Vintage

I have been watching in disbelief as our “leaders” in government try to fix our economic distress.  The Democrats are, once again, blaming it all on the “rich,” that elusive, unidentifiable group of madmen who are supposed to be bent upon the demise of our country as long as “they” manage to keep their money.

This is such a laughable proposition that I should be rolling on the floor, but the fact that there are actually people who belief this hogwash and vote based upon this belief keep my chuckles at bay. I cannot help but exclaim to myself, “Do people actually think that someone who is invested in our economy wants it to tank?  What the heckfahr are they supposed to gain from an economy that’s closing businesses right and left and draining our tax rolls?” 

Ah, but it’s not really economic dominance – nor even economic equality – that is sought here.  It is power, the power that is wrung from an uneducated and mostly apathetic populace.  For those who do not know better, it is easier to appeal to the lowest common denominator in the human condition rather than make educated arguments to persuade voters to understand your position.  It is easier to cry “The rich, they are out to get you!” than to work hard to provide equal opportunity to those less fortunate.  Indeed, if those “less fortunate” were to become successful, much of the power base of these sleazebag politicians would be lost.  Notice that “the rich” won’t be found in any list anywhere.  “The rich” is not merely those who are lucky enough to have incomes over a certain amount. (Note that the “luck” is often disguised by the years of hard work, sacrifice, and assumed risk.)  No, “the rich” are not evil unless they also subscribe to a certain political attitude, blaming their “fellow rich” of the opposite political spectrum for all of the evils.  I suppose dollar bills, like sand*, have a memory, and reflect the social mores of their last owner.  That evil, evil money!  Except the money from the likes of George Soros and his ilk!

It is more expedient for the power hungry politicians to appeal to the base emotions of the uneducated in order to gain their votes and keep their power.  One of those base emotions, and one of the Seven Deadly (or Capital) Sins, is Envy.  Envy keeps one from being happy.  Envy makes it easy to not achieve.  Envy lets the lazy offload their personal guilt over non-achievement to focus their frustration elsewhere.  You don’t have a lot of money?  Well, then, the rich people must have taken it from you!  They refuse to even think that accumulating wealth is not a zero-sum game, where if one wins it means another loses.  They think of wealth as coming from a finite pile of money, and if someone else grabs larger handfuls of the cash it means there is less for someone else.  Even with the wealth of information available in public schools and free libraries, it easier to blame someone else for their failures than to bootstrap themselves through self-discipline and a taxpayer supplied education.  Envy!  Be jealous of someone else’s good fortune!  Don’t be happy for the success of others!  Noooo, carry that weight of envy and anger and allow yourself to be manipulated into voting for those who would continue your plight, in order to retain their power.

I teach the pre-confirmation class at my church, and last week’s discussion was Sin & Virtue.  We talked about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Three Theological Virtues, and the Seven Capital Sins.  When we got to envy, I asked if any of the students had heard about how to keep crabs in a bucket.  One of them had, and explained to his fellow students the best way to do it.  If a bucket holds only one crab, that crab will escape the bucket every time, unless a lid is used.  However, if two or more crabs are in the bucket, as soon as one crab starts making progress out, the other crab will reach up and pull it down.

The envious class is treated like a bucket of crabs.  They continually try to pull down those who are escaping their poverty bucket, and peer in awe at that godlike creature that put them in that position in the beginning.  That godlike creature has every reason to keep them in that bucket.  Little do the crabs realize that they are the main course for the godlike creature who wants to keep them right where they are.

*A reference to Al Gore’s book on the environment.  I refuse to supply the name.

Normally I am known to have rather specific opinions and, according to some, can be a bit of a know-it-all.  I read a LOT, and listen to talk radio rather than the current FM brain rot, so perhaps I am a little more knowledgeable than some, less so than others.  But today I began to wonder “Since when…” and have no concrete answers to my musings.

Since When did our media become the official approval processing center for political candidates?  The way the major news media personalities are carrying on because Sarah Palin’s VP candidacy was kept a secret from them has revealed the depth of their narcissism.  I was shocked at seeing Sam Donaldson almost come out of his chair in rage the Sunday after Governor Palin’s candidacy became known.  The gnashing of teeth and hair pulling that continues as of this writing reminds me of a toddler’s temper tantrum.  I am happy that finally someone is standing up to the media.  Which leads me to my next musing…

Since When did our political candidates assume the jailhouse pose when put in front of the media?  I know the media is important for disseminating information, but really!   I lose all respect for the politicians that constantly play up to the media in order to get good reviews and garner public support.  Since the media controls the flow of information, they are in prime position to filter out – or in – the information they want us to know.  This usually coincides with their personal bias…which leads me to another musing:

 Since When did the media stop reporting the news and began making the news?  I was under the impression that journalism was an attempt to report news to inform the general public.  Now, the pretty ones on our TV screens think they are kingmakers and policy creators.  Forget the experience (or lack thereof) of any candidate – I want to know which journalists have the background to hold high public office?  If they think they can select our next president, surely they would have the qualifications to know, in-depth, what the office entails.  Having white teeth, pretty hair, and an obnoxious desire to ruin our society is not, in my humble opinion, enough qualification to take on this very important responsibility.   I would prefer that they provide the very valuable and valid service of reporting the facts, and leave the editorial to, well, the editorials!  If you are not an unbiased reporter, then be honest with the public!  Even reporters are allowed to vent their opinion – as long as it is understood to be opinion instead of fact!  Radio talk show hosts such as Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck admit to being biased in a particular direction, and their shows are to provide entertainment based on the current events of the day.  They have never claimed to be anything other than what they are, and I believe that is fair.  But when a journalist presents himself or herself as a “journalist” and are to be reporting “facts,” but in fact are spouting their personal opinions, then that is fraud.  They are taking advantage of the large segment of the public who remain relatively politically ignorant.   For them, it’s like taking candy from a baby.  And people who take candy from a baby are usually and rightfully reviled.

Since When did we lose our pride in ourselves?  Was it during the era of “sex, drugs, and rock and roll” when it became very popular to despise our government?  Was it The Pill, which gave the youth, full of energy and of themselves, the freedom to do the previously forbidden with freedom from consequences?  Did the media change during the Vietnam War, or during the Nixon Watergate years?  Since When was it the ultimate to find a “gotcha” story than report on the good in our society?  The wrongs should be exposed, but I have a hard time finding the good publicized.  The heroes in our world are relegated to the last 20 seconds of the nightly broadcast so that the “journalists” can go home secure and snug in their belief that they have presented all sides of our culture.  We who watch all the way through those last 20 seconds can leave their show feeling good about ourselves.  It’s like putting the seat down on the toilet without flushing.

Since When has it become politically correct to hate ourselves?

Since When did the rest of the world’s opinion of us become more important than our opinion of us?

Since When did our society become the dregs of culture, the scum on the pond, the bottom of the barrel?

And can someone please explain to me why we are inundated with people who literally die to get here?

Things that are caused by, may be caused by, or are suspected reactions of man-made global warming*:

and many, many more...

* These may not all be documented, but I trust that they will at some point. When scientists can get research grants to "prove" that it is true.

With the nomination of Barak Obama as the Democratic Presidential candidate, I began to wonder what I would like McCain - or any candidate - to say.  There is so much that I wanted to include, and I'm writing this, like, really, really late at night and my brain cells are half asleep and I must be up early in the morning and my sentences are starting to run together....anyway, I would love to hear this from a candidate: