LAB TESTS

I’m at my oncologist’s office this morning, Dr. Tan, getting my blood drawn. I’ll see Dr. Tan in two weeks. This blood test makes me a little apprehensive as it indicates how my cancer is doing. I have no reason to suspect it has gotten any worse but I never suspected that I had leukemia in the first place either. One just never knows about these things. So, I’m apprehensive but confident.

This day also marks the anniversary of when I went through the window as a child. I’m not usually one for remembering anniversaries and such but I do remember my wedding anniversary and going through the window!! Perhaps no earthly things have had greater impacts on my life. Although this is the anniversary of a nasty accident for which I’m still paying for today, I also view it as a great blessing. It marks the time that I had a wonderful death experience while the struggle with my arm has taught me a lot in life. In fact, the lessons continue. Speaking of my arm, the neurologist’s office called and scheduled me in their first opening…October 26^th.

Anyway, I find myself on the anniversary of my arm injury at a doctor’s office. I’d rather the office visit be for my arm, although my arm gives me more outward trouble than the cancer. It goes without saying that the pain won’t kill me but the cancer is sure trying!!

TRUCKER THEOLOGY

In watching an episode of Ice Road Truckers, a driver made an interesting statement. He said, “You’ve got to embrace death before you can really live.” Although that may sound a bit morbid, it really carries a lot of truth. It’s good to make peace with the fact that none of us escape this world alive; we all die. Being mindful that we are going to die allows us to not only live life to the fullest but it allows us to keep life in its proper perspective. One of the perspectives we should keep is the answer to the question of: What we are going to do after we die? Our reactionary answer may be that we are going to heaven. But are we really? Do we really believe that or is it just an ingrained response? Jesus says that we have to have a faith/love for God which rises to the level that it naturally produces obedience to God’s word. We may all have a desire to go to heaven but I’m not so sure we all have an obedient love. Rather than have an obedient love for God, we tend to live life according to what we personally want to be good and right.

The trucker also said that he thinks we ought to have our personal casket on our front porch. If we patted it as we left the house each day, we might live with a better perspective. He’s probably right in that we’d have a better perspective, and we might also think more about how we are going to spend eternity as we pat that casket.

ANOTHER SIGN

In reference to yesterday’s blog, perhaps we ought to wear t-shirts which read, “I’m a Christian. How am I doing? Call 1-800-God.” For too many of us, the only evidence that we are Christian is the cross we may wear around our neck or the fact that we go to church. However, in the eyes of God, the jewelry that we wear and our church membership don’t necessarily have anything to do with our love and obedience. The way that we live is not only supposed to be a testimony to our love for God and His ways, but it is also supposed to be the display of what God’s character is like. Too often we are showing what all mankind is like, whether Christian or not.

WEARING A SIGN

A friend sent me a devotional which notes the trucks which have stickers providing phone numbers of where to call if the driving is not good. The devotional went on to pose, “I began to wonder how my behavior would change if Christians were required to wear a sign identifying us as Christians and requesting that our bad behavior be reported. Would I be less likely to show frustration because of poor service? Would I be more patient while waiting in line at the bank or sitting in the doctor's office? Would I forgive more easily when others made comments that hurt my feelings? Perhaps I would offer to help a person in need more readily if I were wearing a sign that declares my faith.”

There are few things more embarrassing to the Christian faith than the way we sometimes behave. A friend was telling me the other day about a person whose family and extended family hides the fact from the mother that they have an occasional drink of alcohol. The mother considers any alcohol to be satan’s tool. Yet, my friend describes the mother as being very imposing, seriously inconsiderate, and almost constantly obnoxious. I responded that I don’t know if a glass of wine or a beer is the devil’s tool or not, but I know her described attributes are. Just to make it clear, rarely do I have a drink of alcohol and Eileen never does. In fact, we celebrated our anniversary with iced tea as our drink. Anyway, my reading of the Bible says that a heart which produces bad character is a bad heart. I’m not so sure that a drink or so is the result of a bad heart, especially when we consider the Lord’s history with wine. On the other hand, abuse of alcohol is clearly wrong.

We should remember the Lord’s words. It’s not what goes in the mouth which defiles a person but what come out of it. (Matt 15:11) It may seem pious to be against all alcohol and such things, but what comes out of our mouth from our heart is like wearing a sign identifying us as true Christians or not.

LINDSAY AND ELLIE

Our daughter-in-law and Lindsay went home Friday. We enjoyed their visit and especially got to interact with Lindsay more as she continues to develop. She is ten months old already. Lindsay really likes dogs and really likes our dog Ellie. Ellie is very gentle and patient; we have slowly introduced Lindsay to Ellie over these months. We had Lindsay feed Ellie a lot of little dog biscuits this week and I think that made Ellie like Lindsay and tolerate her a little faster than she otherwise might have. Lindsay wasn’t as interested in petting or touching Ellie as just watching her and being around her. As I kept taking Lindsay outside to see Ellie, Lindsay became very attached to me. We even played a game where Lindsay chased me around the sofa until I let her catch me, and then I’d pick her up. It’s one thing to get to hold Lindsay; it’s a completely other feeling when she comes up to me and puts her arms out for me to pick her up. By the way, Lindsay would do that with Eileen without having to take Lindsay outside to see the dog!!

DEVALUING

“Just ignore him and he’ll go away” is a saying that many parents have advised their children. It can be great advice in certain situations. Although there may be times to ignore someone as an adult, it is not advisable to ignore those in our important relationships. Especially in a relationship, ignoring the other person or giving him the “silence treatment” not only makes it seem that we have too much self-importance but it makes the other person feel devalued.

Perhaps too much is written these days about our sense of personal value. It’s true that it’s easy for us to have an inflated sense of self value. For the most part though, we who should only devalue ourselves, not another. Devaluing another makes them feel as if their dignity and self-worth have been violated.

One of the main things we like about others is how they make us feel when we are around them. If we make another feel devalued they won’t want to be around us much. That isn’t good on a marriage or other important relationships. Rather than devalue others by ignoring them or giving them the silence treatment, we should seek to honestly value them for the true blessing that they are. Sometimes we have to look a little deep to see the blessing if the relationship is riddled with hard feelings and resentment. Nevertheless, seeing the goodness in others is the key to valuing them and having a valuable relationship.

There are also a lot of people who devalue others by their constant joking or teasing. The relationship is largely void of value-enhancing dialog. “Just ignore him and he’ll go away” not only works on people we don’t want to be around but it also works on those we claim to love the most.

