New Year's Eve

Well how about that? Another year ending and a new one about to start. Funny how that happens – and so regularly, too!

I don’t need to celebrate the end of the year, or even formally greet the New Year. Both events will happen with or without my acknowledgement. To act otherwise may suggest a mythological weight that I or you have in determining the outcomes of the future. I doubt such exists other than our good intentions considered and implemented properly in time. If we succeed we affect good things for self and others. If we do not succeed we affect ~ well good or bad things for self and others. Lost opportunities crimp only me; but the opportunity exists and someone else may gain from it.

Myth holds no sway in my life. I am a realist. Facts are facts and hopes are not facts. Dreams may propel my actions toward a goal or two but only my work and good timing with the world around me will accomplish the goal. Planning, therefore, is a way of bridging the present with the future. As an old Prudential Insurance advertising slogan from the 1960’s said, the ‘future belongs to those who prepare for it’. Need money in the future? Save for it today and tomorrow to accumulate the needed funds. Short on skills needed to perform a job in the future? Invest in education and training today and tomorrow to acquire the skills.

Preparation and planning are tasks to be done today for a future payoff. That seems logical. What is not logical is dreaming. That takes leaps of faith: that we have a future, that we have the capability of acquiring what is needed to make the future happen the way we want it to, and that we have the focus to dream in the first place.

Dreaming. Yearning. Thinking of things that could be. Improving on present circumstances. Inventing a new tool or thing that improves quality of living. This is what I mean by dreaming. It is imagining what could be or ought to be.

Dreaming takes time. It takes logic applied to what we know to produce what we do not know. It takes time and energy. It takes commitment to dwell on these things until they point a way toward the future – and the pathways that will get us there.

Pondering is related to dreaming. Thinking is related to pondering. Using the mind in productive ways serves all of these things. The discipline to do this must be present else we will avoid thinking with distractions of busy-ness, myth, noise, social activity and whatever else is handy. There is plenty of evidence of such distractions. There are telling signs of disconnectedness of our culture from its reality.

If there were no disconnects our values would be in conjunction with our social workings. Freedoms of expression, gathering, religion and so on would not be in dispute. Hot issues such as gay rights, abortion, and immigrant rights would not even be at issue. Governance issues would be logically managed, thus no deficit problem, no disagreement on a fair and just taxing system, and a reasonable approach to public expenditures.

Such is not the case, of course. We have much disagreement. We have the evidence that what we say, what we believe and what we do are simply not congruent. And that, I think, is a failure of our thinking, our values, and our intellectual discipline.

We need to ponder. We need to exercise the mind. It can accomplish much. Perhaps some good solutions to current problems. But certainly the peace. Pondering gives us quiet.

Perhaps it will give us a dream? For 2013?

December 31, 2012

Gems from Adversity

A friend of mine died two weeks ago. It was not a pretty leave taking. He is the one who suggested I try to offer a positive thought for Saturday blogs. Something that would help others over the weekend, and hopefully something uplifting.

Under the circumstances it may seem impossible but here it is:

“Don’t be too hard on yourself. There are plenty of people willing to do that for you. Love yourself and be proud of everything that you do. Even mistakes mean you’re trying.”

                                                                                                            ~Anonymous

He was hard on himself. He wanted to love himself unconditionally but could not. He helped others often and with commitment. He was talented and very smart. He could help many but not himself. A tragedy really.

But he would want his death to be of value to others. ‘Don’t do as I do but as I say’ is a phrase that pops to mind. That quotation would probably be embraced by him for our benefit.

So I offer that thought to my readers today. Love yourself. Examine your mistakes not as failings but as learning tools. Understand why the mistakes happened and how to avoid them in the future. Making mistakes is proof that you are trying. And that is a very good thing. No one understands their successes. But mistakes? That’s another matter entirely. We pick them apart usually to find fault or blame when we should be searching for the gem.

Seek the gem. I promise it is there. In plain sight.

December 29, 2012

Spirituality and Religion

Bubbling up are ideas and sentiments. In my mind. Same ideas with slight differences continue to plague my thinking process. Not clogging the process, just plaguing it. Here are a few that may give you pause as they did me:

From Abraham Lincoln:

“The Bible is not my book, and Christianity is not my religion. I could never give assent to the long, complicated statements of Christian dogma.”

From a Cherokee Prayer:

            “Oh Great Spirit who made all races,

             Look kindly upon the whole human family

             And take away the arrogance and hatred

             Which separates us from our brothers.”

From Nelson Mandela:

            “Poverty is not an accident. Like slavery and apartheid,

             It is man-made and can be removed by the actions of

             Human beings.”

From Anonymous, that great and wise human being who knows few bounds:

            “You don’t need religion to have morals.

             If you can’t determine right from wrong,

             Then you lack empathy, not religion.”

From Drew Avril on Facebook:

            “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

             Well no sh_t.

             We want mandatory safety courses for people, not guns.

             We want more thorough background checks of people, not guns.

             We want stricter negligence penalties imposed on people, not guns.

             If you’re stupid enough to think activists are pissed at guns,

             You’re too stupid to own one.”

From Matt Damon, the actor and son of a union teacher:

            “There’s been a war on unions in general this last decade.

             To break up unions, and pay less and provide less rights,

             Is definitely not the answer.”

Each of these quotes has relevance to us today. A week or a year from now they will still have relevance. They are ideas that niggle at the mind and keep us fretting or thinking. They remain important to us if conditions exist that challenge the core idea. And we have such conditions today, don’t we?

First, Lincoln is considered a central American thinker of history. To read he was not an adopter of the Bible or Christianity surprised me. He was not alone of course. George Washington, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, to mention only a very few, had similar notions on religion. We should remember they did not reject spirituality or religion – on the contrary, they supported it. Their complaint, I think, is the ‘organized religion’ part. To get organized mankind placed its fingerprints all over it. Religion, however, is a God thing, a prophet thing, a spiritual thing. All important. All transcendental to the individual, not from individuals. Mankind is not the spiritual font of wisdom. One must take care to separate the guidance from the transcendent message that is in the spiritual realm.

The Bible stands on its own but is not the sole authority. Look at all the other great religions of the world and their core documents of faith. Although similar and with some shared roots, these documents make different conclusions. Their advocates herald differing practices and dogmas. Some dogmas require death to others for their beliefs.

No. Lincoln was spot on. The Bible as guide, and Christianity as a systemic process of guidance, are both good but not alone. There are others. And wisdom of the ages helps us see that more clearly. As well, too, as logic and conclusions based on fact.

The Cherokee Prayer is priceless in its universality. Their spirit based culture sought answers and acceptance to all worldly existence. They practiced inclusion not separation. They believed in the ALL, not the PARTS. We white Americans missed that boat long ago. I still doubt we received the message! The horror of what we did to native Americans is chronicled in our history. What a loss. What a travesty!

And Mandela reminds us that conditions of life on earth are not nearly as natural as we think of them. They are mostly man-made and thus are healed and replaced by the efforts of man-kind.

