I'm fed up with businesses who think I'll keep returning even when they refuse to thank me for my business. Do you know why these clerks are so poor? We don't demand they greet us and act as if we're welcome in their stores and businesses. They don't even feel the need to thank us when we part with our money in return for their goods and services.
I know I've been beating this dead horse for some time but I simply won't allow some snot nosed kid to abuse me in return for giving them my money. I ran out to do a few errands today and encountered more incompetent sales clerks. This is really a fairly simple job. One stands at a cash register and greets the customer, tallies their purchases using a wand then provides the correct change as their machine instructs. Then they say "thank you" and go to the next customer (the next person in line as opposed to the next one they choose to take regardless of position in line). If a person cannot perform this simple task then why would anyone consider them qualified for any other job?
This afternoon I stopped at the Sheetz on N. Fifth Street in Reading for a cold soda. I got my Diet A&W and paid for it at the register. The young lady told me to have a good day. How can I have a good day when its apparent I just gave my money to a company which doesn't deserve my business? If they don't appreciate it they don't deserve it. I asked for my money back. The store made me wait five minutes before a manager came out and refunded my purchase.
I then went to the Giant market up the street for a few items (7 in fact). My last trip to this store was an unmitigated disaster. I had a $200 order and was in line at the one register open behind three others. I waited patiently for some time when another register opened. Instead of taking the next person in line (and we'd been there for more than a few minutes) she took a couple who were bound and determined to cut in line. Today I had just seven items and got in the express lane to find a lady with many more than the limit. She was so slow doing her business I almost left. Then the young female clerk rung me up and said "have a nice day." I'm sorry but how am I to have a nice day when I just gave my money to someone who doesn't appreciate it? I asked her straight out for a thank you. Guess what this imbecile said? "Why do I have to thank you?" Honestly, she had no clue. I explained it is customary for businesses to thank customers who just handed them their money. She still had no clue to what I referred. I mentioned it to a manager on my out and asked why I should ever return to their store.
Wawa convenience stores are the absolute worst offenders in my experience. Their clerks never consider thanking anyone and rarely even greet you. I've taken to buying my gas anywhere but Wawa now though since they've driven most other gas stations out of the market it is difficult. Fortunately I have a Sunoco nearby run by Indians who never fail to thank me. I drive by a Redner's Quick Shop manned by arrogant, racist, ignorant people who fill its bathroom walls with KKK graffiti and cannot greet a customer to save their lives. We get the service we tolerate folks. Use the comment thread to spread your bad customer service experiences. Let us not patronize stores with who don't appreciate our business!
Update:
I saw in our site traffic that three of the aforementioned companies checked the article over the weekend. All but Redner's though they were the first to respond to my direct contacts through the stores' websites. Here is their response:
Dear John,
Thank you for writing. I have shared your letter with Mr. Redner. As
one of our valued customers, your comments, both positive and negative, are
important to us. You may be assured that Mr. Redner personally reads every
letter and then passes it on to the appropriate staff person. We will try to
address problems as quickly as possible and we will share all of your
comments with the appropriate employees.
Please accept our apologies for the negative experience that you had at
our quick shoppe in Fleetwood with regards to the less than desirable level
of service you have experienced from our associates when, through your
transaction dialogue, they did not thank you for your patronage. Your
satisfaction is paramount to our success and ensuring that we can continue
to be the choice for all your grocery needs. If this is not occurring we
need to address and rectify the matter before it becomes a persistent issue.
We expect all of our associates to conduct themselves in a professional
manner that reflects upon them and Redner¹s in a positive light so that your
shopping experience is positive and that your patronage of our store is
appreciated.
The demeanor that you have experienced our associates to have conducted
themselves with is not acceptable and will be addressed on multiple levels.
Our district manager will address this issue with our store director and the
associate involved so that we can bring this matter to a speedy resolution.
We will review the expected service to be given to each customer and also so
that you would not have such an experience in the future.
I will also share your comments of the condition of our men's rest room
with our maintenance team. Our management is to be evaluating the
conditions of our all parts of the store all times throughout the day and
have it cleaned and/or repaired when unsightly and necessary. If our
management is not following these procedures regularly we will address the
matter. Our district manager and our risk manager will go over these
procedures with our management and make changes as necessary.
Should you not be provided with prompt and courteous service from an
associate, please find our store manager Denise Isamoyer and she will
rectify the matter immediately.
I am confident that with the proper attention to this matter we can work
towards a positive resolution to ensure it does not happen in the future.
