This morning I awakened to the sight of a headline on Fox News: Debt now at 100% of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product). Way to go, America. You have nowhere to go but down. We can sincerely hope that the "Super Committee" gets a brain and stops the spending, but it sincerely may be too late. Have you ever ridden on a teeter-totter? When a heavier person gets on one side, you go up in the air and you either fall off or stay stuck with no progress. That's where we're at, folks. Our debt is on one end, and we are up in the air and can't reach the ground to get going again. Unless the debt side "loses a lot of weight" (Weight Watchers won't help), we going to stay stuck or we're going to go down hard. It's not the ride, it's the landing.
I'd say by now Ben Franklin is yanking on Jesus' robe, yelling "Do something! Do something!" He used to say that "a penny earned is a penny saved." Yep, we're out of pennies, Ben. And even gold is too expensive for normal people to hoard at this point.
I'm not an economist, and I'm no expert in the ways of Wall Street or the government. But I do remember my laws of physics. And we are in for it. Stay tuned.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Debt Deal and Other Wizardry
With everyone patting themselves on the back and others looking for more magic powder, it appears that the debt deal is a success, at least short term. But I have noticed in my short lifetime that bandaids tend to fall off the wound after they've been on for a while. They simply don't stick for long.
As hard fought as the debt deal was, it was necessary to get things moving forward. The trick now comes in keeping the train going. Did Obama win big? Not really, his left-wingers are mad at him. Did we conservatives win big? Bigger than we thought we would, but we're still in the soup. If you think Congress pulled off a Harry Potter style miracle, you'd be wrong. The US is in so deep right now that though we can limp along under this new legislation, we have to actually use wisdom instead of the sorcerer's wand to get things done. And we need good men and women willing to care about the nation first to do it.
Example: While we focused on the wrangling over debt ceilings, Harry Reid managed to lose 4000 FAA employees just to save an unnecessary airport in Ely, Nevada. One that can't make money. Why? Wild horses don't fly in airplanes. Neither do volcanic rocks. And that's about all that lives in Ely, Nevada. Why the heck do they need a federally subsidized airport? Mr Reid needs to take his magic powder and leave office. He only cares about his pork barrels, not about the nation. And he's not the only one, nor is it always the Democrats that do it. It's an elephant/donkey wizard festival sometimes.
Frankly, I'm fed up with Congress' propensity toward using its power to drive home bills that create and perpetuate personal projects for individuals or companies. I want to see legislation that works for the common good of the people. I want to see less government. I want to see more freedom and less nanny-state. I want wisdom in my government. LEss magic powder, more true wisdom. How about you?
As hard fought as the debt deal was, it was necessary to get things moving forward. The trick now comes in keeping the train going. Did Obama win big? Not really, his left-wingers are mad at him. Did we conservatives win big? Bigger than we thought we would, but we're still in the soup. If you think Congress pulled off a Harry Potter style miracle, you'd be wrong. The US is in so deep right now that though we can limp along under this new legislation, we have to actually use wisdom instead of the sorcerer's wand to get things done. And we need good men and women willing to care about the nation first to do it.
Example: While we focused on the wrangling over debt ceilings, Harry Reid managed to lose 4000 FAA employees just to save an unnecessary airport in Ely, Nevada. One that can't make money. Why? Wild horses don't fly in airplanes. Neither do volcanic rocks. And that's about all that lives in Ely, Nevada. Why the heck do they need a federally subsidized airport? Mr Reid needs to take his magic powder and leave office. He only cares about his pork barrels, not about the nation. And he's not the only one, nor is it always the Democrats that do it. It's an elephant/donkey wizard festival sometimes.
Frankly, I'm fed up with Congress' propensity toward using its power to drive home bills that create and perpetuate personal projects for individuals or companies. I want to see legislation that works for the common good of the people. I want to see less government. I want to see more freedom and less nanny-state. I want wisdom in my government. LEss magic powder, more true wisdom. How about you?
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Backwards Logic
Somedays I get up and read the news only to find that people have lost their minds. Whether it's the government spending to save the economy or crazy people murdering others and claiming to be a "conservative Christian"-it's all backwards logic.
