The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly…Dec. 13, 2019

Week of Dec. 8, 2019 – Opinion

THE GOOD

Employment Choices

A booming economy, and stock market, the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years. What does this mean, other than the obvious good news about more jobs? It means we no longer need to be saddled to a job that isn’t good for us – one that saps the soul. We have choices. Whether it’s doing our own entrepreneurial thing, or looking for another job, the market is wide open. Employers should be working to keep their best employees happy, because they are their best weapon to success. If they don’t – they will soon be working for their competition. Low unemployment and a roaring economy are worthy of celebrating. It is nearly un-American not to do so. It doesn’t mean we are on this side – or that side – of a political divide. It means we praise the USA for being a great nation, indeed, and in spite of all our infightings, there is much to celebrate. Choose joy.

Pawtucket

There are many plans on the horizon that could completely change the city. There are also many cogs in the wheels to overcome. Kudos to Mayor Grebien; lesser politicians would have picked up their campaign funds and gone home by now – he has become the best cheerleader for this city we familiarly refer to as The Bucket. Is it Pawtucket’s time? We hope so. Could it be a prototype for reinventing stressed communities? We hope so. Let the games begin. Let’s do this one right and show that we needn’t be helpless victims of our past failures.

THE BAD

Run for office – get your day care paid

A bill under consideration would allow those running for office to pay day care costs – even travel costs for children, when related to running – to be paid for out of a candidate’s campaign account. Many questions here – would donors be fully told ahead of time what their dollars would be used for? Or would there be a side-by-side campaign to raise funds for daycare costs? Would day care reimbursement continue if one wins office? What kind of day care – some sort of “average” cost or the finest in town? Would grandma and grandpa get paid for taking care of the tots? We get the point – running for office is expensive. It’s not for everyone. It takes great sacrifice, and in most cases, doesn’t pay very much at all. But, a broad paintbrush ability to scoop campaign contributions for day care is just a bad idea.

Hospitals & EMS System in RI

Using the hospital emergency room as a primary care is a tip of the iceberg in a failing healthcare system in Rhode Island. Using “911” to get a ride to the hospital because of a non-emergency issue stresses our system both financially and resource-wise. Some hospitals are devising easy-triage systems to get the non-emergency cases in and out expeditiously. Primary cares with “no appointments” referring their patients to the emergency room does not help with an overly stressed system. Another factor? Diseases of despair. The ramifications of closing Memorial Hospital continue to play out as Miriam and Rhode Island Hospital gear up for a flu season coming right at them. While “flu” unbelievably impacts hospitals’ bottom lines in a positive way, the impact on the person seeking to get well, or survive, is anything but positive. The stress on the EMS system to transport average flu cases along with complicated flu cases plays out every year.

THE UGLY

The Impeachment Hearings

They are taking the divisiveness that exists in the country and grinding it into our senses, day-in, day-out. The House Judiciary hearings are droning on and on. Voting on amendments to amendments to amendments. At nearly midnight the vote was put off until today. The full House not until next week. The Senate not until January. Nasty interchanges are increasing. More about politics, and who gets the best prime time cameras, than about anything else. One wonders how they will ever work together again. It is ugly.