Tag: economy

Dear Canada (and the rest of the world too)

by eileentroemel, posted in Life

I’d like to offer my sincerest apologies to our neighbors to the north – and the rest of the world.  If we look at the popular vote, he is not the people’s choice.  But things being fucked up like they are, our president has managed to annoy, embarrass, and alienate the entire world. 

Being in Wisconsin, we are only a lake away from Canada.  My parents used to go fishing in Canada and loved it.  I’ve met a number of Canadians and they were lovely.  I’ve watched the border shows and the people were lovely.  I have no idea why our president is such an idiot. 

The things he says are lies – not fake news – just plain and simply lies.  His trade sanctions are only going to hurt the regular guy.  It is going to hurt the farmers – who are dying out because they can’t afford to be a family farmer anymore. 

In my opinion, Trump is going to drive this country into another recession or depression.  Obama – yes I’m daring to say his name and compare even though Trump vilifies him – worked hard to bring some equity, to balance out our economy.  They talk about the low unemployment rate like Trump came into power and wham the unemployment rate happened.  That isn’t true and I question the lower rate.  Are people really in jobs which are paying the bills or are they taking ANYTHING to attempt to make ends meet? 

Gas prices are going up.  This means all prices will go up because most goods are transported via truck.  The higher gas prices go, the less everyone has to spend on anything.  Now he’s doing all these trade sanctions – when will this end? 

To the world – I’m sorry for the insanity which led to our current president.  You can bet we are all counting the days until the next election.  I cringe whenever the president is on the news.  I cringe when I hear he’s been tweeting.  I cringe when he is opens his mouth.  Hopefully we can discard him soon and move on to a better leader in the new election.

Screwed

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
It looks like our representatives are only representing the rich and the corporations.  It looks like they are going to pass a bill that raises the debt ceiling and screws the middle and lower classes as well as the seniors.  I’m seriously disappointed with our representatives across the board.  What happened to We the People?  What happened to representation by peers?  What happened to taking care of the people within your district – all of them whether you agree with them or not?
Here is a basic budgeting tip for the government – not that any of them listen.  If there isn’t enough money to pay the bills you do two things.  You increase your income (i.e. tax those who aren’t paying their fair share – rich and corporation) and you decrease your spending.  Now everyone of course has their own ideas on how to decrease spending.  The problem right now with decreasing spending is that it will adversely affect our economy. 
We’ve had a depression before (I refer all the people who aren’t up on history to the stock market crash of 1929 and the entire decade of the 30s).  FDR spent a LOT of money on social programs to pull us out of the depression we were in.  It is the same now.  Obama’s programs didn’t work because they didn’t go far enough. 
It’s time to represent the entire population not just the wealthy.  It’s time for those not being represented to stand up and say enough. 
I know that the economy is tricky because there are so many factors that go into what makes the economy work.  I also know if you keep raising prices on essentials like food, gas, utilities and keep lowering wages then the upper middle and middle class will become the lower class.  The lower class will become the disenfranchised and homeless (hopeless).  This will not do our economy any good.

Independence Day

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized

Two days of rest and relaxation, you would think I’d be happy as a clam.  Do we really know if clams are happy?  I was for a bit.  I got great news from my daughters in Georgia.  They officially have a new apartment and Stephanie got a brand new car.  Hopefully this will be less worrying about them down there.  The last two days have been wonderful.  Saturday we went to the carnival for lunch and to a movie.  It was calm and relaxing.  Sunday we were vegetables and watched DVR and DVD stuff.  I crocheted on Stephanie’s afghan.  It was a good weekend. 

This morning I woke up before my alarm which is never a good thing.  I managed to get back to sleep and got up to play on the computer.  I went from playing on the computer to working on budget.  Starting in August I’m losing about $175 a month.  Somewhere in my budget I have to find this money.  It is a lot to juggle and think about. 

This morning I’m not so relaxed and rested.  However, it is the 4th of July and I’m not at work.  I can do what I want with the day and just kick back.  Vicki has gone off to the parade and carnival.  I’m going to close my budget and hope that I’ve figured out how I’m paying my bills and getting things organized. 

The problem I’m having is that once I start looking at my budget I start worrying about those who are going to be affected even worse by what is going on with our economics and politics.  There are all these cuts going through with the budget.  What will happen to those families who have two teachers earning money and maybe losing their jobs?  What will happen to the single moms who rely on Head Start and Badger Care to assist them?  What will happen to the libraries and the schools?  So many people are negatively impacted by this budget and by what is going on with the government it is disturbing and heartbreaking.  I wonder if the politicians stop to think about that when they get out their red pens to say – we don’t need this or that.

