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 Monday June 29, 2009:

Where can I find a forest or copse of jacaranda trees growing in the wild?

Did you know, according to my neighbor and owner of Nikki, that Jewish pet owners who keep Kosher cannot feed their pets un-Kosher treats but gentiles may?

Does anyone who has dealt with the Veteran’s Administration, MediCare, Medicaid, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security or other federally administered system have any confidence in the Federal Government taking on more health care coverage than they already have?

Who is your favorite of all the Bond Girls?

What is one habit you wish you could break?

With all the celebrity deaths recently in the news we are more apt to confront our own mortality, what is the one word or phrase you hope is spoken/repeated at your memorial service?

Is anyone excluded under equal protection under the law?

What is the most memorable song or singer/band from when you were in college? High school?

What is more important to a family, the state legislature or the local school board?

There was a firestorm in Long Beach recently over members of council being on the internet during weekly council meeting, shouldn't public be more concerned with city/county/state workers and staff spending hours each day on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other social media sites that have zero to do with public business?

Do you think the Representatives in the House who voted for Cap and Trade realize it is discriminatory against many first time home buyers and those who qualify to buy with lower incomes? If not why not? Is so why?

How do you determine how much, when and to which charities to donate?

When four justices on the Supreme Court think it is legal for governments to judge employees because of race, how far does that mean we have to go to end racism in America?

Will my kids give me a card that says Happy XLVII?

State of California investigating, DEA investigating, LAPD investigating and deploying thousands of personnel, custody suits, legal challenges, how much will Michael Jackson’s death cost the taxpayers of Los Angeles, California and the United States?

Is it me or has the focus and concern, dare I say hope, on the Iran election demonstrations died?

How big will the riots be around the MJ memorial ticket give-away?

Can you name another gift from one country to another that is equal to the gift from France to America, the Statue of Liberty?

Potato salad or cole slaw?

Where has the Arnold of the past week been the past five years?

Cookies or Pie?

The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America

"When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them to another...." So begins the most important document of Modern History and Modern Times. Adopted by a group of men selected by their neighbors and communities as representatives, the Declaration of Independence unified a people that were as diverse as any on earth at the time. For over a century men brought their families across a treacherous ocean passage to establish a new life in, to their Western European-centric lives, a new land. While predominately from England as time passed, early settlers in this new land came from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Germany, Holland and Spain.

As they established communities, towns and cities, the people began the process of America as a melting pot. Many cultures and backgrounds blending to form the character that became uniquely American. Many came to America because they were fleeing persecution and desired the opportunity to begin afresh to worship as they so desired, to break from generations of culture and family dictating what their futures were to be; others came for the adventure of creating their own future and fulfill the destiny they felt was theirs. The promise of a continent unclaimed by any recognized nation, unplowed lands and God's bounty spread beyond their dreams waiting for courageous, hearty and strong men to stake their future, and the future of their families.

This was the promise of America, this was the reality of America as the unique American character of independence and self-reliance hardened through the century. Strong individuals came together up and down the American colonies realizing that together they needed to stake one more claim, a claim of independence from their governors and their rule. Farmers, landowners, merchants, a few lawyers, came together in Philadelphia forming the Continental Congress. These men were not hot-heads or extremists, not to most of their fellow Americans. They were men who were learned, studied in the classical histories written by the Greeks and Romans, well read in economics and sciences. As was the culture of the time most were avid writers, letters abound between themselves, their families and their friends; the 18th Century version of blogging perhaps. They exchanged ideas and debated all sides of issues using the great philosophers and modern events to shape opinions and actions.

In July 1776 the American character and intellect converged in Philadelphia to vote on a resolution from a Virginian supported by a man from Massachusetts, henceforth the American Colonies would be the United States of America free from the rule of Great Britain and the crown of George III. As such the Continental Congress charged another Virginian, Thomas Jefferson, to write the declaration to be adopted by the Congress, to write the Declaration of Independence.

