service

  We all admire and praise craftsmen. Those folks that do a job with pride in their workmanship. Those folks are concerned about what others think about their performance. They care. We say they have pride in themselves and their abilities. It's a desired trait to possess, isn't it? Well, that depends doesn't it. It depends upon whether they are in competition with you. If they are being seen as superior, we may say, pride goeth before the fall. Yes, it is one of those conditional things that often causes confusion. Ideally, we have a modest pride. Those with modest pride allow their work to speak for itself rather than tell others how great their work is. They are patient and kind. They don't make demands upon others. It appears to me those folks are becoming a very rare breed. Today we even hire social influencers. Think about that. Just what is the job of a social influencer? A salesman, that's what a social media influencer is. But we have taken to calling them influencers because salesmen have a bad reputation. I wonder why I should listen to an influencer! I was told often enough, this person or that person is a bad influence. It has always made me leery of being influenced. Call it skeptical if you will but I always take what others are selling with a grain of salt. That was advice I was given from a very early age. 

 I began thinking about a craftsman, a person taking pride in their work. Then I thought about those that are career politicians. That is their job. I am at a loss to name any current career politicians that are more concerned with their performance than their ability to remain in office. The craftsman takes pride in what he produces, not the length of time he is on the job. And that is the thing with elected politicians, those that are being paid to legislate and adjudicate. Their concern is in retaining the job not producing a product or service. It wasn't until 1855 that being a congressman paid an annual salary. That's when it became a job, not a public service. Prior to that they did receive per diem expenses while actually in session. You know, when they were actually working! And today that has gone to automatic pay raises every year unless they vote not to get one! Think about that for just a minute. First, they decided to vote themselves an annual salary and later they vote themselves annual pay raises that are automatic. Pretty sweet deal isn't it? The raise certainly isn't merit based. Think about that as well. They have judged their own performance so poorly that they have no confidence that they would vote themselves a raise. The solution was, just make it automatic so we don't have to vote on that. 

 Public servants? I hardly think so. Is there concern really with the general public, to do a service for that? No, the fact is they are busy trying to satisfy the lobbyists. What is a lobbyist? An influencer, that's what they are. They are selling a product or service. The hope is to get the congress to buy that. They have gotten Congress to buy into the whole global warming thing, haven't they? The green energy crowd stands to make a fortune. The pharmaceutical industry is certainly doing a bang-up job getting the government to issue mandates and recommendations. 

 Listen to the discussion taking place today in congress. How much of that is a real concern to you? Indictments, investigations, accusations and blatant incompetence. That's what I'm seeing. Gasoline prices soaring pushing us into electric vehicles when everyone knows there is no infrastructure that can support that. And the electric vehicles being offered come with price tags well in excess of 60,000 dollars for the basic models! The earth is being stripped of lithium for the production of batteries, literally billions of tons earth moved, while we are being told it is to benefit the earth. Well, that isn't happening in America with one exception. We do have one operating lithium mine in Nevada. But I'm certain we wouldn't become dependent upon other countries for our source of lithium to manufacture replacement batteries, would we? Nah, nothing like that. Interestingly we are only dependent upon other sources of crude oil because our government shut down production here. Wonder how that happened? Must have been out of concern for us citizens that those politicians are representing, you know, in our best interest. They certainly wouldn't have been influenced by outsiders. Energy independence. Yeah, okey dokey then.

 We the people need to fire the lot of them. The whole gang and start over. Perhaps their jobs should be performance based instead of an endlessly funded gathering of self-centered politicians. Could begin with one simple mandate. Balance the budget or get fired! No more raises until the debt is paid off and we are operating this nation in the black. That is a vital part of your job. I didn't hire you to drive me into bankruptcy. Secure the border. Either you lock the door, or I'll lock the door on you, you're out. That is another vital part of your job, my security. And one more thing, pay for your own haircuts! Yes, there is a lot of fat to be trimmed! Oh, and by the way, since you are being paid for a full-time job you have to work full time! The average American worker works 260 days a year. Last year you only worked 146! That is no longer gonna fly. Nope, come to work or get fired! Want a raise, put that on the ballot and I'll decide whether you deserve that or not. I'm the one doing the hiring and firing you seem to have forgotten that. I'm here to remind you. Can you say Convention of the States? Remember you are a public servant. It is your job to serve. If I don't like the service, no tip for you! The gratuity isn't automatically added to the bill, you have to deserve that.