Just what is going on?

Death threats in legislative chambers, insinuation of rape and other bodily harm being committed, physical assault?  These are the tools of people that have run out of coherent arguments and we are seeing it pop up all over our great nation.  This is what has become accepted practice by some in today's politics.  How have we sunk so low?  As I stated in my opening piece, we need to once again become a nation of listeners.  Every American has the same complaint of our political class, "No one is listening to us!"  Right or left, liberal or conservative we have to recognize that our needs are not being met.  I am not talking about wants here, needs.

As humans we have inalienable rights bestowed upon us; Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. We have agreed to elect REPRESENTATIVES, public servants, to insure these rights.  We as citizens have become lazy and have simply bought into the company line; Red vs. Blue.  It is now accepted practice that if you are blue in a red district your voice is mute and vice versa.  This is simply not how this is all supposed to work.  While the majority does and has earned the privilege of steering the direction that policy goes, it was never intended nor implied for the majority to "rule" without question or opposition.  Many safeguards have been put into place to protect the minority opinion and to give it strength and sway.

What it comes down to is listening.  Listening, it would seem, is an essential part of governing in a representative democracy, otherwise you have a dictatorial relationship and one rules instead of represents.  Listening is how you measure the merit of a bill, or a complaint of a constituent.  Instead our lazy citizenry has spawned lazy politicians.  Politicians that believe power and party is greater than the oaths they take to be seated.  Party line politics has created this great division among us and caused all of us to stop listening.  We have become fans rooting for the home team, we have created winners and losers in a system where we are all supposed to win together regardless of our rooting interest.  Even our  "debates" have sunk to name calling and questions about hand size, civility is gone.  Even the Democratic debates were scored like a prize fight, points going to one liners and zings.  To those of us with a brain this should be an affront to our sensibilities, but we all get sucked into the trap, myself included.  Very few of us can recite policy discrepancies, and most have little insight to the nuances of policy.  That's why we fall for "Build that wall" or "Lock her up".

Something has to give America.  Either we take greater care of our votes and our money or we continue to fall prey to the grifters and charletons looking to bilk us out of our money and time and turning neighbor against neighbor.  Time to re-prioritize as a nation, and start listening to one another.

Letter to the Editor: 6/11/17

Time to address the elephant in the room.  When has it become acceptable in American politics to assault, threaten, intimidate, or bully the opposition party.  When simply announcing a candidacy in a mayoral race makes you the target of death threats, threats to your children and physical assault.  This is not normal, and should never be condoned.

In the course of the last few weeks, a reporter was assaulted by a man subsequently elected to the House of Representatives, a Texas legislator insinuate shooting a colleague from an opposing party in the head,  in the Wisconsin legislature reminding a colleague that he is armed before she casts a vote, a Kansas candidate for the House of Representatives drop from a race amid death threats and threats against her family and now, in Binghamton, a Mayoral candidate assaulted for simply entering a race.

This is not the America we all love.  This should be unacceptable, yet we accept it.  The political leaders Mayor Rich David, Rep. Claudia Tenney are silent.   I can only guess as to their reason for pretending mute on the subject, because they have offered no other stance.  It is because it is on their collective behalf as part of the ruling party.  This should not be what we expect from our so-called leaders.  We should expect a rebuke of these tactics even if not full-throated.  Silence and acceptance is what we have in return.  The only reason I can understand for the complicity of our local leadership is that they are the beneficiaries of these disgusting tactics.

I am disheartened by the actions of these thugs, but am enraged by the collective acceptance of these actions by our public servants that purport to be the voice of the citizenry.  I am appalled that condemnation has not rained down on the perpetrators and this is now acceptable form of legislating and electioneering.  We are better than this, but only if we demand it of ourselves and our public servants.  I worry about the direction this country has seemingly taken.  We in upstate New York are a kind and pragmatic people, this is not who we are and we should demand more from our elected representatives.


