Louis R. Avallone

Category: American Values

  • Policy Disasters: Politicians Don’t Have to Follow the Path of “Learned Helplessness”

    Policy Disasters: Politicians Don’t Have to Follow the Path of “Learned Helplessness”

    By Louis Avallone
    –
    It’s called “learned helplessness.”

    It’s a state where you have given up hope and effort that your actions will affect your outcomes, even when later you’re in a position where control of the outcome is completely within your reach. It’s why women stay in abusive relationships, or why the poor feel that no matter how hard they work, or how much education they get, they will never escape their present lot in life. And it must be why so many folks don’t even bother to vote, or take part in our political process, because they’re discouraged that nothing gets done or will change anyway.

    It’s a problem in politics because the important issues facing our nation are so vast, and the solutions seem so monumental. For many, the mountain is simply too big to climb, or the hole dug is too deep to get out of, so why bother?

    But it doesn’t have to be this way. Today, our nation is buried under a mountain of debt, 5 million Americans have had their health insurance policies cancelled as a result this administration’s policies, the gap between the rich and poor has widened to a point not seen since the Great Depression, respect for our nation is dwindling as world leaders seemingly taunt the United States and unemployment is so rampant that there are three unemployed people for every job opening in our country today.

    With all of that said, it’s clear that too many Americans suffer from “learned helplessness” when it comes to electing the same politicians, election cycle after election cycle, even when real change, and the choice to send someone else to Washington or Baton Rouge, is plainly within their reach.

    For these folks, they say, “Why bother?” I say, “Hogwash.”

    You don’t have to be expert in all of the important issues of our day to escape “learned helplessness,” or to believe that what you do can make a difference. You only need to look at example after example of liberal policies that have caved in on themselves, and litter the scrap yards of life.

    The British tried appeasing Hitler in the 1930s, because they were convinced war was immoral, and that we must have “peace in our time.” That approach didn’t work out, of course. Hitler became stronger, and millions more died through appeasement, than would have otherwise. And what are we doing in the Middle East today? Appeasement.

    Or what about the administration’s proposal to raise the minimum wage? If you already know that unskilled minorities, aged 16 to 19 years old, are already experiencing a 37.8 percent unemployment rate, and you raise the minimum wage, how do you help these folks when they would be the first workers to be let go after the minimum wage is raised?

    Or how about this example? Liberals are always talking about unfettered, free access to contraceptives, and how abstinence is simply old-fashioned, foolhardy thinking. Yet, in example after example, the well-intentioned liberal thinking falls short, time after time. In New York City, for example, schools distribute thousands of the “morning after pill,” as well as prescriptions for birth-control pills, intrauterine devices, hormonedelivering injections, etc. to help to prevent pregnancies.

    However, and despite liberal intentions, one of every 10 abortions occurs in New York. More abortions are performed on minors, more late term abortions, and more repeat abortions, are performed in New York City than anywhere else in the country. If this is one of the most important issues for women in history, how can this debauchery be good for the very women these liberals are intending to help?

    We could talk about how, because of the Affordable Care Act now, and the rising insurance costs to employers, the most qualified candidate for a job may never get the job because the most attractive candidate may be the one already covered by their parent’s or spouse’s health insurance policy, saving the employer the cost of the premium altogether. Ridiculous.

    And we could talk about how fulltime employment, under the Affordable Care Act, is now defined as working 30 hours per work. At 30 working hours per week, you can see that we’re fast becoming a nation of under-achievers.

    We could also talk about how, in 1999, liberals prodded the Fannie Mae Corporation to ease the credit requirements, and encouraged them to extend home mortgages to individuals whose credit was generally not good enough to qualify for conventional loans. And it didn’t take long for the housing market to collapse just a few short years later, of course.

    Here’s the bottom line: As a nation, we must re-learn that success is within our control, and that we can affect the outcome, but can’t keep doing what we’ve doing, or we’ll simply keep getting what we’ve been getting. Escaping “learned helplessness” is understanding that it is not the blowing of the wind that determines our destination; it’s the setting of the sail.

     

    And that starts by electing folks that “get” that idea and who see the promise, and are likewise willing to pay the price.

  • Just Stop Digging: A Japanese History Lesson

    Just Stop Digging: A Japanese History Lesson

    By Louis Avallone
    –
    In the 1980s, the Japanese changed American culture in many different and significant ways. Now, they look poised to do it all over again, but this time, by teaching us a history lesson.

    In the late 1980s, Japan was the world’s second largest economy. Japanese automakers entered the U.S. market with small economy cars and pickup trucks that Detroit simply wasn’t interested in making (at the time, at least). Japanese companies, such as Sony and Toshiba, developed the transistor radio and the Walkman. The Japanese were so resourceful that they even took products developed by U.S. companies, such as VCRs, camcorders, and microwave ovens, and made them affordable to the masses.

