Of course, in order to be a good blogger, one has to be consistent, one has to post regularly. Obviously Ms. Sanity has been falling down in that regard. Ms. Sanity’s Mother has noticed this behavior for many a year now–she calls it the “Refusing to write a letter unless all the pencils in the house are sharpened, and you have the most beautiful stationery to use phenomenon,” when of course, the recipient would just be happy to get a durn letter from Ms. Sanity.

Mum’s right on the money there. One should just write the letter. And I know for a fact that I am not the only one with this phenomenon.

I was horrified and pretty annoyed with myself on this Thanksgiving Day when I realized that it has been 29 days since my last post. That’s simply not acceptable. See, when I make a post, I want it to be thoughtful. Original, well-written, preferably well (or at least marginally well) illustrated.

Here are some of my excuses. See if they mesh with any of YOUR excuses. (My father would say: There are always REASONS, but rarely excuses.)

• I’ve been busy.
  Well, we are ALL busy, in one way or another. If Ms. Sanity wants to be a blogger, she needs to blog, yes?
  
• I wanted my posts to be good. Exceptional, even.
  Well, my readers are looking for helpful, hopefully thought provoking information from me, and perhaps a little entertainment here and there, not proof of my substantial brilliance. (heh)
• I wanted to do research and provide LOTS of useful information in my next post.
  Well, even one piece or useful information or one link can make a difference to someone’s life. It doesn’t have to be fifty links! Helping out even a little is better than my silence, yes?

So, now: the flip side is this. I will do my best stop the habit of trying too hard, and perhaps you need to do the same. (Some of us, perhaps including yours truly, may need to watch out for “trying too hard not to try too hard,” but that’s a whole other post….)

Nike’s relatively inspired slogan “Just Do It,” is actually more than a good way to sell shoes. It’s a mantra many of us would do well to hold in mind, and act upon. So here’s my “Just did it” post… and I wish everyone, everywhere, a day or at least a moment of thanksgiving, as we celebrate here in the USA. Have a lovely day.. and don’t try too hard. Good enough is really, good enough, and something is almost always better than nothing…Nobody is perfect, anyway, no matter how hard one tries.

Anyway, ran across this, and it needed more eyeballs:

Apparently Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), explaining the Republican health care plan could pare it down to two little words:

“Die quickly.”
~Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL)

Major hat tip to twitterist @Ander517 who brought this to my attention.  Said Mr. Anders also added the following link which has a video clip, lest you think we make all this stuff up: click here.

Personally I couldn’t watch it. One is wise to know when to limit one’s news consumption, and I hit that mark a while back….

Onward and upward folks. Personally, I hope none of you die quickly. But then I’m not afraid of health care reform. And it’s not because I expect the frigging government to take care of all my needs, either. But that’s another post…

Over and over and over ad nauseum I’ve seen blogs and “tweets” and letters to the editor filled with craziness, outright, bald-faced lies and inaccuracies not only about the intentions and effects of the (FOUR) potential, proposed bills/new systems – but also about what life is like in the rest of the civilized world where they DO have universal health care. (For you accuracy buffs, there’s no such thing as “Obamacare”… yet, anyway.)

Few people -if any – are idiotic enough to believe that having a system of universal health care creates instant nirvana, nor would any thinking people living in a country with such a system insist that their systems are perfect.

However, because of the work that I do and the fact that I am married to a man who was born in Europe, I know and work with- regularly and intimately- people all over the world. I also, obviously, have relatives by marriage living in other countries, and I am here to tell you that NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM would come here for health care, nor would they trade our system for theirs, nor do any of them have any desire whatsoever to come here to live. Period. In fact, none of them will even set foot on US soil without (expensive!) traveler’s health insurance, due to the fact that any sane person knows that a minor accident (much less a serious one) can BANKRUPT a person who doesn’t have health insurance.

