Friday, August 6, 2010

So-Called American Arrogance




Iranian Air Defense Site:Unknown aircraft, you are in Iranian airspace. Identify yourself.

Aircraft:This is a United States aircraft. I am in Iraqi airspace.

Iranian Air Defense Site:You are in Iranian airspace. If you do not depart our airspace we will launch interceptor aircraft.

Aircraft:This is a United States Marine Corps FA-18 fighter. Send 'em up. Ill wait.



I guess this was what Barack Obama was referring to when he spoke about American arrogance- the audacity to stare down a threatening enemy when we have the hardware and training, not to mention the rightness, to do so. Statistically speaking, the US boasts a higher kill to casualty ratio than any other country in the world. Why is that?

Because our boys [and girls] kick ass!

I was raised to believe that this was a good thing, our military being the best in the world. Apparently, not all American-born persons feel the same.


I made the mistake of taking my children to the Independence Day fireworks display in Clay City, KY at the AmVets Patriot Days picnic. Even State Rep. Richard Henderson, claimed to be there. I wonder if he saw what I did. When the National Anthem began to play, I stood, faced the flag and placed my hand over my heart. My children stood and did the same. Reluctantly, some older persons clambered out of their lawn chairs and joined us and another large family stood and sang along, but the vast majority sat on their blankets, unaffected, looking bored just waiting for it to be done so they could moved on to the pretty colors. I was shocked and disgusted. The same people couldn't be less concerned over the actual meaning of the event, being forced to remember that those fireworks are symbolic of the battles that were fought to win our freedom...well, was just too much thinking for this crowd. They were more interested in when it would be socially acceptable to dive back into their funnel cakes. For more than a half hour, I watched the fireworks and wept. Later, I stalked back to my car, ranting my disgust to anyone within earshot of my voice [I have a big mouth so my voice carries.].


There's your real American arrogance, folks- this attitude of some people who completely disregard the sacrifices of those who gave their blood, sacrificed their happiness and their lives to make things better for us and give us the best country in the world. Even as a child [who was raised in a religion that taught non-involvement in all things governmental and political] I remember being so grateful that I was born an American, that anything was possible for me, that all of the doors were open to me. I had a profound respect for the military and a clear cognizance of their struggles which remains with me to this day. So, if being proud of a world status that was earned with our own blood, sweat and tears makes me arrogant, so be it. But, before I get too far into my tirade, let me sum up here:



I am proud to be American.


I am proud that we are the pinnacle military force in the world.


I will NEVER apologize for the greatness that Americans have built from nothing.


I will always support our soldiers, live with gratitude for their efforts, and beg their blessings in my prayers.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

Is it any wonder?

Most conservatives and libertarians stand gape-mouthed and aghast at the left on issues of a fiscal nature and wonder, "Are they really THAT stupid? Do they really not get it?" The answer is "yes" and now we have proof!

According to a study done by Zogby in the May issue of their Econ Journal Watch done on a pool of nearly 5,000 [precisely 4835] participants, those who classified themselves as being liberal or progressive/liberal answered more questions incorrectly regarding fiscal matters than their more conservative counterparts, by a shocking degree to boot. They even scored worse than those who wrote "I don't know." for all of the answers.

"How did the six ideological groups do overall? Here they are, best to worst, with an average number of incorrect responses from 0 to 8: Very conservative, 1.30; Libertarian, 1.38; Conservative, 1.67; Moderate, 3.67; Liberal, 4.69; Progressive/very liberal, 5.26.

Americans in the first three categories do reasonably well. But the left has trouble squaring economic thinking with their political psychology, morals and aesthetics."


...Or they are just intellectually dishonest.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Open Letter to Obama From Lou Pritchett

The following letter was not written by me, but by Lou Pritchett, former executive of Proctor and Gamble. Snopes.com has verified the accuracy of the letter, which was submitted to the New York Times, shill for the liberal agenda, and was shockingly ignored.

AN OPEN LETTER TO
PRESIDENT OBAMA


Dear President Obama:

You are the thirteenth President under whom I have lived and unlike any of the others, you truly scare me.

You scare me because after months of exposure, I know nothing about you.

You scare me because I do not know how you paid for your expensive Ivy League education and your upscale lifestyle and housing with no visible signs of support.

