We’ve Lost Our Compass.
January 1st, 2009 Categories: Neighbor Helping Neighbor
Today is the first of the year and I am sitting here musing and like many trying to figure out what went wrong with the year 2008.
It then came to me that we have lost our bearings.
Our problems are decades old and as citizens we have become complacent with the goings on especially when it comes to our institutions.
It is certainly an unraveling feeling when one realizes that the political world has become a haven for the inept. It appears to be a “good old boy network” where connections are more important than doing the work and seeing to the needs of U. S. citizens.
2008 simply has shown that we have been screwing things up for quite some time and we have been taught some lessons with more to come.
Citizens are beginning to recognize that there are only a few people who control and manage the U.S. economy. And these people take actions for political and connection purposes rather than improving and expanding this country’s ideals and enriching individuals.
The citizendry may be wishing and looking forward to a redistribution of wealth in this country. When people think they will get something for free they lose their bearings and it becomes a fetish of “I want more” without consequences. Unfortunately when redistribution is tried the wealthy get wealthier and the poor get poorer. The middle class shrinks.
Many wish not to recognize that our basic institutions have failed US citizens. Be it the Courts, Credit and Bank Institutions, Congressional System or whatever other system you wish to add, they have failed us. These institutions are proving to be as greedy or greedier than the private sector. Again we all saw this for decades but chose to ignore it because it did not impact “me”. If things that we hear and see today were undertaken in the private sector most if not all of the people would be dismissed.
Enron can be viewed as a poster model of excellence when compared to the United States House and Senate and various State legislative bodies. We as a people have placed low expectations on our selves and have become willing accomplices in institutional, governmental and political mediocrity. Illinois and Nevada are examples of how politics works.
Today many think that Government is the savior and willingly give their souls to have government bail them out. There is a thought process that no one can fail and any number of excuses are created to justify government institutionalization of our commerce.
The impact is all around us. It is evident in the government sponsored real estate market started in the 1990’s (a house in every pot).
The associated credit impact we now experience is due to government mis-management.
And the elected people in government who created this mess, now are charged with creating legislation to increase and hold their government flight of fancy. And the United States citizens accept this garbage without complaint. We have put the fox in charge of protecting the chickens.
Recently I heard a “learned professor” outline the great economy of Cuba. People in Cuba are waiting for their government to make them well off. Well nothing constructive has occurred in Cuba for 50 or more years (because, in his opinion, of the United States stand against Castro). It should come as no surprise that it will be another 50 or more years before the Cubans recognize that their government won’t do anything for them.
Venezuela was another great country he suggested that we emulate. I recall my mother telling me that at times “learned people seemingly become so smart that they end up sounding, looking and acting like the stupidest people in the world”.
This “learned individual” also noted how great the health care system was in Canada and suggested that we copy their system. Well from what I hear one has to wait months if not years for an operations in Canada. It is no mystery that Canadians come to the United States for critical operations. So it is beyond me what Canada can offer in the health care system.
In California I recently read of an individual who felt that more money had to be directed to the school system. 60% of this States budget plus how much more from the lottery goes to education. If education were given 100% of the States budget it still would not be enough and the system would remain inferior.
In the 1960’s and 1970’s US Custom agents were being prematurely retired because they would do the right thing and round up illegals. However meat packing plant owners and farmers/ranchers would contact their Congressman or Senator and tell them to stop the raids on their establishments. The Custom agent would then be reassigned or retired to pacify these business and political entities. Today we still have illegals and no one really cares. In many communities there is still the wink, wink when it comes to this problem.
My dad was born in Switzerland; my mother in Ireland. I recall my dad telling me of the hurdles that he had to go through to get into this country. He was 16 when he arrived here and at that time he needed to prove that he had a job and $ 100 in his pocket plus all of the other procedural items to become a citizen.
But he as well as my mother did what they had to do to become citizens. It was their aspiration to do well in this country. Dad spoke German and his English was limited but he focused on learning English. My mother passed away when I was young but my step-mother was German and both parents made it a point that they would speak English to the kids. It was the thing to do in their new home land.
This drive by my parents to become citizens of the United States isn’t as readily evident today by people who come to this country today (often illegally). Today it’s the thing to use our Country simply to get money to send home to their own country. Illegals do not want to become citizens and have been schooled to think they have a right to use our resources in order to better themselves and family’s in their own land. We’ve done a flip-flop.
As a people we are complacent and have allowed ourselves to be used. Recently I read where Gale Sayers (I think it was he) wrote in his book that he kept his perspective by recognizing that there was a God, there were others that he had to serve and then their was him.
Today people see only themselves. There is no God and no others. Yes our children will inherit a great debt but we also leave them the worse of ethics and morals that one generation can give to another.
It was not long ago that a persons word meant something. A handshake was a contract. Today even if written, contracts are challenged as being no contracts. Our legal system and the people who work and use this system have change the rules so that in effect there are no rules.
Connections now are the key to getting things done and at what cost? Re-visit the real estate and mortgage markets and you have an introduction to connections.
Your comments are welcomed.
