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Congress does not pass “landmark” legislation very often – and it remains to be seen as to whether the health care reform bill (now moving to a conference committee and ultimate passage) will meet that standard.
However, I can say that when compared against other celebrated pieces of landmark legislation, it appears to fall short. The main reason is the lack of bipartisan support.
The Civil Rights Act and the Medicare program are two landmark laws that immediately come to mind. Both programs were enacted in the mid-1960s and both had bi-partisan backing. Why does support from both major parties matter? The answer: Because bipartisan support in Congress better reflects “common ground” within the American electorate. In addition, on an issue as important as health reform, good ideas are not the sole domain of either party. Without broad-based support from the voters – support that is clearly lacking for this health bill according to recent opinion polls – major reform is subject to reversal due to voter backlash. In short, major changes in social policy are typically not sustainable when enacted on a party line vote.
Second, there is the question of cost control. This health reform bill is heavy on provisions that will expand access to health care – a noble goal (but an expensive one). However, it is entirely too weak on controlling costs within the health care system. Most voters want to see government health care costs brought down before programs like Medicare and Medicaid bust the budget. This bill does little to address that concern (despite the much debated “cuts” in Medicare). Most voters also want to see reform that stops the annual double digit increase in private sector health insurance plans. Sadly, this bill does nothing to stop those increases from occurring – and, in fact, worsens the inflationary factor for those trying to purchase insurance on the open market.
Finally, this bill was processed in the worst possible manner. Forcing a vote under the pressure of a Christmas deadline meant that an inordinate number of deals had to be cut to garner the needed votes. For example, we saw Senators literally being bought off with promises of federal dollars for Medicaid to their states well in excess of the payments that would be made to other states. This kind of horse-trading is patently wrong, unfair and inequitable. Worse, it adds greatly to the future cost of this health reform bill (and will likely lead to many other states demanding the same sweet – and expensive - deal). In all, it was an ugly scene as these last minute deals were being cut. I do not think it bodes well for the Democrats who used these tactics to pass a bill that is opposed by a majority of the American electorate. That is my two cents.
Tim Penny
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I'm sure by now everyone has probably already planned out where they're going and who they're going with as far as New Year's Eve celebrations go, but just in case you haven't, here's some of the entertainment you can catch in town on Thursday, December 31st.
At Barden's Bar, the Schmoejoes will be playing their annual New Year's Eve Bash, beginning at 9:00p.m. In case you're wondering who they are and what they're about, please reference my past blogs, particularly the Jon Lucca interviews.
PJ's Tavern is having their own New Year's Bash with DJ Screammin' Productions from 9:00p.m. - close. If you're just looking to move around and have a good time, this may be the event for you.
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Over at Club 57, they'll be kicking off the festivities at 9:30p.m. with the band Unhinged. This is a cover band that leans toward the heavy metal/hard rock persuasion. They cover a lot of Metallica, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, and TOOL.
The local band Frankie's Boys will be playing over at Katie O'Leary's from 9:00p.m. until close. This band is a local favorite and a standby, so if you have time to check them out, I'd recommend popping in to see them.
Please remember that the taxi service is free in Waseca that night, so if you have a few drinks, don't feel pressured to drive yourself home. If you can, though, I'd recommend getting a designated driver. There are only two taxis, and they can only do so much at a time. Should you choose to utilize their service, be a good sport and tip generously, because they're contributing to your good time.
I also wanted to take this time to announce Waseca Entertainment Review's additional website, which you can visit at wasecaentertainmentreview.blogspot.com . Here you will find archived blogs, read added content, and listen to streamed audio of my podcast. Podcasts will include full, uncut interviews with local musicians and business owners, so you'll want to check back often!
Have a Happy New Year, everyone! Cheers!
