Obamanomics: The Curly Doctrine
One of my favorite Three Stooges episodes involves the stooges in a boat that springs a leak. While Larry and Moe attempt to bail out the water and plug the hole, Curly spies a hand powered auger-style drill. With perfect childlike logic he says “ Oh! A water-letter-outer” and commences to drill holes in the bottom of the boat to let the water out with the obvious result. His theory, as illogical as it is, makes some sense if all knowledge of fluid dynamics, physics and even common sense are ignored. Holes can be used to drain water and many holes can drain even faster. Which brings us to the Curly Doctrine now being employed to solve our economic issues by President Obama.
Though he tries to keep it to himself, President Obama vaguely hints that he may have ‘inherited” the current economic situation from his predecessor George W. Bush. Well… alright he says it a lot and seems quite convinced. Though the economy was in a down turn before the election, the fact is the Dow has lost 3,000 points and dropping since Obama was elected. So what is his answer: SPEND! That always worked for me. Every time I find myself out of money, a mad spending spree always balances my checkbook.
Obamanomics will grow government, nationalize banks, extend the welfare state, implement national healthcare, raise taxes on everyone capable of employing others, and pay for it with crippling taxes and by printing money, which guarantees astronomical inflation in a couple of years. Each one of these is another hole drilled through the bottom of our boat which is quickly becoming the USS Sieve. Though there are instances of corporate greed and excess, all CEOs are not the evil robber barons opposed by the original “Progressives”. Our corporate tax rate remains one of the highest in the world, driving many corporations and jobs overseas. But rather than take steps to alleviate the situation, President Obama decries the private jets, limos, and lavish business junkets. All of which incidentally create jobs. Any CEO who drives anything bigger than a moped covered with sheet metal is pilloried as evil incarnate. So junkets are cancelled, private jet orders dwindle etc.
While this augering of America (pun intended) continues where is the backlash? Anyone who criticizes or is guilty of merely mentioning an alterative is either “following the failed policies of the past” or playing politics. While the Bush administration left a leaky ship, the Curly Doctrine of President Obama is exacerbating the situation. Despite the current Bear Surge of the stock market this week, the overall direction is down. Man the life boats!
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
The Resurrection of George W. Bush
George W. Bush has the previously unimaginable opportunity to achieve the most amazing resurrection since Lazarus. The Democrats in Congress are flailing for an answer to the current gas crisis which in large part is due to the constrictions that they have placed on oil companies. The environmentalists have had their willing lackeys in Congress place so much red tape on any and all attempts to create or expand domestic energy that it would require executive orders to reverse. Whether the question is offshore oil, offshore natural gas, coal to oil, oil from shale or nuclear power the answer is always the same: litigation from the environmentalists to make the process so expensive and time consuming that energy companies look elsewhere. Is anyone surprised that we now import 70% of our oil and haven’t built a nuclear plant in decades. Even with plans on the table for getting some of these projects towards production, the legal hurdles ensure that relief is nowhere in sight.
So how does Bush pull a Lazarus? Well first let’s look at what is not news anymore. The war in Iraq must be going better than expected at this point. The proof? It has all but vanished from the lips of every talking head on network news and only sees the light in newsprint after the foreclosure notices. The surge has been a success and President Bush is even hinting of a troop withdrawals ahead of expectations. How much credit can Congress take when they have said they support the troops in the same breath as they tried to implement their “slow bleed” policy to leave our soldiers twisting in the wind? The answer is none. What else is not daily news is President Bush’s approval rate. Why not? Could it be because the Congressional approval rate has now hit single digits? How can you condemn as unpopular someone whose approval rate is nearly 700% higher than yours?
Bush has little time left in office to begin to build a legacy. Like a boxer who has taken an early beating but comes on strong in later rounds can steal a decision, it is still possible. After Hurricane Katrina, President Bush allowed refineries freedom from the custom ,state by state, special blend they are forced to make in order to fill demand. He could do it again to bring supply up. Though he has been loathe to wield executive power in this manner, the nation needs it. He could also use the airwaves as Ronald Reagan did to rally people to pressure Congress to act quickly to approve domestic production of all our recourses on an accelerated pace.
