Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness around the world.

March 17, 2008

 Today’s Announcement

Happy St. Patricks Day one and all!

My Dear Readers:

I am so sorry that due to a computer breakdown, and lack of finances to fix it (or buy a new one), there will not be a March 10th or an April 10th magazine issue on my web site (www.rosannecatalano.net).

Not to worry though... there is hope that The Cat's Meow for Writers & Readers will return on May 10th, 2008!

If this should change, and there won't be a May 10th issue either, I will definitely let you know. Thank you for your understanding in this unfortunate matter.

Sincerely,

Rosanne Catalano

Publisher / Editor / Author

The Cat's Meow for Writers & Readers Ezine TM

www.rosannecatalano.net

Rosanne Catalano

Publisher / Editor / Author

www.rosannecatalano.net

Don’t forget to order your copy of Angels Watching Over Me, the story of an ordinary woman facing less than ordinary challenges.  Angels Watching Over Me is a story of family love, sacrifices, poverty and an undying faith that makes heroes out of all of us. Here is the link in case you have forgotten it: http://www.lulu.com/content/964306

Important notice: Storytime Tapestry is a free e-zine, however donations are always needed to help with the operating expenses of running the newsletter and to keep Storytime Tapestry the quality newsletter you are so accustomed to.   You can make your donations to paypal at: winterose@videotron.ca, or if you would prefer to use the mail system contact the publisher at the same email address: winterose@videotron.ca

Today’s Stories

DEMOCRATS ACCUSED OF MAKING POPULIST APPEALS

Duane Bates

In an article in MSNBC, New York Times reporters James M. Broder and Jeff Zeleny attempt to stick the nasty label of “populism” to the Democrats, stating that Senators Obama and Clinton are attempting to appeal to the majority of the population though promises of programs that will benefit the blue collar and middle class voters and tax increases aimed at the highest earners in out country. A link to the Times article is posted below.

Populism is defined as a political philosophy supporting the rights and powers of the people in their struggle against the privileged elite. The leaders and participants in the American Revolution viewed themselves in exactly that light; they were in a struggle to obtain their personal, political and economic freedom from King George III and the privileged elite of England. That goal accomplished, our nation set out to create it’s own political and economic aristocracy, initially limiting the vote to white men with a certain degree of wealth and assets. Now that we have established a privileged elite in America, they resist any changes to the new order of economic and political control just as King George and the British elite did. 

Of course, in the “old country” the class lines were strictly drawn based on ancestry, family name, title, and social position, but there were plenty of poor gentry who struggled to maintain their place by marrying into wealth.  In the new world the path to high social status has developed more strongly along economic lines, but we had a whole continent to exploit once the indigenous peoples had been subdued and millions of African slaves had been kidnapped and brought to North America to work the plantations in the South.

Embedded in the derision and criticism directed at the very concept of populism in the media is an unspoken social Darwinist belief that our economic and political leaders are somehow destined by Devine Providence to lead while the rest of us follow with caps in respectful hands, thankful for what our leaders toss our way.  Unfortunately, the middle class and blue-collar workers in America have placed their stamp of approval of the current economic structure by default, not bothering to register and vote to elect representatives that will look out for their interests.

A CNN feature today demonstrates this bias very clearly.  They were running a feature on why most middle and blue-collar families will never be able to purchase a home and used Cleveland Ohio as an example.  The median home price in Cleveland is $121,000, but to be able to qualify for a home loan to buy a home of this value you would need an income of $40,000, but the vast majority of families in Cleveland have income below that level, preventing them from ever qualifying for a home mortgage.  The CNN presenters, all of whom are in the top 10% of earners, discussed the problem, noting that middle class and blue-collar incomes have been stagnating or falling for decades while home, and all other prices, have been rising. Not once during their discussion did they ever present increasing family incomes as a solution to the problem.  They simply cannot conceive that increasing family incomes would solve many of the financial problems facing Americans today.

The good news is that, based on voter turnouts in the primaries, it appears that the tide may be turning in the favor of the majority.  In the twenty-five years since 1980 when income tax cuts favoring the top 10% were first passed there has been a well documented increase in the concentration of income and wealth in the top 10%, with the top 1% gaining the most, while incomes of the bottom 70% of earners steadily losing real, inflation adjusted, income.

We have been told that the expressway to economic nirvana for all of us is to provide the wealthiest in our society with the lowest tax rates possible so that they will wisely invest their incomes in job creating activities and that some of the resulting benefits will “trickle down” to the rest of us. It is clear that since the 1970s this has not happen, with 70% of the population now economically worse off than they previously were, while the top 10% has gained a increasing share of all personal income and have enjoyed a almost one-third reduction in their tax rates. 

