The Reid Plan, or a Better Way?

I had barely posted my previous submission and headed out the door for my 5 mile run/walk when the thought occurred to me, “I had failed to fully analyze and develop my thoughts regarding the cost of Reid’s plan.”

So, in an effort to correct that failure, I offer this update.

In my original post I discussed the addition of $518 billion in taxes associated with the Reid bill. I my rush, I didn’t consider that that $518 billion is over 10 years, not per year as stated. With that, the cost of “insurance” averaged per family of the “uninsured” is reduced to about $5,412 per year. On its face that’s a reduction, for those “families,” in the cost of their “health care insurance” at least as it relates to the American taxpayer when compared to the “average” cost of private insurance.

Score one for Reid.

But the Reid plan is not going to cost merely the $518 billion in new taxes. Democrats talk about a $1 Trillion cost over 10 years. Reid claims to pay for about half the cost of his plan through “found savings” in Medicare and other areas of health care.

That $1 Trillion expense, amortized over the “30 million uninsured” results in a cost per family of $10,477 per year, back above the cost of private insurance by 66%. So Reid’s plan will cost far more than it would to simply have the taxpayer foot the bill for private insurance for the targeted group.

But there’s one more step. While Reid’s plan calls for taxes starting in 2010, the “benefits don’t actually begin until 3 years later in 2014. So the cost of the Reid plan is actually amortized over 7 years, not 10 years. That means the cost of insuring the “uninsured” rises to $14,952 for each of our hypothetical families in the so called “30 million uninsured.” That’s an overrun of $8,624 per year, or 136%, above the average cost of private health insurance.

(Disclaimer, I do not advocate forcing taxpayers buy insurance for 30 million people, many who don’t have insurance by choice. I merely make the statement for the sake of the argument.)

No one who has observed Washington politics for any length of time believes the costing of Congressional legislation. There has never been a bill come out of Congress that cost what the legislation originally stated and never has it cost less. But let's give them the benefit of the doubt and say their cost projections are spot on.

Here’s where it get’s interesting. If, for the sake of argument, the taxpayer footed the private insurance bill for the 30 million “uninsured” to the tune of $60.46 billion, and Reid achieved his claim of $500 billion is savings from Medicare, et al, there would be no need for heaping $518 billion in new taxes on the American people.

In addition to letting Americans keep that $518 billion in their pockets to invest and spend in this economy, with the savings realized from his plan, Reid could cut taxes by $439 billion. That would be a huge shot in the arm for the economy and would serve to fuel economic growth and investment, creating jobs and reviving growth in all areas, including the struggling housing market.

On the other hand, if Reid followed true to his nature and didn’t trust the taxpayers with their own money, he could use the surplus to pay down the national debt. Now the following assumes that Congress will grab its collective self by the “neck” and make hard decisions, do away with waste, pork, gratuitous entitlements and unconstitutional programs that are better run by local and state governments. I know, that’s a huge assumption but let’s enjoy the fantasy for a moment.

For the sake of argument, let’s say they do it. They balance the federal budget, then take the $439 billion saved after buying private insurance for the “uninsured” and begin paying down the national debt, you know, that $12 Trillion behemoth that hangs over the head of every American like a guillotine and threatens our national security.

If they could bring themselves to do it, that is, pay down debt instead of creating more, after 13 years it would be cut nearly in half. By the time my young nephews and nieces were getting close to retirement 28 years from now the national debt would be history and they could enjoy a retirement free of the worry of a government that would tax away their savings and compete for the investment and interest earnings they should be receiving on their hard earned money.

As a further benefit, my family, along with the progeny of all Americans would be able to live in a world where their country and by extension themselves, could not be held hostage by the political aspirations of a foreign nation, i.e. China, Japan, OPEC, that is bent on threatening to collapse the US economy by demanding immediate repayment of debt held, or simply refuse to buy more.

That alternative reality, paying down the national debt, the US becoming a creditor rather than a debtor nation, would allow them to enjoy a prosperous and peaceful retirement in their “golden years.”

In either case, the “savings” that Reid claims to find would filter through to the rest of the health care system, resulting in decreased costs which in turn would mean insurance companies, with decreased exposure could lower the cost of health care premiums. That in turn would decrease the cost to taxpayer for both their own insurance plans and those of the formerly “uninsured.”

Taking those newly found dollars, individual Americans would begin investing them in the economy through direct investment or through spending for goods and service. That in turn would add even more fuel to the engine of economic growth.

So I stand by my original conclusion, there is a better way to accomplish providing health care insurance for Harry Reid’s target group. Again, I don’t agree with his premise, but using his premise and tools, there is a better way that would strengthen and grow the economy. Not become an anchor around our necks and drag us into a deep, dark abyss.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Health Care For Less?

So, the Harry Reid health insurance bill going through the Senate will increase taxes by $518 billion initially. I refer to it as the “Harry Reid” bill because it has no resemblance to the bills that came out of the Senate committees and was concocted under the cover of darkness over this past weekend.

Anyway, it will increase taxes by a reported $518 billion for the purpose of insuring the “30 million uninsured.” That comes to $17,266 per individual to insure all of these allegedly uninsured. Or, with the average family consisting of 3.14 persons according to the US Census Bureau, $54,217 per family.

So, I wondered, how does that compare to the average health insurance premium in the United States. Just how much do these “unaffordable” health insurance premiums the Democrats have so vilified as “too expensive” for the average family actually cost?

According to an article on About.com:

In a report (Individual Health Insurance 2009: A Comprehensive Survey of Premiums,Availability, and Benefits) made public in October 2009, America's Health Insurance Plans (a trade group representing health insurance companies) presented some interesting information that gives a sense of what health insurance policies cost when purchased by an individual.

Across the country, the annual premium was $2,985 for a single person and $6,328 for a family.

The annual premium was very different from state to state. For example, the premium for a family health plan in New York was $13,296, while a similar plan in Iowa was $5609.

The annual premiums for health plans were also very different depending if the annual deductible was high or low. For example, family plans with no deductible had an average premium of $12686 each year, while plans with an annual deductible of $10,000 had an average premium of $5380 each year.

So while the premiums obviously vary widely according to the options a family selects, the average family health insurance premium costs $6,328 per year. Those “outrageous” private health insurance premiums actually cost $47,889 per year less than the “affordable” health insurance plan that Harry Reid has concocted when prorated over his target audience of an allegedly 30 million uninsured.

It seems that the Democrat plan to “lower the cost” of health care is actually going to cost eight and one half times more than what those nasty private insurance companies charge. Perhaps the citizens need to be investigating the excesses and illegal practices of Congress. It appears that the health insurance industry is actually doing a good job holding down the cost of health insurance.