The Democrats in Congress are once again on the opposite side an issue with the majority of Americans due to their slavish allegiance to the extreme left. The more of a spotlight the President can focus on Congressional ineptitude, the more people will rally to the cause. The majority of Americans favor domestic drilling, oppose losing the Iraq war, oppose the proposed national 55 mile per hour speed limit, oppose illegal immigration, … the list is long and these are all platforms of Conservatism. Though Bush is certainly no rock ribbed Conservative by any stretch of the imagination, he could use our ideals to mitigate or turn back the perceived Democratic successes in November. In doing so, he would emerge from the tomb that has encased him since the “Mission Accomplished” debacle.
So how does Bush pull a Lazarus? Well first let’s look at what is not news anymore. The war in Iraq must be going better than expected at this point. The proof? It has all but vanished from the lips of every talking head on network news and only sees the light in newsprint after the foreclosure notices. The surge has been a success and President Bush is even hinting of a troop withdrawals ahead of expectations. How much credit can Congress take when they have said they support the troops in the same breath as they tried to implement their “slow bleed” policy to leave our soldiers twisting in the wind? The answer is none. What else is not daily news is President Bush’s approval rate. Why not? Could it be because the Congressional approval rate has now hit single digits? How can you condemn as unpopular someone whose approval rate is nearly 700% higher than yours?
Bush has little time left in office to begin to build a legacy. Like a boxer who has taken an early beating but comes on strong in later rounds can steal a decision, it is still possible. After Hurricane Katrina, President Bush allowed refineries freedom from the custom ,state by state, special blend they are forced to make in order to fill demand. He could do it again to bring supply up. Though he has been loathe to wield executive power in this manner, the nation needs it. He could also use the airwaves as Ronald Reagan did to rally people to pressure Congress to act quickly to approve domestic production of all our recourses on an accelerated pace.
The Democrats in Congress are once again on the opposite side an issue with the majority of Americans due to their slavish allegiance to the extreme left. The more of a spotlight the President can focus on Congressional ineptitude, the more people will rally to the cause. The majority of Americans favor domestic drilling, oppose losing the Iraq war, oppose the proposed national 55 mile per hour speed limit, oppose illegal immigration, … the list is long and these are all platforms of Conservatism. Though Bush is certainly no rock ribbed Conservative by any stretch of the imagination, he could use our ideals to mitigate or turn back the perceived Democratic successes in November. In doing so, he would emerge from the tomb that has encased him since the “Mission Accomplished” debacle.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Cultural Literacy
Cultural Literacy
I had a professor in college that spoke of a new concept to me at the time: Cultural Literacy. He was the only professor in the Education building that had any valid teaching credentials (20 years in Detroit public school) so his words carried more weight with me than the “theorists” who taught for the minimum number of years and then dashed back to the collegiate cocoon. Cultural Literacy can best be explained by giving examples. If you hear a phrase like “and your little dog too!” or “I’ll be back” (in an Austrian accent) most people will know exactly where the quote came from and who delivered the line. It wasn’t that long ago when there were only three broadcast channels (or four if you count PBS). That reduced choice meant that a large percentage of people saw the same shows every night and had a collective experience to share the next day. The lack of any recording device meant you had to actually watch the show at the appointed hour or be left out of conversation the next day.
This collective memory and the hundreds or thousands of shared experiences formed a shared cultural literacy that was unique. Think of how foreign you would feel if you find yourself in a room full of Soprano fans dissecting in the most miniscule plot twists and turns if you had never even heard of the show let alone watched it. The advent of hundreds of cable and satellite choices as well as recording devices like T-VO have fragmented society. If you want to watch a Sunday night program on Thursday morning in Spanish with closed captioning, its only a button or two away. That’s not to say choice is bad. Many programs that appeal to a niche audience like hunting, scrapbooking, or automotive performance could not sustain an audience large enough to remain on one of three networks.