John Juraska
3 Chamberlain St
Binghamton

A Lack of Tolerance

Something interesting happened today.  While perusing my twitter feed, I witnessed something I was a bit taken aback by.  So I chimed in to add my 2 cents.  The conversation was between an Atheist and a Theist and what I could gather was the Atheist was "attacking" the Theist as "delusional and an idiot".  Not to mention being complicit in all wrong doings of any God-fearing man, woman or child for all times.  So I chimed in and asked a simple question.  What if, no matter how minuscule the chance in your mind, there is a God?

I pointed out that while there is no empirical evidence of the existence of a deity, there also absolutely no data to suggest that he doesn't exist.  We all go about our information gathering in different ways and was surprised to find out that this question, without a seconds introspection, was crazy and made me an idiot.  I was dumbfounded.  While I do not "believe" there is an all knowing omnipresent Father figure and live my life as such, I am not 100% sure of anything.  When I encounter people that are Theists I do not vilify and denounce them as crackpots.

a·the·ism

[ey-thee-iz-uhm]

noun

1.  the doctrine or belief that there is no God.

2.  disbelief in the existence of a supreme being or beings.

I found that some Atheists today have taken that simple, understandable  definition and have turned it into something altogether new.  While I can comfortably be associated with this definition, I somehow don't seem to be in tune with the younger more "militant" Atheist of today.  From what I gather, from an albeit small sampling, is that Atheism is a movement bent on denouncing the Church (in all its forms).  In fact if you believe in a God, you are complicit in such things as the AIDS epidemic in Africa, the Rise of Nazis in post WWI Europe, Witch Burnings, Spanish Inquisition, Genocide in the New World, just to name a few.  

I make an important distinction between religion and the existence of God.  If I believe in God, than I wouldn't need a religion to sell me on the idea.  I would believe and that is that.  Religion is bent on converting and building numbers under the guise of helping humanity.  It is a man made institution bent on controlling the hearts and minds of people, this and nothing more.  Now this is my opinion and I understand that there are other opinions out there, and for every "good deed" there is a corresponding "atrocity".  I concede the point.  I was surprised to see just how much Atheists ( the one's mentioned above) hated the Religious aspect of the God mythos.  So if you believe in God and worship in a church than your hands are soaked in the blood of the innocents.  This new form of political Atheism was new to me.  The policies of the God worshipers was killing us all, and that was the end of the story.  I just felt that being an Atheist was a denial of the existence of God, and they didn't much pay attention to the workings of religion, since it is the arm of something that doesn't exist.  I do not like religion and my grudge list is long and biting, and I share the concerns of the small number of atheists I met today.  However, to not acknowledge that religion (for better or worse) is a part of our culture and thus must have a say in the workings of our policies and government is wrong.

Separation of Church and State is a pillar of our Constitution, and must always remain thus.  Without it we risk becoming a Theocracy that would have the power to outlaw not just our freedoms, if they don't follow the prescribed religion, but our very nature.  Free will is what separates man from all other beings natural or supernatural.  The ability to choose our own future and our own lifestyle.  I agree with the militant atheist that religion needs to be downplayed when writing policy, I also acknowledge that much of our society prescribes to religion and it has effected their moral and ethical psyche.  So that aspect of American life must be respected.  Seemingly there are lots of areas where the two worlds meet, thou shalt not kill, etc.  In areas of grey, of which there are many, perhaps we should be more bent on tolerance and understanding.  After all, we are all individuals trying our best to lead good lives, we all hold a different definition of that and that starts needing to be OK.

Falling Down

Falling further,
into confusion and insecurities.
Falling faster,
accelerating through time.
Falling harder,
in and out of Love.
Exhilaration, Anxiety, Despair...
the Journey is complex.
The Landing,
Simple and Unforgiving.
Scraping knees and elbows,
Scarring faces and souls.
Broken...bruised,
Rise again wiser and cautious.
Hurts remembered and feared,
stiffling imagination and risk.
Closed to Life and its Joys,
the Falling is eternal.
and the Landing,
non-existent.

P.S.  I also fancy myself a bit of a poet..enjoy if its your thing.

