Back to a New Normal?

Rocky comes home today from the nursing home. With a walker that will be a regular part of his life for some months to come, he will continue home based physical therapy for another two weeks. After that he and I will hopefully be able to visit the local park district gym three times a week to keep both of our stamina in order.

I am happy to have him home. It has been a lonely time. I moped. And the dog moped. She did not understand his absence, but we did take her to visit Rocky about once a day. While there she guarded his room, facing the door on alert! Then, when exiting the building, she would head into every room on the corridor to greet each resident. A smile on her face, and a ‘dogged’ determination to visit each room. Finally, the elevator and soon after the exit.

When she reached home, she had a drink of water, found her resting place (in the sun, on the heated floor, nearest the patio door). Her naps were long and languorous.

Through the cold weather neighbor Pam has walked the dog and sheltered her for a few hours to brighten the dog’s day. It has worked to keep the dog happy and me from exposing my horrendous lungs to the cold air. The result is a steady improvement in my health; still cough gobs but am breathing regularly without oxygen during the day.

Now it is up to us to determine how our routine will shape up. Will it be with exercise? Will it be with renewed scheduling with quiet times, TV times, computer routines, and errands? Or will it be sitting idly by getting older by the hour? That’s what did us in this last time.

Meanwhile, I have decluttered the house, spiffed up each room and have a checklist of tasks yet to be done. If only I had someone to wash the floors, clean the windows, and vacuum the carpets. These are the tasks not done well by an emphysema patient. And I cannot see Rocky with a walker doing these duties. Any ideas?

For now, we face the new days with a smile and hope. Surely things will be better than these last three weeks?

December 29, 2017

Keep Britain Tidy

Back in the mid-80’s I traveled Great Britain for two weeks. We started in London, rented a car and drove more than 1500 miles through and around England. We made our way to Canterbury first, then on to Dover for a night in a B&B. We explored the coastal areas along the south of England and walked through Rye.

We were taken by the architecture of course, but also the cobble stone streets, paver sidewalks, and lack of poured concrete. I don’t recall every seeing poured concrete as a walking surface in all of England. Only pavers were used for such purposes. Although you might expect such a surface to be uneven in places and a tripping hazard, such was not the case.

The shops, homes and chapels that lined the streets were quaint and useful. This was not a museum but rather a living community. Villages all around, mature trees and shrubbery, clean and neat town squares and high streets. And nary a straight road in sight. All meandered every which way. The views were naturally cute, cozy and welcoming.

So, too, the countryside. Rambling, rolling, patchwork croplands, border hedges and copses of green everywhere. Billowing bunches of green – mature trees, mature crops, waving grasses and grains. Abundant life with green and shades of green everywhere. Peaceful. Welcoming. Permanent.

Permanent. A good word for England. For all of Great Britain, really. Permanent. Its been there for thousands of years. It sits at the left shoulder of Europe. It is surrounded by seas and ocean channels, yet seems to embrace all of that rather than being embraced by them.

Great Britain provides a calm presence in a sea of changing cultures and warrior nations ill-suited to their histories. They have lasted millennia through thick and thin. They have retained their nature and resolve. And their smiles and warm welcoming arms.

This is what life should be, one thinks. Pleasant. Safe. Resolute.

Not so many nations. Russia is one such. A history as long as life itself, yet unsettled and boisterous and violent. Deep resentments seem to entwine its people. And they imbue their governments with the same. Why is that, do you suppose?

The current issue of Foreign Affairs, discusses the not dead histories of many nations – the USA and its horrid foundation of slavery, Russia, China, Rwanda, South Africa – and so on. Each has a history or backstory seemingly not forgotten but often ignored. Who has transcended its culture from such drudgery of history to live again in bright, fresh life? None. Not one.

China ignores its thousands of years of violence and awfulness. They place a smile on their face and move into the future ignoring all that preceded its current days. Russia, as well, masks the bad stretches of history, ignoring Stalin, Lenin and so many despots who killed millions of fellow citizens to claim hegemony over each other. And wealth. And control of minds and thought. A central power decides what is right and proper, and for whom. Not free minds of beauty and intellect. Just power and dominion over others. But don't forget the minds of beauty and intellect still exist and produce power thoughts.

And the USA? Founded upon slavery and class distinctions by birth and race, America has not yet forgotten its rotten past and inculcates it all in a restless memory of bad behavior. Today’s America still stirs with its racial past and uncivil treatment of people not considered mainstream. Ours is a nation of assumed privilege, earned status, class dominance. Rather than a nation of free persons urged and nurtured to breathe free and expansive lives, we are rendered into servitude of ideologies ill-suited to serve man’s peacefulness and goodwill yearned for so long.

How did we get here? And why do we not shirk the bounds of such negativity and assume the mantel of freedom and expansiveness?

We started with Britain’s tidiness. Its resolve for permanence. We end with the messy America not envisioned. But ever so real, and not getting better.

If it matters, let’s aspire to the better within us. Each and everyone of us.

Please?

December 28, 2017

Consider the Cow

Think about a cow. Green pasture, rolling landscape, and a cow. Large. Not graceful. Lumbering. Slow and plodding. Yes, I have seen a cow run, but it is not swift or fluid. Still lumbering to my way of thinking.

What does the cow do? Eat grass, sit idly by, stand and graze, munching grass most of the time. The face is fluid at such times. The jaw works side to side, and maybe a little down. Grass is chewed continuously. A slimy mess of green goo that slowly follows the gullet into one of the four stomachs. Nutrients are pulled from the grass. Biology does the rest and milk is produced. Of course, I’m thinking of a female cow. Not a male. I suppose the guys chew grass as well; but they do not produce milk. I’m not a farmer, but I’m not dumb. I know the difference between a guy and girl cow.

Well, let’s follow this scenario a little farther.

The cow has a big block of a head. Angular in places but soft and lightly furred for the rest of the face. The eyes are mesmerizing. Large, brown or black. Limpid and soft. Not judging to my mind. The jowls are somewhat tight, but give the face more character and movement. The nose is large as well, and squarish. Balance describes the face of a cow, don’t you think? Balance and calm.

I think of the weather surrounding the cow. Twelve months of heat, cold, rain, snow and sleet. Most cows weather these changes month after month without much ado. They accept their lot. They chew grass and produce milk. They are fed in a warm barn and milked on schedule. They are cared for and nurtured in their role. The farmer does so to protect his investment in the animal, but I wonder if he harbors feelings for the cow, too?

I do. I know I do. Every time I see a cow, I pause and think about its peacefulness. Whether raging storm or quiet meadow, the cow is stalwart and accepting. It looks at you with those big lazy eyes. It licks its chops and seems to hum as it looks for more grass to add to its cud. And it chews, again and again. Its task is to eat, chew, digest and make milk.

Wartime is noisy. There have been many wars. In city, town and country, war has visited many places on our planet. Where there are people there are cows. They have survived all the wars, the cows, not the people. They have always found grass. They produce milk to share with people. And they share their milk with their calves, too.

Think about that. Wars and cows. Pastures and battlefields. Political upset and violence. But the cows remain stalwart. They observe. But do they see?

