Sunday, November 8, 2020

U.S. Constitution Series - Part 1: Intro & The Declaration

Introduction:

It's time to really read the Constitution and think about what is written, what it means, and how, or if, it can protect us from the government,  as was its intent. I do not have any formal education in law, and so I am embarking on this journey as a lay person. My interpretations may be wrong, or right... they are solely mine, informed by decades of reading, thought, and experience. I will not be seeking "expert" interpretation at this time, but rather thinking for myself. (I know! Right?) 

     The method for this undertaking will be as follows: 

  1. Read the historical document.
  2. Enter the exact verbiage in the blog post. This will be italicized
  3. Think deeply about what is written.
  4. Blog the thought process.
  5. Keep thinking.
Before thinking about the Constitution, the earlier Declaration of Independence must be considered. Let's begin. 

Declaration of Independence:
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

This is the political version of one political entity, whether it be country, state, city, or municipality, declaring that they want a divorce from another larger or soverign body, and will give the reasons for this decision.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. __ That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, __ That  whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right theselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their dutey, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. __ Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history o repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the estabishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

Keeping with the divorce analogy throughout this review, this section is a victim , or oppressed party exposing the totalitarian actions of severe, sustained abuse, for which the abused will no longer stand. Indeed, the abused acknowledges that they willingly put up with abuse because they accepted that it is easier to suffer than to stand and change for one's own good: Certainty vs. Unknown. But one can take only so much, for so long, and then the boundary must be made clear, the abuse shall be made to cease, and separation becomes inevitable. This part to me, is the abused stating that they are giving themselves permission to take their power back. In order to complete the process, the abuse will be factually named, and described.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

       Not agreeing to necessary rules to maintain the wellbeing of the abused. 

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

      Not allowing anyone else to make important rules in their absense, until and if the abuser agrees, which allows them to put off their agreement indefinitely.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

      Requiring others to submit to the same abuse, and foreiting their right to speak in their own defense and for their own self-governing. The exercise of absolute power over everyone. 

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

     Making one travel to difficult locations, far from the protections of home, in order to even think of giving the abused a voice in their own life.

 He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

     Disallowing any chosen outsider to speak or firmly defend, on behalf of the abused.  

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

      Appointed his own crony representatives, who may not be thrown out, who support the abuse perpetrated on the victim, thus allowing others to abuse, while the victim writhes in pain.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriation of Lands.

     Will not allow new people into the home or expand the neighborhood. 

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

     Will not agree to rules of others, or the judgement of self-determined rules. 

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. 

     All judges must agree with the abuser, and the abused must pay for their agreement. 

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out of their substance.

     Strangers of the abusers choice, in large numbers, are sent to abuse the victim, who is forced to care for these strangers. 

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

     There are always thugs watching, waiting to attack, should the victim step out of line. 

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

     A police state is declared. The abused is lorded over completely. 

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

     Has given outsiders fake power to impose arbitrary rules. 

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

     Keeps the area surrounded with military might. 

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

     Allows his army impunity to kill. 

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

     Victims may not shop, or trade goods and services with any outsiders. 

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

     The victim will pay what they earn, no matter their protestations. 

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

      No one other than the abuser, or his appointed subjects, shall make judgements about supposed indescretions of the abused. 

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

     Victims may be sent to other locations, and have outsiders judge them for their behaviors. 

 For aboloshing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging the Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

     The abuser expands authority outside to the community at large, and beyond, to other communities. 

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most aluable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

     To remove agency from the victim. 

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.  

     Declares and maintains absolute authority by not recognizing the humanity, or self-determination of the victim.  

He has abdicated Government here, by delcaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

     May attack at will, for the abuser cares not for the agency of the abused. 

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt down our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

     Will destroy property, and quality of life within. 

 He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

     Inhumanely, seeks out other abusers to join in the abuse. 

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on high Seas to bear Arms agaist their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

     Imprisoned those who might aid the victim, or caused them to participate in the abuse, or die themselves.  

 He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

     Has gotten cruel neighbors to commit attrocities against the abused. 

