Small Business—The Employment Engine of Our Economy?

11 06 2010

 

Last week I saw an announcement that Hewlett Packard was planning on laying off over 9000 employees.  This morning I saw an announcement that Oracle was going to be laying off a large number of employees too.  This after a year in which there has been a loss of several million jobs and where in the last few months we’ve seen an anemic increase of barely 30-50 thousand jobs per month in the private sector.  The job losses at HP and Oracle were a result of consolidation of operations and absorption of buyout companies.  Big business has definitely not been the engine of recovery.  Economists will tell you that the real engine of employment in our economy is small business.  In times of economic downturn many new businesses are started by people who have been laid off as well as small businesses being able to move quickly because of fewer restraints.  Also, in an economy like Houston’s  immigrants have been an engine of economic growth.  Go to all the shopping centers in Alief, Spring Branch, and the East end.  Who are the merchants and small businesses?   Primarily immigrants. 

 But something has happened in Houston that is slowly changing all this.  Because of local, state, and federal policies new start ups are having more and problems getting started.  Most new small businesses are started with a niche idea and a few thousand dollars that the person has saved or borrowed from family members.  Then the process begins.   Let’s assume the business has something to do with food.  The business person has to first find a store front to rent.  But if they want to open a small restaurant they must usually find something that was originally a restaurant.  In Houston, in order to start from scratch and set up a small restaurant it will cost at least $250,000. for equipment and permits.  Even when a restaurant is found that has a vent hood, rest rooms, and a grease trap, they seldom are up to current health and building codes.  In addition to that the person may have to pay to the city, impact fees for water and sewer usage that may amount to $5 or $6 per square foot.  I’ve known merchants with limited funds who never got open because of all the local red tape that they had to go through.  But what of the merchant who wants to just open a beauty shop.  They still have to have permits for plumbing and electrical work, impact fees for water and sewer usage, occupancy permits, sign permits, health permit fees, business license fees, dumpster permit fees (even when they don’t own the dumpster), alarm fees, and safe fees.  That’s in addition to having state and local licenses to practice being a beautician.  Recently, even persons who do the eye brow plucking with the strings in local malls (threading), will have to have a state license. 

            Occupancy permits are always a bone of contention.  If the toilet tank water level is not within a quarter inch of the required height you can be turned down for your occupancy permit.  In order to be approved for this infraction, you must have a licensed plumber obtain a permit and then fix it and then call for re-inspection.  So, what does it take to fix it?  Grab the toilet tank bulb rod and bend it slightly to make the water level change.  This takes less than a minute to do and it’s something almost anyone can accomplish.  And what about a loose wall plug plate?  Same thing.  Have a licensed electrician get a permit and do the work that takes about a minute to accomplish.

 There is no doubt that there need to be rules and regulations concerning health and safety issues but some of the stories I have heard make me realize that the engines of the economy, the small business is being thwarted at every turn.  Most persons who want to start a new business and hire employees may know little about navigating the intricacies of city hall or the state.  They have an idea or a skill but know little about government regulations.  It’s no wonder that there is an underground economy that works on a cash basis, pays no taxes, no permit fees, and takes out no withholding on employees. 

 If you go to the state sales tax office in Houston you may see a sheet on a workers wall of all the flea markets in Harris county.  Why?  Because they make periodic raids on the flea markets to be sure they have their sales tax ID’s and that they’re paying their tax. 

Most Houstonians are unaware of these fees and the cost of managing the departments that implement them.  Most of us are very concerned about no new taxes, but are not aware of the implications of new fees on the major engine of job creation and bringing the economy out of recession.

 Having been associated with the business community for over fifty years I have seen the small business community evolve over time.  When I began in business many small businesses were first or second generation Jews that started with little capital and a dream.  Such stores as Weingarten’s, Sakowitz, and Finger’s all started as mom and pop businesses.  Most recently we have seen Asians, Middle Easterners, Africans and Latinos get their beginnings in the same way.  But if we continue to put impediments in the way to starting businesses, whether immigrant or the young person with a dream or a displaced worker from big business,  they will either not start those engines of employment or they will resort to an underground economy that finds ways to circumvent the bureaucracy.  Either way we lose.


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Was Jesus Soft on Crime?

