BEATING A DEAD HORSE
Recently I have been conspicuously silent on many issues I normally would have commented on. This is not to say I have given up my point of view, rather the opposite.
It is like the old saying about beating a dead horse. While it may make you feel better, it will not change anything. The horse will not get up and do as you want, it’s dead. In the end, you end up tired, frustrated with a sore arm and a bloody corpse.
Anyone who knows me, knows I am filled with ideas and opinions. I feel strongly about a great many things. One of the greatest ideals I hold is the inner good mankind secretly holds. Yes, it can be hard to find as it is buried deep, but I know it is there, somewhere. I believe in a creator of all things but do not completely dismiss evolution. In fact they go hand in hand as I see it. If you bake a cake, you start with the basic ingredients to form a batter, and then you bake it. Over this course you have changed things around to make something completely different than it was to start, an evolution if you will. With that said, I believe every person has the inner spark of the creator within them and that holds goodness.
I also believe every person should help those in need. This is true of nations as well as individuals. But to place the burden upon one nation to carry out all things is to kill the golden goose. As with any company, if resources are spread too thin, the company will collapse, then nothing is accomplished. This seems to be the case with the United States. Yes, we are the most powerful nation on earth today. We are the richest in many ways, but there is a limit to what we can do. We cannot fix all the ills of the world, fight all the fights or correct all the wrongs. With the money the United States already gives out to nations of the world in the form of aid, loan guarantees, grants, trade agreements, etc, there is not a member of any civilized nation not affected. We fight the war on hunger, yet we have hungry people at home. We fight terrorism and crime fills our streets. We give medical aid, yet we have people without health care. We fund education programs for underdeveloped nations, yet we have illiterate adults here, at home and children who cannot locate another country on the map when asked. We fight and die to give people freedom, yet we deny freedoms to our own citizens. We are saving the world and yet tearing our nation down in the process.
The United Nations drains resources from nations with little return. They demand support for international troops who do not have the teeth to maintain peace. They condemn terrorism, yet do nothing to stop it. If the United States were to pull out of the UN, the organization would fold. Until the day comes when all nations work together, it seems the United States is expected to lead. We cannot continue without help.
Have you ever looked at a flock of geese flying? They fly in formation with a lead goose breaking the wind, all the other geese follow. When the lead goose tires, another takes its place and leads until it tires, then the process is repeated. Before the trip is completed, every goose has had its turn as leader.
The United States has been that lead goose for many years now, we are tired and it is time another takes the lead. It is time we stepped back to replenish our strength and fix some of the problems here, at home. Later we may once more take the lead and show our rejuvenated vigor.
In the past, as now, there have been groups spouting isolationism. I can understand it! History shows any nation tasked with controlling and correcting the wrongs and ills of the world as failed. Not only failed the world, but themselves as well. Greece, Rome, Carthage, England, all had vast empires only to fall from the lead as decay eroded them from the inside and the empires fell.
With the world economy as it is, there is no way the United States can stop completely and pull back to its borders to heal. We can, however, cut back and stop over extending ourselves. Some say if we are not involved with the world as much, we would not be the main objective of terrorists. I disagree! Even as Rome stopped their conquest of lands, they fell under attack from within and outside their borders. Those who had less wanted what Rome had, so it is now with the United States. Others want our freedoms and lifestyle. If this is not true, why do people from all over the world fight to come here? The answer is simple, we have what they want.
Our presence is known and felt throughout the world. Every nation trades goods and money keeping the American dollar in mind. Look at the world markets and see the value of one currency to another. They base it on the American dollar! We are the standard! At one time the English pound was the standard, but that time has passed. Some day our time will pass but not as long as we can keep our nation strong. That strength doesn’t come from others, but it comes from within the nation itself and its people.
It is time, and past time for reform of our system. A major overhaul is needed before we are beyond the breaking point. Some say it is too late, we are on the downhill slide, and I hope they are wrong.
We need reform in our government. It has gotten too large to manage and listen to the will of the people. We need reform in education, healthcare, personal rights, transportation, energy and crime, just to state a few. We have, for far too long, operated at a deficit. Continuing along these lines we will fail! Countries around the globe owe us money for debts going back decades. There is no plan to collect this debt! We have companies farming out labor to other nations to save a few pennies on the dollar, making them richer and this nation poorer.
If we were to “nationalize” the debt, as other countries have done and say “we owe you nothing”. We could start at square one with a balanced budget, work within our means and become strong once more. As it is, we are beating our heads against the wall funding aid to other countries when we cannot pay our own debts. We are falling deeper and deeper into an ocean of red ink.
Soon, if nothing changes, we will be the dead horse with the nations of the world beating us for more. There will be no more to come as we will be a broken country with nothing to give, not even to ourselves.
