|
| |
For Immediate
Release
DOES ANYBODY REALLY
KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS?
DOES ANYBODY REALLY CARE?
04/22/06
As I sit here drinking my coffee and massaging the bridge of my nose trying to
waylay the approaching tension headache that is sure to come I just have to
wonder; Did "Chicago" have it right all those years ago and were we just too
blind to see the truth in their lyrics?
As I was walking down the street one day
A man came up to me and asked me what the time was that was on my watch, yeah
And I said
Does anybody really know what time it is
Does anybody really care
If so I can’t imagine why
We’ve all got time enough to cry
As most know I am running for the Kansas House of Representatives, District 12.
As I get further into the campaign and talk, listen and respond to more and more
people I am discovering that most are unaware or are simply blind to what is
going on in our world. A small percentage of those that I talk to just simply
choose to ignore what is so blatantly presented to them on a daily basis. Is it
indifference or have we become so wrapped up in our own little individual worlds
that it is just easier to pretend that larger problems that concern us as a
whole just do not exist?
And I was walking down the street one day
A pretty lady looked at me and said her diamond watch had stopped cold dead
And I said
Does anybody really know what time it is
Does anybody really care
If so I can’t imagine why
We’ve all got time enough to cry
The other day a lady came knocking on our door. She was helping one of my
Republican opponents campaign. She seemed embarrassed that she had not known it
was my home. I reassured her that it was Ok and that I was not a hostile
candidate, which I am not, towards this opponent. I convinced her to give me one
of his handouts and wished her a good day. I sat at my desk and read his handout
and found it really sad. He stated a whole lot of nothing with no real answers
presented. He is young though he has a law degree he lacks life experience. His
handout was basically typical political rhetoric and reflected the current
Republican agenda. The part that disturbed me the most however was this line;
"IF ELECTED JEFF KING WILL WORK TO: STOP THE IRRESPONSIBLE INCREASE IN STATE
DEBT."
Our State was thrown into a huge
deficit brought on by a previous Republican Governor who was very irresponsible
with State funds and was backed in his overt spending by a Republican controlled
House. Our current Democratic Governor, Kathleen Sebelius has worked hard to get
State spending under control and has greatly reduced the State deficit and
balanced the budget despite a Republican controlled House.
State spending has been cut to the bone to the point that we had a pleasant
surprise with over $289.4 million added to the budget at the end of the fiscal
year and another $151.6 million more is expected to be added by November. An
expected increase of $137.8 million for fiscal year 2007 is anticipated. This is
found money and helps to boost the States general fund. This is money that is
desperately needed for State programs most notably school finance which the
Republican House is still not wanting to properly deal with.
But, the statement made by my opponent makes it seem, to anyone that reads the
statement, that rampant overspending is taking place at the Capitol. This is not
the case but how many of the voters that just blindly believe whatever they are
told will know or understand this, or even care that it is a twisted statement?
And I was walking down the street one day
Being pushed and shoved by people trying to beat the clock, oh, no I just don’t
know
I don’t know
And I said, yes I said
We are outraged by the constant increase in gas prices and yet there are those
that still blindly support the current administration refusing to see that the
“Gang of Five” (Bush, Cheney, Rumsfield, Rice and Rove), are behind it. We cry
out but we do not act! “What can I do about it?” is heard through out the land
but people seem to not know that they can do something about it. Here are a few
suggestions:
1. Elect people that truly care about the economy and the environment not their
pocket books. If you do not know by now that Iraq was about oil then you have
been hiding under a barrel of crude.
2. Use alternative forms of energy; solar, wind, etc. Sun energy is free and
hopefully the oil companies will never figure out how to charge us for it.
3. Use renewable resources, ethanol, bio-diesel, bio-degradable items such as
shopping bags made from corn.
4. Walk instead of drive. If the store is only a couple of blocks away and you
are physically capable walk to it instead of drive. Take along your loved ones
to increase quality time and to help you carry your bags. Exercise and love what
a concept.
