Educating our Teenagers

Capitalism is Compassionate…

2012-01-10T11:55:00.001-08:00

The most compassionate nation in the world is the United States of America. We are not compassionate because we have special DNA or are some special form of human species, we are compassionate because of capitalism. Capitalism has given us the gift of excess goods, services, and resources that we share with the rest of the world.

At the heart of capitalism is the ability of individuals to produce and create wealth for their own personal use and their family. As human beings, we first must take care of ourselves by producing food, clothes, and shelter. It is the nature of survival that is first and foremost in the human condition. In most economies prior to the capitalist system of the United States, goods and services were assumed to be owned by some ruling class. Production was stifled because the people producing wealth for others is much harder to manage than a system that allows for individuals to keep what they produce for themselves.

Capitalism rewards the hard work of individuals and is destroyed by the policies of taxation or confiscation without due compensation. It is a simple premise that is rooted in human nature. As we create our own wealth beyond the basic survival needs, we create additional wealth that allows us to become more compassionate. Whether that is on the personal scale of donating food to the local food pantry or the on the corporate scale of creating foundations that help other nations climb out of poverty, it can only happen when we create excess wealth. Excess wealth only happens in a capitalist economic system.

There are people and companies that abuse the system but on the whole most people and companies in the United States are a great example of how capitalism is the only system that works is a free society. As the government tries to regulate business and the capitalist system they impede freedom, freedom of individuals, and freedom of markets to conduct business. This limits wealth, reduces freedom, and smothers compassion.

So as you listen to all of the political posturing in 2012, remember capitalism is the most compassionate economic system in the world. It produces both winners and losers. The losers often come back into the market to become winners. But that can only happen when the government keeps its hands out of the arena. Any business or business person breaking the law should be punished. But any business or business person that fails in the market must be allowed to fail and not bailed out by the government.

If the government continues to distort the market capitalism is dead. Once capitalism is dead so is wealth and compassion. It’s that simple…

The Cost of Ignorance…

2012-01-06T12:37:00.000-08:00

No matter what they say - ignorance is not bliss. In fact it is dangerous and imperils our freedoms. Our founders understood human nature because they were students of history. The founders had a love of learning and believed that education was a personal obligation to becoming a good citizen. Knowing history is like having a crystal ball to the future. By studying the civilizations of the past, our founders created the foundational principles of the Constitution.

Limiting the capacity of government to be able to control individuals was the principle goal of the Constitution. The main argument for a central government was to create the ability to provide a common defense for the states. They didn’t want to have to beg the states to support the defense of the country as they did during the revolution where George Washington had to make due with very limited resources. The Constitution was designed to contain the tendencies of governments to overstep and control the lives of the governed as was the case throughout history. They believed by putting us in charge of us, and limiting what a central government could do, they could improve the lives of everyone that lived within the constitutional republic. The Constitution was the written culmination of lessons learned that would set a foundation for a brand new form of government. One created by the people for the people. No ruling class or group of people would have power without the consent of the governed. It was a revolutionary concept but could only survive with an engaged citizenry. The founders feared if the citizens ignored the government it could quickly deteriorate into dictatorship so they provided as many safeguards in the Constitution as they could. But ultimately they knew it would come down to a willingness of the people to defend the Constitution. Without the people’s attention they knew the past would repeat itself.

They feared many things when designing the new republic including an all-powerful president. They did not want one man to have too much power or any group of people in the government to have too much power so they used the concept of “balance of powers” between the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government. It was the job of each branch to keep the other in check. So no one branch could determine the direction of the federal government without the consent of each branch. It was a design nothing short of a miracle.

As we consider the actions of the Federal Government today and this President, it is apparent that the American education system has failed. The outrageous conduct of the appointments made by this president without the constitutionally mandated consent of the senate yesterday should have received a greater reaction than it did. The limited reaction to these appointments shows how our education system has systematically limited the citizen’s knowledge of their form of government. These radical and unlawful acts should be stirring up a beehive of legal action against this administration. Yet we go on and act as if this is just a game being played by a President intent on creating a rift between him and the congress to be used in his re-election campaign strategy. It is a dangerous and illegal game that deserves the attention of our congressional members and the judiciary.

This President has said he will go around the congress to do the “people’s work” which is exactly what every dictator in history uses as an excuse to implement their own tyranny on the governed. I know most people don’t realize how dangerous this is but they should. No matter what rhetoric is used to justify his actions, in a constitutional republic the law is king not the president. And the law says he can’t appoint people to positions of power within the government without the consent of the Senate. The Senate is officially in session and therefore the excuse of recess appointments is irrelevant.

Following the process of government is like watching paint dry for most citizens but if we expect to live in a country that respects freedom and the rule of law we must pay attention and react when necessary. The congress should threaten impeachment immediately and defund the departments affected by these appointments. This is not business as usual. This is a crime.

The country is worth watching over. It may be boring but it is our responsibility to protect future generations from the ambitions of leaders that would rather dictate than follow the law of the land.

The Constitution and the Founders…

2011-12-20T14:52:00.000-08:00

The vision of our founders that was captured in the document we call the constitution is nothing short of a miracle. As we look at the political environment today, it is clear how truly brilliant our founders actually were. The Constitution was created to limit the government from controlling the lives of the governed. For the first time in history the people were put in charge of the government instead of government bureaucrats controlling the people.

You would never know we had a Constitution if you were dropped in this country from another planet. If you were a Founder who had risen from the grave this country’s operations would be an obvious indication the country had somehow been take over by a coup d etat. The obvious questions our Founders would have:

Who allowed the Federal Government to break the law of the constitution? This would have to be answered with We the People. We the people have ignored our duty to hold our politicians accountable to the law of the land. We are also responsible for electing politicians that have failed to abide by the Constitution.

What would compel the people to give up local control for a central bureaucracy? The Founders always suspected the local and state governments would be reluctant to give power to a central government. It was such a contention at our founding that the Bill of Rights had to be added and one of the most contentious amendments was the Tenth. Without the Tenth Amendment the Constitution would not have been passed. As they argued, there were only a few responsibilities the Federal Government would be better at which were very few. The most agreed upon functions were the defense of the country and foreign diplomacy. Now the Federal Government is involved in how much water we flush down the toilets and the light bulbs we can buy. Think about that.

How did the Supreme Court become a legislative body? The Founders argued that the Supreme Court was simply a judge not a creator of legislation. They believed if the Supreme Court ruled a law to be unconstitutional the Congress would go back and re-write the legislation to comply with the constitutional guidelines. The idea that 9 individuals can dictate laws is exactly that, a dictatorship.

The Founders argued that human nature was known well enough to put safeguards in place to harness the evil instincts and incentivize the good instincts. They also understood natural law that is the foundation of freedom from the enslavement from groups, especially government groups.

