Thoughts on Change

I am not sure I have endured a more publicized election year in all my adult life. I will admit, the Olympics were a nice relief of the world and opposites coming together for a good cause. Then, almost as soon as the Olympic flame was quenched, division in the world came back in to the spotlight along with Convention time.

This year may be a year of change for me. I have always voted on the Republican ticket for president because that's "just what I was." Dumb... As I have matured over the years, I am now of the opinion that anyone who votes a strait ticket has not informed themselves properly and thereby is doing a dis-service by voting at all.

History has been made this year: An African-American has seized the Democratic Presidential Nomination, the oldest man in history has secured the Republican nod of approval, a woman and a Mormon were runners up for the nomination, and now a woman is on the ticket to be Vice President.

I think, however, that history is being made in the mind of the voter as well. Voter's aged 18-30 are taking a great interest in the elections, and they are backing Sen. Barack Obama. Polsters and pundits alike attribute his victory over Sen. Hillary Clinton to this strong backing. In July, Obama had a full 24 point lead over Sen. John McCain in this age bracket. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a higher voter turn out this year over recent years past.

During a conversation with a mentor the other day, she said to me, "I just can't imagine that we are thinking about electing a man who is four years older than my parents to be President." Suddenly, my mind was thrown in to perspective and I thought, "Woah! Wait a minute here... He's old!" And I am pretty sure that is what the rest of the voting crowd my age is thinking.

So, because McCain is "old" he uses the argument that Obama is too "young." We aren't talking age here, but experience. I think about that, and it bugs me for about two seconds. Someone saw in Obama something that struck them to put him up for nomination. A relatively unknown senator from Illinois just doesn't stumble upon a presidential nomination, he did something to make people believe he could institute change.

In all irony, McCain chose as his running-mate someone who is just as young as Obama on the political scene. There are many things she differs greatly on with McCain. Perhaps they see it as a balance? I don't know, but how do you make a decision like that when it goes against everything you have been saying for a year now? Consistency?...

A year ago when Obama was toying with the idea, but not saying anything, I immediatly said that I wouldn't ever vote for him. But he grew on me, and he continues to grow on me; and he grows on the American public. His wife, Michelle, is a class act. And something else, they can tell me how many houses they own (1), whereas McCain couldn't even answer (it's a least 7 if you were wondering).

While I was writing my article on Employee Fraud, I encountered some disturbing things and I want change. I am tired of big money making decisions and enjoying the fruit of the poor man's labors. The Obama's inspire me. It may be a load of crap I want to hear, but it's stuff I like and I believe Barack can do it.

I may get disowned by my family for voting Democrat, but I'm ok with that because at least I vote.

Tragedy of the Commons

I learned something interesting today. Through the course of an interview for a story I learned about an essay called "The Tragedy of the Commons" by Garrett Hardin. This essay has stirred enough interest as to have its own Web site.

The essay states that "free access and unrestricted demand for a finite resource ultimately structurally dooms the resource through over-exploitation." Hardin introduces a hypothetical example of a pasture shared by local herders. These herders are assumed to wish to maximize their yeild, and so will increase their herd size whenever possible. This has both positive and negative effects:

-Positive: the herder receives all of the proceeds from each additional animal.
-Negative: the pasture is slightly degraded by each additional animal.

Crucially, the division of these costs and benefits is unequal: the individual herder gains all of the advantage, but the disadvantage is shared among all herders using the pasture. Consequently, for an individual herder weighing these, the rational course of action is to add an extra animal. And another, and another. However, since all herders reach the same rational conclusion, overgrazing and degradation of the pasture is its long-term fate. Nonetheless, the rational response for an individual remains the same at every stage, since the gain is always greater to each herder than the individual share of the distributed cost. The overgrazing cost here is an example of an externality.

Because this sequence of events follows predictably from the behaviour of the individuals concerned, Hardin describes it as a tragedy: "the remorseless working of things" (in the sense described by the philosopher Alfred Whitehead)" (Wikipedia, 2008).

