Comments for Anne Klaeysen - NYSEC Leader Blog http://annenysec.wordpress.com This blog contains the musings of an Ethical Culture Leader (clergy). Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:21:29 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Leader’s Message – Ah, summer. . . – July 2009 by Lebezyatnikov http://annenysec.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/leaders-message-ah-summer-july-2009/#comment-106 Lebezyatnikov Sat, 15 Aug 2009 22:21:29 +0000 http://annenysec.wordpress.com/?p=50#comment-106 Hi Anne- One thing about this column jumped out at me-"The forty-hour work week is a thing of the past". Would that you meant it had been reduced, but we well know it is a thing of the past because it has been increased. When one considers how much work was done, and how much blood was literally shed in union struggles to get the forty-hour work week, this thought becomes very upsetting. And why is it a thing of the past? What is so important that people are now expected to work longer and longer hours? I wish people would think about this-seems to me people accept it almost as if it is a phenomenon brought about by natural forces. It is not. It is the result of deliberate policies pursued by those who benefit from getting people to work longer hours for less pay. I could go on, but I'll leave it at that-except to repeat, I wish people would think about these things. Hi Anne-

One thing about this column jumped out at me-”The forty-hour work week is a thing of the past”. Would that you meant it had been reduced, but we well know it is a thing of the past because it has been increased. When one considers how much work was done, and how much blood was literally shed in union struggles to get the forty-hour work week, this thought becomes very upsetting. And why is it a thing of the past? What is so important that people are now expected to work longer and longer hours? I wish people would think about this-seems to me people accept it almost as if it is a phenomenon brought about by natural forces. It is not. It is the result of deliberate policies pursued by those who benefit from getting people to work longer hours for less pay. I could go on, but I’ll leave it at that-except to repeat, I wish people would think about these things.

]]> Comment on Letter to the Editor of the NY Times by Ken Karp http://annenysec.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/letter-to-the-editor-of-the-ny-times/#comment-69 Ken Karp Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:32:37 +0000 http://annenysec.wordpress.com/2009/04/27/letter-to-the-editor-of-the-ny-times/#comment-69 Anne - FYI, a link to this page has been posted on the Bergen Society's blog. Please let us know if your letter is published! Anne – FYI, a link to this page has been posted on the Bergen Society’s blog. Please let us know if your letter is published!

]]> Comment on Leader’s Message – “Reconcilable Differences?” – December 2008 by rationalhumanist http://annenysec.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/leaders-message-december-2008-reconcilable-differences/#comment-27 rationalhumanist Sun, 28 Dec 2008 20:45:14 +0000 http://annenysec.wordpress.com/?p=7#comment-27 I couldn't say it better than Lebezyatnikov, so I'll just say that it's a pleasure to read the critical thoughts of a freethinker, who presents his views in a clear and well documented form. (I have to admit that he didn't need to convince me on this material, but I hope he gave many people a desire to rethink contrary thoughts and feelings.) I couldn’t say it better than Lebezyatnikov, so I’ll just say that it’s a pleasure to read the critical thoughts of a freethinker, who presents his views in a clear and well documented form. (I have to admit that he didn’t need to convince me on this material, but I hope he gave many people a desire to rethink contrary thoughts and feelings.)

