I watched a documentary about President John F. Kennedy this week. The man was an enigma. He wasn't stuck within a political party mindset. I truly believe that he wanted to represent all of the people and if that meant making controversial decisions, then so be it. That is most assuredly what got him killed. But, he did not live a life in fear.
JFK was a leader, who never stuck his finger in the air to see which way the wind was blowing. He also didn't play the blame game. He was a visionary with a mind set towards accomplishing goals. He realized and communicated time and time again, through words and actions, that those who do not take a stand in life are relegated to a life of insignificance. He road tall and proud on that fateful day in Dallas, because he believed in his cause.
From the JFK Library online: http://www.jfklibrary.org/Historical+Resources/Archives/Reference+Desk/Dante+Quote.htm
One of President Kennedy's favorite quotations was based upon an interpretation of Dante's Inferno. As Robert Kennedy explained in 1964, "President Kennedy's favorite quote was really from Dante, 'The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who in time of moral crisis preserve their neutrality.'" This supposed quotation is not actually in Dante's work, but is based upon a similiar one. In the Inferno, Dante and his guide Virgil, on their way to Hell, pass by a group of dead souls outside the entrance to Hell. These individuals, when alive, remained neutral at a time of great moral decision. Virgil explains to Dante that these souls cannot enter either Heaven or Hell because they did not choose one side or another. They are therefore worse than the greatest sinners in Hell because they are repugnant to both God and Satan alike, and have been left to mourn their fate as insignificant beings neither hailed nor cursed in life or death, endlessly travailing below Heaven but outside of Hell. This scene occurs in the third canto of the Inferno.
In this era of Tumult, does this fit you? For all who espouse themselves to be followers of the Kennedy Ideal, how do you defend your inaction?
There is hope. Today is a new day. You can shed your neutrality today and strive for a life of significance. Ambivalence won't change anything. Contributing to our community can change everything!!!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Welfare by any Other Name is still Welfare
In my eyes, it is obvious that there is no hope for our economy until macro-economic governmental policy is corrected. The days of cooking the books have to end. We have to have fundamental balance restored to the economy. The Democrats are in charge and it would take a major shift in that party's economic beliefs for that to happen. I am not picking on the Democrats, because the Liberal wing of the Republican Party has gone right along with the spendthrift, "why do today what can be put off until tomorrow" mindset.
The people in Washington (and Raleigh) seem like they would rather tank the economy for petulant ego's sake than admit that they have been wrong, show some leadership, and take a chainsaw to the governmental budgets that have smothered the private sector. Funny how the economies of governmental areas are weathering the storm, while areas that rely on private sector money are drowning.
The bureaucrats are so insulated from the negative consequences of their action, that they have no skin in the game and thus no reason to fix a situation that they are still benefiting from. This arrogance is leading to a historical train wreck that none of us can fathom. You have to be on a steady diet of Prozac to think that this economy will turn around any time soon.
This whole country has been permeated by the stench of Keynesianism. Everyone is on welfare. The rich, the poor, and the middle class have their hands permanently extended asking, "Where's mine, is that all I get?"
Look at the fat cat's on Main Street. They expect cities to pay to help renovate their buildings with new windows and awnings. They expect cities to pick up the tab for landscaping. People in Hysterical Districts expect cities to cowtow to their stifling whims and fantasies. Folks, this is as much welfare as anything. And it is done in the most arbitrary of manners.
Business leaders send commerce across the border and re-import crap products. They never give second thought to the fact that all of their foreign assets can be nationalized in a heartbeat. We must institute consequential accountability for companies that push to gain the fast buck at the expense of long term viability and profitability. Most of the CEOs are small potato shareholders of the businesses that they represent. Once they plunder and bleed the turnip for their own personally greedy purposes, then they have no remorse when that corporation has completely tanked. These individuals need to be punished.
Middle Class people want the government to supply their kids with grants and student loans and then they turn around and wonder why tuition and book costs have skyrocketed. They run up huge amounts of personal debt and then can't understand why they have been caught in such a bind. People, if you spend more than you take in, then at some point you are going to have to spend less than you take in. That artificial increase in your standard of living today is going to reduce your standard of living exponentially 5 to 10 years down the road. The Ponzi scheme route of personal finance always leads to collapse.
The same goes doubly for the poor. We aren't helping anyone out by teaching them to be dependent on others. We need to lift their circumstances, not confiscate others finances so that these people can live on a meager subsistence. The way that we are supposedly helping the poor kills their ambition and drive. We need to encourage people to strive to be the best that they can be.
Anything other than convoluted, cooked-book dynamics point to the fact that there is no way out of our current predicament by following the current macro-economic Ponzi scheme that our governmental leaders have been practicing for nearly 40 years. We have to restore balance to our economy and follow Common Sense fundamentals to get the economy back on track. That will take years; but the sooner we start, the sooner we will get there.
Bottom line is if we don't change the way this country functions, then we are in for the negative consequences of a world that none of us can even fathom.
