Denial

Now that the election is over and the dust is settling, it is fascinating to observe the administration reinforcing their positions. The electorate voted to put the brakes on the dominating Federal government. The President declared after the loss that voters simply didn’t comprehend what he was trying to accomplish. His unpopularity is due to a lack of understanding by the citizenry, not the policies.

Last week a video surfaced of Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber speaking at a conference on March 12, 2014. Addressing the Affordable Health Care Act, he stated that the lack of transparency was a major factor in getting the bill passed because the “stupidity of the American voter” would have killed the law if they knew what was in it.

The paternalism in dismissing the will of the populace is further evidenced in the administration’s threat to use executive action to deal with immigration issues. There is no area of daily life that the central planners consider off limits. Consider the mandated school lunches that the students refused to eat.

This brings me to the “No to the National Monument” vote. If the administration thinks that the monument designation is a good idea, they won’t pay attention to the voices of Fremont County. The last best hope for Island Park is that Congress will keep the administration so busy that we will drop off their radar.

The central planners make life too difficult. The private sector has been forced to downsize due to the economy and new regulations. Simplicity is always the best route to solve a problem, but that doesn’t require hordes of bureaucrats. 

Too Much Turmoil

Sheri and I were on an early morning bow hunt south of the scout camp. Making our way towards a bugling elk, we heard the sounds of a bear rolling logs in the nearby brush. We moved away undetected by the bear, avoiding a confrontation. One cannot always master their environment but must learn to exist within it.

Our country is embroiled in a massive amount of turmoil. Those pushing for change do not seem to be concerned by the warning signs of confrontation. Programs that promote health care changes, gay marriage, drug legalization, firearms restrictions, financial insecurity and increased spending/taxes are all being forced upon the citizens without its consensus. We have been forced to give up our light bulbs for the lousy, mercury-filled alternatives!

The number of food stamp recipients has doubled. People are demanding increased wages at fast food restaurants because they are being filled by mature adults instead of teens. This leaves the young with limited job opportunities. The pressure builds!

An increased number of shootings and the dismal state of the political discourse are all signs that people are feeling backed into a corner. This country has a groove in which it functions best and people feel secure. The social progressives have undertaken the challenge of uprooting the American culture and lifestyle in order to transform the country. Their heavy-handed tactics have created stress and uncertainty. Those engineering change have not won wide acceptance their agenda but that seems to be of little concern. The architects proclaim that the changes are for the common good. It has been decreed that all must follow their orthodoxy. It would seem that allowing others to live according to their own ideals would be a wiser course.

There is a large grizzly in the thicket. Some refuse to recognize the danger and insist in dragging the bear out of the brush. It is better for all concerned to leave the bear alone.

No Sympathy?

A couple of weeks ago, the EBT system went down for a few hours in Louisiana. When the food assistance cards were run at a few Wal-Mart locations, the computer system showed no limit on purchases. The word spread like wildfire among local shoppers and they legally looted much of the stores within the space of two hours. There was no concern for those who would have to pay for the shopping spree. It was free stuff!

During same week, I was in a local convenience store. The clerk mentioned that he felt bad for tourists who could not enter Yellowstone Park due to the government slim-down. I expressed sympathy for their disappointment and concern for local businesses but declared support for the legislators who were attempting to stop the new health care law. The clerk (who is approximately my age) expressed enthusiasm for the new law because he expected $100 per month health insurance. I advised him that while he might be saving $400 a month in premium, some of my income was from health insurance sales. This law forced commissions be cut and eventually agents may be phased out completely. So while he was happy for his good fortune, my family would be suffering a large financial loss. Regence Blue Shield has closed most of their local offices as a result of this law and friends that I have known for 20 years are now unemployed. The clerk was not sympathetic. He wanted $100-a-month health insurance!  I let it drop. 

A week and a half later, I entered the store and greeted the same clerk with my usual “Good Morning Sunshine!”  His response took be aback. He glared and responded “You can call me by my name or you can call me sir! If you call me anything else, I’ll come across the counter and punch you!” My only response was “Really, you want to go there?” I paid for my gas and left.

What has happened to our country? People feel entitled to free or almost free goods and services. If anyone suffers a loss as a result of government policies and complains, they are called heartless, stingy or even threatened. You’d think that if someone is getting hosed to give you something for free, a “thank you” might be in order!