Just Some Questions

Below are questions I have asked myself throughout the past week. Instead of writing what my answers to them would be I am interested in any answers you may have, or additional questions you have asked yourself.

For the week starting Saturday November 14, 2009 here are some questions I have had:

I wonder, what would it be like to live where everyone, or a very large majority of everyone, thought as I do and shared my views and opinions?

Will Kahlid Sheikh Mohammed get a court appointed attorney?

If plastic bags become illegal what will I use to pick up Harrison poop?

Greater finisher Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan?

Does the New York Times firing 25 editors and moving duties to Florida paper in their chain because the department there is non-union and cheaper disallow them from any pro-union editorials in the future?

Do you Google yourself?

Raquel Welch or Sophia Loren?

Did Obama’s people allow Fox News to cover his speech in China on Free Speech?

Are red and green wrapping paper in a school a violation of church and state?

If plastic bags become illegal will they walk my paper up to the porch to avoid sprinklers (Mon/Thur/Sat only!), dew and rain?

Does it seem to you that people who profess to welcome open communication usually don’t?

Are you excited the Gatlin Brothers are back with a new CD?

I keep seeing announcements from various entities for H1N1 vaccinations for those “at risk”, isn’t every at risk of getting the flu and this strain?

Is Netflix the number one pop-up on news websites?

What bothers you more in your neighborhood the slow moving car with the thumping loud music or the speeder flying down the street?

Louisiana Senator Landrieu had her vote for the Senator Harry Reid’s Health Care bill bought for $100,000,000; how much will it cost Reid to buy the votes of other Democrats who oppose the measure?

Halibut or Swordfish?

What book are you reading? Any good?

Guess the decade/time frame: Wearing Members Only Jacket, Sperry Topsiders and a Polo with upturned collar your friend asks, “Where’s the beef?”

Travelling or hosting Thursday?

Have you entered the poll on favorite sidedish on the left margin?

Do you cook or clean?

After family, friends, country, God, etc, be selfish, what are you most thankful for?

How does doubling costs to Medicaid/Medical, paid for by broke states, advance national health care?

Form or function?

Cookies or Pie?

So those are the questions, what are your answers? Click on the comments button below and let us know what you think.

Student Tuition Hikes Avoidable

Long Beach, Fresno, Los Angeles, Berkley, Pomona, were just a few of the cities where students walked out of classes and protested tuition hikes in the UC and Cal State systems. Students, professors and staff grabbed signs and chanted outside Chancellor's offices and Trustee meetings demanding more money for education in California. The students don't think it is right that in the State's budget there is less money for the UC/Cal State campuses and because Sacramento is providing less funding for operations students will have to pay higher fees for their classes and other activities. Professors and staff protested the tuition hikes and their furloughs which cut their pay. Everyone wants more money from Sacramento.

Yawn.

Hearing about, reading about and watching these protests I did not know whether to be bored or amused by the irony involved. The campuses of our fine universities and colleges in California are not sprinkled with they are laden with unions that blindly support the Democratic status quo in our Assembly and Legislature, classes are led by an overwhelming majority of professors who make Nancy Pelosi and State Senator Alan Lowenthal look like Sarah Palin and John McCain by political comparison. Eight years of trying to indoctrinate students against George Bush and Republicans has done its job in California. Generations of students have protested against conservative speakers on campus, Republican politicians and revelled in their Che Guevera and Mao t-shirts. They have worked for, voted for and enabled an Assembly and Senate in Sacramento that is overwhelmingly Democrat and overwhelmingly fiscally liberal.

They are protesting the consequences of their own political activity, support and ballots, and they are wasting their time and energy on these protests.

Why are they wasting time and energy? Not atypical of many lessons taught on campuses that cover theory but not reality, the protests are directed at the wrong portions of the education community. By rallying around the offices of Chancellors, Presidents, Trustees the protesters are chanting at those who have no choices in their budget decisions at this point. Their operating funds are tied up by Sacramento cutting their budgets. It is very de rigueur to protest the salaries of Administrators, but why not go after the tenured salaries of professors, many of whom expend considerably less effort for more many than many in the Administration buildings? But I'm off point. The energy is directed at on campus administrators and off campus Trustees after the funds have already been cut by Sacramento--what are they to do? Sure there could be better budgeting within the systems, but with the cuts from Sacramento their choices are very limited and most have minimal impact compared to fee hikes.

