Niagara Gazette — If we truly desire to rebuild an economy and to create jobs, then why are we so seemingly opposed to those who have already created jobs and have built an economy? We vote for who you want to vote for, and that’s fine; but we subsequently get what we vote for. But that’s not the point. What gets to me the most are the political ads, whereas they blast people who have actually built both businesses that employ other people and build tremendous personal economies for others and themselves; all at the same time that we praise people for merely being able to connect with us because they, like us, have had no success at either of those things that we want. Isn't that as crazy as taking wealth advice from a lottery winner who is, or was, just like us; and we know that they were just like us because we saw them in the lottery lines with us? But, we connect. Colleges hire Ph.D.s as professors to teach master degree courses; master degreed individuals to teach bachelor courses; and even the high schools hire people with bachelors and master's degrees to teach ninth graders who are simply looking for a high school diploma. Why then do we look for and expect people to create the jobs that we desperately need who, themselves, have done nothing more than smooth talk their way into an elected office? I don't have a dog in the fight in the congressional race between a former Erie County executive, and a former Erie County clerk and current congresswoman. They are not in my district and neither one of them is likely to read this column anyway. But given the condition of Western New York – where we live -- and the dire needs of less government and more privately developed jobs, then why would there be a dead heat between the two of them? Whereas one is criticized for developing and saving jobs -- even if he had to reduce salaries to save some of those businesses that he purchased, while the other distances herself from the jobs that her father created some 20 years ago; as if what both her father and competitor did was a bad thing. Both the congresswoman’s father and the candidate operated under the laws that past and current congresses and administrations have upheld. And it is likely that no one understands the nuances of those laws better than the people who have somehow prospered from them – including the public and private lobbyists who are paying for the political ads to keep things exactly the way that they are for incumbents; and, consequentially, you exactly where you are as constituents. But if one of them is running with an understanding of those laws and a desire to change them, well don't the choices become a bit clearer? I do have a dog in the fight for the presidency; however, my poodle, an underdog, doesn't stand much of a chance in New York state against the pit bull Democrat that he is up against. That is, unless the pit bull chokes on him. But the same thing holds true as with the aforementioned candidates. For some bizarre reason, we see people that are most like us as being able to help us most. Would we want a doctor, a mechanic, a pilot or even a spouse who is just like us? Not likely. Instead, we'd want someone who has proven themselves better than ourselves at what they do, wouldn't we? So then, wouldn't it stand to reason that if we want jobs, then shouldn't we favor the persons who have actually created jobs over the persons who have not – whether we like those persons or not? Or is it that we just really hate success? And, Lord knows, we have sufficient failures to prove it!
Contact Ken Hamilton at kenhamilton930@aol.com.Columns
- Columns
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BRADBERRY: Preserving & protecting, our past?
Though I have not yet had the opportunity to set foot on the celebrated initial improvements in the State Park at Niagara Falls, or to visit the proposed new Maid of the Mist launch pad at the old Shoellkopf site down below in the gorge, I have been hearing some pretty serious criticism of the way some of the work is being done.
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DELUCA: Toughing it out, together
Sam Giambattista is one tough guy.
He credits his dad for that. And his football coach from years back when he played both ways for Bishop Duffy.
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CONFER: Obamacare: The great unknown
I consider myself fairly versed on the nuances of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (a.k.a Obamacare). I’ve studied the Act for years (even before its adoption), given lectures to local community groups about it, and written about it in these pages and elsewhere.
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HIGGS: More about Trott Vocational
Happy belated Father's Day to James Fullerton Trott who is the historical "Father of our Schools" and to all our present day fathers who have this annual opportunity to celebrate this honorable and important status in their life; a status that should not be taken lightly as it bears a tremendous significance for the future.
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GLYNN: WGRZ owner buys KING-TV in Seattle
Gannett, which owns WGRZ (Ch. 2) in Buffalo, is in the process of buying KING-TV, the Seattle-based station with a rich history in the broadcast industry.
- SINGER: Two who are right for the job What a happy occurrence that on his second try to replace Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, President Obama called on John Kerry for this demanding position in government. Sometimes you have to be lucky, and the U.S. certainly was in this choice.
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VINCENT DAVIS: The NSA and your Facebook password
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LETTERS FROM THE ISLAND: Forging a few fatherly memories
We're going out tonight for Father's Day. Doug prefers to dodge the throngs of what he calls "artificial holidays." Anyway, he's had enough Father's Day already to last the whole year.
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HAMILTON: Fathers Day in the ghetto
There is something unusual about the Rashads, the Jamals and the other similarly named young men that we can see walking up and down the streets of any city.
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SCHEER: Finally, the casino cash stalemate is over
Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the sheet of paper at 4:07 p.m. Thursday.
"It's done," he said. "Congratulations."
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