THE LIBRARY MAKES US A BETTER COMMUNITY

It is ironic that Citizens Library is in danger of closing its doors because the Washington and Trinity school districts may not provide their yearly stipend.  The school districts are already under water from the State budget.  This is like asking Social Security to save Medicare, or the City Mission to bail out public housing.

Whether the library closes or not, the fact we are having the discussion is pathetic.  Libraries are essential institutions in a democratic society because they play a non-partisan role in providing the information that allows all of our citizens, including the less fortunate, to make informed decisions.  Citizens Library is the heart of the sick entity known as the City of Washington.  Turn out the lights and the old lady sputters and maybe dies.

Washington County is experiencing an economic revival like few places in our country.  If the County government, private enterprise and our more affluent citizens cannot come up with $50,000.00, there is something wrong with our priorities.

JUSTICE FOR HEDGEHOGS

by Gary Stout

All of our elected officials (and most of the rest of us) should read JUSTICE FOR HEDGEHOGS by Ronald Dworkin. This philosophical essay starts from the premise that while the fox knows many things, the hedgehog knows one really big thing. In this remarkable book, the one big thing is what differentiates right from wrong. Dworkin develops a clear path, by explaining ethics, morality, freedom, liberty and equality. It is possible (actually it is mandatory) to live well and be good. One must know the rules.

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MARCELLUS SHALE, GAME THEORY & THE PUBLIC GOOD

Whenever an environmental issue captures the attention of the public, my thoughts always turn to game theory.  I have come to believe over the years that there is no outcome that will favor the environmentalists when there are politicians, industrialists, economists, emerging economies or farmers with gas in the south forty, on the other side.  No matter how dire the consequences, greed, self interest and simple short term gain always seems to win out over what is best for the long term collective good.

 The oldest principal in game theory “the tragedy of the commons” saw the conservation crowd come up short from the time of sheep herding in the Bible until this year, when the price of your tuna steak doubled.  It explains why every area of common land suffers from overgrazing and why every sea fishery suffers from overfishing.  Individual rational behavior, to take as much as you can as quickly as you can from a common area, deteriorates into collective ruin. Watch out arctic circle, you are the next commons.  Many countries have you in the crosshairs, polar bears and global warming be damned.

More recent game theories like “the prisoner’s dilemma” and “tit for tat” also make me pessimistic when applied to environment issues.  The game scenarios in the former theory, place two prisoners against each other.  If they both confess, they each get 3 years in prison.  If they both stay silent, they each get one year in prison. If one confesses, he goes free, only if the other stays silent.  The silent one now gets the shaft, 5 years in prison.  Over and over again the rational prisoner will chose to confess, because he does not want the other to go free and for himself to serve the longer term.  Once again, individually rational strategies result in a collectively irrational outcome.  Guess what, individual countries and farmers with gas rights think the same way.  Never chose an option where your neighbor may make out better than you.

The “tit for tat” game theory should offer me some consolation, but it doesn’t.  It was developed by social scientists to explain how it is possible for mankind to behave based on cooperation rather than self interest.  It uses examples from the animal world and primitive tribes.  The theory is that once there is conditioning and experience in giving something up to get something back, self interest can be overcome. A cautious exchange of favors enables trust to be built upon a foundation of individual reward.  Now, this line of thinking may work for vampire bats or the Ache people of Paraguay, but certainly not our State government, Congress, or our relations with Brazil, India and China.

So what has all this to do with Marcellus Shale? I suspect that the short term gain of an additional energy supply, given an energy crisis and the recession, not to mention powerful political and corporate interests, will far out match long term environmental concerns.  In the first place, the American people are much more adept at kicking the can down the road than developing strategies based on cooperation. (see the national debt, taxation etc.)  In the second place, unlike our socialist friends in Europe, given our peculiar Andrew Jackson DNA, we do not favor lifting the entire environmental boat, for the collective good, when there is money to be made.  The next drilling rig may be in our own backyard.

The Stock Market

I have a friend who belongs to the Pennsylvania Trappers Association and who is also a card carrying Vegan.  The ying and the yang keep her balanced.  Trap the critters and eat kale for dessert.   It is difficult to argue with her because I practice a similar dichotomy.  I read three financial newspapers, hundreds of financial internet articles a week and play the market like a riverboat gambler. I am also a democratic socialist who believes we need more resource sharing and less capitalism.

