Stop Pulling the Wagon

As of this writing our Government is in “Partial Shutdown”.  We are told that this is only about a 25% shutdown as only “Non-Essential” Services will be put on hold.

All other Government spending is on “Auto-Pilot” and no budget is needed to continue spending.  How comforting.  Excuse the sarcasm.

Lets see.  As a nation we are now some 21 Trillion (with a ‘T’) Dollars in debt.  Well, Excuse me……..  I have a question, if we are only shutting down “Non-Essential” Services, which by my country-boy  thinking means “we can live without them”, then why don’t we shut them down permanently, save the money and maybe, just maybe, start digging our way out of debt?

But, we are told that is not the way Government works.  When the clowns, criminals and lunatics in Washington get done arguing and come to some kind of agreement, they will “Restore” all those “Non-Essential Services” and retro-actively again fund all those “Non-Essential Services” because, as you see, our Government considers them “Essential”.

In our family, and with most businesses,  budgeting does not work this way.  But of course we don’t have the ability to print fiat money.

Following this tirade I am again printing below an article that was sent to me back in August of 2012 and I reprinted at that time on this site because it is such a classic example of “Government Think”. I can think of no way of saying it better.  It is not original with me – I merely share it.

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THE NIGHT WATCHMAN

Once upon a time the government had a vast scrap yard in the middle of a desert.  Congress said, “Someone may steal from it at night”.  So they created a night watchman position and hired a person for the job.  Then Congress said, “how does the watchman do his job without instruction?”

So they created a planning department and hired two people.  One person to write the instructions, and one person to do time studies.  Then Congress said, “How will we know the night watchman is doing the tasks correctly?”  So they created a Quality Control department and hired two people.  One was to do the studies and one was to write the reports.

Then Congress said, “how are these people going to get paid?”  So they created two positions: a time keeper and a payroll officer, then hired two people.  Then Congress said, “Who will be accountable for all of these people?”  So they created an administrative section and hired three people, an Administrative Officer, Assistant Administrative Officer, and a Legal Secretary.

Then Congress said, “We have had this command in operation for one year and we are $918,000 over budget, we must cut back.”

So they laid off the night watchman.

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Now slowly let it sink in.  We go like sheep to the slaughter.  The lunatics are in charge of the asylum.

Bob Bandy

About a week before election day I was out driving through our neighborhood with my wife and daughter when it suddenly occurred to me that I was seeing virtually no political posters or yard signs in yards.  Well, actually I saw two.  One was a handmade sign for a “new” candidate for City Council and the other was for a popular local State Assemblyman running for re-election and it contained no stated party affiliation. 

Following this epiphany I began to seek out political and what might be possibly considered controversial bumper stickers, decals, posters etc.  Ones such as NRA – Make America Great Again – just to name a couple.  I find few to none.

I have since remembered that prior to the last Presidential Election I was an admirer of Ben Carson who had decided to run for the office of President.  I genuinely felt that he had little chance of winning but admired his character, intelligence and integrity.  I put one of his bumper stickers on the rear window of our SUV just to show support for his effort.  A few days later I found that someone had written RACIST with a broad marker pen across the bumper sticker.  I have yet to figure out how my support for Ben Carson could make me a racist but the irrational hate in the message they wrote struck me as a symptom of the division we now have in our land.  There has become ample evidence of intolerance, to the point of violence, of public statements which question so-called “Progressive” dogma.  Our colleges used to be Citadel’s of the exchange of ideas and Free Speech.  No longer.  Most of them are now playgrounds for the radical progressive agenda.  

When I enlisted in the military we took an oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States.  I was also taught that even if I personally disagreed with certain parts of it, I was both morally and duty bound to defend my fellow citizens rights under the Constitution.