Socialism & You

I am what is called a Democratic Socialist.  What is that you say, as you unfriend my facebook page.  Before you run off to scour me from your digital life, let me explain the term. 

Democratic Socialism

Democratic socialism is a variant of socialism that rejects centralized, elitist, or authoritarian methods of transitioning from capitalism to socialism in favor of grassroots-level movements aiming for the immediate creation of decentralized economic democracy.

The term is often used by socialists who favor either electoral transition to socialism or a spontaneous mass revolution from below to distinguish themselves from authoritarian socialists that call for a single-party state, most notably to contrast with Marxist-Leninists and Maoists.

Democratic socialists endorse a post-capitalist, socialist economic system as an alternative to capitalism. Some democratic socialists advocate market socialism based on workplace self-management, while others support a non-market system based on decentralized-participatory planning. Many contemporary democratic socialists reject centralized planning as a basis for democratic socialism.^{[1] (from wikipedia)}

Yes, that is it, sounds scary huh. I bet most of you saw Marx, Lenin, and Mao and stopped. Go back and read it again. I will wait.................there. Sounds a little better now that you read it slowly and took in all the words. Now we can proceed. Now to clear up my personal beliefs on this term, as it is broad and far reaching.

I believe in the organic electoral transition, and I believe it should be the will of the people and a gradual process, though I'll be the first to complain about the slow moving wheels of progress. I believe that is the natural progression as we evolve as a species and hone our critical thinking. The sooner we realize that we are all in this together the better off we will be.

More importantly it is an economic system. The system I favor is the Nordic Model, supported by the (surprise) Nordic Nations of Denmark, Sweden and Finland among others.
Economic publications, such as "The Nordic Model - Embracing globalization and sharing risks", characterize the system as follows:^[3]

• An elaborate social safety net in addition to public services such as free education and universal healthcare.^[3]
• Strong property rights, contract enforcement, and overall ease of doing business.^[4]
• Public pension schemes.^[3]
• Low barriers to free trade.^[4] This is combined with collective risk sharing (social programmes, labour market institutions) which has provided a form of protection against the risks associated with economic openness.^[3]
• Little product market regulation. Nordic countries rank very high in product market freedom according to OECD rankings.^[3]
• Low levels of corruption.^[3] In Transparency International's 2010 Corruption Perceptions Index all five Nordic countries were ranked among the 11 least corrupt of 178 evaluated countries.^[5]
• High degrees of labour union membership. In 2008, labour union density was 67.5% in Finland, 67.6% in Denmark, and 68.3% in Sweden. In comparison, union membership was 11.9% in the United States and 7.7% in France.^[6]
• A partnership between employers, trade unions and the government, whereby these social partners negotiate the terms to regulating the workplace among themselves, rather than the terms being imposed by law.^[7]
• Sweden has decentralised wage co-ordination, while Finland is ranked the least flexible.^[3] The changing economic conditions have given rise to fear among workers as well as resistance by trade unions in regards to reforms.^[3] At the same time, reforms and favourable economic development seem to have reduced unemployment, which has traditionally been higher. Denmark's Social Democrats managed to push through reforms in 1994 and 1996. (See flexicurity.)
• Sweden at 56.6% of GDP, Denmark at 51.7%, and Finland at 48.6% reflects very high public spending.^[4] One key reason for public spending is the very large number of public employees. These employees work in various fields including education, healthcare, and for the government itself. They often have lifelong job security and make up around a third of the workforce (more than 38% in Denmark). The public sector's low productivity growth has been compensated by an increase in the private sector’s share of government financed services which has included outsourcing.^[3] Public spending in social transfers such as unemployment benefits and early-retirement programmes is high. In 2001, the wage-based unemployment benefits were around 90% of wage in Denmark and 80% in Sweden, compared to 75% in the Netherlands and 60% in Germany. The unemployed were also able to receive benefits several years before reductions, compared to quick benefit reduction in other countries.
• Public expenditure for health and education is significantly higher in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway in comparison to the OECD average.^[8]
• Overall tax burdens (as a percentage of GDP) are among the world's highest; Sweden (51.1%), Denmark (46% in 2011),^[9] and Finland (43.3%), compared to non-Nordic countries like Germany (34.7%), Canada (33.5%), and Ireland (30.5%).

