I Stand Corrected

In my last post, I mentioned Senator Mary Landrew, from Louisiana, had been promised 100 million dollars in Medicaid subsidies for her state, in exchange for her "yes" vote on bringing the Health Care Bill to the floor of the US Senate for debate, and ultimately, a vote. I learned a few days ago that I gave the wrong figure... apparently, it was not 100 million dollars, but rather, it was 300 million... yes $300,000,000. By the Way...Louisiana is the ONLY state eligible for the subsidies, under the pending Health Care Legislation.

I must admit, when "throwing around" numbers these days, like the Congress, Senate, and President do... it's easy to lose track of what the money is for, how much it is, and where it's going. In this case, I got the earlier information from a news report that was updated after the actual vote in the Senate took place.

I apologize for my error, but honestly... to the crowd in DC, there isn't much difference between $100,000,000 and $300,000,000... it's just numbers on paper. However, to the folks out here who are actually paying for the ridiculous expenditures... those "numbers on paper" mean something. Hopefully, it won't be long before the "bill payers" say "enough is enough".

“I Voted For it, Before I Voted Against It!”

That statement has a familiar ring to it, especially if you keep up with politics. It was a statement made by Senator John Kerry during his Presidential campaign in 2004. I remember how many jokes were made about such a statement, and there was even the assurance, at least by those with common sense, that a statement like that would never be heard again. That may have been true… until today.

On Saturday November 21, 2009, two United States Senators said what is in essence the very same thing on the floor of the US Senate. Sen. Blanche Lincoln, from Arkansas, went as far as to say “I will vote in support of cloture on the motion to proceed to this Bill… let me be perfectly clear… I will not vote in favor of the proposal that has been introduced by Leader Reed.” In other words, she said she would vote for the Bill tonight, then vote against it later. Sen. Landrew from Louisiana said basically the same thing earlier today, after being assured of one hundred million dollars in Medicaid subsidies, included in the Bill for her state… and no other. So today, the words that became fodder for late-night comics, and political satirists, were proudly spoken again, in the hope of confusing the “good old folks” back home.

Here’s the strategy… these two Senators, either of which could have stopped the government take-over of our Nation’s health-care system dead in its tracks, single-handedly, caved to political pressure and promises from their “leaders” in Washington… rather than following the direct and overwhelming orders of their employers… their constituents, back home. Their defense, when they return to their home districts over the holidays, will be that they simply voted to move to the debate of the Bill, not in favor of the actual Bill. They will then assure the voters back home that they will NOT vote in favor of the Bill when it comes up for final vote, sometime after the first of the year. They would NEVER support such a drastic change in our health-care system. Later, when they are up for re-election, they will be “on record” as having voted against the Bill, when it comes up for final vote after the debates and amendments. The only problem is… their employers won’t be buying it… this time. Between now and election time, there will be many people on television and radio… and on pages like this one… who will be reminding them of how either of these two senators could have prevented the destruction of the most-envied health-care system in the world. This time… I don’t believe their “shell game” will work. The sad reality is… it may be too late to fix it.

It's Business As Usual

Not much is being reported in the news these days about something that Senior Adults are very familiar with. It's called the "Cost Of Living Adjustment" or "COLA" in Social Security benefits. This year, the US Congress has voted against providing a Cost Of Living Adjustment, citing almost non-existent economic inflation. However, about twenty-five percent of Social Security recipients will see an increase in their Medicare premiums, which are deducted from their Social Security checks, because of "increased costs". Does that add up?

By the way... the same Congressmen and Congresswomen that voted against giving Social Security Recipients a Cost Of Living Adjustment, will receive an automatic pay increase of somewhere between $4300 and $5500 dollars this year. Keep in mind that some Senior Adults have to survive for an entire year on little more than Congress' automatic pay increase.

If that seems odd or unfair to you, it shouldn't. It's what I call "business as usual" in Washington, DC.

Are You Part Of An "Angry Mob"?

Have you noticed if you disagree with the Administration's "Health Care Reform" plan, you are now part of an "angry mob"? I thought it was very funny, at first, seeing a Grandmother holding a microphone, speaking loudly to her elected Congressional Representative, while at the bottom of the TV screen scrolled the words "angry, organized mobs protest Health Care Reform." However, after seeing it over and over it became obvious to me that it wasn't a joke, but rather a strategy of those who support more government control of America's heath care system, to marginalize those who disagree with, or question, their agenda.