DULY HUMBLED

Eileen started back to school and has gotten off to a good start. She is now in her 8^th year of teaching in what began as a quest to finish her degree and try her hand at teaching. Now, it has become a career for her and an insurance life-saver for us. Frankly, we need her insurance to pay my $72,000 a year chemo bill. My old insurance was much costlier and the coverage was much less. We would have been at a loss to come up with such an insurmountable amount for my chemo each year. So, we are very blessed the way it has worked out: Eileen went back to school, likes teaching and the education field, and has good insurance coverage. Even so, I always go through withdrawal when Eileen starts back to school; I miss her.

I met Eileen when we both were in high school. In such a small town, perhaps it was inevitable that we’d meet. I played baseball with one of her older brothers and one of her older sisters worked for my father. If you remember, Eileen is one of ten children. So, I guess it was natural to at least say hello to one another although I was a senior and she was a sophomore when we met during our lunch hour. We enjoyed our interactions with each other. Eileen was known as a smart and fun loving girl who had very strong Christian values and morals. Eventually, I got to know her better and asked her on a date.

Our first date was to a skating rink chaperoned by one of Eileen’s older brothers. I was more than a little nervous when it was “couples” turn to skate and we joined hands. Although I had dated many other girls, I had never felt the way I did when Eileen and I joined hands. I immediately knew my heart was at risk of being captured. Two wholesome hearts were about to begin a journey together. After my years of pre-professional college and then into chiropractic college, we got married. Eileen moved to Chicago with me and got a job at the campus clinic as the secretary to the chief of staff.

After graduation from chiropractic college, we moved to Arkansas to begin a six month associateship with my uncle. We then moved back to our hometown to be an associate with my father. Within a little a year or so, my parents sold us the practice and moved to Arizona because of my father’s health.

By then we had been married five years and had a two-year-old child and one on the way. I became swamped in the practice and inundated myself with civic and professional affiliations. Over time, not only was I operating a very busy chiropractic practice but I was the president of the school board, president of the Rotary Club, and president of the southern district of the Illinois Chiropractic Society. In addition, I was the chairman of the Illinois Chiropractic Ethics Committee. That left me with just enough time to play with the kids and wave to Eileen.

I would have to say that I was so busy that I put little thought into Eileen and my relationship. I presumed it would just run on automatic. It didn’t. Although Eileen was gentle in discussing all the energy I was expending toward everyone and everything else, at her expense, she let me know that I was running amok. I couldn’t see it so I kept pushing the envelope as hard as I could.

I suppose that I came to my senses sometime after I crushed my right wrist. All that I was and all that I thought I was doing for God, humanity, and family came crashing down. Unable to physically perform my profession, life lost a lot of meaning. I eventually took the time and made the effort to inventory who I was and what I was doing. Once I got past how self-centered and off kilter I had been, the only thing that mattered to me was Eileen and the kids. I thus began a quest which I had previously become too busy and too side-tracked to fulfill: Seek to become the husband and father that God called me to be.

I learned that love was not something to be put on an automatic setting and left there. Love is to be nourished and nurtured or the world will tear it apart. I realized that being a father wasn’t just playing with the kids and making sure there was a roof overhead and bread on the table. It meant standing for righteous ideals and seeking to equip them for their adult lives. Our kids needed me to stand for “right” and to always shine its light on their path, regardless of anything else competing for my time and energy.

As for Eileen, I once again focused on the woman who captivated my heart all those years before. She had stuck with me through thick and thin and welcomed my awakening, even though it was the result of a career ending injury. In that regard, I thank God for the crushed wrist. Without it, there’s no telling where my path full of self-importance might have taken me. It’s very likely that I would have never been the father or husband that I have had the opportunity to be.

Eileen is an integral part of me. There is no one I’d rather spend time with or just hang around. Perhaps you would have to know her to understand what I describe as the sweetness of her spirit. The richness of her love is as close to angelic as I have ever known. Her words and touch calm any turbulence in my life. As I seek to love her more each day, I am amazed at how close we’ve become and the amount of love that she stirs within me. Two spirits truly can become as one.

I often suggest to others that they seek to see how close they can really become to their spouse. See how much in love they can truly become. It requires that hard feelings be released, forgiveness be administered, and resentment be abolished. However, we can grow closer to our spouse as the years march on or we can just grow older. The choice is ours and time keeps marching on. Anyway, whereas my current depth and maturity of love has been a learned attribute, Eileen has always been a profound well of love. It’s as if all our married life she has continually invited me to share in the deeper love that she naturally possesses. Eileen, as a person and as a spirit, simply amazes me; I’ve never met anyone like her. As my spouse, she enchants my inner being. If there is any good in all that I am or all that I will ever be, I owe it to God and Eileen.

Today marks Eileen and my 32^nd wedding anniversary. I have been blessed beyond measure to be married to her. I am duly humbled and immensely thankful for this blessing.

WINDS OF THE WORLD

Every once in a while it’s good to ask ourselves what we stand for or what it is that we represent. Surely it is not our destiny to be blown around by the prevailing winds of life and never really know who we are or what we stand for. I suppose there is great truth in the saying, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” Not only is being tossed around by the prevailing winds of life hard on the psyche of our personal identity, being blown around also identifies that we have few standards which we truly believe in and adhere to.

Whether we work at a job, are married, have kids, or whatever our role is, there is a need for us to stand for the right things of life. Even the most naturally good among us must identify what it is that they represent. Each household and each person in it should stand as a beacon for righteousness and holiness. To do otherwise is to be blown around by the winds of the world.

EYE SURGERY UPDATE

Our daughter called this afternoon to tell us that her eye surgeon called her. The eye surgery is going to be postponed because the doctor wants to wait until three months has passed since our daughter has stopped using her medicinal facial cream. Although our daughter is disappointed, she believes it must be for the best. She always has a great attitude.

Thank you for the many prayers for her. We deeply appreciate it!!

With Lindsay in town and me staying in town, that means she and I will have more time to spend together!!

DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENT

I had my appointment with my family doctor yesterday morning. He was right on time and was in the room with me at my appointment time. I always appreciate that especially since I don’t like being in a doctor’s office where sick people are, considering my lowered immunity. My weight was up a little bit and my blood pressure was elevated. I need to get that blood pressure down because I think I’m testing his patience with it. He wanted to put me on blood pressure medicine years ago. My blood sugar was perfect but my cholesterol type test results were a little elevated. Everything else was fine.