2 06 2010

 

 

At my age I don’t seem to have as many lightening flash revelations as I did when I was younger.  But recently I had one such event, which is always exciting.  I was studying parts of Matthew 5 which I’ve probably read a hundred times or more.  Matt. 5: 17 reads  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”  

In this passage I see that Jesus was saying that there is a law above human law and that is God’s law; that the Pharisees and Israel had become rigid in their interpretation of the law and that it had become a way for the Pharisees to maintain control as interpreters of the law.  But then I read further concerning murder, adultery, divorce, etc. and then the light struck.   Matt. 5:21-24 says, “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.  But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.   Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca’, is answerable to the Sanhedrin.   But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.  Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar.  First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

Not only is the implication here that there is a law beyond man’s simplistic and punitive interpretation of the law but that God’s law requires more.  But the real revelation for me was that within God’s law there are ways to reconcile one with another.  In a broader sense, the law should build bridges of reconciliation rather than just being punitive.  This idea was something I’d never thought about and has implications in the way we make laws and carry those laws out. 

A simple example of this is our traffic laws.  All of us who drive, have at one time or another broken the driving laws.  For many people there is the belief that these laws don’t apply to them and that they can pick and choose which ones to follow.  When caught, the attitude is that they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.  But for most of us, we see these laws as being important for the workings of society.  The fine isn’t the important issue.  The driving ticket class is.

But on a more serious side of the issue, let’s look at our drug laws, particularly the laws pertaining to crack cocaine and drug paraphernalia.  A person can receive up to five years in prison for just possessing a crack pipe with residual amount of cocaine.  And what happens during those five years?   Not much.  These persons mainly just sit out their time and along the way may learn a new trade for crime and pick up a new set of friends that will influence them when they get out.  When they do get out their one ID is a card from the prison system that labels them as an ex-offender.  They can’t get a job, can’t find a place to live and are still branded, even though they’ve served their time.  So, about 60% of these men and women end up back in prison.  The law is punitive even when time is served.   But there is some hope.  The state legislature has finally seen that drug treatment and learning to cope in society is an important part of the process.  There are privately funded programs both in and out of prison that try to help ex-offenders to serve their time productively.  At Memorial Drive United Methodist we have members who participate in a number of programs such as Skills for Life, a program to teach public speaking and develop self esteem,  Bridges to Life, a program to teach accountability and help offenders to address their offenses, one on one mentoring with inmates, and on the outside we support a program called Spirit Key, a Christian based transitional housing and job placement program for ex-offenders and The WorkFaith Connection, a Christian based program that helps men and women learn to deal with their fears in job seeking and helps them with resume writing and job interviewing.  But the tragedy of this is that there aren’t enough of these programs and society in general is not willing to give an ex-offender a second chance.  And when there’s a shortfall in our state and local budgets, and when we are challenged in our own giving and serving, these are some of the first programs that are cut.

Instead of our motto being, “tough on crime” we need to also be “smart on crime”.   This doesn’t mean that we’re soft on crime, but that we acknowledge that there should be redemptive qualities to the law.

So, where do you see possibilities for the law being redemptive?


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How High’s the Water Mama

22 05 2010

Houston floods.   Duh!! 

When the Allen brothers started selling lots in Harrisburg (Houston) they didn’t tell anyone about the Mosquito’s and the flooding.  Land was plentiful and cheap.  As people began to inhabit Houston they realized drainage was important to crops and getting rid of Mosquitoes.  They were not aware of the impact of draining the land on downstream flooding, even though flooding had been a reality for eons.  As development progressed the more affluent whites bought the high ground while poor whites and blacks inhabited the low lands.  Houston bayous drop about one foot per mile with the land around it dropping more than that.  In the Heights around 10th Street the elevation is about 60’ whereas the elevation in the East End around Harrisburg is about 40’ with the bayou being about 25’.  This historical and systemic difference can’t be changed even though over the years there have been numerous attempts to fix Houston’s flooding problem.  According to the Harris County flood Control District there is an average of a major flood in Harris County every two years. 

 Another influence that has exacerbated the problem is that over the years developers have tended to develop close to the Bayous.  The reason for this is that areas closer to the bayous have more trees but the main reason seems to be that the drainage run to the bayous is cheaper because the bayou is closer.  Many of those subdivisions were built in the 100 year flood plains which until a few years ago were not well documented.  Also, because of the lack of technology, the impact of upstream drainage was not known.  Today there is a greater comprehensive knowledge of these interconnected influences.

 In recent weeks there has been a move by a group that is floating (no pun intended) a proposed drainage and street plan to be put on the ballot in November.  There is no doubt that Houston needs a comprehensive program for addressing our severely inadequate drainage and street repair needs.  There are a number of positive aspects to the plan but as is always the case, the devil is in the details. 

