We The People

Putting a Bullseye on the Constitution | RSN Pick of the Day Right Side News

2011-01-13T06:34:00.000-08:00

Putting a Bullseye on the Constitution RSN Pick of the Day Right Side News

Pig In a Poke

2010-08-30T19:21:00.000-07:00

The phrase, "Pig In a Poke", dates back to the late Middle Ages. It refers to a practice that today would be called a "scam". At that time in history, meat was in short supply. An unwary customer would be sold a "suckling pig" that was placed in a "poke" (paper bag). The customer would not see the "suckling pig" because the bag was closed so as to prevent the "suckling pig" from escaping. On the journey home, the customer would feel the wriggling in the bag, thereby assuring a live "suckling pig". Upon arrival home, the customer would open the bag only to discover a cat.

Two other phrases that came into use much later are: "Let the Cat Out of the Bag"; and "Left Holding the Bag". The first implies that a ruse was revealed, perhaps inadvertently or prematurely. The second refers to a situation in which a "customer" may discover a ruse / scam while in the presence of the perpetrator in which case, both the "cat" and the perpetrator would escape, leaving the customer "holding the bag".

For a moment, allow me to divert your attention from the information above and further down the page, we'll return to the "pig in a poke".

Over the past nine months, I have been working on behalf of a gentleman who was running for a political office here in Pennsylvania. One of the tasks in such an endeavor is to educate the public about the attributes of the candidate. In fact, I discovered I was the one who received an education. It was, and is, amazing to me how my fellow citizens view the political process and their thoughts regarding their part in the process. They do not seen to realize how much their lives are affected by political decisions. They can be catagorized into three groups. I am not sure of the percentage of each of the three groups, but they are significant for the first two.

One of the groups is those folks who do not vote at all. They may "justify" their decision by saying, "All the politicians are crooks, so why should I vote for any one of them". Or they may simply state that, "I'm too busy".

Another of the groups is comprised of folks who, for whatever reason, always vote a "straight party ticket". Perhaps their parents did the same and somehow they feel they would be "dishonoring" their parents if they voted for the opposition or for individual candidates!! Another reason they may vote a "straight party ticket" is that it's quicker to do so rather than vote for individual candidates. Yet another reason is that they feel it is too time consuming, before going to the polls, to research the record(s) of individual candidates in order to be able to choose the best candidates based on their past performance.

The third group is comprised of dedicated folks who take the time to "do their homework" and research the candidates' records. The effort allows them to identify which of the candidates are worthy of their vote. This group can be relatively assured that the candidates for whom they vote will dispatch their responsibilities in a truthful, ethical, and honest manner.

The first two groups are chiefly responsible for decisions made by politicians who should never have been voted into office. Decisions made by them may be described as "mean spirited", selfish, and certainly not in favor of the total population. Those who do not vote at all fail to take the opportunity to rid the ranks of politicians who demonstrate disregard for their constituents. Those politicians are known by their deeds, or more appropriately, their misdeeds.

Those who vote a "straight party ticket" are in fact, voting for a "pig in a poke". While some of the candidates on the ticket may be qualified, upstanding politicians, there may just as well be some who will "show their true colors" once they get into office. By that time, it's too late to ferret out the incompetents, the ne'er-do-wells, and the "hooray for me and the H _ _l with you" candidates.

Such was the case with the primary election on 18 MAY 10 when the majority of voters failed to do their homework. As a result, the gentleman for whom I had worked lost his bid for the Governorship of PA. He had attempted to run a grassroots campaign secondary to the party having endorsed his opponent. That automatically gave his opponent all the finance and advertizement he needed to capture the election. Apparently, folks who did vote, voted for the candidate chosen by the party. They were led like sheep to slaughter.

The man who lost the election clearly should have won. The reason the party endorsed his opponent is clear. They evidently felt they would not have been able to "control" Samuel E. Rohrer. Mr. Rohrer is "cut from a different cloth". He was the only candidate, of both parties, who had introduced a plan six years previously to do away with the most divisive tax imposed on property owners. But all is not lost!!

There is still an opportunity for Mr. Rohrer to become our next Governor. Hopefully, voters from all parties will do their homework and realize that he is the only man eminently qualified for the position. You can learn more about the effort on his behalf at www.samrohrerwritein.org Do a favor for all of us by setting a good example for your children and "do your homework" as you expect them to do.

If we allow either of the other two candidates, running for the Governorship of our State, to win the election, we will be left "holding the bag". The only problem with that scenario is that the "perpetrator" (candidate) who wins the election will not have escaped. He will have retreated to the inner sanctum of the Capitol and set up shop with the "special interest" folks and other jerks who managed to stay in office or get into office because of the registered voters who didn't bother to vote.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Down from the top or Up from the bottom?

2010-03-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

This writer has worked as a draftsman and usually draws scale drawings of any project before starting to build. When studying architecture, it is a forgone conclusion that the first of the drawings for any structure will be of the foundation. As each drawing of the set is drawn, the structure rises up from the foundation. So it is in Naval architecture, the keel, the "backbone of the ship" is laid first. The hull, decks, bulkheads, and overheads follow in order with the superstructure last.

Apparently Mr. Robert Gleason does not have any knowledge of construction. Rather than building (or rebuilding) the Republican party from the bottom up, he chose to start from the top down. As he will soon see, the structure he is attempting to build will fall like a "house of cards".

The top with which he started to build is with someone who definitely has "name recognition" but absolutely no experience in the day to day system of government. It is interesting to note that Tom Corbett, our Attorney General, someone who supposedly knows the law, would allow his campaign to lower their, and his, level by attempting to torpedo his competitor with negative rhetoric. Does he not realize that by doing so, he is in effect torpedoing himself?

What a pair, an incompetent architect and a professional who apparently knows little of the English language and the basics of ethical behavior. Yet, these two are hoping to sway the hearts and minds of the voter to rocket them into a winning position!! This writer knows not the team who are coaching Tom as he stumbles along, allowing himself to be dragged down into oblivion, but at some point, it is hoped that he will realize that he has been duped by the incompetent architect and his gang of malcontents.

On the other hand, there is hope. Another architect is in the process of drawing a set of plans for a government for our State the like of which has not been seen for many years. Unlike Mr. Gleason, this architect is starting from the ground up. His structure, when completed, will stand the test of time. His plans do not include any deviations from sound engineering principals. Rather than compromising on any detail that will have to be replanned and then rebuilt, his design will first examine every possible weak element and discard it before it detracts from the finished structure. The architect for this structure is singularly equipped to design and construct a government for our State. He is Sam Rohrer.

While the structure's design by Robert Gleason may at first appear more esthetic, this writer cautions any who may be tempted to enter. This writer therefore recommends the structure by Sam Rohrer as the better engineered and therefore the safer to enter and occupy. You are more than welcome to be one of the occupants of the Sam Rohrer state of the art of engineering principals structure. Your application to be one of the tenants is your vote on 18 APR 10.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Choices

2010-03-07T07:58:00.000-08:00

You are soon to make a choice that will have profound consequences for whatever time you choose to make yet another choice. For a moment, let's look at a number of factors that characterize or influence the manner in which we make our choice of one item or action over one or more others. Choices that we make in our lifetime can be classified as either: smart or stupid; good or bad; easy or difficult; etc. Notice that in each case the words used to characterize our choice are at the opposite ends of the spectrum.

At the time we make a choice, we may have spent some time beforehand attempting to wrestle with the decision making process. We try to analyse every aspect that will influence our final decision so as to "make sure" that we have examined not only the expected benefits but the possible detrimental aspects as well.

On the other hand, there are times when we tend to make "snap" decisions / choices without any or very little attempt to think of the possible outcome. Hopefully, this type of choice making is used to arrive at a decision regarding not earth shattering but simple things like, "what color tie should I wear today", or "should I choose the pie or cake for dessert".

In the opening sentence of this blog, I mentioned two choices you will soon have to, or want to make. The first of those choices is, "For whom should vote on 18 MAY" or "Should I vote at all". The answer to the second part of the first choice is definitely, "YES". The first part
requires some thinking. It does not matter to which party you may swear some degree of allegiance.

If you do not spend some time attempting to examine the qualifications of each of the candidates, the choice you make can then be compared to a "crap shoot". It will be like playing "Russian roulette" in which a six chambered pistol is loaded with just one round of ammunition. The chamber mechanism is then spun and the pistol is then pointed at the head and the trigger pulled. The chance that the chamber with the one round in firing position is a one in six chance. If it is in the firing position, the "game" is over!!! The only redeeming quality of the "game" is that if the chamber with the one round is in firing position, the person holding the pistol will no longer be with us to make any other stupid choices.

The second "choice" you will have to or want to make is, if you fail to examine all the aspects of the candidates, and you make the "wrong' choice for the position of Governor, do you want to continue living in the State of Pennsylvania.

As it is, our State is in dire straights financially. I do not believe I have just told you something about which you were unaware. If you just look at those candidates who are vying for the position of Governor and what they have stated as their "platforms" (plans how they would govern our State), it should become crystal clear that there are some (in fact most) who do not have a clue how to get us out of a critical situation. Recently, there are a couple who have parroted the only one candidate who has been very forthright in his plans how he would govern our State. Gee, I wonder why the others never thought of how to accomplish it before they heard Sam Rohrer explain how he would do it???

Before you dismiss my recommendations, before you totally discount Sam Rohrer as the only candidate as the singular candidate to be our next Governor, please look at the two web sites www.samrohrer.org and www.PTCC.US . If you choose not to at least look at the two web sites, I recommend you start making plans to attempt selling your home and moving to whatever location suits your fancy. Remember, you will perhaps not only be affecting the rest of the time you spend in Pennsylvania but you famly's as well.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

He Who Hesitates is Lost

2010-02-26T16:41:00.000-08:00

In Greek mythology, the word Psyche describes a mortal woman who married Eros, the god of love and the son of Aphrodite, the goddess of love. The Greeks were masters of stories that told of love and tragedy. In modern Psychology, the same word refers to one's soul, self and mind. The term Psyche would then be applied to describe one's behavior.

It would appear that the psyche of the majority of we Americans is such that we would rather tolerate an existence that is not beneficial to us and in fact may be detrimental to us rather than initiate steps to change the status quo. Expressed another way, we act like sheep being led to slaughter. Only when the situation strikes a chord that is construed by us as totally unacceptable, do we then rise up as one and attempt to initiate change.

In 1939 -1940, it was the belief by the military of Japan that all Americans were "soft", "not likely to resist", that led them to strike us at Pearl Harbor. They thought we would sue for peace rather than retaliate. At the time, our government had promised its citizens that we would not "go to war". Meanwhile, through the "Lend Lease Act", we were supplying England with the means by which they hoped to defend themselves against Hitler's Nazis.

The raid on Pearl Harbor, 7 December 1941 was the "straw that broke the camel's back" and President Franklin Roosevelt declared war on not just Japan, but Germany as well.

We were not really prepared to go to war against anyone. Our military strength was not ready in terms of numbers of men nor of equipment. It was only a stroke of luck that our aircraft carriers were not in port on 7 December. We had to "start from scratch".

Again when the boys and girls in Harrisburg chose to vote a hefty raise for themselves did it strike a chord with us Pennsylvanians and we responded by voting a number of the politicians out of office.

It is unfortunate that we seem unable or unwilling to take steps that would prevent, or at least lessen the blow, of the next disaster that waits in the wings to strike. I am not referring to a potential disaster!! I am talking about one that will cause much weeping and gnashing of teeth starting next year with the real bombshell coming in 2012!!!

It has been reported in the newspapers, presented on TV news shows, and talked about numerous times in town meetings. I am referring to the huge increase in school / property taxes!!! I have noted it in previous blogs. The current estimate for the increase is 25 to 30 %!!

