I don't really spend all my time in the basement on this computer attempting to turn over rocks that are way too heavy for me to lift. As rational human beings it is sometimes difficult for me to understand how emotion trumps reason. We seem to encompass fear and while maybe not understanding an argument at all we entrench and get into our camps, unmovable and hunkered down. On occasion and you might think too often, I talk politics on this blog. We live in a political world and all issues have a direct effect on us.
I try my best to encourage conversation because I think in talking we will know more about these issues.
I try to not use emotional catch phrases like "liberal" and "conservative" or "socialism". These are all designed to get emotional responses and cloud the issues. The truth of the matter is that I don't know exactly where I stand on a lot of issues. I am exploring. I know what seems to be never is and there are consequences to everything. And, to be honest, there are just some things I do not understand.
I have had every life experience to make me a Republican. I have never "used the system", never been to the ER without paying for it myself, never been on food stamps, never collected unemployment, never had subsidised housing or assistance with a utility bill, did not relie on government assistance for my education, have never filed for bankruptcy. Most of my life has been as an employer not an employee. I have great private health insurance and have paid into it for over 35 years. I have never received a dime of public money for anything. All of this should make me a Republican, shouldn't it? It is kind of a self-righteous position: I got mine, go get yours!
These are the issues that nag at me and cause reflection.
European countries, especially Ireland and England have been confronting their national debt with austerity programs, basically curtailing programs for the poor, cutting back on assistance of any kind, raising taxes on the middle class and those lower and it is simply not working! It is not working simply because that is not how money works. Money only works when it is in circulation. Someone has to spend it in order for another person to get it. Think about food stamps (or whatever they call it these days) for a minute. What would happen if you got rid of them? Part of me is in favor of this. I think the free hand outs discourage
people from working! But what would happen to Safeways? to the packaging industry? to the farmers?
to the jobs that are created or maintained from this benefit? We NEED that circulation of money!
We have become piranha in a fish bowl and think our survival is bent upon pulling down those above us!
Now we are attacking pensions and collective bargaining. This won't be a good thing for my business at all.
I sell my art to people who have more money than I do.
How can anyone be against National Health? That just makes no sense to me at all. Sure, I imagine there could be a better way to do it, but to be against it? That's nuts! We have it already!!!!! We have the best, most inclusive health care in the world...IF you are over 65 years old! We are amongst the worse if you are younger. That is not an opinion. It is verifiable. We have a pretty decent, although not perfect, National Health Care for Veterans. Why would you want to get rid of this? Some jobs, although fewer every day, actually come with health benefits as part of the pay package.
Money has to circulate or nothing works. That again is real, it is not an opinion. We are not burning it, it is still out there somewhere. So the question becomes where is it? Maybe off shore accounts? Maybe in FIVE BILLION DOLLAR BONUSES!? One economic difference from the 1960's to now is the rich are getting richer. That is not an opinion. This might have worked (trickle down theory) when it was spent but it is difficult to spend $5,000,000,000 dollars. It is not just one guy. 40% of American wealth is controlled by just 2% of the people. Is this really what we want?
Another thing I think about is the idea of a society, as a concept. How do you judge a society? Do you judge a society on the amount of billionaires it produces? Personally (and this IS an opinion!) I think a society should be judged on how it treats its elders, its children, it infirm and less able. Most of my life one misstep and I could have been there. Some of my accomplishments I attribute to just plain luck.
Enough of that crap for today, right? What do I really do?
This past week I have been working on this project, and yesterday I installed it. A deer fence to protect the back yard plantings! The total height is about 8' and the whole trick to it is to make it so it isn't a dominating barricade to the backyard.
Most of the structure is designed to develop a rust patina except for the leaves which are stainless steel, I hope a shinny reminder to the deer not to jump!
More of what I do HERE
I try my best to encourage conversation because I think in talking we will know more about these issues.
I try to not use emotional catch phrases like "liberal" and "conservative" or "socialism". These are all designed to get emotional responses and cloud the issues. The truth of the matter is that I don't know exactly where I stand on a lot of issues. I am exploring. I know what seems to be never is and there are consequences to everything. And, to be honest, there are just some things I do not understand.
I have had every life experience to make me a Republican. I have never "used the system", never been to the ER without paying for it myself, never been on food stamps, never collected unemployment, never had subsidised housing or assistance with a utility bill, did not relie on government assistance for my education, have never filed for bankruptcy. Most of my life has been as an employer not an employee. I have great private health insurance and have paid into it for over 35 years. I have never received a dime of public money for anything. All of this should make me a Republican, shouldn't it? It is kind of a self-righteous position: I got mine, go get yours!
These are the issues that nag at me and cause reflection.
