Merriam-Webster defines “deficit” as “an excess of expenditure over revenue.” In layman’s terms, this means spending more money than is generated. There is a clear division between liberal and conservative ideologies concerning the deficit. Inevitably, a citizen’s political ideology has enormous bearing upon his or her view of the deficit and the means of solving it. Recent and future policy will definitely include decisions concerning the deficit and deficit spending, as it is an issue heavily debated at present. For instance, deciding whether or not to extend the tax cuts implemented by former president George W. Bush is a current debacle that largely involves the two differing ideas of solving the deficit. Understanding the different solution that each side proposes is essential to cultivating a clear picture of the twenty-first century deficit.
Liberal citizens tend to promote maintaining or even increasing money to welfare programs, regardless of the size of the deficit; contrarily, conservative citizens are inclined to support tax cuts as a means to stimulate business. “The budget debate that is expected to dominate Congress next year” (politico.com) offers an accurate illustration of the opposing remedies; the Democrats in Congress are “resisting any cuts in Social Security benefits” (politicos.com) whereas the Republicans believe in adopting “fiscal restraint” and “capping [federal] spending” (heritage.com). Edward Lazear, an economist, explicates a solution that returns “spending closer to 2008 levels, then limiting spending in the future” (heritage.com). He asserts that the liberal argument “rests on the flawed premise that we can reduce the deficit only by increasing taxes, as if high levels of spending are a given…Americans don’t have to choose between an enormous deficit or high taxes” (heritage.com). The difference lies in each party’s plans for where to allocate the citizens’ tax dollars. Liberal proponents aim to extend this money to welfare and other government programs, as described by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s reaction to the Bowles-Simpson plan (2010); Pelosi condemned the plan, declaring that the plan must protect “economic security” by preserving welfare programs designed for dependents such as the elderly, “who are counting on the bedrock promises of Social Security and Medicare” (Politico.com). Plans such as these are certain to fuel the major dialogue in Congress for the next few weeks, as the Bush tax cuts will soon expire, and the Congress will be forced to form a consensus regarding solving the deficit.
The deficit consumes 53.5% of the national GDP, according to the CIA World Factbook estimates from 2009. It remains a contentious subject in Congress because of the varying methods of solving it. Each side will confront the task of prioritizing the programs that revenue must be allocated towards, which is an enormous task. Americans are dependent upon the decision of Congress, as each year the deficit rises. According to a recent Gallup poll, terrorism and the “federal government debt” are tied at forty percent as issues that Americans believe are “extremely serious” (heritage.gallup.com); indeed, a citizen is ignorant if he or she discounts the deficit as an imaginary malady.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Remembering September 11th
I was in third grade on the day that "the world stopped turning." It began as a normal day for me- but then again, it began as a normal day for all of us, right?- and we lived in a modest home in New River, AZ. I walked down our hallway into the living room, and I noticed that the volume of the television was turned very low. Dad must not have been interested in the other news that day. I ate breakfast and found my backpack, and I was stuffing my lunch into it when Dad looked at the TV, squinted, reached for the volume, and turned it up, muttering something.
"What is it, Dad?"
He didn't answer me.
"Daddy, what is it?"
"The World Trade Center has been destroyed."
I had no idea what anything in that sentence meant except the concept of destruction, and even on that count I was a bit fuzzy.
"So is it really bad?" I asked.
"Yeah, Jessie, it's really bad."
I accepted this and drove to school. But what had happened on the TV had affected everybody at school. The principals put together an assembly that lasted for almost the entire morning, where we sang patriotic songs like "Proud to be an American" and "The Star-Spangled Banner." The flag was halfway down the flagpole, which we learned was in respect to those who were suffering. And since I attended a charter school, we had a prayer as well as a moment of siilence.
I wish I could say that when 9/11 occurred, I knew the full gravity of the disaster. I wish I had been older so that I could understand the situation.
Since every school I attended since 9/11 (both public and private) held a similar ceremony on its anniversary, I did not know what had happened except that the World Trade Centers had been hit by an airplane piloted by terrorists, that something had happened to the Pentagon, and that the plane landed in Pennsylvania.
I have one person to thank for finally insisting that my generation know the facts as well as the aftermath: my sophomore World History teacher. Our class had taken too much time presenting our projects, so we were already behind, but still we learned about 9/11. We learned that the terrorists were present on more than one plane, and that the passengers on one of them overpowered the terrorists and landed the plane in Pennsylvania. We learned that the entire collapse of the towers was a matter of hours, but that the ash cloud that resulted remained for weeks. We learned that the people in New York had no idea what was happening, and we watched a documentary with footage shot by firefighters who had been elsewhere on that day but had come to help. We learned that the terrorists' plan was much more extensive, involving the Pentagon and the White House.
All of this we learned, and when I remembered that day in third grade, it seemed like I was thinking of two different events. Physically, that is where I had been on 9/11. But mentally, I had not experienced it until Thursday, September 11, 2008.
Thank you, Ms. P, for making us attempt to comprehend the situation. It always seems to exhaust you to teach us about 9/11, but it is a service that I don't believe anyone else could provide as well as you do.
There is a reason that everybody remembers where they were, what they were doing, on 9/11. When something so catastrophic happens, we as Americans feel the need to be united. We remember the event because it made an unprecedented impact upon the way we live. Few events have changed our country and our globe as much as 9/11. Remember this today.
If you want to hear a very inspiring song about 9/11, below is a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj9Fa6IFM8Q&ob=av2e
"What is it, Dad?"
He didn't answer me.
"Daddy, what is it?"
"The World Trade Center has been destroyed."
I had no idea what anything in that sentence meant except the concept of destruction, and even on that count I was a bit fuzzy.
"So is it really bad?" I asked.
"Yeah, Jessie, it's really bad."
I accepted this and drove to school. But what had happened on the TV had affected everybody at school. The principals put together an assembly that lasted for almost the entire morning, where we sang patriotic songs like "Proud to be an American" and "The Star-Spangled Banner." The flag was halfway down the flagpole, which we learned was in respect to those who were suffering. And since I attended a charter school, we had a prayer as well as a moment of siilence.
I wish I could say that when 9/11 occurred, I knew the full gravity of the disaster. I wish I had been older so that I could understand the situation.
Since every school I attended since 9/11 (both public and private) held a similar ceremony on its anniversary, I did not know what had happened except that the World Trade Centers had been hit by an airplane piloted by terrorists, that something had happened to the Pentagon, and that the plane landed in Pennsylvania.
I have one person to thank for finally insisting that my generation know the facts as well as the aftermath: my sophomore World History teacher. Our class had taken too much time presenting our projects, so we were already behind, but still we learned about 9/11. We learned that the terrorists were present on more than one plane, and that the passengers on one of them overpowered the terrorists and landed the plane in Pennsylvania. We learned that the entire collapse of the towers was a matter of hours, but that the ash cloud that resulted remained for weeks. We learned that the people in New York had no idea what was happening, and we watched a documentary with footage shot by firefighters who had been elsewhere on that day but had come to help. We learned that the terrorists' plan was much more extensive, involving the Pentagon and the White House.
All of this we learned, and when I remembered that day in third grade, it seemed like I was thinking of two different events. Physically, that is where I had been on 9/11. But mentally, I had not experienced it until Thursday, September 11, 2008.
Thank you, Ms. P, for making us attempt to comprehend the situation. It always seems to exhaust you to teach us about 9/11, but it is a service that I don't believe anyone else could provide as well as you do.
There is a reason that everybody remembers where they were, what they were doing, on 9/11. When something so catastrophic happens, we as Americans feel the need to be united. We remember the event because it made an unprecedented impact upon the way we live. Few events have changed our country and our globe as much as 9/11. Remember this today.
If you want to hear a very inspiring song about 9/11, below is a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nj9Fa6IFM8Q&ob=av2e
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Airports
Have you ever spent a significant amount of time in an airport? I sincerely hope not, for your sake. Airports have many uses, and they have enabled us to make important strides as humans, but they are definitely squeaky wheels in the machine of American civilization.
Airports are not altogether evil, but rather a necessary evil. They allow us to travel safely (for the most part) from one destination to another, and often a lot of space occupies the area between these. Air travel allows families to connect in the event of an emergency. It allows soldiers to come home from war much more quickly. It helps missionaries and medical aides fly to places such as Haiti, Chili, China, the Gulf of Mexico, and now Louisiana, where natural disasters have plagued the denizens there. It allows our leaders to meet with their counterparts in the rest of the world and decide on foreign and domestic affairs.
This is not to say that the system is without its flaws, be them large or small. Most airlines, for example, charge extra money for each checked bag. This is collected when the traveler reaches the counter in the terminal. However, if the traveler in question is an unaccompanied minor without a credit card, how is he or she to pay this fee? Why do airlines not establish different procedures for unaccompanied minors so that if no credit card is available, the minors are still able to board their flight? Air ports are also often confusing; there are endless lists of rules and regulations that must be followed, even concerning water bottles taken on the plane by a traveler before the security checkpoint.
