Wednesday, May 30, 2007
What would happen if ...
What would happen if a candidate for political office told voters he/she was going to take the political positions that gave him/her the best chance of being elected and then once elected, support the political positions that were the most popular with the voting public? What would happen if a candidate for political office told voters his/her personal opinions would never be a factor in setting government policy?
Friday, May 25, 2007
Memorial
May God bless and protect all of the young men and women who volunteer to serve in the armed forces during times of military conflict. The earth could not be salted without the sacrifice and sense of duty of the young and patriotic Americans who risk their lives to preserve freedom.
May God heal all of the victims of warfare including the injured soldiers, innocent bystanders, and the families and friends of those who have been wounded or lost their life during military conflict.
May Americans remember all of the brave soldiers who have died or been injured protecting freedom throughout American history.
May God open the eyes of those in authority to lead and make important decisions with wisdom and humility.
May God protect the innocent, reward the good, and punish evil in our present time and in future times.
May I never forget how lucky I am.
May God heal all of the victims of warfare including the injured soldiers, innocent bystanders, and the families and friends of those who have been wounded or lost their life during military conflict.
May Americans remember all of the brave soldiers who have died or been injured protecting freedom throughout American history.
May God open the eyes of those in authority to lead and make important decisions with wisdom and humility.
May God protect the innocent, reward the good, and punish evil in our present time and in future times.
May I never forget how lucky I am.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Immigration Bill Thoughts
I am on record as favoring more legal immigration and favoring the enforcement of current immigration laws. Nothing is worse than the confusion that results from having laws that are rarely or ever enforced. The best system would be a fair system that is enforced with the rule of law. A less than fair system, which the United States currently has, that is enforced, is still preferable to any system that is not enforced because people will at least act on reasonable expectations.
I applaud our President and the Senate leaders for attempting to solve the illegal immigration problem and for making an effort to deal humanely with all of the illegal immigrants presently in the United States. There is plenty of room in the United States for more of every race, creed, and ethnicity to share in our blessings and opportunities.
However, I have three major misgivings with the current immigration compromise. Two involve class and one involves security.
Workers in the United States should only be tied to a specific job until they can find a better job or until their employment contract expires. Upward mobility allows the underclass to become the upper-class as workers gain knowledge, perfect their skills, manage their careers, and sometimes own their own enterprises.
I don’t see how temporary workers could ever be anything except a permanent underclass. The temporary designation is not as bad as slavery, but it is not freedom either if the temporary workers can not progress into a better class as they develop marketable skills. I don’t mind if someone wants to come to America and work and then return to their home country, but I do have a moral problem with forcing them to return after they have performed for a paycheck but before they have been able to develop and market their skills.
I also don’t see how allowing more visas for professionals and less visas for relatives of American citizens will do anything except limit the upward mobility of existing citizens and force more families to consider illegal options to attain reunification. Do we really need more Doctors, Lawyers, and Accountants pursuing six figure incomes or do we need more workers willing to roll up their sleeves and build more houses, roads, and schools and produce more food and home products at a lower cost? I vote for more houses, roads, and schools. I also vote for stronger families which means allowing citizens to assist their relatives in becoming Americans.
Lastly, I would like to see provisions in the immigration bill that have some serious screening provisions for Islamic radicals. There may come a time in America when we will be fighting terrorists on our own streets. If we can stop them before they get here, there will be a lot fewer Americans who become victims of terrorism.
An immigration bill that becomes law needs to represent the best of American morality and justice. We should be able to do better than the current compromise.
I applaud our President and the Senate leaders for attempting to solve the illegal immigration problem and for making an effort to deal humanely with all of the illegal immigrants presently in the United States. There is plenty of room in the United States for more of every race, creed, and ethnicity to share in our blessings and opportunities.
However, I have three major misgivings with the current immigration compromise. Two involve class and one involves security.
Workers in the United States should only be tied to a specific job until they can find a better job or until their employment contract expires. Upward mobility allows the underclass to become the upper-class as workers gain knowledge, perfect their skills, manage their careers, and sometimes own their own enterprises.
