Is Entry Level Work the Dodo Bird of Today?

The dodo was an extinct, flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius. The first recorded mention of the dodo was by Dutch sailors in 1598. In the years following, the bird was hunted while its habitat was destroyed. The extinction of the dodo within a century of its discovery calls attention to the previously unrecognized problem of human involvement in its disappearance as well as predator species. The characterization of the dodo achieved recognition in literature from its role in the story of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, and it has since come to be a symbol of extinction and obsolescence. Today with artificial intelligence, robots, and innovation nearing incomprehensible growth, how will our next generation of workers get the experience that past generations received? How will unskilled laborers enter the workforce if there are no entry level jobs? I worry those opportunities are quickly diminishing due to minimum wage laws, regulations, and young people not being taught to work. McDonalds just opened a fully automated restaurant here in Colorado. Other fast-food chains have followed suit. My experience at working and getting paid started early on Sundays when several bundles of newspapers were delivered on the front porch of my parents’ house. I would get up and fold the thick layers with a rubber band and stuff the papers into the cloth bags attached to the front handlebar of my Schwinn. I would struggle to ride my bike to deliver those papers with the heavy weight pulling me forward as I peddled around the neighborhood. When I started as a paper boy, I would throw the paper towards the front door. I quickly found out the rubber band would not always hold the heavy paper together if they were thrown too hard. After picking up several sections of newspaper and reassembling them, I discovered that hand delivering the paper to the front step earned me bigger tips on collection day. That was an early lesson about business and my labor when I was a kid. People will pay extra for an action that provides good service. A friend of my parents owned a book distribution business. They needed some warehouse workers to receive close-outs and returns with old price stickers placed on the cover of the dust jacket. My job was to peal the old stickers off the books, organize them, and then sweep the floors when things were slow. I learned how to carefully remove those stickers and then organize returns to become resaleable merchandise. The lesson learned was carefully repurposed goods, perceived as unsaleable, became sellable if handled correctly. This work was perfected by repeat actions enabling me to become proficient at my job. Before I had a car in High School, I worked for a different family friend delivering milk and dairy products on Saturday mornings. He would drive the route as I read the order form and retrieved items from truck cooler, such as ice-cold homogenized milk, American cheese, and butter. I’d place the items in a wire cage basket with a handle. When the truck stopped, I would run to the front door with those bottles clanging, drop off the new items, and pick up the empty bottles. I would run back to the truck and off we went. When we finished with the milk route, we would drive back to the apartment complex he managed. I would do odd jobs like cleaning the recreation room and gym, wash down the common areas, driveways, and sidewalks. I learned to ask, “what else I could do?.” My initiative was rewarded with extra cash. When I finally earned my license, my father let me use his hand-me-down VW Super Beetle to drive myself to work. For a time, I washed dishes and bussed tables at a local Italian restaurant. I worked at a sportswear store as a stock clerk and then moved up to be a shoe salesman. I moved on to sell industrial tools and supplies after school in a telephone boiler room opening leads for the professional sales team. When my dad was traveling as a manufacturer’s representative in the flower and craft industry, I would help him out by stocking shelves and taking inventory for his local customers so he could be on the road selling. All these jobs taught me what I did and did not like doing. These opportunities taught me to arrive early, stay engaged, and focus on the task at hand even after it was officially quitting time. All these actions helped me learn to listen more effectively, communicate better with people, and gave me ideas on how to work more efficiently. When I went off to college, I stumbled through many more odd jobs including carrying remanent carpeting up and down stairs of a two-story showroom. I bunched bleached thistle for a weekend but had to quit since I could not handle the smell. I was a fry cook at an A&W Root Beer flipping burgers. I found out quickly what I did not want to do the rest of my life. I was driven to find those jobs that I would enjoy and have fun with. I made friends with an older student who was going back to school to earn his AA degree. Like