Word Smiths
“Never forget there was only one freedom on which this nation was founded; that was freedom from government.” -Barry Goldwater ...
I was reminded of that quote as I was reading Thomas Sowell’s latest article (“Empathy” Versus Law) in Townhall.com.
-----link-----
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/05/05/empathy_versus_law?page=1
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It was the not so subtle language in Mr. Sowell’s article trying to remind us of the reason behind the limiting of governmental power by the Framers of and written into Our Constitution; the use of language is what sparked the brain to do the work of remembering.
To illustrate that, look at the use of the word “damage” in the following quote from his article.
-----quote-----
In the American system of government, presidential term limits restrict how long any given resident of the White House can damage this country directly. But that does not limit how long, or how much, the people he appoints to the Supreme Court can continue to damage this country, for decades after the president who appointed them is long gone.
---------------
Think about it. Dems were as happy to see Bush term limited out as Repubs were to see Clinton term limited out.
As usual Thomas Sowell hits the nail on the head about how much damage unchecked power can lead to. That however is not why I’m writing.
Yet another quote. The use of the word “damage” by Mr. Sowell, dredged out of my head the use of the word “degenerated” used by Peter F. Drucker in 1909. It can be found in his book “The Effective Executive” by Harper Collins, still in print. Newt Gingrich in talking to young Republican Activists said to read that book, said he had, over and over and still does, I did. Below is the quote.
-----quote-----
“Unless a decision has “degenerated into work” it is not a decision; it is at best a good intention” Peter F Drucker, “The Effective Executive” pp114 Harper Collins paperback edition, 2006.
----------------
The only thing the two words, “damage” and “degenerated” have in common is that they both are negative and both are used to highlight or enhance a positive message. The use of the negative by both authors conjured up images in my mind far different than if the words were left out.
Kind of like a left jab setting you up for the Right hook.
Drucker’s Right hook was to make the point that if you want something done you have to get off your butt and do something. Sowell’s Right hook came in the form of an admonition; we reap what we sow. Ie If we don’t pay attention we deserve what we get. Ie We need to get off our butt and do something.
Both authors are word smiths of renown. They both however, through their writing show they understand that the ultimate power derived from the written word is measured in stirring the readers into creative action. Degenerating thoughts into action; to help put in place methods to stop the damage caused by the real world to our fantasies.
This Ying and Yang between reality and fantasy is what makes us as a people work. Ying or Yang alone will lead us to ruin.
Both writers I believe, understand that without the good intentions, life as we know it will disappear, and the bitch is that we have to degenerate those intentions into work in order to survive. I would add that the work based on good intentions is what makes us human and not animal. I would also add that the good intentions are what make the work bearable and indeed sometimes very unlike work.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Monday, May 4, 2009
Helplessness: The Root Of Victory.
Helplessness: The Root Of Victory.
It never ceases to amaze me what is available out in the real world. There is so much that I miss.
Being an Internet junkie I think I have my fingers on everything. I admit to being naieve as hell. Not doing my homework.
Who is Aaron Schock? I probably heard his name as he has made the headlines recently but today was the first time I actually listened. I was in my normal browsing of the news when I read a Newsmax article that said you should look at the videos YAF has put together.
That’s it - no link, nothing. In my state of Helplessness I thought, how dare they not link me to it. Well, after the frustration and anger wore off some I did go back a little later and google it.
Then while waiting on a link, I sat back and remembered that 25 years ago I would have had to go to the library to find out anything at all about the group and - well videos from them - forget about it. Maybe if I had $50 and was willing to wait a month and YAF provided the service, I might have been able to order them. The internet has given a new definition to helplessness at least in my case.
Out of helplessness came frustration then anger then this time action taken, to fight my helplessness. This time it was easy. I mean how hard is it to google?
YAF stands for Young America’s Foundation. They are a national group of young Republicans with a conservative bent. The two videos that I watched were obviously from their convention, which I know nothing about (YET). Be forewarned these two videos or talks are long; about an hour each. There are others too. The first was a speech by Jona Goldberg, and this guy I know. His speech was good and at points funny etc. but it lacked the how to, or the hands on, in the trenches type of information I was after. Goldberg’s conservative credentials are impeccable and his speech was great but it was too academic for my mindset at the time. I listened to about 40 min.
The next one I was captivated by. The speaker was a 20 something speaker who is currently a member of the US Congress, he is an unabashed conservative.
His name is Representative Aaron Schock. He is the textbook example of the old fashioned concept of; if you want something done you have to do something.
I will not recap the hour long speech here, and I will not force you to google it lol. I will put the link below at the bottom of the article. I will ask of you however to set aside an hour to watch it. Be warned again, this is more like a how to workshop and inspirational talk, about how to; not an indepth philosophical piece or a cynical Anne Coulter type of thing. I also ask you to imagine yourself in his position as he worked his way up the ladder then ask yourself what would you have done. I frankly wasn't happy with my answer. But I NEVER forget, today is a new day. We need to ask ourselves what can I do today.
The story Aaron Schock tells is a journey of success after success bourne out of helplessness, frustration and anger; success after success after sucess.
At 19 no one on the schoolboard would listen to him. They were in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. He felt helpless, frustrated then angry. He asked the clerk what the qualifications were to run for school board. She told him he had to be 18 and collect 200 signatures. He turned his anger into work, and collected 230 some signatures. Two weeks before the election enough of his signatures were turned down because people had used ditto marks which the board defined as two straight lines thus meaning nothing thus invalidating the signatures. By the way, the members of the board that made that judgement were those he wanted to run against.
Again the same process of helplessness frustration anger then action; but he was learning; he probably only cried over one beer(oops milkshake-21 to drink you know), he was getting quicker at the process. He mounted and won a write in campaign. He won. He was later voted vice chair then chair by the same people that tried to bar him from running.
His comment was to remind the audience which was mostly College students that as in high school if you just show up, do your homework and ask intelligent questions; most of the battle is won. Aaron said he learned the issues, fought to do the hard work and was rewarded by those that didn’t.