The fact is, most Americans won't take the time to read through the 1,000-page House Bill. You can count me among that crowd. I will say, however, it is the responsibility of our elected Representatives to read it, and then report to their constituents about it's content and intent, and then to vote according to the "will of the people" in their districts. I can say I have read the passages in the Bill that most concern me. One that sticks out in my mind is found on page 16 of the House Bill. That section is supposed to "keep the promise of private health insurance", but if you read it, you'll discover it's actual intent is to eventually dismantle the private health insurance industry. The "fine print" states that you can keep your current health insurance plan, if you're satisfied with it, but should you become dissatisfied, your ONLY option is to switch to one of the "Public Plans". In other words, if your current provider raises your rates, and a competing company offers a similar plan at a lower price, you can't switch. You can only switch to the Government's Plan. That clause alone would, in a few short years, wipe out Private Health Insurers, who simply will not be able to compete with a Government Plan, subsidized by taxpayers. So much for choice.

Be careful... if you ask any questions, or express disagreement... you will instantly become one of the "angry mob."

Apparently... It IS Serious

Last week, in a jury trial, a man was found guilty of illegally downloading copyright protected music from the Internet, and was fined more than $500,000! It appears the large, secular record companies are taking this practice very seriously, stating during the trial that they had lost billions of dollars because of illegal downloading. Obviously, the jury and the judge agreed.

Read the story here: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,535948,00.html

We Are So Blessed!

We recently returned from a four-day trip to the Dominican Republic. We had been invited by Compassion International, a non-profit organization that underwrites schools and missionary work in several different countries. I can tell you that, at first, I wasn't excited about taking the trip, but curiosity caused me to anticipate it.

When we arrived at the airport in Santo Domingo, nothing seemed unusual. Having traveled abroad many times, it's hard to be surprised by the look of buildings, the attitude of Immigration officials, traffic, or much else, to be honest. The surprises would come later.

Our first stop was at the Compassion Headquarters for the Dominican Republic. We were greeted by one of the staff, and taken on a tour of the operations. Since it was after 5pm, everyone had already gone home for the day, except for our guide, who gave us a very detailed explanation of everything we were seeing. I was impressed with the amount of detail work involved in keeping everything running smoothly and efficiently. I could tell they were running a very "tight ship". The Santo Domingo office is involved with sponsorships for more than forty-three thousand children in the Dominican Republic in over ? projects. The most interesting thing I learned at the headquarters was that Compassion works with local churches to establish their projects. Each student and each church goes through an extensive qualification process, and the projects are regularly audited to insure transparency and efficiency. That process is a monumental task, but required for accountability.

Early the next morning, we made our first visit to one of Compassion's projects. Since the Dominican Republic's public school system is split into two three-hour sessions, half the children are in school in the mornings, with the other half in the afternoon. Compassion's project schools work in tandem with the public school schedule. Half the students in the morning, the other half in the afternoon. When we arrived, we were greeted by a very loud group of excited kids ranging in age from 5 to probably 12. They were separated into classrooms by age groups, and we visited each of them before heading into the Church next door for a pre-lunch Worship Service. The singing was nearly deafening, and the enthusiasm was contagious. Within a few minutes, we found ourselves singing along! Even though we didn't know the language, we knew the One they were singing about.

It wasn't too long before someone tapped me on the shoulder and asked me to step outside. When I stepped into the sunlight, I was greeted by two familiar faces I had only seen in pictures before now. They were the two children my family sponsors at the very project I was visiting. The little boy's name was Victor. He's five-years old, has one brother and one sister, and lives with his Mom, who is not a Christian. The little girl was Alanna. She is eight-years old, and lives in a very small house with ten other family members encompassing three generations. Our visit began very slowly, since neither of these kids had ever seen me, and there were people standing around taking pictures and video. I'm sure it was a very scary experience for them, but everything changed when Victor and Alanna discovered my iPhone! For the next thirty minutes, they smiled and laughed, and the ethnic and cultural barriers crumbled as we communicated through an interpreter. It was great!

