What we choose to measure is what we value in society

In any modern society, measurements are taken of all sorts of things, such as our physical condition, measured through our blood pressure, weight, height, cardio capacity and so on; as well as all sorts of measurements done in regards to economic activity and prosperity, and thereby how we measure society has a lot to do with what those measurements are telling us, good or bad.

 Of course, not everything of value can be measured, because we cannot measure how much, for example, we respect or love someone, but still in an indirect manner we can, based on our behavior, how we relate to the other, and the things that we do with one another, are all very helpful in demonstrating how much we care about each other.

 Nevertheless, from a societal standpoint, the main reason why we take the time to measure activities and things that we are doing, is to get a good idea as to whether or not, society as a whole, is progressing or whether it is regressing, which thereupon lets those in authority and influence to know what items we need to attend to more diligently, so as to bring those measurements up to par.

 So too, while it is possible to keep track of just about anything that lends itself to being monitored, not everything is deserving of such attention, because the resources of any nation has limitations due to the instruments so being utilized, monies allocated to such, along with the fact that priorities need to be set, so that the most important areas of interest are being kept tracked of, as opposed to that which is trivial or of little importance.

 Therefore, when we look at society, and the governments that run such societies, we should pay careful attention to what is or is not being measured, because what is being measured is that which society feels is of most value, and when that seems to be out of sorts, it is up to the general public, along with its representatives, to make the changes so necessary so that we address those particular areas that have been monitored and measured, but for whatever reason are basically being marginalized or not robustly dealt with, so that they are prioritized appropriately, permitting therefore an improved agenda, in which improvements or adjustments can thereby be made to concentrate on correcting or amending those important things.

 Indeed, the very point of measuring this or that within societies should not be solely out of curiosity, but rather it should be to provide the data so necessary to be properly examined, and in those instances in which the results are unsatisfactory, to thereby come up with a workable solution that will get those results to move in the direction so desired and needed, because that which we measure, is of interest to us, and the objective of taking those measurements, is not only find out where we currently are at, but also where we desire to go.

The requirement for a common body of knowledge

The proper education of one’s citizens is the responsibility of any good government, of which that education needs to consist of a body of knowledge that is in conformity with common sense, as well as being truthful in the knowledge so being disseminated to students.  In other words, it’s important that children be educated in a way and manner that is consistent throughout America, so that there is a common body of knowledge that all have acquired, or at least have been exposed to.

 This signifies that the principal subjects so being taught, need to be consistent to one another, no matter the school district or the location of such, and while there should be room for variations depending upon school systems and their interest of emphasis, there must though still be a core foundation of knowledge which is consistent throughout our educational system, or else we will find that the unity, belonging, and inclusivity of what America should be, has been diverted to something else that creates unnecessary conflict within this republic.

 There definitely is a need for a foundation of knowledge that all students should be not only challenged to learn, but that they should also be tested upon so as to ascertain whether or not they are knowledgeable about the things that they should know.  After all, the more knowledge that each of us has, the more effective we will all be when it comes to collaboration and a basic understanding of one to the other.

 Indeed, it has to be acknowledged that America is in so many respects, a melting pot, of which people have different backgrounds, different habits, different wealth, and are of different national origins, which thereby necessitates that for all citizens of these United States, there has to be a common ground of knowledge that pretty much everyone agrees is sensible, worthy, and of merit to be taught.  This is why the Federal government needs to do its part to see that those who are in primary and secondary schools not only have a common core curriculum to learn, but that this curriculum has been properly vetted, as to whether it represents the best that America can do on behalf of its students being educated.

 It is of supreme importance to this nation that just because somebody is born here, or has become naturalized here, that they also have a basic understanding of what America stands for, and how it came to that viewpoint, and the importance thereby that each of us contributes our fair part on behalf of America, by each of us thereby doing our best in contributing to its continuation and its strength.  After all, this nation is only going to be as good as its people, great Constitution or not, which means that it is incumbent upon this government to educate its citizens so that they know their responsibilities to that government of, for, and by the people, best accomplished by having a common objective, so built upon the common knowledge that all have learned well in school and beyond.

Truth in advertising should be applied to our taxes

While there are a few people who are only too happy to pay their fair share in taxes, we do so find that a whole lot of people aren’t too thrilled about paying much of anything in taxes, and do so begrudgingly, or you could also say, compelled by law, they do so.  When it comes to taxes, one of those things that the government needs to do a far better job of accomplishing is to be not only as transparent as possible as to where those taxes are being allocated and how they are being spent, but also to provide such information which consists of the most detailed data as possible, so that people, along with journalists could get a deep look into how our taxes are utilized.

 Look, it has to be said, that part of the reason why people aren’t wanting to pay their taxes, is that they don’t really know what personal benefit that they are getting from those taxes, of which, it is really the government’s responsibility to let the people know exactly how they are benefiting from those taxes, such as the fact that these tax monies are thereby being used for the national defense, social security, health care, as a safety net, transportation, education, and so on.

 One of the things that troubles certain Americans is the fact that a significant portion of Americans believe that they are being mandated to pay taxes of which that money pretty much directly goes to those that aren’t necessarily deserving of such, as in those that are forever jobless welfare recipients, and for food stamps for those people that could work, but refuse to work, because they rather get governmental handouts.  To the extent that any of the above is true, it should be explained more clearly why a safety net is necessary and why the money spent on those people and agencies is justified.  That said, the government needs to look at alternatives to help those who are the most vulnerable to assist them in having the opportunity to have a decent life, including those people who could and ought to work, who should be put to work, even if that means the government becomes the employee of last resort.