me, he loved music and was in fact a musician and fellow disc-jockey at our college radio station. He was the leader of a country-music band, and he hired me as a roadie and disc-jockey to play records between sets when the band took their breaks. From all these experiences I found that I liked working and entertaining people. From this opportunity I got a job as a disc-jockey at Stuart Anderson’s Black Angus restaurant. What did all jobs teach me? I learned the discipline of showing up early and staying late to finish a job. I dressed appropriately for the position and practiced proper hygiene. I worked harmoniously with others by listening and communicating in a way in which my co-workers would want to be treated. I worked on understanding the skills needed to do the job and comprehending what was expected of me. I asked for help when I did not know how to do something. I learned how to solve problems and seek solutions that I could take to my employer, so that the company and the customer benefited. I experienced what I liked to do and what I did not. I traded my time and labor for a paycheck, yet also acquired the skills needed to make me a better employee and person. I gained an appreciation for the value and dignity of work by learning the “trader principle,” trading value for value. These jobs eventually led to a profession and a career in sales which I still enjoy forty years later. I understand there have been, and will always be, changes in the types of jobs young people will need to enter the workforce. I am all for innovation and eliminating those repetitive processes that once were someone’s job if it leads to bettering lives in the long run. In the short term some jobs will be altered or eliminated. Yet, I wonder if this next generation will be fortunate enough to have a chance at entry level jobs in this new marketplace. Will they get those same opportunities and have the motivation I had to learn the value of work, labor, and action or like that flightless bird, will it be a thing of the past? The dodo used to walk around, And take the sun and air. The sun yet warms his native ground –The Dodo is not there! From a Hilaire Belloc poem about the dodo in his Bad Child’s Book of Beasts (1896)

Is Entry Level Work the Dodo Bird of Today?

Ideas

“The world makes way for a man with an idea” – Orison Swett Marden Ideas. Where do they come from? A spark of inspiration? Perhaps. Yet I would suggest Ideas come from the source of all wealth, your mind. What then is the definition of an idea? The Oxford Dictionary defines ideas as a thought or suggestion as to a possible course of action. I define ideas as observation plus opportunity equals outcome. As an example, the other day I was driving on the interstate in the number one lane. I came upon a car in front of me driving much slower than the posted speed. I checked my rear-view mirror, then my side mirror. This was the observation. The car in front of me was moving slower than the posted speed. I checked my mirrors again looking for the opportunity to change lanes once it was safe to do so. Once changing lanes, I accelerated around the vehicle that once was in front of me and then passed him by. This resulted in the outcome I wanted; driving the posted speed and moving around an obstacle in front of me thereby completing my action. Ideas like balloons float away if you don’t act on them. I recently coordinated an event for the Leadership Program of the Rockies called PLUGin. This networking event provides alumni of the program and current class members with a platform to observe a need or problem and then give a three-minute presentation. This occurs in front of fellow alumni on how they can engage in public policy or an idea to address that problem. Contestants then compete with peers for the most compelling presentation, the outcome of which is a cash prize for the winner. This year’s PLUGin ideas included education, parent’s advocacy, health care, women’s issues, the arts, media, and even comedy. Each presentation had something in common, an idea that came out of observation, plus opportunity, and provided an outcome. The winner was a colleague who was so fearful she almost dropped out of the competition, yet she faced her fear and shared her idea and won the competition. It takes courage to share an idea. Crossing ideas can cross pollenate and create something new. Think about the last time you took a road trip. Most gas station’s bathrooms resemble nuclear waste sites. However, there is Buc-ees, a chain of convenience stores and gas stations with locations in the South. Their slogan is “Potty like a Rock Star” and they mean it. Buc-ees has the cleanest public restrooms in America. In 2012, Cintas ran a nationwide restroom contest and made it official for any roadside warrior. This private company took a commonsense idea, clean bathrooms and a convenience store on steroids, and made it into the preferred pit stop location to do your business. It took observation of customers’ needs to solve a problem. My cousin has a property