Notes of Concern…
…Jack Blair
THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN
I have been reading about the sunny state of California. It appears things are not all that sunny in “La La Land” these days. In fact, in order for California to deal successfully with the current fiscal dilemma in which it finds itself it would, according to the writer Barrie McKenna, need to free 168,000 prisoners from California jails and close forever 240 college and university campuses.
The real problem, however, for those of us who do not live in “La La Land” is that it might be the preview for what we can expect in the years to come.
We are a nation that expects a great deal from our government.
We are a nation that does not like taxes.
For the government to satisfy our “wants” they must tax us.
I wrestle with how all of this can possibly work out.
Many in America do not understand that we are one of the least taxed countries in the world. We don’t understand it because we don’t study it and no one tells us about it.
It is, however, an unwelcome truth. And it stands in each of our living rooms as a very large elephant.
What will we do about the elephant in the room?
If we slash expenses (programs) the people get angry.
If we raise taxes to fund the programs, the people get angry.
The bottom line is that people are angry. We see it in almost every electoral contest from sea to shining sea.
We have in our country a very layered and very costly federal government. At the same time, we do not provide the tax income to pay for this government. To a lesser extent, but no less critical, we have the same situation in each state.
Very soon California will be asking for a federal bailout. Whatever consideration is given to that will have to occur in the knowledge there could be 49 more bailout requests over the years.
If the federal government provides a bailout the money has to come from either slashing federal programs or raising taxes. If you don’t know what kind of reaction there would be to either of those, re-read the column!
As Robert Preston sang in the musical “The Music Man”, slightly paraphrased:
We got trouble! …
Well, either you're closing your eyes
to a situation you do not wish to acknowledge
or you are not aware of the caliber of disaster indicated…
We have to stop spending money.
Or
We have to expect less from our government.
Or
We have to be willing to pay more in taxes.
It doesn’t get any simpler than that.
What will it be?
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Friday, June 18, 2010
BACK TO BASICS ?
Notes of Concern…
…Jack Blair
BACK TO BASICS?
Most of us have the basics: shelter in the form of a home, transportation, medical coverage, sufficient income to live on, safety, and freedom.
Many of us have more than the basics: we actually own a home, we have more than one car, we have really good medical coverage, we have more income than required to cover the “basics” and we could be referred to as “comfortable”.
Some of us live our lives with a great many more toys than we need.
Fewer of us make charitable donations than would seem appropriate given how much financial security we enjoy. We don’t share very much.
A very small minority of us prepare for that “rainy day” that always worried our parents. One of the reasons is that we haven’t seen the rainy days that came their way, so we have trouble envisioning one.
An article in another paper this week started me thinking about this. The thrust of the article was that Americans just don’t sacrifice anymore.
We always want more from the government than they are prepared to give.
We want more from the company for which we work than they are prepared to pay.
We want more channels from the cable company on our televisions; we aren’t satisfied anymore with AM/FM and want to pay for satellite radio; we don’t find one or two automobiles in our garage sufficient and hope to add a motorcycle, scooter, and a couple of bikes (mountain, dirt, etc) to our collection of “wheels”.
We want bigger, better and sexier vacations. We want our airplanes to carry 500 and have bars, sleeping quarters and maybe a fitness facility. We want our cruise ships to have ice arenas and the capability for surfing on the deck. We want our cars to play movies to keep the kids quiet on long trips. We want designer clothes, not just something from Penny’s or Sears.
This list could go on for far more space than I have in this paper today.
We live a charmed life in many ways.
Even those of us who have difficulties in our lives would find that we are still so much better off than many people in the world.
Perhaps the reader would consider cutting back a little? Donating more to others (sacrificial financial gifts or gifts of service)? Starting a “rainy day” fund? We should at least contemplate our bountiful lives and take a moment to compare them to the lives of others in places like Soweto, South Africa and Delhi, India.
As our nation loses the reputation it once enjoyed in the world and gains a growing list of enemies abroad, we need to focus on how we as a people have changed and ask ourselves if that might be the source of our new-found difficulties.
Perhaps the changes that need to be made cannot be successfully made in Washington, DC but need to occur right in our own backyard-in our own homes.
There is no reason to be ashamed for having the blessings we have in life. But it is important to keep them in perspective and to have a realistic view of the basic ingredients required to live our lives.
…Jack Blair
BACK TO BASICS?
Most of us have the basics: shelter in the form of a home, transportation, medical coverage, sufficient income to live on, safety, and freedom.
