Thursday, May 8, 2014

The Art of Argument


The true reason I love to argue is to learn. I learn how solid my point of view is when it is challenged in an argument. That is why I find it frustrating to argue with the left and liberals. Not traditional liberals but the new breed that is completely emotion driven and void of depth of argument.

I have changed my mind on a number of positions over the years through the process of argument. I believe it is not a sign of weakness to change your point of view if the circumstances change or the facts you were relying on are found to be untrue or misrepresented. In today’s fast moving information highway it is easy to make an assumption on current information and as the story unfolds the facts you were relying on to hold that opinion change, and so your position may change. But too many people don’t analyze the data long enough to make the change and often remain true to the initial false facts because it fits better with their underlying ideology.

There are a number of issues currently being manipulated to create political postures for the democrats because the fact is the polls are not looking very promising for democrats this fall. They are panicking and therefore are doing their best to gin up their base voters, the extreme left. The “war on women”, “global warming, cooling, climate change, climate disruption, etc…” whatever label they are currently using. The “Tea Party” is racist. The Republicans are obstructionists. Benghazi, the IRS, the VA, Executive abuse of the constitution, and the AG are all just “phony scandals” designed by republicans because they hate the president simply because he is black.

I will take just one of these scandals, Benghazi, to make the point of the importance of argument. The left and democrats say we have been investigating this for 20 months and nothing has been found. First, just because it has been going on for 20 months doesn’t mean a thing. If the administration is not cooperating and providing the documents and information needed to determine the facts, it could be ten years running and that means nothing. The four dead American’s families deserve answers to questions like: could they have been saved if the military responded immediately? Why was our consulate still open when every other western consulate closed due to the danger, warnings, and recent attacks on the consulate? Where and what were Secretary Clinton, and the President doing during this attack? No answers have been given except by Secretary Clinton who said “What difference does it make?” It makes a difference if the administration was derelict in its duty. It is also important to know how the decision process went down so we can learn from it.

I will argue that this president and administration is guilty of putting politics of a 2012 election over the safety and lives of Americans in harm’s way. If you want to have an argument with facts I am willing to change my mind if the facts we know now change. Let’s get the facts so we can argue what to do next. The art of argument is based on the foundation of facts and then determining what position to take based on those facts. Sometimes people can come to different conclusions based on the same facts but first we need the facts. Then people can determine who holds the most honest position in the arguments…  

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Equal Pay Can Only Happen By Force


The president is creating a “war on woman” mantra in an attempt to ignite some passion is his base. His base is deflated and the many in the middle that supported him no longer do which means a possible loss of the Senate in November. In order to again divide and conquer, he must do what he does best, demonize one group against another. The president is insinuating companies knowingly and intentionally pay women less than men. Is this true or a ploy?

It is a ploy. The numbers they use are generic and do not consider the most important factor; the same job! The numbers also fail to consider the industries men and women choose which are different. Men favor engineering, women favor teaching for example. Engineers make more than teachers.

If you calculate all full time working men and women, add up their salaries and divide by the number of men or women you get the difference the president is trying to exploit. For example: 3 men engineers make $125,000 and 3 women teachers make $50,000. The 3 men make 125K on average and the 3 women make $50K on average. The wage is different but nothing unfair about how they are paid. Women often take more time off and therefore turn down promotions to have more flexibility to take care of kids. It is a choice many families make and it happens to be that women tend to stay home more than men. So even when men and women are compared in a similar role or industry; there are always factors and differences that must be accounted for in the difference in wages.

The only way for everyone to make “equal” wages is through force. The employee/employer agreement in a job situation is as unique as every individual. We all bring a different skills and value to an organization even when we are in similar positions in a company. That is the private business between an employee and employer.

There are some exceptions like factory work where two people tighten the same bolt all day long and have similar productivity numbers. But these are rare cases anymore in America. We are a nation of intellectual workers that create value in a different way than the days of the factory.

The federal government already has discrimination laws in the workplace. It is not the role of the federal government to make outcomes equal. This is a political ploy that is transparent. This is about the only thing transparent about this administration and president.

This story will not last long because it highlights the economic and private industry ignorance of every democrat in Washington DC…

Monday, March 17, 2014

A Tribute to Man’s Best Friend and Ours; Shadow


Last night our family companion and one of man’s best friends, Shadow, left this world. He blessed our lives for nearly 14 years and our hearts are a little hollow today with our loss. He was a “gift” in more ways than one. He was a Christmas gift to Taylor and Emily the year 2000. Although he was born in October, he officially became our keeper in December. Born a Chihuahua, he was small in stature but that little body was filled to capacity with heart. He was a shining example of the canine creed to always take care of your adopted family. He did it with every ounce of his soul.

We were blessed to be able to hold him quietly in our arms, snuggled in a blanket, thanking him for his love, and telling him how much he was loved and would be missed. He lived a healthy life and only of very late did he show the signs that he was preparing to leave us with a lifetime of memories. He was the oldest of our three dogs, and although it might seem that having two other wonderful dogs to fill the void, we might be spared some sorrow, that assumption would be wrong. His absence and memory will always have a special place in our hearts and family.

As all dog lovers know, it is often seen that we humans are being compassionate by opening our homes to our canine friends, when in fact it is we humans that benefit from their unconditional love and caring during their short time with us. They get us into routines that are wonderful distractions from the world around us. They are always ready to share a wag of the tale, jump into a lap, and remind us of how important relationships are to nurture. For just a moment we are part of their world which is so much less chaotic because it simply revolves around sharing affections.

I hope I was worthy of Shadow’s kindness and love. I tried to be as good a friend to him as he was to me. We exchanged our goodbyes last night which were extremely hard but are cherished compared to the alternative of not being able to say goodbye. As my heart and our collective family heart aches today it is also fuller for being part of Shadow’s family.