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Bruce Smith was from Faribault Mn, he played halfback for the back to back national champion Gophers in 1940-1941, and won the Heisman in 1941! That's right, Faribault kid won the Heisman Trophy, was a big time athlete and a big time person before his death from Cancer in 1967! The trophy is presented to the best College FB player of the year per vote of Sportcasters, writers and former Heisman winners. I visited the New York Athletic club near Central Park in NY, pretty impressive place and of course very historic! Smith is still the only Gopher to win the award in school history! Smith and the Heisman are a long time ago but so is the last Gophers title in the Big Ten! 1967 the year Smith past away, the Gophers tied with Indiana but Hoosiers went to the Rose Bowl! This New Years day Ohio State will play Oregon in the Rose Bowl, as you watch the action remember it has been over 40 years since the Gophers qualified and almost 50 years since they played in the Grand Daddy of them all: Rose Bowl! Go Gophers!
Comments to steveconway47@yahoo.com
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Christmas season is in the air for the majority of us here at FOB Leatherneck. We have some small trees up with little decorations and some battery powered lights and a few wrapped presents to give it that extra Christmas feeling. We also have some stockings hung up and my office has a candy cane countdown.
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We have also received an unbelievable incredible amount of support from so many people from our homes, to the entire State, and even other states! All of us here are so grateful and cannot say thank you enough for all of your efforts and support. We also know that thoughts and prayers flood us daily and we certainly appreciate all of them.
Next week is already Christmas! It is hard to believe where the time has gone and we are also grateful for that. It is definitely a time what we can sit back and reflect on all that has happened in the last year and look very happily to the next year. It is a time that we wish that we were at home enjoying the snow and all the great things we can do with the season. I personally miss the snowmobiling and plowing the many driveways my brother has me help with. I also miss building snowmen and sledding with my kids. I wish I was home to go shopping for gifts and to see my children's eyes when they open their presents. The smell of cookies and turkey filling the air! Many of us will miss all of these things but it is also a great feeling to know that our families are safe at home.
I would also like to take this time to thank the veterans before me, serving with me, and the future ones that will help protect my family and friends. It is a great feeling knowing there are so many that fight for our freedoms and safety. With that I would also like to thank the families of these Veterans. I was thinking to day that without my family I could not do this. I have said it before and will say it again that my wife and kids have served just as much as me and to them and all military families, Thank you.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!! Thank you again for all of your love and support!
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Today I have on me an interview conducted electronically with Tom Little of the Waterville band, The Blue Ringers. I've seen his band in action, and they put on a fun show. Apart from playing gigs in different venues, they often have a big bash up at their house in the boonies/farmland of Waterville, which I am told is one of the best events of the year.
First of all, I asked Tom to describe The Blue Ringers, so people who are interested in seeing them would know what they're about.
"We play a variety of rock, mostly the 80s through today," he answered, "but we also do a few older rock tunes and a few country tunes.
We put on an energetic show with the focus on getting the crowd dancing and partying."
Tom felt pretty early on that he wanted to be a musician."I think I was 17, and my friends and I were all into 80s hard rock. As I would sit in class all day I would dream about being a rock star and performing in front of lots of fans. My best friend, John Peach, The Blue Ringers' drummer, told me I should play bass since he was a drummer and we had friends that played guitar. So I got myself a bass guitar. It wasn't until I was 19 that I got serious with it though."
And about Tom's big dream? "My dream to be a rock star did not exactly come true, but The Blue Ringers is close enough to that dream for me," he explains. "It allows me to pretend to be a rock star on some weekends and still have my normal life, which I love."
I asked Tom if there were any interesting stories that he could tell, and at first he was elusive.
"You do see some crazy things over the years, some that are better not to publish," he started, but then followed with a few print-friendly tidbits. "This one has probably happened to lots of bands. We had a gig in New Ulm and when we showed up there was another band there setting up. The gig had been double booked and we were not too happy about it. We called around and found someone that would pay us a little to play at a barn party so we went and did that. We did have two people meet at one of our shows and eventually they got married. That was cool, we still stay in touch with them."
When I asked Tom which venue in Waseca he loves to play, his direct answer was, "Katie O'Leary's. The atmosphere is perfect for us (we love the owner, bartenders and all the patrons there) and the building itself has great acoustical properties."
