tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68821322803416000992024-03-05T20:10:08.340-05:00Election 2018This BLOG contains my thoughts about being a responsible citizen. I am social studies teacher in high school. These are only my personal opinions.pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-38718448784429823322019-07-31T20:05:00.000-04:002019-07-31T20:05:24.069-04:00Democratic Candidate debate Analysis <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: right;">Democratic Candidate Debate Analysis</span></h2>
Here are some observations from the first night of the second series of debates.<br /><br />
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Eight of ten democratic candidates on the stage were from rural areas of the United States. This makes a lot of sense since Donald Trump won the Electoral College with the power of the rural vote. The Electoral College hails back to the earliest days of our republic.<span style="color: #121212; font-family: MiloTE, MiloTESec, Constantia, Lucida Bright, Lucidabright, Lucida Serif, Lucida, DejaVu Serif, Bitstream Vera Serif, Liberation Serif, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); font-size: 20px;"> </span></span>James Madison was concerned about dominating factions who would operate at the expense of the country as a whole. The pioneers of America pushed west, and faced dangers on their lives, liberty, and property. The lack of judicial adjudication in these western borderlands was a primary cause of the Revolutionary War. The Proclamation Line of 1763 gave American pioneers notice that England was going to side with Native American over the colonists on property arguments. Rural people receive over representation in our government. If you compare the state of Wyoming with Los Angeles California, then Wyoming residents get 1000 times more representation and voter impact than Los Angelos residents. The over-representation of the senate makes our government inefficient and biased toward rural America. As a result, the candidates I saw yesterday are beginning to include rural rhetoric in their speeches and responses. </div>
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One candidate from my home state of Pennsylvania was not allowed on the stage the first night. Admiral Joe Sestak entered the race late, and did not make the cut for the second debate. I feel Joe deserves some consideration because Pennsylvania is a key swing state in the Presidential election. Hillary Clinton bet the house on Pennsylvania, and lost Pennsylvania and the country in the last presidential election. Joe Sestak deserves to be on the stage because he is from such a crucial state. Pennsylvania is more than a swing state, it is also a bell-weather state that can predict the outcome of the next presidential election. </div>
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Political polarization has become a biporduct of e<span style="color: #121212; font-family: MiloTE, MiloTESec, Constantia, Lucida Bright, Lucidabright, Lucida Serif, Lucida, DejaVu Serif, Bitstream Vera Serif, Liberation Serif, Georgia, serif;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18);">conomic geography and population density. In the Keystone State the Republican "T" is formed when Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are removed from the state. People in rural areas tend to be Republican. In 2017 people have began to</span></span><span style="text-align: center;"> migrate away from metro areas in major cities. Since most of these cities are in the northeast and mid-west, they are also over-represented in the senate and the electoral college. In Pennsylvania as well as the nation party divisions are becoming based on rural versus urban, instead of conservative versus liberal. </span></div>
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I had spent 20 years in rural western Pennsylvania. People that live in these areas face challenges that people in urban areas do not face. Sometimes they need to dig a well to get water, dig a septic system to remove waste, drive once a week or a month to do grocery shopping, and face snow and grass maintenance ten times more than in urban and suburban areas. They tend to have a pioneer spirit that encourages canning, clothing exchanges, and versatile vehicles like trucks. When a suburban person takes a drive, they may be just trying to get out of the house. Rural folks bundle their runs by swinging by a wood lot on their way home from work to pick up another month of firewood. This survival can-do attitude keeps society simple, and not prone to complex solutions to problems. Political solutions like Trump's border wall resonate with many of them. </div>
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In a few years we may be changing party names from Republican and Democrat to Rural and Metro. We need visionary leaders who will embrace the rural vote, and incorporate the pioneer can-do spirit into a vision where individual initiative and hard work are rewarded for everyone. </div>
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pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-35550068970085995882017-08-09T10:48:00.000-04:002017-08-09T10:48:59.788-04:00Thus says the Lord Donald Trump! @therealdonald_<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Thus says the Lord Donald Trump! @therealdonald_</h3>
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Thus says the Lord Donald Trump! @therealdonald_ Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”</div>
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pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-86886953440324898452016-04-27T19:19:00.000-04:002016-04-27T19:22:24.839-04:00Build a wall or restore the draft? @realDonaldTrump<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Donald Trump is promising to build a wall to stop the flow of immigrants who are taking away American jobs and terrorizing our nation. What happens if we build the wall and it does not work? <br />
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Illegal immigrants may find ways around the wall by air, sea, and tunnels. They could also take jobs that no one else would want. The immigrants who are willing to take these risks and work this hard are the ones who are most likely to take American jobs. Illegal immigrant children may go to other countries where there are less barriers. They may also choose to stay in their country. But, children immigrants pose no threat to taking American jobs. <br />
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People need to tease out the reasons for building a wall in the first place. We have gone from one income families to two income families. We are beginning to sacrifice time to work three jobs and incomes. It may come to a transition for both husband and wife to work four jobs. This difficult transition represents our response to a lower standard of living. Our income is currently not meeting our standard of living. The squeezed out priority to maintain this standard of living is too often attention to our children. People are unhappy about neglecting their children, so they are voting for Trump. <br />
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Higher pay American jobs may have been lost for other reasons than illegal immigrants. The workforce needs people who have high levels of technical skill training. Many of these skills can be acquired by employing people Online in countries with a lower standard of living. Some companies have also recruited immigrants to come from other countries to work for them. The need for technical skills will continue to drive immigration. <br />
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So, instead of building a wall there are other simple alternatives. A Democratic Party solution could be to revive depression era programs like the W.P.A. A Republican Party solution might be to require military service for two years where people can receive intensive technical training. These are easy solutions to the complex problem of illegal immigration which goes deeper than just building a wall.<br />
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I am sure that if Mr. Trump began talking about restoring the military draft and using it to retrain the workforce that his solution would not be very popular. However, if we are going to pursue a simple solution to a complicated problem this is one way for it to work. Is this the end game Mr Trump?<br />
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pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-20744605117388563152016-02-11T17:38:00.001-05:002016-02-13T08:05:56.196-05:00Pop Trump! #election2016, Let's make America Great Again!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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-<b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Populism</span></b><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> revolves around a charismatic
leader who appeals to and claims to embody the will of the people in order to
consolidate his own power. It is leadership from the rear. For this reason
polling is a favorite strategy of populists. The campaign of Donald Trump can
be considered a populist movement. He is playing to the emotions of the
electorate. There are good and bad things about populism. Populism increases
voter turn out. Getting more people involved in the political process will
normally make a democracy stronger. There are also bad things about populism.
The rest of this post will focus on these negatives. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
We have had other populist candidates in the past. Andrew Jackson was a war
hero who people admired and looked up to. He was quick to make decisions from
the gut, and used little restraint. In the capitol building he once blunted a
man with a cane to unconsciousness. Jackson pragmatism accomplished the
founding of the modern Democratic Party. This can be contrasted with the
leadership of Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln forged coalitions by investing time and
effort into building relationships. Some of his most productive relationships
were his political enemies that he appointed to cabinet positions. He was the
founder of the modern Republican Party. In the publication<i>, "Rating the
Presidents"</i> by William J. Ridings, Jr. and Stuart B. McIver, published
in 1997, president Lincoln was ranked first among the presidents by 719
professors, attorneys, historians and authors. Abraham Lincoln signed into law
the Homestead Act, the Morrill Act, the National Banking Act, and a bill that
chartered the first transcontinental railroad. He signed the Emancipation
Proclamation that led to the 13th amendment outlawing slavery. Perhaps his
largest accomplishment was holding our union of states together in the midst of
a civil war. The comparison of Jackson and Lincoln is as different as their
leadership style. Jackson led from the rear. Lincoln led by taking us to a
place where we did not want to go, and then we thanked him for it. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
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Populists need a common enemy. The abuses of Wall Street are a common enemy in
many populist movements just as they are today. Back in Jackson's day the New
York syndicate at Tam-minty Hall was just beginning. For this reason the
candidates of 2016 should be wary of discussing the stock market during this
election cycle. During the American Revolution Thomas Pain wrote Common Sense,
and then went on a crusade against loyalist to the crown in the colonies. This
made sense at the time, but unrestrained passion directed against our neighbors
never makes sense in the long term. Neither does it make sense to hate all
Latin American people because they are attempting to come over the border for a
better life. They are not the enemy, but to the unemployed factory worker it
can feel that way. Building a wall is a simple solution to this problem. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Populists answer complex
problems with simple solutions. Donald Trump's wall between Mexico and US is a
great example. The real problem is not people crossing the border from Mexico.
