Vicious vs. Precious

One of the most frustrating things in life is the feeling of helplessness.  For example when we know something bad is about to happen but we are unable to effect a change.

It is akin to watching an impending car accident with no way to warn the drivers.

Or how about hearing someone tell a lie and knowing that they themselves realize they are lying!

This one is particularly irksome when nobody ever seems willing to point out their lie.

It is this last example that is frustrating Americans or at least middle class Americans when it comes to our political leaders these days.

Many of these talking heads use sound bites to convey a message that they probably do not believe themselves.  They do so for political expediency.  They know the message will stick.

A few years back a candidate for the office of President used a ridiculous ad on television that showed his opponent riding an ever turning ‘sailboard’ (similar to the one shown here) to describe the man as a “flip-flopper.”  He claimed that the guy said one thing one time and then changed his mind to say something else later.

The odd thing is the message worked and the lying candidate was able to squeak into office, with the help of a few other oddities but that’s for another time.

But the ‘flip-flop’ charge is absurd.

Sans flight suit W claims victory!

Suppose the President is following a policy that he or she realizes at a later date is wrong?  For example say the President starts a war for a reason that turns out to be an out and out lie.  Would we want that leader to ‘stay the course’ or would we expect him to take a step back and change direction?

I certainly hope it would be the latter choice lest many lives be lost unnecessarily.

Flip-flopping goes with the territory of being human.  Information helps us make decisions and wrong information clouds our judgment.

But the fact that telling lies and saying what we think the listener wants to hear gets us elected to office means that lying is not only here to stay but is an integral part of the process.

Wouldn’t it be refreshing to have a truthful politician?

The odds of that happening are about the same as me winning the Kentucky Derby - without a horse to ride – barefoot – in the rain – at night - blindfolded.

So we are stuck listening to a never ending procession of inane reasons why the economy is the other guys fault.

And that brings me to the current pressing argument about taxes.

For years the Republican Party has been helping the wealthiest people of the country find loopholes in the tax structure as well as pushing for even more tax breaks with every session of Congress.

The argument is a simple one, in more than one way; “The wealthy create jobs and hire people so they must have tax breaks to give them more money with which to do so.”

That and ‘I’ll respect you in the morning’ are probably two of the biggest lies you will ever hear in your lifetime. (For men the latter is probably the biggest lie.)

We are stuck in a vicious cycle that has the wealthy moving farther into the financial stratosphere while the poor and middle class head toward poverty.

But there is still a chance to turn that vicious cycle into a precious one.

America needs this to happen.

We must take the bull by the horns (not the tail) and face the problem.

Here is a fantasy involving a high ranking member of the Republican Party, for ease of use I choose John Boehner talking questions at a news conference after being given a shot of sodium pentothal:

Reporter: Sir, do you feel that the Bush tax cuts should be continued for all Americans?

Boehner: Absolutely.

R: Really?  For every American? Even those making over a million dollars a year?

A rare photo of Boehner
without his signature
orange glow.

B: Of course. (He takes out a card from his pocket and reads.) The wealthy people in this country create jobs and if we keep stealing money from them they won’t have enough left to hire anyone. And the uncertainty of the Obama tax law is killing their incentive. And without knowing how much they will have to pay for the constitutionally illegal Obamacare health insurance policies how can they hire new workers?  The last election gave us a mandate and the people spoke and we heard them and we want to help them.  It is the policies of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid that are stagnating this great nation and the Barney Franks who are trying to turn our wonderful wealthy citizens into demons. They should be lauded as great people who will turn this country around and make it the greatest nation in the world once again and that’s why…

R: EXCUSE ME SIR? Are you okay?

B: What?  Huh?  Of course I am.  What do you mean?  Why do you ask?

R: Well your eyes seemed to glaze over there for a bit and your speech started to slow near the end of your rant.

B: (Confused and sweating profusely) I’m fine.

R: Glad to hear that.  So now I’d like to get back to the issue at hand.  And if you wouldn’t mind I’d like you to answer with just a yes or a no.  Do you think you can handle that?

B: I suppose, I mean yes.

R: First I ask that you put away the cliff notes.

(B places the folded card back in his pocket.  At this point the drug has finally taken hold and the Congressman’s voice becomes monotone.)

