Morality is Relative

In what there is of my spare time, I tend to read instead of watch TV for escape.  But then, when I read I am often thrown into unexpected turmoil by studying historic confrontations over relative morality.  Not very relaxing, huh?

The last two books I have read are bios on President Harry Truman, and most recently Winston Churchill.  I found both works to be quite balanced in the treatment of two of this past century's most influential leaders of the Western World.  Both of these gentlemen, along with the Russian dictator Stalin, were primarily responsible for the defense of the world against Nazi Germany, and thereafter the carving up and reallocation of most of the boundaries and governments in Europe, Middle East, Asia and Northern Africa.  For me, reading the background of thought, nationalism and "convenient liaisons" that became the cause and effect of our most recent global boundaries and battles between the world superpowers double underscores the fact of relative morality as it defines these actions on the world stage.

There is no doubt that these men fell into their positions of global dominance by a combination of fateful circumstances and being willing and prepared to step into the vacuum of leadership the world had for them at that moment in time. It seems historically that war and conflict brings forth the demand and testing of "men of the moment" who are forced or willingly step up to lead their countries or cultures to battle.  I think some sort of "Darwinian" force is at work in the world that creates these combinations of leaders to reinvent the world time after time and supposedly assure the "survival of the fittest".  At the same time, an honest and educated person must recognize in this process the inconsistency and imperfection of any man, or country for that matter, to rule or control with objective morality at its core.  If we recognize that no man is perfect, we must also recognize that no body of men making or governing by laws are going to be perfect in enforcing or interpreting those laws.

As you read these histories, you realize how power changes the man. Once someone has tasted the heady nature of power and control over other men...that person will never be content to return to submitting to another's authority.  They will always be devising a way to stay in a position of influence and effect with the powers that be.  There are very few "Cincinnatus'" in the history of the world, and even Truman thought he WAS a Cincinnatus type leader...though his ego and post presidential actions or attitudes say otherwise.

There are so many cases of subjective morality that we could discuss about both Truman and Churchill. Some decisions were made based on Judeo-Christian ethical thinking tied to the cultures of the day, while other decisions could be argued to be totally contrary to such beliefs. It is quite easy to point out the contradictions of many decisions these leaders made compared to the moral or religious backdrop they were ruling from.  They obviously had to make decisions that were very difficult...from the bombing of innocent Germans in Dresden and other German cities to the Atomic bomb development and use on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  From a Darwinian point of view it is easier to understand these decisions than it is from a Judeo Christian point of view. So, it seems much of our culture's morality is fundamentally based on convenient application or interpretation of those philosophies or religions purported, and frequent departure from black and white interpretations thereof.

This article today on our "inconsistent ethical instincts" questions how firm our principles are and underscores much of my thinking in relationship to leadership and morality.  How good "Christian" men can push the buttons on Atomic missiles ..or even develop such a weapon...is a contradiction to me.  How "Christian" people can be so hateful and vile of Liberal presidents or people of different sexual orientation is a contradiction to me.  Its not that I don't understand why and how these things happened...but it still points out to me the "convenience" of moral principle as it plays out in real life. At the end of the day, the future IS more about survival of the fittest versus some Utopian dream of global equality or rule of law. Law it appears is based on who can afford to fight for it or manipulate it...while in general "lawlessness" prevails, even under the banner of nationalism or religion...or fatally both.

When people so flippantly label a country like the USA as a "Christian" nation...I simply revert back to so many major events in our country's history where that moral code was missing in action and one has to question the true motivation behind the claim of high moral ground.  In the balance of good and bad deeds, what percentage makes a man or country "moral"?  If I kill 5 people and save 5 people, am I a killer or a saint?  If I feed 5 white poor people while ignoring 5 black ones...am I good or bad?  Do "Christian" nations endorse slavery, invade other countries without provocation murdering thousands of civilians, or fuel the majority of armaments to the world?  How far are you willing to go to label your country "Christian"?  Some of the most liberal, secular Western Countries could teach the USA a lot about equality of rich and poor, taking care of the needy and living at peace with your neighbor.

Actions speak much louder than words when it comes to ethics and morality.  "Doing the right thing" has become a matter of convenience versus a black and white code of conduct.  Today's leaders of governments and religions stay in positions of power by fear-mongering and keeping their followers ignorant of facts...in other words, dishonestly. Wars and conflicts are started on a whim or based on flimsy philosophical or religious theories that have very little fact behind them.  The masses of men are easily called to battle over flags and books that they have little understanding of.  EVERYONE finds some moral rationale to justify anything they want to do.  Very few of us are willing to "call a spade a spade".