There is a means by which we can rectify the situation. We have the power to change the course of Pennsylvania history. What are we waiting for? A "Fairy Godmother" will not materialize out of nowhere with her magic wand. The politicians, of their own volition, will not take the steps necessary to initiate the change. We the people must take charge of our own destiny, our own lives, our own homesteads, and rise up with one voice, one vote and dictate our demands or else!!!

Or else what? Or else we will stampede the polls on election day in numbers heretofore unknown in an "off year" election and rid ourselves of those politicians who have demonstrated, by their lack of performance, failure to listen to their constituants.

By that same measure, local school boards do not appear to grasp the enormity of the situation and continue to spend monies as though there was no tomorrow.

To whom can we look for leadership in our quest to lead us out of the present situation? This writer has no reservations in recommending just one person to fill that position. All other contenders either have not the insight nor the foresight to qualify. The one person to whom I refer is Sam Rohrer, the Constitutional Republican!!! To learn more about him I strongly recommend two web sights: www.PTCC.US and www.samrohrer.org . If at all possible, take the opportunity to attend one of Sam's Town Hall meetings. See his web site for one scheduled near you. It will be an eye opener. He is cut from a different cloth than just about any other politician known to this writer.

While my words of praise may sound trite, I challenge you to listen to him, check on his political performance, meet him, present questions to him, and judge for yourselves. Do not use "inductive reasoning" to discount his worthiness!!! (see the blog "Why Should I Vote" posted 23 JAN 10)

This writer has been surprised and disapointed in the comment from a number of folks to whom he has spoken about Sam Rohrer and the School / Property Tax Elimination Act. Their comment generally stated was that, "It will never happen". Do you know why it would "never happen"? There is just one answer. It would never happen because each of us who does nothing will only add to the number of "do nothings" untill NOTHING happens. The situation would only remain the same.

Food will never reach our mouth unless we lift the fork or spoon. We will never achieve the most insignificant task unless we take whatever steps necessary to make it happen. We should all thank the Good Lord that he left nothing to chance in our design. Did you ever think what a chore it would be if we had to control our own heartbeats or our own breathing for all situations? Would we be able to choose the correct rate for each when our bodies needed more oxygen? Would we remember to slow down the rate of each when it was time to retire for the night? Would we be able to speed them up in an instant when faced with an emergent situation?

I do not imagine that there are many of us who are adults and still depend on our mothers to take care of us. That means that we have to do our own thinking. If we fail to make the right choices, we have only ourselves to blame. Let's "put on our thinking caps" and make the only "right" decision not only for us but for our neighbors, our relatives, our friends and all those who already have nothing and with whom we may find ourselves in the not too distant future. 2012 is "just around the corner"!!!

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

"Threw down the gauntlet"

2010-02-21T18:07:00.000-08:00

A "Gauntlet" is a glove that is made of metal or stiff leather and was worn in medieval times by the knights. Knights were men who usually were in the employ of the king. They acted in the role of part of a private army. They wore full suits of armor to protect themselves as they fought on behalf of the king. They are usually portrayed as riding a horse which was also protected by metal around its head and chest.

This writer is not certain when the custom originated but if a knight wanted to challenge another to "do battle", he removed one of his gauntlets and threw it to the ground in front of the one he wanted to challenge. If the one who was challenged picked up the gauntlet, it signified he accepted the challenge. Usually, a very strict code was followed that specified the time, place, and weapons to be used.

The battle usually began by the combatants riding their horses toward one another at full gallop. Each had a lance that he kept pointed at his opponent and attempted to at the very least, unseat his opponent. If successful, his opponent fell off his horse and hit the ground. It is difficult to imagine how anyone wearing a full suit of armor, and falling to the ground from his horse, was not seriously injured.

If the one who fell was able to rise from the ground and continue to defend himself, the battle continued. The other was not required to dismount and could continue to attempt to strike the one who had fallen with whatever weapon he had, e.g. broadsword, mace, ax, etc.

Again, it is difficult to believe that the one who had fallen would have a reasonable chance to overcome the obvious advantage the other had, being mounted. If you have seen such battles being shown in a movie, the one who had fallen, if the "hero", always managed to win!!!

In our case, Robert Gleason, the chairman of the State Republican Committee, has figuratively "thrown down the gauntlet" by ignoring the reasonable requests sent to him that asked for an "open primary" election. The requests were based on the fact that by his endorsement of one candidate for the governorship of our State over another, he has willfully assumed the stance of a dictator. He has not followed the will of the people (us) and is essentially forcing us to accept the candidate of his choice rather than ours.

We could not accept his challenge without a reply and so have "picked up the gauntlet"!! Given the climate of politics nationally, it would appear that Mr. Gleason, to some degree, has Masochistic tendencies or his neurons are not synapsing as they should. This writer certainly plans to provide Mr. Gleason with as much pain or embarassment as his Masochistic tendencies can stand. As far as his neurons are concerned, this writer knows of no specific cure for his problem other than to recommend he see a Gastroenterologist who specializes in assessment of and appropraite intervention to rectify the situation.

As far as the recommendation noted above, this writer does not intentionally infer any sarcasm but makes the recommendation based on documentation that anyone who's feet "smell" and who's nose "runs" must therefore be built backwards. Given that observation, it then follows that their neurons must reside in a different location than other folks. It is then hoped that Mr. Gleason will be able to identify a professional who will be able to intervene and provide the necessary care that will result in his recuperation and return to the mainstream of society.

In the meantime, Mr Sam Rohrer's followers who began as a squad, have grown exponentially to a platoon, then a company, a regiment, a brigade, a division, a corps, and finally an army!!! We have an army every individual of which has the resolve to achieve victory. It is therefore that this writer extends the invitation to Mr. Gleason, after receiving the appropriate intervention for his problem, to join our ranks in order to provide the most ethical decision making process for the people of our State. That decision being to choose the one who the people (us) want to represent us in the political arena.

Let the games begin!!!

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

The Real McCoy

2010-02-14T17:28:00.000-08:00

The general understanding of the phrase "The Real McCoy" is: The best quality; Not a fake; the genuine article; etc. The phrase can be used to describe a person or an object. If one has the option of buying an object, and money is of no consideration, it is assumed one would choose "The Real McCoy". The reason you would choose it rather than any other is that one can be assured one would "get their money's worth". The item will: operate without problems; give the longest service; look the best; etc. When used to describe a person, it would convey the thought that the person was: of enviable qualities; could be trusted in their speech and actions; not pretentious; etc.

With the knowledge of the meaning of the phrase, should one be offered the opportunity to have an example of "The Real McCoy", would they "jump at the chance"? This writer certainly believes they would. Or would one look more closely to determine if there may just be some hidden catch to the offer? There are some who may not be able to distinguish the "wanna-be" from "The Real McCoy". Neither would they spend what time and / or effort may be required to tell the difference. Oh well!! They will just have to put up with the "wanna-be" object or person and the poor service either will assuredly demonstrate if it or they were chosen rather than "The Real McCoy".

Unfortunately, there are a significant number of folks who, given the current financial climate, are not able to afford an object that is "The Real McCoy" and so are forced to make do with a "wanna-be". But what if we could have "The Real McCoy" with no reduction to our meager finances? How about being able to have "The Real McCoy" and, after getting it, are able to increase our financial status because we got "The Real McCoy" and not a "wanna-be? How can that be?

Remember, the "wanna-be" does not give as good service as "The Real McCoy"!! So, it stands to reason that if we had "The Real McCoy" instead of a "wanna-be", we would get better service!! Better service = saving $. Saving $ = increased financial status!!! Still not convinced? What if one could have "The Real McCoy" for nothing? That's right, "nuttin, zip, zilch, zero, squat, etc.!!! No, this writer has not "gone off the deep end".

Keep reading, you'll understand what I'm talking about in just a minute.

On Friday, 12 FEB, the State Republican party held a gala affair at the Harrisburg Hilton Hotel. Sam Rohrer had a debate with Tom Corbett, both of whom are candidates for the Governorship of our State. What was most interesting during the debate were the number of times that Tom Corbett made a comment relative to a statement made by Sam Rohrer and one, regarding a principal held by Sam. Tom's comments went something like this:"I agree with you Sam", and "I'm like you Sam".

AS soon as I heard of Tom's comments to Sam, I immediately thought of the phrase, "The Real McCoy". Now, in this writer's mind, it appears that Tom Corbett "would like to be like Sam Rohrer", given his comments. Gee, that sure sounds similar to what a "wanna-be" would say to "The Real McCoy". This writer has nothing personal against Mr Corbett, but his comments say volumes about Sam Rohrer. Why would Tom want to be "like Sam"? Could it be because, in Tom's mind, Sam is "The Real McCoy"? If so, what does Tom think of himself?

After eight years of what could only be described as dysfunctional leadership, we surely do not need nor want a "wanna-be" at the helm of our State to steer an erratic course. We want and need a captain with exceptional piloting skills who will lay a course that will: get us through foul weather safely; steer clear of shoals; take into account changes in current or wind direction; etc.

There is only one "Real McCoy" who has stated the legs of the course he will follow to get us to port safely. All other applicants for the position of Captain may be able to serve as crew but, there can and must be just one Captain. The only applicant who qualifies for that position is Sam Rohrer.

This writer does not believe any of us would look forward to descending into the briny deep to Davy Jones' locker. Make no mistake about it. If we fail to support the only qualified applicant, "The Real McCoy, Sam Rohrer for the position as our Captain, we will surely join the creatures of the deep. See www.samrohrer.org to learn more of our choice for Captain

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Eeny, Meeny, forget Miny or Moe

2010-02-05T16:34:00.000-08:00

The "nonsense" words in this week's blog's title have a history dating back to the mid 18oo's. The phrase was and is used by children to determine who should be"it" or who should go first in a game. When faced with making a decision among a number of choices, the phrase is sometimes used to arrive at the one choice that will selected. Notice that this method of arriving at a decision is most often used by children, not adults. The reason adults do not rely on this method is because they supposedly are able to utilize their ability to reason.

Well, you sure could have fooled me!! There have been countless times witnessed by this writer when a co-worker, friend, neighbor, or family member seemed to have great difficulty when, faced with a situation that required in depth thought processing, were not able to arrive at a reasonable decision. Of course, depending on the circumstances, one may simply not have an adequate knowledge base on which to draw thereby hampering their scope of reasoning abilities.

Another reason that some folks seem unable to arrive at a reasonable answer to a given situation is that they are prone to demonstrate the "knee jerk" syndrome or the "shoot from the hip" response. In other words, they respond to some stimulus with little or no forethought. Very often, folks with this type of response discover that their decision does not result in a positive outcome. There have been a number of phrases that speak to this phenomenon e.g.: "Put mind in gear before putting mouth in motion; Think before you act".

There are some within our society who are expected to react in a "split second" to a situation but at the same time, act with accuracy and appropriately. They are those folks who function within the world of emergency medicine. Whether they work outside a medical facility or within, they must have a large body of knowledge regarding the human body and its functions in order to respond in a manner that will have positive results for whomever and in whatever condition. There is no room for error.

So then, how do we explain the actions, or lack thereof, of our politicians who must certainly be aware of our rather dismal situation but yet seem bent on not responding in an appropriate manner to our plight? Do they consciously or unconsciously employ the "Knee jerk" or "Shoot from the hip" response? Or do they simply lack a sufficient body of knowledge in order to arrive at a solution to the problem? It may even be supposed that they resort to using the "Eeny, Meeny, Miny and Moe" technique to solve what to them, seems an unfathomable situation!!

But wait a minute!! They are not children. They are adults. At least, they have existed within our society for the required number of years to qualify for the position they hold. But just what other qualifications are they expected to posses in order to function appropriately on our behalf? If any of the readers of this blog know of a specific list of qualifications by which an applicant for a position within the political arena must demonstrate an acceptable level of knowledge/understanding, please, please let this writer know where it may be found.