            There is something so elemental about the stock market that is hard to resist.  Sell when the herd is greedy and buy when the lemmings are struck with fear and following each other over the cliff.  Besides when your country provides no guarantee of a comfortable retirement and takes away the economic and social compact established by Roosevelt and Lyndon Johnson, a little gambling is not a bad idea.  I wonder if they play the stock market in Denmark or Sweden.

WASHINGTON PA BUSINESS DISTRICT

The business district in The City of Washington is truly a conundrum. It does not fit the profile of a dying steel town and yet more storefronts are boarded up than ever.  The factors in place for a thriving area of commerce are almost too good to be true. A vibrant college on its border, situated at the intersection of two interstates, historical and architecturally significant buildings, a growing upper middle class population to draw from and a large group of mid-day employees who work at the court house and county facilities. Other business communities only dream of such possibilities.

            We know a lot more can be done with a lot less.  Take a stroll down Allegheny River Boulevard in Oakmont.  Spend an afternoon in the quaint village of Sewickley. Visit historic Morristown, New Jersey.  Take a trip to Niagara on the Lake in Ontario.  People come and they window shop and they spend money and they tell their friends and more people come…..

            One could argue that these examples have become destination locations because of an excellent bakery, battlefield, specialty shops or regional theater.  This is beside the point.  There is no reason that Washington cannot attract bookstores, cafes and even niche national retailers to fill its spaces.  All it takes is good planning, optimistic municipal officials and patience.  Parking fees and garages should be at the end of the debate.  A master plan that takes advantage of Washington’s many virtues must come first. 

             

THE POWER OF 32

FORGET THE POWER OF 32; LET’S MOVE AHEAD WITH THE POWER OF WASHINGTON COUNTY

The Power of 32 initiative seeks to revitalize “32 Counties in 4 States with 1 vision.”  It encompasses an area of 17,380 square miles with a population of over 4 million, including Washington County.  It is yet another example of a regional planning effort armed with eager young staffers, flip charts full of notes from local meetings and no place to go.  The Power of 32 has an impressive list of “partners”, almost all from Allegheny County.  Its 3.1 million dollar budget is funded by Pittsburgh foundations.  The goals are rather general and imprecise: create a shared vision; instill a sense of realistic optimism; inspire cross section leadership; connect people, communities and institutions.  Participants who attended local meetings were asked to share their views on challenges and goals.

            I attended a Power of 32 meeting in Washington and have followed their project online.  Nothing I have heard or read leads me to conclude that it will achieve any significant result that would actually make a difference.

 Getting a Somerset County farmer to find common ground with a Pittsburgh urbanite would be the impossible dream under the best of circumstances.  The wants and needs are too divergent. The political and community institutions have nothing in common. If there were one overriding issue that affected the region as a whole, perhaps the differences could be overcome to achieve a “win-win” for all 32 counties.  No such issue is readily apparent or in my view is being sought by the project.

            Where could 3 million dollars be spent to insure “the region’s best future”? How could these funds be spent to achieve “results” and not simply “optimism”? The answer is a focused and manageable project in Washington County.  Concentrate the resources in one political unit, where decisions can actually be made and deliverables achieved.  Instead of a glossy report that gathers dust on the corner of elected officials in 32 Counties in four States, a Washington County pilot project could achieve one or more of the following:

·         Develop and implement a detailed plan for Unigov (the Indianapolis Indiana model) in Washington County under which the City and County governments are consolidated into one political unit. Someone has to be the starter on this transition to save all of our cities/county seats, including Pittsburgh from going bankrupt and impeding our growth.

·         As part of the consolidation, work out and implement a plan to shrink the number of political units in Washington County, to combine functions and save money.  Address the sub issues of pensions, school districts and revenue sharing.

·         Develop and implement a detailed plan, to protect our natural resources while exploiting the gas fields and creating jobs.  These competing quality of life issues are on everyone’s agenda in the region.  Washington County is in the ideal position to find the answers by doing rather than studying.

·         Develop and implement a detailed plan to make our region a destination for recreation, vacations and retirement and pilot it in Washington County.  The pieces are already in place.  All that is needed is the appropriate media and funds to get the message out.

It is never easy to be the guinea pig on projects as momentous as outlined above.  If Washington County has the foresight to request foundation funds and the courage to change, we could lead the region into the next century with a work in progress rather than another plan.

