Posted by Alex Dominguez on Sunday December 24, @11:58AM

from the dept.

I have spent much of this year arguing over the causes of violence and can sum up my position with the following statement:

Anytime one group is in power, it is incumbent upon that group to treat all groups below it exactly as members of that group treat their own group. Anytime this does not happen, the lower group feels slighted, and it is only a matter of time before they protest.

The crux of my message is based in the response to those who say ``Why should we support those who don’t work as hard as we do, or who are not as smart, or who do not have as much money?’’

The key is growth, all nation’s empires, companies, etc. either grow, decline or stagnate. To grow you must attract employees, citizens, etc. by providing opportunity. Those who seek to merely profit from another group eventually sow distrust. Those who legitimately try to create wealth, even among the less fortunate, create a self-sustaining system.

This process, of course, means those in charge must reinvest in their enterprises, and not merely live off sweat of their lower classes. They must reject the trappings of wealth _ greed, laziness, elitism, materialism _ and concentrate on furthering their concern through continuing education of themselves and those beneath them and by reinvesting in their system, whether it is governmental infrastructure such as roads and schools, or new factory equipment.

And they must provide true upward mobility to all, even if it means their group will no longer be in charge because they can rest in the comfort that their group will be treated as fairly as they treated the other groups.

Posted by Bill Kvetch on Wednesday December 13, @10:35PM

from the It all works out dept.

WASHINGTON (JNS) _ George W. Bush's White House victory has freed Democrats to return to their rightful place in society - the downtrodden, critic of the upper class.

``Let the whining begin,'' said Nathan Bukowski, a liberal arts professor at New York University.

``I was so tired of listening to Rush Limbaugh fret about Clinton's sex life. Now, it's our turn to carp from the sidelines and try to bring down Bush.''

Complaining about how things should be is very difficult while in power, although the Republican-led Congress provided plenty of wiggle room, he said.

The victory frees blacks, Hispanics, women and Jews to resume full-time criticism of a white-run American society that just doesn't get it.

``The death penalty alone will keep the faxes humming for years,'' Bukowski said.

Republicans, meanwhile, can return to their now comfortable role of stubborn, self-righteous defensiveness. ``Thank God, and I really mean that, now we can return to snide comments about unions and lazy welfare-cheating workers,'' said Granfield Baker III.

Posted by Tony Two-Fingers on Friday December 08, @05:55PM

from the sleight-of-hand department dept.

WASHINGTON (JNS) _ Three-card monty dealers, casino workers and bank tellers are desperately needed to help with the Florida recount, Al Gore and Joe Lieberman said Friday.
A sharply divided Florida Supreme Court ruled Friday that manual recounts should begin immediately, prompting even more legal action.

``We know this might sound a little distasteful, but politics is like sausage-making. Sometimes, you don't want to see it done,'' Lieberman said.

``We need people who are used to working quickly with their hands. Time is of the essence here, and who is better prepared for this task than card dealers? Especially if you want to win.''

The recount ruling could cover as many as 45,000 ballots in dozens of counties.

``Because time is of the essence, the recount shall commence immediately,'' court spokesman Craig Waters said.

The ruling followed shortly after two trial court judges denied a request by Democrats to throw out 25,000 absentee ballots in Seminole and Martin counties.

The court ruling also apparently added 383 votes to Gore's total, cutting Texas Gov. George W. Bush's 537-vote lead to a slimmer 154 votes. The winner of Florida's disputed 25 electoral votes wins the White House.

The Republican controlled state legislature, however, was pushing ahead in a special session to appoint their own slate of electors for the Texas governor.