The Christian Faith is a simple philosophy, to love one another. It is a philosophy of peace and of doing for others. Much of Organized Religion has centered on correographed rituals and bilaws for membership. There are a mirad of Christian "Churches," each with special rules and regulions with each one claiming to be the "true" religion. The "Churches" have supported wars and in many cases they have promoted wars in the name of the Prince of Peace. Extremists have even murdered their neighbors for not following their particular code of morals.
Organized religion has made Churches a social club and a very important element of society. One who is not a member of a church is widely considered a person without character or morals. On the positive side, they perpetuate the name of Christ and there are members in most all of the denominations that are truly devoted to peace and love.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Monday, July 6, 2009
US SOCIALIST?
Democracy is a socialistic form of government. Capitalism is a dictatorship of the elite. It appears that our founding fathers felt that competition was key to a balanced community. Congress was organized with a House of Representatives representing the people, and the Senate representing the State with the Judiciary maintaining law and order. Traditionally there is a two party system, one representing the people and one representing capitalism with a legal system maintaining law and order. When FDR won four presidential elections in a row, Presidental terms were limited to two to maintain a balance. After eight years of unpresidented abuse of power allowed by a Congress that failed to function to maintain a balance and a Judiciary that failed to maintain law and order, perhaps members of Congress should be limited to two terms and consideration made to prevent unchecked power in the Judiciary.
With access to unlimited terms, political office has become a personal career opportunity rather than a service to the country, as it was intended. In such a case the focus of leadership centers on the welfare of the person in office rather than the welfare of the nation. Civil Service is a career opportunity to maintain stability in the government and is under the direction of the elected officials.
To make a democracy work, all citizens must participate in the political process. Power must be balanced for the welfare of all. As the population participates in the political process, the power of the people will focus on the welfare of the people. Will the country become socialistic? Probably not, for as the population becomes educated, they will most likely support a fairly regulated capitalic system as a vital force for the welfare of the people.
Will it become a perfect sociey? Probably not. As competition is the key to balance, it is also the source of conflict with winners and loosers. The struggle will go on but more loosers might more often become winners some of the time as well if power is more balanced.
With access to unlimited terms, political office has become a personal career opportunity rather than a service to the country, as it was intended. In such a case the focus of leadership centers on the welfare of the person in office rather than the welfare of the nation. Civil Service is a career opportunity to maintain stability in the government and is under the direction of the elected officials.
To make a democracy work, all citizens must participate in the political process. Power must be balanced for the welfare of all. As the population participates in the political process, the power of the people will focus on the welfare of the people. Will the country become socialistic? Probably not, for as the population becomes educated, they will most likely support a fairly regulated capitalic system as a vital force for the welfare of the people.
Will it become a perfect sociey? Probably not. As competition is the key to balance, it is also the source of conflict with winners and loosers. The struggle will go on but more loosers might more often become winners some of the time as well if power is more balanced.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
OBAMA FINANCIAL REGULATION PLAN MISSES TWO CRUCIAL ELEMENTS!
Two crucial elements are missing from the proposed "Financial Regulation Plan."
1) Separation of "Banking" and "Investment Banking."
The Bank is an institution of security. Investment Baking includes risk, the antithesis of security. The two are like apples and oranges and must be considered seperately. (Obviously an oversight)
2) Making it against the law to take risks without security for loss to anyone not a consenting party to the risk.
It is immoral and a violation of personal rights to allow anyone to gamble with other people's money for personal gain and/or without personal liability. Risk is undoubtedly a vital element for progress. Irresponsible risk is foolhardy. Irresponsible risk without full consent of the person(s) with liability under the risk is akin to theft.
Corporate Officials, without personal liability and in pursuit of personal bonuses who took irresponsible risks, are responsible for the crisis that requires this financial regulation reform. Any reform that does not address this action cannot be expected to prevent a similar crisis in the future.(This is obviously politics. Politicans are heavily in debt to CEO.s who give them corporate funds. To prevent CEO"s from the authority to arbitarily give corporate funds as they choose would take away the politicans receipt of these corporate funds from the CEO's
1) Separation of "Banking" and "Investment Banking."
