Living in the Collective Basement

The rise in popularity of avowed socialist Bernie Sanders is a phenomenon that would have horrified the citizenry a decade ago. Proposing systematic wealth confiscation and redistribution was considered political suicide until recently. What happened?

There are a few social changes that are responsible for the rise in acceptably of the socialist philosophy.

The first is the coming of age of the Woodstock generation. The 1960’s radicals invaded public education. It was one of the few fields where they were accepted and provided with a regular paycheck.  As true zealots, they preached their brand of utopia to their students relentlessly and condemned dissent from their orthodoxy.

The second precipitating event was the rise of crony capitalism. The appearance of the bad mortgages and derivatives were only a few of the obvious signs that the free market was being gamed by the financial services and the political class. With the advent of stock options as compensation, the long-term health of a company was no longer the focus of the management. Annual reports determined their compensation and that compensation was enormous. Two or three years of gutting the company while looking profitable on paper made it possible for the executives to bail from their positions with millions of dollars lining their pockets. When the financial collapse hit eight years ago, the same executives retained their compensations while the taxpayers were left to pick up the tab. Those compensations should have been returned to the companies from which they were engineered.

Finally, the economy overseen by the current administration has been anemic. The current jobless rate is purported to be fewer than 5% (U-3) while the number of people who have dropped out of the workforce is enormous. If one adds those individuals into the equation (U-6) the unemployment is closer to 12%. The jobs that are available are lower in wage which allows politicians to make a case for increasing the minimum wage. At the same time, the Federal Reserve has been giving the banks interest free money which has pushed large investors into the stock market, inflating the price and increasing the wealth of the rich.

It is small wonder that so many Americans are disgusted with the current economic state of affairs. Many who have been either living in their parent’s basement or on public assistance can see no improvement in their future. They feel that their only option is relieving someone else of what has been deemed as obtained unfairly.

To negotiate ourselves through this quagmire, this country must return to the principle of the free market where the success or failure a company is based on their market acceptance. The unholy alliance between the public and private sector has got to end.

Let Kids Be Kids

There is some confusion within our society over what activities are age-appropriate for the youth. Parents and caregivers may be jumping the gun in a rush to share interests or activities with their kids. A few recent examples brought this to mind.

On August 25^th a nine year old girl was taken by her parents to a gun range outside of Las Vegas. The local range instructor consented to giving the youngster an introduction to a fully automatic Uzi machine gun. While the mom was filming the “intro” the young novice was unable to control the muzzle climb and shot the instructor in the head, killing him. I gave my oldest daughter a single-shot .22 rifle for her 8^th birthday and taught her the importance of gun safety, but she was not allowed to shoot my more powerful weapons.

In a rush towards “tolerance”, grade school children are taught about alternative lifestyles through both school curriculum (in some cases) and the media. My 5 year old grandson asked earlier this year how one knows if one is gay or straight? I remember my surprise when I attended the sex education class in 8^th grade. I don’t think it is healthy to introduce the subject any earlier.

Watching vacationers this summer, some pre-teens were given 4 wheelers and allowed to drive vehicles capable of speeds in excess of 50 mph unsupervised on streets and trails. Kids are being given small, powerful ATVs when they use to be treated to those battery-powered toys that couldn’t do 5 mph.

A 9 year old should not be shooting an automatic weapon; a grade school child does not need to know about sexuality and a pre-teen should not be turned loose on a powerful motor vehicle. Without the maturity that comes with age, the young cannot see the consequences that may result from a bad choice in adult situations. Their life can be scarred forever in an instant.

The responsibility of a parent to know what skills and knowledge to teach one’s child includes WHEN to impart that information. Some adults are in a hurry to introduce the youth to the things that adults find important or fun. There is plenty of time for kids to grow up, why rush the process?

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.