Turning Back the Clock.....

.....on Generations of Progress

Over the last 3 or 4 generations, America has made a lot or progress.   Not enough in some cases, but progress none the less.

Now we're in to a era of wanting to turn back the clock on a lot of the progress that was painstakingly achieved over decades and decades.

Walker in WI has been trying this for about 4 years.   No new taxes, increase one tax must be made up for by decreasing another in like amount, eliminating collective bargaining.   And, by most accounts, WI is not much better off, if any at all, than before his Turn Back the Clock agenda.   Even some natives in his own party are getting restless; in this case transportation infrastructure funding.   Article here.

The Governot in IL, Ruiner, has been working on this for about 2 years.   Wanting to break the public employee Union, making voter registration more difficult, drastically reducing higher education funding, reducing or eliminating support for people in need, the elderly, the disabled, reducing wages & the middle class.   Wanting to make taxes 'friendly' for 1%'ers.   IL is close to breaking financially now; billions in unpaid bills.   Bond status for IL nearing junk.   IL is far worse than before this Turn Back the Clock.

Now, we have a #Unfit4Prez who is following the same Turn Back the Clock in many ways, based on his 'hires' for cabinet level positions.  Moving backwards on voting rights, women's rights, installing de-facto people with past racism, antisemitism, hatred, wanting to make taxes 'friendly' for 1%'ers, pushing religious intolerance, moving towards acceptance of  torture and going back towards many of the social diseases of America's past.   One of many articles is here.

And, #Unfit4Prez is constantly whining, yes, constantly, about most everyone and everything that doesn't constantly stroke his ego.

This is NOT the America I grew up with and have known for all the decades of my life.   This IS NOT my America.

God love us all.   And, remember America: Vigilance.   Keep watching every move; every decision & be ready to MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD !!!!

Clay Bennett drawings are here and here and here.

Happy Thanksgiving !

Hope everyone has a wonderful

Thanksgiving Day.

The Belleville News Democrat has a heartwarming story from southern IL titled: "Red Bud couple has their car repossessed.   Here’s what happened next." which you can read here. 

Union Contract Impasse

Last week the IL labor relations board declared that contract negotiations between The Governot & AFSCME, the largest public employee Union in IL were at an 'impasse'.

What that does is allow The Governot to impose his 'last & final' contract offer on bargaining unit employees.

How did we get here?   Here's my 'take'.

The Governot took extreme positions on contract negotiations. Eventually gave a few concessions in to make it look like these were actual 'negotiations'.  It's important to keep in mind that the main thrust of The Governot, since his first day in office, was and is to break/destroy this Union.   Why?

If he breaks the Union, the Dem party in IL will be neutered.   Also, part of The Governot's plan.   Dems have always supported and protected Unions  and middle class workers.   And Union workers have supported Dems.   Unions gone?  Far less revenue for the Dems.   Far less support at election times.

It's also worthwhile to look at some labor history. Unions came about to improve working conditions and income for workers.  Article here.   It worked.  And studies have shown that Unions were largely responsible for the creation of the 'middle class'.   Other studies have shown that because of Unions, all workers get higher income, Union membership or not.  

Eventually, Ruiner declared an 'impasse'.   An Administrative Judge evaluated all the points of contention.   Decided that some were at an impasse and others should continue to be negotiated.

Ruiner didn't like that response, so he sent that ruling to the Illinois labor relations board for review.

The labor board, composed of 5 members, took the easy and lazy way out and declared the negotiations were at an impasse.

So, with this move, Ruiner implements his contract provisions.   Union member or fair share worker?   Why bother with paying dues if the Union can't bargain for you?

The WI governor had a 4 year head start over Ruiner.   Took away collective bargaining in WI.   WI ain't that significantly better off today than before. 

So, we get another small tear in the fabric of American society.  

$ 137,000,000 Per Year

After this year's elections, never before them, of course, The Governot in Illinois, Brucie Rauner, released his 2015 taxes report.   Of $188 Million in adjusted gross income, he CLEARED $137 MILLION.

The Governot claims to be IL's FULL TIME governor-in-name-only, so.....that $137 MILLION actually represents his RETIREMENT income for ONE YEAR.

Public service retirees in IL regularly get bashed for their 'overly-generous', 'lavish', and/or 'extravagant' pensions.

I suspect that VERY few IL government retirees, other than some higher level Managers, get anywhere CLOSE to 1/1000 of Ruiner's $137 Million, which would amount to $137,000 annually.

Ruiner?   A bastardized spelling of his name, Rauner.   Why?   Because he's on a one man mission to Ruin IL business & economy and put IL further and further into debt.

What was DONE?

If you just stumbled upon here & don't get the references to DONE, it was a 13 year running Website for Retiree's who worked at one location of a State of Illinois agency.   Was going to end at the end of 2016; but the day after the election is seemed a more appropriate time to end that Website.

I read a lot.   So, from time to time, you'll likely see a bunch of links to articles that I find interesting and/or enlightening.   This one is about an interview with Richard Branson.   Fast Company has an article by Anjali Mullany titled: "Richard Branson Is Ready To Take On Trump's "Worst Ideas"" which you can read here.   Quoting "The billionaire's thoughts on leading through crisis, looking death in the eye, & why he thinks his fellow 1%'ers should pay more tax."

Post Election

On November 9th, when DONE closed, I got a new a-hole ripped by a reader/former reader.   The gist was that I didn't name the Prez winner, but certainly would have if Clinton had won.   Actually, no.   By 11/9, EVERYBODY in America knew who won.   But, it was not and couldn't have been any secret which candidate I believed would move America forward with some sanity.

Not to be.   My problem after the election is that all the values I grew up with, and valued and cherished for a number of decades were smashed.   Americans who brought this result to America is not the America I have known.    And wanted to continue.

And, to somewhat support where I am at, mlive has an article by Aaron McMann titled: "Gregg Popovich the latest NBA coach to blast Donald Trump: 'We are Rome'" which you can read here.

So, we can hope and pray for a 'new' Prez elect who actually respects and values EVERY American.   WE ARE ALL PEOPLE.

DONE is done.

Well, DONE is done.   Then I got this absolutely great email note from a reader, so.   ...ya'all can stick around and read my blather if you choose.   We'll see how long this one lasts.   Probably not updated as often as DONE, but take a look from time to time.   Probably won't last 13 years like DONE; most likely I'll be DOA by then, although I have a living 103 year old aunt.   Let's have some fun..... 

What will you find here?   Some IL stuff; some IDOT stuff; other crap that I find of interest or scary.   Probably some cartoons.   Follow along for a while & see.....