You would think that in these trying times, a publicly owned utility company would be a little more consumer friendly and understanding. Well, apparently not at Louisville Gas and Electric in Louisville Kentucky. For years, the local utility company allowed slight modifications in payment dates since the typical customer is paid on the 15th and last of the month while the bill is always due on the 28th of the month. By simply allowing an additional 2 or 3 day “grace period”, customers get their bills paid on time. But that’s all changed.
The utility company recently sent out a notice to its customers that effective April 1st (appropriate though I presume unintentional), there will be no more grace period because of a change in their billing system. The bill is due on the 28th and it’s late on the 29th. And that means paying a late fee (which, as readers of this blog know, is a form of corporate tax on citizens). That means, through no fault of their own, the average customer could find themselves being penalized for something that is not only not their fault, but the result of changes being made by the company (it's like being fined for a crime someone else committed).
In an effort to try and reach some reasonable solution, my wife phoned customer service at LG&E to see if there was anything we could work out. After all, I doubt my employer (or anyone else’s) would agree to change my pay dates to accommodate LG&E’s billing department. While the conversation was reasonably polite, the customer service representative all but acknowledged that this was one of her employer’s dumbest ideas. Still, there was nothing she or anyone could do about it. However, if you were receiving “brown notices”, which are letters threatening to turn off the electricity, they would be willing to work with you on your payment dates. Huh?
Simply put, if you’re trying to pay your bill in full and essentially on time, they can’t help you. If you’re late because of how you are paid, sorry about your luck. It’s a strike against you and to add salt to injury, they tack on a $20 late fee. However, if you can’t pay your bill, they can work out a payment plan with you that will fit your needs. Maybe it’s just me, but where’s the logic here? Shouldn’t they be a little more accommodating to those who can and are willing to pay their bill? Are we, the average working class Joe and Jane, being penalized for trying to do the right thing? Well, it would certainly seem so to me. By the way, I understand that our formerly “One Great Newspaper”, the Courier Journal, is going to be doing the same thing. I suspect this will simply result in a further decline in subscriptions, which will ultimately send newspaper to the archives of media past. I look for the local water company to try this gimmick as well. The result for each will be more late payments (of course, the upside for them will be more late fees for their coffers) while we could end up with black marks on our credit while we juggle our checkbooks ever more perilously.
I would urge readers to contact LG&E and urge them to stop penalizing their customers and reinstate the grace period to accommodate how the average worker is paid. You can reach them through their link at: https://secure.eon-us.com/common/CallCenterMail/contact_lge_css.asp. You can also reach them at (502) 589-1444 or (800) 331-7370 if you live outside Louisville.
The Obama Effect
By Roland Laird,
Author of Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans
During a recent segment on an ESPN sports show, Andre Iguodala of the Philadelphia 76ers was being interviewed by one of the show's reporters. As the hour wound down, the in-studio host asked Mr. Iguodala, "Why did you do the interview outside? It's so cold, and you're not even wearing a hat." Iguodala replied, "Hey that's how President Obama did it -- in the cold with no hat. I have to step it up."
Iguodala then went on to mention how excited he was about President Obama, and that in his hometown (ironically, Springfield, Illinois), the test scores for Black males have gone up since President Obama was appointed to office.
The ad hoc interview responses of a Black athlete are far from a testament of Barack Obama's impact on the Black Community. They do, however, point to a state of mind -- at least in some sections. For instance, I've gotten a significant number of emails from people recapping their Inauguration Day experiences. All were upbeat and ranged from how proud they were to be Americans, to this occasion being the first time they'd ever seen their father cry. In the same vain, barbershops are reporting a resurgence of the "caesar" cut that Obama wears, although now it's being called an 'Obama'. There is even a humorous comic strip making the rounds that speculates 5 years from now, the first day of school in the Black Community will have scores of children with names like 'Obamalita Jackson' and 'Obama Taylor', to name a few.
I'm clearly stating the obvious by saying the emergence on President Obama has had a positive impact on the mood in the Black Community. A cynic could legitimately say that good feelings can only get you so far, but I think the cynic would be missing the point.
One of the major issues in the Black Community is the negative and stereotypical reporting of the news. I'm not a big news watcher, but whenever I sample it there is a preponderance of my people being reported as criminals or crime victims. Every now and then there are "feel good" stories, but those stories are far outweighed by the ruinous and painful stories I mentioned. Without fear of contradiction, I can say that Barack Obama's Presidency has changed the texture of the nightly news for the next four (hopefully eight) years. Night after night, the news will report on a Black man who also happens to be the most influential and powerful person in the world. In tracking the impact this will have, the closest thing I can think of is the impact Muhammad Ali had on young Black boys like myself in the 1970's. Ali stood tall, and spoke without any equivocation. He was Black, he was proud; but more importantly he was a man of his time.
