So Called Debates

I thought I might take a moment to comment on the debates, I know I am behind every other political blogger out there in cyber space, but I wanted to take some time and really consider what we have learned from the two debates, before we move on to the third, and submit what I hope is a nonpartisan opinion.

The bottom line for me is that I don’t think any of us really learned anything new. Every point and counter point that I have heard from both sides really only re iterated the same talking points that they have been blathering on about for months. Setting aside Mr. Romney’s performance during the first debate and VP Biden goofiness in the 2^nd, did you really learn anything new? Anything that might persuade you to think differently than you already did? I would suspect not.

Worse yet is that there really hasn’t been a debate. A debate usually consists of two or more people engaged in an exchange of ideas, the purpose of which is to persuade others to their way of thinking, this clearly has not been done. Instead we have had nothing but accusations and ridicule that have reminded me of little more than a school yard brawl, in particular during the VP debate, VP Biden interrupted over eighty times and the so called moderator, in a few cases, seemingly anyhow, joined in with Biden to basically shut down anything that Ryan was saying. That’s not a debate, that’s just saying what you wish and shouting down the other guy before he can present his view. I’m not trying to defend Ryan, he’s a big boy, but I am saying that for many people, who have never heard what Ryan stands for, never got the chance and so the American people lose out.

The second part of it though, going back to trying to persuade others to your point of view, is that I have yet to really hear what either side plans on doing in the next 4 years, this is really what I had hoped to hear in the debates. Here we have a messed up economy, a debt of over 16 trillion, 23 million out of work or have given up trying, more people on food stamps than ever, gas prices through the roof, possibly a major war brewing in the middle east, which would make oil prices go even higher, freedoms being stripped away bit by bit, on and on this list could go, but it doesn’t matter because neither one of the candidates really want to go into specifics as to what they will do about anything . So instead of getting down to the nitty gritty of what they plan on doing, we get little more than theatrics and accusations.

So, as such, all most people are getting before this election is little more than sound bites and lots of misinformation presented by both sides. I scroll through my Face Book feed and see those same sound bites repeated over and over again to the point of where I have quit reading them. I read today that those that actually check the facts for a living are suggesting that because we have become such a sound bite society and a people who expect to be lied to, that we don’t pay attention to the facts when they are presented to us, rather we just go with whatever party we have always gone with and facts be damned. This I would say is a large part of the problem. We hear nothing but accusations from the candidates because they already assume that we don’t care about the truth we just want a good show. They certainly pay attention to the polls and the stats and they know that they can say whatever they want and their base is going to go with the flow without ever checking the facts.

So I will watch the next debates, not with any hope of hearing anything substantive or truthful, and with the full knowledge that what follows will be a barrage of sound bites and misrepresentations. Sad but it seems to be the new American way.

Hummingbird Warriors

There are warriors living in the trees behind my house. At least two tribes, though there may be more, and they are in a state of war. One of those tribes, and more specifically their leader, is clearly the more dominate of the two but the fighting, none the less, has been fierce. We have watched their leader use tactics of stealth and camouflage that would make any Marine smile. My wife and I have literally watched pitched battle after pitched battle between these combatants right in front of our faces. In fact some of the fighting has been so close to us that we could have reached out and touched them. Despite this there have been no casualties that I am aware of, and our house remains undamaged.  Did I mention that these warriors are only about 2 inches long?

These fearsome warriors are in fact Hummingbirds. I had never realized just how tough and tenacious these birds can get over food and territory or how little fear they have of humans. In the course of dive bombing each other they have literally been inches away from us and have shown no fear. I remember the day we put up the feeder and flowers for them because even before we had the rod secure in place they were landing six inches from my head and calmly drinking the mix.

The dominant males’ tactics seems to have come straight out of a military handbook. He hides in the trees, remember he is small and green, and he waits for the “enemy” to be fully engaged in the drink before he dive bombs them. Doesn’t matter if it’s a male or a female, he charges them and you can hear them make contact at high speed. It hurts me just to watch it, but it doesn’t seem to slow them down much. There is one female that he is sweet on though, you can tell because he only drives her away a couple of times before he sits back and watches her drink, she generally doesn’t go far when he tries to scare her off and she has been the one who has come so close to us that we could have touched her. Yesterday, as I was watching them, three females ganged up on him and drove him away! It was funny because I could see where he was hiding, and every time he tried to approach they would chase him off.

