Traffic tickets are no joke in the United States

Government municipalities have a strong interest in meeting their budget requirements, of which, one of the ways that budgets are met are through the traffic citations that drivers get each and every day for various infractions, of which some of those infractions so ticketed are fundamentally unjustified; and virtually all of those ticketed driving infractions, consist of a monetary penalty which is not only considerably higher, than it was only a decade ago, but in light of what the infraction entails, such as going over the speed limit, or “running” a stop sign, does not reflect a fair cost of how much that ticket should be, in consideration of the true danger or exigencies of such an infraction.

One of the main issues with traffic tickets is that besides the fact that the fine is not transparent to begin with, is that the fine itself, typically just represents a “base” of what the total fine is going to be.  In other words, once ticketed, the driver may be subject to a penalty assessment, a state criminal surcharge, a court assessment, a county fund assessment, an emergency medical fee assessment, and so on and so forth, only thus limited by the imagination of the legislative act so put into law, dictating the terms, conditions, penalties, and monetary amount that a particular traffic offense consists of. 

So then, a traffic ticket can depending upon the offense and the conditions thereof, could run up to a total fine of $500 or even significantly more, and of which, if the given driver does not make their court appearance or pay their fine on time, this could lead to some rather dire consequences; of, for instance, having one’s license suspended or revoked, which is yet another fine, and in some jurisdictions, a criminal offense, mandating time in jail, of which, that jail time, and the lack of having a driver’s license, could thus mean the loss of one’s job, one’s home, and pretty much one’s everything, all stemming from “just” a traffic ticket.

So then, the question might be asked, as to why some people just don’t pay their fines and take good responsibility in showing up for court and taking care of it; of which, in consideration that millions of Americans, are barely surviving in the first place, and often do not have the ready money to pay that fine, without causing some other issue or pain in their life, this thereby represents one of the most prominent reasons; in addition, to the fact that some people aren’t all that organized and are subject to being overwhelmed or just plain intimidated.

The truth of the matter is that traffic tickets are regressive in their structure, and represents a construct in which those of color, are far more susceptible to getting ticketed in the first place, and of which, minorities typically have far less of monetary worth, income, and assets than the favored class; so then, it could easily be argued that traffic tickets are yet another way to unfairly oppress those that have so little to begin with, and thereby those traffic tickets act as a means to persecute and to suppress those that  are disenfranchised, so as to keep them ever in debt, and ever without the means to extricate themselves from their often bleak existence.

The power of the government v. you

In all criminal trials, it is the state apparatus, and the power that such a governmental entity has v. the person so accused of a given crime.  That is to say, individuals accused of a crime, who are far too often impoverished and ill-educated, must somehow defend themselves, through a plea bargain or through an overworked and overburdened public defender mounting a defense for them, unless they have the monetary funds to afford a competent attorney -- against the mighty policing arm of the state, which has virtually unlimited power on its end, versus that which is typically limited in all of its resources, along with the salient fact, that most defendants are not truly knowledgeable about the law, the nuances and application thereof, and have little experience in the arguing of law as involving their particular case.

For a country that seemingly is for the underdog and for fair opportunity, clearly, criminal trials are indicative that America through its jurisprudence doesn’t really care about equality or fairness under the law, but rather utilizes the law as a cudgel against those that are perceived to be violating the law, or not adhering to community standards, or are some sort of nuisance which needs to be punished by that law.  The proof of this is by the very nature of how criminal law is practiced in America, in which the prosecutor and law enforcement, typically work together, hand in glove, and the judge, oftentimes, isn’t impartial, whatsoever; but more serves to validate under the guise of justice, the general arc of what the prosecution is trying to accomplish.

The bottom line is that the generic police motto of “to protect and to serve” is disingenuous, for that protection is for those that are the power brokers and adjudicators of a given community, and thereby this signifies that the service so done by the police is for those elites, and thereby, police officers understand that real police work is the actual keeping of the general public, and especially all those that are annoying and disenfranchised, in their place.  So too, the prosecution knows that its purpose is to take those police actions so made and to make good on them, by first specifically targeting all those that are pretty much defenseless and clueless, so as to pad their prosecutorial record to make it appear as if they are unbeatable; and next to concentrate upon all those that have the temerity to believe that in America, justice is going to be fair, by teaching all those recalcitrant people, that the state will get what it wants, through its deeper pockets, connections, and the general twisting of the rules, so that the fight will never be fair, and will invariably result in the vast majority of cases being won by that prosecution.

The power of the government is something to be rightly feared, for it is only that government thru its instruments that can rightly accused anyone of a given crime, and once so accused, life as it once was known by those so suffering that fate, becomes, at best, difficult and inconvenienced; and at worse, the wresting away of one’s freedom for incarceration, punishment, and shaming.  They say that this is the land of the free, but reality of its jurisprudence and the results thereof, proves nothing of the sort.

Solitary confinement is cruel and unusual punishment

In this modern era, surely one would reasonably think that when it comes to the humane treatment of prisoners, that the United States would desire to be the industry leader in providing a reasonably safe environment for those so incarcerated and would not countenance cruel and unusual punishment.  Yet, as reported by ncchc.org, we read “…that approximately 80,000 inmates are held in some form of isolation in state and federal prisons on any given day;” of which, we need to keep in mind that this is not simply someone having a “time out” but rather involves the isolation of a human being from everyone else for 22 and even 23 hours every single day.  If this was just for one day, or for the temporary protection of a given inmate, or as a reasonable means of punishment for a given inmate for a finite amount of time, not exceeding a few days that would be one thing, but in America, solitary confinement can be well beyond hours, days, weeks, or even months, for it actually can be for years.

It is unfortunate, that far too often, when America has to deal with inequality, lack of opportunity,

discrimination, poor housing, poor healthcare, dysfunctional family environments, and massive income disparities, that the go-to answer for the United States, is typically to clamp down hard upon those that are agitating for change through ill-advised behavior.  Further to the point, America, even in today’s world, is all about invoking the antebellum Southern attitude which is that for all those that are compliant and thereby subservient to the master’s desires, life can be somewhat tolerable; and for all those that are not compliant, then corporal punishment, solitary confinement or its equivalency is the price to thereby pay.

