America: Land of the multiple cars

In consideration that automobiles cost a lot of money and that they take up space, one would generally think that people would only own cars that they are going to basically use, but that isn’t true, at all. There are plenty of families and people that own more than one car per household member, and while this might well make sense for those that have lots of money, or more than one home; what we do so find is that in certain areas of a given enclave, in which, that enclave seems to be somewhat rundown, that some of these people clearly own more than one car, of which, none of the cars seem to be all that spectacular, as well as there being cars that give every indication of being abandoned, yet those cars remain there on their property, day in and day out.

The primary reason why this is so is not going to be something practical, such as having one vehicle for going to work, and another car for going to a really nice event, but seems to be, in many a case, a situation in which cars are just adopted over time, and once owned, the people that own them, are not desiring to let them go. Perhaps they see these cars as being valued backups to their main vehicle, or they represent an investment to be occasionally worked on, and perhaps too there is the dream to one day fix a given car up, to make it look real good, and so on.

Yet, probably, the most reasonable explanation as to why so many people who don’t have a lot of capital, but have their own property, which has room enough to store cars, is the very fact that because they own their property, along with the salient fact that the annual registration of vehicles is typically inexpensive, collect these cars because the cost of ownership is quite low, and they might well use these cars for something, at some future date.

Additionally, there is the fact that the structure of a vehicle, can last for quite a long time, and because cars are in this modern age so damn expensive, it might even make sense to collect a bunch of cars, that don’t really cost a dime, as spares, in case the main car breaks down or gets into an accident because, for a certainty, cars aren’t getting any cheaper. So too, just the ownership of a car provides for some people, a source of pride, in which, though a given vehicle might not be driven, it could be bragged upon, or seen as a project that might be addressed at some future point.

Finally, some people have a tendency to accumulate things, or as a favor to a friend, to store things for them, and once a vehicle is parked, it just seems to become part of the landscape, never really to be noticed, because back in the day when land was a lot cheaper, home lots were a lot bigger and because cars have value and are visible, it’s a way to demonstrate to others, that they own things of value, or are seen as having value, such as a car.

The democratic vote: isn’t all that

At the founding of the United States of America, voting was basically only held in the hands of land-owning males, of which, presently, we find that the vote is now in the hands of just about anyone who is of legal age, which therefore includes women, minorities, and essentially everyone. One would think that property-owning males would vote differently than other groups of people, and we do so find that this is true, and in consideration that there are far more people who are non-property-holding individuals, it would seem logical to believe that never has there been a better time for democracy and the democratic vote because that vote is truly held in the hands of the people, which would signify that their desires would thus be met.

Yet, even though so many are eligible to vote, of which, a significant percentage of those people do vote, when we look around at this nation’s laws, legislation, equality, fairness, and opportunity, it has to be admitted that just having the vote, doesn’t seem to make all that much difference. Indeed, never have so few had so much in material assets, of which, we can’t ignore the salient fact that not only is there a huge subsection of Americans that are in poverty, but there also is a significant percentage of Americans that pretty much live paycheck to paycheck, and have no savings, whatsoever, in their bank account.

This doesn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense, because America in aggregate, is the wealthiest nation in the world. Still, the distribution of that wealth doesn’t seem to reflect a healthy democracy, but rather seems to reflect a democracy that doesn’t have any real power, and therefore those with the democratic vote, aren’t effecting much meaningful change, whatsoever. This thus signifies that all those who clamor about how important it is to vote upon this or upon that, and how every vote matters, are either delusional, or simply unable to see America for what it truly is, which is a nation of the few that have everything that could be imagined and then some, with an impoverished lower class that has nothing, and a middle class, once healthy, that is now typically uneasy and overextended.

So then, the only fair conclusion that can be drawn from the preceding is that those who are the power brokers and the power makers of America have clearly figured out a way that voting doesn’t much matter. Therefore, this often hidden power can insert itself into everything of import within America, so that they can continue to ride high, at the expense of ordinary Americans. This means that those who truly want change, and therefore want their voice to count, need to understand, that simply having the democratic vote is not nearly good enough, but rather, they need to find a way to both diminish the unelected power that suppresses them, while also seizing that power into their own hands, for the good and benefit of the people, in whole.

Divide and conquer

It is somewhat surprising that even though so many countries are democratic in nature, that they are effectively controlled oftentimes by a small cabal, and that therefore what the people desire, should it be in conflict with what those elites desire, won’t therefore come into effect. The reason why a small fraction of the population can control an entire nation has a lot to do with employing the strategy of dividing the people, and through that division, maintaining one’s control of them, and therefore essentially conquering them.

The fact that so many consistently vote against their own interests is amazing, followed by the fact, that there are a multitude of laws, that are unequally applied, signifying that the government through its law enforcement can pretty much arrest anyone that they have been instructed to target, done under some dubious charge, of which, the people, are going to be fearful that this thus might well happen to them. So too, when the policing force of the nation doesn’t ever answer to the common man, but rather answers to those that empower that force, then the people are going to tend to be more compliant than they would desire to be, because of that fear of punishment.

Still, because there are so few that have so much, and so many that have not enough, it doesn’t seem to make sense that the change that the people desire, doesn’t seem to happen all that often. The reason that this is so, is those that who hold power are quite adept at exploiting differences between people, regarding their racial characteristics, background, education, religion, wealth, employment, and so on. Those who control the power levers of society do this because they correctly perceive that they are seriously outnumbered, but by seeding dissent between parties that would logically be joining together, they can repeatedly keep down those that should unite, from uniting.

