Some Other “Political” Views

My views on firearms ownership is well known at this point, especially after my last post, but I still get questions regarding my other political views. These queries have become more frequent lately given the political climate in which we currently find ourselves. Many of my views come down to the simple facts of limited government and personal responsibility. We don’t need to legislate everything and I am not promoting the legalization or banning of anything that I discuss below. In the end we all have different view and the power should remain with the people which brings me to my first topic… same sex marriage.

Frankly, I don’t care who you want to marry but this should not be a federal issue. The local courts and states are the ones who issue marriage licenses and that is where it should stay. That being said, regardless of local guidelines, benefits should be extended to partners as it pertains to federally run agencies such as the IRS. And, as it pertains to benefits available to family members, that decision should be left in the hands of the employer or benefits provider. However, one point I want to be very clear about is that those who vilify people for disagreeing with them should take a really close look at themselves in the mirror. This can be said about another insulting accusation being bandied about… racist.

I am someone who doesn’t care what race you are, I care about the person you are. A disagree with many people not because of their race but because of their views. At the same time, I respect their opinion so long as they respect mine. And just because I don’t believe in your world view or support everything President Obama has to say doesn’t make me a racist. Is there racism in this country? Yes, without a doubt but understand that racism is not limited to a one sided equation. In the same vein, sexism, ageism, antisemitism, and many other kinds of isms are all prevalent in the world.

Modern day racism is multicultural in that demeaning practices are applied against those of every race. The two things that immediately come to mind are profiling, which does negatively impact those who are not white, and affirmative action, which negatively impacts those who are white. Like it or not, racism is a two way street. Speaking of two way streets, many of the government programs that have been preached about over the last few years are nothing more than ways to get us all to pay a little bit more every month.

Universal healthcare is a failure, forcing many to pay exorbitant rates, limiting full time positions, and putting undue financial pressure on businesses and citizens alike. I personally know people who had their hours cut to just below the 30 hour limit, people told they make too much money to qualify despite being unemployed, and those forced to pay outrageous deductibles. And, of course, it has done nothing to slow the rise of premiums. In fact, each month it seems as though there is more and more taken out of my paycheck.

One of the things that I try not to think about when I look at my paycheck is how much I would be making if I converted my salary to an hourly rate. I make a decent salary but also work a lot of hours. In the end, there are some months when it breaks down to about $15 per hour. I work hard for that money and I have the motivation, drive, and work ethic to improve my life. Someone should not be starting at the local McDonald's, without motivation, without aspirations, and expect to earn the same amount of money. Stop expecting to be paid a wage that is not commensurate with the position! If you want to make more money put forth the effort, improve your life, and stop expecting others to do everything for you.

There has been a lot of news this year about another waste of money, Planned Parenthood. While many of the practices are barbaric and even heinous, there are valuable services that they do provide to many communities but it should not be funded by tax payer dollars. I previously held the belief that life begins at conception and now being a father and going to all the appointments prior to my son’s birth I am certain of that view. I believe that abortion is wrong and I would not support it but, at the same time, I do not believe that I should tell others what to do. All I am saying is that I don’t want to pay for something I am so adamantly against.

As for government programs in general and specifically as it pertains to welfare and unemployment, I believe that there is a place for those programs and many people should receive that support. I know that unemployment helped me a few years ago. However, I believe that drug testing should be required in order to receive funds and unemployment should be limited to those actively searching for a job. I agree with offering support to those trying to do the right thing and I would even support doing more to help those individuals but we should not blindly hand out money to everyone regardless of their efforts.

And when it comes to benefits they should be limited to citizens of this country. We are a country laden with tremendous debt and can ill afford supporting those who won’t even take the time to come into this country legally. The immigration system it undoubtedly flawed but it is the law and those who do not follow disregard these guidelines should be treated as any other criminal who breaks the law. There needs to be a better semblance of control of those coming into this country and we should know who is crossing our borders.

While by no means comprehensive, these paragraphs do offer opinions on a broad range of topics. I don’t expect everyone to agree but I don’t expect everyone to disagree either. And if you really want to make sure that something changes or stays the same it is a rather simple process… make sure you vote! The options aren’t great but it is what we have to work with right now. Vote for whom you agree with most but, more importantly, know where you stand on the issues without relying on the opinions of others. Of course, bring your ID because this uncertain, unrestrained, and illegal free for all has got to stop… I wonder who Reagan voted for in the last election.

