Elected Officials, Government Leaders, and Civil Service Employees

You know, there are a lot of political bloggers out there in cyberland from whom readers may gain a wide variety of perspectives. However, it is not uncommon for political bloggers (yours truly included), along with their readership who may comment back, along with everyday common folks outside the blogosphere to lambast our elected officials, government leaders, and civil service employees.

Quite frankly, while I understand much of the negative commentary and criticism, I also believe much of it to be misplaced. Oftentimes, I read comments from people who seem not to fully understand the American political system, the processes and operations of government, and the restraints of working in the public sector. All too often, I read comments from people who just want to tear down, but not build up. It is my opinion that a calling to be of public service is honorable. Furthermore, I think that many people fail to recognize the sincerity and selflessness that many of our elected officials and government employees bring forth in their service to our local, state, national, and international communities.

Head back to read two of my previous commentaries in which I have addressed critics of political and public service:
Public Service Laudable
Political Dynasty: Good Or Bad?
Independents and Politics: An Oxymoron

I appreciate those who answer the public calling to serve our community and nation, including those with whom I may disagree. Public service is much maligned. It's about time people took the time and effort to understand and recognize and (YES) appreciate the truly remarkable job that elected officials, government leaders, and civil service employees do in the service of this great nation of ours.

Barack Obama: A Socialist?

Is Barack Obama a socialist?

Many people seem to think that Barack Obama is a socialist.

Heck, I don't know if Barack Obama a socialist.

Many of the people who label Barack Obama as a socialist allege that Obama's proposal to adopt national health care is socialism and that any proposed public option for national health care is socialism.

Is Social Security socialism?
Is Medicare socialism?
Is the interstate highway system socialism?
Is the national park system socialism?
Is the national monument system socialism?
Is the national memorial system socialism?
Is the national museum system socialism?
Is the national preserves system socialism?
Is the national forest system socialism?
Is the national seashores system socialism?
Is the national trails system socialism?
Is the national military parks system socialism?
Is the public school system socialism?

FYI: Here is a whole List of National Parks and Monuments.

What exactly is socialism?

And, by the way, what does option mean?

Some people do not believe that Barack Obama is a socialist. Click on over to read:
The Capitolist, Patricia Murphy, Columnist: Top U.S. Socialist Says Barack Obama is Not One of Them.
The Washington Post: Obama's No Socialist. I Should Know. By Billy Wharton, Sunday, March 15, 2009.

What do you think? Is Barack Obama a socialist?

Glenn Beck: A Communist?

How much do you know about Glenn Beck?

Is Glenn Beck a communist?

Heck, I don't know if Glenn Beck is a communist.

But, I did find a blog entry by Tim Higgins over at Just Blowing Smoke... about Glenn Beck to be very interesting reading.

Check it out for yourself.

Click on over to read Glenn Beck & Communism.

Lucas County Educational Service Center: Governing Board Member To Be Appointed

The Lucas County Educational Service Center Governing Board is a five-member elected body that oversees, hires staff, establishes and provides programs and services, sets policy, etc. for the public educational service organization. As required by Ohio state statute, the Lucas County Educational Service Center provides services to the non-municipal school districts of Lucas County; these school districts are Anthony Wayne, Ottawa Hills, Springfield, and Washington Local. Additionally by means of contract, the Lucas County Educational Service Center provides services to the Maumee, Perrysburg, Rossford, and Sylvania school districts.

The five members of the Governing Board are elected to four-year terms with the terms staggered. Members are elected in odd-numbered years; two are elected in one odd-numbered year and three members are elected in the other odd-numbered year. This past November, three Lucas County Educational Service Center Governing Board positions were up for election.

To the best of my knowledge, none of the Toledo and Lucas County area traditional print or broadcast media carried any stories related to the candidates or any other type of election coverage, except for the vote result numbers of the two candidates after the election, in regards to the election of persons to this public body, the Lucas County Educational Service Center Governing Board, that is responsible for millions of taxpayer dollars.

I am unaware of any traditional news media informing the public that three seats of the Lucas County Educational Service Center Governing Board were up for election. I am unaware of any traditional news media informing the public that only two persons filed candidate petitions by the filing deadline to run for election to the three positions available. I am unaware of any traditional news media informing the public that a person could file as write-in candidate for a period of time after the filing deadline for persons who sought a spot on the ballot by the petition process. I am unaware any traditional news media informing the public of the fact that "only two of the three available positions" to the Lucas County Educational Service Center Governing Board were indeed elected. I am unaware of any traditional news media informing the public that in January 2010 the four members on the Lucas County Educational Service Governing Board will have the authority to appoint a fifth person to the Governing Board. I am unaware of any traditional news media informing the public that should the four members on the Lucas County Educational Service Governing Board fail to do so within thirty days, the Judge of Lucas County Probate Court will then have the authority to make the appointment.

