Freedom Begins with Us
When one reads the news these days, there is considerable coverage regarding limitations of freedom in the lives of everyday Americans.
Although there is plenty to digest on a national level, what about freedom in our individual actions and communication? If you look around, you will see plenty of ways that individual choices are drastically reduced for the so-called greater good.
I am fortunate to live in the beautiful state of Colorado.
When I visit a client in Boulder, the mecca for freedom reduction, I literally have to spend three minutes trying to flush a toilet due to the low water requirements.
Do I shake the toilet handle or remove the lid and make adjustments inside the tank? This effort is due to local regulations mandating low flush toilets in local businesses.
Yet, what about the value of my time or the time of my client? I am sure that there are many others in this city or neighboring cities who have to waste their time dealing with frustrating toilet equipment.
In my own home, which was built nearly 50 years ago, I have an older kitchen light.
While I have made an attempt to use the new, longer lasting light bulbs in other household lights, I simply need to use a small number of traditional light bulbs.
However, when I go to a local chain supermarket, a light bulb, which previously cost 75 cents now costs $4.
00 to discourage consumption.
Thus, I decided to travel to another part of town on the hunch that a smaller store would have traditional light bulbs.
Success, I found these old style bulbs, yet had to make a separate trip.
Next, I turn on the news and read that the CEO of Mozilla recently resigned due to a political donation that he made six years ago in support of Proposition 8 to define marriage as between a man and a woman.
Gay marriage is certainly a heated topic that will play out in numerous court cases and elections over the next 10 years.
I am still stunned that a group of shareholders can pressure a business executive to resign over a legal and valid political donation.
I thought the measure of an effective CEO is whether their actions generated solid shareholder financial value.
As a small business owner, it is my responsibility to provide for my own health coverage.
When I assessed the options available to me, I decided the best course of action would be an individual policy outside of the Affordable Care Act.
I have a lower premium price, lower deductible, and more policy value.
I mentioned this decision to a friend, and she responded that I was a freeloader.
She said that I may suffer a major medical condition and would leave healthcare providers with high bills since I may not be able to make all the payments due to my sub-standard coverage.
I told her that I was getting the best coverage that I could afford.
If I ever owed any healthcare provider a large sum of money, I would make payment arrangements and retire my debt.
I am honorable.
Needless to say, we are no longer friends.
What is going on America? What has happened to our ability to make individual choices based upon our sense of what is right and what is in our best interest? Before waiting for the next election to determine how free we will be, perhaps look around and see how we are limiting freedom on an everyday basis due to restrictions on freedom in our communities, states, and through personal communication.
Let's commit to a new sense of freedom and it starts with us, right now.
Although there is plenty to digest on a national level, what about freedom in our individual actions and communication? If you look around, you will see plenty of ways that individual choices are drastically reduced for the so-called greater good.
I am fortunate to live in the beautiful state of Colorado.
When I visit a client in Boulder, the mecca for freedom reduction, I literally have to spend three minutes trying to flush a toilet due to the low water requirements.
Do I shake the toilet handle or remove the lid and make adjustments inside the tank? This effort is due to local regulations mandating low flush toilets in local businesses.
Yet, what about the value of my time or the time of my client? I am sure that there are many others in this city or neighboring cities who have to waste their time dealing with frustrating toilet equipment.
In my own home, which was built nearly 50 years ago, I have an older kitchen light.
While I have made an attempt to use the new, longer lasting light bulbs in other household lights, I simply need to use a small number of traditional light bulbs.
However, when I go to a local chain supermarket, a light bulb, which previously cost 75 cents now costs $4.
00 to discourage consumption.
Thus, I decided to travel to another part of town on the hunch that a smaller store would have traditional light bulbs.
Success, I found these old style bulbs, yet had to make a separate trip.
Next, I turn on the news and read that the CEO of Mozilla recently resigned due to a political donation that he made six years ago in support of Proposition 8 to define marriage as between a man and a woman.
Gay marriage is certainly a heated topic that will play out in numerous court cases and elections over the next 10 years.
I am still stunned that a group of shareholders can pressure a business executive to resign over a legal and valid political donation.
I thought the measure of an effective CEO is whether their actions generated solid shareholder financial value.
As a small business owner, it is my responsibility to provide for my own health coverage.
When I assessed the options available to me, I decided the best course of action would be an individual policy outside of the Affordable Care Act.
I have a lower premium price, lower deductible, and more policy value.
I mentioned this decision to a friend, and she responded that I was a freeloader.
She said that I may suffer a major medical condition and would leave healthcare providers with high bills since I may not be able to make all the payments due to my sub-standard coverage.
I told her that I was getting the best coverage that I could afford.
If I ever owed any healthcare provider a large sum of money, I would make payment arrangements and retire my debt.
I am honorable.
Needless to say, we are no longer friends.
What is going on America? What has happened to our ability to make individual choices based upon our sense of what is right and what is in our best interest? Before waiting for the next election to determine how free we will be, perhaps look around and see how we are limiting freedom on an everyday basis due to restrictions on freedom in our communities, states, and through personal communication.
Let's commit to a new sense of freedom and it starts with us, right now.