 While some people view taxation as akin to a form of robbery, they wouldn’t hold that viewpoint as often if they knew more about how their taxes are allocated and had a greater voice in how those taxes are spent.  In fact, providing taxpayers with a form in which they could designate their preference as to the areas in which their taxes would be utilized definitely would have its place, because it would provide taxpayers with the feeling that they do actually have a voice, and probably some program like that could be constructed, which would achieve this objective.

 In this modern world, taxes are necessary, and more people would “buy in” to the payment of taxes if they had a better understanding of where those taxes were being allocated and the reasons why this is occurring.  Further to the point, in those areas in which the taxes being paid appear to be utilized in a way and manner that seems imprudent, dumb, or just plain wrong, the taxpayer should have a forum to have their say, and to the degree so reasonably possible, to see that their tax dollars are more appropriately spent.

Making billions in profits, but still having the audacity to lay off employees

High-technology corporations comprise some of the most obscenely profitable companies in the world. The best of the best of them consistently make billions of dollars in profits, making one to believe, that for those fortunate enough to get employed there, that they should fairly look upon their jobs as being absolutely secured, because of all the money being made, but in actuality this isn’t true, for we find that Google AI tells us that Amazon cut 27,000 jobs in 2022-23, Alphabet (Google) cut 12,000 jobs in 2023, Meta (Facebook) laid off 11,000 employees in 2022, and approximately 10,000 more in 2023. Microsoft laid off 14,000 employees in 2014, along with an estimated 10,000 in 2023, and announced further job eliminations of 9,000 in 2025.

 Look, the bottom line is that when a mega corporation such as those shown above that consistently makes billions of dollars in profits, somehow believes that it is right to lay off employees when in actuality they really don’t have an overriding financial demand that this need be done, is quite unfortunate, because corporations have a duty and an obligation to treat their own employees which have help create for them billions of dollars in profits in a way and manner that respects their input and contribution, of which, this means that corporations should be savvy enough, to keep employed those that were hired in the first place, or at a minimum, provide to employees the option to voluntarily to terminate their employment, with a generous severance package.

 While there are legitimate reasons why just about any company, without robust union representation, is entitled to lay off employees, it really should be something that occurs only when the economy or the overall business outlook presents these companies without any real good choices, and thereby laying employees off is one of the choices that can be made in order to reduce expenses.  That said, though, for those corporations that have not only booked billions upon billions in historical profits, but are continuing to make billions in profits, to lay off employees should be seen as a betrayal of the labor force and unbecoming of a legitimate corporation, which is an artificial construct of the state.  In other words, mega corporations that make billions and lay off employees should be fined by the government that legislated them into existence, and further legislation to the effect that lay-offs are not permitted unless under certain specific conditions should be passed, in order to protect employees and thereby protect their continued employment.

 In this capitalistic system, there isn’t any guarantee that business conditions will remain the same, for they could get worse, then again, they could get better, but it has to be taken into fair consideration that the mega corporations such as Microsoft and Meta (Facebook), are not going out of business in the near future, or possibly ever, so that they therefore have an absolute obligation to the country that has permitted their existence to do their necessary part to be fair to their employees, by treating their employees as a high priority, and not seeing them ever as an expense, and thereby to be treated any which way that the corporation feels it can do, of which, the best way to make sure that this does not occur, is to make it governmental policy that in return for their corporate existence, that these mega corporations, without exception, will be held accountable to that government of, for, and by the people.

Oil and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union

The Soviet Union is no more, and while there are various reasons as to its demise, certainly one of the most proximate reasons, if not the primary reason, why it all collapsed, probably comes down to the price of oil, which was and still is of extreme importance to Russia, and as it was for the Soviet Union.  We find that during the 1980s, after an impressive rise in prices in the 1970s, that the Soviet Union projected that oil prices would at a minimum maintain their price of the 1970s, or probably increase, but that prediction was tragically wrong, even though oil is the engine of virtually all economies in the world, of which, without oil, countries duly suffer economically because oil is the go-to choice for transportation needs, and plays its part in electricity, heating, and for chemical concoctions of all sorts.

 In the 1980s the price of oil declined for six successive years from 1981-1986, perhaps because there was a perceived overabundance of oil, and when the government of a nation has structured their budget around a much higher price, and find thus that the price has gone down, this is going to place immense pressure on that nation, of which, because the Soviet Union was overly dependent upon their main export, oil, providing it with the necessary funding to not only keep their economy humming, but to pay for necessary things such as goods and food, we find that in absence of receiving those vital things, decisions had to be made, of which, letting go of the satellite nations that made up the Soviet Union was the decision so made, for better or for worse, because at the end of the day, the top governmental officials of the Soviet Union, were Russian, and so this meant that the priority of that government on behalf of the Soviet Union was to first take care of their true motherland, namely Russia.

 To doubt that oil is a major contributing factor to wars, rumors of wars, and the rise and fall of nations is to not properly comprehend that, without fuel and energy, nations are going to be forced to make difficult decisions.  History tells us that Germany, Japan, and Italy, which formed the core of the Axis powers during WW II, are countries that all had a vital need to obtain oil, for without good access to such, they would not be able to wage war or conquer other nations.  This thus signifies that embargoes of oil from certain nations, or the threat to do so, are going to have consequences, not only to the possible stability of the governments so affected, but the decisions subsequently made.