 Houston is currently going through a transition that many American cities are going through—the gentrification of inner city neighborhoods.  This results in the revitalization of those neighborhoods with a resulting increase in the tax base of those neighborhoods.  But the downside of this is that traditional neighborhoods that are often comprised on minority and older residents are displaced and pushed out into the suburbs where transportation costs and access to jobs is more problematic.  Even when affordable housing is made a part of the revitalization plan, this is only a short term fix in as much as those home owners will still be charged more for taxes and will eventually move out because of inflated prices.  The reason this issue is important in the discussion about flooding is that most of the new housing in these inner city communities of Houston will be higher density housing in the form of townhouses whereas in the original configuration of the neighborhood, the homes were single family dwellings with a footprint that would only take up about 20% of the lot area as opposed to about 90% with townhouse construction.  This shift in land use over time makes flooding even more threatening since rain water cannot be absorbed into the soil and must run off into the existing streets and drains.  The proposed program would help that problem but in a cynical way would result in increased gentrification resulting in the quicker demise of those traditional neighborhoods.  Many churches in the inner city are already commuter churches with members living out in the community and traveling in for Sunday services.  Many of these churches are small and in their inception were neighborhood churches.  Over time, will they lose viability and be closed?  Schools with long and cherished traditions are being closed because of population shifts and lower birth rates.  Even affluent River Oaks is going through change with many smaller homes (under 3000 sq, ft,) being bought, torn down and new 5-7000 sq. ft. homes built.  Old time residents lament this fact and even have been quoted as saying, “if this continues, we’ll look just like West University” another inner city area that has experienced a transition away from its former character.  Many cities around the world are proud of their old neighborhoods for their character, history and tourism.  When we Americans go abroad, one of the first questions we ask about a building or neighborhood is, “how old is it”.  Not with Houston.  In this mornings Chronicle there was an article about Frost Town, the first subdivision in Houston.  It no longer exists.  A marker is being placed today to commemorate its founding but other than the marker there is no other symbol of its existence.  Time and time again change for the sake of progress has taken away a part of our history and community. .  People in neighborhoods that flood and that have poor streets want change.  So, the ethical question is, do you try to maintain and preserve the character of the traditional community or do you encourage the rapid turnover to a gentrified community, thus displacing the current residents and small businesses due to increased taxes and fees that would make living in those communities prohibitive What is the price that we’re willing to pay for progress is a question that doesn’t just impact traditional neighborhoods in Houston, but also is a question we are addressing in a world where humanity continues to inhabit more and more of our planet. 

 


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14 05 2010

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Just Walk Away

13 05 2010

 

 

Houston has been fortunate in that it’s not had the same foreclosure problems that other parts of the country have had.  Last Sunday Sixty Minutes aired a segment about people in Phoenix, AZ whose homes had dropped more than fifty per cent in value and in some cases even if they could afford to pay the mortgage, they were letting the homes go into foreclosure.  Yes, there credit would be hurt for several years but they had gotten to the point where they believed that the best course for them, was to walk away.  Several of those interviewed said that they had gotten past the shame of foreclosure and dealt with the realization that their neighbors would be angry with them.  They none the less saw foreclosure as the best course of action in their self interest.  The program went even further to point out several very large commercial foreclosures around the country that went into the billions of dollars.  Several credit counselors interviewed, stated that many large companies did what was expedient in their self interest.  Not only did some companies let real estate go, but laid off large numbers of workers, and even took bankruptcy while at the same time giving executives large bonuses.  The message seemed to be, “if the big guys can do it, then why can’t I?” 

 Having personally gone through bankruptcy in 1988, I know the shame and guilt associated with such a drastic measure.  I remember the words of my grandmother and father who both went through the depression and survived telling me how terrible it was to take bankruptcy and that it should be avoided at all costs.  Fortunately, we were able to pay our debts in full and survive for another day and the properties that had created the problems for us in the first place finally came into their own and now are solid investments. 

 Even though that experience was traumatic, we just didn’t walk away, even though we wanted to.  What we’re seeing today has affected the entire economy and could have far reaching and additional systemic risks for the future.  It’s not just the structural effects of foreclosures and bankruptcy that are at stake here.  It’s also the ethical issues involved and the far reaching implications of our actions.  When we enter into contracts, does it really matter whether we adhere to those contracts?  Does a promise to pay really mean anything?

