Federal Deficit hits record $455 billion - (From the Los Angeles Times)
http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-deficit15-2008oct15,0,2519168.story
U.S. deficit could hit $1 trillion (from UPI.com)
http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2008/10/16/US_deficit_could_hit_1_trillion/UPI-95471224130313/
Fed official hints at recession (From CNN Money)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/10/15/news/economy/yellen/?postversion=2008101508
Goldman-Sachs Treasury
http://thehickoryhound.blogspot.com/2008/10/goldman-sachs-treasury.html
Let's Add This Up -- $1.439 trillion and Counting
http://thehickoryhound.blogspot.com/2008/10/lets-add-this-up.html
The Cover Up and Encouragement of the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
http://thehickoryhound.blogspot.com/2008/10/democrats-in-their-own-words-covering.html
The Federal Government's Ponzi Scheme
http://thehickoryhound.blogspot.com/2008/09/federal-governments-ponzi-scheme.html
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Expect delays on I-40 (Hickory Daily Record)
http://www2.hickoryrecord.com/content/2008/oct/14/expect-delays-i-40/
HICKORY - Drivers who use Interstate 40 in Catawba County can expect to get stuck in traffic sometime between now and June 2010.
Today, expect delays westbound on the interstate between exits 126 and 128. Work could stretch to exit 125, depending on how much work got done last night, said Anne Schley, a resident engineer with the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Repaving crews that began work in westbound lanes around exit 128 last week will keep going west until they reach exit 119 in Burke County.
Every night except Friday and Saturday, workers will repave the right lane. Every day except Friday, Saturday and Sunday, they will work on the left lanes.
After that, crews will work back through Catawba County on the eastbound side of I-40, alternating lanes the same way until they reach exit 146 in Iredell County. The completion date for the entire repaving project is June 30, 2010, Schley said.
By the end of this year, she said contractors plan to finish westbound lanes to exit 119 and eastbound lanes from exit 119 to exit 128.
Crews will replace old concrete on I-40 with new asphalt. The result should be smoother roads, Schley said.
One More Thing : I'd like for this project to get done in less that the alotted 21 month period, but thank you State of NC for finally getting around to what you were supposed to do long ago. We'll still be keeping an eye on the progress.
HICKORY - Drivers who use Interstate 40 in Catawba County can expect to get stuck in traffic sometime between now and June 2010.
Today, expect delays westbound on the interstate between exits 126 and 128. Work could stretch to exit 125, depending on how much work got done last night, said Anne Schley, a resident engineer with the N.C. Department of Transportation.
Repaving crews that began work in westbound lanes around exit 128 last week will keep going west until they reach exit 119 in Burke County.
Every night except Friday and Saturday, workers will repave the right lane. Every day except Friday, Saturday and Sunday, they will work on the left lanes.
After that, crews will work back through Catawba County on the eastbound side of I-40, alternating lanes the same way until they reach exit 146 in Iredell County. The completion date for the entire repaving project is June 30, 2010, Schley said.
By the end of this year, she said contractors plan to finish westbound lanes to exit 119 and eastbound lanes from exit 119 to exit 128.
Crews will replace old concrete on I-40 with new asphalt. The result should be smoother roads, Schley said.
One More Thing : I'd like for this project to get done in less that the alotted 21 month period, but thank you State of NC for finally getting around to what you were supposed to do long ago. We'll still be keeping an eye on the progress.
Good to see that this issue is resolved. Now we can move down the checklist towards some other issues that need some closure. We'll be forcing the issue on those as well. This is the beginning folks. With your help, we can right this ship and make this the 21st century city that it should be.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Inflation will be price of growing debt
Submitted by Harry Hipps II (published in the Hickory daily record on 10/10/2008)
Those of us who were raised by parents who survived the Great Depression should be ashamed for not listening to the lessons they learned. They knew that we should save some money for a rainy day, don't waste and be thankful for what we have.
For years, individuals, corporations and government at all levels have spent all the income available and then borrowed to finance things we couldn't afford. Individuals read books touting the virtue of using "other people's money."
Corporations leveraged themselves to the max, and governments decided to create a program for every need and want rather than encourage self-sufficiency. Well guess what? The rainy day finally came.
