Holiday power of the consumer and voting

When will we see that the federal government is not faceless? It is comprised of those we voted for. Many opt out of voting and then complain about having to opt out of testing. It is time to send a clear message that we will OPT IN to voting them OUT! These career politicians have spent an entire lifetime living off of the people they are so quick to label as welfare recipients, freeloaders, whiners and the like. Many of them have not worked a job, gotten fired, laid off, or even made minimum wage. The 99% must realize that these captains of industry and super wealthy got to where they are because of the consumers...the 99% spending the little they have on their products. If you want to see real change buy all your stuff from one place. or pick one store to stay out of. They fear the boycott. They fear that they will be the one we decide to boycott. Just because a store stays open 24 hrs does not mean you have to pass through its doors. No store gives away stuff. They only go as low as they TELL YOU IT COST. They index consumer confidence and the message is always GO SPEND! After 9/11 the message was spending =healing. Just think about it.

 What our mentality is costing us is our schools, our voting rights, our entitlement to equal justice under the law. It is costing us affordable housing, It is costing us higher taxes in the poorest neighborhoods. It is costing us our future, Keep voting for those who have been in power for 10-20 years and keep listening to them say they are fighting for you. Things will get worse because they are still in power and we are still protesting. It is time to focus. Deny them data and dollars. It is the only way to see real change. When you stop shopping in a store it creates a surplus and backs up inventory that is already on order based on anticipated sales. USE their anticipation against them. Cause the uncertainty to be a part of their lives... not just ours. their biggest fear was that terror would stop us from shopping. How many times was the President on TV before the Christmas shopping season?

Any candidate can flip-flop according to what ever audience they appear before. Now we can relay those statements across the us in real time. The capacity is only valuable if everyone is paying attention.  To end corruption we must remove those who are corrupt and those who cower in the face of corruption. I do not want a weak Representative. I do not want a fearful Representative. The problem is that in representing someone those being represented have more to lose than the person being represented. Lawyers don't go to jail .... its their clients who face prison. After the verdict they are out to dinner and drinks and on to the next case. 
We are fighting this education, tax, and campaign reforms with lawyers who have no stake in this fight. They will continue life no matter what the outcome unless WE make them have something to lose.

Consider this. Chelsea Clinton has an apartment costing 10.5 MILLION dollars. ITS AN APARTMENT!!! What about her life or the lives of the Clinton's will change if HRC is NOT President. I venture to say NOTHING. What about your lives will change if she BECOMES President? Christie has send 3 Billion dollars of NJ pension money and to Wall Street without any charges from the NJ Legislature or the SEC.He is a Presidential Candidate with actual poll numbers less that 1% ( but not according to their polls).

When it comes to all those in office who have been there long enough to get Citizens United passed, Charter school proliferation going. the eternal under-funding of public education, and the roll back of voters rights we should all become more focused on getting them out. They have made enough money to insulate themselves from the policies they have created to stay in power, create a less educated nation, and a sentiment of powerlessness against the government that is supposed to be comprised of us not THEM.

As we make our new years' resolutions make one that will impact your future and all of those to come. Pledge to work to be an educated voter. Do not vote based on party, gender, ethnicity, or any other divisive quality. Reputations are for sale and they make a poster child  out of someone with a good rep in a hot second to get what they want. Its called BUYING a person. So the same excitement you wanted on your family's faces opening gifts and at the holiday meal it should be so on election day. It should be a joyous day knowing you actually did something for the future of your family.

Long after toys break, money is spent, and food is eaten, the one thing that made all those things possible is education. Knowing where to shop, read a recipe, measure ingredients, navigate a map, being able to tell time, balance a check book, having living wage employment and teaching the value of family comes from education.  It is what the 1% has protected for themselves while decimating ours. I hold the belief that knowledge is cumulative. They know that. The basis of what the 99% learns keeps getting changed on purpose. It is under the guise of improvement. There is no improvement. There is only the changing of the rules.... while theirs keep moving forward. As we consider equity their system is working for them. That is proof that the 99% need not come up with a NEW plan. Theirs is working. Theirs is being improved. Theirs does not have to start over from scratch. They have the system that works. It is what ALL children should have. That is justice. That is how we make America great. That is how we invest in America's future. That is EQUITY. That is every child and parents' right by law and under the Constitution. That is how children and parents learn about nutrition,  ecology, energy sources, technology, health, exercise, non-violence, tolerance, and conflict resolution. That is how one is empowered to escape poverty. That is how the school to prison pipeline is broken. Education takes place in and out of the class rooms. Children have taught parents to speak English, do math, and to read.  Look around and teach each other the right way and right reasons to vote.

