It's Time

IT's TIME TO THINK ABOUT CHRISTMAS

I know times are tough and people are rethinking their Christmas plans, but in a way I think it may be healthy. Let’s face it, we’ve all let our Christmas card lists get to long, we send cards to people we don’t even know, because they sent us a card last year. We send gifts to people we don’t really know, just to extend our circle of friends. It just seems to get out of control, step by step, and it seems that now that we’re all aware of the economy, and a little worried about the future, we’re reviewing our Christmas and actually thinking about what we’re doing, we’re realizing who and what is important to us.

                In our family, we’ve cut back on the presents to extended family, let’s face it, a lot of the time, you give and get things that don’t make any sense. You have no idea what the other person has or needs, and they’re in the same position with you. We made a pact with these people to donate in their names to Habitat for Humanity. It serves two purposes, it helps the needy and it lessens our guilt. My wife has been baking cakes and cookies to share with her friends, and work mates. They all seem to enjoy that more than some little trinket.

                We talked with our grown kids and asked them to make us something, and we’ve given them gift cards to use. All three are out of the house, and working to make it on their own, so hopefully, the cards will help them with their needs. Also, asking for something home -made challenges them, and will also keep their credit card balances under control. I think every parent worries about our children’s financial situation, so again less Holiday guilt.

                We went through the Christmas card list and if we don’ feel like we have a connection with them, they’re gone. I think that this will delete about a third of the Christmas card list.

                My wife and I decided on filling Christmas Stockings for each other, and we decided on a group gift, a new Blu-Ray DVD player. Again, it was something we wanted, and Christmas was a great excuse to get it, I’m one of those guys that hold out on buying gadgets until they have been thoroughly debugged. I’d have waited until 2025 if I had my way, waiting for the last improvement. Of course, I’m still using a pager, I’m waiting for the cell phone, computer, TV combo to be perfected.

                The outcome of all these changes are that we have a lot less stress this year. I feel like we’ve actually taken the time to realize the real meaning of Christmas, and we’ve helped others in the process. Of course, I hope the retailers are able to survive.

GOOD LUCK

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

IT'S TIME TO CHANGE POLITICS

                I can’t believe it has happened again. Another politician is indicted for malfeasance in office. Another Governor goes to jail. Isn’t it time that we stop standing and accepting the fact that we expect politicians to be on the edge of being crooked. Why does this happen?
                It seems that as politicians climb the ladder of office, they have to raise more money to campaign, and that means that they have to make deals to get the money. They get in to office and people are coming to them with requests for things that they need for themselves or for people they represent. They can’t give the politician money directly, but they can come up with creative ways to funnel money to them. They can give family or friends a job; they can give money to foundations that the politician has set up or many other ways to get money to them.  The politicians have written the laws in such a way that these schemes are barely legal.

                I think the first thing that needs to happen is that political campaigns need to be publically financed. The campaigns need to be shortened to 4-6 weeks so expenses can be cut. I realize this will cost media outlets millions of dollars, well too bad. We need to take the money out of politics and this would certainly help.

                We need to have our legislators stop trying to find ways to skirt the issues and they need to put hard and fast rules on what is right and wrong in office. If a legislator is indicted, they need to be put on leave and lose any control over lawmaking until their case is closed.  We aren’t finding guilt, they just sit it out until they are cleared, or convicted.

                I’ve never been a proponent of term limits because I’ve always felt that it was our responsibility as voters to decide, good people shouldn’t be kept out of office just because they’ve reached a certain amount of time in office, but I’m beginning to change my mind. We have people who go in to politics right out of school, and never get out of the system. These people move from office to office never having an outside job, they depend on friends and supporters to help them stay in office and to help them pay their bills. I realize we don’t pay politicians enough, but then we don’t expect them to steal to stay in office.

                We need to solve these problems and we need to do it quickly. People have little respect for government as of now, and it isn’t going to get better until we make it better ourselves. We need to stop complaining and make the changes we need. We can’t accept this level of service from our politicians.

GOOD LUCK

IT'S TIME TO CHANGE POLITICS

I can’t believe it has happened again. Another politician is indicted for malfeasance in office. Another Governor goes to jail. Isn’t it time that we stop standing and accepting the fact that we expect politicians to be on the edge of being crooked. Why does this happen?
                It seems that as politicians climb the ladder of office, they have to raise more money to campaign, and that means that they have to make deals to get the money. They get in to office and people are coming to them with requests for things that they need for themselves or for people they represent. They can’t give the politician money directly, but they can come up with creative ways to funnel money to them. They can give family or friends a job; they can give money to foundations that the politician has set up or many other ways to get money to them.  The politicians have written the laws in such a way that these schemes are barely legal.

                I think the first thing that needs to happen is that political campaigns need to be publically financed. The campaigns need to be shortened to 4-6 weeks so expenses can be cut. I realize this will cost media outlets millions of dollars, well too bad. We need to take the money out of politics and this would certainly help.

                We need to have our legislators stop trying to find ways to skirt the issues and they need to put hard and fast rules on what is right and wrong in office. If a legislator is indicted, they need to be put on leave and lose any control over lawmaking until their case is closed.  We aren’t finding guilt, they just sit it out until they are cleared, or convicted.

                I’ve never been a proponent of term limits because I’ve always felt that it was our responsibility as voters to decide, good people shouldn’t be kept out of office just because they’ve reached a certain amount of time in office, but I’m beginning to change my mind. We have people who go in to politics right out of school, and never get out of the system. These people move from office to office never having an outside job, they depend on friends and supporters to help them stay in office and to help them pay their bills. I realize we don’t pay politicians enough, but then we don’t expect them to steal to stay in office.

                We need to solve these problems and we need to do it quickly. People have little respect for government as of now, and it isn’t going to get better until we make it better ourselves. We need to stop complaining and make the changes we need. We can’t accept this level of service from our politicians.

GOOD LUCK