Maybe now we will start living the lifestyle we can afford, pay off credit cards, save some money and demand that our government learns to do the same. The federal debt is $10 trillion and rising rapidly. Do you still believe that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will go on funding a comfortable retirement for all of us?
There are only three options. Raise taxes, cut benefits or inflate the currency. I believe they will inflate the currency. Raising taxes or cutting benefits is politically unpopular. There are no courageous leaders in Washington willing to tell the truth so the currency will be inflated.
Retirees will still get their $1,000 check from Social Security but inflation will be so high that it will only buy $500 worth of goods. So they will pay the obligations but it will not be sufficient to live on. People should start preparing now for leaner times.
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Harry Hipps
Those of us who were raised by parents who survived the Great Depression should be ashamed for not listening to the lessons they learned. They knew that we should save some money for a rainy day, don't waste and be thankful for what we have.
For years, individuals, corporations and government at all levels have spent all the income available and then borrowed to finance things we couldn't afford. Individuals read books touting the virtue of using "other people's money."
Corporations leveraged themselves to the max, and governments decided to create a program for every need and want rather than encourage self-sufficiency. Well guess what? The rainy day finally came.
Maybe now we will start living the lifestyle we can afford, pay off credit cards, save some money and demand that our government learns to do the same. The federal debt is $10 trillion and rising rapidly. Do you still believe that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid will go on funding a comfortable retirement for all of us?
There are only three options. Raise taxes, cut benefits or inflate the currency. I believe they will inflate the currency. Raising taxes or cutting benefits is politically unpopular. There are no courageous leaders in Washington willing to tell the truth so the currency will be inflated.
Retirees will still get their $1,000 check from Social Security but inflation will be so high that it will only buy $500 worth of goods. So they will pay the obligations but it will not be sufficient to live on. People should start preparing now for leaner times.
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Harry Hipps
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Newsletter about the City Council meeting of October 7, 2008
This newsletter is about the Hickory City Council meeting that I attended this past week. City council meetings are held on the first and third Tuesdays of each Month in the Council Chambers of the Julian Whitener building.
At the bottom right of this page under main information links is a Hickory, NC link. If you click on that link, it takes you to our city’s website, at the bottom of the page you will see the future dates for meetings scheduled for this year.
At the top of the page, if you click on the “Documents” link, you will find historic Agenda and Minutes links. Agendas show what is on the docket for the meeting of that date. The Minutes is an actual summary of the proceedings of the meeting of that date.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 10/7/2008 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below.
The invocation was from the Reverend Reggie Longcrier. I may not agree with a lot of the political people that he supports, but I really do admire this man. I met Reverend Longcrier 9 years ago at my church, Mt. Olive Lutheran. His outreach program has helped a lot of people when they were down and out. The Reverend had us go to the Prison camp at Newton and read scripture with the inmates there. These people need the message of redemption and hope that spirituality brings.
If you ever get the chance to meet Reverend Longcrier, I hope that you will accept. His message is an uplifting one. He is a man that accepted the consequences of his youth, righted the wrongs, and has fought for the greater good of our community. We need more men like the Reverend that will stand up for the least of us.
Jennifer Helton of the Community Appearance Commission handed out awards for various voluntary beautification projects done throughout Hickory. Tim Cline received an award for the renovation of the arcade downtown. Bishop and Terry Jackson received an award for work done at a location on 127 north. Other projects were at Hickory High and the Salvation Army.
Phil Barringer made a presentation about the new Art Benches that have been placed around town. The council unanimously approved to allow the Public Art Commission to solicit money from the private sector to produce more of the benches. The City is not being asked for any more money.
The mayor and State Representative Ray Warren presented the Order of the Long Leaf Pine to Dr. Ed Rogers. Greg McGuiness, Mr. Rodgers long time friend and town manager of West Jefferson, asked Governor Easley to bestow North Carolina’s highest civilian honor to Dr. Rodgers. Dr. Rodgers has apparently been very instrumental in a lot of work done by the Habitat for Humanity. If anyone would like to send me a bio on Dr. Rodgers, I would very much like to post it.
The Council confirmed several projects including a couple of annexations. Recognitions were approved for National Family Day on 9/22/2008, Financial Planning Week 10/6-12/2008, and Respiratory Care Week 10/19-25/2008. The Library has been approved to have a book sale 10/9-12/2008.