Later the same type of process happened in his state house district. My ears perked up as I found out he ran in the 92 district in Illinois. I live in the 92nd in Michigan. But I digress. He decided to try to run in the district. When running the idea of running past the state Party officials they told him he was too young, that there had never ever been a Republican that won the 92nd district. The district was 60% Democrat, 25% African American, of the 40, 000 voters 20,000 were on food stamps and therefore they couldn’t afford to help him unless he could show by poll numbers that he had a chance to win. BTW same in my 92nd, but I digress.
Click -- there went that (by now) almost automatic process. Helplessness, frustration, anger then hard work. I mean knocking on tons of doors, speaking at union halls and everywhere else any right minded Republican knew better than to enter. Did he pander to the left? Did he become Democrat lite? NO This kid translated Core Conservative principles into the issues and solutions for those issuse; into the language the people in his district could relate to. He won by a 200 something vote margin. A really close thing. Does Aaron think volunteers stuffing envelopes, knocking on doors help?
One principle I know he would believe in is that America and our freedom still allows one person to rise if they ae wiling to show up, do their homework and ask intelligent questions. His main thing hanging over all that he suggests is that honesty and integrity in doing all of the above in mandatory.
Aaron Schock then won re-election by 59% of the vote because he proved his honesty and integrity by following through on his promises of showing up, doing his homework and asking intelligent questions of his constituents.
Whenever we get bogged down in helplessness we have a long list of Americans that show us that if we are breathing we are not helpless. From Washington at Valley Forge to Aaron Schock. That chain need not be broken. Time for all of us old foggies to pick up the books and do OUR homework.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
No I didn’t forget, here is the link.
-----link-----
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1250955
--------------
It never ceases to amaze me what is available out in the real world. There is so much that I miss.
Being an Internet junkie I think I have my fingers on everything. I admit to being naieve as hell. Not doing my homework.
Who is Aaron Schock? I probably heard his name as he has made the headlines recently but today was the first time I actually listened. I was in my normal browsing of the news when I read a Newsmax article that said you should look at the videos YAF has put together.
That’s it - no link, nothing. In my state of Helplessness I thought, how dare they not link me to it. Well, after the frustration and anger wore off some I did go back a little later and google it.
Then while waiting on a link, I sat back and remembered that 25 years ago I would have had to go to the library to find out anything at all about the group and - well videos from them - forget about it. Maybe if I had $50 and was willing to wait a month and YAF provided the service, I might have been able to order them. The internet has given a new definition to helplessness at least in my case.
Out of helplessness came frustration then anger then this time action taken, to fight my helplessness. This time it was easy. I mean how hard is it to google?
YAF stands for Young America’s Foundation. They are a national group of young Republicans with a conservative bent. The two videos that I watched were obviously from their convention, which I know nothing about (YET). Be forewarned these two videos or talks are long; about an hour each. There are others too. The first was a speech by Jona Goldberg, and this guy I know. His speech was good and at points funny etc. but it lacked the how to, or the hands on, in the trenches type of information I was after. Goldberg’s conservative credentials are impeccable and his speech was great but it was too academic for my mindset at the time. I listened to about 40 min.
The next one I was captivated by. The speaker was a 20 something speaker who is currently a member of the US Congress, he is an unabashed conservative.
His name is Representative Aaron Schock. He is the textbook example of the old fashioned concept of; if you want something done you have to do something.
I will not recap the hour long speech here, and I will not force you to google it lol. I will put the link below at the bottom of the article. I will ask of you however to set aside an hour to watch it. Be warned again, this is more like a how to workshop and inspirational talk, about how to; not an indepth philosophical piece or a cynical Anne Coulter type of thing. I also ask you to imagine yourself in his position as he worked his way up the ladder then ask yourself what would you have done. I frankly wasn't happy with my answer. But I NEVER forget, today is a new day. We need to ask ourselves what can I do today.
The story Aaron Schock tells is a journey of success after success bourne out of helplessness, frustration and anger; success after success after sucess.
At 19 no one on the schoolboard would listen to him. They were in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. He felt helpless, frustrated then angry. He asked the clerk what the qualifications were to run for school board. She told him he had to be 18 and collect 200 signatures. He turned his anger into work, and collected 230 some signatures. Two weeks before the election enough of his signatures were turned down because people had used ditto marks which the board defined as two straight lines thus meaning nothing thus invalidating the signatures. By the way, the members of the board that made that judgement were those he wanted to run against.
Again the same process of helplessness frustration anger then action; but he was learning; he probably only cried over one beer(oops milkshake-21 to drink you know), he was getting quicker at the process. He mounted and won a write in campaign. He won. He was later voted vice chair then chair by the same people that tried to bar him from running.
His comment was to remind the audience which was mostly College students that as in high school if you just show up, do your homework and ask intelligent questions; most of the battle is won. Aaron said he learned the issues, fought to do the hard work and was rewarded by those that didn’t.
Later the same type of process happened in his state house district. My ears perked up as I found out he ran in the 92 district in Illinois. I live in the 92nd in Michigan. But I digress. He decided to try to run in the district. When running the idea of running past the state Party officials they told him he was too young, that there had never ever been a Republican that won the 92nd district. The district was 60% Democrat, 25% African American, of the 40, 000 voters 20,000 were on food stamps and therefore they couldn’t afford to help him unless he could show by poll numbers that he had a chance to win. BTW same in my 92nd, but I digress.
Click -- there went that (by now) almost automatic process. Helplessness, frustration, anger then hard work. I mean knocking on tons of doors, speaking at union halls and everywhere else any right minded Republican knew better than to enter. Did he pander to the left? Did he become Democrat lite? NO This kid translated Core Conservative principles into the issues and solutions for those issuse; into the language the people in his district could relate to. He won by a 200 something vote margin. A really close thing. Does Aaron think volunteers stuffing envelopes, knocking on doors help?
One principle I know he would believe in is that America and our freedom still allows one person to rise if they ae wiling to show up, do their homework and ask intelligent questions. His main thing hanging over all that he suggests is that honesty and integrity in doing all of the above in mandatory.