Now Barack Obama is not the outspoken, pull no punches man that Ali was, but he doesn't need to be; he is THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. When he speaks, no matter the amplitude or intensity, people have no choice but to listen. Just as Ali impacted people like me to be proud of who I am and to pull no punches, President Obama casts an image of dignity and grace under pressure. He too is a man of his time, for in these boisterous days, seeing a Black man exude a quiet strength, day after day, and night after night will over time bring civility and decorum into sharper focus in our communities. Seeing a Black man express his anger with dignity and without "cursing people out" in the most pressurized of situations is a positive that I look forward to seeing.
Again, the cynics will see little to no value in any of this. But the parent raising a child in the inner-city or the burbs knows this value implicitly. The school official that sees young Black children being heckled at assemblies after being given awards for excellent academic achievement knows the intrinsic value of President and First Lady Obama.
Now this is not to say that the cynics don't have a point to make. There is a good deal of blind hero-worship of President Obama; and the fact that he is the President of all America by definition means that some of his decisions may not be pleasing to us. When the going gets particularly tough and he needs to raise approval points, he may even decide to take the "Bill Cosby" stance of blaming low-income Black people for some of the problems that confront them. When Obama is wrong or we disagree with him, we have to voice it. There's no denying that fact.
Being President of the United States is the toughest job in the world. But like most jobs, the proof is in the pudding. If President Barack Obama is able to turn the American Economy around and loosen the grip of partisan politics, he will be viewed as an excellent president. A Black man demonstrating excellence on a daily basis, in the highest office in the land, will bolster our ambitions; and equally important, it will soften the stereotypes of black people that still infect much of American society. If a cynic can't see that bolstered ambitions and the erosion of stereotypes are a major impact on the Black Community, then I only have one question: What impact would a McCain Presidency have had on our community?
Author Bio
Noted African-American entrepreneur Roland Laird, co-author of Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans, is co-founder of Posro Media, a Trenton, New Jersey-based company that produced the comic book series MC Squared: A Man With a Serious Game Plan and the syndicated comic strip The Griots. The company has worked and continues to develop a number of animated and documentary projects for film and television.
Poll Results
I asked you in our last edition if, given the opportunity, whether you would join a union or not. 47% of you said you were looking for that union card while a significant 35% said not a chance. The remaining 17% needed to think about it. While I am a supporter of organized labor, I can understand why some folks would oppose unions. They’re history has, sadly, not actually been stellar over the years. While much has changed for the better, employees need to be better aware of the abuses by management and what steps that can be done to protect them. To borrow liberally from Lord Acton, “Capitalism tends to corrupt. Unrestricted capitalism tends to corrupt unrestrictedly; especially if you’re management and no one is watching over your shoulder”. Thanks for voting!
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Illegals May Get Stimulus Checks
The Obama sponsored Economic Stimulus Package appears to be less than it seems (or perhaps more) when it comes to illegal aliens. The $800 billion deal could direct some of our taxpayer based money to illegal immigrants. How you ask? The legislation, which would direct a tax credit of $500 per worker, or $1000 per couple, would, on the face of it disqualify illegals since you must have a social security to get a check. But here’s the rub.
A House passed version would allow anyone with an individual taxpayer ID number to qualify for a stimulus check. Those who support this measure point out the illegal aliens should be “entitled” to receive a stimulus check since they can file tax returns using the same individual taxpayer ID number. So, illegal or not, since they (theoretically) pay income tax they argue, they should get a check just like everyone else. Opponents argue that illegal immigrants may or may not report all of their income and therefore should not be allowed to participate. Furthermore, they ask what part of “illegal” does Congress fail to understand? The previous stimulus check initially allowed illegal aliens to use their individual taxpayer ID numbers; however, a revolt lead by House Republicans forced the Democrats to modify legislation to require social security numbers only. The current legislation does not. Please contact your Congressman and Senator and ask that any stimulus package be restricted to US citizens only.
Union Yes!
Good news for unions and union supporters (and yes, that would include yours truly). According to the latest numbers, union membership is up for the second straight year. According to the US Department of Labor, union membership increased to 12.4%, which was up from 12.1% in 2007 (the level in 2006 was 12.0%). In terms of actual numbers, union member increased by 428,000, bringing the total to 16.1 million union brothers and sisters! Union membership peaked toward the end of the 1950’s when just over a quarter (26%) of the workforce carried a union card. The majority of workers at that time were in manufacturing and the defense industry.
