BUDGETS AND DEFICITS

Unless you are a sitting Member of Congress or a former Member of Congress, you did not create the current deficit or the budget problems so they are not your fault. If you are a senior citizen drawing your benefits, you did not cause the shortfall in the Social Security fund. That also is not your fault. The “Super Committee.” What a joke. This was doomed from the beginning. The reason for all our budget and deficit problems is simple. Members of Congress care far more about re-election than they ever cared about the American people and everything they do is directed toward that end. The reason we have a budget deficit is because Congresses past and present have developed hair-brained vote buying schemes with no regard to the ultimate requirement of paying for them. When their excesses are played out and their business unfriendly regulations upset normal business cycles, tragedy is bound to occur. That is where we are right now.

While it is true I am not an economics genius, common sense says there are right ways and wrong ways to approach this mess. The idea that we can increase taxes to create a recovery is ridiculous. Taxes are regressive not progressive. Taking money from productive citizens to give to unproductive citizens is absurd on its face. Consider this example of a baker. Let’s say he can take flour and sugar and make donuts. He can then sell those donuts to create profit. If he is successful he will hire employees who will also be consumers in the marketplace. His income is taxable as is the income of his employees. If the government decides to increase the baker’s taxes to a point where he cannot continue to hire or even has to reduce his staff, how on earth does that help with the deficit? If he does not make donuts he makes no profit thereby reducing his tax payments. If he lays off employees, they pay no tax and become dependents on the government. If he does not retail his product, sales taxes are not collected. Cities and counties are then left without necessary revenues. If he doesn’t buy flour and sugar the farmer’s income suffers. Is this so difficult for the morons in Washington to figure out?

The government doesn’t produce anything but laws and regulations. They do not create profit. They do not make donuts. They only stifle productive people and hamper growth. Are we going to have to face bankruptcy as a country before the geniuses in Washington figure this out? I have written before that for us to recover, government has to get out of the way. No good citizen of this great country would ever refuse to pay reasonable taxes for reasonable services. We know we must finance our military and our infra-structure. But things have certainly gotten out of hand. Now we must face some facts. We have over spent and over promised. The time has come to deal with our issues.

I find it amazing that we can send millions and millions of dollars overseas while here at home our senior citizens and veterans basically have to beg for the benefits they bought and paid for in good faith. I will never excuse the Congresses who raided the Social Security fund to buy votes. These benefits are legal debts which the government owes and as such are inviolate.

So here’s the deal. The only recovery that is possible will occur when business is allowed to grow without interference from government. You want to see the economy improve, reduce corporate taxes. In fact reduce taxes across the board. Encourage investment and entrepreneurship. Allow those businesses who are holding vast sums of money in foreign countries to return that money to this country without penalty. Change the attitude in Washington to a positive one. Quit doing battle with business and Wall Street. Stop all this class envy and class warfare. We are one people and the only way out of this mess is all of us working together to that end. Today I wouldn’t mind if every single Member of Congress was replaced. I especially look forward to the unemployment of Barak Obama. We, as a country, are better than this and we need a true leader who knows and loves this country. Time is running out.

Ron Scarbro November 29, 2011

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 2011

Today our Thanksgiving table will be set with our traditional meal. I would call it a feast. There will be a turkey and it will be stuffed with cornbread stuffing. I will once again make too much stuffing and so I will place the extra in a baking dish and bake it along with the turkey and it will be called dressing. When the turkey is done, Linda will make gravy to cover the meat, stuffing, and mashed potatoes. Some people might call it sauce, but people from the south call it gravy. I will prepare fresh green beans with bacon and bacon grease. You should be aware that in the south bacon grease is a condiment. Most, if not all, vegetables are cooked in bacon grease. There will also be sweet potatoes baked with pecans and brown sugar that will more resemble a dessert than a vegetable. Dinner rolls will accompany the meal for sopping. That again is a southern term for gathering up any remaining gravy on your plate. Sopping is a very definitive word. And speaking of dessert, Linda will have made two pies. First a pecan pie. Southerners might recognize this as “Karo Nut Pie,” but the common name is pecan pie. Of course the other pie is pumpkin pie. You know pumpkin is a squash so you could say this is a vegetable too?

