Don’t mess with my water!
Over the last 100 plus years this place on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee has had its own water system. The sources are the springs, and the power is by gravity using a hydraulic ram, which these days are found mostly in the third world.
This whole system would make a hippy proud. My ancestors installed it because they had to, and we newer generations have reinforced success with modest improvements, but have always kept the basic system because it works, and provides good clean spring water.
Now some trespassers have messed with the water tank part of the system. I know they messed up the overflow, and may have contaminated the tank with urine, etc. Now there is a lock on the tank, which at best will delay anyone purposely intent on messing with my water. They probably don’t know the impact of their actions, but my actions have been considerable in countering future such deeds of trespassing and messing with my water.
It seems like too many of today’s kids don’t know the limits of “don’t mess with people’s water”. Why I don’t know; and it may have happened in the past, but any such deeds are lost to the fog of history. Normally such people are seasoned with life’s experiences, or move away. Alternatives like hooking to government water are both expensive and are believed to provide a lower quality of water.
Like I said, don’t mess with my water.
Friday, December 12, 2008
The road to hell is paved with good intentions
There is little doubt that most politicians and most voting citizens are sincere in their thoughts about all the financial mess we are in.
What is most alarming, and suggestive that the worst is yet to come, is the fact that most of what our federal politicians are doing is being paid for with borrowed money. There is much to suggest this decades long era of borrowing to finance good intentions will come to an end, and then we will have to pay as we go. Less one doubts this possibility; remember as recently as World War Two we had to have war bond drives to get Americans to loan enough to finance this war. Then the politicians will have to earn their pay, like earlier times when priorities were set, public policy practiced, and we had to live within our means. And our means are quite considerable.
Too much of our present borrowed monies now come from overseas, so now there are foreign considerations.
Most Americans have bought into the ideas of helping our less well off. That much of this was financed with borrowed monies and increased tax incomes was seldom spoken about by all our politicians, whether at the federal, state, county, city, or school board levels. Thank goodness, some of these entities are better off, and hats off to those fellow Americans with more foresight in financing their entity, and planning for a rainy day.
It is alarming that even the Social Security and Medicare funds the federal government has collected for decades have been raided as another source of monies. Now what is to happen?
What is also galling is that many hard working Americans are being dragged down in the financial mess we are in. Now they are sharing in the hard times. Will anyone tell them thank you for all they have supported in the past.
We Americans went through a War of Independence, a revolutionary war. One often cited reason by those who made up the resistance was taxation without representation. Now the federal politicians are doing that to our future American citizens, and dragging them down most likely. Now many of these future generations might rather default on what their ancestors have done since they did not get a vote.
And at many local levels many politicians are already giving priorities to providing job programs at the expense of basic government functions like police and fire protection, waste water treatment, pothole maintenance, and real public school education that benefits our children. Only the people’s votes can change these priorities it seems.
One’s thoughts on all this mess we are in often has to do with when do we bite the bullet, as in the auto manufacturing discussion going on today. Too many are talking past each other, and not even mentioning the question and timing of when we do bite the bullet. Now this is a voter issue.
And the voting American citizens who are the beneficiaries of all these good intentions may predominate in the votes at all levels. But predomination will not change what happens when others will no longer loan the USA monies to finance all these well intentioned benefits.
What is a shame is that many good American providers are being dragged down with the less well off beneficiaries.
There is little doubt that most politicians and most voting citizens are sincere in their thoughts about all the financial mess we are in.
What is most alarming, and suggestive that the worst is yet to come, is the fact that most of what our federal politicians are doing is being paid for with borrowed money. There is much to suggest this decades long era of borrowing to finance good intentions will come to an end, and then we will have to pay as we go. Less one doubts this possibility; remember as recently as World War Two we had to have war bond drives to get Americans to loan enough to finance this war. Then the politicians will have to earn their pay, like earlier times when priorities were set, public policy practiced, and we had to live within our means. And our means are quite considerable.
Too much of our present borrowed monies now come from overseas, so now there are foreign considerations.
Most Americans have bought into the ideas of helping our less well off. That much of this was financed with borrowed monies and increased tax incomes was seldom spoken about by all our politicians, whether at the federal, state, county, city, or school board levels. Thank goodness, some of these entities are better off, and hats off to those fellow Americans with more foresight in financing their entity, and planning for a rainy day.
It is alarming that even the Social Security and Medicare funds the federal government has collected for decades have been raided as another source of monies. Now what is to happen?
What is also galling is that many hard working Americans are being dragged down in the financial mess we are in. Now they are sharing in the hard times. Will anyone tell them thank you for all they have supported in the past.
We Americans went through a War of Independence, a revolutionary war. One often cited reason by those who made up the resistance was taxation without representation. Now the federal politicians are doing that to our future American citizens, and dragging them down most likely. Now many of these future generations might rather default on what their ancestors have done since they did not get a vote.
And at many local levels many politicians are already giving priorities to providing job programs at the expense of basic government functions like police and fire protection, waste water treatment, pothole maintenance, and real public school education that benefits our children. Only the people’s votes can change these priorities it seems.
One’s thoughts on all this mess we are in often has to do with when do we bite the bullet, as in the auto manufacturing discussion going on today. Too many are talking past each other, and not even mentioning the question and timing of when we do bite the bullet. Now this is a voter issue.
And the voting American citizens who are the beneficiaries of all these good intentions may predominate in the votes at all levels. But predomination will not change what happens when others will no longer loan the USA monies to finance all these well intentioned benefits.
What is a shame is that many good American providers are being dragged down with the less well off beneficiaries.
Saturday, September 20, 2008
The rise of a new National Party is well underway
“Vital” national interests are starting to be discussed in earnest. That is the way politics used to be.
One’s political persuasion has little to do with what is important to our survival and way of life. Frustration and cynicism seems to abound, but our families and personal security in all aspects always trumps. Quality of life can mean many things to many citizens, but simple and basic things life a job, food, heat, public health safety, and common infrastructure that benefits all citizens seems to be vital to most of us. The War on Poverty in the USA is of interest to our national psyche, but not vital to most citizens. And the two national parties have had long periods to work their magic and ways, but decades of their influence has seemingly made things worse. It is fair to say the courses of action they chose, and the time frames they chose, are not the only choices they and we had. For example, we have chosen to borrow vast sums of money to pay all the present bills that exceeded our tax incomes. And at the state, county, and city levels we have made many promises to our fellow citizens in government unions that all too often depend on rising property and sales taxes in perpetuity. Even all the social security and Medicare monies that we have been paying for decades have already been spent on today’s and yesterday’s bills. Is that what we wanted? Is that what we expected? And do we expect other people will continue to loan us money to help pay all our bills. There was a time in the past when no one in their right mind would loan the USA money, and we even had to have War Fund Drives to solicit loans from our citizens to fight World War II. For those who legitimately think that the loan status quo will continue in perpetuity, can they imagine if we can’t get the loans which have been so automatic in the past. Perhaps we will have to “time phase” our spending as in postpone certain spending interests in favor of “vital” spending interests today? What seems shameful is that we may not be able to wean ourselves off of borrowing until the time comes that we cannot borrow, and then another “crisis” will be upon us.
Our country has had two national parties in charge for many decades. And there is nothing in our Constitution that requires the present status quo of two national parties. Parties like the Whigs have come and gone in our past, and it can happen again. We have laws against bribery, but seem to tolerate similar things with lobbyists and the two national parties, today. We even amended our Constitution to put terms limits on those serving as President. We can do the same for those in Congress, if we choose.
Term limits for Congress, and the promotion of “vital” national interests can be the start of a new national party. Controlling “have nots” voting themselves benefits from the “haves” can be the basis of a new national party. Developing new public policies that emphasize growing national wealth before spending national wealth seems obvious to many. And America is oozing with leaders and leadership; some already serving as elected officials from the two present national parties, and others being forced into a new way of doing things and away from the two national parties. In any case, we have other alternatives to the present situation in the USA, and we are still in charge as long as we vote.
“Vital” national interests are starting to be discussed in earnest. That is the way politics used to be.
