Balanced Budget Amendment…Is the Time Right?

With all the large spending bills in the last year and some change, and with more on the way, such as potential health care reform, a jobs stimulus bill, etc, it has finally got me to thinking….  Are we ready to finally have a serious discussion on a balanced budget amendment for our Constitution?

I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m really beginning to think that this Democratic Congress’s PAYGO rules really are nothing but a lot of cloak and dagger stuff.  With a $787 billion stimulus, approximately $80 billion for jobs creation, more than $500 billion for health care reform, and however much cap-and-trade will cost.  PAYGO, in my opinion, really isn’t getting the job done here.

We have a $12 trillion debt, and Congress, just earlier this week, passed a bill to increase our debt limit so our government can continue to operate.  This fiscal year alone we have a $1.5 trillion debt according to usdbetclock.org.  This issue becomes even more complex once baby boomers begin retiring and collecting social security benefits and also enroll in Medicare.  We already have so many unfunded liabilities in these entitlement programs, and with not enough younger workers to keep the system afloat, we are coming up on some dire financial straits.

Here in the Commonwealth of Virginia, we have a balanced budget amendment in our state constitution.  Our biennial budget is required to be balanced, and if we have any shortfall from tax revenues, the state is required to cut spending on programs, or find other ways to save costs.  This approach has allowed our Commonwealth to continually be named as one of the best states ran in the country.  I, as I’m sure many other Virginians, are pleased to know our state isn’t allowed any deficit spending in our budget.

I truly believe such an approach would work on the Federal level and would bring more fiscal responsibility to our country.  Our elected leaders on Capitol Hill would think several times before enacting spending legislation.  Now, how much support this amendment would have with our liberal Democratic friends and their Progressive allies, that remains to be seen.

Speaker Pelosi and the President and his OMB Chief Peter Orszag have indicated their willingness to address our ever-increasing deficit, but I realize, with a progressive liberal agenda, that our current leaders envision, a balanced budget amendment doesn’t necessarily fit into those plans.

I truly hope our political leaders can truly begin to discuss with a sense of seriousness a balanced budget amendment to our Constitution.  Not only would it bring us a more fiscal security with the Treasury, but it would also have benefits for our domestic economy, that should eventually trickle out to the global economy.

Obama’s Message to GOP….

So on The Hill’s website, I come across a posting that’s entitled:  “Obama to GOP:  ‘Stop Trying to Frighten the American People.’  You’ve got to be kidding me right?  This notice coming from the President?  He thinks the GOP is frightening us?  That very well may be true, but let’s not throw stones at glass houses Mr. President.  As recently as Monday, Harry Reid, the Senate Majority Leader from Nevada, had these wonderful remarks:

 

So let me get this straight, Harry, you want to lump together those who were opposed to banning slavery, opposed to granting women suffrage, and those opposed to the Civil Rights Act, to those who oppose health care reform?  I truly believe this is an unfair comparison.  This language could create a feeling of guilt by association in order to pass a bill that a great number of people in this country are against, in its current form.  Way to go Harry!  Way to try to scare moderate members of the GOP, and from your own caucus into voting for your 2,000 page + brick of legislation.

Let’s continue with another example of how democrats are trying to scare those who oppose either the President or the health care reform package.  Remember this video from this past September?  Here’s Speaker Pelosi:

So Speaker Pelosi was concerned about the tone of the rhetoric and making a veiled reference to the Harvey Milk assassination.  Gotta love how the Speaker just goes ahead and tries to intimidate those who speak loudly against health care reform and linking them to violence….  Hmmm……..

And how about this nugget from former President Jimmy Carter:

So according to President Carter a lot of the opposition is due to his race, and that is a concept that isn’t without merit.  You so much as mention racism, it gets people’s attention, and no one wants to be labeled accordingly.  If people are going to be called racist for opposing the President and/or his policies, it would put some fear into people from speaking up.

Essentially, I believe that both parties shouldn’t be in the business of fear mongering us into silence because we may oppose the majority party in their policies.  Let’s have a healthy debate because that’s part of what makes our system work so well.  When one party or another instills fear into the populace for voicing opposition, or debate, our republic will suffer as a result.

Emma Question 5 Answer and Final Thoughts

These are my thoughts on the fifth, and final, question I wished to explore when reading Emma:

It is often stated that good literature bears re-reading. In what ways is this particularly true of Emma?

To begin with, the descriptions of each social situation could have many different meanings, from many different points of view.  That is a main reason why this book should probably be read more than once in order to grasp the full meaning of the social aspects of this novel.

The same could be said of much of the dialogue of this novel.  It could be taken many different ways, that a second, or maybe even a third reading may be required.  It is even stated in the introduction to the novel that readers pick up something new with each reading of the novel, and I truly believe this to be the case.  I’m confident, that if I were to tackle this novel again, there are many other points that I missed  that I would pick up again.  Perhaps, one day,  I will return to Emma to discover new concepts that I missed in my first reading.

