They Think I'm Stupid--And I Am

Herman Cain is a conservative black businessman from Georgia.  After a successful business career, he ventured into politics several years ago by running for the United States Senate.   Although he lost his bid to become the first black Senator from Georgia, Mr. Cain has remained as an active advocate for conservative principles.   He has written a book entitled “They Think You’re Stupid.”     I have not read the book, but I love the title, and I think Mr. Cain hit the nail on the head.   They—referring to our politicians—think we are stupid.     I hate to say it, but I think they are right.   At least for me, I am feeling a little more stupid with every passing day. 

I feel stupid because there are so many things I don’t understand.   I don’t understand, for example, how we can solve a problem caused by too much spending and too much debt by spending more and incurring more debt.    I don’t understand why members of Congress are putting pressure on the banks that have received federal bailout money to take more risks and make more risky loans.  I am simply not smart enough to understand why it makes sense for the government to pressure banks to make risky loans in order to help solve an economic crisis caused in large part by the government’s pressure on banks to make risky loans.  I also don’t understand why we are expecting our politicians to solve our problems when we have no reason whatsoever to have confidence in their decisions and every reason to believe they will make the wrong decisions. 

At least our politicians are trying to help me out by simplifying their vocabulary so I won’t have to understand the meaning of so many different words.  In the interest of simplification, several words have been eliminated from the political dictionary.  The new word for “pork” is stimulus.    The new word for “spending” is stimulus.   The new word for “bailout” is stimulus.   During the recent Presidential campaign, the term “tax cuts” was used instead of “welfare” when referring to government payments to people who don’t pay taxes.  Both terms have now been replaced by the word stimulus. 

Today, our politicians think they can justify any expense of taxpayer money as long as the word stimulus is attached to it.    I don’t understand, but I’m not that smart. 

If an effort to understand the meaning of the word stimulus—the new word that has replaced the terms pork, spending, bailout, tax cuts, and welfare among others—I decided to take a look at H.R. 1, the new 647-page bill now pending before the U.S. House of Representatives.  The bill is entitled the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.”  The bill, if adopted, would permit the federal government to spend an additional $825 billion—that’s BILLION—that it doesn’t have supposedly for the purpose of stimulating the economy.  If you want to read the bill, you can find it by clicking on the following link: 

http://www.rules.house.gov/111/LegText/111_hr1_text.pdf 

If you don’t want to read the entire bill, I don’t blame you.   You can take comfort in the fact that your elected representative in Congress, whoever he or she may be, almost certainly will not read the bill before voting on it.  Even if you don’t know its contents, how could you possibly be opposed to a bill entitled the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009?” 

I admit I have not read all 647 pages of the bill.    But I have read enough of the bill to realize it contains a long Christmas list of spending projects submitted by hundreds of different special interest groups who have access to politicians.    I realize I am stupid because I cannot understand how many of the projects mentioned in the bill will help stimulate our weak economy.      

One of the best examples of spending being justified in the name of stimulating the economy surfaced this past weekend when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi defended allocating billions of dollars from the stimulus bill for an expansion of “family-planning services,” which is a code term for birth control and abortion.    Speaker Pelosi’s theory is that family planning services reduce costs because babies cost money and the government will save money if fewer babies are born.    There may be a lot of stimulus involved here, but I don’t understand how it has anything to do with the economy.   Here again, I know I must be stupid because I thought one of the major challenges facing our economy was the anticipated shortage of the future workers that will be necessary to maintain the government Ponzi schemes known as Social Security and Medicare.   By wanting to reduce the number of future workers, Speaker Pelosi clearly understands something I do not.   

