TRUMP DOESN'T GO TO "STREEP" CLUBS!

My attempt at FAKE news....but I digress:

I for one am so thankful that Meryl Streep sacrificed her lifetime achievement award to set me straight on what is really happening in this country!  I wonder if she can help me decide what I should eat for lunch.  Does anyone have her email?

This has been an interesting political season.  By the way, my choice was Ben Carson because his, “Politicians got us into this mess, what makes us think politicians can get us out of it?” philosophy really struck a chord with me.  As Carson was fading, I always had a strange curiousity about Trump and how people could continually support him after all the tweeting and outlandish statements.  I watched, LISTENED and it gave me an understanding of how people supported him.  I remember a conversation at the bar one time where a Hispanic Trump supporter was being grilled by Clinton supporters on how he can support Trump after all he has said.  He said simply, “He will get things done.”  Trump is ANTI-establishment and that is refreshing to most Americans.  He has made both Republicans and Democrats frustrated while striking a chord with the heartland.  He is an interesting dichotomy of a rich celebrity that speaks directly and relates to the everyday Joe.  Americans seem to appreciate his down to earth disposition on issues and are tiring of the aloof and pompous attitudes that pervades much of politics today.  While many politicians and Presidents TALK with eloquence about taking action, American’s believe Trump WILL act.  I understand why the establishment is nervous.  What I cannot understand is why a true acting legend would devote HER lifetime achievement award speech to slamming HIM.  To let HIM invade HER brain that much baffles me.  If it were my award, it would be all about ME!

It always seems America is in on the brink of destruction at election time…and we get what we asked for.  What did we need after “mean spirited” Richard Nixon?  Look at “smiling and friendly” Jimmy Carter.  How did we feel about the energy crisis and hesitant Carter?  Look at bold Ronald Reagan.  Have enough of the gun slinger and  “trickle down” theory?  On comes Bill Clinton.  Getting tired of Clinton’s shinanigans and lines in the sand being constantly stepped over?  Look at the George W. Bush.  The “war mongering” Bush made way for “apologizing” of the hope and change Obama.  What has the Obama legacy given us?   I give you Donald Trump.  

I am very interested and quite frankly excited to see what will happen with a successful businessman at the helm of the country instead of a career politician.  I have been pleasantly surprised and shocked with all the buzz he is creating as a pre-President.  Jobs appear to be staying here and his cabinet choices seem to be pretty solid   I surely wish he would lay off  twitter, but this is Trump.  The heartland of the country has spoken louder than the Hollywood elites during this election.  

What does a Donald Trump Presidency give us?  We will have to endure 4 years of “Hollywood” elitist speeches condemning the country from those who have no idea what it is like to have to juggle utility bills or figure out how they were going to have to pay for their healthcare.  It means opportunity for Bruce Springsteen as he will get richer and relevant again with more America bashing music.   It will mean Michael Moore will gain press coverage again.  We will have to endure 4 years of embarrassing childish Trump tweets.  At any rate, it will be an exciting 4 (or 8) years.  Definitely not the same Washington we are used to.

Through this all I think we will be fine.   I know a lot of people who didn’t think we would make it after 8 year of Obama.  I’m choosing to support this President. Trump has done a great job promoting Trump, now he is promoting the USA.  I feel good about that.  Streep, Springsteen, Moore and a host of other Hollywood elites will see a jump for their careers as they pile on the President-Elect, so they benefit also.  This will be a fun ride. 

"RACISM...THIS SUCKS!"

“America SUCKS,”  “White people SUCK!”,  “YOU suck!”, “I’m gonna make you my White Slave!”   I was greeted by these shouts directed at me while sitting in a parking lot across from a school where I was waiting for my wife to get off work. 

The insults became much more colorful in their language and more directed at me.  My first emotion was anger but then I looked up and noticed they were five KIDS, two were about the age of middle school and three were elementary school age.  My anger turned to dumbfounded, and then to sympathy.  As I stared at them insulting me, their insults increased in intensity.  I got out of my car and the two older kids lunged at me (they were pretty small in stature, so I was in no danger).  I tried to ask them why they felt this way.  I asked them if something happened to them to cause their anger.  They just insulted me more and then ran off.

