February is...

Black History Month...and in various places I have been seeing this:

"BLACK HISTORY IS AMERICAN HISTORY"

I've been wondering who said it wasn't.

I hope it's not the same people who created Black History Month...Hopefully they weren't saying they should have their own history separate from other cultures in our country...

I thought it was Black History Month because there were many Black American's whose contributions had been overlooked, and we as a nation needed to recognize them, and appreciate them, and celebrate them.

What's the question, folks? Of course Black History is American History...and I am blessed to live in a place where that is not questioned, and to have had a family that raised me to know that people are people whatever their skin color.

I wish it were so all over this country.

Let's have the kids pick our school board...

A new proposal being floated in our state legislature is to allow students, age 14 and above, to vote in school board elections. Shouldn't they have a say in something that affects them more than most other voters?

I say NO. Teenagers are not wise enough to choose the people who should direct their education, and we are foolish if we think that they are. They are in school to become those kind of people, and their parents should be tasked with choosing the wise men and women who direct the course of a school district's plan to accomplish those ends. Be real! Fourteen to seventeen year olds don't even understand the scope of the issues that are a school boards' responsibilities! Yet -- we want to let them have a large voice in making these choices?

Sure....great idea! Maybe we should run it like home-coming...make it a lot more fun...crowns, fancy clothes, and a dance afterward. Oh, I know once in a while there are elections in the high school where block voting occurs in an effort to elect the most UNLIKELY candidate...but surely 14-17 year olds would take this more seriously -- wouldn't they? They would never be vindictive, or base their vote on whose dad or mom they liked, or who was more likely to relax rules, or less likely to punish bad behavior, or even who seemed coolest...I can just picture the write-in campaigns...

Which brings me to a second concern...I believe that allowing these young people to vote for their own leaders demeans the position of a school board member. We don't allow these kids to vote in general elections because they are considered too young to be responsible for choices that affect the governing of our country. Apparently, school board elections aren't important enough to warrant this restriction. We can take a chance on letting the kids vote in this case because it won't matter that much...

I couldn't disagree more...Is there a position that is more influential in our every day lives than that of a school board member? I think it should be treated with the same respect as any city council position. This is government as close to home as you can get -- and it matters! Issues decided there affect our kids, and therefore affect our future.

Not all teenagers are full of foolishness, yet even those who are showing signs of wisdom have much to learn about life, and the individual's responsibilities to the common good. Much as I have teenagers in my life that I love and respect, I don't trust their judgement enough to consider allowing them a vote in the election of the school board. They can learn about the process, and have an appropriate amount of influence, by participating in student government at school.

The latest scourge...

Have you heard this ad on the radio? Or seen it on TV? Check it out...

Some adjectives that come to mind: inane, asinine, elementary, embarrassing, CHEEZ WHIZ!!

And now you're gonna hate me, because it's in your head, isn't it?

Sorry! I just can't believe that our tax dollars are going for something like this. Aside from the fact that this campaign is highly deserving of the adjectives above, I wonder if we need to spend money to tell people to wash their hands. Really? People don't know the benefits of hand-washing? Really? Does this ad make it more clear? Really -- how many people over the age of 4 don't know you should wash your hands? How many over the age of 4 don't wash their hands when necessary?

And how much money are we throwing at this dubious problem?

And, honestly, I don't want this to be part of the definition of a Washingtonian...I reiterate: embarrassing!

I think the whole concept is as ridiculous at the song...

And the song is SO annoying that I think a continuous loop could replace water-boarding as torture...

It's been a while...

...but didn't I say something just like this?

Just not quite as well...

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/mon-january-3-2011/san-francisco-s-happy-meal-ban

Oh those Crappy Meals!

I feel sorry for all those little kids in San Fran...their rights to the toys that came with Meals Formerly Known as Happy have been ripped away!

Now if they want a toy, they will probably have to be force-fed some heinous tofu concoction with baked unsalted pita chips and nonfat chocolate milk. (What's the use of non-fat chocolate milk? I don't get it!) I suppose they WILL be given some fruit and veggies -- that have been soaked in something to keep them from discoloring while they are shipped around the country...

I'm sure the franchise owners really appreciate this great new marketing strategy, courtesy of the SanFran powers-that-be... "We have the right to tell you what to sell, because it is our job to save the people from you, you selfish, profit-mongering, health endangerers!"

Not to mention that it seems to be the government's aim to save the people from themselves. The ignorant masses can't be trusted to make good choices for their children when a toy is involved. 

Face it SanFran council, no one goes to McD's expecting to eat health food. In fact, we go there because it is NOT health food...It just tastes good -- fat and carbs taste good! We like them...and we need them -- amongst other nutrients-- and our kids will not die from fast food consumption.

And -- as a mom, I feel it is my duty to let the people who passed this law know this truth of child behavior: Just because you bought the healthy meal with a toy doesn't mean the kid is going to eat it.

But they will play with the toy.

Book Report...

I recently read this book and want to recommend it as a "must read". I learned so much from it. Being a believer in free enterprise, I must admit my knowledge of its principles was very incomplete. This book was a succint and straightforward reckoning of the difference between free enterprise, and the big government statism advocated by our current president.  If truly our country is at this crossroads, we must know what we are fighting for, and against. There is much at stake.You'll be a lot more informed and confident in the conflict if you read this book.

