Feb. 26, 2003 - 19:40 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

WHEN ?

I looked up from my navel and voila, events are eventing like mad. Some of them even make sense.

An article in this mornings paper by Leigh Strope of Associated Press - is headlined "Union Ranks Lowest in 20 Years."

It gives figures which sound about right to me according to what I already know. In 1983 20.1 per cent of our work force belonged to unions. In 2002 it is about 13.2 per cent. I have heard all the tight mouthed jazz from the cynics and don't fall for it. Sure there have been abuses, some happened because of the apathy of rank and file which allowed the bad stuff to happen. But looking at what the administration is trying to do to Joe Worker maybe the unions will be outlawed soon. I dunno, looks to me that prices will go up, wages go down, jobs will flee the country. I notice that now Denny's Senior Citizen Menu has only sandwiches for lunch. And the price on their meals, sandwiches and desserts goes up as the portions go down. Keeps up, we won't be able to afford a burger at the Golden Arches.

Here in Colorado we have a "No Call," law which prevents telemarketers from calling those of us who got on the list. Fines are heavy for violation. Approximately one million residential phones here are now off limits to telemarketers. Now our Senator Ken Chlouber has introduced HB 1098 to allow cell phone users the same protection. Obviously that was not thought of when the first law was passed. And the telemarketers harvested cell phone numbers and put them to use, Senator Chlouber explained that many cell phone users pay by the minute for the use of same. Makes me come to a more or less ridiculous conclusion. I-25, rush hour, a massive pile up. Some poor dude got hung up with a telemarketer and became so angry that his attention wavered from the road and traffic conditions . . . . . could happen, couldn't it ? As far as that goes, to introduce something a bit off subject, it seems to me that people should be required to pull off the highway or street to use their cell phone. Those who have hands off phone with a decent audio only have their attention diverted a little by conversing. So now the bill is in process and goes to the house, where the lobbyists play all day.

People can still get on the No Call list here, the phone number is 1-888-249-9097 and by the internet http://www.ColoradoNoCall.com There are few exceptions, I think, religious, legitimate business calls to customers (not sales) except that somehow Qwest keeps wanting us to upgrade our service. Oh, yeah, political calls too are allowed. Now I know what I will do when an unwanted call comes to my place, I will calmly state that if I had my way they would also be governed by the no call rule and hang up on then. Geez, I wish I could do the same on spam.

I expect big money to get in on the act now. People from across the nation calling to get copies of the No Call statute. One thing that has infuriated the telemarketing industry is that they have to buy the list and then live by it. Poor babies. If this spreads like I think it will some serious billions will be thrown against the whole thing.

Now our peerless leader and cohorts want to mess with our pensions. They want to switch to a Cash-Balance pension plan. Desired by the corporations because it will cut pensions to the bone. So now the new rules will give companiies that convert to cash-balance a tax advantage for doing so What the heck ? Cut pensions and get a tax advantage too ? Next we will have to buy our jobs I suppose.

Vouchers for schools here, are still under discussion. Religious institutions to get vouchers from the taxpayers money ? Tax money going to private schools ? How the heck many inner city poor kids will ever have a chance to make it to the privates ? When I was a kid, there were then something called parochial schools run by religious organizations. Their money came from the parents not from tax dollars. It seems to me that public schools are doomed unless we all get to work and improve our public schools. It always has been that the best teachers went to the nicest schools. But dammit there shouldn't be any nicest schools they should all be the same, the teachers maybe should be rotated from one school to another from semester to semester. It took centuries to get public schools and now the Yahoos and company are trying to turn it all around so that the tax money will go to faith based institutions and private schools. Now that seems to me to be piled high and deep.

They keep saying it will get better, yeah, get better WHEN ? . . . . . . . . .

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