 Indeed, in all probability, had oil continued its assent upwards in price, during the 1980s and beyond, the Soviet Union would still exist, and would also be a more formidable economic power, because oil exporters are the same that bring in an abundance of revenue for the benefit of the nation; whereas, those that must import such at an unfavorable price or without an ironclad guarantee that the oil will continually flow to them, have a much harder time of it, signifying that oil has an outsized effect upon worldwide affairs, and should be seen as often being the most significant reason as to why nations rise and nations fall.

When the government and private enterprise team up

Government is meant, above all, to be of beneficence to the general public, of which part of its duties is for the aid of and the creation of the necessary infrastructure that we so often take for granted, such as roads, electricity, schooling, waste management, water, and so forth.  This is why utilities that serve the population are not only regulated by the government, but are structured in a way that ensures the primary purpose of these utilities is to provide the necessary service to the people at a fair price with a high degree of reliability and good service.

 While there may be a lot of good reasons of why private enterprise structured for profit and the government should team up, the problem with such a combination is that often the government foregoes its task of regulating private enterprise and becomes more of permitting private enterprise to do what it feels it has to do, essentially unimpeded by robust governmental oversight.  In other words, private enterprise has a strong tendency to take driving control of what it has been authorized to do, with the basic attitude that the government should just take a back seat and let the enterprise lead the way in what it believes is the correct course, and therefore for the government to serve the sole purpose of just legitimizing whatever actions and activities subsequently occur.  Further to the point, in any construct in which private enterprise is for all practical purposes, the sole source of what is has been contracted to do by the government, then there is, for example, a strong tendency for private enterprise to pad their expenses, so that it might seem as if they are only making a modest profit, when they are actually making out like bandits.

 So too, whenever private enterprise and the government combine together to address the general needs of the public, in which that government no longer seems to serve the purpose of monitoring private enterprise, but rather seems to be co-opted by private enterprise, then nobody neutral is minding the store, but rather the people are thus supposed to just trust that private enterprise in conjunction with the government are doing the right thing, when they may well be taking advantage of the public’s credulity.  Additionally, the structure of government is to set the rules and standards that all must follow, and to impose fines or injunctions against those companies that have not followed those rules, and therefore, when the government has teamed up with private enterprise, we find that this check and balance, so necessary, is no longer fully in play.

 After all, it has to be remembered that private enterprise is driven by its lust for profit as well as for an increase in revenue, year by year, of which, the government’s job is to see that in capitalism that there is fair competition, a level playing field, and that the general public is provided with the required information to fairly evaluate where they should consider spending their money, and when those choices are constricted to that which provides them no recourse with their government, because that government has teamed up with private enterprise, then the general public has effectively been cheated.

Superrich and famous people are elected because the people love backing a known winner

We read at https://www.cambridge.org/ that “Over 11% of the world’s billionaires have held or sought political office,” which is a remarkably high statistic.  The fact of the matter is that most people would be surprised that any billionaire would even consider running for office, when they already have all the money that they could possibly ever imagine and have more than a fair use for; yet they go ahead and run, perhaps for the betterment of society, but probably because winning public office, permits them to more readily consolidate their wealth, along with providing them with another form of influence and persuasion, which is power.

 Similarly, numerous famous athletes and actors have ventured into the political arena, with a significant number achieving success, such as becoming mayors, Governors, Senators, and even Presidents.  This signifies that superrich and famous people definitely not only get elected, but there has to be something that they have in common, for having that collective success with the people, and that would have to be the fact that people love backing a winner, and in particular, those that don’t have a whole lot of success in life, seem to especially favor voting for someone that is perceived to be a winner, for apparently the vicarious reason that because they voted for that candidate, or favored that candidate, that somehow their candidate’s success and prestige thereby rubs off on them.

 Indeed, name recognition as well as the usage of a lot of money in politics, serves those candidates that have an abundance of such attributes, quite well, because a lot of candidates so running for election, don’t have a particular high name recognition, and some of those that do, have perhaps been around the block so long and done or said certain things, that their name recognition is not favorable, whatsoever.  So then, a candidate that is running for office, who, because they are famous or superrich, but don’t have much of a track record when it comes to political views, may very well have an advantage over more seasoned candidates because they don’t have any of that negative baggage that would apparently hold them back.

 The fact that the superrich and famous are able to get elected is a reflection not of their political views or experience, but simply because people like them, or admire them, or wish they were them, which is probably not so good for America, because those who run for political office really ought to be people who know their stuff, can debate well, and are people of principle, that stand for something of value to the general public, as opposed to simply being likeable or extremely wealthy.  One of the things that the general public doesn’t really comprehend is that those who are inexperienced in the political arena aren’t going to be skilled at all the interplay, compromises, and the give and take that politics typically consist of, and will find to their dismay, that just because their candidate has been elected, does not necessarily mean that their desired mandate will ever come close to coming to fruition, which is why superrich or famous elected politicians, don’t seem to ever really change a thing

Eleanor Roosevelt was the greatest first lady ever

No doubt, Eleanor Roosevelt was not only the greatest first lady ever, but she was also the longest-serving first lady, as well.  There are a multitude of attributes to admire about Eleanor Roosevelt, of which the first is the fact that she made it her point and principle to have her say, and did not permit the conservatism or orthodoxy of the day to negatively influence her beliefs or viewpoints, for she knew what she stood for, and thereby not only made her stand, but also pressed forward as to why what she believed in and fought for, was the right course for the good of America.

