Notes of Concern…
…..Jackson Blair
THE FAT LADY MAY BE SINGING NOW
You have heard the old saying that “it isn’t over until the fat lady sings.” Recently, I have sensed she may have started her aria.
Over the past few weeks I have received email notices of huge reductions in tickets for concerts of The Boston Symphony Orchestra. These typically come a week or two prior to a scheduled concert.
My first reaction is always excitement at the thought of getting to attend a concert by one of the world’s leading orchestras at a good price. I also know that I will be able to obtain a much better seat because of the lowered price.
On reflection, I realize that an orchestra that typically fills Symphony Hall every, every seat, must now be facing a downturn in attendance. If the very best of the very best is facing this economic reality, what is happening to all the other fine orchestras?
Actually, many orchestras, ballet companies, and theater groups have closed their doors in the last two years. Further, many others are at the brink, looking over the precipice at the economic realities.
So our country will be facing a time when enjoying a classical concert, attending a fine play, or observing great dancers will become harder. There will be fewer offerings and ticket prices may have to rise in order to cover the growing costs of production.
All of us should be aware that this is also happening to movie theaters, county fairs, traveling Broadway shows, and other entertainment organizations. This same situation may soon be seen with reference to sport events and stage shows.
There is a quiet, building revolution in our country that is centered on whether the average American is in a position to afford tickets to these events. When families are required to cut back on expenditures, entertainment is pretty far down the list of necessities and is often the first to go.
We have become accustomed to enjoying the finest entertainment at all levels. We may soon need to train ourselves to enjoy simpler pleasures as it may well be an economic necessity.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Sad and Silly
Notes of Concern…
…Jack Blair
SAD and SILLY
I was listening to television news recently and heard two disappointing reports. I want to share them with you.
1. half of Americans pay no income tax
2. only half of the multi- billion stimulus money has been spent
I have worked my entire life. My wife works. My four children work. We pay income taxes. We look forward to retirement with social security and Medicare.
We must be crazy.
People who do not work and who pay no taxes enjoy the same benefits we do. And if the government runs short, they want to decrease my benefits to make sure there is enough to go around.
When I think of all those tax dollars I could have kept I realize what a different life I would be living.
When our economy was in the tank the government told us that they needed to spend billions to get us back on track.
It was needed. It should be immediate. We had better hurry.
The Congress met long into the night. People sat on the edge of their chairs to see if the money bill could be passed in time to save our nation from economic collapse.
Do you remember how long ago that was?
Do you believe that half of what we “had to have” is still sitting around stimulating absolutely nothing.
Then I watched another news report. Bad decision!
This one dealt with homeland security. As an example, they selected a very small, hardly used border crossing spot in Maine to make their point.
We were told the hours of operation of this crossing were short and it wasn’t open on Sundays. Sometimes no cars pass through at all on a given day. We have a little house there with all the bells and whistles. It sits very close to a private residence.
In the infinite wisdom of our government, we have decided to spend millions of dollars to upgrade this place. As part of the project we will build 2-3 houses for the staff.
Staff!
This place could be run part time by one or two local residents. People who would probably be glad to have the job.
Then it was decided there should be a proper parking lot. In order to prepare such a fine parking space they must take the front yard of a local resident.
Eminent domain you know!
The reporter interviewed the neighbors and townspeople. Absolutely no one can understand why this is being done. When they asked through formal channels, the response was “national security.”
I might mention that on the other side of this border crossing Canada has a modest wood building and no plans to spend a dime on it.
I might also mention that any terrorist wanting to cross from Canada into the US would not need to come down this road. He could walk through the woods, paddle across the lake, or perhaps just fly over.
It hasn’t been a good television week for me.
I have a feeling in my gut that we are appropriating and spending money “willy -nilly“and we have absolutely no structure in place to determine what is actually critical, what is simply pork barrel politics, and how we are ever going to repay our debts.
We seem to be on a speeding train with no engineer, conductor or porter. We are in the dining car enjoying a great meal with some drinks and we seem absolutely oblivious to how this must end.
The solution to every problem is not money.
The solution is to have the right people working on the solution.
…Jack Blair
SAD and SILLY
I was listening to television news recently and heard two disappointing reports. I want to share them with you.
1. half of Americans pay no income tax
2. only half of the multi- billion stimulus money has been spent
I have worked my entire life. My wife works. My four children work. We pay income taxes. We look forward to retirement with social security and Medicare.
We must be crazy.
People who do not work and who pay no taxes enjoy the same benefits we do. And if the government runs short, they want to decrease my benefits to make sure there is enough to go around.
When I think of all those tax dollars I could have kept I realize what a different life I would be living.
