Thought for the Day

I couldn't pass this one by!

John Fugelsang provides the quote for the day:

            “Gay marriage isn't Special Rights, it’s Equal Rights.

             ‘Special Rights’ are for political churches that don’t pay taxes.”

Such churches have banded together to spread a belief system so that it may be enacted into law. This is the broadest source of resistance to gay marriage initiatives. And abortion bans.

If that is their belief then they should live by them. Just don’t force others to live by them!

Think about it this weekend.

November 30, 2013

Paradoxes

We live in fluid times. What is ‘up’ one year is ‘down’ another. Definitions change. In is out when before out was in. Laws of gravity are adopted by political pundits and then upturned to fit their discussion.

In a public address in San Francisco in September of 1912, then former president Theodore Roosevelt said these enlightened words:

“There once was a time in history when the limitation of governmental power meant increasing liberty for the people. In the present day the limitation of governmental power, of governmental action, means the enslavement of the people by the great corporations, who can only be held in check through the extension of government power.”

Regulations were needed to safeguard workers’ health, pay practices, working hours and much more. Then too, boom and bust cycles continually ripped lives apart. Banking laws were all over the place and ill suited. Corporate shenanigans were a common part of American life. And monopolies ruled many industries until broken up by the federal government.

Yes, regulations are needed on a continuing basis. Think of food safety and drug safety just for starters. Not all regulations are bad; onerous maybe, but what is the objective they are formed to accomplish?  Let us not forget that important detail.

Today, our economy has it problems. But the economy is not without both its high and low spots. As Todd Huffman tells us:

            “America does not have a money problem – it has a priorities problem…

             We give tax cuts to the wealthy and budget cuts to the poor.”

No wonder things are mixed up. Remember: up is down one year, and down is up the next!

That does double with ‘trickle down economic theory’. The theory only works if the wealthy actually spend their funds or invest them into job producing businesses. Buying one yacht, or buying some collaterized debt obligations doesn't do much good for the folks downstream.

In international affairs there is this note from Jon Stewart, who once again nails it:

“If it turns out that President Barack Obama can make a deal with the most intransigent, hardline, unreasonable, totalitarian mullahs in the world, but not with Republicans, maybe he’s not the problem!”

Good point. To illustrate that point, here’s an eye popping statement from fb.me/thereprimandproject:

From Rand Paul: “Why is it that the middle class is still buried in this country? Why is it we have 23 million people out of work? Why is it half our kids coming out of college can’t find good jobs?”

Answer: “Because your party buried the country in massive debt and the biggest fiscal crisis in generations, and then opposed almost every attempt the Democrats made to fix it. That’s why, you ignorant, pandering ass!”

I share these quotes because I thought I was the only person on the planet who observed these things and understood them. Evidently there are others like me who do get it!

And here’s another example of someone who gets it:

“Two-thirds of seniors rely on Social Security for most of their income; one-third rely on it for at least 90% of their income. These people aren't stashing their Social Security checks in the Cayman Islands and buying vacation homes in Aruba – they are hanging on by their fingernails to their place in the middle class.”   ~Elizabeth Warren

That’s a basic fact of life that most of us have lost sight of. Policy makers, however, best not forget it.  Lest they forget, the great recession began in 2007 and its effects have dramatically altered the economic landscape for nearly all citizens of the USA. People who had been well prepared for retirement have watched helplessly as their nest eggs simply disappeared. Any illness on top of that experience most likely wiped out all of their reserves.

One final quote for today, this one anonymous:

            “If you are poor or middle class, no amount of tax cuts can make you richer.”

But for the wealthy, …..

November 29, 2013

Thanksgiving!

The Dalai Lama was asked once what surprised him most about humanity. His answer:

“Man…Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present, the result being that he does not live in the present or the future.  He lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”

I know you know why I’m sharing this today. We all have been trapped by the ‘system’ over the years. Even when young we learned to work hard to earn some money so we could buy that one toy or special object we thought we simply could not live without. Later as that ‘thing’ gathered dust from disuse, we forgot about it and set our sights on something else.

Even as we aged we motivated ourselves to achieve educational milestones, a new car, a special watch or new pair of shoes. We later turned our sights on housing standards and which house could we dream of buying and improving? And then the next house even larger, with more bells and whistles.

We fell in love, married and had children. We worked hard to clothe the kids and share life experiences we were sure mattered to them – the trips, the treats, the special times together. And then their education. Saving and investing so they would get the education they needed and wanted.

Through the years we have striven to do and get. Along the way we have worn out our bodies and sapped our spiritual and emotional health. The Dalai Lama is right. We have sacrificed much but wind up still wanting. I think the saddest part is not living in the present, not fully living at all.

Thanksgiving is but one day. It should be lived and recalled everyday. We are blessed with much, even in poverty! We have each other. We have our health to understand and enjoy this day and every day. We can watch the birds, the machines, the weather, the aromas of life and the sounds of people being busy with life. We can recall stunning vistas we have seen – Grand Canyon, Grand Tetons, Caribbean beaches, Arizona blue skies, deep ocean blues – so many things of natural beauty that are a wonder. We did not make them. We see them. We experience them.  We appreciate them.

We ought never to take them for granted. Be thankful for them. Remember them. And the people in your life. They are the true wonders of your life, and mine!

I remember taking Sunday auto drives into the farmland not far from our home. In dead of winter I viewed the snow covered expanse of dormant corn and soy bean fields. I recall telling my kids that they need to see that vista as a vast sleeping giant! The agricultural miracle that would happen again and again in that soil to produce world class crops of corn and soybeans to feed the nation and world. I know the kids reacted with a bored ‘huh!’; but now years later they recall that ride and that admonition. Behold the sleeping giant! ~ The potential of the land; of the people; of the mind.

These are dimensions of life we take for granted. I know that because I have done so repeatedly. At times I am reminded of this. And so this day I share this truth with anyone who reads or listens to these words:  Be thankful for what you don’t see. It is very much a part of your life and to be valued.

On this day for sure be thankful. Better yet, resolve to make each day one of thanksgiving!

November 28, 2013

I Was a Republican

I am 70 years old. I ‘started’ as a republican. I studied the issues beginning in my teen years, followed political news faithfully in the daily newspaper, exited high school as a fierce conservative and then entered college. There I continued my faithful following of the party and became deeply involved in Young Republicans; also young Americans for Freedom.

The latter group was super conservative. They worshiped the John Birch Society. I even attended a meeting or two. But then I became frightened! They displayed their hand guns and a fearful rhetoric that the ‘commies’ would soon overrun the country and only the conservatives would be able to save the country. I did not believe them then; nor now.

