I don't think I'm saying anything almost everyone doesn't already know but our country is currently being run by those who contribute to our politicians. The bigger the contributor the more he/she has to say about how things are run. It's bribery at the highest levels of our society and it's ruining the country. It panders to our politicians' perceived need for power and money and it influences their every action. Congress itself needs to pass legislation to stop it.
I think politicians should not be allowed to accept anything from anyone or any organization. I think the government should fund political campaigns. I think our politicians should be elected and, once elected, act based on their own personal beliefs. Our elected officials should be above reproach and should act and do according to what they believe to be the best for the country and not what's best for some special interest group that gave them a lot of money, a vacation, rides on corporate jets, or other gifts.
The current practices are not only bribery, which I believe to be illegal, but they provide a negative example to everyone in the country who looks at it as "if it's OK for our Congressmen and Senators to do it, it's OK for me to do it also." I'll just bet that Dan Blagojevich thinks what he has done is OK because everyone else is doing it too.
We need to stop this nonsense now!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Where Do They Get It From?
An item in a recent newspaper and again on the TV news the same day both talked about the alarming percentage of kids in school who have stolen from a store and cheated primarily by plagiarizing from the internet. Where do they get it from?
I don't think the answer is a simple one, but then again, maybe it is. I think it's a combination of a whole lot of things but it starts at home. With all of the parents in the home working, there is no one there to nurture, protect, teach, and guide when the kids get home from school. So the kids play video games or watch TV programs that glamorize crime, violence, infidelity, backstabbing, and all other forms of cheating. If they happen to read the newspaper or watch the TV news they get similar messages from politicians, movie stars, TV stars, music stars, and athletes getting caught doing all sorts of unsavory acts. And when the parents get home from work, about all they have energy for is having a quick meal and getting the kids off to bed. They simply don't have the time or energy to sit down with their kids and put all of that "bad stuff" into perspective and talk with them about what is right and what is wrong.
So, home is where it starts with Mom and Dad providing little to no guidance. But the manufactures of video games, the media in general, and even our politicians at the highest levels; and the music, movie, TV, and sports stars are providing terrible examples of moral and ethical behavior. The conclusion has to be then that the problem is societal. Until our children's parents, our national leaders, our media, and our sports organizations take more responsibility for their own actions and the actions of their family members, our kids will continue believing it's OK to steal from a store and that it's OK to cheat in school.
I don't think the answer is a simple one, but then again, maybe it is. I think it's a combination of a whole lot of things but it starts at home. With all of the parents in the home working, there is no one there to nurture, protect, teach, and guide when the kids get home from school. So the kids play video games or watch TV programs that glamorize crime, violence, infidelity, backstabbing, and all other forms of cheating. If they happen to read the newspaper or watch the TV news they get similar messages from politicians, movie stars, TV stars, music stars, and athletes getting caught doing all sorts of unsavory acts. And when the parents get home from work, about all they have energy for is having a quick meal and getting the kids off to bed. They simply don't have the time or energy to sit down with their kids and put all of that "bad stuff" into perspective and talk with them about what is right and what is wrong.
So, home is where it starts with Mom and Dad providing little to no guidance. But the manufactures of video games, the media in general, and even our politicians at the highest levels; and the music, movie, TV, and sports stars are providing terrible examples of moral and ethical behavior. The conclusion has to be then that the problem is societal. Until our children's parents, our national leaders, our media, and our sports organizations take more responsibility for their own actions and the actions of their family members, our kids will continue believing it's OK to steal from a store and that it's OK to cheat in school.
Friday, November 21, 2008
Who Are They?
Who are the folks we see on TV at the close of the daily stock market sessions that are clapping and smiling while they ceremoniously ring the bell that ends the day? I can understand the clapping and smiling when the markets have shown an increase. But when the Dow has tanked 450 points during the day, I'm not sure I understand the exuberance. I would, I think, when my portfolio has shrunk 6% in one day, prefer a somber ceremony that shows some respect for my loss.
I guess one could interpret the exuberance on a down day as ignorance of what has happened or just plain rudeness. Or maybe those people are hedge fund investors who have gambled that the market will decline and have just made a ton of money on other peoples' losses and their exuberance is a kind of "in your face" thing. Or, maybe, they're just stupid. Whatever they are, it just doesn't seem appropriate to be clapping and smiling when the markets have declined.
I guess one could interpret the exuberance on a down day as ignorance of what has happened or just plain rudeness. Or maybe those people are hedge fund investors who have gambled that the market will decline and have just made a ton of money on other peoples' losses and their exuberance is a kind of "in your face" thing. Or, maybe, they're just stupid. Whatever they are, it just doesn't seem appropriate to be clapping and smiling when the markets have declined.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Issues, No. 60 - Bailout the Automobile Industry?