The people in Washington (and Raleigh) seem like they would rather tank the economy for petulant ego's sake than admit that they have been wrong, show some leadership, and take a chainsaw to the governmental budgets that have smothered the private sector. Funny how the economies of governmental areas are weathering the storm, while areas that rely on private sector money are drowning.
The bureaucrats are so insulated from the negative consequences of their action, that they have no skin in the game and thus no reason to fix a situation that they are still benefiting from. This arrogance is leading to a historical train wreck that none of us can fathom. You have to be on a steady diet of Prozac to think that this economy will turn around any time soon.
This whole country has been permeated by the stench of Keynesianism. Everyone is on welfare. The rich, the poor, and the middle class have their hands permanently extended asking, "Where's mine, is that all I get?"
Look at the fat cat's on Main Street. They expect cities to pay to help renovate their buildings with new windows and awnings. They expect cities to pick up the tab for landscaping. People in Hysterical Districts expect cities to cowtow to their stifling whims and fantasies. Folks, this is as much welfare as anything. And it is done in the most arbitrary of manners.
Business leaders send commerce across the border and re-import crap products. They never give second thought to the fact that all of their foreign assets can be nationalized in a heartbeat. We must institute consequential accountability for companies that push to gain the fast buck at the expense of long term viability and profitability. Most of the CEOs are small potato shareholders of the businesses that they represent. Once they plunder and bleed the turnip for their own personally greedy purposes, then they have no remorse when that corporation has completely tanked. These individuals need to be punished.
Middle Class people want the government to supply their kids with grants and student loans and then they turn around and wonder why tuition and book costs have skyrocketed. They run up huge amounts of personal debt and then can't understand why they have been caught in such a bind. People, if you spend more than you take in, then at some point you are going to have to spend less than you take in. That artificial increase in your standard of living today is going to reduce your standard of living exponentially 5 to 10 years down the road. The Ponzi scheme route of personal finance always leads to collapse.
The same goes doubly for the poor. We aren't helping anyone out by teaching them to be dependent on others. We need to lift their circumstances, not confiscate others finances so that these people can live on a meager subsistence. The way that we are supposedly helping the poor kills their ambition and drive. We need to encourage people to strive to be the best that they can be.
Anything other than convoluted, cooked-book dynamics point to the fact that there is no way out of our current predicament by following the current macro-economic Ponzi scheme that our governmental leaders have been practicing for nearly 40 years. We have to restore balance to our economy and follow Common Sense fundamentals to get the economy back on track. That will take years; but the sooner we start, the sooner we will get there.
Bottom line is if we don't change the way this country functions, then we are in for the negative consequences of a world that none of us can even fathom.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Peter Schiff knows what he is talking about
10:51 Peter Schiff: Cold Hard Reality
10:39 Peter Schiff: The U.S. Governments Ponzi Scheme Economics
10:53 Peter Schiff : Madoff's Ponzi Scheme
Peter Schiff: In Madoff We Trust
http://www.europac.net/externalframeset.asp?from=home&id=14928
10:39 Peter Schiff: The U.S. Governments Ponzi Scheme Economics
10:53 Peter Schiff : Madoff's Ponzi Scheme
Peter Schiff: In Madoff We Trust
http://www.europac.net/externalframeset.asp?from=home&id=14928
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Time to Change the Archaic Law about Public Meeting Notices
Hello all, I would like to ask you to consider helping me get a needed change started. We need to change the archaic law pertaining to public meeting notices. In the internet age we should not be spending money on newspaper ads when Cities and towns can communicate directly to their constituents. Newspaper readership is declining and government at all levels have a cost effective way to increase the dialogue and participation with the internet. The law was written in an age when no viable options existed and should change to reflect the times we live in. I sent the following to my State Senator Austin Allran:
Dear Mr. Allran,
I would like for you to consider sponsoring a bill that would permit Cities and Towns to advertise public hearings, meetings. propery auctions, etc. via the City's website. Cities have to spend considerable money to advertise in newspapers and would benefit from the cost reduction the internet would allow. In addition, newspaper readership is declining and the use of the internet would be just as broad if not broader in the number of people reached.
In the age we live in, governments can communicate directly to citizens more effectively without third party intermediaries. Thank you for your consideration
Would you please consider contacting your Mayor, City Council members and State Senators and ask their consideration?
Merry Christmas. Harry Hipps
Dear Mr. Allran,
I would like for you to consider sponsoring a bill that would permit Cities and Towns to advertise public hearings, meetings. propery auctions, etc. via the City's website. Cities have to spend considerable money to advertise in newspapers and would benefit from the cost reduction the internet would allow. In addition, newspaper readership is declining and the use of the internet would be just as broad if not broader in the number of people reached.
In the age we live in, governments can communicate directly to citizens more effectively without third party intermediaries. Thank you for your consideration
Would you please consider contacting your Mayor, City Council members and State Senators and ask their consideration?
Merry Christmas. Harry Hipps
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