And so it came to pass that the Declaration of Independence was written, adopted and signed by men we now call Patriots and Founding Fathers. Men who put their lives in jeopardy for treason against the crown by voting for and signing this paper that announced to the world not just the desire for independence, but the certainty.

It is a masterfully written document, with what I consider one of the greatest sentences ever written

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness

With these words Jefferson captured the American character and spirit, not just from 1776 but through history. Today over 230 years later these words hold as much truth for a man typing on a laptop in California as they did in 1776 to a man using quill and ink writing on parchment. Further these words transcend America and are as true in Baghdad as they are in Beijing as they are in Tegucigalpa; Man is created equal with the right to life and liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Debate the words, debate the meaning, debate how they are ascribed to current times vis-a-vis mid-18th Century Judeo-Christian culture. These words endure as Truth through time, geography and culture.

What Jefferson put to paper and John Hancock brought to vote and fifty-six men signed was a document that cast the future of a nation and a beacon of hope for many more nations over the centuries. The Declaration of Independence not only gave notice to Americans and the British that America would pursue a course of self-governance, but it gave notice to Americans present and future that dissent was a codified part of our national culture and character.

After the Revolution when many of the same men who adopted the Declaration of Independence gathered to write our Constitution, many of the ideals resonating in Jefferson' document became Rights given to every American. These rights include the right to protest our own government, to publicly display our differences, to shout "Hell no!" Ours is a nation of debate, of political turmoil, of disagreement and argument--all of it done in peace and most often with respect.

I write a few times a week for public consumption on this website my opinions on the world in which I live, on the policies and statements by those who govern me with which I disagree, on the values and principles which I hold dear. I do this without fear of recrimination, without fear of violence, without fear of arrest or prosecution. I can do this because 233 years ago a group of men got together and declared my Creator has endowed upon me certain unalienable rights. And in the 233 years since that declaration succeeding generations of Americans have reinforced that basic principle, that basic right, that endowment.

Disagree with me, please. Tell me what you think, please. Exercise your rights, please. Fulfill what our Creator has endowed up you...please.


I encourage you to once again read the entire Declaration of Independence, as well take some time and read of the men who brought the document to life and think of what their hopes and fears were that summer so long ago. http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/


Happy Independence Day!

"The Nanny" Starring California

nan-ny: noun, : a child's nurse or caregiver

We think of nannies as individuals charged to care for and protect the children of others--for a fee. I grew up with some two wonderful nannies: Maria and Mary Poppins, okay they both happened to be Julie Andrews. While my nannies were fictional my mom was real, a strong and intelligent woman who had a wonderful sense of humor and raised my sister, brother and I to be respectful, courteous, kind and thoughtful. Our dad travelled quite a bit for his career so many of the trials and tribulations of growing up led to mom, putting on band-aids, resovling disputes, helping with school projects, car pooling to football or ballet. For us nannies were fictional characters plopped into households with disinterested or distracted parents who did not have the time to raise their children so they paid someone to do it for them.

Starting today, July 1st, California has some new laws taking effect meant to protect us, the citizens of California. Most notable of these laws are those meant to protect me, and more importantly my children, from getting fat or obsese; taking the responsibility for good nutrition and dietary habits away from the family and giving it to the state and those who provide food for us. Starting today restaurants must post the calories of every serving--because I really had no idea that a dinner of a bacon-avocado cheeseburger, fries and chocolate-coconut cheesecake was probably higher in calories than the grilled chicken salad with vinagrette on the side. Starting today high schools will no longer be able to sell sodas to students--because they will not go off campus to get sodas anyway and the net result will be a loss in revenue for clubs and student organizations. Starting today all schools in the state can no longer use those nasty transfats--margarine, shortening or oils that contain trans-fats; since the schools are already providing free lunches to much of the population they want to make sure they are somewhat not unhealthy. Okay, I'll give them this one, while still overly intrusive to me--I think local districts should be working with parents and the local community to develop healthy breakfasts and lunches using non-fried foods, preservatives or colorings as much as possible. So one out of three new laws, actually not a bad record for our state goverment.

