Roxanne's Blog

What would Jesus do?

Roxanne Walker — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 17:52:10 +0000

I just wrapped up a really lovely holiday season with friends and family. I cut back on baking and decorating, doled out home-made preserves and truly enjoyed the season. I snapped a picture on Christmas day of my parents, husband, son and dog around the Christmas tree and it just warmed my heart. I keep thinking over and over, “Everything I ever wanted I already have.” That’s truly the way I feel. Now, just because I’m filled with gratitude and good feelings, doesn’t mean I don’t have room for some disgust over the hypocrisy of people who call themselves Christians

DeMint celebrates Veterans Day by acting like a douche bag

Roxanne Walker — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:18:43 +0000

Senator Jim DeMint is a disingenuous, political ideologue who acts like a douche bag. Today in my in-box I received a tribute to our veterans on veterans day from Senator DeMint. The body of the e-mail paid tribute to the valor and heroism of our veterans which of course I agree with, included also was a photo of a smiling Jim DeMint posing with World War II veterans during an honor flight to Washington D.C. DeMint finishes his missive to his constituents with a reference to God.

The irony of receiving this communication from DeMint is that only yesterday, our senator had an opportunity to not only honor veterans for their service but reward businesses for hiring them. The bill passed yesterday by the senate in a vote of 94 to 1 would offer tax credits to companies who hire unemployed veterans. Senator Jon Tester, called it “the most significant piece of veterans’ jobs legislation in several years.”

The lone no vote came from Senator Jim DeMint who argued on the senate floor that there’s no evidence that offering tax credits to boost employment actually spurs hiring. “By using a politically sensitive group the day before Veterans Day, the Democrats are hoping they can trick Republicans into further complicating the tax code” DeMint said. The other Republicans in the senate were apparently convinced that it would work and actually set aside their animus for President Obama long enough to pass the bill to help more veterans find jobs and reward businesses for hiring them. I am disgusted, appalled and embarrassed by DeMint’s obnoxious partisanship but oddly not surprised. DeMint is so poisoned by his partisanship that he can’t be rational and do what’s right for the people of South Carolina. I’ve almost grown numb to his antics.

Protecting children not the institution

Roxanne Walker — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:34:25 +0000

I spent 16 years as a volunteer advocate for abused children. I was a trained guardian ad litem and as such I interviewed adults and children about sexual, physical and emotional abuse as well as neglect. When children are taken away from their parents for any or all of the above, the case is taken up by the Department of Social Services and a volunteer guardian ad litem is appointed by the court to represent the minor child or children in the family. During my years as a GAL, I read thick case files for hours on end at DSS, I accompanied the DSS caseworkers on home visits, I observed, I agonized, I wrote up a report, I appeared in Family Court and the cases kept piling up without pause. I’ve seen close up the damage inflicted by child abuse and I can testify that it is devastating, long lasting and extremely difficult to treat. That’s why reading about the sexual abuse charges leveled against former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky is so disturbing to me.

A veteran comments on the prospect of war with Pakistan

Roxanne Walker — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 19:07:05 +0000

More saber-rattling by Lindsey Graham.

Sen Graham's playing to the goddamn 60-70% unChristlike, small (c) 
christian SC voters who are war-lusters in SC.

Graham as USAFR JAG Colonel makes $7000/mo while on active duty. That's in
addition to his Senate pay/bennies. He has never been in combat, and I 
wager cannot pass a PT Test.

Sen DeMint, who along with Graham and Lieberman, gave much support to the 
right-wing coup of the oligarchs in Honduras in Jan2010, is even worse. 
(Now we're building 2 more airfields in Honduras for the lighter-skinned 
oligarchs, becoming hated by the darker-skinned Hondurans.

MY beliefs now and the past:

DeMint and Graham do not have any of their bloodline in the military.
They are clones of the majority of people in SC and most other Americans 
who consider themselves to be the noblesse oblige, At least the skewed-US 
version of noblesse oblige.

They consider themselves too sanctimoniously virtuous to do military/other
service to this nation in preemptive war that they themselves helped to
start and continue to hoopla. Yeh, Sis-boom-Bah, we're Number 1!

This tilted version of American noblesse oblige thinks naught about paying 
for multiple wars in terms of blood costs, or taxes which they make 
invisible. They just lust for wars.

They then have the effrontery to demean the continual military blood
sacrifices from those who are serving, by demanding that those serving
continue their sacrifices ever more.

The majority of Americans are faith-before-reason militaristic. They don't 
want to sacrifice at all.
These Americans just want those others serving in the military to be their 
Praetorian Guard so they can satisfy there compulsions to make wars can be 
sated.

