You've Made Enough Money

They say that the love of money is the root of all evil.

Does that mean that money is evil? Does that mean that you are righteous if you are broke? Does it mean you are evil if you are wealthy? Or does it mean, simply, that if you use your whole heart pursuing riches, it leaves no room for anything or anyone else and the pursuit of money consumes your very being?

We are commanded to work "by the sweat of our brow" to eat bread. The great thing about societies is that you don't have to make everything you use. If you provide a good/service that is of use to someone else, they either trade their unique goods/services or they give you money for your good/service. You can either take the money and purchase another necessary good/service, or you continue to provide your good/service and barter with others. That is actually how societies have been functioning, probably, since the beginning of time.

Let's fast-forward to today. The same principles apply. If you work, you are rewarded. If you work hard, you earn a great reward; if you don't work hard, your reward is not so great. There are certainly some examples of not working hard and reaping great rewards, and likewise, people working very hard yielding small rewards. Either way, generally, you get as much as you give.

Let's say, as a young man, I learn these principles. If I go to school and work hard, I can get good grades and make it into a decent college. If I work hard at my studies, that can lead to a good starting job. If I get a good starting job, that can pave the path to either working my way up a corporate ladder, or gaining the knowledge and experience necessary to start a business of my own. Whichever path you choose, why do you want to work your way up the ladder or start your business??? MONEY! Hopefully you have chosen something you enjoy doing that makes you money, but most people realize that you need money to eat, to provide shelter, to have clothes, to heat/cool your house, to go to the movies, to buy cool video games, etc. Most people also realize that the harder they work, the more money they potentially can make, the more things they can buy/have/do.

Now, I understand that there are some people out there fighting against the evils of "consumerism", but that is another blog for another time. I'll just say that buying things is good.

Now, here in America, since the foundation of this great nation, we have been operating under the belief that a "free market" system is the best way to get the best ideas and the best products the human mind can imagine. As long as you have an idea (or are willing to help someone with their idea), you are free to make as much as the "market" will pay you. If that is $12,000 per year or $12,000,000 per year, that is what the market decides. If you are a giant company and are paying your executives a bajillion dollars a year and that is too much, than you possibly will go out of business and will need to adjust your executive pay accordingly. On the other hand, if you are paying your executive $50,000 per year and you are coming in dead last in relationship to your competition, you will probably need to invest more into the leadership of your company.

Which brings me to what really boiled my blood today. The President of the United States of America came out today and said, "at some point, you've made enough money."

That's right, folks; the leader of the most prosperous nation in the history of mankind, the leader of the land of the free and the home of the brave, the leader of the one place on the planet where freedom is possible for man, thinks you have a limit. In a land where the impossible is possible, where people have flocked for decades to enter in at our golden gates, and the sky is the limit; we have just been told that there is a limit. That we should cap our usefulness and only work so hard to make what someday down the road a government bureaucrat tells us is enough money.

Now, he didn't put a limit yet on what is enough. I imagine it is more than the three or four million a year he makes (who really knows). But whatever amount our government might come up with as "enough" is wrong. Even if it is a million billion jillion dollars; how DARE you ever tell an American that he has limited potential? How DARE you ever tell someone that they are making too much money? Last time I checked, this is the United States of America where the President can NOT tell me what I can and can't do. The President is merely a check on congress and a leader of the military.

I would really like to hear what you think about the President telling us that at some point, you've made enough money!

(Il)legal Immigration?

Well friends, I have been enjoying my vacation here in Vegas (minus the scremaing kids and the driving around) and am sad to have to go back home and then back to the old grindstone on Monday. However, I have been trying to keep up on this whole "Immigration" bill that was recently signed into law in Arizona.

The opening section of the bill states: "The provisions of this act are intended to work together to discourage and deter the unlawful entry and presence of aliens and economic activity by persons unlawfully present in the United States"

To read the entire text, go to: http://www.azleg.gov/legtext/49leg/2r/bills/sb1070s.pdf

Now, it seems that this bill is not intended to be mean to Mexicans, and I don't think that the law enforcement in the state of Arizona are interpreting this law to be so. In my interpretation (now I have to admit, I didn't read the whole of the text... I am on vacation after all), this bill is meant to fill in the void of the inadequecies of the Federal Government in their role at stopping those that are in our great nation illegally.

What I would like to see, personally, is tougher enforcement of laws against HIRING illegal immigrants. It just seems that that would be exponentially more effective than trying to tackle the problem on an individual basis.