 In an era in which women were typically seen but seldom heard, Eleanor Roosevelt held her own press conferences during her husband’s Presidency, while also writing a newspaper column that expressed her opinions and viewpoints on vital subjects of the day. So too, back in those days, when segregation was common throughout a significant portion of America, Mrs. Roosevelt made it clear that she was against that segregation, and made it a point to connect with black people in a way and manner that had not previously been done by any other first lady.  Mrs. Roosevelt believed firmly that this nation could not fairly consider itself to be a democracy when so many minorities were essentially precluded from having the vote, and were typically discriminated against in just about every way possible.

 Mrs. Roosevelt strongly believed in social justice, and her words and actions consistently demonstrated this conviction.  Indeed, for the first lady to stand strong for those who were so often dismissed and un-championed, was to her immense credit for it could be said, that her voice, because of her position, had a great deal of influence in the subsequent actions of legislation submitted and passed, along with also influencing the Truman administration, because of her outspokenness in the defense that America could not consider itself to be a land of liberty and of equality of opportunity, when it so often denied those very things to its own citizens, because of the color of their skin or previous national origin.

 So too, Mrs. Roosevelt made it her principle to support the oppressed of all types and that this government of, for, and by the people had an inherent responsibility to the least amongst its citizens, to see that they were provided with a fair chance to become something of merit. In all things big and small, Mrs. Roosevelt stood strong and was not afraid to take public positions that her husband was either reluctant to take or believed that he could not take, because of his concern that it would not be countenanced by those who helped to empower him into the Presidency.

 A first lady with the gumption and strength of Mrs. Roosevelt did not previously exist, so that she was a true trailblazer, signifying to those of her gender that women should not be trivialized or ignored, but were entitled to have their say, and further to the point, that women, as well as all minorities, were entitled to no less than equal status with those historically favored, and thus deserving of their own life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

Falsehood is the foundation of all sorts of societal ills

There is indeed a world of difference between those who are paragons of virtue as opposed to those who are quick to hide behind falsehood and falsity, primarily done as an act of deceit or selfishness.  One of the reasons why we have laws is so that those laws can be fairly applied to those who are unlawfully false to not only the society that they are a member of, but also false in a way in which they try to get over on the other, by cheating, deceiving, or manipulating them.

 The reason that so many are false to others and often don’t even desire to admit this to their own self, is the fact that they want to have something or do something in which they typically lack the knowledge or resources to accomplish, or simply lack the patience or skillset to get it done, and therefore find that by taking a shortcut which involves being untruthful serves their purpose, and they subsequently don’t care how it affects others or choose to simply put that type of thought far away from their mind.

 So too, the more that we lie, the easier it is to keep on lying, along with the salient fact that once we go down the path of lying, we frequently therefore have to come up with even more lies, in order to protect that first lie, which is why we ought not to lie in the first place, because the path so created, can easily take us down to the type of character destruction that we truly did not want to visit or to be a part of, yet we now are.

 Those that are false in small things are the very same that we cannot trust in big things, because if they feel the need to be false in something that is relatively trivial, how much more then are they going to be tempted to be deceptive in obtaining something that they feel is of extreme importance that they get the desired result that they are determined to have, which is why the time to root out lies and falsehoods is at the very beginning of one’s life, which is therefore part of the responsibility of good parenting as well as good mentoring to address, because it is important for those that are being false, to be held to account to it, as well as it is for them to understand why it is so important to be honest and forthright, instead.

 It is a truism that those who are overly selfish are going to be prone to lying, because once a person decides that they have to have something but has not been able to obtain it legitimately, they will, if so prone to falsehood, often continue their pursuit by being deceptive or through the usage of falsehood. After all, their self-interest trumps being true to those that have done them no wrong, and of which, those that are false, will justify even their most nefarious deeds as being justified, because they are always able to point out some other person or situation, in which, the perpetrator was even worse than they were, even though, two wrongs don’t make a right – and that which is false can never be true.

White people don’t get traffic tickets

Okay, obviously white people do get traffic tickets, but not nearly at the rate of minorities, as we read at https://bfi.uchicago.edu/insight/ in which it is stated that “Relative to a white driver traveling the same speed, minorities are 24 to 33 percent more likely to be stopped for speeding and to pay 23 to 34 percent more in fines.”  This information is significant for a multitude of reasons, of which one of those reasons is that traffic violations subject the motorist to monetary fines, as well as the salient fact that traffic tickets often result in the driver so being ticketed having to pay extra money for their auto insurance.  Additionally, just the fact of being pulled over to be assessed a ticket can lead to incredibly negative events for the driver, including but not limited to being arrested, beaten, or even killed.  In short, being pulled over by the police for an alleged traffic violation is never welcomed by anyone and consequently is something that virtually all drivers wish to definitely avoid.

 One of the reasons why white people get less tickets than minorities can be attributed to the fact that minority neighborhoods are simply patrolled more by police and those police so patrolling those neighborhoods are more prone to pulling those drivers over, because those that are the poorest and most vulnerable amongst us, are the very same that typically lack the resources to do much of anything when they are harassed or discriminated against, because they have not the collective power to do much in their own defense, except to submit.

 So too, it has to be acknowledged that the police are not interested in disturbing or harming the status quo, and for a certainty do not desire to bite the hand that feeds them, so those that live in nice neighborhoods and drive nice cars, and come across as nice people, are going to be those that are far less likely to be ticketed, even when they deserve to be ticketed, simply because the police recognize them as being the epitome of what they believe they are suppose “to serve and to protect.”