That is our traditional meal. There will be no tofu or tofurky anywhere near our home. In other words no soy beans will be harmed in the preparation of this meal. We will have the same meal whether we have a house full of people or just the two of us. Why, you ask? The reasons are simple. First it is our tradition. Secondly, the food and the smells coming from the kitchen remind us of our lives together, our families, and in some respects our childhoods. Finally the meal is delicious. What more needs to be said?

I know different people have different traditions. I think those mostly come from their childhoods. I know of some folks from Central America who prepare and serve tamales for Thanksgiving. There are those from The Middle East who serve lamb. I think all such choices are great.

Speaking of tofu, something else came up to discuss at this holiday season. Last week on the news was a story about PETA trying to sue a city in America named Turkey to change their name to Tofu. If ever an organization did more to make themselves irrelevant and foolish looking, I don’t know who it could be. And speaking of vegans and vegetarians, I once had a vegan nurse tell me that I shouldn’t eat anything with a face or a mother. I asked if I could eat oysters and clams. She couldn’t answer the question. So I guess I can.

Also I once saw a TV show starring Charlie Chase called Crook and Chase. Charlie was offered a veggie burger and asked what he thought. He replied that it was actually pretty good. All it needed was a little mayonnaise and some meat. That’s pretty much how I would feel. If you choose only to eat vegetables, be my guest. If you want to go out and graze in the meadow with the cows, have at it. As soon as those cows are fattened up, I will be happy to butcher them, eat and enjoy their meat. To me PETA stands for “People Eating Tasty Animals.” I fear vegetarianism has become a political statement rather than a food choice. Have you ever heard of a vegan conservative Republican? Me either. Whatever.

Today Linda and I wish you and your families a Happy Thanksgiving with all the traditions you enjoy. If you have the luxury of a house full of relatives and friends, good for you. Regardless of how you celebrate this holiday may your day be blessed beyond your dreams.

Ron Scarbro Thanksgiving 2011

THE CAT AND THE MOUSE

The cat killed and ate the mouse. That seems simple enough. This essay will attempt to take this simple statement and report it to the public from the standpoint of the left, the elite media, and the right, Fox News and talk radio. As seems to be the case in events like this, no verification of the actual killing and subsequent eating were ever pursued. The story was just made available to the media by anonymous sources.

Information has reached the newsroom of a recent tragedy. A mouse, from all indications an innocent victim, was reportedly killed and then eaten by a mighty, overweight, and cunning predator. The mouse, in an effort to feed his hungry family and provide a better life for them, broke into the home of a wealthy Wall Street banker. Whether or not the break in was legal is unimportant. What is important is the mouse was hungry and the mouse was only eating the scraps of food the rich home owners and their cat would not eat. Upon discovery, the innocent victim mouse was then pounced upon by the stronger and better equipped cat, dispatched, and then eaten by the greedy predator. It is clear to this reporter that if the cat had been cared for by his wealthy owner and fed properly this tragedy would and could have been averted. Instead another innocent victim, one who could have possibly at some time become a contributing member of rodent society, has forever been removed just to satisfy the lust and greed of the fat cat. The wealthy owner, when asked to comment, said only that cats do what cats do and I am grateful the mouse has been removed from my house. Grateful? Really? Grateful? We here in the newsroom are saddened by this tragic event.

So much for the left wing media. Now for the other side.

Information has reached the newsroom of yet another illegal breaking and entering and its justifiable results. Unknown sources have reported to us that a mouse, by all indications an illegal alien, has attempted to subvert the American system and steal the resources of a hard working family and their beloved pet. This illegal mouse was spotted by the resourceful and diligent cat who did what he was supposed to do. He defended his domicile and was further rewarded by a tasty morsel of food. To those who attempt to defend this mouse it should be noted that he was not only representing himself but he was attempting to find a new home for his entire family.  And, by the way, he had not just one family but many, many families and none by benefit of marriage. It’s reported that he has sired as many as fifty or more offspring and all of them are now attempting to continue in their father’s illegal footsteps.

