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Comments welcome E-Mail: wrench@themarilynsojourn.com (name and address will be withheld |
"Public Spirit and Virtue"
In July of 1775, at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, and in March of 1783, during peace negotiations with England, Benjamin Franklin wrote two letters to his friend in England, Jonathan Shipley. The following is two excerpts from those letters. While a delegate to the Continental Congress and a member of the Committee of Safety, Franklin wrote to Shipley. “The members attend closely without being bribed to it, by either Salary, Place or Pension, or the hopes of any; which I mention for your Reflection on the differences between a new virtuous People, who have publick Spirit, and an old corrupt one, who have not so much as an Idea that such a thing exists in Nature. There has not been a dissenting Voice among us in any Resolution for Defence, and our Army which is already formed, will soon consist of above 20,000 men.” Near the end of peace negotiations with England, Franklin again wrote to Shipley from Paris. Regarding England and her Parliament, he writes: “Let us now forgive and forget . . . Her great Disease at present is the number and enormous Salaries and Emoluments of Office. Avarice and Ambition are strong Passions, and, separately, act with great Force on the human Mind; but, when both are united, and may be gratified in the same Object, their violence is almost irresistible, and they hurry Men headlong into Factions and Contentions, destructive of all good government. As long, therefore, as the great Emoluments subsist, your Parliament will be a stormy Sea, and your Public Councils confounded by private Interests. But it requires much Public Spirit and Virtue to abolish them; more perhaps than can now be found in a Nation so long corrupted . . .” 229 years later, the people, place and times have certainly changed. Yet the behavior of entrenched government bureaucracies and those that would use them for their private interests appears to remain unaltered. Is there Public Spirit and Virtue, in sufficient quantity, in our leadership and citizenry that we may again have a government that a majority of citizens will be proud of? |
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"Don't' Forget The Rights And Responsibilities"
The keeping of our Republic must include more than the balancing of the Treasury and the restoration of economic vitality. For without a truly representative democracy, citizens will not be inclined to the work and sacrifices required to invigorate our society intellectually, spiritually, and economically so we may relive ourselves of our ignorance and debt. Representative democracy cannot be purchased. It is made by the willingness of the citizenry to recognize the equality of their citizenship and to exercise it. There is and always will be differences in the knowledge and abilities of individual citizens and their levels of prosperity will differ. But the increasing income disparity of recent decades is due in large part to unequal representation. Subsidies to the ignorant that only allow them to maintain that status are as counter-productive as subsidies or government contracts to a “favored clientele”. Both produce results that do not benefit society as a whole. This is not representative democracy no matter how many times it is repeated. Representatives should represent the interests of their constituents for the benefit of the whole. Government is neither too big or too intrusive, but it is behaving badly. The administration of the Republic has become a self-perpetuating entity that primarily serves itself and its favored clientele. Free trade agreements? Free fall of our manufacturing sector is a more accurate description. Four million or more jobs that sustained the growth of the middle class for 70 years were lost as a result of these policies. Tax reform? Total taxes paid by the 90% have risen as a percentage of income and have been reduced for the 10% in recent decades. When the stock market rises, the 90% lose because they don’t own stocks. This is the result of laws and regulations put in place by our elected representatives. Government reform? Government has just become expensive exploding our national debt to $ 15,000,000,000, 000.00. Campaign finance reform? Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent in the current election cycle to make emotional appeals to voters that candidates will lead us to nirvana and their opponents will lead us to doom. This is not done to educate voters of the moral and intellectual righteousness of their positions. It is an appeal to our basest instincts of greed and fear. We need to recognize recent elections have not served the interests of the 90% and voters bear some degree of responsibility for this. If you remember when a political ad or commentary convinced you to vote for or against a candidate, that is the moment your vote was bought. Be thankful you are an American and still have personal freedoms and liberties. Don’t forget the rights and responsibilities that go with them. Our elected legislators and administrators are politicians and have been known to change their minds from time to time. They require a greater incentive to do so. |
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"To Reclaim It, Will Cost Much More Than The Time It Takes to Vote"
Our electoral process is broken. It has collapsed under the weight of the almighty dollar. The vast majority of Congressional elections are won by the campaign that spends the most money. You, as an individual voter, may contribute a maximum $ 2,500 to any candidate. Entities such as pacs, nfps, unions, and others that may not vote can provide unlimited dollars to support causes and candidates that align with their purposes. Individuals may contribute unlimited dollars to these entities and those dollars, or the donors’ identities, do not have to be disclosed. One might ask why we don’t just auction off elected offices to the highest bidder, for that is the reality of our electoral practices. Clearly, voting alone cannot provide us with a government that is accountable and responsible to the majority of its citizens. The power of those unlimited and anonymous dollars have devalued the power of an individual citizen’s vote. Your vote is worth the cost of counting it. And no more. Unless it is accompanied by a large campaign contribution. Our democracy has been stolen and sold to the highest bidder. To reclaim it, will cost much more than the time it takes to vote. |
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"Redress Of Grievances?"
