This is Viewpoints for Sunday, June 24, 2018

Don’t be near-sighted

I have been a resident of Macon-Bibb County for over 34 years. When I moved here from Puerto Rico, one of the first thoughts I had was about the type of government and its inefficiency. I came from a place that is similar to Europe. We have municipalities rather than cities and counties.

We finally got a good system going, and I only hear complaints. Yes, it is true that we may have to increase taxes, and that idea doesn’t make me happy at all, especially because I am a small business owner, and I struggle to pay my taxes every year.

Now let’s be real. First of all, Macon-Bibb has a lot of things going for us. For the size of the city, the services received are second to none. I remember when garbage collection was a big joke. We have turned that system around and have a good system now. Our parks and recreation centers are almost all brand new, or they have been remodeled. Central City Park is alive and very active with numerous activities, and we have many opportunities on the river. Our colleges and universities are growing annually. Retail stores continue to open and serve the community. Our streets are not perfect, but they are decent. Directors and producers are bringing films here to be shot almost monthly. Various festivals and a lot of other activities are open to the citizens of Macon-Bibb.

Unfortunately, we are short on funds right now. The local myopia didn’t see the long range vision for a better future. As a community, we have done a good job of bringing new industry to our area. In a couple of years, we will see the results of that work. As Irving Consumer Products and Amazon build their businesses here and while Tyson improves its facilities along with the homesteading of other new industries, they will generate revenue via their taxes, and the budget problem will begin to stabilize.

In no way is this letter an approval of the mayor, but we have a lot of good things going for us. Consolidation of services has been a factor that contributed to the achievement of these industries being here and creating many new and good jobs.

Let’s continue by looking further into the future with long-term visions instead of focusing on the here-and-now myopic visualizations.

It’s time

Sports betting should be allowed in Georgia. The revenue could be used for education. Georgia needs more health providers. Georgia needs skilled workers: truck drivers, welders and technicians. The legislature could approve it in January 2019. Students could start classes in September 2019. Skilled laborers would be available in June 2020. This is a win-win opportunity.

Auction blighted property

Perhaps the commission should consider auctioning what remains of the over 1,500 blighted properties under their control to prospective builders who would be required to render any given build-able within a prescribed period or the lot would revert back to Macon-Bibb ownership, then redirect what remains of the money the commission has budgeted for blight removal.

That is, stop spending money and make money — even at $5,000 minimum per lot Macon-Bibb could realize over $7 million, and enterprising builders could erect residential or commercial properties for sale or rent that would actually return money to the tax base and get Macon-Bibb out of the business of owning and paying to remove blighted properties.

Neighbor of the Year

It was good to hear of Kevin Brown’s winning of the Neighbor of the Year award, but given the media’s invasion of his privacy I wonder if he would do it again.

North Korean negotiations

In an article published by the Telegraph Oct. 2, 2017, I explained how John F. Kennedy, one of our finest presidents, got Interconal Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) removed from Cuba. I served in a heavy bomber unit during this crisis in the early ‘60s, when dictators Nikita Khrushchev of Russia and Fidel Castro of Cuba had placed ICBMs in Cuba pointed at the United States. This is like the situation President Trump is facing with North Korean Dictator Kim Jong Un with ICBMs pointed at the U.S. and our allies.

Trump wants to follow the “Libya Model” as suggested by John Bolton, Trump’s national security adviser. Kim was upset because he thought Bolton was referring to the removal of Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, which Kim thought might mean him next. The “Libyan Model” resulted in the complete removal of Gaddafi’s nuclear and biochemical weapons. Kim was hoping he could count on negotiations like those between U.S. Presidents Bush and Clinton where Kim’s father (North Korea’s dictator at the time) would make a threat, and the U.S. would respond with large “humanitarian” cash payments.

Kim was also aware of the Iran negations, under Obama, which resulted in a $1.8 billion cash payment to the Iran regime. Its denuclearization is in progress. Trump will not fall into this trap. He requires verifiable denuclearization before any pressure is removed, although I would assume this could take place in phases. If Kim plays ball with the U.S., his country could profit politically and economically and become a member of the world community like its southern neighbor.

Two fine articles in the Telegraph present much more detail: Mark Thiessen on May 28 and Erick Erickson on June 15.

Keep your enemies close

In relation to a column by Trudy Rubin of The Philadelphia Inquirer entitled “Trump wrong to think a ‘bond’ with dictators will save world,” she is correct. However, there might be some logical reasons in the old saying, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” I like the three things stated by performance improvement specialist Dan Erwin: You can learn a lot from people you dislike. You have to keep your enemies close to understand their perspective and interests. When your enemies are close, it’s easier for your allies to work with you.

It seems past presidents’ efforts striving for a peaceful world haven’t worked very well, and President Trump’s efforts also might be meaningless, however, maybe Mr. Erwin’s reasons have merit. We should always try, for not doing so will not change dictators’ treatment of their people nor from dangerous military threats.

Cruelty to children

I agree with Laura Bush. It is cruel to separate children from their parents. In this country and abroad these days there isn’t really a lot of room for finger pointing when it comes to cruelty to children. It is cruel to involve your child in criminal activity by bringing them along when you break the law of a sovereign nation by illegally crossing their border. It is cruel to bring children into this world with no stable home. It is cruel to send children to school without proper food clothing and tools each day. Do we then expect the school to provide when dad and mom won’t?

It is also cruel to send a child out into the world without proper discipline. It is cruel to allow a child to go to bed at night with them not feeling safe and loved. It is equally cruel to allow a child to think he is the center of the universe only caring about his/her own gratification. Children are precious and a joy, but they are also a massive responsibility. Not the responsibility of the “village” but primarily of the family. Finally, let us not forget the millions that have been cruelly slaughtered in abortion. Thank God he has made provision for these.

There are countless other ways our world is cruel to children. Pray we learn, and it stops.

This story was originally published June 24, 2018 at 12:00 AM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Sunday, June 24, 2018."