A lot of the other bands from Waseca that Tom likes tend to play at Katie's as well. I asked him who some of his favorite local bands are, and he answered, "For classic rock and blues, you have to love The Murphy Brothers. For a cool acoustic group there is a band called The Rain Kings who are simply great. If you like to rock a little harder than The Blue Ringers, then it is hard to beat IV Play." Just to clarify, that is a roman numeral, and the band's name is pronounced four-play.
The Blue Ringers will be playing at Katie O'Leary's on Friday, December 18th from 9pm - 1am. I highly recommend checking them out if you can, their covers are good and they like to work with the crowd.
That's all I have for this weekend. Next weekend will be blog-less, because I am taking the time to enjoy the holidays. I hope you all have a great weekend and happy holidays to you all!
Jenny Hughes can be reached at thejuniperjourney@hotmail.com.
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What a week...
Good day to all -
Obviously an interesting week in local/state politics. First things first I am the Treasurer for Mike Parry's State Senate Campaign so expect a little bias in my commentary.
I wish both Roy and Mike the best of luck in their campaigns. Roy has shown that he can be a leader and rally the troops when needed. Mike's strong suit lies in communication/sales (whether it be radio spots, pizza or ideas). Roy has the patience of Job and that is needed at the state level. Mike is never a shrinking violet, you know he is in the room, you know what he wants and why he wants it. They both have other great qualities that will serve them well but I think it is Mike's confident take no prisoners approach that will serve the Waseca district the best. The non metro contingency is often beaten back by the polish and cohesion of the metro legislators. Mike will be a vocal proponent for outstate needs. Good luck gentlemen!
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On to other things (but I am sure we will visit on this again before the election Jan 26)
The Waseca School Boards (more precisely Keith Hiller's) proposal to bring TEAM back into the district is interesting. There are redundant costs that create wasteful spending, neither party is being wasteful - just paying for identical resources that could easily be shared is not efficient. To me the interesting question is if you are a TEAM supporter wouldn't you want that approach shared with other students as well? Stated differently what if the merger were seen as TEAM absorbing the district? On a related note I have been working on my "Widespread Panic Education Solution" for a couple of weeks now and hope to have that posted prior to the New Year - yep, I have all the answers.
I read a great article about banking - the jist was that banks have moved from lending primarily to businesses to devoting more of their assets to consumers. Business debt is more productive in that is rolled over several times a year as a business cylces - loan proceeds are used to by inventory, finished goods are sold, debt is paid down begin again. The purchases are capital purchases that add to productivity. Consumer debt is used for finished goods and the cycle ends, the debt stays on the books longer. Banks are able to hold the debt for longer terms because the FDIC program protects banks from bank runs. No bank runs = less need for liquidity = higher fractional reserve lending = higher leverage= too big to fail. Total bank assets have more than doubled in the past decade while business loan totals have only gone up 25%. No we find President Obama calling all the "Fat Cats" on to the carpet for following the road that the Keynesian road (see excessive saving at the link) that has been advocated by the Democratic party (brief rant - if anyone tells you that colleges do not have an agenda when they teach students please see the late Paul Samuelson's quote "I don’t care who writes a nation’s laws — or crafts its advanced treatises — if I can write its economics textbooks". Paul had an agenda to advance Keynsian economics and was very successful as his text is the text of choice at most public colleges. This leads to a whole generation that was taught a slanted perspective that has led to our current economic straits. Admittedly there are other texts that offer their own take but Samuelson's quote is a warning for us all) for decades.
I have to admit the whole health care debate has dampened my spirits lately. So many bright folks in Washington and they seem to be racing for the mediocre (and wrong). It would be like going out for dinner with Emeril Lagasse and Bobby Flay and they say "lets go to Old Country Buffet". This is America give us a little spice!
That is all for now - don't worry I have something shiny for you.
Stay alert, stay alive.