In the Bill of Rights the First Amendment states in part: 

 “Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press;”

Yet we now find ourselves so divided that if you say or do or write something the “other side” disagrees with, you can be accused of hate speech and you and your family, even friends, can be subjected to verbal attack, character assassination, even violence and public humiliation.  Can jail be far behind?    Say the “wrong” thing or put the “wrong” kind of yard sign, bumper sticker or decal in your yard or on your car and risk finding your yard or car “trashed” or severely damaged.  The First Amendment has become an inconvenient fact of history and is no longer welcome.

More and more of us seem to live in a kind of  “quasi-covert” fear of retribution for making some kind of statement  which offends someone or some group even when no offense was intended. 

Trying desperately to inject some kind of humor into this observation of life in a cancerous, toxic, politically correct modern day world, let me relate an episode in my past that ends with a simple moral  principal.   

I once, with tongue in cheek,  told my Pastor that should he desire a vacation or day off I would be pleased to Preach in his absence.  When he asked me what the subject of my sermon would be, I told him I would be speaking on the Nine Commandments.  He said, “You mean the Ten Commandments don’t you?”.  I told him “No, I mean the Nine – there is one of them I don’t like” – “The Tenth Commandment tells me I should not lust after my neighbors “stuff” and my neighbor has some really “cool stuff”.

As I remember, I was reminded that Moses did not come down from Mount Sinai with the “Ten Suggestions” etched in stone.  They are Commandments which God designed for our own good and ultimate happiness.  The same can be said for the Constitution.  Our founders designed it for the long term health and goodness of our nation.  

Bob Bandy

“And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made.”                                                Paul Simon – “Sound of Silence – 1960”

Many years ago, twenty or more, I remember reading about a time in the future when the writer believed the United States might very well “Balkanize” itself.  That is turn into a fatally fractured land and people, where reconciliation into any kind of unity becomes impossible.  Or, in other words, goodbye “E Pluribus Unum”.

A people who become so divided along idealogical as well as cultural, religious, political, and ethnic identities that a unified effort for the “greater good of all” becomes impossible. 

A time when our national diversity, instead of being our unifying strength, is instead used as a weapon of destruction.

Elements within our previously “United” government and society become fortresses of non-negotiable demands.  These elements threaten the total destruction of our way of life unless their specific demands are granted.  They will use any means to achieve their goals.  Violence, fear, intimidation, destruction of families, corruption on a national scale and any other means to get their way.  

Following the leadership of writers such as Saul Alinsky and funded by anti-American zealots such as George Soros, these elements seek to impose a society which is in direct conflict with the values and institutions envisioned by our Founders and treasured by most.  For their agenda, co-existence is not an option.

In the process they are planting a garden, the rows of this garden contain the seeds of Lies, Hate, Anger, Rage and Bitterness.  Tell me, what do you harvest if these are the seeds you plant and cultivate?  

They have also infiltrated and corrupted many previously thought incorruptible government agencies and departments like the FBI and Department of Justice,  just to name two.

These,and other Agencies and Departments have become  populated too often by self serving un-elected demigods wedded to the principle that they are entitled to lifetime pay and benefits and are not answerable to the taxpayers.  What is now being referred to by many as the “Deep State”.  

If the average citizen did the things these bureaucrats are allowed to do, the citizen would find him or herself in prison while the government employee or elected official seems to have an endless “Get Out Of Jail Free” card. 

Cross them in any way and they have the power and the taxpayer paid for resources to hound you, bankrupt you and ruin your life just for the fun of it.

I don’t think of Washington D.C. as a Swamp.  It is better defined  as a “Cesspool”.  

Bob Bandy – October 2018

This is something I feel I must write.  I do it with a measure of sorrow and it is not my intent to judge anyone or express anger or hatred toward anyone.  It is more an expression of grief at how far down the path of inhumanity I feel we have traveled.  Please just read it to the end and think about it.

The National Geographic Society did a multi-year study of  jails and prisons and prison life.  Made for television, one series is called “Lockdown” and another “Hard Time”.  It is a very interesting series and study in people, their choices and consequences.