The Bank is an institution of security. Investment Baking includes risk, the antithesis of security. The two are like apples and oranges and must be considered seperately. (Obviously an oversight)
2) Making it against the law to take risks without security for loss to anyone not a consenting party to the risk.
It is immoral and a violation of personal rights to allow anyone to gamble with other people's money for personal gain and/or without personal liability. Risk is undoubtedly a vital element for progress. Irresponsible risk is foolhardy. Irresponsible risk without full consent of the person(s) with liability under the risk is akin to theft.
Corporate Officials, without personal liability and in pursuit of personal bonuses who took irresponsible risks, are responsible for the crisis that requires this financial regulation reform. Any reform that does not address this action cannot be expected to prevent a similar crisis in the future.(This is obviously politics. Politicans are heavily in debt to CEO.s who give them corporate funds. To prevent CEO"s from the authority to arbitarily give corporate funds as they choose would take away the politicans receipt of these corporate funds from the CEO's
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Wall Street OR Las Vegas!
The average investor's purchase of stock is no longer an invesment in business enterprise, it is a gamble with a bookie broker!
In the pre Regan area, the purchase of stock in a company was a purchase of a part of that company entitling the stock holder to a return of a portion of the profits of the company in the form of dividends. Theoretically, at least, the common stock holder had a right to vote for the "Directors" of the Company who represented the rights of the stockholders and appointed a CEO to operate the Company for the benefit of the owners.
Somewhere along the line the CEO's became the "Owner's" of the company. Directors did little directing and received lucrative compensation. CEO's tried to expand the company gaining enormous compensation in the form of Bonuses and "Stock Rights" (too complicated to explain) giving the Investors (now gamblers) inflated imaginary earnings called growth stock. This imaginary "growth stock" was "traded" (gambled) to produce enormous amounts of "paper money." Companies (Corporate Congloberates) became so big that even the IRS couldn't figure out the proper tax that was to be paid, and imaginary off shore holding companies were formed to confuse the issue even more and line the pockets of the creators of the inflated imaginary economy that was supposed to be the greatest private, free market business enterprise system that ever existed. Credit was extended beyond reason and the government set up "Insurance Entities" to guanantee the value of the inflated economy. A super insurance entity was established to insure the insurance entities. This super insurance entity was backed by solid imaginary credit. Then, Hell broke loose, and imagination turned to reality and the government turned to the taxpayers, who had lost their shirts, to further mortgage their future and their children's future to help out the gamblers and give them money to reimburse them for the loss of their imaginary paper gains. What a system!
In the pre Regan area, the purchase of stock in a company was a purchase of a part of that company entitling the stock holder to a return of a portion of the profits of the company in the form of dividends. Theoretically, at least, the common stock holder had a right to vote for the "Directors" of the Company who represented the rights of the stockholders and appointed a CEO to operate the Company for the benefit of the owners.
Somewhere along the line the CEO's became the "Owner's" of the company. Directors did little directing and received lucrative compensation. CEO's tried to expand the company gaining enormous compensation in the form of Bonuses and "Stock Rights" (too complicated to explain) giving the Investors (now gamblers) inflated imaginary earnings called growth stock. This imaginary "growth stock" was "traded" (gambled) to produce enormous amounts of "paper money." Companies (Corporate Congloberates) became so big that even the IRS couldn't figure out the proper tax that was to be paid, and imaginary off shore holding companies were formed to confuse the issue even more and line the pockets of the creators of the inflated imaginary economy that was supposed to be the greatest private, free market business enterprise system that ever existed. Credit was extended beyond reason and the government set up "Insurance Entities" to guanantee the value of the inflated economy. A super insurance entity was established to insure the insurance entities. This super insurance entity was backed by solid imaginary credit. Then, Hell broke loose, and imagination turned to reality and the government turned to the taxpayers, who had lost their shirts, to further mortgage their future and their children's future to help out the gamblers and give them money to reimburse them for the loss of their imaginary paper gains. What a system!
