Be Silent No More

It Wasn't, And Still Isn't, Race or Skin Color. It Was, And Still Is, Policy

2011-11-02T06:56:00.000-07:00

I don't know how other Conservatives feel, but this Conservative is starting to feel like a "Push Me Pull Me".

On the one hand, I, and my fellow Conservatives, are called racists because we didn't vote for President Obama and we openly criticize his policies. Gee, could it actually be because he is a Liberal and we are Conservatives? You'd think he was the first President to be criticized by the other side. The media seems to forget that this is America, where we are allowed to openly disagree with our politicians if we don't agree with their policies.

On the other hand I, and my fellow Conservatives, who are leaning heavily toward Herman Cain, are called racists because we are actually thinking about supporting a black man as a possible Presidential candidate. Which is it?

I think a little projection might be going on here. What is projection? "A psychological defense mechanism where a person subconsciously denies his or her own attributes, thoughts, and emotions, which are then ascribed to the outside world, usually to other people. Thus, projection involves imagining or projecting the belief that others originate those feelings." But I digress.

While I really don't care what the neurotic media or their Liberal buddies think about me or Conservatives, I do want to take a moment or two to explain where I am coming from in case any of my friends or family buy into their characterization and neurosis.

When Illinois State Senator Barrack Obama spoke at the 2004 Democrat Convention, I was so impressed with him. I told people that this might be a Democrat I could actually support if he were to ever run for President.

Fast forward to two years later. US Senator Barrack Obama announces his candidacy for President. I was excited. I thought, it was about time. But, now he was an actual candidate and potential leader of the free world. I had to weigh everything, not just a great speech I had seen two years earlier. So, I started paying attention to his words and his actions. I started listening closely to him and I didn't like what I heard or didn't hear.

I heard words like "Hope" and "Change". And I'd ask, "Hope in what?" and "What kind of change?" These were just empty platitudes, leaving people with their own idea of what they meant.

Then I heard phrases like, "redistribution of wealth" and "fundamental transformation of America". I thought, "Redistribution of wealth? We already have a tax code that does just that. What more do we need?" and "Fundamental transformation to what? America doesn't need to be transformed. It needs to be restored."

I believed candidate Obama when he said, "Under my plan, energy costs will necessarily skyrocket." To me, that didn't sound like a good idea. This would make life even more difficult for the poor and the elderly.

I believed candidate Obama when he said he wanted to bankrupt the coal industry. I really didn't think it would be a good idea to bankrupt an industry that provides over fifty percent of our electricity.

I believed candidate Obama when he said that as President he would cut missile defense systems (the systems that protect our nation from missile attacks), slow the development of future combat systems (so no new military technology) and naively stated he would work toward a nuclear free world. When I watched the video his campaign put together outlining these plans I was actually terrified. It was an ominous video.

The more I listened, the more I disliked him as a potential President. His skin color had absolutely nothing to do with my feelings. It was simply his policies.

Since coming into office he hasn't changed my mind.

From what I have seen of Herman Cain, he is a man I can believe in and possibly support as a Presidential candidate. He has been a favorite of mine since he announced his candidacy.

Herman Cain grew up during the most racially charged time in our nation's history, yet he didn't let the racism hold him back. He rose above his circumstances to become a successful businessman, CEO of Godfather's Pizza, talk show host, syndicated columnist, and chairman of the board of directors of the Federal Reserve of Kansas City.

Herman Cain has a genuine sense of humor and is unflappable in the face of adversity. He is not afraid to put forth his ideas and stand by them. However, he does need to do a better job of explaining them and not referring people to his website to learn more.

While Mr. Cain does not have any political experience, he does have extensive private sector business experience. He knows what it takes to make a business thrive. Maybe the change this country really needs is a businessman at the helm.

I like a lot of what I have seen so far in Herman Cain, but I want to see and hear more before I make my final vote. This election is too important to be hasty.

Restribution of Wealth Montage

2011-10-07T17:10:00.000-07:00

Hold on to your hats...or should I say your money. These people are serious. Is this the kind of America you want to live in?

Wake Up America

2011-10-03T19:42:00.000-07:00

WAKE UP AMERICA!!! If we do not stand together and fight against the radical left who want to destroy this country, capitalism, religious freedom, and the Constitution, we are all going to regret it....at least those of us who believe in these things.

Don't blow these people off. Don't dismiss them as lunatics. Don't continue to bury your heads in the sand and say it can't happen here. They are using our colleges to train up their army and using our youth as "useful idiots" to spread their message of destruction.

Do you want a fundamental transformation of America? Do you want America to become like Europe during the Middle Ages? Do you want to be subjected to Sharia Law? Do you believe the greatest document ever created...the Constitution of the United States of America...should be shredded? Do you believe that America needs to become a Socialist country? If you do, then remain silent. If you don't, then start fighting back....pay attention and get educated as to what is going on around you.

The radical left are so sure of themselves now, that they are not hiding what they really believe anymore. They are telling us right out in the open. PAY ATTENTION.

Roseanne Barr made a distressing statement to Russia Today on October 1st. She said,

"Part of my platform is, of course, the guilty must be punished and that we no longer let our children see their guilty leaders getting away with murder. Because it teaches children, you know, that they don't have to have any morals as long as they have guns and are bullies and I don't think that's a good message.

"I do say that I am in favor of the return of the guillotine and that is for the worst of the worst of the guilty.

"I first would allow the guilty bankers to pay, you know, the ability to pay back anything over $100 million [of] personal wealth because I believe in a maximum wage of $100 million. And if they are unable to live on that amount of that amount then they should, you know, go to the reeducation camps and if that doesn't help, then being beheaded."

Wow...REALLY? Reeducation camps for the rich? Beheading the rich who don't agree to give up their wealth? Who would be next? Christians? Jews? I say again...WOW!!!

Van Jones, President Obama's former Green Jobs Czar, said this about the Occupy Wall Street protest, "You are going to see an American Fall, an American Autumn, just like we saw the Arab Spring. You can see it right now with these young people on Wall Street. Hold onto your hats, we're going to have an October offensive to take back the American dream and to rescue America's middle class."

How? By crushing capitalism and replacing it with what? Socialism? Oh, that will solve all of our problems....right?

The middle class will not be rescued by punishing those who create the jobs they depend upon.

The middle class will not be rescued by feeding them with hate and envy for those who have more then they have.

The middle class will not be rescued by destroying the wealthy.

The middle class will not be rescued by destroying the only system that actually gives them hope of success if they only take the risk.

The middle class will not be rescued by destroying the document that protects them from an unjust government.

The middle class...and all of America...needs to rescue itself by saying enough.

We can only rescue ourselves by being accountable for ourselves and teaching our children to do the same.

We can only rescue ourselves when we stand up and fight against oppression of all peoples, not just those we agree with.

We can only rescue ourselves, by raising the poor up....not tearing the rich down. We must do as Benjamin Franklin stated, "I am for doing good to the poor, but...I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed...that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer."

We can only rescue ourselves by fighting to protect the greatest nation on the earth.

It's not too late to rescue ourselves and our country, but we all need to decide what we are willing to do. Take heart…stay strong…stand up…speak out…fight back!!

There's More Than Enough Blame to Go Around

2011-08-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

I posted this comment on my Facebook page this morning:

The White House blames Republicans for all that's wrong with America and says they have reached out to Republicans time and time again, but Republicans won't give. If you remember, Obama told Republicans "to get to the back of the bus" in 2009 and he, Pelosi and Reid rammed through legislation without even talking to Republicans. That's not reaching out...that's diminishing.

A friend of mine responded with this comment:

George W Bush got us buried oh so deep while the upper class continues to get tax breaks and not pay their fair share. Poor people are already tightening their budgets and barely squeezing by. How many republicans would be willing to give up tax loopholes and pay their fair share ???

Well...I couldn't let that remark go unanswered. So, here is my response:

Actually, both parties got us into this financial mess. Our problems can be traced back to decisions made by both parties since the 1930’s.

While I will never defend the amount of spending President Bush did or the fact that he added $4.9 trillion to our national debt during his eight years in office. His spending pales in comparison to that of President Obama, which has added another $3.87 trillion to our national debt in just two and a half years.

However, President Bush:
1. Did not create the Social Security or Medicare systems which are costing the country billions, if not trillions, in unfunded liabilities because administrations on both side of the aisle borrowed from the “trust funds” and replaced the money with I.O.U.’s.
2. Did not create the welfare system, Medicaid system or public employee unions which are financially strapping state and local governments.
3. Did not create the “Community Reinvestment Act”, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, sub-prime mortgages, mortgage backed securities, or repeal the “Glass-Steagall Act”; all of which contributed to the housing collapse of 2007 and the banking crisis of 2008.

There is enough blame to go around. Let’s not place it all at the feet of one president…George W. Bush.

As for taxes, did you know that the Top 5% of this country (the “wealthy”) already pay 57% of all Federal income taxes collected, while nearly 50% pay absolutely no Federal income taxes? The other 45% of us pay the remaining 43%. I would say that the “wealthy” already pay more than their fair share. I refuse to blame the rich for this country’s problems. It’s simple class warfare/envy and will not solve any of our problems. We could tax the rich at 100% of all their wealth and it wouldn’t make a dent in the real problem.

What is a “loophole”? A “loophole” is a legal tax deduction written into the US Tax Code. If you’re a homeowner, the home loan interest you deduct is a “loophole”. If you’re a charitable person, the charitable contributions you deduct are a “loophole”. If you're able to take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit, and get more money back in refunds than you paid, that is a “loophole”. If you have medical bills, the medical expenses you deduct are a “loophole”. And the list goes on and on and on.

The government only refers to legal tax deductions as “loopholes” when they want to demonize the people who take advantage of them. They want us to believe that something nefarious is going on, when actually it is part of the US Tax Code, written into law by the government. Did you know that the “corporate jet loophole” that Obama and the Democrats keep harping on was actually written into President Obama’s “Stimulus Bill” of 2009 to help stimulate sales in the slumping luxury jet industry? So, to have the same people, who added that tax deduction to the US Tax Code crying about it now is quite disingenuous.

We need long term common sense solutions to our country’s problems. Not the class warfare blame game that we are getting.

A Conversation with a Liberal

2011-08-10T16:36:00.000-07:00

Liberal: This economic mess is all President Bush’s fault.

Conservative: How is it President Bush’s fault? He’s been out of office for over two and a half years?

Liberal: Well…President Obama inherited an economic mess from President Bush and we’re still trying to recover from his disastrous policies.

Conservative: What exactly did President Bush do that caused the economic mess?

Liberal: He gave tax breaks to the rich.

Conservative: True. So, President Obama raised taxes on the rich?

Liberal: Uh….no.

Conservative: True. In 2010, when President Obama and the Democrats had complete control of both the Executive and Legislative branches of the government, they could have raised taxes on the rich. Instead, they chose to extend the Bush tax cuts.

Liberal: Well…President Bush got us into two wars, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Conservative: True. So, President Obama got us out of those two wars?

Liberal: Uh…no.

Conservative: True. In fact, President Obama doubled down in Afghanistan (which I supported whole hardheartedly). But in addition, he also got us into two more wars in Libya and Yemen, without Congressional approval I might add.

Liberal: Well…President Bush spent too much money and he increased our national debt.

Conservative: That is so true. He never should have spent as much money as he did. Under President Bush, the national debt increased from $5.73 trillion on January 20, 2001 (the day he was sworn into office) to $10.63 trillion on January 20, 2009 (the day he left office). That’s an increase of $4.9 trillion over his eight years in office.

Liberal (with a smug I told you so grin on his face): Ha…see I told you he created this mess.

Conservative: Not so fast. So, President Obama decreased spending and our national debt?

Liberal: Uh…no.

Conservative: True again. On August 2, 2011; the national debt was $14.5 trillion (that’s an increase of $3.87 trillion in just two and a half years) and by the end of 2012, it is projected to be $17 trillion, thanks to the additional spending given to President Obama in the debt increase deal. That means in just the first four years of President Obama’s administration he will add another $6.37 trillion to the national debt. That’s almost one and a half times the amount of money President Bush added over his eight years in office.

Liberal: Well…he and the rest of the Republicans want old people to die, children to go hungry and they hate black people.

Conservative (shaking head in disgust): Yeah…that’s got to be it.

Osama Bin Laden is Dead

2011-05-02T17:46:00.000-07:00

Last night, when I heard the news that American Special Forces, namely a CIA led Navy Seals team, had stormed a compound in Pakistan and killed Osama Bin Laden, my first reaction was, “Why did it have to happen on Obama’s watch? Now he can use this as a feather in his cap for his re-election campaign.”

Then my mature self took over (after a good nights sleep and much self reflection). I told myself not to act like liberals who, because of their “Bush Derangement Syndrome”, criticized President Bush relentlessly, no matter what he did, good and bad. I will not give into the knee jerk reaction to subscribe to an “Obama Derangement Syndrome”. I can rise above that and give encouragement and gratitude to President Obama when it is earned…no matter what my other disagreements are with him and his destructive policies and his divisive rhetoric.

Thank you, President Obama, for giving the military the go ahead to attack the Pakistan compound to take out Osama Bin Laden. Your courage in stepping up to the plate and standing behind the US intelligence agencies and military was exemplary. If President Clinton had had that same courage when Pakistan offered Osama Bin Laden to him, not once, but twice, September 11^th may have never happened. So, again, I say, thank you Mr. President.

Thank you to all the men and women in our intelligence agencies who, over the past four years, have carried out counter intelligent operations based on information gathered from Guantanamo Bay detainees and analyzed the information to ascertain that yes, indeed, Bin Laden was in Pakistan (as many of us have believed for a very long time) and his exact location. Without your perseverance and dedication to your job, the military effort would not have been possible.

A huge THANK YOU to the brave men of the elite Navy Seals team who carried out the successful raid. You brought justice to the families of every soul who has ever been lost at the hands of Bin Laden’s minions all over the world. Your extreme courage and willingness to put your lives on the line in the face of unknown danger and serve your country with honor will never be forgotten…job well done.

While I do agree that this event will serve as a blow to the Al Qaeda terrorist network, I do not subscribe to the notion that Al Qaeda will now collapse. The tentacles of that organization extend to too many countries and to too many Muslim groups. Another leader will emerge from the ashes. He may already have. I’m sure Bin Laden has been grooming a predecessor to take over in the event he was killed or died naturally. Time will only tell. But for now, the world, which has suffered at the hands of this man and his minions, can breathe a sigh of relief, even if it is only for a short time.

Westboro Baptist Church

2011-03-05T15:51:00.000-08:00

The US Supreme Court ruled that members of the Westboro Baptist Church have the Constitutional right to protest at funerals…and they do…but does that make it right?

While protesting at private, non-political funerals, members of the Westboro Baptist Church carry hate filled signs that proclaim such vile rhetoric as “God Hates Fags”, “Thank God for Sept. 11”, "Pray for More Dead Soldiers", and “Death Penalty for Fags”; proving that they have a misguided interpretation of who God is and what the Bible says.

First, God does not hate any of his children. He loves us all unconditionally…whether we are gay or straight, rich or poor, black or white, Christian or Muslim, etc. He may dislike the things we do to ourselves and to one another…as well as the rest of his creations…but he does not hate any of us. God is a God of love. And both He and his son Jesus Christ have commanded us to love one another as well.

When asked which was the great commandment in the law? Christ replied, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and the great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself (Matthew 22:37-39).”

Second, while homosexuality is a sin, as the Bible clearly states; so is lying, stealing, premarital sex, adultery, masturbation, murder, hate, envy, slothfulness, greed…need I go on? The Bible lists a litany of sins…maybe the members of the Westboro Baptist Church should upgrade their signs…or maybe they should simply follow the admonition of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

One day while Christ was in the temple at the Mount of Olives a group of scribes and Pharisees brought an adulterous woman unto him. They wanted him to sanction her stoning, because the Law of Moses required it. Instead, Christ knelt down and proceeded to write in the dirt, ignoring their request.

When they persisted, the Savior stood up and said, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Then he knelt back down and proceeded to write in the dirt.

A few minutes later he looked up to find only the accused woman standing before him. He asked the woman where her accusers were. She replied, “…No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more (see John 8:1-11)”.

If the Savior were here today, he may extend this same simple challenge to the members of the Westboro Baptist Church…and the rest of us.

Third, members of the Westboro Baptist Church are ignoring another tenet in the Bible, judge not.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Christ said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again (Matthew 7:1-2).”

So, while the US Constitution may give the members of the Westboro Baptist Church the legal right to protest at private, non-political funerals with vile signs that project hate, is it the Christian thing to do? Is it what God and our Savior Jesus Christ would want them…or any of us…to do?

Choices

2011-02-12T08:21:00.000-08:00

We keep hearing the incessant drone coming out of Washington DC that the rich are greedy….the rich are selfish…the rich are the cause of all of our society’s ills. If the rich would just give more…"share the wealth"…everyone would be better off. This form of class warfare is just one more wedge Washington is using to separate…or to divide and conquer…us…to mold us into their blind little sheeple.

Here are a few facts about the rich that the government doesn’t want you to think about:

The top 5%...or the wealthiest Americans…pay nearly 50% of all income taxes collected, while the top 50%...middle class Americans and up…pays 94% of all income taxes collected. The bottom 47% pays no income taxes. That’s right, nearly half of this country pays zero income taxes, but a large share of these people are first in line to get their thousands in unearned tax refunds when tax time rolls around, thanks to the Earned Income Tax Credit.
The rich create jobs. I have never worked for a poor person. My jobs have always come from rich or upper middle class people who took a risk on an idea and created a place for me to work. What about you?
The rich contribute funds to build hospital wings, college libraries, museums, and many other public facilities.
The rich create scholarship funds and charitable foundations. Where would cancer patients be without the generosity of Jon Hunstman, Sr. and his Hunstman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah? Where would seriously ill children be without the generosity of Danny Thomas and the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which treats children regardless of their ability to pay? These are just two examples of the excessive generosity of the rich.

Yeah, the rich are just greedy, selfish individuals who think of nobody but themselves.

In reality, society’s ills have less to do with the rich and more to do with the choices many of us have made to be like or better than everyone else. When I was young it was referred to as, “keeping up with the Jones’”. This is how it went: one neighbor bought a new car, and then soon his next door neighbor bought a new car. One neighbor bought a boat, and then soon his next door neighbor bought a motor home, etc. It used to be funny to watch, not anymore.

Today, our kids have to wear the latest fashions so they don’t feel left out. We have to have the latest and greatest technology from Xbox and Wii console games to big screen televisions. We have to have the latest gadgets from the iPhone to the iPad or their similar counterparts. We buy toys we never use...but we just had to have them anyway. We have more cars than we can drive at one time and we buy homes we can’t afford. Let’s face it, we are an, “I want it now society”. The only difference is that the rich can pay for their toys, while the poor what everyone else to pay for theirs and the rest of us, if we can’t pay cash for what we want, we go into debt for them.

