government | Piss and Moan

Jury duty

Posted on July 19, 2023 by backuphill

Civic duty, but….

There has been a change in the way you have to find out if you are to report for jury duty and I don’t like it. I don’t know what other places have to do or go through for this process but from my experience here locally there has been a definite change and I don’t like it because it keeps you in a hold pattern for two weeks.

It used to be that you filled out the form, sent it in, then called at the appointed time to find out if you needed to report for the next week. For the second week, typically, it had been that you would have to call a second time for that week but not always.

So, I had a vacation planned last week and I also got notice that I would have to call for jury duty that week too. So, any plans I had (luckily just a staycation) were immediately out the door and I couldn’t plan anything either because I wasn’t sure if I would have to report. I called at the appointed time and they said call again in two days.

For the entire first week, and now for the entire second week, they have you calling every two days to see if you are going to report to the courthouse the following day. They are literally stringing you along for two weeks instead of just releasing you when they have nothing on the docket.

Highly irritating!

So, I have been in limbo for two weeks, playing jury duty roulette with vacation plans and work because they have a different way of doing things now.

Stupid.

Forced charity

Posted on July 13, 2023 by backuphill

Charity is great, but when it is forced charity, well, that Pisses me off. Then it isn’t charity, it’s just big business charging you a fee (read that as “tax”) to cover the cost of doing their business. So, I am going to Moan really loudly about this.

Cascade Natural Gas in Washington has asked the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission for a fee that will basically recoup the cost of it’s service to people who can’t afford it. Rather than covering that cost themselves and using it as a write-down on their taxes (I am sure they will do this too – as in, double dip), they are going to charge all their customers an extra fee on top of all the other fees to pay for a program most people don’t even care about.

There is no option to opt out. There is no option to opt in. It’s just, “Let me reach into your pocket once again and take your money without consent.”

I say without consent because the WUTC is an unelected, oversight board that is filled with people appointed by our governor (Democrat) and approved by the state senate (Democrat). Essentially, there is no recourse for customers because these things get hard stamped approval because – liberals.

I shouldn’t be forced to pay for something someone else can’t pay for. That’s robbery. That’s a tax. That’s coercion at it’s worst.

And, once again, it’s government approved.

Budget belt

Posted on June 29, 2023 by backuphill

Washington state has a new, dubious title – “Most expensive gas in the nation.” This is NOT a good thing, considering our population pales in comparison to that of bigger states. What it does do is punish everyone, including low-income people/families, for simply trying to get to work. This title, is one that will hurt our state’s economy for a long time because there is no relief in sight. Seasonal fluctuations have always played a role, but this new carbon tax is actually going to kill growth and the economy.

Budgets have to tight a lot more when fuel prices go up. Between high fuel, higher electricity, higher natural gas and propane, and inflation, there is little room for extras in most people’s budgets. Summer spending and, more definitely holiday spending, will take a hit as the price of everything continues to increase.

Anyone who argues that the new carbon tax isn’t harming the economy or causing fuel prices to increase is either delusional, a Democrat, or just plain stupid.

One such power hungry Democrat who’s agenda is done more harm to any state is the governor.

And, sorry, but our governor has always been the dude that passes the buck and never takes responsibility for anything. Once again, he blames everything but his policy. And, quite frankly, everyone knows his BS is flat out lies.

Lies, lies, lies. It’s almost comical that he believes a rational person would believe him.

I certainly don’t. I know better.

But, I will be tightening the belt (and that isn’t to keep my pants up) and spending much less.

Egg shells

Posted on June 9, 2023 by backuphill

Are you tired of walking on egg shells? Tired of looking over your shoulder at work, in the grocery store, at the ballpark, at your kids’ school? Are you one of the many many Americans that is tired of the cancel culture and tired of not expressing your opinion simply because you want to keep your job?

I came across an ad the other day that sort of struck a chord with me. It struck that cord because I work in education, which apparently is the center of hype-wokeness and also seemingly has no room for a variety of voices despite claiming the desire to be inclusive of all (if you agree with those who squawk the loudest).

Are you part of the “silent majority” that just wishes diversity and inclusion actually meant that, and that tolerance actually means being intolerant of ideas and thoughts that you disagree with?

I don’t work for this company. I don’t work for any company that uses this service….but I kinda wish I did, because then egg shells wouldn’t be what I walk on most days.

What do you think? Is there something to this movement? Are you a person who would like to get back to some common sense employment, employees, work?

Opinions?

Ballot harvesting

Posted on February 14, 2023 by backuphill

There appears to be a new tactic in the voting arena and the underlying motive would seem to be ballot harvesting.

I gotta say this is a bit disturbing as this would essentially require someone to register to vote. Now, I am all for voting and have never missed a vote that I can remember. However, voting is a right guaranteed to every American citizen not a requirement of every American citizen. Making it a requirement, in my estimation, practically compels someone to “speak”, which would be a Constitutional violation as there are protections against such a thing.

If you haven’t yet read the article but had to guess which party is sponsoring such a preposterous proposal, which do you suppose it would be? If you guessed Democrats, you’d be correct.