I do not think the cow is dumb. I think she understands.

Her face registers drollery. Kind. Quiet. Peaceful. Like a shepherd in reverse.

The cow comforts. And faces her present and future with calm resolution.

I wonder if we could learn something from the cow?

Think about that.

December 27, 2017

 

Continuing…

Yesterday I began a review of what America’s future will involve with a renewed activism by its citizens. Eight topics were listed – Media, Higher Education, Science and Research, Economics and business development, Healthcare delivery industry, Governance standards, Immigration management and Religions. The first two were covered yesterday – Religion and Immigration. These two topics have unique relevance to American history. They are in our national DNA. The third topic to be covered is…

Governance Standards:  our government was founded by people just like you and I. Yes, the fellows were white, land owners, and some were slave owners. They were all immigrants, mostly from European lands. But the concepts that drove the founding of America and its constitutional way of life, were based on individual freedoms, and the idea that ours was a government of, by and for the people.

That form of government requires discipline from the government, not an institution, but you and I. We do some things to keep the government operating in the manner intended. And we vested that government with the power of renewal as well. We gave our permission to change through time. We could and did amend the constitution. It includes more now than when it was fresh ink. We also have a judicial system that continues to interpret and consider the meaning of terms in today’s language that were written hundreds of years ago.

Today, our primary job is to pay attention to what government is doing in our name. We elect people to do governance work. These are civil servants on the one hand, and elected officials on the other. Civil servants are in our employ to implement and execute the laws passed in our name. Those laws are written by the elected officials, those in congress. The House of Representatives and the Senate are the legislators who write our laws and provide oversight of government functions. They are our eyes and ears. They represent us in more ways than one, and they hold powers that interpret what is good for us. You and I do not have that say except at the ballot box. If we think a candidate will represent us well, we vote for him or her; and we do not vote for those we think will not represent our views and values.

This makes for a chaotic process. Politics is supposed to be about communicating the ins and outs of all issues prior to votes in legislature that enacts laws. But politics in the last 100 years (this can be argued as to length of term!) have devolved into a nasty mess. Elected officials say they will do one thing and vote another way. Such situations are counter to what the electors have voted for.

The arguments become arcane and ideological. Conservative or liberal, or libertarian? Or some other mindset of thinking? As politicians discuss the merits among themselves they create new protocols of fact and truth. Sometimes we citizens do not recognize the logic used by elected officials.

This is true of congress people and executive branch personnel. Observe our recent political past: polar opposites continually warring with each other. Then, when all seems lost, the players raise the stakes and say whatever comes to mind regardless of facts. They assert these statements as truth; disappointingly, too many of us believe this garbage. And the result? Trump is in the white house doing his best to destroy the USA.

He will succeed in this if we let him. Of course, I think we should and can fight. Here’s my plan:

·         Do not listen to the man. If he appears on the news, mute the TV or switch channels. He can’t lie to me or you if we are not listening. We have learned in one year’s time that he doesn’t say anything that is close to the truth.

·         If you desire outcomes from your government, define them and work for them. Best if you enlist the aid of your trusted congressperson. If such is unavailable to you, support a new, fresh face to represent you and your district. Support term limits. Support education, science and research projects. Do not support political parties or politicians and their salaries, benefits and pork barrel spending projects. 

·         The time to RESIST is upon us. And if we all remain true to it, we will make a difference.

You have your governance standards; so do I. Together we can make a difference. But it takes discipline and consistency. I want and expect good things from my government. It is the only way we will have peace on earth and goodwill toward all men. If either of these is absent, then something is very wrong with our government. It is not governing.

More reason to RESIST.

Thank you for listening and reading. I will write more on these issues in the coming days.

December 26, 2017

Merry Christmas 2017

There were times I wondered if I would get to this date. But I did. Our household is still a bit scattered. I’m home with bronchitis still overlaying emphysema. Rocky remains in a local nursing home recovering from flu, sinus infection and lung infection. He is improving. He is under nursing care because he is too weakened to walk on his own power, or even get up from a chair or take a seat without falling down. Physical therapy is truly helping him. We hope he will come home this Friday, December 29^th.

While he is recuperating, I am using a nebulizer every 6 hours to clear my lungs and sinuses. That seems to work well. Three times a day allows me to rest, nap and sleep the night through (kind of).

So here we are, two old guys trying to make sense of something very different from the norm. One of those differences is being away from family on Christmas. I traveled one holiday to spend with my parents in Arizona. The kids made me promise never to do that again! So, I didn’t; this year, however, is different; it is a matter of health. Something tells me we will encounter this again in the future. It is the way of life.

Although 2017 has been a challenging year for our family, we take comfort in knowing the American people suffer along with us. The vast majority of Americans do not like donald trump. They do not accept him as their president. He is, in fact, an anti-Christ of the political world.

This is a good thing in this sense: Americans are awakening to a new era of activism. They are not idly sitting back and letting trump and his minions take over the country. Instead, they are preparing for the time after trump. He will finish his term, or be impeached, or die. One of the three. “This, too, shall pass.” We need to be prepared for the time when the passing is over with and we get back to business.

Here are some elements to keep an eye on:

a.       Media

b.      Higher education

c.       Science and research

d.      Economics and business development

e.       Healthcare delivery industry

f.        Governance standards

g.      Immigration management

h.      Religions

Let’s look at each a little bit.

I’ll start with the last item. Religion is a deeply personal matter. At its core is personal faith and belief. It cannot be proven; that’s what makes it a matter of faith. In my studies of religion in general, I learned that each has common roots with one another. That is because mankind has struggled with the meaning of life from the very first day of the universe. How natural is this?

I also learned that my religious beliefs do not rely on yours or anyone else’s. You are free to follow your beliefs; so too, for me. And everyone else. That’s the way life is.

If any religion teaches supremacy over another, that faith is bogus. No religion detracts from another. We are all in this together and must bond together to build peace on earth, goodwill toward all men.

Yes, there are those who are misguided and think their religion is better or more true than another faith. They are wrong. No God would accept such judgment. That is the litmus test of truth: if a faith preaches power over others, it is a false religion. Simple but direct.

Second topic, immigration. I speak as an American. We sound like we don’t agree on much; that is the nature of our democracy. It is noisy and clumsy. Out of this chaos emerges consensus of thought. And that is what we need to focus on.

We agree on more than what we disagree.

America was built by immigrants for immigrants. It is a society of, for and by the people. That is our brand of democracy. And our birthright. No one can take that away from us. He who came here first has no more right than the last immigrant over the border. Indeed, each has the same right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in America. That is our truth as a nation.

Anyone who thinks otherwise is simply wrong. The strength of America is its open borders. Yes, some newcomers are nasty and threatening. But we take them in stride along with all of the other wonderful, good people. The melting pot will solve the quirks and chaos of clashing cultures. In the end we will have a strong and purposeful community. In the meanwhile we have governance and law and order to maintain. It is the price of our freedom.

Third topic, governance standards. But I’ll save those thoughts for the next blog posting.

Meanwhile, a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! Keep your spirits up!  This too shall pass. Amen!

