Economics

  Now I'm no expert on the economy or money matters in general. I'm just the regular guy that worked for a living, paid into the system and managed to get by. Never joined a union, never made any demands on my employer, just moved on if I didn't like the way I was treated or wanted a raise. I had learned as a child that the world doesn't revolve around me, I'm just a little cog in a much larger machine. I figured it out rather quickly, you are worth just about what others believe you are worth, to them. That's just the long and short of that. I've never invested in the market. The reality being I just never had that much disposable income that I wanted to gamble with that. I've always found something better to do with it. 

 Today I'm hearing about the market taking a dive and all the money being lost. Well potential money being lost that is. It would only be real money if you sold your stocks, bonds or cashed in that mutual fund. It's all money "on paper." It's money you could have, maybe if someone else were to buy it from you. As I said I'm no expert on any of that and it is all pretty strange if you really think about it. Take Elon Musk as an example, the richest man on the planet. How much actual cash do you think he has? I can tell you one thing, it isn't anywhere near 386.5 billion dollars. If he sold everything he owned or had an interest in he should realize that 386.5 billion, that's the speculation, it's not guaranteed though. Gates, Bezos, Soros and all the others are the same way. It was estimated Elvis Presley made anywhere between 100 million to a billion dollars. When he died his estate was valued at 5 million. He was cash poor, relatively speaking. 

 I read where gold has reached another all time high. Gold is that "safety" net investors are told to run to, along with other precious metals. That's always been a strange thing to me, the value of gold. I just don't understand the fascination with collecting that medal. I know I can trade it for the things I really want or need and that is the true value of that but still, it's a strange thing. Some native American Indians used pieces of a clam shell, called it wampum, and it was as good as gold to them. Salt, cocoa beans and other spices have been used in the same way. When Nixon decided to remove the United States from the gold standard the value of gold began to fluctuate in relation to the market. 

 In short, it became worth whatever you were willing to pay for it. Kinda like the model Starbucks uses when pricing their coffee. Gold will always be worth something but you can't be certain. How much will it worth twenty years from now? The truth is, it really isn't how much it is worth, the cost of it, but what will it buy. An ounce of gold is currently valued at $3038.00 and that is down $75.00 from just a few days ago. But that is just from one source, check around and will quickly see that isn't a fixed price at all. And then value that ounce of gold against foreign currency and your buying power increases, you have more "money" but you can buy less. Yeah, does any of that really make sense. 

 Are you really losing money if you don't have that money in the first place? That is the perceived reality isn't it? If I have a field full of corn valued at 10,000 dollars, do I have 10,000 dollars? No, not unless I sell that corn, a big storm could come by and wipe it all out overnight. Hopefully I bought insurance against that. I'm a master carpenter and my "worth" is 45.00 an hour. I don't get that unless I have a job though, it's my worth but it is the service that holds the actual value. In 1971 gold was fixed at $35.00 an ounce. Yes, thirty five dollars an ounce. But it's buying power wasn't strong enough so Nixon took us off the gold standard, the rest of the world followed. What that meant was that $35.00 could now be revalued at any price people were willing to pay for it. There is no standard! It's all speculative, all the time. You might have money, you might not. 

 The bottom line is this. What matters is how much money you potentially have. All that money that is "on paper" and "on the books" doesn't really exist at all. It is "money" others are willing to take in exchange for whatever product or service they are selling. The potential value of your assets. How much is that worth? Whatever someone else is willing to pay is the answer. When others aren't willing to pay, the value decreases significantly. And in the end what could you possibly get? Some gold! Okay, now I have this gold what am I going to do with it? Make a ring, an electrical contactor or a necklace. No, I'm going to convince you that you should buy it from me at an inflated price. It's gone from 35 to over three thousand an ounce over the last fifty years. Strange thing is, it won't buy near as much at 3000 an ounce as it did at 35. Like I said, I'm no economist.   

                                                                       

What if

  I'm going to talk a bit about a touchy subject, one you aren't supposed to unless you are in full support of Black Lives Matter and agree to the whole America is systemically racist narrative. I do not. But I keep hearing all these celebrities and notable black people talking about how "white" things are in America.  Yes, they are. There's a reason for that too, it's called culture. I know, only black folks are supposed to be celebrating their culture, black culture. And just what is black culture? Is it African culture? Some would say so, but that isn't really quite accurate. First, not all black people come from Africa. That is just a racist remark all by itself. The black experience in America is what I believe most are thinking about. The image of a person in bondage, ruled over by a cruel master. Then when released from that bondage being treated as an inferior being. The struggle and strife to receive equal legal footing in America took a hundred years following that release to accomplish. The struggle to remove all prejudice in the world will continue, regardless of your skin tone.

