Myrtle Beach, SC, Orlando, FL, Washington, DC January 13, 2014— Thinking Outside the Boxe has released the transcript of founder Robert M. Clinger III’s closing remarks at the think tank’s annual symposium held in Orlando, Florida on January 1, 2014. Mr. Clinger’s closing remarks capped off the week-long event that included several round table discussions, the question and answer session with guest panelists, and a special New Year’s Champagne Summit at which participants discussed the outlook for 2014, offered resolutions for America, and toasted the future success and stability of the nation. Continue reading
Symposium Q&A 2013
2013 Symposium: Welfare, Food Stamps, and WIC Are All Programs That Need Reformed, How Can We Do It? Is Welfare Drug Testing Working? Or Is It A Waste Of Tax Payer Money?
Cartwright: Drug test all recipients of these programmes. Utah announced a couple months ago that it saved over $350,000 in the first year that it required drug testing for welfare recipients. Second, let’s have the IRS audit the welfare, food stamp, and WIC programmes. These programmes are rife with fraud and waste. I know of instances where foreign college students here in Orlando are getting food stamps. Really? Why are we giving benefits to foreigners and able bodied college students at that? This is ridiculous! The system is clearly broken and needs to be cleaned up. Continue reading
2013 Symposium: How Cam Employers Maintain Standards Of Customer Service? Higher Wages? Stricter Rules?
Cartwright: It’s really about creating a corporate culture around customer service and creating an environment where the employees are happy and want to come to work. A happy employee provides good customer service. An unhappy employee provides poor customer service. If your corporate culture is bad and you pile on stricter rules, you just alienate the employees and customer service spirals out of control as it gets sucked down the drain. I personally believe that if you take care of your employees then they will take care of you and your business. I’ve found that some of the best customer service comes from small businesses. They have a very family oriented environment with the employees. The bigger the organization gets the more corporate bullshit that gets involved; employees are less happy and this manifests in lower standards of customer service. Continue reading
2013 Symposium: Conflicting States In Laws Can Cause Problems, Should The Federal Government Become Involved And Pass Blanket Laws?
Cartwright: No. Any powers not expressly granted to the federal government by the United States Constitution are deemed to be rights or powers of the states. If one state wants to ban smoking in public places but another one doesn’t, it’s not up to the federal government to make a blanket law or get involved. The only caveat being unless the state law violates the Constitution or federal laws. Laws vary from state to state. If the federal government is standardizing laws throughout the nation doesn’t that effectively emasculate the states? I don’t like the idea of the federal government harmonizing laws. Why should I be bound by the laws of California if I live in Florida? Laws in states are made by the elected legislators. The people of Florida didn’t elect the people in California, so why should they control our laws in a roundabout way? Continue reading
2013 Symposium: Should The Be An Age Limit Of Driving?
Cartwright: I think the entire system of issuing driving privileges needs reformed. Let’s keep in mind that driving is a privilege, not a right. I’m interpreting the question as placing an age limit on driving such that when you reach a certain age you must surrender your driver’s license. I don’t necessarily think elderly people on the road is an overwhelming part of the problem. In fact, people over the age of 65 account for the lowest percentage of drivers in all accidents. Young people account for a much higher percentage. Continue reading
2013 Symposium: Is Society Too Consumed With “Political Correctness”?
Cartwright: Absolutely. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. People need to get thicker skin and get over this political correctness thing. This is part of the wussification of America. You can’t call someone fat or obese because it may hurt their feelings. We have to be more sensitive to that. This is ridiculous. If they don’t want to be called fat, lose some weight. You can’t say someone is short or a midget, because it may offend them. I really think the liberals in this country, and they’re the ones pushing this political correctness stuff, have this confused with bullying. Continue reading
2013 Symposium: Do You Think The Average American Citizen Is Tired Of Politics?
Cartwright: Undoubtedly. Hell, I’m sick of politics. It’s a terrible little game that gets played with the political elite in this country and all the average American citizens are just pawns getting screwed in the process. I wouldn’t change our system, our constitutional republic, for anything else in the world. Yes, we have our problems, but it’s the best game in town when you compare it to socialist states or communist states or other democracies. Continue reading
2013 Symposium: Is There A Country That Had A National Health Programme That Actually Works Efficiently?
Cartwright: No. Any national run health programme suffers from vast inefficiencies and healthcare rationing. The National Health Service in Great Britain has long been plagued by problems like lack of doctors and long wait times to see a doctor. What happened? People got tired and started finding private insurors and private doctors. Did it cost more? Yes. Did they get better treatment? Yes. Was it more efficient for the patients? Yes. Take a look at Canada as another example. If you’re old and you get sick, you’re not going to get the same level of treatment and care as someone half your age. They figure you’ve lived long enough, so why bother spending money to keep you alive a few more years. So, the death panels decide who lives and dies. This isn’t speculation; this is fact. I can point to examples of personal friends from Canada who relied on the system and they’re dead. Is this what we deserve here in America? No, but it’s what we’ve got now with Obamacare. Continue reading
2013 Symposium: Should We Raise The Minimum Wage?
Cartwright: No. Personally, I feel businesses should pay their workers a good, decent, livable wage. I support an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work. Not all businesses feel that way. And for a lot of businesses it’s a matter of economics. They simply can’t afford more than minimum wage and still generate a profit. Businesses aren’t non-profits. As part of a capitalist system, they’re in it to make money for the owners or shareholders. If they’re offering minimum wage, you don’t have to work for them. And in the free markets, the market will set the level of wages to attract qualified talent for a business. If you can’t attract good workers at minimum wage to profitably run the business, you’ll have to pay a higher wage. That’s simple economics. Continue reading
2013 Symposium: Healthcare Is Very Important. What Would Be A Way To Get American’s Covered Without Penalizing Them For Not Having Insurance Or Forcing Them To Enrollment In In Government Run Systems?
Cartwright: I don’t think anyone has a problem with paying something for their healthcare. People just don’t want to be raked across the coals when it comes to paying for healthcare. Competition is the best way to drive down prices. If insurers could compete across state lines, would premiums drop? Yes. If the federal government offered its own coverage that competed with private insurers as an insurer of last resort, would premiums drop? In all likelihood, yes. Continue reading
Thinking Outside The Boxe 