Some Thoughts

These fools in DC, from both parties.... They (both parties) have created a grossly bloated government.

They spend too much money. In fact, that's been the problem over the past few decades--in the spirit of compromise and bipartisanship (oh, I detest that word!), Reps have, little by little, caved in and given the Dems what they want. It wasn't one giant increase in spending and programs, most superfluous and even detrimental, but a little here and a little there. Adding up all those "littles" has created a giant mess. I remember telling principals and superintendents (and the union!) that "this" and "that" were wastes of school district money, but I was always pooh-poohed. "Those are just drops in the bucket," I was repeatedly told. I retorted, but if enough "drops" fall in my sink at home with the stopper shut, it will overflow, won't it?

Of course, it's history so it doesn't matter and isn't at all important, but Hitler didn't create his Third Reich overnight. He was given a little here and took a little there. He made alliances (hey, isn't that "bipartisanship?") with people he could use. But they could never use him--it was always a one-way relationship. Doesn't that sound familiar? Not to people who've been told history isn't important.

It's all like losing weight. To get someone who is obese trimmed down, do we give him more food? Do we tell her not to exercise self-discipline by not working out? So, Obama, the Gang of Six, etc. want to fix the budget problem--vast overspending--by spending more money and not cutting needless programs? How stupid!

We have created a mess. People are now dependent. Government rewards bad behavior and punishes good behavior/success.

Obama and his ideas are dangerous. I keep wondering if he's a dupe, a willing dupe, but one nonetheless, perhaps like Hirohito in WW2. I can't see him with all of these ideas, certainly not ideas of his own making. I don't think he's particularly bright. I know people made fun of Bush's intelligence (rightly or wrongly), but Obama is certainly no smarter than W.

But the Republicans are also barking up the wrong tree. Here in Michigan, the Rep gov and his lackeys in the state legislature are making changes. But, as I've always and frequently said, "change" and "good" are not synonymous. For instance, the state Reps cut the state business tax--a good move, if.... I have asked the governor several times (with no reply, of course) why the tax cut on businesses didn't come with an assurance that the saved money would be used to hire more people or to lower prices, which would spur demand and then create more jobs, instead of merely lining the pockets of business execs. I pointed out how the financial bailouts (from the gov agencies to Wall Street to banks...) all did just that--made the execs who helped create the problem even richer while not helping the poor slobs who are being hurt by it. And, in dealing with education, the Rep gov and his Rep legislature are completely out of their league, just as the former Dem gov and legis were. But, no response, but like no responses from past governors. I did get a reply from a state legislator who's a prime mover and shaker on all this "education reform" (and remember "reform" and "better" are not synonyms). His ideas are, plainly, stupid. He and his/their legislation are punishing people who aren't the root cause (but still culpable) and allow those who are the problem to remain in charge, in effect, to remain the problem. But his reply never confronted my questions and criticism, not at all!

It's all very frustrating and I hope the staunch Reps in the House and Senate hold their ground. Enough of this compromise and bipartisan crap.... That, little by little, got us into this mess.

Like always, esp in the schools, just my lonely opinions....