Unlike what people have assumed elsewhere, and asked me about, these people/relatives/clients I am referring to – in various European countries – are not exclusively or even usually:

• Very Young
• Very Healthy
• Extremely Poor
• Incredibly Heavily Taxed
• Interested in coming to the USA for health care
• Of the belief that the US is the sole seat of innovation in health care and science in the world. (Check the facts! Other countries invent and produce things too!)

I’m sorry that I’m screaming at you if you have read this far but I’m truly annoyed and sickened and disappointed in the way this health care debate thing is going. I despair at the apparent level of discourse and the seeming inability to think critically about this issue. It’s all fear, fear, fear, machismo, “we’re number one,” fear, money, fear, socialism strawmen, and “I’ve got mine, to heck with the rest of you.” (Oh yeah? Who’s going to perform the roles you take for granted if we little people all kick the bucket? You gonna take your own trash to the dump? Fix your own sewers, your own car, wait your own tables???)

Yes, okay, as someone once  said to me, reasonable people can disagree about the best way to solve the problem. It’s just that there seems to be precious little reasonableness around this issue in the public fora. From anywhere or anyone (quite frankly, at this moment, including Ms. Sanity!)

If you’ve been paying attention, and are living in the USA, you must have seen this stuff flying around also.

Here’s a quote from one of the more authoritative writers who has bothered to do research and to try to deconstruct some of the lies (which are being widely circulated!) One thing many of my fellow Americans are insanely failing to do is to consider the costs of DOING NOTHING. Here’s a glimpse, folks:

The US CBO {Congressional Budget Office} estimates that, with no changes to the {current USA} health care system, premiums will increase by $1,800 per year for the next ten years. That means a family will pay an average annual premium of more than $32,000 by then.

Oh, yeah, that’s going to be easy to handle with an average income in this country of about $48K or so. You really think that with this fabulous economy that your wages are going to go up that much in a decade? Think again.

Look, please, for your own good, for our collective good, for heaven’s sake, do some research, consider (shocking, I know) actually speaking to someone who lives in a country besides the USA about their experiences with their health care, read more than one source, don’t just believe the first chain email you get or the supremely unintelligent Sarah Palin stupidly telling you that we’re suddenly going to start killing off old people.

The simple fact is this: We ARE all in this life together. You do not live in isolation, you do not single-handedly completely create the prosperity and wealth that you have amassed, no matter how much you have–and you have a vested interest in the good health of your fellow man.

If a majority of people in this country cannot begin to grasp that simple fact, then our collective future is far darker than it seems.

In the meantime, cut the crap. There are a bazillion resources out there (factcheck.org is a good one, too) if you don’t trust the ones the government is putting out. But if you’re pulling your hair out over some chain email (or even blog posting, purporting to be from someone’s brother in law who is just “concerned” or from some dude the “health care ranger…”) first have a look here:  at the aptly named “Please Cut the Crap.”

My grandfather once, with a grimace,  years ago, said “People get the government they deserve.” (When the people of the state I live in elected – for his second term- a guy who if not a felon, was certainly “crooked.”) If that’s the case, then by the look of things at the zeitgeist, we are deserving not very much…since so many of you seem to believe you are all living on desert islands, and so on….

To riff on a lovely line from the movie Serenity:

You are not John Galt. Universal health care is not some Evil Empire or socialistic conspiracy leading us to the evils of communism. The Obama Administration is also not some Evil Empire. You people railing against health care are not the plucky heroes. This is not the grand arena.

Get a grip. Cut the crap. Read some stuff and don’t limit your information intake to Fox (Faux) news or, for that matter, Daily Kos or the Huffington Post.

If you don’t or won’t, don’t go crying to the rest of the world in a few years when only five perecent of the population has much access to health care, your premiums are $20 grand a year, and our trade imbalance and business competitiveness is even lower than it is at the moment.