The bottom line is that most of those subject to solitary confinement, do not willingly wish to suffer such, and often aren’t deserving of being in such; but following the perverse philosophy that “those that are out of sight are out of mind,” this is what America’s justice system in reality propagates.  This signifies that in America, incarceration is fundamentally a punishment tool, and further to the point, not only does the United States care not a whit about the successful rehabilitation of those so incarcerated, but rather it prefers to take that which is human and thereby of unalienable rights, and wrest their humanity away from them as if they were functionally animals, or not even that, just things or just plain trash.

America spends an extraordinary amount of money on its imprisonment system, but fundamentally fails to realize that it has a moral and legal duty to provide those that are so incarcerated with their Constitutional rights.  While there are plenty of people, that believe those that have been convicted of a particular crime, deserve no rights, that should be answered by stating emphatically that those people with those beliefs are fundamentally wrong.   Two wrongs do not make a right, and it is important to recognize that when the state apparatus instigates a wrong, that they should be held accountable for having done that wrong. 

Human beings are social creatures, and solitary confinement, by definition, isolates that which needs socialization into a frightful existence that clearly is not.  Life does not always provide us with easy answers or with easy solutions, but to lock a given individual up and to throw away the key is never the right answer, and it is high time that America recognizes and thereby corrects its wrongful behavior.

Corporate profits and the lack of social accountability

In the capitalistic system it would appear to be the highest calling of those that are practitioners of such, to make a profit; yet, a profit without taking into account that all businesses have some sort of innate responsibility to do right by their community must also being fairly considered.   That is to say, if a given for-profit business is all about just the making of money, of which ethics and morals as well as responsibility to the general public, plays no part whatsoever; then the end result, at best, is going to be directly beneficial for a very few, somewhat beneficial to others, and perhaps quite detrimental to the many.  The reason that this is so, is that, the concentration of capital into ever fewer hands disrupts the good functioning of democracies because the impact of money plays an outsized role in how rules and regulations, as well as laws are actually enforced or even enacted in legislatures and thereby adjudged in courts of justice.  Additionally, some businesses, by their very nature, deal with toxic chemicals, or other elements that are inherently dangerous to the public as well as to the environment if not properly handled and disposed of, in which, these companies are often going to be tempted to avoid doing what is necessary and prudent to do for the safety and protection of people and that environment, if that business, unduly weighs making profits above proper social accountability.

Clearly, those businesses that either directly or indirectly create or utilize toxic elements must be held accountable to such an extent that the general public and the government should not ever be left “holding the bag” when pollution, or negative environmental events, occur.  In other words, those businesses that are in industries that either create pollution to some extent, or are handling toxic chemicals, must be licensed in a manner in which, there is some sort of guarantee or monetary bond so created to handle adverse consequences, of bad acts so made -- that is structured to be part and parcel of the conditions of that business, and therefore is a necessary cost of doing business, so it thereby has precedence over the distribution of profits, because of that accountability.

In point of fact, corporations should always be held accountable to that society, which permits their existence in the first place.  This signifies that appropriate rules and regulations by governmental agencies need to be enforced in a manner in which the general public and their protection thereof, comes before profit.  After all, it isn’t fair for any corporation to make a bucketload of money, with one hand, while with the other hand, saddling the environment and public health with toxic costs which essentially are socialized; thereby permitting that corporation and its beneficiaries to hold onto their profit, without a fair accounting of what the true costs were of that profit to that society and to that environment.

All those that are in businesses in which the nature of that business could cause environmental or public health harm, need to as part of their business enterprise, fairly account for the contingencies of that harm, rather than taking the attitude that corporate profits are theirs to own, but the bad consequences of corporate harm is essentially at the public’s expense.

Departure from this world is inevitable

As much as some people prefer not to think about it, or simply to ignore it, or seemingly don’t care about it, the bottom line is that nothing that is born into this material world, will ever be able to live forever in this world, but must eventually experience material death.  So then, that would seem to say, either of two things, of which the first is that life has no real purpose, for our very birth is ultimately our death sentence; or the alternative which is that our birth here, really represents the leaving of our natural state, which is spirit, in order to incarnate physically, whereupon our actions and deeds thereof are meant to represent in truth our sincerity to our purpose for being, before our inevitable departure to our natural state of spirit.

So then, at a minimum, all those that understand that they are eternal beings, should want to reflect that truth by their actions in the here and now.  This signifies that as much as we might get caught up in the day-to-day activities and diversions that this world so represents, we owe it our ourselves to maintain our focus, and therefore not to concentrate too much on that which is temporal, for it fundamentally takes us away from that which really eternally matters.  That is to say, our duty here on earth, is to help make this world a better place, by behaving in a manner in which we respect and aid others, display patience, express our concern, and give compassion one to another. All the other stuff, especially the negative, involving such characteristics as domination, meanness, selfishness, and dishonesty, don’t serve any good purpose, but rather serves to distract us from the only prize that really matters.

Nobody really wants to live a life of regret, but a significant amount of people, have the good capacity to self-reflect honestly enough, to see that their lives have some degree of failure and hence of regret.  That regret often comes down to having not spent the necessary time doing that which really matters and has lasting value, as compared to that which brings at best, a temporary sugar high, but does not come close to standing the true test of time.  After all, a proper perspective would clearly indicate that those that see the testing ground of earth, as being something other than a testing ground, are going to have a strong inclination to miss the forest for the trees; for all those that fail that test, are compelled to keep going back to that which they need to go back to, until they graduate to the understanding that the true point of our existence is to seek and to truly know that which is the actuator of it all.

The fact that our physical body cannot escape death, is indicative that the physical should not be our main concern and should never be paramount over our eternal soul.  Those that recognize that we are children of God, thereby have an inherent obligation to pay proper homage to that God, by taking upon themselves longsuffering, faithfulness; and expressing joy whenever possible; for they understand implicitly that to unduly love that which is only thus created for our edification, but not the Creator of that domain, is a dead-end road that should never be taken; but rather, instead, these dedicated souls make it their committed purpose to not ever relent in their devoted search for that stellar stairway which leads them to Heaven.

