Category: Domestic Policies

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Domestic Policies Education New Jersey News Politics teacher evaluation

Damn the Teachers, Full Testing Ahead!

So let’s see where we stand at this moment with the brand spanking new teacher evaluation system in New Jersey. This is the law that is going to revolutionize teaching and learning by making sure that students are mastering content and skills and teachers are doing their jobs to ensure learning in the classroom. For those of us not covered by a standardized assessment, the key is the SGO, or Student Growth Objectives, that is supposed to measure student growth (duh).

How are we doing this? By taking the measure of our students at the beginning of the year. Then we’ll evaluate them again in a few months to see how much they’ve learned. In other words, welcome to testing-mania.

The overwhelming majority of teachers in New Jersey have already given an assessment to their students, usually in the form of a test. Most of these tests ask for knowledge and skills that students haven’t been taught yet. The assumption, then, is that when we re-give these tests again in February or March, the students will have learned the information because they’ve been, well, taught it. Students learn, teachers have done their jobs, numbers go up, salaries are paid.

So what’s the problem? Plenty. Most of these tests are low stakes and mean virtually nothing to the students, while meaning everything for the teachers. In addition, there is no measurable data that says that this is a viable method for objectively evaluating teachers. And districts are getting mucho creative with SGOs in ways that even the Christie Administration didn’t envision.

For example, many teachers who plan on taking leaves for maternity or other family concerns, have been told to administer both a pre-and post-assessment in as little as 6 weeks, so the district has a record of their progress. This flies in the face of everything we know about education and assessment, and is using time as the relevant factor and not learning. Why don’t I just do a Monday-Friday assessment cycle and be done with it. I can teach anyone how to write an effective thesis in a week if that’s all I’m going to measure.

It’s also becoming clear, as I speak to colleagues and monitor the news, that administrators and school boards are tying bonuses to the percentage of staff that has an SGO. The law says that classroom teachers must have them, but leaves it up to the district as to whether nurses, guidance counselors and other support staff must have them. Tying SGOs to a bonus virtually guarantees that all staff will be responsible for an SGO, and it’s up to the district to develop one.

Are we connecting student health rates to nurses? How many students come to see them over a three month period? Do we want more students to visit the nurse or fewer? What’s the difference between taking blood pressure and earning a 4 under the Danielson model and earning a 3?

For guidance counselors, are we tying failure rates to counselors? College acceptances? If a child is crying on the way in to the counselor’s office but smiling on the way out, is that an effective SGO?

The dirty truth is that there’s really no way to know. It’s the same for teachers. Once we administer the test/evaluation, then that becomes the default assessment that we’re going to focus on for three months. The tests rule. And it will get even worse come the spring when teachers covered by a state test enter the maelstrom and sweat out their number through the summer.

This evaluation system is taking money, time and resources away from education. It’s not scientifically valid. It wastes time. It’s a step backwards, and it insults teachers everywhere by assuming that they are not effective.

For more, go to www.facebook.com/WhereDemocracyLives and on Twitter @rigrundfest

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Barack Obama Domestic Policies Tea Party vote

Republicans Are Willing to Default in Order to Destroy

Let it be Known that THIS President is Fed Up! He’s just about reached his Boiling point and so has America.

In his press conference on Tuesday, President Obama reiterated his position of Not negotiating with the Republican hostage takers unless they “do their jobs” and put an end to the Government Shutdown and their threats of not raising the Debt Ceiling.

President Obama did not mince words in his opening statement calling on Republican Speaker John Boehner to take the bill to a vote, something he had been asking Boehner to do since the shutdown began. The President spoke on Tuesday and said he was Willing to negotiate and have open discussions with Boehner and any other Republican on any issues, even the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) but not under extortion threats and not until they ended the shutdown.

The President also spoke on the looming Debt Ceiling crisis that is set to take us over the cliff on October 17th. During his opening comments, Mr Obama read statements by bankers, investors, the Treasury Dept., economists and even billionaire Warren Buffet, a staunch supporter of the President.

In those statements, the president described the potential outcome of defaulting on the nation’s debt. The president used words like insane, catastrophic, irresponsible and Buffet comparing the Default to the likes of an Atomic Bomb going off in America’s financial district.

