Public Service Recognition

April 27th, 2013

Public Service Recognition Week, May 5-11

Lots of folks, even some cowboys, complain about taxes. Well, maybe there are too many taxes and maybe some are too high but what would we do without the many benefits we receive in return? There are a great many dedicated public employees who serve quietly and efficiently to bring us essential services.

Recognizing this, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution on April 16, 2013 honoring federal, state and local government employees, both civilian and military, for their dedication and continued service to the United States.

Consider the impact on our lives if deserving and needy citizens were deprived of such tax-supported services as national defense, state national guard, fire and police protection, courts of law, public defenders, public transit, public schools, public broadcasting, mail delivery, Social Security, para medics, Medicare and Medicaid, professional licensing, public libraries, state and municipal block grants, child and elder care, housing assistance, business assistance, food stamps, air traffic control, head start, infrastructure, weather reports, food inspection, literary and artistic copyright, title registration, public parks, public health, student loans, et al.

The list goes on and on and those services are provided, directly or indirectly, by industrious but often unseen and unappreciated public employees. I don’t know about you, but I tip my Stetson to those many public employees who quietly and efficiently provide essential services. And I do so, not just during Public Service Recognition Week, but every single day!

Thanks guys and gals, you’re appreciated!

Posted in Contemporary | No Comments »

New: Cowboy Proser

March 2nd, 2013

We’ve invented a new name, Cowboy Proser, which is defined as a person who talks or writes in prose about our great western and cowboy heritage.

Seems like these talented folks should have their own unique professional tag. Since one who writes or recites poetry about that heritage is designated a Cowboy Poet, it’s logical that those who write and recite prose should enjoy a similar descriptive title, Cowboy Proser!

Posted in Contemporary, Historic, Performance, Poets | No Comments »

AnVir, My New Task Manager

January 6th, 2013

Ok, so I made a mistake and downloaded a copy of AnVir Task Manager this morning. As a result, the Sunday paper lies unopened and my coffee is cold because my routine has been disrupted as I’ve explored the new software. At each click of the mouse there’s something new and important revealed on my monitor.

But, to back up a bit, AnVir pulls together a wonderful collection of both static and automated resources which replace the Microsoft Task Manager even as it monitors processes and services, and provides a basket full of essential information and resources which have demanded my attention on this Sunday morning. And all of this is incorporated in one comprehensive management tool which is easy to understand and use. An impressive accomplishment!

So, my first impression is that this is the management tool I’ve been waiting for, a venerable Swiss Army Knife of valuable resources! AnVir is available in three forms (Free, Standard at $29.95, and Pro at $49.95) which can be downloaded from the developer’s web site at http://www.anvir.com/.

Posted in Contemporary, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Restoring the Real Filibuster

November 29th, 2012

There is a moment in time when a simple majority vote of a quorum (51% of the Senate) during the first session of a new Congress may change the rules to reduce the severe partisanship which blocks the productive consideration of legislation by way of a sadly misused filibuster process.

The current filibuster rules of the Senate, and the provision that only one senator may, even anonymously, block the other 99 from considering or voting on an issue, are clearly unconstitutional.

While the Constitution says that the Senate may establish its own rules, it also states in Article I, Section 5 that a majority of that body constitutes a quorum to conduct business. In parliamentary terms, this means that, even if only 51 Senators are in attendance, they have a quorum and may approve an action by a simple majority vote of those actually present at that time.

In addition the Constitution enumerates only seven circumstances which require more than a majority of the quorum. Beyond that, there is a principle in the law which indicates that if there is enumeration, then all else is excluded. In parliamentary terms, this rules out any super majority requirement except on those seven constitutional matters.

The minority party at any given time might suffer by returning to the Constitutional principles established by our Founding Fathers; however, the interests of our nation will be better served by the will of a majority of the Congress, duly elected by the people, and not derailed by a those who who wish only to block the majority from addressing its constitutionally mandated tasks.

It is high time to get back to the concept of majority rule as laid out so clearly in the Constitution and get rid of unconstitutional parliamentary maneuvers which inhibit the legislative process! The old filibuster process wherein a Senator had to take the floor and hold it (as in the 1939 movie, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, starring Jimmy Stewart) is certainly constitutional and should be re-established.

The author, a retired management consultant and a past director of Toastmasters International, has served in positions of leadership and parliamentary roles for a variety of local, state, regional, and national organizations and has been a long time student of governmental and constitutional issues.

Posted in Contemporary, Historic | No Comments »

PhraseExpander: A Review

October 29th, 2012

Please click PhraseExpander  to read a review of an innovative software program which automates the insertion of frequently used documents, paragraphs, phrases, images, and tasks with just a few key strokes.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

Mitt’s Tax Rebate

September 23rd, 2012

Some folks are commending Mitt Romney for not taking all of his legitimate deductions on his 2011 tax return. Others are saying he flip-flopped from an earlier comment when he said if he paid more taxes than were legally due he didn’t think he’d be qualified to become president.

You’d better believe that candidate…both statements are probably true. After all, he’s not stupid and knows that he has three years from the time of filing his initial 2011 return to submit a revised one claiming a refund of that seemingly generous donation to the government. You can bet he’ll do it regardless of the outcome of the election!

Posted in Contemporary | No Comments »

Cowboy Management Styles

September 11th, 2012

Once upon a time I was a management consultant specializing in strategic planning and I helped a lot of people. But then I became a cowboy poet, vicariously reliving my youthful experience as a cowboy. It was then I realized that cowboys are right good managers; hence, this little essay.

I was ridin’ along the other day lis’nin’ to my pocket radio. The fellers was talkin’ about management and it seemed to me that they was gettin’ it all wrong somehow. They was using hard-to-understand high falutin’ words to explain some pretty simple things about the work of managers.

