Emma Berry

Archive for the ‘Real Populism’ Category

Emma Berry is endorsing John Lingenfelder, the Democratic Candidate for the

Third US Congressional District of Texas.

First of all I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for signing my petition for ballot. I realize that it takes a lot of faith and a lot of discontent to put your signature and personal information on a sheet of paper that a stranger like me brings around.  Yet over 800 of you did that for me and I’m deeply touched.  Like me you are true Americans who still have at least a little faith in our democratic system and hope that our Democracy can be repaired by those of use who still believe in government.

I’ve done a lot of soul-searching these past few days.  I could go ahead and run as an independent write-in because, thanks to you, this second time around I have enough signatures to qualify.  However, since my name would not appear on ballot beside the Democrat, Republican and Libertarian [Write in would be a selection that would then lead to my name.]  Frankly, this just about assures that I would not be able to win–I am an optimist, but I also understand odds better than when I began in March.

I’ve decided there is too much at stake to “go for it.”  Instead I will support John Lingenfelder to my fullest extent–as an INDEPENDENT, however.  I am NOT joining the Democratic Party.  I remain an Independent who happens to be supporting a Democrat.

In fact, John is not the only Democrat that I support this year.  I support Bill White, David Cozad, Greir Raggio, Rick Koster, Alan Grayson, Dennis Kucinich, Barbara Boxer, and Justin Coussoule.

I support the majority of Americans first, not last–those of us who work for a living and who earn less than $166,000 a year.  I support the reality that Social Security is just fine and does not need to be “fixed” by the upper 5%. They have done more than enough fixing which is why we are in the mess we are in today.   I support immediate job creation. I support reallocation of the $19 billion that we currently fork over in farm subsidies to the rich and to Wall Street Agribusinesses.  That money could be used for job creation in the USA and beginning the tedious task of rebuilding our manufacturing base.  As long as there  are human beings we will need goods that were made by other human beings.  Globalization and the shipping of millions of manufacturing jobs overseas so the rich could benefit from cheap/slave labor is an evil that was perpetuated on this nation that needs correction.  The globalization scheme of the rich, by the rich and for the rich has destabilized our economy.

I believe that John Lingenfelder is the man who will work to correct these injustices.  I KNOW that Sam Johnson won’t.  Sam Johnson is part of the problem–not part of the solution.

I URGE, NO, I BEG YOU TO CALL JOHN’S OFFICE TOMORROW  972-468-1127. Tell him what you can do for him and then do it.  It will take votes for John to win, but that is not all it will take.  IT WILL TAKE THE SUPPORT OF HUNDREDS OF CITIZENS WHO CARE ENOUGH TO SUPPORT SOMEONE WITH THE COURAGE TO CHANGE WASHINGTON.

IF YOU DON’T STEP UP TO THE PLATE WITH ME, THEN SAM JOHNSON WILL WIN AND WE WILL ALL LOSE.  I’m counting on you to do more than vote this year.  Bring your friends with  you and tell John that I sent you.

If you live in another state, send money:  Write to info@lingenfelderforcongress.com.

Republicans are not conservative. Conservative is NOT descriptive of their party agenda and their goals.  In fact, their party agenda and goals are as radical and evil and misleading as those of Augusto Pinochet.  The primary aim of the  Republican party is to bankrupt government by spending and passing unfunded legislation to the point that national government is totally impotent to regulate Wall Street and big business in any way to protect the American people. No, they don’t do it under the auspices of supporting domestic legislation.  They resist any bill that will really help Americans to the point of even lying about the content of the bill.  For example, that’s what Chuck Grassley did this summer.  He returned to his constituents on recess last summer and knowingly like to them about death panels being in the health care bill.  Grassley knew that he was telling a lie when he repeated that lie over and over.  They also carry out their mission to bankrupt government by supporting no-bid contracts to war mongers when they are in office.  They do it by lying and plunging our nation into unwarranted aggression against other nations.

The world envisioned by the Republican leadership is a world of the “free market”, a world where employers can pay their employees whatever they want to and can fire them “at will.” A world where consumers are totally unprotected by law with a “buyer-beware” policy in effect and thanks to their beloved “tort reform” agenda that they drag out on a regular basis as a cure-all for the American people, a “tough luck” policy if you are ever harmed by a product’s shoddy workmanship because you would not be able to sue the guilty party to recover damages done to you.  Part of their campaign to achieve this has been to demonize unions and pass legislation to minimize the influence of unions in protecting the rights of workers.

