Scene and Heard: Scene's News Blog

Cleveland has to be in atleast the top 5

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We have all kinds of reasons to drink (besides the normal holidays). Well, there's the loss of the real Browns, the current faux Browns, the regressive field featherheads, the almost there Cadavers including he-who-must-not-be-named, rudderless ship Cleveland, the county sales tax rate, the empty Ameritrust building, cost of medical mart/convention-training-Tri C free rent-something-something-something-whatever facility, housing foreclosures, housing value losses, the on-going FBI probe of county-wide corruption (an ongoing morning-after hangover), local politicians: ("who me" Hagan, fat cat get-on-your-knees-bitch Dimora, puppet Jones, kooky Kucinich, do-noth'n Jackson, line-my-pockets Russo, goofy gopher pimp Kelly, shameful sheriff McFaul, hire-my brother-I'll-hire-your-family member Mason, I-didn't-talk-to-anyone McCafferty, ect, etc, etc...), stupid county voters that keep voting in the same political party expecting a different outcome, the 9.6% county population loss over the last 2 decades (137,000 less people), loss of fortune 500 companies, loss of businesses, higher than average unemployment, a public school system that ranks in the 10 ten worst nationally, on and on and on. Hmmm, if it wasn't for the recent global warming benefits of hardly any snow and mild winter temps, I'm sure that % rate would be much higher.

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kenrmer: Once again we find ourselves on different sides of the debate. That you just blamed the democrats for all of Cleveland's problems is wishful thinking on the part of a republican, blow-hard mentality which blogs and blogs about who is to blame, yet has no sensible solutions. That you have a thumbs up following is because all of the right-wrong like to reinforce each others blow-hardedness. A civil debate is the only way in which these issues are going to be put before Cleveland in a fair way. But then true debate is for the purpose of seeking truth...The question is: Can you handle that? The civil and reasonable argument process which does not just vote or thumbs up on whether something is true or not...but uses reason and logic to decide. It is not like your foolish republican presidential debates where men just sling shit at each other. Nor is it like your trials in courts where law and technicallity trump common sense. Does anyone really understand communication of a positive nature and what it's purpose is. And don't just call me names like you have done before..that only makes it apparent that you are not looking for truth, but only dominance and agreement from your other foolish allies.

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Kenny, Im an independent that sees corruption in both parties, but democrats especially when it comes to Cuyahoga County. Recall for me a similar situation where so many of one party have been indicted and or convicted from one local area? The dems have had majority control of the governments in the county since Voinovich left as Cleveland mayor. Thats over 24 years ago. How many republican or independent councilpersons are there in the city of Cleveland? Zero? You are in denial about the problems of Cuyahoga County and Cleveland. The constant of this one party rule has been a loss of population (even during the booming 1990's), loss of businesses, the highest sales tax rate of all Ohio's 88 counties (1.25% higher than Columbus and 1.5% higher than Cincy) and the worst volume of corruption by one political party that I can ever recall. The biggest problem the county has is one party rule. The blame there falls squarely on the voters that vote party line rather than an individual. You'd think that after the last 11 years of federal government where one party had almost complete control of the Congress and White House, that voters would vote to eliminate the monopoly. No, they go from all republican to all democrat. Sheer stupidity. But as long as YOUR party wins it doesn't matter.

Oh, and how long have they been trying to fix the Cleveland public school system? 40? 50 years? Graduation rates are up to what? 48%? And we were paying over $250,000 a year to multiple principals for that?

The worst thing that the Federal government ever did to welfare recepients was to give them subsidies without expecting some form of reciprocity in return. Those individuals became generations of takers and not giving anything back or attempting to earn it. Black, White, Hispanic, its now socially embedded into their mentality that its ok to sit around and expect a check from the federal government. Earning something instills value in a person. Without that value, they'll NEVER be able to contribute to society. Look at Russia, generation upon generation of being told what to do and then when given the opportunity to better themselves, they are almost at a loss on how to do it. The work ethic in Russia and the eastern bloc right after the fall of the Berlin Wall was pathetic. Those people were so conditioned to getting a government check regardless of the work effort, that improving productivity under an independently controlled business environment was almost impossible.

Solution 1) The dems in this county need to vote for independents and republicans to balance out the power. Quit the party line crap. Or is that against your political religion? When was the last time you voted outside your party affiliation? Would that be like swallowing a poison pill?

Solution 2) Deport all illegal immigrants and tell the welfare receipients that they either take the jobs opened by the deportations or they lose a portion of the welfare payments. FDR had the WPA. This would be WORKFARE. If the illegal immigrants were willing to do the work, then so should the welfare recepients. There are also jobs in the local and state levels like street cleaning, highway roadside cleaning, community cleaning/simple maintenance, inventory of community needs, or street neighborhood safety watches the welfare receipients can do earn a portion of that welfare money. It then opens the city workers to do more important things like road repairs. In the summer those welfare workers could be doing menial park maintenance like cutting lawns and trimming sidewalks. In the winter they can snow shovel senior citizen walkways and run errands for the shut-ins. Have one welfare mother watch another's welfare child so at least one has the time to go flip burgers or work at Walmart. They can even alternate to make the work environment more varied. They can be brought in to assist the community senior citizens. You know, the ones that have worked all their lives and now need help. Have them provide labor assistance at hospitals, nursing homes, food banks, even gardening community plots to help cuts food costs. Some of that assistance would defintely help to cut healthcare and living costs. There are too many jobs where a city could utilize them. Then the Feds can make up the difference between the mimium wages earned and the full blown welfare amount normally being doled out. The Feds end up spending less on each welfare recepient, meaning more individuals can be covered for the same amount of $ or less overall federal spending. Earning the money instills value. People also need to learn NOTHING is free.

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kenrmer: I thank you for your very thoughtful and smart response. I like many of your ideas and the artful manner in which you develop your arguments. I too am far more independent than either of the parties and although I am not pleased with the current republican party in the country or the state, I have supported many past republicans. To me, it is communication which is in such need in Cleveland and throughout the world. Open and honest debate with the purpose of solutions is the answer. I thank you for your honesty and your passion and I am sorry for anything which I said which was not in the spirit of respect which you certainly deserve. I also get carried away with trying to be cute and funny particullarly on this site where it seems to be best appreciated. Sincerely, Kenny Jaeger 020612--1433pm

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(mutters drunken gibberish then stumbles away from computer)

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