Choice only gets to be an issue when it comes to news. People now get to choose news that slants the way they like to see things slanted. Those thrilling days of yesteryear, of the big three networks and the half-hour allotted to national news seem a lifetime away. When you heard the term “Special Report “ during your viewing you just stopped and knew someone had been assassinated or a serious, tragic national event had taken place. Now a car chase, a couple of whales, or Paris Hilton rate the same coverage. It is easy to fall prey to the Drastic Climate Change/ Global Warming frenzy when every weather event worldwide is broadcast as news. If you had a half hour of allotted time per day to cover the news of the world, (closer to twenty two minutes with commercials), I doubt that every heat wave, tornado, snowstorm or even thunderstorm happening anywhere in the world would rate a mention.
The coverage of the war, the economy, etc. are now viewed through a political prism throughout the twenty-four hour news cycles. Fox News was being avoided by Democratic candidates who caved to their far Left constituents. The big three networks as well as CNN race to point out the personal flaws of Republicans while ignoring or helping to explain away the Democrat’s imperfections. How else to explain how stealing documents from the National Archives prior to the 911 Commission hearings by Sandy Berger is delivered with a smile and chuckle ,and “Scooter” Libby’s conviction for “lying” to FBI agents in the investigation of a non-crime is a national event on the level of Watergate? The recent appearance of Hillary on The Factor does give reason to hope. But I wonder if she would have gone on Fox if she had the delegate lead?
The Obama/ Rev. Wright coverage is the latest example of “choose your coverage” TV. If you think Rev. Wright is a reasonable man who raises valid points watch ABC, NBC,CBS,CNN,PBS etc., if you believe he is a hate filled conspiracy theorist who sets race relations back decades, watch Fox or listen to talk radio.
American culture has always changed with the times but remained fairly true to the “melting pot” theory of yesteryear. No matter what country immigrants came from they melded into Americans in a generation. With society now catering to every language and cultural norm of the incoming masses, the impetus to become Americans is lost. Unless there is a shift towards embracing American law, language and lifestyle, the Balkanization of the United States will continue unabated. Well I think Shepard Smith has something new on Obama so I gotta go.
I had a professor in college that spoke of a new concept to me at the time: Cultural Literacy. He was the only professor in the Education building that had any valid teaching credentials (20 years in Detroit public school) so his words carried more weight with me than the “theorists” who taught for the minimum number of years and then dashed back to the collegiate cocoon. Cultural Literacy can best be explained by giving examples. If you hear a phrase like “and your little dog too!” or “I’ll be back” (in an Austrian accent) most people will know exactly where the quote came from and who delivered the line. It wasn’t that long ago when there were only three broadcast channels (or four if you count PBS). That reduced choice meant that a large percentage of people saw the same shows every night and had a collective experience to share the next day. The lack of any recording device meant you had to actually watch the show at the appointed hour or be left out of conversation the next day.
This collective memory and the hundreds or thousands of shared experiences formed a shared cultural literacy that was unique. Think of how foreign you would feel if you find yourself in a room full of Soprano fans dissecting in the most miniscule plot twists and turns if you had never even heard of the show let alone watched it. The advent of hundreds of cable and satellite choices as well as recording devices like T-VO have fragmented society. If you want to watch a Sunday night program on Thursday morning in Spanish with closed captioning, its only a button or two away. That’s not to say choice is bad. Many programs that appeal to a niche audience like hunting, scrapbooking, or automotive performance could not sustain an audience large enough to remain on one of three networks.
Choice only gets to be an issue when it comes to news. People now get to choose news that slants the way they like to see things slanted. Those thrilling days of yesteryear, of the big three networks and the half-hour allotted to national news seem a lifetime away. When you heard the term “Special Report “ during your viewing you just stopped and knew someone had been assassinated or a serious, tragic national event had taken place. Now a car chase, a couple of whales, or Paris Hilton rate the same coverage. It is easy to fall prey to the Drastic Climate Change/ Global Warming frenzy when every weather event worldwide is broadcast as news. If you had a half hour of allotted time per day to cover the news of the world, (closer to twenty two minutes with commercials), I doubt that every heat wave, tornado, snowstorm or even thunderstorm happening anywhere in the world would rate a mention.