Empathy is caring about things outside of me. Empathy is needed to move toward understanding other people and their conditions of life. Serving them – helping them – is the first step to understanding them. Building bridges toward that end is productive; building walls – enclosures – is not.

The tragedy of guns in our culture is what we do with them, not the gun itself. The people who own and/or use guns are the issue under consideration. The NRA and gun owner groups needs to focus on this one problem:

How do we reduce gun deaths in America to one-tenth of what they are today? Reduce from 10,100 annual deaths to 1000 annually? This would be a great start. How do we accomplish this? Respect the Second Amendment (whatever it means in full) but how do we reduce the slaughter of innocents?

I don’t own a gun. Never have and hope never to. I have ideas on how to handle the problem of America’s high death rate from guns when compared with other developed countries around the globe. But gun owners and their spokespersons have a lot to say. What are their ideas and solutions? Stop with the tired rhetoric and come up with workable solutions.

And the whole union discussion is long overdue. They are necessary to our sense of American justice. Why this current war against labor unions?

The New Year beckons us to work new ideas. Lots to do. Let’s make our efforts count this time around!

December 28, 2012

Journal-ing All The While

This blog is my journal – a personal journal and commentary on today’s issues – as it states in the heading. It is my attempt to muse about what is going on in the world around me. I state how the happenings affect me. I am searching for understanding and truth. I hope this process has helped readers understand issues in a different way and maybe ease them toward a broader understanding of issues that matter to us all.

We are not the result of our own efforts entirely. Or the product of our families, either! We are the result of many factors pushing and pressing upon us. If we engage with them we tend to develop in one direction. If we ignore them we will certainly manifest ourselves differently. And so many variances in between that the outcome cannot be plotted or forecasted.

We are all different. I struggle to continually understand that all the while I’m trying to understand a factoid of history, or the ‘why’ and ‘how’ and ‘what if’ of so many different things. I do not sit back and let things happen. I engage them, even confront them. It is my nature to do so.

By sharing my experiences or at least my understanding of the days of my life, I am forced to face reality transparently. With an audience however small! It makes me think more clearly. It also bares my whipsaw emotions and frustrations for all to see. The act of living openly demands an honesty that I had not intended or expected. But it is good; all good.

Thanks for following this journey. It has no end and an indistinct beginning. The twists and turns add spice and hopefully some humor. I shall continue the quest in the days and months ahead. Wondering, pondering and poking the status quo – together we will explore and experience joy. Are you up for another year of this?

December 27, 2012

Is It Over Yet?

Whew! Christmas Eve and Day have come; and gone. And we are still here. And we are OK. So much for that emotional cliff!

I made it. Did you?

So much emotional involvement and trappings to the season. So much to miss if it doesn’t meet expectations. A lot of good to experience. A lot of downsides to avert if possible. But when we are through it all and we came out unscathed…that’s a victory and something to celebrate. That’s the oomph behind the ‘whew!’.

Talk about cliffs. The seasonal emotional cliff is a biggie. The Fiscal Cliff pales in comparison. Guess that’s a good thing, really. We learn to survive by being tested; some tests are a bit odd. Others are more traditional.

But if you are there reading this, and I have written this, then that’s two who survived the Holidays.  Good for us!

With this we are strong to tackle New Years (eve and day!) and the start-up of a new year (one ending in 13, no less!). We also have the strength to meet the challenges of financial struggles, national policy discussions, and all the rest. I guess the family is the core unit that lends us needed skills for survival!  Just another way of viewing it, eh?

At any rate we now need to review the year as it readies for its end, and set our sights on achievements to work on for the New Year. Taking stock is more than a tradition at this time of year; it is a necessity. Tie up one year and put it to rest. Unwrap the New Year and get it ready to do its work.

Resolutions – the goals we set – are a tradition at this time of year. Actually they should occur and re-occur all year long as we transact the business of our lives. At any rate we set some goals to accomplish in the coming year.  Here are a few I am contemplating:

• Keep an open mind to religious beliefs of others; celebrate their commitment to a spiritual ideal; may it work in their lives; may mine work within me
• Face each new day with at least one goal to work toward achieving; Rome was not made in a day; neither will my goals be completed in 24 hours; just keep plugging with intent
• Recognize that ‘normal’ is relative to each of us; what’s normal to you may not be normal to me; and there is nothing whatsoever wrong with that
• Own each day for what I can do with it. No one else is responsible for my actions; only me. Others will face their own destiny day by day; I can serve them but not own their day; it belongs to them as mine does to me
• Understand the point of view held by another person; try and feel what they feel so I can understand why it is natural to them
• Live my life day by day openly so others can view all of me and have a chance to understand the real me; add to the understanding of personal differentness in the world
• Love myself as best I can so I am free to love others as best I can
• Never give up searching for joy; share what I find with others.

That’s a good start, I think. Maybe in a few weeks or months I can offer another well felt “whew!” I can wish it. But to make it come true I have to work it.

The New Year approaches!

December 26, 2012

Christmas Day!

The day of hope and expectation has arrived! We spend quality time with loved ones, the ones with whom we have built history. A timeline of growth,  awareness and understanding. We share gifts of thought and object to reflect our caring and commitment to one another. But the greatest gift is time.

Another gift is connection. Knowing a person, feeling their pain or joy at any given moment, is a connection. We share knowledge about who we are in a mutual exchange. These connections grow and ebb in importance as needs change. But the connection never fully fades away. It is part of our life story. A fact. A building block of our timeline.

Faith is another rare gift. A belief system outside of self, larger than me and as wide as the universe. Faith allows me to be small yet accepted, embraced even. A channel of peace and calm in tumultuous surroundings. Order out of chaos.

Purpose is yet another gift. I am purpose driven in many ways. Connectedness is one output of purpose. Clarification of meaning is another outcome. Functionality among friends, neighbors and even strangers is yet another result.

Community builds its presence and gifts us with its blessings. An accumulation of all the aforementioned gifts yields the rich dividend of community. Place and home merge into one within community. And that is where we can be one with one another. The cycle is complete.

May this be a blessed day for you and yours. Peace with you.

December 25, 2012

Christmas Eve

A magical time for many.  Christmas Eve. The hour approaches when dreams and hopes reach for reality. One time each year when what we want might, just might be ours to have and to hold, for however long.

Usually if a dream comes true at this time of year, we hold the ‘thing’ long enough to learn it is not what we really wanted, or until it is broken or the batteries run down. Such is life!

I can remember Christmas Eves when hope ran high. Usually those were early years during childhood. I had very early times in California, where I didn’t understand about sleighs and snow, and cold. California was where cowboys and Indians prowled with rifles and six shooters! Where boulders made a good hiding place from sneak attacks. Where…oh forget it; that was then and this is now.

We next moved to New England – western Massachusetts – to be exact. Snow was the norm. Lots of it. And cold! Lord was it cold, at least to this southern California native! At least the cold and snow set a better scene for Christmas. By this time I was also old enough to understand the church-based Christmas Story. I was singing in choirs at church as well and the music, already familiar, took on a deeper significance.