My final thoughts are, that this novel was definitely worth the time.  I had never tackled Jane Austen before, and I think Emma was a good introduction for me to the world of Jane Austen.

Emma Question 4 Answer

These are my thoughts on the fourth question I wished to look at from reading Emma:

Even Jane Austen’s most devoted fans agree that she does not deal with extreme passions, heroic tragedies, or world historical events.  What is it in her work that can appeal to street tough guys, jaded sophisticates, and over-educated academics?

This novel can appeal to street tough guys by showing that women in Emma are tough, and can handle a heck of a lot, injury, being jilted by men, etc.  It also shows how tough of a world, at least in the social arena, that Jane Austen’s world, culturally was.  It’s clear that both men and women needed to have thick skins in order to survive socially.

For jaded sophisticates, this novel shows that English high society keeps things fresh and upbeat.  You never know what can happen in Emma’s world from one day to the next.  It will keep those jaded sophisticates interested with the day-to-day activities.  From the secret engagement of Miss Fairfax and Mr. Churchill, and Emma’s daily activities.

For over-educated academics, this novel can appeal to people because it is displays so many aspects of culture that causes you to scratch your head.  From all the talking about parties, and the social norms, there is enough symbolically to keep one guessing.

It is amazing to me at how many different levels, this novel can be attractive to many different types of people, and how anyone could be pulled into the world of Emma.  This novel clearly demonstrates how it has stood the test of time and is enjoyed by many different types of readers.

Emma Question 3 Answer

These are my thoughts on the third question I wished to look at for my trip through Emma:

At the end of the novel, do Emma and Knightley deserve each other?  Why or why not?

Sure Emma and Knightley deserve each other.  Mr. Knightley deserves Emma because he is the only man who would be able to put up with all her character flaws.  He clearly has no problem pointing out her poor behavior, and Emma only allows Mr. Knightley to get away with those comments.  Mr. Knightley is also the only man willing to move into Emma and Mr. Woodhouse’s home and deal with Mr. Woodhouse and his rapid rise into old age, and his ever decreasing amount of patience.

Emma deserves Mr. Knightley because he is the only one that accepts her for who she truly is, flaws included.  This acceptance allows her to be herself at all times, without any fear of being ostracized.  As mentioned previously, Mr. Knightley is also amenable to accommodating Emma’s persistence in remaining in her father’s home so she can continue to care for her father.  She has also always looked up to Mr. Knightley, and respects him terribly.

They make a perfect match as they clearly understand each others’ points of view, and share a common vision of how their lives going forward should be.

Emma Question 2 Answer

Here are my thoughts on the second question I wish to address about Emma:

“One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other,” says Emma.  Do gender differences constitute an important theme in Emma?  Beyond individual differences in personality among the characters, how do men and women differ in Emma?

Yes, I believe that gender differences do constitute and important theme in Emma.  To begin with, I would like to address this question from a social status point of view.  I get the distinct impression that women, in the world of Emma, view marriage more of a social status, than men do.  I believe this fact because Emma was looking for matches that would improve the social status of her circle.  Whether it was matching her nanny, the new Mrs. Weston, or Harriet to Mr. Elton, she was trying to improve their social statuses.

Men, on the other hand, and Mr. Elton exhibits this trait best, are looking for a woman who will increase their wealth.  Wealth is a very strong social aspect in Jane Austen’s world.  The more money and property men have, the better they are perceived, unlike with women, as I discussed in the previous paragraph.  Men also seem to be looking more long-term in Emma than the women are, between their business interests and their social activities.  The women seem to be looking for the short-term, and how certain activities may improve their standing with potential suitors.

Current day English society is clearly on display in Austen’s Emma, any reader, including myself, can clearly see how culture, and social interactions played a significant role in daily life, and it is so fascinating to me that this culture is something that I cannot experience today.  How fascinating it would’ve been to see this type of society in action!

Emma Question 1 Answer

I finished reading Emma on the plane ride to Paris earlier this month, and I will now be answering the questions that I wished to look at when I began reading Austen’s Emma.  The first question is:

Speaking of Emma, Jane Austen said “I am going to take a heroine whom nobody but myself will like much.”  What would you say is likeable and what is hard to like about the character Emma?

What I found to be likeable about Emma is the fact at how she tries to pleases people.  She tries to match make to see that her closest friends are happy.  She also wants to help people in other ways, and she demonstrates this trait when she meets Harriet and takes her under her wing to in order to introduce her into a higher class of society.  Later on though, as I will discuss, there were ulterior motives in this particular case.

Another significant thing I found likeable about Emma is how much she cares for her family, in particular her father.  She dotes on him and ensures that he isn’t placed in any situations that will cause him any discomfort.  She cares for him so much, that that’s part of the reason why she doesn’t foresee herself ever settling down and getting married.