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

     The victim has begged, and pleaded for the abuse to stop, to no avail. So now they are being exposed for what they are: a Tyrant. 

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We  must, therefore, acquiece in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

     Pleadngs were also made to those in alliance with the Tyrant, hoping to convince them to change their ways, lest they bear the brunt of retaliation against them. As long as one stands with the ways of the tyrant, they too shall be called an abuser, and also feel the sting of retaliation. Those who disavow the tyranny shall be made friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies re, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all the other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. 

   The line in the sand has been drawn and the abused has claimed power; is victim no more, but instead stands firm, and wages war against the oppressor. Those who uphold  the rights and freedom of the abused stand with, and pledge all they have, to end the destructive cycle of abuse.

    What a beautiful piece of writing the Declaration is, to this day!  The analogy of spousal abuse seemed a relatable way to make plain, the abuses of government over the people, by creating a microcosmic example of a much larger system. 

    I would also say that the transgressions of our own government in the present day are approaching the tyrannies that are listed in this document. This frightens me, as the last thing this world needs is another revolution in America.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Tuesday, October 27, 2020

T Minus 7 Days to Election 2020: Thoughts

 T Minus 7 Days to Election 2020: Thoughts

   Socialism is the stepping stone, or pit stop, on the way to communism. Marx himself said so. The more centralized government becomes, the more totalitarian it gets. This is the frightening course on which these United States is on in the year 2020. A loud mouth business man vs. a progressive leftist Alzheimer's patient, and a Marxist. One must ask, what are the leftist progressives progressing toward? The only logical answer is: Communism. 

   This communist takeover has happened over many decades, begun most likely, with the presidency of Woodrow Wilson, and "progressing" steadily since. The communists have been very patient. Remaining in the shadows at first by infiltrating the education of the citizenry from kindergarten, up. They skewed history lessions to their agenda, withheld truths, and vilified the most prosperous system ever created; Capitalism, the free market. 

   No system of government has lifted more people out of poverty, created wealth, fostered innovation, and raised the standard of living, as Capitalism. Especially when that system lives in a representative republic. Communism on the other hand, has led invariably to shortages of essential goods, increased proverty, the quashing of innovation, vast abridgements on freedom of speech (resulting in political imprisonment), torture, and ultimately, the death of millions of innocent people, all while systematically chipping away at all of the rights of the individual. There is no freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, or any other unalienable rights, within the communist system. The people become slaves of the government, and if one believes otherwise, they are clouded by delusion, and institutional brainwashing.

   Thomas Paine wrote, "These are the times that try men's souls" in December of 1776, before Washington crossed the Delaware River during the War for Independence. Some 244 years hence, and here we go again. When will we ever learn? Sadly, it may be never, certainly not before my generation passes. It is a terrifying prospect, and one that worries so many. Worry however, is not enough: Action is necessary. Action not in the form of violence, for that is a futile and destructive endeavor. No, we must act with our vote. In order to preserve the Union, we must vote against those who hold leftist principles and vote for the conservation of the values on which we were founded; those based on the individual and the immutable characteristics of a moral people, thos that maintain freedom, the rights of each and every person, the preservation of law and order, the free market, innovation, and, dare it be written; American Exceptionalism.  We must vote to  honor the spirit and intent of the Founders and their documents which were written with the open eyes and the ultimate purpose of protecting us from our most obvious, and oft chosen obscured enemy: Ourselves.


     