If Reid had thought to simply buy insurance from the private companies for the alleged “uninsured” it would have only cost the taxpayers $60.46 billion. So it makes you wonder, what is this really all about? Is it about insuring the “uninsured” or is it about giving more power to Washington and socializing our national economy? The data would suggest it certainly isn’t about “cutting the cost of health care” as these bozos in Washington continually repeat.

Anybody ready for a tea party?

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Like A Thief in the Night

The Senate, led by Harry Reid, is planning a preliminary vote on Reid's "health care" legislation at 0100, that's 1AM on Monday morning, December 21.

A vote in the middle of the night is very indicative of the nefarious nature of those trying to push this bill through. If it was good for the nation and had the support of the American people this vote would take place in the light of day, in full view on C-Span and in time to make the next day newspaper headlines.

That the Democrat leadership is sneaking around in the middle of the night like cockroaches speaks volumes.

Among other things, to get this bill this far Reid and his cronies has had to tighten rules against funding abortion, rules that will no doubt be stripped in conference. He also, apparently in a nod to his Hollywood supporters, stripped a tax on cosmetic surgery while throwing the youth who supported Obama under the bus by adding a 10% tax on tanning bed services.

This bill will add an additional $1 Trillion to the federal budget and while it is supposedly budget neutral, that is because the collection of new taxes will begin immediately, in some cases retroactively, while "benefits" won't start until 2014.

So while on paper the bill is "neutral" for the first 10 years, no one, at least on the Democrat side, is talking about what happens after that. Anyone with a 5th grade education can see that after 10 years, this bill will produce at minimum 30% annual deficits. That's before the inevitable excess costs inherit to every spending bill that has come out of Congress begins producing massive deficits.

If this bill passes, our government will have set in place the tool of its fiscal destruction and the collapse of the American economy. It may not be 5 or 10 or even 15 years away, but with this kind of reckless spending, no individual, business or, yes, even government can even hope to keep its financial head above water.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

A Different Christmas Poem (UNCLASSIFIED)

by Michael Marks

The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light,
I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.

My wife was asleep, her head on my chest,
My daughter beside me, angelic in rest.

Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white,
Transforming the yard to a winter delight.

The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,
Completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.

My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep,
Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.

In perfect contentment, or so it would seem,
So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near,
But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.

Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know,
Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear,
And I crept to the door just to see who was near.

Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night,
A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.

A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,
Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.

Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled,
Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.

"What are you doing?" I asked without fear,
"Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!

Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve,
You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"

For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift,
Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts,

To the window that danced with a warm fire's light
Then he sighed and he said "Its really all right,

I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night."
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line,
That separates you from the darkest of times.

No one had to ask or beg or implore me,
I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
"My dad stood his watch in the jungles of ' Nam ',
And now it is my turn and so, here I am.

I've not seen my own son in more than a while,
But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile."

Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag,
The red, white, and blue... an American flag.

"I can live through the cold and the being alone,
Away from my family, my house and my home.

I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet,
I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.

I can carry the weight of killing another,
Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all,
To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright,
Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."

"But isn't there something I can do, at the least,
"Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?

It seems all too little for all that you've done,
For being away from your wife and your son."

Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret,
"Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone,
To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead,
To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust,
That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."

See Snopes for more on the origin of this poem.

At this Christmas season, take time to remember those men and women who stand guard protecting our freedom. Those on the battlefield overseas and standing a vigilant watch everywhere, giving up time with their families to ensure our safety and freedom deserve our gratitude and appreciation.

Merry Christmas!!
"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Call and Write Your Senators About Harry Reid's Health Care Plan

Letters to my Senators regarding Harry Reid's "health care plan."

Dear Senator Nelson,

I implore you to respect the wishes of your constituency and vote against the pending health care legislation before the Senate. While the intentions of some may be good, the end result will be long term massive costs, increases in taxes and health care costs, and loss of services as budget restrictions force rationing of services.

The American people are far better at determining their own personal health care needs than 100 Senators and 435 Congresspersons who have little regard for the well being of their constituency.

To foist these overbearing measures on the 80% in order to supposedly provide for the 20%, a dubious justification at best, is not only wrongheaded, but indicative of the need for term limits to return elected officials to the states they hail from and limit political inbreeding in Washington.

We do not need the kind of health care reform Washington politicians are proposing, we need new representative who are more interested in statesmanship and the will of the people. Not a group of lemmings who blindly follow the party leadership.

Vote no on the Harry Reid led charge to decimate our health care system.

Dear Senator LeMieux,

Thank you for remaining steadfast in opposing the wrong headed and dangerous health care legislation pending before the Senate.

If our economy has even a possibility of recovery, this legislation will at best delay it, at worst, plummet us into a miserable decline.

The damage this legislation will inflict on the delivery of health care, on the health of individuals, and the economic health of families has been sorely underestimated.

Medicare currently costs many multiples of the originally stated cost. Senate Democrats have had to, in similar fashion to the University of East Anglia Climate "researcher", fudge the numbers and creatively skew them to show a "balanced" bill.

The truth is the ever increasing costs will result in massive deficits and/or unbearable taxation of American families that will be required after the stated 10 year “balanced” projections.

Thank you again for your stalwart opposition to this attempt to destroy our health care system, our economy and our nation.

I you haven't written and called your Senators, do so now, the time is short and the future of our nation and our economic well being is at stake.

Senate Directory: Look up your Senator and email him or her via the web mail application on their Senate website. Also check their Senate website for phone numbers or use the directory at TheOrator.com to call them. TheOrator weblinks to email your representatives may be broken. Try it before using the multistep process on the US Senate website.


"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

EID Stamp Issue A Non-Issue

A friend recently forwarded a chain letter that was all in a huff about the current re-issue of the USPS stamp commemorating EID. The Snopes article reprints the letter and some of it's variations. After thinking about it, I responded with the following:

I've seen this letter and it's assertions often since the first issue in 2001 (34¢). Unfortunately, the first issue was on August 1, 2001, a month prior to the 9/11 attacks. It has been reissued several times since, each time there is a rate adjustment many stamp designs are reissued in the new rate. The EID, in addition to the 2001 issue was reissued in 2002 (37¢), 2006 (39¢), 2007 (41¢), 2008 (42¢) and the latest reissue this year. Each time these chain letters go around trying to get people to "forward" in protest. All it ends up becoming is an ego trip for those behind the email.

The assertion that the US is a "Christian" nation, in these times, is, in my humble opinion, a stretch. While the US had it's birth and founding rooted in Christianity and Biblical principals, I would have to say, despite the assertion of many, we are not a Christian nation, or even a nation of Christians. We are a nation of many who claim the name of Christ, but do not follow His principals or base our lives on His.

That desire to follow Him and live our lives according to His principals is the basis of Christianity, not any historical connection to the past. Let's face it, nations cannot be "Christian," only individuals. Jesus didn't come and die to save a nation, he came to bring eternal life and relationship to each of us "individually." And, it is His coming to become the conduit of that provision of eternal life and relationship with the Father that we celebrate at this time of the year.

