Cranky Man's Lawn Green & clean, venting my spleen

Memorial Day been observed in the United States since the Civil War.  Though many towns lay claim to its origins (also known as Decorations Day), legend states that Southern women were the first to decorate the graves of loved ones and neighbors in the immediate aftermath of the War Between the States.  In 1868, a little noted successor to Ulysses S. Grant as General of the Army of the Potomac, John Logan declared Memorial Day to fall on May 30, 1868.

In 1967, the U.S. Congress made the title “Memorial Day” official on a national level.  And just a year later Congress passed the Uniform Holidays Bill, which moved Memorial Day and three other federal holidays to Mondays.  

Leave it to Congress to screw up a good idea!    

Now before you flip out at me, let me assure you that I too enjoy a long three-day weekend.  But in reality, Congress’ admittedly successful attempt to promote domestic spending and increased tourism, also served to distract many – though certainly not all – from the true purpose of setting aside a day to remember all of those who died protecting us,  who died for our freedom or the freedom of others, and – as in The Civil War – who died to define what present day America would look like.   

“Celebrating” just never sounds like the right word to use in respect to Memorial Day.

Simply thanking a vet - though a worthy act – seems so woefully insufficient when so many never had the opportunity to be thanked for their ultimate sacrifice.  So while you are enjoying the sights and sounds that make our country beautiful, as you enjoy the company of family and friends, dwell on the immense sacrifices so many - especially those grievously wounded and those who would never return home – gave to us. 

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On Friday, May 25 I spent the afternoon cutting the grass.  

On that same day in 1862, 2400 Americans died in the First Battle of Winchester, VA.  The battle proved to be an important strategic victory for Stonewall Jackson in his Shenandoah Valley campaign.  An undersized Union Army forced to flee the town of Winchester, VA, which had been outflanked by Jackson’s defeat of the Union garrison at Front Royal, VA.  The battle was one of many smaller conflicts during The Civil War that do not receive the attention of the larger battles from the War Between the States.  Regardless of how one feels about the goals and motivations of the Confederacy, one must keep in mind that all who died that day had been Americans, and their sacrifice helped define what the United States of America would become in the decades to follow. 

On Saturday, May 26 I dealt with the installation of a new heater and air conditioner; then bought flowers for my annual Memorial Day weekend planting. 

On that same day in 1942, Japanese Admiral Nagumo’s 1st Carrier Fleet sailed for Midway Island.  His task force contains the carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu with two battleships, cruisers and destroyers as escort.  The Battle for Midway Island was fought a few days later, from June 4-7.  The sea conflict occurred just six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor, at a time when the Japanese were largely unstoppable throughout the Pacific.  Three hundred and seven Americans died over those three days (Japanese losses: 3000 men, four aircraft carriers) as the American Pacific Fleet dealt a blow that would in effect end the hegemonic wave from Japan.  From that day forward, the tide of war in the Pacific would flow The Allies way. 

Tomorrow – Sunday, May 27 – I will enjoy the company of close friends with a generous mix of adult beverages and bad-for-me foods.

On that day in May 1918, the German Army launched a third offensive in a string of World War I battles along the Aisne River.  The German attack was an attempt to threaten Paris and represented the first exposure of American ground troops to fighting in World War I.  The American forces lost over 2900 men in the Marne Valley during the war, which freed Western Europe from the first attempts of German domination.

On Monday, May 28 I will enjoy the company of family while lying low to enjoy the last day of an extended weekend. 

In 1984 on this day Ronald Reagan led a state funeral for an unknown soldier from the Vietnam War at Arlington National Cemetary.  In the days before DNA testing, selected remains of unknown American soldiers had been interred in the Tomb of the Unknowns in representation of all those who were lost in respective battles fought by American soldiers.  In a twist of DNA advancement, these remains were later identified as those of First Lieutenant Michael J. Blassie; and they were returned to his family in St. Louis, unlike so many others who lay here and in foreign lands, never to be reunited with those they left behind.

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Thank those veterans this weekend, certainly!  But most importantly remember all those who never had the chance to be thanked in person by those who benefitted from their ultimate sacrifice.

In this my last (Promise!) Primary Day-related post, I want to reflect on some of the news stories that appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer on Tuesday for which the LONG, SLOW  Day of Apathy allowed me entirely too much time for idle thinking and obsessive analysis.  This is a semi-regular feature of the blog.  It allows me to share some views on the news of the day; and in this case, some of the products of having way too much time to contemplate the world around me.