Indeed, the change that we see in any nation, seldom comes from the ground up, though that does help, but rather typically comes from a powerful leader, who insists that something needs to be changed, and has a powerful faction in their control, that thus implements such, and if necessary, thereby relaxes the hand that would normally divide the people, to bring them together, for a time, but not for long, because whenever a nation has an elite that owns a gargantuan size of the nation’s wealth, they cannot afford to allow the people to remain united for long, because their very power could eventually be assailed.

To divide and conquer is a tactic that has been around forever, and will continue to exist, as long as humankind believes that their own aggrandizement is more important than doing the right thing by the society that they are a member of. Those then that have power want to keep the people uneasy, and at one another, because their weakness is necessary for their continued strength, and if that should ever change, society would be all the better, because those that are united in a good purpose, would reap a much healthier harvest, that would be more equally distributed.

The right to dissent

There seems to be a commonly held belief of those who are our leaders, whether in government, corporations, or of orthodox society, that those who dissent from the prevailing view of the age, are somehow a danger to the community, at large. In other words, all those who protest, in one form or another, are therefore directly targeted as enemies of the state, or as an undesired agency that should be monitored, infiltrated, and eventually neutralized to the best of the ability of those who do not see dissent as any legitimate right, whatsoever.

It isn’t so much that dissent is always feared, though it often is, rather it has a lot to do with the status quo not wanting to budge an inch because that status quo is quite satisfied with the way things are. Yet, just because one segment of society is satisfied, does not justify that other segments of that same society, should not have a fair opportunity to have their say. Still, we find that dissenting voices are often marginalized, ignored, or suppressed.

The great contradiction that countries such as the United States have in the suppression of dissent, is that within its own Constitution, is ingrained the right to free speech and to free assembly, but it seems that the powers that be, aren’t interested in those rights being freely expressed, whatsoever. Indeed, the attitude of our governance today seems to be consistent with what the attitude was of the British Empire, of which, those who were the colonists of this land and did not have an effective voice within that British government, determined that through their dissent of words and actions, they would thus fight for their right to independence.

This would presuppose that America has forgotten its very roots, and while it celebrates its revolution with fireworks and parades on Independence Day, each year, it doesn’t seem to understand that this government is supposed to be of, for, and by the people, with those same people being entitled to having a fair voice, as part and parcel of having freedom, and that these rights are the people’s rights per their Constitution.

In consideration, that not everyone thinks the same, and further to the point, it is better for society to embrace the diversity of free-thinking individuals – we find that governments and the powerful entities that are aligned with that government, don’t seem to care so much for dissent, of which, that dissent often represents the exposure of an inconvenient truth, exposed by those that disagree with the prevailing orthodoxy, which is seemingly perceived by powerful personages as not being good for business, and in consideration that the business of America is business, this is a seminal reason why those that dissent are typically seen as entities which are not welcomed.

The fact of the matter is that our Constitutional rights are only as good as they can be executed within the society that we are members of, and those that are on the side of suppressing dissent, are the very same, that are themselves, not in conformance with that Constitution, and thereby are in betrayal of our right to freely express ourselves, so done via dissent.

Pursue service, above all

There are a lot of people that can’t really figure out what they should or ought to be working on, regarding their life’s purpose or their personal goals. To live in this modern age presents challenges of all sorts, of which, one of those seminal challenges is the feeling that so many have, that they must at least, at a minimum, keep up with the Joneses. Regrettably, those who think that way have not only set their sights upon a target that is far too low, but more importantly, don’t seem to understand that this world is a proving ground, and what we are supposed to prove is whether or not, we are going to be just about ourself, or whether we will recognize that there has to be a higher purpose in life, than simply taking care of our own supposed needs and desires.

While it may well feel quite good to do that which gives us pleasure or brings us some degree of satisfaction, it isn’t going to in the scheme of things, bring us that lasting satisfaction, when our pursuit is simply trying to get our fair share of the material things and the accouterments that go with such, as the driving goal of our life. We are meant to lift our heads up and to try to figure out our good purpose in life, and that which leans toward selfishness and self-aggrandizement isn’t going to be the correct or best choice. Indeed, the better choice is to find that which provides a valuable service to not only those that we congregate with but also to do our best to uphold the good values of our Creator, by our good actions and good deeds.

To believe, somehow, that we are meant to be part and parcel of an unending rat race, is to clearly miss our good purpose in life, for an endless race, such as that, should be properly seen as a distraction, and should not be recognized as the prime purpose of our life. It is important for each one of us to recognize that pursuing that which is temporal at its core, is not going to be the best usage of our abilities. Rather, we are meant, to take in what the meaning of life really is, and when we comprehend such, we will better understand that this world is designed to test our character, through the adventures and misadventures that our life entails. Those then, who ignore this sage advice are the very same that though they think they are making progress, are more accurately just spinning their wheels. Instead, we are meant to comprehend that we are all in this together, and only when we work together, towards a noble goal, will we collectively make the progress that we need to accomplish, so as to truly make society a better place for not only our participation in it, but also because when given the choice between service or selfishness, we chose the better path, and in doing that, this thus makes all the difference.