On top of previous laws passed, over one thousand per year in California the past several years, the state has intruded more and more into our lives and what should be our responsibilities. While you cannot legislate against stupidity you can legislate stupidly and that is what California's lawmakers have tried to do and done the past decade or more. Law after law after law is passed that is intendend to "protect" the people of California, as if the Legislature can supercede God and prevent death. One tragic accident happens and someone dies as a result and the lawmakers go into full nanny mode and legislation begins to pour out of Sacramento to prevent such a tragedy again. From what we can do in our cars, to where people can smoke, to building standards against the one in a thousand years earthquake, California lawmakers have spent hours and days and weeks crafting legislation that is meant to save us from ourselves.

A child's nurse or caregiver, for a fee. While California lawmakers have played nanny to the citizens of the state, their main charges as nannies have not been the ordinary citizens of their districts however, the main role of protection and nurturing and care giving has been those who pay the fees for their services. If the Legislature is the Nanny, the citizens are the step-children in the relationship and the real children are the public employees--by far the biggest benefactors in the nanny state. As the annual budget deficits and debates occur in Sacramento the biggest piece of our budget--salaries and benefits--are rarely a part of any discussions. Until now.

The nannies in the Democratic majority in the Assembly and Senate are circling their prams as it is evident that their charges are going to have to pay some of the price to achieve a balanced budget. This week Governor Schwarzenegger stated he wants a two-tiered pension system for public employees, the existing tier affect the 200,000 plus employees and a new tier for everyone hired from today forward. The nannies are in an uproar trying to protect employees who have not yet been hired yet. Why? Because they are in office almost exclusively because of the funding their campaigns have received from the public employee unions. Changing benefits and retirement for future employees changes the funds flowing through the unions, and that is not good for future campaign donations.

For the past decade the nannies have pushed through budgets, with some Republicans signing off on them and Republican Governor(s) signing the budgets, that have increased the number of state employees--increasing the size of the public employee unions, increasing their dues revenue, increasing their political contributions and increasing the campaign donations given to elect and re-elect the lawmakers. A very nice relationship that has been incredibly beneficial to both sides has resulted in a Legislature with too much time spent passing laws impacting the rest of the state and protecting the workers for the state.

Gabriella Holt, who ran for Assembly in Long Beach and lost to a Democrat with full backing from state employee union, has started a group that is on the right track. Citizens for California Reform is committed to changing the structure of California's government, mainly by returning our Legislature to a part-time position. Holt argues, rightfully I feel, that our state elected officials are over-paid and by being full time have too much time when they are not governing and therefore are able to meddle. A full time legislature that year after year cannot follow the state constitution, missing annual budget deadlines every year. So what are they doing all year if they are not addressing and working on the number one issue in the state? Banning sodas, counting your calories, increasing taxes, hiring more workers and adding to the expenses for the state today and for decades to come.

A nanny is paid to take care of someone else's children. If California is a Nanny State, who are the children that are the primary focus of the nannies' care, you or the state workers? With the economic situation the way it is, let's cut back expenses and cut our nanny to part-time.

Skate Parks, Pork, Road Signs, Pork, Jobs Lost, Pork....

In January I strongly wrote against newly sworn in President Obama's stimulus plan presented to Congress (Stimulus? Try Democratic Pork) and the $825 billion proposed spending. I am proud that Congress listened to me and paired down the final spending for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) all the way down to $767 billion. Presented to Congress and the American taxpayer as a bill that would stimulate the economy by providing funding for jobs that would provide jobs and concentrate on "shovel ready" infrastructure projects, the final bill seemed to ignore the premise with many spending items shoved into the hastily crafted bill that have no longer impact on the economy, nor have any business receiving federal funding. The final bill actually extended the reach of the federal government, extending payments to those already receiving federal assistance and expanding the number of eligible recipients. Right out of the box the Act spent billions of tax payer funds on programs that would have zero impact on our economy.

