USPS Fate Hangs By a Thread

The fate of the United States Postal Service, hangs by a thread, and without a quick move from Congress, they won't make it till winter.  Postmaster general Patrick R. Donahoe said, declining mail volume and the growing expense of prefunding retiree health benefits, if left unchecked, will hit $10 billion dollar deficit.  

The Postal service is requesting Congress to intervene, and restructure their existing regulations.  They have asked to break union contracts and lay off workers, and to loosen the requirements of prefunded retiree's health costs.  Proposals for cost cutting measures include eliminating Saturday delivery, closing up to 3,700 post offices, laying off 120,000 workers, pulling workers out of expensive pension plans.

Obama's administration, gave the USPS, an extension on their required pre-funded health payment, that was due at the end of September.  The administration said that a plan would be decided upon in the upcoming months.  US office of Personnel Management Director John Berry, said the White House would release a detailed plan as part of a package in the upcoming months.  Mr. Donahoe claims that even with the extension, the service would only make it until next summer at the continued rate of decline.

In another strange management of money scenario, the USPS, has a $6.9 billion holding tank of money in which they overpaid into their Federal Employees Retirement Service, and an estimated $50 to $75 billion to the Civil Service Retirement System.  Carefully treading on delicate waters, the directors are asking Congress for not a bailout of government money, but to be allowed access to their own money, and a cease on the prepaid health care costs; which they are required by Congress to prefund 75 years in advance.  

Since 2006, mail volume has declined by 22%.  More people are paying their bills electronically, reading catalogs online and emailing versus traditional mail.  This decline, along with the prefunded health cost, has left a page full of red.  

The fact is, the USPS makes up 7% of the United States gross domestic product, and employees millions of workers. To allow the fall of this establishment, could greatly threaten our very delicate economy.  Fears of political gridlock over their looming fate have Republicans and Democrats going throat to throat.  At campaigning and reelection time, candidates and lawmakers have tough decisions to make.  Within their districts, these candidates may face angry constituents over post office closures.   Even the smallest of changes in ending Saturday delivery, has stirred debate with the newspaper and magazine industry.  Allowing the post office to fail would hurt many, mostly senior citizens, who typically don't use new age technology.

Some members of Congress are calling on Americans to help save the USPS by rekindling the love of letter writing.  This lost art, has sadly been replaced with impersonal texts and emails.  There is something about receiving a letter, that sparks a chord of happiness from within my being.  The USPS is indeed a national treasure.  To see the end of a service that defines America, would be a great loss to everyone.  

In an effort to utilize our great United States Postal Service, I ask "Would the post office closure affect your life…and how?"- write me a stamped letter at

The Prophetstown Echo

P.O Box 7

Prophetstown, IL

61277

Labor Day

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.  It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country~United States Department of Labor

This past Monday marked a national holiday, and a salute to the hard working labor force of our great nation.  While you may have not given this late summer holiday much thought in the past, our current economic situation has 13.9 million people sitting idle and wanting to "labor".  Like a fine oiled machine, America runs on hard work and perseverance.  

Our strong country can stand back with pride at the awe striking accomplishments by our labor force.  American Ford Motor workers, scientist and laborers, worked tirelessly to bring us the awesomeness of the first Ford Mustang in 1964; In 1952, a man named Dr. Jonas Salk invented, and gave away without patenting, his polio cure.  With the labor of nurses and volunteers, our country defeated a crippling disease;  Chicago native Bruce Graham, designed the building, while 1,500 men worked on the construction of one of the tallest buildings we know as Sears Tower-Willis Tower;  The very organization and implementation of our air space through aviation and airports, takes manpower and intelligence I cannot even fathom;  The  dangerous everyday toil of a oil rig worker, is deserving of every hard dollar they cash every week;  The waitress that does her fair share of schmoozing for an extra piece of the american pie from day to day; The clerk who takes your five in exchange for soda….everyone is part of this fined tuned collaboration, we pridefully call The United States of America. 

 America has a air of exceptionalism that hangs around us, but it's well deserved when you see the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, catch a White Sox game in their newly remodeled stadium, or drive your Harley down a newly paved road…the great sweat of American workers is what keeps us running.  Let's get America back laboring. Happy holiday.

The EPA and Presidential Republican Hopefuls

In the forefront of debate issues, the EPA has been the "it" girl.  Presidential hopefuls Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry, have expressed their hopes of deregulating her and removing her altogether.  Is this for the benefit of America, or the benefit of corporations?