Later in the day, I had the opportunity to visit the homes where Victor and Allanna live. I won't attempt to describe them here, but suffice it to say they were what I expected, based on things I had seen on television. The poverty they live in might be "normal" to them, but it's indescribable and unimaginable for those of us who call the United States "home".

Day three took us on a two-hour drive from Santo Domingo, up the coast and inland to what's called a "Batay". It's basically a small village of cinder-block houses, ranging in size from one hundred to four hundred square feet. The people in this particular Batay were mostly Haitian refugees, who had traveled over the mountains into the Dominican Republic to escape what many call "the poorest country in the world." Since the D.R. government doesn't officially recognize them as immigrants, they are basically "legalized slaves", working for the Sugar companies, harvesting sugar cane by hand, and living in the company-owned shacks.

The Compassion project in this village was hosted by an Assembly of God church. I took a picture of their "Sunday School Report" plaque, that hung on the wall in the sanctuary. "Last week's attendance - 50. Visitors - 8. Offering - 164 pesos (approximately $4.50 USD). Although the poverty in this location was more extreme than the Santo Domingo project, the expressions of joy on the faces of the children were the same. Being involved in the project is a lifeline for these kids. They were well-fed, neatly clothed, and excited to be there. The irony was just outside, on the other side of the fence, where I met five kids who were not involved in the project, staring at us through the fence, waiting for an opportunity to experience what "the kids on the inside" were experiencing. Walking the dirt roads through the village to visit a couple of homes, was an experience I will never forget. The people were so happy to meet us and invite us into their homes, even though there was barely room for us to get inside the doors... literally.

The last night in Santo Domingo we had our last meal at the hotel, and I had the privilege of meeting a nineteen year-old young lady who had been in the Compassion program for sixteen years. Our conversation during dinner finally revealed the "Compassion mission" to me. This nineteen year-old college student had had the same sponsor since she was three years-old! A high-school math teacher from Arizona, whom she had never met, had made it possible for her to participate in the Compassion program, and is now sponsoring her through college! I asked if they kept in touch through letters over the years, and her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She said, "oh yes... she has written me every month since I was three, and I have every letter in a book!" Wouldn't you love to be there when they finally meet face to face someday?

By the time our dinner was over, I had figured out what the ingenious mission of Compassion is... to raise up a generation of Christians that will effect change on their families, their communities, and their countries. The vast majority of children who enter the Compassion program come from families that are not Christians. They are fed, clothed, educated, and introduced to Jesus Christ, since the projects are maintained through local Evangelical churches. It is through the Compassion projects these children learn about having a personal relationship with Christ, and in turn, they introduce their families to this same Jesus.

During one of our bus rides, Zane King, a representative from Compassion, asked me what I thought about what I had seen. I told him the question is not whether or not Christians should be involved, but what is the best we can do? As Christians, we are supposed to live a life of giving... both our time and our treasure. We depend on the Holy Spirit to direct our efforts, and He has called us to come along-side people like the folks from Compassion to be the hands and feet that carry Good News, both physically and spiritually, to these people who so desperately need it.

On the plane ride back to the United States, I was listening to my iPod, when a song came on that summed up the trip, and our lives in general... "We Are So Blessed"!

Somebody's Got To Say It...

There’s something happening in Gospel Music that’s been going on for many years that has managed to “fly under the radar”, because those who travel, sing, and record the greatest, most powerful music in the world have always feared confronting it “head-on”. No one wants to be offensive, or controversial, but at the same time, apparently, everyone has been afraid to be honest with the people we sing to. However, with the ever-increasing use and popularity of computers and the internet, the time has come when somebody has to step up and say what virtually every Gospel Artist is thinking, but afraid to say… There is a very real possibility that we are just a few short years away from not being able to continue to record and produce music any longer.

I’m certain the initial responses to that statement are “WHAT? Are you serious? What are you talking about?” Those are legitimate and understandable responses, so I will attempt to explain the situation as clearly as possible, with the fewest words possible.

