Musings of a Dumb Ass

Musings of a Dumb Ass.......... This is a unique time in our experiment with freedom and democracy. As new kids on the block of world societies, we're not yet 500 years old. When matched with those of Japan, China Greece, Italy and oddly enough Iraq, we are definitely in our infancy. We conducted ourselves with reasonable maturity and consideration throughout our time and gained the respect of the entire world with our standard of living, ambition, and sense of fairness. Then, in retrospect, it seems to me we fell into the trap of wanting to influence and control too much of the world with what we thought was the correct way for everyone else's citizens to live and think. In world war two we rose to the occasion and took our place as the power that would upright a world gone crazy that would have without question breached our shores had we not done as we did. But along with winning came something else. A desire to dominate. While we should have occupied the lands of those who were enemies, and stayed there long enough to allow healing of the madness that caused them to be as they were, we took on another mission of influence to change those strategically important to us, and to generally run whatever popped up that didn't agree with us and to force those who didn't agree into understanding which would surely be better for all mankind.... as soon as they saw the light. We started making moves toward identifying those who would do us harm before the fact which fundamentally changed the way we defended ourselves in the past, allowing us to accept the necessity of warring against those who were friends of those we didn't agree with as not only OK, but as good preventative measure. While simple military readiness and advanced weaponry is an absolute for our survival, most everything else becomes political cancer. Had we used our military and it's tools only as necessary for our own protection we might be in a different situation on this day. But the fundamental changes fed by arrogance that took over our direction and created the acceptance of us invading countries and toppling governments as paramount to our existence has put us in a particularly bad situation that has no way out for us. Because of the way we took Iraq, we also became the reason the country is in ruin. Because of our occupation the economic fiber that allowed their kind of commerce to run has been destroyed. Because of whatever it was, the government the Iraqi's understood was placed in a state of devastation and dismantled and we want it replaced with one we understand, whether they want it or not, for which both them and us are dying daily. There is no point to be made in this post, instead only an assessment. Simply put, The exodus of American troops from Iraq will surely reverbrate in violence and disaster for generations to come. We overran them, destroyed the infrastructure, destroyed the government, destroyed the economy, and have been unable to restore order or anything else for that matter. If it were only Iraq with no further consequences to be suffered, then perhaps we could just pull out and let each one of them find their own pile of rubble to sit on until they could do better. But it's far more complicated than that. There are 41 Muslim Countries on our planet and they are all incensed at us for what we've done. While we see the whole thing in a simplistic way, bad deal, unwinnable, let's go home, 75% of the world see it in an entirely different way and hold us responsible to at least show responsibility and respect, and we are showing neither. As long as we remain puppets of Israel and sensitive to their state of mind, and insensitive to the feelings of the Muslims and continue on the same path we're on, this will only be settled in the adulthood of our children and grandchildren by means beyond our imagination. What is even more debilitating is the likelyhood of a growth and continuance of a kind of terrorism we have not yet been introduced to and cannot dream of. We presently are definitely at war, but with what army? Our enemies know no borders nor can we identify them. While we allow it to continue and deterioate and weaken us economically, spiritually, morally and philosophically, we will one day arrive at a time and place that an army, official in direction, and able in mission will come together and bring us to bear. It is absolutely true that our troops need to get out of there, but they'd better be replaced with crews of construction workers and engineers, and while they're putting back as much as possible of what we demolished, whatever leader they want should be their business and only theirs. If possible, we should apologise, then unseat the idiots that put us there, and have sorrow and the utmost respect for America's finest who went there never to return. Then learn to take care of our own business..................

Musings of a Dumb Ass

Musings of a Dumb Ass...... When art loses control of art...... I spent a major part of my life on stage looking out at an audience. It was a great time for me and I relished every second of it, and in retrospect when I think about it it's almost unbelievable I was afforded to do what most only dream of. My chosen field was country music and the artists who inspired me were unique individuals with talents not mirrored by their peers. My departure from entertainment was by my own choice and although sometimes I have an urge to stand on a stage somewhere, my decision to stay out is as strong as my commitment was to get in so long ago. The Las Vegas offering of The Country Music Associations' award show has come and gone again and I have a twinge of sadness at the loss of soul and true style and individuality that once was necessary to occupy a space of recognition in America's only homegrown music that belongs to each of us. They all generally sound alike, look alike, sang tiresome songs, and each entertainer looked like anyone off the street from anywhere USA, except those who were undefinable. It was so scripted for both the performers and the audience in attendance that nothing was left to spontaneity. I suppose that was just too much of a gamble for the producers. To hunger for the equal of Gene Watson, John Cash, Johnny Horton, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty, Lorreta Lynn, Faron Young, Tanya Tucker or Ernest Tubb would put you in opposition to all those who make a yuck face at the mere thought of such hicks while worshipping the yodeling, syllable torturing through the nose caterwauling of Garth Brooks and the tinselness of Shania Twain. None of the greats who gave life to Americas' music could get past the secretary's of Nashville's deciders today. I was so proud of the effect I could have on my audience through the music I played. I realize that would not be the case today. But I also realize response of the audience is measured by the exposure they've had, and if the bar is continually lowered and controlled, the audience will eventually be much easier to please and control. I am so glad I was a part of another time. Since George Strait and Alan Jackson was ignored at the awards I guess they don't measure up either...... or perhaps they're just too country for today................... Oh well.....................