First of all, I am white and my family and I live in a medium sized city in the middle of Iowa where things are pretty conservative and I can safely say I have never experienced anything like this.  I cannot pretend to know what it is like to be black in America.  As a white person, I have never to my knowledge felt diminished in any way because of my race.  Being married to a Hispanic lady, I believe I have seen racism in the most innocent way.  While shopping, I noticed the white store clerks would not take their eyes off of my wife while she browsed through the racks of clothes and it made my wife VERY uncomfortable.  It made her mad and after seeing it myself, made ME mad.  I believe I  experienced in a small dose the humiliation of racism.  When an experience such as this is done over and over again, I understand a little more clearly the anger minorities experience in “white” America.  Unless you experience it, you have no idea it exists.

I have often wondered how black American’s feel when the National Anthem is played or when patriotism is brought up.  The history of America is very much white.  The guys on Mount Rushmore exemplify that.  Family’s came over mostly from white Europe in a desire to better themselves and a want for a better life.  They looked at America as a chance for freedom and opportunity.  They were happy to call America home.  I understand the immense pride they have in this country and could proudly proclaim it to their ancestry in other countries.  Black Americans came over mostly against their will and it must have been hard to stake a claim in the American dream.  Many do not know their ancestry other than being pulled out of their home country.  Have they ever felt that America was truly home?  Can they get excited and feel patriotic about our countries founders when they do not look as they do?  It seems to me it would be hard to fully embrace America with the same historical passion as whites.

Years have passed and now we have had a two term black president, we have more black CEO’s in business and superstar black athletes.  We also have many interracial marriages and we are becoming a blended society.  I have heard the argument that blacks should be happy in this country.  What is it that would cause the anger to still be there?

The black football player who is sitting down during the national anthem is causing quite a debate about being black in America, entitlement, police brutality, oppression and the like.  I don’t know the answer to that.  I get the people who are saying he is disrespecting the county as well as the freedom he has to voice his opinion.  If you had the chance to be either black or white in America, which would you choose? 

How should I react or feel for these youngsters who are obviously frustrated.  Should I show anger, resentment, or compassion?  Should I feel bad about how they feel or should I just say “live with it”?  My guess is we need more education and understanding with a good dose of prayer.  All I know is going through all of this really SUCKS!

"SOCIALISM...I AIN'T BUYING IT"

I remember as a youth jamming to the Steve Miller Band song “Jet Airliner”.  On my album, there was a line, “I don’t want to get caught up in any of that, funky (kicks) going down in the city.”  I remember hearing my friends version of that song where they used the word “sh—“ instead of “kicks”…it seemed to my young mind a little scandalous!  I remember wondering how my friend was able to get this “scandalous” version …I felt a little slighted!   I remember first hearing Nazareth’s “Hair of the Dog” tune ... my friends and I (perhaps feeling rebellious) at times emphasized the last couple words of the line, “Now you’re messin’ with a ……..”.  A forbidden word we with youthful exuberance shouted because it shocked the status quo.  I didn’t see too many older folks singing that line at the time.  Today it seems a song isn’t a hit unless it has one of the once “forbidden” colorful words(even sung by older folks)…..a saddening turn of events. 

I think “Socialism” is a lot like one of those old forbidden terms.  I remember learning in American history class of our liberty and independence and what pride we had as Americans.  America was proud of its “capitalism” as the best form of government enabling us to become the wealthiest nation in the world.   If anyone claimed to be a “Socialist” we wondered what was wrong with them.  It was one of those terms we were rather shocked to hear much as those old songs that first began the now en-vogue swearing lyrics.  Today many seem to be clamoring to socialism…perhaps to shock the status quo.

Today with social media and with the elections here…we hear “socialism” shouted with youthful exuberance….and why not?  Sounds great…free healthcare, education, $15 minimum wage.  It’s like going to a restaurant with a group where everything is put into one check.  Everybody pitches in and it sounds like a good idea.  But inevitably, someone ends up eating like a king for what they put in and someone else ends up paying way too much for just having a soda.  No one can figure out the right math and how it went wrong so they just pitch in. 

I have heard so many definitions and arguments for how “socialism” is now good for us.   I believe I know what all the socialist governing philosophies are and I still think it is not the best way to govern a country as large and diverse as ours.  We have hundreds of millions of people in the US, with 50 states and 50 different governing bodies and you cannot, in my opinion govern the large US like you can a smaller Sweden or Denmark.  It is like comparing a car with a train.  There are many things a small car can do that a big train cannot do.  Conversely, there is protection in having many cars and you have abilities to do things when you have the protection of the large train.