I am not sure of all the answers on this...but I think it more dangerous to THINK you have an answer that in actuality is either false, irrational and/or unreasonable. Its time for a bit more objectivity in our thinking and decisions as humans.  Blind following of false moralities will only make us ignorant participants in the demise of the human race. We can do better.  Think about it. Read about it.  Then take action with the "power of one".

Insanity...

I love Albert Einsteins definition of insanity.  It helps explain so many things...

We see this insanity playing out in our contemporary lives in many ways.  Here are just a few examples from recent life experiences...

It is a human tendency, for whatever reasons, to be attracted to or pursue relationships with types of people who end up letting us down or not fitting OUR needs.  People marry poorly, time and time again, to the same type of person.  Often these relationships are defined as "co-dependent"  relationships based on NEED.  When one or the other person doesn't NEED anymore...there is usually a breakup, heartbreak and disappointment. Then...we go find the next dependent person we can "take care of" or who will take care of us.  INSANITY.

Quote to self: "Love is the expression of one’s values, the greatest reward you can earn for the moral qualities you have achieved in your character and person, the emotional price paid by one man for the joy he receives from the virtues of another...To say “I love you” one must know first how to say the “I.”"

Everyone loves the concept of "unconditional love", and religion and other societal institutions instruct us to be generous with our selves and our resources. Altruism seems to be the highest calling...and governments and religions continuously together call for "self sacrifice", whether it be "serving your country with military training" or giving more and more of your productivity to cover those who are unwilling to produce themselves.  When altruism without responsibility becomes the mode of human society, that society will crumble to the ground based on its lowest common denominator of weakness and dependence.  When it takes guns to force natural distribution of goods and services...our world is doomed.

Quote to self: "Do not ever say that the desire to “do good” by force is a good motive. Neither power-lust nor stupidity are good motives...The purpose of morality is to teach you, not to suffer and die, but to enjoy yourself and live....I swear by my life and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine..."

There seems to be no consensus or reason in most governments of how to "balance a budget".  Numbers no longer have to add up and money has become meaningless.  Credit rules the world, especially governmental credit. This cycle of political insanity has come down to simply promising the masses most anything they want in return for their vote...without the funds or resources to fulfill those promises apart from taking from someone else. First world systems are now based on trillions and trillions of untamed spending to meet political and social commitments that never should have been made in the first place. And yet, we continue to elect the same types of inept leaders to positions of power and persuasion in our governments who want to redistribute by force the gains of one person or company to cover the sins and failures of another. Somehow, having wealth has become a "sin" and subject to attachment. Insanity...

Quote to self: "Watch money. Money is the barometer of a society’s virtue. When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion — when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing — when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors — when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you — when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice — you may know that your society is doomed. Money is so noble a medium that is does not compete with guns and it does not make terms with brutality. It will not permit a country to survive as half-property, half-loot."

Benevolence is not a bad word or concept.

benevolence  (bɪˈnɛvələns)
1.	inclination or tendency to help or do good to others; charity

It is my profound observation in life that true benevolence is innate in most of the animal kingdom. There is an inbred nature even in humans to join together in community to survive and to be happy in relationship to one another. "Birds of a feather flock together". There is no greater sadness than to see a person totally alone, shunned from societal acceptance and therefore subject to peril and inability to survive physically, emotionally or spiritually. I don't pretend anymore to know where human spirit comes from or if it goes somewhere at death. Yet, I believe in spirit because even if invisible, I see its work in the uniqueness of every individual I have known or will know. I don't have to tie that observation into some mystical belief or claim to know its origins or destiny. Yet...such as in benevolent acts of kindness, I can see its positive effects in helping those who are less fortunate, less educated or who are truly handicapped, aged or struggling. No natural person wants to see suffering and dying animals...or humans. Yet today, we see on the news everyday the willful neglect and suffering of millions in our small world. While it is a big subject, my biggest generalization of this problem is that the individuals of this world have relinquished benevolence to governments and religions...who actually work hand in hand to PERPETUATE these immoral, inhumane conditions even if through ignorance or simple lack of willpower. When we see pain or suffering, we wait for these institutions to do something about it...and of course many of us think our taxes and religious donations should be plenty to "do our part". This has obviously not been working for centuries now...and it is INSANE to think it ever will.