When it comes to wanting things now and not wanting to wait, I have been just as guilty as anyone else. At nineteen I left home…bound for college and my new life as an independent adult. I immediately put myself behind the eight ball when I applied for, and received, my first credit card from Meier & Frank…I just had to have new clothes to start my new life. Ever since then I have been a slave to one credit card or another, sometimes several at a time.

The only one who took advantage of me was me…no one else. No “evil credit card company” forced me to use their credit cards. No “greedy credit card company” drove me to the store or guided me to the online store to shop…just me…and only me…and I did it of my own free will…I gave them control over my life. Finally, at almost fifty, I have learned my lesson. If I can’t pay cash for it, I don’t buy it. But I often wonder how much better off I’d be today if I had used that philosophy thirty years ago…choices.

I bought a house almost ten years ago. I made sure I bought a house I could afford and not pay more for a mortgage than I was paying to rent. I felt pretty good about my little two bedroom bungalow and my wise astute purchase. Then a few years later I decided I needed to replace the siding. My house value had increased significantly, so I applied for, and received, a second mortgage to pay for the siding. Then, in 2008, the housing bubble popped and my house value dropped over twenty-thousand dollars. Now I owe more than my house is worth…not a lot more…but more just the same…but not because any “evil banker” forced me to take out a second mortgage. Once again, it was all me. I went to them…they didn’t come to me…choices.

We’ve all made choices that have either put us ahead or behind in life. Think about where your choices have put you. If you’re choices have put you behind, then admit to yourself who really put you there and stop blaming everyone else. Stop being envious of the rich and realize that if you had made better choices or taken some risks, maybe…just maybe… you could have been rich too or at least been better off than you are. Don’t expect someone else to bail you out either. Take responsibility for your own actions and make the choices that will make your life better in the future. And, if you’re of the mindset that if the rich would just "share the wealth" my life would be better, stop thinking that way. Taking something from others that you didn’t earn will not make your life better; it will just make you dependent and less free.

Truer Words Were Never Spoken

2011-01-22T10:35:00.000-08:00

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot help the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by encouraging class hatred.

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.

You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away man’s initiative and independence.

You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.

—Abraham Lincoln

Were the Days of Walter Cronkite and the Fairness Doctrine Civil? Really?

2011-01-20T19:36:00.000-08:00

I was born on June 8, 1961. Back in a time when Americans were kind and civil to one another…or were they? Back in a time when Americans lived in peace and harmony with one another…or did they?

I’ve heard it reported by some in today’s mainstream media that in the days of civil discourse, when Walter Cronkite was anchor of CBS Evening News and the Fairness Doctrine was enforced, we did not have occurrences like the one that occurred in Tucson, Arizona on Saturday, January 8, 2011. Hmmm…really?

Walter Cronkite was anchor of CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981 and the Fairness Doctrine was the law of the land from 1949 until 1987. Let’s take a walk down memory lane and remember how peaceful and harmonious our society really was.

At 12:30pm on November 22, 1963 in Dallas, Texas President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald. Governor John Connally and James Tague were injured in the attack.

On November 24, 1963, while in police custody, accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was shot and killed by Jack Ruby.

Shortly after midnight on June 21, 1964 in Meridian, Mississippi three young civil rights activists; James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner, were lynched by members of the Ku Klux Klan.

At 6:00am on February 21, 1965 in Harlem, New York; former Nation of Islam leader Malcolm X was assassinated by three Black Muslims. His followers retaliated by setting fire to five Black Muslim mosques in Harlem and San Francisco, California.

On August 1, 1966 on the campus of the University of Texas at Austin; student, and former Marine, Charles Joseph Whitman went on a shooting rampage, killing sixteen and wounding thirty-two. Three of his victims were killed in the university’s observation tower. The rest were shot sniper style from the twenty-ninth floor observation deck. Before going on his shooting rampage at the campus, Whitman had shot and killed his wife and mother at their homes.

On April 4, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee; civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray.

Shortly after midnight on June 5, 1968 in Los Angeles, California; after winning the California primary, presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy was shot by Sirhan Sirhan and critically wounded. On June 6, 1968 he died as a result of his injuries.

At 12:24pm on May 4, 1970 on the campus of Kent State University in Kent, Ohio; thirteen unarmed college students were shot by members of the Ohio National Guard, killing four and permanently wounding nine. Some of the students were protesting against the American invasion of Cambodia, while others were just bystanders.

At 12:30am May 15, 1970 on the campus of Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi; unarmed, but violent student protesters, who started fires and overturned vehicles, were confronted by city and state police. After unsuccessful attempts to disperse the crowd, police opened fire killing two and injuring twelve.

On May 15, 1972; while campaigning in Laurel, Maryland, presidential hopeful George Wallace was shot five times by Arthur Bremer. Though he survived the assassination attempt, his campaign for president did not.

On February 22, 1974; Samuel Byck hijacked a commercial airliner in hopes of assassinating President Richard Nixon by crashing the plane into the White House. With the wheel blocks still in place and the plane unable to leave the ground, he shot the pilot and co-pilot before being shot by a police officer. He eventually killed himself.

On September 5, 1975; Lynette Fromme, a follower of Charles Manson, attempted to assassinate President Gerald Ford when he reached out to shake her hand. Fortunately the chamber of her Colt M1911 .45 caliber pistol’s firing chamber was empty and she was eventually detained and arrested by a Secret Service agent.

On September 22, 1975 in San Francisco, California another attempt was made on the life of President Gerald Ford when Sarah Jane Moore fired a revolver at him from 40 feet away. A bystander grabbed her arm and her shot missed the president.

At 10:50pm on December 8, 1980 in New York, New York John Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman.

On March 30, 1981 in Washington D.C.; John Hinckley, Jr. shot and wounded President Ronald Reagan, White House Press Secretary James Brady, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy, and D.C. police officer Thomas Delahanty. All survived, but Mr. Brady was permanently disabled. What was John Hinckley’s reason for the attack? He was hoping to impress teen actress Jodi Foster.

Yes, those were such peaceful and harmonious days.

If only Sarah Palin, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly, and FOX News had been on the scene…imagine the blame game then.

Let’s face it people, human beings can be the cruelest creatures God ever created, yet they can also be the most compassionate. Crazy lunatics, who will stop at nothing to achieve their personal agenda have, and will always exist. We cannot excuse the person of his or her personal responsibility and lay the blame at the feet of someone else who dares to express their opinions.

During the “glory years” of Walter Cronkite’s tenure as CBS Evening News anchor, we probably saw one of the most violent times in our history. Yet, during that time the perpetrator was held accountable not someone else. The media did not search for a scapegoat to apportion blame where there was none. Those are the days we need to bring back. Let’s hold people accountable for their own actions and let’s not silence one side or the other because we don’t like what they have to say.

*Thank you to Paula Priesse and her ex-hippie father for refreshing our memories on some of these events and for giving me the idea to write this blog.

Hmmmm...Let Me See If I've Got This Right

2010-06-05T12:59:00.001-07:00

Here's another good e-mail i just had to share.

------------------------------------------------

If you cross the North Korean border illegally, you get 12 years hard labor.

If you cross the Iranian border illegally, you are detained indefinitely.

If you cross the Afghan border illegally, you get shot.

If you cross the Saudi Arabian border illegally, you will be jailed.

If you cross the Chinese border illegally, you may never be heard from again.

If you cross the Venezuelan border illegally, you will be branded a spy and your fate will be sealed.

If you cross the Cuban border illegally, you will be thrown into political prison to rot.

If you cross the United States border illegally, you get:

A job
A driver's license
A Social Security card
Welfare
Food stamps
Credit cards
Subsidized rent or a loan to buy a house
Free education
Free health care
A lobbyist in Washington DC
Billions of dollars worth of public documents printed in your language
The right to carry your country's flag while you protest that you don't get enough respect
And, in many instances, you can vote.

I just wanted to make sure I had a firm grasp on the situation.

Whose House Is It?

2010-06-05T12:25:00.000-07:00

This came to me in an e-mail and I found it so profound and true. See if you agree.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Recently large demonstrations have taken place across the country protesting the fact that Arizona is addressing the issue of illegal immigration.

Certain people are angry that the US might protect its own borders, might make it harder to sneak into this country and, once here, to stay indefinitely.

Let me see if I correctly understand the thinking behind these protests. Let's say I break into your house. Let's say that when you discover me in your house, you insist that I leave.

But I say, 'No! I like it here. It's better than my house. I've made all the beds and washed the dishes and did the laundry and swept the floors. I've done all the things you don't like to do. I'm hard-working and honest (except for when I broke into your house).

According to the protesters:

You are required to let me stay in your house.

You are required to feed me.

You are required to add me to your family's insurance plan.

You are required to educate my kids.

You are required to provide other benefits to me & to my family.

My husband will do all of your yard work because he is also hard-working and honest, (except for that breaking in part).

If you try to call the police or force me out, I will call my friends who will picket your
house carrying signs that proclaim my RIGHT to be there.

It's only fair, after all, because you have a nicer house than I do, and I'm just trying to better myself. I'm a hard-working and honest, person, except for well, you know, I did break into your house and what a deal it is for me!

I live in your house, contributing only a fraction of the cost of my keep, and there is nothing you can do about it without being accused of cold, uncaring, selfish, prejudiced, and bigoted behavior.

Oh yeah, I DEMAND that you learn MY LANGUAGE so you can communicate with me.

Why can't people see how ridiculous this is? Only in America!

Sick and Tired

2010-05-22T08:16:00.000-07:00

I am sick and tired of having our government ignore the illegal alien issue.

I am sick and tired of being labeled a racist because I have the audacity to believe our immigration laws should be enforced and our borders secured.

I am sick and tired of our government bending over backwards to provide illegals with more benefits than legally born citizens receive.

I am sick and tired of illegal aliens making demands of the tax payers of this country. The last straw was this picture, which shows what illegals really want and what they may be willing to do to get it.

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.

If I could, I would go down and spend as much money in Arizona as possible. At least someone is finally taking a stand and I, for one, support them 100%.

We the People

2010-03-27T10:59:00.000-07:00

Whenever I find a video that speaks to my heart and the cause I believe in...preserving this great nation...I will add it to my blog and share it with whomever finds their way here. Enjoy!!

America Rising an Open Letter to Democrat Politicians

2010-03-27T10:13:00.000-07:00

I found this video on a new web site I joined. Enjoy! Then let's join forces to make it happen.

I know, you're probably saying the same thing I did, "I didn't vote for this mess". But, 52% of the country did, and many of those wish they hadn't. It's time for all of us to join together and take back this great country before it's to late.

Here are some of the things you and I can do:

Find true conservative candidates (not RHINOS) wherever they are campaigning and support them.

Write letters.

Talk to your friends and family who may still be in a fog.

Use all sources at your disposal to get the word out (i.e. YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, My Space, Letters to the Editor, Blogs, e-mail, etc.).

Do whatever you can to make sure our country does not continue down this destructive path. It's not too late to turn this ship around. We haven't hit the iceberg yet.

Why...?

2010-03-26T18:01:00.000-07:00

WHEN you or I do not pay our taxes for several years we could end up being employed by “The Big House”…

BUT when Timothy Geithner, the president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, didn’t pay his taxes for several years he got employed by the White House.

WHEN Hillary Rodham Clinton was running for President and suggested that any health care reform would have to mandate that everyone must buy health care insurance, she was berated during a political debate by her opponent for suggesting such a thing…

BUT when that same political opponent, President Obama, signed his new health care reform bill into law, it has a federal mandate that everyone must buy health care insurance.

WHEN John McCann was running for President and suggested that any health care reform should have a tax that would be levied on employer provided health care insurance premiums, he was berated by his political opponent and the idea was used against him in political campaign ads…

BUT when that same political opponent, President Obama, signed his new health care reform bill into law, it includes a tax to be levied on employer provided health care insurance premiums.

WHEN Sarah Palin; a woman who was a City Councilman, a Mayor and a Governor was running for Vice President, she was deemed unfit to hold an office for which she wasn’t even running (President)…

BUT when Barrack Obama; a man who had never governed anything, ran for that same office he was deemed fit to hold the most powerful office in the land (and some would argue the world)…and won.

WHEN the country was at war under President George W. Bush, the media ran daily tallies of civilian and military deaths like they were keeping score in a ball game…

BUT when the country is at war under President Barrack Hussein Obama, the media forgets that anyone is dying.

WHEN an overwhelming majority of Americans say no to the federal government take over of their health care, they are ignored…

BUT when President Obama announced the successful passage of that take over, he stated, “We proved that this government -- a government of the people and by the people -- still works for the people.”

WHEN liberals violently protest we are told that, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism”…

BUT when conservatives peacefully protest we are told they are racists, bigots, terrorists, and hate mongers.

WHEN Democrats are in control of the government we’re all supposed to just get along. We’re supposed to hold hands and sing “Kumbaya” and not make waves...

BUT when Republicans are in control opposition is a must and encouraged.

WHEN a child needs an aspirin, the school must have the parents consent before it can be administered…

BUT when a fifteen year old girl gets pregnant, her high school has the right to pay for her to go to a clinic and get an abortion without her parent’s consent.

WHEN a thief enters my home and takes something that doesn’t belong to him/her, the law will put him/her in prison…

BUT when the government enters my financial home and takes something that doesn’t belong to them, the law calls it taxes…

SHOULD I continue to be a law abiding and responsible citizen, working day in and day out; five days a week and 8 hours a day, to earn a living, pay taxes, make my mortgage payment, pay my bills, pay for my own health care, and take care of the poor on a voluntary basis...

WHEN I can just become a slave to the nanny state and let the federal government pay my mortgage and take care of my every need.

…I was just wondering.

There They Go Again

2010-03-25T16:20:00.000-07:00

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly, and how often, the Democrats can play the race card. They never seem to tire of beating that poor old dead horse.

Democrats know they have lost major ground to conservatives, so they are now employing the age old tactic of race bating and hate speech.

Without any proof (i.e. videos, audio recordings or pictures) they are accusing conservatives of sending hate mail and death threats to proponents of Obamacare, directing the “N” word at black congressmen and spitting on black congressman. And, if that’s not bad enough, Representative James Clyburn (D-SC) has gone so far as to accuse opponents of Obamacare of aiding and abetting terrorism.

Now some would say, “Just because there are no videos, audio recordings or photos it doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened.” Are you going to tell me that in this day of cell phone proliferation that someone wouldn’t have captured at least one of these offenses? I don’t buy it. Have you looked at You Tube lately? Everything gets recorded, even the Vice President using the “F” word at the Obamacare signing celebration.

If there was any proof of any of this going on I would be one of the first to condemn it, but there’s not. I believe this is just a pathetic attempt to paint conservatives as vicious racists and paint liberals as victims. They know their control is on the line come the November mid-term elections and they think the only way to keep that control is to make conservative Democrats and Independents shun away from Republicans.

This tactic has worked for them for so long that they just can’t help themselves. However, I think the American people have finally been awakened and their eyes are finally open. I seriously doubt that conservative Democrats and Independents will be duped by their tactic to portray honest, hardworking Americans; who are only exercising their 1^st Amendment right to peacefully assemble, as villains…at least I hope not.

Why Can't They Just Be Honest?

2010-03-24T17:56:00.000-07:00

Representative Anthony Weiner (D-NY) was on the The O'Reilly Factor this evening.

Bill O'Reilly asked him a simple question about who was going to collect the fines when someone refuses to carry health insurance. Representative Weiner said O'Reilly was lying when he said it was going to be the IRS who would collect the fines.

I guess Representative Weiner needs to read the bill he passed. It will be the IRS.

------------------------------

CHAPTER 48--MAINTENANCE OF MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE

`Sec. 5000A. Requirement to maintain minimum essential coverage.

SEC. 5000A. REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE.

`(a) Requirement To Maintain Minimum Essential Coverage- An applicable individual shall for each month beginning after 2013 ensure that the individual, and any dependent of the individual who is an applicable individual, is covered under minimum essential coverage for such month.

`(b) Shared Responsibility Payment-

`(1) IN GENERAL- If an applicable individual fails to meet the requirement of subsection (a) for 1 or more months during any calendar year beginning after 2013, then, except as provided in subsection (d), there is hereby imposed a penalty with respect to the individual in the amount determined under subsection (c).

`(2) INCLUSION WITH RETURN- Any penalty imposed by this section with respect to any month shall be included with a taxpayer's return under chapter 1 for the taxable year which includes such month.

`(3) PAYMENT OF PENALTY- If an individual with respect to whom a penalty is imposed by this section for any month--

`(A) is a dependent (as defined in section 152) of another taxpayer for the other taxpayer's taxable year including such month, such other taxpayer shall be liable for such penalty, or

`(B) files a joint return for the taxable year including such month, such individual and the spouse of such individual shall be jointly liable for such penalty.

`(c) Amount of Penalty-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The penalty determined under this subsection for any month with respect to any individual is an amount equal to 1/12 of the applicable dollar amount for the calendar year.

`(2) DOLLAR LIMITATION- The amount of the penalty imposed by this section on any taxpayer for any taxable year with respect to all individuals for whom the taxpayer is liable under subsection (b)(3) shall not exceed an amount equal to 300 percent the applicable dollar amount (determined without regard to paragraph (3)(C)) for the calendar year with or within which the taxable year ends.

`(3) APPLICABLE DOLLAR AMOUNT- For purposes of paragraph (1)--

`(A) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in subparagraphs (B) and (C), the applicable dollar amount is $750.

`(B) PHASE IN- The applicable dollar amount is $95 for 2014 and $350 for 2015.

`(C) SPECIAL RULE FOR INDIVIDUALS UNDER AGE 18- If an applicable individual has not attained the age of 18 as of the beginning of a month, the applicable dollar amount with respect to such individual for the month shall be equal to one-half of the applicable dollar amount for the calendar year in which the month occurs.

`(D) INDEXING OF AMOUNT- In the case of any calendar year beginning after 2016, the applicable dollar amount shall be equal to $750, increased by an amount equal to--

`(i) $750, multiplied by

`(ii) the cost-of-living adjustment determined under section 1(f)(3) for the calendar year, determined by substituting `calendar year 2015' for `calendar year 1992' in subparagraph (B) thereof.

If the amount of any increase under clause (i) is not a multiple of $50, such increase shall be rounded to the next lowest multiple of $50.

`(4) TERMS RELATING TO INCOME AND FAMILIES- For purposes of this section--

`(A) FAMILY SIZE- The family size involved with respect to any taxpayer shall be equal to the number of individuals for whom the taxpayer is allowed a deduction under section 151 (relating to allowance of deduction for personal exemptions) for the taxable year.

`(B) HOUSEHOLD INCOME- The term `household income' means, with respect to any taxpayer for any taxable year, an amount equal to the sum of--

`(i) the modified gross income of the taxpayer, plus

`(ii) the aggregate modified gross incomes of all other individuals who--

`(I) were taken into account in determining the taxpayer's family size under paragraph (1), and

`(II) were required to file a return of tax imposed by section 1 for the taxable year.