Coming home from Thanksgiving Day celebrations with family, I considered what else I had to be thankful for. I thought of our founding fathers and the Constitution and the Bill Of Rights and those that have preserved them for us. The framers understood their freedom from the English monarchy would be more secure and better defended if all the people had the same rights. Their purposes are clearly stated in the preamble: "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." They were also well aware of how quickly governments can change policy and the ill-effects of 'special interests'. The very first amendment to the Constitution reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Knowing that even their new government could be influenced by 'special interests', they included a provision allowing a direct non-electoral appeal process for the airing of grievances and the request for redress. The effectiveness of this process is proportional to the number of citizens who will engage in and/or support a formal petition to the government. Could such a petition be agreed upon by a majority of the so-call '99 percent'? Or are we so divided and conquered that this is no longer possible? The 'Occupy' movement is asking us these questions. How we respond may well determine the future of democracy as we imagine it. Two hundred and twenty years ago, on December 15, 1791, Congress ratified the Bill Of Rights. These rights have been preserved and passed on to us. The '1%' of 1791 valued them so highly that they gave them to all to preserve them for their posterity. We should thank them and demonstrate that we are worthy. I hear D. C. is the place to be. |
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"Twenty Questions"
How do we as citizens address our defective leadership and entrenched administrative practices? First, we must address them in ourselves. Are you at peace with your neighbors? Do you assist them when you can and when they are in need? Are you and your property an asset to your neighborhood? Do you have a job which meets the needs of others rather than just makes money? Are you a good husband of your assets and a prudent administrator of whatever income you have? Do you consider good health a greater asset than wealth? Have you discontinued any bad habits recently? Have you taken up any new behaviors beneficial to you and others? Will you turn off the TV when someone wishes to speak with you? Can you listen to someone who thinks or feels differently than you and not criticize or tell them what they should do? Can you confidently and carefully create a vision in someone's mind of behavior that would benefit them? Do you discern the difference between wants and needs? Do you believe learning is a life-long endeavor and wish it was for everyone? Do you believe the future is more important than the past? Do you know what you do affects everyone around you whether they realize it or not? Can you give of your time so others may prosper? Will you speak up for truth and justice when most others are in denial? Do you believe the role of government is to serve all its citizens? Would these qualities increase the effectiveness of our government leadership and administrators? Are you ready to lead now? Can we at least come together and be an example for those who do? |
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“Borrowed Money And Blood Interest”
If you went to a banker and asked for a loan that you would pay 3% annual interest on and pay the principle back in 30 years, would you get the loan? Would it help, if you told the banker the money would be used for illegal purposes and you would kill some of their least popular neighbors --- but their children would have to shed some blood too? This is how the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been financed. We did not have the money to pay for these wars, so our Congress authorized the sale of T-Bonds to anyone who would buy them. We bought them. Others around the world bought them. Some of our children had to sign the note with their last drops of blood. The U. S. Treasury will have to pay the bonds off when they come due. U. S. taxpayers will get the bill. To the sellers and buyers of those T-Bonds, shame on you. Congress did not declare war as the Constitution requires. Thus, the T-Bonds that financed these wars are invalid and we, as taxpayers, should not pay them or the interest on them. According to our Constitution, these wares and the T-Bonds that financed them are illegal. To voters and taxpayers, read the words of Abraham Lincoln: “ . . . The provision in the Constitution giving war-making power to the Congress, was dictated, as I understand it, by the following reasons. Kings had always been involving and impoverishing their people in wars, pretending generally, if not always, that the good of the people was the object. This, our Convention understood to be the most oppressive of kingly oppressions; and they resolved to so frame the constitution that no one man should hold the power of bringing this oppression upon us . . .” Of the Presidents in my