Regarding the "Affordable Care" Act...Here are some facts from a wise young man (under 35 so yeah, he's young, it's all relative)

Obamacare is now the law of the land (actually the Constitution should be viewed as same but we'll talk about that another time). Yay!!! Health care for all, and only the rich are going to suffer. Boo! Not true...

Here's a couple of facts for ya...It is estimated that Obamacare will add $1.79 per hour to the cost of each employee. If employers choose to pay the mandated fine rather than spend the $1.79 it will cost them $.98 per hour per employee. As many as 1/3 of companies in the U.S. are considering canceling health coverage for employees as they can't afford it. Dozens of very large businesses have already announced layoffs in anticipation of increased health coverage costs. AND, if you don’t have health insurance you will be fined AND the IRS will withhold your tax refund…Awesome.

Now, some will say all that is 'theory.' Here are some facts from a wise young man (under 35 so yeah, he's young, it's all relative).
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"Please, if anyone reading this has seen their family insurance premiums decreased by $2500 over the past 4 years, I would like to hear your story.  Who is your provider? Do you work for a large company? Small company? Self-employed? I’m trying to get a sampling from my 250+ FB friends. Anyone seen their premiums decrease? Benefits increase? I want to know what industry you work in and how it has improved. Let’s have an adult discussion, no politics, just facts please.

I couldn't stand the suspense so I just went and looked at a pay stub from 2009. In '09 (before my employer had a chance to push Obamacare costs onto its employees) we were paying $141 every 2 weeks, 26 times per year that is $3666. My last paycheck 2 weeks ago we paid $210. 26 times a year that comes out to $5460. That is $1794 out of pocket difference just for the premiums. In addition, we have since lost our copay plan, now instead of paying flat rate per visit, we pay $1k minimum deductible per family member per year. After that we pay 10% of all costs. Additionally, our ER visit costs have gone up, RX co-pays have doubled, dental and vision have both increased proportionately also. I understand how inflation works, I understand things are going to cost more over time, don't need an economics lesson, but this is NOT inflation, this is insurance companies pushing the smothering costs of Obamacare onto its clientele. Still waiting for someone to inform me how this new health care plan has helped anyone. 

In '09 (pre-Obamacare insurance costs) it cost us ~$450 to have our second child. That’s, OB visits for 9 months, 5-day inpatient for both mom and baby (including c-section) and post-care visits. If we had that same baby today it would cost us over $4k out of pocket. Math majors, that is a 1000% increase. Still waiting for someone to show me the silver lining. I’m not seeing it.

My angle is always to win people with facts, arguing the politics of socialism vs free enterprise falls on deaf ears, we should all know that by now. Showing people how much real $$ something actually costs a hard working family may actually have more sway. Listening to Obama brag about how has he met all/most of his objectives in the recent debates really set me off. Don’t pee on my shoe and tell me it's raining! I’m well educated, I have a high paying job,Ii own all my vehicles, I have owned a home for all 11 of my adult years, I have ZERO consumer debt, and somehow even given all of that, I still can't pay for fuel to put in my car and I routinely have to choose between taking my child to the doctor’s office or putting food on my table. 

Tell me how redistributing wealth has helped anyone in this country. If people want handouts, come to church. At our church we freely give. Let the government protect us from terror, let the people take care of our own welfare. Let big bird pay for his own cable network, I’ll pay for the NFL network if I want to watch the NFL!"

True that.

If it is to be, it's up to me, and you.

“We are five days away from fundamentally transforming the United States of America.”

Barack Obama, 2008

When candidate Obama said that five days before he was elected President four years ago, most of America didn't even pay attention. And we have suffered for it. A lot of people think the President has come up short (or failed if we want to be honest about it) because he is inexperienced and doesn't know what he is doing. I disagree. I believe he knows exactly what he’s doing…He is working on the ‘fundamental transformation’ of America, just as he promised; he is looking forward to the day when we won’t recognize this country anymore because of the ‘change’ he is working to bring about. Michelle Obama said about her then-candidate husband:

“Barack knows that we are going to have to make sacrifices; we are going to have to change our conversation; we're going to have to change our traditions, change our history; we're going to have to move into a different place as a nation."

Our current President seeks to ‘fundamentally transform America’ away from a Constitutional republic to something else he deems better. But, we MUST ask ‘fundamentally change’ INTO WHAT? Has our past been so bad and our foundations so flawed? What has made America what she is? Are we smarter than the rest of the world? Are we more creative? Are we more disciplined? Are we physically more imposing? WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES US THE ENVY OF THE WORLD, THAT MAKES PEOPLE IN IMPOVERISHED COUNTIRES WANT TO COME HERE RATHER THAN SOME OTHER IMPOVERISHED COUNTRY? WHAT IS IT?...WHAT? It's the founding, first principles....The 'recipe' if you will.