    But oh how the mighty can fall. And Japan certainly did. Over the past 20 years, Japan’s annual rate of economic growth has averaged a mere 1 percent and last year their population reached it lowest number since the 1950s. And their population is getting older, as well. There are 30 million Japanese who are 65 or older (which is 25 percent of their population).

    Their birth rate is still below their death rate, and that just signals more trouble ahead, as the Japanese face rising welfare and medical care cost  for an aging population, while coping with a rapidly dropping workforce due to fewer births.

    Around 1990, though, when the Japanese economy begin its spiraling descent and unemployment rose, Japanese young people welcomed the chance to “find themselves,” or the liberty “to not be job-locked, but to follow their passion,” as Nancy Pelosi, and other Democrats would say. But now, 20 years later, being “job-locked” doesn’t sound so bad, after all.

    Why? Well, almost one-third of those Japanese young people, now in their late 30s and early 40s, do not hold regular jobs, and some never have. Only half of working 15-to-24-year-olds in Japan have regular jobs.

    If all of this sounds similar to the United States, you’d be right on the money. The unemployment rate for 18-29-year-olds in our country, including those who have given up looking for work, is almost 16 percent. Among African-Americans in this same age bracket, the unemployment rate is almost a whopping 25 percent.

    It’s so bad that even the Obama administration admitted last month that there are three unemployed people for every job opening in our country today.

    And our country’s economic growth rate is expected to remain stagnant again this year, and our population continues to shrink (just like Japan’s). In fact, population growth is so low right now in the U.S. that you have to go back to the Great Depression in the 1930s to find a lower growth rate.

    So when Democrats, like Nancy Pelosi, start making ridiculous claims, such as how Obamacare will “shift how people make a living and reach their aspirations,” it’s time to tell this Japanese history lesson, and have a come-to-Jesus meeting with Democrats.

    They may be interested in learning that 20 years later, the once young and unemployed Japanese, who were seeking their “aspirations” as 20-something year olds, have remained unemployed as 40-something year olds, as well.

    And although these folks never got “job-locked” from pursuing their passion, they also never learned new skills that would earn them enough to boost their country’s economic growth beyond a paltry 1 percent.

    So when the Congressional Budget Office said Obamacare will drain another 2.5 million jobs from the economy by 2021, that means those will lose a paycheck, and the ability to support their families.

    No, we need an economy that encourages job creation and personal responsibility, not “finding yourself” when you have bills to pay. Without more jobs, we’ll end up just like Japan. There’s nothing wrong with hard work, even when it’s not your “passion.” Or being “job locked,” or whatever that really means to the growing number of Democrats using that term. You see, and what they don’t get, it’s not so much what you get from working hard, but it’s what you become by working hard.

    As author Seth Godin explains, “Hard work is about risk. It begins when you deal with the things that you’d rather not deal with: fear of failure, fear of standing out, fear of rejection. Hard work is about training yourself to leap over this barrier, tunnel under that barrier, drive through the other barrier. And, after you’ve done that, to do it again the next day.”

    So, the Democrats can denigrate hard work by making unemployment seem liberating and desirable, despite the Japanese experiences over the past 20 years. The political spinning hardly distracts from rising unemployment numbers, stagnant growth, or the loss of a paycheck that supports a family.

    This is how Japan is poised to change American culture again, if we will only heed the lessons they have learned over the past 20 years.

    And even if you are not a Republican, or a Democrat, or any political party affiliation at all, that’s OK. The lessons of history can work for you, too. But whatever you call yourself, I just don’t want to call you unemployed. Our country’s future literally depends on it.

  • Our Changes: A New Strategy for The White House

    Our Changes: A New Strategy for The White House

    By Louis Avallone
    –
    It may have been the least watched State of the Union address since President Clinton’s, back in 2000, but for those listening to President Obama last month, it may have been the most important State of the Union address of his presidency, especially for the almost 66 percent of Americans who feel that our country is heading down the wrong path.

    Here’s what I mean: The 2012 Presidential election was won using a strategy of distraction, diversion and division, and there may not be a more convenient and illustrative representation of the Democrat Party’s intentions to repeat this strategy for the 2014 elections, than listening to last month’s State of the Union address.

    And while we all know the outcome of their winning strategy for the White House in 2012, we likewise can predict ours, unless we make changes – and make them now. And here’s how we can start:

    First, conservatives must not allow themselves to be distracted from focusing on the core values upon which this country was founded. This will not be easy because we’re all naturally inclined to react with a laundry list of counterpoints, trying to convince less enlightened and liberal friends and family that they are simply off their rockers, when it comes to politics.

