I’d like a perfume that smells like basil, come on, who doesn’t like basil…
I would like to have known my grandparents when I was an adult.
I’d like everyone to experience the ocean.
At times, I’d like to return to a corded telephone.
I’d like, at 5’3”, to have more leg room on airplanes – I feel for you tall people.
I’d like to have more of an open-mind.
If I ever lose one of these senses, I’d like to always remember the voices of my children and singing birds, the smell of pork chops frying in my mom’s kitchen, seeing the beauty of a sunset and how it feels to hold hands.
I’d like my hairdresser to be a live-in.
I’d like the whole world to stop hating and smile for one whole day; just one day.
I’d like people to look inside their very own bubble and see what they can fix instead of popping everyone else’s bubble by trying to fix them.
I’d like butter to always be soft.
I’d really like people to stop thinking red lights are only a suggestion.
I’d like my GPS to talk to me and say “Really dingle-butt, you chose to turn there instead of listening to me”?
I’d like my family to live within driving distance to each other – a distance that takes less than a day to drive or fly.
I’d love for every human to recognize that there is a greater Being than our own little human bodies, or our selfies, or social media or our paychecks. A Being that is so full of Love, He sacrificed His child to prove how much He Loved us. A Being that resides in our souls and looks out our eyes and thinks when we say or do things “Yep, that’s what I’m about!” or “Nope, didn’t teach her that…” Well at least that’s what I’d like to believe…
Happy Easter and Grateful for you and chocolate bunnies,
Dear Emma, I will never tell you who to vote for but I do ask that you try and find the truth through all the name calling; the falsehoods and billions of dollars spent on running campaigns. I am pretty sure that 225+ years ago during the first election, George Washington and the other fellows who were running for President, never, ever wanted elections to look or sound like this, or have obscene amounts of money spent on them. So before you vote I need to share with you a few things that really stood out for me this election pre-game.
Find the Truth
Thoughts on One Percenters
This term is defined so many different ways and really depends on so many variables, like your age and area you live in or what internet site you visit. For instance, on one site I read that your brother and his girlfriend would be considered One Percenters at their ages of 27. They’ve worked very hard to earn that title. You, my daughter, are considered middle class after working for just two years and Dad and I are in the top 10% where we live – where the heck did I park our yacht which I moved with my eight year old car?
socialism – a way of organizing a society in which major industries are owned and controlled by the government rather than by individual people and companies
I read an interesting blog by a 14 year old, yes a 14 year old, Shrey Srivastava. He perceptively wrote:
“…socialism does not reward hard work”
“…socialism will also undermine innovation”
“…socialism, contrary to popular belief, undermines the basic moral values of a person and promotes instant gratification”
When you research if socialism works in countries, dig deep to ascertain the tax rates, the happiness rankings and quality of service and healthcare in those countries. Check out how the financials in those countries are doing, like in Greece. But also be aware that we do have socialistic programs here in the United States. Those programs are the welfare programs.
As welfare programs have increased so have the number of people on them. We are reaching a great imbalance of working individuals vs. those who are on welfare, something like 1 to 1.3*, if you remove the number of people running the programs. That means every day you work, YOU support 1.3 people on some kind of welfare program.
Food Aid
Housing Assistance
Medical Assistance
Social Services
Education Assistance
Direct Cash Assistance
Energy and Utility Assistance
Child Care Assistance
Child Development Programs
Welfare programs were created after the Depression to aid those in need of food and shelter, until the economy turned and jobs once again became available. Today, undeniably many need those programs but it appears that the programs have taken the place of earning a living by way of a job. And though there have been unbelievable strides in industry and innovation in the last 100 years, we now have more people on welfare programs than ever before. With all that innovation you’d think we would have learned from our past mistakes, but no.
We’ve taxed and regulated high paying companies so greatly that they’ve left our borders for other lands. With those companies went jobs and benefits that so many need, right here, in our own country. The Wall Street Journal in 2014 reported the number one employer in America was Walmart, then UPS and the third largest McDonalds. In 2013 the Government set the poverty level threshold for a family of four at $23,021. About 2/3 of the people who work at Walmart make $25,000 or less. See where I’m going with this?
The problem, which I find curious, is that the “intelligent” individuals who taxed those big companies right out of our country couldn’t project that the sustainability of working individuals supporting non-working and needful people would eventually, one day, become unbalanced.
My concern, as with many others, is when the number of workers, like you, becomes less than the number of those on welfare, who will support the needful masses?
I truly believe that everyone inherently wants to help those in need, as seen by all the volunteer work your office does. But it has become very easy for people to take advantage of welfare programs and those who support them. I want to believe if a system was set up to provide training and jobs, instead of welfare assistance, people will want to work.
When you vote, think about individuals who can start to overhaul this system. A system that needs to teach, train, and create jobs for able body individuals. Vote for an individual who can instill pride and the same desire to work and make a difference in individuals, as you have carried within yourself.
I need you to remember how proud we are of you. You have worked very hard academically and athletically for your college scholarships, paying off student loans and then finding a job in a city you wanted to live, even if it meant a lot of sacrifices. Never be ashamed of trying to succeed or wanting to make a good life for yourself and never apologize for that drive. Always, always shoot for the stars, my dear daughter! With that I suspect you will look seriously at the candidates, find the truth and make a wise and informed decision.
Grateful for you and remember, you should visit your mother more often!
Love,
Mom
P.S. You know how I feel about the truth in articles written on the internet. So please know that these sites may not be completely accurate or unbiased, but are the most recent examples I could find. I leave the rest of the research up to you…
* AMAC Advantage Magazine, Winter 2016, The Growing Welfare State Sustainable?, Gerry Hafer – Page 28