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

8 PM March 16, 2020: A Moment That Will Live in Infamy

    Four hours before St. Patrick's Day, and nobody in New Jersey would be permitted to go out celebrating in their favorite pub. Why might this be? Well, at around 6 PM our illustriously evil governor, decided that all bars and restaurants should close at 8 PM, until further notice, in order to "flatten the curve" and ameliorate hospital impact from a virus that is currently traversing the globe. It is the novel coronavirus, or COVID19. It's not just the food service industry affected. Oh, no. There is a list of business-types that were deemed non-essential, including gyms, theaters, clothing stores, and other such service-providing establishments. The mandate includes a quarantine of the healthy, an 8 o'clock PM "suggested curfew," and stay-at-home orders with an admonition to only leave your home for necessary trips to the grocery stores. 
     Unfortunately, this unprecidented tyrannical act is not singular. Some states have been in lockdown for several days to weeks. Tyranny is the order of the day; with complete abridgement of our unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Governors are giddy about wielding their executive orders and dictatorial stop-gap measures. They are intoxicated with power, and New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy is prominent among the drunkards. Andrew Cuomo of New York, Gavin Newsome of California, Net Lamont of Connecticut, and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan also top the list of the most power-hungry. There will certainly be more to follow.
     Businesses of all kinds are scrambling to find solutions to the government overreach. Plans are being made for remote working. Jobs that were traditionally in an office setting, which allowed for fullment of more than just income, but also socialization are being shuttered in favor of isolation. Children are forced from their classrooms to their homes to learn solely online in virtual settings. This is criminal, unconstitutional and amoral.
     The most disconcerting of the developments is the response of the populace to accept, and obey, what is being forced onto them. Not only are these measures being accepted, they are welcomed. What has happened to this country? Why are we looking to government for guidance to a health issue? A science issue? It makes no sense to me. Although we are a secularly established country, it seems that the left has succeeded in turning government into a religion. What a terrifying development! It is the same road that Stalin, Mao, Kim Il Sung, Pol Pot, and other totalitarian despots traveled, only here the leftist indroctrination of our youth has them going, not kicking and screaming as I, and my fellow conservatives, but willingly... almost gleefully.  America is once again in crisis and the immortal words of the great freedom-thinking Thomas Paine are once again sadly relevant: "These are the times that try men's souls." Indeed!

Saturday, February 8, 2020

What Matters

What Matters
by Lori Slager
(Copyright 2020)

I don't care...
If you love Trump,
because you make me laugh when we're together.
I don't care...
If you love Obama,
because I see how you grieve your mother.
Do you care?

I don't care...
If you're a vegan
because I feel good when you are here.
I don't care...
If you're a carnivore
because as a friend, you're always there.
Do you care?

What matters is our humanity,
What is felt between you and me.
What matters is the way we see,
The reflections of ourselves so clear,
When we look into each other's eyes.

I don't care...
If you hate Trump,
Because you love your children so.
I don't care...
If you hate Pelosi,
Because your hugs lift me from being low.
Do you care?

I don't care...
What you think about gender
Because I see only your kindness.
I don't care...
What you think about the climate
Because the warmth between us is my fuel.
Do you care?

What matters is our humanity,
What is felt between you and me.
What matters is the way we see,
The reflections of ourselves so clear,
When we look into each other's eyes.

Don't let our politics divide us;
We are not made of just these views.
We must not box each other in
Because we reach different conclusions.
We see the world through different eyes,
Shaped by our singular experiences.
Let me love your heart, your passion, your emotion.
Please accept my unconditional devotion.
I was your friend before political campaigns,
I'm still me, I haven't changed.
I see the qualities that are unique,
How you treat the world around you.
Your politics are not your character,
It's your integrity that is.
Can you still see how much I care?
Can you still see me?
Will you dare...
To look beyond, behind, and around
To appreciate the person that you first found, in me?

I don't care...
What gods that you believe in,
Because you reach out to the whole community.
I don't care...
If you are an atheist,
Because you have faith in humanity.

I don't care...
If your house is clean and germ-free,
Because your door is open.
I don't care...
About your tattoos, or piercings, or clothing,
Because your heart is beautiful.

What matters is our humanity,
What is felt between you and me.
What matters is the way we see,
The reflections of ourselves so clear,
When we look into each other's eyes.

What matters is that we are free,
To think, and feel, and live and be,
As different people, you and me,
As members of humanity.

