Rights and privileges are different

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness is a right, to me.

Flush toilets and forced air heat is a privilege, to me, and I appreciate it. So is national defense. Some countries don't have a national defense.

I will fight for both rights and privileges, if that is what it takes. Hopefully the vote is the best way to fight for me.

Now many politicians and voters can claim privileges are rights, but that doesn't change things even in the new world USA. The two are different, and many of us recognize this, and will probably vote that way as a consideration.

Many fellow Americans work hard to make sure we have clean tap water, waste water treatments, and public electricity. Other fellow Americans work real hard to make sure we make it through the winter time like with ice free roads and reliable heating and cooking infrastructure that works. Even I like turning a light switch on during the dark times of the day, and expect it to come on instantly. These are examples of privileges, to me. This includes even times after a storm that damages our infrastructure.

I don't want to live like Abraham Lincoln, but I can if I need to.

And I am now perceiving many Americans think many of these privileges are automatic, and don't need to be supported, reinforced, nurtured, or whatever. I respectfully disagree. Many of those providing our privileges are much of the basic purpose of governments at all levels. And I thank them, and their Families. And I will support them and those that provide their services by my vote, my pocket book, and whatever else it takes.

I know the difference between rights and privileges, and appreciate it. And I also know the difference between idealism and practicality, and the need to balance it all for the benefit of us all.

I've seen and lived the difference, and sure like what we have in the new world USA.

Good on us!

Hit 'em in the pocket book

Why humans suffering is often what it takes for change to happen seems to be, well, human. What a shame. Even I will have to suffer, too.

Now I personally figure I can guess what will probably happen, but the timing I usually screw up.

For sure, I believe a third USA national party will arise, and there will be a civil war in China.

Now just when, I don't have a reliable way to guess that I trust. I usually guess things will happen before they actually do. I am usually off by two or three years. But I consider myself an informed citizen, which probably works against my timing guesses.

Well Plan B suggests most USA people don't have time to worry about more than their near future. They are usually hard workers, and often busy raising a family. Only when they are threatened, in their mind, will change probably occur.

If this guess, theory if you will, is correct, than what a shame.

Americans still want change

It sure likes like the present financial federally caused problems are not going to be solved by our present elected federal Congress and President.

After all, we all do enjoy wonderful federal benefits right now, generally speaking.

So what is change at the federal level going to take?

My guess is a third party will arise, and work on paying our federal bills, simply. I myself prefer any new name than whatever the opposition uses to describe it right now, like the Tea Party.

In this change, there will be pain, including to me.

And only in America can our vote still count, vice something else like a revolt or revolution. After all, we as a Country were conceived in a revolution, but my guess is we have evolved in the new world USA to voting since then.

But for sure, change is coming because we Americans want it. And I sure hope we use the vote, and the outgoing types go along with the results.

Now what would you do? And I still have to deal with State and County issues, too, like my kid's education.

Great change is underway

And it will affect most of us. And it is mostly human caused, which is normal, unfortunately .

The obvious things are our USA and world-wide financial problems, which will probably get worse. For those with money to invest, good luck in the next two years or so.

The less obvious thing is what is going on in the real human world. There are lots of smart people who know what is going on in their part of the world, but few can connect the dots in the whole world, so to speak. Hence a guess is that things will get worse because of poor decision making, and it will affect me and my family.

This idea is most probably exacerbated by the poor elected leadership in the USA, and the people they have hired. In the end, they will bring their era to an end, again a great change time, too. The time between 2011 and 2020 should be really exciting. The dinosaurs (so to speak) will fight back, like to preserve their status quo and way of life.

And there are alternatives to the present courses of action now taking place by elected and appointed leaders throughout the world. I think Obama, and his hired minions, are a good example of a poor leadership during this time of great change.

Along the way, expect great political change in the USA. The 100 year+ era of two national political parties is coming to an end, and a third national party will arise. All this will probably happen in the 2016 time frame, but who really knows in 2011.

After all, most just want to survive, have a family, and promote their kids' futures, where ever they live. Being fed and warm is a big deal. And most still want to be citizens, vice being a serf.

What I fear today is the consequences and how it will affect you and me, like down range nuclear weather patterns seldom reported in today's media.

Nobody, with exceptions, is reporting how bad things are in China, for example. I don't count on our USA media doing a good job reporting all this, or many other things that will affect my life, and my family's lives.

And all this during a time of great change.

