All you need to do is look at the results of the Detroit Public School system to see the future of healthcare; a disaster. It is a sin, it is criminal, but it is typical of government programs. Good intention, pitiful reality. So why do we expect anything different?
Story after story can be found supporting the argument that government controlled services that are the people’s responsibility will end up in failure. That is why the founders designed the U.S. Constitution the way they did. It was a limitation on government to allow a free people to prosper in a free market. Government was only useful in a few key areas. The founders didn’t intend government to be in education, healthcare, or social services.
Sixty nine percent of 4th graders and seventy nine percent of 8th graders scored below basic levels of the math skills expected at that grade level. And the real sadness is that the basic level is so low that we are stealing the hope and dreams of every one of these children. It is outrageous and criminal. This is America and it seems our cities are becoming third world. And the common denominator; government dependence. Here is an excerpt from the article: “The state appointed emergency financial manager Robert Bobb said no school district in the 40 year history of the test has ever registered such low number. “
“Bobb made it a point to say the horrible test scores are not the fault of the students, management was to blame.”
“Management” is the government.
If we allow the government to take over our healthcare you can expect the same results; failure and misery. The government is a heartless bureaucracy that could care less about your health or well being. Their role will be to push papers, stamp denial on your request for service form, and complain they don’t make enough money for doing a task that is unnecessary.
We are Americans and we must re-emphasize the American spirit again. We must celebrate the individual and local churches and communities. We must work with our neighbors and build the greatness back into the American fabric one student and individuals at a time. Government has been given a long enough chance to prove themselves.
And like the Math tests in Detroit, the scores are all you need as evidence that the government control of education and healthcare needs to be stopped…
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
A Parent's Gift...
The Teenager’s Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness…
Life is too short to waste, Liberty is too precious to ignore, and Happiness can only be realized through education, passion, and action. Rich Hand shares his life lessons with his two teens; and now you, to help all teens to look at life and appreciate what we as parents already know; life is too short and precious to waste. We need to pay attention to the opportunity we have been given, and the sooner we realize this the greater opportunities we have. Kids don’t know this yet, and it is our jobs to get them to understand it as soon as possible. This is our gift to our children. Every one of us has a special destiny to fill on this earth whether we end up being a scientist, pilot, trash man, or teacher, life can only be fulfilling if you take a path you choose. Make good choices!
We as parents have so much to give through storytelling and by example. This book helps to bridge the gap between what a parent knows and what our kids will eventually learn. The earlier we get them to understand the greatness of this country, the importance of character and critical thinking, and the knowledge that all is not what it seems on the surface, the more successful and greater this country will be. Too many parents have given up their responsibility to others to mold and shape their children. This is a grave mistake. Our children are targets of many who have motives that undermine the moral and foundational character of this nation. This is an attempt to engage every teen and parent to get back to the basics of communication.
This book is a gift from one parent to his children. He has published it so you as a parent can share your greatest gift with your children; experience, knowledge, and the love you have for the future leaders of this great nation!
About the Author:
Rich Hand is a husband, father, and self proclaimed motivational expert in the area of constitutional governance. He believes that all greatness derives in the individual pursuit of happiness, not from a collective utopia. He knows that when we as individuals follow our passions and our dreams all of society prospers. We can only be compassionate when we have taken care of our own basic needs, and that true compassion can never be derived from any government. His lifelong mission is to break the shackles of government off of the backs of our most vulnerable citizens that have been convinced that the government is the answer to their American Dream. He knows the American Dream can only be achieved through individual efforts. When everyone understands that they are the only ones that can truly fulfill their own destiny; his job will be done.
Rich Hand is a professional speaker and has spoken to thousands of professionals around the globe including the U.S., Brasil, and Canada. He looks forward to speaking to your group. Contact him at www.WhoisRichHand.Com
Life is too short to waste, Liberty is too precious to ignore, and Happiness can only be realized through education, passion, and action. Rich Hand shares his life lessons with his two teens; and now you, to help all teens to look at life and appreciate what we as parents already know; life is too short and precious to waste. We need to pay attention to the opportunity we have been given, and the sooner we realize this the greater opportunities we have. Kids don’t know this yet, and it is our jobs to get them to understand it as soon as possible. This is our gift to our children. Every one of us has a special destiny to fill on this earth whether we end up being a scientist, pilot, trash man, or teacher, life can only be fulfilling if you take a path you choose. Make good choices!
We as parents have so much to give through storytelling and by example. This book helps to bridge the gap between what a parent knows and what our kids will eventually learn. The earlier we get them to understand the greatness of this country, the importance of character and critical thinking, and the knowledge that all is not what it seems on the surface, the more successful and greater this country will be. Too many parents have given up their responsibility to others to mold and shape their children. This is a grave mistake. Our children are targets of many who have motives that undermine the moral and foundational character of this nation. This is an attempt to engage every teen and parent to get back to the basics of communication.
This book is a gift from one parent to his children. He has published it so you as a parent can share your greatest gift with your children; experience, knowledge, and the love you have for the future leaders of this great nation!
About the Author:
Rich Hand is a husband, father, and self proclaimed motivational expert in the area of constitutional governance. He believes that all greatness derives in the individual pursuit of happiness, not from a collective utopia. He knows that when we as individuals follow our passions and our dreams all of society prospers. We can only be compassionate when we have taken care of our own basic needs, and that true compassion can never be derived from any government. His lifelong mission is to break the shackles of government off of the backs of our most vulnerable citizens that have been convinced that the government is the answer to their American Dream. He knows the American Dream can only be achieved through individual efforts. When everyone understands that they are the only ones that can truly fulfill their own destiny; his job will be done.
Rich Hand is a professional speaker and has spoken to thousands of professionals around the globe including the U.S., Brasil, and Canada. He looks forward to speaking to your group. Contact him at www.WhoisRichHand.Com
Friday, September 18, 2009
Celebrate Our Constitution; It’s Not Just About Our Past, It’s the Key To Our Future…
Today is the day we celebrate the signing of the most influential political document ever created by man. It was a miracle that a document like this was even created based on world history, and the barbaric nature of governments at the time. But the framers were not regular men, they were inspired. It was divine providence that this document ever made it to the signing ceremony. It was a blessing of freedom and opportunity for the entire world to see and envy.
We face significant challenges today as a nation with deficits running in the trillions of dollars, companies and states going bankrupt, and individual freedoms being forfeited for promises of security from an out of control federal government. These problems have been created because of one simple fact; we have ignored our founding principle of limited government clearly spelled out in the U.S. Constitution.