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1.  Social Security Steps Up Pace to Insolvency 

The Associated Press reports that Social Security has picked up down-hill momentum towards the black hole of insolvency, lopping three years off the estimated date when – if the status quo is maintained – the program so many count on for retirement funds and disability payments will become insolvent.  The date-to-insolvency took a few steps closer because millions of baby boomers are now hitting the SS roles, the weak state of the U.S. economy, and the politicians’ reluctance to bite the bullet and fix the problem!

Lower payroll receipts also appeared linked to high energy costs as employers cut back on hours of operation so to save on energy.  56 million Americans rely on Social Security payments for retirement or for disability.  The average retirement benefit is $1,232/month, the average disability payment $1,111. 

Before I go any further, I must mention that I have no dog in the Social Security fund.  I ama Civil Service Retirement System-eligible employee of the U.S. Navy.  I do not pay into SS; I will not get anything out of the program either.  I am constantly in awe of all the people who fret about Social Security going away because of insolvency, yet they push back hard at any attempt to even open discussions on finding potential solutions.

Hey whatever … Just hope your money is still there when it’s your time to retire.

If SS and Medicare exhausts their trust funds the U.S. Government would collect enough in taxes to pay only 75% of current benefit levels for SS, 87% for Medicare, which currently serves 50 million people.

At some point, Someone in Congress will have to step up, grab America by the scruff of the neck, and shake them into coherence. Unfortunately, that person – hero that they would truly be – would then become a political eunich following the inevitable castration by the nervous herd of American taxpayers and the likes of AARP, who would rather walk around with their hands over their ears singing “La la la la la la la” than face the reality of this worsening situation.

I’m just glad I’m not counting on Social Security for my Life After Retirement!

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2. An Incredible Dream

Comcast Corporation has just released a 424-page history of the corporation entitled, “An Incredible Dream“.  The book is neither a tell-all docudrama, nor is it a casual coffee table conversation piece.  In fact, unless you work for Comcast, you will not even be able to buy it.

The book with founder Ralph Roberts image gracing the cover is intended to serve simply as an authorized history of the corporation for the purposes of integrating new hires and for use by Comcast public relations people to polish the corporation’s image by getting the facts down on paper.

The book traces the company’s beginning as a small local cable provider in Mississippi to a corporation with $50 billion in annual revenue.  Its release was timed to coincide with Ralph Roberts’ recent 92nd birthday.

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3.  Hunger Games

Saw the movie Hunger Games recently.  Very dark, foreboding movie about the cruel and vindictive penalties forced upon a fictional set of Districts within a twisted materialistic, post-apocalyptic North America.  The tribute which the rebellious Districts (13 of them, by the way) must offer each year is that of a male and female adolescent for the Hunger Games fight-to-the-death. 

It was sad, ugly, bold, and fascinating.

The competition is televised of course!  Hosted in a Metropolis populated with exotic personalities.  Think Lady Gaga  crossed with Munchkins from Wizard of Oz.  Really strange.  But a good story that pushes the mind to the “What if?” 

That’s just a little background to set up my subject.  See the movie.  It’s a good film.

Anyway on Primary Tuesday I read two interesting views on applying the movie to potential political outcomes in a given nation (i.e. here).  One alluded to The Hunger Games as a Big Government cautionary tale.  Another saw a government hijacked by greed and materialism with no services for the poor, no compassion, no justice for the oppressed. 

After thinking about it, I came up with my own storyline.

The Metropolis, with all these weird people, was obviously New York!  Maybe San Francisco, possibly LA … But definitely a Liberal bastion.  Of course this means the Leftists won the war … somehow … probably by taxing the Districts to death and then outspending them with their own money.  So the 13 Districts (13 Colonies?) rebelled and were crushed, thereby allowing the Liberals to go hog-wild on colorful clothing, wacky hairdos, and whacked out reality TV.  The Hunger Games allow the Liberals to distract all the Districts – both loyal and rebellious – from the fact that they have no Economic Plan!

Just sayin’ …

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4.  Number of illegal immigrants from Mexico drops

For the first time in decades the number of illegal aliens from Mexico living in the U.S. dropped.  Roughly 900,000 fewer illegal workers are living here.  Which just goes to show that even an illegal migrant hates a crappy economy!

If you took the time to read my recap of Tuesday’s primary voting you also would have noted how unbelievably bored I was during what  a long, long day.  In the best of circumstances you have  candidate choices or tough – even the occasional NASTY  – campaigns that pique the interest of voters and motivates them to get to the polls and perform their civic duty!

