Thanksgiving 2010

I don't know about you, but in spite of everything that has gone on the past year, I have a lot to be thankful for. We have this tendency to look at the negative side of things...it's human nature. It's a lot easier to gaze at the bad stuff and think "Poor me" than to look on the bright side and think " Wow...I'm still kickin'". Take a look around you and see the positive in the negative. If you have a roof over your head, be grateful. If you have a job, no matter what it may be, be grateful. If you have food on the table, be grateful. If you woke up this morning, be grateful. So many of us are suffering with loss of jobs, no house or home, no food, and really struggling to open our eyes and face another day. Let's just stop for a moment and give thanks for what we DO have rather than whine over what we don't. Let's enter this Thanksgiving and holiday season with an "Attitude of Gratitude". We are here and we are reading ramblings like this, so let's give thanks!!

Here's wishing each of you a Happy Thanksgiving and a joyous holiday season!!

Mr. B

Since I'm Fussin' About Elections...

One of the mantras that have been thrown about this painful election season, has been, and I quote (someone) "I'll cut taxes and bring jobs to Florida!"

How about some reality here? Boy, I know I'm gonna catch flack on this one, but since it's my blog, I really don't care. It's not written from any point of view (liberal, conservative, left-wing, right-wing, chicken-wing, tea-party, or office party), but from just hard facts.

OK, jobs in Florida. Just what might they be? Florida's economy revolves around agriculture and hospitality/tourism. Both are very honorable ventures and support a ton of people. We are not a manufacturing state. Never have been and probably never will be. I know, South Carolina just landed a couple of auto plants and so did Georgia. Why can't we? We just aren't made for it. Our economy isn't set up to rely on the rigors that manufacturing demands on that scale. We dallied with high-tech, but the hard drive died. We weren't ready for that one either. Let's talk infrastructure. The most probable place for any larger scale high-tech or medium scale manufacturing would be along the I-4 corridor. It just makes logical sense. With that in mind...driven I-4 lately? Now you get the picture. We just aren't set up for the kind of commerce that we think we are. So I wonder what kind of jobs they propose to bring to Florida, and how much will they pay? Nobody seems to want to go out on that limb.

Now taxes. Civics lesson next boys and girls. What exactly are taxes? They are fees gathered on goods, services (some), and property, that help support services. In other words, money paid to the government for public purposes. Now let's take that as a given. Next point, and one I want to make very clear...I'm not for raising taxes, nor am I for cutting them more. I have no vested interest either way....just stating facts. During this last campaign season, I heard the statement that cutting taxes means smaller government. Oh no doubt...less police on the street, less maintenance of parks and recreation areas, shorter hours at government offices, less housing available for low-income, less road maintenance, layoffs at city and county offices.

Yep, smaller government. Already I'm hearing grumblings about potholes in the roads in North Pinellas and less maintenance at the parks, even the library had to reduce hours. Reality check here...how much more can we afford to cut taxes and still maintain a level of competent service? Cities and counties are becoming more fiscally astute when it comes to budget time, but is there a "low limit"? I heard some people talking at Starbucks the other day about the red light cameras that have been installed and the cost to buy and install them. Could it be they are taking the place of a few deputies that might be patrolling but for the fact that we can't afford them because taxes have been cut so close? The red light cameras just sit there and do their jobs. No food, no families, no beer for the football games, they just work 24/7.

Are we as citizens really, honestly prepared for this? Imagine blasting down US 19 at 5:00PM and unexpectedly you hit a pot hole that throws your car for just a moment, into another lane. Imagine the consequences. We go to turn from one major highway to another with a stop sign to regulate us, but we can't see around the corner because of tall weeds blocking our view. County parks that are only open three days a week because they have no operating funds to work with and we won't stand to pay an entrance fee. Public transportation that already is lacking, cutting routes and times. Non-profit hospitals turning away indigent care.

Friends, think long and hard before you wish for something...you may wind up getting it and regret it later!

Until next time...

Stomach Pains are Easing...Election Day is Over

Put the aspirin and antacids away. Put up the cold compress. Not sure I'd cancel those anger management classes yet though. The elections are almost over. As of a few minutes ago, the governor's race here in Florida is still to be decided. Around 50,000 votes separate the candidates. I don't know about you, but this was one ugly campaign season. Everyone sniping at the others, mudslinging, accusations, general hatefulness did not make any of the people running for office seem attractive. I really don't care what your views are, right-wing, left-leaning, conservative, liberal, tea party (I prefer coffee myself), or independent devil-may-care vote-'em-all-out type of voter. You'll have to admit that, like the rest of us, the nasty politics are not what I want to see and hear when it's time to choose someone to lead us and make decisions for us. Political office holders and those that aspire to do so, listen up.

I challenge a set of candidates to run for office on the merits of what they stand for. Talk about the issues, tell us where you stand and what you hope to do, not what you will do. Candidates (especially governor, president, etc.), you know good and well that promises are hollow...you can't do squat without legislative approval. Yep, I'm challenging political candidates to be honest and stand on the issues. While there might be three people that read this (and that's on a day when they have nothing else to do) I hope they pass this link along to political friends that may have some influence. I ran for Oldsmar City Council some years back. My opponent was Jeff Sandler and we went at the election with quite the vigor. Never once did we attack each other. In fact, throughout the election we supported each other at our campaign stops. I think I can speak for Jeff when I say we had a ton of fun. I lost, Jeff won and eventually became Oldsmar's mayor. We cracked jokes, we visited with each other's families at campaign stops, and were not afraid to sit across the table from each other at functions. Small town politics can be tedious, but boy, they can be fun too.

So, you politicos, political wannabes, left and right extremest pot-stirrers, and potential candidates...see if you have the fortitude to accept my challenge (I think you'll find out that a lot of voters feel the same way, if you quit listening to talk radio long enough to listen to the people). I'll just bet that even local elections will go back to tossing handfuls of crap and seeing how much sticks just because it's easier. Running for office on merits is tough, stating issues and finding ways to perhaps correct them is painstaking, and using you, not your opponent, as a ladder to office is difficult. But people, it is so damn rewarding! Jeff, thanks again old friend...hope to see you around.

Until next time...