Many of us have more than the basics: we actually own a home, we have more than one car, we have really good medical coverage, we have more income than required to cover the “basics” and we could be referred to as “comfortable”.
Some of us live our lives with a great many more toys than we need.
Fewer of us make charitable donations than would seem appropriate given how much financial security we enjoy. We don’t share very much.
A very small minority of us prepare for that “rainy day” that always worried our parents. One of the reasons is that we haven’t seen the rainy days that came their way, so we have trouble envisioning one.
An article in another paper this week started me thinking about this. The thrust of the article was that Americans just don’t sacrifice anymore.
We always want more from the government than they are prepared to give.
We want more from the company for which we work than they are prepared to pay.
We want more channels from the cable company on our televisions; we aren’t satisfied anymore with AM/FM and want to pay for satellite radio; we don’t find one or two automobiles in our garage sufficient and hope to add a motorcycle, scooter, and a couple of bikes (mountain, dirt, etc) to our collection of “wheels”.
We want bigger, better and sexier vacations. We want our airplanes to carry 500 and have bars, sleeping quarters and maybe a fitness facility. We want our cruise ships to have ice arenas and the capability for surfing on the deck. We want our cars to play movies to keep the kids quiet on long trips. We want designer clothes, not just something from Penny’s or Sears.
This list could go on for far more space than I have in this paper today.
We live a charmed life in many ways.
Even those of us who have difficulties in our lives would find that we are still so much better off than many people in the world.
Perhaps the reader would consider cutting back a little? Donating more to others (sacrificial financial gifts or gifts of service)? Starting a “rainy day” fund? We should at least contemplate our bountiful lives and take a moment to compare them to the lives of others in places like Soweto, South Africa and Delhi, India.
As our nation loses the reputation it once enjoyed in the world and gains a growing list of enemies abroad, we need to focus on how we as a people have changed and ask ourselves if that might be the source of our new-found difficulties.
Perhaps the changes that need to be made cannot be successfully made in Washington, DC but need to occur right in our own backyard-in our own homes.
There is no reason to be ashamed for having the blessings we have in life. But it is important to keep them in perspective and to have a realistic view of the basic ingredients required to live our lives.
Friday, June 11, 2010
DISHONOR
Notes of Concern…
…Jack Blair
DISHONOR
Arlington National Cemetery has announced that it has misplaced some of our heroes.
It was announced on MSNBC that problems of misidentification or improper record keeping has occurred with reference to 211 graves. In other words, folks being paid huge salaries screwed up.
In one instance one body was buried on top of a previously buried body in the same grave.
Did the government uncover this on their own? No!
One family visited the grave site of their loved one only to find another family had placed a tombstone there.
And that is when the dominoes began to fall.
The top man at Arlington has lost his job.
The number two guy is on administrative leave. He may get to return.
It is hard to think of a situation that engenders more disgust than this one. Arlington was created and is maintained to be a dignified resting place for men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation.
It is a place of incredible beauty with magnificent lawns, dignified military funerals, and the resting place of many important Americans, none of them more important than the soldiers who paid the ultimate price.
How does this happen?
This should be pretty straight forward: A soldier dies. He is identified by his dog tags and other scientific procedures. He is flown home in a military transport. His casket is carried off the plane and placed in a hearse. His body is driven to Arlington where his family and friends meet it and the military conducts a formal service. He is interred in the grave that was opened for him.
Simple.
Clear cut.
Straight forward.
One would assume the details were handled as crisply as the soldiers fold the flag or with as much care as the riflemen provide the salute or the horn clearly sounds “Taps”.
Assumptions are often wrong.
Many of us have learned that the Federal Government can screw up a one-car funeral. That they could blow something as simple, and important as this, renders many Americans speechless.
We have seen lately an incredible number of examples of incompetence in our government. This is just one more.
However, this one strikes at the very heart of our patriotism.
There is no room for error here. In the handling of our military dead we need to see perfection. This is an inexcusable situation that adds further grief and worry to the families our soldiers have left behind.
Every individual associated with this mess needs to lose his job.
If he knew about the situation and did nothing, he needs to go.
If he did not know about the situation but should have, he needs to go.
If he was just taking orders, he needs to go.
Memo to the Federal Government: clean house! Then hire competent administrators.
First order of business must be to make this right.
Determine which soldiers should be in which graves. Reinter them appropriately. And while you are at it, offer to redo the ceremonies if the affected families so desire.
Do it right this time.
Shame on you.
…Jack Blair
DISHONOR
Arlington National Cemetery has announced that it has misplaced some of our heroes.
