If OEN were a political party, what would it be like?
I have no problem with stating that the people that publish on OEN, and some that do not but make comments are far above the average in either party. I would bet on the average, they are much better educated, far better read, and a good deal more sophisticated. I read recently that only 25% of the applicants that try to join the military are turned down, either for education or physical condition. Is it any wonder that we have in the United States Congress the type people we have been saddled with, when in fact the electorate is so poorly informed, under educated, and therefore unable to understand the issues? Oh, only if OEN were a political party. But wait---------who would have been our candidate for the recent election? Certainly Obama had a lot of support, but he has also had his many detractors, with some calling him a pawn of a secret society that has brought about the present financial disaster. There are also people that supported, Paul, McKinney, Nader, Kucinich, and others that I forget, so how would this diverse group ever agree on a candidate? There is disagreement on almost every issue that one would wish to discuss in the political arena, from choice, stem cell, climate, bailout, and the list goes on. How then, if this above average group of people cannot agree, can we possibly expect the average “Joe” to understand the issues and therefore play a meaningful part in government, part of which is electing their representative and then following how that person performs?
Business feels threatened by labor, and labor feels business considers them as disposable. The free market contingent sees regulation like the Baptist Church sees dancing and yet we see this financial disaster that has resulted in part from lack of regulation. There is disagreement with people making over $250,000 over taxes, those that favor and those against stem cell research, choice, marriage, evolution, health care, and the list goes on and on and on. Not only is there disagreement with almost any issue one cares to lay on the table, there is an extreme amount of harsh rhetoric, right down to pure hate. People are mad as hell about a multitude of issues and as this economy grows worse, there will very well be violence. Many comments on OEN have included guns and the use thereof. There have been many comments that in a less free society that would be considered tyranny and the person would be subject to arrest. So, how do we bring the country back together so that we can solve some of the most critical issues facing us?
When the President gave his acceptance speech, he spoke about a “call to service” and I heard that call very clearly. My problem was, and is, what can a 67 year old man of average intelligence and average means offer? I considered the Peace Corps but wonder what I could really offer, as besides owning a few businesses, being a bar tender and boat captain, I have not that much to offer. Last year while traveling in Vietnam, I met a lady that was there with Habitat but found out that she had paid roughly $4000 for the trip. If both my wife and I went, that would be $8000. I have also thought that maybe I was looking too far a field, too ambitious with my desire to help, and maybe needed to look a bit closer to home. I am a substitute driver for meals on wheels, and I do support a program that feeds school children in need of meals on the weekends, and I can give $25 here and there but it does not really seem enough, not big enough, not important enough to satisfy my desire to help------but maybe the very small things could develop into something much larger if we all did just a few small things. Maybe also, we all need to let our anger be aimed at the reality people will go to bed tonight hungry, or those that sleep in the street, instead of each other. Perhaps in the constant game of “whose fault this is”, we could accept the problems and work together for solutions. Maybe if we treated each other’s opinions with a bit more civility, we would find that we are more alike than different. Maybe if a few started, then more would follow, and real change could happen. But, for real change to come about, we must learn to believe it can really happen and avoid the rhetoric of the “end is here”. But if the writers on OEN cannot do it, then how can we expect the Congress and the average “Joe” to get it. There was a small merchant in a small Alabama town that recently gave his employees $16,000 in $2 bills and asked that they spend it to help the economy but also give 10% away. There is a café in another state that feeds people and if they can, they pay and if not they still eat. These are people making a real difference.
The President said loud and clear, “we are the nation that put a man on the moon, invented the automobile, airplane, and transistor and fought a world war on two hemispheres”. We can move this country into a new era if we have the will but it will depend on us becoming more civil, more compassionate, more charitable, and a desire to want a brighter future for everyone. We can do this.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
If you are not happy or you don't like this economy it may be your fault
America is a place that is obsessed with being happy, having a good time, and “looking good” and we pay a big price for that. Mystic Wizard just did a poll (it is still under polls) and asked the question, “Are you happy”? Most people responding say they are either not very happy, all the way to feeling suicidal. Part of the reason we are in the economic free fall we find ourselves in, is from sub-prime mortgages, and the result of over spending by consumers.