The US needs to be the large economic power in order for all the smaller socialist nations to survive and thrive.  These socialist countries need a capitalistic machine somewhere churning out innovation, food, trade, wealth and military might.  Every country must account for the US before tackling any fiscal equations. 

Size does matter.  What works in New Hampshire may not work in Arizona.  If Vermont wants single payer medicine…they can pass it…good for them.  If you don’t like it…you don’t have to live there.  But if we nationalize Vermont’s healthcare in Texas or Hawaii…it’s a different matter.  This is why we have the 10^th Amendment.  Once something is centrally planned there is no opting out.  This is how a Democratic Socialism slowly becomes the dreaded Communism (last I looked I believe that is still one of the forbidden words).  You are given one option.  For socialism to work, mandates must be placed on the population and you are given NO choice.  At least for now, nobody wants Communism in the US

I realize as we continue to give people fish instead of teaching them how to fish, those people will be more and more convincing to accept socialism and we will get more candidates like Bernie Sanders getting popular.  Capitalism built the US into the super power that it is.  We are the greatest nation on the earth.  As the British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher pointed out (to paraphrase), “the trouble with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.” 

Socialism is an enticing debate but, “I don’t want to get caught up in any of that, funky sh—going down in the city”.  Thank you for your sales pitch but, to use a Capitalistic term….I ain’t buying it. 

IMAGINATION..A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE!

The Christmas season is here!  Although they won't admit it, I love to watch my 17 year old and almost 13 (as he puts it) 12 year old really get INTO the animated Christmas specials.  These specials are always marvels of drawings and animation put together on a computer somewhere and as my kids are quick to point out, not REALLY real.  There is always that magical moment in these specials though where the boys really buy into the loveable characters…you can see it in their eyes and their wonderment smiles.  Their imagination is touched and all is right in the world at that moment.

The moment for me growing up was always the colorful Christmas tree.  I remember as a kid just loving to stretch out on the floor next to the tree while enjoying the classical music my parents would put on.  I would get lost in the warmth of the season as my mind would travel to far away places inside the safety of the family while staring into the beautiful lights.  The music would take your imagination in many different places.  I could bask in that aura for hours.  Those moments stay in your memory and they have immeasurable value.

Ironically as I post this on social media…it seems that now more and more I long for world BEFORE social media and media in general.  It seems we have so many agenda driven media outlets now...it has become commonplace. .  As I scroll through Facebook posts on my page I see so many sites extolling virtues….only to see it somehow de-valued quickly by others.  There is little place for imagination as facts are thrown at you to prove anything you can think of.

I am the first to admit, I have an urge to post the cute thing one of my boys did on-line sometimes instead of just savoring the moment myself.  The urge to get responses and approval from others can de-value life's experiences and dull imagination.  This type of need to share everything to everybody is driving us a little mad I think.

Politics and social media cannot be escaped…as hard as we try.    There is always a debate, issue, or event that comes along and we let these issues rob us of our joy.    In a world of social media and 24 hour media, imagination and creativity are manipulated.  Newscasts, movies, and posts have are forced into our consciousness manipulating our imaginations. Seems they thrive on division among us. They become like a drug and it seems we have less love of life and less wonder about it.  Our senses have become dulled to what is truly beautiful in life.

There are beautiful things inside each of us that we need to rediscover.  That care-free and child like place that can be completely soul healing is what I want to rediscover.  Finding the beauty in moments that can renew even the hardest of hearts and….and I believe that is what God wants us to experience.   In keeping with the season, Handel's Messiah comes to mind.  The beauty of that piece can uplift through the struggles and fears of life.  There is no political agenda in that.

My goal as I go into 2016 is to discover more and more of these type places.  Find more of those moments, as with my boys when I can get lost INTO life's beautiful experiences and recapture that child like imagination.  More peace…less strife, more joy…less turbulence,  More beauty…less bureaucracy, More love…less anger.

Merry Christmas to all!   

Do You Love Me?

I couldn’t help but notice an adorable little girl and her grandfather that were sitting across from me at a Great Clip’s Salon while we were all waiting to get our hair cut.  The little girl was hugging a stuffed teddy bear her grandfather apparently just bought for her.  You could tell she loved it and was talking non-stop with her grandfather asking him question after question about “Charlie”..  Her grandfather politely was answering the questions while he was reading a magazine, not paying too much attention. 