In America, your home is not your castle

One would think that a concept such as a "no knock" warrant would categorically be illegal except under the most exigent circumstances, and even those circumstances, should necessitate an independent and dispassionate review of whether this "no knock" raid was actually necessary in the first place.  After all, the fact that "no knock" warrants even exist and somehow are legal in the United States is a slap in the face to the 4th Amendment, to the Founding Fathers, and to the fundamental premise of what the Constitution was created for.  This is because if potentially any home at any time, is permitted to be searched with a "no knock" warrant because the police in conjunction with a compliant judge believes such is necessary for whatever dubious reason, essentially means that nobody's home is their castle, because everybody's home is potentially subject to such a "no knock" invasion, and thereupon the people so duly suffer all the inherent danger of armed enforcers of the law invading that which most people would reasonably believe that they have the moral right to defend themselves in.

The most basic lie about "no knock" warrants is the same lie used for whenever the policing force is permitted to do whatever that they so want to do, come hell or high water.  That corrupt concept might be the norm in some pathetic dictatorship of a country, but it is definitely not okay for that country that declaims itself as the leader of the free world.  The bottom line is that if anybody cannot be reasonably secure within their own home, or within their own car, or within their own person, from the long arbitrary arm of the law, then that is the epitome of a country that is not free, but rather represents essentially the description of a police state masking itself as a republic.

Many people and most countrymen will defend to the death, their family and their country, because that is the embodiment of what it means to protect and to secure that which is lawfully their own.   This is why it is so important for any country of integrity, to actually treat their citizens in a manner in which they are accorded the respect and courtesy that is theirs per their Constitutional rights.  This present Constitutional government and the policing arm of that government were initially so created to be a material aid to domestic tranquility as well as to secure the blessings of that liberty that each citizen has the right to.  This thus signifies that to take away the liberties of a given citizen, without fair and due process of the law, done so in an unreasonable and unnecessary way is anathema to that country which was founded upon liberty for all.

Each citizen should be reasonably secure in their property, in their person, and in their home, for if they are not, but instead are subject to essentially capriciously having any one of those things, being at risk though the sole discretion of the state apparatus, then no citizen is safe, and no citizen is therefore secure from that government which is supposed to be of, for, and by the people; for such a government as that is behaving  instead in a deliberate and calculating manner that runs roughshod over those that are its equal.

The disenfranchised and un-favored are always guilty of something

The real reason that there are so many laws as well as the inconsistent interpretation of those laws is so that those that are not part of the favored class, such as the disenfranchised, poor, those of certain creeds as well as those of certain races are thereby subject to being harassed, arrested, victimized, fined, and ultimately having their freedom wrested away from them at a moment's notice with little or no Constitutional protection to preclude such.  The bottom line is that the policing arm of the state have seemingly the absolute power to disrupt anyone's life that they so wish to disrupt, only ameliorated by those that have some semblance of power behind them, which thereby provides those people with a modicum of Constitutional protection.

Millions upon millions of Americans rightly fear their government, because that government, has the power to enforce whatever that it is that it desires to enforce, of which, the pushback from the people and the institutions that defend those people via the principles of the Constitution, are in many instances, lacking in the resources and thereby the influence to effectively preserve the freedoms that all are, in theory, equally entitled to, which is why so many are arrested, harassed, and incarcerated.

Anytime that any government has the power to essentially find something that the people are guilty of, and thereby are able to enforce that belief against the people, even if such is eventually overturned or dismissed through some court of law, that government has already achieved what it so desired to achieve which is at a minimum, the intimidation and the marginalization of those that oppose or are an inconvenience to that government.   In truth, the resources of the government, are essentially unlimited, over and above the fact, it is the government that has the power to take a person's right just to be about their personal business, away from them, with virtually no ill consequences for that government when it is overzealous in doing exactly that.

Those that run this government do not really mind those that have unorthodox viewpoints or dissenting opinions as long as these are expressed in a manner in which there is no ill effect to those that are acting the part of a tyrant.  It is only when the government perceives those that dissent as a clear and present danger to them, or the potential thereof, that the government is quick to act in a manner in which they assert themselves in a way in which the policing arm of the state, under the guise of national security, safety, law and order, or similar, is used as the impetus to pick up the "usual suspects."

This is why there are so many laws in America, and wide interpretations of those laws, so that those that are in control of the business of America, have the constant wherewithal to clamp down where they need to do so, and when it serves the interests of the state to do that.   Further to the point, this country makes sure to have a constant source of bogeymen, foreign and domestic, that thereby necessitates their ever vigilant guard so as to protect the people; though in reality, they aren't protecting the people, but rather they are protecting their fiefdoms from being legitimately questioned, let alone being fairly taxed, fairly regulated, and fairly examined by the people.

Debauching of the coin of the realm

Most business transactions as well as most personal monetary transactions involve the coin of the realm being used as the means to trade or to pay for one thing or another.  In other words, we buy things with dollars and we are paid with dollars, of which, because this is the coin of the realm, this makes for transactions being done seamlessly as well as being transparent, one party to another, so that this is the de facto go-to way that business and personal transactions are accomplished, millions upon millions of times each and every day.  All this is to the good, as long as the dollar maintains enough stability, so that not only can transactions continue smoothly day-by-day but also so that long-term decisions can be made in the good conscience that the dollar will continue to be stable and of value enough to do so.

However, the problem with fiat currency in general, is that governments have a very strong tendency to debase such over a period of time, knowing that by doing so, not only is a hidden tax put into effect, which is especially pernicious upon all those that don't have an investment vehicle that is able to "earn" enough so as to keep what they have basically have so as to thereby maintain more or less the same value, but that because of this debasement there are going to be winners and losers within the currency game, of which, the biggest winners are always going to be those that are the in the know as to what is really going on and what is really going to happen.

Further to the point, sudden currency debasement, destabilizes societies in a manner in which, many of those that have labored hard, are susceptible to essentially having all that they have earned, becoming more or less worthless, thereby placing them in the unenviable position of being beholden to their government for their sustenance or the alternative of having to rise up against that government in the optimistic hope that such a revolution will thereby somehow make them whole and not further enchain them.

Again, virtually all of the "worth" of a given person, or institution, is measured in the coin of the realm, and when that coin becomes debased, this upsets the delicate balance between creditor and debtor, of which, those that are the creditors are typically those that are best positioned with that government, to not only to maintain their position, but to even improve upon it, when that government replaces the old currency unit with something new. 

