We have the best government that money can buy.   ~Mark Twain

Finishing where I left off… Government Shut Down? Not Completely

As I was typing this up last night, the news announced that there was a vote by Congress to reopen our government and raise the debt ceiling, signed by Obama.  I’m guessing they came to an agreement.  This, by no means is a long-term solution, I bet the politicians are playing their ever so perfected game of staling and refocusing our attention on other things, done with precision during voting season.  I’m still not sure why they took a voluntary break in August, knowing there were deadlines?  But I’ll continue on my initial train of thought from the other day.

Nicole hanging with our little man in our Nation’s Capital, Washington D.C. in front of the Washington Monument c. 2003

Recently, I read an article commenting on a Federal Prison in North Texas that had me flabbergasted.  The inmates, yes those individuals who have done wrong and have taken rights away from others, yes those not so moral humans are getting a paycheck, while the ones that serve and protect will not!  What?  Kidding me right?  Apparently, the Federal Reserve that pays those correctional officers, yes that trust fund is not affected by Washington D.C., therefore it is not an issue of public safety.  Seriously?  Yet, the president and all other members of our Congress, etc. are getting their pay.  And to do what?  Nothing?  They are not serving this country and they are most certainly not leading this country to a better future.  If I didn’t do my job, I would get fired!

Apparently, as of last night’s news announcement, government workers who were effected by the shut down, will now receive back pay.  Why didn’t they just get it in the first place, paid for by our very own politicians?  Someone’s way of proving a point!

Maybe I better stop reading and watching the news.  It only gets me fired up!  Unfortunately, so much is brought to my attention, from all kinds of sources that I can’t keep track.  I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, I’m just saying it makes it difficult to site my sources.  I suppose I’m not that concerned with it, because I could just Google the topics, but I’m not a reporter, nor am I an official on all things news, just a plain everyday chic with an exploding opinion.

Somewhere I saw or read a remark that rang true and made complete sense.  I truly don’t remember where I saw it, it wasn’t necessarily Fox News because I also take sneak peeks at other news channels to see what’s being said.  But the gist of the comment was to take money out of politics.  I agree!  Totally agree!  These politicians were voted by the common people to serve, to serve the common people and our country.  They have an obligation to make decisions on behalf of the general population, in the general population’s best interest.  They are to SERVE this country for the BETTERMENT of the country, not to run it into the ground and use it as a stage for personal power and gain.  We have a republic, not a dictatorship or a socialist country.  Again, the politicians are voted into office to make decisions on behalf of the general population for our betterment, NOT for self serving needs and interests.  NO!  Those in the government, all levels of government and decision making authorities, should make laws and choices to place the American people first and themselves second.  None of which I am seeing.  So maybe money needs to be taken out of the equation?  Not that I feel this is a cure all, because when you have humans who all have free will and are in a position of power and decision making, who’s voices and votes ultimately become law, there will always be error and selfishness and pride.  However, there is also a chance for self sacrifice and a moral compass pointing north, which I believe is out there, somewhere, being overshadowed.

Dad & Kyle in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. c.2003

I also thought we were a country of the first Amendment, Freedom of Religion.  I mean the Muslims get to do their march in Washington D.C. during the anniversary of September 11th, which is a slap in the face.  Then on an opposite note, Catholics are being harassed and judged in our very own military?

Yes, I just saw that on the news the other morning.  There is an increase of negative sentiment against Christianity, specifically Catholicism, to those who serve and protect this country.  Yes, the ones who are literally PROTECTING this country, those who are trained to put themselves in harms way when threatened, when our Commander-in-Chief, a.k.a. our president commands it, they have to deal with religious issues?  Kidding?  Nope!  It is reported, with true facts and figures that this problem has increased dramatically since Obama took power.  Surprising?  Not really.  I mean it’s also a fact that he has made anti-American comments and his actions seem to follow suit.  After all, everyone is following perfectly form from our leader.

I’m not saying only Catholics have been persecuted, but it was not highlighted and brought to center stage.  If it was any other religion or issue, it would have been blasted in the media.  Ultimately, let’s face it, all prejudice is wrong and no one wins.

This reminds me of a book I read years ago called AA–1025: Memoirs of the Communist Infiltration Into the Church.  It’s a very short read but such an eye opener.  It told the story of a man who wanted to take down the Catholic church.  What is the best way to do this?  Yep, you guessed it, from the inside out.  With relentless trying, he was finally accepted to train to be a priest, not just anyone who applies is permitted to become a man of the cloth, nor is everyone who is trained ends up being a priest.  Priesthood is not a career move, it is a calling, a calling from God, to serve God.  After several refusals, this man was accepted and completed the Sacrament of Priesthood.  He then planned to start to change the religion and was guided to do so from an anonymous source.  The goal was to modify the teachings, the practices, the morals to shake the foundation of the church.  This mission was to be done so subtly at first, to create an almost snowball effect to eventually make huge changes within the church and its teachings.  After all, if you are off by an inch at the beginning when building your foundation, when it’s completed you will be off by feet.  Then, it doesn’t line up making for a weak foundation.  How do we know all this?  His letters and diary were found by a nurse upon his death.  It wasn’t just one man, it was a communist organization of many, he was number 1025!  So if this can happen and in deed did so, I would guess that’s the best course to action when taking down such a great nation as ours.  I mean Hitler did it, he easily brainwashed not only the Germans but also the Jews.  He had the Jews wear the Star of David to show their pride, until he used this symbol to gather them up for his own agenda.  I’m not pointing fingers and the devil can show himself in many forms anywhere, but people need to open their eyes to reality.  Help what’s right and not encourage wrong.