There is a natural law above all humankind’s laws

There are plenty of people who believe that one should “obey the law,” which sounds quite straightforward and might even make sense if governance was consistently in accordance with natural law, but history tells us, that governments are often corrupt, wrong-headed, and discriminatory to those that they govern. Indeed, there are all sorts of laws that modern-day sensibilities tell us that these previous laws were wrong, such as in the slavery of fellow human beings, but this was the law of that time, and therefore those that were in obedience to that law, were said to be in conformance with the law; whereas, those that did not obey that law, were seen to be lawbreakers.  Therefore, for a certainty, humankind's laws which are always subject to change, or misinterpretation, or are fundamentally wrong should not be the prevailing law that one should obey.  Indeed, the only laws worth obeying without question could only be that which is natural law, of which, natural law is defined as being in conformance with the ethical law imprinted upon our minds by our Creator.

 The peace and justice that so many people and the governments of those people clamor for can only come forth from a system of ethical laws, in conjunction with justice equally applied, that are together in conformity with sound moral principles, of which, these principles are not subject to change, because they are universal laws, respecting that the Lawgiver, cannot ever be in error.  Of course, there are going to be many a person, or governance, that claims this or that, as being what the law should or ought to be, but a sound law, is a law that is not only true and fair, but true and fair for all-time, which signifies that it must be universally applicable, no respecter of persons, and consistent with enlightenment, above all.

 Our duty, as human beings, is to be in conformance with natural law, as well as to adhere to that natural order which we have been created to recognize and to be obedient to, and live therefore to that precept. Each of us is provided with a conscience, which encourages us to do the right thing when we thus listen carefully to and obey that still, small voice within.  Those then that insist upon ignoring that ethical voice, or to deaden such through drugs or drink, are the very same, that will veer off course, and of which, laws are created and enforced to help those that have lost their way, to get back onto the true path that will lead them faithfully to the ultimate sanctuary.

 So then, to obey the law is only going to be a worthy calling when the law so being obeyed is natural law, because that which is consistent with God’s handiwork is that which we all need to aspire to be harmonious with, and when natural law conflicts with humankind’s law, the law to obey is that which is eternally correct, and not that which is misguided, misapplied, and wrong.

The need for a heart-to-heart conversation

People have conversations all the time, of which, more than a few of those conversations, aren’t really all that important or of substance, and not enough of those conversations serve a real good purpose.  While it is our prerogative how we wish to communicate with one another, far too many people are making an error, when they don’t seemingly recognize that meaningful, in-person conversations are crucial to not only our understanding of one another but help us to grow closer to other people, because the more that we can relate to one another, the stronger our feelings will be to each other.

 The greatest mistake that any of us makes is not saying something positive and uplifting to those we admire and love when given the opportunity to do so, time and time again.  For instance, when someone close to us, looks especially good, or has done us a fine favor, or lent us a helping hand, or accomplished something of significance, we should actually take the time, to let them know in a meaningful way what they represent, and what they have done, means the world to us, for whenever we don’t express this in words or deeds to the other, this signifies that the other has not heard or seen our appreciation for them.

 So too, while it is true that we are busy with many a thing, such as our education, our job, or dealing with duties and tasks, we need to make it our point, to spend quality time with those that we are close to, and not just spend that time, but utilize some of that time to express ourselves in a meaningful way, such as in a heart-to-heart conversation.  The reason why we should desire a heart-to-heart is because not only will we learn more about one another, but it allows us to say things that are on our mind that we wish to divulge to the other, and provides us with a format that brings us the satisfaction of communicating in a way and manner that we learn more about one another, and therefore often will appreciate one another, at a deeper and a more caring level.

 It is somewhat ironic, whenever people get together at a funeral, and all sorts of kind words are spoken about that dearly departed, in which, it is wondered whether or not when that person was alive, were they then the recipient of those same kind words, or perhaps these words, regrettably, were left unsaid. The time to tell someone that you love them, and that you care about them, is in the here and now – which therefore means the time to get to know those that we should desire to know more about and to hear their stories, their triumphs, their battles, and their failures is in the present, because by doing so, we will not only know them at a different level, but we will appreciate that all of us, do have stories to tell, that we desire to be heard by those that we are closest to, because life is meant to be lived with a purpose, and part of that purpose is to pass onto one another, that which fills the heart with love, appreciation, and resolution.

The reason to self-censor

All of us, censor ourselves to some degree because if we did not, we would be speaking in a constant stream of consciousness without any forethought of whether or not what we were saying served any good purpose, or any purpose, at all.  We censor ourselves because not every thought that comes to mind is worthy of speaking about, and further to the point, not every thought is worth expressing.  So too, none of us really desire to hear someone else speak a bunch of nonsense, for the very principle of communication is to convey thoughts, ideas, and information that are seemingly worth conveying, and that which isn’t, should not be conveyed.

 It has to be admitted that if we did not self-censor, the amount of trouble that we would get into would increase substantially, in addition to the fact, that we would probably unnecessarily hurt the feelings of others, for no good reason – and by doing so, our own feelings would probably be hurt in turn, when we suffered the blowback for having said stupid things.  A good mind recognizes that there are appropriate things to say, and inappropriate things to keep to ourselves, and those that fail to recognize this are the very same that will find it difficult to sustain and maintain not only good civil discourse but also will have trouble in the keeping of good friends, for life is tough enough, without having people that we think care about us, tell us stuff that hurts or annoys us.

