What writing

So, I can only speak for myself, but when its been a while since I've read Tolkien, I seem to forget just how good a writer he is. Its easy to remember that his stories are awesome, but just how good the prose is, wow. I'll give you a couple examples I came across while reading The Two Towers on the train.

Dreadful as the Dead Marshes had been, and the arid moors of the Noman-lands, more loathsome far was the country that the crawling day now slowly unveiled to his shrinking eyes. Even to the Mere of Dead Faces some haggard phantom of green spring could come; but here neither spring nor summer would ever come again. Here nothing lived, not even the leprous growths that feed on rottenness. The gasping pools were choked with ash and crawling muds, sickly white and grey, as if the mountains had vomited the filth of their entrails upon the lands about. High mounds of crushed and powdered rock, great cones of earth fire-blasted and poison-stained, stood like an obscene graveyard in endless rows, slowly revealed in the reluctant light.

I particularly liked this one.

...like men on the edge of a sleep where nightmare lurks, holding it off, though they know that they can only come to morning through the shadows.

Anyway. There's a little Tolkien for you, what a great author. That is all.

When did compromise become a bad word.

Ever since the last election, I have been confused over the current stance (I'll use the right as my example because I spend more time in that crowd), that compromise is wrong, in all its forms. It seems that people don't understand that their stances shouldn't be taken completely and put into action. Why is it that Republicans (and Democrats, but currently its Republicans), cannot understand that losing the Presidential election means something. We lost, they won, how is it that we now think that our policies should be the ones put into effect? Why is it considered traitorous to enter into negotiations where give and take brings you to a middle ground?

To take it to its simplest, at least half the country disagrees with the Republicans, and the Democrats. Why is it that both parties on a given issue believe they have a mandate from the people to hold firm and refuse the bargaining table that will require giving up some of what they want to get a resolution?

The current debt crisis is a wonderful example of this problem. I am not going to claim the Democrats are blameless. Many things have led us up to this point, more politicians than statesman. More rhetoric than desire to solve problems. However, as we sit right now, it seems that the Republicans must shoulder the lion's share of the blame. They have drawn a line in the sand on any and all revenue increases via changes to the tax code. And to be clear we're not talking about raising tax rates. We're talking about doing away with loopholes and tax breaks that bring the richest in America's taxes down.

I know, I benefit from tax breaks as well. I have, in my time, benefited from child tax credits, EIC, mortgage interest deduction, tuition deduction, student loan interest deductions, etc.. The tax code, rather than being a right and wrong, and a good vs. evil proposition, is one of opinion. However, when you don't bring in enough revenue for all the things you have to pay for, it becomes a problem.

I believe in the proposition that lowering taxes on the wealthy stimulates the economy, but I do not believe it is a constant. When the tax rates were up somewhere around 70% pre reagan, and then they were dropped significantly, I do believe that helped stimulate job growth and the economy. However, I do not believe that it is a 1 for 1, if taxes are lowered, things get bettered. There is a point of diminishing returns. Our current tax rates are very, very low. The highest rate is currently lower than at any time during Reagan's presidency. And many tea party candidates are pushing for it to be even lower. This makes no sense to me. We clearly are not bringing in enough revenue, and we are spending too much. Any argument that it is only one, or only the other to me seems absurd. The idea that the problem can be fixed merely by raising taxes, or that it would all be better if we cut spending is in my opinion ludicrous. Of course, neither idea is as asinine to me as the idea that the real fix is cutting taxes. That, to me, seems pure pandering with absolutely no care to whether or not it causes incredible harm.

Do Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid need massive changes, I think so. Do we spend to much money on all sorts of things, in my opinion, yes. But I do not think taxes are too high, in fact, I do not really have any opposition to the top bracket being raised by a percent or two. If we want to look to data, if 38%~ helped bring us one of the best economies under Reagan, why is it imperative that it be 35% now, or heaven forbid, even lower?

