You can make a better world!

To President Obama,

You want to do good things. You hate to see folks facing difficulty and suffering. It seems unfair for some to have so much while others have so little.

But, if you take from the haves just so the have nots can have “their fair share”, you will destroy incentive and initiative. You will destroy independence and self determination. And by so doing, you will dry up the well that is needed to grow and nourish our nation. If the haves see everything or a large portion of what they work for taken from them just to give it to those who are too lazy or too afraid of failure to get out and make their own way, they will stop trying, they will climb on the hand out train with the rest or they will leave.

Then where will you go to provide for all your programs and entitlements? While you need to make sure any artificial barriers are removed, make sure that those who have are not using unfair means to get more and keep others down, if you don't let the have nots raise their own level by their own effort, if you step in and just give to them with no restrictions you will make them dependant. You will cripple any hope of self improvement, growth, and progress they may have had.

We are already headed in a dangerous direction as so much of our industry and manufacturing is being outsourced to foreign countries in the name of “lower prices" and "bigger profits.” What happens when those foreign countries decide not to work with us because of national interest, politics, or because our nation is so far in debt that they no longer feel they will get a return on their investment? Who will produce our goods then?

We won’t have the infrastructure or the knowledge any more.

Instead of using the model of redistribution of wealth, you need to change the way we keep score. Right now, the only score board is “net worth”. “Gross national product.” “Market share.” First place.” Everything about our system keeps score in such a way that selfishness and self interest are all that matters, the only way to "get ahead." Get the most, get it first and get it now! You need to show a profit for the shareholders now! Don’t worry about the next 100 years, just get your numbers up in time for the next profit and loss statement.

We need to change the way we keep score. It needs to be a composite measure of the civic awareness and support of the individual or company. It needs to include ethics, environmental considerations, future sustainability, family supportiveness… It needs to be a combination of the factors that make a good citizen as a business or an individual. It needs to (and I know this will be subjective and difficult to develop) reflect the values, cooperation and sense of community building of individuals and corporations.

That way it won’t be just the dollars earned that is considered but also how they were earned, how they help the community, how they help the nation and if they are building and growing with the future and sustainability of not only their business but our world and way of life of those who are in their sphere of influence. If the score card can be changed to reflect the efforts individuals and corporations make to help those in need, they will stand in line to help the have nots who, for whatever reason, truly cannot provide for themselves.

You mean well. You are trying hard. Please open your eyes to something farther down the road then the next election.

Our nation is over 200 hundred years old. While there have been mistakes, overall, this nation has done more to improve the world and the quality of life in the world than just about any other at any time. Please make a better nation and a better world for hundreds of years. Not just until the next “profit and loss” statement is due.

To Kill a Nation

I saw a part of the President's town hall in Colorado today.


While he sounds sincere, I can't trust him. Especially after the congress gets their hands of the intent of any kind of health care reform and twists it around for their needs and wants. Or at least the whims of those interests that they represent.


Don't be fooled, the government of the United States does not represent the people at this time. They represent themselves and their special interest groups. Those who have time or money to push their issues and pet projects through the process.


The average citizen is busy working, busy dealing with the messes that our government has created for us. They are trying to take care of their families, not wanting to be pushed into someone else's idea of what is right and not wanting to push their own ideas on someone else who has another idea of how their life should be run.


While President Obama sounds like he wants to make a better world. He is going about it all wrong.


This nation became what it is because everyone had the opportunity to succeed or fail. They could go out and take a risk and either fall on their face, or they could learn and grow.


Some took advantage of others. Some failed to play by the rules and by so doing deprived others of opportunity but overall most have had the chance to fail or succeed on their own.


And it should be that way. If the government takes that opportunity away and starts "giving" everyone everything they need to be comfortable, they will destroy that self reliance and self determination that has lead this nation to grow into what it is today.


By giving too much the government will kill initiative, kill accountability, and create of nation of dependants with diminished motivation and determination to stretch themselves and grow stronger and better.


By taking from those who have, in order to make life better for those who have not, you will crush both innovation and risk taking, or you will drive the best and the brightest out so they can have the benefit of their labor somewhere else. Someplace that will allow them to enjoy the fruits of their labor.


You will create a nation of mediocrity that will fade into oblivion.


