06 September 2011

Only Solutions...
While this might seem like a lead-in for a rather obscure song from Journey (from the movie TRON - the first flick), it really not. Sorry about that.
What the title infers is that it would be nice to HAVE only solutions available to us these days.
We need someone to step up and provide solutions...not more problems.
And certainly not another way around a problem, as in avoidance of the issue completely.
Now, there may be some folks out there with solutions in search OF a problem.
To them I'd say: "Don't worry, another one will come along soon enough, and perhaps it will be a match."
Problems are like inner city buses.
They have the same beginning and end to whatever route they're on, and they usually operate with some level of regularity.
Our main problem with America is that we've lost track of who "WE" are, as a nation.
Who we USED to be isn't so much who we are TODAY...or even in the immediate tomorrow.
We've allowed our government to over-regulate, over-obfuscate, and over-intimidate it's people.
That's not a good thing, believe it or not.
And we've permitted different standards for different people.
We've allowed ourselves to be taxed seven ways to Sunday while the government keeps on spending, and stating it's "what this country needs".
Really? REALLY???
Your payroll is taxed, your savings and/or holdings are taxed, and any and all purchases are taxed.
My, that's taxing...!
And what are YOU seeing for all that money YOU are putting out?
Well, we COULD take a look at cities like DETROIT, a once proud bastion of innovation, invention, and production.
Sorry, not seeing much of anything there these days...except SQUALOR, DEBT, and DISILLUSIONMENT.
Nice return on our "investment"...but that's only ONE instance.
This same cycle is repeated across this country, and to what end?
We hear poverty levels are rising dramatically, all the while these same folks who are classified as "poor", have damn near EVERY amenity offered and bought by working-class stiffs all the way up to professionals.
Hardly seems poor to me.
Close to 50% of America's populace is on SOME form of "government-assistance", and yet nothing can seem to be done to relieve this burden on our citizens OR our government.
We've allowed people to be "spoon-fed" by the state with sustenance provided by taxpaying people, who themselves are often struggling to just get by.
Granted, there are those that cannot fend for themselves, through whatever reason such as illness, catastrophe, financial ruin...whatever, but I cannot believe that SO MANY are in such dire straits...and for SO damn long.
People used to be able to rely on ONE ANOTHER, if not THEMSELVES to extricate them from whatever pitfall life has tossed at them.
And believe me, life DOES have it's pitfalls, often with OUR name on it...just waiting.
But our government has taken the mantle of help from many charitable agencies (for our own good), and regulated those agencies into relative oblivion.
When a child can't even have a damn LEMONADE stand in front of their house to make a few bucks for whatever reason, that sends a powerful message as to how entrepreneurship is taking it on the damn chin.
When the bloody FDA comes down on a high school for having a damn BAKE SALE to pay for their sports equipment or fund a class trip, that sends another powerful message.
The government has become TOO overprotective.
(Gee, I thought that's what PARENTS were for...lol.)
There are those that feel our government isn't LARGE ENOUGH...they want even more "control" in our lives.
I cannot subscribe to that...at all.
I believe that an EDUCATED public makes the best citizenry.
But again, our government seeks to "adapt" our educational system to fit their view of the 21st century.
Make EVERYONE equal....no one left behind...no one fails. We ALL succeed...period.
Nice idea, if everyone managed to WORK to earning such a thing.
Everyone IS already equal, in that we ALL have the same chance...the same opportunity to "test the waters" and determine our OWN course, and whether we succeed or fail in whatever endeavor we attempt.
But some people have found thinking for themselves a bit of an issue...they'd rather have THAT done for them as well.
Again, not a good thing.
Stifling creativity on ANY level is inherently wrong.
Who are we as a nation...today, right now...this very minute?
And who have we become, or are allowing ourselves to become?
The government has PROVEN that whenever they take over something that should be under the control OF THE PEOPLE...they fail.
AMTRAK? Kinda sucks for a government-run rail system. Losing money every year.
The USPS? On the verge of collapse. Money is drying up.
Thank God the military is still intact.
But rather than figure ways to SOLVE these issues, government seems more concerned with whether or not our ROOF is white...or how big our "carbon-footprint" might be, or even how much we "need" ethanol, while abbreviating the corn crops for such necessities as grain-feed for animals, corn for consumer food products, and the like. And that doesn't include the millions of bushels of corn we ship OVERSEAS (to where our jobs all went).
There are people with a lot of problems today...and mostly, it's called our government.
There are also people with solutions waiting for the right problem to come along.
I say we somehow manage to get these two groups TOGETHER, place them in a nice room and let them figure all this crap the hell out...once and for all. We need a better sense of "direction" for this nation, because being adrift with no sail or rudder in the global scene just ain't cutting it.
DO we have political candidates worthy of such direction?
Depends on who you talk to.
No ONE person has all the answers, that's a given, but we do have to see who can do the least damage in the least amount of time.
I think that's a good starting point.
Now, you're all wondering why I seem to be all full of "piss and vinegar" this morning.
I dunno...maybe it's the constant bombardment from the media about ALL this crap we seem to be hip-deep in.
Maybe it's questioning why we changed since the era when I was growing up.
Perhaps it's frustration at seeing people too damn lazy to do anything but prey on others.
I think it's a combination of all of that...and more.
I believe this nation has a LOT of good years left in her, and I also believe in the spirit that makes this country great.
And I also think such a spirit in this nation has been too long gone.
One person cannot hope to tackle such challenges by themselves.
But one person, speaking the truth, can enlist the aid of another person...and that person can tell another...and so on.
We can reclaim that which this nation has lost, but it will not happen overnight.
It will take some courage...some integrity, some moral application, and a whole lot of ethics.
And one person at a time, we can become a nation of the PEOPLE, and NOT of the government, which Lincoln stated was (itself) OF the people, BY the people, and FOR the people.
The government is there for US, and not the other way around.
Our government is tasked with running the NATION, and not running the lives of individuals or groups of people.
The government is charged with PROTECTING the people from tyranny both here and abroad, and NOT protecting people from themselves (by controlling their lives).
Simple concepts both, yet ones which seem void of value today.
Perhaps it's time we fill that void.
Be well, make a difference to someone, and...
Stay safe out there, America.

