I've debated long and hard concerning developing a relationships 101 course. But what the heck. Live a little, what's life without taking a little risk. The following are two short articles from various emails that I've received.
Those final moments
The woman's husband had been slipping in and out of a coma for several months, yet she had stayed by his bedside every single day. One day, when he came to, he motioned for her to come nearer.
As she sat by him, he whispered, eyes full of tears, "You know what? You have been with me all through the bad times. When I got fired, you were there to support me. When my business failed, you were there. When I got shot, you were by my side. When we lost the house, you stayed right here. When my health started failing, you were still by my side. You know what?"
"What dear?" She gently asked, smiling as her heart began to fill with warmth.
"I think you're bad luck."
How to Make a Woman Happy
It's not difficult to make a woman happy. A man only needs to meet or exceed the following minimums:
1. Personable: a friend, companion, brother, father
2. Skilled: a chef, electrician, carpenter, plumber, mechanic, decorator, stylist, pest exterminator, organizer
3. Health Professional: sexologist, gynecologist, psychologist, psychiatrist, healer
4. Family Oriented: a good father, listener, tender, strong, understanding, tolerant
5. Solid Character: sympathetic, warm, attentive, intelligent, funny, creative
6. Provider: ambitious, prudent, capable, courageous, determined
7. Showable: very clean, athletic, gallant, true, dependable, passionate, compassionate
WITHOUT FORGETTING TO:
8. give her compliments regularly, but never look at other girls
9. be very rich and love shopping
10. be honest, but never stress her out
AND AT THE SAME TIME, HE MUST ALSO:
11. give her lots of attention, but expect little himself
12. give her lots of time, especially time for herself
13. give her lots of space, never worrying about where she goes
FINALLY, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO:
14. Never forget:
a. * birthdays *
b. * anniversaries *
c. * arrangements she makes *
HOW TO MAKE A MAN HAPPY
1. Show up naked
2. Bring food
3. Hand over the remote
To all the women in my life, from my newest granddaughter, to my mother and especially all the female members of my immediate family, am I in trouble?
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Recent Events - A new Arrival and a Departure
This has been a week for reflection. On Thursday our family welcomed a new additional into our lives. We have a beautiful new granddaughter. She was born on 22 July and weighs 7 lbs 4 ounces. A beautiful new little girl to enlighten our lives.The new mom and baby Katie are both doing well. I think the dad is also doing quite well. The grandparents on both sides of the family excited to have a new grandchild to bless our lives.
However, we also received information on the passing of a dear friend.
Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.
Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours.
Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.
Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.
The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.
Life is full of surprises and we welcome those changes that have a positive impact on our lives as well as those changes that sometimes negatively affect our lives as long as we can learn and grow from the experience.
Note: Thanks to whomever sent me the obituary on the Pillsbury Doughboy. Truly a great loss.
Sunday, July 18, 2010
The Cardiologist
A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a Dodge SRT-4 when he spotted a well-known cardiologist in his shop, who was waiting for the service manager to take a look at his car. The mechanic shouted across the garage, "Hey Doc, want to take a look at this?" The cardiologist, a bit surprised, walked over to where the mechanic was working on the SRT.
The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag, and asked, "So, Doc, look at this engine. I open its heart, take the valves out, repair any damage, and then put them back in, and when I finish, it works just like new. So how come I make $39,675 a year, a pretty small salary, and you get the really big bucks, $1,695,759, when you and I are doing basically the same work?" The cardiologist paused, smiled, and leaned over, then whispered to the mechanic, "Try doing it with the engine running." (Received 17 July, 2010, via e-mail from my friend Dick Stone)
Earl Nightingale gave the following explanation of why some people make much more than others. "A janitor is just as important, as a human being, as a brain surgeon is. But the amount of money they will earn will be proportional to the demand for what they do, their ability to do what they do, and the difficulty of replacing them. In a few weeks, a person can be trained to clean and maintain a building, and replacing the person is not difficult. A brain surgeon spends many years learning his profession-often at great personal sacrifice and at extremely high cost-and he cannot be easily replaced. As a result, the surgeon might earn as much money in an hour as a janitor might earn in a year.