Then came a statement that made us both look up and smile at each other above our magazines.  “Grandpa, I want to marry Charlie!”  The grandfather robotically said, “No you cannot marry Charlie.”

“But I love him...” said the little girl

“You have to marry a person,” said the grandfather

 “Then can I marry you?” said the little girl,

“I love you honey, but you cannot marry your grandpa, grandma would get jealous...” replied the grandfather.

“Then I want to marry you AND grandma!” said the little girl.

With this response both of us started laughing a bit. 

The grandfather replied, “Honey, you can only marry one person and we are too old…someday you will find a young man you love and you will marry”

“What if I love a lot of people?” asked the little girl

The questions went on and on and I could not help but feel for the grandfather as he struggled to answer all of them while reading his Time Magazine.  Was he correct in today’s “politically correct” world?  It made me glad I have two boys whom I have never have had this conversation with.  I projected forward to a time when I may have a little grandchild asking me the same questions and how I would respond to the marriage question.  Marriage may look a lot different then. 

As I feel myself getting older, and the rules and values that I and others before me grew up with eroding, I am conflicted.  The current debate over homosexual marriage and the “political spins” on it has become tiring and nauseating to me.  I definitely hear and understand the frustrations on both sides.  The “we are right and you are wrong” groups are just too righteous for my tastes.  Certain religious sects I believe need to look at the plank in their own eyes before passing judgment on the splinter in the eye of their fellow man.  At the same time, I do not equate the gay suffrage to slavery or perhaps Jews in Nazi camps.

I have dear friends and family members whom I love that are gay.  I certainly want them to be happy.  I see no reason for anyone living together in a loving relationship not to enjoy all the advantages and opportunities and be cheated out of the benefits of marriage.….however you will not see me putting and “equal” sign on my face book page.

In issues like this, I feel I must go my historical and Christian beliefs.  We tend to think that only society today knows what is best and discard what people living in the past thought of things.  Where sometimes history is improved, it is not the case many times.  I do think the knowledge of our historical past can make us wiser. .For century’s marriage has been between only a man and women.   Taking “religion” out if it, marriage is a social contract between two people giving them the ability and benefits to nurture children.  To reverse this, means we will probably at some time in the future reverse the other “rules” of marriage (incest, polygamy etc.).  Perhaps I would be okay with Polygamy…a “sister wife” could be beneficial.  However, I believe my wife would want an older sister wife who is a retired matron who cooks and cleans.  I would want a younger wife I think…perhaps 25 and very attractive….so I don’t think it would work. Plus I truly love my wife and don’t believe I could love another.     

My Christian belief states simply marriage is to be only between a man and women.  As a Christian, this is what I believe.  Never having an affinity for anyone with the same plumbing, I cannot imagine what it is like to be judged for being gay or to “walk” in their shoes.  My wife is Hispanic, and it really opened up my eyes to discrimination in simple things that before did not seem like discrimination to me. It was frustrating and demeaning.  So I truly believe as a Christian, compassion should be shown to not judge or condemn anyone.  As before, I feel I need to look at the plank in my eyes before judging anyone for the splinter in their eye.  I feel prayer is needed for ALL issues.  I believe that will open the eyes to all.

I do think that eventually gay people getting married will be commonplace and we will be debating the next group wanting rights of some type.  Whether you are for the issue or against the issue, let’s have compassion on all sides.  I am sure when I have grandchildren; I’ll be struggling to answer all the questions too.        

Baby Boomers..A Wild Ride!

What a wild ride!  I was born in 1964…the last year of the “Baby Boomer” generation.     You know..it’s the generation that describes the big population boom  between 1946 and 1964.  I was a little young to understand the generation, but it must have been fun!  Man, we set the world on fire, didn’t we?  The peace and love generation!   Do whatever FEELS right!  Question authority!  Down with the man!  Woodstock was a blast…there will never be anything as epic as that, right?  That’s when music was good…”Puff the Magic Dragon”…..”Talkin ‘bout My Generation” 

We have always been the “in” generation.  The media targets us making us feel that whatever age we are…it’s THE age to be!  When we were young…it was cool to be young.  When we were in our early adult years, it was all buy, buy, buy and we did so …on CREDIT.  Now we are getting older, we are getting blasted with drug commercials to make us feel better. If you are 60 it’s the new 50, 50 is the new 40…. I remember when I was younger I could not imagine the rock stars of our day getting old…now look at Mick Jagger!  Our parents catered to us in our early years and now our children will probably have to  cater to us in our elderly years.

