Holiday Season? … Nah It’s Christmas

 

At the risk of offending those who do not wish to acknowledge, much less celebrate the Messiah’s birth, I wish one and all a very Merry Christmas.  Yes, I know that Jesus was not born on December 25^th.   We don’t even know the exact year, much less the month and date.  The story is long that which leads us to celebrating Christmas on December 25^th.  Just one more example of an attempt to make God in man’s image. 

 

More importantly, as Christians we believe the Gospel reports regarding the birth of Jesus.  The details are sketchy and two of the Gospels don’t even bother to tell the story.  Matthew and Luke do tell of Jesus’ birth, Luke being the most comprehensive. Mark, generally considered the oldest of the Gospels, doesn’t even mention it.  The closest John’s gospel comes to mentioning the birth of Jesus is that “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us”; which to Christians is the most important part of the story.

 

Over 30 years after his birth, the Gospels' details of the Lord’s last days, crucifixion and resurrection are not exactly the same either.  But the message is consistent.  Jesus Christ died by crucifixion, rose from the grave and appeared to his followers for 40 days before ascending to heaven.  Jewish and Roman authorities had nothing to gain and everything to lose if the story was true.  There were simply too many witnesses and too much evidence to quash it.  The more followers of The Way they killed, the more it grew, eventually even converting a Roman Emperor.  

 

Today over 30% of the Earth’s population are Christians.  Are they all true believers?  Of course not, and the same can be said of all religions.  Christianity may well be the messiest, most fragmented of them all.  How could it be otherwise?  It was not God’s intention to create another religion even though he knew we would try to do just that.  But despite our best efforts and those of the devil himself, millions of souls have been saved and God’s will has and is being done on earth as it is in heaven.

 

That we don’t have a detailed biography of Jesus’ birth, life and death is of no consequence to those of us who believe.  In fact, if all the Gospels were exactly the same in every detail, they would be even less credible.  How God inspired those who wrote the Holy Scriptures remains a mystery.  In the end, you either accept it or you don’t.

 

Merry Christmas to us all; God bless us, every one. 

The Ghosts of Christmas '44

 

It’s late December 1944.  The 101^st Airborne is surrounded and under siege in a place called Bastogne.  A 19 year-old Texan cleans his M-1 Garand rifle, counts his ammunition and sharpens his bayonet; preparing for the last stand.  His General has already rejected the Germans’ surrender demand with one word: “Nuts”.  There would be no surrender.  The Battle of the Bulge had come down to this place and this time at a strategic crossroads town in Belgium.

A few Belgian citizens had remained in Bastogne.  On Christmas Eve they opened their homes to the men of the 101^st.  After a modest meal and perhaps a glass of wine, together they prayed for strength and clear skies so Allied airplanes might come to the rescue.  Patton’s 3^rd Army was on the way, but could the 101^st hold on?  Someone read from the Bible and in the candlelight the soldiers sang Silent Night. Then gathering whatever courage they could muster went out into the cold darkness and back to the front lines.

My father was that 19 year-old Texan.  He had been wounded in Holland but made it back just in time for the Battle of the Bulge.  Like most combat soldiers, he had become a fatalist.  If it was his time to die, so be it. Obviously, he survived or I wouldn’t be here to write this. But he never really got over the war.  The ghosts of war haunted him until the day he died…perhaps most of all at Christmas.

 

“I will honor Christmas in my heart and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present and the Future.  The Spirits of all three shall strive within me.  I will not shut out the lessons that they teach.”- Charles Dickens

Unhealthy Politics

 

Last week we witnessed the horrific assassination of United Healthcare CEO, Brian Thompson. Regardless of how one might feel about health insurance providers, violence must be universally condemned. It’s not the answer.

 

But with that said, this tragic event has certainly elevated the conversation about the state of healthcare in America.  For years our politicians have vowed to fix the problem.  Progressives have their ideas and Conservatives have theirs.  They all shake their fists at Big Pharma, Big Insurance, Big Healthcare, Big Food and while they are casting stones; might as well thrown in Doctors and Lawyers just for good measure.

 

And while we the people root for one side or the other, nothing ever gets done. Why is that? One major factor, perhaps THE factor, is the vast amounts of special interest payoffs that go to the politicians themselves. The politicians and their families all have great insurance and healthcare. So, they don’t feel the physical, emotional and financial pain inflicted upon most of their constituents.  Moreover, our elected officials along with thousands of unelected bureaucrats reap the benefits, directly or indirectly, from the largesse of lobbyists and special interest groups.

 

In 2010, the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment prohibits the government from restricting independent expenditures for political campaigns by corporations including for-profit, non-profit organizations, labor unions and “other kinds of associations”.   And so, the floodgates were opened and most things have just gotten more expensive, especially Healthcare.  The Affordable Care Act added cost to the system most certainly.  Advances in medical technology and treatment tend to elevate costs as well. But when those with money are allowed to act without restraint in their own self-interest, someone must pay for it.  Welcome to American Healthcare 2024.

