Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Enough Already With Payday Loans

This letter to the editor of the Arizona Daily Star was published 1/25/2010

I am not always in agreement with your editorials but this one is 100% correct. As you state the voters have spoken loud and clear their revulsion of this bloodsucking industry. As I understand it most states have put them out of business. Let them revert to the 36% which is probably reasonable when default is considered.
Legislators pushing to overturn the electorate’s wishes will be sorry as the voters will exact their revenge the next election cycle. They had better keep the bribes as they will have to find other work to do.
You were gracious to publish an article I wrote in 2006. In it I proposed what I felt then and still do to be a reasonable alternative. At the time the issue was about service people. The principle could also be applied to civilians as well. I am attaching that article for whatever it is worth. I hope you keep the heat on until this is over. Thanks.

Jack B. Walters
3961 N. Hillwood Circle
Tucson, AZ 85750
(520) 722-2958
January 19, 2010
jackbwalters@yahoo.com


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Saturday, January 23, 2010

Another look at Corporations

In my previous letter I pointed out the question of foreign ownership. This one is my understanding of what a corporation is. I feel somewhat qualified as I was a member of upper management during the many years I worked for Firestone. I had contact with the top officers and learned how the system worked.
Someone or a group of people decide to come together in a common purpose. They put in capital and expertise. They satisfy all legal requirements and then get going. These are people with a common purpose. They think as one, just as the Dictionary described. If they didn’t then dissension would cause problems leading to failure. I am talking about the President, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Directors of the various segments that make up a company. They are assisted by a Board of Directors who oversee the operation and provide guidance and sometimes prohibit the officers from pursuing a course of action. These people are similarly minded. They come from the outside and possess knowledge helpful to the officers.
With the Supreme Court giving them free license to spend as much as they want for or against candidates for Federal Office, the group mentioned above will make those decisions. My problem with this relates to the employees of the corporation. There could be thousands. Each of these has friends, family and acquaintances. They belong to civic and sports or other types of clubs and go to their place of worship. The people they associate with have an impact on how they feel about issues of national importance.
Now this is the point I wish to make. These thousands, who are the heart and soul of the corporation, have no say in corporate decisions. They are the ones that do the work of producing, designing or in any number of other ways make the corporation a success.
There is another group who have no say and that is the shareholders of the company. They have their own opinions about government. There may be social issues that are of importance to either group.
What I am trying to say is that the corporation might be spending the money created by employees or spending money that could be used to upgrade the company or give to shareholders as dividends.
A corporation is much more than the top officers. The Supreme Court made a dreadful decision. The Congress must find a way to reverse it. I will be following this closely as time progresses. I hope you will as well.

Jack B. Walters
3961 N. Hillwood Circle
Tucson, AZ 85750
(520) 722-2958
January 23, 2010
jackbwalters@yahoo.com

Corporations

I am still incensed by the Supreme Court’s decision opening the flood gates to allow them to spend unlimited funds in favor or against people running for the office of President or Congress. This letter is my attempt to explore further the meaning of this. I will start with the definition as found in my 1952 Webster Dictionary. I added the date as definitions may have changed since then. I will leave that research to you.
Corporate – United in a body, as a number of individuals who are empowered to transact business as an individual; formed into a body; united; collectively one.
Corporation - A body corporate, formed and authorized by law to act as a single person; a society having the capacity of transacting business as an individual; the body or bodily frame of a man.

I can see where the idea of granting the same rights to corporations as individuals could be found in the definition, but I insist that is not what is meant. All it means is that when people join together to conduct business, that they then work together as if they were a single person. In no way does it mean that they are an individual entitled to the protections as listed in the Bill of Rights for people.
Further I want to find out the courts definition of a corporation allowed to finance elections. I will be sending this to elected officials and others asking for a response to clarify this ruling to me. The following is a concern. There are many corporations doing business in the United States. Let us assume they are all legal entities. Some of them are owned by Americans, others are owned in total or in part by foreign entities, just for example; Budweiser, Miller, Toyota, Honda. The list goes on and on. We know for instance that the governments of China and other countries have pseudo ownership of their corporations. Are they to be allowed to spend funds to influence our elections? I can remember not so long ago when there was uproar over political contributions given to candidates for President from China. I can envision foreign countries having an opportunity to support candidates who are advocates to the benefit of their countries rather than our own. This would be outrageous. Somewhere, somehow I will get an answer to my concern.