We have no one candidate in the race that is even close to understanding the virtue of statesmanship. Statesmanship is the ability to rise above personal objectives and provide leadership based on the common principles that guide our country as outlined in the Constitution. The Constitution is simply a piece of paper without politicians willing to fight and die for it. Our Founders were willing to die for it. The politicians today don’t even read it.

And that is the fault of We the People…

The Problem with Jimmy Carter…

2011-11-30T10:54:00.000-08:00

When you say Jimmy Carter to someone in my generation the immediate reaction is “worst president in modern American history.” He is synonymous with failure to us and we turn the channel whenever he finds an audience in the main stream media.

Carter has spent his post presidency trying to change history. But history is a stubborn thing. Kinda like facts, the country was leaderless under his administration which is why Obama is being compared to Carter. The country again feels like there is no leadership from the current president. The presidency is first and foremost the chief morale officer of the country. We believe in ourselves but we always feel better when we know our elected chief executive believes that as well.

Both Carter and Obama blame Americans for the ills of failed government policies. They both have lectured us on how we just need to get over ourselves and do what they say we should do. Nothing angers Americans more than being lectured to by our politicians especially when they barely understand how hard we Americans work, every day.

Any of us that lived under Carter believe that comparisons will definitely undermine this president’s chance for re-election. The problem is that Jimmy Carter’s administration was over 30 years ago. There are a lot of new voters that have never lived under Carter and see him as the X President that builds houses for humanity and seems like someone’s grandfather. These new voters do not immediately think failure when Carter’s name is used.

I am not saying we should stop comparing Obama to Carter. No I think it’s part of an overall strategy. We must reach younger voters by highlighting how conservative and constitutional principles lead to greater opportunities for jobs and a successful future. We need a positive message for young folks who spend little time thinking and too much time feeling. They might feel good that the first Black President was elected during their generation but the Presidency is not to be used as a social experiment. The presidency is about competent leadership from an executive that has earned the experience necessary to make decisions. It is also a position that can only be granted to individuals that believe in our constitution and founding principles.

We need to help our youth understand what has given us the wealth they enjoy today, our constitution, individual ingenuity, freedom and capitalism. It wasn’t Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, or Obama. It was the American people unencumbered by government bureaucracy given the freedom to pursue their dreams and be held accountable for failure, the ability to reap the rewards of their ideas and hard work, and willingness to take risks…

A Failure to Educate…

2011-10-13T08:03:00.001-07:00

What we are seeing with the “Occupy Wall Street” crowd is the result of a failure to educate our citizens properly at the elementary and high school levels. It is embarrassing to listen to these protesters who have little clue about capitalism or the reason they exist in this world.

One of the protesters was asked if you want to change the capitalist system, what would you like to replace it with? The blank stare said it all. The student had no idea what the alternative should be and I would guess didn’t even understand how capitalism actually works.

This country is the greatest economic and moral engine of the world. It is the greatest economic engine because we have a capitalist system. We are a beacon for the world because our moral foundation is based on Judeo Christian values. We have a constitution that limits the federal government from infringing on both of these attributes but the current administration along with previous administrations have ignored these limits therefore giving us the malaise we are currently in.

We spend too much time teaching about recycling, diversity, and political correctness and not enough time on the American history, economics, the constitution, and American values. We need our kids to be taking a full four years of American history, the constitution, and the capitalist system of economics in High School. Too many schools can’t even teach kids to read by the time they graduate High School. Colleges are now forced to have remedial programs in order to accept certain students.

The United States has been the means of good in the world because we have values and an economic system that enables us the free time to worry about others. Our religious institutions are an engine of compassion. To protest against the foundation of our success is ignorance.

What these Occupy Wall Street people need to realize is the reason they are unemployed is the fact that the capitalist system is being undermined by an out of control government. They should be in Washington DC not Wall Street or Main Street. It is not Wall Street “fat cats” that are the problem. It is politicians and business executives that are stealing tax payer dollars and conducting “crony capitalism” that should be the target of the protest. The problem resides in DC. If these people had the proper education they would be in the Tea Party.

Success begins with education and there are many schools that do an OK job. But the public system needs to be completely overhauled and handed back to communities to control. The federal government has been destroying the family, the economy, and personal accountability for long enough. We need to take back the education system because that is the root of the problem.

Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to the history and future of our country…

The Constitution is About Limits…

2011-09-28T11:56:00.001-07:00

There is no better excuse to dictate policy than crisis. Our founders knew the propensity of humans to dictate their will through group think in emotional situations. The founders feared and despised central rule by a King and were determined in the constitution to protect against both dictatorship and group or mob rule.

We are starting to hear politicians that are responsible for creating the current economic mess (chaos) talking about suspending democratic rule. First, we are not a democracy but what they are suggesting is we the people be stripped of our right to vote in or out our representatives to the federal government. These are not fringe lunatics that hold no power; they are a current congress woman and the governor of North Carolina. Their argument is that elected politicians can’t do what they want for fear of being voted out next election. My question is if they are in fear of being voted out of office by their constituents then the policies they are pursuing may be the problem. The reason our representative government does work is that representatives must face re-election every two years.

The constitution was designed with a House of Representatives to be most accountable to the people. That is why all laws are created by the House. The design of the house also allows for the protection against mob rule. There are 435 representatives that represent many districts with many competing interests. These competing interests make it less likely that a majority of these representatives will react with emotion rather than analysis. It is not a perfect system but it is the best the world has ever been able to put together under one set of rules. Those rules we call the US Constitution.

If we were to suspend elections so representatives did not have to face the voters, would this make the people complacent or angry? Forget the fact it would be an impeachable offense, is it a good idea to undermine the rule of law? The majority of the people in the United States want the federal government to reduce spending and repeal Obamacare. The anger, frustration, and ailing economy are being perpetuated by a few representatives that are not willing to listen to the people they represent.

Is the answer bypassing the people or is the answer electing people that will listen to the people and abide by the limits of the US Constitution?

Stupid is what Stupid Does…

2011-09-07T13:17:00.001-07:00

The ability to think has been lost by too many individuals in this country. It is harder to think than to feel which is why we have so many feelings getting in the way of intelligent analysis. The economy is about to crash and every thinking man and woman can see it coming but yet we stand by watching as if it were a car wreck on the side of a highway.

How do you grow the economy by taking a dollar out of one man’s pocket and putting it into another man’s pocket? All you accomplish is taking one dollar from one man’s pocket and put it into another man’s pocket. Think about it. What has been created? Nothing is created and never has been in the redistribution of wealth. Hence the word redistribution, otherwise it would be called creation of wealth.

The creation of wealth comes when an individual, small business or corporation develops a new piece of software that does something new; create a new product or service that individuals in the market place find valuable enough to part ways with their dollars to purchase it. Take the iPod for instance. When the iPod was created it was a cool new way to store and listen to music. People bought them by the millions. Musicians sold more music. Accessories for iPods exploded like cases and night stands with speakers and all of these new products had to be manufactured, distributed, and sold creating jobs, jobs, jobs.

The creation of wealth creates more wealth as the market builds off of the new products that get introduced. Clever individuals take the ideas and build off of them, sometimes as competitors, and other times as collaborators to improve the product or service. There is no take one dollar from one and giving to another, it is ideas, products and services generating new wealth and the dollars exchanging hands are for the market value of that product.

The concept is really easy to understand if you think about it. It is not a feeling but a real concept. The people in our government right now are stupid. That’s right stupid. The definition of stupid: Slow to learn or understand; obtuse, tending to make poor decisions or careless mistakes, marked by a lack of intelligence or care; foolish or careless.

The product of our political discussions is class envy and a division of the American people. We have the makers and the takers. The people that are makers are under attack and their money is being taken to be given to the takers. The takers are simply using those dollars to sustain their lives. There is no creation of new products, services, or God forbid an idea. If we were to stop taking from the makers and left those dollars with the makers and they make things, jobs would be one of the results (I will avoid the moral argument).

Government is the agent of the takers and yes some makers. But mostly the government is in the business to take from the makers to give to the takers. That destroys jobs. Hence the economy we are in. And even when Government gives to the makers like “green energy” projects, the makers that become takers have broken a golden rule of successful makers; there needs to be a market place of willing individuals to buy what you’re selling. You can’t force people to by stuff they don’t want, yet.

So the only conclusion you can come to if you are a thinking individual is we are being represented by stupid. Stupid is what stupid does…

The Tea Party…

2011-08-04T11:06:00.001-07:00

The Tea Party movement is under assault and there is a concerted effort to define them as radical outsiders and hell bent on destroying the federal government. The attacks are coming from politicians that believe they know best about the things we need, and will take all the resource necessary to deliver on their grand promises. The Tea Party disagrees.

The founders of this nation were patriots that at the time were being defined in a similar fashion by the British establishment as Washington today is defining the Tea Party. It is amazing how history repeats itself when people fail to study their history. The Tea Party is simply asking the federal government to act within the constitution and live within the means we the people have set for them. There is no terrorism or radicalism in that philosophy. It is a simple request and it will be adhered to one way or the other. The government serves at the will of the people. The Tea Party represents the people.

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

The Tea Party is simply returning to the principles we were founded on and if we as a nation want to change those principles the constitution provides a mechanism to do so through the amendment process. The people that are intent on defining the Tea Party as terrorists are truly the radical element and need to be ejected from the leadership of our country. They know they are about to be sent home in 2012 so they have decided the only way they can survive is to undermine the credibility of the Tea Party. It will not work.

The Tea Party is not easily demonized because there is no one face that represents it. The faces are diverse and when you see a picture of a Tea Party gathering it is not easy to portray it as radical. The faces are young, old, black, white, brown, male and female. They are the faces of a nation that is realizing its history once again and asking simply to return to the principles that have made us a great nation; faith in God and the individual. We rejected royalty once and we are doing it again. It is not terrorism it is patriotism.

The Tea Party has the best interest of our citizens at heart. They do not represent corporations or special interests. They want a limited government and a balanced budget. They simply want their freedom and God given rights back…

We Mutually Pledge to Each Other Our Lives, Our Fortunes, and Our Sacred Honor…

2011-07-04T09:21:00.001-07:00

The men who signed the Declaration of Independence were obviously of a different time which has been long lost in the politicians of today. If a group of current politicians at any level of government were to band together and take that same pledge today they would be laughed at, ridiculed, and possibly arrested for subversive activity against the government of the United States.

We need that same commitment to our constitutional values and liberties those men made in 1776 today in 2011. But we are sadly too soft and have been convinced that it is not honorable to stand up and defend what is right. The moral foundation of this country has been compromised through an education system that has been subversive to the principles of our founding.

The history scores and the pathetic performance of Americans when asked questions about our history and founding are evidence we have been infiltrated by the same evils our founders hoped to eliminate in the miraculous document; the US Constitution. The founders knew that men seeking power and dominance over others was a human trait that had no cure. They knew that the document was a key to maintaining liberty but only if the people that were governed stayed informed and aware of their leaders.

We only have to look at the people that have been elected to our government over the past century to realize we have failed as a people to do our part. There is some hope. There are pockets of patriots like the Tea Party movement which is made up of Americans who care about the law, our constitution, and liberty. Even though they are portrayed by the media and political elite as being an aberration, the movement is growing and passionate about the cause of constitutional government. I am more confident and hopeful knowing that people like the Tea Party are reengaging in the political battlefield.

We are facing a similar battle to the one faced in 1776. That is not hyperbole, demagoguery, over the top, it is simply the truth. For those of us that observe, honor, and relish our form of government we can see the danger we are facing today from an over reaching federal government. This is serious business just as it was in 1776. We have petitioned our government to abide by the constitution but they continue to ignore it. We voted for constitutional candidates in 2012 but have seen little action to stop the current path toward economic destruction. We have a president that believes he can spend our fortunes at his discretion in wars that need further clarification to the connection to our national security. We have a federal bureaucracy determined to intrude into every detail of American life which is undermining our basic rights.

We need our citizenry to stand up against Washington DC as one voice. Not as democrats or republicans but as Americans who want to return to lawful government. What government can give us should not be the standard we judge our government by. It is time to return to the principles of self reliance and a bond created by the states to protect our liberties from foreign invasion and the regular flow of commerce both foreign and domestic. We need a more engaged citizenry that understands the value of history and how that knowledge is the only defense against politicians that are determined to undermine our individual liberties for the sake of some common utopia that can never be realized. Our founders knew what we were capable of if given the freedom to pursue our individual lives and happiness.

We need all Americans today to understand what our founders meant when they said, “we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.” Amen and God Bless America on this Independence Day 2011…

A Plan to Redistribute Wealth

2011-07-01T12:42:00.001-07:00

I agree with President Obama that it is our responsibility as citizens of this great nation to redistribute our wealth to those less fortunate than those of us that have “succeeded” so far in life. I have put together my own plan, and if you think about it, you can probably come up with a similar plan that leverages your skills and success. If we all put together a plan maybe the federal government will stop implementing its plan that is currently ruining this economy and the country.

On with my plan:

• I have written three books, two of which include advice for people on how to achieve success by becoming passionate about life. One of the books is specifically focused on teens (since I have two) and what it takes to be successful in life.

• I have started a new business that I hope will generate even more income for me which in turn will generate even more tax revenue to be redistributed.

• Over the years I have accumulated a wealth of knowledge that I often share with my children, my wife, friends and extended family. This wealth of knowledge I share is often accompanied by additional ideas on how to be more successful in life. By redistributing my wealth of knowledge I am helping others become better at what they do so they can create even more wealth to distribute.

• I am writing another book that I hope will generate more wealth in both ideas and revenue that will be another source of wealth to redistribute.

