The Buff Doctrine.
Political and economic thoughts for revitalizing and energizing America for the 21st Century and beyond.
I
am not naive. Both political parties running candidates today are
part and parcel to the runaway spending binge problem we as a nation
face. Pandering for votes, then taking from the public trough to
secure these votes. “Bringing home the bacon” those in office
call it. Yet borrowing 40 cents of every Federal Dollar being spent
is unconscionable. At some point, the insanity must stop, adults must
come in to the room and say, “NO”! At some point, unfunded
liabilities must be addressed. At some point, the American people,
“We the People” must be told the truth about what government can
and cannot do. Equality under the law, YES; equality of outcome, NO! I say that day has come. I say “NO”! Today we kick
the can down the road no more. We DEAL WITH REALITY!!
Personal
I
live in the real world, where there are all sorts of people who
believe in all sorts of things. Socially, I lean Libertarian and am
HIGHLY UNINTERESTED in minding every body's business. I think I am
correct in my core beliefs but, I know I am not God so I do not KNOW
I am correct. Thus, as a Christian I still believe in a woman's
fundamental right to choose, I believe Roe v Wade was the correct
decision. There are choices we must reflect on, make our best
decision and then live with the choices we make. Fiscally, I am a
staunch Constitutional Conservative and want my government as small
as possible. Being conservative doesn't mean one must be an archaic
bigot. I want to help those that need it with a hand up, not hand
outs. I do not support intolerance and suspect if those that peach
intolerance were to live where I live in the NYC metropolis, they may
well learn more tolerance.
“Do not judge, or
you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you
will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to
you. “~
Matthew 7,1:2
OVERVIEW
Fundamentally,
this election is less about the two candidates than it is about their
respective core beliefs:
Let
me say that again, it's that important:
Fundamentally, this election
is less about the two candidates than it is about their respective
core beliefs!!
Do
you stand for limited government, fiscal responsibility, individual
liberty, economic freedom, free markets and personal responsibility or do you support the massive,
unprecedented growth and reach of the federal government, fiscal
malfeasance, crony capitalism, reduced liberty, economic dependence, and the concurrent
reduction in our standard of living and the purposeful reduction of
American exceptional-ism??
Well?
The
Federal Government already borrows 40 cents of every dollar it
spends. In my view this is immoral and UN-American. Both Republicans
and Democrats are responsible for this mess we are in. They both
pander to the uninformed and or ideologues. So how to solve it when
both are beholden to special interests if not with a responsible,
independent, core belief driven grass roots movement?
“A
government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the
support of Paul.” ~ George Bernard Shaw
Again,
the question is not “Who are you for?” but “WHAT are you for?” I believe:
Private
individuals, entrepreneurs, and companies innovate.
Private
individuals, entrepreneurs, and companies are the take risks.
Private
individuals, entrepreneurs, and companies create jobs. Create
capital. Create wealth and prosperity.
To
grow this economy we need to keep taxes low while taking an chainsaw
and a scalpel to the waste, fraud, abuse, and the redundant wasteful
and inefficient programs unauthorized by the Constitution and slowly
ruining our great nation. (When is the last time you heard a
government program was cancelled because it wasn't effective, meeting
it's stated objectives? Ah, never is indeed correct.) The fact of the
matter is that the estimated $16. trillion and growing debt is a
hidden tax on future generations. It needs to be attacked.
We are for the most part not
"unawares". We simply lack the will and the courage to
learn from the failure of Socialist economic experiments around the
world.
To have sustainable consumption you must either create wealth
or borrow it. We are borrowing it. Of coarse, it must be paid back.
Who
or which political party will piss off their core constituency and
tell the truth.
Socialism offers the prospect of "equality" in consumption,
but fails to create wealth. Equal misery is the inevitable outcome,
historically proven FACT!! Continue on our current path and we end up
indebted to the point we are unable to revive the engine of wealth
creation, our economy.
Let's remember, Capitalism has done more to
reduce poverty than any other “-ism" in the history of the world.
Fact! Capitalism
did not after all create poverty -- it inherited it and had been
steadily reducing it.