What is really amazing though is that they don’t kill or even seriously hurt each other over it. I would imagine that there must be some pain involved as they smash into each other at Mach one, but the facts remain that they don’t kill each other on purpose over territory or food and in the end they all still manage to survive.

The thing I really like about them though is their tenacity. They keep coming back determined to get some of the food regardless of how many times they get batted away by the alpha male. They know that there is food there and they are going to have some regardless of the cost.

There is a lesson to be learned.  There are many issues going on in this country right now and while I hear many say that we need to change things, there seems to be a lack of people who are willing to actually do something to change things. The excuse I always hear is that the problem is too big and we are just too small to accomplish anything. What were the founding fathers of this nation if not small in the eyes of the biggest and most powerful nation on the planet at that time? They knew things had to change, they also knew that there were a whole lot of people that weren’t terribly excited about their plans, but despite all those huge obstacles they went ahead with Declaration of Independence and prevailed after many dangers and trials.

My hummingbirds seem to know that if you are going to eat you are going to have to take a chance at getting slapped around and dive bombed in order to do so, yet they don’t cower in fear and they don’t make excuses as to why they can’t get to the feeder they just simply keep at it until they succeed.

Be a Hummingbird.

Entitlement Society?? Really?

Lately there has been a lot of talk about how we have become an entitlement society. The statistics would suggest that out of all the working age adults, over half, somewhere around 51 or 52%, are receiving some sort of government help or entitlement. Most of the time when I have heard any discussion on the subject it has come from those on the right side of the aisle suggesting that the source of all our ills and problems in this country come from those who receive so called entitlements because most of them do not pay any income taxes.

I am taking this somewhat personal because I am one of those people who don’t pay any income taxes. I receive VA benefits which are non-taxable and get my health care through the VA system. Does that make me a leech on society? Yesterday I had a good day; I was able to do some painting, the day before I could hardly move. Today I am dealing with muscle spasms, making this writing difficult. This is my reality, some days are good, and many days are not. But because I am not paying any income tax some famous people, who make millions of dollars spouting their opinions, have the right to judge me or anyone else?

I have written emails to various news anchors, mostly leaning to the right, about what they consider to be an entitlement and apparently, while they can “bloviate” well, they can’t really give an answer. In all fairness they probably receive many emails in the course of a day and to answer them all would be impossible. Only one responded after I had explained my own position, with a simple “God bless you.” That was someone from Glen Becks show. Otherwise there hasn’t been nary a boo from them.

I don’t want anyone to take this the wrong way ,because it’s true that there are many who have taken advantage of the system to get money that they don’t really deserve, but who are these people to make judgment calls on those of us who receive some sort of so called entitlements? In fact my question to you and to them is what exactly determines what is an entitlement? And is taking many of us off the solution to balancing the budget?

I am generally a conservative libertarian when it comes to my own political views. I believe in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. Live and let live is my philosophy, but I guess I can’t just sit around and be quiet when it seems that the poor are the ones under attack by those who pay 40K for a dinner with a politician.

Here is where I think that the real problem lies. The federal government. It is the biggest entitlement society ever created by modern man. They have the best of insurance coverage; you won’t see any of them switching to Obama care, for them and their families, all paid for by your taxes. The have more paid vacation days than anyone that I have ever heard of in the private sector, again all paid by your taxes, and even after they leave office they are paid and still receive medical coverage all on your dime. I’m not even talking about the staffs and their families or all the various government departments and all their benefits. If you were to cut back their pay to a stipend and shut down all the useless departments as well as all the redundant offices. If you were to stop all the federal funding for all the pork barrel projects out there and if you were to end the wars and stop the funding for them, then you would be able to balance the budget.

You are never going to be able to balance the budget on the backs of the poor, and increasing the taxes on the middle class and even the rich isn’t going to help any. The tax brackets they are talking about raising will only pay for about 8 days’ worth of government that’s it. The problem isn’t the rich; the problem isn’t the poor or the middle class. It’s not those of us who receive benefits. It’s a federal government that refuses to acknowledge that the problem is with them. They won’t stop the wars, they won’t stop the pork barrel spending and they certainly aren’t going to give up their perks or entitlements. So the solution is that they be forced to cut all their “entitlements” and benefits then perhaps we can discuss the rest. That’s just my Simple Minded solution.