One episode I watched recently I found particularly troubling.  I cannot remember the exact dialog and words used but the story (a true one) is about a young lady in jail as a repeat offender for use of heroin.  Because of her record for multiple arrests for drug addiction and heroin use she is awaiting trial to determine if she is facing serious prison time or a possible court supervised rehabilitation program, sort of a half-way house environment (?) as explained in the program.

She is pregnant and the father of the baby is also in jail on similar charges.  In her dialog she expresses some feelings of happiness and joy at the thought of the coming baby and also some thoughts of terminating the pregnancy.

She is excited when she hears that she might be a candidate for the supervised program on the “outside”.  Her day in court comes and she appears before the judge. 

The judge tells her that she (the judge) is inclined to put her into the “outside” program but that under the law, with her past history of drug abuse, the judge cannot put her into the program because with her drug record she is likely to re-offend and the drugs she would take could be a risk to the life of the baby she is carrying.  However, if she should decide to not be pregnant [sic],  she would no longer present this risk to her unborn baby and could qualify for the program.

Excuse me.  Read that again. 

Are there no other choices?  Is this the only options our legal system has left the judge with?  Is this what our social engineering has descended to? 

Our humanity appears to be devolving rather than evolving.

“And the people bowed and prayed to the neon god they made.”                                      (Paul Simon – The Sound of Silence)

Bob Bandy

G> S=k log W

Aw…… The Sunset Years – A Look at the Golden Age of Life.

It is my intent that this be a satirical, if not whimsical look at the “Golden Years” of my time on this earth, having experienced life at both ends of the rainbow.  It is not meant to offend anyone, except perhaps in a humorous vein.  We all, including myself, need to be able to laugh at our foibles and the often unintended consequences of our good intentions and sometimes bad habits.

It was my original intent to title this: “The Thoughts and Shadowy Dreams of a Middle-Aged Man”.  But, that would only work if life expectancy is 152 years. 

I grew up in the automobile business having spent many of my happy younger years in auto repair shops with by father and uncle.  One of my early after high school jobs was working on a used car lot preparing cars for resale.  I have always loved cars so you will forgive me if I use an auto related theme in this little exercise.

I find myself driving down the road of life and at this point I am peering out the windshield, straining my old eyes for a look at the Golden Sunset years promised in all those stories and commercials through the years.  

You know the ones I mean.  Like the commercials where those generous, friendly  companies say they will  pay you cash for your Life Insurance policy now – pre-mortem – “giving”  you and your spouse the money to stroll through sun drenched meadows of wild flowers in your final years.  Of course they don’t mention in the ads that when you turn room temperature they will get the cash from your life insurance policy leaving your spouse and/or children with nothing except a final decision as to what to do with your remains.  Left to wonder if “the departed” would prefer a brown or grey cardboard box in which to make the final journey on this side of the veil.  Excuse the bit of macabre humor here.

You will forgive me if my eyes drift from the road ahead to some of the golden memories in the rear view mirror of years past from time to time.  

I had a very happy childhood and survived the usual drama of the teenage years to go out into the world and make lots of common mistakes and wrong turns at times.  School years, military time, lots of good friends, multiple work and career paths.  All the normal stuff in an average life.  Many great memories, some regrets for errors and pain along the way.  Finally met the right life partner and love of my life.  She gave us a beautiful and wonderful daughter and so many special memories.  Too many to begin to cover here.  A Great Life.  Trust me, a long and fond list of golden rear view mirror memories.

Returning my eyes to the road ahead on the other side of the windshield.  

I am thankful for my family and many friends and for my faith which carries me from day to day.  Still much joy there.  However…….

I often seem to find myself, with depleted resources, not allowed to eat any of my favorite foods, too weak to walk that beach again with my beloved wife, struggling  to complete what used to be simple repairs around our home.  That time in life when you realize that most of your  “get up and go” has “got up and went”. 

