On April 19th I attended the preliminary meeting held by several Alberta Party "Edmonton Decore" residents to discuss forming a Constituency Association (aka CA), even though I don't live in that riding.
I bet you are thinking "Huh? That's a weird way to start a blog post... what the hell!" .. ... Well, you see, this not the first of these types of meetings I have gone to, while trying to find my political home. I've been blessed by various organizations within the current Alberta Government, that control the boundaries of where riding's reside. My current riding is Beverly-Clairview, but when the writ drops for the next provincial election I am in another riding. I thought that other riding was "something else" but upon further investigation it seems that about a 2 block area where I live, has some how been shuffled over to yet a different riding. After speaking to some folks that deal with those areas, and even after having my address... they were also unsure of exactly where I would be at election time so the boys in the mapping department had to get involved. And thanks to them, I finally know where my home is. .. .. Yep, you guessed it. Edmonton Decore. But only after the writ drops. Needless to say, where I am and where I will be complicates what CA I can be involved in and what I am capable of doing.
And it is frustrating because I know I want to do something, I want to get involved, I want MY voice to be heard, along with the other voices. As I look around the area I am in and I talk with the people in "the hood" or with people I run into while shopping or having coffee... I hear the same stories. "... and they just don't seem to listen..." .. Well, to be perfectly honest, I wasn't sure any of the political parties would cut the mustard. But what really hooked me into knowing I was in the right place, was the single policy of the Alberta Party that stated how elected representatives must communicate with their constituents on a regular basis and must present those values to government. They are to vote on issues based on the people they represent, regardless of the Party position (unless it's on a budget issue type of thing, which seems fair). Another huge issue for me, was the releasing of information about funding. Unlike other parties who won't tell you who is backing them financially, the Alberta Party seems to think none of that information should be kept secret.
I like that. I really REALLY like that. ... Anyway, getting back to our first Decore CA meeting, there were enough people there to form the CA but we agreed to hold another meeting and to get even more people involved in the process. Which is certainly a good thing. Maybe there is an urgency to get this done (which I can understand) but it's more important to do it right the first time, and we want to make sure that it is done right.
One thing I do want to comment on... one of the folks attending is a member of the Alberta Party. And also a member of other parties. He made it perfectly clear about his associations, which showed he has honor. You know the really great thing? Not one single person there tried to shun him. We had nothing to hide, all topics were discussed... Which is all about politics being open and transparent.
From a "politics" aspect, I don't have a desire to be "a" politician. In some aspects, it's a dirty word. Provincial and Federal parties alike, have grown into this habit of wanting to "rule" and seem to have forgotten the part about "serving" those they represent. I was making a few comments in Twitter, using the term "being a public servant". One of my friends said back to me "Public service is that not servants..." and I get that. They are not butlers or maids, etc...I didn't want to imply that, but I do think elected officials need to be a servant, or a voice, for the folks they represent. Yes, they are supposed to be providing a "service to the public"... and many seem to have forgotten that simple fact. With that said, I do have a strong desire to help bring "service" back to what it needs to be.
I'm not sure just yet how I can help with that... The next step is another meeting after the Federal election, in which to form the CA, and get the ball rolling. And I will try to help in whatever areas that need it.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Quality of Life
If you are an investor in oil, or an oil company... you are not going to like this post. And that's perfectly fine with me because I am kind of not liking you right at this point in time. You see, you are the folks that are starting to make the lives of millions of people on fixed incomes... a life without a future, a life without hope.
Here in Alberta, we love oil. We love the fact we have it, and for the longest time it has helped us survive. The income we made from it has paid for a pretty decent place to live, for the most part. And it clearly has saved us from paying provincial taxes. We classify oil as a commodity... one of those things in life that we need, like food and water... and as such it's a "supply and demand" issue. But unlike other commodities such as oranges which can be grown until the end of time, oil is one of those non-renewing items where there is only so much available. We can't grow more. And herein, is the issue.
The rich folks, those with money... purchase stocks in oil, and the law requires investments to make money. This drives up the price of oil, and more rich people see this as a good investment so they too buy more oil stocks, which creates the vicious circle of the ever increasing price that oil sells for. And lets face it... the actual cost of the oil has not gone up, just the price that is paid for it.