    Democrats already understand the futility in doing this. They’ve learned the Pareto principle and know that 80 percent of their success comes from communicating with 20 percent of their constituency. They don’t waste their time and resources on attempting to convince conservatives that their liberal leaning policies are the bees knees.

    Resisting the liberals’ attempts to distract Americans, and divert our attention from what’s most important, however, is not an easy task.

    It takes willpower to maintain self-control when the President knows that 5 million Americans have had their health insurance policies cancelled as a result of his own administration’s policies, and yet he still takes credit, in stump speech after stump speech, for “fixing” the very health care system that he has made worse, not better.

    It takes willpower to calmly listen to his administration’s concern for growing the middle class, when the rich-poor gap, during his administration, has expanded to a disparity not seen since the Great Depression, especially when you consider that Democrats have controlled the Senate since his inauguration.

    It takes willpower to remain focused on what’s really happening to our nation, when he speaks of Al-Quaida being “on the run,” even as his administration’s National Intelligence director said last month that the threat is not “any less” from the terror network than it was a decade ago.

    We could go on and on, from immigration to unemployment, but it all takes willpower to remain focused on what’s most important for our country, and not be distracted by the politics of those more concerned with themselves. When our willpower is depleted, so is our focus, and the politics of distraction rule the day. A good example is how lots of conservative-minded Americans felt following the 2012 Presidential election – they were just plain worn out.

    Democrats remember this, and from listening to last month’s State of the Union address, they are calling up the same play for the 2014 elections.

    But even if conservatives are focused (and rested), our message must be clear. Nearly two-thirds of Republicans feel that the Party must do a better job of communicating their “why,” or their passion, or their values.

    Maybe conservatives, as former Congressman Arthur Davis put it, are “better at talking to each other,” than talking to people who are still not yet sure what they believe in. And maybe that’s because conservatives are not winning any hearts and minds when they are so frantically “counter-punching” every political distraction and diversion thrown by the Democrats, whether during a State of the Union or on the stump, or through the multitude of writers and reporters who seemingly amplify the confusion.

     

    As Republicans in this election year, we need to do just one thing, better than anyone else, to be successful in 2014: Simply talk relentlessly about the American values upon which our nation was founded, and refrain from the kindergarten-like, “I know you are, but what am I” dialogue with Democrats. And we can apply the Pareto principle, as well, focusing our energies in the areas where we can make the most difference. We must remain rested and ready, This is easier said than done, especially when you cross that line and start shouting at the television, awakening the neighbors, and wondering why other folks don’t seem to get it. Simply put, we have to stop reacting, and start acting on what’s most important to us. After all, if every Democrat distraction is important, then how can anything be important at all?

  • Assertive Force: Did ‘Duck Dynasty’ Awaken the Silent Majority?

    Assertive Force: Did ‘Duck Dynasty’ Awaken the Silent Majority?

    By Louis Avallone
    –
    With 14 million viewers per episode, and endorsements and merchandise bringing in $400 million per year, “Duck Dynasty” is flying high.

    “Duck Dynasty” is a television series on A&E that portrays the lives of the unflappable Robertson family in West Monroe, who operate a family duck call business. In less than two years, it has more than quadrupled the number of viewers per episode.

    So, why are so many folks paying attention? Maybe it’s because the family is affectionate toward one another. Or that they are open about their Christian faith, and nearly every episode ends with the family praying around the dinner table. Maybe it’s because they’ve had to endure bad times, including when the patriarch of the family, Phil Robertson, was running a dilapidated bar, and abandoned completely his young family for a short time, before becoming baptized, seeing the errors of his ways, and starting anew. Maybe it’s because they are pro-business, pro-life and are committed to sexual abstinence before marriage.

    Or maybe it’s because they appear much less concerned with expressing political correctness, than with sharing their deeply held beliefs. This was certainly true last month, when Phil, in an interview with GQ magazine, paraphrased Corinthians by saying virtually everyone – from the adulterers, to the homosexual offenders, to the greedy, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers – won’t inherit the kingdom of God. He later went on to say, “We are all created by the Almighty and like Him, I love all of humanity. We would all be better off if we loved God and loved each other.”

    But more important than A&E initially suspending Phil from filming indefinitely because of these comments, and then reinstating him, and more important than Cracker Barrel apologizing to their customers, after initially pulling “Duck Dynasty” products off of their shelves, and more important than the reality show ratings, is what this all says about the direction of our nation, and the yearning to return to traditional values by what some have called the “silent majority.”

    The “silent majority” are the folks that have not necessarily taken an active part in politics, and are not necessarily conservative, but they clearly resent anyone disrespecting traditional American values, such as freedom of speech, Christianity, marriage, the right to bear arms, etc.

