Stop Pulling the Wagon

EVER HAD ONE OF “THOSE” DREAMS?

Last night I dreamed that I was working in the California State Department of Paperwork Reduction.

A wonderful place to work that was a model of diversity.  We had one of every race, creed, nationality, religion, mental and physical handicap and everything else you can imagine.  Even different political parties were represented though it was rumored that the token Republican had not been seen in a while and was possibly in a 24 step recovery program.  This is California after all.

We also had employees whose only job was to act as interpreters for employees engaged in conversations in different languages.

The mission of our department is to reduce the excessive use of paper within California to help in the war against Global Climate Change.  Three Hundred and Fifty, dedicated to the cause employees occupying four floors of a state office building in Sacramento.  Working diligently three, sometimes four days a week depending on holidays, vacations, jury duty, sick leave, comp time etc.

To fulfill our mission our job is to produce a 172 page workbook every year that is to be mailed to every place of business in California.  The title of this workbook is: YOUR PLACE IN PAPERWORK REDUCTION.

Within the information packed workbook will be a snap out set of forms (12 pages) which is to be copied and distributed to every employee at each place of business. Each employee is to fill out the 12 page questionnaire, sign it, copy it and then mail back the original to the California State Department of Paperwork Reduction for tabulation and completion of a 1500 page report which is to be distributed annually to all other State Departments.

In addition a copy of the 1500 page tabulated “Final Report” will be sent to each of the businesses within California who participated.

What could possibly go wrong?  This is government at work.

Bob Bandy

A NEW YEAR.  A TIME FOR REFLECTIONS AND RESOLUTIONS.

Seems every year I want to start out with some new resolutions.  This year I will lose weight.  This year I will spend less and save more. This year I will exercise daily.  Ad nauseum.

What I really should do is see what I have learned in the year past and apply that to making for a happier year to come.

For example, the year past has taught me that looking for real solutions to our nations problems to come out of Washington D.C. is like fishing for supper in a septic tank.

Not to say there are not good, decent politicians.  There are.  But, they are so outnumbered by the clowns, lunatics and criminals that the honest ones do not have a chance.

Washington is an asylum that is being run by the worst of the inmates while the “good ones”  are relegated to aligning the deck chairs on our ship of state while it is sinking in a sea of debt, dependency and political correctness.

When a plurality of the voting population is made up of those who no longer seek the truth but prefer to believe the fantasy  that it is possible get 20 pounds of apples out of a 10 pound sack, Democracy is ultimately doomed.

Too bad there is not a law that requires pictures of our children and grandchildren on our nations credit cards. Public and private.

I think that this year I will resolve to spend a whole lot less time focusing my life around the insanity that rules our nation and more time on minimizing its impact on my life.

I will instead resolve to start the new year by spending my time more profitably fishing  for happiness with my family, friends, faith and neighbors. And, do more good for those I see in need along the way.

Bob Bandy

 HAVE WE SACRIFICED THE FIRST AMENDMENT ON THE ALTAR OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS?

Recently I was talking with a good friend of mine about his experiences as an Associate Professor at one of the more respected colleges you see advertising on television.  During our conversation he happened to mention something to the effect that we still have our First Amendment Right of Free Speech.  It got me to thinking.

Do we?

It seems to me that as a nation we have “sub-divided”  ourselves into various racial, ethnic and cultural groups that, all too often, seem bent on finding things to be offended by.  Just some of these divisions are political, racial, cultural, economic and lifestyle.

Often, saying something, even innocently, is perceived as an insult or “hate speech’ though no offense was intended.

If  one groups beliefs or code of conduct disagrees with the lifestyle of another groups, they risk being labeled as “haters” or “phobic”.

On most college campus’s, which are in theory citadels of free thought, tolerance and the exchange of ideas, some groups “need not apply” and their ideas and beliefs are ridiculed, mocked and laughed at.  Conservatives, for example, are not welcome and Conservative “guest” speakers are shouted off the stage.  Free Speech?  You might ask Condoleezza Rice.  Where is the tolerance and free exchange of ideas?

Some groups are politically protected, others are not. Free Speech?  Some religions you must speak respectfully of or face potentially life threatening consequences while others, such as Christianity,  are not a protected group and considered “fair game”  and “targets of opportunity” to mock and make fun of.

In my opinion Political Correctness is not an equal opportunity employer.

I also fear that we are, one by one sacrificing our Constitutional Rights in the name of “Big Daddy” Government and Political Correctness.

Are we going the way of Canada and some other countries where you can be jailed if you offend some protected group with “Hate Speech”?

Bob Bandy

Aw, the simple light bulb.  Hardly a candidate for a government conspiracy you think.  But, you could be wrong.

Last week the Environmental Protection Agency issued a statement that they have the power to, and would begin attaching the paychecks of folks who violate EPA Regulations.  And, they said they do not have to go to court to do this.

Enter the Government Approved Compact Florescent Light Bulb.  Caution: Contains Mercury.

Our government tells us that these give off just as much light as a “regular” incandescent bulb while using up to 70% less energy.  The package I have in front of me tells me that it gives off the same amount of light as a 60 watt bulb while consuming only 14 watts.

Pardon me, I had to turn on an old fashioned incandescent bulb to read the package because the 14 watt “CFL” bulb does not provide enough light for me to read the labeling.

The package tells me these will last up to 7 years.  My own experience is more like 7 months. When they do “go out” you now are faced with disposal in an “Environmental Protection Agency Approved” obstacle course.  For some fun reading you might want to go to  www.gov.epa/cfl   Be sure to read everything.  You don’t want to miss anything because “ignorance” (not having read some sub-paragraph) is no excuse to the Dark Lords at the EPA.