Instead of protesting on campus the students, who were supposed to have been brought into political action in our last election, should understand the power they have. No where is there a greater concentration of political power than on a university campus. Ten, fifteen, twenty thousand potential voters all with a common purpose? Those numbers win elections, but only if exercised.

There is no quick solution for the current generation of students on the campuses of California's community and state colleges and universities. They will face more cuts in classes and services and increases in fees and tuition for the next several years as California's budget continues to deteriorate. Already the state is twenty-one billion dollars in the whole for the coming year, and nothing is being done to correct it. Being the fiscal geniuses they are the Democrats in Sacramento are blaming the deficits on voters for rejecting the tax propositions 1A-E and refusing to accept their decade of increasing spending as the reason. With their mindset we are no closer to solving our budget crisis today than we were a year ago, or two years ago. So out of touch are our elected "representatives" that they celebrated a water usage bill that will ask the voters to vote for yet another bond of several billion dollars adding more interest expense to the budget.

The student protests bore me because I know that they have no effect and I know that they are essentially hollow protests made for show. A small group of students and professors with the assistance of on campus union leaders have coerced huge crowds to show up to demonstrate against people who have no impact on their issue. They are made to show the Democrats who control the budget process that they can impact votes so they better listen up and payback some of that support. Look for better contracts soon for the bargaining units on the campuses (see prison guards, SEIU, etc).

If the students, the ones impacted by the loss in classes and education opportunities, the ones forced to take out more and bigger loans to pay the inflated costs of their education, the ones shelling out more money for tuition and activities fees, if they are serious they can do something about the situation. With their votes in 2010 these students can alter the face of politics in California and create a long term path to correct our politicians spending and budgeting systems. As a voting block they can single handedly change California from a tax and spend state that steals money from education to payback state and public workers for their support in elections to a state that has long term budget plans, reduces the impact and influence of unions and brings control back to the voter.

First they need to vote against any incumbent on any ballot that has voted for any of the past four budgets in Sacramento--this will take some research but that is what students do.

Second they need to support the Citizens for California Reform initiative for a part-time Legislature.

If the students truly want to have an impact on their future and the education of future generations, they need to look beyond the targets laid easily in front of them for their protests and find the root cause of the problems they are facing. It all starts with a primary election and then a general election. If they are citizens of California they have the ability to shape and impact their future and the future of our State. But for it to be effective they need to use the analytical tools and critical thinking they are supposed to be learning on their campuses and not just blindly follow those who wish to lead them into supporting the status quo.

Or they can continue to carry their signs and make empty protests against those who have not created nor will perpetuate the budget problems that impact them. Unless they exercise their political power the students might as well get used to hikes in fees (taxes) and reductions in services from our State government.

Hikes in fees are avoidable but only if the students show they are as smart with their ballots and political acumen as they were on their SATs.

Creating Unemployment: Squeezing America's Economic Engine

I don't think our company, Stratis Financial, is much different than many companies in America. A few guys were dissatisfied with their existing employer, had no stake in the company or its future, a few issues came to a head soon everyone was looking to go somewhere else. Meeting to talk about our woes, one person says, "I'm looking into just renting a small space and going it alone." Pretty soon we were engaged in what would be needed to start a company where we all had a stake. A few months later we opened with leases for space and furniture. We financed computers, and took out equity loans on our homes to capitalize. We made personal guarantees on our financial agreements and also with our vendors. We were personally risking our personal savings, equity and credit because we believed in our vision and each other.

Finally ready and opening our doors in two locations we had four people on payroll that had to be paid on the 15th and 31st of every month. We went four months before any of us took any commissions for ourselves, continually returning our earnings from our sales back into the company. Our wives supported our vision and made sacrifices at home. We struggled but we slowly continued to grow.

We had a boom period that we used to pay debt down and off, update and upgrade equipment and technology, invest in our company. This was followed by a slow leak and then a complete bust. But we knew the drill, we tightened our belts, re-arranged some schedules and worked hard to ensure minimal impact on our staff and their families. We again used equity lines to capitalize the company and ensure operating funds. We struggled, but we kept our doors open and our staff kept their jobs. With the slow business we would have been justified in restructuring, laying people off, closing an office, consolidating. But we love the people we work with, the have pictures or our children mixed with pictures of their own. We are a family, we look out for each other. We struggle, we try to minimize their struggle.