To know the love of a dog is to know pure love. They depend on you for their every need but what they are willing to give for that kindness is priceless. Every human heart should know that love. It is worth every ounce of sorrow and tears their loss brings. He will be missed.

 

Monday, March 3, 2014

What to do? Lessons of Ukraine


Let’s be clear here, this is a very complex issue with many angles that need to be considered before making threats or knee jerk reactions. I leave my mind open to additional facts about the situation but there are some comments that need to be made on the current state of affairs.

The world and the Ukraine is a more dangerous place because we, the United States have left a vacuum of leadership in the world. Our President’s failure to engage in the world while he destroys the domestic economy has sent a clear message to the evil despots in the world. There is no longer a “world’s police force.” Whether you agree that we should be or not, that is not the point. Our position on the world stage has been a stabilizing force but no longer. The message is the world is open for plunder.

There is evil in the world even if you wish there was not. This administration is a product of the sixties hippies that believe in peace, love, and flower power. The problem is there is no peace without leadership, hard work building allies, and military strength. There is no love when you preach hate throughout the world. This president spends his time dividing this nation and the world by continually apologizing for things that he believes we need to confess to like military dominance. In his view our military dominance is not a source of good but one of evil. He is mistaken. Evil is a weed and to think that flower power is enough to make the world a better place is to underestimate the roots of evil.

The Ukraine is on the Black Sea and Russian military bases are located there. If Russia decided to build a base next to Guantanamo Bay in Cuba would we react? If we didn’t then we would be a fool. Ukraine also has a large Russian population having been part of the former Soviet Union and there is a lot of support for Russia in many parts of the Ukraine. So the Ukraine is divided in the revolution that unseated the elected Prime Minister. He did make some attempts to undermine the democratic processes but that is an internal Ukraine issue.

If Russia invades Ukraine we have a pact with Ukraine to support their independence. Our options are limited because we have been retracting from the world stage. We are reducing our military footprint at a time we need a more effective military. We have options but they are not military at this time.

So what do we do about the Ukraine? We use it to understand how ineffective this administration is and start the process to remove this president before it’s too late here in America. We should send our naval fleet to Cuba and remove the Russian ship that is in Cuba right now. We need to throw out the democrats and republicans that have allowed the US budget to be ignored for the past six years.

We need to use the Ukraine as a lesson of what true leadership in the world means and elect adults to the office of president and to congress. The US has no stomach for war and should not get involved in Ukraine at this time. We need to rebuild our political process to remove the enemies of America and rebuild our military might to stabilize the world again. Don’t be fooled that it is too late. It is never too late until it’s over.

America is not over but it has let down its guard and elected enemies of the state… We can change that and the Ukraine is showing us we need to do it now…

Monday, February 24, 2014

Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State…


This six part series (Netfix) should be required viewing for every High School civics/history class. It is a powerful reminder of the evil that is capable by group think and government. This film proves that anything is possible if a government becomes too powerful and that even if most people believe “that can’t happen here”, it can happen anywhere!

It is amazing to me how people dismiss arguments made by conservatives like me that the government must be held to the constitutional limits our founders set forth in the law of our land. When people are allowed to use government as a weapon against individuals it has become too powerful. What do I mean by a weapon? By taking from one group to give to another group simply because one group has earned more income, that is a weapon. To give ambassadorships, contracts, and tax credits to businesses that align with a politicians views, or people that have donated to a political campaign, you have a situation where the government becomes a weapon against individual Americans.

It is a myth to think the Nazi’s aligned more with the conservative “right wing” than the progressives of today. The Nazis used the hatred of groups to move their evil intentions forward. The Nazis despised the individual and used propaganda to rally groups into supporting the most evil intentions of modern times: the extermination of a race of people. Progressives today distrust individuals to make the right decisions. They use the government to silence speech they disagree with and to promote propaganda that entrenches power in the central government. Progressives use taxation to pit groups against each other like the “rich” and the “poor.” Leftists believe they need to control the minds of the children and hate home schooling or any schooling they can’t control.

When you watch this gut wrenching documentary you can’t help but keep asking yourself; where was the outrage? Where was the resistance outside the Jewish community? Where were the individuals speaking out against all of this evil? The answer becomes painfully clear: no one could believe this was happening; even the Jews that were the target of the evil. This evil was perpetuated because people ignored it, and could not believe people could be that evil or believed the propaganda that it was all the problems were the fault of the Jews.

Today we have an administration that is rewarding friends and punishing enemies by using the power of the government. This administration is spying on Americans and ignoring the 4th amendment. We are seeing the constant vilification of conservative groups for resisting the expansion of bureaucratic and political power and using the IRS to target them. There is a constant drum of envy, jealousy, and demonization of the “rich.” We have the media unwilling to question the policies or corruption of this administration. There is a constant assault on the 2nd amendment and a blatant attempt to disarm law abiding citizens while ignoring unlawful behavior.

When you pay attention you realize how easily groups of people can justify almost any behavior. The propaganda is so prevalent it helps you understand how the former SS agents at Auschwitz could justify their actions and role in working in “death factories.”  It shows you that the human survival mechanism is so strong it can justify almost any behavior.

The lesson of Auschwitz is that no evil is beyond the human condition. The only remedy to that is to speak out well before the evil reaches the point that instills fear or retribution in the good people. The insurance of a well -armed individual citizenry against the evil of governments must be maintained. If the Jews had weapons would Hitler have succeeded? The lesson and the power of our US Constitution that empowers individuals over groups is why freedom has been so successful here in America. We must keep our eye on every politician and remain a Constitutional Republic in order to counter the elements that made Auschwitz a possibility…

Monday, February 17, 2014

George Washington’s Birthday


He could have been King but he would have none of it. He was a man that believed in the miracle of the Constitution and what America represented to the citizens and the world. The people of an infant America so loved this man they would have gladly empowered him to rule over the new country. But knowing the importance of his actions in office he set in motion the reality of a balanced form of government ruled by the people’s consent.