`(C) MODIFIED GROSS INCOME- The term `modified gross income' means gross income--

`(i) decreased by the amount of any deduction allowable under paragraph (1), (3), (4), or (10) of section 62(a),

`(ii) increased by the amount of interest received or accrued during the taxable year which is exempt from tax imposed by this chapter, and

`(iii) determined without regard to sections 911, 931, and 933.

`(D) POVERTY LINE-

`(i) IN GENERAL- The term `poverty line' has the meaning given that term in section 2110(c)(5) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397jj(c)(5)).

`(ii) POVERTY LINE USED- In the case of any taxable year ending with or within a calendar year, the poverty line used shall be the most recently published poverty line as of the 1st day of such calendar year.

`(d) Applicable Individual- For purposes of this section--

`(1) IN GENERAL- The term `applicable individual' means, with respect to any month, an individual other than an individual described in paragraph (2), (3), or (4).

`(2) RELIGIOUS EXEMPTIONS-

`(A) RELIGIOUS CONSCIENCE EXEMPTION- Such term shall not include any individual for any month if such individual has in effect an exemption under section 1311(d)(4)(H) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which certifies that such individual is a member of a recognized religious sect or division thereof described in section 1402(g)(1) and an adherent of established tenets or teachings of such sect or division as described in such section.

`(B) HEALTH CARE SHARING MINISTRY-

`(i) IN GENERAL- Such term shall not include any individual for any month if such individual is a member of a health care sharing ministry for the month.

`(ii) HEALTH CARE SHARING MINISTRY- The term `health care sharing ministry' means an organization--

`(I) which is described in section 501(c)(3) and is exempt from taxation under section 501(a),

`(II) members of which share a common set of ethical or religious beliefs and share medical expenses among members in accordance with those beliefs and without regard to the State in which a member resides or is employed,

`(III) members of which retain membership even after they develop a medical condition,

`(IV) which (or a predecessor of which) has been in existence at all times since December 31, 1999, and medical expenses of its members have been shared continuously and without interruption since at least December 31, 1999, and

`(V) which conducts an annual audit which is performed by an independent certified public accounting firm in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and which is made available to the public upon request.

`(3) INDIVIDUALS NOT LAWFULLY PRESENT- Such term shall not include an individual for any month if for the month the individual is not a citizen or national of the United States or an alien lawfully present in the United States.

`(4) INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS- Such term shall not include an individual for any month if for the month the individual is incarcerated, other than incarceration pending the disposition of charges.

`(e) Exemptions- No penalty shall be imposed under subsection (a) with respect to--

`(1) INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT AFFORD COVERAGE-

`(A) IN GENERAL- Any applicable individual for any month if the applicable individual's required contribution (determined on an annual basis) for coverage for the month exceeds 8 percent of such individual's household income for the taxable year described in section 1412(b)(1)(B) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. For purposes of applying this subparagraph, the taxpayer's household income shall be increased by any exclusion from gross income for any portion of the required contribution made through a salary reduction arrangement.

`(B) REQUIRED CONTRIBUTION- For purposes of this paragraph, the term `required contribution' means--

`(i) in the case of an individual eligible to purchase minimum essential coverage consisting of coverage through an eligible-employer-sponsore

d plan, the portion of the annual premium which would be paid by the individual (without regard to whether paid through salary reduction or otherwise) for self-only coverage, or

`(ii) in the case of an individual eligible only to purchase minimum essential coverage described in subsection (f)(1)(C), the annual premium for the lowest cost bronze plan available in the individual market through the Exchange in the State in the rating area in which the individual resides (without regard to whether the individual purchased a qualified health plan through the Exchange), reduced by the amount of the credit allowable under section 36B for the taxable year (determined as if the individual was covered by a qualified health plan offered through the Exchange for the entire taxable year).

`(C) SPECIAL RULES FOR INDIVIDUALS RELATED TO EMPLOYEES- For purposes of subparagraph (B)(i), if an applicable individual is eligible for minimum essential coverage through an employer by reason of a relationship to an employee, the determination shall be made by reference to the affordability of the coverage to the employee.

`(D) INDEXING- In the case of plan years beginning in any calendar year after 2014, subparagraph (A) shall be applied by substituting for `8 percent' the percentage the Secretary of Health and Human Services determines reflects the excess of the rate of premium growth between the preceding calendar year and 2013 over the rate of income growth for such period.

`(2) TAXPAYERS WITH INCOME UNDER 100 PERCENT OF POVERTY LINE- Any applicable individual for any month during a calendar year if the individual's household income for the taxable year described in section 1412(b)(1)(B) of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is less than 100 percent of the poverty line for the size of the family involved (determined in the same manner as under subsection (b)(4)).

`(3) MEMBERS OF INDIAN TRIBES- Any applicable individual for any month during which the individual is a member of an Indian tribe (as defined in section 45A(c)(6)).

`(4) MONTHS DURING SHORT COVERAGE GAPS-

`(A) IN GENERAL- Any month the last day of which occurred during a period in which the applicable individual was not covered by minimum essential coverage for a continuous period of less than 3 months.

`(B) SPECIAL RULES- For purposes of applying this paragraph--

`(i) the length of a continuous period shall be determined without regard to the calendar years in which months in such period occur,

`(ii) if a continuous period is greater than the period allowed under subparagraph (A), no exception shall be provided under this paragraph for any month in the period, and

`(iii) if there is more than 1 continuous period described in subparagraph (A) covering months in a calendar year, the exception provided by this paragraph shall only apply to months in the first of such periods.

The Secretary shall prescribe rules for the collection of the penalty imposed by this section in cases where continuous periods include months in more than 1 taxable year.

`(5) HARDSHIPS- Any applicable individual who for any month is determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 1311(d)(4)(H) to have suffered a hardship with respect to the capability to obtain coverage under a qualified health plan.

`(f) Minimum Essential Coverage- For purposes of this section--

`(1) IN GENERAL- The term `minimum essential coverage' means any of the following:

`(A) GOVERNMENT SPONSORED PROGRAMS- Coverage under--

`(i) the Medicare program under part A of title XVIII of the Social Security Act,

`(ii) the Medicaid program under title XIX of the Social Security Act,

`(iii) the CHIP program under title XXI of the Social Security Act,

`(iv) the TRICARE for Life program,

`(v) the veteran's health care program under chapter 17 of title 38, United States Code, or

`(vi) a health plan under section 2504(e) of title 22, United States Code (relating to Peace Corps volunteers).

`(B) EMPLOYER-SPONSORED PLAN- Coverage under an eligible employer-sponsored plan.

`(C) PLANS IN THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET- Coverage under a health plan offered in the individual market within a State.

`(D) GRANDFATHERED HEALTH PLAN- Coverage under a grandfathered health plan.

`(E) OTHER COVERAGE- Such other health benefits coverage, such as a State health benefits risk pool, as the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Secretary, recognizes for purposes of this subsection.

`(2) ELIGIBLE EMPLOYER-SPONSORED PLAN- The term `eligible employer-sponsored plan' means, with respect to any employee, a group health plan or group health insurance coverage offered by an employer to the employee which is--

`(A) a governmental plan (within the meaning of section 2791(d)(8) of the Public Health Service Act), or

`(B) any other plan or coverage offered in the small or large group market within a State.

Such term shall include a grandfathered health plan described in paragraph (1)(D) offered in a group market.

`(3) EXCEPTED BENEFITS NOT TREATED AS MINIMUM ESSENTIAL COVERAGE- The term `minimum essential coverage' shall not include health insurance coverage which consists of coverage of excepted benefits--

`(A) described in paragraph (1) of subsection (c) of section 2791 of the Public Health Service Act; or

`(B) described in paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of such subsection if the benefits are provided under a separate policy, certificate, or contract of insurance.

`(4) INDIVIDUALS RESIDING OUTSIDE UNITED STATES OR RESIDENTS OF TERRITORIES- Any applicable individual shall be treated as having minimum essential coverage for any month--

`(A) if such month occurs during any period described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of section 911(d)(1) which is applicable to the individual, or

`(B) if such individual is a bona fide resident of any possession of the United States (as determined under section 937(a)) for such month.

`(5) INSURANCE-RELATED TERMS- Any term used in this section which is also used in title I of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act shall have the same meaning as when used in such title.

`(g) Administration and Procedure-

`(1) IN GENERAL- The penalty provided by this section shall be paid upon notice and demand by the Secretary, and except as provided in paragraph (2), shall be assessed and collected in the same manner as an assessable penalty under subchapter B of chapter 68.

`(2) SPECIAL RULES- Notwithstanding any other provision of law--

`(A) WAIVER OF CRIMINAL PENALTIES- In the case of any failure by a taxpayer to timely pay any penalty imposed by this section, such taxpayer shall not be subject to any criminal prosecution or penalty with respect to such failure.

`(B) LIMITATIONS ON LIENS AND LEVIES- The Secretary shall not--

`(i) file notice of lien with respect to any property of a taxpayer by reason of any failure to pay the penalty imposed by this section, or

`(ii) levy on any such property with respect to such failure.'.

(c) Clerical Amendment- The table of chapters for subtitle D of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 is amended by inserting after the item relating to chapter 47 the following new item:

------------------------------

We cannot count on our leaders to be honest with regard to this health care monstrosity. It is going to be up to each of us to read this bill for ourselves and debunk their false debunking efforts.

The Truth is Finally Out There

2010-03-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

For those of us who have been paying attention to the political liberal elite over the past year and a half, we are not surprised by what was said yesterday by the highest ranking member of the House of Representatives. We are, however, a little stunned that the truth came out so quickly. But why should we be? They have absolutely nothing to fear. The Republicans and we, the people, can’t stop them…at least not until November.

What Representative John Dingell (D) from the 15^th District of Michigan said yesterday was astonishing; to the point and exactly what we have known all along.

During a telephone interview on the Detroit WJR News/Talk Paul W. Smith radio talk show Mr. Smith asked Representative Dingell,

"Are we ready to let seventy-two thousand more people die in our country if eighteen thousand died or whatever the number is...the figure that anyone comes up with...per year because of a lack of health insurance or health care when this bill doesn't basically take effect until 2014?"

He responded by saying:

"Let me remind you this (Americans allegedly dying because of lack of universal health care) has been going on for years. We are bringing it to a halt. The harsh fact of the matter is when you're going to pass legislation that will cover 300 (million) American people in different ways it takes a long time to do the necessary administrative steps that have to be taken to put the legislation together to control the people. "

But hey, don’t believe me, hear his words for yourself.

I don’t want to be controlled. Do you?

Insurance Premiums Will Decrease by 3000%?

2010-03-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

When I heard Obama tell a group of two hundred health care reform supporters in Strongsville, Ohio yesterday that employer health insurance premiums were going to decrease by 3000%, I was stoked.

I said to myself, “Self…if employer premiums are going to decrease by 3000%, mine might too.”

I quickly went to the Internet and pulled up a Retail Markdown calculator to see just how much money my insurance company was going to PAY ME to have their health insurance plan.

Imagine my glee when I discovered that American Family Insurance was going to be paying me $5,350/month or $64,200/year just to use their insurance plan. Finally…my lifelong goal of retiring is just a few votes and a pen stroke away. Please, Congress, pass this bill quickly. The beaches of Cancun are beckoning to me.

I immediately got on the telephone to inform my insurance agent that after Obama Care passes her company was going to be paying me to be a customer of theirs. I told her I couldn’t wait to get my first check, and by the way, when would that happen? I need to start making airline and hotel reservations.

We both had a good laugh over that one.

Is he really that dumb? Does he even stop and think before he speaks? Yep, we’ve got a real intelligent one leading this country now…and the left poked fun at Bush?

I tell you, Obama and his cohorts in the Congress will say and do anything just to get their monstrosity passed.

God help us all!!!!

Measured Into Submission

2010-03-16T16:53:00.000-07:00

It’s been difficult for me to put up much of a fight lately. Measure after measure, corruption upon corruption, back room deal after back room deal, and campaign stump after campaign stump by a President already elected; has served to overwhelm and, in the end, beat me into silent submission. But I am tired of being silent…AGAIN!!!

The Washington DC political class is so out of touch with reality and the American people, you have to wonder if we’re really in America anymore. What is this country going to look like in two, five, ten or twenty years? For the first time in my life I am truly scared for this country and its future.

I fear that if the American people do not wake up…and those who have been awakened do not continue to fight…we are going to lose everything. I, for one, believe that this country, its principles and its Constitution are worth fighting for. I know others…millions of others…feel the same. So let’s band together and tell the politicians that they either start listening to us or we will make sure they do not return to Washington DC.

The November elections can’t come soon enough.

Are You Really That Daft?

2010-01-20T19:06:00.000-08:00

If you listen to the sound bites from the left today, it would appear the left has learned nothing from last nights spanking in Massachusetts. As usual, the people and their voices are being ignored and marginalized. The disconnect in Washington is absolutely astounding. They just don’t get it.

Here are some examples of the disconnect:

1. House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer: "You know why voters are angry? Because of GOP obstructionism."

Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t it a Republican who won a seat held by Democrat Senator Edward Kennedy for forty-seven years in a land slide victory last night in the bluest of blue states? And, didn’t that Republican run on a promise to be the 41st Republican vote against Obama’s health care legislation?

Hmmmm…I don't think the voters are angry at the Republicans, I think their angry with the President and those in Congress who are ignoring the will of the people. Wouldn’t that be Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid and all of their lapdogs? I think those are all Democrats.

2. Senior Advisor to President Obama, David Axelrod: "I think the main thing that we saw in Massachusetts was the same sense of concern on the part of middle class folks about the economic situation, about their wages being stagnant, about jobs being lost, about their economic security that's been in jeopardy. And this is something that predated the big recession that we're going through. And that's something that we have to pay a great deal of attention to. It is the focus of this President's attention at all times. And we have to convey that."

Obama has proven time and time again that he is an ideologue. He is a true believer in the progressive agenda, which is not the American people's agenda. He is more concerned with fundamentally transforming this great nation into something that will be unrecognizable…a nation of subservient, dependent and mindless drones...than in solving the real problems facing the American people.

3. SEIU President, Andy Stern: “The reason Ted Kennedy’s seat is no longer controlled by a Democrat is clear: Washington’s inability to deliver the change voters demanded in November 2008. Make no mistake, political paralysis resulted in electoral failure...This is not the time for timidity. It is time to show the courage and strength of conviction to move this country forward and bring working families the change they need. It starts by passing health insurance reform..."

Oh really? Poll after poll shows that an overwhelming majority of Americans are against the health care legislation currently being discussed in Congress. According to the latest Rasmussen poll, 56% of Americans oppose the current legislation while only 38% are in favor.

If the President and Congress want to listen to people like Mr. Stern, they do so at their own peril.

We are not angry because they haven't passed health care reform, we are angry because they seem poised to ram this expensive and destructive piece of legislation down our throats no matter what we say.

Yes, we admit that the American health care system is not perfect. Yes, we admit that it needs to be improved, but it does not need to be over overhauled. The American health care system is the envy of the world. Let's work together to fix it, not destroy it.

You, in Washington, just keep it up. You’re going to get a very rude awakening!!!

The Shot Heard Around the Nation

2010-01-20T19:01:00.000-08:00

For those in the political arena and their supporters, the Conservatives of this great nation have just sent you a message, “Listen to the people, or suffer the consequences.”

For those of you who believe Conservatism is dead or has been left wandering in the wilderness, we have sent you a message as well, “We are here. We are not going anywhere. We are banding together to defeat you. We will be your worst nightmare.”

Last night the Massachusetts voters elected Scott Brown, a Republican. This is just the third in a string of defeats the Liberals will suffer if they do not slow down, quit spending this country into oblivion and quit trying to take over our lives and our individual liberties with a bigger “nanny state” government.

WE JUST SHOT ACROSS YOUR BOW. WE ARE FED UP. WE ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY LONGER!!!!

The Ant and the Grasshopper

2010-01-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

This little anecdote was sent to me via e-mail. I thought that it was quite appropriate for the new year. Here's looking to some real change for the better. Let's take back the government!!!

GOP VICTORY IN 2010...but only true GOP candidates...none of the usual Democrat Lite candidates.

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THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER

This one is a little different...Two Different Versions...Two Different Morals

OLD VERSION

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed.

The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!

MODERN VERSION

The ant works hard in the withering heat and the rain all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter.

The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.

Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while he is cold and starving.

CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food.

America is stunned by the sharp contrast.

How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?

Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green".

ACORN stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, "We shall overcome". Then Reverend Jeremiah Wright has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper’s sake.

President Obama condemns the ant and blames President Bush, President Reagan, Christopher Columbus, and the Pope for the grasshopper’s plight.

Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.

Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer.

The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government Green Czar and given to the grasshopper.

The story ends as we see the grasshopper and his free-loading friends finishing up the last bits of the ant's food while the government house he is in, which, as you recall, just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around them because the grasshopper doesn't maintain it.

The ant has disappeared in the snow, never to be seen again.

The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident, and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the ramshackle, once prosperous and once peaceful, neighborhood.

The entire Nation collapses bringing the rest of the free world with it.

MORAL OF THE STORY: BE CAREFUL HOW YOU VOTE IN 2010.

Do You Remeber?

2009-12-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

In an age where we are now governed by the politically correct elite who are more concerned with their reputation around the world and less about facing reality and protecting the American people, it is time to remind them who our real enemy is.

After three Muslim extremist attacks on Americans, two successful and one (thankfully) not, over the past year, this e-mail, which was sent to me in April of 2004, seems to be even more relevant and needed today than then. I fear that the choices our President and his administration are making are only serving to weaken the United States of America and putting us back on a pre-911 path that will only bring destruction and death to untold numbers of Americans.

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Please pause a moment, reflect back, and take the following Multiple Choice test…no need to keep score. The events are actual cuts from past history. They actually happened!

Do you remember?

1. In 1972 at the Munich Olympics, athletes were kidnapped and massacred by:

a. Olga Corbitt
b. Sitting Bull
c. Arnold Schwarzeneger
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

2. In 1979, the U.S. embassy in Iran was taken over by:

a. Lost Norwegians
b. Elvis
c. A tour bus full of 80-year-old women
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

3. During the 1980's a number of Americans were kidnapped in Lebanon by:

a. John Dillinger
b. The King of Sweden
c. The Boy Scouts
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

4. In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut was blown up by:

a. A pizza delivery boy
b. Pee Wee Herman
c. Geraldo Rivera
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

5. In 1985 the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70 year-old American passenger was murdered and thrown overboard in his wheelchair by:

a. The Smurfs
b. Davy Jones
c. The Little Mermaid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

6. In 1985 TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens, and a U.S. Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by:

a. Captain Kidd
b. Charles Lindberg
c. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

7. In 1988, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed by:

a. Scooby Doo
b. The Tooth Fairy
c. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

8. In 1993 the World Trade Center was bombed the first time by:

a. Richard Simmons
b. Grandma Moses
c. Michael Jordan
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

9. In 1998, the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by:

a. Mr. Rogers
b. Hillary Clinton, to distract attention from Wild Bill's women problems
c. The World Wrestling Federation
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

10. On 9/11/01, four airliners were hijacked; two were used as missiles to take out the World Trade Centers and of the remaining two, one crashed into the US Pentagon and the other was diverted and crashed by the passengers. Thousands of people were killed by:

a. Bugs Bunny, Wiley E. Coyote, Daffy Duck and Elmer Fudd
b. The Supreme Court of Florida
c. Mr. Bean
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

11. In 2002 the United States fought a war in Afghanistan against:

a. Enron
b. The Lutheran Church
c. The NFL
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

12. In 2002 reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped and murdered by:

a. Bonnie and Clyde
b. Captain Kangaroo
c. Billy Graham
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

The next three have been added at time of this blog post in order to update the questionnaire.