For those of you who don’t want to read the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, I have provided in this paragraph a few additional examples of the many spending projects mentioned in the bill.  The amount being allocated to these projects is staggering, and these projects represent only a small portion of the projects contained in the bill.  As you read the remainder of this paragraph, focus on the amount of money being allocated to each project:  $245 million for maintaining and modernizing the IT system of the Farm Service Agency;  $1 billion for periodic censuses and programs; $650 million for a digital-to-analog converter box program; $100 million for scientific and technical research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology;  $400 million for habitat restoration and mitigation activities at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; $140 million for climate data modeling; $250 million for accelerating the development of earth science climate research missions recommended by the National Academies Decadal Survey; $200 million to modernize academic research facilities; $3.4 billion for state energy programs; $1 billion for advanced battery manufacturing;  $2.4 billion to demonstrate carbon capture and sequestration technologies; $1.7 billion for critical deferred maintenance in the National Park System; $200 million to revitalize the National Mall in Washington, D.C.; $100 million for National Park Service Centennial Challenge programs; $550 million for Indian health facilities; $150 million for deferred maintenance at the Smithsonian museums; $50 million in grants to fund arts projects and activities through the National Endowment for the Arts; $1.2 billion in grants to states for youth summer jobs programs and other activities; $1 billion for renovation and repair of health centers; $1.5 billion for the National Center for Research Resources; $100 million for Social Security research programs; $200 million for aging services programs, $2.3 billion for the Centers for Disease Control for a variety of programs; $13.6 billion for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; $500 million to improve processing of disability and retirement claims; $1.6 billion for military housing and child development centers; $300 million for roads on Indian Reservations; and $500 million in Native American housing block grants. 

I am too stupid to comprehend the amount of money being spent in the name of stimulating the economy.  I try to think about what I could do with $1 million.  I then think about how our politicians spend hundreds of billions of dollars of our money on their favorite projects.   Government entities are notorious for being inefficient and for wasting massive amounts of money, but we are expected to go along with this spending spree because the spending is being justified on the basis that it will stimulate the economy. 

Even with my simple mind, I am sure many—if not most—of the projects included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act have merit.   The advocates for each of these projects undoubtedly can make a good case for them.  What I don’t understand, however, is how these projects will help improve the economy.  I also don’t understand why it is the federal government’s responsibility to pay for state and local projects and to decide which state and local projects get funded.   The federal government cannot pay for everything.  Like every other entity, the government needs to live within its means.    It cannot satisfy everyone’s Christmas list. 

In summary, I have concluded that I must be stupid because I am too dumb to understand much of what is happening today in Washington, D.C.    In his book, Herman Cain wrote that politicians think we are stupid.   I have concluded he is right, and they are right.   

Let me make one final plug for Herman Cain.    He is trying to educate those of us who are stupid.   If you want to be educated, go to his website, www.hermancain.com, and sign up for the Intelligent Thinkers Movement by clicking on the link on the left side of the page.   

Hail to the Chief

On this Inauguration Day, I am looking backward and forward at the same time.    To George W. Bush, who today is completing eight years as President of the United States, I  say, “Hail to the Chief.”   To Barak Obama, who today assumes the responsibility and burden of being President of the United States, I also say, “Hail to the Chief.” 

As for George W. Bush, he is leaving the office of President of the United States with a mixed record.   It is way too early to determine how he will be judged by history.   Based on opinion polls, President Bush’s approval ratings are extremely low.   In my view, the opinion polls are meaningless, and the media gives them far too much importance.   I approve of many things President Bush has done during his eight years as President, and I disapprove of many other things he has done.   I would answer “No” if a pollster asked me whether I approve of President Bush’s performance as President of the United States.  I would answer “No” because I disagree with many things President Bush has done or has neglected to do.  If anything, I am amazed that as many as one-third of the people who are polled are willing to answer the question by saying, “Yes.”   In my opinion, the question is meaningless, and the results of the poll are meaningless.   

In the world of public opinion, President Bush never really had a fair chance from day one.    The left-wing of the Democratic Party and the news media, which is dominated by liberals, have demonstrated extreme disrespect and even hatred for President Bush from the beginning of his Presidency.   The mission of these hate-mongrels has been to discredit President Bush at every turn without regard to the effect of their actions on the country or on the country’s standing in the world.   These people have never forgiven President Bush for winning more votes than Al Gore during the 2000 election.   They still think Al Gore won the election, even though every single recount of the controversial vote in Florida came to the conclusion that Bush had more votes than Gore.   I dismiss all of these people as bitter and sore losers who would rather damage the country than admit their candidate lost the election.   The good thing about the change of power taking place today is that the people who have hated President Bush now have a reason once again to support the country that gives them their freedom.   

