Decentralizing

The Great debate of our Republic’s history has been one of centralized or decentralized control of government. We were declared to be a government of the People, by the People and for the People, but, of course, everyone wants to gain and keep power. To simplify the debate, do we invest more power in the People at large, or a small group near the Capital.

In recent years the concentration of power near Washington has been undeniable. Many citizens have been appalled to hear their representative say they know their constituents are against a particular bill, but they are going to vote for it anyway. And we have all seen Congressmen come home for a session break to attend townhall meetings and be aghast at how differently the people of their district see the things that are going on in Washington.

Groupthink has taken over and We the People are being pushed farther and farther to the sidelines. The following is a proposal for a three pronged strategy to move power back towards the citizens and away from the herd mentality that infest the Capital.

1) Use a version control software system for Legislation proposals.

When modern software is being written, it is done so by programmers in various locations (often around the globe) using a version control system. The entire large program is stored in this database and sections of it may be checked out by a programmer to work on it. When it is checked back in, the entire program is updated for everybody.

A similar system should be used for bills being proposed to the Congress. Each congressman could check out the section of the bill they wish to re-write and then check it back in when finished. There would be numbered versions of the bill culminating in the final, approved version. These software packages even allow for voting on different updates and putting competing proposals side-by-side for comparison. This would modernize the “meat-grinder” process of crafting legislation.

Other benefits include

• Easily post bills on the Internet for public viewing
• Bills can be hidden from non-authorized viewers until it has reached a certain stage of maturity
• Updates are dated and signed. Researchers would know when an update was made to a bill and who did it.

2) Move the various representatives out of Washing and back home.

Everyday there is a new commercial that shows people in different countries talking and collaborating as if they were in the same room. There is truly no reason for our elected officials to be sequestered together in Washington DC. Again and again we are told that the Public just “doesn’t understand how things are done in Washington.” The truth is we do know and we do not like it. That phrase is just a cover for those that want to wheel and deal and try to get the most of the tax dollars for their own benefit.

The general populace does not like the way Washington works and does not agree with most of what goes on there. The group collective in Washington protects the elected official, however. Around Washington everyone they meet is connected to the central government in some capacity. The media caters to them. Lobbyists flock to them like sharks to a kill. It is a self perpetuating cycle that leaves out one very important thing: We the People.

Having our elected officials set up their offices in their home district would put them back in reach of the very people that voted for them. It would keep them in the loop of local happenings and keep them closer to the tide of opinion in their districts. It would also be cheaper, but lets not get carried away.

3) Repeal amendment that allows popular election of Senators.

The phrase “follow the money” is no where more applicable than in politics. Since the introduction of popular election of Senators, money from out of state sources has flowed into close elections. Senators are beholden to the ones that got them into office and the perception is that was not the People of the State but the money men who delivered them.

In the past, it was common for local elections to receive more votes than national elections. Voters were only interested in the elections that they perceived to effect them. Now, the national elections will garner votes, while local elections are ignored. Making the outcome of the state elections have national consequences will but a larger emphasis local elections, thus moving political power to a more local level.

Beyond this, the Senators are supposed to represent their State, where Representatives stand for the people of a district. The centralization of power has taken our collective focus off of our states and onto the Federation. It was always intended by our Founders that the States be more important to our every day life than the Central government. Bringing Senators back to their original role will bring power back to the People.

Yes, Virgina, There is a Jesus Christ

It is the Christmas season. A local church is advertising on the radio that Santa Clause will be coming to visit on a certain Sunday. When I arrive at my own church it is filled with men wearing Santa ties. As I go about my day, good Christian people ask me if Santa is ready to come to see my daughter. I suspect nothing I have said is new to anyone reading this article.

On the flip side we have a story related in Sunday school of a woman objecting to “Rudolph” being played in school because it is too “Christian”. Apparently she came to this conclusion, because the movie uses the word “Christmas” too often. And then there is the very public spectacle up in Washington state where the governor has allow the agnostics1 to put up a declaration of the “myth of Christmas” right beside a nativity scene on the state capital steps.

We are embracing the Santa Claus myth at every turn and the agnostics are attacking even the words that contain “Christ” at every turn. Might I dare say that the Agnostics know more about our Holy Day than we do?

You may say that having Santa in our homes is a personal family choice, but not so. Think about the effort to which we go to keep the Santa myth alive. Macy’s and CBS do their part with in store Santa’s and re-runs of Rudolph.But it does not end there. The neighbors ask the kids about Santa, the post office takes letters, the meteorologists track the unholy elf and his possessed reindeer. All the members of family, including older children are in on the joke, pretending for the benefit of the younger children. All for the purpose of keeping the little ones happy with a myth of a jolly fat man.

What if we spent this kind of effort on teaching them about the truth of Christ? How would the agnostics respond to that kind of resolve from the Christan community?

But the story of Santa Claus is nice / cute / teaching the joy of giving…” You keep telling yourself that. The story of Nicholas the Priest was a good story. A man with little means himself, throwing money in the shoes of the poor children to teach them about the undeserved gift that God gave us when he sent his own Son. The monstrosity that has become the Santa myth is far removed and has divorced itself completely from the story of Jesus and his miraculous birth.