Relatively few US citizens truly follow Jesus as He would have us. Were we to suffer the same persecutions and challenges to our faith that our fellow believers overseas suffer, I dare say most of us who claim His name would fail miserably. Not unlike Peter we would curse Him and "save our skins."

But back on subject. There are a number of holiday stamps issued and sold each year at this time. The two new issue Christmas stamps are the Madonna and Sleeping Child based on the 17th century art of Giovanni Battista Salvi, and the Winter Holidays stamps. Reissued are the EID, Kwanza and Hanukkah stamps. There are also several older stamps series still available. See: USPS Holiday Stamps

So, in my opinion, the issue of the EID stamp is of about as much significance as the issue, and reissue of Elvis stamps (the record holder of the most stamps purchased), Star Wars or The Simpsons.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Heaviest Element Yet Known to Science

This was sent to me by a friend and though I've yet been able to source and vet it's authenticity and accuracy, I thought I'd pass it on for you all to ponder. Consider...

"Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science.

The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.
These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2 – 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.
This characteristic of morons promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons."

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Hold onto your shorts!

"The administration projects the deficit will remain above $1 trillion in 2011. In fact, according to the estimates it made in August, the deficit will never drop below $739 billion over the next decade." AP Business writers Martin Crutsinger And Daniel Wagner

Hold onto your shorts, this means that in 10 years the national debt, which today is $11,986,954,033,520.56, will soar to about $22 TRILLION! That's almost double what it is now and at that level, interest alone on the national debt will be north of $700 Billion!

The interest that we will be required to pay will be not all that short of the $1.116 trillion collected in 2007 income taxes, the latest year those figures are available. Most calculate receipts for 2008 and following will be less, considering the current and near term future economic picture.

So, why should you "hold onto your shorts?" With that amount of federal debt, lender nations, i.e. the Japanese, Chinese and Saudi Arabia among others, will be getting very nervous (reality check, they already are starting to fidget) about purchasing our debt and the interest rate we consumers will pay will go through the roof.

Consider it an embedded tax, courtesy of the generosity of your elected officials who have yet to see a spending plan they didn't love, an election they didn't think they could buy.

Hope and Change? Let's hope, and vote, for change, a political sea change in Washington. Starting with my congressman and senators.

How 'bout yours?

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Veteran's Day

As one of the "minor" holidays, for most Americans, Veteran's Day goes by with little notice. I dare say that even most young people now serving in our nation's military barely gave this day a nod prior to their enlistment.

For the many who have forgotten the roots of this day and why it is important, I bring to your attention the following:

"Thanks to heavy and successful lobbying from the travel and leisure industry many "federal" holidays are now celebrated on Mondays. That's great if you work for the government, or in a bank. Not so great if you work retail. Or in a restaurant or supermarket.

But Christmas, New Years, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day and Veterans Day are not guaranteed Monday holidays. For good reasons.

Monday holidays make a lot of sense: especially if you have the day off, someplace to go and money to make it all work. But for some events that are date/tradition specific, the date, not the day of the week, is the big deal.

Very few people who are still alive remember the original event, World War I, that led to Armistice Day, the original name before it was legally changed to Veterans Day. At one point it too was celebrated on a Monday until somebody said, "hey wait a minute!" Turns out November 11 is an important date, a date to remember, even if it was (as many self-centered people say) before before they were born. Still, it happened.

World War I ended, by an armistice, that was to take effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Tragically, more than 10,000 men died that day even though their commanders knew well in advance that it was over and there was no point in fighting anymore.

Many students of history think the war shouldn't have happened. That it could have, and should have, been avoided. They say it was a "bad" war that set the stage for even more bloodshed in a good-as-in-necessary war, World War II.

Understanding World War I, what happened and why, is important if you want to understand what's happened since. President John F. Kennedy once told a friend that every world leader should be forced to read about it at least once a year. He recommended Barbara Tuchman's book, The Guns of August. Not a bad idea from a bona fide veteran of World War II.

My own favorite book on the subject is 11th Hour, 11th Day, 11th Month, by Joseph Persico. He points out that more people died that day, a day when no one needed to, than on D-Day, the Allied Invasion of Normandy. That also happened before a lot of you were born, but it still happened.

Pardon the quickie history lesson. Just thought it would be nice if all of us, whether working or not today, gave it some thought. This is not a fun holiday. But is an important one." by Mike Causey

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Extra Ordinary Times

I came across the following written by a member of a financial forum I'm part of. The passion and sentiment of the writer are matched by the strength and accuracy of his reasoning. Ponder the following...

"We need extra ordinary men and women who are not afraid to step forward to call out the criminal justice system as it implies "Criminal Justice System, Justice for the Criminal". We need an advocate for the forgotten the Innocent it should be noted that it should be the "Innocence Justice System", as it implies "Justice for the Innocent".

Will you be the one who is not afraid of its citizens to have guns and to use them when criminals violate their family or property? Who will not hold them responsible for not protecting their neighbor when a crime is committed against their neighbor who does not feel one should own a gun. Will you be that extra ordinary individual who will call out the unelected cynical judges who have re-defined our constitution and have re-interpreted the laws to suit their own philosophies?

Will you be the monumental one who not only demands but expects the oversight of the federal reserve and demands accountability? A federal reserve that has burden the taxpayer by allowing over two trillion dollars to disappear and has no intention of telling the citizens of this great Nation who got the money or the discloser of the terms regarding our money. Will you be the one who champions changes and has a solution not rhetoric.

Extra ordinary times calls for those who have real solutions going into office not devising and trying to galvanize the solution after entering the office. We need extra ordinary men and woman who will put the UN in its place by telling them the UN will no longer be in the United States, were we are responsible for the upkeep and security at the expense of the taxpayer. We will continue to be a part of the UN but it will have to be another country that will have to be financially responsible for the world and not the piggy bank of the American taxpayer.

No more free aid in the billions of dollars that we have been sending for more than fifty years or so to governments just like our own old government who can not manage the money and just hoard up the cash for its political cash cows while its people starve and are in need of medical attention. We will however be glad just one more time to show them one more time what and how to do; then they can get it right or deal with the chaos that follows.

Yes we need someone who is not afraid to bring our jobs back home; because of NAFTA we have lost jobs in all fifty states roughly around 800,000 since inception in 1993 till around 2000. We have spent the last two decades de-industrializing our economy. Add to that our unemployment figures given at 9.8 which in reality is really 11.8. It is almost more than one can comprehend. Try a disappointing roughly three million jobs maybe more lost since 2008 due to the recession. Now we have an inefficient government trying to rush a health care plan through how come they just can't get it right. Will you be the one to speak out are you the extra ordinary individual we so desperately need?