management company near a university. One of her biggest maintenance expenses was paying for a plumber in the middle of the night when a renter clogged their toilet. Her renters are often students living on their own for the first time and not knowing what to do when the usual substance clogs the commode. My cousin came up with a brilliant idea through observation and took the opportunity to stop making her plumber rich. She purchased dozens of toilet plungers and knocked on the doors of her renters. She explained what other renters had experienced on her properties and gave each renter a plunger and asked them to use it if their commode clogged. She reduced her maintenance expenses significantly and damage to her property was reduced because she met face to face with the people who rented from her and gave them an outcome that was practical. She even topped the plunger with a roll of toilet paper as the cherry on top. Her idea created an opportunity for a better outcome for her renters and herself. I once had a customer who was under time constraints and never available to see me when I worked in her town. I had conducted good business with her in the past, and I knew she liked to frequent the French bakery that shared the parking lot with her business. I found out when the fresh French bread was baked and had created a sticker beforehand that I placed below the bakery’s name with a corny note that read, “I just want a little slice of your time today.” As I walked into the corporate office the aroma of freshly baked bread filled the room. I handed one loaf to receptionist and said this is for you. And then I asked her to deliver the other loaf to the buyer I wanted to see. She did and 30 seconds later the buyer came around the corner laughing at the simple, yet effective, way of getting her attention. She invited me back to her office, made me a cup of coffee, and we conducted a transaction that made us both successful. I observed an opportunity at one of her store locations, shared it with her, and offered a better outcome than what she was currently experiencing. Each of these ideas provides examples of people who observed a need, studied the opportunity, and took action to create a solution to a problem. In doing so they flipped the narrative that there are no new ideas under the sun. However, if you are observant and study what’s around you, cross pollinating ideas can create new outcomes. Don’t pop your idea balloon with negative self-talk or the phrase, “one of these days I’ll take action on that idea.” My suggestion is to take action now. Study it. Read about it. Write your idea out. Concentrate on it. Create connections with it. Work hard on it. Make your idea come true. As the great Orison Swett Marden, the founder of Success Magazine wrote more than a century ago, “The world makes way for a man with an idea.” https://kimmonson.com/kim_monson_show/the-ramifications-of-bad-public-policy/

A Pearl of Wisdom

Do you get ticked-off by government legislating bag fees at the grocery stores or imposing California standards for Colorado by mandating all chickens be raised in an environment that raises prices and creates shortages? Are you frustrated that everything costs more due to higher energy prices to heat your home or fill your tank with gas? At least weekly, if not daily, you could gripe, complain, or post a nasty gram about these and many more issues on social media. Big whoop. You might feel better, yet what have you accomplished? Not a darn thing. What if you took a different approach? What if you address these same irritants with a positive attitude? What if you embraced the thing which set you off by taking positive action? In the mythology of the ancient Greeks pearls were thought to be created by the tears of Aphrodite, goddess of love, beauty, and passion. It was believed wearing pearls on the wedding day would stop a bride from shedding tears. In the Western tradition pearls have symbolized purity, generosity, integrity, and loyalty. The pearl is thought to attract wealth, luck, and protection to the wearer. The idiom “a pearl of wisdom” originates from the fact a pearl takes years to develop within an oyster and wisdom takes years to develop in a person. One’s ability to think and use knowledge, experience, and insight gives understanding and prudence to an individual. Wisdom is often attributed to the belief in G_D. The myth that a grain of sand is the genesis of a pearl is incorrect. Research shows the genesis is an invading organism or a foreign object other than sand. The invading material lodges in the oyster causing it irritation. Unable to dislodge the matter through secretions, the oyster covers it with layer upon layer of a substance called nacre forming a pearl. The development of the pearl is in essence the oyster’s way of protecting itself. Over time this continued layering of nacre encapsules the foreign object. What begins as an irritation becomes a thing of beauty. Could the beauty of the pearl help teach you to better deal with the irritations of