In Good Company?

The big issues of the coming year will surprise you. Number one is the continuing outrage against Wall Street and what is perceived as big business crushing the little guy. This is unfortunate because many companies really care about their employees, while others disregard the contributions of staff members. These companies, even in bad times. look out for the bottom line to PREVENT layoffs, not to precipitate them. But here’s the problem: corporations , big and small, will be under attack because the mantra of 2009, from the White House, to the State Houses and City Hall, will be “more power to the working classes of America.”  The bottom line: is that greed in the highest places, criminal and otherwise, has changed the landscape of how Americans view the companies that create jobs and profits AND those who are led by people without vision. It would be sad if Americans judge all companies on the basis of some bad managers who have ruined the corporate landscape.  But going forward, rewarding failure will no longer be an option in public companies.

Libraries Are Us

Super first year for Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, but his sophomore year will test his mettle. The issue of library closings will be very difficult to resolve, unless the Mayor can find funds to keep them open. Money will be tighter for City Hall as the year evolves, but he also knows that raising taxes can cause a fast flight of business out of Philadelphia. The library issue will turn out to be a lot tougher than the administration expected.

Obama Plan

Watch for some VERY fast action on the Obama stimulus, perhaps Congressional approval by January 27th, a week after the inaugural. For Congress, that would be an all time record. Republicans will be less likely to block the plan, for fear they would become obstructionists in a very dangerous economy. Obama will have a good year, because he will be measured by the final days of George W. Bush. Obama will be the big national story in 2009. The only questions marks – the unknowns of international terrorism and the combustible Middle East.

TOP OVERSEAS STORY – ISRAEL

Already, the international double standard has been applied to Israel as it pummels the Gaza strip. The most telling reaction is the mild reaction of Egypt, Jordan and the Emirates, all clear enemies of Hamas.  Hezbollah’s leadership, the other side of the terror rackets in the Middle East, has encouraged protest, but so far no attacks from the North end. The rocket attacks precipitated the reprisal. That’s the way it works in the Middle East. The timing of the Hamas attacks is fascinating. The timing of the Israeli counter attack is even more fascinating. The fighting comes as both Israel and America face new administrations. One thing is clear – international press coverage of the current battle is so one sided that one wonders what happened to even the appearance of objectivity. Israel always gets the blame, even when it is attacked first. Guarantee this: Israel and the Middle East crisis will be overseas story number one. And Israel will defend itself despite the news world’s bias against the Jewish state.

LOCAL MENACE

Crime in the suburbs is getting out of control. This is no surprise since many suburban communities face the same challenges as urban centers – economic uncertainty and a growing drug trade. Suburban crime, often overlooked, will become the biggest local story of 2009.

POLITICAL AMBITION

The political winds will be at gale force in our region. Chris Matthews, Mr. Hardball, will decide next week whether to run for the U.S. Senate held by Arlen Specter.  One thing for is for sure: Expect State Representative Josh Shapiro to declare for that Senate seat shortly. 2009 will be the year that crime-busting former US Attorney Pat Meehan will rev up his GOP campaign for Governor. Pa. Attorney General Tom Corbett also wants the job in 2010. It may be the longest and costliest Governor campain Pa. history.

SPORTS -

Phillies will repeat. Flyers will make Stanley Cup finals. Eagles will win wild card game. You know my record. Don’t take it to the bank.

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Bernard Madoff, accused 50-billion dollar swindler, has been placed free on bail and under house arrest, pending the case against him. That’s a joke. If the charges against Madoff prove to be true, and he’s already confessed to his sons, the crimes against people across the country will be mammoth.

There are foreclosures, bankrupticies, shattered families, and fortunes, small and large, all gone. Bernard Madoff belongs in jail, with no bail. He may be the biggest swindler ever in the history of the U.S.

Do you think house arrest is enough?   The prosecutors who agreed to this arrangement should have their heads examined.

MUMMERS MAGIC –

The Mummers of Philadelphia have a proud and great history. I’m happy the parade will go on, and I’m saddened by the reality that the Mummer’s financial backing is fading. Part of it traces back to 18 years ago when the Mummers kept demanding more and more sponsor money from TV. The TV stations refused to ante up. TV coverage became more and more limited. Without TV’s incredible exposure, the Mummers were seen less and less. It really hurt. It would be a sad day for Philadelphia if the Mummers. unique to this community, are not revived as the major show they should be. NOW  is the time to start thinking of ways to fund the parade in 2010.

BAILOUT BLUES -

Who will be the next industry to seek Federal money for a bailout? If we continue saving the car industry, can airplane makers be far behind? How about failed pharmaceuticals, and perhaps Arena Football, which is in trouble? The point is clear: how far should bailouts go? And it appears there is little relief on the horizon to people facing foreclosure. What’s fair is fair.

Speaking of bailouts. How about the embattled libraries of Philadelphia. If we can find money for the arts, for the promotion of professional sports, and an expanded Convention center, why in the heck can’t we find the monies to save those community libraries.