When our economy was in the tank the government told us that they needed to spend billions to get us back on track.
It was needed. It should be immediate. We had better hurry.
The Congress met long into the night. People sat on the edge of their chairs to see if the money bill could be passed in time to save our nation from economic collapse.
Do you remember how long ago that was?
Do you believe that half of what we “had to have” is still sitting around stimulating absolutely nothing.
Then I watched another news report. Bad decision!
This one dealt with homeland security. As an example, they selected a very small, hardly used border crossing spot in Maine to make their point.
We were told the hours of operation of this crossing were short and it wasn’t open on Sundays. Sometimes no cars pass through at all on a given day. We have a little house there with all the bells and whistles. It sits very close to a private residence.
In the infinite wisdom of our government, we have decided to spend millions of dollars to upgrade this place. As part of the project we will build 2-3 houses for the staff.
Staff!
This place could be run part time by one or two local residents. People who would probably be glad to have the job.
Then it was decided there should be a proper parking lot. In order to prepare such a fine parking space they must take the front yard of a local resident.
Eminent domain you know!
The reporter interviewed the neighbors and townspeople. Absolutely no one can understand why this is being done. When they asked through formal channels, the response was “national security.”
I might mention that on the other side of this border crossing Canada has a modest wood building and no plans to spend a dime on it.
I might also mention that any terrorist wanting to cross from Canada into the US would not need to come down this road. He could walk through the woods, paddle across the lake, or perhaps just fly over.
It hasn’t been a good television week for me.
I have a feeling in my gut that we are appropriating and spending money “willy -nilly“and we have absolutely no structure in place to determine what is actually critical, what is simply pork barrel politics, and how we are ever going to repay our debts.
We seem to be on a speeding train with no engineer, conductor or porter. We are in the dining car enjoying a great meal with some drinks and we seem absolutely oblivious to how this must end.
The solution to every problem is not money.
The solution is to have the right people working on the solution.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
ECONOMIC SOLUTIONS FROM BERNANKE
Notes of Concern…
…Jackson Blair
Raise Taxes
Cut Social Security and Medicare
Cut Defense and Cut Education
These are the solutions suggested by the Federal Government to the worsening economic crisis in the United States.
Well, they are the possible solutions according to Ben Bernanke, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve.
As I understand it, the government which we elected, and whom we expect to represent our views, has gone out over the past many years and run up deficits and passed new programs, and generally ignored the impact of their spending on future generations of Americans, and now wants us to pay more in taxes, take less in social security, accept cuts in Medicare, and stomach a reduction in our ability to educate our children and defend our nation.
Right!
Here is what Bernanke said in Texas on April 8, 2010.
"To avoid large and ultimately unsustainable budget deficits, the nation will ultimately have to choose among higher taxes, modifications to entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, less spending on everything else from education to defense, or some combination of the above," he said.
Our choices according to the Fed chair are clear here.
We can expect more taxes.
This suggestion included a trial balloon about a VAT (value added tax) like they have in Europe. A national sales tax ! ?
Sure, bring it on.
Or we can expect “modifications” to current entitlement programs.
This would be a reduction in social security and Medicare for starters. But those are only two of the “entitlement” programs they could slash.
Interesting terminology in that the word “entitlement” suggests these are programs we deserve, worked to enjoy, and should not be messed with. Hmm.
Or we can expect less spending on, for instance, education and defense.
Now there is a non-starter.
The world is increasingly dangerous. More tiny countries with unstable leaders are now either buying or making nuclear weapons. Our education programs seem to be, at best, treading water against the rest of the world.
I don’t care for any of these choices.
But with our debt soaring and the demands on our nation growing I anticipate that the government will, in their infinite wisdom, do all three of the things mentioned by Chairman Bernanke.
If this bothers you in any way, you better set aside labels like Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Liberal, Socialist, Tea Party and get about the business of identifying men and women who can bring this to a halt.
Let us have a simple government.
Let us spend no more than we take in.
No new programs until the old ones are properly and securely funded.
A full review of the perks and privileges our representatives have voted themselves. The goal here would be to ensure that no one working for the government has any better benefits than they are providing to the people.
This, my friends, would be a good start.
…Jackson Blair
Raise Taxes
Cut Social Security and Medicare
Cut Defense and Cut Education
These are the solutions suggested by the Federal Government to the worsening economic crisis in the United States.
Well, they are the possible solutions according to Ben Bernanke, the Chairman of the Federal Reserve.
As I understand it, the government which we elected, and whom we expect to represent our views, has gone out over the past many years and run up deficits and passed new programs, and generally ignored the impact of their spending on future generations of Americans, and now wants us to pay more in taxes, take less in social security, accept cuts in Medicare, and stomach a reduction in our ability to educate our children and defend our nation.
