Never Forget
One
by Cheryl Sawyer
As the soot and dirt and ash rained down,
We became one color.
As we carried each other down the stairs of the burning building
We became one class.
As we lit candles of waiting and hope
We became one generation.
As the firefighters and police officers fought their way into the inferno
We became one gender.
As we fell to our knees in prayer for strength,
We became one faith.
As we whispered or shouted words of encouragement,
We spoke one language.
As we gave our blood in lines a mile long,
We became one body.
As we mourned together the great loss
We became one family.
As we cried tears of grief and loss
We became one soul.
As we retell with pride of the sacrifice of heros
We become one people.
We are
One color
One class
One generation
One gender
One faith
One language
One body
One family
One soul
One people
We are The Power of One.
We are United.
We are America.
———
Cheryl Sawyer is a professor at UH Clear Lake in the counseling department.
Exploring Ground Zero, Ten Years Later
Government Which Governs Least
I’d like to try something a little different. I’ve tried to research material to address different aspects of the political environment that are starting to become factors in the world in which we find ourselves today. I did one article regarding the healthcare issue, where I probably included too much personal information. I wanted to attempt to put together an article that gets us refocused on the purpose of the site, and that is COMMON GROUND!
The one thing that sticks with me the most about the posters on this site is that you are all passionate in your beliefs. Unlike so many sites in this anonymous world called the internet, we have actually been able to forge friendships, however fragile they may be at times. For those of us who have been fortunate enough to meet in person, from what I’ve heard on all accounts each and every one of these meetings has reinforced opinions that folks here are rock solid! This is quite a remarkable feat no matter how you look at it. Sadly, sometimes I think we lose sight of that simple fact in our discussions. So what I’d like to do with this article is to take my personal observations of our discussions and see if we have more in common than we have differences. I know we all realize that there are some major problems that we face together - where the disagreements come is in the solutions. Here are my simple observations.
The first issue that we have is our differences of opinion on the role of government in our lives. Some feel the federal government should be the dominant factor, others believe the states should be. If you look at it strictly in terms of our Constitution, the sederal role is to be limited and the states are to be dominant. I don’t think that anybody can really argue the opposite honestly. Everybody realizes that government is a necessary evil in our lives, simply because without it we would be living in anarchy and nobody wants that (except anarchists). The real question is how do we get back to a proper balance and still benefit the entire country, not just certain segments.
We’ve all heard the phrase “government which governs least governs best”, and there is a reason that rings true. It places the individual in charge of doing the “right thing”, even though there is little oversight. When I go bowling on league nights, I drive on rural roads, with stop signs and stop lights. I come to a complete stop when I get to a stop sign, and I wait for the light to change even if there is no traffic. Why do I do this? Quite simply because it is the law, it’s part of the rules we live by. I don’t think there is anything unique about me in this respect, I think most people are capable and willing to do the same thing for the same reason. There is a trust, a bond if you will between government and the citizenry to obey the law even when nobody is watching. Somewhere along the line, that trust has been lost in both directions of governance. I suggest the following for your consideration.
Due to the nature of our budget difficulties hitting us at the federal, state and local levels, the elimination of all unfunded mandates should be discontinued, for one simple reason. If legislation is so important that it needs to be passed, it should be fully funded by the level of government passing the legislation. It’s easy to spend other people’s money when there are no consequences. Try having something forced on you in your own personal life by any entity and you’ll take issue with it. This simple step could remove a huge burden from every level of government other than local. That’s the way this system of ours was designed to operate.
The second step of this process would be to eliminate duplication in the various federal agencies involved in so many aspects of our everyday activities. We really don’t have to look too far back in history to find an example of how this interferes with a reasonable and timely response to a problem. I give you as an example the Gulf oil spill. There were numerous stories about how the various federal agencies each had their own specific spans of control. Because of all the layers of government involved, steps that could have been implemented quickly to minimize damage were delayed simply due to layers of bureaucracy. It slowed our response considerably. Why have seven different agencies involved in the decision-making process in this emergency? If your house was on fire, would you want to have to get the okay from seven different people before the fire trucks were dispatched? This is the easiest example to use, and it’s rampant in every layer of government.
Once that duplication has been eliminated, we then can focus on what the federal government should be involved with, and this is where it all gets very tricky. There is an argument to be made that some standards need to be applied across the entire country, and in some instances I agree that it is necessary. For this example I will use the Department of Education. I firmly agree there should be a basic set of educational standards, but none of them should involve diversity training, sex education or self-esteem classes. Those are not issues that should fall into the realm of government at any level, in my not so humble opinion, but rather to the parents. What purpose does it serve the citizenry for a child to feel good about herself when she can’t even read the diploma she is handed? At some point we have to get back to parental responsibility. Many of us were born and raised before the Department of Education was created in 1977. Think of how much has changed in the US during the subsequent three decades. It’s mind-boggling when you take the time to contemplate that. As a small aside, the Energy Department was created at the time to make us energy independent. Anybody honestly think it’s even gotten close to that goal?