13. On June 1, 2009 two soldiers were shoot outside of a Little Rock, Arkansas recruiting center, killing one and wounded the other, by:

a. Mother Teresa
b. Kermit the Frog
c. Michael Jackson
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

14. On November 5, 2009 one of our nation's largest military posts, Fort Hood, was rocked by a shooting rampage that left thirteen soldiers dead and thirty wounded. The shooter was:

a. Citibank
b. a Mormon Bishop
c. Oliver North
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

15. On December 25, 2009, an attempted bomber aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 was subdued by passengers and flight crew when his bomb failed to ignite properly. The attempted bomber was:

a. President George W. Bush
b. President George H. W. Bush
c. President William J. Clinton
d. Muslim male extremists mostly between the ages of 17 and 40

Nope, I really don't see a pattern here to justify profiling, do you?

So, to ensure we Americans never offend anyone, particularly fanatics intent on killing us, airport security screeners will no longer be allowed to profile certain people. They must conduct randoms searches of 80-year-old women, little kids, airline pilots with proper identification, Secret agents who are members of the President's security detail, 85-year old Congressmen with metal hips, and Medal of Honor winning former Governors, and leave Muslim males between the ages 17 & 40 alone because of profiling.

Let's send this to as many people as we can so that the Gloria Alreds and her dunder-headed attorneys along with Federal Justices that want to thwart common sense, feel doubly ashamed of themselves if they have any such sense.

As the writer of the award winning story "Forrest Gump" so aptly put it, "Stupid is as stupid does."

Question With Boldness, Hold to the Truth and Speak Without Fear

2009-08-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

The following is from the Glenn Beck show, August 24 thru 28, 2009:

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"All this week we are asking questions; I may not have the answers, but power left unchecked can turn very ugly, very rapidly. So it's vital that we all question with boldness, hold to the truth and speak without fear.

You need to start asking questions:

- Our unfunded liability for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid is close to $100 trillion. Is there any way to pay for these programs without bankrupting America?

- We are in so much debt, why spend more borrowed money on cap-and-trade and healthcare programs before we stop the flow of red-ink?

- The stimulus package funneled billions of dollars to ACORN. How does giving billions of dollars to ACORN stimulate the economy?

- If it was so important for congress to pass the stimulus bill before they even had time to read it why has only a fraction of the stimulus money been spent 6 months later?

- Bush said he had to abandon free market principles in order to save them, how exactly does that work?

- Why won’t members of Congress read the bills before they vote on them?

- Why are citizens mocked and laughed at when they ask their congressman to read the bills before they vote on them?

- Was the cash-for-clunkers program meant to save the earth or the economy? Did it accomplish either?

- How did Van Jones, a self-proclaimed communist become a special advisor to the president?

- Did President Obama know of Van Jones’ radical political beliefs when he named him special advisor?

- The Apollo Alliance claimed credit for writing the stimulus bill—why was this group allowed to write any portion of this bill?

- If politicians aren’t writing the bills and aren’t reading the bills, do they have any idea what these 1000 page plus bills actually impose on the American people?

- If the ‘public option’ health care plan is so good why won’t politicians agree to have that as their plan?

- If town hall meetings are intended for the politicians to learn what’s on our mind—why do they spend so much time talking instead of listening?

- Politicians are refusing to attend town hall meetings complaining, without evidence, that they are scripted. Does that mean we shouldn’t come out and vote for you since every campaign stop, baby kiss and speech you give is scripted?

- Why would you want to overwhelm the system?

- Is using the economic crises to rush legislation through congress what Rahm Emanuel meant when he talked about "not letting a crises go to waste"?

- What are the czars paid? What is the budget for their staffs/offices?

- Who is "surrounding" the President in the White House?

- Do any of the President's advisers have criminal records?

- Are the President's advisers working to better the country or their own ideals?

- Who are the anti-capitalists in Washington?

- What roles do they have in crafting bills?

- What was "STORM"? What happened to the founders, where are they now?

- What qualifications must one have to be a Presidential adviser?

- What is the difference between a community organizer and a community activist?

- Do the czars have power?

- Should a communist have the ear of the President of the United States?

- What role did the Apollo Alliance play in crafting bills?

- Does the President know the co-founder of the Weather Underground is a board member of the Apollo Alliance?

- How many people in the administration are connected to the movement for a democratic society?

- What role does George Soros play...CONSTITUTIONALLY?

- Why does the FCC have a diversity "czar"?

- Who is Mark Lloyd and how does he plan to "balance" the airwaves?

- Will he bring back the Fairness Doctrine or worse?

- Cass Sunstein once said he wants to balance the Internet; is that next?

- Will broadcasters who leave the airwaves be allowed to go to satellite or Internet without government regulation?

- Is there any place (that has a mass audience) where the government won't regulate free speech?

- Why does it seem every member of the Obama advisory team hates capitalism, unless those companies (like G.E.) are in bed with the administration?

- If Lloyd has his way, stations who don't comply to the governments definition of the "public interest" will have to pay a massive fine — that helps support public broadcasting.

- What will be the definition of "public interest"?

- Who defines "public interest"?

- Why should it be balanced? Because it's public airwaves? (Well, there are public roads that go by my house and I don't count how many Republicans and Democrats are driving on them)

- Why do we need a civilian force?

- Who is posing a threat to us?

- Who will this "force" be made up of?

- Who is the real enemy?

- Does the president know of a coming event? If not, who builds an army against an unrecognized enemy?

- Why won't the media get off their butts and look into these radicals in the White House? And into this civilian army?"

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These are important questions that all concerned citizens should be asking and our government should answer...our country and liberties are at stake.

Oh What a Tangled Web They're Weaving

2009-07-29T17:21:00.000-07:00

The following article was published in Roll Call:

"Democrats are preventing Republican House Members from sending their constituents a mailing that is critical of the majority's health care reform plan, blocking the mailing by alleging that it is inaccurate.

House Republicans are crying foul and claiming that the Democrats are using their majority to prevent GOP Members from communicating with their constituents.

The dispute centers on a chart (see chart below) created by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) and Republican staff of the Joint Economic Committee to illustrate the organization of the Democratic health care plan.

At first glance, Brady’s chart resembles a board game: a colorful collection of shapes and images with a web of lines connecting them.

But a closer look at the image reveals a complicated menagerie of government offices and programs that Republicans say will be created if the leading Democratic health care plan becomes law.

In a memo sent Monday to Republicans on the House franking commission, Democrats argue that sending the chart to constituents as official mail would violate House rules because the information is misleading.

In their eight-point memo, which was obtained by Roll Call, Democrats identify a litany of areas where they believe the chart is incorrect.

For example, Democrats argue that the chart depicts a 'Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund” that is “simply a recipient of IRS funds, with no outflow. ... This is false.'

The chart’s illustration of low-income subsidies is also 'misleading and false,' Democrats argue.

Congressional rules for franked mail bar Members from using taxpayer-funded mail for newsletters that use “partisan, politicized or personalized” comments to criticize legislation or policy.

The dispute over Brady’s chart is being reviewed by the franking commission, which must approve any mail before it can be sent. No decision had been made on the matter by press time.

Brady adamantly denied that the chart was misleading and said Democrats are simply threatened by the content of the graphic.

'I think their review was laughable,' Brady said. 'It’s ... downright false in most of the cases. The chart depicts their health care plan as their committees developed it.'

'The chart reveals how their health care bureaucracy works, and people are frightened by it,' he added. 'So this is their effort to try and discredit' the chart.

Republican Members have made 20 requests to mail a version of the chart to their constituents and have been told that the requests are being delayed while the commission reviews allegations that the chart is misleading.

'Hiding the truth about wildly unpopular policies is a Democrat specialty,' said one GOP aide. 'I’d like to see the flow chart on how Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi plans on implementing the open and transparent government she keeps promising everyone.'

'We have initiated discussions with the minority to try and resolve current differences and are operating in good faith to achieve that goal,' said Kyle Anderson, a spokesman for House Administration Chairman Robert Brady (D-Pa.). The committee has oversight of the commission.

Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Calif.), ranking member of the committee and a member of the franking commission, said through a spokeswoman that he is also aware of the situation and is working with the members of the franking commission to resolve the differences, but he added that he believed Democrats on the commission were overreaching.

'He strongly believes that the franking commission does not have the authority to deny Member communications based on partisan differences of pending legislation,' said Salley Collins, a spokeswoman for Lungren.

The franking commission is made up of three Democrats and three Republicans.

Republicans quickly embraced Brady’s chart, and over the past week about 50 Members have posted it on their Congressional Web sites or used it in a floor speech. It has also been posted on the home page of the Republican National Committee."

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Since House Democrats are preventing Republicans from mailing this chart out to their constituents, we'll just use other methods at our disposal...blogs and e-mail.

Our Democrat friends...and I use that term loosely...swear that the government will never come between us and our doctors. Hmmm....what do you think?

America's Health Care System Is Not Broken

2009-07-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

America’s health care system is not broken as President Obama stated during Wednesday’s press conference. Yes, our current health care system definitely needs some reform, which I mentioned in my previous blog.

Change the laws to allow small businesses to pool their resources to purchase affordable health insurance for their employees, tort reform, fix under-funding issues of current entitlement programs, secure our borders, and tax breaks for tax-payers who pay for their own health insurance equal to 100% of the cost they pay.

But it is far from being broken.

Opponents of the government’s health care reform bill are accused of lying…of not caring about the poor and uninsured…of trying to undermine the President. That is hardly the case.

We are participating in the Democratic process and exercising our Constitutional right to freedom of speech. We are trying to protect this country from what we consider an insidious takeover of our health care system and an eventual one-size fits all, single payer universal health care system.

We believe that the proponents of the reform bill are not being entirely truthful and a bit disingenuous.

Here are just a few statements in question:

Proponent Statement # 1: “Small businesses are being beaten out of existence due to the cost of insurance for their employees.”

Small businesses are being beaten out of existence due to higher payroll costs, rising taxes, high cost of business insurance and increased regulations.

In several states the minimum wage increases each year based on the rate of inflation, Oregon being one of them. In Oregon the increase has averaged 3%. In 2009 it increased by almost 6% (from $7.95 to $8.40). Oregon’s state minimum wage is the second highest in the country; just behind our Northern neighbor Washington at $8.55. Small businesses can not keep absorbing these increases in payroll for much longer.

As for the rising cost of health insurance, small businesses (unless their employees are unionized) currently have the option of not providing insurance if they can not afford it, passing more of the rising cost onto their employees or of dropping it altogether if it becomes too costly.

If the reform bill passes all employers with at least $250,000 in payroll will be required to provide health insurance for their employees. It will not be optional and, if any employers refuse to comply, they will face penalties of up to 8% of their payroll for every year they refuse.

This will be yet another added business expense that many small business owners will not be able to afford or avoid.

Proponent Statement # 2: “If you like your health plan, you can keep it, the only thing that will change is that you’ll pay less.”

While you WILL get to keep your private health insurance coverage if you like it…for the time being…don’t try to make any changes to the plan and, if you have an employer provided health insurance plan, pray you don’t lose it due to loss of employment.

On page 16 of the House’s plan, under the heading "Protecting The Choice To Keep Current Coverage" the "Limitation On New Enrollment" section of the bill states: “Except as provided in this paragraph, the individual health insurance issuer offering such coverage does not enroll any individual in such coverage if the first effective date of coverage is on or after the first day of the year the legislation becomes law.”

In other words, if the House’s health care reform bill is passed:

Those individuals who currently have their own private health insurance coverage will not be able to make any changes to their insurance plans or purchase a different private plan. They will have to enroll in the public option.
Individuals who have an employer provided health insurance plan and lose that plan due to loss of employment will not be able to purchase their own private insurance plan. If they don’t find employment with another employer who provides health insurance, they will have to enroll in the public option.

The Heritage Foundation commissioned the Lewin Group, a highly respected health care policy and management consulting firm, to examine the impact the House’s health care reform bill would have on private insurance when a government-run health plan is introduced in the marketplace. The study found that:

88.1 million Americans could be transitioned out of their current plan as employers opt out of continuing their existing coverage. These Americans would lose the employer coverage they now have. The study also found that nationwide 103.9 million Americans would end up on the new government-run public plan.
Yearly premiums for Americans with private coverage could jump as much as $460 per person as a result of more cost-shifting, which would stem from the public plan.

And let’s not overlook our seniors who may be facing proposed cuts of $535 Billion in Medicare? $170 Billion of these cuts are proposed for the Medicare Advantage program with $158 Billion of those cuts being in the fee for services program which low-income and minority senior citizens rely on.

The rest of the cuts will be for nursing homes, therapy, and hospital care. The average senior citizen can expect to have their health care costs increase by about $250.00 per month.

So you could lose your coverage, whether you like or not, if your employer can cut costs by putting you on the public option. If you want to keep your own private insurance you will pay more not less and senior citizens, the group who can least afford to pay more, will pay more.

Proponent Statement # 3: “This is not a trick. This is not single-payer. That's not what anyone is talking about.”

A single payer universal health care system is exactly what the ultimate result of this health care reform bill will be…not immediately, but within a few years. Those in favor of a single payer universal health care system are not stupid. They know exactly what they need to do to accomplish their goal.

On June 30, 2003, then Illinois State Senator Barrack Obama stated at an AFL-CIO Conference, “I happen to be a proponent of a single payer universal health care program. I see no reason why the United States of America, the wealthiest country in the history of the world, spending 14 percent of its Gross National Product on health care cannot provide basic health insurance to everybody.

"And that’s what Jim is talking about when he says everybody in, nobody out…a single payer health care plan, a universal health care plan. And that’s what I’d like to see. But as all of you know, we may not get there immediately. Because first we’ve got to take back the White House and we’ve got to take back the Senate and we’ve got to take back the House.” (NOTE: Obama now says he is not for a single payer universal health care system.)

On July 21, 2008, Jacob Hacker; a Political Science Professor and the architect of the system in which private and public insurance options would compete, was commenting on his vision.

He said, “Someone once said to me that this is a Trojan Horse for a single payer. And I said, well it’s not a Trojan Horse, right? It's just right there. I’m telling you! We’re going to get there…over time…slowly. We’ll move away from reliance on employer-based health insurance as we should.

"But we’ll do it in a way that we’re not going to frighten people into thinking their going to lose their private insurance. Where you give them a choice of public and private insurance when their in the pool and we’re going to let them keep their private employment-based insurance if their employer continues to provide it.”

On April 18, 2009, Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) revealed the true goal of the public health care option. She said, “And next to me was a guy from the insurance company who then argued against the public health insurance option saying, ‘It wouldn’t let private insurance compete. That a public option will put the private insurance industry out of business and lead to single payer.’

"My single payer friends, he was right! The man was right!…This is not a principled fight. This is a fight about strategy for getting there and I believe we will!”

Does anyone doubt what is really going on here? I don’t.

Proponent Statement # 4: “You will not be denied care if you have a pre-existing condition.”

Oh, really? Well, how about the elderly who are going to see cuts in Medicare? Are they going to get the care they want or need? Let’s ask President Obama.

On June 24, 2009, during the President’s ABC Infomercial for health care reform, a woman named Jane Sturm told the story of her 105 year old mother who, at age 100 received a pacemaker.

She explained, “Her doctor said, ‘I can’t do anything more, unless you have a pacemaker.’ I said, ‘Go for it!’ She said, ‘Go for it!’ But the arrhythmia specialist said, ‘No, she was too old.’ Her doctor said, ‘I’m going to make an appointment because a picture is worth a thousand words.’

"And when the other arrhythmia specialist saw her…saw her joy of life and so on…he said, ‘I’m going for it.’ That was over five years ago.

"My question to you is, outside the medical criteria for prolonging life for somebody who is elderly, is there any special consideration that can be given for a certain spirit, a certain joy of living, a quality of life, or is it a medical cut-off at a certain age?”

The President’s reply, in my opinion, was chilling. He said, “We’re not going to solve every difficult problem in terms of end of life care. A lot of that is going to have to be, we as a culture and as a society starting to make better decisions within our own families and for ourselves.

"But what we can do is make sure that at least some of the waste that exists in the system that is not making anybody’s mom better, that is loading up on additional tests or additional drugs that the evidence shows is not going to necessarily improve care, that at least we can let doctors know and your mom know, that you know what, maybe this isn’t going to help. Maybe you’re better off not having the surgery, but taking the painkiller.”

Say what? We’re sorry…just take a painkiller?

My mother is almost seventy. She recently had a heart attack and required three stents to be inserted into her two arteries. If she had had this attack after the health care reform bill was passed would she be told, “We’re really sorry Marlene, but you have exceeded your usefulness to society. We’ll just give you pain killers?”

At what age are we going to be told that we’re too old to receive the health care we need and should start receiving end of life care…that we should just take painkillers and die peacefully like an animal being put to sleep? Seventy? Seventy-Five? Eighty? How old? And who will decide…some government bureaucrat who knows nothing about us? Take a pill…how absurd!!!

Finally, Proponent Statement # 5: “The government will not get between you and your doctor.”

Earlier this month, Energy and Commerce Committee member, U.S. Representative Phil Gingrey (R-GA), proposed an amendment to the health care reform bill which would ban government employees from overruling doctors on matters of direct patient treatment.

The amendment read, “In section 931 of the Public Health Service Act, as added by section 2401, add at the end the following new subsection: Nothing in this section shall be construed to allow any federal employee or political appointee to dictate how a medical provider practices medicine.”

“This is about the practice of medicine,” said U.S. Representative Joe Barton (R-TX), of the amendment. “If I asked for a show of hands about how many people think people in Washington should tell your doctor how to practice medicine on you, I don’t think there’d be anybody who would raise a hand. I wouldn’t raise my hand. I don’t want my doctor to be told how to practice medicine on me or my family.”

“My guess is most Americans would not like a detached bureaucrat who’d had a bad day to make that decision,” added U.S. Representative Roy Blunt (R-MO). “That’s what this amendment is all about…This is a debate about whether a federal bureaucrat can dictate to a medical provider…I would hope that this committee would decide that the doctor-patient relationship is more important than the bureaucrat-patient relationship.”

The amendment was rejected. 23 Republicans and one Democrat voted in favor of the amendment while 33 Democrats voted against it.

When Obama says, “This is not about me”, he’s right…it’s not about him…although he really wants it to be. For those of us who are opposed to this massive new entitlement program, it’s not about defeating him or ruining his presidency.