Obviously the tragedy of 9/11 and numerous other attempted attacks have caused this to occur. Because of the selfish and harmful desires of a few, many people must deal with the obstacles inevitable in airports. The airport system as it is (at least in Arizona) is definitely far from perfect, but this simply aides us in learning a lesson about life: many things are imperfect. A list of these things would surely never end, and if it did by some chance, it would absorb far too many pages for a humble blog post such as this one. Many parallels between airports and life can be drawn- the workers in airports compared to angels and, well, not angels; the security checkpoints compared to tests and trials; the safety speech before take-off compared to school. But I digress. The point of the matter is that airports, in a funny and eclectic way, represent the difficulties and triumphs of life. Things appear great in the beginning; then there are bumps (and sometimes chasms) in the road; then the journey continues up and down, up and down, until you realize that the best way to make it through is to rely upon God and family and friends, and to realize that life is about enduring and enjoying the journey. And in the end, there is a reward waiting for us. In the case of life, this is heaven. In the case of the airport, this is a Starbucks (after the security checkpoint, of course).
Airports are not altogether evil, but rather a necessary evil. They allow us to travel safely (for the most part) from one destination to another, and often a lot of space occupies the area between these. Air travel allows families to connect in the event of an emergency. It allows soldiers to come home from war much more quickly. It helps missionaries and medical aides fly to places such as Haiti, Chili, China, the Gulf of Mexico, and now Louisiana, where natural disasters have plagued the denizens there. It allows our leaders to meet with their counterparts in the rest of the world and decide on foreign and domestic affairs.
This is not to say that the system is without its flaws, be them large or small. Most airlines, for example, charge extra money for each checked bag. This is collected when the traveler reaches the counter in the terminal. However, if the traveler in question is an unaccompanied minor without a credit card, how is he or she to pay this fee? Why do airlines not establish different procedures for unaccompanied minors so that if no credit card is available, the minors are still able to board their flight? Air ports are also often confusing; there are endless lists of rules and regulations that must be followed, even concerning water bottles taken on the plane by a traveler before the security checkpoint.
Obviously the tragedy of 9/11 and numerous other attempted attacks have caused this to occur. Because of the selfish and harmful desires of a few, many people must deal with the obstacles inevitable in airports. The airport system as it is (at least in Arizona) is definitely far from perfect, but this simply aides us in learning a lesson about life: many things are imperfect. A list of these things would surely never end, and if it did by some chance, it would absorb far too many pages for a humble blog post such as this one. Many parallels between airports and life can be drawn- the workers in airports compared to angels and, well, not angels; the security checkpoints compared to tests and trials; the safety speech before take-off compared to school. But I digress. The point of the matter is that airports, in a funny and eclectic way, represent the difficulties and triumphs of life. Things appear great in the beginning; then there are bumps (and sometimes chasms) in the road; then the journey continues up and down, up and down, until you realize that the best way to make it through is to rely upon God and family and friends, and to realize that life is about enduring and enjoying the journey. And in the end, there is a reward waiting for us. In the case of life, this is heaven. In the case of the airport, this is a Starbucks (after the security checkpoint, of course).
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Lullaby
“Someday we’ll all be gone, but lullabies go on and on; they never die- that’s how you and I will be” (“Lullaby,” Billy Joel).
Sometimes, reading God’s words is like being sung a sweet lullaby. The letters printed neatly on the page mean more than normal- as in, not divine- words do. You all know me, and you know that I love words. But there is a huge difference between the words of God and the words of man. It is just like the difference between reading a lullaby and having one sung to you.
Someday all of us will be gone, but God’s word endures. “Heaven and earth will pass away,” Jesus said to his disciples, “but my words will never pass away” (Luke 21:33).
Neither will his promise to us pass away. The promise that our sins would be atoned for, a promise secured by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, has been handed down and revered for ages- and for good reason, for it is the only way that we are saved. Theoretically, we would never catch ourselves taking that promise for granted. And yet, we are imperfect and sinful, and we forget sometimes that the reason we can have such a strong relationship with our Father is because he relinquished His son for us to be cleansed.
Today, let us recall all of the moments when it seemed like there was nothing left for us. Let us ponder upon every hardship, every illness, and every trial- let us remember how faithful God was in those times. When we were afraid, we trusted in Him, and He lifted us up again. When our sin consumed us and we had nowhere to turn, God did not avoid us, but instead sought us out. Perhaps some of us are experiencing times like these right now; perhaps we have just come out of them. Regardless, we have the ability to bring these things to God and Jesus, and they carry us through them. Instead of our sinful nature forever separating us from God, Jesus gave his life to make us closer to Him. I cannot fathom a more selfless sacrifice. Today- and every day- is His day. Let us be thankful for the lullaby of God’s word and the never-ending salvation that comes from Jesus’ sacrifice.
“Someday your child may cry, and if you sing this lullaby, then in your heart there will always be a part of me…” (“Lullaby,” Billy Joel). God’s love dries our tears, and although we don’t deserve it, we are always in His heart. In the same way He loves us, let us love one another. How else do we spread the lullaby of God, except by emulating his Greatest Command?