We had free love and now the world has aids.    We had the feminist movement and now the world has emasculated men.  Our individualism has left the world with many fatherless and/or motherless children.  We had rock stars wanting to be politicians and now we have politicians who want to be rock stars.  We polluted the planet and now the world has to clean it up.  We got high and now the world is paying for our disability and rehab.  We will bankrupt the treasury with our welfare state and retirement.  Our youth movement has left the world with men who have never grown up.  Our “no competition schools” has led to the world surpassing us in education.  The provocative sensationalism on TV and in the arts has numbed the next generation to what is truly beautiful.  Our non stop news propaganda has numbed our next generation to violence and we have forgotten how to love our fellow man.  The lyrics in our music has taken the innocence of our young.  We have taken God out of our schools and now we wonder why youth have no morals and there is violence in school. 

Our parents sacrificed much to build us up a better life.  Many lived through the depression and world wars.  Our parents saved their money and did not go into debt.  They paid for our educations.  They had one car, one tv, one washer/dryer, etc and took care of them for years. They had pride in responsibility of themselves and cringed when others offered help.  They lived WITHIN their budget and respected wealth.  Now we have two or three cars, two to three flat screen TV’s and those must be updated every two years.  Do not worry about debt because we can always go bankrupt and start all over again.  Don’t worry about teaching your kids values…the government has that handled.  

I realize perception isn’t always reality.  The generation made great strides with dealing with race and equality.  Most of the thoughts here do not represent the generation as a whole.  I realize the extreme is what gets publicized and it is not reflective of MOST people.  I bring these issues up because I see the country I know changing.  I had a conversation recently with some people convinced we should adopt the Swedish socialism ideal.  I read elsewhere that now almost half of our population may want that.  My parents passed to me a great nation…now we want to abolish it through our own greed.   I am not proud of the socialist welfare state we may be leaving our children.  The socialist thought (as all politically motivated thoughts) work on the ideal that everyone has the good of the state at heart.  It is not always the case.   I believe people know they need to take care of themselves, it is a much more rewarding life than those who feel they do not have to take care of themselves.  As I look at my two children, I can only hope that they can do better than we did as a generation passing the torch.

I read from a good friend of mine (thanks Greg Owens) the following…

"The historical cycle seems to be: From bondage to spiritual faith; from spiritual faith to courage; from courage to liberty; from liberty to abundance; from abundance to selfishness; from selfishness to apathy; from apathy to dependency; and from dependency back to bondage once more."

Great words to get you to think.  Where do you believe we are in this cycle?  BOOM!   It was a WILD RIDE!

Who Doesn't Like Robin Hood?

Everyone likes Robin Hood, right?  Who doesn’t like someone helping the poor and needy?  The thought of a strong and courageous man risking his life to give those who have little some riches so they may enjoy life more is a good thing.  The wealthy don’t need those riches anyway…it’s only fair.

I would think that Robin Hood’s goal is to make everyone wealthy but, what happens if everyone gets wealthy?   It looks like Robin Hood is out of a job…..and his importance has been significantly diminimished. It stands to reason that the more poor people there are, the more popular Robin Hood is. 

I think in today’s political world we have a lot of Robin Hoods.  The “get elected at all costs” mentality creates an environment where instant gratification trumps long term implications.  Create jobs funded by the government to get people working again and let’s offset part (and a small part) of the funding by taking it from the wealthy because it is “only fair” and they don’t really need it anyway.  Besides, our country could use some beautification projects and better bridges anyway….right? 

The problem is that none of these projects are making money…they are paid for by someone else’s profit and thus cannot sustain themselves.  As Robin Hood undoubtedly found out, these poor people he was helping soon would need him to “steal” again.  When these projects are complete, the government will find out there is no more funding left, and we will have to go “steal” (or tax, or borrow) again to pay for it.   The burden to pay for these things goes on to our children…long after the elected officials are in office.

I think it would have served Robin Hood better if he was not to steal but encourage the rich to make more profit by creating a business that employs the poor.  That way the poor could build their own wealth and perhaps create more profit making businesses of their own.  Perhaps it will serve congress better if it does not take more from the wealthy but encourages them into invest businesses with an opportunity to create more wealth for them and others