Now we are growing again, because we struggled and stayed open we are attracting people who want to work with us instead of their current companies--if they are still open. But we are not rushing into growth. We are slow and steady and making sure everyone fits. Our over riding motto in bringing people into our company is "would you have them over to Sunday dinner?" It's not just about how many sales you can do, how fast you can do the work, it is about how well you do your sales and how well you do your work. Does the client come first and right on top of that quality? We are open because we adhere to our core values and principals. Better someone not get a loan they cannot afford than we get a closed deal and a commission. We are still open because it works.

We are using the growth of this year to reinvest in our company, retain earnings so we can be prepared for the challenges that continue to hit our business and industry and be prepared for 2010 and beyond. We are a small business, we need to be ready for what is coming next that could slow down our sales volume through regulations, policies and politics. We need to ensure that our business model allows our people to still have jobs and we are still able to help our clients attain and retain homeownership.

We are a small business but not unlike millions of other small businesses throughout the United States. The statistics vary but companies that employ less than 100 people account for approximately 35-40% of the jobs in this country. In the current economy the number of small businesses and self-employed individuals starting companies is actually growing. Out of work and tired of using their creative talents and skills for someone else the inner-entrepreneur and American spirit of adventure leads them to give it a go. They are risking their personal finances and credit to provide jobs for others so they can achieve their visions. They are bringing sack lunches to work and hurting other small businesses--restaurants--by cutting back on their nights outs so they can ensure they can make payroll in five days. Most of them are family run and employees are like family. Benefits like insurance and retirement are provided and shared contributions are made. Labor laws are followed and concessions made because of the personal nature between ownership and labor. Sometimes it is a struggle, but everyone works together to ensure doors stay open, customers are taken care of and everyone can pay their bills. In times of crisis personal loans are made.

They are the backbone and the economic engine for America and its economy.

Under the Pelosi health care plan recently passed by a bare minimum of votes most of these small American businesses are now categorized at "big business" with the definition being total payroll. If a business has a payroll of $500,000 or more it is considered "big business" and under the legislation fully responsible for health care insurance for their employees. It doesn't take much for a company to reach $500,000 in payroll, look at the family owned restaurant with an executive chef, a couple of dishwashers and busboys, some wait staff, personell upfront, perhaps employing fifteen to twenty people; simple math puts the average salary at just over $2000 per month. Consider the small manufacturer specializing in auto upholstery with fifteen employees and specialists in pattern making, sales people, shop manager, how hard is it to get to $500,000 in total payroll? Add 10-15% to the costs of the employer and what has to happen? maybe now we have 14 employees, or 13.

Under the constant push to pay for programs President Obama and Democrats seem to have set the income limit for "America's wealthiest" at $250,000 per year, frequently the verbage is $250,000 for a married couple. Consider the small business owners who have their ups and downs, on the up years they pay down and pay off debt incurred in the down years to keep their business open, continue payrolls, sacrificing to ensure those dependent on them are safe. In the up years profits are plowed into the debt and savings to repay and reload. While our family has not experienced this sort of income, it would be nice to be able to and know that our sacrifice and hard work to get to this income level is not instantly penalized so that we can support wasteful spending in Washington. Support another TARP or stimulus package. Many people see that income level and think of CEOs and attorneys and doctors and other "rich people." In reality a couple that has an upper level government employee and a tenured teacher with several years and creditials reach that mark as well. But it is the small business person who pays the taxes at the expense of their business.

More taxes for small business means less reinvestment in their business. Higher fees and costs means less money available for raises or bonuses. Higher costs imposed on small businesses means someone is probably losing a job. Small business owners have it all on the line, personal guarantees on leases, their monthly income directly tied to company profitability, payroll that at times comes out of their own pockets. Like a mom who feeds her child first and herself second, America's small business owners pay their dedicated and loyal employees first and themselves second. At some point however if it is between their child's education account or a receptionist, we are going to have to answer the phone ourselves.