These are just a few of the things I am doing to redistribute my wealth. Add this plan to the wealth I am already creating by being a productive member of the society and it starts to add up. Imagine the amount of additional wealth we could create if every one of us committed to sharing our wealth of experience with our youth and individuals not as fortunate as ourselves. The amount of wealth that will be created and distributed will be significant.

Instead of taking from us in a compulsive manner, how about letting us distribute our wealth by creating and sharing new ideas in the free market place? People love to share their wealth when it is their choice to do so. People hate to have their wealth stolen from them. It is also important that the people receiving the wealth appreciate the source of that wealth.

In the spirit of our upcoming July 4th celebration of liberty from compulsive taxation of an overbearing central government, what better way to celebrate than to make a plan for wealth independence?

Isn’t this a plan for the redistribution of wealth that will really work?

Oblivious to Job Creation…

2011-05-12T07:53:00.000-07:00

President Obama at a town hall meeting yesterday said it is time for American companies that are making money to start hiring workers. He is obviously ignorant to why employers hire workers. This is not a government job where you randomly hire people because you received a few extra bucks in your budget line item. Jobs are only created when the value of hiring an employee exceeds the cost of the employee hired.

In the real world, private companies only hire as a last resort or when they are confident that the growth of the company is dependent on a particular skill set not currently within the organization. And even then it may make better sense to source the work necessary until full realization of the revenue is delivered.

Obama and many politicians are basically academians and lawyers by “trade”. The lawyers are often not the ones that have created a successful law firm but rather lawyers that have spent their time sucking value from the economy (that’s unfair but felt good. There are many of them in the public sector). So their view on jobs is unrealistic. They demonize companies for making profits by saying now that you’re making money you need to hire workers. A totally ignorant statement.

We are in the economic mess today because we have too many people in government and congress that have this same “understanding” of business economics. It is not a difficult subject to learn but it makes a greater impact on your learning if you have had to run a business. That is why we should require of our politicians at least 5 years of experience in the private sector excluding law experience.

We are in deep trouble with an administration that has little to no understanding of what makes the economy and private business tick. Until we get rid of this president and all of these politicians in 2012 we are going to hear a lot more of this garbage from the president about how the private companies are not doing their part to help the American people. It is not the role of private business to hire people for political reasons. There has to be a solid business case. And that’s something this president knows nothing about…

Obama “Teaching” Kids to Hate Our Government?

2011-04-12T13:14:00.001-07:00

President Obama speaking to a group of school kids (8th graders I believe) was responding to a question inquiring into the difficulties of being president. He responded by whining about how he has to deal with congress and citizens that are divided in thought. He can’t just enact his ideas about Healthcare and budgets etc…

It is not the first time the President of the United States has complained about our divided government. It is exactly what our founders designed to protect us from people like the current president. The president also whined about how he has to follow our constitution which is ironic since he does no such thing. Whether it is going to war without authority (Libya), using TARP funds as a blank check, or attempting to force Americans to pay for health insurance or be fined in his Obamacare legislation, he has no actual understanding of the federal government’s role. Specific and limited is the intended scope of our federal government. It is mind boggling how far we have wandered from the original intent of our constitution.

He despises this country’s past and is embarrassed of our wealth which is why he is so determined to “change” our country. He is a product of the radical sixties, and he has little respect for the constitution or our founders. He believes we are racist, selfish, and war mongers. He ignores the facts that without America this world would be a dark and gruesome place. He fails to accept this world is a much better place not because of our government but because of our freedom, wealth, compassion, and commitment to Christian values.

Mr. President, next time you speak about our country to the future generations I would appreciate it if you showed some respect and pride. We have so much to be proud of and complaining about our system does nothing to inspire our future generations to greatness. Keep your misgivings to yourself. If you don’t like the job; please feel free to resign. There are plenty of patriots that would be willing and able to take on the hard but honored position of being a leader of the greatest group of people on this earth. There is no need to worry about a successor the constitution covers that. Our founders knew that the best government was of the people not about any one person. We don’t need a savior; the people of the United States could get along quite nicely without you thank you.

Now that is a lesson every young American should study…

American’s Aren’t Buying Teacher Union Thuggery Anymore…

2011-02-21T08:50:00.000-08:00

The Teacher’s unions in Wisconsin are showing the union agenda again to the American people and the American people are not buying. Public School Teachers are well paid in this country. People talk about how they are underpaid but when you compare wages with the people that pay the teachers through taxes, the benefit packages, and the number of hours worked in a year, teachers are well paid. It is not a job for everyone but neither is being a computer programmer.

The reality is that the way education is structured, teachers work for the taxpayers and parents. They don’t work for “greedy corporations” that are trying to “screw” them while management takes home hefty profits on the backs of those teachers. That argument doesn’t work because the people have only one agenda for their kid’s education; they want the best they can get for a fair price. The reality is the teachers in Wisconsin as well as many other teachers across the country don’t pay into health care or pension funds. Those tend to be outside the salary cost. Some areas have started to implement small changes but overall the public sector is way out of balance from the people that pay the bills in the private sector.

There is a financial reality with most public careers; an inherent salary cap based on what taxpayers are willing to pay. If you think you are going to get rich working in the public sector you will not. Most public sector employees have moved beyond what most taxpayers believe to be fair wages and benefits. Public employees in most sectors make more than their private sector counterparts and that causes resentment. It is especially concerning when teachers complain and strike based on the very small concessions they are being asked to make. Teachers aren’t the most important people in a kid’s education, parents and family is. Teachers come in a close second but if we lost every teacher in the country tomorrow there are millions of well qualified individuals that could pick up and make sure our kids learn what they need to know to be productive citizens in society. To act as if public education is the Holy Grail is to be utopian. Just look at any inner city public school system and tell me that we need those schools?

There are great teachers in many schools around the country but the system is broken and we need to address the systemic problems. And one of the biggest problems is teacher unions. Teacher unions could care less about the kids. Unions are political arms that buy politicians to get more money for teachers and unions. The kids are just an excuse to take your money. Teachers unions take our hard earned tax money that is supposed to go to hard working teachers to pay Union bosses huge wages to distribute money to politicians to maintain mediocrity. Every dollar that goes to unions is a dollar that could have gone toward our kid’s education. Parents are done paying into this antiquated and failing system.

As the teachers and union members walk the streets of Wisconsin when they should be in school teaching, parents are taking it all in and are coming to the same conclusion; get back to work and get rid of these unions. Unions are political organizations that have no place in our classrooms. Good teachers will be rewarded and bad teachers fired fairly without unions. The taxpayer is tired of paying for useless political thugs that impede great education and creativity. The taxpayer wants to pay a fair wage and benefit package to good teachers. The taxpayers also want results for their investment.