When it comes down to it, the government shut down is not just that, it is a much bigger problem.  Until that is fixed and we build up a strong foundation again, we will never be a stable country, a stable people.  Truly, first I believe it starts with us, everyone, all individuals, the family.  A strong family can not be shaken.  If there were strong families lead by good solid morals, than more respectful decisions would be made on everyone’s behalf.  A little idealistic?  Maybe, but can certainly be done, and done easily.

I call on people to be ‘obsessed citizens,’ forever questions and asking for accountability.  That’s the only chance we have today to a healthy and happy life.  ~Ai Weiwei

Kyle likes being held accountable for his actions, & in turn he is fine holding others accountable for their actions too! He’s going to make a great leader!

Life brings up lessons, some larger than others,  But sometimes do we need that lesson?  I mean, to me they are just common sense.  Do we really have to teach adults accountability?  Maybe I’ve lived in a hole my entire life and this has been going on since time began, but it seems like an easy fix.  I’m talking about accountability.

You know that’s one lesson I don’t ever remember my parents having to teach us.  Probably because they taught by example.  Everyone messes up in life, in one form or another, no one is perfect.  But how you handle your mistakes says a lot about a person and their character.  Also those who are directly or indirectly involved and how they handle the situation, says a lot too.  Whether they are quick to assist and find a solution, and more importantly to forgive.

Anytime we’ve messed up, as kids and adults over the years, and there was a lot, we held ourselves accountable for our mishaps.  Each of us took full responsibility for our actions and never tried to lie about anything or get out of it.  On the flip side, my parents accepted our faults, forgave us and tried to assist us in any way.  They would never rub our noses in our mistakes and hold it again us.  Seriously, sometimes it was never spoken of again, or, if the time was right they teased a little, but never lost faith in us that we couldn’t make the right decisions.  There was trust, and that was never questioned.  We might have gotten into stupid trouble, mostly me and Ryan, but it was never malicious, never disrespectful to anyone or their property, and we never tried to put another in harms way.  We were just kids.  Kids who always held themselves accountable without question.

Now as an adult, I still screw up, but again I take full responsibility for my actions and always try to make right, like most people.  Yes, I believe the majority of the population in the world strive to do good, even though sometimes they are a bit misguided in their thinking, and yes, they something don’t choose the best course of action.  Those that are opposite are smaller in number, and again I think the underlying intent is for good.

So my question is, how do you show accountability when there is so much unaccountability displayed with our leaders?  How do I explain that to Kyle?  Heck, I never knew how to explain that to my employees regarding leaders in my own work life.  It’s true, a boss who refused to be held accountable for anything and chose to finger point for his own business.  Similar to our president?  I’ll get to that in a minute.  And you have prominent positions?  With power and authority?  And you don’t feel you need to be held accountable?  Come on people, you are setting the example for our youth!  Your actions effect us all!

The entire IRS scandal still has me in a huff.  I’m sure targeting certain groups is not a new concept (they targeted conservative groups or those businesses who supported the republican party).  That’s not right either, but their actions with our tax dollars is outrageous, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on dance lessons, travel expenses, and who knows what else.  We’re talking about employees who were living high on the hog from the start with their huge salaries and Washington perks.  Seriously, I think it should be paid back to the people, because after all, it was basically theft.  Now, it seems like there is just a bunch of finger pointing.  No one wants to be held accountable, usually making the low man on the pole the scape goat.  Stand up and be a man!  Everyone who does, will feel better in the long run.

Now I heard the IRS, the very same department of the United States of America, who have been proven to abuse their authority and basically steel money from tax payers, are now in charge to say what Medicare pays!  We are putting a bunch of number crunching thieves in charge of our health?  This has got to stop!

Of course, I guess I shouldn’t expect anything different when we have Hillary Clinton who was the Untied States Secretary of State, who would not even take accountability for her lack of action.  At least at present, Hillary was never held accountable for the attacks in Benghazi, the second deadly attack on U.S. diplomatic facility during the Obama administration.  When questioned, she became hot headed and still would never claim any accountability.  It was almost embarrassing watching her sit there and skirt around the subject at hand when questioned.  The facts remain that there were a list of some 234 security incidents in Libya, of which 50 took place in Benghazi.  These incidents including hijacking, bombing, kidnapping and assassination attempts took place between June 2011 and July 2012.  Sounds like a security issue to me.  But Hillary probably didn’t have time to actually do her job and dismissed the warning signs.  She should have absolutely, without question, been held accountable immediately for her inaction.  Yet, did president Obama step up to hold her accountable?  Nope!  Yet he’ll step in and use the government to overrule a hearing involving the Trayvon Martin – George Zimmerman case, when he has absolutely no right.  That is a direct abuse of power!  What about all those innocent people who died overseas?  Some are there under his orders, protecting the United States and its people.  We’re talking about death, not just money, but death because of a lack of accountability.  Sounds like a jail sentence to me!

According to Merriam-Webster: