When I read the newspaper and other materials, there is so much I want to say. When I finally get in front of the computer, it is hard to decide which topic to focus on. The problems are so many...and my greatest focus is America, and the Christian community.
I have reformatted my original booklet, What If There Is No Rapture, and added my update comments. It is a FUNDRAISING EDITION, meaning I hope to sell it for money to begin building Working Together. I thought $5 was a fair price for fundraising, and it is an email process. I haven't learned how to do eBooks yet, but I will by the time the full update is done. :-)
We are heading deeper into the 2014 election cycle. The "conversations" in the media are as they always are: degrading to the Republicans, and lifting up the Democrats. Neither side is right as far as I am concerned, but I told the Republicans over the weekend (online) that I think they are the only hope for getting our debt down. Obamacare is going to be the straw that breaks the camel's back I think. It is almost ALL subsidies, which is another word for taxes.
The political fog of saying the federal government is going to pay 90% of the costs for the state is an illusion...it is all taxes, paid by the citizen, to both the federal government and the state government. After Obamacare officially starts, there will be more cries for raising taxes and creating new ones. The purpose of creating fines is that government has been operating on fine income when taxes don't provide enough. The prison systems are really good at doing this.
If the government did their job well, we wouldn't question their requests for more money, even temporary (which often become permanent) tax requests. But the government is not frugal or well organized. It wastes millions of dollars, or maybe it's billions, or trillions. People in government tend to feel it is an endless supply of money (note the constantly rising tax base), so they don't spend the tax dollar the same way they would their own money. Some take what they can (fraud, theft, abuse), others barter for their slice of the pie (earmarks), and some use their employment with the government as a means to manipulate individuals, groups, and social policy. The power of the government is moving from service to mandate, from protector to police state, and from limited taxation to financial control. The frog in the kettle, which is the population of America, is close to dying.
What can the government really accomplish with Obamacare? Government thinks that if they control the medical process they can control the amount taxes will have to pay for it. The government is not really trying to help Americans with Obamacare, they are trying to reduce their own bills. (Especially the long expected Baby Boomer costs that are just beginning.) What I see happening is government becoming a prison guard, and having more LEGAL access to every detail of our lives. To get government money, people have to agree to let the government have access to every aspect of their lives. It isn't like ordering insurance and sending a monthly payment in. Tax dollars bring with them a lot of paperwork, a loss of freedom, the end to privacy, and great unhappiness.
I haven't read anything that tells me Obamacare is a good idea. People with money, insurance, houses, and the middle class or upper class life don't realize what it is like to DEPEND on the government for your survival... whether that is food stamps, welfare, Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, or any government program. What begins as a lifeline soon becomes a heavy anchor that takes you down into the depths of despair. People turn to the government as a LAST resort, not because it is such a great opportunity.
My greatest question is: HOW MUCH DOES THE GOVERNMENT REALLY NEED TO PROVIDE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF SERVICES, the most necessary tasks, TO OUR COUNTRY, including help for the most needy? What is essential and what is just because someone wants tax dollars to pay for something? How can we save money? Tax reform is going to become the top priority for all government bodies. The Tea Party is the first sign of the revolt that is coming. The repeated votes of the House against Obamacare is another.
2 AUGUST 2013 :: Is food a necessity?
I am trying to get ahead of my weekend, Sabbath, and long list of things to do. This is Friday, the day to prepare for the Sabbath at sundown, and it is the day I am suppose to get my food stamps for August. One person (in Oregon) gets a maximum of $200 a month right now, depending on their income. My income is very low right now, so I recieve the maximum amount. I try to keep all my food purchases, except an occasional value meal somewhere, within that budget.
Since my first effort to "have something left at the end of the month" in about 2004, which was food stamps at the time, I have been trying to make my food stamps last all month. One of the best ideas I ever came across about food budgeting was to create your weekly meals based on what was on sale at your market/s, so I have tried to establish a weekly food budget. It seems like an easy task, but it isn't. When there is a good sale, you want to take advantage of it, but if you go over the budget for any week, especially the first week, the rest of the month suffers.