I reiterate: the
question is not “Who are you for?” but “WHAT are you for?” I
suggest a return to the core beliefs that made us the wealthiest,
most successful nation in history is well past due: Abiding by the
Constitution, Promoting Civic and Individual Responsibility, Reducing
the Overall Size of Government, Removing lobbyists and special
interests with an undue influence, Eliminating the National Debt and
Eliminating Deficit Spending.
We
are most certainly at a turning point in our history. “Forward”
to unchecked Federal control over most of your life or a return to
what our brilliant Founder's envisioned- meaningful Constitutional
protections for individual freedom.
Knowledge
is power. Watch, Read, Listen, Learn, Think. Use your mind to make
the most informed decision possible. Let's do everything we can to
ensure We the People make the right choice.
Remember
"One
of the most important reasons for studying history is that virtually
every stupid idea that is in vogue today has been tried before and
proved disastrous before, time and again."
-- Dr.
Thomas Sowell
ISSUES
Immigration
We
are a country blessed by immigration, and I am the child of an
immigrant. However, do not patronize me with the ridiculous term
“undocumented immigrant” when we are discussing “Illegal
Immigration”. No country on the planet has as dysfunctional an
immigration policy as the United States. Borders, Language and shared
Culture are what define a country.
According
to the Center for Immigration Studies, 57 percent of all immigrant
households in the US. get cash, Medicaid, housing or food benefits
from the government -- compared with 39 percent of native households.
The highest rates are for immigrants from the Dominican Republic (82
percent), Mexico and Guatemala (tied at 75 percent). The
inmates are truly running the asylum in Washington. We've learned
that the USDA was pimping food stamps with "novellas" on
Spanish-language radio - which they yanked after public pressure.
NOW we learn that the USDA has been “partnering” with the Mexican
Government itself in order to increase food stamp participation among
MEXICANS living in the United States - including ILLEGAL ALIENS!
Mexico already uses us as their outsourced welfare state, and now we
are HELPING them do it? Despicable!
Why
aren't we using incentive to get the immigrants we want, we need;
those with special skills? Canada does this, as does Germany and
Australia just to name a few.
Take a look at Canada which offers many
of the same things that America does – a very high standard of
living, the rule of law, peace, safety.
To determine whom
it should let in to live and work, Canada uses a point system. You
don't even need a job or employer, just skills. Applicants are
awarded points for proficiency in education, languages and job
experience. Just why is Canada so ready to accept immigrants with
open arms? Because it has to be. The nation is sparsely populated,
has a low birth rate, and needs immigrants for population growth –
and economic growth. In Canada, almost two-thirds of permanent
visas last year were given for economic needs – Canada's economic
needs, that is. The country brings in the majority of foreigners
to fill labor holes. Only 22% of its immigration was for family
reasons: reuniting mothers with children, brothers with sisters,
grandparents with grandchildren. In the US., the opposite is true.
Only 13% of green cards last year were doled out for economic
reasons, while two-thirds were for family reunions.
To
continue to not secure the borders, thereby allowing unfettered
access to unlimited unskilled, uneducated masses, for which in
today's global economy there are no darn jobs that they can support
themselves with, let alone a family on, is simply put- MADNESS and
national suicide.
“You cannot legislate
the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What
one person receives without working for, another person must work for
without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything
that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half
of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the
other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half
gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is
going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the
end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.” ―
Adrian
Rogers
Civilization
is fragile. Its continuance requires respect for the law,
tough-minded education, collective thrift, private investment,
individual self-reliance, and common codes of behavior and civility
-- and exempts no one from those rules. Such knowledge and patterns
of civilized behavior, slowly accrued over centuries, can be lost in
a single generation.
Voter I.D. Laws
Every
citizen should be required to possess valid, legal ID; election year
or not. And it should be required to vote, and everything else. No
excuses! State Governments can provide assistance as needed to those
folks who need transportation, or have any other issues so they may
get this I.D. Furthermore, it must be free. There is no logical
reason whatsoever a non citizen should be able to vote. There is no
logical reason a person should be able to vote more than once. There
is no logical reason a dead person should be able to vote. In today's
computerized world, with database management and spreadsheet
management, this is a relatively simple process. My goodness, it's
common sense. For YOUR or MY vote to matter there must be rules that are
enforceable and not free wheeling chaos.
