Genesis

1960's - Anne and Robert Dooley, both children of Irish Immigrants, meet, get married, move to the suburbs and have 5 children (4 boys and 1 girl, the youngest). They imprint on this brood a moral and ethical code, and did so through a combination of rules and regulations and by example. Pretty basic stuff, the Golden Rule, work hard, be a good neighbor, don't lie.

1970's - Raising the children by herself during the day, no car, Dad works 60 hours a week, Mom does her best. Be home when the street lights come on, do your homework, don't hit your sister. Topics of conversations, Munich Olympics, Apollo Missions, Fall of Saigon, Khmer Rouge, Barbara Jordan's speech during Watergate, Wip inflation now (WIN), Draft Ted, OK lets vote for Carter (we need to clean house, send them a message), Patty Hearst, Bi-centennial, the Troubles in Ireland, if it was politics it was open for debate, good honest old fashioned, no feelings hurt, debate. We all read the newspaper, all of time and when Live at Five (NY News show) started we watched the news before dinner, to help aid in the conversation. So on and so on...the Crisis in Iran (I knew more about the Shah of Iran than I did Pete Rose) and finally Uncle Ronnie (OK we taught them a lesson now lets get back to work).

We all had jobs and we all did them the best we could. We all hustled. We went door to door, offering everything: cutting grass, shoveling driveways, doing odd jobs. Our competition was each other. Who got out of the house first, shoveled the most driveways, made the most money. I think back to those times and I now understand the appreciation that our neighbors had for "The Dooley Kids". You see they were all children of immigrants and respected the work ethic that we had. It was instilled in us as much as it was imprinted in our DNA.

You know I remember complaining to my Grandfather once that I had spent 12 hours the day before washing dishes in a restaurant (Barnwood family restaurant, I was 14 or 15) and I clearly remember him saying "12 hours? Lad, that's only half a day". I have said that to people who work for me now and they look at me like I am from another planet, where as I looked at Pop-Pop and thought "yea good point"!

You look at the recent news stories regarding the New York State legislature and the fact that Gov. Paterson is asking a Judge to force the Representatives to report to work, and in the depths of my soul I am furious. You have been elected to serve the people of New York and the Governor has to get a Court order to get you to report to work and you don't? I say send this whole bunch back to the real world, they are doing a disservice to the hardworking people they have been elected to represent.

Call them to the carpet!! Shake them up!! When you are considering voting for your local Representatives in the next election, consider their motivation and do they have the backbone to stand up for you, work hard, protect your interests? Or will they follow the direction of the "Party Bosses" who control the purse strings for their next election, or appointment to some "no show" job.

Send someone like yourself to Washington who you know will not only respect your views but work as hard as you do!

Questions, concerns, comment? dooley4congress@gmail.com