Oops!

I bought me something the other day and I chuckled at my thoughts.  I don't know that I needed the purchase, but it is pretty important to me.  I laughed as I paid.  It cost "only" I thought.  Ah, for how many years have I decried "only" dollars?  People, ahem, justify purchases by saying, "But it's only ______ dollars."  I would often respond, "Is that a new kind of money, 'only dollars?'" and not positively.

Further, I justified my purchase by, at least initially, but saying, "I deserve it."  Ha Ha Ha.  "I deserve it."  How many times have I questioned people, in jest and seriously, who have said, "I deserve it" or "I'm worth it?"  I'm not big on "deserve" or "worth."  What about earn it?  Now, I did earn what I bought, although I'm not sure I "deserve" it or am "worth" it.

How many people today think they "deserve" or are "worth" things bought with other people's money, that is, expect government handouts?  "Entitlements" are another name.  I'll have to watch my thoughts......

Here is a good line from Nolan Finley's editorial this AM.  "The Clintons are artists at dancing along the ethical edge."  "Artists."  Yeah, right.  I can think of other terms.  Didn't she claim they left the White House dirt poor, virtually penniless?  Last year, they made $10 or $11 million and have a net worth of more than $110 million.   They command hundreds of dollars for a single speech.  I suppose I can see him getting that, although I have no desire to hear someone with his lack of character.  But who in the heck would pay her anything to hear her, someone called "Shrillary?"  Hmmm......  And where are the LameStream media on this Clinton Foundation scam?  Imagine if W. Bush (and I'm no fan of his) or some other non-Democrat were involved in something like the Clinton Foundation.  And there's no media bias?  Heh Heh......

Mitch Albom is turning into a curmudgeon, like me?  Last week, he rightly lambasted the Democrats' proposed attacks on inheritance, seeking to lower the limits on tax-free bequests.  I think I have written about that, the wrongness of taxing inheritances.  Oh, the letters in today's Free Press!  All but one criticized Albom for his stance and, to a letter, each of the criticisms was filled with inconsistencies and flaws of logic.  In other words, most of these Albom critics think it's OK to give more money to the gov't for all of the efficient and competent programs it runs.  In fact, I think the term "entitlement" appeared in at least one of the letters.

Albom also had a good editorial on college "safe spaces."  It was right on the money and, especially, exposed the hypocrisy of so much going on campuses today.  Why is it that three black students at Claremont College can advertise for a roommate, but only a "person of color?"  She wrote, "I don't want to live with any white folks?"  Imagine if three white students advertised for only a white roommate.  And the social media responses?  You can imagine those.  Both of the above are wrong, wrong, wrong.  And at Hampshire College, only a few miles down the road from my own Amherst, a concert was canceled.  It appears the Afro-Beat (whatever that is) band was "too white" for that type of music and the ensuing controversy made students feel "unsafe."  I guess I subscribe to what that Oklahoma university president told students, "If you are looking for a 'safe place,' don't come here."

As I noted in an e-mail earlier today, the title of one of my favorite history books on the American Revolution surely fits our times, too......The World Turned Upside Down.

I enjoyed the two comments last time.  Thanks for the compliments.  Other than my father, I think I have always been my own worst critic.  Thanks.  But that's a good point on the federal courts and how they have destroyed the federal system.  And therein, in many ways, is the crux of the problem, a behemoth of a federal gov't, run amok.  Please keep the comments coming.  We really need to engage in dialogue, esp if we can get others involved......