Practical Magic

Here we go again!  Many countries around the world are showing the strain of trying to cope with what is.  Fortunately, more people in the world appear to be trying to figure out what's going on in our world and how we could do it better.  Is this different than any other time?  I don't think so.  From what I have seen over my three quarters of a century on this planet, what goes around still comes around.  Anybody out there besides me see the U.S. standing tall in November due to a cheerful campaign instead of a snipefest?  I see the success of Governor Walker's gutsy positive Wisconsin leadership indicating another sea change.  What do you see?

By now, every dire warning has been thrown out on the table as to the current relentless drive of some to replace our Constitution with one or another global regime. The now ten-year-old UN Agenda 21 plan continues to seep into American communities such as mine with nary an apparent caution as to the purpose of the three pronged Big E attack on individual enterprise.  Okay, I get it!  Control the Energy, the Environment and the Education of a people and you control them.  I am glad for the fervor stirred up by this prospect, but I do not see profitable the constant slams at "the other side" in this latest teeter totter exercise. What looks more useful to me is this list of reminders suggested by Marcia Wood's post on Tea Party Nation: 

The USSR is no more.

The Arabs can't live off of crude oil.

China doesn't want us to fail. Where would they sell their trinkets?

Wall Street doesn't want us to fail. Who else can they profit from if not the good old USA?

Terrorists don't want us to go away. They need a boogieman to whip up their own frenzies.

The question remains, who is it that wants us to fail?  Like Marcia says, Once again, we have to dig a bit deeper for the usual suspects. Who views us citizens as less than mice to be scattered so they can pick up the pieces?  No question that although none of us have all the answers, some of us are highly effective cheerleaders.  Consider one of many past governors whose respect for us mice was helpful to economic prospects during earlier hard times.  How’s this for déjà vu?

Government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem. - Ronald Reagan
 

The answer remains, who cares who wants us to fail as long as we insist upon thriving no matter what?  Various surveys show the Nation’s debt increasing about $3.93 billion per day and each citizen’s share surpassing $50,000.  Do we want that debt on our own plates?  Not anymore likely now than when it was said by Cicero (106-43 B.C.) that “The budget should be balanced; the treasury should be refilled; public debt should be reduced; and the arrogance of public officials should be controlled."

Please tell me, what have we got to lose by trusting that America's strong foundation will prevail if we dig in our heels for the long haul?  If not now, when will we count upon something much bigger than mere mortals to pull us through this time around?

I don't want anyone taking care of me!

I don't like much of anything about our "political process" right now. I'm beginning to think that's a very good thing. It seems to me that we Americans all need a good swift kick to get our heads back on straight.

What makes our Republic exceptional is being one nation, under God, indivisible! What's with presidential candidate Mitt Romney saying he wants to take care of "the middle class"? That's the kind of talk that made me so "not Obama" last time around. Who the heck do these guys think they are?

We so need people in public office who know they are as flawed as the rest of us. Real Americans know everybody has to fend for himself and that the struggle isn't pretty. I don't like candidate Newt Gingrich much, but I am glad he's not a slick willie. I am sick and tired of the phoney baloney "American Idol" show. Why does anybody want to watch lots of talent getting judged by a bunch of showboat egomaniacs?

I'd rather take my lumps from a leader with grandious ideas on how to do his own job well instead of from one who tells me how to do mine! Besides, how could we possibily imagine we can find, or that we remotely deserve, a perfect leader this side of heaven?

Making our votes count

In hopes of a Happy New Year for all, I'm heeding this alert from Tea Party Nation: "We can rally until the cows come home but if we do not eliminate voter fraud, nothing matters." With that thought in mind, here's a heads-up, at least for me:

"In Illinois, today if you need to buy drain cleaner or other caustic substances, you must show a government issued ID and you will be entered into a database. The impetus for the law was attacks on two women where acid was poured on them and they were badly scarred. Chicago Democrat Representative Jack Franks pushed this measure and the bill sailed through the Democrat controlled state legislature."