 Then again, there is the type of self-censorship that reflects that the world that we live in, does not embrace free speech as much as we believe that it should, in which, we are afraid to express our true feelings about something of import to us because we fear that the consequences of saying what we say, would be ultimately bad for us.  That is unfortunate, for in order for change to occur, it is important that ideas of merit that are not in conformance with what is perceived to be orthodoxy, are expressed, so that not only those that secretly support us can agree with us, but also as a way to bring to attention things that should be discussed and debated upon.

 Another very valid reason to self-censor is that when we are distraught, some of us have a strong tendency to hit back by saying words that we know would be hurtful to the other, and that consequently will not easily be forgotten or forgiven, of which, if we simply held our tongue, the crisis that we thought was so important to respond to, would have dissipated enough that we now would know the error of our ways.  Those then who can control their emotions and control their words are always going to be in a better place than all those who don’t understand discretion.

 In sum, we should appropriately self-censor because it’s not only better for us, but it is better for others, as well, because as they say, when you don’t have anything positive or of real merit to say, it is typically better to say nothing and make therefore our default to be a person who thinks first before actually speaking their mind.

The reformation of law enforcement officers

There are plenty of people that decry all the abuses that are suffered unduly by the people because of law enforcement officers, using their power unjustly against them.  Then again, plenty of people appreciate the implementation of a powerful law and order mindset, to thus keep those who wish to be uncivilized, to become civilized, or if not, to pay the price for their disobedience.  While it would seem that the twain shall never meet, there is a way to make the policing of the people, to be more per what a civil society should desire, when applying law enforcement upon its citizenry.

 The first thing that needs to be noted, is that police officers have a lot of discretion as to what they will or will not do, when confronting what would appear to be trouble in the streets, in which, how law enforcement officers react to such has a whole lot to do with who and what entities that they answer to.  In other words, when police officers have explicit or implicit quotas that must be filled regarding arrests, tickets, or engagement with the public, we do so find that a portion of those police officers are going to suffer from the urge to find those who are the most vulnerable, defenseless, and powerless, thereby concentrating the full arm of the law, upon those people, because they make for easy targets, and further to the point, are the type of targets, that aren’t typically championed by those that wield a lot of power and influence.  In other words, police officers have discretionary power, and because of that, they don’t desire to bite the hand that feeds them but rather prefer to concentrate on those people who would appear to be a visible nuisance, instead.

 In consideration of the foregoing, it has to be said that the best way to reform what law enforcement officers do on behalf of the people, is for police officers to make it their point, to actually be a part of the community, with the community knowing what the police officer’s purpose is within that community.  That is to say, firemen are known for putting out fires, as well as providing medical services to those in need.  So then, police officers could be known as being representatives that make it their point to see that the body politic is behaving in a way and manner that is consistent with the good attributes of a healthy civil society, and to the degree that they can help to maintain good civil discourse, so much the better. This would signify, that the more comfortable a given enclave is with police presence, and the more that the people see the police as being “honest brokers” the better the communication will be between these parties, so that, those things that need to be dealt with, can be dealt with in a manner, that is suitably fair for those that are members of that enclave.  That is to say, the ideal police force responds to the concerns of the citizenry, who know who these police officers are, and the police officers know who they are, thereby building trust and making for better interplay between the two. 

 After all, people do want to feel safe and secure, and police officers can aid in that process all the more if rather than being perceived as an occupying force, they are seen as being reasonable, fair, and doing what they have to do, only when such is really merited.

The perfect government

The fundamental problem with our governance at present is that the people of this nation as well as all those that are the representatives of that government of, for, and by the people don’t seem to understand what governance should really be about.  After all, government could be about helping the unprivileged, providing a necessary infrastructure for the people, instituting a robust educational system, and so on.  Whether it should be those things is, in theory, up to the people and their representatives, in conjunction with having to comply with the highest law of the land, which is its Constitution, along with all this needing to be in harmony with our unalienable rights.

 There is more than one way of looking at what a government should be about, and one of those ways, which is probably the best way, is that the government of the people should make it its principal point, to do all that it can do to defend, to protect, and to augment the unalienable rights that all are equally entitled to.  That is to say, our religious freedom, our freedom of speech, our right to live our life, our right to privacy, and our right to just be free to be about our business, as long as we are not interfering with other people’s unalienable rights, should be ours, subject to not only no governmental interference but rather protected by that government, above all.

 Indeed, a government that is structured around protecting the unalienable rights of all would definitely be a government that would have the strongest of ethical foundations, because if on the other hand, our unalienable rights were actually subject to the government infringing upon them, then our unalienable rights, would not really be so unalienable, but rather would appear to be under the beck and call of the government, which would thereby fairly indicate that our government wasn’t about defending and protecting our unalienable rights, but rather was a power onto itself, or a power enthralled to certain personages who would be above the law, and thereupon essentially a law onto themselves.

 Each of us, without exception, is meant to enjoy their unalienable rights, for these rights come to us, from that which first created us. All those that would infringe upon such, as in a government, or other entities or people within a society, are thereby violating our unalienable rights, which in a fair world, would have consequences for those so in violation.  This thus signifies that the perfect government is that government which is in most accordance with our unalienable rights, and the worst government is that which clearly and consistently infringes upon those same rights, of which, the wakeup call for any government that claims to be of, for, and by the people is whether or not that government is making its highest priority the protection of our unalienable rights or whether it has other agendas, good or bad, that it addresses as a higher priority, instead.

 So then, at the end of the day, just as people are judged, so are governments, and that government which is best, is that government that does all that it can to uphold our unalienable rights, and thereupon leaves what we do or don’t do with those unalienable rights as our responsibility, and not the government’s responsibility.