Hammer Properties was awarded grants of $10,437 for landscaping and appearance improvements at 432 4th st SW. The City amended its parking lot agreement with Transportation Insight, Inc.
The city approved a lease agreement with the Hickory Downtown Development Association to Lease vacant property at 24 1st ave NE. The city is leasing the property for an annual fee of $1 for 5 years. The HDDA will be responsible for maintenance and repairs of utilities up to $1,000. The HDDA currently budgets $3,000 annually for these expenditures. The City of Hickory currently appropriates $50,000 annually to the HDDA.
In the Hounds Opinion: This is a backdoor attempt by the city to increase its investment in the Downtown Development Association. I would like to know what are we getting for our investment in this association? In my opinion, the problems with our downtown have nothing to do with the amount of money that we continuously throw at it and have everything to do with the viability of our city as a whole.
It is time that the city freezes any expenditures aimed at downtown, have these people fend for themselves, and start focusing on the greater areas of need throughout the city. Downtown will start hustling and bustling when we rectify the economic integrity of the city as a whole.
The Budget was amended to the tune of $109,750. This included $71,503 for the Clement Boulevard Extension Project. The cost is to pay Duke Power to relocate utility lines along the project.
New Business
1) The City approved an assessment to install curb and guttering along 7th ave NE.
2) Assistant City manager Andrea Surratt brought up for discussion the issue of Wayfinding. She said that this subject was first addressed at the February 2008 retreat. She thoroughly discussed the issue as a way of reducing sign clutter, projecting community image, projecting consistency, and safety.
Here is a link to a wayfinding system in New York City. http://www.ap.buffalo.edu/idea/udny/Section4-1c.htm
Ms. Surratt wants a Committee to be formed to look into this issue before hiring a consultant. This system will be unique to our community identity. The main purposes of such a system are to help people find their way around and help benefit local destinations in helping people identify and successfully find their locations.
She stated that this would be good for downtown, but also stated that this system will have to be flexible as we move forward to the future. Paraphrasing, she said that the city would have to work with the Department of Transportation on color schemes and consistency.
Mayor Wright asked what she was wanting from the council tonight. Ms. Surratt said that she was just updating the council on where the staff was in the process. (Paraphrasing) Councilor Lail said that she was making a proposal to move forward. Mayor Wright said this was a good idea. We need to sell our image…clean up sign clutter…most places do this. City Manager Mick Berry said we need to consolidate and streamline signs in the city.
The Hounds Take : I think this is an excellent idea. It may be because I am from here, but I have never had a problem getting around this city. If you have a mind that thinks mathematically, then the grid system isn't that hard to adapt to. But, if people are having trouble getting around Hickory, we need to make it more user friendly.
The only issue that gives me any apprehension about this plan, is the conspiracy theorist in me has me thinking that this is just another scheme by Downtown Special interests to point the way towards Union Square. I do believe that Downtown is an integral part of the community and they should play a big role in such a project, but they should not be the focal point of this project and it should not be done at the expense of other areas that need to be lifted up. If this project were to turn into a Downtown marketing tool, then I believe that a light should be shone on it and I would have to fight it.
On the other hand, if this project is developed in such a way to help businesses and organizations in every quadrant of our city, then I think it will be a wonderful thing. It would be a great benefit to the small businesses interspersed throughout our city. It also would collaterally help businesses near those destinations. So I really do think that this will be a great project for 21st century Hickory, if the focus is right.
3) Warren Wood was next and he gave a summary of the City’s investments during these tumultuous economic times. He stated that our investments are regulated by the North Carolina Local Government Commission.
The North Carolina Local Government Commission is a part of the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer which was created after the Great Depression to assist local North Carolina
governments in decision making involving large financing projects such as bond issues. The
commission is chaired by the North Carolina State Treasurer..
Mr. Wood stated that the city has $42.7 million basically invested 1/3 in CDs (with 60 to 90 day
maturity) and they are presently earning around 2.7% interest annually, another 1/3 is invested in US agency securities which have a 2 to 5 year maturity and these assets are earning around 4% annually, and the last 1/3 is invested in the North Carolina Capital Trust – these are the most liquid assets – which earn 2.5% interest. The trust is the most volatile of these investments.
Mr. Wood stated that the city does it’s banking with BB&T. The city keeps around $850,000 in this account. It is used for payroll and to do daily business.