Most people who love to listen to Gospel music don’t know the majority of traveling Gospel Artists derive somewhere near fifty percent (50%) of their revenue from the sale of CDs, DVDs, and other recorded media. In 2008, that revenue dropped by close to twenty percent (20%), for most Artists. Most people would say that decline was a result of the slowing economy, but in reality, sales of recorded music have been slowly declining over the last five years, even when the overall economy was strong. If you don’t believe me, go to your local Christian Bookstore and ask the manager. Is the decline because fewer people are listening to Gospel Music? No. Actually, more people are listening now, than ever before. I believe the decline is a direct result of the availability of illegal copies of music easily found on the internet, as well as the availability of inexpensive equipment that allows anyone to make illegal copies of CDs in their own home.

Why are free downloading, “file sharing”, and copying illegal?

I have often said most Christians who are involved in illegal downloading, copying, and “file sharing”, don’t realize what they’re doing is stealing. Here are some facts most Gospel music lovers don’t know:

It costs thousands…even tens of thousands of dollars to produce a CD that sells for $15. That “selling” price has remained steady since the introduction of Gospel Music CDs in 1984, while the production costs have risen with inflation. To recoup the initial investment, the Artist or record company must sell several thousand, or tens of thousands of CDs before the first penny of net profit is realized. This can take several months, a year, or even longer. Today, with so much “free” music available from friends or websites, the time it takes to recoup the initial investment takes longer and longer, and in some cases, the production investment is never fully recouped and real dollars are lost. You don’t have to be a mathematical genius to figure out the Artists and record companies can’t repeat that cycle for an extended period of time without serious financial consequences.

When a Gospel Artist makes a new recording, there are costs involved that most listeners don’t know about. After the recording, or production, is finished, you add the cost of photography for the cover, the cover art, the printing of the CD booklets, the cost of manufacturing the CDs. After that, you add in the cost of marketing, required to let the public know about the new CD, the cost of mechanical royalties, and the producer royalties. When you add all that together, neither the Artist nor any record company is included in the figures. They don’t see any return on the investment until CDs are sold, and since Bookstores, other retail outlets, and “legal” online sites like iTunes and Amazon.com have to receive a percentage of the selling price to stay in business, the profit is reduced even more, which further increases the number of sold CDs required to “break even” on the original investment.

Federal Copyright Law allows someone, who purchases a CD, to make additional copies for “personal” use. That would mean one copy for the house, one for the car, and, to be honest, one for anyone who lives in your household. It doesn’t include the next-door neighbor, the friend who lives in another city, or anyone on the internet who has access to your music files through a file sharing program. Once a recording ends up in the hands of someone who lives outside your household, it is an illegal copy and the person who made it, as well as the one who receives it, is stealing. The reason is simple… the Artist doesn’t get paid for a product they produced, the record company doesn’t get paid for a product they invested in, the songwriter doesn’t get paid for their contribution to the recording, the publisher doesn’t get paid, the producer doesn’t paid…no one gets paid.

Here is an example I shared with a car dealer a couple of years ago, after he proudly told me he had found a site on the internet where he was getting our music for free:

I said “Wow, that’s pretty cool. Let me ask you something… can I drive off your lot in a new car without paying for it, keep it for a year or two, and let my friends drive it, if I promise not to sell it…only use it?” His answer was a very quick, “NO, of course not.” My response was, “Well… that was the same excuse you used to justify stealing our music. You said you were just downloading the music and making CDs for your car so you could listen to it… you weren’t selling it, so you weren’t stealing it.” I can tell you that it only took him a few seconds to figure out that what he was doing was wrong, after I had explained it to him in a way he could understand.

The bottom line is this…Gospel Artists simply can not continue to produce quality music recordings if more and more people decide to download, file share, or copy CDs without paying for them. It’s simple mathematics. It’s also easy to figure out that if the trend continues, we will begin to see Artists cut-back on their travel, make fewer recordings, and even go out of business completely in the not-so-distant future.

Now that you know the facts about stealing or illegally downloading and sharing music, you are responsible for the knowledge you’ve gained. I hope you will join us in getting the word out to your friends, and making them aware of the seriousness of this problem. I really believe if Christians know the truth, they will respond correctly.

Recorded music is one of the most effective tools available to spread the Gospel and encourage Christians. We have to work together to insure its availability for many years to come.