One’s political persuasion has little to do with what is important to our survival and way of life. Frustration and cynicism seems to abound, but our families and personal security in all aspects always trumps. Quality of life can mean many things to many citizens, but simple and basic things life a job, food, heat, public health safety, and common infrastructure that benefits all citizens seems to be vital to most of us. The War on Poverty in the USA is of interest to our national psyche, but not vital to most citizens. And the two national parties have had long periods to work their magic and ways, but decades of their influence has seemingly made things worse. It is fair to say the courses of action they chose, and the time frames they chose, are not the only choices they and we had. For example, we have chosen to borrow vast sums of money to pay all the present bills that exceeded our tax incomes. And at the state, county, and city levels we have made many promises to our fellow citizens in government unions that all too often depend on rising property and sales taxes in perpetuity. Even all the social security and Medicare monies that we have been paying for decades have already been spent on today’s and yesterday’s bills. Is that what we wanted? Is that what we expected? And do we expect other people will continue to loan us money to help pay all our bills. There was a time in the past when no one in their right mind would loan the USA money, and we even had to have War Fund Drives to solicit loans from our citizens to fight World War II. For those who legitimately think that the loan status quo will continue in perpetuity, can they imagine if we can’t get the loans which have been so automatic in the past. Perhaps we will have to “time phase” our spending as in postpone certain spending interests in favor of “vital” spending interests today? What seems shameful is that we may not be able to wean ourselves off of borrowing until the time comes that we cannot borrow, and then another “crisis” will be upon us.
Our country has had two national parties in charge for many decades. And there is nothing in our Constitution that requires the present status quo of two national parties. Parties like the Whigs have come and gone in our past, and it can happen again. We have laws against bribery, but seem to tolerate similar things with lobbyists and the two national parties, today. We even amended our Constitution to put terms limits on those serving as President. We can do the same for those in Congress, if we choose.
Term limits for Congress, and the promotion of “vital” national interests can be the start of a new national party. Controlling “have nots” voting themselves benefits from the “haves” can be the basis of a new national party. Developing new public policies that emphasize growing national wealth before spending national wealth seems obvious to many. And America is oozing with leaders and leadership; some already serving as elected officials from the two present national parties, and others being forced into a new way of doing things and away from the two national parties. In any case, we have other alternatives to the present situation in the USA, and we are still in charge as long as we vote.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The road to hell is paved with good intentions
In the end, being warm this winter, and being able to cook and eat, will trump all other factors. Security counts a lot, too. Security is things like police and fire protection, clean water, sanitation, health safety, 3R’s schools …the basics.
In early June this year, a round trip air ticket from Atlanta to Managua was around $708. One fellow did it by car for $600 in gas, plus $900 in bribes. Decades of “good intentions” by voters, their politicians, and their bureaucrats have the USA on the same path. Is that what we wanted, and expected? Bitter discussion and rancor seems to change little of people’s minds. Will it come down to freezing, starving, wild west type crime, and paying bribes to get the basics in order to make a point.
Much has been published about the young moving in with old, but how about the old social security of big families and the old moving in with the young, and entire families sharing large old people medical bills. Is this what the voters wanted and expected?
What happens when governments can no longer borrow money as a course of action to pay all the promised benefits? What happens when governments, city, county, state, and federal have to pay their way or default on obligations. What happens when all our safety nets get saturated by all the guarantees come due, and the voters finally figure out they are left holding the bag, even when they work all 12 months of the year to just pay city, county, state, and federal taxes?
One thing seems likely. The two national parties that led us into this mess over decades will be replaced, as they should be. Now is a good time for voters to think about what they want and expect for their future politicians and bureaucrats.
In the end, being warm this winter, and being able to cook and eat, will trump all other factors. Security counts a lot, too. Security is things like police and fire protection, clean water, sanitation, health safety, 3R’s schools …the basics.
In early June this year, a round trip air ticket from Atlanta to Managua was around $708. One fellow did it by car for $600 in gas, plus $900 in bribes. Decades of “good intentions” by voters, their politicians, and their bureaucrats have the USA on the same path. Is that what we wanted, and expected? Bitter discussion and rancor seems to change little of people’s minds. Will it come down to freezing, starving, wild west type crime, and paying bribes to get the basics in order to make a point.
Much has been published about the young moving in with old, but how about the old social security of big families and the old moving in with the young, and entire families sharing large old people medical bills. Is this what the voters wanted and expected?
What happens when governments can no longer borrow money as a course of action to pay all the promised benefits? What happens when governments, city, county, state, and federal have to pay their way or default on obligations. What happens when all our safety nets get saturated by all the guarantees come due, and the voters finally figure out they are left holding the bag, even when they work all 12 months of the year to just pay city, county, state, and federal taxes?
One thing seems likely. The two national parties that led us into this mess over decades will be replaced, as they should be. Now is a good time for voters to think about what they want and expect for their future politicians and bureaucrats.
Saturday, August 02, 2008
The End of the World as We Know It
The status quo is dead. Long live the status quo.
Not too long ago, many thought the Soviet Union would go on. Many think the two USA national parties will go on because they have in the last many decades. But the status quo is no guarantee of future existence. Satisfying the peoples’ needs is a better indicator, and if the status quo doesn’t solve the problems, then the people will find a better way out of necessity. Yes, people will be selfish, especially when it comes to having security, a job, having food, and being warm enough in the winter to live. The burden is especially harsh on those with children.
Our national personality includes the most altruistic and noble instincts to help our fellow Americans. This has been expressed federally as programs like social security and Medicare, and at the state and local levels (county, city, and school system) by extending good pay and benefits to fellow Americans who serve in these governments. Americans have for decades supported all this to include the ideas of tolerating crime against individuals while addressing the underlying causes, and increasing our expectations that results should happen sooner rather than later.
One trend is the degree to which we Americans have turned to borrowing to finance our altruistic nature; the obvious alternatives being raising our federal and state and local taxes to preclude borrowing, or to pay for what we can afford in pursuit of our altruistic ideals. Either way, the status quo will change when borrowing comes to an end of its own weight; that is no one will loan our federal government money, as has happened in our past and been increasingly forecast for our future, and we have to pay, lower our goals and implementation schedules, or increase taxes. Our states and county and local governments will also be affected similarly, probably more so due to greater dependencies on property and sales taxes. Borrowing for them using the bond method will be tougher.
The status quo as we know it is changing right in front of us. All the passionately held opinions and talk and cynicism means much less than people losing security, jobs they want , food, and heat during cold weather. And the USA will be affected by the World as others who go without cooking oil, food, and heat choose war or emmigration to solve their problems. And the USA will be further affected as some our various governments choose employee jobs and benefits over basic services to the people, more taxes to pay for it all, or ever less effective efforts to borrow money to pay for it all.
The future status quo has many optimistic trends emerging. Time phasing as a way to implement our altruistic goals is becoming more obvious. Doing many things on multiple fronts vice one thing now is becoming obvious and necessary. Promoting our New World persona over our Old World legacies is becoming more entrenched. Royalty and nepotism are simply un-American values. Knowing disease and symptoms are different is an American value. Emotions and passion will fall by the wayside and the basics like security, jobs, food, and forced air heat are recognized as privileges as compared to rights; and public policy and laws will recognize this via the fellow Americans we elect at all levels of government. Some might perceive this as slowing things down, while others might perceive this as doing things smarter and more realistically.
The status quo will change. And no amount of talk, good intentions, passion, or cynicism can change that.
The status quo is dead. Long live the status quo.
Not too long ago, many thought the Soviet Union would go on. Many think the two USA national parties will go on because they have in the last many decades. But the status quo is no guarantee of future existence. Satisfying the peoples’ needs is a better indicator, and if the status quo doesn’t solve the problems, then the people will find a better way out of necessity. Yes, people will be selfish, especially when it comes to having security, a job, having food, and being warm enough in the winter to live. The burden is especially harsh on those with children.
Our national personality includes the most altruistic and noble instincts to help our fellow Americans. This has been expressed federally as programs like social security and Medicare, and at the state and local levels (county, city, and school system) by extending good pay and benefits to fellow Americans who serve in these governments. Americans have for decades supported all this to include the ideas of tolerating crime against individuals while addressing the underlying causes, and increasing our expectations that results should happen sooner rather than later.
One trend is the degree to which we Americans have turned to borrowing to finance our altruistic nature; the obvious alternatives being raising our federal and state and local taxes to preclude borrowing, or to pay for what we can afford in pursuit of our altruistic ideals. Either way, the status quo will change when borrowing comes to an end of its own weight; that is no one will loan our federal government money, as has happened in our past and been increasingly forecast for our future, and we have to pay, lower our goals and implementation schedules, or increase taxes. Our states and county and local governments will also be affected similarly, probably more so due to greater dependencies on property and sales taxes. Borrowing for them using the bond method will be tougher.