The real problem is what President Obama and others have addressed. The middle
class is shrinking. People are underemployed and stuck in a changing economy
that they cannot adapt too. Technology has outpaced our training and tolerance
for change. This is a complex problem. When analyzed it also encourages us to
get training for new skills in a new economy. It is much easier for me to agree
with someone else that our problems are all because of a common enemy. This is
especially true when that someone is a populist candidate running for President
of the United States. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span><br />
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Our country has a rich history of populist movements. Pragmatism can be a good
strategy to employ in the short term. But, populism in the long term is
leadership from the rear. It is what Joachim Posada calls, "eating
the marshmallow". Taken from his book, "Don't Eat the
Marshmallow Yet" Joachim reviews the famous Stanford University
longitudinal study of preschoolers who were promised two marshmallows if they
would delay their gratification and wait to eat the marshmallow when the researcher
came back. Unfortunately two out of the three preschoolers choose the simple
solution and ate the marshmallow. When they followed the success of
preschoolers into adulthood the researchers found that the students who
resisted eating the marshmallow had the most successful lives. Too many of us
today want simple solutions to difficult problems. When we do not sacrifice in
present we are destined to fail in the future. Let's make America Great again!
We can do this by taking initiative, getting new skills, and using our
ingenuity to solve problems. Blame shifting does not work in a successful
marriage, and it will never work to ultimately solve our national problems. </span><span style="font-family: "arial";"></span></div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-59959617104327236052016-02-09T10:34:00.002-05:002016-02-09T17:09:43.699-05:00Let Carly Debate<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3L4EOps_TAMFpNVovH7JH7coBJbX3xJitISNGGr4Y7HelfGQA-tXxNCJUgnoBwFvDd1IUQr-sTSVY2W7C_0fAtDqu6hJwaOUgU9Jl_Zq2tSgJ3ZzMYnYHIarFgryOiGYzOAdloEixd40/s1600/Carly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3L4EOps_TAMFpNVovH7JH7coBJbX3xJitISNGGr4Y7HelfGQA-tXxNCJUgnoBwFvDd1IUQr-sTSVY2W7C_0fAtDqu6hJwaOUgU9Jl_Zq2tSgJ3ZzMYnYHIarFgryOiGYzOAdloEixd40/s320/Carly.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am writing today to express my outrage over the ABC New Hampshire Republican Debate. There were seven candidates on stage and eight who earned delegates from Iowa. The ABC debate rules used a complex formula for qualifying for the debate. This formula included poll rankings in New Hampshire. If polls are the primary qualification, then why bother voting. Donald Trump found out in Iowa that polls do not equal votes. Forbes Magazine and NPR are both on record saying that "Fiorina was the only viable candidate excluded". <br />
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I like Carly's platform because she is dealing with systemic problems in a bloated government that need to be unraveled. The primary purpose of government is to protect our borders. The role of government has expanded beyond this objective. Our government makes many laws. Some laws have enforced the delivery of our mail, insured our safety in work, food and water, regulated commerce, transportation, education, protected us from lawbreakers, and negotiated disputes between our states. These activities are important and necessary, and normally competent administrators are placed into the role of carrying them out. Over time however, it is not unusual for a meritocracy to develop into a a bureaucracy. A meritocracy is normally efficient, but the outcome of services provided can change over time. In a bureaucracy the employee of the government and the system that they serve can be prioritized over the actual beneficiary of the services. Some examples can help understand this. A government agency bureaucrat may exaggerate social problems to expand their budget. Unions workers will push for the expansion of employment benefits at the taxpayer's expense. Agency bureaucrats will also hide information that will threaten the agencies expansion or survival.<br />
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At Hewett Packard Carly did her best to unravel the bureaucratic tendencies of a large corporation. She did this for the shareholders, but sometimes at the expense of employees. This balance between a competent and stable workforce and an efficient delivery of services is at the heart of what I perceive Carly's message to be. I think she has the leadership to get this difficult and complex job done. It is why I plan to vote for her in the Pennsylvania primary. I hope you will join me New Hampshire. </div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-72085608366806998282015-11-01T17:31:00.000-05:002016-02-06T20:11:59.740-05:002015 Pennsylvania Municipal and presidential primary elections.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Looking over the upcoming municipal election, and the presidential election next year. First of all please consider voting in the municipal election this year. Many people ignore this election. They do not know the names of the politicians. There is little advertising, and interest because it seems like the significance of these offices are marginal. I would suggest that the election today for the prolife movement is very important. In Pennsyvania we have the opportunity to pick three Supreme Court justices. Two of the three republicans running are prolife. Judy Olson and Anne Covey are your picks for the prolife vote. When few people vote in an election every vote<br />
Counts. Please consider voting for these ladies.<br />
<br />
Here is my one sentence soundbite about the presidential candidates...<br />
<br />
John Kasitch- Can anyone really trust a banker?<br />
Ben Carson- My taxes would go up too high. <br />
Donald Trump- Bankruptcy is not a qualification for president.<br />
Jeb Bush- Can he escape his brother's legacy?<br />
Marco Rubio- The isolation of Cuban communism has not worked.<br />
Chris Christie- Will he be vindictive?<br />
Rand Paul- Can not filibuster to the presidency.<br />
Ted Cruz- Good government is not obstruction.<br />
Carly Fiorina- Is my pick for the Republicans.<br />
<br />
Bernie Sanders- Is the US ready to become Socialist Europe?<br />
Martin O'Malley- Too many taxes.<br />
Hillary Clinton- My choice for the democratic nomination.<br />
<br />
So if my predictions come true we will have a battle of ladies for the White House. What are some pros and cons of a women president?<br />
<br />
Pros. <br />
Diversity of choice can removes blind spots by the electorate.<br />
Ladies tend to be less ideological and more practical.<br />
<br />
Cons.<br />
Men tend to be better risk takers.<br />
Men are interpreted as leaders in the bible.<br />
<br />
For the reasons listed above I am still undecided in my choice for president. If the election were today my choices are above. However, I am still considering my options with the presidential primary still six months away.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-77538291601258921822015-08-29T21:27:00.001-04:002015-09-04T11:28:20.732-04:00The Selfless Volunteer Candidate. Donald Trump?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRFvKgLZ4J29fgRmhS6rRTcsQnAss-17vgAQNaqfn6A_975a7UBRhOkSd9WJl4BsN6VPRZaumeSn0VUAZ0e-21EiI7NuRo-JmSZIx7YdDlDJv6T16EBF4PHS1u9_DDsc5r4QouScwYoI/s1600/volunteers.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqRFvKgLZ4J29fgRmhS6rRTcsQnAss-17vgAQNaqfn6A_975a7UBRhOkSd9WJl4BsN6VPRZaumeSn0VUAZ0e-21EiI7NuRo-JmSZIx7YdDlDJv6T16EBF4PHS1u9_DDsc5r4QouScwYoI/s1600/volunteers.jpeg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Our country has a rich history of volunteerism. My name is Pat Parris, and I coordinate a leadership program at a cyber school in Pennsylvania (PALCS). Every year 20 of my charges learn to complete a selfless project in their communities that spurs volunteerism, while developing leadership skills. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">There is a rich history of volunteerism in America. The number one reason for government is to provide national security for its </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">stakeholders. Most governments do this by recruiting armies, In the early years of our country we recruited militia. Militia are volunteers that meet this basic need of protecting our citizens from outsiders. But, we volunteer in many other ways as well. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">Perhaps the earliest form of volunteerism besides the militia are opportunities for people to serve in their local churches. Even before we were raising arms against the English we were fighting for freedom of religion. Ironically this freedom could be best described as a separation of church and state. Before the American Revolution the Church of England was punishing Christians in America who disagreed with them. There was a revival of the teachings of Martin Luther on the Princeton seminary campus at that time called The Great Awakening. Salvation by faith. and not the rituals and duties of the Church of England was the drive behind this revival. The Church of England had no separation of church and the state. The English saw this as a direct attack on their government. This is a well known story, but I find the side story even more interesting. The side story is the streams of volunteers who served in these churches with no reward of employment or patronage from their new found faith. They did things like feed the hungry, take care of widows and orphans, care for the sick, and educate the young. Who were these church workers who served so selflessly? They were countless volunteers motivated by a faith that few could understand apart from conversion. In my opinion, this lack of understanding led to overcompensation by our government to make these services into entitlement. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;"><br /></span>
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<br /></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">During this time period we read about famous people like Jonathan Edwards and King George. We seldom consider the unsung heroes who volunteered selfless acts of service. I am writing this post to remind you of them. If these people were memorialized in history, then perhaps we would turn our ambition to be like them. As we travel through the sands of time if we remember these unknown heroes we may see a new ambition for volunteerism that could help unravel the entitlement problems in our country. Entitlements like food stamps. Medicaid, and public education could be provided by individuals motivated a higher purpose. This supplement of volunteer heroes would never take the place of these programs, but selfless acts of service could stem their growth. </span><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
So here is my tribute to a selfless person who has gone before us. My mother was one of those volunteers. I was the 4th born of 5 children. She lost her husband to leukemia when I was 5 and raised our family on veterans checks, and the kindness of others. We lived two doors from my uncle and he watched out for us. My aunt would even remove my stitches to save money from an additional doctors visit. Our church provided an education at Saint Valentines Parish in Bethel Park. The veterans administration provided an earned entitlement of food and shelter for my mother and her family. When I aspire to be like her, then I find my ambition shifting to selfless acts of service. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Perhaps the antithesis of my mother are self promoters like Donald Trump. Why then is the Donald so popular in his candidacy for president? Isn't he the opposite of the selfless volunteer? Could it be that he has tapped into a longing for transparency in our conversation? Many people have been caught in a period of salary and promotion stagnation, and have grown bitter. When they see Donald Trump saying what they are thinking they feel a sense of vindication, and pay back for wrongs they feel they have suffered. But, is this good government? </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Some people think that he is a joke, a late night talk show act, or a shocking youtube video. Donald will entertain them, and since they feel so disenfranchised by our government, then perhaps they will get something out of the election. </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">If we govern this way then inconsiderate gaffs will become normative, and we will react and not respond. Even more scary we may become flippant about international relations. Presidents should be sober, slow to react and selfless volunteers that walk in the tradition of some of our best presidents. The best presidents in our history have won by a small margin, or have sought the office reluctantly. Washington, Jefferson, Adams, Lincoln, Truman and Kennedy fit this tradition. When a self promoter assumes the office, then the benefit of the whole will be sacrificed to short term selfish gratification. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Any decent leader knows that short term gratification can be sacrificed for long term benefits. We must take the hard road of self sacrifice to move our country forward. It is true that this will not be a popular campaign speech. However, this is what our country has done to move our people forward into a high standard of living and a peaceful life. That is why the best candidates say very little about complex problems, but solve them by including stakeholders in the process of solving them, and choosing the road less traveled. It can make all the difference. </span></div>
</div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-61052803693862350012013-09-07T18:58:00.000-04:002013-09-07T18:58:10.348-04:00Nabataens trade and a solution to the Syrian Conflict.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Mr. President,<br />
<br />
The current Syrian Civil War between a loose confederation of militias and Assad’s
regime can find mediation through a strategy of increasing trade. Jordan is the
wild card that no one is talking about right now. We need to look to Jordan and support
King Abdullah II and his Hashemite constitutional monarchy. Jordan is threatened by three things resulting from the Syrian Civil War.<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Jordan is
threatened by a refugee crisis. </li>
<li>They are threatened by the potential for a Sunni
Jihadest government forming along their border that will raise sympathies by
conservative people in their own country. </li>
<li>Finally they are threatened by Assad
himself who sees Jordan as too western leaning and too much maneuvering against
him could result in a direct response. </li>
</ul>
Because they are vulnerable Jordan will
be stimulated to take action in this current conflict. <br />
<br />
One of the unifying characteristics of the Arab peoples is world trade. The
ancient Nabataens lived in Trans Jordan. They were eventually annexed by the
Roman Empire. They were one of the few civilizations that were not conquered by
the Roman Empire. They had an amazing propensity for trade, and this
characteristic marks these people today. We need to increase trade with Jordan.