For too many years our politicians have taken an oath to defend this historic document but have immediately set off to undermine the same principles they promised to obey under the guise of compassion, security, morality, or some other unjustifiable justification they could fathom. Since the presidency of Abraham Lincoln who boldly stampeded the constitution, to FDR, and beyond to the current president, the constitution has been ignored as the document holding the solutions to our problems. President Reagan briefly renewed the spirit of the constitution but unfortunately many leaders since have forgotten his lessons.
President Reagan and the founders knew that any government allowed to grow would do so, and in effect would trample the liberty and opportunity of all of the citizens that it governed. That is the miracle of the constitution; it concisely and deliberately limits the government’s ability to grow. It clearly states that it is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, not the other way around. It does so with the balance of powers defined within the document which purposely made the process of government cumbersome and divided, to insure that it was the greatest weapon against tyranny. The founders knew human nature and history, and understood the instinct of humans to control others had to be checked or the United States would end up like all other free civilizations throughout history; extinct.
Over the years many cases concerning constitutionality of state and local laws have been reviewed by the federal Supreme Court. Many were seen as an abandonment of the constitution to appease popular sentiment, but ultimately ended up undermining the intent of the constitution’s limit on government power and control. These laws have become what lawyers refer to as “precedence.” One of the most abused precedents has been the “interstate commerce clause.” It has allowed the federal government to involve itself and grow to the point the federal government is telling us how fast we can drive our cars, a power that cannot be found in the constitution. There are too many examples to state here but we must take a fresh look at the constitution and apply it today without reference to the abuse of past Supreme Courts. All law should be reviewed in the context of the concepts so clearly defined in the constitution.
I like clear examples and here is the one I tell which I heard told by Walter Williams: The constitution is the rules of the game. If in a game of poker I deal the deck and you have four aces. I decide that two twos beats four aces and I win, would you play poker with me? If you say yes I want your e-mail. The point is the constitution is the rule book. Judges can’t decide to change it because they don’t like the circumstances. That is what has been happening. So to make it fair, all cases making it to the Supreme Court should be judged against the original rule book. Not against a changed rule by the card dealer.
So when we see that our constitution has been altered by bad law what is the remedy? There are several, but one constitutional response is found in the Tenth Amendment. The Tenth Amendment simply states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, no prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” This means the states have the right, and I would argue the obligation, to nullify bad and unconstitutional law at the State level. For example, nowhere in the constitution does it allow for the creation of a Department of Education. Education is the responsibility of the individual, communities, and states to figure out. The federal government should have been stopped from creating the department. But many say so much of what has been done can never be undone. Never say never.
Our constitution is clear on the roles and responsibilities of the federal and state governments. All we have to do is to get our Governors to go back to this miraculous document, start auditing the functions of the federal government, and start nullifying them one by one. The Sixteenth Amendment allows the federal government to tax individuals and corporations directly but it is missing one key component; it doesn’t set a limit. Our Governors need to utilize the constitution and set the limit on what they will allow their citizens to be taxed. We need a constitutional challenge of the Sixteenth Amendment by having a state set a limit on the amount of money that the federal government can tax individuals and corporations. Since it is not defined, the responsibility defers to the states respectively, or the people.
The future of the United States lies in the words of this historic document. We don’t need reform; we need compliance with our current Constitutional law. We must know our history to have a productive and free future. History is the key to the future. Just like our founders of yesterday, the leaders of today must put their faith in the greatest set of laws ever created by man. Our leaders of today must know their history to create policies for the future.
The U.S. Constitution is the solution to our seemingly endless problems, mostly created by an out of control unconstitutional government, and we as a nation have ignored this fact. The solution to our problems is all found within the document we celebrate today. We must read it, and study it. God Bless our Constitution and America…
We face significant challenges today as a nation with deficits running in the trillions of dollars, companies and states going bankrupt, and individual freedoms being forfeited for promises of security from an out of control federal government. These problems have been created because of one simple fact; we have ignored our founding principle of limited government clearly spelled out in the U.S. Constitution.
For too many years our politicians have taken an oath to defend this historic document but have immediately set off to undermine the same principles they promised to obey under the guise of compassion, security, morality, or some other unjustifiable justification they could fathom. Since the presidency of Abraham Lincoln who boldly stampeded the constitution, to FDR, and beyond to the current president, the constitution has been ignored as the document holding the solutions to our problems. President Reagan briefly renewed the spirit of the constitution but unfortunately many leaders since have forgotten his lessons.
President Reagan and the founders knew that any government allowed to grow would do so, and in effect would trample the liberty and opportunity of all of the citizens that it governed. That is the miracle of the constitution; it concisely and deliberately limits the government’s ability to grow. It clearly states that it is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, not the other way around. It does so with the balance of powers defined within the document which purposely made the process of government cumbersome and divided, to insure that it was the greatest weapon against tyranny. The founders knew human nature and history, and understood the instinct of humans to control others had to be checked or the United States would end up like all other free civilizations throughout history; extinct.
Over the years many cases concerning constitutionality of state and local laws have been reviewed by the federal Supreme Court. Many were seen as an abandonment of the constitution to appease popular sentiment, but ultimately ended up undermining the intent of the constitution’s limit on government power and control. These laws have become what lawyers refer to as “precedence.” One of the most abused precedents has been the “interstate commerce clause.” It has allowed the federal government to involve itself and grow to the point the federal government is telling us how fast we can drive our cars, a power that cannot be found in the constitution. There are too many examples to state here but we must take a fresh look at the constitution and apply it today without reference to the abuse of past Supreme Courts. All law should be reviewed in the context of the concepts so clearly defined in the constitution.
I like clear examples and here is the one I tell which I heard told by Walter Williams: The constitution is the rules of the game. If in a game of poker I deal the deck and you have four aces. I decide that two twos beats four aces and I win, would you play poker with me? If you say yes I want your e-mail. The point is the constitution is the rule book. Judges can’t decide to change it because they don’t like the circumstances. That is what has been happening. So to make it fair, all cases making it to the Supreme Court should be judged against the original rule book. Not against a changed rule by the card dealer.
So when we see that our constitution has been altered by bad law what is the remedy? There are several, but one constitutional response is found in the Tenth Amendment. The Tenth Amendment simply states, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, no prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” This means the states have the right, and I would argue the obligation, to nullify bad and unconstitutional law at the State level. For example, nowhere in the constitution does it allow for the creation of a Department of Education. Education is the responsibility of the individual, communities, and states to figure out. The federal government should have been stopped from creating the department. But many say so much of what has been done can never be undone. Never say never.