Voting is a chance to change the policy makers, and money takers. It is a chance to break monopolies, hire the best, and fire those who are the best at making deals for themselves. Now for the first time we have the technology to fact check during actual debates. You won't see it happen on screen but it is happening on Facebook and Twitter. The simple truth is eventually they will have to discard all our votes to stay in power. It is why they redistrict and gut the VRA. We must act now before it is too late.  Yes this is a long blog  but its the last one of the year so yes i am letting it fly. Why is it tax payers pay for Democratic and Republican primaries? They raise millions of dollars , so why should we pay for it?

I wish you all the best in the new year. I pray for your clarity, dedication to your life, your liberty, and your freedom, but above all I pray for your education. Many have died defending and believing that the Constitution applies to us all. Many have sacrificed that we all have a right to vote. Honor those whose sacrifice has made our situations better.
"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope."-1 Thes 4;13 
Be well... happy holidays and a prosperous New Year !--AJC

Open Letter to NJ Taxpayers and small business.

I ask all small business owners, State workers, Police, Fire, and Teachers to remember as we fight for NJ Pensions, why we fight. We fight because NJ workers were promised pension payments during the campaign of Gov Christie who sent letters to each union saying he would not touch pensions.

 http://www.gofoster.com/images/An%20Open%20Letter%20to%20the%20Teachers%20of%20NJ.htm 


Not only has he reduced benefits, he has increased all contributors obligation. Then the Gov broke his own law.

 http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/03/nj_assembly_passes_pension_bil.html

As campaign season starts remember that this problem did not happen over night. The difference is Christie has broken the law he himself passed. He has also taken more out of NJ pensions than all previous "borrowers" combined. The violations of ethics surrounding where the pension money has actually gone is another issue. ACCOUNTABILITY is the issue that the members of the NJ legislature refuse to address. $600 Million in fees, http://www.ibtimes.com/chris-christie-administration-paid-600m-financial-fees-2014-1833872 and some to his wife, http://www.ibtimes.com/new-jersey-paid-fees-mary-pat-christies-firm-after-state-investment-was-terminated-1760682  and millions tied to the firm that lost millions in the casinos. The same casino Christie himself gave tax abatement. The same casino that claims to have never made a profit.

 There are no charges against Christie for misappropriation of funds, conflict of interest, and ethics violations. There is no word on his misleading campaign statements about NJ pensions or the state of NJ and its credit picture and its impact to all small businesses across the state. It cost more to cover employees and to borrow for operations.

Please remember that NONE of the elected NJ representation serving in DC has said a single word to defend the pension contributors of the state of NJ. NOT ONE WORD. They will come back to town to collect campaign donations and talk of all they have been busy doing. I just ask you to remember that they have not fought for you. or any of us. They have not used the NATIONAL stage to make OUR issue important. As NJ finance Credit Rating has been downgraded 9 yes NINE times under Christie, big corps still get HUGE tax breaks while our unemployment and property taxes still are the highest in the nation.

Speeches don't change the reality in NJ. Law is what makes the reality. Those who are above the law enjoy enforcing it on everyone except themselves and their friends. Take this election seriously. NJ is on the verge of financial ruin. WE have all paid our fair share and then some, but they have not been held accountable in how billions of dollars have gone missing or been misappropriated.

It is time someone is held accountable. Its time someone pays US. Its time someone pays what they owe US. It is time that those who have made a living off our tax dollars be retired. I am sure their pensions are safe while they have squandered all of ours.  The fact that some of them are drawing state pensions and still working for the state (some double & triple dipping) makes this situation the ultimate slap in the face. This is not about party. They are ALL partying on us.

The fact that all this money is missing / misappropriated is the highest betrayal of oath of office, ethics, and too easy to track to conflict of interest.  The arrogance of not hiding and creating a culture of corruption must end. It is not acceptable that NJ is corrupt. It is not acceptable that courts, prosecutors and the lawmakers themselves act as if nothing can be done.

Every municipality, every tax payer, and every property tax collection has occurred on time and with penalty. WHERE is OUR money? The Exxon settlement could have fixed this mess and made NJ stable. Once again Christie intervened to save his donors some money. He would rather see the entire state collapse than break a big donor promise. That alone is worthy of charges....but still not a single charge.