When something bad happens, why not punish wrongdoers instead of law-abiding citizens? Two people were attacked out of a city of 2.7 million and now if you need to get something to unplug your drain not only do you have to show a photo ID but you must also end up on a government database. Why? And what's up with the Chicago state legislature forcing law abiding people to produce a photo ID to buy drain cleaner while resisting all efforts to require a photo ID to vote? Could all this have something to do with these reports of voter fraud discovered in other states?

"In Colorado, the Attorney General discovered almost 12,000 illegal aliens registered to vote. In the 2010 election, at least 5,000 of them did. In December 2011, four Democrat Party officials from Troy, New York entered guilty pleas to voter fraud. In Tunica County, Mississippi, a Democrat official was sentenced to five years in prison for voter fraud. In the last two years, ACORN itself and former ACORN officials were convicted in Nevada for voter fraud. ACORN submitted as many as 60,000 fraudulent voter registrations. They even registered the entire starting line up of the Dallas Cowboys as voters in Nevada."

It couldn't hurt, right now, to remember that Stalin said, "I consider it completely unimportant who in the party will vote, or how; but what is extraordinarily important is this — who will count the votes, and how." In 2006, George Bush extended the Voting Rights act for 25 years. The original bill passed almost 50 years ago only covers southern states with a history of disenfranchising minorities. We need to revise the Voting Rights Act to focus on eliminating opportunities to engage in voter fraud. For instance, while neither Tennessee nor Texas need to be under the scope of this law, Illinois, Nevada and Wisconsin clearly do if we want only legal votes to count in future American elections.

Governor Perry's razor sharp focus on seeing that our federal government sticks to its Constitutional business, including taking us back to a part time U.S. Congress, looks likely to make cheating less profitable for everyone. In any case, I'm glad to see the march going on these days to do a better job of preserving the great promise for the world of our American Republic.

Jumpstarting our Republic

Current online, print media and TV pundits convince me that most talking heads are way behind the American electorate. I see much better perspective amongst a wide variety of "ordinary" citizens.

Once people acknowledge that they do not want to be limited by categories such as class, ethnics, economics, gender, location, unionization, politics or any other "social" preferences, they become dangerous to those whose seek power over them. The effort of some to paint Wall Street demonstrators with the same brush as the Taxed Enough Already illustrates the ease with which power brokers may muddy the political waters. Is it any wonder that, arising from the muck, a multitude now cries for the end of politics as usual?

If ever there was a time for each of us to jump our traces, surely it is now. Right now, we have an opportunity to see Cain, who like most of us has never held political office, cheerfully navigate shark infested waters that deter many a devout U.S. citizen from taking his turn at shouldering the public wheel. Here on the table, again, is the question as to whether it is still possible for an honest accomplished businessman like our Founding Fathers to jumpstart free market capitalism. The stakes couldn't be higher considering that so far, despite many plans to the contrary, this economic structure is the only demonstrated engine of our defense against tyranny both at home and abroad.

Granted there may be a better financial driver, but until it surfaces, picking apart every effort to keep capitalism productive and lolling about in sleeping bags on Wall Street is sure to kill our motor. Yes, capitalism requires regulation, but not at the expense of those who, through their actions, stoutly defend honesty as the best policy. Have we not all faced this battlefront? Who, for instance, has not once in a while run into a buzz saw while trying to explain a personal perspective?

If not Cain, rather the usual political alternatives, how about drafting Steve Wynn? Odds are this Las Vegas titan's demonstrated success in respectful American business practices coupled with his compelling delivery of his objections to the current regime would save the day.

Fortunately, it's our call. Once more, we, the people, will soon determine whether a nation conceived in liberty with a government of, by and for "ordinary" people can long stand.

Getting Mail

We all get mail, right? Betcha there's no one out there likely to read my musings who isn't flooded with snail and e-mail, most of which can't possibly be reciprocated without unlimited time, energy and monetary resources. Since I can't imagine anyone under the sun has all that, I feel happily in tune, this morning, with my own hunt and peck system for staying in the loop.