If you want an example of the results of their ideology in action–look no further than the massive explosion of the Massey-owned mine that killed at least 25 West Virginia coal miners last week.  This accident was no “accident”  it was the result of active negligence on the party of Massey.  This mine is not even the most unsafe of the Massey mines. The dozens of other active tunnel mines owned by the same energy company have also run up thousands of safety violations this year alone, according to a review of federal records by TWI. This is the perfect example of the “freedom” that the Republican Party want big businesses to have–the freedom to murder American workers if it means they can maintain the bottom line of the stock dividends that they pay to the shareholders (the upper 10% of the American people).  They don’t care what happens to the American worker.  They don’t care what happens to the people who earn under $100,000 a year.  They more than don’t care–they actively pursue policies that will result in what amounts to Wall Street slavery for the majority of Americans. THEY DO NOT STAND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE AMERICAN WORKERS.  They stand for themselves and rich mine owners like Massey who are unwilling to invest in creating a safe workplace. FEW WALL STREET CORPORATIONS ARE GOING TO PROTECT THEIR WORKERS WITHOUT UNION PRESSURE  AND GOVERNMENT LEGISLATION.  It is not in their best interests because such activities reduce their bottom lines and the money they pay to their investors and CEO’s.

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Any American citizen who earns under $100,000 a year and who votes for Republican candidates is an uninformed fool who is voting against his/her own best interests and those of their children. The same may be said for some Democratic candidates as well; however, it may be said unequivocally for all Republican candidates.

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I look at all these over 65 people out marking with the Tea Party bunch carrying their signs of “Keep your hands off my medicare.” and I think:  YOU ABSOLUTE FOOLS!

Don’t you realize that the very party you are supporting threw the same big hissy fit that they are throwing today when Lyndon Johnson passed the Medicare Act?  Don’t you realize that if the Republicans have their way that there will be no Medicare.  There will be no Social Security?  George Bush did every thing possible when he was in office to privatize Social Security.

The Republican leadership support neither Medicare or Social Security.

UNLESS YOU ARE HEAVILY INVESTED IN WALL STREET, YOU BETTER WISE UP AND EITHER VOTE FOR A PROGRESSIVE INDEPENDENT OR A DEMOCRAT.

Following is a post that I created in September of 2008 when George Bush was still in office. Unfortunately it is still relevant today. Both parties will rant against the other one regarding all the pork they load into their bills.

But I’m here to tell you as an Independent candidate: There is barely a degree of separation between the two parties on this issue. The Republicans talk about fiscal responsibility a lot–especially when they are not running Washington, but history reveals that despite all their rhetoric to the contrary, the Republicans have a poorer record than the Democrats on that issue–but the bottom line is that BOTH parties are dismal when it come to representing the majority who live on Main Street.

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TWO PIGS HAVE A CHAT ABOUT NASTY REPUBLICAN PORK

Pig One: “Snarfle Grunt Snort, Blah. You know my all-time favorite National Security Pork barrel is Airport Security.

Pig Two: “Fart, Belch Fart. Yuck Yuck. Do you believe it! They actually frisk old ladies.”

Pig one: Hardy har har! That’s a knee slapper all right. But the real knee slapper is that the American taxpayer pays for all this added Airport security. Scrambling to hire airport screeners, the Transportation Security Administration spent up to $143,432 per screener during hurry-up recruiting in 2002. The Homeland Security Department’s inspector general reported Monday that TSA subcontractor NCS Pearson, based in Arlington, Va., scrutinized 129,000 candidates — more than nine times the number originally estimated — in 13 weeks — less than half the time originally allotted. Original cost estimate: $104 million. Final bill to U.S. taxpayers: $741 million. Seems that recruiters worked out of lavish resort hotels with golf courses, pools and spas. hardy har harr

Pig Two: Yuckty yuckty yuck yuck. If I can stop laughing long enough I’ll tell you one even better. Yuckty yuckty yuck yuck. It’s all a farce (except for the money that our friends in the security business get). Here they are hiring all those people, frisking old ladies, making women dump their lipsticks. And there are some passengers that even thank them for keeping them safe. Yuckty yuckty yuck yuck. But the real punchline is that the jokes on them. It doesn’t matter if they were to make every passenger take off every stitch of clothing. Airports still, seven years later only do random screening of parcels that are put in cargo AND they allow crew members, frequent fliers, people with security clearances and other “trusted travelers” to bypass inspection.

Pig one: Hardy har har! stop! you are just killing me with the funnies. I wonder what those Republicans will think of next to stuff in the pork barrel?

FIRST LET ME WHINE FOR FIVE SECONDS.  As Kay would say, “I’m entitled.”

Unfortunately I’m one of those Americans who has to work for a living. (OK that’s the five seconds.)  I’m grateful that I have interesting work that helps Americans and pays me a decent wage.  I write copy for a disaster management firm–a small business (a real one with under 100 employees).

