Truth Rears Its Ugly Head

Barrack Obama told Joe the Plumber that he feels "when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody."

Rep. Frank exclaimed on national television, "I think at this point, there needs to be an immediate increase in spending, and I think this is a time when deficit fear has to take a second, uh, a second seat. I do think this is the time for a very important kind of dose of [unintelligible]. Yes, I think later on, there should be tax increases. Speaking personally, I think there are a lot of rich people out there who we can tax at a point down the road to recover some of this money." (CNBC's "Closing Bell," 10/20/08)

Spread the wealth, immediate increase in spending, increase taxes. What?

President Clinton campaigned on lowering the taxes for the middle class but when it came time to make good on the promises, there weren't any tax cuts. At least the legislature and White House worked together in the mid-90s to provide a path that led out of the deficit spending model. Those days are long gone, aren't they.

Based on polling data, it seems we're well on our way to provide the perfect tri-fecta. President Barack Obama, Senators Harry Reid and Chris Dodd and Representatives Nancy Pelosi and Barney Frank have our backs! Congressman Frank has let their plan leak out to us. These guys have our backs alright. At knife point.

Am I going down a wrong path here?

Speaking of Bailouts

The French writer and aviator Antoine de Saint Exupery wrote the Little Prince, which was published as Le Petit Prince in 1943. In the story, the king claims he is powerful enough to order the sun to rise and set. He could, however, only exercise this power at certain times of the day.

Obsession with control may only be the illusion of control.

You can “plan” things to happen. No matter how grand you scheme, no matter how intricate your plans, you may still not accomplish anything beyond what would have happened in any case. Believe it or not, I am still obsessing over the bailout legislation.

Congress worked hard to pass this bailout legislation, a large-scale bailout of Wall Street and a few lucky bankers. Congress, the President and the Commerce Secretary justified this legislation, which was obviously rammed down Main Street’s collective throat. They justified this action because the credit system was seizing up. The banks were not trusting each other. Inter-bank lending was grinding to a halt.

Certain parties wanted to control the market, shape the economy, and if possible avoid the Darwinian consequences that would normally befall those who made the bad decisions. I have to wonder if this is going to work. Instead of favoring production and savings, our economy moved toward a consumption model. We watched as housing prices climbed higher and higher, politicians and financial wizards called this wealth creation. Without reason to climb, the foundation has dropped out and prices have fallen.

Gravity works in the financial markets just like it works in our lives. What goes up must come down unless a greater force continues to make it do otherwise. Can the bailout overcome this gravity? Will the inertia of the bailout overcome the gravitational pull of the financial markets, maintaining an orbit outside that force?

I don’t know nearly as much as many in the financial world but I am having a hard time believing the government can control these forces without making significant changes in the system. Is control worth these changes?

Weaknesses: Turning unhealthy desires to good

“And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.”
~ Ether 12:27

DESIRE, CRAVING, LONGING, YEARNING, HANKERING, APPETITE, THIRST, WANT

All my actions are ultimately driven by something far more base, elementary. Even my grandest and most altruistic efforts come from some basic desire. Our proclivities, our desires are all blessings. Right? Even the destructive appetites?

We are told our weaknesses will make us strong. It is not through our own efforts, however, that we gain this strength. It is only through our petitions to our Savior and through our faith that our weaknesses become our strengths.

When I consider some of the more damaging passions that embroil my soul, I am left wondering what good could come of this!! What am I left to consider when my passions are so strongly contrary to the things of God?

Insatiable Hunger

"All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."
~ Charles M. Schulz







I sit looking at this picture of scrumptious and decadent treats and I realize something about appetite, desires, needs and wants. The past few days, I have been hungry. I've eaten though I haven't indulged in the frivolous except maybe for that bowl of ice cream before climbing into bed last night. I'm hungry. I have not satiated the hunger nor have I found a way to put this behind me.

I wonder how unusual this is. How many others are there that experience this kind of thing?

