Be Humble

A recent sermon really struck a chord with me.  The sermon, “Honor or Humility”, was based on Luke Chapter 14, verses 7-14.  In this passage, Christ tells a parable about guests at a feast, and how one should not seek out the place of honor at the table for fear that the host may ask the guest to move to make way for someone more important. Likewise, someone who sits at a less important spot at the table may be asked to move to a more prestigious place.  The parable is a lesson in humility and Christ ends the parable by warning us, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

It seems that humility is in short supply these days.  How often do we see people, in order to achieve or maintain that “15 minutes of fame”, do something that is embarrassing or debasing?  There are plenty of stories of athletes who cheated to get ahead.  And if you look around, you will see lots of people with a “me-first” attitude, those who are driving aggressively or having loud cell phone conversations in restaurants.  As matter of fact, in today’s society you’ll have a hard time finding people who aren’t preoccupied with themselves or seeking attention.

What is humility and why should we be humble? Having humility doesn’t mean you have to feel bad about yourself or you must have a low self-opinion.  And it is not about feeling inferior; humility should not be confused with humiliation.  Humility is a true self-understanding; being able to make a realistic self-assessment without illusion or pretense.  If we are humble, then we can focus on honesty and realism.  And humility allows us to serve others, for their sake, instead of our own.

Participation awards and responding to demands for instant gratification certainly don’t breed humility.  In this society, where so many clamor for attention, achieving humility will be difficult.  I believe that much of the “good” people do in this world is not to help others, but is done so that people can feel good about themselves. How many write a check instead of donating their time?  We hear about helping the poor and underprivileged, and people advocating and voting for government programs to help those less fortunate.  Sure, you can feel good about yourself because you are helping.  But what about volunteering your time to help those people?   What if you actually gave of yourself?  I know,” it’s inconvenient” or “it’s difficult” or whatever excuse you can find why you can’t do it.  To be humble, give of yourself without expecting anything in return; something as simple as giving your undivided attention to a conversation with others and resisting the urge to lead the conversation.

Being humble does not mean we cannot be ambitious or self-confident.  But if our ambition is only to amass material things or to be the center of attention, what is our purpose once we achieve our goal?  Ask any movie star or company president if it is difficult to stay on top.  It can consume your life and in the end, fame is fleeting.  Perhaps, our ambitions should be more humble and less self-serving.   Who knows, maybe taking the path of humility will lead to less anxiety, fear, and depression?  There is joy to be had when serving others, to be unassuming or to grow the conversation without leading it.  You are likely to be welcomed at more tables if others don’t assume you will place yourself at the head of the table.

 

So reduce your stress and the stress of those around you.  Don’t try to be the loudest or most noticed person in the room.  Give your time to someone without expecting anything in return.  Be your true self without pretense.  Live in the moment without posturing for what may come next.  To reduce your stress and better the world, try a little humility.

Enough is Enough!

by John Galt

Enough is enough.  Livelihoods, if not lives, are at stake.  I’ve endured sequestration, budget cuts, tax increases, you name it.  I don’t go out to eat.  I don’t go to the movies.  I buy what I need, but not always what I want.  I've prioritized my spending and eliminated waste.  I waved off physical therapy for my feet because I can still walk and a little pain won’t slow me down.  Therapy just wasn't in the budget.

I've done exactly what I expect my government to do.  I expect them to live within a budget, prioritize purchases, and weigh the pros and cons even down to medical care decisions.  But, have they?  As we stare wide eyed at the oncoming sequestration Round Two, what did we learn?  Well, speaking from the point of view of the tax payer, I had some waste in my budget.  Anything labeled entertainment or fun was labeled waste and cut from my budget.  But I work really hard from my money, so shouldn't there be some allotment to enjoy?  Maybe dinner out and a movie?  When do I get that luxury back?  When will the government let me keep enough to enjoy the fruits of my labor?