5. Trade your SUV for a more energy efficiency vehicle. If possible add a
motorcycle or moped to your transportation needs. If physically able ride a
bicycle to get around (see #4).
6. Call your Representatives, Local, State and National and tell them that you
have had enough and you expect them to act on your behalf. If they won’t
elect people who will.
Will I follow my own advise? I have already started. Right now my pick-up truck
has campaign advertising plastered all over it but I would rather walk or ride
my motorcycle than to drive the truck anymore than I have to. If I did not need
such a big truck for my work I would trade it off for a smaller more energy
efficient truck. My wife and I are making plans to install solar panels and a
solar water heater on our home within the next few years. Until that time we are
turning off unneeded lights. Replacing incandescent bulbs with fluorescent.
Turning down the heater and using fans as long as possible instead of air
conditioners. When was the last time you opened the windows and let the air into
your home?
People runnin’ everywhere
Don’t know where to go
Don’t know where I am
Can’t see past the next step
Don’t have time to think past the last mile
Have no time to look around
Just run around, run around and think why
We have become so dependent on the luxury of oil and what it brings to us that
we have forgotten what really matters and we suffer for it.
Yesterday, as I came home from work, I noticed a boy of around 12 or 13 sitting
straddle his bicycle next to our yard. As I pulled my motorcycle into the yard I
saw the kid throw his Dr. Pepper can into my yard. I yelled at him to pick it
up. I also told him that if he wanted to throw the can into someone’s yard,
throw it into his own yard. About an hour and a half after the incident a Police
Officer came to our door. The Father of the kid had called the Police
complaining that I had yelled at his kid to pick up the can. According to the
officer the kid had told his Father that he had wrecked his bike because he was
carrying the can. He also told his Father that he was going to pick it up after
he threw it in our yard. Did I miss something? The kid was not laying on the
ground when I saw him. He threw the can and admitted to it yet his Father
believed that he was going to pick it up. His Father also called the Police to
complain that I had told this child not to throw his litter in my yard. Maybe
I’m dense or just getting old but if my children threw something into someone’s
yard and admitted to it the last thing I would do is call the police to file a
complaint against the neighbor whose property the child had violated. My
children would be returning to the neighbors home to offer an explanation and an
apology.
So what does this have to do with the price of oil in Iraq? The fact that the
officer showed up to my home an hour and a half after the incident tells me that
the kid complained to his Father when the Father came home from work. Rather
than being bothered with coming and talking to me, as a neighbor should, it was
easier to call the cops and complain. The officer had to drive to the neighbors
home on the frivolous complaint then to my home wasting fuel. The police
departments resources were used for an unnecessary action which our taxes had to
pay for. Why? The truth lies in the fact that the Father probably could not be
bothered with the whole affair and it was easier to let a stranger handle the
situation rather than handling it himself. If the Father had taken his child by
the hand and come and had a civilized conversation with me he may have not only
learned something about his child but about his neighbor. As it lays he wasted
resources, energy and time by not seeing the truth through what his child told
him.
We would rather come home from work and sit our broad butts on a couch in front
of the TV and let others act for us than take a few moments to take a walk with
our child to ascertain the truth. Maybe if we start taking appropriate action
again our children will learn how to take appropriate action in their own life.
Children do learn by example. Wouldn’t it be nice to never hear again, “What can
I do about it?“
Does anybody really know what time it is
Does anybody really care
If so I can’t imagine why
We’ve all got time enough to die
We all must start caring if we want change in our lifetime and a better future
for our children. This is not a new thought just one that someday more of us
will pay heed to. Get off the couch and make a difference today!
"The elected official works for the people! You do not make promises to your
boss which are beyond your power to keep and expect to hold your position."
-Jim George- Democratic Candidate, Kansas State House of Representatives
District #12
|
![[Company Logo Image]](images/pluribuslogo.jpg)