Firearms Friday: Offended By The Offended

Over the past couple of months we have all heard certain people speaking out of both sides of their butt. A month ago ‘unbiased journalists’ across the country went on the offensive convicting all law enforcement because of the actions of a few. Basically, they viewed all cops as violent racists hell bent on shooting black men whenever they got the opportunity.

Before this recent flurry of reporting (actually it has been pretty consistent since the unwarranted presumptions of guilt in Ferguson) and since then with the most recent tragedy in Charleston, those same people are expanding their world view and now they are seeing all cops and southern white men as racist. This, of course, is in addition to anyone associated with the Republican Party (you know, because they are the old white man’s party). I wonder how long it will take before this thinking trickles down to everyone else. How long before those ‘reporters’ shame themselves for being racists? How long before people declare that because it is called the “White House” that it is a racist?   

Of course, that is not the end of the dichotomy… after all this is Firearms Friday. The other side of this is the fact that those same people who see law enforcement as ‘violent racists’ are the ones that cry “you don’t need guns, that’s why we have the police” whenever some psycho goes on a shooting spree. Can you really have it both ways? Oh wait, that’s right, you can. After all, these are the same people that want free health insurance but get upset when more tax money is taken out of their paycheck to pay for it. They are the same people that want to raise the minimum wage but expect the cost of goods to stay the same.

Since they are the ones crying that they are offended by, well, everything I have this to say... I am offended that you are offended.

I find it offensive that you think you have the right to take my money that I earned and use to support my family in order to fund a healthcare program that has increased both my premium and deductible.

I am offended that you believe someone flipping burgers at McDonald's should make more money per hour than I do working in a salaried job that I had to bust my butt to obtain (you know, the one that technically makes me "middle class").

I am offended that you declare someone a racist or bigot if they do not publicly support your views regardless of what they believe.

I am offended that you refuse to respect the opinions of others while expecting others to respect your opinion.

I am offended that you can’t stand the sight of the stars and bars but support those who burn the stars and stripes in the streets.

I am offended that you refuse to assign responsibility to an individual for their actions but rather place blame on inanimate objects (while twisting the facts).  

I am offended that you grant rights to others but insist on trying to strip away my Second Amendment rights.

I find it offensive that things have gone so far that I am having to write this. But this is where we are. This is what the ‘media’ reports and the line that we are all supposed to fall behind. Just don’t make it a straight line because that is offensive now too.

Where Did All Of Our Money Go?

Every couple of weeks I look at my pay stub and go through the growing list of deductions from my pay… taxes, 401K, and healthcare. Taxes have always been relatively consistent (too high and annoying but consistent), the 401K contribution is something that I set (this I hope to increase in the future), and the healthcare costs have gone up over time according to how many people are covered under my plan which now covers my whole family. However, it is this last significant deduction from my pay that is really annoying. Not because of the direct costs outlined in the deduction but because of the high costs that my wife and I have encountered recently.

For years, every month we have encountered a co-pay in one form or another, office or pharmacy, that is in addition to the insurance premium that we have already paid for that month. Over the past year, those required payments have become more frequently as we have had more doctor visits and prescriptions that needed to be filled. However, these last few months have been atrocious and it really makes you wonder where the money is going. Since our son was born, we have sent out checks for approximately $2500 just to cover the astronomical co-pays. I have seen enough doctors during my life that I have gotten used to the various expenses associated with healthcare but this is simply ridiculous.

I can hear some of you now saying this is why we need Obamacare. Well, in my experience, that is a load of crap! While the delusional utopian concept is intriguing to many it is not something that fits into the confines of reality. This is why we have seen those premiums increase faster since the bill was signed than at any other point in history. Additionally, due to the ridiculous requirements therein, not only have the premiums gone up but the co-pays have seen a sharp increase as well.

Of course, there is also the basic employment fallout. I know for a fact that many employers have set limits on hours simply to avoid having to offer healthcare benefits. Frankly, I have no problem with employers not offering benefits to full time employees so long as said employees understand that they will not be offered. So, instead of someone getting paid for 35-40 hours per week, they are limited to 29.5 hours per week. In the end, they still aren’t getting benefits and now have less money in their pockets.

Furthermore, there are some benefits that were being offered to those who worked 30 or more hours per week. A perfect example that I have seen is that of extended leave. However, because hours are now eliminated that benefit disappears as well. So not only are you getting paid less at the end of the week but you are also losing some of the benefits that you once had. An when you go back to the original gripe in this post, you are also going to pay more for insurance and more in co-pays. You couldn’t afford to get sick before and you still can’t afford it now. Thanks Obamacare!