The term “President’s Day” was started as a way to celebrate the office of the presidency but that would mean it should be the presidency day. Not so sexy! But the important thing to realize is that not all Presidents are equal and it is especially profound when you compare this President and George Washington. Actually there is no comparison but I will try.

George Washington loved this country in every fiber of his body. He battled for our independence and risked everything for the country and his soldiers. It was not uncommon for GW to be leading his men into battle from the front. To suggest that leadership could ever be done from the rear would have been a foreign concept to him. He believed in the people and their ability to rule themselves. He believed in Divine Providence. He was appalled by slavery even though he owned slaves as was common for many of the founders. They inherited a system that only the words and ideals of the Constitution could set in motion to change and be the first country to abolish the appalling practice.

GW believed that if people were given freedom they could achieve anything they set their mind to. He understood that the soldier was worthy of praise and celebration and fought with his every ability to get his troops paid, supplied, and a small stipend for all of the sacrifices they made for the country he help found and loved. He was a patriot through and through!

When you read about him as I have done on many occasions you can’t help but love the man for his commitment and love for the opportunity this country represented for the people he so wanted to empower. He was not known to be a great orator but he was known to be eloquent in his thoughts and ideals. He was selfless in his commitment to leave a path for those after him to be free from the dominance of any King.

As I write just a few of my thoughts about this great man I feel no need to compare because the contrast is so glaring. George Washington would be proud that a black man could become president in the nation he helped found but he would be disappointed that the same man despised the American Dream to such a degree. He would have wondered how a nation that gave every citizen the same opportunity would be so criticized for some perceived unfairness. He would be confused.

George Washington would wonder why a current President would be doing so much to destroy a nation that gave him endless opportunity. GW would have quickly figured out that the nation was again in trouble. He would see many of the same elements that created the revolution he commanded. He would stand again for the freedom of the American people from a dangerous despotism.

George Washington as a President is worthy of celebration…

Thursday, February 13, 2014

The Truth Can Be Uncomfortable


Speaking anything but the truth is not an option for me. But what is the truth? Is the truth only about facts? Is the truth only what is accepted by most to be reality? Are there variations on the truth? Can truth be relative?

If a drunk driving accident is responsible for killing a child, and the drunk driver is in this country illegally, how should the accident be reported? Is the truth that the person is in the country illegally important to the reporting of this story? If you are the parent does it matter?

If the government is charged by law to protect our borders but chooses to look the other way what should be done? If our southern border is being overrun by illegals from Mexico (62% of illegals), drug runners, and a variety of unknown and possibly dangerous people, should we hold them accountable for the crimes and harm to our country?  

If members of a particular political party are determined to fundamentally transform the country they have sworn to protect and uphold should they be asked how that squares with their oath of office by the people that cover them in the media? And for a political party to put business interests over the country’s interest shouldn’t we know why they are ignoring the truth?

The current immigration laws or lack of enforcement are hurting this country. It is a fact. The people that have been coming into this country illegally and legally in some cases are no longer coming here for the American Dream. The majority are coming here to take advantage of the benefits we have and to take advantage of the wealth producers in this nation.  Immigration should be halted until we can analyze the net effects on our culture and economy. A study done by the Federation for American Immigration Reform finds Illegal Immigration costs Americans $113 Billion dollars a year (http://www.fairus.org/site/DocServer/USCostStudy_2010.pdf?docID=4921;security=1601&news_iv_ctrl=1761  ). This is the net cost after adjusting for the taxes and economic activity created by illegals. That’s a $1000 a year per head of household. They also found most illegal aliens don’t pay federal income taxes and if they do they get it back in their tax returns. The criminal costs are astronomical.

These are not the type of immigrants that should be welcome in America.

The reason politicians focus on the children of immigrants is because as Americans we have a soft spot for children and pets by the way. So it is no surprise shifty politicians play those strings. But these children are not a justification for destroying our children’s future. It is a straw man argument.

So why are politicians working against the people they represent and for the people that don’t belong here? The answer: One of the political parties is looking for voters to remain in power and the other group is looking to provide cheap labor to their constituents.

Truth be told, we need to have a truthful conversation about immigration and the effects on our children’s future and we must hold representatives accountable that vote against our interests. It is our children that deserve what this country offers. It may be uncomfortable to see the children of other nations to suffer but not at the peril of our children.

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Why the Law Matters and a Case for Impeachment


The President of the United States has broken the law. He has decided that he and he alone would change the dates that a penalty against employers that don’t offer health insurance to their employees takes effect. In part this section of the law states: “The amendments made by this section shall apply to months beginning after Dec. 31, 2013."   Words mean things in the context of law. They may have many meanings in politics but in law words have specific purpose and meaning.

The word “shall” leaves no room for doubt. It shall be done does not translate to it should be done. So how can a President change a law without changing a law through the legislative body of the House in Congress? That is the process to change the law as laid out in our Constitution (The Law of the Land). The answer is he can’t. He can’t unless of course he is not challenged. I am not talking about phony outrage from our elected officials I’m talking about real action. Impeachment would be a good start.

The other way is civil disobedience. Since the President now has shown the people he reports to, we the people, that laws are no longer firm and resolved but soft and malleable, we should all follow the lead of the president and only follow the laws the way we interpret them. For example, it is tax season and for those of us that owe money to the government we should follow the President’s lead in making our payment. Instead of we shall submit payment by April 15th or be subject to a fine, we can simply extend the deadline out a year or whenever we choose to pay the tax bill. You see, the IRS works for the American people and now that we no longer have to follow the “letter of the law” according to the President, then why shall we? The words in the law no longer have meaning.

