Today On The News ...

No one can afford health care ... jobless rates continuing to climb ... no money for social reform ... the news never seems to focus on opportunities and I have a prime one. Let's start today ... February 1 ... severely fining people who still have Christmas decorations up.

In my family, we had a tradition of keeping trees and mangers up until the first day of the New Year. And when family gathered together for New Year's Day meals and revelry, we could all help re-pack the delicate ornaments and animated display items for their home in the attic.

Here's my plan. January 15 ... issue warnings to all homes and businesses with Christmas decor clearly observable like lawns, porches, eaves, and rooftops. And then on February 1 we drop the hammer ... $50 (one major item) to $100 (two or more items still on display) fines. I originally wanted higher dollar amounts, but utilizing police and security officers doesn't allow a great deal of incidental fines for "tacky" and "no style" ... they just don't have the training.

And if we can get a major utility behind this plan, failure to pay within 10 days would result in cessation of electricity or water and a 15 percent additional penalty.

Now I love Christmas ... and the more lights the better. So I would also make available licenses for homeowners and businesses to "trim" their buildings with rope lights and icicle lights and such. Those buggers are hard to get set up correctly, so the license (renewed each year) would allow for that hard work to remain in place.

All funds collected could be used for job assistance programs, or local scholarships for people in need. A portion could also be funneled into food banks and homeless shelters for the remaining "cold months."

POINT OF RANT: Everyone else makes money off of Christmas, why shouldn't we put some of it to good use!