It is generally known that for any position within any organization that provides a product or service, an applicant for any position within that organization must demonstrate a measurable level of understanding of the responsibilities for that position in order to be hired. If he or she fails to demonstrate the expected level of skills, they are simply culled from the list of applicants. If they manage to demonstrate the expected level of skills, they are usually put "on probation" for some period in order to convince the employer they are able to function at an acceptable or superior level within that position. If they fail to "measure up" to expectations, they may be given a "warning" and their probationary period extended. If, after a second
review of their abilities/achievements they are again found to be wanting, they are then sacked.

Unfortunately, within the world of politics however the steps of: "hiring", probationary period; being fully accepted; or being sacked are lacking or at least different than in the "real world" of employment. We may think that we "hire" the political applicant but other than making a mark on a voting form or pulling a lever, do we have any input into the "hiring" process? After being "hired", are we able to look in on our new "employee" to determine if they "measure up" to our expectations? It seems that the only way we are able to obtain even a glimpse of the "employee" is when some article appears in a newspaper that mentions his/her name. Other than that, we remain oblivious to their daily routine. Do they show up on time for work each day? Do they show up at all each day? Are they required to "report" to anyone on some schedule? Does anyone at their location check to see if they are accomplishing anything?

For now, the answers to the above questions will be unanswered. This writer will attempt to ferret out some details on the routine(s) of a newly "hired" political employee and provide some insight so as to allay or alert the reader(s) of the effort. Until then,

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Timing Is Everything

2010-01-31T18:58:00.001-08:00

How many of us are there who think about "time"? It is one of the things in our lives we cannot change. Some of wish we were able to "go back" in time and change something we said or did not say, something we did or did not do. Historically, much effort has been expended by many to develop various means by which we could just measure time. There have been scores of devices invented to allow us to keep track of time. Some events in history may have occurred differently if only time had not been a factor. Our daily lives are dictated by time. We may arise at a specific time to accomplish a task, eat at a specific time, retire at a specified time, etc.

Our introduction to time begins with our conception and ends when we take our last breath. What we do with the time between those two events defines who we are. Some of us are very conscious of time and others seem to take very little notice of it. Regardless of our awareness, or lack thereof, time marches on. Second by second, minute by minute, hour by hour, and so on. We cannot change the speed that time passes us by. When we were children, we could not wait until we were "old enough" to be granted a particular privilege. As we grew older, again we looked forward to attaining a certain age when we were old enough to drive, to date, etc.

Although we continued to grow older, it may have seemed that we had "run out of things" to which we could look forward. Finally we reached that time in our lives when we began to reflect
and perhaps wished we "had more time available" to accomplish goals that had gone undone.

It is said that, "Timing is everything"!! And so it is!! I chose to draw your attention to time given the relative speed with which time appears to escape our notice and too late we realize that we should have, could have, would have, but failed to remain aware. For example, how many days do we have until the primary election on 18 MAY? Only 107 days left!!

So what?? What's the big deal?? The "big deal" is that we may just become the big winner or the big loser on that day. The choice is ours. For some of us, there may be others we should consider however. Some of us have families who will have to bear the result of our choice if we fail to consider the possible ramifications. The winner's choice will be the one who chooses to "earn" anywhere from $2,000 to $15,000 for about 15 minutes "work"!!!

How can one "earn" that much for just 15 minutes work? Each and every one of us who votes for Sam Rohrer on that day will be a winner. Only he has offered us that chance of all the candidates for Governorship of our State.

If, for whatever reason, we choose to vote for anyone else, we'll find ourselves weeping and gnashing our teeth in the months and years that follow. One can only hope that each and every one of us make the right decision.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Why Should I Vote?

2010-01-23T04:38:00.000-08:00

In order to provide some basis on which to answer the question posed above, it is necessary to look at a number of "reasons/excuses" most often used to "explain/justify" why so many folks do not take advantage of a right that is denied to peoples of other lands

The first of the "reasons/excuses" involves the use of two different terms that will reveal an answer. The two terms are forms of "reasoning", something that is elusive for some of us but is essential if we wish to arrive at a decision that will benefit us. I'll give a simplified example for each of the terms and then give an explanation to the question above.

Deductive Reasoning

If I was to say that I had observed that all 65 year old women who were grandmothers rocked in green rocking chairs, I could then say that if my mother becomes a grandmother and reaches 65 years of age, she will rock in a green rocking chair.

Inductive Reasoning

If I was to say that I had observed that when my mother became a grandmother and reached 65 years of age, she rocked in a green rocking chair. I could then imagine that when all mothers become grandmothers and reach 65 years of age, they too will rock in green rocking chairs.

In the first hypothetical scenario, the reasoning that was applied used the data based on the general observation (all 65 yr old grandmothers) and applied it to a specific example (my mother). in the second hypothetical scenario however, the reasoning used the data based on a specific example (my mother) and applied it to the general (all mothers). If mathematics was used to compare the two forms of reasoning, it would be discovered that "Deductive reasoning" will provide results that most often are correct while "Inductive reasoning" will most often provide results that are not correct.

Quite often, when attempting to influence folks to cast their vote for Sam Rohrer, they will reply,"He's just another one of those politicians who make promises and then, after being elected, never deliver what they promised. Why should I waste my time voting for him?" Or they may say, "They're all just a bunch of crooks, taking my money and stuffing it in their own pockets".

The folks who may make either or both of those statements are using Inductive Reasoning. They are using data from just a few examples and applying it to the general population of politicians. Their conclusion is then flawed and results in their decision not to vote at all.

The second of the reasons/excuses folks use to explain/justify not voting is a form of a pathologic physiological condition in which the individual is unable or unwilling to attempt to arrive at a decision regarding any situation in which they feel they are not able to influence the outcome. As a result, they appear to accept the world around them even if the circumstances result in causing them any degree of physical discomfort, monetary loss, etc.

A third reason/excuse is that demands on and/or interests in other activities leave little or no time for them to even consider voting. Those folks usually have some difficulty in prioritizing what should be most important to them.

There are perhaps quite a number of other reasons, real or imagined, why some folks do not vote the result of which is they are subject to whatever the outcome. Some of them are satisfied with the result of the election and others are not. Those who are not will then spend the next period of time (years) complaining about the outcome of the election in which they chose not to participate. Do they have Masochistic tendencies? Did they perhaps feel so uninformed about the candidates they were "afraid" to cast their vote thinking that they may accidentally choose the "wrong" candidate?

At this point, I refer you to a previous blog "Habit", Something Good or Bad? (30 OCT 09). It gives the reader guidelines how to identify their local politicians. Once they are identified, their names will be able to be compared with a list of those politicians who have "signed on" to support the School/Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA). I will provide the names of those who have "signed on" in the next blog. If you do not see your politician's name on the list, they did not "sign on". Gee, I guess that means if you don't see your politician's name on the list I provide, they are either "against" the SPTEA concept or they were just too lazy (indifferent) to "sign on" but either way they ain't with us so they must be agin us!!

The act is formally known as House bill 1275, and was introduced by Sam Rohrer (R) of Berks Cnty. Sam Rohrer has not been successful in his attempts over the past five years to have the bill passed into law because of "wrong - headed" thinking by his fellow politicians in Harrisburg. Mr. Rohrer is now a candidate for the Governorship of Pennsylvania.

Mr. Rohrer is running a "grassroots" campaign. He is running against Tom Corbett, the State's Attorney General. Mr. Corbett has been endorsed by the State's Republican Party. It is believed by this writer the Republican Party has totally ignored Sam Rohrer because he is not one of the "good old boys". Since Mr. Corbett has the party's "blessing", he has access to all the party has to offer including funding for his campaign. Meanwhile, Mr. Rohrer will receive no help from the party because he is "cut from a different cloth" and doesn't march in lock step with those "good old boys".

Scott Brown carried Massachusetts, Chris Christie won in New Jersey, and Bob McDonnell won in Virginia!!! None of them were expected to win anything. So why did they carry the day? Because of a grassroots movement of "fed up" folks who have not had their politician's ear for too long. Those folks were and are sick and tired of broken promises, unethical behavior, and a lack luster history of a bunch of "do-nothings" supposedly looking out for their constituents.

It's time we Pennsylvanians picked ourselves by the bootstraps and took charge of our broken State government!! We should do it!! We can do it!! We must do it!! All we have to do is get rid of those "good old boys" who have lost touch with reality and who don't give a whit about us, the people who put them into office to lead us and to look out for our welfare.

The moment of truth is here!!! Only 104 days left until the primary election on 18 MAY 10. Please, please, please, spread Sam's name to one and all: relatives, neighbors, friends, co-workers, and anyone else you can tell about Sam's plans for the return of truthfulness in our State's government. Make sure you give them his web address, www.samrohrer.org . While you're at it, why not give them the web address of the Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition www.PTCC.US . Between the two addresses, they will be able to learn why they should not only vote but for whom they should cast their vote.

In order to assure Sam wins the MAY primary over the party's "anointed" Tom Corbett, I'm asking you to do something that some of you would rather commit Sepaku rather than do what I'm asking. Think of the goal and be ready to prioritize!! OK, here goes. I'm asking all the folks who are registered Democrats, of which I was one, to re-register as Republican before the MAY primary. You can change back, if so disposed, after the primary.

Why am I asking this? The first step to have Sam win the election in November is to have him win the primary election on 18 MAY. If we can't successfully get him through the primary election, he is not the only one who will have lost!! We all will have lost!! It will be "business as usual" in Harrisburg and we will only have ourselves to blame!!!

You will not be able to vote for Sam in the primary election if you are registered as a Democrat. If you would write his name in, it would not count!!! You must be registered as a Republican to vote for Sam in the primary election on MAY 18th. If you want to change back to a Democrat registration after the primary election, it's OK. You will be able to vote for Sam in the general election in November even if you are registered as a Democrat. But, you won't be able to vote for him in November if his name is not on the ballot!!! It's only in the primary election you need to be registered as a Republican.

Changing your registration is not difficult. Go to the www.PTCC.us web address and look on the right of the monitor screen. You'll see a small block with the text "VOTE - register to vote or change your party affiliation - click here". When you click on the "click here, a text will be shown. The fourth paragraph up from the bottom begins "Registering to vote" - - . The next sentence states "Download the voter registration application here . Click on the word "here". An official registration form will appear on your screen. You can then print it and fill it out. Make sure to mail it out no later than 30 days before the election. To be safe, I'd mail it no later than 14 APR. That gives you a 4 day cushion

Last, but not least, a Town Meeting is offered on 11 FEB at 6:30 PM at the Firehouse in Christiana, PA. Sam Rohrer will be there to explain his plans for his leadership as the Governor of PA. All are welcome.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Sticks and Stones Will Break My Bones but _ _ _

2010-01-16T20:36:00.000-08:00

The remaining words of the phrase shown in the title of this blog are: "Names Will Never Hurt Me". I can remember hearing my mother tell me that phrase when I told her that some of my peers had taunted me with words that felt like I was crushed.

It is a well known tactic used by some to divert others' attention from the true facts. An example that demonstrates that phenomenon follows. In a court case, either the defense or prosecuting attorney may make a statement that immediately plants a mental picture in the jurors' minds. Even though the judge may order the statement stricken from the record, it is impossible to erase it from the jurors' minds. Do you know anyone who always, or at least most often, blames others for situations that in truth were caused by the one who initiated the accusations?

We are about to witness many examples of political negativism that are intended to plant an idea in the prospective voters' minds that the candidate about whom the accusations are made is not fit to be in the office for which they are running. The spot ads we will soon see on our TV's paint a very gloomy picture that at some point become almost nauseating. The end result is that we have no clear idea for whom we should cast our vote, if we vote at all.

