Meeting King
My dad, Wallace Ray, started a small business here in the early 1960s. He was a red-headed white man and hired blacks at the same wage as his white employees, which was unheard of. When the white guys heard this, they were angry and threatened to quit because "we ain't gonna work here if [they] get the same pay as us."
My dad told them, "They work harder than you do, they might need a raise. So shut up and get back to work, or you are fired." I was there and was so very proud of Dad. It opened my eyes to the 1960s unrest.
The rest is history: equal pay, fair housing standards, the Civil Rights Act.
A few years later, I went to work for my dad for a while, and he was the same. His credo? If you do the job right, you get paid fair wages. If you don't, you're fired (including me).
Yes, he fired some blacks, but he also fired some whites. I will always remember, however: He paid fair wages, not only to blacks, but to anyone he hired, including women, before "equal pay" became law.
I truly hope that Martin Luther King Jr. has met my red-headed dad somewhere and they shook hands. Martin says, "Thanks, brother," and my dad says, "No problem, brother."
PATRICIA STOCKMEISTER
Winston-Salem
Paying attention
Jay Ambrose's column "The recess appointment of Richard Cordray" (Jan. 10) is a true cautionary tale if anybody is paying attention. It highlights President Obama's philosophy of more and bigger government and his practice of ignoring the Constitution if it gets in his way.
Richard Cordray's appointment to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was made while Congress was in session, but Obama deemed it a "recess appointment." He knew the ultra-liberal former attorney general of Ohio would never get congressional approval. Now Cordray and his agency have sweeping regulatory powers and answer to no one.
Nothing about the balance of powers outlined in the Constitution is of interest to a tyrant like our current president. His heavy-handed regulation and staggering debt-accrual policies are suffocating our country. Voters, please pay attention. We cannot afford four more years of this left-wing leadership.
MARY LOU WILSON
Winston-Salem
News about sports
The writer of the letter "Informed opinions" (Jan. 9) lobbies for her favorite columnists, Thomas Friedman and Paul Krugman. This is her right, but she shows no interest in other's rights for news about sports.
She mentions an extra section, and since she didn't name it, I assume she meant Sportsxtra. This extra is about the youth athletes of our city and county. These youth are possibly some of our next generation's leaders. The Journal and the editor of Sportsxtra, Marc Pruitt, are to be commended for giving special attention to our high-school student athletes.
STUART DIXON ROBERTS SR.
Winston-Salem
Post-truth
Paul Krugman's column "The post-truth campaign" (Dec. 28) evokes philosopher Charles Hartshorne, who left the University of Chicago because he could no longer find students interested in his work (metaphysics, modal proofs for God's existence). Asked why he undertook anything so daunting and, at the time, disparaged, Hartshorne's simple but profound answer: Anyone can take on the easy problems and their opponents' weakest arguments.
Statesmen demonstrate how obfuscation and dissembling in politics serve truth and good. Winston Churchill said, "The truth deserves a bodyguard of lies." Franklin D. Roosevelt put it, "I am a juggler, and I never let my right hand know what my left hand does." The outright mendacity of post-truth politics is about keeping political discourse fixated on peripheral issues and opponents' weakest arguments. That's precisely how corporate toadies fool most of the people most of the time.
Post-truth politics requires the illusion that liberals and conservatives disagree. For to honestly disagree, we first would have to be able to state the other's position so they would say, "You are correct, that is what I am saying."
Honest disagreement would mean neither liberals nor conservatives cherry-pick easy targets. Both would be inexorably confronted with powerful arguments against their essential beliefs. Both could, without hypocrisy, insist on our moral obligation to be intelligent.
The weaker the arguments we engage, the weaker the arguments we make. This is the very real price "conservatives" and "liberals" pay for the phony disagreements of post-truth politics: decades having learned nothing important.
ANDY G. MILLER
Kernersville
Mary Lou Wilson, Reagan made 240 recess appointments, George H W Bush 77, Bill Clinton 140, George W Bush 171, Barack Obama 28.
ReplyDeleteObama has had the fewest recess appointments in the past 30 years, the fewest vacation days, and the MOST filibusters.
At least be honest in your assessments. It's not Cordray the Republicans object to, it's the new law. By not approving a director, they are able to keep the LAW from being fully enforced. Pay Attention!
The practice was started by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) during the final two years of then-President George W. Bush's second term. Reid said on Sunday that it won't work for Republicans this time around, instead predicting that President Obama's recent recess appointments will withstand legal challenges.
Delete___________
You gotta love Democrats, they're always doing something that they said shouldn't be done while Republicans held the presidency. What slim balls!
Sorry, Bob, but our current POTUS does not come close to having the lowest vacation total in recent years.
DeleteThat honor belongs to William Jefferson Clinton, who in his first 31 months in office, spent only 28 days on vacation. President Obama ranks second, with just 61 days in 31 months.
