The Packers Led by Walker

Back in the ‘90s, it’s fairly well known that the Three Amigos (Favre, Winters, and Chmura) committed some “indiscretions”.
 
What’s lesser known is that the Packers organization hired the young ladies who participated in these indiscretions. They became communication specialists for the Packers.

What’s also lesser known is that Mike Holmgren hired the millionaire son of Bed, Bath and Beyond CEO Steven Temares to be Favre’s back-up quarterback. Bed, Bath and Beyond was one of the local Green Bay businesses behind the sponsorship of Holmgren Way.
 
Holmgren knew how to take care of his own and that, maybe above all other reasons, was why the Packers were able to go on a successful Super Bowl run in ’96-’97.

Of course, the Packers and Holmgren never behaved in such a manner. Packer fans and Wisconsinites would have never stood for such incompetency and lack of integrity.

Apparently, sports and politics are revered differently.

Last month, Governor Walker hired the 26-year-old mistress of a Republican state senator, making her one of the capitol’s communication specialists. Not only did this 26-year-old receive a state job but a salary which is 35% higher than her predecessor. (We’re broke don’t you know.)

Today, it’s reported that Walker hired another 20-something person to bring vibrancy and expertise to the capitol. Brian Deschane, a person with no college degree, little management experience, and two drunken-driving convictions, was hired to oversee the state’s environmental and regulatory matters.

Deschane will earn $81,500-per-year, a raise of 26% over his predecessor. Deschane’s qualifications? No, he wasn’t an adulterer. His father is the executive vice president for the Wisconsin Builders Association, an organization that gave the Walker campaign over $121,000 in donations. (We have a deficit to address after all.)

As a Wisconsinite and public school teacher, I’ve been thrust into purchasing box seats for the season. Anyone want my season tickets?        

Wealth vs. Purchasing Power

In 1928, on the eve of the Great Depression, 23% of this nation’s wealth was in the hands of the richest 1% of our population.  It took 16 years to strengthen the middle class and to rise from the depths of the Depression.

In 2004, the richest 1% owned 34% of all wealth and the top 10% of this population owned 71% of this country’s wealth. 

What occurred next?  Come on!  You know the answer.

Yes, the Great Recession. 

In Wisconsin, blame has come from the right, accusing the middle class of not saving or investing more of their increasingly smaller piece of the pie. The middle class’s houses are too big, their cars too new, and accusations fell from this 10% that the middle class lacked fiscal discipline. 

How else might a middle class family live, want their children to live, and improve on how their parents lived without accumulating debts? 

In Wisconsin, blame has reached middle class public workers in the form of “budget crises”. They are to blame for debt because their benefits and pensions are unsustainable. 

In a recent CNN Poll, cutting the pensions and benefits of government workers is a popular option to balance budgets “but most Americans overestimate how much that costs the government. On average, Americans think the federal government spent 10 percent of its 2010 budget on pensions and retiree benefits; the OMB figures indicate the real number is about 3.5 percent.”  (Source: cnn.com)

Despite these polling results, the governor of Wisconsin has attempted (at the public worker’s expense) to redistribute wealth from the middle class to the upper class. The governor has proposed and may very well execute the attempted redistribution of moneys from public pensions and benefits to the wealthiest citizens in the state via tax breaks.

As the governor attempts to draw more finances from the middle class to the richest 10% of this state, consider that General Electric has not paid taxes on their profits during this Great Recession. In 2010, GE made $14.2 billion worldwide and $5 billion within the domestic United States – all tax free. 

Locally, there are two General Electric service centers. There are three in Ohio, a state which owns a projected $6 deficit.

The money continues to filter up.

Now, I understand the counter argument: GE needs these tax breaks to hire more people. These people will work and pay taxes. These tax dollar pay of the state debt.

Well, with the purchasing power in this state declining by trillions with the enactment of Walker’s plan, how many GE products will be bought? How many will need service?

A lesson from the Great Depression is that companies will not supply goods which will not in turn be purchased.

The lesson from the Great Depression is that when money disproportionately spirals up, the economy will come tumbling down.