Forgive the rant,
Easy
Old Floyd
PS: Only one of 300 families has anyone serving in the mil.
PPS: Our senate is becoming so much like the Roman senate that it became 
terrifying a decade ago. See Chalmers Johnson 2003. 
http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/938/chalmers_johnson_on_the_fall_of_the_republic/h\
-- 
Floyd

Racism on the 9th hole

Roxanne Walker — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 17:58:59 +0000

There was a smile on her face when she said it, shortly before we exited the golf cart to play the 18th hole. Her mild matronly face was soft when she said, “I think nigger is a state of mind that could apply to anyone.” I looked up at her startled and disgusted and said, “That’s such an ugly word.” She shrugged that comment off and launched into a diatribe about Serena Williams the tennis pro then segued into a slur against first lady Michelle Obama. In one moment this nondescript woman in her 70’s morphed into a racist Republican. The transformation was completed in the time it took her to say the first sentence of her rant.

I went to Rep. Trey Gowdy's town hall meeting...and all I got was a migraine headache

Roxanne Walker — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 18:45:49 +0000

After more than 20 years in South Carolina-one of the reddest of the red states, I should have known better. I should have realized the futility of attempting to engage conservative Republicans in a political dialog based on fact not fear. I went to Tommy’s Ham House in Greenville this morning, fully prepared with facts and a well thought out question to pose to Bob Inglis’s replacement in congress, former Spartanburg County prosecutor Trey Gowdy. He arrived ten minutes late and launched into his GOP prepared and approved power point presentation on the federal budget. He focused like a laser beam on entitlement spending calling it unsustainable and insisted that “in order to balance the budget we have to have a conversation about entitlements.

Rupert Murdoch-Living Proof that Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely

Roxanne Walker — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 18:41:22 +0000

Long ago when voices on the radio were live in the studio and actually responded to your requests, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 was passed into law. This sweeping act deregulated radio broadcasting, allowing multiple signals and stations to be owned by one entity in local markets. The price of radio stations escalated into the stratosphere and humble “mom and pop” radio station owners became rich selling out to giant entities like Radio Inc. and SFX, better known today as Clear Channel.

Hot Coffee-the truth about tort reform

Roxanne Walker — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 13:47:49 +0000

Every once in awhile, a movie comes along that challenges long held beliefs and makes you question how much you really know about a particular subject like tort reform. I haven’t stopped thinking about the new HBO documentary Hot Coffee www.hotcoffeethemovie.com since I finished watching it this week. I was blown away by the rampant ignorance of the average American regarding issues like mandatory arbitration which really and truly do affect every single one of us. I’m frightened by the power unleashed by the U.S. Chamber and big corporations in the last two decades which have influenced and changed public policy in such a way as to limit the civil rights of average American citizens. Big money buys big influence and the true impact of tort reform legislation, which includes caps on damages resulting from civil suits is only truly being felt right now in the states that have approved such legislation. Even people who voted for tort reform are now having second thoughts as they see their right to seek damages in open court and confront the parties that harmed them being severely restricted or denied.

Body Issues

Roxanne Walker — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 14:12:15 +0000

In a recent interview Kevin Bacon commented that the blessing of age is that your body goes to hell right along with your eye sight so at least you can’t see the deterioration very clearly. I used to wonder why older women had those long gray hairs sprouting out of their chin and lips and now I know, you can’t see the damn things. I came by this knowledge recently after a night out with my husband. I had taken care that night with my clothes and makeup and was feeling pretty cute that is until I leaned over the magnifying mirror while brushing my teeth and spotted one gray hair about 3 inches long sticking out of my face right between my eyes. I was freaking horrified. The first thing that crossed my mind was that now I was the older lady with white hair growing out of my face. That being said, I’ve resolved to go easy on myself, to give up relentless self criticism of my body and my looks. I’ve been over weight my entire life. I reached a personal high point a few years ago and nearly gave up but I’m down a few pounds and thanks to a newly awakened interest in weight lifting am strong and fit. I just don’t want to waste any more time thinking about my weight. I’ve spent enough years feeling bad because I didn’t have a flat stomach and perky boobs. I’m laying that bull shit down at last so that I can live my life feeling joy and not angst.

The Twisted Priorities of the South Carolina Legislature

Roxanne Walker — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 22:25:10 +0000

South Carolina is currently projecting a budget shortfall of $877 million in 2012. With a GDP of $159.6 billion in 2009, our current debt/GDP radio is 9.59%. The state has $12.1 billion in unfunded pension liabilities and unfunded health care and other liabilities of $8.6 billion. Our state is in financial trouble. Two billion dollars has already been cut out of what was a $7 billion budget three years ago. John Ruoff, director of South Carolina Fair Share summed it up when he said, “We’ve cut the fat. We’ve eaten the muscle and now we’re cracking open the bones and sucking the marrow.” Even business people are concerned about further cuts to the budget. The Greenville News quotes Frank Knapp, president of the small business Chamber as saying, “We can’t cut our way to prosperity.” Business leaders are rightfully concerned about further debilitating cuts to health care and education and what that could mean for the future of our state and its citizens. Ruoff, Knapp and others have formed a coalition to urge lawmakers to consider tax reform and yes, tax hikes to cope with the budget deficit. The recent report from the SC Taxation Realignment Commission or TARP suggested several revenue raising ideas including eliminating the 44% discount on capital gains income and lifting the tax cap on luxury items like yachts and jet planes.