Musings of a Dumb Ass

Musings of a Dumb Ass.....The census bureau says that in 2006 there is an estimated 51 million people claiming a disability severe enough to prevent them from living a normal life at home and in the workplace. While all these people are not drawing a full blown disability check ( about 7 million are) most are drawing an entitlement of some kind and odds are most have either applied for the full Willy or will do so at some point in their life. According to the census bureau's current figures, 1 in 6 Americans have a disability. To those who treasure the art of thinking this is mind boggling. Is this really true? Can it Be true? If so, this makes us the only society on earth with these kinds of statistical numbers of those unable to function as a normal human being, and we need to figure what caused it and how can we prevent such huge numbers unable to participate in life as the rest of us do. I see no indication of such a program anywhere on the horizon. We have become self destructive as a nation and believe there is no end to what we're entitled to....... or is it simply that socialism has led us to where there is respectability in welfare? This brings up an interesting point. What is welfare? In my world, it is anything you are given from the treasury of the United States or its people that YOU didn't earn. The right to recieve is far removed from the act of earning. In looking for data on welfare in the United States I was surprised that simple availability of numbers aren't so easy to find, and specific programs are even harder to find. The list of entitlements in entirety was elusive for me and are not available in a way that the average Dumb Ass can decipher. Here are some of the general entitlements funded out of the taxpayers pockets we are given to consider. Retirement, health care, medicine, housing, utilities, child care, food, transportation, education......... isn't that life in it's full measure? All for the asking or manipulation. If my readers are offended and believe I'm simply an asshole who wants no one to survive, I would suggest a visit to your local school to have a look at the free breakfast and lunch program and check the numbers. The day care centers are another place to get an idea where we are in subsidies, on an average, more than half the children in day cares in my area are subsidized for the day care fee. The doctors offices and the hospitals are crammed beyond capacity by those who are there on the welfare dollar, but strangely enough, the parking lots of those facilities are either empty or near empty on the week ends. I suppose medical problems ease up on Friday evening to return on Monday morning. Government offices are staffed with those whose job it is to weed out those who do not qualify, and grant those who do. Simple deduction would be 'if they ain't giving, then no one needs it, and their job would be unnecessary'. That is a sad commentary and a cruel road for those who may actually need assistance, and for those who must pay for it. Americans have never required much of each other and of their government, but that must now change........ or we can quietly go the way of the Romans..............

Musings of a Dumb Ass

Musings of a Dumb Ass.......... Today I saw an approval of 31% for President Bush, which puts him 3 points below President Carter and only 7 points above Nixon when he resigned. In the beginning of the Iraqi invasion I predicted that the war would unravel and in the end The Presidents approval might wind up in the middle 20's percentile by the end of his term, because the invasion was wrong and for the first time in history we were attacking a country that was no threat to us and had done nothing to provoke a military response from the U.S. The Musings of a Dumb Ass was on another server then and I took an incredible amount of heat from those who read the blog and also from my personal friends, who felt that my refusal to say the war was OK was a slam at the American soldier. Of course that approach is completely stupid then, and now. Because one cannot support a mission has nothing to do with whether or not one supports the military. After all the missteps, lack of planning, lack of direction, loss of property and lives, the embarrasment of our folly on the world stage, the wrecking of our economy, and worst of all, the loss of our ability to believe in ourselves, we've achieved nothing and gained nothing. We have shown our lack of understanding in what we say and write and are nowhere close to a credible plan to deal with the cancer we created. I love to read other blogs to see how ideas stack up with the way I see things, but unfortunately we are proving our shallowness with hatred and ignorance. It is next to impossible to seek out any writer who actually has a thought that belongs to them and instead lowers themselves to 'Bush Bashing' and party politics spewing hate and ignorance that does absolutely no good for anyone. That will never happen on my blog. For those who might read what I've written on this post, I think it becomes very clear that I believe we have little to be proud of and I look forward to the day this President vacates his office. In the meantime, I think we would do well to put our energy towards a better way instead of the hate and party claptrap most seem to want to waste their time and conversation on, and most of the time are unaware of how things have worked and should work. I believe the constitution is the only chance for freedom, but it must be considered in relative simplicity to produce a map to follow. If the constitution is considered in simplicity, there is no value to experience and the lifetime elected official, and party affiliation will have no effect on it. If face change as a whole and no transfers from one job to another allowed, it could be amazing to watch the energy a new breath of air could produce. All laws big and small should be reviewed in this great land with most thrown out. Tax structures should be renounced by all and replaced with a national sales tax. Then politicians would have nothing to give to favored constitiuents and financial backers. One thing that should not go is the electoral college. Those who are blessed with ignorance would have it replaced with a popular vote which is OK for some things, but not a Presidential election. If popular vote is the only criterion to select a President, it would usurp the authority of all in congress and a Presidential hopeful could be comfortable passing over all states but six to collect their prize, ignoring all others, who wouldn't be important anymore, which would really upset the ignorant then. A departure from frick and frack government and a viable third party is our only chance. With all I know, which obviously I think is considerable, I am also smart enough and wise enough to know the average American is dumb enough and uninformed enough to prevent any new direction and thought process from being a slam dunk. Ain't gonna be easy, but if we are to survive, we gotta change......................

