I rolled back into Houston last Sunday night. It was a rainy night and there were a lot of cars on the road between Dallas and Houston. The last 150 miles was kind of hard driving but I still made the trip from Denver in just under 17 hours straight through. I thought my car might handle a little funny because it was totally packed with stuff I picked up at Denver area estate sales during the past two weeks. Vinyl records, turntables, vintage audio and a mix of interesting collectible items had my vehicle riding a little lower than usual. No problem. The car rode and drove great.
After all of the overseas travel I’ve done during the past few years it was kind of nice to have two months to roam around stateside. Between camping and visiting friends it really didn’t cost too much. I spent more time than I have in a long time visiting my mother and sister which was nice. A quick few days making the rounds is fine and good but more time allows for a more natural visit. I consider myself to have a good relationship with family and relatives which is nice thing. I get along with everyone and feel very fortunate in that regard.
While in Denver I had time to catch up on the political issues of today as I don’t own a TV. I catch most of the news on the internet which can be quite a chore to sift through when seeking the truth. Anyway, I watched both Political Conventions as well as a variety of news shows. Covering the issues accurately and truthfully doesn’t seem to be a priority for the majority of reporters and most people seem to choose a candidate based on a single issue that’s most important to them. I have a theory that a great deal of voters choose a candidate based on what kind of performance they portray on Television. A candidate who can present well and look good can pretty much say whatever they want and most will buy it. In the end few candidates deliver even a small portion of what they promise as they give into the pressures of lobbyist and special interest groups. Currently I find the direction the USA is heading to be quite concerning.
A disappointing thing about Americans, that I really notice when returning from a trip overseas, is how spoiled most are. People here take their freedoms and liberties way too much for granted. I think this is a big part of the problem. What we consider poverty in America is seen as living like a king in most regions of the world. America is the fattest country on the planet and people complain about hunger? The famous JFK quote, “Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”, has been turned around to a current attitude of ask not what you can do for your country but what your country can do for you.
The American Government is about to start printing more money to try and give the economy a boost while devaluing the dollar. This is only going to increase the national debt in a time when people are demanding more from the government. It simply doesn’t make sense. I’ve always been a good money manager and the only way I’ve managed to stay out of debt is by cutting back and living within my means. Somehow this doesn’t seem to apply to Uncle Sam. I know I have a pretty simplistic economics 101 way of looking at things but I do believe basic fundamentals still apply. America is becoming a weaker nation and more divided than I've ever seen as we wallow in a dysfunctional decline. It may be a slow decline but a decline nonetheless. People are working harder and making less and those with less are counting on a fairytale while anxiously awaiting a Robin Hood like character to rescue them.
I know that there are many ways to look at the complex issues of today but I'd say the overwhelming majority interpret things based on whatever they want to believe. Strong opinions are often times not aligned with facts and there seems to be a lot of anger towards those with an opposing view. Everyone's situation has its own nuances etc which makes many topics relative but if we as a nation continue to spend money we simply do not have it's going to create difficulities no matter how much we try to avoid them. In the end the money really does have to come from somwhere.
In the meantime I’ll go along like most all Americans. Frustrated and feeling like there isn’t anything I can do but vote for whoever I feel is the best choice out of an increasingly less desirable pool of leaders. C’est la vie.
Currently I’m getting back to work. I don’t expect to spend too much time in Houston before moving on again as I’m creating options and hungry for a personal change.
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