Luckily, I've never had credit card debt…  Wait.  Isn't that buying stuff when you don’t have the money to pay for it?  I never did that.  I waited until I could afford it or decided I didn’t need it.  Fiscal restraint and living within my means were what my parents taught me.  Why does the government live under different rules?  Why do they continue to spend, all the while calling each other names and spending more time spinning the blame than solving the problem?

Well, enough is enough.  To my government I say, find a leader with a viable plan and get on the wagon.  Simply make a budget, cut the waste, and spend less than you have.  Stop talking about raising taxes.  I’m already paying enough and I am not seeing it well spent.  You don’t throw good after bad, my dad would say.  If the government were my neighbor and I saw them pulling into their driveway in a new Lexus, but their kids were hungry, their house was in disrepair, and their yard was overgrown, I’d call them out and challenge their priorities.  If they were my family and this happened, we’d have words and if they didn't listen, I’d drop a dime and call mom.  She didn't raise her kids to be reckless with their future.

So, stop playing make-believe with our future, we cannot afford it.  Challenge the government to answer what do they need and what can we afford.  Get our budget under control.  Stop throwing around blame.  Fix the problem.  At this point, I don’t care who started it.  I just want to go out to dinner while one of the restaurants in town is still open for business.

Deja Vu

As Yogi Berra would say, “its déjà vu all over again.”  With just a few days left in the fiscal year, Congress must pass, yet again, a continuing resolution to keep the federal government operating or face a shutdown of non-essential federal government functions.  It’s a familiar situation. Since 2009, when the Senate last passed a budget, there have been ten continuing resolutions.  Although it appeared a shutdown was eminent in some cases, Congress reached budget agreements and avoided disruption of the government.  But things are different this time.

The US House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution bill last week that provides funding for the federal government for six months.  But, this bill prohibits funding of the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) and some provisions of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.  This is the 42^nd time Congress has tried to repeal or undermine Obamacare legislation.  The next step for the continuing resolution bill is the Senate.  As you might imagine, the Democrat-controlled Senate and President Obama are against it.  Obama said he would veto the bill if it’s presented to him.

Now the fight over the legislation moves to the Senate.  Will the Senate strip out the defunding language and send the bill back to the House or will Senate Republicans stand on principle and force a shutdown? Senate Republicans could force a vote on the bill, putting Senate Democrats facing reelection next year in a precarious situation, voting to fund the very thing that many voters back home don’t want.  Or the Republicans could prevent a vote on the bill and force a shutdown in hopes that Democrats will eventually concede.  The problem is, regardless of outcome, Obamacare will still go forward on October 1, because it relies primarily on mandatory spending, similar to Medicare and Social Security, which are unaffected by a government shutdown. 

And a shutdown could have serious repercussions on the economy because most federal employees will not be paid and companies that do with business with the government will be affected.  This will affect over 1 million federal employees and millions in federal contracts.  The uncertainty of a shutdown will have a negative impact on country’s economic growth according to the Congressional Budget Office.  And the effects don’t end with the federal employees or federal contractors, they have less to spend and less to invest.

At the moment, it appears that a majority of people want Obamacare repealed, but a majority also doesn’t want a shutdown.  With the government nearing the debt ceiling (again) in just a few weeks, it’s time for Congress to stop playing politics and do the job we elected them to do.  Contact your Senators (www.senate.gov) and let them know what you want them to do concerning the budget.  And call Senator Harry Reid (202-224-3542) and let him know it’s time the Senate did its job.

The Greatest Country?

A young lady asked me recently if I thought America was still the greatest country in the world.  I didn’t directly answer her because I was afraid that if I answered honestly from my head instead of my heart, I wouldn’t like the answer.  Around the same time, a friend told me about an HBO show called “Newsroom” and suggested I watch the opening scene of the first episode.  I finally watched it on Youtube and I found my answer.

In the episode, Jeff Daniels is a newscaster that is part of a debate at a university.  The panel is asked by a college student what makes America great.  After dodging the question with some cliché answers, Jeff Daniels’ character unleashes a tirade at the college student.

