We’ve come a long way baby!!

(Or have we?)

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!!  Our country is now celebrating its 229^th birthday  and we are and should be celebrating this great country’s history.  However, after 229 years, our celebrations should be more than  barbeques, firework displays and holiday sales….  After 229 years we should be celebrating the end of poverty, the inclusion of health care for all and a viable pension program so that our seniors might live their golden years in reasonable prosperity.  Instead we have children without health care, seniors purchasing life sustaining prescription drugs in favor of food.  We have in many areas digressed to an uglier time in our history.  The “American Dream” is being stolen from us by corporate crooks that are in charge of our Governing bodies, almost at every level.   We now have diabolical, corrupt and absolute self-serving individuals setting policies that impact the rest of us.

What is more disturbing is that we seem to have accepted this with an “it is what it is” mentality.  Well, folks, "it is what it is"  only because we have allowed it to be.  Where is the outrage over this corporate war that we have engaged in at a cost of young lives and 1billion dollars a week.  Instead of speaking out we keep quiet so as not to be labeled “non patriotic”  while those in control continue their diversions (disguised as news) such as the Michael Jackson crap and the intervention of private matters such as the Terri Schiavo docu-drama.   And even the national news covers life changing stories such as the Georgia women who forgot to show up for her wedding….   

How dumb are we????  We have our best young men and women being killed on a daily basis, right wing  zealots being appointed to every level of the federal judiciary and a full court press to dismantle the most successful program in the history of this country, that being Social Security.  Instead of standing up against these issues  we continue to be distracted and worry about the petty issues mentioned earlier.   

Although Social Security is not the most important of issues facing this country (the war is) it is an important issue that must be completely debated and understood.  Many consider it to be a Social program that has no place in a country that touts capitalism, or survival of the fittest only.  Well F.I.C.A. stands for Federal Insurance Contribution Act (social security) the key word is insurance. Just like your individual insurance you pay into it over the years expecting a return on premiums made and matched by your employer over the years.   

Does Social Security need adjusting?  Yes…  For starters how about requiring ALL to pay into it,  then raise the cap on yearly contributions to reflect todays economy.  But private investments only help the brokerage firms selected by the Government at the rest of our expense.( 7 TRILLION transition cost)  Extremely punitive, given the decision makers (congress) have legislated their own retirement (full wages) for life and then passed on to their spouses are the ones making these decisions.  This issue is extremely important since those that are fortunate enough to have employer provided pension plans are being duped by many corporate phonies into believing that their plans are secure.  In many many cases companies will not fulfill their promise for providing pension benefits.  According to the Congressional Budget Office 1100 companies have reported a combined DEFICIT of $357.7 Billion.  Worse yet, they reported that companies have short changed their  

pension funds by $600 Billion this past year, meaning the worst is yet to come. However, you can bet your pension that the CEOs and the Board’s of Directors will get their full share, but rest assured  the rest will have to rely on Social Security Benefits.  That is exactly why we must not allow it to be dis-mantled.   

Steve Williams

                                               Business Manager

“Should any political party attempt to abolish social security, unemployment insurance and eliminate labor laws and farm programs, you would not hear of that party again in our political history.  There is a tiny splinter group, of course, that believes you can do these things.  Among them are few Texas oil millionaires, and an occasional politician or business man from other areas.  Their number is negligible and they are stupid.”

                                                Dwight D. Eisenhower

                                                November 8, 1954

The following opinion/editorial was written recently in the local newspaper, The Daytona Beach News Journal.  A response opinion from an IBEW member follows on page 3.  sc  

Not all about respect  

Just a few years ago, a close friend was selling a motorcycle, and I decided to buy it.  It happened to be a Honda.  I rode around several months enjoying the freedom of the open air.  One day as I was stopped for a red light, a biker astride a Harley pulled up beside me.  He looked at me with contempt, looked over my Honda and then said,  “Some people have no respect for America .”  I assumed he meant I should buy products made only in America .  So I said.  “Well, let’s check this out.  Your T-shirt was made in India .  Your pants were made in Mexico .  Your shoes were made in China .  Your sun-glasses were made in Taiwan .  The rubber tires on your American motorcycle were made in Indonesia .  Now just who has not respect for America ?”  He just faded away.   Let’s say that I own a plant in Detroit that makes automobiles.  A man puts five lug nuts on each wheel that comes down the assembly line.  I have to pay him $34 an hour because this is America .  In my plant, I have 5,000 employees.  Therefore, I am paying $170,000 an hour.  So I decide to move my plant to Mexico .  I can hire an able employee who is great at putting five lug nuts on each wheel, and I have to pay him only $4 an hour.  Four dollars an hour in Mexico is big bucks to those people because their standard of living is lower.  $4 an hour as opposed to $34 an hour means a savings of $30 an hour or $150,000 an hour for 5,000 employees.  Guess where I would have my cars built.  Where would you?                                                           

Buzz Porter

                                                            Ormond Bch.

 Sidecutter Editor’s note:   3 things

 1.  All his employees would be male.

 2. He should have to sell all his cars in Mexico .

 3. That must have been an awful long Red Light.

It’s about greed

 After reading Buzz Porter’s letter to the editor May 27, 2005 , I wondered if he ever saw the other side of the coin??  In his letter he stated how “his” cars would be built in Mexico where employees would make $4 an hour versus $34 here in America .  I found that quite curious since his Mexican employees could never in their wildest dreams be able to purchase the very vehicles they produce.  Not when this American Capitalist is paying them $4 an hour. Contrary, the American worker making a decent livable wage returns it back into the economy and is able to purchase the vehicles produced by the most productive workers in the world.  Perhaps Mr. Porter needs to open his eyes and see that buying American made products does help make a stronger America .  From the men and women who assemble the products, to the truck drivers who deliver those products, to the construction workers who build the plants, to the engineers and architects who design those plants, to the bankers who finance those projects, to the lawyers who draft those contracts, they are fellow Americans who work here, pay taxes here, volunteer here and LIVE here!  Further, Mr. Porter assumed that the “biker” wore all those foreign made clothes.  Although I do not have a 100% American made household, I invite him over to see the 2 Chevys, 2 Fords and 2 Harleys at my home.  These, along with the leather jacket, chaps, jeans, hat and numerous t-shirts that are ALL MADE IN AMERICA!  I’m grateful that my father and mother taught me the virtues of supporting this great country.  Yes, all they ever bought were Lincoln Mercury and Buick cars.

                                    Stephen Ching

                                    25 Year IBEW 756 Member  

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INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF
ELECTRICAL WORKERS
LOCAL UNION NO. 756
5901 Airport Rd.
Daytona Beach, Florida 32124
904-756-2756
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