Svithing, n.

blend of seven and tithe

1. A Sunday blog post of a religious nature.
2. Any post on a religious (usu. [Latter-Day Saint]) theme appearing on a personal blog whose subject matter is generally secular.

svithe, v.

1. To write or post a svithe.

-svithe, suffix

1. Combines with a proper name. Indicates a svithe by that person.

I have come across terminology for something I hadn't consciously put into practice but that has been a pattern for how I have gone about my blogging. I happened across this new expression as I followed Th.'s link to his blogs. One of these blogs is The Weekly Svithe. I was impressed.

My original intent when I created this blog was just to have a place to share my thoughts and express my feelings. I hoped as well that others would read my posts and respond and maybe even have conversations. I did not intend to have any central theme beyond that. It is obvious at the random nature of the posts that I have continued along those lines off and on over the past few years.

As it turns out, I have a tendency to post on gospel as well as other topics that are meaningful to me at the time I post. I am not totally certain what the ratio is; however, the concept of svithing impressed me. Traditionally, my blogging efforts have not been carried out on the Sabbath since those days are generally focused on other things. I may start posting on Sundays in a sort of homage to the Svithe.

In any case, I like the idea. There will be a few more Necrosvithes down the road. This I am certain. Do you think the Svithe is a good idea? Let me know, please.

Something for Nothing – the Give-me Syndrome

The easy life. People rarely perform to their true potential when they subscribe to any form of the principle that purports an entitlement that exceeds effort: Something for Nothing.

Simply: whenever people accept the “something for nothing” concept as their guiding principle, their performance will suffer – they will not meet their potential.

Frankly, parents are to blame. The something-for-nothing mindset gains a foothold at infancy. Crying babies expect and generally receive attention. When people mature, this is a principle that must be abandoned – it sometimes takes the rest of mortality to let go of this strong sense of entitlement. Instead of moving away from it, many embrace their sense of entitlement with greater and greater dedication. Eventually, the infant is an old man living on social security and medicare. It is the politician responding to his incessant and earsplitting cries.

The greatest enabler of the something-for-nothing mindset is the government. Politicians replace complacent parents. The entitled realize the louder they call for handouts, the more readily the politician will give them out. The entitled do not ever realize that something-for-nothing does not really exist. Someone always has to pay. The responsibility is forced upon someone else. Someone always picks up the tab.

Just as the infant must grow up and become free to act, eventually the adult should learn acting independently requires taking on responsibility for self.

RESPONSIBILITY

If you could put the word “responsibility” into four letters – four letters everyone understands more fully – it would read “work”. Most people are predisposed to avoid work. Most people find responsibility debilitating and try to avoid it.

In order to remain the receiver of something for nothing, the entitled will learn to beg. They will learn to work the system. They will learn to manipulate others in anyway they can to avoid responsibility.

FROM THE MOUTH OF THE PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS

I listened to the stump speeches yesterday with a sincere sadness. Promises from both candidates suppose a certain amount of pandering to the something-for-nothing crowd. Appealing to the basest of human traits, neither candidate has trumpeted a need for personal responsibility as the way to help the economy emerge from its sad and fallen state. Corporations and their purveyors hold their hands out for more while the taxpayers, too, seek “relief” in the form of a something-for-nothing gift.

The candidates make promises on the backs of generations yet unborn. People who earn wages in the lower 40% of the nation do not pay income taxes. Certain proposed policies will grant these people a something-for-nothing handout. Although they will not pay taxes, they will be the recipients of a “tax refund”. How can you be refunded that which was never paid in the first place?

ADICTION TO “CHARITY”

Government policies, though made with the best of intentions, can be the subjugators of the people. If you make things too easy for the people, the people will not learn to do it alone, on their own. The policies of government should be about making people stronger and able to live independently and responsibly.

Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac were established in a good faith effort to provide housing to those who could not afford housing otherwise. The unintended consequences of these good intentions have come to fruition. Wall Street took this concept another step forward by seeking large profits from a shaky foundation of mortgage securities that were founded on the insecure loans, established a scheme hidden by smoke and mirrors creating many short term fortunes.

The mindset of something-for-nothing fueled the concept that the value of the home people inhabited and the loan used to purchase it were somehow tied together. Since home values dropped, a certain number of the loan recipients found it difficult to continue paying their payments. The dominoes began to fall.

THE GREATER DEPRESSION

Now, since the people feel entitled and the government supports that entitlement, blame is being thrown about, fingers are pointing and the financial markets are feeling the crunch. Some suggest we’re on the verge of another great depression. Serious questions about how solid the foundation of our economic system really is have surfaced.

When John McCain proclaimed the fundamentals of our economy are sound, the media and the more liberal politicians had a field day. Isn’t “the fundamentals” of our economy capitalism? Isn’t “the fundamentals” of our economy still as valid today as they were 200 years ago? Seriously, it isn’t the fundamentals of our economy that are leaving us wanting. It isn’t the fundamentals of our economy that are leading us to the brink of financial disaster.

The financial disaster can be traced to a lack of personal responsibility. The homeowner who stops paying his mortgage, the mortgage broker generating “creative mortgages”, the Wall Street executive establishing securities that aren’t secure. These are the foundation of the problems Wall Street faces. These are the foundation – the fissure ridden foundation of our current financial crisis.

SOMETHING FOR SOMETHING

Yep, once people realize there is no such thing as something for nothing – once a majority understands this principle, things will improve.

So, here is a list of rules that will help protect you from something for nothing.
• There is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
• There is no tooth fairy.
• There is no Santa Claus.
• There is no cheap secret formula that works.
• The government is not here to help you.

Essentially, we all need to grow up and realize that anything worth having is worth the work. Responsibility breeds happiness. The pursuit of happiness is guaranteed in the constitution but happiness is not. Happiness cannot be endowed or gifted but is only going to be available to those who are willing to work and accept responsibility.

Can we afford this tax policy?

Senator John McCain has proposed significant changes to the tax systems that seem to give breaks to just about all classes, including individuals and corporations. His tax plan seems to leave one problem looming – we just added $700 billion to the deficit. How can we continue to mortgage the future of our children and refuse to pay the price?

I am not arguing that we raise taxes. I think it is important that we keep the government out of our collective pocket book. However, there are programs and entitlements to which the government has sealed our fate. These programs cost money, lots of money. Most of the budget is decided long before the President has anything to add. Most of the budget was decided by men and women who are no longer part of the process many years ago. The bill for this part of the budget is there facing us square and challenging us to do more without the funding to do it. The only way to avoid these entitlements, programs and other policies set by previous administrations and congresses is to repeal them. It seems that even those policies that were passed under extreme scrutiny are even harder to repeal.

Anyway, I digress. Senator McCain and Governor Palin have suggested a few tax cuts through some very specific programs. Keeping the Bush tax cuts seems to be central to John McCain’s plans. I don’t remember those tax cuts helping me directly. I have a short memory of these things.

John McCain wants to cut corporate taxes. The United States currently taxes its corporations at a higher rate than just about every other government in the world. Doing business elsewhere is cheaper than it is here. I am aware of a few jobs we’ve lost here due to outsourcing to off shore companies. I have to wonder if the corporate taxes were lowered if these jobs could be saved. Conversely, the effect to the government’s revenue by reducing this tax is significant. Is enough made up in the creation of jobs to overcome this cut?

John McCain has a few proposals that would reduce or eliminate taxes on new equipment and on research and development. Capital expenditures help companies stay competitive. By keeping the technology and best practices up-to-date, organizations will be more profitable. Additionally, other companies who sell this technology will generate more income. Would the additional income at a lower tax rate improve actual revenue?