The trickle down effect of this touches every part of life. Corporate costs go up because they have to pay more to deliver the services, people want more wages because their costs are going up, property taxes go up because it costs more to provide public services, oil companies say they have to charge more now because they have to pay their staff more, food prices go up ... and... and... and... If there every was a self-serving industry... oil would take the cake. And the rich folks are totally loving it because they are making huge profits from it. They could care less about the results of what happens.
Economics is not my area, but I think it's safe to say that a lot of it is based on or determined by percentages. The way gas is sold, is by a price that includes taxes. So when the selling cost is supplied to a gas station, it excludes taxes. From there, a percentage is added on for this tax, and for that tax, and for.. whatever else. And then the station adds on a percentage for profits. In the case of taxes, this is not "we need 10 cents per litre" but again a percentage. So as the price goes up, the actual value of the taxes collected on the same volume of gas, is more. Now that makes both the provincial and federal governments very happy. They get much more of your tax dollars to waste on red tape and other fun stuff that they love to squander our money on. (That discussion is way beyond a blog post so I won't even go there.)
All these costs go up, by hundreds and hundreds of dollars, per section, per area. Food, taxes, retail costs. The proverbial endless list. Oh.. wait... in the list is also a thing called income. You know, what you get paid to live? And remember, "fixed income", the type where the key word is fixed. Your increased costs to live, taken in total, are easily in the thousand dollar range. And you might see an increase in your "fixed" income by a hundred dollars. Which means you have $900 less available than last year. And what are your choices? Well, you can eat less, or turn down the heat, or find a cheaper place to live (HA! Good luck with that.) For those fortunate enough, as in some seniors... it means selling your home so you can live. For those who do not have their own place... I shudder at the choices left for them.
I know the following suggestion has issues. Especially for the rich and the rich wanna be's. We HAVE to do something to create stability. Perhaps the world leaders need to ponder on setting a fixed price on oil. I'm sure there can still be huge "profits" made for the industry if oil was set in the 70-80 dollar range. And yes, lots of investors would pull out, some probably at a loss. Some extra tax allowances can be made to assist with a small percentage of that, and maybe some other things as well. I have no issues with the rich people losing some money, when the majority of the world will reap the rewards. Rewards that are kind of important, you know... like being able to eat or stay warm.
So take the crazy idea, and tweak it. Do something with it. And if something doesn't happen soon, and I do mean very soon... the price on the quality of life for many, will not be affordable. Clearly the laws that control the investment side of 'life', needs some changing.
Here in Alberta, we love oil. We love the fact we have it, and for the longest time it has helped us survive. The income we made from it has paid for a pretty decent place to live, for the most part. And it clearly has saved us from paying provincial taxes. We classify oil as a commodity... one of those things in life that we need, like food and water... and as such it's a "supply and demand" issue. But unlike other commodities such as oranges which can be grown until the end of time, oil is one of those non-renewing items where there is only so much available. We can't grow more. And herein, is the issue.
The rich folks, those with money... purchase stocks in oil, and the law requires investments to make money. This drives up the price of oil, and more rich people see this as a good investment so they too buy more oil stocks, which creates the vicious circle of the ever increasing price that oil sells for. And lets face it... the actual cost of the oil has not gone up, just the price that is paid for it.
The trickle down effect of this touches every part of life. Corporate costs go up because they have to pay more to deliver the services, people want more wages because their costs are going up, property taxes go up because it costs more to provide public services, oil companies say they have to charge more now because they have to pay their staff more, food prices go up ... and... and... and... If there every was a self-serving industry... oil would take the cake. And the rich folks are totally loving it because they are making huge profits from it. They could care less about the results of what happens.
Economics is not my area, but I think it's safe to say that a lot of it is based on or determined by percentages. The way gas is sold, is by a price that includes taxes. So when the selling cost is supplied to a gas station, it excludes taxes. From there, a percentage is added on for this tax, and for that tax, and for.. whatever else. And then the station adds on a percentage for profits. In the case of taxes, this is not "we need 10 cents per litre" but again a percentage. So as the price goes up, the actual value of the taxes collected on the same volume of gas, is more. Now that makes both the provincial and federal governments very happy. They get much more of your tax dollars to waste on red tape and other fun stuff that they love to squander our money on. (That discussion is way beyond a blog post so I won't even go there.)