We are going to be all in it

It seems obvious to me. We are unilaterally disarming.

The old days' questions like where are the carriers, or the Marines, or the airborne forces, are going to be gone. They (and their gear) simply will not exist.

Is that what you want?

Many may, for their own logic. And many won't, for their own logic, too. But for sure, we are going to be all out of enough troops, too.

Now even fundamental things like can we defend our own country and way of life come up.

And if we are not a policeman in the world, then others (mostly regional leaders) may fill the vacuum, like start local wars that might drag in future USA leaders in the future.

Like the title suggests, we are going to be all out of projection military power if things continue on. Is that what you want?

It is kinda like pay me now, or pay me later.

Bummer.

What's going to happen if Obama is not re-elected?

The quick answer is I don't know.

But I sure can guess, and so can you.

I use the connect the dots method, since the psycho babble method tends to be a waste of most people's time.

Now normally, the outgoing President is gracious and helpful to the new inbound President. And our Congress tends to be the same way.

But in these times, things seem to be different. Said another way, is our present federal President wanting to go another way, like even be a dictator, or king, or something similar?

Can executive orders be similar to a king's edict, for example? Does our election process to elect our Congress people still give us citizens a way to help decide our future and fate? Are we subjects, or citizens? Do we as Americans want to take the present situation as a way to change our Constitution? And last, do we want a new form of government led by a not so smart person attended to by minions (he hired) seeking their own influence and power in influencing our American future?

So all this turmoil in my mind is also influenced by the idea of embarrassment.

Are we citizens, including our military and law enforcement types, going to do some or both; like respond to his orders; or even do the dirty deeds necessary to remove him from office, like "dig him out" in the old vernacular.

Last, given the advantage of hindsight, we can say and think anything we want to about our own parents. But for sure, I am glad I did not have him and his wife as my parents.

Vigilance must be constant

During WWII 200 federal Congressman voted themselves an exception to the war rationing all of us had to participate in. Once discovered, this federal law was rescinded. Come one, come all, so to speak.

Now I hear my military retirement benefits may be retroactively changed to reflect the terrible economic situation in the USA today. I can even live with that these days, as long as I think the decision makers are applying these rules to themselves, too. Hence the vigilance.

Two more thoughts. My military retirement benefits were an incentive to stay in when I though seriously about getting out. I won't bore you with the details. Now I can imagine some years in the future when we can't retain enough Americans for the military to defend us. A line I borrow is that while we may recruit an American, we retain his family. Sounds like a future problem for future politicians to vote on in a conventional way of thinking. But how about a Plan B, like think ahead, consider our priorities, our ability to pay, and vote for people who will represent this?

Last, here is a Plan C that appealed to me, warts and all.

Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best quotes about the debt ceiling:

"I could end the deficit in 5 minutes," he told CNBC. "You just pass a law that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election.

The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months and 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971 — before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc.Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven took one year or less to become the law of the land, all because of public pressure.

This is one idea that really should be passed around.

Congressional Reform Act of 2011
1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman/woman collects a salary while in office and receives noPay when they're out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into The Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses its current health-care system and Participates in the same health-care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen/women are void

Effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract. Congress made these contracts for itself.
Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers Envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their Term(s), then go home and back to work.

Vigilance must be constant, and come one, come all.

How much bathing is the right amount?

The quick answer, I think, is that most Americans think once a day is good. Now whether it is a shower or a bath, I will leave that question for other thoughts.

Now is that healthy; and the quick answer is that I don't know. After all I suspect most of our ancestors settled on less than once a day (mostly because they had to), and they did OK I think. We're here, after all.

For the record, my own personal record is 39 days without a bath, and then I had to sneak into a Palestinian work camp (occupied by Marines but off limits to me) to gain a warm shower. Yep, even I like warm water when I can get it. Also, there are ways to survive, in a healthy manner I think, without a daily bath. Baby wipes are one way. I suspect our ancestors had their ways, too.

So what is the standard, like best for our health? I don't know, but suspect it is less than a shower or bath a day. The thought of bathing in publicly provided clean water with chlorine (a poison at a reasonable level) in it bothers me. And I used to do some pool maintenance (using typical chlorine which also burns our eyes), too, so that is what provides me my question about our health.

Last, I suspect most who want to sleep together (including sex) would like a clean smelling spouse or partner. But is that also healthy, again the frequency of bathing is the basic question, like smelling clean? And again, I don't know the answer, but suspect it depends on where you live, and what you do.