In the increasingly Global Systems emerging this is the one I feel is worth fighting for.  In my way of thinking it is the system that makes the most sense.  I feel it provides the most fair and balanced way to care for our neighbors while giving workers the greatest amount of freedom.

Taxes are too high, you rail.  It would seem so, but lets look at it.  As an American that doesn't make all that much...I pay 24% in payroll taxes.  What does that money "buy" me in our current system?  Some patch on my street?  The defense of my Nation?  An underfunded school, corrupt judicial system, human werehousing in prisons?  Crumbling infrastructure, increased beurocracy.  Are these the things I want MY money spent on?  Some yes..some no.  America is in the business of throwing good money after bad, something HAS to change.  The people should be the beneficiaries of our tax dollars, not Corporations or Special Interests. 

Next up: the systematic and absolute destruction of our Mother Earth in the name of Profit.

Heartbreak American Style

This is my first post, hopefully of many.  So as a first post I would like to introduce myself, tell you a bit of my background and what I hope to say in my blog. 

My name is John Juraska, I am a 40 year old white guy that comes from a working class background.  Lived in Upstate NY my whole life and am strangely proud of that fact.  It is an aesthetically beautiful place to live, diverse in its population, education and prisons are our main industries and the people are of the sort that are profoundly American while grasping onto their old world differences, even as they die away with each passing generation.  Where it is important to be part of a community, to get through a flood together, a long winter, or an illness.  We treat each other as siblings, we'll bitch about each other, fight, sometimes even stop talking, but in times of crisis, we heed each others call for help.  I imagine my Southern Tier of NY (where I grew up) as a microcosm of the Nation.  Guess it was a bit of a stretch.

I will be exploring the politics of our Country, my State, Local government as it pertains to National issues. Maybe not the way you are used to, slash and burn tactics, unfounded claims and innuendo.  Just what I see as a sensible, pragmatic man that wants a better future for his daughters.  One would think that the answers would be easy giving the regular cry of "That's what we all want for our children."  Over time and most importantly today, differences have stifled any movement (for better or worse) in our Country. 

Everyday I see the struggle of everyday Americans as prices for food, housing, oil and gas increase unbridled and no ceiling in sight.  I see the cost of Education rise to be nearly unattainable by average working Americans.  Corporations booking record profits and the average American have less and less purchasing power.  I see roads and bridges crumbling, schools downsizing, prisons exploding, hospitals putting the ill back on the streets, store shops boarded, veterans unemployed,  and pollution covering it all.  I see the corruption in our Judicial system, our Legislature, our Police, and anywhere else one bothers turning a stone.

My mother once told me, "John, I love you, you are my son, but I don't like you."  Now before anyone wants to bash my Mom, I had that one coming.  However it sums up my view of my Country today.  America, I love you, you are my country, but I don't like you.  It is my solemn hope to have a dialogue on this blog about how to like her again, to know that once I am dead and gone, my daughters will live in a better time than I did.  Where differences can be discussed and debated civilly and the differing sides can still show respect for ideas and policies that may not be their own.  Become a Nation of listeners and not talkers.  A Nation of doers and not blamers.  A Nation of principle and honesty, instead of a country where the truth is only one opinion.  Where facts and majorities count, while attacks and back biting is discouraged.  Where you can hear the phrase "Ladies and Gentlemen" and it applies.  Where tolerance is the norm and all Americans can be on equal footing regardless of Religion, Race, Sex, Disability, or any other difference real or imagined.

These are hard times America and I know I am not the only one who is Heartbroken at what we've become.  The good news is there are answers, there is a way, there is hope, but not until we stop our school yard ways and collectively decide to work at the problems, not talk at them.  Realize that the voice of 300 million is stronger than that of any dollar.  When the powers that be finally realize that we mean what we say and show the guts to ACT on our convictions, only then will this Country start to move again.