Perhaps "The Eternal Optimist" should be the new name for this little corner of the world, as I cannot, or willnot, shake the conviction that humans are neither inherently evil or sinful, nor malicious...not that those occurrences may not exist, but that they are not the norm.
This is written apart from Facebook because, although some of the content is in response to things viewed there, I prefer that people interested must make a small effort and actually be interested in order to read what's here....my little bit to respect your privacy.
Two posts come to mind right off.
In the first a friend posted "Don't try to tell me how to think!" I, perhaps, come dangerously close to doing that, but I sincerely hope people see this not as any type of coercion, but merely as open discussion as to what we are and what we may become. I am by no means ABSOLUTELY certain of anything about today's world because there are far too many details, but I can say that I try to be thoughtful and considerate of other points of view. I don't want to TELL you anything, merely offer points that you may not have considered and to do so with gentleness and forethought.
In the second Facebook post was a picture of an apparently African town with mud streets and garbage everywhere with the claim "This is what socialism leads to." This kind of post violates the above "don't tell me how to think" in trying to bias people against a general idea by providing a negative message with an accompanying negative picture without any supporting facts as to where, when, how, or why. It's my opinion that such things MAY be professionally created to help drive wedges between liberals and conservatives....wedges that simply do not need to exist. By keeping America polarized, little positive change will ever occur. An acquaintance with whom I was disagreeing one day pointed out that the only things 99% of the people of the world, everywhere, wanted was a home, work, family, and friends. These know no political distinctions.
I can't resist some clarification about the dreaded word 'socialism'. First, I believe in capitalism every bit as much as any conservative but, as I stated in my last post, corporatism is capitalism somewhat out of control....not everywhere, not every time, and I freely acknowledge that corporations, with their resources, have developed many of the luxuries (necessities?...maybe) that we enjoy today.
But I digress....I just wish to point out that every public park from your city park to Yellowstone is socialism in action. Your public highways, interstates, and even dirt roads are maintained though a social contract....your government in action providing a service to everyone able to use them. And, yes, they do contract with the private sector in much of what is done.
Socialism done well.
The point being that socialism as an idea, is dependent upon the quality of the implementation and, like capitalism, can be done in by greed, ignorance, and stupidity.
Balance. Some things are best accomplished by a government with public welfare in mind, and some thing are best accomplished through contract with private businesses. And, as much as it pains me, some things are done well, maybe even best, by a corporation, though it seems that few do so with a heart as much as with a wallet.
Another quick sidebar....unions. Conservatives tend to hate them, but they did usher in better working conditions, better hours, and higher pay. They were necessary. The point that puts me in some agreement with my conservative friends is that unions have, somewhat, gone the way of poorly done socialism in extracting from employers too many demands to the point where poor employees are difficult to eliminate and the people running unions have come to have too much power (and pay?).
Alternative to 'THE WALL'
I started thinking about this post several days ago and happened upon a thought regarding small towns because I always feel they are an important part of America, and if you continue on, I'll get to that, but first....if you don't care for socialism, consider exporting it, with a heart AND a profit.
Like this.....rather than trying to build a wall to keep immigrants out, entice them to stay in Mexico. Buy or lease a bit of land, give people....select them if you like....a place to live, some resources to grow food, build homes, raise families....all the things that most people really want, but do it in Mexico say, 100 miles from the border, if you are concerned about illegal immigration. Make it sustainable. Make it organic. Make it workable. And make it theirs, with a fair deal for both sides, and good governance....then get out of the way. No continued extraction of cheap labor, no never-ending foreign ownership...and throw in a guarantee of an open market for any excess production. If it works, do it again, but try something with heart. Heck, help build a railroad to deliver goods to our borders. SO many options and opportunities.
On a side note....I don't much care for the idea of any foreign ownership of American land, business, or resources, and it seems a crime that old growth forests are being cut (OK, that's mostly in Canada now, we don't have any left) to sell primarily to foreign markets. Foreign ownership is all about extracting from someone else what you don't have and puts control into the hands of people whose loyalties lie elsewhere. If Asia needs wood to build houses, let them grow it. However, by the same argument, consistency demands that Americans seeking ownership and control elsewhere cease and desist.
On to my original thesis....if a bit belated.
I just watched the New Hampshire debates and was impressed enough
with all candidate performances, even if I didn't agree with every
point made. Bernie's a bit too left, but he sure is consistent. Most
of the rest like the 'system' too much....just thought I'd slip that in.
While my heart says the system is broken and that NO politician
with more than 8 years should be elected into any public office
because they are too susceptible to all the BS that goes on with
too much deal making, too powerful lobbyists, and too much control
by the federal political organizations, my brain says that won't
likely happen any time soon.