 We are all part of a dramatically changing economic and social system that most often does not live up to the virtues and ethics of trust, honor and loyalty.  I contend that we’re all a part of that system and that we are complicit in its very nature.  In reading the Romans 3 passage, Paul points out that the mere fact that we are human makes us complicit in the events and the sinfulness of the world.  But Paul goes on the further state in Romans 3:23-ff, “God sacrificed Jesus on the altar of the world to clear that world of sin.  Having faith in him sets us clear.  God decided on this course of action in full view of the public—to set the world in the clear with himself through the sacrifice of Jesus, ….God sets things right.  He also makes it possible for us to live in the rightness.”   (Peterson)   Does our being spiritually set free also pertain to our debt and the other promises we make in life?  Is not fulfilling our covenants with one another, what Paul is talking about?  I don’t think so.  I think what he is saying is about our relationship with God, ourselves and others.  We don’t just exist in a vacuum.  In making commitments, we need to be aware of the consequences of our actions, while at the same time knowing that even in our failures, we are still loved unconditionally by God.   In the case of the economic meltdown, millions of people around the world are affected by our imprudent actions.  Someone in our life taught us about fulfilling our promises and to be sure we were making the right decision in the first place.  My grandmother who grew up dirt poor and went through the depression always told me to never go into debt.  My father on the other hand said, “if you’re going into debt borrow enough so if you get into trouble, the banker won’t want to foreclose on you.”  In a weird sort of way they were both right.  Not only do we need to be ethical and trustworthy in our dealings but we need   to teach our children about financial and relational responsibility—that it’s just not about “me”, and that we should put off our desire for instant gratification.  One of the most influential persons in the area of personal financial responsibility is Dave Ramsey and his Financial Peace University.  His message is simple—there’s no sin in not trying to keep up with the Jones.  Live within your means.  Thousands of people have successfully taken his course and are living lives that are more meaningful and fulfilling.  And where does he preach this message?  Many of these courses are taught in churches since what he talks about is financial responsibility but also addresses our basic values and the way we see ourselves. 

Getting our own financial and spiritual life in order is one way to begin changing the dominant culture of excess and instant gratification.  But it’s not popular in all circles.  Living within your means is almost unpatriotic.  Shortly after 9/11 President Bush told everyone to go out and buy something.  As if, that would fix things. “Consumerism infantilizes us, alienates us from one another, and makes us apathetic as citizens. What’s ironic is that even if you base human worth not on social responsibility but on individual happiness, consumerism still fails us. A consumer economy only works if consumption of goods provides only temporary pleasure. That is, if happiness is infinitely deferred, so that buyers continue to buy more and more goods and services. By definition, the consumer can never be satisfied, at rest or happy. Which means she will always feel lacking ”  (Philly online LLC, 2008)   A sense of economic salvation and coming to grips with the realization that our value is not tied up in what have or own,  eases our feelings of inadequacy brought on by being held hostage to the temporal, that does not free us but enslaves us.   Being dominated by this false culture of consumerism is a personal thing where we live in a bubble that supposedly protects us from the forces of evil and humanity.  But God continues to challenges us to live in openness and freedom to God’s loving grace.


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Internet Ethics—Caveat Emptor

8 05 2010

 

 

If you’re like me, you are forwarded e-mails that present stories that on their face seem plausible, particularly if they play into your own biases.  They are presented as truth and you’re encouraged to pass them along to your friends.  The latest one that I received purportedly is from a newspaper article including a picture of the article itself stating that Hispanics conducted a boycott in Victoria Texas that they concluded was successful.  The full document is included below.

 “Victoria, Texas is a town about 80 miles west of Houston. Local Hispanic leaders there, in opposition to pending Immigration Legislation, boycotted all Caucasian owned businesses last month as a demonstraton of their economic impact on the community.

The boycott was declared a success by the Hispanic community, noting revenue in Caucasian owned business was down by 19 percent.

Business owners declared the boycott a success as well, pointing out that shoplifting was reduced by 77 percent, money orders sent out of the country were down by 97 percent, and the cost of daily clean-up and trash collection was down by 84 percent. Shoppers reported they could actually hear english being spoken throughout the community for the first time in recently memory, and customers paid for purchases with real money, not government debit cards or food stamps! The handwritten date is August 12 – 18th, 2009”

 I would site the paper and author but as is often the case in these situations there’s no way to check the veracity of the article or any of the statistics.  Also you will note that “revenue in Caucasian owned business was down by 19 percent” and that “shoplifting was reduced by 77 percent, money orders sent out of the country were down by 97 percent, and the cost of daily clean-up and trash collection was down by 84 percent.”   I wonder who did the statistical analysis on this event and why didn’t the national media pick it up.  Even if the “liberal” press passed it up I would think a story like this, if found to be true, would make it to Fox News.