Affordable Care Act, My Humble Opinion

Last Thursday ,as most of you know by now, The supreme court ,led by Chief Justice Roberts, ruled that the” Affordable Care Act” otherwise known as Obama care, was not in violation of the Constitution because it was considered a tax and that there was no restriction on the Federal government to raise  taxes as they see fit. These are not my words these are the words of Judge Roberts. Since that time the Obama administration has being trying to suggest that it is not a tax but rather a penalty if you don’t have it. Those on the left have rejoiced over it and have suggested it is now the time of making the rich pay their fair share and it’s the end of corporate welfare. The right is saying that this indeed does violate the constitution in that it gives to the Federal government powers that it was never intended to have and that not only is a tax on the people but that there are numerous taxes in amongst all this as well. Many people are under the impression that somehow this is going to be free to them and that they are finally going to get quality care, while still others predict rationing and low quality run by a bunch of political hacks that will care more for your money than your health. I have read about and talked to some who own small businesses and they don’t see any way that they are going to hire anyone because it’s going to cost them too much with the mandates and then I have heard that anyone with less than 50 employees will be exempt. I have heard that large corporations are finally going to be pushed into paying for quality insurance at the same time hearing that many of those big corporations have already been approved to be exempt.

What a mess. The real problem that I see, for the moment, is that most people have not read any of it , never mind all of it, and they , for the most part, go with whatever sound bite fits the description that suits them the most and then declare that these talking points is what it’s all about.

I am personally against any government mandate that tells me that I have to by a product or a service that I don’t need or want or be taxed for it because I don’t want it. I want less government in my personal life, not more. I also take issue that the federal government can now tax me, according to Roberts, in  any way  that they want or force me to buy a product or service that I don’t want as long as the penalty for not having it is considered a tax, this idea being based  again on Judge Roberts having asserted that there is nothing restricting the government from taxing us on any grounds. Having expressed that opinion I have been informed that I must not care about poor and sick people that have no insurance. I have also been informed that this is where the rich start to pay their fair share and therefore, by definition, I am for the rich not paying their fair share. If that’s what you’re thinking then you are missing the point.

Let’s speak of the last part first. What do you consider to be “rich”? What is the bench mark amount of money that you can make to be considered rich? It seems to me that it’s a matter of a point of view. I know that I don’t fit into that category and frankly I don’t know anyone personally that does. If then you are talking about people who are billionaires or millionaires, this bill is not designed to affect them. They are not going to be hit with fines and taxes because they likely already have good quality insurance and, I might add, congress is exempt from this law and many of the larger corporations have already received exemptions. Do you really think that some of the richest people in America, those in congress, backed by big corporations, are going to pass a bill that will negatively affect them and their bottom line? This will do little to them. Some of the smaller corporations, if they are forced into it, which there are still many companies that will be, will simply either pay the fine, lay people off or not hire to make up for the extra costs and if they don’t do any of that you can still bet on the price of their products to go up as a result. This is simple economic math, if it costs more to produce, it will cost more to the customer. So in the end it will not be the rich who pay for it, it will be their employees and you and I in higher costs of everything.

To the first point, that somehow I don’t care about the poor and sick that do not have any health care, I have several friends who are in tough shape, physically speaking, and I haven’t been well either for the past 10 years, so it’s a little strange for anyone to suggest that I don’t care. My family and I use the VA system, my wife and children uses Champ VA and I use the VA its self for medical. Do you know why we use this? Not because it’s a good program but because I can’t afford to buy regular insurance. So I get it. I really do. Someone recently suggested to me that this law would put in place a restriction on how much premiums would cost yet I read this morning that insurance premiums have gone up over 7% during the past year and the prediction is that it is going to go higher. Where is that restriction? What is really going to stop them for continuously raising the prices? If I can’t afford it now, how am I or anyone else in our position going to pay for it later? Forcing me to buy it isn’t going to make the money magically appear. I am not at the poverty level anymore, though I am well below that 400% limit, and so it can be argued that at least I qualify for a discounted rate ,if not free, but is it right for you to be taxed higher to cover my care? It would be one thing if you voluntarily did it but to force people to pay for it is morally and ethically wrong.

One of the things that I have continuously heard in this debate is how the poor don’t have access to health care. This is a bit of a puzzle for me. As many of you know, I have lived in many different places in the country and one of the things that I noticed was that in most communities there are health clinics and hospitals that offer reduced rates for low income families. Probably the best example I can remember is when my family and I live in Pascoag RI. Their unemployment rate was so high, and still is as far as I know, that local businesses started a fund for a clinic, both medical and dental, so that those who were unemployed or had no insurance could get the care that they need. It worked well. We used it. This should be the model for the country, not adding taxes or more financial burdens to people.