Quote to self: "I worship individuals for their highest possibilities as individuals and I loathe humanity for its failure to live up to these possibilities...There are two sides to every issue: one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil. The man who is wrong still retains some respect for truth, if only by accepting the responsibility of choice. But the man in the middle is the knave who blanks out the truth in order to pretend that no choice or values exist, who is willing to sit out the course of any battle, willing to cash in on the blood of the innocent or to crawl on his belly to the guilty, who dispenses justice by condemning both the robber and the robbed to jail, who solves conflicts by ordering the thinker and the fool to meet each other halfway. In any compromise between food and poison, it is only death that can win. In any compromise between good and evil, it is only evil that can profit."

Finally...I have had more than one friend in the past few years take their own lives. These were not people who were under educated...who never experienced the joys of family, success and happiness. Yet, I think in most cases these individuals became entangled in the insanity of "false expectations". I think perhaps they felt it very important to "measure up" in the eyes of society or their families. Their meaning and reason were given over at some point to external powers or influences.  When they came to those moments of despair and panic that they were not "measuring up" to the world's view of them, they lost the meaning of their own selves and their spirits were crushed. They lost their reason. Could those of us around them have helped more? Maybe. Could we have been closer to see these things coming and perhaps intervene? Perhaps. But at the end of the day, I believe it is up to each of us individually to hold on to our own reason and sanity. We should not allow the institutions of our world or the simpletons of society to "give us" our respect or due. The goal as I see it is to grow within our own reasoning and convictions...live according to OUR dreams and ambitions...and to hell with the false and unrealistic expectations of the manipulating world around us. It is INSANE to follow their continued cycles of doom, despair and falsehood. As long as our minds can reason, we can find solutions...and even if we don't find them, it is better to die trying than to give in to failure.

(Assorted quotes to self from various works by Ayn Rand)

Further notes on Panama living...

(This is a 4th in my series on "Panama Living" issues.  See previously "Is Panama an Illusion?" , "Pros and Cons of Living in Panama" and "Is Panama Safe?"  )

Here is a link to a recent International Living article of interest. This blog today is based on an email exchange I had with an American couple who are coming to Panama to look at investing and retiring here. 

While there are many positive and truthful points about the International Living article...it is another example for taking caution in believing everything you read about Panama living and retirement. Some of what I take exception with is "living on $800 per month" and electricity costs being $50 per month. Cost here totally depends on lifestyle and location. For my wife and I, we spend around $800 per month just on food!  probably $100 wk at the grocery store and $400-500 month at restaurants. That's our lifestyle affecting costs, plus food costs for most everyone has increased 5-6% per year in the 8 years we have been here.  Does your pension or retirement income take that amount of increased cost of living into consideration?

If you run air-conditioning at all frequently, your monthly electricity bill is going to be anywhere between $140 (for our 1200 sf condo) to $300+ for larger homes or condos. And believe me, if you live in the city or at the beach, you will want to run AC to live in comfort. For allergy sufferers, AC is another major need here as molds and bugs proliferate in humid tropical climates inside your home. AC keeps those bugs and molds more under control. Perhaps this couple lives in the mountains above David where they say they live...but even in David you would be challenged to live as you do in the USA on $800 per month. So, as you can see...one has to read between the lines.

I also need to mention the risks when locating to another country regarding "political instabilities".  While historically Latin America has been a hotbed of leftist and socialist governments or outright dictatorships, USUALLY the domestic affairs do not affect ex-patriots or foreigners in said country unless it comes down to blocked roads for the frequent demonstrations against the latest government in fashion or frequent power and water outages based on inadequate infrastructure or lack of maintenance, and the simple lack of attention to trash pickup in the streets.  These are realities you WILL deal with in Panama like most other Latin countries that are based on poor leadership of the powers that be in these third world countries.  And lets not forget it was a little over 20 years ago (1989) the USA government/military invaded Panama for political reasons which cost well over a thousand lives in this relatively small country...the real number of which has been covered up by those "powers that be"..