In the 2010 Pennsylvania race for the Governorship, it promises to be a one sided contest because one of the two Republican candidates has stated that, "You'll never see a private investigator, staffer or intern who works for us, sifting through our opponent's personal or professional life in search of that backdoor to victory". What a refreshing idea!! It speaks volumes about the man and his ethics. It then remains for the other candidate to appear as though he "walks on water" as he and his staff manage to dig up or manufacture what they consider will be "believable facts" that are designed to influence the voters to vote for them.

What we all must consider is what the past record of accomplishment(s) is for each in comparison to what the demands of the office of governor are. In addition, we need to look at what the candidates stated plans are if they are voted in. As it is, only the one who has stated that they will not run a "negative" campaign has outlined what his plans are. His competitor seems to be depending on "name recognition" alone to carry him to victory. Perhaps you are swayed by that but for me, name recognition alone is not sufficient to expect my vote.

Another thought you should consider is that "We the People" are supposed to choose who we want to lead us. It would seem however that the Republican party big wheels are attempting to tell us for whom we should cast our vote!! We should have learned our lesson from past experience but one can only hope that history does not repeat itself. We definitely do not need, nor can we afford to retain the "good old boys" in office or we better know how to swim or we'll surely sink.

How many days are there until the primary election? Just 122 days until the primary on 18 MAY!!! We better get cracking and do all we can to make sure the man who has demonstrated, not just talked, a truhful and ethical political career gets our vote. Both in Florida and Massachusetts, the people have shown that they will prevail and have voted for the Conservative contestant. This promises to be a very big year for those politicians who have demonstrated their true concern for their constituants.

Until next week, Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Revolutions, Riots, Uprisisngs

2010-01-09T05:05:00.000-08:00

Let's start with a little trivia quiz. How many revolutions, riots, or uprisings occurred in the United States since and including the American Revolution? (see last page for the answer) What prompted the people to band together in a common cause and rise up in protest against their government, or their employer(s) or class within their society?

Some of the uprisings that have occurred in the US have resulted in armed conflict with horrendous loss of life of those protesting and those against whom they were protesting e.g. the American Revolution and the Civil War. Others have resulted in great loss of life within just one group, usually the protesters. Still others have resulted in only a few deaths or no loss of life.

Subsequent to virtually all of the uprisings however, changes were instituted via new laws written, new business practices adopted, social mores changed. As usual, it is far easier to reflect and understand or at least provide some "reasonable" explanation why the uprising occurred than it is to recognize that another uprising is possible or even imminent.

The folks who eventually banded together to attempt to change what they felt was a gross injustice to their way of life, may have individually worked to accomplish the same goal but without success. After being rebuffed by the person / agency to whom they may have gone for assistance, they may have attempted to seek out a different approach. In the process of their attempts to find relief, they probably met other folks who were faced with the same or similar problem(s). Therein is the basis in which a group is formed who then are able to "join forces" the result of which is a collection of "voices of discontent" that has far greater effect to reach the common goal.

A similar scenario is growing in our society today. How many times have you expressed your dissatisfaction with the present financial situation to your family members, your friends, your neighbors, and your co-workers? How many times have any one of them or a combination of them expressed the same views to you? How many times have you overheard other folks, complete strangers to one another, discussing the situation? How many news broadcasts have you heard that speak to the same situation? Have you noticed that the frequency you hear the same complaints or perhaps join in verbalizing your thoughts has increased?

The Democratic and Republican political parties are and have been just about the only two "games in town". The other evening's news however introduced the viewer to a third ,fast growing, political force that may just give the other two a run for their money. It was said that the new group has grown out of many small "Tea Party" groups and if it continues to grow at the same rate, will have a great impact on both of the current political parties.

This writer is not fomenting a revolution or civil disobedience but if the current politicians in our State capitol refuse to listen to and comply with their constituents' cries for positive change, it is possible, if not probable, that the governed will, in some fashion, rise up and rid themselves of those politicians who evidently consider themselves as "untouchable".

While the Republican contenders for governorship have been reduced by one, Jim Gerlach, the party and the media continue to ignore the one candidate who alone has outlined a platform that will fulfill the voters' hopes for a government in our State that delivers leadership qualities. That candidate is Sam Rohrer. Go to www.samrohrer.org for more information about the man and his plans for a truthful, ethical form of government.

All those who are residents of Pennsylvania are invited to attend a Town Meeting at the Firehouse in Christiana, PA scheduled for 11 FEB 10 at 6:30 PM. The Firehouse is located on S. Bridge St in Christiana. The main speaker will be Sam Rohrer who will outline his 5 point platform. Hopefully, you will be able to attend.

The answer to the number of uprisings in the US since the American Revolution is 12. They are as follows:

1. 1775 - American Revolution against British rule

2. 1810 - West Florida rebellion against Spain

3. 1835 - Texas Revolution against Mexico

4. 1847 - Taos revolt New Mexico

5. 1861 - American Civil War

6. 1862 - The Sioux uprising in Minnesota

7. 1863 - The New York draft riots

8. 1898 -White Supremacists oust City government of Wilmington N.C.

9. 1914 - Ten Days War - Colorado miners vs National Guard

10. 1917 - Green Corn Rebellion in Oklahoma

11. 1921 - Battle of Blair mountain in VA

12. 1955- Nonviolent Demonstration - bus boycott in Birmingham, Alabama

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Gung Hey Fa Choy

2010-01-01T10:44:00.000-08:00

The title of this week's blog is a Chinese phrase that simply means "Good Wishes" or in this case, "Happy New Year"!! The phrase is spelled phonetically. I typed it as it sounds when verbalized.

Rather than focus on the rather dismal past year, let's turn our attention to this year. Let's begin planning to work on making this year a memorable and positive one!! In the past postings, I have attempted to give some insight on the major problem(s) facing those of us who are residents in Pennsylvania and how we can change our lot. In the postings to come, I will attempt to keep everyone abreast of the current happenings and shifting within the political arena of our State. It should be a most interesting year.

I presume that everyone's interest will be on the various contenders for governorship of our State. Oh, you didn't know? Our present governor, Eddie Spendell, will not be in office next year!! There are a number of contenders for his office some of whom are supported by their respective parties. Let's not make the same mistake(s) again by voting for a bunch of losers who apparently care very little for their constituents but take care of themselves very well!! It would be to your benefit to look at the web site www.pa2010.com for up to date news articles on the political scene of Pennsylvania.

As we draw closer to the Primary Election in the spring, the number of contenders for each of the political offices will have been whittled down to the real choices we all have to get some real honest-to-goodness folks in office. Let's not fritter away our time, just 4 months, till the primary to begin to become interested in the business of our decision making process relative to who we know (not guess) will lead our State in a positive direction.

In case you forgot to, or simply did not take the opportunity to tell all your family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, and anyone else about the www.PTCC.US web site or the blog address www.wethefolks1.blogspot.com or the web address www.pa2010.com , please make every effort to seize every opportunity you can to be an educator. Some of us seem to be "too busy" to find the time to talk to others about how we can dig ourselves out of the bottomless hole in which our society finds itself. Borrowing from Ben Franklin, "We either hang together, or we hang separately". Let's be a "Good Samaritan" (Luke 10:30-37) and take the time to tell our "brother(s)" about the web addresses noted above. If the one(s) to whom you are talking do not have a computer, why not invite them to look at yours or at least tell them where they can see the web sites. Most libraries have computers but, because of our current leaders, are not open for business as many days or hours as they were.

Talking about libraries reminds me of a rather old movie that, if you have not seen it, would be great to watch. The title is "Fahrenheit 451". Although the story line is fictional, there are a number of factual cases worldwide when the citizens were deprived of reading materials that would have provided them with a greater sphere of knowledge. Some of those conditions exist today!!

I'll wind up this blog with a list of the blogs posted last year:

Post Date Title
9 OCT Are You Fed Up Yet?
16 OCT Receiving Objective Criticism
23 OCT Easy Come, Easy Go
26 OCT Easy Come, Easy Go (correction)
30 OCT "Habit", Something Good or Bad?
6 NOV Phase Two to Save $
13 NOV Mixed Bag of Events
20 NOV The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
27 NOV Twas the Night Before Christmas
4 DEC Sheep, Ostrich, Falcon or Owl?
11 DEC Need vs Want
20 DEC Excision - To Excise
27 DEC New Year's Resolutions

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-27T10:29:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to one and all!! Well, we managed to get through another year. How many of us view the past year in those terms? As we near the end of each year, we tend to reflect on what we have seen, heard, accomplished, gained or lost in the past year. Even TV and
newspapers treat us to scenes and stories of various events that have past into history within the past year. Another tradition that is practiced by an unknown number of us is that we "make new year's resolutions".

What does it mean, to "make one or more resolutions"? What steps does it require to make just one resolution? After making whatever number of resolutions, does it require any additional effort or time? There are many other questions we could ask so as to understand the significance of our "making a resolution".

At this point, it is suggested you take a moment to grab a dictionary and look at the number of meanings of the word "resolution". I bet you are surprised when you read all the meanings given. I know I was. But to focus on the meaning usually understood by many of us, it simply means to make a promise to ourself to change one or more of our habits that we believe is problematic.

Of course, the first step we have made, or should make, is to identify (admit to ourself) any
habit(s) we feel would be to our benefit to change. If there is more than one habit you plan to change, it would be best if you would write them down so as to keep track of them. The other advantage to writng them dowm is that you will be able to review them. It should be realized that changing any of our habits may benefit others as well as ourself. This first step is one of the more crucial steps in "making a resolution".

Now, while reviewing the list, mentally weight each entry in terms of its importance. Write the number "1" to the left of the one that is considered the most important. Write the number "2" to the left of the one that is considered the next of importance and so on. After numbering all the entries, it would help to rewrite the list so that the most important was at the top. It is further recommended to put the list aside for a period of time, a couple of hours or at the most, a day. The second time the list is reviewed you may believe the order of entries should be changed. This step is OK. You are simply refining, readjusting the list. If you decide to change the importance of any entries, make sure to renumber the the entries.

If the recommendations noted above have been followed, much has been accomplished. To have reached this point is a monumental step in the right direction. You are on your way to making life better / easier for youself and those around you. Or are you?

So far: bad or ineffective habits have been identified; a list of them has been created; and the entries have been weighted in terms of importance. But now comes the part that is a little tricky. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to adopt any change in the manner in which you usually live your life? If your answer is YES, you are to be commended.

OK, let's begin. The next recommendation is most important. It is crucial that one should not, must not, dare not attempt to change more than one habit at a time. It is virtually predictable that failure will occur if an attempt to work on more than one is made. It is reasonable to work on the one that was listed as the most important first. When it has been successfully changed, then and only then, start to work on the next most important.

Anything that is worth doing is worth doing right. Attempting to change a habit is challenging. It may require a significant deal of time but think of the end result. Stick to your guns once you start. Do not begin to make excuses to delay or to give up trying. Changing a habit is nothing more than a constant effort to remind one's self to desist committing the habit. It is a mental exercise that will strengthen your will power just as physical exercise will strengthen your muscles.

You may wonder why I chose the word "Resolution" for this blog's focus. While it will certainly serve to overcome any and all habits that tend to detract from a satisfying life's existance, I chose it so as to cause the reader to reflect on the possible habit of not voting at all or voting without any belief that the one(s) for whom the vote is made will demonstrate a dynamic and truthful work ethic.

To not vote at all or to vote with no knowledge of the past work history of the one(s) for whom we vote may be compared to playing "Russian roulette"!! If anyone who reads this blog is a true gambler and places no value on their existence or the manner in which they prefer to live their lives, then this writer has spent his time and the reader has read the foregoing needlessly.