With these highly qualified and financially successful individuals expressing such dire outcomes to this unfathomable inaction of not raising the Debt Ceiling, the Republicans have shown NO indication of giving in to the desires of the President, the Democratic and Independent members in Congress or the hundreds of thousands of Americans already suffering from the Government Shutdown. To be clear, some Reublicans have gone on record to say the Debt Ceiling is not a big deal.

Rep. John Fleming, (R) of Louisiana said of the economist predictions of castrophic events if the Debt Ceiling isn’t raised, “Many times they’re wrong. So I don’t think we should be running government based on economists’ predictions.” Rep. Richard Burr, (R) of NC made similar comments about not taking the Debt Ceiling seriously. Tom Coburn, (R) of Oklahoma was made an even worse assessment of the Debt Ceiling crisis by saying on an CNN interview that there is NO DEBT CEILING.

So, with the Republicans and Tea Party cheering on these self inflicted crises one after another, why would they – the same people who champion themselves as being Patriotic, Responsible and “Country loving” Americans – allow this Country to fall into Default? Why did they shutdown the Government and place thousands in financial dismay and/or ruin?

The shutdown has not only caused furloughs to hundreds of thousands, but is also affecting WIC programs and children that depend on that program for food and other necessities. It has affected the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in being able to pursue the aggressive viruses and diseases. And now, it is affecting loved ones who have had service men and women killed in the line of duty.

The Republican Party and Tea Party members are demanding the President negotiate with them or they will not end the shutdown AND will allow this country to Default on its obligations. Obama said yesterday that America has never defaulted in the last 225-years so why are the Republicans so Willing to let it occur now?

It’s not about Negotiations. It’s about Destroying a President.

The President said the Democrats have attempted to negotiate with Republicans 19-times only to have them squash talks with more of their wants but not giving anything in return.

No, the Republicans and Tea Party members are so willing to let this Country and the Amerian people suffer to destroy President Obama. Their plan is to tarnish, defame, discredit, nullify and destroy Obama’s legacy.

They are trying to kill this country and all of Obama’s successes will become null and void in their eyes and in their hopes, the Americans as well.

It’s a careless, irresponsible and harmful gamble by the Republicans and Tea Party members, but they seem oblivious or just plain ignorant to what may be their political demise.

Polls show that Americans are placing the government shutdown blame on Replublicans at 39% in the latest Pew Poll while 30% blamed Obama. But Republicans aren’t listening to Polls nor Americans because the end game is shutting down a President. And to think, the shutdown began with Obamacare but has now shifted to the Debt Ceiling.

What the outcome will bring is unclear but to the rest of the World, America’s Bright and Shiny Star is becoming a dull rock on a dusty hill.

We can’t, as President Obama said Tuesday, continue to manufacturer these crises every 3-months. Government wasn’t meant to operate in this fashion. But we have a group of people in Congress that have yet to accept This President as a Legitimate Leader of the Free World.

In reading some Twitter feeds on yesterday, one stuck out the most. It said, “The Black race has been more willing to Overcome and Work with the white race even after the Atrocities performed against them vs The White race Accepting a Black Man as President and working With Him.” Poignant indeed.

While No One Wants to Believe this is Racially motivated by the Republicans and Tea Party members, it’s been amazing to see how white America has reacted on Twitter and other social media outlets. If our white brothers and sisters are crying racism against the President, it’s clearly racism.

So what do we do about it? We Vote! Outvote the Extremists that elect these Extreme Members of Congress. We Expose them for who and what they are and Vote Them Out!

They say it’s time to take back Their country? Well I say It’s Time We Expel, vote out extremism and allow this Country To Move Forward! Now IS THE TIME! Vote America! If you want TRUE CHANGE, VOTE Out THE EXTREME!

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Domestic Policies New Jersey News Politics

Chris and Steve’s Excellent Campaigns

Let’s just make this clear from the outset: Steve Lonegan is not going to defeat Cory Booker in the New Jersey Senate election next week. Yes, I know that only having a 13 point lead puts Booker in the endangered category, and his wealthy, powerful allies are worried about hum not winning by 20 points, but they need to get real.