The status quo as we know it is changing right in front of us. All the passionately held opinions and talk and cynicism means much less than people losing security, jobs they want , food, and heat during cold weather. And the USA will be affected by the World as others who go without cooking oil, food, and heat choose war or emmigration to solve their problems. And the USA will be further affected as some our various governments choose employee jobs and benefits over basic services to the people, more taxes to pay for it all, or ever less effective efforts to borrow money to pay for it all.
The future status quo has many optimistic trends emerging. Time phasing as a way to implement our altruistic goals is becoming more obvious. Doing many things on multiple fronts vice one thing now is becoming obvious and necessary. Promoting our New World persona over our Old World legacies is becoming more entrenched. Royalty and nepotism are simply un-American values. Knowing disease and symptoms are different is an American value. Emotions and passion will fall by the wayside and the basics like security, jobs, food, and forced air heat are recognized as privileges as compared to rights; and public policy and laws will recognize this via the fellow Americans we elect at all levels of government. Some might perceive this as slowing things down, while others might perceive this as doing things smarter and more realistically.
The status quo will change. And no amount of talk, good intentions, passion, or cynicism can change that.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
If American communities are running out of money to pay for basic government services, then something is wrong.
Basic government services are things like electricity on demand, clean tap water, managed waste water treatment, police and fire services, infrastructure maintenance and improvements, public schools, and basic health services like malaria control and polio vaccines and food safety. When one looks at budgets at the city and county and state levels, it is obvious we Americans are generating vast amounts of public tax monies, yet so many of these same governments are having to also borrow to make ends meet given their local priorities and situations. Some of these services are privately run like electricity and infrastructure maintenance, with "government" regulation. And yet there is also a rising budget competition between basic government services and legal obligations to meet the very expensive obligations due to government union employees, mostly in retirements and medical benefits.
This rising problem is new in the last two decades, not universal as some cities, counties, and states have done better than others. Many fellow Americans have much to brag about. They've done well to date.
How and why did this ever come to pass? And why are studies to date so suspect; though some more trustworthy ones suggest two things. One is that property taxes, a major source of income for many city, county, and state governments is suffering from the loss of property wealth of 6 trillion dollars from the recent mortgage problems. Less property wealth means less property tax income for these governments. While the impacts are most likely a year downstream or more, some adverse effects are already appearing in Birmingham, AL, New Jersey, and California (the State and even the wonderful city of Vallejo). Second is a study suggesting about ¼ of Americans want to continue on the present courses of action, while ¾ worry about how to pay for all this largesse as if the band might not play on forever. The ability to borrow is not automatic, and a time may come when others may not loan us money without conditions we cannot accept. This is nothing new, as in WWII we had to have War Bond Drives to promote loaning. Moodys, the loan rating company, has already given us a window of closing of 2017 or so for this old status quo to end. And with less and less Americans actually paying taxes to finance all that has gone on (we are down to 28% taxpayers by one study), we are approaching a time when we may give a tax, and nobody comes. Less this seem silly, one can note that former very liberal (as in spending our taxpayer monies) Ohio Senator and self-made millionaire Metzenbaum moved his estate to Florida from Ohio to save on income taxes and death taxes. More tricky is the fine print applied to so many of our cities, counties, and state governments. That bankruptcy is an option may leave many citizens "holding the bag" of higher taxes (expenses) and lower services, as in no firemen when needed, or being shot on the local neighborhood street while walking the dog.
One obvious solution and “the something is wrong” go hand in hand. Those who wish for all Americans to live like old world royalty only need focus on the basics, and enhancing the quality and method of delivery of services, while living within ones’ means. Said another way, there are other courses of action (from what has gone on) and methods that suggest it is imperative to recognize the common good, what is good for it, and voting for politicians working in this direction. Many would call it a “boiler plate” for how to advance the common peoples' quality of life while living within ones’ means. Techniques such as time phasing and willingness to try and fail are as old as the hills, but seldom mentioned these days. Now that is something wrong. The wrong may be in priorities, techniques, weak standards, and our bad run of having poor national party leaders, and losers wanting to be in charge, and who want to have it all, now and at any expense.
Basic government services are things like electricity on demand, clean tap water, managed waste water treatment, police and fire services, infrastructure maintenance and improvements, public schools, and basic health services like malaria control and polio vaccines and food safety. When one looks at budgets at the city and county and state levels, it is obvious we Americans are generating vast amounts of public tax monies, yet so many of these same governments are having to also borrow to make ends meet given their local priorities and situations. Some of these services are privately run like electricity and infrastructure maintenance, with "government" regulation. And yet there is also a rising budget competition between basic government services and legal obligations to meet the very expensive obligations due to government union employees, mostly in retirements and medical benefits.
This rising problem is new in the last two decades, not universal as some cities, counties, and states have done better than others. Many fellow Americans have much to brag about. They've done well to date.
How and why did this ever come to pass? And why are studies to date so suspect; though some more trustworthy ones suggest two things. One is that property taxes, a major source of income for many city, county, and state governments is suffering from the loss of property wealth of 6 trillion dollars from the recent mortgage problems. Less property wealth means less property tax income for these governments. While the impacts are most likely a year downstream or more, some adverse effects are already appearing in Birmingham, AL, New Jersey, and California (the State and even the wonderful city of Vallejo). Second is a study suggesting about ¼ of Americans want to continue on the present courses of action, while ¾ worry about how to pay for all this largesse as if the band might not play on forever. The ability to borrow is not automatic, and a time may come when others may not loan us money without conditions we cannot accept. This is nothing new, as in WWII we had to have War Bond Drives to promote loaning. Moodys, the loan rating company, has already given us a window of closing of 2017 or so for this old status quo to end. And with less and less Americans actually paying taxes to finance all that has gone on (we are down to 28% taxpayers by one study), we are approaching a time when we may give a tax, and nobody comes. Less this seem silly, one can note that former very liberal (as in spending our taxpayer monies) Ohio Senator and self-made millionaire Metzenbaum moved his estate to Florida from Ohio to save on income taxes and death taxes. More tricky is the fine print applied to so many of our cities, counties, and state governments. That bankruptcy is an option may leave many citizens "holding the bag" of higher taxes (expenses) and lower services, as in no firemen when needed, or being shot on the local neighborhood street while walking the dog.
One obvious solution and “the something is wrong” go hand in hand. Those who wish for all Americans to live like old world royalty only need focus on the basics, and enhancing the quality and method of delivery of services, while living within ones’ means. Said another way, there are other courses of action (from what has gone on) and methods that suggest it is imperative to recognize the common good, what is good for it, and voting for politicians working in this direction. Many would call it a “boiler plate” for how to advance the common peoples' quality of life while living within ones’ means. Techniques such as time phasing and willingness to try and fail are as old as the hills, but seldom mentioned these days. Now that is something wrong. The wrong may be in priorities, techniques, weak standards, and our bad run of having poor national party leaders, and losers wanting to be in charge, and who want to have it all, now and at any expense.
Monday, May 05, 2008
The split in the road is the voters choiceMany decades ago America
approached a split in the road. We are still on that path we chose. However one chooses to judge that choice in hindsight, good, bad, or indifferent, the present state of affairs is on purpose. It is not by accident. We are, again, approaching another split in the road we are on. While we cannot reverse history, we certainly can influence our future history by the choice we make in the coming split in the road we are on. Our influence is called our vote.
An example might amplify this idea of choices and our future. We chose in our past to enhance our under classes by spending vast amount of monies on addressing underlying causes. Part of this choice was giving a main effort to addressing these underlying causes, while living with and accepting the effects of the low life criminals from this underclass, as in the murders and such other crimes committed on us and our children were considered secondary. We were expected to take the results like lemmings, and keep our mouths shut like good Americans. Performance based results fell by the wayside compared to bragging about how much money was being spent. That there were other courses of action, to include funding and borrowing, to reach the same goal was suppressed, in general.