"Now, these are extreme cases used to show the relation of income to demand, skill and supply. But this is as it should be." (Quoted from Earl Nightingale, Lead the Field, pg 47)
Recapping - The amount you earn is dependent on:
1. The demand for what you do.
2. Your ability to do what you do.
3. The difficulty in replacing you.
I believe that these three statements are natural laws or principles. If they were understood and universally applied, every working person would be rewarded fairly according to their contribution. Minimum wage laws and strikes by unions perturb the natural law and are inherently unfair to society. The high income earners have their income stolen by governments, while the lower income earners frequently have higher salaries than they deserve based on the three laws.
But what about the poor guy trying to support a family of two, three, four or even more children on a minimum wage job at a fast food restaurant. Doesn't he have a 'right' to a salary that he can support his family on? Let's apply the principle.
1. Is there a demand for a burger flipper? Yes.
2. Does the burger flipper have the ability? Yes.
3. Is it easy to replace a burger flipper? Yes. No college degree required. A food handler's permit is required - but it's easy to get. Training on how put a burger on a grill, flip it without dropping it on the floor, and then putting condiments, the burger, onions, pickles, lettuce on a sesame seed bun and wrapping it up. Let's be generous - two weeks.
Two weeks training for a burger flipper, 12 or more years training for a cardiologist or brain surgeon. Why is the burger flipper getting pack $7.25/hour. If there are people looking for that type of work, the wage should fall. It the employee is having a hard time keeping his employees, then he/she would raise the wage until the personnel turnover is below his pain threshold.
As a kid, I worked pulling weeds in potato fields for 50 cents an hour. It was a fair wage. I got the money, the farmers got weed free potato fields. All parties were happy. If I had demanded a wage of $.75/hour, the farmers would have simply found other kids willing to work for $.50/hour.
The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag, and asked, "So, Doc, look at this engine. I open its heart, take the valves out, repair any damage, and then put them back in, and when I finish, it works just like new. So how come I make $39,675 a year, a pretty small salary, and you get the really big bucks, $1,695,759, when you and I are doing basically the same work?" The cardiologist paused, smiled, and leaned over, then whispered to the mechanic, "Try doing it with the engine running." (Received 17 July, 2010, via e-mail from my friend Dick Stone)
Earl Nightingale gave the following explanation of why some people make much more than others. "A janitor is just as important, as a human being, as a brain surgeon is. But the amount of money they will earn will be proportional to the demand for what they do, their ability to do what they do, and the difficulty of replacing them. In a few weeks, a person can be trained to clean and maintain a building, and replacing the person is not difficult. A brain surgeon spends many years learning his profession-often at great personal sacrifice and at extremely high cost-and he cannot be easily replaced. As a result, the surgeon might earn as much money in an hour as a janitor might earn in a year.
"Now, these are extreme cases used to show the relation of income to demand, skill and supply. But this is as it should be." (Quoted from Earl Nightingale, Lead the Field, pg 47)
Recapping - The amount you earn is dependent on:
1. The demand for what you do.
2. Your ability to do what you do.
3. The difficulty in replacing you.
I believe that these three statements are natural laws or principles. If they were understood and universally applied, every working person would be rewarded fairly according to their contribution. Minimum wage laws and strikes by unions perturb the natural law and are inherently unfair to society. The high income earners have their income stolen by governments, while the lower income earners frequently have higher salaries than they deserve based on the three laws.
But what about the poor guy trying to support a family of two, three, four or even more children on a minimum wage job at a fast food restaurant. Doesn't he have a 'right' to a salary that he can support his family on? Let's apply the principle.
