One Way Congress Could Be Useful...

Tina and I just finished playing one of our favorite games.  If you haven't tried "Ticket To Ride: Europe", you should.  We have a lot of fun and it's fairly easy to catch on to.  That's good if your mind works like mine.

As I was putting the game up in our front closet I had to confront the leaning tower of Pisa.  Every game's box is a different size!

And then it came to me!  If Congress were to consider and pass a bill creating standard dimensions for game boxes it would be great.  It's a law that would actually benefit everyone in America by reducing the cluttered look of game closets. 

It's a law that would not harm anyone.  In fact it could "create or save" (to use the blurry rhetoric of the most transparent administration in history) thousands of jobs as higher paid packaging designers are retrained to lower paying graphic arts work.  Kind of like the "Green Economy" where oil field workers are trained to assemble solar arrays and such. 

And it's a bill that would keep Congress busy so they couldn't screw up anything else in the country.

I'm calling my representative, Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ), on Monday morning!

Join or Die...

Okay, I don't usually get all religious on you here.  And I don't think I'm going to do that today.  I just want to share some thoughts that are spurred by current events and my particular brand of religi-osity.

I see the radical environmental movement and the national-socialization of the US economy through banking, manufacturing, and health care as related.  In fact, they are part of the same scheme.  What is the desired end game of these activities?

The end of liberty in the United States of America.  The end of prosperity in the United States of America.  The increase of power for a few and the bondage of millions.

"Oh, come ON!" you say.  "Give me a break."

"But wait!" I say.  "It's all been done before."

If you'll take the time to read the books of Alma, Helaman, and Third Nephi in the Book of Mormon, you can see it plainly. 

The story tells of the ancient inhabitants of the American Continent.  These people lived much as we do today, but without cars or iPods.  They worked, they loved, they fought, they prayed.  Some were Christians, and some were not.  Some were honest and good.  Some were just plain evil.  Some wanted freedom and equality, while some wanted power and riches.

As things went along, certain people - mostly lawyers and judges - incited discontent in the people.  They invented problems and encouraged prejudices.  Eventually, a large portion of the people thought it would be a great idea to change their constitutional form of government in favor of a monarchy that would provide every needful thing.

This movement resulted in political arguments and even civil war.  The "kingmen", as they were called, accused the "freemen" of oppressing the people with their policies.  They claimed that the existing government was out of step with the needs of the country.  The insisted that legislating morality was not only wrong, but that it was impossible to legislate morality without infringing on the rights of the individual.

Outside enemies took advantage of the civil distractions and exploited the weakness that division brings.  War broke out across the land.  The people suffered terribly economically, socially, and militarily.  Ultimately their society disintigrated and they were split into tribes or factions looking out for their own welfare. 

In the end they found peace - or rather, they found the absence of war.  Thier society was a shadow of what it had been.  All confidence in commerce and security was gone.  Law was a thing of the past, and behavior was only regulated by the chief or leader of the tribe. 

Now, we face similar things in our country.  Lawyers and judges are inciting discontent in the people.  They are working to change the basis of law and constitutionality in the United States.  Others insist that the old way of doing things is not fit for our "new" times.  They seek to rewrite the basis of our government, teaching that individual rights flow from the state, rather than the state receiving any power it has by the consent of the people. 

Progressives accuse those who hold differing views of intolerance, closed-mindedness, and biggotry.  They say that we are out of step with the times.  As our enemies watch, we are weakened by soft-mindedness, immorality, decadence and strife.

An American revolutionary flag design sometimes credited to Benjamin Franklin declared "Join or Die!" 

Abraham Lincoln quoted Jesus when he said that "a house divided against itself cannot stand." 

They both were right.

The key, though, is that the people MUST unite around CORRECT principles and MUST be unified in GOODNESS.  The Book of Mormon hero Captain Moroni had an effective, if extreme, method of unifying people for a good cause.

Read about it.

Some Fun With CO2 and Math...

Okay, let’s do some math.

1% of the atmosphere is made up of greenhouse gasses. 3.6% of those greenhouse gasses are CO2. That means that 0.036% of the whole atmosphere is CO2. 3.4% of CO2 in the atmosphere is attributed to man. That means that 0.0012% of the whole atmosphere is CO2 from man’s activities.

23.02% of all manmade CO2 in the atmosphere comes from the US. That means that 0.00028% of the atmosphere is made up of CO2 from the United States.

The numbers are so small it is hard to wrap my mind around them. If I’m right (I struggle converting decimals of percents into fractions), that means that 28/10,000,000 of the atmosphere is the target we’re shooting at with any carbon tax or carbon cap in the US.

Further, the 17% reduction target (for the US) that President Obama plans to announce in Copenhagen this month comes to .000048% (or 48/100,000,000) of the atmosphere.

I don’t think that there is an instrument out there that can even measure that amount. We would have to rely on mathematical calculations to “verify” or predict the change.

And what would that yield? NOTHING!!!

Am I crazy, or is that irrelevant?

I’m not pro-pollution or anti-solar power. I’m not pro-excessive driving or anti-bicycle. I don’t hate birds or algae or polar bears.

We need to be sensitive to the needs of the earth and its creatures and act wisely. No question.

Chasing the red herring of CO2 is not wise.

So, what is the motive in forwarding false science and manipulating data as has been shown in the East Anglia/Penn State case? It seems that the motive in the “deniers’” case is that they are interested in determining the truth, assessing the severity of the problem, defining what man can do to abate the problem, and deciding if man’s actions can possibly counter the problem. If there is a possible solution, then we must assess the cost of the solution and, as rational beings, weigh it against any benefit and act reasonably.

Fight the urge to “do something” and stop to think it through. Once it’s thought through, let’s act prudently. That’s all I’m saying.

What would it cost? Trillions of dollars of productivity destroyed in the American economy. Witness Spain: unemployment around 20%; average wage for remaining employed workers down nearly 50%.

Just think this through.

How much more will a head of lettuce cost if American carbon is traded or taxed? How about a jar of peanut butter? The seed producer will have to pay for the carbon used in producing the seed. The farmer will pay for that as well as the carbon used in cultivation and harvest. The processor will add the cost of the carbon used in processing. The transporter will add his carbon costs. The grocer will add the carbon costs of handling, stocking and merchandising the food. And the consumer will pay them all. That $1.50 head of lettuce or the $3 jar of peanut butter will cost a LOT more. That means that people will have to devote a larger portion of their income to survival needs and will have less to use on consumer goods or to invest in growing their own businesses, lending to others, or anything else that might stimulate the economy.

How much will it cost to heat one’s home? Again, we have the cost of carbon associated with exploring for oil or natural gas added to the actual cost of the work. We add the cost of carbon for transporting the fuel to the point of use or conversion. We have the cost of carbon associated with transporting the processed fuel to the end user and the carbon cost for simply consuming the fuel or energy. So, how does that affect the quality of life for Americans.

AND… What if Chile, or China, or India decides NOT to levy a carbon tax or trading scheme on itself? Now it’s MUCH cheaper to import things like lettuce, peanut butter, and heating oil. So those jobs go away in our country and MORE “U.S. Americans” are out of work. And when they’re out of work they aren’t buying so much stuff. And when they stop buying so much stuff, even more of us lose our jobs. And the spiral continues.

But it’s okay, you may say, because you’re retired. You’re drawing down your 401k or 403b. Everything is looking good. Until the companies in your portfolio start to go under. Now when you sell 1,000 investment shares, instead of getting $120 a share you get $3. And you take your $3,000 and try to stretch it over the year.

But what about welfare? Sure, it’ll pay us not to work. But the money for the welfare check has to come from somewhere. With fewer people employed, fewer people will be paying taxes. So there’s not so much money to redistribute.

So, we call China and ask for another loan – I mean, “We float bonds on the international market.”

The market says, “Sure, we’ll loan you money, but because your debt ratio is so high, we want 25% interest; and because there’s a good chance you won’t be a viable entity in 5 years, we’ll only buy 3-year T-Bills.”

Or we just print more dollars. And the dollar loses its value because there is such a large supply out there. So, that loaf of bread (the American bread costs $25 a loaf, so we’re importing it from Mexico and paying $5) suddenly costs even more. Maybe the Mexican bread goes to $50 a loaf because the Fed increased the money supply by 10x. So, if I’m not on the government dole and can’t get a 1000% raise this year, I’m going to have to leave my job and get onto welfare that is adjusted annually for the cost of living.

This is a no-win. I can surrender my dignity and accept welfare and watch my family suffer, or I can retain my pride and watch my family suffer more.

At that point I might be tempted to curse a polar bear and a salt marsh mouse and wish that I had my life back.

We need to REALLY be sure we’re right before we destroy our way of life in pursuit of the unattainable. If it proves out that we CAN do something that will be effective and reasonable, I’ll be the first one in line to support it.

Islam: The Religion of Peace....

One Of These Days....

40 acres.
Spring and pond.
Woodlot.
Pasture.
Hay and grain.
Garden.
Tractor.
Pickup truck and Jeep.
Cows.
Chickens.
Cold winter and wet summer.
Barter.
Pigs.
Chainsaw and freedom.
Work.
Focus.
Wife and children.
Peace.

Can "Christianity" Cloud Your Judgement?

Mike Huckabee, former Republican presidential hopeful, displayed exceptionally bad judgement as the governor of Arkasnsas.  I'm referring specifically to his pardonning and commutation of sentencing for more than 1,000 convicted criminals in the state of Arkansas during his term as governor.  Many of them are violent criminals.  Two of them have killed 5 people since their release.

He is a Baptist Preacher.  Nothing wrong with that.  But when the head of state allows his personal views on mercy to interfere with his responsibility to safeguard the citizens of his state, there's a huge problem.  It shows a fundamental lack of consideration for the citizens of the state and a fundamental misunderstanding of Christian teachings.

Jesus taught many things.  Among them he said that we should forgive others who harm us if we would be forgiven by God.  It is essential for heads of state to understand that this injunction is delivered on a personal and individual level.  There is no mandate that society as a whole be forgiving.  In fact, with respect to the law, Jesus taught that we should render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's; and unto God that which is God's.  That is to say that when we are acting in a secular role, we must adhere to the secular "rules of the game". 

He also accused the leaders of Jewish society of continually ingnoring the rights of the widows and the fatherless in favor of the leaders' own personal agendas.  He condemned this in no uncertain terms, declaring that anyone who offended these "little ones", as he called them, would be better off having a mill stone hung around their necks and being drowned in the sea, than to face God's wrath at the judgement day.

Societal justice must be meted out without consideration of personal feelings.  Artistic portrayals of Justice personified consistently depict her blindfolded.  She hears only the facts and cannot look upon either party sympathetically.  Society must take the side of the innocent.

During the trial of Jesus, the leaders of the Jews requested that Barabas, a convicted murderer, receive clemency and that Jesus, who was innocent of any crimes, be crucified.  Mike Huckabee certainly followed the Jewish leaders' example in granting "mercy" to violent criminals and failing to respect the rights of the innocent. 

Mike Huckabee's pardons and clemencies were neither wise nor Christian.  They show him for what he is, a kind-hearted person with very bad judgement.  He is not qualified to be the head of any state, let alone the United States of America.

Mike Huckabee's Poor Judgement Continues To Terrorize Americans

Just As I Suspected...

This is an interesting piece of actual news! 

Evidently, the data base of the Climate Research Unit at East Anglica University was hacked and some documents and e-mails were stolen.

The thief then published them on the internet.

This article addresses some of the things revealed by the security breach.  I think the most interesting is how disingenuous the people are who purport to be saving the world.

I think this is an interesting modern spin on the "Robin Hood" story.  Here we have a criminal stealing from those who would be (and many already have been) made rich by the response to "Anthropogenic Global Warming".  He gives what he's stolen to those who would be (or already have been) impoverished by the same. 

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/jamesdelingpole/100017393/climategate-the-final-nail-in-the-coffin-of-anthropogenic-global-warming/

For My Dad... (and in many ways, for me, too)

I should be working.

My desk is covered with papers that need to be addressed, but I don’t want to face them.

I don’t want to face anything; I talked with my dad this weekend.

Five years ago he was diagnosed with a resurgence of the breast cancer he’d beat in the 1980s. It came back with a vengeance. He was given 6 months to live. That was 2004. He’s been running on borrowed time, the goodness of God, and a positive mental attitude ever since.

But now he’s in a lot of pain – constant pain. He’s lost his appetite and, despite his 6’3” frame, he weighs less than 190 lbs.

My mom is worried that he won’t be well enough to travel at Christmas.

They’re planning on coming to our house.

So….



There are a lot of things I want to say to him. Loudest and longest, I want to tell him I love him.

There are too many things to discuss here and now. As I think about it, that perception is probably why I haven’t made the time to talk about a lot of things with him. And now, I’m looking at a long separation with no opportunity to tell him what I feel, what I’ve felt, and what I want to feel.

When I was a small boy, my dad travelled a lot on business. When he was in town he was often gone, working with the Scouts, or helping at church. I never wanted him to leave, but I don’t think I ever told him that. I’m not sure why.

In my mind’s eye I can see the small me standing in the kitchen, watching my dad saying goodbye and getting ready to head out the door on another trip. He’s wearing his tan leather jacket with the fur collar and lining. He has his cream colored shirt on with a plaid tie. He’s wearing brown slacks and his hair is longer – in the style of the 1970s professional – and parted to one side. His eyes are still too young to need glasses.

I want to run to him and hold him. I want to throw all of my 47 lbs. against him to keep him from walking out the door. I want to beg him to stay. I hate the job and the other things that take him away from me so much of the time. But I stand there, not saying or doing anything.

And he leaves. He leaves because he is a man and men do whatever it takes to provide a living for their children.

But I don’t know that, yet. I won’t learn that until I’m a man.



Today I know that life is finite. We will all leave. We are men, and that's what men do.

But that little boy in me is crying. The pain I feel in anticipation weighs me down. I ache and I want to throw all of my 47 lb. body against the mountain of my dad. I want to stop his momentum and keep him here with me. I don’t want him to go through that door.

I don’t want you to leave, Dad. I love you, and I’m going to miss you so much.

The Living Years...

The Living Years
by Mike Rutherford

Every generation
Blames the one before,
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door.

I know that I'm a prisoner
To all my father held so dear;
I know that I'm a hostage
To all his hopes and fears.

I just wish I could have told him in the living years.

Crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought,
Stilted conversations,
I'm afraid that's all we've got.

You say you just don't see it.
He says it's perfect sense.
You just can't get agreement
In this present tense.
We all talk a different language
Talking in defence.

Say it loud, say it clear:
You can listen as well as you hear.
It's too late, when we die,
To admit we don't see eye to eye.

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past.
We only sacrifice the future;
It's the bitterness that lasts.

So, don't yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate.
It may have a new perspective
On a different day.
And if you don't give up, and don't give in,
You may just be O.K.

Say it loud, say it clear:
You can listen as well as you hear.
It's too late, when we die,
To admit we don't see eye to eye.

I wasn't there that morning
When my father passed away.
I didn't get to tell him
All the things I had to say.

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year.
I'm sure I heard his echo
In my baby's new born tears.

I just wish I could have told him in the living years.

Say it loud, say it clear:
You can listen as well as you hear.
It's too late, when we die,
To admit we don't see eye to eye.

Ann Kirkpatrick Betrays the 1st Arizona Congressional District...

Mrs. Kirkpatrick:

You have revealed yourself to be a true liberal and a turncoat.

How could you have ignored the voice of so many of us, your constituents, with regard to health care reform? We told you loud and clear that we are opposed to this intrusion of government into the private sector.

You acted as if you'd heard us when you were, as Mrs. Clinton so articulately stated, "against it before you were for it."

And now, on the vote that really counted, you turned on us.

Do you understand how this will adversely impact the many senior citizens in your district? If you do, then you are a truly cruel person. If you don't, then you have no business representing us.

Be assured that I will do all I can to ensure that your betrayal is not forgotten and that you are not sent back to Washington for a second term.

Respectfully,

John N. Ellis

Facts About Global Warming

Scientific Facts About Global Warming

Follow this link, click on the "PowerPoint Presentation", to find out why THIS man is smiling so much!

The Battle Hymn of The Republic...

The Battle Hymn of The Republic
Julia Ward Howe

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord:
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored;
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword:
His truth is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,
Since God is marching on."

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Since God is marching on.

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is Wisdom to the mighty, He is Succour to the brave,
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of Time His slave,
Our God is marching on.

Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on.

Thoughts On Greed, Luck and Jesus...

My cousin Terry asked some questions that, I think, strike at some issues that are central to our nation's success.  Here they are, and here are my answers.

When does a legitimate concern for stockholder returns (or high management compensation) cross the line to greed?

Companies exist for one purpose – to generate profit. That’s hard for me to remember all the time, because I like to see people working and supporting themselves and their families.

I think that companies can cross the line to greed when they become focused on short-term returns or profits over the long-term viability of the company. It’s important to keep track of where the company is financially on a short-term basis, but when a company wants to exceed its profit goals every month or quarter or year, then managers and executives can be implicitly or explicitly encouraged to do things that are unethical or even illegal. When that happens the company sacrifices its potential for long-term profitability because the wrong things they’re doing will catch up to them and the company may not survive the consequences of short sighted actions.

The answer to the question, then, is building a corporate culture of vision and foundation building. The story was told to me that at Toyota the new employees are told not to think about the stock price of the company or even its profitability in the present. They are directed to focus on the stock price and profitability of the company 50 years in the future, because someone 50 years in the past took care of today’s numbers.

We can have accounting standards and investment regulations and audits and everything else. In the end it comes down to the individual morality of the people running the companies and the culture that they foster that will prevent crossing the line between good profitability and greed.

The same goes for management compensation. If managers and executives know that the company values them and their work and that there is some reasonable assurance of a future there, they will have less cause to seek the quick reward of high compensation. There is always the risk-reward function in relationships. When risk is low, then the acceptable reward is lower, as well. When there is a high risk that an employee will not be valued enough to remain employed next year, the reward required for work in the present year is higher.

It is a matter of respect. Respect runs counter to our human instinct, though. If people are raised without a reason to respect others, be it religion, ethics, or some other code of conduct, their natural tendency is manifest in what we call the corruption of capitalism. Unfortunately a socialist, communist, or fascist system – and any other economic system for that matter – is equally susceptible to human corruption.

What would Jesus think?

The Beatitudes are some of my favorite verses of scripture. In them Jesus mentions virtually all of the suffering of the human condition and gives comforting words and blessings. Why?

Because the suffering of the world can bring us to a humble and teachable point. And when we are humble enough to be taught the things of goodness and godliness then we are blessed. Our minds can be enlightened and we can gain understanding of our own condition and the world around us. We can be blessed in ways that the rest of the world cannot understand. So, what about the meek inheriting the earth?

