I don't know or care whether or not you liked the Bushes--George W. and Laura, that is.
I'm hereby admitting to all of you--Republican or Democrat or whatever--that for me, the most poignant moment during the inaugural ceremonies was watching the actual transfer of power, and actually seeing the Bush family leave.
Between the two families, the days of transition were handled in decent, civilized manner, and I'm hoping Obama carries that spirit forward.
I, for one, am tired of seeing the hatred as so many people spent so many years "beating the Bushes."
R.A.T. (Rose About Town) moving forward!
(As for why I haven't blogged for several days, I make a point of every now and then taking time off from electonic communications of any kind. Like garage sale-ing, antiquing and shopping, it can quickly become addictive. So I pull the plug and go out to talk to real people, first-hand.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
TOMORROW... THE OBAMARAMA !!
Some of us may not admit it, but tomorrow most of us will probably be taking in the hoopla surrounding the most expensive U.S. Presidential Inaugural in history, with dark economic clouds as a backdrop. The balls and parties and the majesty of the inaugural ceremony itself could seem almost anti-climax, considering the activities and events surrounding "The Obamarama" have been simmering in Washington, D.C. all week.
One thing that pleases me is that there are still some WW II Tuskeegee Airmen alive to see this day, and to be present for special recognition, by invitation. I've met and talked with some of these guys, and to this day they seem a special breed; it's them I'll be watching for most of all.
Weather predictions have used the words "snow"..."windy"..."rainy mix"..."cold"... In contrast, my "loge" at home will be quite warm and dry. (I hope the aging Airmen have been given special heated viewing spots).
The Hudson River "miracle" pilot Chesley Sullenberger will be there as well, with family and crew, by presidential invitation. Well deserved.
But I wouldn't have been surprised if Sullenberger had declined the invitation with a "Thanks but no thanks; I've been in ENOUGH cold water in the past week."
It IS historic, and you might as well tune in, my fellow taxpayers; you're paying for it.
One thing that pleases me is that there are still some WW II Tuskeegee Airmen alive to see this day, and to be present for special recognition, by invitation. I've met and talked with some of these guys, and to this day they seem a special breed; it's them I'll be watching for most of all.
Weather predictions have used the words "snow"..."windy"..."rainy mix"..."cold"... In contrast, my "loge" at home will be quite warm and dry. (I hope the aging Airmen have been given special heated viewing spots).
The Hudson River "miracle" pilot Chesley Sullenberger will be there as well, with family and crew, by presidential invitation. Well deserved.
But I wouldn't have been surprised if Sullenberger had declined the invitation with a "Thanks but no thanks; I've been in ENOUGH cold water in the past week."
It IS historic, and you might as well tune in, my fellow taxpayers; you're paying for it.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
THE GIVERS AND THE TAKERS
Are you happy to hear on the news that some of our country's biggest companies have set up off-shore tax shelters... including companies who have received government bail-outs! (Bank of America, AIG and others).
These shelters, in the form of subsidiary companies, have cost the U.S. Treasury a loss of many billions of dollars, and eight out of 10 such subsidiaries were formed solely for the purpose of escaping taxes... while at the same time, many such companies are being aided by the money WE pay to the U.S. Treasury.
I think back to a year when our family was scraping through another serious recession and the menu at our family dinner table was nutritious but basic. A neighbor's freezer had failed, and he asked permission to bring his frozen foods to our freezer, which by this time of year was close to empty; we'd already gone through most of the foods we'd frozen from the harvest of our family garden.
This man, whose family had lived on welfare for a good long time, took a look at the goulash casserole, salad and homemade bread on our dinner table and said, "That's FOOD!!?? I wouldn't feed that to my DOGS!"
He was right. His family WAS apparently eating better than ours. The foods he was transporting to our freezer included such things as lobster tails, steaks, prime rib... all top-shelf foods.
They were living high in other ways, compared to many, using every advantage welfare had to offer, and they really knew how to manipulate the system. My working family and others were producing the taxes that allowed this family's life style.
The executives and companies I referred to at the start of this posting are far richer than that neighbor. But here's the parallel; both are on government assistance provided by the taxpayers--that's all of us who work.
My question of the day: How soon will the "takers" of this country outnumber us "givers?"
GRRRR! from R.A.T. (Rose About Town)
These shelters, in the form of subsidiary companies, have cost the U.S. Treasury a loss of many billions of dollars, and eight out of 10 such subsidiaries were formed solely for the purpose of escaping taxes... while at the same time, many such companies are being aided by the money WE pay to the U.S. Treasury.
I think back to a year when our family was scraping through another serious recession and the menu at our family dinner table was nutritious but basic. A neighbor's freezer had failed, and he asked permission to bring his frozen foods to our freezer, which by this time of year was close to empty; we'd already gone through most of the foods we'd frozen from the harvest of our family garden.
This man, whose family had lived on welfare for a good long time, took a look at the goulash casserole, salad and homemade bread on our dinner table and said, "That's FOOD!!?? I wouldn't feed that to my DOGS!"
He was right. His family WAS apparently eating better than ours. The foods he was transporting to our freezer included such things as lobster tails, steaks, prime rib... all top-shelf foods.
They were living high in other ways, compared to many, using every advantage welfare had to offer, and they really knew how to manipulate the system. My working family and others were producing the taxes that allowed this family's life style.
The executives and companies I referred to at the start of this posting are far richer than that neighbor. But here's the parallel; both are on government assistance provided by the taxpayers--that's all of us who work.
My question of the day: How soon will the "takers" of this country outnumber us "givers?"
GRRRR! from R.A.T. (Rose About Town)
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