Think about it. Every elected official swears on a holy book that they will defend the people, the Constitution, and uphold the law, to the best of their ability with the help of the creator. An oath is a sacred promise. One who breaks an oath of office certainly can't be expected to honestly abide by swearing an oath in court to tell the truth.  Perjury, lying, and campaign promises all have different legal definitions.  We have all learned since childhood the difference between the truth and a lie. Anything other than more truth mixed with the truth makes it a lie.

Law hinges on technicalities, presentation, and sometimes facts, if the facts are admissible. I still hinge my vote on the truth. It is not influenced by the spin, the loop hole, the media manipulation or a short memory.  Either something was done or it wasn't. We must honestly examine who did nothing to prevent OUR NJ from entering this abyss. We must know who sat silent, just talked and who put themselves before ALL OF NJ.

Not everyone can afford to leave NJ. They have made laws so that you have to even pay to leave. Not every one wants to leave. What we want is accountability. What we want is for those responsible to be held to the same standard we live by and have built our lives in NJ upon. We want the promises that made risking our lives in the line of duty, working long hours, and accepting the wages paid in the hope that one day we would have the retirement we EARNED.

Lastly, ethics violations need not be intensely proven. It is the APPEARANCE of IMPROPRIETY that must exist.  Ask the people of Camden, Newark, and Trenton if impropriety exist as NJ legislators made laws to allow the selling or their public school systems. Ask the victims of Sandy still living with a claims system that leaves them without restoration if they want the promises made to them kept. Ask the coastal towns polluted by Exxon if restoration is important. Ask the workers in Atlantic city's failed casinos if they want jobs. Ask the legislators who have labeled him a bully if they will stand up for NJ. Is it still a felony to threaten an elected official or has NJ changed that too for the benefit of big donors?

While Charleston, SC is still fresh we in NJ know our plight is one of greed, not color. our situation is dire as the pens of NJ are used as weapons. We stand united for what we have earned, paid for, and worked hard to build. It is what we deserve by the same rights our lawmakers collect their pay. It is time to stop paying for work that goes undone and work that is unethical and in the interest of a very few.

The media does not have to cover our struggle therefore we must make history take notice that the end of corruption in NJ will come by our votes. Join the fight by talking about what is at stake. We are the change we seek.  God bless you all who are fighting for NJ and an honest government bound by the oath of office and the hard work of those living in NJ.

Being the first today and yesterday

I was born in 1963. Where I grew up I was taught by family, teachers, and books. I knew prejudice existed but I learned that people perpetuate it. I can remember right outside a college campus not being served because our family wanted to enjoy a meal together in honor of our first family member entering college. We were however, still black. Yes it was illegal and yes the family member, a student was with us. We watched as others were seated after we had been waiting patiently. My mother insisted we be seated. When told to wait until something came available in a very offensive tone, she quietly showed her badge. The tone changed but the intent to harm was still there. We were seated and then left as it seemed evident we could not trust that we would get a quality meal. Yes this occurred in a very affluent area in NJ.

One would have to know my family to understand what drives me.  You see, in a quiet way my family has managed to be first in a great many things.  I always wanted to be first at something. I learned that to even have a shot at being first you had to be good. Good at what you did but better as a person. You had to understand that people examine you. Your actions could ruin everything for the next person. 

My mom was one of the first black females to enter the Camden County Sheriff Department. Her brother was the first Black licensed polygraph examiner for the state of NJ.  While I can go on and on concerning their public service and achievements,  the point is they taught me to be good not first. I saw them and wanted to be like them. 

Wanting to be the first must be for the right reasons. I hoped I could be the first someone of color or the first human to accomplish something. I hoped there would be an instant where my color would not matter to those who held the opportunity in their hands. I hoped that at some time and place my character would be considered. That is Martin’s real dream. That it does not matter what any of us are, but what matters most is that we were the best choice. I say this to wake people up to the fact that there is a shift that has occurred.

The shift is that we allow celebrity or popularity to influence us. Voting is not a horse race where you pick the winner. It is where you pick who you want to win. Not knowing the difference can result in a life time of shoveling the crap they leave behind.

We see publically that the first is always heralded. It is seen as a triumph that we are moving forward. Do we really see where we are? Do we see that it is time, long overdue time to have the best and not just the first? It is time we embrace character above all. 