Rather than attempt to exist in a lifestyle dictated by others, namely the politicians in Harrisburg, it would be far more beneficial to spend some time to research the work history of those in office and then be able to make an informed decision for whom to cast a vote. Let's all make a resolution to vote for those who, by their example and not just their words, have been truthfully working for us, their employers.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Excision - To Excise

2009-12-20T17:59:00.000-08:00

Anyone who is unfortunate enough to require surgery will experience an excision. Webster's dictionary describes the word "Excision" as, "The act or procedure of removing by or as if by cutting out". The purpose is to remove diseased or damaged tissue. In times gone by, swords or cutlasses were used in combat. When used, the weapon would sometimes sever a body part e.g. an ear, finger(s), hand, etc. The difference between the two is that an excision is meant to heal a person whereas a sword or cutlass is meant to cause death.

In the Bible, an exhortation may be found in Matthew, Chap 5, verses 27 - 32 "If thy hand offends thee, cut it off; If thy eye offends thee, pluck it out.

In both the medical and Biblical sense, if a part of an organism is severely diseased, it is recommended it be removed or death of that organism would occur.

When I worked in the emergency room (ER) of a hospital in Philadelphia, it took quite a while for me to understand why so many clients aka patients waited so long, after noticing symptoms that signaled "something was wrong", to come to the ER for help. Let's face it, when we do not "feel good", we first attempt to "fix" the problem ourselves. We may take a Tylenol, drink some liquid, lay down, etc. We may even think that a "good night's sleep" will fix us. We drag ourselves into bed and try to sleep but without success. The distractions that were present during the day and the darkness now seem to magnify our symptoms. Some times we may wait hours or even days before we admit our self care is not working, It is only then we come to the ER for expert help. The only problem with that train of thought is that the longer we wait to seek help, we may be doing ourselves irreparable harm. In fact, I have witnessed a few cases when waiting too long to seek help resulted in that person's demise.

For a moment, let us think of our society as an organism that is experiencing symptoms that prompt us to realize "something is wrong". We may even consider attempting to "fix" whatever is wrong by ourselves but we're not sure how to go about it. We try to "put up with" the symptoms for some period of time. In some cases, months or even years go by but the symptoms persist.

We try to extend every opportunity to our "leaders" the "experts" to resolve the problem but to no avail. Let us look at the present situation that is facing our society. You know, the one that was and is caused by he "experts" who are supposed to know what they are doing; supposed to provide the help we all need; supposed to think of the ones they are "leading" and not just themselves. Think of them as the "heart" of the organism (our society).

Who are these "experts"? They are none other than the ones we voted into office to provide the leadership we all expect but many, if not most, times are sorely disappointed. How long can a living organism remain viable with a heart that that does not function as it should? In the case of a human, just four to six minutes.

Perhaps, at one tome or another,you were not satisfied with the care you received from a medical person or facility. In other cases you were not satisfied with a product you purchased or a service you employed. What did you do about it? I doubt you did nothing. In fact, lawyers are just waiting in the wings to assist you to solve such scenarios.

OK, let's put all these thoughts together so as to arrive at a solution to the fiscal dilemma in which we find ourselves.

1. We know what the root of the problem is -dysfunctional leadership
2. We know that we cannot solve the problem ourselves - It's too big
3. We know we need help - Ethical, truthful leadership is needed

It does not lend itself to want to win but be faint of heart. Neither does it require a "rocket ship" mentality to arrive at the conclusion what the next step should be. What it does require is commitment, resolve, and a plan to "take the high ground" and "take no prisoners". Planning requires time and thought. We have just a short time to design and initiate our plan. Let us not fail to utilize our time wisely. Let us do our homework and reap the benefits.

I have given some clues in previous blogs that will assist in laying the groundwork for a successful campaign. It is therefore recommended you review the following blogs: Habit, Something Good or Bad? 30 OCT 09; next, look at The Good, the Bad and the Ugly 20 NOV 09; then look at the next three Twas the Night Before Christmas; Sheep, Ostrich, Falcon or Owl; and Need vs Want. The last three were posted on 27 NOV, 4 DEC, and 11 DEC respectively.

There are a number of web sites that are recommended that will provide important information. The first is www.PTCC.US (Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition); the next is www.pa2010.com ; and the last I strongly recommend without equivocation is www.SamRohrer.org.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

NEED vs WANT

2009-12-11T16:01:00.000-08:00

NEEDS

Did you, from time to time, think of just what you NEED? Each of us may consider what we "need" differently. But let's get down to basics. Real basics!!! For those of you who may have taken a college course in psychology, you are no strangers to the name of Maslow. He was a psychologist who designed what has come to be called "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs". Usually, you will see his "Hierarchy" as a triangle with five rectangular boxes arranged parallel to each other and extending past the sides of the triangle. In each of the boxes are listed words that describe "needs" ranging from the most basic, in the bottom rectangle, to others that may be considered the least "needed" in the top rectangle.

The title of "needs" in the bottom rectangle is Biological and Physiological Needs. The next box up is Safety Needs. The next box up is Belongingness and Love Needs. The fourth box up is Esteem Needs. The title in the topmost box is Self-actualization.

Most of us, in the United States of America, have enjoyed the "Needs" in the bottom two boxes of Maslow's Hierarchy ever since we can remember. As we move up to the top three boxes however, those "needs" are sought after by all of us in one form or another but are not always attained.

I imagine that most of us are certainly aware of that group of our society who are labeled "Homeless". We see occasional glimpses of them if we travel to large metropolitan areas. We certainly see them in news broadcasts on our TVs. What are our thoughts as our attention is drawn to them? Do we sympathise with their plight? Or do we in some fashion blame them for their condition? Do we ever consider the chance that we may join their ranks at some time in the future?

Ridiculous you say? "Fat chance of that ever happening to me", you may think to yourself. That is probably just what so many of the current group of "homeless" thought just before the market recently crashed. That is precisely what so many are probably still thinking even though our leaders in government are telling us that we are gradually coming out of the recession. You may hear newscasters saying the same thing but almost as an aside, we hear that the unemployment remains at 10%!!

If you ever did attempt to consider losing your home, did you take your thoughts to the next step and ask yourself, "What would I do"? Have you actually taken steps to prepare for the unthinkable? Perhaps you should if you live in Pennsylvania!! Why there? Because things are going to get much worse for all of us in the very near future.

For some rather obscure reason, a law was passed when Governor Ridge was the governor of our state that guaranteed state workers, including teachers, 8 1/2% return on their pension funds!! That was great when the market was up. When the market crashed recently, every one's pension fund was affected, including the teachers'. The only difference between the teachers and everyone else is that their pension is guaranteed by law. The teachers are not to blame however, the politicians are!!!

So what happens when 2012 arrives and we are expected to pay the current expected increase in property / school taxes to pay for the losses in the teachers' pension fund? If you are currently out of work, how will you be able to pay for the increase? If you expect to have work by 2012, will you earn enough to pay for the increase? If however you have become one of the "homeless", you won't have to worry about the increase!!

OK, so maybe there is a benefit to being "homeless"(?) That is if you don't mind living in a cardboard box on top of a steam vent in Philadelphia or some form of shelter provided by the government that confiscated your home!! Of course you won't have all the little niceties you probably enjoyed when you were still living in your own home. But don't despair, on special days of the year numerous charitable organizations set out a feast for you to enjoy. The only problem with that arrangement is that the "special days" of the year will not begin to equal all the days you were able to eat similar "feasts" at home. There will be many other things you will have to do without but why should I paint an even more gloomy picture. All you have to do is turn on your TV and look at the squalor in which some societies exist in Africa, South America, etc. Now, just picture yourself as a member of that society!!!

WANTS

Hah!! Who am I kidding? "Wants" are all of those things that are not included in the bottom two rectangles of Maslow's Hierarchy, e.g. everything except food in your stomach, clothes on your back and a roof over your head. You may think you need all of the other things but they are not essential to life. Your life would certainly be vastly different than it is now but you would be alive.

How to Keep your "Wants"

What's that? You don't want to lose your home? Well, if that's so, what are you doing to change the very real possibility that you will lose it? Don't plan on winning the lottery or hoping that a philanthropist will knock on your door and hand a million dollars to you. Don't plan on getting a good paying job either. Remember, the unemployment is still at 10%!!! Well, what else can you do? Is there a "Light at the End of the Tunnel? Answer: YES there is!!!

All you have to do is access the web site www.SamRohrer.org and read and listen to the man who has been working at and remains committed to pulling this state out of the hole in which we currently find ourselves. Remember though, he cannot do it by himself. He needs us, that's right, you and me and all of us to do what we can to help him to help all of us!! WE can do it!! WE must do it!! Also, you should take a look at the web site www.PTCC.US

Postscript:

Have you ever seen the movie "Tea House of the August Moon"? Marlon Brando plays one of the main parts (an Okinawan native). In the beginning, he is seated on the ground in front of a palm tree. He is recounting the history of Okinawa and how many time they have been invaded and then occupied by foreign troops. He states that each time it created great pain for the inhabitants but that, "Pain make man think; thought make man wise; and wisdom make life endurable".

Apparently not enough of us have experienced enough pain to make us "think". Or we have just begun to think but have not yet profited by our thinking to become "wise". If we ever reach that elusive plateau of "wisdom", perhaps we will be ready to cast the real jerks in Harrisburg overboard and vote for politicians that have our best interests at heart rather than just themselves. Someone like Sam Rohrer!!

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Sheep, Ostrich, Falcon, or Owl?

2009-12-04T12:07:00.000-08:00

It is interesting to note how many times we may refer to someone in terms of an animal. Sometimes, we may describe someone as a "beast". What we are saying is that person acts like a beast, that they do not demonstrate human characteristics or traits. Other times, we may say of a person that they are "sheepish". In this case, we mean that they are somewhat timid or meek in their behavior, they are easily led. There are quite a few other animals that have taken their place in our everyday language to describe some one's traits.

Believe it or not, some folks believe that after they die, they will be reincarnated in the form of an animal. Gee, I wonder just what kind of an animal I would like to be if I held that same belief? Would I be satisfied to be a sheep? If so, I would find it difficult to make decisions, always look to someone else to lead me, almost be afraid of my own shadow. No, I don't think I would want to be a sheep. Perhaps it would be better to be an Ostrich. I could run very fast but as soon as I was faced with a problem I would "stick my head in the sand"! Ostriches really don't do that but it is widely thought they do. It is the reason anyone who is faced with a problem and tends to not make an attempt to solve it, their behavior is referred to as the Ostrich syndrome. They hope that if they don't admit there is a problem, it will resolve itself without their intervention. No, I wouldn't want to be an Ostrich.

There are however, some animals who are thought of as having traits that are enviable. A dog for instance. A dog will, if treated with kindness, always greet you with tail wagging when you return home. It will never complain when fed the same thing day after day. It will always try to please you by obeying your commands. I'm not sure I'd like being a dog however. I'd always have to depend on my owner being thoughtful of me. Unfortunately, not all dog owners treat their animals with kindness.

I know!! I believe I'd like to be a Falcon or Owl. Even though they have to find their own food, they do not have to depend on unkind human owners. They are their own masters, free to go where they want when they want. They even develop hunting strategies to increase the chance of getting food. In fact, the Owl is spoken of as "the wise old bird". Wisdom is a great attribute. With it, one can reason. With reason, one can figure out how to solve problems.

You may wonder why I have chosen the foregoing to begin this week's blog. It is because we, us Pennsylvanians, are faced with a monumental problem. At least those of us who are "home owners". In fact, we will never "own" our homes. We are forced to keep paying year after year for the privilege of staying in not our homes but the homes that apparently are owned by the state and our local school district. In case you have wondered what would happen if you failed to pay the state and the school district, you would be evicted!! You would find yourself outside the house you thought you "owned". Certainly, not a happy prospect.

