Random Rants for Rational Reflection

By Terry Eade

Every so often we need to look at the way things are done to see if they still make sense today. The Rants and recommendations in this book attempt to do just that. As a centrist my viewpoints will probably alienate those who hold extreme viewpoints on the left and the right.. The individual rants have been grouped into chapters according to the segment of society they address.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terry Eade
• Release date: Mar 24, 2017
• ISBN: 9781370947768

Terry Eade

Dr. Eade has a BA in economics from Central Washington University, an MBA in business administration from the University of Utah, and a PhD in higher education econometrics from the University of Washington. His professional career has included being an Air Force Squadron Commander, a Chief Fiscal Officer, a college Vice President, and the Commandant of a leadership academy. He has taught college classes in both management and finance. As a management consultant he trained managers and was a keynote speaker at various conventions. Dr. Eade is also an experienced poker player, a snowbird, a golfer, a motorcycle rider, and an author.

Book preview

Random Rants

for Rational

Reflection

Terry Eade

Copyright 2017 Terry Eade

Smashwords Edition

ISBN 9781370947768

Dedication

Rather than dedicate this book to an individual, I would like to dedicate it to a quest. That quest is to leave this world a little better than we found it. Some of us believe that for the privilege of living on this planet, we have an obligation to make that life count by making a contribution that will live on after we have departed. Perhaps the longer we have lived, and the fuller our life, the greater that obligation becomes. Since I’ve had a relatively long life and been blessed with opportunity and good fortune, my obligation exceeds the modest contributions I have made so far.

Some people have the good fortune to positively impact large numbers of people and made contributions, which are both widespread and long lasting. Most of us fall far short of that distinction. However, each of us has an opportunity to make some contribution within a small geographic location and sphere of influence. I hope that those I have dealt with in my family, associations, and professional life have been positively impacted, especially those who I've had the privilege to lead or taught in classes and seminars. However, in my case, I would like to have a larger impact than possible with the individuals and groups I've had the opportunity to connect with directly.

The focus of this book is to identify perplexing practices and offer a suggestion on how the situation could be improved. If even one of these situations is improved, because of this book, it will have been worth the effort. I am also counting on others who want to fulfill their obligation to society to make those efforts, within their areas of influence, to actually initiate and facilitate changes that will benefit us all.

Introduction

Have you ever been bewildered by, angered about, or frustrated with the way things were done by government, businesses, the legal system, the media, or just society in general? If so you have something in common with the author. Some of these things are just holdovers of practices, which continue to govern the way we do things and no longer make sense. Other problems are the result of the way a small group, or powerful entity, control practices, that do not seem appropriate to the majority of us.

Many of our problems are caused by the rigid nature of individuals and groups, who refuse to listen to, or compromise with, those who hold a different opinion. Another reason for these inappropriate practices, is that the company or agency charged with dealing with the problem takes the easy way out and neither provides justice nor precludes the problem from happening again. There are also those practices which are brought about by our desire for immediate gratification over long term results. This book will look at some of these problems and potential ways of dealing with them.

I hope you will find this book interesting, enlightening and entertaining. Writing this book has certainly been therapeutic for the author, who is bewildered by the things, which are covered in the book. Putting these thoughts down in writing forces me to coalesce these random thoughts and put them in some form of semi-cogent prose. It also forces me to consider how we could eliminate these problems or at least make them more palatable.

Even though the topics included in this book have been entitled rants, they are really just critical observations presented in a non-emotional and often humorous manner. Also most of the topics covered in this book are really not the big controversial subjects over which people get extremely emotional. Rather they are the everyday annoyances on which I believe at least 80% to 90% of the population would agree with my assessment and recommendation on any particular rant. The 10% to 20% who would probably disagree are those who are profiting or benefiting by keeping the way things are currently done.

Obviously the viewpoints and biases stated herein are my own and are only substantiated by the limited information and familiarity I have available on these subjects. I also make no apologies about not researching, addressing, or documenting these matters in an academic fashion. At seventy-five years of age I have neither the time nor the inclination to do otherwise. Addressing this information in an academic fashion with references, caveats, and footnotes would also make the book very long, tedious, and extremely boring. The sections in this book are a random selection of practices that impact us all and yet seem to defy common sense. They have been segmented into chapters according to major categories, so that there is some semblance of order and focus. Beyond this, the subjects addressed are neither exhaustive nor addressed in order of importance.