 Additionally, even though police officers are well armed and well trained, they recognize that anytime they pull a vehicle over, there is some degree of risk, and for most police officers, upon seeing someone of the white race who looks respectable, they will therefore be far more accommodating to them and thus more in the mood to be lenient towards them, which is to a certain degree, just a reflection of human nature, because those that look like us, or behave in a manner that we are comfortable with, are going to be treated better than those that have the look or behavior which is unappealing or frightening.

 So then, the bottom line is that right or wrong, white people in this nation are clearly the favored race, and therefore, white people are going to be in the best position to not get ticketed, because those who are favored are the same who get favorable treatment, so demonstrated by the fact that minorities get more tickets and pay more in fines, primarily because of selection bias.

You need to be well-challenged in order to reach your potential

There are a fair number of people who aren't interested in being challenged, mainly because they are either comfortable where they are or fearful that they won’t be up for the challenge and will thereby fail.  They thing is though that in order to grow, we need to be challenged, and when we are reluctant to take on a realistic challenge we have not thereby lived up to the expectations that have been thrust upon us, for when we turn our back on being challenged, we simply haven’t even tried to take our abilities to the next level.

 No doubt, not every challenge so contemplated is a realistic challenge, for many of us are prone to all sorts of imaginations and fantasies which have little basis in the reality of our actual capabilities.  So too, some of what we need to accomplish are things which are going to take not only a long-term plan to accomplish, such as getting a graduate degree and thereby a fulfilling job, but also are going to require us to put forth a lot of consistent effort over a fairly long period of time to get to where we desire to be. That said, long challenge or not, the very first step in getting done what we need to get done is having a reasonable plan and then working that plan until we are successful.

 Also, it is important to recognize that some of the greatest overall achievers in life are those that have continually failed at accomplishing something of real import to them, but they though subsequently demonstrated the strength of character to recalibrate, to rethink, to reflect, and then to put forth the effort to try and try again, until success was reached, for the true purpose of any failure is for us to learn the lessons from such, which thereupon gives us the necessary knowledge to take what we have learned and apply it for our success.

 In truth, the reason why we go to school and if we are fortunate, to have worthy mentors or great parents, is to learn what we need to learn so that we can be successful in life, and the measure of anybody’s success really comes down to how we apply that knowledge and knowhow that we have, which necessitates that we must be tried and tested, to see if we can apply what we now know to do in the real world for not only the betterment of ourselves, but also for the betterment of the society that we are a member of, which is why we must not only embrace our challenges, but also why we must be challenged in the first place.

 Finally, where we end up in life comes down to a lot of factors, which have a lot to do with our learning, our capacity to apply such learning, as well as our ability to blaze our own trail, which is why we must seek out our challenges to prove our mettle in the cauldron of life, and when successful, be the better and more accomplished person for it.

To reform and to regenerate

Humankind has its most imperative issues yet to be successfully resolved due to its own selfishness, greed, violence, and bad deeds which serve to hurt humankind and the societies that people are members of, which is why we find that great avatars, messiahs, and paragons of absolute virtue must incarnate upon this earthly plane, because clearly those that live here, need moral and ethical guidance or else humankind will not ever escape this endless cycle of violence, disharmony, injustice, and unfairness.

 So then, this is why when we look at history, we see time and time again, great saviors and visionaries that have incarnated here, so meant to represent the exemplar for humankind to follow and to emulate, so that we too can rise up to become the best that we can be. It is critical that, in order for societies to become better that they need to make it their point of principle to reform themselves to be better.  So too, the point of our incarnation upon this material plane is to generate harmony, goodness, and fairness one to the other, and until such a time that humankind lives together in peace and understands thoroughly that we are all in this together, signifying that all of us need to reach the promise land, we will be stuck in a construct in which we veer far too often from the straight and narrow path to thereby take the wrong road and thus become lesser than what we were born to be.

 Not only does society need missionaries of all types to send the message that there is a true way to lasting justice, but it is necessary for those who make up society to do their fair part to bring such to fruition.  We live in a perpetual proving ground, of which each of us is tested to see whether we have taken the lessons that we intuitively know to heart, and if we have not, to not only listen and to learn from those great personages that have been here before and have blazed the path to enlightenment – but also that we need to do our fair part to bring this to actualization, for not just ourself, but also to help lend a hand to those most in need, for many of the sins of humankind, are forgiven when we reach out and help others.

 Let’s face it, too many of us are lost souls, either willfully ignorant of who and what we are in essence, or those who have forsaken our divine origins for the sake of materiality, as if that which exists in this world will seemingly last forever.  All that we need to accomplish is here for the asking or the searching, and those who search diligently and then are obedient to that which will bring them the lasting serenity that they so dearly desire, are the same that are making progress, often assisted by those who are our mentors, or by those who have shown us the right way, demonstrated by great avatars and messiahs who have faithfully sacrificed themselves through their most noble deeds to bring us the fair opportunity for true liberty and eternal happiness, if only we would take it.

To tell that inconvenient truth

We are instructed at a very young age that we should always tell the truth, but what we find, is that as much as some of us really do want to always to tell the truth, that there are those times, when truth telling has rather bad consequences for us, not because we have done something wrong, but rather that the other person has done something wrong, and that we are the ones calling them down on it, of which, they take real offense at our exposure of their foibles.

 In actuality, there aren’t a lot of people, that want to be held to account, when they have been deliberately trying to hide the bad act of what they have been doing, and when so held to account, they are not going to embrace the person that has exposed them, but rather they have a strong tendency to attack the truth bearer, because now that the real truth has been brought to bear upon them, they cannot handle that, which is the salient reason why they have not been forthright and honest to begin with.