Sadly I do not find it ironic but rather normal that in front of the cameras Congressional leadership and the White House are talking about jobs, jobs, jobs and trying to spin and rationalize the abomination of waste that is becoming evident from the stimulus package. Telling America they are working to create and save jobs while unemployment rises and they push more and more debt onto the balance sheet. Inside away from the microphones they are voting for more taxes on the very people that create and save jobs. Inside conference rooms they plan how to increase taxes on those who write payroll checks and decide to lay off or hire depending on their business revenue and cash flow.

History has proven time and again and in economies across the world that lower taxes on business leads to higher employment. Ronald Reagan's tax cuts from Jimmy Carter's oppressive marginal tax rates led to a massive economic recovery and slashing of unemployment. George W. Bush's tax cuts led to record tax revenue for the Treasury and over 95% of Americans being employed. Give American business, especially small business, more cash flow and they will reinvest it in their companies and more people will be employed. Take away cash flow, take more of the revenue and people will lose jobs.

With one year left until the 2010 midterm elections watch how the incumbents and party in the majority spin the discussion on jobs. They will rail against the "rich" and how we need more for the "common worker" and defend taxing employers to help workers. In the end increasing taxes on small employers that sign the paychecks for 40% of Americans means fewer paychecks.

Somewhere today a few guys will get together to talk about opening their own company. They will commit to leases and pulling together funds to put together some operating capital. They will hire some workers. They will make a huge leap and take a risk to start a small business. Let's hope they succeed....despite the intentions of their elected leaders.


For a look at small businesses cropping up in Long Beach, particularly Bixby Knolls check out the article Leslie had in this week's Uptown Gazette "Women Dominate Uptown Business Scene"

Winners and Losers

Friday night our girls' school had a Talent Show. Over sixty students participated in about thirty acts. They were divided into groups, solo dance, group singing, etc. There were judges and every group had one act singled out as the winner. As we waited for the judges to arrive at their verdicts one of the parents, whose children are close friends with ours and one of whom was entered in the show, leaned over and said, "I don't think they should have winners."

One of George W. Bush's first moves after elected in 2000 was to work with Congress and with the help of the late Sen. Edward Kennedy passed the No Child Left Behind Act. The basic premise of the Act is that schools that raise their test scores, reduce the number of failings scores and increase their high scorese, would be eligible for Federal assistance and aid. Schools and Districts that do not show improvement in their scores would be subject to denial of funds and other measures. Teachers and many parents complained because they feel teaching to a test is not teaching everything a student needs to learn. They complain that too much emphasis is placed on the outcome of tests, they complain that education is hard to measure.

Our youngest daughter is on a local youth soccer team. A couple of the teams are very good, passing the ball, listening to their coach, scoring goals. Our team has one game left and is winless. This past Saturday our girls lost five or six to nothing, not unusual for the Green Monsters this Fall. Not once have I heard one of the parents complain about the score, or about the other team running it up; it helps that none of the other teams or players have done any excessive celebrating after scoring their third, fourth, fifth....goals.

Every year I come across one study or essay on how American students are falling behind other Western nations in education. Their math and science skills are considerably lower and their international competition is outpacing them in engineering and science studies and skills. Our melting pot nation has shown us the cultural importance of education in some recent immigrant groups. Outpacing "native" American students, first and second generation children of immigrants lead in academic scores, achievement tests and scholarships. For them losing is not learning, winning is getting degrees and careers.

Last week our kids' school had elections for Student Council elections. My daughter ran for Treasurer ("Money talks and it speaks my language" was the slogan). She lost, as did most of the children who ran since every office had more than one candidate. Some students evidently cried or were extremely upset when they learned they did not win.

California has established criteria that must be met to graduate and obtain a diploma. There was significant lead time with the criteria for students, parents, teachers and administrators to be prepared. The first year the criteria were in place there was an uproar over the number of students who missed the criteria and did not graduate. We heard people, students, parents, pundits, saying, "it's not fair that Sarah went to high school for four years and won't graduate."

Where has the competition gone for our children? Why is it not okay for children in elementary school who have volunteered to participate in a Talent Show to be in a contest? What is wrong with testing to show who is learning and who is not, and over time who is teaching well and who is not? Is just participating enough? When is "fair" replaced with "worthy?"

