Thoughts for a New Year

This is not a resolution essay nor a call for others to make resolutions. I have never kept a resolution yet, and don't expect to be able to keep any this year. That being said the New year does give us a logical beginning, to take stock of what we are doing and where we want to go.

In all areas of our society I see extremes. In politics we hear loud obsessive voices that say they are right and if only those other intolerant people would just listen to me they would see the light. We have the secular folks that tell us because they don't believe in God, than it must be false, therefore those of us who do believe, are leading people astray. We have racial advocates that tell us if we don't believe affirmative action solves all ills than we are racist. We have Gay marriage that tell not only must we agree with them, we must if necessary have judges institute this as law. The November election show us that we have political parties that tell us even though they present no vision, direction or leadership that if just vote for them they will show it to us then. Which party am I talking about? Unfortunately both.

All of those things can be negative, and in many ways are. They don't have to be. I intend this to be a positive essay. The new perspective we can take is rather old in its roots. If you are a person of faith, read your holy scripture whatever that may be. Take comfort in the teachings. Share the teachings with others, but no means be dogmatic. Share, don't inflict.

Read the constitution again, or for the first time. Look at the beauty of its simplicity. Read some of the Federalist papers. These explain the heart and soul of the founders. I can find no article or amendment that by explicit, nor implicit instruction gives powers of lawmaking to judges, activists, nor pundits.

Get involved. by this I don't mean give money, although that is important to give to groups you believe in. I prefer to give my money when I can to humanistic charities like Salvation Army or a local shelter, but my money is somewhat tighter than some others. By getting involved I mean try to keep up on current events, using more than the evening news. Read, explore, and be curious. By the end of the coming year the Presidential candidates will be in full swing for 2008. Look beyond the rhetoric. When both parties give their platitudes and promises ask yourself, how will this person accomplish this? For example surely they will promise to get us our of Iraq, what will they do? Just leave, or find a way to give the country a functioning government. If they have a sure fire plan have they shared it with the President and joint chiefs?

On economics, the next thing they will promise is to end offshore outsourcing and job losses from it. Ask yourself how will they do it. If you believe this is caused by greed, will this person end greed? If it is caused by normal economic events, will they change the basic laws of economics? They can't change economic laws, but they can change the environment, by adding government oversight. What will be the consequences beyond that? Will they cause other things not so positive to happen?

This is where the Constitution and Federalist Papers come in. If the candidates for President promise to fix our problems by giving you security over freedom, be suspicious, very suspicious!!!