It’s about our right to privacy and keeping the government out of our medical records. It’s about our right to decide for ourselves, in consultation with our doctors, what health care we receive and when. It’s about keeping government bureaucrats out of our medical decisions.

Where's the Fire?

2009-07-21T18:40:00.000-07:00

Where’s the fire? Why should we destroy the greatest health care system in the world to make sure that 45 million uninsured people or 13% of the population has insurance? Why should we destroy the insurance coverage of the other 87% of the population when half of those uninsured are uninsured because they choose to be and almost a quarter of them are illegal aliens?

I’m not saying that some sort of reform isn’t needed. I would be extremely naïve if I believed that. What I am saying is that they do not need to destroy our health care system. What I am saying is that they do not need to devise a health care system patterned after the failed socialized programs of Canada and Europe.

What they should do is change the laws so that small businesses, the largest employment sector in America, can pool their resources together to provide affordable health care for their employees. But at the same time, as put forth by The Heritage Foundation, combine these new pooling arrangements with, “other insurance market reforms designed to transition from an employer-owned and seller-driven market to a consumer-owned and buyer-driven market.” According to The Heritage Foundation, “the result would be to inject fresh incentives for both controlling costs and increasing quality into the broader health system. Insurers and providers would be forced to find ways to meet consumer demands for better results at better prices.”

What they should do is fix the Medicare, Medicaid and social security under funded issues before they add another entitlement program. Can America really afford another entitlement program that will ultimately be forced onto states already going bankrupt from mismanagement and too many federally mandated programs?

What they should do is change the civil justice system to reduce tort litigation and damages which have contributed to the rising cost of our medical care. The high costs of medical malpractice litigation and compensation payouts have significantly raised the cost of medical malpractice insurance for our medical care givers. Let’s make the plaintiff in lawsuits pay the court costs of the defendant, up to but not greater than their own court costs, if they lose.

What they should do is give every tax payer a tax credit equal to 100% of their out-of-pocket costs for health insurance. Not $2,500 for individuals or $5,000 for couples as the Republican plan calls for, but 100%. If the tax payer pays for the entire plan, he/she claims the entire cost. If the tax payer pays for a portion of their employer provided health insurance, the tax payer should be allowed to claim the portion he/she pays for that coverage. If the employer pays 100% of the health insurance, the tax payer receives no tax credit. The individual tax payers should have the same tax credit rights that employers who provide health insurance for their employees have.

What they should do is secure our borders. They should send the illegal aliens home and force them to come to this country legally before they receive any benefits, including health insurance.

What they should do is listen to the American people. They ignored us when we said “NO” to TARP I. They ignored us when we said “NO” to the bailout of the auto industry. They ignored us when we said “NO” to the Omnibus bill. They ignored us when said "NO" to the stimulus (porkulus) package. And, they ignored us when we said “NO” to the Cap and (Tax) Trade bill.

Today Obama was lamenting that there were some in DC who were set on blocking his health care reform. He was obviously talking about the Blue Dog Democrats (since Republicans couldn’t block his reform no matter how hard they tried) who got an earful from their constituents during the 4^th of July holiday and are now backing away from support of his reform. Maybe finally, FINALLY, someone is listening!

What they should do is SLOW DOWN! They should stop acting like this country is on fire and everything is an emergency.

An Open Letter to Our Nation's Leadership

2009-06-20T00:01:00.000-07:00

This amazing letter was sent to Glenn Beck by a woman in Arizona who is a listener of his radio show. I heard the letter read by Glenn on his television show on Wednesday and found myself agreeing 100% with everything this woman had to say.

I have since gone to http://www.thepetitionsite.com/8/an-open-letter-to-our-nations-leadership and added my signature to this letter with over 106,000 other concerned citizens. Maybe, just maybe, this letter, which is an open letter to our nation's leadership, will be read by someone in Washington D.C. who might actually take notice...I won't hold my breath.

Here is the letter in its entirety:

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I'm a home grown American citizen, 53, registered Democrat all my life. Before the last presidential election I registered as a Republican because I no longer felt the Democratic Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. Now I no longer feel the Republican Party represents my views or works to pursue issues important to me. The fact is I no longer feel any political party or representative in Washington represents my views or works to pursue the issues important to me. There must be someone. Please tell me who you are. Please stand up and tell me that you are there and that you're willing to fight for our Constitution as it was written. Please stand up now. You might ask yourself what my views and issues are that I would horribly feel so disenfranchised by both major political parties. What kind of nut job am I? Will you please tell me?

Well, these are briefly my views and issues for which I seek representation:

One, illegal immigration. I want you to stop coddling illegal immigrants and secure our borders. Close the underground tunnels. Stop the violence and the trafficking in drugs and people. No amnesty, not again. Been there, done that, no resolution. P.S., I'm not a racist. This isn't to be confused with legal immigration.

Two, the TARP bill, I want it repealed and I want no further funding supplied to it. We told you no, but you did it anyway. I want the remaining unfunded 95% repealed. Freeze, repeal.

Three: Czars, I want the circumvention of our checks and balances stopped immediately. Fire the czars. No more czars. Government officials answer to the process, not to the president. Stop trampling on our Constitution and honor it.

Four, cap and trade. The debate on global warming is not over. There is more to say.

Five, universal healthcare. I will not be rushed into another expensive decision. Don't you dare try to pass this in the middle of the night and then go on break. Slow down!

Six, growing government control. I want states rights and sovereignty fully restored. I want less government in my life, not more. Shrink it down. Mind your own business. You have enough to take care of with your real obligations. Why don't you start there.

Seven, ACORN. I do not want ACORN and its affiliates in charge of our 2010 census. I want them investigated. I also do not want mandatory escrow fees contributed to them every time on every real estate deal that closes. Stop the funding to ACORN and its affiliates pending impartial audits and investigations. I do not trust them with taking the census over with our taxpayer money. I don't trust them with our taxpayer money. Face up to the allegations against them and get it resolved before taxpayers get any more involved with them. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, hello. Stop protecting your political buddies. You work for us, the people. Investigate.

Eight, redistribution of wealth. No, no, no. I work for my money. It is mine. I have always worked for people with more money than I have because they gave me jobs. That is the only redistribution of wealth that I will support. I never got a job from a poor person. Why do you want me to hate my employers? Why ‑‑ what do you have against shareholders making a profit?

Nine, charitable contributions. Although I never got a job from a poor person, I have helped many in need. Charity belongs in our local communities, where we know our needs best and can use our local talent and our local resources. Butt out, please. We want to do it ourselves.

Ten, corporate bailouts. Knock it off. Sink or swim like the rest of us. If there are hard times ahead, we'll be better off just getting into it and letting the strong survive. Quick and painful. Have you ever ripped off a Band‑Aid? We will pull together. Great things happen in America under great hardship. Give us the chance to innovate. We cannot disappoint you more than you have disappointed us.

Eleven, transparency and accountability. How about it? No, really, how about it? Let's have it. Let's say we give the buzzwords a rest and have some straight honest talk. Please try ‑‑ please stop manipulating and trying to appease me with clever wording. I am not the idiot you obviously take me for. Stop sneaking around and meeting in back rooms making deals with your friends. It will only be a prelude to your criminal investigation. Stop hiding things from me.

Twelve, unprecedented quick spending. Stop it now.

Take a breath. Listen to the people. Let's just slow down and get some input from some nonpoliticians on the subject. Stop making everything an emergency. Stop speed reading our bills into law. I am not an activist. I am not a community organizer. Nor am I a terrorist, a militant or a violent person. I am a parent and a grandparent. I work. I'm busy. I'm busy. I am busy, and I am tired. I thought we elected competent people to take care of the business of government so that we could work, raise our families, pay our bills, have a little recreation, complain about taxes, endure our hardships, pursue our personal goals, cut our lawn, wash our cars on the weekends and be responsible contributing members of society and teach our children to be the same all while living in the home of the free and land of the brave.

I entrusted you with upholding the Constitution. I believed in the checks and balances to keep from getting far off course. What happened? You are very far off course. Do you really think I find humor in the hiring of a speed reader to intelligently ramble all through a bill that you signed into law without knowing what it contained? I do not. It is a mockery of the responsibility I have entrusted to you. It is a slap in the face. I am not laughing at your arrogance. Why is it that I feel as if you would not trust me to make a single decision about my own life and how I would live it but you should expect that I should trust you with the debt that you have laid on all of us and our children. We did not want the TARP bill. We said no. We would repeal it if we could. I am sure that we still cannot. There is such urgency and recklessness in all of the recent spending.

From my perspective, it seems that all of you have gone insane. I also know that I am far from alone in these feelings. Do you honestly feel that your current pursuits have merit to patriotic Americans? We want it to stop. We want to put the brakes on everything that is being rushed by us and forced upon us. We want our voice back. You have forced us to put our lives on hold to straighten out the mess that you are making. We will have to give up our vacations, our time spent with our children, any relaxation time we may have had and money we cannot afford to spend on you to bring our concerns to Washington. Our president often knows all the right buzzword is unsustainable. Well, no kidding. How many tens of thousands of dollars did the focus group cost to come up with that word? We don't want your overpriced words. Stop treating us like we're morons.

We want all of you to stop focusing on your reelection and do the job we want done, not the job you want done or the job your party wants done. You work for us and at this rate I guarantee you not for long because we are coming. We will be heard and we will be represented. You think we're so busy with our lives that we will never come for you? We are the formerly silent majority, all of us who quietly work , pay taxes, obey the law, vote, save money, keep our noses to the grindstone and we are now looking up at you. You have awakened us, the patriotic spirit so strong and so powerful that it had been sleeping too long. You have pushed us too far. Our numbers are great. They may surprise you. For every one of us who will be there, there will be hundreds more that could not come. Unlike you, we have their trust. We will represent them honestly, rest assured. They will be at the polls on voting day to usher you out of office. We have canceled vacations. We will use our last few dollars saved. We will find the representation among us and a grassroots campaign will flourish. We didn't ask for this fight. But the gloves are coming off. We do not come in violence, but we are angry. You will represent us or you will be replaced with someone who will. There are candidates among us when he will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes that you have made of our constitution.

Democrat, Republican, independent, libertarian. Understand this. We don't care. Political parties are meaningless to us. Patriotic Americans are willing to do right by us and our Constitution and that is all that matters to us now. We are going to fire all of you who abuse power and seek more. It is not your power. It is ours and we want it back. We entrusted you with it and you abused it. You are dishonorable. You are dishonest. As Americans we are ashamed of you. You have brought shame to us. If you are not representing the wants and needs of your constituency loudly and consistently, in spite of the objections of your party, you will be fired. Did you hear? We no longer care about your political parties. You need to be loyal to us, not to them. Because we will get you fired and they will not save you. If you do or can represent me, my issues, my views, please stand up. Make your identity known. You need to make some noise about it. Speak up. I need to know who you are. If you do not speak up, you will be herded out with the rest of the sheep and we will replace the whole damn congress if need be one by one. We are coming. Are we coming for you? Who do you represent? What do you represent? Listen. Because we are coming. We the people are coming.

-----------------------------

Amen sister!!!!!!!!

I Can't Believe I Agree With Pravda

2009-06-02T19:08:00.000-07:00

A very interesting article appeared on Pravda's English speaking web site. I was amazed that I actually agreed with Pravda...who would have thunk it?

Here is the article in it's entirety...see what you think:

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"American Capitalism Gone with a Whimper

It must be said, that like the breaking of a great dam, the American decent into Marxism is happening with breath taking speed, against the back drop of a passive, hapless sheeple, excuse me dear reader, I meant people.

True, the situation has been well prepared on and off for the past century, especially the past twenty years. The initial testing grounds was conducted upon our Holy Russia and a bloody test it was. But we Russians would not just roll over and give up our freedoms and our souls, no matter how much money Wall Street poured into the fists of the Marxists.

Those lessons were taken and used to properly prepare the American populace for the surrender of their freedoms and souls, to the whims of their elites and betters.

First, the population was dumbed down through a politicized and substandard education system based on pop culture, rather then the classics. Americans know more about their favorite TV dramas then the drama in DC that directly affects their lives. They care more for their "right" to choke down a McDonalds burger or a BurgerKing burger than for their constitutional rights. Then they turn around and lecture us about our rights and about our "democracy". Pride blind the foolish.

Then their faith in God was destroyed, until their churches, all tens of thousands of different "branches and denominations" were for the most part little more then Sunday circuses and their televangelists and top protestant mega preachers were more then happy to sell out their souls and flocks to be on the "winning" side of one pseudo Marxist politician or another. Their flocks may complain, but when explained that they would be on the "winning" side, their flocks were ever so quick to reject Christ in hopes for earthly power. Even our Holy Orthodox churches are scandalously liberalized in America.

The final collapse has come with the election of Barack Obama. His speed in the past three months has been truly impressive. His spending and money printing has been a record setting, not just in America's short history but in the world. If this keeps up for more then another year, and there is no sign that it will not, America at best will resemble the Wiemar Republic and at worst Zimbabwe.

These past two weeks have been the most breath taking of all. First came the announcement of a planned redesign of the American Byzantine tax system, by the very thieves who used it to bankroll their thefts, loses and swindles of hundreds of billions of dollars. These make our Russian oligarchs look little more then ordinary street thugs, in comparison. Yes, the Americans have beat our own thieves in the shear volumes. Should we congratulate them?

These men, of course, are not an elected panel but made up of appointees picked from the very financial oligarchs and their henchmen who are now gorging themselves on trillions of American dollars, in one bailout after another. They are also usurping the rights, duties and powers of the American congress (parliament). Again, congress has put up little more then a whimper to their masters.

Then came Barack Obama's command that GM's (General Motor) president step down from leadership of his company. That is correct, dear reader, in the land of "pure" free markets, the American president now has the power, the self given power, to fire CEOs and we can assume other employees of private companies, at will. Come hither, go dither, the centurion commands his minions.

So it should be no surprise, that the American president has followed this up with a "bold" move of declaring that he and another group of unelected, chosen stooges will now redesign the entire automotive industry and will even be the guarantee of automobile policies. I am sure that if given the chance, they would happily try and redesign it for the whole of the world, too. Prime Minister Putin, less then two months ago, warned Obama and UK's Blair, not to follow the path to Marxism, it only leads to disaster. Apparently, even though we suffered 70 years of this Western sponsored horror show, we know nothing, as foolish, drunken Russians, so let our "wise" Anglo-Saxon fools find out the folly of their own pride.

Again, the American public has taken this with barely a whimper...but a "freeman" whimper.

So, should it be any surprise to discover that the Democratically controlled Congress of America is working on passing a new regulation that would give the American Treasury department the power to set "fair" maximum salaries, evaluate performance and control how private companies give out pay raises and bonuses? Senator Barney Franks, a social pervert basking in his homosexuality (of course, amongst the modern, enlightened American societal norm, as well as that of the general West, homosexuality is not only not a looked down upon life choice, but is often praised as a virtue) and his Marxist enlightenment, has led this effort. He stresses that this only affects companies that receive government monies, but it is retroactive and taken to a logical extreme, this would include any company or industry that has ever received a tax break or incentive.

The Russian owners of American companies and industries should look thoughtfully at this and the option of closing their facilities down and fleeing the land of the Red as fast as possible. In other words, divest while there is still value left.

The proud American will go down into his slavery with out a fight, beating his chest and proclaiming to the world, how free he really is. The world will only snicker."

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Hmmmm....I couldn't have said it better myself. Thank you Pravda!!!!

Where Were We?

2009-04-26T21:23:00.000-07:00

Many on the left and in the mainstream media are asking, “Where were all those protesters when President Bush was running up his deficits?”

Where were we?

We were writing our government representatives in the House and Senate asking them to stop the madness…AND being ignored.

We were calling our government representatives in the House and Senate asking them to stop the madness…AND being ignored.

We were e-mailing our government representatives in the House and Senate asking them to stop the madness…AND being ignored.

We were sending petitions to our government representatives in the House and Senate asking them to stop the madness…AND being ignored.

WELL…WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE IGNORED ANYMORE!!!

While President Bush’s spending was out of control and he ran up a $1.8 trillion deficit…most of that coming in the last year of his administration, due largely to the stimulus checks mailed out to tax payers last May and the $787 billion bailout package passed in October...we were fuming. The pot was beginning to boil.

But, now we feel the stakes are too high to just write, call, e-mail and petition our government representatives in the House and Senate, we see the need to take action on a much louder scale which cannot be ignored. Enough is enough. We want the madness to stop. We want the government, who works for us, to listen to us and stop ignoring us. WE WILL BE HEARD...one way or the other!!!

F.Y.I.

2009-04-26T21:14:00.000-07:00

Contrary to the popular propaganda spewing from the left and the mainstream media, the “Tea Parties” held on April 15th were not sponsored or promoted by the FOX News channel. They were not sponsored or promoted by right wing extremist groups. They were not sponsored or promoted by the Republican Party. They were not sponsored or promoted by any right wing talk show host or Republican politician. They WERE sponsored and promoted by concerned conservatives from all political persuasions and walks of life who were exercising their Constitutional rights to peaceably assemble, to peaceably disagree with their government and to speak freely about those disagreements.

For those on the left, including Democrat and Republican politicians and news organizations like CNN and NBC, to marginalize and discredit the millions of American citizens who participated in the 800 plus rallies around the country is…using the same word one Democrat leader used to refer to the rallies...despicable.

At one rally, held in Atlanta, a CNN reporter…and I use that term loosely…walked up to a man holding a small child and asked him to explain why he was at the rally. As he was trying to explaining his reasons, she rudely cut him off by saying, “Don’t you realize you’re eligible for a $400 tax cut?”

She was visibly appalled that this poor, misinformed pauper was not kneeling down and praising Obama for his generous $13 per week…which, by the way, will be decreased to $8 per week in January, 2010…tax cut. After all, didn’t Obama promise a tax cut to 95% of working Americans? He kept his promise…didn’t he?

Are the left that shallow and ignorant to believe that the American people are just going to sacrifice their Constitutional rights for a mere $13 per week or for any other sum? Some are, but WE ARE NOT FOR SALE!!!

Are the left that shallow and ignorant to believe that the American people are just going to sit by and watch their Constitution shredded and their rights taken away? Some are, but WE WILL NOT…WE CAN NOT BE SILENT ANYMORE!!!

The conservative movement is being revived from the ground up and it is gathering steam. Conservatives from all political parties have finally realized they are not alone…there are others who feel the same way they do. Conservatives have finally found their voice and their cause…WE WILL PROTECT THIS COUNTRY…WE WILL PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION…WE WILL PEACEABLY RISE UP TOGETHER…WE WILL MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD!!!

If those on the left continue to ignore us they are going to get a BIG surprise. WE’RE MAD AS HELL AND WE’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANYMORE!!!

The World Still Looks to America for Leadership

2009-04-15T17:02:00.000-07:00

No matter what the Obama Administration, the liberals on both sides of the aisle, the mainstream media, or the rest of the world says; the world still looks to

America

for leadership.

Case in point:

Somali pirates have been terrorizing the high seas for months, yet no one has done anything about the problem. The world’s leaders have acted spineless and helpless…UNTIL an American ship was hijacked.

