Well, another new year is upon us and with it comes a fresh start, so to speak. I am starting this new year on a new adventure that I've actually conquered a few times before, but for some reason it keeps rearing it's ugly head. I'm once again a solo truck driver. I'm hoping that by the middle of this year that will be no more. My team-mate/ wife has decided that it is time for her to spend more time off the road and with her children. I can't complain about that. It's something that we've been working toward for a good long while. Now we have secure housing, a semi secure financial statement, and she is looking for work to help improve that and hopefully get me home with her on a more permanent basis.
As this last year has gone by, I've done allot of contemplating for our future. I don't mean just for my families future. I'm talking about the future of this country. I've sat by idly watching as our politicians strap us tax payers with more national debt, our economy go completely out of control, all the while having dear friends fighting in wars that should have ended years ago. All of these circumstances have really got the grey matter whirring. The brain juices have been over flowing. I believe that I have a few good ideas that could help matters if not on a national level then at the very least a more state/ local level.
Please feel free to give feed back as I do a little to try and bring my thoughts to written word. A task that is really more daunting than many may think.
First of all, lets start on the oldest issue on the books. The Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
I fully understand why we went into Afghanistan. It was to flush out the terrorists that were responsible for the attacks on 9/11. While finding a 6 foot something tall man hiding in a network of caves proved more difficult than we first thought, we did capture/ kill allot of the network that he was leading. We haven't exterminated them all, for they seem to be like roaches in a New York City sewer system. Just when you think you've wiped out more than enough, a whole new colony appears. I believe that the mistake we made was declaring a war on terrorism. I said it the day it was declared and still believe it. You can't declare war on an idea. That's all terrorism is, is an idea. There have always been terrorist and always will be terrorist. When declaring that war, we set ourselves up for a war that would never end. When you cut one head off three more seem to pop up and we are not dragon slayers (no matter what the Marine Corps. t.v. ads might show).
As for the campaign in Iraq, well, who's to say there weren't WMD's there? They had been playing a cat and mouse game with U.N. Nuclear Regulatory committee for years. I personally believe that they played a great shell game and moved them else where anytime the regulators showed up. I think that most people would agree that Saddam Husein was a madman that needed to be captured and held for his crimes against his own people. I don't however think that it is the U.S. militaries role to help them form a new government put our boys in danger to bring it into order. If I have read our history books right, then freedom comes for those that are willing to fight for it. Our forefathers fought for our freedom from the English rulers and our ancestors are also the ones who protected during the wars on our own land. It is not our business to be over there training police officers, or their military to defend what they want. It's none of our business.
Now on to the economy. I think that something the people of this country have lost sight of is that it is not governments role to regulate our economy. Government cannot help the economy in any way other than taxes and their own bloated spending. I have an idea that I'm not sure would work or not and would love to hear the ideas and opinions of others. First of all, throw out the tax codes as they are. One thing all these politicians have lost sight of is that it is unconstitutional to levy a income tax. No where did are founding fathers institute that and I'm sure they would be rolling in their graves to see how out of control this government has become. What if instead of taxing ourselves on the money we make, the money we save, and the money we spend, we simply come up with a annual tax for just being an American. I'm talking about a flat, across the board tax, for the privilage of living in the greatest country in the world. I don't know what that number would be, and yes their would be exceptions for the elderly, or physically/ mentally ill. Other than that, every man woman and child would be charged a tax. For example, your average, healthy adult is expected to pay $1,000.00 a year in taxes, but for a average healthy child, only $500.00 a year would be levied to the custodial parents till that child is 18 years of age, then it would be raised to the adult tax, no exceptions. For the physically or mentally ill, it would be a lifetime $500.00 annually. And for those serving in our military fulltime home or abroad, no taxes charged for the entire immediate family (spouse and children) the duration of their chosen service. Oh and lets not forget our elders. After the age of 70 you pay no tax for the rest of your life. Consider it your consulation prize for being a great American citizen. I know this plan could use some tweaking, but that's the basis of it. Let's hear your thoughts.
Do you really expect that any president, republican or democrat is going to provide you with a job? Think again. The only thing they can do is make those that do provide jobs feel a magnetic pull to keep jobs here in the states. How do they do that? They do that by making it easier for a company to make a profit here in the states. Lowering tax rates on business is a start, but there's so much more that can be done. Temporarily close down our foreign trade lanes while we get things straightened out here in our own country. What is free trade? How is it benefiting American workers? We need to reconsider these thing and make this country a more productive, business friendly climate. You want a job Mr./ Mrs. "Occupier" then create your own business and compete in the free market. Build a better mouse trap and see what happens to your own bank account. Don't hate on the wealthy because you want what they have. Nobody gave it to them. They worked for it and earned it with their own sweat, blood, and tears. There are NO free lunches!
Now for the national debt crisis. Do you really think we can continue racking up debt with other countries and not have to feel the pains of bankruptcy? Haven't we learned anything from the "housing bubble"? How many of our congress felt the pain in their hearts as they packed up their things from their house because they over extended their checkbook? Maybe they should have felt that pain. Maybe they need to come down from their ivory towers and actually see what's happening with the people they claim to represent. How many times have you ever been called by your senator or congress person so they could explain a bill that is going up for vote and ask your opinion. I thought this was a country of the people, by the people and for the people. Instead we have given it to corporate barons and thieves. We have politicians that have never done anything but. We have "legacy" politicians. Do you really think these people are in touch with the average "Joe the plumber" or "Tom on the assembly line"? How many of these politicians have ever earned a callus on their hands from an honest days work for an honest days wage? Not many I bet.
We as a nation need to wake up from our apathy. Starting with me. We need to not care about what celebrity is doing what, or who's sports team is doing better. This was once a nation of great thinkers and inventors. Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell. We have gotten slack in our ways and we are now paying the price. I challenge each of you as John F. Kennedy did, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country." What are you going to do not only for yourself, but for your neighbor, your boss, the homeless at the shelter, the stranger in line in front of you? Don't you have enough stuff? Do you really need to be entertained? Do something this year, 2012, to help your community, your state, and your nation. It truly can be "One small step for man".
Please feel free to leave your questions and comments. And keep an eye out for Chuck Sherwood, he's working toward some goals. Thanks for reading. -Chuck
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