The main point I wish to make is this. To draw a line in the sand and take any and all talk of taxes off of the table with the current debt crisis is immature and irresponsible. I look to George Bush I, and see a very good president, who when he realized how wrong headed his "read my lips" stance was, raised taxes for the good of the country. When partisan hacks decide that the will draw a line over each and every issue, as if their opinion has descended from Sinai, they hurt the country. Hopefully, this standoff will not continue much longer. But already, I find myself blaming the tea party for the vast majority of this debacle.

The Bridge Builder

The Bridge Builder

by Will Allen Dromgoole (1860-1934)

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening cold and gray
To a chasm vast and deep and wide
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The rapids held no fears for him.
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” cried a fellow pilgrim near,
“You’re wasting your time in building here.
Your journey will end with the closing day;
You never again will pass this way.
You have crossed the chasm deep and wide;
Why build you this bridge at even-tide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head.
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There follows after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This stream, which has been as naught to me,
To that fair youth may a pitfall be.
He too must cross in the twilight dim —
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.”

I first heard this poem while working at Boy Scout camp. It was used by one of the staff members who manned one of the stops on the Honor Trail. For those who don't know, the Honor Trail was a short hike at night that had several stops talking about portions of the Scout Oath, and its continued relevance and importance. I loved this poem, as I always enjoyed the Honor Trail.

As it is often lately, my mind is often consumed by the ideas and state of our society today as it deals with the idea of immigration. Now, I know, seeing that I may be talking about immigration, some will probably automatically leave. My ideas and stances are fairly well known I think, but it fills my mind, and my heart so often I cannot help but at least let these ideas out here.

I have been confused in the past as I hear some who have navigated the convoluted immigration system successfully. Some speak very strongly against amnesty, or easier options for those already here, or those still wishing to come. How unfair it would be for them to not have to go through the same time, money, and effort that they did to come out the other side. On some level, I can understand the frustration with having to jump through so many useless and punitive hoops, and then see others not have to do the same. However, I would suggest that the frustration and dissappointment with the needless complexities of the system would better be aimed at the system itself. Who better knows the heartache and anger of trying to get through that labyrinth than those who have managed to come out the other side. On some level, I guess I can understand directing the frustration in the direction of the next one to come, but I don't think thats where it should go.

Infinitely more baffling to me, however, are those to whom there were no obstacles, to whom their were no fences or roadblocks. Whose ancestors came here and besides perhaps a stop to make sure there were no infectious diseases, had the gates of the country opened to them. No extra fees, no endless paperwork, no confusing and pointless rules and regulations. Nobody standing in England on the dock saying, okay, fill out this paperwork, and if you are lucky, we'll get around to looking at it within the next decade, and we'll let you know. I can never understand why those who enjoy all of the multitude blessings of this amazing country want it to be difficult, and in some cases impossible for anyone new to come here. It seems that in those cases, when the old man got to the other side of the ravine that had been spanned by a very nice bridge, he turned around, set charges, and blew it up.

We have an opportunity in my generation to build the bridge. And I believe it to be not just a worthwhile endeavor, but one that will help return this country to a state that I believe it was meant to be in.

Beautiful place.

So, I love Camp Loll. Not only is it, in my opinion, the very pinnacle of scout camps in the U.S., but I finally caught Alisa there, and drove back in there at the beginning of November after camp to propose. Anyway, here is a link to a blog of the guy who runs that camp, this post that I am linking has some incredible pictures of when they tried to get in to camp just a week or so ago. Here.

Is Anybody There.

I highly doubt anyone comes to this blog anymore, I mean, why would you when I don't even come here much anymore. Unfortunately it lost a lot of appeal when some random dude found the blog and reported something I had written to my superiors at work. I guess its not a good idea to bag on the legislature when you work for the government. I hear things all the time that interest me, and that I would like to talk about, but somehow it never gets written down on the blog. Maybe my expectations were just too high, thinking I needed some long in depth post in order to blog. I think perhaps I will begin blogging again with shorter posts about stuff I just happen to be thinking about at the time. Again, it will probably just be for me, but who knows, maybe I will be reaching some random nosy people who want to make sure I don't say anything inappropriate.