Jinkies Scooby, looks like this is a case for "which corporations are behind the death of the EPA?"  

Before we begin, let's have a quick overview of the EPA.  Beginning in 1970, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is an agency charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress.~Wikipedia

The EPA is a agency to hold accountable the big businesses of our country, in regards to pollution and their carbon footprints.  Issues the EPA deal with include air quality from pollution, climate change, toxic chemicals and pesticides, water pollution, health and safety issues stemming from pollutants and hazardous and non-hazardous waste.  

Big business claims the EPA regulations, hold them back from their main goal of making money, by imposing costly fines and guidelines to abide by.  These businesses claim, the United States could thrive, in a atmosphere dreamt up by Ayn Rand.  The country where the government stays out of business.

Big businesses have profits solely on the brain, or they would be able to see the detrimental impact, pollution has already caused just from our country alone.  A look through the fines imposed in 2011 alone, tells a different tale of the EPA.  February 2011, a Hawaiian corporation is fined for misusing pesticides.  In June the EPA fined a metal plater for improperly disposing of hazardous waste. Three companies in May were fined for illegally mixing and distributing millions of gallons of bad gasoline.  Recently in August, the EPA fined a well known company named WM-waste management $1 million dollars, for failing to properly dispose of waste near a community that has had a surge in birth defects.  In Morrison, IL this year, we saw the EPA and GE working with the city to cleanup the site from their factory where trichloroethylene-a cleaning solvent, has contaminated the grounds. 

Imagine our country without the EPA.  The alternative is scary with birth defects, increase in asthma, new cases of cancer and the devastating effects on our planet.  

Big energy business, hate the EPA.  The likes of BP oil, Exxon Mobile, big coal companies and the new kid on the block hydraulic fracturing, all are on the watchful eye of the EPA.  The EPA is hard at work watching for risks to our public safety, our ground water and the protection of our fish and wildlife.  Our planet has a delicate balance, and overall profits don't mean a thing without a planet to live on.  

When Bachmann and Perry state a blanket statement such as "I am going to make the U.S. the "king daddy dog" of energy by shutting down the EPA",  my first thought is we need campaign finance reform.  I know these statements cannot be coming from an individual, but only from the likes of a profit minded corporation.  Our country is being bought for ultimately owned (and held hostage), by corporations.  The least these big businesses could do, is pay their fair share, and be good stewards of our planet.  Profit isn't everything, so get up, stand up, but please….do something!

Three Takes on Capitalism

Three Takes on Capitalism:

capitalism: economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.~wikipedia

There once was a man from the University of Chicago, that taught for three decades a system of which he was idolized, called free market capitalism.  Along with being economic advisor to President Ronald Reagan, Mr. Friedman also won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.  Friedman opposed government regulations of many types, and has influenced many conservatives and libertarians to follow his suggestions.  Echoing his teachings, has led to the privatization of prisons, schools and otherwise previous government owned bodies.  The primary role of free market capitalism, is to minimize government involvement, and to place this market into the hands of private investors, in order to have a more competitive market.  Critics claim, this system will concentrate the wealth of the nation, into just a few hands, and is unsustainable.  Hmmmmm………..???

A bright Canadian gal named Naomi Klein, wrote a book in 2007 about Milton Freidman's economic model of free market capitalism called "The Shock Doctrine".  Ms. Klein, examined the so called "examples of positive outcomes" of free market capitalism.  Through her research, she found that the actual term for the transfer of wealth from the poor and middle class, and the privatization of government services, can best be called Disaster Capitalism.  During this practice, the government takes advantage of a major disaster (earthquake, hurricane, terrorist attack etc), to adopt new economic policies (free market capitalism), which would otherwise not be accepted by the people. Disaster capitalism leads the way to privatization of everything from infrastructure, land ownership, prisons, water rights, etc. 

***Oh boy, I think this gal is onto something!!***

"Constructive Capitalism is where you share the profit with the workers and the earth from which you made it!"~Dr. Emanuel Bronner .

Based out of California, Dr. Bronner was a famous soap maker from 1908-1997.  Known for their eco-friendly products, and their loyal following of people who stood by their urgent message of uniting all ethnic and religious differences.  Their products are all organically made, with Fair Trade ingredients from countries around the globe, to ensure they are paid a fair compensation for their products.  This company takes great care of their employees with generous salaries (with executive pay capped at five times the lowest paid position), no deductible health insurance, $10,000 profit sharing for each employee once a year and this company matches their total after tax income on charitable causes.