Of course, there is the issue of the fact that the American government is itself, a great debtor, but recognize that its debt is primarily held in the hands of its own citizens, thereby signifying that upon the backs of those citizens, and in particular, those without true representation, they will thereby create that new currency, which will burden at a significantly higher rate those that are its common laborers in a manner in which they will know their place. So then, such debauchery of the coin of the realm, will in the end, hurt not those who are well placed and in the know, but hurt greatly, those that have faithfully played by the rules, never suspecting that the game is rigged and that they are the losers to it.  

Rich v. poor

While there are all sorts of comparisons that can be done in regards to the unfairness of the distribution of wealth and opportunity for those that are American, such as a comparison of how much more wealth whites have as compared to African-Americans or Hispanics, the bottom line when it comes down to wealth in America, is less about how much white people have, though they have an awful lot, and more about how few have so much and how so many have so little.  For instance, as reported by forbes.com, "the top 1% of Americans have a combined net worth of $34.2 trillion (or 30.4% of all household wealth in the U.S.), while the bottom 50% of the population holds just $2.1 trillion combined (or 1.9% of all wealth)." That statistic absolutely puts the lie to those that believe that America is fair in its opportunity, fair in its taxation, fair in its justice, equable, egalitarian, as well as being a country that is the true land of good opportunity for all.  Rather, having that much wealth in so few hands is indicative that this country is unfair in all of its aspects, without exception, and clearly corrupt in all of its meaningful institutions, despite what rules and regulations, have been enacted and enforced.  In America, there is, in reality, the law, opportunity, and taxation as applied to all those that are exceedingly rich, and then there is how such is applied against all those that are effectively disenfranchised, poor, disadvantaged and thereby having zero meaningful say, whatsoever, in their governance.

The reason that there is seldom any fundamental change in America, and in fact, why the disparity between rich and poor, ever increases, is the fact that at the highest echelons of governmental power, of corporate power, and of policing power, we find that all of these important institutions are effectively controlled by those that have, so as to obtain even more of what they want, at the obvious expense of all those that have little or nothing, except for empty hopes, broken hearts, and dead-end streets.  If would be one thing if all those that are wealthy accomplished such through honest hard work, but rather a significant amount of the wealth so accumulated is simply transferred from one generation to the next, with a minimum amount of taxation; and additionally there is a significant amount of wealth so having been created by favorable corporate structures that reward the elite with the lion's share of profits at the expense of those that labor for them as well as those that purchase such, often done through the power of near monopoly or duopoly positions or cartel like structures.

It seems amazing that there would be such a disparity of wealth in America, in which, fair competition, innovation, and dedicated effort would seem to mitigate such from ever occurring, but in fact, the system as constructed is fundamentally flawed, and the only institution large enough and strong enough that could ever effectively negate such wealth from accumulating into so few hands, is our national government, which is either the unwitting enabler of this tilted wealth, or co-opted to such a degree that it does little or nothing to level the playing field.  The real reason then why there is so much disharmony in America comes down to the simple fact that the distribution of wealth is skewed so dramatically to the few, that this thereby leaves the masses to fight for the scrapes, and far too often against one another, rather than effecting the utilization of their numbers in order to unite in cause so as to throw out the scoundrels that have eviscerated the very reason as to what this country was dedicated to and created for.

The troubling burden of the United States debt load

As of 4/1/2021,fiscaldata.treasury.gov, shows a United States national debt of $28,081,128,042,930.95, of which $21,971,261,601,025.54 of that debt is the responsibility of the people that are the citizens of this great nation.  Further, as reported by bls.gov, as of March 2021, our civilian labor force consisted of 150,493,000 persons that were employed.  So that, a fair analysis of how much debt is held by each person so employed at the present time would give us the figure of $145,995, that each of those so employed is indebted to the national government to on an individual basis.  Further to the point, despite historically low interest rates, the interest so charged upon the debt that the United States currently has, was as reported by cbo.gov, $345 billion for fiscal year, 2020, so that just the interest expense so being accumulated per worker, would amount to $2,292 just to service the debt, yearly, without any of that money being even applied against the principal, so of.

All of the above is a fair reflection of the amount of debt that this nation has accumulated, and of which, in order for the United States to ever become fiscally responsible again, so as to subsequently run balanced budgets without having any debt, at all, would necessitate the repayment of those monies of that debt, so accumulated over the years being paid off.  What is most troubling to those that make up this country is the sheer size of the debt so incurred, of which, for anyone that has ever had mortgage debt, auto loan debt, student debt, credit card debt, or debt of any sort, one must recognize that payments made towards that specific debt are thereby payments not being made or purchases not enacted for the consumption of items needed or desired, or of entertainment or to make investments in those things of personal interest, for financial gain, or need.

In other words, there are many problems with too much debt, of which one of those problems is that it costs real money to borrow money; as well as there is also the fundamental problem that monies being utilized to pay off debt, is therefore money that cannot be utilized to improve one's own life, or to purchase that which one desires or has a need to have.  This thus signifies that huge debt loads are going to slow down economic growth because those that do not have the ready means to purchase that which they would be inclined to purchase, do not thereby make those purchases, no matter how advantageous the price may appear to be.

So that, all those that do not keep their fiscal house in order, are going to, sooner or later, have to pay the piper or invariably fall into insolvency of some sort, of which the most troubling aspect of America's national debt, is how fast and how much that debt has accelerated in the 21st century, which is probably indicative that those that should be diligently guarding the national henhouse are clearly not those that have the best interests of this country in mind, but rather are the proverbial foxes that are trying to get what they can get, while the getting is still good, leaving those that are the general public, to suffer the terrible consequences of monetary collapse.

"…the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy”

The above quotation comes from the inestimable C.S. Lewis, of which, this pithy advice, serves notice that as much as mankind spends an inordinate amount of time trying to find happiness in all sorts of activities, escapes, selfishness, and ego fulfillment -- that mankind as long as it stays upon these diversionary routes, will invariably find itself actually getting further and further away from the true path of happiness.  While there is much of merit here on this earth, and much to do to make it better, there are also plenty of sideshows and wrong actions that mankind has shown way too much of an inclination to devote time and resources to, only to find out at the very last hour, that all of this has be in vain, and for nothing much more than temporal vanity.

