Not easy to live with the results, when we don't take candy from the baby, either. Exchange it for thrift and prudence. Fair trade, but with far better outcomes .
Agree, Rita, it won’t be easy. The 2026 living wage in Santa Barbara County is $35.78 per hour, while a household with one adult and one child requires $61.60 per hour. Some employers are advertising $20-$25/hr pre-tax. Illegals are paid the same in untaxed cash.
What’s the path out of our culture where the majority of locals receive one or more taxpaid government benefits? Maybe 1) no tax on wages under the annual living wage? 2) no access to benefits if total household income is over a certain threshold amount? 3) eliminate CA income taxes? Fraud?
Thanks for rekindling memories of my childhood in New Jersey. Being subject to the LBJ draft for Vietnam soured me on that person that his Great Society perpetuates today as his cycle continues: each election offer a new "free" something to pile on top of those given in previous elections.
Brent- do you favor a return to personal responsibility; and end to freebies or a scale back? How politically can something given, like Social Security or Medicare/Medicaid, be taken away?
John, once again, Brilliant!!! Thanks for evoking so many memories (cards in spokes, "Boys Life", et al. And for reminding those of we who lived throughout the LBJ era (lets not forget how we got into the Viet Nam conflict) and all that has ensued since. Cheers, Bob
But back to the issue of commerce. Free trade. Capitalism"
Mr. Summer, what do you mean? These snoot nosed cuddled little children NEED government! I know of 2 who were seniors at UCSB and never learned to drive. All of a sudden they found out the buses could not meet their need, cabs are too expensive, and walk/bike(?) to go to a social more than 3 miles outside of IV!
Just to let you know I had a Mantle, was good at shooting marbles, and had a neighborhood job while going to junior high.
It is sad to see this happen. Because I knew how to work, I was able to make it through grad school without debt. Rules? Don't worry well bend the rules when the cry babies say "It isn't fair."
Good job. Now I still have my marbles, a flat piece of ground, and a steele or two.... GAME ON.
Scott- when the majority of elders claim they “NEED” government benefits like SS and/or Medicare-Medicaid to maintain their retirement lifestyles, or for survival, how are programs to be funded without overtaxing others?
Support Bob Smith who has consulted with Santa Barbara High School Hall of Famer Alum and D.C. based Margaret-Sands-Orchowski. She wrote the National award winning book on 1965 changes to Immigration Law under LBJ that forever changed America. https://www.amazon.com/Law-that-Changed-Face-America/dp/1442251360
The Zeitgeist is changing. Just today two excellent opinion pieces from two disparate resources. Both articles underscore it has been irresponsible government funding that has distorted the markets, and the DSA siren call for even more government takeover is certainly not the answer.
Two good articles to clip out and offer any young acquaintances who remain enamored with "socialism" and the DSA horse, socialism is currently riding in on.
1. California Post: It is Socialism driving Gen Z's fiscal pain......(it is not capitalism)
2. WSJ: The Ph.D Job Crisis is a needed Market Correction......(cessation of federal funding)
Two current issues exploited by Democrats this election year.- affordability and cessation of unproductive federal funding Two cogent opinions, it is Democrat policy that has been responsible for the negative generational impacts of both current campaign issues: lack of affordability and cessation federal funding.
Typical Democrat response: double-down on proven failure. Distort the markets and flood it with cheap, printed money.
Is it time to end the many tax supported freebies of LBJ’s Great Society starting with Medicare-Medicaid? Or end FDR created Social Security a payroll TAX on workers and employers created in 1935? If not end, how would you like these tax burdensome programs modified?
LBJ was a New Deal Democrat who in his twenties was TX director of FDR’s employment programs. After LBJ was elected to the House, FDR was his political patron/role model, determined to continue the work of the FDR.
LBJ he signed Social Security Act revisions into law increasing taxes with no guarantees. My graduate education and expenses were 100% paid by the federal government to train pros to implement the Older Americans Act/ Social Security/HUD provisions of LBJ’s Great Society which included:
1. Creation of Medicare and Medicaid
2. expanded Social Security via tax increases
3 funding a War on Poverty
4. major federal funding to elementary and secondary education
5. Creation of Head Start
6. food and nutrition programs
7. new funding for housing and urban-development programs
8. environmental and conservation measures
9. federal funding for arts and humanities
Not addressed in the article is the 1965 Immigration Law which forever changed America, and threatens the future of Western Civilization.
Trump is trying - opening savings investment accounts for all young people, so they have the sense of personal control over their future needs -- should they choose to continue down that path. Do they still teach the story of the Three Little Pigs to children today?
A retrospective about important childhood morality lesson stories and even games is in order too, along with baseball card nostalgia - collecting for value and expressing team loyalty were important lessons too.
I recall how often we in the neighborhood loved playing Monopoly. My sister always made bold early moves and loaded her properties with the housing pieces, even on low-rent Baltic Avenue. But by the end she was always the winner, and we were stretched into bankruptcy when we landed on her properties. We laughed and took our losses. What we did not do was demand rent-control or confiscation of her own bold early investments.
Later in life, she did acquire a nice portfolio of rental properties continuing to be bold buying low, living in them and fixing them up ,while patiently riding the California market. Did she learn those skills playing childhood board games? I suspect she did.
Exactly what happened and now we are in the middle of having to reverse course. Not easy to take away the candy from the baby.
Not easy to live with the results, when we don't take candy from the baby, either. Exchange it for thrift and prudence. Fair trade, but with far better outcomes .