R: Thank you.  I’m going to put forth two scenarios. I want you to state which one works better, okay?

B: Yes.

R: First one: We keep the Bush tax cuts going for all, allowing the wealthiest people to continue to keep nearly all their money as they have been doing for the last ten years.  We then hope they will start to spend some on hiring new workers who in turn will use some of their new salary to buy the products that the wealthy business owners produce even though to date they have not done so nor show signs of wanting to do so as yet.  Okay, that’s the first one.  Can you remember that while I tell you the second one?

B: Yes.

R: Instead of giving the wealthy a continued gift we continue the tax cuts only for the lower or middle class worker. In other words people with incomes of say $250K to $300K per year or less.

Going back to the pre-Bush tax rate on the wealthy, an undisputed time of national prosperity, will afford the government enough money to start fixing the nation’s infrastructure, something the Republicans used to feel was important.

The people hired to fill the newly created jobs will suddenly have an income and extra money to spend.

The spending spurs businesses to produce more and in effect allows them to make more profits, hiring more workers to cover the new orders.

The cycle continues as all involved are now making more money and as a result paying more in taxes which in turn will go toward the government’s bottom line.

This then would aid in lowering the National Debt.  And a lower deficit is another supposed pet project of the Republicans.

So in the long run which scenario do you think would work better for the country and every citizen as a whole?

B: The second one.

R: Thank you sir, that’s all.

A loud roar of elation comes from the room as the reporters joyously leave to celebrate an unexpected productive press conference.

Angry McConnell about to
plant one on Boehner.

John Boehner is greeted by Mitch McConnell who promptly punches him squarely in the nose while the rest of the Republican Party members present at their Waterloo yell and shout that he has really screwed things up.

Multi-national corporations go into closed door meetings to decide how to spin the fiasco.

Fox News who understandably switched to a repeat of “The Best of NASCAR” during the press conference gets ready to report that they have evidence of an imposter being planted in a John Boehner costume.

Andrew Breitbart, at the behest of Roger Ailes, is already working on a fake documentary showing the above to be true.

And somewhere an adviser is translating all that just happened into one-syllable words for Sarah Palin.

Senior Moment

Diversity is what makes our country great.

And diversity is what keeps it great.

But what does diversity actually mean?

When someone uses that word it conjures up images of immigrants from Italy, Ireland, or any number of other countries entering and leaving Ellis Island in search of a new life.  It brings to mind the tenements of the lower east side and push carts laden with all kinds of wares bouncing over uneven cobblestone streets.

But a diverse population is not only about ethnic background.  It also points to different levels of incomes or groups of communities or even sexual preferences.

In order for our nation to function well we must realize that we are all a part of the fabric that is America.

And thankfully we are all different!

Vive la difference!

It is a common theme in literature and entertainment to wish that others were more like us but wouldn’t that be a boring world, not to mention confusing and downright annoying.

And the differences between us makes it hard to generalize and harder yet to profile.  Not every man named Mohammed is a terrorist.  Just ask Cassius Clay although he did terrorize many in the ring!

But I will not use this post to rehash the ongoing argument about or against profiling.  This piece was made necessary by a particularly upsetting and short sighted editorial in my local newspaper Newsday.

On November 29, 2010 an “Opinion” piece by Daniel Akst singled out a growing group of people in America as getting an unfair break by way of universal unilateral perks.

He paints this diverse group with a broad brush and includes anyone and everyone that fits the criteria of membership.  He states that these people are taking advantage of an unintentional loophole, one they should ignore.

The awful group of dastardly evil doers of whom he speaks is the elders of society and the undeserving unfair perk is the dreaded ‘Senior Discount!”

Seriously?

I was once given an unasked for senior discount for a cup of coffee by a brainless teenager at a rest stop on the Thruway in upstate New York.  I was 49 years old at the time and although I was upset at the idea that she thought I looked older than I was I must nevertheless admit that I took the dime.

But Mr. Akst uses one particular 80 year old senior as proof that the widely offered discount is unfair, Mr. Warren Buffet.

Again Seriously?

Now clearly Mr. Buffet is far from being in need of a discount, let alone a handout but does this member of the staff of editorial writers on Newsday expect to have any credible followers after such an impertinent choice for his argument?