Those that insist upon substitutes will invariably lead lives of which that substitute no matter how enticing it may at first seem, will never be able to fulfill their true heart's desire, for that substitute does not have and never will have the means to satisfy anyone, fully.  This signifies that all those misguided people that spend time doing that which will not bring them that type of lasting joy and satisfaction of a good mission, well done, are going to invariably be disappointed; though they may, for a time, find some joy and satisfaction from that activity, but, of which, it will not and cannot last.

It is amazing, that many a person that refuses to accept that which is fraudulent and/or of inferior quality as being just as good as the real thing in their material interactions, somehow yet believes that the pursuit of that which cannot ever end well, will somehow end well, when that cannot be.  It isn't that we are meant to simply worship God night and day, as if that, alone, will make us happy; but rather it is imperative that the thoughts, actions, and deeds that we do throughout our interactions with others that are part of our community that we are in, are consistent to the attributes of what makes for justice, compassion, fairness, and wisdom.

Those that are most satisfied and thereby happy, are all those that have aligned themselves to the best of their ability by their thoughts and by their subsequent actions so as to synchronize with that which is the Creator of it all.  If we truly want what is best for ourselves as well as for others, so as to have that inner peace of knowing that we are doing right, then we need to take to heart the wisdom of the ages, and that wisdom will not ever steer us wrong.

The failure of mankind is the repeated failure of mankind through its sustained belief that somehow its individual self-serving wisdom is the superior wisdom, which should be adhered to by all others, and that those that will not listen and obey, need to be taught to obey.  That corrupt mindset is the very basis for all that is wrong in this world.  Rather, that which mankind needs in order to find that inner peace, is that which mankind needs to freely avail itself of, and when mankind finds that which must be found, then that which is false and disappointing will be replaced by that which is True and ever satisfying.

Do not be a fair-weather friend

There are all sorts of friendships, some healthy, some really not, of which the objective of any healthy friendship is that it actually is beneficial for each party.  This doesn't necessarily mean that a friendship needs to be 50:50, for any good and worthy friendship doesn't actually keep score; but rather each party to that friendship needs to be a fair contributor to it.   Additionally, as much as we might wish that friendships would be filled with nothing but an unending series of good times and meaningful interactions, the fact of the matter is that friendships are going to reflect the reality of life, and life has a way of being complicated, with unexpected twists and turns that have to be resolutely dealt with.

All of the above signifies that a true friend in a real friendship is going to be the type of person that will not step away when those unenviable situations come up, that necessitates some degree of sacrifice, perspicuity, patience, concern, and action.  After all, when someone is only there for when the times are good, and to their benefit, and thereupon simply vanishes at the first sign of trouble, that isn't a friend, but rather represents in truth the epitome of a fair-weather friend.

Ultimately, there are those things that we are in control of and have influence upon, and then there are those other things that we don't control, and may not have much influence upon at all.  So then, that which is in our domain, we have to take responsibility for, and because of that, we may indeed have obligations and commitments that are ours to own and to do right with.  So then, it must be acknowledged, that a friendship implies some degree of responsibility of one person to the other, for the very point of a good friendship, is to have that other person to share things of value with, and to be of substance and of material aid to our friend, when such is called upon.

So while it is true, that we cannot control others, we can though, control ourselves and our subsequent actions; thereby signifying that we have no legitimate excuse in not been a good friend to our friends, if that be our volition. So then, the true test of any friendship is what we do when our friend has made an error or a series of errors, even those that are grievous ones.  If we decide there and then to cut the line and run, we have done them wrong, for the time that people need their friends by their side, more than ever, is when they are at their lowest, their weakest, and their most vulnerable.

The best things in life, require effort, perseverance, patience, aforethought, and follow through.  Those that would have good friends need to have the attributes of a good friend displayed through their own character and by their actions.  So then, when our friend is needful, that is the time to do what is right and what is necessary to be that aid to them, for that is the very epitome of a true and good friend.   For all those that do answer that call they have done well, and for those that do not, they have not, no matter their excuse or reasoning.

Overreaction, oppression and the oppressed

We would like to think that we live in a fair and just world, but virtually everything that surrounds us tells us differently; so what we see and know is that actually far too often this world is unfair and unjust, which is unfortunate, but true.  What makes this unjustness and unfairness especially of concern to each one of us is that even in our familial relationships, we are prone to that very same theme of injustice.

So then, it follows that what we often find is that those that feel that they are oppressed within a personal relationship will at some point, reach that breaking point and thereby will respond to that criticism or oppression, with often a response that will not be a reasoned one, but instead will be prone to and susceptible to a high degree of emotion and even hysteria.  The reason why this is so, is that those that feel that they are within that particular construct, of an inferior position, will often not reasonably believe that a reasonable response is going to avail them of much of anything; whereas an emotional and hysterical response might well serve to get across the point, that they have reached their breaking point and thereby should be left alone.

For the most part, hysteria has its place and time, for those that get hysterical have often done so, because they feel that they have nowhere to extricate themselves out of their current hopeless situation, except to respond in the most intemperate manner, in the hopes that by doing so, that they will perhaps knock the person that is in the superior position, off of their perch, or at least get that perch to tilt to the side a little bit.  So too, those that are constantly on the receiving end of criticism and belittlement, are also going to have a very strong tendency to take what has been done to them, and search for someone or something to direct their inward anger against; so that, sad to say, the victim of oppression, becomes often in a different scenario and with a different person, the oppressor of that person, utilizing as their tool of trade, that same sort of oppressive stratagem against another.

This signifies that what we find is that those who are oppressed, and without the capability to defend themselves in a mature and reasoned manner, are going to from time-to-time strike back against their oppressor by some sort of emotional overreaction or through subterfuge or both.  So too, oppressed people, often are in search of those situations in which they can regain their footing and get their own self-respect back, thereby making them prone to utilizing the very same actions that they so richly despise against someone that is weaker than their own self.  This thus perpetuates the dynamic of oppression and the overreaction to such, until somebody, somewhere, ends that cycle of negativity and emotional destruction.