How do you find the news where you live?

The quick answer is I don't know, as even I get frustrated at my own level in east Tennessee, USA.

Now there's many things published in most media that, in my opinion, is just the person's personal opinion, published as news. This idea is new in the last three decades, I think. Heck, I can go to the local Hardees for breakfast to hear the same kind of opinions.

I even had a commie pinko liberal friend ask me the same question, by the way, like how does one find out what is really going on?

Now I have gone out of my way to even read foreign journals (daily), and even reading an intel weenie providing his interpretation of the foreign reporting. Right now, that is the best I can do. What a sad state of affairs, I think.

So good luck, if you want to know the news where you live these days.

It will never happen, but

It might happen these days.

Long standing assumptions about cultures, and trust and faith in them paying their bills, is now up for grabs in so many places.

So many of our political and financial leaders may not be right for the present situation. Now some are "right", too. And every culture and nation state has its own problems, too. For example, I would rather be in the new world USA than the old world China we think of.

Now our present political leaders are a voter decision in the USA, and we voters have contributed to the problem we face today. Yea, we can say many of our elected leaders are failing us, but in the end, we did put them in power. Hence the people's part of the present situation. Now for the poor investors, well, that is their problem as to picking their leaders.

And as to wondering, I am slowly coming to think the Democratic National Party has become a criminal conspiracy, in the traditional way of history thinking. And the present Republican National Party is not too far behind. But who is going to say this in a RICO type of way, or even spend the prosecutorial time given the sponsorship and rewards system presently in effect (at all levels, federal, state, and local). The key way of thinking to me, is that the Party is still more important than the Country to so many members of their Party. Why, I still don't know?

But now serious issues are a stake, like our lives and well being.

So quicker change in our status quo is due, and really is already underway. Just how it will happen in the next 10 or 20 years is up to us, we citizens. Nope, we are not subjects.

The good news is that the future world in the USA will be pretty good for our Families and our kids. But whatever "it will never happen" means where you live, you can make a difference. Go for it!

Voting with our pocket book

No matter what anyone in our leadership class says about things today in the USA, all of us know about our pocket books. And we vote that way, as in what we buy, or don't buy. And many also vote with their feet, as in where they choose to live, work, and raise a family. Again, no one from our leadership class (who I used to deal with, and they are often fine people, too) can convince most otherwise. And along those lines, the recent Euro deal that causes many to take a 50% bath (like invest $100...get back $50) is widely reported in the USA as a good deal, though I suspect those taking a bath would not agree, as in voting with their pocket book.

One can imagine much friction and change coming to the western societies.

Thank goodness a place like the new world USA has the best of all worlds (like the West and the East combined), but even things have to sort out here, too. For example, I think many people in the new world USA want change (the federal vote for President in 2008 being an example), and that thirst and goal is still around. And by golly, the change will happen, be it pocket book, moving, or voting, and yes, maybe even a revolution.

It sure looks like it is going to take change to the old status quo to make that happen, like the two dominant national parties will decline as a third party arises. Yep, this is an exciting time, comparable to the 1776 revolution period, though our own version in this decade, like from 2010 to 2020. My thoughts are historical, that is while the times and technology certainly has changed, we humans have not changed that much.

So in conventional wisdom from our USA past, one might plot a political campaign like a military campaign. But lying does not win battles when things like our pocket books, and integrity, come into play.

So I have made up my mind that I will enter the political process, as much demand that makes on my time. And along the way, I just want to be happy for me and my Family.

The friction continues in the new world USA

Been there, done that, is an old time expression. This expression continues to work today.

The present day Tea Party, to me, is a movement, and not a "party". It is kinda like the Hippie movement decades ago. Yet today, its opponents continue to try define it, as if it is reported in the press, then it must be true. For me, being a child of the 60's, I think otherwise. What surprises me is that a lot of other fellow citizens think the same way, more than I ever thought so. Yep, the times they are a changin'.

There was a time in my youth, kinda like the present day folks who think differently than I do, that I bought their line. "Lee Harvey Oswald, where are we now that we need you" comes to mind. And even I thought about going out to Taos, New Mexico, getting naked, growing corn in the desert, and living in a cave. Instead I joined the Marines, which pretty much did the same thing, with a better quality of life, if you don't mind going in harm's way part of the time. Neither approach will get you rich, or even well off.

Yep, Marines are Americans, too.