I would like Mr. Akst to choose instead Freddie, the local homeless person living under the Manhattan Bridge overpass or Lulu who resides in the shadow of the 59^th Street Bridge in Queens and not feeling all that groovy at the moment for his argument against discounts.

Okay, the principals in my examples do not exist, or at least if they do I am not aware of them so please don’t help Freddie or Lulu sue me.

His argument holds about as much water as does a submarine with a screen door.

I will naturally admit that there are many seniors out there who do not need nor deserve a discount.  One such undeserving low life laid me off a couple of years ago so that he could hold onto even more of his wealth but that does not mean that every senior is as evil or well to do.
But there are far more seniors in America who cannot afford a breakfast buffet than there are 'Buffets!'

The argument continues, according to Mr. Akst that seniors have been alive longer and therefore have been able to save more money than their younger worker counterparts.  This extra time putting away cash for their golden years gives seniors an edge when it comes to spending power and they therefore do not need the discounts.  He infers that the senior discounts instead be given to the younger set.

He naturally ignores the many years worth of taxes most seniors have paid to fund all the programs that they will most likely never take advantage of for various reasons.  He also neglects to mention the assault on Social Security and Medicare that one assumes is being made by his brethren in the Republican camp.
If 'need' be the criteria then why are we even debating whether or not to allow the Bush tax cuts for billionaires to expire???  Surely these people can afford full fare for an LIRR ticket! (Sorry Mr. Buffet.)

Why not take away all the so called perks these late in life people are given such as walkers or hearing aids?  Why should society have to put up with an aging bunch of Alzheimer candidates anyway?

This editorial writer for Newsday continues his assault on all things human when he blithely points out that many young people who look forward to getting into the senior citizen discount sect will probably die before reaching the appropriate age.  Perhaps Mr. Akst is bucking for the lead role in next year’s holiday performance of “Scrooge.”  I for one will not buy a ticket unless of course it comes with a half-off senior discount coupon.

There are a few more inane quasi facts thrown out by this obviously deluded individual in defense of his indefensible position but at the end of the day he is just plain wrong!

There are many problems in America and many ideas on how to face or fix them.  We do not need someone who seemingly wishes merely to make a name for himself to stir up some controversy or to gin up false ones.

As a new entry into the senior sect who has been unable to secure a new position since that lay off of which I spoke earlier I welcome my well deserved tiny occasional discounts.  They will not allow me to ride off into the sunset of retirement in a limo driven vehicle but at least I may be able to enjoy a slightly lower price for a meal at a local establishment.  Of course I may have to plan to eat dinner before 5 o’clock.

And as for Warren Buffet I happen to like the man.  He is quite down to earth and realizes that he pays far too little in taxes but since our government sets the rules by which he lives he follows them.  Following the rules has not seemed to hurt him much so far.

So if Mr. Akst still feels that senior discounts are being used and abused by those who do not need or deserve them I submit that he should do his patriotic duty by refusing them.

For the time being, however I shall not.

Upon Further Review - E Z Version

I had some complaints from friends (?) that  it was hard to read the original post since they had to scroll down and up to do so!   So to make it easy for my lazy friends, and I guess Americans in general who are used to being spoon fed headlines in our 24/7 world here is the EZ Version.

The following is a partial list of positive acts pushed for by Liberal groups in America.  It was compiled by an intelligent blogger known as Shoq.

The list is followed by what I believe would be an honest after the fact appraisal of each item by our Republic leaders and their Tea Party affiliates today.

Achievements of Liberalism in the U.S.

All or most strenuously resisted by conservatives & many Republicans.