Thursday, February 6, 2020

Making an Atheist (Part 2: The Project)

     Eight years old, and I was made to attend Roman Catholic indoctrination  every Saturday throughout the school year, to learn the dogma, rituals and traditions involved in what is known as the Sacrament of Holy Communion, in preparation to participate in the rite for the first time. The class focused on many concepts that were both thought provoking and disturbing, taught in a very authoritarian manner by an elderly, stern, habit-wearing Sister Mary Something-or-other. She didn't like questions, especially the most important "Why?" so, I went home with those questions and asked my mother, and my brother.
     Much of what we learnt at the start were prayers to memorize, but there were several lessons that I remember questioning, one of which was particularly upsetting. The one that caused the most damage was the doctrine of original sin, which teaches that we are born in sin. As an eight year-old, I translated that in my impressionable mind as a proclamation from the highest authority that "You are bad. You were made bad, and there is nothing you can do about it, so good luck figuring out how to fix it!"  Although a little part of my mind had a spark of that not making sense, the ironically "good" part of me, believed wholeheartedly what was told to me with such certainty. I remember feeling a sense of what I had no words for then, but could label now as defeat, or doom today. The nun taught that "lesson," as fact, with a sick joy, indicative of unconscionable malice. It was abusive and did everlasting damage to many. My mother was ill equipped to countermand the message. She simply told me that she didn't believe that. She also told me that she didn't believe in hell or heaven as post death destinations, rather they were experienced here on earth in our one and only life.
     After the prayer memorization, with little or no explanation, it on to the the Apostle's Creed which was a communally agreed upon declaration of what a Catholic is to believe. This was born at one of the early councils, though I am not sure if it was the Council of Nicaea or not. Of course we were never told that a bunch of theopolitical men who were trying to gain and maintain the control of the Roman Empire made this stuff up. No! We were taught that it all came from Jesus and was therefore factual and unquestionable. I recall being frustrated by the squelching of questions. Although I don't remember, I wonder if we were told that questions were sin. I do remember that my biggest question was, "Why aren't we allowed to ask questions?" Even then, I wasn't prone to just believe something because I was told; I wanted reasons and facts.
     We were told over and over again, that God was everywhere, saw everything we did, heard everything we said, and knew everything we thought. More than that, He was keeping score and planning to hold things against us. Yikes! This scared me. I didn't want anyone watching me go to the bathroom, or taking a bath, eavesdropping on my conversations, or policing my thoughts. Then we are told, that we have to evaluate ourselves and confess our "sins" and shortcomings to a priest in a closet where we could not see them. What a terrifying prospect for an 8 year-old. Not only was it terrifying, it was confusing: why do we have to tell a priest what this supposedly omniscient god was already supposed to know?  It makes no sense!
      Toward the end of the entire process, not long before our crucial day when we were to dress like little brides and grooms and cannibalize this Jesus character, we were planning a great illustrative craft project. The scope and purpose of this project was kept from us until the day we were to make it. The only thing we were told for weeks was that we had to bring one of those old plastic 3-tomato cartons. I'm not sure  if they still exist, but this is what they looked like:


     Now, we grew our own, and my mother was not happy that she had to spend money on what would surely be mealy-tasting, flavorless tomatoes, so that I could make some craft at catechism. In fact she tried to get out of it, but I was panicked over being the only person without the required supply, so she acquiesced.
     The day came when this mystery craft was to be created, and I carefully transported my little tomato crate to class. The first thing we were told to do was take out our crate and put it on our desk atop a piece of plain paper. We were given paint and brushes and instructed to color our crates blue. The nun then gave us portions of wadded cotton, and demonstrated how we were to affix it inside the crate using some Elmer's Glue, which would be passed around the classroom. We then set our crates aside and received a lesson about Mary, the mother of Jesus, a sinless virgin, which ended in us corporately reciting the "Hail Mary!" prayer we were taught many months prior.
     After the lesson about the "Holy Mother," the nun gleefully took a box from her desk and, with much excitement, announced that we would now be finishing our important craft project! I was hard pressed to figure out the connection between the craft and this lesson until she began walking around the room removing tiny plastic idols, I mean statues (Yikes! Idolatry is a sin!) of Mary for  us to glue into our cotton-lined crates. While she meandered around the room, she spoke about how nuns represent the "Holy Mother!" and what an honor it was to do so. Looking back, I wonder if this was a form of recruitment. I do know that I was gobsmacked, and did not remotely understand what the big deal was. More importantly, I experienced a gestalt, an "Aha" experience, which made it perfectly  clear that the entirety of Catholicism was, as my father would succinctly label for me later that day, HORSESHIT! My atheism was born.
     After that day, I never really believed anything I was previously or subsequently taught, and simply went along to get along. I made my communion later that spring, in a miniature wedding dress and brand new patent leather Mary Jane shoes. We had a party afterward. The best parts were the  shoes, and playing dress-up. Other than that, it meant nothing to me.