    And although the influence of this “silent majority” has appeared throughout history, it perhaps was none more prominent, in recent times, than in the 1970s. In fact, in January, 1970, Time magazine named “Middle America” as a replacement for their annual “Man of the Year” award, recognizing the “silent majority” as a powerfully assertive force in U.S. society, especially during the dissent and confrontation of that era.

    These are the same folks who later went on later that decade to elect Ronald Reagan in 1980, and were also known, as “Reagan Democrats.” In fact, Reagan’s election was predicted on-air by another television icon at the time, who likewise seemed far less concerned with political correctness than sharing his deeply held beliefs — Archie Bunker.

    Archie was a blue-collar, World War II veteran, and the product of his working class neighborhood in Queens. Although fictional, the “All in The Family” television series ranked number-one in the ratings from 1971 to 1976.

    His opinions on race, sex, marriage, and religion were so politically incorrect that the initial episodes included prominent warnings about its content being offensive. Despite Archie’s opinions, “All in The Family” provided a platform for American dialogue, especially with the “silent majority,” and in doing so, gave way to greater understanding on many controversial issues of the times.

    So, while Bunker and Robertson are not the same characters, whether fictional or otherwise, they do have one thing in common: Their lack of political correctness resonates with the American people, and the “silent majority.”

    Actually, in the case of Archie, this was not intended at all by Norman Lear, the producer of “All in The Family.” He expected the public to dislike Archie, and was shocked when he became such a beloved figure. And maybe A&E is shocked, as well; maybe they expected that Americans would laugh at the amusing behavior of the “rednecks.” But we haven’t.

    And if political incorrectness is on the rise within the “silent majority” of Americans, perhaps this all means that the cultural pendulum is finally swinging the other direction.

    In the words of Phil Robertson, “Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.”

    And especially in this coming election year, hopefully our candidates can remember the same – the successful ones will.

  • Fake War: Christmas Spirit Comes From Within

    Fake War: Christmas Spirit Comes From Within

    By Louis Avallone
    –
    “I am so sick of myopic, self-centered, ‘persecuted’ Christians who complain about a fake war on Christmas by the people in this country who don’t happen to share their particular views,” a letter to the editor of the Dallas Morning News started out.

    The letter continued, “So please, Christians (‘persecuted’ Christians, not the kind who actually do unto others as you would have others treat you), open your eyes and see that the U.S. is not a Christian nation but a giant melting pot of many different cultures and beliefs. The world does not revolve around you.”

    Maybe this describes your opinion of the matter, as well. Maybe you feel Jon Stewart from “The Daily Show” said it best when he said, “You’ve confused a war on Christianity with not always getting everything you want.”

    Or, on the other hand, maybe you would have shouted “Amen!” to Ronald Reagan when he said, “Christmas can be celebrated in the school room with pine trees, tinsel and reindeers, but there must be no mention of the man whose birthday is being celebrated. One wonders how a teacher would answer if a student asked why it was called Christmas.”

    But whichever pew you sit in, the religious celebration of Christmas faces trivialization every year, and this is what many characterize as the “war on Christmas.” It draws attention (and controversy) whenever folks demand that a Christmas tree be referred to as a “holiday tree,” or when seemingly benign Christmas carols cannot be sung in our schools, or whenever Christmas decorations are not permitted to be displayed in our public squares, for fear of offending others.

    Just a few years ago, for example, even the White House was not planning to display the Nativity scene, which has been a longtime East Room tradition. Instead, according to the White House’s former social secretary Desiree Rogers, the “Obamas were planning a nonreligious Christmas.”

    But good grief. Does hearing, “Peace on earth, good will toward men” really sound oppressive? Does “Joy to the world” bring despair to those who hear it? Is there such a scarcity of darkness in the world that a few twinkling lights might not brighten one’s day, or where the innocence of Santa Claus might not teach us all that it is in giving, that we receive?

    Poll after poll has shown that the fear of offending others with “Merry Christmas” is misplaced. According to the polling firm Zogby, 95 percent of Americans are NOT offended when they hear “Merry Christmas.” In fact, even 62 percent of non-Christians (including Jews, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists) all celebrate Christmas, in some form or fashion, plus more than half of self-identified atheists and almost 90 percent of agnostics.

    Interestingly, this misplaced fear of offending others, through religion, was the reason that the CBS network executives almost canceled “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” back in December, 1965. You see, the executives did not want Linus reciting the story of the birth of Christ from the Gospel of Luke. It was thought that viewers would not want to be preached upon by an animated cartoon, especially from Biblical passages.

    Yet 15 million viewers, or one-half of the television viewing audience, tuned in to watch “A Charlie Brown Christmas” when it first aired in 1965 and it has become the longest-running cartoon special in history, having aired now for 48 Christmases, and receiving an Emmy and a Peabody award along the way. Those CBS executives just got it wrong when it came to religion.