Our constitution is clear on the roles and responsibilities of the federal and state governments. All we have to do is to get our Governors to go back to this miraculous document, start auditing the functions of the federal government, and start nullifying them one by one. The Sixteenth Amendment allows the federal government to tax individuals and corporations directly but it is missing one key component; it doesn’t set a limit. Our Governors need to utilize the constitution and set the limit on what they will allow their citizens to be taxed. We need a constitutional challenge of the Sixteenth Amendment by having a state set a limit on the amount of money that the federal government can tax individuals and corporations. Since it is not defined, the responsibility defers to the states respectively, or the people.
The future of the United States lies in the words of this historic document. We don’t need reform; we need compliance with our current Constitutional law. We must know our history to have a productive and free future. History is the key to the future. Just like our founders of yesterday, the leaders of today must put their faith in the greatest set of laws ever created by man. Our leaders of today must know their history to create policies for the future.
The U.S. Constitution is the solution to our seemingly endless problems, mostly created by an out of control unconstitutional government, and we as a nation have ignored this fact. The solution to our problems is all found within the document we celebrate today. We must read it, and study it. God Bless our Constitution and America…
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
It’s a Reflection of Our Education System…
This administration and their inability to understand simple math, basic human behaviors, and our history is the reason our nation is sinking into the current economic abyss. They are the product of a failed education policy that is run by government bureaucracy. The quality of public education and its focus on everything except what is important to the health of our nation has come home to roost.
Obama and his team may be educated but they are far from smart. We have been teaching community without a firm understanding of the importance of the individual. We have been teaching animal rights when we have not been teaching constitutional rights. We have been teaching economics without connecting it to the human behaviors that incentivize and stop economic transactions.
We have filled our schools with teachers that have only their educational experience to pass on and very little real life experience. The educational “diversity” is nil to none and it shows. The key to our future is education and controlling the curriculum. We have allowed people like the current administration too much control over our future and now we see how important that piece of the culture is.
It is time for some adult and analytical conversation in this country. Stop spending money we don’t have; cut the taxes on the engine of our freedom and economy (business and personal taxes), and return the power back to where it belongs in the states and the people. Finally we must take back education and control the curriculum to align with the American value system…
Obama and his team may be educated but they are far from smart. We have been teaching community without a firm understanding of the importance of the individual. We have been teaching animal rights when we have not been teaching constitutional rights. We have been teaching economics without connecting it to the human behaviors that incentivize and stop economic transactions.
We have filled our schools with teachers that have only their educational experience to pass on and very little real life experience. The educational “diversity” is nil to none and it shows. The key to our future is education and controlling the curriculum. We have allowed people like the current administration too much control over our future and now we see how important that piece of the culture is.
It is time for some adult and analytical conversation in this country. Stop spending money we don’t have; cut the taxes on the engine of our freedom and economy (business and personal taxes), and return the power back to where it belongs in the states and the people. Finally we must take back education and control the curriculum to align with the American value system…
Sunday, July 26, 2009
The Tenth Amendment continues to “get legs”…
The movement has been long seeded and is finally becoming the clear rallying point for concerned Americans. The brilliance of the constitution and in particular the Tenth Amendment is its clarity of purpose.
The Tenth Amendment clearly states “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
The beauty of clarity! There are basically 17 enumerated powers given to the federal government, which are defined but relatively broad as to not completely hamstring the government. They were made broad by the Founders because they believed there were other areas of the constitution that would reign in any abuse of power like the Tenth Amendment.
The states were extremely reluctant to sign the constitution and although it took over 200 years to play out, we can now understand the basis for their reluctance to get involved with a centralized authority. They were right to be concerned about man’s propensity to control and dominate others. But the states considered the Tenth Amendment the “ace in the hole”. It was clear that if this centralized government became too big they could control it by insisting the government cease activity based on the amendment.
The states were the true power at our founding and through Chief Justice Marshall, Hamilton, Lincoln, FDR and others, we have allowed a government to completely ignore the constitutional limitations with arguments based on emotion and faulty logic. To be fair the people have allowed this to happen based on circumstances of the times but that is water under the bridge.
Just because we have allowed these intrusions of federal authority to happen does not mean they can’t be challenge and changed. The Tenth Amendment is still the Tenth Amendment, it has not changed Its meaning has not changed, and it has only become more apparent that it is the amendment that must be resurrected to stop this massive federal takeover of our freedoms.
Every day new articles and movements are cropping up about governors and state legislators adopting resolutions to confirm the Tenth Amendment. Go to the Tenth Amendment Center to see all of the activity.
It has been a long time coming but the time has arrived. The American people have finally seen the massive failure of centralization and want to take back control from this faceless behemoth of a government. States are not perfect either but they are easier to get involved with.
It is time to support candidates at the state level that support enforcement of the Tenth Amendment. Recognizing the amendment exists was the first step but now it is time to take real action. We must recognize that the power of the federal government is in its individual taxing authority and this must be challenged on the grounds that taking money from one state to give to private companies in another (car bailouts) is unconstitutional. Where in the constitution does the federal government derive that right?
That is money that is stolen from a state to give to private business in another. There are many angles to cut off the funding of the central government and they all derive from the Tenth Amendment. People are starting to understand our future is now at risk but there is an answer.
We must cut off the funding and bring back control where it belongs; to the states. The movement is getting legs; it needs your legs to keep marching on. Join the fight and join with others like the Tenth Amendment Center to get informed and involved. We are in exciting political times and every citizen that loves the greatness of this country must get armed with the knowledge of the Tenth Amendment. It is the most powerful “weapon” in our arsenal…
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Targeting the wealthy…
In an act of typical congressional ignorance, Charles Rangel, referring to the way he and the other anti American congressman wish to fund a new healthcare debacle stated; we are targeting the wealthy because it “causes the least amount of pain on the least amount of people”. That’s an interesting comment that is completely and utterly false.
Let’s take one simple example. Ted Kennedy in his bright wisdom introduced and passed a tax on luxury boats sold in America targeting the wealthy because it causes the least amount of pain on the least amount of people. The result was American boat manufacturers moved to Bermuda, Bahamas, and everywhere else but America. They even closed down operations in his own state of Massachusetts at Boston Whaler.
