A Return...

It's been a while since I blogged last so after some convicing I have decided to make a return to "Thoughts and Other Things." So to kick things off her are some random thoughts:

1. Our local Burger King has a sign outside that reads "Hiring new salaried manager." Followed by "Try our new frys." One can only wonder if "frys" has anything to do with the new opening?

2. Phil Mickelson, my golf man-crush, is now in his 40's. What other sport can a 40 year old compete competitively with others half their age?

3. A recent survey of incoming college freshman finds that 52 percent rate their mental stability as below normal. Nearly the same number rate their level of empathy as below normal as well. But don't worry nearly 72 percent rank themselves as in the top 10 percent of their class academically. This point is even funnier when you consider not even 72 percent of people graduate. So what we have is mentally unstable, non-empethatic, egotistical college freshman. No wonder things are going so great in the higher education world.

4. Mitt Romney had a great line last night in a speech in Iowa. Romney stated, "This president goes around apologizing for America. He should be apologizing TO America!"

Back in action....

Well it sure has been a while since I have blogged last. But it feels good to start it up again. There have been some interesting things coming across my way as of late, take a look at some:

If President Obama were a baseball player, his stats certainly wouldn’t be anything to champion. Under Obama, 1 in 7 Americans are now on food stamps; 14 million unemployed and looking for work; Average length of unemployment: six months and two weeks; gasoline prices have more than doubled; and the federal debt is up more than 3 trillion dollars.

There is one statistic that is very depressing though that isn’t getting much news coverage. Right now in America over 51% of people end up not paying income taxes because of the built in tax credits and rebates found in the tax code. The IRS has now become the biggest provider of welfare in the country. We are relying more and more on the “rich” to provide for the necessary revenue stream to fund the sacred programs nobody wants to cut. This is fundamentally and morally wrong. We continually are fed the lie that the middle class in this country is disappearing. They are not! The middle class is in bad shape mainly because the middle class doesn’t want to live and save like they are in the middle class. I say if you are going to receive assistance from the government in the form of TANF, food stamps, unemployment insurance, etc…you need to be paying into the system. To me it doesn’t seem justified to come out ahead and actually receive money from the government for really not producing anything. That’s why the Bowles-Simpson deficit reduction plan is a good one. They say get rid of all the deductions and credits that people get in the tax code and instead dramatically lower rates across the board.

As many of us know, gas prices are up again to nearly $4.00 a gallon. Yet instead of holding the Obama administration accountable for basically destroying the dollar through debt explosion, Democrats and the media target that nasty thing called, “Big Oil.” Have you ever heard them refer to “Big Farm”, “Big Plastic”, “Big Gold”, “Big Corn”? No, why? Because it’s ridiculous. Oil companies deal with a commodity that’s price is going way up for a number of reasons. I laugh every time people attack Big Oil for controlling the price of oil and gasoline. Nobody gave a crap about oil profits when it tanked and prices were 99 cents a gallon when I was growing up. If Oil companies controlled the price of oil why would it ever go down? And as far as the price of gasoline goes, Exxon mobile reported that it receives 2 CENTS out of every gallon sold.

I really feel in this country that divorced men always get a bad rap. The North Dakota Legislature increased that bad rap this session by passing a law that allows the public to view a data base online that shows all those who are behind on their child support and how much they owe. What in the world is the point of this? We already take people’s drivers licenses away, we throw people in jail, and now we are going to shame them online. It just makes no sense. And I think next session the legislature should seriously consider adding some regulations for child support payments. I know plenty of people who receive monthly child support payments that are used to support their lifestyle rather than providing the money mostly for their children. Why can’t the system be like a Health Savings Account? The person would receive a monthly deposit in an account and they can spend that money as they see fit. However, every year the State Department of Human Services will conduct a series of random audits to see how the money was being spent. If we are going to force people, mostly men, to pay a large sum of money each month to their ex then their needs to be some sort of accountability for the funds. Why on earth does having a kid entitle you to basically have the ability to rip people off for many years under the guise of “helping the children?”

DO WE REALLY WANT (OR NEED) BI-PARTISANSHIP?