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God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference
I had the opportunity to attend a dinner honoring Coach Steve Wilkinson of Gustavus
College Saturday evening. The above prayer is condensed but is the model for The Coach in 40 years of coaching men tennis at Gustavus.
Yes, a simple prayer which shaped and molded young men into adulthood, also influenced their families in a way which I have never seen. Judy and I sat with 350 other fans and enjoyed 5 hours of the same story over and over on how the Coach made them a better tennis player but more importantly a better person! The smile, the listening, the guiding hand, the consistent love, the knowledge of tennis and life, and always available to advise are the hallmarks of The Coach!
The Coaches faith was put into action every day with young men searching for answers to questions we all ask each day no matter our age. I am a better person for knowing Coach Steve Wilkinson! By the way record for Coach Wilkinson 1971 - 2009 was 929 wins and 279 losses.
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1. Act as if you belong: your team needs you.
2. Today can be the beginning of a new life, get to practice or workout.
3. Never lose your sense of humor, playing ball is the best.
4. Success is 99 percent sweat, one percent talent, outwork the competition.
5. Gratitude and kindness will open many doors for you. Thank the coaches, parents, and the ref.
6. Compare yourself with others, it makes you better.
7. Give back, help pick up after practice, give someone a ride home.
8. Peer pressure never goes away, ask Coach or Mom and Dad.
9. Ask for help when you need it, don't guess get the facts.
10. Be yourself, you are special and the only one with the opportunity.
11. Forget about perfection: but practice, practice , practice.
12. Lean on God: the talent is there, use it for the good of all!
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I know it has been a while since I wrote one of these, and I sincerely apologize to my avid readers (if I have any), but with Thanksgiving and finals at college, I haven't had a whole lot of free time on my hands.
One thing I managed to do before Thanksgiving was to take a trip over to Club 57. My husband and I went over there Wednesday, November 25th to check out the AC/DC cover band, TNT.
The thing that always strikes me as odd about Club 57 is their total lack of flow. I don't know if this comes from remodeling an already set building, but anyhow, it just doesn't work. Two steps behind the bar is a wall, presumably to separate the "bar" crowd from the "sit-down" crowd. This wall causes amazing problems, however, should there be more than five people in the area. The people standing at the bar to order end up blocking the path to the bathrooms, forcing patrons to go around the wall and past the jukebox. Therein lies another problem, when regulars fill up the area on the other side of the wall. Now there is absolutely no way to reach the bathrooms, unless you feel like pushing your way through an established group, which is never comfortable.
The service is also incredibly lacking. You may get attention shortly after you walk in, but the people at the bar get absolute precedence. If you are at a table, forget getting served any time soon. You're better off stalking up to the bar, getting your drink, and bringing it back to your seat, to try to remember where the conversation left off with your friend(s).
In their favor I will say, I love the vintage poster decor. This gives it a classy feel that some of our other Waseca venues are lacking. This does not, however, make up for the lack of decent flow or service.
As for the stage, it is an okay size, but there is not much room for people who want to watch the show. Again you have an oddly shaped room, where if you get pushed into the wrong spot, you have no chance of seeing the performance.
And here I must say: What performance?
My husband and I got to Club 57 at 7:30, and waited (and drank rum and Coke) until 9:00, when TNT would presumably take the stage. They did, shortly after, and played a song. After being informed that the first song was a sound check, the band promptly disappeared.
We waited.
And waited.
Then we looked at each other and asked "Time to go home?" With a mutual nod, we left.
From the little bit I heard of TNT, they are a decent tribute band, and I would have liked to have heard more. But generally if a band says they are playing at 9:00, they should play within 15 minutes of that time. Unless they were having serious gear/sound issues, I felt like we were getting the brush-off. People visiting venues in the cities wouldn't have put up with that, and neither should we.
So needless to say, the night was a bit of a disappointment. I hope to get out again in the near future, however, and check out some bands. Maybe I can corner Marcus Penny for an interview.
Anyhow, onto the weekend, and into the week a bit.