 

It is unlikely that politicians will pass any sort of legislation that reigns in special interest money or negatively impacts those who benefit the most from the status quo. What’s left on the table are two options that would change not only healthcare, but most things that are wrong in this country: TERM LIMITS and TRANSPARENCY.  You don’t kill the snake by cutting off its tail.  Take away the incentive for politicians to do whatever is necessary to stay in power and they might just be more inclined to make better decisions for “we the people”. 

 

Make no mistake, term limits alone will not solve the problem.  We would still have politicians begging for money while in office and seeking rewards when they leave office.   This is why transparency is necessary.  When shareholders, customers and competitors can “follow the money”, this puts market pressure on those who are providing the money as well as those who are accepting it.  As we’ve seen with consumer reaction to extreme DEI initiatives by corporations, when citizens choose not to buy what these companies are selling, the companies are forced to change. Term Limits and Transparency.  Until we get serious about these, the rest is just smoke and mirrors.

  

My Two Cents Worth…The Thanksgiving Edition

 

It’s been almost two months since my last “Two Cents Worth” ramble.  I’ve written posts related to health, hurricanes, the wisdom of Thomas Sowell and, of course, THE election…you know the one to end all elections.  But now it’s once again time for a little stream-of-consciousness.

 

_The economy was already improving, albeit slowly, before the election.  With the election over, it’s accelerated.  Some of it perhaps resulting from the outcome.  But as much or more from just being done with the whole mess; definitely something for which we should all be thankful.

 

_Add Wal-Mart to the growing list of corporations scaling back on DEI initiatives.  The move away from DEI was well underway before the election.  But the results of the election amplified the message to companies that many of us, perhaps most of us, are just interested in buying their products and services… without the far-left gift wrapping.  So, I am thankful that companies have come to their senses and are stepping back from identity politics.  But at the same time, I sincerely hope they will continue to offer meaningful job opportunities and career advancement without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, age or any of the stuff that does not nor should not matter.

 

_The Yellowstone saga has returned and frankly seems a bit worn and past its due date.  I’ll watch it, but with regret that it didn’t end sooner with the original cast still intact (spoiler alert).  On the other hand, Landman is a winner.  Billy Bob Thornton is great, but the real star of the show is Texas, more specifically West and North Texas.  I am thankful that I was born and raised here; and had the chance to see a little bit of it before it got paved over.  God Bless Texas.

 

_Our hot and dry Fall weather is predicted to continue through the Winter.  That being the case we are in for an ugly wildfire season which could well begin before the end of this year.  I am thankful that we got a little rain a couple of weeks ago and I am even more thankful that we have some pretty good firefighters around these parts.

 

_I think, I hope, that Trump’s tariff threats are just deal-making moves.  I expect he will impose some tariffs just to make a point, or where the trade being conducted is clearly unfair and not in our best interest.  But he realizes that the tariff actions he took during his first term had a negative impact on our economy.  And right now, with low unemployment and inflation still a concern, the last thing we need are tariffs that would increase consumer prices. We’re simply not in position to meet consumer demand with domestic production.  Rebuilding our manufacturing base will take years.  In the meantime, we need global supply to meet U.S. demand.  And we should all be thankful that Malcolm McLean invented modern intermodal containerized shipping back in the day.

 

_Most important, I am thankful for God’s grace and forgiveness… and sacrifice.  In this Thanksgiving season I will leave you with this from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Thessalonica:

 

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

The Election Is Over… (stop spiking the ball and pointing fingers)

 

I am so glad the election is over.  Now if the Republicans, Democrats and their talking heads would just shut up and move on.  Alright already, we get it.  MAGA won and the map is painted red.  This is a pivotal moment in human history.  Hurray for God and Country and Freedom.  In your face CNN, MSNBC and The View.  The New York Times can suck it.  Joe Rogan rules.  Elon Musk for Man of the Year.  Yes, we said man, not person. Fight, Fight, Fight.

 

Or there is the other side.  How could “they” elect a “convicted felon”? Trump is a threat to democracy.  The red state people are misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, racist, climate change denying Neanderthals.  If only Biden had dropped out long before the primaries.  This is a sad day for America.  How could Black men and Hispanics betray us like this.  Why would any woman vote for Trump?  And no matter what the red state people and Fox News say, we aren’t “woke”.  That is so last decade.

 

Am I exaggerating? I think not.  A plea to my fellow Americans:  It’s time for the winning team to stop spiking the ball and taunting their opponent; and the side that lost needs to accept the outcome, quit making excuses and do better next time.  Both sides, meaning all of us, would do well to show some class.  If only we only had some. 

 

(And I should probably take my own advice and just post pics of dogs, mountains and sunsets….I’ll think about it.)

Wrong Again....Thank God

A week before the election I went on the record predicting that Harris would win.  I sighted six reasons for that prediction:

_1. The polls were undercounting younger voters who were likely to vote Democrat.  So, Trump wasn’t as close to Harris as the polls predicted.

_2. The abortion issue would be a major factor in this election and the majority of women voters were against Trump.

_3. The mainstream media’s constant assault on Trump and championing Harris was tilting the scales in the Democrats’ favor.

