Initiative 1098 is a ballot referendum asking the voters of Washington state the following.

Should the state levy an income tax on an individual income earner, whose income is $200,000.00 a year or higher, conversely, should the state also impose an income tax on couples filing jointly, whose earned income is above $400,000.00?

Since this blog will not only be read by Washingtonians, but also by those residing in the other forty-nine states. I need to inform the reader residing in states other than Washington, that The State of Washington, does not currently have any form of income tax.

Therefore, since the residents of other states are now on the same page, I will continue with my opining.

I was interviewed yesterday October 15, 2010, by a local television station in Spokane, Washington, concerning Proposition 1098. The primary question asked, “Will you vote to approve or will you vote against Proposition 1098?” Here is the video: http://bit.ly/dfgB37

Therefore, as a registered voter, someone asked, “How say you on this matter?”
My answer is straightforward. To levy a tax against one-group verses another group, is class warfare. History as and object lesson, if we allow such class envy, we are endangering of being the next target.

The idea to punish other people for being successful is not economically wise. If we as a nation or any state travel this road of punishing the efficacious entrepreneur, where would any of us be employed? Many may not like the truth; the poor generally do not employ anyone.

What has happened to the ideal whom every American, young, old, poor, or middle class desire to better their economic condition?

Do not all American’s desire their children to attain to a greater degree of success than they did?

Have we as Americans come to believe that the government is our road to success?

America’s economic strength isn’t understood, until you understand the American Spirit. The American Spirit found in the individualism, entrepreneurship, and the risk takers, of the people who populate this nation. America’s foundations are sunk into the bedrock of its people.

If we as a people surrender the very individualism, and defer to the government as its subjects, then the American ideal is lost. If we are mere subjects of the ruling class, no matter what party, subsequently we are no longer America!

America is great because we believe in our ability to be great.

Since the laying of the foundations of the United States of America, the world at large called our country a bastard nation. Why such coarse word to describe America? The word bastard does befit our identity. The idea of a bastard is a child without a father. We are a nation without genetic similarity to any other nation on the earth. We truly have no father.

America is the envy of the world. If this is not, so why is it that most of the people of the world want to come to America?
Then why would we as American’s want to be like the rest of the world.

Initiative 1098 ask us to declare war against our more successful brothers, and sisters. Let us not be like every other nation. We are Americans let us be the shining city on the hill, that everyone else wants to be like.

Revoke to attempt of government to make us their dependents. Government should be our tool not our master.

This editorial will be a view of liberalism, and conservatism systemic beliefs. Furthermore, what these two divergent philosophies impede or promote.

The terms’ liberal, and conservative I believe are really talking points. The more accurate terms are socialism, and individualism.

These two philosophies can and do mutually exist in the economic system in the United States. The danger is when we believe that either viewpoint must dominate the economic landscape.

Historically, we learned that pure unadulterated individualism without regulation failed. The runaway corporate greed of the late nineteenth century gave rise to the term “Robber Barons.” These tycoons thought of their own welfare. The regulation of “Antitrust Laws” enacted not only protected the common good. By reestablished the most important tenant of capitalism competition.

Nineteen seventeen began the grand experiment with the establishment of the communist form of government in Russia. This form of centralized authority naturally fit well with the socialist economic system. This undiluted socialist system truly was the antitheses of the pure individualism.

The two philosophies socialism, and individualism, left undiluted did, and destined to fail.
These two divergent economic systems so polarized, and on opposite ends of the commercial spectrum. Each ideal impedes the same economic necessity competition.

Socialism, and individualism seek to promote the same thing the common good. Both economic systems left unregulated overlooked one important fact the human condition.

The social welfare manipulated by the state with absolute power, as we know, absolute power corrupts absolutely. The historical footnote found in the tyrannical reign of Stalin over the Soviet Union, and the “Robber Barons” of the late nineteenth century. Both examples expose’ the human frailty of greed.

To believe that the state knows what is better for the common everyday person is a fool’s desire. That the individuals are not responsible for their own needs, but the state is, ends in slavery. The unbridled greed of the “Robber Barons” of the early twenty-first century or any century, leads to servitude, too.