The taxpayers aren’t greedy corporate executives. We are parents making sure our kids get the best education for the money we are investing. We are on to the Union thuggery and we are done paying for it…

Inner City Education is Paramount…

2011-02-08T08:49:00.001-08:00

Education is the absolute key to success so why do we entrust it to politicians and teachers unions? Why would we place our most precious assets and source of future entrepreneurial creativity in the hands of people that are deep in the syrup of bureaucracy? It is not an argument about public and private but simply an argument about competence.

Have the unions that control the public schools in our inner cities acted competently? Have they found ways to educate our kids from difficult circumstances? The only answer we hear coming from the education bureaucracy in more money. More money has been tried and failed. Why? The consequences of failure have been neutralized by social welfare programs that incentivize a life style that has become acceptable for an entire generation of individuals. It is a crime against humanity. The people responsible for the education system in inner cities should be prosecuted for child abuse. Not because they have failed but because they have failed to adjust and innovate while accepting another generation of under educated inner city youth.

When the few do get through to the college level they end up needing remedial programs that are the result of the failures at the high school level. Education at the college level has become an overpriced extension of high school for too many individuals. Colleges and Universities are not focused on preparing kids for the work force they are simply milking a cash cow. The private colleges that focus on nursing, computer programming, business, accounting, etc…, are the only institutions living up to the promise an education offers.

What is needed is a fresh perspective on education at all levels that rejects the current structure and starts to transform using the new technologies available to today’s families. Home schooling should be expanded into community schools that offer incentives for small groups and families to work together in smaller settings in conjunction with technology centers and social hubs. One of the biggest stumbling blocks to changes is this propensity to hang on to the traditional High School experience that many parents remember as the “glory days”.

The glory days are gone for the kids in the inner city, and the cost of managing huge complexes of brick and mortar in a day when any building can be outfitted with the equipment to educate, needs to be cast off. A new day and way has to be adopted. Bringing together kids in the inner city to schools that attract drug dealers and criminals is no longer a model that works. We need to focus on learning, not buildings and sports teams. The sports, band, and other activities can be offered outside the traditional HS experience.

These are just a few ideas for our education bureaucrats. They will fight them tooth and nail but if we expect to end the bigotry of low expectations for our inner city kids we need a new approach. The one they keep dishing out is not working. Just walk through any inner city in this country and you will find kids being left behind for another generation of lost hopes and dreams.

Can we just try something new?

A Perfect Example…

2010-12-16T14:45:00.000-08:00

I recently learned the High School I graduated from in 1977; John F Kennedy in the Bronx has finally closed its doors. I say finally because it has taken an ugly journey all too common with government run programs.

I was in the second graduating class of JFK. I was one of only a few in my neighborhood that attended a public High School. Most of my friend’s parents paid for their kids to go to Catholic High Schools known for teaching and discipline that graduated students competent enough to get a job or go to college. Most public High Schools in NYC were incubators of failure. But JFK did not start that way. That is one of the reasons my parents risked sending their oldest son to the school.

The school was approved for funding based on promises made to the neighborhood residents that surrounded the campus. Our families were told that JFK would be different; if the school was built the neighborhood would be guaranteed a good education, and would not suffer the fate of most of the other public schools in the city. The school was built, and for the four years I attended, many of the promises were realized.

The first principal of JFK High School was impressive and he took a no nonsense approach to education. Show up or get thrown out. Teachers were encouraged to teach and supported in their efforts to do so. Security was heavy to ensure “kids” with ill intent were kept out of classrooms and not allowed on the school grounds. He kept some sense of order.

The kids from the neighborhood came from decent family backgrounds not typical of most students in the inner city. The advantage of having interested and engaged families that supported the principal’s goals was a good foundation for the school’s academic success. For a little while the school operated with relative success for a public High School in the Bronx.

Over the years the school exploded to house over 6000 students. It was built for approximately 4000. The neighborhood changed and the parental engagement was replaced with gang activity. Eventually this activity resulted in a student being murdered at the school. The school achieved the ranking of being the worst High School in New York City. An achievement that I am truly sad to report being an Alumnus. An attempt was made to take the school and divide it into 6 different schools with a focus on different disciplines. The attempt to salvage the school with this effort failed.

So the inner city is left with a building built with hope and promise sitting empty. The public school system has failed another generation of inner city kids that will have less opportunity than their peers. It is heartbreaking to watch. It is really personal for me having seen it first hand and knowing that the answer is to allow private institutions to teach these kids. The answer is not to keep rewarding public schools with our tax dollars. The answer is more complex than just poor schools but if we don’t change the schools we will never break the chain of hopelessness for these inner city kids. We will pay tenfold for the failures of these schools and government dependency.

When will enough be enough? I’m not talking about money because NYC public schools spend in the vicinity of $15,000 a year per student, well over the countries average. When will we face reality that we need a solution that does not count on government bureaucracy? When will we let educational entrepreneurs take a shot at educating these kids? What have we got to lose?

Government run schools and programs always start with good intentions. Government programs always deliver the same results; failure. The government has no soul and cares nothing about the lives they destroy as long as politicians and bureaucrats get paid and keep their jobs. Government has proven test after test that they don’t understand the material and will continue to fail no matter how you mix up the questions on the test. Government does not deserve our trust or the trust of these victims within our cities. They are the most vulnerable because they can’t pick up and go to a better school in a better neighborhood. We need to bring better schools to them through private organizations with a passion to teach.

Trying something new is the least we can do for these kids. As public schools become havens for gangs, drugs, and danger these kids are left to the squalor of government and politics. They deserve a better effort on our part and what is the worst that can happen? These kids get an education that can save them from a life of dependency on a government that has failed them for generations…

The Tenth Amendment Rendered Meaningless…

2010-12-15T08:02:00.001-08:00

If the governors of these United States don’t start stepping up to the plate in a more aggressive manner, the Tenth Amendment to the United States will be rendered meaningless. The constitution is already on life support, and the Tenth Amendment is the critical arguing point in this battle between centralized tyranny and local independence.

I shudder when I hear governors groveling at the altar of the federal government as Governor Elect Nikki Haley of South Carolina recently did when she asked the president to “allow South Carolina to opt out” of the healthcare bill. This is not constitutional leadership. We need our governors to start studying the history of this nation and start employing the same arguments that were made then, resulting in the Bill of Rights including the Tenth Amendment.

I get perplexed when I read our history and compare the political fights we are having today. It is appalling how weak our state governments have become compared to their domination at the founding of our country. Where did we go wrong? I believe the first fundamental principle we have allowed to slip is our understanding of history and our founding. Along the way politics, civics, and history have taken a back seat to pragmatism, and a casual undermining of our true history.

We have allowed big government advocates to paint big government as a compassionate institution that is there to help people. We have allowed the constitution and its fundamental principles to be undermined by tortured arguments by Supreme Court justices and power hungry presidents, as they mangled the original intent without a true debate of the ramifications these changes would have for future generations. We have allowed blind emotion to drive decisions that have destroyed millions of American lives with government dependency, and the only result; a few liberals feel good about themselves. We have forgotten how to argue on principle and have accepted short term gratification over standing on principle to achieve more difficult but sounder and moral results.

