Have you ever been thankful that you had the ability to groan?  I have, many times for various reasons, too numerous to mention here.  However, I will share a few moments of my most individually groanable (my word) moments.  While in graduate school studying business and statistics I used a favorite case study.  The clear theme of the case hit home, not only locally but also intellectually.  The case focused on then Baby Bell, Pacific Northwest Bell, out of Seattle.  The crux of the true case study focused on the company’s board and its interesting take on just who they felt were the company’s real customers.

                Geez, a phone company, how complicated could you get when identifying your customer base?  Obviously, this case could be identified as a real shocker.  The customers that the board identified were not the service subscribers.  Rather, they uniquely decided that their customers were embodied by the State’s PUC (Public Utilities Commission).  They felt that all of their efforts should be directed at this small group of people.  Why?  Well, their reasoning went something like these members can grant or deny a rate increase.  If they grant us a rate increase, that serves our financial and corporate efforts best.  With that in mind, they neglected their true customer base significantly and focused on a few relative unknowns in Olympia.

                Wise move to some extent until some activists figured it out and started to apply pressure.  When the movement was in full swing there were something like 40,000 bumper stickers on cars in the Puget Sound area that showed the bell symbol (an outline of a bell, circled) with the words, WE DON’T CARE, WE DON’T HAVE TO!  There is something to my constant rants about board accountability.  Boards are supposed to be contentious, thoughtful and even challenging.  Unfortunately, with our local PUD board it appears that most of the membership never got the memo.  I would hope that we would not be electing our board members to be unquestioned advocates of management.

                I learned and accept the notion that board members should be true to the ideal of sound financial principles mixed with ethical & realistic business practices.  I guess that the Chelan County political values differ from that particular model.  We have a new PUD Commissioner who publicly stated that he wanted team building incorporated into the board’s schedule.  I am guessing by the lack of response that they are in agreement; this is a groanable moment for the informed.  Wow, that is really a telling tale of our area.  Another moment for me was long ago in my residence just off the Purdue University Campus.

I just finished watching 60 Minutes.  Meryl Streep, unchallenged, had just plunged a dagger into the heart of the WA State Apple Commission.  I made 3 phone calls that evening back to this area.  I was told by each and every person I contacted that the publicity was great.  I wasn’t calling to congratulate them.  I was called to warn them that their leaders had acted irresponsibly.  I am still shocked as I share this account publicly for the first time.  I won’t name names but 2 were warehouse managers and one was a well known rancher.  Over a billion dollars was lost to the local economy because some dimwits did not understand the potential effects of publicity.  I could not even muster a groan after bringing up that shameful recollection here.

You may feel that I am wasting my time but I am committed to out any behaviors that are contrary to sound board management.  Two of the current commissioners will up for re-election in two years and I want them to know, I will be watching!

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     Politics is a full contact sport.  My favorite political operative of all time was Lee Atwater.  My favorite politician of all time has yet to be revealed to me.  I have often noted that I am an Intellectual Conservative and generally choose to support like minded Republicans; I have crossed party lines.

     I just wish that the residentia (my word) of NCW would get off the kick of only supporting a party rather than an ethic.  In the last election cycle I was dumbfounded to see how some endorsing organizations and letter writers framed their arguments.  You might say, “what arguments,’ and you would be correct.  I love the letters that give us a laundry list of one side or the other.  When I see those intellectual masterpieces I search for the porcelain bowl.

     We lost some fine representation because of behind the scenes work that I am going to attribute, in part, to a portion of the Chelan-Douglas Farm Bureau membership.  They were not overtly vocal but they were working behind the scenes; mark my words on that.  I will thank them personally later and let you in on a few secrets about their highly regarded leadership.

     In one way I am looking forward to a new beginning and a continuation of the same in other areas.  I am proud of M.A. (Mike Armstrong) being able to raise nearly $100,000 at the drop of a dime; mostly from his coast buddies.  By the way, did you know that Pat Notter donated $500.00 to the campaign of Courtney Cox.  Mike brought that to my attention.  He should have been paying closer attention to the politics of some of his donors.