I owe, I owe, so off to work I go

 There is a multitude of reasons why people work, but certainly one of the most important ones is that especially in Western nations, we need money in order to procure the things that are necessary to live, such as shelter, education, healthcare, food, and sundry other items.  That is to say, we work because if we don’t work we won’t have what we need to live a reasonably satisfactory life.

 It would be one thing, if work, consisted of a workweek of a guaranteed forty hours, which was thus part and parcel of our nation, but what we find is that not only are jobs seldom guaranteed in duration, unless they have been written into a contract or labor agreement, but obtaining forty hours in a workweek, is typically not guaranteed, either.  This means that very few of us can count as an absolute certainty, that we will work as many hours as we desire to work while having a guarantee that our job will always be there for us, and further to the point, make enough money from our work to live a decent life.

 The very first thing any job should provide to us in this modern-age world is enough income that people could live a decent life, and when that seemingly isn’t certain, within those nations, that have an abundance of money and prosperity, then something is wrong with the system and needs to be fixed.  No doubt, it is a two-way street in which people just can’t assume that showing up for work, is good enough to be paid, but it does mean that workers who are contributing their fair amount to the company that employs them, should be compensated at a fair and living wage.

 Additionally, there is the nature of work itself, of which, not every job is going to be the type of job, that little kids imagined themselves that they would obtain when they were growing up.  This thus indicates that within the jobs that we perform, there should be a recognition that the people performing these jobs are human beings, and therefore any job, in which a human being is essentially treated as a cog in a machine, is going to after some period of time, have a tendency to dehumanize that worker, which is why those types of jobs, should have a high rotation rate so that in the end, workers are treated overall as human beings of value, rather than seen as nothing much more than an instrument to get work done.

 Ideally, a job should provide to its workers some degree of autonomy, of which, their participation provides an opportunity for them to not only take responsibility for the work that they help to produce but also provide that worker with some degree of satisfaction of having done a job well.  Indeed, to simply have a job that permits us to pay our bills is not the final step of what those who labor need, but rather represents the fundamental floor of what a job should entail, of which, jobs should themselves inherently provide all workers with opportunity, as well as the satisfaction of knowing that their work is valued, because it is of value.

For the sins of the nation

It is said that America is a religious nation, and if not so religious today, its foundation was based upon the implementation of religious freedom.  So too, the very laws that are impressed upon the people are based upon moral law as to what is right and what is wrong.  Additionally, for those who go to church or are familiar with church doctrine, it is understood that certain actions or even certain inactions are designated as being wrong, and are thus typically labeled as sinful.  In fact, come judgment day, everyone will have to answer for what they have done, and those who have been sinful will have a heavy price to pay.  None of this should come as any real surprise, for not only is this general belief pretty standard for Americans to know but is consistent with the understanding that what we say and do does matter, of which, those who commit bad deeds are sinful, and what we do sow, we will for a certainty, eventually reap.

 We do so find then that the same sort of logic that applies to individuals is fairly applied to nations, as well.  That is to say, there is many a nation that commits crimes, such as murder, unjust war, undue interference in foreign affairs, injustices, exploitation, and so on.  To believe then that nations get off scot-free; whereas, individuals must thus suffer their due punishment, isn’t just, isn’t fair, and isn’t correct.  This means that nations are subject to the same punishment, as individuals are, for their sins against their own people, as well as for wrong actions done to those outside their borders.

 So then, just as individuals should rightfully fear God’s justice, so too, should nations fear the very same.  That is to say, what a nation does on behalf of the people, rightly or wrongly, makes a difference, and those nations that are sinful in their actions will surely pay a heavy price for having done such, which is why we see that many a nation once considered to be great ends up eventually disintegrating, of which, the greater the rise, the greater becomes its fall, which is why those nations that have committed serious wrongs and sins, need to repent of the very same, and then to make good, where they can make good, as a just recompense for their previous bad actions.

 We live in a day and age, in which not only individuals are in denial, but nations are, as well.  But, denial or not, that judgment awaits all, big or small, and therefore nations that are sinful and wrong in their actions, will be judged, and those found wanting, will suffer the righteous punishment for their mistakes, because what we do as a nation matters, and those that choose to ignore this fact, are the very same, that puts their nation into the path of damnation because, for a certainty, there will be justice, sure and true.

The non-elected power that influences and controls society

While it is impressed upon Americans time and time again, that they have a duty and an obligation to vote, we do so find, that not only do a whole lot of Americans not vote, but that in actuality, what is voted upon, whether it be legislators, judges, or propositions, aren’t even all that important, because what we find presently, is that those that actually control the levers of true power in this nation are the primary beneficiaries of that which represents meaningful significance within America, thereby trumping whatever is voted upon.

 There was a time when the highest progressive tax rate for individuals was 94%, and for corporations, it was 53%.  This doesn’t mean that those in those tax brackets, actually paid that high of tax percentage, but it does mean that at least on the books of this nation, these were the tax rates, of which, the bottom line is that when the progressive tax rate was significantly higher than it is today, for both individuals as well as corporations, that the government thereby collected a higher percentage of its tax revenue from those that could most easily afford to pay such in taxes.  So then, the reason why taxation has come down so dramatically for those who are the richest and the most powerful is that money and important personages unduly influence governmental decisions, thereby typically circumventing what would be the people’s democratic desires.

