Presbyterians Confront Gov Walker on Unions

At the last meeting of John Knox Presbytery they passed the following resolution to be sent to Gov. Walker of WI. Today I received a forward from the Stated Clerk of General Assembly supporting the John Knox Presbytery position. It may be viewed following the JKP statement.



At the February 19, 2011 meeting of John Knox Presbytery a resolution came from the floor asking the presbytery to make a statement to the state representative and Wisconsin Governor calling for good faith negotiations with Wisconsin public employee unions to deal with the current budget issues.  As approved by the presbytery, the following statement was sent to the state representatives, Governor Scott Walker and the other Wisconsin presbyteries:

Statement of the John Knox Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (USA) As Christians, we are well aware that difficult economic times call for hard choices on the part of our elected representatives.  The State of Wisconsin, like many states, is facing significant financial challenges and difficult decisions in balancing its budget. The decision to reduce or eliminate the state’s projected budget deficit, however, does not nullify the moral obligation of the elected leaders of Wisconsin to respect the legitimate rights of workers, including public employees, to organize and collectively bargain.
The 207th General Assembly (1995) of the Presbyterian Church (USA) adopted as policy the paper “God’s Work in our Hands: Employment, Community and Christian Vocation.”  It affirms a longstanding Presbyterian principle that vocation is a lifelong response to God in all aspects of one’s life, and that work is an integral part of our response to God’s call.  Therefore, all aspects of the workplace, including wages, benefits, working conditions, and labor-management relationships, are of concern to God and thus of concern to the church.
The 1995 General Assembly statement specifically provides: Justice demands that social institutions guarantee all persons the opportunity to participate actively in economic decision making that affects them.  All workers…have the right to choose to organize for the purposes of collective
bargaining.
Therefore, The Presbytery of John Knox, meeting on February 19, 2011 in Muscoda, Wisconsin, calls upon Governor Scott Walker and Wisconsin’s other elected representatives to enter into good-faith negotiations with Wisconsin’s public employee unions to deal with Wisconsin’s current budget issues and to respect the rights of all workers to collectively bargain for wages and benefits.
We encourage peaceful dialog and discussion to reach consensus for the benefit of all the people of Wisconsin.  Further, we call upon Presbyterians to continue to monitor the state budget process in Madison and to join with other Christians of good will in advocating and praying for a just resolution to Wisconsin’s current budget issues
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PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (U.S.A.)
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL Assembly
GRADYE M. PARSONS
STATED CLERK
February 28,2011
Governor Scott Walker
115 East Capitol
Madison, WI 53702

Dear Governor Walker:

I am writing on behalf of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on the matter of collective bargaining by public employees of state governments. The policies of our General Assembly, the highest governing council of our church, have repeatedly addressed matters ofunionization and collective bargaining. We fully support the urgent communication you have received from the John Knox Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), our regional judicatory based in Madison, Wisconsin, and repeat what they have quoted for you-a portion of our long-standing commitment to the right of workers to bargain collectively.

The 1995 General Assembly statement ("God's Work in Our Hands") specifically provides: "Justice
demands that social institutions guarantee all persons the opportunity to participate in economic
decision making that affects them. All workers ... have the right to choose to organize for the purposes of
collective bargaining." Therefore, The Presbytery of John Knox, meeting on February 19,2011 in
Muscoda, Wisconsin, calls upon Governor Scott Walker and Wisconsin's other elected representatives to
enter into good-faith negotiations with Wisconsin's public employee unions to deal with Wisconsin's
current budget issues and to respect the rights ofall workers to collectively bargain for wages and benefits.

As Presbyterians we base the rights ofall workers, corporations and governments in a doctrine of covenant or mutual accountability that undergirds all contracts and includes our social contract in the United States. We share with many people of faith the conviction that collective bargaining is a concrete measure by which burdens and benefits are shared in a manner deeply consistent with both our faith and our democratic values.

