Only in America ~ Top 10

By Terry Orr

(Sharing an email)

10 Only in America ~ Could politicians talk about the greed of the rich at a $35,000.00 per plate Obama campaign fund-raising event. 

09 Only in America ~ Could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when they have a black President, a black Attorney General and roughly 20% of the federal workforce is black while only 14% of the population is black, 40+% of all federal entitlements goes to black Americans - 3X the rate that go to whites, 5X the rate that go to Hispanics! 

08 Only in America ~ Could they have had the two people most responsible for our tax code, Timothy Geithner (the head of the Treasury Department) and Charles Rangel (who once ran the Ways and Means Committee), BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes. 

07 Only in America ~ Can they have terrorists kill people in the name of Allah and have the media primarily react by fretting that Muslims might be harmed by the backlash. 

06 Only in America ~ Would they make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries and pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege, while they discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just 'magically' become  American citizens. (Probably should be number one.)

05 Only in America ~ Could the people who believe in balancing the budget and sticking by the country's Constitution be called EXTREMISTS. 

04 Only in America ~ Could you need to present a driver's license to cash a check or buy alcohol, but not to vote. 

03 Only in America ~ Could people demand the government investigate whether oil companies are gouging the public because the price of gas went up when the return on equity invested in a major U.S. Oil company (Marathon Oil) is less than half of a company making tennis shoes (Nike).

02 Only in America ~ Could you collect more tax dollars from the people than any nation in recorded history, still spend a Trillion dollars more than it has per year - for total spending of $7 Million PER MINUTE, and complain that it doesn't have nearly enough money. 

01 Only in America ~ Could the rich people - who pay 86% of all income taxes - be accused of not paying their "fair share" by people who don't pay any income taxes at all. 

War on Poverty – 2014 Update

By Terry Orr

Poverty continues to impact America and other countries throughout the planet and in America – all we need to do, is look into the mirror – we only have ourselves to blame for this nightmare.  Center stage is our ‘greed’ and lack of understanding what is the right thing to do for the betterment of mankind.

Sample of our own undoing of America:

• Illegal immigration
• Outsourcing jobs to other countries
• Manufacturing done in other countries
• Failure to enforce current laws
• Failure to monitor government programs
• Failure to achieve better education in America
• Laws, Policies, Directives that significantly impact American Citizens
• Allowing other Countries the ability to impact our future
• Spending Trillions abroad

Eight of the ten Native American Commandments provide each of us with the basic guidance to finding the right solution to poverty and most of our problems we face in America today.

1. Treat the Earth and all that dwell thereon with respect.

2. Remain close to the Great Spirit, in all that you do.

3. Show great respect for your fellow beings. (Especially Respect yourself)

4. Work together for the benefit of all Mankind.

5. Give assistance and kindness wherever needed.

6. Do what you know to be right. (But be careful not to fall into self-righteousness)

7. Look after the well being of mind and body.

8. Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater good.

9. Be truthful and honest at all times. (Especially be truthful and honest with your self)

10. Take full responsibility for your actions

Please give this some thought and pitch in to make a difference.  Thank you.

References and Links

The New York Times published:

“The War on Poverty at 50” by Jared Bernstein - a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington and a former chief economist to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. (http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/01/06/the-war-on-poverty-at-50/?_r=0)

“50 Years Later, War on Poverty Is a Mixed Bag”, by ANNIE LOWREY and published on January 4, 201

( http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/05/business/50-years-later-war-on-poverty-is-a-mixed-bag.html?ref=politics&_r=0 )

Other Related Postings:

“What I learned in the Poverty War” Work, not welfare, uplifts the poor - by Peter Cove (http://www.city-journal.org/2012/22_4_poverty.html )

“Tracing the War on Poverty” by Julie Ault & Martin Beck (http://www.artlies.org/article.php?id=1548&issue=56&s=0 )

“The Next War on Poverty” by Peter Edelman published in the Democracy Issue #15 Winter 2010 (http://www.democracyjournal.org/15/6727.php?page=all )

National and International Anti-Corruption Day

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By Terry Orr

Put a stop to bribery and corruption or risk leading business down a path of destruction!