Just Read It

“Throughout six years of deficit spending and fiscal mismanagement, Governor Doyle left us with a state deficit…” – {source}

"We are broke in this state. We have been broke for years. People have ignored that for years, and it's about time somebody stood up and told the truth. The truth is: We don't have money to offer. We don't have finances to offer. This is what we have to offer." – {source}

Wisconsin’s deficit is ranked 4^th in the nation.” – Scott Walker

“This is 100% about balancing the budget.” – Scott Walker

Walker's bill to fill deficit this year would push debt payments into future

{headline source}

“The state would delay debt payments to help pay for rising costs for prisons and health care for the needy, under Gov. Scott Walker's bill to balance the state budget this year.”

“In a desperate attempt to remedy a $6 billion deficit.” – {source}

Walker says the changes will help balance a $3.6 billion shortfall for the 2011-'13 budget. – {source}

According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities And the Wisconsin Taxpayer’s Alliance, Wisconsin’s projected deficit will amount to $1.8 billion.

Wisconsin's Water Cooler

Once we’ve drafted our NCAA bracket winners, it doesn’t matter how, we want our teams to advance.  Maybe we can win our $5 pool at our place of work.

Once in Cleveland, we’ll wear dog masks to Browns games, sit in the dawg pound, and bark at the opposition.  And, once in Oakland, we’ll paint our faces to demonize our game personas…anything to win.

Once we’ve chosen a side, “just win baby” – right Al Davis?

Problem is that the Browns and Raiders stink.  Problem is hardly anyone on this planet picked the Final Four.

We’ve chosen our side, now what?

In Wisconsin, we’ve chosen our sides as well.

This week it was reported that Governor Walker decided he doesn’t want to wait for the courts.  He wants his budget money now.  So, he’s taking it now. 

In response to the news story, over 1644 comment were made representing their side…comments which used words like “knuckleheads”, “peons” and “union thugs”.

This morning, it was reported that schools in Milwaukee’s school choice program performed worse than Milwaukee’s public schools in reading and math scores.


Public response included words like “your side”, “greedy”…comment accusing teachers, others blaming Republicans.

It was also reported that over the last six years, scores on statewide reading and math tests have increased and the achievement gap between minority groups and white students has narrowed.

Public response?  “dead beat teachers”…etc.

Here’s the thing: We’ve painted our faces to demonize our public personas and, in truth, our team stinks.  We’ve put on our dawg pound masks.  And, we’ve begun cheering against our co-workers in our office pools in hopes of making pocket change or bragging rights at the water cooler.

We’ve become these people – people who have enclosed themselves in their ideological boxes to such a degree that we know longer can appreciate the game that needs to be played.  The integrity of the game is sacrificed because of our desire to come out on top.  In the end, once the integrity of the game is gone, the game will go with it. 

We don’t need to look much further than the NFL today, stuck in a battle which has brought an end to the game.  I can only imagine that football as we love it will resume once we step out of our boxes, clean off our faces, and begin to participate in the process as fans should. 

Read the Simpson-Bowles budget report.  Find an impartial site and read their suggestions. 

What you’ll find is that the Simpson-Bowles commission suggests for us to 1) reduce defense spending; 2) reduce the size of government and the federal workforce; 3) pay a .15 cent/gallon tax hike on gasoline and restricting home mortgage tax deductions; 4) maintain Medicare costs; 5) reduce entitlements like farm subsidies, government pensions, and student loan subsidies; 6) increase social security payroll taxes and increase the retirement age. 

At the federal level, projections show close to $4 trillion in debt reduction. 

Consider, as we look to pay our debt and grow our economy, the federal government spends $4 on elderly people for every $1 it spends on those under 18. 

Our country can’t afford to reduce funds for education, science research and infrastructure projects if it looks to grow our economy in the long-term.  The Simpson-Bowles report is non-partisan and more worthy of our consideration.

Wisconsin’s solutions are equally accessible.  Let’s step outside of our boxes and find them.

Simple Math in Balancing the Budget

During this tax season, my family of five was returned nearly $700.  Instead, in order to address the state deficit, we should have been asked to contribute our fair share (consider that a union term) and should have received $550.

Problem solved.

According to the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance:

"Wisconsin has taken a first step on the way to enacting a new state budget for 2011-13. Preliminary revenue forecasts and agency spending requests were released recently, yielding deficit estimates of $1.5 billion."

According to this same politically conservative group:

"The total amount of state income tax refunds paid has hit all-time highs in each of the last nine years, including a record $1.86 billion paid to Wisconsin filers during 2009."
 