When do we inherit things? When the rightful owners have passed away. Scripture tells us that evil is a strong force in the world. We even read that Satan is the god of this world. Jesus is the god of a higher world, as he explained in his questioning before his crucifixion. So, when evil “passes away” or loses the final battle with goodness then the meek, who have been taught of God and blessed by his goodness, will inherit the earth, a symbol or metaphor for all that God has.

In the meantime, the meek will enjoy the blessing of peace in their lives. Jesus said the peace he gives us is not the same peace the world would give us, but a peace that can’t be understood by those who don’t know it. It is an overriding sense of wellbeing regardless of the troubles we find ourselves in. Pretty valuable in this old world we live in.

I think that Jesus’ heart breaks when he looks at the world as it is. I think he is pained by the suffering of so many of us; and that he is angered by those of us who inflict suffering on our brothers and sisters in the human family.

I think Jesus is a realist, too. He recognizes that human nature is corruptible and that utopian society is an ideal, but cannot become a reality until all mankind surrenders their desire for carnal satisfaction at the expense of another person or the world itself.

I’m not sure if Jesus is a capitalist, but I’m sure he is a fan of individual moral agency – the freedom to choose actions. And because he is God, I’m sure he is a fan of natural consequences to choices. Laws govern the universe. Laws certainly govern happiness. Laws even govern God. No one is free of choice and accountability in this life or the next.

Is hard work enough?

No.  But neither is "luck".

I agree with you, Terry, that there is some other force acting on us. There are the consequences of our choices, the consequences of others’ choices, the culture we are raised in, the government under which we live, and myriad other factors that affect not only our ability, but our opportunity. I know many people who work hard and don’t “get ahead”. They seem to have been dealt a hard hand. Just “luck”.

I don’t know why these things are the way they are. I think that each of us has to look at the hand we’re dealt and make some choices about how we will treat others and ourselves. We have to examine what our opportunities are and see what our blessings, if you will, are too.

Then we need to feel and accept the sense of responsibility that comes with privilege or blessing to help others less fortunate. To contribute to the larger society and the individual needs of our neighbors around the world.

Part of that obligation is hard work.

How many people do you and I know who have been given talent, ability, and opportunity, yet squander all three? It happens every day. And how many people do you and I know who have limited talent, ability and opportunity, yet work their hearts out, giving 100% of what they have? It happens every day, too.

Luck, fortune, providence, whatever people want to call it, plays a large part in our personal outcomes in life. Our personal morality will play a larger part in the outcomes we deal to others and in our final outcome, as well.

I think you’re wise to discount the idea that we are at a station in life because we earned it or deserve it. Granted there are things we can control by our choices, but largely we are where we are because someone else put us here. I am not a raging drunk because I choose not to use alcohol. I have $10 more in my pocket because I don’t smoke 2 packs of cigarettes a week. I have a clean driving record because I drive within the legal limits of safe vehicle operation. I am married to my wife because I choose not to leave her. My children are not abused or neglected because I choose to treat them well.

But other things are different. I have a job that pays well because…. I have reasonably good health because…. I was born in the United States of America and not the United Arab Emirates because…. I had the opportunity of a good education because…. I was in the Army, but not sent to the Persian Gulf War because…. These are things that I can’t explain, but for which I owe two debts. First, I owe a debt of gratitude to parents, to ancestors, to friends, to Providence or God. Second, I owe a debt of service to others. Because of the advantages I have I MUST share.

If I can give work to someone, I must. If I can use my healthy body to help someone, I must. If I can use the liberties I enjoy as an American to benefit others, I must. If I can use my education to teach someone, I must. If I can use my life to bless another life, I must.

The root of the issue – and almost all issues – is the individual. If we will learn and exercise respect for ourselves, each other, society, nature, and whatever higher power we believe in, then the larger problems will dissolve. Some people call it “personal righteousness”. I think of it as “personal rightness”. When our mind and our hearts are right – and in the right place – then our actions follow and they are right, too. No right thought, feeling or act will harm another.

How’s that for idealism?

If we live our lives in that path, the “peaceful path”, as one of my professors called it, then we will be prepared for all of our interactions and decisions. We will even be prepared for interactions with others who are not on the “peaceful path” and our actions toward them will be guided by exceptional insight and compassion.

Unfortunately, the solution is one that must be found and implemented individually, as no government or law can make me think or feel a certain way. Government influence is limited to regulating behavior.

I think about the 55mph speed limit of the late 1970s. What was needed was for people to get 4 things into their heads: 1) Fast driving contributes to accidents; 2) it makes injuries exponentially more severe; 3) it wastes fuel; and 4) it has an adverse effect on the environment. But government couldn’t bring everyone to that point of realization. So they regulated behavior. So we ask ourselves, “What is the speed limit on this road?” We don’t often ask, “How fast should I be driving now?” But how much more powerful is the heart and mind?

Some May Be Surprised....

Some of you - especially who know me - might be surprised that I have a presence in the blogosphere.