I don’t know if this policy is the right policy. Many people consider trickle down economics a failed policy. It seems, however, that when companies make more money they hire more people. When more people are working in higher paying jobs, the whole country benefits. Maybe the government needs to make it easier to keep the savings in the country and a better benefit to the citizens living here rather than just benefiting the stock market and foreigners.

Tax for Purposes of Fairness?

What is the real purpose of taxes? Revenue. The government works on this revenue. The sole purpose of taxation is to provide the means by which the government can operate.

The moderator at the 2008 Democratic primary debate in Philadelphia on April 16, 2008 addressed Barack Obama with the following statement:

"You favor an increase in the capital gains tax, saying, "I certainly would not go above what existed under Bill Clinton, which was 28%." It's now 15%. That's almost a doubling if you went to 28%. Bill Clinton dropped the capital gains tax to 20%, then George Bush has taken it down to 15%. And in each instance, when the rate dropped, revenues from the tax increased. And in the 1980s, when the tax was increased to 28%, the revenues went down."

Senator Barack Obama's response was rather surprising to me. Honestly, I didn't realize that a politician could be so brazen when it came to tax policy.

"What I've said is that I would look at raising the capital gains tax for purposes of fairness."

Senator Barack Obama explained the foundation of his tax plan in a single sentance. Fairness. It isn't about revenue but about fairness. I thought the government taxed its citizens for the purpose of funding itself.

Fairness. Charity. Patriot. Helping others. Fairness.

I've always fancied the idea of becoming a philanthropist. It would be great to be living a life where my biggest concerns were how I could more fully meet the needs of those who could not get there on their own. I could spend my days researching and my evenings helping reach out to others of like mind. The collective good. There have always been people who have needed a little helping hand and others who have the means to help. I had thought it would be a blessing to be able to help those two groups get together. I have not acted on this impulse since my main concern has been focused on my family's need. What does this have to do with the Obama/Biden ticket? Well, it seems they too have a vision of helping the downtrodden, the needy.

Joe Biden suggested that they "want to take money and put it back in the pocket of middle-class people," (ABC's "Good Morning America.")

I worry because Senator Biden seems to be suggesting it is his right - or the government's right - to take money from one group of citizens and give it to another group of citizens. I think this is where my opinion diverges from the Obama/Biden ticket. My money does not belong to the government. Looking at the constitution, it is not the government's right to take the money and dispurse it to the needy (or any other special interest).

I think this point of view - tax for fairness - is particularly dangerous at a time when, according to the media and both the democratic and republican tickets, the economy is pretty shaky. How can taxing the people who generate jobs help them do that? How can raising the taxes on everyone who works - payroll taxes are a tax everyone pays - help the economy? Economic policy aside, does the government have the right to distribute taxes to special interest groups?

In all fairness, Senator Obama has claimed his increases will not affect the middle class - people making less than $75k/year. I'm not nearly as schooled in this as many, including Senator Obama. I don't see how the proposed increases will not affect everyone.

Faithful Intellectualism

Last week, Bill Maher’s Religulous hit limited release to 502 theaters in Los Angeles and New York. The Canadian Press said the movie "delivers a laugh-out loud attack on the most sacred of cows.” As I was driving home from work the other evening, I listened for a little while to Bill Maher as he spoke with Allen Combs about this movie. The common thread of their discussion was that people of faith were unenlightened, non-critical thinkers who were unable to reason with reality. Specific attacks on religion were distilled down to a focus on certain beliefs people hold that may or may not be true. Bill Maher was able to work into a the conversation the LDS belief in “protective underwear”.

I do not desire to indict the movie. I consider free speech to be sacred. This movie is full of Bill Maher’s opinion and he is free to express it. There are certainly many who align with the stance to which Mr. Maher holds. I do not begrudge them their beliefs or lack thereof.

I’ve to ask one thing. Is it possible to espouse certain religious beliefs while also holding to the tenets of real critical thinking? Does reason completely eliminate faith? Does intellectualism depose adherence to a confidence or reliance on deity?