Since I checked out Club 57, I'll start there. On Saturday, December 12th the band 69 Cents will be playing. Then at 10:00p.m. on Thursday, December 17th they'll have the a'capella band Heatbox. I browsed their myspace page and was at first repulsed by their droning, repetitive song about needing a Jack and Coke, but I was pulled back in by Pizza Funk. If you've been looking for something new and original, this would be a good act to see. They're like Rockapella, but more funky.
Next up is PJ's Tavern, the easiest to report since they are having a DJ on both Friday the 11th and Saturday the 12th.
Finally there will be DJ Matt the Ratt at Katie O'Leary's on Friday night, and the band Urban Myth will be playing Katie's on Saturday. Urban Myth is a fun band, but the lead singer didn't thrill me, and their keyboard setting bordered on irksome. This is just the impression I got from one song, however, so there is potential that this band has more to offer. Their pictures led me to believe that they have an easy-going stage presence, and they look like they enjoy what they do.
That's it for this week. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone, and enjoy the snow!
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Christmas is coming!
A little snow (maybe a lot of snow), a little chill, and a lot of decorations and lights helping to make the season bright. Last weekend Waseca was alive with visitors for all the activities that were planned to coincide with the Waseca Arts Council’s “Sights and Sounds of Christmas” House Walk! The Waseca County Museum’s "Christmas Night at the Museum, A Doll House Walk" was very well attended and we thank all those visitors from all over for stopping. You came from 45 different Minnesota communities, six states and two foreign countries!
This is a "feel good" exhibit because everyone who strolled amongst the 21 doll houses were having such a good time remembering childhood and sharing with their friends and families. Grandparents were pointing out little furnishings and details to their grandchildren, grown women were commenting, "I feel like a little girl again!" or "I had a doll house like that one!" The best part was the sharing of experiences, and the meaning of those experiences. Many friends came together, many Wasecans were hosting friends and relatives who traveled to Waseca and view this exhibit together.
There is great variety of styles, decorating, and sizes--from a tiny matchbox doll house in the WCHS Collection to the three-story townhouse.
The Doll House Walk is the good thing that is still going on through January 16, during regular museum hours, Tues-Fri, 9-5 and Saturdays, 10-2. Hey, Waseca County community, this is your museum, come see us over the holidays!
What did you enjoy most about the Doll House Walk?
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Coaching HS football is a big job: low pay long hours etc. We all know that big money follows Division 1 FB coaches but notice the coaches listed on the all time wins list below, not all worked for big money! The hype with coaches changing jobs, Colleges looking for the next savior is the big TV money talking no doubt! The HS jobs are going to be more difficult with budget cuts, the hours will still be long, the lack of money will hinder kids going out and fans will think twice about paying 8-10 dollars to see game! Or will it get better with quality kids only on the field? What do you think? Maybe more one sport athletes? Maybe better choices made by the parents and the athlete? Maybe less choice of activity? What do you think?
1. John Gagliardi, Carroll College/St. John's University (1949-2009): 471-126-11
2. Eddie Robinson, Grambling State (1941-1997): 408-168-15
3. Joe Paterno, Penn State (1966-2009): 393-129-3
4. Bobby Bowden, Samford/West Virginia/Florida State (1959-2009): 388-129-4
5. Amos Alonzo Stagg, Springfield College/Chicago/Pacific (1892-1946): 329-190-35
6. Paul W. "Bear" Bryant, Maryland/Kentucky/Texas A&M/Alabama (1945-1982): 323-85-17
7. Glenn Scobey "Pop" Warner, Georgia/Cornell/Carlisle/Pitt/Stanford/Temple (1895-1938): 318-106-32
8. Roy Kidd, Eastern Kentucky (1964-2002): 314-124-8
9. Forrest "Frosty" Westering, Parsons College/Lea College/Pacific Lutheran (1962-2003): 302-96-7
10 Harold R. "Tubby" Raymond, Delaware (1966-2001): 300-119-3
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I thought I would write this time about the advances of communication since past wars. Every day I am amazed and grateful for what I am able to accomplish while I am here. My job is mainly spent staring at a computer and doing research. I honestly love my job in the Army and enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that I am helping out my fellow Soldiers.