As the years passed, we moved to New York for another Holiday perspective, and then to Illinois where the snow was also a common element to the season.

As adulthood grew in portent of duty the childish concepts of Christmas faded quickly. More practical matters took center stage. At first crushingly lonely, my first Christmas alone in a large and strange city (Chicago), I built a circle of friends and traveled home to where my parents and brother lived. The Holidays resumed a sort of normalcy. Soon thereafter, however, romance sprang to life, soon after marriage and then a family.

Oh how the Christmas season changed! Now it was my turn to make the season bright and magical for our kids. I don’t know who had more fun, then – them or me! The magic not only returned but it came in large doses. And grew and grew as income grew.

And now as the kids are mature and married, one with kids of her own, the holiday has crashed from magic to practical again. It no longer holds the hope and polish it once did. It does have the same theological significance, of course, but I’m lamenting the loss of the feeling of magic. That was special!

In retirement we think on other things – dwindling time lines, narrower focus of action, philosophical topics of importance, curiosities I now have time to research and better understand. There is a sort of magic in that, come to think of it. The unfolding of meaning is a much more frequent companion these days. Not a bad thing, really. In fact it is nearly a miracle. No,…it is a miracle; no nearly about it! Imagine that! And here I thought the magic was gone. Not so if you allow time to let it happen.

Have a meaningful Holiday Season whatever your religious tradition. May it be warm and safe. See you back here in a few days with a smile on my face!

December 24, 2012

Sticks and Stones...

There is a photo of a woman on the internet holding up a sign. Here’s what it says:

            “If a pre-school child hits another child with a rock…

             The solution is NOT for every child to have a rock!”

I know this is a response to the discussion on gun control. I know that there are those among us who believe fervently that if a bad guy has a gun, then the good guys should have a gun. But I also believe that simplistic view obscures the reality of how childish our reactions are when challenged. And the dangers that view poses for us in the long run.

The more difficult task is understanding the other person. Why do they have a gun and feel it necessary to use it? How do we ease their anxiety and avoid the need for guns in the first place? When are guns truly necessary? How do we ensure the proper use of guns?

Those are difficult questions to answer.  Martin Luther King, Jr. said:

            “We must learn to live together as brothers

             Or perish together as fools.”

Trust is what needs to be learned for us to live as brothers (or sisters). Goodwill toward others is risky. We are exposed to manipulation. Rather than chalking it up to ‘human nature’ and immovable, why don’t we try getting along? Really try?!

Is our nation as childish as a schoolyard? Or are we mature, well-intentioned and generous enough to get to know each other? Can we do this well enough to avoid major pitfalls? And use of guns as a knee jerk reaction?

Think about it over the Holidays. Then write an essay…oops! But maybe do jot down some thoughts and share them with this blog.

Some have said we need to have a serious conversation about guns in American culture. Then let’s have that conversation and see where it takes us?

December 22, 2012

About the Cliff

James Madison in his The Federalist No. 10, gave this observation:

“The most common and durable source of faction has been the various and unequal distribution of property…Our Republic will be an impossibility because wealth will be in the hands of a few.”

Back then it was a prescient statement. Today it is both a reminder and warning of what is ahead of us. The John Boehner mentality is alive and well in America in 2012. Ours is a society in which the few rule the many. Even majority rule no longer exists. In the Republican view of things, 60% or more must support a position before the vote counts as a win. How odd is that?

Democracy has been hailed as the great social balancing agent between the powerful and the un-powerful, the rich and the poor, the educated and uneducated. But it is not. At least in America. The rule of the majority lives not among us.

And so fairness and justice also loses power, fades away and dies.

Or shall it?

That depends on what the American People allow to happen. The election of 2012 made it clear that the narrow view of the conservative right is not in favor. Yet the majority continues to listen and not impose calumny upon those with whom they disagree. The thanks they get are not camaraderie or mutual understanding, or even an agreeable discussion toward compromise. The thanks are obdurate obstructionism and blame heaped on the one person who is trying to accommodate the spoiled rich while gaining fairness for the many.

No, the Fiscal Cliff is a product of and by Congress. They agreed, both Democrats and Republicans, that January 1 was the date upon which automatic tax hikes and spending cuts were to go into effect. Two years were provided before then to find a workable compromise. Only one side of the discussion has provided the offers and data to support them. The other side has tossed meaningless words into the conversation and no data to support those words.

The stalemate belongs to John Boehner, Mitch McConnell and Congressmen Cantor and Paul Ryan. No manner of protestation by them erases that fact. The American people know this. They get it.

So does the world community. The shame they have earned is legion.

When the rest of us seek peace on earth, peace among all people, the end of gun violence and mass murder of little children, the conservative right continues its little games.

Unlike Ebeneezer Scrooge one wonders if John Boehner and Mitch McConnell will ever awake to civility and justice?

December 21, 2012

Sugar Plum Fairies

Every TV ad showing a young child, sitting with my granddaughters, hearing children happily babbling in a restaurant…conjures images of the children slain in Connecticut. Happens every time. Perhaps with you as well?

Happy time of year. Christmas is coming. Santa with that big bag of gifts just for kids. Dreams of good things and good times. Glee. Giggles. Cold outside but warm and safe inside.

This is the season for happy children. The juxtaposition of poor kids left wanting motivates others with spare cash to reach out and share gifts for strangers, meals for the hungry, families too.

In this year of 2012 the juxtaposition may be more severe…is more severe. It is of the picturesque town of Newtown and Sandy Hook…rolling hills…hard wood trees…pine forests…colonial style homes – some new, some very, very old – Christmas decorations all around the town. And then the scenes of first responders, ambulances, anxious crowds of parents and neighbors. People reeling from the horror they picture inside the school.

And the horror was real. Even the worst images in the mind were made true by news reports and solemn news conferences by state troopers. Huddled classes with teacher among them; shot and bloodied on the floor. Dreadful images. No photos needed. Cringe and shake; pull back and gasp. This could be my kids, or my recent college grad child beginning a new teaching career.

And then the questions. How? Why? Who? And again, why? Why? Why?

We must ask. We will get some answers although partial. We will never truly know. But we will always ask why?

It is important to ask the questions. It is part of the healing. Reaching a point of balance with reason. And caring for the survivors when anguish fades a bit for the victims. Caring is something to do. To take action. To seek to comfort others. To bring calm and comfort.

And then to gather with others. Share the common-ness of experience, of feeling. Sorrow. Sadness. 

One-ness.

Getting lives back to order and routine. Think of ways to avoid these crises in the future. Avert blame and seek positive means to handle our grief. And loss.

As the families and neighbors grieve for those lost the rest of us feel compassion. We grieve, too, for the loss of order and peace and safety. We have lost something basic in our lives. It is proper to feel this way. It is natural. It will comfort us in time and give us motivation to remain involved in the lives of others.

And never forget what lurks on the other side of our routine lives. This could happen to me. To you. How do we guard against such events? What can we do? What should we do?