If the automobile industry is truly important to the economic well being of the country then maybe the government should provide some sort of financial assistance to help it recover. The problem is that it's hard, as it has been hard in accepting that the government needed to bailout the financial industry, to agree that an industry that has know it was having difficulties for some years now and didn't have a clue about how to compete with the foreign auto makers now needs our government to step in and save it. For those that believe in a free market economy, I think the emotional solution is that the industry should be allowed to fail because it did not create the demand for its products that it needed in order to survive.
The problem with not having our own automobile industry, however, could be quite costly, not only to our economy, but to our national defense as well. Aside from the fact that a failed auto industry would mean a tremendous loss of jobs, if we don't produce our own automobiles, we could be held hostage economically by the countries that sell them to us. And very simply, if we don't produce our own military vehicles and the spare parts required to keep them operating, we may not be as prepared as we should be to protect ourselves. Therefore, the government, from a purely practical standpoint, needs to do something to help keep the industry alive.
Maybe we don't need three big companies producing a thousand different models of vehicles and maybe the industry should be pared back to something that is reasonable. But we do need to have an automobile industry in order to ensure support for our economy and for our national defense. We just can't become totally dependent upon other countries for our motor vehicle transportation needs.
The problem with not having our own automobile industry, however, could be quite costly, not only to our economy, but to our national defense as well. Aside from the fact that a failed auto industry would mean a tremendous loss of jobs, if we don't produce our own automobiles, we could be held hostage economically by the countries that sell them to us. And very simply, if we don't produce our own military vehicles and the spare parts required to keep them operating, we may not be as prepared as we should be to protect ourselves. Therefore, the government, from a purely practical standpoint, needs to do something to help keep the industry alive.
Maybe we don't need three big companies producing a thousand different models of vehicles and maybe the industry should be pared back to something that is reasonable. But we do need to have an automobile industry in order to ensure support for our economy and for our national defense. We just can't become totally dependent upon other countries for our motor vehicle transportation needs.
Monday, November 17, 2008
The Issues, No. 59 - Unregulated Capitalism Doesn't Work
It should be very obvious to all of us that our capitalist economy, unregulated and/or deregulated, didn't work. I'm all for capitalism. I think capitalism the very best motivator for individual and corporate progress and wealth. But it obviously falls apart when left unattended due primarily to greed which encourages corporations and the men and women who run them to gamble recklessly and ruin it for the entire country.
We all know by now that the credit practices of the mortgage lenders and our banks and credit card companies are what has caused our economy to collapse. Also, we all should know by now that the only way to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future is for our government to proactively provide oversight into business and financial practices and,where there are signs of possible trouble, stop whatever it is that's going on before it gets out of hand. The bottom line is that our economy needs government oversight. Too bad if that is socialistic. It simply needs oversight regardless of what it's called.
One area that needs a whole lot of new regulation is the stock market. It is just appalling to me that individuals and institutions are allowed to do short selling. It is also appalling that hedge funds are legal. Then there is after market trading which is another practice that should be illegal. It is one thing for individuals to buy shares in companies they believe are going to be successful which should be the basic activity of the stock market. When it turns into a high finance gambling casino, very much slanted in favor of the institutional investors and the wealthy, it then becomes what should be considered criminal. So government needs to clean up the stock market while it's overhauling the financial industry.
We've simply got to have our government deeply involved in watching and regulating what's going on in our economy. If we don't, we'll continue to have problems like we are currently experiencing. I don't care whether you are a conservative Republican or a liberal Democrat and I don't care either whether government oversight and regulation are socialist or capitalist. What I care about is a sound and prosperous America and I think, from our recent experience, that our government needs to step up and take control.
We all know by now that the credit practices of the mortgage lenders and our banks and credit card companies are what has caused our economy to collapse. Also, we all should know by now that the only way to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future is for our government to proactively provide oversight into business and financial practices and,where there are signs of possible trouble, stop whatever it is that's going on before it gets out of hand. The bottom line is that our economy needs government oversight. Too bad if that is socialistic. It simply needs oversight regardless of what it's called.
One area that needs a whole lot of new regulation is the stock market. It is just appalling to me that individuals and institutions are allowed to do short selling. It is also appalling that hedge funds are legal. Then there is after market trading which is another practice that should be illegal. It is one thing for individuals to buy shares in companies they believe are going to be successful which should be the basic activity of the stock market. When it turns into a high finance gambling casino, very much slanted in favor of the institutional investors and the wealthy, it then becomes what should be considered criminal. So government needs to clean up the stock market while it's overhauling the financial industry.
We've simply got to have our government deeply involved in watching and regulating what's going on in our economy. If we don't, we'll continue to have problems like we are currently experiencing. I don't care whether you are a conservative Republican or a liberal Democrat and I don't care either whether government oversight and regulation are socialist or capitalist. What I care about is a sound and prosperous America and I think, from our recent experience, that our government needs to step up and take control.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
The Issues, No. 58 - Now's Our Chance
Election Day is next Tuesday, November 4th. It is our chance to let our politicians, particularly those in Washington, know just what we think of the job they have been doing. It's our chance to give all 435 Congressmen, 35 Senators, and the Republican administration their report cards.