lifetime, Johnson, Nixon, Reagan, Bush, and Bush, all succumbed to this kingly inclination in a big way. Obama has added at least 30,000 U. S. troops in Afghanistan and bombed Libya. Why did these Presidents not ask Congress for a Declaration Of War? Congress has the power to declare war without the consent of the President, but they did not. The Presidential Oath Of Office requires them to, “preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution Of The United States”, but not obey, and these men have not. Congress also has had the power to impeach each of these Presidents for their usurping of the exclusive authority of Congress to declare war. They have not even made the attempt. Yet they did attempt to impeach a President for a sexual indiscretion between consenting adults. Our Constitution is in danger of becoming a historical marker of the past. Our leadership no longer considers or consults it, unless it suits their political purposes --- which it rarely does. As voters and taxpayers, we must not let our disillusionment cause us to lose faith in our representative democracy, our Constitution, our economy, or ourselves. Rather, we should redouble our efforts to be more informed voters, more active and participatory in local and national politics, more careful and wise in individual and collective economic affairs, and more encouraging and helpful to each other. Our system of governance is not broken. It is our leadership and our entrenched administrative practices that are defective. Yet these are the leaders and administrators we have elected. We must have the will and put forth the effort --- whatever it takes --- to make them responsible and accountable to us. If not, then shame on us. |
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"The Math Doesn't Lie"
Now that Congress has concluded its drama and debate and voted to raise the debt ceiling, what did this accomplish that will be useful to U.S. citizens? Obviously, raising the debt ceiling has done nothing that reduces the debt. Did it promote economic conditions that will lead to job creation? No. Has consumer confidence risen so those who can increase their spending will fee secure enough to do so? No. Have the financial markets stabilized? No. Have any new sources of revenue been identified to fund economic expansion or reduce the deficit? No. So what purposes has been served that would not have been better served by just raising the debt ceiling without all the drama and political posturing? Only one, our federal government leadership, from the president, to senators, to freshmen representatives attempted to cast themselves as our saviors from a catastrophe of their and their predecessors own making. Reagan, Bush, and Bush have presided over and signed off on 9.5 trillion of our 14.3 trillion dollar debt, yet their party is portraying itself as the one of fiscal restraint! Obama signs off on a 2.1 trillion dollar deficit reduction package and his party is still portrayed as the big spenders! Who is doing the math here? Obama’s party is trying to keep all boats afloat while hoping the wind picks up. The party of Bush is trying to sink any ship that doesn’t fly a “R” flag soaked in green tea. Remembering the election is 15 months away, it is frightening to imagine how it will be when the lying season is in full swing. If you are a voter, do not forget how this drama has played out. |
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"Shared Responsibility And Shared Benefits"
Those of us of a certain number of years may remember a time when the two major political parties had wings. These wings did not allow them to fly but did provide an expression of the entire political spectrum. Vigorous debate between conservatives, liberals, and moderates occurred within the party structure on most issues. At the end of debate, efforts were made to keep everyone’s boat afloat, although some would float higher than others. The commonality of party membership greatly reduced residual acrimony. When the yeas and nays were cast in the Congress, a near party line vote was the exception rather than the rule. Members of Congress had more freedom to vote their best judgments because they had less fear of retribution from within their own party. But that was then. Now, we have ideological, economic, and political polarization in the major parties. Each now represents an opposing end of the political spectrum. Both now demand voting loyalty that is enforced by national committees through the distribution of campaign funds and other internal mechanisms. The Supreme Court ruling last year that allows unlimited corporate funding of campaign issue advertising further increases the polarization. Our elected representatives no longer represent us. Instead, they now represent their political parties and their aligned special interests. The problem with this is that the thoughtful voter should be conservative, liberal, or moderate regarding each individual issue, not because of their party affiliation. The party propaganda machines have become so effective that most voters identify themselves as conservative or