The insidious effect of lack of competition, lack of winning and losing is the creation of generations of Americans with little understanding of consequence. Little preparation for the cold, harsh competition of business and raising a family. Lack of consequences for bad decisions, bad habits and bad preparation.

Our colleges and universities admit students who spend their first year in remedial English and math classes. Think of the millions of dollars wasted to re-teach what should have been learned in their prior decade of schooling. Rather than hold students back or put them in remedial classes in elementary, middle or high school, districts pass along students barely "proficient" so they can slow down another thirty kids the next year, and the year after that. To hold them back is to tell them they failed, and that would damage the child's self-esteem; instead he is passed along and we damage his future.

Our report cards do not have the letter grades we grew up with, no "A" in math, "B" in English or "C" in Social Studies. We see "AP" for Advance Proficient, "S" for Satisfactory, "P" for Proficient. The grades have even softened. Thankfully I feel the teachers our kids have had thus far have been very fair in their assessments and grading, communicating where our kids do well and where they need work. Overall the other parents have their kids education as a priority and I greatly admire the parents who have voluntarily held their little ones back to repeat a grade so they can gain that academic foundation. Too bad more parents don't have the long term vision for their children, or the courage.

Going into the Talent Show I felt pretty certain neither of my kids were going to win their division, I think they had an idea as well. I was proud they took the stage alone in front of a couple of hundred people and performed the best that they could. I was proud they participated and applauded and hugged the winners. I applauded the winners as well, they deserved their awards. That night sixty kids learned about winning and losing, some better than others. Let's hope the lessons stay with them.


My response to my seatmate was, "I'm glad it is a competition and I wish they had more of them. I wish there were more opportunities for my daughters to learn about winning and losing so they can be prepared for the many competitions they will face later in life."

Paying the mortgage is a competition. Raising kids with morals and ethics is a competition. Getting and keeping a job is a competition. Doing what is right is a competition. For each of these has a positive and negative consequence depending on our decisions and our actions.

The long term consequences of generations of American children not learning about winning and losing, succeeding and failing, and the consequences is harming our nation. Increasingly they are raised to depend on others to make things right, to look to someone to give them a hand up or hand out, to be rewarded for participating just as well as for winning.

I read or heard something a while back a comment from some woman who had been successful at something. She was asked how she became such a success and she replied, "Every day at dinner my father would ask us, 'What mistakes did you make today?' He taught us that we would make mistakes, but also that we can admit the mistakes and learn from them."

Let's let our kids make mistakes, let's let them learn about winning and losing.

Just Some Questions

Below are questions I have asked myself throughout the past week. Instead of writing what my answers to them would be I am interested in any answers you may have, or additional questions you have asked yourself.

For the week starting Saturday November 7, 2009 here are some questions I have had:

What would Nancy Pelosi look like if her cosmetic surgery was through a “public option?”

If you nickname was a car make or model what would it be?

Revisiting a question from a month or so ago, if you are not a government worker: Have you been at all adversely impacted by government employee furlough days?

Is “My City Was Gone” more identifiable with The Pretenders and Chrissie Hynde or Rush Limbaugh?

Cable or satellite?

Brush or sponge when doing the dishes?

Number one thing federal government can do to generate 1,000,000 more jobs in the private sector?

Should the White House and Congress concentrate on paying down debt or increase spending?

When was the last time you wrote or communicated with your Congressional or Senate Representative and what was the topic?

Triskaidekaphobic?

Alarm, music or wake up naturally?

Do you think President Obama has taken too many trips?

Why do coffee makers, pots, keep breaking on me lately?

Number one thing state can do to generate and/or attract 10,000 more jobs in the private sector?

What made you laugh uncontrollably this week?

Do you think it is funny that when you renew your car registration on line in California when the transaction is complete it says “Congratulations!”?

Assuming good service, 15%, 20% or varies depending on service?

Number one thing city can do to generate and/or attract 100 more jobs in the private sector?

What if the 9/11 jurors and prosecutors are the same as the OJ jurors and prosecutors and they get acquitted?

Did you know that in Alaska when moose get hit by vehicles and they are “fresh” they contact local charities who come and butcher it on the spot and use the meat for soup kitchens and feeding the homeless?

Cookies or Pie?

So those are the questions, what are your answers? Click on the comments button below and let us know what you think.