‘Fundamental Change’….What does this really mean? He wants to ‘change the recipe’ that has made America the most prosperous, most generous, most benevolent, most liberating nation in history….

Let’s think about it like this:

If you want the cake in the picture you have to follow the recipe on the box. You can say you want the cake in the picture, but if you ‘fundamentally change’ the recipe you won’t get it.. You will get something else…And we’re seeing the results of the attempts of the administration to change the recipe. And the results are not good.

If you are happy with direction the country is headed, you should vote for President Obama and all candidates nationally and locally that identify with his agenda. If you feel we need a change in direction, you should vote for Mitt Romney and all candidates nationally and locally that identify with his agenda.

If it is to be, it's up to me, and you.

We Need and Want a President Who Will Act in the Best Interests of the Country...

I issued the following 'warning' on Facebook 11/1....

Hello my FB friends:
Just a heads up....Knowing that a lot of folks haven't voted yet I'm gonna be posting daily regarding the upcoming elections until Nov. 6th (election day if you haven't heard). Hopefully you will find my astute musings profitable (unless you're against profits then feel free to re-distribute them as you see fit. Oh wow, I just posted today's). As the day draws near some may be a little more pointed than previous posts, but let's make a commitment now to remain friends, agreed?

Stay tuned, and stay patient, it's almost over.
Love love,
GB

Here we go…..

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Originally posted Jan 15, 2012...Just a reminder:

I posted October 25, 2011:

President Obama is traveling the country proudly saying “If congress won’t act, I will.” Mr. President, you are not a king, you are not a benevolent dictator, you are bound to operate within the framework of the constitution in concert with the other two branches of government and you cannot 'act on your own.'

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I posted November 2, 2011 as a follow up to the Oct. 25 post:

“If congress won’t act, I will.” Well, here we go...President Obama has signed 5 Executive Orders in the last week alone. He is circumventing Congress. And he is being encouraged to do so. Here is a quote from Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr: “I hope the President continues to exercise extraordinary constitutional means, based on the history of Congresses that have been in rebellion in the past. He’s looking administratively for ways to advance the causes of the American people, because this Congress is completely dysfunctional." Mr. President, just because the majority of Congress have different ideas about policy than you do does not give you the right to by-pass them AND the Constitution. By your actions you are abandoning your responsibility, your reason, and have shown your utter disrespect for the Constitution, our national institutions and the rule of law.

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Posted Jan 15, 2012:

And today, ‘the beat goes on:’ President Obama just appointed Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and three members to the National Labor Relations Board, using the ‘recess appointment’ rational, even though the Senate has met every three or four days over the holiday period and therefore is not in recess. As House Speaker John Boehner said "This is an extraordinary and entirely unprecedented power grab by President Obama which will have a devastating effect on the checks and balances that are enshrined in our constitution." The President feels he was justified in the appointments, calling the pro forma sessions "gimmicks."…

This is just the latest evidence of President Obama’s blatant disregard for the Constitution (overuse of Executive Orders, the Individual Mandate in the healthcare bill, acting independently/without Congress in the Libyan involvement, etc. etc.).

Here’s the problem: President Obama thinks ‘he knows best’ and we need him to ‘act on our behalf’ as he sees best even if it means going outside the limitations of the Constitution. It’s no mystery why our President is sympathetic to many of the world’s dictatorial regimes, for based on his recent actions, it appears he desires to be a dictator.

Mr. President, we don’t need or want a dictator. We need and want a President who will act in the best interests of the country rather than in the best interests of his party and fringe support groups, a President who will adhere to the vows taken to uphold and adhere to the Constitution.

And we are going to fire you.

Just sayin'...

The root determines the fruit….

Who does this sound like?

This person thinks that to bring about the desired society one needs to “excoriate  big business, blast Wall Street and “greedy” millionaires, lambast GOP tax cuts that “spare the rich,” attack “excess profits” and oil companies, perceives the Catholic Church as an obstacle to the vision of the ‘preferred state’ while repeating the mantra of the need for “transformational and fundamental change” while moving "forward."

The root determines the fruit….If we said the above words and thoughts were President Obama's we would be correct. BUT, what we need to know is that he came to these positions and views while learning from the man that, in his own memoir, he calls simply “Frank” to whom the thoughts above are actually attributed to. “Frank” is Frank Marshall Davis a card-carrying member of the Communist Party USA, cited by the Associated Press as an “important influence” on Obama, one whom he “looked to” not merely for “advice on living” but as a “father” figure.