December 25, 2017

Book Writing

When I was a young, married adult with very young children, my father began writing a memoir. He called it “Chip Off the Old Block.” It was a 600-page hand typed manuscript. He had it copied so each of the three kids had a copy, plus he and Mom each had a copy. At the time of his writing it, I kind of pooh-poohed it; I thought it was a personal indulgence with little value. I thumbed through the finished product, noted the factual errors and the archaic wording. I lost interest.

Many years later I found myself flying from Chicago to Phoenix for Dad’s funeral. I read his memoir from cover to cover, noting various passages I could use in a eulogy should I be asked for such. [I wasn’t, so my reading of the memoir was for self-education.]

I learned a few things from this. First, writing a memoir is an act of life completion for the author at the very least. Second, it is a personal search to discover one’s own lasting value of life. Third, the work is exhausting and not always of pleasure. Fourth, it is rarely appreciated by others.

Finding myself at the age of contemplation, my thoughts turned to writing my book. I didn’t jump into it; no, I fiddled around with writing a blog first. Now over 6 years later and 2 million words published on the internet (and 202,000 hits and counting…) I find myself at the precarious position: to write a book or not.

It is precarious precisely because of my own harsh judgment of my father’s effort. However, my assessment on his product was most likely correct. Whether I can be as objective in my own case remains to be seen.

For one, Dad was not a writer of published material. I am. Often and for many years. Yes, they were trade journal items, arcane but of utility to those specialized readers. Then I took a turn as a managing editor of a small, local newspaper. I wrote weekly columns, city hall beat articles, many obituaries, a compendium of local issues and their progress forward just to be certain the community was not losing sight of important matters usually lost in a sea of detail. Of course I also took my turn at writing the community calendar of events for three towns, all published in our paper.

There’s nothing like writing for a deadline. Also sobering is the stark reality of having tens of thousands of eyes reading your words, not all of them appreciative or supportive of the effort.

Writing a book is a different sort of task than writing for a newspaper. For one thing, handling a topic in a book requires a lot of detail. Explaining a topic, many terms, and a host of differing viewpoints, takes discipline, clear thinking and research. Instead of writing a 1000 words, I needed to write 5000 at a sitting, have it mean something, and retain cogency of structure, too.

Writing a few million words over 1900 blog postings is easy in comparison. Believe me this is true!

OK, so I’ve decided to write a book. I published the foreword the other day and disclosed the book’s title – Be of Use. I will continue this task and hope I rise to the occasion.

Until tomorrow and the next days, weeks and months, you will be witness to this creation. Or debacle. Let’s see which it will be!

December 22, 2017

Mini Update on Rocky

Rocky is doing much better. In rehab for physical therapy. Spirits are up and getting better. Good appetite. Took the dog to visit him last night. Pets welcome in this nursing home!  I don't know who was more delighted - the dog or Rocky! Interestingly, she was fascinated by the smells, people and activities around her. On her way out she checked each room on the hall and said hello to each of the residents! Caused quite a stir.

Rocky will remain in place past Christmas. Hope he comes home sometime next week, but others are in charge of that decision.

Thanks for our continuing prayers and good wishes!

December 22, 2017

Book Title?

Be of Use!

Long a tenet of protestant theology, the Pilgrims sailed for America from England and founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The ‘be of use’ phrase was a constant reminder that if anything were to be done, each person would have to do a share of the work. Or an entire task.

The community’s health and well-being depended all of the people working together for common cause. It worked. And the phrase stuck.

Be of Use is the title of this book [still a dream in progress]. It is my attempt to set out the why and wherefore of our common humanity and community ties in modern day America.

Why do this? Obviously, I feel the need. I am certain I have plenty of company. In the time of Trump, our bonds of identity are frayed. I think purposefully frayed as in guise of leadership and manipulation.

Such only works among people who are not certain of their identity. Understand that identity is personal and earned by each of us. It is not bestowed. Our parents might have told us we were cute, bright and amazing. But that was ear candy to get us motivated.

The real work was done by each of us over years of struggle and experimentation. We slowly learned about the world surrounding us. We came to know what we were good at, individually and as a team. In bits and pieces we gained self-knowledge and comfort. Comfort in our own skin, too; an important aspect of finding one’s identity.

Projecting outward from that point into the social order takes courage and energy, but slowly we each did this important developmental step. In time we blossomed into fully functioning adults.

We found not only our self, but our role in life. Our use. And then we needed to learn how to use that to build a full and enriching life.

What I do is almost automatic. If I am authentically me, then I act according to that inner guide. My life is thus filled with actions that produce outcomes for myself and my family and friends. And my neighbors, too. The broader this interaction moves outward from myself, the larger the community becomes. My community. Our community. We define it only because we are part of it.

Perhaps I create music, or pottery, or visual arts with paint or sculptured shapes. These become my languages through which I communicate with my community.

Perhaps your language is business, or agriculture, or the sciences. So many more to choose from. Each has its place in our ever-broadening social involvement. We become as complex as needed to perform the needs of the community. Cities are more complex than villages; states less complex than nations. But each has its needs and functions. And languages.

Governance becomes a growing need to keep things organized, orderly. Most likely it is law and order that comes to the front of our attention. Or maybe it is defense against outside attack. With that function – public safety – laws are written to keep things straight. Thus, a legislature becomes necessary.

Then an executive branch is called into being to implement the laws and enforce them. A judiciary is required to adjudicate the particular cases and build precedent case law.

You see how the complex of the whole takes on functional sense and direction? It is natural.

Also natural is a proclivity of many individuals to desire control and aggrandizement within the system. We call those folks politicians. Dealing with them is complex; some are self-serving; some are other serving. In time manipulation becomes a mainstay of the political scene. And then we don’t know who to trust, who to rely on.

Seems to me that is the pickle in which we find ourselves today. So, what do we do about that?

Well, read on for more questions and hoped-for answers. We can only struggle through this together. After all, we are the community. It all begins with us. And it moves to others only if we give it away or allow the taking in silence.

I prefer we live through this with our eyes wide open. Join me on this journey, won’t you?

George Safford

December 21, 2017

Yet another Rocky Update

This is Wednesday Dec 20^th. Rocky is still in the hospital but has been scheduled for transfer to Wynscape nursing home in Wheaton. There he will undergo physical therapy to regain body strength to handle home duties. This will take at least one week, maybe two.

Thanks to all who have helped us deal with this problem at this time of year. Family and friends have been invaluable. Bless you all. And thanks to Pam Kramer for her steadfast attention to both of us. We couldn’t have done this without you, Pam!

December 20, 2017

Separating the Chaff

Announcements today are almost all political in nature. Observe: Greatest Christmas Gift to the American People Ever! – a generous tax cut; There was no collusion with Russia; the tax cut will hurt the trump family, not help it; the tax cut will stimulate the economy, just watch it soar; the stock market growth in recent months is totally due to trump policies; tax cuts for employers will create new jobs; 6% growth of the economy is nearby. The headlines go on and on.

The only problem with them: they are most all contrary to fact. They are assertions of what some people want the rest of us to think. The truth of the matter lies in quite different landscapes.