Intellectualism at its strictest is a doctrine of the possibility of deriving knowledge from reason alone. It can stand for a general approach that emphasizes the importance of learning and logical thinking. Intellectualism emphasizes or places significant faith in the mind rather than the subjective experience, religious faith, emotion, and instinct.

Does this place faith at odds with intellectualism? Can one come to know or understand the truthfulness of the gospel through reason?

“And for this cause, that men might be made partakers of the glories which were to be revealed, the Lord sent forth the fullness of his gospel, his everlasting covenant, reasoning in plainness and simplicity” (Doctrine and Covenants 133:57)

It seems there is room for reason given that our Savior has expressed that we should “[reason] in plainness and simplicity.” Can your experience and faith benefit mine? To a point, I think it can but only in a limited sense. Reasoning with things spiritual must be addressed individually not as a group. My findings aren’t going to provide another critically thinking individual much basis on which he will grow. Since such growth requires faith and not necessarily reason.

Reasoning in faith. Alma suggested an experiment that suggests reason or a scientific path to understanding the spirituality. Deriving personal knowledge from reason based on work, study and speculation – critical thinking – can be attained in the realm of spirituality but it is very personal in nature and cannot be the foundation of another’s studies.

Alma counseled, “But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words. Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.” (Alma 32:27-28)

Personal experiences, work, study and speculation are the basis for the intellectual to find the truth. Once the intellectual has grasped the truth further speculation can be founded on that truth. In the world of the spiritual, that speculation is called faith. No intellectual can suppose his faith is transferable. Indeed, faith is not transferable even among those who are more willing to accept such.

So, I ask again: Does reason decry faith?

Understatement of the Decade! Millinium?

President Bush addressed the nation this morning. He had a lot to say about what they've done to stabilize the market. He listed actions taken, policies changed and, of course, the bail out. You know what he said about the bail out?

President Bush said, "$700,000,000,000 is a significant amount of money."

I don't think most people truly understand what $700 billion dollars is. They have significant challenges understanding what a million dollars is, which is significantly less than a billion. How high can you count? I can count as high as I think I want to. When I get tired of counting, I stop. You know what. I've never counted to a million. I don't think many people have. You know why? It is a very high number. A billion is one thousand times greater than a million. The bail out is seven hundred thousand times a million. Would you consider saying that seven hundred thousand times a million is a significant amount to be an understatement?

Although he never actually said it on his PBS television show, the term "Billions and Billions of stars" was attributed to Carl Sagan. Estimates put the number of stars to be around one hundred billion. Yep, estimated number of stars: 10^11. Only one hundred billion. A number so outrageous people could not imagine what it meant.

A couple weeks ago Astronomical numbers were eclipsed by Economical numbers by a significant amount.

$2300 per person

Do you wish to make it a one time payment or would you prefer to spread it out over the course of a couple generations? Look, I am not arguing that the markets don't need help. Wall Street has put their hand out and the government is giving it all it wants. The one thing that life has proven to me over the past 20 years comes to this: the best interest of Wall Street does not always coincide with the best interests of Main Street. The prime example: A publicly traded firm lays off 12,000 employees. The stock prices jump. How is Main Street' best interest served in the loss of 12,000 jobs?

If this bailout did not spell out the first couple lines of Capitalism's obituary, I'm not certain it could have been much of anything else. There is already talk of a second bailout. Why? Because there is nothing to suggest this will work, we have to consider what our options are for a plan B.

I'm calling on congress to hold meetings, investigate, debate, hold hearings, instigate more investigations. This problem has not been resolved. We have a lot riding on this and we cannot wait to act.

$700,000,000,000. $2300 per capita. That is $2300 for every man, woman and child in this country.