Monday, May 25, 2009
CONTROLLING THE COST OF HEALTH CARE
Can the Private, Free Market, Business Enterprise System keep the cost of Healh Care in the range of all citizens in the society? The Private, Free Market Business Enterprise System in simple terms it is only a system to determine price/cost based upon supply and demand with a little manipulation from business and the government, but, it is the foundation for the entire economy. This system has worked near perfection in distributing the Nation's wealth in a peaceful, equitable manner with the exception of a few recessions and a couple of depressions, but can it work to control a necessity of life like Health Care where the common place side effect of bankruptcy is not an acceptable condition?
The government and some business leaders inspired by the American Dream of finding a pot of gold came up with a solution to the problem with a number of agencies under the heading of "Health Care Insurance." This "solution" has not been as successful as hoped for and has not only failed to control the health care costs, it has conflicted with the Health Care Provider's practice of administering health care. Providers claim that this system of health care insurance takes health care decisions out of the hands of the doctors and places these decisions on a profit and loss basis. It also leaves a large portion of the popultion without any health care protection. The cost of the management of this current health care system appears to be nearly as high as the cost of providing the actual health care.
Government "Medicare" for all citizens appears to be the best solution to keep health care affordable for all and to keep the actual health care system in the private, free market, business enterprise system. Health care decisions would be in the hands of the doctors and their patients, and payments would be made to private, free market, business enterprises.
AN ADDED BONUS! Under a national medicare system; private, free market business enterprises (both small businesses and corporations) would no longer be burdened with employee health care costs and this would give them a fair field to compete with foreign enterprises that do not have this cost. For example, Foreign autos have outsold domestic autos due mainly to their lower prices which were helped by not having to pay health costs for their employees. This of course would also allow domestic small businesses to offer lower prices and increase their own profit as well.
It should be noted that many skilled and caring workers in the current health insurance agencies could conveniently transfer into the expanded government universal health care plan. The only loosers would appear to be the politicians who would no longer receive their generus campaign gifts from the Insurance Agencies, (which, incidentally, have added to the cost of health care)
and of course the executive officers in the health insurance agencies would loose their "bonuses."
The "Change" to government reform and control from the "out of control" Health Care Insurance System could be the key to our economic recovery and may even make us a healthier and more caring society.
The government and some business leaders inspired by the American Dream of finding a pot of gold came up with a solution to the problem with a number of agencies under the heading of "Health Care Insurance." This "solution" has not been as successful as hoped for and has not only failed to control the health care costs, it has conflicted with the Health Care Provider's practice of administering health care. Providers claim that this system of health care insurance takes health care decisions out of the hands of the doctors and places these decisions on a profit and loss basis. It also leaves a large portion of the popultion without any health care protection. The cost of the management of this current health care system appears to be nearly as high as the cost of providing the actual health care.
Government "Medicare" for all citizens appears to be the best solution to keep health care affordable for all and to keep the actual health care system in the private, free market, business enterprise system. Health care decisions would be in the hands of the doctors and their patients, and payments would be made to private, free market, business enterprises.
AN ADDED BONUS! Under a national medicare system; private, free market business enterprises (both small businesses and corporations) would no longer be burdened with employee health care costs and this would give them a fair field to compete with foreign enterprises that do not have this cost. For example, Foreign autos have outsold domestic autos due mainly to their lower prices which were helped by not having to pay health costs for their employees. This of course would also allow domestic small businesses to offer lower prices and increase their own profit as well.
It should be noted that many skilled and caring workers in the current health insurance agencies could conveniently transfer into the expanded government universal health care plan. The only loosers would appear to be the politicians who would no longer receive their generus campaign gifts from the Insurance Agencies, (which, incidentally, have added to the cost of health care)
and of course the executive officers in the health insurance agencies would loose their "bonuses."
The "Change" to government reform and control from the "out of control" Health Care Insurance System could be the key to our economic recovery and may even make us a healthier and more caring society.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
THE FIRST 100 DAYS OF CHANGE
The current administration has initiated a number of promised positive changes to give America back to the people (middle class) but one major problem remains in force --The Government continues to support Wall Street at the Expense of the Middle Class.
America's obsession with investment as the answer to a successful economy continues to cause a neglect of the basic force for success in our Republican Democracy - -the Middle Class. It is the energy of the middle class that fuels our economy.
