Freedom News Blitz

Fortunately, it appears the government stimulus programs could result in a short-term economic recovery. Unfortunately, the so-called recovery is another government created illusion—guaranteed to fade away into oblivion. As mentioned, in other articles, government interference with the natural order of the marketplace only worsens the situation. Anyway, humongous deficits and heavy debt burdens don’t suddenly vanish. We must pay the piper—and the piper demands a high rate of interest on top of amount owed.

Hopeless Situation?

We are smack dab in the middle of the worst economic crisis since the great depression. My conclusion is the massive government interventions the Federal Reserve System and the United States Treasury are imposing on our economic system are worsening the situation. We are suffering from the effects of the “bailout blues.” In fact, these bailouts are bringing our economy to the verge of collapse. If our political and financial leaders continue stumbling down this ill-fated path, a hyperinflationary collapse is inevitable.

Maybe you feel, it’s all hopeless. After all, what other conclusion can you draw? If your personal life was already one of pain and suffering you cry in despair “Oh God, why? Why must life be so harsh and why does it have to be so cruel to me? I can’t take it anymore. Maybe the changing seasons promise of a new birth and renewal of spirit, but everyday I’m dying a little more. Only my total demise will bring me the relief I so much yearn for.”

Even during the “Happy Days” of the late 40’s and 50’s people experienced hopelessness and despair. Frankie Laine sang a song called “That Lucky Old Sun” that was number one on Billboard for eight weeks in 1949. Following is a verse from this song of sorrow, despair and a never to be satisfied cry for relief. Words by Haven Gillespie and Music by Beasley Smith

“Dear Lord above, can’t you know I’m pining, tears all in my eyes
Send down that cloud with a silver lining, lift me to Paradise
Show me that river, take me across
Wash all my troubles away
Like that lucky old sun, give me nothing to do
But roll around heaven all day”

Maybe you wish you were “that lucky old sun” living a carefree life without troubles, without worries—existing in a heavenly paradise. I’m sure you know nobody can offer you that. World-improvers and altruists have attempted to create the utopias they envisioned in their deepest dreams and desires. Tragically, they only created hell like environments causing untold millions misery and death. If you read the pages of history—you know this is the sad truth.

You may wonder where I gain the strength to write if all is hopeless. Ah, but hopelessness as a permanent visitor is an illusion.

Here’s the good news. The world is a marvelous place—filled with magic, with the joy of existence. If there is an up – there is a down. If there is in – there is out. If there is hot – there is cold. If there is pain – there is pleasure. If there is misery – there is joy. If there is hate – there is love.

Do you know what happy conclusion you can arrive at? If there is hopelessness – there is hope. Yes, there is definitely hope. Why? Nothing exists without its opposite. If we turn hopelessness upside down, we have hope. It is ours for the taking. It is exactly the moment when there doesn’t seem to be any hope, that we are closest to discovering the hopes and the joys that seem to accompany all our burgeoning aspirations and desires. Yes, you can exist as “that lucky old sun” radiantly shining on all creation.

Hope

You may be asking “If hope exists, where is it?” Well, it isn’t outside of who you are. You will not discover it by searching for it in the material world. You have to possess it before the material world will reveal it wonders to you. Did you know your world is a manifestation of your thoughts? Yes, you possess the “Holy Grail” of hope right now—whether you realize it or not.

I understand if you feel your pain and suffering is forevermore. Maybe you lost a loved one on a brisk, sunny November day—a time that was supposed to be a celebration of Thanksgiving.

Possibly, you suffer from the sweet memories of decorating the Christmas tree with your beloved spouse—the love of your life who passed on—as we all must. When you remember the time not so long ago you bumped heads picking up an icicle that fell of the tree, only to fall laughing in each others arms, you are reduced to tears.

It’s possible that the gentle breeze of a mild spring day in May—a delightful day that blesses us with the melodious songs of chirping birds, the sweet fragrance of blossoming honeysuckle and the greening of the landscape—tortures you with the heartbreaking memory of a love—a love lost to another. These so-called seasons of joy only increase you heartache and sorrow.

Still there is always hope—hope that a new day of joy and happiness dawns in your life.

Did you know the dawning of a new day has only one simple requirement? Now, I can’t guarantee this requirement erases all of your pain and suffering. I can guarantee that you discover the sweetness of hope from within. The “Holy Grail” of hope is purpose in life. Purpose in life equals hope.

Now your purpose doesn’t have to be life shattering—although that’s a possibility. It could be something as simple as a passion for poetry or a love of music. It could be fervently enjoying evenings of bingo or karaoke.

Ask yourself these questions. What brings you pleasure and satisfaction in life? What do you enjoy? I’m sure something gives you pleasure, satisfaction and joy. Do you know that most people who succeed in life are succeeding at something that supplies them extreme pleasure?

If you are so depressed that you can’t think of anything that could possibly have any purpose, try to remember what once brought you joy and satisfaction. I’m sure something in the distant past meant something to you. Is it an “oldie” you can retrieve? Can you make it part of your now and future?

Possessing a purpose in life is a prerequisite for happiness and success. Go ahead. Discover your purpose in life. Imagine waking up every morning with hope and enthusiasm. Imagine having something marvelous to look forward to. If you possess purpose, you possess happiness. If you possess happiness, I know you possess purpose in life.

Now say this with passion. That darn economic crisis has absolutely no effect on my happiness and peace of mind. I create my life, regardless of economic conditions.