1. Is there a demand for a burger flipper? Yes.
2. Does the burger flipper have the ability? Yes.
3. Is it easy to replace a burger flipper? Yes. No college degree required. A food handler's permit is required - but it's easy to get. Training on how put a burger on a grill, flip it without dropping it on the floor, and then putting condiments, the burger, onions, pickles, lettuce on a sesame seed bun and wrapping it up. Let's be generous - two weeks.
Two weeks training for a burger flipper, 12 or more years training for a cardiologist or brain surgeon. Why is the burger flipper getting pack $7.25/hour. If there are people looking for that type of work, the wage should fall. It the employee is having a hard time keeping his employees, then he/she would raise the wage until the personnel turnover is below his pain threshold.
As a kid, I worked pulling weeds in potato fields for 50 cents an hour. It was a fair wage. I got the money, the farmers got weed free potato fields. All parties were happy. If I had demanded a wage of $.75/hour, the farmers would have simply found other kids willing to work for $.50/hour.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Idiots, Car Keys, Whiskey, The Taxidermist, & more
Here's some of my favorite quotes on government. I received this list years ago via e-mail. Considering the current situation, I'm sure there are plenty of Socialism 101 quotes. Perhaps I should start out with one of Mr. Obama's "Share the Wealth" statements or maybe his "sharing a sandwich" story.
1. In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a Congress. -- John Adams
2. If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed. -- Mark Twain
3. Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself. -- Mark Twain
4. I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. -- Winston Churchill
5. A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. -- George Bernard Shaw
6. A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money. -- G. Gordon Liddy
7. Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. -- James Bovard
8. Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. -- Douglas Casey
9. Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. -- P.J. O'Rourke
10. Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else. -- Frederic Bastiat
11. Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. -- Ronald Reagan
12. I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. -- Will Rogers
13. If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free. -- P.J. O'Rourke
14. In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other. -- Voltaire
15. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you. -- Pericles (430 B.C.)
16. No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session. -- Mark Twain
17. Talk is cheap... except when Congress does it. -- Anonymous
18. The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other. -- Ronald Reagan
19. The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery. -- Winston Churchill
20. The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. -- Mark Twain
21. The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer
22. There is no distinctly native American criminal class...save Congress. -- Mark Twain
23. A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have. -- Gerald Ford
1. In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm, and three or more is a Congress. -- John Adams
2. If you don't read the newspaper, you are uninformed; if you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed. -- Mark Twain
3. Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself. -- Mark Twain
4. I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. -- Winston Churchill
5. A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. -- George Bernard Shaw
6. A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money. -- G. Gordon Liddy
7. Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner. -- James Bovard
8. Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries. -- Douglas Casey
9. Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. -- P.J. O'Rourke
10. Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else. -- Frederic Bastiat
11. Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it. -- Ronald Reagan
12. I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. -- Will Rogers
13. If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free. -- P.J. O'Rourke
14. In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other. -- Voltaire
15. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you. -- Pericles (430 B.C.)
16. No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session. -- Mark Twain
17. Talk is cheap... except when Congress does it. -- Anonymous
18. The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other. -- Ronald Reagan
19. The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery. -- Winston Churchill
20. The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. -- Mark Twain
21. The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer
22. There is no distinctly native American criminal class...save Congress. -- Mark Twain
23. A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have. -- Gerald Ford
Monday, July 5, 2010
The Politics of Ice Cream
The following was received via email in early January 2009 from a Nashville area 3rd grade teacher.
"The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year. The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election for a class president.
"We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote.
"To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members. We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have. We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.
"The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids. I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia's mother.
"The day arrived when they were to make their speeches. Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best. Every one applauded. He sat down and Olivia came to the podium.
"Her speech was concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream." She sat down. The class went wild.
"Yes!Yes! We want ice cream."
"She surely would say more. She did not have to. A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn't sure. Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it. She didn't know. The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream.
"Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a land slide."