My legacy of positive thinking was particularly useful to the matters of my yesterday. Last night, I couldn’t resist sending out an all points bulletin about a presidential candidate who lifts my hopes for our exceptional republic. No matter what may come, I will gladly hold to the momentum I got from my mail today. For instance:

An old faithful childhood pal mailed me one of his upbeat forwards. I replied as follows:

Thanks for a nice fit for my exchange with my first born as her first born arrives with his platoon in Afghanistan today. First thing this morning she thanked me for my political message and I replied, “It was all I could do to keep from notifying our most precious brave soldier, yesterday, that I'm working hard on getting him Commander in Chief Cain :>) Wishing you the peace that passeth all understanding as your wonderful son moves on in his well chosen field of endeavor, thanks to your fine guidance."

As you may guess, I am very grateful for my daughter’s reassuring response:

"Thank you for your generous appreciation. It IS all in God's hands, as it always is, and I am striving to live by the fruits of the spirit and Phillipians 4: 4-9. Love you."

Dear friend, I hope this message conveys my gratitude to you for staying in touch with me. No wonder I still hold onto the notion that love is what keeps this old world turning.

Cheers!

In honor of my circle

Amongst a few friendly souls seated in a comfortable circle winding down a lovely backyard family party, my son said he wished more people felt free to share their thoughts about what's going on. Music to my ears, and the key word to others, also, must have been "share."

Fortunately, I hesitated, for a moment before offering copies of a tiny booklet I had tucked in my purse, "just in case." Otherwise, we would not have enjoyed yet another treat of the day from our genial host remarking that he thinks most people just want to do what's best for our country. Following full company agreement, I then asked if anyone would like to look at the booklet I have found useful in my study of current events and the fine gentleman to my left held out a hand. When he read the cover aloud, my host chuckled and advised me, "He's a liberal, you know," which I didn't. Maybe I should have, from the conversation we'd had earlier about his vast store of history on our local Giant Sequoias. But I have many friends a bit younger than I who share a productive perspective with me about what they call their "tree hugging days." I have a life-long fondness for the unique beauty nature provides my locale. I smiled when the gentleman to my left politely said he would put the booklet in his backpack and offered his description of himself as “an old fashioned liberal, more like an old fashioned conservative."
We all spoke of various ways in which a community might take back responsibility for the "safety net" currently provided by government that appears, once again, to be choking off individual endeavor. A thoughtful counter-argument ensued with reference to Giant Sequoias slain a century ago by the relentless sense of manifest destiny in the American lumber business. "Those folks thought then that the bounty of the land in America was endless," said the man to my left, and we all agreed people must be good stewards of our planet.
Then, surprise, surprise! Instead of producing a long list of evils inflicted by man upon nature, the man on my left led the discussion to a consideration of the present economic dangers of too many regulations. Again, good fortune at my side, I resisted the urge to plunge into my own list of evils in that regard. That was when I realized my luck is always in the company that I keep. He had earlier encouraged my passionate recollection of a failed effort to draw a community to good works, stifled by residents of means who had declined to contribute because they said, "We already pay enough taxes to take care of that sort of thing." I said I could only wish I'd had enough sense then to address that issue usefully with these friends I knew had our nation's best interests at heart.
All of a sudden, I could hear myself exclaiming, “What I wish I had said was, ‘Hey –what would you rather do with your money: give it to the government threshing machine or directly produce what you see most useful?’” – and everybody laughed. And that’s when I knew I’d finally accomplished the purpose of all my ranting for the last several years. At least, what appears to me now is that I may have achieved a useful sense of humor.
Thank you, Jerry Seinfeld! It really has helped me a lot to sit at my word processor as I review daily events on the tube and type “yadayadayada . . .”

So, is the party over?

Is it just about as bad as it gets yet?