The city’s finances are reviewed by North Carolina Independent Auditors twice per year. City staff report to council annually. The city’s view toward investments is that safety and liquidity are more important than yield. The city believes in taking a conservative view towards investments and projections.
The city is looking to issue bonds very soon for the upcoming water and sewer project in Northeast Hickory. Because of present circumstances, the issuance of these bonds is still up in the air. The city has a revolvong loan available from the state for $17.5 million dollars that can be utilized to buy time and get the project off and going. Mr. Wood said that the city may wait until next spring to offer the bonds. When Mr. Wood was through with his summary presentation the mayor subsequently closed the meeting.
The Hound Believes: If you have read any of this blog, then you will understand that I believe that the United States macro economy is shot. If there is one thing I can say about our Mayor (and city staff) it is that I agree with the way that they have managed our city's finances. We don't need to be taking an aggressive viewpoint as to our outlook and making investments based on overly optimistic numbers.
Where I differ is on the the cost-benefit analyses related to growth. If an investment doesn't create value, then let's just call it what it is, a social outlay. We can have a small percentage of our budget directed towards this, but they cannot be priorities. These are totally discretionary (and some have been frivolous) expenditures. They definitely aren't necessities. If times become hard, then this stuff is going to have to take a backseat.
We need projects that create value. If a project, that the city fosters, overtly tries to control growth, then the end result is that it will most likely stifle growth. When this happens, then we don't mature, our standard of living stagnates, and most parts of our community will fail.
At the bottom right of this page under main information links is a Hickory, NC link. If you click on that link, it takes you to our city’s website, at the bottom of the page you will see the future dates for meetings scheduled for this year.
At the top of the page, if you click on the “Documents” link, you will find historic Agenda and Minutes links. Agendas show what is on the docket for the meeting of that date. The Minutes is an actual summary of the proceedings of the meeting of that date.
Here is a summary of the agenda of the 10/7/2008 meeting. There were a couple of important items that were discussed at this meeting and the details are listed further below.
The invocation was from the Reverend Reggie Longcrier. I may not agree with a lot of the political people that he supports, but I really do admire this man. I met Reverend Longcrier 9 years ago at my church, Mt. Olive Lutheran. His outreach program has helped a lot of people when they were down and out. The Reverend had us go to the Prison camp at Newton and read scripture with the inmates there. These people need the message of redemption and hope that spirituality brings.
If you ever get the chance to meet Reverend Longcrier, I hope that you will accept. His message is an uplifting one. He is a man that accepted the consequences of his youth, righted the wrongs, and has fought for the greater good of our community. We need more men like the Reverend that will stand up for the least of us.
Jennifer Helton of the Community Appearance Commission handed out awards for various voluntary beautification projects done throughout Hickory. Tim Cline received an award for the renovation of the arcade downtown. Bishop and Terry Jackson received an award for work done at a location on 127 north. Other projects were at Hickory High and the Salvation Army.
Phil Barringer made a presentation about the new Art Benches that have been placed around town. The council unanimously approved to allow the Public Art Commission to solicit money from the private sector to produce more of the benches. The City is not being asked for any more money.
The mayor and State Representative Ray Warren presented the Order of the Long Leaf Pine to Dr. Ed Rogers. Greg McGuiness, Mr. Rodgers long time friend and town manager of West Jefferson, asked Governor Easley to bestow North Carolina’s highest civilian honor to Dr. Rodgers. Dr. Rodgers has apparently been very instrumental in a lot of work done by the Habitat for Humanity. If anyone would like to send me a bio on Dr. Rodgers, I would very much like to post it.
The Council confirmed several projects including a couple of annexations. Recognitions were approved for National Family Day on 9/22/2008, Financial Planning Week 10/6-12/2008, and Respiratory Care Week 10/19-25/2008. The Library has been approved to have a book sale 10/9-12/2008.
Hammer Properties was awarded grants of $10,437 for landscaping and appearance improvements at 432 4th st SW. The City amended its parking lot agreement with Transportation Insight, Inc.
The city approved a lease agreement with the Hickory Downtown Development Association to Lease vacant property at 24 1st ave NE. The city is leasing the property for an annual fee of $1 for 5 years. The HDDA will be responsible for maintenance and repairs of utilities up to $1,000. The HDDA currently budgets $3,000 annually for these expenditures. The City of Hickory currently appropriates $50,000 annually to the HDDA.