Now that I have identified the problem, are we going to be like sheep and timidly be forced to give up not just the "extras" but some of the necessities in order to stay in the home we thought we owned? Or, are we going to be like an Ostrich burying our heads in the sand, hoping the problem will just resolve spontaneously without our intervention? The latter of the two was adopted by our present governor when he did not deal with the "pension grab" problem that will rear its ugly head in 2012. In case you're not aware of it, the current estimate of the increase of property / school taxes in all of Pennsylvania in 2012 is 29.7%!!!

Instead, why don't we be like the Falcon or Owl and rise up to the occasion and do something about it? I don't know about you but my wife and I worked hard to build and "own" our home. I'm not ready to give up and meekly be told to, "Get out". Neither am I ready to be told that I have to give up any of the necessities just to be able to pay the state and the school district year after year in order to stay in "their" home.

There is someone who is, and has been for years, working diligently to make it possible for us to actually stay in the homes we thought we owned and without paying anyone for the privilege.
That person is Sam Rohrer. If you haven't looked at his web site, I strongly recommend you do it. The address is www.SamRohrer.org . Even if you believe you may have the tendency to be like a Sheep or an Ostrich, all you have to do to keep your home is look at his web site. In the blogs I have posted during October and November, I have described how you can insure that Sam's plan (HB 1275) will be passed in Harrisburg. Notice, I did not say "may be passed". I said "will be passed". If you are reading my blog for the first time, I strongly recommend you read those that I wrote starting with the first one "Are You Fed Up Yet?"

As always, I invite any questions you may have or objective criticisms. My e-mail is johnjhere@gmail.com .

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Twas The Night Before Christmas

2009-11-27T11:41:00.000-08:00

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse

The poem “Twas the night before Christmas” by Clement Clarke Moore reminds me of story about another mouse who lived in a farmhouse. One day, a delivery truck pulled into the driveway. The little mouse was anxious to see what was being delivered. He hurried into the house just in time to see the farmer open the small package. Much to his horror, he saw the farmer lift a mousetrap out of the wrapping!! He ran outside and said to the chicken, “There’s a mouse trap in the house”! The chicken answered, “I’ll say a prayer for you. That’s all I can do”. The mouse then ran to the pig and said, “There’s a mouse trap in the house”! The pig said, “There’s nothing I can do about it. It’s not my problem”. The little mouse then ran to the cow and said, “There’s a mouse trap in the house”. The cow asked, “What did the chicken and the pig tell you”? The mouse told the cow what the chicken and the pig had said. The cow said, “Well, there’s nothing more I can suggest”.

The little mouse walked slowly back into the house, all the while thinking that he needed to be extra careful from now on. That same night, when all was dark and quiet, and all were asleep in their beds, a loud SNAP was heard. The farmer’s wife, thinking they had trapped the mouse, went to see if they had. She had only a small candle for light and before she realized it, saw that they had trapped a poisonous snake by the tail. The snake had bitten her in the leg and she became deathly ill.

The first thing the farmer thought of to give his wife was what so many of us give to family members who are sick. He took his ax and, after dispatching the chicken, made chicken soup for his wife. Unfortunately, the chicken soup did not help. Some family members and neighbors came to help with his wife’s care. Certainly the farmer had to feed all who came to help so he took his ax and dispatched the pig. Even with all the help with his wife’s care she did not get any better. In fact, she past away a few days later. Family members came from far and wide to the funeral. In order to consider the needs of all those who came to the funeral, the farmer once again took his ax and, you guessed it, dispatched the cow.

The moral of the story is that what may be a potential problem for one of us may be even a greater problem for all of us. We need to work together to solve the original problem so we can all benefit.

When I have attempted to explain the effort Sam Rohrer has made to have the School / Property Tax Elimination Act passed, quite a number of folks stop me. They then state, “It will never work” or “I think my idea is better”. They then go on to describe how they would deal with the problem. Unfortunately, I may be the only one to whom they relate their idea. Perhaps they may also tell a few friends and family members. But, they never take any further steps to tell anyone of importance who may be able to incorporate their idea into a workable plan of action. The end result is the situation remains the same and none of us benefits.

We all know what to expect as the new year starts. As the new year progresses toward spring, we will be inundated with TV ads telling us we should vote for a particular politician because he / she know just what we need. They make promises that are designed to win our hearts and minds and lull us into a false sense of security. Meanwhile, that same ad will point out how their opponents are so inept, unqualified, and uncaring. Some of the ads are so accusatory; you may wonder why the politician who is being attacked so viciously has not been found guilty and sentenced to spend time in jail. We are then treated, to yet another round of accusations by that opponent about the one who initiated the accusations. And so it goes on and on until we become so confused about who is telling any truth we don’t bother to watch TV at all.

Remember what our present Governor told us? He promised a property tax reduction of 30% to 40% if we voted for him. Perhaps you were one of the fortunate few (very few if any) who saw his promise come true. As for me, and virtually everyone else to whom I’ve spoken, no such reduction was ever delivered.

One thing we all have to remember is that all politicians will make grandiose claims and promises in order to get us to vote for them. Somehow, we need to identify which one(s) will work to deliver what they promised. As the election draws closer, some newspapers will print comparisons of the politicians in order to make sense out of all the claims we have heard or read. Some TV news programs will present similar information. Before you read or hear any such information, I’ll let you in on a real scoop!!!

Now, in my mind, right is right and wrong is wrong and never the twain shall meet. So far, there is only one politician who has not made any promises. He did not just recently reveal a plan to pull all of us Pennsylvanians out of the financial hole in which many, if not most of us, find ourselves. He has worked tirelessly for a number of years to abolish Property / School taxes. His plan (House Bill 1275) is not a “vote getting ploy” as are others that are being touted to accomplish the same thing. (see my last blog “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly”). That politician is Sam Rohrer. You can learn more about him at www.SamRohrer.org .

Unless you are one of the few who have been untouched by the present financial crisis, you can not begin to think of giving Christmas gifts each of which is worth thousands of dollars!!! Believe on not, you can give gifts worth that much!! It will not cost you anything to give these gifts. It will require a little of your time however. You will not have to travel from store to store (saves time); you will not have to scrimp or sell your possessions to buy these gifts (saves money). All you have to do is tell everyone you know and everyone you meet about Sam Rohrer and his plan to abolish school / Property taxes. It’s that easy!!

Come on now, let’s all pull together to get ourselves out of mess!!

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

2009-11-20T17:55:00.000-08:00

The Good

On Tuesday, 17 NOV, Sam Rohrer announced his bid for governor of Pennsylvania!! Who is Sam Rohrer? Please go to the web site http://www.samrohrer.org/ and you can watch and hear the man who will be our next governor. It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words and it is certainly true. I could go on and on about the man and his attributes but I feel I could not adequately describe my respect for Sam. He has been working tirelessly for us Pennsylvanians in his attempts to have the House Bill (HB) 1275 passed but has been thwarted by special interest groups. The lobbyists for those groups have influenced other politicians in Harrisburg to vote against him and his HB. We're still working on it though.

The Bad

On Thursday, 19 NOV, a repeat of the meeting in Oxford, PA the previous Thursday was held at the fire house in Parkesburg, PA. Once again, Tom Houghton, a State representative from Chester County, was the speaker. He presented essentially the same information heard at the Oxford meeting with one exception. He announced that he: "Had signed on to HB 1275". Now I ask you, if he indeed has "signed on to HB 1275", why would he continue to tout the benefits of some other HB? Specifically, the HB he is promoting is yet another HB that promises to "abolish school / property taxes"!!! That bill is HB 1965 introduced by another politician, Tim Seip of Berks County.

Let's compare the two House Bills, each of which promises to abolish school / property taxes. The first thing that is noticed is the dramatic difference in the number of pages between the two. HB 1965 (Seip's bill) requires just ten (10) pages to supposedly satisfy the monumental task of abolishing school / property taxes (SPT) and at the same time, providing funding for the continuence of education. Wow!!! Now that is a very clever trick and in just 10 pages. Meanwhile, HB 1275 (Rohrer's bill) is spelled out in two hundred and six (206) pages!! One may accuse Rohrer of being verbose or that his HB covers virtually every contingency.

Comparison of Good and Bad

Let's look a little closer at the two House Bills:

1. Forever abolishes SPT for homesteads & farmsteads
HB 1275 - SPT is totally eliminated as a method of taxation and is
constitutionally guaranteed never to return.

HB 1965 - Not possible to eliminate the SPT using the method in the bill.
Plan does not generate sufficient revenue to totally eliminate SPT

2. Eliminates taxes like the local school EIT & per capita tax
HB 1275 - Yes - with only the exception noted below in #3

HB 1965 - No

3. Does not allow schools to levy taxes without voter approval
HB 1275 - Yes - Local EIT or PIT allowed for special projects ONLY with voter
referendum

HB 1965 - No

4. Education cost controls
HB 1275 - Limits growth in school expenditures to the rate of inflation or
available revenue

HB 1965 - None

5. Guarantees minimum per-pupil funding to all schools
HB 1275 Yes - In accordance with the 2007 costing-out study; no longer will
the quality of a student's education be dependent on their Zip Code. In
addition, all schools will initially be fully funded to meet current obligations.

HB 1965 - No

6. Adjusts school district funding with changes in student population
HB 1275 Yes - Unlike the current 1991 school funding formula that gives
windfalls to some districts while shortcoming others as student populations
increase or decrease.

HB 1965 - No

7. Eliminates district-to-district taxing inequity
HB 1275 Yes - Districts without a large commercial tax base will no longer
depend solely on homeowners to fund education

HB 1965 - No

8. Education cost savings
HB 1275 Yes - Combines high-rate school debt into one low-rate state bond
issue; replaces all individual school healthcare plans with one state-level plan
Annual savings is approximately $ 1 billion

HB 1965 - None

9. Technology driven school program cost analysis for further savings
HB 1275 Yes - Data Driven Decision Making (D3M) technology supplied to all
school districts to guage curriculum cost effectiveness

HB 1965 - None

10. Replacement revenue source
HB 1275 Expanded sales tax base at current 6% rate with exemptions for life
necessities; 0.5% state PIT increase replaces eliminated local EIT. Revenue
sufficient to totally eliminate SPT.

HB 1965 Expanded sales tax base at current 6% rate with exemptions for life
necessities; generates insufficient revenue to totally eliminate SPT because of
unnecessary exemptions.

11. All taxes collected used for education funding thereby resulting in property tax
elimination
HB 1275 Yes - All revenue is deposited into a lockbox account to be used for
education finance ONLY

HB 1965 No - $ 1 billion of revenue is used for general fund expenditures during
first three years after enactment; no guarantee that this will not continue beyond
the scheduled cutoff date

12. Completely restructures the broken PA education finance system to align it
with 21st century reality
HB 1275 The property tax system is a 19th century holdover; distribution of state
funds to the schools is inequitable. The SPTEA restructures the way schools are
funded, bringing education finance into the 21st century

HB 1965 No

13. True education finance reform
HB 1275 Yes - The ONLY plan that accomplishes real reform

HB 1965 No

14. Taxpayer endorsement
HB 1275 Yes - Endorsed by 34 taxpayer advocacy groups statewide

HB 1965 None

Want to know more? Go to http://www.ptcc.us/ (Pennsylvania taxpayers Cyber Coalition) for a ton of information.

The Ugly

As noted above, a picture is worth a thousand words. Having said that, ckick on the following for a blockbuster. Make sure your sound is on. Once the picture starts, click on the news item regarding lost revenue for one school district in the upper right of the screen. Admittedly, it's a rather long web address but the video is worth it especially for all Pennsylvania school boards. http://wfmz.img.entriq.net/htm/PopUpPlayer-v3.htm?articleID=1300653

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Mixed Bag of Events

2009-11-13T19:14:00.000-08:00

The past week and next have been and will be a number of meetings each of which have dealt and will deal with the means to tax the citizens of Octorara school district and the expenditures of those monies.