This summer I am trying to shop at local Farmer's Markets, too. This is something I have never really been able to do. I finally decided to try to have $10 a week for Market items because the one nearest me offers food stamp households a $5 match for spending $10 or more in food stamps. That means I can get an extra $20 in food each month IF I can manage to do that. The Markets here distribute $1 wooden coins for food stamp purchases. Vendors aren't allowed to give change to food stamp customers, so shopping is a challenge. And I try to save what I can of my $15 allotments for the weeks I am not able to budget the way I want to.
Farmer's Market foods are very different than shopping at a store. They are generally fresher, I am told. Some of the Market produce is harvested close to the selling time, I think...that's what one farm booth told me. I suspect much of it is picked for/during the week for each sale day. I don't know if they have a lot of "leftovers" from week to week...keeping produce fresh is a challenge for farmers I am sure. I have been struggling to figure out the best way to store, make and eat the foods I get from the Market. I don't want to waste my food money, especially the foods I buy at the Farmer's Market.
I always assumed that the food at a Farmer's Market was organic. I have discovered that some of it isn't. I'm getting better at noticing the difference, and figuring out which farms have which products. This is my first summer, and the Market I go to nearest my home is advertised as year-round. I will be continuing my experience with Farmer's Markets for the year, and beyond that I suppose. I like the way fresh foods taste, the connection with the farmer, and some of the other differences between Market food and grocery store food. I still have to resolve my dislike of GMO foods and how they are hidden in our food purchases, but right now I am somewhere between grocery stores, Farmer's Markets, and growing your own.
I don't have kids with me these days, so shopping is different for me now. I would never have been able to try Farmer's Markets as a low-income parent. The prices are higher than I could afford. Food stamp families have to buy as much food as they can with each dollar they have, and include some extras that the rest of the world enjoys for their kids and themselves (chips, soda, ice cream, etc). Finding a way to buy enough good food and make it last through the whole month is a challenge...and when you make a mistake with your efforts, you have to find another way to make it through to the next food stamp supply.
At one point in my life, I had to buy almost the entire month's food in one shopping trip. That means a lot of canned and packaged foods, not fresh and organic foods. That was because I had to pay a taxi to get the food home. One trip a month was all I could afford, so I did my laundry on the same trip. Transportation makes a difference in every area of our lives, including how you can stretch your food dollars.
Now that I am getting older and have senior limitations in view, I see that shopping can be even more of a problem. I am thinking that the European style of shopping may become a necessity as long as I am healthy. (I have read they like to shop daily for their meals.) If I get to the point of needing a walker, very small purchases will be a necessity. Wheelchair shoppers have been on my mind for a long time...how do they shop for what they need and get it home on the bus? I need to find the best solutions for my individual situation...as it evolves.
$200 a month is about $6.50 a day for all your food needs. I think that's the price of a combo meal at a fast food restaurant. If you subtract $1.50 a day for condiments like butter/margarine, mayonaise, mustard, ketchup, and other foods like sugar, salt, pepper, and other flavorings, three meals and snacks would really need to cost $5 a day. When there is more than one person in a family that gets food stamps to live on, the increase is about $100 more per person. So, two people would need to live on $7.50 a day, three people on about $10 a day, and so on. As food prices rise, the ability to survive on government programs decreases. What kinds of meals do you know that would fit into that budget?
Low-income households don't have a lot of options. I wish that we had a better system to deal with crisis poverty and ongoing needs, but right now this is all we have: government programs and community/church outreaches.
I know that food stamps seem like a "frivolous" program, but they are the most critical program the government provides. We MUST have food every single day in order to survive. Not having food leads people to do whatever they can to get it. If the American economy crashes, there will be millions more in need of food to get through their trials. My view is that the government better make sure it has more than it needs in funding for this program. The consequences would not be good when there are no food options for people who have nowhere else to turn.
I went into that issue without planning to, but the current budget crises are threatening our nation. It won't matter what party you belong to if you are hungry, starving, or threatened by desperate people. I hope we can find a way through this without too many innocent, struggling people being hurt. Finding the right places to cut back and changing the way we see the responsibility of our government is really very essential to our future as a nation. As morals decline, each area of our existence is going to be affected. I think we need to create a survival focus :: What matters most? What can we do without? How do we save as much as we can? What can we finance in other ways? How much do we really need?
