Corporate Welfare - enough is enough!

"Welfare reform won't truly be considered a success until Big Business is told it will have to upgrade its skills, go into the marketplace and compete on its own merits." -- Rod Watson, "end Corporate Welfare to Achieve True Reform," Buffalo News (July 6, 2000)

I recall a Republican once telling me how upset he was that a woman in front of him at the grocery store had a Starbucks coffee drink in her groceries and was paying for it with food stamps. This was all the justification he needed to lump everyone on welfare as "taking advantage of the system", and as being "lazy".

A co-worker complained to me about a woman who was dress very nicely and had painted nails who was using food stamps. My co-worker implied that if you're poor you must look poor, have dirty and tattered clothing.

People are so outraged with those on welfare, passing judgement without knowing their circumstance. These same people won't blink when they hear about the various kinds of corporate welfare that our government is involved in. They don't complain to hear that a CEO leaves a company with millions of dollars as a severance package or gets a bonus of millions when workers are being laid off.

They don't complain when a CEO of a company, that the government has helped, is drinking Starbucks.

We most defiantly have a double standard, now don't we?

I mean we reform a welfare system that is in place to help people, while we continue to feed the corporate welfare beast. We are ok letting our schools and infrastructure go underfunded, but we cannot take away the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest 1% of Americans. I mean it's ok for companies to rent a P.O. box and claim they operate in a foreign country so they can keep themselves from paying taxes, but if a individual does this they'd be thrown in jail.

Something is wrong here, isn't it?

Minnesota Hodgepodge

Land of 10,000 Lost Jobs

Minnesotans learned today that our state lost 10,000 jobs in April. How does that saying go again... April showers bring... (lost jobs)... Boy! Not investing in Minnesota's education and infrastructure sure was a smart thing to do over the years - aye Governor?

Read more at Minnesota 2020 There are some good comments about the Governor's spin.


Mr. Dahle Goes to St. Paul

Today I finally made it out to Minnesota's newest State Senator's website and boy Mr. Dahle has impressed me once again. If you haven't checked it out - do so! www.kevindahle.net And if you haven't heard Mr. Dahle speak, you are missing one of the best talkers ever! Senate District 25 is lucky to have him as their Senator.


Jesse the... Never Mind

Oh brother! Jesse - I was a total fool once to vote for you... NEVER again will I make that mistake!
Jesse Ventura said he "may" file to run for Senate

He could have done great things as our Governor, but he let his ego get the best of him.


Cost of War Hitting Home

Ever think what could be done with all that money that we keep sending over to Iraq???
Here's your answer: Federal Budget Trade-Offs

8,867 Elementary School Teachers for One Year (in the 2nd CD)! Where's our priorities?
When it comes down to it, the war in Iraq is all about oil! Right John?



DFL Party to Star Tribune... GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT!!!

Today in the Star Tribune there appeared the following article:
Political parties to media: Get noses out of our tents

Unfortunately, Mr. Von Sternberg didn't get all of his "facts" correct when lumping the DFL with the GOP on this issue. I attended the DFL's 2nd Congressional District's convention. The truth is not one person was "kicked out" of that convention. And "members of both parties have become camera-shy"... Not so Mr. Von Sternberg... actually the DFL's 2nd Congressional District's convention was being broadcasted LIVE!!! Here's the proof in the pudding!

What got the 2nd CD DFL this attention? A GOP rule breaker, of course!

So who was throwing people out of their conventions? The GOP (aka: Get Out People... Get Out!!)!


Until we "hodgepodge" it again - have a good one!

Silence is Evil

"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act."
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer


Welcome to blue fortitude. A blog that will hopefully provide those that are blue with encouragement and an outlet to share their opinions. For you I will do my best to keep this blog positive and engaging. But in return I ask you to be involved by posting comments.

Let's make some noise!