The other favorable part of that scenario – from a poll watcher’s point-of-view – is that it makes the day go quickly.  You’re busy greeting voters, passing along information and maybe a political preference or two.  You have the opportunity to converse with neighbors you rarely get to see.  And if that community relationship permits, you can get into some very interesting political discussions. 

But that doesn’t happen on a day like this past Tuesday.  And – believe me - you miss it when you’re there at the polls for the better part of 13 hours.  It was a REALLY long day …

And yet as the day wound down with just a few hours left for voting, I had a chance to meet and speak to one of the least known Presidential candidates running for the Republican Presidential nomination!  Pennsylvania State Senator Stuart Greenleaf stopped by to say, “Hi!”  (For the Senator’s benefit, this was at the Horsham Fire Department building on Meetinghouse Road.)

The buzz you’re hearing are those people, who do not live in the Philadelphia region of Pennsylvania (and even quite of few of those who do), offering up a collective “Who???”  That’s right … Presidential candidate Stuart Greenleaf!  You probably had no idea he was running. 

Well, he’s not … not really. 

Greenleaf simply wants to be heard.  He believes he has legitimate ideas for solutions to real problems.  When he couldn’t attract the attention of a national candidate, he decided to become one.  However, when a virtual unknown – nationally anyway – runs for President, it takes an enormous amount of arm waving to attract any attention.  This is why you might have read about his candidacy in local papers but never heard another word about it.

Yet, he pressed on.  Why?, you might ask …

Senator Greenleaf is a man worried over the future of the United States of America.  He’s concerned about the deficit condition of the Federal Government.  He’s concerned about the competitive status of American Businesses, especially American Small Businesses.  He concerned about the health of the U.S. dollar.  He’s concerned about the effect illegal immigration is having on the under-employment of American workers.  And he’s concerned about Intellectual Property Rights on ideas and products developed by Americans.

Essentially, Stuart Greenleaf is concerned about all the things important to the global status of the US of A!

Now obviously, Senator Greenleaf has no expectation of propping his feet atop The Oval Office desk this January.  No, his intent was to draw attention to the what he considers the Biggest Problems we face as a nation looking to remain economically free, strong, and a leader among the Community of Nations.  His desire is to invigorate the discourse and creativity needed by offering up his own ideas and pushing them out into the American Public Square. 

All Senator Greenleaf wanted was to open a discussion, perhaps getting one of the national Republican candidates – Mitt Romney now his primary target – to listen and consider these ideas for use in their own campaign, to stoke the National Debate.

One of his proposals is unique.  It’s the one I have the hardest time wrapping my head around.  This concept is to capitalize – or back – the “U.S. monopoly dollar” (my wording) with the estimated $127 trillion (Greenleaf’s figure) in federal holdings of lands, property, timber, mineral rights, etc.  Greenleaf holds that doing so is infinitely better than holding a dollar backed essentially by NOTHING.  He claims such a valuation would permit the U.S. Treasury to print enough fully backed, REAL money to wipe out our $15 trillion national debt! 

Now I’m no economist, and a lot gets by me whenever a discussion swings around to the debt, the deficit, and the economy.  But the idea of capitalizing the dollar in this way - at the very least – intrigues me.  Is it a rational, practical solution to the national debt nightmare ?  I have no idea; but I’d like to see it vetted in sight of the American taxpayer!

What I do know is that I really, really like the fact that SOMEONE is thinking “outside the box”; looking for solutions;  unafraid of the catcalls and derision one side or the other always seems to enjoy raining down on someone who climbs out on the narrow limb;  seeking consensus on solutions by simply trying to open the discussion!

When I think of the distinction between an elected Representative – be it at the State or Federal level – and a Senator, I see the Representative (Congressman federally) as the one who controls the way the Government runs and the way it is funded to provide the services expected of it.  When I think of Senator on either level, I envision a Protector of the Interests of the People. 

One Greenleaf quote from his website reads as follows:        

“A debt-free USA is a truly free USA – no longer hostage to foreign creditors, no longer enslaving future generations to unconscionable indebtedness, no longer trapped in an economic paralysis.  By restoring American solvency, we will restore American sovereignty and our greatness as an engine of enterprise and prosperity for all our citizens.” – Senator Stewart Greenleaf

In my utopian view of how Government representation should work, Stuart Greenleaf is doing exactly what we should expect of a State Senator.  He is looking out for the Interests of the People!