           

           

           

           

            THE ART OF JUDGING

 In recent months many Pennsylvania lawyers have followed and attempted to explain to their family and friends the unfolding judicial corruption scandal in Luzerne County. (for background go to “Luzerne County Citizen’s Voice” and click on “Corruption”)  How could so few, perpetrate such a complex financial scheme, to deprive so many juveniles of their constitutional rights, for so long?  How did they escape detection?  What type of judicial culture would foster such behavior? Could it happen elsewhere?  How could real life in Luzerne County be more outrageous than Kindle County in a Scott Turow Novel?   

In many respects The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania mirrors the United States in its political formation and diversity.  Blue/urban on the east/west corridors with a middle that is decidedly red/rural.  Pennsylvia’s 67 counties range in size from Philadelphia with a population of 1,500,000 to Fulton, smaller than many municipalities at 14,200.  The size and complexity of the Court of Common Pleas are equally diverse. The largest, Philadelphia County has a President Judge, 4 Administrative Judges and 125 members on its bench.  The smallest, Fulton County has three part time Judges.  Luzerne County is near the middle with a population of 320,000 and 8 judges.

            Over my legal career, I have had the opportunity to closely observe our trial courts in the context of a large system (Allegheny County, 50 judges), where I worked as the Administrator of its Adult Family Division and a small- medium system, ( Washington County, 6 judges), where I now have a private practice.  The context in which judges operate is quite different in the two environments.  The odds that a litigant in Allegheny County knows anything of a personal nature about his assigned common pleas judge are slim.  In Washington County at least two thirds of my clients know the assigned judge personally or someone from his family or staff.  A sense of community is melded with the need for justice.

Allegheny County, along with its big brother, Philadelphia control much of what matters in the state wide judicial arena.  The court rules committees are dominated by Judges from these two counties. The appellate courts are dominated by their Judges.  This dominance spills over to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) and The Judicial Review Board, charged with administrating and enforcing Pennsylvania court activities.  Unfortunately, this large urban court prospective has not always encompassed the reality or needs of smaller county court systems. 

While the larger counties dominate state judicial policies and procedures, I would argue that Judges in smaller counties are more revered and exert more influence over their citizens.  In Allegheny County, given the numbers of cases involved, justice is swift and often impersonal.  The need to dispense quickly, to get to the next, outweighs the personal touch.  If you are lucky enough to receive accelerated disposition (ARD) of your drunk driving charges in Allegheny, you are one of hundreds in a cattle call proceeding that only reinforces for you the number of drinkers on the roadways.  The judge does not get to look you in the eye.

            On the other hand, it is fascinating to observe Washington County Judges issue orders and sentences.  Each pronouncement comes with a lecture or sermon designed to impact not only the litigant but his or her family, others seated in the courtroom, lawyers and the community. There is no confusion about how the law will be enforced or what will happen to you if you are unfortunate enough to reappear.  A judgeship in a smaller county elevates the individual to one of the most respected positions in the community.  The job is not simply deciding cases.  It is setting legal boundaries and mores that affect the fabric of the community.   

In Allegheny County a judges’ power base is limited to his immediate staff and courtroom. This is due to the large number of judges and the fact that the DA’s office, Public Defender’s office, Legal Aid and the Bar Association exert large power bases and influence in their own right.  In a large urban court system, these other institutions are checks and balances against judicial abuses.  Moreover, in Allegheny and Philadelphia the President Judge positions are administrative and unlike the convicted President Judge in Luzerne County, do not normally have assigned cases.

In Washington County, I have found that there is much less power sharing between the court and other offices involved in the legal system.  The court is “king.” The court is above petty differences.  The court takes the lead and others follow. 

            Luzerne County has a slightly larger population and judicial base than Washington County.  My sense is that the Judges in Luzerne commanded the same respect and standing as I have observed in Washington.  I am sure the public knew the offending judges well and had closely followed their careers.  The DA, Public Defender and local Bar Association (which have been highly criticized by the media for their failure to take action) had no history or reason to challenge the President Judge and his decisions.  This made financial corruption appear unlikely and difficult to confront once it took place.  The scenario is not unlike the long trusted bookkeeper who embezzles from the family business after twenty years of impeccable service.