I am not fond of government programs, but they are something we have established and are now essential for those who have no other option. The Bible tells us that the family structure is going to be destroyed as the End Times continue. Some kind of alternative intervention system is going to be necessary to help people in crisis. I would prefer it was the church, a loving and involved effort to meet the needs of those who cannot provide for themselves for whatever reason, who don't have families to support them through a crisis. As the End Times continue, the resources of our churches are going to be needed by its members...leaving less for those outside their congregation.
Those who do not want GOD to be the source of their help need another place to turn to, and the government seems to be that source. These are the people who want the government to provide for every need.
Once we establish a program, it is very difficult to eliminate it. We become dependent on it...whether it is a farm subsidy, food stamps, Social Security, or student loans. As we go through this financial evaluation of our budget, why don't we think about what programs are most critical to the most in need. Food, shelter, and income are the basics of survival.
We can find solutions, if we really look for them.
Since my first effort to "have something left at the end of the month" in about 2004, which was food stamps at the time, I have been trying to make my food stamps last all month. One of the best ideas I ever came across about food budgeting was to create your weekly meals based on what was on sale at your market/s, so I have tried to establish a weekly food budget. It seems like an easy task, but it isn't. When there is a good sale, you want to take advantage of it, but if you go over the budget for any week, especially the first week, the rest of the month suffers.
This summer I am trying to shop at local Farmer's Markets, too. This is something I have never really been able to do. I finally decided to try to have $10 a week for Market items because the one nearest me offers food stamp households a $5 match for spending $10 or more in food stamps. That means I can get an extra $20 in food each month IF I can manage to do that. The Markets here distribute $1 wooden coins for food stamp purchases. Vendors aren't allowed to give change to food stamp customers, so shopping is a challenge. And I try to save what I can of my $15 allotments for the weeks I am not able to budget the way I want to.
Farmer's Market foods are very different than shopping at a store. They are generally fresher, I am told. Some of the Market produce is harvested close to the selling time, I think...that's what one farm booth told me. I suspect much of it is picked for/during the week for each sale day. I don't know if they have a lot of "leftovers" from week to week...keeping produce fresh is a challenge for farmers I am sure. I have been struggling to figure out the best way to store, make and eat the foods I get from the Market. I don't want to waste my food money, especially the foods I buy at the Farmer's Market.
I always assumed that the food at a Farmer's Market was organic. I have discovered that some of it isn't. I'm getting better at noticing the difference, and figuring out which farms have which products. This is my first summer, and the Market I go to nearest my home is advertised as year-round. I will be continuing my experience with Farmer's Markets for the year, and beyond that I suppose. I like the way fresh foods taste, the connection with the farmer, and some of the other differences between Market food and grocery store food. I still have to resolve my dislike of GMO foods and how they are hidden in our food purchases, but right now I am somewhere between grocery stores, Farmer's Markets, and growing your own.
I don't have kids with me these days, so shopping is different for me now. I would never have been able to try Farmer's Markets as a low-income parent. The prices are higher than I could afford. Food stamp families have to buy as much food as they can with each dollar they have, and include some extras that the rest of the world enjoys for their kids and themselves (chips, soda, ice cream, etc). Finding a way to buy enough good food and make it last through the whole month is a challenge...and when you make a mistake with your efforts, you have to find another way to make it through to the next food stamp supply.
At one point in my life, I had to buy almost the entire month's food in one shopping trip. That means a lot of canned and packaged foods, not fresh and organic foods. That was because I had to pay a taxi to get the food home. One trip a month was all I could afford, so I did my laundry on the same trip. Transportation makes a difference in every area of our lives, including how you can stretch your food dollars.
Now that I am getting older and have senior limitations in view, I see that shopping can be even more of a problem. I am thinking that the European style of shopping may become a necessity as long as I am healthy. (I have read they like to shop daily for their meals.) If I get to the point of needing a walker, very small purchases will be a necessity. Wheelchair shoppers have been on my mind for a long time...how do they shop for what they need and get it home on the bus? I need to find the best solutions for my individual situation...as it evolves.