First, the brave captain offered himself up as the sacrificial lamb to protect his crew and the precious cargo they were carrying to the needy in Africa. The ship was allowed to continue on its course, while the captain was detained in a raft by four young Somali pirates.

Second, a ransom was requested in exchange for the life of the captain. Don’t they know America has never negotiated with terrorists or kidnappers?

Third, after five days adrift at sea, the captors agreed to have their drifting raft towed behind an American navy vessel.

Finally, on Easter Sunday, one of the captors put his gun to the head of the American ship captain. That was a fatal mistake for him and two of his comrades. In an effort to protect the captain, Navy seal sharp shooters took out three of the pirates simultaneously, killing them instantly. The captain was rescued and the remaining pirate was taken into custody.

Now, let’s fast forward to today. After two days of heightened hijacking activity, including the attempted capture of another American ship in retaliation for America’s actions in protecting its citizen, France FINALLY showed some guts by confronting one of the Somali pirates’ mother ships. They fired on it and took eleven pirates into custody. YAY!!!! It’s about time. Like always, until the Americans lead the way, no one makes a move.

I never thought these words would cross my mind, but they have…so…here goes…THANK YOU President Obama for standing strong against the Somali pirates and showing the rest of the world that America is still strong.

I am a woman of my word. When Obama won the presidency I promised that I would praise him when I thought he was right and oppose him when I thought he was wrong. FINALLY, he has done something that I can praise him for…and it didn’t hurt a bit.

A Time for Choosing

2009-04-02T21:39:00.000-07:00

Some critics of the conservative movement, who say WE are trying to redefine ourselves, have a very limited understanding of who WE really are. WE are not the Republicans who hold political office in Washington D.C. THEY may be trying to redefine themselves, but WE are not.

THEY may have walked away from conservatism in an effort to make themselves more appealing to moderates, independents, democrats, minorities, etc., but WE have not.

THEY may have walked away from their conservative values, but WE have not.

THEY may be lost, but WE are not.

Our political leaders have abandoned US, their conservative constituents, and THEY no longer represent US or our beliefs.

WE are the true standard bearers of conservatism, THEY are not.

Ronald Reagan was truly the last, great conservative leader. He understood what it meant to be a conservative. He understood what was necessary to make this country great and WE, the citizens of the conservative movement, await the day when another true conservative leader will emerge to take the lead and represent us on the national stage...may that be Sarah Palin, Bobby Jindal, or another.

With that in mind, here is a video of a speech given by Ronald Reagan in 1964...yes...I said 1964. Although this video is almost forty-five years old, the message still holds true today. The liberals of 1964 are no different than the liberals of 2009...except that they have a lot more power and the ability to enact their agenda without any hindrance...and the conservatives of 1964 are no different than the conservatives of 2009...except that WE have very few representatives in Washington D.C. Pay close attention and you will understand that nothing has really changed over the past forty-four plus years.

Just Smoke and Mirrors

2009-03-19T21:34:00.001-07:00

My fellow citizens, I wish to implore you; do not be distracted by the most recent “scandal” being paraded in front of you during the past week. It is just a “smoke and mirrors” tactic to keep your attention focused on something other than what’s really going on.

The $165 million in AIG retention bonuses is such a small amount of money compared to the trillions doled out in the form of bailouts and stimulus. It pales in comparison to the $3.8 billion in bonuses Bear Sterns paid out to its executives at the end of 2008. It means very little when compared to the millions in anticipated retention bonuses to be shelled out (at taxpayers expense) to federally funded Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae executives who are largely responsible for the housing market collapse. It means nothing!!

The feigned self-righteous indignation being leveled at AIG and its bonus recipients is a ploy to keep you distracted. It’s just an act for your benefit. The government is playing a shell game and many Americans are losing track of the ball. Don’t fall for it!

In reference to the AIG bonuses, President Obama stated on Monday, “Under these circumstances, it’s hard to understand how derivative traders at AIG warranted any bonuses, much less $165 million in extra pay. How do they justify this outrage to the taxpayers who are keeping the company afloat?”

We could say the same about congressional members who are getting automatic pay raises. Are their pay raises warranted? Aren't we, the American taxpayers, keeping them afloat...even with their absolute incompetence?

There’s a mob mentality building which is willing, once again, to allow the federal government to violate the constitution in the name of fairness. Cooler heads must prevail. We must look beyond what the government and the mainstream media are telling us. We must avoid becoming sheep, easily led astray, and educate ourselves. We must stand up and say enough is enough!

As I said before, the real scandal is not the AIG bonuses. Here’s why:

First, the AIG bonuses were protected in the $787 billion stimulus bill that Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid pushed through congress in February. Remember? The stimulus bill was crucial to our nation’s survival…it was an emergency…it had to be passed immediately without anyone having the chance to read it. Within twenty-four hours of the house and senate versions being merged and tweaked it was passed by congress (thanks to three turn coat RINOs). Four days later, the president signed it into law.

Hmm…do you think if congress and the American people would have had those four days to review what was actually in the final bill, it would have been blocked until the AIG bonuses and a lot of other unnecessary pet projects were eliminated? Of course! That’s why no one was given the necessary time to read it first.

According to Newsmax.com, it was Democrat Senator Christopher Dodd "...who inserted language — known as the Dodd amendment — in the $787 billion stimulus bill that allowed all bonuses awarded before February 11, 2009, to be paid to AIG executives. That very amendment, which is now law, is now the chief hurdle to government officials who want to recover that money.

The amendment was meant to restrict executive pay for bailed-out banks, but it also included the exception for 'contractually obligated bonuses agreed on or before Feb. 11, 2009.'"

So what's the problem? These executives had a contract and their bonuses were part of that contract. I think the law is pretty cut and dry...unless you wan to score politcal points by inflaming an uniformed electorate.

Second, the real scandal is not the AIG bonuses; it’s the fact that the federal government used AIG as a clearing house to funnel billions in bailout dollars to foreign and domestic entities, so that they wouldn’t have to make an accounting to the American taxpayers.

Of AIG's $173 billion bailout monies $44 billion went to American entities while $62 billion went to overseas entities. Some of these recipients and their amounts received were:

$13 billion to Goldman Sachs
$7 billion to Merrill Lynch
$5 billion to Bank of America
$13 billion to banks in the United Kingdom
$17 billion to banks in Germany
$19 billion to banks in France
$5 billion to banks in Switzerland

Wow...as an American taxpayer...what concerns you more; the fulfilling of $165 million in legally binding contracts that were protected by a law passed in February or $106 billion of taxpayer dollars being funneled to foreign and domestic entities in secret?

Third, on Wednesday, while the administration and the mainstream media were ramping up their rhetoric to whip the American taxpayers into a frenzy over the AIG bonuses, the Fed ramped up its printing of more dollars to the astronomical amount of one trillion greenbacks. Why? So that the Fed can start buying up its own Treasury Bonds and mortgage debt.

According to Bloomberg.com, "Fed policy makers said yesterday they plan to buy up to $300 billion of U.S. government bonds and step up purchases of mortgage bonds, expanding the central bank’s balance sheet by as much as $1.15 trillion. The extra supply of dollars threatens to overwhelm investors just as the budget deficit swells."

What's more important, $165 million in contractually obligated bonuses which were protect by congress and the Obama administration to begin with or the destruction of the U.S. dollar?

Finally, in an effort to correct their own incompetence, the Los Angeles Times reported that, "...the House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to recoup the lion's share of the $165 million in bonuses paid to executives of American International Group Inc...

...The House tax measure, hurriedly drawn up on the orders of the Democratic leadership, imposes a 90% levy on those who were paid executive bonuses if their families earned more than $250,000 annually and if their firms, such as AIG, received more than $5 billion in federal bailout funds. It passed by more than a two-thirds majority, 328 to 93."

In a desperate attempt to prove their for the little guy, the House of Representatives took no thought of trampling on the Contitution and using the U.S. Tax Code to target a specific group of people. Doesn't this scare anyone? Doesn't this cause an alarm to go off in your head? If they can try and do this to a small group of people they deem as evil capitalists and the bane of society, what will they try next? Guns? Freedom of Religion? Freedom of Speech? These are all rights that they have talked about limiting. Will they?

Many Americans were angry with President Bush for what they perceived as his administration’s trampling on constitutional rights in the name of protecting the American people from further terrorist attacks. Well, by the looks of it, we better hang on to our hats because, it appears, the actions of the current administration are going to be far worse in the name of fairness.

The Real AIG Scandal

2009-03-18T23:02:00.000-07:00

The real AIG scandal is not the $165 million paid out in bonuses. Who cares! $165 million is only one-tenth of one percent of the total $173 billion they received in government bailout money.

The REAL AIG scandal is the fact that the federal government used AIG as a means to pass bailout money on to other entities, both domestic and overseas, without having to disclose this fact to the American people.

Watch this Glenn Beck clip from the March 18, 2009 show to get the real story behind the real AIG scandal and what led up to it.

Teleprompter Dependency Not Such a Good Idea?

2009-03-18T22:37:00.000-07:00

For the past eight years we kept hearing what an idiot President George W. Bush was. He was ridiculed relentlessly because he didn’t speak proper English at times and he mispronounced words on occasion. He was constantly called a babbling buffoon or a bumbling idiot.

Of course, it didn’t help that he was being covered by a mainstream media that was secretly rooting for him to bumble so they could plaster his faults on the front page of the newspapers, in prime time news broadcasts and on late night comedy shows just to humiliate him.

I will admit that there were times when President Bush spoke that I wished he hadn’t. There were times when I would just cringe and shake my head. But at least, with all his human faults on display, he was real and he never let the public ridicule destroy him or his resolve to stay true to his beliefs.

Skip forward to today. We now have President Obama who is being touted as a great orator. At times he is even compared to President Ronald Reagan, one of our nation’s greatest orators. The mainstream media fawns over how well he speaks and how intelligent he appears. What they don’t tell you or spend any time covering is the fact that he relies very heavily on a teleprompter. He says very little without it being written out for him before hand and scrolled on a screen for him to read. I can bet if President Bush had used a teleprompter more often, not just for “State of the Union Addresses” and other formal speeches, he would have been just as well spoken or sounded just as intelligent.

The teleprompter has served President Obama very well. It has kept him from appearing like a stuttering boob, which happened often on the campaign trail…that is until last night during the St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the White House.

In case you missed it…which you probably did if you rely on the mainstream media for your information…President Obama’s teleprompter was very cruel to him and the Prime Minister of Ireland.

According to Sky News, "Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen was just a few paragraphs into an address in Washington when he realized it all sounded a bit too familiar.

It was. He was repeating the speech President Barack Obama had just read from the same teleprompter.

Mr. Cowen stopped, turned to the president and said: 'That's your speech.'

A laughing Mr. Obama returned to the podium to take over but it seems the script had finally been switched and the US president ended up thanking himself for inviting everyone to the party."

Can you imagine the heyday the mainstream media would have had if this had happened to President Bush? This incident would have been the main conversation topic around water coolers nation wide and he would have been the butt of every joke on late night television… like the shoe throwing incident or the time the poor guy threw up at a state dinner given in his honor by the Japanese Prime Minister. But, alas, this embarrassing situation happened to the mainstream media’s wonder boy so nothing has been said...at least not in American papers...but European papers are having fun with it.

I can bet there’s one more unemployed member of society standing in the unemployment line today and one more job to be filled by an inept Obama Administration.

Teleprompter anyone?

What's Up With the Rush Limbaugh Obsession?

2009-03-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

I can’t remember ever seeing anything like the current media circus and the Obama Administration's obsession with Rush Limbaugh. What is up with that?

Rush Limbaugh is NOT the new leader of the Republican Party…Michael Steele is.

Rush Limbaugh is NOT the voice of the Republican Party or the conservative movement anymore than Alan Colmes or Keith Olbermann are the voices of the Democrat Party or the liberal movement.

Rush Limbaugh, like me, is just a concerned citizen who believes strongly in the founding principles of this country. But, unlike me, he has a microphone that reaches millions of Americans daily.

If some Republican members of Congress and Rush Limbaugh are saying the same things, it just means that they share the same beliefs. It does not mean that they are taking their cues from him anymore than he is taking his cues from them.

A lot has been made over what Rush says and how he says it and much of what he says gets taken out of context in order to inflame people against him. Why? Does't the First Amendment which,"prohibits the United States Congress from making laws...that...infringe the freedom of speech, infringe the freedom of the press...", give him the right to speak freely? Yes...it does!

This whole obsession is ridiculous. It’s time for this current administration to grow up. Are they still in high school? If they would exert as much energy putting together a consistent message then maybe, just maybe, the American people wouldn’t feel like the new president and his administration are in a constant state of chaos.

Keep Our Children Safe...Put an End to Fun

2009-03-12T20:22:00.001-07:00

Okay, America…it’s time to end all fun for our children. It’s time to get rid of all playgrounds, amusement parks, Chuck E. Cheese's, McDonald play lands, swimming pools, etc. While we’re at it, we had better eliminate all bikes, skateboards, roller skates, basketball courts, backyard swings, trampolines, and tree houses. Oh, and we should also put railings around all of their beds to keep them from falling out of bed or getting seriously hurt while jumping on their beds. We should also put bars on all upstairs windows to keep them from falling out of them.

It’s time to leave our children indoors surrounded by soft padded furniture and carpeted floors. It’s also time to keep them from going anywhere or doing anything without adult supervision.

Let's face it, today's children are too fragile and must be protected from all injuries. We can not have them playing in areas where they might actually fall and scrape a knee or where they might get hurt because another child could fall on them. They also seem to lack the common sense necessary to make good decisions. We must protect our children from themselves.

Does this sound asinine to you? I hope so!

This idea is about as asinine as a mother who took her daughter to a Chuck E. Cheese's in Oak Lawn, Illinois three years ago and is now suing that establishment because another child fell on her daughter while she was playing on the slide. It’s Chuck E. Cheese’s fault because they did not have extra staff supervising the play area? Isn’t that the parent’s job?

It’s about as asinine as parents threatening to sue the Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park after their teenage son climbed over not one, but two chain link fences and got into a restricted area. He then got beheaded by a Batman roller coaster ride as he went underneath it. Is it the amusement park’s fault because they did not have security guarding every inch of the ride area? The two fences and multiple signs saying "Danger Zone/Do Not Enter/Authorized Personnel Only” weren't warning enough?

It’s about as asinine as a mother suing her apartment management company because she left her four-year old daughter alone in an upstairs apartment bedroom with an open window and her daughter fell out, landing on the pavement below. It’s the management company’s fault because they did not tell her that another child had previously fallen out of a window in another one of their buildings? It’s the management company’s fault because they didn’t tell her that her daughter could fall out of an open window? Isn’t it her fault for leaving her daughter alone, unsupervised, near an open window?

It’s about as asinine as parents suing a Chicago Metra commuter train company and the Union Pacific Railroad company because their daughter was struck and killed by a commuter train while she was using the train tracks as a shortcut to get to school. It’s the railroad company’s fault for not keeping the fence in good repair and for not posting warning signs along the track warning that it is dangerous to walk on the tracks? Shouldn’t the parents have taught that concept to their daughter?

Hmmmm…on second thought maybe some parts of the idea are not so asinine after all. It might be important to not only protect our children from themselves and others, but to protect our society from their parents, subsequent lawsuits and greedy trial lawyers.

Letter to the Editor

2009-03-07T13:04:00.000-08:00

This is a copy of the Letter to the Editor that I sent to my hometown paper for the March 4th edition. It was in response to a letter posted in the February 25th edition of the paper, which was written in response to my letter in the February 18th edition.

The respondent listed a whole host of accusations leveled against the Bush Administration. She wrote, "What follows is just a few of the mud-encrusted slime the Bush Administration has pulled on the American people.

Creating a secret propaganda campaign to manufacture a false case for war against Iraq; misrepresentation of Iraq as a security threat as part of a justification for a war of aggression; lying to the American people and members of Congress regarding WMDs; misspending funds to secretly begin a war of aggression; invading Iraq in violation of the requirements of HJ Res 114; invading Iraq absent a declaration of war; failing to provide soldiers with body armor and vehicle armor; falsifying accounts of U.S. troop deaths and injuries for political purposes; outing secret agent Valeria Plame Wilson; providing immunity from prosecution for criminal contractors in Iraq; imprisoning children; creating secret laws; spying on American citizens without a court ordered warrant in violation of the law and the fourth amendment; using telecommunication companies to create an illegal and unconstitutional database of the private communication of American citizens; using signing statements with intent to violate the law; failing to comply with congressional subpoenas and instructing former employees not to comply; conspiracy to violate the Voting Rights Act of 1965; and repeatedly ignoring high-level intelligence warnings of planned terrorist attacks in the U.S. PRIOR to 9/11."

In response, I wrote the following letter:

That’s better! It’s easier to discuss the issues when there are specific things to discuss, rather than open ended generalizations.

There is nothing new on that laundry list of accusations against the Bush Administration; and none of them have been discovered since President Bush left office. They were all made over the past seven years.

I do not pretend to understand all of the accusations leveled against the Bush Administration for the actions they took in the fight against terrorism, nor do I necessarily believe all of their actions were justified. But what I do believe is that they did what they felt was necessary to protect the American people and to fight an enemy that does not value human life as we do; an enemy that will stop at nothing to achieve their heinous goal.

If we can all be honest with ourselves and each other, we should be able to admit that President Bush’s presidency took a drastic turn on September 11, 2001. He did not come into office planning to send young American soldiers to war. But he probably knew that as the president, it might be his unfortunate duty one day. President Bush did not ask for the fight that was brought to our shores that fateful morning, but when called upon, he responded.

There is not enough space in this section of the paper for me to address each accusation on that list. Perhaps I will address them at a later date or maybe I’ll just consign my responses to my blog. However, I will take the time to address the two issues that I am tired of hearing put forth by the left.

Were there or weren’t there weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and was Saddam Hussein a serious threat? It’s really too bad President Bush didn’t have access to a crystal ball so that he could have had those questions answered prior to sending our troops into Iraq. Unfortunately he didn’t.

Hind sight is 20/20 and it has given President Bush’s detractors the opportunity to conveniently forget what they said about Iraq’s WMD program and the seriousness of the Iraqi threat leading up to the war.

Much of the world believed Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and that Saddam Hussein was a serious threat. It is well known that Saddam Hussein used lethal gas against the Kurdish town of Halabja on March 16, 1988; killing thousands of innocent people…his own people.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1441, which offered Iraq “a final opportunity to comply with its disarmament obligations"; was adopted unanimously by the UNSC on November 8, 2002. This same opportunity had been set forth by the UNSC in Resolution 660 (1990), Resolution 661 (1990), Resolution 678 (1990), Resolution 686 (1991), Resolution 687 (1991), Resolution 688 (1991), Resolution 986 (1995), and Resolution 1284 (1999).