We will continue to work hard to provide you with the lowest prices,
freshest product and excellent service we have for over 40 years. Thank you
again for your comments and shopping with Redner's. If you wish to discuss
your concerns further, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Eric B. White
Consumer Communications Specialist
Redner's Markets, Inc.
Sheetz also responded. Also recall that Sheetz PAC gave Sen. John Eichelberger $500 to spread his messages of hate in Harrisburg:
John,
I'm writing in regards to your recent email. I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience with one of our stores, but appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns. I wanted to pass your comments on to the district manager and manager of the store you were referring to so that they could look into this for you. I was hoping you might be able to tell me which store you visited. This would really help me ensure that your message reaches those best equipped to address the situation. Please, feel free to respond to this email at your convenience. I look forward to hearing from you again. Have a great day.
I ran a weekly column here for several years called Meanwhile In Iraq... and now it appears we're having deja vu as the same conditions in Iraq are permeating Afghanistan. The argument being put forward for endless war is the same: the Afghans aren't ready to secure their own country. This is almost nine years after the onset of this conflict. How much time will they need? Forever because Afghanistan has never, in its long history, secured itself under a national government. This is a splintered nation controlled by regional warlords. Why we think we'll change that is anyone's guess. I have a few: profits for the American military-industrial complex, the opportunity to wipe out an entire generation of lower class people, the chance to control vast mineral wealth, the illusion that we can defeat The Taliban.
Liberals I know are upset with Barack Obama on Afghanistan. They hoped he would change the policies there instead of standing by his campaign promise to escalate. These well meaning folks hoped he was pandering to voters about the war there, instead he was pandering to the liberals about his progressive credentials. Barack Obama is no liberal, never has been. He is controlled by the same corporate elitists who run this country. No candidate can rise to serious presidential stature without their blessing. Too many profits are being made on the backs of our young soldiers, airmen and sailors to end this war. Since most of them are coming from lower socio-economic classes stressed by the Bush Recession this also presents an opportunity to erase much of that social strata. This is a win win for the elites which control and run America. With a majority of the Supreme Court now doing its bidding these rich and powerful people are in total control. The Tea Party is their reminder to us of what revolution could come if we don't behave. Intimidation and fear are their weapons to keep us humbled and passive against their policy of endless war.
The place to slash government spending is the Department of Defense. Until we stop spending a trillion dollars a year on The Pentagon there will be no real freedom or liberty. Until we reign in the terror at home created by a massive military industrial complex will we find true liberty. Meanwhile the working class continues to sit on its arse and take this lying down. Democracy is a wonderful thing, you deserve what you get and you get what you deserve. Stay home and don't vote and you get what you deserve.
Glenn Beck and his Tea Party anarchists are on the mall in DC again today. Which historic photo will they alter this time to make it appear more people attended than did? I sure hope it isn't of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech which was given on this day at that location. It is an abomination that these racists would desecrate that memory with today's rally. Beck claims he didn't know the importance of the date. Sure, just like he says he isn't a neo Nazi too.
Pat Toomey claims he never supported privatization of Social Security. Doesn't the former Congressman understand we live in an age where videos, transcripts and interviews live on in archives? Does he think no one can find those? It is time Pat Toomey stopped lying to Pennsylvania voters.
Meanwhile Chuck Hagel, a Republican from Nebraska endorsed Joe Sestak for the Senate. This comes on the heels of independent Mike Bloomberg's support. Toomey is so far right that even fellow Republicans can't tolerate his extremist views.
Speaking of extremist views Beaver County Blue reports a Tea Party candidate who thinks sending poor people to newly created poor houses is the solution to society's woes. I suppose this is better than simply killing them in concentration camps? Carl Paladino, Tea Party candidate for Governor of New York, says the poor should be sent to state prisons where they can work on improving themselves (including their personal hygiene). I certainly smell something but it isn't from someone's personal hygiene. Can you say "Heil Paladino?"
Sen. Bob Casey met with families in Dimock recently to discuss the water well poisoning done by Marcellus Shale energy companies. He is sponsoring the FRAC Act in Congress to protect our water supplies from unregulated drilling. The gas companies create a toxic, poisonous fluid which is forced over a mile underground to shatter the shale formations to produce natural gas. About a quarter of this fluid comes back up where it is radioactive and being dumped into rivers, streams and public sanitation facilities ill equipped to clean heavy metals and other toxins from the water. The remainder stays in the ground where it can poison our water supplies.