So I will merely write here that I most agree with Andrew Yang's
points about technology destroying more jobs than it creates, that
corporations strive to replace people with machines with at least as
much ardor as they try to create jobs, that
programs to create jobs ARE what is needed, and that low status
jobs need to be paid more and treated with more respect. BUT....I
don't think that creating jobs only in the cities is truly the
answer, and I don't think that we can manufacture America to any
real greatness. Factories are not the answer to a better life for all.
My
suggested answer to many social problems is as follows.
Because I had a great childhood in a small Iowa town, I believe
in the hearts and minds of small town people, but I have seen
small towns all over the USA, as well as small towns in many other
countries, drained of their youth, population, and jobs by limited
opportunities and wages that could not keep pace with the nearby
cities. Now, most of the small towns, small schools, and small
businesses have died out....replaced by more impersonal options
that have sucked the heart, (actually, there's still plenty of
heart out there, so 'blood' might be more accurate) out of most of our
communities. Local
ownership of thriving business is almost a thing of the past.
In my grandfather's time, my hometown had train service and a
hotel, (probably more) as well as all the following advantages.
In my father's
youth, my home town had 2 gas stations, 2 grocery stores, a
hardware store (or 2), a theater, a bank, a bar, a restaurant, an
auto/implement repair shop, a feed store, a lumber yard, a post
office, and a high school/elementary school, several civic
organizations, and more I don't know about.
In my
lifetime, my home town had 2 gas stations, 2 grocery stores, a
bank, an auto/implement repair shop, a bar and restaurant, a feed
store, a lumber yard, a post office, a few civic organizations,
and an elementary school. I could take my bicycle with a flat
tire to either gas station for repair and get undivided attention. But we had lost the theater, hardware stores, a few civic
organizations, and a fair amount of population.
In the past 30+
years....there are now no gas stations, no lumber yard (now the
only restaurant), no bank, no school, no auto or implement repair,
a grocery store that changes hands or closes every few years (once
a co-op), and a bar, as well as a city booster club as pretty much
the only surviving civic organization. (Lion's Club?) We once had community
dances that were the envy of small towns for miles around, holiday
celebrations that drew hundreds of people, and clubs with plenty
of members who cared about their community. We had small-school
sporting events that were the pride of nearly every child and parent, and
churches that were filled with people. We are fast losing the
opportunity to save a lifestyle of worth and beauty.
Unless we recognize that a certain amount of low technology and
increased valuation of low tech jobs are needed to revitalize
small towns, we will eventually lose the vibrant culture that is
part of the rural life style.
My proposal is quite simple and low tech, yet it contains the
seeds of opportunity for a world of learning and improvement.
Create, much like Andrew Yang's Venture for America program,
opportunities at the small town level. The opportunity that makes
most sense to me is similar to the old hippie idea of a commune,
but avoiding as much as possible the 'socialism' label by providing an avenue to
ownership based on work and contribution. Please think of it more
like the co-op that was, and still is, a part of the rural
landscape in many places. With the growing popularity of organic
vegetables, fruit, and meat, as well as the health benefits
inherent in such methods, the market potential is certain to
grow....AFTER needs within the organization are met. Money is
saved, quality is high, and endless work possibilities are created
while decreasing dependence on corporate America and it's packaged
and questionable food, all the while helping the local economy,
the local population, and the local culture.
No, I don't have all the details or the knowledge, but that is
part of the beauty of the plan. It MUST become what the owners
will it to be. There is opportunity for animal husbandry,
gardening, farming, chemistry, solar heating and cooling, and an
almost endless array of 'make it locally' employment...and it
contains
at least some potential to house and feed the homeless. That last
point does assume that there are homeless who are willing and able
to work. Some are not, but moving forward with opportunities,
education, housing, food, and work for all is certainly moving in a good
direction and may ultimately decrease the numbers of dysfunctional
people living on the streets.
The final point that makes it valuable is the demonstration to
the younger generations that we are not dependent upon
multi-national corporations for our livelihood or our future, that we can think,
plan, and create for ourselves, and can have a say in replacing
our "throwaway everything when it's broken" point of view with an
outlook that values quality and product longevity.
Get Mr. Trump to do this and leave American parks and monuments alone, and I'll vote for him.
Disagree if you like, I love discussion. As to this not being in the 'real' world (a recent criticism on Facebook), slavery used to be in that world, horrible working conditions used to be in that world, so many things exist now that did not exist 100 years ago, and some very bad things are gone. I'm not about change for the sake of change, I'm all about better and admitting we do make mistakes.
Geez, I run on and on....this was supposed to be brief....last point.
I'm not
proud to be an American. Why? Comedian George Carlin put it best. I didn't DO anything to become an American. I was born here....luck of the draw. I'm very happy to be an American, feel very fortunate to be an American, and am pleased with many of the things America has accomplished, but other than work here, try to fit in (which some of you may deny) and contribute (others), I did nothing to BE an American...it just happened. Pride comes in accomplishment.
Accomplishment? I'm still working on that.
Have a nice day....and drop me a line.