The most important responsibility of the President of the United States is to protect the country.    President Bush has fulfilled this responsibility during a time when the country has been constantly threatened by terrorists who want to destroy our way of life.   We have not had a terrorist attack on our homeland since September 11, 2001.   On September 11, 2001, no one thought it would be possible for us to go more than seven years without another major terrorist attack in the United States.    President Bush deserves great credit for protecting the country from harm.   

In addition to protecting the country, President Bush deserves credit for his tax cuts, which pulled the country out of the recession he inherited and prevented the extreme damage to the economy that could have resulted from the events of September 11, 2001.   The tax cuts encouraged economic growth and job creation.   If you listen to the news media and the Democratic talking points, you would think the tax cuts only benefitted the rich.    In fact, the wealthiest Americans are paying a greater share of the total tax burden than they were before the Bush tax cuts were enacted, and the number of Americans who are not paying any taxes is greater than it was before the tax cuts.    The wealthiest Americans benefitted from the Bush tax cuts because they are the ones who pay the most in taxes.   Moreover, the Bush tax cuts stimulated the economy and resulted in increased tax revenues for the federal government.    

President Bush also deserves credit for appointing Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito to the United States Supreme Court.   Both Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito were extremely well qualified, and I believe both of them will be regarded by history as excellent appointments.   

On the negative side, President Bush, who ran for President as a conservative, presided over an unprecedented expansion of government and the government deficit.   Government spending has been out of control under his administration.   The budget deficit is at an all-time high, and it is going to get even higher.    During his first six years in office, President Bush stood idly by while the Republican-controlled Congress spent money like drunken sailors.   There was no discipline on the part of President Bush or the Congress.   

Many people are blaming President Bush for our current economic problems.    He clearly shares some of the blame, but previous Presidential Administrations, Congress, the Federal Reserve Board, and the business community all laid the groundwork for the economic crises we are now facing.    

In the final analysis, history will probably judge the Bush Administration as a success or a failure depending on the eventual outcome of the war in Iraq.   The war has been very controversial, and President Bush has done a poor job of defending his decision to invade Iraq.   President Bush will be vindicated if Iraq becomes a democratic society and a beacon of freedom in the Middle East.    His legacy will be severely damaged if Iraq reverts to a dictatorship or comes under the control of Islamic fundamentalists who cannot tolerate freedom.   The good news is that President Bush is leaving President Obama with a war where victory is achievable.    He is also leaving President Obama with another war—the war in Afghanistan—where victory will be much more difficult to achieve.   Ironically, the Democrats, including President Obama, supported the war in Afghanistan while opposing the war in Iraq. 

As for President Obama, who today becomes the 44^th President of the United States, I wish him all the best for a successful Presidency.   I disagreed—and still do—with most of the policies on which Obama based his campaign for President.   I am encouraged that he has backed off of some of those policies since winning the election.   I am very concerned, however, about the amount of money he is planning to spend in an effort to stimulate a weak economy.  We got into this mess by over-spending.   I do not think we will be able to get out of it by spending even more and creating more debt that someone will have to repay.   

Despite my opposition to President Obama during his campaign for President, today I am sharing the excitement of the rest of the nation, which is ready for change.    President Obama’s inauguration as our 44^th President has become a symbol of hope for a better day.     In today’s society, hope is very important.    If enough people are convinced that President Obama will bring positive change to the country, then it is highly likely that positive change will occur.     I am willing to give President Obama every benefit of the doubt as he struggles to deal with the difficult problems he is inheriting.    Even when I disagree with him, which I am sure I will do frequently, my disagreements will be based on philosophical differences rather than on disrespect or hatred for the man himself.    I hope all of those who disagree with President Obama will take the high road in doing so—unlike those who have disagreed with President Bush.   

Today, we are leaving behind eight years of bitter and divisive politics.   I hope we can look forward to a country that is once again united behind a President who is respected even by those who disagree with his policies.       

Finding Inspiration in Bad Times

The bad news keeps coming.    We are in the midst of what will probably turn out to be the longest and worst recession since the Great Depression.   Many economists are predicting the worst is yet to come.   The United States lost 1.9 million jobs in the final four months of 2008.   Some 524,000 jobs were lost in December alone.   The unemployment rate is now at 7.2% and climbing.   People who still have jobs are worried about losing them.   People who have lost their jobs have little hope of finding new ones.   Those who were planning to retire in the next few years now realize they will be unable to do so.    Those who are already retired have seen their retirement accounts plunge in value in a matter of just a few months. 