We can do this by giving them aid with strings attached to increase trade. This will
serve two purposes.<br />
<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>It will help the refugee population find employment by employing them to deliver goods or services. If you look at the trade routes above you will
see that many of these ancient trade routes went through Israel. </li>
<li>This could could change Israel's image into a trading partner instead of a military adversary. </li>
</ul>
<br />
The Palestinian
question is inflammatory in Jordan. The Palestinian peoples could be
given preference in regards to any employment generated by increased
trade. <br />
<br />
What should they trade? In ancient times silk, oil, spices, timber and many
other commodities crowded these trade routes. What would be a modern commodity
that could be transported by individuals, and is still considered essential?
Coffee, sugar, corn, wheat and cotton are the most popular agricultural
commodities today. Certainly Jordan's fruit and vegetable farms could be
expanded to dispatch goods to these refugee couriers. Eventually, if the wealth
of this trade market is successful enough Assad may even be bought out and
portions of the country could be annexed to other states. <br />
<br />
None of this will happen quickly. The response to the gassing of children
and families in Syria is not addressed in this short post. I agree there should
be a response, but this post deals with the end game instead of any immediate
response to violations of the Geneva agreement. Most US citizens are more
concerned about the end game in Syria. If President Obama addresses that, I am
sure he will find favor if he takes action in retaliation for war crimes by
Syria. <br />
<br />
Just my thoughts Mr. President,<br />
<br />
Pat Parris<br />
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pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-90420932711995448352012-11-21T22:24:00.001-05:002012-11-21T22:39:51.928-05:00A thankful member of the 47%<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0wpVevQPiXskqYt2P0b7h1MurnU2QR2-g5GN4j3NxH5NSmdIweRAEuxbb28EYT1SQBvkRpo2mAy7xdti2XXRnzpXvQ0sNncoHZ-vc7NcwB5293UPKBxQPoAQDlVtqWvGsdlLCckqzVc/s1600/47.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo0wpVevQPiXskqYt2P0b7h1MurnU2QR2-g5GN4j3NxH5NSmdIweRAEuxbb28EYT1SQBvkRpo2mAy7xdti2XXRnzpXvQ0sNncoHZ-vc7NcwB5293UPKBxQPoAQDlVtqWvGsdlLCckqzVc/s200/47.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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My father died when I was five years old. My mother raised
five of us, and during this Thanksgiving season I will always be grateful for
her sacrifices. Our government supported my family with monthly veterans’
checks. I was pulled out of a boring English class to go to college free as a
track athlete. I entered the work force with a shock. No one provided me with
employment as they had provided me food, shelter, and education to this point.
I secured a job at a sheltered workshop for 3 ½ years placing the mentally
handicapped into competitive employment. I made $8,000 to start and paid no
income taxes. This job helped me identify my skills of persuasion, as well as
people skills, and an empathetic attitude. It also made me a legitimate member
of the 47%. Today, I am a conservative, and do not readily identify with this
group. I am empathetic, however. </div>
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You see there is an entitlement type of thinking that makes
me squirm. Even though I am the recipient of so many handouts over my life, I
reject the idea that I will remain dependant on freebees. You see my mom took
the entitlements, but she never stopped working. She leveraged her entitlements
to create opportunities for her children. I miss her, and think of her often. In
the spirit of Thanksgiving I am grateful and want to contribute to this great
country that gave me so much opportunity. It is not the handouts that create an
entitlement culture. It is the lack of desire for a better lifestyle. It is the
selfishness of capitalism that drives most of us to have a better life. When I
travel to other countries like Panama
and China and they find out that
I am from the US
it is not democracy that I sense they are envious of. It is not freedom that
they seem to long for. I sense that they are more interested in the things that
I have, and the opportunities available for both my self and my family. Don’t
get me wrong. I think they want the right to express them selves without being
harmed. I think they also want what Abraham Lincoln called conceived liberty
and dedication to equality. I just think that these lofty ideals are not where
people live. </div>
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I think that most people are much like my wife. She lives in
the here and now and not the lofty ideals of democrats or republicans. She
keeps me grounded when I find myself in an idealistic rant. My mother, my wife,
and my foreign friends surround me with the reality of the here and now. Human
nature becomes industrious when we sacrifice and work to better ourselves. When
we get something for free that we don’t have to work for, then we do not value
it. We expect more, and become ungrateful for the things we have. The cure for
ingratitude is sacrifice. When we must work for something we learn to value it.