Jack B. Walters
3961 N. Hillwood Circle
Tucson, AZ 85750
(520) 722-2958
January 23, 2010
jackbwalters@yahoo.com

Friday, January 22, 2010

The Supreme Court Decision-1/21/2010

Yesterday, as expected, the Supreme Court under the direction of Chief Justice Roberts overturned restrictions on Corporations and Unions using their funds for or against candidates running for office. Specifically it agreed that corporations and unions may spend freely to support or oppose candidates for President or Congress, overturning a 20 year old ruling. The decision was five for and four against. It confirmed that the two members appointed by George W. Bush may continue for decades to come, keep promoting his right wing agenda in Washington and every State.
In 1886 there was a case before the Supreme Court between Santa Clara County and the Southern Pacific Railroad Company. In opening comments Chief Justice Morrison Waite stated that the 14th amendment, which protects the rights of individuals applied equally to corporations. This was not however the basis for settling the dispute but his statement has been used as if it had been a decision. From that point forward Corporations have used their wealth to further their causes. Later, another Court granted Labor Unions the same rights.
Administrations and Congress beginning in Teddy Roosevelt’s time have passed legislation trying to curb or lesson the impact that the wealth of these entities possessed, with their ability to influence elections far more than individuals or political action groups could. That is all gone now. The flood gates will be opened. The gullibility of most voters convinces me that candidates of their choosing will dominate in the future unless new legislation is passed which meets the High Court’s concept of Constitutionality.
Listening to right wing talk show hosts yesterday confirms for me that this ruling will be to the advantage of the Republican Party as they have historically been the party of big business.
As disappointed as I and others like me have been at the feeble efforts of the Democrats in “power”, I am saddened that our hope to curb corporate power will come to naught. What this means to me is that the people of America will continue to be manipulated to do their bidding to the detriment of all I care about. This means total domination by the big guys, continuous war somewhere with some country, with our young men dying to further the interests of multi- corporations, degradation of the environment or anything else that limits their ability to increase profit.
I could say more but what’s the use.


Jack B. Walters

Friday, January 15, 2010

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett- a book review

This book was given to me as a Christmas present last month. As many of you know my reading is almost always non fiction. I strive to understand history, important people and current events. Andy wanted me to take a break and read a fiction book and I did.
There are 973 pages to read. It is a fascinating book about events taking place in the 1200’s. The basic theme has to do with building cathedrals. That may sound boring but take my word, it isn’t. Mr. Follett spent years traveling Europe and visiting the many different cathedrals. He researched the different types of construction, and weaves the designs into the story.
We follow the lives of many different personalities. Some are good and some are bad. It doesn’t take long before you determine which is which. Tension builds almost on every page. I always try to absorb what I am reading and for that reason limit reading to finite periods of time. This was hard to do as I wanted to learn how each episode ends. Many times the ending was tragic. Other times it was as you would hope it to be. The drama continued to the last page.
Mr. Follett not only researched cathedrals, he also learned what it was like to live 700 years ago including the correct names of household and construction tools. The story takes place mainly in England. We learn about the strength of the church and the division of lands based on customs of the times. The fact that magnificent cathedrals could be built without modern day equipment is incredible. How it was done is explained very well.
It is not construction that is most important; it is the people we get to know and care about, with equal parts of joy and tragedy.
Up to the time of publishing Mr. Follett had 18 other books he had published. This one became one of Oprah’s Book Club selections. I am sure it can be found at the Public Library. Mine is available to be loaned, just ask.


Jack B. Walters
3961 N. Hillwood Circle
Tucson, AZ 85750
(520) 722-2958
January 15, 2010
jackbwalters@yahoo.com

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Jobs for Main Street Program

Congress is preparing to pass another multi billion dollar stimulus program in February. One hundred billion of it will not create one single job. It will go for unemployment, health insurance, child tax credit, states Medicare costs, education jobs which are in jeopardy of being eliminated, etc., then another seventy five billion for infrastructure, police officers and summer jobs for disadvantaged children.
All of the above merely helps maintain the status quo but does nothing to create private sector jobs, which is where I would put the funds. I would use the same funds to lower tax for business and industry, particularly industry if possible, regardless of size, but if necessary at least to small business. This would create incentive for employers to increase production or start new businesses.
The Administration and Congress it appears to me to be throwing funds into the air without a thought of reviving the private sector. A strong private sector will create good paying jobs for people who will contribute to the overall economy by paying taxes. The programs itemized above take away from the government taking us deeper and deeper into debt. It has been proposed to increase the national debt to over 13 trillion in February in part to cover the cost of this new stimulus package and the wars in the Middle East.
The other bold step I would take is to give notice to the Chinese and Indian governments that they must allow their currency to float as all other nations do. There may be other countries that do the same but these two are the giants who have been stealing American jobs. The previous administration and the current one have been too afraid of the consequences fearing these countries selling off American bonds. Should a real financial war begin they would lose as much or more than we would so I do not fear them nor should our government. As long as they are allowed this outrageous benefit American industry cannot possibly compete. Manufacturing that is not labor intensive would return to this country. How great that would be.
I continue to push these ideas as no one else is to my knowledge. I will be sending this to my Congressperson and my Senators where it will be placed in the nuisance file.