The coverage of the war, the economy, etc. are now viewed through a political prism throughout the twenty-four hour news cycles. Fox News was being avoided by Democratic candidates who caved to their far Left constituents. The big three networks as well as CNN race to point out the personal flaws of Republicans while ignoring or helping to explain away the Democrat’s imperfections. How else to explain how stealing documents from the National Archives prior to the 911 Commission hearings by Sandy Berger is delivered with a smile and chuckle ,and “Scooter” Libby’s conviction for “lying” to FBI agents in the investigation of a non-crime is a national event on the level of Watergate? The recent appearance of Hillary on The Factor does give reason to hope. But I wonder if she would have gone on Fox if she had the delegate lead?
The Obama/ Rev. Wright coverage is the latest example of “choose your coverage” TV. If you think Rev. Wright is a reasonable man who raises valid points watch ABC, NBC,CBS,CNN,PBS etc., if you believe he is a hate filled conspiracy theorist who sets race relations back decades, watch Fox or listen to talk radio.
American culture has always changed with the times but remained fairly true to the “melting pot” theory of yesteryear. No matter what country immigrants came from they melded into Americans in a generation. With society now catering to every language and cultural norm of the incoming masses, the impetus to become Americans is lost. Unless there is a shift towards embracing American law, language and lifestyle, the Balkanization of the United States will continue unabated. Well I think Shepard Smith has something new on Obama so I gotta go.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Rejection 08
Rejection 08
Where did we go wrong? Conservatives have a lose/lose dilemma in November. The odds are a Liberal will be elected as our next president. Oh sure there is a difference among the three remaining choices. We have Barak Obama the most Liberal member of the Senate according to his voting record. We have Hillary Clinton the malleable Liberal/Moderate/Experienced/Change candidate (depending on the current polls or audience members). Then we have the Liberal Light candidate John McCain: Everything you always wanted in a Liberal and less.
The field will be narrowed to only one of the two remaining Democrats by summer. But regardless of which of them faces McCain, for Conservative voters the choice is between second class and steerage tickets on the Titanic. Oh sure, we know the boat’s going down but at least we can choose the level of amenities.
With either Democrat as president, evil corporations will be taxed at a higher rate as well as the “rich”. The problem is that only individuals pay taxes. Taxes levied on business are a cost of doing business and are thus transferred to the consumer. As far as punitive taxes on the “rich”? Well, the top five percent in this country pay almost seventy percent of the taxes. Can anyone say “fair share”? The resulting climate for business will strangle any chance of a quick recovery from the current economic situation. While we are on the subject, the unemployment rate has finally reached the horrible level that it held during the economic boom years of the last Clinton presidency…hmmm. We’ll have to look into that. There are few real differences policy wise between Clinton and Obama. Do you want the upper or lower bunk in steerage? It boils down to the scandals we all knew and loved, or the new and exciting ones we don’t.
Which brings us to John McCain. Except for his current (and getting nuanced by the minute) stance on the war, there is no difference to be seen from any other Liberal. He was against making the tax cuts permanent, tried to force feed his Amnesty Bill through the Senate and consistently co-sponsors bills with the most Liberal wing of the Democrat party. Today’s rumor is that Condeleeza Rice may be the VP. While this leans the ticket a little to the right, it is no guarantee that she can steer policy.
Rush Limbaugh’s Operation Chaos may be succeeding in prolonging the Democratic fight but if it is too successful, we may end up with a Democrat candidate too scarred to win. So if we are determined to have a Liberal president I for one would rather have a Democrat. The Republican party could then take the loss as a lesson and start a shift back to reality.