I don’t see how temporary workers could ever be anything except a permanent underclass. The temporary designation is not as bad as slavery, but it is not freedom either if the temporary workers can not progress into a better class as they develop marketable skills. I don’t mind if someone wants to come to America and work and then return to their home country, but I do have a moral problem with forcing them to return after they have performed for a paycheck but before they have been able to develop and market their skills.
I also don’t see how allowing more visas for professionals and less visas for relatives of American citizens will do anything except limit the upward mobility of existing citizens and force more families to consider illegal options to attain reunification. Do we really need more Doctors, Lawyers, and Accountants pursuing six figure incomes or do we need more workers willing to roll up their sleeves and build more houses, roads, and schools and produce more food and home products at a lower cost? I vote for more houses, roads, and schools. I also vote for stronger families which means allowing citizens to assist their relatives in becoming Americans.
Lastly, I would like to see provisions in the immigration bill that have some serious screening provisions for Islamic radicals. There may come a time in America when we will be fighting terrorists on our own streets. If we can stop them before they get here, there will be a lot fewer Americans who become victims of terrorism.
An immigration bill that becomes law needs to represent the best of American morality and justice. We should be able to do better than the current compromise.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Weasel
I am personally against drinking and driving, but I believe everyone has a right to choose to drink and drive.
I am personally against cheating on my income taxes, but I believe everyone has a right to choose to cheat on their own income taxes.
I am personally against beating my wife, but I believe everyone has a right to beat their own wife.
I am personally against armed robbery, but I believe everyone has a right to choose to use a firearm in a robbery.
I am personally against slavery, but I believe everyone has a right to choose to own slaves.
I am personally against abortion, but I believe everyone has a right to choose to have an abortion.
I’m not smart enough to know if Mayor Giuliani’s political position on abortion is clever enough for him to win the Republican nomination or the general election, but I do know a weasel when I hear one.
I am personally against cheating on my income taxes, but I believe everyone has a right to choose to cheat on their own income taxes.
I am personally against beating my wife, but I believe everyone has a right to beat their own wife.
I am personally against armed robbery, but I believe everyone has a right to choose to use a firearm in a robbery.
I am personally against slavery, but I believe everyone has a right to choose to own slaves.
I am personally against abortion, but I believe everyone has a right to choose to have an abortion.
I’m not smart enough to know if Mayor Giuliani’s political position on abortion is clever enough for him to win the Republican nomination or the general election, but I do know a weasel when I hear one.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Orthodox Fellows
Rusty Lopez and Joe Carter are kindred spirits with Buz and me.
Joe: “Evangelism ain't Amway. It is not a form of Multi-Level Marketing in which you get extra credit for the number of people in your network and you don’t get a great commission for the Great Commission. If you want to sell something door-to-door make it Amway products not the Good News. “
Buz: “Jesus may have been a good teacher and all, but he was a terrible salesman. I say that, with the current idea of churches as a multi-level marketing scheme in mind. Some churches try to go so far to make the gospel (the story of Jesus and his plan of salvation) acceptible, that they practically tell the listener anything they want to hear, just so they will "become a Christian" (note that I put this in quotes because I believe that it is that local church's description of becoming a Christian, not the on presented in orthodox Christianity.)”
Rusty: “Making Converts [Oh, you mean the Great Commission... right? Wrong. It's to make disciples.]"
Joe: “Evangelism ain't Amway. It is not a form of Multi-Level Marketing in which you get extra credit for the number of people in your network and you don’t get a great commission for the Great Commission. If you want to sell something door-to-door make it Amway products not the Good News. “
Buz: “Jesus may have been a good teacher and all, but he was a terrible salesman. I say that, with the current idea of churches as a multi-level marketing scheme in mind. Some churches try to go so far to make the gospel (the story of Jesus and his plan of salvation) acceptible, that they practically tell the listener anything they want to hear, just so they will "become a Christian" (note that I put this in quotes because I believe that it is that local church's description of becoming a Christian, not the on presented in orthodox Christianity.)”
Rusty: “Making Converts [Oh, you mean the Great Commission... right? Wrong. It's to make disciples.]"
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