To the best of my knowledge, the only reference by a public medium to the upcoming vacancy on the Lucas County Educational Service Governing Board is the statement reproduced below which is a direct quote appearing as the last paragraph of the Tuesday, November 17, 2009 blog entry of Lucas County Educational Services Center Updates by Angela Zimmann.

The next regular board meeting is December 8th. The December date will be the last board meeting for Judy Hansen, who has served for twelve years, and opted not to run for re-election this year. The other two incumbants, Joseph Rutherford (current president) and Joan Kuchcinski, were re-elected. The remaining vacant seat will be filled by the board in January.

NOTE: The Judy Hansen mentioned in that blog entry happens to be my wife who has been elected three times to the Lucas County Educational Service Governing Board. Before Judy was first elected to the Governing Board, I had previously been elected and served for three terms totaling twelve years.

To the traditional mass media in the Toledo Lucas County area, I say: SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!

To the voting age public residing within the electoral jurisdiction of the Lucas County Educational Service, I say shame for not one person not having the interest in public service or the community commitment (other than the two remaining incumbents) to file for election to the Lucas County Educational Service Governing Board.

But, LO! It is not too late. Any registered voter in the Anthony Wayne, Ottawa Hills, Springfield, or Washington Local school districts may seek the appointment to the soon-to-be open seat on the Lucas County Educational Service Governing Board. While there has yet to be any formal announcement as to the process of filling the vacancy, I would suggest that any person interested in seeking this appointment send a written letter of interest to each of the remaining LCESC Governing Board members; they are President Joseph Rutherford, Vice President Dr. Angela Zimmann, Karen Krause, and Joan Kuchinski.

Don't wait. Submit that letter of interest now!

Mike Bell, Incoming Mayor of Toledo, Ohio

The 2009 general election has come and gone and the now former candidate Mike Bell for Mayor of Toledo, Ohio has been elected Toledo Mayor.

Over on Facebook, you will find Toledo, Ohio wants to say congrats to our new mayor, Mike Bell!!

YouTube has the video Bell reflects on win, 2010 agenda that you might find interesting. And over this-a-way, you can read a very brief article about Mayor-elect Mike Bell having named a three-member transition team preparing for his assuming the office of mayor.

While not current as of the date of this Roland Hansen Commentary, you may wish to read Michael Bell: Biography from Answers.com.

Mike Bell has a proven record of public service and a proven record as a public administrator. Now, he is about to become the CEO of a major municipal corporation. I wish him the very best in his newest position as Mayor of Toledo.

AARP: Abandoning Older Adults To Serve Young Adults?

If you read the recent Roland Hansen Commentary AARP: Is the AARP Deceptive? then you already realize I have my questions of the legitimacy of AARP.

On the other hand, my ignorance really was exposed on the AARP issue when I read the hard copy October 27, 2009 USA Today article AARP starts youth movement by Laura Petrecca. Click on the following embedded link to read the USA online copy of that article which is entitled AARP offering financial advice to those in their 20s, 30s, and then feel free to provide your comments about AARP.

I am now convinced more than ever that I made the correct decision for myself when I did not renew my AARP membership. I think others such as myself, i.e. persons of retirement age, should have a real organization to represent our interests. It is clear to me that AARP has abandoned us.

Not Again

Did you read the immediately preceding Roland Hansen Commentary Boycott Kroger, and if you did read it, did you also read all the comments attached to it? I ask because if you have read those comments, you will have read my reference with its embedded link to the blog entry about Kroger on Glass City Jungle by Lisa Renee Ward.

It has been some time since I have written over on Glass City Jungle, but I thought I would give it another try. My reception was less than cool as you can judge for yourself by reading the excerpt below that had been posted as a response to me:

Not Again Says:

Roland makes me laugh. I think he would be pleased if obama would nationalize kroger and make them put a free soup kitchen in toledo. Kroger is dangerous, wrong thinking, and the worst of all, wants to make money. Ahhh, that is the way a progressive thinks.

Did you notice what Roland said in his blog? He said. “I have decided that people in Toledo, Ohio should boycott Kroger.” Roland knows what is best for us, because we are all, just stupid.

We will all be better off if we just let the progressives tell us what to do.