There are new regulations for people on the type of narcotics I have. I had to read and sign a form with 17 narcotic related items. It was rather silly. Then, instead of the doctor seeing me in the regular six months, he has to see me in three months. I suppose there is nothing like the government practicing medicine for my doctor!!

My doctor wants me to see a neurologist for my arm again. He wants to see if there are any new drug protocols specific for my condition. The doctor’s office will call me when the appointment has been made.

Finally, I want to thank all of you who are “paving the way” with prayers for my daughter’s eye surgery. We appreciate it very much.

PIZZA AND ICE CREAM

In watching a Ray Vander Laan video, he talked about how the early Israelites came into the Promised Land after coming out of the desert. Having lived on manna provided by God, they came into a land of plenty where the Canaanites flourished. It struck my family what the Israelites must have thought. As my son said, “The Israelite’s God provided a desert and manna while the Canaanite’s God provided pizza and ice cream.” I’m not sure that is theological, but it makes the point!! Well, in adopting the Canaanite gods Baal and Asherah, they also adopted the other “fertility” practices of child sacrifice and sexual debauchery. Thus the Israelites acted like Canaanites during the week and worshipped God on the Sabbath. As we know, that didn’t work out so well as God didn’t merely call these practices wrong; God called them evil.

Today, there are a lot of sinful practices that we observe during the week while going to church on Sunday. Although we have all kinds of rationalities to make these practices okay, in some case we may actually refer to them as being wrong or not right. However, we hesitate to refer to our human behavior as being evil unless it is especially extreme. Neither God nor Jesus hesitated to call some of our behaviors evil.

We not only don’t use the word “evil” to describe our anti-God behaviors, we seek to call some of these behaviors “normal.” Yet, regardless of what we call some of our behaviors and practices in this land of pizza and ice cream, we should always be mindful that we don’t have the final word.

THE COMING WEEK

Our older daughter left this morning to head back home. We had a great visit. I will head to her place next Wednesday morning to help out when she has her PRK eye surgery. It’s like Lasik’s but a little more involved. Her procedure is on the 25^th.

August 25^th is also Eileen and my anniversary. Since I won’t be in town, we are going out tonight (Saturday) for dinner and festivities. I’ll be sure to take an arm sleeve.

On Monday, our daughter-in-law and Lindsay are coming to stay with us for the week while our son is on a business trip to Orlando. I’ll get to see them for a couple of days before heading to our daughter’s for her PRK surgery. Monday is also my family doctor appointment and the beginning of classes for Eileen, our younger son, and daughter.

Our younger son is studying computer engineering. After a summer of mowing yards, giving private baseball lessons, and being a big help around the house, he still has a little over a year to go in college. His engineering progress was greatly slowed by his baseball career. Since he took so many non-engineering classes during four baseball semesters, half his time there, he wonders if he is setting a Guinness Book of World Records record for the most credits without a degree!! I assured him there are a lot of people in his same situation.

Our youngest child, our younger daughter, has been very busy this summer. Besides working two weeks of Rookie Camp for the band and two weeks of Band Camp, she took Composition I, Composition II, and Business Calculus at the local junior college. It counts as dual enrollment for high school and college credit. Starting Monday she begins her senior year in high school. She’ll go to her high school part of the day and to college part of the day. At college, she’ll be taking two more dual enrollment classes. She’ll be taking Economics I and Accounting. She wants to be a Business Finance major. Depending how that goes will determine what she does in the spring. She wants to go to the college full time as a dual enrollment student. She thinks she has taken all the good classes in high school and doesn’t want to waste her time taking “do nothing” classes. I’m hesitant about her missing some of her high school experiences in the last semester but she says she’s “over that.” Eileen met with the counselor and vice principal. Indeed, there aren’t really any worthwhile classes for our daughter to choose from. We’ll see what this next semester brings and decide from there.

So, I’ll leave Wednesday morning for our daughter’s place and probably return on Sunday. We hope and have been praying that everything goes great with our daughter’s surgery and recovery.

READING TONE

A friend told me that she can gauge how I feel by my blog posts. I admitted that it has been a tough six months or so but I didn’t realize that I was that obvious with the tone of my blog posts. Although I try to give general indicators of how I feel, I usually save the ugly details. For example, when I say that I’m taking narcotics, considering my very high pain tolerance, it can be presumed that it’s not a good day. However, I don’t write about the details of my symptoms too often for several reasons. Firstly, I don’t like to dwell on the negative, especially considering how much worse a lot of other people have it. Secondly, I don’t like to overly concern my kids. They read my blog. Thirdly, I meet with people on a very regular basis to discuss their life challenges. Many of them read my blog too. I don’t want them to feel that my symptoms suggest that they shouldn’t utilize me.

The fact is though that I have strong parts of the day and not so strong parts. Further, I have strong sequential days and days which aren’t so good. It’s those days that sometimes have me considering discontinuing the blog. It’s hard to write something worth reading when things are rather rough and much of my mental energy is devoted to fighting symptoms. I’m sort of getting used to the nausea and stomach pain. The leg cramps are a big concern but I deal with that too. The thing which has been very hard to deal with is my right arm pain and fatigue. In fact, it is a considerable challenge. My arm is something that I’ve been dealing with for many years but these past six months remind of the old days that caused us to move south. It’s really wearing on me. As far as the fatigue goes, some of it is from the constant battle with pain while the rest is probably from my Gleevec induced low red blood cell count. I’ll be interested to not only see the status of my cancer but also see my red blood cell count. My lab test appointment for my oncologist (Dr. Tan) is August 31^st. Oddly enough, that is the anniversary of the day I went through the window and began the saga of my arm.

So, I suppose it’s true that some can not only read my blog words but read my tone too. I admit that I tend to understate my symptoms but that is for good reason, as I described above. In the meantime, I’ll seek to deal with and minimize the negative while accentuating the positive.

ACTIVE DAYS

Our youngest daughter’s band had her Parent Preview Show last night. Our daughter is a drum major. They wore their summer uniforms and played part of their show. The whole band sounded good and I’m sure they’ll have a successful year.

Our older daughter arrived here yesterday. She is on the return leg of her trip which took her to Illinois, Mississippi, Florida, and she’ll be heading back home to South Carolina. While mountain climbing in North Carolina, she fell and sprained her ankle. It’s the same ankle that she severely sprained a couple of years ago. Although she is still hobbling on it, she says that her ankle is a lot better than it was last week when she did it. She does a lot of running and physical training but that will have to be on hold for a while. The ankle still doesn’t look too good as it has quite a bit of healing to do.