December 20, 2012

Balance

During the summer of 2012 efforts began to recall Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin. What spurred this action was the governor’s so-called budget balancing strategy of eliminating collective bargaining rules from the labor contracts the state made with its labor unions. Governor Walker essentially blamed the state’s fiscal problems on the high cost of labor (his claim) and eliminating collective bargaining would give the state power to reset hourly wage rates and benefit costs currently governed by labor union contracts.

With a rare Republican majority the governor forced the issue through the legislature and won. This is an unheard breach of contract law pertaining to unions. It was viewed as union busting by union and non-union supporters alike. Raw power was grabbed and played.

The recall ballot measure lost. Other states controlled by Republicans followed Wisconsin’s lead. Michigan is the latest example.

The irony is that labor union law and history was set broadly in Wisconsin. It is one of the state’s shining stars in the history of human rights and justice. Michigan is also a shining example of labor union strength and fairness. But times are changing and not necessarily for the good!

In 1961 Martin Luther King, Jr. made this bold statement:

“In our glorious fight for civil rights, we must guard against being fooled by false slogans such as “right-to-work’. It provides no ‘rights’ and no ‘works’. The purpose is to destroy labor unions and the freedom of collective bargaining.”

In time the wisdom of his warning has become apparent.

I have not always been a fan of unions. I was raised in a Republican home where the bread winner was a management person, a technocrat, an engineer, a creator. But over time I observed the justice issues being fought for by unions. Essentially, unions brought balance to the equation of capital versus labor. Without capital investment is not possible to build new business, new machines, new methods to produce products and services. That is not the sole contributor to economic function, however.

Labor is the other half of the equation. That which makes labor smart, efficient, knowledgeable and secure makes them reliable and available to the managers of capital. Without capital labor is nothing; without labor capital is nothing.

A balanced approach to both sides of the equation would bring peace and prosperity to the American economy. And it did. For decades.

John F. Kennedy stated:

“Our labor unions are not narrow, self-seeking groups. They have raised wages, shortened hours, and provided supplemental benefits. Through collective bargaining and grievance procedures, they have brought justice and democracy to the shop floor.”

And not only there. What unions gained through collective bargaining most other workers were granted similar treatment. Fairness and justice in the workplace became the norm, not blind power manipulation by owners of capital. Labor peace lasted for a long time in the 70’s through the 90’s; even into the 2000’s.

Public debt issues, however, and economic recession brought imbalance to the labor/capital equation once again.

I think it is more true than not that unions may have pressed their power advantage at times by threatening strikes at sensitive times. Work stoppages would have undermined public safety, financial health of some employers as well as technical advancements. At times power skewed toward labor.

It is also true, however, that imbalances have a way of working themselves out over time. In the 2000’s such a time arrived. Large corporations and entire industries were shaken to their roots. Profits sagged or disappeared altogether. Labor costs remained high and unsustainable during business contractions. Companies closed their doors and massive job losses resulted. Union membership plummeted. Weakened, owners of capital sought and won labor contract concessions. Labor unions and management began to share meaningful power so that both could survive.

Politicians, however, realized an ideological divide was handy for manipulation. Scott Walker knew it. Seized it and won a victory that will surely damage the social fabric of Wisconsin for generation or two before it is set right. Michigan took advantage of the same imbalance. The state is on the financial rocks. Legislatures are weakened. Power magnates can have a field day in such circumstances. And they did and are dancing in the aisles.

Shameful. This imbalance will hurt everyone. Injustice carries a high price for the society that does not guarantee it.

The fact of the matter is that politicians have set bad policy at both the state and national levels. Fiscal calamity has resulted from their narrow-mindedness.  Instead of repairing the damage they created they only make it worse by diverting the public’s attention to labor and labor unions. It is an unfair placement of blame.

American governance runs on simple principles. The people doing that work, however, are not always principled.

American governance relies on an informed and involved electorate. American voters, however, are lazy and let others do the their work until a problem gets big enough to draw their attention back to the public field. Now is such a time.

Voters are in the position now to make a difference by communicating with their elected representatives and telling them what the objectives and principles are. Are you raising your voice? Or we you, and we, allowing Congress and state legislatures unmonitored power to muck things up?

December 19, 2012

Positive Foundations

This is the season of Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward All Men. Regardless of your religious faith or tradition, or even of culture, this is a season mankind has long set aside to celebrate inner peace and the hope that it would spread to global peace as well.

Altogether this is not a bad thing. It is a foundation we can build upon. Getting to the personal side of this discussion, I know my inner feelings. I don’t always give myself time to ponder their depth and breadth, but I should; to better understand them and maybe use them to further build upon the foundation of understanding of others, for others.

Maya Angelou shares this thought with us:

            “People will forget what you said,

             People will forget what you did,

             But people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Perhaps you've seen a video on YouTube from Life Vest Inside called “Kindness Boomerang One Day” in which a construction worker helps a boy get up from a spill on his skateboard, and the lad goes on to help an elderly woman cross the street with two bags of groceries. In turn the woman gives coins for a young lady’s parking meter and she goes on to pick up a dropped document returning it to the pedestrian who lost it. And on this sequence goes until a well tipped waitress brings an unbidden glass of ice water to the same construction worker who started the ‘pay it forward’ sequence.

One positive act of kindness encourages a string of actions, all kindnesses for others. A positive view of life. One that is infectious. And one which can be practiced every day throughout the entire year. Positive. Foundational. Spirit uplifting.

As Maya Angelou stated, these people will remember how you made them feel. Respected. Of value. Like yourself.

From this basic statement come actions only we are responsible for. Those actions let loose a series of other actions, all good. They are the foundation of the positive. They can and do make a difference in our own life as well as in the lives of others.

At this special time of year we acknowledge the horror of the Connecticut elementary school massacre. In addition to the 20 innocent lives of 6 and 7 year-olds with entire futures of hope snuffed out, we also celebrate the lives of the teaching staff that lost their lives, 6 talented professionals dedicated to developing the minds and spirits of children. They were also dedicated to the safety of their students, and died living that commitment.

Two others died that day connected to the awful event. The shooter, himself a relative youth (20 years old), took his own life as responders closed in on him. His mother was brutally shot several times at their home prior to his going to the school. 28 lives taken during one event.

Our nation will struggle with this historic happening. But two facts will haunt our thoughts: first, the enormous cost of mental illness in the first place, and the geometrically enlarged cost of mental illness if it is not effectively addressed; and second, the inevitable presence of guns in our culture.

Of the former fact, America has increasingly de-institutionalized mental illness as it pushes the frontier of medicinal treatment for the disease. Problem is: the patient is not always responsible and fails to take the prescribed meds. Who then is left to monitor the patient and his/her actions? We still institutionalize the violent mentally ill patients, at least for a while, to keep safe others around them. But soon they are released into an unsuspecting population where chance lives large that an episode of mental disturbance will lead to violent action against self or others.

What ought we to do about this situation? And who would best be responsible for taking responsibility for appropriate actions? And what are the appropriate actions? We have a problem to address. Let’s do it, please.

And the gun issue. It is time America has ‘the conversation’ about this issue. No yelling or fear or trembling or self righteousness, please. Just the facts. What is the problem. What is the desired outcome we seek. How best can we achieve those objectives. And who among us has the ideas that will lead us all to a satisfactory solution?

