Thursday, November 26, 2015

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for our health and happiness at LUSB. Special thanks to our staff who make every day great for us...

Monday, November 9, 2015

Of Elephants and Donkeys

I love politics. Every four years we are treated to bloviated debates, rabid accusatory and defaming attacks, media sensationalism, and a generally growing distrust of the process for which we participate in a Presidential election. Oh the humanity! Or lack thereof...

I am no longer affiliated with either the jackass or the elephant. I will no longer subscribe to blatant attempts of alienating each other's views and opinions. I observe value in each party, with ideals that can resonate, and I believe do reside, within each person in the United States. I see value in helping others, and I see value in fiscal conservation. I see value in treating Earth responsibly, and allowing commerce to drive innovation and growth. I see balance where all I am told is there cannot be. Either party is unwilling unless it is all, or nothing. Have we, as a people, allowed divisive tactics to control us? Have we become so lazy as to not think for ourselves and accept a party's line as true and final? How did we get here? The chasm is widening, fast.

I was recently listening to Michael Smerconish, a refreshingly objective voice in talk radio. "Really? That exists?," you ask? Yes - And I wonder if he can survive. I turn the radio on each morning to listen to him. I hope he is still there - Still able to draw advertisers to sponsor his time slot on SiriusXM. (Mad thanks to Steven Singer) I am excited to hear his next guest and the remarkably kind and thoughtful presentation he puts forward. I am indeed restored of hope that we, as a people, can once again have civil discussion without discord, even in disagreement. I was hoping he would run for President, then I realized, no man with as discerning an intellect would choose such a path. But I would vote for him. Because he is real and not a fabrication of ego and celebratory pageantry. He is not a rollover accident we can't keep our eyes off of, nor a wart on the nose of the person in front of us. But apparently, that is not what is required to be a good President of the United States of America. No, what is needed is controversy, damning evidence, illogically designed statements of policy, parasitically crafted PR capitalizing on the short term memory loss of our populous. But we need a leader of reason, not treason. We need a leader to stand for all Americans, knowing not all will be satisfied 100% of the time, but for that leader to allow voices of opposition and dissent to also be heard when their agenda cannot be readily adopted in full. We require compassion and understanding, strong will and diligent study, and most of all, a leader who will truly lead rather than follow a party line. Mr. Smerconish will most likely never run for office, but he represents what I believe most of us are looking for. I go to bed tonight with hope, yet.

Whatever your affiliation, I implore you to take time away from shallow political rants on Facebook featuring the latest subjectively articulated meme persuading you to nod in agreement. I beg of you to think through the challenges we face on your own, and while we can and will elect our next leader to drive the bus forward, we individually should be responsible for crafting our own opinions into our policy agenda. We, as a people, have driven so far away from civility and reason I often wonder if we can find our way home? There appears to be a vanishing point off in the distance to the current cycle, but maybe we can right ourselves and find the common ground of understanding with each other that makes sense for all.

www.smerconish.com