We need the highly educated professionals the professors the Harvard graduate, but we also need the hard working everyday Americans. The one who sweats in the heat and shivers in the cold with callous hands and a weathered brow. We need the truck driver, the waitress, the carpenter, the stay at home mom, the iron worker and yes we need the plumber. The ones who discuss their disdain of an out of touch with reality government while on their working break or when talking with family and friends. You have a voice but our present government fails to acknowledge you. Will you please step forward; will you be what we know you can be that extra ordinary person who has and opinion and even has some solutions?

Will you be that extra ordinary individual that demands a responsible government to the citizens of America? Someone who is not afraid to use the word illegal and enforce all the laws pertaining to that word; illegal is just as it implies illegal whether it is a crime or immigration. We need those who understand we are living in extra ordinary and perilous times in America and will use whatever means at our disposal to secure our borders.

Are you that extra ordinary man or woman who will step forward and speak proudly of America and its contributions to the world rather than making apologies about the arrogance of America? We understand America has made mistakes but every other country has made them as well. Yes we need some extra ordinary individuals who believe in the greatness of America and its hardworking people and make no apologies Someone who has the resolve to stand up to the world and remind them once again just how much we have sacrificed on their behalf.

We need extra ordinary men and woman who can and will balance and operate on a balanced budget. Are you the one who is not afraid to demand term limits minimum of eight but no more than twelve? Hard working Americans who understand that it is a privilege to serve this great Nation and its citizens; it is not a right bestowed on them.
Once again where are the George Washington's and the Patrick Henry's who will stand up against tyranny as they did when this country fought and died for liberty.

Our leaders of today call us out on the tea parties one of the things that led us to fight for our freedom now they say we are trying to start sedition. Is that not what our founders did when they wanted freedom from the mother country yet we are somehow called unAmerican for the cause. America is tired of the insanity, of the minority (I'm talking numbers not race) shouting down the majority. Will you be the one to champion the cause and shout with the rest of us we are tired of paying for that DAMNED TEA!

Can we cross party lines and stop affiliating ourselves as republicans or democrats? We need someone who is not afraid of what politicians think about third party's; their only concern is the party and getting re-elected. Will you be that voice in the wilderness who is warning our great Nation? Let the government think what they will. Patrick Henry said it best "If it be treason then let us make the most of it". Will you step forward to lead us? Once again will you shout we are tired of paying for that DAMNED TEA! We need extra ordinary men and woman in these extra ordinary times if you do not come forward you may miss your true calling. If you will not stand tall and stand proud and lead this great Nation, then Suffer America you ain't had enough yet"

Blogged on the TSPTalk forum under the pseudonym ezmoney who lives in Greenville, NC.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

The cost of "my rights"

"A privilege is something we receive when someone else pays. The police and firefighters whose deaths we will remember this month on Sept. 11 in part purchased my "right" to walk the streets of New York terror-free." - Mindy Belz

Some might include "the home children live in, the bed they sleep in, the food they eat, the clothes they wear, ad nauseum." Sadly, many have put forth the argument that these "privileges" are "rights."

Many of yesterday's children have grown to become today's young adults who confuse "privileges" with "rights" and in the end determine it is their "right" to shove their hand, or better stated have government shove it's "hand," into the pockets of their friends, family, neighbors and fellow citizens to pay for what they erroneously believe to be "rights."

That's not only wrong; it's pure and simple, selfish, self-centered and self-destructive. No one has the "right" to someone else's property, wealth (great or small) or time unless there is an expectation of remuneration. Few have an understanding of the value of what other's have, that is especially true in children who are always demanding of their parents the latest in clothes, toys, electronics, entertainment, food with little understanding that there is a price to be paid for all and the source of that payment is finite.

Sometimes parents, in an attempt to please their children, quiet them, assuage their need to conform to their peer group or just feel like they are being good parents, will give into their child’s demands. That can lead to an unhealthy expectation on the part of the child that all their expectations are equally important and must be equally met. They may then extend that expectation to their adult expectations of what government and the taxpayer should give them, limiting their own social, moral, and financial personal responsibilities. They think it is their "right" to have what they want with no understanding of the cost.

Other times, a parent may be unable to provide for a child's demands for his "rights," or see those demands as unhealthy, and withhold some of those "privileges." The child may in young adulthood grow to think he was "abused" by his "unfair" parents and in rebellion turn to government as the "sugar daddy" to fill what he may see as "rights" but are really "privileges." Thus he demands from government, becomes a dependent of government, and ultimately becomes a slave to government to which he has ceded his power of freedom, and, perhaps, even life and death.

Much of the demand for "rights" in today's ongoing debate finds its root in the erroneous understanding of "rights" vs. "privilege" and the teaching our children have received in much of their education about the role of government in their lives. They have been taught that government is their source of everything and it is in government that they will find complete fulfillment of their needs.

Sadly, they have not learned that what government gives with one hand, it takes away with the other. There is no "zero sums" formula where there is no cost for added service. They have also not had the historical perspective of seeing that government rarely meets the promises it makes, nor does it create a program, policy, bureaucracy, benefit or entitlement that ends up meeting cost projections. Rather, without fail, legislative cost projections are exceeded by many multiples. What was sold as costing $100 million ends up costing $300 million. What was budgeted for $1 billion ends up costing $3 billion.

In the 1960's when Medicare was being debated in Congress, then President Lyndon Johnson, as a strong advocate of Medicare, counseled legislators that if they were to win the debate, and thus the vote, they had to move the debate off the subject of cost. He told them don't let the costs get projected too far out because it will scare other people:

"A health program yesterday runs $300 million, but the fools had to go to projecting it down the road five or six years, and when you project it the first year, it runs $900 million. Now I don't know whether I would approve $900 million second year or not. I might approve 450 or 500. But the first thing Dick Russell comes running in saying, 'My God, you've got a billion-dollar program for next year on health, therefore I'm against any of it now.' Do you follow me?"

That $300 million program now costs $408,000,000,000 in fiscal year 2009. That's $408 billion, 1,360 times its original projected cost and 14% of the federal budget. Medicare and SCHIP add another $224 billion to the current budget. Those plans have no incentive to hold down costs, in the twisted world of government budgeting, if an agency cuts costs and comes in under budget in one year, they are not rewarded but penalized.

Government also has no incentive to hold costs down, because it has the power of the legislative and judicial system to demand more and more taxation from the citizens it is supposed to protect. Yet, today's young adults, in their focus on perceived "rights" and "entitlements" fail to consider the ultimate cost of their demands for more and more government intervention in their lives.

We as individuals have a right to demand quality health care services from those we pay. We have the ability to go to a different provider when we are not served properly. We have that right because we are paying the bill, either directly or via individual or employer provided insurance plans. We pay for those plans either directly or as part of our compensation package. We have, not perfect control, but control nevertheless, over the direction of our health care.