I grew up in this land of hyperbole, these United States, and I know I am prone to overstating the case, (culture seeps in, inorexably, after all.) But these days I cannot escape near-constant visions that many, many thousands are going to have to literally lose their lives due to inadequate health care, before the “plucky heroes” of the right-wing begin to see it. And that quite literally breaks my bleeding heart. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Ok, so it’s only one step, but it’s a biggie. That step is… to get inspired. And stay that way. You may think, gentle reader, that this is easier said than done, but the truth is, it depends a great deal on what you are putting into your mental computer, and in order to be inspired, you want to put in – you guessed it – inspirational stuff. One of the easiest and most effective ways I’ve ever found to do this is through reading uplifting and inspiring books.

There are so many good writers out there, but I’m offering you some of my favorites, who have made the most lasting and marked positive impressions on me. Pema Chodron became a Buddhist nun in 1974. She currently teaches and works in a Buddhist monastery in Nova Scotia. She has a thought provoking, accessible writing style, and will not only make you think but will also make you feel JOY. And joy is often in short supply these days. I’ve linked to one of her books here, but she has several other titles, also worth reading. I believe any of her books will have useful and thought provoking (and uplifting) content for anyone, regardless of their spiritual bent or lack thereof. Chodron’s other books which I can personally vouch for include: When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times (1996), and Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living (1994.) Having struggled with a variety of health problems in my life (not to mention with the USA’s crazy-making so called health care system,) I know first hand how difficult it can be to get through each day when one is ill and/or when not feeling well, wondering how you’re going to pay for needed doctors’ visits, tests, and medications, and so forth. Reading about others who have successfully dealt with such challenges, and who have overcome them, has also been enormously beneficial to me.

Norman Cousins was one such person.  He was diagnosed in the early 1960′s with an incurable disease…. and he quite literally used comedy to heal himself. Seriously. His example that we are what we think and the results he gained from his careful getting and staying inspired–and making a point to laugh–speak for themselves. He, too has written several books, but the one here was the first one I read and meant a lot to me…I found it enormously helpful and inspiring.

What we take in to our lives, minds and hearts, makes a big difference to the quality of our lives. Take in something inspirational… and improve  your life in one easy step!

Occasionally I see a thoughtful comment or an infomed and rational opinion about it, and to further that end for people that want to really do a bit of homework about this issue (rather than insanely repeat other people’s talking points…) here’s a few links where you can get some information and make up your own damn mind. Ms. Sanity suggests that instead of just  believing health insurer funded public relations/urband legend lies in your email (which might be said to be from someone’s brother in law)–check to see that the facts are straight.

In the forwards I’ve seen, they’re not even close!An excellent post and analysis about the practice of “recission,” (based on recent comments to congress by a health insurer CEO)…which is when they DROP paying customers because they get sick. This is so well written that even people like me who struggle with wrapping their heads around the math can get what he’s talking about. Link is here.

Yes, there are some people who are worried, angry, totally against reform all on their own and who are not part of an “astroturfing effort.” However, it sure looks like some of the “I’m agin’ it…” stuff happening IS quite literally being run by some PR hacks. Witness this:

Conservatives for Patients’ Rights, the operation that’s running a national campaign against a public health care option, is now publicly taking credit for helping gin up the sometimes-rowdy outbursts targeting House Dems at town hall meetings around the country, raising questions about their spontaneity.

CPR is the group headed by controversial former hospitals exec Rick Scott that’s spending millions on ads attacking reform in all sorts of lurid ways, a campaign that’s being handled by the same P.R. mavens behind the Swift Boat Vets.

Link to the post I excerpted from is here. It’s a post (with some comments) worth reading.

A writer at the wonderfully named blog called “Please Cut the Crap” has posted a most excellent refutation and analysis on some of the email stuff  making the rounds. Here is a MOST excellent refutation of this specific email I’m talking about which is still  apparently flying around the intertubes…. see: http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/…

Yeah, exactly…. please cut the crap, okay? Yes, there are things to be concerned about with regard to health care and its’ reform in this country.  Yes, other countries have challenges as a result of their “health care as a human right” approach. But you know what? Every single person (and I know and talk to many because of the work that I do) who lives in a country with universal health care feels that they have it much, much better than any American but the uber-rich.  They pity us and they don’t understand why we are not effectively having a Bastille Day.

