Yesterday (Friday) I had the distinct pleasure to share the concept of liberty with 250 students at Westerville Central High School. Thanks to Mr. Brent Morrison for the invitation to discuss the founding, the framing and the devastating results that we are experiencing because we strayed from our constitutional principles. I may be too optimistic, but I believe the message that government is too big and too costly resonated with a majority of those who attended. I emphasized that our massive national debt would have to be repaid by THEM because they have 50 years of work ahead of them. Following my questions about how many of them had jobs, a smattering raised their hands. We established that their rate of pay was around $8.00 per hour each, and I asked them how many would be willing to do the same job for the same number of hours for $4.00 per hour? None of them liked that idea. I went further to explain that 43 cents out of every federal dollar that is spent ….is borrowed so the debt continues to grow above the $15 trillion figure. For them to return some fiscal sanity and preserve their economic futures we must stop borrowing and begin to pay back the debt. The high level of taxes needed to accomplish that in a country that restrains economic growth through laws, rules and regs would probably require them to pay 50% or more of their income in federal taxes…..so they may be working for that $4.00 figure (or a relative number) after all. They understood.
Election Day is Tuesday. Last week (Littlestuff Weekender-10-29-2011) I gave you my positions on the statewide issues. They haven’t changed…I haven’t changed. The battle over Issue 2 has been down and dirty. You and I have many friends who work in the public sector or teach. I fear that if Issue 2 fails, many of them---particularly the ones with least seniority---will lose their jobs in the coming months and years as the state and local communities continue to face growing financial pressure. Who will they blame when that happens? Who will their union leaders tell them to blame when that happens? The brazen union positions and mischaracterizations on the issue have convinced me that the leadership doesn’t give a hoot for the younger members of their union. They would rather win a power play than preserve jobs for all their members. If Issue 2 goes down, then we can say to union leaders, “You win.” We can say to the greenhorn members, “You lose.” We can tell the citizens of our most financially stressed communities, “You lose too.”
The situation in Europe is becoming a massive mess. The Greeks want the money from the European banks but don’t want to implement the necessary austerity measures to qualify for the loans. Any sensible observer knows they will default eventually so why prolong the agony and increase the debt and risk? Because of the EU’s fouled-up system, a Greek default puts the entire Euro monetary system on red alert. The inter-borrowing and other credit sources will tumble like a house of cards when the Greeks “spit the bit,” and the PIIGS nations will be right behind. In addition global banking interests will take huge hits thus undermining the entire banking system. Plus….everyone will finally realize that digital money is not “real” money as currencies collapse because of little …or inflated underlying value supporting the money. Can you say “big mess…FUBAR?”
Our daughter, Kelly, has a birthday tomorrow (Sunday). It’s really difficult to believe that I first held her ?? years ago at Wooster Community Hospital. She now has two great kids of her own. Being a grandpa is much easier than filling the role of “Daddy.” Back then, I was worried that I couldn’t do it well, but she’s turn out to be a wonderful person, great mother and butt-kicking attorney despite her father’s weaknesses and flaws. Must be Mom’s influence.
Final word: Vote Tuesday if you haven’t already. Vote twice or more often if they let you. It’s called “fighting fire with fire” or “sinking to their level.” Our radio show this week will be broadcast on Wednesday only as the University of Toledo Rockets have a Tuesday game again. Our guest will be Derek Merrin, the Mayor of Waterville, Ohio.
Keep the faith….they haven’t begun to tax that yet.
Comment: cearlwriting@hotmail.com
Wed. 6-7:00pm, 1370 WSPD, Toledo www.wspd.com
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