{"id":1057,"date":"2013-10-01T11:35:30","date_gmt":"2013-10-01T16:35:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/?p=1057"},"modified":"2013-10-01T15:37:09","modified_gmt":"2013-10-01T20:37:09","slug":"consequences","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerrysjuicebar.com\/blog\/?p=1057","title":{"rendered":"Consequences"},"content":{"rendered":"\"consequences\"<\/a>\n

I read an article today in the New York Times<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0the budget standoff. \u00a0In justifying their position on insisting to attach conditions to a budget, Rep. Stephen King of Iowa said simply, “Because we’re right.” \u00a0His colleague, Steve Pearce of New Mexico went further to say,\u00a0\u201cAt times, you must act on principle and not ask what cost, what are the chances of success.”<\/p>\n

That phrase, “act on principle and not ask what cost”<\/strong><\/em> struck me.<\/p>\n

Consequences exist. \u00a0Really. \u00a0They do. \u00a0I think that is where you have to start. \u00a0We all like to ignore them.\u00a0\u00a0We pretend they aren’t there.\u00a0\u00a0We forget about Newtonian physics (the old “equal and opposite” action thing).\u00a0\u00a0We pass over the “reap what you sow” evidence.\u00a0\u00a0But once we step out of our delusions, we look around and see, yes, there are consequences to things.<\/p>\n

And consequences have, well, consequences.\u00a0\u00a0Ignoring them doesn’t make them go away, nor does it necessarily make you a better person. \u00a0I find any one who would say, “I’m going to do what I think is right and I don’t care who gets hurt in the process” to be a potentially dangerous person.<\/p>\n

That is what is so disturbing to me about Mr. Pearce’s comments. \u00a0It seems that he recognizes consequences but chooses to ignore them.<\/p>\n

Now here’s my rule for ignoring consequences:\u00a0\u00a0it should be for a greater good and the downside risks should only involve the person who chooses to ignore the consequence.\u00a0\u00a0Some examples:<\/p>\n