Here’s something to think about: during the presidential election of 2016 trump claimed to have a plan for infrastructure repair, maintenance and replacement; also expansion. So far no plan has been discussed or unveiled. Yesterday’s derailment in Washington state he tweeted this accident would not have happened if his infrastructure plan had been enacted. He never proposed the plan so smoke and mirrors from his tweets!

Our nation does need fresh investment in infrastructure. Perhaps as much as $1 trillion worth. That investment would help all of us commute, travel and transact business and commerce. The earnings from this investment would build the economy, create jobs and improve wealth development throughout the economy.

Jobs development is needed in new industries making new products and services. This takes new skills and knowledge, not the old stuff. A new world is emerging and fresh new ways of working, doing business and building wealth is evolving. Supporting those developments makes good policy; so far such policy does not exist. Instead taxes will be cut with the hope that people and corporations will spend newfound funds on job creation and business expansion. Such is not in the offing. Nothing guarantees that the money will be spent in this fashion.

A healthy economy relies on a balanced economy. That does not describe our economy of today.

The rhetoric and the reality are very different. It I time we all know this and act accordingly. Congress should not pass the tax bill but rather explore better ways to invest in a renewed America.

December 19, 2017

Hospital Update

Yes, Rocky remains in hospital for a second day. May be transferred today, Tuesday; but from hospital to a convalescent facility where he will receive physical therapy. If successful he will be able to return home and care for himself. We have our fingers crossed. Maybe a week or two from now?

Thanks to all for their prayers and good wishes. All deeply appreciated.

December 19, 2017

Taking the Day Off

Rocky is in hospital overnight with flu and bronchitis and complications from diabetes. Should come home Monday afternoon. Meanwhile, I am getting over bronchitis with maybe a touch of flu. Both of us are on the mend. Now just organizing, housekeeping, and getting back to normal, whatever that is!

Thank God for our fantastic neighbor Pam. She is a lifesaver.

will catch up with everyone in a day or two.

December 18, 2017

Fuzzy Thinking and All

Still sick. Getting better. The most frustrating thing about this illness is the fuzziness of thinking. Caused I think by fever, followed by congested lungs (reduces effective oxygen exchange to the blood stream) and nasal congestion that pretty much caps the whole process.

Coughing it up, blowing it out, is how I spend my day. In younger days is was called cleaning the tubes. Well that well describes it.

Oxygen helps enormously. The machine (concentrator) produces oxygen and infuses it via the nose or my CPAP machine at night. The gadget that measures oxygen concentration in the blood measures lows of 80 without oxygen, but 92 to 96 with the help of the machine.

Without the machine, I don’t think so well; with it, things improve a lot!

That describe my fuzziness. But what describes the fuzziness all around us? Congress? Illinois State Legislature? Fox News? Alabama voters who nearly elected a pedophile? 48% of American electorate who did elect a self-avowed sex abuser to the White House?

Justice delayed is justice denied.

Women abused decades ago finally have the voice to speak now about their horrors. Their justice was denied. Now their voices are to be denied because of the time lapse imposed by judicial standards? What about kids who are abused? Where is the justice for them?

I don’t think I’m fuzzy thinking about these matters. Of course, those who do not agree with me think I’m fuzzy brained anyway.

Maybe so. But I think relying on accusations of fuzzy thinking alone to keep us from determining facts is the real crime committed these days. We need to know. Facts. Who did what to whom. When. Why. What were the circumstances. And then let the judicial process function as it is supposed to.

Like the Robert Mueller investigation of the White House ties to Russia before, during and after the 2016 Presidential Election. Let the investigation take its rightful course; assist it, get out of its way. Then let the court proceeding do its job.

If we don’t trust our own system, what then does that tell us about our commitment to our principles of America? What do we stand for?

While asking that question, why doesn’t the media ask this one question?

Why does the Republican leadership suddenly support massive tax cuts not fully paid for thus creating a massive surge in the national deficit? What is their game plan going forward?

Here’s a hint at the answer: when there is insufficient funds, what programs do you think Republicans want to cut the most? Education, health, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.

Now do you get the idea? Defunding government is as simple as 1-2-3.

Who’s fuzzy now?

December 15, 2017

Winter Gluck

The title does not do the subject justice. For those of you unfamiliar with Illinois winters, changing weather patterns, holiday congestion and all the rest, let's just say social interaction under such conditions can be perilous. Healthwise.

I think it started with the Live Nativity at the Warrenville Trinity Lutheran Church. Outdoors with a live cast - animals and persons. The weather was brisk – 24 degrees F, and a breeze of 6 miles per hour. Body heat quickly dissipated.

We did two performances and then called it a day. Sunday, we repeated the program – two performances, but the weather was only 31 degrees F and no wind.

The next day I noticed a scratchy throat. I thought I had injured it with a piece of crispy toast, but that proved wrong. I had a sore throat which I did not wish to admit. The entire family had told me not to do the Live Nativity. I have lung and cardiac issues and cold does not help the condition.

I did it anyway. Everyone else had been participating in this tradition for 23 years. A fun event and one with deep meaning for many. If my colleagues could do it, I reasoned I could as well.

By Tuesday I was sick by 2 pm. Clearly recognized symptoms. Fever, lung congestion, body aches, coughing fits that wracked the gut, then vomiting. I cancelled my schedule through Wednesday with options for the rest of the week. I soon took those options. Maybe with 6 days of rest and quiet I could recover faster and with less angst.

Wednesday, we managed to get a doctor’s appointment. She told us this was the flu on top of bronchitis and all the rest. Now it’s Thursday. I went to bed before 7 pm last night, arose at 6:15 am. Those who know me would recognize how odd that time pattern is. In bed by 8:30; up at 5, or earlier. Like clockwork.

Back to the gluck. That term is defined by hawking up yellow glop from the lungs, blowing it out of your nose as well, coughing fits that move the gluck around so it can be disposed of, nose blowing that hurts almost as much as coughing. Abdominal flab posing as muscle, ache worse than if they were muscle! All in all, not a nice set of symptoms.

At least we have pills and quiet. Out today for a chest X-ray, but other than that, we are in for the day.

This morning my only personal commitment is writing this blog. I have never missed a blog posting; late maybe, but here I am to speak with you! If you are sensitive about gluck, you probably would have wished I hadn’t written this blog.

Well, this is the real world in Illinois, USA in the winter. Not all pleasant. Challenging, yes.

For you I wish you a winter season free of gluck. Me? I’m in it now for the duration. Once its done, I won’t get another visit of it for 2 or three years. Now, just to get it over with before family Christmas commitments. You know how that is!

December 14, 2017

PS: I would be terribly remiss if I didn’t wish my son John a happy birthday! He’ll be surprised I remembered. I usually get his and his sister’s dates reversed. Her birthday is November 8^th; His is December 14^th. Now, if I have that wrong, again! You will hear about it in this space.

Happy Birthday, John!

Turning Point?

It is Wednesday, December 13, 2017. Democrat Doug Jones defeated Roy Moore for the US Senate seat in Alabama. The victory was narrow - 1.5 % or less separating the two candidates. But the result was momentous. The public hunkered down and voted its conscience. A suspected and accused pedophile lost the election. Swagger and savvy moved the public's power a tiny notch. But it was moved.