liberal as opposed to moderates with the independence to have conservative or liberal beliefs on specific issues. Our representatives are rated by conservative and liberal tracking organizations on how often they voted in agreement with them. Party activists are surrounded by like-minded individuals who pat each other on the back and tell each other how wise they are. It’s enough to cause one to yearn for the smoke filled caucus rooms of the past for they contained the real fire of representative democracy. Now, those halls are just full of smoke and mirrors. Hoping for change or shutting the government down are not viable paths to changing the current political and economic dynamic to one that is equitable to all citizens. The concept of shared responsibility and shared benefits is not often a topic of consideration in any forum. Should this be a goal of the administrators and legislators in a democratic republic? If so, who defines share and equity? Our political and government leadership should be leading this debate. Are they? This is why such changes are wrought rather than finely forged to be of good service for many generations. |
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Mutually Beneficial Behavior
When we try to “win the hearts and minds” of those who do not feel or think as we do, we diminish ourselves as well as those we are trying to “win over”. One may be able to change another’s behavior temporarily by the imposition of one’s will upon another, but not hearts and minds. It is not a competition but rather cooperation of differing parties that leads to behaviors that benefit both. A more appropriate course of action is to open our hearts and minds to others so we may share with each other. This sharing and opening up then can become a catalyst for changes in behavior that are based on changes in hearts and minds of both parties. At the very least this process gives each party a greater appreciation and understanding of the position of the other. This alone is worth the risks of opening one’s heart and mind. It paves the way for possible future “meeting of the minds”. When mutually beneficial behavior is the goal --- the opening of hearts and minds becomes easier. When goals are only self-serving, hearts harden and minds close. |
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Vested Interest
Much has been said and written about the U.S. military mission in Iraq. Many motives have been given by numerous U.S. political leaders. Over the last 20 years the reasoning behind those motives has been ever changing. When the Iraqi military was preparing to invade Kuwait, the U.S. knew, yet no diplomatic sanctions or military intervention was undertaken. After the invasion, the U.S. led the largest military coalition since WWII to liberate Kuwait and protect Saudi Arabia from the perceived military threat. The Iraqi army was defeated and retreated. United Nations observers and sanctions were in place for most of the decade. Then there were the issues of weapons of mass destruction and the possibility that 9-11 terrorists were hiding in Iraq. Another narrower U.S.-led coalition invaded Iraq. But no weapons of mass destruction were found and no positive linkage to al-Qaida was established. However, al-Qaida did later show up to fight us. The Iraqi military was now destroyed and much of its civil infrastructure was in ruins. But we still did not leave. We were told Saddam Hussein was still a threat and we must pursue and capture him. We did. He was executed by Iraqi civil authorities for crimes against his people. Next, we were told Iraq was on the verge of civil war and now being without a military was vulnerable to invasion from its neighbors. We had to stay and protect them, and while we are there, we should rebuild the civil infrastructure we destroyed and help them create a democracy, so they can govern themselves as we do. We did. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak to a young citizen-soldier who was preparing to deploy to Iraq. When I asked him about his mission there, he replied, “We will be the last to go in and the last to come out.” His mother and I hope his analysis is correct and we pray he returns home safely with all of our sons and daughters who are --- still there. |
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The Government We Deserve
We elect those who would represent us based on our self-interests and our perception of how those interests align with the declared positions and interests of the candidates. Assuming we are being honest with ourselves and the candidates are being honest with us, we expect the victors to represent our interests even if they must forfeit their own interests and positions at times. Unfortunately, this is not the way our system actually works. What happens is the candidates excel at telling any given audience what they want to hear because their primary self-interest is getting the votes. Once elected, their interests and positions may change. They now have the victory and will not need our votes for at least two years. They become just as self-serving as the voters who elected them. Tocqueville was right: “In a democracy we get the government we deserve.” |
