Christian Writer's Guild practice...

My last lesson for the Writer's Guild was about the use of the senses in writing. You know, sight, touch, etc. It's tough to practice this spontaneously in my novel - the plot dictates what I can talk about and when - so I like to write smaller pieces in order to excersize my creativity and sharpen my writing skills. So here's what work is like...

I'm sitting, slouched back, at my desk. Computers hum all around me, set in neat two by two rows around the room, many with a pair of attentive eyes glued to their luminescent screens. Well, actually, where I work they could use a good dose of Elmer's. As I glance around the room I don't see much rapt attention being paid to the windows of learning that cover my student's monitors. Instead I see tired faces, glazed eyes and drooping heads. It's summer school and they'd all rather be somewhere else. Who can blame them, even on a day like today. A light haze of cloud cover dims the outdoors today, rather than the more prototypical school-free summer day. But through those windows and out into the overcast morning is still freedom. Its still where they...where we...would rather be.

To the Cincinnati Reds front office...

The trade deadline is only five days away. Please...please get us some pitching.

Universal Health Care

Its all the rage. Every American, covered by government sponsored health care. The democratic candidates are touting it as a moral necessity (see John Edwards especially) and those who would oppose such a thing are easily cast as rich, uncompassionate heals. How could anyone be opposed to universal health care?

Well, here are a few concerns. #1: Quality of care. Sure, Great Britain, Canada, etc. have free medical care available to all citizens. But I've heard that often they have to wait months to get that care, even when their health depends on its speedy application. Is this true? This would concern me. #2: My understanding is that doctor's salaries go way down under government sponsored health care. Won't this negatively effect motivation (they do work rediculous hours to earn those big checks) and even the number of college students heading for the medical field. Increased financial gain for increased ability and work load is kind of why capitalism works. Moderate financial gain for the same sacrifices will surely turn capable young people to other more lucrative professions. #3: If the government is paying for nationwide health care, that means that I'm paying for it because they will be using my tax dollars. While I'm not necessarily opposed to helping out a fifty year old man with a cleft palatte (see John Edwards YouTube debate), I do have a problem paying for a unrepentant six pack a day smoker whose having lung problems or an alcoholic whose liver is finally calling it quits. I do have a problem paying for maternity care for a single mother of five who wants more children for the welfare it brings in. These may be extreme cases, though certainly realistic, but it comes down to our government using my money to accomplish things I might not agree with (for the record, I have the same problem in other areas).

There seem to be other solutions. Let's bring the cost of health care down, and with it insurance rates, by targeting rediculous lawsuits that drive malpractice insurance through the stratosphere. Let's promote generic drugs and other alternative that might introduce competition into the marketplace. And let's face it: we need to start teaching people that the American dream isn't to have the luxuries of life handed to you on a platter. Its opportunity. Opportunity to get an education, work hard, and be responsible. Sure there will be cases of disadvantage outside a person's control and we should jump as compassionate human beings to help from our abundance. But individuals still must take responsibility.

YouTube Debates

I was able to watch much of the Democratic YouTube debates on Monday night. I enjoyed the format (though I think the "freedom" and "user generated content" aspect of it was tainted by the fact that CNN sifted through and chose all the questions) and surprisingly enjoyed hearing the democrat's answers. Most of the second or third tier candidates were very unimpressive, save Joe Biden. Their obvious attempts to make bold statements in order to separate themselves from the others came across as, well, obvious. Dennis K. especially with his repeated attempt to promote his text-messaging campaign prop. However, the top three, Clinton, Obama, and Edwards, were fairly solid. Clinton especially came across as intelligent, capable, and powerful, no doubt overcoming some of the doubts American's might have about having a woman president. In fact, her performance, complete with references to "brigades" which I thought was a great demonstration of military competence, was so good that even I can begin to see her leading our nation. Its a terrifying sight. I get the feeling that she can be such a good leader that she will actually be able to accomplish some of her agendas, moving the country in a clearly leftward direction. Forget about Iraq for a second. I'm talking about universal heath care, bigger government, and further moral decline. Clinton is focused, smart, and a great politician (not necessarily a compliment in my opinion) and her performance last night led me to believe that she could take the nation by its partisian horns and direct it into her own coral. Not a place I'm interested in being.

Our nation praises good leadership. We forget that the term is morally neutral. George Washington was a great leader, but so was Adolf Hitler. We need a strong president, but we need one who will lead us in the right direction, not the left.