For many of us it will be a time when we want them to know we are very disappointed in Congress and what it has done. We have two wars going on, a collapse of the mortgage market, and the resulting collapse of the financial industry all of which Congress is, at least, partially responsible for. So for those of us that feel Congress has let us down, next Tuesday is an opportune time for us to "throw the bums out" and vote for everyone who is challenging an incumbent. Of course, if you are satisfied with what your people in congress have done, you should vote for them.
For many of us it will be the time when we can say we are not happy with the way President Bush and his Republican administration led the country. So we can vote for Barack Obama and throw the Republicans out of the Executive Branch of the government. And, of course, if we are satisfied with what President Bush and his Republican administration has done, we should vote for John McCain.
The most important thing is that next Tuesday we vote. Maybe the most important responsibility we have as American citizens is to vote. It is our one opportunity every time there is an election to let the politicians who are up for election know what we think of their performance and our opportunity to get rid of those that aren't cutting it and replace them with those that might cut it. So, if you pass that opportunity up, you really have no business complaining about what you get. If you vote, at least you'll be able to say, "I tried". So, don't blow it! Get out there next Tuesday and vote.
For many of us it will be a time when we want them to know we are very disappointed in Congress and what it has done. We have two wars going on, a collapse of the mortgage market, and the resulting collapse of the financial industry all of which Congress is, at least, partially responsible for. So for those of us that feel Congress has let us down, next Tuesday is an opportune time for us to "throw the bums out" and vote for everyone who is challenging an incumbent. Of course, if you are satisfied with what your people in congress have done, you should vote for them.
For many of us it will be the time when we can say we are not happy with the way President Bush and his Republican administration led the country. So we can vote for Barack Obama and throw the Republicans out of the Executive Branch of the government. And, of course, if we are satisfied with what President Bush and his Republican administration has done, we should vote for John McCain.
The most important thing is that next Tuesday we vote. Maybe the most important responsibility we have as American citizens is to vote. It is our one opportunity every time there is an election to let the politicians who are up for election know what we think of their performance and our opportunity to get rid of those that aren't cutting it and replace them with those that might cut it. So, if you pass that opportunity up, you really have no business complaining about what you get. If you vote, at least you'll be able to say, "I tried". So, don't blow it! Get out there next Tuesday and vote.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The Issues, No. 57 - Why Obama Makes Sense
Election day is one week from today and I've been thinking a lot lately about which candidate will be the most effective President. I know I already said I will vote for Obama after the Republicans picked Palin as McCain's running mate, and I meant it. When I said it, however, I wasn't really convinced that Obama would be any more effective than McCain as our President.
My recent thought process tells me that, for a number of reasons, Obama will be more effective. First, with the country generally fed up with the Bush administration and it's Republican policies, I have to believe that, after the election, the majority in both houses of Congress will continue to be Democrat. A Democrat majority in Congress will obviously be more sympathetic to a President from the same party and therefore, change will be easier.
Second, I think Obama is more in tune with every day America. He hasn't been tainted yet by a career in Washington but he knows how it works and he knows what the American people would like to see changed. I think his positions on "pork" and lobbyists are more believable than McCain's only because McCain has been there long enough to do something about those issues and hasn't. So, I think an Obama administration will do more to try and get Washington working for all Americans than would a McCain administration.
There are other reasons too, why I believe Obama will be more effective but the last one I want to talk about is the man. I think Obama may be one of those people who, like JFK, has a magnetic quality about him that by its very nature commands respect and inspires others to rise to higher levels. And I think because of this, and the reasons discussed above, he will be the most effective President. And that's why Obama makes sense!
My recent thought process tells me that, for a number of reasons, Obama will be more effective. First, with the country generally fed up with the Bush administration and it's Republican policies, I have to believe that, after the election, the majority in both houses of Congress will continue to be Democrat. A Democrat majority in Congress will obviously be more sympathetic to a President from the same party and therefore, change will be easier.
Second, I think Obama is more in tune with every day America. He hasn't been tainted yet by a career in Washington but he knows how it works and he knows what the American people would like to see changed. I think his positions on "pork" and lobbyists are more believable than McCain's only because McCain has been there long enough to do something about those issues and hasn't. So, I think an Obama administration will do more to try and get Washington working for all Americans than would a McCain administration.
There are other reasons too, why I believe Obama will be more effective but the last one I want to talk about is the man. I think Obama may be one of those people who, like JFK, has a magnetic quality about him that by its very nature commands respect and inspires others to rise to higher levels. And I think because of this, and the reasons discussed above, he will be the most effective President. And that's why Obama makes sense!
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