You scare me because you did not spend the formative years of youth growing up in America and culturally you are not an American.

You scare me because you have never run a company or met a payroll.

You scare me because you have never had military experience, thus don't understand it at its core.

You scare me because you lack humility and 'class', always blaming others.

You scare me because for over half your life you have aligned yourself with radical extremists who hate America and you refuse to publicly denounce these radicals who wish to see America fail..

You scare me because you are a cheerleader for the 'blame America ' crowd and deliver this message abroad.

You scare me because you want to change America to a European style country where the government sector dominates instead of the private sector.

You scare me because you want to replace our health care system with a government controlled one.

You scare me because you prefer 'wind mills' to responsibly capitalizing on our own vast oil, coal and shale reserves.

You scare me because you want to kill the American capitalist goose that lays the golden egg which provides the highest standard of living in the world.

You scare me because you have begun to use 'extortion' tactics against certain banks and corporations.

You scare me because your own political party shrinks from challenging you on your wild and irresponsible spending proposals.

You scare me because you will not openly listen to or even consider opposing points of view from intelligent people.

You scare me because you falsely believe that you are both omnipotent and omniscient.

You scare me because the media gives you a free pass on everything you do.

You scare me because you demonize and want to silence the Limbaugh's, Hannitys, O'Reillys and Becks who offer opposing, conservative points of view.

You scare me because you prefer controlling over governing.

Finally, you scare me because if you serve a second term I will probably not feel safe in writing a similar letter in 8 years.

Lou Pritchett



This was sourced at May of 2009. Just think how much more apt it is now, in the middle of 2010. I would also like to send thanks to Donna Rose for forwarding this to me.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

"My mom doesn't have papers."

There's nothing like dissent and civil unrest first thing in the morning to really get the blood pumping.

I started by doing some light household work as I slid out of bed, putting some dishes in the dishwasher, making my bed, checking my accounts and then, a quick glance at the news, where I stumbled upon this.

http://video.foxnews.com/v/4204091/my-mom-doesnt-have-papers

In the video is Michelle Obama at an elementary school talking to a group of children, when one of the girls pipes up and spits out this gem:" My mom says that ...Barack Obama is taking everybody away that doesn't have papers...My mom doesn't have papers." The first lady [It kills me to give that level of respect to someone who openly hates America, which she has admitted.] responded simply by saying, "We need to fix that."

I agree. Why don't you and your Mommy climb into the catapult and I'll show you how this Libertarian would fix it, little one.

You see, Liberals love to paint this as a race issue, because its hard to defend yourself as a white person in this country. But, for many Americans, myself included, its a simple matter of legality: If you are in this country illegally, you were a criminal the moment you crossed the border. See, when people make the argument to justify crime by saying things like, "He only robbed the store because he has been out of work or his family was hungry." I say, Bullsh*t. If you are short of money and your first desperate thought is to take it from someone else, then you were a criminal waiting to happen.

Now, I have no doubt, that this little snippet and the latest footage of Felipe Calderon shuffling his Lilliputian-sized Oxfords through Congress shaking his finger at Arizona are both completely staged. After the establishment, on all sides, getting their proverbial asses handed to them on Tuesday, this administration is doubling down on the racist rhetoric. Standing silently alongside Calderon as he blasts Arizona, I must say that Obama is an unconvincing ventriloquist but Calderon is a very life-like sock puppet.

NOTE: I have noticed a blogger named Tom Degan posting anti-McConnell stuff on the Craigslist politics section. Every day. He asserts that McConnell is by far the biggest dirt bag in Congress. While I agree that McConnell is another example of exactly what is wrong with Washington, there's a lot of competition for BIGGEST, Tom.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

If you don't laugh, you'll cry


Thanks to Mort Walker for putting things in perspective. And thanks to the Herald- Leader [ I can't believe I am saying this.] for running the comic.

The words, for those of you without eagle eyes, in the comic go like this.

WIFE: Are you going to sleep, Amos?

WIFE: Do you still love me, Amos?

HUSBAND: I love you more than all the mountains on Earth.

WIFE: Well, I love you more than all the grains of sand in the deserts.