Aaron Schock then won re-election by 59% of the vote because he proved his honesty and integrity by following through on his promises of showing up, doing his homework and asking intelligent questions of his constituents.
Whenever we get bogged down in helplessness we have a long list of Americans that show us that if we are breathing we are not helpless. From Washington at Valley Forge to Aaron Schock. That chain need not be broken. Time for all of us old foggies to pick up the books and do OUR homework.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
No I didn’t forget, here is the link.
-----link-----
http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1250955
--------------
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Allergy of Dread
Allergy of Dread
Americans within my lifetime have allowed into their lives an overpowering sense of dread to rule their lives. The effects of this dread upon our lives and how we live are akin to the effects of fear turned to panic. When fear turns to panic, logic and reasoning go out the window; replaced with the unthinking instinct to curl up in a fetal position and wait it out.
I have had fear turn to panic a few times in my life. I think we all have had that happen. Mine had to do with roofing a two story house, and not being able to move for no apparent reason other than what my mind concocted and clung to. This was my second day on the same roof nothing changed as far as the roof went. Just my mind changed somehow, taking a healthy and life preserving fear of heights and turning it into panic which nearly cost me my life.
As my brain did to me, the Media can do to the public “brain”. Take a healthy fear and turn it into a deadly panic.
Below is an example, I call it an example of a carrier of the “Allergy of Dread”.
He is not alone just unique in his inability to communicate. Others are legion from Presidents on down to local health and OSHA officials. I saw a small bottle of hydraulic fluid spilled at Home Depot and bless their soles people in Hazmet suits were called in to clean it up. I felt safe for their caring and happy that I didn’t need to buy anything in that isle as it was shut down and cordoned off. Luckily I was after was in the Hardware Dept. A far safer place in the store to shop.
-----link-----
http://www.politico.com/singletitlevideo.html?bcpid=1155201977&bctid=21663931001
---------------
I saw my first case of a panic reaction to someone sneezing in public. Two people looked shocked and afraid that someone sneezed. The look they had was not one of annoyance or one that said they thought the “sneezer” was impolite. They were not close to the “sneezer”, and the “sneezer” turned, lowered his head and put his hand over his mouth. The non sneezers actually looked afraid or at least threatened. Joe Biden seems to think that any confined space should be declared what, a “sneeze free” zone? What should we do to the offenders?
Perhaps we can auction off credits of say $1 per sneeze in public; a kind of “cap and trade” in the mucus membrane industry. Perhaps we need not go so far. Perhaps the government could produce a secure enough filter everyone could wear that would catch and filter any pollutants and 2nd hand air we expose our neighbors and friends to. I’ve seen studies that 2nd hand air is filled with CO2 a deadly air spread “allergen” that will kill if allowed to reach unsafe levels.
I know for myself that I don’t want to be even exposed to even low levels of that kind of thing. What, you think I’m nuts? Think of what the effects this has on our children. I am not alone in my fear.
It is not just through our nasal passages that we can help spread or be consumed by this “Allergy of Dread”. Business and I’m sure governmental regulatory bodies are looking into other more private areas. See the link below for one possible avenue of exploration. I can’t wait to see the mechanics for the cap and trade offshoot regarding this bodily function.
-----link-----
http://www.ehow.com/how_4792349_use-toilet-seat-cover.html
---------------
I wonder if these are the same people calling for just 2 pieces of TP per wipe.
My dear sweet grandmother back 50 years ago was doing that with TP before they had readymade store bought seat liners. She however was addicted to morphine from a surgery then later had to spend time in a place to dry out. Her obsession with toilet seats among other things was considered neurotic, requiring medical care. Little did they know or guess as with all great initiators of new process, that she was ahead of her time.
Good thing that has changed, because with Nationalized Health Care on the Horizon it will be hard enough to find a clean restroom, let alone get treatment for a neurological oddballism/cutting edge technology type of thing such as that.
Sorry for flushing this article, but I’ll try to get back on topic with another inane saying. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. When I was a kid I thought that simply meant I shouldn’t have to wash so well. Later I thought it meant that you should be careful to take the baby out of the tub before you empty it. Now I’m learning that if you spend too much time cleaning the baby you’ll kill it, or at best never let it know how to clean itself.
What this has to do with the “Allergy of Dread” I don’t have a clue that other than in our Dread we should not even put the baby in water, that we shouldn’t do anything. We become paralyzed by the idea that the problem is too complicated to learn all the facts on our own; that the government will come to our rescue. They must be doing a good job, just look at how much they are charging. If we don’t pay attention to what they are doing what else do we have to judge them by?
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
Americans within my lifetime have allowed into their lives an overpowering sense of dread to rule their lives. The effects of this dread upon our lives and how we live are akin to the effects of fear turned to panic. When fear turns to panic, logic and reasoning go out the window; replaced with the unthinking instinct to curl up in a fetal position and wait it out.
I have had fear turn to panic a few times in my life. I think we all have had that happen. Mine had to do with roofing a two story house, and not being able to move for no apparent reason other than what my mind concocted and clung to. This was my second day on the same roof nothing changed as far as the roof went. Just my mind changed somehow, taking a healthy and life preserving fear of heights and turning it into panic which nearly cost me my life.
As my brain did to me, the Media can do to the public “brain”. Take a healthy fear and turn it into a deadly panic.
Below is an example, I call it an example of a carrier of the “Allergy of Dread”.
He is not alone just unique in his inability to communicate. Others are legion from Presidents on down to local health and OSHA officials. I saw a small bottle of hydraulic fluid spilled at Home Depot and bless their soles people in Hazmet suits were called in to clean it up. I felt safe for their caring and happy that I didn’t need to buy anything in that isle as it was shut down and cordoned off. Luckily I was after was in the Hardware Dept. A far safer place in the store to shop.
-----link-----
http://www.politico.com/singletitlevideo.html?bcpid=1155201977&bctid=21663931001
---------------
I saw my first case of a panic reaction to someone sneezing in public. Two people looked shocked and afraid that someone sneezed. The look they had was not one of annoyance or one that said they thought the “sneezer” was impolite. They were not close to the “sneezer”, and the “sneezer” turned, lowered his head and put his hand over his mouth. The non sneezers actually looked afraid or at least threatened. Joe Biden seems to think that any confined space should be declared what, a “sneeze free” zone? What should we do to the offenders?