Entitlements
"One
of the great mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their
intentions rather than their results." - Milton Friedman
Simply
put, the measure of success for our social safety net programs should
be that fewer and fewer Americans must rely on them, not more and
more. Helping
those who have been struck by unforeseeable misfortunes is
fundamentally different from making dependency a way of life. The
issue is not merely how much we spend, but how wisely, how
effectively.
After
60 years, starting with Lyndon Johnson we're waged our "war on
poverty". How's that working out you ask? Well, although the big word
on the left is "compassion," the big agenda on the left is
dependency. The more people who are dependent on government handouts,
the more votes the left can depend on for an ever-expanding welfare
state. Not true you say? Give it some thought.
FACT:
America suffers the worst recovery of any recession since WWII. Time
to recovery under Obama’s economic plan has now exceeded four times
the average rate of recovery for all other recessions and counting.
At present signs are that we are regressing rather than moving
forward.
Twenty-five million Americans are unemployed or underemployed, we have record numbers in poverty, deep poverty, on welfare and food stamps, on disability. Less people are in the labor pool. Less people are working today than were working on the day Obama took the oath of office. Manufacturing is sputtering, hiring is slowing, housing has never recovered, all while Obama adds crushing debt killing future growth. The US economy is at a juncture and it’s no laughing matter. BHO signed a stimulus bill that even supporters admit was poorly crafted. He passed a health-care bill by buying off special-interest groups and abusing the legislative process; it remains unpopular, cuts costs not one penny and in fact raises taxes on the lower and middle classes significantly all the while degrading the system as a whole. Fact after fact after fact.
Twenty-five million Americans are unemployed or underemployed, we have record numbers in poverty, deep poverty, on welfare and food stamps, on disability. Less people are in the labor pool. Less people are working today than were working on the day Obama took the oath of office. Manufacturing is sputtering, hiring is slowing, housing has never recovered, all while Obama adds crushing debt killing future growth. The US economy is at a juncture and it’s no laughing matter. BHO signed a stimulus bill that even supporters admit was poorly crafted. He passed a health-care bill by buying off special-interest groups and abusing the legislative process; it remains unpopular, cuts costs not one penny and in fact raises taxes on the lower and middle classes significantly all the while degrading the system as a whole. Fact after fact after fact.
So
let's change coarse and follow the JFK, Ronald Reagan model I say.
Policies that worked, Fact!! It's my opinion that in order for the US
to recapture their glorious past, it will be dependent on the ability
for the Government to realign their policies with the Constitution.
There
is no revenue problem, we have a spending problem. Put simply so all
understand, The Debt is too damn high!! Germany's debt is 83 percent
of GDP, France's, 87 percent. The U.S. debt -- using similar
assumptions -- is 100 percent of GDP. Too many people on the take,
not enough working people to pay for it all. Ah, Liberalism,
the cancer of a nation. Lord,
what fools these mortals be!
FDR
said:
"The
lessons of history, confirmed by the evidence immediately before me,
show conclusively that continued dependence upon relief induces a
spiritual and moral disintegration fundamentally destructive to the
national fibre. To dole out relief in this way is to administer a
narcotic, a subtle destroyer of the human spirit. It is inimical to
the dictates of sound policy. It is in violation of the traditions of
America. Work must be found for able-bodied but destitute workers.
"The Federal Government must and shall quit this business of
relief."
And
yet today, those who say "incentives matter" are branded as
heartless and/or racist. Sixty Years of the war on poverty and we
have more people dependent upon government support today under Obama than ever
before. But each and every program is effective right? None can be
cut because they are ineffective, right?We are winning the war on poverty, right? Or perhaps we need to look at each program, drill down, find out what is working and what is not. Then assess why somethings are not working and address them with proactive policy initiatives.
If
you don't want to be poor, do three things...
1) Finish High School
2) Don't have a child out of wedlock
3) Don't have a child before you are 21.
1) Finish High School
2) Don't have a child out of wedlock
3) Don't have a child before you are 21.
That is a start.
Economics and the Economy
We
have a system that increasingly taxes work and subsidizes non-work. ~
Milton
Friedman
To
have sustainable consumption, you must either create wealth or borrow
it. We chose to borrow it. Socialism offers the prospect of
"equality" in consumption, but fails to create wealth. So,
we end up indebted and unable to revive the engine of wealth
creation. Who's surprised?