During the course of my study about employee fraud, I have come to realize how backwards our government systems are and how we are asking, in a sense, for this Tragedy to befall us. We offer something to people and the few people who take advantage of the Commons create a poorer situation for the remaining people.

Example 1 - The unemployment system

Because someone quits their job, gets fired, laid off, or whatever, we feel a necessity to pay them during this time they are "seeking" a new job. I say seeking with a hint of cynicism because of how many people take advantage of this privilege.

I will admit at one point for about two weeks I was the benefactor of this system. My only justification for using it was ignorance. Now that I realize what a screwed up, draining system it is on employers I would veer away from ever using it again. As a taxpayer and gainfully employed person, I am paying for someone else to be without work. Most importantly, as a future employer, I am paying for the possibility of firing someone.

When you claim unemployment it not only hits your last employer, but your last three employers. The previous two jobs I had I loved and only left because they were internships. How right is that? They shouldn't be paying for a decision I made two and three years later.

Example 2 - Workers Compensation

Yet again, employers are putting money away in a "just in case" fund to pay for the medical bills of someone who makes a poor decision on the job and gets injured. Or worse yet, they claim it happened at work and didn't. Workers Compensation fraud costs Americans $5 billion a year. And people wonder why our health care is outrageously expensive. People don't care because someone else is "going to pay for it."

Don't get me wrong, if an employer fails to provide a safe work environment, they should pay for it. However, if an employee fails to follow proper safety procedure that is their own fault and as an employer, and taxpayer, I shouldn't have to pay for it.

When I worked at Staker Parson Companies their health insurance system exhibited an "enclosure" of the Commons. The HRA they have instituted doesn't allow for abuse of the insurance. Employees pay for the health care up front, thus giving them the encouragement to "shop" for their health care providers. Discounts are given for "in network" providers, and greater amounts of benefits are paid if you use an "in network" doctor.

When I used to listen to Rob Bishop give his speeches, I laughed thinking he was exaggerating about our broken system for laughs. I remember one time his commenting at the Weber County Republican convention that before coming back to Utah he named a post office (in the hometown of Nancy Pellosi), a park (in the town of one of her aids), and some other ridiculous thing.

Are you serious? Why do we allow ourselves to be incessantly taxed? And all for what? So a few people can take advantage of the Commons and degrade it for the rest of us? This is what happens when we allow the wrong people to hold offices of power, and as a people assume they are taking care of us, so we sit back, sip our drinks and bask in the sunlight. But while you carelessly bask, you will one day wake up to find that everything around you that was once Common and beautiful is now shredded and Enclosed. And you paid for it without ever knowing.

Birth Control 2.0

A while ago I posted about 'Birth Control', but I never posted any of my photos from that day. There aren't a whole lot, but I had to show you how cute these little angels are.

Coincidence...

I think not...

My mind has been reeling on this subject as I have fallen in and out of sick, flu-like delirium. A few days ago I attended a meeting and when a lady found out I was actually in her stake, she chastised me for not going to a family ward.

Over a period of 30-some-odd minutes I chatted with her and as she listened to my reasoning and experiences, the light bulb turned on for her. The singles ward was where I was supposed to be.

In thinking back on this experience, I think about all the opportunities I would have missed had I not followed the Spirit. Today I sat in a meeting with some pretty influential people and thought about the path that led me there.

The Spirit has guided me to this organization because of the Bishop of my ward. I will have the opportunity to influence change through the talents the Lord has given me.

But none of this would have happened had I not sought the Lord's council. Elder Bednar said:
"Do you and I... remember to pray, both morning and night, for that which we should most desire, even the Holy Ghost? Or do we get caught up in the routine of daily living and the cares of the world and neglect this most valuable of all gifts. Receiving, recognizing, ad responding to the Holy Ghost starts with our sincere and constant desire for His companionship and influence in our lives."

I used to ask myself about coincidence, but now I just smile and know that God is looking out for me; and as I seek the companionship of the Holy Ghost, I will know that what I am doing is in accordance with God's will.