A Tiny Bug

I must not complain about bureaucracy today.

Today while waiting for exploratory surgery on my car A/C - where I learned I can rightly call my hybrid "vintage" since people think it was the first off the assembly line.  But alas, that long ago (2005) we were lucky to have A/C.  Today, maybe I will settle for opening the windows.  When they tested it, it was truly colder outside the car than inside.  Well, at least they didn't charge me.

So I had plenty of time to research "bringing a car to Canada", as in moving.  The vehicle must meet the requirements of:  Canadian Border Security Agency, Transport Canada, and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

Transport Canada maintains a Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) which list the safety standards required in Canada.  Welcome to the Commonwealth.

Turns out that soil (everyday dirt) is a "high risk pathway for pests", controlled by the following legislation:  Plant Protection Act, Health of Animals Act.  So beware if the border patrol agents find some on your vehicle.  If your vehicle doesn't pass muster, you must either export it, or destroy it at your expense under Canadian Border Security supervision.  Oh, and your entry duty and General Services Tax will not be refunded.

Sometimes I truly wonder how the average person gets by in the thicket of bureaucracy presented up every day.  But I suppose today I should be glad to have a dirty, vintage car, here in the US of A.

The Seeds of ..

If you lived in a country where someone was jailed for failure to file taxes..

If you lived in a country where "executive privilege" was a reason to hide policy decisions from its citizens that resulted in dead federal employees, due to guns run from its own agents..

If you lived in a country where the elected branch of government was continually engaged in political theatre, and nothing else..

If you lived in a country where the chief executive had broad powers - to exempt key fundraisers from any criminal prosecution (whats a couple $billion?), power to pass laws unilaterally, target drones on U.S. citizens in foreign countries on his say so, orchestrate more policies to stop life in its tracks by witholding care from aborted babies..

If you lived in a country where the rich stayed rich, the poor stayed poor, the vanishing middle class stood close to the edge of peasantry..

This used to be considered the definition of a "third world country".  Now the politically correct term is "less developed"..

But - this is the US of A.

What has gone wrong with this picture.  We have surely lost our way.

Today Tomorrow Yesterday

I miss cspan.  Well, its still there, its just that I don't have as much (or any) time to legitimately watch it on the job anymore, what with this project management coup and all..

Listened to some of the House Budget Committee hearing this past week on cspan radio.  Paul Ryan is all about "social mobility".  Then I reflect on Obama and how he rails against the unfair tax system, wanting to divide the pie now for everyone.

Yesterday.  The 5th amendment to the Constitution "nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."  So, shall I hand over more of my hard earned paycheck (private property) for public use (more bailouts, handouts, and the like) - where is my just compensation?

Today I see a debt this country owes of $16 trillion and growing.  Had to ask a lawyer friend what comes after Trillion?  To my surprise he answered right away, Quadrillion.  Of course, there must be something to those Latin roots and all.

Yesterday, people learned the classic languages - Greek (so they could read the original un-translated Bible) and Latin (the root of all the romance languages).

Our national discussion now routinely includes trillions, but some day may evolve to quadrillions.  It seems meaningless, except that it will render every human in this country (and then some) with a debt choke collar around their neck.  Perhaps all the amor over dogs in Portland is just training us for the day when each of us has a debt load that chokes off our social mobility.

hmm, Atlas Shrugged on my bookshelf, awaiting completion.  Required reading for Paul Ryan's staff.  If he were candidate for VP, I would vote Republican.