The present state of affairs, and the general mess we are in, suggests a new split in the road is appearing. Admittedly, the future vision to the present driver is fuzzy, foggy, and somewhat blind. After all, the status quo is still alive, well, confident, and forceful. The present status quo is still about the two national parties, gaining tactical advantages in the coming elections by all the usual means, and continuing on the present course chosen long ago. The fuzzy future alternative choice appearing out of the road fog is one of national interests' first, living within our means, and holding people to standards we will establish. For example, there should be shame about having a child out of wedlock. After all, the idea is about the baby, not the Mom and Dad who should know better. And the parents and grandparents should pay, not we citizens. The burden should be on the immediate family, and not society. In such an example, those on this road include our religious leaders.
The voters might keep all this in mind. The changes will be understanding there are other courses of action, and our willingness to assert our selves in these other courses of action. After all, winners reinforce success, not failure.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
America’s descent into third world standards has some advantages
As public policy multiculturalism is a disaster. The American melting pot idea is so human as to be obvious to most at home, and both the old world and the rest of the new world. Practicing vital national interests is a normal policy to most, and now that we have been led indirectly into this policy, we can reap the benefits. Even labels for the census and other USA government bureaucracies are silly, and our politicians have mandated this silliness. Many personally would resent be labeled a European-American as they are an American, pure and simple. Even Latino or Hispanic or African American are silly.
Good, bad, or indifferent, the USA has been withdrawing for decades, and now more than ever has to take what ever is served. There is a silver lining in this grey cloud.
On energy policy, let the nations that depend so heavily on middle east oil devote their national resources to protecting their interests. The USA is not one of these, and let us not enable them as allies to use our USA people and military to protect their citizens and interests. Let them step up to the plate, so to speak. For those that object to this idea, fine. But we have been degrading ourselves for decades, and now have to live this idea.
On foreign policy, we are more and more forced into organizing or joining coalitions of common interests to have our way, and compromising along the way. How to deal with the present North Korean dictatorship is a good example. The same can apply to Syria and Zimbabwe and resurgent pirates. Will we honor our treaty obligations to Israel and Taiwan allies?
On domestic policy, the financing of all the city, county, state, and federal programs is approaching collapse in the USA, as by 2017 to use a Moody’s forecast. Many third world countries depend on foreign aid and many think much goes to the despots that run these nation-states and some city-states. It appears much the same is going on in the USA, though by different means. And our present poor leaders are still on this course, unbelievably. When we start being thrifty and acting in vital national interests will be a breath of fresh air, even as many fellow Americans suffer from loss of benefits. It is not that the politicians at this future time want to be mean or perform payback, it is just that more was promised than can be paid for. Blame the present generation, even the “greatest” generation.
Most environmentalists survive only in the west. They would never survive in the third world, as be assassinated. Even if their ideas (often good from a western point of view) apply to the third world, the savvy environmentalist does not want to die for their cause. Hence the Americans are leaving Okinawa and going to Guam for the sake of a “maybe” issue about salt water manatees. What is amazing is that all this has been through the very severe Japanese wickets (it is their land and people after all), but wacko USA environmentalists have turned to USA courts. To conclude, as America reverts to a more third world status, tolerance and protection for environmentalists will decline. People starving for environmentalists’ ideas have little tolerance. This especially applies if the environmentalist is unelected.
And in the third world, many politicians with limited means tend to promote the middle class over the lower classes. When push comes to shove, expect the same here. Holding people accountable to established standards will probably have many beneficial results. If we elect politicians and indirectly religious leaders that promote sex through marriage, for example, we may be surprised, and even thanked. Those that attack our vast drug culture in the future will also be surprised, as a little toke is so different from making meth in the kitchen at home. Maybe some Thai court rulings, applied American third world style, will get some peoples attention as to what is good public policy.
As public policy multiculturalism is a disaster. The American melting pot idea is so human as to be obvious to most at home, and both the old world and the rest of the new world. Practicing vital national interests is a normal policy to most, and now that we have been led indirectly into this policy, we can reap the benefits. Even labels for the census and other USA government bureaucracies are silly, and our politicians have mandated this silliness. Many personally would resent be labeled a European-American as they are an American, pure and simple. Even Latino or Hispanic or African American are silly.
Good, bad, or indifferent, the USA has been withdrawing for decades, and now more than ever has to take what ever is served. There is a silver lining in this grey cloud.
On energy policy, let the nations that depend so heavily on middle east oil devote their national resources to protecting their interests. The USA is not one of these, and let us not enable them as allies to use our USA people and military to protect their citizens and interests. Let them step up to the plate, so to speak. For those that object to this idea, fine. But we have been degrading ourselves for decades, and now have to live this idea.
On foreign policy, we are more and more forced into organizing or joining coalitions of common interests to have our way, and compromising along the way. How to deal with the present North Korean dictatorship is a good example. The same can apply to Syria and Zimbabwe and resurgent pirates. Will we honor our treaty obligations to Israel and Taiwan allies?
On domestic policy, the financing of all the city, county, state, and federal programs is approaching collapse in the USA, as by 2017 to use a Moody’s forecast. Many third world countries depend on foreign aid and many think much goes to the despots that run these nation-states and some city-states. It appears much the same is going on in the USA, though by different means. And our present poor leaders are still on this course, unbelievably. When we start being thrifty and acting in vital national interests will be a breath of fresh air, even as many fellow Americans suffer from loss of benefits. It is not that the politicians at this future time want to be mean or perform payback, it is just that more was promised than can be paid for. Blame the present generation, even the “greatest” generation.
Most environmentalists survive only in the west. They would never survive in the third world, as be assassinated. Even if their ideas (often good from a western point of view) apply to the third world, the savvy environmentalist does not want to die for their cause. Hence the Americans are leaving Okinawa and going to Guam for the sake of a “maybe” issue about salt water manatees. What is amazing is that all this has been through the very severe Japanese wickets (it is their land and people after all), but wacko USA environmentalists have turned to USA courts. To conclude, as America reverts to a more third world status, tolerance and protection for environmentalists will decline. People starving for environmentalists’ ideas have little tolerance. This especially applies if the environmentalist is unelected.
And in the third world, many politicians with limited means tend to promote the middle class over the lower classes. When push comes to shove, expect the same here. Holding people accountable to established standards will probably have many beneficial results. If we elect politicians and indirectly religious leaders that promote sex through marriage, for example, we may be surprised, and even thanked. Those that attack our vast drug culture in the future will also be surprised, as a little toke is so different from making meth in the kitchen at home. Maybe some Thai court rulings, applied American third world style, will get some peoples attention as to what is good public policy.
Monday, April 21, 2008
The best and the brightest should be individuals and not cabals
In the not too distant past there was a dilemma at a 23,000 acre quail plantation in the Southeast USA. Many whitetail deer educated people said we had too many deer and needed to kill about a thousand does to get things back in balance. Yet there were paying customers (to the tune of about one-half million dollars a year) who paid much and traveled far, and reported they were not seeing much of any deer compared to the past, and subsequently quit paying and traveling to this plantation. The owners did listen, and convened a conference of whitetail deer educated experts to advise on what to do. Here was where many learned the politics of whitetail deer biology. Depending on one’s connections and expected outcomes, there were cabals of PhD’s on this subject at Clemson, Auburn, and the University of Georgia. The latter was chosen, and we got some good advice, and how things sorted out in the end is unknown for this post. These eco type things take time.
This story of cabals, connections, and expected outcomes applies to those staff members hired to work at all levels of government and even media, since even pundits often have hired staffs. So when you read about a new law or program, or a pundit’s article, it probably is done by a staff member or members as the main effort. And the federal government types, executive, legislative, and judiciary, seem to have a preference for Ivy League School cabals. Whether this is good or bad is in the eye of the beholder, but the present system smells of poor government and leadership, where experience should count more than it does these days. The preference for intelligence and education seems to trump experience these days. One can note that political party tactics and strategies include dominating even the questions that can be asked. This is another symptom of the light-weights from certain cabals being in control.
Exacerbating all this is the mean spirited atmosphere and politics of personal destruction in Washington, D.C. that drives so many of our best and brightest from even applying. One present joke line about “can we get the adults back in charge” is a symptom of what has been happening for more than a decade.
To get the best and brightest political leaders, and hired staffs, depends mostly on voters. To expect the present volunteer candidates from both national parties to undermine their status quo and many decades of comfort factors is unreasonable. More reasonable is to vote in Americans to make things happen in 2008, 2010, and 2012, and subsequent elections. Like the whitetail deer story, these things take time to have an effect.