Studying history, political science and economics, I began to form my own opinions and theories. Much to my surprise I learned that economic theory did not work as supposed by writers and pundits in the media. No. Macro economics and micro economics functioned much differently than the columnists claimed. In fact they were mostly downright wrong. And then embellished on that platform of error endlessly spouting theories and conclusions which held not even air. They were very off the mark!

Working in the trenches of the Republican party following college, I became aware of the divide between conservatives and everyone else in the party.  In the middle and late 1960’s, the vast majority of Republicans were middle of the road and pragmatic. They were concerned with international relations and tending to important global issues that hopefully would spell the future of peace – energy renewal, education, medical advancements, and research and development. The party leaders at that time were stepping up to leader the nation in a global community.

Conservatives on the other hand were building scenarios of treachery and fear that totalitarian governments would trick America and take over unsuspecting citizens. Conspiracy theories abounded. This faction of the party worked tirelessly to take the leadership reins of the party. By the 1980’s they had succeeded to a large degree. Many simply considered the Republican party as the Conservative party! That’s when I abandoned the party.

I became fed up with the narrow minded theories which preached someone would take your money and life from you in the name of government! Their message was based on fear. It was a constant ‘me against you’ or ‘us against them’ message.  Never a ‘we the people’ message.

I really did not become a Democrat. I just found candidate selection in the voting booth to be pretty much either Republican or Democrat. The latter gathered more and more of my votes out of abhorrence of the former! 

Today I am a solid middle of the road thinker. I am focused on problems that ‘we the people’ struggle with, and attempt to find or create solutions that will benefit ‘we the people.’ I do not seek solutions that are over the top, unfair to vast numbers of people, or for that matter industries. I believe the economy must be a a fair and balanced machine that creates economic goods for everyone. At the same time, I believe everyone has the responsibility to contribute to the smooth working of that economy. Together we can ensure a reasonably good standard of living for everyone, and outstanding opportunities for those who are willing to take risks and are interested in raking in vast sums of wealth. 

I am not one of those people. I do not care for wealth. I care more about intellect, spirit and relationships of people than great wealth.  I've made my contributions to the well being of the whole. I have supported my family through thick and thin as well. As I age I need less and less, so wealth is not coveted in our household. The need is simply not there.

John F. Kennedy said it best with this comment:

“If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.”

But he also said:

            “Ask not what your country can do for you,

             But ask what you can do for your country.”

This president turned my head toward principle and philosophy of spirit. He led the American people in a fresh new direction – toward the future, garnering all the strengths of our traditions and history to solve great problems, open the frontiers of space, expand research and development, and provide vast new opportunities for a hungry, motivated public willing to study and prepare for new careers.

JFK asked the American people to partner with each other to make our country as good as it could be. And he claimed this as a fully expected outcome:

“The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it – and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.”

No less is asked of us today. The needs still exist. Our participation is still expected. And our first African American President claims our loyalty to these same principles as we march into the future. We can do it well together, or we can stumble, stutter and foul things up by opposing each other.

Which will it be?

November 27, 2013

Christian Nation?

I think not. This conclusion comes from may years of reading and writing, of researching other topics and stumbling across bits and pieces of early American history. Our Founding Fathers were an interesting lot. They were not what we latter day Americans think they were.

Reading their writings, studying historians who focused on just one founding father at a time, unearth many interesting things, some of which I share with you in this blog posting.

First of all, our nation was settled by immigrants from lands were the were not particularly happy. In England they were persecuted for holding religious beliefs different from the state prescribe religion. Persecution was variable but painful. Property was taken. Jail time was endured. Ridicule and bullying, too. Financial reversals were a natural part of it all. And so also the conclusion to remove oneself from such surroundings. The emigrated to the New World to build a new life, to think freely, to worship in their own way, and to seek hope for a better future.

So did inmates in penal institutions who were given a choice to remain in prison or take asylum in the colonies. Many took the latter option. So too bankrupts looking for a fresh start.

Once in the New World these stalwarts – ruffians and pietists together! – joined an unnamed movement that build a nation of freedom seekers.

They were not religious nuts or purists. They were individualists. They sought freedom to explore and to be. Simply be. Along that journey they adopted rules allowing people of great differences to get along. Religious folk stuck with their own kind, even building up villages where they could rely on daily routines consistent with their beliefs. But other villages were home to people of different beliefs and religious traditions. Over the years populations blended and religious pluralism grew.

A national religion was definitely not desired. That would be the antithesis of religious freedom.

Lest you not believe me, here is a direct quote from Thomas Jefferson:

            “Christianity is the most perverted system tat ever shone on man.”

Don’t believe he said this? Here’s another Jefferson quote to ponder:

“The hocus-pocus phantasm of a God like another Cerberus, with one body and three heads, had its birth and growth in the blood of thousands and thousands of martyrs.”

Still not convinced?  Here’s another Jefferson quote:

“It is too late in the day for men of sincerity to pretend they believe in the Platonic mysticism that three are one, and one is three; and yet the one is not three, and the three are not one.”

Jefferson was not an idle thinker on religious themes. He was not a self-admitted theologian. He was a philosopher, sociologist, political scientist and disciplined thinker overall. He offered this view which may be scandalous to many who read it today:

“And the day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter. But we may hope that the dawn of reason and freedom of thought in these United States will do away wit all this artificial scaffolding, and restore to us the primitive and genuine doctrines of this the most venerated reformer of human errors.”

Scandalous? It must be to conservatives and fundamentalist Christians! But wait! Jefferson proceeded to make this statement:

“There is not one redeeming feature in our superstition of Christianity. It has made one half the world fools, and the other half hypocrites.”

A Christian nation?  Only in the eyes of those who wish it. But that doesn’t make it so. Our founding fathers specifically set out to not make this a nation of religion, but rather a nation in which freedom of religious thought and practice could and would thrive. But that also supposes the religion will not attempt to control the mechanism of government.

More on this later. To whet your appetite, consider these words of Ben Franklin:

            “Lighthouses are more useful than churches.”

November 26, 2013

Dusting Off Troubles

Found this on the internet the other day. It has poignancy for most people. Some more than others.

“Here’s to all the people who get back up more times than they are knocked down, who give more than they ever expect to receive, who still show love to others, even when their own heart is broken, who smile through the sad times, who light the way for others, who spread laughter and joy. Thank you for making the world a better place.”

Wow! I want to remember this clearly on Thanksgiving Day. And everyday!

We got an email the other day from a friend in Wisconsin. She is going through a health scare, undergoing chemotherapy, and dealing with the general subject of aging in her own life. She shared her concerns with us about a special nephew of hers. Seems he lives in our region, is 38, alone and estranged from his family. What is worse, he is gay and struggling with that reality. Alcohol has been his medication of choice and now it is out of hand. She does not know what to do about this and lives several hours away. She asked us for help.