Sarah Palin returned to our fair state to further pollute our political discourse. The event in Hershey was billed as non partisan but we know better than that. Reps Reichley and Gordon were in attendance while Mama Grizzley beared down on a host of Democrats. According to Tweets from the event she praised parental notification for minors wanting abortions. Has she ever heard of something called incest? Sure, those dads always want the authorities to know they impregnated their daughters... She condemned the deficits at the same time she supports massive tax cuts for the rich. Typical nonsensical Tea Party bologna. The rally should have been in Lebanon instead.
Meanwhile Big Brother gets bigger as the western U.S. can now use police GPS tracking devices to see where you go without obtaining search warrants. I thought we got rid of George W. Bush? Of course every time you use a cell phone, EZ Pass, a store buyer's card or other anti-privacy methods you're voluntarily doing so.
Must reading for your weekend is this New Yorker article on the Koch brothers. These two men are responsible for the Tea Party and all the right wing propaganda being produced. They are extremely dangerous to democracy and a healthy civilization and world. You must know and understand who they are and what they do. They are the principle financiers behind the Tea Party.
Half a billion eggs have been recalled for possible salmonella poisoning due to conditions at two huge factory farms where eggs are cranked out from over stressed hens kept in inhumane conditions. The contamination has been traced to chicken feed fed to the birds but experts also note the stressed conditions in which birds are kept in these operations.
It is essential for your health and safety to know from where your food comes. Is it local, naturally or organically produced? Your life may be in danger if you aren't careful. Of course it isn't possible to know the source of every bite we take. A quick trip through a fast food drive through when you're traveling or in a rush and that Egg McMuffin may wind up putting you in the hospital. I get my eggs from a csa called Jack's Farm in Pottstown, PA. They cost a bit more than at the supermarket but I haven't had to worry one wit about the safety of my eggs. CSA is short for community sponsored agriculture. These are local farms which produce food every week for their subscribers. You pick up your allotment or pick your own each week and you know exactly how and where your food is produced. We arrive on Thursday afternoons and pick out our veggies and trek up to the fields to pick beans, beets, arugula, radishes and even fresh flowers. Chicken, eggs and salmon are also available and I'm quite content knowing where my eggs are from as I witness the concern others have about their supply.
We live in an age of factory farms where eggs, pork, chicken, beef and other foods are produced in mass quantities in inhumane conditions. On my way to New Mexico in June I passed a factory beef operation in West Texas which was horrible. You could smell the stench from a mile away and seeing hundreds of cows crowded together in pens instead of being free to roam the range and feed naturally was sickening. Pigs are raised the same way now and if you buy pork from a major regional meatpacker this is where your ham and bacon is being raised.
Public officials have allowed these factory farms to proliferate and drive family farmers out of the business and/or off their land. They aren't safe for the public health or our environment. Pig farms create hundreds of tons of waste which is kept in pools and lagoons which leach into the ground. Human and industrial waste called sludge is now being spread on the fields fertilizing our vegetable crops. Do you wonder how e coli, an animal product, gets into your veggies? The answer is sludge.
As our society becomes dependent on mass producers using factory farm techniques it is imperative we harass our legislators to regulate and restrict these operations. Family farms largely use natural farming techniques long associated with producing healthy food. Find a csa in your area and a local butcher where you know the animals have been raised free range and have been grass fed. The food is more expensive (unless, of course, you get ill or die from your factory food) but is healthier and safer. Can you put a price on the health and safety of your family?
Rep. John Boehner wants to be Speaker of the House in the worst way. So desperately he wants to return to the policies of George W. Bush which helped push the world into a severe economic recession. The sort of policies which include eliminating Social Security, the policies which got us entangled in two unwinnable wars which have bankrupted our nation, tax cuts for the rich which have indebted us and our children and grandchildren to the Chinese for future generations, policies which deregulated industry so workers can earn less, labor in dangerous conditions and get injured or killed on the job and so on and so on.
Boehner wants to be Speaker in the worst way: by making things worse for all Americans who failed to be born rich. Vice President Joe Biden called him out this week:
I want to respond to the remarks made this morning by Mr. Boehner, the Republican leader in the House.
After months of promising a look at his party's agenda and their plans for America, he made what was billed as a major economic address. And his chief proposal apparently was that the President should fire his economic team. Very constructive advice, thanks.
So, let's just review a little history here: For eight years before we arrived, Mr. Boehner and his party ran this economy and the middle class into the ground.