    So, what’s the commotion about the “war” on Christmas? It’s really about a larger “war” on Christianity, and not just here at home, but around the world where Christians are persecuted, and even killed. It is estimated that 80 percent of all acts of religious discrimination in the world today are directed against Christians. Even Pope Francis recently pointed out, “So many Christians in the world are suffering,” and “giving their lives” for their Christian faith.

    When your waitress at Denny’s says, “Happy Holidays,” or your local Radio Shack doesn’t even acknowledge the reason for the season, that’s not the same as taking machine gun fire to your soul, but some Christians are arguably concerned that it’s an awful, slippery slope.

    You see, history teaches us that imperceptible changes can have a lasting, irreparable effect on society. Dictators understand the effectiveness of eroding freedoms by imperceptible reductions. As Adolph Hitler wrote in his book, “Mein Kampf,” “the people will not see those rights and freedoms being removed until past the point at which these changes cannot be reversed.”

    And it is this feared, imperceptible erosion to the freedom of religion, and persecution for one’s beliefs, that concern folks so much that they characterize the trivialization of Christmas as a “war.” Those that mock their angst, or making fun of their concerns, simply aren’t digging down deep enough.

    Yes, the true Christmas spirit still comes from within, and it is not just a time of year, but a state of mind. I just pray now that Charles Schulz is still right when he said, “There will always be an audience for innocence in this country.” Well, I hope so. Our nation’s future literally depends on it.

  • Taking Action

    Taking Action

    By Louis Avallone
    –
    So, there we were, at a local restaurant being seated. The music was loud and lively, the wait staff was busy, and every table filled the room with conversations of every kind. And as we unwrapped our silverware and paper napkins, we made a curious discovery: There was a person’s name, handwritten in ink, on the backside of the paper napkin band. “Why is there someone’s name written here, Dad?,” came the response from the 7-year old son seated at the table. Well, it didn’t take me long to understand, and after confirming with the waitress, we soon all knew.

    “You see,” she said, “Every night, the wait staff wraps the silverware and napkins together for the following day, and we place our name on the backside of the paper napkin band so that if a set of utensils was incomplete, or not clean, we’d know exactly who was responsible.”

    Of course, this got me thinking about the increased accountability for those who did their job well at that restaurant, and the better results that obviously must have followed, from such a simple, inexpensive idea to measure results, and take the personal responsibility for them.

    After all, whether you are managing a business, or a family, you can’t manage what you don’t measure. It’s the reason that baseball players know their batting average, and why advertisers measure the number of people who respond to an ad. It’s why golfers keep track of their scores, and why students want to know their test results. If they didn’t measure their performance, how would they know if they improved?

    As much as that makes sense to you and me, there are far too many folks in Washington that simply don’t get the principle of accountability. You see, there are trillions of tax dollars raised and spent by Congress each year, and almost no accountability for their results, or the value received by the taxpayers.

    And to add insult to injury, Congress hasn’t passed a budget since 2009, even though the Budget Act says it must do so by April 15 every year. Literally tens of billions of dollars go unaccounted for every year, disappearing down bureaucratic black holes.

    And there are lots of examples of this unaccountability. From the estimated $72 billion in improper payments made each year, to the $25 billion annually spent just maintaining unused or vacant federal properties, to the health care fraud that is estimated to cost taxpayers more than $60 billion annually, our federal government is the model of unaccountability, and the undesirable results that necessarily, and predictably, follow.

    There is perhaps no corporation that comes close to the scope of fraud, waste, and lack of accountability than our federal government, and yet most folks stand idly by and vote for bigger and bigger government each election cycle. A government that spent over $593,000 to study where in a chimpanzee’s brain they get the idea to throw feces and that spent $200 million to fund a reality television show in India to advertise U.S. cotton.

    So, here’s what I was thinking: Would the bigger government folks in Washington sign a “napkin band” of their own, just like in the restaurant? Would these bureaucrats in Washington be willing to be accountable to families living paycheck to paycheck, and explain why they allowed the 2% payroll tax cut to expire at the end of 2012? Would they sign the back of the “napkin band” that raises your federal and state taxes to finance Medicare and Medicaid, when fraud and waste is the real source of the problem?
    You see, as a people, if we are to govern own affairs, either directly or through representative government, we must be informed about what our government is doing, and measuring the results.

    The reason is simple: If we don’t hold our elected officials accountable, then elections and the will of the people have no meaning. That’s why that simple “napkin band”, with a person’s name scribbled in ink on the backside, serves as a simple reminder that what works best, works simply.

    So, what if we all wrote our name on the back of our ‘napkin band’ in life?” Lots of folks, like you, already do. It’s the doctor that writes your prescription, or the bank officer that approves your loan. It’s the teacher who signs your report card, or the air conditioner repairman who comes to your home. Isn’t way past time for our federal government to do the same?