The Supreme Court has been allowed to become too powerful when the founders intent for the court was simply to determine the constitutionality of laws created by congress. It was never intended to be a body that created laws for the nation. It is an equal branch of government that has been used too often to provide cover for weak kneed politicians that don’t want to do the hard work they are constitutionally required to do. The states have become too complacent to bad federal law and have relegated their responsibility to provide for the states, rendering the Tenth Amendment meaningless.

When coal mine expansion in the state of West Virginia is being held up by a federal bureaucracy that is protecting bugs over jobs, and governors accept this as normal, the Tenth Amendment is rendered meaningless. When the federal government believes that a smelt is more important than the farmer in California, and the governor accepts this as normal, the Tenth Amendment is rendered meaningless. When our government is passing bills to force our kids to eat certain foods, and the governors accept this as normal, the Tenth Amendment is rendered meaningless. When the federal government continues to make decisions affecting state budgets beyond the scope of its constitutional authority, and governors accept this as normal, the Tenth Amendment is rendered meaningless.

History proves that the Tenth Amendment was critical in the passing of the United States Constitution, and without it the states would have never ratified the document. The arguments for and against ratification were passionate and revolved around a desperate fear that a central government would one day dominate and limit the freedoms that individuals had sacrificed their lives to ensure. Today we have a central government that people fear is stealing their individual liberty and ability to pursue happiness. The Tenth Amendment is not meaningless, it is the pivotal amendment to return the federal government to a limited role and to protect the liberties our founders fought so hard to achieve…

The War on Wealth…

2010-12-14T08:47:00.000-08:00

The left in this country, including this president have waged a final battle against the creation of wealth in this country. Since our founding, the American spirit has been driven by opportunity to better one’s circumstance through industrious labors. The people that came to this great land were lured by only one thing; opportunity to improve their lives through hard work and limited government intrusion.

The world was a different place before America, and opportunity to create wealth for your own consumption was a “foreign” concept. Most citizens of the day worked to improve the standing of the ruling class. There was little opportunity for individuals to prosper in the pre-America world. The world’s economic output was often incentivized through fear, coercion, and force. Not until the new American Experiment did the world have the chance to see how much more effective economic growth could be when put into the hands of the individual and the rewards of that labor left in the hands that created it.

The creation of wealth in America became the fuel that lifted millions of people around the world out of the most despicable circumstances through the generosity and ability created by individual ingenuity and wealth. When individuals are incentivized through private property and keeping the fruits of labor it is no mystery as to why wealth explodes and raises the circumstances of all within a society. It is simply the harnessing of human nature. Our instinct to provide for ourselves actually fuels our instincts to help our neighbor. The problem we have seen in America is that for too long the wealthy have been fueling compassion, and the recipients have forgotten where this charity comes from.

The tax system has become a mechanism to take one man’s fruits and distribute them to another for no sensible reason. We have seen generations of low income Americans become locked in a system that breeds dependency and steals the incentive to make it on their own. This system has become an industry with the captains of that industry being politicians. These politicians have a self interest in perpetuating poverty and dependency. They fund their “industry” by demonizing the wealth creators, creating envy, punishing wealth, and redistributing the wealth through punitive taxation. This war on wealth has created a class of people that now believe they are entitled to the wealth that is created by these individuals.

We are becoming morally bankrupt as a nation when we believe a person’s success should be a source of scorn and disgust. The question is never “when is enough, enough for the individual wealth creators”. The reality is the more wealth they create the more goes back into society in the form of jobs, investment, and charity. It is not the government’s role in America to decide that question. The government has become over reaching and must be returned to its constitutional role once again. These wealth creators should be celebrated as they were at the founding of this great republic. Without the incentives of individuals to keep the fruits of their labor we harvest less fruit. As the fruit diminishes the dependent class gets restless and demands more from the captains of their industry. The captains demand more from the wealth creators and we find ourselves back in a system where wealth creation is driven by fear, coercion, and force. The engine sputters to a halt and collapses on itself.

We are not far from this point right now. Our tax system must be utilized to provide only the services necessary to conduct a law abiding society. Individuals again must be incentivized through the rewards of their labor. Right now the wealth creators are slowing down their activity because they are being punished and demonized. The wealth creators have not received their rewards through any special circumstance but the industrious spirit they pursue. The envy, jealousy, and demonization of the wealthy is going to destroy the American Spirit. Wealth distribution has already destroyed the people dependent on others. If we don’t stop demonizing wealth we will have nothing to demonize in the very near future…

Freedom of the Press VS. Subsidizing Newspapers…

2010-06-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

The founders knew the best check on government was the ability of the people and press to speak out against the government and its representatives freely. At the time of our founding, the press (newspapers, pamphlets, letters, etc…) were the only organized vehicles to speak through at the time. Without the “press” of the time, the general public’s ability to get information about issues would have been crippled if not for the traditional means of communications was not protected.

Subsidizing the “business” of the press was not their intention. The only consideration for the founders was protecting liberty by protecting the ability of individuals and organizations like the press to speak out against an oppressive government, and by limiting the power of the government to control the speech against the same government. To suggest that the government should have any role in ensuring a media company’s success in the market place is a total distortion of original intent.

Today, we have the internet, radio, TV, all what the founders would have labeled as the press. Every one of the new medium unknown to the founders at the time, is a support for the original intent which was protecting speech and limiting the power of government. Because the traditional press has squandered their prestige by becoming political arms of party politics is the reason they are failing. They have greater competition, yes, but the real reason for their failure is their drifting from truth and facts to opinion and advocacy. Once you take a side you limit your audience. A very simple concept to understand.

So for the tax payer to subsidize a press that is no longer objective and separate from the government it is supposed to “protect” us from is in absolute contradiction to the original intent of our founders. We don’t need the traditional press, although I believe they still have an opportunity to reform themselves, we have what the founders were trying to truly protect which was the ability to speak out against our government through the expanded mediums we have today. Today’s technology has made speech safer from the perspective of holding government accountable. That is why the argument has shifted to protecting the internet from government control. Because the internet is more like the original press our founders wanted protected. A free interchange of ideas without government influence.

Let the traditional press models fail if they can’t compete, we have an outlet to speak against our government. Once the government is subsidizing the traditional press, we no longer have an independent advocate protecting our liberties. They will become an arm of the government, and that is definitely not what the founders intended when protecting the press in our constitution.

Divided We Fall…

2010-05-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

The two parties are at it again. The Republican Governors Association is running an ad against Mayor Hickenlooper, the democratic candidate for governor, trying to link him with the unpopular Bill Ritter, but do we really need this? What is the purpose of the ad? What will be the result of the ad in the end?