What they was sayin’ boiled down to five real little things that any cowboy fresh off the range could tell you. First a feller has got to know where he’s goin’, he’s got to round up the stuff he needs to get there, he’s got to get his crew lined up and teach them how to use all that stuff, he’s got to nudge folks along, and he’s got to keep up on what’s goin’ on.

Now, that’s a real cowboy’s view of management! And it’s a heck of a lot easier to understand and use than them high falutin’ words: plannin’, organizin’, staffin’, leadin’, and controllin’.

So, here’s the poop on bein’ a manager…

Where are you goin’? Them consultants really get you goin’ on this one. Their first words ain’t too bad…strategic plannin’…but then they start hangin’ other words on to those: vision, mission, values, goals, objectives, strategies, competition, and some other words they make up as they go along. A’course the reason for all a’that is to keep you plumb mixed up to the point that you gotta hire them to help you do all that plannin’ and hire ‘em again if you want to understand what they did for you in the first place!

All them words mean is that you gotta know what you’re aimin’ for, you gotta know why you’re aimin for that, you gotta treat folks right, you gotta take little bittsie steps while watchin’ that you don’t step in a pile of somethin’. Then you gotta consider:

  • Objectives – the total of lotsa bittsie steps
  • Strategies – how all these things fit together
  • Competiton – who’s steppin’ on your toes

Some folks say you can be a one minute manager but I reckon that ain’t right. You gotta be a 24 hour manager else the herd’s gonna get away from you. You got fences to build and fences to fix. You got hay to cut and hay to pitch. You got brandin’ to do and mountain oysters to harvest. You just gotta whole saddle bag full of chores if you’re gonna be a manager. All that takes a bit more than a minute!

What tools do managers use? Again, them consultants really confuse the issue when they talk about resources. Why don’t they just say here’s the tools you’ve got to do your job instead of sayin’ your resources are people, property, time, money, and technology?

It sorta stands to reason that you gotta have folks to do the work, give ‘em the tools and supplies they need, decide when the work needs to be done, get your money outa the bank so as you can pay for all that, and be sure you’re doin’ somethin’ that’ll last for a while.

Hire them consultants if you want to but, fer me, I reckon I’ll stick to Cowboy Management Skills…sort of a do-it-yourself kinda managin’.

Posted in Historic, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Cookie’s Diary

June 19th, 2012

We found Cookie’s virtual diary. He’s a person who claims to know just about everything about everything. He’s also a cowboy philosopher and a real fan of cowboy poetry. In fact, if he could spell it, he’d say he was an affectionado and would admit his biases. In any case, with the correction of some grammar and spelling, we’ll be posting occasional excerpts from from the diary.

Posted in Contemporary, Historic | No Comments »

Super Majority is Illegal

March 8th, 2012

With reference to my last article, “A Question for Congress,” legal evidence supports the view that the super majority used (i.e., requiring 60 votes to proceed vs the traditional majority vote) in the U.S. Senate is illegal.

An excellent article contained in the Marquette Law Review (Volume XV June, 1931 No. 4, “Expressio Unius Est Exclusio Alterius,” by Clifton Williams, the dean of the Marquette Law School) makes that point with great clarity. In essence, the element of law involved says in that Latin phrase that when there is enumeration in the law, all else is excluded.

Our Constitution enumerates only seven instances where a super majority is required and for the Senate to impose any super majority requirement beyond those is illegal. If the Senate won’t clean up it’s own house, some ambitious young attorney should recruit a client who has a legal interest in the issue and take it to the courts!

Posted in Contemporary, Historic | No Comments »

A Question for Congress

December 10th, 2011

Cookie has a great question for your representatives in Congress, “Isn’t it time for Congress to put their houses in order?” He says a few simple changes would be very helpful and maybe even boost Congressional popularity! They should:

  • Leave their politics at the door and really do what’s best for the U.S. and its citizens.
  • Require that each bill be on only one subject and that any amendments be germane to that subject.
  • Eliminate the rule which permits one Senator to block 99 others from considering an issue.
  • Require a supermajority vote on only the specific actions enumerated in the Constitution*. [On all other actions let the majority rule! See footnote.]
  • Impose term limits of two consecutive terms for Senators and six consecutive terms for Representatives. [That’s a total of twelve years each!]
  • Require members to recuse themselves on all issues which would benefit themselves, their family members, their business, or their campaign donors.
  • Require that members be subject to insider trading laws and that their investments be managed by blind trusts over which the members have no control.

* MCCULLOCH V. MARYLAND, 17 U. S. 316 (1819)
U.S. Supreme Court

“This government is acknowledged by all, to be one of enumerated powers. The principle, that it can exercise only the powers granted to it, would seem too apparent, to have required to be enforced by all those arguments, which its enlightened friends, while it was depending before the people, found it necessary to urge; that principle is now universally admitted.”

The Constitution enumerates only the following seven actions as requiring a supermajority vote in Congress:

  • Convicting an Impeachment (2/3 majority in the Senate – Article 1, Section 3)
  • Expulsion of a member of one house of Congress (2/3 vote of the house in question – Article 1, Section 5)
  • Override a Presidential Veto (2/3 majority in both the House and the Senate – Article 1, Section 7)
  • Ratify a treaty (2/3 majority in the Senate – Article 2, Section 2)
  • Passing of a Constitutional Amendment by Congress (2/3 majority in both the House and the Senate – Article 5)
  • Restore the ability of certain rebels to serve in the government (2/3 majority in both the House and the Senate – 14th Amendment)
  • Approval of removal of the President from his position after the Vice President and the Cabinet approve such removal and after the President contests the removal (2/3 majority in both the House and the Senate 25th Amendment)

Posted in Contemporary | No Comments »

« Older Entries