Today, our two daughters and younger son are going to ride jet skis out in the Sound side of the Gulf. I’m going to take pictures. If I’m not too old to jet ski, I’m too fragile!! First though, we went to the Navy Exchange on base at Pensacola Naval Air Station and then out to eat pizza for lunch. Meanwhile, Eileen is at work getting her math department and classroom ready for students on Monday.

BAD THOUGHTS

Some people lose sleep over the ill will they have for others. While some spend a night or two thoroughly processing the wrong that someone did to them, others seem to spend a lifetime at it. The bad movie is played again and again as the particulars of the ill will are fomented over. Yet, bad thoughts about others don’t hurt them; they only pollute our own minds. Bad thoughts change our disposition and our demeanor…bad thoughts change who we are.

It’s hard to let go of past pains and detach our harsh blame and criticism of another. Nevertheless, forgiveness can set us free. Forgiveness is what cleans the untoward stains that bad thoughts render onto us. While bad thoughts about others (and us) defile the temple of our bodies, forgiveness provides a cleansing for the heart and the mind.

DANCING IN THE RAIN

There’s a saying which says, “Life isn't always about surviving the storm; sometimes it's about dancing in the rain.” Happiness is so dependent upon our attitude. Some people are negative regardless of their blessings and they seem even more negative when their blessings are pointed out. Others look to the bright side regardless of the obstacles they face. Two people with similar life situations can have attitudes as different as north and south. Well, there’s 24 hours in a day whether we make ourselves happy or miserable. We ought to choose to make our life and the lives of those around us as pleasant as possible. Dancing in the rain can be a beautiful thing.

BLOOD TEST DAY

I had a lab appointment this morning with my family doctor to get my annual blood test. It’s usually a quick process but I waited 45 minutes today. I get a creepy feeling sitting in a doctor’s office knowing that is where sick people are. I only noticed one cough and one sneeze from people around me. After hearing each I tried to hold my breath until the germs had a chance to settle. I just hoped they didn’t settle on me. I didn’t touch any of the magazines or the arms of the chair. I was thankful when it was my turn. I’m not real fond of needles or people coming at me with them. This phlebotomist decided to use a vein which no one had ever used before. I’ve had a lot of blood draws and it usually doesn’t turn out well when a phlebotomist tries something new. However, this time it all went well. So, things went well at the clinic except that my throat got progressively sorer and my neck glands became swollen as the day progressed, but I felt better after a nap.

I left the clinic and headed to get my car tires balanced and rotated. I’ve put a lot of miles on them and the tire shop showed me that my tires were down past the tread bar. So, I spent the rest of the morning getting new tires.

Eileen started school today (Monday). She spent much of the day in meetings including one in which she was selected as the head of the math department by the other math teachers. There are 12 other math teachers in her school. It’s another thing to add to an already busy schedule for her but you know what they say, “If you want something done, give it to a busy person. They know how to get things done.” Eileen certainly knows how to get things done; I’m confident she’ll have another great year.

Anyway, this blood test was requested by my family doctor. My blood test for Dr. Tan, the oncologist, is on the 31^st.

ASKING FOR IT

If you ask for something often enough, sometimes you get it. I got it last night. The story starts on Friday night when I went to Five Flags Speedway with some friends. We got there a little after 7pm and didn’t leave until midnight. We had a great time but it had rained earlier in the day and so the evening temperature was in the 80’s. That’s fine but we sat up high enough to catch a breeze. I was without an arm sleeve to protect my arm all night. It was a little hard to get to sleep that night and I slept until 11am. Then we went to Eileen’s school. Once again I didn’t think about an arm sleeve, which I usually have extras in the car or in Eileen’s purse. Eileen’s classroom was cold. We couldn’t do anything about the temperature because the air conditioner and heater are controlled from the administration office downtown. While writing yesterday’s blog in the classroom, I did wrap my arm up in a towel but the damage was already done. Eileen worked until around 5pm. We then went to Wintzell’s Oyster House to eat supper. It was cold in there too. Afterwards, we went to the historic downtown area of Pensacola to walk.

To make a long story a little shorter, I was still up pacing the floors with my arm at 3:30am. I went to look for my narcotics when I realized that I hadn’t taken my Gleevec and other pills at supper, which Eileen had packed for me. So, I went looking for her purse. I couldn’t find it. What to do? Do I wake her up and ask her or do I go without my chemo dose? So, I asked her. She got up and got her purse with my Gleevec and then my narcotic. I took them and went to bed. But, I took them on an empty stomach so my nausea went through the roof. Eileen got me a vomiting reservoir and then began to massage me. I suggested that she go back to sleep but she quipped, “I’ve slept enough.” She wanted to see if she could help me relax enough to get to sleep. For about an hour her loving hands and fingers released the contracted state of my contracted muscles. It was a little after 5am when she stopped. She then got in bed and held me close. I soon fell asleep.

Although my arm is a constant battle, it had been a little while since it had given me that much trouble. Yet, it is my own fault. I asked for it by not taking the precautions that I know I must take. I was enjoying my time at the races and then with Eileen at school and dinner so much that I threw caution to the wind. My arm is still not in a very happy state today but it is much better. While it is my own fault and I asked for trouble by not taking care of myself, Eileen is the kind of woman who loves me even in my dumbest hours. It’s amazing that she got up at 3:30 am, helped me with my medications, and then massaged me for over an hour. I’m pretty sure I didn’t do anything to deserve her.

A NEW SCHOOL YEAR

It’s Saturday afternoon and I’m sitting in Eileen’s high school classroom writing this blog post. She starts back to school on Monday while the kids come the following week. We came today to get the classroom ready. You may wonder what I’m doing writing if I came to help Eileen. Well, I’m glad you asked. The reason is simply that we’ve already moved all the desks, hooked up all the projectors and electronic media, and reoriented the classroom 90 degrees from the way Eileen has had it for the past several years. Now she is working on things that my contribution is just too many fingers in the process. It appears that the tasks which don’t require too many brain cells or too much brawn are complete!!

So, Monday will begin another year of Eileen teaching high school math. She will teach two honors geometry classes, three regular geometry classes, and one algebra class. Eileen puts her heart into everything she does and I suppose her students would have to look far and wide to find someone who cares as much as she does and who stands before them with as much character. She seeks to do a great job teaching all those students entrusted into her care.

I will miss not having Eileen home as much. We’ve enjoyed the summer together. Eileen will also reconvene her final year of classes for her master’s degree. This fall will be an extra heavy load for her while the spring will be a bit lighter, but the whole year will be busy.