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Going Dark
Who among us values freedom from economic and political oppression? Who is willing to risk their personal security to defend the principles of democracy and promote liberty for all? Who among us will say enough is enough to those that legislate and propagate a governance where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer? Who has the courage and fortitude to identify their leadership as corrupt gangsters and demand equity for the working class that produces the added value in any society? The Egyptians, that's who! Wake up America, for if Lady Liberty's torch goes dark, it may be too late to even walk like an Egyptian. |
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Same Relief
Why are financial institutions who do not have the right to vote, worthy of monetary assistance to cover losses due to their own actions, yet the average American homeowner and wage earners’ losses, caused in large part by these institutions, do not have the same relief? |
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Gangster Ping-Pong
Those who would identify themselves as the loyal opposition have been reduced to near extinction. The “you’re either with us or against us” sentiment has become so pervasive that those who have previously been identified as independents, moderates, or compromisers are no longer part of the political process. They are now referred to as “RINOs”, “Blue Dogs”, or infirm and weak in their ideology. If one is not a member of the R. Gang or D. Gang, one’s moral judgment and patriotism are questioned. We hear that we must take our country back. From whom? Our neighbors who belong to the other gang? We hear both gangs accuse the other of misspending monies we pay in taxes. Yet both gangs also say that only their gang is worthy of our trust to manage government spending. Meanwhile, the leadership of both gangs are laughing behind the tinted windows of their limousines all the way to the bank. Three million citizens who are currently receiving unemployment benefits will not receive those checks after the end of the year unless Congress and State Legislatures act quickly to extend those benefits. One gang has publicly expressed an unwillingness to do so. The other gang has been saying they are unsure they have the votes to pass an extension. The great majority of the unemployed are in this circumstance because of the policies put in place and executed by the leadership and supporters (campaign contributors) of these gangs. If Congress finds the wisdom to pass an extension, it will be to keep 3 million people off their front porch. They would rather keep the money and pass it out among themselves. Why do we keep electing gangsters and sending them to Washington, D.C.? Because they lie well and tell us the lies we want to hear. As citizens we have become lazy and complacent regarding politics and citizenship. We may or may not have the government we deserve, but we are governed by those we have elected and empowered. We, as the electorate, share some responsibility for the behavior of those individuals we have selected to represent us. Watch over them. Communicate with them. Attend public forums and look them in the eye. Make them know who you are. Talk to them, if you can. They need to be reminded that they have their position of power to serve YOU. An unwillingness to put forth such efforts will condemn us to two more years of gangster ping-pong and you’re the ball. |
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Our Opportunity
The votes are in. Our opportunity as individuals to choose among those who wish to govern us has past. What are the winner’s motives beyond the quest for the power to make a difference? What difference for whom? Who voted? Who didn’t? Why? The election is over but the duty of citizens is not. Consider these questions. Seek answers from multiple sources. Make your own conclusions about the results and what they mean for you and those around you. Not only is it your civic responsibility, this is the group we have elected to govern us for the next two years. Get to know them, like a hawk. |
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The Real Issue
As members of a democracy (democrats), we elect administrators of the republic (republicans) to provide us with responsible and effective governance. As such, the only thing democrats and republicans have to contest is who becomes or stays a republican! The real issue is to whom and for what should our elected representatives and officials be responsible. Know your candidates personal and campaign finances as well as their stated policy positions. Why would someone spend 10 x or more the annual salary of a job just to seek it? Money has a role here that cannot be overstated. Your vote also affects society as a whole, including those who don’t vote for whatever reason. With our right to vote comes the responsibility to be a knowledgeable and informed voter. Please take this responsibility seriously, because our democratic republic cannot function properly without you. |
