so-good news equally. But there are exceptions. This morning a story on the front page left me so angry I could not even enjoy my first cup of coffee.

This article concerned the annual financial disclosure list filed for 2012.

The medium net worth of senators and representatives in the Senate and House is $1,008,767: up 4.4 percent. And Kentucky has at least six legislators that are on the millionaires list. Mitch McConnell and John Yarmuth are near the top of the list.

True, some, including John Yarmuth, had amassed great wealth before being elected to serve our Government. But some have amassed their wealth from their service in the Senate or House of Representatives. We, the tax payers, have made millionaires out of some very cold-hearted members of Congress who evidently never read the good book – or at least the part where, over and over, our Father in Heaven tells us to care and share with our brothers and sisters who are less fortunate then we.

It is an embarrassment that my State of Kentucky is where one of those sniveling idiots had the audacity to state publicly that people on any kind of assistance did not want to work, and, by helping them, we encourage them to be lazy and to wait for a handout. I want that little, and I mean “little” ass to know my mother worked herself to death to provide a home AND accepted food for us from the Government to feed us AND passed away at 49 after a hard life doing so.

For you and many in your “party of no ‘s” who have never missed a meal, who have always been warm, or who are living the good life – think of the families who had their unemployment stopped. Think of the families who no longer can get food stamps. Think of what you have taken AWAY from those you are supposed to care about. Most important, think about how you would feel if you had to watch your children cry from hunger. That is a parent’s hell.

I promise you, you will answer for your lack of compassion. You may feel all-powerful and able to abuse the less fortunate now, but you are just a little P- ant compared to the one you will answer to.

Derby!

If you woke up today and every bone ached, but you felt great,

You’re a Kentuckian.

 

If on the way to your destination you scraped your car against a brick wall, and you just laughed,

You’re a Kentuckian.

 

If you’re a little kid or a big kid and you got caught sneaking under the fence on the back side, and you just thanked the policeman for catching you,

You’re a Kentuckian.

 

If you waited for a crowd and a photographer to take your picture entering the Churchill Downs $20,000 Mansion Room,

You’re a visitor.

 

If you loved all the beautiful blooming flowers, even though they assaulted your sinuses,

You’re a Kentuckian.

 

If you could tell the difference between a real Mint Julep and a watered down one,

You’re a Kentuckian.

 

If you spend more time looking for the media then watching the horses,

You’re a celebrity.

 

If you know the most beautiful thing about the day is not the women, the flowers, the weather or the ambience, that it is the beautiful horses,

You are a true Kentuckian.

 

If you feel warm, and the temperature is in the mid 50’s and you are perfectly dry even though it is pouring down rain,

You’re a Kentuckian.

 

If the bugle’s sound calls the next race and you feel a chill down your spine,

You’re a Kentuckian.

 

And when the band strikes up,  “The sun shines bright on my old Kentucky Home…” and you can’t stop the tears, you know for dang sure,

You are a Kentuckian.

 

It’s the first Saturday in May, it’s Kentucky Derby Day!

Moving Kentucky Forward

At Last, At Last, praise the Lord, at Last, Kentucky is moving forward. We have been mired in the stench of Williams swamp water for too long. Our Governor, who was duly elected by the people, just as Democratic Governor Paul Patton and Republican Governor Ernie Fletcher before him, could use his time governoring and not spend his time and the taxpayer’s money trying to put the swamp snake back in his pit. The only downside is that Williams is still operating in a venue of law, albeit one that will be more difficult to use his natural negativity and down right nastiness to do evil in. Others will now have to keep a tight rein on him.

This session of the Kentucky Legislature, with the effort of a working partnership with Senator Robert Stivers, R- Manchester, now holding the top job in the Senate, were able to get Governor Beshear’s bill to raise the high school dropout age passed. They also finally got his child fatality review panel bill enacted. Governor Beshear also played a pivotal part in pushing through a compromise that is designed to cure the state’s pension program’s ills.

Governor Beshear said, “When the dust settles in a few weeks I think many are going to look back on this short session as one of the most productive legislative sessions in many a year in Kentucky … I think we had an extraordinary session.”

Let us keep working for the people of our great state and never again put a swampee in a high position where “No” is the only part of the English language he or she understands. Thank you to every legislator, Republican and Democrat, and to the leadership of Governor Steve Beshear, Lieutenant Governor Jerry Abramson and  Senator Robert Stivers for putting the people first.

There are no Words…

There are no words to describe Mitch McConnell, Kentucky’s cruel, uncaring, small minded idiot Senator, without using extreme profanity.