Maybe we should focus on making sure people can have jobs where they can work full time hours. Maybe we should stop regulating and forcing coverage on people and stop strong arming companies to cover employees. Maybe we should address the high premiums and co-pays that have become the accepted norm in this country. Maybe we should provide a true freedom to choose to have coverage and what coverage to have, whether someone is willing to take a job without healthcare benefits, and whether an employer offers healthcare benefits. Maybe this is the change that we really need!

Investing Again

When I started at my current company there were many things that were discussed. The firm was newly formed when I first walked through the door in September 2013. In fact, the owner of the company was still waiting for the cable company to arrive later that afternoon to set up the internet. It was an interesting experience and much different from the previous conversation I had with her.

It was during that initial discussion when we talked about the clients, my role in the company, and many of the other benefits that would be part of my employment including healthcare, profit sharing, and a 401K (among others). Every salary position I have ever had, and then some, have offered healthcare so that was not a surprise to me. However the other two piqued my interest and were really bonuses to the position that I was not expecting.

Since that time over a year and a half ago, she has been true to her word. While none of us expected any sort of profit sharing at the end of 2013 we weren’t really holding out for 2014 either. After all, we are a new company. However, we were all pleasantly surprised at the end of the year when we each received an extra deposit into our accounts (which was particularly useful at that point in time).

Toward the end of last year we also continued our conversations regarding setting up a 401K. It had taken some time but things were progressing and as the calendar turned over we all started contributing to the future. While we don’t have much extra at the moment, I started with a small contribution from each pay check.

While I have had investment accounts in the past, this was my first time having a 401K. Previous accounts have long since been liquidated to pay for graduate school and other expenses. Many would consider this a tremendous loss but given the fact that I finished graduate school in the spring of 2008, it wasn’t a bad way to use the funds.

Since that time, my ‘investments’ have been on a much smaller scale and consisting of hard assets. I honestly can’t recall how many times I bought silver (and a tiny bit of gold) over the past decade but it is safe to say that I didn’t lose money or break even. A coin here and there can add up especially before the market shifted and the prices began to spike.

All the small items were nice and served a purpose when we needed that little extra. Now, it is a great feeling to be contributing to our future even though it may be one small deduction from my pay every couple of weeks. It may not seem much at the moment, it never does, but it will certainly add up in the end (especially when I start decreasing my take home pay). And it sure beats flipping coins.

Unhealthy Political Practices

Obamacare has a new poster child... Jonathan Gruber!

It seemed appropriate to follow up my post yesterday with this one. One of the big national stories that finally made its way around the media was the comments made by one of the “Obamacare architects” regarding the construction and passage of this useless piece of legislation. Note that the ‘main stream media’ was much later in picking this up than the “conservative” outlets.

On numerous occasions, Jonathan Gruber has spoken at great length to the deception that was built into the ‘Affordable’ Care Act. He also specifically noted that much of the strategy that was required to gain support for the bill required the left to leverage the stupidity of the American people. As was reported in Politico: “In the three videos that surfaced in the last few days, Gruber says parts of the law, including its insurance subsidies and so-called Cadillac tax on expensive plans, wouldn’t have passed back in 2009-10 if voters weren’t “stupid.””

While few have denied that Gruber was an economic consultant on the bill, there has been frequent and repeated efforts to backpedal and characterize Gruber as someone with limited influence on the legislation. However, this ignores the gross misconduct at hand. While we don’t know how much influence he had on the polishing of the turd, he was at the very least in the room and was privy to the construction thereof. He knew of the shell game that was being perpetuated and this is where his comments come into play.

Equally disturbing are the outright lies that have been told to the media this week specifically those from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi who is quoted as saying “I don’t know who he is… He didn’t help write our bill.” She made this adamant statement despite the fact that she has referred to his work in the past. Of course, what do you expect from someone whose infamous pitch when pushing the bill was “But we have to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of the controversy.”

In addition to the lies, misrepresentations, and insults that have surfaced lately (although many of us knew that they were there all along) we now find ourselves at a point in time when healthcare premiums have gone through the roof, few new people have been insured, and financial limits have been placed on hourly workers who cannot go over 30 hours per week. We are getting taxes taken out of each paycheck to cover the program, we are required to take on benefits in our plans that we don’t want or need, and the total cost of the legislative cluster is far beyond any of the projections used to pass the law. Now I am ready to say to all those who questioned my opposition to this bill, I told you so!