This is a nation built on the rule of law. Business is conducted through contracts that are carefully crafted word for word to define the terms that the parties agree to in their conduct of business between each other.  If those words can be interpreted in creative ways or ignored completely where does our economy turn to in a dispute? If either party to a contract can simply ignore the terms of a contract how long before the country and the economy collapse?

You see the law is what separates great economies from unstable economies. The law and our moral fiber to obey those laws are the underpinning of this great nation. The US Constitution is the law of this land and the laws of this land can’t be ignored if we hope to remain free and prosperous.

This President is lawless and the disappointing aspect is he is a trained lawyer. He is sticking a pencil in the eye of every lawyer, and law abiding citizen in this country. If he is allowed to get away with this anarchy is not far away. He must be held accountable and that mechanism is impeachment.

Impeachment is the remedy for government officials that fail to follow and obey the law. The President is not above the law. In this country no one is. It is time for every representative in government to defend the Constitution they have sworn to protect.
**Definition of Impeachment: Impeachment is a formal process in which an official is accused of unlawful activity, the outcome of which, depending on the country, may include the removal of that official from office as well as criminal or civil punishment.
 

Monday, February 10, 2014

Is Work Optional?


It is becoming apparent that our current administration and many members of the left in this country have a different view of work from what most Americans grew up believing. The left believes that one of the “benefits” of Obamacare is that people no longer have to worry about working in order to have health insurance. The left keeps expanding welfare; Medicaid, food stamps, section 8 housing, school lunch, expanded early childhood education, expanded post education freebees , and the list goes on.

I have a question for the left: Is welfare supposed to be temporary or permanent? Are we supposed to believe that these programs should be considered a way of life? Or should we be looking at these programs as a temporary bridge between jobs?

I have a question for the right: Is work optional? Do we still believe that work is part of what makes us who we are as a person and a nation?

If welfare is now becoming a way of life, how much money and how many benefits are going to be enough? As welfare becomes acceptable as a lifestyle, how much money will have to be taken from productive people in the country? At what point do Americans stop working and get on the slacker wagon? As a productive American at some point you have to be an idiot to continue working.

If work still defines who we are as a person and nation, how do we stop this transformation that has been perpetuated by Obama and the left? What is the plan to stop the assault on the people that make this country work? Because if work becomes optional this country as we know it is over and we are headed for an awakening like no other in our Nation’s history.

The people that are no longer looking for work have fallen victim to an assault and coup of this country by the communist left. Most Americans have not come to the realization yet that we are currently being taken over from within. The current Democratic Party is not the traditional party that valued work. It has been taken over by a fringe group that hates what this country stands for and they have figured out how to ruin it. They have figured out that the people are too disinterested to realize that there are people that hate this country amongst us. The left running this country do not have good intentions, they are evil.

The left knows that they could never take over this country through violent means because most Americans still believe in our founding principles. But the left has successfully infiltrated education, labor, and government at every level. They have figured out that this government protects the minority and they have used that feature to promote their minority views. It is a brilliant strategy. Once the country becomes dependent on these programs the country will not vote to end them. But the dirty little secret is they are not sustainable.

The people that love this country must wake up or we are doomed. I thought the 2012 presidential election was going to right the ship but I was wrong. I am hoping the 2014 midterm elections will be a first step in taking back our country but I may be wrong again. It may be too late to expect a party, the Republican Party to win elections promising to limit the programs that the left has used to take over this country. I hope I am wrong about the “Right”. They will have to find a message of opportunity and a messenger that understands that work is not optional, it is who we are as Americans…

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

This Administration Does Not Reflect Americans


Jason Furman is an economic advisor to President Obama. His resume is impressive if you think getting educational degrees is somehow pertinent to understanding how America and its economy work. You see, the delusion that academics are synonymous with common sense is undermining the future of this country. Has been for far too many years!

I have a college education but I can tell you my greatest learning came from my childhood growing up in NY in a “working class” family. (I don’t believe that America has classes; we all are part of the opportunity class). Back to my point. The greatest learning in America comes from childhood experiences, jobs we have held, people that have mentored us, and our overall experiences.

College is about education, life is about training. Education is the art of learning about things. Training is about learning how to do things. Huge distinction. At the University I attended there were “perpetual students.” These students were often found at the campus pub debating philosophy and science over a pitcher of beer. They also had multiple degrees. They held an undergraduate degree or two, maybe already had a Masters or two, and often working on a PHD or two. None of them with the intention of using those degrees beyond teaching others how to get those degrees.

There is a big difference between perpetual students and the people that had to work every break to pay for their education. Often students like me started as a paperboy, busboy, waiter, bartender, garbage man, and other odd jobs to pay for education to then return to be a productive member of society in the private sector. Learning from every job to secure a better job. Learning how business worked from sales to management, accounting to operations and so on. Observing and learning hands on how to be successful but not absolved from failure. Observing, trying, learning and changing accordingly.

The economy of the United States is a reflection of people that have been observing, learning, trying, failing, and succeeding in industries as varied as food service to nuclear engineering. Most business people in America observe and create products and services based on their experience in the economy and some become successful and some fail. But they all learn what works and what does not work.

Every one of these people would be a better choice as an economic advisor over the perpetual student. Because you see the perpetual student is insulated from what happens as a result of their theories in the real world. They write papers to get a passing grade. Entrepreneurs start businesses to survive. If a perpetual student gets a bad grade they re-write their paper. If an entrepreneur does not execute effectively they can lose everything. There are real consequences.