In the not too distant past there was a dilemma at a 23,000 acre quail plantation in the Southeast USA. Many whitetail deer educated people said we had too many deer and needed to kill about a thousand does to get things back in balance. Yet there were paying customers (to the tune of about one-half million dollars a year) who paid much and traveled far, and reported they were not seeing much of any deer compared to the past, and subsequently quit paying and traveling to this plantation. The owners did listen, and convened a conference of whitetail deer educated experts to advise on what to do. Here was where many learned the politics of whitetail deer biology. Depending on one’s connections and expected outcomes, there were cabals of PhD’s on this subject at Clemson, Auburn, and the University of Georgia. The latter was chosen, and we got some good advice, and how things sorted out in the end is unknown for this post. These eco type things take time.
This story of cabals, connections, and expected outcomes applies to those staff members hired to work at all levels of government and even media, since even pundits often have hired staffs. So when you read about a new law or program, or a pundit’s article, it probably is done by a staff member or members as the main effort. And the federal government types, executive, legislative, and judiciary, seem to have a preference for Ivy League School cabals. Whether this is good or bad is in the eye of the beholder, but the present system smells of poor government and leadership, where experience should count more than it does these days. The preference for intelligence and education seems to trump experience these days. One can note that political party tactics and strategies include dominating even the questions that can be asked. This is another symptom of the light-weights from certain cabals being in control.
Exacerbating all this is the mean spirited atmosphere and politics of personal destruction in Washington, D.C. that drives so many of our best and brightest from even applying. One present joke line about “can we get the adults back in charge” is a symptom of what has been happening for more than a decade.
To get the best and brightest political leaders, and hired staffs, depends mostly on voters. To expect the present volunteer candidates from both national parties to undermine their status quo and many decades of comfort factors is unreasonable. More reasonable is to vote in Americans to make things happen in 2008, 2010, and 2012, and subsequent elections. Like the whitetail deer story, these things take time to have an effect.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Freedom of speech is not defined by any individual
All the rancorous discussion about freedom of speech is new in the last decade or so. That such rancor and terrible statements are being made reflects poorly on our American society. The poorness may be because of the poor education of the offenders, or the dominance of ego and emotion over self-restraint and respect for improving our society. In other words, the method of political discourse is as important as the ideas debated, and some seem to have lost this so new world American idea.
The silly part is to hear, again and again, that one should not object to any individual or groups conduct or rules because they are using their free speech rights. The classic friction of individual rights compared to group rights comes up, again. If taken to an extreme, which seems to be the route we are on today in the USA, then we have a formula for inaction and anarchy.
This possibility has always been around. Even our far ancestors adopted the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 to ensure order trumped chaos. Even in the last century it was taken as gospel that one cannot use the free speech idea to cry fire in a theater. There are group imposed limits as well as individual imposed limits to maintain American good order and discipline. Now it appears things are getting out of hand again, and some knee-jerk reaction will be what it takes to bring things back into balance. If this comes to pass, is it the offenders or offendees that are the catalyst for the most obvious need to maintain an orderly society?
A key point is that the free speech advocates seem to need to be checked. If checking them means some new version of a 1798 law, or more recent campaign finance laws or hate speech laws, well that is where they are leading. Maybe all will it take is prosecuting the laws we already have on this subject, (since the problem is not new). What a shame, because it does not have to end up like this. As in many other cases in America today, it is time for adults to step in and take charge.
All the rancorous discussion about freedom of speech is new in the last decade or so. That such rancor and terrible statements are being made reflects poorly on our American society. The poorness may be because of the poor education of the offenders, or the dominance of ego and emotion over self-restraint and respect for improving our society. In other words, the method of political discourse is as important as the ideas debated, and some seem to have lost this so new world American idea.
The silly part is to hear, again and again, that one should not object to any individual or groups conduct or rules because they are using their free speech rights. The classic friction of individual rights compared to group rights comes up, again. If taken to an extreme, which seems to be the route we are on today in the USA, then we have a formula for inaction and anarchy.
This possibility has always been around. Even our far ancestors adopted the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 to ensure order trumped chaos. Even in the last century it was taken as gospel that one cannot use the free speech idea to cry fire in a theater. There are group imposed limits as well as individual imposed limits to maintain American good order and discipline. Now it appears things are getting out of hand again, and some knee-jerk reaction will be what it takes to bring things back into balance. If this comes to pass, is it the offenders or offendees that are the catalyst for the most obvious need to maintain an orderly society?
A key point is that the free speech advocates seem to need to be checked. If checking them means some new version of a 1798 law, or more recent campaign finance laws or hate speech laws, well that is where they are leading. Maybe all will it take is prosecuting the laws we already have on this subject, (since the problem is not new). What a shame, because it does not have to end up like this. As in many other cases in America today, it is time for adults to step in and take charge.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Much change is going on in plain view…though seldom reported or recognized
More people are devoted to an individual vice a constitution than ever before. This smacks of old world nobility, even if so un-American.
More politicians and their parties have loyalties that trump National Interests. The change is the degree, where ideas and lobbyist purposes other than National Interests have more influence than even three decades ago.
The rise of nobility type groups composed of today’s soothsayers and jokesters called pollsters, environmentalists, and pundits is appalling. In an older time in America, all had to enter the world of politics and elections. Now more than ever, many get hired as a staff member or sponsored as a court member to weave one’s version of entertainment mixed with policy, along with job security and income.
Another appalling change is that political managers of former and losing political campaigns of the past are now trotted out as experts on how to manage and win. Some even get rehired. The major change is gall of all this, and the silliness of even considering them, and their loser records.
Yes, much change is in the air. And much of that change is the end of the old status quo and poor leaders and managers that got us to the poor state we are in today.
We all know that talk is cheap, and alarmist claims are as old as history. We also know that change does occur, often gradually, and sometimes in lurches. We appear to be at a “lurch” time now. The seemingly ever growing influences of environmentalists and their agendas is now being balanced by companies going out of business and people going cold and hungry, or our overseas opponents defeating us with vastly increased oil prices. As one Brit pundit suggested, toleration of these eco types is no longer funny or quaint when people are being adversely affected. Food riots around the world will always trump western idealism that causes food shortages.
So are we in charge of change, or is change in charge of us. Does it take companies and people going out of business and world food riots to make change happen? Or can the power of elected ideas make change happen before people lose? To depend on today’s version of the political groups and their candidates to implement change is just how we got to where we are today.
We Americans have better alternatives and ways to change than what has been happening and can happen in our future.
More people are devoted to an individual vice a constitution than ever before. This smacks of old world nobility, even if so un-American.
More politicians and their parties have loyalties that trump National Interests. The change is the degree, where ideas and lobbyist purposes other than National Interests have more influence than even three decades ago.
The rise of nobility type groups composed of today’s soothsayers and jokesters called pollsters, environmentalists, and pundits is appalling. In an older time in America, all had to enter the world of politics and elections. Now more than ever, many get hired as a staff member or sponsored as a court member to weave one’s version of entertainment mixed with policy, along with job security and income.
Another appalling change is that political managers of former and losing political campaigns of the past are now trotted out as experts on how to manage and win. Some even get rehired. The major change is gall of all this, and the silliness of even considering them, and their loser records.
Yes, much change is in the air. And much of that change is the end of the old status quo and poor leaders and managers that got us to the poor state we are in today.
We all know that talk is cheap, and alarmist claims are as old as history. We also know that change does occur, often gradually, and sometimes in lurches. We appear to be at a “lurch” time now. The seemingly ever growing influences of environmentalists and their agendas is now being balanced by companies going out of business and people going cold and hungry, or our overseas opponents defeating us with vastly increased oil prices. As one Brit pundit suggested, toleration of these eco types is no longer funny or quaint when people are being adversely affected. Food riots around the world will always trump western idealism that causes food shortages.
So are we in charge of change, or is change in charge of us. Does it take companies and people going out of business and world food riots to make change happen? Or can the power of elected ideas make change happen before people lose? To depend on today’s version of the political groups and their candidates to implement change is just how we got to where we are today.
We Americans have better alternatives and ways to change than what has been happening and can happen in our future.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
America’s priorities for the next fifty years will have much to do with everything
Think upper classes, middle classes, and lower classes. Think enemies, foreign and domestic. Think local vs. state vs. federal. Even think affordability vs. desirability when prioritizing, assuming we can’t have it all when we want it.