I am basically a centrist and as such have neither left nor right leanings on most subjects. If I do lean one way on a particular subject, it will be a modest lean and I will probably lean the other way on the next subject. Most of my recommendations are an attempt to find some middle ground where everyone’s major needs are met without unduly infringing on another group. Thus, I will no doubt alienate both those with political viewpoints on the extreme liberal left and extreme reactionary right by the opinions proffered herein. Since a growing segment of the population is gravitating toward one of these two extremes and becoming vehemently polarized in their viewpoints, the readership of this book should fit comfortably in the waiting room of an unpopular dentist. Also if you are a politician, bureaucrat, business executive, banker, journalist, or lawyer, you might get your feathers ruffled by some of the rants and recommendations

Examples are provided to support the individual rants, however, the narratives have been kept short and to the point. I have also included a recommendation to address (or partially address) each rant in an effort to be constructive. Although it would be rare for you to agree with all my rants and recommendations, hopefully you will find several on which we are in agreement.

So that you don’t think I am a total curmudgeon, there is a chapter identifying those things, which I believe have changed for the better over the course of my life. I also believe that our lives in general are much better than they were in the past and my rants and recommendations are just suggestions on how we could tune things up to make our lives even better in the future.

So who is Terry Eade and why did he write this book? By day he is the mild mannered John Q. Public, indistinguishable from any of the millions of other denizens of Ameropolis. However, when the need arises, he steps into a phone booth and emerges as Candorman, wielding his mighty pen against the hordes of bureaucrats, oppressors, and obstructionists to save the day.

You already know how the powerful and influential people feel about things, but how about the guy down the block or the ones you pass everyday on the street. I believe I am much more in touch with the general public than most of those powerful and influential folks. I would also venture to say that I am more in touch with your opinions and values than the folks who are making the decisions, which impact you every day.

I am also an individual who is not looking for you to join my group, support my cause, make a donation, vote for me, or even be my friend. I am writing this book to try and make some contribution to my country and fellow citizens, while I still have the ability. While the rants and recommendations are directed at the United States, Many of the political, commercial, social, legal, and journalistic situations addressed are common to other countries as well. I am interested in your opinions, recommendations, and feedback, which you can send to me at [e-mail].

For those who do want to read this book, or recommend it to someone else, it is available to download in ePub format (for nooks, tablets, smartphones, and computers) at Barnes & Noble and the Apple iBook Store. It is also available in Kindle format at Amazon.com. Just go to any of those sites and type Terry Eade into the search window.

Chapter 1

Politics & Public Service

The rants included in this chapter are directed at the way our political system is structured and operated. It also addresses the way our public services are prioritized, organized and provided. Although many of these practices have been in effect for some time, it seems proficious for us to revisit the original concept and see if it makes sense in light of the current situation.

Even though we live in a democratic society we sometimes think that those elected and appointed leaders at the national, state, county, and municipal levels are our superiors and able to dictate the way things are done. Part of this is engendered by their elevated accoutrements, special privileges, and the awe we afford them when we see them in person, on television, or in a parade. Even though those in the legislative branch are empowered to create the laws, those in the judicial branch to adjudicate the laws, and those in the executive branch to enforce the laws, they are really just employees we have chosen to do these tasks and they are ultimately accountable to the voters and taxpayers who keep them in their positions. If we as citizens allow them to exceed their authority, retaliate against those who disagree with them, use the power of their position to stay in power, and give preference to special interests, lobbyists, and large donors, then we have abrogated our inalienable rights promised by the Constitution.

Political Parties

The Rant

Neither being a politician, nor aspiring to be one, I can only respond to this topic as a private citizen and a taxpayer. As such, my first gripe is about political parties. I do not align myself or identify with any particular political party. When I vote for a candidate, I usually pick the one with the shortest criminal record, most relevant experience, and most logical viewpoints, regardless of party.