This administration in particular, but in many administrations for far too long, there has been a propensity to hire academics. Academics are ruining this country because they are supporting policies that don’t work in the real world. If they had the sense of any business person they would know that. We need to start hiring economic advisors that have actually worked in the economy they pretend to understand…

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

The Real State of the Union


Is sad. It is sad to see so many Americans willing to allow such a small group of incompetent politicians ruin their country. I have had conversations with my children about the reasons that the holocaust was able to happen. I have had to explain a few times that it is easy to see if you open your eyes and mind to what is happening around you. In the dis-belief that anyone could allow such horrific things to happen to so many people I explain they are happening again. No not to the degree of concentration camps and gas chambers, but the foundation in preparation for government control of the society.

The most dangerous words a citizen can utter when discussing government, especially national government is “I can’t believe they would do that.” These are the same words the Jews in Germany were saying as their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, friends, and neighbors were systematically being transferred to concentration camps. It is the evil of group think. There are millions of dead human beings at the hands of governments that preached the message of being in the best interest of the people they were annihilating. It’s not that people can’t believe it; it is that people don’t want to believe people can be so evil.

The continuous efforts of this administration to create dependence through programs trying to pass themselves off as benevolent, and at the same time attacking the right for citizens to own weapons should send shivers down the spines of every thinking American. The sheer numbers of people that own guns and the number of guns available to the American citizen is the only buffer to the inactivity of the Americans who just can’t believe the government would do such harm to the people.

We only have to go back to World War II to see the panic of group think and the treatment of Japanese Americans as criminals. Where were the people to defend their liberty as Americans? What if today the government decided to start gathering up the Tea Party leaders, Republicans, Liberals, Democrats? Which group would you be willing to defend from a government roundup?

The NSA spying on its own citizens is disturbing enough. It is unconstitutional and I can only hope will be challenged in the Supreme Court and be ended as a practice. But why would we allow the government to spy on us? To keep us safe? Safe from whom? Safe from what? Terrorism? Every American citizen must be monitored to catch terrorists? Isn’t this just the electronic version of rounding up people that the government is suspicious of? Are we not a government of the people, by the people, for the people anymore? Who do we have at the helm that believes they are above the people?

Every problem in this country can be tied to the out of control federal government and incompetent, crony bureaucracy. The same people that would round up “dissidents” in a heartbeat and pretend that the problem was the dissidents and not the government over reaching its authority. When we have a President that believes he can ignore the Constitution because he believes he knows what’s right for the country, the state of the union is sad but also in a very dangerous place...

Thursday, January 23, 2014

A Lesson for the Next Generation


Learning by example happens two ways. The first way is the benefit of watching someone who is extremely successful and learning what they do and emulating it. The second way is the benefit of watching someone or something fail miserably and you learn from the things that don’t work. I hope the next generation of Americans takes to heart the lessons that this president, his administration, and his policies have shown us and reject them for the traditions, policies, and leadership that have made us the greatest nation in the world.

Young people get a bad rap at times but I believe there are enough smart young people to drive the message for the reformation of this great nation. God knows that they have been given the time to analyze, contemplate, and organize. The high unemployment rate that has kept the young college and high school graduates out of the workforce has given them the opportunity to do something positive to help their future prospects. That opportunity is politics.

I have been writing and preaching that politics is the foundation of all happiness. Without a political system that respects the individual and limits central government control, everything else is elementary. Read my book “The Teenager’s Guide to Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness…” if you want to learn more, but I simply propose to you as evidence North Korea. Today I urge every young person in this country to take ownership of their future by getting involved and learning from this disaster of a president and administration on how to move forward toward a brighter future.

The first step is to reacquaint yourself with the founding history of your country. The next step is to apply common sense and tame your emotions. Our country was the FIRST country to ever put the individual citizen in charge of the government. Throughout all of history there has never been a country ruled by its citizens. It is not a coincidence that we are also the most successful country in the world and wealthiest. That is simply because we trust the individual to make the right choices in their lives rather that handing that responsibility over to faceless bureaucrats in a faraway land.

This president has jeopardized your future by growing the faceless bureaucracy, increasing needless regulations, punishing work through higher taxation, ruining healthcare by taking even more control from doctors, hospitals, and patients, driving college costs higher by rewarding inefficiencies through increased caps on student loans, raising minimum wages that hurt entry level employees, pushing “green” energy by using tax dollars toward his crony capitalist friends, borrowing money from your future to pay for laziness today, and dividing the citizens through the preaching of envy to keep us from working toward solutions together.

Your future is grim if you don’t take a stand and get involved. If you don’t like what the results of this president has been for your present circumstances, the way to change it is learn what he has done and do the opposite. What you will find is that the opposite of what this president has done is what we were founded on and has made us great: The US Constitution!

It’s your future. Do something about it…  

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

A Note to Wall Street: It’s Time to Leave…


I was born in New York City, grew up there, have family that still live there and I have always had a place in my heart for NYC. But it has become a cancer in this great republic. If this cancer is allowed to spread it could take much of the country with it. The way to cut this cancer out is to show the rest of the country that we as Americans no longer can accept the demonization of free markets, freedom, and capitalism. The message must be clear that if we hope to turn this country around we need to support and promote the greatest economic system in the world.

Wall Street is the heart of capitalism. It is where the world comes together to invest in the millions of ideas and organizations that drive global wealth. The fact that it is in the heart of one of the most hostile and socialist cities in the world give it the opportunity to start the reform back to common sense. The newest Mayor of NYC is a socialist that campaigned on destroying the wealth that built the great city of NY. He wants to punish success and take the money from the people that earned it and give it to people that did not.

The Governor of NY just declared there is no place in NY for conservative Americans. The environment in NY is more like the Soviet Union than the United States. It is time for all hard working, successful people and institutions to move that success to a place where it is appreciated. There are many states that would love to host these successful Americans, and if the Stock Exchanges that are currently hosted on Wall Street want to protect the future wealth of this country they should move on out. That’s right; it is time to find a new location.