Where did we go wrong? Conservatives have a lose/lose dilemma in November. The odds are a Liberal will be elected as our next president. Oh sure there is a difference among the three remaining choices. We have Barak Obama the most Liberal member of the Senate according to his voting record. We have Hillary Clinton the malleable Liberal/Moderate/Experienced/Change candidate (depending on the current polls or audience members). Then we have the Liberal Light candidate John McCain: Everything you always wanted in a Liberal and less.
The field will be narrowed to only one of the two remaining Democrats by summer. But regardless of which of them faces McCain, for Conservative voters the choice is between second class and steerage tickets on the Titanic. Oh sure, we know the boat’s going down but at least we can choose the level of amenities.
With either Democrat as president, evil corporations will be taxed at a higher rate as well as the “rich”. The problem is that only individuals pay taxes. Taxes levied on business are a cost of doing business and are thus transferred to the consumer. As far as punitive taxes on the “rich”? Well, the top five percent in this country pay almost seventy percent of the taxes. Can anyone say “fair share”? The resulting climate for business will strangle any chance of a quick recovery from the current economic situation. While we are on the subject, the unemployment rate has finally reached the horrible level that it held during the economic boom years of the last Clinton presidency…hmmm. We’ll have to look into that. There are few real differences policy wise between Clinton and Obama. Do you want the upper or lower bunk in steerage? It boils down to the scandals we all knew and loved, or the new and exciting ones we don’t.
Which brings us to John McCain. Except for his current (and getting nuanced by the minute) stance on the war, there is no difference to be seen from any other Liberal. He was against making the tax cuts permanent, tried to force feed his Amnesty Bill through the Senate and consistently co-sponsors bills with the most Liberal wing of the Democrat party. Today’s rumor is that Condeleeza Rice may be the VP. While this leans the ticket a little to the right, it is no guarantee that she can steer policy.
Rush Limbaugh’s Operation Chaos may be succeeding in prolonging the Democratic fight but if it is too successful, we may end up with a Democrat candidate too scarred to win. So if we are determined to have a Liberal president I for one would rather have a Democrat. The Republican party could then take the loss as a lesson and start a shift back to reality.
Monday, September 17, 2007
Sally Field: Sister Bertrille or Sister Betrayal?
Sister Bertrille or Sister Betrayal? Sally Field has become the latest celebrity to dive off the list of people I thought I knew. After watching people portray certain characters, you begin to identify them with that role and form opinions about them on that basis. I have been a fan of Sally Field from the Flying Nun days, through the Smokey and the Bandit days right up until the current medicinal ads. I have no problem with someone holding an opposing viewpoint. When I taught high school almost without exception all my friends and colleges were Liberal Democrats. When it comes to celebrities however, they are paid to entertain not interject their personal politics at nonpolitical events. With her hysterical, stuttering tirade at the Emmy Awards, she joined the likes of Danny Glover, Sean Penn and Charlie Sheen all of whom I was naïve enough to believe had at least a nodding acquaintance with reality. If she truly believes that the world would not have war if it was run by mothers, she is more deluded than the aforementioned triumvirate combined.
She has the right to her opinion as do all Americans. (Unless they have a Conservative opinion in which case they are to be muzzled and ridiculed at all costs) However to come to her erroneous conclusion, she would have to be ignorant of some of the great mothers in history. How about Russia’s Catherine the Great or England’s Queen Victoria, both of whose expansionist wars would rival any man’s. We can’t include Queen Elizabeth I due to her non-mother status as the “Virgin Queen” Or how about the more recent examples of Margaret Thatcher or Golda Meir? These two modern mothers were iron willed leaders who led their respective nations into successful campaigns against formidable opponents.
I happen to believe that women are just as capable leaders as men in peace or war. The only problem is that the most prominent female “leaders” in American politics are all well left of center. Whether it’s the scarf wearing, Axis of Evil member Basher Assad cuddling, Sen. Nancy Pelosi or the heavily medicated, second grade schoolteacher sounding drivel of alleged Republican Sen. Susan Collins, there is a serious lack of gravitas exhibited by the current crop of leaders who lack a y chromosome. Hillary? If she can be so easily fooled by George Bush into voting for the Iraq War, how would she fare when pitted against world leaders who truly wish to destroy our way of life?