I have this theory that there is an insidious conspiracy and all those stories about the golden years were part of a “Big Lie” fed to us by a government and media whose only goal is to use us up and then turn us over to an assortment of financial vampires bent on sucking away whats left of our retirement “nest egg” and the scarred remains of our tattered Social (In)Security system.

Some of the members of this conspiratorial group are Government Bureaucrats, Insurance providers, the Medical Profession, the pharmaceutical Drug makers and  the Health Food industry. Their  mission in life is to cleanse the wallet and bank account of  their few remaining dollars as well as the last bit of joy of living while denying me the goodies I want and deserve.  

That is their mission and the first thing they think of when they get out of bed in the morning.  What can we do to make Bob’s life miserable and less joyous today?  In my heart of hearts I know this is true.  You are reading this on the internet so it has to be true.

If you believe the above to just be the raging paranoia of someone past their prime – a scary thought – there is a second theory.  I suppose that in full disclosure I could admit that maybe, just maybe some of my health issues just might be because of my own poor choices in food and life style. 

I should admit this but really don’t want to.  I prefer to believe in the first theory about a grand scheme to deprive me of my wife’s Best Anywhere Chocolate Chip Cookies.   I guess it would be fair to say that I choose the fantasy of the first theory over the reality and facts of the second theory. 

Rear view mirror or windshield?  Both are there.  I have to believe that’s good.

Bob Bandy – August 2018

To paraphrase an old fable: “If you put a frog in a pot of boiling water he will jump out but if you put the same frog into a pot of cold water and then raise the temperature one degree at a time he will stay there until he is boiled alive”.

There are many life applications this bit of wisdom can be applied to.  I have sometimes gotten myself into “hot water” one degree at a time until finding myself in a real mess.

Whether it is an addiction, debt, unhealthy relationships, bad eating habits or any number of other life altering and threatening situations, we are all potential victims of incremental disaster.

But it takes Government on steroids to turn this simple truth into an art form for picking our pockets clean.  I once heard the Comedian Gallagher say:  “Everywhere you leak, they hang a bucket”.

For example go to Walmart and purchase a bag of dog food.  Walmart is paying property taxes, utility taxes, employers share of employees payroll taxes, license fees, environmental fees, government regulatory fees, permit fees, etc. (I could go on but space is limited).

In addition, the truck that hauled the dog food to the store had to pay fuel taxes, license fees, special federal taxes on the tires on the truck, regulatory fees, highway use taxes, ad nauseum.

We could work our way throughout the store but the point is made.  Question:  Ultimately who pays all these taxes and fees?   (Pretend you are hearing game show music) – Da Da Da Da.   You guessed right!  You are!

Next and closer to home, just for fun pull out a recent phone, cable or other utility bill.  For example my recent Comcast Xfinity Cable+ bill has two itemized billing sections: One is called: Other Charges and Taxes and  one is called: surcharges and fees.  On my bill there are ten separate items including, but not limited to, items such as Regulatory Recovery Fees ($2.50) and one called PEG Access Support ($1.53).   The two sections total  $18.49 + $15.53.  Back when I went to school that would be a total of $34.02. 

Comcast public statistics state they have 29.3 million customers.  If my bill is average that would mean monthly revenues for all these various agencies, departments and “groups” would be (my calculator is smoking but if accurate) $996,786,000.

Stated another way that’s 996 Million, 786 Thousand dollars – rock throwing distance to One Billion Dollars a month from one tax and fee generating utility flowing into the pockets of all of these, sometimes mystery, groups, departments and agencies every month from just this one utility.

Shall we now review our telephone bill, gas bill, garbage bill etc.?

Government will never be satisfied with just our Income Tax, Payroll (FICA) Taxes, Property Taxes, Sales Taxes, Auto License, Registration & Fees, Parking Fees, etc. etc. 

Government is a bottomless pit for your money with little accountability.

On the other hand, I am sure that the folks at PEG Access Support are spending their 44+ Million Dollar monthly share of the “take” wisely.

Bob Bandy