These are all things we have discussed here, time and again. When you take the time to stop and ponder just these simple steps, do you understand the amount of money these simple steps would save? State and local governments could implement the same principles, and the savings would be compounded further. A profound attitude change would occur from both the perspective of the taxpayer toward the government, and vice versa. It’s all quite simple when you think about it. Most taxpayers don’t mind paying taxes, and they really don’t mind government. Where the real conflict arises is when the taxpayers don’t think they are getting their money’s worth out of THEIR investment. Government doesn’t invest in infrastructure and schools, taxpayers do.
We the People?
This post has been removed due to potential copyright infringement issues, and to protect against possible legal action.
The Gipper
I have noticed over the last couple of weeks on this site the increased mention of former President Ronald Reagan and the negative impacts of his economic policies on various aspects of the United States economy. I was a 24 year old young man when Reagan was elected, and remember very well the economic conditions that were at play when he was elected. So I came to an agreement with Mr. Galt that I would do a piece on the effects of the Reagan tax policies. I made a commitment to myself to keep my personal opinions out of the piece, and to instead focus on the numbers involved. I wanted to endeavor to put together an article that was as honest as I could. I did not wish to make it a slanted, one sided article because I believed I owed that to you all. As I have come to be associated with you all there is an underlying theme, we all care about our Country a great deal. I am going to focus on four central themes, 1) The revenue generation of the Reagan tax cuts, 2) the effects on the manufacturing sector of our economy, 3) the generation of wealth the policies created and 4) the effects on the Federal deficit. (more…)
Government: Buy Health Insurance–Or Else!
Key to Barack Obama’s health care plan is one simple thing: everyone will be required by law to purchase health care insurance. Failure to do so will result in “fees” which, if not paid, could result in penalties of up to $25,000 or one year in jail. And it gets better, because the failure to pay the penalties would be considered felony tax evasion, and that could result in a fine of up to $100,000 and up to five years in jail. (Source)
Scary? Absolutely! But the more important question is whether or not the federal government may constitutionally order private citizens to purchase health insurance (a misnomer if ever there was one). True, Congress has the power to regulate interstate commerce, but the legal eagles are in a quandary over the government’s attempts to control personal behavior. (more…)
T. Lee: Back to the Constitution – The Foundation of Conservative Thought
The United States of America. It conjures up all sorts of images. Shining seacoasts, vast plains, snow-covered mountains, the immense Alaskan wilderness, fields of grain stretching to the horizon, and glimmering skyscrapers surrounded by sprawling metropolitan meccas. For many in other parts of the world, it represents hope, freedom and opportunity for a better future. Indeed, many have risked everything to come to America and start a new life and legacy for their children and their children’s children.
Wealth and military might have catapulted the United States to the pinnacle of modern history. Her accomplishments and influence have surpassed those of any civilization ever to rise on the planet. We’ve built an empire unparalleled and without equal. Our economic output is the envy of the world, and by virtue of it, we have attained the highest standard of living ever achieved. And all of this in considerably less than two hundred years, a mere blink of an eye in the context of the history of nations. (more…)
Enlightened Atheist: The C Street Band
The family is taught that the separation of church and state was sort of a secular exaggeration, and that Jesus did not come to bring peace, he came to take over.”
Those aren’t the words of a fundamentalist preacher. Those are the words of Mark Pryor (D-AR). He, as well as other notable Senators and Congressmen, at some point have each called a quaint tax-free registered church home, C street. C street houses a group of men who believe that God does not work through churches, but rather through those whom the church calls “the new chosen.” (Chosen by God specifically.) These people refuse to pray with “normal ” Christians. These are men who idolize Hitler, Stalin and Mao, as men who understood the New Testament best. They interpret the New Testament to be not about love, but power. (more…)
Wandering in the Wilderness?
In February, 2009, Common Ground 13 went live, with the overarching goal of organizing a “grass-roots movement of the American people, without regard to political party affiliation, whose purpose is restoring the federal government to that commanded by the United States Constitution.” And none too soon. Whereas, for most of the last century, the federal government’s encroachment on the powers of the states, and the rights of the people thereof, has been a relatively slow, but steady, creep, recent years have seen not only an unprecedented explosion in the size of government but, more importantly, the exponential increase in its powers, as it daily seizes more and more of the powers reserved by the Constitution to the states. So, here we are, on the brink of what amounts to the dissolution of the states, ready to act. But, what are we doing? Are we having any effect, or are we simply wandering in the wilderness? (more…)