     I am sure that he collected more than a snoot full of cash from the Olympia Mafia (special interests from his adopted home town).  Pat Notter, like all liberals is right occasionally.  In this instance, I would support her investment in Courtney’s campaign as wise and reasonable.  Mike Armstrong is often confused, so I have no idea how often he is right.  Some of his co-sponsored legislative efforts are definitely left; far left.  I am sure that an honest appraisal would not be well received by the intellectual savant (my title for his brilliance) himself.

     In the future folks, if you want to support a candidate, please do so.  If you have a slate of candidates to support please, understand that those you are attempting to convince, they will see your obviously partisan hand; mindlessness is not a political strength.  In my support of particular candidates it was simple and straight forward.  They exhibited an understanding and a commitment that I embraced and appreciated (fiscal conservatism and an understanding of what is right).

     I am excited to see Carnan (pronounced like Conan) the Communicator get his new found buddies on the PUD Board to participate in team building.  After that is complete and he has collectively raised the silliness of that inattentive board, I am getting geared up to see how his promise of better communication works out for all of us.  He might want to use the mail and cajole his godfather, Bob Boyd, to provide the stamps.

     In honor of Carnan the Communicator I am keeping some of my former academic colleagues apprised.  They love how this shy unassuming pseudo-intellectual has grasped the notion of phone effectiveness in terms of PUD meeting successfulness.  I cannot repeat what they commented with respect to his quotes.  Anyway, in these tangles of dark clouds there will be some silver linings.  In some instances my thoughts will be confirmed.  Regarding one hopeless sojourn, we can always pass laws about the use of sharp knives but their is no protection offered against the concealment of dull minds.

     Stay tuned for the on-going saga of Sleepy, Sneezy, Dopey, and Dork.  Those are my characterizations of the 4 male members of the newly constituted PUD Board.  I have heard some interesting characterizations from friends about a few of them.  Those characterizations led to my connecting them with dark Dwarf activities.  Some Dwarfs are small in stature while others are impeded by their thick skulls, limiting brain size and corresponding performance significantly.

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     I am and have been very concerned about the capriciousness of our government in its move to bailout U.S. companies and industries.  Now the Big Three is at the government’s door begging.  The whole notion of bailouts runs contrary to my idea of capitalism.  Companies, industries, managers, workers, and unions all need to learn valuable lessons that are attached to their actions. The lessons of capitalism are governed by the notion of survival of the fittest; most profitable, most productive and most innovative.

This does not mean that I am contrary to every bailout effort put forth so far.  However, the lack of due diligence exercised in the original $700 Billion bill speaks volumes as to the overall impact that we may see in the near term.  As for GM, FORD, and Chrysler I am wondering whether or not this action will be more targeted by Pelosi, Reed and Obama toward payback to the unions than it is toward the economy.  The UAW has some huge stakes involved in the future survival of these 3 U.S. automakers.  This in spite of the fact that I am not sure that the leadership and rank & file of the UAW has learned anything over the past 50 years; there is enough blame to go around.

I like to cite Southwest Airlines as an example of capitalism at work.  Southwest has a completely different set of work rules and standards than those of their union competitors in the airline industry.  Their planes fly twice as often thanks to common sense turnaround procedures.  They have had only one unprofitable quarter in their history.  Former Chairman Herb Kelleher imposed and nurtured a culture that was more productive, more profitable and more successful than any of the company’s industry competitors.

As fuel prices started to rise the company hedged its bets and purchased gasoline futures that helped them keep down prices and operate profitably.  The Big 3, on the other hand, has long been a renegade in the U.S. auto market.  They have not been as aggressive and forthright over the years with respect to new technologies,  innovation and/or their balance sheet fundamentals.  Back in the early sixties GM started to lose huge chunks of market share to the Japanese and to a lesser degree the Germans.  Their shareholders were blinded by revenue increases and seemed oblivious to the realities of the changing industry even back as far as 40+ years ago.