He’s winning and he will win, but in the meantime he’s not running a stellar campaign and there’s something about Steve Lonegan that makes you want to watch him for a while. Like a really bad car accident or a singer who’s so off key you smile while listening to them or someone who reminds you of a character out of 1984. After a time, though, you realize that he wants to be taken seriously and that’s when you disengage. That will happen next week.

Lonegan probably isn’t saying it now, but he’s got to be unhappy with Chris Christie’s choice to schedule this election separately from the gubernatorial election in November. Christie’s original argument was that having the Senate election on the same date would pull in more Democrats, who would support Booker, to also vote for Barbara Buono. The real loser, though, will be Lonegan, who would otherwise gain some supporters who are showing up to vote for the governor. Or maybe Christie really doesn’t like Lonegan and cares not whether he wins. In any case, this openly helps Christie, who has made a Trenton career by making sure that his needs are taken care of.

This will be the last election that Christie will win, so in the end, he and Lonegan will end their elective political careers the same way. Meanwhile, Cory Booker will have six years to sharpen his running skills before he too considers a national campaign.

For more, go to www.facebook.com/WhereDemocracyLives and on Twitter @rigrundfest

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Domestic Policies Healthcare News Politics Teaparty

Orange Alert

Here’s a surprise: the shutdown was planned months ago. So the pleadings and forthright looks we’ve been getting from Ted Cruz and the orange-tinged scoldings from John Boehner and the laments of the lack of compromise by Republicans everywhere have been fakes. Falsehoods. Frauds. Wait for it…Lies.

What the Republican Cadre, because it’s no longer a viable political party, has done is reprehensible. From the beginning, and I mean 2009, they have tried to obstruct President Obama’s agenda and wait out the electoral clock for four, and now eight years while they plot their way back to power. Thank heavens that they don’t, in fact, know how to do that effectively on the national stage. They will continue to win House seats, though a new poll suggests otherwise, but they’ve fallen farther behind when it comes to women and Hispanics, and we know how viable you are when that happens. In the meantime, all they have is obstruction.

Any talk of compromise or negotiation is not to be trusted. They don’t want to delay the health care bill, they want it gone. They also want Dodd-Frank repealed and for the XL pipeline to be built and they want no new taxes in any economic or tax bill they’d support. And who won the 2012 elections?

But, oddly, they seem to love Medicare and are falling over themselves to fund some parts of the federal government if they believe it will help them. Wait long enough, and they’ll CR themselves into opening the whole thing in a week or so.

Just to make things worse, Boehner is now disavowing his comments from last week that suggested some compromise. He and the far right will now take us to default if the president won’t do as he says. The  crash is coming, it won’t be pretty and the GOP will take the fall.

For more, go to www.facebook.com/WhereDemocracyLives and on Twitter @rigrundfest

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Domestic Policies Entertainment Healthcare

Jimmy Kimmel Asks The Question: “Affordable Care Act or ObamaCare?” – Video

Of course they’re one in the same. But that didn’t stop some random folks being interviewed from picking one over the other, ready with “informed explanations” and all…

Its one thing for the Obama Administration to get the information out sufficiently on the new Affordable HealthCare Act, it’s another for people to actually go and seek it out. That may be the President’s biggest hurdle.


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Domestic Policies Martin Luther King Politics

MLK Breaking Bad on Economic Injustice

You may have never heard Dr. King like this before. At a time like now, THIS VOICE is surely missed and needed.

The Poor People’s Campaign, organized by the SCLC and Dr. Martin Luther King to take this message to Washington. Three weeks before it was to take place, King was assassinated on April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee. The march went on as planned but with King killed, the movement lost a lot of its heart.

The Poor People’s Campaign was founded on the idea that all people should have what they need to live. King and the SCLC began focusing on economic justice after observing no real gains in the lives of the majority of African Americans after the Civil Rights Movement.

The POC was a multiracial effort aimed at alleviating poverty regardless of race, demanding economic and human rights for poor Blacks, Chicanos, Native Americans, and White Americans.

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Domestic Policies Politics

Government Closed (In Need of Repair)

It’s been 17-years since the Government decided to Shutdown and, low and behold, a Democrat was in the White House. Bill Clinton was in his Final Term when the Republicans decided to put hundreds of thousands of Americans out of work and turn a prosperous economic outlook into a spiraling plunge downwards.