 It's true that white people are slowly losing the majority. The census projects that will happen in about twenty years from now. By 2045 whites will be in the minority. Will that signal the end? The end of what, is the question to be answered. Will it end prejudice? No, it will not. Will it end injustice, inequity and social strata? No, it will not. Will it change the cultural heritage of America? No, it will not. So the question remains, what will happen? The truth is the same thing will happen as always happens, another group will start complaining about their situation. We are already seeing the beginning of that with all this Trans stuff and gender fluidity. They aren't complaining about their skin color, they are complaining about cultural identity. Race and gender doesn't matter to them, just what they "feel" matters. 

 In the state of Maryland the legislature is voting on reparations once gain. The official eligibility for these repreparations being a descendent of a slave or having been negatively impacted by government programs. The vote is to establish a commission to study the issue. The governor, Wes Moore, is Maryland's first black governor and has yet to sign that bill. Maryland currently has a 3.3 billion dollar deficit. This bill was backed by the Legislative Black Caucus of Maryland. Seems a bit self-serving in a way. Perhaps all black legislators should recuse themselves from that vote. I'm suggesting if the shoe were on the other foot that is what I would be hearing from that black caucus. 

 From the hill:  "If passed, the commission would assess federal, state and local policies from the post-Reconstruction and Jim Crow eras. According to the bill, that time frame “led to economic disparities based on race, including housing segregation and discrimination, redlining, restrictive covenants, and tax policies.”  "The commission would also study how both public and private institutions may have benefited from discriminatory policies and suggest reparations those institutions should offer."  "The legislation outlines a host of potential reparations, including official statements of apology, financial compensation, assistance with making a down payment on a home, debt forgiveness and tuition payment waivers for higher education." Sounds like a series of discriminatory practices to me, extending an unfair advantage to anyone with dark skin. The Jim Crowe era ended sixty years ago, just how can you assess what the impact is today? The whole "what if" debate is what we are really talking about. What if? 

 What if the Portuguese hadn't sold those captured Africans to British colonists in 1619? What if those colonists hadn't rebelled against the King. What if there was no United States of America? Britain had essentially outlawed slavery in 1772, just not in their colonies like America. What if we hadn't gained independence from Britain? Slavery would have continued an additional 18 years as Britain didn't out law slavery in their colonies until 1883. What if Britain hadn't done that at all? There a lot of what ifs' in history. It's my feeling if you can't make amends, make reparations or offer apologies to the one that was injured, you are simply pandering. What we call today being, politically correct. You can't change the past. 

 What if the Muslims were good friends of the Jews? We wouldn't have all this conflict. Are we to go back to biblical accounts of what land belong to whom? Is that how we settle the what if? You have to deal with what is, not what was. It doesn't matter how you feel about reality, it remains just as real. What if, what if. Yes there are cultural differences between races, between nationalities and even between  genders. Guess what, there always will be. There are cultural differences based on wealth or a lack of it. There are the beautiful people and the crass and rude people. What if, there weren't? Well, then we could all complain about a lack of individuality. Cultural identity is the scream for recognition. I don't care what culture you embrace, that is what it is at its' essence. Look at me! I deserve; (fill in the blank)  

https://thehill.com/homenews/race-politics/5229885-maryland-reparations-study-gov-wes-moore/

                                                                                

Assigned

  It really is as Shakespeare said: to paraphrase him, all the worlds a stage and each of us must play our part. In that famous speech there are seven stages in life. I find myself at the great grandfather stage. Is that the justice stage that Shakespeare eluded too, or the pantaloon? I'm not in the old age stage quite yet. I'm thinking the justice stage seems about right. If you were to read back over these blogs of mine that seems to be one of several themes. I have reached that point where I'm beginning to listen to myself. Generally speaking I'm in agreement with most things, but occasionally I have doubts. I remain unconvinced on a number of topics. I'm becoming conscious of this role as the great grandfather. 