Frank Marshall Davis was a pro-Soviet, pro–Red China communist. His Communist Party USA card number, revealed in FBI files, was CP #47544. He was a prototype of the loyal Soviet patriot, so radical that the FBI placed him on the federal government’s Security Index. In the early 1950s, Davis opposed U.S. attempts to slow Stalin and Mao. He favored Red Army takeovers of Central and Eastern Europe, and communist control in Korea and Vietnam. Dutifully serving the cause, he edited and wrote for communist newspapers in both Chicago and Honolulu, courting contributors who were Soviet agents. In the 1970s, amid this dangerous political theater, Frank Marshall Davis came into Barack Obama’s life and ‘mentored’ him for years.

It is startling how various elements of the Obama administration’s agenda directly reflect Davis’s columns advocating wealth redistribution, government stimulus for “public works projects,” taxpayer-funding of universal health care, nationalizing General Motors and more.

Enough to make a fella say “hmmmm,” dontcha think?

Just sayin’…..

It is widely agreed that the most important issue this political season is the economy….I disagree, and here’s why….

This is an opening salvo in what might well become a series of posts…Stay tuned.

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Earlier this year President Obama said income inequality is “the defining issue of our time” and it is widely agreed that the most important issue this political season is the economy….I disagree, and here’s why….

In order to have a proper perspective on all of the dysfunction we are seeing in government, the selfishness we so often hear from 'rich and poor' in discussions on the economy, the narcissism we see in the occupy all streets movement, to understand why 'socialism' will never work, to grasp why our culture is becoming less wholesome and decent on a seemingly daily basis, etc etc etc, you have to reject the idea that mankind is basically good....Don't agree? Look around! I often say that ‘the first man ever born murdered his own brother and it’s been pretty much downhill ever since.’

The problem IS NOT that some are rich and some are poor. The problem IS NOT that some have more than others. The problem IS NOT the rich. The problem IS NOT the poor. Part of the problem is the currently rapidly increasing thinking that the poor are poor BECAUSE of the rich, but that IS NOT the problem. The problem IS…..wait for it….We are SELFISH. There it is and it’s as simple as that. Humans are SELFish, SELF-seeking, SELF-promoting, SELF-preserving.

How many of us have had to teach our kids to be selfish? Uh,nobody!  Case closed, but I have more to say….:)

Lots of people have joined the ‘fairness’ bandwagon and it has been a frequent theme in statements from President Obama who clearly thinks the very roots of our nation are ‘unfair’ and is set on fundamentally transforming America into his vision of what it means to be 'fair.' That sounds good, but it begs the question “what is ‘fair’ and who determines it?” And, once we face the fact that we are basically selfish people, this whole idea of ‘fairness’ becomes a fallacy. Does ‘fair’ mean we should all 'have the same?' Does ‘fair’ mean the person who works hard should not be allowed to enjoy the fruit of their labors but instead have to underwrite those who will not work? Does ‘fair’ mean there should never be winners and losers? Does ‘fair’ mean gifted, creative, industrious folks should not use their gifting to their advantage? Does ‘fair’ mean those who pay their student loans should now pay the loans of those who won't pay? Does ‘fair’ mean those who don't pay their mortgage should be bailed out by those who do? Does ‘fair’ mean we should all drive the same cars, use the same light bulbs, eat the same food, etc. etc. etc.....

No matter how much we try and eliminate ‘unfairness’ from society it will never work because of our selfish hearts and desires. The old, antiquated (tongue firmly on cheek as I type) Bible has something to say about all this. This passage from James in The Message version sums it up pretty well:

James 4, verses 1 and 2…Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don't have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn't yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.

The above describes why some folks are willing to take from others just because they want or think they deserve. Why so many are willing to embrace the ‘class warfare’ rhetoric pitting rich against poor. Why many cry ‘unfair’ against any and all that don’t acquiesce to their misguided demands and why Occupy Portland protesters can steal a car and wreck it with no remorse, can carry around loaded guns and threaten people, can shut down Port union job sites, can ruin public property, can damage businesses, can perpetrate violence against the police….All in the name of ‘fairness’ when in reality (in my opinion) it’s nothing more than a bunch of spoiled brats who, rather than get a job, are happy to live off of our tax dollars and use products provided by the same ‘evil, unfair corporations’ they say they hate.