Night after night, political pundits (or is talking points pusher the more correct term) keep longing, or bagging, for a spirit of bi-partisanship to take hold in America again. This sounds great, but upon further analysis it becomes clear that bi-partisanship is not what it’s cracked up to be. Let’s look back from 2000 on and witness what bi-partisanship has given us:

1. No Child Left Behind (a law so massive and intrusive that almost everybody hates it)
2. McCain-Feingold (so bad the Supreme Court had to step in)
3. Medicare Part D (the biggest regulatory boondoggle in recent memory)
4. The Patriot Act (a good intentioned law that has been used extensively in other realms)
5. The War in Afghanistan (soldiers are dying and it seems no one cares)
6. The War in Iraq (way too long, way to deadly, and way too expensive)
7. TARP (nobody likes this thing in public)

Our love-affair with bi-partisanship is based on the fact that many of us truly believe that there is no real difference between Republicans and Democrats. If they can just sit down together they can make it work, we lie to ourselves every election year. Yet when they do, we end up being disappointed again and again. What do all of those items above have in common? For the most part, every politician is running away from them. If bi-partisanship is such a great thing then why aren’t those who engaged in the process praising the fruit of their labor?

Sizing up the field

There has been a lot of talk recently of potential 2012 challengers for President Obama. Here's my take (listed from best to worst):

1. Mitt Romney: Anyone who knows me shouldn't be surprised about this pick. Mitt's my man and I'm hoping for a strong showing from the former Governor in 2012. Back in 2008 Romney ran as the social conservative candidate---but it all felt a little forced. Now Romney can actually run as the policy wonk that he is. In 2008, a Mormon wasn't good enough for the GOP. In 2012, a Mormon who knows economics, will hopefully be good enough. Romney's going to have to get off to a fast start in the primaries: something tells me this isn't going to be hard.

2. Senator John Thune: Here's another guy that just looks like a President. I think we are long over due for another plains state President. He's got all skills---now the only thing that stands in his way is fundraising and name recognition. Thune could be a legit dark horse---also a for sure for any candidates VP list.

3. Gov. Tim Pawlenty: Another good plains state candidate. An accomplished governor who I guarantee wouldn't carry Minnesota in a general election though. He would be able to carry a good, common sense message to voters. But he has a tendency to get a little too hokey for my likes.

4. Mike Huckabee: I loathed Huck back in 2008 after all his unfair attacks on Romney. Huckabee is a sly politician who comes across as that neighbor who always has a joke for any situation. He tugs at the heart strings, but isn't big enough to take on Obama in 2012.

5. Rep. Ron Paul: I have to admit that I hated Ron Paul back in 2008. But the more libertarian I become, the more I like Ron Paul. The problem is that Paul is just too frank and too bold to appeal to independent and moderate voters. A smart man who is unfairly attacked by Republican talking heads like Sean Hannity.

6. Gov. Haley Barbour: This is the one guy you don't want running against Obama. Barbour is a Southern governor who looks, whether it's fair or not, like he is harboring some sort of ill feelings toward people. He looks as though he could serve as the poster child for a corrupt politician. He is famous for his fund raising skills. But is a Southern governor with a thick Mississippi accent the style that will defeat a black guy in 2012....nope.

7. Gov. Bobby Jindal: eight words for you...THE WORST STATE OF THE UNION RESPONSE EVER.

8. Gov. Rick Perry: any Republican who talks openly about secession need not apply in my book. This guy is exactly why so many people still hate Republicans.

**********Just a note, Sarah Palin is not on the list because I do not consider her a serious conservative, nor a serious politician.

Music that's on my radar...

I am one of those guys that is always humming a tune. I actually like listening to a whole lot of different stuff. Although I guess I could be classified as somewhat of an old soul. Anyway...here are two albums that I'm really into right now:

1. The Captain and the Kid: Elton John (2006)

This album is so impressive on many fronts. First off it's the self proclaimed brother to Elton's blockbuster album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. It's not easy to equal an album as good as Captain Fantastic---and I don't claim the Captain and the Kid to do that. However, what the album does is provide a nice finale to the story of Elton and his long time writing parter---Bernie Taupin. The songs---penned by Taupin---reflect on the turbulent years of Elton John sky rocketing to world fame. The lyrics are poetic and fun; reflective but not cocky. Best track on the album: Just Like Noah's Ark---which describes the chaotic, crazy, drug filled arrival of Elton and Bernie in America. Best lyric of the album: The Captain and the Kid. A great end to a good album. Sums up the great partnership that Elton and Bernie have. Give it a listen below and I guarantee you won't be able to get it out of your head.