 The point of all this is that the internet is a wonderful source of information but more than ever we have to be vigilant in checking our sources.  I’m amazed at how many people believe these stories whether it’s that Obama is a Muslim, or that he gave up his citizenship and therefore can’t be president or that an autistic child captured a Troll and put him in a closet while his mother was at the grocery store.  With MSNBC and Fox News, when they run a story they at least cite a source.   With the internet we may not be so lucky.  To me acknowledging the veracity of these urban legends as true is like buying male enhancement drugs on line from Russia, or sending money and giving your bank number to the Prince of Nigeria in order to get the major portion of his ill gained $40million.  If you’re interested, there are several internet sites that check out rumors and urban legends.  One is called www.snopes.com  and another is called www.truthorfiction.com  . However, in the interest of full disclosure there are a lot of people who don’t think the site is truthful and as one comment said, “it’s owned by a flaming liberal and this man is in the tank for Obama.”

 Truth is hard enough to glean without being subjected to out and out fabrications and distortions.  We know that it’s even difficult for two people witnessing the same event to see it the same way.  The human mind has so much information to filter, we often find ourselves in overload.  And unfortunately with technology, we’ve just begun in the explosion of our ability to have access to interactive information that can help us critically assess this information.  But our minds have got to be open to these differences in perception and facts and filter through our biases realizing that your truth may not be mine.


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Whom Shall We Blame?

1 05 2010

 

 

Romans 3:  Peterson Version

“‘There’s nobody living right, not even one, nobody who knows the score, nobody alert for God.  They’ve all taken the wrong turn; they’ve all wandered down blind alleys.  No one’s living right; I can’t find a single one.  Their throats are gaping graves, their tongues slick as mud slides.  Every word they speak is tinged with poison.  They open their mouths and pollute the air.  They race for the honor of sinner of the year, litter the land with heartbreak and ruin, don’t know the first thing about living with others.  They never give God the time of day.’

This makes it clear, doesn’t it, that whatever is written in these Scriptures is not what God says about others but to us whom these Scriptures were addressed in the first place!  And it’s clear enough, isn’t it, that we’re sinners, every one of us, in the same sinking boat with everybody else?  Our involvement with God’s revelation doesn’t put us right with God.  What it does is force us to face our complicity in everyone else’s sin.”

 The current economic problems have resulted in both consternation and real economic hardships to most Americans.  As some of you might have done, I watched a good bit of the Senate hearings on the role that Goldman Sachs might have played in the debacle.  But after all the dust settled, it seemed to me that even though GS acted unethically, they were not guilty of anything criminal (at least for now).  GS was a major player in the financial world when the house of cards fell, but they were only one player in the tragic game that ensued.  The final judgment is not in, but my guess is that not much will come of those hearings other than to further cloudy the water and create more consternation among Americans.  I decided to try and give a time line and the factors leading up to the meltdown and in particular to the sub-prime issue.  The history of the evolution of this situation goes back to 1938 when   Fannie Mae and later when Freddie Mac the quasi governmental agencies that bought loans from approved mortgage sellers were created to help low and moderate income families purchase homes.  So, here goes:

In 1938, as a result of the depression, Congress passed a bill to help people achieve the American dream of home ownership using the pass through vehicle Fannie Mae.  Fannie Mae buys loans from approved mortgage sellers, for a fee, and that carries Fannie Mae’s guarantee of timely payment of interest and principal. Fannie Mae may also securitize mortgages from its own loan portfolio and sells the resultant mortgage-backed security to investors in the   secondary mortgage market with a guarantee that the stated principal and interest payments will be timely passed through to the investor. By purchasing the mortgages, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac provide banks and other financial institutions with fresh money to make new loans. This gives the United States housing and credit markets flexibility and liquidity.