You need instead to find ways prevent those who would take advantage of others and prevent others from finding their own way, from being able to block others from finding their own way to provide a better living for themselves and their families. But this must be done carefully. For you must somehow, discern the difference between those who are trying to keep others down and those who are just rising above the crowd on their efforts. Judgments and rules must be carefully considered so as to allow those with initiative and drive to move forward, allow those who are too lazy to fail, and those who are truly disadvantaged and while willing to try are still unable to move forward to be carried along by those who can.


If you hold back the few who excel honestly and with honor, you will hold back the nation and kill her future.


If you allow the few who truly can't move forward because of health or other limitations then you allow a part of our nation’s soul and conscience to die and take the rest of us with it.


But if you allow those who can and won't provide for themselves, because of laziness or fear or some other reason, to continue in their sloth by providing for their needs, you will kill the will and the drive of those who are out, following the rules and trying to provide for themselves and their families. It will demoralize those who give their best effort to improve their lives to have others who are capable but unwilling to strive given the same rewards.


Your intent appears noble but you need to find another way to bring it about.


Someday I will share some ideas on how to accomplish, I mean really accomplish, making the world a better place.


You are trying to give men fish. That will feed them today.


Who will feed them tomorrow?


You need to help teach them to fish for their own support instead.

Health care for all?

I can’t say what motives are behind president Obama’s rush to reform health care. I would like to hope that they are truly well intended and he wants to make the world a better place for people.

But this health care thing has the potential to blow up in someone’s face. Unfortunately the people who are designing it are “exempt” from the plan so they have no vested interest in getting it truly right. They won’t get hurt if it backfires.

If it doesn’t work, they are still covered by their “government” health care plans. Or as President Obama stated, I have a Dr. following me around all the time.

Do you really want the government designing and mandating your health care?

They say that they intend to maintain private insurance but, the way the health care reform is being reported, that support for maintaining your current health care plan, whether you like it or not, is lip service at best. It won’t survive.

The government has the postal system. It is going broke.

They have Medicaid and Medicare and reports tell us those are going broke too.

They have social security and the reports on SS indicate that is falling apart faster than has been anticipated in the past.

They set up cash for clunkers and planned so well for that one that they ran out of money in 4 days.

And now they want you to trust them to put sickness or health, life and death bureaucracy in place and put it in motion. Without really taking time to consider what they are doing or what the consequences of those actions might be?

Maybe without taking time to actually read the final bill, whatever form it takes, when it gets through being cut and pasted, with who knows whatever else tacked on to get someone to vote for it.

If they get it wrong. It isn’t a problem for them. They won’t be on the plan. They have a separate plan for themselves and their families. If they get it wrong they won’t be hurt.

Does anybody see taxation without representation here?

Does anyone see, “Do as I say, not as I do.” here?

Does anyone see snake oil salesmen?

Or maybe a little bait and switch potential? They tell us it is health care but what really comes out of the other end?

When President Obama and the congress, along with all their staffs, have a plan that is for everyone, including them and their families I will think about it. Then I might be able to believe that what they do is from the heart and truly intended to make things better.

This business of putting a plan out for everyone but them and their “closest” friends and contributors smells of set up at the very least. More likely it smells of corruption and paybacks for political favoritism.

If they get this wrong it might be your life on the line. Or mine. Or it might be your children’s or my children’s lives and livelihood that is on the line.

This is too important to “hurry up”.

This could, if crafted correctly bring health and well being for generations to come.

But if it is done wrong it could cause heart ache and pain, misery and suffering and untold damage to countless lives for years on end.

If it is done wrong it could cause financial ruin to our nation and destroy our civilization as we know it.

We need to remind our representatives that this thing they are playing with has the potential for tremendous good but it also has the potential for unimaginably detrimental consequences in countless people’s lives.

Please tell your representatives to slow down, take a good look and get this right.

Cash for Clunkers!!???

I have seen a video on some of these "clunkers" getting destroyed.

What a horrible waste! The car was much newer than anything I am driving and in better shape.

At least my car looks like a "clunker." The paint is peeling, it rattles and shakes, and some of the trim is damaged.

But, because it gets decent mpg, it doesn't qualify as a "clunker".

