Tragedy and Recovery ~ Current Events Wrap Up

Ok, it’s Thursday, and you know what that means… It’s time for The Current Events Wrap Up meme, hosted by the amazing Julie Arduini at her The Surrendered Scribe blog. The Current Events Wrap Up meme is the vision God gave Julie for discussing what is going on in the world, nation and even our own lives. This is really a fantastic meme and we would love to see it grow. There is so much happening these days and it would be amazing to have a team of conservative commentators discussing their thoughts. Please go and check out Julie’s blog, and if you like current events or news, think about joining in and/or spreading the word!

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With so much that continues to go on in the world today, it remains difficult to choose what to talk about. From Obama taking money from AIG in 2008 (for more on that story click here) to Peolsi telling illegal immigrants that enforcing immigration policy is un-American (for more on that story click here) to more Planned Parenthood's caught on tape trying to hide statuatory rape crimes (for more on that story click here) to ACORN participating in the upcoming Census (for more on that story click here) to global warming cultists inconveniently being stranded by cold weather (for more on that story click here). There are two things though, that I would like to discuss today. The first is the tragic and senseless death of Natasha Richardson. What makes this so sad, is not her celebrity, though certainly more of us have a deeper awareness of her because of it, but because it just doesn’t make sense (hence the senseless).


Natasha suffered what appeared to be an innocuous fall and bumped her head. No one knew that even as she was joking about it, death was creeping up on her. Since the accident, I’ve heard several experts say that if she would have gotten proper testing, then treatment, it probably wouldn’t have ended this way. They further explain that any time any type of head injury is incurred proper medical attention should be taken. That sounds great in theory. But imagine how the insurance companies, particularly HMO’s, would react to that. And further imagine how much worse ER waiting rooms would be, if everyone who bumped there head in any way came for a CAT scan or MRI, because they tell us, time is of the essence. The theory sounds good, but actually, it doesn’t seem to mesh with reality. One thing that does mesh with reality is that this family, and families all over our communities, needs much prayer and support for dealing with the tragic and senseless of death of loved ones – mothers, fathers, children, parents, siblings, etc.


The second is the U.S. economy. I personally, am so tired of hearing what all the “experts” have to say, and I certainly don’t put much stock into it, after all, the experts are who got us into this mess. And contrary to popular belief, it will NOT be the experts, or the U.S. Government, who gets us out.


Bailouts, recovery, stimulus, whatever you want to call it, it’s welfare. And it’s wrong. Rewarding bad behavior never works. There is plenty of blame to go around, as to how this all happened, but waiting for someone to magically “fix” it is no better. The United States economy will turn around because of one thing – the spirit and determination of the working American people. Those who are willing, will pull themselves back up, be strong and do what they always do – get on with life. It won’t be The One, Congress, the experts, or those who live off “entitlements.”


I think we would all be shocked at how quickly the economy could turn around, if we had a brief (six month or so) moratorium from the news. Imagine how life could be without the constant barrage of doom and gloom we hear and see every day. Fear mongering accomplishes nothing productive. But hard work and common sense does.


I have been thinking much of an old song by Chris LeDoux, one that I’m sure most of you don’t know. Unfortunately, there’s no youtube video to share either. I really wish there was. But I have included the lyrics, and I think you’ll recognize the truth and wisdom contained herein.

The Working Man’s Dollar

Well, I'm just a Workin' Man's Dollar In the pocket of his old blue jeans
I ain't like my Wall Street brother He's in a bank so shiny and clean
Well, I'm faded and I'm wrinkled Tattered and stained with sweat
But I'm the 1st one called when Uncle Sam Needs a hand with theNational Debt

I've been wages for the farm hand For drivin' an old John Deere
I've been laid on a bar in a tavern To buy a workin' man an ice-cold beer
I've been tipped to a truck-stop waitress Taped where I was torn
And in the hand of a child I was laid on a plate In a church on Sunday morn

CHORUS:

They say I'm the root of all evil
I bring lust, power and greed
But this Workin' Man's Dollar only buys the things
A workin' man really needs

VERSE:

Well, they say I'm worth about fifty-cents In this modern inflated age
But don't tell that to the young man slavin' To make it on a minimum wage
Or that single workin' mother She's been scrapin' to make ends meet
To make a house a home Keep food on the table And shoes on her baby's feet

Well, I know my days are numbered I'm gettin' threadbare and wearin' thin
And they'll replace me with another But I'd do it all again
Cuz I've seen this great big country Passed from hand to callused hand
And I've got to say that I'm mighty proud That I belong to a workin' man

REPEAT CHORUS:

They say I'm the root of all evil
I bring lust, power and greed
But this Workin' Man's Dollar only buys the things
A workin' man really needs