Our doctrine of vocation affirms that all human beings have a calling from God to serve the common good.
It is our understanding that your state workers have already agreed to significant sacrifices as an
appropriate part of the overall effort to reduce expenses. To take away their future right to collective
bargaining is an attack on a basic principle, rather than simply a cost-cutting measure. We challenge your
administration to embody fairness and the sharing ofburdens in your tax and wage policies, and to lead
by your own example.

In Christ's mission,
Gradye Parsons
Stated Clerk ofthe General Assembly

The Ten Politically Correct Commandments

Tom Gerdy

Building contractor

Posted: February 26, 2011 11:17 AM

The Ten Politically Correct Commandments

I have heard it said that we have a million laws to enforce Ten Commandments, a list of rules that several religions have adopted as the basis of, or at least an important part of, living a good life. Interestingly, much excitement and furor has been stirred up recently because of that list of rules connected to a few religions. Words have never intimidated me, but some people have panicked when this harmless list was posted in their schools and/or their government offices. 

Giles County, Va., is currently panic central for this debate. The County School Board decided in December to remove the publicly displayed Ten Commandments from the schools. In January, they decided that they were wrong for removing them and decided to flip their decision and reinstalled the lists in their schools. Now, in February, they have flopped and decided to remove them again. This decision came after discussing the issue with the district's legal counsel. I think that it might have been better to have that discussion with the lawyers back in December.

I struggle a bit with all the excitement over this issue as various religions once again clash with schools and governments. I have always believed that there is a God, but I am not sure that God had this vision of formal religions in mind as he looked over us. I venture a guess the direction that formal religion often heads is one of God's disappointments.

As I thought about this list of rules, I thought maybe we could solve all this confusion by developing a set of politically correct Ten Commandments. So, I've tried to make it something that could hang in our schools and government buildings without creating mass hysteria.

The Ten Highly Recommended Suggestions for Life Behavior:

1. You are not the center of the universe. Believe in something or someone who is greater than you are. When looking for that guiding power, be careful. Many who present themselves as someone with the answers will lead you down some bad alleys.

2. Show some respect to the source of guidance you are given. There are many ways to show respect. One would be to say good things and use good words when you talk about the one guiding you.

3. Take some time off regularly to honor and thank the spirit who helps you through life.

4. Love, honor and respect your parents for their efforts to do what is right. Try to remember that there are no set rules or blueprints for parenting. All parents make mistakes, but most of them are doing the best they know how with the skills and knowledge they have.

5. You will not kill. Nothing has to be changed to make this politically correct.

6. Protect your bond with the one you love. That bond of wife, husband, life partner or soul mate is a wonderful one. We are human so we often fall short of showing that one person the love and respect they deserve. Trying to share that bond with more than one person at a time makes no sense.

7. You will not steal. This again seems straightforward. If it's not yours, you have no business taking it. It doesn't get much simpler than that. If you want something, work for it.

8. Just tell the truth. It is so much easier than trying to remember how you twisted it. In the end, the truth will keep you out of trouble.

9. Don't covet your neighbor's wife. As Soupy Sales once said, "It always looks greener in the other guy's wallet!" If you aren't happy with where you are, there is a good chance you wouldn't be happy in someone else's life or with someone else's wife, so don't bother coveting.

10. Stop wishing for your neighbor's stuff. Your neighbor's stuff will not make you happy either.

This politically correct business is tougher than I thought it would be. Even though this set of rules eliminates any specific reference to God or religion, I am sure in this politically correct environment, it would still offend some group. That being the case, I have another idea. It is a way we could cover all bases and, I hope, not offend anyone. We could also save on printing costs because this solution only uses a few words. There wouldn't be a long list to remember and maybe just a few people would take note making the world a little gentler and kinder. At the entrance to every school and every public building in all bold capital letters, let's post these eleven words: DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU!