I wonder if this man feels bad about what he said - as reported Monday, August 01, 2011, by Nicholas Ballasy:
(CNSNews.com) – Congressman Hank Johnson (D-Ga.). . . claimed . . ."These ‘Tea Partiers,’ as willing conspirators with their so-called leadership have enacted on a plan to dismantle the American government and in the process, we have lost our moral compass," . . . when speaking with the Congressional Out of Poverty Caucus last week.


You know how they say what you call other people is probably true of you? From what I hear, this Congressman favors President Obama who has stated he wants to change America. It has also been reported that this member of the House of Representatives grilled a Vice Admiral of the Navy about the dangers of the "very narrow island of Guam tipping over, if there would be too may sailors stationed on this very narrow island" I admire how this Vice Admiral is said to have managed to assure the Congressman in a very measured voice that there really was no danger yet of the island tipping over.

Once again, I'm wondering why Congressmen such as Mr. Johnson are still in the business of shaping the future of my nation. I can't help but also wonder if he really believes what he's saying. I have said things about others that make me feel stupid and bad about myself. I suppose that's why I keep stopping myself and trying to find something better to say for myself.

What I hope is that America will get through this time of confusion and back to a better show of itself. What I keep wishing is that I could figure out how to be of some help in clearing up the confusion.

RE news (at least to me) that we recently sent two school administrators to Cuba to learn how the Cubans educate their children, I am reminded of an old friend, sweet guy, trying to convert me to liberalism telling of his trip to Cuba with fellow Superior Court Judges sponsored by our friendly U.S. Government. Talk about confusing. His wife packed gift bags of asprin and other basics he said Cubans are lacking, and then raved when he returned about the enlightenment he'd seen in Cuban politics. Go figure why the last fifteen years our courts have been bleeding out.

We're still old friends, this now happily retired judge and I, but he limits his contact with me to faithful birthday greetings. I suspect we don't have many left between us, yet I'm hopeful that the spirit of our good will towards one another will linger on in this sorely troubled land we both love.

On Tea Party Nation, a website that favors my interest in fiscal sanity, comes a review of a media double standard when it comes to violent rhetoric. After screaming for so long about every possible hint of a suggestion of a possibility of violent speech from the Right, it’s amazing what will be forgiven when it comes from the Left:
Tom Friedman — who knows a bit about Hezbollah — calls the tea partiers the “Hezbollah faction” of the GOP bent on taking the country on a “suicide mission.” All over the place, conservative Republicans are “hostage takers” and “terrorists,” . . . and “traitors.” They want to “end life as we know it on this planet,” says Nancy Pelosi. They are betraying the founders, too. Chris Matthews all but signs up for the “Make an Ass of Yourself” contest at the State Fair. Joe Nocera writes today that “the Tea Party Republicans can put aside their suicide vests.” Lord knows what Krugman and Olbermann have said.


I guess you just have to have "been there" to see how self-destructive it is to wish dead everyone you think has done you wrong.

Reviewer Moe Lane wonders whether attempts by some moderate media types "calling out egregious Lefty violators of the civility principle on either the talk shows – or the cocktail party circuit – " will help or harm their careers. "But then," as he says, "the rest of us have suffered socially for our beliefs and our affiliations; why the heck should they be immune to that?" adding, "I am a moderate Republican on social issues, after all. I’ve just simply avoided the subtly insidious trap of getting into the unethical habit of sneering at more socially conservative friends in order to try to curry favor with socially moderate enemies. I am not the only squishy Republican in the United States of America who is capable of making that choice."


I can relate to Mr. Lane, being tempted to call myself a Libertarian after developing a fondness for John Stossell's common sense review of the folly of too much regulation of one guy's life by another. On the other hand, I used to get so confused as a church member about what's liberal and what's conservative. So, now I just take matters on a case by case basis as to what I want conserved and how my conservation efforts may be liberally sprinkled with the gift of human kindness. I guess that doesn't make me much of a partier, but at least I'm glad I'm still having fun.