Simple enough solution:  Deny tax returns for one year.

Could it really be that easy?  Yes!

Everyone would contribute - those screaming for a balanced budget.
Everyone would contribute - those demanding fiscal responsibility.
Everyone would contribute - those expecting more equity and fairness from their government.

Tactic to Pit Worker Against Worker

A conservative issues advocacy group affiliated with Republican strategist Karl Rove (yes, that Karl Rove) has stuck a whole lot of money into union bashing.  Recently, Rove and his group spent $750,000 on a national television ad depicting unions as liberal-backing bullies.

In this Rove advertisement, union members are storming state capitols in order “to protect a system that pays unionized government workers 42% more than non-union workers.”

Once more, politicians are pitting citizen against citizen in hopes that we take our eye off the ball.  It’s done time and again.

To be clear, union members do earn more than non-union members.  How much more?

According to the Freedom Foundation, a group which supports Governor Walker’s efforts,  found that union members make between 11-12% more.

According  to researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, union members earn 5% more.

Economists Keith Bender and John Heywood  seem to support the 5% figure.

In an article in the Green Bay Press Gazette, non-union worker Jimmy Ryan is quoted as saying, “It’s the fear of people unionizing that keeps us making what we make and working the house we do.”

Meanwhile, the teachers’ union in Slinger reconstructed their deal with the Slinger School District and saved the district $1.35 million.

"This is maybe a model of how things of this nature can be handled," Superintendant Robert Reynolds said. "It's more like we didn't sit across the table from each other; we sat around the table with each other and figured it out."

Superintendent Reynolds said it was a negotiator for the teachers union who reached out to him after reading about his concerns about the effects that state education funding cuts could have on the district, given that it had a four-year teachers contract that would remain unaffected by any changes to collective bargaining or benefit levels.

Those unions sure do sound like bullies.

As politicians do their bidding, Nice-Pak Products, Inc. is relocating its production facility from Green Bay to Indiana. 

  

Is it those nasty unions that caused the loss of jobs?  The high taxes perhaps?  NO!

See previous post “My Fellow Citizens, Let’s Be Careful Out There” for that answer. It’s worth saying over and over, like a mantra “Let’s be careful out there.” Don’t get fooled into thinking it’s you vs. me.

My Fellow Citizens, Let's Be Careful Out There

Job programs threatened

Federal cuts would curtail operations of employment, training services

While Republicans contend that curbing government spending ultimately will stimulate job creation, critics say jobs will be lost if the spending bill becomes law. One program that will take a hit is the Workforce Investment Act, which provides funding for employment and job training activities.

Jim Golembeski, executive director of the Bay Area Workforce Development Board, (Among the services provided by Bay Area Workforce Development are computer competency classes, assistance on unemployment insurance issues, aid to workers involved in mass layoffs, retraining for unemployed workers and companies, such as Marinette Marine Corp., which need to upgrade its workers skills in a hurry, and job-skill training for young workers), says he would have to shut down his operation if the cuts are approved.

Spokesmen for Sean Duffy and Reid Ribble say that while the Workforce Investment Act programs mean well, they are among those cited in a recent Government Accountability Office report as examples of government duplication and waste. The report found the government spent $17 billion last year on 45 job training programs that generally do the same thing.

It’s worth noting that 94.7 percent of the dislocated workers Bay Area Workforce Development assists get jobs.

So what’s the problem?  Too many are being trained or too many jobs are being created?  Oh, that’s right, the budget.

“The congressman recognizes there is way too much waste in government, and we are focused on cutting it," a spokesman for Ribble said.

Waste?  Getting people trained and back to work is wasteful?

“The bottom line remains that everyone has to share in the fiscal belt-tightening necessary to bring about full economic recovery,” Ribble’s spokesman stated.

Now, where have I heard that before?  Government workers and Medicaid recipients (Medicaid covers one in three children in the United States, making it the largest insurer of children) have certainly heard that before.

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signs tax cut bill into law

Businesses get break for moving into Wisconsin

Companies that relocate to Wisconsin won't have to pay income taxes for two years under a bill signed into law Monday by Gov. Scott Walker.  The measure joins three others Walker has signed in his first month in office that he said will send a message that Wisconsin is more business friendly.

