With the economic stimulus checks due to arrive soon, I thought I would just share some of my thoughts on how people might use the money.
I know many people believe that this money is there money to begin with and can do anything they want with it. I just share these points because I believe they highlight areas where people can use the money and achieve some of the things that the money is meant to provide.
I call this Frankie's Pledge. It is basically just a pledge to spend your economic stimulus money in one or more of the following ways:
Education/Self-employment (investing in yourself)
This is never a bad investment, no matter whose money it is.
Paying down debt
As Americans, we have learned to live well beyond our means. As I heard one blues singer put it, we are "Victims of Comfort". Paying down debt helps everyone.
Energy efficiency upgrades (home, car, office)
We obviously can do more to help our economy (and our national security at the same time) by lessening our dependence on oil and non-renewable resources. Consider some of the many upgrades to your home to lower energy usage and utility bills.
Services or construction that utilizes local labor
Utilizing local labor and resources, instead of buying a piece of electronics or a toy made in China, is obviously a much better way to invest in America and your community. Also, new additions such as new insulated windows, or more insulation in your attic, is a great way to use local resources, and lower energy use at the same time.
American charities
Obviously another great use of the resources, especially if it contributes in some way to allowing more people to work, or more small businesses to function.
Take the pledge. Don't go buy a new TV. Invest the money. Invest in your country.
Earlier this year, I heard a story on NPR's "This I Believe" series, where individuals write short stories about beliefs and values that guide their lives.
This story was from a Chinese man named Yinong Young-Xu, and it has stuck with me. I think about it often. Here is his essay:
I believe in our innate potential for brutality.
When I was 6, in the streets of Shanghai, near the end of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, I watched a parade of trucks carrying political dissidents on their way to be publicly executed. At the front of each truck was a young man, roped from head to toe, wearing a sign that said "Counter-revolutionary." If not for that, you would have had trouble guessing what the event was. There was an air of festivity; thousands of bystanders were laughing, talking, gesturing and pointing at the prisoners. The whole population of Shanghai must have been there. It was like a traditional Chinese New Year's celebration — except the city was celebrating its own brutality.
I believe that we are brutal because innocence can be corrupted, like mine was as a 6-year-old in a time of revolution. When I entered first grade, I started to wave flags, denounce the politically fallen of the day and shout, "Death to counter-revolutionaries!" My friends and I did not want to miss any of the meetings where political dissidents were publicly tortured and humiliated. That was entertainment for us, just the way movies are for American kids.
Science has taught us that normal genes in cells can be damaged or mutated to become deadly "oncogenes" that result in cancer. I believe brutality is a disease just like cancer; each and every one of us is at risk, including me. I used to fantasize about revenge against the Japanese for the atrocities they committed against the Chinese in World War II. Once I reduced an utterly innocent Japanese girl to tears. I said many cruel things and couldn't stop the venom from pouring out even though I had already begun to feel sorry for her. When our better instincts are suppressed, isn't that the beginning of brutality?
I am fortunate. I was too young to be a Red Guard where my brutality would have been codified. And I had a grandmother who showed me the value of kindness. My own capacity for brutality has never been fully tested. But I believe it is always there.
We're taught not to smoke in order to prevent carcinogens from damaging the genes in our cells. I wish we could learn to prevent hatred from forming and brutality from actualizing. I teach my children that hitting is not allowed, period. I encourage them to be compassionate, to aid those in need and to stand up for the weak. Most of all, I try to be vigilant over the purity of my motives and cautious about my actions. I believe I must guard against my own potential for brutality and the mutation of my own humanity.
I've been doing a lot of searching, reading, and investigating into the 2008 presidential candidates. Many of you know that I feel like American values are slipping away as we lean more and more towards a society where liberties and power are freely given up, in the name of fear, security, and politics. What scares me is how many people aren't willing to stand up and demand more from our government and demand that their liberties, and the liberties of others, be respected.
Let me be extremely upfront. Speaking out about your government is not un-American. Not speaking out about your government, and not allowing others to speak out is what is un-American.
Most people vote based on issues. But, I am going to attempt something different. I am going to vote on someone who I think will bring about the most change. I'm tired of seeing a 50/50 split of Americans when in fact, most people agree about most things. This clear majority is broken up by the major parties to convince them to vote one way or another in order to keep the parties in power. It is a horrible system.
So, what I will do is evaluate all the candidates based on who can unite the country, bring about the most shame on the US congress for bringing big business into our government, and who has the best character.
Character is one of the most important to me because I feel like along with repairing relations between our government and the American people, the next President will need to restore relations and credibility with the rest of the world.
So, where am I? Well, so far I like Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, and Barack Obama. You might say "Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich!!! These guys are complete polar opposites!!". Yes, that's true. But again, I'm not voting on issues. I'm voting on change and character. Please watch all the videos below. I believe they highlight things that people should be aware of and that they should have the courage to think about ON THEIR OWN!
Ron Paul is a Constitutionalist/Libertarian who is running as a Republican. I love what is going on in his campaign because he is turning heads big time by holding true to what it means to be a conservative. He is especially gaining traction with young people. Young people who aren't indoctrinated into thinking like a Republican or a Democrat are actually listening to what he has to say, and many are latching on. I think that's great and that is why I am considering to give him my vote. I don't agree with all of the libertarian stances (particularly with Net Neutrality), but I believe some of the more extreme ones will be filtered out by the people via the congress. At the very least though, his moving up in the polls and fund raising should be an eye opener for many Americans and many politicians, particularly within the Republican party.
A couple of great videos featuring Ron Paul:
Next up, is Dennis Kucinich, who I don't particularly agree with on many things. I like him because he is the only one on the democratic side who has consistently voted for all the things that the Democrats now claim they stand for. They are now anti-war, even though they all voted for it and continue to fund it. They are now anti-Patriot act, even though most voted for it. I applaud him for being so bold to disagree with them and pointing out their shortcomings. I want him to surge in the polls if for no other reason than to wake up the Democrats the same way that Ron Paul might wake up the Republicans.
Lastly, I leave Barack Obama in the running because I believe he would have strong credibility with the rest of the world, including the Middle East, Europe, and Africa, and because I believe him to be of strong moral character. I especially like the interview he gave at Google where he talked about making government more transparent and highlighting all of the lobbyist and special interest influence on the congress. He wants to use openness and technology such as the internet to let Americans see for themselves what their congress is really doing and bring shame upon those who inject language protecting big business and pork barreling laws. A few videos you should watch:
I like that last one because even though she is specifically asked 3 times to specifically answer how she would fix social security, she only says she would form a bi-partisan commission. I hope at the very least that Clinton supporters would admit that she is NOT going to bring the country together. She is very easily the most divisive person in all of politics with almost half of the country hating her guts. I hope that Clinton supporters would at least admit that and also that she is a career politician. Now, if you are supporting her because you want the Democrats to win using the same tactics they always have, that is one thing. But if you claim she will bring about change, and bring the country together, you are just talking out of your rear-end.
Do your own research. Don't listen to who the parties say are in the lead. Be tolerant of other people's viewpoints. Be mindful of liberty and privacy. Be courageous enough to think for yourself. This is just too important.
This is why it is so important to be in favor of net-neutrality. If you are unfamiliar with net-neutrality, it basically means that people providing internet service cannot give favor to some sites over others. For example, if Comcast decided to get in bed with MSN, you might see MSN sites and services at fast speed, and competitors at a degraded speed.
Watch this video for a good explanation of what net-neutrality means.
This has huge implications now that the internet has become the worlds largest free speech medium. If we don't stop corporations from imposing non-neutral service, our only hope will lie with the government... and we don't want them running the internet either!