You see the wealthy own the businesses where we work and derive our incomes. So when you try to inflict these unfair programs on them they just pick up and leave. Like the boating industry where the wealthy people instead of buying boats made in the US flew to the offshore locations and drove their boats home to dock in their San Diego harbor slip, the same will happen here. The wealthy will find a way out of the tax or they will find a new place to live. So instead of receiving additional tax benefits from the wealthy, these politicians put the people that make the boats out of work; me and you. Needless to say the boat tax was rescinded.
There is no reason to inflict “pain” on anyone here. We need to get the government out of our lives. That is the pain we need to address. This congress and administration is a total pain in the American way of life…
Let’s take one simple example. Ted Kennedy in his bright wisdom introduced and passed a tax on luxury boats sold in America targeting the wealthy because it causes the least amount of pain on the least amount of people. The result was American boat manufacturers moved to Bermuda, Bahamas, and everywhere else but America. They even closed down operations in his own state of Massachusetts at Boston Whaler.
You see the wealthy own the businesses where we work and derive our incomes. So when you try to inflict these unfair programs on them they just pick up and leave. Like the boating industry where the wealthy people instead of buying boats made in the US flew to the offshore locations and drove their boats home to dock in their San Diego harbor slip, the same will happen here. The wealthy will find a way out of the tax or they will find a new place to live. So instead of receiving additional tax benefits from the wealthy, these politicians put the people that make the boats out of work; me and you. Needless to say the boat tax was rescinded.
There is no reason to inflict “pain” on anyone here. We need to get the government out of our lives. That is the pain we need to address. This congress and administration is a total pain in the American way of life…
Friday, May 29, 2009
Federal Borrowing Must Be Stopped…
The Federal Government is borrowing away our future and has taken away every American’s constitutional right to the pursuit of happiness. We can no longer stand by and watch our debt quadruple per family.
You now owe $546,668 as a family thanks to the out of control spending of this government, and it is mostly unconstitutional. How do you pursue your own happiness when the government has the ability to borrow in your name for things that bring no value to you?
The constitution allows for the federal government to borrow for things that are important to the nation as a whole, mostly defense. But when the federal government borrows from you as an individual to “buy” a car company it is obvious they have gone too far. When the government takes your money to give to others they deem more worthy they have gone too far. When the federal government takes our state and local tax money for educating our children they have gone too far.
The Federal government has gone too far. If I were to borrow $546,668 in your name I would be thrown in jail. None of this federal borrowing beyond our military is justified or needed. Our Governors must stand up for the rights of their states, and we as individuals must stand up for our rights to the protection of our property (hard earned money) and our pursuit of happiness. How can any family pursue their dreams when the federal government can take away our rights to a prosperous future by borrowing on our individual credit?
The tenth amendment and nullification of federal programs is our only chance. We must audit all federal expenditures on our behalf and determine the constitutionality of each federal expenditure. Then we need to nullify each program at the state level and reduce our federal tax burden accordingly.
The only way we can do that is each state must end individual federal withholding taxes and collect those taxes at the state level. Then the states can pay the taxes on behalf of their individual citizens. This will bring the balance of power back to where it belongs; in the hands of the states and individual Americans. With the state in control our state representatives will have greater ability to provide the services truly needed to run the state according to the citizens of the state. No more federal extortion to get our state funds back for our own use.
This is not a radical idea. This is an idea rooted in the US Constitution. What is happening now is a complete disregard for our constitution and especially our tenth amendment rights. Government programs are so much more manageable at the state level, and we have a much better chance of holding our state representatives accountable as opposed to holding a Federal Representative from San Francisco or a Federal Senator from Nevada accountable.
Our Federal system is broken. There is no true representation in congress when the rules are contrived to nullify representation from states that happen to elect a representative from the “wrong” party.
Does anyone feel represented anymore at the federal level? Did you approve $546,668 borrowing on your behalf? Do you want it to stop? Have your read the tenth amendment? Have you read the US Constitution?
Stand up and fight for the US Constitution and your rights. Let your governor know you want this federal oppression to stop. Read our constitution and start the ground work for a movement back to our future. We don’t need radical change, we just need to abide by the framework already in place; The United States Constitution!
You now owe $546,668 as a family thanks to the out of control spending of this government, and it is mostly unconstitutional. How do you pursue your own happiness when the government has the ability to borrow in your name for things that bring no value to you?
The constitution allows for the federal government to borrow for things that are important to the nation as a whole, mostly defense. But when the federal government borrows from you as an individual to “buy” a car company it is obvious they have gone too far. When the government takes your money to give to others they deem more worthy they have gone too far. When the federal government takes our state and local tax money for educating our children they have gone too far.
The Federal government has gone too far. If I were to borrow $546,668 in your name I would be thrown in jail. None of this federal borrowing beyond our military is justified or needed. Our Governors must stand up for the rights of their states, and we as individuals must stand up for our rights to the protection of our property (hard earned money) and our pursuit of happiness. How can any family pursue their dreams when the federal government can take away our rights to a prosperous future by borrowing on our individual credit?
The tenth amendment and nullification of federal programs is our only chance. We must audit all federal expenditures on our behalf and determine the constitutionality of each federal expenditure. Then we need to nullify each program at the state level and reduce our federal tax burden accordingly.
The only way we can do that is each state must end individual federal withholding taxes and collect those taxes at the state level. Then the states can pay the taxes on behalf of their individual citizens. This will bring the balance of power back to where it belongs; in the hands of the states and individual Americans. With the state in control our state representatives will have greater ability to provide the services truly needed to run the state according to the citizens of the state. No more federal extortion to get our state funds back for our own use.
This is not a radical idea. This is an idea rooted in the US Constitution. What is happening now is a complete disregard for our constitution and especially our tenth amendment rights. Government programs are so much more manageable at the state level, and we have a much better chance of holding our state representatives accountable as opposed to holding a Federal Representative from San Francisco or a Federal Senator from Nevada accountable.
Our Federal system is broken. There is no true representation in congress when the rules are contrived to nullify representation from states that happen to elect a representative from the “wrong” party.
Does anyone feel represented anymore at the federal level? Did you approve $546,668 borrowing on your behalf? Do you want it to stop? Have your read the tenth amendment? Have you read the US Constitution?
Stand up and fight for the US Constitution and your rights. Let your governor know you want this federal oppression to stop. Read our constitution and start the ground work for a movement back to our future. We don’t need radical change, we just need to abide by the framework already in place; The United States Constitution!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Closing Car Dealerships?
I do not claim to be an expert in the car industry but I have to ask how closing the places you sell your cars is good for business? My understanding is that dealerships are franchises that agree to carry the cars of the manufacturer whose logo they put on their buildings.