What to do? Offer help of course. Seems he has a good friend and a cousin living near us and she will attempt to get us all together.  We know the struggle of being gay in this society, being made to feel different, sensing estrangement and all the rest. We have gotten over that. I have had the battle with alcohol. So far I’m winning that war and what keeps the victories coming is sharing it with those who are in the midst of battle. That keeps me sober and gives strength to those hoping to become sober. 

So we share the strengths and dreams with others.

She is most grateful. I understand that in some way because we have been on the receiving end many times in the past 8 years. On the other hand it surprises me because what we do is natural and on-going. It is not a badge of courage or honor. It just is.

Yet experienced again and again times several millions of people, the force of sharing strength with others in need is an ocean of caring that swells the tide of well-being throughout a nation. What a blessing this is!

The critical point, however, is whether the caring will be accepted and allowed into the sufferer’s life. The formula for wellness requires both giving and receiving to work well together.

This takes time. Each person has his/her own circumstance to give and to receive. Timing is of the essence. And if it does not succeed, the efforts must be repeated over and over again to improve success rates. 

These are not easy things to deal with. And not quickly healed. It takes time.

Meanwhile it matters a lot that there are those willing to be involved. And care.

May this current of caring be in your life this day. Nurture it well. It will serve you and others in turn.

November 25, 2013

Thought for the Day

A pick-up truck passed me the other day. On his back window was this sticker:

            “My other auto is a .45.”

Guess he’s feeling a little threatened? It’s certainly not clever!

The New England Journal of Medicine provides this sobering statistic embedded in a fictional quote:

“I keep guns in my home because I am 43 times more likely to kill a family member, friend or acquaintance and 22 times more likely to kill myself than to kill an intruder. Guns make me safe.”

Yet Ronald Reagan had this to say about the proliferation of guns:

“There is no reason why, on the street today, a citizen should be carrying loaded weapons. Guns are a ridiculous way to solve problems that have to be solved among people of good will.”

I’m not against guns. I just think there are too many of them. And in the wrong hands of people incapable of controlling their anger, fear and hate. We need more common sense applied to this issue.

November 23, 2013

Random Thoughts

Have a lot of items I need to get around to.  All random…

Hillary Clinton provides the first quote of the day:

“You may not agree with a woman, but to criticize her appearance – as opposed to her ideas or actions – isn't doing anyone any favors, least of all you. Insulting a woman’s looks when they have nothing to do with the issue at hand implies a lack of comprehension on your part, an inability to engage in high-level thinking. You may think she’s ugly, but everyone else thinks you’re an idiot.”

Ideas are discussed, not appearances. Those are observed but are of little importance to discussion. Values are ideas. Logic involves a progression of ideas and thoughts. Those need to be engaged, embraced, and digested. I may not agree with your idea or your conclusion. But the idea is what we focus on to discuss.

Worley Dervish adds this quote to the topic:

“If your vote doesn't matter, why are they trying so hard to take it away from you?”

Evidently it does matter. The ethnic minorities, women and immigrants are all the target these days of people attempting to purify the voting public. They must be afraid. Of what I wonder? If they are so much in the majority why would they fear small minorities? Or is it possible they simply don’t trust the motives of others and they fear loss of something? There’s that fear factor again. So often prevalent!

An anonymous quote:

“Oh, so you’re worried about the war on Christmas? What a shame you don’t feel the same about the war on voters, women, minorities, unions, LGBTs, science, seniors, vets, immigrants, education, healthcare and the poor!”

That pretty much sums up a lot of what we have been talking about! No one is disallowing your celebration of Christmas. In fact the entire nation is decorated, on sale and positively partying over Christmas. So why do you fret that there is a war on against it? Might you wish everyone to observe Christmas in the same way you do? Why? Why should they adopt your faith, tradition or viewpoint on this?  You are still free to celebrate the holiday in your own way. So do so. No one is stopping you! Just leave others to their own observance.

Edward Everett Hale gave us this quote decades ago:

            “Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.”

Oh year! With education we exercise and build not only a meaningful data base, but also a thinking muscle to use in analyzing the bits and pieces of life. We make conclusions by using such muscles!

If all of this upsets you, think kindly on a quote from Will Smith, the now veteran actor:

“Stop letting people who do so little for you control so much of your mind, feelings and emotions.”

Lord, I wish I could follow this advice.  It is so right-on but so difficult to accept and abide by. Most of us allow this mental struggle to go on for years! We know it is useless, even injurious. Yet we let it go on and on!

Jose N. Harris has this to say on the matter:

“There comes a time in your life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh.

Forget the bad, and focus on the good. Love the people who treat you right, pray for the ones who don’t.

Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.”

What a great and refreshing thought!  Very much like the Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I can’t change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

We all have permission to let go of the negative and live with the positive. Now there’s something to be thankful for.  All we need to do is act on it!

November 22, 2013

Target?

    

I almost made this blog a weekend thought for the day. Changed my mind. Too many good things to say about this topic.

To get us started is this quote:

            “Haters don’t really hate you. They really hate themselves because you are

             A reflection of what they wish to be.”           ~Anonymous

Think about that a bit. Why do some people dislike another person? Especially dislike to the point of detesting? Is the other person a direct threat to their safety, way of life or well-being? Probably not. They may think so on impulse, but upon reflection I bet they can’t make much of an argument along those lines.

No, there has to be something else involved.

I can get into this subject rather easily because I’m gay. I understand that many people don’t understand this subject; it helps if you are gay and experiencing it from the inside out!  Here are some examples.

First, the hater who is a Fundamentalist Christian. They take the Bible literally and look for passages which condemn behavior that is sinful or patently opposed to their own position or understanding. They think the Bible condemns homosexuality. But it doesn't. Nowhere is that word used. There are phrases that may refer to it but nothing directly. It leaves a large space for interpretation. And such interpretations have been plentifully made over the past two millennia. Trouble is there are lots of other topics directly referenced as sin but all of these have been lessened in social context to lesser sinfulness. All were originally subject to death by stoning you may recall. The only one is the supposed sin of homosexuality in which no such term is in existence in the Bible. But adultery is; so is eating shell fish, and touching pork and pork products.

You get what I’m saying here. There is a motive for some people to elevate their dislike or ignorance to that of hate – a universal negative emotion against something. In this case I’m interposing all things gay in the modern meaning of the term.

The question remains: why do some people hate gay people, behavior or terminology? What is their motivation to be so moved? Will gay people directly hurt them, destroy their lives, values or whatever? I fail to understand how they can make their conclusion.