I think that Wall Street firms and financial institutions should put out a RFP (Request for Proposals) on real estate that could house a new center of capitalism. The financial markets need to find a more hospitable place that does not punish their success or the success of the people that make the financial markets tick.

I am sure that Florida and Texas would respond to the RFP. I think North and South Carolina, Colorado and many other states would love to house and support the center of our capitalist system. Think of all the benefits for the state that is on the receiving end of a successful bid. Think of the boom for that state and its economy. Think of how wonderful it would be to see capitalism celebrated rather than demonized!

There has to be a group at the exchanges and financial institutions that have the guts to get the process rolling. There has to be someone that says enough is enough. Sean Hannity is the latest high profile entrepreneur to make the move out of NY. Rush Limbaugh has moved his operations to Florida, and Glen Beck has moved his operations to Texas. They have put their money where their mouth is and have stood on principle. They are only a couple of examples but by just the three of these conservative and successful individuals leaving NY they have taken millions of tax dollars with them. They have taken business taxes, property taxes, employee taxes, and all of the sales taxes that they generated while living in NY. Imagine if the financial center of capitalism did the same?

It is time to send a message to politicians and the people that when you target successful people they will leave. It is a lesson that must be learned and the example must be set for future politicians that free markets and capitalism are to be honored not demonized.

It is time to defend our country from the current assault that has become more brazen by people that don’t have a clue about what really makes this country tick…

Monday, January 20, 2014

America’s Economic Decline


92 Million Americans are not working. This has nothing to do with having a Black President. It is all about having a president that is incompetent. If this president really believes people don’t like him because he is black, he is mistaken. Americans were proud of the fact that we have moved to a place where the color of a person’s skin has become irrelevant. As Americans we celebrate Martin Luther King today as a testament to his dedication to equal rights not equal outcomes. I just wish the president felt as most of us do toward the American Dream.

This president has very few life skills beyond being a good political campaigner. I would even suggest that he is not really a great campaigner as much as he is the beneficiary of a protective media complex. His campaign mis-steps have been guarded or ignored by the media and if his campaign was given as much scrutiny as the latest Chris Christie “scandal”, he would have lost both campaigns. He would have lost to Hillary in the Democratic Primary, and his re-election campaign.

But I want to talk about the economy or the lack of one. If these statistics continue on this path much longer it will be unsustainable for the working Americans to pay all the bills of the non-working Americans. Some Americans have been taught to be lazy, but most Americans want to work. They have just been fooled to think that the government has a role in creating jobs. The only role government has is to stay out of the way of private business and industry. I guess you could call that a “role” but it is really best for all of us that government bureaucrats be put out of business.

It is amazing that under such suppression of the private sector American business still has the capacity to trudge on. It is a testament to the resilience of the free market capitalist system we have. Even through years of demonization and attempts to kill it off with regulation, the free market finds ways to create wealth for Americans. But it may become even too much for the free markets if this administration is allowed to continue its assaults on this economy.

We are in decline as every economic number suggests. The only exception is the stock market which is flush with money looking for a place to get a return on investment. Once the stock market sees what the 92 million people out of work see then all bets are off.

We will rebound if we do three simple things; elect conservatives in November, repeal Obamacare, and pass a federal budget that cuts funding to at least 30% of all of the bureaucrats in Washington DC. If we do that the decline will become a boom. Guaranteed!

Thursday, January 16, 2014

The Answer is Not Immigration


We have 40% of young Americans out of work. The numbers are even higher in the inner city minority communities. And still the Chamber of Commerce and big businesses lobby keep pushing to legalize 12 – 20 million low skilled workers. I don’t get it?

I understand the arguments for highly educated engineer graduates and specialty degrees that are hard to find in general, but even then I am not sympathetic to allowing businesses to undermine the American engineer simply because they must pay a higher wage. There is an inherent cost in being an American company, and part of that is utilizing the people that are citizens. You might argue that these businesses will pack up and move to another country and I say it is their choice, but there should be an even higher price to pay to get access into our consumer markets if that becomes the case. I am not a “protectionist” I am a pragmatist.

I want to focus today on the low skilled workers that have been flooding America through our southern border. A majority of them are Mexicans. Let me premise that I believe Mexicans can be very industrious workers but so can our inner city and teenage youth if given the chance.

I have not run the numbers but I suspect if businesses that need entry level, low skilled, agricultural workers spent more time recruiting and looking at ways to make their work more attractive, instead of sending money to lobbyists in Washington, we could solve 2 problems; low skilled, entry level unemployment and filling a need for workers to do those jobs.

The American system and the natural resources of this country are what make the opportunity to succeed so likely. The American spirit and work ethic, combined with these attributes makes it a powerful combination. If American companies, especially those pushing for this harmful immigration legislation would spend some time looking at the alternative of recruiting American youths they may find many willing soldiers for their cause.

I don’t believe that the youths of America are too far gone to take a chance on giving them an opportunity to work. The American business community is the most creative in the world and I think there is an answer to their need for workers and the youth unemployment rate and it is not letting people who came here illegally to receive amnesty.

The answer lies in America, Americans, and American ingenuity. The answer does not lie in this attempt to legalize illegals; it lies in our inner cities and the youth of America…

Monday, January 13, 2014

Federal Government: Mind Your Own Business! Founding Principles


The founding principles of our nation were designed around individual liberty and limited government intervention. In today’s language our founders were simply saying to the world and future politicians in America: Mind Your Own Business! The founders knew that a robust federal government was the biggest threat to the burgeoning nation. The founders had lived the disaster of centralized government that was intent on crushing individual liberty. They knew a government of the people, by the people, and for the people would not be easy but it would be worth it. They knew it was time for a different and new approach.