Perhaps we can auction off credits of say $1 per sneeze in public; a kind of “cap and trade” in the mucus membrane industry. Perhaps we need not go so far. Perhaps the government could produce a secure enough filter everyone could wear that would catch and filter any pollutants and 2nd hand air we expose our neighbors and friends to. I’ve seen studies that 2nd hand air is filled with CO2 a deadly air spread “allergen” that will kill if allowed to reach unsafe levels.
I know for myself that I don’t want to be even exposed to even low levels of that kind of thing. What, you think I’m nuts? Think of what the effects this has on our children. I am not alone in my fear.
It is not just through our nasal passages that we can help spread or be consumed by this “Allergy of Dread”. Business and I’m sure governmental regulatory bodies are looking into other more private areas. See the link below for one possible avenue of exploration. I can’t wait to see the mechanics for the cap and trade offshoot regarding this bodily function.
-----link-----
http://www.ehow.com/how_4792349_use-toilet-seat-cover.html
---------------
I wonder if these are the same people calling for just 2 pieces of TP per wipe.
My dear sweet grandmother back 50 years ago was doing that with TP before they had readymade store bought seat liners. She however was addicted to morphine from a surgery then later had to spend time in a place to dry out. Her obsession with toilet seats among other things was considered neurotic, requiring medical care. Little did they know or guess as with all great initiators of new process, that she was ahead of her time.
Good thing that has changed, because with Nationalized Health Care on the Horizon it will be hard enough to find a clean restroom, let alone get treatment for a neurological oddballism/cutting edge technology type of thing such as that.
Sorry for flushing this article, but I’ll try to get back on topic with another inane saying. Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. When I was a kid I thought that simply meant I shouldn’t have to wash so well. Later I thought it meant that you should be careful to take the baby out of the tub before you empty it. Now I’m learning that if you spend too much time cleaning the baby you’ll kill it, or at best never let it know how to clean itself.
What this has to do with the “Allergy of Dread” I don’t have a clue that other than in our Dread we should not even put the baby in water, that we shouldn’t do anything. We become paralyzed by the idea that the problem is too complicated to learn all the facts on our own; that the government will come to our rescue. They must be doing a good job, just look at how much they are charging. If we don’t pay attention to what they are doing what else do we have to judge them by?
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Integrity
From Feb. 6, 2009
Sen.Mike Enzi from Wyoming, at a precursor to the Tea Party protests talked about how good it was that Americans For Prosperity had collected 60 thousand petitions and that many people had called their congressmen and senators. This was an outdoor ceremony with the capital building in the background. Remember, this was a full 2 months before the uprising on April 15th. Those protests and their numbers were just a glimmer in the organizers eyes at that point.
Sen. Enzi went on to say that a lot of his colleagues weren’t listening or reading their correspondence and the Senator suggested more things like the event pictured in the link above needed to happen. As I watched the video and looked at the preprinted signs and how the people there were grouped together to make it look like there were more than actually there was; I was reminded of so many other similar types of things in the past. He seemed to suggest that we needed some more visible demonstrations to get the point across to his colleagues.
Well ----- We did. From sea to shining sea we did.
On April 15th Citizen Protestors by the hundreds of thousands showed up, Michelle Malkin thinks we hit a million, in up to 2,000 cities. We the people have figuratively put up a barrier, labeled with our homemade signs, to the insane onrush of spending. We literally held up those signs all across this country in villages and cities of all sizes. Those signs said basically one thing; ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. NO MORE. These were not preprinted signs, handed out to people shipped in getting off the bus. They were homemade and heartfelt, held by people in the place where they lived, their homes. They were people who were getting fed up with being taken for granted.
I just missed one at Rives Junction, an intersection of two streets. This is the type of place in-between two more important places. In fact that is why I missed it, as I was going from the State capital to another protest in another bigger city later in the day. A couple that lived there decided to have a protest right there on their front lawn. They thought they were important enough to do it. So did about 50 others of their neighbors and friends. They knew the media wouldn’t be there, no celebrities would show. They just wanted to speak their minds. I learned of Rives Junction later as I talked with some of them that attended the later one I attended.
Just an assumption, but I’ll bet some of Sen. Enzi’s colleagues are busy now trying to make it look like they were listening and reading their emails all along. That is a good thing I guess; but the thing that goes along with being taken for granted is that those taking you for granted tend to start thinking you are incapable of deciding things for yourself. Politicians who attended the 15th rallies and tried to educate us were roundly booed. Those not so condescending were put up with. Those that watched our backs in the media will be rewarded at least with my thanks, and my vote.
For those of you who think the Tea Parties were just a silly thing accomplishing nothing, you haven’t been paying attention to the news lately. This uprising has given those who were against at least some of the Budget, Stimulus and the huge deficits, a chance to voice their dissention. We the little stupid people have given the big shots some political cover. Now they are taking some pot shots and ducking back under our covering fire.
The cracks have been there; the facts prove the un-sustainability of the budget and stimulus. John Boehner has led that charge, now some key Democrats are balking at the cost. Pelosi and Reid are bickering and Obama is flip flopping.
What was that about waking a sleeping giant? Well I sense a stirring within the body politic, the politicians do too. That is a good thing. From this so far I have been reminded of what I hold so dear. One vote does matter, because one person still matters. One person willing to stand up for what they believe anywhere regardless of profit, still means something. It means most to their neighbors, it goes to integrity.
Rives Junction proved that as far as I’m concerned.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
Sen.Mike Enzi from Wyoming, at a precursor to the Tea Party protests talked about how good it was that Americans For Prosperity had collected 60 thousand petitions and that many people had called their congressmen and senators. This was an outdoor ceremony with the capital building in the background. Remember, this was a full 2 months before the uprising on April 15th. Those protests and their numbers were just a glimmer in the organizers eyes at that point.