You see my biggest problem with this is the idea that once again we have opted out of taking care of one another for another government intrusion program. It used to be that communities took care of each other. Communities used to come together to help those in need in their own towns and neighborhoods and doctors still made house calls thus negating hospitals unless it was beyond their ability to heal. In my humble opinion, sometimes the old ways are the better ways.

The bottom line is simply this: First the rich aren’t going to be the ones truly hurt by the economics of funding this, we are. Second this is little more than a overreaching of the federal government into areas of our lives that the founders of the Constitution never intended. They understood tyranny; they understood that it was proper and right to limit the federal government, which is why they wrote the Declaration of Independence with such precise wording, as well as the Constitution, to make it very clear that the federal government has severe limits on what it does. They perhaps could not have envisioned what we are today as a nation, but they understood clearly, and history bears them out, that when a central government  takes control of everything you end with either tyranny or bloodshed and most times both.

Disagree with me if you like; call me a fool if you wish.  Truly I hope I can look back at this 10 years from now and laugh at my own ignorance and concern but I don’t think that’s going to be the case but then again that’s just me being Simple Minded.

More Americans Incarcerated..

It has been said that here in America we have the most people in prison than any other civilized nation in the world. I have heard all sorts of various reasons for it, such as ,where you grew up or your income level or your education as being at least a part of the reason. While some of this is certainly true, have you ever wondered why it is that there has been such an increase over the last few decades?  I have some thoughts as to why, though I suspect that there are many who will scoff or consider me foolish, but I really think that some of these ideas might be worth considering.

My first thought is an easy one. We have too many laws and regulations. I watched a report, by John Stossel , that pointed out that there is something to the effect of 80,000 new laws passed every year, nationwide, that there are so many in fact, that most people are breaking the law every day, whether or not they realize it, and could be jailed for it. He proved his point by trying to open a Lemonade stand, in New York city, and showing all the myriads of rules you have to follow to be compliant with the law before you do something as simple as that.

Here is another thought, could it be that some of the reasons are that we have forgotten who we are? On a personal level, when I was a kid, your name and reputation meant everything.  If you wanted to get anywhere in life you had to keep that clean in order to succeed. If you started to screw things up there was always some elder to correct your erring ways with either a lecture or a belt and that was the way it was.  Today it seems that everyone from politicians and celebrities, to gang bangers, take more pride in their bad reputations and life styles  then in having a good name. In some communities if you haven’t been to jail, at least once, you don’t belong.

On a national level we have forgotten who we are as well and I think that it plays its part. First consider that we have allowed all the insane rules and regulations to be put in place. What happened to the idea of a government “by the people and for the people?” Instead we have allowed corrupt politicians to dictate to us what the laws are going to be and have stood aside, as sheep to the slaughter, as they have taken our rights and freedoms away under the guise of national security. Now you can be arrested for saying the wrong thing at the wrong time or for something as simple as taking a picture or dancing in the wrong place. Hitler did it the same way, under the guise of national security, as did Stalin, Mao, and Lenin, and look how many of their people wound up in prisons, gulags or were just straight out executed.

Here is my  most controversial theory, though I believe it to be true, and I will say it straight out. I think that removing religion from the public sector has been the biggest factor. I saw a picture the other day that I thought showed this well. There was a picture of a kid holding a bible at a school and the caption underneath said “Not Allowed”. The next picture is of a convict in his cell reading the bible and the caption said “Allowed.”

I humbly submit to you that by removing all things G-D from the class room and from just about all public sectors, by no longer allowing parents to discipline their children with a warmed butt, not to mention giving them an education that bears no resemblance to the real word, by more laws and regulations being passed, has become the perfect formula for future generations of more incarcerated people here in the land of the free.

The solution to this is actually quite simple. First get rid of all the overreaching and overbearing laws and regulations. Most of them serve no more purpose then to be an irritant to society or to benefit a corporation. Second elect people who are going to actually represent the people rather than special interests. Third fix our education system so that kids go back to actually learning something that will benefit them in the real world rather than all the feel good stuff that bears no resemblance to life. Fourth teach the kids the value of a good name, teach them morals and that there is right from wrong. Teach them that if you screw up you will pay for it and discipline them when they need it. Fifth, bring back G-D into the lives of our children, that alone could turn the tide, but I think it needs to be a combination of all of the above.

Disagree with me if you wish. I am sure there is some scholar out there that believes they know better, but it is my contention, that the simplest ideas and thoughts are usually right ones. We can do better in this country but we must be willing to try. It’s as simple minded as that.

