OUR DISABLED ECONOMY
Many people with disabilities have found it difficult to find work even though they are capable. Despite protections provided by legislation like the Americans With Disabilities Act the barriers to employment are often hard to spot. For example, many job applications ask the question, “Do you have reliable transportation?” If you answer “Yes” then they ask you for information about your vehicle or driver’s license. This discriminates against anyone who prefers to use public transportation, bicycles or walks to work, disabled or not.
There ...
VOTE TO END ABORTIONS
We are fast approaching the November election and once again, abortion is a critical factor in choosing a candidate. In truth, no one wants to see an abortion. It is a tragic moment in any society. But if we genuinely wish to reduce abortions, we must remember – abortion is the terrible symptom. The cause is unintended, unwanted pregnancy. As always, the cause must be treated if we wish to eradicate the symptom.
Unintended pregnancies, of course, give immediate rise to the common reaction - - “people shouldn’t have had sex, they should have ...
FACT OR FAKE
Our world is filled with misinformation. Here are non-partisan sites for you to check out what you read.
AP Fact Check… The Associated Press website, an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting, founded in 1846.
Fact Check …a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center
Fact Tank: News in the Numbers…Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media ...
TRY WRITING A LIMERICK
How are you dealing with all of the stuff going on in your world right now?
Have you tried writing a limerick?
Here are some samples to get you going.
A painter who came from Great Britain
Hailed a lady who sat with her knittin’.
He remarked with a sigh,
“that park bench—well, I
Just painted it, right where you’re sittin.”
There was an old monk from Siberia
Whose existence grew drearier and drearier.
Till he broke from his cell
And with a super-loud yell
Eloped with the Mother Superior....
HOW”DOING NOTHING” WORKS FOR POLITICIANS
While scrolling through social media recently, I saw someone ask, “Why hasn’t Governor Evers distributed funds from the Heroes Act?” Others jumped all over this comment, claiming the Governor failed because the Heroes Act wasn’t being implemented when it could be.
The truth of the matter is the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Heroes Act several months ago to provide more COVID-19 relief to states; but the U.S. Senate hasn’t taken any action on the bill. Governor Evers cannot take action on federal funding that hasn’t actually passed ...
COMPARING THE CANDIDATES
Northwest Wisconsin is again electing a Representative for the House of Representatives. This election has the same candidates as the special election in May. The difference now is we have the House voting record of Tom Tiffany over the last few months. This record along with the information from the candidates' campaign websites should be considered by voters.
In a recent article Wisconsin Public Radio news says Tiffany is the most conservative of any of Wisconsin's Republican representatives based on this voting record. Looking at 72 roll call ...
MAKING AMERICA GREAT
We hear much today about “making America great,” and certainly we as a people should see this as an aspirational goal. But what does it mean to be “great?” And importantly, we must recognize there have been forces throughout history that are beyond the control of any individual, any country, and perhaps beyond the control of humanity itself. No nation is free of these evolutionary trends.
Economically speaking, one of the leading indicators that a globally preeminent nation has reached its apex, is how it “earns” its living. Does the ...
VOTE TO PROTECT SOCIAL SECURITY
You may think that elections don't matter. All the politicians are corrupt and it makes no difference who wins. But this year the future of Social Security is at literally on the line.
Social Security is an 85 year old program that provides basic financial security for all Americans. Social Security is a cherished and essential financial safety net for millions of Americans. It serves not only people in retirement, but many who are disabled, and children who have lost a parent. Many people in Wisconsin would have NO INCOME without Social Securi...
LETTER REGARDING WAUSAU SCHOOL REFERENDUM
Editor's note: The following letter submitted to Middle Wisconsin concerns the upcoming November 3rd Wausau School District referendum and the adverse impact it may have on students and families. The letter reflects statements Mr. Grau made at a recent School Board meeting upon learning the Task Force that made the decisions regarding the actions proposed in the referendum was apparently not required to be transparent, keep meeting minutes, or seek public input. The parent's of the families being affected were apparently not consulted. Mr Grau's letter is expressing ...
RURAL POVERTY
I write this article with one question in mind: can speaking the truth on issues of poverty and racial division make any difference? I write this in hopes of sparking a conversation, and in hopes of ending the bloodshed. I believe that it is time that we take a look at the issue of rural poverty and at how it fits into the broader narrative on the politics of racial division.
Most poor people avoid the topic of their own poverty because they believe doing so admits failure. To be one of the noble poor in this nation is to be silent. As someone who is ...