They took the $237 billion surplus they inherited from the Clinton Administration and left us with a $1.3 trillion deficit, and, in the process, quadrupled the national debt - all before we had turned on the lights in the West Wing.
They gave free rein to the special interests to write their own rules at the expense of everybody else.
And the sum total of it was the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression-a crisis that wreaked havoc on families and businesses across this country--a crisis from which we are still digging out.
The head of their campaign committee, Representative Pete Sessions, said that if they were to take control of Congress this fall-which, by the way, they won't-that they would go back to "the exact same agenda" they were pushing before President Obama took office.
For those who missed my little Facebook announcement earlier today I will be covering three state Congressional races for The Huffington Post this fall. Gerlach/Trivedi, Lentz/Meehan and Critz/Burns in the 6th, 7th and 12th Districts respectively.
Dan Onorato is hitting Tom Corbett's no tax increase pledge since his only experience in such a position saw him vote for a 20% tax increase as a township commissioner. I hate these tax ads. I'm sorry but sometimes you simply have to raise taxes. I've seen where rampant GOP mismanagement left Dems with no choices but to raise taxes to balance budgets due to accounting smoke and mirror games. Too much of what government does and provides are essential services and must be financed. Taxes are the only method and if you don't want bridges collapsing under your car, your grandparents out on the streets selling pencils, your kids homeless, hungry and uneducated then we must invest in our communities. Taxes aren't evil, they aren't poison and Americans actually pay few taxes. Taxes are a necessary evil but without them we aren't a civilized society.
I'm fed up with all the mosque nonsense. Its a non issue. Our constitution says we have freedom of and from religion folks, what part of that don't you understand? Three months ago you were all screaming that President Obama wasn't abiding by the constitution and now you aren't. Get over it. This is nothing more than the right wing finding another fear based wedge issue to distract voters from their failings. Actually it is but one more.
If any Democratic candidate gets questions about it the smart answer is to say "there's no real issue here, I refuse to be sucked into the right wing's fear mongering. Let's talk about the real issues, jobs, stimulus, jobs, Republican obstructionism and jobs. Did you see where Republicans have voted against every single jobs bill? Keep it simple people, its the economy stupid.
20% of Pakistan is under water, a third of Russia's wheat crop has been burned by wildfires, floods are ravaging China and every day CNN's severe weather station is reporting more extreme weather. No global warming though folks, nothing to see here, just stick your head back in the sand and pretend everything is alright. Just hope when you take it back out you aren't drowning.
Today's history lesson is a visit to deja vu. The right wing fringe, neo Nazis, KKK'ers and assorted bigots have been obstructing progress in our country forever. The Tea Party movement is simply their newest incarnation. This great and humorous look back reminds us of their sordid history:
Pat Toomey is now denying he ever said he supported Social Security privatization. Has he forgotten all the newspaper, video and speeches out there proving otherwise? Does he think Pennsylvanians are that stupid to forget his past? Well, some are.
Manan Trivedi has been endorsed by Democracy For America in the 6th Congressional District. Tomorrow he is rolling out his jobs program and I'll cover his Pottstown event.
As far as scheduling into next month goes I'll be in Santa Fe, New Mexico again from September 25 through October 5th. If I responded "no' to attending your events during that time period it's because I'll be away.
Lois Herr has been endorsed by the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and the Sierra Club. She is running to unseat Joe "The" Pitts in PA-16.
A federal grand jury last week indicted retired pitcher Roger Clemens on charges he lied to Congress.
In February 2008, Clemens, a seven time Cy Young winner, voluntarily met with a House committee and testified he didn't knowingly use steroids or human growth hormones. The only evidence against Clemens appears to be the testimony of his former trainer, Brian McNamee, who claims to have injected Clemens with the drugs about 40 times between 1998 and 2001. Clemens says he was led to believe the injections were Vitamin B-12 and an anesthetic, Lidocaine, both legal under Major League Baseball guidelines. McNamee cut a deal with the Department of Justice to avoid prosecution. Clemens could be sentenced to 30 years in prison.
Probably half the country thinks Clemens took illegal drugs. Probably half the country thinks he didn't take the drugs and was set up by his trainer. But that's not the important issue.
First of all, does anyone know why the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform even held a hearing about steroid usage among baseball players? Was there a dry spell and the Committee couldn't find anything in the government that needed to be reformed?