5TH of the Month

Yesterday was a very eye opening day for my wife and I. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I'm not sure I would have believed it. Yet there it was, right before our eyes, as plain to see as the sun on a bright morning and yet we almost missed it. Wasn't until we asked questions  that we discovered the truth of what we were seeing. What we were seeing was the failure of the Obama administration first hand.
Yesterday was June the 5th, and it was Tuesday and ,as our custom has become,my wife and I went grocery shopping. For those of you who don't know (we didn't  either until we asked) apparently the 5th  of the month is the day that everyone receives their food stamps. I had heard statistics saying astronomical amounts of people were now on food stamps but I really didn't comprehend just how many until we walked into the store.
We didn't go into the store with any fore knowledge that it was food stamp day. In fact we thought that the reason that there were so many people in the store was either because it was tourist season up here in the mountains or because there was some major event , locally speaking, that was about to take place and people were getting ready for it. We had no idea.
There were many young couples with and without children, mothers alone with children, middle aged,elderly, some handicapped, but it was just the sheer number of people packed into that one store that absolutely shocked me. It was like a huge traffic jam in every aisle that we went down.
It wasn't until we got to the check out that we found out what was going on. We asked, rather innocently, if this was normal for this store on a Tuesday and was told no. We then asked if there was something special going on that would have brought so many people in , and again it was no, but then she added it's the day of the month. After seeing our blank looks, she leaned over and whispered, it's the day that everyone gets their food stamps.
To say that I was shocked is an understatement. We had used food stamps at one time so I am sympathetic to anyone who has to be on them, but I couldn't help but wonder how it could possibly be that so many were on them now. All I have heard, via the MSM, is how the economy is recovering under Mr. Obama and yet here, right in front of us, was a fine example of just how badly his policies have failed.
So where is the improvement in the economy then? I can't see any signs of it. Not around here anyhow.The unemployment rate is creeping up again. I have friends who's hours have been cut back and I know of others who can't find work. The price of everything has gone up dramatically and taxes are set to increase on everyone come January thus making it even worse. The only place I can think of, that the economy is improving, is in DC because many of them are spending hundreds of millions to get re elected and are having dinner parties at $40,000 a plate so obviously things are good there but it would seem that it's the only place.
Just my Simple Mind

Memorial Day 2012

Memorial Day 2012, What a difference a year makes.

The conclusion of the war in Iraq is a very personal thing for me. I remember many a Marine by face and name that did not come home. Some were killed during the time I was there, others were killed after my time, and there are many who were killed ,who's names I can't remember, because I was transferred to them just before the war began, and even though I didn't have the  time to get to know them, they were ,and still are my brothers. All of them were honorable Marines who gave themselves willingly in a cause that they believed was right. Rare is the day that I don't think about these men.

Most of us came home, and we came home to a different place then the one we had left. When we left there were tears falling and flags were waving. When we came home there were protests and flags burning. We were called baby killers, and it was insinuated that we purposely targeted civilians, this from the very politicians that had allowed us to go there in the first place, and their many minions. I was a kid during Vietnam, but I remember this very same thing happening to them as they returned home. I also remember when they said it would never happen again. They lied.

If I sound bitter it's because I am. Surely we, as a whole , have been treated better then the Vietnam vets, but it seems to me that this is only true while you are still useful. Once you are no longer fit for the fight you are disregarded and discarded like old tires. Sure you can use the VA but as a whole the caring and concern seems to stop shortly after the spotlight goes off. Of course being the election year all the major contenders will give lip service to veterans but the truth is once they have the votes we will be tossed aside once again.

I am not a politician. I wasn't one then and I am not one now. I can't say that we had any business in Iraq. I never really saw them as any big threat to any one never mind us. But we had a job to do and we did it. All of us did. We heard about the protests but we were to busy trying to stay alive to focus on it. The political aspects of war were a bit lost on us once the bullets started to fly.

I am not looking for sympathy or pity. I am saying this though, most all of us who went through that hell hole lost people that we knew. We were injured mentally,physically and spiritually. We dealt with things that only other war vets could really understand. The world, as we knew it, came to an end the first time we were shot at or someone we knew was killed. It is what it is.

So as you celebrate the first official weekend of the summer, think real hard about what you might do to help a vet. Most of us aren't going to ask for help, but a good number of vets still need help regardless. Our war only started in Iraq it won't end until we truly believe we are home.

In memory of all who have died in service to our country. You are not forgotten. Semper Fi.