daily life? In other words, can you cover these foreign intrusions with your own nacre, or reason, or understanding, and use it to turn an irritation into something beneficial and even beautiful? We can learn to embrace the world we experience, rather than being negatively impacted by it. As an example, I abhor the welfare state. Yet it exists. I have empathy for those in hard times, are destitute, or incapable of taking care of themselves due to circumstances beyond their control. Many religious, benevolent, and community service organizations have and do take up the challenge of helping those in need. Yet, when government enters the arena, it crowds out those who can better create and resolve problems. Government routinely throws money at a problem, and the problem grows. In my experience, non-governmental organizations and non-profits focus on fixing problems, with limited funds, and the problem often diminishes. How can we encapsulate and crowd out government? One solution is to take responsibility and teach the children in our community about citizenship. One of the foundational blocks of citizenship is being self-reliant. Teaching our children and grandchildren to be dependent on others after the age of majority is corrupting for both the helped and the helper. The dependence creates the position of subservience to one and the position of power to the other, which often leads to more destitution and unhappiness. When a person can work even at the most menial of endeavors, they gain a sense of accomplishment, pride in work, and self-actualization, which leads to happiness. The welfare state is not going away anytime soon so what can a citizen do to make a difference? A commitment I make and have participated in for years is joining a community service club such as the Optimist Club which is known as the “Friend of Youth.” All our efforts are focused on youth programs in our local community. There are many organizations that do outstanding work in your community such as Rotary, Kiwanis, Boys and Girls Clubs, and the thousands of organizations which provide services and help without government intervention. Involving yourself in a volunteer organization and giving time and treasure builds stronger bonds and crowds out the need for more government assistance. Not to mention the beauty of creating and helping from an act of benevolence and virtue as opposed to the force of government altruism; the “other-ism” of government that one should live your life for others rather than for one’s self is an abomination. Government produces one thing, misery. It’s the productive and the wise that produce wealth as is stated in the classic writings of Ayn Rand in Atlas Shrugged by her character Francisco d’Anconia’s speech on money. “So you think that money is the root of all evil?” said Francisco d’Anconia. “Have you ever asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can’t exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is this what you consider evil?” If we are to rid ourselves of the over-reaching behemoth of government, we must resolve to get involved in taking back our local communities, state, and country. You don’t have to do a lot; you just must do something. Like pearls strung on a necklace, together citizens can make a thing of beauty by using our source of all wealth, our minds to solve our problems. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/a-pearl-of-wisdom/?vgo_ee=1zUhdOyo%2Bv%2FkRmfh0RP872QOP8ZXmRzMvz3Yw%2BcA7gI%3D

Reiterations

“Repetition, plus restatement, gets people to remember,” David Brooks, a communication expert and the 1990 World Champion of Public Speaking, said at a Toastmasters District training I attended many years ago. Mr. Brooks shared his expertise on how to give better presentations using the elements of eloquence in public speaking. It is a memorable phrase and illustrates excellent writing skills using alliteration to help the audience listen with clarity. I have shared this quote often to demonstrate how repeating something over and over helps people to connect with an idea. Like giving a dozen roses says I love you twelve times, our minds are wired in a way to see patterns which connect us to the idea of repetition, restatement, and remembering. Repetition. I often find this helps me in other aspects of my life. When I challenge myself to learn a new skill or improve an existing one, I repeat the skill over and over. Persistence is repeating something until you get as close to mastery as possible. Notice, I did not say perfection. That’s an idea which confuses people into thinking they must be perfect, knowing that perfection is likely unattainable. Continuous improvement is a better way to look at outcomes. Writing is a skill I continually work on and practice, often in frustration especially when the words are there yet I have trouble placing them in an order to make sense. Yet, I persist. Restatement. If you have children, or know children, or act like a child, you will understand this concept. Have you ever told a child not to do