Showing posts with label Jobs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jobs. Show all posts

Sunday, October 7, 2012

US Presidential Race - Remember the Alamo

I hate politics with a passion. Yet, there are times when one has to speak out. I look at candidates based on what they say and. more importantly, what they did. After all, any idiot can make a promise of what he might do in the future. And, as sung in the musical Annie, tomorrow is only a day away. But, what happens when tomorrow becomes today?

To answer Mr. Willard Mitt Romney’s attack ads: Yes, I am better off than I was four years ago.

I had a high-paying, satisfying career job - until President, George H. W. Bush, ran the economy into the ground. As someone who suffered without a job for over a year-and-a-half, I recall well that it took about six years for Bill Clinton to get the country back in working order.

Remember the Alamo: President Clinton left office with the economy in a huge surplus!

Then George W. Bush took office and created an even worst economic disaster than his father!

When Barack Obama won, I knew it would take longer than six years to fix the economy George HW tanked but I was glad to wait.

I have a job now but it is hardly the career of my dreams. It is unarguably clear that the Bush and Republican backed policies of the past 20 years, created these severe economic conditions we continue to suffer from. Their business and public policy decisions sent my job outside the US. The reason Obama couldn’t keep his promise of three-year turnaround is because the Republicans, individually and as corporate entities, created that big a mess!

If the Republicans are so great at taking care of the rest of us or giving to the poor, why do they still have all the big bucks while the rest of us are living paycheck to paycheck?

There is an attack on the middle class. How do I know? Because several of my friends are Republicans. They give some money to charity but they are on record as saying they do not want to share their wealth! Quite frankly, I don’t know any poor Republicans. While Republicans can be nice people, they have no clue what it’s really like to be poor or at a disadvantage. I was just listening to the song “What It's Like” by Everlast – the explicit version. Carefully check out the lyrics some time. But the refrain says it all, if Romney ever experienced poverty and lost hope “Then (he) really might know what it's like”! So, I ask Mr. Romney, is eating on a daily basis really your idea of “entitlement" for 47% of US Citizens?

Remember the Alamo
: Don't put the group back in office who continue to create the mess we can't escape!

Regarding local issues:
No, Mr. O’Malley, a new Maryland casino isn’t going to give me back the job of my dreams. As we get closer to Vote day, the pro casino ads are finally detailing what they consider “great” jobs: waitressing and construction. Well, have you ever asked a construction worker what happens to him when “the” job is done? Yup, he goes on unemployment. And, I have arthritis in my hands and feet as well as a bad back so there is no way I can stand on my feet 8-12 hour shifts to carry food trays to hungry customers most likely grumpy as all get go because they lost money.

The other thing to keep in mind is that the wealthy stay wealthy by getting the rest of us penned up  with go-nowhere jobs, like casinos, and business policies that always give them the upper hand and tax breaks we won’t get. Keeping us poorly educated while their children go to prep and ivy-league schools is also a long-used tactic. But, that’s several paragraphs for another day.

 

How should you vote?


US President:

For” the  DEMOCRATIC PARTY:
   Barack Obama, President
   Joe Biden, Vice President

Against” Maryland Question 7:
    "the Additional Forms and Expansion of Commercial Gaming"

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Maryland Question 7: Why I Vote "No" to More Casinos.


There have been 100s of ads and newspaper articles about Maryland's Question 7 to approve another casino. Every major area newspaper says adding another casino will be bad for Maryland.

The casinos are spending millions ($24M per one article) on ads that could better be used to feed the homeless, the hungry, and the unemployed.

The Maryland-casino supporters want you to think that casinos are great because "some" money "might" go to Maryland education. They want you to think these will be "good" jobs. They want you to think it's a "fight" between West Virginia and Maryland.

All these proposals are crap, plain and simple.

Even after 20 years living here, I still find it hard to believe folks just do NOT know right from wrong. Gambling was, isn't, and never will be a good thing. Gambling is not a form of entertainment. While there are a few people who play for fun, most gamblers have addictive-leaning personalities, if not an actual addiction.

At my nail salon a month ago, one manicurist mentioned her mom only plays cards for nickels and dimes. I asked her how much a day does her mom lose and the manicurist said $5. While that doesn't sound like a lot, $5 a day is $150 a month. When I pointed that out, everyone in the shop was shocked.

Let's talk about what kind of jobs casinos offer. These days, employers get away with too much just by shouting "jobs" in a way similar to shouting "Fire" in a crowded theater. Watch which jobs you run to. You may be heading into the flames, not away from them. Casino ads say the average salary is $55,000. If you have 2000 employees, the CEO can make hundreds of thousands of dollars while the rest of the casino workers make only $20,000. Did you read the fine print? It notes that this salary includes benefits (i.e., no moeny directly in your pocket) and tips! How much in tips do you get from losers/ Remember, casinos are a business and they can't stay in business if players win too much or too often.

It is also true that the casino doesn't have to hire Marylanders. (They will have to bring people in from other places to at least train the locals.)

We are finally getting details on these 12,000 jobs: hotel staff, restaurant employees, some accountants and engineers. Do you like cleaning toilets? How about busing tables? What about being a bouncer? That's what the bulk of the casino jobs are. I am not an accountant or engineer so those few positions won't work for my masters degree in research.

And, have you ever provided customer support? How well do you deal with people who are drunk, people who yell because they are losing, or people who lost all of their money and have no way to get home? What if somone asks you to help them cheat? This is what it's really like to work at a casino per friends of mine who lived outside Los Vegas for decades.

The goal to provide for education from something I consider immoral is like covering candy with yogurt - some of it is good for you but most of it isn't. Today's Washington Examiner has an article about how DC agencies fail to follow Watchdog’s advice. There is no guarantee that the money will be spent the way you intended. If you want money to go to a specific place, then send it there yourself.

And since when are we at "war" with West Virginia? Aren't casinos already catering to your dark side if they want to get you to engage in an imaginary fight?

How should you vote?

"Against the Additional Forms and Expansion of Commercial Gaming"


 
Updated 10/07/2012