Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Some Interesting Dichotomies


Many ideas flow on the Internet. Some are very clever; they make me laugh out loud! Others pull at the heartstrings while still others pique deeper thought. I’ll try a few out on you. See if you find them as curious and tempting as I do.

Renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright:
“If capitalism is fair, then unionism must be. If men have a right to capitalize their ideas and the resources of the country, then that implies the right of men to capitalize their labor.”

In other words we can make a market for key resources – labor, money, commodities, land, homes and buildings. Why not consumers, then? And voters?
Just a thought!

From an ecard site on the web, www.someecards.com:
“If voting for the GOP is the ‘path to prosperity,’ why are most GOP-leaning states the poorest and most uneducated?”

Check this assertion out on the Web. Statistics surrounding this statement suggest it is correct. Just saying…..

On March 13, 2012 Mitt Romney stated:
“Planned Parenthood. We’re going to get rid of that.”

On March 28, 2012 President Obama stated:
“If you truly value families, you shouldn’t play politics with a woman’s health.”

President Obama also said:
“No, you can’t deny women their basic rights and pretend it’s about your ‘religious freedom.’ If you don’t like birth control, don’t use it. Religious freedom doesn’t mean you can force others to live by your own beliefs.”

Well these three quotes sum it up pretty well, I think. Believe what you will, politically or religiously, or philosophically; but don’t even try to legislate it. That is imposing your belief system on everyone else. How can anyone say that is fair?
And if you doubt that, ask a woman for her opinion on this controversy!

Rachel Maddow made this statement on her TV show:
“Here’s the thing about rights. They’re not supposed to be voted on… that’s why they call them rights.”

Rights are provided in the US Constitution. As a nation the document itself was voted on for ratification. After that, however, it is the law of the land subject to interpretation by the US Supreme Court only. Rights in all other respects are not subject to public vote; if they were the majority would always crush the minority. And that’s the reason why rights are not subject to popular votes. Rachel gets it. Why don’t conservative state legislatures and congress understand these basics?

“Lately Romney keeps referring to President Obama and his ideas as being ‘foreign’ but what’s really foreign are the countries that Romney invests in and the places he outsources our jobs to.”

While Romney worked at and owned Bain Capital, foreign outsourcing of American jobs was common. Now his wealth is deposited all over – in America to be sure, but also in Swiss bank accounts and Bahamian banks and other off-shore financial institutions. It is legal to do so. But why won’t he engage in a public discussion about this practice? Is this good policy for America? From someone desiring to be the President? And tax reporting – why does he get a free pass on ignoring the legitimate interest of the American voter? We want to see his tax returns to determine if he paid his fair share or if he dodged via many loop holes available only to the rich? How transparent and honest is Mitt Romney? We may never know. He hides.

George Carlin (1937-2008) wisely said:
“If you have selfish, ignorant citizens, you’re gonna get selfish, ignorant leaders.”

I know Carlin was often profane. But he got people’s attention. His wisdom was bottom line and spot on.  Basic and clearly understandable. I miss him.
           
From the social commentary cartoon folks who gave us Maxine (Hallmark Cards):
“Let me get this straight. You want to defund Social Security, and take people’s security in the future away;
            You want to defund Medicare and take away their security now;
You want to defund Planned Parenthood so that we have more unwanted children and more sexually transmitted diseases;
You want to defund education so only those who can afford a private education will be educated;
            You want to defund HUD and put poor people onto the streets;
            And you want everyone to have the ability to buy assault rifles?

            What the hell could possibly go wrong?”

Well for one, the Aurora, Colorado rampage in the theater; Columbine High School massacre for another; Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVey for yet another. Rage is hard to contain on the road or in the gun store or other public places. We treat these elements lightly at our own peril. And that’s just the guns and ammo discussion. The education, Social Security, Medicare, Planned Parenthood, HUD, National Endowment for the Arts, et. al. are just the separate topics acting as explosives for the well-armed and hateful. What a commentary on modern life in the USA!

Franklin D. Roosevelt gave us this pearl of wisdom:
            “The best customer of American industry is the well paid worker.”

Bottom line this thought is gold. If manufacturers want to move the merchandise they have made, if retailers desire strong sales, then employers need to pay their employees good base pay and build strong future oriented careers. Together these work to produce a sound economy in which all parts are well rewarded. Focusing on the needs of only a few creates imbalances that spin the system out of control to our common detriment.

All owners of resources needed in the American enterprise must be willing to take risks if they are to earn rewards. That includes owners of labor as well as capital. And to enrich labor by education makes capital worth more as well.

We need to pay attention.

August 22, 2012

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