Agree, Rita, it won’t be easy. The 2026 living wage in Santa Barbara County is $35.78 per hour, while a household with one adult and one child requires $61.60 per hour. Some employers are advertising $20-$25/hr pre-tax. Illegals are paid the same in untaxed cash.
What’s the path out of our culture where the majority of locals receive one or more taxpaid government benefits? Maybe 1) no tax on wages under the annual living wage? 2) no access to benefits if total household income is over a certain threshold amount? 3) eliminate CA income taxes? Fraud?
https://livingwage.mit.edu/counties/06083
Bring back the two-person "family" household, when raising children. What ever happened to child support from the other "responsible" family person?
Thanks for rekindling memories of my childhood in New Jersey. Being subject to the LBJ draft for Vietnam soured me on that person that his Great Society perpetuates today as his cycle continues: each election offer a new "free" something to pile on top of those given in previous elections.
Brent- do you favor a return to personal responsibility; and end to freebies or a scale back? How politically can something given, like Social Security or Medicare/Medicaid, be taken away?
Montecito, any chance you are a Democrat?
John, once again, Brilliant!!! Thanks for evoking so many memories (cards in spokes, "Boys Life", et al. And for reminding those of we who lived throughout the LBJ era (lets not forget how we got into the Viet Nam conflict) and all that has ensued since. Cheers, Bob
What????
"Government is their God.
But back to the issue of commerce. Free trade. Capitalism"
Mr. Summer, what do you mean? These snoot nosed cuddled little children NEED government! I know of 2 who were seniors at UCSB and never learned to drive. All of a sudden they found out the buses could not meet their need, cabs are too expensive, and walk/bike(?) to go to a social more than 3 miles outside of IV!
Just to let you know I had a Mantle, was good at shooting marbles, and had a neighborhood job while going to junior high.
It is sad to see this happen. Because I knew how to work, I was able to make it through grad school without debt. Rules? Don't worry well bend the rules when the cry babies say "It isn't fair."
Good job. Now I still have my marbles, a flat piece of ground, and a steele or two.... GAME ON.
Scott- when the majority of elders claim they “NEED” government benefits like SS and/or Medicare-Medicaid to maintain their retirement lifestyles, or for survival, how are programs to be funded without overtaxing others?
Thanks John..I’ll take that deal anyway..thanks for giving me your Sandy Koufax for my Junior Gilliam
Super! CJC
Here here!
The road back to good governance is clear. Uniparty politics in California has been a disastrous detour.
Support Bob Smith who has consulted with Santa Barbara High School Hall of Famer Alum and D.C. based Margaret-Sands-Orchowski. She wrote the National award winning book on 1965 changes to Immigration Law under LBJ that forever changed America. https://www.amazon.com/Law-that-Changed-Face-America/dp/1442251360
👍👍👍👍👍👍. No words needed, except thank you for your essay.
The Zeitgeist is changing. Just today two excellent opinion pieces from two disparate resources. Both articles underscore it has been irresponsible government funding that has distorted the markets, and the DSA siren call for even more government takeover is certainly not the answer.
Two good articles to clip out and offer any young acquaintances who remain enamored with "socialism" and the DSA horse, socialism is currently riding in on.
1. California Post: It is Socialism driving Gen Z's fiscal pain......(it is not capitalism)
2. WSJ: The Ph.D Job Crisis is a needed Market Correction......(cessation of federal funding)
Two current issues exploited by Democrats this election year.- affordability and cessation of unproductive federal funding Two cogent opinions, it is Democrat policy that has been responsible for the negative generational impacts of both current campaign issues: lack of affordability and cessation federal funding.
Typical Democrat response: double-down on proven failure. Distort the markets and flood it with cheap, printed money.
Is it time to end the many tax supported freebies of LBJ’s Great Society starting with Medicare-Medicaid? Or end FDR created Social Security a payroll TAX on workers and employers created in 1935? If not end, how would you like these tax burdensome programs modified?
LBJ was a New Deal Democrat who in his twenties was TX director of FDR’s employment programs. After LBJ was elected to the House, FDR was his political patron/role model, determined to continue the work of the FDR.
LBJ he signed Social Security Act revisions into law increasing taxes with no guarantees. My graduate education and expenses were 100% paid by the federal government to train pros to implement the Older Americans Act/ Social Security/HUD provisions of LBJ’s Great Society which included:
1. Creation of Medicare and Medicaid
2. expanded Social Security via tax increases
3 funding a War on Poverty
4. major federal funding to elementary and secondary education
5. Creation of Head Start
6. food and nutrition programs
7. new funding for housing and urban-development programs
8. environmental and conservation measures
9. federal funding for arts and humanities
Not addressed in the article is the 1965 Immigration Law which forever changed America, and threatens the future of Western Civilization.
Trump is trying - opening savings investment accounts for all young people, so they have the sense of personal control over their future needs -- should they choose to continue down that path. Do they still teach the story of the Three Little Pigs to children today?
A retrospective about important childhood morality lesson stories and even games is in order too, along with baseball card nostalgia - collecting for value and expressing team loyalty were important lessons too.
I recall how often we in the neighborhood loved playing Monopoly. My sister always made bold early moves and loaded her properties with the housing pieces, even on low-rent Baltic Avenue. But by the end she was always the winner, and we were stretched into bankruptcy when we landed on her properties. We laughed and took our losses. What we did not do was demand rent-control or confiscation of her own bold early investments.
Later in life, she did acquire a nice portfolio of rental properties continuing to be bold buying low, living in them and fixing them up ,while patiently riding the California market. Did she learn those skills playing childhood board games? I suspect she did.