            The ongoing investigation in Luzerne County represents the most significant example of judicial corruption in Pennsylvania’s long history. Just as terrorist attacks and oil spills foster responsive policies, the AOPC and Judicial Conduct Board will alter its administrative and disciplinary practices toward courts in the smaller judicial districts. I hope that these changes are able to provide checks and balances without disrupting the special relationship between judges and the citizens of smaller counties like Washington.

Tucson Az.

Political Assassination (and attempts) galvanize the body politic like no other event, short of a terrorist attack.  From Abraham Lincoln, to President Kennedy and his Brother, Robert, through President Regan, an attack on an elected official feels personal.  Somehow, a high body count resulting from a domestic dispute or the deranged killer of ordinary citizens does not achieve the same effect.

Similar talking points jump out and are discussed (with no discernable solutions) after every high profile killing.  Gun control, the privacy rights of our mentally unstable citizens, and security issues are the usual suspects.  Tucson is different.  The suspect was fixated on Representative Giffords, at least in part, because of her political views.  While it is also true that his mental health was deteriorating, there was enough evidence in his sick mind that the Congresswoman needed to die.  There is no disagreement that the political atmosphere in Southern Arizona, encouraged by the national fringe media, has torn that community apart.  God Bless the Sheriff from Tucson and his frank comments on cause and effect.  He knew his community was and is a powder keg.

In another powder keg, last week a leading member of the Pakistani liberal ruling party was assassinated by one of his own security guards.  He was defending a Christian woman who was accused of violating fundamentalist Islamic law on blasphemy.  The Islamists and the Mullahs who support them have gained immeasurably, over the secular government, from this killing.

On Sunday, as I watched the Mother of the nine year old girl who was killed in the shooting, eulogize her daughter and explain her love of politics, a chill ran down my spine.  I realized there were fellow citizens who were secretly glad that Representative Giffords, who had escaped the political “crosshairs” of the election, was now down and possibly out.  There are whispers that the death threats against our President have never been higher.  Unfortunately, political assassinations in any political system change history.

If we are not Pakistan, if we are to remove violence and violent images as a political tool, we must move away from all or nothing politics.  It is time to realize that the fine art of compromise and constructive dialogue is what made our Constitutional Republic successful in the first place.  It is the body politic, who must send the message.

  

  

The Tea Party And Racism

The NAACP got it right on the Tea Party.  They were compelled to express what no one in the media or main stream politics will touch, because of the passion it unleashes. “The Tea Party is about race.” A bigotry below the surface, not just against African Americans, but anyone who is “different”. The soul of the Tea Party has little to do with small government, low taxes and preserving the constitution.  These issues are smoke screens for what drives many of its core supporters.  The real soul of the Tea Party traces back to a time when the fear of assertive black men, interracial marriage, non Christians and eastern elitism brought forth bible beaters and white sheets. A forbearer of the Tea Party was the No Nothing Party, rising against the imagined threat from catholic German Irish and Polish immigrants (at a time when blacks were still enslaved) in the 1840s and 50s.   

            Perhaps the initial organizers of the Tea Party were motivated by a traditional political agenda. It is more likely that the movement was always about racism and religious intolerance disguised as a political agenda. My personal observations are that its supporters in the small towns, farms and rural churches are happy to have political cover of their overt distaste for Obama and others of color.

  On a recent drive through rural Pennsylvania the large signs “He’s Not Our President” and the chatter at family gatherings I’ve attended do not speak to getting republican or libertarian candidates elected. Obama’s policies have done little to change their world. These individuals, who wholeheartedly support the Tea Party, cannot accept, under any circumstances, what they view as an “interracial elitist” with “questionable Christian values” to boot, running their country. 

The antithesis to Obama, an undereducated, symbol of Andrew Jackson white protestant supremacy, Sarah Palin, is the perfect figurehead to champion Tea Party bigotry disguised as a political agenda. Glen Beck on television, Rush Limbaugh on the radio and far right internet postings provide incendiary rhetoric to seal the deal. Clearly, without Barack Obama, there would be no Tea Party.

            Unfortunately, Tea party members are not the only closet racists.  During the democratic primary, I could feel the underlying racism coming from Clinton and Edwards supporters.  Obama was their last choice, never the best choice, for unspoken reasons that had nothing to do with politics.  Among many lifelong democrats, racism is alive in the social DNA. 

            The NAACP must know that things are getting better.  It is a good thing that the racism that remains in this country is wrapped in subliminal political views and not white sheets.  It is encouraging that the old time religion with its parochial self interest, is giving way to a broader world view that takes Christian values seriously rather than the bible literally.  This is not to say that there is no better time than now to address racism head on and expose it for what it is.