Free ice cream is "courtesy" of nearly all of our elected politicians (the photo of the ice cream cone came from answers.com). Nearly every time a politician of either party opens his/her mouth, they offer ice cream and it seems that most Americans are under the impression that no one will ever need to pay for the ice cream.
Hey America - there's no such thing as a free lunch!
"The most eye-opening civics lesson I ever had was while teaching third grade this year. The presidential election was heating up and some of the children showed an interest. I decided we would have an election for a class president.
"We would choose our nominees. They would make a campaign speech and the class would vote.
"To simplify the process, candidates were nominated by other class members. We discussed what kinds of characteristics these students should have. We got many nominations and from those, Jamie and Olivia were picked to run for the top spot.
"The class had done a great job in their selections. Both candidates were good kids. I thought Jamie might have an advantage because he got lots of parental support. I had never seen Olivia's mother.
"The day arrived when they were to make their speeches. Jamie went first. He had specific ideas about how to make our class a better place. He ended by promising to do his very best. Every one applauded. He sat down and Olivia came to the podium.
"Her speech was concise. She said, "If you will vote for me, I will give you ice cream." She sat down. The class went wild.
"Yes!Yes! We want ice cream."
"She surely would say more. She did not have to. A discussion followed. How did she plan to pay for the ice cream? She wasn't sure. Would her parents buy it or would the class pay for it. She didn't know. The class really didn't care. All they were thinking about was ice cream.
"Jamie was forgotten. Olivia won by a land slide."
Free ice cream is "courtesy" of nearly all of our elected politicians (the photo of the ice cream cone came from answers.com). Nearly every time a politician of either party opens his/her mouth, they offer ice cream and it seems that most Americans are under the impression that no one will ever need to pay for the ice cream.
Hey America - there's no such thing as a free lunch!
Friday, July 2, 2010
Degenerative & Gridlock: Are these positive or negative words
In our quest for mastery of the English language, we occasionally come across words that are used so frequently in one context, that we fail to recognize a change when used in a different context. Bear with me through two examples and why I believe this distinction is important.
Example #1: Degenerative
Degenerate -verb / Degenerative -adjective
1. characterized by degeneration
2. to fall below a normal or desirable level in physical, mental, or moral qualities, deteriorate
3. to diminish in quality, esp. from a former state of coherence, balance, integrity, etc.
4. having lost, or become impaired with respect to, the qualities proper to the race or kind.
(adapted from http://dictionary.reference.com)
Other definitions exist, but all imply the same thing: Degeneration is a bad thing! Degeneration is frequently used context of various types of degenerative diseases, (such as degenerative disc disease, hearing, arthritis, etc.) and over the past four decades we've seen the impact of degenerative social norms.
However, in the Electrical Engineering world, degenerative feedback is a good thing and is essential to keeping amplifiers stable. Degenerative feedback (for those that may be wondering what it is) occurs when part of an amplifiers output is inverted and fed back as an input to the amplifier, thus degenerative (negative) feedback. In contrast, squealing loudspeakers occur when a microphone picks up the loudspeaker's output and re-amplifies it causing a regenerative (positive) feedback.
Example #2: Gridlock
Gridlock -noun
1. The stoppage of free vehicular movement in an urban area because key intersections are blocked by traffic.
2. The blocking of an intersection by vehicular traffic entering the intersection but unable to pass through it.
3. any situation in which nothing can move or proceed in any direction: a financial gridlock due to high interest rates.
Another definition is : "A government, business or institution's inability to function at a normal level due either to complex or conflicting procedures within the administrative framework or to impending change in the business" (from http://dictionary.reference.com).
The media is quick to point out instances of terrible gridlock in Washington, D.C. They aren't referring to the traffic on the beltway, but to conflicts within Congress if the Senate and House are controlled by different parties, or if Congress and the White House are in different parties. Indeed, when these situations occur, it is hard to get bills through Congress, or if they make it through Congress, it may be difficult to get them signed by the President.