 Indeed, it doesn’t make sense that there are so few that have so much; yet, this nation, can’t seem to figure out a way to extract from these very wealthy and quite powerful entities, a fair portion of what would be therefore of benefit for the people, in whole.  Additionally, while America loves to sing the praises of capitalism, what we often find in America, is that there are typically a few corporations, or even less than a few, that own the lion’s share of their particular market, and because of that fact, can pretty much dictate the rules of the road for all those that wish to purchase or to utilize their products, which thereby means that more money is being extracted from the general public and thereby being funneled into just a few hands.

 So too, we find that mainstream media of all types aren’t controlled by journalists but rather they are controlled by corporate entities. Thus, the message being proselytized to the people is going to favor what benefits these corporate entities, and therefore, the narrative is going to be in harmony with what these non-democratic institutions desire, above all.  This is why we often hear a lot of talk about how wonderful America is, but when we take a look around, we consistently find that for a lot of people, it isn’t so great, and further to the point, we have to wonder how it is, that the most powerful and the wealthiest nation in the known history of the world, has so many that are impoverished, are shelter and food insecure, and dissatisfied that their life has not provided them much hope, opportunity, or fairness, whatsoever.  The answer to that question is rather obvious, which is the voice of people through the democratic process has in essence, been coerced by that non-elected power that exerts its influence and control over all aspects of American life.

The two-party system isn’t working

America has essentially just two political parties, and none other.  While there are indeed other political parties, they are pretty much a non-factor and a non-starter, for these very small parties simply don’t have the traction, the money, or the power to be of any real relevance in America, even when these other parties have excellent ideas that could be quite beneficial to the American public, if listened to and implemented.  Lo, we have just the two political parties, that dominate our political system, and therefore any vote other than for one of the major parties should typically be perceived as a vote in protest, and not a vote that will make any meaningful difference, ever.

 The problem with having just two dominant political parties is that the people really don’t have much of a say as to what does or does not happen concerning political issues, for these are basically decided by higher-up political operatives who do not answer to the people and are often in lockstep to those that donate incredible sums of money to either of the major political parties, to assure that those so elected as legislators are true to the hand that feeds them.

 So too, the choices provided to the people are perceived as not really being a real choice, because neither the candidate nor the parties that they are part of seem to listen to much of anything that the general public desires, but pretty much just speak platitudes which thereby signifies that at the end of the day, nothing of merit, will change.  In other words, powerful entities, whether that be individuals, consortiums of individuals, or corporations, aren’t really interested in the people having a true choice but prefer that it be binary, in which, no matter which choice is made, it’s going to be okay with these entities.  Sure, there are going to be exceptions to this general rule, but essentially, the fewer parties that there are, the more concentrated the money can be and therefore the more effective that money will be in the buying of influence.  Additionally, there has to be at least two parties, or else the people will understand that they don’t have any choice at all, though, the choice that they currently have, isn’t all that much of a choice, anyway.

 So then, there are powerful interests that do not desire to see this country have anything other than the two-party system, and further to the point, have the abiding desire that each of those parties is structured so as to be good for what fundamentally is beneficial for those powerful interests which is what we see occurring in the present day.  Indeed, the military-industrial-technology complex does not ever get smaller in budget, nor does it ever get smaller in influence, even though there are two political parties that in theory, have differences, but when it comes to the biggest amount of budgeted money earmarked for the “defense” of this nation, either party will get the job done to the satisfaction of those that wield the real power.

 In sum, although the people have the democratic vote, nothing much seems to change for the better for the people, because the two-party system is specifically structured to preclude exactly that.

Need a good purpose: help your community

There are plenty of people who really don’t know what to do with their life or with their free time and therefore have difficulty in finding their overarching purpose in life.  In truth, life doesn’t need to be overly complicated, and therefore those who can’t seem to find their good purpose in life, can easily find such, by simply making up their mind to help their neighborhood community, and by doing so, their life will not only have good purpose, but it will be purposeful.

 Indeed, the best reason to help one’s community is the fact that people will stay engaged more often in those areas of interest in which they can see that their efforts are making a positive impact, which is why volunteering to help out one’s community is going to be not only a benefit to the community but also will be beneficial to one’s self-esteem because when we can tangibly see that what we are doing and participating in, is helping out others, it makes for a beautiful feedback loop.  Further to the point, the more that we get to know others, the more that we can appreciate who and what they are, which helps us to acknowledge not only the similarities that we might have but also to appreciate that we are not all the same, which makes us able to better comprehend that healthy diversity makes for a more intriguing and a more interesting community.

 Another thing about helping one’s community is the fact that there is always something to do, because no community has every resource at its beck and call, nor does every community have an endless supply of good people and good Samaritans to lend a helping hand.  This means that our efforts will always be appreciated, because the help that we provide is meaningful for those who are the recipients, so of.

 So too, most of us can recall from our own life when we have been helped in a situation in which we were struggling with our homework, or at our job, or in just feeling of value – thereby indicative that those that reach out and provide aid, are invaluable, and therefore why we should feel the urge to desire to do for others, what we have experienced ourselves; and in those cases, in which we feel that the help that we wanted seemed always to have been sorely lacking, then we can make up our minds to step up and provide such help to others, rather than bemoan our luckless fate.

 In sum, for all those who wonder what they can do to help make society a better place for their participation in it, the answer is to first of all, to participate in that community by providing whatever skills and goods that will help to make that community better for our gifts to it.  This then, provides us with a good purpose, and those who have a good purpose in life, are the very same who will have a far more satisfying life in knowing that they did their good part to be caring and of service, by listening to that still small voice, within, and acting forthrightly upon it.