In the Hounds Opinion: This is a backdoor attempt by the city to increase its investment in the Downtown Development Association. I would like to know what are we getting for our investment in this association? In my opinion, the problems with our downtown have nothing to do with the amount of money that we continuously throw at it and have everything to do with the viability of our city as a whole.
It is time that the city freezes any expenditures aimed at downtown, have these people fend for themselves, and start focusing on the greater areas of need throughout the city. Downtown will start hustling and bustling when we rectify the economic integrity of the city as a whole.
The Budget was amended to the tune of $109,750. This included $71,503 for the Clement Boulevard Extension Project. The cost is to pay Duke Power to relocate utility lines along the project.
New Business
1) The City approved an assessment to install curb and guttering along 7th ave NE.
2) Assistant City manager Andrea Surratt brought up for discussion the issue of Wayfinding. She said that this subject was first addressed at the February 2008 retreat. She thoroughly discussed the issue as a way of reducing sign clutter, projecting community image, projecting consistency, and safety.
Here is a link to a wayfinding system in New York City. http://www.ap.buffalo.edu/idea/udny/Section4-1c.htm
Ms. Surratt wants a Committee to be formed to look into this issue before hiring a consultant. This system will be unique to our community identity. The main purposes of such a system are to help people find their way around and help benefit local destinations in helping people identify and successfully find their locations.
She stated that this would be good for downtown, but also stated that this system will have to be flexible as we move forward to the future. Paraphrasing, she said that the city would have to work with the Department of Transportation on color schemes and consistency.
Mayor Wright asked what she was wanting from the council tonight. Ms. Surratt said that she was just updating the council on where the staff was in the process. (Paraphrasing) Councilor Lail said that she was making a proposal to move forward. Mayor Wright said this was a good idea. We need to sell our image…clean up sign clutter…most places do this. City Manager Mick Berry said we need to consolidate and streamline signs in the city.
The Hounds Take : I think this is an excellent idea. It may be because I am from here, but I have never had a problem getting around this city. If you have a mind that thinks mathematically, then the grid system isn't that hard to adapt to. But, if people are having trouble getting around Hickory, we need to make it more user friendly.
The only issue that gives me any apprehension about this plan, is the conspiracy theorist in me has me thinking that this is just another scheme by Downtown Special interests to point the way towards Union Square. I do believe that Downtown is an integral part of the community and they should play a big role in such a project, but they should not be the focal point of this project and it should not be done at the expense of other areas that need to be lifted up. If this project were to turn into a Downtown marketing tool, then I believe that a light should be shone on it and I would have to fight it.
On the other hand, if this project is developed in such a way to help businesses and organizations in every quadrant of our city, then I think it will be a wonderful thing. It would be a great benefit to the small businesses interspersed throughout our city. It also would collaterally help businesses near those destinations. So I really do think that this will be a great project for 21st century Hickory, if the focus is right.
3) Warren Wood was next and he gave a summary of the City’s investments during these tumultuous economic times. He stated that our investments are regulated by the North Carolina Local Government Commission.
The North Carolina Local Government Commission is a part of the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer which was created after the Great Depression to assist local North Carolina
governments in decision making involving large financing projects such as bond issues. The
commission is chaired by the North Carolina State Treasurer..
Mr. Wood stated that the city has $42.7 million basically invested 1/3 in CDs (with 60 to 90 day
maturity) and they are presently earning around 2.7% interest annually, another 1/3 is invested in US agency securities which have a 2 to 5 year maturity and these assets are earning around 4% annually, and the last 1/3 is invested in the North Carolina Capital Trust – these are the most liquid assets – which earn 2.5% interest. The trust is the most volatile of these investments.
Mr. Wood stated that the city does it’s banking with BB&T. The city keeps around $850,000 in this account. It is used for payroll and to do daily business.
The city’s finances are reviewed by North Carolina Independent Auditors twice per year. City staff report to council annually. The city’s view toward investments is that safety and liquidity are more important than yield. The city believes in taking a conservative view towards investments and projections.