Those who politicize this conversation are to be shunned. Silenced. Their outcry is not helpful to the solution. Calm reasoning is needed.

Let’s keep this a positive process and pay it forward to all who come after us. We owe them this legacy.

From the internet comes this anonymous quote that I will close this post with:

            “Entire water of the sea  can’t sink a ship unless

             It gets inside the ship.

             Similarly, negativity of the world

             Can’t put you down

             Unless you allow it to get inside you.”

December 18, 2012

Death and Dying

Last week was a hard one for many people. None more than the parents and family of the 20 children massacred in Newtown, Connecticut, or the family and friends of the 6 school staff slain in the same mass shooting, and the survivors of the shooter and his slain mother. 28 lives lost in one event. Mental illness was involved to be sure. Gun ownership and misuse of same was also a part of the event. And now a nation mourns not just the loss of the 26 innocents, but the loss to our spirit as well ~ the void of stability we blindly rely on.

In my local life, an ill church member suffered serious health reversals and quickly died. Not an expected death so the loss is heightened by that circumstance.

And a good friend of mine, troubled and suffering from massive kidney disease, took his own life to escape the inevitable pain and discomfort of his pending organ failure. He planned his exit. He told me his intentions. I worked with him to seek alternatives but he was adamant. I diverted his attention on the many issues surrounding his estate but that could only last so long. I knew he was determined. I just didn't know when. Well, it turned out to be December 14, 2012. 61 years of age. A PhD and very bright. But troubled and ailing.

This year has brought many opportunities to examine the death of others. It also makes me consider my own mortality. I find that not a disturbing topic although it is to others.

The other evening the Worship Committee at our church was considering what topics to focus on during the approaching Lenten Season. We briefly mentioned ‘birth to death, the reality’. And it is a reality. It is part and parcel of our personal journey on this planet and not to be escaped by any one of us. As they say down at the funeral parlor, “you don’t get out of this alive.” Well, duh!

That’s the point, however. And face it we must. Better to understand life and death realistically. Birth and death give each other meaning. As one new life enters the universe another leaves it. Someone fresh begins life with an empty slate; another with a full slate leaves. Between these two fateful dates of each biography, what was done with the time? What journey was taken? What momentous discoveries were made?

Working with youth who have blotted out sensation with alcohol and drugs, what is it they need to erase? Why the rush to oblivion? Are they overwhelmed? In saving them are we helping them find a meaningful new journey? An alternate to oblivion?

I sit in a room with 6 young people, all high school age. All have a history with drugs coupled with alcohol. The two don’t mix. At their tender age oblivion is near. But to me it is not the use of these chemicals but rather the why.

I will work with them to discover the why. In the doing I hope we find for each of them the reason to live an open, bright life of discovery and joy. The risk is that we won’t succeed, but then we will all lose the potential their birth promised.

Now return to the Connecticut elementary school scene. 20 very young lives taken in violence by another young man of 20 years of age. The kids will never fulfill their promise. Their journey is complete. What does it tell us?

And the 20-year old shooter, his life is complete, too. What does it tell us? His mental illness took over his journey; and 27 other lives were taken along with it.

I do not know the answer to the questions this tragedy poses for us as a nation. I know we must ask the hard questions and find answers for them if we are to complete our own meaningful journeys. We must do this hard work. No politics. No public oratory. Just the facts and the corrective actions.

Mental illness in America remains a huge problem. It is a social ill because it affects us all – the aftermath of lives gone horribly wrong. There is personal suffering by the patient and his/her family. But if the errant journey trammels into public byways the rest of us pay a horrible price as well. It is our national problem to solve. It will take serious work to develop the programs of care and custody to safeguard them and the rest of us.

Access to hand guns is another problem that the National Rifle Association cannot be held accountable for. Yes, it is their problem to help solve. But they have proven unwilling to do so. That leaves the rest of us this question to solve:

            How can America reduce hand gun deaths by 90% by the year 2020?

Any answer to that question must not ascribe blame or condemnation. We need an answer that will cut deaths from 10,100 annually to less than 1000 per year by hand guns. We can do this. How will we manage that objective successfully?

December 17, 2012

Death: Planned and Stunned

This is not a full post but one to prepare for Monday's offering. I will attempt to write something about the school shooting in Connecticut yesterday. Just know that at the same time our friends were reeling with the news of a death of a friend in our church who's wake and funeral were/are last evening and this morning, respectively. In the midst of this the police called on me at home to inform me of a close friend's death here in town. It was a suicide, a release from a horrible terminal disease. He made me the executor of his estate so there is much to do in the short term and long.

As we age death is ever more present in life. It is a natural part of our journey. It means different things to each of us but has an impact on our present and future no matter the circumstances.

More on all of this later. Much to think about.

December 15, 2012

Light and Inspirational

At least I hope so!  The following jewels snatched from the internet will help:

            “Piglet: how do you spell love?

             Pooh: you don’t spell it; you feel it.”

                                                                        ~A.A. Milne

Take a beat, pause, then re-read the quote. Now let your breath out slowly.  A good thought, eh?

Here’s another one:

“Should you find yourself the victim of other people’s bitterness, ignorance,

 smallness or insecurities,

             Remember this: things could be much worse. You could be one of them!”

                                                                                                            ~Author Unknown

And we often are, but just sometimes. We catch ourselves in those moods, too, don’t we? Just being honest here. It takes practice and honesty to change ourselves and give others some room to make mistakes. Maybe they will give us the same space in the future, too?

And finally, in this season of hustle and bustle for good ends, take a break and ponder this simple statement:

            “Life goes on. Live it well.”

There is a continuum to life. Births and deaths are a constant fact of life. Yet life goes on with or without us. Even in spite of us. Rather than regret it, live life well.

And peace to you this weekend.

December 15, 2012

War on Christmas?

I doubt such a war exists. Christmas is a cultural holiday that has Christian roots. Religious significance is a large part of ‘Christmas’ but popular social myths surround the holiday from around the globe having nothing whatever to do with Christianity.

Also, the Jewish religious calendar has holidays of note during this same time frame. So does Kwanzaa. I’m not sure if Buddhism, Taoism, Islam or Hinduism have festivities during this time of the calendar, but they well could.  Which is the point I wish to make.

Christmas as a purely Christian Holiday belongs in the homes and churches of its followers. Christmas as a cultural holiday in the larger sense, belongs in the public view.

Christmas in America, of all places, should accommodate as many religious celebrations as there are without effecting a belief assumption upon the viewer. This is what is known as acceptance, religious tolerance, freedom of religion, etc. All should be welcome.

Believers of a specific religion should follow their faith as fully as possible in the privacy of their own homes and churches, mosques, temples or synagogues. That is where the meaning is most revered and rewarded among followers.

Meanwhile, public images of the holidays or Holidays must remain more general and cognizant of the beliefs of all. That is the American way.

I heard a comment from a conservative radio commentator recently assert the War on Christmas was actually an action on the Gay Agenda! I could hardly believe such a statement was made.