People may be blinded by the opportunity to have the first person of gender, color, or religion to reach a level that has not yet been attained. Where are we when it relates to being the first person of honor to serve having not yet arrived?

I look at candidates to see if they have kept their promises and used ethical practices to encourage support. No one is perfect but I am not blinded by their crafted messages and stances. As being the first Black man elected to office in my town I did not make that the reason I should be elected. It was not part of my platform. I simply wanted to be the best choice.

No one agrees on everything that an official does. It is the fact that they are entrusted to represent those who voted for them and those who did not. All the constituents are to be heard and considered equally. I encourage debate because it gives officials information regarding what is important to each person, adult and child affected by the choices those in office make.

It is my intention to learn the truth and spread the truth. It is to educate voters. I believe that education is the singularly most important factor of life. Poverty can be overcome by what we learn. Poverty can be avoided by what we learn. Fitness and nutrition can be determined by what we learn. Learning is not just words it is applying what we believe. Learning does not take place without a teacher, even if it is we that teach our selves.

Being first remains something to be honored not expected or something to which one is entitled. For those who say it’s about time, I am willing to wait for the best. Many times we delay the arrival of the best because we stay in our places too long or treat our place as a possession instead of a moment when we are responsible. The responsibility is to be passed on to those taught and prepared.  Responsibly is nothing without accountability. Laws are what establish boundaries. These boundaries are a matter of choice. The choice to remain in the boundaries is a matter of honor. Enforcing law without bias is among the highest of responsibilities.

November is months away and  2016 is a little while away. We have time to see if we are experiencing a well-crafted message or the real heart of a person. We see opposition mounting but must remember that just because an opponent brings things to light it does not mean it is untrue.

Those who have place themselves above the law still want and need your votes. If you do not believe you could have avoided prosecution if you were them do not give them your vote. Celebrity does not make one above the law. Years of service are easily tarnished by bad choices.  Some do whatever they want because they have never been caught. Many have been jailed for far less that those who have stolen billions while in office. When those next to them cannot say a word because they have done the same thing justice does not apply and law is not enforced.

I take little stock in those who play at being regular when on the average day there is nothing regular about their lives, their friends, or their crimes.  We live in a world where the superficial gets media saturation and lives of celebrities matter more to some than the policies created impacting our lives. 

We The People must wake up. We still have the power of the vote for now. We must understand that education is what is being voted on by those who are not regular. Their kids are not regular. They and their kids are not affected by the legislation they pass. Saying we have a problem with police, public education, and what amounts to modern day bribery is not enough.  We must elect those who will do something beyond talking or making our woes a political point. Actions speak louder than words and until someone goes to jail for the billions they took, is charged with lying to the public or using their influence solely for the benefit of campaign contribution we must look for other candidates.  I hope we all find someone with honor.

I think being first is still an honor. Being a representative of another human being is a responsibility that comes with high ethical and moral standards. It has fallen to us, the voters to ensure the standard is established and maintained. Pleading guilty and resigning takes qualities that would have prevented the charges in the first place.  Those are honor, courage, and discipline. It takes more courage to admit when one is wrong as one must face the possible loss caused by poor choices.

Public servant VS Politician there is a difference.

I am not claiming to offer a new solution to our government systems. It is an age old solution that was always intended to work for us. The us who are more educated and aware. The us who are more astute. The us who are the 99%.  The purpose of public education as defined by Thomas Jefferson was to educate the masses so that they could learn to govern themselves.  Where are we on our education?  Where is public education? What are we learning and what are we allowing to be taught? 

Consider 4.5 Billion dollars spent on the "Let's move" campaign, yet public education remains unfunded. There is something wrong here. Recess is replaced with test prep and we are out of 4.5 Billon dollars. Does legislation to fully fund public education exist? Yes it does. Brown Vs Board of Education is the decision.  It is the commitment to enforce the decision that is the problem. The issue becomes what we teach. Do we want kids to learn in a way that makes them smarter or just able to pass a test?  I contend that someone wants them to just follow. They want them to follow tradition, follow dictates, and not to question what is tradition. They don't want any free thinking candidates. They don't want a public educated enough to govern themselves.

In Jefferson's vision Candidates have to be those willing to work for the people. An educated public governing themselves  can identify those who use money to set up smoke screens and spins on their arrogance and sense of entitlement. The educated public should NO LONGER accept the corrupted or those appearing to be corrupted.The misdeeds have to be remembered so that they do not get a second chance to deceive the public. Promises are not broken by those who have no intention on following through because it is a LIE from the very beginning. Promises of jobs that don't exist, honor that does not exist, and a connection to the community that does not exist has HURT EVERY AMERICAN CITY. 