I watched a great deal of cable news shows on September 30th with some calling the looming Government failure, ‘The Shutdown Countdown’. On one side of the picture-in-picture view was the clock was ticking. The other view showed Congress Members PRETENDING to be negotiating a deal to keep the Government at work.

I say PRETENDING because newly appointed and anointed Pointman, Sen. Ted Cruz –Texas (R), gave the marching orders in a 21-hour Dr. Seuss laden FULLA-buster to the House and Senate, to shutdown the Government unless President Obama relinquished the Obamacare LAW or delay it for a year along with other Tea Party and Republican mandates written into their budgetary plans.

In holding the Nation Hostage, the Republicans caved to the new face of Their party and shut the government down. An estimated 800,000 federal employees are going to be furloughed and around $200-$300 million a day will be lost.

Back in 2011, when faced with this same dilemma of a government shutdown, Republican Speaker of the House, John Boehner stated it would be More costly to shut down the government than to keep it operating. Well, it appears he and the rest of his Republican cohorts don’t care about the cost or the lives of millions who will be affected.

Jobs have been held at bay and lives have been disrupted. And now the economy will take another hit. The Stock Market, which had been on the upswing for months, will definitely stall and fall. With all the recent positive momentum in the economy, jobs and housing, Republicans are determined to eliminate them all in one cowardice swoop, all in the name of Destroying a President.

In hindsight, this may have been the plan all along.

This whole Obstructionistic Movement began when President Barack Obama was elected in 2008. Mitch McConnell, Republican Senate from Kentucky, made the declaration during President Obama’s First Term that their main focus was to make Obama a one-term President. They Failed. But while they attempted to obstruct and undermine President Obama in his First Term, Obama passed key legislation such as the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, 2009, Wall Street Reform in 2010 and of course, The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare –named ‘affectionately’ by the Republican critics), 2010 just to name a few.

While the president made all these improvements, the Republican members of Congress in both the House and Senate, have done Zero in the way of Progress. No Jobs Bills which was supposedly their platform when Mitt Romney was running against the President in 2012. Immigration Reform is a distant memory… again. Gun control is a Non Subject. Equal pay and minimum wage increases aren’t even uttered on the Senate floor. But what is? Benghazi, the NSA scandal, IRS scandal, Syria’s near war moment, Impeaching the President, etc.

On the surface, it appears the only thing the Republican and Tea Party members of congress are doing is stalling out this term of the Presidency. Their aim is to tarnish Obama’s Legacy, obstruct his every move and disallow any positive progression this country had established.

In reality, that’s what they are doing. In their HATRED for 1 Man, they’ve decided to shutdown the Government hoping Americans will blame this President for their despicable and deplorable decision.

With misinformation and lies, the Republicans and Tea Party have injected their base with the very venom that the King’s of Hate have hoped for. The Hannity’s, the O’Reilly’s, the Limbaugh’s have finally galvanized a movement and their small coalition of hate minions is wreaking havoc on millions nationwide.

The Tea Party/Republican actions are a gamble by them but their ardent supporters are applauding them richly. From the folks on Fox News to their support group, they bkame the President and the Democratic Party. But when you look at what the Republican base has done, it causes one to ponder the mind and the heart of the Republican Party. Cutting the Food Stamp Program, the SNAP Program, attempting still to place Medicare on a Voucher Program and more. It’s not just Obamacare, it’s that they JUST DON’T CARE!

This Shutdown of Government is proof. Holding a country hostage because they don’t like the President or Obamacare is not the way to run a Government…unless the goal is to run the Government in the ground.

Congratulations #TeaGOP; you’re succeeding in that.

Frankly, I’m Fed Up with the Hatred! I’m Fed Up with the 5 ½ years of Obstruction. I’m Fed Up with the Extremism in our Government nationally and locally. I’m Fed Up with the cuts to Programs that help the Masses and will affect Millions. I’m Fed Up with theis Republican party changing Voting Rights, affecting Women’s Rights, Students Rights, Elderly Rights, Veterans, Teachers, Minorities, etc. I’m SO Fed Up that I’m on a Mission to spread the word to Friends, Family, Co-Workers, Church Members – VOTE! The only way we can change the playing field is to Vote out Extremism, Vote Out Obstructionism, VOTE OUT HATE!