LAST WEEK'S MEETINGS

On Monday, 9 NOV 09, I met with Dr. Tom Newcomb, the district superintendent. I had not been officially notified if I had won a seat on the school board. I was not sure if the notification should come from the school district or the voting offices in Chester and Lancaster counties. Dr. Newcomb stated that the notification should come from the county offices. He went on to say that he felt that I will indeed be seated and that there will be a ceremony on 7 DEC 09. I asked if he had set that particular date. He replied that, "It just worked out that way". I later spoke with Paul of the Lancaster office of voting who stated that, "The votes would be tabulated by 23 NOV and sent to Harrisburg. You should expect to receive a certificate soon thereafter".

I attended a meeting of the school board later in the evening and was introduced to the other board members. I met Mr. Dan Carsley, the financial officer of the district, who has replaced Mr. Lee. The open meeting followed a meeting of the Facility committee. At that meeting, the supervisor of the company executing the rebuilding of the high school gave a report on the time line of the job (on schedule) and the items that still remain to be completed. Given that I was not yet an official member of the board, I acted strictly as an observer.

I was told by a resident of Christiana that a rumor was circulating concerning the cost of a statue of an American Indian which now resides in front of the high school. The resident stated he heard that, "The statue cost $30,000"! I told the resident that I would obtain some details on the matter. On Thursday, 12 NOV, I met with Mr. Carsley and told him of the report of the "rumor". He stated that, "The statue did in fact cost $29,000 but that it did not come from district funds. It came from booster monies".

In the evening of 12 NOV, I attended a meeting in Oxford, PA at the Senior Citizens Center. The meeting's principal speaker was State Representative Tom Houghton from Chester county. He spoke of a number of issues in the townships in his area but the main topic he presented was the House Bill he introduced that will change the State constitution so as to allow another bill to be introduced by another politician. That bill he stated, "Will result in the abolishment of property / school taxes"!! As you may imagine, there was great interest in his presentation from the packed house. Unfortunately, in addition to describing the details of his bill and the bill to be introduced, he also talked about yet another bill that was introduced last year by Sam Rohrer, a State Representative from Berks county. That bill is House Bill 1275 and is designed to abolish property / school taxes. Mr. Rohrer had to attach HB 1275 as an amendment to HB 1600 last year just to get his bill out of committee so that it could be discussed on the floor of the House. In that form, it was defeated but still remained intact but in committee. Mr Rohrer re-introduced the bill on 29 OCT 09 and at this time it is in committee once again.

As a result of the details of all the bills discussed, I can only imagine that a significant number of folks were somewhat confused or at the very least, felt that they could do nothing about the process that would be required to effect some degree of influence on the decision making process in Harrisburg. At this point, I will refer you back to the previous blogs I have posted that detail what we all can and need to do to "light a fire" under the politicians so that they will stop their infighting and adopt the only bill that will definitely abolish the property / school taxes. That bill is HB 1275. A comparison between HB 1275 and the bill to be introduced that purports will do the same thing is dramatic. There are too many "Could Be's" and "Maybe's" and "If's" in the bill yet to be introduced. HB 1275 is "rock solid".

NEXT WEEK"S MEETINGS

Next week's meetings start off with another school board meeting on Monday evening. Again I will be just an observer. I'll report any details I can in next week's blog.

On Tuesday evening, I will attend a Historical event at the Spring Twp. Fire Dept. in West Lawn, PA (near Reading, PA). At that location, Sam Rohrer is scheduled to announce his intention to run for the governor of our state in next year's election!!! OK everyone, it's time to step up and be counted. I have worked on behalf of this man and his mission to have HB 1275 passed for the past two years. He is a tireless advocate for our well being and deserves our utmost dedication. If you want to receive the same promises, evasions, untruths, etc. we have received from our present governor, vote for the other guy. If you want dedication and truth, work for and vote for Sam Rohrer!!! More to come relative to Sam and his quest later.

On Thursday, 19 NOV, another meeting at the Borough bldg. in Parkesburg, PA. State Representative Tom Houghton will again present his bill to those who attend. I will be at that meeting and report about it in next week's blog. Untill then -

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

PHASE TWO to SAVE $

2009-11-06T17:35:00.000-08:00

Step One - Phase Two

In the past four blogs, the focus was dealing with the politicians and their unethical decisions regarding our money. This blog will look at the other end of the spectrum, the local school board and how they spend our tax money.

Three years ago, I attended a school board meeting at Octorara school district. At the point when the audience was invited to ask a question or make a statement, I raised my hand and was recognized. When I stood, I recounted how appreciative I was to God that I was healthy enough to continue to work. I further stated that I had to find a part time job in order to pay my property / school taxes. A school board member stood and stated, "We don't care". It was at that point that I realized it was a "them or me" scenario. I decided it was going to be a "me" scenario.

In 2007, a "Tax Summit" meeting was held at the high school. Seated on the stage was a collection of politicians, representatives from the surrounding boroughs, and an MC. There were approximately 600 folks in the audience. The MC introduced each of those on the stage and the meeting proceeded. The audience was told that any question they may have should be written on a 3" x 5" card and submitted to the group on stage. While some questions were answered, the fact that they had been written on cards gave the politicians on stage an opportunity to totally ignore other questions. All in all, the general meeting was a dismal failure in that we essentially were told that "this is the way it is and nothing will change".

After the general meeting, each politician retired to a separate room where folks were able to ask questions and some attempt was made to answer them. It was at one of these smaller meetings that I learned of the State wide organization The Pennsylvania Taxpayers' Cyber Coalition". I couldn't wait to get home and go to their web address to see what it was all about. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning when I began reading all the information on the web site!! The site address is www.PTCC.US

I began formulating a plan to alert folks in my area that there was something they could do about the tax situation other than complain to their relatives, neighbors, friends, and c0-workers. I made up an announcement sheet, had 500 copies made and posted them in all the local businesses, and slipped the rest under folks windshield wipers. I needed a place to hold the meeting I was advertising and a small local restaurant owner offered her place for our use. It was soon realized that it would not be large enough so she asked the local fire chief if the firehouse could be used.

We held our first meeting at the firehouse on 15 JAN 1007. A crowd of 150 folks attended and David Baldinger, the administrator of PTCC was the main speaker. Quite a number of folks had questions that were answered by David. The meeting was video taped by a local business. One of the attendees was the Octorara school district superintendent. He and David discussed the mission of the PTCC after the meeting. As a result of the meeting, a group was formed and accepted into the PTCC. We call ourselves CLASTA (Ches-Lan Anti School Tax Assoc.) WE were the 27th group in the organization. There are now 34 groups.

Shortly after, I realized that getting the politicians to change their ways was going to be a genuine challenge. It was then that I decided that perhaps I could begin looking at the other end of the money trail. I was given an opportunity to seek election to the school board this year and I began to work toward that end. I succeeded in getting my name on the ballot for the primary in MAY and just last Tuesday I was rewarded with 332 votes in the general election. One promise I will make to the first meeting of the school board and to the residents of the school district is that I will never respond to anyone, "I don't care". I do care. That's the reason I applied for the position on the board.

It is my intention to: question every proposition; understand all the details before giving my vote; consider those who were taxed and those on whom the taxes will be spent. I feel it is incumbent upon me as a board member to arrive at decisions that are considerate of all concerned. In this financial climate we all have to "tighten our belts".

If you feel so moved, perhaps you would be willing to consider becoming a board member of your local school district rather than assuming what you feel is an unjust tax burden and liken it to a penance for some sin(s). You will be on the "inside" and perhaps be able to influence the board not to simply "rubber stamp" every request made for more money without in depth consideration first.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

"Habit", Something Good or Bad?

2009-10-30T16:48:00.000-07:00

Since this is the season for many of our young ones to adopt a "habit"/costume in order to accumulate a hoard of goodies, I thought it was a good place to begin this week's blog. I am willing to bet that each of us at one time or another have assumed a different persona by donning a piece of clothing not usually worn by us. Perhaps, a simple dishtowel worn as a cape and we not only pretended to be Superman, we were Superman!! Or perhaps a smidgen of mom's makeup and we became a fairy princess! These examples were one kind of "habit". They were part of growing up.

As we became older, we may have adopted a different kind of "habit". Perhaps we did so because of peer pressure, we just wanted to "fit in", to be part of a group. Unfortunately, some of these kinds of habits are not always so trivial as those when we were young. In fact, some of them may have negatively changed our lives forever.

Now, to the meat of this week's blog. I request that you adopt a habit that will have a positive result for you and for that matter, for all of us. In order to be successful in your effort to develop the habit I am recommending, you will need four items: a pencil / pen; a small note pad / sticky notes; tape; and a phone. The singular most important item you will need however is commitment!! Once you begin, don't give up! Stick to your guns! Stay the course! After just a short time, you will have developed the habit. For those of you who would rather use a computer than a phone substitute it for the phone. Now to get started.

The first activity to get started is to identify your local politicians. Access the Pennsylvania Taxpayers' Cyber Coalition at www.PTCC.US . Look on the left side for the heading Find your Legislators. Click on it and enter your zip code in the appropriate place. If you don't know what the four numbers are that should follow the usual five digit zip code for your address, click on the prompt that will provide those four numbers. It is important that you provide the search with all nine numbers so that the legislators for your specific address will be shown. You should end up with just one Senator and one State Representative. When their names appear, click on one at a time. That person's bio and demographic info will be revealed. Note their phone number and e-mail address. This is the most "labor intensive" part of the project. It should require about 10 to 15 minutes of your time.

Now that you have their names, phone numbers and e-mail addresses, the next part of the project is to write or print the following message on at least three sticky notes or pages from the note pad: Call (or e-mail) my local legislators today. Now, using the tape, affix the notes to those places where you will not fail to notice them when you arise at whatever time you usually get up each day, e.g.: the bathroom mirror; the handle of the refrigerator; the coffee pot handle; the inside door knob; etc. Perhaps you will be able to think of many more locations that will serve to remind you to Call (or e-mail) your local Legislator every day.

Now that you have identified your local Legislators and written / printed your reminder notes, take a minute or two and mentally compose a "strong" message you will say or type so that you will get their attention. Do not resort to expletives to get you point across. Don't be too soft or whine / whimper. Remember, they are (or at least are supposed to be) our employees!! State your demand as though they were an errant child. At this point, rather than mention how you have been negatively affected financially (form of whining), suggest they cross train for a different carreer if they do not demonstrate support for the School Property Tax Elimination Act (SPTEA). The bill was re-presented by Sam Rohrer on 29 OCT 09.

Our opportunity to oust the noncompliant legislators is next year. We will have given them more than ample time to do either one of two things. Either they will submit to our demand or they had better make good use of the time to cross train.

In my last blog, I perhaps went a little over the top when I assumed there may be as many as 9 million + voters who would call their local Legislators. OK, so perhaps there are just 4,500,000 voters. If they all called or e-mailed their local Legislators every day each Senator could look forward to about 90,000 messages per day and each Representative would receive about 23,000 messages per day!!! I do not believe they will be able to ignore us for any appreciable time.

It may sound too easy to sway their thinking by just calling / e-mailing them with our demand but remember, there is strength in numbers. In order to be successful, it is important, it is crucial, it is critical we band together as one voice the crescendo of which will reach even those Legislators who attempt to ignore us, who may even resort to: stuffing cotton in their ears; refusing to look at our e-mails; etc. If any of the foregoing action on their part occurs, it will be time to inform the local media that our "leaders" are refusing to pay attention to their employers. If that occurs, the media will see it as an opportunity to become like vultures and descend on the Legislators as thought they were a piece of rotting meat!

Remember the goal. The School Property Tax Elimination Act must be passed if we all want to keep our homes, not have to scrimp and do without the necessities, forget the niceties.

