Happy New Year!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!
May all your dreams come true this year!!!

Action Needed Now More Than Ever & The Power of Three

Alright, everybody take a deep breath and collect yourselves. I’ve been hearing several people talking, some complaining, about President Obama’s many calls to action to the American people. When I heard Carlos Mencia joking about it on CNN, I felt compelled to explain the President’s request. Carlos joked about voting for President Obama, and he thought he could relax now, going about his normal life while President Obama fixed everything. He then acted like he was surprised by the President’s call to action. Mencia said, “What? You want me to help work on this, too? I voted for you and thought I was done.” As politically savvy as Carlos is, he made an excellent point about many Americans believing they were done by casting their vote on Election Day.

Adding to my need to explain, I’ve heard too many people now asking what does he, President Obama, expect us to do? President Obama’s calls to action are first and foremost to lend him your voice. The power of democracy is the voice of the people. Think of it like a giant choir. The more people singing in the choir, the better the choir sounds because it is deeper and richer. More than any time before now, President Obama needs our voices to be heard in the Congressional corridors and offices in Washington. If we believe changes are still needed to be made not filibustered, we need to let our congressmen or congresswomen know it.

Periodically, President Obama has asked the American people to support a change he wanted to implement by adding to his voice so Congress will hear him. Now more than ever with a split control in the upcoming new Congress, the more of us contacting Congress, the easier it will be for them to hear the will of the American people instead of big money interests. We all know Congress can be a little hard of hearing sometimes unless there are dollars attached so it shouldn’t be too hard to understand why President Obama is still making these requests of us. With all our voices together, yes, we can be heard!

Now, the power of three comes into play here. Americans don’t need to contact every member of Congress. You can if you feel so compelled; however, we should all contact our three. We each have two Senators and one member of the House of Representatives. In a perfect world, we would all already know our, three, but in case you don’t know, you can call the US Capitol Switchboard (202)224-3121 to get the phone number of your state’s two Senators. You can contact the Clerk of the House at (202)225-7000 to get the phone number of your Representative in the House for your district and state. If you prefer to use the internet, you can go to the US Senate website, www.senate.gov, and get all kinds of information about the US Senate including your two Senator’s email addresses, office locations and plain old snail mail addresses. The same information can be obtained on the US House of Representatives at their website, http://clerk.house.gov. Once you have the contact information for your three, keep it handy and contact them often. If you’re like me, by yourself your voice doesn’t sound good; however, add millions of voices to it, and you have one heck of a choir.

Tercet Poems

Tercets are 3 Lines of French style poetry with a-b-a rhyme patterns. There is no traditional meter required; however, many were done in tetrameter or pentameter.

Example: by Frank G. Poe, Jr.

Thanksgiving gone with the leaves of fall,

Snow packs the ground like a stuffed suitcase,

And on December 25^th, “Merry Christmas to all!”

Anybody Can Write Poetry

Poetry like sweat seeps then flows from anybody willing to put in the work.

                                                                         - Frank G. Poe, Jr.

Make All Campaign Contributions Illegal Or Get Voted Out!

A corporate lobbyist is no different than a nonprofit lobbyist or a wealthy individual.
My point is money from any lobby corporate, nonprofit or individual should be illegal. The fact is I'm not saying to get rid of lobbyist. They are protected by the constitution. We, all, have a right to lobby our elected officials, but the power should come from how many votes a lobby can deliver not from the amount of money they pay to get face time with a member of congress. Imagine how quickly our country could be fixed if members of congress would make room for a meeting based on the merits of their petitions versus the size of their wallet or pocket book. I doubt many current members of congress will be interested in public finance of federal campaigns under the guise it would cost too much money.

In truth, it is because they and their families get rich off the lobbyists. They have nice rules to look like they aren't taking bribes, but when you pay your son a cool million from your campaign coffers to design a poster saying vote for you, or your wife another million as a consultant, it is easy to see how campaign contributions can turn in to a families personal wealth. Not saying names, ask yourself how a retired school teacher and all of his children are now multi-millionaires? I know what school teachers make. Oh, by the way I live in Kentucky.

In addition, public financing doesn't have to cost the public anything. Mandate that television and radio licenses include a set amount of time for federal campaign adds just like public service announcements and the early warning system. Limit the time so the people running for office are forced to focus on issues and offering solutions to our problems rather than an opponent's personal life and mud slinging. Equal time should be given to all parties proving they have enough members to warrant time, not just to the Democrats and Republicans. In my mind there have already been several independent parties that would qualify. These simple changes would create a multi-party system which is proven in other countries to lead to more cooperation and compromise.