To quote AFL-CIO President, John Sweeny, "Today's numbers confirm what many working people already know - that if given the chance, American workers are choosing to join unions in larger numbers”. President Obama is expected to sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act which would reverse a 2007 Supreme Court decision making it more difficult to initiate legal action over pay discrimination.
Government workers represent the largest group unionized. Average weekly wages among union employees was $881.00 compared to $691.00 among non-union workers. In addition, union workers had better working conditions, benefit and retirement plans compared to their non-union counterparts. And don’t think unions are for blue collar workers only. The fastest growing segment of new union members are in traditionally white collar jobs, especially education, training, and library workers with 38.7% unionized. Office workers and middle managers are also starting to seriously look at unionizing as companies continue to cut back, overwork, and outsource jobs.
So where do unions go from here? The next big battle will be a repeat of the Employee Free Choice Act which went down in defeat recently. Unions plan on a rematch with Big Business, but expect a very different outcome given the current political and economic climate. The EFCA would allow employees to form unions by majority vote without any interference by management or organized labor.
North Carolina Losing 1.2 Billion Dollars to Illegal Immigration
Below is an interesting article I recently received from FAIR---Federation for American Immigration Reform. According to the article, illegal immigration is costing North Carolina, a relatively poor Southern state, a whooping 1.2 billion dollars annually:
A report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) finds that illegal immigration costs North Carolina more than $1.2 billion a year. An additional $1.2 billion earned in the state is denied to the North Carolina economy by illegal aliens who sent remittances abroad. The report, The Costs of Illegal Immigration to North Carolinians looks at just three essential state services and programs: education, public health, and incarceration of criminal illegal aliens. Those impacts are:
K-12 Education. The estimated 120,000 children of illegal aliens in public schools cost taxpayers more than $1 billion annually.
Health care. Uncompensated health care for illegal aliens costs North Carolina an estimated $130 million a year.
Incarceration. Besides the human and economic costs of crimes by criminal illegal aliens, incarcerating the perpetrators carries a $49 million annual price tag.
According the report, tax collection from North Carolina’s illegal alien population amounts to about $225 million annually. However, if those jobs currently held by illegal aliens were filled by legal workers, often at higher wages, those taxes – and probably additional taxes – would be collected anyway.
The release of The Costs of Illegal Immigration to North Carolinians coincides with worsening fiscal news for the state. While the state spends more than $1.2 billion on services for illegal aliens, North Carolina is faced with a budget shortfall of $3 billion – about 10 percent of the total budget.
“The staggering $1.2 billion price tag for North Carolinians demonstrates the extent to which illegal immigration has become a nationwide phenomenon and a burden on American taxpayers in every region of the country,” noted Dan Stein, president of FAIR. “It is a burden that is especially onerous given the impact that the current economic crisis has already imposed on millions of American families and the havoc it is playing with state and local budgets.”
After years of ignoring North Carolina’s growing illegal immigration problem, the state now has more local police trained to identify and detain illegal aliens than all but one state, and has ended the practice of granting driver’s licenses to people who cannot prove they are legal residents. “As has been demonstrated in other states, consistent state-based policies can reverse the flow of illegal migration. North Carolina’s new governor, Bev Perdue, can ease the burdens on North Carolina taxpayers and reduce the state’s budget shortfall by continuing and strengthening state efforts to discourage illegal immigration,” Stein concluded.
About FAIR
Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country’s largest and oldest immigration reform group. With over 250,000 members nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that serve national interests, not special interests. FAIR believes that immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy, protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is recognized and enforced. The full report is available at www.fairus.org.
Poll Results
We asked in our last poll is you were worried about losing your job. 41% of you said you were while 35% of you were not worried. 23% of you said you already lost your job (I'm sorry to see that). There is no doubt about it; we are living in historical times.
A House passed version would allow anyone with an individual taxpayer ID number to qualify for a stimulus check. Those who support this measure point out the illegal aliens should be “entitled” to receive a stimulus check since they can file tax returns using the same individual taxpayer ID number. So, illegal or not, since they (theoretically) pay income tax they argue, they should get a check just like everyone else. Opponents argue that illegal immigrants may or may not report all of their income and therefore should not be allowed to participate. Furthermore, they ask what part of “illegal” does Congress fail to understand? The previous stimulus check initially allowed illegal aliens to use their individual taxpayer ID numbers; however, a revolt lead by House Republicans forced the Democrats to modify legislation to require social security numbers only. The current legislation does not. Please contact your Congressman and Senator and ask that any stimulus package be restricted to US citizens only.