With that, I think of wars past and all that the people in my MOS (military job) had to do to accomplish their missions. It is hard to imagine not having a computer, a printer, and a scanner. It is even harder to imagine not having the internet. Though it is not the best connections and a lot of sites are blocked it still enables me to do some pretty amazing things.
In my job, I do many things that include typing memos and making spreadsheets. I look up regulations and information for just about everyone that has a question. I take the information that I accumulate and put it on a centrally located storage space and at times I am required to send information back to our armory at home. It usually only takes about 12 hours or less, because of time change, to get a reply or to have someone update records. This in itself is sometimes hard to believe. Like I said, I cannot imagine what the guys had to go through in previous wars.
In my family life I can and take full advantage of text messaging. I can instantly send my wife and daughters a text to tell them that I love them or to see how their day is going. I can send my wife an email with a lengthy letter and she can check it right on her Blackberry. This is amazing! I have set up email accounts for my daughters so that I can send them instant picture updates and letters of my “adventure” as I call it. They all have a phone with a camera on it, they can send me pictures of those moments that I would otherwise miss or they would have missed because of bulky cameras.
We are starting to get wireless internet access in some points. I can get on most pages like Facebook and the Waseca County News website. I can also get on Skype. Skype has allowed us to talk for many minutes without costing us a dime. It has enabled me to see my family and see how they are growing and changing. I also love access to the other sites because it makes me feel closer to home. It is great to see what is going on around town and to see what my friends and family are up to. I have reconnected with most of my High School classmates, friends from Basic Training, and even relatives that I have not talked to in years. All of this is from a war zone.
It is hard to be away from home. It is hard to see your family grow up through photos and emails. It does make it easier though with the great technology that we have in front of us. Sometimes we can get irritated with a cell phone ring or even take it for granted. I do however appreciate that we have these things to stay connected with home.
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How about a trophy for the winner of the Blue Earth vs. Waseca Football game! The Little Brown Jug, The Old Oaken Bucket, Floyd of Rosedale, The Axe, are just a few legendary names of rivalry trophies, Waseca doesn't have any? Isn't it time? How about a Monster Bratwurst to the winner of the New Ulm vs Waseca wrestling match? Rivals are made not born, the most unique trophies just happen, but........
Waseca needs some passion: remember when you would never miss the basketball game at Fairmont? Remember the refs at Wells, you always went because it was fun and you knew that the game would be close! The South Central Conference has not lived up to the passion of many, teams are not dominating any more! The Waseca home crowds are friendly now not competitive, we want a win if it is ok with everyone, no passion! It shows on the floor, the mat, the field! The fun of competition is the reward of the fans, we need to compete hard but fair and gain the home court advantage BACK! Get out and be a fan again! A fan not only cheers for the home team but also appreciates the efforts of the competition, BUT we want a win! The reason the score is kept is not to see how close it ends, we need wins with hard play and excitement! The fun is in the hunt, teams use to want to beat Waseca on its home turf, lets make that difficult again! Good Luck in the Winter sport season athletes, give us a reason to cheer hard again!
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Do you remember your doll house?
Were you given one for Christmas? Did you make one yourself out of a cardboard box? How creative you were! What stories did you make up and play? Was it about growing up? What did you dream about for your future? Did your dreams come true? How did your play-acting influence what you wanted for your life? Important questions not easily answered, but all fostered out of memories of childhood play with a doll house. What did your doll house mean to you?
Come and visit the Waseca County Museum (315 2nd Avenue N.E., Waseca) next weekend, December 5 and 6, 12 noon to 7 p.m. for “Christmas Night at the Museum, A Doll House Walk!” Wander through our 21 different, beautiful doll house exhibits of different architectural styles, representing different historical eras, with memories and stories to share. Share your memories, too!
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