The Wealth of Nations

I’m back to my remedial college reading, this time from The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith. At the beginning  Smith talks about “savage societies” versus “ civilized societies in light of how we treat people. In primitive societies everyone one works hard just to survive and those who can’t – children and the old or infirm – are often abandoned to die; a Darwinian “survival of the fittest mentality, cruel but necessary.  In civilized societies, because we are affluent, we can afford to take care of the young, the old and the infirm without any undue burden because of wealth we can produce collectively. Thus we have the difference between savage and civilized societies.

It seems to be the agenda of some of the far right wing politicians of our society to lift up the value of primitive societies.  In Gov. Scott Walkers’ 144 page budget proposal we find these elements. If enacted the bill would allow government appointed officials to making sweeping cuts in health care for low income families and ignore normal legislative procedures.  It would also allow the selling of any state-owned heating, cooling or power plant to private entities with or  without soliciting bids, whatever they deem best for the state. This is another move towards privatization of enterprises for the common good. Let’s hear it for cronyism. This comes along with the drive to crush unions.

I think Governor Walker needs to do some remedial reading of the basic of a free enterprise society along with me. We are a wealthy nation perfectly capable of taking care of all of our population with good health care and economic security. Our problem is that our wealth is concentrated among a very very small number of folk who appear more savage in outlook than civilized.

Can You Trust Eyewitness Accounts?

Take a good look at this picture then walk 15 feet away and look at it again. Enough said.

"Spring Break - Day 3" Plymouth, WI

Our day started off waiting for the school bus and it didn't show up. Ella and I went out @ 6:40 a.m., bus is to come @ 6:50a.m. and I began wondering if there was a school cancelation or something else. So I ran inside, Ella came too because she was getting cold and @ 7:10 a.m. the bus drove by. I jumped into the car and took her to school just in time.

Dale was in charge of getting Adam to school on Wed. Adam starts at 10 a.m. and goes to 12:30 p.m. Dale took Adam out to lunch, Adam said that he didn't get enought time in the play area at Mc Donald's. We had to be back to school to see Ella and her class to their presentations about Presidents at 1L50 p.mm Ella did a great job, her President was George Washington. Maybe I said before in earlier reports that she needed a visual aid of some sort for her report. Kent, Kelly and Ella made the Washington Monument before they left on Sunday. It is reported to stand 555' tall and we figured out that it would take 139 Ella's to match the height. We brought Ella home with us with a stop at McDonald's for a shamrock shake to celebrate her great report.

No homework said Mrs Nelson as we left the class room yesterday, just work on the spelling words. Ella recieved the books "Little House on the Prairie" as a gift and I found on the Hallmark channel she same show. We now have a snack and watch a show. Will be fun when she does start reading, maybe some of the showes will be a chapter in one of her books. A favorite show that Adam remembers was named, "FRED", come to find out it was a goat Laura took home. Not even the preacher liked the goat. Maybe I will peek at the books to see what names are given to the chapters.

Wed night was Survivor night. Grandma's Box O'Fun had a few items for Survivor Night, each of the children had a mask of an animal to wear and we also had sunglasses as they are of course on an island. Everyone in jammies before the show and all settled in. Claire crashed early as she didn't have a nap, so she missed out on the show.

Heard from Kelly and Kent late last night via email that they finally arrived in the TC Islands, guess that they circled it once more before landing :o) that might have made me a little nervous. As Kelly's email read , " We are here, sitting on our deck, having a beverage and a kitten showes up". No feeding the wild life!

So, until tomorrow, "that is all folks"! Weather says maybe another dusting of snow, I am thinking it is white sandy beaches......:o) Nice chatting on Skype.. xoxoxoxoxox

News From the Lake Hill Golf Association (LHGA)

I know that a vast numbers of you have been wondering how the golfer Drennan, beside Tiger Woods, has been faring  this golf season. In the LHGA there the is the elite A tour; a PGA type followed by the B tour, it could be liked unto the European Tour (if you’re a bit daft); the C tour – Nationwide Tour if we take the analogy to a further extension). Next we would have the D tour perhaps akin to a regional tour; the E tour analogous perhaps to the local regional championship and finally the F tour non unlike the OBGA of Cochrane, WI (Old Bastards Golf Tour.) Drennan, after finishing the required 5 round Q school was placed in the prestigious E Tour; roughly made up of those folk who can move from their wheel chairs and walkers to golf carts with minor assists.

