Selfish Players

By Kevin Gray

Last week, I noted how Governor Brownback and Kevin Gray actually saw eye-to-eye on the need to develop a plan for working on job creation. He proposes forming economic summits across the state chaired by his cabinet members; I see a need for nonpartisan job creation councils but nixing his one-sided cabinet mix.

But before moving on, I read a column in last Wednesday’s Topeka Capital Journal by Dr. Bill Roy about the sinking economy, those who have all the wealth, and commentary about how the have-nots are expected to give more of their income. Having read Dr. Roy’s columns for years, I know him to be a clear Kansas thinker, which is why I wanted to share his words:

“Our economic circulation is at best sluggish,” Dr. Roy wrote. “And when money gets stuck in the hands of the few, it’s the same as when the basketball, in the words of Kansas Coach Bill Self, ‘gets stuck’ in the hands of a selfish player. Everything slows down, and nobody scores much.

“Government firings at best assure a double-dip recession, at worst a true depression.

“It shouldn’t be that way. There are jobs to be done and people to do them. But the movement of money is slowed by the concentration of income and wealth in the few hands of the upper 1 percent of Americans — and fewer hands worldwide,” Dr. Roy wrote.

So who are the selfish? Internationally, he reminds his readers of Hosni Mubarak and Col. Moammar Gadhafi. Right here in Kansas, we have the Koch brothers of Wichita and their $43 billion fortune.

Getting money moving in our economy is the objective, Roy said, but people, who are least likely to be able to make this happen, are being expected to foot the bill. Then, you have the 1 percent holding the money, like the Kochs, who have been using obscene sums to influence political objectives in other states, such as Wisconsin. And unions are bashed for giving to the candidates of their choosing?

Of course, this is a right. The Kochs can do with their money as they please! But in Wisconsin? And, Kansas schools – set to lose another $50 million as of Friday – and public institutions are expected to go wanting, while money will go to influence political outcomes in other states? And to use their fortune to affect the lives of ordinary everyday workers in other states? Something’s very wrong with this scenario.

It’s time for a dialog . . . a real dialog to figure out how to put the word “jobs” back into “job creation.” Something is wrong in Kansas; something is very wrong in the United States.

Here in Kansas, wouldn’t a nonpartisan jobs council be a better idea than the governor’s economic summit proposal? Sure, the governor’s summit may include a token Democrat or Independent, even a moderate Republican, but in the end? Well, no surprises there.

Whoever makes up this council or series of councils should be focused on discussing in a public forum the job creation possibilities and hurdles in our state. Talk openly, share ideas and see what the voters like and dislike.

We already have House and Senator members representing districts. Instead of using valuable weeks to push unnecessary laws, summit/councils could have been forming, followed by a statewide concerted effort to open a dialog. Again, drop the political affiliations and get to work.

When the courts put together a jury, there are efforts to balance sex and ethnicity. Why not balance political affiliation, agriculture, industry, education, private and public sectors, union and nonunion all in one council?

Does this include the Koch brothers? You tell me, since they are already spreading their wealth around the United States with divisive end results. No doubt, the governor’s council would include them.

And, if our legislators can’t get it together, then it’s time for Kansans to restrain from their fixation on television’s American Idol and Facebook games like Farmville, Wild West Town, Crime City, et al, and use their phones and social networks, as Wisconsin citizens are doing and as Egyptians did, and start creating their own efforts aimed at job creation.

For the time spent with fake farms and games, why not turn online gaming practices into the real thing? Why shouldn’t Kansans be able to hit the jobs creation buttons on their own phones and internet sites and take us where our politicians are refusing to go?

Remember, social networking sites can be used for more than playing games! That job you may have today could/will be gone tomorrow, especially if you’re a teacher or in that profession.

Short URL: http://osawatominews.com/?p=1024

Posted by admin on Mar 16 2011. Filed under Kevin Gray, Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry