Friday, March 24, 2017

A MESSAGE TO THE TICS

DO YOU EVER WISH YOU COULD JUST HAVE A ONE ON ONE WITH SOME OF THE TICS?  Or in other words a Politician?  One that has some "Power" or "Pull" to get things done?  Well, I often feel that way, but of course I am not important enough to get that kind of conversation with any one.   So I will carry on a one sided conversation with the Tics here in this post.  So here goes.  And I assume you who may read this has been keeping up with what is going on with the tics.
1. Grow up and go to work.  That is the first thing I would say. And I am speaking to the members of all parties in both the house  and senate.  You were elected to go to Washington to do the work of the people. Instead you are wasting time squabbling like petulant teenage boys over which one of them a cheer leader likes best.  They don't realize, in their squabbling, that the cheer leader don't really like either one of them.  Still they squabble over something that will never bear fruit. 
2. What ever your opinion is, ( talking to the tics ) Trump won the election.  So work with him and quit wasting time trying to take him down.  If he has a plan to improve something, work with him to improve it and then own it with him. If it is a bad plan, and I repeat, if it is a bad plan, then work with him and show him that it is a bad plan, explain why it is a bad plan and what the results will be if he continues on what ever path his plan would take.
3. Members of the opposing party. Please understand that Trump was elected because a lot of American people didn't like the way things were going in the last decades.  Not just the last administration, but the last several administrations.  They were tired of the same old same old. So look at some of the things that have been mentioned and work with that.
4. To President Trump.  Quit with the tweets already.  Be the President that you were elected to be. If, and I would say If you were wiretapped or whatever you claim, then have the FBI or who ever investigate that, if it really is an issue. If it turns out that something was actually done, then present the evidence so that the media will have to report it. If there is nothing there, then no harm done, cause you weren't tweeting it to start with.
5. Finally, for this post, the house pulled the Obama Care act repeal bill today, because the Repub's were unable to get it passed.  While I believe the act needs to be overhauled, repealed is probably not a good idea. So I am kinda happy that they couldn't pass it.  So here is what I would suggest.  Go back to where the public was before the ACA was passed into law.  What did we have then?  Why did we feel the need to pass such an act?  Look at that real closely. Then keep what was good from that time and pass the parts of the ACA that would improve on that. But do not, and I would repeat, do not fine people who can't afford insurance. if they can't afford insurance, they sure can't afford a fine.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK

Monday, March 13, 2017

A SIGN OF THE TIMES

OR JUST NORMAL CONDITIONS.  The town/area where I live is a mining area.  Oh sure, there is a college, and there is ranching and even an art district.  But mostly the area is supported by mining.  The mines have been up and down for decades, according to the economy.  Businesses depend on the income of the mining industry to survive.  Most of them, however, struggle through the down times along with the mining families and plan for the down times during the up times.  Lately, however, there seems to be a decline in businesses in this area that have nothing to do with the mining industry or even the economy. 
There has been a plethora of eating establishments come into the area.  This is an area that is proud to be known for eating chili.  Lots and lots of chili. Our brand of Mexican food, or Southwestern cuisine, if you will.  The local restaurants that have been in business for years are mostly in business.  Many of the new ones that have came in, and try to bring a different type of food to this area, usually fold up after a while.  One man who did that is now on his third restaurant, still trying to find what the locals will eat.  He may figure it out before he goes out of business for sure.  A local restaurant closed down a year or more ago, due to the older generation passing on and the younger ones not living here and not wanting to run the operation, sold it to a chain. Rumor is that we will have a Denny's there soon.  Taco Bell has closed down. We have Chinese restaurants that come and go.  We now have a Sushi restaurant but I don't know how it is working out, since I don't eat raw fish.  We do have a McDonalds that is going strong, and two Sonics and a Wendy's and an Arby's, as well and the New Mexico Lota Burger.  We have had a Golden Corral that has closed down, A Burger King that has closed down, opened up and closed down again.  There are a couple of other restaurants that have closed down and a couple more that are struggling.  Is this a case of too many establishments for the population, or just a sign of the times?
Not food related, a shoe store has shut down and sent their inventory to a store in a neighboring town.  Radio Shack is in the process of going out of business. 
 SO, IS THIS DEATH OF BUSINESSES JUST A SIGN OF THE TIMES, OR IS THERE SOMETHING ELSE GOING ON.  PART OF IT IS  THE NORMAL TURNOVER OF THINGS, SOME JUST THE ECONOMY, AND THE REST I HAVE NO CLUE.
AND THAT'S THE VIEW FROM THE DITCH BANK