Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

Books are more important than anything in the whole world.  For what they represent.  During the dark ages monks preserved the legacy from the books.  Books contain ideas.  And ideas change the world.  That is why a free press is so important and along with a free internet.  Politicians would love to stop the free and world wide dissemination of information.  Propaganda is nothing new.  We have it in Red China.  And in every country.  And don’t kid ourselves we have it in the US.  Most politicians are great “spin doctors”.  They really do not answer to us.  It is really big business. Now the politicians here want major web sites like Facebook to routinely spy on its users and turn over the information to the government.  There is a bill in Congress to do that right now.  It is our own government we need protection from.  The fight over censorship is nothing new.

Tags: books, censorship, Facebook and other major web sites, free internet, free press, government, ideas change the world, propaganda by countries, the bill to make major web sites spy on its users and turn over the imformation to the government, the dark ages, the middle ages and the monks and books, the politicians and truth
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‘Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.’  I think these were words uttered by Thomas Jefferson.  A check and balance system is necessary for government.  That means a free press.  Open dissent is always important.  It forces you to consider another point of view.  Someone is always going to try to take your freedom away.  That is a fact.  That is why eternal vigilance is so important.  I never forgot the ‘Pogo’ cartoon which said ‘I have met the enemy and it is me.’  Everyone has to do their part.  Each person has a role in a democracy.  You can’t ignore your role.  One of the most important ones is your vote.  It matters.  Sometimes an election is won or lost by mere votes so never forget that.  Exercise your freedom to vote.  We have to make our politicians responsive to our needs and not let big money dictate their votes in the legislatures-state and federal.  A politician fears the wrath of the public and the last thing he/she wants to lose is your vote. And they do read the letters you send them.  ‘Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.’

Tags: big money, check and balance system, democracy, do your part, election, eternal vigilance, federal, free press, freedom, freedom to vote, government, legislature, open dissent, Pogo cartoon, politicians, politics, price of freedom, state, Thomas Jefferson, your vote
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Are we our brothers’ keeper?  There is a struggle in Washington DC:  the President wants to raise the ceiling of the National debt we are allowed legally to have.  Our country may default on our interest payments for the first time.  And who knows what international effect that would have on our economy if that happens.

Our economy is really on shaky grounds.  Many people are suffering in this country, have lost their homes, are unemployed and struggling just to put food on the table for their families.  And the rich seem to get richer.

One party wants the President to cut programs like Medicare and others.  The struggles between the major parties are very acrimonious.  The Republicans have not forgotten how the President “rammed” through his bill to provide health coverage to millions of other Americans when he had control of both houses.  I am not going to debate the merits of that bill.

One little fact came to the ”surface”:  the US is near the bottom of developed countries as far as the tax rate its citizens pay.  Taxes need to go up and services to the most unfortunate, the ill, the handicapped need to be maintained.  Again, I have to ask:  Are we our brothers’ keeper?

I was amazed how high the percentage is of Americans who do not pay any federal income tax.  It is very high but the rich ought to pay more–a greater percentage than they do.  Those companies with “deep pockets” do not want that to happen and also want to erase laws that prevent them from polluting the water, air, etc.

Raising taxes now in this economic climate is not very popular.  And frankly there is much I do not understand when it comes to the economy but I have to ask again:  Are we our brothers’ keeper?  I do not like the Republicans’ stance.  I am not sure I like the Democrats much better.  Too much of government is run by big business.

Each of us are commanded to help the less fortunate.  I don’t care what your circumstances are.  There is someone around you that needs your help.

You don’t need big government necessarily to help fellow men but one function of government is to protect you and taking money away (and support) from the poorest and making sure the rich get richer does not seem right.  Again I ask the question:  Are we our brothers’ keeper?

Tags: America, big business, Democrat, economy, fellow men, God, government, health coverage, help the less fortunate, income tax, Medicare, National debt, our brothers' keeper, our country, people are suffering, pollution, poor, president, raising taxes, Republican, rich companies, rich get richer, tax rate, USA, Washington DC
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Can you separate religion and morality from politics? I don’t think so. Every action a politician makes or thinks about reflects some kind of value. You have to be driven by something.

Nothing you do or say is (???) can be done in a vacuum so trying to say you can is impossible. There are politics in every sphere of life—government, the church, the family and education.

It is impossible to say you can do something without reflecting some kind of value so telling a politician you have to separate religion and your deepest values from the actions you make or say is impossible.

Religion and morality can not be separated they are intertwined in a person’s character. No one acts in a void.

Tags: education, family, government, morality, no one acts in a void, politician, politics, politics in every sphere of life, religion, religion and morality, the church, your actions, your values
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Times have certainly changed.  I had to look really hard in the store to buy chocolate with the sum of fifty cents.  It was difficult to find anything I could buy with that amount.

I remember candy stores in my childhood and candy that could actually be purchased with a penny.  Even bazooka gum costs more than a penny today.  I have not looked lately but the last time I checked it was at least a nickel.

In fact, it cost the government more than one penny to manufacture one penny.  To me, that makes no sense to excuse the pun.  In fact, if you eliminate the sales tax you really would not have any further use for a penny.  Pennies then would become dinosaurs.

Tags: bazooka gum, candy, candy store, childhood, chocolate, fifty cents, government, inflation, nickel, pennies, penny, sales tax
Posted in humor, knowledge&learning, life, money, time | No Comments »

Life without problems to solve would be incredibly boring.  It is problems in our lives that make it a challenge.  And we mature as we learn to deal with them.

There is only one place that we don’t have any:  and that is when the Lord takes us.  We should be grateful for the opportunity to solve them.  And some never will be solved.  And others we just adjust to.  Our brain is designed for solving complex problems.

Conflict usually brings out the best in us.  Finding compromises and win-win situations is always a challenge.  If no one is satisfied with a solution, something is wrong with it.

Politics is just that–finding the best solutions which are almost always some kind of compromise between opposing parties.  There is really nothing wrong with politics.  It is in every area of our lives:  the family, government, the church, every institution you can think of.  The only question regarding politics is how fairly the compromises were worked out.

Politics almost always involves solving thorny problems.  As a rule, there are no easy answers and not everyone can be satisfied.  Problems are what make our lives interesting and challenging.  So do not bemoan them.  Problems keep us going and gives us a reason to get up each morning.  Be glad you have them.

Tags: brings out the best in us, challenges, church, compromise, family, finding solutions, God, government, make our lives interesting, no easy answers, our brain, politics, problems, solve problems, the Lord, thorny problems
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