First off, the nutcase in Norway is not a Christian. The Bible is extremely clear that if you hate, you don't belong to God. (Read the book of 1st John). You can say you're anything you want, but the proof is in the fruit of your life. He's not, simple as that. The media loves to point fingers and hype things up, but the guy is evil and in no way belongs to the Lord. Period.
As to the Congress/WhiteHouse: The government's hissy fits from both sides over the debt ceiling is ludicrous. The fact remains that a new plan must emerge for after they flip flop around the larger issue. There is a lot of waste in the current government- why? Because the government is too big, too slow, too far-reaching to hunt down all the loopholes and problems. We've literally allowed the creation of a monster with arms that go off into corners of our lives that our forefathers never intended. Getting it back to a smaller, more stable and streamlined form is going to be nigh on to impossible without heavy-duty wisdom.
We've created a welfare state, an eldercare state, with all of us totally dependent on the feds for our very lives. It's a sad place to be in for all of us. And it, again, is backwards logic. Freedom is about being able to make personal choices, not about being trapped under the government's whims.
There is so much division in our government between Dems and Reps and WH, that it's absolutely crazy. Everyone is in a free-for-all agenda and none of it has anything to do with what is right for the country. It has become a power game rather than a "debate." There is no actual debate. There is just a lot of b.s.. What is right for America? Look at your credit card statement, see the minimum payment, and multiply it by a trillion or so. Then if you get a good idea how to pay it, you might pass it along to your Congressmen and Senators. Help them past their backwards logic.
First off, the nutcase in Norway is not a Christian. The Bible is extremely clear that if you hate, you don't belong to God. (Read the book of 1st John). You can say you're anything you want, but the proof is in the fruit of your life. He's not, simple as that. The media loves to point fingers and hype things up, but the guy is evil and in no way belongs to the Lord. Period.
As to the Congress/WhiteHouse: The government's hissy fits from both sides over the debt ceiling is ludicrous. The fact remains that a new plan must emerge for after they flip flop around the larger issue. There is a lot of waste in the current government- why? Because the government is too big, too slow, too far-reaching to hunt down all the loopholes and problems. We've literally allowed the creation of a monster with arms that go off into corners of our lives that our forefathers never intended. Getting it back to a smaller, more stable and streamlined form is going to be nigh on to impossible without heavy-duty wisdom.
We've created a welfare state, an eldercare state, with all of us totally dependent on the feds for our very lives. It's a sad place to be in for all of us. And it, again, is backwards logic. Freedom is about being able to make personal choices, not about being trapped under the government's whims.
There is so much division in our government between Dems and Reps and WH, that it's absolutely crazy. Everyone is in a free-for-all agenda and none of it has anything to do with what is right for the country. It has become a power game rather than a "debate." There is no actual debate. There is just a lot of b.s.. What is right for America? Look at your credit card statement, see the minimum payment, and multiply it by a trillion or so. Then if you get a good idea how to pay it, you might pass it along to your Congressmen and Senators. Help them past their backwards logic.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Vampire Government
We are supposed to be a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Instead right now we have vampire government: suck your blood, suck your pocketbook, suck your life, suck your future. Not what it's supposed to be. So when and how do we fix it?
Only all of us together can fix it. If we stand for something, it must be the future of America. If we want something, it must be for the good of all- and that's where we seem to be at opposite ends.
I have watched America polarize for the last 40 years. 9-11 united us for a few days, but then it was like an earthquake opened up a deep chasm over which there is no bridge. There seems to be no common ground anymore-it's all opposite, all negatively charged, all impossible to conquer.
That saddens me - the country for which our forefathers fought and died has fallen into a quagmire of political garbage. We no longer have statesmen. We only have politicians. Real solutions escape us in favor of compromises that do nothing for our people. We need a change. We need people with integrtiy, not people of opinions. We need people who love this nation, not people who want power. We need to get rid of the vampires and let the sun (Son) wash away the darkness that has overtaken us. Will you help?
Only all of us together can fix it. If we stand for something, it must be the future of America. If we want something, it must be for the good of all- and that's where we seem to be at opposite ends.
I have watched America polarize for the last 40 years. 9-11 united us for a few days, but then it was like an earthquake opened up a deep chasm over which there is no bridge. There seems to be no common ground anymore-it's all opposite, all negatively charged, all impossible to conquer.