something? Don’t run with a knife. Don’t act out. Don’t cross the street without looking both ways. You have most likely said it so many times you seek ways to restate it in a more impactful way. Screaming and yelling to get attention will work, yet it sends a negative message. Granted, it is sometimes necessary. However, restating in a positive manner works more effectively and is better for all parties involved. Here are those phrases restated. Walk slowly to the table with the knife by your side. When you feel angry count to five before you respond. When you cross the street look to your right and left to see if any cars are coming; only then move forward. Remember. Memories are those little mind excursions which help one relive experiences and keep in the forefront those stories that shape who we have become. Such as family reunions or a gathering of old school friends, all the stories are dusted off and repeated to relive those “good ole’ days.” Remembering is also like the many cycles that are part of our lives. There are the seasonal cycles. Winter is followed by Spring, which is followed by Summer, which is followed by Fall. I am certain of that. There is the business cycle of booms and busts. There are geologic cycles in forming and breaking down the Earth. There are astronomical cycles with equinoxes. There are hundreds of different cycles which have a beginning, middle, and end. In the Torah, the five books of the Hebrew Bible, after the final portion of Deuteronomy is read, the beginning of the Torah is started once more with the reading of Genesis. This continual reading is a tradition that reminds Jews you can never finish studying and there is always something new to learn. There is life itself. As this year closes and we enter another, we reflect. We set new goals for the year, perhaps the next few years, and we commit to going forward. We try dieting, going to the gym, writing every day. Some succeed, many don’t. Why is this? Perhaps it’s a lack of persistence, determination, support, or a positive mindset. There are many excuses yet acting is the only way change will happen. You will have missteps and lapses in your new commitment. Just start over until your new dream, your new skill, your new vision, becomes a routine habit. Give yourself 30 consecutive days. Celebrate that milestone. Then, commit to another 30 days. Rinse and repeat. Failure will happen and it is OK. It’s when you don’t get back to your goal, your plan, or your commitment, you miss the opportunities in front of you. We live in the greatest of times, in the greatest country, and today is your greatest day to act and prove it so. Reiteration is the cycle that leads to continuous improvement. Wishing you a healthy, happy, and prosperous New Year of success? https://kimmonson.com/kim_monson_show/cdphe-proposes-vaccine-rule-changes-for-online-students-and-natural-immunity/

What Are You Certain Of?

During the Wuhan virus lockdowns, I became an active participant in Jeffrey Gitomer’s 9:59 club, a virtual gathering of people from around the globe. Gitomer is an American author, professional speaker, and business trainer who instructs on sales, customer loyalty, and personal development. Every day, seven days a week, for over two years hundreds of people met on social media to engage with Gitomer to keep their motivation and spirits up. Daily messages of hope, inspiration, and ideas for business would be discussed. Gitomer would riff on a topic and then participants would post their thoughts, comments, or quotes which he would read and discuss. Humor and stories congealed the group. What started as an experiment grew into a community. Toru would check in from Japan every day at midnight local time. We would hear from Joachim from Hell, Norway, or Thomas from Sweden, or Randall from Trinidad, and businesspeople and entrepreneurs who were socially apart, yet gathered. The experience was as close to anything I have ever been addicted to. The daily challenges of like-minded people grew into a deeper commitment as many 9:59’ers became members of Jeffrey Gitomer’s Insiders Club and the Colorado members created a local Mastermind Group. Several times a month a special guest would present on a topic and other times Gitomer would present a Masterclass on some business idea. The information, insights, and wisdom were beyond their cost and are invaluable to my continued personal development. During one conversation Gitomer hosted guest Daniel Burris, an expert on leadership and the future. Burris said something profound, “In times of uncertainty, document what you’re certain of.” As he continued talking Gitomer stopped the conversation and had Burrus repeat those words. The dialog that followed was deeply impactful. I wrote Burrus’s words down and after the presentation I started to reflect on those things I was certain of. Flowing from my pen were words that first trickled, then became a torrent of writing about people, ideas, and concepts that ran swiftly from my mind to hand to paper. The family I could count