Remembering a brave man

From the Grant County Herald, Lancaster, WI June 8, 1910

LIEUT. TED" LOWRY SHOT DURING BATTLE
Ambushed by Hidden Natives in
the. Philippines.
______________
Received Charge of Buckshot in Right
Arm and Had Narrow Escape
From Death.


Eugene Whitmore yesterday received from his son Major Eugene Whitmore, copy of the Manila (P. L) Times dated April 27, which contains an account of a fight in which Lieutenant "Ted" Lowry of the U. S. Constabulary was slightly wounded and two privates killed. Lieutenant Lowry whose headquarters are on the Island of Bongao, was instructed to go to Cagayan de. Jolo and arrest a murderer Moro Nuca by name. After an unsuccessful attempt to take him diplomatically he found that the man and certain of his followers were looking for a fight and on the morning of the 11th he left camp with 10 men to investigate conditions.

Because of the treachery of a Moro guide they suddenly ran into a band of Moros who rose from the thick cogon grass and catnip brush," about fifteen paces to the front. The Moros were ordered to put down their arms but instead they drew their bolos. The account in the Manila Times which was written by Lieut. Lowry reads in part from this point as fol-lows:

"Being in front of my detachment, I fired with my revolver receiving at the instant of firing a load of buckshot in my upper right arm from my gun bearer behind who immediately fled. The leading Moro at this moment was about twenty feet from me and in the act of throwing his spear at me when Sergeant Lastam sprang suddenly in front of me. receiving the spear in his head, being killed instantly. Sergeant Almano the second man in the line was speared through the back: pulling the spear out himself he commenced firing as quietly (sic) as if on the drill ground.

Note: To recall the bravery of Sergeant Lastam the people of the Episcopal Church in Lancaster erected a monument. That monument now lies in weeds behind the church, and I am attaching a photo of it as it now appears. Perhaps it deserves better treatment.

We Want The Government Out Of Our Business Now!

At a town hall meeting held by Congressman Steny Hoyer, April M. Burke of Mechanicsville, said her son and daughter-in-law had both lost their jobs and health insurance, but still were covered by the state. "We want the government out of our business now," she bellowed to cheers from the audience.

I take it that this is what she meant:

I’m sure my kids will give up that state provided health care; it probably gets Federal Government money anyway. They don’t want that Unemployment Compensation either! I want to give up using the public roads. Road crews, Highway Patrol – out! I want to get all the police out of my town, and dump the FBI too! We don’t need them. We have our guns. I want no air traffic controllers when I fly. I want the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard eliminated – right now! I want Social Security and Medicare ended – right now! I’ll take in my mother. Kick out the doctors at the Centers for Disease Control. Out of the way Public Health Service! Disease is natural anyway. Send the Border Patrol packing. We don’t need them. We have our guns. Close down all the public schools – right now! My kids don’t like books or reading anyway and neither do I. Close that State University too! End all farm price supports and subsidies. We don’t care if the farmers fail. We’ll grow our own food. Bye-bye USDA! Close all those military bases that support Red America with Blue America’s taxes. Kick every Medicaid patient out of the nursing home. I know that’s most of them but I don’t care! Close them prisons! I can handle the released criminals. I’ve got my guns! No more guaranteed loans to students. No more Locks and Dams on the rivers. No bridges – remember, we don’t need them without roads. No more money. Let each bank issue their own. Yup, get government out of our business now!