Dealerships have to meet criteria set by the car company by proving their ability to finance the purchase of inventories large enough to fulfill the local market needs for the cars they carry. They must be exclusive buildings for each brand. They must carry original parts with certified mechanics. They must be able to sell cars ethically.
What the car company gets from the dealer in return is the integrity of their brand and they don’t have to make the large investment it would take to have so many locations to manage around the country. They get the expertise of local business people that are closely connected to the community. They get a motivated workforce that is determined to sell cars for survival. They get data from the dealers on how to improve their products. It sounds like the car companies get the better deal in this relationship. So what benefit does Chrysler or GM or Ford get out of closing dealerships? Savings on some marketing costs? Accounting staff reductions to keep track of dealers? Someone help me out here.
The costs are mostly incurred by the dealers. They are highly motivated to sell their cars and take all of the risks in maintaining a healthy business. In a tough economy dealers adjust their cost structure based on demand to maintain profitability. How is that working for the big 3 car companies?
Reducing dealers is something that is best left to the free market not government bureaucrats acting like they know anything about the car business. I think the car companies need to adjust their union contracts, find new management that has the guts to go through bankruptcy to become healthy again, and throw the government bums out!
If not we will soon be getting the cars no one REALLY wants to buy; the “smart” car! Puke…
Dealerships have to meet criteria set by the car company by proving their ability to finance the purchase of inventories large enough to fulfill the local market needs for the cars they carry. They must be exclusive buildings for each brand. They must carry original parts with certified mechanics. They must be able to sell cars ethically.
What the car company gets from the dealer in return is the integrity of their brand and they don’t have to make the large investment it would take to have so many locations to manage around the country. They get the expertise of local business people that are closely connected to the community. They get a motivated workforce that is determined to sell cars for survival. They get data from the dealers on how to improve their products. It sounds like the car companies get the better deal in this relationship. So what benefit does Chrysler or GM or Ford get out of closing dealerships? Savings on some marketing costs? Accounting staff reductions to keep track of dealers? Someone help me out here.
The costs are mostly incurred by the dealers. They are highly motivated to sell their cars and take all of the risks in maintaining a healthy business. In a tough economy dealers adjust their cost structure based on demand to maintain profitability. How is that working for the big 3 car companies?
Reducing dealers is something that is best left to the free market not government bureaucrats acting like they know anything about the car business. I think the car companies need to adjust their union contracts, find new management that has the guts to go through bankruptcy to become healthy again, and throw the government bums out!
If not we will soon be getting the cars no one REALLY wants to buy; the “smart” car! Puke…
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Empathy Need Not Apply for the Supreme Court…
Justice is blind. Lady Justice does not care if we are Black, White, Hispanic, Chinese, Male, or Female, she only cares about the consistent and blind application of law to every individual American citizen. Justice Roberts at his nomination made the analogy of what a judge does to the role of an umpire.
An umpire at a baseball game does not care what the players look like, where they came from, whether they grew up rich or poor when calling balls or strikes. If the team that has more minorities than the other tries to steal second base during a game, the umpire does not need to show empathy to that team as he makes the call at second base because the call is the call. The rules are clear and must apply to every player the same.
To suggest that the traits of a judge need to include empathy, and understanding what it is like to be poor shows the ignorance of the president and media in selecting good judges for any court but especially the Supreme Court. Members of the Supreme Court are the ultimate umpires in legal disputes and understanding the constitution (the rules of the game), and applying them blindly is the only real qualifications needed.
If Major League Baseball started hiring umpires that made calls based on empathy and an understanding that the teams that always lose need special considerations to win the entire league would fold. No one would ever go to a game again because the rules are what make it fair, and if the application of the rules is not evenly applied then people watching will have no confidence in the integrity of the league.
By nominating a person like Sonia Sotomayor based on the “qualification” of empathy the integrity of the court is in question. Will she rule differently for Black people than Hispanic people? Will she be more empathetic to women than men? Will she favor the poor over the rich? If she does favor specific groups and you are not in the group being favored how will you feel?
There is a reason Lady Justice is blind; there is no reason a president should be…
An umpire at a baseball game does not care what the players look like, where they came from, whether they grew up rich or poor when calling balls or strikes. If the team that has more minorities than the other tries to steal second base during a game, the umpire does not need to show empathy to that team as he makes the call at second base because the call is the call. The rules are clear and must apply to every player the same.
To suggest that the traits of a judge need to include empathy, and understanding what it is like to be poor shows the ignorance of the president and media in selecting good judges for any court but especially the Supreme Court. Members of the Supreme Court are the ultimate umpires in legal disputes and understanding the constitution (the rules of the game), and applying them blindly is the only real qualifications needed.
If Major League Baseball started hiring umpires that made calls based on empathy and an understanding that the teams that always lose need special considerations to win the entire league would fold. No one would ever go to a game again because the rules are what make it fair, and if the application of the rules is not evenly applied then people watching will have no confidence in the integrity of the league.
By nominating a person like Sonia Sotomayor based on the “qualification” of empathy the integrity of the court is in question. Will she rule differently for Black people than Hispanic people? Will she be more empathetic to women than men? Will she favor the poor over the rich? If she does favor specific groups and you are not in the group being favored how will you feel?
There is a reason Lady Justice is blind; there is no reason a president should be…
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
We hold these truths to be self evident…
That all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness – That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed, that whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these Ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its Foundation on such Principles, and organizing its Powers in such Form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
These words and the meaning behind them are becoming more and more relevant every passing day. These words taken from our Declaration of Independence are timeless and deliberate in their recommendation in restraining government for all time. Jefferson believed these words should be used for all time, ready to be resurrected, in times when they again began to ring true for the people of this nation. In other words, our founders if alive today would be considering the same words against the current Federal Government actions being thrust upon us today.
These founders knew human nature would again find a way to undermine the document they worked so hard to establish. They understood no document could withstand the desires of those men determined to take power over others; benevolent or not. They understood that circumstances of the times could be manipulated to encourage the people to give up certain rights in crisis. They understood that in order for this document to survive the people would need to maintain morality and diligence in holding their elected officials accountable. They understood there would come a time when our posterity would be threatened by the actions of their father’s inability to restrain their desires. They understood that no matter how hard they tried to restrain the evil tendencies of government there was always the possibility it could happen. They wrote these words in the declaration that would remind us why they chose the path they did.
Brilliant is the only word for the intelligence of these men in the understanding of human nature. Brilliant was the design they worked so hard to achieve for the thing that became the “American Dream”. Brilliant was their instinct to know the true inefficiencies of government and doing their best to limit the scope of the inefficiency. Brilliant for their time. Brilliant for all time.