The purpose of the ad is simple, to paint candidate Hickenlopper in such a negative light that people will vote against him, therefore helping the republican candidate to win the election. But the democrats are going to respond, most likely creating an ad that will attempt to demonize the republican candidate. And so it will go, on and on, ad after ad, the good people of Colorado will be inundated with negative ad after negative ad, and they will be left to wonder; which candidate is the lesser of two evils.

That is our two party system in a nutshell. Demonize the other party’s candidate to the point that your candidate looks less evil than the other party’s candidate. All in the name of “winning”. I ask; what do we win in the end? No matter which candidate wins in the end, the people in both parties are left with the perceptions from the campaign pounding each has received. So we end up with a dysfunctional ability to govern. Democrats won’t listen or be open to anything a republican winner has to say, and the Republicans will not listen to or be open to anything a democratic winner has to say.

People are so disillusioned with the political process, and yet we are told that negative ads are an effective campaign strategy. These ads may be effective for the party that wins, but not for the people, and the ability to govern. Negative ads are an excuse and an easy way to campaign. The most effective way to win a campaign is to convince people through argument and debate that your positions are right for the direction of the state. Topic by topic, vetted in a forum, not bound by commercial time restraints, but real open and elongated debate. Where people have the opportunity to hear every issue discussed ad-nauseam to the point of conclusion. So why don’t politicians do that?

Simple; the people are not willing to sit and listen to it, and the media does everything in bits and bytes. We the people are partly responsible because we don’t do our homework and are not willing to invest in vetting candidates or protecting our freedom. The media is responsible because they play into the two party horse race, and never give anyone else a chance to be heard. They limit the debate instead of nurturing it.

So how does it change? I don’t know but the first step is for people to do more homework. My campaign is an example. I receive dozens of notes encouraging me and saying they respect and admire what I’m doing. But when it comes down to brass tax, people are not willing to take the effort to support alternative campaigns. We are lazy as an electorate and have been duped into believing what the two parties dish out. There are many alternatives to the two parties but the effort to make the change seems too much for most.

The two parties have been losing members for years and there are more people that find themselves unaffiliated than ever before. That’s a good thing, but leaving the party system is not enough. If you want to end the negative ads that divide us as a people, you need to punish the people that are doing it and support alternatives. Maybe I’m not the right candidate but there will be no change to this divisiveness unless we all get involved to change it...

Jefferson; Thoughts on John and Sam Adams, Hamilton, and why it Matters today…

2010-02-27T14:46:00.000-08:00

Thomas Jefferson is considered America’s greatest political Philosopher in the cause of liberty. History scholars, whether they agree with his politics or not, have to agree he was a genius in the discipline of developing government frameworks that protected liberty by harnessing human nature and the propensity of individuals to use government to acquire power. His life was spent studying, defining, determining, and protecting liberty for the America he helped found and loved.

He was a prolific writer and his library contained volumes of books that he read on subjects ranging from farming to the history of the Roman Empire. He used history to support his ideas on liberty, and always argued for limited government based on his knowledge of how government was an avenue to tyranny; always. He also wrote about the other founders and his impression and experience in their joint efforts creating our republic.

On Sam Adams he believed that there was no greater patriot in the cause of freedom and respected Sam Adam’s opinions on many of the difficult issues of the time. Sam Adams was a devout Christian and was driven to freedom mostly due to his belief and defense of religious freedom. Jefferson was very private in his own religion, but respected men like Sam Adams because he knew a free society could only be maintained by a moral society.

On John Adams he respected his ability to argue but knew J Adams had no understanding of human nature and its impact on forming a government. They were often at odds and were seen as rivals but had a mutual respect for the differences of opinion and shared a lifelong relationship that Jefferson treasured and wrote about throughout his life. Their common cause was liberty and forming a “rational republic” form of government.

On Alexander Hamilton he believed and rightfully so, that he would have been content with the British form of government in America, and his true goal of independence was that he should be one of the elite class, not the Englishman sitting thousands of miles away. Hamilton did not believe that government was best ruled by the “common” citizen, and often disagreed with Jefferson on this point. They were rivals in the administration of George Washington, and Jefferson vehemently disagreed with the creation of a central bank not overseen by congress. Jefferson believed Hamilton was content on “force and corruption” in his management of government.

Jefferson never swayed from his belief in self rule and the people’s ability to get most issues right when given the proper information. He knew religion was key for a moral society but a society could not be lead by a religious doctrine. Jefferson knew that a representative republic was the best way to harness tyranny and befriended the leaders that held that belief even though they had limited understanding of the power of human nature. And finally, Jefferson knew that Hamilton was the embodiment of the forces that would need to be harnessed if liberty were to survive. Hamilton’s financial prowess and genius was a skill needed in the first years of the republic due to the accumulated debt of the revolution. But Jefferson often challenged Hamilton’s propensity toward an elite structure of government.

The lessons of Jefferson today are too numerous to state here, but his simple ability to determine the importance of many diverse opinions and skill sets, and direct them for the common good are sorely missing today. Leadership in government is a balance of determining the proper role of government, the emotional nature of the citizens it serves, and never compromising the foundation that makes it all worth the effort; Liberty. We can learn all we need to know about turning our country and its economy around by understanding our history. We can turn our future around by understanding Jefferson and his devotion to liberty…

Thomas Jefferson; A Simple Man?

2010-02-18T08:45:00.000-08:00

I recently finished the book, “The Real Thomas Jefferson” and there were many things about his political philosophy that were, and remain critical to our success today, but one thing stood out as I look at the world today; simplicity. Even though he was a trained and skilled lawyer, he believed in simple language when it came to legislation. He spent time “de-lawyering” many laws in Virginia and was extremely suspicious of complex schemes in the Federal Government.

As I look at my candidacy for Governor, I often wonder why we have so many things in government that are complex? For example; why can’t the education formula for Colorado simply tie one amount to a student, whatever that is, and we can argue the amount, say $10,000 for each student (K-12) goes to whatever school they choose. Why doesn’t that work?

I have been to Government conferences in my private sector work and have attended classes designed to help people understand the complexity of government contracting, whether buying computers, aircraft, or pencils, the process is overwhelming and often teams of people are needed to sort it out. Why?

It comes down to two things when I sift through the complexity; trust, and trust. Contracting with the government is so complex because the people managing the contracts are not trusted to apply fairness in the process whether it is creating specs or awarding bids. And politicians want their friends to get the contracts and have in the past “rigged” the process, and so in order to guard against insider awards, a complex maze of regulations was created. And then there are the targeted, set aside contracts for specific groups of people that throw in even more complex specifications. In all this complexity the components most important in a contract for product or services gets lost; quality and price.

No one trusts the government anymore and there is example after example of fraud, abuse, and incompetence, but we only hear about the evils of business and the private sector. The private sector abuses are punished by market forces that can run private companies out of business. Government abuses seem to be tolerated, ignored, and often rewarded with more work or funding. But the reality is that the more complex anything is, the more opportunity for abuse. When we simplify, and people can understand why something is done a certain way, they are more likely to support an initiative.