Far too often, those that lord it over others, do not realize that their actions, have consequences that they have not fully contemplated upon; so that, the evil and the wrong that we do, may, in fact, live on and extend much further, than we ever could have imagine it so becoming.

Hierarchy and social order

Though people may want to really believe that the United States is a country of meritocracy, of egalitarianism, of opportunity, of freedom, of liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the reality of what it really is, does not match that very pretty picture. In fact, as in many nations, there most definitely is a pronounced hierarchy to America, as well as the consistent enforcement of that social order.  As important as that hierarchy is, and that hierarchy is very important to those that are its elites, they strongly prefer that their hierarchical business be business that need not be advertised.  On the other hand, social order is all about intimidation, threats, fear, incarceration, pain, punishment, and the overwhelming powerful authority asserting itself in a manner in which it does not relent from ever taking its boot off of the necks of those that need to know their place.

After all, when there are millions upon millions of Americans that really don't have much of a future, and live in conditions that are unsafe, unhealthy, and oppressive, then that underclass is typically going to display its unease in a manner in which they can throw off their chains, for those that have nothing to lose, have in theory, everything to gain.  It so follows that one might think that a more reasonable and reasoned response by those at the pinnacle of that hierarchy might be to provide a better environment with some degree of fairness as well as opportunity, for those of that underclass; but in consideration that the infiltration and compromise of such, as well as the fact that those that march to the elites orders are seemingly only too happy to obey and to enforce the rules, precludes a more humane response.  That is to say, why change, what doesn't need to change; especially as fear and thereby the need for social order, is a song that plays surprisingly well to the middle class of America, and as long as that middle class continues to believe that their security trumps their own Constitutional rights, then the battle has essentially already been fought and won.

For all those that are connected to the elite and/or are part of the right social circles, all is absolutely well within America, for they literally have the best of the best, with a minimal taxation obligation, and they fully appreciate that they are properly respected and competently defended at all times.  So too, those that have enough to put together a semblance of a decent and good life are pretty much okay with what is happening, as long as they are safe, fed, religiously free, and have their entertainment of choice.  So it remains open season on all those enclaves of poverty, abandonment, and hopelessness, in which the objective of the exercise is as simple as the desire of those elites to manipulate and to exploit those impoverished people to keep knowing their place and to thereby perform their service, as underpaid and exploited serfs to those that are essentially their masters.  Those then that continue to fail to learn their lesson will pay in blood, and those that have learned their lessons, will continue to get what they get, but never enough to develop that necessary velocity to ever get away.

Politics without principles

The bottom line is that legitimate political parties are created upon principled ideals, desires, goals, platforms, compromise, unification, and ultimately for the benefit of the people.  This would seem to indicate that a country formulated upon a Constitution as principled as that of the United States, would have no real need for political parties, as this is not only a union of States, joined together; but also represents a republic so created of, for, and by the people.  Yet, soon after the ratification of that Constitution, political factions were formed, and in the present day, these political parties are integral to today's policies so being enacted or rejected.

It would be one thing if those present day political parties were principled, but the evidence seems to imply the very opposite.  Today's political parties seem to be on one level completely unprincipled, and pretty much beholden to those that are the power brokers of their actuation, of which the objective of these parties appears to be deception, not just in regards to trickery meant to fool the opposing party, but outright deception to the very people that are members of it.  That is to say, while there are many gifted politicians that do a wonderful job in speaking and even believing in what they say, the actual effect or subsequent change, for the general core people of those political parties seems pretty disappointing, because the real benefits of what these political parties achieve appear to be mostly beneficial to only those that are well positioned, as compared to the people in whole, who seem to consistently get far less then what they should.

Then again, even when the people do appear to get what they are expecting to get, the receiving of such, has a lot more to do with the power plays so made behind the scenes that benefits those that are part of the winning side, to the detriment of those that are on the losing side; of which, principled actions based on justice, fairness, fair play, and the doing of the right thing, pretty much evaporates as an irrelevancy.  When the political game is played in a manner in which the objective is to win at any cost, then it is a given, that the cost will be the ethics of party principles, as well as the dismissal of the needs of the regular people that aren't considered to be a constituency that actually gets represented.

In point of fact, as the Constitution is the highest law of this land, then it so follows that the principles of each political party, should be the guiding light of those parties, and to the degree that those principles are seen as mere window dressing, then one can expect that the result of political involvement by those parties in regards to justice, legislation, and the execution of rules and regulation to function primarily instead as a very nice looking façade, of which the end result so obscured to the general public is typically a grand disservice to those that are essentially its minions as well as all those on the losing side.

Our governance is supposed to be a representative republic, but the reality is that those representatives don't answer to the people, nor do they answer to the principles of their respective party, but rather they often act in concert with those that are in their ear, playing that bewitching tune that keeps them in line, often quite willingly.The bottom line is that legitimate political parties are created upon principled ideals, desires, goals, platforms, compromise, unification, and ultimately for the benefit of the people.  This would seem to indicate that a country formulated upon a Constitution as principled as that of the United States, would have no real need for political parties, as this is not only a union of States, joined together; but also represents a republic so created of, for, and by the people.  Yet, soon after the ratification of that Constitution, political factions were formed, and in the present day, these political parties are integral to today's policies so being enacted or rejected.

It would be one thing if those present day political parties were principled, but the evidence seems to imply the very opposite.  Today's political parties seem to be on one level completely unprincipled, and pretty much beholden to those that are the power brokers of their actuation, of which the objective of these parties appears to be deception, not just in regards to trickery meant to fool the opposing party, but outright deception to the very people that are members of it.  That is to say, while there are many gifted politicians that do a wonderful job in speaking and even believing in what they say, the actual effect or subsequent change, for the general core people of those political parties seems pretty disappointing, because the real benefits of what these political parties achieve appear to be mostly beneficial to only those that are well positioned, as compared to the people in whole, who seem to consistently get far less then what they should.

Then again, even when the people do appear to get what they are expecting to get, the receiving of such, has a lot more to do with the power plays so made behind the scenes that benefits those that are part of the winning side, to the detriment of those that are on the losing side; of which, principled actions based on justice, fairness, fair play, and the doing of the right thing, pretty much evaporates as an irrelevancy.  When the political game is played in a manner in which the objective is to win at any cost, then it is a given, that the cost will be the ethics of party principles, as well as the dismissal of the needs of the regular people that aren't considered to be a constituency that actually gets represented.