 In the end, the Tea Party will not become a viable third political party.  The fact that Barack Obama was elected tells us so. The 24 hour news cycle makes the Tea Party more viable than it to an historical footnote as the country continues to evolve.  Rural white Protestants, who have never had an African or Hispanic American to lunch will become a minority. The population will become younger, less WASP and more open minded. Racist DNA will begin to disappear from our descendants’ social fabric.really is. It will fade

Invite a Heretic to Lunch

A “friend” is a person attached to another by feelings of personal regard. A “heretic” is a person considered to be a dissenter or freethinker, apart from our status quo.  Like John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, we need more friends that are heretics.

These days, the old adage that you never begin a conversation with a political or religious topic in mixed company seems to be the norm.  It is difficult to identify the heretics outside the confines of family, political allies and place of worship.  Unless you are physically or intellectually gifted, why take the chance on a beat down.  Besides, when it comes to politics or religion, there is only one truth and nothing will change it.

 The art of politics, especially in our constitutional republic, is the art of compromise. You would think that political discussions might seek a common ground, or at least to broaden the acceptable status quo.  Not in my lifetime.  Apparently, from the slew of new history on our founding fathers, not in their lifetimes either.  Progressive vs. libertarian, federalism vs. states rights are and were serious business, worth fighting over.  But despite their strong disagreements, Adams and Jefferson died on the same day as friends, after a lifetime of fervent political debate.  In today’s political environment, it is a rare event when two friends of differing political views, discuss the options, shake hands and consider a compromise solution. 

When institutional politics becomes an all or nothing endeavor you get the French Revolution, Jacobin vs. Royalist with the guillotine the only winner.  The great compromiser, Lafayette, had to flee for his life.  Thank goodness that in America, the very institutions that are slow to react and make no one happy, the Administration, Congress, the Courts, reach compromises that we grudgingly accept, and keep us all from anarchy.  Unfortunately, more of the compromises are happening by default rather than by design as the business of getting reelected trumps the business of governing.

This dichotomy between individual rancor and institutional compromise is not new, but seems to be more polarizing than ever.  The battle lines are not drawn around one issue but rather seem to stand for a way of life.  In spite of a plethora of unbiased information, it is the inability of individuals to even consider a contrarian position that is most troubling.  Each side attracts its own and rejects the other.  Unfortunately, our primary interaction with the heretics are the surrogates screaming at street rallies or the appointed commentators attacking the dissenters in the media.

 Maybe the polite approach of “keeping the conversation to ourselves” is now dangerously outdated.  Maybe we should invite a heretic to tea, in the Pakistani tradition of friendship, and seek some commonality in our great pluralistic society.  Maybe we should listen, and rediscover what makes us all Americans, more alike than different.

For a change of pace and to dampen the rhetoric, I would love to watch a talking head from Fox News, research, prepare for and debate a counterpart from MSNBC.  The catch would be that each side adopt the opposite political agenda.  At the end of the debate the participants would discuss what they learned, where there is agreement and compromise solutions.  Those of us who rant against the tea party should attend one of their meetings.  Those of us who rant against the President should read his autobiography.

Religion has always been a more contentious subject in mixed company, than politics.  Going to hell is the ultimate serious business.  If one religion is the path to salvation, the others, a priori, must be wrong.  If one religious group is not understood or harbors a few destructive deviants, we tend to demonize them all.  The political battle lines often include religious differences, adding another brick to the wall.

On the subject of different faiths I have some personal experience.  I was baptized as a Methodist and raised in the Quaker tradition.  All my first cousins are Catholic and my first wife and only child are of the Jewish faith.  My siblings practice a collage of eastern mysticism and my sister- in -law’s family are devout Hindus.  My present wife is the daughter of an evangelical Christian pastor, raised in the Italian Christian Church.

 I have not once faced the dilemma of choosing sides. In my journey through churches, temples and synagogues, from the plain Meeting House to the most ornate Hindu temple, it was never the differences that stood out, but rather the universal themes. It always impressed me that at the fundamental core of all religions, in matters of faith, gratitude, humility, tolerance and forgiveness, they were more alike than different.