So we the members of the 47% who have had to sacrifice and struggle reject the
idealism of the extreme right wing. Just because someone has given us a hand up
does not mean that we are destined to be entitled. We vow to take delight in any
help we receive. We will be grateful for opportunities over expectations. When
we find ourselves in desperate circumstances we will resist despair. On this
Thanksgiving we will identify small reasons to take courage. On this
Thanksgiving we proclaim a new breed of 47 percent-ers who will represent those
who live in the stress and struggle of the here and now with a can do attitude
that rises above our circumstances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-13141751505911214002012-11-05T20:57:00.000-05:002012-11-05T20:57:19.600-05:00My Decision! #Obama, #Romney, #Election <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I have made a decision, and I am voting tomorrow. Unfortunately, I can not let you know what that decision is. You see I am a high school teacher. My students may be watching my posts. Tomorrow, on Election Day my students and I will be giving out copies of the constitution to every teacher at our school. The Constitution tells us in the first amendment that the government shall not establish or create a religion or forbid its exercise. I agree with this clause. I would even fight and die for this limitation of government. <br />
<br />
During the colonial period many evangelical Christians were being persecuted around the time of the American Revolution in America. The Anglican church at the time was state controlled. During this period the church was a beneficiary of the tax dollars of the state. People did not have the freedom to join the church of their choice. Our founding fathers did not want what they saw In Europe repeated. Giant cathedrals were built with tax dollars and the people resented it, and their religion with it. The first amendment guarantees that this history and oppression over controversial beliefs will not be repeated.<br />
<br />
So I know what you are saying. political parties are not a religion. This is true, but I see my job as a sacred trust. My job is to teach students to think, not teach them what to think. My students need to be able to make judgments for themselves. If they must be influenced by someone, then I would prefer that, that someone be their parents. I do not desire to alienate those students who would disagree with my perspective. It is my desire to influence as many of students as possible to think critically. If I take a position, then I want my students to see it as an opportunity to argue with me. I want them to challenge me and be challenged in an environment where there are rules and safety. In this laboratory of kindness students will be able to explore their political, religious and ethnic values in a way where they can make up their own minds with the primary influence from their parents. I will vote tomorrow, for the person who I believe will take us on a systemic course to preserve the free enterprise system, and restore the middle class so that my grandchildren will have the same opportunities that I did when they are able to make their mark. <br />
<br />
Are you going to vote tomorrow? If you do, and you should, remember that high school teacher that taught you how to think, not what to think. :)<br />
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pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-18739222174156232882012-10-31T22:38:00.000-04:002012-10-31T22:45:39.346-04:00Who would Hurricane Sandy pick for president?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Who would Sandy pick for president?<br />
<br />
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<img alt="sandy and pres" src="http://locker.palcs.org/%7Epparris/BLOGS/Sandy%20and%20the%20pres..JPG" style="height: 260px; width: 411px;" /><br />
</div>
<br />
I suppose it is how you look at it. I watched many politicians today
say in so many words that, "we will rebuild". I am sorry to say that I
do not necessary agree. I do not mind if people want to risk their
personal money for this development. But, if people use government
money, then I disagree. I did not agree when New Orleans was bailed
out, and I will not agree when we bail out the barrier islands for uses
that they were never meant to have. Of course, if any presidential
candidate would say this, it would be political suicide. This may be
the most unpopular post that I have ever created. I understand that
many people will disagree with me. I have rented a house at the shore
for the past 10 years on one of those barrier islands. We have hundreds
of wonderful memories during our family vacations. I am not
unsympathetic toward this desire to rebuild these areas. Who does not
want the ocean breeze in their hair when they go for a walk outside of
their home? I just question why the tax payer should assume the risk of
this affluent lifestyle. <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<img alt="OC" src="http://locker.palcs.org/%7Epparris/BLOGS/Beach%20Rd%20%26%20E%20Atlantic%20Blvd%201944.jpg" style="height: 322px; width: 490px;" /><br />
</div>
<br />
If we were to take a snap shot of these barrier islands in 1944 we
would see a much different picture than the development of today. In
earlier years people built changing rooms on the beach where day
trippers could come to the beach and change their clothes without
having to stay over. The residents of the area called them shoebies.
They were day trippers who visited the shore with all of their
belongings in a shoe box because they took the train. There were less
houses, but these homes were not meant for every season of the year. My
suggestion is that the current disaster of a Halloween Hurricane
creates an opportunity to preserve some beach areas for parks and open
space. Rather than saying we will rebuild, I would suggest we unbuild
by dedicating some areas to open space. The tax savings would be
fiscally responsible, and make the shore experience more enjoyable. The
6 billion dollars invested in rebuilding could help us put our fiscal
house in order. <br />
<br />
For these reasons the candidate who does <span style="text-decoration: underline;">not</span> say "we will rebuild" may have my vote on election day. <br />
</div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-26153736764655267732012-10-22T19:09:00.000-04:002012-10-22T19:25:26.100-04:00The last undecided voter! #debate, #Presidential debate, #Election 2012, #Romney, #Obama<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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The last undecided voter is wavering. At the first debate President Obama's moderate answers and desire to seek the middle ground won me over. In the Vice Presidential debate Paul Ryan's desire to clean up the mistake in Afghanistan with a gradual pull out that will protect our remaining servicemen won me over. In the town hall meeting Romney's lack of big ideas, but strong executive skills persuaded me that an executive without big ideas may not be such a bad thing. In this final debate I guess it comes down to this. Will I vote for an executive who will build consensus by getting ideas from others, and then build a compromise, or will I vote for a idealist who is more like me and proposes ideas that will win over people by the force of his personality?<br />
<br />
This week my wife was discouraged. She is taking a graduate course to complete her Masters in English. It is quite possible that what she is experiencing is a bit of a generation gap more than anything else. I am 56 years young and she will not let me give out her age, but suffice it to say that I married a younger women who now has six grandchildren. I do not believe it is a generation gap. I believe it is more of a personality gap? My wife is an realist and I am more of idealist. She is a administrator and I am more of an artist. She asks a lot of how questions, and I am constantly asking why. Could it be that her colleagues in the graduate course are younger. more idealistic, and less pragmatic? I think this is highly likely. Winston Churchill once said, "Anyone who isn’t a liberal by age 20 has no heart. Anyone who isn’t a conservative by age 40 has no brain." I confess to having liberal ideas, and my scarecrow persona as in the Wizard of Oz has mellowed with age. <br />
<br />
Now no one is entirely an idealist or entirely a realist. It is all a matter of degrees. I think however people have a first line of attack strategy for solving problems. The idealist will tend to push their ideas first, and then consider their advisers' ideas. Perhaps a much better strategy is to let the ownership of an idea originate from others when building consensus. In our current political environment of party polarization, this is much more important. I believe either candidate is savvy enough to see the need for idea ownership at the chief executive level to build consensus. I am only concerned that the split second decisions of the chief executive role could lead to more mistakes that could break deals between legislatures to solve our most serious problems.<br />
<br />
For example let's look at the problem of energy. I live in Pennsylvania. I grew up in coal country in western Pennsylvania, and I now live in Eastern Delaware County which is very blue collar. Governor Romney has earned points from the coal caucus in my state. He has not done this by laying out an energy policy that highlights coal. He has done this by <u>not</u> setting a policy against coal. Here is a video created by some of the rank and file that mine coal in Ohio. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/SzU3oZLV8Hw?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
<br />
<br />
Thomas Peterffy is a Hungarian immigrant who has purchased hundreds of millions of dollars in advertising on television. Peterffy is the 189th wealthiest billionaire in the world with a net worth of $5.4 billion. No one is manipulating him to run these ads. He is a self made man that has made his wealth by employing his wit and cunning at the core of our capitalistic system. His fervent belief in the free enterprise system is at the core of his ideals. This man grew up in a socialist country. In his own life time he has lived the American dream. Would this have been possible in Europe? Mr. Peterffy does not seem to think so. He is spending this money because he believes that this system is in jeopardy. Can we protect and defend our middle class by a top down strategy? At the right time I believe so. My question is this. Is now a better time to protect the middle class by promoting initiative, and building consensus by those ideas from the bottom up instead of from the top down?<br />
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pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-42003715440107389782012-10-16T18:55:00.000-04:002012-10-16T18:55:01.254-04:00The last undecided voter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlPexYOnoxxwTpUr-JRPItseHFkM1M38FB_I2bSwXbwdqrKMslTggvdfgIBDix_XT24rbdzwIvCQmq5uDioVZvVjALMt9t4NiRGr4Yez2CGI0-eRrIG1grMoj1SsacJ5idN7wqfMHQMs/s1600/Day+off+4-8+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLlPexYOnoxxwTpUr-JRPItseHFkM1M38FB_I2bSwXbwdqrKMslTggvdfgIBDix_XT24rbdzwIvCQmq5uDioVZvVjALMt9t4NiRGr4Yez2CGI0-eRrIG1grMoj1SsacJ5idN7wqfMHQMs/s320/Day+off+4-8+026.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
What should a president be good at? Should he be an idealist, a visionary, or should he be more of an executive who knows how to harness the ideas of others around him? Should he be a visionary who comes up with the ideas for his staff to implement?<br />
<br />
Tonight there is a great debate in a town hall format. When the candidates are forced to answer questions of specific constituents, then big ideas will be secondary to practical advise. Big ideas are better put before sweeping systems housing large swaths of people. To focus on one individual will test the communication skills of any administrator. The town hall meeting is a test of withholding solutions over revealing the process of relationship development. Every year my students take part in this exercise in our annual Student Government Town Hall Meeting. It is a great activity because it helps connect students with the practical application of government.<br />
<br />
Another application of government is being able to negotiate bipartisan deals. This pragmatic exercise is what our country needs right now to solve our most difficult national problems. Here is my speculation on the two very different and equally effective processes. Governor Romney will solve this problem with an implementation strategy. He will give the problem to the idea people, and let them solve it by objective. This is why he has not been forth coming about the details of his 20% tax cut. President Obama will try to solve this problem by coming up with a new idea that will balance the competing forces of republicans and democrats.Which is better? I am a still not sure, and that is why I am still an undecided voter.<br />