That saddens me - the country for which our forefathers fought and died has fallen into a quagmire of political garbage. We no longer have statesmen. We only have politicians. Real solutions escape us in favor of compromises that do nothing for our people. We need a change. We need people with integrtiy, not people of opinions. We need people who love this nation, not people who want power. We need to get rid of the vampires and let the sun (Son) wash away the darkness that has overtaken us. Will you help?
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The Debt Ceiling and Real People
The challenge of America's Congress is the same as it's always been: balance the needs of the people with the purposes of government. Balance is the operative word. And it's been missing for a while now.
When this administration came to office, they went on a major spending spree. The answer for everything was to throw money at it. Now previous administrations weren't lily-white in that respect either, as their definition of help was spend as well. They used Social Security for their own purposes instead of the people. They allowed fraud to run rampant through the Medicare system, and every other government program. They gave money away in piles to anyone with their hands out. Consequently we have a sort forest "fire-side economics." Even Smokey the Bear would tell them they played with matches and it burned up the forest.
So what to do? The government has worked hard to create dependent people- I know, we're some of them. Without the pension checks, we'd be goners. Pull the plug on the programs and people suffer. Pull the plug on the debt ceiling and the government defaults, which would be a catastrophe in the making.And people yet again would suffer. Big catch-22.
The American people are pretty resilient, for the most part. They will survive whatever has to happen to get this mess fixed and our economy back on the right track. The tragedy would be if Congress played so many games that nothing happened at all. And, to be blunt, I think that's what is going on. The compromises I've read so far are nigh unto worthless toward the debt.The games played seem to be largely for media consumption rather than the exercise of real wisdom. Like my dog says, they're just barking at each other.:)
The Bible says that "where there is no counsel, the people fall; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." Proverbs 11:14 Unless all the counsellors are failing to get some wisdom. Then there is really no safety at all.
When this administration came to office, they went on a major spending spree. The answer for everything was to throw money at it. Now previous administrations weren't lily-white in that respect either, as their definition of help was spend as well. They used Social Security for their own purposes instead of the people. They allowed fraud to run rampant through the Medicare system, and every other government program. They gave money away in piles to anyone with their hands out. Consequently we have a sort forest "fire-side economics." Even Smokey the Bear would tell them they played with matches and it burned up the forest.
So what to do? The government has worked hard to create dependent people- I know, we're some of them. Without the pension checks, we'd be goners. Pull the plug on the programs and people suffer. Pull the plug on the debt ceiling and the government defaults, which would be a catastrophe in the making.And people yet again would suffer. Big catch-22.
The American people are pretty resilient, for the most part. They will survive whatever has to happen to get this mess fixed and our economy back on the right track. The tragedy would be if Congress played so many games that nothing happened at all. And, to be blunt, I think that's what is going on. The compromises I've read so far are nigh unto worthless toward the debt.The games played seem to be largely for media consumption rather than the exercise of real wisdom. Like my dog says, they're just barking at each other.:)
The Bible says that "where there is no counsel, the people fall; and in the multitude of counsellors there is safety." Proverbs 11:14 Unless all the counsellors are failing to get some wisdom. Then there is really no safety at all.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Caylee Anthony - What Goes Around Comes Around
My stint in law enforcement support services for 31 years gave me some insight into what happens when the prosecution fails to convict someone that appears to be guilty: what goes around comes around. It isn't about if, it's about when.
Many years ago, our detective team at my old workplace gathered evidence for a particularly bad rapist. He was violently evil- and we knew it would be a matter of time before he would foul up the rape part and just kill the victim. They worked night and day on the case until they thought they had him cold. The arrest was made. The trial went south almost as soon as it started- someone had messed up in their procedures because of the emotion of the case. So it was dismissed and we couldn't try him again on those charges.
But in the principle of "what goes around," it was only a few short months later that he was back at his old games. He was arrested, convicted, and today is serving a life sentence.
I say all that to those of you who are ticked off that Caylee Anthony was acquitted on the charges of murdering her daughter. By the way- The prosecution likely charged her with too much heavy duty stuff (I listened to the jury instructions and was fairly sure she would be acquitted. They were too lengthy, too complicated, and the charges too deep.)
IF the woman did kill her daughter, she'll mess up again somehow. If she is crazy, it will become apparent. And there are eternal consequences that we don't see. Caylee Anthony did not get off. In reality, she just got a reprieve.