America has had an idealistic and well-intended love affair with the lower classes during the last fifty years. Many efforts and dollars have been devoted to helping this group along, to include such venerable institutions as the Catholic churches and their schools. America has had a fifty year effort to promote federalism as a well-intended effort to make one size fit all, and to make us “one” country. The interstate highway system is a good example. The Cold War and the onset of the nuclear age set policies, laws, and budgets for fifty years that made sense when applied by those devising such things. Earlier more local accomplishments like clean water, waste water treatment, public electricity, levees, and basic health like malaria control and vaccinations, paled in comparison during the last fifty years, being already done deals. Last, America’s historical personality that tends towards isolationism and pacifisms reasserted itself, again.
We Americans are never stuck in the past, though some of our people and politicians may be. The status quo can have a bad connotation. “For lack of knowing what to do, we do what we know” is a limiter to future priorities. And time does move on and drive things, thank goodness. For an example's sake, a circa 1908 problem about what to do with all the animal waste resulting from transportation in cities was a big health and political deal. Now we have other problems.
In the present election cycle of 2008, and the immediate ones in 2010 and 2012, one can use perspective in deciding their votes, local, state, and federal. For example, one scheme should give priority to promoting, protecting, and growing our middle classes, as opposed to the lower classes as a priority. The same scheme should protect and promote all the local things that may have become politically boring. For sure control of local schools and curriculums should return to the parents to include enhancing their responsibilities as parents of school age children. Out of wedlock births should be ostracized for what they are, irresponsible sexually promiscuous behavior, to include unsafe sex given the terrible SDT numbers today. The same future scheme should recognize and reward integrity and honesty as good guides in how to run and promote a society. Political tactics and parsed words and pandered budget gimmicks all too often work in the short term, while the long term society suffers or demands even more band aids on top of earlier band aids.
The list can go on, but the point is that America is never stuck in the past, and the last fifty years of past should be no bind on our next fifty year future. Absent the present volunteer candidates for federal president even mentioning this type of discussion, and the present system still promotes this silliness (locally, state, and federal), then it is time to find, promote, and protect, other candidates that give more emphasis to devising and leading to our National future, and not our past.
Think upper classes, middle classes, and lower classes. Think enemies, foreign and domestic. Think local vs. state vs. federal. Even think affordability vs. desirability when prioritizing, assuming we can’t have it all when we want it.
America has had an idealistic and well-intended love affair with the lower classes during the last fifty years. Many efforts and dollars have been devoted to helping this group along, to include such venerable institutions as the Catholic churches and their schools. America has had a fifty year effort to promote federalism as a well-intended effort to make one size fit all, and to make us “one” country. The interstate highway system is a good example. The Cold War and the onset of the nuclear age set policies, laws, and budgets for fifty years that made sense when applied by those devising such things. Earlier more local accomplishments like clean water, waste water treatment, public electricity, levees, and basic health like malaria control and vaccinations, paled in comparison during the last fifty years, being already done deals. Last, America’s historical personality that tends towards isolationism and pacifisms reasserted itself, again.
We Americans are never stuck in the past, though some of our people and politicians may be. The status quo can have a bad connotation. “For lack of knowing what to do, we do what we know” is a limiter to future priorities. And time does move on and drive things, thank goodness. For an example's sake, a circa 1908 problem about what to do with all the animal waste resulting from transportation in cities was a big health and political deal. Now we have other problems.
In the present election cycle of 2008, and the immediate ones in 2010 and 2012, one can use perspective in deciding their votes, local, state, and federal. For example, one scheme should give priority to promoting, protecting, and growing our middle classes, as opposed to the lower classes as a priority. The same scheme should protect and promote all the local things that may have become politically boring. For sure control of local schools and curriculums should return to the parents to include enhancing their responsibilities as parents of school age children. Out of wedlock births should be ostracized for what they are, irresponsible sexually promiscuous behavior, to include unsafe sex given the terrible SDT numbers today. The same future scheme should recognize and reward integrity and honesty as good guides in how to run and promote a society. Political tactics and parsed words and pandered budget gimmicks all too often work in the short term, while the long term society suffers or demands even more band aids on top of earlier band aids.
The list can go on, but the point is that America is never stuck in the past, and the last fifty years of past should be no bind on our next fifty year future. Absent the present volunteer candidates for federal president even mentioning this type of discussion, and the present system still promotes this silliness (locally, state, and federal), then it is time to find, promote, and protect, other candidates that give more emphasis to devising and leading to our National future, and not our past.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Environmentalists gone wild…free falling clams
For those who just got screwed by all the commercial airplane inspections that delayed their travel, read the first part of this link. And I thought all the added expenses to the ticket prices were all fuel related. http://formerspook.blogspot.com/
For those who just got screwed by all the commercial airplane inspections that delayed their travel, read the first part of this link. And I thought all the added expenses to the ticket prices were all fuel related. http://formerspook.blogspot.com/
There are no bad workers…only bad leaders
No body wakes up in the morning wanting to do a bad job. Most people want the dignity and respect of hard work, even if they are somewhat slovenly and lazy. And yes, we do have low life criminals who must be locked up to protect us from them.
Presidential candidate Obama Barrack seems especially good at exposing American wounds to the light of day, and even ripping scabs that exacerbates the pain. Many wish he could also heal the wounds, but alas, he is too lightweight.
And the wounds still fester. Most embarrassing is that some of these wounds are self-inflicted, as in we did it to ourselves. More defiantly, we and our politicians did it to ourselves. And in this can also be a solution. The subject is free trade.
Most rural Americans I know (Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee) still believe in free trade. Of course the definition of free trade is “free trade”. As an example, most negotiated treaties require our free trade competitor humans to go by the same rules as we have to go by, to include worker rights, safety, environmental, and even things like insurance. Then one thinks like the greater cost of American workers is better balanced by the cost of transportation of their lower cost competitors products to the USA, and there is “fair” trade. Many Japanese and German auto companies have relocated their manufacturing to the rural USA as one example of how they handled the balance in their way.
The aggravation I perceive is the loss of trust and faith in the ability of our governments to hold our free trade partners’ feet to the fire. Words mean things, and the problems on the other end of free trade agreements are their problems, and not so for weak-kneed American bureaucrats who may have other agendas. And all so many American workers want to do is get up in the morning and go to work, and do a good job.
Here is another good example for why we should vote.
No body wakes up in the morning wanting to do a bad job. Most people want the dignity and respect of hard work, even if they are somewhat slovenly and lazy. And yes, we do have low life criminals who must be locked up to protect us from them.
Presidential candidate Obama Barrack seems especially good at exposing American wounds to the light of day, and even ripping scabs that exacerbates the pain. Many wish he could also heal the wounds, but alas, he is too lightweight.
And the wounds still fester. Most embarrassing is that some of these wounds are self-inflicted, as in we did it to ourselves. More defiantly, we and our politicians did it to ourselves. And in this can also be a solution. The subject is free trade.
Most rural Americans I know (Cumberland Plateau, Tennessee) still believe in free trade. Of course the definition of free trade is “free trade”. As an example, most negotiated treaties require our free trade competitor humans to go by the same rules as we have to go by, to include worker rights, safety, environmental, and even things like insurance. Then one thinks like the greater cost of American workers is better balanced by the cost of transportation of their lower cost competitors products to the USA, and there is “fair” trade. Many Japanese and German auto companies have relocated their manufacturing to the rural USA as one example of how they handled the balance in their way.
The aggravation I perceive is the loss of trust and faith in the ability of our governments to hold our free trade partners’ feet to the fire. Words mean things, and the problems on the other end of free trade agreements are their problems, and not so for weak-kneed American bureaucrats who may have other agendas. And all so many American workers want to do is get up in the morning and go to work, and do a good job.
Here is another good example for why we should vote.
Defining a vital national interest and how to try achieve a vital national interest are two different things
For example, educating the next generation is a vital national interest. Just how we try do it, public education, private education, vouchers, curriculums, is a local and state voting issue. For another example, providing for a common defense is a vital national interest. Just how thrifty and smart we are about doing it, and even the areas of concern, like foreign terrorists or Darfur, are a voting issue. For a last example, providing for basic police and fire protection, and basic health protection like clean water and waste water treatment is a vital national interest. Just how we fund it in competition with all the other local demands is a votable issue.