Under the terms stated in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 (2002), “Iraq was in material breach of the cease fire terms presented under the terms of Resolution 687. Iraq's breaches related not only to weapons of mass destruction, but also the known construction of prohibited types of missiles, the purchase and import of prohibited armaments…"

Tell me, did President Bush’s supposed “secret propaganda campaign” influence the U.N.? Did his influence extend to the intelligence agencies of other countries around the world? I am of the opinion that it was the other way around. I think that the U.N.’s overwhelming belief that Iraq had WMDs; combined with Saddam Hussein’s constant saber rattling and refusal to comply with U.N. resolution after resolution, contributed strongly to Bush’s belief in that fact.

In our own government, many high ranking Democrats believed that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction and that Saddam Hussein posed a serious threat dating back to the Clinton years and just prior to the war. Here are just a few examples:

“We have to defend our future from these predators of the 21st century. They feed on the free flow of information and technology. They actually take advantage of the freer movement of people, information and ideas. And they will be all the more lethal if we allow them to build arsenals of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and the missiles to deliver them. We simply cannot allow that to happen. There is no more clear example of this threat than Saddam Hussein's Iraq. His regime threatens the safety of his people, the stability of his region and the security of all the rest of us.” (President Clinton, remarks to Joint Chiefs of Staff and Pentagon staff, 2 /17/98)

“Earlier today I ordered America's armed forces to strike military and security targets in Iraq...Their mission is to attack Iraq's nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs and its military capacity to threaten its neighbors.” (Text of Clinton statement on Iraq attack, Agence France Presse, 12/17/98)

What? President Clinton attacked Iraq, even though they never attacked us? Say it isn’t so! I don’t remember there being any outrage or public outcry…was there?

"As a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I am keenly aware that the proliferation of chemical and biological weapons is an issue of grave importance to all nations. Saddam Hussein has been engaged in the development of weapons of mass destruction technology which is a threat to countries in the region and he has made a mockery of the weapons inspection process." (Representative Nancy Pelosi (D, CA), Dec. 16, 1998)

"This December will mark three years since United Nations inspectors last visited Iraq. There is no doubt that since that time, Saddam Hussein has reinvigorated his weapons programs. Reports indicate that biological, chemical and nuclear programs continue apace and may be back to pre-Gulf War status. In addition, Saddam continues to refine delivery systems and is doubtless using the cover of a licit missile program to develop longer-range missiles that will threaten the United States and our allies." (Letter to President Bush, signed by Senator Bob Graham (D, FL) and others, Dec, 5, 2001)

Who misrepresented Iraq as a security threat and who lied to who? Is it possible that members of Congress lied to Bush? I guess the slogan, "Graham Lied, People Died" just didn't have the same ring to it.

"We begin with the common belief that Saddam Hussein is a tyrant and a threat to the peace and stability of the region. He has ignored the mandate of the United Nations and is building weapons of mass destruction and the means of delivering them." (Senator Carl Levin (D, MI), Sept. 19, 2002)

“In the four years since the inspectors left, intelligence reports show that Saddam Hussein has worked to rebuild his chemical and biological weapons stock, his missile delivery capability, and his nuclear program. He has also given aid, comfort, and sanctuary to terrorists, including al Qaeda members.... It is clear, however, that if left unchecked, Saddam Hussein will continue to increase his capacity to wage biological and chemical warfare, and will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." (Senator Hillary Clinton (D, NY), Oct. 10, 2002)

"Without question, we need to disarm Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal, murderous dictator, leading an oppressive regime....He presents a particularly grievous threat because he is so consistently prone to miscalculation...And now he is miscalculating America's response to his continued deceit and his consistent grasp for weapons of mass destruction....So the threat of Saddam Hussein with weapons of mass destruction is real...." (Senator John F. Kerry (D, MA), Jan. 23. 2003)

“If you don't believe...Saddam Hussein is a threat with nuclear weapons, then you shouldn't vote for me.” (Senator John Kerry; “On Iraq, Kerry Appears Either Torn Or Shrewd” by Ronald Brownstein; Los Angeles Times, 1/31/03)

It’s hard to take the self-righteous indignation displayed by all these Democrats against the Bush Administration when they themselves made a case against Iraq. If WMDs had been found, they would have been patting themselves on the back and telling us that Bush couldn’t have done it without their support. But, since no WMDs were discovered, they have found it very easy and convenient to say that he did it without their support and no one bats an eye.

George Piro, an FBI Agent who interrogated Saddam Hussein for seven months, related in a “Sixty Minutes” program on January 27, 2008 that Hussein got rid of his WMDs in the 1990s. He refused to prove that he no longer had WMDs because he feared revealing Iraq's weakness to its real enemy, Iran, and he believed that the perception of WMDs would maintain his prestige at home. He also believed that the worst that President George W. Bush would do to him was to drop some bombs, the way President Clinton had done in 1998.

In addition, according to Piro, Saddam had told him that he had planned on restarting his WMD program in all phases--"chemical, biological and nuclear"--within a year after the lifting of U.N. sanctions. His plan was set back, but not eliminated, by the 9/11 attacks and the reactions to them.

There is evidence that Iraq had WMDs and some materials used in their construction were found in bunkers. We also know that Hussein was not afraid to use them...he had done it before. Where Iraq's WMDs are now is any body’s guess. Some speculate that they were moved to Syria or to Pakistan. We may never know what really happened to them.

I am thankful I only have to protect my little plot of land in Clatskanie. Thankfully, I am not responsible for protecting the lives of over 300 million Americans. I don’t have to wake up every morning to intelligence briefings that would terrify the faint of heart nor lay down at night hoping I did everything I could to protect this nation and its people. I don’t have to be concerned day in and day out with where or when the next attack on America might strike and how many people it might kill. I don’t have to worry about sending young men and women into harms way and then feeling responsible when their lives are tragically taken on a battlefield far from home. That weight was on the shoulders of George W. Bush, now it rests on the shoulders of President Obama. Let’s see how he handles it.

February, 2009 Porker of the Month

2009-02-26T19:35:00.000-08:00

What a perfect title for this schmuck!

I thank God every day that he was not elected as President of the United States in 2004. His comments on February 6th confirm to me that if he had been elected as POTUS, we would already be a socialist state on the way to absolute destruction. Rightfully, his comments also earned him the Porker of the Month title bestowed by Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW).

"Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) has named Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) Porker of the Month for his arrogant rationalization of why the American people cannot be trusted with their own money. On February 6, Senator Kerry spoke on the Senate floor in support of the $787 billion economic stimulus package.

In his speech he said, 'I have heard a lot of talk about we ought to do a tax cut…If you put a tax cut into the hands of either a business or an individual today, there is no guarantee they are going to invest their money…in the United States. They are free to go to invest anywhere they want, if they choose to invest…The fact is none of those people are guaranteed to invest that money in any of the new projects that we are. So government, yes government, has the ability to be able to make a decision that the private sector won’t necessarily make today.'

For his casual infantilization of American taxpayers and for being the chief spokesperson of the new Nanny State on Steroids, CAGW names Sen. Kerry the February Porker of the Month"

What an absolute SCHMUCK!!!!!

Out of the Mouth of Babes

2009-02-21T21:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a phenomenal video presentation by a 12 year old girl. Part of her presentation was used in the "40 Days 4 Life With Sarah Palin" video in my previous blog post. However, the remainder of this video deserves attention.

The young girl's mother stated, "My daughter prepared and delivered this speech for her grade 7 class. Even those who didn't agree with her loved it."

Out of the mouths of babes!

40 Days 4 Life With Sarah

2009-02-21T18:20:00.000-08:00

Here is a very important cause started by a member of Team Sarah, "40 Days 4 Life With Sarah".

The mission statement for "40 Days 4 Life With Sarah" says, "Sarah Palin is a strong pro-life supporter. With every fiber of her being, she respects the sanctity of life, starting at conception. Our goal is to creatively raise money for SarahPAC and to raise awareness among pro-abortion politicians that we mean business!"

Here is a video created for the cause:

If you agree with the mission statement or the video presentation, please join us in bringing further awareness, in a new and creative way, to the horrific practice of abortion.

Please visit the "40 Days 4 Life With Sarah" web site at http://www.40days4lifewithsarah.org/.

A Nation of Cowards???

2009-02-19T21:34:00.000-08:00

I am really disappointed by the insensitive and ridiculous comments Eric Holder made today.

He said, "Though this nation has proudly thought of itself as an ethnic melting pot, in things racial, we have always been and we -- I believe continue to be in too many ways essentially a nation of cowards".

He went on to say, "Certain subjects are off-limits and that to explore them risks at best embarrassment and at worst the questioning of one's character."

I wonder why so many people shy away from talking about race. It's not because they are cowards. It may because they are totally bored with the constant droning on from black leaders about racism. Or maybe it's because people are tired of being accused of being racists. Possibly it's because people are quick to judge, quick to accuse and quick to see evil intent behind almost every comment related to race. The most innocent of comments gets blown out of proportion. A disagreement between two people of different races is turned into a race issue instead of what it is....a disagreement.

Is this how the next four years are going to go? Are we ever going to be allowed to celebrate how far this country has come in its race relations or are we going to be constantly barraged by accusations of racism by those who will really loose if the race business ends...Jesse Jackson...Al Sharpton...the NAACP...etc.

Navy Petty Officer Mike Monsoor

2009-02-16T21:11:00.000-08:00

This came to me in my e-mail box today. In an effort to accentuate the positive, I felt this would be a step in the right direction.

Mike Monsoor, a Navy EOD Technician, PO2 (EOD2) (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for jumping on a grenade in Iraq, giving his life to save his fellow Seals. (Notice: Mike was not a Navy SEAL, he was EOD. He gave his life to save a group of Navy SEALS.)

During Mike Monsoor's funeral in San Diego, as his coffin was being moved from the hearse to the grave site at Ft. Rosecrans National Cemetery, SEAL's were lined up on both sides of the pallbearers route forming a column of two's, with the coffin moving up the center. As Mike's coffin passed, each SEAL, having removed his gold Trident from his uniform, slapped it down embedding the Trident in the wooden coffin.

The slaps were audible from across the cemetery; by the time the coffin arrived grave side, it looked as though it had a gold inlay from all the Tridents pinned to it.

This was a fitting send-off for a warrior hero. This should be front-page news instead of the garbage we see every day. Since the media won't make this news, I choose to make it news by placing it here for all too see.

I am very proud of our military. If you are proud too, please share this message with others. If not then rest assured that these fine men and women of our military will continue to serve and protect.

God Bless our Troops!

Accentuate the Positive

2009-02-16T20:30:00.000-08:00

With all the negativity in the world today, it can get pretty depressing…and at times frightening for some. I will admit that I have a tendency to focus on the negatives myself. In fact, this blog was originally started as a way for me to release the frustrations I was feeling during the last presidential campaign before I went over the deep end.

All of the lies, half truths and distortions were weighing me down. The more I thought about them, the more depressed and frustrated I became. I was feeling alone and I felt there was nothing I could do but dwell on them and internalize my anger. Then one night I was sitting in my living room when a thought came to my mind, “Blogs are free. Get a blog and start writing.” I did and it became very cathartic. I had finally found a way to release my frustrations. Once I wrote about whatever was bothering me and published it, it was gone…until another took its place.

I found, through talking with family and friends, that others were feeling the same way. So, I started sharing my blog in hopes that others would have a place to go to find accurate rebuttals to the lies, half-truths and distortions they were hearing; as well as to be a warning voice for what may lie ahead. With these goals in mind, I have made a concerted effort to not publish anything that could not be backed up with fact, because I choose not to be a source of disinformation.

In my desire to be a source of rebuttal and warning, I admit my blog has been heavy on the negative, while light on the positive. I will try to do better. That is not to say that I will stop using this blog for its original purpose, but I think it is important to accentuate the positives in life as well. There needs to be a balance.

With that in mind what better time to begin, than now? There are some things we each can do daily to make our lives and the lives of those around us more positive.

First, as a friend of mine told our congregation, a couple of Sunday’s ago, her father started each day by coming to the breakfast table and exclaiming, “I’m alive!” Okay, so each day, why don’t we look in the mirror and exclaim, “I’m alive!” After all, isn’t that the greatest gift we can receive each and every day?

Second, try to find one example of God’s hand in your life during each day. Write it down and reflect on what you have written. You may be surprised how much he does for you.

Third, begin and end each day with prayer. Be thankful for the blessings God has bestowed upon you and ask Him in faith for the things you need. I can testify to you that He does hear and answer prayers.

Fourth, make time to read the scriptures daily. Seek out the nourishment that comes from constant study of the scriptures. Your life will be enhanced by this one simple act of faith.

Finally, each day try to give service to someone else. Whether it is a simple smile, a helping hand, a common courtesy, paying a compliment, etc., your life and the lives of others will be enhanced. In addition, if someone does you a service, find a way to “pay it forward”. It’s amazing how many lives could be affected positively by one simple or random act of service.

Let us each put these five steps to practice and I can bet we will each find life more positive.

Letter to the Editor

2009-02-13T16:36:00.000-08:00

This is a copy of the Letter to the Editor that I sent to my hometown paper in response to two letters posted in the previous edition of the paper.

Wow…where do I begin? I apologize ahead of time for the length of this Letter to the Editor. But I feel compelled to respond to two letters posted in the February 11, 2009 issue of the Chief.

First, Mr. Parks, I sincerely thank you for your service to this country during a most trying time in our history. I have made sure that I never miss the opportunity to thank an American serviceman or woman for his or her service; because without you there would be no America. Without you we would not have the freedoms provided us in our constitution; freedom of speech, freedom of expression, freedom to disagree, etc.

What I have learned in my forty-seven years of life is that none of us will agree on everything and when you throw in political parties, we usually agree on very little. Each party, and its members, sees the world through very different philosophies and each side thinks it is right.

I am someone who does feel President George W. Bush was a good president. But as you wrongly accused, I did pay attention and I do not live in constant fear. I believe he was a good president for no other reason than for the sheer fact that he kept us safe after 911. His strength in that one area let the rest of the world know that they better not mess with America; because, unlike the previous administration, he was not going to stand for it. I believe he did what he felt was right in protecting and defending this nation and its people from the threats of the 21st century. Unlike the threats of the 1950’s (which you made reference to), primarily the Soviet Union, this new threat does not value human life. This threat has shown time and time again just how far they are willing to go and how many people they are willing to kill to achieve their goal...death to the West and death to Israel. That is not a scare tactic…that is the truth of the world we live in.

Was George W. Bush a great president? That is not for me to decide. History will judge him and make that determination.

Did he make mistakes? Most definitely! After all, he is only human and humans make mistakes.

He should have forced congress to institute the regulations he called for, since 2001, in the housing industry with regard to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Community Reinvestment Act, and not just warn them over and over again about the economic crisis the failure of these institutions would cause. Instead, he let them tell him over and over again that these institutions were sound. It was naïve of him to believe they actually cared. They were more concerned about making sure people who couldn’t afford homes, got homes, then in stopping the madness before it reached critical mass; which of course it did just in time to ensure Obama’s victory.

He should have used the veto pen a lot more than he did. Regrettably, he and the Republicans who had control of congress during the first six years of his administration acted too much like Democrats and not enough like the conservatives they were supposed to be. Consequently, they lost control in 2006.

He should not have listened to his liberal Democrat Secretary of the Treasury when he said, “the sky is falling and the world is going to end if we don’t pass this $700 billion bailout of the financial system NOW”. He should have said no. But he didn’t. Instead he said yes and increased the national debt for a bailout that was an absolute failure.

Yes, mistakes were made, as they are in every administration. But, I thank God everyday that George W. Bush was in control on September 11, 2001. I tremble to think what would have happened had Al Gore been in the driver’s seat.

***************************************

Second, Maggie…Maggie…Maggie...you sure do know how to bring out the conservative fight in me.

I’m not sure to what, “filth in every nook and cranny of our government“, you are referring. Let’s see, were you referring to:

Rahm “You don’t ever want a crisis to go to waste; it’s an opportunity to do important things that you would otherwise avoid” Emmanuel, the White House Chief of Staff?
Eric “I helped President Clinton grant clemency to 16 members of the Boricua Popular Army terrorist group” Holder, the U.S. Attorney General?
Timothy “Turbo Tax didn’t prompt me that I had to pay taxes, so I didn’t…until I found out about my important cabinet post nomination” Geithner, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and the man who will oversee the IRS?
Representative Charles “He has too many tax and ethics violations to list here” Wrangle, the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, which writes our U.S. tax laws?
Senator Christopher “Yes, I received a sweetheart mortgage deal for my home from Countrywide Financial” Dodd, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs?

Need I go on…because I certainly can? Democrats need to remember, “People who live in glass houses, should not throw stones” or how about the one, “When you point fingers at others, three fingers are always pointing back at you.”

If you on the left dare try to bring charges against President Bush, or any other members of the Bush Administration, for your false claims of war crimes, then you had better be prepared to look at your own golden boy, Bill Clinton and the crimes he or others in his administration may have committed while in office. Don’t you dare try to tell me or anyone else that they were as pure as the driven snow. We all know better. And while we’re at it, maybe we should look at your new chosen one who wants to move the census from the commerce department to the White House. Why? Could it be so that he and Rahm Emmanuel can, behind close doors, change the political landscape of this country for the next decade?

As I stated in my response to Mr. Parks, mistakes were made in the Bush Administration. But I seriously doubt that they were deliberate mistakes. The left’s vile hatred of President Bush needs to come to an end. You have all carried that hatred around for eight long years and it can’t be very healthy. Get over it! Take a deep breath and move on to something more positive. You have your chosen one in the White House now, and if the past three weeks are any indication, it is going to be a long and bumpy ride. Maybe you should start focusing some positive energy in his direction.

You’re absolutely wrong if you think the conservative movement is “lost in the wilderness” as you so eloquently put it. You could say the Republican Party, which has lost its true identity by trying to be too much like Democrats over the past decade or so is lost, but not the conservative movement. There are thousands of true conservatives who are now in the fight. We are going to take back our party and return it to the principles of our founding fathers. And when we do, we will then take back this country and return her to her greatness.

To that end, we will seek out and support true conservative leaders whenever and wherever they chose to run and fight for their victories. We are tired of being ignored by our elected officials, marginalized by the mainstream media and trampled on by the left. You have all awakened a sleeping giant.

We, the true conservatives, believe in limited government, lower taxes, fiscal responsibility, personal responsibility, individual and state rights, family rights, moral values, God, country, free enterprise, a strong military, a strong national defense, and upholding the Constitution of the United States of America.

We do not need to be compelled or forced by the government to care for the poor and needy; we do it because we feel it is the right thing to do.

We also believe that excessive and continual entitlement programs do not help the poor; they only serve to enslave the poor. As Benjamin Franklin once said, "I am for doing good to the poor, but...I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed...that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer.” And Thomas Jefferson said, “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who do not.”

Because we believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but that it is not a guarantee, we do not expect nor want the government to take care of us or provide for our every need; that is our responsibility and we will work hard to that end. We do not want government in our lives anymore than it needs to be, because as Reagan so rightly stated, “Government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem.”

We just want to be left alone to practice our religions, raise our families as we see fit and earn a living to provide for ourselves and our families.