In the current times in which we live with Al Queda, North Korea, Syria and a revitalized Russia vying for the chance to topple the United States from the sole superpower status, we can ill afford to vote for the next president solely on the basis of gender. However show me a viable conservative, experienced and tested mother and she would get my vote every time.
She has the right to her opinion as do all Americans. (Unless they have a Conservative opinion in which case they are to be muzzled and ridiculed at all costs) However to come to her erroneous conclusion, she would have to be ignorant of some of the great mothers in history. How about Russia’s Catherine the Great or England’s Queen Victoria, both of whose expansionist wars would rival any man’s. We can’t include Queen Elizabeth I due to her non-mother status as the “Virgin Queen” Or how about the more recent examples of Margaret Thatcher or Golda Meir? These two modern mothers were iron willed leaders who led their respective nations into successful campaigns against formidable opponents.
I happen to believe that women are just as capable leaders as men in peace or war. The only problem is that the most prominent female “leaders” in American politics are all well left of center. Whether it’s the scarf wearing, Axis of Evil member Basher Assad cuddling, Sen. Nancy Pelosi or the heavily medicated, second grade schoolteacher sounding drivel of alleged Republican Sen. Susan Collins, there is a serious lack of gravitas exhibited by the current crop of leaders who lack a y chromosome. Hillary? If she can be so easily fooled by George Bush into voting for the Iraq War, how would she fare when pitted against world leaders who truly wish to destroy our way of life?
In the current times in which we live with Al Queda, North Korea, Syria and a revitalized Russia vying for the chance to topple the United States from the sole superpower status, we can ill afford to vote for the next president solely on the basis of gender. However show me a viable conservative, experienced and tested mother and she would get my vote every time.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Live Like You're Living?
There’s nothing like a faux near death experience to make you assess your life. Last Saturday night I woke up at 10:30 with chest pains. Assuming it was just indigestion I took a couple of Tums and waited. After an hour I began to wonder. I thought of my Uncle Eddie who woke up with “indigestion”. By the time his wife came back from the medicine cabinet he was dead. Most of my uncles died of heart attacks in their 50’s and early 60’s. After two hours I reran the day’s events. My wife and younger son were gone for the day for a Confirmation Retreat. My elder son and I cleaned out the flooded cellar and cleared winter debris from the yard with a four wheeler and wagon. It was beautiful outside for the first time in a long time. My son suggested we shoot our bows for a while which was a pleasant surprise. We shot some to sight in and then took shots from distances we would never try in the woods. It was great. Then we went to Mass in order to have a Sunday with no obligations. All in all a pretty good day.
By hour three without any relief, and my wife by now awake and worried , it was time to go to the ER. If you ever want to get fast service at the ER there are two choices: arrive in an ambulance or say you have chest pains. After a few checks of blood pressure, temp etc. they gave me some nitro. The pain vanished. After more tests including a stress test that afternoon, a heart problem was ruled out. It was an esophageal spasm. A very expensive tummy ache.
But what if it was my last day? Dying after a calm day with family and going to church? Boy did I luck out! It would sure beat a day of pointless argument and waking up (or not waking up) on the couch. Or going to bed angry after battling my sons’ teenage rebellion with no one in the house happy. It all ends up being the luck of the draw. The only ones who know exactly when they die are condemned prisoners and suicides. Not a group anyone aspires to. It would be impossible to live each day as your last. Staring at each sunset and sunrise as you hug your family while professing unending love to your spouse and treating your fellow man with love and respect? Every day? It would be completely incompatible with earning a living or even driving! Moderation in all things is supposed to be the key to happiness. Although “live like you’re dying “ made a teary country song, it lacks practicality. This experience does make it easier however to put work, bills, deadlines, news and financial woes in their proper place.
By hour three without any relief, and my wife by now awake and worried , it was time to go to the ER. If you ever want to get fast service at the ER there are two choices: arrive in an ambulance or say you have chest pains. After a few checks of blood pressure, temp etc. they gave me some nitro. The pain vanished. After more tests including a stress test that afternoon, a heart problem was ruled out. It was an esophageal spasm. A very expensive tummy ache.