The real slackers were Ronnie Reagan, who began the passion for presidential vacations with 112 days in his first 31 months and our most recent prez, W. Bush, who spent 180 days on vacation out of his first 930 days in office, 19.4%, or about one out of every five days.
I doubt that clearing brush counts as a part of the president's job. And W. went on to set an all-time record for presidential vacation days, 1,020 out of 2,922, 34.9%, or more than 1 out of every 3 days. It is hard to imagine that that record will ever be broken.
W. also spent more money on his vacation travels in 8 years than Reagan, Clinton and Obama in 19 years combined.
If you compare the accomplishments of those four, you will quickly discover that by far the best president was the one who stayed on the job the most, Bill Clinton. $$$$$
OT, Willard took his vacations in the Oval Office, sans Hillary. He had to stay home to wrangle his scandals and ensure that the Chinese got their money's worth for all their contributions.
DeleteFederal Government Employment Levels Through the Years (including the U.S. Postal Service)
ReplyDeleteExecutive Branch civilians Total U.S. population Executive Branch employees per 1,000 population
1962 (Kennedy) 2.48 million 186.5 million 13.3
1964 (Johnson) 2.47 million 191.8 million 12.9
1970 (Nixon) 2.94 million* 205 million 14.4
1975 (Ford) 2.84 million 215.9 million 13.2
1978 (Carter) 2.87 million 222.5 million 12.9
1982 (Reagan) 2.77 million 232.1 million 11.9
1990 (Bush) 3.06 million* 249.6 million 12.3
1994 (Clinton) 2.9 million 263.1 million 11.1
2002 (Bush) 2.63 million 287.8 million 9.1
2010 (Obama) 2.65 million+ 310.3 million+ 8.4+
Source: OMB
Okay Bobby, what's the skinny on the attempt to boot me off the forum? Were you playing around with the new security controls yesterday?
ReplyDeleteBucky, I don't think Bob participated in the forum yesterday except to post the LTEs.
ReplyDeleteSomebody did something. I don't think Google would give two hoots about me unless someone was complaining. Of course, given the amount of hate that several of the liberal members of the forum have for me, I wouldn't put anything pass them.
DeleteJust look at what Rielle/NancyDrew/Hag tried to do. She tried her best to expose my identity in the hopes it would drive me away. Not only was she wrong, but she did not accomplish her mission.
For a Constitutional lawyer, Obama sure seems to violate it often. First there was the 'healthcare law', and now he is skirting around the recess appointment provisions.
ReplyDeleteYou gotta love liberal Democrats, they'll tell you how bad it was under Republicans, then they'll make it worse when they take over.
There's all kinds of videos floating around of when Obama was running for office, and what he said he was going to do, and what he is doing now. They are polar opposites.
DeleteAmong independents, many more have negative feelings (62 percent) toward the Obama administration as have positive feelings (35 percent.
Delete____________
This is a good sign for Republicans, because it's pretty apparent that independents will decide the election in a Romney v. Obama Election.
Good AM, folks,
ReplyDeleteBucky, Bob can only post articles. I'm the only one who can ban people.
Okay Stab, if you'll notice, there's a funny little symbol by my name yesterday. Do you know anything about it?
DeleteStab, anyway you could look into fixing to blog time back to EST. I know you're busy, but based on others comments you might be the only one who can fix it if fixing it is possible.
Delete@Tim's 0516hrs: Tim has had so many complaints against his cyber rants, now he thinks GOOGLE is against him.
DeleteSuch a funny little man!
@Tim's 0516hrs: the funny little symbol is symbolic of a funny little man.
Quick, Tim!!!! LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER, GOOGLE IS COMING AFTER YOU!
DeleteNo matter how many times you say it, I am still not Tim. It just makes you look more foolish.
DeleteI guess you're used to that though.
Did you notice that Stab didn't reply when I asked him about it? Probably not, so many things fly over your head, that you wouldn't.
DeleteJust doing a "drive by", ya'll. I'm signing off for the day, but will quickly check in to get an update on how many insults Tim has slung.
ReplyDeleteC'mon, Tim, prove me wrong!!!!
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteAgain, you're wrong. I'm not Tim. You just like being foolish, don't you?
Deletetwo
DeleteI wonder if Johnny is getting his defense money from Bunny Melon, like he did for Rielle?
DeleteHow many more people in here are you going to misidentify, Nancy?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Deletethree
DeleteGee, I hope someone picks up the slack for me while I'm gone . . .
G'nite, Tim.
And she wonders why she got a divorce...jeez!
Deletefour, five . . .
DeleteI see the Timster DOESN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO PROVE ME WRONG.
You're wrong 95% of the time you post. You incorrectly identify me as Tim. You're just a foolish liberal, who wants to suppress a conservative's speech through the use of hate tactics. No big surprise there.
DeleteI'll bet you don't sleep well at night knowing you're wrong about my identity. What's truly sad is that you got Bobby and Rush on your little misguided bandwagon. And I thought they were pretty sharp. So much for that feeling on my part. I should have known better, especially when liberals are involved.
