Photo of Andy Arthur

Andy Arthur

Summertime! 🏖️ And the livin' is easy. Or so we will pretend, for a few minutes spent in the willderness in the swimming hole. And my mind drifts to afternoons at the Potholers in the heat which will certainly return once the black flies go into the hiding.

Kind of wish I was camping out tonight ⛺️

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It’s a cool but fairly nice night but I see the clouds pushing in and the forecast man says rain by 6 AM or maybe sooner — I occasionally felt what seemed like a drop of rain or two out hiking at Kehler Preserve and now as I sit out back. I prefer any night in the wilderness to a night in the city, but hammock camping in the rain doesn’t sound like much fun.

Pine Creek Gorge

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Notice the numerous large switchbacks the roads make as they wind around the deep gorges that extend out from the Pine Creek Gorge.

Stay Poor, Vote Democrat 🐴

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The flag on the prefab house with white vinyl siding out in the country said.

The truth is that voting is an excellent way to remain poor. Believing in a political candidate to solve all of the problems in your life isn’t going to advance your life much.

Democrats are the party of taxes and regulations. Some good, many bad. Voting Democratic is going to cost you more money in your pocket book that’s for sure, and will likely take more out of your paycheck. Democratic regulations make products more expensive at the store. But what for?

Many social programs uplift millions of Americans including quite possibly yourself. Subsidized education programs help connect people with free or affordable education that advances careers. Subsided child care makes it easier for people to get back to work. A high school diploma, provided a no charge is a first step to a better life.

Clean air and water are not free. Consumer protections are not free. Fairness at work, ensuring that employers take care of employees isn’t free. Regulating products to ensure they are safe and healthy aren’t free. All those costs are tacked on to every purchase you make and every time you get paid or pay taxes. Protecting your good life is not free.

By no means do I think Democrats with their pro regulatory agenda are always right for America. We need checks on power and a vibrant two party system that sometimes says no to new regulations and social policies. American life would be much more expensive if nobody said no to all the Democrats’ ideas. It’s not they are all bad, but some truly are.

Do Democrats make you poorer? To a certain extent that is true. But often cost is worth it. But sometimes it’s not worth it and such policies should be rejected. Democratic power should not be unchecked, Democrats should fear for their jobs and Republicans sometimes win. This helps to keep the worse excesses of the Democratic Party in check and ensures a vibrant democracy where only the best ideas succeed.

Just don’t vote thinking whoever wins will make you richer or poorer… It doesn’t work that way unless you work for the government or have a government contact!