<br />
I like the ideas of President Obama. I respect the executive decisions of a successful businessman, like Governor Romney. Tonight I stood in grocery line, and the cashier asked me if I would like a free bag with my groceries. She said she would not charge me if I voted for President Obama. When I asked her why she said that, she said no rich man was going to help us in Upper Darby. I did not have time to discuss this with her because I had to run to a meeting. I look forward to continuing this discussion. Perhaps like the town meeting tonight she will finally convince me of what I will gain from the upcoming election. <br />
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pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-52771654912795210152012-10-11T22:58:00.001-04:002012-10-11T22:58:08.904-04:00#VP Debate Who won?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I watched the debate tonight. I couldn't help feeling like a patronizing older man was lecturing a defensive congressman. I think that both candidates made good points. Most of the questions were stacked against Ryan and in Biden's wheel house. Ryan held his own as an underdog. I guess that alone would give him the nod, however what really persuaded me was the question about the soldier left on the front lines in Afghanistan. This is a question that I feel very strongly about. I think that Paul Ryan had the better answer, and for that reason he wins the debate.<br />
<br />
What Paul Ryan did not say is what his plan would be to with drawl troops. I wish he had said that we should determine with drawl as close to the action as possible. I wish he had said that soldiers had to with drawl, but only if they felt they were not placing their comrades into harms way. Paul Ryan felt that we should let the commanders on the ground make the call, and I agree with that, but I also would make sure that the lines between these commanders and their command was clear. At the risk of being accused of being a micro managing commander in chief I would test and see if my directives were making it through to the rank and file. <br />
<br />
I really want to believe the bipartisan rhetoric of the Romney Ryan ticket. Tonight I found Ryan more believable than Romney, so he won the debate. </div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-14622633131488809622012-10-04T22:37:00.000-04:002012-10-10T18:21:53.327-04:00I would vote for the president if... #debate #Romney or #Obama<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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On October 4th. in 1945 President Harry Truman ordered the Navy to seize the oil refineries where 43,000 workers were on strike. This action was heroic because the workers were unionized, and traditionally organized labor has backed the democratic party. In essence he was throwing members of his own party under the bus. Truman did this because he was protecting the country. He weighed his options and decided that the partisan benefits of giving in to the union was nothing compared to the threat on our national security from an oil shortage. Last night president Obama said that, "the first role of the American government is to keep its people safe."<br />
<u><br /></u>
<u>Mr. President, I would suggest that our people are economically unsafe</u>. Our deficit and accumulating debt threaten to lower our standard of living and divert resources away from vital services. Mitt Romney would say that we can not afford to cut defense spending. I would suggest that the economic war that we are currently fighting is more significant than any missiles currently aimed at our shores. The only thing currently holding up our standard of living is our currencies dependable reputation. When our currency becomes devalued from ongoing borrowing, then our standard of living and domestic tranquility will be jeopardized. <br />
<br />
Real leadership happens when a president decides to attack his own party in the interest of solving a problem which jeopardizes our security. There are examples of this on both sides of the isle. Teddy Roosevelt took on business interests when he purchased land for national parks. Both Truman and Roosevelt's' actions could have easily cost them a second term. If Harry Truman were debating Teddy Roosevelt on the deficit I would like to believe that both of them would give in to accomplish a greater good. In this age of partisan politics I hope that Romney and Obama can reach out across the isle and work together to solve this problem. It does not matter who won the debate last night. This debate was about competition. The real debate right now is with our Chinese competitors. They value cooperation over competition. If we are going to compete in this current economic war we had better learn to compete against their state capitalism with bipartisan cooperation. In this previous post I suggested further dividing the powers of the president over the issue of the deficit. <a href="http://electin2010.blogspot.com/2012/10/debatedi-vide-and-conquer-deficit.html" target="_blank">Click here</a> for this post. </div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-47425144336195171422012-10-03T19:47:00.001-04:002012-10-03T19:48:32.333-04:00#debate Divide and conquer the deficit & health care reform. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I like Romney’s entrepreneurial spirit. I do not like his
tendency to make every decision his discretion. </div>
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I like Obama’s commitment to the middle class. I do not like
his propensity to solve big problems with bureaucratic solutions. </div>
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Republicans empower people who value their individual
liberty. A personal liberty can neglect individuals that can not stand up for
them selves. </div>
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Democrats solve problems of inequality. They use central
planning to maximize resources, and also reap bureaucratic inefficiency. </div>
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Both parties have strengths and weaknesses. I am a Republican
because I value my individual liberty over equality. My value is based upon my
desire to please the God that I serve in all that I do. I know that everyone
does not share my faith. I feel that both parties have perspectives that must
be shared and considered when creating and implementing public policy. Equality
is one of the founding values of the Republican Party. Unfortunately,
Republicans have taken equality for granted. In some cases this is because of
their faith, and in other cases they choose selfishness. </div>
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<br /></div>
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The
Democrats have an advantage over the Republicans when it
comes to creating systems to save the middle class. Democrats are in a
better
position to create a system, and Republicans can better manage it. Many
of the liberal think tanks are filled with bright people with great
ideas. I read and listen to many of them. The two
parties must work together to solve these difficult problems. At this
point I
am sure I have alienated many of my friends who would call me a
wishy-washy
moderate. Democrats should create systems to save the middle class and
let
Republicans implement it. What is an example of a system that needs to
be created?</div>
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<br /></div>
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Medicare
is the #1 entitlement problem in our country.
Senior citizens are the fastest growing, and arguably the most easily
exploited
group in our country. We need to use the $700 billion saved from
Medicare Advantage,
and plug it back into the system. We need to let the Republicans manage
that
money and implement its execution. I understand that this kind of
scenario
would turn American politics on its head. But, if this means that we
have increased
domestic tranquility, then everyone would be for it. When people in
other
countries jealously look at our country what is it that makes them
jealous? Is
it liberty, equality, or even freedom that they long for? I have
traveled
around the world, and I do not think so. I think they want our standard
of
living. They want cell phones that talk to them and automobiles that do
not use
gasoline. They see the large number of people who have access to these
conveniences, and want them as well. I worry that it won't be long that I
will be longing to be in another country because they have what I want.
</div>
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So today I am advocating for changes in our government. The
values of our two party systems are too good to not have them in play at the
same time. I have a dream of a shared and collaborative government. I am
proposing that the Democratic Party run the legislative branch of our
government and the Republicans execute it. I sit and write this as I watch the
speeches of the Republican National Convention. The speeches are inspiring, and
it is easy to get caught up in the emotion of the moment. I know however, that
in another couple of weeks I will be equally swept up by the speeches of the
Democratic Convention. I like big ideas with conservative execution. We need
the power of both parties to solve the problems of our deficit. I had high
hopes for the Simpson Bowles commission. I followed their progress, and as a
grandfather myself I embraced their love for their grandchildren. I was
crest-fallen when our legislature and the president could not come to an
agreement to solve our deficit. I have lost confidence in my government, and I
believe that we must try something new to grease the polarization and unite
bipartisan solutions through the introduction of different political
structures. My wife tells me that I am spitting in the wind. I love my country,
and I am grateful for the life it has provided me. I can talk freely about the
things that I truly care about without the fear of reprisal. I feel a mounting dissatisfaction
with our government, and its lack of action. I am ready for drastic measures of
self correction. My hope and prayer is for a radical moderate force of citizens
who will have the courage to execute a moderate idea of realistic compromise. </div>
</div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-80585605390593269002012-09-14T20:54:00.000-04:002012-09-15T16:04:24.055-04:00Innocence of Muslims<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyKcJtFtK8OWnyS3OimyjZZ8a8MbHOiJWO00wR7twj7ODha9OUHqkaSVJvmnljD8xfs8cekUXAEMWnBY0kO7V-gv7dxIbXfH7yBPw8IGjoWMu3laWQiRQhSBG5IznS00nYR9-FjDw6pQ/s1600/culture+clash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigyKcJtFtK8OWnyS3OimyjZZ8a8MbHOiJWO00wR7twj7ODha9OUHqkaSVJvmnljD8xfs8cekUXAEMWnBY0kO7V-gv7dxIbXfH7yBPw8IGjoWMu3laWQiRQhSBG5IznS00nYR9-FjDw6pQ/s320/culture+clash.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Are the attacks in Egypt a culture clash?</div>
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This week there have been terrible attacks on our embassy in
Cairo and a consulate in Libya. These
attacks were brutal and riotous. Have you ever been a part of riot? When riots
happen they start from protests about injustice or conflicting virtue. It
starts from some catalyst. In Benghazi
it was a gunshot. When I was in Quebec
this year a simple protest could have turned into a riot when one of the
protesters rushed at the police line, and one of my students waiting in a
doorway shouted an insult at the crowd. Fortunately this did not happen. But
the diplomats in Benghazi
were not as lucky. If both parties took a closer look at the elements of the
conflict that created the protest there is always hope that the protest will
stop escalating and settle into diversion. </div>
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In order for this to happen both sides must have a good
understanding of each others point of view. In the case of the student protest
in Quebec the
conflict was about college tuition hikes and a voice in government. Which was
more important to the students? When the Parliament ruled their strike illegal
things heated up very significantly, and my students and I got out of
town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think one of the things
diplomats need to know is when to leave town. More importantly both parties
must strive to have a better understanding of what is at the root of the
conflict. In the case of the Anti-Muslim video that caused so much offense some
helpful questions could settle an injustice by pointing out the conflicting virtues.
When I was Egypt
in 2007 I had the privilege of visiting a private school. While we were there I
took the time to draw out one of the social studies teachers on their
curriculum. He was very upset when he showed me copies of the new text books he
was required to use by the government. They were history books. They started
with the pyramids and then quickly fast forwarded to Nasser.
