TORRANCE TRIBUNE October 30, 2014 Page 7 One Man’s Opinion Another Man’s Opinion Joe Average Breaks Down Money Corrupts Our Elections By Gerry Chong Joe Average lay on the psychiatrist’s couch, alternately sobbing and shaking. “Now, now,” said Dr. Perfidy, “what seems to be the problem?” “Doc, my rich friends are getting richer in the stock market; my poor friends are getting raises in the minimum wage; and I’m just shrinking. My income is down 15% for each of the last six years, and my net worth is down to where it was in 1989. The price of gas is double what it was in 2008, so my standard of living is awful. I’m nervous and I’m pessimistic.” Nodding, the doctor continued, “Now, Joe, that’s just money. You have to rise above that and know there is more to life than that.” “You’re right, Doc, but my oldest son is in the 101st Airborne, and they’re sending him to West Africa to build 1,700 hospital rooms. They’re not going to give him HazMat suits or Ebola protection because they’re “confident” he won’t be infected. Should I worry? “Anyway, the UN says in 60 days Ebola will be spreading at 10,000 cases a week, worldwide. Isn’t building 1,700 hospital rooms in Africa just ‘spittin’ in the wind?’ To make matters worse, there aren’t enough staff or meds for the new hospitals!” Rubbing his brow, the doctor asked Joe to continue. “My younger son graduated from college last year and finally landed a minimum wage job for 25 hours a week because his employer did not want to face the Obamacare health insurance mandate. So he still lives at home, making payments By Cristian Vasquez It is time that we, as voters, stop allowing money to influence our elections. While this sounds idealistic, hear me out a bit. Every midterm and presidential election year we are bombarded with ads and donation requests from the two dysfunctional parties that we vote for. The ads typically vilify the opponent and glorify their respective candidate, which is expected when trying to win said political popularity contest. Funding these campaigns are millions of dollars donated by people, corporations, and other fundraising sources and the truth is that this should stop. I’m going to omit discussing the impact of the Citizens United ruling and focus simply on the influence that chasing this campaign money has on the elections themselves. It is no surprise to anyone that elected officials have to campaign: it’s a part of the job. Simply getting to work wouldn’t ensure a reelection, as voters do need constant reminders of what their representatives are doing. However, when the amount of money spent by the national parties on gaining new seats in Congress and wining reelections is enough to balance the budget of several states across the country, we need to question the efficiency of our electoral process. Granted, said money was raised for the purpose of supporting campaigns and just because it’s available does not mean that it will be used to solve the fiscal woes of our nation. Yet, it does show how wasteful and unwise we are being with the extra money that we have. Rather than investing it in our own town or city, overall we are donating money to one of the two parties to support their agendas at a state or national level. While we as voters may agree with any particular agenda, we are in reality funding a freak show where highly educated individuals work for a fraction of their term and spend a good chunk of time on the road making PR appearances. The New York Times reported that during the 2012 presidential election, presidential candidates, their national party committees and the primary “super PACs” spent $992 million (Romney) and $985.7 million (President Obama). A report by bipartisonpolicy.org (http://bipartisanpolicy.org/library/report/2012- voter-turnout) indicated that overall, $6 billion dollars were spent during the 2012 campaigns for a voter turnout of 126 million voters. That’s a little more than $7 million dollars per vote by each party. It’s a waste of resources. Why? Because many of us are tired of the mostly hollow speeches, on-thego hand shakes and picture poses where a candidate holds and kisses a baby. We shouldn’t have to pay $2,000 to attend a dinner function to hear an elected official that wants my vote, talk about doing everything for the people. I am personally tired of candidates lecturing us on other candidates spending too much money on their elections. The truth is that money fuels our election process and as a result we receive watered down versions of the representatives that we should really have because they are forced to run around from one fundraising to the other. Money is always a great resource to have but it without a doubt hurts our election process. • on his $150,000 student loan. Guess he’ll be here for a while, huh?” Weeping himself now, the doctor nods in understanding. “Then there’s my granddaughter,” Joe continues. “She attends a failing public