1. Interstate Highway System 
   It wasn't Ike's idea. It was a liberal initiative begun in the '30s. Ike was a liberal.  (It's okay but we prefer to fly around in our private jets)
2. Almost all of our Labor Laws (and All Child Labor laws)  (Hated it!)
3. The Marshall Plan  (That has something to do with war? LOVED IT!)
4. Environmental Laws  (Bad for business! Stupid laws. Hurts job creation.)
5. Freedom of Information Act  (Jury is out on this one.)
6. Workplace safety laws  (Ditto "4.")
7. Social Security  (Hated it then, hate it now! Privatize the damn thing!)
8. The Space Program  (If it could be used for defense okay otherwise scrap it!)
9. Securities Act of 1933 & Most banking Regulations  (Stifling crap! Should have been repealed long ago.)
10. The Peace Corps  (Lilly livered do-gooders wasting money on aliens!
11. Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA)  (Depends on the service but mostly a waste.)
12. The Civil rights movement  (Hate it! Just look at the White House for GOD sake!)
13. Fight against Nazis, Fascism and Totalitarianism  (War is Hell & good for business! Especially ongoing ones.)
    Wilson, FDR ,Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy. All liberals
14. The Development and Deployment for the Internet (DARPA/HPCA)  (Now that we figured out how to use it, it's okay)
15. The Tennessee Valley project  (Ditto "4." Government growing too large!
16. Women's right to vote  (AAAHHHH!! Only 1 group worse! (Was that out loud?)
17. Universal Public Education  (Another wasteful government program.)
18. National Weather Service  (Okay, we'll give you that one.)
19. National Science Foundation/Basic Scientific Research  (Just don't touch GOD's stem cells!)
20. Product Labeling/Truth in Advertising Laws  (Hurts business, kills free enterprise! Caveat Emptor!)
21. Public Health Service and CDC  (Public health?  Enough already! Wasteful spending.
22. Morrill Land Grant Act (land for State public Universities)  (I reckon it worked out but still don't cotton to it!
23. Rural Electrification  (Give you this one as long as we control the energy sales.)
24. Public Universities  (Hate it! Government controls too much! It's hard work!
25. Bank Deposit Insurance  (Free insurance? What's this country coming to? Hate it.
26. Earned Income Tax Credit  (Only good if it includes billionaires otherwise dump it.
27. Family and Medical Leave Act  (This screws the hard working business owner - HATE IT!
28. Consumer Product Safety Commission  (ARE YOU KIDDING? OMG MY HEAD'S EXPLODING!
29. Public Broadcasting  (Hate it! Why the Hell do we need more than Fox News?
30. Hoover Dam  (Okay I'll give you that one. But don't push it.
31. Pell Grants  (I TOLD YOU NOT TO PUSH IT! Socialism! Killing the government & wasting tax dollars.)
32. Americans With Disabilities Act  (Hate it! My chauffeur has to park too far away now!
33. State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)  (Government interfering with parents! Pure & simple.)
34. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 – New (March 25th, 2010)  ( REPEAL OBAMACARE! REPEAL OBAMACARE! REPEAL!! REPEAL!! REPEAL!!)

Somewhere along the way to a modern society we seem to have lost sight of a simple fact.

The greatness of a nation must be measured by how it treats and takes care of it's citizens.

Together we the citizens make up our society, the social order of our country.

We, the citizens elect officials to become our representatives working for the greater good.

Society comes from groups working together, helping one another toward common goals. We have already seen that a nation divided against itself cannot survive.

Socialism in and of itself is not bad nor should the word have the stigma that has been placed on it by the greedy self-serving few among us who have lost sight of our Nation's original and common goal.

They should reread the Constitution.

The original aim of our founding fathers was, among other things to create a more perfect union and promote the general welfare.

Those words form the foundation of socialism.

They are words to live by and we must not forget them.

Upon Further Review

The following is a partial list of positive acts pushed for by Liberal groups in America.  It was compiled by an intelligent blogger known as Shoq.

The list is followed by what I believe would be an honest after the fact appraisal of each item by our Republic leaders and their Tea Party affiliates today.

Achievements of Liberalism in the U.S.

All or most strenuously resisted by conservatives & many Republicans.

1. Interstate Highway System 
   It wasn't Ike's idea. It was a liberal initiative begun in the '30s. Ike was a liberal.
2. Almost all of our Labor Laws (and All Child Labor laws)
3. The Marshall Plan
4. Environmental Laws
5. Freedom of Information Act
6. Workplace safety laws
7. Social Security
8. The Space Program
9. Securities Act of 1933 & Most banking Regulations
10. The Peace Corps
11. Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA)
12. The Civil rights movement
13. Fight against Nazis, Fascism and Totalitarianism 
    Wilson, FDR ,Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy. All liberals
14. The Development and Deployment for the Internet (DARPA/HPCA)
15. The Tennessee Valley project
16. Women's right to vote
17. Universal Public Education
18. National Weather Service
19. National Science Foundation/Basic Scientific Research
20. Product Labeling/Truth in Advertising Laws
21. Public Health Service and CDC
22. Morrill Land Grant Act (land for State public Universities)
23. Rural Electrification
24. Public Universities
25. Bank Deposit Insurance
26. Earned Income Tax Credit
27. Family and Medical Leave Act
28. Consumer Product Safety Commission
29. Public Broadcasting
30. Hoover Dam
31. Pell Grants
32. Americans With Disabilities Act
33. State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
34. Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 – New (March 25th, 2010)