If you have have been paying attention, you might recall that Democrats/liberals have suddenly gotten real good at and have promoted endlessly the ability to “harvest ballots.” Now, in my state, they aim to make it easier to ballot harvest by requiring all eligible people to register to vote, have a ballot mailed to all those people, and then collect them from anyone who has completed their civic duty (or possible even the ones who haven’t). At the very least, it would provide a list of people who haven’t yet submitted a completed ballot and allow for them to pursue said ballot by visiting the home of the recipient.

“Hi, I’m Joe Blow from the Democratic party. Records show you haven’t yet submitted the voting ballot sent to you a week ago. I was here to see if you have completed it and if I could offer to deliver it for you….oh, you haven’t yet filled it it? OK, well, I am willing to wait if you’d like to do it now and then I could take it when you’re done…oh, you don’t know much about what is on the ballot? I could certainly offer some advice, if you’d like…”

Pressure.

I am sure you can probably imagine the numerous scenarios for which something like the above would take place. The problem with the who process is that it opens the potential for election security problems and that, despite what some will argue is not happening, is of serious concern and should be prevented.

Conspiracy theorist? Maybe.

Cautionary tale? Perhaps.

Completely pessimistic and skepitcal of motivations? Winner, winner chicken dinner!

Requiring someone to register is just bad. It isn’t how the democratic process works and shouldn’t even be considered.

What do you think? Am I off base on this?

Weather balloon

Posted on February 3, 2023 by backuphill

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

I don’t want to BLOW this out of proportion, but the story keeps EXPANDING. I think there are plenty of places to POKE HOLES in this story.

The Chinese, snickering to themselves, say it is a weather balloon and there is nothing to worry about.

Uh huh, sure it is. I don’t want to BURST their…balloon, but I am pretty sure no one is buying it.

What do you think? Does their story HOLD AIR?

Debt limit

Posted on January 13, 2023 by backuphill

Time to tighten the belt.

Time to hunker down and make some painful adjustments.

Time for the government to live within it’s means and stop the unlimited spending.

You may have caught the article today saying the US will reach it’s debt limit and default by the end of next week, unless there is (again) a move to increase the limit. Every time this comes up, the debt limit is negotiated up…now sitting at $31 trillion.

Sorry, but you can’t have unlimited spending. You just can’t. Personal budgets don’t work that way. Company/business budgets don’t work that way. You can’t spend more and not cut it from somewhere else. That’s just not how it works. But, the government seems to think that’s they way to do it (especially one party, but both are guilty).

Time to stop assisting in places of the world that should take care of itself. Sure, I understand the goodwill generated by the international assistance fund, but we can’t afford it.

Time to stop paying for illegal immigrants to stay in the country.

Time to stop paying for every social “justice” fad that comes along.

Time to stop filling the budget with “pork“.

This doesn’t mean that increasing taxes is the answer either. Spend less, collect less. Collect only what is necessary.

Unfortunately, this isn’t something the politicians seem to understand.

Prisoner swap

Posted on December 9, 2022 by backuphill

The “big news” over the last couple days has been that some basketball “star” being held in Russia on drug charges was released in a prisoner swap for a convicted Russian arms dealer. I don’t believe she should have been released and she should have served the time. I REALLY don’t believe there should have been a prisoner swap, at least not her.

Quite frankly, I have heard that in the past she hasn’t really appreciated all the blessings she has as an American and was maybe taking that for granted. I don’t know, really, if that is true. But if it is true….well, let’s hope she has a hell of a lot more appreciation for her country now.

As Americans, I don’t think we undeerstand how great we have it till it’s gone. Unfortunately, we have quite a few people within our own country trying to take away our (and their own) freedoms.

Makes zero sense.

Falling back fail

Posted on November 4, 2022 by backuphill

So, looks like the House of Representatives are going to yet again fail to represent…not sure how there can be much debate about NOT changing the time back an hour. Really? The Senate unanimously agreed (something they NEVER do) to this Sunshine Protection Act and sent the bill to the House. Why have they failed to get this done?

Hey, Congress! Make this Daylight Savings thing permanent! Get your acts together and do it!

Honestly, there really is nothing to debate here. Most experts and the general public agree that DST is the best way and should stay. How can there still be an argument against this change?

A “do nothing Congress”? Typical.

Do something for once that benefits more than one political party – the one in charge at the moment – and start representing!

American demand it.

Single issue

Posted on November 2, 2022 by backuphill

While watching a couple hours of TV last night I was struck by the type and tenor of the commercials. In about two hours of watching Hulu I saw roughly 13 commercials and 8 of them were political ads. Those political ads were all from Democrats running for office (incumbents and challengers) in the upcoming vote. All 8 ads mentioned a single issue – the “right” to kill babies.

Democrats are so scared of losing this election that they are focused singularly on one issue that is an emotional hot button topic, but really irrelevant to most voters right now. Its like their platform has a single, tired plank.

Other issues in this election? NOPE. Gonna focus on the need to kill babies all the time, any time, because that’s what the people need right now. Not national or local security. Not illegal immigration. Not the explosion of drugs. Not the poor education of our kids. Not the high prices of everything that makes having a budget difficult. Not the homeless. Not the infrastructure. Not the high cost of health care. Not corruption in and of the government. Just killing babies.

Anyone else find this interesting?