  1. Starting in 1993 the Clinton administration pressured Fannie Mae to make more loans to minorities and neighborhoods that were underserved in the loan market due to banks engaging in what was termed “red lining”. 
  2. In 2002 Bush signed the Single Family Affordable Housing Tax Credit Act to further expand home ownership.  During this period credit requirements and eligibility requirements were relaxed resulting in lower standards in credit worthiness.
  3. As a result of periodic recessions and the perception that the economy could be helped most by expanding home ownership, housing began to dramatically expand resulting in overheating of the housing market.
  4. In 2003 Bush signed the American Dream Down Payment Act, further expanding available housing to low income and moderate income persons which continued the practice of stretching credit with short term financing, etc.
  5. In 2004 Bush and Congress at the behest of the SEC deregulated the sub prime mortgage business opening it up to other entities such as Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns whereby these companies as well as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bundled high risk mortgages with supposedly low risk mortgages into packages, that were sold in the secondary market. Typically, the high risk loans were at either nothing down and interest only and substandard debt to income ratios.   These companies were able to convince the rating agencies of the overall security of the loan bundles resulting in them being given triple “A” ratings by rating agencies like Moody’s.  They were then sold to institutions and the public.  The deregulation resulted in banks and lending institutions being allowed to leverage up to 30 times their capital, making those companies even more vulnerable.
  6. In order to further insure that the loan packages, insurance was bought from companies like AIG to give investors more security even though unlike most insurance companies there were less funds to back up the packages.  But it can be argued that the AIG was relying on the rating agencies, who were relying on the information they were given by package brokers like Goldman Sacks, Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns, who were relying on the underwriting and implied guarantees of Fannie Mae and Freddie who were relying on those who originated the loans who were relying on valuations of the homes by appraisers and the market place for these homes.  And buyers were relying on loan brokers who told them that they qualified for the loans.
  7. In addition to the home loan market, equity loans were being made that were being made on homes with questionable value.  The premise was that the homes would continue to increase in value and as long as there were people to buy the loans, there was little risk on the part of the loan originators.
  8. As a result, home builders had little trouble borrowing money to build the homes since it seemed that there was a continuous stream of ready buyers, regardless of their credit worthiness. Overbuilding resulted in oversupply and prices began to fall.
  9. As a result of overbuilding and poor credit risks a crack in the financial dam resulted which grew to staggering proportions that eventually required the federal government to intervene.
  10. Before the dam could be saved companies like Bear Sterns, Wacovia Bank, and Lehman Brothers to name just three took bankruptcy.  AIG and a number of large banks deemed “too big to fail” were bailed out due to the fear that if they failed it would bring down the whole world banking industry.

 So, who do we blame?  As the noted scripture states, everyone is guilty.  Even those of us who weren’t directly involved but succumbed to the sirens song of easy credit and instant gratification have a part in what has happened.  When we don’t stay informed, or make rash judgments about the issues, or opt out because we don’t think we make a difference we are complicit.  But most of all, when we don’t trust God and God’s covenant and place other priorities above God, we are most complicit.  The outcome may not be what we want it to be, but God’s purpose will prevail and we are all a part of that purpose in the way we live and act towards God and to one another.


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An Alternative Strategy for Tea Partiers

26 04 2010

In the article Tea Party Angst, I sought statistics or stories about Tea Party followers.  Recently, the New York Times/CBS News poll made a survey of the 18% of Americans who say they support the Tea Party.

 A—Are men

B—Are white

C—Are age 45 or Older

D—Report a household income of over $100,000.

E—Describe themselves as very conservative

F—Have a college or post-graduate degree

 Even though 18% of those contacted considered themselves supportive of the Tea Party movement, given a list of 10 possible presidential candidates though, 49% chose “none of the above”.

 As you can see the numbers are skewed towards being a movement made up of white males over 45.  Even though a majority said that their financial situation was good or very good, none the less they were worried that someone in their family will be out of a job in the next year.  “More than 2/3rds say the recession has been difficult or caused hardship.”(Houston Chronicle, 4/15/10).  Nearly 3/4ths wanted smaller government but did not want to lose some of their Social Security, rather focusing on “waste”. 

 I don’t think that it’s an accident that the demographics of the movement is towards males.  My article “Save the Male” bears out the frustration and anger that older men in our society feel.  Some pundits have tried to make the case that since most of the Tea Partiers are white that this is a racial and gender response to Obama’s election.  I think it would be unfair to make that conclusion as no one can see what’s in another person’s heart.   And I would have to say that many of the concerns of the Tea Partiers are justified.  The national debt is out of control.  There is little evidence that entitlements will be held in check in the future.  Other questions that they have are a little puzzling though.    Such statements as “I want my country back” and “I want my freedom back” and “Let’s go back to what our founding father’s believed in” make me wonder exactly what they mean.  What was the country like that they want back?  Was it a country dominated by white males or a country where segregation was the social structure of the time or is it better schools, lower healthcare costs, a sound social security system,  a country where getting married and staying married was the thing to do, or a country where going to church every Sunday was the norm?  It’s paradoxical that they want change in government but to this point have not been able to articulate a cogent plan other than to lower taxes and cut spending.  In wanting less input from government they are actually seeking more government intervention.  These nebulous statements and the lack of a leader to rally them show the magnitude of the frustration of looking to government for answers.  The truth is, no government official or legislature can turn back the hands of time.  As I stated in Save the Male we have to save ourselves.  But let’s consider some other statistics that are either forgotten or are being ignored that if acknowledged might return us to reality.