If the committee thought public figures taking illegal drugs was bad, why didn't it look inside itself first? If it did, there would be a high probability it could easily have found members of Congress and their staffs who also took steroids, snorted coke, or mainlined harder drugs. Stoned and wasted Congressional staffers pose a greater danger to society than any athlete.
This is the same body of legislators who created the House Unamerican Activities Committee in the early 1950s to strip Americans of their First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and association. It also ordered contempt of Congress charges and perjury against witnesses who told the truth-but not what Congress wanted to hear.
This is the Congress that in 1994 didn't ask for convictions for perjury for any of the seven CEOs of major tobacco companies who testified under oath that nicotine wasn't addictive. But that, and much more, is history. The present 21st century Congress has much more to answer about its actions.
This is the Congress that ran in fearful circles, put its tail between its legs and in 2001 passed the PATRIOT Act, which stripped Americans of six Constitutional amendments and the constitutional right of habeas corpus. Four years later, Congress reauthorized the Act to prevent several sections from automatically expiring. The terrorists had done their job well-they put so much fear into Americans that the Americans created their own terrorism.
This is the Congress that failed to question the Bush-Cheney administration's claims of why it needed to spend about a trillion dollars and invade Iraq.
This is a Congress that was slow to respond to well-documented evidence that the U.S. was committing torture-and which, against the professional advice of the CIA and FBI, housed large numbers of elected legislators who saw nothing wrong with torturing those who may or may not have been terrorists, the election year "buzzword."
This is a Congress that had provided negligent oversight of companies that provided billions of dollars worth of service in the war zone-and fraudulently overbilled the taxpayers.
This is the same Congress that allowed the banking and investment industries to make billions by scamming Americans, gave multi-million dollar salaries and bonuses to its senior management, and helped bring about the greatest recession since the 1920s.
This is the Congress that by negligence allowed lax oversight of environmental regulations.
This is the same Congress that was blind to the Bush-Cheney administration's failure to properly regulate the oil industry, and probably should be considered to be an unindicted co-conspirator in the BP oil spill.
This is the same Congress that has allowed a Republican minority to become the street bully and block needed legislation, including legislation to assist small business. But because of a weak Democratic response and archaic procedures, the entire Congress must suffer a black eye.
This is the same Congress that did pass health reform, but allowed itself to be sunk by the fear of a Republican filibuster that what was passed was a watered-down version of what was necessary.
There are so much more important issues than investigating steroid usage among millionaire athletes that it is easy to believe that Congress muffed its responsibility to the American people by its righteous political gesturing to make voters believe their elected officials actually cared about health.
If Congress is so upset that others lied to them and the American people, maybe it could ask the FBI to investigate and the Department of Justice to bring indictments against not only some of its own members but also some members of the Bush-Cheney administration.
I finally finished the video from my visit to Oklahoma City. The Alfred P Murrah Federal Building was bombed in an act of domestic terrorism on April 19, 1995. 168 people were killed, among them children in a day care center in the structure. The Memorial is simple but moving. The bomb exploded at 9:02 AM. One arch is inscribed 9:01 and across a shallow reflecting pond another is engraved 9:03. Between them, on a grassy knoll, sit 168 chairs, one for each victim. That area represents 9:02 when the bomb exploded. I'm not sure why the video didn't end at the end, Windows Movie Maker in Windows 7 is very difficult to use.
With Pennsylvania facing a gian thole in its budget Gov. Rendell incorporated across the board budget cuts last week and he asked the remainder of the state offices to follow his lead. The 1.9% cuts in discretionary spending are needed to restore fiscal balance as required by the state constitution. The Governor's Office does not control any of the other independent Offices such as Auditor General, Treasurer and Attorney General and they must agree to make their own cuts.
Though Attorney General Tom Corbett is criss crossing the state talking about fiscal discipline and the need to cut budgets he has remained silent on Rendell's request for the AG's Office. Corbett calls for across the board cuts but he has asked for an increase in his budget every year. This year he greedily requested a 12% increase as revenues have plummeted due tot he Bush Recession. With Tom Corbett it is do as I say not as I do.