HUSBAND: Well, I love you more than all of the water in the oceans.

WIFE: Well, I love you more than all of the stars in the sky.

HUSBAND: Well, my love is greater than the national debt.

WIFE: You win.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

A visit home hits too close to home...

For whatever reason, I felt strongly compelled to visit my parents this weekend. While I still suspect my gut instincts, I am enjoying the time and the gray, foggy Seattle-like weather. After planting flowers with my mom yesterday, we sat down for a well-deserved rest and shared our similar and previously unspoken fears about my fathers health. He has, and remains, a key reason for my battle against socialized healthcare. You see, he'll be one of those "useless bread gobblers" that Hitler propagandist Joseph Geobbels referred to while discussing those whose life became too costly to maintain, what the Nazi party described as "Life unworthy of life." He worked his whole young life as a mechanic. He paid into the tax, Social Security and Medicaid kitty all of his adult life and now as a middle-aged man he is reaping the consequences of a lifestyle of Clinton-esque decadence. Parmesan wings for lunch, cigarettes and Budweiser during Steeler and Penguin seasons, Philly Steak and Hoagies as only Pittsburgh Delis can produce and 20 years, a heart attack and open heart surgery later, my father is practically swimming in prescription medication. This one is for blood pressure and those ones are for cholesterol. I get cortisone for foot pain and Advair for COPD... [which mysteriously crept up only after the bypass surgery] and half a dozen others that I eye skeptically. The latest addition to the pill-a-polooza, a sleep aid, has my own blood pressure sky rocketing. My father is only 55 but he seems so much older, now muted and sullen.
My mom works at a tiny coffee shop on the boulevard, and as is our tradition when visiting we belly up to the counter for coffee and the best French Toast to be had. My anti-Socialist bumper stickers have been getting alot of notice, but while I am representing my mom at her place of business, I sip my coffee and make nice with the retired Democratic swath that make up her loyal regulars. I pretend to forget that each moment that Congress is in session, my children are less free, that we have eugenicists in unaccountable positions of power and the head of ACORN is luring the remaining closet Socialist out from under their rocks and fitting them for riot gear. I nearly drowned myself with a deeper-than-normal gulp when a kindly old lady I have known literally half my life exclaims her desire to see Ann Coulter shot. Another couple, new to the shop thanks to a kind review in the Post Gazette, are discussing the upcoming birth of their first child and their struggles to get state medical coverage since the mother is neither black nor Hispanic. The father acrimoniously describes the social workers indifferent attitude, bemoaning her lack of ethnic "credentials". The fact that she is an unemployed child educator is apparently irrelevant. The man down the counter laughs about the "Lights Out" night in the city encouraging energy conservation. He chronicles how he turned on every light in his home and then stopped down to the local tavern enlisting help to hang all of his Christmas lights- in Spring. "Pretty much, when the government starts telling me 'You can't do this.' I take it as full authority to do the exact opposite to the furthest extreme I can think of."
I know what you mean, guy. I know what you mean.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

My Letter to Richard Henderson- State Rep

While many central Kentuckians are focused on which politician will soon be filling the pocket of Nancy Pelosi in which Ben Chandler is currently cradled, I have turned my attention of late to local politics. In my town, my state Rep, Richard Henderson, has a half-page spot every week where he details the events in Frankfort, his position and opinions. I have to admit that the tone of the article this week was much meeker than in the previous week and if there is a sense of order to the Clay City Times website, the article dated 4/15 might eventually end up on this page http://www.claycity-times.com/news/?cat=6 for those who missed it.

While I have never been one to spare Mr. Henderson my opinion, my eyes fell upon the article this morning before I had my coffee. Five minutes and several eye twitches later, I was on my computer- far too early in the morning- detailing why Mr. Henderson can bet on my vote going to his opponent [any opponent] this Fall.

For your reading pleasure, this was my letter to Representative Henderson:

"Mr. Henderson,

Kentucky legislators are acting irresponsibly with tax money. Basic math teaches students that when your budget hits zero, you are out of money and cannot spend anymore. Why haven't our legislators learned this basic lesson?

Disclosure: I am registered with neither party and am an official Independent. Thanks to legislators like Julian Carroll, the state doesn't feel like I have a right to vote in the primary because I don't swear my allegiance like some partisan zombie, but I digress.

