IS IT TRUE that Indiana Governor Mike Pence is coming to Southwest Indiana today to welcome the President of the United States to our state?…of all of the people that this writer has ever made the acquaintance of these two are among the most polar opposite that walk this earth?…Governor Pence is a conservative’s conservative who lives and breathes in the far right of the political spectrum?…President Obama on the other hand is on the far left when one watches what he does as opposed to what he says?…there is a song by David Bowie from the early seventies called “Lady Stardust” that has a line in it that says “a cop knelt and kissed the feet of a priest and a qu33r (sorry but that is exactly what it said) threw up at the sight of that” that perfectly describes these two creatures together?…these two people who in these eyes each have some positive and negative traits do not go together?…President Obama is coming here to celebrate manufacturing week?…that is an admirable support of well paying American jobs?…in spite of the disagreement with many of the policies of the Obama Administration that the CCO picks on, we think that Governor Pence who is the polar opposite of President should just let this happen without co-opting the photo op?…nothing makes one want to barf as much as two diametrically opposites who smile for the camera together in spite of feeling contempt for one another?
IS IT TRUE that the official purpose of the President’s visit is to encourage the growth of manufacturing in the United States and to boast a bit about the 6.1% “official” unemployment rate which is a significant improvement over the past few years?…good economic news attracts politicians like a light bulb attracts bugs and that is why Congressman Larry Buschon of recent Daily Show fame and Governor Pence are spending good taxpayer dollars to stand President Obama’s shadow?
IS IT TRUE what these three public servants need to realize is that a number of economists ignore the “official” unemployment rate for the misleading statistic that it is to a different figure the Bureau of Labor Statistics calls “U-6,” which it defines as “total unemployed, plus all marginally attached workers plus total employed part time for economic reasons, as a percent of all civilian labor force plus all marginally attached workers?”…the “REAL” unemployment rate today when these statistical ghosts are considered is 12.1% which does indeed reflect the percentage of people who should be working but can’t seem to find a job?…from an economic perspective things do seem to be getting better for those who are educated or have a valuable skill?…as long as politicians use “official” numbers that are not based in reality nothing will change with respect to the ghost workers?…they now number well over 10 Million Americans?…we hope a couple of thousand of these ghosts show up for the celebration in Princeton to let themselves be seen?
IS IT TRUE there was indeed a closed door meeting in City Council attorney Scott Danks’ office to hammer out a budget for the City of Evansville?…five of our City Council members attended this meeting (that they conveniently called a caucus) which is a clear violation of Indiana’s Sunshine Laws if business was done?…it must have been done because Council members Mosby and Weaver have been posting things about the meeting through social media?…the other three attendees in this alleged illegal closed door meeting were Conor O’Daniel, John Friend, and Dr. Dan Adams?…it seems as those these five elected officials have decided the fate of the budget and have the votes to shove down the throats of the other four council members and the Office of the Mayor?…they have announce a public meeting to get further input but we all know how the agenda in such meetings gets stacked rendering the meetings useless?
IS IT TRUE a number of the readers of the CCO have contacted us to express anger at the proposed cuts to the 2015 city budget that are from basic services and maintenance?…we echo the concerns that Evansville is so up to its ears in debt that things like road repairs and salt are on the chopping block so the payments on the Ford Center can be made?…what we hope the people of Evansville realize is that the present situation of civil poverty is a direct result of complacency and ignorance on the part of the electorate?…in the last city election the turnout was so paltry that it is embarrassing?…a large number (nearly 80%) of eligible voters were too disinterested or lazy to even bother to vote?…the 2007 election was the same way?…a closed door meeting by what we call the pinky shake democrats determined the outcome of the 2011 election?…in 2007 Mayor Weinzapfel was reelected over a dead beat candidate that was nothing but a place holder on the ballot?…he then proceeded to borrow $127M to build the Ford Center that is now sucking the budget dry to the point we are allocating road salt?…the situation at hand is the chickens coming home to roost?..until Evansville gets better voters the closed door meetings will continue and the march to Detroit style living will accelerate?