On a side note, I read a friend’s blog and it was amazing.  Here is a link to an amazing blog that is well worth reading:  http://lillith3feathers.wordpress.com/2011/07/02/freedom-struggles-part-i/

Rights in Jeopardy

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
I’ve been reading the articles and announcements. I’m not one to just believe some of the propaganda put out by one side of an issue.  I will go looking for information until I can get information from the original source.
I watched Walker say he was surprised that the protests were peaceful.  He’s called out the National Guard to make sure the protests this week are peaceful.  I don’t believe that is the real reason.  I think he did it to try to intimidate the people coming to the protests. 
Some serious concerns I have is he is talking about health risk assessments.  Does this mean if you are a smoker, have a disease, or are obese he will deny insurance coverage?  This would be an extreme invasion of privacy. 
While the money issues concern me, I’m aware that we will have to pay more during these economic issues.  The favoritism he is showing towards his contributors is more of an issue.  The companies from the Green Bay area who want to build in an area for the endangered Cranes backed him and now he is trying to overrule the DNR.  These cranes are rare and this is their nesting area.  If we allow companies to build there these cranes may die out.  The unions he is exempting from the busting he is trying to do are the ones that supported him during the election. 
Is this really the kind of politician we want in?  Someone who allows people to buy his influence?  Shouldn’t he be looking out for the good of Wisconsin – all of Wisconsin – not just those who paid for him to do it? 
The man has cost the state $800 million in federal funding for the high speed rail project.  He has lost jobs of at least 900 for the train company who will be moving as soon as their contract is up.  The jobs he is supposedly creating are minimum wage jobs that are part time and offer NO benefits.  Apparently we are going to become a serfdom with him as the lord of the manner.  Minimum wage jobs will not pay the bills.  If you work 40 hours a week at $7.25 your gross pay would be $290.  In a month that is $1160.  If your mortgage is a $1000 then you can’t live on one job.  Most of these jobs are part time so you wouldn’t actually get 40 hours per week.  Then you are stuck working two or three jobs.  We will be working ourselves to death just trying to live in poverty because the annual wage would be a bit over $15,000 which is well below poverty level. 
Whatever he does in the public sector, will stream outward into the private sector.  If we lose our rights to negotiate, get raises, strike, whatever, then the private sector will as well. 
I agree the government needs to curtail spending and reduce the amount of money going out.  However, banishing unions is not going to help.  Neither is giving the rich tax breaks.  Since we are already one of the states that have a high tax rate it would be best to look at options like raising the sales tax or cutting spending across the board.  This may mean that some of the pet projects needs to go.  Sacrifices will need to be made.  I don’t think our programs for children and poor should be the first to go.  Let’s look for the pork and cut that. 
We also need to have an open discussion.  The people of the state and the people most affected by cuts should have a say in the cuts being made.  Public hearings, open discussion, communication are all key factors in facing these difficult economic times. 
Bullying and ramming through changes which aren’t going to make a difference will not help the state but hurt it.  Walker needs to wake up and realize he is a public employee and his job is to serve the public not be a dictator.
I watched an hour last night of the finance committee hearings.  No one spoke for the bill, one person even said that since 1:15 (I was watching at 8:15 still) had spoken for the bill.  Each speaker was given only 2 minutes to speak.  Yet I feel that this bill will get rammed through and the entire state of Wisconsin will pay for it.

Money Money Money

by eileentroemel, posted in Uncategorized
I’m looking at an 11% plus cut in my pay due to Governor Walker and that is on top of the 3% I already took with the furloughs.  This is significant as it will put me from making it to not making it.  I’m a public employee and proud to be serving the public.  I do the best I can in my job, helping as many people as I can regardless of what they are asking of me.  I don’t just say that isn’t my area I can’t do it.  I say it isn’t my area but let me see who could help you.  I did this when I worked at the DMV, BPD and now at the University.
Unfortunately this is not seen or appreciated by those in power.  My bosses have appreciated me and given me pats on the back but the legislature and governor apparently can’t be bothered to promote workers. 
I don’t know Scott Walker at all.  I didn’t vote for him.  I don’t like his way of treating people.  I find him arrogant and irresponsible.  He is not a person I would choose to run anything let alone our state.  However, now that he is in power I have to deal with the fall out. 
For me this means, we are no longer going to have any cash to spend on anything other than the absolute necessities.  We may even be looking at dropping services. I’m not sure what we will have to sacrifice but something will have to go.  I may have to drop my insurance – if that is allowed mid-year.  Other options are to drop cell phones or cable… I’m not sure what else.
This will not mean tightening our belts.  It will mean that we are doing without.  I was working on paying off my credit card debt but we may have to let our credit rating tank in order to pay for our basics with this type of drastic cut in pay.  
I know the propaganda out there is that state workers make six figures and they don’t do anything.  There probably are a few who are like that.  However, the majority of state workers are not that well off.   Between my husband and I we don’t make six figures.  We are not living high off the hog.  We get paid.  I pay the bills.  The money is gone.  There is no emergency fund. There is no huge retirement fund.  There is no savings.  It is just us working to pay our bills. 
Does Scott Walker understand that is how most of the state employees are?  Does he understand that we are just like all the other workers in Wisconsin who are struggling to stay afloat during these difficult economic times?