All these costs go up, by hundreds and hundreds of dollars, per section, per area. Food, taxes, retail costs. The proverbial endless list. Oh.. wait... in the list is also a thing called income. You know, what you get paid to live? And remember, "fixed income", the type where the key word is fixed. Your increased costs to live, taken in total, are easily in the thousand dollar range. And you might see an increase in your "fixed" income by a hundred dollars. Which means you have $900 less available than last year. And what are your choices? Well, you can eat less, or turn down the heat, or find a cheaper place to live (HA! Good luck with that.) For those fortunate enough, as in some seniors... it means selling your home so you can live. For those who do not have their own place... I shudder at the choices left for them.
I know the following suggestion has issues. Especially for the rich and the rich wanna be's. We HAVE to do something to create stability. Perhaps the world leaders need to ponder on setting a fixed price on oil. I'm sure there can still be huge "profits" made for the industry if oil was set in the 70-80 dollar range. And yes, lots of investors would pull out, some probably at a loss. Some extra tax allowances can be made to assist with a small percentage of that, and maybe some other things as well. I have no issues with the rich people losing some money, when the majority of the world will reap the rewards. Rewards that are kind of important, you know... like being able to eat or stay warm.
So take the crazy idea, and tweak it. Do something with it. And if something doesn't happen soon, and I do mean very soon... the price on the quality of life for many, will not be affordable. Clearly the laws that control the investment side of 'life', needs some changing.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Alberta Health Care Review 2011
I think it is pretty clear a review of some type is needed. I constantly say I am not an expert in these and other political type things so I tend to go with the idea of "let those who know... do...". As a human being, one should be able to see there are many things within the system that are not right, and have not been right for a long time.
I also suspect that many of the problems within the system come from so called "reports" that the system itself generates. We have painfully seen in recent months, how these biased reports create situations that are just not good for anyone, in the long run. The people are generically not "dumb" and we look for honesty and integrity. We know mistakes happen, and the key for everything to work out can only be determined from the accuracy of the information presented. THAT information MUST be unbiased, even more so if it points out flaws in the system. If we do not know the truth, no matter how painful it is, we can not fix what's broken.
As some of you are aware, one of the things I have been fighting for is to get information on the truth behind a baby's death. The indications are that this baby may not have had to die, if the City of Edmonton had not interfered with the runway operations at the City Center Airport. I have tried to deal with many political type folks, including the Wild Rose Alliance, along with many of the Edmonton and Grande Prairie political and media people. And it seems along the way, everyone has not been successful in getting the details.
One of the more recent people I've talked with has been Doug Griffiths. Now I may be an Alberta Party member and supporter, but I've always said that I will stand behind any politician, regardless of party, who is willing to do things right. I happen to be one of the many who think that Doug is this type of person. During my discussions with Doug, the topic of medevac services (over this issue) was discussed. He told me he had talks with the medevac folks, and they didn't have "issues" with the closure of the airport and supporting services it provides. And I was shocked! So I asked him... "Was it just STARS that you talked with" and he responded with 'yes'.
Now my understanding was starting to take shape. As much as STARS provides a needed service, they are NOT the actual medevac folks who deal with things. I asked Doug to expand his knowledge and learn the real truth, by talking with the pilots who actually do these services, and not "just" the STARS administration folks. I made a few contacts, who were (reluctantly) willing to discuss this, and passed some information along to Doug.
I believe more of the truth will come out during these Health Care meetings, and I firmly believe the roll of the Edmonton City Center Airport needs to be completely re-evaluated, considering the situation and new information that has come to light. Failure to include this, will be an insult to the parents of the baby that died, probably needlessly. I've never been able to contact them, and I wonder if they know the truth...
I have to say a big "thanks" to Doug, for his willingness to listen. It speaks volumes...
I also suspect that many of the problems within the system come from so called "reports" that the system itself generates. We have painfully seen in recent months, how these biased reports create situations that are just not good for anyone, in the long run. The people are generically not "dumb" and we look for honesty and integrity. We know mistakes happen, and the key for everything to work out can only be determined from the accuracy of the information presented. THAT information MUST be unbiased, even more so if it points out flaws in the system. If we do not know the truth, no matter how painful it is, we can not fix what's broken.
