Alexander Hamilton started the U.S. Treasury with nothing, and that was the closest our country has ever been to being even.   – Will Rogers

Howdy Folks,

I looked up “monsoon” in my outdated Webster’s Dictionary.

I was mildly amused by one of the definitions. It reads “the season during which this wind from the southwest, characterized by heavy rains.” If I remember, we had half of the monsoon for a big part of this year — the wind. I pray that we all can hold on until we get the second half of the monsoon. I went to Montana a few weeks ago and saw some of the tallest and greenest grass I’ve seen in a long while. Those folks have had the “monsoon” for a big part of the year. Of course, a big chunk of their moisture was frozen.

We’re headed into a fall that doesn’t show much promise for our economy. The federal government has worked hard to keep us in debt. Each party blames the other for what has happened. Do we tax an already burdened public, or do we give breaks to industry to stimulate our stagnate economy? It’s a tall fence, and we may be like ole Humpty Dumpty. I pray that the adults (and I use that word with reservation) can pull this country up and give our children and grandchildren a country that our forefathers fought so hard to give us. I have watched TV and listened to how much the politicians have and are raising for their campaign funds. It makes a man think if they spent as much time raising these same funds for our country, we might get back to how much Alexander Hamilton started with. It is hard for me to comprehend the amount of money that is raised to get elected. We are sending people to Washington to represent us and giving them the power to set their own wages, retirement plans, and health benefits. I wonder what it would be like in the private sector to give yourself a raise and all the benefits without your boss’s approval.

There was a gathering in Springerville, Arizona of concerned citizens and Congressmen to discuss the effects of the wildfires that hit the Southwest and try to come up with some resolutions of how to protect our forests from having these fires again. It was a successful gathering and gave many something to think about.

The fall Board meeting was early again this year to work on foage insurance. The special session starts on September 6 and we will see how rural New Mexico will be affected through redistricting. Other topics of concern will also be voiced at the meeting. Regional meetings for this fall are also being discussed and maybe some can come to fruition.

I know that the growing season is short, but I pray that all can get some grown before frost.

YGood people are guided by their honesty,

Treacherous people are destroyed by their dishonesty.  – Proverbs 11:3 NLT