Please note, I am a member of the Teamsters Union with an inactive membership (on withdrawal).  I was last active as a Teamster more than 35 years ago.  I believe that organizations and unions must co-exist successfully if they are both on the same page.  At the end of the day it should be all about profitability, productivity, performance and innovation.  Something that was said decades ago hit home with me then and remains today; bad management deserves bad labor and vice versa.  Any type of workplace radicalism that is not in the best interests of the company’s long-term profitability should be considered ignorant and dealt with accordingly.

If you want a meaningful example go no further than to the country of France and learn about how an anti-capitalist agenda has strangled their ability to compete against others in terms of manufacturing.  They are not held up as a model for the world.  Buying American is never the answer and will never catch on because of price & quality disparities.  Two final points, the highest U.S. content car made & sold in the U.S. is the Toyota Camry, built at their Georgetown, KY plant.  On the other hand, the largest exporter of U.S. built automobiles is Honda with their production facility in Marysville, OH.  You do the math and draw your own conclusions- I have drawn mine.

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            It seems that the more things change the more they remain the same.  President-elect Obama rallied his supporters under the guise of change.  So, what does change look like in this newly elected administration?  Some might say it looks a lot like the Clinton Administration of 8 years ago.  With names such as John Podesta, Rahm Emmanuel, Stephanie Cutter, Larry Summers, Susan Rice, Carol Browner (wife of Thomas Downey), Bill Daley (Richie’s older brother) and others it appears like change is an overwhelming return to remnants of the past.

            In the background waiting anxiously are characters such as Governor Granholm, (D), MI, with one of the worst overall economic records in the country.  This hodgepodge of  all too familiar characters seems more like a return to the status quo rather than a move toward the future; a future that championed change.  Only time will tell the results of this all too familiar leap back to an earlier period but I am inclined to believe that we are in for an interesting four years.  Bush will continue to be the scapegoat while the true face of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac debacle will remain a closely guarded secret.  The roots of this economic meltdown are far more relevant than anyone’s choice in the just finished elections.

            Lest you believe that the American electorate is too smart to be fooled totally, you need only evaluate one pollster’s finding.  The pollster found that 70% of the voting public, prior to the election, believed that the Republicans controlled both the United States House and Senate.  I wonder what is going to happen when President-elect Obama and his hordes are no longer offered the benefit of the doubt by an all too indiscriminate press?  The only thing that is going to free us  is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

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To all my friends and acquaintances: By the time this is published, the election will be over. Some of us will be rejoicing while others of us will be gnashing our teeth and saying, “Don’t these idiots realize what they’ve done?

Some of you, my dear and valued friends, will have voted contrary to my vote. I won’t hold it against you. In return, I hope you will reciprocate. I don’t value you because you are a copy of me, with the same opinions and ideas. I hope you value me because I am different from you.

Politics can be a very disruptive influence on our lives; family and neighborhood feuds have developed because of it.  No matter what the outcome of this, the 2008 election, I sincerely hope that we will continue to care for one another and value one another in spite of — or because of — our differences.

Whichever way it goes, we’re all in this together.

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A certain electricity thrummed inside the Applewood Grill last night at 8 p.m., one that I’m not sure our live video stream captured. The energy of 300 hearts beating faster. The buzz from the floorboards as the crowd chanted, “O-bam-a, O-bam-a!” Tears falling. Arms raised in victory or wrapped around each other. Something happened last night, a massive coming-together, that I haven’t seen since 9/11.

I was so proud to bear witness. When my grandchildren ask me where I was, I can say that my job was to record it all. I was perched in a small, dark corner on the upper floor of the Applewood where I aimed a small camera down to the crowd below, and streamed live video online at wenatcheeworld.com. It was an experiment; we’ve never streamed live.

We discovered a few truths about using live streaming video. Large crowds work best. I spent an equal amount of time at the Republican headquarters earlier that night. The Republicans gathering was small, just 20 people, split between two rooms. I set my camera in the back room, where maybe 10 people were watching Fox News. They threw up their hands with a disgusted “Ugh!” Some argued with the network calls, which were based on a small percent of counted votes. We picked up some candid conversation (folks forgot about my camera), which accurately, bluntly showed their disappointment. But there was something too close, too private about live video of a small crowd, like spying. I think pen-and-paper would have fit the setting better.