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Your Ticket
Some of our founding fathers warned us of the undesirable consequences of political parties. Partisanship has been with us for over 200 hundred years, yet we have prospered in spite of it, not because of it. We have survived the industrial revolution, the Civil War, and two world wars. The abundance of natural resources and the ingenuity and diligence of the people have kept our union strong. What has united us has always been greater than what has divided us. However, today’s political climate demonstrates that the fears of our founding fathers were justified. Instead of populism and pluralism being the guiding principles of politics, we now engage in political warfare directed by party leaders. When no party meets our desires, what do we do? We start another party! Our allegiance to parties has eclipsed our allegiance to the democratic republic that the personal sacrifices of our founding fathers created for us. These divisions weaken us as a nation and as a society that share a common fate. Unfortunately, the electoral process has been corrupted. Our laziness and apathy as voters and citizens has allowed the power and influence of political parties to grow far beyond what is healthy for a democratic republic. We have been divided and conquered by those who understand that this is no party; it is serious business. But it is no longer the business of the people, by the people, and for the people, because most of us drank the Kool-Aid and planted our butts and our brains on the couch. The politics of ideas, power, and money is so convoluted and complex that it cannot be understood easily. It requires assimilation of information from a wide variety of historical and contemporary sources. Engage your neighbors and associates. We must commit ourselves to making our votes mean what we as individuals believe our representatives should be doing. So get to know them, their backgrounds, their records, and cast your votes separately for each office. Remember, creating, “a more perfect union,” requires more than voting for a party. |
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High Value As An Economic Indicator
On one mile of old U.S. 40 in the heartland, there is a commercial district reflecting a microcosm of small business activity across the nation. It serves a middle-class, residential area of older homes and apartment buildings. Many of its residents work in this district. Many restaurants, a funeral home, doctors’ offices, a church, a drug store, a library, a gas station, a tavern, two schools, an event hall, 20+ specialty retailers, and a few service businesses are here and occupy about half the frontage. The other half is homes and apartments. Some are profitable, some are not; many are just keeping their doors open and hoping business gets better. There is no mall, no manufacturing, no hospital, no Fortune 500 company, no university, or government offices. However, there is one business that stands out. Its building (modern and clean), and its 50+ plus parking spaces are full 12 hours a day. Many more of its customers arrive by bus or are dropped off. It is open seven a week and its customers get paid. It is a blood center, where the poor go to bleed for profit. Though its product can be useful and life-saving, it has high value as an economic indicator. The other businesses here would consider it a good day if their smaller parking lots were half full for six hours. Meanwhile, the recession continues on this street. |
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Just Another Rock Thrower
A string and a rock in the hands of one person is a precision instrument that facilitate great constructions. The same string and rock in the hands of another is a superior weapon until the string breaks. What is the difference? If the string breaks, you're just another rock thrower. |
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Aristocratic Entitlement
As immigration issues are being considered, one that must not be overlooked is what could be called aristocratic entitlement. Too often those with long American lineage perceive themselves to be "more equal". This has no basis in Constitutional Law. Article I, Section 9, paragraph 8, states that, "No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States." All citizens, born and naturalized, enjoy the full and equal benefit of all laws. The Bill Of Rights, The Civil Rights Act Of 1866, and the 14th Amendment further define all citizens and Constitutional rights that cannot be denied. All subsequent civil rights legislation elucidates and expands these laws. So what is the source of this attitude of aristocratic entitlement? It is fear, greed, and bigotry. If it comes to the so-called "Tea Party", dressed in a black robe or an Indian disguise, informed citizens must not be deceived.
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Comments welcome E-Mail: wrench@themarilynsojourn.com |
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