When it comes to religious intolerance (not unlike politics) ignorance is the enemy.  Attending the service of another faith should be the norm rather than the exception in our modern world.  I am a strong advocate of education in comparative religion.  If such offerings became more available at schools, library discussions and even houses of worship, disinformation would disappear and the innate beauty of all religions would at least permit understanding, if not acceptance. A cup of tea with a member of another faith is a start. Those of us who rant against Christianity or Islam should actually read the Bible or the Koran.

           

In the end we should all be mindful of a quote from Thomas Jefferson: “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.”

We need friends who disagree with us on matters of church and state, as much as friends who parrot our beliefs.  We need to talk about the uncomfortable issues and listen to the contra positions.  My father’s best friend was of a different faith and political party.  They would often break out refreshment (never three cups of tea) and argue for hours over the topics of the day. Sometimes he would admit to me (never to his friend) that his opinion had changed.  At the very least, like Adams and Jefferson, they would shake hands and agree to disagree.

I am A Progressive...but

I am a progressive, a liberal, a social democrat, and would like you all to adopt my worldview.  We could save our country, save the world, save ourselves.  Just look at the facts.

“Every man has a right to his opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong on his facts.”  This famous quote from Daniel Patrick Moynihan, among others, seems so simple: opinions can differ, but should be based on factual truths.  At first blush, this statement appears to offer a way to soften the rancor and disagreements which have so divided the body politic these past months.  Let each of us learn the facts, before we blindly accept the opinion of another.  No more basing our opinions on the views of editorials, commentators, internet blogs, or neighbors.  No more easier and softer way. The primary documents and statistics are readily available.  Let’s review “the facts” and make up our own mind.  This legwork would surely broaden our knowledge of the “truth” and bring us closer together.

            I don’t think so.  The differences in our society are ideological and not based on ignorance.  Most of us realize there are two sides to the debate, each side based on a foundation of facts.  Other than what our gut and favorite talking heads tells us is right, we really don’t care.  We see facts as useful pawns, not fundamental truths.

            There are enough facts out there to support any position, no matter how radical.  The issues: the economy, global warming, education, international politics, are too complex to reduce to simple truths.  The scholars in the liberal and conservative think tanks, who study the empirical data ad nauseam, can’t agree on anything. 

            What I have recently discovered came as a complete shock and had me depressed for days. It is not more facts that will give me a more balanced view of the issues and humanize the heretics.  It is actually listening to them and discovering some personal truth in their opinions.  At the risk of my house being struck by lightning, I listened to Glenn Beck on the Mall.  Many of his pronouncements did not offend me.  I despise Ayn Rand.  I listened to a debate on her philosophy, some of which made sense.  I now read Peggy Newnan every Saturday.  Her folksy Reganisms more often than not, hit the mark.

            So there is legwork to do, but it is much more unpleasant than searching for facts.  It involves humanizing the heretics by putting ourselves in their shoes, listening to their sponsors and searching for common ground.  There are some facts we all agree on.

            I don’t feel as smug or comfortable and certainly some of the righteousness in my crusade has been deflated.  It remains more about ideas, not about those who disagree with me.   

           

THE SECRETS OF BABY BOOMER BLISS

            My wife and I will both celebrate our 60^th birthdays this year.  We are in the middle of those Americans born between the years 1946 and 1960.  We are boomers.  Some of the factors that I find have made my contemporaries content and secure are fascinating. They are not the factors I would have expected to report when attending Woodstock in August of 1969.  My thoughts below are personal observations and do not rise to the level of the study on finger length and prostate cancer. (Another topic important to boomers)

            Married boomers who never had children are at the top of my happiness and security list.  They have, on the whole remained happily married over the years and lead the most interesting of lives.  They love their god children, nieces, nephews and neighbor’s children.  They love spending time with them on their terms, with no responsibility as parents.  Their bank accounts are large, retirements early and they also do not have pets.  They may be more selfish than the rest of us, but it is difficult not to envy their independence.

            Next on my list are married boomers who had children, but fought off their parents, rabbis, priests and social mores. These boomers entered marriages with a spouse from another religion, ethnic group or race.  They now tend to be divorced and may be less financially well off.  However, they appear happy.  One child per couple was the norm.  The children from these mixed marriages are beautiful and unique jewels.   Now adults, these children are a credit to mixing the gene pools.  After all, Presidents, world class golfers and movie stars are made of such stock.  Parental pride and satisfaction have overruled the stresses of parenthood.  The social sacrifices were worth it and time has proven them right 

Many of the boomers I know with traditional marriages, lifestyles and 2.3 children are on the whole stressed out, and fearful of the future.  The blueprint laid out by their parents, Dr. Spock and the republicans seems to have failed them.  Their adult children depend on them as do their elderly parents.  A pleasant retirement is a pipe dream.  They need socialism in the areas of medicine, education, elder care and retirement but many support the libertarians. They continue to believe that even in the mist of social despair, anyone can win the American lottery.

