Click on the linked article above.
What is The Purpose of Life | Insights from Steve Jobs, OSHO & Buddhist Teachings...
When you run after your thoughts, you are like a dog chasing a stick: every time a stick is thrown, you run after it. Instead, be like a lion who, rather than chasing after the stick, turns to face the thrower. One only throws a stick at a lion once. Milarepa “Just as it is known t hat an image of one's face is seen d epending on a mirror b ut does not really exist as a face, s o the conception of "I" exist d ependent on mind and body, b ut like the image of a face t he "I" does not at all exist as its own reality." Nagarjuna "Thanks to impermanence, everything is possible." Nagarjuna
It's said that Reagan and JFK could not get their party's nomination for president today. I'm not sure about that, but I am sure the politics of today is different for both parties than when either of those men were leaders of their respective parties.
ReplyDeleteI'm not into labels and politics is so fractured that I don't even understand the meaning of such labels in today's politics. I have considered myself a JFK liberal, which doesn't match up with the positions of today's Democratic party, or even the Democratic party of Jimmy Carter.
I suspect you have found yourself with similar thinking.
I tended to vote for the man I thought had character, values, and honesty. I voted for Jerry Ford and Jimmy Carter. Whatever their mistakes, I still think they were both men with those traits. I have also voted for 3rd party candidates. Mr. Trump could never meet my standards and I think he is an embarrassment to America (IMO).
In American history when the country was in times of partisanship like these days, we don't really find an answer to regaining commonality. The party in power got their government and only time, or national emergency changed people's voting habits and thinking. I have to admit that I don't see such partisanship as today since before the Civil War.
Divided government does seem to give check and balance to the danger of group think and one sided ideologies. Examples would be the Republican mantra of cut taxes no matter what it did to the debt, or the Democratic mantra of the nanny State which is causing huge spending.
Between majority in Congress and holding the White House over the last 40 years Republicans have had their way more often than Democrats and that reflects much of our 20 trillion dollar debt.
Prior to that, the people did vote to raise taxes on themselves to pay for their spending. Ike's highway bill (the largest government spending bill at that time) was fully funded and paid for with higher taxes. That made the tax rate the highest in American history, but we also had the highest growth rate in American, or world history. High taxes do not mean slow growth.
When JFK cut taxes to boost the economy it worked, but by the time Reagan tried the same thing the economy was so large it didn't bring in nearly enough to counter spending. Without spending cuts, the debts started and Republicans held onto that fiscal (tax cuts) policy for decades and still today. At least Democrats told Americans taxes had to be raised to avoid deep debts. Mondale was right. Bush was right, it was Voodoo economics.
The tricky part is to understand the mistake and correct it going forward. That means accepting fault and changing ideology. The Republican party has to accept tax hikes and the Democratic party has to accept spending (program) cuts. Only the two together can help solve our financial problems and still keep our value of promises to our people and needed spending to improve our country.
I am not optimistic. Our gun problem is a good example. If all we can agree on after decades of massacres is a bump stop ban, we have lost the strength needed to help stop such a deep problem. Trump (and the Republicans) have offered the largest tax cut in American history in their newest budget plan. How do we pay for that? Where are the spending cuts? This is the best we can come up with while our debt is already 20 trillion?
Well stated. There is little, if anything we here would disagree with.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the definition of insanity? To continue doing the same things over and over again expecting different results.
America exemplifies insanity.
Perhaps someday in the distant future America will find the values to be had in unity. When the nation finds common cause and works for the equality of opportunity for all not just the privileged, when affordable quality healthcare is available for all, when gun violence is no longer a topic of national discussion, when leaders actually lead and their leadership is grounded in truth and ethical standards not lies and deceit, when we can look upon our nation's actions both at home and around the globe with pride knowing we are doing the right thing, when Americans can once again believe fufulfilling the Promise of America is indeed possible.
ReplyDeleteThis in unlikely to happen in my time. I hope it will during our grandchildren's time.
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ReplyDeleteOff topic, therefore deleted.
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