There is not one piece of his black heart that is deserving of me stooping to his low underbelly tactics. I wonder how he sleeps already knowing that the elderly, disabled households, veterans, and families with children can no longer get housing vouchers in  Seattle. The King County Housing Authority announced they have had to stop issuing the vouchers.

He could care less that some classrooms will lose teachers, that security staffs at airports will have to furlough personnel. Why does he care if food stamp programs are eliminated? We, the taxpayers, have been paying his salary for his whole life and we have received damn little for it.

Of course it is nice to have a second wife who is also a billionaire. Our only hope is that their money will not be enough to keep this heartless enemy of the poor and middle class in office until he meets his last and greatest challenge. We can all take some joy in the hope that someday he will be in a warm place where you have to grovel and beg for a “Hot Brown.”

Mitch, you have time to repent. I know that word, repent, is not in your usual “no” vocabulary so I will give you Mr. Webster’s definition.

REPENT—rue, reform,  regret, do penitence.

Even though I have no respect for you, Mr. McConnell, I can still be magnanimous and hope you find a grain of decency within yourself and show some concern for those less fortunate.

Bye, Bye Texas

From the lodge at Oxmoor…

I have spent several precious hours trying to find a good reason why we should ask the ego-ridden State of Texas and the Texas kooks who signed to secede from the United States to stay, and you know what? I can’t think of one reason why they should stay. Now lots of other states have joined the stupid bandwagon.

I have never heard of a state wanting to secede from their country because their candidate lost the election. I know Texans think they are God’s gift to the world but using a reason like an election to leave the union is simply ridiculous. Are they going to come begging to rejoin us when or if a Republican is elected someday?

I think everyone in every state that signed those silly petitions should have to leave and spend one week in a country chosen for them. You would see so many crying babies wanting to come home to the USA to bask in the sunshine of true freedom it wouldn’t be funny. Do those of you, individuals or states, know how badly those of us that love our country in challenging times or good times just want to tell you to tuck your tail between your legs and run, run, run?

Good Lord – we stayed through the Bush years! Because an African American beat the crap out of you gives you cause to leave? Is it so hard to acknowledge that a man of color beat you again? Get over it, he won’t be the last. The so-called minorities, including women, Latinos, African-Americans and others are moving up the ladders of leadership and it is none too soon.

If you leave, I personally hope you won’t get to listen to or watch your Texas Aggies, be served your hot chili and barbeque or have your ego stroked by those foreigners. I have an idea you all would be laughing stocks.

I will gladly stay in my wonderful USA. Drink my Coke or Pepsi, eat my McDonalds or White Castles or (insert your CHOICE), listen to my favorite football or basketball teams from Kentucky and wave as you leave.

Pie in the Sky

From the lodge.

The article in this morning’s Courier -Journal paints a perfect example of the selfish millionaire – someone who gets his and his family’s health insurance provided along with his $2.7 million benefits package has found a way to refuse to provide his employees health care protection.

Shame on you Papa John Schnatter.

First we heard he would probably raise the price of pizzas by eleven to fourteen cents to help pay for health insurance for the chefs and delivery drivers. We heard not one complaint about the possible small raise. That small amount would not keep one from their favorite pizza. But according to the morning paper, Mr. Cheap “I’ve got mine, the hell with you” told students at Edison State College, near his vacation home in Naples, FL, that he’ll probably just cut the hours of his already low-paid employees and so will his franchisees.

Mr. Schnatter’s answer to a mandate to provide health insurance is to simply cut worker’s hours below thirty hours per week in an effort to get around the law. It’s a strategy that punishes those who can least afford it.

So. Now, as the article states, when his pizza chefs twist elbows flipping dough or his drivers catch colds walking to your door with pizza in freezing rain and end up in the emergency room, you’ll not only be paying for your pizza, you’ll be paying for their medical bills.

Mr. Schnatter doesn’t have to cut back employees’ hours to pay the $5 million to $8 million cost of  insuring his loyal underpaid employees. He is willing to give away two million free pizzas this football season to promote his image. At $10 a pop, that’s $20 million.

Mr. Schnatter, why not charge people for their pizza and promote Papa John’s as being one of the good guys who care about their loyal employees – you know, the people who made the money for you to have that nice vacation home in Naples, FL and the good life you and your family enjoy. Is it necessary to become a scumbag just because you achieve the American Dream?  If so, you can have it, I don’t want it.

To My Loyal Blog Readers

I am pleading with you this morning. Please watch the third debate. What a victory for our President in debate number two.