The basic premise of the ARRA is that the government can spend money and pull America out of a recession. By taking more tax dollars from one American, washing it through Washington's bureaucracies and then sending what is left to state and local run governments and washing the funds through them to pay for projects, America's economy is better off than allowing the original holder of those dollars to decide where and how to spend or save or invest the money. This premise is incredibly flawed but one that is central to the Democratic economic theory that the more taxes collected and redistributed the better our economy will be. Unfortunately this theory was tried on a grand scale under President Franklin D. Roosevelt and failed to help the country out of the Depression, even more unfortunately is that today's politicians currently in the majority in Washington D.C. know nothing of history or economics. Governments cannot spend taxes from one segment of an economy to stimulate the entire economy, trying to do so worsens or lengthens recessions, or if in recovery leads to severe debt, higher interest rates and inflation when the recession ends. Look for the latter to come to America starting in 2010.

Locally, for me, in Long Beach, California there is some hand wringing and whining because of a report issued earlier this month from Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma. "100 Stimulus Projects: A Second Opinion" lists the top ten projects receiving ARRA funding that Coburn considers a waste of tax payer dollars, leading the list is a project in Coburn's home state for a waste-water treatment plant. The town already planned to build the project and applied for funds to help. In receiving $1.5 million in funding the town was ready to go, it was a "shovel ready" project. Unfortunately the funds also came with federal strings to the project that add 25% to the total cost of completion and increases the local residents utility bills by 60%. Thanks for applying.

What causes many in Long Beach to be upset with Coburn is listed at project number 96 is $620,000 for a skate park in our fair city. The skate park in question is already in existence in a park that is located in one of the poorer parts of the city where there are gangs and high crime. Local politicians and "community leaders" decry a Senator for Oklahoma of all places (the ignorance of bigotry rearing its big head) saying our city does not need this skate park! A meeting is being held! We need this skate park! All this is quite amusing in that, a) the funds have already been secured evidently so the funds will be coming anyway b) the City of Long Beach previously pulled funds for the skate park from the budget to zero complaints from any locals c) members of the Obama administration are on record as agreeing somewhat with the Coburn assessment saying the feel the project is not in the spirit of ARRA and d) the skaet park already exists! Yes the skate park that is receiving $620,000 in federal funds already exists, the money is not to build the skate park, but to make it more skate-parking with better ramps, bumps, and whatever will go into the design. This is not a waste of federal funds?

In the on-line and in bar conversations on the project I have asked two questions again and again and never received any answer: 1) How many jobs will the spending of the $620,000 create? 2) How long will those jobs last? Being asked by others is why it is costing over half a million dollars to pour some asphalt and shape it into humps, but that is for others to ask.

So why is a skate park renovation worthy of federal dollars when the local government deemed it not worthy of local dollars? Why the uproar? Half the people spewing venum at "that Senator for rural Oklahoma" on the blogs and comments of local websites have no idea the skate park already exists. My feeling is they see (R) after Coburn's name and therefore he must be bad, especially because he is from backward, hickville Oklahoma. But is this project really worthy of federal funds? Does it create jobs? Does it stimulate the economy? How many of those complaining about what Coburn as said have actually read his report? I have and here is a random sampling of projects that most people in Long Beach who support the skate park would (or should) decry as a waste of their tax dollars:

$150,000 for road signs in Illinois to announce that projects are paid for by stimulus funds--tax dollars to pay for signs to tell tax payers their taxes are being spent.

$5.5 Million to pay for a new factory in Georgia that will close a factory in Dayton and cost that town 1,200 jobs. Creating jobs by helping a corporation move and lay off currently working Americans. Your tax money going for more corporate welfare and costing Americans jobs.