Health care in the US is about 1/6th of our economy, which is 16% or $2.404 TRILLION dollars. That is 77% of the total US government outlay for FY2009. And some want to turn over control of that portion of our economy, no, our lives, to a faceless government bureaucrat.

Under a plan of "privilege" where my neighbor, friends and family pay for my health care via government controlled plans, whether the so called "public option" or government mandates, I become dependent on and responsible to that other party and the whims of bureaucracy to meet my very personal health care needs. To a people who know of the struggle of running up against a government bureaucracy like the IRS or Social Security or Medicare, where faceless individuals have near unlimited power over your income, your finance, your freedom, your health care and even your life, the thought of more invasion by government into the intimate area of personal health is an fearful affront.

Those who have no understanding or experience in these matters merely see it as a relief from the responsibilities of life. That's a relief they may one day come to regret.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Constitution Day

Constitution Day

The basis of our form of government, the document our President has called "fundamentally flawed" and spawned the longest continuous democracy (democratic republic) in modern history.

In their wisdom, the founders crafted not a "pure" democracy, which would be little more than chaos, but a republic that, with it's "warts," has produced a society to which people the world over long to come and enjoy the freedoms, economic, financial, political and social, protected by those words and ideas 222 years later.

Even as some detour around the methods of amendment built into the document to circumvent the protections embedded therein, we continue to honor the strength of that document, the the foresight and wisdom of the men who pondered, debated, fought for, gave their lives and fortunes and ultimately wrote these sacred words.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Stand-by time?

I just responded to a segment on Fox & Friends about a Federal Times story about excessive Postal staffing being required to sit around doing nothing waiting for work.

Due to rigid union work rules and employee contracts that have been negotiated and agreed to by both labor and management, full time employees must come to work and if there is no work to perform, instead of being sent home and tailoring the workforce to the available work, they will sequester employees pending incoming mail volume.

That is resulting in an average of 45,000 hours of idle "stand-by" time. I don't approve or condone the practice, but in perspective, it amounts to 16/100 of one percent of total USPS work hours and less than 1/10 of one percent of the Postal Services $80 Billion annual budget.

In these difficult economic times $65 million is nothing to sneeze at, I could sure do great things with it, but if the impact is spread over the entire workforce it amounts to about 4 minutes a day in lost productivity for every employee.

The greater problem is the impact on the morale of effected employees, the opening to criticism from the public, politicians and unions, the latter who have collaborated in making the policies that have created this problem.

Here's my response:

I've worked for the Post Office for almost 20 years and have never heard of "stand-by time." In our branch office we are rapidly reducing the staffing levels. While this is long overdue we've never had employees just standing around. I, personally would go "nuts" doing so and have made a career of constantly learning more and doing more to be able to work in a wide variety of areas and become of greater value to my employer.

The current VER plan has been accepted by 2 employees in our office of 10 clerks while a third will no longer be working for the local office, in total, a 30% reduction. This will require a realignment in working hours and days off for the remaining employees, but we will do what needs to be done to serve our customers. Our only concern is that while the reductions are needed to accommodate the reduced mail volume and increased use of automated equipment, what will happen when the economy turns and mail volume increases again.

I don't anticipate volumes will ever return to the heydays of the late '90's and early 2000's of over 200 billion pieces a year, but it will return. When it does, we will be a workforce that is 35% leaner with 500,000 employees projected by 2015, down from a high of over 800,000 and a current level of 698,000.

Many of the problems of the Postal Service have to do with the government oversight and legislation that limits it's ability to respond to changes in the business climate and fiscal demands. Instead of making sound business decisions based on conditions, we have to go to Congress, hat in hand, and get permission to do what any other business has the right, and responsibility, to do. We have the burden of intrusive government oversight, while being a wholly self-supporting agency fully funded by sales of our products, no tax-payer dollars budgeted, funded or accepted.

It is that Congressional "meddling" that worries me when it comes to the current health care debate. Congress has historically proven itself to be inept in it's ability to direct good business practices through-out government, and the American people have spent decades deriding their politicians for their failure to do so. Now, all of a sudden, we are supposed to have a "come to Jesus" moment and believe that Congress can do what it has never had the will or ability to do before, run an efficient business? And this one doesn't just get your mail across the country or half-way around the world for 44¢, it will intimately impact our very health and lives.

I don't represent the Postal Service, my words are my own and represent my own concerns. Many of my fellow employees, who buy into the union atmosphere, would disagree with me on many issues. Yet there are many others who feel as I do and think the media and politicians exploit the few irregularities while ignoring and diminishing the overwhelming majority of employees who take pride in the service we provide the American people. That pride is reflected in the approval ratings we receive from our customers. With one and two day delivery scores of 96% and 94% respectively, our customers continue to give us satisfactions ratings north of 92%.


"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

What is happening to our Republic?

"Treacherous leaders", "propaganda network." When one hears or reads these words it usually comes from the political apparatus of some third world dictator, not the president of the United States. But that’s exactly where they came from, and it wasn;t some harsh words for the leader of Iran, North Korea or Venezuela.

The Obama apparatus used these terms to demagogue his political opponents. This kind of language has never been used in the history of American politics. This organization is calling on its apparatus to call on their Senators on September 11 to pass the so called "Pubic Option" and "fight back against our own Right-Wing Domestic Terrorists." An amazing affront to the American people on the day we remember and mourn those whose lives were lost in the worst terrorist attack in this nations’ history.

His political apparatus is sending lesson plans to teachers to "guide" the classroom discussion both before and after the broadcast. This has all been characterized as message to "challenge students to work hard in school, to not drop out and to meet short-term goals like behaving in class, doing their homework."

Yet, what is the hidden goal? To build a relationship with children to disarm them and perhaps even divide them and their parents? We’ve seen this happen in other totalitarian societies. Nikita Kruschev warned America that communism would destroy her “from within.” Gain control of the classroom, and you have control of the nation.

"The philosophy of the school room in one generation will be the philosophy of government in the next," opined Abraham Lincoln. That works both ways. Obama’s guide, Saul Alinsky, and his friend, William Ayres, both taught that the battle is won in the classroom.

Now, with the battle for the future of America enjoined by the right, Obama and his minions are reaching for our very soul as they make a bold grab for our children. The question for us is, "will we stand idly by and allow this disgraceful and undemocratic, yes, un-American, political ploy in our children's classrooms go unchallenged, or will we stand and declare, 'Enough!'"

The administration already has a program to use the classroom to spread their message to children about the 2010 census. Some would say the purpose is more sinister, to spy on their parents. They have already called on American citizen to spy on each other and report "fishy" email and conversations to the White House.

They have taken bold measures to nationalize part of our finance and manufacturing sectors through "bail outs" and seek to take hold of 15% of our economy through nationalization of health care. In November 2008 the majority of voters succumbed to the sweet elixir of “hope and change.”