I am anti-Facebook and anti-Twitter.  I don't belong to a great following and the most useful things I do via the Internet are finding phone numbers, driving directions, and e-mail.

But some time earlier this year I realized that if I did not find an appropriate outlet for my frustration about the direction our country is going, and some way to voice what I think is right, I was going to go crazy.

I can't believe the changes that are happening via government and the change in the general opinion of people in the United States!  I remember my father-in-law, who grew up in the 1940s, telling me in the early 1990s that I was delusional if I thought I lived in a free country.  He said that if a person from the 1950s were dropped into the USA of the 1990s he would likely think he'd been transported to some Soviet satellite state.

What would that same person think today?

It seems that at least two forces are working against our individual liberties as Americans.  First, we are succumbing to the natural temptation to shirk responsiblility.  Second, scheming and self-interested people in government are seeking to consolidate power in themselves and in the system.

Bart Simpson is the embodiment of the natural and instinctive will to avoid the negative consequences of our actions when he says, "Who, me?  I didn't do it!  Nobody saw me!  You can't prove anything!"  Funny.  But more and more of us ("U.S. Americans", as Miss South Carolina calls them) want to avoid the outcomes of our bad decisions.

The pro-abortion movement is a classic example of this.  By couching their argument as "pro-choice" they seek to ignare the fact that in the vast majority of pregnancies, the "choice" was made before two people took off their clothes.  Now they want to dodge the consequence.  The lost freedom.  The increased responsibility.  The morphing body.  The physical discomfort.  The financial obligation. 

Now we see the financial crisis.  Many firms made risky decisions which turned out to be bad ones.  Executives in banking, investing, manufacturing, and other industries risked losing everything for their companies, their employees and themselves.  Do you think they wanted to dodge that responsibility?

You betcha!

And, just as in the abortion issue, government is there to "help".

Laws restricting the natural consequence of sex have been in place since Roe v. Wade in 1973.  The "Troubled Asset Relief Plan" and "Stimulus Package" were introduced in 2008 and 2009.  The last two shield not only companies, but individuals from consequences of their own decisions and those of others.

We are moving away from individual responsibility to a state in which the State assumes more and more responsibility for our actions.  Of course, in doing this, the State takes more and more control OF our actions.

And the State is right in doing that, given a few assumptions.  I don't agree with the assumptions, but they are rational.

Let's look at motorcycle helmet laws.  How can the state have the right to tell an individual he or she must wear a helmet while riding a motorcycle?  (Forget the fact that a helmet makes perfect sense.)  If a person wants to ride, wreck, and turn themself into a vegetable it is their natural right. 

But what do we as a society expect the State to do?  When that person's medical insurance stops paying we look to some sort of welfare to help out, right?  So, the State now has a stake in the motorcycle rider's well being.  And as a stakeholder, the State now has a RIGHT to dictate some of the behaviors of the rider.

You see how easy it is to abdicate responsiblity and abandon freedom?

Now look at General Motors.  Previously a non-governmental organization, GM was free to select its own leadership and to negotiate its own labor agreements.  It could also select its own product mix and reward its workers' success as liberally as it wanted to.

Now the State has stepped in to rescue GM from almost certain failure.  GM is no longer free to select its corporate leadership.  The President of The United States was unhappy with GM's former president and requested that he be replaced.  He was!  Under the new ownership of GM, the federal government and the autoworkers' union are the principal owners and have a controlling interest in the company.  The federal government has established a super-executive position  which sits in review of all compensation for leaders of companies receiving "assistance".  And the new GM product line is being guided largely by conditions attached to the "assistance" funds.

So, if motorcycle riders and car company executives can give up their liberties so easily, how much closer should we watch ours?  How much closer MUST we watch ours?

For My Dad and Eric...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOtoujYOWw0

Self-Governance

You know, as I read Thomas Payne's "Common Sense" and David McCullough's "John Adams" and the Declaration of Independence I see a common thread.

The Colonies wanted autonomy, or the opportunity - and the responsibility - of self-governance.  Further, the idea that Nature had endowed all men with equality and with the right to detemine their own destiny was put forth clearly.

The premise of self-governance, both of states and of men, was one of the foundational notions of our country's beginning.  And at the root of it all, it was the right of man that was unalienable. 

As we know, and as members of the spectrum politic agree, where much is given much is required. 

Where much is given to individuals in the way of Natural Rights much is required in the way of self-governance.

We see what freedom of conscience can lead to if it is unchecked by individual morality.  White supremacism and Black nationalism are simple philosophies, or ways of looking at life.  In the absence of a moral compass, these belief systems can - and often do - lead to violence.  This violates the Natural Rights of others.

The right to keep and bear arms in the absence of moral restraint can facilitate violence on a shocking scale.

Dishonesty will lead one to bend the protections of the 4th and 5th amendments to avoid responsibility for crimes.  We see criminals escape justice on "technicalities" almost every day.

Now "government" seeks to regulate behavior.  To govern something can mean to control the speed at which a process happens or to limit the bounds within which a process occurs.  Let's think about limiting bounds for a moment.

Picture the local bowling alley.  There are 20, 30, or more lanes.  Bowlers roll a ball at a set of ten pins standing at the end of their lane.  For young or otherwise desirous bowlers some lanes have bumpers or rails that can be raised to keep the balls on the lane and out of the gutter.

Professional bowlers, league bowlers, and even frequent casual bowlers don't use the bumpers.  They have developed enough control to rarely if ever have a ball leave the lane.  But young, handicapped, or inexperienced bowlers frequently find their ball in the gutter.  They have not learned sufficient control to bowl successfully, so the bumpers are raised.

Government is the bowling alley manager.  The gutters in the bowling alley are natural consequences.  The bumpers are the legal consequences. 

For citizens who have control of themselves via a moral compass, governmental restraint is irrelevant because they will almost never bump up against societal limits of behavior.  Citizens (and illegal aliens) who cannot operate within the "lane" of acceptable behavior will find themselves in the "gutter" and running into "the Law". 

Imagine if a well-meaning bowling alley manager decided that he wanted to help all bowlers score better, so he permanently raised the bumpers on all lanes at the alley.  That would probably amuse the better bowlers, but they wouldn't be too put out.  But think about what it would do for the "out of control" bowlers.  It would take away the incentive to do better.  Because of the bumpers they would not have to learn to control their own ball, the alley manager would do it for them.

We see things like this as government - from local to federal - seeks to enact "moral" laws.  It is not enough that unwarranted violent acts against others are illegal, now we must make a special class of unwarranted violent acts called "hate crimes".  We do not need to look far to find other examples of "legislated behavior".

Government has put up the bumpers.  For years those of us who lived our lives down the "center of the lane" were amused that we "had to" make rules like that.  But those rules removed the responsibility of personal restraint from the deviant in our society.  I remember even as a kid, we would call to each other, "You don't have the right to" do this or that....  We had the bumpers up in our pre-adolescent minds already.

Now imagine the bowling alley manager moving the bumpers into the lane so that the ball is funneled into the same spot on the pins - you know the one you aim for to get a strike.  The good bowlers are irritated now because there are actually a number of places you can aim for and a number of routes to take within the lane to get a strike.  The bowlers' individual leeway has been squeezed out of the game and everyone who plays at that bowling alley is getting the same score now.  300 has become meaningless.

As Statism expands in our governments and as citizens become the proverbial sheeple the bumpers are being moved in.  We are being funneled to the same mediocre point where even success becomes meaningless.  Our moral compass, we are told, is irrelevant because the State will tell us what behavior is acceptable and what is taboo.  Our individual leeway to achieve a desired outcome is being taken away.

Now picture the team that practices at our imaginary bowling alley going across town to compete in a different alley with another team in the league.  Because their skills have atrophied and their ability to control their ball has deteriorated in the artificially supportive environment of their home alley, they will fail.  They will have become weak and dependent and, because they are strangers to failure, they will not know success.

If we allow governments to infringe on our Natural Rights and obligations to self-governance we, too, will see our skills of self control atrophy.  Our abilities to succeed will deteriorate and, when we are out of the artificial constructs of governmental control - for example in our own homes - we will fail.  We will have become weak and dependent and, when faced with a choice for which there is no hard and fast rule we will not know success because we have never been allowed to see failure.

For Kaylene....

I figured out how to fix the "comments" thing.

Aren't you glad you married Daniel?

Values And The Civil Society

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this, but won't spend a lot writing tonight.

We see so many people and groups seeking to force or enforce good or right behavior. There are laws passed and proposed that seek to discipline the thoughts of people. There are laws and rules that seek to regulate the actions of people.

When I think about it, there are far too many things that are good or bad. In fact, it would be impossible to catalog all the virtuous acts we should do and all the vicious acts we should avoid.

I think of Moses delivering the Ten Commandments to Israel. Is it to reasonably be expected that a list of ten items would regulate all the behaviors?

I remember an ancient king who imparted his wisdom in a farewell address to his people. He started to list the things he wanted them to do to be happy. Suddenly he caught himself and said, basically, "Look, I can't tell you all the things to do and to avoid. But I can tell you this much: If you want to be happy you have to govern yourselves. You have to discipline your thoughts and your words and your deeds. You have to do what you know is right."

The controversial, but immensely successful Mormon prophet Joseph Smith was asked how he controlled so many new converts to his religion in the early 1800s. His reply was simple, but striking. He said, "I teach them correct principles; and they govern themselves!"

A civil society, a society of well-behaved people who look out for each other, must be founded on individual morality. It must be protected from external destruction by the rule of law. It will be ultimately preserved from internal decay by the virtue of its citizens.