So I now fear many people will die through the do-gooder intents and efforts and federal government practices today. It's the classical debate about do good intentions count, or does practically count?

What has gotten my attention is the effect on my remaining life. I am age 63, and don't want to die cold and miserable. I live in a rural part of America, and pretty much live (at least 1/3 or more) off the land. I would say 100%, but I do go to the local grocery store to get food, including dog food. Now some of it all sounds glorious, like the noble Indian idea, until you get to live this Hippie way. Yep, I don't want to be a Taos Hippie type. Presently, I wear long johns as I write, and time my farm maintenance work to the local weather.

So the present friction about the future of our new world USA has earned my attention, like time and effort. And, you know what, for the first time in my life, I am going to get politically involved. My military background has always taught me to not vote in federal elections so I could claim (sincerely) I will serve any Commander-in-Chief. Now, I am going to change, like vote.

So as part of the friction, am I a subject, or a citizen?

Just a report from an old person

For the record, I am a male, age 63, and presently live on the Cumberland Plateau in east Tennessee. I moved here from Atlanta to an old Family place. And my father introduced me to the idea of reporting what is happening to my body as I age. As a Rambling Wreck engineer from GaTech, I also use the engineering approach, which is sort of scientific, too. My favorite movies are mostly from my youth and younger years, like "The Searchers", "Jeremiah Johnson", "The Outlaw Josey Wales", and even later "The Sand Pebbles". I also like some more modern movies, mostly directed by Lasse Hallstrom, a Swede. The "Cider House Rules", "An Unfinished Life", and even "Dear John" come to mind.

For me, I would report in two ways, since both affect me. One is the physical side of things, and the other is the mental side of things.

First, the physical side of things. I have run a bunch of marathons, like 17, but that pales by my belief back then that until about age 55, it was my life style getting me down; after that age kicked in. Add to that idea is that the hormone testosterone production is probably declining over time in my body, and now I am not as strong at age 63 than I want to be. This hurts my feelings. That is my observation today. Plus my time to heal from simple injuries is not what it used to be. While I do heal, it generally takes longer.

Second is the mental type of things. My last time in Okinawa (about 25 years ago) during a HASH run, a gal from MIT, serving as a Marine aviation supply officer, asked me the old joke about did I know what a "nooner" was. Well, of course I did, but then she said something like "it was a cup of soup and a nap", and that appealed to me as much as it hurt my feelings, too. Later she asked me "if I lived in menopause manor", which also hurt my feelings. Of course, I did live there, and was happy to be there.

One more mental type of thing I have thought about a lot, and tried to analyze the best I can. The subject is motivation.

I can report, for me, that the repeating of normal human things, like parental type things, is getting tiresome. I think I am becoming more "tough love", which I define as brutal honesty. Now in this case, some may listen, and some may not, but mentally I can accept the results more I could decades ago.

So, and last, I always heard that old people like me always wish they could impart their experience to their younger people growing up. I think now, again mentally, that most younger people don't want to listen, and such is the nature of humanity and history.

Knowing the difference between politics and the politician

While I may agree with a lot of the "progressive" politics in America, I also think we have a crummy federal president of the USA.

I also think our present federal President is not too smart, nor is his wife. They are a case of affirmative action gone bad. The evidence is out there for anyone who wants to think independently. Now I also think both are hard working, and often well intended, but, again, both are not that swift. And now we Americans get to suffer the consequences of this poor leadership during this time of great turmoil, which is obvious to most.

Another obvious thing to me is that the two major National political parties have failed our Country. After 100 plus years, they have had their chance, and they have done a poor job. It bothers me to think the status quo is such that their Party may be more important than our Country in 2011. It's time for a change, one might suggest.

Now I have always wondered what it was like during the 1770's American revolution from England. I always assumed great turmoil, kinda like today. Even the conventional wisdom people will suggest not to mess with the status quo, like even an American third party might split the vote and get Obama re-elected. So be it.

Even he, Obama, will get old and die off. Such is the nature of change in this vast wonderful land called the USA.

So what is a new American Party going to be called? I don't know.

But for sure, I think, is that the focus will be on us, Americans, and not the Parties of the last 100 years. All this will take time, like until maybe 2020 or later.

Great change is underway, and what a wonderful time to live and observe it all, and maybe even influence it in the new world USA.

Great change is underway in the world

The end of the beginning is past. The beginning of the end, our new future, is well underway. Those humans who resist change in the status quo are on the way out. Some don't recognize it and will resist in all ways they know how. This is where we are at now in the USA, and in much of the West. Use your own eyes and judgment and experience in making up your own mind.