My least favorite argument in this whole situation is when people claim that if you support this bill, you are against immigration. WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!!!! My great-grandfather came off the boat as a baby to Ellis Island in the late 1800's. He grew up, learned English, studied hard, became a doctor and lived the American dream. He didn't come to America, speak only Italian, ask the government for help and expected everyone to work for him; that wasn't why his father brought him here. OPPORTUNITY was the reason! Opportunity for a better life. A free life! A chance to enter in at the Golden Gates and live out a dream and pursue happiness.

Let us not forget that this country wouldn't exist without immigration. But let us also understand the importance of securing our borders. Do you not lock your doors to your home? Is your place of employment not secured by cameras and locks and passwords? WHY? Because those things/places are important and you want to keep them safe and secure. It's not because you hate your neighbors, you just want security and peace of mind. Our nation is a precious spot on this earth and it is certainly not arrogant to want to keep it safe and secure. There are certain steps that need to be taken to become a citizen in our great country and I welcome those from all over the planet that want to use the freedoms promised by our wonderful Constitution to make their lives better by pursuing happiness (and most certainly NOT to harm others or take away others' freedoms).

I suppose I can get off of my soap box now. I just get so frustrated with people saying that immigration laws are hateful and racist. It is simply a way for us to do what we can to keep our country safe and secure.

I would like to know what you think about immigration laws and what would be some ways to help solve the issues that face our country today.

The Second Amendment

Since we've been on a "Bill of Rights" kick lately, I figured I'd go in logical sequence for my next post. I will keep this short and sweet. The Arizona state legislature just passed a bill that does away with the need for a concealed carry permit to conceal a handgun on your person in Arizona. Arizona is now the third state in the union to enact such legislation.

Some would argue that gun incidences will go through the roof as inexperience and the public meet trembling fingers. Others argue why the criminals were the only ones who could previously conceal weapons without a permit.

Some argue that the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution is their conceal carry permit. Others argue that the second amendment is outdated and only applies to olden days and/or hunters.

What does the second amendment mean to you? And do you feel safer in Arizona where everyone can carry without a permit, or in Illinois where you can't have a gun at all, or in another state where the law is somewhere in the middle?

Religion and Politics

I heard somewhere that the two things you should never talk about in public are: religion and politics. Who made up that rule? A bunch of communists? From my interpretation, those two things are the foundation of the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The first amendment is a wonderful right with which each of us has been endowed by our creator. We also must remember that the tongue can be as a two-edged sward. Great good has come from the freedom to speak as we please, but a lot of damage has been caused as well. Once something leaves our lips, or is posted or published to the world, it can never be taken back.

I have an issue with the phrase, "Separation of Church and State." That phrase seems to have been morphed into "Separation of Religion FROM State." How have we interpreted the first amendment to mean that the ten commandments cannot be posted at courts of law, or that to even say the word "God" in a public school is an offense worthy of expulsion?

I heard a stat somewhere stating that 88% of Americans believe in a God. Somehow, in an effort to not "offend" the 12% that are atheists, we have tried to remove God from our vocabularies and from all public buildings.

Friends, the first amendment was created so that the church's could not take over the government. Don't be afraid to believe in God and don't be afraid to talk about it. Prayers are our way of giving thanks to Him who gave us life.

We must be careful who we try to silence. If we try to silence those who disagree with us, what will happen when the power lies with those with whom we disagree. While some speech may be hurtful or offensive, we must acknowledge those individuals rights to speak their mind. We can certainly disagree but must never turn to violent or destructive behavior.

What do you think about the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution?

What does FREEDOM mean to you?

Friends,

I have been struggling with the issues of freedom over the past couple of years and what it means to be free and if we can ever truly attain complete freedom.

Freedom can come in many forms. Political freedom is the freedom to do as you please and not worry about reporting or answering to any form of government/bureaucracy. Religious freedom comes from being able to search for yourself and find out who you believe God is and worship how you feel appropriate. Financial freedom is being free from creditors (debt).

Now, what I think we all need to understand is that, based on our actions (and sometimes lack of action) we can easily become bound to a government/devil/creditor, and in turn become subject to their will. If we break the law, we are then bound to the punishment set by the government. If we break a commandment, we may become subject to the devil, or, at the very least, not be able to receive the fullest blessing from our Creator. If we borrow money, we are beholden to the terms and conditions the creditor has set.

I could go on for pages on examples of how we can loose our freedoms with all of these issues, but what I am really leading too is consequences for our actions. It seems in the world we live in, that people are so desperate to loosen the bonds between consequences and actions. People want to keep their freedom and continue to make poor choices. The want to break the law but not go to jail. They want to live in sin and still go to heaven. They want to spend like they are wealthy, but don't want to pay the interest on the borrowings.

Agree, disagree, not completely either way? I want to know what you are thinking, what does freedom (and consequenses) mean to you.