The only idea that makes sense is they fear what ‘gay’ is and that it could contaminate them in some way. Maybe they think they could become gay because they are around gay people? Maybe they see it as a choice adopted by gay people?

Interesting. I guess if I thought I could ‘catch’ something from another person I might fear it if I felt that something was not a good thing. But clearly being gay is not a choice, not something one catches like a disease!

So maybe they fear they might be gay themselves and they are fighting it and feel that my being gay will influence them to admit that to themselves and become a fully blown gay person?  Might that be it?

It sounds so ridiculous that it nullifies the statement at once!  But maybe they think not?  Who knows? Rationality is not logical in the minds of everyone.

It comes down to a recent statement on BBC:

            “Homosexuals are not interested in making other people homosexual.

             Homophobes are interested in making other people homophobic.”

Second, a quote by Jon Stewart:

“I’ll tell you this…Religion is far more of a choice than homosexuality. And the protections that we have for religion – we protect religion. And talk about a lifestyle choice – that is absolutely a choice. Gay people don’t choose to be gay. At what age did you choose to not be gay?”

Religion is protected in our country, and in many nations around the globe. People are free to practice their religion, live their lives in accordance with their religion, all of that. However, this protection of religion does not impose a right on the ‘religious’ to impose their religious beliefs on others. Yet that is what has been happening! Why else do we have a ban on abortion in many states in the America? Why have other nations attempted abortion bans throughout history? Why are many people opposed to gay marriage? No one is saying they have to live in a gay marriage, just that gays ought to be sanctioned to express their relationships within a ‘legal’ marriage contract.  And what gives them the idea that gay marriage destroys their marriage or the institution of marriage in first place?

I agree with Jon Stewart. Religion is a choice. There are many to choose from. Gay or straight is an inborn element of life. There is nothing to choose among! Maybe to recognize it or not, but that’s it. And that’s for me to do; not you, or them….

November 21, 2013

  

The Personal Touch

Jamie Randall shared this thought with internet readers recently:

            “Sometimes the things you want the most don’t happen and

what you least expect happens. I don’t know - you meet

thousands of people and none of them really touch you. And

then you meet one person and your life is changed forever.”

That is the good news. The wonder is that so much good news fills the world. We witness it daily. Even when we are down in the dumps we see good things being done by others and that lifts us up. We meet many people of different characteristics and backgrounds; each plays a role in our lives, most often unnoticed. But they are there.

Look for the good and you will see it. Expect the good and work to make it happen; mostly the expected will happen. Yes we are disappointed lots of time. That’s life. The trick is to jump up and try again. It really helps to expect the good to appear. It makes us more sensitive to the good we normally miss seeing. It’s been there all along.

On the opposite side of good, we have the haters among us. I found an interesting thought on the internet the other day and think it belongs here in this message today:

“Haters don’t really hate you. They really hate themselves because you are a reflection of what they wish to be.”`-Author Unknown

African-Americans know all about this. So do gay people. Discrimination involves ignorance, fear and hate.  All wrapped up in one not-so-neat package. I think it goes back to people afraid they don’t measure up with others. They need to feel superior to others.  I will give witness to this phenomenon: being the object of discrimination teaches valuable lessons. I have learned to appreciate the simple and basic things in life. Those are the valuable aspects of being, feeling, and enjoying life that we take for granted and rarely really ‘see’.  Furthermore, I can’t do anything a out the other person. They are what they are!

From www.unbelievablefacts.tumblr.com comes this item:

“Self-made millionaire Harris Rosen adopted a Florida neighborhood called Tangelo Park, cut the crime rate in half, and increased the high school graduation rate from 25% to 100% by giving everyone free daycare and all high school graduates scholarships.”

Now there’s a special person, one who leaves behind his comfort zone to make as difference in the lives of others. In this case he chose a group of people who have historically suffered. And he has made an enormous difference. He has touched many lives. But I bet his life has been touched by each and every one of those he has helped. That’s how it works. He constantly meets people who change his life. But he is also a person changing the lives he touches. And he still has millions of dollars on his balance sheet!

For those who struggle with these issues – doing good or not; responding to the bad in life; etc. – there is a bit of good advice provided by www.Daveswordsofwisdom.com:

“The best advice I can give is to just keep moving forward and don’t give a damn what other people think. Just do what you have to do for you.”

A good suggestion. Not always easy to live by. But it is important that we try. We have been taught to respect what others think. But there is a difference I think: respect what people do and what they are. What they think of you doesn't measure up to those two elements of life.

November 20, 2013

Veterans

With Veterans Day 2013 just past I thought it might be of interest to readers of the following facts:

            “43% of veterans are receiving food stamps.

             As many as 35% of Iraq veterans have or will experience PTSD.

             55% of veterans with severe housing cost burdens fall below the poverty level.

             33% of the male homeless population is veterans.”

                                                            ~Anonymous

Pretty gloomy set of statistics. People who served us are hurting big time. Doesn't seem fair to me. It might help to understand these circumstances when we consider many veterans return to civilian life with psychological scars. PTSD is only one of the scars. Deep psychoses and neuroses are additional scars. Careers are often stunted by emotional issues carried over from the trauma of military service.

That’s why this next quote seems on the mark:

“Height of Hypocrisy: Any member of congress who would dare speak at a Veterans Day ceremony after having voted to cut food stamps for US veterans and the families of those serving in our armed forces.”  

                                    ~http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll256

Hypocrisy indeed! Add to that the spotty record of Congress properly funding the Veterans Administration, both in medical care and benefits. During my lifetime I have witnessed reductions in veterans’ benefits and scandalous treatment at VA medical centers. The latter I believe has been resolved to the benefit of current and future veterans. Of course past veterans who were under-served remain in our dark history.

Fairness. Justice. These are uniquely American concepts to most of us. We believe we excel at both. Yet history readily disputes such assumptions. We can only hope our trust will be fulfilled in Congress to deliver well-earned benefits by our veterans and their families.

On a similar note Bernie Sanders, Independent Senator from Vermont reminds us:

            “76% of the American people do not want to cut Social Security benefits at all.”

And reasons why are plentiful: first, the Social Security system is a contract with the American citizen; they pay the premiums to support the program; the program is revised to ensure financial resources are adequate to fulfill the promises; breaking those promises is both unfair and unjust. Second, most of us will rely on these benefits significantly to support us in our old age. Whether each of us properly saves and invests for the long term is irrelevant; the fact remains that bad things happen in a market economy and good planning can be destroyed easily. Third, financial planning assumes some rock hard facts; SSI is one of them. Fourth, elder citizens have no time to recover from serious financial crises. That’s part of what makes any talk of cutting SSI as unjust and unfair. It is simply un-American.