Ecclesiastes, chapter 5, verses 8 thru 10 also speaks to this all…”8 If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still. 9 The increase from the land is taken by all; the king himself profits from the fields. 10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

Now, some may say I am ignoring ‘justice’ when discussing this topic in this way. No way, for ‘justice’ and ‘fairness’ are not synonymous. Fairness is simply lack of favoritism, justice is making sure folks are treated the same according to established rules, laws or moral standards. For example, it is not fair for the government to take one group of people’s resources and give them another group of people simply because someone has given the receivers a ‘special designation’ (favoritism) and justice should be administered should this be attempted in disregard of established laws…Like that example…..:)

Definitions….

Fairness:

Marked by impartiality and honesty; free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism…Gary B. simple interpretation: Where integrity and honesty rule and no one is favored over another, rich or poor. Same opportunities but no guarantee of same outcomes.

Justice: 

The maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments; The administration of law, especially the establishment or determination of rights according to the rules of law or equity; the quality of being just, impartial, or fair…. Gary B. simple interpretation: Obey and uphold the law without partiality.

Part 1 ending now…

Just sayin’…..

Just Sayin'....It's Time....

Back on January 30, 2012 I posted on Facebook “Speaking in metaphorical terms, ‘fruit’ can be defined simply as the ‘outward manifestation of inner workings or convictions.’ So, (for what they’re worth) in the days to come I’ll be sharing some of my observations on ‘the fruit’ and ‘the root’…”…..Just a guy, sharin’ his thoughts…

Well, since January, though I have posted some thoughts about the current administration, I’ve been holding off on sharing more of my thoughts about our President and some of his ‘less than forthright’ answers to questions about his past; the fruit of his present actions; and how his past relationships and interactions are actively shaping his hopes for our future. And before you tell me to be more tolerant and that rather than criticize our President I need to pray for him please know I do pray for him and want him to succeed because I want the country to succeed. But, facts are facts and we need to look at some….

President Obama has shown us, by his actions over the past 3+ years that he really is quite serious about what he calls the ‘fundamental transformation’ of America. Just this past week he said we wants another 5 years to ‘recreate America.’ Huh?

Folks, it’s time we all take a serious look at the man occupying the office.

First of all, let it be known that I am not a ‘birther’ so please withhold any comments regarding that particular issue. Our President was elected in accordance with our laws and processes so at this point it doesn’t matter where he was born and raised, that cow has left the barn. Having said that, it is interesting that the president who campaigned for a more “open government” and for “full disclosure at all levels” has been less than open in many important areas and about many important things. Pretty much anywhere/everywhere one looks into our President’s background you find sealed records, scrubbed websites, altered documents, deception and unanswered questions. I mean, if a guy will make up a ‘composite girlfriend’ for his own autobiography what else does he need to embellish/cover up/try and eliminate?

For example:  

• Our President will not unseal/release his elementary and/or high school records
• Our President will not unseal/release his passport records
• Our President will not unseal/release his Harvard record
• Our President will not unseal/release his Columbia University record
• Our President will not unseal/release his Occidental College record
• Our President will not unseal/release his college financing records
• Our President will not unseal/release his legislative records from the Illinois State Senate
• Our President will not unseal/release his scheduling records during those State Senate years

Also, isn’t it interesting how the same ‘lame stream’ media that can dig up important facts about Mitt Romney (did you know that once, 30 years ago, he drove with his dog in a secure car-top kennel or that once, 50 years ago, he engaged in a high school prank…DISGRACEFUL!) refuses to dig into any of the above nor will they look in any serious way at the following:

• Our President’s relationship with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers and his wife
• Our President’s relationship with the shady Rev. Jeremiah Wright
• Our President’s relationship with his mentor, the avowed communist Frank Marshall Davis
• Our President’s relationship with his radical ‘Czars’ and other radical staff/cabinet members
• Our President’s relationship with the SEIU labor union and the SEIU’s association with the violent aspects of the Occupy Whatever movement
• The fact that our President himself says he ‘sought out’ Marxist professors while in college
• The fact that our President himself says he enjoyed his interaction with others at the ‘Socialist Conferences’ he attended while in college
• The fact that our President himself says while in high school he drank heavily, experimented with drugs enthusiastically and ‘did a little blow’ when he could afford it
• The fact that while our President rails against ‘the rich and the Wall Street fat cats’ he sure enjoys hobnobbing with them and taking their money
• Will not further examine these words from Michelle Obama spoken during the 2008 campaign (emphasis and parenthetical words added by me) :
• “Barack knows that we are going to have to make sacrifices; we are going to have to change our conversation; we're going to have to change our traditions, change our history; we're going to have to move into a different place as a nation."
• “Barack Obama is the only person in this race who understands that we have to fix our souls. Our souls are broken....I am married to the only person in this race who can heal this nation.”
• “Barack Obama is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. (He’s going to demand) That you put down your divisions. (He’s going to demand) That you come out of your isolation. (He’s going to demand) That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. (He’s going to demand) That you push yourselves to be better. (He’s going to demand) That you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.”