We are being bombarded every day with more depressing news.     What we need more than anything else is hope and inspiration.    For me, I find hope and inspiration in my family and in my faith, but I also find it by reading the obituaries in the Atlanta newspaper.   I know it sounds strange that reading about people who have died would give me hope and inspiration.   But the obituary page always helps me put the nation’s current problems in perspective. 

Most young people don’t read the obituaries.    They assume someone will notify them if they need to know about someone who has died.    As I have gotten older, however, I have found I always look at the obituary page before discarding the day’s newspaper.   Even in a city the size of Atlanta, it’s amazing how often I learn about the death of someone with whom I had had contact at some point in the past.   My primary inspiration from the obituaries, however, comes from reading about ordinary people that I did not know. 

Take Shelly Rosenfield, for example.  I didn’t know Mrs. Rosenfeld, who died of a stroke at age 85 in late December.    The article about her death reminded me that the current problems facing our country are minor compared to the problems others have faced and endured.    Mrs. Rosenfeld’s obituary said she was born to a well-to-do family in Lithuania and grew up in a family that prized culture.   She was well educated, spoke six languages, and loved to attend plays and visit art galleries.   According to the obituary, however, her good life ended as a result of the efforts of Nazi Germany to exterminate the Jews.  “For four years during World War II, the family lived in the Kovno ghetto in Lithuania, a concentration camp in Latvia and then Dachau in Germany.  After Allied soldiers liberated the camp, Mrs. Rosenfeld found a home in a bombed-out building in Munich, where other survivors lived.”    There she met her future husband, Joseph Rosenfeld.   Mr. and Mrs. Rosenfeld later had two daughters, both of whom became infected with polio.  Mrs. Rosenfeld’s husband later died of a heart attack at an early age, and thereafter she raised her two daughters alone by working two jobs.   One of Mrs. Rosenfeld’s daughters was quoted in the obituary as saying her mother liked the expression, “Don’t make plans.  When you make plans, God laughs.” 

There are many people like Mrs. Rosenfeld who have experienced hardships that I cannot even imagine.   I find tremendous hope and inspiration in the fact that she and others have been able to endure their hardships and go on to enjoy a relatively peaceful and happy life in the country many of us take for granted and are quick to criticize. 

On almost any given day, I can find an obituary in the Atlanta newspaper about someone who served our country during World War II.   Most of these obituaries refer to ordinary people who lived ordinary lives after fighting to secure our freedom.   Occasionally, I read an article about the death of one of the Tuskegee Airman, a group of black elite fighter pilots who flew for the United States during World War II at a time when the military was segregated.   All of us owe a large debt of gratitude to the Greatest Generation—the generation that bore the burden of World War II.   

An obituary for Margaret Thornton, who died at age 96, noted she had “lived through two major World Wars, the Great Depression, 17 Presidents and many years of hard work.”    The obituary contained no mention of a husband or children, but said Ms. Thornton was an excellent and beloved aunt to numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, and great great-nieces and nephews. 

Then there are the women who have died after devoting their lives to making a home for their families, raising their children, and loving their grandchildren.   In my view, the responsibility of making a home and raising children is the highest calling any individual can have.   I didn’t know Claudia Burel Rainwater, who died of cancer this week surrounded by her children.    The obituary said Ms. Claudia’s children and grandchildren were the sunshine of her life and her greatest joy.   She told her children she didn’t mind the suffering she endured during her cancer treatments “as long as it gave her even one more day with her babies.” 

In short, it is clear we are in the midst of a very difficult recession and that many people are hurting and facing economic insecurity.   I don’t want to minimize their pain.   At least for me, however, the obituaries remind me that I live in the greatest country on earth and that many people before us have overcome much more difficult problems and challenges than those we are facing today.   The obituaries give me a sense of perspective about today’s problems that I would not otherwise have.    The perspective, in turn, gives me hope for a better tomorrow.    