For that reason I told Senator Greenleaf I admired the fact that he put himself out there, as a lonely State Senator with absolutely no concern for the cut of criticism or the apathy of those afraid to take a chance, to push us up that first step.  He wasn’t doing it for himself or for ambition, certainly not to become the Most Powerful Man in the World.  I told him I was proud because he did this in the interests of my children’s future.  

Hopefully at some point, They might start listening and maybe – just maybe – start seriously talking about how best to fix things.

Another Pennsylvania primary, another very long, very quiet, very dull day …

The good news is that the battle lines have been formed for the General Election on November 6!  Since the presidential slates are already determined, we will skip right to the contested primary battles that were decided yesterday.

On the Republican side businessman Tom Smith was the overwhelming favorite (39%) to face off against incumbent Senator Bob Casey.  This was a direct rejection of Governor Tom Corbett’s attempt to strong-arm the PA GOP into backing Steve Welch (20.8%), an on-again, off-again Democrat … er … Republican.  My dark horse pick and eventual Cranky Man vote getter, Sam Rohrer ran a surprising 2nd (22.4%), well behind Mr. Smith.

One has to wonder if Senator Casey will finally come out of his shell to face the Republican challenge and re-acquaint himself with the Pennsylvania electorate he represents.  He has been laying low for quite some time.  The only stand of note which Casey has taken lately was to condemn the Washington Nationals baseball team for their “Take back the ballpark”, anti-Phillies fan program.  Maybe SEN Casey is a bit tentative in associating himself to closely with President Obama, who is unpopular in most areas of the state not called Philadelphia.  Time will tell.

The only other Republican race of note – for nomination for Auditor General – was won by John Maher by an almost 2-1 margin over Frank Pinto. 

On the Democrats side, the only real race of interest was a nasty head-to-head contest between local wunderkind, Patrick Murphy and Kathleen Kane, a former Lackawanna County prosecutor.  This race was the nastiest.  Nastier even than the Tom Smith-Steve Welch contest.  In the end, Kane’s Pennsylvania judicial credentials won out over Murphy, who had none.  Kane will face Cumberland County prosecutor David Freed, who ran unopposed.

Aside from local questions, unopposed incumbents and challengers, and the selection of National Convention delegates, that was that.

The real story – however – was the wealth of apathy expressed by local voters.  Certainly there was a lack of big headline races with the concession of Rick Santorum in the presidential primary.  But there were several other important and very interesting partisan races as described above.  Yet turnout was extremely low on a beautiful April day. 

I know, I was there … all day and evening long!  Primary days are torture plain and simple.

Anyways, I have my theory as to why voters simply show no interest in selecting the candidates who will represent said voters’ purported civics and government philosophy in the General Election (GE). 

1.  Everyday voters simply do not care who picks the candidates that will represent them.  For some reason, they are quite content for Party Leadership – be it Democrat or Republican – to do the picking for them.  Yet as we saw yesterday, the Party Leadership does not always reflect the intent nor the best interests of the party voter.  Party leaders do not always have their hand on the pulse of their constituents.  Why most voters don’t seem to care, I have no answer.

2.  The above of course assumes that voters are paying attention.  You have to know there is a primary election to decide - or choose - to not care enough to vote.  It’s hard to reconcile that thought with the fact that this is a Presidential Election Year!  There is an overwhelming – even annoying – level of political news coverage during these campaigns.  Certainly, Rick Santorum’s decision to pull the plug on his national campaign kept voters away, as did the fact that no Democrat challenged President Obama for The Oval Office nomination.  But you have to wonder what keeps voters away from the polls when important local and regional nominations are being decided.

3.  Voters simply do not identify closely with the Parties they list as representing their political philosophy.  This is my personal choice to explain voter apathy in the primaries.  In this scenario, voters make a clear distinction between the collective identification of being a Democrat or a Republican and the leadership that actually manages, organizes, and pulls the levers operating the party’s apparatus.  The voter does not see themselves as Decision Makers, only perhaps endorsers of decisions already formulated for them.  These decisions - made by the Party Leadership - are not defined simply by who appears on the officially endorsed party slate of candidates.  It includes who gets the majority share of Party campaign funding, Party endorsement speakers, and Party-provided campaign logistics.  Here the voter sees the decisions about who will run “for them” being made weeks or months before they even step into the booth.  They are there just to rubber stamp the selections.

Either way you cut it, it’s a puzzling picture of political apathy.