Have a listen:

2. The Boy Who Knew Too Much: by MIKA (2009)

MIKA (pronounced MEE-KA) is one of those artists that you are either going to love or hate. He 's got a pop sound that is just unique enough for me to enjoy. This is his follow-up album to his succesful debut album, Life in Cartoon Motion. The lyrics are pretty predictable and some of the songs are your typical current pop tunes. However, there are some great tracks on this album that put it above the rest. I like describing it as the perfect driving to work music. It's not something you would listen to all day---but it hits the right chord for just enough time to put you in a good mood. Listen to two songs from this album and I dare you to tell me you aren't in a better mood and tapping your feet...

Hope

We kind of live in somewhat of a bubble here in North Dakota don’t we? Somewhat of it, I guess, is self-imposed. Other times we are shut out from the happenings of other states because of other factors outside of our control. We all know that there’s a nasty recession out there right now. But here in North Dakota we are insulated from the harshness of the turn down and instead we are growing as a state. That is not to say that we don’t have problems either: see the unfunded state pension system. But we, a s a whole, are not living through and observing the hardships that most of the other states are. Case in point: my new neighbor is from Michigan. He packed up and left his home state after being unemployed for nearly two years. He builds houses and used to make a good living at it. The company he worked for built around thirty houses a year in Michigan. From 2006-2009 the company only built three houses. Three houses in three years. He said that the state is like a ghost town. Its citizens are packing up by the thousands and moving out west to better job markets. I asked my friendly new neighbor the biggest change he has noticed since arriving in Bismarck. His answer: “It’s just good to see people who are actually happy. Nobody is happy in Michigan. Detroit has become the murder capital of the nation and people are in pure desperation mode.” I couldn’t imagine things getting so bad to the point where just seeing somebody happy reminds you of better times. Hopefully North Dakota can uphold its new place in the nation: one of the last economic engines of the country.

Idol worship

“You can win an election on screaming and anger but you cannot hold and govern for a significant period of time on screaming and anger.” This is what Senator Bob Bennett said after he was defeated in the Utah Republican primary by a candidate heavily backed by the tea party. It got me to thinking about what is really involved when we speak of governing.

Governance requires more than just brow beating your opponents or giving passionate speeches. It requires skill, reasoning, and compromise (aka “working with enemy” in tea party lingo.) A key component of true governance is not raising men to the status of idols. When this happens we turn our logic and reasoning over to the sentiments and passions of our hearts. Such an action can be detrimental to a society. In the past, liberals have done it with Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy. They currently do it with President Barack Obama. All three of these men made the public believe in the power of the executive. Wilson vowed to reshape the world; Kennedy vowed to find a way to eliminate the business cycle and thus prevent recessions from ever happening. Such boasting is not unique to the 20^th and 21^st century. During the American Revolution, political leaders time and time again referred to the strengths of men to dramatically change the world. Patrick Henry famously said “we have it in our power to begin the world over again.” Such statements tug at the heart don’t they? They sound brave, powerful, and inspiring. And no doubt they are. But brave, powerful, inspiring words can also be misguided and dangerous. Substitute Patrick Henry for Adolf Hitler and the quote sounds a lot different doesn’t it? Yet the logic is the same. There are those who believe in the power of men to achieve perfection in this world. They may be liberal or conservative; republican or democrat; but in either case they are wrong. Conservatives fall into the trap too. Every time I hear someone say, “I’m a Reagan conservative” I just shake my head. It is here that we fall into the trap of liberals in the past. We substitute debate for name worship. We disagree with each other by latching onto an image instead of an idea.

Throughout history we have continued to give more and more power to the executive. We even rank how successful a President is by “what they have done.” Just look at the list of top ranked Presidents and you’ll find that almost all of them increased the size and role of the government. We need to get rid of this fascination with the executive. If we don’t the role of government will never change…and that’s something we literally can’t afford.