Yet the decision makers are politicians in the House of Representatives of the US Congress. They have many interests to satisfy: lobbyists, industries, home state power brokers, voting blocs in various communities, and of course, the party bosses regionally and nationally. Thomas Sowell has this to say about that:

“It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong.”

I've made similar points before. Hopefully you will take that as a badge of consistency rather than repetitiveness!

I love my country but I am not blind to her problems. I want the best for the nation and for its people. All people, not just those upon who fortune shines bright! We all deserve fair treatment and opportunity. And for those with serious short falls in health and wealth, they deserve care and nurture.

All of our religious traditions tell us to believe in justice and fairness. America is one of the truly great carriers of this tradition in the world.  We are blessed by this. But we must remember to live the traditions as well.

November 19, 2013

Uplifting

We learn by doing. We learn from experiences. An internet site called LessonsLearnedinLife.com shared this gem with readers the other day:

“Your greatest test is when you are able to bless someone else while you are going through your own storm.”

Think about that. Remember when you were last in the grips of a problem, one that challenged you in many dimensions – maybe even today! – and imagine yourself reaching out and  helping someone else who is obviously troubled by a problem. That moment of extending yourself into the life space of someone else, didn't it lighten your load?

Rather than spiraling downward in your own whirlpool of grief, anger and dismay, helping someone else lifted you up. Maybe for a day or an hour, or maybe just for a moment. But that positive boost was there, wasn't it?

We are self balancing most of the time. We seek buoyancy just as we reach for a life raft! The same with emotions. To combat that sinking feeling we ache for something to hold onto. The best life raft is another person, one who needs our help. We are drawn to people who will listen to us but the relief is temporary. Being in charge of our own recovery or buoyancy is affirming and transforming.

But it requires me to get out of myself – to help someone else, be absorbed by them. Not for me but for them.

Aung San Suu Kyi affirms this with this quote:

            “If you’re feeling helpless, help someone.”

It is easy to be swept up in my own problems. To me my problems are huge, up close and personal. However, when I peek outside and spot another person with a set of problems I can help with, it brings me relief and stability. It is one of the most basic lessons I ever learned from life.

I share it with you gladly this day. May you find it useful!!

November 18, 2013

Thought for the Day

Big government or small? Personal freedoms without control? Freedom for all? Well to what end?

These are large questions. Those who see themselves as high income, high wealth or with prospects for the same in the future tell us they desire less government so they have more freedom to acquire more wealth. And we are reminded that America was built on the concept of freedom.

But America was also built on the Constitution which has guided us well for a long time. Yet we still argue over the definition of the freedoms guaranteed in the document. We still disagree on meaning and intent of the authors of the Constitution.

It turns out there are limits to freedom. Why? So freedoms of others have a chance to survive as well. It is not about one class over another. In America it is not about class at all. It is about the individual.

We each give up something so the whole of the nation can build and protect each of us.

We may well ask this question:

“What would happen if the richest people in the this country were asked to pay a higher tax rate?

            They would still be the richest people in this country.”

                                                                                    ~imgflip.com

We all should think about this question and answer.

November 16, 2013

Dog Hotel

This quote was given to me the other day. It comes without author identification. It is too good to ignore:

“Dogs are welcome in this hotel. We never had a dog that smoked in bed and set a fire to the blankets. We never had a dog that stole our towels and played the TV too loud, or had a noisy fight with his traveling companion. We never had a dog that got drunk and broke up the furniture…so if your dog can vouch for you, you’re welcome too.”   ~The Management

I love this! Sure dogs bark and whine when left alone. And certainly many a dog has been forgotten by their masters as the latter lost track of time in the bar or dining room so the dog was left to pee and poop in the room. But still, think of the other threats posed by human occupants of a hotel room. Dogs do not come near the wreckage made by humankind.

Perhaps we should simplify our thinking on other matters, sort of making it simple so dogs can understand them? Instead we complicate matters endlessly.  Here’s an example:

“Once you realize that trickle-down economics does not work, you will see the excessive tax cuts for the rich as what they are – a simple upward redistribution of income, rather than a way to make all of us richer, as we were told.”

                                                            ~Ha-Joon Chang

                                                             Faculty of Economics

                                                             University of Cambridge

This trickle down theory has been tested several times. The first time it helped boost economic activity; after that its booster effect dwindled to nothing. Its value has been extinguished. Now it needs to be reversed in order to bring balance back to the system. Nearly every economist in the nation and on the world stage of academia agrees with this conclusion. Only the politically purchased economics disagree!  That should tell us something!!

We need reminding of a simple fact of life that past generations of Americans knew well through thick and thin of boom and bust economic cycles.  Here it is:

“When the entirety of your earnings are exhausted on food and shelter, your labors are no longer viewed as an opportunity for economic advancement, but rather as an act of self-preservation. In the real world, that’s called slavery.”

                                                ~rawforbeauty.com

That’s a good place to leave our discussion today. Enjoy the day and the coming weekend! Think kindly of others and BE kind to them!

November 15, 2013

Keeping the Path

Teddy Roosevelt was an unusual President. A sickly youngster he persevered to build a strong body healthy enough to travel the wilds of the ‘wild west’ when it was still wild, and to lead the Rough Riders in battle. On horseback no less!

But Roosevelt was also a major preserver of natural wonders and nature in general. He was passionate about creating national parks. We praised individualism and personal freedoms. Yet he also knew the value of a people working together to build a great society.  Perhaps this quote encapsulates a core value of President Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919):

“This country will not be a good place for any of us to live unless we make it a good place for all of us to live.”

The place we live must be healthy – air, water and soils – but also a good place to live for people of all backgrounds, economic ability and life skills. He spoke of including people of great differences to build a healthy whole.

And to think he was a Republican! Now that’s the party I was once a member of. The party of Lincoln, and Teddy Roosevelt to name just two. Eisenhower as well. These were men who motivated me to think broadly on many topics.

Today, we are reminded of how different the present day is from times past by Bernie Sanders, Senator from Vermont:

“We must not be content with an economic reality in which the middle class of this country continues to disappear.”

We must not be content…indeed! Our nation will not survive if we allow this to happen. What would Eisenhower, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln think about the turn of events?  I’m confident they would shudder in disbelief.

I think we have fallen from our original path. At some point our nation has become riddled with personal self centeredness, greed, selfishness. There are real people suffering because of the failure of public policy and personal greed. And yet we hear cheers directed toward those who have failed. The failure is viewed as personal weakness, so that others may achieve more wealth. Really? Is our America fallen to such depths of depravity as this?  One can only wonder.

Meanwhile this anonymous quote emerges from the internet world:

            “Your beliefs don’t make you a better person; your behavior does.”