Before repairing the house next door, put our own house in order.
Ed Williams
©
It is like the old saying about beating a dead horse. While it may make you feel better, it will not change anything. The horse will not get up and do as you want, it’s dead. In the end, you end up tired, frustrated with a sore arm and a bloody corpse.
Anyone who knows me, knows I am filled with ideas and opinions. I feel strongly about a great many things. One of the greatest ideals I hold is the inner good mankind secretly holds. Yes, it can be hard to find as it is buried deep, but I know it is there, somewhere. I believe in a creator of all things but do not completely dismiss evolution. In fact they go hand in hand as I see it. If you bake a cake, you start with the basic ingredients to form a batter, and then you bake it. Over this course you have changed things around to make something completely different than it was to start, an evolution if you will. With that said, I believe every person has the inner spark of the creator within them and that holds goodness.
I also believe every person should help those in need. This is true of nations as well as individuals. But to place the burden upon one nation to carry out all things is to kill the golden goose. As with any company, if resources are spread too thin, the company will collapse, then nothing is accomplished. This seems to be the case with the United States. Yes, we are the most powerful nation on earth today. We are the richest in many ways, but there is a limit to what we can do. We cannot fix all the ills of the world, fight all the fights or correct all the wrongs. With the money the United States already gives out to nations of the world in the form of aid, loan guarantees, grants, trade agreements, etc, there is not a member of any civilized nation not affected. We fight the war on hunger, yet we have hungry people at home. We fight terrorism and crime fills our streets. We give medical aid, yet we have people without health care. We fund education programs for underdeveloped nations, yet we have illiterate adults here, at home and children who cannot locate another country on the map when asked. We fight and die to give people freedom, yet we deny freedoms to our own citizens. We are saving the world and yet tearing our nation down in the process.
The United Nations drains resources from nations with little return. They demand support for international troops who do not have the teeth to maintain peace. They condemn terrorism, yet do nothing to stop it. If the United States were to pull out of the UN, the organization would fold. Until the day comes when all nations work together, it seems the United States is expected to lead. We cannot continue without help.
Have you ever looked at a flock of geese flying? They fly in formation with a lead goose breaking the wind, all the other geese follow. When the lead goose tires, another takes its place and leads until it tires, then the process is repeated. Before the trip is completed, every goose has had its turn as leader.
The United States has been that lead goose for many years now, we are tired and it is time another takes the lead. It is time we stepped back to replenish our strength and fix some of the problems here, at home. Later we may once more take the lead and show our rejuvenated vigor.
In the past, as now, there have been groups spouting isolationism. I can understand it! History shows any nation tasked with controlling and correcting the wrongs and ills of the world as failed. Not only failed the world, but themselves as well. Greece, Rome, Carthage, England, all had vast empires only to fall from the lead as decay eroded them from the inside and the empires fell.
With the world economy as it is, there is no way the United States can stop completely and pull back to its borders to heal. We can, however, cut back and stop over extending ourselves. Some say if we are not involved with the world as much, we would not be the main objective of terrorists. I disagree! Even as Rome stopped their conquest of lands, they fell under attack from within and outside their borders. Those who had less wanted what Rome had, so it is now with the United States. Others want our freedoms and lifestyle. If this is not true, why do people from all over the world fight to come here? The answer is simple, we have what they want.
Our presence is known and felt throughout the world. Every nation trades goods and money keeping the American dollar in mind. Look at the world markets and see the value of one currency to another. They base it on the American dollar! We are the standard! At one time the English pound was the standard, but that time has passed. Some day our time will pass but not as long as we can keep our nation strong. That strength doesn’t come from others, but it comes from within the nation itself and its people.
It is time, and past time for reform of our system. A major overhaul is needed before we are beyond the breaking point. Some say it is too late, we are on the downhill slide, and I hope they are wrong.
We need reform in our government. It has gotten too large to manage and listen to the will of the people. We need reform in education, healthcare, personal rights, transportation, energy and crime, just to state a few. We have, for far too long, operated at a deficit. Continuing along these lines we will fail! Countries around the globe owe us money for debts going back decades. There is no plan to collect this debt! We have companies farming out labor to other nations to save a few pennies on the dollar, making them richer and this nation poorer.
If we were to “nationalize” the debt, as other countries have done and say “we owe you nothing”. We could start at square one with a balanced budget, work within our means and become strong once more. As it is, we are beating our heads against the wall funding aid to other countries when we cannot pay our own debts. We are falling deeper and deeper into an ocean of red ink.
Soon, if nothing changes, we will be the dead horse with the nations of the world beating us for more. There will be no more to come as we will be a broken country with nothing to give, not even to ourselves.
Before repairing the house next door, put our own house in order.
Ed Williams
©
posted by Ed | 20:15
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