Note To Congress

To the honorable Congressman Gary Miller,

Yesterday, the Senate passed a bill that would impose a significant burden on our great-grandchildren. I implore you to take action to block this bill in the House. The argument that this bill is better than not acting at all is spurious at best. I'm not asking that congress avoid the problems facing our nation today. I'm only suggesting that there are options which are better for the nation that do not carry with them a price tag of such enormous proportions. Look at the alternatives! Look at the alternatives! Please, look at the alternatives.

Why are we going through with this plan that many financial gurus suggest won't fix the problem? Why are we just going along with a bill that leads to a fundamental change in our financial system?

Speaker Newt Gingrich suggested an alternative to this $700 billion bailout plan. (1) suspending immediately mark to market provisions (the accounting practice of valuing a financial position in an investment at its current market price) in the hopes of stopping the downward spiral in asset values and eventually replacing it with a three year rolling average; (2) repealing immediately Sarbanes-Oxley, the 2002 accounting law Gingrich described as "an enormous drag on small business"; (3) setting the capital gains tax rate at zero "matching the Chinese and Singapore" (to encourage private capital to flood into the market picking up properties without the taxpayers being at risk); and (4) passing an "extraordinarily powerful" energy bill ("to return $500 billion a year to the American economy that are currently going overseas")

I beseech you to consider that there are alternatives that are a lot more than "doing nothing". These alternatives will not pose an extraordinary burden on generations yet unborn. Some of these alternatives will place the United States in a better strategic position with the rest of the world.

Kindest Regards,

Michael Gibson

Financial Woes

Look, there are a lot of fingers being pointed about. Each side is blaming the others and trying to yell louder to make their arguments sound more convincing. I think there is a little truth to be found in what both sides are saying. I wonder if the basis for our current situation could be placed into a summary that is no more than a medium length paragraph.

Credit Crunch - Reuters reported today [source] that auto sales have plummeted due to the credit crunch. If this is truly due to the lack of available credit, then this would be the beginning of a problem as described by President Bush and others. Is the loss of easy credit a bad thing, though. Easy credit seems to have been part of what caused the problems the country faces today.

“U.S. industry sales leader General Motors Corp, which was more aggressive in discounting its vehicles, managed to keep its September sales decline to a relatively small 16 percent to take a larger share of a rapidly declining market.”

The drop in auto sales might be based more on other factors and still aggravated by problems with credit as well.

Inflation or deflation - I've heard comments about inflation problems and deflation problems. You cannot have both at the same time. It will certainly be one or the other. The problem with deflation is that so very little is known about how to deal with this problem. Inflation is bad enough but a lot has been documented on strategies for dealing with the financial markets and inflation. Inflation has been the main fiscal concern since the end of WWII. Deflation hasn't. If we're heading into problematic deflation will the Fed know what the best options are? Will the Fed do something that will make things worse? How about the legislature?

The Senate looks to be working on a very large bill that will provide the Treasury with the authority to purchase bad paper. It is a rescue package that will burden our Children's grandchildren. They've decided it is the only way to avoid a larger problem. Governments do not generally solve problems. We'll have to wait and see.

The cause of our current circumstance is described differently depending on to whom you listen. The common consensus among liberals is the under-regulation as advocated by the conservatives over the course of the last eight years. However, if you listen to the conservatives speak you'd understand that banks were regulated into offering higher risk loans by the policies of the liberals. Everyone saw it coming, yet nothing was accomplished to eliminate the peril we face today. Some commentators suggest there is enough blame to go around.

Why doesn't the people who feel so strongly that something must be done listen to people who have been successfully making money in the real estate market for advice. We've been lectured by Bernanke and Paulson on this single option. Where are the second opinions? Why are we being forced into this one way?

I just hope we are going to be facing another bailout in six months.

Foster's Law

“The only people who find what they are looking for in life are the fault finders.”











Fault ridden ourselves, we seek to find faults in others. When we are successful we are comforted for a short season. I have to wonder, though, if we redirected our fault finding efforts toward fixing our own problems how much better we'd be.

Fish Sauce!