How many fellow citizens get that statement? If we feel compassion for our fellow man, it is not enough to feel it and say it. We must back those concepts up by our actions. Your actions, my actions, my neighbor’s actions. Each of us committed to doing the right thing where it is most needed, and not one driven by my own self interest.

Now that’s the America I thought I was being raised in and by. It is still the America I prefer to restore.

In closing I share this quote, also anonymous and also from the internet. It is powerful I think. Perhaps you will think so too?

            “Seven Dangers to Human Virtue:

1.      Wealth without work

2.      Pleasure without conscience

3.      Knowledge without character

4.      Business without ethics

5.      Science without humanity

6.      Religion without sacrifice

7.      Politics without principle.”

Print that and save it where you can read it daily. Something we all need to be reminded of frequently.

November 14, 2013

StickingTogether

In church last Sunday I was struck by the fresh idea of the communion prayer:

“As we break bread today remember the brokenness throughout the world;  as we pour wine today remember the blood shed throughout the world...”

Brokenness. Not whole. Apart.

I am reminded that we are often in disagreement. We continually argue our points of difference not our points of agreement. There is much we share. There is a universe of agreement we live within. Why then emphasize the differentness?

This quote is from the Internet and anonymous as well:

“One day someone is going to hug you so tight, that all of your broken pieces will stick back together.”

Nice thought, isn't it? By coming together for a hug, we are made whole somehow. We have shared our separate beings and become a unified whole in some way. And mended our pieces, too.

If we apply this to any specific issue we may gain strength. Let’s try it on this quote from John Green:

“Public education does not exist for the benefit of students or for the benefit of their parents. It exists for the benefit of the social order.

We have discovered as a species that it is useful to have an educated population. You do not need to be a student or have a child who is a student to benefit from public education. Every second of every day of your life, you benefit from public education.

So let me explain why I like to pay taxes for schools, even though I don’t personally have a kid in school: it’s because I don’t like living in a country with a bunch of stupid people.”

I like this statement. A little harsh at the end, but true nonethesame. At times we paid taxes grudgingly because we knew the system would take care of our kids when they enrolled in school. After that it was for our grand kids. At one time it was for myself as I studied throughout the system through grad school. The taxes didn't go away because we were not benefiting or participating in the schools directly. We continued to pay because the role of education goes on and on, preparing generation after generation in ways to think and be fulfilled and to enable the continuity of our social order.

We are not islands. We co-exist – sometimes near and sometimes far. But what we do, say and learn is of benefit to everyone. It is part of the ‘infrastructure’ we all rely on. We pay for it separately and together to make the future possible.

Sticking together is one pathway to success. It shares ideas and strengths, it works to avoid shared weaknesses to find make new strengths. It is also a means to discover new opportunities, even to recognize they exist. And together we come together to build defenses against the common threats which surely exist throughout the world. Even in our own neighborhoods.

This is not socialism. Rather it is cooperation and collaboration. Competition may be good in many ways but it is also a man-made means of separating groups into us and them – apartness institutionalized. Beware what this can do.

Motivation is a funny thing. It may energize an individual to excel at what he or she does in life. But it can also maroon the same person to an island of self centeredness and self destruction. Serving others and relying on their generous natures provides another form of motivation.

It is of long-lasting value that rewards each of us. Seek that to mend your broken pieces.

November 13, 2013

Einstein to the Rescue!

Pondering the larger issues of life makes for lively thinking and discussion. At times they become imponderable. Multiple answers to overlapping questions form on our lips and minds. And keep the discussion going to where we don’t really know!

From time to time Albert Einstein pops to mind – a fellow of enormous intellect, one who could unravel complex thought toward simple ideas and rediscover truer meanings.  The famed physicist is quoted as having said:

“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

Well that is a fresher view! Placing thoughts in odd places makes us see more clearly. It is not the fish that is incapable of climbing a tree that is the central point. It is that we judge another being on what it cannot do and it reflects not on the other but on ourselves. Boom! The fish is perfectly fine. It has its role in the universe. We have our role. Let us not confuse the two.

Einstein was a scientist who pressed the boundaries of the known world, the world we had in our minds and on paper, in books, all of our combined knowledge and understanding of the universe. He was able to see beyond what had been barriers to logic. He discovered new thought and laws of science. He shared his knowledge so he could learn more, how to apply his discoveries in more ways. Along this journey he taught many students to fresh edges of brilliance in scientific discovery.

Albert Einstein was a generous person. He received help and inputs from many, working on these things as fuel for fresh findings, and shared what he learned with the rest of the world. A spirit of oneness with the universe was his trademark. He did not view himself as an island.

Oh the rest of us felt he was unreachable because of his intellectual might. He would not have said that, though.  Here’s one thought that may have escape your attention:

“I consider it important, indeed urgently necessary, for intellectual workers to get together, both to protect their own economic status and also, generally speaking, to secure their influence in the political field.” – Albert Einstein, union member

You see Einstein saw himself as a worker in scientific pursuits. It was a job to him. He applied his abilities to accomplishing something – research, new knowledge, teaching material for students to ponder and learn from – and to make something of the new knowledge. Over time these discoveries led to many new inventions, whole new chapters of scientific departments of study, new schools of thought, expanded military defense initiatives, manufacturing materials and methods, you name it and Einstein was part of the background of making those things possible. He and his cohorts. Not alone but together in an ever changing amalgam of minds intent on discovering the unknown.

This work he did, alone and with others, benefited mankind enormously. And they deserved to be valued not manipulated by institutions or employers. They were a team not a tool. A resource not a labor pool.

Einstein teamed his mind with others. He shared. He taught. He brought fresh young minds along on the journey. And he enabled them to journey on beyond his findings.

Today’s blog suggests the value of education, public works, scientific method and sharing are linked, even inseparable. They seem to have understood the big picture whether we always get it or not.

As the Dali Lama said:

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”

And that leads to another topic to cover another day!! But they are related.

November 12, 2013

Catching On...To Being Human

Knowing others, loving them, loving self and being able to receive love…these are stepping stones to being fully human.  Along this rocky road of self discovery there are triumphs and abject failures. To wit:

“Everyone makes mistakes in life, but that doesn't mean they have to pay for them the rest of their life. Sometimes good people make bad choices. It doesn't mean they are bad. It means they are human.” ~Author Unknown

We think we are smart. We believe we make few mistakes and those only by accident. But no! We make lots of mistakes. Usually because we simply didn't take the needed care to think of consequences or tangent issues. Even with care we make choices that prove to be poor or develop unintended consequences. We are imperfect. We are human. Accept it. That does not make us bad people!

