Mayor’s Row………by Ned Mitchell

            The conversation between a doctor friend and me was a sobering one indeed.  It brought out in the open inner thoughts of mine that I had not really wanted to face.  Being a procrastinator always helps in not only putting off chores that need to be done but also it helps keep the bad news we are facing in the background hidden from ourselves and others around us.

            My doctor friend started the conversation by saying that democracy for all practical purposes in the United States is over.  That statement startled me and I am sure it does most of you, but hear me out before putting this thought in the back of your mind.

            The good doctor came to this country from England in the early 70’s and took a job as a research chemist for a privately owned company in California.  The company he went to work for was very successful and it’s’ owners made lots of money in their manufacturing venture.  In turn their employees were very well paid with good benefits.  It was a perfect example of the American dream.  Private investors made a lot of money and they paid taxes while their employees made good wages and they also paid taxes.  Within a couple of years my friend was asked to go to the Philippines to set up a manufacturing plant for his company.  He went, got a building built, equipped it and hire people to work.

            Once the factory overseas was up and running the third shift at the American plant in California was laid off.  It was not long until the second shift was gone and then the American plant closed completely.  My doctor friend confronted the owners of the business and explained how unfair he thought this was.  After all those American workers had made this company in California rich and now to avoid taxes the company had shifted their jobs overseas to avoid paying taxes.  The doctor called this a double whammy.  Not only did the factory owners quit paying taxes to the American government but all of their American employees lost their jobs.  Corporate greed is what the doctor called it and I had to agree with him.

            The doctor went on to say that when he first came to this country there was a balance between companies being able to make money and workers having a decent wage.  A system where we as Americans manufactured goods and products and in turn made a good living that would allow our workers to have children, go on vacations, buy houses, cars, boats and other things that make up the American dream.  The doctor points out that basically we don’t manufacture anything in this country anymore and we all know that is true.  He says we have been duped by those who supposedly lead us into calling ourselves a service orientated society.  In other words have products manufactured overseas and we will train American workers here to handle the service on things we use every day.  Talk about being sold a bill of goods!

            The doctor then offers up his opinion that probably 70 percent of the American people don’t want to work, they want a handout, and you know he is exactly right.  We are hearing all of this political banter “the coal mines are coming back, the coal mines are coming back, coal is the comeback kid” and blah, blah, blah.  The truth of the matter is even if they did come back full force, which they won’t, we would be hard pressed to find the work force necessary to operate all of these coal mines.  We are lulled to sleep with multimillion dollar tax payer investments in such things as a baseball field in Marion.  Sure it makes us feel good, well some folks feel good about it, not me, but as one blogger on a computer newspaper site pointed out, explain to me how the baseball field in Marion is helping the folks at Maytag who lost their jobs.  Good point!

            The doctor summed up his points by blasting the NAFTA agreement and explaining how bad this was for Americans.  To all of my democrat friends, NAFTA was passed under the direction of a democrat President!  Of course he had help with Republicans in Congress but still it damaged American workers beyond belief.  The doctor’s final statement was that American workers are now being forced to compete with overseas workers who are simply content to put in a days’ work for a good bowl or rice.  My dad, who is a wise man in my opinion and who has worked the coal mines in good times and bad.  He is a person who would not allow either of his sons to enter the coal mine industry because the future was not there.  He insisted that we both go to college for an education and even though it was difficult for both his sons to see that logic at the time, both he and my mom stuck it out and saw us through.  My dad wisely told me about NAFTA when it first came about that either foreign workers would have to be brought up to American standards of living or American workers would be demoted to the standard of living foreign workers experienced.  I ask you, which is it, are we as Americans in the work force better off today that we were 30 years ago or are we truly having to compete with workers overseas who are getting a good bowl if rice for their labor?  The American companies are still thriving and doing well, but the American worker is suffering.  Remember that when you go vote next month!

            The annual Ocktoberfest was a huge success over the weekend and the town was flush with folks visiting us.  The Opera House Company had record crowds for all four performances of “Guys and Dolls” and we got to experience a little bit of what community theater is all about. 
The wife, Aisha, in her debut role as director of this show was amazing!  It was a tremendous task to put this all together but she assembled a great team of theater helpers and together they did it.

            It thrilled me to see some local Sesser people get involved and learn from some of the pros such as Benton attorney Jim Ford and West Frankfort attorney Aaron Hopkins.  There were many others performing both in the orchestra such as Tom Hermann and Karen King, both great talents in the music field.  We are accustomed to great performances from them because they simply are the pros at it.

            It was the newcomers that made the show a hit too.  Sesserites Curt Johnston, as Big Jule, Breck Philips as Lt. Brannigan, Dan Fisher as Angie the Ox and Matt Lappin as Arvide Abernathy.  Breck’s dad reminded me that Breck’s grandfather got his start in life by selling popcorn in the concession stand at the historic Sesser Opera House years ago.  His grandfather was Jr. Phillips a well known Sesser businessman.  Breck and his wife Stacey now live in the grandparent’s home in Sesser.  All together, including café workers next door they made it a great event by individually putting forth a joint effort.  We are proud of them and thankful that they share their talents with us!

            Happy 50^th birthday to neighbor Leandra Wilson!