The Fog of Dogma

The allusion of the title of this posting to the "Fog of War", a book written by Robert S. McNamara, the Secretary of Defense under Presidents John Kennedy & Lyndon Johnson, who orchestrated our country's efforts during the Viet Nam conflict. The following are the his eleven lessons of war:

1.Empathize with your enemy
2.Rationality will not save us
3.There's something beyond one's self
4.Maximize efficiency
5.Proportionality should be a guideline in war
6.Get the data
7.Belief and seeing are often both wrong
8.Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning
9.In order to do good, you may have to engage in evil
10.Never say never
11.You can't change human nature

I would propose that any kind of fog is due in part or in whole to the above. Many people use their dogma like a weapon of war to bring others in submission. Many on the irreligious left think that the religious right are forcing their beliefs on the rest of us, when both sides are doing just that. The last I remember, when I checked the Declaration of Independence, we are free to choose. I would like to adapt the above list to those who would like to beat us senseless with their dogmas:

1. Empathy does not equal Tolerance which does not equal compromise.
2. Reason and persuasion will save us; name-calling will not.
3. There's something beyond this life and we will all account for our actions.
4. Maximize efficiency; listen to the past.
5. Do unto others.... should be a guideline in life.
6. Seek the truth and follow it to completion.
7. Faith is always based in truth; if it doesn't lead to the truth, it is false.
8. Be prepared to re-examine your reasoning, and follow truth.
9. In order to do good, you have to choose that which is true. The end does not justify the means. True means lead to a true end.
10. Never give up.
11. Only Christ can change human behavior.

The reason for this dissertation on Fog is due in part to the dead end to which our nation has been lead. The current administration has not listened to the governed, but has stuck to the dead end of their Fog. No true solutions to the problems have been tried, except when they are backed into a corner. We all know that when are family budgets are reduced, we cut our expenses. Similarly, our government should follow this truth. They suppose that since they are in charge of distributing goodies to those that they have selected (let's call them, 'the poor') that everyone should be forced to give them the goods so that they can take care of 'the poor'. The government doesn't corner the market on giving and should learn that you can't force people to do what is right....(wait a minute, that is their complaint about the religious right!). People have to be able to make their own choices, and if they can't make their own choices, then it is not up to us to make them, they will only learn for themselves. I remember when my children were younger, it was hard to watch them make bad choices. It is still hard to watch, but they only learn by making their own choices, not by have someone make their choices for them. As much as I struggle with my weight, I don't want someone else (the government) to force me to eat correctly, I have to do that for myself. The strength is in the struggle, but don't let me make a choice for you....this is just an observation.

Bumper Sticker Wisdom or Propaganda?

I saw a bumper sticker,"Criminals Don't have Budget Cuts", that capsulized the hyperbole that is generated by the special interests that don't want to face the financial crisis that all of us in the private sector have been dealing with for the past three years. The implication is that if we cut police services to meet budget requirements, the criminals will win. Actually, crime statistics have been down for the past (three years ), so I guess that criminals have been hit by the recession....but really, if we were to assume that criminals don't have budget cuts, then law enforcement shouldn't have them either? Would it necessarily follow that since law enforcement has a union, the criminals or criminals-in-prison should have a union? I am sure that someone would think that prison conditions are sub-par and there are certain benefits that are a right, no matter what a person's status....Oh, I think that in California, it is already happening.

So, back to the bumper sticker....is it really a matter of not cutting the budget, or raising taxes on one sector of the people (lowering their ability to balance their finances), in order to keep the financial standards of another sector (redistributing wealth, or is it distributing poverty to those who don't have a special interest). Who is going to represent the interest of the taxpayer? When are we going to realize that as long as we allow the public sector to grow, to overcome the private sector, there will not be enough of the private sector to pay for the public sector. Government does not generate revenue, it spends it! And it will always be willing to spend our children's and grandchildren's future to do it.

Don't blame me, this is just an observation....