Where there's no will, there's no way.

Op-Ed

You've likely heard of, but perhaps not read the recommendations of the Presidential Debt Reduction Commission. You can read it here. The commission is led by former Wyoming Senator Alan K. Simpson and Clinton Chief of Staff Erskine Bowles. (This disclaimer: I've known Senator Simpson for some 25 years, seeing him most recently this past September)

Simpson's comments while making the rounds of interviews have been his usual colorful self. Bowles has been a bit more scholarly in tone. Either way, the focus is clear: Increase revenues and cut spending.

It's basic economics, which is understood everywhere else except government. It's hard to understand, why government can't understand, that you can't spend money you don't have.

The nation is broke. Deficits and debt are measured in the Trillions and we'll soon have to invent a new word for the next level. For now I'll use a Gazillion.

Gadzooks.

There of course have been howls of outrage about what needs to be done to dig out of this hole. Simpson responds, ""America, you have a serious problem and time is short to address it." Bowles makes his feeling clear as well describing Washington's penchant for spending money like drunken sailors as " a cancer, destroying our nation from within."

Some pundits question why we on Main Street should bear the brunt of all this. They say it was Washington, not us who created the problem. Actually it is our fault. We elected the same people year after year, decade after decade to bring home the bacon. It's our job and responsibility as citizens to pay attention to what's going on in Washington. The power lies with us, we only lend it to those we elect to represent us.

We were asleep at the switch while Washington maxed out the national credit card, manufactured new ones and maxed those too. The bills have come due. We've run out of paper and plastic.

If we have the will, we will find a way to dig out from the mountain of debt that is our sad legacy to our kids, our grand kids and their kids. It's going to hurt, big-time, for a long time.

But if we don't have the will, there's no way out. China owns the second mortgage on the White House and are licking their chops to foreclose.

Think about it.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"

Random Thoughts

Lots of stuff on my mind today, (In no particular order of importance.)

Speaking of sports:
What a debacle at Invesco. I know, it's always darkest before the dawn but right now it sure is dark!

Baylor comes to Austin this Saturday. Baylor is ranked and bowl eligible. Texas is just rank. They're going to retire Colt McCoy's number at the game, here's hoping his replacement's got game.

The baseball season is too long. NHL and NBA seasons are underway before the World Series has even started.

Speaking of the economy:
"They" says the recession is over. I don't think the 17% of Americans not working or hardly working would agree.

What comes after Trillion? Gazillion? Because the ways things are going, we're going to need a new number to measure the deficit.

How can we expect to help countries like Haiti when 13 million American kids will go to bed hungry tonight?

Speaking of politics:
I get a kick out of candidates here in Colorado who wear cowboy hats and jeans in their campaign ads, pretending they're just like "us." Wonder what candidates in Florida wear? Shorts and flip-flops?

Why can't people vote online?

The Tea Party is here to stay. It's ever-morphing but with the constant and growing belief that government has failed us. We share in the blame. Too many of us believe what we see in attack ads, yet don't tune into the numerous televised or attend public debates.

Speaking of the new television season:
I love Hawaii 5-0. It's so outrageously over the top, with a great cast and it doesn't take itself too serously. The Good Wife remains intelligent, thoughtful dramatic television. Ditto for House and Blue Bloods. The CSI trilogy is getting tired. Weird plotlines. Still trying to get into The Event, but it's hard work.

Ok, I'm done thinking.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you"