He looked at me with tears in his eyes and told me he can no longer teach about
the enlightenment. I would argue that if students do not have the opportunity
to study the enlightenment then they will never understand the western mind. He
seemed to agree with me. At least in Egypt I noticed there were
significant differences by what was meant by freedom of speech inside and outside
of the country. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While I was in Egypt I also had the opportunity to
meet with a Coptic Christian women who was desperate to leave the country. At
one time the Christians in Egypt
were treated very favorably, and held key positions of power. The status of the
Coptic Christians in Egypt
was deteriorating with each passing year. This was still when Hosni Mubarak was
still in power. With the Arab Spring I am sure that their position is even less
favorable. Remembering what you used to have, and resenting it being taken from
you has a way of turning into revenge. Perhaps there was enough revenge that in
the ideals of the Coptics the offensive video was justified. America saw the
creation of the video as an expression of freedom of speech. The Muslim world
saw the video as a direct attack on their God. Since God gives us eternal life,
then any action even death is justified to correct this injustice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the eyes of the Coptic Christians it could
be revenge. Since they used to have power, and now no longer do, then have been
persecuted and would like lash out to inflict pain on the people who have
offended them. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Is this a culture clash? I think it is more of about special interests protecting their interests. This conflict was not about freedom
of speech. It was about misunderstanding speech. What are the elements common
to all parties? They are all offended. America is offended because they
have been unfairly attacked with causalities. Islam is offended because their
prophet was attacked and their God blasphemed. The Coptic Christians are
seeking revenge for being demoted from the Egyptian upper class. America must
attempt to walk in the shoes of those in the Arab world. We understand revenge. We
understand disrespect and offense. We even have a limited understanding of what
blasphemy is. The temptation to react instead of respond further escalates the
conflict. Instead of a culture clash we should try to respond to the core of
the conflict. To the Arab people we must respond to the perceived blasphemy by
demonstrating our desire to protect religious expression. One way to do this is
to take action to restrict our own media. Because our country believes in
freedom of expression we can not go after the people behind the video. Instead
we can show how we regulate expression by showing the Arab people how we
prohibit this expression in certain settings. We should do everything in our
power to create a timeline without offense to reduce the possibility of more
violence. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the end game the Arab people must understand our value
system as we attempt to understand theirs. We must take the initiative to
demonstrate this by regulating our self expression and then reach out to
explain our value system to the blind spots in Arab understanding. We can do
this the same way that they were offended by sending them videos in Arabic that
explain our desire to protect religious expression guaranteed in the first
amendment of our constitution. The root of the conflict is misunderstanding. We
must strive to be understood. </div>
</div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-59102874582865956602012-09-08T22:35:00.002-04:002012-09-11T20:43:08.139-04:00Public Employee Labor Unions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span class="comment-body" data-li-comment-text="I have never understood public employee labor unions. "The primary reason public employee unions are a bad idea is because politicians pay them off with our money. These unions receive billions from taxpayers, who in return contribute millions to the politicians who gave them those billions." Scott Walker. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/02/28/public_unions_a_bad_deal_for_the_public_109052.html
I was a freshman student at Bethel Park High school in 1970. Many students chose not to attend school when our teachers threatened to strike. Even when I was 15 years old I knew it was wrong, and I went to school that day.">
<span class="text">
I have never understood public employee labor unions. "The primary
reason public employee unions are a bad idea is because politicians pay
them off with our money. These unions receive billions from taxpayers,
who in return contribute millions to the politicians who gave them those
billions." Scott Walker. <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/redirect?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Erealclearpolitics%2Ecom%2Farticles%2F2011%2F02%2F28%2Fpublic_unions_a_bad_deal_for_the_public_109052%2Ehtml&urlhash=JI6R&_t=tracking_disc" rel="nofollow" target="blank">http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/02/28/public_unions_a_bad_deal_for_the_public_109052.html</a><br />
<br />
I was a freshman student at Bethel Park High school in 1970. Many
students chose not to attend school when our teachers threatened to
strike. Even when I was 15 years old I knew it was wrong, and I went to
school that day. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="comment-body" data-li-comment-text="I have never understood public employee labor unions. "The primary reason public employee unions are a bad idea is because politicians pay them off with our money. These unions receive billions from taxpayers, who in return contribute millions to the politicians who gave them those billions." Scott Walker. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/02/28/public_unions_a_bad_deal_for_the_public_109052.html
I was a freshman student at Bethel Park High school in 1970. Many students chose not to attend school when our teachers threatened to strike. Even when I was 15 years old I knew it was wrong, and I went to school that day."><span class="text">Now we are in the middle of a Chicago teachers strike against democratic mayor Rahm Emanuel. For those of you who do not know. Rahm is the former chief of staff for the Obama administration. The Romney-Ryan ticket just backed Rahm's hard line position against the union that brought on this strike. I can not imagine that I am the only one who does not see the obvious conflict of interests. If Rahm caves in this will be a victory for bureaucracy over the education of our children. I hope Rahm sticks to his ideals and stays the course. I hope that he is not union president of the Illinois state teacher association next year. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="comment-body" data-li-comment-text="I have never understood public employee labor unions. "The primary reason public employee unions are a bad idea is because politicians pay them off with our money. These unions receive billions from taxpayers, who in return contribute millions to the politicians who gave them those billions." Scott Walker. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/02/28/public_unions_a_bad_deal_for_the_public_109052.html
I was a freshman student at Bethel Park High school in 1970. Many students chose not to attend school when our teachers threatened to strike. Even when I was 15 years old I knew it was wrong, and I went to school that day."><span class="text">When I began my teaching career in 2004 I remember clearly brushing against this conflict in the Philadelphia school district. I was watching some video footage of a former strike, and I was very surprised to see my principal at the front of the picket line with a sign that said the administration was unfair to her. When there is no difference between labor and management the protests against management no longer seem credible. Instead of fighting against injustice they are really fighting to protect their turf. This is the essence of what is wrong with government. It is these kinds of forces that cause bureaucracy and inefficiency in government. These teachers would say that they want to improve education. I think they are more interested in protecting their wages and working conditions over student needs in the district. Public employees need to go back to the days of being public servants. Before their were labor unions in government there was a stronger desire among government employees to work for the good of their country. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span class="comment-body" data-li-comment-text="I have never understood public employee labor unions. "The primary reason public employee unions are a bad idea is because politicians pay them off with our money. These unions receive billions from taxpayers, who in return contribute millions to the politicians who gave them those billions." Scott Walker. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/02/28/public_unions_a_bad_deal_for_the_public_109052.html
I was a freshman student at Bethel Park High school in 1970. Many students chose not to attend school when our teachers threatened to strike. Even when I was 15 years old I knew it was wrong, and I went to school that day."><span class="text">I respect a union employee who wants to stick it to the man. However, I find it silly to do this when that man is me. </span>
</span></div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-78962649699224568512012-08-30T22:16:00.000-04:002012-08-30T22:16:38.083-04:00GOP/ Democratic Convention<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxIKGUt-f8h01tz5ARx6i0AoOIvxaHSB30-x7yfNYgCJc_vo23Ay53o_AhP7U2tGoTMUtw3-Fm7honQe119S_0gIbk015A43w8wy6tLoqz198SVYTarEyHN1iHSmb9nVpdKOaxClOkwQ/s1600/conventions.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGxIKGUt-f8h01tz5ARx6i0AoOIvxaHSB30-x7yfNYgCJc_vo23Ay53o_AhP7U2tGoTMUtw3-Fm7honQe119S_0gIbk015A43w8wy6tLoqz198SVYTarEyHN1iHSmb9nVpdKOaxClOkwQ/s320/conventions.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I like Romney’s entrepreneurial spirit. I do not like his
tendency to make every decision his discretion. </div>
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I like Obama’s commitment to the middle class. I do not like
his propensity to solve big problems with bureaucratic solutions. </div>
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Republicans empower people who value their individual
liberty. A personal liberty can neglect individuals that can not stand up for
them selves. </div>
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Democrats solve problems of inequality. They use central
planning to maximize resources, and also reap bureaucratic inefficiency. </div>
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Both parties have strengths and weaknesses. I am a Republican
because I value my individual liberty over equality. My value is based upon my
desire to please the God that I serve in all that I do. I know that everyone
does not share my faith. I feel that both parties have perspectives that must
be shared and considered when creating and implementing public policy. Equality
is one of the founding values of the Republican Party. Unfortunately,
Republicans have taken equality for granted. In some cases this is because of
their faith, and in other cases they choose selfishness. </div>
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The Democrats have an advantage over the Republicans when it
comes to creating systems to save the middle class. Democrats are in a better
position to create a system, and Republicans can better manage it. Many of the liberal think tanks are filled with bright people with great ideas. I read and listen to many of them. The two
parties must work together to solve these difficult problems. At this point I
am sure I have alienated many of my friends who would call me a wishy-washy
moderate. Democrats should create systems to save the middle class and let
Republicans implement it. What is an example of a system that needs to be created?</div>
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Medicare is the #1 entitlement problem in our country.