As we can all see from the examples, some forms of capitalism work for the better of mankind, and some do not.  It would be great to envision a world, where every company cares about the planet, and every person who lives upon the planet.  People are not disposable, collateral damage, to be sacrificed for a larger profit.  We all matter….so get up, stand up, but please do something!

Class Warfare

"There’s class warfare, all right, but it’s my class, the rich class, that’s making war, and we’re winning." 

— Warren Buffett

As the stock market took a tank during the last couple of weeks, experts are weighing in the outcomes of the investments lost.  The local and state governments, who invest their pensions and 401-K, will likely feel the affects of the loss.  Without new revenue, states will have to further delay fixing roads, bridges, possible loss of food inspection, less money for the poor and elderly, FEMA assistance, cuts to public schools, more people without health insurance etc.  So when is it time for the rich to pay their fair share?

The top 2% hold the wealth of our country? And guess what…..they are coming to claim what little you do have, for their very own.  Sound insane?  Consider this….US millionaires hold at least $45.9 trillion of the wealth, and they are expected to see a 225% increase in their wealth to $87.1 trillion, by 2020.  There will be no thank you, as they let the decline of the United States, fall on solely the backs of the poor.  They will hold little to no tax responsibility (thanks to their political ties and Grover Norquist's insane tax pledge).  The richest 400 people in the US have as much wealth as 154 million Americans combined.  Poverty and low income has become a norm.  In every town across the United States, you will see abandoned and foreclosed homes, food pantries that are running short on supplies, coffee cans on gas station counters instead of health insurance.  In fact 64% of American don't have enough money for a $1,000 emergency.  

If your not angry over the income inequality in our country, then you must be one of the numbers that believes your proverbial wealth ship will soon come in.  Unfortunately, fairy tales aren't true, and make believing isn't going to make it so.  Turning your head, or raging against the poorest amongst us, will only make matters worsen.  47.8 million people live in poverty in the United States.  "At an yearly income of $22,350 for a family of four, 58.5% of most Americans, will spend a year below the poverty line at some point between ages  of 25 and 75" ~Wikipedia

At these stagnant wages, and even if you double them an account for both parents working minimum wage jobs, this is still low income levels at $40,793 according to WIC guidelines.  

I can't even fathom giving these greedy billionaires their Bush tax cuts, with estate tax exemptions of up to $5 million for individuals and $10 million for couples.  Enough is enough, it is time for the rich to pay their fair share.  I am sure they consider buying their Lamborghinis and diamond tennis bracelets from Tiffanys, as stimulating the economy and paying luxury tax, but the poor who eat ramen noodles and feed their children cold cereal for dinner, do not.  Even someone who has a modest amount of savings, and cannot comprehend the dire situation of the poor and low income, must surely see that they too, are out of this tax break loop the super rich are in.  

The separation of the rich and the poor, is becoming wider and wider, and the poor are becoming larger in numbers than anyone can comprehend.  Now is the time for compassion and tenderheartedness, not disgust and disgrace.  Our numbers are large, so get up, stand up, but please….do something! 

One Less Bag

Andy Keller, is a man after the tree huggers heart.  Andy is the founder of the reusable bag "Chico Bag, Bag Monster", and he is also the creator of "Bag Monster".  His "Bag Monster", is a design of 500 plastic bags, stitched together, and worn all over his body, as a representation of the amount of plastic bags used by the average consumer yearly.

Andy's website informs us, the United States, consumes 102 billion plastic bags a year.  This amount of bags, uses 12 million barrels of oil to produce.  The site also said that if everyone in the world, tied their year's worth of plastic bags together, the bags would stretch around our planet 760 times.  Researchers also fear, the bags never go away, instead they only break down into smaller pieces of plastic, and even this process takes hundreds of years.

The recycling rates on the plastic bags is a problem.  According to a study, only 5.4% of plastic bags, actually got recycled.  This is due to the paper thin plastic used, jams up the recycling mechanisms.  Economically, recycling the bags is costly at $4000, to process and recycle 1 ton which can be sold at commodities market for $32.

The problem bags, have been banned in China, and many other countries due to ongoing problems of litter, killing wildlife and even clogging sewer systems.  In Bangladesh, they banned the bags, after the bags were tied to two separate floods, clogging their sewer systems.  In Africa, they banned the bags in 2003.  African retailers, faced large fines, and even jail time, for violation of the law.  In 2005, Wangari Mathaai, received the Nobel Peace Prize, after he linked the plastic bag littering problem, with malaria (the littered bags fill with standing water/breeding grounds).  India banned the bags in 2003, after the bags clogged sewer systems and flooded their streets.

