Mayor’s Row……by Ned Mitchell
Don’t you just get tired of all the press releases put out by the spin doctors for our government? Illinois seems to have perfected this science. Consider this, during the past few days we have seen enormous amounts of press on the reformer/unreformer governor’s insurance program for kids. I’ll be the first to admit the idea is a good one and it boxes everyone in to the point that if you ask questions about this program like how are we going to pay for it and such, then you are against kids having health insurance. We have been told about over 240 state wide organizations in support of this idea, now several of them have came forward and said they did not endorse the idea. I wonder how their names got listed as supporters? Even with all of the information being heaped upon us, there are still very few details on this program. I know several in the medical profession who are owed a lot of money that are skeptical about the plan. They have trouble believing that the state can make this work especially when they are owed close to 2 billion dollars in past due invoices. In the past few days every director from Corrections to the EPA has traveled the state as if on some mission to drive this program home. Duh, every one of these directors has been appointed by the reformer/unreformer, so what would you expect them to do, be opposed to the plan? Obviously they have been sent as messengers to enlighten us dumb folks down here. Please, we don’t need bureaucrat after bureaucrat traveling all over at taxpayer’s expense to toot their leader’s horn. If the plan is a good one and all the details are forthcoming there should be nothing to worry about. The plan will succeed and we can all pat them on the back for the great job they are doing for us. Sounds reasonable to me!
Another press grabbing bunch appears to be the Illinois State Representatives on the democrat side. Of all things right before the election cycle begins they have boldly announced to us they are proposing ethics reforms. Can you imagine that things are in such bad shape here in Illinois that now we are going to be rescued by the House Democrats? To be sure this proposal does do some good concerning state purchasing, state pension systems and ethics for state employees. I wonder if it addresses ethics for state wide elected officials or if it just applies to workers in the vineyards of politics? The problem with this do good-feel good legislation is that it does not include the sweeping reforms that many state leaders and practically every good government organization in the state have called for. It completely ignores their ideas, but hey, it sounds good and makes us all think we are being protected by those knights in shining armor. I have an idea, how about we eliminate all PAC money and campaign contributions? Do you believe for a minute that a corporation or union that donates a large sum of money to a particular party or office holder is doing that out of the goodness of their heart? We all know better than that and to try and sell us this snake oil is just really insulting. Are we the land of do-gooders or what?
The last bunch of phony press releases comes from the Illinois Department of Employment Security. They have monthly press releases telling us how good the job situation is in our area and all over the state for that matter. These rates of unemployment are actually a distortion to the truth. Even one employee of that agency has been quoted in a local newspaper saying it is “an outrage and a scandal”. These figures do not count the unemployed who have exhausted their benefits and there are thousands of them in Illinois. They have been laid off for so long they have disappeared from the radar screen and no longer count. I would say our true unemployed probably range in the 12 to 15 per cent bracket. A recent trip to a local mass retailer to purchase an air hose and other items for a compressor found the following information. The air hose I needed, made in China, the fittings for the air hose, made in China, the Teflon tape for the pipe threads, made in China, a paint brush, made in China. Is there anything made in this country anymore by American workers? And we wonder why we all know several family members, friends, or neighbors who are unemployed. My prediction is that if we don’t soon get some real economic development in this area, particularly Franklin County, we will have even less money to spend on everything made in China. But the press releases keep coming telling us how good we have it. Makes you kind of wonder doesn’t it?
We are sorry to report the death of long time Sesser resident Venita Dale who was just a few days short of turning 100. Venita had been living with her daughter Dot Ann in California for the last few years. Venita was the wife of Albert Dale, who taught almost all of us in school at some point in time. She was a housewife and mother, model citizen who loved her neighbors and family. Venita was active for many years in the Sesser First United Methodist Church.. She was a stay at home mom and wife in a time when that was allowed. Our condolences go out to her family during their time of loss.
Just released from the hospital this past week are my Aunt Norma Dame and also Betty Hampleman. Aunt Norma is home resting and Betty and husband Claude have moved to Kentucky to be near their son. A card sent to each of these ladies would be appreciated I am sure.
In an effort to fill our “blue barrel” with personal care items for soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan the popular local band Black Lace is putting on a benefit concert this Friday night at the historic Sesser Opera House. The concert is free, but you are asked to bring a personal care item such as a bar of soap, tube of toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo or any personal care item that is not in an aerosol can. We have all pitched in to help out the Katrina hurricane victims but let us not forget we have men and women on the battlefield today that also need our support. If you cannot afford to purchase an item, simply write a short letter or note to a soldier, put it in an envelope and put it in the “blue barrel”. We will be sending our “blue barrel” over seas to the battle front by the first of November. We appreciate the VFW Cox Post and Bate’s American Legion Post in helping us get the word out on this project.
Don’t forget to make plans for next weekend, November 5th to attend the Country Store at Bear Point Free Will Baptist Church. There are always lots of home made craft items, bakery goods and all kinds of home made soup to eat on the premises. The money raised from this event is given entirely to mission work. It is refreshing to see our many local groups sponsor such events. It is even more refreshing to know that 100 per cent of the proceeds go to the people who need it most.
Hopefully and weather permitting we will finish our street work up for the year this week. We still have some sidewalk work to do and a few loose ends to tie up before starting the huge sewer line replacement in the north end of town. We plan on starting the sewer project on November 7th and will be involved in that project for several weeks, again, depending on what Mother Nature sends our way. We appreciate your patience and thank you for the opportunity to make things a little better in our corner of the world. We are here at city hall to serve you. We might not always agree on every thing, but the bottom line is each of us is concerned enough to serve the residents of Sesser in the best way we can. If you have ideas, comments, or suggestions, call 625-3611, 625-5322, or 625-5788 or write nedmitchell@verizon.net or www.sesser.org | |
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