Emma clearly demonstrating how much better her social status is than those “beneath” her is something that I really dislike about Emma.  She clearly demonstrates this trait in regard to Mr. Martin.  Emma clearly states to Harriet, early on in the novel, how if she were to marry Mr. Martin, Emma wouldn’t be able to visit with her anymore, because Mr. Martin was in such a lower social class than herself.  She wouldn’t be able to be seen in public with someone “perceived” to be beneath her, it would harm her reputation.

Another thing I dislike about Emma is how full of herself she actually is.  I could tell, very early on, that her judgment is clouded by her perception of her world, and that she believes she perceives things differently than anyone else.  This trait is shown when she tries to match Mr. Elton and Harriet.  Emma could not see that Mr. Elton was interested in her, but kept on pushing a match with Harriet.  Her ultimate goal clouded her judgment and didn’t allow her to see other alternatives.

Overall, I liked the character of Emma, and feel, that with a bit more maturing, and life experience, would improve herself to be a wonderful person, and someone I personally wouldn’t mind being friends with, if I happened to meet someone like her.

Emma Volume I – Chapter IX

In this chapter, Emma continues to deceive herself that Mr. Elton is interested in her friend Harriet.  Emma continues on thsi path because of the charade Mr. Elton presents the two of them.

Emma, of course, is able to immediately determine the solution to the charade, and immediately presents it for Harriet to copy into her book.  Harriet is in a state of disbelief.  She goes on to say:

“That Mr. Elton should really be in love with, –me of all people, who did not know him, to speak to him, at Michaelmas!”

When Mr. Elton returned, Emma indicated to him that the charade had been copied into Harriet’s book.  Mr. Elton seemed to be in a state of confusion as to why this charade would be copied by Harriet.  Even though Emma indicated that she only read just a few lines of it.  Mr. Elton’s show of confusion is yet another clue that Emma has misread the entire situation.  The narrator goes on to state:

Mr. Elton certainly did not very well know what to say.  He looked rather doubtingly–rather confused; said something about “honour;” –glanced at Emma and at Harriet, and then seeing the open book on the table, took it up, and examined it very tentatively

The narrator also discusses Emma’s discomfort, so it makes me wonder if she is beginning to see that she’s completely mistaken as to whom Mr. Elton is truly interested in.

Emma Volume I – Chapter VIII

This chapter is quite revealing for Emma.  During Emma’s conversation with Mr. Knightley about Harriet, I discovered how Austen distinguishes between how men and women view social status differently.  I discovered that Mr. Knightley feels the exact opposite of how Emma does regarding Harriet’s social status.

Even though Mr. Knightley feels Emma has done very well with Harriet, by no means does that mean Harriet comes from higher society.  Mr. Knightley also feels she is good enough for Mr. Martin but not for Mr. Elton.  Mr. Knightley also reveals that while, under ordinary circumstances, Harriet’s physical appearance and personality would be enough for any suitor, but in the case of Mr. Elton, Harriet will not do because she isn’t wealthy.  Definitely, Austen is showing that superficial qualities dictated marriage criteria during 17th and 18th century England.

In my opinion, this chapter is the beginning of a revelation that Mr. Elton may not be interested in harriet, and that Emma may have completely misread the entire situation.

At the conclusion of the chapter, Emma is left with the aftermath of an argument with Mr. Knightley that she must deal with.  However, Emma stands by her opinion, and agrees to disagree with Mr. Knightley.

Emma Volume I – Chapter VII

This chapter was quite revealing to me as to Emma’s feelings on social status.  These feelings come to light as a result of Harriet receiving a marriage proposal from Mr. Martin, a “gentlemanly” farmer.  At the outset, Emma offers no opinion about a course of action, but when pressed by Harriet on whether to decline the proposal, Emma states:

Ought to refuse him!  My dear Harriet, what do you mean?  Are you in anay doubt as to that?  I thought — but I beg your pardon, perhaps I have been under a mistake.  I certainly have been misunderstanding you, if you feel in doubt as to the purport of your answer.  I had imagined you were consulting me only as to the wording of it.

To make sure she is quite clear, Emma goes on to state:

I shall not give you any advice, Harriet.  I will have nothing to do with it.  This is a point which you must settle with your own feelings.

It’s interesting to note, that although Emma doesn’t wish to influence Harriet’s decision, indirectly she already has.  She has accomplished this goal simply by her interaction and friendship with Harriet.

After Harriet announces her intentions to decline Mr. Martin’s proposal is when Emma’s true colors show.  Emma expreses her pleasure with the rejection by stating, quite plainly, that she would cease visiting Harriet if she married Mr. Martin because of his social status.  This statement shows how much emphasis she places on the difference in social status and how prejudiced and snobby she truly is.  This exchange also demonstrates how much, and to what extent, Emma has manipulated Harriet for her own devices.

She further proves this fact when after the rejection letter is sent, Emma begins speaking of Mr. Elton to Harriet in order to get her to forget about Mr. Martin.

This chapter, more so than the previous six, has clearly demonstrated how selfish, insensitive, and manipulative Emma truly is.  I certainly hope to see some positive character development from her going forward.