Be especially careful in reading what is required if you should ever break one of these little environmental time bombs.

What you will find in reading through the regulations is that disposal requirements vary from location to location depending on City, County, State and Federal Regulations.  In some areas it may be as simple as getting in your car and driving them to your local Home Depot Store where you may be able to dispose of them at an “Approved Site” (Properly filled out forms may, or may not be required).

It is your responsibility to know and comply with all regulations at all levels. Failure to comply is subject to EPA fines and wage (or other asset) attachment.

I thought it might be kind of fun to package up the “dead” ones and mail them to your elected representative that voted for the forced use of these little monsters.  But, I would not want to violate any regulations.

One last thing.  Don’t even think of putting “dead” (or alive) Compact Florescent Bulbs in your “regular” trash.  Remember, they contain Mercury and we all know what the EPA thinks about the hazards of Mercury.

Lets see,  our government mandates use of these bulbs and the EPA can fine you for improper use or disposal.  About 300 Million+ Americans disposing of an average of two to three CFL bulbs per year.  Lets assume a fine of $1000 per bulb (this is Chump Change to the EPA which normally thinks in terms of $10,000 per day fines).  Do the math.  Think of all the money the EPA can collect in fines if they just want to.

Conspiracy?  Tell me which government agency you trust.  Internal Revenue Service?  Justice Department?

Bob Bandy

We see and are told in the news that we have a border crisis with tens of thousands of undocumented, would be immigrants flooding across our southern borders.  

On a serious note, I do not know anyone who is not moved by the sight of thousands of seemingly parent-less young children or ragged adults trying to escape poverty and even danger.  But, do we solve this by opening our borders to “all comers”?  Do we turn our Border Patrol agents into a kind of “Welcome Wagon”?  Do we just open all our borders on all sides to anyone and everyone from all countries around the world?  Can we just shut down the Department of Immigration and Naturalization?  

The Federal Government, State Governments and Congress are in a battle as to how to solve this crisis.  Some shouting to “Seal Our Borders” and others saying to welcome them all and create a “Path To Citizenship” for all comers whether legal applicants or those without papers.

I see a simple solution that should make everyone happy.  Lets send them where they are needed and wanted.

For example, Detroit, Michigan (pictured above) is a city that has lost tens (hundreds?) of thousands of citizens.  There are thousands of empty homes available either free or almost free for the taking.  And, Detroit has a long history of generous benefits to those in need.

Why not load these folks desiring to immigrate onto buses and take them to Detroit? On arrival they could be given a sack lunch and a map with directions (in their native language) to the offices of “Public Assistance” as well as street guides to areas where there is housing ready for the taking.

This program could be expanded to other cities that have by way of public pronouncements, ordinances and local laws indicated support for undocumented immigrants.  Some of the cities that come quickly to mind are San Francisco, New York, Chicago and Seattle but there are many others.

I have visions of caravans of buses with thousands of happy new, undocumented citizens streaming off the buses into the waiting arms of cities anxiously welcoming them with public funded programs to provide them with all the goods and services they need or want.

With my plan, the cities that have indicated they want them, get them and, get to pay for the services provided from their own local tax revenues.

Everybody wins.  What could possibly go wrong?

Bob Bandy

An old saying goes: “Lie to me once, shame on you.  Lie to me twice, shame on me.”

I don’t know whether to be amused or frightened by the fact that so many of my fellow citizens seem to be surprised when one of our leaders who has lied to us in the past is again caught in a lie.

Forgive me, but after you have lied to me once, I figure that if I see your lips moving, you are lying.  That is, until you come to me with verifiable facts that you have changed your ways.

Having said that, I can understand why we have become sort of numb to lies in general.  We are bombarded daily with outright lies and, just as dangerous, half truths, which are still lies, dressed in sheep’s clothing.

Whether its selling a box of soap, running for Congress or delivering some bad news about the latest foreign diplomatic failure,  its all about the message.  Give the people what you think they want to hear in order to make the sale.  The “sheeple” don’t really want to hear the truth.  They would rather concentrate on social media and the latest staged “Reality” show.

Advertisers call it “Marketing” and Politicians have fine tuned it into what is called “Spin” and “Talking Points”.  Like putting lipstick on a lie.  Tell a lie often enough and with fake conviction and it soon becomes a quasi-truth.

It has become an art form.  Couch everything you say in “weasel” words and propaganda.

For marketing companies you end up with words like “Beefy” (no beef) and “Choclaty” (no chocolate).  Car dealers use phrases like: “We can make you a deal like nobody else, and that’s a promise!” (of what?).

Politicians give you phrases like: “If you like your plan you can keep it and that’s a promise!”  (for how long?) or: “I did not have sex with that woman!” (depends on your definition of sex).

Still there was a time when people of character and honor told us the truth, no matter how ugly.

In 1940 during the dark early days of World War II, Winston Churchill promised his people only:  “Blood, toil, tears and sweat”.  It wasn’t a pretty message but it was the truth and the British people, as well as the free world, rallied to it.

In our world today a politician who tells the “no-spin” truth is a rare individual.  Any individual bold enough to say plainly that as a nation we are on a path to bankruptcy and becoming a Third Rate Banana Republic, under the thumb of a dictator who governs by edict rather than the rule of law, would be called an extremist, mocked and made fun of.

If we can find a strong enough leader to tell us that to solve our domestic and economic problems will take the equivalent of  “Self discipline, hard work and financial tears”, they would never get elected or, if already in office would have no chance of re-election.

Times change.

Bob Bandy