The Ultimate Ponzi Schemes

An article in this weekend’s edition of The Wall Street Journal defines a Ponzi scheme as “a fraud in which invested money is pocketed by the schemer, and investors who wish to redeem their money are actually paid out of the proceeds from new investors.”    The article, which was written by Stephen Greenspan, an emeritus professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut, further explains Ponzi schemes as follows:  As long as new investments are expanding at a healthy rate, the schemer is able to keep the fraud going.   Once investments begin to contract, as through a run on the company, the house of cards quickly collapses.” 

Of course, the most recent example of a Ponzi scheme involves Bernard Madoff, a  highly regarded money manager.   Madoff collected billions of dollars from investors because he regularly reported impressive returns to them even during down markets.   It turns out that Madoff was not earning the returns he claimed.  Instead, he was running a Ponzi scheme.   The scheme collapsed when he was unable to attract sufficient amounts from new investors to pay the old investors who wanted to withdraw money from what they thought were their accounts.   Those who trusted Madoff with their money may have lost as much as $50 billion. 

As I see it, and as the political cartoons shown above demonstrate, our Social Security and Medicare systems bear a strong resemblance to Ponzi schemes.    The money today’s workers pay into the Social Security System is not set aside by the government to pay future retirement benefits to them.  Instead, today’s workers pay Social Security taxes, and the money is used to pay retirement benefits to those who have already retired.   The government is currently collecting more in Social Security taxes than it is paying out to current Social Security beneficiaries.    What does it do with the excess?    It spends on other programs, of course. 

Our Medicare system operates on a similar basis.   Under our Medicare system, people who are still working are paying for the health care benefits to which today’s elderly are entitled.   The system is based on the scheme that future workers will pay the amounts due to today’s workers.   

Like all Ponzi schemes, there will be a day of reckoning for our Social Security and Medicare systems.  The average person’s life expectancy is increasing, and so is the country’s median age.    The ratio of current workers to retirees has changed dramatically since the Social Security and Medicare systems were created.   In the future, the amounts being collected from current workers will not be adequate to pay the benefits that have been promised to retirees.   Instead of addressing this problem, which is becoming bigger with each passing year, our politicians are dreaming up new programs and benefits to offer to the voters who helped elect them.       

Bernard Madoff was probably hoping he would outlive his Ponzi scheme.   Most of our political leaders today are doing the same thing.    They are only worried about winning the next election, and they are assuming they will be retired or dead before the Social Security and Medicare systems collapse.    

2008: An Unforgettable Year

As I get older, I hate to see the calendar turn from one year to the next.   For one thing, it reminds me I am getting older.   It also causes me to think about all the things I failed to accomplish during the year just ended.    In addition, it means I have to start thinking about preparing my tax returns for the last year, which is a very unpleasant task in and of itself as well as a task that causes me to focus on how much money the government takes from us each year. 

This year is an exception.  I am happy to see the end of 2008, which will long be remembered by me as a year of multiple disasters.  

The unexpected and unpredicted meltdown in the financial markets during the last year has caused tremendous hardship for hundreds of millions of people throughout the world.   The amount of wealth destroyed during 2008 is staggering.  Everyone has been hurt in one way or another.    Even the poorest people who had no investments have been hurt as a result of the massive loss of wealth by the wealthy.    When those who have money lose it or quit spending it, the poor are usually the first to lose their jobs because their services are no longer needed.  In addition, many charitable organizations that provide services to the poor and the homeless are struggling to survive because they have been supported in the past by people who no longer have the ability to do so or who have been forced to reduce the amount of their contributions.    Even those who once envied or despised the wealthy are beginning to realize they are suffering because so much wealth has been destroyed in a very short period of time. 

As I reflect on 2008, I have a number of memories, including the following:    

(1)   It was a year during which members of the public lost trust and confidence in virtually every organization that affects our lives, including government at all levels, the country’s major financial institutions and businesses, and the firms that provide financial advice to consumers and investors.    The upside is that we have been forced to realize the importance of our faith, our family, and our friends.   Those without faith, family, and friends have no anchor in the storm.   