WE SHOULD HAVE learned something from living in cities that have leadership that dictates rather than LISTENS , ran by those who move residents out of their way instead of making a way for residents to live. Let it be known how much power our vote has to damage or build our livelihoods, lifestyle, and financial footing. 

We SHOULD NEVER ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN AGAIN. NONE OF THEM act alone and those who have made careers enabling the looting of pensions, public education funds, and the paying of cronies need to be removed from office by OUR VOTES. It must be by our votes because they will never prosecute each other. Still not one ethics charge by the NJ legislators. Yes some may criticize to save their own careers but won't actually file a charge. Just as Christie lied to get elected they are disingenuous in their lightly worded criticism and failure to act on behalf of the people of NJ as sworn by oath to do so. 

A lawyer's cunning should not dictate whether a Career Politician goes to jail. A judge they appointed should not determine if they go to jail. Lawmakers should not be able to sit in silence while obvious conflicts abound. If the top 1% are in office or contributing to the campaigns of those in office where is the voice of the 99% ?  Most people do not know there are over 130 candidates running for President of the United States.  The media will tell you that only 2 parties are running. The major party conventions and campaigns using our dollars will be televised. We will be herded to vote for one or the other.  There is another choice.

CHOOSE a leader from among you, not one who they choose to push you out of your homes, your jobs, your schools and out of your city. OWN your VOTES don't let them own you. We have worked years in NJ and in other states across this country to make you all aware of their lies. There is nothing lower than a person who would take from someone who has so little when they have so much. That is greed. They want it all. They will not stop unless they are stopped by the people. There is NOTHING worse than DOING NOTHING because people will always break the rules but failing to enforce the rules undermines all success and every honest effort ever made.

 Time has proven those who can be trusted with the faith of the community. Many others have lied, and sold their lives to those who dictate to the community not listen to what its CURRENT RESIDENTS NEED. They have worked on preparing the way for those who will come to take the place of those still here. VOTE to save your cities, your jobs, your homes, and your schools. Your votes must be taken seriously. The future is at stake.

Please examine those who want to be in charge and ask why. What have they done in  Careers that span decades. Those decades of being in office have led us here under their leadership. It is not fair to blame one man when many have contributed to power, money, and the selfishness which has overtaken them. 

Polished career politicians are skilled in speech and drawing on emotions. They are polished in presentation. Many have even made careers of getting people elected.  It is a skill not a process, just like fixing a car or rendering medical treatment. All of which we see the effects of poor skills eventually.

For a single man or a small group in any community to be able to pick office holders is criminal. Those are Office Holders because they work for him not the ENTIRE community.  There should be no such thing as waiting ones turn to run for office. There should not be the ability to promise someone an elected office. These things should not be, but if they are, we must wonder how it is accomplished. How is it that a person or group can ensure someone gets into office? Is it just support? Is it voter suppression? Is it name recognition?

It is time we the VOTERS determine who serves by looking at who serves US. Wanting to be in charge in no longer good enough for the 99% of  us. We have too much information available to us to settle for a polished presentation. We have too much at stake to blindly accept the narrative. They are skilled. They have been doing this for generations. They hope that we keep doing what has  given them the power for generations. They want us to be creatures of habit and tradition. They want us to keep complaining and NOT ACT.

I define education as the transfer of knowledge from one vessel to another. We educated each other by word, deed, and example. We transfer our standing idle and our willingness to fight to those who witness us doing what we chose to do in the face of corruption, tyranny, bullying, and the breaking of sworn oaths.  We are the solution we seek. We  determine how long we suffer injustice. This is America. The very right to write these words came through the establishment of a nation of people who would one day learn to govern themselves by public education.  Yes I am blessed to have been educated by Public education. We are all educated by each other. Nothing is more public than that.  

Maybe that 4.5 Billion dollars could have been spent to ensure all Americans use the same voting machines. Maybe the reports of tampering and election fraud should have been a priority. Maybe residency requirements should be enforced. Maybe prosecution and penalty for conflict of interest should actually be as harsh as drug offenses.  All these things are a matter of education. That which we are taught, permit, and for which we accept excuses.  