Now the Republic Rebuttal:

  1.  It's okay but we prefer to fly around in our private jets

  2.  Hate it!

  3.  That has something to do with war? LOVE IT!

  4.  Bad for business! Stupid laws. Hurts job creation.

  5.  Jury is out on this one.

  6.  Ditto "4."

  7.  Hated it then, hate it now! Privatize the damn thing!

  8.  If it could be used for defense okay otherwise scrap it!

  9.  Stifling crap! Should have been repealed long ago.

10.  Lilly livered do-gooders wasting money on aliens!

11.  Depends on the service but mostly a waste.

12.  Hate it! Just look at the White House for GOD sake!

13.  War is Hell & good for business! Especially ongoing ones.

14.  Now that we figured out how to use it, it's okay

15.  Ditto "4." Government growing too large!

16.  AAAHHHH!! Only 1 group worse! (Was that out loud?)

17.  Another wasteful government program.

18.  Okay, we'll give you that one.

19.  Just don't touch GOD's stem cells!

20.  Hurts business, kills free enterprise! Caveat Emptor!

21.  Public health?  Enough already! Wasteful spending.

22.  I reckon it worked out but still don't cotton to it!

23.  Give you this one as long as we control the energy sales.

24.  Hate it! Government controls too much! It's hard work!

25.  Free insurance? What's this country coming to? Hate it.

26.  Only good if it includes billionaires otherwise dump it.

27.  This screws the hard working business owner - HATE IT!

28.  ARE YOU KIDDING? OMG MY HEAD'S EXPLODING!

29.  Hate it! Why the Hell do we need more than Fox News?

30.  Okay I'll give you that one. But don't push it.

31.  Socialism! Killing the government & wasting tax dollars.

32.  Hate it! My chauffeur has to park too far away now!

33.  Government interfering with parents! Pure & simple.

34.  REPEAL OBAMACARE! REPEAL OBAMACARE! REPEAL!!

Somewhere along the way to a modern society we seem to have lost sight of a simple fact.

The greatness of a nation must be measured by how it treats and takes care of it's citizens.

Together we the citizens make up our society, the social order of our country.

We, the citizens elect officials to become our representatives working for the greater good.

Society comes from groups working together, helping one another toward common goals. We have already seen that a nation divided against itself cannot survive.

Socialism in and of itself is not bad nor should the word have the stigma that has been placed on it by the greedy self-serving few among us who have lost sight of our Nation's original and common goal.

They should reread the Constitution.

The original aim of our founding fathers was, among other things to create a more perfect union and promote the general welfare.

Those words form the foundation of socialism.

They are words to live by and we must not forget them.

Dropped Connection

Remember the song, Dry Bones? 
(Some people think the song is Dem Bones so I am not the first use it politically.)

Basically it’s a children’s ditty about how all our bones are connected to one another.

A slight leap of intelligence and we realize anything that affects one bone therefore affects them all.

This concept is the same whether we are talking about a human body or a modern society.  Anything that harms one sector must have an affect on another.  Sometimes that affect may be small at first but have far reaching complications later on.

So it is not hard to realize that the lopsided rules and regulations being approved, or ignored for that matter by Congress these days may have a deleterious affect on our nation’s middle class.  And the damage to that group could in turn come back and harm those currently benefiting.

You may pick and choose any number of decisions over that past few years to see just how things are shaping up as the proverbial class warfare struggle continues.  And with the wealthy class holding all the ammunition the war is likely to end with a whimper not a shout.

First the Supreme Court allowed corporations to act as individuals with regards to campaign donations.  They may now fund advertising campaigns to bring down or promote any candidate they see as favorable to their cause without fear of being found out.

Without getting into any legal discussions I merely ask one moral question, if they are not doing anything wrong then why are they afraid to come out of the shadows and let the public know just who they are?