on, friends who I trusted, and those closest who had my back were documented. Truths and virtues that I knew for certain were documented. First principles that are known as exceptional were documented. This exercise grounded my thinking and left much less room for doubt and uncertainty. The daily crisis that was propagated as news was less important because I had a certainty, clarity and understanding of how information and messaging were being created to keep fear in the forefront of our minds. The exercise of documenting those things I was certain of helped me keep my optimistic point of view. After the midterm elections in Colorado, I did this same exercise of reflecting on those certainties. I posted the Burrus quote on my social media platforms and had the honor of the author “like” and retweet his quote with my photo of a beautiful “tequila sunrise’ silhouetting an old oak tree near my house. After what felt like a gut punch on election night had become a reminder of those people, concepts and ideas that are more important than one election. The sun did rise the next morning. My daily routine of walking, reading, writing, preparing, thinking, and creating continued. My phone still rang, and I received orders from customers. I spoke to family and my wonderful wife who continued to be the supporting and loving person she is. By documenting all these things, I realized we are greater for having gone through the gauntlet and come out the other side, a bit scathed but present. There is an old myth of an ordinary bird whose feathers were mundane, yet after she flew too close to a fire, scorched her plum and turned into the most beautiful colors of blue, yellow, and red. The story informs us how the primary colors were created by the experiences of life. Those colors form the basis of all other colors. Those words of Daniel Burrus are worth repeating. “In times of uncertainty, document what you’re certain of.” They form the basis of our certainty. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/what-are-you-certain-of/?vgo_ee=1zUhdOyo%2Bv%2FkRmfh0RP872QOP8ZXmRzMvz3Yw%2BcA7gI%3D

What Problem Are They Trying to Fix?

It’s Sunday morning and the doorbell rings. Two ladies walking by my house see and read the home-made sign in my yard and stop by to ask about it. I am glad they did. They said they were new to the neighborhood and wanted to know more about the issue of Home Rule regarding the Town of Erie question 3E on the November 8th ballot. It states, “Shall the Town of Erie form a Home Rule Charter Commission for the purpose of drafting a Home Rule charter”. They asked, “what is Home Rule, why do some people not want to continue as a statutory town, who is leading this initiative, who benefits, who is paying for it, what is fair about it, what are the unintended consequences of it?” These are all great questions. I answered them as best I could from my reading and facts I have found from sources as varied as the Colorado Municipal League, the “Yes, on Home Rule website”, and other towns and municipalities with their proponents for and against Home Rule all around the State of Colorado. After a nice conversation and answering their questions I asked, “What problem do you think Home Rule is trying to fix for the town?” They shrugged. I suggested they do their own research and said, “I am voting NO on the issue.” I asked the ladies to do the same, and to vote for the individuals who did not fill out the issue committee’s questionnaire on their website. Confused, one asked, “If we vote no, why do we have to vote for nine people for the Charter Commission?” I explained, “Even if you vote no, the measure may still pass and the nine people who garner the most votes will be chosen to serve on the Charter Commission.” The other said, “They are trying to confuse people”. I have read from those in favor of the measure that we need more local control of our town’s destiny, give the citizens what they want and raise more sources of revenue from businesses so the town can provide more services for the community. These comments are exactly why I am against this measure. The people who are for this measure say they want to help the town manage future growth. They want to provide more of the services and help people’s needs. These are all terrible ideas because they use the force government to pay for these services. The people who are supporting the town forming a Charter Commission have said things such as, they are running to “give back to the community,” stop the “head butting contest” between the reds and the blues,” “grow in a sustainable and managed way,” “help shape Erie’s future and make sure that it continues to be an enjoyable place to live,” “regularly encountered situations where we were restricted in how we could make a decision or address a local issue,” “I want to ensure an honest voice for my community,” “to provide Old Town Erie with representation in town politics,” “we have a vested interest in Erie,” “I am passionate about the well-being of our community and the opportunities