(2)   It was an election year.  Both of the major candidates for President of the United States promised to conduct clean campaigns but instead ran some of the nastiest political advertisements I have ever witnessed.   Politicians discovered it is easy to win elections when you promise to reduce taxes or send government checks to the majority of voters at the expense of the minority of voters.  Voters once again lost confidence in the legitimacy of elections as a result of dubious voter registration drives conducted by organizations like the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (better known as Acorn) and as a result of the manipulation of ballots in close elections such as the still undecided Senate race in Minnesota where the vote count keeps changing on a daily basis as new ballots are discovered and old ballots are discarded. 

(3)   It was the year of the bailout.   Financial institutions and businesses of all types lined up for a government handout, and the government quickly responded by investing billions of dollars in private enterprises, with the net effect that the government now owns one of the country’s largest insurance companies and has major ownership interests in many of the country’s largest financial institutions, with more to come.  

(4)   It was a year where examples of hypocrisy were easy to find but hard to stomach.  A Congressman who could not run a hot dog stand lectured bank executives for making mortgage loans to people who could not afford to repay them without acknowledging that the loans were made in response to legislation he had championed.   Congressmen who have never had responsibility for making a payroll scolded the chief executive officers of the automobile manufacturers for their business failures without mentioning or realizing that government regulations contributed to the failures.  Politicians from both parties called for more government regulations without admitting that existing government regulations played a major role in creating many of the problems we are facing today.  Groups who demand tolerance again demonstrated they have no tolerance for those who disagree with them. 

(5)   It was a year during which stock prices fell by 35% to 40% overall, and the shares of many once well-respected companies became worthless.    During the year, the Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home-price index fell by approximately 18%, and in some areas the prices of homes dropped by more than 30%.      

(6)   It was a year during which the country continued to be engaged in two wars, with the increasing chance of winning the unpopular war in Iraq, which the leading Democrats in Congress had already declared to be lost, and with the increasing chance of losing the war in Afghanistan, which is being fought with widespread political and public support. 

(7)   It was a year during which millions of people lost their jobs, and new jobs were virtually impossible to find.   During the year, many people who were still employed but looking forward to retirement realized they would not be able to afford to retire.  People who were already retired saw their retirement assets plunge in value and their retirement income reduced.   

(8)   It was a year during which the news media lost whatever credibility it had left by virtue of its shamelessly biased reporting of the news. 

(9)   It was a year during which the government decided to print money with reckless abandonment on the theory that spending massive amounts of newly printed money would cure the financial problems caused by over-spending.   During the year, the government incurred trillions of dollars of debt that will have to be repaid by our children and grandchildren.    Many of those from the younger generation who will have to repay our debts are too busy playing with their computers and text-messaging their friends to notice what is happening to them. 

(10)    Finally, 2008 will be remembered as the year during which the country elected its first black President, who promised to bring hope and change.    He has already brought hope even to those who did not support him as evidenced by his currently high approval ratings.   My hope is he will bring the type of change we need rather than the type of change he promised. 

On a personal note, the year 2008 brought both joy and sadness.    My wife and I welcomed two new grandchildren into the world during the year, bringing our total to six.    In July, my wife’s brother, Sam Straus, died at age 58 after a brief battle with cancer.   Sam had been my friend for 43 years and my brother-in-law for 41 years.   His cancer was not detected during a routine physical examination during the fall of 2007.   The cancer had spread to multiple parts of his body by the time the first symptoms of pain appeared a few months later.   Sam put up a brave fight but the cancer had too much of a head start.     

The War Against Christmas

Merry Christmas to all.  I hope I have not offended you by wishing you a Merry Christmas.    As you know, it is no longer politically correct to use the term “Christmas” to describe Christmas.    We are taught today to say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”   The war against Christmas is part of a larger war against Christianity.     Although the large majority of Americans identify themselves as Christians, it seems that it is no longer acceptable to talk about anything that has to do with Christianity in public.    It is just another example of how some liberals want to silence anyone who disagrees with them. 

I have great respect and tolerance for all religions.   I do not believe Christians have a monopoly on God’s love.   I know many Jews and other non-Christians who live exemplary lives and who have the highest moral and ethical standards.    If I were speaking to a non-Christian, I would probably say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”     But I do not believe any of my friends who are not Christians would be offended if I said “Merry Christmas” to them.    I am certainly not offended when they say “Happy Holidays” or “Happy Chanukah” to me. 