Inevitable Appointments

For the first time since I can’t remember when, I think it has been about a year, I made time to see the doctor. Actually, I have been to two doctor’s appointments in the past week. I think that is enough at least for a little while. Don’t worry, it is nothing that is to be concerned about, they were just a couple of checkups. The first was with the regular doctor and the second was basically a double check.

Fortunately, I have the flexibility at work to set appointments that are otherwise not possible… this was an issue when I was working hourly and either didn’t have the time or I was just too darn tired during the normal waking hours to get myself to the office. But now, I have the time, and I am able to make sure I get to the checkups. Maybe I should make this a regular thing just to make sure that nothing does come up.

While I am not a fan of how the health insurance industry if forced to operate these days, it still works, and I really don’t know if such appointments would be possible without it. There have certainly been issues lately with coverage, specifically with getting my wife covered, but that has all been taken care of now. Things seem to be back to usual at the moment.

One thing that I have really come to appreciate in the last couple or few years is the importance of having a doctor that works for me. The office I go to is a very small husband and wife team that harkens back to the neighborhood doctor. Actually, my father grew up with him and he, after medical school, took over his father’s practice and bought the house in which he grew up. He can have a bit of an abrupt demeanor at times but it is always with a sense of looking out for what is best for me. On top of that, these days, with referrals a requirement, this office makes the process easy. It truly is the epitome of a family practice.

While these kinds of offices are slowly disappearing, the recent healthcare legislation seems to be speeding up their disappearance at a staggering rate. The family practice and the attention one receives from such offices, will soon be nothing more than a memory. But until that day comes, even with his shortcomings, I will continue to see my family doctor and do my best to listen to what he says. I’ll at least try.

This Week In WTF: Healthcare and Immigration

Not saying he was a great President but he was pretty good compared to what we have now.

Yeah, I know, this is a completely random post but this past week there have been a couple of things that have forced me to record my thoughts. Not that anything bad happened there are just certain things that reminded me of the tremendous CF that we find ourselves in as a country with regard to policies in these two areas. Oh, how far we have come during the tenure of this President, the one who can do no wrong.

This week I had a few moments when I wished that the healthcare system was much simpler… the way it used to be when it was just a small PITA. While health insurance paperwork has always been a headache… the kind that is brought on by tediousness and nitpicking… it had only gotten worse in recent years. This was never more evident then when I went to enroll my wife on my health plan at work. Turns out the form is no longer enough and now they require special letters (no emails), answers to even more questions, and the blood of a virgin chicken that was discovered in Belize, carbon dated, and proven to be used in a Mayan ritual which then had to be verified by three archeologists (because four would be asking too much) with last names that have a “q” in them from three different countries that only import produce on even number days with temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit and transported on a ship or plane where the entire crew has seen Back to the Future at least twice but has never watched the sequels.

I think this is how they will eventually made Obamacare solvent… people will turn over the extra money (it would cost us about twice as much for my wife to go on Obamacare) just so they wouldn’t have to jump through these hoops. It doesn’t even matter anymore whether you are in this country illegally, you can still get health insurance through the United States government. What kind of crap is that? Maybe, just maybe, if we let the immigration “reform” proposals collapse under their own BS we might have a chance at changing that. Maybe.

For now, people are streaming into the country where those who file applications for amnesty ‘shall not be detained, determined inadmissible, deported, or removed until their applications are finally adjudicated, unless they commit a future act that renders them ineligible with amnesty.’ Essentially, illegal aliens cannot be immediately deported unless they commit an illegal act. So, if they don’t do anything illegal (except of course for entering the country illegally) they are put into an application system that is more backed up and mismanaged than the VA hospitals in Arizona. Except instead of causing the deaths of those who fought for our freedom, it ensures a free pass to those who don’t even respect one of our most basic laws (and some of them don’t respect the law whatsoever as criminals are also eligible for amnesty and citizenship so long as they only committed one felony or three misdemeanors).

As Marty Huggins said, “It’s a mess.” I guess what this all comes down to is the fact that the system is broken, this administration had failed, and while I didn’t vote for any of this crap I, along with everyone else, have to deal with the fecal fallout. And if you agree with me then, according to the bluer than Violet Beauregard turning into a blueberry liberals, you’re a racist too. Never mind the fact that this is an equal opportunity cluster.

Social Media Disturbances

There were a couple of messages on social media that caught my attention this week for all the wrong reasons. According to a message I received through LinkedIn, I am uninformed because I do not accept the communist ideas as expounded by Marx. On the other side (actually much of the same side), according to someone on Facebook, a person whom I have personally met on numerous occasions, I am a Nazi because I do not support socialized medicine. Essentially, they are both communistic idealists.