While they have had infrastructural advantages in Panama based on 100+ years of USA investment and support via the canal and other foreign payments to Panama that have helped build the bridges and tollways (most of those payments I call "international bribes" for access and controls)...there are usually very limited budgets or plans for maintaining those infrastructures. While electricity in Panama City is much more reliable than when we lived in Costa Rica or Mexico...there still is a lack of steady ampage in many parts of the city and country. If you do not run a voltage regulator in your home or office, over time your computers, TVs etc will probably short circuit or wear out faster based on frequent spikes of electricity to your location. This can have a variety of causes...from the main issues of power sourcing (hydro electric mostly in Panama) to simple lack of code enforcement of electricity in the building structures themselves. 

The past two years living in arguably the newest and most high-end area of Panama City, we have observed many 3rd world problems in this zone as well. The water supply for this area AND for our building has been very inconsistent.  Fourteen months ago Panama had some terrible flooding at the end of the rainy season in November...and it apparently overwhelmed the whole water supply system for IDAAN, the independent company that operates water supply in Panama. For over 2 weeks the main water supply was either shut off intermittently or totally unpotable.  We had to bring in drinking water and for flushing our toilets we even resorted to bringing up pails of water from the swimming pool.  Since the restoration of service, our water pressure has never been the same and the water is more contaminated than before this disaster. Where before you could drink water from the tap...not anymore without special filtering systems at the tap. Also, there has been so much "crud" in the water, it stopped up or destroyed many of our faucets... shower heads etc had to be cleaned or replaced. Oh...and in one instance when water service was restored to our building, "someone" decided to refill the pool before refilling the back up supply tank for the building...so when the supply went off again the next day...well, we had water in the pool "thank God". I have taken many morning showers at the poolside shower which apparently is not connected to the main building water supply. 

I go into more detail than you probably wanted to know only to illustrate situations that most everyone I know living here has had to contend with. You can pay as much or more per square foot for real estate in Panama than Miami or many other USA cities, but your service and finish level will not match up.  Just accept it as fact and you won't be surprised or disappointed.  Of course, taxes and holding costs on real estate are significantly less than the USA, but they are slowly catching up with increased taxes no one in Panama seems to want to talk about. 

And bank accounts for Americans in Panama?  Unless you have very good contacts and connections locally, it is going to be very difficult...and for some impossible. Based on the recent tax treaty with the USA, Panama has for some reason agreed to make the local banks liable for all IRS tax reporting for USA account holders.  That means that we American citizens have become a liability and extra cost to the banks...criminals until proven otherwise...for wanting to live and bank in Panama. Canadians, Europeans and other nationalities have much better treatment these days as their governments do not demand this of Panama to "do business". This is one of the political "unintended consequences" of Panama being so eager to please "Uncle Sam".

Lets go back to the political cause and effect of these "problems".  With the water and electricity issues in Panama...NO ONE steps up and takes responsibility.  For example, on the water issue the government blames IDAAN for not managing the resources properly or doing regular maintenance.  IDAAN fires back and tells the government they don't provide the funding or support for zoning and infrastructure changes to keep up with demand.  I'm not sure whose fault it has been, but it was also reported during this time that over 30% of the water   in the IDAAN system was stolen or simply not metered and paid for...even in some large buildings or projects throughout the country. THAT is probably why they had some fund shortages. Now what you see most often on the local news are poor local Panamanians screaming at the cameras that their water has been shut off,.. in some cases for MONTHS.., until "someone"  pays the past bill...often thousands of dollars they will never afford to pay.

Finally...if you get unhappy about something down here as a foreigner...what are you going to do? Are you going to scream, rant and rave until someone agrees to respond to your need or demand? Are you going to demand or ask why they don't speak or understand English?  I have news for you. The more you are aggressive or rant at a Latino most anywhere...the less likely you are to get your desired response. Everyone is nice and calm here...even when they are saying "F you". Even maids or other employees will find ways to get their revenge if you treat them with "disrespect".  They live for themselves...today.  Not for you or your future happiness.

Oh...and I love it when fellow expats say "I am going to sue _____ ". I'm sorry, but I do not know of one successful lawsuit between a foreigner and a Panamanian where the foreigner won.  The Napoleonic code of law in Panama and other Latin countries makes it very expensive and a long process to "sue someone" into compliance with an agreement. If you stay here long enough...you WILL be ripped off in one way or another...and you will NOT have any real recourse in the courts. So...just plug that into your expat mentality if you want to live or do business successfully in Panama.