In his tirade, he says in part, “there’s absolutely no evidence to support the statement that we’re the greatest country in the world.  We’re 7th in literacy, 27th in math, 22nd in science, 49th in life expectancy, 178th in infant mortality, 3rd in median household income, number 4 in labor force and number 4 in exports.  We lead the world in only three categories: number of incarcerated citizens per capita, number of adults who believe angels are real and defense spending, where we spend more than the next 26 countries combined, 25 of whom are allies. “  He then goes on to talk about how this country used to be great.

He said, “It sure used to be.  We stood up for what was right.  We fought for moral reason.  We passed laws, struck down laws, for moral reason.  We waged wars on poverty, not on poor people.  We sacrificed, we cared about our neighbors, we put our money where our mouths were and we never beat our chest.  We built great, big things, made ungodly technological advances, explored the universe, cured diseases and we cultivated the world’s greatest artists AND the world’s greatest economy.  We reached for the stars, acted like men.  We aspired to intelligence, we didn't belittle it.  It didn't make us feel inferior.  We didn't identify ourselves by who we voted for in the last election and we didn't scare so easy.  We were able to be all these things and do all these things because we were informed…by great men, men who were revered.”

He’s correct. We used to fight for moral reasons.  We used to care for our neighbors.  We aspired to greater things.  We didn't belittle intelligence or success.  We didn't settle for “good enough.”  We used to take chances because we thought the rewards were worth the risks.  We didn't sue the pants off everyone in hopes of making someone else pay for our misfortune or mistakes.

This country has never been perfect, but it had the promise of a brighter future. There was the promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  No guarantees of success, but a promise of opportunity for those willing to work.  Honestly, the future doesn't seem all that bright at the moment.  And to admit that seems, to me, a betrayal of all my parents and grandparents worked for.  So how the hell do we make this country great again?

First of all, we have to stop being so self-centered. We have to realize that our cell phone conversations in a crowded restaurant or texting in traffic is nothing but self-centered behavior.  Courtesy and kindness should be the hallmarks of our interactions with others.  Self-reliance, personal responsibility, and self-discipline should be the very essence of our makeup, not quaint notions of by-gone days.  Our moral compass should include things like trustworthiness and cleanliness (mind and body).   But far too often, the moral compass of most people is driven by instant gratification.

Is America the greatest country in the world?  My heart says yes, but my head says otherwise.  We don’t celebrate intelligence anymore, we celebrate mediocrity and stupidity.  We resent the success in others; instead of giving them a pat on the back, we demand our fair share.  We label as “greedy” those who work hard and want to keep the results of that hard work.  We expect the government to take care of us instead of working to provide for ourselves.  We demand tolerance from others, but only tolerate in others those viewpoints, ideas, lifestyles, and beliefs that match ours.  And we've become so afraid that we've given up many of our liberties for which others bled and died just to feel safe.  I’m talking about relinquishing our privacy and allowing our government to track and monitor our activities. 

America can be the greatest again.  We are blessed with wonderful resources and opportunities. But, it will take a hard working and well informed citizenry to get there.  Ashton Kutcher recently defined sexy as “really smart, thoughtful, and generous.”  Go be sexy and make America the greatest again.

Legacy of the Dream

Fifty years ago this week, Dr. Martin Luther King delivered his famous speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, DC.  In his speech, Dr. King said, “And so we've come here today to dramatize an appalling condition. In a sense we've come to our nation's capital to cash a check… a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.”  What he demanded was that the unalienable rights of “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” be guaranteed for all Americans, regardless of race.