If you don’t like it, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! VOTE!

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Domestic Policies Health Healthcare News Politics

No.


No.
The answer is no.

There should be no compromise over the Affordable Care Act. It is a duly passed law of the land that will make positive changes in the lives of millions of Americans. It will give them financial and wellness security. It will change, for the better, the way in which health care is delivered in this country. It’s already led to far-reaching changes in the way that hospitals, health care organizations, doctors and pharmaceutical companies operate.

Checkups and physicals are now free.
Children can stay on thei parents’ policies until age 26.
You cannot be denied insurance if you have a preexisting condition.

And for all of this, a minority in the government and in states where the greatest number of uninsured citizens live, who have convinced themselves that this law will lead to the untimely, government-sponsored deaths of grandmothers throughout the country, want to tie it to  a devastating shutdown of the federal government.

No.
The answer has to be no.

They tried to kill the bill altogether last week, using parliamentary shenanigans that went nowhere and incurred the wrath of Republicans who normally would go along with whatever the party wanted. Now all they want is to delay the Medical Devices tax, which supposedly Democrats fear will lead to higher costs and more backlash.

No.

Because it’s clear that the Republican extremists will not stop there. They tried a full kill. Now they want a delay? Does anybody think that they’ll stop at the Medical Devices tax? Is that the endgame? Will John Boehner, Ted Cruz and Eric Cantor stand side-by-side on a podium in triumphal mode because the Medical Device tax will be delayed? Oh, that’s in addition to approving the XL Pipeline and defunding the Consumer Protection Board and lowering taxes on the wealthy and everything else the Republican Party ran on and LOST in 2012? Will this make the GOP happy and go away?

No.

They want to whole thing gone, and if the Democrats fold on this they will rue that day because the rest of the bill will get flushed away later in October when the GOP decides to throw it in as a condition for raising the debt ceiling. That’s the danger.

So my message to the president and Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and Dick Durban is to borrow another Republican idea from the halcyon days of bipartisanship of the 1980s:

Just say no.

If you don’t, you will have lost me and millions of others who feel the same way that I do.

You have been warned.

For more, go to www.facebook.com/WhereDemocracyLives and on Twitter @rigrundfest

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Domestic Policies Healthcare News Politics Teaparty

Cruz Missal

It’s not enough for Ted Cruz to be wrong, because he is. It’s not enough that he’s offensive, because he is. And it’s not enough that he’s a hypocrite, because he is. The worst part is that he has the whole package, and he’s terribly difficult to listen to. But Ted Cruz represents much more in our era of divided, extremist, conservative government: It’s the end of the line. When people like Ted Cruz make speeches that reference Nazi Germany and compare the present administration to it, you know that the GOP has gone gonzo overboard. This is not a governing party anymore–it’s a collection of conspiracy theorists who happened to win votes in gerrymandered districts and in states where the majority of uninsured people in the United States live, but who have convinced themselves that getting health insurance amounts to treason.

The conservative movement has reached its apogee and is now in its slow, painful, destructive decline. It will bring a good part of the country down with it, but the good news is that at its worst, it only controls the House of Representatives. If it shuts down the government next week, it will lose that in 2014 and if it runs an ultra-conservative in 2016, it will lose that election too.

I’ve heard many pundits and political science professors say that we live in a center-right leaning country, and at this time I’m inclined to believe it. The problem for the Republicans is that they are not center-right: They are far right and represent a minority of the country. Most people don’t want radical change of the sort that the far right is promoting. Many people oppose the health care law for good reason, but to say that it will drag down the economy and that it’s the death knell of our way of life is irresponsible and hyperbolic.

But I guess Ted Cruz had to happen. Even members of his own party are abandoning him. If the shutdown is to be avoided, Democrats in the House will need a bill to support. This is not good for John Boehner or any of the farther rightists.

But it’s the best thing to happen to the country in a while. Perhaps things are finally looking up.