Meanwhile, some folks with "new" cars are taking them in and trashing a perfectly good car because someone else is helping them pay for their car.

Guess what?!? We the people are that someone who is helping pay!

So how many folks are going to get a new car, that I get to help pay for, when they had a perfectly sound car to begin with? You are welcome.

How many folks are now going to have a hard time finding an affordable used car for their growing famly or their college because the used cars were all scrapped instead of recirculating them through the system?

How many car dealers are going to be out of luck because there aren't used cars to sell and the folks who had a "clunker", and their clunker was so new they probably could have replaced the "clunker" on their own dime anyhow, now have a new car and don't need another one any time soon so nobody will be buying cars before very long?

Do these guys in Washington ever think about the consequences of what they are doing? Oh wait! To consider consequences they would have to read the thing first an know what they were getting into!

Americans, We Need to Speak Out

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union...


Two hundred thirty three years ago these words laid part of the foundation of what has become the greatest nation on the earth.


It isn't perfect yet but might get there someday if we can learn to live and work together as we can and should.


But lately, we the people, whether out of frustration or apathy haven't made our voices heard.


Too few people are making choices for all of because they are making the noise and so our leaders presume that is what the people want. We the people need to speak up or the few will make the rules.


Currently there is an effort to push through a national health care plan.


While the rhetoric sounds very altruistic and it seems like a wonderful thing to do, it will destroy us in the long run if not sooner.


Our founding fathers created a nation that allowed the individual to be self reliant. Our lives, under the form of government they provided, can be self determined to a degree almost unheard of anywhere else, at any time in history.


This has allowed those with the creativity, drive, and ambition to see the problems in their lives and the lives of those around them and overcome those problems. Many have used these talents to create wealth and opportunity for themselves and others.


While some have abused the opportunity and hurt or inhibited others in the process of using their ideas for self enrichment, I believe most have been responsible and honorable.


This self reliance has lead to a nation of great diversity and great potential. Because of the chance to excel, grow and improve ourselves. Because of our freedom to try and succeed or fail, we have developed much of the technology that makes our lives what they are, or can be today.


The health care plan that I am hearing proposed at present will do much to destroy that potential for growth.


While most are not out to hurt others as they develop wealth, they are, at least to some degree, driven by selfishness. They want to improve their lives and increase their wealth. While it would be nice if everyone were motivated by providing for the good of all, the fact is much of the drive to succeed is, at least to some extent, self centered. Focused on the personal enrichment of the individual and perhaps including their own family and possibly friends.


The current health care plan would punish the achievers by taking money from them to pay for others who can't or won't put forth the effort or take the chance to make their own wealth.


If our government starts providing health insurance and other privileges to everyone then those who try harder to create wealth will lose their motivation. Why should they try to increase their capacity or wealth when the government just takes it away to give to someone else?


And if the government is going to provide everything we want, why should we go out and try harder? This type of plan would erode the self reliance, the self determination that has made our nation so great. It would demoralize those who would have otherwise stepped up and invented the next great something to make the world better because there is "no profit in it." It would reward mediocrity and discourage excellence and progress.


By removing the motivation to try harder, to be better, the government would weaken us as a people and as a nation.


The most the government should do is provide the framework in which the people can provide for themselves. They should make efforts to prevent those who would take advantage of others or who would prevent others who are willing to work from improving their lives. But they shouldn't just give it to them because some have more and some don't enough. There needs to be accountability, consequences and responsibility.


Sure some will be left behind. It is sad fact of life. But if it is because they don't care enough or are too lazy to get out and do for themselves it is their fault and they need to suffer the consequences. Why should the ones who work harder to improve their lives be punished because others won't.


For those who can't because of health or injury reasons, sure we should be willing to help them out. And most would be happy to pitch in for them.


And when it comes to the government passing laws, when they pass a law, it needs to apply to them too. Until then, they do not and cannot represent "we the people." If they are to represent us, they need to be one of us. Not some elite club that lives on a hill with a gated community that leaves the rest of us out.


So "we the people" need to speak up. We cannot wait for someone else any more. We need to write to our leaders, our "representatives" and tell them what we think. If they don't hear from us, they won't know what we want from them.


We can’t afford to wait. If we don’t speak now, we might not be able to afford the payments.