The "leaders" of our country seem to be afraid today to remind us of OUR OWN civic responsibility. They instead seek to substitute a state-enforced code of conduct for each citizen's own moral compass.

I'm Just Sayin'...

Does everyone understand why experience is relevant, now?

President Obama had never "managed" or "directed" or "headed" anyone or anything in his short and sheltered life before 21 January 2009. He had no experience executing a plan, or even formulating a detailed plan.

His only even slightly relevant experience was that of "community organizer" (read "street agitator") and he distanced himself from the unsavory part of that work during his campaign. But that, in fact, consisted of simply steering the anger of ignorant and sympathetic stooges to loosely focus on some amorphos and ambiguous oppressor know as "The Man".

Child's play when contrasted with influencing firm-minded, determined, accomplished leaders of the world.

We saw the extent of his naivete when he hopped across the Atlantic Ocean to deliver a short autobiographical sketch to the International Olympic Committee. He was confident that his charm and good looks would woo the IOC and convince them that, absent substance, detail, or definition, the Olympic Games should come to Chicago in 2016.

Heck, it had worked on the American People in 2008, right?

President Obama embodied the American arrogance and entitlement for which he has spent his presidency apologizing!

Here's a question for you: Has the USA taught people here that they deserve whatever they want? Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, and Barack Obama - arguably three of the smartest people in the country - walked onto the international stage and assumed that, with no relationships, no proposal, and no substance they would walk away with a plum like the Olympic Games? What's with that?

Now, assuming the IOC was neutral to the USA - which is probably true - and given the instant failure of "talking to them", how does Mr. Obama expect to be received in the gladiator's arena that is the world of international politics?

A classic strategy of weak, but determined opponents is to bide for time. Picture the fatigued boxer who hangs on his opponent until he is pulled away and the two are separated. What did he gain? Time.

Remember the talks in Paris during the Viet Nam war. What did the North Vietnamese gain? Time.

Think about the battered Palestinians. What have their many cease fires gained them? Time.

Time to build, to train, to equip, to re-arm, to rest, to plan.

Think about North Korea and Iran. What have the multi-party talks yielded for them? The same thing - time.

Is the Experience Thing a little more clear now?

No Olympics for Chicago!

What a shocker! Chicago was eliminated from the running for the Summer 2016 Olympic Games in the FIRST round of voting.

Will this teach Mr. Obama that it takes more than good looks and a teleprompter to get things done on the international stage?

He failed miserably to convince the IOC to give the games to his "hometown". How much more difficult will it be for him to talk Iran and North Korea out of nuclear weapons? How much more difficult will it be for him to convince Russia to stay "in the box"? How much more difficult will it be for him to lead the free world?

Good luck, Mr. President! You have a tough row to hoe.

Now maybe he'll have time to read the recommendations of General McChrystal on Afghanistan....

Justice and Mercy...

The recent capture of Roman Polanski, a convicted and admitted rapist, in Europe, and the subsequent debate over whether or not he should be extradited to the United States in order to serve the remainder of his life in prison, has me disturbed.



The most disturbing thing is that there is any debate at all. The second most disturbing thing is that those opposing his incarceration argue for forgiveness.



Mr. Polanski lured his victim under false pretenses and used drugs and alcohol to incapacitate a 13-year old girl in the home of one of his friends. He then proceeded to sexually assault and rape her.



He was arrested for his crime and confessed to it. He was sentenced to prison and, before he served a day of his time he fled to Europe.



That was 30 years ago.



His victim, now in her 40s, has said publicly and repeatedly that she forgives Mr. Polanski and wishes him no malice. That is an exceptional example for all of us to strive to follow. The world would be a much more peaceful place if we could.



So, why am I so upset about the debate?



Mercy and forgiveness are things extended by INDIVIDUALS to individuals. They may only come legitimately from a PERSON of his own volition.



Governments and courts may NOT dispense mercy or forgiveness. They MUST dispense justice in the protection of the innocent and the punishing of the guilty. Society must NEVER forgive a person who violates another, who murders another, who abuses another.

When we allow our personal feelings to interfere with the order of the civil society we are setting the civil society up for failure.

Scary?

Okay, it's a given that President Obama leans to the left. I'd argue that he has socialist, communist, and totalitarian ideas that help guide his actions.

Socialist - government ownership and control of banks and control of executive compensation.

Communist - UAW ownership of General Motors enforced by government.

Totalitarian - proposed and supports "preventive detention" of people that government feels may be dangerous.

Now look at the President's assertion as a candidate that national security requires more than a military response. He says that we need a civilian security force that is trained and equipped in a manner similar to our military!

That is eerie! That is really, really scary.

Obama WANTS a Single-Payer Healthcare System...

Obama Proposes Civilian Security Force...

Obama Policies Will Bankrupt Coal Industry...

 

It's interesting that the video of this interview was removed from YouTube because of a copyright violation asserted by Hearst Publishing.

 

How deep does this conspiracy go?