provided to all residents.” All nice sounding platitudes to run on yet not one of these folks understand the proper role of their government. No one has stated a philosophical understanding of the purpose of government. The purpose of government is to protect individual rights. Not to provide for people. Not one person who is supporting this charter has written or talked about this exceptional concept. Those who have studied history, philosophy, and human nature see this measure for what it is, a grab at more control at a local level and adding another layer of bureaucracy into the lives of Erie citizens. We should all be involved in our government, yet when people do not understand what a citizen is, it’s easy to see why we have the sort of bloated government we currently have. As citizens, we must be self-restrained and be in control of ourselves. We should be self-assertive and not surrender our sovereignty to those in power or abdicate our personal responsibility. We should have civic-knowledge and an understand how our government should work. We should be self-reliant and use our mind to reason and create our own wealth. These things must be done to remain free and independent beings. These are the conditions of freedom in a civil society. If this measure passes and a new charter is to be written, it should embody the recognition and protection of individual rights. I want to be part of the Charter Commission if it does pass to do just this. If citizens are to be free, they should understand that production proceeds consumption. That no amount of need is a reason to force others to do for you. The human mind is the source of all your wealth. Capitalism is the only moral system consistent with human nature. All trade should be mutually beneficial and voluntary, trading value for value. The initiation of force is evil, and that government has a monopoly on force. To understand the objective rule of law on property is critical. The proper way to champion capitalism is a moral defense based upon the unalienable rights of each individual to live their lives according to their own judgment. The Yes on Home Rule people can’t estimate the cost of a new charter because they are saying it depends on what is written into it. I can assure you that your taxes will rise, and your life will become more complicated with more government if Home Rule passes. To sum this up and paraphrase Matte Kibbe, President of Free the People, “Leave people alone, don’t take their junk, and don’t be a jerk,” by growing government. I ask you to vote NO on Home Rule and in case this measure passes, vote for me, Bradley Beck because I will protect your individual rights if elected. https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/what-problem-are-they-trying-to-fix/

We Are The Problem

Watching the news on any channel is an opportunity to talk back to the TV. The president of the United States demonizes 76 million of his fellow Americans as “semi-fascists”. He speaks about unity, yet his rhetoric divides. He constantly speaks about “our democracy”, purposely misleading his fellow citizens into believing we live in one. Our president unconstitutionally transfers wealth from people who took out student loans to those who did not and expects responsible people to help in paying those loans back. The U.S. sends billions of taxpayer dollars to foreign countries with no expectation of oversight or repayment, yet if you miss one quarterly payment to the IRS, one of 87,000 new armed agents may soon show up at your door. State government is getting even worse. One governor mandates no internal combustion vehicles can be sold in his state by a certain date, yet his fellow citizens can’t keep the air-conditioning on after 4:00 PM for fear of having rolling black-outs after two weeks of 100+-degree temperatures. Oh, and don’t charge your electric vehicles during this time. The energy of unreliable solar and wind does not work if the sun does not shine or the wind does not blow. Never mind that coal, natural gas, and nuclear power run his state with available, affordable, and abundant energy, not the mythical energy of the “green new deal”. I could go on and on griping and complaining yet the real problem is not them, it is us. Before you jump on me as an apologist for those on the opposite political spectrum let me explain. For far too long we have abdicated our responsibility to be active and engaged citizens at any level of government. As scholar Dr. Thomas Krannawitter has written, there are four aspects to citizenship, “Self-restraint, self-assertiveness, civic-knowledge, and self-reliance”. Those of us who believe in these ideas have used the excuse, “I am too busy making a living, raising my kids, or I have no time” to be active in local government. We the people have caused this problem because we thought others would stand on the vanguard and protect those individual rights that our constitutional republic was founded on. We thought that if we leave people alone, not take their stuff, and not be an idiot we