Here’s another anonymous quote:

“You will begin to HEAL when you let go of past hurts, forgive those who have wronged you and learn to forgive yourself for your mistakes.”

Yes people have done me wrong, whether intended or not, whether fully understood or not. They did things we can assume were mistakes. Poor choices. We do the same to self and others. We have to learn to forgive them. Then we can forgive ourselves. That is a major step to maturity and healing. It is a gift we give ourselves really. But in doing so we are also gifting others by forgiving them whether they know we are doing so or not. Anonymity has benefits. This may be the biggest benefit!

I found this on the internet the other day and it made me think in surprising ways. Perhaps you too?

“Marriage does not guarantee you will be together forever; it’s only paper. It takes love, respect, trust, understanding, friendship and faith in our relationship to make it last.  ~Unknown

Yes, the license allows institutions to go into action. A couple becomes a legal couple in mysterious ways. But it is the relationship that is central, with or without the paper! Loving the other person and having it returned is the base of the marriage relationship. So too is friendship, you know, the strength of liking another person well enough to weather any storm and turn it into a center of laughter over time! Faith in each other grows over the years as we struggle to understand, accept, trust and respect each other. All of this takes enormous work. And honesty within one’s self. If any of these things weaken then the compact that is central to marriage is broken. And the marriage is over.

Another anonymous quote:

“Giving someone else equal rights does not infringe or take away rights from you. It just makes it illegal to enforce your prejudice and hate. It’s that simple.”

So in the case of gay marriage rights, such a marriage has no bearing whatever on the marriage of others, straight or gay. Loving or not loving. Practical marriages as opposed to loving unions.

There is so much palaver spewing in public places about gay marriage being the call of doom to religion and other marriages and what not. What a basket of bosh!

Your marriage is your marriage to work on and make successful. My marriage is my business as well. I have no role in your marriage. You have no role in mine. Leave each other be.

A religious community defines marriage one way, another religious community defines marriage in yet another way. The state and nation define marriage as a union, a contract with benefits for each. It is not a religious contract but a legal one. One has nothing to do with the other.

Churches define the rite of marriage. Believers keep their covenant with that rite. People of the same faith or similar ones have a core agreement about such things. But they cannot get married legally without a license granted by the state. So there are two marriages.

Believe what you will. Live accordingly. Your marriage is sacred to you. To me it is both sacred and legal. You live by your beliefs and I will do so with mine. Such is the nature of freedom – of religion, of conscience, of mind, of intellect, of America. I don’t have a right to impinge my beliefs on your life. So therefore you do not have a right to impress your religious beliefs and regulations on my life. You live your marriage. I will live mine.

That’s religious freedom. And so much more!  See if you can discern these truths in public discussions on these topics!

In closing this quote serves us well:

“I've come to realize that the only people I need in my life are the ones who need me in theirs even when I have nothing else to offer them but myself.” – Unknown

If I have to yield to their beliefs or them to mine, then we have no basis for a relationship and we ought to be allowed to drift apart to seek fulfillment without mutual impediments. Such peace will reign! But will we allow this to happen?

November 11, 2013

Thought for the Day

Our thought today comes from Frederick Douglas, the noted African American former slave who became a leader of the Abolitionist Movement:

“Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet deprecate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning.”

Making waves leads to change. Maturity pursues change that is begged for. Doing nothing leads to nothing. Civility is one thing; placid acceptance of the status quo is quite another. Stand up. Speak up. Act up.

Dare to make a difference.

November 9, 2013

Trying To Keep Positive

Lots going on. Some positive, much negative. Each has a story. Not everyone shares the facts, beliefs or moral of the story.  Some examples:

            “Obamacare Myth, or Lie #6,428:

The IRS will put a lien on your house if you don’t pay the fine for not having health insurance. You could even go to jail!

FACT: The language of the law specifically forbids such penalties or punishments. If you choose not to get health insurance and if you refuse to pay the $95 fine, that amount will simply be added to the next year’s tax bill (with interest, of course).   ~fb.com/ConScare

To that President Obama states:

“I recognize that the Republican Party has made blocking the Affordable Care Act its signature policy idea.”

Think about that – a policy idea! That’s not policy. That is obstruction. A non-willingness to concede the program has merit and needs cooperation to make it work. But then they don’t agree, or say they don’t. Which is it? How would they fix the problem of inadequate access to medical care in our nation. Do they really want people to die from lack of medical treatment? Do they want a large portion of our population to wither away from ill health? How would that help their philosophy? An impoverished and sick population does not make for a healthy market for either a talented labor pool or dynamic buying public. Healthy people make for a healthy nation. And economy.  Duh!

Liberal Bill Maher makes a similar point with this statement:

“This is the question the Right has to answer. Do you want smaller government with less handouts or do you want a low minimum wage? Because you cannot have both. If Colonel Sanders isn't going to pay the lady behind the counter enough to live on, then Uncle Sam has to. And I for one am getting a little tired of helping highly profitable companies pay their workers.”

  

Amen. This is just another ‘infrastructure’ item corporations assume for themselves.

While we are at it, here’s an anonymous quote found on the internet the other day:

“No More Lies: jobs are not sent overseas because America doesn't have enough skilled workers.

Jobs are sent overseas so corporations, banks and stockholders can make huge profits off the backs of non-unionized, uninsured, desperate people living in third world poverty.”

And then they earn generous tax benefits by making profits overseas. On top of their preferred tax rates already granted by Congress, or is that bought from Congress?

Patrick Duval, Governor of Massachusetts had this to say recently:

“I’d like to think that the most prosperous nation in human history can have both freedom and security. I think we have reached a point where my personal success is not threatened by a program to help our parents retire with dignity. Voters are smart enough to see that taxes are one of the ways we get those things. They are the price we pay for civilization.”

Taxes are the price of our civilization. I like that idea. Paying taxes is not always pleasant but it is necessary. If some citizens are not financially blessed to pay more, than the system ought to help them. They have more than paid their fair share at other times in their lives. And it is helpful to remind ourselves that federal income taxes are not the only taxes we all pay. Sales, excise, license fees and more are all taxes. We pay them on TV services, phones, gasoline, and much more. The more you consume the more taxes you pay. For some these amounts accumulate to much more than income taxes.  Imagine!

On another note Jon Stewart had this to say about ideological differences:

“They always throw around this term ‘the liberal elite”. I keep thinking to myself about the Christian Right, ‘What’s more elitist than believing ONLY YOU will go to heaven?”

Because only they have the right answers? Probably not! But then they will believe what they will believe! Heaven is a concept with huge dimension. Surely others will arrive in that realm regardless of their political beliefs and religious convictions? What about Muslims, Jews, Hindi and Buddhists? And what does this have to do with government and politics? Indeed!!

