For the last few years nothing has been more obvious than the fact that Congress and the American government is not working. The gridlock is preventing any action on all major issues. Except for the few folks who believe that the best thing government can do is nothing, the rest of us believe that the Congress should work to enact the things that the constitution says they are supposed to do: “establish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common …
Author: Rick Brand
Richard Brand: An Ugly Record
In the year 2010 the Republican Party made a historic victory. They won the right to redraw the voting districts in the state. From that moment on their record appears to be nothing more than a constant attention to how to grab more and more control and power in the state. It is a very ugly and insulting record to the whole idea of democracy. They show little interest in the “will of the people.” Their only concern appears to …
Richard Brand: New Senator Needed
There is complete agreement that government in Washington DC has not been working. The Republican members of the Senate have banded together to oppose every proposal for progress and for the benefit of the country. They have refused to allow action to be taken on immigration reform. They have refused to allow debate or action on climate change. They have most recently refused to do their responsibilities and hold hearing on Supreme Court nominee. They have voted down a comprehensive …
Richard Brand: In God We Trust
Last Monday night Vance County Commissioners voted to place on a number of the county buildings the motto “In God We Trust.” This new action immediately raised a major question for me. Which God? Does the word “God” in that motto refer to a particular God, does it have specific identification or does the word merely refer to a generic God, an abstract concept of a Holy being? But then I started thinking about it. Maybe it is …
Richard Brand: The Great Divide
There is nothing that illustrates the great divide between the wishes, the hopes, the passions, the compassion of the American public and the members of Congress more than the current sad treatment of the military veterans. The citizens, the average person, the people in the street care deeply about the veterans. They have and continue to respond to the great number of programs and charities that have sprung up to support our veterans. So many companies have created programs where …
Richard Brand: Try Our Souls
These are differently times that try our souls. Maybe not at the same level yet as Thomas Paine’s times but the whole fever of this country is troubling. No one can deny that there is a great dissatisfaction with the whole way our national government has not worked. It is simply that those responsible for doing the job have just not done the job. They do not stay in Washington to meet. They do not hold committee hearings as often …
Richard Brand: Republican Party
From the time that “I like Ike” I have been told that the Republican Party was the party of small government. They wanted less government. They were going to “get the oppressive boot of government regulations off of the neck of small businesses.” They were all for deregulation. Smaller government, less taxes, more local control. In fact, they were said to believe that government worked best when it was in the hands of the local people. Yet when they got …
Richard Brand: Market Focus
We were outside the racquetball courts and a newly arrived retiree from up north commented to me that Henderson would never advance economically until it fixed its schools. Such a verdict is not new. In fact it is one of the most consistent mantras of our community. Talk to just about any citizen about Henderson and they will quickly rattle off a string of negatives about our community, always including the matter of poor schools. Not long ago the Dispatch …
Richard Brand: More War on Christmas?
It began early this year. It is still two months before Christmas. We have just finished Halloween and have not even begun to talk about Thanksgiving, and already we have people outraged about what is being called a “war on Christmas.” The latest battle site was Starbuck’s decision to put out simple red cups with their corporate logo on them. Just red cups with no seasonal decorations. No snow flakes, no holly wreaths, no snowmen, no menorah, nothing but their …
Richard Brand: Court Ruling on Same Sex Marriages
NOT REQUIRED OF CHURCHES by Rick Brand Now may be a good time to remind ourselves about the two parts to every marriage ceremony. In this country (it is not true in other countries) the “traditional” church wedding was a mixture of state and religion. The minister acted on behalf of the state and united the couple in a legal contract. The minister also acted on behalf of the religious group and gave a blessing and invited a promise from the couple …
Richard Brand: The Anatomy of Marriage
The long standing tradition in the United States was that people would be married in a church. The minister always demanded that there be a marriage license before doing the service. Because a marriage in a church was a two part event. The two people getting married were, with the license from the state entering into a legal partnership contract. They were also receiving a blessing upon a promise, a vow they took to each other before God and witnesses. …
Richard Brand: Maybe we had better speak more humbly?
Maybe you just have to see it in person to feel the real import of what happens. That seems to be the case in domestic violence in the NFL. The videos of the beheadings by the terrorists have made us sick at our stomaches and outraged. Obama claimed at the UN that “no God would condone” this kind of action. Well, maybe. A friend of my just sent me an email and said that he had been reading the story …
Richard Brand: The Same Old March
Several years ago Barbara Tuchman, an American Historian and Pulitzer Prize winner, wrote a book about the “march of folly.” Her idea was that there are many times when people pursue policies and decisions which are against their best interest in the long run. The times she pointed to were picked because in those moments there were loud and persistent voices arguing against the dominant direction, but those voices were ignored. Mrs. Tuchman began with the battle of Troy and …
Richard Brand: Limited the power of city and county government
Some of us have this vision of a “well-rounded” community. There are parks, there are libraries, there are schools, there are recreation areas, there are places for music and the arts, and there are places for businesses and manufacturing. It appears that the Republican legislators in North Carolina have eyes for only business. They have no interest in good schools and education. They have no interest in repairing crumbling bridges and roads, harbors, museums. They have no interest in helping …
Richard Brand: Amazing
I suppose it is a piece of the evidence for most people do not pay much attention. Or maybe it is evidence that some people will believe anything they hear. I did read a poll that said 10% of the population believes that aliens from outer space have stolen the missing far east airplane. But what I find so interesting is that our North Carolina Governor and the Republican legislators believes he can do it in public and get away …
Richard Brand: Tribute To Mr. Sam Watkins
I arrived here in l993 and from my position as Pastor of one of the downtown churches, I became involved in a great number of civic activities. In all my years in Vance County I have not met anyone who worked harder or worked longer, had more vision and passion, who gave more to this community than Mr. Sam Watkins. Mr. Watkins walked and talked with politicians, bankers, and community leaders, but he was not opposed to getting out and …
Richard Brand: Trickle Down?
The economic theory that if you give corporations more money, they will hire more people, invest in research, and open more stores continues to be a myth. The Trickle down politics of the Republican Party since Reagan forward has not happened, is not happening, and will not happen. The News and Observer from Raleigh on Sunday, December 22 has on page 1 of section E further evidence that trickle down does not happen. The article is entitled “Firms buy stock …
Richard Brand: Congratulations
Congratulations are to be given to the City of Henderson, City Council and The Embassy Square Foundation. The plan worked. The deal has been completed. The arrangement produced what it was designed to do. The City provided the land to the Embassy Square Foundation and the Foundation promised to return the land to the city with a new library built and paid for. The City Council and Embassy Square Foundation have just completed that agreement. The Land has been returned …
Richard Brand: The Village Needs Help
I have been told it is an old African proverb. I know it has been part of the Democratic Party philosophy for a number of years. I know that because it has been said by the Democrats that there has been a steady beat of sneers, mocking and laughter at it by many of the radio people who has traditionally been speaking for the Republican philosophy of self-reliance and independence. The proverb is “It takes a village to raise a …
Richard Brand: Walking Contradictions
Kris Kristofferson had a line in one of his songs about being a “walking contradiction, partly truth and partly fiction.” Jimmy Buffet has a line in one of his songs about “semi-true story, believe it or not. I made up a few things and some I’ve forgot.” So I am sure I am not alone in the notion that most of us are not very consistent in what we want and what we believe. We say we want one thing …