Imagine Delaware?

“All you have to do, is close your eyes, click your heels together and say:  “there’s no place like home. there’s no place like home…”

Imagine Delaware, held at the Clayton Hall of  the University of Delaware, is sort of like that…  The panel featured 5 speakers:  

1) Mark Kleinschmidt,  NCCCCn (New Castle County Chamber of Commerce President)

2) Dr. Domenico Grasso, Provost of the University of Delaware (UD) 

3) Robert Schwartz, Pathways to Prosperity Network 

4) Robert Atkinson,  President,  Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

5) Governor Jack Markell,…

The theme was : career ready jobs through career ready education….   Tonight, the call was issued for a combined intensive effort from employers, educators, and government and nonprofit leaders to build pathways that link between work and learning and are aligned with labor market demand.

The argument was similar to that used by Common Core…  It goes like this.

The job market is global. America is behind.  We need more jobs.  There are jobs for very smart people that are empty.  We need to revamp our education so our not-so-smart people, can perform in those smart jobs.... That was essentially it, if you couldn’t go.

Just in case you are not familiar with the myths proven false with those looking at Common Core, here are the several myths from  above…

1)  The job market is global.  (The myth (or joke) is that no American Corporation pulled out of America and went to a third world country because of the quality of  their education…  We are not making IPods in China, Banaton’s bangles in Bangledesh,  Nike neckties in Nigeria, because of the high degree of mathematical skills their population’s possess…  No!  We shipped jobs over there because their employees would originally work for a bowl of rice……)

2) America is behind.  (The myth (or joke) is that America has the best education across all income levels.. Education is related to poverty;  if you take each income layer of America’s schools, and compare it to the comparable countries which are also in that same income level, which ever one you choose,…  the United States is on top of every single category….   Our +60% poverty schools educate better than other countries whose poverty average is +60% as well.  Likewise, our under 2% poverty schools, beat those of other nations with under 2% poverty…  At the  core of all the inappropriate misguided interpretations, is that our +60% poverty schools cannot do as well as  those under 2% poverty schools in other nations…. We have more poverty than most countries, and that is what lowers our entire national school average.)

3) We need to revamp our education:  (The myth (or joke) is that we revamp our education every 3 years.  Common Core is three years old now, and here we are, now getting this big push for vocational oriented education).   We did the DSAT, DCAS, SBAC’s all in quick succession.   We jumped from No Child Left Behind, to Race To The Top, to Common Core, and now… Imagine Delaware.  Education is the one facet of American life that goes through more changes than Chairman Mao…. 

4)  So not-so-smart people can do smart jobs…  (The myth (or joke) is that the number of smart-jobs is so small… Cited was the AIR study that pushed the parameters to state that in Delaware, there are 3 1/2 more high tech jobs than people who can fill them… Also stepping up to collaborate that was...Beracah Homes in Greenwood Delaware which was quoted as having hard times finding licensed electricians, plumbers, and other experienced tradesmen according to Jon Gallo, the company’s CFO.  Yet a quick check with IBEW off Basin Road, and Harry Gravell’s office in Elsmere, and Sam Latham, Delaware’s head of the AFL-CIO, … all consistently informed me that all their workforce is half idle…  There are electricians looking for work; there are plumbers looking for work.  there are skilled tradesmen looking for work…  The problem being quoted by Beracah Homes, is there are not enough NON-UNION certified electricians, not enough NON-UNION plumbers, not enough NON-UNION skilled tradesmen for Berach Homes to hire…  What they are looking to hire, is “cheap” skilled labor… 

The unsaid premise of tonight’s gathering, was that if you train your high schoolers in the trades, you can then do away with the trade unions… You can hire skilled labor on the cheap right out of high school for pennies on the dollar….. 

Furthermore you had two think tanks on the panel, one chamber of commerce head, one provost, and the governor… It is human nature. When any of us feel self-important we accent those threads of life which make us think we are self important…. 

Missing from the discussion, was any mention of poverty.  To be honest, it really didn’t fit in with the topic of conversation… just like a smelly elephant in the room doesn’t jive when one is discussing delicate desserts… so I can forgive it for being overlooked…  But if anyone is really serious, and would truly like to meet the aims these lofty over-$150,000-yearly-incomes espouse….  then we have to attack the poverty and start educating our children…  

We’ve got everything we need to get it done except leadership…. 