Sen. Enzi went on to say that a lot of his colleagues weren’t listening or reading their correspondence and the Senator suggested more things like the event pictured in the link above needed to happen. As I watched the video and looked at the preprinted signs and how the people there were grouped together to make it look like there were more than actually there was; I was reminded of so many other similar types of things in the past. He seemed to suggest that we needed some more visible demonstrations to get the point across to his colleagues.
Well ----- We did. From sea to shining sea we did.
On April 15th Citizen Protestors by the hundreds of thousands showed up, Michelle Malkin thinks we hit a million, in up to 2,000 cities. We the people have figuratively put up a barrier, labeled with our homemade signs, to the insane onrush of spending. We literally held up those signs all across this country in villages and cities of all sizes. Those signs said basically one thing; ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. NO MORE. These were not preprinted signs, handed out to people shipped in getting off the bus. They were homemade and heartfelt, held by people in the place where they lived, their homes. They were people who were getting fed up with being taken for granted.
I just missed one at Rives Junction, an intersection of two streets. This is the type of place in-between two more important places. In fact that is why I missed it, as I was going from the State capital to another protest in another bigger city later in the day. A couple that lived there decided to have a protest right there on their front lawn. They thought they were important enough to do it. So did about 50 others of their neighbors and friends. They knew the media wouldn’t be there, no celebrities would show. They just wanted to speak their minds. I learned of Rives Junction later as I talked with some of them that attended the later one I attended.
Just an assumption, but I’ll bet some of Sen. Enzi’s colleagues are busy now trying to make it look like they were listening and reading their emails all along. That is a good thing I guess; but the thing that goes along with being taken for granted is that those taking you for granted tend to start thinking you are incapable of deciding things for yourself. Politicians who attended the 15th rallies and tried to educate us were roundly booed. Those not so condescending were put up with. Those that watched our backs in the media will be rewarded at least with my thanks, and my vote.
For those of you who think the Tea Parties were just a silly thing accomplishing nothing, you haven’t been paying attention to the news lately. This uprising has given those who were against at least some of the Budget, Stimulus and the huge deficits, a chance to voice their dissention. We the little stupid people have given the big shots some political cover. Now they are taking some pot shots and ducking back under our covering fire.
The cracks have been there; the facts prove the un-sustainability of the budget and stimulus. John Boehner has led that charge, now some key Democrats are balking at the cost. Pelosi and Reid are bickering and Obama is flip flopping.
What was that about waking a sleeping giant? Well I sense a stirring within the body politic, the politicians do too. That is a good thing. From this so far I have been reminded of what I hold so dear. One vote does matter, because one person still matters. One person willing to stand up for what they believe anywhere regardless of profit, still means something. It means most to their neighbors, it goes to integrity.
Rives Junction proved that as far as I’m concerned.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Caught In Mid Thought
Caught in Mid Thought
As I looked through the news looking for some fresh outlook or something not already beaten to death; I saw an article by one of my favorites Thomas Sowell. His book “A Conflict of Visions” made sense out the political world for me. Therefore when I started reading his latest article, "Magic Numbers In Politics” I was content.
In the second paragraph he talks of the cash advance type of business found in my neck of the woods. I have listened to Dave Ramsey on the radio rail against these types of business’ as predators on the poor. I was gleefully getting ready to pile it on them. Then I - No now in mid thought I’ll link to the article so you may see my dilemma.
-----link-----
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/04/16/magic_numbers_in_politics
--------------
I had forgotten who I was reading. I had forgotten what he had written before. I had forgotten my core beliefs when I was confronted with familiar and comfortable thoughts.
Sure these business’ are predators in the sense that they give people what they want and make a profit; a huge profit at that, but as Thomas Sowell points out by comparison; when the government jumps in things only gets worse. Things get worse for the business they regulate and worse for the people the government is trying to help with that regulation.
The business fails (hooray I wanted to yell); but then the people are forced to use other means usually illegal and or with higher vig/s and harsher penalties.
Thomas Sowell’s book “A Conflict of Visions” had taught me that the reason regulation fails is that it assumes a perfect solution is possible, based on the logic that people are perfect; both wrong assumptions. As Thomas points out in his book that is not reality.
I knew this and I also knew that Dave Ramsey was not trying to regulate the Cash advance type of business’. Dave’s ministry is to help people learn the tools they need to be able to avoid that choice on their own with their own minds. To allow them to enjoy better the journey. He was trying to show them a way to work around the need being serviced by the Cash advance places. Dave Ramsey rails against credit cards as well but he doesn’t say they should be regulated out of business. Just said no to by an enlightened people.
As a conservative I have to keep in mind that it is not easy to practice what I preach, just more rewarding because of the tryinbg. Much as striving for perfection or pursuing happiness; we are better off by doing it even though the end results are impossible to achieve. EVER.
As a conservative I put the premium on the effort not achieving the end result. When I exercise I dream that I will look like some fantasy movie star; but I don’t fall to pieces or quit exercising because I happen to look in a mirror.
I helped another neighbor start a small garden for other neighbors to operate through a church. This will not cure world hunger, at best it will give some fresh veggies to a few and some nice flowers for all to look at. We were doing ok until the county health dept. stepped in. lol.
The government should not punish people or business for not achieving perfection. They should simply look in the mirror long and hard and realize that they are at their best when they at most try to keep the rules of the game of “striving and pursuing” fair and level. Keep the entry level jobs of life unregulated. Give us a chance to deserve the freedom we seek the old fashioned way, by earning it.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
As I looked through the news looking for some fresh outlook or something not already beaten to death; I saw an article by one of my favorites Thomas Sowell. His book “A Conflict of Visions” made sense out the political world for me. Therefore when I started reading his latest article, "Magic Numbers In Politics” I was content.
In the second paragraph he talks of the cash advance type of business found in my neck of the woods. I have listened to Dave Ramsey on the radio rail against these types of business’ as predators on the poor. I was gleefully getting ready to pile it on them. Then I - No now in mid thought I’ll link to the article so you may see my dilemma.
-----link-----
http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/04/16/magic_numbers_in_politics
--------------
I had forgotten who I was reading. I had forgotten what he had written before. I had forgotten my core beliefs when I was confronted with familiar and comfortable thoughts.