    Now, are you ready to order?

  • A Motto to Live By

    A Motto to Live By

    By Louis Avallone
    –
    Wal-Mart says, “Save Money. Live Better.” Hallmark is “When You Care Enough to Send the Very Best.” Disneyworld is “the Happiest Place on Earth.” And of course, M & M’s “Melt in your Mouth, Not in Your Hands”. These are among the most memorable phrases, or mottos, used in advertising, and you would be hard pressed to find many Americans who wouldn’t readily recite these with great confidence. But, do you know our nation’s official motto, as well?

    Many folks might respond these days with, “Live and Let Live.” Others might answer, “The Land of Opportunity,” or “The Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.” If you asked the current President of the United States, he says it is “E Pluribus Unum” (which, translated loosely, means ‘one from many’).

    Of course, none of these are correct, because the official motto of the United States is, “In God We Trust,” and since our nation is facing such formidable social, economic, and political challenges, isn’t it about time that we better understand why?

    Although this motto has appeared on U.S. coins since 1864, and originated in the lyrics of the “The Star-Spangled Banner” in 1814, it’s not hard to understand why “God” is central to our nation’s guiding principle.

    After all, The Declaration of Independence secures our unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness by recognizing those rights are endowed to us by our Creator, not by men or government. Of course, Abraham Lincoln called for our nation to have a new birth of freedom “under God,” in his famous Gettysburg address in 1865 and Franklin Roosevelt led the nation in prayer, over the radio, calling on “Almighty God” for strength, and faith, on D-Day in 1944.

    How different it was then – The New York Daily News even printed “The Lord’s Prayer” on its editorial page on D-Day, in lieu of its usual content.

    So, it’s no surprise that a few years later, in 1956, Congress made it official – it passed a law declaring the official motto of the United States as, “In God We Trust.”
    Since then, our nation has seemingly retreated from our trust in God, and it is reported that only 40% of Americans regularly attend church, although some studies indicate that number could be as low as 20%. In fact, it is estimated that by 2050, the percentage of the U.S. population attending church will be almost half of what it is today.
    And with the current administration’s policies coming out of Washington these days, such as opposing the inclusion of President Roosevelt’s famous D-Day prayer in the newly built World War II Memorial, it should be no surprise that God is increasingly harder to find in our national conscience. Just this month, for example, it was announced that the military would make it a crime for anyone in uniform to share their faith – and it is reported that this would include chaplains (or military officers who are ordained clergymen of their faith) to minister to the spiritual needs of our soldiers – a practice which has been performed continuously since the founding of our military under George Washington.

    And even though poll after poll reveals that almost 90% of Americans say that the motto, “In God We Trust” should not be removed from our currency, “God” is being challenged everywhere else, from praying in our legislative halls, to referencing God in courtroom oaths, to even reciting the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools.
    You know, there was a time in America where an atheist did not want to stop prayer during a high school graduation, or protest a moment of silence to begin the school day. Instead, they just did not believe in prayer. Christians that were not for abortion did not bombs abortion clinics – they just did not support abortions. Times are different today, and I get it – and religion has always been personal. As a matter of tradition, though, we have always mixed church and state, but by respecting all religions, as well as of those who don’t practice any religion at all.

    The largest challenges facing our nation today seemingly originate from a declining consensus about what we ought to do, and what we ought not to do, from abortion to marriage to our work ethic. And increasing the separation of church and state has not improved our nation’s quality of life, or its liberties. In fact, our national conscience has become so diluted, and so politically correct, that it is in danger of eroding altogether. It’s like a popular country music song explains, “You’ve got to stand for something, or you’ll fall for anything.”

    The bottom is line is that if life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are based on unalienable rights, granted to us by God, then in our society’s seeming rush to pull God out completely from our daily lives, in the name of political correctness, what replaces God? Who grants us those rights, if not by our Creator? Or will our nation’s new motto simply be, “In We, We Trust”?

  • Plan B

    Plan B

    By Louis Avallone
    –
    Ronald Reagan once said, “Governments have a tendency not to solve problems, only to rearrange them,” and the same could not be more true regarding the debate over the “Plan B” or “morning after” contraceptive. In fact, a U.S. District judge just ruled last month that the FDA must make “emergency contraception” available to girls of all ages, without a prescription, because there is no compelling state interest to restrict access based on age.

    So, let me get this straight: In our nation today, a thirteen-year old girl, who cannot drive or vote, or even sign-up for soccer at the YMCA, without parental approval, can now ingest massive doses of synthetic hormones – which could result in nausea, lower abdominal pain, and blood clots – and parental consent is not even required?