There are many examples of how Christmas is under attack.    A recent example occurred last week in Washington, D.C. when House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who is one of the most liberal members of Congress, attended a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on the west lawn of the U.S. Capitol.    The ceremony included the lighting of a 70 foot tall Christmas tree and traditional Christmas carols.   At the ceremony, Speaker Pelosi referred to “all the gifts God has given us and how blessed we are.” 

It is hard for me to believe anyone would take offense at the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony or at the remarks made by Speaker Pelosi.    It was all very innocuous and simply part of the spirit of the season.    But Speaker Pelosi later said she had been “mugged” and paid a serious political price for allowing the ceremony to take place and for participating in it. 

After the ceremony, the Rev. Rob Schenck, President of Faith and Action, was quoted by Catholic Online as saying, “The fact that Nancy Pelosi said she was assailed for allowing a Christmas observance at the U.S. Capitol confirms the war against Christmas is not a figment of the so-called religious right’s imagination.   If one of the most liberal, arguably left-wing political leaders in our country, the woman third in succession to the presidency, is getting pummeled for lighting a Christmas tree and allowing Christmas carols on the lawn of the Capitol, that would qualify as a war against Christmas.” 

About three years ago, Ben Stein, a respected writer and columnist for a number of publications, appeared on the CBS Sunday Morning news program about a week before Christmas.   Mr. Stein provided a commentary entitled “Confessions for the Holidays.”    The commentary has been widely quoted but deserves to be repeated.    Here is what Mr. Stein had to say in part:    

“I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish.  And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees.  I don't feel threatened.  I don't feel discriminated against.  That's what they are: Christmas trees.  It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, "Merry Christmas" to me.  I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto.  In fact, I kind of like it.  It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year.  It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu.

“If people want a creche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

“I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians.  I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period.

“I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country.  I can't find it in the Constitution, and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.” 

From my perspective, Mr. Stein hit the nail on the head.   I wish every non-Christian shared his attitude.    

My hope and prayer for this Christmas is that we all show more tolerance and respect for each other and that we allow Christians and non-Christians alike to observe their religions without intimidation and without attempting to silence those who do not share our own beliefs.     

To My Readers

When I started this blog in early September 2008, my primary objective was to express my views on the various issues involved in the recent Presidential election.    At the outset, I told a few friends and family members about the blog, and some of them told other people who in turn passed the word to still others.    Before long, more people than I ever anticipated were reading the blog on a regular basis.    I want to thank all you who have been reading the blog and especially those of you who have provided comments to me either through the comment section of the blog or through e-mails or phone calls to me.    I have been flattered by your interest in the blog and by your comments.  

During the last several days, several friends have asked me whether I plan to continue writing for the blog.    The answer is yes.    I do plan to continue using this blog to express my views about various matters, but my posts in the future will be more infrequent and more irregular than they have been in the past.    

Prior to about 10 days ago, I was adding something new to the blog on the average of every two or three days.    Although I have enjoyed writing for the blog, my writing has been consuming a considerable amount of my time and energy.    As a result, I have been neglecting other things in my life that need attention.    I want to continue writing for the blog, but I cannot keep doing so at the same pace as in the past. 

If you would like to continue reading my blog, there are two ways for you to be notified when I have added something new to it.  The first is through what is called an “RSS feed.”   An RSS feed will allow you to subscribe to a feed and receive a notice every time the blog is updated so that you will not have to check the blog manually every day.   You can subscribe to the RSS feed by clicking on the RSS link at the far right side of the line on which the web address for this blog is located at the top of your computer. 

It is my understanding that RSS feeds can be obtained through Microsoft Outlook or through Apple Computer’s MobileMe e-mail system.   There are a number of other options, including Thunderbird (http://www.mozillo.com/en-US/thunderbird), Google Reader (http://www.google.com/reader) and the Live Bookmarks feature of Firefox (http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Live+Bookmarks).    

With an RSS feed, you would be in control, and you would have the right to unsubscribe to the notifications at any time. 

A second alternative is for you to provide me with your e-mail address and request me to send an e-mail notice to you every time I add something to the blog.    If you would like for me to do this, please send a request to me at wmgrant@bellsouth.net.    If you later wish to quit receiving the e-mails, all you have to do is let me know. 

Thank you again for reading the blog, and I hope you will continue to do so.