5 comments:

Slamdunk said...

It is a shame that no matter how much citizens voice concern over government size and oversight, it seems to fall primarily on deaf ears. The lemonade stand crack downs have been in the news using several examples.

Did not know if you saw this one (the link is to Chuck Mullis' blog), but it is a prime example of government, too big, with poor leadership, and unable to change:

http://chuckmullis.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/your-hard-earned-money-at-work/

Enjoy your Tuesday Bob.

Slamdunk said...

Sorry again: here is the link:

http://chuckmullis.wordpress.com/2011/09/03/your-hard-earned-money-at-work/

Bob G. said...

Slamdunk:
You've been out on the streets and seen much the same stuff as I have.

And I'm sure you also ask yourself HOW can so mahy people be so damn blind, deaf and dumb to all this crap, right?

It boggles the mind when I think of ALL those people that simply do NOT want to help themselves, let alone others, but are fine and dandy w/ letting some level of government do everything for them.

I think people like US did something called GROW UP along the way, and perhaps these others have not (and will not).

With every step government takes INTO our living rooms, a little more personal freedom gets shoved out the back door.

The video is UNBELIEVEABLE.

And the Philly mint IS pretty damn huge.(a WHOLE city block square - nice long lunchtime walk around it)

The IRONY comes from ALL those dollar coins being minted at $0.32 per unit...which is about WHAT THEY"RE WORTH these days...LOL.

I guess someone figures to pay off some of our national debt with all those "stored" coins" in the near future?
(not hardly).

Bernanke must love that.

Hey, thanks so much for taking time to dropping by today to comment.
Very informative.

You stay safe out there.

Momma Fargo said...

It's amazing the economy still continues to spiral out of control and it appears our government is watching it go without a concern. Of course, they are doing so from their plush offices and luxuries afforded to them by the people.

Sad deal.

The entire state of Michigan and the industrial parts of the US like Indiana continue to suffer where at one time, they held up our country.

I wonder when it will hit bottom or start to move upward.

Bob G. said...

Momma Fargo:
It sems the onlty thing we can seem to manufacture in this country these days is DEBT, especially at the TOP level.

We used to thrive in manufacturing...all over the country, too.
I saw many places close up in Philly, not the least of which was the NAVY YARD...displaced about 10,000 workers when THAT happened.

It's initially the fault of the government in cahoots w/ the unions, whichoverpaid our workers to the point where they essentially priced themselves OUT of the market, so companies either moved overseas or at least looked there for cheaper labor.

The rest...is history.

Thank GOD we're not outsourcing the POLICE in our nation!!!

Thanks so much for stopping on by today.
((Got some great stuff for tomorrow's "belated" post, but it will be worth the wait.))

You take care & roll safe out there.