That’s enough for now. Just sayin’….

Some Facts....

Here are some interesting facts regarding the current administration....Don't shoot the messenger.

Just sayin'.....

Better to live thru the windshield than thru the rearview mirror!

If we get stuck in the PAST we will be paralyzed in the PRESENT and never move forward toward our FUTURE…

PAST….These could have done it, but they didn’t

• In Valsetz, 2^nd grade, I had wandered waaayyy far away from Dad, slipped off a log into the pond….That could’ve done it, but it didn’t.
• Summer of 1971, on 99W between Corvallis and Monmouth, Suver junction, driving my cousin back to college in my ’62 Ford Falcon (3 on the tree 170 Special), rear-ended a big Mercury land yacht at highway speed, plowed my head right thru the windshield….That could’ve done it, but it didn’t.
• 1989-1990 so sick and doctors couldn’t find out why, losing weight, weeks off work, sarcoidosis in my lymph system and lungs….That could’ve done it, but it didn’t.
• Late summer 1991, doing my awesome version of break dancing, totally ripped my left calf muscle, on crutches for 2 weeks, get off crutches and a huge blood clot breaks loose and travels thru my heart into my lungs (%95 fatal pulmonary embolism)….That really could have done it, but it didn’t.
• Late 2006/early 2007 due to some extremely difficult ‘life circumstances’ I actually got to the point where I thought to myself ‘Maybe everybody would just be better off if I weren’t around’….That could’ve done it, but it didn’t.
• Late evening April 6, 2012 severe heart arrhythmia resulting in an ambulance ride to the hospital and having my heart shocked back to regular rhythm….That could’ve done it, but it didn’t.
• Any/all of those things could’ve done it, but they didn’t. I’m still here, I’m thankful, I have a future and I’m not merely ‘still standing.’ I’m going Onward Upward Forward!

PRESENT…I Am Thankful

• I’m thankful for the grace, mercy, kindness, goodness and favor God has bestowed upon me and my family.
• I’m thankful for my wife. She is tender and strong, funny and serious, easy going and fierce, easily moved to tears and not easily moved from her opinions, girly and can flip tires. She is…Perfect for me.
• I’m thankful for my children, for their spouses and for the grandkids they have blessed us with…I’m so blessed, so proud, so thankful for Michael, Kimberly, Matthew, Carli, Jed, Addie, Isaiah, Ezra, Zekie, Havalah, Sofia, Seth and Eliana….
• I’m thankful for great-grandparents, grandparents and parents that gave my brothers and me such a tremendous heritage of faith, integrity, love, stability, character and laughter.
• I’m thankful for my brothers Steve and David, their wives Jeannie and Traci and all the nieces and nephews and great-nieces that have sprung from them.
• I’m thankful for Vonnie’s family and the ‘genuineness’ and joy they bring to a pretentious and joy deficient world.
• I’m thankful for extended family that makes me laugh, pray for us and are always there whenever needed.
• I’m thankful for the literally thousands of friends we have all around the world, here in Oregon and in Washington Alaska California Idaho Nevada Arizona Georgia Montana Utah Colorado Texas Oklahoma Missouri Florida New Jersey New York Kosova Mexico India South Africa Japan Korea Germany Hungary Canada Thailand Hong Kong and More and More…..
• I’m thankful that at 58 ½ God is still at work in my life…Spirit, soul and body.

FUTURE….Onward Upward Forward!

• Vonnie and I are feeling the ‘familiar stirring’ that tells us God is up to something. We are praying and looking forward to at least one more ‘big adventure.’ Stay tuned!
• Looking forward to a fresh renewal of existing gifts given by God and a release of new gifts that He has in store.
• Looking forward to doing some writing...Should be fun!

It’s better to live thru the windshield than thru the rearview mirror!

Regarding Gas Prices...Who is Gouging Whom?

Please understand in this short writing I am not 'sticking up' for the oil companies, this is just my attempt to  bring some truth to repudiate President Obama's claim, made again today (3/29/12), that the oil company's profits are outrageous. Keep reading and see who actually makes the most money on a gallon of gas and whom is gouging whom at the pump.

Note: Best stats/comparisons I could find are based on gas being $3.00 per gallon...(We wish).

Myth: Oil companies make outrageous profits.

Fact: For oil companies the gross profit margin for a gallon of gas today is what it has always been, on average, .08 cents per gallon, or 2.5% at $3.00 per gallon.