I walked down the street to the Applewood at about 7:45 p.m., and pushed a path through the crowd to the top floor. The height of the evening was 8 p.m., when Obama’s presidency was announced. Here’s a tid-bit from a text conversation I had with our tech guru at that moment:
8:00 PM
Reconnecting to Nathan Florea

Rachel: people are going nuts
check it out, it’s on live
Nate: OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG!
Rachel: tell me we caught that, we caught that right?!
Nate: Yup, we got it!
Rachel: wow, that was huge. there’s not a free seat in the place
more clapping, more going nuts
Nate: Seriously, I can’t believe it.
Nate: This is so amazing.
Rachel: you were here
I was here
remember this, tell the story

My favorite moment was the capture. I hooked up the live stream just as the crowd reacted to the presidency announcement, like the end scene of “Twister” when the billions of little monitors fly successfully into the hurricane.

I wish my little camera could have picked up the feeling and the faces, not just the crowd shot. No matter what new media we try, I think we still need our traditional crafts writing and photography to pick up that emotion, or whatever holes are uncovered by new-media storytelling. Overall I think our experiment was a good exercise.

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     Congratulations to the victors last Tuesday night. Nationally, regionally, and locally the die has been cast.  Forget the thoughtfulness that could have been and deal with the reality that is here and now.  There were some impressive accomplishments.  Our re-elected District 2, Position 2 Representative was able to raise in the neighborhood of $90,000.00 on a minute’s notice from his many connections in Western Washington.  The PUD can now get down to business without the impediments of thoughtfulness.  They, the PUD, will also be set to consider team building so that tough decisions will be made more easily through acquiescence.

            Yes, my ballot was shot full of holes.  Thanks to the late comeback efforts of Ron Walter, I was not completely shut out.  As per usual I contributed to some under votes.  I find it unpalatable to vote for unopposed candidates.  I did vote for Chip Small in spite of the fact that he ran unopposed.  I voted for fiscal conservatism and for differing perspectives in the case of Governor and PUD Commissioner.  It was surprising that in the contested PUD Commission race that the under vote was over 4,000.  For those of you unfamiliar, the under vote is when a ballot is submitted that does not reflect a vote in a race.  I stand by those who choose for whatever reason, to not cast a ballot in a race.  Voting is a right that also includes the option to opt out of the process; partially or totally.

            I respect the voter’s right to quietly admit that soaring property valuations are not an issue in this area.  I respect the right of one candidate to whine that his challenger was too negative because she had the nerve to bring up relevant issues during the campaign.  I respect the voters’ decision to put their stamp of approval on a state legislator to continue with what I perceive as his haphazard methods of representation.  I have no idea what the Republican agenda is for the new legislature.  As usual, I am not sure they have one; an agenda that is.

            I am clueless as to what any of our 3 state legislative representatives will champion in the next few years while dealing with an out of control state government.  For the first time since 9/11 I am concerned about the safety of the homeland.  However, the voters have spoken and we are now all in the same boat, together.  I am bracing for higher energy costs and a new more interesting energy policy.  In the past six months I have moved some of my more volatile investments, thinking that what just happened might happen. I am ready to stay in this poker game by playing the hand that I was dealt. On a more positive note, we need to consider the opportunities as presented.

            For one, the fruit industry was a winner locally.  They now have a super majority of representation on our PUD board.  The WA State Farm Bureau is also a winner in this sweepstakes.  These entities, the same ones that sat idly by as Meryl Streep lied nationally and for a decade heloped destroy our apple industry. These well meaning suits will continue to have undue influence on our quality of life.  Yes, I am left to deal with the same inane leaders who sat idly by while many of my neighbors faced financial ruin based on the fruit industry’s inability to understand the importance of all facets of communication.  I am stuck with the same Port Commissioners and leadership that, over a decade ago, took the Peshastin Mill Property off the tax rolls and continue to hold it in their inventory with no taxpayer relief in sight.  Democracy is not perfect and when we are disappointed, we need to take a deep breath and continue.