In the United States, the only viable political parties we have are the Republicans and the Democrats. Perhaps it would be more forthcoming if these parties changed their designations to the Hatfields and the McCoys. After all, most of their energies are directed at doing battle with each other and increasing the size of their respective power. In this regard, they don't set their goals any higher than even the most basic living organisms, which is to survive, expand their territory, and repopulate their species.

While I don't fault them for being loyal to the members of their own party and trying to be reelected, I do resent the fact that this priority overrides all other interests and endeavors. We taxpayers pay them to facilitate and enhance our inalienable rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness, not pursue a red and blue chess game at the expense of solving those problems faced by the people who elected them and pick up the tab for their salaries, the salaries of their staff, and provide them with all the facilities & accoutrements commensurate with their lofty positions.

Anyone who thinks our elected representatives do not vote almost exclusively along party lines on every issue, rather than the best interests of their country and constituency, is quite naive. This lemming like behavior of our congressional brethren is understandable, as the penalty for not doing so is to lose the sponsorship of their party when it comes time for reelection. This would end their political career and insure, by example, that their replacement never consider straying from the herd.

It doesn't matter how dire the problem or vital the contribution, if the solution is from the opposite party it must be ridiculed, rejected, and disparaged at all costs. Thus, if the Republicans come up with a responsible way to cut taxes and balance the budget or the Democrats come up with an environmentally sound and inexpensive source of renewable energy, the other party will fight them tooth and nail, because of the seats they might lose in the House, Senate, Supreme Court, White House, or gubernatorial mansions across the country, as the result of the success of the other party's contribution.

Even if the party does not have the votes or veto power to derail the proposal, it will use its minority status to delay, complicate, and impugn the value of the contribution. If all else fails it can use the time wasting filibuster approach to keep the issue from coming to a vote. Thus, if the party does not have the power to advance its own agenda, it will concentrate its energy on thwarting the efforts of the party in power. This is neither a new problem, nor one that was not anticipated. As our second president, John Adams, observed: There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties, each arranged under its leader, and concerting measures in opposition to each other. This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.

By keeping things in turmoil, and making sure nothing substantial gets accomplished, the minority party actually improves its chances of gaining power in the next election. It improves its viability by pointing at the lack of progress and accomplishment by the party in power. Of course, once the minority party becomes the majority party, the new minority party sets out to do the same thing and the cycle is continued. This ensures that very little of substance will ever be accomplished, regardless of which party is in power or how the power is split. Even if some legislation or executive order was put in place despite the best defenses of the minority party, they will attempt to reverse this progress as soon as their party becomes the majority.

Where else can an employee earn a nice salary and be rewarded for screwing things up and keeping the wheels of progress from turning? The term loyal opposition is the biggest oxymoron ever devised. I agree with Will Rogers when he said: The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other.

The Recommendation

Eliminate political parties and let candidates run for election on their own merit. This way they can represent the constituency that elects them without any influence from a national party. We have moved closer to that model in the state of Washington. In the past voters needed to identify themselves as belonging to a particular political party if they wanted to have any input on those candidates running in the primary elections. Then they could only vote on those candidates advanced by that party. For those of us who were not aligned with any party and still wanted to have input on the final two candidates placed on the ballot to make sure that the best two candidates would face off in the main election regardless of party, this was a real problem. As a result, all registered voters can now vote in the primary election for the candidate of their choice and select a Republican (or any other recognized party) for one position and a Democrat (or any other recognized party) for another position. The new arrangement also advances the two candidates with the highest vote totals in the primary election to run against each other in the general election, even if they are both from the same party.

If we eliminated political parties at the national level, every piece of legislation introduced would be given a fair and unbiased evaluation, since it would not be tainted (positively or negatively) by the party that brought it to the floor. A good example of this would be the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) put into effect by the Democrats under President Obama. This program was severely criticized by the Republicans even though it was patterned after the Rommneycare program implemented in Massachusetts in 2006 by then Republican Governor Mitt Romney, who became the 2012 Republican presidential candidate running against Obama.

There would still be committees on various subjects, but the membership would be comprised of those with special interest and expertise on the subject without having to balance a committee by party affiliation. You would also have caucuses, but they would be formed by those for or against a particular issue or piece of legislation, and there would be no stigma or reprisal for colluding or voting with those across the aisle. In