By Tom Purcel

“The country is divided. The political rhetoric is getting worse. The world seems to be a mess.”

“Relax, my friend. If you step back from the noise and emotion, you’ll realize things are pretty good.”

“Pretty good? Democrats and Republicans are fighting like cats and dogs. Half the countrysides with one party as it demonizes the other. President Trump calls Democrats in Congress nasty names as Democrats call him even nastier names.”

“That is regrettably true. The political hyperbole is awfully intense. But, believe it or not, it has been worse. Google the name-calling Thomas Jefferson and John Adams used against each other during the presidential campaign of 1800!”

“But the rich are getting richer, thanks to Trump’s tax plan!”

“Ah, more hyperbole from politicians. Look, thanks to the recent tax-system overhaul, corporate taxes have been reduced and U.S.-based companies doing business overseas are bringing billions in overseas profits back to America. Combined with Trump’s undoing of hundreds of overzealous regulations that have been inhibiting investment and growth, the economy is booming.”

“But Democrats in Congress are saying that average guys like me will end up with crumbs at the expense of the fat cats.”

“The truth is that, because of tax reform, many companies are giving employees bonuses and pay raises. They are announcing plans for new plants and hiring thousands more Americans. And have you looked at your paycheck recently? Now that the new tax-cut rules are active, the vast majority of workers are seeing a decent bump in take-home pay. A thousand bucks or two is more than crumbs.”

“But socialism is on the rise. Look at the younger generations in America who, surveys show, think capitalism is bad.”

“We’ll see how so many Bernie Sanders supporters respond to a robust American economy that produces good-paying jobs that will finally allow them to move out of Mom and Dad’s basement. Meanwhile, capitalism and democracy have been spreading across the globe in recent years. Latin America, the Philippines, Indonesia and almost all of East Asia are democratic.”

“Which benefits them how?”

“According to philosopher Michael Novak, ‘capitalism better helps the poor to escape from poverty than any other system. … (C)capitalism is a necessary condition for the actual success of democracy.’ You see, as the world flourishes economically, millions will have better lives.”

“But North Korea has gone rogue with its missiles. The Middle East is a powder keg. Terrorist incidents are increasing around the world. We’re all doomed.”

“Sure, we have challenges in North Korea, unrest in the Middle East and global terrorism. There is always some kind of evil in our fast-changing world trying to rear its ugly head ‒ Nazism, communism, totalitarianism, a rogue dictator somewhere. We’ve successfully faced such challenges before. I’m confident our best strategic thinkers will have the wisdom to do so again.”

“But as the baby-boom generation ages, how are we going to pay for Social Security and Medicare and other rapidly growing entitlements?”

“By applying the creativity and innovation that former communist countries are using. Slovakia is funding retirement through personal savings accounts, a simple concept that has proved to be very effective in other parts of the world. With robust economic growth and creative leadership, we can solve our problems in America.”

“But our culture is in decline. Look at the garbage on television and the web.”

“But this is really a sign that our culture fully embraces freedom ‒ real, genuine openness. Freedom opens the floodgates to everything that is bad in the human heart, an abundance of which is available through technology, but it also opens the floodgates to everything that is good.”

“How can you be so optimistic with so many things going so wrong?”

“How can you be so pessimistic about so many things going so right? In a relatively short time, the American experiment has unleashed the most productive, energetic, prosperous nation in the history of mankind. It has created a gregarious and generous people, and the countries that emulate its ideals are beginning to enjoy the physical, mental and spiritual prosperity that is the envy of the world. The fact is, things are pretty good in the world and going to get better!”

FOOTNOTE: This article is posted by the CCO without bias, opinion or editing.  We this article will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?

GAVEL GAMUT By Jim Redwine

Week of February 12, 2018

COMMON LAW IS COMMON SENSE

There are two general categories of American law: Civil Law (statutes and other written rules), and Common Law (case decisions or judge-made law). Civil law normally comes from a legislative body such as Congress and is published in the form of statues. Common Law is derived from precedent, that is, deciding a current legal controversy by referring to how similar controversies have been resolved by judges in the past. Another way of looking at Common Law is thinking about how we all learn things from our parents, in other words, benefitting from their good and bad experiences which they share with us.

If you should be among that select few who regularly read this column you may recall a couple of weeks ago we were considering the Common Law/Common Sense guidance set forth by some of my fellow alumni and alumnae of the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada. I find I have learned more from the wisdom of my fellow judges than any classroom. You probably feel the same way about how you have relied on the good and bad experiences of others to help you repeat or avoid similar situations.

Following are a few more “Common Laws” taken from an article in Case In Point, the NJC 2017-2018 publication concerning, Things Judges Wish They Had Known BEFORE They Took The Bench:

“Part of a judge’s developed skill, especially a rural judge, is having a feel for whether or not a particular case will actually go to trial. This helps immensely with case scheduling, jury summoning and with the possibility of a judge getting a good night’s sleep almost every night. I finally concluded that a lesson could be learned from the occupation of circus ringmaster.”

Hon. Jess B. Clanton, Jr. (Ret.), 12th Judicial District, Oklahoma;

“How much this job would change how I view the world. I had spent 30 years as a police officer prior to being appointed, and I thought I had a good view of the world. This job made me step back and really look at everything-everything I did, everything I posted, everything I said to friends and how I acted in public and around my family. I really wanted people to look at me and respect me for the job I was doing. In doing so, I had to step up and make sure I was worthy.”

Hon. Kevin L Wilson, Justice of the Peace Court, Kent County, Delaware;

“How hard it is to be firm and uphold the values and rules when the person in front of you has been so beaten down by life that it makes it feel like you are kicking a poor wounded animal. … Somewhere in the middle you have to find justice.”

Hon. Jeanette L. Umphress, Municipal Court of Yuma County, Arizona;

“You are only as good as your worst hearing.”

Hon. Samuel A. Thumma, Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One; and,

“Never, NEVER go on the bench with a full bladder!”

Hon. Peter H. Wolf, Superior Court, District of Columbia

For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com