Quick side note: I recently bit the bullet and started to mess with AI. I decided to spend the money and use Elon Musk’s version on X (which cost $$ but at least I know it won’t point me into woke directions).
Alright, here we go…..
If you don’t mind, I will begin with a personal story.
We already had our dog, Cruiser since April 2020. Cruiser was our Covid dog. We got him from a shelter in the U.P., same town that I went to high school. Cruiser has always been super laid back and obedient. So who wouldn’t want another dog? More love.
So May, 2024, our family got another dog, Scooby. Scooby was twelve weeks old at the time. I saw his picture advertised by the same shelter and fell in love immediately. I actually went to high school with the owner of the mom and dad. Mom is a Doberman and Dad is a Golden Retriever.
It is hard to believe we have had Scooby almost six months; and it’s been a rough six months. I started out NOT crating him and that was a huge mistake. Scooby tore up curtains, couches, VR headsets, etc. He went behind the tv and chewed cables. He actually ripped a socket off the wall (no idea how he did that).
So I am an idiot. I have been crating Scooby for about two months now and everything is now very good.
That puppy energy and mischief is really something to be experienced. When I work from home, I have to worry about the dogs wrestling and barking. Scooby’s love of squirrels and rabbits requires constant attention.
And yeah…. I love being awakened at 2am almost every night to put Scooby outside. That is my end of the bargain.
Highly unlikely I will ever get another puppy; however with that, Scooby is the most affectionate, loyal dog one can imagine. Looks like I have found a good friend with whom to grow into retirement.
On to the topic at hand……
Whitewater is on the precipice of both a city and a school referendum. The purpose of this post is to share one thought regarding referendums (and government spending in general).
So, you get another story.
I grew up (mostly) in the U.P.. My family had a three year stint in West Bend from my first thru third grade years. My dad worked down the street at the local grocery store as the bakery manager. He worked third shift. He would wake up and sometimes send me to the liquor store behind our home to get him a pack of smokes.
(Yeah, that’s kinda funny and very GenX)
So my old man would reward me by allowing me to get either a pack of baseball/football cards or a snicker bar. Both were twenty-five cents.
So what does this have to do with referendums?
Well, that Snickers Bar is now roughly two and a half bucks; and it’s smaller.
Inflation’s only primary contributor is government spending. Since I was ten years old, our government has devalued our currency by ninety percent.
And the rate is increasing.
Inflation is one of the top issues in America. Inflation (printing money) is bleeding the life from America.
So imagine… my twelve year old son… by the time he is my age, a Snickers Bar will cost $25 (the dollar having lost 90% of it’s value AGAIN). Or, based on the increase in the rate of printing, $40 for a Snickers Bar.
Imagine what that does to retirements! And yet, these senior citizens, so heavily dependent on their Social Security, will damn those that try to fix the system… and all the while THE VERY POLITICIANS that say they are helping are devaluing their retirement and life savings.
All for what? So the neocons can have endless wars? So politicians can pander to all the different groups for votes?
Our politicians in Washington are all millionaires for a reason.
We have federal and state education departments that provide zero value for students. They take our money, and give it back WITH RESTRICTIONS in the form of revenue sharing. This is wrong and messed up. How about giving us autonomy? We don’t need to be held hostage to Wisconsin’s DPI’s creepy DEI initiatives.
So my opinion…
I don’t have control of federal or state government spending. I have some influence over local spending. It has to start somewhere.
Efforts have been made by the city to manage spending. Patrick Singer and John Weidl reached out to me for input. I appreciate their efforts.
The school seems to have a gratuitous wish list that they plan on paring down. That is disappointing.
So… I think I am clear. I am very apprehensive about supporting referendums.
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Well, I hope this made sense. I would love to hear your thoughts. I have really grown to love Whitewater. I want Whitewater to thrive.
Much love and peace and discernment and wisdom to you all!
-mike
Discerning Whitewater 