The need for car parks

As much as people want to believe that America is the land of opportunity, in which, anyone who puts forth a decent effort will be assured of having enough income to afford an apartment, a vehicle, health insurance, food, clothing, internet access, and just about everything that people need in this modern-age to live decently, we do so find that this isn’t true for a significant amount of people, at all.  There are a multitude of people who not only struggle paycheck to paycheck but don’t even have a consistent paycheck to lean upon.  Indeed, there are millions of people who are food and shelter insecure, and pretty much are in a constant struggle, despite governmental and charitable handouts meant to help keep their heads above water.

 One of the things we find in America with the exception of cities such as Boston, NYC, and WA DC, is that the mass transportation that is offered to residents definitely leaves something to be desired.  It isn’t like there isn’t any public transportation, it’s more akin to the available public transportation, often being not all that good, and thereby is inadequate to get around for those that have no vehicle. This thus signifies that for many adults, having their own transportation is essential in order to have any semblance of living a decent life.

 That said, when it comes to the expenses that people have every month, we find that an ever higher percentage of one’s income is being allocated to one’s living space, which thereby means that everything else that a person needs, is under constant threat in the not having enough income to cover such.  This indicates that for all those who currently are using their vehicle as a place to sleep as opposed to having an apartment is thus saving themselves a lot of money, or if not saving money, can allocate their income to that which is of more importance than being in their own apartment.

 So then, in consideration that people need cars, and that people can sleep in cars, which provide for those so sleeping, with the comfort of knowing that they can lock their car for the protection of themselves and their goods, as well as being protected from the weather elements that would make them quite uncomfortable, it would thereby behoove governmental agencies to do their fair part to actually repurpose or to create car parks, specifically set up for people in cars to essentially live there.

 The ideal car park would be one that would offer internet access, electricity, lighting, showers, toilets, cooking facilities, clean water, a food truck or vending machines, some free space to walk around, and some sort of basic security, along with general rules and regulations that residents would have to adhere to.  The purpose of the car park would be to provide the citizens of the community with a safe space to collect themselves and to live in, which would help them better to meet their day-to-day expenses, in the sure recognition, that while cars may not be the preferred place to lay one’s head down, that at least, it is a decent alternative to all that is currently happening, but is so often, swept under the rug.

The good purpose of good government

There are a fair amount of people who don’t care for the government to be in their affairs, nor do they care to contribute much of anything such as in taxation or their labor to that same government – yet, what these people fail to understand is that quite obviously government does have a good purpose to its existence and to the degree that the people in conjunction with its representatives can direct that government of, for, and by the people to take care of those tasks which are best suited for the government, the better it will be for the people.

 For instance, there are plenty of things the government could do, but not everything that the government could do is appropriate for it to do.  This thus signifies that what the government should or should not do, should be broken down into that which is most suitable for a government to do, such as building roads and other infrastructure, regulations, and public education, which are best done through the aegis of government, because the individual effort to take care of these important tasks doesn’t lend itself to being readily accomplished by individuals.  On the other hand, that which the efforts of an individual are preeminent and thereby should be left in their hands are their pursuit of earning money, their preferences, and their interests, which should be left to the individual, as to what they do or do not desire to do, subject only to the reasonable laws of the land.

 It has to be said, that within any community there are going to be plenty of necessary needs to be accomplished for the good functioning of that society, and rather than hope that individuals will join together to accomplish such, it behooves the government to take on these necessary tasks which will be of beneficence for the people, because individual effort, alone, is not going to get the job done.  Indeed, governments are necessary to utilize the resources that the people have helped to create and then take from that a portion of such, for the betterment and safety of the community through doing those tasks in which collective action will best make progress for that society.

 Those then that are part of the government, have an inherent responsibility to be good stewards to the people, in regards to the money, trust, and faith that have been placed within them, to thereby competently address what that government can do for the people to make therefore that community a better place to be a part of.  The government should therefore do all that it can to provide the infrastructure that helps to produce a good and valued civil society, of which, it is the people of that society, through their efforts and through their cooperation with their government that thereby help that society to advance and to grow, with the sure recognition that any government is only as good as the people that are the members of such, who do their fair part to help make their society a better place for their good participation in it.

The wise self-edit

Not every thought that comes to us do we bother to express – for a lot of reasons, of which the most important reason is because not everything that comes to our mind is of value to express.  That is to say, those who are incapable of self-editing, who decide that they don’t want to think before they speak, but simply blurt out whatever is on their mind, are surely the same ones who are going to get themselves into the sort of trouble, that would best be avoided.  Indeed, just because a thought comes to mind, does not necessarily mean it is appropriate to express that thought, which is why those who rightly develop discretion, and further to the point, understand that how we communicate with one another makes a difference in how we get along, are going to not only hold their tongue when that tongue needs holding, but also are going to say the right words at the right time, as well.

 When it comes to communication, it’s important that we develop the discrimination and thereby the deportment to express ourselves in a manner in which what we have to say or to comment upon, will make a given situation better, as compared to making it worse.  This is why we really should try to think through what we are going to say before we say it – and in those situations in which we don’t have a lot of time to think, to do our level best to express ourselves in a way and manner which is not mean, hateful, or harmful to the other.  After all, once we have expressed what we have to express, through words that we speak, or write, we cannot take it back; though truth be told, we can attempt to walk it back, but that shouldn’t be something that we ought to be doing very often, for those that express themselves in a manner which is consistent with the being of help to the other, aren’t going to need to backtrack very often.