Basically I think there are three kinds of foreigners that live in Panama.  There are those who have blindly invested their life fortunes and futures here and live everyday justifying and defending their decision through "rose colored glasses". Then there are many who have dealt with themselves honestly and decided they made a wrong move and have either moved back "home"  or on to other destinations that fit them better. Finally, there are those of us who have "made peace" with the culture, change of life and have decided to be happy and content with the imperfections that are Panama. If you are one of the later...I welcome you to Panama. But I still say..."try before you buy".

( Next report...will be focused on questions about the costs of real estate here, sustainability factors and my predictions for the next 5 years.  Hey, my crystal ball is as good as anybody's... :)  )

Pacifism...

pacifism  (ˈpæsɪˌfɪzəm)
— n
1.	the belief that violence of any kind is unjustifiable and that one should not participate in war
2.	the belief that international disputes can be settled by arbitration rather than war

Exodus 21: 23-25 states: “You are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.”

In Matthew 5:38-42 Jesus states: “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” … So which one is right?

Many astute observers might suggest Jesus' approach as folly since he only lived to be 33 yrs old at which point he was martyred as a penniless, non married, pacifist living under Roman rule. Not exactly living the American dream. One cannot help but find it contradictory to have a so called "Christian" nation such as many Americans tend to believe in...being at the front and center of producing armaments of war, including nuclear weapons, that can destroy the whole world in a few minutes.

My current thinking lies somewhere between the old and new testament views on Pacifism. It is quite obvious to most of us that the war mongering and constant escalation of the arms race this past century is not leading to very much peace in the world. The cycle of taking a life for a life is never ending and memories of death and suffering last for generations for those who have lived under the duress of war. We need only look now to the Middle East to see the futility of armed conflict in resolving anything for very long. Iraq continues to be a conflictive mess between various religious, political and financial factions  After billions spent there by the USA this past decade, I don't see a very peaceful present or future there.

After Billions more spent in Afghanistan, we are now talking about a defined pullout of American forces by 2014. Meanwhile, Al Quaeda and other sectarian factions continue to bomb and murder  in both Afghanistan and Pakistan almost at will. What is the root of all these conflicts?  Is it too much eye for an eye...or is it too much Pacifism on the part of majority powers?  Would "turning the other cheek" and making "sabers into plowshares" really revolutionize the world and bring about peace?

For me the answer is "yes and no".  Yes, the world needs to be much slower at excepting armed aggression and resolving conflicts by invasions and enforcement of agreements at the end of a gun...or nuclear missle. The major powers of this post WW2 era have been much too quick to demonstrate their wartime powers and invade their enemies...or simply other countries that don't share their values. The main aggressors in this have been the USA and Russia with other powers in the world lining up for or against whoever happens to be saber rattling at  the moment.

I am currently reading McCulloughs latest book on "Truman", and I have completed the story through the end of WW2 and the Potsdam agreements where Truman negotiated on behalf of the USA the post war division of Germany and re-bordering of many other countries. It is amazing to me that so relatively recent, three leaders from three countries could make decisions that carved up all of Western Civilization to boundaries and Statist fiefdoms that turned out to be the fodder for living the next 60+ years in fear during the cold war and nuclear arms race. "To the victors go the spoils of war"...and in this case it was no different.  The problem was, you had 3 very different cultures and differences in priorities coming together over a few weeks to sort out cultural and border problems that were centuries or even millenniums old.  With a stroke of a pen, these three leaders carved up Europe, Africa, Asia and staked out their collective turfs lording over Billions of people who had no voice in these agreements.  These agreements were also cause and effect for the future conflicts in Korea and Vietnam.

As I now have lived over 50 years under the effects of these agreements...I see the folly of superpower agreements...and it sheds new light on the "Arab Spring" and other revolutions we are now seeing throughout the globe.  Cause and effect of repression and Statism is now rearing its ugly head in all corners of the globe...and I think we are living on a powder keg of the next world wide revolution...largely caused by the advent of our information age. It is now harder to cover up truth...but it is also easier to disseminate false truths.  We now live in an age where wars are fought via media and perception.  Very little principle or "truth" is involved in today's governing bodies.  It will truly be up to individuals and the masses to demand change if change is indeed to come.  So, what demands do we the masses make of our government when it comes to war?