Sure these business’ are predators in the sense that they give people what they want and make a profit; a huge profit at that, but as Thomas Sowell points out by comparison; when the government jumps in things only gets worse. Things get worse for the business they regulate and worse for the people the government is trying to help with that regulation.
The business fails (hooray I wanted to yell); but then the people are forced to use other means usually illegal and or with higher vig/s and harsher penalties.
Thomas Sowell’s book “A Conflict of Visions” had taught me that the reason regulation fails is that it assumes a perfect solution is possible, based on the logic that people are perfect; both wrong assumptions. As Thomas points out in his book that is not reality.
I knew this and I also knew that Dave Ramsey was not trying to regulate the Cash advance type of business’. Dave’s ministry is to help people learn the tools they need to be able to avoid that choice on their own with their own minds. To allow them to enjoy better the journey. He was trying to show them a way to work around the need being serviced by the Cash advance places. Dave Ramsey rails against credit cards as well but he doesn’t say they should be regulated out of business. Just said no to by an enlightened people.
As a conservative I have to keep in mind that it is not easy to practice what I preach, just more rewarding because of the tryinbg. Much as striving for perfection or pursuing happiness; we are better off by doing it even though the end results are impossible to achieve. EVER.
As a conservative I put the premium on the effort not achieving the end result. When I exercise I dream that I will look like some fantasy movie star; but I don’t fall to pieces or quit exercising because I happen to look in a mirror.
I helped another neighbor start a small garden for other neighbors to operate through a church. This will not cure world hunger, at best it will give some fresh veggies to a few and some nice flowers for all to look at. We were doing ok until the county health dept. stepped in. lol.
The government should not punish people or business for not achieving perfection. They should simply look in the mirror long and hard and realize that they are at their best when they at most try to keep the rules of the game of “striving and pursuing” fair and level. Keep the entry level jobs of life unregulated. Give us a chance to deserve the freedom we seek the old fashioned way, by earning it.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Tea Party
I have a lot of impressions and thoughts about the Tea Party Protests. The people attending were indeed a mixed bag, a good cross section of people. The things I sensed was obviously anger. That was well voiced in shouts and heated debate. The other thing was a belief in America and its traditions. More subtle, and underlying it lay a fear.
Yes FEAR. Perhaps that is too strong a word, but I think in varying degrees fear was the underlying emotion. Not fear of the loss of our freedom; but the loss of our individual freedoms. I don’t want to put into too complete a box what all this fear is; it is too vague and nebulous for that.
click on pics to enlarge.
I talked to a mother with some children who came to the Lansing Tea Party.
She was apprehensive (fearful) for her lovely children. She was worried that the America she knew would not be there for them. As parents we have to plan for the worse, and then hopefully be happy when it doesn’t happen. I think the vague fear underlying the protests had to do with the idea that the worse could be happening now.
BTW 5,000 showed up at the Lansing Tea Party.
I felt people had the vague sense that we have reached the tipping point in government and its control over our lives. I sensed as I haven’t in the past, a sense of urgency about doing something about that; the idea that we have to do something about that and soon; or we may lose the option of peacefull recourse.
We know and the articles are out there in the media and on the net are numerous about all the huge government increases into what used to be the public sector. Most of the articles have to do with business and bailouts and the like. The fear I’m talking about is found after reading the likes of the following article.
-----link-----
http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/americorps_volunteers/2009/04/09/201594.html
---------------
I had blogged early on about Obama’s hope for this very thing. He long ago referred to it as a domestic force. Funded as much as the Military. He felt it was a good way to get poor people involved and working for the government. The whole idea is so anti everything I believe in that I found it reassuring there were others who think similar to me.
The whole concept of non-profit organizations has become so corrupted and then to add that type of thing is beyond what I can tolerate. That to me is the tipping point between individual freedom and socialism.
The above was an illustration of an example of the fear people have of not only increased spending but the agenda behind that increase. They don't like the idea of increased taxes but more than that they fear the reason for that increase is increase the government’s control of their lives and the resulting loss of their freedoms.
Mike Rogers (R-MI) when introducing Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) at a non-tea party event in Michigan later that evening alluded to this when he said the following about this power grab by the Obama administration; “we expected to change direction, not the Country”.
The reporting on the Tea Party thing, has been all over the place in the media. The media for the most part has labeled this as a right wing extremist thing. That is far from the mark. I saw parents worried about their children, working folks worried about their jobs and families, young kids wondering what the world will be like in 10 years.
In short I saw people that liked America and what it has stood for and angry at those who constantly put down this country. They too felt frustration in the idea that they have been stopped so many times from trying themselves to fix their corner of the world. All the regulation on home improvement to starting a business has added to this building frustration. The public knows they can do it; they have in the past. We also know the government can’t because they haven’t in the past.
Ronald Kessler for Newsmax interviewed Grover Norquist (a true conservative btw) a day before the Tea Parties and Grover claimed there were going to be 2,000 parties across the country. Most of the media claim 300. In Michigan they say anywhere from 10-20. I’ve researched and found over 40 in Michigan. I keep finding ones in little towns I never heard of and that weren’t on any of the national lists I’ve seen. It would be impossible to get an accurate count nationwide, but Norquist is closer to the mark.
-----link-----
http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/norquist_tea_party/2009/04/14/202670.html
---------------
I went to one in Jackson at 6pm after the noon one in Lansing, and I found out that Jackson had another one at Rives Junction at noon also. At least 50 showed up there.
Rives Junction wasn’t on any list. These people weren’t radicals either, bent on destruction. They were an older couple who decided to have one in front of their house. They simply wanted a voice – a voice that would be heard above all the special interest groups, and I might add National Parties.
I might add also they were for the most part the silent majority that is normally subdued and not into politics. This Tea Party thing gave them a chance to voice their opinions and frustrations.
In the days to come, all the parties and special interest groups will try to capitalize on this. That’s life, but if the people can remember their voice, perhaps they too will remember that they have the freedom and new found strength to pick who they want to listen too.