For more, go to www.facebook.com/WhereDemocracyLives and on Twitter @rigrundfest

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Domestic Policies News

Okay, Now This S**t Is Personal

“I no longer have the luxury of being a dove when it comes to my financial security. I have to become a hawk and protect my nest egg – my future – with everything I’ve got.”

I’d been waiting for the last 8 to 10 years for the repercussions, but up until now I’d been practically unaffected by the whole matter.

I’ve never owned a home, I’ve always rented.

Never owned a car and I don’t drive.

I’m single, with no children, so no worries there.

I’ve been at, what one would call a good job, for the last 18 years and have a fair amount of indispensability.

I pay my taxes and receive average returns each year.

I’ve had no major hospital visits for the last 18 years and I’m rarely sick (knock-on-wood), with most of my doctor visits slotted for yearly physical exams and dental check-ups.

And then it happened.

THE RECESSION suddenly got up close and personal.

On Monday the HR department at my company sent out an all-staff email stating, among other things, that due to the increased cost of the 401(k) pension plan by 25%, the company will no longer be able to contribute matching funds towards its employee’s deductions. This, no doubt is happening across the country:

“The proposed agreement would suspend the employer match on the 401(k) plan for all participating institutions for the next two years, and use the funds that would normally pay for the match to pay for the increase in the pension cost. This does not affect the match of July 2013. That was paid in its entirety, but the matches for July 2014 and 2015 would not be made under this tentative agreement. The match for July 2016 is not yet determined and would be subject to the same or a similar multi-party process to reach agreement about two years from now. Under the tentative agreement employee contributions to the 401k during the two years would continue to be made on a pre-tax basis up to the IRS limits.”

Suddenly I saw my beautiful but modest dream home nestled alongside the red clay mountains in Sedona, Arizona, going up in smoke!

The 1/4 acre backyard with the modest swimming pool (in which I personally install an original mosaic design); my brick enclosed BBQ pit; my little garden spot in the back of the yard where I try to grow a few tomatoes; the recreation center I hope to open and give art therapy classes in; my junkets to Africa, Japan, Egypt and England — still on my ‘bucket list’; my as-of-yet-to-be-born faithful companions, Lil Roddy and Piccachu, a pair of cute, sable French Bulldogs who I treat like the children I never had; my favorite gentlemen caller and I skinny-dipping in the pool under the stars in my cozy backyard, as we sip on our favorite wine while listening to an endless stream of jazz ballads from all the legends – Dexter, Coltrane, Miles, Mingus – playing in the background as we…well, you get the picture. All fading fast.

The memo says the break in coverage will continue up to 2016, when matters will then be renegotiated, but I and my fellow employees are severely skeptical on this turning out favorably anytime soon.

So this was my wakeup call. I no longer have the luxury of being a dove when it comes to my financial security. I have to become a hawk and protect my nest egg – my future – with everything I’ve got. My pension is still intact but I still have to boost my retirement-plan contributions if I want to make up for the loss of the employer match and keep my retirement dreams alive.

Some financial advisors recommend continued investment in your company’s 401(k) plan if there are good investment choices and low fees there. If you’re in your twenties, you’ll want to put the majority of your investment into a high-risk high growth fund. You’ll make money by leaving your money in these funds for the long haul even though they may go down at times. Move to more conservative investments as you get closer to your retirement.

Also consider contributing to a Roth IRA. A Roth IRA (named for its legislative sponsor, William V. Roth Jr., a Republican senator from Delaware) allows you to contribute and save after-tax money as opposed to the traditional 401(k) contributions made with pretax dollars. As long as you own the Roth IRA for at least five years, you can take tax-free distributions beginning at age 59.

Another way to supplement your overall retirement package may be an investment in an annuity of which there are two general kinds. The first is the annuity with period certain, which is an annuity that specifies a certain period for the payments. The second and most common kind of annuity for retirement savings is the life annuity. How this works is that you agree to pay some lump sum to a company and they promise to pay you a certain rate of return on that money each year for the rest of your life.

However there are certain risks associated with annuities. For instance, what happens if the organization you bought the annuity from goes under? Most likely, you’re out of luck. To put it simply, advisors again say never buy an annuity without the backing of a very reputable organization, especially if you’re putting a great deal of your savings into it.