Yet seldom, if ever, do any candidates standing for election at all levels, local, state, and federal, even bother to discuss or offer for debate just what is a vital national interest in any of the communities we live in. It is as if we put the cart before the horse, and all too often the issues get confused as to prioritizing all the competing demands. And so many of the competing demands cross the lines of vital national interests expressed at the various levels, local, state, and federal. For example, and assuming we have to get out of the borrowing business to pay our public bills, do we spend money on an expanded water treatment plant in our local community, or use the same money to send our military into Darfur? Using the idea of being guided by vital national interests, the answer is obvious…spend the money on the expanded water treatment plant.
Especially confusing to most voters is federal grants to states and local governments. Just why this is a vital national interest has never been answered by politicians or even pundits. It’s history suggests it was born from other reasons. If the federal government collects enough money to pass a lot back to states and local governments, then it is collecting too much to redistribute in ideas that may not be in our vital national interests. If this money being spent as block grants is in our vital national interests, then let the states and local governments justify the taxes and the local voters vote on it.
One can go on and on in this simple idea of having vital national interests influencing how we tax and spend. One point is if times get hard, or bad, we have other courses of action than the mess we have today.
And never assume anything. That we live in a new world nation-state that still has the traditions and means to think of vital national interests as a guide is special in the world. Others are not so fortunate.
For example, educating the next generation is a vital national interest. Just how we try do it, public education, private education, vouchers, curriculums, is a local and state voting issue. For another example, providing for a common defense is a vital national interest. Just how thrifty and smart we are about doing it, and even the areas of concern, like foreign terrorists or Darfur, are a voting issue. For a last example, providing for basic police and fire protection, and basic health protection like clean water and waste water treatment is a vital national interest. Just how we fund it in competition with all the other local demands is a votable issue.
Yet seldom, if ever, do any candidates standing for election at all levels, local, state, and federal, even bother to discuss or offer for debate just what is a vital national interest in any of the communities we live in. It is as if we put the cart before the horse, and all too often the issues get confused as to prioritizing all the competing demands. And so many of the competing demands cross the lines of vital national interests expressed at the various levels, local, state, and federal. For example, and assuming we have to get out of the borrowing business to pay our public bills, do we spend money on an expanded water treatment plant in our local community, or use the same money to send our military into Darfur? Using the idea of being guided by vital national interests, the answer is obvious…spend the money on the expanded water treatment plant.
Especially confusing to most voters is federal grants to states and local governments. Just why this is a vital national interest has never been answered by politicians or even pundits. It’s history suggests it was born from other reasons. If the federal government collects enough money to pass a lot back to states and local governments, then it is collecting too much to redistribute in ideas that may not be in our vital national interests. If this money being spent as block grants is in our vital national interests, then let the states and local governments justify the taxes and the local voters vote on it.
One can go on and on in this simple idea of having vital national interests influencing how we tax and spend. One point is if times get hard, or bad, we have other courses of action than the mess we have today.
And never assume anything. That we live in a new world nation-state that still has the traditions and means to think of vital national interests as a guide is special in the world. Others are not so fortunate.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
The Anus of the Earth may be in Shanghai
Which way is the human condition to work out?
Is it this picture from downtown Shanghai during the recent USS Lassen visit in 2008 representative?
Or is it the more touristy picture (below) what we may see during the Olympics in 2008?
The idea is that the amount of pollution in China is bad. In this case Shanghai is a really big city (8th biggest in the world?), and at the terminus of the Yangtze River, and the last decades or so pollution is worthy of report.
So which way is it to be? Is the Chinese government and propaganda and maybe even NBC promoting their Olympics’ contract to give us one picture? Or is to be more like the recent USS Lassen picture showing what an unhealthy place Shanghai and the Yangtze River have become.
As one who used to enjoy a view of the East China Sea from my front door porch in Okinawa (about a yard and a half square) , now I wonder just what mess is being dumped into the East China Sea I swam and snorkeled in? Even laying on the paultry Kadena AFB Okinawa beaches that bordered on it seems less appealing.
Shanghai is in a lot of movies since movies began. And the attention and stories continue.
Which way is the human condition to work out?
Is it this picture from downtown Shanghai during the recent USS Lassen visit in 2008 representative?
Or is it the more touristy picture (below) what we may see during the Olympics in 2008?
The idea is that the amount of pollution in China is bad. In this case Shanghai is a really big city (8th biggest in the world?), and at the terminus of the Yangtze River, and the last decades or so pollution is worthy of report.
So which way is it to be? Is the Chinese government and propaganda and maybe even NBC promoting their Olympics’ contract to give us one picture? Or is to be more like the recent USS Lassen picture showing what an unhealthy place Shanghai and the Yangtze River have become.
As one who used to enjoy a view of the East China Sea from my front door porch in Okinawa (about a yard and a half square) , now I wonder just what mess is being dumped into the East China Sea I swam and snorkeled in? Even laying on the paultry Kadena AFB Okinawa beaches that bordered on it seems less appealing.
Shanghai is in a lot of movies since movies began. And the attention and stories continue.
Did you know?
The Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship, HMS Ark Royal, made a visit to Norfolk recently. Later she trained with the US Navy and Marines off our eastern shore.
Giuseppina Pasqualino di Marineo, an Italian performance artist, was recently murdered at age 33, during her “Brides for Peace” Middle East tour.
The French ship FS Jeanne D’Arc participated in the pirate incident response off of Somalia.
Martin Luther King was a Republican.
The Israelis just conducted a major National Defense Exercise beginning April 6th that had the region in a high hover.
The Israelis operate some high tech German built diesel subs that carry modified US Harpoon missiles with “suspected” nuclear warheads.
Teacher Jolita Berry was attacked in a high school fight in Baltimore last week. The school systems response is also noteworthy, if you know.
House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, and their staffs, are planning more schemes to move the risk to the taxpayers from those who made bad decisions, such as buying mortgages that are now in default.
Little of “did you know” is reported by our media. Did you know?
The Royal Navy’s Fleet Flagship, HMS Ark Royal, made a visit to Norfolk recently. Later she trained with the US Navy and Marines off our eastern shore.
Giuseppina Pasqualino di Marineo, an Italian performance artist, was recently murdered at age 33, during her “Brides for Peace” Middle East tour.
The French ship FS Jeanne D’Arc participated in the pirate incident response off of Somalia.
Martin Luther King was a Republican.
The Israelis just conducted a major National Defense Exercise beginning April 6th that had the region in a high hover.
The Israelis operate some high tech German built diesel subs that carry modified US Harpoon missiles with “suspected” nuclear warheads.
Teacher Jolita Berry was attacked in a high school fight in Baltimore last week. The school systems response is also noteworthy, if you know.
House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, and their staffs, are planning more schemes to move the risk to the taxpayers from those who made bad decisions, such as buying mortgages that are now in default.
Little of “did you know” is reported by our media. Did you know?
Saturday, April 12, 2008
A generation of poor American leadership has finally caught up
In genealogy, a generation is 30 years, the time frame for this post. And more than a fair share of poor leaders have been at all levels, federal as in President or Congress, and their vast hired staffs, down to state governments and local leaders, to include governments, schools, religions, and unions. The evidence is cumulative, mostly embarrassing in its impacts to a Country such as the USA, but also negative in the terrible impacts on the coming generation. While the future will have to reap what our poor leaders have sowed in the decades’ past, so can citizens begin to sow a better new world USA. While all is not doom and gloom, much pain and suffering, as being hungry and cold, will ensue. And we did it to ourselves, somehow. And there are still bright spots that may be dimmed, also. What a shame!
First some cumulative evidence. The very recent success of the French against some small village thug group of a dozen pirates off of Somalia represents leadership vice devotion to committee action and other such interagency time consuming action. The tendency for turning problems like Hurricane Katrina and the recent sub-prime mortgage “crisis” into another mining of the national wealth demonstrates poor leadership. The political leaders’ inability to keep expenses within income means demonstrates a status quo attitude and poor judgment that will become apparent when no one in their right mind will loan us money to pay expenses beyond all the income means. Moodys has already given the USA a window of warning…2017 or so being the year of reckoning. Kids as young as six are now getting legal records of being a sexual pervert for being dumb in school when real leaders might have applied more common sense and a sense of proportion in dealing with this kid. The politician’s tendency to spend the collected monies for today’s benefits at the expense of tomorrow’s demands will have dreadful outcomes, from federal social security and medicare demands to local government unions “guaranteed” expectations. Only poor leaders would do all this to the point where some state legislators, as in Louisiana, exempt their criminal and even poor performance from affecting their retirement benefits. One might want to check out their local state and counties, as a start, to see is something similar is being sneaked by.