As Christians our purpose is to worship our Lord and tell others about Him. To do so would include telling the story of the birth of Christ. The Jolly elf and his magic reindeer with the endless bag of toys (built by elves but looking very much like Sony products) doesn’t quite seem to fit. We are called to be holy, as this day is a holy day (holiday). The word means to be set apart.

When this time of celebration comes around, should we be joining the atheists in defeating the true meaning of our holiday or should we be standing apart and standing for the true story of Jesus’ birth? When we run into each other at Wal-mart, should we say \is Santa Claus ready to see you?” or should we say “are you ready to celebrate Jesus’ birth- day?”

Yes Virginia , this really is a Jesus Christ.

Life Lesson #41

Go to the extra effort to make sure something does not get stuck in your garbage disposal. You Really Don’t want to see what is in there.

Life Lesson #536

When carring a large, heavy laundry basket full of clothes up the stares… take the steps one at a time.

Weekend Observations

Some observations from the weekend.

You can’t run a quarterback centric offense without an quarterback. See ref. Auburn University’s use of the spread offense.

Speaking of Quarterbacks, why are they so hard to recruit? How hard of a speech can this be? “Son, we perennially have one of the top ranked defenses in the nation. We have running backs sitting on the bench that could start at all but 3 or 4 schools in this league. Our receivers are not the best, but above average. For the past 6 years we’ve only had to beat one team to get to the conference championship. All you gotta do is hand the ball off and throw it at people; can you do that?”

When you are getting ready to leave for a function, say a high school reunion, you should stop and look in the mirror. Ask yourself if the outfit you have on makes you look like a prostitute/drug dealer. If so, go change.

More Bumper Stickers

S’more bumper stickers I wish someone would print up for me

Palin for Vice President

Now I realize that to get Mrs. Palin we have to go ahead and elect the RINO at the top of the ticket, but one can fantasize, right?

Imagine: A World Where Drivers Used the Correct Lane

This would be a pun off the Liberal “Imagine: a world with no war”. The area around Atlanta GA (which takes up an area larger than New Jersey) is known for the ignorance of it’s drivers. Not only do the get ticked off if you click your lights at them  (like is explained in that driver’s manual they give you when you’re 15) they also seem to have no knowledge of why there are two lanes on the Interstate. These guys will just sit in the passing lane beside an 18-wheeler that has been governed down to 60MPH to save gas. Some deep part of my brain, the part that actually enjoyed statics classes and static physics classes, is amazed to watch an entire interstate come to a complete stop all because of one car. The frontal lobe is always glad I’m watching from the other side of the divided highway.

I’m not Speeding
I’m Impersonating A Police Officer

I’d just like to get pulled over for the correct crime once.

Stupidity

Stupidity: v 1) The act of an insurance company denying to pay for a chiropractor visit, even though that visit would help their client get better and cost them less money in the long run.

Small Things

We always say to thank God for the small things. I’m thanking him for about 12 inches.

Wednesday I was crossing a major divided 4 lane highway at a red light. As I entered the intersection I saw a car coming from my left very fast. I got enough of a look to call him doing at least 50 but I would say at least 60 MPH. I stomped the gas but he caught me right behind the door. I had just enough time to think, “Oh crap, did I run that light?” But as I looked up the lights were green.

I saw them two more times as the truck went around. Blessedly most of the momentum went into spinning my truck instead of crushing and flipping it. I was headed East. On the North-bound side of the the 4-lane there are two straight lanes and a turning lane. A lane width of checkered asphalt separates the turning lane. I ended up in this checkered “land” facing south without hitting any of the cars that were going north. Not sure how I did that, I was just holding on.

There were two cars sitting in the turning lane and 6 going straight. Everybody drove off. One of the cars going straight was sitting right beside me. The lady looked me right in the eye (and I’m sure I looked like Casper) and just drove away. I was kinda miffed at the time; I’m right pissed off now. The traffic report gave no fault because no witnesses could prove which one of us ran the red light. The fact that I remember everything and could tell the trooper about the cars driving off meant just as little as the other guy being knocked out and asking me what happened. I guess when he said the light was green, that held equal weight.

Whatever. I was in a work truck, so workman’s comp is taking care of my x-rays and Physical Therapy. Speaking of which, I have discovered a new level of hell: the bureaucrat level. If you have never had to go though a workman’s comp claim, trust me, it’s almost better to die in the accident.

Anyway, I’m OK. Truck’s dead. I’m driving a wore-out ashtray on loan from the Hatchery. Life goes on.

Addendum:

I got a chance to go back to the scene. I approached the light from the same direction as the guy that hit me. I will agree with several of the locals; you really do not have a good look at the light. It seems to pop out from behind a small hill. If it’s red you’d need to be on the breaks before you ever see the light.

The light turned yellow just as I was pulling into the turning lane, so I stopped. I had been setting at the red light for a good 3 to 5 seconds when an 18 wheeler ran though the red light just as the guy had done with me. All I could think was “thank you, Lord, it was the Grande Prix and not the 18-wheeler that hit me.”

I think that Freight-shaker woulda shook me up.