THE POWER OF CITIZENSHIP

I don't know about any of you but when I was in the 7th grade (that was many years ago!) we had the most wonderful teacher, Ray J. Gray, and he taught Civics.  Mr. Gray was a short round man with chipmunk cheeks and while we all laughed at him at times we all came to love him.  We learned all about how government works and the power of the vote.  He was passionate about this topic.
When our class had its 50th reunion the group that I hung out with all were there and we shared life experiences and then talked about school.  Each and everyone of us talked about Mr. Gray and the impact he had on our lives.  We all acknowledged that we never miss an election and the opportunity to make our voices heard.  This is the impact that a good teacher can have.
I believe that passion for Civics and the power of our voices is missing in our schools.  We took that class for one half of the year and the other half was Geography.  How many kids now know what is east and west of the Mississippi or what the state capitals are and where the states are located?  How many kids understand how important it is to become a lifelong voter and to participate in the government at a local, state or national level.  Does anyone really care anymore?  If they don't care then we are in bigger trouble than I thought.
I could go on and one about what I believe should be taught in schools but that would take a book!!
Speaking of books, the title of this post comes from a new book written by Scott Reich titled The Power of Citizenship.  He takes off from the words by John F. Kennedy.  "Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country."  How can we make those words come to life for today's young people?  We need to try.  While I have not read Reich's book I am ordering it.  I saw him interviewed and he exhibits the same passion that Mr. Gray did for the power of citizenship.
Mr. Gray passed on a few years ago but his memory and passion stayed with at least 20 of us and I suspect many more too and continues on today.  In that small group of people who gathered many are bloggers or journalists or have important jobs but all are active in some way in the political process.
I wish for our students and other young people to be imbued with that same passion as I believe that is the only way we can save our democracy.

THE SHUTDOWN IS OVER??????

Well the government shutdown and debt ceiling crises is over.  At least it is over for another three months when I am sure we will go through the same thing again.  It was totally unnecessary!

Unfortunately the likes of Ted Cruz and his cohorts as well as the spineless Speaker of the House John Boehner relish actions like this.  They care nothing for what the American people want.  They do not mind hurting hungry children, pregnant and nursing mother and babies as well as seniors who rely on Meals On Wheels.  They do not care that their actions could have hurt millions of retirees retirement money.

And the battles are already engaged.  Who does the House of representatives appoint to work on te Farm Bill which includes the food stamp program but the most anti food stamp person, Rep. Steve Southerland (R-FL).  He would throw millions of needy folks off the food stamp program.  So that battle line is already engaged.  Why they will not appoint someone to work on a jobs program that will put people to back work is beyond my ken.  Putting people back to work would solve some of food stamp issue but these people have not even proposed a jobs program even though they say all the time JOBS JOBS JOBS.
The shutdown cost us the taxpayers an estimated 24 billion dollars but the Congress still got paid and for what?  Telling lies and more lies and sitting on their thumbs while keeping the nation in an uproar not knowing what would befall us.
There is a petition calling for the Justice Department to arrest leaders in the House for sedition!  I say go for it and get rid of them before they can do more harm.  In my last post I called them political terrorists and I still believe that and if we think it is over, think again!
It is such a joke to me that Senator Susan Collins is getting high marks for helping end the shutdown when she voted for it TWICE!  She talks out of both sides of her mouth and wants it both ways.
Well, we shall see where all this leads and hopefully reasonable people will prevail.

DEFAULT???????

It is very hard to believe that Republicans are ready to let this nation default on its already budgeted items.  It isn't creating new expenditures.  It is paying for what we have already contracted for.  Boehner says he doesn't have the votes to avoid this but he does!!!  All he needs to do is bring a clean bill to the floor.  All he is worried about is his speakership.  He cares nothing for this country or its people.  I would call him and his cohorts political terrorists.
We are reading about the dire consequences of default and people are scared and I guess they should be.   This would be a global crisis that would devastate the global economy.  There is  no way to prepare for a crisis like this.
How can these supposedly intelligent men and women take this country to the brink.  They are so isolated from the world as they sit in their ivory tower in Washington still getting paid, having insurance and a safe secure retirement that they cannot even see what will happen to ordinary people like you and me.
Boehner should be scared too as he could not only lose his speakership but his seat in the House and I hope someone challenges him and brings out his cowardly ways.  He should be easy to beat although his district is probably one that is gerrymandered.
I am afraid that people will be so devastated and scared that there will be tragic consequences.  Someone is going to get hurt over this and someone already has.  An unarmed woman with a baby in her car was shot SIX times.  I think that is unnecessary.  They could have apprehended her instead.
It is a fact that Senator Susan Collins speaks out of both sides of her mouth.  She talks a good game about the dangers of a shutdown but voted with her party to go ahead with it. She needs to be voted out when this term expires.  She cannot be trusted to vote for the good of the people of Maine.
Well, we shall see how this all plays out but I am fearful about the outcome.