Non-Profits Helps Everyone

            Contine to Help the Citizens of Our Nation

After reading Sandra Weatherly’s blog posting,"Congress Out of Touch with America Volunteer Organizations", I can see that she is very passionate about non-profit organizations and how the federal budget can affect them.  I know that there are non-profit organizations out there that rely heavily on the federal government for financial assistance.  I am all for the federal government allocating money to help out non-profit organizations.  However in these economic hard times, unfortunately there are going to be programs and organizations that will experience budget cuts.

In a utopian society, there would be enough money for all the programs and non-profit organizations to continue the important work that they do.  Unfortunately, we do not live in a utopian society and there is simply not enough money to support every program and organization.  The federal government no doubt has a very difficult job in trying to come up with a federal budget that everyone can agree on.  Once the budget has been approved and passed, then there will be people that will be upset at the cutbacks.  The truth of the matter is that Republicans and Democrats are really never going to agree on anything.  Each party has their own agenda and ideas about how to accomplish these agendas.  Instead what happens is that each party has to settle on giving and taking.

When this giving and taking occurs, the citizens of the United States are the ones that are affected the most.  Many citizens from all socioeconomical ways of life are the ones that suffer.  Sandra is correct that these programs and organizations need fulltime staff to take care of the people that they serve.   Many people, especially the federal government, do not realize just how important these programs and non-profit organizations are important to the ones they serve.

It would be wonderful if all those making decisions see both sides of the coin and try to work it out so that everyone can continue to benefit from the work of these programs and non-fit organizations.  It seems that the programs and organizations that rely on government assistance are the ones that are most effective in helping out those it serves.  One can only hope that the trend that Sandra mentioned can continue and that Republicans and Democrats can start working together rather than against each other.

Way Past time to get Along

Recently during the final countdown of the budget proposal deadline before the government was scheduled to shutdown, the media played a huge role in adding fuel to the fire.  It was bad enough that Democrats and Republicans could not agree on the budget and they could not even disagree on what they were disagreeing about.  Come Congressmen and Congresswomen, it is time to throw aside the differences and work together.

It really does not matter whose is to blame for the current mess the United States is in, but more importantly, it is way passed time to come together and work for the great good of the American people.  Arguing and bickering back in forth does not accomplish anything.  If anything, it only adds for fuel to an already burning fire that is out of control. Our elected officials are supposed to be adults but instead act more that like preschool children who cannot play well with others in the sandbox.  Granted, each official has their own party views, beliefs, and will do whatever is necessary to uphold those views and beliefs.  That being said, when does the disagreeing ever end?  When this country is morally, emotionally, and physically bankrupt?  Sure looks that way. The United States is probably the punch lines of jokes told by other countries.

The media was just as guilty.  There are political activists from both Democratic and Republican sides that are slinging the mud just as fast as can be and all in the name of what?   Trying to rally the troops or just aggravate an already tense society?  Well that is exactly what is taking place.  Political activists are using Twitter and Facebook to get their rants and raves out to the public about the opposing party.  There are political activists that are using the airwaves and debating on talk shows (that are supposed to be there to educate the public). In fact all is does is muddy the waters and can even cause strife.  In fact, there was one political activist that used his Facebook to blame the opposing side. This in turn caused his followers and those that commented on his Facebook posting to start arguing in response to his and the other comments posted by others.  Really, what does this accomplish?  NOTHING!!!

Our forefathers and the Framers of the Constitution are rolling over in their graves at what is currently taking place within the walls of Congress.  It is time to put aside all the political party differences and work together for the common good of everyone.  It seems that sometimes that it would be in everyone’s best interest to have someone in control that is open minded and willing to listen to both sides, make concession when needed, even if he or she does not agree with what the other side is proposing.  In a perfect world everyone gets along and the solution to the problems at hand are more important than any political affiliation but unfortunately, this is not a perfect world and why we are in a tremendous mess!

Energy Crisis Response (Stage 6)

After reading Energy Crisis by Keith Wright , I have to agree that the government needs to find alternate methods to the fuel dilemma.  Something needs to be done, especially since oil consumption in the United States continues to rise.  The United States relies heavily on the oil supply from the Middle East.  In order for the United States to cut its dependency on foreign oil, changes are definitely going to have to be made.  It is about time that the United States is taking a step towards independence from the tyranny of overseas oil prices. 

A public concern might be that since President Obama is pushing for all government vehicles to have a higher efficiency rating, that the price tag on all those vehicles will hit the taxpayers even more than we already are.  Maybe since the government bailed out several large car manufacturers, maybe they could just donate them to the federal government as a way of saying thank you for saving our company.  Understandably that with progress and change, there come give and take, but at the expense of an already taxed society?  The federal government has a hard enough time agreeing on a budget, then how in the world can we expect them to agree on where to get the supply of oil and how exactly to “go green”. 

Other energy sources, such as wind, electric, battery operated, and solar sources, should be continued looked upon as possible solutions to this issue.  Drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico and other states, is possible another step towards dependency.  It would also produce jobs and probably help the economy in the process.  The government needs to set aside their differences and focus on the tasks at hand.