The outcome of the 2008 elections represents a critical point in our nation.  The real question is whether the approaching $10 trillion national debt, the out of control spending by Congress, misplaced priorities, uncontrolled immigration, and the effects of globalization has reached a tipping point where the near-term future of America is bleak.

Will we continue our march toward a two-tier society; the very wealthy and everyone else or make the fundamental changes that will lead us to a more stable, more socially and economically secure society?  The outcome of the 2008 elections will point to the direction our country will take.  Encourage and assist everyone to know, Republican, Democrat, Independent, to register and vote.  Democracy cannot survive in any nation without participation of the majority.

Duane Bates

batesduane@yahoo.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23228640

 ~**~**~

 Are Women Too Complicated?

 Cheryl Williams

I had to chuckle at my 16 year old son today.  I asked him if he has any new girlfriends at school...because I'm hoping he can find something to interest him enough to take him away from his computer games for part of the day.

Well, he looked at me with all of the wisdom of an old man and said, "Mom...girls are too complicated."

Oh really?  How so?

"They just freak out over the littlest things."

Such as? (chuckling)

"Well, for example...Carrie will text message me and if I don't text her back within 30 seconds, she will text me back saying.....What's wrong? Are you mad at me?  I just texted you and you haven't texted me back yet.  I've barely had time to read the message and she's already freaking out.

Another thing you all do (notice how I am now included...lol) is that you have to have an explanation for every single thing.  It can't ever be just a 'yes' or a 'no'.  I have to give my reasons for it being a 'yes' or a 'no'.  Sometimes it just isn't that complicated.  Maybe I don't even KNOW why its a 'yes' or 'no'.  Maybe I just don't like something...and there IS no reason.

And another thing.  She gets mad if I don't argue with her about something.  She thinks if I won't argue about it...then that means I don't care.  Maybe I just don't think its that big of a deal, and maybe I just don't like to argue.  Geesh...what is it with women?  You can't please them.  I'm much happier just playing my computer games..."

As I sat there listening to him, I had to chuckle...because I saw a lot of truth in his words.  And I began to look at myself.  I do tend to complicate situations that really do not need complicating.  My grandma would have called it "making a mountain out of a molehill".  And I also do the other thing he spoke of.  I tend to overanalyze everything, always looking for the reasons why. 

So what do you all think?  Is this just a stereotype or do you find that it holds a lot of truth?  Do you see women as being more complicated than men?  And if so, why do you think that is?

Cheryl Williams

Politicalgirl04@aol.com

Poetry Corner

~**~**~

~Burning~

Mary Little (Dees)

Your forthright hands convince me

That we should follow through

One instant in this ecstasy
Could make me come unglued
Trigger pulses pounding
Like direct current on my skin
Breath with me, but sparingly
Fold me, like silk again
Encompass all my cravings
Bring them with you, close your eyes
My love is never spiteful
To a man with hazel eyes
Oh, passion has a name now
A dark haired mystery of mine
Kisses like an amber morning
But then gold like pure sunshine
Swept like dust from a shelf unnoticed
You cleanse my soul..... my yearning
Forever, if the feast be love
My embers are always burning

~Happy Valentine's Day~
For my sweetest love Charlie

 Mary M. Little (Dees)
marlena7694@yahoo.com

 ~**~**~
 

Readers Feedback

~**~**~

My thanks to George Waters Oejigbe  for his marvelous prose, Another History,  regarding the huge American gift and responsibility of American democracy.  We forget too often in the anguish and anger of our internal conflicts,  that many are watching and praying that our better sides will endure and prevail permitting the survival of this fragile government, this fragile democracy.          Louise

Here is our Storytime Tapestry Angels: Also, I would like to thank those of you who chose to be a silent angel and gave an anonymous donation to keep Storytime Tapestry up and running.

Clara Westerfer, Mark Crider, Rosanne Catalano, Paula Booher, Kay Seefeldt, Mariane Holbrook, Mary Ellen Grisham, Louise Nomani, Sharon Bryant, Angela Walker, Hart and Helen Dowd, Keith Ready, Ginger Morgenstern, Ellie Braun-Haley, Surinder Jandu, Bob Shaw, Carol Meeks, Charlotte Hilliard, Marilyn Sink, Victor Buhagiar, Clarice Hinson, Conrad