Right!
Here is what Bernanke said in Texas on April 8, 2010.
"To avoid large and ultimately unsustainable budget deficits, the nation will ultimately have to choose among higher taxes, modifications to entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare, less spending on everything else from education to defense, or some combination of the above," he said.
Our choices according to the Fed chair are clear here.
We can expect more taxes.
This suggestion included a trial balloon about a VAT (value added tax) like they have in Europe. A national sales tax ! ?
Sure, bring it on.
Or we can expect “modifications” to current entitlement programs.
This would be a reduction in social security and Medicare for starters. But those are only two of the “entitlement” programs they could slash.
Interesting terminology in that the word “entitlement” suggests these are programs we deserve, worked to enjoy, and should not be messed with. Hmm.
Or we can expect less spending on, for instance, education and defense.
Now there is a non-starter.
The world is increasingly dangerous. More tiny countries with unstable leaders are now either buying or making nuclear weapons. Our education programs seem to be, at best, treading water against the rest of the world.
I don’t care for any of these choices.
But with our debt soaring and the demands on our nation growing I anticipate that the government will, in their infinite wisdom, do all three of the things mentioned by Chairman Bernanke.
If this bothers you in any way, you better set aside labels like Democrat, Republican, Conservative, Liberal, Socialist, Tea Party and get about the business of identifying men and women who can bring this to a halt.
Let us have a simple government.
Let us spend no more than we take in.
No new programs until the old ones are properly and securely funded.
A full review of the perks and privileges our representatives have voted themselves. The goal here would be to ensure that no one working for the government has any better benefits than they are providing to the people.
This, my friends, would be a good start.
Monday, April 5, 2010
CITIZEN LEADERS
Notes of Concern….
…..Jackson Blair
The Citizen Leader
The President told us he would make changes if we elected him.
We elected him and he did.
Problem?
Many of us seem not to like the changes. Even more of us have changed our mind about the man. His popularity has now dropped to below 50% according to polls.
The Democrats told us that if we would give them control of Congress things would get better.
We gave them control and things got worse.
The nation’s confidence in the Congress (Democrats and Republicans) is at an all time low of around 33%.
The Republicans told us that things would get worse, not better, if we didn’t return them to national office.
We didn’t return them and they were correct.
That said, they have shown such a lack of foresight and a lack of the understanding of basic American needs that most don’t think the GOP would have fared any better had they won the election.
So my friends, we have a President who has control of both houses of Congress and our nation stumbles along in front of a wide eyed, disbelieving world, trying to get our house in order.
If this is all to be solved someone is going to have to start thinking out of the box!
It is time for national leadership to rise from the ranks of folks who have not been lifetime politicians.
We need savvy leaders, people who can inspire confidence, folks who have achieved business successes, men and women who know how to actually manage something other than their own political careers.
We must identify, recruit and support men and women who can turn the country around, return her to the basic values that brought the nation greatness and respect.
Alas, I do not think they are to be found currently serving in national politics.
It is time for citizens to serve for brief periods, using their talents and skills, as our representatives and senators and governors. And then they should return to their chosen professions. I think it was meant to be so from the very beginning. We just got lost along the way.
…..Jackson Blair
The Citizen Leader
The President told us he would make changes if we elected him.
We elected him and he did.
Problem?
Many of us seem not to like the changes. Even more of us have changed our mind about the man. His popularity has now dropped to below 50% according to polls.
The Democrats told us that if we would give them control of Congress things would get better.
We gave them control and things got worse.
The nation’s confidence in the Congress (Democrats and Republicans) is at an all time low of around 33%.
The Republicans told us that things would get worse, not better, if we didn’t return them to national office.
We didn’t return them and they were correct.
That said, they have shown such a lack of foresight and a lack of the understanding of basic American needs that most don’t think the GOP would have fared any better had they won the election.
So my friends, we have a President who has control of both houses of Congress and our nation stumbles along in front of a wide eyed, disbelieving world, trying to get our house in order.
If this is all to be solved someone is going to have to start thinking out of the box!
It is time for national leadership to rise from the ranks of folks who have not been lifetime politicians.
We need savvy leaders, people who can inspire confidence, folks who have achieved business successes, men and women who know how to actually manage something other than their own political careers.
We must identify, recruit and support men and women who can turn the country around, return her to the basic values that brought the nation greatness and respect.
Alas, I do not think they are to be found currently serving in national politics.
It is time for citizens to serve for brief periods, using their talents and skills, as our representatives and senators and governors. And then they should return to their chosen professions. I think it was meant to be so from the very beginning. We just got lost along the way.
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