How will Polish-Americans vote this year?

The next Presidential Election is on Tuesday, November 6, 2012.  How will Polish-Americans vote this year? 

As with rest of the Americans, Polish-Americans are seeking good jobs and better lives.  It all comes down to the money in the pocket.  Chicagoland area is known for a large Polish population and Polish culture.  

When it comes to jobs, the majority of the Poles run their own contractor businesses.  Yes, many are employed in cleaning/caretaking industry but the real money is in building and remodeling gigs.  Correction: the real money was there, before the recession.  It seems that the main income stream comes from the "hail damage" insurance claims.  More about that some other time.

The other group invested in college education and is working for the private and public sector.  It seems that every large company has some Poles or Polish-Americans working there.  

Yes, the Poles are a large group in America but do they make their voices be heard during the elections?  The short answer is no. 

Many older Poles don't find the elections to be legit based on their experiences from the communist Poland (before 1989).  The undocumented Poles cannot vote.  And the rest are just simply keeping the politics out of their lives being busy working two jobs to support the family and the "American dream".

So how will Polish-Americans vote this year?  The jobs and taxes are very important.  Second, the immigration reform.  Romney wins on the taxes but Obama caters to the undocumented.  After talking to some friends, most are pro-Romney.  Mishandling of the economy is the number one disappointment.  Second, the Obamacare. 

Polish-Americans choice: Romney.

You can check both candidates and their stands on the issues at: Barack Obama vs Mitt Romney.

Yorkville Polish picnic - it was fun!

The Yorkville, IL, "Picnic of Picnics" at Yorkville, sponsored by Radio 1030 AM and TV Polvision was quite fun.  Everyone could find something good: delicious Polish food, Zywiec beer, life entertainment for both adults and children, and gorgeous weather. 

The Marszalek Band delivered a great show.  Straight from Poland, the star of the evening, Agnieszka Wlodarczyk, performed some songs from her album and some covers.  Judging from the applause, the guys were especially happy.  

I'm not sure how many people showed up but they had to open a secondary parking lot to accommodate all the cars.

I have to agree with the comments on the 1030 AM radio, there were a lot of smiling faces of happy people at the picnic.  

Agnieszka Wlodarczyk

Agnieszka Wlodarczyk

Agnieszka Wlodarczyk

Main stage crowd.

The best Polish picnic in Chicagoland: Yorkville

        Radio 1030 AM and TV Polvision invite you to 

"Picnic of Picnics"

August 19th, 2012 

Located at Polish National Alliance Youth Camp

10701 River Rd, Yorkville, IL 60560

Starting at 11:00 AM with a Holy Mass

From the South Suburbs

Take I-55 (US 66) to Plainfield Rd.126 (exit 261) and go to Rt. 47 north and pass over the Fox River Bridge, turn left on River St. (camp approx. one mile down)

From the North Suburbs

From North Suburbs and Chicago take I-88 West go to 56 Sugar Grove then go to Rt. 47 South and turn right on River St.

  On the stage:

The Reason

Lady Aneta z The Silver Orkiestra

Chicago Marszalek Band

Jarek Spychalski as Shakin' Stevens

Electro Halny

Wishing Well 

DJ Seba K

DJ team: Paul Blend i DJ Dextro

and straight from Poland 

AGNIESZKA WŁODARCZYK

Hawaiian and African jungle kid's stage

with the best Hawaiian outfit contest

Winner receives $500 value photo session at Casablanca young talent agency 

Sports:

Jerzy Jurak trophy soccer tournament

Field race 

Also raffle lottery:

Prizes include: iPod, notebook, kids scouters, tickets to Bristol Renaissance Fair and Day Out with Thomas

Adult prizes include: TV set, notebook, kitchen appliances

Win one of the 40 free package shipments from POLAMER

Polish food:

Potato pancakes, kielbasa, pierogi, Polish grinders, fried fish and cold beer

Parking $15

Say hello to your friends all over the world with the picnic web cam!

Source: http://polskieradio.com/piknik-yorkville.aspx

Animated history of Poland

This animated history of Poland created by a Polish master of animation, Tomasz Bagiński, remains one of the best testaments to a turbulent history of the Polish Nation.  The movie, sponsored by the Polish Agency for Enterprise Development, was a hit at the 2010 EXPO in Shanghai, China.  For someone unfamiliar with Poland's history, the highlights of the major events will spark a taste for more. 

In fact, to understand the current political and social trends in Poland, one must learn about the Polish past.  Kings and Queens, Teutonic Knights, union with Latvia, wars and uprisings, lost and won independence, famous leaders and scientists - all shaped the Polish culture and history.

Visiting Poland is a lot of fun and, for those who like the history, a great authentic adventure.  If you have a chance to visit, travel to Poland, you will be pleasantly surprised.

Tomasz Bagiński, "Tomek" Bagiński (born 10 January 1976, Białystok) is a BAFTA Award-winning Polish artist and animator, best known for his Oscar-nominated short movie, The Cathedral (2002). For his newest short, Fallen Art (2004), he received a BAFTA Award for Best Short Animation and Grand Prix for Digital Shorts at Golden Horse Film Festival 2005 (shared with: Jarek Sawko and Piotr Sikora). Bagiński also created cinematics for The Witcher computer game.

Source: Wiki

Working the Poles and the polls

Visiting Poland to get the Polish-American votes?  Nice touch Mitt Romney.  Last week, invited by world-famous Solidarity leader and former Polish President Lech Walesa, presidential candidate Mitt Romney, his wife Ann, and son Josh, traveled to Gdansk and Warsaw.  Romney met with Lech Walesa, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, President Bronislaw Komorowski, and Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski. 