Yes FEAR. Perhaps that is too strong a word, but I think in varying degrees fear was the underlying emotion. Not fear of the loss of our freedom; but the loss of our individual freedoms. I don’t want to put into too complete a box what all this fear is; it is too vague and nebulous for that.
click on pics to enlarge.
I talked to a mother with some children who came to the Lansing Tea Party.
She was apprehensive (fearful) for her lovely children. She was worried that the America she knew would not be there for them. As parents we have to plan for the worse, and then hopefully be happy when it doesn’t happen. I think the vague fear underlying the protests had to do with the idea that the worse could be happening now.
BTW 5,000 showed up at the Lansing Tea Party.
I felt people had the vague sense that we have reached the tipping point in government and its control over our lives. I sensed as I haven’t in the past, a sense of urgency about doing something about that; the idea that we have to do something about that and soon; or we may lose the option of peacefull recourse.
We know and the articles are out there in the media and on the net are numerous about all the huge government increases into what used to be the public sector. Most of the articles have to do with business and bailouts and the like. The fear I’m talking about is found after reading the likes of the following article.
-----link-----
http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/americorps_volunteers/2009/04/09/201594.html
---------------
I had blogged early on about Obama’s hope for this very thing. He long ago referred to it as a domestic force. Funded as much as the Military. He felt it was a good way to get poor people involved and working for the government. The whole idea is so anti everything I believe in that I found it reassuring there were others who think similar to me.
The whole concept of non-profit organizations has become so corrupted and then to add that type of thing is beyond what I can tolerate. That to me is the tipping point between individual freedom and socialism.
The above was an illustration of an example of the fear people have of not only increased spending but the agenda behind that increase. They don't like the idea of increased taxes but more than that they fear the reason for that increase is increase the government’s control of their lives and the resulting loss of their freedoms.
Mike Rogers (R-MI) when introducing Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) at a non-tea party event in Michigan later that evening alluded to this when he said the following about this power grab by the Obama administration; “we expected to change direction, not the Country”.
The reporting on the Tea Party thing, has been all over the place in the media. The media for the most part has labeled this as a right wing extremist thing. That is far from the mark. I saw parents worried about their children, working folks worried about their jobs and families, young kids wondering what the world will be like in 10 years.
In short I saw people that liked America and what it has stood for and angry at those who constantly put down this country. They too felt frustration in the idea that they have been stopped so many times from trying themselves to fix their corner of the world. All the regulation on home improvement to starting a business has added to this building frustration. The public knows they can do it; they have in the past. We also know the government can’t because they haven’t in the past.
Ronald Kessler for Newsmax interviewed Grover Norquist (a true conservative btw) a day before the Tea Parties and Grover claimed there were going to be 2,000 parties across the country. Most of the media claim 300. In Michigan they say anywhere from 10-20. I’ve researched and found over 40 in Michigan. I keep finding ones in little towns I never heard of and that weren’t on any of the national lists I’ve seen. It would be impossible to get an accurate count nationwide, but Norquist is closer to the mark.
-----link-----
http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/norquist_tea_party/2009/04/14/202670.html
---------------
I went to one in Jackson at 6pm after the noon one in Lansing, and I found out that Jackson had another one at Rives Junction at noon also. At least 50 showed up there.
Rives Junction wasn’t on any list. These people weren’t radicals either, bent on destruction. They were an older couple who decided to have one in front of their house. They simply wanted a voice – a voice that would be heard above all the special interest groups, and I might add National Parties.
I might add also they were for the most part the silent majority that is normally subdued and not into politics. This Tea Party thing gave them a chance to voice their opinions and frustrations.
In the days to come, all the parties and special interest groups will try to capitalize on this. That’s life, but if the people can remember their voice, perhaps they too will remember that they have the freedom and new found strength to pick who they want to listen too.
Monday, April 13, 2009
If the Truth Be Told
Bill Wilson in Daily Grind had an article called, “To Slay a Hydra in Bridgeport”
-----link-----
http://blog.getliberty.org/default.asp?Display=1120
---------------
This is an article about the case for the civil rights of children in the public school system. We have watched for years as Big Government has merged with Big Unions to form the most of imperfect unions for the education of our children.
Many have been trying with varying degrees of success to change that union; but as the article alludes to the combination of Big Unions their money and by endearing themselves to the pocketbooks of local politicians, the headway gained has been small and slow.
Progress has been made on a state by state level. Competition in the educational field has slowly been making headway. That competition comes in the form of vouchers, home schooling or academies according to what state one lives.
In Education the lack of individual freedom sticks out like a sore thumb. The difficulty parents have in asserting their rights as parents over what their children are taught are legendary.
Another great article linked below is about how the conservative message without the label is respected in the Black experience.
-----link-----
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=31431
--------------
The authors Lee H. Walker and Joseph Bast show that Blacks have used “the three rungs of education, self-reliance, and entrepreneurship to climb the ladder of success and are now solidly middle-class contributors to society."
Self-reliance and entrepreneurship are the outcome of learning individual freedom. For someone to be self-reliant and succeed in business it helps immensely if they are taught those things in school. The article points out how that has become the exception and not the rule. As the article shows, the case for individual freedom is the case against the liberal agenda. A black middle class that has become self-reliant does not need what the liberals offer. In fact what they offer is damaging to that same middle class. It is becoming apparent to anyone who moves out of the hood, what it takes to stay out. All colors.
It means being reliant upon your own abilities and not what the government gives you.
I have said in the past that I have seen the gleam of the American Dream in the eye of minorities more often than in the eye of those who espouse it. What we need to do is get our rhetoric down to the grass roots, at the same time living our lives like we believe what we say. That is a major correction. It takes time to do that.
The key however is simple. Do what you say. In education for example it is easy to talk of making schools accountable for their level of competence in teaching. As the above article points out “Yet conservative thinkers and think tanks practically overflow with ideas to improve education, reward self-reliance, and boost entrepreneurship, while the liberal cupboards are bare.”