More On The Power Grab Of Newark’s Election

§ 7557A. Complaint procedure; unlawful election activity altering result of election.

(a) A citizen of a municipality may submit a written complaint to the State Election Commissioner regarding any aspect of that municipality’s election activity that is contrary to state or federal law which altered or is reasonably likely to have altered the result of the election. Such complaint shall be filed no later than 20 days after the result of the municipal election shall have been certified by the municipality’s Board of Elections.

The complaint shall state with particularity:

(1) The action or activity that is contrary to state or federal law; and

(2) The specific basis for the complainant’s belief that such activity altered or is reasonably likely to have altered the result of the election…..

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The election law is very clear and is designed to prevent an outside group with lots of money from dominating and one-siding an election before anyone has any idea it is being done…

This law was put in place for the protection of the majority of a municipality’s citizens.  It has been a long standing tradition grounded in Delaware election law, that every candidate, PAC, or group trying to influence an election file finance reports.  The first deadline is 30 days. The second one is 8 days.  Then the final one gets filed at the end of the year.

There was still a window under old law, where a person could spend from the 7th day onward, and the election would be over  two months old before any accountability would be mustered.  One could then see that one’s official was not the real choice of the people, but perhaps the choice of someone willing to put up a lot of money…

That window was closed by Tony DeLuca last year.  After the 7th day, every large expenditure has to be reported in 24 hours… thereby giving the public decent time to acknowledge its influence and use that as part of the electioneering decision.

Polly’s campaign spent $5000 on winning the election.  The PAC spent $45,000… That is a big expenditure.  Nine times what any other candidate spent.

The PAC did not acknowledge its existence until 14 minutes before the Election Office closed on the eve of the election….

At points beforehand,

• they had previously made calls to organize.
• Got promises of financing.
• Designed and approved proofs of printing.
• Put down a deposit for the printer.
• Called and acquired manpower for their distribution
• Paid in full all those who distributed the pamphlets.
• Paid for gas for those vans distributing the pamphlets.

Every one of these acts is in violation of existing election law…

The (a) provision is fulfilled.

Now for the (b) provision…

(b) The State Election Commissioner shall review the complaint and such other materials as he or she deems necessary or appropriate. If, following such review, the Commissioner determines there is reasonable probability that conduct in violation of state or federal law altered or is reasonably likely to have altered the result of the election, then the Commissioner shall file suit in Superior Court on behalf of the complainant to invalidate the result of the election or such other relief as shall be appropriate.

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As one can see from the text it is up the the subjectivity of the commissioner.  Which means if she chooses to ignore the overt influence caused by 9 times what any other campaigner spent across the municipal election, all of which was purposefully not legally reported, … she is free to do so.

She apparently taken that choice, and has chosen instead to reflect upon the sidebar of there being little evidence of misdirected voters, instead of a blatant gross violation of election law.  She has thereby reinforced the continuance of actions, this law was expressly passed to forbid.

One can never know who showed up at their regular polling place, which of course would be in its normal business operation as a school, office, etc, and seeing no polling signs, then left….

Could it have possibly been 116 people?  That is indeterminable.  But at a ratio of only 19 per district if falls within the areas of possibility, and we do know that in the districts where this literature was reported being hung, all voted overwhelmingly for the other candidate…. In fact, it appears that this entire $45,000 expense was not to promote a Data Center among voters most likely to be negatively impacted by its creation in their own back yards,  particularly in the two districts where it was distributed, …but to instead, confuse and obfuscate the proper location of the polling places in order to cut down the number of supporters who would actually vote, which if they did could overwhelm the election in favor of the candidate who was against the building of the power plant.

This leaves two  overwhelming clouds of doubt.  It leaves a cloud of doubt over the Commissioner of Elections… Is she kowtowing to the pressure to overrule common sense and allow this vote to continue? A doubt will always remain. This decision also casts doubt upon the current winner.  Is she the real choice of the voters, or was she put in solely by illegal methods despite the voters choice of a different direction?

When clouds of sulfurous gases, rare earth elements, and radioactive particles begin descending upon the patio furnature, pets, cars and children of Newark, the clouds of this election will become even more important….

The clouds of doubt need to be removed.

