Along the same line, downtown parking, not just in Denver but in every metro area, is a freaking racket. To park in any lot within about 8 blocks of Coors Field was a minimum of $20 and a maximum of $40 (for a spot almost right across the street, in a lot that held probably 200 cars...you do the math there, CHA-CHING!). In fact, the owners of the lots near Coors Field probably only wanted the Rockies in the playoffs because they were salivating over ripping off hundreds of blinded, playoff-starved Rockies fans. That was a major factor in not watching the OU game with the club, since the sports bar where the watch parties are held is directly across the street from Coors Field. Even though the OU game started at 1:30 and the Rockies game didn't start until 7:30, we would've had to clear out of any place we parked within a reasonable radius by 4:30, before the game was even over. The closest affordable, we're-not-going-to-run-you-off parking was a mile away from the bar and I wasn't interested in doing that. This is the first time I've ever said that I've been happy to see the Rockies season end, but personally, I'd rather they lost and got it over with. Ticket prices are through the roof...parking is through the roof...I shudder to think what a dog and a beer costs, should you be fortunate or wealthy enough to score some $30 tickets in the Rockpile (the Rockies' version of the cheap seats, normally $4 a seat). Ugh.
Can we get someone running for president who's got a little optimism? I mean, who's really providing it? The Democrats, with their universal health care and their retreat from Iraq? Does anyone outside of the radical left wing find either of those very optimistic? Retreat from any conflict never does the retreating country any good; just look at the aftermath of Vietnam. Did anyone, ANYONE IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, feel better about the United States after the withdrawal? Also, increasing entitlements with a Canada/UK-style health system doesn't either (ask folks who actually live in Canada or the UK about the quality of their system). "Oh, but we'll do better, we promise! We're Americans! We can make the Evil Big Drug Companies and Rich Bastards pay for everything!" the Democrats claim. Hmmmm...good luck with that. My work-provided health insurance might not be stellar, but my family at least gets what we need.
Not that the Republicans are offering much more. I'm tired of hearing an apologetic tone. I'm tired of hearing backtracking. I want strength, I want vision, I want positive energy, and I bet the rest of the country wants that, too. Frankly, the Republicans are in a much better position to provide that than the Democrats, who only seem to be able to flip-flop and pander. They're failing to exploit that key point, however, and it might cost them.
Here's my take on what Republicans can say that would really help them:
1. Encourage assimilation of immigrants, even illegal ones. I think the great backlash against illegal immigration is that they seem so blatant in wanting to take whatever we'll willing to give them (jobs, money, health care, automatic citizenship for their children born here, college degrees), but still maintain their old citizenship and be permitted to spit on the name of the United States and ignore our culture, laws, and traditions. So don't provide amnesty, but do work to speed up the green-card process, and provide immigrants incentives to actually want to be Americans, rather than Mexicans/Asians/Arabs/
2. Remind Americans WHY we're fighting the War on Terror. That doesn't mean allow another attack or patronize them, but remind them that America had really done nothing to deserve what it got on September 11th, 2001. We had just come out of 8 years of Democratic presidency, for heaven's sake, and we all know how conciliatory Democrats are on foreign policy and national security. In fact, despite that, there were six acts of Muslim terrorism against the US in Bill Clinton's eight years as president. George W. Bush had been president for a mere 8 months when 9/11 happened and had certainly done nothing new or fresh or egregious to incur the ire of Muslims around the world (though today's Democrat rhetoric would have you believe Muslims didn't hate America until Mr. Bush became president). It's time for America to quit hating itself and understand that Muslim fundamentalists don't like us simply because they don't like us, and for no other reason. They're going to loathe and fear whoever is the world's superpower; that's a sad fact of human nature. Unfortunately, they're merely more willing to turn that fear and loathing into action. I can live with someone who doesn't like me, as long as they don't attack me; but when they do, I'll fight back. Let's remind America what it's really all about, and not question why we got here or how we might have avoided it. I'm tired of looking backward, trying to find regrets and trying to second-guess everything the US has done for the last 231 years. Let's look to solving the problem, realistically.
3. Universal health care is fine, but making it a government-sponsored (and therefore tax-supported) entitlement program only makes things worse. We're looking and moving forward here, though, so here's what we might do. First, let's find out why healthcare costs are so high, and work to alleviate that. Next, let's provide incentives for people to get health insurance, and for doctors and drug companies to work with patients and not demand the arm and the leg they just repaired as payment for those repairs. I find a tax-supported system paradoxical because drug researchers, drug company executives, and just about any medical or healthcare professionals are among the most well-paid in the country. If you increase their taxes to pay for others' healthcare, why not just ask them to work for free or reduce their fees, since that's basically what you're doing? Where's the incentive?