Many of us have finally found our voice. We will not be silenced, we will not be marginalized and we will not back down. Our numbers are growing and we are fed up, so watch out!

Alauna Dodge
Clatskanie, OR

The Prevailing Winds of Jealousy

2009-02-11T23:02:00.000-08:00

If you have been paying attention at all to what is transpiring in our society, you have probably noticed a deep disdain developing toward businesses and the wealthy by the Obama administration, both houses of Congress, the mainstream media, and a sector of the general public.

Executives, who accepted Tarp I monies, are being compelled to testify in front of congressional committees to explain where the money went (which is a good idea...since it's our money and no one knows where it went). However, during these hearings, they are having to sit there and listen to the same people (Barney Frank and Maxine Waters to name just two), who forced them to loan the money in the first place which led to our economic crisis, actually chastise and blame them for causing the crisis. How absurd!

Executives that accepted Tarp I monies are being told that they will no longer be allowed to use private jets to travel around the country. In addition, we have some members of the media who are asking President Obama why he just doesn’t fire the executives. Since when did the constitution give the president the ability to fire members of the private sector?

Executives of companies that are possibly considering asking for future bailout monies are being told by the Obama administration that if they do take the money they will not be allowed to earn more than $500,000 annually. If I were these executives I'd think twice about crawling to the government with my hand out. I'd find a better way to solve my companies problems.

Businesses are being crucified and demonized by a mainstream media who has no idea how a business is run, what makes a business successful, how or why bonuses are given and to whom they are given, or even that private sector businesses…both large and small…are the ones who actually create the majority of jobs in this country...NOT the government.

We also have a certain sector of the general public who is sitting back waiting for the government to take money from those who have and give it to them…they are waiting to be rewarded for doing absolutely nothing because they have been conditioned to believe that they deserve it. They, the entitlement sector, believe that it is their right to be taken care of by the rest of us. You don't need to look to far for examples. Just check out the videos of Obama's Town Hall meeting in Florida on Tuesday, February 10th.

If you have never had the chance to read Terry Goodkind’s “The Sword of Truth” series, I suggest you check it out from your local library or buy it. It’s an eleven book series that takes place in a fantasy world of wizards, witches and magic; and it is well worth the read. If you choose to read this series, you will see some very astonishing similarities between what the liberal left and the entitlement sector of this country believes and what Terry Goodkind’s “Imperial Order” (which shows up around book three) believed. It is actually frightening to see how closely our reality is beginning to mirror Goodkind’s fictional world. Here is a quick synopsis of the parallels I recognized:

Businesses are the enemy and should be regulated to the extreme.
Making a profit and being rewarded for your success is considered greedy and immoral.
Business and commerce is destroyed through extreme intervention policies.
Everyone should be equal and no one should think about providing for himself or his family first.
Those who have should be compelled to give to those who don’t...no matter how it effects their own lives and the lives of their families.
Those who don’t have are conditioned to expect something for nothing.
Those who don’t agree with you should be eliminated.

What does the liberal left and the entitlement sector of this country have in common with Terry Goodkind’s “Imperial Order”? Jealousy! They are all jealous of the abilities and successes of others. The prevailing winds of jealousy are threatening to destroy this great nation and its people just like it nearly destroyed Goodkind's fictional society. I only hope we will learn the lesson a lot sooner.

Letter to the Betrayers...et tu Brute?

2009-02-09T22:40:00.000-08:00

Here is a copy of the letter I sent to the three Republican betrayers of the American people; Senator Susan Collins of Maine, Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania and Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine.

I don't live in your state, but I just wanted to let you know how disappointed I am in you and your two Republican cohorts who betrayed your party and the American people.

Yes, we the American people...your bosses...want our government to work together. Yes, we want an end to partisanship. However, we expect our elected officials to stand up and have a backbone. We expect them to fight for the good of this country and it's people. We do not expect them to cower and cave in to unreasonable demands and help pass unreasonable bills.

You and your two cohorts have helped the Obama administration and the Democrats saddle our children and our grand-children with a huge financial debt. Is that fair?

You could have waited. You could have held out for a more reasonable and less costly bill...one that would actually create jobs and stimulate the economy. Not one full of liberal pork barrel projects.

I, and thousands of other conservatives, will remember this and we will work together to make sure you do not get re-elected.

Sore Winners!

2009-02-09T22:18:00.000-08:00

If there’s one thing I…and I would venture to guess a great many Americans…detest more than a sore loser is a sore winner!

The Democrats had better watch out. They are proving to be very ungracious winners with respect to their victory in the last election. I would have to say that they are almost as bad as winners as they were as losers in 2000 and 2004.

They are down right nasty in the way they belittle, demean and try to strong arm the Republicans into doing as they say without any negotiations. Their, “do as we say or get out of the way”, attitude is wearing very thin. But hey! When it comes to the outrageous “spending bill”, I wish all the Republicans would just get out of the way. Let the Democrats take full responsibility. Let them take all the blame if it doesn’t do what they say it will do.

I’m already tired of hearing them rub the Republican’s noses in the fact that they won and they are in complete control. If they don’t grow up soon, I have a feeling they are not going to be in control after 2010…I can only hope anyway.

I’d Laugh If It Weren’t So Pathetic!

2009-02-02T19:27:00.001-08:00

I swear! If my head weren’t securely attached to my neck, it would spin like Linda Blair’s in “The Exorcist”. If you’re old enough, you might remember to what I am referring. If you’re not, the scenario entailed a Catholic priest trying to exorcise a demon from her character’s body. At one point her head spun around and around and around. Heck, I might even spew some of the same green puke while I’m at it.

Why, you might ask? I am literally sick and tired of the Democrat “culture of corruption” that is infiltrating all levels of our government; from mayors to governors, from representatives to senators, and now presidential cabinet members. Thankfully, some of the scoundrels are being thrown out of office, tried and convicted; but too many are being given a free pass and are still governing or soon will be.

When Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid assumed leadership of the house and senate, they pledged that the “culture of corruption” they claimed plagued the Republican Party…and only the Republican Party…was over. They were the party of ethics. They were the party of transparency. Yeah, right!!!

I guess it's true what they say, "When you live in a glass house; you shouldn’t throw stones"…Pelosi and Reid. The Democrat Party is so full of corruption it isn’t funny.

Here are just a few examples:

First, Democrat Representative Charles Rangel the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee (the country's chief tax-writing committee) has been the king of corruption.

He was caught using of Congressional letterhead in an effort to arrange meetings in which recipients of the letters would be solicited for contributions for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York. This violated any House rules.
He paid below-market rates for his 2,500-square-foot home in the Lenox Terrace complex in Harlem, which consists of three adjacent apartments, plus a fourth apartment to be used as a campaign office. Rangel only paid $3,894 monthly for all four apartments in 2007, but the going rate for similar apartments in the same building were as high as $8,125 monthly. The difference in rent paid versus what he should have paid, which comes to about $30,000/year, should have been declared as a giift and would have exceeded the $100 House of Representatives limit. OUCH!!! In addition, these apartment are in a rent-stabilized building. His fourth apartment (the one used as a campaign office) violates city and state regulations that require rent-stabilized apartments to be used as a primary residence only.
He was rightfully accused of failing to report rental income from a villa he owns in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.
He omitted details regarding the sale of a home he once owned on Colorado Avenue in Washington, D. C.
He had discrepancies in the value listed for a property he owns in Sunny Isles, Florida (varying from $50,000 to $100,000 all the way up to $500,000).
He had inconsistencies in investment fund reporting.
He has been using a House of Representatives parking garage for years as free storage space for his old Mercedes-Benz - a violation of congressional rules. House rules forbid use of the garage for long-term storage more than 45 days. In addition, under IRS regulations, the benefit of the free parking is considered 'imputed income' and must be declared to the government. The spaces are valued by the House at $290 per month.

And he's still serving in the US House of Representatives? What's wrong with this picture Pelosi?

Second, Illinois Governor Democrat Rod Blagojevich is under investigation for solicitation of bribes in exchange for Barack Obama's vacant Senate seat, mail fraud, attempting to bribe the Chicago Tribune with state funds, and abuse of power in attempting to gain campaign contributions from Children's Memorial Hospital. Thankfully, on January 9, 2009 he was impeached by the Illinois State House of Representatives by a vote of 114-1 and on January 29, 2009 he was unanimously removed from office by the Illinois State Senate by a vote of 59-0. Is a criminal conviction in his future?

Third, Democrat Timothy Geithner former President of the New York Federal Reserve and now President Obama's Treasury Secretary (the man responsible for overseeing the IRS) failed to pay Social Security and Medicare taxes on his income while working for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) between 2001 and 2004. He only paid the back taxes he owed AFTER he was made aware that he would be Obama's nomiee for the Treasury Secretary post. WOW!!! Don't pay your taxes, get nominated to a high ranking goverment cabinet post.

Fourth, Democrat Tom Daschle former US Senate Majority Leader and now President Obama's Secretary of Health and Human Services was a paid consultant and advisor to InterMedia Partners since 2005. Daschle reportedly did not declare the income he earned as the consultant on his annual tax forms as required by law. In addition, during this time he received access to a limosine and chauffer given to him by Leo Hindery, owner of InterMedia Partners. The use of the car and driver was taxable income, plus he should have been paying social security and medicare taxes for the chauffer. Daschle paid the three years of owed taxes and interest -- an amount totaling $140,167 only after he found out he was going to be nominated to the Obama cabinet post. Once again, don't pay your taxes, get nominated to a high ranking goverment cabinet post. WOW!!! I'm beginning to see an pattern of change. Is this the change he actually meant?

Fifth, New York Governor Democrat Eliot Spitzer, was caught patronizing a high-priced prostitution service in which he met for two hours with a $1,000-an-hour call girl. Spitzer had at least seven or eight liaisons with women from the agency over six months, and paid more than $15,000. Investigators believe Spitzer paid up to $80,000 for prostitutes over a period of several years while he was Attorney General, and later as Governor. In the wake of the revelations, Spitzer announced on March 12, 2008 that he would resign his post as governor on March 17th....he did as promised...before he could be impeached.

Sixth, Mayor Democrat Sam Adams of Portland, Oregon met a young man in 2005 who was interning for Representative Kim Thatcher of Keizer, Oregon. In September 2007, Adams denied rumors of a sexual relationship with the young man, calling the allegations scurrilous, adding that they played to stereotypes of predatory homosexuals. However, in January 2009, Adams admitted to lying about the nature of the relationship, confirming they were sexually involved once the intern passed theage of consent in June 2005. The young man has confirmed Adams' version of events. If he's now telling the truth, and the young man was of legal age, then why lie in the first palce place? Why not just say, yes, I'm gay and he's my lover? It makes one wonder if he really was of legal age at the time that their relationship began.

I am certainly not insinuating that the Republican Party is as clean and pure as the driven snow. They have their own problems with corruption. However, as I have shown they do not own the corner market on corruption either.

The one thing I do know for sure, if any Republican were guilty of the same transgressions as those I listed, they would be crucified by the media, their fellow government officials and the voters. They definitely would never be allowed to stay in office, let alone be appointed to high ranking cabinet posts. There is a glaring double standard that is applied to Democrats versus Republicans. This double standard says, transgressing Democrats make small errors of judgment and should be forgiven and allowed to serve the greater good…transgressing Republicans are dirty rotten scoundrels and should be removed from office or kept from serving. Pathetic!!!

The Party of Obstructionists?

2009-02-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

I ask you, why is it, when the Democrats are in charge and the Republicans object to their policies, they are called the party of obstructionists? Yet, when the Republicans are in charge and the Democrats object to their policies, they are said to be standing up for the little guy?

In this country, we have a two party system which has served somewhat in providing checks and balances to our legislative branch. For the most part, it has made sure that neither party would have carte blanche to do whatever they wanted…at least that’s the way it has been until the Democrats gained overwhelming control of both houses of congress and “The One” got elected in the 2008 election.

Now, since the 2008 election, the Democrats have enough representatives and senators in both houses of congress, plus their man in the white house, to pass whatever policies they want and the Republicans can’t do much to stop them, so what will be obstructed? If the Democrats just stick together like the pack of wolves that they are they will have everything they want. So what’s the problem?

Well, let’s take a look at the current controversial bill to explain the problem. The new “big government spending bill”, which is wrongly being touted as a “stimulus package”, is their baby. They claim its going to ride in and save us all from destruction. It’s the end all to all of our problems (I think we heard the same thing when President Bush and Hank Paulson’s $800 billion plus bailout bill was forced down our throats last Fall….didn’t we?).

If the Democrats feel so strongly about this “stimulus package”, then why don’t they just pass it and own it all by themselves? If it does everything they are saying it will, then they will be the heroes and won’t have to share the glory. On the other hand, if it fails and actually causes more problems, then they can take full responsibility for its failure.

This latter scenario is exactly why they don’t want to be the only party to pass the bill; even though they can, as seen by the votes in the house last week, where all Republicans and eleven Democrats voted against it, yet it still passed. They want to be able to point fingers and have the Republicans share in the blame. They do not want to be standing alone, unsupported, on that precarious ledge by themselves. Therefore, in order to give themselves cover for future power grabs, they need to strong arm as many Republicans as they can to vote with them. They need this bill to be bipartisan.

Well I say, LET THEM STAND ALONE!!! I want every Republican senator to follow the example of the Republicans in the house. Let’s test the liberal progressive philosophy against the conservative philosophy. And in so doing, let the people who keep voting for these yahoos feel the full brunt of what they have voted for and maybe, just maybe, they will finally realize who really is for the little guy. Maybe, just maybe, they will realize who really is concerned for the welfare of the American people and not just in grabbing power and control…maybe.

Inevitable Death of the Dollar

2009-01-29T22:03:00.000-08:00

I have come to believe that now...more than ever...is the time to invest in something other than paper money...like let's say...gold and precious metals! I have a very strong feeling that the dollar is now on life support and we are about to pull the plug.

It is amazing to me how insane the government has become with regard to the spending and printing of money. The federal printing presses are running twenty-four hours a day with no end in sight. Yes...it started with President Bush...much to my chagrin...but it doesn't have to continue. Can't the morons in D.C. see that this not a good idea?

STOP THE MADNESS...NOW!!!!!

I have a new favorite news program , "The Glenn Beck Show", on FOX. Glenn illustrated very concisely just what has happened to the US dollar over the past eighty years, since the start of the Great Depression. Take a look...get educated...be warned...get prepared!!!

If the Obama administration does not wake up and see the light, I fear that our great country is doomed to go the way of the dinosaurs...okay maybe not the dramatic, but you get the picture...I hope.

If this madness does not end, our society, as we know it will come to an end. Our way of life will come to an end. The prosperity that has made this country so great will come to an end...and I'm not sure any of us are going to like what we may end up with.

God help America...PLEASE!!!!

Validation (Smile)

2009-01-24T10:45:00.000-08:00

Here is a fantastic video that deals with interpersonal relationships and how we can affect one another through positive reinforcement and just a simple smile.

This video, entitled "Validation", was posted on YouTube by hughnewman1024.

"Validation" is a fable about the magic of free parking.
Starring TJ Thyne & Vicki Davis
Writer/Director/Composer - Kurt Kuenne
Winner - Best Narrative Short, Cleveland Int'l Film Festival
Winner - Jury Award, Gen Art Chicago Film Festival
Winner - Audience Award, Hawaii Int'l Film Festival
Winner - Best Short Comedy, Breckenridge Festival of Film
Winner - Crystal Heart Award, Best Short Film & Audience Award, Heartland Film Festival
Winner - Christopher & Dana Reeve Audience Award, Williamstown Film Festival
Winner - Best Comedy, Dam Short Film Festival
Winner - Best Short Film, Sedona Int'l Film Festival

White Will Embrace What Is Right?

2009-01-21T18:20:00.000-08:00

I was pretty annoyed when I heard the ending of the inaugural benediction given by Reverend Joseph Lowery yesterday. I am so bored with the excuses offered in behalf of, and the free passes given to, these elderly black "men of the cloth" who humiliate, degrade and malign this country and its people...especially white Americans. Enough is enough.

If you missed it, here is Reverend Lowery's closing remarks during the benediction.

"Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around ... when yellow will be mellow ... when the red man can get ahead, man; and when white will embrace what is right. That all those who do justice and love mercy say Amen."

When black will not be asked to get in back?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t we, or at least 52% of Americans, just elect the first black president? Wasn't that same black president inaugurated and sworn into office right before this prayer? That would not have been possible 50 years ago. Is that being asked to get in back?

This country has made great strides in race relations. To my knowledge, blacks are no longer asked to “go to the back of the bus” or use separate bathrooms or eat at separate lunch counters or drink out of separate drinking fountains; and they are not prohibited from realizing their dreams, if they just apply themselves and have a mind to succeed.

Today, we have black teachers and professors, doctors and lawyers, judges and politicians, military commanders and generals, business owners and corporate executives, television personalities and actors who earn millions, and professional athletes who earn more during one quarter of a game than most Americans earn in an entire year. And now we have a black president. So, what the heck does he mean, when black won’t be asked to get in back? I think we are there already. So, please, give it a rest! Are we going to be subjected to this old and overused rhetoric for the next four years? Will it ever end?

When brown can stick around?

If the illegal aliens would come to this country legally like millions of immigrants have in the past, and still do; then they would be welcomed with open arms. We would not be asking for them to be sent back to where they came from if they were not breaking the law to be here....plain and simple.

When yellow will be mellow?

What the heck does that mean? Your guess is probably better than mine, since I have no idea.

When the red man can get ahead, man?

I wholeheartedly believe that the American Indians were disgracefully mistreated by the US government and land grabbing settlers who stole their land, and I know that those who still live on the reservations they were allocated to live in poverty that is equivalent to that of third world countries. However, for most who have left the reservations, they have managed to make a better life for themselves and their families. So, I think the Reverend was just trying to hard to find something to rhyme with his insulting reference to American Indians. Does he not realize that American Indians do not like being referred to as red men?

And when white will embrace what is right?

I don’t know about anyone else, but I am sick and tired of being accused of being a racist just because my skin is white. That, to me, is a racist assumption in and of itself. But, hey, when a black man throws out a racist slur or comment, he is excused because he has been the victim for so long.

What is right? What more does Reverend Joseph Lowery think whites need to do that we haven't already done? Most of us are hard working, religious people who are doing our best to raise our families properly and provide the best life that we can for them. Many of us volunteer in our own communities and churches. We serve our fellow men and our God in whatever capacity we are able. Most of us do not look at our fellow Americans as anything but that...our fellow Americans. We do not see race, sex or age as a hindrance to what one can achieve and we celebrate those achievements. We mourn with those that mourn, laugh with those that laugh and give to those in need.

So, please, Reverend Lowery, enlightened us...tell us what more we need to do. What will make you happy?

Team Sarah Tribute to Sarah Palin

2009-01-17T17:15:00.000-08:00

Here is great tribute to Sarah Palin by SethAdamSmith.

Come join us on Team Sarah. Be a part of a conservative grassroots effort to take back America with Sarah Palin as its leader.