Congressman Jim Gerlach spoke and answered questions at a "town hall" meeting at Berks Technical Institute this week and said "I don't think practically or morally its the right thing to do" when asked about the Islamic Community Center in New York City. The "town hall" was moved at the last minute and no signs indicated its location but I was able to get Gerlach's exact quotes on the issue. While acknowledging the importance of freedom of religion he then said he thinks people of faith can be told where they can build their places of worship and their community centers. I hate to tell you Jim but those two concepts are not compatible. Freedom of religion means you, as a sitting Congressman, cannot say "I do think, from a moral standpoint, I think they should find another site to build it on." They own this former Burlington Coat Factory in a section of the city with an actual, real mosque, liquor stores, bars and many seedy commercial establishments which somehow don't offend the sensibilities of the extremists calling it "hallowed ground."
Perhaps Gerlach should do some research into the organization so he'll discover the Islamic holy man building the community center (not a mosque) is quite progressive, condemns all violence and was appointed by President Bush to a position mediating tensions following 9/11 and actually aided counter terrorism efforts. There is nothing evil or radical about this project except for those opposing it through fear, intimidation, lies and Islamaphobia.
In fact this campaign of hatred illustrates exactly why this center is needed and is needed there: people need to be educated about the real philosophy of Islam, barriers need to be eliminated and understanding of Islam replace the unfounded fear of all Muslims generated by hate radio and television. Jim Gerlach is stoking those fears and that hatred when he infringes on our constitutional protections to say it is immoral to build on that site. What I find immoral are people such as the Congressman claiming to support freedom of religion with one breath then condemning it with the next. This is a pattern I've seen with Gerlach over the years. I attended a Medicare Part D town hall several years ago (his was the key vote for the plan) where he told a bunch of seniors it was heavily lobbied, he didn't support the donut hole, and he likely wouldn't vote for it if it came up again. His was the vote for which GOP leadership held up the vote for 45 minutes until they twisted his arm enough he agreed to vote aye. At the town hall this week he pontificated about the importance of job creation while he has voted against every job creation plan put forth this year. He claimed jobs are created by tax cuts when all evidence is to the contrary. He then assaulted the federal deficit (for which he supported for eight years) and said we should extend the tax cuts but must eliminate the deficit. Those tax cuts, for which he voted, are a substantial reason for the deficit along with the wars he also supported. Jim Gerlach cannot have it both ways, he cannot be for religious freedom then, as a sitting Congressman, say it is immoral to build on that site. This isn't how it works Jim. You have to be consistent in your views and refrain from stupid statements. You must cease contradicting yourself every time you open your mouth. By the way the stimulus plan wasn't $1.2 trillion, it did save or create 3,600,000 jobs and you voted against it. Get your facts straight. Gerlach claimed "very few jobs were created by it (ARRA) when he has seen jobs created right in his District. Are you stupid or a liar Jim Gerlach?
Just after George W. Bush was re-elected in 2004 he unveiled his plan to privatize Social Security. Rick Santorum embarked on a state wide tour of town halls to promote the dismantlement of our largest social safety net program. 700,000 senior Pennsylvanians rely on Social Security to keep them out of poverty and thousands more disable Pennsylvanians also rely on these benefits. Republicans have sought to repeal Social Security since its inception and privatizing the system is their back door method of accomplishing this goal. At one of those town halls, at Drexel University in Philadelphia, young Republicans greeted Sen. Santorum with their real feelings:
This is the actual Republican position on the issue: "Social Security has got to go!" The private accounts simply allow their fat cat Wall Street friends to cash in at your expense. According to the Sestak campaign privatized accounts would have cost the average Pennsylvanian $26,000 in October 2008 alone. The Bush agenda would have drilled a $4.9 trillion hole in the deficit and Pat Toomey went on record support the idea.
As head of the Club For Growth Pat Toomey signed on to the idea and as the Allentown Morning Call recalls, "he was a spokesman of sorts" and organized an ad campaign to destroy our legacy. Social Security just celebrated its 75th anniversary and the program is nowhere near the dire straights some would leave you to believe. We can balance the books by ceasing to rob its surplus lift the cap on earnings. As of now only your first $106,800 of income is subject to the withholding tax. This means Wall Street hedge fund managers earning $1,000,000,000 per year pay taxes on only a fragment of that money. Lifting the cap for these high wage earners would solve the fiscal problem permanently. There would be no need to raise the retirement age to 70 as Republicans wish.
Pat Toomey is on the side of those wishing to obliterate your retirement safety net. Social Security is one of the most successful government programs ever and you need to understand which candidates support it and which want you out on the street begging for nickels and dimes in your senior years. Go here to find out if your Member of Congress or Senators support Social Security. If they aren't known please demand an answer and let us know here at The Pennsylvania Progressive via the comment section below.