In your article, you reject the idea that cuts in spending will create growth and that what is needed is more government spending, Quote: "I am doubtful that this would help the economy or the people of Kentucky in any way." It has been PROVEN between the recessions of 1920 and the 1930s that government interference in private sector matters is not only unhelpful, but actually slows recovery. The private sector problems that led to the 2007 recession were instigated by government regulations that forced lending to unqualified buyers, a policy begun under President Clinton and exacerbated by the market controls of the Federal Reserve. Unemployment had been at its lowest when taxes and government spending were also at their lowest. When Calvin Coolidge cut spending and CUT TAXES [that's a key], growth soared and unemployment plummeted to the lowest peace-time levels in history. When Hoover increased spending, the growth slowed and FDRs Progressive policies further drove the economy into the ground. Thanks to the free- market, our industrialization and the train-wreck that was European infrastructure after the second World War, we were able to manufacture our way back out of sheer luck. Still, he left in place a legacy of entitlement spending that continues to cripple our country, is already operating in the red, and will soon bankrupt us. Is this the legacy that you are comfortable leaving for our children?

Quote: "This, however, would mean no improvements to schools or infrastructure and no new jobs, only cuts." The education system of Kentucky has become a virtual black hole for revenue with little improvement to test scores. Nothing is being done to reign in the out of control waste in the education system and no one is being held accountable for the plethora of bad educators and shoddy administrators who continually demand annual raises. We don't need ANY more government jobs! Government employees already out-earn their private-sector counterparts by nearly one third without including benefits. This is a slap in the face to tax-payers, especially in light of the poor performance of most of our schools. Spending cuts and tax cuts would boost the private sector as it would give entrepreneurs the incentive to start businesses- and hire workers- in a way that tax credits NEVER will.

Why are you not working so tirelessly on bringing jobs to our county? Instead of pacifying people with ever more entitlement programs and "free" money to win their votes, how about giving them the opportunity to earn a paycheck to take care of their own families. That's a sense of pride that no government check can match. Making Powell County more attractive to the few businesses looking to get going is work that directly affects its citizens. Kentuckians can - and should- do for themselves if you let them. Continually taking more from the earners and producers in this state to give to those who are being paid not to work is akin to a person who begins to eat his own feet- as consumption continues you quickly run out of resources. You have been given many opportunities in the last session to make Kentucky a more appealing environment for business, like lowering the income tax rate for businesses, but you have chosen to keep cost of business high and dis-incentivizing job creation. Several states in this country are rushing toward bankruptcy. With the upcoming Healthcare takeover by the Federal government, Kentucky will soon follow.

Regards,
Rachael Collinsworth
Powell County"

Saturday, April 10, 2010

The Rightful Place of Virtue- TRUTH

As a kid, I had a bad relationship with truth.

When I was a child [with the mindset of most liberals], I had no concept of moral integrity much less a regard for it. I thought that the 'truth' was a changeable, malleable inconstant that I could mold to fit my needs or provide a great tale to regale my siblings and parents.
Yep, that bear came out of the woods and he was roaring and charging at me, but I hit him in the nose with a rock and he ran away.
I could say they were tall tales, youthful imagination and a slew of other bologna, but they were lies, flat out.
Not surprising, as a child, I garnered a reputation for fibbing and just as in "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" I was not believed ever. Oh, yeah and I got spanked for it. A lot.

As a kid, I wanted so badly to differentiate myself from my siblings that I made up colossal tales to build myself up. I quickly found that it had the opposite effect. Perhaps it was the stark and sometimes painful consequences of my lying that led me to be that adult I am. My parents never minced words about how they regarded my lying and how it lowered their opinion of me as a person. That was the hardest part for me- to know that I was less of a person for being a liar. And though it was a problem that ended before grade school, my father still jibes me about it to this day.

I think it is safe to say that I have gone the complete other way as an adult with regard to truth. I am known for speaking the truth even when it is painful to hear. My personal saying is that I would rather hurt you with the truth than appease you with a lie. No doubt, this has cost me many friendships, and my current friends know not to ask my opinion unless they are girded for the answer.

Why?