Is this the "hope and change" they wanted? To turn the world’s most successful democracy towards a socialist dictatorship? These may seem to be harsh words. But are we willing to speak soft platitudes while our nation is destroyed "from within." I pray not.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

An open letter: I oppose the president's healthcare reform

Dear Representative Grayson:

I strongly urge you to oppose the government take over of the health care industry. Rationing of health care, implementing euthanasia and denying services to the elderly are not acceptable. In addition, we should not add another two trillion dollars to our national debt which is already taking us toward financial chaos.

Frankly, government, from either side of the political spectrum, has proven that it cannot run healthcare programs, exhibit 1, Medicare, exhibit 2, Medicade.

Both of these programs are racing towards fiscal collapse, doctors are at best reticent to participate, patients are denied services by Medicare/Medicade in the name of saving costs while fraud is rampant, as much as 10% of program costs.

Why would Congress even think government could run a nationwide health program when it has shown that it cannot run these? Simply because Congress ignores the problems, keeps throwing money at it while clammoring for more power over the lives of American citizens.

It's time Congress woke up and realized that Representatives and Senators are not the sole embodiment of intellect and wisdom. Those attributes lie in the people. It is up to Congress to listen to the will of the people and if you are doing so, you must know the people are calling for an end to this insanity called "healthcare reform" and "spend more to avoid bankruptcy."

Intelligent people know both of those, as proposed by Congress and this Administration, are dead wrong. The polls prove that even average Americans know the direction Congress and this Administration are headed in down a path to destruction.

It's time for you to begin listening to your constituency, not simply giving lip service, and act in accordance with the wishes of your constituency.
Vote no on the health care legislation before this Congress. You voted wrong on "Cap and Trade," don't make the same mistake on healthcare.


"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

An open letter to the President

Dear President Obama,

The current attempt by this administration to socialize the medical system is a blatant power grab for 17% of the US economy. The majority of Americans are beginning to see this for what it is and to understand this administration's desire to wreck our free market economy.

I do not support this move by this administration nor do at least 51% of the American people. The more we know about this scheme the less support it engenders. This is a tribute to the intellect of the American people.

That your administration in collusion with the Democrat majority rushes this to a vote before the American people learn more is a testament to your callous disregard for the will of the people.

We will not be dissuaded by high sounding words and misinformation. Stop this insanity, NOW!

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

They Call Her Blessed

This is a re-posting of an article I wrote for Mother's Day 2003. Mom really appreciated it and had asked that it be included as part of her funeral service. As things transpired, it wasn't, there was, in our family's opinion, a much more appropriate statement needed.

In tribute to Mom, on this what would have been her 81st birthday, I'm again offering it for review. Mom, as the first time, this is offered in love to honor, and now remember, the person you were.

Nearly 75 (can you believe it!) years ago a little girl was born to T.O and Edna Evans in the small southern village of Darlington, South Carolina. She was the 9th (I think) of what would be 12 children to this Pentecostal Holiness preacher and his wife. They supported his ministry and their family by farming cotton in the post-depression and World War II south.

This little girl, Mildred they called her, found joy on the farm as she grew and matured in the shadow of her strong willed father, nurtured by her gentle mother and guided by her sister Ruth. Millie loved to please her brothers and believed anything they told her, even to the point of jumping from the hayloft, flapping her arms as she tried to fly like her brothers told her she could.

Her childhood was filled with days in the fields, evenings playing with the imaginations of a farm child, cold nights warmed by hot bricks, and field trips which included natures call to the outhouse out back. The kitchen was filled with the aromas of the farm bounty and the tables filled with the wonders of the visitations of traveling preachers and missionaries. As she grew up, she grew strong in character and will and when the time came she was sent to school in Greenville. It was there she met her love, her promise, in the person of Bill and in time they were married.

After the wedding in June 1950 they headed out into the ministry armed with the surety of their calling and the adventure and abandon of youth on a mission. In just under 10 months, despite the best efforts of "the book", their first born, Billie came into the world. As they continued to minister and travel, a few short years later a second, Steve came along and they decided that a family needed a place to call home so they entered the pastorate, ministering first in Oklahoma, then Illinois, Missouri, Iowa and back to the Carolinas.

As life and God carried them on, she grew strong in her faith and sure in her virtue. A third son, Dan came in Oklahoma, and a daughter, Jana, in Illinois. Through the struggles of life, the loss of her beloved parents and in-laws, the financial setbacks, the toil and joy of raising a family, she never lost her trust in God, her determination and strength of will.

The loss of her first born, Billie, was heartache. Yet still in that heartache, she saw God's love and lessons to be learned and lessons to be shared. Neither gall bladder nor oral surgery would take her smile. A heart attack and subsequent bypass surgery would not diminish her love of life. Knee replacement would not stop her from running the race of life and eye surgery did not diminish her ability to see the best in others.

As she raised her children, she always loved them, even when they failed to follow her guidance. As they struck out on their own, she continued to love and support, encourage and comfort as they to struggled with life, trying to find themselves and finally finding God on the road to destruction. Lifting them up in prayer, counseling and supporting and loving and admonishing as they married and failed in marriage. Married and won in marriage then lost in death that beloved spouse. They struggled with the imponderables of life and living and not just knowing about God, but knowing God…and truly finding Him. Her children knew that Millie would always love them, and pray for them, laugh with them and cry with them. Give, and sacrifice, and hold and support and never fail to be honest with them, even when it hurt. Because even in the hurt, there is love.

Even now as she approaches 75, Millie is still giving to her family. She works so that the healthcare costs don't ravage the retirement of her beloved and herself. She, in spite of her own bodily struggles, gives more than she physically has to help and care for her children and grandchildren. Does she complain? Perhaps some, but rarely to anyone other than her Lord. She simply puts on a smile and keeps moving forward, loving and living.

Has she lived a wonderful, exciting, successful life. Many would look and say, "not really." But they don't measure with the same stick as her friends, family and most importantly her Lord. She has the joy of a life well lived, she has four children who love the Lord and honor her, one who has attained the goal. She has a husband who worships her, loves her, adores her and would give all he has and all he is for her. In the words of Solomon in Proverbs 31:

10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

Mom, the words of Proverbs were written about you. No, you are not perfect in all things, but you are perfectly...MOM.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Milie's Crockpot Apple Butter

I had one of those moments today. One of those moments where I very nearly lost it. I felt the sinking feeling of loss, the aloneness, the end of a tradition, the tears began to well up.

It all started with at peanut butter sandwich. I went to the kitchen, opened the bread, grabbed the jar of peanut butter, took a table knife from the drawer and lathered on that glorious concoction of little more than crushed, smashed, ground…peanuts.