In point of fact, as the Constitution is the highest law of this land, then it so follows that the principles of each political party, should be the guiding light of those parties, and to the degree that those principles are seen as mere window dressing, then one can expect that the result of political involvement by those parties in regards to justice, legislation, and the execution of rules and regulation to function primarily instead as a very nice looking façade, of which the end result so obscured to the general public is typically a grand disservice to those that are essentially its minions as well as all those on the losing side.

Our governance is supposed to be a representative republic, but the reality is that those representatives don't answer to the people, nor do they answer to the principles of their respective party, but rather they often act in concert with those that are in their ear, playing that bewitching tune that keeps them in line, often quite willingly.

What makes good so good?

It's important to understand that in the scheme of things, each one of us should want to be good by the doing of good things for others, but yet it isn't always that obvious that what we are doing is even good to begin with.  For instance, lots of people like to think that they are doing good, or think that they are one of the good guys, but yet there are those situations in which you have two people or even two countries, praying to the very same God, and of which they are at war one against the other, each believing wholeheartedly that what they are doing and standing for is good, but this can't in reality, be the case.

So the very first thing about good is the need to understand what good actually is.  As it has been written in regards to the characteristics of good, we find that which is truly good, is that which propagates and diffuses itself, as compared to that which is limited and diminishes itself.  So then, that which is good encourages others to become participants in it; thereby, spreading the wealth, and hence becoming as a rising tide for all boats.

This signifies that selfishness cannot be good, and all those activities that benefit the elite at the expense of the public are also not going to be good.  Rather, good is never something that there is a finite supply of, but rather it is something of which the more people that take the time to devote themselves to becoming participants with it, will subsequently propagate that good, for the betterment of all.  That which is good, is that which makes the world a better and a more just place.

Whenever we find people that co-opt good by claiming that which is good, when it is really not, the proof that we know that we are correct in our assessment is the fact that which really doesn't have the quality of good, is something that cannot or will not be shared, one with another, because it is really just beneficial for that one.  So then what we discover is that the fundamental characteristic about good is that good is never a zero-sum game, but rather is something that expands the beneficial pie; this then, is good.

It so follows, that in order to do good, we need to find something that is clearly outside of our own self, something that helps to make things better, in the here or not, or in the future, and most importantly, that which is good, is always that which we intuitively know must be shared with others.  In other words, something that is good, that has happened to us, or that we have brought about, is always going to also be that which we also are going to willingly share with others.  When something is good, there is a joy that cannot be contained within just our own self and thereupon we desire to see that joy freely given to others, which we thereby know as that which is good.

Beyond soap and water

In this current heightened time of concern in regards to viruses of all types, it would behoove government authorities to put forth comprehensive plans to address what is the best way to achieve good hygiene.  For instance, the United States has believed for decades that soap and water is the most effective means of successfully removing germs from a person's hands, of which, the general rule of thumb is for people to spend twenty seconds of time utilizing soap and water, before drying one's hands with a clean towel or paper towel.  While, no doubt, there is probably study after study demonstrating the good effectiveness of that soap and water, when following these directions to the "T"; what hasn't been looked at nearly enough, is how often in the real world, that people, whether at home or outside such, actually spend the necessary time needed with soap and water to get that effectiveness in reality. 

The fundamental dilemma with soap and water, comes down first to the fact that the water so being utilized itself must be clean water to begin with, the soap must have excellent cleansing agents, followed by the length of time that the soap and water combined is required to successfully perform its objective, and finally there is the necessity of a clean and uncontaminated towel to dry one's hands.  All of these things combined, are necessary to get the proper result, which thereby removes germs, and of which, the average person, probably seldom actually accomplishes each of these necessary things, and therein lays the main problem with our current usage of soap and water.

While it is true, that enough repetition, may in fact, get people to change habits of long standing, as well as to develop good habits in the first place, the reality seems to say, that most people, as much as they might want to, just aren’t ever going to get the soap and water routine, down right.   In addition, clean running water may not always be available, and time constraints to that washing, may never seem to go away, in addition to the fact, that clean towels may not always be available.  Therefore, it would seem that alternatives to soap and water, most definitely have their place, not so much as a replacement to soap and water, but rather to provide to the public another viable choice.

In recent times, the go-to choice to get rid of germs, besides soap and water, is hand sanitizer, of which there are some significant advantages to hand sanitizer, of which one is that having clean running water is not a requirement; in addition, the usage of a dry towel is not necessary, and further the time limit to utilize a hand sanitizer is in effect, less, even when twenty seconds is recommended, because there is no longer a requirement to remain by the sink for twenty seconds or to dry one's hands with a towel, but rather, as long as the hand and fingers are being thoroughly rubbed against each other, until such gets dry, the sanitizer has ably performed its duty.

The bottom line, is that as good as hand sanitizers currently are in regards to the removal of germs, they probably can get even better, and to the degree that the government recognizes that the reality of how people actually go about their hygiene, trumps the effectiveness of soap and water, will probably lead to a better health result, with this or a similar robust alternative.

Profits vs. people

This world is made up of people, of which those people that band together so as to create a particular construct in which they base their business enterprise primarily upon the profit so to be made by their products so to be sold; and thereby they make it their point to take advantage of or to exploit those that labor upon that product, as well as to make a conscious business decision to practice the manipulation of susceptible people to encourage the purchasing of such a product, have quite obviously made the determination that for them, the making of profit, and thereby the benefits of having that profit, outweigh whatever concerns they  might have to the fairness and value of other people's basic human rights.

First, the nature of a given business enterprise doesn't have to be conducted that way.  If more businesses and the people that make up those business enterprises made it their point of principle to pay a fair salary for a fair day's work, and to price their products to sell at a fair price, then this foundation would in concept, provide the necessary means to sustain and to grow those enterprises, day-by-day, along with the fact that those so employed there would at a minimum, be earning a living wage.  A mindset such as that should be the primary objective of every respectable business enterprise, so created, of which, those that lose sight of the humanity that we share in common with one another, to replace such with the exploitation and the greed to thereby take advantage of situations that favor those with money, power, connections, cleverness, and the like, have decisively decided to take the low road at the expense of doing the right thing for those that they work and associate with.