Clearly the law is allowing corporate shills to hide in the closets of the lobbies.

But while many feel the activist 'Conservative' court committed a major boner the dastardly deed has been done.

Then we take on the sticky subject of health care for the average citizen of America.

When the proposal that all Americans should have access to affordable health care and insurance was introduced the corporate world quietly went crazy.  They instituted a frenzy of misinformation.

Using a network of people who did not need health reform they disseminated such lies as calling the much needed legislation ‘Obamacare’ and continue to do so to this day.

They hired people to spread lies through grass roots groups claiming that discussions with your doctor when you get older will lead to ‘death camps.’

The Senators and Congressmen who stood in front of crowds and bemoaned the end of the world if the masses were allowed affordable healthcare were themselves covered by free lifetime insurance paid for by the very people they were lying to.  And to add insult to injury they would continue to receive this free perk for themselves and their families for the rest of their lives.

There is a familiar and apropos word for people who say one thing while doing another, hypocrite!

Physics teaches us that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  When you push on a wall it does not fall down because it is actually pushing back.  In order for that to change one side must give in.  You may stop pushing and walk away or perhaps the wall will give in first and topple under the pressure.  Either way the forces exerted cease.

But what if we succeed in destroying the wall and later find that we needed it?  The time and effort to replace it will be greatly magnified.

Lawmakers will tell you that it takes time for results to be seen whenever new legislation is put in place.  And this is true as long as we realize the variable involved is time.

The health reform law does not fully go into effect until the year 2014 because the powerful lobbies of the insurance industry needed time to misinform the public as to its merits.  And they are using their time wisely by planting seeds of malcontent among the very people who would benefit by its implementation.  And the fertilizer they are using comes directly from the corporate shills in the Republican Party as well as many elected Democrats secretly on the payroll.

Remember the joke about the Pope telling his disciple what he is allowed to do during sex with his partner.  Upon hearing the Pontiff's admonition the man retorts, “Hey, you don’t play the game you don’t make the rules!”

Our elected officials do not play the game when it comes to:
Finding affordable health care;
Worrying about their retirement funds;
Making sure their family is and will be taken care of;
Or any of the many other things that keep the tax paying public awake at night. (And by saying 'tax-paying public I am  leaving the wealthiest 1% of the country out for obvious reasons.)

Once these self-serving public servants are elected into office they are set for life.  They play a different game, one we know as 'keep-away' where the monkey in the middle is truly the middle class.  They keep us away from them and vice versa.

On the surface this may seem fair since any rulings they pass down will not hurt nor benefit them.  An impartial judge and jury is essential to a Democratic way of life.

But impartiality is lost when tampering is involved.

And the tug of war between the need of the middle class and the greed of the wealthy is being unfairly influenced when one side pumps millions upon millions of dollars into the arena.  At that point the game is no longer fair and the outcome is no longer in doubt.

Our nation’s real unemployment rate is just under 17% and many people have been out of work for two years or longer.

The corporations are pointing to uncertainty and fear about rising taxes as the reasons they are not hiring new workers.  They seek tax breaks and assurances that they will not have to pay for the health insurance of their employees going forward.

Yet these same corporations just reported record profits of 28%!

So where exactly is that excess cash going?

Some of it is finding its way into the aforementioned ad campaigns and much more of it is being pocketed by the giddy greedy wealthy owners.  These bankers, CEOs, and board members can not believe how lucky they are to be living the wet dream of of a lifetime.

Through fault of their own they are being allowed to create great wealth with fewer full-time employees and receive tax breaks in doing so.  They continue to hire cheaper labor overseas while bemoaning the possibility of fair taxes being levied on their increased profits.

So where will it end?

Will our government finally come out of the corporate closet?  Will they merely rename the White House ‘The Office of the CEO’ and Congress the ‘Board Room?’

Maybe.

But instead we should think of America as a living entity, an organism comprised of many important organs.  Each of these connected to one another through an intricate nervous system and held in place by a unique skeletal system.

The middle class is the backbone of that society.  You may place the wealthy anywhere you like on that skeleton as long as you remember the connection!  Because if their bones become so heavy they will break the back.

As you can see I guess have a bone or two to pick with our current leadership.