First, I understand that a lie is seen through very quickly and a deceiver is flushed out in short order. Lies never stay hidden for long and I would rather endure the consequence of speaking with truth whether it be scorn and ridicule or physical attacks than live with the shame of being a liar and sacrificing my sacred honor- I understand the value of my integrity now. I guess that's where faith in a higher authority comes into play...but I digress.

Second, my sacred honor is not worth it. It is something more valuable to me than money and worth more than any momentary adoration or acceptance. I would rather be consistent and clear and have faith that those of like mind will recognize those traits in me.

The reason I bring this up.

www.crashtheteaparty.org - Money- making scam
www.theteapartyisover.org - Cash laundering by Democratic Strategists*

There's a lot of propaganda flying around right now on both sides. In fact, I don't know if it has ever been like this. I am active in a way I have never been before, with a passion that seems to spring eternal. Long-time friends are shying away from me. Family members are pleading with me to "just let this blow over". To do so would be lying to myself and lying to everyone around me. For all of my jaded history with truth, I cannot and will not turn away from it now. I want to encourage people to embrace truth. That niggling feeling in the pit of your stomach when you are not sure that something is right or correct, don't squash it down, embrace it, examine it- there's more at stake than a little white lie. If something feels wrong, define why it makes you feel that way.

As a nation, we have moved away from personal responsibility and dealing with the consequences of the choices we make and the truth of the lives we are leading. THIS HAS TO STOP. If you have lied, fess up. If you have shirked your responsibilities, step up and do the right thing. Your sacred honor and worth as a person is contingent upon these things. It's human to screw up but it is foolishness to run from truth. Eventually it will overtake you. We must have our own house in order before we can change any other [House of Reps, White House and so on].

[beep]
END OF RANT


*Craig Varoga and George Rakis http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/02/09/anti-tea-party-web-site-scheme-funnel-funds/

Monday, March 29, 2010

UPDATE

I wanted to post an update to my post from yesterday.

First, I stand by everything that I wrote in my 3/28 post. There was no evidence of racism at the Healthcare rallies in Washington DC. After pouring through video, I have found however, that there is evidence of a wet shouter and that's about it.

So to all of you Tea Partiers, my friends, remember to bring a tissue just in case you get incensed and accidentally spray your message instead of just saying it. You might just be branded a racist. [I hope you can sense the sarcasm.]

Sunday, March 28, 2010

This Business of Propaganda...

prop·a·gan·da   Show Spelled[prop-uh-gan-duh] Show IPA
–noun
1.information, ideas, or rumors deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc.



Persons of renown [not necessarily respectable] are claiming that persons like myself and perhaps even you are insane and out- of- control. They point to events like the protest of the Healthcare bill in Washington D.C. on the 20th as an example. But, you see there's a problem with that:

I was there.

That's right, I was at those protests. And I wasn't the only one- there was SEIU and La Raza [ Anyone who claims that La Raza is not a racist bunch is either uninformed or lying.] out in full force. So for them to claim that it could only have been Healthcare protesters is a flat out lie. The fact that there is no actual footage of the allegations is telling. There were cameras everywhere. When something looked like it was going to go down, everyone whipped out their cellphones. Nothing like this could have occurred without several instances of footage. There was even a Tea Party protester with a massive sign that said, "If you hear a racial slur 'Boo', step away and point and get the jerk filmed and post it to YouTube- those people have no place in our Tea Parties'. I agree. In addition, there was no hate-speech chanting. There were no racial slurs being yelled. No one yelled anything about homosexuals- there were gay couples protesting in the crowd! Sure, Nancy Pelosi may have considered the chanting of her name by thousands of angry protesters to be menacing, but there were no threats of violence by the crowd, unless you consider "Obama show your face!" a threat.

What's more is that no one was walking through the crowd of protesters. Even Reps who were against the bill like Michele Bachmann and others from Texas came out to the steps but never entered the crowd. That top pic is of Michele Bachmann speaking to a friendly crowd from behind the stone wall. The fact that Reps were walking through the crowd WITH CAMERAS FILMING showed that they were hoping, even daring something to happen and when nothing did, they fabricated it.