Let’s open our eyes, folks, and be sane. The UK has had universal health care since around the time my PARENTS were born (the late 1940′s.)

Having said that, we don’t have to follow anyone else’s model exactly. (Such as it doesn’t have to be structured like the UK’s exactly or Canada’s or whatever. ) But we do have to do something.  This situation cannot stand. It is up to we Americans to do something about it. But before you go screaming about how awful some sort of health care safety net might be. (Me, I advocate for single payer…) .. take twenty minutes and learn the facts behind all this stuff and the incredible amounts of money that the pharmaceuticals and health insurance companies and so on are playing to keep. The health insurance lobby–I kid you not–has been reported by several reputable outlets to be spending more than 1 million dollars a DAY to block this reform.

Do you think they’re spending all that money because they’re concerned about morality or anything of that nature??

In my mind the only question is whether we are going to collectively get saner about this in the very near future or whether a whole hell of a lot more Americans are going to be devastated or dead due to the health care status quo.  I’m having a hard time believing it’s anything other than the latter. If you are not well informed on this issue you better get that way real quick like your life depends on it. Because it might.

Please prove me wrong.

Here’s a hint/in a nutshell: it involves compassion. Compassion does not always come easily to me. But then, it may not come easily to anyone. It is, however, a blessing to all, when it is given.

How to Achieve Happiness (By HH Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso)

For a start, it is possible to divide every kind of happiness and suffering into two main categories: mental and physical.  Of the two, it is the mind that exerts the greatest influence on most of us.  Unless we are either gravely ill or deprived of basic necessities, our physical condition plays a secondary role in life.  If the body is content, we virtually ignore it. The mind, however, registers every event, no matter how small. Hence we should devote our most serious efforts to bringing about mental peace.

From my own limited experience I have found that the greatest degree of inner tranquility comes from the development of love and compassion. The more we care for the happiness of others, the greater our own sense of well-being becomes. Cultivating a close, warm-hearted feeling for others automatically puts the mind at ease. This helps remove whatever fears or insecurities we may have and gives us the strength to cope with any obstacles we encounter. It is the ultimate source of success in life.As long as we live in this world we are bound to encounter problems. If, at such times, we lose hope and become discouraged, we diminish our ability to face difficulties. If, on the other hand, we remember that it is not just ourselves but every one who has to undergo suffering, this more realistic perspective will increase our determination and capacity to overcome troubles. Indeed, with this attitude, each new obstacle can be seen as yet another valuable opportunity to improve our mind!

The full text of his statement is here. Read it… and be happy!

With the current whirlwhind of craziness about, many people who have a tendency toward depression and anxiety (which includes Ms. Sanity, gentle reader…) can be tending to struggle more than usual, due to the extra economic stress happening in most countries right now. At times like these, it’s important to pay extra attention to what one is putting into one’s mind, body, and spirit. What I find helps me, also, is to pay attention to the people that I surround myself with. When I am really struggling, I have to make an effort to reach out to my upbeat, positive thinking friends–and limit my contact with the real negative nay sayers. I also try to increase my intake of books, positive-oriented blogs, and other uplifting and inspirational items… and I’ve included a few favorites in this post. Unfortunately, some people-particularly people who have never themselves dealt with serious depression and anxiety – are very quick to just say “oh, well, snap out of it.” I know it’s tempting to throttle those people and say  ”Hey, If I could, I freakin’ would, all right?” but throttling is considered bad form, generally speaking.

David Burns, MD’s “Feeling Good,” was one of the first and best practical books I came across as I was working on my depressive self in my early 20′s. (I had been, I would say, clinically depressed since my teen years, if not before.) This book has a bazillion helpful hints, and lots of case histories to help the reader see and feel that they are NOT alone. I’d recommend this to anyone. It helped me tremendously.

I also found “You Can’t Afford the Luxury of A Negative Thought” both hysterical and very, very helpful and thought provoking. It has a ton of interesting quotations interspersed throughout, which of course I like. I believe this book also has a workbook that you can use to go through the book but the workbook is of course not necessary to gain a great deal out of reading the book.