Socialism,
no matter how alluring it may sound, leads to one place, and one
place only. The equal sharing of misery. Open your eyes people, the
history is right there for you to read and learn from.
No
country on earth has ever borrowed, spent or taxed it’s way to
recovery, let alone prosperity. Fact! This needs to be repeated: No
country on earth has ever borrowed, spent or taxed it’s way to
recovery, let alone prosperity.
The
two parties have a conflict of visions. Republicans view the current
levels of spending - an astonishing 24 percent of GDP - as a bizarre
exception to peacetime norms in America. Democrats view it as the new
normal. For them, any reduction in the inexorable growth of the
entitlement state is a cruel betrayal.Truth
be told, because entitlement spending has tripled while defense
spending declined as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP),
entitlement spending (Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security) is now
10 percent of GDP, whereas defense spending is only 5 percent.
During
President Reagan’s two terms, debt as a share of GDP averaged 35
percent. Under President Obama’s recent budget , it would average
71 percent of GDP! Hello, Hello!!!!
A
some point, leaders need to lead....blame and class warfare are not
solutions.
The figure of 4.5 million jobs created that the Dem's spout
is accurate if you look at the most favorable period and category for
the administration. However, they failed to use BO’s first year in
office. Isn't that rather disingenuous??? When one does that, look at his entire tenure, the facts show
a NET gain of only 300000-450000 over the entire course of the Obama
administration to date! Further, there are still fewer people
working now than when Obama took office at the height of the
recession. So basic math equals ZERO NET JOBS CREATED. The USA requires
150000 new jobs created monthly just to keep up with population
growth. Reagan, in the last big recession was averaging 300000 to
500000 new jobs per month.
Consider how policies effect results: that is
the issue, not the cult of personality, not the like-ability factor,
but which policies benefit the nation, and the people? Facts are
funny things aren't they?
What
made Americans who we are is a historically unprecedented level of
freedom and responsibility. The real danger today is not merely a
loss of prosperity, but a loss of the kind of character on which
prosperity is based. Are "we the people" already irreversibly addicted to entitlements?
So let's fix it!!
The starting point is here: Laffer curve explained http://tinyurl.com/86wpypv
I
would promote growth through flat-fair tax reform, but certainly even
tax reform of the existing system is welcome and long overdue. A regulatory
rollback is in order yet that maintains regulations in the public
interest for the public good, lower spending is a must, and a steady
King Dollar, perhaps even linked to gold. In other words, more
incentives for private-sector entrepreneurs and small businesses!
Deficits and the Debt
Can
someone please explain the need for government to borrow money in the
first place. The same question applies to the US, UK, Germany,
Greece, Spain and the rest of the world.
There is no "need", there is only political expediency of vote-buying promises that cannot be met with money that will never be paid back (by inflation or default). This is what happens when there are no fiscal constraints anywhere. This is what happens when currencies are backed by nothing and can be borrowed into existence at will by central banks in response to out-of-control spending by politicians.
What we need is sound money, perhaps backed by gold, coupled with balanced budget amendments, and an end to fractional reserve lending.
There is no "need", there is only political expediency of vote-buying promises that cannot be met with money that will never be paid back (by inflation or default). This is what happens when there are no fiscal constraints anywhere. This is what happens when currencies are backed by nothing and can be borrowed into existence at will by central banks in response to out-of-control spending by politicians.
What we need is sound money, perhaps backed by gold, coupled with balanced budget amendments, and an end to fractional reserve lending.
Tax Reform
Tax reform is long overdue in this country, I was in favor of Steve Forbes and his Flat tax ideas in the mid 90's. I still favor the concept, or the similar "flat"" or fair" tax plans today. 17&, 13%, whatever, all equal with a pre-qualifier for those at the bottom income brackets....... At 72500 pages, full of loop holes, exemptions, etc..the current tax code is bullshit.
The
tax rate matters not when it's collected tax revenue that matters.
There are more paid tax preparers in this country than there are
police and firefighters combined. “A tax cut means higher family
income and higher business profits and a balanced federal budget.