We are watching this historic brilliance being over shadowed by today’s ignorance and a willingness to put all historical lessons aside about the outcome of intrusive government. The lessons that are so clearly documented and casually observed throughout today’s society illustrating government failure, yet we are allowing more investment in the scope of government looking for a different outcome. This is insanity.
Read the Declaration of Independence, read the US Constitution, read about the history of this glorious nation and think. Think about how far we have come and how fast we have created the greatest nation in the world. Our country is built on the simple brilliance of investing our future in individual freedom, free markets, and limited scope of government interference, not on the destructive principle of collective utopia, and hoping for a different outcome from the failure that is sure to be. We are reversing the brilliance of this nation but if you read the documents of our founders there is no other conclusion you can come to; brilliant…
These words and the meaning behind them are becoming more and more relevant every passing day. These words taken from our Declaration of Independence are timeless and deliberate in their recommendation in restraining government for all time. Jefferson believed these words should be used for all time, ready to be resurrected, in times when they again began to ring true for the people of this nation. In other words, our founders if alive today would be considering the same words against the current Federal Government actions being thrust upon us today.
These founders knew human nature would again find a way to undermine the document they worked so hard to establish. They understood no document could withstand the desires of those men determined to take power over others; benevolent or not. They understood that circumstances of the times could be manipulated to encourage the people to give up certain rights in crisis. They understood that in order for this document to survive the people would need to maintain morality and diligence in holding their elected officials accountable. They understood there would come a time when our posterity would be threatened by the actions of their father’s inability to restrain their desires. They understood that no matter how hard they tried to restrain the evil tendencies of government there was always the possibility it could happen. They wrote these words in the declaration that would remind us why they chose the path they did.
Brilliant is the only word for the intelligence of these men in the understanding of human nature. Brilliant was the design they worked so hard to achieve for the thing that became the “American Dream”. Brilliant was their instinct to know the true inefficiencies of government and doing their best to limit the scope of the inefficiency. Brilliant for their time. Brilliant for all time.
We are watching this historic brilliance being over shadowed by today’s ignorance and a willingness to put all historical lessons aside about the outcome of intrusive government. The lessons that are so clearly documented and casually observed throughout today’s society illustrating government failure, yet we are allowing more investment in the scope of government looking for a different outcome. This is insanity.
Read the Declaration of Independence, read the US Constitution, read about the history of this glorious nation and think. Think about how far we have come and how fast we have created the greatest nation in the world. Our country is built on the simple brilliance of investing our future in individual freedom, free markets, and limited scope of government interference, not on the destructive principle of collective utopia, and hoping for a different outcome from the failure that is sure to be. We are reversing the brilliance of this nation but if you read the documents of our founders there is no other conclusion you can come to; brilliant…
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
What Makes Us Poor?
It is certainly not the amount of money we have. There are people that make a simple living that could be considered rich. They are doing the work that fills their souls and gives them a sense of purpose and well being. They may not be able to own a Mercedes but they drive a car that they can afford and gets them from place a to b. Too often we equate being poor with money but I will argue in America no one is poor because of a lack of money but a sense of envy.
Education is the number one quest that can make us rich or poor. Not just education to help us get a better job but the education that helps us discern between material wealth and spiritual wealth. We have generations of individuals that can’t think analytically or at all on matters of great importance. You know them when you meet them not by whether they have a Harvard degree but how they communicate what they are feeling. People that lack education are poor. And again it is not a formal education but a life spent ignoring the lessons that are right in front of us.
Some of the smartest people I have met in my life did not have a great formal education but spent their life learning and growing, reading and listening, and finally applying their common sense. Today in our inner cities and not so inner cities we have seen education plummet to the lowest common denominator which has given us a citizenry that no longer understands the basic elements of human nature, economic literacy, the ability to analyze without bitter emotion, and is focused on the trivial. We have watched our country become poor both economically and spiritually.
Dependence on others for your happiness is a sign of true desperation. Too many people confuse compassion with the shackles of government assistance. It is important to be compassionate to people who need a helping hand, but it is criminal to encourage people to rely on the shackles of government assistance for their existence. There is no greater creator of the poor than government programs. There is no greater thief of individual dreams than government programs. There is no greater threat to freedom than government programs. There is no greater threat to the existence of man than government programs.
Values and morals is the foundation of wealth. People that do not believe there is a creator of man are poor. The thought that man is all powerful is a recipe for the extinction of man. Our country is based on the Judeo/Christian principles with a sensitivity that religion must be balanced carefully with civic governance. That does not mean an exclusion of all things moral and religious. Without morals and religion we are poor in spirit and hope. Our entire system of government falls apart if we do not recognize that we are all “endowed by our creator” equally.
We have become poorer by systematically removing religion from our social fabric.
What makes us poor? Trusting others to provide the happiness we desire. Is that not what our politicians are selling today? If we buy what this administration is selling we will all understand what it means to be poor…
Education is the number one quest that can make us rich or poor. Not just education to help us get a better job but the education that helps us discern between material wealth and spiritual wealth. We have generations of individuals that can’t think analytically or at all on matters of great importance. You know them when you meet them not by whether they have a Harvard degree but how they communicate what they are feeling. People that lack education are poor. And again it is not a formal education but a life spent ignoring the lessons that are right in front of us.
Some of the smartest people I have met in my life did not have a great formal education but spent their life learning and growing, reading and listening, and finally applying their common sense. Today in our inner cities and not so inner cities we have seen education plummet to the lowest common denominator which has given us a citizenry that no longer understands the basic elements of human nature, economic literacy, the ability to analyze without bitter emotion, and is focused on the trivial. We have watched our country become poor both economically and spiritually.
Dependence on others for your happiness is a sign of true desperation. Too many people confuse compassion with the shackles of government assistance. It is important to be compassionate to people who need a helping hand, but it is criminal to encourage people to rely on the shackles of government assistance for their existence. There is no greater creator of the poor than government programs. There is no greater thief of individual dreams than government programs. There is no greater threat to freedom than government programs. There is no greater threat to the existence of man than government programs.
Values and morals is the foundation of wealth. People that do not believe there is a creator of man are poor. The thought that man is all powerful is a recipe for the extinction of man. Our country is based on the Judeo/Christian principles with a sensitivity that religion must be balanced carefully with civic governance. That does not mean an exclusion of all things moral and religious. Without morals and religion we are poor in spirit and hope. Our entire system of government falls apart if we do not recognize that we are all “endowed by our creator” equally.