Jack B. Walters
3961 N. Hillwood Circle
Tucson, AZ 85750
(520) 722-2958
January 5, 2010
jackbwalters@yahoo.com

Response to a New York Times Article

On January 3, 2010 an article from the Times was republished in the Arizona Daily Star. The title was, “War bonds likely won’t work today, skeptics say”.
It seems that Senator Ben Nelson the Nebraska Democrat introduced war-bond legislation last November similar to what was done in WWII. When he did it he said he hoped to “tap into the same spirit of patriotism and create a sense of participation in the war”.
Later in the article were negative comments about saving versus spending since the experts continue to stress that we are a consumer nation and must stay deep in debt to keep the economy moving.
I take issue with both comments.
First, only someone who was not an adult during WWII could suggest that these fake wars with Iraq and Afghanistan could conceivably be compared to WWII. I was alive and old enough to understand the critical situation we faced against the Axis Powers and the consequences should we fail. At the beginning I was a newspaper boy. Except for an occasional 5 cent candy bar all of my earnings went to purchase War Bond Stamps. My proudest moments were when I had enough to buy a $25 Bond. No one told me to do it. I was not alone. There was no question of patriotism, we were all patriots.
I am still a patriot but I have not at the beginning or do I now support the useless blood and treasure being spent in these countries. All we will ever accomplish is to increase hatred for all Americans.
Second, I continue to be astounded at our government leaders beginning with Bush and now Obama in urging us to stay in debt in support of the well being of Chinese workers. The US Chamber of Commerce and the US Association of Manufacturers avidly support moving more and more manufacturing jobs to this new dynamic country while leaving Americans to get by somehow on government giveaways or low paying service jobs.
The reason I took the time to respond is because I am offended that articles like this make their way into print.

Jack B. Walters
3961 N. Hillwood Circle
Tucson, AZ 85750
(520) 722-2958
January 5, 2010
jackbwalters@yahoo.com

Sunday, January 3, 2010

BLACKWATER by: Jeremy Schill

THE RISE OF THE WORLD”S MOST POWERFUL MERCENARY ARMY

This book was published in 2007. In my opinion the author did an outstanding job of research. It is almost unbelievable that something this monumental could have been created and expanded as rapidly as it was.
Except for a few items from the book I am rather going to give you my personal conclusions after finishing reading. First, I already knew a great deal about them. I have followed as best I could the story of Blackwater so what I read was more filling in detail rather than discovery.
The idea started innocently enough. The founders decided that there was an ongoing need for a training facility for law enforcement. This was successful.
It was during the Bush/ Cheney years that the idea of mercenaries came into full bloom. Blackwater was able to hire the best retired officers and skilled veterans to carry out their missions. At first they were hired to protect American and other officials in Iraq and Afghanistan. Later it grew to where it became nearly indistinguishable between them and our own military. The difference was the pay scale, in some cases well over $1,000 per day. These men returned home with huge nest eggs to support their families. That is those who were able to return home. They were given blanket immunity from prosecution whereas our soldiers were not. Not surprisingly many soldiers refused to re-enlist opting to stay in Iraq and to be financially rewarded for doing so.
Blackwater spawned other companies from around the world to where this has grown to immense proportions. There were well over 100,000 in Iraq alone, very nearly equal to our soldiers in number. My own personal opinion is that the administration, knowing the strain the wars were placing on our regular army and reserves, used this as a way to expand numbers without destroying the standing army. Not only that but all that was needed was appropriations from Congress which could be used as they saw fit.
I wonder how many of you know that Blackwater mercenaries were sent to New Orleans. They were there before the federal government and most aid organizations. They claimed to be humanitarians but their purpose was to protect property from looters, etc. President Bush used the Katrina disaster to try to repeal the Posse Comitatus Act (the ban on using U.S. troops in domestic law enforcement), and Blackwater and other security firms initiated a push to install their paramilitaries on U.S. soil.
I have not tried to check on their current situation but I would venture to guess they are still prospering under the new administration. By the way, due to many controversies wherein Iraqis citizens were killed by Blackwater men the company changed its name February 13, 2009 to We.
This book is not a novel. I doubt if many will take the time to read. I do it so I can maintain my anxiety on current events. I’m not ready to settle down and take it easy.



Jack B. Walters
3961 N. Hillwood Circle
Tucson, AZ 85750
(520) 722-2958
January 3, 2010
jackbwalters@yahoo.com