Here in the States, this plastic consumption is out of control, and the plastics industry has bumped up their lobbying efforts to stop any "anti-bag" measures.  In Rolling Stone, Amy Westervelt-founder editor of " Plastic Free Times" says "they're using the same underhanded tactics-and even using the same lobbying firm that Philip Morris started and bankrolled in the Nineties. Their sole aim is to maintain the status quo and protect their profits.  They will stop at nothing to suppress or discredit science that clearly links chemicals in plastic to negative impacts on human, animal and environmental health."  This is an example of the big oil industries corruption and greed at it's finest!

Since the petroleum industries love to have such a stranglehold on our legislative process, this battle will have to be fought by the people alone.  In the United States, over 200 anti-bag measures have been taken in towns small and large.  Reusable shopping bags, have become the norm for many towns, where you will not see plastic bags being used by any retailers.  

For Andy Keller, his life was forever changed, when he visited his local landfill, and seen the overwhelming amount of plastic bags.  Keller has since traveled around the country in his plastic bag suit, informing people of the dangers of plastic bag use.

While it is easier to take a bag for a small item without thinking from your checker at your grocer, it is just as easy, to refuse the bag.  Reusable bags are sold nearly everywhere now, and cost next to nothing to buy.  Why not buy the reusable bags for your groceries or goods, and give your children and grandchildren, a chance to enjoy life on this planet.  Too much laxed attitude in our country, may leave little or nothing, for our future generations.  

We only have one planet….and get up, stand up, but please do something!

Quinn the Eskimo

"Come all without come all within, you'll not see nothing like the mighty" Governor Quinn???

Just so we can get this straight, right from the beginning, I am a skeptic of both sides.  Okay so with that said, it's time for an analogy of - Is Illinois better off with a Democratic Governor, then say Wisconsin, with their freshman Tea Party Governor?

Illinois has the 5th highest debt burden in the country.  A whopping $15 billion dollars defecit is expected for 2012.  Currently, the state has stopped paying its bills, and is $4 billion behind, owing over 114 different companies money.  Individual income taxes have also worsened woes, increasing 67% from 3 to 5%, and corporation income taxes rose 30% to become the fourth highest in the US.  

The unemployment has lingered around 9% for months, and over a 100 businesses are left deciding if they will hit the road, once their tax cuts end in the upcoming months.  

The situation has looked hopeless for our state, as we see bills are being postponed, and businesses are picking up and moving.  On July 1st, Governor Quinn signed a new general revenue funds budget, and was approved by Illinois House of Representatives.  Cuts included started with Medicaid, which was to have $276 billion cut to low income patients at hospitals and clinics.  Next up was school transportation cuts, which he trimmed $89 million from the budget, and excused this by stating the "I am relying on parents and local school districts to arrange transportation to and from school".  As the last big hit, Governor Quinn cut $11 million to the salaries at regional school superintendent offices.

All these austerity measures seem necessary, and we the people can surely work together to reduce our defecit, for the better of the nation.  Did I happen to mention, although Governor Quinn deemed it necessary to cut $89 million from transportation to schools and to rely on parents and schools districts, Mr. Quinn also deemed it necessary to give $34 million dollars to the Navy Pier project to the City of Chicago.  The ties that bind in Chicago, are obviously made of steel, and therefore can never be broken.  Illinoisans can think of our shared sacrifice, and the beauty of Navy Pier, when we are driving back and forth to our local schools.  

How does this candle hold up to Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin?  Governor Walker slashed over $1.25 billion dollars from the state's budget.  Starting with $834 million dollar cuts from state aid to schools, $500 million from the state's Medicaid budget, $250 million dollars worth of cuts to public higher education, not to mention cuts to public employees health care and retirement contributions.  The unemployment, over 7%, is expected to worsen with the new budget cuts and layoffs.  In Milwaukee alone, they have laid off 519 employees from their public schools.  The Wisconsin people are not too happy about the so called shared sacrifices, and have fought back with recall elections.  

When you hold apples to apples up next to each other, at first it is hard to decide.  You look at them both, and examine them carefully, and then finally decide that both apples started from the same seed.  They both seem a lot a like in many ways, but can taste completely different.  At least Illinoisans get a clear picture of Navy Pier, in Chicago, when we think about the apple tree.

Remember, we ALL matter, and get up, stand up, but please…do something!