Family & Community
Questions on Patriotism
Questions About Patriotism
Fourth of July celebrations get me thinking about patriotism and its role in our country. We are good at flag waving and platitudes. But our history shows we are not good at living up to our ideals. So patriotic holidays get me asking questions about what patriotism really means in America.
Why is patriotism considered the highest of virtues? Shouldn't we be more concerned about people? Shouldn't we love morality, justice, or tolerance more? Christ said we should love our neighbor, not our country.
Why is patriotism always expressed in ...
Concerns of Wisconsin Veterans
CONCERNS OF WISCONSIN VETERANS
Mary Burke (gubernatorial candidate) held a listening session in Wausau for Wisconsin veterans. This is what she heard.
The Director of DAV (Disabled American Veterans) spoke first. DAV works for high quality lives for veterans through advocacy. They meet with leaders at the state level as well as at the national level. They also give free assistance to vets. Last year, 25,000 rides were given to Wisconsin vets. DAV plans to hold a gubernatorial forum this fall and asked if Mary Burke would attend.
Janice, a veteran, spoke of the ...
Who’s Helped By Raising The Minimum Wage?
The minimum wage struggle is an issue which affects so many individuals and families
Corporate Tax Dodgers . . . Citigroup
This is the third in a series on corporate tax dodgers that will be presented over the next several weeks. These summaries are taken directly from the report on Corporate Tax Dodgers by Americans for Tax Fairness and the Institute for Policy Studies
It isn’t enough that Citigroup was among the Wall Street banks whose fraudulent and predatory “exotic financial instruments” caused the collapse of our economy. It isn’t enough that they were bailed out with hundreds of billions of public tax dollars. It isn’t enough that Citigroup’s tax dodging is driving ...
Demand a New Approach in Iraq
President Obama's decision to sent 300 special forces “trainers” to Iraq is taking us back to war and the same mistakes of the past. It will not help the situation in Iraq. We spent 11 years “training” the Iraqi police and military. Why do we think 300 can do now what 150,000 could not do before?
The deteriorating situation in Iraq proves that our intervention and occupation failed. It did not build a stable country. It did not promote democracy. It did not defeat extremism or curb terrorism. It only killed people and wasted money. Why do we continue to throw ...
Move To Amend Comes To Wausau
Volunteers are knocking on doors this month in Wausau, asking people if they wish to sign a petition to bring a nonbinding resolution to the November 4 ballot. This resolution will call for a constitutional amendment stating that money is not speech.
Move to Amend seeks a 28th Amendment saying that corporations are not people and that money is not speech. In 2010 the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of Citizens United which allows corporations to give unlimited amounts of money to politicians. This has made our democracy available to the highest bidder.
People across ...
Pale Blue Dot
The following quote is from the book Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space by Carl Sagan. The Pale Blue Dot is a photograph of planet Earth taken in 1990 by the Voyager 1 space probe from a record distance of about 6 billion kilometers (3.7 billion miles, 40 AU) from Earth. The Voyager 1 spacecraft, which had completed its primary mission and was leaving the Solar System, was commanded by NASA to turn its camera around and to take a photograph of Earth across a great expanse of space, at the request of Carl Sagan.
“Look again at that dot. That's ...
The Dangers Of Tar Sands Oil – In Wisconsin
Tar Sands Oil is coming to Wisconsin. Last Thursday the state DNR approved an air permit to triple the capacity of the pipeline between Superior and the Illinois state line.
Construction could start as soon as Friday on three new storage tanks near Superior.
Environmentalists are not happy with this decision. The DNR received 200 written comments and 3400 e-mails asking for a complete environmental review of the project. However, the DNR decided not to do the complete review.
This pipeline has been used since 2009 and now carries 400,000 barrels of oil a day. By ...
The Struggle between Freedom and Safety
The recent tragedy near Santa Barbara, California, where a lone gunman killed six innocent individuals, has ignited yet another firestorm of commentary regarding the growing divide between those who value our unalienable rights and those who place a value on public safety. This constant struggle between both sides can often times leave more questions than answers. Whose viewpoints are right? Which takes precedence over the other?
The answer to that question lies at the very bedrock of who we are as a society, and ultimately, who we want to be. A middle-gro...
Evolving Crisis for Wisconsin Elderly and Disabled: Audit Committee Investigation
Through our democratic processes, we Wisconsinites provided oversight to protect our most vulnerable citizens when they needed to be protected the most. But, the current administration is removing that oversight, and we are seeing the consequences.
By outsourcing more and more services to private companies, the state is causing a plethora of problems, while select private companies make big profits.
For example, by outsourcing the transportation of low-income elderly, veterans, and disabled citizens to their Medicaid appointments, the state has literally left many ...