That is why the subjective will of the commissioner needs instead to nullify this election, for the very reason that all appearances portend that illegal activities have “perhaps” caused a mis-election….  The commissioner has taken great pains over the past to keep the aura of trust that Delaware’s elections are honest and open… Now with one fell swoop, she is throwing that out of the window?

Nine times the amount spent by any candidate, was dumped into this election… 9 times the amount… Campaign finance laws were broken, and based on the time line we can almost ascertain, done so with intent….

The only proper thing which would put this past behind us… would be to have a runoff election between the two top candidates….   it could be held in two weeks…

Only then, would we know… for sure…

At What Price, Loyality?

This is going to my hard core Republican friends. Why are you still supporting Romney?

1) You know he is not going to win.
2) You know as the election heats up, his Bain Capital experience will make Republicans untouchable for decades.
3) You can’t pin down where Romney stands on anything.
4) He tied his dog to a car.
5) He stands with black people and says “Who let the dogs out, woof, woof.”

Most of you are telling me, “I certainly can’t vote for Obama. I guess I’m not voting for President this time.”

Let’s say, just for argument sakes there was a presidential candidate out there who says to have good government you need: …………………

1. Become reality driven. Don’t kid yourself or others.
Find out what’s what and base your decisions and actions
on that.

2. Always be honest and tell the truth. It’s extremely
difficult to do any damage to anybody when you are
willing to tell the truth–regardless of the
consequences.

3. Always do what’s right and fair. Remember, the more
you actually accomplish, the louder your critics become.
You’ve got to learn to ignore your critics. You’ve got to
continue to do what you think is right. You’ve got to
maintain your integrity.

4. Determine your goal, develop a plan to reach that
goal, and then act. Don’t procrastinate.

5. Make sure everybody who ought to know what you’re
doing knows what you’re doing. Communicate.

6. Don’t hesitate to deliver bad news. There is always
time to salvage things. There is always time to fix
things. Henry Kissinger said that anything that can be
revealed eventually should be revealed immediately.

7. Last, be willing to do whatever it takes to get your
job done. If you’ve got a job that you don’t love enough
to do what it takes to get your job done, then quit and
get one that you do love, and then make a difference.

Honesty. Integrity. Principal.

Sounds good so far. Let us say just for argument, he had chief executive experience. Let us say just or argument that he once ran a state, one of the fifty in this union. Let us say while governor, this is what he did…..

During his tenure, New Mexico experienced the longest period without a tax-increase in the state’s entire history.

1) He cut the rate of government growth in half,

2) Left the New Mexico state government with a budget surplus and 1000 fewer employees (without firing anyone),

3) Privatized half of the prisons in the state,

4) Brought a state-wide school voucher system to New Mexico.

5) Vetoed 750 bills (more than all the vetoes of the other 49 Governors in the country at that time, combined) with only 2 overrides, earning him the nickname Gary “Veto” Johnson.

6) In 1999, Johnson became the highest-ranking elected official in the United States to advocate the legalization of drugs.

7) Shifted Medicaid to managed care.

ISN’T THAT WHAT YOU WANT? ISN’T THAT WHAT WE NEED?

Can you not think of a better way to show your lack of enthusiasm over a wealthy capitalist buying his way to the top of your ticket, by voting for someone who has character, who does what you’ve always wanted, a doer, not a talker?

And to think…. you were simply just going to throw your vote away.

His name is Gary Johnson. He is the new party’s candidate for President.

Remember Republicans. It is your values that are important. If your party has given up and moved on from your values, don’t think you have to be loyal to the word…. “Republican”… What you have to be loyal too, is yourself. Always. Never lie to yourself.

You don’t need to waste your vote on Romney. You probably need to find more about this guy, Gary Johnson, and then throw your support behind him.

Don’t worry it is not one of the two parties on whose ticket he is running. Remember, at one point in time, the Republican Party was a once a third party too. One that went mainstream because of its core values, its principles resonated with everyday American People.

Why Nothing Ever Gets Done In Congress….

It is a simple vote…

Should we or should we not put this man in an administrative function.

Please vote yes…. or no…..

(It should be open cut because a majority have already said they would support Cordray as head of the Consumer Financial Agency.) Just get it done…

But, it never goes to vote. In a motion to stop debate requiring 60 votes, 53 are found….