Ketchup. Catsup. It doesn't matter how you spell it. It is one of the most prolific condiments in American cuisine. Pompeii, it was Garum. Garum is a sauce made from fish entrails. Does it sound yummy or what! The Romans enjoyed this sauce for its sweet/sour flavor and would substitute it for the more expensive salt on much of what they ate.

Scientists have used a pot of garum found in Pompeii to support Pliny the Younger's account of Mount Vesuvius' eruption [source], placing the date of the eruption as 24 August 79 A.D. Imagine using ketchup to determine a time line of events.

Condiments have been used against me. Yeah, that hotdog I ate in transit became something less of a secret and more of a scandal when the mustard stain in the middle of my chest betrayed my vain attempt at a quick, unnoticed snack.

Hmmm. Fish sauce is the answer. What's next?

Mike For President!!

If I were president. . .

Don't we all think that we could do this better than those who are doing it? Barrack Obama suggests we need to reduce the taxes of the middle class. I think that is a good thing for me but is it good for the country. John McCain claims to be a conservative. "no pork barrel spending!" but has supported the economic bailout. In fact, both candidates think it must be done. Can either candidate consider anything more than what it might take to get the votes necessary to claim the White House for their residence come January?

What would I change if I were president?

• America would be in the business of producing and exporting energy. We have the resources - natural and intellectual. We could be making money rather than exporting it to the Middle East and South America. We need tax incentives to encourage businesses to exploit our resources. We need the government to stand aside and let this happen. We send almost a trillion dollars out of this country on products we could be purchasing at home. Let's make the changes necessary to make this a reality.

• America would return to the days of a Free-Market System. This bailout is socialism. If the government is going to be socializing the losses, it won't be long before they socialize the profits. Isn't that something someone said this past week? Look, our system - the fundamentals of our economy - is not broken. In fact, the proof of this is the reason we're all up in arms. People made poor investment choices and are feeling the pinch because of it. Risk is the reason we make money. Removing risk will remove profits and eliminate investment.

• The tax system would be less convoluted. I would do something that might eliminate the IRS or significantly decrease its relevance. Government spends more than they make. It doesn't matter what revenue or how much revenue the government successfully sucks from its citizens, they spend more than they bring in. I am not an advocate of a surplus but the government should not be in the business of spending my grandchildrens' money now. Reduce the tax rate, eliminate loopholes and encourage investment. In the long run, there will be more money but the burden will be lighter on the citizen.

• Balanced budget. Balance is not easy but it is possible. So many entities feel entitled to certain handouts. No president has the power to change a lot of what the government spends because there are so many entitlements that must be met. We need to eliminate many of these entitlements. Private organizations must be empowered to meet the social needs of the needy. Private organizations can do more with less, getting the money where it belongs at a lower cost.

• Honesty and respect. The office of president is one that requires honesty and respect. I think these two attributes have been missing from politics for a very long time.

Too much to really cover. I do not believe I will come close to living at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. I think too many people see my views as extreme. What I consider as common sense is not so common, I guess.

Not the right answer.

Today the legislature is going to vote on the bailout. A very expensive solution which does not provide enough assurances that it will fix the problem. Our government is moving into the financial markets and usurping power with a socialistic answer to losses. I read earlier this week that once the government starts to socialize losses, it won't be long before it begins to socialize profits. Wall Street is acting like a young child, who through carelessness has broken a toy and wants it fixed. Not seeking advice or willing to change behavior, the child just wants someone to remove the consequences of the bad behavior.

Today, the legislature is working toward eliminating the consequences of bad behavior. Although I believe that the behavior was encouraged by legislation, the ultimate responsibility has little to do with who will be paying the price. We will pay the price and Wall Street will return to its poor behavior since there is no consequence.

Not because I think we need to leave the child to his own devices, I have urged my congressman and senators to vote against this bill. If there is bad behavior we need to do what is necessary to change that behavior. Rewarding poor behavior encourages poor behavior. Giving money to cover poor investments, encourages poor investments. Giving money to Wall Street will not fix the real problem.

