Why UNIONS?

Forget history at your own peril. The traditional concept is "Those who forget the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them." There were long, bitter and violent battles to earn the right to collectively bargain, to have unions, to strike. These union rights were part of riding us of child labor, protecting worker safety, challenging job discrimination, securing better wages and benefits - the list goes on. But a generation passes and those memories are lost! We take what our parents and grandparents fought for for granted. It was unions that launched the successful rise of the middle class in America and it is the loss of unions that is part of the growing gap between rich and poor in this country. The U S Census reported in 2009, "The top-earning 20% of Americans — those making more than $100,000 each year — received 49.4% of all income generated in the U.S., compared with the 3.4% earned by those below the poverty line, according to newly released Census figures. That ratio of 14.5-to-1 was an increase from 13.6 in 2008 and nearly double a low of 7.69 in 1968."

That's why unions!

Huge Respect for Egyptians

It is thrilling today to watch the news of the revolution from Egypt. What courage it took for those on the street! (Older folks will remember similar scenes of tanks in the street from Tiananmem Square in 1989.) Today in Egypt gives a whole new meaning to the adage, "there's strength in numbers." It also gives emphasis to the power of the press (including the new social media). If the international reporters had not risked and stayed the course in Cairo's Tahrir Square, the protesters in the streets might not have felt so empowered or the government forces so restrained. One can only hope now that history will not repeat itself, as Santayana warned, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Hopefully, this revolution will not proceed as it did for Robespierre and the French Revolution, "La revolution devoure ses enfants," but will progress like the American Revolution. General Washington became a President, not a King.

Judges and Justice

There have been several news reports about the shortage of federal judges in recent years. Why is that? Gridlock in the senate! The opposition party simply refuses to allow Presidential appointments to be confirmed. One senator has been able to simply put a secret "hold" on a nomination and nothing happens. The problem then becomes the tendency of the existing federal judges to use summary judgement to help clear the backlogged docket. And that's not justice! The U S Senate needs to clean up its act, reform itself and get about the nation's business.

PLAINTIFF BLUES Spring Book Sale

PLAINTIFF BLUES is the true story we just had to tell. After several false starts with traditional publishers and editors, self-publishing seemed the only option. Our experience with www.selfpublishing.com was just exceptional. The service was terrific. A book coach was free and answered every question promptly. Every bill was as quoted or less, every time estimate was right-on or early. PLAINTIFF BLUES was self-published in 2007 and won awards in 5 different categories in 2008. Since then, the book has been reprinted and sold more than enough copies to pay all the publishing bills and provide for a couple of "revenge" vacations to boot! (Check the revenge link www.plaintiffblues.com on the website) I've had wonderful experiences at book signings, book clubs and other speaking engagements. The book is always available online as a POD (print-on-demand) book from all the major websites including Amazon (including Kindle version), Barnes and Noble, etc.

However, several books remain from the last, off-set printing and we want to make them available to more readers. We have dropped the prices for the remaining books by 40% (including shipping). The rates are even lower for multiple copies - which will work well for book clubs or other groups.
Go to www.plaintiffblues.com to order.

Judicial Activism - Very Interesting!

Obviously, judicial activism is much like beauty or happiness. Either it's in the "eye of the beholder" or "it's a state of mind." The other possibility is that all political reference to the judiciary is hypocritical at best. Conservatives view any judicial decision allowing gay marriage as "judicial activism." Liberals view judicial decisions overturning Obamacare as "judicial activism." The one judicial hypocracy that stands out from the rest is Bush v. Gore (2000). Recall that five, states'-rights, conservative justices shot down the State of Florida to put Bush in the White House.

Obamacare PLEASE!

Opponents of the current health care reform call it socialized medicine and say they don't want the government coming between them and their doctor. They want to keep the current "free enterprise" system we have and be able to see whatever doctor they want and have access to all the care modern science can provide.

They are living in a mythical world. The only institution that ever comes between me and my doctors is my insurance company. I have heard my doctors complain on several occasions about having to get permission from the insurance company for a particular test or treatment they wanted to prescribe. After the third broken ankle, the doctor wanted me to have a bone scan to check for possible osteoporosis - only to be told by the insurance company that they wouldn't pay for the test unless I had a diagnosis of osteoporosis. Isn't that Catch-22?

As it is today, my insurance company stands squarely between me and my doctor. They decide what drugs I take, what doctors I see and what treatments I can have. They do it for profit! Before I retired, I couldn't even chose my insurance company because it was provided by my employer. Where's the private enterprise in all this? We have no choices anyway. Need a hew hip? Try shopping around for the best quality or the best deal! You can't get a single doctor or clinic or hospital to quote you prices - where's the private enterprise - competition - in all of this?

Opponents of Obamacare warn of government rationing of health care. Just another part of their mythical world. Rationing already exists, only it's done by income status and the insurance companies. Let's have some fairness - Obamacare is a good start.