As a business owner, I operate my business under this supreme rule. I treat other, as I would want to be treated. This phrase probably sound familiar; it should it is the golden rule utter two thousand years ago by Jesus Christ.

In closing, I ask should all of us not only be concerned with our own needs, but also the needs of others.

Many visitors have asked, “How did you learn to write”? The standard answer I offer is, “Writing is a learned skill, the more you practice, the better you write.” To all those would be authors start writing, compose something every day.

As an author I am embolden by the kind comments of the readers of Mr. Decal’s blog post. I am also thankful for those who analyze my writing talent.

Before September of 2009, I had not written any article, save the essays written in school. Since that first published article writing has become a passion. Two months ago, I challenged myself, to write a twenty-page narrative. The project had three purposes, first to write a story, two to develop characters, and three to write dialog. The fourth unmentioned objective that the story line, with characters, and dialog, would all work together to form a plot, and the readers are entertained. During this self-imposed undertaking, I did learn how to construct a plot using the three elements noted above.

A friend helped me identify another bright spot in my writing ability. He is an author and teaches writing at the university level. He recognized my talent of painting pictures with the written word. Something I always wanted to be able to accomplish.

After I completed the writing project, I found a hobby that I loved. Because of my experiences during the assignment, I did not want to stop writing. The next decision came from the newfound passion. I decided to write a novel.

Writing a novel is a daunting task. The average novel consists of 250,000 words, a narrative that is interesting, and keeps the reader turning pages. I find the task overwhelming, exhilarating and challenging. I write everyday a minimum of 500-1,000 words. I am learning the frustration of writers block, and taking advantage of the creative juices when they flow unabated.

Therefore, I want to thank all of my readers of Mr. Decal’s Blog for your kind comments and helping me launch my writing career.

Weekends were our time to be free of all responsibilities, and speak and live the immortal words of the over worked, under paid employees of that prison of work, TGIF, thank God it’s Friday. The Friday evening ritual of casting off every vestige of the ordinary included our standard Friday night visit to a local eatery we were free to go so we went. I remember these days in a time long, long ago, but with hazy clarity.

Then it happen children, we became parents, what a joy to be sure, but the joy soon brought the reality of the responsibility of now being a couple after children (AC). The everyday and even the weekends were no longer ours to be free, but now the child is our concern, awake or asleep if you can sleep.

The weekend trips are a thing of the past for at least the foreseeable future. Even if we had the energy to enjoy a weekend trip, the logistics of such an endeavor means bring virtually the entire child’s bedroom and cloths with us leaving no room for the suitcases. So now, we are guardians of our dear son, and we began to understand what our parents experienced. Even in all this we that is my wife and I loved every minute of this new life (AC).

Parents at all stages of their training say two phrases that seem to be common among all parents of the baby, toddler, and the teenager. The first phrase uttered in the everyday frustration of your children helping you grow up, and in that training you say, will this ever end.

It is true that every parent loves their children because those very children not only grew up, but they helped their parents grow up. Therefore, it is with sadness that our children one by one leave the nest and then we utter the next phase, how this time slipped away so fast.

Why I love, begin a grandparent because grandparents can again do anything they want. Take a weekend trip just because they are free to go, and not chained to the everyday of raising children. Grandparents have the best of both world’s they can have the grand children over for the day or even sleep over. Grandparents know the grand children have live in wardens who concern and frustrate enough.

In closing, my wife and I loved raising our children. Now our children are men and women who have become our friends.

Our grand children remind us of the times of wonder and the discovery of small children. Which as parents we experienced these times, but we did not have the time to appreciate them. These are the times that make grandparents smile, and laugh and enjoy the wonder of the everyday, because grandparents are not overwhelmed with the concerns and frustrations of the everyday.

The message to parents in all stages of instruction is to smell and gaze the beautiful flowers of your children’s wonder and discovery. Even though it seems this time will never end, it will and when it is gone, it is gone. Even pictures do not reclaim the past; only memories of your children’s moments of wonder and discovery enrich your existence and make you ready to be a grandparent.

Doug Bryant

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