I find boomers with a well rounded liberal arts education a fascinating lot and on the whole happier than those without one.  Their world, as they have less to do and more time to think, is simply more interesting.  My boomer sister got her BA degree and became a housewife.  She is not qualified to enter the job market.   However, she reads incessantly and holds her own when discussing politics, literature, theology and philosophy.  My much younger brother took business courses and became a CPA.  He never reads a book and is not interested in much beyond taxes and football. I believe he will miss a great deal of the world as he gets older.  To balance off the happiness quota, my sister’s children have been a challenge while my brother and his Indian wife have no children. (He needs to get started and mix the gene pools)

Of great interest to me is how those boomers, who have achieved financial success, are often our most vocal social democrats.  These boomers who have already won the American lottery drive the tea party to distraction by offering to pay higher income and estate taxes.  They want to spread the wealth so that more of us boomers are content and secure.

Financially, boomers who by design or accident learned to drink from the public trough are more secure and content than those who looked to the private sector for their employment.  Few boomers I know are good at financial matters let alone investing. Disappointments from 403(b) retirement plans, IRAs and bankrupt companies have left many acquaintances working longer or parking cars in their retirement.  On the other hand, friends who spent their careers in the public sector, government or teaching have defined benefit annuity checks and often health care benefits to look forward to each month.  One Pittsburgh friend who remained a dedicated bureaucrat, will receive a city, county and state pension check and free health care as he travels the world.

            Lastly boomers whose parents passed away in their 60s and 70s have a much better quality of life. Yes, they miss their parents.  They do not miss nursing homes, fights with their siblings over parental care, dementia and watching their parents hard earned cash go to the government (to help pay the retirement checks for the bureaucrats).  The inheritance they receive often makes the difference between a comfortable as opposed to a marginal retirement.

In 1970, who would have imagined that remaining childless; taking a risk in relationships; government work; being educated to think, rather than to do; and having parents who exit early, would be positive to boomers.  The next generation may or may not think well of us. The least we can do is all get living wills and not wear out our welcome.

An East Cost and Allegheny county/ Pittsburgh expat…what’s to love about Washington, PA.

Why would anyone leave the business, political and cultural centers of the northeast and Pittsburgh for the small city of Washington?  After 10 years of living in East Washington, let me name a few things that make Washington the ideal place to live, work and retire, for someone who was born and has lived in or near NYC, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

·        A town where the only traffic problem is getting vehicles to use public parking

·        A city mission and senior center that are not “institutional” and that take care of Washington’s homeless and elderly with grace

·        A yearly tax bill that equals one month of my brother’s N.J. taxes

·        Watching the seasons change from the whirlpool at the Cameron Wellness Center

·        The Washington Symphony and Off the Wall Theatre

·        The old homes in East Washington

·        A vibrant college in the middle of town

·        Professional baseball, harness racing, discount shops and a world class casino

·        After the sports, shopping and gambling, a town with more houses of worship than bars

·        Living 5 minutes from both the country and the shopping centers

·        A regal Courthouse that anchors the town

·        A true citizen’s library where the guy who lives under the bridge gets to read the paper

·        Living 30 minutes from a major airport and a major city, when the world needs to get bigger

·        Truly friendly and helpful bureaucrats, clerks and sales staff who take pride in their work and know the meaning of service

For those of you who are Washington “lifers”, the grass is not greener on the northern or eastern sides of the Marcellus Shale.  Enjoy the treasure that is Washington.

Help Save Washington Pa.

With the recent exchange of opinion in this paper and in the community regarding drug and alcohol abuse in general and the effect it has had on the City of Washington in particular, there is a larger issue percolating under the surface.  One discerns from the discourse that many County and even City residents have resigned themselves into believing the City is the social “black sheep” and/or “back water” of Washington County.  The thinking goes that since the City school system is failing, public hand outs abound, and its young people are drug addicts, the city is beyond repair.