As some of you are aware, one of the things I have been fighting for is to get information on the truth behind a baby's death. The indications are that this baby may not have had to die, if the City of Edmonton had not interfered with the runway operations at the City Center Airport. I have tried to deal with many political type folks, including the Wild Rose Alliance, along with many of the Edmonton and Grande Prairie political and media people. And it seems along the way, everyone has not been successful in getting the details.
One of the more recent people I've talked with has been Doug Griffiths. Now I may be an Alberta Party member and supporter, but I've always said that I will stand behind any politician, regardless of party, who is willing to do things right. I happen to be one of the many who think that Doug is this type of person. During my discussions with Doug, the topic of medevac services (over this issue) was discussed. He told me he had talks with the medevac folks, and they didn't have "issues" with the closure of the airport and supporting services it provides. And I was shocked! So I asked him... "Was it just STARS that you talked with" and he responded with 'yes'.
Now my understanding was starting to take shape. As much as STARS provides a needed service, they are NOT the actual medevac folks who deal with things. I asked Doug to expand his knowledge and learn the real truth, by talking with the pilots who actually do these services, and not "just" the STARS administration folks. I made a few contacts, who were (reluctantly) willing to discuss this, and passed some information along to Doug.
I believe more of the truth will come out during these Health Care meetings, and I firmly believe the roll of the Edmonton City Center Airport needs to be completely re-evaluated, considering the situation and new information that has come to light. Failure to include this, will be an insult to the parents of the baby that died, probably needlessly. I've never been able to contact them, and I wonder if they know the truth...
I have to say a big "thanks" to Doug, for his willingness to listen. It speaks volumes...
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Intelligent Politics
In reality, the title is probably an oxymoron. No matter where you turn, whether or not it's civic or provincial or federal... politicians have sealed their own fate. The public simply does not trust them anymore. They lie to get elected, they seldom keep their promises, and they suck up to corporate greed because the corporations have the power. And what do you do about it? Nothing. You keep your head in the sand because it hurts too much to think about changing it. Ignorance IS bliss after all. So what is it going to take for you to stand up? I don't have that answer for you. But I can guarantee you that life for you... your kids... and your kids kids, is going to turn into hell in a hand basket. The world events now happening should be your wake up call.
IF I WERE...
Prime Minister of Canada
- Revamp the CRTC so that rules would be created that would prevent telephone scammers from even accessing Canadian phone lines. Many of these calls come in "via the Internet" and come from places where the services being offered (such as extending your vehicle warranty) couldn't even be possible. Seniors get target scammed all the time, and these are illegal. But we turn a blind eye and don't protect our own people.
- Encourage the G7 and G20 nations to restrict or eliminate the "investing" in commodities that we need in life (such as oil) from being of the "profiteering" aspects. Clearly the price of oil going up is driven by the rich folks who want to get richer. The cost of taking that oil out of the ground sure as hell hasn't gone up...
- Bring back Justice, so that it means something. Enough of the 'letter of the law' being the rule. We have law courts in Canada and we need Justice Courts instead. Yes, people need to have their rights preserved, no illegal search and seizures etc. But criminals get away with way too much, and the sentences given are usually not within the rhymes or reasons of what is right. Criminals are getting more rights than the people they commit crimes against.
- Eliminate the BQ as a Federal Party. As it stands now, the Canadian people in Quebec get (essentially) two votes compared to the rest of Canada. This is not fair, and it's time that we stop trying to politically pander by buying the people of Quebec. If this thought is too distasteful for you, then maybe each Province should be allowed to do what Quebec has been given. (Oh, would the cost of the political system ever go through the roof for that eh?)
- Restructure the tax system, so that folks who are into "excess profits" get their houses in order. For example, the 4 major Canadian banks continuously post profits of $32 billion dollars a year. Banks could easily eliminate service fees, which make up about 15% of their profits, and still make more than adequate dollars.
- Re-think the "percentage" rule. Dealing in percentages is getting more and more misleading every day. "Oh, Joe only made 5% more this year. But 5% of what? There is a huge difference between 5% of $10,000 and 5% of $100 million dollars.