The first number is the top income tax rates and the last two numbers are the beginning and end % of debt to national debt as a percentage of GDP during presidential tenure:

Truman—National debt as percentage of GDP  120% (due to WWII)

Top Income Tax Rate                             % of National Debt/GDP

  • Eisenhower—91%                                           Start 70%+ –End 55%
  • Kennedy, LBJ—91%–70%                             Start 55%+– End 38%           
  • Nixon 70%–                                                    Start 38% -End 30%
  • Carter 70% –                                                  Start, End 30%
  • Reagan 28% Bush 31%–                                 Start 30% End 66%
  • Clinton 39.5% —                                              Start 66%–End55%
  • Bush 2 –31%–                                               Start 55%–End75%

(The Washington Monthly; Politics.gather.com)

From these figures it would indicate that the good old days had high tax rates, lowering of the national debt and a rise in personal GDP and the creation of wealth by individuals and corporations.  This goes against the perceptions of many Tea Partiers.  But part of being ethical and responsible is looking deep within ourselves at what motivates us, what’s real and what we’re afraid of.  Being the age of many Tea Partiers and empathizing with many of their concerns, here are some strategies that I suggest those of us over forty five might consider:

  1. Make a covenant with God that we will follow His word in doing mercy and seeking justice. (Micah 6:8)
  2. That we will covenant to tithe ten percent of our income and time in our churches and community to build a better America based on mercy and justice.(Lev. 27:30)
  3. We will recognize that 80% of all Americans over 65 are white and that 70% of all Americans under 60 are persons of color and of foreign descent and that they are the future and that if we want our children and grand children to flourish they will have to deal with that reality.
  4. Our tithe will help transform our education system, our churches and our communities as we mentor, tutor, coach, staff food pantries, visit in prisons and the hundreds of other volunteer programs available to bring about change. 
  5. We will advocate for families and children so that each child will be able to flourish.

Making education of our youth and adults through the encouragement of immigration and total commitment of our nation to education is the primary solution to keeping social security solvent, getting people off welfare and Medicaid, keeping families together, and keeping people out of prisons and jails.  But it will take a Marshall Plan dedication by our nation to make this happen and it can’t be done by just throwing money at the problem.  It should be national policy to give all who are eligible a free education from pre-K to a community college certificate or degree so that they can be competitive in today’s world economy.  Money is a part of the solution, but as important is also having adults involved in the education of the young.  That’s why I advocate the tithe both in money and time.  Older adults have experience and wisdom that is often overlooked.   For many, the attitude is that they’ve done their part and they’re going to take it easy.  On the other hand I know men and women in their eighties who live out the double tithe of time helping in so many ways. 

 After WWII our country created a system that encouraged our veterans to go to college to become engineers, scientists, doctors, and business people.  We built a public school system unparallel to any in the world.  The values that Tea Partiers profess focus on personal responsibility and covenant.  It’s time to stop fantasizing about the good old days and dedicate ourselves to bringing ourselves into the realities of the 21st century.


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Categories : ethics

Save the Male

15 04 2010

 

 George Bernard Shaw wrote, “This is the true joy of life:  the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clot of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.”  Warren;   The Purpose Driven Life

 For some time now many observers have said that the American male is in crisis.  Whether it’s the angry and depressed white man who feels that he has been displaced by women in the workforce or the angry and depressed young black who will either end up in prison or who has a poor education that relegates him to unemployment or underemployment, many American males find themselves living in a malaise of uncertainty and lack of direction.  Statistics can give us a glimpse at a situation that in many cases can help us understand the changing landscape facing men. 