My reaction: first, there is no such Gay Agenda. Never has been unless you call a large portion of gay Americans feel they have rights that have been historically ignored. That might qualify as something the Gay ‘community’ would share consensus on. However, the so-called gay community doesn’t really exist as anything formal, if it did it would not be able to reach consensus (oh the annals of gay activism prove this many times over!), and thus an agenda does not exist.

Anyone who thinks otherwise simply doesn’t understand much about gay issues. To speak of such as a reality is only a fear mongering tactic to stir up controversy.

As a gay person, believe me, I wish there were a ‘gay community’ that had cohesion and thus conservations. In time such thinking together might lead to intelligent conclusions and achievements. Alas, such is not the case and probably won’t be during my lifetime.

So, the war on Christmas really doesn’t exist and the gays have nothing to do with it if the war were real.

Meantime, face it. Christmas is a retail sales boon that our economy relies on to balance its books. Always has been. War indeed!

December 14, 2012

Achievements

Many of our Presidents are remembered for significant achievements during their term in office. For example FDR is remembered for creating Social Security, among many other things. Truman is remembered for ending World War II. Ike is remembered for much, but during peacetime surely he is remembered for the Interstate Highway System. JFK will be remembered for the Space Program and landing American astronauts on the Moon.

Lyndon Johnson will be remembered for the Great Society and Medicare, along with the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  Nixon unfortunately carries a lot of baggage but on the good side he will be remembered for opening the diplomatic doorway with China. Ford, Carter and Reagan served during great social turmoil without making lasting achievements.

Obama will probably earn historical notice for reforming health care or at least getting the log jam out of the way towards that end.

What’s missing in this list of achievement that sorely needs to be attended to?  Here’s my list for your consideration:

First, education. Many presidents have tried to attach their star to this issue but no one has made a lasting difference in delivering meaningful education to the masses. The politics are too strong in this arena and prevent solid achievement.  Wonder who will come by in time to master this thorny issue?

Second, world peace. Most presidents are obligated to serve this topic. But the work is on-going and transitional – not long lasting. I’m referring to global peace that infuses the world with long lasting vision that makes it vastly more worthwhile to get along with others than fighting with them. Global cooperation and acceptance of multiculturism will surely be the centerpiece of this achievement if we ever are to make it happen.

Third, global economics in balance with human needs. Sounds a lot like number two, doesn’t it? And don’t both of these needed achievements rely on the first one, education?

Now when do you suppose mankind will latch onto these three items so they can actually advance mankind’s existence on this planet?

The ends seem clear. The means remain cloudy, though. Ah! The curtain rises slowly on why we don’t make much progress. Power and ego reside in the means?

How do we change that?

December 13, 2012

   

Short and Late

I got a little behind schedule so this message is both late and short. It is seasonal, however!

If you didn't catch this on the internet the other day, please read and enjoy. Once again I have no idea of the author’s identity. 

“According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December, female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring. Therefore, according to every historical rendition depicting Santa’s reindeer, every single one of them, from Rudolph to Blitzen is female.  Only women would be able to drag a fat man in a red velvet suit all around the world in one night, and not get lost!”

Interesting. Just saying….

December 12, 2012

From Blahs to Blessings

The Holidays pose problems for many. Yesterday I wrote about the Holiday Blahs. Today I want to focus on the positive. Doing polar opposite blogs only one day apart is not easy. So let’s see how this works out!

Each of us has many blessings in life. We live with the blessings day in and day out so often lose sight of them. If a blessing is threatened by loss we notice it more and fight to keep it. But much more blesses our life without such notice.

Here’s an anonymous quote from the internet that gets at what I’m talking about:

            “A good life is when you assume nothing,

             Do more, need less, smile often, dream big,

             Laugh a lot and realize how blessed you are.”

See what I mean? The simple things are often the best. Not always noticed or valued until you think about them.

Here’s another anonymous quote from the internet:

            “Sometimes we don’t appreciate what we already have because

             We’re too focused on what we want.”

Wanting…needing…requiring…you provide the word but they don’t really describe the value of what really matters.

The Dalai Lama has many quotes on the internet, here’s another one:

            “Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries.

             Without them, humanity cannot survive.”

Those are blessings if we love or are loved. Love is the basis for compassion which itself finds love, strengthens love, makes for love. It is also the underpinning of the reality that we need each other. That is what makes us human.

Whatever religious tradition you are invested in – fully or marginally – its central message is peace, love, charity and how they fuse into one to produce serenity and oneness with the world that surrounds each of us.

The world is a complex place. Seemingly different histories – but not really – and certainly divergent cultures. Rather than viewing them as keeping us apart we need to see them as a common thread that tells the story of mankind: Our searching for place, peace and happiness in the world.

Setting aside this time each year to celebrate our search for peace and serenity is a good thing, another blessing! And each religious tradition shares this celebration. May yours be a blessing in your life, now and always. And for your loved ones, too.

Peace.

December 11, 2012

Holiday Blahs

Do you get the Holiday blahs? I do but used to think I was the only one who did. Now I know better. The condition affects many people.

My dad used to get grumpy as Christmas neared. Thanksgiving was dandy but Christmas was another thing. It took a few years but I realized I felt the same way many years ago as our kids were growing up. I thought at the time it originated in the pressure to make others happy by making their dreams come true around the Christmas tree.

Over time I learned I was right: the root cause of my Holiday Blahs was in the potential disappointment others would have because I didn’t meet expectations.

Problem is: no one can take responsibility for making another person happy. Dreams are private. Realistic or unrealistic they are the machinations of the individual.

I didn’t understand that then; and to some extent I still muddle through the season wondering what I could have done better or different to make for different results. But alas! There is no answer to that.

Life is not about making dreams come true for others. Their expectations are their responsibility. I can only help them be realistic, or stay out of the way!

Life for me is taking care of my own basic needs first so I am not a drain on others. After that, life is about serving others. Focusing on things outside of me provides a healthy reality. It also encourages others to do the same. Ego fades. Justice grows. Community has a chance to flourish.

As holidays go, Christmas is filled with grandiose expectations. Children can’t understand this concept when they are very young, but as they grow older they learn to expect big things at Christmastime. It is a cultural force driven by advertising and retail merchandising. “Santa is coming and what will he bring me?” Over time such a question only grows in significance and wants. And as each year passes the results are sure to disappoint many a child.

Maturity informs us of the reality. But we trap ourselves into thinking we can do better than our parents and make life exciting for our kids. The process grows from there, year after year, generation after generation. Next it becomes a national goal ~ to achieve greater and greater Holiday retail sales.

Of course as adults we retain these hopes for our own lives ~ what new or better thing can I achieve or acquire this season? That special new car? A dream vacation long put off? Maybe plan that new addition for the house? Even a larger, new home?

How disturbing! The holidays are about expectation of a new beginning, a celebration of the life and relationships we already have. To make them better with more personal effort invested is a healthy answer to the holiday blahs. But will we ever achieve this?