 The only role model I have for that was my own great grandfather, Floyd. I knew him as a child and he passed when I was thirteen years old. As a result that is the remaining impression I have of him, the view of a thirteen year old boy. He was old. No doubt about that, he carried a cane, although I don't believe he really needed all that much and mostly he used it to point at things or threaten you with it. "I'll cane ya" would be the warning when I started to misbehave a bit. He alternatively chewed and smoked a cigar. Always dressed in a three piece suit, rarely taking that jacket off. When he did he wore sleeve garters, I though he must have been a gambler, but they just served to adjust the length of the sleeves on his shirt.

 Gramp, as I called him, didn't seem to do much of anything. He could peel an apple with his penknife and keep that skin intact. Mostly he just sat around telling his stories. Well, except they weren't stories about him, there were just stories about how things used to be. He didn't talk much about great grandmother Lucy, she had passed in 1956, he didn't talk about his daughters either. A great deal of the more personal stuff I know about him I learned after his death, when I took an interest in genealogy. I guess the truth of the matter is I just wasn't listening most of the time. He was just a grumpy old man and not much fun. 

 As I said I was thirteen when he passed away. I knew he was my great grandfather but wasn't impressed by that much. I'm thinking you don't understand what a great grandfather is until you become one. What I mean is, my great granddaughter is just a little over two months old. I'm going to be 72 in July. She will most likely be eight or ten years old before she begins to figure out who I am. So, if I make it, I'll be 82 or so. I guess I'll be in the "pantaloon" phase by then. It is difficult for children to comprehend that their parents had mothers and fathers, and they have mothers and fathers too! I remember as a small child my mom talking to her mother and calling her mom, it seemed pretty strange. It was when I moved to Maryland that I first heard Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop being used to refer to grandparents. It makes sense. My father only had his grandfather, he called him Gramp. As a kid I never thought about that. My mother usually referred to gramp as, that old man. 

 So here I am thinking about the things my great granddaughter doesn't know. I'm thinking about how to be a great grandfather. Apparently I have been "assigned" that role. That's what happens in the 21st century, you get assigned things. It doesn't mean you can't change the assignment though, at least some people believe that, but I'm not one of them. No, I am what I am and will remain that way. If I become that grumpy old man that tells stories all the time that's just what it will be. I can only hope that I will become as endeared to my great grandchildren I was to that grumpy old man I called gramp. Shakespeare was right, we all have to play our part. Funny thing is, we don't get to write the script no matter how hard we try. We just get to play the part. Yes, one day we will make our exit. It's all a part of the assignment.   

                                                                                     

 my great granddaughter Elliotte Ann Elisabeth Reichart 

cheating

  For those of us paying attention we are getting a masters degree in civics. Unfortunately many are simply taking crib notes to bolster their opinion on the subject. It isn't about learning how the system is designed to actually work, but how to make it work for themselves. Currently, the lesson plan involves the lower court authority. The intent of the lower courts in the American justice system is to handle the lesser cases, freeing up the supreme court to ponder the greater issues facing the nation. The supreme court rules on the constitutionality of legislation. That is the sole purpose of that court. To determine just what was said, and what it meant when it was ratified by the people. 

 Today the lower courts are being used to hinder the executive branch from performing its' function. That function is to enforce laws and administer the government. The laws are created by the legislative branch. The checks on those laws are the responsibility of the judicial branch. Those laws must be compliant with the constitution. The lower court can question  that legality, forcing the supreme court to issue an opinion on that. It was expected that the lower courts would understand the constitution in much the same way as the supreme court justices would. Remember all these judges received the same legal training, or in theory they did. We are all aware of the political nature of higher education and the influence that may have on the curriculum. 

  We are all learning about executive orders. Interestingly there is no direct definition of what an executive order is or can be. Article two does make the president the executive officer and charges him with enforcing the law of the land. All presidents have used executive orders for a wide variety of purposes and reasons. The have the effect of federal law but congress can veto and override them. Jimmy Carter averaged 80 executive orders per year while in office. That number is small compared to more recent years. Reagan (381) Bush (166) Clinton (364) Obama (276) Trump (220) Biden (162) and Trump again at (109) In recent years the lower court (judges) have been using their seat to issue injunctions to thwart executive orders. It is a much faster, streamlined way to at the very least delay that action without having to have congress vote on it. It's just another roadblock, a delaying tactic. 