Robert A. Meyer
http://libertarianway.com/

I’m sure you know our current economic crisis has many people waiting for the “other shoe to drop.” Unfortunately, their perception of “reality” supplies them plenty of reasons to think in this self-defeating way.

You’re probably aware that sometimes the deck seems decisively stacked against you. You think—happiness, I’ll be fortunate just to survive the day without losing my mind.

I understand. You know, I meditate at least an hour every day—yet I still have moments when anxiety attempts to take control of how I feel. Remember the times you felt uneasy and anxious. It’s not very pleasant—is it? I often wonder how people who don’t meditate or indulge in some type of spiritual practice handle it.

You may be asking how we can capture the illusive state of being we call happiness.

Fortunately, it’s possible to experience this daily, if we know where to look. However, we must realize that without unhappiness we wouldn’t know what happiness is. Without uneasiness of mind, we couldn’t possibly conceive of peace of mind. You know, there’s up and down, in an out, and black and white. Everything has its opposite—the other side of the coin.

The idea is not to disown sadness, unhappiness, anxiety, hate, fear and all the other negatives we’d like to do without. Disowning these undesirable feelings, guarantee they will rear their ugly heads at the most inappropriate times.

Having said that—let’s discover where happiness resides and doesn’t reside.

Unfortunately, most people believe that happiness is an external affair. They expect to gain happiness from things and other people. Sadly, they have cause and effect backwards. They don’t realize that happiness is a way of life.

It’s quite difficult to enjoy the good things in life if you haven’t discovered that happiness comes from within. A person who doesn’t realize this, attempts to escape from his misery and deprivation by indulging in irrationally selfish activities.

Most people live in the past because of all the excess baggage they carry. No wonder they feel weighed down. Since they expect more of the same, they futurize and create even a heavier burden of pain and misery to drag around.

Consider this. If you combine meditation, release techniques and owning up to disowned parts of yourself, you have good chance of discovering the happiness that resides within. Of course, you will also discover many other aspects of yourself.

Robert A. Meyer
http://libertarianway.com/

On Monday 6/29, convicted swindler Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison. District Judge Denny Chin considered the fraud so extensive that he said he needed to send a symbolic message to those who might imitate his fraud and to victims who need relief.

I think we can agree that Charles Ponzi should step aside as the swindler prototype. Madoff possibly indulged in the greatest rip-off scheme of all time. Of course, even Madoff is a piker compared to the amount of money the government spends recklessly every single day.

Poor Ruth Madoff. You’ve got to feel for her. Think about how far she’s fallen. Her husband and her former lifestyle are gone forever. You know, a person gets use to a certain way of living.

According to court papers, the Madoffs owned homes in Manhattan, Montauk, N.Y., and Palm Beach, Fla., along with millions of dollars in furniture, art, furs, and the like.

You can imagine the other perks she enjoyed. Now many of them are gone.

Now you might say “Now wait just a minute. She does get $2.5 million to live off.” Well anyway, you know how things can sometimes be relative. Think about how you would feel if your living standards collapsed more than 90%.

Also, you have to realize the cash doesn’t come completely clear and free. She still faces the possibility the Securities & Exchange Commission, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, and the trustees liquidating her husband’s business and estate makes further claims on her. She might even have to rely on Social Security.

We must also think about the victims of Madoff’s swindle. Their lives are probably a waking nightmare. I hope that they have something left to rebuild on. At least with Madoff’s sentencing they received some justice. Unfortunately for these victims it doesn’t restore lost wealth.

You have to wonder how Madoff can even live with himself. He must be an extreme sociopath.

You’ve heard about how the sins of the father are visited upon the children. In this case the sins of the husband are passed onto the wife.

Irrational Selfishness

I wonder if Mrs. Madoff noticed her husband is an irrationally selfish individual.

Here something you should never forget. Irrationally selfish people indulge in self-destructive behavior. Hanging around these kinds of individuals could very well result in you adopting their ways of acting. Obviously, Bernie Madoff didn’t consider the long-term consequences of his thieving ways.

What definitely proves he’s a sociopath, is that he pretended he was an altruist. Unfortunately for us, many of these types of people enter the political scene. I’m sure you see the consequences of this tragic fact.

Let’s face it. Irrationally selfish people such as Madoff sacrifice long-term benefits for immediate gratification. It’s possible he’s was so far gone, he actually believe he’d get by with it indefinitely.

If anything proves that altruism combined with irrational selfishness is self-destructive to all involved, it is the Madoff case. He is definitely a ”wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

Rational Selfishness and the Happiness Within

You probably know honesty is in short supply. Let’s discover a few things that are alien to someone like Bernie Madoff—something his wife didn’t realize.

Here’s the first one. Only the rationally selfish person lives by a system of values that corresponds to Natural Law. He would never purposely indulge in irrationally selfish behavior. He is in control of his thoughts, feelings and actions. He understands all causes have effects, and he makes sure he understands cause and effect relationships. He may error in his judgment but he has the ability to adjust his thinking and actions in order to achieve his goals and desires. He is extremely honest.

Here’s the second one. Too many people believe happiness is an external affair. For example, they actually believe more possessions or the ideal relationship will bring them the happiness that currently eludes them. They seek happiness outside of who they are.

Tragically, they have placed the proverbial cart before the horse. Nothing in the external world can possible supply them long-term happiness unless they first discover it from within.

Here’s the bottom line. Happiness is the way. First, discover the happiness that is within and happy circumstances will discover you.

Do you wonder if Bernie and Ruth Madoff understood this? We can only hope and pray his unfortunate victims know this or soon discover it.

Robert A. Meyer
http://libertarianway.com/