Depression and anxiety can indeed be a crippling illness for those with severe cases of it. There is no question in my mind that some people need medication for it. (I just rather doubt that MILLIONS of people need medication for it, but that’s beside the point.) The thing is that you don’t have to suffer and be miserable. There is help available, in the form of good books, uplifting blogs (see the “Gratitude Blog” in my blogroll) along with about a trillion other ones. But most of all, don’t try to go it alone. Talk to someone you trust, reach out online, even. People with depression and serious anxiety do get better–sometimes a lot better. But it’s pretty rare for that to “just happen.” Usually effort must be made, in one way or another, or through working with an excellent therapist, counselor, and/or psychiatrist. The good ones of those professions are worth their weight in gold, and I assure you, they are out there.

Never doubt for one second that things can get better. They can, and they do. Ms. Sanity is living proof!
Feel free to let me know of any resources that you think should be shared with other gentle readers here.

If that rings any bells for you about yourself, there’s a short primer on the flip which may be helpful.

Over and over when I have my “counselor” hat on, people ask me questions like, “But is what happened to me A or B?” “Is it wrong for me to feel C or D?”  “Was that person wrong to do E or F?”  “Do I really have any redeeming value? What if I’m wrong about what I think?” and on and on it goes.

In my own life, partly through the process of going through therapy (something which I think nearly everyone can benefit from, if you can find a good therapist…) I eventually learned that–guess what–there is  not REALLY a fully-fledged rule book about life sitting somewhere that you can just look up and see a black and white answer that makes everything clear about A, B, C, D and so forth. (Spare me the Bible references, that’s not quite what I mean, although there are some enormously helpful rules and such to live by in the Bible….)

There came a point when I had to allow myself to live with some uncertainty, and once I did–whoosh, a huge burden was lifted.

Finally, in a blinding flash, I realized that my role was to do my best to make a sensible decision about what I thought about my life, and my actions, and so on, and that looking outside for some sort of handy manual that was going to spell absolutely everything out for me, was fruitless at best.

Some people are great  (okay, some people are delusional, too) about having positive self esteem, seeing their strengths, and so on. It comes easily and naturally to them. Those people are probably not even reading this article.

At the other end of the spectrum, we have the folks with the absolute lowest self-esteem, and paralyzing anxiety. “Am I really a bad person?” and so on are the kinds of questions that plague them constantly.  Here’s the deal:

Sometimes, for the latter type of person, you have to simply stop asking yourself and the world for the “truth” about a particular thing, and simply decide what is and is not helpful for you to think. Is it helpful, to you, or anyone else around you, for you to torture yourself endlessly that you “might” be a bad person, or a worthless person, and so on?

No, of course it isn’t. It is far helpful for your functioning, and for the world, if you make the decision to think “Perhaps I am an okay, at least, person.”  That gives you a launching pad to start from, whereas “Maybe I am really bad,” does not. (I’m referring to “normal” people here, not people, say, who killed someone last week, etc., who have plenty of reason to question themselves.)

You can, of course, tie yourself up in knots if you want, asking yourself  “Well, is it for real, do I have any basis to have even moderate self-esteem about?” but the fact of the matter is that sometimes you, and everyone else, are better off if you just make some (positive) assumptions.  So when it comes to the basics–like simple self esteem/self respect, you are better off, when your mental tape says “Is it real? should I allow myself to have even marginal self-esteem?” to respond with a resounding “Who cares if it’s “real” or not. That is where I’m going to begin, assuming that I have the right to draw breath, etc.”

For the record, I am very quick to suggest that people see a doctor and/or a licensed professional counselor (plus, of course, the law requires me to do so,and of course, that’s just the ethical thing to do.) I do realize that the type of mental machinations I’m describing CAN be due to major clinical depression and/or anxiety, and often need treatment from professionals.

The other fact of the matter, however, is that seeking or receiving mental health treatment is still stigmatized to an unbelievable degree (and it shouldn’t be) and that in the US, mental health care is simply not available (or seems unavailable–almost the same thing)  to many, many people. So I suppose talking to me can be better than nothing. At least that’s what they tell me.