So, why would they make this up? What would be the point? Well, for one, race-baiting is a lucrative business. Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, and Louis Farrakhan have become rich men by poking and prodding the black culture to feel continually trod upon regardless of the social programs and cash flying at them. No amount of guilt, or money, will ever be sufficient, but they keep soaking up the dough. Al Sharpton has even admitted that this Healthcare bill is socialism and he approves of it for the continued repayment of a debt he asserts whites still owe. My grandparents immigrated from the Communist block and the UK after the first World War. They never had slaves. But, he resents me for my skin color being different from his. Ironic, huh?

Even Barney Frank cashed in on this claiming that anti-gay hate-speech was hurled at him with absolutely no proof, as well. And why shouldn't he make those claims? He is in trouble with constituents and needs to re-energize his base, too.

Secondly, if you had an opposition that was fired up and growing in size, wouldn't it make good political sense to illegitimize them to discourage anyone from joining their ranks and get them to tone down their speech? To portray them as fringe and denigrate them to the status of violent mobs, normal everyday people who may have been moved to attend the next Tea Party will shy away and continue to be silent, which is precisely what the 'ruling class' wants.

Now, I know that there are those out there that are ready to pick up arms. This, my friends is playing right into their hands. This is the reason behind the continued assaults on us. Do not give them [Please forgive the pun.] the ammunition to fire at you. We have to remain firm, but non-violent. We have truth on our side. We have the sweet wind of liberty at our backs. Do not give in to the momentary satisfaction from a desire for 'justice' and trade your sacred honor in the process.

Now, I have included some pics for those of you that did not get to go to DC. I must add that now is not the time to suppress your voice or have it suppressed. Regardless of who or what is holding you back, your children, your families need you NOW to fight for their future.





Monday, March 1, 2010

News from the Nanny State

My sons are rough and tumble boys in the playful sense. They like sports, pizza and cartoons. They like action figures and running over Barbies with their trucks, you know, boy stuff. They are also, as you can imagine, very hard on toys. Once a month I sift through their toy bins to discard the broken items. One item in need of being tossed was a plastic toy shot gun my son bought with his own allowance money.

Now, I wasn't crazy about my kids having toy guns. Actually, there was a time when I had a hard and fast "not even squirt guns" rule. But, being a parent, I have found that the more fervently I refuse an item to my children, the greater their fascination with it. So I relented and allowed my son to purchase a cowboy revolver set with his chore money about a year ago. He was six at the time, old enough to be taught the seriousness of what a weapon meant. Over the year, he would patiently save his money for other toys: a ninja set, some Bakugan, and on a month when the Tooth Fairy made extra stops to our house, he purchased a plastic shot gun from the Family Dollar I had run into for tape for last minute Christmas gift wrapping. Now toys being what they are and my boys being what they are, the gun didn't last the week. It stayed taped together for the next month until another play mishap broke it further and made it un-mendable. My son was heart-broken. So I set out to find another, better quality version.

I first went to Wal-Mart. Usually, I hate this place, but I had seen them there in the past. Their creditor is GE Money Bank- a division of General Electric. This soul-less financial bohemoth had its grubby fingerprints all over the Cap and Trade legislation. Think about that the next time you see their big displays of mercury-filled fluorescent bulbs! Anyway...

I couldn't locate them, so I asked an employee, "We don't carry anything like that anymore. Just the Nerf guns and squirt guns." Huh? I checked other Wal-Mart stores, no toy guns. Today, I was in Lexington and thought I would hit up Toys R Us.

While looking, my husband and I twice attempted to flag down an employee who was actively avoiding us. When we were able to corner him, he informed us that Toys R Us had made it company policy that they did not sell anything that remotely resembled a real gun. I am not sure when it became bad for our children to aspire to be a policeman or a soldier, but I respect that a private business has the right to make its own policies { And I also have the right as a consumer to tell them to get bent.]

The employee suggested one store and then also suggested Wal-Mart. When I informed him that we had already been there and they had stopped selling them, he smiled and said, “Good for Wal-Mart.” and walked away. My husband, stunned by his insult, asked, “Excuse me?” The employee never turned around or explained his remark.

I would like to humbly remind everyone that the first move of a Communist regime is to disarm its citizens. Like the Constitution, much of our history is being erased from our children's education. Progressives are now attempting to erase gun ownership from the American psyche. They know that they haven't got a chance in Hell of getting adults to relinquish their guns, especially not now. So, they're giving our children a little push.