Please do not forget anyone you know who does not have a computer and therefore does not have the means to identify their Legislators, e.g. your neighbors, friends, extended family, co-workers. Please assist them to get the data they need to contact their legislators so they can lend their voices to ours. Perhaps there is a senior family member with Arthritis who has difficulty writing. You could write the reminder notes for them and post them in strategic locations in their home so they would be reminded to call their Legislators every day.

If you have any difficulty locating your Legislators, contact me and I'll help you out. You can reach me at johnjhere@gmail.com .

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

"Easy Come -Easy Go" Correction

2009-10-26T19:29:00.000-07:00

I was wondering how many folks would catch the errors I included in my math seen in paragraph three of the blog posted on 23 OCT 09. The number indicating the total of residents in our state for the last census is correct (12,448,279). The number indicating those who were less than 18 years old is correct (22.2%). The errors are as follows:

1. The number of possible voters in the state at that time was 9,684,761
2. 5% of that number is actually 484,238 (possibly unable to vote)
3. That leaves about 9,200,523 who could call their local politicians
4. Each of the Senators would receive 184,011 phone calls
5 Each of the State Representatives would receive 45,547 phone calls

Although the numbers are relatively close, "closeies" only count in horseshoes and hand grenades.

How many folks caught the errors? No one came to "Drum me out of the corps; break my saber; rip my buttons off; hang me from the yardarm; keel haul me; or make me walk the plank!!! Perhaps you were all being "politically correct" since the numbers were "close". Remember the title of blog #2 (Receiving Objective Criticism")? I welcome any "Objective" criticism you may have. "Subjective" criticism, while interesting, does not lend itself to consideration.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

"Easy Come, Easy GO"

2009-10-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

OK, it's time to count the times we called our local politicians since last week. Don't know what I'm talking about? Perhaps you did not get to read blog #1 (Are You Fed Up Yet?- 9 OCT) and /or blog #2 (Receiving Objective Criticism" - 16 OCT). I suggest you read them before continuing with this one. You can read them by looking to the left of this blog. You'll see a heading "Blog Archives". The titles of each of the first two blogs are listed under the heading. Just click on either of them and you will be able to read each of them.

OK, now for question #2. Did you access the web address www.PTCC.US noted in Blog #2? It is loaded with info including a means by which you can determine who your local politicians are and their phone numbers.

As of the last census, there were 12,448,279 residents in our state. Of that number, 22.2% were less than 18 years old. That means there were possibly 9,648,761 voters in our state. Admittedly, there were certainly some number of those who were medically unable to vote (perhaps as many as .5% or 482,438. This leaves us with roughly 9,166 folks who could call their local politicians!! If every one of those folks called, each of the 50 Senators would receive 183,326 calls and each of the state Representatives would receive 45,378 calls each day!!! How long do you think they would ignore us?

It is imperative we stay focused. When you call, stay "on track". The number ONE complaint must be regarding property/school taxes!!! At this point, it should be the only one!! The way to get out from under the antiquated and unconscionable property/school tax is for House Bill 1275 to be passed into law (go to www.PTCC.US for more info)!! Remember, 2012 is relatively, "just around the corner". If you've survived this long , you just may not make it when 2012 arrives. Don't allow yourselves to be forced from your homes because the politicians expect us to rectify their error(s). Remember, the current rise in property/school taxes in 2012 is 20 -30%!!!

The boys and girls in Harrisburg think that property tax is the "way to get more money". They believe this is the "Easy Come" part of this blog. The "Easy Go" part is the way the money is spent by the local school boards. How can you influence the school boards? The easiest way is to attend the school board meetings. It doesn't matter that you do not have any children going to school in that district. You still have to pay school taxes!! Listen to what is being discussed and be ready to give your input. The more folks who attend the meetings and let their concerns be known, the better chance we all have to be rid of this yoke that has been dragging us down.

A more time consuming way to influence the decisions of the school board is to become a member. Unfortunately, much of the money allocated for the schools is mandated by either the Federal and/or State government. Just a small portion can be spent by the school boards. The folks on the school boards are not paid but they still wield a lot of power. If I'm successful in my bid to be a school board member this year, I intend to question every expenditure requested by the district superintendent.

Please, let me hear from you. You can reach me via e-mail at johnjhere@gmail.com . Let me know of any problems reaching your local Representatives or if you are rebuffed by whoever answered their phone.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Receiving Objective Criticism

2009-10-16T12:39:00.000-07:00

Who To Blame?

I imagine that many of us fall into that category of folks who, when something goes wrong, tend to identify someone else on whom to place the blame. The only one in history I know of who "owned up" to a error was George Washington. When his father asked him, "George, did you chop down the cherry tree?". George answered, "Yes father, I chopped down the cherry tree". How many of us would have told the truth if we had been in George's shoes?

In the first blog posting, "Are you "Fed Up" Yet?" (9 OCT 09), I alluded to "two issues that are affecting us now and will have a greater affect in the near future". In this posting, I will identify the first of the issues and make recommendations how we can change the outcome to a positive one.

History of the Problem

During Governor Ridge's tenure, a law was passed that guaranteed the public school teachers' pension fund would earn "x" %. When the national fiscal debacle hit, virtually everyone's pension savings were negatively affected, including the teachers'. Under Governor Rendell's "leadership", means to deal with the problem were deferred until 2012 (the Ostrich syndrome). I don't have the actual figure but we're talking BILLIONS of dollars (reported in the Lancaster Sunday News, 24 MAY 09)!! Remember, by law, the fund's loss has to be made up. Now who do you believe will be expected to make up the shortfall? The current estimate of the expected rise of property/school taxes for 2012 is in the neighborhood of 20 to 30%!! It is also expected that in the years after that, there will be raises as well. Who should we blame for this? The teachers? NO. The politicians? Well, maybe. Who else then?

The Real Culprit(s)

We only have ourselves to blame!! Yep, that's right. Let's be honest. Let's "own up" to our tendency to most often take the "easy way out". What am I talking about you ask? How many of us are able to name our local politicians? Even if we know their names, what do we know about their values? Is any effort made by us to "know all about" whoever we are going to vote into a position that just may come back to bite us? What are their achievements (if any) starting from their first day in any political position? Do we even vote or are we "too busy"? For some obscure reason, do we always vote a "straight ticket" (Democratic or Republican)? Perhaps, those of us who do is because it "takes too long" to vote for individuals on the ballot. It's a lot easier to just vote a "straight ticket" even though we may know of a few individuals on the ticket about whom we know nothing or we do know they will not serve honorably/ethically . Maybe we are "dyed in the wool" Democrats or Republicans. Why? Do we think that we'll go to Hell or that we will be dishonoring our parents' beliefs if we split our vote. If we're old enough to vote, then we are also old enough to think and to question. C'mon, let's show some chutzpah, some backbone, some courage to do what down deep, we know we should do. This is our country!!! Countless men and women have given the ultimate sacrifice to provide our nation with, among other things, the right to vote and to vote right. Let us not dishonor them by being like a sheep and being led to slaughter. Don't allow some in political office dictate that we should lose our homes because they initiated a scenario in which many, and soon to be most, of us will have to not just sacrifice but will have to apply for welfare. Ha! Who am I kidding? How can the government expect to support more of us when they couldn't take care of those of us who have already hit rock bottom?

How To Solve The Problem

Certainly, we cannot expect to solve the problem "overnight". Remember, there were two problem issues mentioned in my first blog. We'll deal with the second issue in the coming postings of my blog. OK, let's turn our attention to the first issue noted above. In next week's posting, I'll show the names of folks who we can target for our vote in the upcoming election. Unfortunately, I don't know the names of those outside of my own district. Not to worry though. I'll give you a means by which you identify the names of all politicians in Pennsylvania and how you can contact them. You can then call them by phone or e-mail them or both with your concerns. Call them once. NO, I don't mean just "once". I mean once a day (or more if you desire).

Are you familiar with the technique employed by many children to get what they want. Perhaps you were one of those children so you won't need any practice!! Yep, that's right. Pester, hound, harass, heckle, badger and annoy your local politicians with your complaints until, like parents, they finally listen to not just you but all of your friends, neighbors, family, co-workers and everyone else you can enlist to lend their voices to effect a change in the manner in which they (the politicians) have been doing business!!!

Following is a web site that will provide tons of information including a means by which to identify your local politicians: www.PTCC.US (Pennsylvania Taxpayers Cyber Coalition). On the left side is a link "Find your Legislator". Click on this link and you will see a page that allows you to find your Legislator 3 ways - by zip code, by county, or by a map (just click on the map). If you know folks that do not have a computer, please don't hesitate to assist them to identify their local politicians. If you know someone in another county, call them and give them the information provided in this blog. You'll be doing them, yourself, and all of us a favor.

In addition, you should take every opportunity to attend any "Town Meetings" offered by the media. Usually they will ask if anyone has any questions. Be ready to stand up and ask all present, "Are you happy with your property/school taxes?" You can bet there will be none who answer, "Yes". You can then launch into a statement that contains information you have gleaned from these bogs and the PTCC.US web site. Make sure you give all present the www.PTCC.US web address. Another source of information is whatever local newspaper that may still exist. In fact, you can go to your local politicians, after making an appointment, and ask all the questions you have. Take note how they answer you. Do they just "dance around the bush" with their answers? Ask them how they voted on various issues. Remember, there is a "Right to Know' law in Pennsylvania.

If you have any question for me, contact me at johnjhere@gmail,com . Good luck with your efforts. I'd be interested to know how many folks to whom you gave the PTCC.US address and the county in which you live.

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John

Are You "Fed Up" yet?

2009-10-09T14:50:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all who read this blog, the first of many, that will strive to inform all who live in Pennsylvania of two important issues affecting all of us now and that will have a greater affect in the near future. By reading this blog and those that follow, you will be able to change the outcome of those issues. Whether you choose to follow the recommendations that will be made will be strictly your choice. Admittedly, it would require an effort on your part to not only read this blog and those that follow but to act on the recommendations given. If you do, the rewards will be great.

With the advent of the National fiscal crisis and the subsequent demise of many "local" newspapers, I felt it is imperative to communicate details of those means by which all of us are being , and will be, forced to give up more of our money. If you think that your current fiscal situation is bad, be ready for it to get much, much worse! You may ask, "How can it get any worse?"

It is not only a National fiscal problem but the States are also affected. It is not only the States but the local municipalities that are affected. All of the above, the National, State, and Municipal leaders have chosen to deal with the problem via taxation. All of us can expect to be taxed for virtually everything upon which we have come to not just want but to depend. In addition to more taxes, the cost of everything can certainly be expected to rise.

For some of us, we have already "hit rock bottom" - lost our jobs, lost our homes, lost all we had. For others, we have had to sacrifice many of the "extras" - the summer vacation, the purchase of major ticket items, the "eating out", etc. For those with "deep pockets", it may have not yet registered that we are all in deep trouble. What can we expect to happen within the next two years (by 2012)? At this point, I'll leave it to your imagination but if you are ready to do something about it, you can react in a reasonable, lawful manner and change the expected outcome.

Be aware that I am not selling anything. I am simply giving you some ideas how you can be instrumental in making right out of wrong, of changing the course that has been set for us by our leaders, the politicians in Harrisburg and the group of folks who make up the school boards in all 501 school districts in Pennsylvania.

Have I got your attention yet? I certainly hope so because unless we all put forth some effort to change the situation, we are all going to "hit rock bottom". I will provide specific information in subsequent blogs that will identify the details of the overall problem and how we can each, with little effort, set a new course for ourselves that will provide a positive change for all of us.

I have one request. Please let me know how you have been affected by the fiscal debacle so far. You don't have to identify yourself but let me know the county in which you live. I can be reached at johnjhere@gmail.com .

Semper Fidelis

Nurse John