The solution to the crisis presented by the Secretary of the Treasury was consistent for what one would expect from a former President of a Federal Reserve Bank (NY) --Bailout the Banks at the expense of the Taxpayers. (All the hype about putting the tax burden on the rich is a subterfuge. A small percentage of the ill gotten gains of the rich will go toward the enormous debt undertaken. The middle class will bear the huge burden that will be taken out of their modest income, requiring extensive restraint and hardship.
Why not consider the middle class in the bailout picture "for a change." A Patriot Bond Issue similar to the Savings Bonds that financed WWII could switch the bailout from the Government to a loan to the Banks and the Auto Industry from the taxpayers. Banks and Auto Manufacturers could pay back the taxpayers with interest in a secured program that would be more compatible with the Private Free Market Business Enterprise System than the present program of government intervention (Nationalizing the Banks and Auto Industry.)
Perhaps we could continue the change to "transparency" and "Reform" and add a change to recognizing the middle class as the driving force in our economy. Let Wall Street make their honest gains and take their losses as the middle class is forced to do. Hold Ceo's responsible for their management of the people's investment in the corporations and more responsible management will result. Enact reasonable credit restrictions on loans and a more reasonable rate of mortgages will be foreclosed.
Gambling should only be allowed with "cash in the hand of the gambler that belongs solely to the gambler!
America's obsession with investment as the answer to a successful economy continues to cause a neglect of the basic force for success in our Republican Democracy - -the Middle Class. It is the energy of the middle class that fuels our economy.
The solution to the crisis presented by the Secretary of the Treasury was consistent for what one would expect from a former President of a Federal Reserve Bank (NY) --Bailout the Banks at the expense of the Taxpayers. (All the hype about putting the tax burden on the rich is a subterfuge. A small percentage of the ill gotten gains of the rich will go toward the enormous debt undertaken. The middle class will bear the huge burden that will be taken out of their modest income, requiring extensive restraint and hardship.
Why not consider the middle class in the bailout picture "for a change." A Patriot Bond Issue similar to the Savings Bonds that financed WWII could switch the bailout from the Government to a loan to the Banks and the Auto Industry from the taxpayers. Banks and Auto Manufacturers could pay back the taxpayers with interest in a secured program that would be more compatible with the Private Free Market Business Enterprise System than the present program of government intervention (Nationalizing the Banks and Auto Industry.)
Perhaps we could continue the change to "transparency" and "Reform" and add a change to recognizing the middle class as the driving force in our economy. Let Wall Street make their honest gains and take their losses as the middle class is forced to do. Hold Ceo's responsible for their management of the people's investment in the corporations and more responsible management will result. Enact reasonable credit restrictions on loans and a more reasonable rate of mortgages will be foreclosed.
Gambling should only be allowed with "cash in the hand of the gambler that belongs solely to the gambler!
Monday, April 20, 2009
A TAXPAYER BAILOUT!
The Government has tried unconditional bailouts, loans and investment in stock to benefit Wall Street, the Banks and the Auto Companies in trying to solve the credit crisis; and reportedly some progress is being made, all at the expense of the taxpayer. Perhaps we should try a plan that would also be a benefit to the taxpayers? Perhaps something like a "Patriot Bond Issue" backed by the government and drawn on the bailout recipients. The bonds could yield reasonable interest (3-4% paid by the bailout recipients) with the interest tax exempt to a reasonsable annual limit of $10,000 or so, and the bonds would be made available for purchase by US taxpayers.
This private investment could wipe out the enormous debt the government has taken on and it would be more compatible with our private business enterprise system while affording the taxpayers a safe investment opportunity to supplement social security.
It is obvious that the stock market is not a reliable plan for retirement security and perhaps a safer, less ambitious investment plan would be a more realistic approach.
This private investment could wipe out the enormous debt the government has taken on and it would be more compatible with our private business enterprise system while affording the taxpayers a safe investment opportunity to supplement social security.
It is obvious that the stock market is not a reliable plan for retirement security and perhaps a safer, less ambitious investment plan would be a more realistic approach.
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