Coincidently, this week I watched a documentary about the Tuskegee Airmen.  A US Army War College study conducted in 1925 concluded that blacks were ill-suited for combat due to an inferior mental capacity and lack of initiative and leadership.  However, under pressure from the NAACP and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, the US Army initiated the Tuskegee Experiment and opened a flight school for blacks at Tuskegee Institute in 1941.  Expected to fail, these men had to prove that they had the mental and physical capabilities to fly, and that white pilots were no better suited to fly than they were. The Tuskegee Airmen, through hard work and perseverance, and in spite of racism and racist policies, became some of the best pilots in the US Army Air Corps, and later, the US Air Force.  Their first commanding officer, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., became the first black General in the US Air Force, and Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr., one of the instructors at Tuskegee, later became the first black Four-star General in the US Air Force.  Clearly, these men succeeded in spite of obstacles related to their skin color.

We’ve made a lot of progress since that day.  It is not unusual to see black police officers, firefighters, school teachers, principals, politicians, and and other professionals.  We have a President, who happens to be black.  We’ve had Secretaries of State, Generals, Supreme Court Justices, Senators, Congressmen, governors, mayors, and people in positions of power and prestige that are black.  These opportunities were not open to blacks 50 years ago.  Despite these advances, many would have us believe that the country has regressed all the way back to the days of slavery and Jim Crow.

These race hustlers preach that blacks cannot achieve prosperity without government assistance. Any attempts to cut government assistance are labeled racist acts.  They point to the disproportionate number of incarcerated blacks and label the justice system as racist, instead of determining what motivates them to commit crime and stopping them from committing crimes.  Race hustlers will note economic disparities among the races and blame them on racism instead of blaming them on individual people’s behaviors and choices.  Instead of preaching personal responsibility, hard work, and education, they inculcate blacks with the idea that the responsibility for their life belongs to someone else.  They spout forth that blacks are not capable of taking care of themselves and must be accommodated by the government and by society.

At the same time, these hustlers attempt to make the rest of us feel guilt ridden for this country’s racist past.  Aided by the mainstream media, we’ve accepted this baggage of guilt and implemented affirmative action programs and university admissions policies that give preference to blacks over other races.  Although these programs use terms such as “diversity” and “inclusion”, what they imply is that blacks are not capable of going head-to-head with their white, Asian, or Hispanic peers when it comes competency or academic skills.  Is that the legacy that the Tuskegee Airmen wanted to leave? Or did they want to show that race played no part in what they achieved, that hard work and dedication were the keys to their success?

We fear the “racist” label to such an extent that we are unwilling to speak the truth. When whites point out that black-on-black crime occurs much more frequently than white-on-black crime, they are tagged as racists.   When conservative blacks such as Herman Cain or Dr. Ben Carson point out that those ills of black society are the result of irresponsibility and personal failings instead of racist society, they are called traitors to their race. When we fear to speak the truth, we allow these race hustlers to propagate racism myths instead of addressing the root cause of and finding solutions for America’s social ills.  This hostility results in inaction on all sides and the problem remains.  There is still a problem but it’s different from the days of Jim Crow.  Racism lives and holds all of us hostage.  It holds some people back from meeting their potential.  It sometimes leads to inaction by excusing some blacks’ behavior.  When the word racist is wielded as a threat, without basis, it generates fear of repercussion and we don’t do anything about it, not even talk about it lest we be labeled a racist.  We, as a society, have yet to address it openly and honestly with the intent to find a solution, not to continue to lay blame. Racism cannot continue to be a crutch to some, nor be a hammer for others.

Over 100 years ago, Booker T. Washington, a prominent educator and author (also black) wrote, “There is a class of colored people who make a business of keeping the troubles, the wrongs, and the hardships of the Negro race before the public. Having learned that they are able to make a living out of their troubles, they have grown into the settled habit of advertising their wrongs-partly because they want sympathy and partly because it pays. Some of these people do not want the Negro to lose his grievances, because they do not want to lose their jobs."

If we truly want to honor the memories and sacrifices of the pathfinders and soldiers of the Civil Rights Movement, then Americans, of all races, must stop listening to these race hustlers. If we don’t stop enabling the race hustlers, instead of Dr. King’s dream where “my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character”, we will be unable “to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood” and their sacrifices will be for naught.  Let’s stop listening to the hate-mongers and seek to find an end to racism for ourselves.