$200 a month is about $6.50 a day for all your food needs. I think that's the price of a combo meal at a fast food restaurant. If you subtract $1.50 a day for condiments like butter/margarine, mayonaise, mustard, ketchup, and other foods like sugar, salt, pepper, and other flavorings, three meals and snacks would really need to cost $5 a day. When there is more than one person in a family that gets food stamps to live on, the increase is about $100 more per person. So, two people would need to live on $7.50 a day, three people on about $10 a day, and so on. As food prices rise, the ability to survive on government programs decreases. What kinds of meals do you know that would fit into that budget?
Low-income households don't have a lot of options. I wish that we had a better system to deal with crisis poverty and ongoing needs, but right now this is all we have: government programs and community/church outreaches.
I know that food stamps seem like a "frivolous" program, but they are the most critical program the government provides. We MUST have food every single day in order to survive. Not having food leads people to do whatever they can to get it. If the American economy crashes, there will be millions more in need of food to get through their trials. My view is that the government better make sure it has more than it needs in funding for this program. The consequences would not be good when there are no food options for people who have nowhere else to turn.
I went into that issue without planning to, but the current budget crises are threatening our nation. It won't matter what party you belong to if you are hungry, starving, or threatened by desperate people. I hope we can find a way through this without too many innocent, struggling people being hurt. Finding the right places to cut back and changing the way we see the responsibility of our government is really very essential to our future as a nation. As morals decline, each area of our existence is going to be affected. I think we need to create a survival focus :: What matters most? What can we do without? How do we save as much as we can? What can we finance in other ways? How much do we really need?
I am not fond of government programs, but they are something we have established and are now essential for those who have no other option. The Bible tells us that the family structure is going to be destroyed as the End Times continue. Some kind of alternative intervention system is going to be necessary to help people in crisis. I would prefer it was the church, a loving and involved effort to meet the needs of those who cannot provide for themselves for whatever reason, who don't have families to support them through a crisis. As the End Times continue, the resources of our churches are going to be needed by its members...leaving less for those outside their congregation.
Those who do not want GOD to be the source of their help need another place to turn to, and the government seems to be that source. These are the people who want the government to provide for every need.
Once we establish a program, it is very difficult to eliminate it. We become dependent on it...whether it is a farm subsidy, food stamps, Social Security, or student loans. As we go through this financial evaluation of our budget, why don't we think about what programs are most critical to the most in need. Food, shelter, and income are the basics of survival.
We can find solutions, if we really look for them.
20 JULY 2013 :: Is America next?
Detroit is declaring bankruptcy...I think there have been several others in the years since the recession and housing crisis. The article I read by the Associated Press (AP) in my local paper (The Register Guard) today, "Will bankruptcy really help Detroit?", said that their decline has been 60 years in the making.
According to the AP article, Detroit has already destroyed ten thousand abandoned houses, and they have another 30,000 to go. These houses have been stripped of wiring and plumbing, have doors and windows missing. It says tens of thousands of city lights are not working, in neighborhoods and on freeways. The article also says that trash services have been missed. Police services are very strained and seem to take hours or not be possible. The city says that bankruptcy will make things better for residents in 30-60 days. I don't see how this is possible, and they don't either.
Government runs on taxes. There are all kinds of taxes : Sales taxes, gas taxes, income taxes, lodging taxes, building permits, license fees, transit taxes, Social Security taxes, Medicare taxes, liquor taxes, recreation taxes, park fees, parking fees, internet taxes, property taxes, county taxes, state taxes, federal taxes, import/export fees, customs fees, business taxes, manufacturing fees, inheritance taxes, capital gains taxes, etc. I'm sure there are more. When the government wants to do something, for whatever reason, it always thinks of taxes, raising taxes, new taxes, any kind of taxes. As Detroit's population fell, its income fell, slowly, year by year, until they felt forced to declare bankruptcy, like several other cities during our national financial crisis.
This event is just one more sign of impending crises and avoided issues our nation is going to have to suffer through. How long the "decline" of America will take is an unknown. We can't last much longer if we don't change the way we operate this country.