            Am I bitter?  No, not at all!  I am old enough and experienced enough to realize that all too often the voters take what they view as the safe bet.  All too often the voters get caught up in the spirit of the battle and leave their sensibilities at the door.  My solace will be found in the fact that I spoke my convictions loud and clear and a few candidates at the State and National level have made the crash landing survivable.  I am well practiced in the plight of political loneliness.  As a true conservative I do not have any pre conceived notions that the herd will flock in my direction.  In the end I understand that the old tried and true method of trial and error will continue as the politics of the land.  It’s easier that way, especially when the perceptions are that its not my money!

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With overwhelming voice, Americans have voted to move beyond the dark times of the past eight years. “Yes We Did.” Now, if the nation can just survive the next two months, 17 days, 19 hours, 45 minutes and 30 seconds.

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To all of you astounded by the decision of the Wenatchee World Editorial Board to endorse Barack Obama, wake up!  These guys are first and foremost journalists.  Their idea of due diligence is not my idea of due diligence.  Their first-hand economic and business experiences have nothing in common with mine.  I have never considered Rufus Woods III to be anything close to an analytical thinker; not even a thoughtful thinker for that matter.  So, when I consider the source I just shrug and shake.

In the future, you might remember to keep writing your letters and voicing your opinions and afterward don’t forget to shrug and shake!   Think of the Letters to the Editor page as your territory to make your point eloquently & honestly.  In the end to perhaps hopefully embarrass them quietly when they are obviously thinking in platitudes as opposed to dealing with the actual specifics of the issues.  They may disagree, so what!  Just because their bosses publish the paper does not mean that they have any meaningful monopoly on knowledge.  In fact as I have traveled across this country and outside its borders I have never had someone remark to me how the Wenatchee World’s Editorial Board enlightened them and/or even influenced their values in any way shape or form.

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I wish I had another newspaper page to fill with voices. The students at Wenatchee High School and WVC students had some interesting things to say about this election.  Some were funny. Some scary. Some brilliant.

I resent that I lose those individuals in statistics, but there’s only so much room in our print edition. Online, I have all ink you’d ever want to read.

I have their full  names and ages, but I’ve decided not to post them. I don’t know if I can trust some of the World’s online commenters not to make mincemeat out of these kids. Maybe I’m being overly protective, I’m sure all you “none none” and “anonymous anonymous” folks out there will understand.

How they’re voting:

Several students said they didn’t know enough about the governor’s race to explain how they feel about it, but several said they were leaning Rossi.

T-shirt: “McCain’t Touch This!”

Obama/Biden: Obama appeals to young voters by keying in on tuition issues. He wants to put more people on Medicaid, even if it means more taxes. (The boy adamently said he was not for socialized medicine, but supported Obama’s plan.) Expanded health insurance appeals to many young adults stuck in entry level jobs or studies without health insurance. McCain is a military leader who wants to reinforce nucular arms for our protection. Cesar, WHS.

The Democrats seem to be going after younger voters, Julie, WHS. About why young voters like Obama, “He’s not exactly young, but he stands for change.”

McCain/ Palin: “McCain looks like he knows what he’s doing.” Obama wants too much in taxes. McCain is a good president for now, while we’re in war. Gaspar, WHS. His cousin returned from Iraq two weeks ago.

McCain/Palin: “McCain, because he appeals to me more.” Neil, WHS. He hesitated to talk about any further than he has “different reasons,” including the fact that McCain is a vet and he has more experience.

Undecided: “I plan on voting but I haven’t gotten around to it. I’m mostly for Obama but I understand both sides. I’m undecided.” Tanya, WHS.

Obama/Biden: “In the past we’ve seen how Republicans ran the states. in the last 8 years, there’s been no progress with the military or the economy. It’s time for a change.” Jerry, WVC.

Obama/Biden: “I’m leaning more toward Obama, but I heard some things that make me not want to vote.” Lorenzo, WVC. He couldn’t remember specifically what he heard.