By the way, most Poles don't realize that the last name of their president means an elephant's tooth.  That would explain his stabbing political agenda.

In general, the reception was very positive and warm.  Poles greeting Romney on the streets felt important and hopeful again after unfulfilled promises of President Obama.  Besides United Kingdom, Poland is the most loyal and steady ally of the United States in Europe.  

As for the political views, Poles still remember the influence and pressure on the Soviet Union from Ronald Reagan to end the communism in Eastern Europe.  Although the Polish transformation to a free market economy after 1989 was somehow rocky, overall, people are much better off then under the communist rule. 

We all know the visit was directed to Polish-American voters back at the States.  Large Polish diaspora cannot be ignored.  But it's a two way highway - Poles back at the States must mobilize and show up at the polls in great numbers, regardless of their political views.  Why bother to vote?  

Voter turnout is on the rise and out of about 60% voters, a slight majority of 31% or 1/3, will actually make a decision for the rest of the country.  Voter IDs laws and other ways to curb voter fraud will most likely have an impact on this election.

So how can you work the Poles at the polls?  What's important to an average Polish citizen?

1. Remove tourist visa requirements for Poland already - don't worry they won't flood US with mad carpentry skills and smuggle tons of vodka 

2. Polish forces are/were involved in Afghanistan and Iraq - promises of construction and supply contracts were never fulfilled - Poland needs some solid gestures

3. Install the missile defence system - Bush giveth, Obama taketh - well almost giveth, but Poles are convinced that EU/NATO alone won't be able to defend Poland from a sudden attack

What reception President Obama would receive?  I'm sure positive as well.  So all comes down to who can work the Poles at the polls the best.

Polish medals count at the 2012 Summer Olympics

The official website for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London provides great county profile for each of the participating counties.  You can learn about the athletes, competitions, and number won medals. 

Photos by Ambrozjo at SXC

During the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Poland was able to win 10 medals, 3 gold, 6 silver, and 1 bronze.  

So far, London has been difficult for Poles.  Can the athletes squeeze out more medals this year?

One most positive accent of the Olympics is the mass turnout of Polish fans, both from Poland and living in the Great Britain.  Some estimate the number of recent Polish migrants at around 1 million.  No wonder London turns white and red around the Olympic venues when Poles compete. 

                              Total medals: 10

Athletics: Men's Shot Put - 1 Gold - Tomasz Majewski

Athletics: Women's Hammer Throw - Anita Wlodarczyk

Canoe Sprint: Women's Kayak Double (K2) 500m - 1 Bronze - Karolina Naja and Beata Mikolajczyk

Rowing: Women's Double Sculls - 1 Bronze - Julia Michalska and Magdalena Fularczyk  

Sailing: Men's RS-X - 1 Bronze - Zofia Noceti-Klepacka

Sailing: Women's RS-X - 1 Bronze - Przemyslaw Miarczynski

Shooting: Women's 10m Air Rifle - 1 Silver - Sylwia Bogacka
 
Weightlifting: Men's 85kg - 1 Gold - Adrian Edward Zielinski

Weightlifting: Men's 105kg - 1 Bronze - Bartlomiej Wojciech Bonk
 
Wrestling: Men's 84kg Greco-Roman - 1 Bronze - Damian Janikowski

Go Poland!  The whole country is watching and hoping for more medals!

I was always fascinated with shot put athletes.  Wikipedia defines shot put as "a track and field event involving "throwing"/"putting" (throwing in a pushing motion) a heavy metal ball - the shot - as far as possible".  For me, it's simply a poor man's cannon from the Medieval era.  Besides, Poles are great with their balls.

Polish volleyball team 1st in the World!

Courtesy of pzps.pl

The good times just keep rolling in!  Just today, another success of Polish athletes: 2012 Volleyball FIVB World League Finals championship title after beating United States during the tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.  They are taking home a grand prize: $1,000,000.  That kind of money can buy a lot of volleyballs.

You can read more on the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball website:

“I am very happy, it is a historical moment for all of us,” Poland captain Marcin Mozdzonek said. “We won against one of the best team in the world, USA. I hope we will continue playing this way.”
The 2012 World League is Poland’s first international title since the 1976 Olympics, which adds to their 1974 World Championship crown. Since coach Andrea Anastasi came on board after a 13th place finish at the 2010 World Championships, Poland recorded their previous best ever World League result at last year’s edition finishing third, before claiming bronze at the European Championships and silver at the 2011 World Cup. Anastasi has now won five World League titles – two as a player for Italy (1990, 1991), two as a coach of Italy (1999, 2000) and now one with Poland.  

Some remarks from Polish team captain, Marcin Możdżonek, after the Semifinals win with Bulgaria.

It seems that the Polish Volleyball Federation or Polski Związek Piłki Siatkowej (PZPS) is doing much better job with the Polish team than the Polish Football Union (PZPN) during EURO 2012.

The one drawback about this tournament is the inability to watch the games on TV in the US.  One would think that ESPN or one of the major TV networks would have a live coverage of the Volleyball World League.  Especially, when the US team is playing.  We all know that beach volleyball rules but please, some compassion.  Well, once again, thank you Internet, thank you Al Gore!

Could anyone watch that tournament on TV in US?  
As for the Polish team: keep slamming that ball!