The best example I can imagine is our human birth rate. In the West rates are dropping, probably due to collective instincts about what is best for we humans. It doesn't take a dictator or royalty to dictate what we do about enjoying sex. In the East, things are different as to timing, but a reasonable forecast is that similar patterns will follow in the next two decades as quality of life improves.

Now even most have seen, or perceived change, which is normal, like our children having different values, to include music and clothes (kinda like a peer uniform). Sounds normal to me. But what is appalling to me is the amount of poor education which has failed so many of our kids, who I think are well intended and often hard working and self-sacrificing, and woefully poorly educated. This is part of the change period friction. And any education is not a way to help those cold and hungry at any age.

Even I have had to study and form opinions about all the anti-war and other such isolationist and pacifistic and idealistic efforts that went on before WWII. Half the college students protested, for example. Our Congress passed Neutrality Laws, and the President signed them. It was a big deal. And funny, but most of all this effort disappeared once America was attacked. So our ancestors, all collectively, had something worth defending, and went forward in their own way. Families moved in together, rationing was introduced and reinforced, and generally we all worked together.

So during this time of present great change, two thoughts come to mind. One, the obvious one, is how is the present group of humans going to do? The other thought is will we humans go forward on our earth, or will some other alternative predominate?

Now is a time for true leadership, not political leadership. Just who steps up to the plate, and when they do it, is still up for grabs.

Now here in the USA, often this means reinforcing some, and canning others. After all, it is our fate and our children's fate, if we present adults do step up to the plate, and influence our future.

Hopefully in the USA we will use the vote. Others may use revolt or use revolution.

And lord hope we don't descend into anarchy during this great change time.

In war, one can take casualties

And probably will, since that is the nature of the game. Now I suspect most of them serving our Country in the military and supporters know it, and even I have a kid who will go in harm's way, so this is not some academic subject to me. It is real world.

And we have something in our new world USA worth defending, for our own reasons. There is a lot to be proud of, or even pleased with as to the quality of life we have for ourselves and our Families. It didn't happen by itself.

Yet so many seem to think otherwise, even take what other fellow Americans are doing in their way, and often disagree. In this is the beauty of our new world USA. We can decide our future paths, as a people. I say this during a time of turmoil and great change, but so be it. It was obviously coming, but now it is here and not fun to go through.

I suspect many people will die, some in horrible ways like starvation and freezing and terrible human caused diseases. So be it. We have set all this up...now we have to go through it. What a shame.

The good news is that the other end will be healthy and good for the survivors, especially for those humans in the new world USA. Not too shabby for the survivors, I would suggest.

But also, probably within one or maybe two centuries, all this present day turmoil will be forgotten and influenced by the present day human problems then. Such is the nature of the human game and influence. Here we go again, I would say.

But also, in the new world USA today, is hope for a better path for our descendents.

So back to the title of this post. One can take casualties as sorry it is to report will probably happen.

Why not hunker down in the USA these days

Let integrity and honesty reign!

Yes, when people quit loaning us in the new world USA more money, and we have to live within our means, which are considerable, then times will get hard during the transition. In this is hope for our American future; also the worlds' future.

The obvious things, to me is knowledge about how to reign, and our USA self defense. There are a lot of poorly educated and politically naive people around these days. They might even think they are educated, but for sure they are hired. And I think most are well intendended, and hard working, in their mind.

For example, on the how to reign idea, if one does A, then B will probably happen, eventually. So it appears to me we are unilaterally disarming the USA, and now local regional despots will arise, kind of like we humans always do, and use their own local judgments about how they want to go forward. Think Iran, or China, as examples. The new world idea is do we want to do this these days? Do we humans still count, or is it just the human leaders who affect us, with their own goals, and pasts, and problems, by the way.

In the end, Families count.

More on the idea of if one does A, then B, will happen. Our recent (2011) in the USA Congress and Executive have enacted a new federal law about overt homosexuals wanting to join and serve in the military. I think the intent was pretty idealistic, like equality for all. But I also think the enlistment rates and retention rates will suffer in the end. After all, we may enlist Americans, but we retain families. This belief will start right now, but may take decades to become obvious. Just what do the regular people think when the vote with their feet, and now how do they express it in their way and their places they live. Bottom line question, do these presently elected federal congress people, and their hired minions, now represent us?

