Saturday, July 23, 2005

 

I'm frightened of Judge Roberts

I was reading about the new Supreme Court nominee in the Wall Street Journal on Thursday and now I am a little worried. When I first heard of him as a choice everyone was saying he had such a great resume so I wasn't so concerned. I figured he was against abortion and so that bothered me because I totally disagree with someone who says I don't have a right to determine what I should do with my body, I can however respect their decision. Nevertheless, I can not respect someone who was part of a three judge panel that agreed with the Bush Administration (in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, 2005) that they should be able to try suspected terrorists before military commissions without comstitutional protections. Now this is a man who terrifies me. Taking rights away from people is his choice. Roberts doesn't appear to be for human dignity, or believe that people are innocent until proven guilty. Even the Constitution in the Sixth Admendment assures people should have the right to confort their accursors. Sixth Amendment: “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right ... to be confronted with the witnesses against him.” These detainees have few rights. The majority have been released, after years of imprisonment without being charged of anything. They are not allowed to speak with a lawyer, and can not even speak with their families. Most are innocent, but they have been robbed of years of their lives and their families have to survive without their help or love. The children do not have fathers during this time, nor the wives, husband, nor the parents their child. And this is what Judge Roberts believes in. Remember, most of these prisoners are innocent, I feel someday it could be either me or you in prison, Pulled off the streets and held for years without communication with one's loved ones, nor any rights of due process. Is this the type of America I want! What happened to the love of this world.

The statistics have shown less than less than 5 percent of the people who the administration placed in Guatanamo have any evidence to hold them. The Philadelphia Inquirer on Monday, July 18th listed that so far 12 people have

Friday, July 22, 2005

 

Outsourcing CEOs

Just read an article Tuesdays (7/19/05) "Wall Street Journal" by Carol Hymowitz, called "To Rein in CEOs' Pay, Why Not Consider Outsourcing the Post?" I think it's a great idea because already I am upset between the average worker and the disparity between them and the money the head of the company is getting. I'm in a government job so it's not true for me (the chancellor may make five times what I do but that seems very acceptable to me), but I hate reading the CEOs salaries. In the past the average head of the company made 42 times the average worker. Now however it is about 100 times more than that and it just doesn't seem fair to me. I think the down fall of a society starts with something like this. Placing so much money and power in a small handful of individuals while the rest of us are losing our standard of living doesn't seem right even if I was the one with the money.

Hymowitz compares the salaries of American CEOs, who make on average 2.3 million (including cash bonuses) in 2004 to those of CEOs in other nations. United Kingdom - 1.2 million; France - $857,000; Sweden - $386,000; Japan - $317, 864; Hong Kong - $302, 078; Sinapore - $263,301; and India - $88,117. She goes on to say how rarely in America is compensation linked to performance. Even if they fail and are dismissed, American CEOs are given more money. She points to Morgan Stanley where CEO Phil Purcell received a severance and retirement package of 106 million dollars, including a new $44 million cash bonus for leaving. Co-President Steve Crawford walked away with an estimated $32 million in severance after 3 1/2 months on the job. Carly Fiorina left Hewlett-Packard this year with a severance of $14 million plus a $7 million bonus and $23.5 million in stock and pension payouts. Mark Hurd, her successor, will receive a base salary of $1.4 million and a $2 million signing bonus plus future performance incentives that could be as much as $12.6 million, most of which are guaranteed even if he fails. Last year CEOs salaries rose 14.5%, while paychecks for nonunioned workers rose 3.4%. Mine, as a government worker, has actually decreased because in four years I have not received a raise and now pay part of my health insurance. The Wisconsin legislation wants about another $1000 decrease in my salary this year to pay for more of health benefits. I seem to be operating at a negative, if that is possible, even though my performance ratings are always outstanding.

The article goes on to state that in 1960, CEOs earned about twice as much as the president of the United States. Today they earn an average of 62 times as much as the President. Hire one CEO from India and it will automatically save millions for the company. With that you could probably hire back many of the workers that are outsourced. You could retain at least two dozen workers at $40,000 for every million saved.

Let's keep America great by pushing all workers forward, not just the top 1 percent. And maybe after 100 jobs are outsourced in a company, the 101st should be the CEOs. I like to think that workers, or what I refer to as humans, matter as much as a company's excessive profits to CEOs and stockholders, all of whom can survive on less.

Thursday, July 21, 2005

 

Thank you amazon

Well Harry Potter was waiting in my mailbox for me when I arrived home from shopping and a hair cut on Saturday even though amazon.com said it won't be there till Tuesday. I then proceeded to begin the book and finished it on Sunday. Several people have told me that they either cried, or their child did, but I didn't have the same reaction. I didn't seem to be as engrossed by this book till about the last 50 pages and then when I finished I wanted more and now can't wait until the next one comes out. Of course it was about 95 degrees in my house that day so even though I was just sitting and reading I still profusely sweating. Maybe that is why this book didn't seem as engaging to me.
I did enjoy Harry - back from his year of adolescent struggle - which I found a little annoying in the last book. In this you see only a little of that, and mainly a young man struggling to find his future. Now I am enjoying listening to the story again on tape.

Thursday, July 14, 2005

 

Harry Potter

Two days left to wait for book six. I just hope that Amazon.com gets the book to me on Saturday or otherwise I may have to take a day off of work next week to read it.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

 

Karl Rove

I don't know much about Karl Rove except I believe he should be imprisoned for revealing Valerie Plame's position. Recently, after looking into his life briefly, I find it interesting that he may have been involved in Watergate as well. I found this from an abstract of an article entitled, "W's Brain" from Gentlemen's Quarterly Jan. 2000. - " Rove was administrative assistant to Bush's father at the Republican National Committee during the Watergate era and in 1977 was one of the first aides recruited by the elder Bush to spearhead his ultimately unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 1980. " In another source it said that he left Utah and headed for Washington D. C. where he caused friction among the young Republicans at the time of Watergate.

So here is this young man who goes to Washington and immediately sees the worst side of the Republican party where corruption and trickery is the norm. He then goes on to spearhead campaigns for both Bush's. And since I believe the past two campaigns have been full of trickery, such as Florida in 2000 and Ohio, and possibly Florida in 2004 and he's the architect of these campaigns than it forces me to believe there is much evil about Karl Rove. And this is the man the president places his trust in.

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