Conservatives do have the solutions; we just have trouble relating them to those who would benefit from them. In my state of Michigan we have an excellent resource or think tank. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is its name. The link below will show you studies they have made at great expense and with full scholarship upon a myriad of subjects. They publish their work as well as give lectures and seminars across the state to groups involved in what the subject is.
-----link-----
http://www.mackinac.org/
--------------
I am a blogger and not an educator but I went to a forum they had in Lansing about education, and found it quite good. The power point was easy to follow and understand. The results seemed inescapable. The discussion was about basing a teachers’ pay upon the direct results that teacher had on an individual student, then following that student through their various teachers and the method to grade the teachers. The researchers who wrote the book with those findings did a credible job of showing not only how that could be accomplished but the obvious benefits to the students and the teachers for that matter.
That was a think tank connecting to teachers. The trick is to express that same thing to the parent(S) of the children. Express the idea that for their children to get this superior education it is their civil right, as much as voting or where you ride on the bus. It will be obvious, once perceived, how very important this is for their children’s future. Also what becomes readily obvious upon any reflection is which theory provides it better; Liberal or Conservative?
Thomas Sowell of whom I’m a fan talked of a "sober presentation of the facts" as being enough to gain some headway. I would add we need to strip away the bs of the conservative rhetoric and strip it down to its bones and start preaching Individual Freedom and how everyone has a right to it, as a prerequisite to helping themselves in their pursuit of happiness. With education it means telling people they have the right to have their children taught what, when, where and by whom. They and their children have that right. It also means we have to start doing the work of creating those positive solutions to offer those so inclined.
That work is easy enough; it’s just a lot of repetition. Practice, just talking about our ideas with others. Refine the way we present things. The fewer and shorter the words the better. I know that is an anathema to a blogger; but what I'm talking about is talking not writing.
If I was talking I would need to crystallize this into a couple or three sentences. Sentences that would connect with the person I’m talking to. That is a skill, a learned skill. If the truth be told; it is a skill we must learn if we are to actually hope we can get our solutions accepted and in place to help stop this downward slide we are in.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
-----link-----
http://blog.getliberty.org/default.asp?Display=1120
---------------
This is an article about the case for the civil rights of children in the public school system. We have watched for years as Big Government has merged with Big Unions to form the most of imperfect unions for the education of our children.
Many have been trying with varying degrees of success to change that union; but as the article alludes to the combination of Big Unions their money and by endearing themselves to the pocketbooks of local politicians, the headway gained has been small and slow.
Progress has been made on a state by state level. Competition in the educational field has slowly been making headway. That competition comes in the form of vouchers, home schooling or academies according to what state one lives.
In Education the lack of individual freedom sticks out like a sore thumb. The difficulty parents have in asserting their rights as parents over what their children are taught are legendary.
Another great article linked below is about how the conservative message without the label is respected in the Black experience.
-----link-----
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=31431
--------------
The authors Lee H. Walker and Joseph Bast show that Blacks have used “the three rungs of education, self-reliance, and entrepreneurship to climb the ladder of success and are now solidly middle-class contributors to society."
Self-reliance and entrepreneurship are the outcome of learning individual freedom. For someone to be self-reliant and succeed in business it helps immensely if they are taught those things in school. The article points out how that has become the exception and not the rule. As the article shows, the case for individual freedom is the case against the liberal agenda. A black middle class that has become self-reliant does not need what the liberals offer. In fact what they offer is damaging to that same middle class. It is becoming apparent to anyone who moves out of the hood, what it takes to stay out. All colors.
It means being reliant upon your own abilities and not what the government gives you.
I have said in the past that I have seen the gleam of the American Dream in the eye of minorities more often than in the eye of those who espouse it. What we need to do is get our rhetoric down to the grass roots, at the same time living our lives like we believe what we say. That is a major correction. It takes time to do that.
The key however is simple. Do what you say. In education for example it is easy to talk of making schools accountable for their level of competence in teaching. As the above article points out “Yet conservative thinkers and think tanks practically overflow with ideas to improve education, reward self-reliance, and boost entrepreneurship, while the liberal cupboards are bare.”
Conservatives do have the solutions; we just have trouble relating them to those who would benefit from them. In my state of Michigan we have an excellent resource or think tank. The Mackinac Center for Public Policy is its name. The link below will show you studies they have made at great expense and with full scholarship upon a myriad of subjects. They publish their work as well as give lectures and seminars across the state to groups involved in what the subject is.
-----link-----
http://www.mackinac.org/
--------------
I am a blogger and not an educator but I went to a forum they had in Lansing about education, and found it quite good. The power point was easy to follow and understand. The results seemed inescapable. The discussion was about basing a teachers’ pay upon the direct results that teacher had on an individual student, then following that student through their various teachers and the method to grade the teachers. The researchers who wrote the book with those findings did a credible job of showing not only how that could be accomplished but the obvious benefits to the students and the teachers for that matter.
That was a think tank connecting to teachers. The trick is to express that same thing to the parent(S) of the children. Express the idea that for their children to get this superior education it is their civil right, as much as voting or where you ride on the bus. It will be obvious, once perceived, how very important this is for their children’s future. Also what becomes readily obvious upon any reflection is which theory provides it better; Liberal or Conservative?
Thomas Sowell of whom I’m a fan talked of a "sober presentation of the facts" as being enough to gain some headway. I would add we need to strip away the bs of the conservative rhetoric and strip it down to its bones and start preaching Individual Freedom and how everyone has a right to it, as a prerequisite to helping themselves in their pursuit of happiness. With education it means telling people they have the right to have their children taught what, when, where and by whom. They and their children have that right. It also means we have to start doing the work of creating those positive solutions to offer those so inclined.
That work is easy enough; it’s just a lot of repetition. Practice, just talking about our ideas with others. Refine the way we present things. The fewer and shorter the words the better. I know that is an anathema to a blogger; but what I'm talking about is talking not writing.
If I was talking I would need to crystallize this into a couple or three sentences. Sentences that would connect with the person I’m talking to. That is a skill, a learned skill. If the truth be told; it is a skill we must learn if we are to actually hope we can get our solutions accepted and in place to help stop this downward slide we are in.
Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
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