The Unspoken Legacy of Jerry Falwell

Falwell had a profound influence and role in shaping public policy and government activity and focus for the last 30 years ago. He basically changed the Republican Party, at least on the surface for many, as the party that would protect and increase morals; while perpertually defining the Democrats as the party responsible for the decline in morality and the growth of social problems and societal dysfunction.

But the legacy of Falwell's influence and presence that is never talked about is the significant shift that occurred in government from a focus on economic issues and the well-being of the middle class and helping the poor and misfortunate to a profound focus on moral and character issues. This shift which really started with the inauguration of Reagan in 1981 has had a deep and powerful effect and cost on the nation as a whole, in states and communities, and in families and individually.

Income inequality has skyrocketed and wages and salaries have lagged enormously behind the increases in prices and costs of consumer goods, particularly housing, energy, health care, food and household goods, and automobiles, among others. Where a working class man could support his family on his income alone has all but disappeared in the last 25 years and compelled families to become dual income with both spouses working fulltime to make ends meet. This economic inevitability has come with an unimaginable and untold cost on families and children in so many different ways as well as for communities and society at large. There has been a noticeable and discernable decline and decay in the standard of living and the quality of life in many ways in the last 25 years and most Americans recognize this today.

And for a single person like me, the decline in wages and pay has resulted in a severe loss of standard of living and forced one to have to make difficult and painful sacrifices and really miss out on some of the great opportunities that life is supposed to offer. Instead, market capitalism and corporacy has run amok and destroyed much of what America was about in the recent past and resulted in a serious decline in most elements considered to be a part of the quality of life. A single person can no longer make it on their own in America today unless they are making $40-50,000 per year and I have never made even half that ever in a year in my life.

Ironically, Falwell's pressure and influence on government and forcing them to largely abandon economic issues resulted in the growth of the problems related to the moral issues he pontificated on and hounded government about.

One can conclude that because of Falwell and others, moral decay and the related problems caused were increased in numbers and stature and in the mindsets of many people; had he stayed out of the public limelight, the nation would have been so much better off as the basic family and community foundations and structures would have been better served and fostered by government and the growth in societal and moral problems would have not increased as greatly as they have these last 25 years. Corporations would not have been allowed to be so greedy, arrogant, irresponsible, powerful, tax evading, and monopolistic; and the wealthy would have constrained more greatly through tax and other public policy.

Lets hope 2009 begins the reversal and correction for all the mistakes and shortcomings that have occurred since 1981. If not, things are going to get so much more worse in almost unimaginable ways that one would say smacks of science fiction...

New Immigration Bill is Terrible and Treasonous !!!

The Immigration Bill passed in the Senate is an utterly woeful sorry piece of legislation. It basically gives the nation away to criminals and further destroys economic vitality and security of working class Americans and their families.

In addition, the illegals get rewarded for lawbreaking, the nation gains people that will be a financial drain in so many ways on taxpayers, and more growth and more sprawl gets authorized and subsidized. I am in complete agreement with Representative Tancredo and his approach to deal with this enormous plague upon our land and home. Gather 'em up and get 'em all out for heavens sake.

There are already over 310 million people in this nation and the environments and ecosystems were not meant to be infested with this many people. The cost to us will be tragic and inevitably fatal before the end of this century. I sure hope the US House shoots down this pathetic piece of "legislation" for all Americans' sakes.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070518/ap_on_go_co/immigration_congress;_ylt=AhfaI59uBbb30_iWR4hwIz6s0NUE

MLB Channel Set to Launch in 2009

The new basic cable and satellite channel, the MLB Network, promises to be a great addition for viewing and will be the most successful channel launch ever. I just wonder how they will fill all the thousands and thousands of hours with worthwhile programming. The existing sports broadcast channels are nowhere at all near being able to do that as it stands now.



http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/316238_baseballtv18.html