I wish all teachers and students much success in this new school year.

PUBLIC SERVANTS

It’s laughable that Congress calls itself “public servants.” They make more money than most Americans; they have the best insurance plans; they have the best retirement plans; they have the best vacation plans; and they have all kinds of perks and other fringe benefits. That is not a “servant” in my view. In fact, all these taxpayer funded “servants” are greatly insulated from the perils of the real economy. Too many of them have a skewed view of real life in the American economy. Many have been in government most of their lives and have been made wealthy and powerful by government. Thus, they think they (government) are the center of our economy. Even so, while the economy is in crisis, they are on vacation.

There are a lot of people in dire straits right now. If the government can affect good changes to the economy, it seems they’d be burning the candle at both ends to get it done. It gives the appearance that the “servants” have little connection with the plight of millions of Americans. It just seems odd that our “servants” are on vacation while the engines of our economy, businesses, are dying. The goose that lays the golden eggs is being smothered, largely by government, and our “public servants” seem content to watch the asphyxiation while on vacation. It seems like a doctor going on break while his patient is dying. It doesn’t sit too well with me.

MIMIC

It can’t be emphasized enough that the example we set for our children is critical. It may appear to be clever for parents to utter, “Do as I say, not as I do.” However, our example is one of the greatest trainers of human behavior there is, especially in children. While it is cute to watch our granddaughter mimic her parents in everything from walking to talking on the phone, it’s good to note just how much she learns from observing her parents. This observation and mimicking will continue through her whole life. She will be open to learn good or bad traits by watching her parents and others.

While some of our traits are genetically influenced, we seem to never stop mimicking what we see. Some mimic singers and movie actors while others mimic characteristics they find to be funny, lovable, successful, or adorable. We are just natural mimics. This lifelong tendency to mimic is one reason why parents must always act like parents. Our children’s subconscious minds never stop observing and integrating what they see from us. This is especially true as it relates to values, temperament, work ethic, prejudices, character, and faith. Once we have children, the responsibility to set a good and proper example never leaves.

This is the age of all types of partying, cohabitating, and subjective value systems. We see these compromises of traditional moral and ethic values go from generation to generation. While our kids may not compromise themselves in the same way we may have, or even know what we did, they will still compromise themselves in other ways if they observe ethical and moral deficiencies in us.

Even if we have lived the most horrendous life in the past, it is never too late to set a new example for our kids. It may not be as effective as always having a strong life as their example, but setting a life straight is a great testimony to the redemptive powers of man through God. A parent who used to rob convenience stores can still have the moral standing to teach his children that it is wrong.

Life is not lived in a vacuum. We are in constant interaction and influence with those around us, especially with our children who naturally seek to mimic us.

BLOG POSTS

So, can you tell what has been on my mind lately? Well, these blog posts are much more than a discussion about the economy to me. I don’t want my blog to turn into political chatter. However, this is beyond politics. This is real life and a real life tragedy and hardship. This is looking at the problem squarely in the eye. I seek to write my blog about what is right and true, letting the political chips fall where they might. As I alluded to, this is beyond politics. This is about the lives of real people. Further, I continue to write about what is on my mind. In that regard, the plights of so many people who are unemployed and who have lost so much in the stock market are indeed on my mind. It’s one thing for such things to occur in the natural swings of the economy. It’s another thing when the problems are made by the lack of fiscal discipline and the purposeful government centered agenda of those we elect.

Look, a lot of Americans have been doing more than playing by the rules; they’ve gone the extra mile to be responsible in making sure they provide for their financial futures. Yet, through the undisciplined spending of those in Washington and a movement toward government centered economy, their nest eggs have been assaulted and evaporated. Again, they’ve played by the rules but the elected people in Washington have been poor stewards.

President Obama is seemingly impervious to the travails of the economy and the stock market. In fact, he dismisses the volatility of the stock market in most of his remarks and seems to think that it’s the rich who are in the stock market. But that’s not true. Factory workers, government workers, employees, firefighters, and people in general have invested in the stock market, which is investing in the business of America. Yet businesses are afraid of adding employees for the cost of ObamaCare; the rich aren’t buying for fear of taxes; banks are afraid to lend because of onerous Dodd-Frank regulations; and industry is afraid to expand because of carbon taxes and endless new regulations. It’s no wonder the free market economy is suffering. While business is screaming that the government is choking them and the jobs they produce, the government scoffs and keeps growing its own self. The fact that government continues to grow at a torrid pace while the free market stumbles is the design of a government centered economy.

I don’t know what topics the blog will render in the coming days but if these economic posts help increase the economic awareness and activity of those who read it, then it is well worth it. In the meantime, we need to stay strong; educate others; support & elect righteous people, and pray for this nation.

ECONOMIC BATTLE

President Obama blamed the credit downgrade and stock market crisis on the debt ceiling argument in congress. He must be hoping America isn’t paying attention. Both the downgrade and the market losses occurred after the debt ceiling was passed and signed, not during the argument. In other words, the gridlock was over before the downgrade and market collapse occurred. The “credit” downgrade is because we have bad “credit” - - - too much borrowed as compared to our GDP. Further, to blame the Tea Party for the credit downgrade is idiotic. Only in politics, with a complicit media, does the group who fights against raising the overall debt get the blame for the debt getting raised!! The fact is, if it wasn’t for those opposing the increase in our debt, our debt ratio would be even worse.

There is a battle for the economic direction of this country. On one side are those who want the government and its programs to be the center of our economy. On the other side are those who want our traditional free market economy. Both types of economies are masters and they do not work well together. The Bible teaches us that we can’t serve two masters; this is an earthly example. For a government program based economy to exist, the free market economy must decrease. On the other hand, for the free market economy to prosper, the government programs must decrease. There is very little room for them to both coexist without greatly affecting the other. A strong government is the basis of Keynesian Economics which says, “Active government intervention in the marketplace and monetary policy is the best method of ensuring economic growth and stability.”

It is so important to understand that whichever system flourishes, the other system suffers. As we see today, for the government economy to flourish the free market must suffer. How does the free market suffer? It suffers with unemployment, economic stagnation, and stock market weakness etc. I believe that is part of the reason why we are being told to get used to 9-10% unemployment. It’s also the reason for the cold-shouldered government response to the stock market crisis, despite thousands of Americans losing their retirement plans and savings. Again, a weak free market system is the consequence of a strong government program system. In a way then, we can say that all this economic mess is the predictable side-effect of creating a stronger government-centered Keynesian economic system. The leaders who are backing this Keynesian economic system know what happens to the free market system when it is accosted by the Keynesian system. In other words, those wanting a government centered system know that unemployment and stock market turmoil is part of the price to be paid for the switch to government control. Although they perhaps miscalculated the degree of incompatibility of the two economies, they knew the free market must suffer in order to strengthen the government…and suffer it has.

