COLUMBUS, Ohio: We got hit with the News that our Federal Debt is $40,000,000,000,000. Last week I mentioned that in 1925 our debt was $20,000,000,000. Is it possible our debt is 2000 times higher than 100 years ago? Both Republican and Democrat Parties share the blame.
If we treat this like a family debt, the question is, what are you willing to cut back on? It’s easy to name items that others are receiving, but what are YOU willing to reduce by 10 percent?
A water crisis in 7 Western states is raising a similar question. Severe, historic drought in the Colorado River basin means water usage must be curtailed or hydroelectric power generation will come to a halt at major dams.
While Congress can create money out of thin air (increasing the Debt), no one short of God Almighty can create more rain and snow in the Rockies. Few Americans remember a time when a hand pump was the fresh water source instead of simply turning a knob at the sink.
Meanwhile, here in the East we would eagerly share some of the excess rainfall from the last few weeks. Parts of West Virginia, Ohio, and other states suffered devastating floods. In two weeks, I emptied 10.5 inches out of my rain gauge.
President Trump is in a tariff dispute with Canada. Between good neighbors, there shouldn’t be any tariffs. And any tariffs the U.S. and Canada put on imports from other countries should be equal. It’s common horse sense for each of us to produce whatever we do best.
Canada’s got lumber, if they don’t let their forests burn. They have an abundance of water, quite a bit in the form of ice.
We have warm beaches and our farmers produce crops and livestock that don’t grow well up North. They have crude oil and we have refineries. They produce hockey players and we hire the best ones to play here.
Historic quotes by Will Rogers:
“Everybody here is excited over the proposed dam at Boulder Canyon on the Colorado… California wants all the power and water. Arizona says, ‘Just half of it belongs to you, so if you want to, why dam up your own side of the river and use it, but don’t use any of our side.’ Utah says, ‘You are both cuckoo.’ WA #76, May 25, 1924
“The dam is entirely between Nevada and Arizona. All California gets out of it is the water.” DT #1900, Sept. 6, 1932