As I started to close the jar, I remembered a jar of apple butter in the fridge. It’s not just any apple butter, it’s my mom’s own home made crock pot apple butter. For years she has made this sweet treat each fall, canning multiple pints of it, and giving away most of it to friends and family.

Every Christmas we would look forward to opening our goody box from home and tucked among the date nut balls, the Chex Party Mix (mom’s own recipe), the ice box fruit cake, cookies, date nut bread, fresh pecans in the shell and more, there would always be a jar of crock pot apple butter.

In the early days mom and dad would go to the orchard in the fall and gather from that fresh crop bushels of apples. Bringing them home she would wash, peel and core, all by hand. Cutting them up she began cooking them slowly while mixing in the special spices that made this sweet treat her own.

As time went by, all that manual peeling and cutting became too difficult for mom's tired hands, but she giggled like a school girl when she found an apple peeler that did all the work, peeling and coring. And she found a special joy in her task.

Of course what really made it her own was the love and personal effort that went into making every pint which was labeled “Millie’s Crockpot Apple Butter” and often decorated with a colorful square of patterned cloth, tied on with a bit of matching yarn.

Each time I would dip a bit of that sweet, tart treat, it took me back to mom’s house, the smell of the apples cooking, and mostly to her hugs. Those hugs that usually ended with her standing back, holding me at arm’s length, looking up squarely into my eyes and declaring, “I believe in you.”

Wrapped up in that bit of apple butter I peered at in the bottom of that glass jar was all those things, all that love, all that history. And this was the last of it. The end. I had been carefully measuring out the little bits and tastes of it since she left us in March, but this was the end.

Yes, I have somewhere in storage mom’s special recipe, she gave all of us a copy. She was good about that, preparing, looking ahead to the inevitable. If I can’t find it my sis or brother have their own copy of the recipe, but it just wouldn’t be the same.

What really made mom’s apple butter special was mom. The love and effort, the special care she put into each batch, into each jar. And now, with this last dollop, it was over, there would be no more…

And as the tears began to rush to my eyes, the flush of blood to my neck and cheeks and ears. As I began to despair over this yet one more loss of something so precious, so dear, so…so…mom. A sudden thought came to my mind.

I rushed to the pantry and desperately scanned the shelves and then, finally, there, on the third shelf, tucked in between the Parmesan cheese and the Bush’s Best Honey Baked Beans, I spied a flash of color. The red cloth square was cut with Pinking shears, the pattern of crossed candy canes tucked among holly leaves dancing across with holiday while red and green yarn double wrapped around the lid and tied off in a bow. Classic mom.

And just peeping out from under all that holiday cheer, a label declared, “Millie’s Crockpot Apple Butter.”

Tears, despair, you’ll have to wait for another day.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Determining value...

Every individual has intrinsic value. When we get in the business of assigning value to an individual based on an arbitrary standard we come perilously close to adopting the standards of regimes such as Hitler’s Nazis who viewed the sick, homosexuals, and non-Arians as undesired objects to be destroyed.

Next came those who opposed his philosophies. They met their deaths simply because they didn’t agree. Millions gave their lives to bring that regime to its knees.

The idea of human value came up in our own constitution where a black man was only worth 3/5th that of a white man. That awful determination was legally corrected at the end of the Civil War with the 13th and 14th amendments. Though socially things have improved dramatically, there is still struggle in some hearts and minds.

The concept of superiority of one individual over the other, and thus of superior value, is not new. Margaret Sanger’s writings stated the purpose of her 1939 Negro Project that ultimately became the Planned Parenthood of today was that it be a vehicle of “discouraging ‘the defective and diseased elements of humanity’ from their ‘reckless and irresponsible swarming and spawning’.”

When we as a society devalue one segment where their destruction is preferable, it becomes a simple matter of extending that valuation to other “unwelcome” elements.

Healthcare, is it too expensive for everyone to receive healthcare in a government administered program? Triage those desiring help by a standard that determines their worth.

Under that system, those needing the most help, the elderly and chronically ill, will be at a severe disadvantage and the cheap “cure” is sodium pentobarbital. It’s called eugenics.

For those of lesser health issues, perhaps mitigating factors such as political philosophy or income level could be factored in. If you don’t agree with the current ideology in power, if you are of minimal productivity, you’re manic/depressive, you’re outta here.

I know those on the pro-abortion side will say that can never happen. Well, it did, Sanger proved it could happen. Hitler made it part of his party platform. Any time we begin to rationalize our actions we are on the cusp of serious personal moral decline.

And make no mistake; this is a personal issue even more than a social/political issue. It is a matter of what we as individual value. What we consider important. It is individual beliefs that eventually become policy, not the other way around.

Yes, I can justify abortion from a purely economic vantage point, but that places me in a position of arrogant superiority, not compassion. For if you can’t “afford” a child, the burden is placed on society and on me as a taxpayer.

Why would I want that burden? Because a child is more that a bit of tissue whose value hangs in the balance of emotional stress. That “tissue” has the power to become an important individual with all the possibilities afforded him/her in this nation. That “tissue” can achieve any goal desired if given the chance. His or her importance is determined not by what they become, but that they can become what they desire.

In April of 1822 there was a bit of “tissue” growing in a French woman’s womb that grew to study immunology and eventually Louis Pasture discovered vaccines for anthrax, cholera, smallpox and rabies.

In August of 1878 a 20 year old German Jew had a bit of “tissue” growing inside of her. She may have preferred to study the arts or piano, but her focus was on raising her family. Eventually that tissue grew and among other things invented a refrigerator that uses principals still used today in RV and mobile refrigeration.

Had he not moved to the US in 1932, Albert Einstein, who is celebrated as one of the greatest minds of the last century and developed his theory of relativity and unified field theory would probably have fallen to Hitler’s ovens.

In December 1960 another bit of “tissue” began to grow in the womb of a 19 year old single girl. She could have sought out an abortion; it certainly would have been more convenient. The baby’s father was a black man and such a liaison was unacceptable in society at the time. Few would have faulted her, abortion would be the lesser of two “evils.”

But she married the father, kept her child and later raised that child alone after being abandoned by her husband. On January 20, 2009 that child, that bit of “tissue,” Barack Obama, became the 44th President of the United States.

In February 1986 another bit of tissue began to grow. This time in the womb of a young girl from Illinois. She had lived across the mid-west United States, her father was an itinerate worker. She had graduated with honors from college and had a bright future ahead of her. Part of that future included marriage and she and her husband moved to Virginia where he was stationed in the Navy and she worked in a local bank.

Yeah, raising a family was hard work, and would get in the way of plans, but that bit of “tissue” was vastly more important than her original plans and desires. She kept it, raised her son when he was born, struggled through broken marriages where it would have been simpler to not have to deal with children.

Eventually that “tissue” grew into a magnificent young man with more potential and possibilities before him than even he could imagine. Yes he struggled through experiences that no young man should have to, but grew out of them to become talented with multiple abilities even as he struggled to find himself.

