Unwilling

We are so unwilling to pay that we enslave our children and our republic to bond holders.

We are so unwilling to govern that we have no foreign policy, no domestic policy, no economic policy, no military policy, no education policy.

Lazy,

Lazy Us.

We have sold our childrens chance for democracy out from under them. Because we have been to lazy to govern ourselves it will be nearly imppossible for them to govern themselves. Worse we have failed to teach them to govern themselves.
We didnt blink when we gave them the Saving and Loan mens debt.
Know we are going to saddle them with a another trillion dollars in debt.
We appear to hate them.

Carry Me

In the process of dropping out.


Being a citizen is a lot like being a parent. We say that it is a tough, dirty job,but that someone has to do it. There is some truth in that, isn't there?

It is also true that there are some compensations. It may be hard to remember those compensations when the job is upon us; but there are times when we can.

We have hear a parent, half jokingly, say, "I wish I could find a better operating manual for these kids" or "for this family."

We have a pretty good operating manual for government. It seems to be better than most relationship or child rearing books.

Congressmen are a lot like kids; presidents are too. They are like young, immature kids. Some are only 2, 4, or 6 years old in government years. In some ways they are better than kinds and in others, worse. For example, they are easier to get rid of when they don't work out.

Still it is not easy being a parent or a citizen; and usually we are both! When all, or most of ones kids kids go wrong, people begin to think that there may be something wrong with ones parenting skills. When many of ones Congressmen go wrong, people begin to think that there may be something wrong with ones citizenship skills.

Most of the basics are pretty simple. We organize so as to make sure that we know where they are and what they are doing. We make sure that they have food and shelter. We help them to understand our values. We encourage them to behave well and to follow the rules.

Luckily, most congressmen and presidents know how to read nearly as well as we do. Luckily our citizenship manual is shorter and clearer about the duties of our representatives than most child rearing books are about the duties of our children. Still, in our republic as in our families, it is you and I who have the main responsibility.


Our governance manual, the Constitution, is pretty clear that the president is not to make any decisions about money. Congress is to make the money. Congress is to specify exactly how the money is to be spent. Congress is to make sure that no money leaves the cookie jar (treasury) except by specific, written, and posted laws for each appropriation. Congress is to give us regular statements of how all of the money is used. Congress is to regularly provide us with an account of receipts and expenditures.

All we have to do is to arrange to see that they do so. It is up to us to see that they do it that way. We are not alone. We have our fellow citizens and the resources of the richest nation on earth.

Just as "bad' parents may have "bad" children and even lose their families: so, may "bad" citizens have "bad" government and even lose their country.


Tell me again about the compensations for being a good parent and a good citizen. Tell me again about my resources. Lead me. Carry me.

Observations

Just watched an amazing parade of new kindergartners! Great bands! Great marching music! Great ballons! And ......... a mile of these amazing little people �marching� the distance like they did it every day. Marvelous. Great to see.


I�m presently in the pretty and handsome city of Cochabamba, Bolivia. It is at present only slightly marred by air pollution, but well before the kindergarteners I just watched are anywhere near my age I expect the present air polution will have much lessened.

Today is a Sunday and most businesses are closed. I believe that if I go to the airport I will be able to reserve a seat on a flight to La Paz. The long bus trips are not as much fun as they once were. Still I did enjoy the 12 hour ride here from Santa Cruz. Lots of good sights. Lots of good conversation. Conversation example: A young man who had begun working underground in the mines at the age of eight and continued in that work until the age of 13 when mine work killed his father. At a later date he was able to find work in Argentina building new subways in Buenos Aires for about three years. With the money he saved he was able to buy a decent coca plantation which with his work as a driver is enoung to take care of his family. The older man I sat next to for much of the time work 25 years on a large minning dredge and became one of the very few Bolivian dredge captains. I have been aboad these dredges. Amazing. They are very large and are capable of making their own lake and moving it with them as they process ore.
I was tired after the 12 hours, but handled it well. Even the 1/2 hour in the road as a flat was fixed. Missed the first class bus.

More later.