Yesterday, my wife and I drove from the small island we live on in the Gulf of Mexico to a small town about 30 miles away. When I was a child, the area was almost 100% farming and rural, but now it is mile after mile of large developed subdivisions and large houses. Many of these homes would exceed 3 and 4000 sq. feet, huge garages and swimming pools, and I would guess equally large mortgages. Parked in the garages you will find big suv’s, expensive foreign jobs, along with boats and motorcycles.
There was a time, when a 3br 1 bath home and one car was the average for many American family, but now it would seem that a family of 3 needs at least 4 bedrooms, and a 3 car garage. How did we get to this spot? Part of it is about our obsession with being happy, concern that OUR children will have the same jeans, bikes, ipods, cell phones as their friends. In other words it is about “looking good”. How can we be happy if we do not look good and that means a big house, big car, big vacation, and expensive clothes. If there is not money, then there is credit. Why have we fallen into this trap? Can we blame it all on Wall Street, banks, mortgage lenders, advertisers, or should we take a harder look at ourselves. After all, it is much easier to blame someone else or some other entity than ourselves; we see that with today’s Republicans trying to blame Obama for 8 years of Bush mistakes.
There was comment made on another OEN piece recently by someone that lived part time in Thailand, and said that though there were many poor people, how happy Thai people were. I have also spent time in Thailand, and yes “the land of smiles” is true. The point was made that Thai people had their violence and problems that all societies have but that basically they were a happy people. Since 1992, I have spent 4 to 5 months each year in Indonesia with a great deal of time in Bali and I can absolutely state the Balinese people are unique to say the very least. That is one reason Bali has been, and remains one of the world’s great travel destinations. Like the Thai, Bali people are certainly not without their problems, but overall they are extremely happy people. I have watched and interacted with the Balinese people for many years and some of the big differences between them and Americans are they are of one religion; very community involved, live in family units, that is 3 generations living in one house, and are very focused on art and music. The biggest problem I have seen in Bali over the last 15 years is the “westernization” we have exported. You see more kids over weight, television that was relatively unknown a few years ago is now everywhere, and money has become much more important.
I like diversity, in food, music, and people and whereas America is certainly more diverse that either Thailand or Indonesia, perhaps America is paying a big price for diversity. We have Christian fundamentalist that hate other Christians, Christian churches that are constantly splitting apart, resentment against Jews and Moslems, Republicans against Democrats, far right and lefts in each party that seem angry with everyone and the whole country obsessed with money. Is there one person that is not nostalgic when you read a novel set in a small town that speaks of the local hardware store where men sit around the pot belly stove and talk; where everyone turns out for the fourth of July fireworks; where the county fair is a big event; where people do not lock their doors? Could it be that maybe a much bigger part of the economic disaster we now find ourselves in is more to our own making that we wish to admit? Now before I go too far, I know it is not me as we live in a small sensible house, drive two, 2002 automobiles, have no expensive hobbies. But, the fact is I have responsibility because it is my country, I am a citizen and just like Iraq, I was against it from the start but I do have my part of the responsibility for that immoral war. In America we want to blame the “other guy” for the problems and take no responsibility ourselves. Look at the recent circus in Congress passing the stimulus bill; Republicans voting entirely against it, screaming about physical irresponsibility after 8 years of driving the economy into the ground. Does it not seem that both parties would meet and admit the country is in peril, so we have to do something that maybe we would prefer not to do, but for the sake of our country this is what must be done? Could they not, just for a moment stop playing politics with our lives----or is that just too much to ask for? And before I go further, let me be loud and clear that Democrats play a major role in all of this as well. Perhaps when you have a job that is very secure, great health insurance, a wonderful retirement and promises of high paying jobs should you care to retire early, maybe just maybe you can afford to play political games. In the end however, WE elected each and every one of these people and therefore WE must take responsibility for their lack of performance.
Hopefully after we get out of this debacle we can learn that more is not necessarily better and many times less is preferable. Maybe we can learn to value integrity in a person more than their financial statement. Maybe we can teach children that character is more important than their ability to hit a ball. Maybe we can set an example that honor is much better than an expensive home, and to help another is much better than your name in a private club. We can blame Wall Street, Republicans, Democrats, China, and the media but after that we have to admit what each and every one of us has contributed and if you think you have not, then you are really in trouble.
