I can’t remember the last time the high temperature was in the mid 80’s around here. It’s a welcome change. Yesterday the boys and I ran up to Vail which consumed most of the day. It was in the mid 70’s and although we hit a little road construction, it was a great trip. We arrived home around 2:30 in the afternoon and then ran some errands before picking Mom up from work at 5. (remember we only have 1 car all week)
The misses had invited L.O.L. and her 86 year old life long friend Marvin, up for a glass of wine. Both of them are very together mentally and physically. Marvin and I were talking about interest rates and the impact of the Fed on the markets as well as how much politics have changed in the past few decades. I was listening to Alan Simpson from Wyoming the other day. He is one of the former senators our President chose to come up with a non political assessment of what to do to get us out of our problems. This was known as the Bowles Simpson Commission. They came up with a lot of great concreter solutions that was going to be painful for both parties. If followed, it would have installed serious reforms that would have prevented the credit rating downgrade, plus put us on the right track to getting out of this mess. Unfortunately the President decided to ignore the recommendations of the very bipartisan commission he put together, hmmmmm.
Anyhow my point here is that Senator Simpson made a great observation. He noted that when he was in the Senate, Senators would debate issues on the Senate floor and work with each other to solve the issues of the day. He says now, all meetings are held behind closed doors and then the respective leaders of each party make blanket statements for everyone. What ever happened to individual lawmakers hashing out the issues, first of all in public, and second of all, one on one. He said he didn’t always agree with democrats like Ted Kennedy but he knew if he shook his hand and had his word, it meant something. Today lawmakers don’t even talk with each other, they only talk amongst themselves in private sessions and then issue blanket non negotiable statements or positions to the other party. I don’t think this is how our government is supposed to work. I wish someone would stand up on either side and just make a decision on their own instead of just following along with the party line. Under this system, I guess just about anyone is qualified to be a new legislator, I mean you just go to Washington and vote the way your party votes, pretty easy huh?
Oh well, to me it’s all disgusting. They just don’t get it. I think the American people do, it’s just the people in Washington that don’t. I have to get off this subject for you and me as it’s just too depressing.
Today the oldest starts his guitar lessons and then we have football for both boys at 5:15. These are make up games replacing some that were rained out a few weeks ago. I’m still on the hunt for a bread maker but we’ll have to wait a bit until we can save up some cash.
Everyone’s still sleeping and it’s now 6:30 in the morning. I’m going to grab some more coffee and read the paper (only the sports section) and then hit the showers. My Mom said she read the post twice yesterday to digest the scientific garb I threw at you all. As the misses said, no doom and gloom, just one of the things we should be talking about instead of outlawing gold fish as pets in California. Thanks Mom for reading!
Hope everyone’s doing well, I think I’ll turn the writing over to the misses for a few days. She’s off work now until next week. I told her to tell them she has to have a substantial raise or she’s going to need to quit. I personally think they’ll give it to her. One of our old babysitters stopped by last night to say hi (Sara) who now makes $12 to $15 per hour babysitting! No way the misses should make less than a 23 year old babysitter, it’s just not right.
Alright, time to go, be glad you don’t live in England and have a great day, God Bless,