Drennan, a well known professional golfer whose career earnings topped $100 last year on the OBGA, got off to a rough start with a complete lack of chits (what we use in place of money around here.) Drennan, whose long game, fairway game, short game and putting were a bit off began to rally, he gathered in a couple of chits a couple time recently, becoming a bona fide chitter. Last week his old form began to reappear and he came in tied for 2^nd place; this has a pecuniary value of 5 chits; big time. Today, however, the old duffer was in rare form and after blindfolding his flight members, shot a dazzling 56 (handicapped adjusted 72). While the outcome lacks total certainty, experts (a one eyed Scotsman and a niblink carver believe it will move him into the number one position with rewards in the 6 chit area.

Next week be sure to watch the NCC (No Chit Channel) as Drennan plays  in the LHGA winter/spring tournament. Sparkling commentary by Nicked Frodo and Johan Mueller will cover the event for NCC with ground coverage by Daveed Feret Tee. Big chit is at stake here.

Kelly Tightwoman, chief anchor woman for NCC reported  Drennan was last seen muttering, “Bring on the Bob, bring on the Bob.”

Day 2 of "Spring Break" - Plymouth, WI

The day went well. Ella off to school at 7:00 a.m., bus delayed ( she is usually on the bus at 6:50a.m.) due to the snow from the night before and all of it on Monday. Monday night we added another 5" of fresh snow to whatever we got from Sunday. Beautiful day, Dale plowed the driveway and the sun was out all day. After lunch Adam decided to get his snow gear on and climb on some of the piles of snow. Following a good 2 hour nap, Claire and I ventured out in the snow for a while to join Adam and Grandpa.

Chores are going well with the cattle. Dale is in charge of them. They are getting big, all will be 2 years old this year. All are due with "child".

Ella gets home at 3 p.m. and is a "starvin Marvin", Kelly warned me ahead of time to make sure there is something ready to eat when she walks in the door.

Our evening was make your own burger ( I did the frying) but we added tomatoes, onion, pickles,lettuce,etc. They soon became known a Bindl Sliders ! Mostly because they slipped around as the children grabbed them to eat. They were delicious.

Tubby time was last night. Ella and Claire tubbied together, while soaking we worked on Ella's spelling words. This weeks words were shortened due to 1 less day of school. Her challenge word this week is: disciple, she can spell it. Today she does her talk about George Washington, this was delayed from Monday. We will go to school to listen to the class.

Adam has school today. Dale will take him in at 9:45 and school starts at 10, he will be done at 12:30p.m. Dale and Adam have a luncheon date today. I think Adam has already chosen Mc Donald's.

We got a call around 4:30-45p.m. from American Airlines that the flight was canceled, we were put on as a contact phone #. We tried to contact Kelly and Kent to see what was going on. Talked with Megan and she said that she and Kelly were in contact while sitting on the plane in Charlotte, NC so thought they would be at the Islands, WRONG !!! Come to find out, K&K did take off from Charlotte but ended up circling the Turks & Caicos islands, landed in the Dominican Republic and due to the pilot being close to overtime on flying hours they were returned to Charlotte. The problem was a hole in the runway at TC and they weren't able to land.

Talked with Kelly this a.m. She said that they were put up in a hotel for the night and that they would be taking off 10-ish Eastern time to head to the Island. More to follow.

Oh, I did say in the last note that I would tell you about the Naughty List: 1. Make a pillow castle 2. Eat candy 3. Watch more TV showes 4. Paint the cows and Adam said we will add more to it today.

Better go, have to feed Adam and get him ready for school. He is definitely not a morning person.Till tomorrow.