             My view is that the City of Washington is a “diamond in the rough” being ignored and taken advantage of by the County at large.  First, it is unfair to compare a small school system with a constant turnover of students from economically challenged families to a homogenous suburban County school.  This is a fact of life in many urban school systems.  More importantly, the City provides all necessary services that the rest of the County seeks to avoid or takes for granted.  The hospital treats its sick.  The College educates its best and brightest.  The County offices run its government and social services.  Greenbrier Treatment Center (on the City’s boarder) along with the Sunlight recovery club and its resident recovery houses treat the addiction of its children.  The City Mission gives shelter to the family member no one wants to help.  Its churches provide the County with spiritual guidance.  Its jail removes its criminals from committing further crime.  Its courthouse dispenses justice for all of the County’s citizens.  Its public housing provides the less fortunate with a place to live.  Its library provides a gathering place and literary joy for all its residents.

            In return for all this giving, the City of Washington receives nothing in return.  Its tax base is meager because of the nonprofit nature of all the giving.  Yet a suburban resident forced to deposit two quarters in a parking meter swears never to return to the business district to shop or to dine.

            Ultimately, Washington County has two options in treating its tarnished gem.  The first is to ignore the problem, let the City go bankrupt and become a ward of the State.  This would be unfortunate given the new wealth and vibrancy that is permeating the County.  Alternatively, the County’s citizenry can focus on polishing up the old jewel, filing its storefronts with new shops and eateries, and make the City of Washington the center of the County renaissance that is now upon us.

            This is not the stuff of government handouts, or new streetlights.  This is not about placing the blame on a hard to find business district, or on shopping malls around the corner.  This is Washington County business owners, public officials, young people and professionals saving their county seat from a slow and painful death.  The City of Washington deserves to be treated like a shining example of County prosperity and not the County “dump.”

2011- 2036:  Back From The Future

Twenty five years from now in 2036, an enterprising historian will write a definitive history that will rise to the top of the best seller list.  The book will be titled “2011.”  There is a better chance that this book will be written and read by millions than that The New York Times will still exist to publish a best seller list in 2036 or that paper books will still be available to the public. Those of us that are still alive will shake our heads and tell our grandchildren that “2011 was one helluva year.”

One chapter will discuss Arab nationalism.  It will outline how the west came to its senses and rather than invent a new enemy for itself, embraced a chain reaction of revolts sponsored by young Arab men and women.  This Arab spring led to a new Arab world and a partnership based on democracy rather than dictators and oil.

Another chapter will highlight how a series of impossible to forecast events in Japan resulted in new technology to safely utilize nuclear energy.  Because in 2036 every business, home and vehicle will be equipped with a tiny reactor, the young will find it unbelievable that fear of radiation was a major concern.  The shrewd investors who cornered the uranium market will be the world’s wealthiest citizens.

Many young white students will find the chapter on ‘The Last Stand of Discrimination” difficult to understand.  In 2036 these white students will be in the minority and have no experience of being denied any basic liberties because of their color, gender, religion, or sexual orientation.  They will be shocked that their white ancestors spend over 200 years expressing prejudices against anyone who was different.  For many, Arabic or Mandarin will be a second language and World Cultures their favorite subject.  The last presidential election pitted a Moslem female against a gay Latino male.

The book will highlight an epiphany in the United States Congress that in 2036 seems laughable.  At the last hour, the federal government was shut down for lack of a budget, essential services were unavailable for months and the economy plunged toward a double dip recession.  A middle class revolt known as “The Spring of Social Democracy” saw the largest demonstrations since the Vietnam War blanket the country.

Eventually the nation’s political leadership cloistered itself in Camp David for the weekend.  What emerged was the famous “Fairness Doctrine” that placed the needs of the people ahead of reelecting politicians and special interests. Liberals gave up their position that deficits do not matter.  Conservatives gave up their position that only spending cuts can reduce the budget deficit.  There was suddenly a realization that the responsible position was in the middle.  All participants agreed to reduce the deficit, but in a fair and sustainable manner by taxing those who are enjoying the highest share of the national income.  In 2036 the national budget will always be balanced and wealthy Americans (especially uranium producers) will give their fair share without a thought.

A humorous chapter will address some of the more colorful characters from 2011. Our offspring will quiz us with awe about the antics of Sarah Palin, Lady Gaga and Charlie Sheen.

Other chapters have yet to be written.  After all its only April.