could live and let live. In theory that sounds nice, yet the opposition has filled the void by seeping into every aspect of our lives including government, education, media, and entertainment. Every institution we once respected and held with reverence we now see corrupted by the ever-growing state. The question is what do we do about our current situation? Many of my friends are about to “Go Galt”. They are done with our mixed-up comingling of economy and state. I can only speak for myself when I say I am tired of using the excuse of “I am too busy” only to let the usual suspects continue to take over while the frog in a pot, boils into oblivion. The time to act is long overdue. This is why I have decided to run for a public office as a charter commissioner in my Town of Erie, Colorado. I have been working behind the scene in local politics since 2008 to advance the ideas of liberty. This is the responsible exercise of freedom, a definition amateur historian Ben Martin uses. I find by using logic and reason to influence and persuade others to think and reflect, we can find a common ground. I have helped hundreds of people find their voice in public speaking and improve their oral communication and leadership skills. I have invested my time in my local community in youth programs to enhance young people’s lives with activities and opportunities which help them grow and excel. Yet, as much as I would like to think I made a small difference in my sphere of influence, it does not seem to be enough. The town in which I live is attempting to go from a statutory to a home rule town. According to the Legislative Council Staff Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature, “Home rule is a form or structure of governing defined by the citizens of a municipality or county that allows for more control over matters of local significance. Voters can decide to adopt home rule, and through a charter, detail the structure and powers of the local government.” It continues, “Home rule empowers local governments to act and legislate on local matters. In general, home rule ordinances addressing local matters supersede state law. However, in matters of statewide or mixed concern, state laws may take precedence over conflicting home rule ordinances. Without a home rule charter, local governments are strictly subject to the laws of the state.” This all sounds wonderful until you read and understand that it also gives local governments more power to tax, zone, create public health ordinances, public safety and gives the administrators of our town more control and no fiscal plan to pay for it. In theory, why wouldn’t a citizen want more local control? To be blunt, if your elected officials and town administration was inept and wanted more power to effect change in a way that does not protect individual rights, one would most likely vote “NO” on such a measure. Having spent two years to flatten the curve, I have little trust in the majority elected officials and bureaucrats. They do not understand that the proper role of all government is to protect universal, equal, natural rights given by our creator. Nothing more. The rather innocuous language of the ballot measure for the municipal election on Tuesday, November 8, 2022 reads as follows. “Shall the Town of Erie form a Home Rule Charter Commission for the purpose of drafting a home rule charter? Yes/ For, No/ Against. Section 2. The following candidates shall appear on the ballot in the following order. Vote for not more than nine ( 9) candidates to serve on the Town of Erie' s Home Rule Charter Commission. The measure continues to name the randomly selected individuals who have all been verified by the town clerk to qualify to run for the position. (I am number 14 on the ballot in case you know someone who lives in Erie.) By state statute, the elected commissioners will have 180 days to construct a charter. Then, if approved by the town trustees it goes back to the citizens for a vote. Here’s the rub, you may think as a voter you are done by voting “NO” on home rule. However, you still have to select nine of the eighteen candidates in case the ballot measure passes. The measure is constructed to be confusing, and at best misunderstood. I was reluctant to run. I do not want this charter commission measure to pass. However, if the measure does pass, I want to be part of a deliberative conversation to construct as many safeguards to protect individual rights into the document. The charter needs to be written in concise, and clear language for every citizen to easily understand. I can no longer stand by and do nothing. I have taken up the challenge and so here is my challenge to you. Find a local board or commission and serve. If I can stand to partake in the “sausage making”, perhaps you can too. Kathleen Chandler, at the Independence Institute states, “Don’t waste your time talking to like-minded friends…make a real difference! Change the politically correct culture to the American Culture” https://kimmonson.com/featured_articles/we-are-the-problem/