Christmas 2008

I saw a political cartoon yesterday showing Bush throwing his shoe at Baby New Year 2008. I concur with the cartoon’s message. Every now and then you get a year that just doesn’t quite work out the way you had hoped, and 2008 was one of those years. This has been a transition year. On the personal level, I have had many family members and friends die. My wife and I are suffering from empty nest syndrome as my son moved to Columbus. My mother has been ill, and frankly has been difficult to handle as she comes to grips with severe limitations. Financially, it has been the pits with a sinking economy. Recessions just aren’t any fun for anybody. At least on the secular level, this Christmas is glitter deficient.

On the other hand, my family is surviving better than most. My mother is settling down a bit and we have found a wonderful facility for her. My son and I are looking at some potential business ventures we can do together, every father’s dream. And frankly, we bought so much stuff last Christmas, we can do with a little less this Christmas.

While I miss those who have gone to their well deserved rewards, I am enjoying those of us still on this earth more than ever, and have met many of the personal goals I have set for myself in ways other than simply “making money”. As they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I truly believe that.

Many of my friends have also achieved personal goals. One example is my friend Mary Grace Grosso Costello. Gracie is a talented musician and composer who has written some lovely music. She put together a Christmas CD called And Heaven and Nature Sing, in conjunction with the St. Luke Catholic Church Music Ministry. It is a great CD. Included are some of Gracie’s original pieces, as well as familiar Christmas carols and tunes performed by the St. Luke Choir. Gracie told me last year that this was a goal of hers for 2008, and she did it. Is it the Robert Shaw Chorale? No. But it is filled with heart and caring, and is the personification of the Christmas Season as Gracie and her merry band of musicians offer their talents to God. In good times or bad, those are the best gifts. It is a wonderful addition to my Christmas CD collection, and will get played often.

So this Christmas, it is time to go with the flow. And the ebb and flow of life is telling me to slow down, and examine what is important in life, what you need to live…and what you can do without. Maybe this Christmas will turn out to be one of the better ones after all.

Have a blessed and joyous Christmas.

DO ANY OF THESE PEOPLE GET IT?

I am just plain ticked this morning. I watched with awe as the Senate told the Detroit what it thought about the proposed bailout. Put immediate standards in, or forget it, the Senate said. The words of the economist who testified in front of Congress rang in my head. It will take hundreds of billions of dollars to fix the problem, so get ready. Any bailout, no matter you slice and dice it, would be simply passed through to the United Auto Workers Union and GM’s bond holders. Why should we bail them out? Meanwhile, those of us who are trudging through the drudgery of trying to make ends meet as either self employed individuals or working someplace for $10.00/hour with no benefits or anything else, are left holding the bag at the altar of Big Business, Big Labor, and Big Government. Who is there for us? Enough is enough. It’s over guys. The current situation is unsustainable and can only be resolved in the structure of a bankruptcy court. But never fear, the Treasury Dept. will take the money from the TARP, and we can have the same debate again in 4 months.

I watched the news in the context of two other stories on the news yesterday. Governor Strickland announced that unless the Feds come up with some money for Ohio, massive cuts would be coming. One of his aids told a reporter that the first thing to be hit would be the State University System, and students could anticipate hikes in tuition in excess of $2,000.00/year. But consider these statistics. Hillary Clinton, as Secretary of State of United States, will make $186,600.00/year. United States senators will make $174,000.00/year.

On the other hand, Gordon Gee, the President of Ohio State University, (and he is a public employee) will make $775,000.00/year plus a deferred compensation package worth $225,000.00/year plus various allowances for housing, transport… you get the picture. The total package is approximately $1.1 million. Why? What does he do that is more difficult than the Secretary of State of the United States? Indeed, the President of Youngstown State University makes in excess of $350,000.00/year, plus allowances and benefits. Why?? At Akron University, where the average tenured professor’s salary floats right around $100,000.00/year plus, because the enrollment of the university has gone up, these guys get a raise? Why? Who is there for us?

Finally, once again Mahoning County is laying the groundwork for increased taxes. Last year, after county officials released prisoners from the county jail and laid off sheriff deputies, the citizens passed a sales tax increase after numerous defeats based on representations to us that the money would be used to support the county jail. Just in case you haven’t been watching the news…Mahoning County is again making rumblings about insufficient funds to run the jail due to screwed up contracts with contracted inmates from the Federal government and Youngstown City. Here we go again. Do you remember George Tablack? He left his elected County Auditor’s position for greener pastures of a government job in Palm Beach, Florida. It apparently didn’t work out, because he came back less than 6 months later. So, our County fathers created a County Manager’s position for him, at pretty much the same money. I read in the paper last week that he is getting a retroactive raise back to January, 2007, I believe. Why?? Who is there for us?

Folks, do any of these people get it? You are paying for it. When does it stop?