Now what do we do to make sure our ethical futures are better formed and monitored?

This is one seat in the 100 seats of the Senate. It is one seat of the 535 seats of Congress. Even though several elected congressmen have stepped down recently because of a personal taint with sexual abuse, there remain many more that must be coaxed to own up. Only then will we begin to truly turn the tide of gender power by men over women. Or any imbalanced power advantage in public service in which men or women suffer abuse at the hands of the powerful.

The White House has an accused sexual predator occupying the oval office. That's a shame we all feel - or ought to feel - shame over. Mr. trump should be investigated fairly and removed if found guilty of the accusations. He admitted foul manners; it was caught on TV tape. Surely proving the charges now will be easier?

I wrote a piece for this blog the other day on coming of sexual age. None of us has a walk in the park on this issue. We are all challenged with dealing with sexual awakening. It is personal and complex. We avoid talking about it to save embarrassment. But doesn't this set us up for secrecy that easily leads us astray in accountability?

Ignoring reality is the first step toward denying reality. That leads to much more serious consequences.

Think about this issue. The right person was elected in Alabama at this moment in history. It was a perilously close call. While Moore sits outside the power circle of America, many other flawed persons sit within that circle. Including the president of the United States.

We have much work ahead of us. Are you up for this task? Please say yes!

December 13, 2017

Saying What You Mean

The feeling is present. It is undefined in the moment but it is there just the same. Moving on to other duties of the day the feeling peeks out from time to time but remains mostly hidden. Its presence melts into the day’s context. Later, much later, in a moment of quiet, feeling pushes its way forward. The sensation has moved beyond feeling to thought, an idea. A word, perhaps, or a short phrase. The mind has been mulling the feeling for many hours and finally, a cohesive thought forms.

How is this then handled? Does the thought get written down, jotted on the edge of a scrap of paper? Or maybe, it’s an idea that is carried forward to a better, quiet time later in the evening? The kind of time used to ponder things of interest when you know you will have time to think. Maybe you have a routine in which you consider these things and write about them? Perhaps a blog? Or a diary?

Whatever the form, the idea is now front and center and ready for articulation.

Articulation. A good word. Parsing the thought with words that exactly describe what you have been thinking. Maybe the exact words do not come readily. Maybe a phrase, but not full sentences or paragraphs yet. The mind is struggling for exactness of expression.

Writing is both a joy and work. Sometimes the words flow effortlessly; often they come in spurts. Such is apt expression of unformed thoughts. They cannot be expressed fluidly until they are embraced and understood. Then terms flow like a river, coursing through the twists and turns of life fully explaining their journey. The logic engulfs the ideas. They have a meaning pressing for expression. These ideas must break free of the mind.

Thus, a script, an essay, a letter or a novel comes to life; indeed, comes fully into being. The act of doing this is oddly pleasant. A group of colleagues struggle with the meaning of a problem, and how it can be communicated to others. A lot of discussion follows. Then, someone in the group silently pulls words together, then a phrase and finally a sentence. The group looks up and sees how fitting the sentence is. Now they push on to a larger explanation, a paragraph, whatever it takes to fully communicate the concept. They are back to work pressing forward.

A concept is born; words follow; more words describe and expand meaning. Written material results. So it goes; people working out details, the logic of them, their logistics and chronology. There is a precision in all of this. When missing, the minds continue to struggle for resolution. The words must match meaning or minds continue to flail for the right words, the right sequence.

When the words are right you know by feeling them. Sometimes you eye the phrase for an improvement and find none available. The words remain right for each other; they mean what you needed to express. Others agree. You are home.

Usefulness of words improve with use. Reading and writing frequently ease the creative task. Ideas flow smoother. Written words then follow. Too much thought on the process and the task suffocates in effort. A clean page is then needed.

This ability to write clearly is a gift at first, then a useful tool in so many activities. What comes next? Applying the skill to situation. A journalist’s story or report. A speech to colleagues, or the public, or to a special group of people who will know your special jargon and terms. How is meaning conveyed? What is needing to be conveyed? What is the intentionality of the communication? Is there an honest intent to inform and help others understand something of importance? Is that subject matter complex and difficult to grasp?

Think about that. The author has purpose in writing the material. Is this a trade journal? A user manual article? Perhaps this is a news story. Or maybe propaganda in which the author intends to mislead the reader to a conclusion otherwise unsupported. Is this the purpose of the piece? How do we tell?

How can we tell in this media age of ill formed ideas and news? Who is telling the truth and who is not? Is this merely a matter of opinion? Or is there factual basis to the words?

Understanding is not just in the writing. It is also in the reading. And comprehending.

December 12, 2017

Coming of Age

Yes, I mean coming of sexual age. When does that happen? When did it happen for you? Do you recall this? Were you a child, pre-adolescent, adolescent, later teens or early twenties? Or maybe even later?

Were you an early bloomer or late one? What kind of memory do you have of these days. Were you aware of what was happening? Did you talk to anyone about it? Or did you keep it secret?

I kept mine secret. I didn’t know what the feelings were or what to do with them. So, I wondered and worried. Fretted, too, to be honest!

I recall an awakening when I was 5 or 6 years old. I won’t go into details here, but I remember thinking this was a very ‘adult’ thing happening to me and I wondered about it. Another time I was climbing on an old car with steep sides and trunk lid. I recall a physical reaction slipping and sliding on the surface of that car. I must have been maybe 7 or 8 then. Is that even possible? Again, no details here for polite society.

I also remember curiosity about the human body, its form in public presentations like movies. Tarzan movies come to mind. I wondered why I felt closer to Tarzan rather than Jane? Attraction was nebulous at that age but there was still an attraction even if I didn’t have the words to describe it.

Later in life these feelings and attractions welled up. Much more pronounced. An inescapable thought was forming in my mind that I might be attracted to other males. The term ‘gay’ was not then in use; homosexual was, but even then, the word was so rarely used that the dictionary was used to see what it meant and how it was spelled.

By 17 I pretty much knew I was gay; but I didn’t want to be. It would bar me from having a family, kids, home and the usual American dream. So, I suppressed the thoughts. I wondered about the Lord’s Prayer and what “deliver me from evil” meant. Maybe this was that evil?

With nothing to go on and no parental discussion – much too afraid to approach the subject! – I merely suppressed all thoughts about sex.

My attention became riveted on studies, education, degrees, and working with people. My church experience often taught us to lead lives of usefulness. The old protestant admonition was “Be of Use.” And that’s what I turned toward.

My bachelor’s degree was in economics and sociology. My vocation was detoured for a time on seminary and theological studies. I met my wife to be at that time, got married and we had two kids. Family life was engaged, a house was bought, and all the responsibilities that go with that. The American dream was being attended to.

Then I earned a master’s degree in large organization communications. I continued to work for the University of Illinois at Chicago and enjoyed that career phase enormously. We accomplished much in those days socializing and enculturating the campus. It had been totally commuter oriented; no dorms; only study lounges and nap rooms. Students wanted more, needed more; so, we built dormitories. By the time those were opened for use, I had moved on to another phase of my career. Still helping people.