All is not doom and gloom. Voters should start with electing leaders who promote standards over excuses and assumptions. No longer will the war on poverty go on forever, where we as a USA continue to spend money on underlying causes without simultaneously locking up the low life criminals. No longer will we accept the simple statements like “restoring USA respect in the world” or “we need another conversation on race” “just on face value”. Standards still imply locally things like basic police protection, fire protection, and health protection having priority over local government union contracts when the governments can’t pay it all. School curriculums and social standards are still the parents’ choices.
That much pain and turmoil will have to occur is the result of our poor leadership over the last generation. One can say we have just had a bout of poor leadership. And while I sympathize with idea that American voters are part of this problem, and have been silly, perhaps dumb, too often self serving in school systems (think jobs over kids), and even naive respondents to the pandering of this last generation of poor leaders still living in the past and even status quo, the obvious solutions have to do with basic American standards, and politicians who can explain all this to the future citizen voters. Temporary political success in our past is no excuse to running a local area, school system, state, or our Country down. And all evidence suggests we need to use our votes are all levels, local, state, and federal, including adding our past poor leaders into the coming suffering groups. If this sounds like pay back, it is not. It is sending a message to future political leaders, as in live like “us”, and succeed together. Voters will back up “ future winners”. We could sure use a “bout” of strong future leaders.
In genealogy, a generation is 30 years, the time frame for this post. And more than a fair share of poor leaders have been at all levels, federal as in President or Congress, and their vast hired staffs, down to state governments and local leaders, to include governments, schools, religions, and unions. The evidence is cumulative, mostly embarrassing in its impacts to a Country such as the USA, but also negative in the terrible impacts on the coming generation. While the future will have to reap what our poor leaders have sowed in the decades’ past, so can citizens begin to sow a better new world USA. While all is not doom and gloom, much pain and suffering, as being hungry and cold, will ensue. And we did it to ourselves, somehow. And there are still bright spots that may be dimmed, also. What a shame!
First some cumulative evidence. The very recent success of the French against some small village thug group of a dozen pirates off of Somalia represents leadership vice devotion to committee action and other such interagency time consuming action. The tendency for turning problems like Hurricane Katrina and the recent sub-prime mortgage “crisis” into another mining of the national wealth demonstrates poor leadership. The political leaders’ inability to keep expenses within income means demonstrates a status quo attitude and poor judgment that will become apparent when no one in their right mind will loan us money to pay expenses beyond all the income means. Moodys has already given the USA a window of warning…2017 or so being the year of reckoning. Kids as young as six are now getting legal records of being a sexual pervert for being dumb in school when real leaders might have applied more common sense and a sense of proportion in dealing with this kid. The politician’s tendency to spend the collected monies for today’s benefits at the expense of tomorrow’s demands will have dreadful outcomes, from federal social security and medicare demands to local government unions “guaranteed” expectations. Only poor leaders would do all this to the point where some state legislators, as in Louisiana, exempt their criminal and even poor performance from affecting their retirement benefits. One might want to check out their local state and counties, as a start, to see is something similar is being sneaked by.
All is not doom and gloom. Voters should start with electing leaders who promote standards over excuses and assumptions. No longer will the war on poverty go on forever, where we as a USA continue to spend money on underlying causes without simultaneously locking up the low life criminals. No longer will we accept the simple statements like “restoring USA respect in the world” or “we need another conversation on race” “just on face value”. Standards still imply locally things like basic police protection, fire protection, and health protection having priority over local government union contracts when the governments can’t pay it all. School curriculums and social standards are still the parents’ choices.
That much pain and turmoil will have to occur is the result of our poor leadership over the last generation. One can say we have just had a bout of poor leadership. And while I sympathize with idea that American voters are part of this problem, and have been silly, perhaps dumb, too often self serving in school systems (think jobs over kids), and even naive respondents to the pandering of this last generation of poor leaders still living in the past and even status quo, the obvious solutions have to do with basic American standards, and politicians who can explain all this to the future citizen voters. Temporary political success in our past is no excuse to running a local area, school system, state, or our Country down. And all evidence suggests we need to use our votes are all levels, local, state, and federal, including adding our past poor leaders into the coming suffering groups. If this sounds like pay back, it is not. It is sending a message to future political leaders, as in live like “us”, and succeed together. Voters will back up “ future winners”. We could sure use a “bout” of strong future leaders.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
How will the reporting media report their self demise?
Going out of business is tough. One can take responsibility, or one can blame.
First the blame idea:
It is the politics.
It is the unprofessional reporting.
It is the business impact of the news’ reporting business. Think unelected pundits who make a living this way.
It is the over expansion of too many people in the new to the world 24/7 news cycles.
It is the over impact of TV reporting what is the real news.
Second is the responsibility idea:
Citizens are more demanding than ever.
Basic integrity in news reporting is at a nadir.
Citizens have more ways to “get” their news.
The percentage of un-informed voters is down. The percentage of over-educated fools is up.
Of course, all people just want to know is the “news”. What a simple and powerful idea for a future business plan.
Going out of business is tough. One can take responsibility, or one can blame.
First the blame idea:
It is the politics.
It is the unprofessional reporting.
It is the business impact of the news’ reporting business. Think unelected pundits who make a living this way.
It is the over expansion of too many people in the new to the world 24/7 news cycles.
It is the over impact of TV reporting what is the real news.
Second is the responsibility idea:
Citizens are more demanding than ever.
Basic integrity in news reporting is at a nadir.
Citizens have more ways to “get” their news.
The percentage of un-informed voters is down. The percentage of over-educated fools is up.
Of course, all people just want to know is the “news”. What a simple and powerful idea for a future business plan.
The tyranny of the minority in America
Fortunately the majority still rules in a country such as the USA in America.
As a citizen who took vacation and kid's school time off and traveled some distance to see the Olympic torch pass by in 1996 before the Atlanta Olympics, the farce of the torch run recently in 2008 San Francisco gained my attention. The serious threat of disruption by minority protesters caused most people to miss the torch being run along the announced San Francisco route (since the route was changed and unannounced). In spite of whether one agrees or disagrees with the minorities protesters reasons ( I happen to agree), they should have shown some courtesy towards the majority of viewers that took the time and travel, often with their families.
Now even the coverage of all this seems appalling. Somehow the protesters are being honored by too many in the media coverage. Even the local politicians self report they feel good about “containing” all this. What a change from 1996 when so many citizens would have taken the protesters out, as in tackling them long enough to let the torch pass and the rest of the crowd to enjoy the historic occasion.
This whole occasion has made this citizen wonder again about the riots by protesters and the police response in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic Party Convention. History generally reports it was a disaster for the Democratic Party. Now I think maybe it was a win for the USA. And this may apply to the Democratic Party Convention in Denver this summer. After all America, the USA, is about we citizens, and not any present national political party’s frictions, or some minority group without basic manners that has latched on.
Fortunately the majority still rules in a country such as the USA in America.
As a citizen who took vacation and kid's school time off and traveled some distance to see the Olympic torch pass by in 1996 before the Atlanta Olympics, the farce of the torch run recently in 2008 San Francisco gained my attention. The serious threat of disruption by minority protesters caused most people to miss the torch being run along the announced San Francisco route (since the route was changed and unannounced). In spite of whether one agrees or disagrees with the minorities protesters reasons ( I happen to agree), they should have shown some courtesy towards the majority of viewers that took the time and travel, often with their families.
Now even the coverage of all this seems appalling. Somehow the protesters are being honored by too many in the media coverage. Even the local politicians self report they feel good about “containing” all this. What a change from 1996 when so many citizens would have taken the protesters out, as in tackling them long enough to let the torch pass and the rest of the crowd to enjoy the historic occasion.
This whole occasion has made this citizen wonder again about the riots by protesters and the police response in Chicago during the 1968 Democratic Party Convention. History generally reports it was a disaster for the Democratic Party. Now I think maybe it was a win for the USA. And this may apply to the Democratic Party Convention in Denver this summer. After all America, the USA, is about we citizens, and not any present national political party’s frictions, or some minority group without basic manners that has latched on.
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