- Eliminate the extravagant wages and severance packages of MP's. Fair wages yes. Fair severance yes. It's almost to the point now where you can be an MP for 4 years, and dang near retire in the lap of luxury.
- Eliminate the taxes on essentials like heat, electrical, water... and even basic phone.
- Institute a national "recall" legislation for all politicians at all levels in civic, provincial and federal areas.
- Reform "election promises" to ensure what you promise, you keep. And if your 'promise' was one of those impossible to do things, you get criminally charged with fraud, and removed from your job. Applies to all levels of Canadian politics.
Premier of Alberta
- Perform a complete inquiry and overhaul of the Ministries. Get rid of the waste factors, tune up the "red tape" areas, and be honest within the dealings of those Ministries.
- Make sure our resources are properly protected, and a fair value is gained from those using them.
- Create accountability for the medical and "family care" professions. This would include things like bringing the WCB out of the "oh you cost us too much for insurance factors" and back into protecting the rights and health of the workers, not just the employers. And of course, the rights of the medical profession to bring forth errors and faults within the system, by using a private and protected reporting system. Complaints in these areas would be immediately investigated for a 'truth factor', and those results brought forward for the government to bring to the "public attention".
- Work with the Fed's, to bring about required legal changes for justice, rather than law.
- Require the City of Edmonton to re-open the closed runway at the City Center Airport, so that medevac services are not hampered as they are now. Also to launch a full investigation into how improvements could be made, and if these services can realistically be handled in another manner. Only when a complete and proper un-biased conclusion has been come to, would the City of Edmonton then be allowed to continue on with their plans (should the outcome say it would be ok to do so).
- Return the control of computer IT services back to provincial employees and encourage more in-house development of the programs needed. Farming out this type of service opens up the potential for abuse of data, at a minimum...
Mayor of Edmonton
- Place an immediate stop to urban sprawl. No additional development would be allowed to happen.
- Order a complete review of traffic light timings. The huge environmental footprint from driving a block or two and stopping again negates all other perceived values of Edmonton being an environmentally friendly city.
- Stop asking for, and accepting "consultant reports" that are clearly biased towards the point of view that the City is trying to use as a basis for moving forward on a project.
- Bring back integrity within the City departments by reducing red tape and demanding more accountability.
- Recognize that times are tough, and the pockets of tax payers are not deep. Concentrate on essentials, not the 'nice to have' things.
- Rethink transit plans so transit remains affordable as an option. This could include putting a hold on expensive LRT styles and using more eco-friendly bus choices to provide the same level of service at a reduced cost.
- Remove pay reviews from being an internal process.
- Demand competency from city planners. Projects laid out in a fashion similar to South Edmonton Common should never have been allowed to happen using the 'road design'. A true traffic nightmare.
And with all of that said, there could easily be hundreds more points that should be mentioned. I offer these as suggestions only, for your local discussions. Some of these items mentioned could easily be put in place and some would need much more consideration. And some are probably just plain stupid. I am not a politically correct person, and I'm not an economist. But I do see the way that things are going, and as a world, we can no longer afford to work against each other and just do things "for us". The disparity between the rich and poor is growing, with more and more of the middle class sifting down into the poor bracket.
Is this what you want for your kids kids futures?
IF I WERE...
Prime Minister of Canada
- Revamp the CRTC so that rules would be created that would prevent telephone scammers from even accessing Canadian phone lines. Many of these calls come in "via the Internet" and come from places where the services being offered (such as extending your vehicle warranty) couldn't even be possible. Seniors get target scammed all the time, and these are illegal. But we turn a blind eye and don't protect our own people.
- Encourage the G7 and G20 nations to restrict or eliminate the "investing" in commodities that we need in life (such as oil) from being of the "profiteering" aspects. Clearly the price of oil going up is driven by the rich folks who want to get richer. The cost of taking that oil out of the ground sure as hell hasn't gone up...
- Bring back Justice, so that it means something. Enough of the 'letter of the law' being the rule. We have law courts in Canada and we need Justice Courts instead. Yes, people need to have their rights preserved, no illegal search and seizures etc. But criminals get away with way too much, and the sentences given are usually not within the rhymes or reasons of what is right. Criminals are getting more rights than the people they commit crimes against.