Many of us have heard the phrase "war is profitable".  The facts are that we super powers expanded our economies and empires on the backs of MILLIONS of dead soldiers and civilians. Many of the worlds largest enterprises were spawned by production of wartime vehicles, machinery and weapons.  Many conflicts of the past few decades have been quietly about control of oil and other energy resources.  The superpowers that be will hardly be held hostage by little countries that control the fuel and energy required to make more weapons or keep the motors of industrialization running.

In the middle of all these arms races and government overspending on "defense", the cause and effect of war is now taking a nasty turn for the worse. The USA is caught up in far away conflicts that are draining what little remains of our economic reserves. These conflicts are arguably not creating ANY benefit for Americans while benefiting greatly a few despot leaders and foreign economies. Our "eye for an eye" governments are now paying the price for their non-calculated risks and lack of basic human understanding.  A few bankers, industrialists and politicos behind the scenes are profiting handsomely from this pilfering of public coffers for personal egos and economic gains. If it takes Pacifism to stop this insanity...then long live Pacifism.

On the other hand...no sane person is going to believe that always turning the other cheek or giving away freely to whoever wants a handout is a policy for sustaining humanity either. It is quite obvious that the human "stain" of greed, corruption and power is always in the mix somewhere.  It continues to be rational and wise counsel to maintain a strong DEFENSE against evil doers.  The problem comes when many of those "evil doers" are on YOUR side or within your boundaries.

The greatest defenses of the future will and should be ECONOMIC strength and shared markets. I truly believe only some global order of trade and economic interdependence will solve the problems of Statist aggression and controlling tyranny. Yes...we need some world order.  Not WORLD ORDERS...but world ORDER.  To that end, the best chance for Pacifism to have a chance will be global justice and enforceable contracts of peace and economic sharing.  The world really does have enough to go around...but we must find a model where distribution is not controlled by borders or at the end of a gun barrel.  Until REAL "peace keeping"  forces outsize forces of aggression...there will be no peace or economic equality. Until there is more equality and justice on a global basis...Pacifism will not stand a chance as the model.

The Pot Business

I just heard on NPR news today that domestic Marijuana production in the USA is estimated to be at $40 Billion dollars per year.  That is apparently equal or greater than soy bean production...you know...the stuff they make soy milk, tofu and all kinds of healthy products with.  The only problem is...since most of this pot production is "illegal" and off the grid...there is no taxation or quality control on this obviously popular American past time.

As I have written before on this blog, I do not take a position that smoking pot or consuming other recreational drugs is a "good thing"  or a preferable practice.  Yet, as a fundamental Libertarian (not political but on a moral basis), I believe such products should be available and regulated the same as alcohol and pharmaceuticals that are more harmful and yet legally available. It is dishonest, and obviously a failing policy to try and legislate morality or control products so many people use and want... especially a product like Marijuana that has positive medicinal value for so many diseases and conditions. I continue to be amazed at the stupidity and failure of the international drug wars that the USA has sponsored to a huge measure of failure.  At a time when we can least afford wasting money, we continue to throw good taxpayer money after bad at this failing effort. I have known a number of people in my past whose lives have been almost ruined by this silliness. As I stated in a recent blog on this subject, the only people winning and profiting from prohibition are the cartels, mobs, gangs and never ending lines of "agents"  meeting the demands of global consumers of these drugs.

In addition, government agencies are absconding with billions of dollars in "dirty cash", luxury cars and homes, jewelry and art...all kinds of "things"  that the "illegal" producers continue to convert their profits into.  If these "spoils of war"  somehow made it back into the taxpayers coffers supporting positive efforts in our society, I might not be so critical of the effort.  But...it seems this money just keeps going back into bigger agencies of big government; more guns, airplanes, helicopters and soldiers that in my view do very little to enhance a positive use of these human and financial resources.

I continue to be more convinced that if the powers that be TRULY wanted to clean up "dirty money" and resolve the drug related violence throughout the inner-cities of the USA and world at large...they would simply legalize and regulate these products just as they do most other consumable goods. European liberal countries who have done this have found it to have positive value in getting druggies off the streets, helping versus PERSECUTING addicts, and gaining tax revenue that was previously unrecoverable.  Controlling substances and liberating people from being deemed "criminals"  for simple consumption of certain products has shown to be much more productive and is in my opinion more moral.