Aid to public schools, the University of Wisconsin System, local governments and Medicaid programs were expected to be big targets for cuts in the Walker budget.

Walker's been focused on spending money through tax cuts. Two tax cuts he's already signed would add about $117 million to the state's budget problem over the next two years.

Today, Walker proposed that the state borrow $75 million to build a museum.  Borrow.  Oh, that’s right, the budget.

I’m privileged to have been befriended by many smart people.  One is an entrepreneur in the Chicago area.  He wrote to me:

Taxes are just one consideration when thinking about where to start / move a business.  You also have to factor in the following depending on type of business:

1.) Proximity to skilled labor force (we use a lot of computer programmers, graphic designers, etc. - there tends to be more talent in larger cities).

2.) Proximity to customer base and potential shipping / transaction costs (a huge consideration for manufacturing companies who have to ship product).

3.) Proximity to suppliers (similar to #2, how can you cost effectively get raw materials).

4.) Relocation costs (hard costs associated with moving, time associated with and ability to replace work force, etc.).

There are many other factors, but these are some key ones.

In the ‘80s, I used to watch “Hill Street Blues”.  My favorite part was when Sgt. Esterhaus would warn, “Hey, let’s be careful out there.”

Families Just Looking to Survive

Today, JSOnline reported that 2 out of every 5 children in this state will qualify for subsidized lunch programs. 

  To be eligible for free lunch, a student must come from a family (say a family of four as example) earning $28,655/year or less. 

  Reduced-price lunches are available to students whose families have incomes which amount to $40, 793 for a family of four.

  Statistically, it's reported that the average public school teacher earns $49,000.

  (I have a family of five and for starters will lose $630/month from my family’s income as a result of Governor Walker’s cuts.) 

  After Walker’s cuts and without collective bargaining to help the average worker empower themselves, the average Wisconsin teacher’s kids will qualify for free or reduced lunch.

  Does it appear the families of Wisconsin teachers have too much?

Wisconsin governor defends budget bill as opposition persists 
By the CNN Wire Staff

"The state's Legislative Fiscal Bureau -- similar to the federal government's Congressional Budget Office -- reported last month that tax cuts passed late last year by Wisconsin's newly elected, Republican-led legislature had helped add more than $200 million to the state's budget shortfall."

State Legislature Passes $67M Tax Cut

By WTMJ Radio

Story Updated: Jan 27, 2011

 

 MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Republican Gov. Scott Walker scored more victories Thursday, signing a major lawsuit reform bill into law and watching as the Legislature approved a tax cut for businesses that he says will create new jobs.

   Walker had promised swift action to show that Wisconsin, in his words, is "open for business." Even though most of his measures have received some support from Democrats, critics argue they are largely symbolic and will do little to actually create jobs or improve the state's economy.

   Senate Democrats said the latest tax cut measure, expected to cost the state $67 million over two years, was too expensive given the projected $3 billion shortfall in the two-year budget. They also said the tax bill, which would give businesses deductions worth $92 to $316 per job, wouldn't be enough by itself to get businesses to hire more people.

   That bill is the third tax cut the Legislature has passed this month. Walker has already signed into law a measure that eliminates income taxes on contributions made to health savings accounts. Another bill awaiting his signature would eliminate corporate and personal income taxes on companies that relocate to Wisconsin.

  The average worker in the private sector is not faring much better.  Yes, today’s average worker has it tough.

  In the state of Wisconsin, a single person making just over $20,000 pays 6.5% in income tax.  A single person making over $150,000 pays 6.75% of his income to the state in the form of income tax. 

  Does that seem fair to anyone?  

  A married couple in the state of Wisconsin making just under $27,000 pays income tax at a rate of 6.5%.  If this married couple has three children, this figure is just $2,000 over the poverty level.  A married couple making over $201,000 pays state income tax at a 6.75% clip. 

  Does that seem fair?

  Today’s battle in Wisconsin is not about unions per se – it’s about fairness – it’s about families struggling to survive.

Harmony for Families

Weeks ago, union leaders wrote me this:

"On Friday, state and local public employees offered to accept all economic concessions called for in the budget repair bill – including Governor Walker’s pension and health care concessions that he says are needed to solve the state budget challenge.

Governor Walker turned it down.  He wants more."

