I, as have many of you I am sure read, listened, watched Mr. Trump with his Palm Leaf yesterday to what passes for the opposition party in our Country. Of course it was rejected out right with not just a "NO", but a "HELL NO". So we sit at the starting point again and the only progress or maybe I should say movement are the hundreds of thousands on Furlough or made to work with out pay at the moment. Now ONE and ALL will get their back pay when this ends be it tomorrow on at the end of time? But it will end, question is how badly for whom? Simply put, ALL of us will lose in the end because of what it took to get there? Can any of you fathom how much Heroin, Cocaine, Fentanyl and Marijuana has come into and been disbursed over the Southern Border into the Country in the past 28 days? I can't for one?
Mr. Trump should by Friday, do this since that is the day to dump NEWS no one is expected to pay attention too? That being he is declaring a National Emergency and/ or is shutting the Border down completely till the Wall is built or money allocated. It would be more positive for the Country if he went for the building versus trust the money will really be there later? Of course he could than put all back to work at pay scale.
Not only has Mr. Loughry had his sentencing delayed, but there are sounds in the wind that the same is afoot for Mr. Ketcham? Is it possible that the "Good Ol' Boys Network", has kicked in among the Federal Judges/ Attorneys also?
I won't say how, but am getting the first whiffs that a cover-up may be in the making for the issues here in the VUB at the State Level. This is one time I really, really want to be wrong. The folks on 60th and even 29th Street deserve a situation where they do not feel threatened for their jobs just because of an incident out of someone's home or job abuse? In fact not even if they don't like who they work for as long as they are really doing their jobs? I will have a much better idea by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest?
In a "Pole" by the Daily Blat on the 15th, the conclusion was that 69.15% of the responders don't feel the State needs an Intermediate Appellate Court. The remaining 30.85% are all for it. It would seem the folks are getting it right? Look what the Temporary Supreme Court did when it had the "Power"? Stopped the Impeachment Trial(s), cold as they made up their own interpretations based on not the Law, but the "Good Ol' Boys Network" as it stepped in to protect the remaining two Justices from the Law or at least as far as the Legislature had gotten too at that point? And these would be the same level of Judges put on the Appellate Court.
The start of what could be another turf war at the State level is forming up. Right now per the Daily Blat in their "Our Opinion" column of the 16th, the State Medicaid Fraud Unit is in the domain of the Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR). The State Attorney General's Office under the control of Mr. Morrissey feels it should be there instead? He is probably right albeit not many at DHHR would agree with him?
The fact in word if not deed is that there is terrible fraud within the Medicaid Program not by DHHR who must know about it, but the recipients themselves. Many have a very legitimate need for the assistance. But as with any aid program, there are those who make the proverbial hay while the sun shines? With the State having over 29% of the population on the it, we are looking at bare numbers of 564,000 people. Yeah, out of about 1,800,000 total we have 564,000 on the dole. That is unbelievable in a State where people to fill openings cannot be found? And we are not talking Nuclear Scientist here. Look at the Burger Joints alone with for hire signs? There are clearly people who could pass a Urine Test and sign their names to an application? There are probably 20,000 people that could be cleansed by Wednesday if the effort could be made by the DHHR itself? You say, that is not many, only about 3.6%? True, but it is also said that the longest journey starts with the first step.
And finally, as of last Tuesday, the State has decided that Federal Employees on Furlough can apply for Unemployment Benefits. Those working and unpaid must report hours worked even if not being paid at this time. So the folks are not as bad off as they scream and holler. And I as an ex-fed employee just cannot believe these people are so poorly paid now that they have had no saving to fall back upon for a few weeks?
I guess growing up dirt poor taught me something about managing money? It was and I have said this before my practice that no matter how much my wife was earning, we bought our homes and cars strictly on my income. Hers was always the frosting on the cake if something went south and I was not working whatever the reason?
Did not have as fancy a house or cars as we could have, but we did okay in the end. For those working for Uncle Sugar, they may still be getting a match for the first 5% they save each pay period. The year I retired, I could save up to 14% a pay period plus Uncle Sugar's 5%. This was a total of 19% at a time. And we had the infamous three months reserve in savings that we could access easily if needed. I understand people want to do more for their kids that they had themselves. But right now, all those goodies and wants I suspect are coming back to haunt them? 'nuff said'.