First, let’s address the LinkedIn blather. I received this in my inbox and, while I don’t mind being picked for funds , this one is a train wreck:

“Alleanza Kontra l-Faqar (Alliance against poverty) is a pressure group in favour of distribution of wealth in a fairer society. We advocate and give voice to anyone who needs our support on a number of social issues that can include education, minimum wage, basic income for everyone and their fair economic adjustment in view of inflation, purchasing power and cost of living, precarious employment, third age pensioners, disabled persons, health, single parents, the unemployed, and, social housing.

“The Alliance against Poverty is not subject to any political or religious bias, and, its members are determined to work collectively towards a social and overall well-being, as a basic fundamental right, in order to live a satisfactory and decent life, whether they are living within poverty lines or not….

“…Karl Marx - economist and sociologist ( born in 1818 ) among others mentioned the need to have a system to take care that the work earn enough money to have to eat , and for Marx this basic need was part of patter that prescribed that wealth should be distributed equally amongst the members of society.

“Unfortunately as sometimes happens even today the day , the politicians did not implement the communism based on principles of solidarity alone, and countries using a communist ideology such as Russia and Cuba seem to have suppressed their notable communist policies in view of the rise of civil wars and the intentional or non-intentional use of the inappropriate political model to support the original philosophy that favours equality in wealth distribution. Wealth distribution remains highly unfair towards the poorer members of society even in modern times, with the increasing numbers of unemployed persons during the double dip (2008).”

The last paragraph should have read something along the lines of “Unfortunately, as sometimes happens even to this day, politicians pander to the people and feel the need to implement government run programs that sap the motivation and incentive from a society. While hiding under the cover of ‘equality’ they hinder the individuality of the people and quash any means to better themselves in the best way that would benefit themselves, their families, and society as a whole.” Equal distribution is not a means to utopia, it is a way to ensure conformity. That is not a tool that should be applied to any society which ascribes to the practice of freedom.

In looking at the profile of this person, I am left with a great sadness for this misguided young person. Too many of those in the younger demographic fall prey to such doctrine. With that said, Facebook quickly reminded me that this is an epidemic that is not just limited to ill informed youths.   

Soon after this Marxist tidbit was read, I went over to Facebook to check on a few messages. In my stream I was confronted with the following post by someone who shall not be named (and no it was not Tom Riddle): “Personal opinion: I believe that the anti-Obamacare crowd is whacked beyond the Nazis. To paraphrase the eminent historian John Lukacs, the Nazis had their half-truths. The tea-partiers don't have diddly-squat!” Needless to say, we have a winner for the WTF Award for the week (also a strong contender for the annual prize).

Don’t get me wrong, I am not calling this person a communist or a socialist. Rather, it is the vulgarity of what they see as a societal norm which brings me to draw the comparison with the previously mentioned message. Essentially, their message is that because I am against the a federally run healthcare system (because we know the federal government is efficient, always on budget, and knows how to shop around for the best deal) I am both a member of the Tea Party and a Nazi. While at first I was shocked by this assertion, I quickly realized that it really isn’t surprising. They are simply regurgitating the messaging that is found on a weekly basis spewed on many of the unbiased news liberal editorial channels.

So, because I don’t fall in line and goose step with that crowd I am the bad guy? Frankly, I would rather have my own opinion based on my own personal experiences and study of the subject rather than simply believing in a program that had to be passed before anyone was told what was in it. This doesn’t mean that all social programs are bad, some are necessary to the health and well being of society, but some are grandiose schemes put in motion by intellectual and societal dictators that live in their own utopian minds with little contact here in the real world.

We can be a self sustaining people if others would get out of the way and let us live. If you would take the time to embrace what you have rather than focusing on what the Jones’ have we would all be in a better place and a better state of mind. Maybe then we could actually work on the problems of our ‘modern’ society rather than encouraging strife and burdening this and future generations with ‘solutions’ that cause more problems than they solve.

I know that won’t happen any time soon and maybe that makes me the idealist in this situation. While I adamantly disagree with the fudge that is smeared on these social media sites, it is their opinion and I believe that is a freedom that needs to be protected even those they don’t support the freedoms that I enjoy and feel should be protected. All I can really do is feel sorry for the state of the people and hope that we return to a time when we can live up to the aspirations that the founders had for this country and for us as a people.