school in a system ranked 26th out of 30 in the world. But it’s not the teachers’ fault or the Common Core curriculum. The problem is Common Language. In her class, one third speaks English, one third speaks Spanish, and one third speaks Arabic. The teacher can only focus on one third of the class at a time, so they all fail. “In my day, teachers taught us the President should ‘protect and defend’ the country, but the President is sending out Requests for Proposals for the preparation of 34 million Temporary Worker Permits and Permanent Residency Permits to be issued to those entering the country illegally at the rate of 4-9 million per year. Immigration law be damned. Come one, come all, I guess. “Despite the fact that 17 African nations, and 30 nations in all, have banned travel with Ebola infected countries, the President allows U.S. travel because it helps keep track of them. Moreover, Judicial Watch claims the President will bring an unknown number of non-citizens infected with Ebola into the U.S. for treatment. “Will those actions ‘protect and defend’ my wife and my family?” A now uncontrollable Dr. Perfidy has pushed Joe aside and joined him on the couch, each sobbing, throwing Kleenex onto the floor, and hugging each other. • Meet the Author of Outliving Cancer Robert A. Nagourney, MD Internationally renowned oncologist, researcher and author Saturday, November from : – : P.M. at Barnes and Noble 1800 Rosecrans Ave. Unit B Manhattan Beach, CA “This book is a must-read for any cancer patient, their family members, and physicians taking care of cancer patients. The information contained in this book may even save your life. It certainly saved mine.” Dr. Liz Panke “Not only did I fi nd Outliving Cancer to be insightful and full of great information, but I found it very easy to read and understand.” K Ann Business Briefs Community Halloween Safety Tips Halloween is a fun event for the entire family. Make sure to follow these Halloween safety tips to ensure your Halloween is safe and enjoyable. For Trick or Treating: Plan your route ahead of time; trick or treat in familiar neighborhoods, carry a flashlight with new batteries after dark. Always trick or treat in groups with an adult. Stay on sidewalks and out of streets; cross only at designated crosswalks. Obey all pedestrian laws; use the sidewalk. Watch out for open flames in jack-o-lanterns. Walk with your head up and be aware of your surroundings. Only visit well lit houses. Don’t stop at dark houses. Don’t enter any houses unless you know the people. Don’t approach unfamiliar pets and animals. Don’t cut across yards and stay out of backyards. Follow traffic signals and don’t jaywalk. Always watch for cars backing up or turning. Never accept rides from strangers. Don’t eat any candy until it has been inspected by an adult. Avoid candy that has loose wrappings or is unwrapped. Avoid candy that is homemade or has puncture holes. Teach children their home phone number and make sure they know how to call 911 in an emergency. Costume Safety: Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping. Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and Trick-or-Treat bags for greater nighttime visibility. Secure emergency identification (name, address, phone number) discreetly within Halloween attire or on a bracelet. When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories, look for and purchase only those that have a label indicating they are flame resistant. Consider a loose-fitting costume to allow for warm clothes to be layered underneath, should the evening be chilly. For Motorists: Drive slowly! Remain cautious and drive slowly through the community. Look for children walking or running on the street. Do not use a cell phone while driving. Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully. Do not Drink and Drive! Always report any suspicious or criminal activity to an adult or police. Mercy Mission Celebration Gala Please join America’s Got Talent award winning Italian Tenor and the Stevie Wonder Entertainment Tribute at the upcoming 2nd Annual Mercy Mission Bear Hospital and Adoption Agency Celebration Gala. Branden James will open the celebration singing, AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL The stars will shine in the night on November 15, 2014, at the Doubletree Hilton by Hilton Hotel, located at 21333 Hawthorne Boulevard, Torrance, Ca with 5pm Red Carpet Limo arrivals of stars and celebrities, child stars, American Idol Winner Jacb Lusk and others from Hollywood to celebrate the mission and vision of the first, one and only Teddy Bear hospital on the west coast, slated to open in the city of Torrance Spring of 2015. To join in the festivities, please visit Eventbrite.Com/Mercy Mission or contact Dr Marcia Ann Mims Coppertino, Executive Director, at mothernature7@gmail.com or call 424-634-9615. Like Us on Facebook
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