Americans need to demand their elected officials sign off on this and try to pass legislation. If they refuse, get candidates willing to do so. Hold them to the fire, and vote accordingly. It is time for the people to take back our government from big business, both foreign and domestic. Come join me in the Coffee Party.

Disgusted by the Republican Party 9/11 Responders Deserve Better

I'm getting pretty disgusted by the Republican party. 9/11 Responders deserve better. What is the Republican payment for helping others at the detriment of your own health? Legislation to pay for the treatment of diseases and debilitating effects for those responders is still being blocked by the Republicans.
For shame, this is the second time this year Republicans, the party using 9/11 like a cheap prostitute for political campaigns, speeches and sound bites, blocked the legislation by moving to filibuster the bill in the Senate. WTF? If there is any legislation that both parties should fully support, it is this legislation. I'm dumbfounded as to why the Republicans are blocking it? They have really not given any reason. They got the tax cuts they wanted for the wealthiest of Americans. I would think this is political suicide in the conservative bible belt.
Senator Mitch McConnel (R-Kentucky) might do well to remember that if he wants to remain a senator, yet alone minority leader.

Literary R&R: In My Mailbox (#7)

Literary R&R: In My Mailbox (#7): "In My Mailbox is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi, The Story Siren. This meme was began so we could all share what books we receive..."

Cinquain Swirl and Cinquain Chain Poems

In Cinquain Swirl and Cinquain Chain Poems are American style poems with French names.

In a Cinquain Swirl, Cinquain poems with a 2-4-6-8-2 syllable beat are melted together to form a longer poem, and the 2 syllable beat is repeated as the refrain, 2R-4-6-8-2R-4-6-8-2R-4-6-8-2R.

In a Cinquain Chain, Cinquain poems are linked together to form a longer poem, and the 2 syllable beat is repeated as the refrain in all the 2 beats lines, 2R-4-6-8-2R-2R-4-6-8-2R-2R-4-6-8-2R, or as the first and last line of the poem with the 2 beat lines between Cinquain repeated, 2R1-4-6-8-2R2-2R2-4-6-8-2R3-2R3-4-6-8-2R1.

Both, Cinquain Swirls and Cinquain Chains may or may not have rhyme. They must be at least 2 Cinquain long, but they have no limit to the number of Cinquain used. The examples below are of 3 Cinquain in length.

Examples: by Frank G. Poe, Jr.

My Blog Swirl                                                My Blog Chain

Follow,                                                            Follow,

You’re hypnotized.                                         You’re hypnotized.

You will follow my blog.                               You will follow my blog.

Click on follow; you will follow.                  Click on follow; you will follow.

Follow,                                                            You must,

You must tell friends.                                    You must,

You cannot imagine                                       You must tell friends.

Life without following my blog.                    You cannot imagine  

Follow                                                             Life without following my blog.

You need my blog.                                         You need,

Soon, you will awaken.                                  You need,

You will not remember this poem.                You need my blog.

Follow…                                                         Soon, you will awaken.

.                                                                       You will not remember this poem.

.                                                                       Follow…

Democrats and Republicans the Two Headed Snake

I was a Democrat for 12 years, and I was a Republican for 12 years. After 24 years, I'm now an Independent. The problem isn't one party is liberal, and the other party is conservative. The problem is neither party really wants to get anything done because all their campaign contributions come from the same big business lobbyists. Both parties are the two heads on the same political snake, and the snake only represents the interests of big business and the wealthiest of Americans. As I write this, I recall better days when we looked for the union label and made in the USA. Our working class, middle class, lower income class and poverty class are all quickly becoming the same class with no representation. We vote to show our displeasure when it seems like the solutions to so many of our economic problems are easy to implement, but regardless of the party in charge, they don't want to do anything except get re-elected. Power change between the parties has become status quo. One simply blames the other until they switch sides, and we are the losers. My wish is that more Americans abandon the two parties and become true Independents. You feel no obligation to vote party lines that way or defend ridiculous positions on party issues, i.e. trickle down economics. Personally, I'm not liberal or conservative anyway. I'm liberal in my views on somethings and conservative on others issues. I guess that makes me a moderate, and if my suspicions are correct so are most Americans. Isn't it about time for a viable third party like the Coffee Party so we can cut both heads off the same snake? Feel free to comment.

Cinquain Poems

A Cinquain is a 5 line American style poem with a French name. It has a 2-4-6-8-2 syllable beat, and it may or may not have rhyme. They are not large poems, but they can be impressive. Later, we will cover Cinquain Chains and Cinquain Swirls.

Example: by Frank G. Poe, Jr.

My Cinquain

Cinquain?