There’s also the possibility that you buy a lifetime annuity and you pass away earlier than you expected to. The balance of that investment is gone, since it can’t be passed down as an inheritance. For this reason it may be preferable to buy an annuity associated with a charitable group you believe in, both for the tax advantages and for the support to that organization. Then at least if you die before you could cash in at your planned retirement age, the money would go to a worthy cause.

Afterall, you can’t take it with you (thank God!).

 

Categories
Domestic Policies Food And Recipes

FOR Fast Food Worker’s – AGAINST Fast Foods

The Fast Food Industry is in disarray all across America. Today, the day after the March on Washington’s 50th Anniversary commemorating one of the greatest speeches and movements this country has ever seen, employees of fast food chains across America have gone on strike in protest of their current wages and hoping to generate a minimum wage hike.

In major cities like New York, Chicago and Detroit to my hometown McDonald’s and Burger King, employees staged a ‘walk out’ in an attempt to muster support from fast food consumers of a pay hike from their employer’s.

The national minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour which averages around $15,000 a year salary. Protesters are seeking an increase to $15.25 and to become unionized in the process. Increasing the the minimum wage by that additional $8 would take the average salary to a modest $31,720 annually. President Obama has been for a hike to the minimum wage but has been fighting for $9 an hour.
While being FOR the worker’s in the fast food industry in gaining an increase in pay, I’m not FOR the fast foods being served. Just a few short months ago, weren’t we staging a War on Fast Foods and Obesity? Childhood obesity in particular has been a topic of conversation for some years now in their lunchrooms and the McDonald’s and Burger King’s of the world were asked to provide America with a ‘healthier selection’ of meals on their menus.

So today’s protest is with Mixed Emotion for me. There are staggering facts about what fast foods can do to the body. Obesity is the 5th leading risk for global deaths. At least 2.8 million people will die as a result of obesity. Diseases states such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, strokes and certain cancers are directly attributed to obesity. While fast foods provide that quick fix of price and consumption, it’s slowly destroying the bodies functionality. Yest, the fast food industry is great at advertising what it can do For you. Fast, efficient meals that provide a quick fix for your hunger and cravings. What needs to be advertised is what it will do To you.

Even if the fast food industry gave us the best choices meals for a healthy diet, the price for eating healthy is mind bogglingly ridiculous. The cost of a Grilled Chicken Sandwich cost more than a fried Chic Fil A sandwich. Even the Salads are more expensive than the sandwich. So what will the consumer purchase? Big Macs and Whoopers have been the staple of the American dinner table for years because of it’s fast, efficient service and serving quantity but each have a high calorie intake, Big Mac at 550 and the Whopper with a whopping 670 calories. Pizza parlors and sweet shoppes are just as guilty.

Have you ever wondered why fast foods are cheaper than eating healthy meals? Have you ever gone grocery shopping and felt the ‘sticker shock’ of purchasing the healthy alternative versus the junk food that seems to creep back into our baskets? My wife and I had this conversation over a weekend of grocery shopping once. It’s got to be a racket and here’s why. Money.

Think about this for a second. Fast Foods are reasonably inexpensive to buy. On average, a fast food meal will cost under $8 with the meal giving you fries and a drink along with the sandwich. Parents have taken the bait on the ‘fast and convenient’ ads for years which is why this industry has thrived for decades. But in turning to fast foods, we increase our risk of all types of disease states mentioned earlier. So we intake the fast foods, increase our weight, go to the doctor who puts us on medications to ‘help’ our disease state, medication causes other side effects, more medication prescribed to offset current medication, healthcare companies and doctors are happy.

The alternative. Eat a healthier diet of grilled foods, vegetables, fruits and drinking water with plenty of exercise. Yes, eating the right meals versus fast foods isn’t the most cost effective way but it’s the Healthiest way.

It’s not easy letting go of fast foods. The craving of a burger, fries, doughnuts, milkshakes are an everyday occurrence for many. But as in everything, one must find balance. An occasional indulgence is to be expected but should not be the norm. When it’s all said and done, it’s Your body, Your health, Your way of living. Either you’ll live a healthy life with a shot at longevity or your life could be shortened with heart disease, diabetes, stroke and being on medications until your demise. It’s your choice.
So more power to the Fast Food Employee. Everyone deserves to live life without struggle when trying to earn an honest living. Living below poverty level is not living. I’ll always Support you in your cause Fast Food Worker, just not from my wallet. (ok, maybe sometimes :-))

Categories
Domestic Policies Politics

The Dream Lives On!