 All of that is politics. That is at the heart of it all, the political affiliation, support or lack of support for any piece of legislation. The ideals expressed in the constitution are not being followed. No one is really surprised however, politics has always permeated every area of society. It is the stuff of war and rebellion. Our republic installed a system of checks and balances, we've all heard about that in grade school, but those that wish to do so, have found ways to circumvent that system. Precedents have been overturned, a new interpretation of the constitution offered, some demanding it be rewritten entirely and now the lower courts attempting to block the executive branch from taking actions they don't agree with. There is a call for a "convention of the states" an "emergency" measure those founding fathers were smart enough to include, having foreseen the inevitability of corruption within the republic. They left us with a voice! 

 I believe it is time for us to exercise that voice, to let our wishes be known and be codified! Term limits, a balanced budget, and the security of our borders being the top priorities. We should exert our sovereignty on the world stage as the most powerful nation. We should instill pride in our citizens in our nation. There is room for only one loyalty, loyalty to the United States of America, just as old Teddy said. You can't be the United States unless you are UNITED! That means being an American and only an American. The judicial branch isn't the executive in this republic. The president is the CEO and congress the board of directors. The judicial branch reads the rule book. Only the supreme court can issue an opinion on constitutionality of legislation. And, even then, that isn't the final word. We the people have the final say! 

 The politicians will distract and delay. The purpose is the retention or power. So far it appears to be working, for the most part. The distraction being all the threats being issued. We are all going to lose our social security, our freedom of speech. The threat of inflation. And the biggest threat of all, being held accountable! There should be no penalty for failures, for missteps and misdeeds. You should be given a second chance, twenty five times. You just need support, empathy and a government handout. The courts have become the battlefield. The court is supposed to work hand in hand with the other branches not act as a stop gap measure to delay and distract. The tactic being to simply overload the court to the point it becomes ineffective. The lower courts now replacing the executive branch. It's like they have discovered the cheat code. It's not really cheating though, is it? 

                                                                              

No foolin'

  This being Aprils' fool day I am reminded of two things. First, it is the birthday of my great grandfather Floyd P Lester of East Hampton, New York. Born on April 1st of 1878 he lived his entire life in East Hampton passing away there in 1968. I was thirteen at the time of his passing and it hit me hard. It was my first funeral and upon seeing that coffin I just bolted out of there! Didn't go to another funeral for many years after that. To this day I don't know why I had that reaction, I think it was just the sorrow hit me like the proverbial ton of bricks. A surge of empathy? I can't say, was "gramp" sad that he died? I think maybe it was just the overall scene, all those people gathered around, the minister was there, and a grey steel coffin. It was just too much at that time. Today I just remember his birthday being on April fools day and the good times I shared with him in his dusty old house of mystery. Lots of mysterious stuff in that house, rooms left untouched and unused since Great Grandmother Lucy had passed back in 1956. He was a gruff, cantankerous old man, prone to speaking his mind. The only man I heard tell my father to be quiet and that he didn't know what he was talking about! Well, the only one he never snapped back at anyway. Dad would just mumble something under his breath and walk away. 

 The other thing I am reminded of on April fools day is my time in the navy. I 'm thinking about that because of all the practical jokes that were pulled on me and others all the time. Today it is what they call hazing. We just called it having a bit of fun. If you were a boot, you were open game. You were also open game if others thought they could fool you with their clever pranks, testing your "intelligence." You know some folks crackers aren't quite as crisp as others. Common tests would be sending you to the radio shack for a fallopian tube. You know back in the old days they didn't teach you about that stuff in school, although I do remember my dad having to take me to the school gym one evening to see a "special" film. It involved stick figures and reproduction. Pretty funny stuff when I remember what was shown. Or you could be sent for a sky hook and placed on mail buoy watch. If you were an engineer you were subject to being "greased" which involved shoving that grease into a certain area to lubricate the joints. Getting married or going on liberty? You just might need some "antiseize" compound applied, you know, to be safe. You might get sent to the armory to get a pistol to shoot mid rats with. Or sent to the signal shack to get a snap hook from those skivvie wavers. You weren't going to get one! Or it might be on the captains mast. Yeah, it was all just in good clean fun. April fool everyday, all day until you became seasoned enough, had that crust of salt that made you immune, for the most part. Ah, the good times. I expect some of that continues to this day but the times do change, sensibilities change. Wouldn't want to offend anyone or make them feel marginalized. But the thing is, during my time it was that "camaraderie" that make you feel included. Just one of the boys. Well, it was just the boys back then and you know, boys will be boys. And the boys just wanted to be men! No foolin'.