In order to try to make a living, people have to work, and in a world in which a lot of those jobs so being offered, necessitate working for a business enterprise, those that are the common laborers to such, often do not have the skill set or the wherewithal to dictate the terms of that employment.  Rather, in many cases, that of which these subject employees will get paid, is determined by that business enterprise, irrespective of the need of the person so seeking employment, the fairness of it, or even a decent consideration as to whether the salary so being agreed to represents a living wage.

Those that believe that the free enterprise capitalistic system is the best economic system the world has ever seen, are typically those that sit comfortably on the winner's side of such a belief; for in reality,  when it comes to any economic system of which profits, more than anything, rule the roost, one can expect, that the unyielding lust for profits will lead to all sorts of ill consequences, such as lying and deceit of all stripes, pollution, unfairness, exploitation, manipulation, injustice, and a massive disparity between those few that have it all as compared to a significant part of the population which pretty much has nothing.

It isn't that the capitalistic system is wrong; it is just that there needs to be proper governance exerted by a robust government that regulates such in a manner in which primarily people are held at a higher value and thereby of more importance than the mere making of money.

Poverty in the USA

The United States is the richest nation that the world has ever known, but unfortunately, its distribution of wealth is massively skewed in such a way, that a very few have an awful lot, while there are a significant swath that have a fair amount, and then again there are those others that as reported by brookings.edu, fairly reflects that America has a systemic poverty problem, as "38.1 million people, or 11.8 percent of the population" suffer from and live in poverty.  As bad as that may be, other economists believe that this official number is actually too low.  Be that as it may, the fact that such a huge subset of fellow Americans are living in poverty and thereby suffering from all the disadvantages, thereof, is indicative that not all is right within America.

In point of fact, America should be the world's leader in the reduction of poverty rates, utilized as proof positive that its capitalistic system, combined with the social services so provided by its governance is the best mix of private and public enterprise that the world has ever known.  But this isn't the case, at all, in which, again and again, America spends an inordinate amount of time, praising the success of its great corporations, as well as indicating how generous it is with the monies so being spent on social services, without ever admitting that those actions are woefully inadequate in successfully tackling and thereby meaningfully dealing with the actual reduction of its poverty rate.

The bottom line is that there is plenty of food, plenty of shelter, plenty of money, and plenty of good infrastructures that this country should be able to avail itself of so as to effectively reduce its poverty rates appreciably from where they currently sit at.  In order to do exactly that, America needs to wake up from its indifference to its own disadvantaged people, so as to come forth with a comprehensive plan that is indicative of the minimum levels so being met for education, housing, healthcare, food, and employment opportunities for all of America, and to make it their point that they will not let up, until this is met in every community of this great nation.

While, no doubt, we will always have some poor amongst us, for some people and some situations, are intractable; the point is that we could minimize such by putting forth a comprehensive infrastructure plan that would assure each American, of a proper education, food enough to eat, safe shelter, and healthcare that is accommodative for all those without money, if the United States would just set its mind on doing exactly that.  After all, the money is there to accomplish such, of which the United States needs to do so, for often times the price of poverty is the corresponding price of hopelessness, and thereby by providing hope for those that have gone so long without such, we will as a nation, ultimately become stronger and better.

Each American should be fairly entitled to a minimum standard of living, of which, this minimum, would be enough, to assure their safety, their shelter, their education, adequate healthcare, and food for their belly.  The fact that this does not presently exist, is to America's great shame, for if America does not feel an obligation to take care of their weakest and most vulnerable, in a current construct in which they are on top of the world, then this clearly does not bode well for its future.

Income of $50,000 vs. $50,000 earned is not the same thing

The vast majority of working Americans are subject to Federal and State withholding from their paycheck, as well as in some localities also suffering the indignity of having taxes held for city taxes; in addition, employees are required by Federal law to have taken from their paycheck, 6.2% for social security taxes, as well as 1.45% for Medicare.  So then, those that have an income through their labor of $50,000 per annum, do not ever actually receive a net income of also $50,000 but rather are subject to various taxing authorities, in which, some of those taxes are thereupon recovered upon the filing of an Income tax return, depending upon a myriad of conditions.  Nevertheless, what is never recoverable, is those taxes so taken by social security and Medicare, as these are considered to be a given person's contribution to the safety net of retirement and recoverable only when they reach retirement age.

On the other hand, there are plenty of people that earn $50,000 and pay little or no taxes upon this, and further are not subject to the paying of 6.2% for social security or 1.45% for Medicare.  For instance, one of the prevalent ways that people with money, make additional money is through their investment in equities of all types, of which, if that investment in a given equity, is thereby held for one year, it is considered to be a long term investment, and should any portion of that particular equity thereupon be sold, then the taxation of such, would be subject to long term capital gains taxation rules, which varies depending upon the marital status of that taxpayer.  That is to say, for a single taxpayer, with long term capital gains so sold of $50,000, the first $40,000 of that income would be taxed at 0%, and the subsequent $10,000 would be taxed at 15%, for a grand total of $1,500 so due.  If, the taxpayer was a married couple, though, they would not be subject to any taxes whatsoever, for $50,000 worth of capital gains, is taxed for them at an effective rate of 0%.

Further, to the point, those that have capital gains, are not compelled by any sort of law, to sell any of their capital gains, so that, if they so desire, when they make $50,000 in capital gains or more in a given calendar year, they can simply roll that money so earned over, till next year, or the year after, or as long as they so desire.  In other words, those that are paid a $50,000 salary are compelled to be under the obligation of tax authorities, and will have to pay what they have to pay.  Those, though, that make their money through investments as in equities, will not have to pay a dime, if they do not sell; and if they do so sell, when they are savvy about such, will sell only that which will not trigger any tax liability, or the minimization of such.

It doesn't seem right that one party must labor hard to earn their keep and thereupon has tax obligations that must so be paid; whereas, another party earns the same amount of money, and pays not a dime, in which both of these parties, utilize the same roads, the same infrastructure, and the same governance, but only one of these is compelled by tax law to pay the piper, so of.