Every taxpayer and his family will have more money left over after
taxes for a new car, a new home, new conveniences, education and
investment. Every businessman can keep a higher percentage of his
profits in his cash register or put it to work expanding or improving
his business, and as the national income grows, the federal
government will ultimately end up with more revenues.” ~– John F.
Kennedy, Sept. 18, 1963 No country on earth has ever borrowed, spent
or taxed it’s way to recovery, let alone prosperity. These elected
officials on all sides of the aisle better get their shit together
before it's too late.
Thee
issue politicians constantly forget; that higher tax rates do not
necessarily result in higher tax revenues. It is increased revenues
that should be the goal. Spending needs to be prioritized (like a
business, one just can't raise your rates with impunity) gov't needs
to streamline, stop pandering for votes with the taxpayers efforts!
Spending cuts now, tax rate cuts, now!
President
Obama told Charlie Gibson of ABC News in 2008, whether or not a
higher tax rate raises more revenue is irrelevant to him. He wants a
higher rate as a matter of "fairness."
Yet
history proves soaking the rich by raising tax rates
generally does not work. And, there can be collateral damage in that
high tax rates almost always reduce economic activity which hurts
everyone. (Another fantastic Obama policy, right?)
In
my view the ideal tax rate is one that leads to the most capital
investment, jobs and wealth gains for American workers as well as the
most collected tax revenue. It’s a delicate balancing act but by
stimulating the economy visa-vie Reagan more people working naturally
means more people paying taxes and less people receiving government
assistance. It there therefore a clear, logical conclusion that
growth can be a key driver of reducing both deficit spending and the debt, but, but- only if the gov’t then spends less. If they simply
redirect what is saved in depart a to department, well, back to
square one.
Unions
I
believe unions have done much to our benefit when we discuss unions
in the private sector. If a private buniness' workers unionize, and
management and Union leadership bargain and agree to terms in good
faith, then those terms must be honored.
I
do not however believe it is in our best interests when local or
national politicians (again, pandering for votes for short term
political gain, damn the long term consequences), support “living
wage” legislation or “prevailing wage” laws that force
contractors to pay more than they might otherwise need to in the
open, free market. Competition, yes, even for unions, is a founding
principle of capitalism.
I
do not support the unionization of Federal or State Employees. Public
sector unions have successfully redefined key relationships in our
economic and civic life. The unions provide politicians with campaign
funds and volunteers and votes, and the politicians pay for what the
unions demand in return with public money!! So, the elected
politicians who represent us at the negotiating table are not in fact
management, that our taxing and spending decisions at the city and
state level are in practice decided by our public sector contracts,
and that when you put this all together, what emerges is a completely
different picture of the modern civil servant. In short, we work for
him, not the other way around. You and I make spending decisions the
way all households do. We take our income, and we live within our
means. In sharp contrast, public employee unions have introduced a
whole new dynamic: They negotiate pay and benefits in contracts we
can’t rewrite. When the revenues to meet these obligations fall
short, they push to raise taxes to make up the difference. Tail
wagging the dog, right?
Representative
democracy cannot subsist if a great part of the voters are on the
government pay roll. If the members of parliament no longer consider
themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those
receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other benefits from
the treasury, democracy is done for.~ Ludwig Von Mises
"The
process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be
transplanted into the public service," Yes, public workers may
demand fair treatment, but, I want to emphasize my conviction that
militant tactics have no place" in the public sector. A strike
of public employees manifests nothing less than an intent on their
part to prevent or obstruct the operations of Government." ~ FDR
English as the Official Language of the United States of America
Yes. Does this even need further discussion?
Link Federal Spending as a percentage to GDP
Yes, THRU CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT. 18-20% Exception for War, then War Bonds must be sold to Public.Energy
Build the Keystone pipeline. This is a must. We have millions of miles of pipeline in this country already. Who would you rather import oil from, a staunch ally like Canada or Venezuela, Saudi Arabia? A sound national energy policy must enable America to obtain energy supplies from a wide range of sources in a way that is best for the economy and at the same time addresses homeland and national security considerations. An abundant, diverse energy supply is central to America's freedom and prosperity.My Obama Report Card:
A Guide to the Obama Administration’s Five Major Scandals for Mainstream Media Dummies
- Fast and Furious.