You see how life took over from the deeply personal? You begin to understand that suppression of basic urges can be placed so deep they don’t have time to emerge from their slumber?

That’s when something began to niggle at my mind. I had inklings of a sexual nature. I began to explore what they were and what they meant. I must have been about 37 or 38 at the time. Still young enough to have energy and stamina for such explorations. Little time, though. So very little time, and no privacy for such things.

In time, I came to realize I was gay and that married life was incompatible with that reality. It took many years to resolve but by the time I was 50 our marriage ended and my ‘new’ life was given an opportunity to explore.

I don't recall forcing my attentions on anyone. I don’t recall having such forced on me, either. It was a mutual exploratory experience. Odd but riveting. And at my late age.

Today, sexual abuse claims abound in public life. The public wonders how this could be. Well, it is a reality for all of us when coming of sexual age. The process is long and difficult. It is exciting and scary at the same time. It is natural but seemingly unnatural, too. Add gay to the mix and you only minimally grasp how ‘unnatural’ that seems to those of us who were raised in the mainstream. Very odd and worrisome.

Straight or gay sex is not the issue. Sex is the issue. How we express it. How we deal with it. How the privacy and autonomy of others is respected and protected. So many things to think about. The American society – all societies, really – are probably 95% straight and 5% gay. Gradations between the two opposites exist – bisexual, transsexual, a little gay, a lot gay, a little straight, a lot straight. Each of us has our own polarity to some degree. I don’t understand it nor do I profess to understand it. I only know my own story. My own life. My own feelings both emotional and physical. That’s all I can bring to the table.

The rest of us remain to wonder about the challenges each of us undergo coming to age. Will it be satisfactory? And if so, for whom? Not an easy question to answer. And more questions yet stream forward!

Maybe it’s time our society had a conversation about this delicate subject? How else can we expect anything good to happen; and the awful to be less present in our lives?

December 11, 2017

Bits and Pieces

Failing Inner City Schools

When a neighborhood school suffers from low attendance numbers, the school becomes too limited to work well for the remaining students. Such schools should be closed and their resources combined with the system to provide better education to the whole. School choice has helped create this issue. This is good for those students. The downside is evisceration of some local school buildings.

The answer is developing magnet schools throughout the city to accommodate students with specific interests and talents. Busing the kids is a must under this scenario. I see no other answer.

One answer for now is closing the underperforming schools. They are no longer viable and their resources must be shared back into the system to make better opportunities available to all the students in the system. This is not a neighborhood thing. It is a resource management issue that, when managed properly, will help education respond to the needs of the students and society.

Football Losses for Bears

Does it really matter whether the Bears win or lose? How much money is spent on this losing team? It has lost more games than it has won. This is true for its entire history as a team. If winning is so important, then do something about it. Otherwise, please leave it alone. Sports is not the be-all and end-all of modern day life. Jobs, food, education, careers, and social issues are. Not sports and their scores. I realize I'm in the minority here, but...

Challenger for Rauner 

Governor Rauner will have a primary challenger in Wheaton resident Jeanne Ives. She purports to be disgusted by the lack of accomplishments by our erstwhile governor. I agree Rauner has been nearly worthless in office. But replacing him with Ives is a larger mistake. Her conservatism is so vile and lopsided, it will make our broken state worse and lower its status to below junk bond rating. She is a government minimalist. She won’t be satisfied until all schools are private. All taxes will be minimized to fire, police and military. What she plans for roads, infrastructure and governance ala mode is anyone’s guess. This is a guess left well alone I think.

Quiet Fly Zone at Ohare

Economic development in the Chicago region has placed heavy bets on a dynamic and efficient regional airport. Ohare has the funding. It has the mission. Area residents, however, have always wished for a quieter Ohare. That will only come with quieter planes. Or a depression that avoids all planes operating in our region. Or maybe we should just move Ohare to an open area in neighboring farmlands, say 50 miles west of the city? But then, won’t that spur economic development there and away from Chicago and its suburbs?

Perhaps the residents near Ohare should sell their property to Ohare and allow it to prosper and grow in place. The residents will need to relocate of course; but I wonder; will they do so far away from plane traffic? Or will they remain nearby in spite of their complaints?

Morality Play or Abuse of Politics?

This is an ‘or’ question. Evidently morality in politics has already been decided. It is OK for elected officials to pander and dilly dally with sexual partners of choice (or abuse) because their votes and ideologies are more important to key decision makers. The president says so; and of course, he would know because of his own dilly dallying. Roy Moore is acceptable in trump’s eyes because the morality doesn’t matter; only the votes.

If that’s true, then what do we do with the cultural icons who make our symphonies and opera companies so excruciatingly wonderful? Or maybe the definition of ‘votes’ doesn’t extend that far?

December 11, 2017

Defunding Government

Let’s see where we are at this moment.

We are in the process of lowering tax revenues to the federal government. This will also lower tax revenues to the several states and many municipalities. The spending net and financial support of many public programs radiate from DC throughout the land. Police funding, public housing, public education supports, research and development (mostly in space and military but these have practical use in just about everything else), transportation subsidies for roads, bridges and other vital infrastructure.

When these dollars are no longer available, then infrastructure will suffer and crumble. Local citizens will have to ante up for new roads, bridges, dams, power stations and what not. Public schools will suffer dwindling budgets, fewer teachers, and more private schools. You want the education, you must pay for it. Yourself. If you support public schools, your local tax revenues will be needed. California, New York and Illinois already know these things.

Healthcare funding will fall significantly. Gone will be Medicare and Medicaid programs. Forget the fact that Medicare and Social Security are funded directly by user premiums through FICA taxes on paychecks. Both the employer and the employee pay for this. Not the federal government. The feds provide the administration of the programs, but such are paid for via the premiums paid.

Medicaid is a healthcare program designed to support welfare recipients. Recall these are unemployed persons, children too young to care for themselves, and the elderly who have outlived their finances. These expenditures do not only support welfare recipients. Not all persons on welfare are ne’er do wells and lazy people taking advantage of the system. A reality check is needed here. Forget the anecdotal stories. Focus on facts and statistics.

What about agencies that protect the public. The FDA – Food and Drug Agency, DEA – Drug Enforcement Agency, FAA – Federal Aviation Agency, EPA – Environmental Protection Agency, HHS – Health and Human Services, HUD – Housing and Urban Development, and all the other alphabet soup agencies. Each is tasked to serve public needs and keep them safe and healthy. What about FEMA, education, and so many others?  Agriculture? Military?

Well, I guess we know what will be done with the military. It will survive and become larger. And let’s see, what about international and foreign relations? I suppose these will survive as well although the United Nations seems to be a target these days for elimination from American life.

With all the budget cutting – needed because the revenues have been eliminated – one wonders what will be done with congress and the white house? Will these be dinosaurs, too? Will these be trimmed back to skeleton numbers? One can only wish!

Big government or little? What is your wish?

This is the key question and one conservatives have been asking and forcing forward for many decades. Are you prepared to answer their question? What do YOU want? A small government that has little muscle and no interference with your life? Or a government large enough to manage the large and complicated matters none of us or our regional governments can handle on their own?