Senior citizens are the fastest growing, and arguably the most easily exploited
group in our country. We need to use the $700 billion saved from Medicare Advantage,
and plug it back into the system. We need to let the Republicans manage that
money and implement its execution. I understand that this kind of scenario
would turn American politics on its head. But, if this means that we have increased
domestic tranquility, then everyone would be for it. When people in other
countries jealously look at our country what is it that makes them jealous? Is
it liberty, equality, or even freedom that they long for? I have traveled
around the world, and I do not think so. I think they want our standard of
living. They want cell phones that talk to them and automobiles that do not use
gasoline. They see the large number of people who have access to these
conveniences, and want them as well. I worry that it won't be long that I will be longing to be in another country because they have what I want. </div>
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So today I am advocating for changes in our government. The
values of our two party systems are too good to not have them in play at the
same time. I have a dream of a shared and collaborative government. I am
proposing that the Democratic Party run the legislative branch of our
government and the Republicans execute it. I sit and write this as I watch the
speeches of the Republican National Convention. The speeches are inspiring, and
it is easy to get caught up in the emotion of the moment. I know however, that
in another couple of weeks I will be equally swept up by the speeches of the
Democratic Convention. I like big ideas with conservative execution. We need
the power of both parties to solve the problems of our deficit. I had high
hopes for the Simpson Bowles commission. I followed their progress, and as a
grandfather myself I embraced their love for their grandchildren. I was
crest-fallen when our legislature and the president could not come to an
agreement to solve our deficit. I have lost confidence in my government, and I
believe that we must try something new to grease the polarization and unite
bipartisan solutions through the introduction of different political
structures. My wife tells me that I am spitting in the wind. I love my country,
and I am grateful for the life it has provided me. I can talk freely about the
things that I truly care about without the fear of reprisal. I feel a mounting dissatisfaction
with our government, and its lack of action. I am ready for drastic measures of
self correction. My hope and prayer is for a radical moderate force of citizens
who will have the courage to execute a moderate idea of realistic compromise. </div>
</div>
pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-34568107010507231072012-07-28T11:49:00.002-04:002012-07-28T11:49:18.755-04:00My Political Spectrum<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /></div><h3>My Political Spectrum</h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAwf7OmtGQFbvkwbFW_g7IWyAhomlSOFTh1-WjGEH4y1WHZpTTLGvJd2XL0Np-U_bXZL5isXMQC7Nymo-wKP4WeMTHYo6vnrO7QdC85PWJqLeHXL9a1GBp8pzAIVvjwHCtW1tbHQUIns/s1600-h/political+spectrum.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivAwf7OmtGQFbvkwbFW_g7IWyAhomlSOFTh1-WjGEH4y1WHZpTTLGvJd2XL0Np-U_bXZL5isXMQC7Nymo-wKP4WeMTHYo6vnrO7QdC85PWJqLeHXL9a1GBp8pzAIVvjwHCtW1tbHQUIns/s320/political+spectrum.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-19810184552664183932012-07-03T12:14:00.001-04:002012-07-03T12:16:36.882-04:00Top 10 Corporate Political Contributors via WSJ<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xm8dUo7RZIhi-nnOgb8VtLYJTV5uQ9-9j0KmLZrFIMtM1XeLBnpQlLX7f6dmftj33QnNocBvmZ3i-SUozLB4U5vHyW7hdzhu2PbbUeqKVK8q2n369f9WiR8Csyiwom96TCbFOUiYojo/s1600/Top+10+Corp.+Political+contributors+via+WSJ.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xm8dUo7RZIhi-nnOgb8VtLYJTV5uQ9-9j0KmLZrFIMtM1XeLBnpQlLX7f6dmftj33QnNocBvmZ3i-SUozLB4U5vHyW7hdzhu2PbbUeqKVK8q2n369f9WiR8Csyiwom96TCbFOUiYojo/s320/Top+10+Corp.+Political+contributors+via+WSJ.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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I am fascinated that there is not one health care or insurance company on the list in light of the Obama Health Mandate going into effect this year. It is also interesting to note that when you purchase these kind of services you are also contributing to one party or another. Last night I went to a Dreamworks movie, and did not realize that I was contributing to the Democratic Party. Finally, Gambling is the #1 corporate contributor to the political process. This makes me a bit ashamed of the republican party. :(<br />
</div>pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-537099685080693442012-02-16T23:16:00.000-05:002012-06-29T14:52:56.957-04:00Right or Privilege (How to fix bureaucracy)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWH067Kng7DkOWdMU02ZkHFfXCnxafLLSVf6bKp9h3u37UACP_GMJGMaola3rlUkRoPEza93vyfnWx5G5uigrbNKJFOtsbDKmKONx1Uy4XFhHI7dlOqUrmTS3DZr4kV7Aegfjsec_-Pck/s1600/Right+or+privilege.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWH067Kng7DkOWdMU02ZkHFfXCnxafLLSVf6bKp9h3u37UACP_GMJGMaola3rlUkRoPEza93vyfnWx5G5uigrbNKJFOtsbDKmKONx1Uy4XFhHI7dlOqUrmTS3DZr4kV7Aegfjsec_-Pck/s320/Right+or+privilege.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw7TyLfIRNI4U1bHL19IweRr9I_EPXLaUdLuP5Y0LyOPVVKln-YEHamRncPmpgbR4QSTk4gwOzkPgrFnzjHCDUVooAZOIE7TPaynfUPhbB7VKaoMfef42b7NotQFkPVQF5segXkn_3TgU/s1600/Right+or+privilege.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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This is a post that started under the heading, “We have met the enemy and he is us”. A good friend once told me, good can be the enemy of the best. This describes bureaucracy well. Bureaucracy is insidious. The initial purpose of creating an institution is to solve a social problem. The group affected by this problem is growing and a systemic solution is called for. With the creation of this system every thing can start off well. That is the problem. Competent managers can work organizations so efficiently that they need fewer resources. As resources grow they expand aggressively to meet the demand of the problem. However, problems are meant to be solved. The organization adapts and meets the need sometimes very fast, and sometimes more slowly. The end result is the same. The organization has become disconnected from its function. It naturally searches out other reasons, and quickly arrives at protecting the organization itself. An ill conceived problem like sickness or ignorance is never totally eradicated. When a problem grows the feeling of entitlement can increase. The irony of bureaucracy is that systems are set up to organize a solution, but they can end up perpetuating it. </div>
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The biggest difference between right and privilege is the motivation behind it. A right gives us a sense of entitlement, and therefore a lack of a need to please. A privilege is earned and can be taken away at any point. The fear of loss is at the root of privilege. Fear can be a very motivating, and emotion is an essential part of communication. When people feel that they deserve something they do not attempt to please. The process of communication becomes lazy, and people turn to anger instead of pleasure. Anger can cause communication breakdown. To bureaucrats the sustainability of the system is more important than anything else. They will use the negative emotion of entitlement to sustain their system. When the service they provide is a right, then they are more concerned with pleasing their employees. Privilege is different. Privilege motivates a bureaucrat to increase efficiency for the consumers of their service. These emotional forces can do more than effect a bureaucrat’s organization. They can undermine the very reason these institutions were created. </div>
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Of course when problems become embedded in our society we turn these organizations into institutions. The Army protecting our defense, and the police, protecting our safety are examples of this. These institutions will never be replaced because the problems are so overwhelming. In the case of the army, we will never lose our fear of strangers. When we consider the police we will always recognize people like to be selfish and not share with others. Roadways are important because the weather is ever changing, and it is monstrous problem to keep up with. When we simplify these problems, and put them on the same level as problems with a beginning and an end, then we plant the seeds of bureaucracy. </div>
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The fix for bureaucracy comes down to the basic forces driving the process. The forces seem to be caught up in the answer to this question. Is the systemic solution to a social problem a right or a privilege? If we say it is a right this creates a strong breeding ground for bureaucracy. If we say it is a privilege, then society can be accused of being cold or harsh. I think there are very few things that we can consider a right. We have a right to life. Having a right to life needs to be balanced with the inevitability of death, since we are all destined to die. Some would say that health care is included in this right. If the right to life is also balanced with the inevitability of death, then choices must be peppered into to the process of determining quality of life. Hospice is an example of this. Comfort over cure can be an excellent emotional choice over fighting a fight that can not be won. Who is determining this choice is at the heart of the health care argument. My opinion is that it should be determined by those who are closest to the problem. </div>
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The Constitution also tells us we have a right to liberty. Is liberty a right? Libertarians would agree wholeheartedly. The only problem with this is that it must be balanced against the Declaration of Independence. In this document equality not liberty is the featured value. When I last visited the National Archives in Washington, DC I noticed that both documents were equally revered in the vault where they were stored. The movie, National Treasure, and its popularity would validate the values of The Declaration in our national experience. Both political parties have embraced these values. Mitt Romney likes to call himself a “Log Cabin Republican”. A log cabin republican is a conservative who embraces the egalitarian values of Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln as the founder of the modern Republican Party. This is a value embraced by the both parties. Liberty must be balanced with equality to produce the value that Americans call freedom. Freedom is a privilege that is earned by balancing these values in a way that enhances domestic tranquility. </div>
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How do we stop this cycle from repeating? How do we reverse the process? Some have suggested injecting competition into the organization. Some have suggested term limits. Term limits can jolt us with fear, but upsetting the apple cart will also result in wasted apples. Competition can motivate us though an opportunity to gain, but when the competition is targeted incorrectly, then the target can be easily missed. An example of this is high stakes testing producing poorly educated students. The profit motive or the opportunity to gain is a target that is hard to hit in education. With every right there comes privilege. Rights must be balanced with privilege to give meaning to institutions. Institutions must become flexible and adaptable to change. When new technology is developed organizations must change to accommodate greater efficiency. The rights associated with a systemic solution must never lose a sense of privilege that a need is being met. </div>