The relationship between citizen and government has changed since our country was founded. Like our revolt against the King of England in the beginning of our country, tax issues are becoming an irritant, a cause for rebellion, a weight too heavy to bear. The ongoing clashes between Democrats and Republicans reflect how great the problems are. One sees the solution as more taxes, the other sees the solution as a balanced budget. One sees government as more programs, and the other sees government as less intrusion in the affairs of men and business. Both have their own motives.
The socialistic governments in Europe and elsewhere are struggling with financial issues as well. "Austerity measures" in socialistic countries are the same thing as Detroit having to cut services to pay bills. Reducing pensions, wages, jobs, services, and assets all become part of the income/payment process -- the budget -- whether you are a socialistic country or a democratic/republic form of government. America is no different. Our nation cannot keep creating more programs and mandates that are not funded. In time, America will be in the same position as Detroit... and the ordinary citizen is the one who will be the last to know, and the one to suffer the most.
For years I have been trying to figure out how we can meet the needs of those who have nowhere else to turn, with reasonable programs and tax structures. I have finally decided the tax structure needs to be changed to a flat-rate SALES TAX ONLY relationship with our government...a flat rate tax that doesn't overwhelm anyone, and that reflects a right relationship between government and citizen. I think 10% is fair. It is what GOD requires of His People, it should be enough for our government. I have already stated my idea of how it should be dispersed (in other blogs), with one percent devoted to international government, which is going to be necessary in order to deal with global crime issues. The remaining 9% can be equally divided between our three main governing bodies: Federal, State, and County.
There is a lot of waste and abuse in government, at all levels. This type of tax limitation may create a need to focus on what is essential, what can be saved, how the income can be distributed by priority, and what services can be operated as government businesses to meet the needs of employees and the poor. Government doesn't operate like a business because they feel they have an endless source of money/funding in taxes. The need to deal with reducing their infrastructure will only happen when they HAVE TO DO IT to survive.
Do we want to wait until America is in the situation that Detroit and other cities are in? What can we do to prevent this from happening to us as a nation? What is most important in our budget structure? How much is the REAL minimum tax income needed? How can we change things to be fiscally fit as a nation, without debt, living within our means? What would happen if we did get rid of income taxes and property taxes, and switched to a flat-rate sales tax only? What would happen to America if we didn't need such a huge IRS department?
What if we changed the way we operated our medical programs... I have seen people get $25,000 wheelchairs with government medical support, for their temporary or long-term needs. I am not aware of the government getting this equipment back when the need is gone. I think it would be more cost-effective to operate government medical programs with leased equipment, requiring payment for it if it isn't returned. Prisons can be used to refurbish the equipment for the next person. There must be a better way to deal with the way medical equipment is handled.
What if people could CHOOSE government medical insurance as one option among all the options available? Military / Legislative / Congressional / Senate / Executive / Medicare / Medicaid / etc. could all be VOLUNTARY chosen deductions, not a assumed or mandated programs. (Unemployment could also be voluntary, as could other programs.) This would change the entire structure of the programs, and payment options. It would become a business service with the same limitations and benefits process as other insurance/program providers. Since the poor are the main ones that need government help, it could be structured to meet the needs of the poor, and then modified across government benefits at a higher pricing. Obamacare is not good for this country... and government healthcare needs to be similar to the care of ordinary Americans.
Governments would still be able to issue bond measures for special projects.
There are other options, but Government will not look for them until they have to. The financial crisis is forcing those in charge to look for savings, to decide what is essential, and to change the way they operate. We need to keep going in this direction!
According to the AP article, Detroit has already destroyed ten thousand abandoned houses, and they have another 30,000 to go. These houses have been stripped of wiring and plumbing, have doors and windows missing. It says tens of thousands of city lights are not working, in neighborhoods and on freeways. The article also says that trash services have been missed. Police services are very strained and seem to take hours or not be possible. The city says that bankruptcy will make things better for residents in 30-60 days. I don't see how this is possible, and they don't either.
