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Before he recently passed away, every Sunday morning for several years a good friend of mine, Tony Goodwin, would email me a short critique of my weekly column. His comments were generally complimentary, but occasionally they were shots across my bow. Although an apparent oxymoron, Tony was a brilliant man, an Aggie and a retired Army lieutenant colonel who never failed to speak his mind. I respected that.
Some time ago, Tony told me in succinct terms to stick to what I knew best in writing my columns — stories about my Grandpa Jones, my brother David, growing up on the pore farm and Parker County history. Having weathered a couple of cheap shots in the past, for the most part, I have followed Tony’s advice. I have tried to steer clear of religion, politics, women and other people’s children. All good things must come to an end.
With the general election bearing down upon us, I’d like to share a few observations. First, I admit that I am not happy with the course our nation has followed for roughly two decades. Although the problem began to gain momentum much longer ago, the goal of government domination of our lives has gone exponential in recent years. There is not a single facet of our daily existence that is not touched, if not totally dictated, by government regulation. Government has grown so big it has literally become our nation rather than merely an entity to assist with our common needs. We seem to have come to the conclusion that the answer to every problem America faces must be solved by the government. Yet, the government creates nothing.
How do we solve the current mess we have created? Forty percent of our federal budget is deficit spending — we’re writing hot checks! I’ve seen it published that discretionary spending in the federal budget comprised 37 percent of the total, which includes defense, education, transportation, veteran’s benefits and numerous others. If all this was cut, our federal budget still would not balance.
Whoever wins the upcoming election faces a monumental task with regard to the looming economic meltdown. Obviously, many of those currently running the government feel that balancing the budget is not necessary. I cannot imagine this idiotic mindset. Unless we wish to become another Greece or Spain, we simply must become fiscally accountable.
Getting our economy in order can obviously be accomplished be a few simple actions. We must merely reduce spending, increase revenues and balance the budget. A great place to start would be to force our political leaders to abide by all laws they impose on the American people. They should be put on Social Security, and be required to purchase their own healthcare plans
Continuing to embark on the path of socialism and even greater government in our lives is a guaranteed journey to disaster. Every item in the federal budget must be examined, including my own retirement, an earned benefit, not an entitlement.
The complexity of the current problem is overwhelming, but the choice for resolve is clear. Are we better off with an even larger government, or would we be better served with the private sector capitalist model which made America the greatest nation of all time? You can make your opinion heard on Nov. 6.
Larry M. Jones is a retired Navy Commander and aviator who raises cattle and hay in the Brock/Lazy Bend part of Parker County. Comments may be directed to nowhearthis@pwhome.com.
Viewpoints
COLUMN: Robbing Peter and Paul
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NOTES FROM THE JOURNEY: Survivors are heroes, too
Recently, we attended the production of two one-act plays at Weatherford College, both under the excellent direction of Nancy McVean. The first, entitled simply “New York,” was set in a Manhattan psychiatrist’s office shortly after 9-11 as 10 different patients who had either been present at the Twin Towers or had lost loved ones in the disaster came seeking solace. Each survivor struggled with their own grief and internal conflict as the doctor listened and tried to help.
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TISIONE: We worship the triune God
Many Christians recently celebrated the feast of Pentecost, which is sometimes called Whitsunday. Pentecost as you may know was celebrated in the Old Testament. The Bible refers to it as the Feast of Weeks. It was ordained by God to be one of the three mandatory celebrations in Israel along with Passover and the Feast of Booths.
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Honor Flight Fort Worth – the trip of a lifetime
WOW! What an experience! I have done many things, been to many places, but I must say that the Honor Flight ranks right up there with the best of those occasions.
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Letters to the Editor – May 23, 2013
America is being destroyed by voter fraud and the buying of votes by the followers of Karl Marx.
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CNHI EDITORIAL: Seizure of AP phone records an insult to independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
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NOW HEAR THIS: ‘What we’ve got here is a failure to communicate’
This famous quote addressing communication failure is a classic line from the 1967 movie “Cool Hand Luke,” starring Paul Newman. Strother Martin, who played the role of the warden in a southern prison, would use this phrase every time he gave Luke a good whack with his baton. The concept resonated so well with moviegoers that it was voted No. 11 of the 100 all-time favorite movie quotes according to the American Film Institute.
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Letters to the Editor – May 19, 2013
Do you remember the “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED” sign that the personnel on the USS Abraham Lincoln displayed to greet President Bush when he went out to greet them?
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Guest opinion: Campaign with honor
All politics is local and personal! I hope that you and your family have a wonderful summer, filled with relationship building experiences and times of relaxation. As you do all the things that re-charge us for the next round at work and involvement in community and political activities, let’s reflect on the 2013 local elections for a moment.
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TISCIONE: Woe for calling evil good
You don’t often see “woe” used in an article. It’s a word that has fallen out of usage in our day. But it’s a word that ought to be understood and taken seriously.
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Letters to the Editor – May 17, 2013
As mercury pollution threatens our waterways and carbon pollution-fueled climate change worsens extreme weather, we need someone in Washington who knows how to get things done.
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