  • In the latest economic downturn men are suffering more job loss than women.  The rate of white male unemployment is over 11% while the rate for white females is about 8%.  Men are also remaining unemployed longer.
  • Males make up about 80% of incarcerated prison inmates.
  • One in three black boys born in 2001 will spend time in prison
  • 60% of school drop outs are male.
  • Even though there is still a wage disparity in many companies between men and women, in the current recession as companies re-organize, management positions are more and more being offered to women.
  • Currently in college freshmen classes nearly 60% of entering freshmen are women.
  • Men are four times as likely to commit suicide and six times as likely to commit homicide as women.
  • Older white men commit suicide more often than any other demographic group.

 It’s impossible to generalize about all men or even men from different ethnic, social and economic groups.  And over time men can change.  But in order to reflect on the plight of the endangered male we have to make some assumptions about men in general and men in varying demographic groups to see if these men have things in common regardless of differences.  These sited statistics can possibly give us a glimpse of what is going on in men’s world.  .

 The simple answer is that many men have difficulty dealing with change.  In my work with couples as a marriage counselor several traits became clear about a majority of men. 

  1. Men had difficulty dealing with feelings unless it was anger which often turned into depression.
  2. Men tended to be more rule bound.  Not that they always followed the rules  but when engaged in counseling they tended to want a laundry list  of things to do and then they would try and do them. 
  3. The old joke about a mans wife asking him what he was thinking and him responding by saying, “nothing” is often the case. 
  4. Men lead very compartmentalized lives.  Family, friends, work, and pleasure tend to be separated and only shared with the appropriate groups and then the subject tends to be superficial. 

5.  Men tend to want to go it alone, rather than asking for help.

So what can we infer about men from these statistics and traits of men and the current situation of the endangered male.  Because many men feel left behind and impotent to being the man that they think they should be or that the world has dealt them a raw deal or that the system is against them, their responses are predictable.  Even though they might profess a philosophy of self reliance and autonomy they respond with rage and depression, often without seeing a way out.  Whether the rage is against government, big business, women, or the “man” their rage is focused on others rather than finding ways to help themselves.    

 And society doesn’t give them much encouragement.  Wives and family members may have their own financial expectations of the man, that if not fulfilled  to those expectations results in them becoming angry and rageful.  Men can’t just decide to stay home and play golf twice a week.  He’s expected to work and bring home the bacon.  Otherwise, he’s considered a drone.   But what of the drones in our society—men who father children out of wedlock and never participate in the rearing of those children. 

 In a recent visit to his prison inmate skills class, a friend of mine who was the facilitator asked his group how many of them had a relationship with their father’s.  Only two out of 10 had any kind contact with their father.  He then asked how many children had they fathered out of wedlock.  Of the nine men, there were eighteen children fathered out of wedlock.

 So, what is the answer?  One answer is for men to get their spiritual lives in order.  Since it seems that men respond best to direct imperatives here are some things to do.

  • God doesn’t care whether you’re rich, famous or good looking; only that you’re in relationship and covenant with Him.  We often listen too much to what the world holds out as success.  
  • God calls us to be in covenant with one another; with family, friends and co-workers.  Pray and study about what that means for your life.
  • God has given us all gifts but sometimes we don’t see them or we undervalue them.  This may mean that we have to retool for the future rather than being stuck in the past.  The Bible calls us to be faithful and responsible.  Society’s criterion for success often contradicts what Jesus calls us to be and do. 
  • Deal with your anger and your addictions.  They only cloud the mind to keep us from seeing God.  Join a twelve step program and stick with it.  Fake it until you make it.
  • God is always there, waiting for us and to give us his loving acceptance.  Stop thinking that you have to go it alone. 
  • Every man regardless of age should mentor a boy or another man.  Our wives, mothers or another woman can’t save us.  With God’s help and other men we can make our spiritual journey together.  That’s something that most all of us can do and if we will it will change our world. 

 We are living in an ever changing world.  Whether male or female, we’re in this together.  We can deal with change with anger or rage which only results in more anger and rage.  We can displace that anger on others or we can see ourselves as all being lovable in the eyes of God and the world may not be as we want it to be, but we can embrace the challenges of life, knowing that God is with us and suffers when we suffer and is joyful when we are joyful.


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Categories : ethics

Statement of Business Values

15 04 2010

1. We honor and uphold the authority of our leaders.

2. We focus on our mission, vision, and core values.

3. We speak positively and encourage others.

4. We devote time to recreation and reflection.

5. We revere those with wisdom.

6. We dignify the gift of life.

7. We support family values.

8. We utilize only what is rightfully ours.

9. We value honesty and tell the truth.

10. We respect the property and rights of others.

by, Rev. Jim Jackson


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