PS- This song has inexpressible meaning for my father and I, and I am grateful to all who read this post because it means I have the opportunity to share it with you. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcnd55tLCv8 . It’s also called “Goodnight, My Angel,” which I think is a very fitting title.
Sometimes, reading God’s words is like being sung a sweet lullaby. The letters printed neatly on the page mean more than normal- as in, not divine- words do. You all know me, and you know that I love words. But there is a huge difference between the words of God and the words of man. It is just like the difference between reading a lullaby and having one sung to you.
Someday all of us will be gone, but God’s word endures. “Heaven and earth will pass away,” Jesus said to his disciples, “but my words will never pass away” (Luke 21:33).
Neither will his promise to us pass away. The promise that our sins would be atoned for, a promise secured by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, has been handed down and revered for ages- and for good reason, for it is the only way that we are saved. Theoretically, we would never catch ourselves taking that promise for granted. And yet, we are imperfect and sinful, and we forget sometimes that the reason we can have such a strong relationship with our Father is because he relinquished His son for us to be cleansed.
Today, let us recall all of the moments when it seemed like there was nothing left for us. Let us ponder upon every hardship, every illness, and every trial- let us remember how faithful God was in those times. When we were afraid, we trusted in Him, and He lifted us up again. When our sin consumed us and we had nowhere to turn, God did not avoid us, but instead sought us out. Perhaps some of us are experiencing times like these right now; perhaps we have just come out of them. Regardless, we have the ability to bring these things to God and Jesus, and they carry us through them. Instead of our sinful nature forever separating us from God, Jesus gave his life to make us closer to Him. I cannot fathom a more selfless sacrifice. Today- and every day- is His day. Let us be thankful for the lullaby of God’s word and the never-ending salvation that comes from Jesus’ sacrifice.
“Someday your child may cry, and if you sing this lullaby, then in your heart there will always be a part of me…” (“Lullaby,” Billy Joel). God’s love dries our tears, and although we don’t deserve it, we are always in His heart. In the same way He loves us, let us love one another. How else do we spread the lullaby of God, except by emulating his Greatest Command?
PS- This song has inexpressible meaning for my father and I, and I am grateful to all who read this post because it means I have the opportunity to share it with you. Here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcnd55tLCv8 . It’s also called “Goodnight, My Angel,” which I think is a very fitting title.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Overwhelmed
My family recently brought me to a Brazilian steakhouse while we were visiting my grandmother in Denver, Colorado. Whether one eats meat or refrains, the amount of choices at this restaurant was absolutely incredible.
Structured to be more of a dining experience than a standard dinner, this restaurant seemed primarily to achieve
a) complete fulfillment of hunger for the customer (every dish was perpetually refilled, until earnest requests to stop were made), and
b) endless choices presented to the customer (waiters basically ran laps around the rooms, holding serving platters and tempting the customer with every morsel imaginable).
The only word that can describe this picture is overwhelming. Food surrounded me, accompanied by mouth-watering descriptions of each dish. No request went unnoticed; indeed, the waiters were practically omnipresent- they sensed that my mother or I was about to sit down, and pulled out and pushed in our chairs for us every single time. I never saw my water glass sink below half-full; within seconds another waiter would appear to replenish it.
As I sat eating and marveling at this perfectly oiled machine working before me, I realized that this restaurant is a lot like life. Every day we are faced with choices, both trivial and earth-shattering, that are pending. Should I expect this to come along, and prepare for it? Should I predict the consequences of choosing that? What will happen if I choose this? Will there be enough room if I do? How will this choice affect other people? Do I need to compensate for making this decision? Does this decision sadden or glorify God?
And yet, the Sunday-school lesson on choices is not my aim here. We all know that every choice we make matters, and that we need to be able to make the right choices or we will not go far in life. The new idea that dawned on me during this dinner is that of cooperation. My family had been to this restaurant before, and knew how to navigate successfully through the thick waters of choices. I learned when to save room for one dish and how to make the most of another. I learned that mint jelly actually is good on pork- in moderation. I learned how to politely persuade the attentive waiters that I would survive without another dish of polenta. All these lessons I could not have created and utilized on my own- I highly doubt I would have been able to develop even two of them on my own.
God wants us to learn the same lesson in our walk with Him. Heaven and earth know that we cannot make every right decision on our own, and in all honesty, we cannot make most right decisions on our own. It is through His help that we prosper and become people who “have it together.” This does not- and cannot- mean that we are never overwhelmed. On the contrary, taking God into account can sometimes overwhelm us even more in the short run. However, when we ask Him to help us make our choices, we accumulate strength and become shining examples to others. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) When God is for us- and thankfully for us, he always is- then we “become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which [we] shine like stars in the universe as [we] hold out the word of life…” (Philippians 2:15-16)
Let us do this together, and see what God has in store for us!
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