    If you’re like me, and think that sounds ridiculous, we apparently are in the minority on this issue because the American Medical Association, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Pediatrics, have all recommended, for years, unrestricted access to emergency contraceptives. Even a U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1977 that it was unconstitutional to ban the sale or distribution of contraceptives based on age, because doing so “clearly burdens the right of such individuals to use contraceptives if they so desire.”

    Apparently, then, the same folks that brought us “safe” sex, are now bringing us “safe” emergency contraceptives. Well, we just can’t afford what that crowd is selling this time.
    You see, this is all about a public policy aimed at marginalizing parents, rather than involving them. Sure, most anyone would want to encourage abstinence, and thereby prevent children from having babies. But does unrestricted access to contraceptives by children accomplish that goal?
    Historically, it doesn’t seem so.

    In 1999, the British government launched its Teenage Pregnancy Strategy program, aimed at reducing the number of teen pregnancies in half, by promoting birth control. After $454 million later, British teen-pregnancy rates, and teen-abortion rates, have climbed steadily – with teen-pregnancies (among girls under 16) reaching their highest level since 1998, which was the year before the program even began.

    Here at home, the Centers for Disease Control reported last year that the unintended-pregnancy rate increased between 1995 and 2008 – despite increased contraception use, and the development of more reliable forms of contraception, as well.

    So, if you consider the U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1977 that said it was unconstitutional to burden the access and use of contraceptives, based on any minimum age requirement, and you consider the decision of the U.S. District just last month, ordering the FDA to lift all age restrictions on “emergency” contraceptives, it’s hardly a Norman Rockwell picture of America that so many of us still long for.

    But there’s hope. In fact, up in Washington state, a U.S. District judge recently ruled completely the other direction, saying that it would be okay if pharmacies refused to sell “Plan B” to folks of any age, if they believe selling those products would violate their own religious beliefs. I’m sure that this decision will soon make its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

    But in the meantime, put all of this discussion against the backdrop of a federal healthcare system that is currently forcing religious organizations, such as the Catholic church, to offer insurance coverage for birth control, which apparently now pharmacies don’t have to sell in the first place (well, at least in Washington state, that is).

    None of this fits together. None of it. It’s like Mark Twain said, “It’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.”

    So, instead of “quick fixes,” let’s promote abstinence, at home and in our schools. Instead of talking more about the medical risks of unprotected sex, let’s talk about how only 50% of teenage mothers graduate from high school or receive their GED. Or how they are 10 times more likely to live in poverty, and how almost 80% of them end up on welfare. Tell them that teenage mothers have higher levels of anxiety and depression, and how their children will be more likely to be incarcerated and be less likely to even finish high school themselves.

    There’s no “morning after” pill for these consequences, and no substitute for making better choices. Focusing on providing children with unfettered access to contraception is not the issue, nor the answer, and that’s regardless of the question. The bottom line is that if you need this “Plan B,” then your Plan “A” couldn’t possibly have been that good of an idea to begin with.

  • Hard Work

    By Louis Avallone
    –
    Thomas Jefferson once said, “I’m a greater believer in luck, and I find the harder I work the more I have of it.” And he should know about hard work. Jefferson was America’s first secretary of state, our second vice president, and our nation’s third president. He drafted our Declaration of Independence, and successfully negotiated the Louisiana Purchase, which nearly doubled our young country’s size.

    Indeed, then, if hard work is the cornerstone to acquiring “luck”, our country’s luck may be running out, especially if the folks in Washington continue to ignore that each one of us is responsible for our own individual prosperity and happiness. It’s called “the American dream”, and no one who has climbed that ladder – or pulled themselves back up when they have fallen – credits government spending and cradle-to-grave entitlements for their achievements.

    This doesn’t keep liberals from peddling this prospect, though, and they seem to be making their case very well. A recent Pew Research poll indicates that almost a majority of Americans believe “the rich” are rich mainly because they know the right people or are born into wealth, rather than because of their own hard work, ambition, or education.

    In fact, an economics professor, from Cornell University, wrote in the New York Times recently “talent and hard work are neither necessary nor sufficient for economic success.” Really?

    And around the world, this sentiment appears to be growing. In eight of 21 countries, recently surveyed, fewer than half of the citizens believe hard work is a guarantee of success for most people.

    You understand what we’re up against here, right? The virtue of hard work is in decline, and that’s not good. Of the 2.7 million people who dropped out of the labor force altogether last year, did you know that about 2.2 million of them say they’re not interested in finding a job anyway?

    And why not? Some of them are retiring. After all, baby boomers are retiring now at the rate of 10,000 per day. Other folks may be going back to school, instead of work. And then there’s growing numbers of people sitting around doing nothing.

    What liberals don’t understand is that most people don’t want just a handout – because a job is more than just income. More than just what we do to pay the bills. A loss of a job is the loss of control for folks to earn a living and take care of their families.