I slept on this question for awhile. It didn’t help. I’m still stuck wondering about the blahs and what can be done about them. All I came up with were the following thoughts:

• A life rooted in others is the best medicine
• Serving the needs of others is beneficial; serving their wants is not
• Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a real disorder; shorter days produce less sunlight and this triggers depression in some people; cloudy weather darkens our skies at this time of year and lessens sunlight hours even more
• Teaching our kids what is important in life is more valuable than giving them things; perhaps feed their interests and talents and give them things that help them explore those is a good strategy
• Give your self and time to those special people in your life; such gifts do not wear out or become forgotten
• Perhaps most important, allow others to do for you at this time of year; giving and receiving strengthen each other

Finally, we may not be responsible for unrealistic expectations of others, but we can comfort them in their disappointment. In time they will heal through experience and develop more realistic expectations. We can give them time to do that.

Meanwhile, may your days brighten for this festive season. Whatever your spiritual foundations, live them fully and with conviction. Those are gifts given to you, for you.

December 10, 2012

Value and You

Rocky received the following email message from a friend. She was sharing a thought I think we all should think about.  Here it is:

“Twenty Dollars

A well known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In the room of 200, he asked. “Who would like this $20 bill?”

Hands started going up. He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you - but first, let me do this.”

He proceeded to crumple the 20 dollar note up. He then asked. “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air.

“Well,” he replied, “what if I do this?” He dropped it on the
ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?”

Still the hands went into the air.

“My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No
matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20.
Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless; but no matter what happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still
priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes, not in what we do or who we know, but by …WHO WE ARE.”

What could I possible say that would add to the message?  I can’t.

Think on it and savor it.

Have a great weekend as we build up to the peace intended for this Holiday season.

December 8, 2012

Making Things Up

When is a cliff not a cliff?  When is a crisis not a crisis?

The answer for both questions is: when politicians make up different definitions for the same term.

The fiscal cliff is not really a cliff. It is fiscal problem, however. But fixing it today or 4 months from now will cost the nation the same amount of money and resources. Timing doesn’t mean much unless you are playing the odds on the stock markets. Stock values will rise and fall based on the same set of baloney feelings and emotions regardless of what is done with the ‘fiscal cliff’. The real money is on value and those investors and stock gurus know it and act accordingly.

Now, back to the fiscal cliff that isn’t.

First, once the dreaded legislation passed two years ago goes into effect because the congressional personnel simply cannot perform their jobs, two things will happen:

a.       Income tax rates will revert to Clinton era rates; that is a hefty increase for everyone. But remember, you don’t pay those taxes until 2014. That gives the politicians even more time to waste in considering alternative solutions. And they will!

b.      Massive spending cuts will occur immediately. This is a good exercise in management. Core functions will always get done; marginal ones will be suspended until someone figures out what the final solutions will be. These cuts will cause pain for those immediately affected and a lot of attention will be spent on changing the cuts and that’s when real compromise will begin.

Second, with the above in operation, congress will finally get the message that they have jobs to do and are responsible for the results. Not the President just because you want voters to blame him when it is you who deserves all the blame.

Third, compromise will occur as voters come down hard on the members of the House and Senate. Republicans will get the full credit for the debacle.

Fourth, once the issues are settled, income taxes will drop back to Bush rates with the sole exception for households earning more than $250,000. Even they will have the lower rates on the first $250,000 of income.

Fifth, spending cuts will be adjusted for the important things and left slashed for those that are not supportable in the final analysis.

There.  You have it. No cliff. No crisis. Just chaos engaged and solved. Through compromise under fire rather than under cool, calm and collected circumstances.  And the Democrats will come out of all of this smelling like a rose. Republicans will be besmirched for another decade as do nothings.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama will enter the history books for calling the bluff of Boehner and McConnell. And the Tea Party. And Sarah Palin and John McCain.

It is a hard victory to win but one that must be done. It is even a harder loss to stomach but one the Republicans crafted all by themselves.

Boomerang anyone? Anyone?

December 7, 2012

Einstein's Lessons

The other day Rocky found this on Facebook.  I think this is a good time to consider the breadth and depth of Albert Einstein.  We hold him in high esteem. We think of him as a genius. In many ways he was. But listen to what he says about all of this.

10 Lessons from Einstein

1. Follow Your Curiosity
“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.”

2. Perseverance is Priceless
“It’s not that I’m so smart; it’s just that I stay with problems longer.”

3. Focus on the Present
“Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.”

4. The Imagination is Powerful
“Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life’s coming attractions. Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

5. Make Mistakes
“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”

6. Live in the Moment
“I never think of the future – it comes soon enough.”

7. Create Value
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.”

8. Don’t be repetitive
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

9. Knowledge Comes From Experience
“Information is not knowledge. The only source of knowledge is experience.”

10. Learn the Rules and Then Play Better
“You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.”

Each of these lessons is pure gold. Much could be written on each and probably has. So I will restrain myself to a few comments only.

First, curiosity creates a meaningful question in our mind to answer. That is when we learn the most – finding the answer to our curious questions.

Second, homing in on a topic allows the mind to understand its mysteries better. Clarity of thought comes from sticking to the topic.

Third, life happens in the present. The future is where we are headed but not just yet! The past provides lessons and context. But the present is what needs our attention.

Fourth, imagination is the fancy that fuels curiosity. It drives us purposefully forward and should be indulged if we are to come up with fresh ideas.

Fifth, mistakes teach us a lot. If no mistakes are happening then nothing new is being attempted. We learn from trial and error. Let the mistakes happen; just understand them as fully as possible.

Sixth, living in the moment is like lesson number three. Now is not past or future. But it makes its own past and prepares for its own future. Living in the now focuses our attention and creativity.

Seventh, being of value isn’t about money or success. If a person strives to live a worthwhile life he or she learns what is important. Money is a necessity but does not define value in the broadest sense.

Eighth, repetition when used in testing hypotheses still relies on slight variations to learn what works. That is the scientific method. But doing the same thing over and over again truly is nuts if we expect different results each time. Add new things to expand your universe.

Ninth, amen! Experience expands knowledge (see # 8). Information may contain facts but that alone is not knowledge. Experiencing what works and understanding why is knowledge. It can be used moving forward.

Tenth, another way of knowing working protocols and methods. Know them and become expert at using them. The world will unfold before your very eyes.

Each time I encounter a quote from Einstein it stops me in my tracks. I don’t expect anything simple from Einstein. Yet it is. At its root is simplicity. We are very good at messing this up!

December 6, 2012

Fiscal Cliff Values

Yesterday I wrote much about taking responsibility for the fiscal cliff issue.  Today I just want to offer a few pithy quotes from others that we need to remember as the fiscal cliff is approached and hopefully avoided.

First, Tony Benn suggests:

            “If you can find money to kill people, you can find money to help people.”

Second, former Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis offered this opinion:

“We can either have democracy in this country or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can’t have both.”

Third, Andy Borowitz demands the following:

“If we’re looking for ways to cut the deficit, maybe stop invading countries for absolutely no reason.”