We have become poorer by systematically removing religion from our social fabric.
What makes us poor? Trusting others to provide the happiness we desire. Is that not what our politicians are selling today? If we buy what this administration is selling we will all understand what it means to be poor…
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
State Sponsored Racism and Public Education Policy…
The congress recently refused to continue funding of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program created to give minority youth a chance at a real education not a government sponsored one. Was the program successful at improving education for minorities? Yes, students in the program leapt 18 months ahead in their level of education. Was the program affordable? Yes it was half the cost of a normal public education in DC ($7500 program vs. $15,000 public tax cost for public education). So what was the problem?
Control and Racism.
The current bureaucrats believe that Black and Hispanic kids are inferior to white kids and therefore need government help. They would not benefit from the education the private sector would provide. They are not that smart and could not compete; bull,,,. The problem is that “government help” in education is actually the shackles that are holding back Black Americans and Hispanics from the American Dream. That’s right just look at the facts. Black and minority graduation and literacy results compared to whites are profound. Black children stuck in the public system have been getting these results for 30 years and it isn’t money. DC, NY, Chicago, Detroit spend at least as much and often more like in DC ($15,000 per child) and still the failure rate is twice that of white communities. Now you might say there is an income disparity between whites and blacks. Right again, and that’s because less white people by percentage of population count on the government to provide a better life for them. White communities are more engaged in driving the education of their children instead of relying on the government. Here again the government presumption is they cannot compete and are somehow inferior (government sponsored racism). Any educated person knows that counting on the government is synonymous to failure. The government has a motive to keep minority children ignorant to what they could achieve if given the chance to be in control of where they go to school.
The true intent of government controlling education is to control their political future. Educated kids pose a threat to the ignorance of voting for people that believe in the government collective over the individual. If you look at what our kids are passionate about in public schools it is recycling, “global warming”, the homeless, global citizenship, and diversity. This focus is not designed around reasoned thought like good stewardship of the earth but rather political movements based on a misunderstanding of the facts and science. It is a political agenda controlled by special interests that can control curriculum much easier in a public system than one controlled by the common sense of parents. If kids are kept ignorant of the facts, science, and constitution of this great nation the easier it is to destroy individual freedom over collective control of the statists.
I went to high school in New York City as a minority white youth in a mostly black and Hispanic school. My heart breaks to see that over thirty years later Black Americans are still falling prey to the lure of a government that promises a brighter future through public education but anyone willing to look at the results must ask; what does the government have against our wonderful brethren in the black community? If they really wanted to end government sponsored racism the education system would tie the money to the child and give them and their parents the choice of where they would like to go to school. This would unleash an education revolution in the minority community that would guarantee the success of our Black communities. That is what I pray for because I know the potential every American has if they count on themselves for success instead of the government. The first step is to unlock the shackles of public education…
Control and Racism.
The current bureaucrats believe that Black and Hispanic kids are inferior to white kids and therefore need government help. They would not benefit from the education the private sector would provide. They are not that smart and could not compete; bull,,,. The problem is that “government help” in education is actually the shackles that are holding back Black Americans and Hispanics from the American Dream. That’s right just look at the facts. Black and minority graduation and literacy results compared to whites are profound. Black children stuck in the public system have been getting these results for 30 years and it isn’t money. DC, NY, Chicago, Detroit spend at least as much and often more like in DC ($15,000 per child) and still the failure rate is twice that of white communities. Now you might say there is an income disparity between whites and blacks. Right again, and that’s because less white people by percentage of population count on the government to provide a better life for them. White communities are more engaged in driving the education of their children instead of relying on the government. Here again the government presumption is they cannot compete and are somehow inferior (government sponsored racism). Any educated person knows that counting on the government is synonymous to failure. The government has a motive to keep minority children ignorant to what they could achieve if given the chance to be in control of where they go to school.
The true intent of government controlling education is to control their political future. Educated kids pose a threat to the ignorance of voting for people that believe in the government collective over the individual. If you look at what our kids are passionate about in public schools it is recycling, “global warming”, the homeless, global citizenship, and diversity. This focus is not designed around reasoned thought like good stewardship of the earth but rather political movements based on a misunderstanding of the facts and science. It is a political agenda controlled by special interests that can control curriculum much easier in a public system than one controlled by the common sense of parents. If kids are kept ignorant of the facts, science, and constitution of this great nation the easier it is to destroy individual freedom over collective control of the statists.
I went to high school in New York City as a minority white youth in a mostly black and Hispanic school. My heart breaks to see that over thirty years later Black Americans are still falling prey to the lure of a government that promises a brighter future through public education but anyone willing to look at the results must ask; what does the government have against our wonderful brethren in the black community? If they really wanted to end government sponsored racism the education system would tie the money to the child and give them and their parents the choice of where they would like to go to school. This would unleash an education revolution in the minority community that would guarantee the success of our Black communities. That is what I pray for because I know the potential every American has if they count on themselves for success instead of the government. The first step is to unlock the shackles of public education…
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
This is why education must be reformed...
Headline: Chicago Public Schools' Cappuccino Bill: $67,000
Corruption, waste, and the changing of grades for failing athletes is what this article is about. Is this what our public education has become? Sadly all too often it has...
Corruption, waste, and the changing of grades for failing athletes is what this article is about. Is this what our public education has become? Sadly all too often it has...
Teens: This is how he real world of economics works...
Read this and remember it forever; It is the greatest lesson you will learn about business in your entire HS education:
To All My Valued Employees:
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.
First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a Back Story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.
However, what you don't see is the BACK STORY:
I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.
My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the discount store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... you never realize the Back Story and the sacrifices I've made.
Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.
Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.
Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:
I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero... Nada... Zilch.
The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.
The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.
Here is what many of you don't understand... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries.
But you can forget it now.
When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? You defibrillate his heart! Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.
So where am I going with all this?
It's quite simple.
If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I'll fire you. I'll fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.
Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.
So, if you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about...
Signed, THE BOSS
To All My Valued Employees:
There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.
First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a Back Story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.
However, what you don't see is the BACK STORY:
I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.
My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.
Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the discount store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.
So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... you never realize the Back Story and the sacrifices I've made.
Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.
Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.
Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:
I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero... Nada... Zilch.
The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.
The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.
Here is what many of you don't understand... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries.
But you can forget it now.
When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? You defibrillate his heart! Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.
So where am I going with all this?
It's quite simple.
If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I'll fire you. I'll fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.
Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.
So, if you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about...