Have we learned to do this because of the Great Depression? Government did not act in time to save the market in 1933. Is this a vain attempt at avoiding the same problems? Could our government have found better alternatives? I think there are plenty of options that might not have been as "easy" as this one but better for Wall Street and the Tax Payer.

Financial Crisis

By the time you read this it might be too late. I doubt many will read but I thought I might try posting here in case someone stumbled by. Our country is in a terrible mess and our congress and president are deeply and terribly misguided. Acting, however, is better than simply standing back and letting our economy slide into a depression. Acting, action, doing something.

CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES!

I am again burdened by things politic. You see, our markets current crisis does not necessarily affect me directly but I can see how the ramifications and the fallout might be dire. I spent a bit of time thinking about this over the past couple days and have been extremely worried that we, in our haste to find a fix, are going to be burdening our children's grandchildren with a heavy debt. I have called my senators and congressman and given them each a piece of my mind. No, I do not think I am experienced enough to suggest the answer to this complex problem but it has been such a weight of concern that I could not sit here idly as someone else decided the course to be followed. I followed up my calls to the senate and congressman offices with an email. The following statement is what I sent to them.

"In this time of dire financial stress, the whole nation is transfixed by what might be a terrible long term mistake for short term gain. I am certain you understand the gravity of this issue far more than I could; however, it is necessary that I express to you my grave concerns. There is serious doubt in my mind that investing 3/4 of a trillion dollars to buy out bad debt is the appropriate tactic. I urge quick response but the response must be measured and keep the fundamentals of our economic philosophy intact. Any plan must be grounded firmly in free-market principles. Additionally, any "bail-out" deal must include provisions for equity ownership. A return on our monies must be founded in a responsible, free-market plan.

Thank you,

Michael Gibson"

I don't know if any of you is inclined to communicate with your representatives but I would urge you to at least voice your concerns. Congress works for us and can be pursuaded to do the right thing. You can easily go to http://www.lnksrv.com/m.asp?i=3064775&u=464108139 and http://www.lnksrv.com/m.asp?i=3064776&u=464108139 to find the phone numbers and email forms for your elected representatives. It won't take but a few minutes. Make your voice heard.

Thanks,

Michael

International Disturbed People's Day

Response to a Dear Friend . . .

In another forum, a close friend was lamenting that "life seems to be punishing" him for some reason. The following is my original response. I didn't, however, leave it posted at that forum.

I can certainly see how one could feel that life is punishing. I have felt and every once in a while I continue to feel something along those lines. I've done more thinking on this subject over the past few years than I care to admit. I have been wondering what has been going on or more appropriately what I could do to regain even a portion of the "easy life" I enjoyed just a couple years ago. I'm not wanting to sound like a whiner but there are times I want to just scream for the punishment to end...

To that end, I have to take a step back. I have to consider everything and try to place things into perspective. I truly believe that choices I make can and do affect the direction my life will go. Sadly, many of these choices aren't made with as much forethought as they should be. Interestingly, a lot of choices we make do not seem like choices until it is too late. I think this is why we try to teach our children to predetermine what they will do in given situations so the choices are already made when the time to act comes.

Anyway, one choice we make daily determines our perspective. If we are bogged down in worry and concern, many times that will affect our decision making ability in a poor way. If, however, we try to change our perspective, looking at things from a more disconnected place sometimes we'll make better decisions that will improve our lives.

“If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy, however adverse your circumstances may seem to be.” ~ John Heywood

I don't know. It is far too early in the morning for me to be making any sense anyway.

I have some things that need to be addressed at the office this weekend and next since next Friday is the last day of operations here. A week from Monday I'll be in my new office, working in a new position and those people who are currently working for me will be working for someone else. I'll have an additional 45 minutes added to my commute. . . As it is, I am not eating dinner until 8 o'clock most nights. . . Anyway, at least I still have a job, right??!!!