$628,100 to Yale University, which has an endowment of $17 Billion to study if diet and exercise affect obesity.

$300,000 for a parking lot in a town in North Carolina that was in the local budget and ready to go. How many jobs does building a parking lot create? More or less than the amount needed to renovate a skate park?

$2.5 Billion for rural broadband, the funds going to the Rural Utility Services (RUS), which the Inspector General says is inefficient and wasteful in its use of funds--according to the Inspector General since 2005 90% of the loans approved by RUS have gone to communities that already have broadband.

$4.2 Million for Seapoose, Oregon (pop 6200) to raise the local railroad tracks eighteen inches to be level with the main road, despite local voters rejecting a bond measure to pay for this project--not good enough for local funds to be spent but good enough for the rest of America's taxes to be spent.

And on and on the list goes. Coburn picked just 100 of the projects in the ARRA totalling approximately $5.5 billion, and is taking heat in Long Beach and other communities across the country looking for the federal hand out. But if we look at what Coburn is saying in his report, as a United States Senator worried about American tax dollars and future debt obligations, he is right. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is $787 billion of wasteful government spending that in the end will create over $1 trillion in debt so skate parks and road signs and parking lots across America can be built. Beyond the actual funds being spent it is estimated that $55 billion will be lost in waste, fraud and abuse, not bad for a government program at less than 10%, but $55 billion nonetheless of your tax dollars being lost. According to Vice-President Joe Biden in early June, "Some people are being scammed already." I agree with the Vice-President, the scam started when the bill was passed, shoveling $620,000 to my city for park renovations just adds to it.

Is this the purpose of our Federal Government?

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 Monday June 22, 2009:

When will cities and counties enter the 21st Century?

Seeing what Twitter is able to accomplish with pushing information in Iran, why are cities and counties not creating Twitter accounts—which are free—to disseminate information to their constituents, of which the majority of those under 30 do not get newspapers, listen to radio or watch news on television?

Ever heard of Lucas Glover before last Saturday morning?

What is the greatest threat to liberty?

What is the proportional relationship between snideness, hostility, and/or snarkiness and “Anonymous” when commenting on blogs and internet postings?

Why should I care what a Frenchman in Paris or a Spaniard in Madrid think about me if I don’t care what an American in Toledo, or Carson, or Belmont Shore, thinks about me?

If Social Security sends 10,000 checks to dead people under stimulus package, how many are they sending every month to dead people?

Is it me or are tattoos progressing up and down the age spectrum?

Follow up: Would you let your high school daughter get a tattoo?

Numerous estimates place the number of fraud in MediCare at 10%, Obama’s healthcare plan tops $3 Trillion, what will be the amount of fraud in dollars?

Is it the obligation of the state to try to make the imperfect perfect?

Why is gasoline in Arizona, which has not oil fields that I am aware of, fifty cents a gallon cheaper than in California?

Will the Dodgers get worse when Manny returns?

Why has South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford not yet resigned?

Your thoughts on a back-and-forth I had on Facebook: Is it hypocritical for environmentalists who have decried the current processes of manufacturing and delivering energy to sue to block the transportation (i.e. power line) of energy created by solar and wind generation plants?

Now that Rosie O’Donnell will have a daily show will you subscribe to Sirius Radio?

Did you, or your brother, have the iconic Farrah in a red swimsuit poster?

Can you, or could you ever, moonwalk?

How many thousand plus page bills that will fundamentally alter our economy and our future will Congress pass this session without reading any of the pages?

Does Congresswoman Laura Richardson (D-Long Beach; Foreclosed homeowner Sacramento) know that her vote on Cap and Trade will reduce the amount of traffic through the ports in her district and reduce the amount of work for one of her supporters: the Longshoremens Union?

When will the first lawsuit be filed over Michael Jackson’s estate?

Cookies or Pie?