- Eliminate the BQ as a Federal Party. As it stands now, the Canadian people in Quebec get (essentially) two votes compared to the rest of Canada. This is not fair, and it's time that we stop trying to politically pander by buying the people of Quebec. If this thought is too distasteful for you, then maybe each Province should be allowed to do what Quebec has been given. (Oh, would the cost of the political system ever go through the roof for that eh?)
- Restructure the tax system, so that folks who are into "excess profits" get their houses in order. For example, the 4 major Canadian banks continuously post profits of $32 billion dollars a year. Banks could easily eliminate service fees, which make up about 15% of their profits, and still make more than adequate dollars.
- Re-think the "percentage" rule. Dealing in percentages is getting more and more misleading every day. "Oh, Joe only made 5% more this year. But 5% of what? There is a huge difference between 5% of $10,000 and 5% of $100 million dollars.
- Eliminate the extravagant wages and severance packages of MP's. Fair wages yes. Fair severance yes. It's almost to the point now where you can be an MP for 4 years, and dang near retire in the lap of luxury.
- Eliminate the taxes on essentials like heat, electrical, water... and even basic phone.
- Institute a national "recall" legislation for all politicians at all levels in civic, provincial and federal areas.
- Reform "election promises" to ensure what you promise, you keep. And if your 'promise' was one of those impossible to do things, you get criminally charged with fraud, and removed from your job. Applies to all levels of Canadian politics.
Premier of Alberta
- Perform a complete inquiry and overhaul of the Ministries. Get rid of the waste factors, tune up the "red tape" areas, and be honest within the dealings of those Ministries.
- Make sure our resources are properly protected, and a fair value is gained from those using them.
- Create accountability for the medical and "family care" professions. This would include things like bringing the WCB out of the "oh you cost us too much for insurance factors" and back into protecting the rights and health of the workers, not just the employers. And of course, the rights of the medical profession to bring forth errors and faults within the system, by using a private and protected reporting system. Complaints in these areas would be immediately investigated for a 'truth factor', and those results brought forward for the government to bring to the "public attention".
- Work with the Fed's, to bring about required legal changes for justice, rather than law.
- Require the City of Edmonton to re-open the closed runway at the City Center Airport, so that medevac services are not hampered as they are now. Also to launch a full investigation into how improvements could be made, and if these services can realistically be handled in another manner. Only when a complete and proper un-biased conclusion has been come to, would the City of Edmonton then be allowed to continue on with their plans (should the outcome say it would be ok to do so).
- Return the control of computer IT services back to provincial employees and encourage more in-house development of the programs needed. Farming out this type of service opens up the potential for abuse of data, at a minimum...
Mayor of Edmonton
- Place an immediate stop to urban sprawl. No additional development would be allowed to happen.
- Order a complete review of traffic light timings. The huge environmental footprint from driving a block or two and stopping again negates all other perceived values of Edmonton being an environmentally friendly city.
- Stop asking for, and accepting "consultant reports" that are clearly biased towards the point of view that the City is trying to use as a basis for moving forward on a project.
- Bring back integrity within the City departments by reducing red tape and demanding more accountability.
- Recognize that times are tough, and the pockets of tax payers are not deep. Concentrate on essentials, not the 'nice to have' things.
- Rethink transit plans so transit remains affordable as an option. This could include putting a hold on expensive LRT styles and using more eco-friendly bus choices to provide the same level of service at a reduced cost.
- Remove pay reviews from being an internal process.
- Demand competency from city planners. Projects laid out in a fashion similar to South Edmonton Common should never have been allowed to happen using the 'road design'. A true traffic nightmare.
And with all of that said, there could easily be hundreds more points that should be mentioned. I offer these as suggestions only, for your local discussions. Some of these items mentioned could easily be put in place and some would need much more consideration. And some are probably just plain stupid. I am not a politically correct person, and I'm not an economist. But I do see the way that things are going, and as a world, we can no longer afford to work against each other and just do things "for us". The disparity between the rich and poor is growing, with more and more of the middle class sifting down into the poor bracket.
Is this what you want for your kids kids futures?