The Netherlands effectively decriminalized marijuana use in 1976, and it is available for purchase in small quantities by adults in licensed coffee shops; in the United States, marijuana use carries stiff criminal penalties, and more than 720,000 people were arrested for marijuana offenses in 2001. "Police made 853,838 arrests in 2010 for marijuana-related offenses, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s annual Uniform Crime Report. The arrest total is among the highest ever reported by the agency and is nearly identical to the total number of cannabis-related arrests reported in 2009". How do you rate these statistics as a positive result for the billions spent?  As I have always thought, you cannot  control use by prohibition or obliterating the supply.  You have to control or fulfill the demand...which primarily originates from millions of "normal" Americans and other nationalities who like to "toke"...and what moral right does anyone have to prohibit them as long as they are not impinging on others rights NOT to smoke or hurting other third parties? This is like saying people who don't like coffee are more moral than those who do drink it and therefore coffee should be outlawed.  Can you imagine what would happen with such a law?  You would have many more millions risking prison in order to exercise their right...and in some cases addiction...to such a product. Where does this mentality stop?  Sugar, McDonalds....all foods that cause diseases like diabetes and various cancers? Is our government going to end up controlling every substance a citizen ingests in the name of "morality" or protecting the people from themselves?

This just does not add up and quite honestly I know many more EX pot smokers than current ones. In general I don't believe pot to be any more addictive than ibuprofen or aspirin. Addictive personalities are going to be addicted to SOMETHING. Why should they not have pot as one of their choices? I believe it would be a healthier choice than say...cigarettes...alcohol...or various barbiturates readily available at Walgreens.

I imagine some of my blog followers might be tired of this subject or simply don't care about the millions of people who are criminalized by these archaic and irrational laws...but until I see the prisons emptied of these citizens exercising their right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" and the unconstitutional use of my tax dollars to limit citizens of these rights...I will continue to speak up on this silly subject.  Its not silly anymore because the war is now costing billions of dollars annually that we can't afford...and worse than that it is destroying millions of innocent lives around the world for no good reason.

Let the pot business thrive and the drug wars subside. This will definitely create a more peaceful and prosperous world than what we now experience where money only changes hands between the "criminals" and governments. This is big business that needs to be redirected in a more positive and tolerant direction.

Golf and the New Year

I am passing time this New Year reacquainting myself with the game of golf.  Often termed by those who play it as the “greatest game”  invented by mankind…I have new respect for the various aspects of the game.  The only downside is the time commitment it takes to play or practice effectively.  Yet, there are so many lessons to be learned from golf…I think it is a key sport that every person should have the opportunity to learn.  I also was thinking how so many aspects of golf apply to living successfully in general…so for this year, I strive to apply these aspects of golf as my “New Years” resolutions:

Fundamentals and preparation:  You cannot play this sport well without preparation and knowing the fundamental skills of the game.  People who succeed in life are usually well prepared (educated) and continue practicing the fundamentals of what has made them successful in the past, copying the attributes of those who have succeeded before them.

Discipline: It takes discipline both mentally and physically to play golf well.  Having the discipline to repetitively do the things that repeatedly bring positive results is what makes the difference between those who are successful and those who are not.

Accuracy: Before hitting a ball, you have to know what your target is…in this case a small hole in the ground.  It is best to know what obstacles lie between you and the hole and how far away it is so you plan your strategy and know which club to use.  Your choices along these lines will determine how accurately and quickly you reach your goal in the fewest amount of strokes (effort) possible.

Mental concentration: The beautiful thing about golf is that it’s not always the best physical specimens that win…but is more about mind over matter.  If you don’t have clear mental concentration and control over your body and emotions, the ball will not go where you want it to.  Mind controls matter more than vice versa.

Physical shape: The above being said, being in good physical shape does help improve distance and accuracy.  Today’s field of professional golfers are paying more attention to their physical conditioning because guys like Tiger Woods and others came into the sport able to drive a ball almost 400 yards.  The physical conditioning is important in performing at your maximum potential and for sure to enjoy the fruits of your labors with more vigor.

Imagination & overcoming obstacles: Without imagination, pursuit of life and well-being will be difficult.  Daily life brings various obstacles and distractions across our path.  Being able to see beyond the obstacle and adjusting your swing to the difficulties life brings is paramount to living successfully.

Spirit of camaraderie and competition: Finally…one of the most rewarding parts of the game is the friendly competition and observing others struggling the same as yourself to reach their goals.  Life should be lived in friendly competition and mutual encouragement. It is much more fun to make a good shot in front of friends than to only enjoy your accomplishment alone.  I am rich in lifelong comradeship and fellowship.