Government runs on taxes. There are all kinds of taxes : Sales taxes, gas taxes, income taxes, lodging taxes, building permits, license fees, transit taxes, Social Security taxes, Medicare taxes, liquor taxes, recreation taxes, park fees, parking fees, internet taxes, property taxes, county taxes, state taxes, federal taxes, import/export fees, customs fees, business taxes, manufacturing fees, inheritance taxes, capital gains taxes, etc. I'm sure there are more. When the government wants to do something, for whatever reason, it always thinks of taxes, raising taxes, new taxes, any kind of taxes. As Detroit's population fell, its income fell, slowly, year by year, until they felt forced to declare bankruptcy, like several other cities during our national financial crisis.
This event is just one more sign of impending crises and avoided issues our nation is going to have to suffer through. How long the "decline" of America will take is an unknown. We can't last much longer if we don't change the way we operate this country.
The relationship between citizen and government has changed since our country was founded. Like our revolt against the King of England in the beginning of our country, tax issues are becoming an irritant, a cause for rebellion, a weight too heavy to bear. The ongoing clashes between Democrats and Republicans reflect how great the problems are. One sees the solution as more taxes, the other sees the solution as a balanced budget. One sees government as more programs, and the other sees government as less intrusion in the affairs of men and business. Both have their own motives.
The socialistic governments in Europe and elsewhere are struggling with financial issues as well. "Austerity measures" in socialistic countries are the same thing as Detroit having to cut services to pay bills. Reducing pensions, wages, jobs, services, and assets all become part of the income/payment process -- the budget -- whether you are a socialistic country or a democratic/republic form of government. America is no different. Our nation cannot keep creating more programs and mandates that are not funded. In time, America will be in the same position as Detroit... and the ordinary citizen is the one who will be the last to know, and the one to suffer the most.
For years I have been trying to figure out how we can meet the needs of those who have nowhere else to turn, with reasonable programs and tax structures. I have finally decided the tax structure needs to be changed to a flat-rate SALES TAX ONLY relationship with our government...a flat rate tax that doesn't overwhelm anyone, and that reflects a right relationship between government and citizen. I think 10% is fair. It is what GOD requires of His People, it should be enough for our government. I have already stated my idea of how it should be dispersed (in other blogs), with one percent devoted to international government, which is going to be necessary in order to deal with global crime issues. The remaining 9% can be equally divided between our three main governing bodies: Federal, State, and County.
There is a lot of waste and abuse in government, at all levels. This type of tax limitation may create a need to focus on what is essential, what can be saved, how the income can be distributed by priority, and what services can be operated as government businesses to meet the needs of employees and the poor. Government doesn't operate like a business because they feel they have an endless source of money/funding in taxes. The need to deal with reducing their infrastructure will only happen when they HAVE TO DO IT to survive.
Do we want to wait until America is in the situation that Detroit and other cities are in? What can we do to prevent this from happening to us as a nation? What is most important in our budget structure? How much is the REAL minimum tax income needed? How can we change things to be fiscally fit as a nation, without debt, living within our means? What would happen if we did get rid of income taxes and property taxes, and switched to a flat-rate sales tax only? What would happen to America if we didn't need such a huge IRS department?
What if we changed the way we operated our medical programs... I have seen people get $25,000 wheelchairs with government medical support, for their temporary or long-term needs. I am not aware of the government getting this equipment back when the need is gone. I think it would be more cost-effective to operate government medical programs with leased equipment, requiring payment for it if it isn't returned. Prisons can be used to refurbish the equipment for the next person. There must be a better way to deal with the way medical equipment is handled.
What if people could CHOOSE government medical insurance as one option among all the options available? Military / Legislative / Congressional / Senate / Executive / Medicare / Medicaid / etc. could all be VOLUNTARY chosen deductions, not a assumed or mandated programs. (Unemployment could also be voluntary, as could other programs.) This would change the entire structure of the programs, and payment options. It would become a business service with the same limitations and benefits process as other insurance/program providers. Since the poor are the main ones that need government help, it could be structured to meet the needs of the poor, and then modified across government benefits at a higher pricing. Obamacare is not good for this country... and government healthcare needs to be similar to the care of ordinary Americans.
Governments would still be able to issue bond measures for special projects.
There are other options, but Government will not look for them until they have to. The financial crisis is forcing those in charge to look for savings, to decide what is essential, and to change the way they operate. We need to keep going in this direction!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