American Dream

For many generations, America has been the land of opportunity, where people could pursue the American Dream.  James Truslow Adams defined the American Dream as “that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement… It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position."  In other words, success is earned and the amount of success is limited only by a person’s talents, capabilities, and willingness to work hard, not by social class, race, or sex.

That was my parents’ definition of the American Dream and they passed it on to me.  I had long assumed that everyone else understood that hard work was the path to success.  But that isn’t the case.  There are far too many people in this country that no longer believe that success and prosperity must be earned, they believe they are entitlements.

Undoubtedly, we live in an entitlement society.  We have Generation Me; a generation of young people characterized as having a sense of entitlement and narcissism.  We had the Occupy Wall Street movement; a protest about income disparity where protestors demanded more and better job and more balanced income distribution.  Although they demanded more, they didn’t offer to do more to earn more.  When we speak of poverty in this country, we don’t talk of destitution, people without adequate food, clothing, or shelter.  We talk about people who have TVs, computers, air conditioning, and iPhones, yet still receive government assistance, as if the amenities are necessities. Maybe they feel entitled to those amenities since so many others have them also.  Yet, real poverty exists in this country, but that is not the subject of these demands.

I’m not sure where this entitlement mentality began.  I think that the pampering, “everybody’s-a-winner”, self-esteem-building movement has certainly contributed to it.  Too many people believe they deserve a trophy for participating and too many are rejecting job offers because the offers don’t match their self-assessed market value.  They think they should begin in the corner office instead of realizing they have to start at the bottom and work their way to the top.  Nor do they understand that some will be more successful than others, whether it’s hard-work, luck, talent or some other reason. 

I also believe that politicians, with their social programs and government assistance, have contributed to the belief that people can’t rise out of poverty or be successful without government help.  While that mindset helps the politicians to get re-elected, it breeds acceptance in a segment of the population that believes it is better to live on welfare than to work a low paying job.  This creates apathy and a perpetuating cycle through generations that expect handouts without the burden of work.

At the same time, society labels successful people who want to keep the fruits of their labor instead of paying exorbitant taxes on them as greedy and accuses them of not paying their fair share.  Politicians talk about redistribution of wealth as if everyone is entitled to a piece of the pie, regardless of how much they contributed to making the pie.  Congress and the President talk about creating jobs, as if they could create jobs the same way they produce legislation.  But, they create untold government regulations and programs that hamper or prevent employers from creating jobs. When Walmart announced plans to build stores in Washington, D.C., the city council passed laws that will effectively block the retailer from opening half of the planned stores. Why? Because the wages Walmart pays its employees aren’t high enough.  But, the wages do meet or exceed the minimum wage standards. In an area where unemployment is higher than the national average, isn’t it enough to simply provide employment opportunities?  Because of the politicians’ stance, they propagate the idea that people are entitled to jobs at a pay rate higher than the jobs are worth.

In a recent speech, Ashton Kutcher said:

“I believe that opportunity looks a lot like hard work.  I've never had a job in my life that I was better than.  I was always just lucky to have a job.  And every job I had was a steppingstone to my next job, and I never quit my job until I had my next job.  And so opportunities look a lot like work.”

Because he is popular with younger generations, I hope they will take his message to heart.  Regardless, we need to learn or relearn and teach our children and grandchildren that success and prosperity are things that are earned through hard work, not entitlements.   And we need to stop electing officials who perpetuate the myth that success is an entitlement.  Otherwise, the American Dream will be nothing but a distant memory.  By some measures, it is already fading fast.

Portable Insurance

I consider myself a reasonably intelligent person, but when I try to understand medical bills or medical insurance payments, I am befuddled.  In talking with my co-workers, it appears that I am not the only one.  Many have expressed frustration when trying to understand coverage and can’t understand why it is so difficult to get a straight answer from the insurance company.  Other co-workers have complained about having to change health insurance companies when they change employers.  One co-worker asked, “Why isn’t health insurance portable?”