Walker got what he wanted last night. [Read Here]

 Admittedly, public employees have not always made the most favorable impressions.

A story came out of Milwaukee this summer reporting that their teacher union leaders wanted Viagra to be covered under their insurance plan. [Here]

Disappointing for sure.  In many respects, union leadership and some teachers, as exemplified in this case, have proven themselves unworthy for leadership positions. 

  

This lack of leadership has been obvious on both sides.  

“Republicans devised a plan to get around the impasse and hurriedly approved the bill late in the day after meeting for hours behind closed doors.” – JSOnline.com

This plan may have been legal but it certainly was not democratic.  Few would argue that it portrays the lack of political leadership show by the state’s chief executive.

As for my family and our resulting sacrifices, the financial concessions we’ll make will equate to $630/month out of pocket.  However, the financial costs will be so much more when all other contractual variables are considered.

To ask anyone of already moderate income to drop this sum from their family's monthly income is completely unreasonable and potentially economically devastating for us.

For families such as mine, and for so many others, we simply can't budget for those losses.

These personal losses are just a drop in the state’s economic bucket.  My family’s purchasing power was already comparatively minimal.  However, when one considers the impact of the decreased purchasing power accrued by the hundreds of thousands of families of state employees…it may devastate local economies and the economy state-wide.

Those in the private sector, who have so much scorn for the public employee, may find solace in our legislated miseries but that comfort won’t last long. 

Though my family’s contributions to this economy may amount to only one drop, the economy will have to endure the loss of hundreds of thousands of such drops.  Those in the private sector will soon learn that it’s difficult to fill an economic trough when so many drops are absent.  Indicators show the state will lose trillions of dollars worth of purchasing power from its economy.  

Whether or not this state’s economy can endure the loss of so much purchasing power,   I can promise this:  Those of us in the public sector will not find comfort in your losses, will not find refuge in some distorted sense of revenge, and will not celebrate your destruction with commentary.

Reasonable people are everywhere.  Empathetic and hard-working people abound.   

It’s the extremism, absolutism, and authoritarianism in leadership that concerns me.

I tell my students this, “Balance the needs of the individual with those of the greater good.”  If our state leaders put into practice this simple creed, union members, Republicans, teachers and taxpayers would find reasonable solutions for bringing harmony to our families. 

Taxes for Bridges, not Walls

As we consider the role of politicians, we must hope they will practice social responsibility. 

This sense of social responsibility would promote an allegiance to a democratic nation, a commitment to the public's well-being, and an ability to prudently address the needs of our future generations.

It's become evident that the goal of this state, under this governor, is to move public schools into the hands of private interests. (See this article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online, in regards to public response.)

With that goal in mind, here are a few questions we must consider:

1. Would corporations promote an allegiance to a democratic nation or to a capitalistic structure?

  Democracy and the open market of capitalism often go hand in hand.  In fact, the open market will not reach its potential in a democratic state that is not a healthy democratic state.  However, democracy promotes the power of the people, in fact rule by the people, wherein no one person has more power than any other.  In the corporate world, that would equate to the power of the worker, in fact rule by the worker, wherein no one employee has more power than any other.  Of course the corporate structure does not allow power to be shared.   

  In other words, do we want schools that empower all of the people or empower only some of the people?

2. Would corporations commit to the public's well-being or to the well-being of a few?

  The idea of a corporation is to generate profits and display a dedication to the share holder.  Corporations do not dedicate themselves to the citizen, of course, but to a select few who have a vested interest in the corporation.  

   As schools become corporate, would McDonald's master lunch?  Would Pepsi decide diet?  Would student service hours be dedicated to the greater good or to door-to-door salesmanship?  We already have perfect evidence of Nike selling apparel and local businesses selling discount cards using our school's athletes.  

   Greater fuel efficiency in cars is a product of government law, not corporate response to consumer demands.  Corporate efforts to protect the environment and to clean our rivers, streams, and lakes are the result of government law, not corporate altruism.       

   In our schools, we will bear witness to the profit motive taking precedence over public well-being. 

3. Would corporations commit to standardizing students or to creating engaged citizens who are problem-solvers?

  Already, as a product of President Bush's "No Child Left Behind", we see a narrowing of school curriculum.  Would a corporate school's curriculum continue to narrow or will we see a greater emphasis on the arts, music, agriculture, creative writing, and so much else?  You already know the answer to that.