Romney lied about the remark in the Rose Garden, he lied about the binders of women’s names he gathered when he had nothing to do with gathering those names. A group stated this morning their group (that works to improve women’s rights) gathered those names and the women he said he chose already worked in various government jobs at the time.

Why can’t he tell the truth? My son said when if all you listen to is Fox News and Rush Limbaugh, all you hear is lies and that is what he tells.

As of this morning, housing starts are up higher than since the Bush debacle, stocks are on the upswing, and the picture is improving as I write. Let’s keep this progress going.

Who knew it would take four years to overcome the Bush mess?

However, President Obama has brought us out of a mild recession. I lived through a depression and the last four years are not even close to a depression or even a severe recession. Yes, we stood on the steps of Bush’s lack of leadership, wars we should never have been a part of and too many photo shoots of how Mr. Wonderful was solving all the problems… not!

Let’s show Barack Obama we are thankful he took on the challenge to begin to bring our great country back and give him the next four years to finish the task. He deserves that from all of us.

While he was fighting for us, Mitch McConnell went to war against him and we paid his salary for one year- not to do his job but to keep the African-American President from returning to the White House.

How wrong and sad is that?

Sharon Whitworth

Recently I received a phone call that made me immediately begin writing this blog. The caller was my dear young friend Sharon Whitworth. Sharon followed me in Community Relations work for the Jefferson County Board of Education.

Sharon was informed that she is one of twelve people being recognized by our President. She was chosen to honor her contributions to education and her driving desire to work for the best for all children.

I never doubted for one moment the talents of this young women.  She is smart, she is so honest and forthright and you never question her loyalty.

She has devoted nearly 40 years to the work of the Jefferson County Public Schools and the Parent Teachers Association with but one goal – to make the education of every child a priority.

She has worked extremely hard to help parents understand the benefits of being involved every day in the education of their children. She has trained countless parents to become leaders.

She has worked like a demon to learn the ins and outs of legislation and has become a very knowledgeable force in Frankfort, talking with our legislators about any subject or law that affects children.

Sharon is just as gifted as a wife, mother and grandmother. It goes without hesitation that I say I have never been prouder than I am now to learn of this recognition, which she so richly deserves.  Love you child.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions/pta-leaders/sharon-whitworth

Apologies From the Bluegrass State

From the lodge at Oxmoor……I read a most heart-wrenching Letter to the Editor in the Courier-Journal on July 5th from a senior who has lived in the city of our government, Washington, DC. I shall quote her in several parts of this blog because she has stated her case with so much passion that no one could do it better or more sincerely.

She begins her letter (and I quote):”Last week while everyone focused on health care, the citizens of Washington, DC, capital of the greatest country in the world, received again a boot in the face; this time, from your Sen. Rand Paul. As you may know Sen. Paul attached a rider to piece of legislation that would have given our city increased control of our own budget. This is the sort of control exercised by every other city in the country. The Senate Committee, headed by Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, fully expected it to go through without problem. Then came Sen. Paul, whose rider was totally unrelated to the budget legislation.”

First, apologies to the writer, Ms. Cathryn Carroll, for our state of Kentucky having electing such a mean spirited, stupid little jerk. I abhorred the thought of his running for office, much less getting elected. It just proves, apparently, that there are far too many illiterate people here – those who elected him to office. He is nothing but an embarrassment to the good folks that live in our state. I sincerely apologize for his stupidity. His stupid little reason was that “he attached the rider, just because he could.” That is the service we are getting by paying this fellow to be in Congress.

Mrs. Carroll continues: “We have been disenfranchised since the early years of the republic when representatives delineated an area that now is home to 600,000 plus people and decided we would not have representation in the national legislature that they created. In fact, we could not even vote for president until 1960…As a retired grandmother who still teaches part time, I love the city where my husband and I live. I love its history. I love its monuments. I love the river that runs by it and the trees which line its banks. I love the young folk who play games of touch football on the grass by the Smithsonian. I love the tourists who come with their children and walk about to wonder and reflect. Plus, I am too old to move. So I am constantly angered and saddened that my neighbors and I have no voting representation in the legislature of our nation — and that Americans in other parts of the country do not seem to care.”

She goes on to say that she would hope that people, especially Kentuckians, would write Sen. Paul and let him know to keep his nose out of a city 600 miles away from his state. You can bet the farm that I shall write and through this blog I ask my readers to do the same. I shall also appeal to other legislators to get your legislation presented and passed. Thank you Ms. Carroll. You have certainly given us a wealth of information and I hope you will see it happen. God Bless and take care. June Key, The Pundit