Scott Saxe

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It’s not a matter of if, but when

I've never found it difficult to write about something, until I had to write about myself. It’s not easy to look at yourself with a critical lens, but my weight-loss journey is something I wanted to share. Nothing is impossible.

For those of you who know me, you know I don’t have a self-confidence problem.  While I was certainly shy as a kid, I got over my stage fright long ago.  What I have had is a self-awareness problem.  It may have taken a while, but my eyes are now open.

Up until last year, I was fat.

I don’t say this disparagingly, nor contemptuously. I say it because it is true.

Last year, my cardiologist asked…

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July 4, 2018

As a patriot, my love of this country is not about party, it’s not about a specific person, or group, or political belief. It is about the ideas set forth on July 4th, 1776 and cemented with our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Patriot:

a person who loves, supports, and defends his or her country and its interests with devotion.

  Today is my favorite day of the year.

Yes, I love summer. Yes, we all enjoy a day off.

Neither of those is the reason, however.

  It was 242 years ago when a group of patriots declared their independence from Britain. This was more than a revolution, it was a cause.

A belief that all men are…

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Volunteering is an important part of your life, both personally and professionally.

"We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give" - Sir Winston Churchill Volunteering is an important part of your life, both personally and professionally.

“We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give” – Sir Winston Churchill

As my network grows, and I connect with more people, I’m always surprised by how much attention is focused on only one aspect of people’s lives: their career.

I understand that LinkedIn is designed for professional use, but there is very purposefully an area for volunteer experience. Volunteering should be a…

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Responsibility in Politics

Is the system broken, or are we?

Politically, we may not be who we think we are, so when we vote, are we making an informed choice, or a reactive one?  We are individuals, yet typically identify with a collective, even when it’s detrimental to some of our beliefs.

For those who identify as liberal or conservative, perhaps it’s time to look in the mirror and decide if that represents the entirety…

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My statement to the Cook County Finance Committee

My testimony to the Cook County Board about the sweetened beverage tax.

President Preckwinkle, Mr. Chairman, Commissioners, my fellow Cook County Residents. Good morning. My name is Scott Saxe.  I reside in Elk Grove Village.  I’ve lived in Illinois for the past 25 years, all of them in Cook County. This is my home. While there are many issues plaguing the State and County, I appreciate President Preckwinkle’s efforts at transparency in County Government. None of us…

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Strength in our Diversity & our Unity

Strength in our Diversity & our Unity

16 years ago, we faced our darkest day when terror reached our shores in an unprecedented display of devastation and destruction.

On that terrible September morning, we did what American’s do best, we came together as one to help and console each other, and to stand united in the face of fear.

We did not ask about politics, religion, race, sex, or anything else; we accepted the helping hands of…

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Today is about our Rights and the place of government to secure the Rights of the People.

241 years ago today, 56 brave men signed a document that would forever change their lives, and the course of world history.  It was a treasonous act that put each of them, and their families and friends, at great risk.

On that date, July 4, 1776, these representatives from the colonies declared their independence from Great Britain, dissolving the political bands which had connected them with…

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Thoughts on the American Health Care Act

Thoughts on the American Health Care Act

First off, let me state that I think the Affordable Care Act was a good start, but needs vast improvement to ensure healthcare is both affordable and accessible for all citizens.

The Republicans are in an incredibly powerful position today.  They control both houses of Congress, the White House, and a majority of Statehouses around the Country.  This presents them with a unique opportunity to…

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Happy New Year

As 2016 draws to an end, I look back on a year filled with great friends, great controversy, great surprises, great loss, and great times.

I’m incredibly thankful for the diverse group of people I call friends, and even more thankful for the passionate discussions, debates, and conversations we have.  I am fortunate to have a wide array of perspectives, opinions, thoughts, and ideas that I can…

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We are more the same than we are different

We are more the same than we are different

Terribly saddened by the events of the past days and weeks, not just in the United States, but around the world.

Yet in all the expressions of outrage, and even in words of comfort, we continue to build the barriers that cause all this hatred.

Instead of defining each other by our differences, let’s remember our common bonds.  Stop separating us and them, blue and black, Muslim and Christian, Jew…

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Today I mourn

Today, I mourn.  I grieve.  I ache for those lives senselessly taken.

  My sadness goes further than Orlando.; deeper than the LGBT community.

I cry for America.

  Today’s horrific tragedy is not a political issue.  It is not a 2nd Amendment issue.  It is not a lifestyle issue.  This is an American issue; it is a human issue.

  This could have happened at a mall, or a preschool, or a church, or…

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We Will Never Forget

We Will Never Forget

We will never forget.

Four simple words that evoke strong emotions on this day.

We will never forget the shock and horror of seeing planes crash into our buildings, and hearing of the one that crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

We will never forget the lives that were lost; those on the planes, in the buildings, and those first responders who risked all to save others.

We will never forget the…

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July 4, 2015

Happy 4th of July! As we celebrate Independence Day, we must remember the reason, the words, the meaning and the impact.

“The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,”

So starts one of the most important documents in our history.

Much more than just words on a page.   They are ideas, ideals and rights.

It is not just about the birth of this great Nation, it is about how we accomplished it.

We didn’t just become free, we desired freedom.  We didn’t just fight to be free, we declared our…

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Making the Most of your Network

The fact that you’re reading this shows that my network is working. We are connected through one of the social media sites, either directly or indirectly.  If directly, we likely have a relationship of some sort in the ‘real world’. Building and cultivating a network isn’t about how many ‘friends’ or ‘connections’ you have, it’s about truly building relationships.  This cannot simply be done with…

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I Support Community Volunteer Engagement - Getting it Right

Doing it Right – Volunteer Engagement

For many non-profits, engaging volunteers is a difficult task.  Sure, there are opportunities to be involved, but true engagement remains elusive.   One organization I know is doing it right.

I am fortunate to be involved with I Support Community.  Through them, I had two incredible experiences last month.  The first came from meeting another volunteer, the…

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It is not enough just to remember, we must honor the memory.

Memorial Day 2015: It is not enough just to remember, we must honor the memory.

This country was founded on the belief that all men are created equal.  That each of us have certain unalienable Rights: including Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.  The Founding Fathers were so determined to protect these rights, not only did they declare their independence, they pledged mutually to each other their Lives, Fortunes and sacred Honor.

It seems a foreign concept to most…

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May 1, 1979: The 1st ever space shuttle rollout. Test shuttle Enterprise rolls to the pad in preparation for STS-1 Columbia.