My example

As syllables increase

Grows larger and more dramatic

Curtain

Tanka Poems

The Tanka is a 5 Line, Japanese style short poem or song with a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable pattern.  Other variations exist like 3-5-3-5-5, but in general the Tanka is adhered to more strictly than Haiku. Originally sent between lovers, the man or woman would start the Tanka and then let their love interest finish the poem or song. In the past each line represented individual images which melted together into one whole like the marriage or desired union of the couple writing the Tanka. As with Haiku, images of nature play a role. The old form would use lines 1, 2 and 3 like a Haiku about nature, but lines 4 and 5 would be about the writer’s emotions linking them to nature. The contrast between lines 3 and 4 is usually called the transformation because of the change in time, person, place, thing or voice to define the relationship. Modern Tanka can be an expression of any memory, emotion, desire or even loss. The new Tanka still use images, but they are not strictly of nature, nor do they adhere strictly to the placing of the transformation. In the example below, the change arrives early in lines 1 and 2 setting the poem up as a memory and placing it at a time in the writer’s life. Lines 3, 4, and 5 are the building of the image.

Example: by Frank G. Poe, Jr.

Tanka for Dad

When Going To Church

At Age Five You Helped Me Steer

Our Family Car

Old Betsy Blue, Down Dusty

Louisiana Dirt Road

98% of American Taxpayers Held Hostage By Republicans

The Democrats promised change, and they failed to deliver in Washington. They didn’t lose their direction like the Republicans did, but they didn’t push the change for which people voted. Americans watched them closely and voted accordingly. If they want to reclaim the House in two years, they better start growing a backbone. When the Republicans controlled the entire Congress, they did what they wanted to do regardless of the minority party. Even though the Democrats controlled both sides of Congress, they acted like they needed the Republican permission to do anything.

Well, once again, the Republicans show the only people they represent are the wealthiest Americans, the top 2% of income earners. They’re holding tax cuts for the other 98% of wage earners hostage to make sure the rich get theirs too. The Republicans have gone as far as to hold up extending unemployment benefits for Americans out of work for those same tax cuts. They claim it is fiscal responsibility which drives them; however, they are willing to add $700 billion dollars to the deficit spending to give just the top 2% their tax cuts back.   We need to write, email and call our Senators and House Reps to demand they pass legislation for the people not just the rich or corporate lobbyists. The Republican excuse of the top income earners needing the tax cuts to create jobs doesn’t hold water. They have had the tax cuts since 2001, and I don’t see where they are creating jobs. Trickle-down economics hasn’t worked up until now in 2010 so why should we believe extending those tax cuts for the top 2% who earn more than the bottom 50% of wage earners combined will somehow be different this time? If they have just lined their pockets for 9 years, you can expect them to line their pockets for whatever length of time you extend the tax cuts. I hate to bring up Albert Einstein again in my blog, but it applies.

Albert Einstein said, "The definition of Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Lou Dobbs, an independent, was right when he said our government should try to fix this economic crisis from the bottom up, not the top down. Lou said help the people in danger of foreclosure directly and let the economy get better from trickling up, not down, for a change.

 Our government could call it an emergency and make loans at low fixed interest rates directly to Americans through using FEMA instead of banks. Yes, this cuts the banks out of making profits, but I don't believe the American people intended to pad the pockets of these banks with any bailout. Currently, it appears that banks are just grabbing the money to gobble up other banks or to hold on to it so what good did it do for our Congress to pass the bailout package? Many banks are even making money by borrowing money at zero percent interest from the federal government and lending it back to the federal government with 3.5 to 5 % interest rate resulting in pure profit with no risk and for doing nothing. 

Now, I agree there are times you need to be fiscally responsible, but I also know you have to spend money sometimes to make money. Our government needs to spend some money to flip our boat back over, but it needs to spend it wisely. Most Americans will not be upset if Congress spends money in a way that creates jobs, expands our tax base and brings back economic prosperity. Making the tax cuts permanent for 98% of Americans makes sense. So do it! Here are some more items the congress should work on immediately, and the American people should demand they do it.

First, get rid of tax breaks for companies moving jobs outside the United States, no exceptions.

Second, quit issuing work visas for technical jobs to companies that don't canvass the United States for Americans trained to do the same jobs. Americans are not stupid. We know why corporations want to pay foreigners $14,000.00 a year for jobs Americans command $46,000.00. The foreigners are $32,000.00 cheaper, and if a company gets just 2000 work visas they save $64 million dollars in profits. Great for people like Bill Gates, it is not so great for the American people, especially the ones who just went deep in debt to get the education required for that tech job. Companies are supposed to do this anyway before they ask for work visas, by law! So enforce the law!

Third, here's an idea; make the companies go a step farther, and offer free training to Americans before they can get any work visas. My guess is they will not need the work visas anymore. They'll just hire Americans who have spent their own money to get trained. 