  Today, we see advanced placement classes redirecting from conventional assessment to one where problem solving and content depth takes priority.  Today's schools are already moving away from standard, conventional methods to an approach that emphasizes creativity, innovation, problem solving, and entrepreneur-ism.  The continued movement away from standardized tests would allow schools to continue to develop engaged citizens who are problem solvers. 

The lesson of capitalism is "what's in it for me?"

The lesson of democracy is "what's in it for us?"

The only advantage of the corporate school is financing.  Clearly, the state's citizens would have less tax responsibility if corporations take over our schools.  But would it be worth the overall costs?

Remember, coming out of the American Revolution and failing to generate an effective constitution in the form of the Articles of Confederation, our Founding Fathers knew very well the necessity of paying taxes.  More than ten years after Adam Smith's The Wealth of Nations gave capitalism its birth, our nation's wisest men knew that its citizens had to pay taxes.  In an effort for the tranquility and general welfare of the Union, our founders knew of the insurances and protections capably offered by the tax dollar.  

We are at the moment when lines have been drawn and allegiances pledged. 

And in the spirit of the Oklahoma land rush, territory has been staked with no willingness of giving ground.

Instead, it should be our time to build bridges, not walls.

Glue on Marble

  When I knew enough to ask my wife to marry me, I took a job selling used cars to raise the revenues for an engagement ring.     
  Over the course of a twenty year teaching career, I've had to work several "odd jobs" in order to raise revenues. 
  When my first daughter was about to be born, I sold shoes.  As soon as the school day was over, I rushed to the shoe store for 3-4 hours.   My boss was a local high school student - he was employed there before I was.
  When my son was about to be born, I worked on an assembly line for Benchmark Electronics.  I worked alongside a young lady who insisted she could become a bowler on the pro tour...if she practiced more.
  As my son grew, I milked cows when I could.  I learned to move quick when I saw the bovine's tail raise.
  I tended bar.  Worked sport camps for many, many years.  I did what I had to do.
  I don't believe that to be a rare quality for a husband and father. 
  A man dedicates himself to his family.  He tends to their needs and looks over them.  Nothing is more fundamental than that for a man.  And, an essential trait of a man's dedication to his family is paying the bills.
  Oh, and there was one other job that I once held...


  Early this week, it was reported out of Governor Walker's office that state protesters did $7.5 million worth of damages to the capital. Click {here} for that story. Click {here} for related budget story.
  Today, that number was adjusted...by $7.15 million.  The actual cost of removing the glue would be $350,000. 
  The damage done to the capitol?  Glue on marble.
  Protesters apparently used Duck Tape to hang their signs.  The glue on the marble walls left by the Duck Tape is apparently difficult to remove.
  I would know.
  On weekends, as one other job I once held, I used to remove glue, wax, and other unwanted substances from school hallway floors and walls.  It was a painstaking job.  Progress was slow.  In the end, the job was finished and the school looked as new. 
  I got paid $8/hour and amassed nearly $500 for my labor.  However, I wasn't working on the pristine surface of the capitol - just the hardened, gray surroundings of an ordinary school; a school that needed someone to get on their hands and knees so that a sparkle might make a difference somehow.


  A man does what he needs to do for the welfare of others.
  I will not take this opportunity to comment on what I perceive to be Governor Walker's math skills or his ability to tell truths. 
  I will end by writing that I lost my job selling used cars.  Well, more to the point, I was fired.
  This particular dealership had an 8-cylinder Chevy Cavalier that had been on the lot for too long.  One day, finally, a customer wanted to buy that car.  My commission for that particular sale was going to make my next check a dandy.  The customer: a meek, slight, elderly woman who was much closer to 80 years old than she was seventy. 
  Before I would sell her that car, I felt compelled to inform her of some things first. 
  She needed to know that the car had previously been in an accident.  She needed to know that the car still needed work done.  She needed to know that we had better runners and better deals on the lot.  And, I couldn't help but let her know my opinion - that maybe 8-cylinders wasn't necessary to fulfill her driving needs.
  She decided to wait, re-think her decision, left the lot, and never returned.
  Later that week, I lost my job.


  A man does what he needs to for the welfare of others.
  That includes making sure the bills get paid but...
  must the bills get paid through the approach of "buyer beware"?