As a Patriarch

If you are a family member, you might have noticed, that I have not been updating my blog for a while.  It isn't that I have not had things I felt like expressing, it is that I did not want to come across as pushing my ideas on others.    I have spent a time in deep contemplation about my role as a Patriarch to my family.  While talking with two different people, it became apparent to me that I should share my experience and thoughts with my family to provide them context that they do not have.  I am going to do this to provide a more complete picture to aid them as they make their own decisions,.  I will  teach, and persuade as possible, and then let them make the decisions.   After all that is what our Father and Creator does. 

Admittedly some of my experience comes from the thousands of mistakes I have made, as well as from personal successes, and observed experiences of others.  Other knowledge comes from an education gained from both formal institutionalized coursework and a life of self study. I do believe I have learned much from being an observant person.

My intent for the next while is to write about a series of topics.   Since this is all serious, I will try and throw in something less serious blogs as well.

Today's Topic - Information and Historical Context

One of the things that really disturbs me about the world today, is that a great number of Americans, and others  look at life in the frame reference of today only.  What is happening today?  What am I able to get today?  What is most appealing today? Most of the younger generation has been raised on immediate gratification.  The rapid pace of life and a lack of interest has caused most people to be spoon fed their information in the form of  1 to 2 minute news segments that the media feeds us.  They form their opinions from Internet sound bytes, and 1 paragraph statements.  For many, if they read it or hear it from a supposedly reputable source, they believe it without questioning it's veracity or especially the entire context of the issue. As an example, it is true that 6.1% unemployment is bad, and that 6+% interest rates are higher than desirable.  But placing blame and pointing fingers without any understanding of the the context - why unemployment is high, or that interest rates of 6% for years were considered a good rate, is like immediately prosecuting the Father who is covered with blood  and holding his beaten child without learning that he just fought off an assailant.

This lack of being fully informed is contrary to the perspective with which our great country was established.  Our founding fathers established our democracy based on the principle that individuals will be stay well informed on the issues and take an active role in electing leaders and passing laws that serve them and preserve their freedom to choose. Without a well informed electorate, we put our freedoms, country, and opportunities at risk.

Upcoming Topics

With that in mind, over the next period I am going to provide some contextual insight into issues we all face.  Being in the middle of a political season, some of my initial insights will focus on issues that should be considered as we pick our leaders. As I see it the primary issues of our country today are:

1. A Land of Opportunity
2. The Economy -1
3. The Economy -2
4. Energy
5. National Security
6. Education
7. My Experience with an Election for "Change" in 1970
8. The Change We Need
9. Growth, Challenges, and Choices

While I admit that I have my own opinions and preferences, I want to talk about these issues from an logical perspective and will do so one by one, not necessarily in the above order.