President Obama announced this afternoon that the United States has agreed to return the Statue of Liberty to France. The European nation has requested that since America is no longer a place where "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore
are welcome it wants her Lady returned. This is a sad commentary about a people who once were proud to accept the poor, tired, wretched people turned away from their own homes, desperate for peace, prosperity and freedom, peoples for whom the call of liberty is so great they risked everything to arrive on our shores. The French are so offended by the nativist, racist attitudes permeating America the sight of Lady Liberty in New York harbor offends their sensibilities. They're also still pissed about "freedom fries" since history has proved they were right about that all along.
Fox News dropped all pretenses of being "fair and balanced" and gave $1,000,000 to the Republican Governor's Association. Now we'll see if there remain any shreds of journalistic integrity there when they cover these races. Fox would now be required to air a disclaimer every time they mention or cover a contested Governor's race. I'm not taking money on that bet.
I'm also not taking bets on the outcomes of this year's Pennsylvania races. It appears to be a clean sweep for Republicans. Democrats are still too angry and upset at Obama to vote which means thousands more of them will lose their jobs and houses. The Sestak campaign can't keep staffers because they refuse to pay anything but slave wages, there is no coordinated campaign as we hurdle towards Labor Day and another State House member just got his office raided, this time by the FBI.
Newt is pontificating on the "ground zero mosque" which isn't a mosque and isn't on ground zero, proving he doesn't have the mettle to be President. Presidents have to make the tough, unpopular decisions sometimes simply because its right and because the constitution requires it. How easily these Tea Party "patriots" are to toss their cherished constitution in the trash as soon as it doesn't suit them. Islam didn't attack us, that was Al Qaeda. Blaming all Muslims is like blaming all christians for Oklahoma City. Perhaps we need to ban all churches. While we're at it didn't Buddhist Japan attack us once? Those English Anglicans were responsible for two wars, the Catholics started the Crusades and the Mormons, well we all remember the massacres around that religion don't we? Its a very steep, slippery slope these bigots are creating...
Target has apologized for giving $150,000 to a homophobic Republican Governor candidate but won't offset it to pro gay rights groups. That means the boycott continues. A quarter million people have already pledged to continue the boycott. Go to your local Target and tell the namager WHY you aren't shopping there any longer. It is important they know your honoring the boycott and why.
Dr. Laura is moving her racist, bigoted radio show to the internet so she can use the "N" word whenever and however she pleases. The issue isn't what medium she uses to spread her hatred, its the hatred.
In good news the last combat brigade left Iraq. I remember something about being greeted with flowers and candy and Iraqi oil paying for the war. Oh, and wasn't there something about weapons of mass destruction and a nuclear bomb Saddam had ready to drop on an American city? Gee, the years go by so fast my memory goes hazy remembering how Iraq attacked us on 9/11...
GM filed papers yesterday to issue an IPO under its new incarnation. Old GM stock became worthless when the company filed for bankruptcy. Buying new stock will continue to be a gamble until this firm shows consistent earnings and competent management. Still, this is good news because Republicans were ready to throw all these middle class jobs over the cliff.
Brett Favre is starring in a remake of the classic film "Groundhog Day." This time its set in Minnesota.
The Phils are close to fielding the starting lineup again for the first time since May 21st. In spite of all the injuries they are poised to win their division again. Tonight will mark 100 consecutive sellouts. Last season all but eight games sold out. Isn't it nice the Phillies topped selling out their fans with horrid teams? This illustrates how Philadelphia fans will support winners. They have little tolerance for losers though, something Pittsburghers need to learn. Big Ben is a loser.
Rod Blagojevich was convicted on just one of 24 counts because a holdout juror refused to budge. It only takes one to obstruct justice so now the feds have to retry the former Illinois Governor. If I were Blago I'd keep my mouth shut and not crow about being vindicated. A hung jury is no vindication. It makes one wonder if someone got to that juror.
Pat Toomey worked on Wall Street before serving in Congress. Those are indisputable facts. While in DC he was one of Wall Street's biggest lapdogs. FactCheck.org is taking Democrats to task for a commercial airing which ties Toomey to Wall Street deregulation and a defense of derivatives. This archived CSPAN video however shows Congressman Toomey on the House floor supporting the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act. Without that legislation sponsored by Sen. Phil Gramm we likely wouldn't have had the housing bubble and worldwide economic crash which was fueled by unregulated derivatives and credit swaps. The text of his comments:
00:39:30 I RISE IN SUPPORT OF THIS RULE AND THE LEGISLATION.
