The Donkeys Have It!

I think our government is working on their own "Mythbusters" episode. It has been said that if you dig a hole deep enough you will reach China. Maybe that is why President Obama met with President Hu Jintao of China: in case it's not a myth, he wanted to make sure he had good reservations for when he gets there.

Congress has spent us into such a large hole that, in twisted government logic, it has been decided that a larger shovel must be needed to get us out.

There is a story of an old donkey that fell into a large hole. Instead of trying to lift it out of the hole the villagers decided to just bury it. So they started bringing all of their trash to the hole and dumping it on top of the donkey. The donkey would shake it off and stamp it down. The villagers would bring more trash and dump it on the donkey. The donkey would shake it off and stamp it down. This kept going on until one day there was enough trash under the donkey that it simply stepped out of the hole.

Note: My wife, as I read this to her, asked me to clarify the above analogy to make sure it was getting across what I intended. So here is the legend:

• The old donkey - that is us (the nation)
• The large hole - the debt (that was easy)
• The villagers - Congress
• The trash - revenue (tax dollars, which is the way the government raises funds to operate)

The villagers didn't give the donkey a shovel and told it to dig its way out, they filled the hole - albeit unintentionally.

You need to stop digging the hole deeper before you try to fill it up. That's the key.

My pastor told a story of a car he had when he was younger. It was such a gas hog that when he went to fill it up the attendant (back in the day when someone else would pump your gas for you, and that person wasn't your spouse) would say, "You gotta shut that thing off; you're getting ahead of me!"

Our nation is really hurting right now. Sometimes you just have to apply a tourniquet before you try to patch the wound. And we've got a real bleeder on our hands!

(Sorry about all of the analogies - must be the result of going through my poetry. . .)

I'm not going to argue in this issue whether or not increasing taxes is the solution to filling the hole (it's not, by the way. Even President Kennedy knew that!), but cutting spending is a must!

Maybe those in Congress can take the advice of the old donkey in the story above - and believe you me, if they follow MY advice they WILL get a lot of trash dumped on them. They need to shake it off and do what's right. The financial future of our country depends on it!

Who said you can't learn anything from a jackass?

© Emittravel 2011

Talk to Me

I went through my queue of topics and, honestly, I didn't feel like writing. I know that's "death" for a blogger, but I'm not going to publish crap just to keep the flow going. If I can't state MHBAO in a way that inspires at least me, I'm not going to do it.

I did decide to delve back into my archive of creative writing and post another for your enjoyment. Besides, I don't think this will qualify as crap either. Enjoy!

Talk To Me

Quiet times.

Silent times.

Alone with self.

Talk to me.

Desperation.

Setting in.

Reaching out.

Reaching in.

Talk to me.

Needing comfort.

Needing care.

Isolation.

Talk to me.

Astray in mind.

Astray in heart.

Absolution.

Talk to me.

Although I am with you,

I feel so alone.

Talk to me.

You close up

and leave me in darkness.

Talk to me.

I pour out my heart.

I pour out my love.

Talk to me.

A lifeless being.

A hand so cold.

Talk to me.

Wanting you.

Needing you.

Fear in silence.

Talk to me.

Why are you so quiet?

Why don’t you release?

Talk to me.

Is it something I’ve done?

Is it something I’ve said?

Talk to me.

You hold it inside,

to fester,

to gnaw.

Talk to me.

Are you blind to my heeding?

Can you not hear my call?

Talk to me.

To talk is to dance.

It is no fun alone.

Talk to me.

Come be my partner

and we’ll dance in our love.

Talk to me.

If my pace is too fast

or I “step on your toes.”

Talk to me.

I will slow down my speed

and I’ll “kick off my shoes.”

Talk to me.

But let’s do it together.

It is too hard alone.

Talk to me.

Oh please talk to me,

so we can be one.

Together.

J.P. Wiegand

©Emittravel 1986

It's amazing to me when and how we get inspired. I was sitting with a friend who was talking to his wife over the phone. For me it was a one-sided conversation (though not funny like the ones Bob Newhart used to do in his stand-up); for him it was a one-sided conversation also - no, he wasn't laughing either. The mood was very tense: she was closed to him and he was trying to open her up. I happened to be sitting there with my notebook when the inspiration struck.

Two questions: First, what has been the most amazing moment of inspiration for you that caused the creative juices flowing? And second, have you ever found yourself in my friend's place? If so, what did you do? -j.p.

©Emittravel 2011

It's broke. Time to fix it. Article #4

It's broke . . .

Cost savings idea: Congress must PROVE that any bill they present is explicitly permitted in the Constitution. How is this a cost savings idea? Think of all the time and money saved in not having to prove that such-in-such law is NOT Constitutional.

I like to think that sometimes great minds think alike, but since I’m comparing myself to members of the House of Representatives, "great" may be a bit of an exaggeration! One of the House Rules being run up the flag pole is exactly the topic of this post: Constitutionality for any bill proposed. The reasoning for each may be a bit different: they are trying to reign in the size and cost of government as a whole; I'm looking at it from the legal battle side.

(Side note: I have a list of topics for this blog that are in the queue. This particular item has been waiting for me to stop eating holiday leftovers and get down to the business of writing it. I heard of the House announcement after this item was placed in the queue. Thus the above paragraph . . . )

I wonder if the main reason our government does things is so that lawyers have work. And I understand that they have families to feed, but honestly, can we really consider it a major loss to the world to have less of them? Lawyers; not their families. Unless they are raising "little lawyers". Then I retract the clarification.

Why does our government insist on ignoring the very document that gives them ANY authority in the first place? They pass bills that are clearly in violation of that document, and find it tied up in the court system forever, for what? In the hopes that nobody is paying attention? Really? Honestly? If you folks are that dense, please don't give speeches on how you are men and women OF the people. You insult us. Maybe they hope that the "Supremes" will actually go along with their blatant disregard of Constitutional law and rule in their favor. At that point I think the "Supremes" need to stop and reconsider what branch of the government they are supposed to be, and stop legislating!

So let's stop clogging the court drains with avoidable lawsuits, and the expense of fighting them. Especially when you consider who is filing (and paying for) the lawsuits! Example: if a state files suit who do you think picks up the legal fees? That's right! The taxpayers.

Fixing the legal system - where do you start?

Come to think of it, there is something to the "clearing clogged drains and government" analogy above - snakes!! If you keep 'em clear, you won't need the lawyers!

. . . time to fix it!

©Emittravel 2011