My points here are threefold: a.) most people do have the power to do at least a little something about the damage those mental tapes are doing to themselves, b.) sometimes saying “who cares?!” is actually a very adult, reasoned, practical mental response, and c.) if your life feels like the pits because you can’t get past this stuff, reach out and get help, pronto.  There is ALWAYS help available, and we are not called to “go it on our own” forever.

If you struggle with this crap, try saying “who cares?!” for an hour. See how YOU feel.You might be surprised how freeing it is.

And for the (Ayn) Randians: Yes, of course there are absolutes in life. There just aren’t quite as many as most people seem to think. Life is full of shades of gray. Deal with it.

Learn to deal with change.

Follow me on the flip for the quotation and some more help on the subject. It’s not as hard as you might think. You see, the unhappiest people I know fight change with all their might. They get anxious about it, they deny it exists, they do all kinds of mental machinations to put blinders on about it. This is, of course, sadly misguided behavior.

It’s true that change can be threatening or frightening to all of us at times, however, it’s a natural part of life. And learning to handle it, to face it without flinching or running away, is an essential part of maturity and sanity.

Here’s the quotation:

Change is always happening. Even our thoughts are changing. Whenever something is good, it won’t last forever. Whenever something is bad, it won’t last forever. So, this financial crisis: It won’t last forever. It could be a turning point to change our views. What already has happened has happened. Every moment is a unique moment. We should treasure every moment.

–Master Jian-Sheng, abbess of the Buddha Gate Monastery, Lafayette.

Of course for many people it’s very difficult  to put into practice the art of accepting change.  This kind of thing is a lifelong journey, and NOBODY gets it perfectly right all the time, not even Ms. Sanity herself.

However, here are a few steps that can be helpful to manage anxiety and to help stay centered in the face of change or worry about change:

1. Breathe deeply. Anxiety often causes shallow breathing. Deep breaths can help you calm down and “open up.”
2. As the quotation says, try to stay “in the present moment” with your thoughts. Much of the time, there is little to nothing really horribly wrong at THIS particular moment.
3. Vent. It does not help you manage things to just stuff all your feelings down inside and ignore them. It’s actually the opposite.
4. Consider the worst case scenario. Take whatever you are worrying about or the change you are fearing to the absolute farthest worst-case you can imagine. Then consider how likely the worst case scenario is to actually come about. Generally the answer is that it almost certainly will not come about, at least not in the worst configuration you can imagine.
5. Consider the hidden gifts that this particular change might hold for you. Richard Bach wrote “There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its’ hands.” What gift might this change hold? Think outside the box.

And finally, if you need help to deal with stuff, reach out and get it. There is always help available, always someone who will care about you and help if they can, even if they are a stranger to you now. We are all in this life together, and there are a lot of people who are well aware of this.

Everything is always changing. One only has to look outside the window to confirm this. Why should our lives (not to mention our society) be any different?

How Is This Sane?

Tipsy Dazy has a comment here that challenged me to think long and hard about, well, everything, and particularly about communication.

Most of the people I have ever known do all tend to make assumptions regarding what is meant by a particular turn of phrase or word usage, (not to mention tone of voice, and so forth…) rather than listening carefully and attempting to think logically or critically or to ask the communicator for more information. I’d be lying if I pretended for one nanosecond that I don’t exhibit that kind of behavior on a regular basis, but hey, I’m working on it.  Read on if you want to know more about my (sane, though I say it myself… heh) ….assumptions.

In thinking about this sort of thing, and as I am today attempting to think about the issues of equality or inequality in American society, Tipsy made me remember that I should at least attempt to consider what some of the assumptions are behind my statements and my “world view.” It may be clumsy but here’s my attempt at some definition.