00:39:35 THE MODERNIZATION ACT IS PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT FINANCIAL LEGISLATION TO COME BEFORE CONGRESS SINCE THE GLASS-STEAGALL ACT MANDATED THE SEPARATION BETWEEN BANKING AND THE SECURITIES INDUSTRY IN 1933.
00:39:50 TODAY, THERE'S VIRTUALLY UNANIMOUS AGREEMENT AMONG ECONOMISTS, ACADEMICS, POLICY MAKERS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THE MEN AND WOMEN CREATING AND PROVIDING FINANCIAL SERVICES ACROSS AMERICA TODAY THAT REPEAL OF GLASS-STEAGALL IS NECESSARY SO CONSUMERS CAN GET THE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES THEY DESIRED AND AMERICAN FINANCIAL FIRMS CAN COMPETE IN THE GLOBAL MARKETPLACE.
00:40:12 I'D LIKE TO -- I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT ONE PART OF THIS SWEEPING LEGISLATION.
00:40:17 I'M PARTICULARLY PLEASED THIS BILL INCLUDES AN IMPORTANT PROVISION CONCERNING CREDIT AND EQUITY SWAPS.
00:40:23 THESE SOMEWHAT OBSCURE PRODUCTS ARE ACTUALLY VERY IMPORTANT TOOLS USED BY BUSINESS, INCLUDING FINANCIAL SERVICE FIRMS, TO MANAGE A VARIETY OF RISKS THEY FACE.
00:40:32 THIS BILL REAFFIRMS THAT SWAPS CONTRACTS ARE LEGITIMATE BANK PRODUCTS THAT CAN BE EXECUTED AND BOOKED IN BANKS AND ARE ADEQUATELY REGULATED BY AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE REGULATED BY BANKING SUPERVISORS.
00:40:45 I'D ALSO LIKE TO CONGRATULATE THE MANY MEMBERS OF THIS CHAMBER WHO WORKED VERY HARD ON FINANCIAL MODERNIZATION, IN PARTICULAR I'D LIKE TO SALUTE CHAIRMAN LEECH AND RANKING MEMBER LAFALCE FOR THE OUTSTANDING WORK THEY'VE DONE TO SEE THIS LEGISLATION THROUGH TO COMPLETION.
00:41:01 I URGE MY COLLEAGUES TO SUPPORT THE RULE AND PASSAGE OF THIS TIME.
Barack Obama is good at talking the talk. His problem is that he doesn't walk the walk. Candidate Obama hit all the key words, phrases and issues dear to liberals and progressives and convinced most of them he was one of us. As he has failed to walk the walk as President the "professional left" feels betrayed and they are avoiding the polls on election days as if leprosy is spread there. This is the single biggest problem Democrats have right now: the credibility problem between the White House and those of us on Main Street. Until the President awakens to the deep outrage over this betrayal Republicans will continue winning because Dems and independents have abdicated elections to those still voting.
Robert Gibbs' slam of the "professional left" last week illustrates how out of touch they are about the sentiments in the country. Obama got the left excited and involved. Minorities and students turned out, worked, voted and engaged only to discover that President Obama was actually just another centrist corporate Democrat who fooled them. He is a master of verbiage and most of the country fell for his oratory. I didn't. I saw him as a pandering demagogue and voted for Cynthia McKinney instead. I sure am glad I saw through this man but those who did not feel quite angry these days.
Obama supported DOMA in federal court, has not closed Gitmo and is pursuing human rights violations the same as Bush did and has actually expanded the GWOT. He escalated Afghanistan, kept warrantless wiretapping and has continued policies for which he condemned his predecessor on the campaign trail.
Barack Obama talks the talk but he doesn't walk the walk because he is NOT one of us. We cannot simply listen to people, we must watch what it is they do. President Obama has accomplished some tangible things, bailed out Wall Street, restored some economic stability and preserved Detroit's Big Three. All of these were done for traditional Republican constituencies however. Labor has been stabbed in the back, little is being done environmentally while climate change wreaks havoc globally, jobs remain overseas and no one in the White House seems to have a clue.
Yes, there are reasons those of us on the "professional left" are upset. People get that way after being betrayed. They are angry, confused and outraged. Robert Gibbs thinks he can dismiss us by insulting us to the national press? How on earth did he think this would help? If this is the best Barack Obama can do then prepare for President Palin. At least with her we'll know what we're getting.