This is the question. Has been for some time. The defunding of the federal government has been the aim of conservatives for a long time. The time is now.

Also, kindly remember Ronnie Reagan and what he did. He cut federal taxes, too, when they were much higher. He defunded federal programs but MANDATED they continue at the state level. Of course, the states were to fund them on their own. And they did by raising state income taxes and heavy increases to local property taxes.  Do you recall those days when this happened? That was the ‘80’s. Most of you were too young to know of this debacle. But it was a new reality then. And Reagan earned praise from nearly every corner.

We are still paying the bill for that shift in responsibility and funding. Remember there is no free lunch. One way or another we all pay for what we get.

The big questions today is – what do we want?

Frankly, I don’t have much confidence in the American people to know what they want. They have been distracted by too many other things, most of those self-centered. Perhaps I’m wrong and the people will respond with a loud chorus of good news?

Please! Prove me wrong.

December 7, 2017

Where Are the Expert Witnesses?

I write about the debacle currently moving through congress at lightning speed – the federal tax reform legislation. First the House proposed its bill and rammed it through without hearings, analysis or public debate. Then the Senate did the same but the bill was much different than the house version. On a strict political party vote, both houses of congress approved their bills with unanimity of republicans and no democrat support.

The measures now must be reconciled and a final form of the bill agreed upon. The vote will need to be taken in each house on the reconciled bill. Will it pass then? Most likely; such things are usually still the strange animal of partisan politics. No compromise. No intelligent discussion. Certainly no public input in this particular case.

What angers me the most is simply this: we have experts in the nation who, for the most part, are employees of the people. These experts are researchers and faculty members at prestigious educational institutions from coast to coast. Bankers of the highest caliber can do a creditable analysis of the legislation and offer the public their opinion and calculations as to the effects of the legislation on the body politic, consumers all, if the new bill is passed.

Economists of several stripes can also offer their opinions, expert analysis and projections of the effects of the legislation. There are other academic disciplines which could easily analyze the legislation and make good sense of what it is, what it means, and what its impact will likely be on the lives of 330 million Americans.

Do you recall any such sharing of opinions from these people? I don’t. The fact is the media did not seek this expert input to the public discussion on the subject. All the media did was express disdain for important legislation being shoved down the throat of the county strictly along party lines. Ideologues and pundits shared their opinions that the bill was flawed and should never see the light of day. But the media only chose to report on what politicians were claiming and saying.

You do know that politicians are not experts in much of anything, don’t you? They are not academicians, researchers, economists, bankers, investors, social workers, theologians or anything else. They are professional politicians with some background in a career, vocation or profession they abandoned to take on the mantle of the politician. Not a good basis from which to report on a complex matter of tax reform.

And because tax reform affects the lives of all 330 million citizens, it would be appropriate if congress had sought some input from us, don’t you think?

We have a very serious problem in America. There is serious disbelief and distrust among the people for their own government. And, of course, there is a matching disbelief and distrust by our elected officials of the American public. They don’t think we know enough to govern our own country. In turn, many of us don’t think many elected officials are capable of governing the nation.

It is not a standoff. The Constitution gives the elected officials the authority because we elected them to office to implement the constitution. Most of those elections, however, did not involve people who understood the people, the issues or the authority of those they were granting power to. That’s our bad; the American people can and need to do better. If you vote, you must study the issues and vote accordingly. If a politician doesn’t understand the issues they should not be elected. And if the choice among candidates is poor, then we, the electorate, need to ensure good people are encouraged to run for office for all of the right reasons. If they break their trust with us, then we elect them out of office next time around.

This is hard work. To vote is an important duty. It requires understanding the issues. And it requires we know and trust the person for which we cast a ballot. If we can’t do that, we should not vote in that election.

I dread saying this, but I fear we are experiencing a massive failure on the part of the electorate to do their work. Crooks and self-serving people currently hold most of the offices on the federal level of government. That is very bad for our form of government. A democracy needs serious voters.

With that failure, government is failing the people. It is also failing our culture, values and history.

Think of the people who gave their lives so we have the freedom and liberty to live our lives in a free society. Do you honestly think they would be proud of us and our nation today? I doubt it deeply.

I’m embarrassed for my nation. I am uncomfortable facing the rest of the world community knowing that we have failed them, too. America is no longer the home of the free and brave. It is the home of cowardly, ignorant people who see themselves better than others and making certain they get their pot of gold before anyone else.

It’s not pretty. I feel shame for my country. And I shudder at the work and cost our kids and grandkids will have to struggle with to fix this mess. It will take at least a generation, probably two to repair America to its once proud position. I hope this work will be done. But I no longer feel certain that hope is well founded.

Meanwhile, where is the media in all of this? Why did they allow this epic fail to occur without a clarion call?

December 6, 2017

Reality Begs Recognition

I’ve written this blog for over 6 years. I do it to keep rein on my sanity. So many things happening all at once distracts focus on all of them. What does each happening mean? What does it foretell for the future? And then, that’s just one item; what of all the others?

Each has a meaning, a value. It will affect something else, like ripples on a pond’s surface. When ripples intersect other concentric ripples begun by other happenings, we have a network of happenings and ripples. A network of chaos.

Precisely in such moments totally different happenings occur. Which is more important? Which demands immediate attention? Which is forever, and which not?

All good questions. But none possible for answer. No. there is no proper answer for so many things happening all at once. At some point, we throw up our hands and deal with what is in front of our face. That’s the issue that gets our attention. We have no choice.

Oh, but we do!

We can ignore all of them and see how and where they wind up. At least we will have more information to work with under that scenario. Or we can scan all the issues and prioritize them. What is their value relative to one another? Surely, we have some time available to ponder that question. Once done we have a good idea which items deserve our attention early on. Attending to them will make all the rest a bit easier.

Think of FEMA and first responders to any emergency. They confront chaos at the start and sort things through, dealing with the most important items in priority order. That’s the management approach we need to implement at times such as these.

Times such as these? What times are we speaking of?

Well, now, that’s a golden question. Let’s see if I can shed some light on a possible answer or two.

Our times are marked by natural disasters that foretell worsening conditions. Global warming is one such disaster. You may not believe it so it doesn’t matter to you. But with melting ice caps come rising sea levels and flooding in coastal areas. That’s the minimum result if global warming is a fact. Another fact will be larger and more powerful storms such as hurricanes and tornadoes. Dry weather in some areas will turn forests and grasslands into kindling for forest fires and raging prairie infernos. We have witnessed both in 2017. And floods once the rains do come and fall on burned areas with no absorption capacity from trees and plant life.

The results of global warming will be lived through one way or another. It doesn’t take belief in global warming to have to face the facts once they alter your life.

We have undereducated citizens at every turn. Schools are not turning out logical students; some, but not all. The result? A work force unwilling and unable to adjust to changing circumstances and challenges.

An inventive society – one that is curious and creative with the unknown – builds new futures from raw needs. An uninventive society leaves new ideas and breakthrough discoveries to other countries and peoples.

We are witnessing this shift in global culture. We are seeing public sentiment move against education and research. We are experiencing a backlash toward science and logic. At times it seems America is walking away from the competition. If that is true, then one wonders if Americans are giving up on themselves? Is this our new reality? A nation of wimps not willing to dig in and do hard work?