Union Yes!
Good news for unions and union supporters (and yes, that would include yours truly). According to the latest numbers, union membership is up for the second straight year. According to the US Department of Labor, union membership increased to 12.4%, which was up from 12.1% in 2007 (the level in 2006 was 12.0%). In terms of actual numbers, union member increased by 428,000, bringing the total to 16.1 million union brothers and sisters! Union membership peaked toward the end of the 1950’s when just over a quarter (26%) of the workforce carried a union card. The majority of workers at that time were in manufacturing and the defense industry.
To quote AFL-CIO President, John Sweeny, "Today's numbers confirm what many working people already know - that if given the chance, American workers are choosing to join unions in larger numbers”. President Obama is expected to sign the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act which would reverse a 2007 Supreme Court decision making it more difficult to initiate legal action over pay discrimination.
Government workers represent the largest group unionized. Average weekly wages among union employees was $881.00 compared to $691.00 among non-union workers. In addition, union workers had better working conditions, benefit and retirement plans compared to their non-union counterparts. And don’t think unions are for blue collar workers only. The fastest growing segment of new union members are in traditionally white collar jobs, especially education, training, and library workers with 38.7% unionized. Office workers and middle managers are also starting to seriously look at unionizing as companies continue to cut back, overwork, and outsource jobs.
So where do unions go from here? The next big battle will be a repeat of the Employee Free Choice Act which went down in defeat recently. Unions plan on a rematch with Big Business, but expect a very different outcome given the current political and economic climate. The EFCA would allow employees to form unions by majority vote without any interference by management or organized labor.
North Carolina Losing 1.2 Billion Dollars to Illegal Immigration
Below is an interesting article I recently received from FAIR---Federation for American Immigration Reform. According to the article, illegal immigration is costing North Carolina, a relatively poor Southern state, a whooping 1.2 billion dollars annually:
A report by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) finds that illegal immigration costs North Carolina more than $1.2 billion a year. An additional $1.2 billion earned in the state is denied to the North Carolina economy by illegal aliens who sent remittances abroad. The report, The Costs of Illegal Immigration to North Carolinians looks at just three essential state services and programs: education, public health, and incarceration of criminal illegal aliens. Those impacts are:
K-12 Education. The estimated 120,000 children of illegal aliens in public schools cost taxpayers more than $1 billion annually.
Health care. Uncompensated health care for illegal aliens costs North Carolina an estimated $130 million a year.
Incarceration. Besides the human and economic costs of crimes by criminal illegal aliens, incarcerating the perpetrators carries a $49 million annual price tag.
According the report, tax collection from North Carolina’s illegal alien population amounts to about $225 million annually. However, if those jobs currently held by illegal aliens were filled by legal workers, often at higher wages, those taxes – and probably additional taxes – would be collected anyway.
The release of The Costs of Illegal Immigration to North Carolinians coincides with worsening fiscal news for the state. While the state spends more than $1.2 billion on services for illegal aliens, North Carolina is faced with a budget shortfall of $3 billion – about 10 percent of the total budget.
“The staggering $1.2 billion price tag for North Carolinians demonstrates the extent to which illegal immigration has become a nationwide phenomenon and a burden on American taxpayers in every region of the country,” noted Dan Stein, president of FAIR. “It is a burden that is especially onerous given the impact that the current economic crisis has already imposed on millions of American families and the havoc it is playing with state and local budgets.”
After years of ignoring North Carolina’s growing illegal immigration problem, the state now has more local police trained to identify and detain illegal aliens than all but one state, and has ended the practice of granting driver’s licenses to people who cannot prove they are legal residents. “As has been demonstrated in other states, consistent state-based policies can reverse the flow of illegal migration. North Carolina’s new governor, Bev Perdue, can ease the burdens on North Carolina taxpayers and reduce the state’s budget shortfall by continuing and strengthening state efforts to discourage illegal immigration,” Stein concluded.
About FAIR
Founded in 1979, FAIR is the country’s largest and oldest immigration reform group. With over 250,000 members nationwide, FAIR fights for immigration policies that serve national interests, not special interests. FAIR believes that immigration reform must enhance national security, improve the economy, protect jobs, preserve our environment, and establish a rule of law that is recognized and enforced. The full report is available at www.fairus.org.
Poll Results
We asked in our last poll is you were worried about losing your job. 41% of you said you were while 35% of you were not worried. 23% of you said you already lost your job (I'm sorry to see that). There is no doubt about it; we are living in historical times.
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