Boston Marathon

The True Heroes Of Natural And Man Made Disasters: Teachers, Nurses, Paramedics, Police Officers, Firefighters!

Ronald 24 Comments

Again, with the Oklahoma and Boston Marathon tragedies, as so many others, it is PUBLIC servants–teachers, nurses, paramedics, police officers, firefighters–who are the true heroes, doing beyond the call of duty to rescue and save lives!

But yet, these public servants are constantly pilloried and condemned, if they demand a living wage and decent benefits, as appreciation for their services, while people in the world of business make outrageous salaries and perks on Wall Street, and think that they deserve what they get, despite having messed up the economy, causing the Great Recession of 2008, as they have in every recession since the Great Depression!

We are told to worship Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan Chase, and other bank CEO’s who, by all justification, should be in prison for their actions!

We allow the Koch Brothers and the Walmart heirs to run rampant without any consideration of how they exploit their work force, and these are just examples, not the only ones.

We have Apple and Walmart and Target and numerous other companies which exploit foreign workers, and do not give a damn about safety or a decent living wage for these poor women and men who died in the disaster recently in Bangladesh!

It is time to hold these corporate leaders and companies accountable, and stop complaining about public servants who deserve respect and dignity and better pay for their sacrifices and dedication to the people they serve!

The Government Responsibility To Provide Support To Victims Of Terrorism And Gun Violence

Ronald 10 Comments

With the ever widening reality of home grown terrorism of religious and political fanatics of all ideological stripes, we are witnessing more and more victims of terrorism and gun violence, and many of the survivors are left with a lifetime disability, but added onto by unbelievable medical and rehabilitation costs that many cannot handle, and just add to their suffering and emotional turmoil.

The loss of loved ones who have died must also be considered as something that needs to be understood and considered, so therefore, there is a need for a compensation system for victims who are survivors–whether from Virginia Tech, the Tucson shopping center, the Aurora movie theater, the Sandy Hook Elementary School, the Boston Marathon shootings, or any other terrorist or criminal act similar to these in the future.

All of us who are fortunate enough to be able to avoid such tragic circumstances must understand that it is the job of government to be compassionate to victims of crimes, as there “but for the grace of God go I”, even if one is not religious!

The price of terrorism and gun crimes is that we, who avoid those circumstances, must help to pay for and support those who have lost loved ones, or those who live on and suffer for the rest of their lives, while we go about our business!

The price of terrorism must be shared by everyone, and if anyone disagrees, that says a lot about their so called “patriotism”!

The US Senate Vote On Expanded Background Checks For Guns: A Slap In The Face Of Gabby Giffords, Aurora And Sandy Hook!

Ronald 16 Comments

The Manchin-Toomey Expanded Background Checks Bill to regulate purchase of guns by Al Qaeda terrorists, gang members, rapists and murderers, and mentally unstable people at gun shows and on the internet, went down to a defeat in the US Senate yesterday, only able to gain a vote of 54-46, when 60 votes was needed to overcome the filibuster which holds up action unless that number is reached.

This is a slap in the face of former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords and the others who were victims in Tucson; those killed and wounded in the movie theater in Aurora, Colorado; and the massacre of 20 children and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.

It also comes right after the Boston Marathon Massacre, which left three dead and 170 wounded, and it says to the nation that we are not willing to do the simple act of requiring expanded background checks as a minimum.

Four Republicans were courageous enough to oppose the National Rifle Association, while four Democrats were unwilling to do what was right, because of their fear of retribution when they came up for reelection, three of them in 2014.

But as much as one wants to keep his job, if a Senator has no principles except his or her own advancement, it means we have forgotten what our government is all about–doing what is best for the American people, and preserving their security and safety, the first and most important role of any government!

Probably only if these four Democratic Senators and the 42 Republicans who voted against expanded background checks had members of their own families killed or wounded, would they get the message!

This is a sad moment in the history of the US Senate, particularly when up to 90 percent of Americans and 80 percent of gun owners support such expanded background checks to preserve some of the lives of our children and our loved ones!

Terrorism Tax Essential To Deal With Threats To National Security!

Ronald 8 Comments

It is clear after the Boston Marathon tragedy that we will be dealing with the imminent threat of terrorism, whether external or internal, for many years, even decades.

At the same time, we have many who tell us we must cut Social Security and Medicare for the elderly, veterans, and the disabled. We are also told we cannot afford health care and education,. and that millions of Americans must be sacrificed on the altar of never raising taxes!

Well, it is time that those opposed to tax increases, in a nation with the lowest tax burden of any democracy in the world, start reconsidering.

So a proposal is to recognize the dangers that face us, and to see that we are engaged in a different kind of war, and in all wars except under George W. Bush, taxes went up to support the war.

So we need a “Terrorism Tax”, and it should be one percent on incomes under $25,000; two percent on incomes up to $50,000; three percent on incomes up to $100,000; four percent on incomes up to $250,000; five percent on incomes up to $1 million; and six percent on all income above $1 million, including unearned income!

The author knows he will be attacked for such a heinous suggestion as a “Terrorism Tax”, but our security and safety requires sacrifices from all of us, and those with higher income and assets should be expected to contribute more to the nation that has helped to give them opportunity to prosper!

As John F. Kennedy said in his Inaugural Address in 1961, all of us should share the responsibility of promoting our nation and advancing its agenda, that we cannot afford as citizens to sit on the sidelines and leave responsibility to others. Let us fulfill what Kennedy enunciated 52 years ago!

The Boston Marathon Terrorist Attack: Another Assault On Our Freedom!

Ronald 30 Comments

The shocking terrorist attack on the Boston Marathon yesterday will transform American life in ways we cannot yet imagine, another assault on our freedom as Americans.

Until now, America has lived in a bubble, figuring that we would never face what Israel, Great Britain, India, Iraq and Afghanistan have faced, as we have been fortunate in stopping terrorist attacks on our homeland in the years since September 11.

It now means that at every sporting event and major public gathering, there will be a need for more security, some of it infuriating in nature, because of the evil forces among us who wish us harm.

We should not, however, rush to conclusions as to the source, as it could be Islamic terrorism, but could also be militia group related, reminding ourselves of the Oklahoma City terrorist attack of 1995, on nearly the same date as this one!

So in order to fight terrorism, sadly, we are forced to give up a lot of our freedom, an alarming development with no easy solution or alternative!