Some quotes from Mr. Brooks:

"Free enterprise is the system of values and laws that respects private property, encourages industry, celebrates liberty, limits government, and creates individual opportunity."

"Under free enterprise, people can pursue their own ends -- and they reap the rewards and consequences, positive and negative, of their own actions.

"More than any other system, free enterprise enables people to earn success and thereby achieve happiness. For that reason, its not just an economic alternative, but a moral imperative."

Big government/statism wants us to believe that success is not earned; it is a right. And if we do not have it, we are victims of some kind of exploitation. Our outcomes have nothing to do with merit or effort on our part.

"People who believe they have earned success -- measured in whatever life currency they want -- are happy."

Big government defines success for us -- all possessing the same amount, equal outcomes.

"If we know we have the possibility of earning success, we know we can improve our lives and our lot. That is one of the great gifts of the American free enterprise system -- the opportunity for people to re-invent themselves, to work toward a future that is better than their past. This is the American Dream."

Home ownership is NOT the American Dream. Having stuff is NOT the American Dream. The American Dream is the optimism of a better tomorrow.

"Earned success gives people a sense of meaning about their lives. And meaning is the key to human flourishing. It reassures us that what we do in life is of significance and value, for ourselves and for those around us. To truly flourish, we need to know that the ways in which we occupy our waking hours are not based on mere pursuit of pleasure or money or any other superficial goal. We need to know our endeavors have a deeper purpose."

"Free enterprise enables us to find meaningful work through free markets that match our skills and passions."

Contrast that thought with the European markets and their mandated pay, vacation, and their push to career choices made early and set in stone...They may have job security, but they have no choice to pursue their own skills and passions, and the rewards of such. Maybe that's why they riot when they find out they have to work for 2 more years before retirement...

"Successful, flourishing -happy- people are those who believe that through their own efforts they can determine their own destinies. Those who are powerless, and unable to affect what they consider important aspects of their lives, are among the most miserable people of all."

"The purpose of free enterprise is human flourishing, not materialism."

I've spent a lot of time thinking about what Mr. Brooks has written, and the value of free enterprise has become paramount to me.  This will be an epic battle in our country, and we need to know what we are standing for.  And, as Mr. Brooks states in the book, "We need to find a better language with which to talk about our free enterprise values." (Italics mine) If we are going to win this battle, we need to keep pointing people to the principle values behind all the talking points.

I hope this book report may have whet your appetite for this book. It is a short read -- without cumbersome economic terms...You won't regret checking it out.

Note: All blue type is direct quotations from the book. Black type: my opinion only...read the book! Mr. Brooks deserves a better look than my observations accomplish!

Someone's liable...

Yesterday, I was listening to the Joe & Patti Show on KGMI. They were discussing the legal case of an injured firefighter whose court-award of $12million was challenged when he was investigated and found to be physically capable of much more than his original complaint claimed. Despite the video footage and photographs that showed him playing bocce & horse shoes, and even dancing, his award was re-instated.


A caller defended this guy saying that you can’t see all the consequences of the original injuries, so it’s not fair to judge. Someone may be disabled and not look that way...Besides, the caller stated, “SOMEONE is liable...”

Apparently, that’s a given. When something bad happens, SOMEONE is liable.

In this case, the firefighter was injured when he got up to use the restroom one night in a firehouse he was not familiar with. In the dark, he chose the wrong door, and stepped off into the hole for the fire pole down to the first floor. He suffered a head injury, 10 broken ribs and worse, if you can imagine that.

This just stuck in my craw, and I don’t mean the specifics of this case. You can argue about what this guy did or didn’t do, and whether he should have the money but that’s not what’s bugging me. I’m sorry that this guy suffered such severe consequences from an unfortunate mistake, but what about personal responsibility? No one shoved him over the edge. Why isn’t HE the one responsible? Why is SOMEONE (read: ELSE) liable? Why is this the immediate response?

There seems to be the attitude that because this firefighter has lost something, someone must make it up to him. It’s a general attitude these days, I fear. If I have less than you, someone should make it up to me...and most likely you. Or the government should...Or those rich, uncaring corporations...

People want to dissociate merit, or effort, or the lack thereof, with outcomes. They want us to think that we’re all the same, and deserve the same. We are all made in the image of God, and deserve the same respect, and the same opportunities – but we do not have all the same motivations, nor do we all deserve the same kind of outcomes. And sometimes we make bad, maybe even stupid, mistakes, that set us far back from where we want to be...

If you take the time to think about it, you recognize that while we all want security and happiness, no one defines them in the same way. As we persist in the pursuit of equal outcomes for all, we restrict our ability to freely pursue that which is our own unique definition of security and happiness. I may have to settle for yours, you may have to settle for mine, or worse, we both have to settle for the government’s definition of these.

So much is wasted by encouraging people to wait around for others to make up what they lack, when, all the time, opportunity and freedom are right there for us to grab hold of in pursuit of our unique dream of security and happiness.

This is America, people! -- the place where initiative, creativity and hard work allow us to take our talents to undetermined heights! Why are we ceding our dreams to wait for equal footing? We’ll never get it and we don’t even need it.

It’s time we stopped whining for equal outcomes, and grabbed the equal opportunities that already exist.

If someone is liable for what you lack, most likely that someone is YOU.