European countries, especially Ireland and England have been confronting their national debt with austerity programs, basically curtailing programs for the poor, cutting back on assistance of any kind, raising taxes on the middle class and those lower and it is simply not working! It is not working simply because that is not how money works. Money only works when it is in circulation. Someone has to spend it in order for another person to get it. Think about food stamps (or whatever they call it these days) for a minute. What would happen if you got rid of them? Part of me is in favor of this. I think the free hand outs discourage
people from working! But what would happen to Safeways? to the packaging industry? to the farmers?
to the jobs that are created or maintained from this benefit? We NEED that circulation of money!
We have become piranha in a fish bowl and think our survival is bent upon pulling down those above us!
Now we are attacking pensions and collective bargaining. This won't be a good thing for my business at all.
I sell my art to people who have more money than I do.
How can anyone be against National Health? That just makes no sense to me at all. Sure, I imagine there could be a better way to do it, but to be against it? That's nuts! We have it already!!!!! We have the best, most inclusive health care in the world...IF you are over 65 years old! We are amongst the worse if you are younger. That is not an opinion. It is verifiable. We have a pretty decent, although not perfect, National Health Care for Veterans. Why would you want to get rid of this? Some jobs, although fewer every day, actually come with health benefits as part of the pay package.
Money has to circulate or nothing works. That again is real, it is not an opinion. We are not burning it, it is still out there somewhere. So the question becomes where is it? Maybe off shore accounts? Maybe in FIVE BILLION DOLLAR BONUSES!? One economic difference from the 1960's to now is the rich are getting richer. That is not an opinion. This might have worked (trickle down theory) when it was spent but it is difficult to spend $5,000,000,000 dollars. It is not just one guy. 40% of American wealth is controlled by just 2% of the people. Is this really what we want?
Another thing I think about is the idea of a society, as a concept. How do you judge a society? Do you judge a society on the amount of billionaires it produces? Personally (and this IS an opinion!) I think a society should be judged on how it treats its elders, its children, it infirm and less able. Most of my life one misstep and I could have been there. Some of my accomplishments I attribute to just plain luck.
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| "Not tonight deer" a deer fence! |
This past week I have been working on this project, and yesterday I installed it. A deer fence to protect the back yard plantings! The total height is about 8' and the whole trick to it is to make it so it isn't a dominating barricade to the backyard.
 |
| Funny how we like nature and move to where the deer live and then attempt to fence them out! |
More of what I do HERE
14 comments:
Love the fence! Hate the politics! I truly hate discussions on these topics so don't take it personally if I never respond to them. Whenever my Son & Hubby get deep into these topics I always look for the EXIT sign or I bring up menopause. HAH!
Like SooZeQue I now know better than to respond to the politics. My one and only time cost me plenty.. Not worth it, so before I say bye I'll just say your art work is still the best ..
I am not one to like politics.
The fence though is lovely. The best no deer one that I have seen.
You said you grow heirloom tomatoes. I want to try one(maybe two). I have been told that the raccoons and possums will eat them. :-(
Thank you all for the nice comments on my artwork! I sometimes don't even understand why women ever even wanted the right to vote! It seems like leaving it up to others we just get more of the same. I am not unlike anybody else, just after a more beautiful world, that's all.
Well! I don't think I'll catch up with you no matter how hard I try! I've read a bit back at least, and enjoyed your art and perspectives on life as I always do.Politics? What you're writing here sounds like good sense! I suppose it only becomes politics if one gets closer to the issue.
Okay, I admit it, I have my fettishes. love women who have opinions! Pamo, you are the best and I think you might be right about insurance companies! They raise the price for everyone! We let this slip by us when it was just about humans but now that pets are involved maybe we will think to complain. Maybe all lobbiests should be shot? That might be a beginning to get someone's attention! Why do we have a congress that can be bought so easily? I had a $3,000 dollar tooth once. I had it pulled for a hundred bucks! The next one I will do myself! I don't know any answers but I do know that if they are not discussed then we will get more of what we have been given and I think I have had enough.
Inflaming words should not be used but seem to be the most used in discussing politics. My daughter pays $1000 per month for healthcare now. She says that does include the few doctor visits and costs of medicine they buy through the year but for her family, health care insurance went up 33% THIS year so far. She pays as much for her insurance as my sister gets for her SS payments. My sister works part time at a nursery so ends up having to pay some of the SS back because she makes too much money. She can't buy heath insurance but will turn 65 this year. She hasn't been to a doctor in years because she can't pay for it. Actually, she's done without heat because she couldn't pay for it. All the rest of my family says she should apply for unemployment for the months the nursery doesn't have work for her and apply for medicaid so she can go to the doctor. She's the democrat and they are the republicans. My brother-in-law with 2 retirements, applies and gets unemployment because he works only seasonally at a golf course and my sister has gotten disability so she could have breast enlargement surgery. These are the republicans of my family. And then they say no one should get what they don't deserve or haven't paid for. It boggles my mind! With two retirements (both government - military and civil service) why does he need unemployment? And sorry, but optional, beautifying surgery isn't exactly something disabling! Both of these individuals (and the one uses VA) hate Obamacare as in my brother-in-law's words, "it will make all healthcare like VA care". Well, the VA has given my husband his life back twice now, once with a quadruple bypass and the most recent, a kidney removal due to cancer. I say yes, let's have VA for everyone! How does a person have the right to the pursuit of life, liberty or happiness if they are sick or dying? Oh, you've got me started but I think I'll just stop now before I get into too much trouble.