Obama/Biden: “He’s the face of change. He’ll be the first Black president and that’s great to see. McCain is too old, and his choice of Palin was horrible.” Cesar, WVC. He also said he’d vote for Gregoire, in part because Biden endorsed her during his visit to Tacoma.

McCain/Palin: “He understands how people want things.” Michela, WVC. Her cousin is going for his second tour in Iraq. Her fiance’s cousin is also headed to the Middle East.

McCain/Palin: “McCain has served in the military, and he has two sons in Iraq. Even if it sucks that we’re losing so many people over there, if they all came home — we’ve made so many people mad — we would be attacked 10 times worse than 9/11. If they come home, we’ll be a big target.” Alicia, WVC.

McCain/Palin: “I don’t care for either. The only reason I’m voting McCain is because I like Palin.” Ryan, WVC. He said he gets the feeling Obama has a secret agenda and doesn’t trust the fact that his middle name is Hussein. Kenyans celebrated when Obama was nominated by the Democrats, which is suspicious. He said global warming is a hoax that may lead to a global government/new world order. He also said McCain is too liberal. The fact that he’s a POW is getting repetitive.

McCain/Palin: “If I vote McCain then I’m racist. If I don’t vote for Palin, I’m sexist. I can’ win.” She later said, “McCain isn’t as conservative as I’d like, but he’s better than Obama. Obama is too liberal, he’s a socialist. He wants more taxes, big government and he’d legalize partial birth abortion.” Jacque, WVC.

Why young voters have the worst voter turnout:

“The majority who care aren’t old enough to vote,” Tyler, WHS.

“I’m too busy, I almost forgot to register to vote,” Julio, WHS. He says he has too much homework.

“Some kids are lazy,” several students.

“They don’t feel like they can make a difference. They’re just one person with one vote. Obama’s going to make a difference so I think this election more young people are going to vote,” Ivan, WHS.

“They don’t pay taxes. They’re less involved with society in general. Most go to college. They don’t have a family, they don’t have much that’s directly affecting them that they have to worry about,” Cesar, WHS.

“I think a lot of kids underage don’t know how they’re going to vote so they vote with their friends. But since I watched the debate, I know what they (the candidates) stand for and I know who I’m going to vote for.” Gaspar, WHS.

“Because most people don’t care and adults understand politics better. They can tell who is lying on TV.” Molly, WHS.

“I don’t agree. I can tell who is lying, at least some of the time.” Another girl who over heard, WHS.

“Maybe it’s just part of the process.” Younger voters haven’t had as much time to get registered as older voters. James, WHS.

“Maybe they don’t want to put the time into going through and reading what each candidate stands for.” Tanya, WHS.

“In my opinion, the campaigns aren’t appealing to us, they’re not relating things toward us.” Michela, WVC. The biggest relevant issue she heard was how the economy might affect student loans.

“They don’t understand the economics of the world yet. They don’t remember when it was only $5 to fill a tank. They’re going with the celebrities.” Alicia, WVC.

“It’s how society is now, the MTV and VH1 generation. They want to go out to clubs, most people don’t care.” Ryan, WVC.

Democrats and Republicans  have been on the WVC campus several times to register voters online.

“I try to look it up (candidates and issues) when I have time, but honestly, if she hadn’t come up to me, I don’t think I would have had time to register. I wouldn’t know where to go.” Jerry, WVC.

“I don’t know enough about the candidates to make the right choice. I  might as well leave it up to people who know more about it.” Lorenzo, WVC. He’s registered, thanks to the on-campus drives, but he said he needs to research before he votes.

“I think it’s important to vote because you can choose who you want to make this country better. I registered when I was 18.” Cesar, WVC.

Past WHS Mock Election results:

1988: Bush, 57 percent. Dukakis, 41 percent.

1992: Clinton, 32 percent. Bush 31 percent. Perot, 31 percent.

1996: Dole, 38 percent. Clinton, 33 percent. Perot, 15 percent. Nader, 2 percent.

2000: Bush 64 percent. Gore, 25 percent. Nader, 5 percent.

2004: Bush, 59 percent. Kerry, 34 percent. Rossi, 62 percent. Gregoire, 27 percent.

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