Fact: The federal government profits approximately .59 cents per gallon through gasoline taxes, 7 ½ times or 750% that of the oil producers themselves and 20% of the price at the pumps.

Fact: If oil companies cut their profit margins by 50%, it would drop the price of a gallon of gas by only .04 cents per gallon.

Fact: If the federal government would cut taxes on gas by 50%, it would drop the price of a gallon of gas by .30 cents per gallon. If the federal government didn’t tax gasoline at all, the price per gallon at the pumps would be $2.40 per gallon instead of $3.00 per gallon and the oil companies would still be at a respectable 2.5% gross profit margin.

Fact: Over the last 20 years, the price per gallon of gas has increased roughly 60%, which equals an annual average increase of only 3%, which is less than the average rate of inflation.

Fact: During the same 20 year period the salary of every member of Congress has increased 250% or 12.5% per year, more than four times the average rate of inflation.

Question: Who is gouging whom?

Why I Crossfit (long story, but if you read to the end you get the payoff/answer)

A little boy is growing up in Valsetz, Oregon.  Since his father was the school principal and because not a lot of kids wanted to ‘hang out with the principal’s kid’ he found solace in sports and fishing and starts finding some athletic success, especially on the basketball court. He would shoot in the snow (shoveling off the court when necessary), in the rain, in the sun, in the heat and his hard work began to pay off. As a seventh grader he once scored 18 points in a 6 minute quarter. As a seventh and eighth grader he practiced with the high school team and more than held his own. Also as an eighth grader he participated in the Elks Club annual free throw shooting competition and went to state, placing third while making 47 out of 50 shots in the event which was held at Gill Coliseum and televised during the Civil War basketball game.

Enter high school. Now granted, the high school he attended for the first two years was small but he did well, winning the Dick O’Day Athlete of the Year Award as a sophomore and continuing to develop his considerable basketball skills (he wishes there would have been a 3-point line when he was in school). Here’s a link for the doubters: http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=9wwRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EeEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5407,896862&dq=gary+bittner+and+valsetz&hl=en He moved to larger school his junior year and his success on the court continued thru high school.

After high school graduation he enrolled at Oregon College of Education (now Western Oregon University) and played freshman basketball for the Wolves (freshman could only play on freshman/JV teams way back then). After a year at OCE and spending waaaay too much time in the gym grades dictated that the young man attend Linn-Benton Community College the following year. The LBCC coach approaches the young man and invites him to workout/practice with the basketball team but since the team was pretty well in place for that year they agreed that if he was still there the following year there would be a place for him on the team. However, the young man had found the love of his life (Vonnie Collins) and a wedding on the horizon and upcoming 'new family responsibilities' prevented him from playing ball for LBCC.

After one year at LBCC the new husband enrolls at Oregon State University (Go Beavs!) and begins a 2 year career as one the of Langdon Hall/Dixon Recreation Center bball stars eagerly coveted by those waiting to take ‘next’ as courts became available. During this period the young man found favor with such OSU bball players as Lonnie Shelton, Rocky Smith, Roosevelt Daniels and others as they liked the accuracy of his long distance ‘potato pusher’ jump shot. Also during this period the young man is shooting free throws at Gill Coliseum, one day hitting 99 out of 100. That same day legendary Coach Ralph Miller stopped to watch for a while and commented to the young man “Why didn’t I see you sooner? I could use a shooter like you!” During this period the young man continued to play inter-mural and city league basketball, always being an effective scorer and assist man.

One day in late 1976 the young man was supposed to be moving he and his bride of one year into a new apartment but, after working the graveyard shift at Hull-Oakes Lumber, he decided he had time to stop and play some lunch-time ball. He was tired, should not have gone, but he was a ‘baller’ and whatcha gonna do when you’re a ‘baller?’ So, he went to the gym. After several games and no sleep he was exhausted, faked left, and everything above his left knee went left but everything below his left quad stayed put…And he falls flat on his face, having totally torn up his left knee. No basketball for months and months…Being a competitor, the young man was very sad to be sidelined and could not wait to get back on the court. He worked hard and did make it back, returning to the court in late 1977.

Flash forward to late fall 1999. The now not-so young man and his family had moved to Salem in 1995 and he is playing city league basketball at The Hoop. The young men on the opposing team did think the now ‘old man’ could do anything on the court and thus they did not realize they had to guard him until it was too late, allowing him to score 40 points on his 45^th birthday. Sweet. But, after 2000 not much basketball happened. Even so, from 2000 to 2006 the now not-so young man continued to workout, to run, to lift a few weights and stayed in decent shape.