 No doubt, there are those temptations that make us want to say what we do say, but the best way to overcome that temptation is simply to leave alone, what is best to leave alone, for it has to be said, that when the shoe is on the other foot, we may well tend to hold onto hurtful words and actions done to us, for incredibly long periods, which thereby hurts our relationships and makes us to be more “gun shy” when interacting with other people.  Indeed, it often takes a more experienced and wiser person to understand the value of saying the right thing, and leaving unsaid what doesn’t need to be said, because hurting the other when it isn’t necessary or appropriate to do so, is not going to sit well within our heart, whatsoever.

 At the end of the day, our thoughts are our own, and those who utilize discretion in the expressing of their thoughts in a format that is consistent with civil discourse, are the very same, who will sleep better, knowing that they did people right, rather than wrong.

To conquer temptation

There are plenty of people who aren’t interested in conquering temptation, mainly because they don’t believe that to be tempted to do this or to do that, is a real issue for them.  Yet, it is that temptation that is the proximate reason why we get into the sort of trouble that could have been avoided if we had developed the self-control as well as the wisdom to know that giving in to temptation can be a serious mistake that we will often ultimately regret.

 While it must be said that part of life, is trying to enjoy our life, and thereby to take in the beauty and the overall experience of that life, we have got to realize intuitively that when we decide that it is our senses that should be the commanders of our life, as contrasted to using our mind and spirit, to recognize that not everything that we think we should indulge in, should actually be indulged in, we would be the wiser for using that sort of discretion, and further to the point, letting our senses to know that we are master of what we do or don’t do.

 To believe, somehow, that we can’t control that which tempts us, and to at least take the time to think through clearly as to why we should or should not follow the pathway of a particular temptation, or simply ignore such as being worthy of contemplation, is a serious mistake – for it is a temptation that could well run havoc over our good sensibility so that we end up doing things that we really ought not to do, as well as developing the type of bad habits that are thereby exceedingly difficult to break, especially when they are not only ingrained upon us, but also because we see these bad habits as being part and parcel of our character, and thereby who we believe that we are.

 Indeed, it isn’t possible to conquer temptation, if we don’t see it as something worthy of our time, dedication, and effort to conquer.  So that, if we want to appreciate better the world and the society that we are a part of, the very first thing that we need to do, is to develop meaningful self-control, or else we will like a child, believe that everything that we like, should be “mine” and only mine; whereas, the truth of the matter is that we need to develop discretion, so that we will properly order what should be the priorities in life, and what we should or should not be doing in our behavior and our interactions with others.

 The frustrations and thereby the anger that some of us are prone to, have a lot to do with not getting what we believe that we should have, which has an awful lot in common with giving in to those temptations that we believe that we must indulge in.  What we really need, is seldom that which tempts us, but rather is the peace of mind to know that when given the choice between a given temptation and the wisdom to know what we ought to do, we thereupon do the right thing, consistently, and in this, we become conquerors.

The only thing that can regulate free market capitalism is….

We live in a day and age, in which never has there been more power in the hands of not people, as individuals, but rather in the legal entity of a corporation, in which, unlike people, which have a finite period of time on earth and thereby in society; we find that Western nations have instituted corporations, which are as structured currently are perpetual. This means, that long after a given corporation has been founded by its original founders, it will still be in existence, as long as it continues to make a good profit and stay relevant. This is why there are many a corporation today, that have been around for well over a century, and why the biggest and brightest corporate entities of today are well-structured to last as long as this nation exists in its current form.

 While there are a lot of good things when it comes to capitalism, in which, it has to be said, that money is a great motivator for many a person or corporation – it also has to be admitted that any institution that makes its point that its primary responsibility, as argued by Milton Friedman, is “to maximize profits and increase returns to shareholders,” presents a clear and present danger to a government of, by, and for the people, because when any corporation, is driven to make a profit, above all, this means that anything that gets in the way of that pursuit, such as labor, regulations, competition, and fair play, is going to take a back seat to those profits, which is why the only thing that can properly regulate these gargantuan corporations which exert undue influence upon markets and people, is a robust government acting through its agencies.

 Indeed, it is the duty of government to see that the playing field so played upon by capitalistic entities, must be a field that first of all, respects the fact that the continual exploitation of labor, environmental damage, collusion between corporations, or the buying out of competitors, and so on, are monitored and thereby corrected by the government, or else, America will have ceded to those corporations, that the pursuit of profit supersedes what this government owes to its people, because whenever corporations are permitted to have their way, with little or no interference by governmental agencies, then what we will see is more power held in corporate hands, which will undermine governmental policies that conflict with what these corporations are wont to do.

 It has to be said, that capitalistic corporations that have sales of billions upon billions of dollars, and own assets that are also in the billions upon billions of dollars, need to be properly taxed by governmental authorities and need also to be properly regulated, or else important things such as environmental concerns, or the paying of a fair wage, will be pushed to the background, and the less that corporations behave to the people responsibly, the more that the government will be stuck having the responsibility of providing an ever bigger safety net, for those that have been exploited as well as that government being needed to ameliorate environmental damage, all because corporations are given free rein to make a profit, without the attendant responsibilities that they have to be a good steward to the government that permits their existence.