Solutions; Prologue

It is easy to point out faults and problems, especially when it is others faults and the problems are others' doing. While I have often indicated that we, as a whole and including myself, are part of the problems of today, I also can easily fall into the trap of being negative, pointing fingers, accusing others of not caring, at best, or being purposefully misleading at worst.

So perhaps it is time to put my money where my mouth is and discuss solutions. The question is, where to begin. In some cases, solutions are not offered because a problem is not being recognized. I believe that is the case with our current form of capitalism.

In some cases, the solutions are known but the will to effect them is lacking. We know that we can't continue to run large deficits, and most people/economists believe that a combination of tax hikes and spending decreases is required. History demonstrates that this has worked in the past and was used by administrations of both parties to address growing deficits.

In still other cases, the solutions are as disparate as Americans themselves which means one man's solution is another man's root of the problem. On the surface, most people might agree that earmarks are bad for the federal budget and would be a great place to start cutting. But an expenditure that provides much needed jobs for a particular congressional district or state, an expenditure that would have occurred anyway, provides that particular representative with ammunition for ads touting how he/she has improved the lives of his constituents. For those who now have a job, his earmark is a godsend and can lead to re-election. For those living in another county or state, it is pork and should be eliminated.

But I digress.

I am tempted to provide my email address in this space. I rarely receive comments to my blogs, and, while I know my audience is small, there are some readers. My impression is that adding a comment to a blog is a tedious process so perhaps I would receive more reactions if my email address was known to those other than my direct acquaintances. Is this wise?

Here are some of the topics (in no particular order) that I could address in future blogs. For those that already contact me, please let me know your thoughts on whether publishing my email is a good idea, and if so, if it will matter anyway.

And, let me know what topics (listed here or not) you might like to see discussed from the standpoint of possible solutions as opposed to what I imagine can sometimes seem like only negative comments.


The Deficit
The National Debt
Unemployment
Gay marriage
Voter apathy
Washington politics
The next president
Education
The Environment
War
Poverty
Greed
Divorce Rates
Energy