Today, August 28th, 2013 commemorates the 50th Anniversary of one of the most famous marches and speeches ever witnessed, listened to and participated in during a Civil Rights Movement that took place in Washington, DC.

During that 1963 march, over 200,000 people from all walks of life participated in this gathering to let it be known throughout the United States and even the World at large that oppression, bigotry, hatred and murder of a people that just wanted the same rights as others was intolerable.

In fact, the Civil Rights Movement of 1963 had some of the exact parallels of the Moral Mondays Movement that has derived from some of the same oppressive, bigoted, hateful legislation being passed by the GOP and Republican lawmakers in North Carolina.

When Supreme Court Justice John Roberts so blindly changed the outcome of the Voters Rights Act in a surprising decision back in June of this year, the Republican Party throughout this country has begun changing their voting laws at state levels to ‘tip the scale’ in their favor for upcoming and ongoing elections.

In Texas, Ohio and North Carolina, the governors of these states and the Legislators in the state houses that are Republican run, have passed legislation to change the way Americans have voted for decades. In North Carolina alone, Gov. Pat McCrory and the NCGOP have formulated the New Voter I.D. Law, overturned students being able to Vote in the college city they live in, ended Early Voting and have closed several voting locations in many locations in the name of being more “efficient”.

Also in North Carolina, teachers are under assault with this current government in place. Wages have been cut and raises are obsolete. As educators of our children, they are deserving of the benefits and salary that should be awarded to them, but this governor and NCGOP legislators don’t seem to agree. Because of the extreme measures being inflicted on some of the teachers in North Carolina, many have decided to leave the profession all together unfortunately to pursue other employment in other states.

Continuing on the extreme, Gov. McCrory and the NCGOP sliced the Unemployment Benefits from a maximum of $535 a week to $350 max and the Unemployment Length of benefit life from 26-weeks to 13-weeks. With North Carolina ranked as the 5th highest state for unemployment, this Republican-led administration found it necessary to cut benefits to many middle class and low income families. Many layoffs and companies closing their doors have resulted in an influx of unemployment applications but as of July 1st of this year, this administration in North Carolina has turned its back on thousands from the coastal to the mountains.

The Dream Lives On though. Because of the extremism of the North Carolina, Texas and Ohio legislative moves; Abortion issues, Women’s Rights, Marriage Equality, Voter’s Rights, Students Rights, Teachers Rights, protests have been a recurring event. Chicago recently joined the fray with a protest against ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council). This group, which claims to be non-partisan, has been the spearhead and backbone to many of the statewide legislative twist and turns that have been executed at the state level.

Take note: Texas, Ohio and North Carolina Governors and State Legislators have passed the Same laws over the past three months. ALEC has designed a form of legislative format outlined to generate an extreme level of government beginning at the state level. It is passed through the Republican-led administration and will pass. Remember though, this is Supposed to be a non-partisan group yet every bill that has passed has had opposition from across the aisle.

We won’t give up the fight though. Just as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke at the March on Washington in 1963, “I Have A Dream”, I too have a Dream along with Millions of other Americans throughout this Great Nation. The Dream is a United Country throwing out the Extreme Legislators in our respective states. The Dream is tossing the Hate Mongers in power out of office. The Dream is letting the Governors, the Mayors, the City Council that has been endorsed by ALEC and Tea Party affiliates, your days are Numbered and your Time is Up!

Come 2014, local elections take place. I urge everyone to register to vote if you haven’t. I urge everyone to become Active in the political movement and Stay Engaged and Stay Aware of what is going on in Your Local Government and Community. Finally, Come 2016, the National Election! Vote America! Remember, there were many that died during the 1960’s just so We could have this Very Right. And now, many on the Republican side are attempting to take that right from Us again. Don’t Let It Happen! Keep the Dream Alive. Make Sure the Dream Lives On!

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