There is nothing more to debate. Vote yes or no… The argument has been on the table for months… But no… it cannot go forward because the Republican Party (all of it) had 45 members who voted against it…

The agency still has no one at the top to get it rolling. There is no one regulating Wall Street as we speak, simply because the entire block of Republicans, who voters put into minority receivership based on their previous track record, voted NOT to stop debate.

There will be no government until there are no Republicans.
There will be no Congress, until there are no Republicans.
There will be no Democracy. until there are no Republicans.
There will be no United States of America, until there are no Republicans.

(Sad thing this is not hyperbole. This is not campaign rhetoric. This is not hateful bantering. This is what is really happening. Makes a veteran want to cry)

Foreign Companies! If You’re In a Right To Work State, GET OUT NOW!

Fact, Alambama’s law is just the first.
Fact, Right to Work States are also anti-foreigner states.
Fact, Union states, have a more balanced approach to business.
Fact, laws passed by Alabama, Arizona, South Carolina, Georgia, Indiana, and Utah, will apply to your executives as well as Mexican farm workers.
Fact, in Alabama, one German executive was detained from a Mercedes Plant, and one Japanese executive visiting a Honda plant, was picked up in a dragnet.. Because they couldn’t prove they were citizens (they weren’t), they were incarcerated.. In both those cases hush money and calls from the state executive, took care of the issues, putting the executives out of jail.

If you are a foreign company, thinking of building in any redneck state to save labor, there is a good chance you might find yourself in jail the next time you visit…

As they currently say in Alabama (while the crops rot in the fields…). “The Law… is the Law.” You would be safer building a plant in Venezuela where, yes, it could be nationalized, than you are in building in Alabama where you can’t visit… or find decent workers who will work for the prices you want to pay.

Move North. Safest place? Delaware.

People Versus Profits?

The Communication Workers Union, consisting of some 45,000 people, has gone on strike against Verizon Communications. It may be difficult to get repairs or service in the next month….

Verizon made 1.6 BILLION in profit last quarter… (that is only three months.)

And yet, Verizon wants to tie pay increases more closely to job performance, make it easier to fire workers for cause, halt pension accruals this year and require union workers to contribute to health-plan premiums……..

These are real people… asked to sacrifice for what? A corporation?

What exactly is a corporation? It is a piece of paper… that says: “I’m a corporation.” It is not a person, it does not eat, drink, live, give birth, raise children, bury it’s parents, worry about crooked bosses, crimp and save for retirement, or go to the doctor to hear it has cancer…

Those people on strike, however, do undergo all those things…

What we’ve come to, is a crossroads….. Do we as a society, want to better a corporation, that does nothing for us, just increases the wealth of the top !% even more, or…. do we want to help our neighbors, who will spend their money in our shops, our stores, our restaurants, our gas stations, our bakeries, our cinemas, our churches, and keep those entities going on a little longer?

Yes, we’ve come to a crossroads… What benefit at all to society is $1.6 Billion spread over three months, when it means $1.6 billion less out of our local economies because of fewer people working? Can’t you see? $1.6 Billion is siphoned right our of the Mid Atlantic economy, never to return…….

What happens if one gives each of those 45,000 workers an extra $1000? The new total, $45,000,000 immediately begins to flood through the mid Atlantic region… Workers are behind on their bills. That money goes right into the economy…

How much of a loss to Verizon? $45 million may sound like a lot, when looking from zero… Who wouldn’t buy a Powerball ticket, if he was guaranteed a cool $45 million?

But, if one takes the yearly total of $45,000,000… and divides it by 4, to see the quarterly total, .. one gets $11.25 million…

So how much of a dent into Verizon’s profit, would that $11.25 million make?

It would impact Verizon’s profit last quarter by 0.70 of one percent .. which means that 99.30% of Verizon’s profit would remain intact…

But an additional $45,000,000 a year would flow through our economy….

And this is where you should get angry…. This doesn’t affect what you will pay for your phone service…

They made that $1.6 Billion WITH the current labor contracts.. those same ones WITH the pay increases, those same ones WITH the pension accruals this year, and those same ones WITH employer contributions to employee’s health-plan premiums… They made 1.6 Billion with all that, and now they want to suck out more???

WAKE UP AMERICA…… WAKE UP….