Any ideas on how to do it?

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Caroline Kennedy wants to be appointed by the Governor of New York to fill the Senate term of Hillary Clinton. Should she get it? Is she deserving? Interesting questions considering she has never served in elective office. Some of the pundits say that it would be a bad choice, because there are better choices like New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

Wait a minute! Cuomo is also “royalty,” son of a former Governor and a “namesake choice.”

Maybe its time to find someone without the big name who can do a great job in the Senate. Look at Charles Schumer. The New York Democrat has been Wall Street’s greatest protector in the Senate. Is he a good Senator? That’s questionable. Where does he stand on the great Madoff swindle? For that matter, where does he stand on the great 2008 Wall street crimes, crimes that have stripped many of his constituents of their fortunes, big and small.

Maybe its time for New York Governor Patterson to look for a great teacher, community servant, or scientist to serve in the Senate, alongside Senator Schumer.

As far as Caroline: She could be a great Senator, but the choice should be made on three factors: vision, wisdom, and honesty. There are millions of people in New York who have those qualities. Find one of them.

Now what would Governor Blagojevich do? Perhaps he would hold a lottery. He could sell $10,000 tickets and pick the name out of a hat. The profits would go to the “Blago Defense Fund.”

Blago’s defiant stand is interesting to watch. He seems intent on holding out until he gets a deal.
What’s up here? And why are the Aldermen (council members) of Chicago remaining so silent on the scandal? Is the Governor ready to tell all?

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Some of the writers to this site have been very negative recently about my subject matter. My  goal is not to please, but to hopefully, make people think. That’s why it is very important to pay a lot of attention to the extensive report by Women’s Way on the condition of many women in this area.

The report, entitled A CHANGE OF PACE, is especially relevant in this season and in the current period of economic crisis. While most people in our area fall under a safety net, it appears that more and more are falling through.

Here are some of the key points:

WORK – Women working full-time in the Philadelphia region are worth just three-fourths of men receiving 76 cents on the dollar compared to men, slightly worse than the national 78-cent average.

ECONOMIC SECURITY – Over one-third of  Philadelphia  single-mother families live in poverty, while more than one-in-three of the region’s households spend in excess of 30% of income on housing costs. Two-thirds of the Philadelphia area elderly population living below the official poverty line are women.

THAT, in my view, is disgraceful.

HEALTH – Women’s health continues to be threatened. One-in-nine Pennsylvania women lacks health insurance.

CRIME – While Philadelphia incarcerates more women than surrounding counties, suburban rates are growing fast. More than  three-in-five female prisoners are mothers with children under the age of 18. Note: Due to increases in female imprisonment, this is the first time incarceration has been included in this report.
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VIOLENCE – In Pennsylvania, nearly one-half of female homicide
victims in 2006 were killed by their husband or boyfriend, compared to
30% nationwide.  However, state and federal funding for domestic
violence services has not kept pace.

INFLUENCE – More than 60 of the largest 100 Philadelphia area  companies have no women in top executive positions. And, Pennsylvania  has one of the worst records in the nation for electing women to
office.

My notes: Women’s Way is the largest organization of its kind, devoted to meeting the needs of area women, and dedicated to letting all of us know how real those needs are. Judging by the nature of some recent email, there is a portion of the population that doesn’t care about people in need. . To those readers, I suggest picturing you or someone you love in a similar situation. This is serious business. You can read more about this at www.womensway.org/index.asp

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The headlines are infused with greed. First off, is Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevic, charged with trying to sell a Senate seat, among other assorted crimes that sometimes destroy small time pols who become powerful. Maybe Blagos biggest problem is being married to a foul-mouthed woman who loves the joys of power and cash as much as he does. People blame this on Chicago, but this is just all about America in 2008 where greed lives. I mean, even the credit card companies are stlll sending out free card offers by mail, hoping that more financially-troubled Americans will get deeper and deeper in debt.

But here’s the really sad part. The kings of greed in the USA are rich people. Bernard Madoff, a multi-billionare investment giant on Wall Street is now charged with running a 50-billion dollar Ponzi scheme. Racketeering has always been popular in America, but now the potential felons are richer than rich, abusers of the poor, and in the case of the Chicago “BLAGO-SPHERE”, people lusting for the obsessive-compulsive joy of power. Make no mistake about it. I’ve seen it up close. Power is a joy to the power-hungry, and a delight to people who lust for the need to screw over people.

As far as Rod Blagojevic: The man has a couple of things going against him. He seems to revel in the excitement of a ten percent approval rating. He enjoys talking freely about payoffs, after he and the entire world realized he was under investigation. He brags about getting deals done, and allows his cronies to score taxpayers money. He is, in a word, stupid.

Stupidity is the vice of people who live on an island, and think they answer to no one. These are people who never understand how others see them, because they don’t care about the feelings of others -only their own narcissistic reality. Hey Rod, look in the mirror. No, not at your overweight hair. Rod, look at what you’ve become – a punk in a suit.

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