During the last two weeks of my fall semester, my sociology professor posed some political/social questions to the class. One such question was; “should the government mandate a minimum yearly wage of $23,000 to full time workers? Some money would be demanded from the places of employment, and the rest would come from increased taxes on businesses.”
Thankfully, everyone in my class disagreed with this theoretical proposition. People were worried that the businesses would suffer too much from the mandate. In order to pay some employees more, many people would be laid off. This is of course an unintended consequence, but a very predictable one. If only governmental officials had this kind of sense! Instead, they think that we can spend our way to prosperity; that we can consume without first producing. In fact, a 1.1 trillion dollar spending bill has just been passed through Congress and is on President Obama’s desk.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091214/ap_on_bi_ge/us_congress_spending
I think Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid speaks for all the big-spenders when he says, “Every bill that is passed, every project that is funded and every job that is created helps America take another step forward on the road of economic recovery.” Is he listening to what he’s saying? Every bill passed? It doesn’t matter what it is? According to this logic, Congress should spend 100% of the GDP. They should take every single dollar that the people of the U.S. have earned and spend it on whichever cause suits their fancy.
But back to the original question…Unfortunately, quite a few members of my class added on an interesting opinion to their responses; they had no problem taxing the super rich and giving it to the poor. Yikes! This attitude is scary. Their argument is; “they can afford it, so why not decrease the gap between incomes?” And the answer is simple; “the wealth is theirs!” Whether you think they deserve their money or not, no one has the right to take it from them. This undermines the establishment of a moral society. In the words of Francisco d’Anconia, “Do not envy a worthless heir; his wealth is not yours and you would have done no better with it. Do not think that it should have been distributed among you; loading the world with fifty parasites instead of one, would not bring back the dead virtue which was the fortune. Money is a living power that dies without its root.” If only government bureaucrats read Ayn Rand…
In September, I posted a blog about how I didn’t care much about entering my senior year of high school. Basically, it was just a bunch of complaining and moaning.
You can look at it here;
http://sweetwaffles.wordpress.com/2008/09/03/cranium-in-limbo/
…(not that it’s worth reading).
Since I just graduated, I’ll dedicate this blog to discussing my future plans. I’ve matured a lot. Looking back on that blog in September, I almost feel ashamed of myself. I was scared of the future, which is understandable; but I was not completely willing to step up and do something about it, which is not as forgivable. I should have tried to make the most of my situation, and I just whined about wanting to be in ninth grade again.
Now that college is the next step in my life, I’m starting to get serious about my future. My girlfriend and I did apply to Virginia Tech for the early decision application. I was deferred and she was accepted. Then for the regular decision application, I was put on the waiting list. In the middle of all this, I was almost wishing for a definite no instead of a possible yes. I really wanted to know what I was going to do in the future.
Last week I received my rejection letter. It’s going to be tough seeing Mindy go, but I’ll attend community college for a year and transfer to Tech without any problem. I’m very happy for her, and I wish her the best of luck. I’ll get to see her at every home football game!
As for my career path…Ahhh, I guess I’ve got some more life to live first. I’m going to fill this summer with books and knowledge and Mindy.
Listening to: Return to Cookie Mountain by TV on the Radio, Advisory Committee by Mirah, and Vespertine by Bjork
Reading: Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
The first day of my senior year. Let me repeat that to see if I can get any more meaning out of it. The first day. Of my senior year.
I am less than excited. It seemed very much like any other school day. In fact, it didn’t even feel like there had been any break between this school year and the last. It’s just one long stretch of boredom. Why is everyone asking me if I’m excited to be senior? I don’t really care about being a senior, I don’t enjoy thinking about going off to college, and I wish I could be a freshman again. I know I have to accept the situation I’m in, but I don’t have to be happy with it.
How can I enjoy my last year of high school if the only thing I can think about is getting into college? I’m not even sure about what I want to major in. I used to be pretty set on journalism, but I’m doubting my skill level in that area. With a 3.1 GPA and my first choice for college being Virginia Tech, I don’t think I’ll make it in as undecided for a major.
Ughhhhhh, I need to think about this year. I have a cartload of difficult classes and I have to fit my homework in around a job that requires 1/3834789 of my brain power.
Someone save me!