Because I had a work-related deadline for today, I was not out and about.  Otherwise I would have been at the polling places throughout the third district with my flip video.  [Also, for  those who may not know, Independent candidates are not allowed to vote in either party’s primary–that’s part of our “punishment” for going outside the two-party system.  Thus as an Independent candidate, I could not participate in this exiting primary.

Had that been an option, (and if I lived in the part of my third District that is in Collin County)  I would have caucused with the Republicans today.  I would have cast my vote for Kay Bailey Hutchison as governor; John Muns as the new county judge; and Chery Williams as the Republican replacement for Jerry Hoagland.

Then I would develop a wait-and-see attitude over the summer.  If and only if their opponents:  Bill White, David Smith, and Rick Koster proved to be better candidates, then I would vote for them along with a vote for myself as US Representative from the third district.  I don’t need to wait and see what more damage that Rick Perry, Jerry Hoagland, or Sam Johnson can do.  Their combined 60 years incumbency has shown me more than enough.

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ALL IS NOT LOST.  Bill Baumbach was out today and if you go to the online news site The Collin County Observer, you can see a video that our local citizen journalist took of the polling places.

Bill is a truth-teller.  Our district needs more people like him.  If you want the truth behind some of the stories that you are given in  Collin County–read The Collin County Observer daily.

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ONE LAST WHINE FOR THIS POST:

While I’m thrilled that voters in my district are so fired up for a primary, it is a bittersweet thrill.

Tomorrow I begin my next up hill battle–to gather 500 signatures on or before May 13.  In order to sign my form, the person must:

1. Live in the Third District

2. Be registered voter

3. Must not have voted in the Primary

Collin McKinney, after whom a County and a City in the Third US Congressional District are named, was among those who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence this day 174 years ago.  It was adopted at the Convention of 1836 at Washington-on-the-Brazos on March 2, 1836.

The convention was convened on March 1 with Richard Ellis as president. The delegates selected a committee of five to draft a declaration of independence; the committee was led by George Childress and also included Edward Conrad, James Gaines, Bailey Hardeman, and Collin McKinney.

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Too bad you aren’t here today, Mr. McKinney.  I would be interested to know who  among all the candidates would you choose?  I have a notion that you would pick the ones who really cared about people and who had real solutions to offer–not more of the same political cliches that we’ve heard for thirty years.  I’m fairly certain that Rick Perry would not number among your choices.  You were far too sensible.

McKinney is credited with suggesting to the Texas Legislature that, as new counties were later created in North and West Texas, the boundaries should be about 30 miles square. This would allow a rider to travel to the county seat, conduct necessary business, and return home, all in one day.

Bill has written an excellent piece in honor of this special day.  Go to The Collin County Observer to read it.

The music of choice at the Dallas Tea Party yesterday was country music. A band was playing as I walked up to the gathering. At the time I thought that it is somewhat ironic because Jazz is actually the only style of music that originated here in the USA.  Country music is merely an evolution of a form of music that was brought to our country from Europe–the country that the original members of Tea Party were rejecting.

You may as well know this about me now, my fellow Texans, none of the channels of my radio station are set to country stations. I hope you won’t hold this against me.   While I do like some of the melodies such as the one featured in the clip below from yesterday’s Tea Party, most of the lyrics for Country music songs are too much along the lines of  “he done me wrong” themes for my taste.  They are entirely too close to whining–like friends who keep telling you the same sad tale again and again.  Once is enough to hear a sad tale.  After that, it’s time to either do something about it or move on.

A Visit from the Red Lion Will Bring Luck and Good Fortune to the Que Huong Restaurant in Allen Texas This New Year  -  240 Legacy Drive  972-527-4444 They are located in the new shopping mall next door to the Asian Market.  See the “In My District” page on this site to see a video of the lion.

Out and About In My Third District Among Its Beautiful People–Celebrating the Chinese New Year in the Asian Market Shopping Center off Legacy Drive.

What a lovely day!  I met my daughter-in-law, Cathy and my two grandchildren, Frank and Ariel, to celebrate the Chinese New Year in my community.  During the Chinese New Year, lion dancers from martial art school visit the houses and store front of businesses to “chai ching” (採青 lit. picking the greens). The businesses tie an “Ang Pow”(red envelope) filled with money to a head of lettuce and hang it high above the front door or from the ceiling inside.