Fourth, get rid of no bid contracts. The paperwork excuse “we'll save money if we get rid of all the government red tape” doesn't cut it anymore. We don't care if the paperwork costs a company time or money. The paperwork is there for a reason, and so is the bidding process. Standards are the reasons for the paperwork. Companies must meet or beat the standards we set for our government contracts or they will not get the job regardless of how low their bid is. This insures quality, something neglected throughout the Iraq War. The bidding process ensures we get the lowest price. This one speaks to Americans. Americans would never go into a car dealership and ask if they could pay $150,000.00 for a car with a blue book value of $15,000.00 so why has our government been doing that with no bid contracts. All I can say is politicians make good friends to lobbyists who donate to their campaigns. 

Fifth, Unites States government contracts, especially military contracts, must be awarded to American companies, first, and foreign owned companies operating in the United States, second, no other companies qualify, no exceptions. If other countries scream that's protectionist, you bet your ass it is! This is the first war time economy going bust instead of boom, and the only change is outsourcing to foreign owned companies to save money instead of keeping our military strictly in house. I'm not even going to get started on the obvious national security concerns. 

Sixth, invest in our own infrastructure. I'm guessing this will create millions of jobs much like it did in FDR's day. It is truly an investment in one word, growth. Growth expands your tax base, putting money back into the treasury. I know people are going to say we already started doing this, and our economy isn’t fixed yet. I say give it some time. I know the first thing people going back to work do is try to catch up their past due bills before buying things to stimulate the economy. That being said, I think the infrastructure could use more investment anyway. Have you seen the roads? 

Seventh, invest in energy independence. Create millions of jobs building windmills, solar, geothermal electric plants, and tapping our nation’s natural gas, safely not destroying our water table. Again, it is truly an investment, growth expanding your tax base, putting money back into the treasury. 

Eighth, invest money in American companies who demonstrate repentance. Repentance should be defined as reductions in executive salaries and frivolous spending. My example here is easy, do the opposite of whatever AIG has done. 

Ninth, invest in American companies starting or retooling American plants to hire American workers, not wanting to start or retool plants in foreign countries. The best example is GMC wanting to get bailout money from Americans to retool Mexican plants to build hybrid cars to sell to Americans. WOW! Congress should tell any corporation in any industry the same thing, start or retool American plants, creating American jobs, and you have an investor. Growth or rebirth, it either expands the tax base or stops the bleeding. Both are a good thing. 

I hope these common sense items get considered by congress and President Obama, and I'll finish saying any politicians want to buy my car for a $150,000.00?

Wake Up America

This speech by Senator Bernie Sanders (I) Vermont tells it like it is. Must see!

http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/war-america 

Lai poems

Lai poems are French style poems with a rhyme pattern of a-a-b-a-a-b. All the a-rhyming lines are 5 syllables, and the b-lines are 2 syllables. These poems must be a minimum of 3 lines, but they have no limit. The only restriction is the number of lines must be a multiple of 3, like 9, 21 or 30.

Example: by Frank G. Poe, Jr.

Worthy Causes

Purple, Orange, Pink

Colors show you think

Support

Ribbons, web site link

Writing pledge in ink

Comfort

The Coffee Party

The Coffee Party is a new independant party starting to grow. We believe in civility and working together despite differences. Check out the Coffee Party at the following link http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/ The Coffee Party is currently dicussing how to proceed in getting more members. As a writer I try to engage everyone with my stories; undoubtedly, I'll never interest everyone with every story. I agree we should listen to all stategists, but I don't think we should become the people to which we are studying their tactics. We run the risk of becoming them. We already have a Republican party and a Democratic party. If I would have agreed with either, I would still be a member instead of an independant in the Coffee Party. I thought the Coffee Party was trying to attract like minded people for a new party. Between us all, I'd prefer violent people stomping people on the ground, as I viewed in Kentucky by Tea Party members this past election, not join us. If we use the same tactics to get members, we will get those same results. Albert Einstein said, "The definition of Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

Limerick Poems

Limericks are 5 line Irish or English style poems with the same rhythm and beat in lines 1-2-5 and a shorter identical beat in lines 3-4. The rhyme pattern is usually AABBA, but many limericks suffer from near rhymes. They can have a variety of metrical feet such as amphibrach, 1 stressed syllable then 2 unstressed, or the inverse the anapest, 2 unstressed syllables then 1 stressed. These poems are usually humorous and memorable. The first line traditionally introduces a person. The second, third and fourth are the situational setup. The fifth line is the twist or comic punch line.

Example: by Frank G. Poe, Jr.

Lad from Washington, DC

There once was a lad in the government.

By the time he got paid it was spent.

Spending was all that he knew,

And the deficit grew.

In November out the door he went.