All the above was written to let you know that I’ve always been a competitor. I’ve always been an athlete, doing ‘athletic things,’ until late 2006. In late 2006 some major changes took place in my life, the workouts stopped and the weight gain began. Then in late 2008 my dad became ill, passing away in the spring of 2009 and the weight gain continued. By the fall of 2009 I was overweight, out of shape, my doctor wondered if I was depressed, and I was having some cardiac issues.

Now, I had known Andy and Carol (Crossfit Salem founders/owners) for a few years and Andy had been encouraging me to give Crossfit a try but I was hesitant. I had never done those kinds of workouts, never seriously lifted weights (didn’t want to throw off my shot you know!). But, in the fall of 2009, after getting the ‘all clear’ from the doc Vonnie and I started our Crossfit journey and it’s been awesome. The changes in our overall health and fitness have been soooo good. Since starting Crossfit Vonnie has lost 40 pounds, has dropped 4 sizes, has gained lean muscle, can lift heavy things, can flip tires (see the videos on my Facebook page) and she is fierce! So proud of her!!!!

Here’s Vonnie’s testimonial from the CFS webpage:

"For me the changes that I have made through Crossfit have been huge. I have never been an athlete and never done much more than walk on a treadmill. Sometimes in the middle of a workout, when I am doing things (or sometimes attempting to do things) I never in a million years thought I would do, I just think how anyone who really knows ME would be shocked! Thanks Andy, Carol and the Salem Crossfit community. I would have quit a long time ago had it not been for your encouragement and support. I really have improved my health and each successfully completed workout encourages me to keep going forward. The best is yet to come!! :-)"

For me: As I wrote above, I’ve always been a competitor, I’ve always been an athlete, doing ‘athletic things.’ And Crossfit is giving me that feeling again of ‘being in the game and being part of a team.’ While it’s true I may not have the speed and endurance I had at 30 I'm blessed to say that I am far stronger than I’ve ever been and have seen a dramatic improvement in my overall fitness.  I can hold my own with the young bucks in the weight lifting, and though I most often have some of the ‘slowest and lowest’ scores in the running/rowing/body weight/etc stuff, with the coaching, coaxing, encouragement and support from our circle of CFS trainers and friends I am able to ‘keep on keepin’ on!’

And this is what sets Crossfit Salem apart from any gym/fitness regimen I have ever been a part of: At CFS Vonnie and I have found a community of people who really care how we're doing, who care about us, who are so encouraging, who don’t look down on us as the ‘old folks.’ There is a unique 'spirit of community and support’ at CFS.

So, here’s the answer/payoff to ‘Why I/We Crossfit:’

• I firmly believe in what the Apostle Paul says in 1 Thess. 5:23 when he writes ‘May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through…spirit, soul and body…’ In order to be really healthy we need to address all three parts of our being. Crossfit is helping us do that.
• We have found a consistent, caring community of friends that are experiencing the same challenges, set backs and victories as we are and we are 'doing this together'
• At almost 56 Vonnie is trying and doing things she never thought she would try and do, she's getting fitter, stronger, and healthier than she’s ever been
• At 57 ½  I'm continuing to improve my overall fitness. In fact, I’m still getting a PR now and then. Best of all, I can do most strength parts of the workouts at the same weight as the young studs and I think it makes some of them work harder!

Thanks for hanging in and reading this treatise….3-2-1 Go!

'Yeah, That is Unfair!' (How our tax system works)

I don't claim to be an economist nor do I play one on TV. But, I know a good illustration when I see one and this is a good one. This illustration has made the Internet rounds in previous years but seems particularly relevant now, especially in light of the 'class warfare' rhetoric we're hearing these days. While I can't verify the author (authorship is credited to several different people), the premise remains unchanged, which is, since the wealthy pay most of the taxes it should be no surprise that they will also benefit most from tax cuts. (The actual percentages in the illustration may not be exact given today's tax rates but the principal remains the same.)

Please, let me be clear: I am not 'sticking up for the rich one percenters' but neither am I 'siding with the cries of the complainers and occupiers.' I'm just trying to bring some clarity (and hopefully sanity) to the incorrect argument that all we need to do to get out of our fiscal mess is 'make sure the rich are paying their fair share' by increasing their taxes. 

(Side note: I think all who pay taxes pay too much in taxes. We don't have a revenue problem, we have a spending problem).

You must read all the way to the end but if you do I think you'll find the read worthwhile. Here it goes….

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Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.

The fifth would pay $1...

The sixth would pay $3...

The seventh would pay $7...

The eighth would pay $12...

The ninth would pay $18...

The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59...

So, that’s what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. ‘Since you are all such good customers' he said, ‘I’m going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by $20. Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.’