I am reading a great history book about the ratification arguments at the state conventions, and the arguments could be summed up as a healthy and passionate skepticism for the need of any central government, never mind a powerful intrusive federal government. I know what you’re thinking, “who the heck reads books like that!” but I do and I love it! I feel like I should have lived in that time period! The bottom line is we are looking at a complete reversal of the founding principles in today’s political environment.

Every time there is a national incident the call goes out “what is the government going to do about that? (place issue here)” It is a result of historical ignorance of the founding principles our government was built around. Except for making pot illegal, too many in the younger generation believe the government has a role in every issue without question. It is assumed that the government has a role in everything. It is not just the young; many in the “baby boomer” generation have accepted the intrusion of the federal government. Otherwise how did we get federal regulations that limit our toilet flushes and light bulbs we use in our lamps?

The one thing I have noticed as a result of the current Obama administration’s attempt to transform America from the individual to the state, is a renewed interest in our Constitution. There has been so much lawlessness in this administration that Americans instinctively feel something is not right. The economy is being smothered in regulation creating less opportunity, the federal government takeover of the greatest healthcare system in the world is quickly changing the system into a mess of regulation and chaos, and the thousands of environmental regulations limiting the production of energy that fuels our economy is stagnating job growth. The list of federal government intrusion is at a crescendo!

The founders knew this would be the result if they didn’t limit the federal government’s role in the US Constitution. The problem is they expected Americans to be as passionate about protecting their individual liberty as they were. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore although it may be growing. We should return to the founding principles and simply follow the chant of Federal Government “Mind Your Own Business!”

Or we could simply hold the government to the limits in the law of the land the US Constitution. Now that would be a novel idea!

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Federal Government: Mind Your Own Business! Free Markets


When the President of the United States makes a claim that “unemployment benefits creates jobs”, it is absolute proof that the federal government must get out of our economic system. The POTUS has absolutely no experience in economic affairs but he is only the tip of the iceberg when you talk about politicians and bureaucrats in the federal government. The statement by the POTUS alone should be enough for most people to agree the federal government is not the right mechanism for growing an economy.

But for the left and the emotional citizen proof may be needed. Every economic “fix” could be termed as “imbecilic” (idea of somebody with low IQ: in a former classification system, somebody with an IQ between 25 and 50 and a mental age of between three and seven years). I use the term because it describes the economic intellect of most politicians and federal bureaucrats.

First, if the government could just create a vibrant economy by passing a law or implementing a government policy wouldn’t they have done it already? The opposite is actually true as we see the more the federal government gets involved in the economy the worse it gets. There are reams of studies supporting this assertion but I know the people that need to read it will not - so I will not waste any time arguing the facts. I offer this as a perfect example: If fixing the economy means people need jobs and higher wages, why not pass a law that everyone be employed and make the minimum wage for those jobs a $100.00 an hour? Why can’t the federal government just mandate jobs and wages? It is called the “laws of economics.”

Economics is very simple, and creating a vibrant economy is even easier. The answer is to allow individuals and businesses to operate without oppressive taxes and regulations. Boom!  Done! The economy will take off. All we need to do is close most of the Federal Government, layoff 75% of the federal bureaucrats, end welfare for capable Americans, tie Social Security directly to the people that contribute, and shut down Medicaid and allow private charities to handle healthcare for the poor, make the federal tax a flat 10% that every working person pays, limit terms for politicians, make congress part time and boom!

If you think that is too aggressive, we can simply start by freezing federal spending and stop the ability for the federal government to borrow or print money. Even that will send the economy roaring.

The laws of free market capitalism are extremely resilient as we have seen over the past 5 years with the way it brushes off the absolute assault that has taken place under the current federal regime. Any system other than capitalism would have collapsed under the pressure! Just imagine if the free markets were actually free like they were under President Regan? Even then there was too much federal intrusion but I would take the 80’s over the past 5 years in a heartbeat.

The economy is being smothered by the federal government. It is why the founders placed so many restrictions (in the US Constitution) on its role in the lives of Americans and their economic pursuits. I wish when it comes to economic policy the federal bureaucrats and “dogooders” would just mind their own business!

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Federal Government: Mind Your Own Business! Income Inequality


The Obama administration is cleverly trying to change the subject from Obamacare to the growing income “inequality” gap. We need to stay focused on the destruction of our healthcare system but the issue of income inequality is one in which people instinctively have negative emotional reactions. These emotional reactions cling to the myth that CEO’s and the “rich” are somehow unfairly taking/making more than they deserve.

The first question I instinctively ask is this: is income supposed to be equal? Should a doctor and a garbage man make the same amount of money? Should a nurse and a janitor make the same amount of money? Should a professional athlete make so much money for playing a game? Income is determined by many factors. The first and most important is the market. What are people willing to pay for a service? Income is simply the economic principle of setting prices for labor. Like any product, pricing is set by how much it takes to produce, what people are willing to pay for the service, competition, and how the service/product is delivered in the market.

The price to deliver labor for a doctor is based on the investment that individual must make in their education and the loss of opportunity during the years spent investing in education. A doctor spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on education as well as remaining out of the labor force for eight additional years beyond most professions. The number of people willing to make this sacrifice is small which means less people compete for positions in the profession increasing the demand for their services.   A garbage man needs little education and almost anyone that can handle doing manual labor becomes available for that position. Since the skills needed are limited, the labor pool (competition) is greater, so the employer has a huge choice of candidates which means people compete heavily for the job keeping the salary down.

I often have the conversation with my wife who has been a nurse for over 25 years about why sports athlete/actors get paid so much more than a nurse or doctor. It doesn’t seem right based on the nature of the services provided but the laws of economics make it clear why the disparity in wages is justified. To sum up the reason in simple terms: The athlete/actor creates value to the team owner or movie producer worth millions of dollars. People go to watch sports or movies based on the players of the team or actors in a movie. To the employer of these people, the player and actor return millions of dollars in value so the employer can pay them more. Take into account the natural athletic ability or attractive acting skills of an actor and the people that can create that value for the employer are a limited pool.

