Halloween is over-commericalized?

In The Know: Has Halloween Become Overcommercialized?

Synchronized presidental debating

Did you watch all the debates? Got the feeling you're hearing the same thing over and over again? Check this out:

http://www.236.com/video/2008/watch_synchronized_presidentia_9857.php

I don't know what it means and you can see that the author had to do some editing, but wow.

Sorry, I'm having trouble embedding the video here, so I just posted a link to the original. Trust me, you want to see this.

A letter from Ken and my response

This was a letter I received from Ken on Wednesday. I appreciate the time he took to write it, and I thought it deserved equal time considering it, and answering. Below is his letter and my response:

Gary,
We live in a democracy, we're part of a community, we make common decisions. It's sad but you guys seem to think that individual material gain is what matters. You may not realize this but you're mocking democracy. Where's your sense of solidarity and community. An atomized society flys in the face of democracy, it's shameful.

Kenneth, I also share my wealth by buying Thanksgiving dinner for people (7) of them this year, donating to charities, paying for lunches, dinners and tickets for people who can't do it themselves, and sponsoring people to baseball games who otherwise couldn't go. I also sponsor two scholarships for $4,000 and gave $3300 to a school to honor my mom and dad; money that would help for better education of students.

None of that money comes from the government; it comes from me despite the government's efforts to take more and more from me as a producer. Without people like me, the democracy, and particularly the representative democracy which puts them in power doesn't exist. Without my money and other producers like me who have bought into them representing me and you, they are nothing. They produce nothing unless I provide them with the means. My compact with them includes respecting my choices, and making decisions that respect the way I do business as a taxpayer, but more importantly a producer in this country.

When I and people like me stop producing, those who live off the fruits of those labors that are given money by our representatives will receive no more. Do not lecture me about democracy, which by the way means "people power" from the old Greek term. Do you think that meant we should have the power, or just the few representatives whose track record is far worse than most American households where we produce each day?

As far as my sense of community, each member of the community should be doing their best to contribute in some way to, and should not be whining about what the government can do to give them more or perpetuate dependence; rather should be fostering their own independence. That will certainly help the solidarity, togetherness and bond within any community.

Best regards,
Gary Sutton

Redistribution of wealth--Progressive or Regressive

The following is a reprint of a response I had in an earlier post. It is not an attenpt to be a revisionist historian to Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations" which I have read. Rather, it is to discuss the benefits and merits of a concept. Debate it rather than just offer up names. Here it is:

The idea that government should choose who the winners will be and who the losers will be is anathema to the whole principle of free choice, isn't it? Progressive taxes? Repudiation of the Bush-Cheyney policies? Come on.

The ultimate job of government is to get out of the way so that individual initiative can have a chance to realize goals if pursued by the individual. It is, or was, based on a society that believed in independence and work. The only "fairness" that we worried about was to try as much as possible to have a level playing field for all in this country.

I do believe that there must be stricter regulation and oversight for situations that we have seen in this financial crises. When power and wealth are abused, especially in a way that takes all of us with them, there must be safeguards in our system of freedoms. People make bad choices, and illegal choices. They must be held accountable.

Having said that, what is progressive about any tax? Government produces no money, but takes it from those that do, then make them pay progressively more than those who don't???? What is progressive about that? How does that provide greater incentive for people to create wealth in this country? How does a 35% corporate tax keep business in this country when every other industrialized country offers less of a strain on earnings? Senator Obama is right in the sense that wealth is built "from the ground up." When you start at ground level, don't you want to achieve higher status financially. What a goal to look forward to when you know that your efforts will lead to a "progressive tax." How is that progressive for success?

Lessen the tax confiscation, tighten the spending, and find an equitable way to provide tax cuts for 100% of citizens in this country; not just 95%. If you nwant to create a nanny state of dependency where we whine for fairness defined as what I can get, I believe we go opposite the very tenets on which we were founded.

An Obama Radio Interview from 2001--Redistribution of wealth.

This has become the great dividing point in the Election of 2008. Where do you come down?

The Election Night Hoe-Down at WOW!

I want to encourage everyone to come out to WOW on Election Night, eat some great food, and take part in some great conversation. We'll also be blogging throughout the evening. I will be there from 6-9 or so. Please plan on stopping by and taking part.
Most importantly, you'll get a chance to hang out with Jay. What could be more awesome? GS

Governor Richardson and Friday's Show

Governor Bill Richardson was supposed to be my guest on yesterday's show, but he stood me up. After waiting 1-1/2 hours to tape the interview, and with much help from an Obama aide, Ebony Meeks, we finally threw in the towel. Sorry. I like the Governor, and was looking forward to his insights. (Sorry especially to RB.)

Friday, we have Chris Markowski, "The Watchdog of Wall Street" from 6:10 to 6:25. This guy is sharp, and he'll be getting into analysis on gas prices, candidates' gas plans, and abolishing 401k tax breaks. Check out his website at http://watchdogonwallstreet.com/tv.html

We also have Dr. Terry Madonna from Franklin and Marshall College who will be talking about the new Franklin and Marshall/Hearst-Argyle Presidential Poll. Find out more at http://www.fandm.edu/x2217.xml

Our 8-9 Call-In Hour will focus on "What changes you would like to see to future presidential campaigns and elections" plus "When it comes down to it in the simplest terms, what is this election really all about?"

Join us 6-9am on York's Morning News.