Freebird and Pamo, thank you reinstalling my faith in women, and therefore all of mankind! Maybe you just have to get riled up a bit? For some people Obama is "that nigger in the white house" and they wouldn't let anything he said sound reasonable. Freebird, I know LOTS of people like that, taking everything the Democrats have to offer and then voting Republican. The Republican House wants to repeal "Obamacare" and replace it with what? Ever increasing insurance rates for those able to afford it? They want to eliminate extended unemployment benefits and it won't be the cry of the hungrey thatr will stop this. Safeway and the farmers and packaging industry and all else who benefit from it will lobby against it. They Republican Congress will not allow raising taxes on the wealthiest top 2% because ??? For the first time in the history of the United States we are at war with no increase in taxes to pay for it!!! Every dollar is borrowed! My cancer is gone and what wasn't due to luck was the fact that I have a really good top of the line insurance policy paying all but $1,000 of the $130,000 bill. I can tell you stories of people who died because they ran out of money! I wish I were lieing but it happens every day. I refuse to believe that there isn't a better way and I refuse to hide behind my little art projects and think everything is okay, that I am powerless and there is nothing I can do. I can do something. I can open my mouth every chance I get. I can encourage people to investigate, to stay away from the emotions of it all and to realize that name calling is a great way to end an argument but not solve anything at all. Stay away from talk radio, conservative or liberal. It will only create a disturbance and you will not have learned anything.
I think a society should be judged on how it treats others young and old. Passion, compassion, ethics, and morals all play a part in greatness or shamefulness. So tell me why are people eventually going to be forced to have insurance or be fined. What is American about that, or is that the new America? Is that the only way the national health care can be financially stable? By the way, looooove the fence! Your garden's like a beautiful salad for your deer friends. Such a tease, then the fence to taunt them. Deer are fairly high jumpers, is that the height that keeps them out?
Yikes, Jerry! You don't understand why women ever wanted the right to vote? Now that is a loaded statement! I personally am flummoxed when my vote proves to be worthless. So frustrating!
"to have insurance or be fined" might be at the heart of the complaint against National Health. It is a lofty ideal for sure, "free health care for everyone" like a chicken in every pot. It sounds good but someone has to pay for it, ain't nothin' really free! The idea of paying for something when we don't want to is not unamerican. We do it now
and have so since the very first tax implemented by our National Government. (whiskey!) We pay into National Health care now with Medicare. It is just not available to us until we are 65 years old.
We pay now for Veteran's benefits
even though some of us have never been in the military. We pay now so other's may benefit. The extremely poor and suffering get Medicaid,so we pay for them too.
It is the Middle Class who are left out of this equation. We pay but with the fewest benefits. There is a reason that a one night stay in your local hospital could cost over $5,000. It is not run like a Holiday Inn where you pay in advance and everyone pays equally. We have a system now where the sick who have money or insurance pay for the sick and underinsured! I admit it does irk me when one group has benefits paid for by the middle class and for some self-righteous reason doesn't want this coverage expanded to everyone! I am a bit of an extremest and would consider an all or nothing approach! No benefits for anyone and we will take the sick to the outskirts of the city and just dump them off.
Let's try it that way.
Pamo, I am falling in love with you! Not for being a "sort of" democrat but for continuing this discussion! I know the issue will NOT go away and if we don't talk about the decision will be left to others and then I will lose my right to complain! I certainly agree with you, like any good crime novel, "follow the money" and you will discover who the culprits are! There is, however, a sneaky "other issue" that I believe is at the core of the problem: We lose focus on the fact that National Health Care would be better and less expensive for everyone because deep down inside we believe that some people just plain don't deserve it! I think this is a left-over from our Puritanical background, from an idea that we can reap our rewards now, and some are just closer to God than others! We are afraid of losing our position and the belief that somehow some of us are better than others! I have forgotten the author but years ago I read a book titled, "The Visible Saints" that explains this peculiarly American
phenomenon far better than I can.
It is a great read and I highly reccomend it.
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