Ignoring Reality

Today's news featured a story on Stockton, California, which is the largest city in America to enter bankruptcy.  Stockton, a city of nearly 300,000 has tried to restructure its debt by slashing employment, renegotiating labor contracts and cutting health benefits for workers.  Library and recreation funding has been halved, and the scaled down police department only responds to emergencies.  The city crime rate is among the highest in America.

Looks like another reason I'm glad I don't live in California.

In Atlanta, Georgia, thirty-five public school educators and administrators were indicted on charges of racketeering and corruption.  That's a legal way of saying teachers were caught cheating -- changing test answers and giving better grades than were earned. This indictment is the bookend to a story that was once touted as a model for the nation's school districts after the district's test scores dramatically improved in some of its toughest urban schools.

I've often wondered if kids are getting smarter, or if teachers are giving A's and B's to undeserving students.  Now -- in some cases -- I know.

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder announced last month that the state will take over the operations of Detroit's city government due to its long-standing financial problems.  It will involve appointing an emergency manager who will have many of the same powers as a bankruptcy judge.  The state's takeover underscores just how far Detroit has fallen in recent years -- a city that was once the center of the US auto industry and the birthplace of Motown music.  It is the poorest major city in the United States, and struggles to provide basic services like garbage pickup, security, even streetlights in some areas.

Despite this city's failing government, Snyder's decision is very unpopular with unions and many of Detroit's residents.

Know what all three of these examples have in common?  The people responsible for their failure are all Democrats. And yet, the people of California, Atlanta and Detroit continue to support and vote for Democrats in local, state and national elections.  One of life's biggest mysteries is why people continue to support such miserable losers.  Abusers of power.  Tax thieves.

And continue to ignore reality.  That's ignorance with a capital I.

Not surprising, these same people are quick to criticize -- and destroy -- someone from the right who offers solutions based on morality, hard work and financial responsibility.  I'm almost at the point where I don't care if California or Detroit go to bankruptcy hell.  And I'm sorry if someone's kids go to school in Atlanta, but for crying out loud, be responsible parents and get involved in your child's education!

I came across an email about a year ago that proposed letting the left take over certain states.  Let the liberals run New York, Ohio, California, Illinois and some border state like New Mexico.  Put as many Democrats into those states as possible and let them do whatever they want.  You want carbon taxes?  Clean water?  Wind power?  Highly paid unions and teachers?  A richer minimum wage?  Separation of church and state?  Gay marriage?  GO FOR IT.  Do what you want, charge what you want, and install the socialist leaders that you want.

At the same time, open up a few states that want to be independent and conservative.  Texas, Missouri, Florida, Michigan and North Dakota would work.  Fill them with supporters of smaller government, fewer taxes, gun rights, religion and less business regulation.

Regardless of natural resources, they would be left on their own.  Neither side could tax the other or tell them what to do.  Leave us alone, and we'll leave you alone.

How long do you think it would take for the left to completely blow up?  Which states would be bankrupt and which states would be prosperous and growing?  Which residents would be lining up for welfare and food stamp payments and which ones would be lining up for job applications?

You get the feeling the left couldn't survive without us as their scapegoats, while the right would never look back.

He must be going to college.

Unfortunately, that will never happen.  We're stuck with more than half the population interested in American Idol, the Kardashians, reality TV, the Occupy movement and Facebook to worry about things like fiscal responsibility and good grades.  They will ignore the lessons of past societies that collapsed from within, and wake up someday with nothing left to take.

It's not just a lack of intelligent voters, because many politicians think they know what's best for people.  They go to Madison, WI or Washington, D.C and ask, "What do I do now?  What can I change?  I'm here to make a difference, where do I get started?"

Laws are passed that restrict our health care choices, the amount of soda we can drink, how cigarettes are displayed, and the amount of rainwater runoff that's allowed outside your house or business.  And the people of this country allow our elected officials to do it

Just this week, the Obama administration began pressuring banks to lower lending standards so they can make more loans to minority home buyers.  According to an NAACP publication, they are forming a partnership with Bank of America to "advance fair-lending practices" that will help provide credit to "disenfranchised communities that were ravaged by the economic crisis."

Huh?  That's exactly what caused the economic crisis in the first place!  It's been less than 10 years and they want to do the same stupid thing?  We need term limits, baby, and we need them now.

As if that isn't bad enough, Attorney General Eric Holder has sued several banks based on groundless charges of discrimination.  They are now under court order to change lending policies to qualify more "credit-poor" borrowers.  God, I hate our legal system!  (I forgot to add all the lawyers in America to those states full of Democrats.  I think that's where they belong.)

If you need further proof that we've gone over the edge -- and are completely ignoring reality-- look at our media's support of our nation's "recovery" under President Obama.  They continue to push a much better outlook than the one that actually exists.

According to economist John Lott in his new book, "At The Brink,"  a typical economic recovery usually shows a large expansion after a large contraction, a mild recovery after a mild contraction, etc.  Following the Great Depression of the early 1930's, the economy boomed, with real gross domestic product (GDP) growth peaking at an astonishing 13.6% in 1936.  During the recession of 1946 to 1948 (following World War II), GDP reached 8.7% in 1950.  The economy did well over the 1950's and 1960's  in further recovery from the Great Depression.  And it boomed with the historic 25-year Reagan recovery from 1982 to 2007 after the disastrous 1970's.

That kind of track record should have been encouraging for Obama.  Expect a big recovery following a big recession.  Just get out of the way and watch it happen.

But because of his desire to "transform America," real GDP peaked at 2.4% in 2010, and never again reached even that pitiful level during our current recovery.  All of this has meant higher unemployment and fewer people looking for work than for ANY PRESIDENT IN THE LAST 60 YEARS.  That includes my favorite do-nothing president,  Jimmy Carter.

Making matters worse, Obama's economic numbers exist despite his record stimulus spending.

So why do so many people ignore the reality of President Obama's recovery, allow states like California and Michigan to suffer bankruptcy, and elect school officials that are destroying our children's future?  My short answer is because too many people believe tradition, faith and family are attempts to impose morality on one another.  As a result, they turn to people who call for "change", irregardless of whether this change is for good or bad.  And they repeat this mistake over and over.

What do you think?  America needs to re-connect with what made this country work, and do it now -- before our next national election.