It was announced on MSNBC that problems of misidentification or improper record keeping has occurred with reference to 211 graves. In other words, folks being paid huge salaries screwed up.
In one instance one body was buried on top of a previously buried body in the same grave.
Did the government uncover this on their own? No!
One family visited the grave site of their loved one only to find another family had placed a tombstone there.
And that is when the dominoes began to fall.
The top man at Arlington has lost his job.
The number two guy is on administrative leave. He may get to return.
It is hard to think of a situation that engenders more disgust than this one. Arlington was created and is maintained to be a dignified resting place for men and women who gave their lives in service to our nation.
It is a place of incredible beauty with magnificent lawns, dignified military funerals, and the resting place of many important Americans, none of them more important than the soldiers who paid the ultimate price.
How does this happen?
This should be pretty straight forward: A soldier dies. He is identified by his dog tags and other scientific procedures. He is flown home in a military transport. His casket is carried off the plane and placed in a hearse. His body is driven to Arlington where his family and friends meet it and the military conducts a formal service. He is interred in the grave that was opened for him.
Simple.
Clear cut.
Straight forward.
One would assume the details were handled as crisply as the soldiers fold the flag or with as much care as the riflemen provide the salute or the horn clearly sounds “Taps”.
Assumptions are often wrong.
Many of us have learned that the Federal Government can screw up a one-car funeral. That they could blow something as simple, and important as this, renders many Americans speechless.
We have seen lately an incredible number of examples of incompetence in our government. This is just one more.
However, this one strikes at the very heart of our patriotism.
There is no room for error here. In the handling of our military dead we need to see perfection. This is an inexcusable situation that adds further grief and worry to the families our soldiers have left behind.
Every individual associated with this mess needs to lose his job.
If he knew about the situation and did nothing, he needs to go.
If he did not know about the situation but should have, he needs to go.
If he was just taking orders, he needs to go.
Memo to the Federal Government: clean house! Then hire competent administrators.
First order of business must be to make this right.
Determine which soldiers should be in which graves. Reinter them appropriately. And while you are at it, offer to redo the ceremonies if the affected families so desire.
Do it right this time.
Shame on you.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
IN OUR GREED
IN OUR GREED
Our earth is a wonderful gift.
We live in beautiful surroundings. Each of us has driven along winding and beautiful country roads; we have taken a swim in crystal blue water; we have soaked up the sun while resting on a sandy beach.
We have enjoyed boating off one of our coasts; climbed high in a spectacular tree; looked down on the hills and valleys of our country as we were engaged in air travel.
Many of us have watched the sparkling white snow fall on beautiful evergreens; walked in a light spring rain; hiked along seldom traveled trails through incredibly quiet and striking forests; and stared upward on a dark night to admire the beautiful heavens.
The calamity brought upon us by British Petroleum is only the most recent rape of the earth. In our eagerness for progress, our insatiable appetite for oil, our pursuit of the almighty dollar, and our disregard for the infamous “downside” of our greed, we are regularly, systematically, and predictably destroying much of what is good and wholesome in our lives.
No one company is to blame. All companies are participating in one way or another.
No one chief executive can be tarred and feathered.
No one government is responsible for what is happening.
Collectively, we encourage and permit the blind pursuit of profit.
We buy the products.
We use the resources.
We invest in the stocks.
WE THE PEOPLE… had better wake up!
Our earth is a wonderful gift.
We live in beautiful surroundings. Each of us has driven along winding and beautiful country roads; we have taken a swim in crystal blue water; we have soaked up the sun while resting on a sandy beach.
We have enjoyed boating off one of our coasts; climbed high in a spectacular tree; looked down on the hills and valleys of our country as we were engaged in air travel.
Many of us have watched the sparkling white snow fall on beautiful evergreens; walked in a light spring rain; hiked along seldom traveled trails through incredibly quiet and striking forests; and stared upward on a dark night to admire the beautiful heavens.
The calamity brought upon us by British Petroleum is only the most recent rape of the earth. In our eagerness for progress, our insatiable appetite for oil, our pursuit of the almighty dollar, and our disregard for the infamous “downside” of our greed, we are regularly, systematically, and predictably destroying much of what is good and wholesome in our lives.
No one company is to blame. All companies are participating in one way or another.
No one chief executive can be tarred and feathered.
No one government is responsible for what is happening.
Collectively, we encourage and permit the blind pursuit of profit.
We buy the products.
We use the resources.
We invest in the stocks.
WE THE PEOPLE… had better wake up!
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