GREED

President Obama's speech on the economic difference between the upper class and the middle class was interesting; however, if made me wonder how much out of touch with the American citizens Washington DC really is.

I'm almost 64 years old and I started working when I was 14. In those days you took a physical and got a workers permit and ya went to work after school and on weekends. The minimum wage was around $1 or just under $1. Employers cared about employees; maybe we didn't know the company owners but we knew our supervisors/formen and we could talk to them and they helped us out. Companies paid for health care. We didn't have 401Ks or dental insurance, life insurance, all that fancy stuff but we got by.  Then the economy starting booming and companies were taken over by large corporations and we didn't even know our supervisors very well; but, we received more money per hour, more benefits, and life was doing good.

Then somewhere along the line corporations got greedy. "We need more money, give us more money." So, they looked for ways to cut corners and employees looked for ways to get higher wages. The more the wages went up the more employees had to pay out in taxes and high prices for consumer goods. And, who sells the goods? Corporations. Employees and supervisors/formen/managers looked for ways to get ahead (stabbing each other in the back became the norm). Let's see who can get someone fired so that we can take their jobs and make more money. Employees fall on hard times and their production went down, they were out the door; no one bothers to fine out what the problem is; no one tries to help them out. It becomes a dog-eat-dog situation.

Now what's the mantra? Let's see how many jobs we can send overseas to countries where employees have to work long hours for practically nothing. Corporations are well aware of the conditions in the factories that are manufacturing their products. But they lie, "We didn't know but now that you've brought to our attention, we won't do business there anymore."  Baloney, we'll only do it when we're sure you've moved on to another corporation to disclose. Famous, rich folks, with clothing lines, cosmetic lines, athletes with stuff to sell; they all say the same thing; but they know, yeah, they really know what's going on. It's called GREED, say it folks, it isn't a bad word, it's the truth, and the truth hurts sometimes.

Employees get fired or laid off, some get severance pay but most get their last paycheck they earned. CEOs, high-level managers, corporation executives get fired and they get millions from the corporation. They had contracts; we have nothing but their word when they hire us that business is great and we should be OK. Or, if you work for government contractors you get the old line, "we can let you go at anytime, for no reason, and you get nothing."

Now corporations are cutting employee hours so that they are no longer classified as full-time. That lets them stop paying your benefits so they can split that money between the big corporate executives. You get less, they get more--GREED. Government contractors cut your hours but the government has to keep paying corporations for your benefits because it's in the contract--it goes in the corporate pockets--GREED.

I'm not against Americans living the American dream, making money, founding their own companies, furthering the economy; but, the American dream has now gone sour, people are no longer important to the government or these corporations. We are becoming like other countries who have two classes--the poor and the filthy rich.

You're right Mr. President, the middle class is getting the shaft and the middle class are the people who fund this country through their taxes and contributions to charities and candidates. Now, they can no longer afford to do this, so-----how long do you expect this country to continue?  Believe me it's days are numbered. Read Revelations, you won't find America mentioned anywhere.

The 50th Anniversary of JFK's Assassination

Fifty years ago today, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas and the conspiracy theories still abound. There are hundreds of books written, and several new books that are being sold today.  I have read most of the old books and plan on reading the new ones but I haven't found one that I think explains everything.

I worked for the Air Force Intelligence Agency as an Historian for some years and I have traveled to San Antonio, Texas, Intel Hill, to read some of the classified documents pertaining to JFK's assassination. Many of these documents are still classified after 50 years. Most of the people involved in the assassination have passed away, so why are these documents still classified? It has been my experience that if you have to keep something a secret after 50 years, then you really have something to hide.

I was 13 when the assassination occurred. I remember the grief and sadness of this nation. The motorcade films were shown on TV repeatedly, as if by playing them over and over it would become just another incorrect story for the evening news. Maybe it would all go away, maybe it would never have happened. Am I just another conspiracy theorists? I don't think so, but maybe to some I am. I believe that Lee Harvey Oswald was involved but I don't believe he fired the shot that eventually killed JFK (the president wasn't killed instantly). I think Oswald's statement that he was a patsy is very true.

Lee Harvey Oswald was an opportunist. He wanted his name in lights, he wanted to be famous for something. He worked in the building where the rifle was found, so he had opportunity. But, he was a wife beater, a woman hater, and I believe he would have shot Jackie before he would have shot JFK. The rifle found and reputed to be the one that fired the shots was a cheap piece of junk. Oswald couldn't have fired any shots that made history that day with that rifle; I don't think he could have hit the broad side of a barn.

If you watch the movies you will see that the bullet that took off the back of JFK's head didn't come from behind him. A bullet makes a small entry wound and a large exit wound. This bullet had to have entered from in front and exited out the back. You can see Jackie trying to retrieve the skull and brainmatter from the back of the car, the FBI agent is trying to push her back into the car for safety. The Warren Commission states that this bullet passed through Governor Connelly and then passed through his car seat and entered JFK's throat. The magic bullet it's called was found laying on the stretcher in perfect condition.

I'm not an expert but I know from experience that a bullet would indeed be magic if it could do all that and still remain in perfect condition. I believe that shot was fired from the grassy knoll in front of the motorcade, by who or whom, I don't know.  JFK and Bobby had many enemies that would want to kill them, for many reasons, including J. Edgar Hoover. Dallas wasn't a safe place for the president in those days as many in Texas hated him over the oil price de-regulation. I'm not going to go into all the conspiracies and theories that abound. I can only say that it is my opinion that Oswald didn't assassinate JFK.  And, Jack Ruby killed Oswald to keep the truth from coming out.

I felt sorry for Jackie Kennedy in 1963 and I feel great sorrow for Carolina today. This nation missed  great opportunities because of JFK's assassination and the assassination of his brother Bobby. So, on this the 50th anniversary of JFK's assassination, I take the time to remember and face the regrets I have personally for that day in Dallas and I hope that you will too.

Obamacare

Obamacare

Health care reform--attempted by the Clintons--now a law called affectionately Obamacare. This legislation was passed to give medical insurance coverage to those Americans who couldn't afford coverage. And, in my opinion that would have been a great idea; however, there are facts that were overlooked.

First off the American poor were not the ones bankrupting the medical community. It was the illegal aliens who are getting free medical care because they are not intitled to coverage. Are they going to be covered under Obamacare? No! So, the bankrupt medical care isn't going to get a repreive from the passing of this law. Second, the poor Americans who can't afford medical insurance before, still can not afford it and if they do not signup and get coverage, they will be fined, they can't afford to pay the fines either. So, this is an endless circle. What does that solve?

Many Americans have had their medical insurance cancelled because it doesn't meet the minimum coverage required under Obamacare. The President promised this wouldn't happen--but it has. Now the President has ask companies to allow citizens to keep their coverage for another year.  Here in New Mexico, companies are saying they are not going to allow this because it's too late for them to make changes and reinstate previous insurance rates.

Citizens can't get on the sites setup to enrolling in Obamacare and those who have gotten on say the rates are so much higher, they can't afford it. For many citizens it will be cheaper to pay the fines and not have any coverage. Does this meet the purpose of the law--to ensure that the poor have medical insurance coverage? No, it adds to the number of people who will be uninsured.

So, now America has a law requiring all American citizens to have medical insurance; however, now the poor, middle class, and upper middle class can't afford to pay for it. And, it didn't take an idiot to figure that one out. Or, maybe it did.