 Indeed, the most vociferous response to all aspects of lying comes from those who have been exposed for who and what they really are, and who, to the absolute best of their ability, did not ever desire to be found out.  These people, then, are clearly not comfortable with being found out and will often hit back at the person so upsetting their status quo, which isn’t all that surprising, because those who hide behind lies and deception aren’t ever going to be comfortable being revealed.

 All of the above signifies that when we know that someone is being deceptive or lying, that it isn’t necessarily in our best interests, or even theirs, to call them out on it, because the blowback that we receive may be far more than we can handle.  Further to the point, those who are insecure about how they truly are represent people who need our sympathy and comfort, rather than necessarily having the unvarnished truth about them fully revealed. This is why we should try to be discreet and considerate in our interactions, as this is our responsibility to each other.

 So too, there may be valid reasons as to why a particular person is not forthcoming as to who and what they really are, and even in those cases, when that is not true, is isn’t necessarily our place to be the one to point out the other’s errors, especially when what they have done has no consequence to us.  After all, we are responsible for being a good neighbor, and not everything that we see and hear needs to be reported, for nobody really likes a busybody.  So then, it is prudent for us to be careful and considerate as to what we point out to the other, because when it is not done for the betterment of the other, but rather is done as a form of shaming, we should expect their response to often be one that is going to be not only retaliatory, but also unforgiving of our stepping on their toes.

The 17th Amendment

The United States Congress is made up of two branches, the Senate and the House of Representatives.  Presently, the members of the US Congress are elected by the people of those respective States, but this was not the case for the Senate, before the 17th Amendment was ratified, which didn’t occur until 1913, in which previously those that became Senators were appointed by State legislatures, which meant that the people did not have a democratic vote in regards to the Senators of their respective States.

 One might think that since the passage of the 17th Amendment, that all is well, because now the people have the democratic vote to elect the Senator of their choice, but in actuality, because of all the money in play when it comes to not only the selection of who is going to run for the Senate, but also who ends up winning the Senate seat, we find that it is those that are the power behind that money, that have an outsized influence upon who ultimately becomes elected, thereby signifying that democratic vote or not, the people really don’t have much of a choice or impact, and therefore the 17th Amendment doesn’t really change all that much, because what we basically have is a small cabal of very influential personages who are well connected, that are the prevailing voice in the determination of who the Senator will be.

 Still, the vote for the Senator of each State, who serves for six years, is in the hands of the people, and in consideration that six years, is a very long time for an elected representative, it would certainly make sense for the people to do what they can or should, to see that whoever is supposedly representing them, is the type of Senator that they actually desire, and if not, to come up with the ways and means to do something constructive about it, because those that are part of our Congressional legislative branch, are the very same that are responsible for the making of laws as well as the taxation so imposed upon the people of this nation, which are certainly areas that should interest most people.

 What this nation is, in the sense of how the laws are enacted and thereby applied, really comes down to who are in those positions of power, which signifies that when it comes to the election of Senators, that the people really do need to have their say, because while Congressional representatives serve just two years, each Senator serves six years, which signifies that Senate elections are very important business, especially in consideration that each State only gets two Senators, and no more.  This would seem to imply that the people need to better comprehend that having the right Senator elected is going to be of real merit to them, as opposed to the wrong Senator being elected, which is why, those that seriously outnumber in votes, all the money that currently influences elections, need to join together to not only to make sure that they show up at the polls to vote, but vote as a block of votes, to thereby have the greatest impact on the election result.

It’s President George Washington, not King George Washington

James Madison tells us that "It will not be denied that power is of an encroaching nature and that it ought to be effectually restrained from passing the limits assigned to it".   The importance of this insight lies in the acknowledgment that the Constitution, as written and approved, was specifically structured to ensure not only a separation of the various powers assigned, but also that no one power would thereby supersede and effectively negate the others.  So too, the reason why George Washington was President, and not a King, is that those that were the primary instruments of that rebellion, knew that to put all the power in the hands of just one personage, was thereby the making of a tyranny, which is the very thing that they specifically complained about in regards to King George III.

 Now when we fast forward, 250 years or so, we find that it is the Executive branch that under the authority of the President, is seemingly on a path to make sure that the legislative and judicial branches are in the most important matters of the state, irrelevant, thereby signifying that the direction of this nation is thus having the authority of the state under just one person, which lends itself to tyranny and thereby the dismantling of our republican and democratic institutions.

 Indeed, history demonstrates to us that it is the Executive branch that has aggrandized onto itself more and more power, and unless the people or their representatives stand up and do something about this, the Constitution will no longer be the effective power of this land at all.  We live in an age in which federal governmental power has never been stronger, and the days of State’s rights and things of that general ilk, have been clearly superseded by the federal government, when it comes to that which is of the upmost importance, signifying that what the federal government so demands, it’s going to get, and when that federal government is for all intents and purposes answerable only onto the Executive office, then our Constitution is thereby null, void, and empty of any true purpose.

 No doubt, there are plenty of people, in high positions, that prefer an Executive office which has all the authority, because when that is the case, it is far easier to get things done, because there isn’t any distraction or debate to contend with, but whenever the voices of the people and its representatives are silenced, then this is no longer a government, of, for, and by the people, whatsoever.  So then, America is at a crossroads, not helped by the fact that those in one particular party seem to favor often having a powerful Executive at the control of this government, because that thereby helps that party to get done what it desires to get done, but in so doing, those that are its representatives have ceded their power and their duty to the Executive office. 