℞ Brain transplant, followed by 3 years of bed rest.
DeleteHow'd you do the prescription symbol, O.T.?
DeleteOn the Mac it is simple...in any application click on EDIT, then select SPECIAL CHARACTERS, double click on the character you want and it is inserted into the text.
DeleteIn Windows, you have to go to START/PROGRAMS/ACCESSORIES and open the CHARACTER MAP. ✔
Thanks. I'm a Mac guy mainly...good to know.
DeleteI had forgotten about special characters until I saw the left pointing arrows in Bob's post below. He's always right on top of things.
DeleteI should point out that these characters are standard ASCII characters and should work universally.
One of my friends may have coined the term FoxLies®. He knows the keyboard shortcuts well enough that he can add the registration symbol by typing OPTION-r.
MAC OSX Lion (and perhaps earlier versions) has dozens of custom created color special characters that work fine in any text editor, page layout program and even PhotoShop...but they don't work in Blogspot or Blogger. I haven't tested them yet in Wordpress, which seems to have a wider compatibility range. ✪��
Bucky, I didn't reply because I was busy. I have no idea re symbol, have done nothing to the site.
ReplyDeleteWordly, I will look into the time issue, probably not tonight, must take sick cat to kitty hospital tonight.
Best wishes to your cat, Cuz. Nothing worse than a sick animal or child.
DeleteMany thanks, Cuz. At kitty hospital with him now.
DeleteHope you get out without having to leave an arm and a leg for payment.
DeleteAs always...moronic.
DeleteI know most of the veterinarians around here. They are dedicated, hard working people who care greatly about their patients. You wouldn't know, but running any kind of business is expensive. They charge what they must to make a living.
What have you done lately for anyone, human or animal, pathetic fool?
I've tried to infuse your thick skull with a little empirical political information that will help you make a more rational and intelligent decision when you vote in the next presidential election. However, given the fact that you're a pencil headed liberal, I doubt it has done any good. But I have tried.
DeleteRoscoe's care is expensive, and so far unsuccessful. The pet hospital is a 24h operation, so iits costs are higher. Roscoe is a member of the family. I'll pay to save him.
Delete← ← ← symbol
ReplyDeleteThat's the blogger.com symbol. Remove your picture and it will magically appear again.
ReplyDeleteBobby, I was talking about the black one with the '!' in the middle at the top of the discussion. The one where I slammed Rush's post.
DeleteThe bottom ones you're right. I see what you're talking about. The big orange 'B'?
_________
Stab, thanks so much for responding. I know I add so much to this forum that most people would truly lament my departure if that were to ever happen. Of course, there are always a few problem children in any group, and we all know who they are.
The black box with the ! (exclamation point) in it is automatically attached to a comment when Google detects that the comment violates the rules of logic and is therefore ignorant.
ReplyDeleteGoogle told me that they do not usually attach that symbol to any comment headed by the word "Bucky" because it is universally understood that all such comments are ignorant. They said that in this case the symbol was attached because the comment was particularly ignorant. ⬇
Problem people always self-identify.
DeleteEvening folks!
ReplyDeleteLTE 1: Your father sounded like a lovely person Ms. Stockmeister. It takes courage to stand up for what's right when there is peer as well as cultural pressure from all around to do what has been considered the norm.
LTE 2: It was a sham "session" with one person present. Let's see... "more and bigger government" check, "ignoring the Constitution" check, "ultra liberal" check, "sweeping regulatory powers" check, "answer to no one" check, "tyrant" check, "heavy-handed regulation" check, "staggering debt-accrual policies" check, "suffocating our country" check..and of course..ta daa! "left-wing leadership" check. A TB buzzword nirvana!
LTE 3: I concur. I wouldn't mind seeing another section dedicated to the scholars of the schools as well.
LTE 4:Oh wow..someone who gets it. The last paragraph is one of the best I've seen in the section. This should have been correspondent of the week.
As usual, dotnet is right on target, especially regarding LTE #4.
DeleteBut I doubt if we will ever see a section in any local paper devoted to our scholars. The press must play to the lowest common denominator to make a profit.
The perfect example is what inspired LTE #3 and its predecessors, the dropping of several high level columnists while retaining the likes of John Hood and Cal Thomas, both of whom write at swamp level or below.
Mr. Roberts states about high school athletes that "These youth are possibly some of our next generation's leaders."
Well, growing up, I knew all of the top local high school athletes over a ten year period, and none of them ever became important leaders in this community. At best, they became dentists or insurance salesmen or low level bankers. Many became filling station attendants. ✂
And you became a pathetic loser that writes in a blog professing the virtues of being a liberal idiot while supporting a sub-par performing president. That's really something to brag about.
DeleteRe "sham session": we'll see. There is a suit filed against the appointments. It was the intent of R's for Congress to stay in session, to keep President Obama from completing his assigned mission of turning the NLRB into unions' press gang.
ReplyDelete