Whether it is playing golf, pursuing business or living in thriving relationships…may we all be successful “golfers”  in achieving our desires in 2013.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

USA recovery checklist...

Instead of just criticizing and rebuking all the senseless politicos that run the USA and most countries of the world as I usually do...I end this year with a simple (and yes, oversimplified) checklist of what should be done to recover the positive values our country used to have.  

First and foremost...just because you are the Federal Government doesn't mean you can operate without a sane budget.  We must have responsible financial people in government who know how to balance a budget and reverse the deficit spending and take away the blank checkbook these politicos see to think they have. That also means the government cannot make commitments or entitlements it cannot fund.

Part of re-balancing the budget should include reduced global military spending and refocus those military budgets on more cost effective defensive technologies and weapons.  With Satellites and drones in our arsenal now, we don't really need thousands of boots on the ground in scores of different countries...unnecessarily putting soldiers in harms way with costs that are wasteful and ineffectual. If our armed forces support a foreign state, that foreign state should have to pay the tab for those resources, not the American people.

Put more of the federal budget into Research and Development of new businesses, technologies and industrial production. Instead of bailout moneys to failing corporations and banks, a federal government should simply incentivize private enterprise to domestically compete more effectively in the global marketplace and provide more jobs for the massive underemployed populations of our country.  Small, competitive business is the key to this, not slow moving, elephant sized mega corporations. The government should NOT be the fastest growing enterprise in the country. Reduction and streamlining should be the mantra of the day. Free and open markets need to be re-enforced by government...not controls and more regulations. 

Governments cannot mandate or legislate morality. Morality comes from the core of the society...its families and local institutions such as schools...and yes even churches for those who need them to control their darker sides. Quit prohibitions such as the war on drugs...and reapply those funds and efforts to education, trade schools and medical/psychological care for addicts and substance abusers. The substances are only symptoms of the problem...not the problem. It is a false sense of order when order is based on laws and punishments. People have the potential to regulate their own behaviors in a society of true values, mutual responsibility and education. 

Social securities of all forms should be paid and settled at the local level with gaps working  their way up to the national level.  Instead we have created an inverted pyramid where 500+ federal legislators are responsible for all the welfare and problems of the whole country.  You have to break this up to where local communities and each state has more responsibility...and resources...to handle the social needs and economic gaps in their communities.  Washington DC has obviously shown its inability to handle the welfare state we have become.

The USA needs to become the most competitive tax country for doing business.  This means DECREASING versus INCREASING taxes on productive businesses and corporations. This also means EQUALLY taxing all industries and businesses.  The USA tax code is hideous and full of exceptions and reductions for special interests and cronies of politicos in Washington.  We need simplification of taxation and incentives to hire American workers...not more regulation and costs put on the back of business leaders.  You are killing the cow in order to get more milk!

We need reductions of Federal powers and turn their focus to simply protecting our borders and foreign interests of our citizens...the federal budget could probably be reduced in half...and most of these congresspeople can be part time, voluntary positions for SUCCESSFUL Americans who don't need to be paid to serve their country in leadership.  No lifetime entitlements or extraordinary POWERS for legislators.  No "Cadillac"  healthcare plans that their constituents can't also qualify for. This will bring the great leaders of our country forward, and send the cockroaches of cronyism scurrying back to the holes they came out of. 

There you have it:

• Balance the federal budget
• Reduce external military spending in the world
• Spend more on R&D for business and technology leadership in the world
• Stop trying to legislate morality...especially that which is based on religion
• Social programs should run from the local government level, not vice versa
• Become more tax competitive in the world
• Reduce Federal powers by keeping more leaders local and more in touch with their constituents instead of serving big money interests in DC

Sure...these points are simplified macros...but they are doable. The current government leaders of the USA cannot begin to turn things around in our country until they agree on the fundamentals.  With no fundamentals agreed upon, all the complicated detailed solutions they discuss and argue about have no chance of providing a long or permanent solution.

So...there you have it...my 2013 wish list of changes I would like to see if the USA government is to have any chance of recovery. Only by agreeing on the fundamentals for recovery do we have a chance for restoring peace, love and prosperity to a country of people who have lost their way towards liberty and the pursuit of happiness.