Fourth, from www.PeacefulMindPeacefulLife.org provides this guide:

            “The three R’s:

                        -Respect for self;

                        -Respect for others;

                        -Responsibility for all my actions.”

Fifth, John McCain claims to know if someone is capable and worthy of being named as Secretary of State. Yet he claims Sarah Palin was worthy to serve as Vice President. What does this say about John McCain’s powers of discernment?

Sixth, if four American deaths in Benghazi deserve more answers, what answers do the 5000 American military dead in Iraq and the 2000 American military service personnel dead in Afghanistan deserve?

Seventh, if we Americans believe in balance and fairness, then we also should believe that each of us has a purpose in life, a value to add to the nation. Each of us deserves respect – rich and poor, brilliant and dim, healthy and unhealthy, young and old. Each of us has a responsibility to serve others and the common good. If a person doesn't do that, then they reap the bitter fruit of loneliness, poverty of spirit and probably poverty of purse!

Eighth, much work is done for our benefit whether we realize it or not. This is true for the rich as well as the poor. It is more obvious for the poor, certainly. But the rich benefit from our education system, money and banking system, justice system, transportation and highway system – all of these benefit all citizens. The rich rely on these systems, however, to support their enterprises that fuels their wealth. And we all paid for it one way or another.

I was at a family gathering recently – it’s the season, don’t you know?  I was labeled by one person that I was a liberal. This from a self avowed conservative. I demurred and claimed a centrist position. She scoffed at that. I told her plainly that from her position I was clearly not as conservative as she, or was more liberal than she; however, that does not make me a liberal. Besides, I get to label myself, not anyone else. If she really cares to understand why that is, open and honest discussions have to take place between the two of us. She needs to understand my position. I need to understand hers. In such discussions much will be discovered to be similar if not alike! Not doing this work is lazy.

Our nation deserves all of our attention. It is not a conservative issue, a centrist issue or a liberal one. It is an American issue. We have lots of work to do. If we don’t recognize that, then how can we expect our elected representatives to know what to do? No wonder they are confused!

December 5, 2012

The Orphan Strategy

The two teenage brothers were on trial for murdering their parents. After 10 days of testimony and legal motions and jargon, the jury announced their guilty verdict. Several more days of legal skirmishing transpired and finally the boys were asked by the judge if they had anything to say for themselves before they were sentenced.

The boys looked at each other and quickly rose to address the judge. They passionately told the judge that they truly felt that they deserved mercy on account they were orphans.

I first heard this story when I was in high school. Although meant as a joke the story has stayed with me at least 50 years. And why?

Because I recognize the pity strategy in others all the time: make a mess of your own life and then ask for special treatment because you are hurting! Sound familiar to you, too?

How about driving the economy into the abyss and blaming the next guy in the White House to fix it if he can, or dare! Then stand around throwing blockades in front of him and his team every time they do address the problem with a solution.

The recent national election aired this dirty issue in public for over 2 years, really more like 4 years. Republican leaders bragged about doing everything they could to make Obama a one term president (both McConnell and Boehner were quoted as having made statements life that).

It didn't work. Voters gave Obama credit for trying to repair the economic damage done by the previous administration. Voters also recognized in the main that Republicans were obstructing the necessary repairs.

Now comes the day of reckoning.  The so called Fiscal Cliff was made by George W. Bush and his congressional leaders. The solution was an agreement that the budget problems and deficit repair would be left to January 1, 2013; if the parties could not agree to a compromise, then serious budget reductions and tax increases would go into effect. The agreement was not a fix; it was kicking the can down the alley, buying time so maybe something tricky could be accomplished, especially if an election or two could be won with the power to do their own desired action.

It didn’t work. Time has run out. Those that made the mess still are ducking the blame, and still are pushing the problem on the back of everyone else. Only this time the public knows the score.

If taxes rise for everyone after the January 1 deadline, the Republicans will shoulder the blame. They have not offered a plan to compromise with the President or Democrat leaders in Congress. Only one side has offered a plan – the President’s. Only gripes and grimaces come from the Republicans.

It is time for them to offer their solution in clear detail. Don’t like the Obama solution? Then what do you suggest? That’s how wheeling and dealing transpires.

Tax rates for those households earning more than $250,000 annually will need to pay more. Why? Because they have the money to pay the tab. No one else does. That’s the nature of the problem we are living with.

Great cuts in defense spending are possible with the end of the war in Iraq. Also, reduced spending in Afghanistan allows defense spending to decline. Continued expense for restocking military stores is reasonable. Also research and development of less costly military methods is reasonable. But an overall reduction of defense spending by $200 or $300 billion is eminently easy to manage.

Entitlements? What are they? Seems to me this is a political code word for welfare. We already trimmed down welfare immensely. Did that in the 1990’s under Clinton, remember? No, the only entitlements I can think of are Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.  Trouble is, trust funds are funded for Social Security and Medicare and both are liquid and solvent. Medicare will need some tweaks to make sure it continues functioning properly, but cuts? No, not needed at this time. Social Security continues to be tweaked periodically so it lives within actuarial experience. Both Social Security and Medicare are not federal deficit components. They do not contribute to the deficit one penny.

Now I am not sure of Medicaid. That is a budgetary item. But it is also a base-line human services item that helps people in need of medical attention when they do not have money for such services. Do we let them go unattended? Is that the Republican plan? Our American values dictate that we care for the less fortunate. It is hard enough to be in that category; let’s not make it even worse!

Taxpayer deductions should not be on the table. What should be on the table is a vast simplification of the income tax system. Many have tried but all have failed precisely because it is the elephant in the room that no one wishes to recognize. No one wants to really fix the problem because they fear blame at the ballot box. Compromise is needed but scarce among political ‘leaders’. Meanwhile our economy suffers and ‘we the people’ suffer.

It is a shame. Political parties are partners of shame in this fiasco.  All parties are responsible for the problem and the solution. Failing that it is up to the rest of us.

Next primary election, do not vote for an incumbent unless he/she has clearly tried to offer workable solutions. Also, let us begin a dialogue on what we expect from our elected representatives. For starters I think the following items should be among the solutions:

1. No separate benefits for elected officials; they earn the same Social Security and Medicare benefits as the rest of us taxpayers.
2. Cut Senators to one per state; that’s right, only 50 senators elected
3. Cut the House of Representatives in half; make their districts much larger so they have to represent more diversity among their constituents
4. Remove deficit ceiling decisions from Congressional purview; allow Presidential veto of spending bills trim deficits from a runaway Congress
5. Ask economists in the academic community (a Blue Ribbon Panel if you prefer) begin the arduous task of designing a new tax system that funds the federal government adequately. Simplify the collection and reporting of income taxes so accountants and experts are not needed by the average taxpayer. Do not rely on a flat tax; continue to expect higher taxes from those who benefit the most from our economic system and who clearly have the ability to pay.

These are not easy solutions to implement. Neither is running a democracy. The question is: do we want to manage our democracy for the benefit of all or for the reward of a few? That is the core question and value we all must come to grips with.

Otherwise I guess we rely on the 'orphan strategy' and await magical mercy!

December 4, 2012