It’s so basic, we forget how simple it is.
The Governor is in charge of the State, and each state in the Union has a little different flavor and character. The Cities, towns and communities have their own leadership and we all work together to keep local economies moving and a healthy chamber of commerce.
It is all built around clean water and sanitation with a power grid to sustain life and industry.
Transportation is key, and how the people get around is open for discussion.
In 1850 the world moved at 3-5 miles an hour.
Technology has been put to good use in this category, and there is more to be done.
In 2007 life was moving along in a game of musical chairs. One day the music stopped with the mortgage crisis of 2008, and 2 out of 10 didn’t have a seat any longer. With the loan crisis, stopped the escrows, and the handymen and termite guys, and all construction slowed to a crawl as people took a deep breath in to see if they still had income. Debt defined life. You were a victim of your debt and the truth was in the mirror looking back at you. 4 out of 10 didn’t have a seat in the game.
It is not comfortable to fail. And once you’re all the way down, it is difficult to get back up. The systems in place in society should help people get back on their feet. It should help families remain together and regroup after adversity. It is the kindness of the American people that stands out in the world.
Let’s streamline the government in our own communities. Help your city use the assets it has to better serve the people. Our educational system and schools are a huge asset of the States and cities. How can they be used more effectively. How can we get private sector to help teach and use the buildings to a higher and better use standard? Sometimes it makes sense to own the real estate free and clear so you have an asset that creates the cash flow needed to sustain it’s own budget. That’s what an endowment is. A goose that lays golden eggs. How can this concept help shore up your community? We have a lot of smart people in America and we need to let them work. The creative spirit of the artist and entrepreneur is often in direct conflict with a Union job that wants to focus on a pay check and retirement mandates. If the real estate can be owned in the pension plans, then there is cash flow there old age.
Stocks should pay dividends and capital gains to those that help build the company. Those of us that spend money to own the products they sell should also own their stocks in our retirement accounts. That’s why the 401k idea was so well received. It makes sense to us to own the assets we support with our spending habits.
We have let the game look so complicated that even smart people think they can’t understand it. That is not good. Keeping it simple really is the key. Too much complexity and then no one understands it. We need to keep integrity within the system. People should be accountable for their character and values. We do have a code of behavior in society, and when it is broken we have penalties and jail.
No one wants to be fired, not even Congress. It’s hard for them to realize that Government really did get too big and that they are part of the problem. States and local agencies need to rethink their game plans, and take inventory of what they are doing right and what they need. Let’s start with the Mayor, and see how the people are doing. That is where “We the People” live.
When I visit with my friend in Australia, I feel so silly to look at this art work! From “down under” this makes no sense. Still, it’s a bold perspective, but “home” is always the center of your Earth.