Back to public concerns of common purpose and use. Malala Yousafzai is the young Afghani girl who was shot in the head by the Taliban in an assassination attempt. All because she dared to demand her education. For girls. Something the Taliban does not believe in.  But Malala survived the horrible crime and is traveling the world championing universal education access for all people, boys and girls, women and men.  She says:

“One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world. Education is the only solution. Education first.”

She recognizes the key to her nation pulling itself out of the morass of poor economics and politics. Education. Helping each person think for themselves, do for themselves, and in combination, building a society that is strong enough to build a long term future.

Malala has maturity of thought and purpose. A maturity that we all should strive to gain.

In all of the above, I am reminded that maturity is a recurrent need. As PowerPlug! exhorts:

             “Maturity comes when you stop making excuses and start making changes.”

A serious thought to end this blog on today. Maturity. Making changes, not excuses. When will politicians get that message?

I think when we make them.

November 8, 2013

PS: A shout out to my daughter Elizabeth on her Birthday!!!!  We won't mention which one.....

Balancing the View

Paul Krugman writes commentaries on politics and economics. For the New York Times. He is well seasoned, thought provoking and academically skilled. And balanced.  He recently offered this view:

“A society committed to the notion that government is always bad will have bad government.”

Even if it turns out to be better than feared I’ll bet a lot of people – maybe a majority? – will think the government is bad nonetheless.

Let’s check a few things out and see how bad some people think it is, and yet how well the government is working anyway.

The federal Office of Management and Budget provides these Fiscal Year 2014 spending facts as proposed by President Obama: (percent of total expenses budgeted for the year)

            “Military expenditures total 57%

             Education department gets 6%

             Government operations gets 6%

             Veterans’ Benefits gets 6%

             Housing and Community programs get 5%

             Health is budgeted at 5%

             International Affairs gets 3%

             Energy & Environment is at 3%

             Science gets 3%

             Transportation programs get 3%

             Labor Department gets 2%

             Food & Agriculture is slated for 1%”

Discretionary expenses are very small compared with military overhead. Cut a little out of a small departmental budget and many lives are affected. Cut a little out of the military budget and it is hardly noticed.

Independent Senator from Vermont Bernie Sanders reminds us:

“At a time when we now spend almost as much as the rest of the world combined on defense, we can make judicious cuts in our armed forces without compromising our military capability.”

Surely Senator Sanders has a viable point here. The US continues to be the watch dog for the world at our expense. Germany, Italy, France and England can complain about American policies, spying and its war on terror. But where are they with budget assistance, program collaboration, fast strike anti-terror forces, military equipment, and the rest of it? We are doing a lot to make the world safe. The world community needs to step up to the plate and carry their fair share. We prop up the world economy, global defense systems, and international affairs without a lot of help from others. We also are 'Johnny on the Spot' with charitable aid following disasters, and continuing medical and food assistance to third world countries. Yet we continue to get complaints when it is politically feasible for them.

What would happen if we re-sized our military? Well, for one thing, the military industrial complex would scream like stuck pigs. After all that is the greatest means of subsidizing American corporations. They paint it as patriotic contributions toward our mutual defense, however, they run to their banks with outrageous profits daily; have for many decades.

Yet, try to get more dollars to improve education for our children! Or a bit more for health programs, welfare assistance…you name it and the corporate elite will be there to complain. 

We should ask: “Where is the balance in these views?”

Sidney Hillman reminds us:

“We want a better America, an America that will give its citizens, first of all, a higher and higher standard of living so that no child will cry for food in the midst of plenty?”

Maintaining a well balanced economy will produce plentiful jobs, savvy investing, great returns on investments, and a growing standard of living for the greatest number of people. This can be done, but only if the greedy are willing to recognize that they do not solely take risks to make money. Each taxpayer does so with their taxes invested in building infrastructure that we all use for common benefit. Corporations, however, experience the largest share of the benefit. They do not directly pay for that infrastructure. We all do. Their job is made simpler because of that fact. They make money with less risk using the investments of other people.

Bernie Sanders continues his dialogue with us with this statement:

“In America today, we have the most unequal distribution of wealth and income of any major country on earth, and more inequality than at any time period since 1928. The top 1% owns 42% of the financial wealth of the nation, while, incredibly, the bottom 60% own only 2.3%. In terms of income distribution in 2010, the last study done on this issue, the top 1% earned 93% of all new income while the bottom 99% shared the remaining 7%.”

Balance is missing. Clearly. Also clearly this anonymous quote has much truth in it:

“When the poor come to the government for welfare, they are stigmatized and degraded. When the rich come for welfare they convince everyone that they earned it.”

 And Bill Moyers boldly asserts this:

“America’s vast inequality didn't just happen…it’s been politically engineered.”

And we all watched it happen. Many of us didn't think it would get this bad. Well, we were wrong!  The statistics make a compelling argument of that!

Charlie Price goes further with this statement:

“Remember the fertilizer plant that blew in West, Texas? Hell, remember the Massey coal mine disaster? Remember how there inevitably was a story about how those places had been freed steadily from the death grip of government regulation by the Invisible Hand of the Profit Motive? Remember how people then wondered how such terrible things could happen to such wonderful people and everybody sent teddy bears and stuff?

Well for the love of weeping Christ, if you let the members of America’s corporate elite go unsupervised and unaccountable, they will kill people, either all at once in cave-ins or big boom-booms, or slowly, a little at a time by poisoning the air and the water and the food.”

Pretty harsh words, but then think about this quote from mediamatter.org:

“Fact: The federal deficit is shrinking (and it’s projected to hit a 5-year low this year).

Yet 90% of Americans believe that the deficit will either stay the same or increase. So, how can the public be so misinformed on this?

            You can thank the Media for that one.”

Well I have a couple of thoughts to add to this:

First, the annual federal spending deficit is shrinking as reported; it is still red ink however, and the national debt continues to grow. That is where the public’s confusion lies.

Second, the media may have a role to play in this confusion but the real engineers of the problem are the political wing nuts who spread false information, manufacture false ‘facts’ and deliberately mislead the public. We call those people ideologues. They believe the ends justify the means. These are usually the conservatives and republicans in our midst.  Shame on them.

We know why the deficits of the past several years exist: two wars, massive tax reductions for the wealthy, expansion of social programs at the same time, response to Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, and 9-11. Add in World Terrorism and you have a pretty good idea how and why the deficits came about. And the current President had very little to do with it. The previous administration did. And the media loved it. So did the Tea Party, the republicans and gamers.

Well, hopefully there is a little more balance in these matters just based on today’s blog. I can only hope it makes a difference to a few people!

November 7, 2013