Return of the Know Nothing Party a.k.a. Arizona Idiots

I am watching Senator McCain's town hall meeting. Misinformed, prejudiced, selfish people overwhelming all reasoned discussion. Has our nation fallen to the level that cynical lies are taken for truth by people too lazy to look up the facts for themselves? The financial interests which run some of the news media, notably certain lying and distorting news networks, leave these intellectual limp wrists in paroxysm's of panic and anger. These networks want to keep the ratings up by pandering to overt liars carrying water for those making good money from the broken, killing health care system we now have. I am sorry, but ignorance is no excuse! I say to those of you shouting instead of thinking: get yourself educated or you will send your country down the toilet. These idiots don't want our elected government to run things, but they sure don't mind the unelected monied elite doing it by co-opting them with emotional scare tactics. There are many ways to make things better - public or private, but you have to think. Any viewpoint that has an underpinning of truth can pursue its interest with calm democratic debate, but I'm not seeing citizens here, I'm seeing bullies loosed by a news network that tells them that what they are doing is just fine. The welfare of our nation depends on an informed electorate, which pursues conflict democratically. God forbid that these are what pass for citizens and patriots. Waving a flag doesn't make you a good citizen, but learning our history, intelligently studying the issues, and participating in the democratic process will. Let's end the disruptive shouting of the know nothing empty heads, and demand reasoned discourse. There are too many thoughtful people on both sides (including McCain)trying to heal a broken medical care system. It galls me to see people booing him (McCain) when he concedes that both he and Obama are sincere in wanting to find a solution. This crowd looks like a lynch mob. If these forums aren't controlled by civic rules, and interpersonal civility a disaster may occur. We have already seen armed nuts stalking the presidents forums.

Return of the Know Nothing Party a.k.a. Arizona Idiots

I am watching Senator McCain's town hall meeting. Misinformed, prejudiced, selfish people overwhelming all reasoned discussion. Has our nation fallen to the level that cynical lies are taken for truth by people too lazy to look up the facts for themselves? The financial interests which run some of the news media, notably certain lying and distorting news networks, leave these intellectual limp wrists in paroxysm's of panic and anger. These networks want to keep the ratings up by pandering to overt liars carrying water for those making good money from the broken, killing health care system we now have. I am sorry, but ignorance is no excuse! I say to those of you shouting instead of thinking: get yourself educated or you will send your country down the toilet. These idiots don't want our elected government to run things, but they sure don't mind the unelected monied elite doing it by co-opting them with emotional scare tactics. There are many ways to make things better - public or private, but you have to think. Any viewpoint that has an underpinning of truth can pursue its interest with calm democratic debate, but I'm not seeing citizens here, I'm seeing bullies loosed by a news network that tells them that what they are doing is just fine. The welfare of our nation depends on an informed electorate, which pursues conflict democratically. God forbid that these are what pass for citizens and patriots. Waving a flag doesn't make you a good citizen, but learning our history, intelligently studying the issues, and participating in the democratic process will. Let's end the disruptive shouting of the know nothing empty heads, and demand reasoned discourse. There are too many thoughtful people on both sides (including McCain)trying to heal a broken medical care system. It galls me to see people booing him (McCain) when he concedes that both he and Obama are sincere in wanting to find a solution. This crowd looks like a lynch mob. If these forums aren't controlled by civic rules, and interpersonal civility a disaster may occur. We have already seen armed nuts stalking the presidents forums.

Is The FCIP Legal? - Social Security Corrupt Hiring Practices exposed

ROBERT PAGAN SAYS HE HAS DONE NOTHING WRONG


SSA CHICAGO REGION COMMISSIONER JAMES MARTIN SAYS HE'S DOING NOTHING WRONG



Now at last comes a decision that begins to peel away the veneer of legitimacy from the corrupt hiring practices of the Social Security Administration. Nepotism and cronyism have insinuated themselves into every aspect of Federal Hiring. My complaints to Congress go without action as what is endemic is viewed as right. See my prior posting at: http://dennis1950.blogspot.com/2009/04/hiring.html




MSPB Agrees with NTEU Position on Veteran’s Standing to Challenge FCIP


Washington, D.C.—The continuing battle by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) to end agency misuse of the Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP) has taken another step forward with a favorable procedural ruling by the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB).

As sought by NTEU, the board reversed a decision by an administrative judge, ruling that a 30 percent disabled veteran has legal standing to challenge the use of the FCIP by the Social Security Administration (SSA).

NTEU filed a friend-of-the-court brief in this case, Weed v. SSA, arguing successfully that the plaintiff was injured by SSA’s use of a hiring strategy that effectively prevented him from even applying for an open position, and thus denied him his veteran’s preference rights. The MSPB sent the case back to the judge to allow for factual development on the question of the legality of the FCIP.