Sunday, January 30, 2011
The Alberta Party and Political Trolls
First things first. Anyone that knows me, will tell you I am no where near "knowledgeable" when it comes to things of a political nature. I have never belonged to a Party before, I have never really 'cared' that much before. Yes, I am the fella who just mumbles under my breath at what the politicians (civic, provincial and federal) have been doing, when they have been doing something that makes me mad. And over the years, all three levels of these groups have been making me madder and madder and madder. I have decided that it is way over due for me to get involved, to learn, to discuss, to understand. Thankfully, I've been blessed with many life experiences during my almost 57 years of existence. I am the handyman kinda guy, I take things apart and put them back together... anything from watches to car engines. I can visualize the mechanics of things, and understand the cause and effects of doing things. I've also been blessed with a mind that lets me see things just as if I were a computer. I can analyze stuff, think of the "stupid" things one might do, and what I can do as a programmer, to prevent those types of hiccups. Needless to say, I'm really very very good at what I do. Yes, I DO make mistakes. And I do my best to learn from them.
I have to wonder at this point, if getting involved in politics is really the sane thing to do. I did join the Alberta Party, and I am keenly interested in seeing the generics of what this organization stands for, develop and grow. Being the computer geek I am, watching things within Twitter under the #abparty hash tag has left me totally astounded... .. .. I mean seriously, is THIS really the way politics works?
The supposed "professional and intelligent" people that TROLL this area blow me away. I thought that watching Question Period from the Legislature was comical at best, and insulting to my intelligence at the least. Politics seems to be about trying to bash and belittle anyone and everything that stands in the way of what someone else desires. And personally, to me... if YOU are one of those types of people then I feel sorry for you. In my books, you are nothing short of a bully.
Let me state, I clearly will always support your right to freedom of speech. With that said, it would be really nice if your speech was an attempt to help, rather than to insult. I'm sure that the Alberta Party people would still listen to you, because they believe that everyone deserves a voice, even trolls. But consider how much weight those words will carry... For me, I have lots of ideas. And it could very well be that maybe 85% of those ideas are just silly. Life may have blessed me in many areas but I am certainly not an expert. With the 15% left in my idea 'base', maybe 10% of those will be very worthy of more consideration and discussion, and the 5% balance could be within the "right on' category (aka holly crap that's a great idea).
I know I will be listened to. But what about you? Good ideas come from all people. ALL PEOPLE. Belonging to a Party, no matter WHAT party that is, doesn't change that. Even if that party is "no party at all".
So my question is... Do you want to be a part of the problem, or part of the solution. I choose to be part of the solution.
Do note, these are my own personal statements. I am only a member, I do not at this time sit on any boards etc.
I have to wonder at this point, if getting involved in politics is really the sane thing to do. I did join the Alberta Party, and I am keenly interested in seeing the generics of what this organization stands for, develop and grow. Being the computer geek I am, watching things within Twitter under the #abparty hash tag has left me totally astounded... .. .. I mean seriously, is THIS really the way politics works?
The supposed "professional and intelligent" people that TROLL this area blow me away. I thought that watching Question Period from the Legislature was comical at best, and insulting to my intelligence at the least. Politics seems to be about trying to bash and belittle anyone and everything that stands in the way of what someone else desires. And personally, to me... if YOU are one of those types of people then I feel sorry for you. In my books, you are nothing short of a bully.
Let me state, I clearly will always support your right to freedom of speech. With that said, it would be really nice if your speech was an attempt to help, rather than to insult. I'm sure that the Alberta Party people would still listen to you, because they believe that everyone deserves a voice, even trolls. But consider how much weight those words will carry... For me, I have lots of ideas. And it could very well be that maybe 85% of those ideas are just silly. Life may have blessed me in many areas but I am certainly not an expert. With the 15% left in my idea 'base', maybe 10% of those will be very worthy of more consideration and discussion, and the 5% balance could be within the "right on' category (aka holly crap that's a great idea).
I know I will be listened to. But what about you? Good ideas come from all people. ALL PEOPLE. Belonging to a Party, no matter WHAT party that is, doesn't change that. Even if that party is "no party at all".
So my question is... Do you want to be a part of the problem, or part of the solution. I choose to be part of the solution.
Do note, these are my own personal statements. I am only a member, I do not at this time sit on any boards etc.
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