Credit

It is going to be rather interesting, if that is not an understatement, to see if the, vast majority, of the american people can be dissuaded from the uncollateralized credit habit.  Everyone is so used to having more that they can afford for so long that we believe it to be normal.  We drive on roads we can't, honestly, afford.  Eat food, out of season, from places exotic with little realization that every aspect, from the farming to the shipping, was done on credit. Plan to retire, with no savings account, pretending that the credit extend to the previous generation will be extended to us. The light switch is flipped without realizing that the relative low price for doing so is subsidized by the printing of, funny, money in washington. Our skies are clear and the air breathable because of the ability to borrow money and put off what is due tomorrow.  We will gladly buy today what we have fooled ourselves into thinking we will pay for tomorrow. The american taxpayer has been lied to by the self-serving politicians for so long that when when Paul can't continue to pay Peter the spectacle of whose ox gets gored may be much more than interesting.

After the low hanging fruit, like NASA and the military, is plucked from the tree of credit what is next.  When will the social programs that make it possible for American's to not work for their livelihood be eyed by the picker of credit unworthy fruit. When will the rotting, from the inside subsidies, fruit fall naturally under the pickers feet.

Not easily, not soon, and not without a lot of consternation because you see the tree of credit is the most prized tree in this garden of fools.

What?

Is all of this inevitable ? Are we predisposed to arrive at this point in-spite of our potential and individual agency simply because of the group dynamic imposed on us by chance and indecision? Do we prescribe socialism because it is the lesser of the two evils anarchy or totalitarianism? all the while democracy is promoted is it being subverted on purpose? As liberty is practiced are we forfeiting it because of indiscretion? Is freedom taken for granted until it is lost through in-action?  Are we condemned to mediocrity because we will not discipline ourselves? Is this country great because we stand on the shoulder's of giants or the bones of our progenitors? If we choose not to be stewards is the future of the earth pollution and consumption. If we chose not govern ourselves will only a few end up governing us all? Will the next generation care or will their lack of education facilitate the inevitable.

Nanny state

The US has become a nanny state. RIP rugged individualism. Big government's response this past weekend in the forced evacuation of the east coast residents will lead to, my guess, the vindictive prosecution of the those that ignored the orders. This heralds the demise of the american spirit.  Couple that with the political outcomes of a socialist regime, the complicity,  apathy, and ineptitude's of the american people to make a difference and the transition is complete as of this week end's hurricane.  There is no place left to escape, no where absolute corruption has not been achieved, and no individual activity which can not be prosecuted. The End.

Politics, Human nature

A new report about the growing middle class in Gaza a city under the control of Hamas, a political entity created by hyper-religious, culturally regressive, and impoverished economic conditions in the middle east, describes what criticisms are being levied against them because they are breaking out of the omnipresent poverty.

Evidence of capitalism as being the motivation and free enterprise being the force which is causing the changes was reported.  At the same time the report illustrates how the leadership which came to power because of the circumstances are wanton to keep the status quo as a means of remaining in power.

This unfortunately this the lamentable condition of man. No matter which force takes leadership cultural, economic, or religious the powerful are not inclined to relinquish their position in spite of the evidence that there is a more excellent way.

As a consequence the average person is subject to the whims of man and nature.

Mismanagement & malfeasance

Google, union mismanagement and only one story, and it is a blog critical of the unions, shows up. That is amazing to me. Unions are underfunded in some instances by less than 60%.  Which means that almost half of the money paid in dues have been mismanaged. That much incompetence is only exceeded by the federal government.

The problem with collecting money and power, especially in large amounts, is that it attracts criminals, crooks, and con artists.  The only real solution is to divest power and spread the money out.  The probability of mismanagement is still great, maybe even greater but the impact is local rather than global.

How does one quantify the amount of harm. The average person swindled out of their money by local crooks or the average person's money confiscated by the government for redistribution less administration costs.  The local crook can only steal what you have. Our government confiscates our earnings plus penalty.  The local con artist has to sleep and it does take time to turn the con. Our government is now technologically advanced and can confiscate our money around the clock and in advance of our earning it.

The resident criminals can devastate an individual's life, our government has diminished the lives of this country's great grandchildren.  It might be acceptable if it were an either or situation. But it's not. Both miscreants are aggressively pursing what little money we have left.

Nauvoo Pagent

Marie and I spent two weeks as a volunteer at the Nauvoo Pagent in Nauvoo, Illinois.  Marie worked in the administration office and I served as security and handyman.  We attended the Pagent almost every night for two weeks and was spiritually edified by it.  We helped with the associated, Country Fair, events and became aquatinted with many excellent latter day saints. It is truly an amazing experience.

Acts 15-16 Lesson 31 Gospel Doctrine

Paul's journeys back to the cities and the peoples he visited and converted appears to me to be an example of one of Stephen Covey's seven habits  "sharpening our saw". What Paul found was varying degrees of apostasy, spiritual degradation, and inactivity. By going back he was able to positively affect and influence the people and help them to follow the teachings of Christ.  If we revisit the principles of the gospel that are present in our lives to make sure that we are actively and correctly following them we will be sharpening our saws and become better latter day followers of Christ.