The lion will approach the lettuce like a curious cat, consume the lettuce and spit out the leaves but not the money. Some other types “Chai Ching” requires the lion dancers to open the lettuce carefully to retrieve the and create a design or a pattern out of it, and place it back from where they had “eaten” it from. Sometimes the “Ang Pow” is hidden inside the lettuce, or the “Ang Pow” will be given later judging on how well the dancers have “designed” the lettuce. The lion dance is supposed to bring good luck and fortune to the business and the dancers receive the money as reward. The tradition becomes a mutual transaction.

The lettuce is good luck and I got a pocket full of it today.

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ABOUT THE ASIAN POPULATION IN COLLIN COUNTY–It is thriving and growing.

Collin County comprises the largest area of the Third District.   In 1990, only 2.8% of its population were Asian.   According to U.S. Census figures released in 2006, Collin County’s Asian population was at 10.02%.

Demographics of the Third US Congressional District have shifted radically over the past 20 years since Sam Johnson (a.k.a Louis XIV) was first elected to his throne.  I wonder if he has noticed. In 1990, 6.9% were Hispanic.  In 2006 that number had grown to 12.8%.  Whereas in 1990 nearly 90 percent of Collin Country population was White, in 2006 that number had shrunk to 77.21%. The African American population in 2006 was up to 7.26%.  In 1990, the African American population was at 4.1%.

The truth is that our Nation has never had a true democracy. We have had the framework for a true democracy in place since 1776 and we’ve inched closer and closer to one since that time, but we still are far from there today because on average across the USA only 50% of voters of eligible age cast a vote.  We have no idea what the majority really want because only half of them ever make their voices heard with their votes.

In regard to progress on building our democratic framework, we’ve come a long way from 1776 when only white men who owned property were allowed to vote.  Let us remember that it has only been 91 years since women, over half our population, were allowed to vote and only 46 years since most of the Jim Crow laws designed to harass black people into not voting were erased from the books.

These Jim Crow laws of voter discrimination included the “literacy” tests that Mr. Tancredo recently suggested at a Tea party that we should bring back.  He neglected to mention, or perhaps was ignorant of the fact that these so-called literacy tests were designed to keep black people from voting.

In Alabama, for example, they went to great lengths to keep black people from voting.  You had to go to the courthouse to register.  The Registers office was only open two or three days a month.  You had to take off work.  If a white employer gave permission or failed to fire a Black person who tried to vote, that employer could be driven out of business by economic retaliation from the “Citizens Council.”  The Alabama Application form and others that Black people had to take were four pages long and were designed to intimidate and threaten.  The Sheriff and his deputies made it their business to hang around the courthouse to discourage “undesirables” from voting.

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My point is that we do have the framework for a real democracy in place–rule by the MAJORITY of the people.  But we are still not there yet because often a majority do not even vote. When it is an official majority, it is almost never much above 50%.  For example, in the presidential election of 2008, I believe that Texas had 54.7% of voters of eligible age who voted.  Don’t you wonder about the outcome of that election if a larger percentage of people had voted?  Perhaps 80% instead of 54.7%.

Any person who is eligible to vote and who does not vote is not acting in his or her own self-interest, or the self-interests of their family. Any white man who does not own property, woman, or black person who is eligible to vote and who does not vote is disrespecting the memories of people who put their lives on the line and many of them who died in the process of guaranteeing your right to vote.

You, the true majority, are the only ones who can make democracy work–by learning about the candidates and voting, or even running for office yourself when you don’t like your choices.

WITHOUT YOU AND YOUR VOTE, OUR NATION WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE OLIGARCHY THAT IT IS–and we will never know how great our nation might be if we all stood up to be counted.

Oligarchies, a form of government where the power rests with a small elite segment of society distinguished by royalty, wealth, intellect, family ties, military might or religion hegemony have been tyrannical throughout history. They are completely reliant on public servitude to exist.

All you need to do to change things is to vote to change Congress.

Good for New Mexico!   I read this morning that the New Mexico legislature voted 65-0 to move their states money to credit unions and community banks. [Huffington Post] I wish that Texas would do the same.  Instead, we have a weasel of a governor who pretends to be a populist Tea Party member while taking millions (over $161 million) from the taxpayers contributions to unemployment tax and “loaning” it out to multibillion dollar Wall Street firms like Bank of America.  See “Texas Enterprise Fund” for more detail regarding this fraud that has been perpetrated on the people of Texas by our current governor.

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Rick Perry is a politician and an opportunist.  He wouldn’t know populism if it jumped up and bit him on the rear end. If this man’s conservative economic neo-liberal politics of privatization were to be carried to their natural conclusion, it has been said that all Texans would be paying a toll every time we back out of our own drive ways.

I would say that the man is a joke, but what Rick Perry is doing to the state of Texas is no joke and Democrats and Republicans better wake up and take a look around them, get to the polls and vote for real change, not more of the same.