But what if it was my last day? Dying after a calm day with family and going to church? Boy did I luck out! It would sure beat a day of pointless argument and waking up (or not waking up) on the couch. Or going to bed angry after battling my sons’ teenage rebellion with no one in the house happy. It all ends up being the luck of the draw. The only ones who know exactly when they die are condemned prisoners and suicides. Not a group anyone aspires to. It would be impossible to live each day as your last. Staring at each sunset and sunrise as you hug your family while professing unending love to your spouse and treating your fellow man with love and respect? Every day? It would be completely incompatible with earning a living or even driving! Moderation in all things is supposed to be the key to happiness. Although “live like you’re dying “ made a teary country song, it lacks practicality. This experience does make it easier however to put work, bills, deadlines, news and financial woes in their proper place.
Saturday, April 7, 2007
Buy That Rifle
I went to Cabela's fabulous store in Pennsylvania while visiting my sister. I was overwhelmed. I was not expecting the sheer size or number of displays. The deer display alone must have been in the hundreds. They had examples of every possible species you would have ever thought could be hunted and some you wouldn't have come up with. Even a non hunter could enjoy the museum quality vignettes from every continent.
Then we went to the gun room. This would be Sarah Brady's Bunch's nightmare. Smiling men, women and children perusing rows and rows of every size, shape and caliber of firearms. It was in the used, moderately priced section when I saw one of the saddest scenes unfold. A couple that had to be in their seventies stood at the end of the aisle. The gentleman held a used rifle with the smile of a boy on his face. Perhaps it was a rifle he had longed for in his youth. Maybe a replacement for one sold earlier in life when financial need outweighed pursuits afield. He brought it to his bride for her approval with joyful expectation. She turned to him and with cold finality said "No! It's too expensive!" and stalked away. The beaten look on the old man's face as he lovingly put the rifle back in the rack was painful to watch. The man is in his seventies. I would assume he has raised kids and grand kids, paid mortgages, car payments and doctor's bills too numerable to remember. What could they be "saving" for? How many years does this man still have that would allow him to enjoy a day in the woods? If I had the money, I would have bought it for him just to see the look on the wife's face and to restore the smile on his.
Many people never make it to retirement. The sister I was visiting lost her husband to cancer at the age of 58. Saving and fiscal responsibility are important. So is enjoying life. Don't focus so intently on saving and scrimping for retirement that you neglect to enjoy the majority of your life. Take the vacation, don't work every Saturday, go fishing, book that hunt of a lifetime, buy that rifle.
Then we went to the gun room. This would be Sarah Brady's Bunch's nightmare. Smiling men, women and children perusing rows and rows of every size, shape and caliber of firearms. It was in the used, moderately priced section when I saw one of the saddest scenes unfold. A couple that had to be in their seventies stood at the end of the aisle. The gentleman held a used rifle with the smile of a boy on his face. Perhaps it was a rifle he had longed for in his youth. Maybe a replacement for one sold earlier in life when financial need outweighed pursuits afield. He brought it to his bride for her approval with joyful expectation. She turned to him and with cold finality said "No! It's too expensive!" and stalked away. The beaten look on the old man's face as he lovingly put the rifle back in the rack was painful to watch. The man is in his seventies. I would assume he has raised kids and grand kids, paid mortgages, car payments and doctor's bills too numerable to remember. What could they be "saving" for? How many years does this man still have that would allow him to enjoy a day in the woods? If I had the money, I would have bought it for him just to see the look on the wife's face and to restore the smile on his.
Many people never make it to retirement. The sister I was visiting lost her husband to cancer at the age of 58. Saving and fiscal responsibility are important. So is enjoying life. Don't focus so intently on saving and scrimping for retirement that you neglect to enjoy the majority of your life. Take the vacation, don't work every Saturday, go fishing, book that hunt of a lifetime, buy that rifle.
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