- Kathleen Sebelius breaks federal law,
keeps her job.
- Obama administration leaks sensitive
national security information for political purposes.
- Obama administration tells defense
contractors to violate federal law. Bonus: Obama administration says
it will use taxpayer dollars to pay any government fines incurred.
- Libya.
a-guide-to-the-obama-administrations-five-major-scandals-for-mainstream-media-dummies/
Domestic Policy-
Domestic Policy-
Get involved, educated to the threat and stop Radical Islam's march on our civilization.One last example: Can you ever imagine an American administration returning the bust of Winston Churchill, one of the five greatest statesman ever of the 20th Century to the Embassy of the United Kingdom? No right, would never happen. Yet, it did under the administration of BO. Then they LIED and DENIED. Then the truth was brought to light by the Ambassador of Britain. Then the main stream media refused to cover it further. Then BO visits the Queen of England and as a gift, a gift representing a gift from the American people, gives Her Majesty an ipod filled with his speeches. WTF is going on. The Hubris!! And then, the BO, Medvedev open mic gaffe: BO: “This is my last election,” “After my election, I have more flexibility.” Medvedev: “I understand,” “I will transmit this information to Vladimir. ”HUH??? WTF????
BO did authorize SEAL raid to kill OBL, congrats. Who would not have?
Grade- C--
Leadership-
I find BO to be overly smug, disrespectful to those who disagree, condescending, and he's shown us time and again thru word and deed why the Obama/Biden administration has been so ineffective in finding bipartisan solutions for our Country. That attitude will never, ever foster bipartisan solutions. I further find him disingenuous on many occasions (kindly using this word) on Libya (really, still sticking to the spin, “We didn’t know”?, REALLY?? I call B.S.!!!) as well as on the “ 5 Trillion dollar tax cut to 120 thousand RICH PEOPLE”. REALLY REALLY??? Do a bit of math and see if it makes any sense.(P.S.- Debunked by the left itself; see Robert J. Samuelson, Published: October 4th- The Washington Post- here: http://tinyurl.com/8apmt25 )
BO's "thing" is based upon class warfare, divisiveness, and fear mongering. Since when is being successful in America a bad thing???
Grade- F (How can it not be?)
Conclusion
Still thinking of voting for BO? Well I ask: How bad does he have to be before you change your mind?
We
are, in my opinion, somewhere between steps 6 and 8, as follows, sadly.
"A
democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only
exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves
generous gifts from the public treasury. From that moment on, the
majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits
from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always
collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a
dictatorship.
The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years.
During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence: 1. from bondage to spiritual faith; 2. from spiritual faith to great courage; 3. from courage to liberty; 4. from liberty to abundance; 5. from abundance to selfishness; 6. from selfishness to complacency; 7. from complacency to apathy; 8. from apathy to dependency; 9. from dependency back again to bondage."
--Attributed to Scottish History Professor at University of Edinburgh Sir Alexander Fraser Tytler (1747-1813)
The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years.
During those 200 years, these nations always progressed through the following sequence: 1. from bondage to spiritual faith; 2. from spiritual faith to great courage; 3. from courage to liberty; 4. from liberty to abundance; 5. from abundance to selfishness; 6. from selfishness to complacency; 7. from complacency to apathy; 8. from apathy to dependency; 9. from dependency back again to bondage."
--Attributed to Scottish History Professor at University of Edinburgh Sir Alexander Fraser Tytler (1747-1813)
"Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?
Somewhere beyond the baricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing? Say do you hear the distant drums
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes
Somewhere beyond the baricade is there a world you long to see?
Do you hear the people sing? Say do you hear the distant drums
It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes
Prayer of Saint Francis
- Lord, make me a channel of thy peace;
- that where there is hatred, I may bring love;
- that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness;
- that where there is discord, I may bring harmony;
- that where there is error, I may bring truth;
- that where there is doubt, I may bring faith;
- that where there is despair, I may bring hope;
- that where there are shadows, I may bring light;
- that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
- Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted;
- to understand, than to be understood;
- to love, than to be loved.
- For it is by self-forgetting that one finds.
- It is by forgiving that one is forgiven.
- It is by dying that one awakens to eternal life.
- Amen.