The only way to make income equal is to force employers to pay everyone the same. The result of this mandate is counter to the laws of economics and destroys the value of work for everyone. Individuals have different skills and abilities. Jobs take different skills and educational ability. Some services/products are more valuable in the market than others. No matter what you think someone should be paid does not matter. What matters is what the market determines a wage can be.

If we continue to allow the government to attempt to make incomes more “equal” we will all be miserable and some positions and industries will simply disappear creating even more poverty. The incentive to compete for work through investments in education, developing new products, services, or companies is eliminated. Why would anyone spend the time and money if in the end we all make the same amount of money? We will all be equal in our misery, poverty, and inability to earn a “fair” wage…

Monday, January 6, 2014

Federal Government: Mind Your Own Business! The light bulb


The incandescent light bulb has been completely outlawed starting January 1, 2014. I am appalled that the federal government has spent a moment of time on the issue of regulating light bulbs. Do we really believe that the regulation of a light bulb is worthy of the time and effort of federal bureaucrats? Never mind that this is not a constitutionally mandated activity for the federal government.

The “do-gooders” have effectively used the federal government and an emotional plea to convince otherwise smart people that the incandescent light bulb is destroying the planet. Nothing could be further from the truth. The incandescent light bulb as a matter of environmental concern ranks about as far from the top as say the five gallon toilet flush. Until that is, the truth about the new light bulbs is revealed as a hazardous material. People that supported the effort to outlaw the light bulb are fools. Yes, that’s right, you’re a fool if you think this is an important issue and that the federal government has any role is this obvious fringe movement to “save the planet.” And to think the federal government would be capable of an alternative to an American staple is an even more discouraging tale of the citizen’s engagement in an issue beyond emotion. It shows how easily an entire country can be fooled by a simple appeal to our emotional senses.

What thinking Americans needs to understand is that the environmental movement is actually a movement to control the citizen and attack the capitalism that has made this country the greatest in the world. Environmentalism is communism in disguise. There is a difference between people that care about the environment and the organizations behind movements like banning the light bulb. These groups prey on the American spirit to protect our resources in a common sense manner. There is nothing common sense about Green Peace, Earth First, or a million other radical groups. Their goal is to end capitalism and choice.

Here is why the banning of the incandescent light bulb is not about the environment. Although the new light bulb lasts a bit longer, if the new light bulbs break you are told that a “hazmat” team is needed to clean up. Here is an outtake from an EPA briefing on the new light bulbs: “
"In switching from incandescent light bulbs to fluorescent light bulbs and CFLs our elected officials opened the door to a massive mercury pollution problem across the United States threatening landfills and drinking water supplies. Our elected officials have
been derelict in making this information available to the public and providing the necessary hazardous waste sites available for their recycling and disposal in every local community [9]. And there should have been a massive public education campaign to inform the public about these hazards. It is too late for the fluorescent and CFL bulbs that have already been tossed into dumpsters and landfills. We now can change this process through education and laws regarding the hazardous material disposal of these bulbs [10].


 

So what is the goal of environmental groups? You have to wonder? But the thing we should all agree on is that the light bulb should not be the concern of the federal government. Because if we look at the competence level of “do gooders” + federal bureaucrats = total incompetence and inefficiency.

We would be much better off as a country if the EPA was banned instead of a completely functional light bulb…   

 

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Federal Government: Mind Your Own Business!


I have decided to issue a series of articles in 2014 based on a single theme, “Mind Your Own Business”. I simply want others to treat me the way I treat them. I just want to be left alone to pursue my life. Too many people believe they know better and use the “hammer” of the federal government to force people to engage in specific behavior by using the power of the federal government. They believe that what they want is the best thing for all of us. I don’t believe a majority of the “do gooders” are evil in their intent. I believe they are utterly misguided in the beliefs.

I have been observing and listening to the political debate for most of my adult life. I am a keen observer of human behavior. I am especially astute in human behavior that impacts political policy and the economy. I am going to publish the observations in relation to the way many people of all political persuasions feel about a big intrusive government. I am going to attempt to argue in a practical manner the way the do gooders are actually making this country less free and less “good”.

In my observations it seems the younger generation is fed up with the feds. It is a perfect bridge for constitutional conservatives to bring them into the constitutional camp in a way that increases their ability to analyze all government programs with an eye toward freedom. Many of the old school democrats that love this country have not had the heart to let go of the party of their parents. The actions of the latest democratic administration and a majority of democrats in congress are far left radicals that are bent on limiting individual choice by regulating everyone and everything that moves. The federal government and democrats mostly, but also too many GOP politicians, continue to fail to mind their own business, and have failed to abide by our social compact the US Constitution. This behavior needs to be pointed out to convert these old school democrats to the constitutional conservative camp.

The American people are conservative by nature. They are also progressive. We simply want to be left alone and if policies are counter to the belief of the people they make an effort to change the policy. We are all at the point that we agree that the federal government is too big. The way to work together is to vote for the right candidates. Regardless of political affiliation, the voters must stop voting the party and vote the candidate. We need to end the democratic rule because they are the radicals destroying the fabric of this country. In the GOP, voters must vote in primaries and vote in candidates that promise to leave us alone!

The arguments I will make will take on the government at the federal level. Although I think all government should be as small as possible, I have the option of moving to and from States that have policies I don’t agree with. I can’t do that when the federal government passes regulations that impact all fifty states.

I think we the people have a responsibility to live by the laws of the land. The ultimate law of our land is the US Constitution. I believe if we want to change that document we should do it by using the process laid out within the document. If you were to sum up the intent of the US Constitution in terms familiar to people today it would be: Federal Government “Mind Your Own Business.” I can live my own life, Thank You!