    Hard work is not just the physical effort alone, but it represents who we are as a country, and it is how we have defined ourselves to the world.

    Handouts don’t reduce poverty or put a nation back to work. In fact, they provide only the illusion of economic benefit, considering that even after billions of dollars spent in Great Society programs since 1964, the poverty rate is actually higher today, than it was then.

    Too many folks in Washington either don’t get it, or they care more about their next election than the next generation.

    Nonetheless, it’s hard work that will put our nation back on the path it started upon, a path that was forged by thrift, integrity, and self-reliance. A path filled with those who believe “a penny saved is a penny earned”, and understand that “opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work”.

    Now, this may all be too old-fashioned thinking, for our modern day leaders in Washington to grasp. Old-fashioned or not, history repeats itself, and in the words of Winston Churchill, “The farther backward you can look, the farther forward you are likely to see.”

    And so here’s what I see, in any direction I look: Each one of us is responsible for our own individual prosperity and happiness – not government. Period. It starts there, and ends there.

    Yes, you and I can see plainly where we need to lead the nation. The liberals in Washington only see where they need to lead their next re-election campaign. But that’s okay. We’ve got something on our side that they don’t: hard work. And a little “luck”.

  • Hard Workers Should Reap Rewards

    By Louis Avallone
    –
    In a shopping mall, recently, I saw a young man wearing a Nike T-shirt that said, in large bold letters, “Hard Work Pays Off.” Obviously, this was a reference to the great preparation and training athletes undertake to play their sport successfully. Michael Jordan spent his off seasons taking hundreds of jump shots a day, for example. Award-winning pitcher Roy Halladay regularly puts in a 90-minute workout before his teammates even make it to the field. Another example are Olympic gold- medalists and No. 1-ranked duo Venus and Serena Williams, who were up hitting tennis balls at 6 a.m. from the time they were 7- and 8-years- old.

    Then there’s Kobe Bryant, the leading scorer in Los Angeles Lakers history, who just wants to be remembered as a hard worker, saying, “To think of me as a person that’s overachieved, that would mean a lot to me. That means I put a lot of work in and squeezed every ounce of juice out of this orange that I could.”

    So this got me thinking about “hard work.” There’s no one out there talking about how “lucky” Bryant is to have been the NBA scoring champion (twice) or to have led his team to win the NBA championship five times. There’s no one saying he’s made enough points now, even though he has already scored more than 30,000 points in his career and is ranked in the Top 5 of all NBA players in history for scoring. Despite his success, no one would even consider suggesting it’s unfair he scores so often or that history ought to be revised so that some of his points can be redistributed to his other teammates, who arguably deserve some of those points since Kobe didn’t score all those points on the court by himself.

    The same holds true for basketball great Michael Jordan. Even though he holds the NBA records for highest career regular season scoring average (30.12 points per game) and highest career playoff scoring average (33.45 points per game) and led his team to win the NBA championship six times, no one even questions the “fairness” of so many points being scored by a single player or that he received so many awards during his career, even though there were other players on the court with him that worked hard also and would have liked to have scored lots of points and won awards just the same.

    But while it seems ridiculous to consider redistributing a player’s points at the end of a game to lower-scoring players by taking points away from folks like Kobe or Michael (who obviously have more points than they know what to do with), this is precisely what some folks in Washington are doing by raising taxes on folks that have more “points” than most. And even though “hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,” none of that occurs to these same folks in Washington – and it may never – as long as the fallacy in raising taxes doesn’t matter to millions of voters, either.

    Can you imagine telling Kobe he needed to “get some skin in the game” right after he scored 81 points in a single game (the second-highest point total in NBA history)? Or that he needed to offer an attitude of “shared sacrifice,” so his teammates might have more opportunities to score the same amount of points that he does, even though he’s doing more than his “fair share” to make sure the team wins?

    As a coach, would you ever tell him that at a certain point he’s made enough points (like Obama said at a certain point, “You’ve made enough money.”)?

    Of course not. That’s ridiculous. But this is the essence of modern- day liberalism. It seeks to minimize the power and responsibility of the individual to affect its own success … or failure. Even an economics professor from Cornell University wrote in The New York Times recently that “talent and hard work are neither necessary nor sufficient for economic success.” You see what we’re dealing with here?

    But Michael Jordan explains his success this way: “I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

    For Michael Jordan, success wasn’t rooted in the equality of the outcomes but rather in the equality of opportunities to fail. The folks in Washington just don’t get it – instead of incentivizing hard work, they virtually demonize it by taxing it.

    There’s a reason that hard work is at the root of success on the court or on the field whether you are Michael Jordan or Venus and Serena Williams. It’s because hard work works. Period. And you don’t have to dribble a basketball to figure out why.