Open Session, Weekend

June 20, 2009

Open Session, Weekend

Filed under: Open Session — mary @ 9:04 am

200px-bbq_wood It’s a busy weekend ahead with Ironman and Father’s Day. Any comments, questions or ideas?

Comments (5)

5 Comments

Anyone else read the guest opinion by Shirley Thagard in today’s Press? The gist of what she wrote is that, yes, the US is turning to socialism and what’s wrong with that?

Well, there’s plenty wrong with it!

I applaud Ms. Thagard for including “Our Urban Renewal District” in her long list of socialist success stories. It’s true: urban renewal can be used as a tool to promote socialism by the government favoring one individual or business over another. But the bigger truth is, there are no socialist success stories in this country.

Medicare is not a success story, at least to hear the stories my mother tells about it. In fact, you can parallel out-of-control medical spending directly with the creation of Medicare. I know doctors hate it. This isn’t to say that older people don’t deserve medical care, but they deserve better than the bankrupt Medicare system.

The railroads were subsidized by the government, and we all know how profitable Amtrak has been. The government offered sugar to the rail barons, they took it, then the government owned them. End of story.

Farms were subsidized by the government, and we all know how successful the small American farm has been.

Example after example, Ms. Thagard gives of so-called socialist success and you find abject failure. Brining the government onboard means you bring in politicians and they have no interest in solving problems, merely sustaining those problems so that the politician can be re-elected.

Socialism has destroyed whatever it’s touched in this country. Remember that any time you hear a politician, especially a local one, refer to a “public-private partnership,” they’re talking about socialism. Getting the government involved in anything beyond what government is designed to do ends badly.

Lincoln said that government should only do for the people what the people cannot do for themselves. Jefferson said that government which governs best governs least. Keep that in mind whenever anyone presents you the notion that socialism is somehow good and necessary. It’s not.

Comment by Dan — June 20, 2009 @ 3:07 pm
Shirley Thagard and her slavish belief in socialism (the peoples panacea) reminds me of P.T. Barnum. There is a sucker born every minute.

Comment by Faringdon — June 21, 2009 @ 1:33 pm
Next subject. Would someone like to explain to me the rational (other than money) behind the Press taking advertisements from the res for fireworks. Theoretically, fireworks are banned in Kootenai County, except on the res. So the CDA newspaper prints half page ads for illegal fireworks. I live in a fire area and the 4th of July is nothing to look forward to. The professional fireworks are lovely and I enjoy them…but, the illegal fireworks are a menace. The “users” take them into the wooded areas to hide. Then set them off in tinder dry brush. In actuality, they don’t need to hide. Nobody, most especially law enforcement, does diddly squat about illegal fireworks. Can we all say, in unison, really stupid!!!

Comment by Faringdon — June 21, 2009 @ 1:38 pm
Faringdon,

You already identified the reason: Money. You’re absolutely right about the explosives. They are best handled by licensed pyrotechnicians. The pyros know how to safely set and time the various shots for maximum visual and audible effect. Licensed pyros are allowed by law to use larger and more varied explosives than the (allegedly) safe-and-sane crap the City allows anyone to buy and use. The organized displays you mentioned really are a better choice for everyone. Fewer worries about injuries, fires, and lawsuits.

Comment by Bill — June 21, 2009 @ 3:12 pm
It’s usually an annual tradition that Woody makes a point about the fireworks and how he’d prefer they be illegal. I don’t recall him doing that last Tuesday. Did he make his point earlier?

Comment by Dan — June 21, 2009 @ 4:26 pm

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