Many years ago, our detective team at my old workplace gathered evidence for a particularly bad rapist. He was violently evil- and we knew it would be a matter of time before he would foul up the rape part and just kill the victim. They worked night and day on the case until they thought they had him cold. The arrest was made. The trial went south almost as soon as it started- someone had messed up in their procedures because of the emotion of the case. So it was dismissed and we couldn't try him again on those charges.
But in the principle of "what goes around," it was only a few short months later that he was back at his old games. He was arrested, convicted, and today is serving a life sentence.
I say all that to those of you who are ticked off that Caylee Anthony was acquitted on the charges of murdering her daughter. By the way- The prosecution likely charged her with too much heavy duty stuff (I listened to the jury instructions and was fairly sure she would be acquitted. They were too lengthy, too complicated, and the charges too deep.)
IF the woman did kill her daughter, she'll mess up again somehow. If she is crazy, it will become apparent. And there are eternal consequences that we don't see. Caylee Anthony did not get off. In reality, she just got a reprieve.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Election 2012 and The Downhill Slide
At the risk of making everyone mad at me, I'm going to plant my feet and take a stand: stop backing people who haven't joined the race yet.
The Republicans lost in 2008 because they split off into cliques that demanded their own candidates and refused to back any others. When those candidates dropped out or failed, they had a temper tantrum and refused to vote. That was helpful. Not. We lost the election, in case you didn't notice. And there was an unhealthy chunk of them that were simply being male-chauvinist about the whole thing or bought into media slants that were just plain false.
This morning I read a clip from an article in Time Magazine that said several Christian leaders have met to discuss their displeasure with the field of Presidential candidates so far. So they've decided to back Gov Rick Perry (R-Texas). I have nothing against him, I think he's peachy. Problem is, he hasn't formally entered the race yet. It's an attempt at manipulation, and a kind of behavior that almost guarantees us 4 more years of left wing leadership. Why? Because it's division, not unity.
I'm a Christian Conservative, but I don't like the strident, nasty tone of some of my brethren towards the field of candidates. It will divide the party yet again and send droves of voters scampering to their couches with pillows over their ears. We can't win the election like that, folks. We have to be engaged, wise, and unified against the deluge of left-wing devices. And they've got a lot of 'em, especially with the vast majority of media in their pockets.
Let's back the winner- whoever it may be- and the process that makes them the nominee. Black, white, male, or female, let's back the person who can take Mr. O out of office. Let's drop our tantrums and spitting contests and work together to stop the downhill slide of our nation. My ancestors fought through the centuries for this nation, and I don't like seeing us embroiled in a civil war of "I wants." God gave America a process that works-- let's trust in His wisdom to see it through.
The Republicans lost in 2008 because they split off into cliques that demanded their own candidates and refused to back any others. When those candidates dropped out or failed, they had a temper tantrum and refused to vote. That was helpful. Not. We lost the election, in case you didn't notice. And there was an unhealthy chunk of them that were simply being male-chauvinist about the whole thing or bought into media slants that were just plain false.
This morning I read a clip from an article in Time Magazine that said several Christian leaders have met to discuss their displeasure with the field of Presidential candidates so far. So they've decided to back Gov Rick Perry (R-Texas). I have nothing against him, I think he's peachy. Problem is, he hasn't formally entered the race yet. It's an attempt at manipulation, and a kind of behavior that almost guarantees us 4 more years of left wing leadership. Why? Because it's division, not unity.
I'm a Christian Conservative, but I don't like the strident, nasty tone of some of my brethren towards the field of candidates. It will divide the party yet again and send droves of voters scampering to their couches with pillows over their ears. We can't win the election like that, folks. We have to be engaged, wise, and unified against the deluge of left-wing devices. And they've got a lot of 'em, especially with the vast majority of media in their pockets.
Let's back the winner- whoever it may be- and the process that makes them the nominee. Black, white, male, or female, let's back the person who can take Mr. O out of office. Let's drop our tantrums and spitting contests and work together to stop the downhill slide of our nation. My ancestors fought through the centuries for this nation, and I don't like seeing us embroiled in a civil war of "I wants." God gave America a process that works-- let's trust in His wisdom to see it through.
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