“This decision parallels NTEU’s recent win on jurisdictional issues in our pending lawsuit challenging Office of Personnel Management (OPM) regulations implementing the FCIP,” said NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley. Last month, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed OPM’s jurisdictional and procedural objections to the NTEU suit filed in January 2007, allowing the union’s direct challenge to the FCIP to go forward.

“The MSPB decision should send a further signal to OPM that the legality of the FCIP is in serious question,” Kelley said.

The FCIP is a special-focus hiring program originally intended to provide formally-structured, two-year training and development internships for agencies to use as a strategic hiring tool. Instead, and because OPM placed few restrictions on the program, it has been used by a number of agencies to fill a wide range of positions—which, after a two-year ‘internship,’ are converted without competition to permanent competitive service status.

In addition to bypassing veteran’s preference rights, one of its most serious impacts is to reduce promotional opportunities for present members of the federal workforce. “The way agencies are misusing the FCIP,” President Kelley said, “all too often blocks the advancement path of employees who have proven themselves ready for promotion. It is a clear distortion of the program’s intent.”

The FCIP has been eagerly embraced by such agencies as the Internal Revenue Service, which is using it to hire key enforcement personnel including Revenue Officers and Revenue Agents; U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which has used it for some years as its sole means of hiring new CBP Officers; and SSA, which in fiscal 2008 used the FCIP for 62 percent of its new hires.

NTEU argues that such misuse of the FCIP undercuts key merit system principles, including the requirement for “fair and open competition” for jobs as a way to ensure equal opportunity.

In the Weed case, SSA advertised the availability of four positions—for which the plaintiff was qualified—on a state university web site accessible only to students and alumni; Weed was neither. All of the positions were filled using the FCIP. Weed, supported by NTEU’s brief arguing that the FCIP is not a valid exception to competitive hiring procedures, said the posting made it impossible for him, and similarly-situated veterans, to learn of the vacancies.

“The MSPB decision now allows Mr. Weed to get to the heart of the problem—that the ways agencies use the FCIP can all but eliminate fair and open competition from the applicant process and does real harm to veterans and others who would like to be fairly considered for open positions in the federal government,” President Kelley said.

What The Democrats Must Do

Health care reform is bogged down in misinformation pushed by Faux News, Glenn Beck (the hysteric), and Rush Linbaugh (head of the Republican Party). What they do is lie. It is profitable and there are many fools to follow them. The death and illness they want to perpetuate bothers them not a bit. The money they and their masters make from the hysteria and propaganda is what is important to them, which brings me to the point. We don't need to give them ammunition. There are a number of criticisms they made which we can address, and maybe cut down on the shouting. First, we can add specific language to the bill stating that federal funds will not be used for abortion. Yes that is redundant with the Hyde Amendment, but ink is cheap. Second, accept tort reform. It will save on the costs and it is important to compromise to get to the goal. We have to achieve universal coverage. That is the moral imperative.

A Brave and Lucid Response To My Thoughts

Mr. Charles Daumbacher of Dubuque Iowa read my letter to the Dubuque Telegraph Herald, also titled "Medicare Thugs" in this blog. His thoughtful and intelligent response, sent to me in the U. S. Mail is: "I would very much like to see things from your point of view; but no matter how hard I try; I just can't get my head that far up my ass." This is typical of the type of person I saw at the congressional town hall standing in the back. Alas, arguing with this "intellectual" would be like arguing with the bathroom toilet. He could have written an insightful response, but to do so he would have had to have some insight. There are better advocates against health care, who I respect very much and who can state their valid concerns. The media right, though, has incited this kind of mindless rage as a tool to kill health care for all. This ugly response is apparently from an uninformed person carrying water for the corporate medical and drug interests who do not want to fall off the gravy train. I would bet that Mr. Daumbacher has nothing in common with these captains of commerce, but he is doing their bidding nonetheless. I am sure Mr. Daumbacher feels no obligation to those who needlessly die or become disabled from lack of access to medical care. He is not alone. There are thousands of "Ditto Heads" in his club.