 In short, it is the nature of power to expand itself, and those who are in a position to check and balance such have a sacred duty to do that very thing, and their failure to do so has serious consequences for the people of this nation, which will reverberate through the ages.

The never-ending privilege of being non-trailer trash white

A significant number of people who are white are reluctant to admit to all their inherent privileges that they get by living in America, even though it is only too obvious to almost everyone else.  Yet, that is the way that many white people like to believe, that whatever that they have, no matter how much unearned it is, somehow is rightfully theirs to have and to claim.

 So then, with the exception of white trailer trash, which is typically rather obvious to perceive, because those that are trailer trash, are the same that drive the wrong vehicle, live in the wrong place, congregate in the wrong areas, and have bad teeth -- is that all those that are properly white, have not only a perpetual get out of jail card, but are accorded all the benefits of being the preferred race in America; so that, in virtually all circumstances, they will get either the benefit of the doubt, or are simply dealt with in a way and manner, that shows them respect, even when such is completely unwarranted.

 To be white is to know for a certainty that white people can go into any neighborhood, any restaurant, and any venue anywhere, without risking their neck, especially when they comport themselves in a way and manner that demonstrates that they have the implied authority to do whatever that they are doing.  To be white means that a person need not overly worry about the police abusing them, because the police understand that to bite the hand that feeds them is basically the only type of mistake that can get them demoted or even fired, which is why white people, are accorded the special sort of respect, reserved for no other race.

 So too, being white means to be able to enjoy all the accouterments that this country has, without having to worry, that an individual is at the wrong place at the wrong time, which is why hiking, camping, and all outside activities for white people, are things that they know they will not get in trouble for, even when, they have overstepped the boundaries of what is and is not implicitly permitted.  

 Additionally, when it comes to the community that white people live and congregate in, for a certainty, the budgets and monies so set aside for community enhancement and upkeep, are going to prioritize where the white people are, because those of privilege, are always entitled to their privileges, or else those in governmental positions which are somehow reading the tea leaves wrong, will get reprimanded for not properly taking care of those that must be cared for, first, always, and in every single circumstance.

 The best of America is reserved therefore not for all Americans, equally, but only for those that are the most privileged which is why white people, love this country more than any other race, which logically makes sense, because white people are able to have the best of the best, all to their infinite enjoyment and satisfaction, and the leftovers, are only for those too stupid to have not been born white.

For centuries upon centuries, it has been divide and conquer

The thing about the democratic vote, in which each citizen gets exactly one vote, is that logically one would think that the representatives so being elected, and the propositions so being passed, would be in conformance with what the majority wants.  Yet, when we look at America, this simply isn’t true, for in actuality, those at the highest levels of power and influence are frequently able to have their way, at the specific expense of the majority, which seems like a very hard trick to accomplish when the powerful are severely outnumbered by the people.

 The reason why the majority doesn’t rule, and why those that are most in need of the government to stand up and to provide them with a helping hand don’t get satisfaction is because the most powerful personages in government or the influencing of such, apply the same successful strategy again and again, which is to take the people who should collectively be together, because it is in their best interests to be so, and succeed at dividing them, by convincing these same people that their enmity should not be at their government or its representatives, but should be upon others of their same general ilk, who though are immigrants, or of a different creed, or a different color, or a different political view, and making sure that they are at continual loggerheads at one another, which thereby provides the roadway for those that are the most authoritative to have their way.

 Look, it has to be said, that not only does money matter, but those that are well-positioned are in the prime place to get done what they or their actuators desire to get done, and democratic vote or not, it is quite obvious that those in authoritarian positions are frequently able to get what they want; whereas, the people typically get nothing much more than empty promises, and the type of change which is at its core, isn’t change, at all.

 To divide and therefore to conquer, isn’t necessarily a difficult task, because those that are most influential recognize that many people are overly selfish and self-serving, and because of that these same people can be exploited rather easily, by laying out the case that all would be well, if only these other people from a different background, or a different religion, or a different perspective, would be pushed to the side, and this is what therefore divides the people, who seemingly can’t ever seem to figure out, that they are not only being played, but that they have been played.

 The progress that society richly desires can only come about when the people recognize their commonality, and put aside surface differences, to understand that at the end of the day, most everyone wants the same basic things, which is a decent place to lay their head, opportunity for themselves and their progeny, safety, justice, and lastly having the freedom to be about their business, without undue or unsolicited interference from that government, which is supposed to be for, by, and of the people. 

 Until such a time as the preceding occurs, it will be more of the same, with those with little or nothing to lose, somehow losing that little, time and time again, because they will not unite in a common cause to have their say and to get their rightful due.

“When secrecy rules, lies are king”

While there are lots of legitimate reasons of why secrets are necessary, as in, for instance, a form of discretion as well as the legitimate protection of those that would be in harm’s way, if such a secret were exposed, we find that though many secrets are made not so much to protect the innocent but rather to protect the guilty. This signifies that secrets, in and of themselves, while having their place are often overutilized, for it has to be recognized that there are plenty of people and agencies that have secrets, not because they are prudent or necessary, but because what they are doing is foundationally wrong, and they therefore do not desire to be exposed, which is why they keep it secret.

 Indeed, the main reason why secrecy is so prominent has not so much to do with the need to stymie “loose lips” but much more to do with the desire not to expose one’s guilt.  This is why in any relationship or government, when there is an inordinate amount of secrets, it can be assured that a significant portion of those secrets have been initiated to control a certain narrative that could not exist, without those secrets, which is why where secrecy rules, lies therefore are the king, because the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth is not being told.

 It isn’t possible in a nation under the consent of the governed to be fully informed, when that which should be divulged because the information is of interest and is pertinent, is deliberately being either withheld or is being distorted so that the people who are not in the know do not have the necessary information to formulate a valid viewpoint, because they have been deceived, which is why a government built upon secrets is not going to be a construct which is fair or appropriate.

 A healthy society, needs to be an open and transparent society, of which, when bad things happen that are regrettable, the best way to deal with such, is to be forthright about such, so that whatever changes or adjustments that need to be made can be made, as opposed to keeping it as a secret, which will thereby necessitate more secrets to cover the initial secret ad nauseam.  Similarly, our representatives can’t disclose to the people what is really going on if they themselves are not privy to the secrets of their government.

 Those that would rule us, need to own up to their mistakes, and need to let the people know what is occurring under their name, because the more that is held to be secret, or done in secret, the less the people know what their government is doing on their behalf, which may or may not create trouble for them in the future.  In sum, most people are forgiving, to those that have done wrong, when those wrongdoers not only admit to their wrongs but make it their point to correct that wrong, and when that does not occur, because those wrongs are hidden, we find that the truth was been subverted by those that have given their loyalty to the kingdom of lies, instead.

The greatest sin of capitalism and our complicit government

The thing about capitalism is that no matter how much they espouse how great an economic system it is, that it has at least one fatal flaw, which is that many capitalists are all about making profit and increasing revenue, year after year, which thereby puts immense pressure upon upper management to sacrifice doing the right thing which should fairly take into account the impact of today’s actions in regards to harming tomorrow’s people through environmental damage, pollution, and the over usage of irreplaceable natural resources, in which they deliberately ignore that, because profit is the only thing that matters.

 It is because of this mindset that we see companies harming the environment, and harming people, often knowingly, because their pursuit of profit is their overriding concern, and thereupon they will do whatever that they can to ensure that nothing gets in the way of their revenue growth and financial gain.  Indeed, in an equitable world, companies would have the explicit as well as the implicit responsibility to do right by the environment and by the people, by dealing with hazards which are detrimental in a responsible fashion, as opposed to burdening not only today’s people with pollution and ill health, but also leaving it up to future generations to clean up the mess.

 There are all sorts of tricks that corporations can play to subvert and avert their responsibilities, often aided by a government that either looks the other way, or is complicit with what is occurring, because the responsible government agency, has essentially been captured by that corporation, so that, no honest broker is looking out for the common man, signifying that corporations need not overly worry about the harm that they contribute to the environment or to people’s health, along with the salient fact that many products are not constructed with any sort of sensible plan as to what to do with those products once they have reached their end of life, and thereby need to be disposed of responsibly and sustainably.

 The pollution and environmental damage could be successfully dealt with if this government would use its power to effect appropriate change with these corporations that are the worst violators, and while there are plenty of laws and agencies that, in theory, are structured to do that very thing, we find that they are in the present day, often ineffective, because those that are specifically supposed to deal with this very thing, aren’t getting done what needs to get done.

 It should be that the mistakes that we make are ours to own. Still, when those mistakes are passed onto future generations, for them to deal with, this is the height of irresponsibility, which is why these well-connected mega corporations need to be held to account, or else the problem will continue to get worse. Those then who have yet to be born will inherit an earth that isn’t what it could or ought to be.  This is why we need an effective government, which takes its responsibility to do right by those who are its citizens, as the most important thing, so that the rule of law and its implementation trumps money and profits.

The semantics of framing the narrative

The use of words and phrases makes a material difference in how people envision what those words mean within the context of what has been written or said.  That is to say, it is pretty clear and obvious that when a headline reads “Man Murdered,” that this is not going to be interpreted the same way as “Man Dispatched.”  Although it is often the case that the known facts are the same, the headline is deliberately different because the narrative the writer or speaker is trying to convey to the audience is different.  That is why it is so important to look at words and phrases and to understand that when somebody is “erased” or “terminated,” that this word may well have been substituted for “killed.”

 It is regrettable that governments have a rather bad habit of insisting upon framing the narrative with words and descriptions that will favor what they desire to get across, so as to either keep the population calm, or the very opposite, which is to get the population up in arms about a particular issue.  This is why it is imperative that we look beyond and behind the words to understand better what is actually occurring, because when we are too lax to do so, those who wish to push their agenda upon us are going to be more successful in so doing.

 There are plenty of things that happen each and every day, of which, the framing of what has occurred, is in the hands of those that are part of the media, so that, those that have the biggest voice, are going to make it their point to see that their viewpoint is the orthodox viewpoint, which thereby means that what the people are reading or seeing has been conditioned in a way that a significant portion of the population will just be accepting of what they are essentially being told to believe.

 The type of society that we should live in, does not manipulate the other, but rather is forthright with what is really going on, by a true and fair description of what is happening, so that, people can then fairly adjudge as to whether this is something that they are in agreement and accordance with, or else, find such to be disturbing and wrong.

 The best society is that which is most transparent and open with the people, that thus lays its cards fairly upon the table, so that the denizens of that nation, can come to their own conclusions or beliefs, without having to suffer undue influence or the attempt to shape public opinion in a way and manner that favors what those in authority, so desire to get across.  Indeed, we cannot be a free people, at liberty, if what we are hearing and seeing, has been deliberately structured in a way that will make us to believe something that is not the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, but rather is essentially a deception made to look as if it is the complete truth, when it really is not.