     In the next part, I'll follow my atheist path through childhood and my period of desire and effort to believe.









   






Saturday, January 4, 2020

Making an Atheist (Part 1)

     Once upon a time a young man and woman fell in love and decided to get married. There was no impediment to their union, but they were from two different religions. He was Roman Catholic, and she was Presbyterian. Due to the traditions and dogmatic restriction of the Catholic Church, in order for them to wed "in the church," the woman had to sign a binding contract agreeing to raise any children born to the couple as Catholic. The bride did not hesitate because marrying the man she loved was the only consideration, and besides, his family were devout and regular churchgoers. Her religion was not central in her life anyway, though she did enjoy going, whether or not she knew what, or if she believed.
     The couple married and two  years later welcomed a bouncing baby boy. A year later, a little girl was born. As promised, the two were raised Catholic. They attended catechism and learnt the beliefs and dogma of the church. They made their first confessions and "first holy communion."  They did not however, attend church on a regular basis because their father, in order to avoid the wrath of his own mother had been lying about his attendance before his marriage. He wasn't really going to mass, and really didn't buy into the dogma or creeds of the church, but rather ditched on Sundays and went to work, or out with friends instead. This man saw the church as a scam, always looking to weasel him out of ever more of his hard-earned money. He did not hold these views back from his children.
     As the two children progressed through catechism, the boy, a highly intelligent and thoughtful lad, became skeptical about what he was being taught. He recognized inconsistencies and the many illogical leaps he would have to make in order to actually accept the teachings of the nuns and priests. He raised such questions, which were not only discouraged, but were met with scorn and criticism. Though he grew to despise the entire process, and broached the issue with his parents, he ultimately did as he was told and made his confirmation along with his sister, who more readily believed what she was taught without question.
     During the time of their indoctrination, another child was born into the family. The little girl was 7 1/2 years younger than her sister and 8 1/2 years younger than her brother. She was four when she watched her older siblings don robes and make their confirmations. They both happened to be ill on the day they were confirmed. but their parents made them attend the ceremony which, by all accounts was more to please their paternal grandmother, who was the "holy roller" of the family and expected all of her grandchildren to become good Catholics.
     After the duty of seeing the eldest children confirmed, church attendance became increasingly sporadic, so the youngest was mostly exposed to mass on holidays. The little one always looked forward to those Sundays, but not because of church. No! It was because after church they went to visit two of her father's friends: the florist, and the baker. At the florist, the girls were permitted to choose corsages for themselves and their mother who stayed home, making a grand breakfast.  The boy chose boutonnieres for himself and his father. They all smelled wonderful! Once the flowers were purchased, it was off to the bakery. They always entered through the back door directly into the production room. The aromas of baking breads, cakes, cookies and pies were intoxicating. It was wonderful to simply stand in the room and breathe. While there, the father bantered with his baker friend while he chose loaves of rye bread and some pies to bring home. The children were sent up to the retail counter, and each chose their favorite cookie to eat while their father enjoyed his friend. ... and so it was that the children were raised in the church of friendship, generosity and appreciation.
     Four years later the call to duty rang again when it was the little girl's turn to begin her formal religious education. She was in second grade when she started attending catechism every Saturday morning. In preparation for this, her mother taught her to memorize some of the ritualistic prayers that were said during the mass. The little girl didn't mind learning the prayers or going to the classes at first. She found the elderly nun who taught her to be quite intimidating, and she was very curious about why the woman dressed as she did, and why she was so stern. Then, one Saturday, an assignment was given that changed everything for that little girl. That little girl was me, and the next part will relay the story of how one assignment had opened the eyes of an eight year-old, and her atheism was  born.