Also, look at what the ease of acquiring (and thus prevalence of using) government-backed money has done for higher education. Colleges and universities, knowing it's the government paying for most students' educations, feel perfectly OK jacking up the price of tuition every year. Try this quote from the College Board's 2004 study results on rising tuition and loans:
Over the past decade, after adjusting for inflation, total aid has increased by 122 percent, grant aid has increased by 84 percent, and education loan volume has increased by 137 percent. Part of the increase in total aid volume is due to increased enrollments. After adjusting for inflation, grants per full-time equivalent student rose 64 percent and loans rose 111 percent.What do you think will happen when doctors realize that the government is paying, so they can charge what they like? What do you think will happen to our taxes when these cost increases occur? If the government applies price controls to healthcare costs, what will happen to doctors and drug companies who used to have an incentive to work hard and be innovative? Heidi used to nanny for a nice German couple, both of whom were doctors. They both came to the US so that they could make better money and do real research, things that would have been extremely difficult for them under the German system of socialized medicine. Let's take the lessons others have learned and apply them ourselves.
4. Be straightforward on social issues and debate in a way that works. Be positive but firm and rational. Don't involve religion in any way; let's argue our beliefs on rational thought. Democrats and liberals use ridiculous ploys and arguments like "it just doesn't feel right to not do this" or "who does it hurt to allow this?". Doing things to feel better about ourselves leads to horrible choices, and it is destroying American culture and society. Unfortunately, "God says we should do it this way" is never going to convince a liberal or Democrat. Let's take the moral high ground by really arguing for our beliefs, in a rational way. I believe that's the only way we'll ever get past the "feelings" arguments. For example, I believe abortion kills innocent babies, but that argument doesn't get any real traction because the science just isn't there yet to prove a fetus is alive. So my rational philosophical argument against abortion (i.e., the one I use with liberals and Democrats) is that it allows people to yet again dodge the responsibility for their actions. Ask a liberal or Democrat if they really want to void an individual's responsibility for his or her actions, and see what they say. Lots of fun to be had there, let me tell you. (Incidentally, this whole consequences idea goes well with free speech, too. I support free speech wholeheartedly, regardless of what it says, but I also support consequences for free speech, as well.)
These are pretty simplistic, but I think that's what makes them compelling to talk about. And don't let someone say, "it's not that simple"...that's how liberals and Democrats try to muddy up the water and make it so they don't have to listen to you.
Speaking of free speech, is it just me, or is the Internet getting stupider? The more I see of other people's opinions, the more I believe some folks don't deserve to have a forum. It's not that their right to say something is invalid; it's just that when they open their mouths it makes them look like idiots. For lots of people, the old adage "it's better to keep your mouth closed and appear a fool than to open it and remove all doubt" still applies. Too bad the Internet had done nothing to encourage good judgment.
I'm approaching six months as a contractor for the federal government, and I'm beginning to see more and more why the government is viewed as slow, ponderous, and incompetent. It appears to be a combination of age of employees, combined with a government employees' union that makes it next to impossible to be fired, and topped off with an addiction to written policy and a dogmatic adherence to it. If we could get younger folks who aren't tied to the union and who don't need written policies to get things done, the government might actually be able to work again. However, given the sense of entitlement in American society today, and the tendency of folks to litigate rather than discuss or compromise, I doubt that will ever happen. Government of the people, by the people, and for the people...sometimes degenerates over time into a horrible, sticky mess.
Tonight I face the first huge challenge of my time on the WWA Board of Directors. (Long-time readers remember I was elected to that august group last spring.) I'll be presenting a proposal for how our school's Accountability Committee should work, and though I believe it will go well, I am more concerned about what the huge push for the AC means for the Board. When I spoke with other parents regarding what the AC should do, I heard a great deal of frustration and anger toward the Board for not handling these things themselves and not listening more to parents who want a voice. I sometimes see a lack of willingness to listen to parents among some Board members myself. I am new to this game, and the politics of this job have been incredibly challenging. The question will be, can the Board start to take ownership of and action on these things? Can they listen and acknowledge the parents? I'm going to probably say some things tonight that might make some folks angry, but I'm going to do what I feel is right. Wish me luck.
Thanks for reading along.
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