September 16 [Wednesday]
“I have a quiz, can you stay off the home internet while I’m in class,” [the boy] asked me today. I gladly complied by relegating my internet use to the work-provided Wi-Fi tool to free up bandwidth and improve connectivity for his college course. Is this the new teamwork?
September 20 [Sunday]
[Wife Klem] orchestrated a Sunday morning walk through the Niguel Botanical Preserve in Orange County. This is a public garden with nice walking paths and native vegetation, plus it is accepting of dogs. She wanted to take Ghost dog out someplace since he’s been homebound for so long. Also, the kids aren’t getting outside enough. This furnished them with a healthful hour’s exposure to the sun.
September 21 [Monday]
My feet have been structurally problematic since my youth. This morning while lying in bed they deeply craved the donning of my leather wingtip shoes and the support they afford. The mere thought of putting them on and walking around had a soothing effect. Not since March 16 have they been deployed. The craving was denied. They will endure another day of bare feet while working from home in shorts and a t-shirt.
September 22 [Tuesday]
I’d been reading about state and city governments cutting public services due to budget shortfalls. There has undeniably been a significant increase in government expenses incurred due to Covid. Many are looking for Federal financial relief, or just trying to figure out how to cover these budget shortfalls, vast in many cases. I’m sympathetic to the extra expenses dealing with Covid, but am frustrated by the lack of foresight. Not the foresight in predicting and preparing for a pandemic, but the lack of foresight to build a financial cushion during the good times.
The stock market had been on a terrific tear for the past ten years and the economy had been very strong. When the economy is growing, tax revenue grows year over year. When the market is strong Capital Gains tax revenue grows. It’s during those good years the government should build their surplus to prepare for the lean years. Those are the years to catch up on deferred maintenance and pay down pension obligations, for example. Instead, many states had been devising ways to continue spending to the point where they seem to have already been in financial trouble even during those good years. Maybe we could use a few more Economics majors in elected office instead of attorneys.
These government entities may have to simply freeze new expenses and wait years while the tax revenue slowly catches up with the deficit spending. A few ideas to consider:
1) A freeze on new government hires. Let attrition gradually reduce the Expense column. No reason for downsizing to be relegated strictly to private industry.
2) When new government hires eventually restarts, the new hires are offered a 401K, nota pension like current employees.
3) Do away with the automatic annual built-in budget increases. Those sneaks in elected office built in the automatic increase so every year they don’t have to ask for more money, it’s just already there in which to wallow, enjoy and spend. No more. Require justification for an increase.
4) When there is a new program or new expense, attach a Sunset date. Treat expenses the same as tax cuts. Give them a sunset date, a predetermined end. The program or expense would need to be reviewed and renewed or term out.
But pardon me, I’ve gotten carried away here with a government rant. I’ll try to stay on focus, Covid. There’ll be plenty opportunity for that with the impending Presidential debates and election.
September 23 [Wednesday]
Taking my evening walk this evening I came across two neighbors, the three of us socially distanced while shooting the breeze, as the saying goes. I’d spoken with them both before, but I’d forgotten one guy’s name and confessed as much. He stated his name, approached good naturedly with hand extended and I said, “I won’t shake your hand.” The gap was closing rapidly, I wanted to maintain my Covid precaution and couldn’t come up with a gentler end game in the moment. Come on, you know a dude can’t shake someone’s hand during the year of Covid. Anyway, I’m sure he understood and we’ll remain on good terms, as long as I’m able to remember his name next time [Dave] when we see each other in the neighborhood.
September 27 [Sunday]
It was a good Safehouse visit today, my parent’s abode. My two piglets and I were visiting with [my brother] and his two, plus our parents and Uncle Joe. We engaged peaceful conversation in addition to gutsy political discourse while maintaining mostly civil conversation.
It was a fun time watching the cousins play nice while social distancing and masking up. I did briefly feel bad, though, when I got the last It’s-It ice cream bar from the garage freezer. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious, but I didn’t know [my nephew] really likes them and he got shut out. Oh well, I guess it’s good to let him know his place, right?
September 28 [Monday]
I was talking with my neighbor this evening during my post-supper walk. He’s in the medical field and suggested not to expect a Covid vaccine to be widely available until Jan-Feb 2021. Then, allowing for time to vaccinate the citizens, not to start discarding masks until Easter. I’m torn at the prognosis. That’s a long ways off, yet. But still, a welcome possible end on the horizon to the madness, if it is to be so.
September 29 [Tuesday]
The first of the Presidential debates between Trump and Biden was this evening. We made it a family event with the four of us watching or listening together. Early on it was clear the victor would be the one who spoke the least. The thing was a gruesome spectacle often generating bouts of laughter due to the foul behavior on screen. Trump seemed sometimes to be debating the moderator, Chris Wallace. Biden exhibited better restraint even having issued a “Will you shut up, man” after being interrupted again by President Trump. Anyway, not a proud night for the United States.
Our politics, [Wife Klem] and I, have diverged in recent years and the gap widens, especially with the approaching Presidential election. With a highly volatile road ahead in the coming months we’ll do our best to avoid becoming begrimed with political offal.
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