Musings of a Dumb Ass

Musings of a Dumb Ass...... Today I experienced my first $40.00 tank of gas. I know most regular folks passed this milestone long ago, but I have one of those small pick-up trucks that does about 27 mpg on the highway and over 20 mpg as I command my universe in my small world. I don't know what the true capacity of the gas tank is, but the most bone dry condition I've ever ventured to never went beyond 15 gallons at the pump to fill it up. There are those who fervently hope to see fuel return to the paltry $2.00 range it was such a short time ago, but I say " All of you will go by the wayside along with those who have wished for lower prices all the way back to minus .30 cents a gallon which I remember well." It ain't gonna happen folks. Not now, not ever. There are reasons for our government not forcing a rollback of prices. I've never particularly believed the Government engineered prices so much, as many of my friends do, I simply believe the government would be injurious to itself and all the social gimme programs that have kept the politicians so employeed if it suddenly became concerned about your pain over higher costs of living. No, Dumb Asses, the politicians answer to easing your pain will NEVER.... repeat NEVER be to roll back prices. Instead, the answer will be to increase wages, and that will happen beginning soon. I predict some well known elected saviour will be calling for an increase of the minimum wage pretty quick, and as the ignoramus damn fools we've always been, we'll cheer that idea on, which as a whole is how we've arrived at such unbelieveable prices and a government in our faces 24-7 chipping away at what made us Americans to begin with. No, before some flapping lips not connected to a brain begins supposing I think there's something wrong with poor folks and the working man doing well, be advised I remember a time when poor folks and working men kept a hell of a lot more of the earned wages than they do now. It was when a family man worked for a dollar an hour. We are tuned to always think more is better, but not so. At a dollar an hour so many years ago, a family mans withholding, assuming he carried say, 4 dependents, husband, wife, and 2 children, would find his deductions for all state federal, and local taxes to be less than 4% on his weeks labor. Those who have no memory might say "I certainly wouldn't want to go back to that"! and remain content to pay sometimes up to 37-38 percent and more of their wages through withholding, unable to realize the one dollar an hour counterpart from so long ago bought new automobiles that paid out in two to three years, and homes that paid off in their lifetimes, and mostly paid for health care out of pocket, visiting doctors and hospitals who served them well. Soooo..... enough of this.........!!!! What has driven such a nice guy as myself to these stupid opinions? And why isn't the answer just 'more pay'? Because folks, more pay in the end only goes to the government and you, the worker, will actually get less for your money, even though rest assured, your paychecks will be getting larger soon, and you'll be able to pay the probable $3.49 or so a gallon that it will surely be, much easier, and the only thing to worry about will be what to do when it gets to 5 or maybe 6 bucks a gallon, which it will, plus. So what's my basis for such an unfeeling position on the entire inflationary spiral? And how could I possibly not want the poor folks (me and my neighbors) to not do better and have relief? To be sure, I do want better times, but More is not Better. The example I'll use will be your social security withholding from your pay check, and the formula will have some simularities to all your withholding. Here 'tis, boys and girls, pay attention now. If today's 6 dollar an hour wage earner is raised to 12 bucks an hour, which WILL happen over the next few years (remember, it ain't been so long ago that the six buck guy only made three!!!), the withholding for social security on the wage earners part PLUS the equal contribution of their employers amounts to 15.3% in total, or at $240.00 a week at 6 bucks an hour will tally out at $36.20 each week. When the politicians save us from disaster and get those lowest wages up to 12 dollars an hour then the worker/employer will pay$72.40 on the $480.00 earned by the lowest paid worker in America. The government has created twice as much flowing into the treasury as before without doing anything except 'letting it happen'. Then.......... if they can lie to you about inflation, and make you believe it........... the inflation figures for the first quarter of 2006 are now in and they are admitting 2% excluding food and gas, that means in the end there will be only about a 4% cost of living increase on the social security checks in January next year and 'voila!!! Social security will get a mysterious shot in the arm!!!!............. all ya' gotta do is believe!!!!!!........... and they'll give you a lift right into oblivion giving more of what you don't have away. Truth folks!!!! It won't set you free, but you'll at least understand the screwing you're getting,......... and perhaps you'll take charge of your country again. But, sadly, probably not. We deserve whatever we get.............