Never forget that the mere appearance of impropriety is enough to level a charge against a public official. The defense that one is targeted may indicate that one is singled out for the same things others have gotten away with. One can not save ones self with the defense that "they did it too" when sworn to report such activity. Maybe there is honor among thieves and don't snitch goes higher than we know. In any event, it is time to consider those who have our interest at heart. Not just around election time.  We must think out side the box or be buried in the box they have smooth talked us into.

The Math of Life starts with school.

Sometime life is just math. Do we add value to our lives? Where does that value come from? Is it stolen from the lives of others or is it achieved through our own noble efforts? What makes us truly rich or poor? Dollars do not add up to character and the soul of a good man is not for sale.

 Let’s begin with poverty. There is not a wealthy person on earth who has not reached wealthy status initially without income not derived from the poor. This comment means tracing created wealth to its foundation. Either labor or purchases of the poor are directly responsible for the survival of a business. Now let’s look at PARCC

To complain that there is no standard of learning is merely a ploy.  The standard is a diploma. The standard is getting promoted one grade at a time once requirements of proven ability have been demonstrated. It is how all of us adults who have PUBLIC EDUCATION generated diplomas got them. We reached that plateau of success without a test at the end of 12 years of education that would stop us from graduating. Good grades are the standard. So how does a young adult get to their senior year without reading on grade level? What are the options for that student and who is to blame?  That student, now an adult, is in jeopardy of being poor for the rest of their lives. 

Give up the rhetoric and the data and look at the function of business. Where did PARCC come from? Where did Common Core come from? Where is Pearson in all of this? Who benefits from a person who is doomed to poverty by whatever circumstances keeps them bound? Are those circumstances contributing to generational poverty something we can change?

Businesses want cheap labor. Labor cost coupled with the selling price of the product is the singularly most direct impactor of profit. Why give more money to one politician when you can give less to another and get the same influence? (I digress).  The point is business likes people in poverty and they want people to think what they are selling is important enough to buy.

College used to be important. In fact it was so important that people incurred debt for many years to get it. Now trade schools present a shorter or direct path to skilled careers. This brings us back to High School or primary and secondary education in the US. These systems are the foundation of the future.  These systems determine workforce, value of education, and the ability of a society to advance.  

 So what was so valuable to us that we allowed these human beings who could not read to advance? NCLB created a society that was left behind. To many that is ok because that is how it was designed. It worked. I know many teachers who have anguished over NCLB and PARCC. It is because they see the damage first-hand. They are those working in areas where it is almost destiny to be poor.

Business majors know that sectors influence economy. We can all agree that there was a housing bubble and that it affected financial markets to the point of collapse. What they won’t discuss is that the housing market was targeted by the financial market. We expect kids to learn to read, write, and do math. We as adults don’t do these things as we have our noses to the proverbial grindstone. Why would we sign anything that is so lengthy it is hard to read in its entirety? Why would we use a monetary vehicle that is so complicated we have to have someone we trust to explain it to us? The expression always read the fine print comes to mind.

We know math can be simple. There is nothing hard about adding what you make and subtracting what you pay from that amount. Everyone who has ever broken a dollar knows how to account for an expenditure.  If you want to predict over time then you multiply which is still just fancy addition. It does not matter what terms you use to label income or debt they are still plus and minus. These things have not changed. Business degrees get more complicated because we accept more terms and more challenging ways to achieve the same simple addition and subtraction.

So now we have PARCC and it is supposed to fix all our problems. The PARCC’s questions certainly don’t make math, reading or writing any easier to perform. In fact just as financial instruments have been allowed to become so complicated, the basic skills are being complicated. Maybe it is because the people who complicated what happens to your money in the bank are now attempting to control what happens when your kids are in class. Yes your kids, because this is not happening to THEIR KIDS. Charters are not required to take or administer the PARCC.

One must understand how PARCC is being used to close urban schools. Urban school budgets pay charter schools upfront based on Charter enrolment. Charters participating in the for profit mode select the kids they wish to keep often using involuntary opt in. This means that they cull their enrolment by sending low performers and alleged disciplinary problem students back to the public schools while keeping the funding associated with them thereby creating a profit. This profit is realized while creating a further lack of funding for already underfunded traditional public schools. Many parents remove kids from charter schools citing disciplinary actions or education performance that is no better and sometimes worse than traditional schools.

PARCC is intended to fire teachers for under performance and close schools for not meeting benchmarks while the PARCC itself has no established record. Teachers are blamed when the very systems to take and prepare for the test do not exist through budget shortfalls and unfunded mandates from the state. Meanwhile the test providers get rich without bearing the cost of preparation or administering the test. Teachers are forced to teach to the test instead of documented teacher approved methods. Any resistance means being targeted, leaving many teachers with three distinct options. These options are: Leave teaching, succumb to pressure, or fight back. Many are leaving as the stress of resistance and the harm done to the kids, teachers, and education as an artful skill is unethical and in direct opposition to why many became teachers. Many are fighting back because they have chosen to not surrender. They have chosen to place kids first, oppose the privatization of schools, and fight for productive education and equity for all students. Many have joined forces in their resistance. These people are called Badass Teachers or BATS. They are not just teachers they are people who care for education and the promise it holds. BATS can be found in almost every state and internationally.

Reports have been written about under preforming Charter schools, budget corruption, mismanagement of funds, and exorbitant salaries. The profit centers fail due to the emphasis of profiteers over quality education. They claim to be public schools when getting funding and then claim to be private when their budgets and expenditures are investigated. Urban school districts reporting a budget deficit often have a figure which directly mirrors charter school payment amounts.  When asked in an urban school district what the charter school deficit was compared to the district wide deficit no response is ever given. Charter schools are funded at 95 to 98 percent through taking district money first. They never have the underfunding problem and due to the legislation pushed by wealthy charter school profiteers they never will.

Such legislation in NJ is the Urban Hope Act. I will detail the legislation in another piece. For now I will say that through NJ legislation profiteers placed Trenton, Newark, and Camden public schools in harm’s way and set the stage for privatization and traditional public school takeover purely for profit.

So what can you do? Opt out of PARCC. It only takes a letter or note to the school that your kids will not be taking the test. It does not have to be detailed. Just opt out in writing. The districts are required to administer the test. Your kids are not required to take it. Do not accept the districts lie that the test is mandatory. You have the option of opting out. You are not alone. This is a National movement to break the data chain they wish to create. 

The company Pearson is monitoring social media accounts of kids and parents regarding all communication concerning PARCC. It is a violation of privacy and free speech.  That is not ok. What is clear is that we are making headway. We are making them concerned about what we say.  It is us who are being tested. Will we stand and fight or be the backs on which fortunes are built. The math is simple. Do we add to our lives or do we let others subtract from our lives while adding to their own?

Vote for your own interests.

I was born in 1963. Being born black means I was born with the inability to vote. So often I stop to wonder why skin color prevented me from having such a privilege.  I wondered why it was important and how I was granted the power to execute a basic right. I grew up and examined the purpose of voting. I also examined what has been done to control that right.

We all know what gerrymandering is. We all know what redistricting is.  But do we understand why? Voting remains the single obligation of every citizen. Why has the 99% continued to keep the 1%’s system in place? Voting by party or popularity is absurd. When will we break the 1%’s dominance? The notion that families feel entitled to office shows WE have not done our jobs as citizens. The dominance must end.

The scary fact that the Bushs and the Clintons feel they own the office is one matter; the fact that WE have supported them is another. I feel the second is much more disturbing. Are our political offices family heirlooms or do they belong to the people? Do the 99% of US believe the nation belongs to the 1%?  

Laws are our checks and balances to justice. If those who make law remain above it, it stands to reason that the laws are for the 99% of US. The terms, US and us are interchangeable, as it is us and the US who are affected by law. Law implies consequences and penalties for actions designated as lawful and unlawful. Courage should not be the quality that determines who is allowed to break the law. Influence should not determine who gets to break the law. The law is the law.

Examine all the stories of Christie emerging now. We must not forget that all he has done has been allowed. He has operated with impunity to the point where he himself believes he can do whatever he wants.  He did not arrive at this conclusion overnight, it is a cumulative assumption based on what he has gotten away with. He and his buddies, those he has appointed and used his office to benefit have enjoyed the protection of the fear and money.  We that have spread news of his offenses have taken a stand.  We have also looked to the same system that allowed him to operate illegally for help. I contend that the NJ legislators should have defended the people of NJ.

His settlement with EXXON has been so glaringly corrupt some action may be taken. Asking questions about his activities is not in my humble opinion, enough. Only by holding him accountable will NJ send a message that all may understand. Other Governors have lost their positions for a lot less. What makes him so different?  The call to impeach President Clinton certainly pales by comparison of offenses for calls to have Christie impeached and held accountable for the billions he has cost NJ. Others have resigned for less.