International Anti-Corruption Day

9 December 2012

International Anti-Corruption Day - In 2010 the Secretary-General of the United Nations broadcasted a message loud and clear about the role of the day!

So what is anti-corruption? It’s businesses taking the initiative to adopt strong policies against corruption. Why? Because corruption crimes like bribery and extortion, corporate espionage can be detrimental to businesses and eventually democracy.

And there are signals that corruption could be occurring. If cash payments seem abnormal, lavish gifts are appearing out of the blue or normal procedures are suddenly being bypassed you might want to consider if there is something else at work.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has opened a past event which saw her voicing some very serious words about the issue! She emphasized the importance of fighting together to prevent the weakening of our economic climate by stopping criminals from feeding into black markets. Basically, the clearer the rules and leadership, the more transparent organizations will be forced to become! (Source: national-awareness-days.com)

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2012 Theme: Act Against Corruption Today

Corruption is a complex social, political and economic phenomenon that affects all countries. Corruption undermines democratic institutions, slows economic development and contributes to governmental instability. Corruption attacks the foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quagmires whose only reason for existing is the soliciting of bribes. Economic development is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the "start-up costs" required because of corruption. (Source: UN)

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Corruption is an appearance known since ancient times, and includes practically every corner of the world. Recently this problem is perceived negatively in the international scale. Corruption, after the organized crime, is regarded as the greatest threat to the economy and democracy.

Corruption deprave society and denies the fundamental moral values. It is a crime primary associate with the public sector, but also applies to business, where impede free competition. (Source: Pepe.com)

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So my fellow citizens I ask you just how the heck can we correct this significant and ever increasing dilemma?

• Corruption is worse than prostitution. The latter might endanger the morals of an individual; the former invariably endangers the morals of the entire country. ~ Karl Kraus
• I am against government by crony. ~ Harold L. Ickes
• I have often noticed that a bribe has that effect -- it changes a relation. The man who offers a bribe gives away a little of his own importance; the bribe once accepted, he becomes the inferior, like a man who has paid for a woman. ~ Graham Greene
• Life is a corrupting process from the time a child learns to play his mother off against his father in the politics of when to go to bed; he who fears corruption fears life. ~ Saul Alinsky

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Top 7 Corruption Quotes:

1.    “Corruption is authority plus monopoly minus transparency.”  - Unknown

2.    “The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

3.    “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” - Lord Acton

4.    "Power does not corrupt men; fools, however, if they get into a position of power, corrupt power." - George Bernard Shaw

5.    "Power attracts the corruptible. Absolute power attracts the absolutely corruptible." - Frank Herbert

6.    "It has often been said that power corrupts. But it is perhaps equally important to realize that weakness, too, corrupts. Power corrupts the few, while weakness corrupts the many. Hatred, malice, rudeness, intolerance, and suspicion are the faults of weakness. The resentment of the weak does not spring from any injustice done to them but from their sense of inadequacy and impotence. We cannot win the weak by sharing our wealth with them. They feel our generosity as oppression." - Eric Hoffer

7.    "Money is truthful. If a man speaks of his honor, make him pay cash." - Robert A. Heinlein

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Depending upon your source of information the past US Presidential cost exceeds $4 billion and up to $8 billion.  There are lots of folks wanting something for all that money.  Think of all the good that kind of money could take care of – especially in the wake of Sandy.  Is there any hope of changing the direction we are headed in America?

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Your thoughts and recommendations are most welcome!

References and Links:

• http://www.national-awareness-days.com/international-anti-corruption-day.html
• http://www.un.org/en/events/anticorruptionday/
• http://www.aeriagloris.com/YesToRiches/Top7CorruptionQuotes.htm