No one really knows what this bit of “tissue” will do with his life, he’s not really sure. But one thing is certain, he will have the opportunity to pursue whatever course he desires because his mom, that young girl with so many possibilities, put her life on hold to bring him into the world and give him the opportunity that 30 million other “bits of tissue” have been denied since he first appeared in his mom’s womb. She saw in that bit of “tissue” a value far above her own plans and circumstances.

He may become an engineer, a chef, a General, a titan in business, a politician, perhaps even a President. But one thing is certain, Billy Montgomery has the opportunity to do so because his mother didn’t simply consider him an inconvenience, an unwanted expense, a barrier to her future, a…a bit of tissue.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Just say NO!

We must demand our Senators and Representatives vote against any more bailout of private businesses and individuals with government, taxpayer money. It is time for us to bite the bullet and face the consequences of our irresponsible financial behavior. It is immoral for us to pass on to our grandchildren and great-grandchildren this debt.

The American people were sold a "bill of goods" last October, and it's happening again now. Throwing more taxpayer debt at the economic problems our nation faces will only at best delay the inevitable while piling up unconscionable debt on our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Our government now owes more money than all of us in the country put together possess. We now owe nearly $57 trillion while our total net worth is only $56.5 trillion. President-elect Barack Obama has said, "We've got trillion-dollar deficits for years to come even with the economic recovery that we are working on at this point."

Obama's plan, being promoted by Democrats and Republicans alike, is to pass out money, running up debt that our grandchildren will be forced to pay. Their solution is simple. Throw more money at the problem. Many of the projects clamoring for a piece of the "pie" at best are poor investments. Others just don’t make sense or amount to funding of projects no one else wants or sees a legitimate need of.

Where will the government get these trillions of dollars? They will go to the printing press and print more, which means that dollar in your pocket will be worth less. It also means the government will borrow more. From whom? Try China and the rich oil producing countries. At the rate we are going, China will never have to fight us. They will own us.

We don’t need to keep digging the hole deeper and deeper. Where will the bailouts end? We need some leadership from Congress, and we need it now. In the vacuum of statesmanship out of Washington, the American people must show that leadership. We know that in the real world there is no such thing as a free lunch; we must make sure oblivious Washington insiders know that as well.

They must stop feeding the American people a line of $&#@!. Democrats railed against Republicans over federal deficits during the Bush years. Now they are set to allow nearly as much deficit spending in one year than was incurred during the entire Bush administration, and yawn while doing so.

Stop the bleeding now! Just say NO to any more bailouts, "taxpayer investment" and government wealth transfers of all kinds. I for one am sick of the enormous transfer of wealth from this nation to China and the oil producing nations. Every dollar of deficit spending means more for them.

Write your Representatives, Senators and the President-elect. Tell them, "Stop it...NOW!"

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Andy

While there haven't been any recent updates on Andy's condition on the blog, Andy's Journey, by his sister Kristen, I wanted to let you know what current info I have.

The ventilator tube is out and he has sensation below his waist that was unexpected by the medical professionals. He is very positive and looking forward to returning to full function. His family is very excited about the future and are trusting God for a complete recovery.

They are looking for rehabilitation facilities to transfer Andy to when the time comes to leave the hospital. Be in prayer that God will lead them to the best one. Facilities that specialize in the type of injuries Andy has are limited in number and they are considering locations near and far.

Continue to keep Andy and his family in your prayers.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson

Ending thoughts of 2008 at our house....

It's been close to a month since my last post and much has happened, most mundane, ordinary stuff, but a few important items.

Christmas at the Post Office has changed dramatically since I started in 1988. At that time an employee's life during December was consumed by the demands of work. Seven day weeks, 12 hour days were the norm. It didn't end with Christmas. January brought sale catalogs and a boost in advertising that ran through May when volume would tail off until the back-to-school sales began, then the process started again with the first Christmas sale mailings in September.

With automation of the mail stream much of that work is now performed by machines and what took 10 employees 10 hours to do, now 1 employee can complete in two and a half. The only part of the mail stream not impacted by machines at the delivery office level is parcels.

They still must be sorted individually by hand, but this year with the weakening economy, even that is suffering reduced volume. I don't have any hard numbers to substantiate it, but past experience and just the "feel" of the mail flow tells me times have changed.

Even as little as a couple years ago in our office I worked straight through, 7 days a week, from Thanksgiving to Christmas. This year the change is so dramatic, my manager was entertaining approval of leave during that time, something never before considered during December.

Overtime was needed only in the case of personnel shortages, i.e. sick leave, out of the office for other duties, etc. There were only a few instances of OT required due to mail volume, and that only in the case of processing parcels.

To those who think of the Postal Service in terms of a stodgy old government bureaucracy, over populated with excess employees, outdated practices and costly inefficiencies, you are out of touch with today's business.

While there are certainly areas needing improvement, as in every business on the planet, cost cutting and service improvement is the name of today's game. Employment is down some 100,000 from it's peak according to 2007 figures and 2008 has seen even deeper cuts with 50 million fewer work hours used compared to 2007.

There are several early retirement offerings currently in process and depending on the results other measures are being considered to cut costs and employee levels. From what I'm hearing, everything is on the table.

Mail volume is down overall with a total of 202.7 billion pieces delivered in 2008, or an average of 675 pieces of mail for every man, woman and child in America. Still that's a decline of 9.5 billion pieces, or 4.5 percent, compared to the previous fiscal year. That is substantial and these numbers are for the FY ending September 30, before the worst of the economic decline began to settle on business and individuals.

In the midst of this the service is deploying a new Flat Sorting System that will automate even more of the mail stream, further reducing the need for clerk craft employees (that's my area) and heavily impacting delivery employees who will receive a substantial amount of their mail ready to go to the street.

While I'm trying to secure a transfer to South Carolina in the midst of this changing business environment, I really have no idea what all this could mean for my future. Even with a 20 year work history, transferring into a new plant could put me in a precarious position if that plant is required to reduce it's "complement" (that's "employee levels" to the rest of you).

Finding out where I would stand as a transferee has been pretty tough to ascertain. Still, the fact that I need to be in South Carolina has not changed simply because the economy or my employers business model is changing.

So you can see there are some challenges ahead for those of us at the Postal Service just like the rest of the nation. We are not exempt. Even while we move the mail (40% of the world volume), bringing people together via their written communications and packages we are constantly looking for ways to reduce costs.

Unlike other delivery services we don't add surcharges for fuel or economic hard times. It cost the same to send a letter across town or across the nation. From the US Virgin Islands to Guam, from Chicago to a soldier serving in Iraq or Afghanistan, it still costs only 42¢ to mail a letter.

"We are all in the same boat on a stormy sea and
we owe each other a terrible loyalty." - G. K. Chesterson