That’s a good question.  If I buy a new car, I can use the same insurance company to insure it.  If I buy a new house, I can use the same company that insured my old house.  Or, in either case, I can shop around for a better deal.  But, if I change employers, I can’t keep my health insurer or shop for a better deal, I am stuck with the insurance company of my employer’s choosing.  The employer determines my health benefits and fees by their selection of a health insurance provider.  It is a take-it-or-leave-it decision for me.  And the reason for that is simple; taxes.

Indirectly, employees get a tax-break on the premiums their employers pay for employer-sponsored health insurance.  Instead of getting the money the employer spends on insurance premiums in the form of wages, which would be taxed, the employee gets a non-taxed “benefit”.  And many employers get a tax break for having an employer-sponsored health insurance program.  While a tax break sounds good, it comes with a consequence.

First, I’m not the customer.  Because my employer pays the bulk of my insurance premiums, the insurance company has less incentive to make me a happy customer because their customer is my employer.  I have little recourse if the insurance company fails to cover my medical needs or limits which doctors I can see.  Second, I have little incentive to reduce the premiums or insurance costs.  The full cost of my health insurance isn’t apparent, i.e., some of it is paid to the insurance company without first passing through my wallet.  For example, if I knew I paid over $1,000 a month in health insurance premiums, I would shop for the best value for my family to manage my costs against my needs.    

Finally, the insurance company has little incentive to work with health care providers.  They are also put in a take-it-or-leave-it situation.  Either limit who they will see as patients or accept the payments the insurance company is willing to pay.  Sometimes the insurance companies don’t pay health care providers promptly or deny coverage.  If the health care provider doesn’t like the way they are reimbursed, the providers may refuse to see patients covered by an inferior insurance company.  But rejecting patients covered by an under-performing insurance company would be financial suicide for doctors if the insurance company is popular in the area.  Often, patients must manage their care between what is covered by their health insurance plan and which doctors are willing to accept them as patients because of the constraints of their health insurance provider.

Congress has passed laws that make it attractive for employers to provide insurance; therefore it is the employer, not the employee, who controls the health care dollars.  Is my employer more interested in getting me the best insurance coverage or the least expensive coverage?  Because of the tax code, I don’t have much of a choice in either the quality or cost of my health insurance.  By tying health insurance to employment, I lose my health insurance if I lose my job.  Undoubtedly, there are many workers experiencing “job lock”, stuck in a job they don’t like, but stay to avoid losing insurance.  If the laws were different, I could take my insurance with me and avoid being stuck in a job I hate.

If health insurance companies had to compete for my business, then the insurance companies would have an incentive to provide good customer service, reasonable premiums, and easy-to-understand coverage.  If I don’t like their customer service or believe their premiums are too expensive, I can go somewhere else.  If enough customers are disenchanted with a company, the company will either change to attract customers or go under.  At the same time, in order to minimize cost and risk, the insurance company could provide me with incentives to stay healthy or reduce coverage in areas that I don’t need, such as well-baby care, by reducing premiums.  And, if I can keep my insurance company when I switch jobs, then the likelihood of being rejected for a pre-existing condition is minimized.

Politicians like to talk about health care reform, but rarely do they do anything meaningful.  It’s time we tell our elected officials to change the law.  To simply force all employers to provide insurance isn’t the fix to the health care problem in this country.  We should all have access to quality medical care.  But we should all have the opportunity to buy health insurance that meets our needs and is not tied to our employer.  The insurance companies should compete for our business.  Incentives offered to large groups may help the employer, but what does it do for the employee?  We should not allow the insurance companies to become complacent because they have a contract with employers that tie the hands of the employees.  Having options opens up competition that leads to better products that more directly meet the needs of the individual.  Contact your elected officials and tell them to find a solution that makes the employee the customer.