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It does not matter if an institution is set up by the Republican or The Democratic Party. In either case bureaucracy is a problem that undermines the very purpose of government. The common good must be protected by balancing right and privilege, just as our freedoms are protected by balancing liberty with equality. </div>
</div>pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-62722820656902000082012-01-24T23:24:00.000-05:002012-01-24T23:24:49.545-05:00State of the Union and Compulsory Education<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://locker.palcs.org/%7Epparris/newspost/learn.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="252" src="http://locker.palcs.org/%7Epparris/newspost/learn.gif" width="320" /></a></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">I watched the president’s state of the union speech tonight. Overall it was a good speech. I disagree with him about a comment he made about education. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>What would happen if the compulsory education age was raised to 18 years of age?</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> In the inner city today every teacher knows the secret that most bad students in the urban areas of our country drop out. They do not want to be in school, and the teachers do not want them there either. They disrupt learning, and seasoned high school teachers long to get posts above the 10<sup>th</sup> grade. By then most of the trouble makers drop out of school. Teachers who hang in there are rewarded with students who want to learn. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Compulsory education is not the answer to our education crisis. Students are not motivated by forcing them to stay in school when they do not want to be there. The father of American education, John Dewey, would say this is a bad policy. Students are motivated by connecting meaning with learning in the classroom. Teachers who are good at doing that should be rewarded. However, if the system is set up with accountability measures that stifle creativity, then good teachers must operate under cover to introduce innovation and real world problem solving into the classroom. Good teachers are no longer the sage on the stage. They need to be a guide on the side. Teachers across the nation are learning to coach and mentor student directed learning. This is difficult to do. It is much easier to take out a work sheet, and keep the pencils moving and the students mouths shut. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The lesson of education from Finland is a simple one. If you want to fix the education system, then honor the profession of education. Pay teachers well. This will accomplish two purposes. Student will aspire to be teachers. The teaching profession will then attract the best and the brightest. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Compulsory education has never been the answer. School choice has proven that. School choice is injecting systemic meaning into the educational system. Home schooling brought education back into the home where our values can be better connected to our values. Neither of these strategies depends upon compulsory education. More of this systemic change is needed. Solving the educational crisis in our country has never been to teach to the test with high stakes testing. This strategy just places a lid on achievement. In attempting to raise the bottom we cap the top. Teachers know that every student can contribute in a classroom that emphasizes teamwork in problem solving. These creative teaching opportunities do not happen where lesson plans are dictated by the results of high stakes tests. The negative reinforcement measure of compulsory education stirs rebellion instead of embracing meaning in education. <span> </span></div></div>pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-16064303505169288572012-01-16T21:22:00.000-05:002012-01-16T21:22:37.316-05:00Anybody but Ron Paul<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PmaXhCyR2_fJdRVf68v5hX7FXzeS0WF6_BsFcxSlhxKQ63V9B2emctlQc_Hkq8DXjhx8Ng9ob2sn7mherl9dJf3IkPOfSQncVYg4jxAaBnE8Df8PAymJ3saxOgu5RH2ygn6SY7hfG1E/s1600/pee-wee-herman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PmaXhCyR2_fJdRVf68v5hX7FXzeS0WF6_BsFcxSlhxKQ63V9B2emctlQc_Hkq8DXjhx8Ng9ob2sn7mherl9dJf3IkPOfSQncVYg4jxAaBnE8Df8PAymJ3saxOgu5RH2ygn6SY7hfG1E/s320/pee-wee-herman.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Jon Huntsman announced his withdrawal from the Republican race for the presidential nomination today. He was the one candidate that I could get excited about. I like Jon Huntsman for the following reasons...<br />
<ul style="text-align: left;"><li>He was not flashy. I think that a candidate that has less charisma will tend to be more systematic about problem solving on behalf of our country. He will work on meaningful things that are boring, but make a large impact on our lives. Huntsman prioritizing of simplifying the tax code is a good example of this. </li>
<li>Huntsman was the son of a manufacturer. I believe that one of the best ways to get our economy back is to focus on manufacturing again. Manufacturing is positioned to make a huge come back in the United States with the advancement of robotics. We must have a leader who is forward thinking enough to see this and make room for this change. </li>
<li>Huntsman was a member of the Obama administration. This shows that he could he could put partisan bickering aside to get the business of America done. He was a moderate who adapted to change, instead of extreme ideological views that alienate middle America from both sides of the process. </li>
<li>Huntsman was familiar with our main competitor in bringing back manufacturing to the US. He was the ambassador to China. The strategy to "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" <span class="st">by Sun-tzu, a Chinese general & military strategist (~400 BC)</span>, is great advice for our relationship with China. </li>
<li>Huntsman's strategy to keep banks from getting too big to fail is excellent. The banks are the most likely capitalists to expand our economy into the world bank. These are dangerous and unexplored waters. The European Union fortunately, went out ahead of us, and is suffering the consequences. </li>
<li>The shrinking middle class is a bi-product of this global monopolization of markets. <br />
Just as our country was able to regulate capitalism in the past. I have faith that the right leader can regulate greed in such a way that incentive is maximized, and the wealth is spread around. </li>
<li>The moral issues of our day is the last reason on this list. It is not last because it is least important. It is last because this point forms the springboard for the rest of this post. Problems like abortion, and the flip side Euthanasia, marriage and cohabitation, runaway government spending and Keynesian economics are threatening to un-glue our institutions. When we redefine institutions too rapidly this short term selfishness can un-moor our vales in ways that wreck many peoples lives. </li>
</ul>I am alarmed at the growth of libertarian ideology in our country. The philosophy of Ayan Rand is one that is both selfish and short sighted. There have always been people who would jump at ideas like get rid of the IRS, and to interpret Social Darwinism as the guiding principal of our country. <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style>
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</style> <![endif]--><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;">It is bait that will cause many of us to squirm in the long term. It is what Joaquin Posada likes to call Marshmallow thinking. People who jump at short term gains do not wait for the long term benefits. They fall subject to fickle market pressures.</span> The market does not always make sense. To base our governing principals on the fickle nature of the stock market is like eating your desert before your dinner. There may be a momentary satisfaction, but in the end the result is a stomach ache. Over a prolonged period of time this behavior could even lead to more serious stomach bypass surgery. <br />
<br />
Ron Paul is the candidate who best defines this ideology. Dr. Paul's prescription of libertarian ideology may provide short term benefits to the younger population of our country for a short time. However, like most medicine what makes it effective is that it is a poison. The poison of libertarian philosophy will kill our babies and seniors, inebriate our youth, and make us irresponsible citizens who will not come to the aid of our neighbor. Is the priority of getting our fiscal house in order worth all the baggage that is likely to accompany it?<br />
<br />
I think that it is possible to act fiscally responsible within our current democracy. We must back common sense bipartisan approaches like Simpson Bowles. We must choose to cut our deficit and welcome the Austrian school of economics. John Maynard Keynes has seen his day. It is time for the pendulum to swing back toward fiscal conservation. Libertarian philosophy is not the answer. It opens up far too many questions in the long term that none of us would find acceptable. </div>pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6882132280341600099.post-10757538243476017062011-12-30T14:01:00.000-05:002011-12-30T14:01:01.044-05:00My prediction of the Republican nomination for 2012<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if !mso]><img src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/video_object.png" style="background-color: #b2b2b2; " class="BLOGGER-object-element tr_noresize tr_placeholder" id="ieooui" data-original-id="ieooui" /> <style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"> If the candidates were players in a game of RISK, then it may go down like this. Bachman rolls a six and takes Iowa. She later takes Minnesota. Romney rolls a ten and takes New Hampshire. Gingerich rolls a ten, and takes South Carolina. Ron Paul rolls a four and drops out. Santorum rolls a six and takes Pennsylvania. In the end Michelle Bachman loses because she can not forge enough alliances, Ron Paul loses public support over his isolation policies; Romney is not likeable, Santorum extreme, Gingerich bombastic, only Huntsman remains as the last man standing. Perhaps the most moderate true conservative of the bunch. The similarities between this political season and global economic expansion are not perfect, but they are interesting. As a candidate attempts to isolate they are destined to fail. The most inclusive and expansive thinkers are the candidates that rise to the top. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My previous post was about how the world economy is like a giant game of RISK. In the paragraph above I have applied this analogy to the 2012 presidential nomination process. Please read the post, </div><h3 class="post-title entry-title">RISK, recovery, and the future of the nation state </h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> Happy New Year!</h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title">Pat </h3><h3 class="post-title entry-title"> </h3></div>pparris9http://www.blogger.com/profile/11829089025987234191noreply@blogger.com0