Where does that put us? President Obama and his people are willing for the free market to suffer in order to strengthen their government hand. While we can’t really say all of this economic distress was done on purpose, it was done with foreknowledge and consent. Did you catch that?! Anyone with an ounce of economic knowledge knew that the free market would suffer with unemployment, economic malaise, and stock market calamity to one degree or another as the price to pay for the switch to a government centered economy. They knew it but they thought the price and risk was worth it. It was part of President Obama’s promise to “fundamentally change America.” Again, a government economy and a free market economy are a major clash. One prospers at the expense of the other; one suffers at the expense of the other.

Despite the bad economic times of the past few years, the government has continued to grow at an astounding rate. It continues its outpouring of rules, regulations, and proposed taxes which are stifling business and industry. The move toward a more socialistic economy (government economy) is destroying this nation as we know it. While that is tolerable to those who want to rebuild and transition us into a government centered economy, we must resist the move for the good of America and the world. We are not like any other nation and the attempts to make us as such need to be countered. We shouldn’t throw down our blessings to be trampled upon. We should stand tall and bright as the beacon of freedom for America and for the entire world.

FOREIGN AID

The United States is about to announce another 100 million dollars in aid to Somalia. A top U.S. official said, “Hundreds of thousands of Somali children could die in East Africa's famine unless more help arrives.” I could write what happens to a country’s people when dictators run that country. However, I want to stick to the theme of our economy.

Whether you agree with most foreign aid or not, what will happen to that foreign aid if this country becomes insolvent? It’s not just the American economy that is at dire risk. The whole world and all the aid we give is at risk too. Just because we are the most generous nation to ever exist on this planet, don’t think our recipients are immune from our ineptitude. This has gotten so bad that even countries like China are lecturing us about our debt and its world effect.

Have you ever asked yourself how many countries will be extending us aid if we go off the deep end? There won’t be many. Not only that but if we can’t afford ourselves, who else can afford us?! Who then will step up and provide aid to the world in our stead? China? Russia? Iran?

IN A BIND

Well, I was going to move on from the economy but it looks like the economy is continuing to be an impact player without bounds. I suppose the recent downgrading of American credit is evidence that consequences can happen to the government too. We all know that if you continuously spend more than you have, you will eventually run into financial trouble. The government has escaped it for a long time but has pushed its credit too far this time. Meanwhile, far too many people are still out of work and the economy is having a difficult time gaining any footing.

Not only is all of this a good financial lesson for us, but it is a spiritual lesson too. We tend to take our faith for granted, assuming that we will always have enough faith to draw on. Yet, as life continues to draw and draw from our faith, our spiritual life can run a deficit too. The same is true with our character.

Taking our blessings for granted, whether that is in finances or faith, is a mistake that often has delayed effects. Yet when the effects hit, the consequences can be very hard to deal with and recover from. As bad as the economy may be to recover from, recovery from a faith crisis can be even tougher. We are now at a place to where if we confiscate all the money that billionaires and millionaires make a year (240 billion), we would only have enough money to run the government for three weeks. We don’t have a lot of good options with our government spending. We need to make sure that we don’t also box ourselves in with our spiritual life by taking our faith blessings for granted, or that will become overdrawn as well.

MISSISSIPPI

We are in Mississippi, a little over three hours from home, at our granddaughter (Lindsay) [and her parent’s] house!! We drove up just after lunch on Friday. I’m writing this on Saturday afternoon. The girls just headed to the store and the boys are out in the woods. I’m here alone with a sleeping Lindsay. So, I decided I’d write my blog post until she wakes up and then I’ll get some extra one-on-one time with her.

Yesterday evening, my sons and I went to our son’s place of work to fly on one of the navy simulators. The simulator is of the Navy T-45 Goshawk jet. There was a “winging” ceremony earlier in the day where new pilots got their aviator wings, so the simulators were empty early in the day. Other times we’ve gone we’ve waited until all the pilots got finished flying them before we went, which was usually after 11pm.

Time out: Lindsay woke up. There was a baby monitor sitting on the table next to me. I went in and got Lindsay and everything went well until I went to change her diaper. With pretty well one functioning hand, diaper changes are a real challenge once babies get to the squirming age. After a little bit of tussling and a few tears shed by Lindsay, we got finished. Well, the baby monitor also has a breathing sensor alarm that was sounding that I couldn’t figure out. I unplugged it but it has a battery backup. Finally I figured out that the cute little angel wings on the monitor were switches. After Lindsay and I got that all figured out, I gave her a snack. We then headed outside into the heat for a walk. Afterwards, we went back into the house to get some air conditioning. I put Lindsay down to play but she wasn’t real keen on the idea. So, I picked her back up. We walked around for a little bit before heading back outside. After walking down the road a little ways, I noticed the boys coming out of the woods. So, we headed over there. Lindsay had a great big smile and yelp when she saw her daddy. I kept holding her though and she stayed happy. Soon the girls came home and so I headed to the house. Lindsay was greatly happy to see her mommy too. Now things are back to normal and I’m back to the blog.

Anyway, we flew the T-45 simulator late into the night making both land and aircraft carrier takeoffs and landings. We had a great time although we did crash a few times. I missed the airport one time and tried to land on a nearby interstate. It went well until the very end. It’s amazing how realistic these simulators are. I started to get airsick while watching my younger son do rolls etc. It was great fun.

Before going for today, I want to mention that I was quite saddened to learn about the loss of so many troops who were shot down in Afghanistan. It was the single deadliest incident in the Afghan war. Although this is tragic, military deaths have been on the increase lately especially in Iraq. Our military is filled with amazing people who risk their lives for the American ideals that we are often too lax to appreciate. Finally, regardless of your political striping, you’d have to admit that military deaths, poverty, homelessness, and AIDS are generally mainly splashed in front of us when a republican is in the oval office. Otherwise, the news media keeps them at a low profile. Anyway, the point is that the military deaths have been ongoing and we owe a lot of families a great debt of gratitude.

LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Some may think that my recent blog posts sound a bit like an alarmist. However, look at the stock market and the new debt load now being 100% of GDP - - - 100% of all the goods and services this nation produces. Now, did you see the latest economic news? According to the U.S Department of Agriculture, 15% of Americans relied on food stamps in May. That is both astonishing and sad for this country and its people.

While some people continue to cry at the slightest mention of government cuts, at some point the realization must surely be made: We can’t continue like this. We can’t continue to have so many Americans out of work because we have an economy too fragile to take them on. President Obama’s stated desire to have us become no different than the rest of the world must be rebuked. Putting more people under the auspices of the government is not only breaking the will and spirit of American independence and entrepreneurialism, but it is also breaking our financial solvency too. We are not Europe and we are not the rest of the world. We are a divinely blessed nation: The United States of America.

Regardless of whatever government program you may be benefitting from, you could face the choice of either having it cut or having the nation default…and then your program eliminated. We can no longer say cut the other guy’s program but leave mine alone. This country has borrowed so much money to fund everyone’s programs that the debt is crippling every aspect of the economy.

Not only has this nation needed a spiritual revival for many years, it now consequently needs an Americana revival too. In the same way that we need to get back to the basics of our faith, we need to get back to the basics of Americanism. This nation was blessed as a light on hill for all nations but we are seeking to be as dark as much of the rest of the world. We need to stand up and be counted for who we are meant to be. It takes moral courage and discipline… the very things we have faltered on as a spiritual people and as an economic nation, but stand we must as the light of the world.

THE FAA DEBACLE

Over 4,000 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA )workers have been furloughed and another 70,000 airport construction workers are sidelined because of a legislative impasse in Washington. The FAA bill was passed over two weeks ago by the House and has been sitting in the Senate. The Senate’s objection to the bill is over two provisions. Rather than vote it up or down, the Senate is crying for the House to come back and rewrite the bill in a “clean” way that the Senate leadership would like.

The first objectionable provision in the bill is that it cuts 16 million dollars in subsidies for small airports. For example, the airport in Ely, Nevada receives $3,720 per ticket in subsidies. Further, each airport that would receive this subsidy cut has a larger airport within 90 miles. As one representative said, “"If we're having this fight over $16 million in subsidies, how are they going to get trillions (of dollars in cuts) from government?” That’s a good question. After the debt ceiling was raised, the government quickly borrowed more money taking our borrowing up to 100% of GDP. We can’t keep going like this. It’s not a matter of what makes good sense any longer; it’s a matter of solvency.

The other objectionable provision is one that overturns a National Mediation Board rule approved last year that allows airline employees to form a union by a simple majority of those voting. Under the old rule, the union had to get a majority of the workers, not just those voting. In other words, workers who didn't vote were counted as "no" votes. The democrats continue to push for increased union power. Meanwhile, not only are corporate taxes driving businesses overseas, but so are unions. Besides the good that unions once served and possibly may serve today, one thing is for sure: They drive up labor costs. When labor costs get so high that a company can’t compete on a global market, it finds cheaper labor overseas or in Mexico. Labor costs are the greatest cost to most businesses. To maintain their profit margin, companies increase the cost of their goods in compensation to higher wages. Thus higher wages are inflationary. It becomes a vicious cycle. Wages go up; soon the cost of products follows; thus the cost of living is higher, and now workers want higher wages because of the higher cost of living. It’s craziness. Anyway, why are the airlines against unions? Simply, they can’t afford them. Can America afford them these days?

So, Congress is on recess for the rest of the month while the FAA bill languishes in the Senate. Meanwhile, the government has been losing about 30 million dollars a day in uncollected airline ticket taxes since the shutdown began on July 23^rd. That’s when the FAA’s operating authority ended. So, while the shutdown is costing 74,000 jobs and 30 million dollars a day, Congress is on recess. That is just one sign that things need fundamental change in Washington.

I have one other comment. It takes 4,000 people to run the FAA? We’re not talking about the airlines here. We’re talking just to run the FAA. I suppose it reflects the ugly fact that 608 new government (not just FAA) regulations were put into place in July alone. No wonder the government is so big. In addition, it takes 70,000 construction people to work 200 airline construction jobs? No wonder we see so many union construction guys standing around.

WORTH A THOUGHT

The percent of people paying NO taxes in America is nearly 50% (47%). Yet, they partake in roads, bridges, buildings, and other infrastructures along with benefits of having police, military, schools, public safety, and other government programs and services. The list goes on. It’s bad enough that only 50% of us are paying for the other 50%. To me though, there is something worse. These people also vote.

Who do they vote for? They vote for politicians and the party which keeps taxing those who pay taxes so as to redistribute the money to those who don’t pay taxes. During the discourse of debt and tax debate, of course these people are for higher taxes. Other people pay the taxes and they reap the benefits!! It’s quite possible that 50% of those entering a voting booth pay no taxes, and they vote for people who will raise taxes on the “rich” so as to enrich their government benefits.

We now have a system in which the top 25% of wage earners pay 86% of the income taxes. The upper 50% pay 97% of the taxes while the top 1% pays 39% of the taxes (In contrast to 1980, the top 1% paid 19% of the taxes). Again, that leaves 47% who pay no income taxes. The top earners keep paying more and we keep paying more, while the rest pay none of the tax burden.

Not only are the taxpayers tired of being targeted for everyone’s government and personal wish list, but I can imagine that the top earners are becoming a bit resentful of having to pay for everyone else. I must say that I’d like to be one of the top earners to see if I’d become resentful too!! Anyway, meanwhile, many politicians play on our natural human tendency toward envy, greed, and covetousness as they maintain the constant chorus to go after the “rich.” In reality, it’s the non-taxpayers going after the taxpayers again and again.

When this country reaches the point where over half the voters don’t pay taxes, which we are currently perilously close to right now, we will be on a fast track to follow the Roman Empire. A taxpaying minority can’t sustain the rest of a population for very long. Yet, that is exactly what will happen if we don’t stop the political class warfare. If the tax burden isn’t more widely shared and more evenly distributed, combined with cutting our expenses, we will be such a top heavy taxed society that we will topple.

Non taxpaying citizens must stop voting for politicians who continuously promise them more and more program and service benefits. It is sooooooooo self-serving to vote yourself benefits that others have to pay for. Besides the ethical and moral question it raises, with an aging population and fewer younger taxpayers, we are reaching an untenable position. Just think of how it would change who occupies the Whitehouse and the composition of Congress if only taxpayers voted. It would revolutionize the country and the scope of government. It’s worth a thought…

DONE DEAL

The deal to raise the debt ceiling is done. The Washington Post’s lead story screamed that the cuts were “sharp” and “severe.” However, and please read these words carefully, there are no cuts to federal spending. I repeat: There are no cuts to federal spending. Remember the Baseline Budgeting we talked about yesterday? There are automatic eight to ten percent increases built into every program. The new debt ceiling bill reduces the increase by about one percent; there are no actual cuts to the programs, only a one percent reduction in their increases. In Washington, that is a “sharp” and “severe” cut.