The betrayal of trust of a public servant is egregious. Are the machinations of a career politician   common place and acceptable? When does it end? Does it end when the 1% dictates as the image becomes so tarnished Christie is of no use to them? What about Christie’s use to the people of NJ? He has been against us in the interest of his own selfish gain for years. The closer he became to being a Presidential Candidate the worse it got for NJ. NJ has asked for help in stopping him and saving the entire US from his corruption.

They say the greedy and selfish can never have enough. Well the 99% here in NJ have had enough. We pray that he is held accountable. We have to pray because justice is not as swift for him as it is for the 99%.  Examine all the poor in prisons who simply could not pay fines, fees, or penalties whose cases proceed without delay. They do not add up to the amount of NJ money that Christie has absconded from NJ. The fact that he has used NJ money to become what he is to the Republican Party is concerning. I emphasis this is not about party. This is about the type of PEOPLE who find value in his deeds.

We must examine the type of people who find value in his actions. We must also examine the type of people who find value in the actions of Mrs. Clinton. Who among us, the 99%, could not be prosecuted for the offenses brought to light? It is not about finding the best lawyer money can buy. That would mean they would be brought into court. There has not been a charge prosecuted as of this moment in time. There has been no real accountability as we in NJ and potentially the US are left to suffer the arrogance fostered by impunity.

I have no urge to break the law as I regard the law as enforcement of rules by which we all must abide. I thank bloggers and press for their courage in bringing these acts to light. In all of this I contend that we all, as VOTERS must make sure the opportunities for the corrupt to execute their plans be minimized. We cannot keep putting them in office. They need the votes of the 99%. We the 99% need to rise to our responsibility of protecting ourselves as they have proven they will do whatever it takes to accumulate more wealth for themselves and their friends.

I submit that VOTING is our power. We must not give our power to those who feel entitled to office simply because a family member held it previously. Oddly business and principles that govern them operate the Government. As a business principle the people who are ineffective get fired. Those who do not produce corporate gains are fired. The 99% must embrace that principle. We all lose at the hands of those who do not handle our business and make gains for us. They that ask us to do more with less yet they themselves continue to gain more.

I implore you all to VOTE responsibly and more often. I also urge you to vote for your own interest. Make a call to your representatives to remind them they represent you the 99%. It is one call that could save NJ and the US billions. They have yet to make it illegal to hide things in bills and legislation. The Christie administration has failed us in NJ. What we are finding is that all these illegal actions are related to him, those he hired, or got hired. What we also know is the more we dig the more we find. What we don’t know is which crimes if any, he will be prosecuted.  

Never forget that the courts we face owe us justice. The same courts that prosecute us are responsible for prosecuting him. The beginning is for the 99% of us to have the backing of the NJ Legislators. Therein is our power. The NJ legislators must know prosecuting Christie must be seen as justice for those they represent in NJ, not just a way to save their own political careers. 

Do your homework on candidates. As you take your car to be serviced or your children to someone to be cared for I am certain you consider their expertise, care, and record. You also consider how they treat you. Are they courteous and professional? Are they practiced and professionally certified?  Do they deliver as promised? Then why do we allow career politicians to operate any differently? They master the tools that keep them in office. They know what to say to whatever audience is before them. Now we have the ability to share their messages in ways they really must consider. 

We should expect them to be convincing, charming, and beguiling. There is one more thing we should expect. We should expect them to simply keep their word as they swear on a bible to represent us, all of us, not big donors or the machine that is entrenched.  They swear to uphold, not circumvent the law. We are at a point where it has fallen to us VOTERS to elect those who will abide by the law.  We can no longer expect them to resign when they get caught breaking the law and our trust.

This is not about rhetoric. It is about responsibility and understanding our responsibility as voters. Many have died and suffered that women and blacks be allowed to vote. Those who have always had the power to do so remain interested in keeping it. The least we can do is honor and exercise the rights many have worked so hard for us to obtain.

Thomas Jefferson stated that the purpose for public education was that the public would learn how to govern itself. We must ask our selves if Public Education is supported would it produce a more socially and politically aware constituency? Maybe that is why it remains unfunded, exploited, and the target of those who wish to destroy it. That is another topic for another time. For now, focus on using the power of the 99%. It is our voices and our choices that allow those in seats of power to remain. 

Politics is a career of making promises but public service is a lifestyle of keeping them.--AJC