Is Albuquerque a Great Place to Live?

Not long ago while traveling, when I told some people who I had just met that I live in Albuquerque, one of them responded with the knee-jerk response "Albuquerque is a pit." At the time, I was startled because I could not reconcile his opinion with the city that I love. I believe that Albuquerque, with its cultural diversity, its long history, its awe-inspiring landscapes, its access to numerous outdoor activities, its down-to-earth people, and what is arguably the best climate anywhere, is one of the most desirable places for my family and me to live. After some introspection, I realize that much of the world may not see my city in this same way, and I further realize that there are aspects that need vast improvement.

Is Inflation Truly Low?

Today while I was grocery shopping, I had a startling revelation. The price of milk, of apples, of beer, of a head of lettuce, of just about everything in my cart seemed to be twice the price that it was a just few years ago. I grant you that this is anecdotal and not hard data, but it got me thinking.

I went to the US Government Bureau of Labor Statistics website which lists historical inflation rates as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). So far in 2013, CPI is running at annual rate of 1.8%. CPI was 1.7% in 2012, spiked up to 3.0% in 2011, and was again down at 1.5% in 2010. 2009 was 2.7%, and in 2008 we had a paltry 0.1% inflation. Over the past 5 years, total inflation was 9%. How can this be? Just about everything that I buy on a regular basis is noticeably up more than 9%. Think about it: the price of food, the price of gasoline, my phone bill, my medical insurance, the cost of air travel, my utility bill, everything is up significantly over the past few years. I cannot think of one thing that I purchase on a regular basis that is more economical today than it was in 2008.

What Government Can Learn From A Startup

While our government continues to struggle with dysfunction and  ineffectiveness, the private sector is slowly and steadily rebuilding the economy and jobs that were destroyed when the real-estate bubble burst in 2008. The contrast is striking as I consider how we, as a startup company, have dealt with the challenges of the past 4 years, compared to the self-imposed struggles of the federal government. While we have accomplished more with less, the government continues to stagnate even as it consumes 27% more of our limited resources (U.S. government spending has grown from $3.0T to $3.8T between 2008 and 2012).

21st Century Infrastructure

Recently, there has been much discussion about the need for more government investment in our infrastructure. Most of us think about bridges and roads when we hear infrastructure. The world is changing rapidly and our infrastructure investments need to keep pace with those changes. Instead of building transportation infrastructure to connect us physically, why not build 21st century infrastructure to connect us electronically?

Celebrating Opportunity and Those Who Pursue It

After watching the last two week's political conventions, I am left feeling more encouraged and optimistic than ever. It was not the soaring rhetoric, and certainly not the partisan attacks by each side. Rather, it was the speakers and their compelling life stories that uplifted me. Both political parties showcased examples of what makes America great. We saw impressive individuals from both parties, who took advantage of opportunities to make significant contributions.

Think about the common thread that we saw within both conventions. We saw examples of a great society that helps people to help themselves. Both parties celebrated the pursuit of a better life for ourselves and for our children. With assistance from families, from communities, and from government, ordinary people accomplished extraordinary things through scholarship, merit, hard work, and character.

Made in America

We hear much talk about the decline of manufacturing in America. Some argue that America has lost its manufacturing capacity. The data from the most recent year available (2010) paints a somewhat different picture. Not only is the U.S. by far the largest economy with 23.1% of the world's GDP (China is second with 9.3% of the world's GDP), the U.S. is the second largest manufacturer. In 2010, America's manufacturing output was $1.952 trillion, just behind China's $1.995 trillion. Yes, in 2010 the U.S. lost the title as the world's largest manufacturer that it held for more than a century, but America is far from having lost its manufacturing capacity. America still manufacturers19.4% of the world's goods.

Honoring Those Who Serve

On this Veteran's Day weekend, I remember and appreciate those who serve. I honor those men and women in our armed forces who sacrifice in service of country. In wartime, this service comes at extreme risk and personal sacrifice. We Americans are truly grateful to our Veterans and their families.

Service occurs in other ways as well: non-profit organizations, local community organizations, and simply donating time or resources to help others in need. Volunteers in the Red Cross and Peace Corps serve people in need all over the world. I believe that our best government leaders are those who pursue government service through a desire to give back.

Stop Pandering!

Our political system has deteriorated to a point where our leaders are constantly pandering. They tell us that we deserve an easier path and that someone else should shoulder the challenges that we face. They offer us favors and special treatment in order to gain our support.

Do our leaders think so little of us and believe that we only care about ourselves? Do they believe that we need to be bought with favors and handouts?

Leadership is Needed to Solve the Debt Crisis

The national debt is a big problem, a very big problem, perhaps the greatest threat to our national well-being in many generations. The problem extends beyond the debt ceiling deadline of August 2. The S&P credit rating organization has repeatedly warned that it may downgrade U.S. debt if any deficit-reduction deal is not robust enough to change the trajectory of the country's future debt growth. A downgrade may come even if officials agree to raise the debt ceiling. Any downgrade would drive interest rates through the roof. Ask the Greeks who now must pay 26.6% interest on 2-year government bonds (the interest on 2-year U.S. bonds is 0.46%).

Restore the American Dream

Like most people, I am worried about the current economy and the fiscal burden that we are leaving to our children. I pray that we are not the last generation in America to be more prosperous than our parents. I have followed the ongoing debate about our fiscal problems and both options seem short-sighted to me. One party wants to add more stimulus through government spending. The other party wants to provide tax breaks to spur business spending. Both solutions are politically difficult because both would exacerbate the record debt load imposed upon our children. But even worse, both solutions are unlikely to cause any real long-term prosperity in America.