Thus, there is a popular belief that gridlock is a bad thing and should always be avoided. Is there a possible parallel between degenerative and gridlock? I gave an example where the use of a degenerative signal in electronics is a good thing, can a similar example be applied to gridlock?
Take gridlock in Washington, D.C. Is this a bad thing? I don't think so. In fact, bring on the gridlock! The less Washington politicians can get accomplished, the better the entire country is. If there truly is a real emergency, both Houses and the President should be able to find an acceptable solution, but other than those few real emergencies, the less they do, the less damage they inflict upon the country.
To facilitate more gridlock, perhaps we should make a few changes. As much as I dislike entertaining changes to the Constitution, I would consider an amendment that states that the House and Senate can never be controlled by the same party, and the president must come from yet a third party? Would this ensure the blissful, sought after state of nearly total paralysis in Washington? Probably not, (it seems that most politicians and lawyers are conniving, devious individuals that have a evil ability to warp or twist anything due to their lack of moral foundation) but paralysis in Washington (i.e. limited federal power) would have positive effects that easily outweigh any negatives. Washington gridlock would:
1. give the States an opportunity to reclaim power given by the Constitution, but usurped by the federal government.
2. allow citizens of this country should also reclaim all powers from both the state and federal governments and get back to the meaning of the Tenth Amendment.
3. avoid the preponderance of stupid bills that have been passed by Congress and signed by the President in the past 80 years (or more). In fact, I believe the number of positive things (in accordance with the Constitution) that have come out of Washington in the past 80 years could be counted on one hand).
Examples of congressional stupidity are the recent stimulus and health care bills. Jon M. Huntsman in his book "Winners Never Cheat" gives the following statistics:
The current administration ran on a slogan of change, Well here are some changes I can believe in:
1. The Constitution is the litmus test against which all Congressional and Executive actions are measured.
2. Congress shall be called into session for no more than two weeks per quarter. Pay for these two weeks shall be at a GS 12 step 10 rate or their current salary, which ever is less.
3. Congress shall inact no law, nor shall the President sign any law, that excludes themselves from the provision of that law.
4. Congress shall inact no law, nor shall the President sign any law, that applies only to themselves.
5. Senators and Congressmen shall serve for no more than 1 term. No congressman or senator may be elected or appointed to serve in the other branch of Congress.
6. A bill, any bill, before Congress should address one topic and one topic only. Short, sweet, to the point, no exceptions for Congress or the President, no special benefits for unions, corporations, blacks, whites, blues, or greens and eliminate all the strap-hanging riders that get added on.
7. Budgets will be balanced each year. Congress shall not be dismissed (nor paid) if the budget is not balanced, nor will the President get paid and his expense account will be frozen until the budget is balanced.
Example #1: Degenerative
Degenerate -verb / Degenerative -adjective
1. characterized by degeneration
2. to fall below a normal or desirable level in physical, mental, or moral qualities, deteriorate
3. to diminish in quality, esp. from a former state of coherence, balance, integrity, etc.
4. having lost, or become impaired with respect to, the qualities proper to the race or kind.
(adapted from http://dictionary.reference.com)
Other definitions exist, but all imply the same thing: Degeneration is a bad thing! Degeneration is frequently used context of various types of degenerative diseases, (such as degenerative disc disease, hearing, arthritis, etc.) and over the past four decades we've seen the impact of degenerative social norms.
However, in the Electrical Engineering world, degenerative feedback is a good thing and is essential to keeping amplifiers stable. Degenerative feedback (for those that may be wondering what it is) occurs when part of an amplifiers output is inverted and fed back as an input to the amplifier, thus degenerative (negative) feedback. In contrast, squealing loudspeakers occur when a microphone picks up the loudspeaker's output and re-amplifies it causing a regenerative (positive) feedback.
Example #2: Gridlock
Gridlock -noun
1. The stoppage of free vehicular movement in an urban area because key intersections are blocked by traffic.
2. The blocking of an intersection by vehicular traffic entering the intersection but unable to pass through it.
Another definition is : "A government, business or institution's inability to function at a normal level due either to complex or conflicting procedures within the administrative framework or to impending change in the business" (from http://dictionary.reference.com).
The media is quick to point out instances of terrible gridlock in Washington, D.C. They aren't referring to the traffic on the beltway, but to conflicts within Congress if the Senate and House are controlled by different parties, or if Congress and the White House are in different parties. Indeed, when these situations occur, it is hard to get bills through Congress, or if they make it through Congress, it may be difficult to get them signed by the President.
Thus, there is a popular belief that gridlock is a bad thing and should always be avoided. Is there a possible parallel between degenerative and gridlock? I gave an example where the use of a degenerative signal in electronics is a good thing, can a similar example be applied to gridlock?
Take gridlock in Washington, D.C. Is this a bad thing? I don't think so. In fact, bring on the gridlock! The less Washington politicians can get accomplished, the better the entire country is. If there truly is a real emergency, both Houses and the President should be able to find an acceptable solution, but other than those few real emergencies, the less they do, the less damage they inflict upon the country.
To facilitate more gridlock, perhaps we should make a few changes. As much as I dislike entertaining changes to the Constitution, I would consider an amendment that states that the House and Senate can never be controlled by the same party, and the president must come from yet a third party? Would this ensure the blissful, sought after state of nearly total paralysis in Washington? Probably not, (it seems that most politicians and lawyers are conniving, devious individuals that have a evil ability to warp or twist anything due to their lack of moral foundation) but paralysis in Washington (i.e. limited federal power) would have positive effects that easily outweigh any negatives. Washington gridlock would:
1. give the States an opportunity to reclaim power given by the Constitution, but usurped by the federal government.
2. allow citizens of this country should also reclaim all powers from both the state and federal governments and get back to the meaning of the Tenth Amendment.
3. avoid the preponderance of stupid bills that have been passed by Congress and signed by the President in the past 80 years (or more). In fact, I believe the number of positive things (in accordance with the Constitution) that have come out of Washington in the past 80 years could be counted on one hand).
Examples of congressional stupidity are the recent stimulus and health care bills. Jon M. Huntsman in his book "Winners Never Cheat" gives the following statistics:
"The First Amendment is 45 words;If the modern estimate of 275 words per page is close, the government regulations on the sale of cabbage is 97 pages. If the same ratio holds true for the Health Care bill, then there is approximately 742,500 words in this bill. Has anyone read the entire thing? Can anyone understand it?
The Lord's Prayer is 66 words;
There are 1,322 words in the Declaration of Independence,
but the government regulations on the sale of cabbage total 26,911 words."
The current administration ran on a slogan of change, Well here are some changes I can believe in:
1. The Constitution is the litmus test against which all Congressional and Executive actions are measured.
2. Congress shall be called into session for no more than two weeks per quarter. Pay for these two weeks shall be at a GS 12 step 10 rate or their current salary, which ever is less.
3. Congress shall inact no law, nor shall the President sign any law, that excludes themselves from the provision of that law.
4. Congress shall inact no law, nor shall the President sign any law, that applies only to themselves.
5. Senators and Congressmen shall serve for no more than 1 term. No congressman or senator may be elected or appointed to serve in the other branch of Congress.
6. A bill, any bill, before Congress should address one topic and one topic only. Short, sweet, to the point, no exceptions for Congress or the President, no special benefits for unions, corporations, blacks, whites, blues, or greens and eliminate all the strap-hanging riders that get added on.
7. Budgets will be balanced each year. Congress shall not be dismissed (nor paid) if the budget is not balanced, nor will the President get paid and his expense account will be frozen until the budget is balanced.
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