Aren’t they great, the progressives, I mean! We are all stupid, and only people like he, know what is right for us.

Well, upon reading that, I was reminded by Lisa Renee why I had stopped commenting over at Glass City Jungle when she wrote in that same message thread "Roland, .... you don’t participate here anymore because you don’t like the fact that I allow people to post without using their real names." Lisa Renee is indeed correct, or perhaps I should state she is partially correct. A more complete explanation may be read in this other previous Roland Hansen Commentary which also made a reference to the anonymous coward known as Not Again.

Glass City Jungle has a page Rules of Engagement in which one of the rules states, in part: Civil discourse is the goal, repeated personal insults directed at other members of the blog ... will be edited/deleted.

To me, the phrase "repeated personal insults' should be interpreted to include a history of making such comments. I further believe that a person who has such a history should be banned rather than just deleting the crude rude comments of the abuser. To me, cyber emotional abuse is of equal concern as real time in your face in-person emotional abuse, spousal abuse, child abuse, and elder abuse. Cyber emotional abuse in the form of commentary practiced by Not Again. An abuser is an abuser is an abuser!

All persons who make public comments should be held accountable and all persons who allow such comments to be publicly published need to be held responsible. Enabling an abuser is not being responsible.

The fact that the 'poster joker' known as Not Again continues to be allowed over on Glass City Jungle to write personal attacks that are not in keeping with what I would consider civil discourse has reinforced my own rationale for not commenting on the blog Glass City Jungle of Lisa Renee Ward. To my chagrin, I feel morally compelled to return to my status as a nonparticipant on Glass City Jungle. In good conscience, I cannot be a participant in a public forum that permits people with a long standing history of making numerous and continuous inflammatory statements and personal attacks a public forum to express fighting words.

Boycott Kroger

I have decided that people in Toledo, Ohio should boycott Kroger. But then again, that is just my own personal opinion.

If you wonder why, then click on over to read Judy's Jewels Co-op.

For far too long, Kroger has had a stranglehold on the Toledo grocery market. And now, it appears that Kroger feels absolutely no loyalty or commitment to its Toledo customers. And yet, Kroger has the audacity to suggest that the City of Toledo (read that as Toledo taxpayers) build a new store for them.

I say it is time to boycott Kroger. Maybe then, other grocery stores will have more of an appearance in Toledo and just maybe, just maybe, Kroger will be more responsive and responsible to the Toledo market.

A few suggestions for new grocers in the Toledo market include Sprouts, Trader Joes, and Whole Foods. Meanwhile, perhaps Giant Eagle and Food Town may expand their Toledo market presence.

What do you say?

Let's start Boycott Kroger in Toledo NOW!!!!

Is Ford Motor Company UnAmerican?

Well, I gotta tell ya, oftentimes I am amazed at the large number of people who cry about foreign companies who own and operate facilities in the United States claiming the USA is being bought and paid for by foreign interests, but nary a word from them when it is "American" companies who are doing likewise in other countries.

Remember, Henry Ford who revolutionized the American auto industry? Remember when the Model T represented the affordability of auto ownership for all Americans? Remember when the Ford Motor Company was as American as apple pie?

Remember this news article announcing that Ford was closing down a whole bunch of American manufacturing plants and putting thousands of Americans out of work? Do you know that the former all-American Ford Motor Company is global?

I recently read the article Ford to build new assembly plant in China and I remembered that I had previously read something about Ford manufacturing cars in India. That got me to thinking and I did some more research on the wide wonderful world of the internet. In doing so, I came across the article Ford Makes Push to Boost Asian Presence. It seems to me that Ford continues to expand its business overseas while continuing to downsize its American workforce. Gee, I wonder if Ford Motor Company is moving to India.


All of this seems to give new meaning to the phrase "Buy American." Is there really such a thing as an American car company any more?

Is Ford Motor Company UnAmerican?

Judy Hansen for Lucas County Commissioner?

I wonder if you remember the Roland Hansen Commentary Lucas County Commissioner in 2010.

Well, it appears that the possible previous candidate for Lucas County Commissioner with whom I had spoken has decided against running for Lucas County Commissioner in 2010.

Hopefully, you familiar with all the Roland Hansen Commentary Ben Konop entries.

If you have read all that, then you know why I think it is imperative that Ben Konop be replaced as a Lucas County Commissioner.

So, now, I think that my wife, Judy Hansen, should be put forth as a candidate for Lucas County Commissioner in 2010. What do you think? Should Judy Hansen be Running for Lucas County Commissioner or Not?