One of the assumptions that I believe underlie some of my thinking about the world is the idea that it almost certainly is not possible in human society to “legislate equality.” I can remember in my youth as part of my education in literature, reading the story “Harrison Bergeron” originally published by Kurt Vonnegut in 1961.  (available in full here.) I remember marveling as a child at Vonnegut’s brilliantly made point that it simply is not possible–and it is silly to try– to pass laws that will supposedly somehow make everyone “equal” in any real, meaningful way. We are all born with different skills, talents, interests, and capacities, and no amount of law-making is going to change that.

Having said that, I also in my youth digested the famous line from “Animal Farm,” which states: ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL. BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.

Whether I and my liberal brethren like it or not, (even though Orwell, of course, was speaking out against “some being more equal than others,”) the truth of the matter is that we are not in any way truly equal in the world except in the metaphorical sense of the worth of a human life which is immeasurable, of course….. and that this inequality does now and always will  include our incomes and cash assets. To oversimplify, our conservative brethren seem to me to also oversimplify, and that they worry that libruls (misspelling intentional, sorry) miss that point–e.g. that income, too, is not equal and never will be.

Actually we liberals/progressives, we understand that last point. Really. Anybody that’s tried to make an actual LIVING in America in the last twenty years or so, can hardly have missed it.

I also assume that conservatives (and too, libertarian types…) tend to think that liberals, and/or “progressives” furthermore have some deluded idea that somehow it is possible to wave our non-existent magical wands and make us all equal, in income or by any other measure. We aren’t equal, not in abilities, not in opportunities etc. etc. etc.

Another assumption that I hold, though I don’t think as a general rule that the majority of my countrymen would agree with me…(my friends, yes, and family… but most of the country? doubt it…. )….is that we ARE all equal, however, in terms of WORTH. (Inner, metaphysical, human-dignity type worth.)

Personally, I hold it to be self-evident too that (although, of course, it’s a slippery slope that requires much caution)  just because someone is in possession of assets – cash or other ones – does not mean that they acquired them legally or in any sort of morally acceptable fashion. This seems to be one assumption tenderly nurtured by the Republicans and Libertarians – e.g. that the assumption is that if someone has something today, that they are entitled to keep it in perpetuity.  (Witness the implosion of the entire financial world partly as a result of leveraging and re-leveraging “assets” that were backed by nothing or not very much or .0001 % of not very much… and the continuing clamor of investors to “be made whole.”)

On the other hand just because I might not think, for example, that Alan Greenspan has come by whatever assets he has in his bank account in any sort of moral, acceptable, or legal way,  does NOT give me the right to just ride in and seize his assets. That’s why we have due process, that’s why we have courts, and that’s why the framers tried to limit (not eliminate) the openings for “mob rule.”

Mobs are notoriously not great at critical thinking.

Back to what I think that conservatives and such assume; I think they assume that liberals think that assets can be/should be just taken away willy nilly from the have-mores and given to the have nothings. I don’t think I’ve ever met a person who really believed that.

However what I do assume – and think is self-evident- though again I do not think the majority would agree with me in the United States - is that the inequalities of income CAN and should be leveled at least to a degree.  Take a close look at the graph on this post. How the hell does that make sense in a civilized society?

Oh yeah, that’s another thing. I do not assume that this really is a civilized society. Maybe never has been, when you take even a moment’s glance at our history.

And I certainly do not assume that this country is a representation of “the good guys” in the world, or that we have any right whatsoever to tell other countries how to run their affairs. Clearly our own “house” is not now and perhaps never been in order.

Two last ones before I stop… I DO also assume that taxes are part and parcel of the dues I and anyone else have to pay for living in a society. I do not assume that taxes are bad. Even if I do not think that the people I pay taxes to are stewarding them the way that I would steward them.

Last, and perhaps most important  assumption: I assume, with few and narrow exceptions, that there is not such a thing as “US” and  “THEM,” at least not on this planet. We live in a literal fishbowl – I assume that it is ALL  US. We are all in this damn life together. That seems pretty damn self evident to me.

And I assume that some day we will all assume that – but I don’t think it will happen in my lifetime.

What do YOU assume? What is self evident to you? I really would want to know.