The city is looking to issue bonds very soon for the upcoming water and sewer project in Northeast Hickory. Because of present circumstances, the issuance of these bonds is still up in the air. The city has a revolvong loan available from the state for $17.5 million dollars that can be utilized to buy time and get the project off and going. Mr. Wood said that the city may wait until next spring to offer the bonds. When Mr. Wood was through with his summary presentation the mayor subsequently closed the meeting.
The Hound Believes: If you have read any of this blog, then you will understand that I believe that the United States macro economy is shot. If there is one thing I can say about our Mayor (and city staff) it is that I agree with the way that they have managed our city's finances. We don't need to be taking an aggressive viewpoint as to our outlook and making investments based on overly optimistic numbers.
Where I differ is on the the cost-benefit analyses related to growth. If an investment doesn't create value, then let's just call it what it is, a social outlay. We can have a small percentage of our budget directed towards this, but they cannot be priorities. These are totally discretionary (and some have been frivolous) expenditures. They definitely aren't necessities. If times become hard, then this stuff is going to have to take a backseat.
We need projects that create value. If a project, that the city fosters, overtly tries to control growth, then the end result is that it will most likely stifle growth. When this happens, then we don't mature, our standard of living stagnates, and most parts of our community will fail.
There has to be accountability when it comes to our city's investments. We should not enter into any agreements that don't have checks and balances, aren't results oriented, aren't flexible towards the needs of the community, and/or don't allow the city a way out.
No matter what, we are headed towards a difficult macro economic environment. Money is going to be hard to come by from the State and Federal government. We aren't in good shape locally and it is going to take an innovative governmental system to turn the tide. We cannot copycat other communities to get ahead. We need to be at the forefront of whatever we do. We need people coming to us and not us going to them, because we will always be playing second fiddle and lucky if we get scraps under those conditions.
I hope that the Mayor and Council understand that it it is time to quit worrying about frivolities and time to take our city's role in this world seriously.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
LACK OF MORAL BACKBONE ROBS US OF COMMON SENSE
Submitted by Harry Hipps II (published in the Hickory Daily Record on 10/4/2008)
After Sept. 11, we heard a lot about how we failed to connect the dots and see the danger. America is so specialized and compartmentalized that we apparently have little ability to look at our life and society as a whole.
Our politics have become corrupt and dysfunctional, corporations overpay executives and cook the books so few people really know what’s going on. Drugs, divorce, crime and incivility are so common we just tolerate them and keep on going.
I believe the root of almost all of our dilemmas stems from a severe decline, if not collapse, of our moral backbone. We removed prayer from our schools and the 10 Commandments from our courthouses. Few are well versed in the Bible or even read it. Simply mentioning the name of Jesus Christ is enough to invite cries of judgmentalism.
We suffer from poor ethics, greed, lack of compassion and a shortsightedness that focuses on what we can satisfy ourselves with right now, rather than looking out for our common good for the future.
We so completely lack any moral compass that we treat every religion, every law, every idea as equally valid when common sense and experience show that some things are right and some things are wrong, period.
We have nothing to guide us and provide the moral structure we need. The next time we see a crime, crooked politician, or corporate CEO going to jail, connect the dots. Until we get back to One Nation, Under God, we can expect more of the same.
-- Harry Hipps II
After Sept. 11, we heard a lot about how we failed to connect the dots and see the danger. America is so specialized and compartmentalized that we apparently have little ability to look at our life and society as a whole.
Our politics have become corrupt and dysfunctional, corporations overpay executives and cook the books so few people really know what’s going on. Drugs, divorce, crime and incivility are so common we just tolerate them and keep on going.
I believe the root of almost all of our dilemmas stems from a severe decline, if not collapse, of our moral backbone. We removed prayer from our schools and the 10 Commandments from our courthouses. Few are well versed in the Bible or even read it. Simply mentioning the name of Jesus Christ is enough to invite cries of judgmentalism.
We suffer from poor ethics, greed, lack of compassion and a shortsightedness that focuses on what we can satisfy ourselves with right now, rather than looking out for our common good for the future.
We so completely lack any moral compass that we treat every religion, every law, every idea as equally valid when common sense and experience show that some things are right and some things are wrong, period.
We have nothing to guide us and provide the moral structure we need. The next time we see a crime, crooked politician, or corporate CEO going to jail, connect the dots. Until we get back to One Nation, Under God, we can expect more of the same.
-- Harry Hipps II
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