_4. On balance Democrats have performed somewhat better in Presidential elections than Republicans since 1992.  In a close race against a polarizing candidate like Trump, the Democrats would likely win.

_5. The Red Wave that was predicted in 2022 did not happen, largely due to a rejection of Trump-backed candidates.

_6. The Democrats know how to get out their voters in the places where it matters the most.  The Republicans just didn’t have as good of a “ground game” as the Democrats.

Thankfully, I was wrong; and it wasn’t even close.  So, what happened?

_More young people voted for Trump than expected. The majority still went for Harris, but not to the degree expected.  In particular, a lot of younger men voted for Trump.

_The abortion issue was not a match for the economy and immigration issues.  Harris still got a lot of votes from women and in particular Pro-Choice women voters.  But it was not enough to offset the voters who considered the economy (mostly inflation) and immigration as the critical issues.

_The mainstream media’s attacks on Trump backfired.  The same can be said for the “lawfare” used against Trump.  These efforts may have resonated with the Progressive Democrat core, but moderates, independents, working class and first-time voters didn’t buy it.

_The Democrats ran a terrible campaign with a terrible ticket.  As a result there was no advantage based on their historical performance in Presidential elections, the mid-term Red Wave that wasn’t or their traditional turnout the votes “ground game”.  In fact, the Republicans beat them at their own game when it came to turning out the votes.

So, I am glad that I was wrong.  I am not a Trump fan, always voted for someone else in the primaries.  But I am a “right-leaning” moderate which puts me a long way from the Democrats who have embraced so many far-left policies. Therefore, I vote Republican.  Call it self-interest or self-defense.

I am hopeful that we are seeing a fundamental shift away from woke-ism, identity politics and radical ideologies. The Republicans may not Make America Great Again, but it’s certain Democrats have proven they can make it worse.

The Vision of the Anointed

 

What follows is a review of Thomas Sowell’s masterpiece “The Vision of The Anointed”.  The review was written in 1995 by Dr. Robert P. George who at that time was an associate professor of politics at Princeton University. 

WHY do liberals and conservatives assess the same social facts so differently? The answer, Thomas Sowell suggests, is that liberals and conservatives differ in their perception of the facts. The difference, in other words, is one of vision.

"The crucial role of vision," Sowell argues, "is that it enables a vast range of beliefs to be regarded as presumptively true until definitively disproved by unchallengeable evidence." Liberals --or, to use Sowell's disparaging label, "the anointed" -- view the world as "a very tidy place," where "prescient politicians can 'invest' tax dollars in 'the industries of the future,' where criminals can be 'rehabilitated,' irresponsible mothers taught 'parenting skills,' and where all sorts of other social problems can be 'solved."' All this is possible, as liberals see things, because human nature, as a "social construct," is far more malleable than most people imagine. Thus, in the vision of the anointed, "there is obviously a very expansive role for government and for the anointed in prescribing what government should do."

Sowell contrasts the vision of the anointed with "the tragic vision" of conservatives. What is "tragic" about this vision is that it assumes that problems such as crime, poverty, and irresponsibility cannot finally be "solved." Conservatives, recognizing that "there are no solutions, only trade-offs," do not go in for grand schemes to put an end to poverty, for example, or make health care a fundamental right, or pursue what Sowell derisively calls "cosmic justice." It is not that conservatives are happy that some people are poor, or without health insurance, or whatever. Nor, for that matter, are they complacent about it. Rather, they realize that liberal schemes to eradicate these evils a) never work, and b) inevitably impose huge social costs of their own.

Thus, conservatives are skeptical of large-scale government programs and bureaucracies and are inclined to rely instead on institutions of civil society, such as families, churches, and neighborhood associations, to accomplish what can be accomplished in the areas of health, education, and welfare. Conservatives are hostile to big government not only because it fails to accomplish its utopian goals, but also because it compromises or displaces religious and other subsidiary institutions which have at least some hope of helping people to escape from poverty, rehabilitate themselves from a life of crime, or improve themselves in other ways. Those, like Sowell, with the tragic vision fault those with the vision of the anointed for making the unattainable ideal "the enemy of the good."

Sowell understands the contest of visions to be a longstanding one in Western culture. Godwin, Condorcet, and Mill all shared the vision of the anointed. Burke and the American Founders possessed the tragic vision. Sowell notes that in our own day "most of the leading contemporary opponents of the prevailing vision were themselves formerly within its orbit." He begins the list with Milton Friedman, F. A. von Hayek, Karl Popper, Edward Banfield, Irving Kristol, and Norman Podhoretz. One notable difference between those with the vision of the anointed and those with the tragic vision is that it tends to be the latter who recognize the role of vision in the first place. "To the anointed, their vision and reality are one and the same. Yet the world inside their mind has few of the harsh constraints of the world inhabited by millions of other human beings."

Sowell's account of vision and its role in political life and the creation of social policy helps to explain the tendency of contemporary elites to shift power from the people and their elected representatives to electorally unaccountable bureaucrats and judges. In the vision of the anointed, most people, in as much as they fail to share that vision, are more or less benighted. As such, they simply cannot be trusted to exercise political power justly or, for that matter, to judge accurately their own interests.