Thomas Jefferson was in no way a simple man, but he understood that simple was better when you were dealing with government policy and building trust with the American people. Wanting things to be simple doesn’t make you a simple man; it makes you a genius. Just read about the life of Thomas Jefferson and I think you will agree…

Jefferson, the Fed, and the Tenth Amendment…

2010-02-07T09:10:00.000-08:00

In one of the many arguments Thomas Jefferson had with Alexander Hamilton in the first administration of the newly found republic, under President George Washington, Jefferson used these words to describe why Hamilton’s plan for a federal bank under private management was a bad and unconstitutional idea:

“I consider the foundation of the Constitution as laid on this ground”: that “all powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited to it by the states, are reserved to the states or to the people.”…

Jefferson went on to argue: “The incorporation of a bank, and the powers assumed by this bill, have not, in my opinion, been delegated to the United States by the Constitution. They are not among the powers specially enumerated…” “If such latitude of construction be allowed to this phrase as to give any non-enumerated power, it will go to every one, for there is not one which ingenuity may not torture into a convenience in some instance or another.” Simply stated; Ignore the enumerated powers and there are no enumerated powers, the sky is the limit to expanded federal government.

This is the foundation of the “implied powers” argument used throughout history to ignore the true intent of the constitution.

How prophetic Jefferson was, and how we see over the years the federal government’s quest for power has given us a government that Hamilton always wanted, a government of an elite class of men with the power over the common man. My words, not his; his sentiment, not mine.

Jefferson fought desperately to stop what today is the Federal Reserve System. If Jefferson were alive today he would want to end the fed. Giving up the federal treasury to be run by “independent and private” interests in his eyes was a recipe for disaster. And the disaster is now upon us.

Jefferson accused Hamilton of “excluding popular understanding and inquiry.” He argued the system of banking and credit devised by Hamilton was so confusing no man including the “president or congress should be able to understand it, or control it.” Which he believed gave Hamilton a scheme to enrich himself and his cohorts within the system Hamilton devised.

These arguments between the two founders were the foundation of a two party system. Not the one we have today but it put people in two “camps”; federalists and republicans with a small r. The Republican Party of yesterday is in modern times what became the Democratic Party. The federalists were the big central government supporters that had the rich, wealthy, and British sympathizers behind it.

How times change but one thing remains true; the principles of our constitution are the key to our recovery and a prosperous future. If we listen and learn about our history and great men like Thomas Jefferson we can consider the paths ahead by the great understanding that he had of government.

He loved the constitution and it was he and Madison that promised the Bill of Rights to encourage the states to ratify our Constitution. It is time to revisit our constitution and our Tenth Amendment in particular. That is, if we want a prosperous future and one that restrains the federal government from intruding on out state and individual rights.

Change the Constitution?

2010-01-16T15:08:00.000-08:00

I often hear from people that say the constitution is old and needs a revamp. The argument goes something like this “how can a document written so long ago be relevant today? So much has changed.”

I can understand how people can argue that things have changed since the time of our founding, but it tells me that they have not read the constitution or any history surrounding its creation. I encourage all to read the document and especially those that believe it should be changed. The dirty little secret is it can be changed but the process is deliberately difficult to insure changes are not made on emotion and are vetted, debated, and voted on by the legislatures in every state to insure agreement on the proposed changes.

The fact is that human nature doesn’t change. Human beings have common emotions and in critical moments have a propensity toward mob rule, violence, and tyranny. This historical and indisputable fact is the foundation of the U.S. Constitution. It is designed to limit, when respected and adhered to, the infringement of government on the individual’s rights and to protect against the propensity of government to dominate and control others. Just look around the United States today and you will find circumstances that support the fact that humans are emotional, violent, and use government to infringe on other people’s rights. The healthcare bill is a perfect example.

The other fundamental principle the founders understood and acknowledged was there is a God. They based many of the founding principles on the premise that certain rights are God given therefore can never be given or more importantly taken away by man. Think hard about this principle even if you are not religious. This is not about religion it is about a power greater than man. That principle is the foundation that keeps those determined to rule your life in check.

Stalin, Hitler, Mao, and many other dictators knew that targeting and killing the men of God had to happen in order to control people. If there was a power greater than them it would undermine their ability to rule. Without a belief in God, who makes the “rules” of a government? What man do you trust to protect your God given right to life?

Based on these fundamental principles the founders documented the greatest government framework the world had ever and has ever seen to date. And I as well as many others believe will never be trumped because these principles do not change.

Our constitution protects our individual right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and these are the principles outlined in our constitution so I ask; what should we change?

• Should we as individuals give up our rights to a government authority?
• Should we give up the right to private property and have a government authority divide up the land?
• Should we only assemble together when the government gives us approval?
• Should government determine the God we worship?

What should we change? Many that want this change are willing to give up their rights for the common “good”. But the constitution protects the people from the “good” of government. It limits the “good” they are allowed to do because government has a track record of tyranny, inefficiency, violence, and misery.

The individual right of Americans to pursue happiness under our constitution has been responsible for the happiness of millions around the world that have not been as fortunate as us. Free markets and free people have created the wealth that has fed nations and lifted millions out of poverty. Government can’t do that. Read your history.

Before you suggest changing the constitution, first you must learn and understand its purpose. Then if you still feel it needs changing, start a movement to make the change. Be careful what you ask for…

The Results of Government Education…

2009-12-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

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…

A Parent's Gift...

2009-10-27T12:18:00.000-07:00

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

Celebrate Our Constitution; It’s Not Just About Our Past, It’s the Key To Our Future…

2009-09-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

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…

It’s a Reflection of Our Education System…

2009-08-25T13:35:00.001-07:00

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…

The Tenth Amendment continues to “get legs”…

2009-07-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

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…

Targeting the wealthy…

2009-07-15T08:12:00.001-07:00

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…

Federal Borrowing Must Be Stopped…

2009-05-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

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!

Closing Car Dealerships?

2009-05-28T15:09:00.000-07:00

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…

Empathy Need Not Apply for the Supreme Court…

2009-05-27T11:08:00.000-07:00

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…

We hold these truths to be self evident…

2009-05-20T08:59:00.000-07:00

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…

What Makes Us Poor?

2009-05-19T10:08:00.000-07:00

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…

State Sponsored Racism and Public Education Policy…

2009-04-28T15:47:00.000-07:00

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…

This is why education must be reformed...

2009-01-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

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...

Teens: This is how he real world of economics works...

2009-01-07T12:30:00.001-08:00

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

The 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution

2009-01-07T08:29:00.000-08:00

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...

Time is running out...

2009-01-06T14:28:00.000-08:00

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!!

This is an article for our kids to ponder...

2009-01-04T08:50:00.000-08:00

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 Institute for Education in America

2009-01-02T14:11:00.000-08:00

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