The cat’s proud owner, a local businessman currently employed by a family owned and operated, neighborhood-friendly bank, was justifiably ecstatic at his pet’s ingenuity, patriotism, and entrepreneurship. His comment, “If we had more capable, energetic, and aggressive cats, this would be a better place to live. Vermin everywhere should take notice. We will not put up with your illegal activities.” Republican candidates for President, when asked for their reactions, all called for a special commendation for the heroic cat. We here in the newsroom all add our congratulations to the owner and his fine cat. Our future is indeed brighter because of this tremendous act and it gives us all  renewed hope for America.

The story was that a cat killed and ate a mouse and I have taken certain liberties with this essay. You and I know it is silliness, but at the same time there is some truth here that needs to be discussed. It is incumbent on all of us to be very careful with what is reported as news and to remember to cull out what is obviously opinion and agenda from both sides of issues. I long for a time when news will just be reported and I will be allowed to come to my own conclusions and form my own opinions. I can hope, can’t I?

Ron Scarbro November 16, 2011

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE

When I go to my local VA Medical Center for care, my doctor and his entire staff  say to me, “Thank you for your service.” That is a strange thing for me to hear. While on the one hand I am grateful that my service has been appreciated, on the other I feel my contribution pales to insignificance when compared to what so many others have given. I have written before and I will say again, I received so much more from my time in the military than I ever gave. I didn’t think so at the time, but the years have allowed me to analyze what the military meant to me. That’s what maturity does for you. I entered as a teenage boy from the hills of Tennessee and came out as a man. For that I am very grateful. I continue to receive benefits from my service.

When I was a kid you either joined or you were drafted. Today the new military is all volunteer. We have our finest young people joining and there are wars going on. I am truly thankful such people exist. Personally, I believe we would all be better off if we still had the draft. It would certainly give youngsters something to think about as they contemplate their lives, but that’s a story for another time.

And so today we celebrate veterans. We pause to think of them, the old and the young. The wounded and the dead. The able bodied and the challenged. We think of their families and of their sacrifice. We consider the children who may grow up without a parent. We think of the parents of soldiers and sailors who had to bury their own children and we are sad. The sentiment “Thank you for your service” seems so feeble. And yet, most would say they were just doing their job. Most of their families would say they gave as they did because the military was their lives. Today we will have parades. Today we will have speeches. Politicians will wax eloquently as to how much we appreciate our military and their sacrifices. And we will say “Thank you for your service.”

This is what I know. My life and yours is made freer because of their sacrifices. The morons who stand on the corner singing songs of hatred for America do so because some brave soul cared enough for freedom to give his or her all. The so-called church which pickets funerals of our brave warriors killed in action have that right because of the very soldiers who died so they could. The protesters who desecrate our flag out of some misguided idiocy are free to walk away from their despicable acts because veterans guaranteed them the freedom of action and thought. Perhaps these idiots would like to try their nonsense in some other countries like say, North Korea, or Russia, or China, or maybe even Venezuela.

And so we say, “Thank you for your service.” It does seem kind of lame, doesn’t it? As a veteran I like to hear it. When I have the opportunity, I say it. Many of you who will read this are veterans so this sentiment goes out to you as well.

Happy Veteran’s Day and may God bless the US Military.

Ron Scarbro Veteran’s Day 2011

I am including this poem for all to read. Many of you have seen it before but I am sure you will agree it doesn’t hurt to read again.

JUST A COMMON SOLDIER

(A Soldier Died Today)

by A. Lawrence Vaincourt

He was getting old and paunchy and his hair was falling fast,

And he sat around the Legion, telling stories of the past.

Of a war that he had fought in and the deeds that he had done,

In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes, every one.

And tho’ sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke,

All his Legion buddies listened, for they knew whereof he spoke.