Signed, THE BOSS
The 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution
Simply reads:
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Simply means: The only powers delegated to the federal government are few; "establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
There is nothing that tells the Feds they can run every aspect of our lives. Most of the delegated powers were focused on security. The General Welfare is not a blank check and it is the promotion which means support of the people not domination over or a guarantee.
So we must start delegating the powers back to the states and away from Washington DC. Otherwise we are in big trouble as a Nation... Read the US Constitution carefully and often It is only 4000 words...
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
Simply means: The only powers delegated to the federal government are few; "establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
There is nothing that tells the Feds they can run every aspect of our lives. Most of the delegated powers were focused on security. The General Welfare is not a blank check and it is the promotion which means support of the people not domination over or a guarantee.
So we must start delegating the powers back to the states and away from Washington DC. Otherwise we are in big trouble as a Nation... Read the US Constitution carefully and often It is only 4000 words...
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Time is running out...
Only 50% of Americans can name the three branches of government. This article is why I have started this new endeavour "The Institute for Education in America". Please read this post to understand how perilous it is to leave our education up to government bureaucrats!!!
Please join me in teaching our kids the facts about the greatest country in the world!!
Please join me in teaching our kids the facts about the greatest country in the world!!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
This is an article for our kids to ponder...
This article in the London Times is the perfect learning opportunity for our American students. It is titled "Rusty Super Power in Need of Careful Driver" and argues Obama is the first American president to manage America in decline. America in decline? No it is the American political leadership not the people that is in decline, and that is the difference.
The American people will wake up and start throwing these bums out very soon. It has become very clear that we have drifted from our founding principles and that is what our students need to learn, argue, and understand. We are not in decline, we are about to transition from this nanny state back to our individual freedom and liberty. We always do.
Teachers everywhere should be dicing this article in their classrooms with an understanding of history and American culture as their blade.
We are not arrogant, we are a free people. Just because we disagree with our government and what the rest of the world wants us to do is not a sign of arrogance but a sign of a free and great nation.
There is a great laugh in the article as well when the author states how the American dental programs are inferior to the English. Just look around; enough said...
I hope all of our teachers that value the American culture and experiment will use this opportunity given to them by this unsuspecting Englishman...
Let the teaching begin.
The American people will wake up and start throwing these bums out very soon. It has become very clear that we have drifted from our founding principles and that is what our students need to learn, argue, and understand. We are not in decline, we are about to transition from this nanny state back to our individual freedom and liberty. We always do.
Teachers everywhere should be dicing this article in their classrooms with an understanding of history and American culture as their blade.
We are not arrogant, we are a free people. Just because we disagree with our government and what the rest of the world wants us to do is not a sign of arrogance but a sign of a free and great nation.
There is a great laugh in the article as well when the author states how the American dental programs are inferior to the English. Just look around; enough said...
I hope all of our teachers that value the American culture and experiment will use this opportunity given to them by this unsuspecting Englishman...
Let the teaching begin.
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Institute for Education in America
A new think tank with the mission to change the way we educate our children in America. I will be creating a non-profit organization that will look at our current system of public and private educational institutions with the goal of changing the way we update curriculum, the way we hire our teachers, the amount of government involvement in the process and its negative impact, the way education is funded, and much more.
The main goal will not be criticism, it will be change. We have changed the current system little since its inception even in light of the Internet revolution. We continue to use text books that contain marginal recordings of history. The amount of information and the way we aggregate it is completely different than it was when I was a kid. But why do we still teach the way we do? It certainly isn't because of success; just look at our children in the inner cities or rural communities in America.
We will always need the fundamentals of reading, writing, and arithmetic but how we teach most subjects have not kept up with the way our kids learn. We need to add "performance based learning"; involving kids through interactive projects focused on historic and significant subjects.
We also need to allow our educational "industry" to operate in a free market framework. We don't need federal bureaucrats determining what we teach. It is not their role, it is we the parent that must be accountable for our children's education.
The hiring of teachers must be based on experience, passion, and competence. Hiring teachers right out of college puts our kids at a disadvantage. I don't know about you but it has taken me 25 years in the workforce to understand what is important to know. We should be hiring teachers as a second career so that they can teach through experience, story telling, and a first hand knowledge of how that knowledge applies in the world.
Lastly; I am writing a new book to support this institute called "The Teenager's Guide to Navigating Life Successfully; What you really need to learn in High School But Won't". It is my way of sharing my experience with my two teens. I am going to educate them on the subjects they will truly need and use in the "real" world. I hope to finish it by my 50th birthday this November.
I hope you will help me change the world. If you have kids and care about educating them properly, care about the future survival of America as we know it, are a frustrated educator, or just want to get involved I hope you will join me. We will need a lot of volunteers. I am currently developing a new web site and will keep you informed of its status here at this Blog.
Let's change the world for our kids!! We can you know; one student at a time!
Yours in Changing Education,
Rich Hand
The main goal will not be criticism, it will be change. We have changed the current system little since its inception even in light of the Internet revolution. We continue to use text books that contain marginal recordings of history. The amount of information and the way we aggregate it is completely different than it was when I was a kid. But why do we still teach the way we do? It certainly isn't because of success; just look at our children in the inner cities or rural communities in America.
We will always need the fundamentals of reading, writing, and arithmetic but how we teach most subjects have not kept up with the way our kids learn. We need to add "performance based learning"; involving kids through interactive projects focused on historic and significant subjects.
We also need to allow our educational "industry" to operate in a free market framework. We don't need federal bureaucrats determining what we teach. It is not their role, it is we the parent that must be accountable for our children's education.
The hiring of teachers must be based on experience, passion, and competence. Hiring teachers right out of college puts our kids at a disadvantage. I don't know about you but it has taken me 25 years in the workforce to understand what is important to know. We should be hiring teachers as a second career so that they can teach through experience, story telling, and a first hand knowledge of how that knowledge applies in the world.
Lastly; I am writing a new book to support this institute called "The Teenager's Guide to Navigating Life Successfully; What you really need to learn in High School But Won't". It is my way of sharing my experience with my two teens. I am going to educate them on the subjects they will truly need and use in the "real" world. I hope to finish it by my 50th birthday this November.
I hope you will help me change the world. If you have kids and care about educating them properly, care about the future survival of America as we know it, are a frustrated educator, or just want to get involved I hope you will join me. We will need a lot of volunteers. I am currently developing a new web site and will keep you informed of its status here at this Blog.
Let's change the world for our kids!! We can you know; one student at a time!
Yours in Changing Education,
Rich Hand
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