Furthermore, the deal continues to add to the deficit, a deficit that we couldn’t afford before. Now we will be borrowing even more money. In Sen. Jim DeMint’s words, “This bill doesn’t cut the debt; it will add about $7 trillion in new debt over the next ten years on the backs of our children and grandchildren. This bill doesn’t stop deficit spending; it locks in trillion dollar spending deficits for years to come. This bill doesn’t stop tax hikes; Republicans and Democrats are already promising to consider job destroying tax hikes in this new Super Committee. This bill doesn’t protect our nation; it puts national security at risk with unbalanced cuts to funding (that) our troops in the field count on. This bill doesn’t guarantee our AAA rating; it puts it at further risk as the world sees Washington as incapable of cutting wasteful spending.”

Nevertheless, there are some real cuts occurring; they are in the Defense Department. Congress isn’t doing it but President Obama, through the Defense Secretary, has ordered the military to cut its budget. Despite currently fighting three wars, even the most hawkish military people agree that there is too much waste in the Pentagon. Yet, there is something about the debt ceiling deal that really bothers me. If the super-committee can’t reach agreement, then across the board cuts will be made in entitlements and the military. If indiscriminate cuts can be made in the military, then make them already. In fact, that is already being done. The point is though; do we make military cuts as punishment for not reaching a deal? Doesn’t more thought go into defense spending and cuts than that? Are not military dollars still regarded as the highest value dollars we spend? For sure, all dollars are not created equal.

If I was a betting man, I’d bet that most of the people reading this blog don’t know of all the military cuts that have been transpiring. It’s as if congress doesn’t know it either for it to put the military on the same chopping block as everything else. Besides the obvious national defense threats that this nation continues to face, and our need to be able to face any threat, there is another interesting aspect to the military cuts. It’s odd that not a word is spoken when defense cuts are made and thousands of military factory workers, servicemen, and support personnel lose their jobs. But make those same cuts to a different government program and you’ll again hear the weeping and gnashing of teeth.

A POLITICAL CONUNDRUM

This country is in a political conundrum. We can’t afford all the programs the government has but no one wants to cut any of them or raise taxes. The main problem is that the government has too many programs and funds too many needless projects. However, to the recipients of those monies, they are their lifeblood for financial existence. Any cut to those who have become dependent upon the government evokes the weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Another problem is what defines a cut in Washington. With baseline budgeting, an eight to ten percent increase is built into every program. Therefore, if a line item is only increased by four percent, then it is decried as a four to six percent cut, even though there was an actual four percent increase. Not even these Washington types of “cuts” can be done without the hue and cry of foul play.

A third problem is that Washington operates like the worst credit card abusers among us. They spend to the point where the interest on the debt is as big of a problem as the original debt. Washington should be stalwarts of fiscal responsibility. Instead, they spend as much as they need to in order to keep vocal constituents happy, regardless of its fiscal prudence. As the whining of those who want “free money” from the government reaches fevered levels, our representatives in Washington do what keeps these people from being upset with them: Award them with money.

It seems that too many politicians are more concerned with their own electability than they are with what is the right thing to do. It’s hard to grasp the manner in which they are so financially irresponsible in a way that no citizen can afford to be. Yet, they feel trapped. If they do the right thing and be responsible, making real or Washington-type “cuts,” they fear the backlash of the electorate. As an example, a lot of politicians believe that cuts need to be made to the Medicaid program. The program subsidizes too many able-bodied Americans. Because of the backlash of such a cut though, most politicians will never vote to do what they believe. They don’t want to put their jobs in jeopardy. Thus that which is politically expedient trumps that which is financially responsible. It leaves us in a real political conundrum.

CONSUMING ECONOMY

Eileen and I had set a savings goal that once we reached it we would do some bathroom revisions. Even though we reached that goal, I suggested to Eileen that we wait until we see what this economy is going to do. She agreed. Thus we are contributing to the very problem that is stifling this nation.

This nation’s economy is a consuming economy. That’s to say that our economy is dependent upon people buying (consuming) goods and services. Stores, shops, businesses, factories, and even hospitals can hire people only if other people purchase goods and services from them. If they don’t make “sales,” then people get laid off or terminated. The more demand there is for products and services, the more people get hired to meet that demand. The health of our economy needs and people’s jobs depend upon others consuming goods and services.

And so, people need our bathroom revision to take place but we can’t put our own status in jeopardy to make that happen. This very scenario is what is happening throughout this nation. Businesses and consumers aren’t consuming right now because of the uncertainty of the economy. Everyone is hunkering down in anticipation of hard times continuing, or worse times ahead.

Some people think that an answer to our problems is to raise taxes so that the government can have more money. We all know that the government never has enough money and it always spends everything it gets, and then some. That’s why we have a debt ceiling crisis right now. Yet, giving the government more money to spend doesn’t cause consumers to have the confidence required to spend. Thus the demand for non-essential products remains weak. Increasing taxes on the “rich” who are the ones who control the job market and are the only ones spending discretionary income in a bad economy seems quite counterproductive. This is not a time for class-envy or coveting our neighbor’s goods.

Washington and its subjects need to temper its lust for money. Its appetite is so veracious and out of control that it borrows 40 cents of every dollar it spends. The government doesn’t come close to living within its means. That scares businesses because the government always goes after them for more revenues. When the government increases the businesses’ cost of doing business, the businesses pass it on to the consumer. In an economy where consumers are already skittish about buying, increased prices make matters worse. Without the necessary sales, businesses don’t hire and the whole adverse economic cycle keeps going.

It seems reasonable to me that this is the worst time for the government to be taking money out of people’s pockets. Businesses need the money to hire and expand while consumers need the money to consume and make the whole system work. The big problem is that we keep mixing socialistic government concepts with free market principles. It’s like mixing oil and water. The more dominant the government is, the more it chokes the free market system. Our economy is dependent upon the consuming of goods and services.

The economy and people’s jobs needs all of us to make bathroom revisions, home revisions, car purchases, washers & dryer purchases, and such. Meanwhile, we need the government to get out of the way by first getting its house in order.