Here are just some of the challenges we could respond to and master for our own good and for competitive economic gains in the global economy:

·         Answers to global warming

·         Creative sources of new, unending energy; clean and healthy

·         Housing alternatives that support community life and social interaction

·         Career development that brings each worker to the creative playing field and capable of life-long career shifts and re-creation

·         Life-long learning which maintains mental acuity and creativity for the long term

·         Transportation means that increases movement of people without clogging roads, garages and landscapes

·         Food production in previously unproductive soils (deserts and mountains)

·         Sustainable living conditions – unpolluted soil, air and water

·         Focus on happy, healthy people

Each of these topics holds a motherlode of opportunity.  Interesting. Life-giving. Productive. Useful. Profitable. Both here at home and in other nations.

Why not answer the call of challenge? Why give in to chaos?

Which reality would you rather be a part of?

December 5, 2017

Economic Growth

What kind of economic growth do we have? What kind do we want? Ask these two questions of economists and you will get very interesting answers. Ask this of senators and congressmen in DC and you will get a totally different viewpoint. Several of them in fact.

Here’s why. Economic growth, and the stimulation of growth in general, is done via tax policy and Federal Reserve interest rate manipulations. These are the two basic levers of the domestic economic growth machinery. They need to be manipulated if the economy isn't doing this for itself. However these actions must be made with care and serious calculations. 

Tax people more and you remove money from circulation. This moves stunts or dampens economic activity. This move generally is used to slow down a runaway economy and slow down or kill inflation. Cut taxes to do the opposite – that is, put more money in people’s pockets and they spend it thus increasing economic activity. Tax policy is complicated and affects many different consumer and investor behaviors. One size does not fit all circumstances.

Tax policy shifts are not the right lever to use if the economic circumstances don’t fit the need.

For example, current economic conditions do not show inflation. We have had an unusual period of stagnating prices, and lowering of prices in key markets. Thus, the issue of inflation was nearly considered a deflationary period. Thinking back on my 74-year life I don’t recall a general deflationary period in our economic history.

We have plenty of loose cash in our economy at this moment. Perhaps as much as 5 trillion dollars. This is cash corporations are sitting on wondering what to do with it. Lately, they have exercised stock buy backs and expensive mergers. The former forces current stock owners in a company to decide where they will next invest their new-found funds. They most likely will not spend it but plow it back into the investment market. No new jobs or corporate expansions will take place from their decisions.

If a merger is the result, the purchased company will likely be reorganized within 18 months and jobs will be trimmed. Negative investment will result and unemployment follows. The previous owners of the merged company will have a boat load of cash to disperse but most likely they will invest it in the market rather than starting a new company. Net result is no growth to the economy, and most likely some dampening of the economy.

Two or three trillion dollars belonging to American firms reside now in foreign lands. These funds remain in foreign territory because repatriating them to the US will cause large tax levies. Such funds remain overseas to be used in expansion of operations there owned by the US firms. Lowering the taxes on such funds might repatriate them to the US banking industry, but such funds will only add to the surplus of unused cash.

Surplus cash lying idle causes interest rates to decline or remain low. Such is the case currently and has been so for several years. Low demand for funds means low interest rates. Witness mortgage and auto loan rates. Also, witness low savings interest rates at banks (.2%) Not long ago saving accounts earned 3% to 6%. Certificates of Deposit often were 5% to 9%. Not so today.

Federal Reserve policies can be manipulated to affect higher or lower interest rates, but when they are currently so low, there is not much they can do to stimulate the economy.

The reality is no stimulation is needed at this time. Any stimulation will likely cause inflation, a condition where too many dollars are chasing too few goods; prices will rise. Period. That’s how it works.

Our economy is growing already. It does not need stimulation. The fact that various areas of economic activity are stagnating indicates something is wrong. Knowing what is wrong is of critical importance. Fixing the wrong thing will only make things worse.

Our economy has been wracked by heavy changes in technology, career shifts, and global competition. We need to digest the effects of technology and changing career patterns. Redirecting new vocations and absorbing these available workers into the economy will take a few years and a lot of training and education. That’s the investment we need to be making at this time. Not lowering taxes and making wealthy people wealthier.

Besides, lowering taxes is more likely to create inflation and debilitate both the wealthy and poor.

The American economy faces many opportunities and challenges. Responding to them with new investment is what’s needed to re-balance the economic engine.

Politicians do not understand this. They just want their constituents to see them as tax cutters. Little do they know how damaging such actions are at a time like the present.

December 4, 2017

The Whole World is Watching - Special Saturday Post

I don't usually post on Saturdays but with the Senate passage of their 'tax reform' package, I had to say something.

As America tests resolves with allies all over the globe, she tests resolve with her own people.

That is the sad conclusion I reached today. The evidence?

·         A tax cut unearned by the beneficiaries

·         A tax hike on those least able to pay it

·         An economic stimulus totally ill-suited to the needs of the nation

·         A loss of purpose and mission in Congress

·         An all-time drop in confidence in the federal government by citizens

·         Wanton sexual dysfunction by people of power at all levels and across all societal norms

·         Inability to focus on the real problems that the nation faces

·         Healthcare systems attacked and damaged; instead of repair, further attack to damage them further

·         Greedy corporations who have fed at the government trough for years now own the same government; lock stock and barrel, no accountability to their stockholders, their workers, their customers or the citizens who bear the full cost of governance

·         Global distrust of a nation and its morals that once were the standard of the world

·         Fact and truth twisted and misrepresented at all turns

·         Reciting lies as truth until the audience believes it as truth

There is more. Much more. Reciting them only gets us a longer list of disappointments. A nation turned upside down. A culture disbelieving its own truth because truth is now a commodity conforming to those who have the funds to purchase it and shape it to their will.

We are witnessing unhinged behavior at every turn. Definitions no longer represent bedrock: up is now down, and vice-versa; in is out and out is in, beautiful is ugly and – oh never mind. You got the point!

So here we are. Bedrock reality is a ghostly scrim. We have only our own inner thoughts and convictions. Maybe trusted fellows and family will gather for strength. No; even family does not know who to trust; they oppose one another in many ways. Not just political or governance, but also in emotion and want of love and support. Sisters against brothers, sisters against sisters, reaching for more of what they think will satisfy their needs but, greed became the goal. The picture comes to focus; a family in disrepair and no longer pinned to one another. Over and over again this pattern presents itself.

If the family is thus, whither the nation?

Indeed. Wither the nation?

Have you asked yourself lately what will cause you to act in response to such calumny? A betrayer of all we believe in is manipulating the worst human traits among us. A free-for-all is happening before the feeding frenzy plays out; each wants his piece of bacon, to hell with the other person.

What do we do in this situation? What are the legal recourses available to us? How quickly can they be enacted? Will anyone be listening and authorized to activate the mechanisms to implement solutions? Or will all be lost? And who, then, enters the scene to control the spoils of an inner war among a people who were too asleep or drugged on sated desires to realize what was happening?

Is this accurate reporting on the situation? Or is this emotion run amok?

Who is left to know?

December 2, 2017