Meanderings

The Way It Works: The Constitution created three equal branches of government – Legislative (Congress’ two houses), Executive Branch (White House and its departments), and Judiciary (Supreme Court on down). All three must agree with an act of legislation for it to pass into law and implementation. The House and Senate must approve a negotiated bill as amended by compromise before it is sent to the President for signature or veto. If veto, the White House and Congress negotiate further to see if they can save the bill; if so, it is changed so all can agree. If not, the bill fails unless Congress can muster the votes to overpower the President’s veto. Once enacted, the bill is implemented by the Executive Branch and all of its appropriate departments (usually Cabinet Level departments). Once implemented, the law’s effect may be found harmful to some and court action may lead to court decisions that will kill the law or lead to amendments to fix the problem.

That’s how the government functions at the upper levels. Of course, operating departments in the Executive Branch have broad authority to act until limited by legislative change or court decisions. All of the latter takes time which allows the damage to continue from the legislation until stopped by court action or unilateral decision of the Executive Branch.

Although 95% of government action is in the details of enacted law, the other 5% starts in the upper levels of government – Congress, Executive Branch and Judiciary. Electing the right people in Congress and the White House is the all-important first step. All of the rest follows.

Vote November 3^rd for the leadership you deserve.

Stock Value Insanity: Stock bubbles have come and gone for hundreds of years. Boom and Bust cycles come and go. Some worse than others. Some much gentler. What is happening today is shaping up to be a major disaster of a bust. Stock values continue to climb. Stocks representing both new and old industries and companies. I understand the rising values for new industries and technology. I don’t understand how old companies continue to swell in value when they are about to fall into the dust of history. Like General Electric, the future is bleak. It has failed it’s mission to be the bellwether of future commerce and industry. It is a shell of its glorious past. It is not alone. Many firms have not kept up with the stunning pace of change. They will be lost along with their dwindling stock values.

Yet investors bid most stocks ever upward. Am I alone in thinking this is myopic and not sane behavior?

Distraction = Failure: While noise is made in the media over pandemic, crime, protest and elections, We The People are playing around with Facebook, binge watching TV, eating and complaining. Why are we not paying attention to the most important tasks before us? Voting, understanding current events in proper perspective, focusing on the emergence of our careers and adapting to change, knowing ourselves fully and loving our families.

Diddling around with distractions without focus on their effects spells certain failure – of our lives, our homes, our nation, our government. The global village awaits the combined outcome of our actions. What will be that outcome? Are we equal to the task at hand?

Maybe. Maybe not. It is up to you.

August 25, 2020