]]> Comment on Leader’s Message – “Reconcilable Differences?” – December 2008 by Lebezyatnikov http://annenysec.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/leaders-message-december-2008-reconcilable-differences/#comment-12 Lebezyatnikov Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:14:16 +0000 http://annenysec.wordpress.com/?p=7#comment-12 I think you need to rethink this. The media relentlessly pushes the idea that Washington is riven and paralyzed by partisan gridlock, but I believe this view does not stand up to closer scrutiny. I suggest you check out ‘Has there been too much bipartisanship or too little?’ by Glenn Greenwald on salon.com. I believe, if only from anecdotal experience, that there IS a great deal of division among the population at large-between republicans and democrats, liberals and conservatives, the religious right and secularists, and so on. However, this division clearly does not extend to Washington. There is a great deal of division amongst the public on the war/occupation in Iraq; war opponents claim that the majority of the country is now against the war. Don’t know if that’s true, but there is clearly a very significant chunk of the population opposed; yet opposition in Congress is virtually nonexistent-funds to continue the war get approved with the greatest of ease. Similarly, I don’t have the figures, but between ‘Sicko’, millions without health care, and endless bureaucratic nightmares for those with coverage, there appears to be tremendous support for health care reform, in particular single payer; yet there is solid bipartisan support for keeping single payer ‘off the table’. Speaking of which, for the last two years, since they took over the Congress, the Democrats, led by Nancy Pelosi, have steadfastly refused to consider impeachment, and in fact have adamantly blocked the few feeble attempts to commence impeachment hearings, despite this administration being up to its eyeballs in egregious lawbreaking and unconstitutionality-effectively running interference and allowing the Bush Administration freedom from any accountability whatsoever. Not exactly the actions of bitter opponents. At the risk of being redundant, from the Greenwald article-“ Where is the evidence of the supposed partisan wrangling that we hear so much about? Just examine the question dispassionately. Look at every major Bush initiative, every controversial signature Bush policy over the last eight years, and one finds virtually nothing but massive bipartisan support for them -- the Patriot Act (original enactment and its renewal); the invasion of Afghanistan; the attack on, and ongoing occupation of, Iraq; the Military Commissions Act (authorizing enhanced interrogation techniques, abolishing habeas corpus, and immunizing war criminals); expansions of warrantless eavesdropping and telecom immunity; declaring part of Iran's government to be "terrorists"; our one-sided policy toward Israel; the $700 billion bailout; The No Child Left Behind Act, "bankruptcy reform," and on and on.” I suggest you read the whole article. It can be found at- http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/11/18/bipartisanship/index.html Thanks I think you need to rethink this. The media relentlessly pushes the idea that Washington is riven and paralyzed by partisan gridlock, but I believe this view does not stand up to closer scrutiny. I suggest you check out ‘Has there been too much bipartisanship or too little?’ by Glenn Greenwald on salon.com. I believe, if only from anecdotal experience, that there IS a great deal of division among the population at large-between republicans and democrats, liberals and conservatives, the religious right and secularists, and so on. However, this division clearly does not extend to Washington. There is a great deal of division amongst the public on the war/occupation in Iraq; war opponents claim that the majority of the country is now against the war. Don’t know if that’s true, but there is clearly a very significant chunk of the population opposed; yet opposition in Congress is virtually nonexistent-funds to continue the war get approved with the greatest of ease. Similarly, I don’t have the figures, but between ‘Sicko’, millions without health care, and endless bureaucratic nightmares for those with coverage, there appears to be tremendous support for health care reform, in particular single payer; yet there is solid bipartisan support for keeping single payer ‘off the table’. Speaking of which, for the last two years, since they took over the Congress, the Democrats, led by Nancy Pelosi, have steadfastly refused to consider impeachment, and in fact have adamantly blocked the few feeble attempts to commence impeachment hearings, despite this administration being up to its eyeballs in egregious lawbreaking and unconstitutionality-effectively running interference and allowing the Bush Administration freedom from any accountability whatsoever. Not exactly the actions of bitter opponents.
At the risk of being redundant, from the Greenwald article-“ Where is the evidence of the supposed partisan wrangling that we hear so much about? Just examine the question dispassionately. Look at every major Bush initiative, every controversial signature Bush policy over the last eight years, and one finds virtually nothing but massive bipartisan support for them — the Patriot Act (original enactment and its renewal); the invasion of Afghanistan; the attack on, and ongoing occupation of, Iraq; the Military Commissions Act (authorizing enhanced interrogation techniques, abolishing habeas corpus, and immunizing war criminals); expansions of warrantless eavesdropping and telecom immunity; declaring part of Iran’s government to be “terrorists”; our one-sided policy toward Israel; the $700 billion bailout; The No Child Left Behind Act, “bankruptcy reform,” and on and on.”
I suggest you read the whole article. It can be found at- http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/11/18/bipartisanship/index.html
Thanks

]]> Comment on Leader’s Message – “Reconcilable Differences?” – December 2008 by EyeOnTrends http://annenysec.wordpress.com/2008/11/10/leaders-message-december-2008-reconcilable-differences/#comment-7 EyeOnTrends Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:12:45 +0000 http://annenysec.wordpress.com/?p=7#comment-7 Interesting post and blog. Relevantly, many prominent experts and publications have pointed out that Obama is part of Generation Jones, born 1954-1965, between the Boomers and GenXers. This link takes you to a page you may find interesting: it has, among other things, excerpts from publications like Newsweek and the New York Times, and videos with over 25 top pundits, all talking specifically about Obama’s identity as a GenJoneser: http://www.generationjones.com/2008election.html Interesting post and blog. Relevantly, many prominent experts and publications have pointed out that Obama is part of Generation Jones, born 1954-1965, between the Boomers and GenXers.
This link takes you to a page you may find interesting: it has, among other things, excerpts from publications like Newsweek and the New York Times, and videos with over 25 top pundits, all talking specifically about Obama’s identity as a GenJoneser:
http://www.generationjones.com/2008election.html

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