So back to the title.

For example, our own federal staffers (who serve our federal Congress) have built their own individual gyms in D.C. at our expense. One house cannot enter the other's gym.

So back to the title. It is time to hunker down where ever you live, mostly for your Families sake, and go from there.

Lord hope we Americans these day still use the vote, vice a revolution kind of thing. I even have a local commie pinko liberal type of younger than me friend who suspects a revolution is coming, though I argue with him vociferously.

The sum is greater than the whole of the parts

I suspect most have heard this expression in one form or another. And at age sixty-three, I still wonder about our academic fascination with dividing a problem into the parts for analysis. That method I must live with, but, again, I still wonder why most humans don't try to analyze the whole? That would help me where I live.

To make things sound too simple, the idea of operations analysis was created in WWII just for this reason. So this idea is not rocket science.

Now some do try analyze the whole...it is often called the vote, or whatever method exists for people to assert themselves wherever they live.

Another usual expression one hears is "that there is something wrong with this picture." That's another way to say the idea of seeing how it all sorts out. And most have heard the forest and the trees ideas.

The other amazing thing to me, is the obvious consequence to me is so often ignored by others. After all, I am old, and going cold and hungry and dying off might be OK to others, but not to me. Said another way, we all do think differently, and one way or the other, one ought to get a chance to voice our view. Of course, in the end, we will. The main question is how.

But if it comes down to physical violence, like revolt or civil war or whatever, then what a shame. Again, and as a reminder, I live in the new world USA.

So back to the title of this post, and the idea of looking at things as a whole.

In my view, I think our present Federal executive is a crummy President, and has hired many like him. In the same vein, I agree with many of the ideals, but the pace of change and the basic competent management I have serious issues with, like give someone else a chance in this wonderful new world USA to make us "happy".

Now I don't need some academic to tell me what to think about his or her values, though I am confident they are hard working and well intentioned, too.

But so am I.

Hence "there is something wrong with this picture", and I will assert myself the best I can in our new world USA.

Hang the guilty bastard

Now let's have a trial, and then hang the guilty son of a gun. Sounds American, to me.

But in the same vein, I hear and read that many other Americans think in more a judicial mentality than a military mentality. So be it, though it does drive me nuts. I suspect many Americans will have to die in this process...what a sad state of affairs.

Yep, it is already happening both in America, and throughout the world. Again, what a sad state of affairs! So many people alive today don't have to die, though they probably will.

Just ask the people in Syria, Libya, Dafur, or other such friction places.

Now any change is tough, but what grates me is the idea that dumb or even inexperienced people have influence that bring this about. That seems to be what is happening these days.

So if I am on to something, do we vote them out, which is my preference, and try to do something better. Plan B is to just hang the guilty bastards, which is probably counter-productive.

After all, I wish the best for my Family, and their future here in America.

Congratulations parents...you do make a difference in your child

I've made my peace. All of us are partly the way our genetics made us, some may say the way God made us; and also partly the way our influential people in our lives made us, mostly our mothers and fathers.

And this post focuses on why fathers, males if you will, matter in the upbringing of children.

And bringing up children, the future of the human race wherever you live is a big deal, bigger than things like individuals and their rights and problems.

And boys and girls are different, thank goodness. Can't live with 'em and can't live without 'em is an oft common expression I hear.

And the sum is greater than the whole of the parts, so to speak in more scientific terms. Hence, kids benefit by having a mother and father "expressing" their points of view and values as children grow. Said another way, most of us are not born knowing "it all". We do have to be taught.

In my case, getting chewed out in the 8th grade over some infraction (OK I was in a fight where the other boy got his arm broken) was different between how my Mom handled it and my Dad handled it. But I paid attention, and learned some values along the way.

One more story. In the 2nd grade I led a playground fight for reasons I truly have forgotten, but the female yard monitor (a teacher) chewed me out really bad and changed my personality, in the process. I think she forget it, but I did not forget it.

So back to my point, that moms and dads do make a difference in our lives. I call it their influence on our lives. Good on 'em, too. Most grandparents will often chuckle under their breath to see their kids have their time in the barrel since it is often not fun.

So here's a sales pitch. Why don't we common citizens have rules, practices, and laws, that promote this kind of thinking that promotes Moms and Dads raising their children, as best they can?

Now these days in the new world USA, I don't hear much about this idea. So be it. But in the same vein, having a Mom and Dad at home sure does make a difference in how we turn out.