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his ‘fair share?’ They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be 'fair' to reduce each man’s bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.

And so:

The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).

The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings)...

The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings)...

The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings)...

The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings)...

The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings)...

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

‘I only got a dollar out of the $20,’declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man,’ but he got $10!’

‘Yeah, that’s right,’ exclaimed the fifth man. ‘I only saved a dollar, too. It’s unfair that he got ten times more than I!’

‘That’s true!!’ shouted the seventh man. ‘Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!’

‘Wait a minute,’ yelled the first four men in unison. ‘We didn’t get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!’

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

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And that is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. 

Since the probability that any of us has ever been employed by a 'poor' person is quite low I suggest we refrain from trying to punish those who take the risk, invest the funds and create the jobs. They are not philanthropists. They are in business to make money. Make it too hard on them and they might not 'show up anymore.'

Before Judging Thee I'll Start With Me

I watched some of Whitney Houston’s funeral today. I laughed some, and I cried some. Truth be told, I cried more than I laughed. So sad, so, so sad. But, I’m convinced Whitney knows Jesus and now her faith has become sight, and she now knows the reality of Jesus’ words as He sings over her “And I will always love you….”

Over the last few days as folks have discussed Whitney’s death, a lot of ‘what did she expect’ thoughts have been expressed….And all this got me thinking and remembering….

It’s September, 2003…..I’m pastor of Salem City Church in downtown Salem. Several months earlier we had met a man named Mark. Mark loved God and he was loved by the SCC family very, very much. The Lord was working in Mark’s life. God was changing him. However, even as Mark experienced God’s love and grace in ways he had never known, and even though he was surrounded by people who loved him and were committed to helping him, he continued to struggle with his heroin addiction. But, he was making efforts to get clean. Mark, having served in the Marines had even made arrangements to enter a drug rehab program run by the Veterans Administration.

So, late one afternoon in September, 2003 I’m sitting in the car listening to the radio while I waited for Vonnie to do some shopping at Target. My phone rings, and my friend on the other end says ‘Well, I have some bad news. Our friend Mark overdosed, and he died.’ I was shocked, dumbfounded, felt like I had been punched in the stomach. Mark, dead? How, why? We found out a few days later that Mark was actually on his way to Portland to enter the VA rehab program. But, he wanted one more high, just one more. So, he rented a motel room, shot up, overdosed and died.

Mark’s death was a tragedy. It was sad and we all grieved. Obviously, many things surrounding Mark’s death were grievous, but one that took me by surprise was the judgment and condemnation expressed by a few people who supposedly loved him. Things were said like “If he really loved God he would have not died this way”…..“Well, what did he expect? You reap what you sow!”.....”Once an addict always an addict.”

Let’s discuss……..

I John 3:1 says “How great is the love that the Father has lavished upon us that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!” Mark was never seen by the Father as a drug addict. In God’s eyes this was not his identity, this was something he was caught up in, but not who he was. He was and is a child of God. The Bible says if we are in Christ we are ‘accepted in the beloved.’ God freely accepted Mark. And while that doesn’t mean He was obligated to accept everything Mark did, God accepted Mark! Mark knew this, and knowing this is what allowed him to live with a joy and a hope that seemed ‘out of place’ given the dire circumstances that surrounded most of his adult life.

Mark’s life was not so different that any of ours. The fact is we may not all be heroin addicts, but we are all broken. And before we judge Mark we need to take a look at our own issues. Heroin controlled Mark, what controls us? Is it anger, food, fear, a past failure? While whatever ‘holds’ us may not be something that has such dire physical consequence as heroin addiction, make no mistake, it still ‘has a hold on us.’

But here’s the good news….While our bad decisions and resulting actions have consequences, just as God accepted Mark He will accept us. My encouragement is this, rather than focus on and fear the consequences of our bad decisions and resulting actions, focus on the goodness of God. See, God’s acceptance of us is not based on our ‘badness’ but it is fully based on ‘His goodness.’ The Bible is clear…..The grace and love and mercy of God triumph over all our shortcomings! And no matter what we do, HIS LOVE is constant. His love for Mark never waned, never changed. It was the same before Mark came to Christ and it was the same in that motel room as he died. This is the grace and the love of God.

Final thought…..I’m 57 and I’ve been around ‘Christians’ most of my life. Don’t get me wrong, I love God, I love the church, but sometimes I don’t ‘like us’ very much. We are so quick to ‘shoot our own’ and  too often we eagerly and vigorously expect some level of perfection/performance from others that we never expect of ourselves. And, I’m weary of it…..

Don’t judge Mark, don’t judge Whitney. If we want to judge anyone, let’s judge ourselves.