Independence

Independence is a very important concept here in the U.S. In fact, I would go as far as to say it is the concept that made America great.

Now, I’m not actually talking about the independence that we celebrate on the fourth of July, though that is important, too. I’m talking about the independence of the checks from the balances.

I’ll get back to that, but let me start a little smaller. Have you ever gone to a used car dealership and had the salesman tell you how great a car was? Do you just believe them, or do you take it to a repair shop to get it checked out? Obviously, the salesman has a conflict of interest between selling the car and telling any defects.

I don’t know how many of you deal with the issue of independence in your career fields, but as an auditor, it is vitally important. As an auditor, I am required to be independent of the companies that I audit. This means that I can’t have any business dealings with the company outside the normal course of business, and I can’t have family members who are in any sort of decision-making positions within the company.

For example, let’s say I audit a shoe store. I can buy shoes from that store at the regular price, but I can’t be given shoes as a gift from the owner, or own stock in the company, or be in any position to effect management decisions. I also can’t have a family member who works there as the store manager or the CFO or anything like that. Basically, I cannot have or do anything that would cause someone else to think I am biased in any way toward the company.

I was appalled to hear recently that elected judges do not have the same restrictions as auditors. There was a case heard before the Supreme Court this last week that highlights the importance of independence. The facts were these, as far as I remember them: a small company sued a large company for something (okay, so I don’t remember all the details, but it’s not really relevant). The small company was awarded around $50 million in damages. It went to appeal, of course. However, between the time that the original judgment was passed and the appeal was heard, the appellate judge ran for reelection. The larger company donated around $3 million to his reelection campaign, and – surprise, surprise – he overturned the $50 million judgment against that large company. Anyone else see a conflict of interest here? It was appealed to the Supreme Court, and luckily a slim majority of them saw the damage that could be done if this was allowed to stand and ruled that the judge could not here the case. It baffles me that a judge would not have to be independent of the parties in something like that.

There are many other professions where this isn’t required, but the consumer uses the same general principle. Second opinions on medical diagnoses, for example. But perhaps one of the most important is the established government.

The constitution set up three sections of the government, as you all know. These three sections, Executive, Legislative, and Judicial are set us as a set of checks and balances, with each section intended to be independent of the others, and this is what has allowed our government to be so successful. Yes, it can be argued that a monarchy could be more efficient, (in fact, the book I am reading about Martin Luther said that the peasants in most cases were better off in a feudal system because they had direct access to the person in charge – the duke or whatever), but if you get a corrupt person in charge of that type of government there are too many chances for them to mess everything up.

More Rambling

Shirley and I bought another computer ($30 on Craigslist!) so I guess I should take advantage of it. This way we can both be on the computer at the same time. Not that we’re either on the computer very much, but it’s nice not to have to wait.

So, today in primary we watched a video of the story of Joseph and the coat of many colors. I got to thinking about how awkward the conversation would be between Joseph’s brothers and his father when they told him Joseph was in Egypt:

“Hey guess what, Pops! You remember your son Joseph, your favorite son, the one you were always going on and on about? Yeah, the one we told you was eaten by a goat or something? Well, it’s a funny thing. It turns out we were wrong! He didn’t die like we wanted him too – I mean like we told you. It turns out that we sold him and he was taken into Egypt as a slave and he worked his way up to being a prince! Yeah, and he saved us all, too, ‘cause he actually listened to the Lord and did what he said. Imagine that! . . . What? Oh, the money we got when we sold him? Oh, they wouldn’t pay much for him, but you remember that nice racing camel that Levi bought? You know, the one with the racing stripe, and the nice silver accessories? I remember you liked it because it had enough cup holders for everyone. Anyway, we thought it was a good trade for a bratty younger brother who talked too much and had delusions of grandeur. Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess those dreams of his did come true. Who’d a thunk it? So, when do you want to go see him?”

I’m sure Jacob was just took it all in stride . . . not! I can’t even begin to imagine what that would be like for a parent to hear. Especially after 21 years!

So that’s what I got out of church today. How about you?

My 5th Favorite Color

While sitting outside the bishop’s office today, this topic came up in conversation a couple times today, so it shouldn’t have been a surprise when this was the idea I was given when I asked what I should write about. What is my favorite color? How am I supposed to know? I’m colorblind!

That was always my response when colors come into the conversation. It was a good conversation starter back when I went to stake dances as a teenager. It was especially useful when the more random girls would ask while we were dancing, “What’s your fifth favorite color?” or “What color is your toothbrush?” And then the girls would always act astonished and unbelieving.

Then they would start quizzing me. Just like everyone would. First they would start with something simple like “What color is George Washington’s white horse?” Someone always pipes in about now and claims I’m not colorblind because I know what color George Washington’s white horse was.

Eventually it comes out that I can’t see purple. At all. That’s when everyone in the vicinity starts searching for something purple, and asking what I see instead. When I say I see blue because I don’t see the red in purple, the very next thing I am always quizzed on is some guy’s blue shirt. Of course guys don’t wear purple. I’m colorblind. I ain’t stupid.

But why am I writing this anyway? Most of you all know exactly what I’m talking about because it happens to you, too.