But we’ll hear his tales no longer for old Bill has passed away,

And the world’s a little poorer, for a soldier died today.

He will not be mourned by many, just his children and his wife,

For he lived an ordinary and quite uneventful life.

Held a job and raised a family, quietly going his own way,

And the world won’t note his passing, though a soldier died today.

When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in state,

While thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell their whole life stories, from the time that they were young,

But the passing of a soldier goes unnoticed and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution to the welfare of our land

A guy who breaks his promises and cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow who, in times of war and strife,

Goes off to serve his Country and offers up his life?

A politician’s stipend and the style in which he lives

Are sometimes disproportionate to the service that he gives.

While the ordinary soldier, who offered up his all,

Is paid off with a medal and perhaps, a pension small.

It’s so easy to forget them for it was so long ago,

That the old Bills of our Country went to battle, but we know

It was not the politicians, with their compromise and ploys,

Who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand,

Would you want a politician with his ever-shifting stand?

Or would you prefer a soldier, who has sworn to defend

His home, his kin and Country and would fight until the end?

He was just a common soldier and his ranks are growing thin,

But his presence should remind us we may need his like again.

For when countries are in conflict, then we find the soldier’s part

Is to clean up all the troubles that the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor while he’s here to hear the praise,

Then at least let’s give him homage at the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline in a paper that would say,

Our Country is in mourning, for a soldier died today.

GREECE AND OTHER LUBRICANTS

Greece is either a small insignificant country on the Aegean Sea or a lubricant for your axle or other uses. Regardless of any definition I am suffering from Greek fatigue. I cannot be alone in my opinion that we are weary of the word Greece. Now the news is that Italy will be the next major problem for the world’s economy.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what the problem is with these European Socialist countries. As Margaret Thatcher famously said, “The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” These little Socialist countries have run out of other people’s money. Two big problems have emerged as these defaults have run their inevitable course, one is that their own people refuse to have their birth-to-death socialist care eliminated or reduced and problem number two, we and the world’s banks have been financing their excesses for years. Well, guess what, Greece and Italy along with all these socialist failures are going to have to figure out a different way to live or face falling into the sea.

For years and years, fabulously wealthy Greek citizens have hidden their wealth and cheated their own country. Now the “preacher” has to be paid. Ship building tycoons have refused to pay their taxes and (with the cooperation of the corrupt government officials) have fiddled while Rome has burned. Now the European Union wants us to bail them out. I say no way, period. Let them fall into the sea and the sooner the better. The banks who loaned the money to carry Greece and others all these years will just have to suffer losses. Like most of the Western world, I am sick of it.

To all of the “Wall Street protesters” who scream and advocate for this same socialism, can you not see? This form of government just doesn’t work. To survive in this country, you have to work. To survive in this world, you have to work. There is no free lunch. Even if all the wealth in America was suddenly confiscated and spread among all the citizens in this great country, in just a matter of weeks it would all be back to where it started. The wealthy would go back to being the wealthy and the poor would go back to being poor. The reason is simple, wealthy people do wealthy things and have a wealthy result and poor people do poor things and have a poor result.

Nothing has changed. To be successful at life, one must educate himself, apply himself, dedicate himself to success and work hard. Now and then a wealthy parent will die and leave money to their kids, but for the most part success comes from hard work and dedication. Wise investment, obedience to law, acceptance of social rules and customs, are all vital to the successful life.

There seems to be a growing population out there who somehow have come to the opinion that they are owed success. The rich must subsidize them. The producers must work to produce so that they can live the good life at another’s expense. They should not have to work. They should not have to pay for their education. They should not have to pay for their medical care. They should instead be supported by the “Nanny” state. Where do they suppose the money will come from?

This, my friends, in not rocket science or brain surgery. This is just common sense. The press needs to ignore this nonsense. Our government needs to concentrate on our problems and let Europe worry about their problems. I don’t need or want any more Greek lubrication.

Ron Scarbro November 7, 2011