Yesterday, my wife and I drove from the small island we live on in the Gulf of Mexico to a small town about 30 miles away. When I was a child, the area was almost 100% farming and rural, but now it is mile after mile of large developed subdivisions and large houses. Many of these homes would exceed 3 and 4000 sq. feet, huge garages and swimming pools, and I would guess equally large mortgages. Parked in the garages you will find big suv’s, expensive foreign jobs, along with boats and motorcycles.
There was a time, when a 3br 1 bath home and one car was the average for many American family, but now it would seem that a family of 3 needs at least 4 bedrooms, and a 3 car garage. How did we get to this spot? Part of it is about our obsession with being happy, concern that OUR children will have the same jeans, bikes, ipods, cell phones as their friends. In other words it is about “looking good”. How can we be happy if we do not look good and that means a big house, big car, big vacation, and expensive clothes. If there is not money, then there is credit. Why have we fallen into this trap? Can we blame it all on Wall Street, banks, mortgage lenders, advertisers, or should we take a harder look at ourselves. After all, it is much easier to blame someone else or some other entity than ourselves; we see that with today’s Republicans trying to blame Obama for 8 years of Bush mistakes.
There was comment made on another OEN piece recently by someone that lived part time in Thailand, and said that though there were many poor people, how happy Thai people were. I have also spent time in Thailand, and yes “the land of smiles” is true. The point was made that Thai people had their violence and problems that all societies have but that basically they were a happy people. Since 1992, I have spent 4 to 5 months each year in Indonesia with a great deal of time in Bali and I can absolutely state the Balinese people are unique to say the very least. That is one reason Bali has been, and remains one of the world’s great travel destinations. Like the Thai, Bali people are certainly not without their problems, but overall they are extremely happy people. I have watched and interacted with the Balinese people for many years and some of the big differences between them and Americans are they are of one religion; very community involved, live in family units, that is 3 generations living in one house, and are very focused on art and music. The biggest problem I have seen in Bali over the last 15 years is the “westernization” we have exported. You see more kids over weight, television that was relatively unknown a few years ago is now everywhere, and money has become much more important.
I like diversity, in food, music, and people and whereas America is certainly more diverse that either Thailand or Indonesia, perhaps America is paying a big price for diversity. We have Christian fundamentalist that hate other Christians, Christian churches that are constantly splitting apart, resentment against Jews and Moslems, Republicans against Democrats, far right and lefts in each party that seem angry with everyone and the whole country obsessed with money. Is there one person that is not nostalgic when you read a novel set in a small town that speaks of the local hardware store where men sit around the pot belly stove and talk; where everyone turns out for the fourth of July fireworks; where the county fair is a big event; where people do not lock their doors? Could it be that maybe a much bigger part of the economic disaster we now find ourselves in is more to our own making that we wish to admit? Now before I go too far, I know it is not me as we live in a small sensible house, drive two, 2002 automobiles, have no expensive hobbies. But, the fact is I have responsibility because it is my country, I am a citizen and just like Iraq, I was against it from the start but I do have my part of the responsibility for that immoral war. In America we want to blame the “other guy” for the problems and take no responsibility ourselves. Look at the recent circus in Congress passing the stimulus bill; Republicans voting entirely against it, screaming about physical irresponsibility after 8 years of driving the economy into the ground. Does it not seem that both parties would meet and admit the country is in peril, so we have to do something that maybe we would prefer not to do, but for the sake of our country this is what must be done? Could they not, just for a moment stop playing politics with our lives----or is that just too much to ask for? And before I go further, let me be loud and clear that Democrats play a major role in all of this as well. Perhaps when you have a job that is very secure, great health insurance, a wonderful retirement and promises of high paying jobs should you care to retire early, maybe just maybe you can afford to play political games. In the end however, WE elected each and every one of these people and therefore WE must take responsibility for their lack of performance.
Hopefully after we get out of this debacle we can learn that more is not necessarily better and many times less is preferable. Maybe we can learn to value integrity in a person more than their financial statement. Maybe we can teach children that character is more important than their ability to hit a ball. Maybe we can set an example that honor is much better than an expensive home, and to help another is much better than your name in a private club. We can blame Wall Street, Republicans, Democrats, China, and the media but after that we have to admit what each and every one of us has contributed and if you think you have not, then you are really in trouble.
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