   

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

The Glorious Economics of Tipping!

     There has been a lot of rumbling over the past few years about tipping in U.S. and how it is not done in other countries. These views often come from SJWs believing that it is unconscionable for employers to pay their service staff less than minimum wage. Any server with basic math skills does not agree and it makes perfect sense why this is so.
     From the server's perspective:  To keep the numbers round and easy to work with, let's say that minimum wage is $10.00 per hour and a restaurant pays its servers $2.00/hour. Let's further state that on a random day a server rings $1,000 in sales on a five hour shift. We'll assume a 20% total tip to the server ($200) minus the 3% of sales that is required to go to the bar and/or bus staff. That leaves the server with $170.00, or $34/hour. The restaurant can not legally report any less than 12% of a servers sales as tips; that is $120.00 (that's $24 per hour of work). Because by law in this example, a server must still make the minimum wage of $10/hour, and therefore the first $40 of that $120 claimed goes towards the gap from hourly wage ($2)  up to minimum wage ($8 gap x 5 hours) which is incentive to both restaurant owner and server when taxes are due. Therefore the server gets taxed on $80 for that day's work, but actually made much more. It then follows that the higher the required minimum wage for service workers, the less those workers make.
      With this paradigm, a person could work part time and put themselves through college, afford to live in a city while they work toward their big break in show business, or as in my case take care of an aging, unwell parent by day and make enough to live on by night. So, unless the public is willing for restaurants to hike up the price of food 4 - 6 times what it is now in order to keep their servers making upwards of $30 an hour, it seems unwise to abandon the current system.
     Another consideration regarding the tipping culture is that it places servers in an entrepreneurial role. They work for themselves really. Also, earnings are directly correlated to effort, sales skills and soft skills making it more likely that the hardest workingpeople are the highest paid, which is as it should be.Take away tips and the motivation to work harder than others is removed because the reward of doing so no longer exists. 
     Now imagine that an unmarried server works for minimum wage without tips. The entire amount would be taxed and they would go home with about $7.50 per hour. This is not a living wage.  Even if doubled to $20 per hour, it would not be enough to accomplish anything a person could with the current system.
     From the restaurant's perspective: Most restaurants attempt to achieve the 30/30/30/10 percentage breakdown for their operations. That means 30% overhead, 30% cost of goods (food, alcohol, etc.), 30% labor and 10% net profit. Let's look at labor. In a restaurant, the bulk of labor costs in the current systems comes from management and the kitchen. Cooks at a modestly priced restaurant make about $12 - $15 per hour. Bartenders often have a higher basic wage, and of course benefit from tipping. Bussing staff usually make twice the hourly wage of servers plus whatever percentage of sales is set aside as their "tipout." (It is unfortunate that all bussers are tipped the same, rather than tipped at the servers' discretion. It causes the hard workers to slack and fails to incentivize the slackers to work harder. Many servers slip the better bussers extra cash when they help them out.) Restaurant hostesses make minimum wage or more.
     As a restaurant owner, if forced to increase wages of Servers, Bartenders and Bussers, how much would the prices of their food need to increase? If we take it farther along the supply chain to include a minimum wage increase for a restaurant's vendors, it would cause prices to rise even more.
     A customer visiting from a European country where tipping is not done, he explained that the business dinner he had that night cost him $80, including some alcoholic beverages, and the tip. I asked him how much it would cost back home and he said it would be closer to $200. He went on to say that the prohibitive cost of dining out in Europe means that people don't do it as often; usually going out to eat is reserved only for special occasions. He was surprised at how many restaurant choices were available in the U.S. within a small radius, no matter how populated the area. He said "I am happy to tip when visiting the United States because the competition for my business in the restaurant industry insures that I have better quality food for an even better value than is available to me in Europe."