Or as Cass Sunstein refers to it, a nudge.

Monday, February 22, 2010

What is your price?

I know a guy...

He lives with this woman and has for about 15 years. They aren't married although they refer to each other as husband and wife. Both believe in marriage and they do love one another. Money isn't scarce. He has a good job with benefits and she makes a good living so they could certainly afford the marriage license. It's been the cause of many arguments and a lot of hurt feelings. What could possibly be keeping these two people from pursuing the formal decree that would legitimize a situation that both of them admit some shame over?

About $600 a month.

You see, this guys "wife" is actually a widow from a previous marriage and receives a widows pension. The exact dollar amount escapes me at the moment, but it was about $600 a month. She works under the table making cash to the tune of about $1600 a month [that's cash money- no tax withholding]. The husband makes about $2000 gross a month not including his benefits package. Together they make many times the amount that she receives each month, but if they marry, she will lose those benefits. This couple has chosen to place $600 between themselves and true happiness and fulfillment. To them, $600 a month is worth more than their happiness.

We all know a story like this one. Someone who is willing to give up a portion of their liberty, their personal happiness, for a seemingly insufficient price. The woman who stays with a husband who beats her for the security of the money. The politician who tramples his personal integrity to pay back a special interest group of importance to his campaign. A more than cursory glance around us will show that these instances are not only common, but they are sadly rampant in our culture.

Kentucky has some unkind, albeit true, distinctions from other states in the Union. It didn't take Diane Sawyers skewed and shoddy reporting to get us to admit that there are areas of Kentucky where families choose to live by a lower standard because it is easy [ BTW, did anyone else notice that Sawyer stuck the skewers to Appalachia shortly after the 2008 election where Kentucky was the first state to go red for McCain?]. Social Services in the eastern part of the state have a shocking proficiency at garnering entitlement goodies. A single mother can live in government housing, get food stamps, WIC and the state will even pay her child care if she works at least 20 hours a week. But for each of those things that she is told she is owed, she auctions away a little of herself. The EBT card only buys permitted foods and government housing has rules about behavior. Every deal has a price to pay. How much of your liberty, your privacy, your sacred honor are you willing to auction and is the price fair for something so precious?

For those of you not familiar, those on Social Security, Disability and SSI are subject to liquid asset restrictions. They are not permitted more than a MAX [there's a - hehehehe- progressive scale on this amount] of $3000 total in liquid savings, whole life insurance policies, annuities, and stocks. They cannot have more than one vehicle. Medical benefits stop after one month of violating the income "cap". Hmmm, capping a persons production. Hmmm, where have I heard that before? Now, if a person makes a combined total of $1600 a month from which they are able to live fairly comfortably and for which they only have to make some "minor" concessions on their liberties, what is the incentive to cast off the "cap" and strive to do better? The culture war has hardened people against the notion of the American Dream convincing them that it is only attainable for the well-connected or "lucky". For many of us, simple personal pride makes us want to make it on our own merit without the "leg-up" from government or the numerous strings attached. But working our way up is now being de- incentivized for the safety of a more austere government-sanctioned lifestyle.

Sure, with all of these programs our single mother can survive without the child's father being involved and that may be a good thing. Maybe, he is a drunk or perhaps he's violent. Maybe they just don't get along. Maybe she just wants something better. But if all of the cushions that soften the impact of the fall take away the pain of the plummet, then will we think twice about making the same stupid leap the next time?

Social Security is upside down for the first time ever, we are spending out more in benefits than we are bringing in in payroll revenue. It won't be there when the workers of today are of traditional retirement age. Hell, it probably won't be there in five years.

What will become of ours seniors then? What did people do before the government stepped in? They depended on each other. They depended on the families that they had raised throughout their lives to see to their needs in their twilight years. When there was a disaster, neighbors helped each other . There were no bailouts after the Civil War. Sure, times were tough and resources were scarce, but through their connection to each other people had a connection to reality and their souls that we have frittered away piece by piece for the sake of safety.

Benjamin Franklin said [and I am paraphrasing] that the man who values safety over liberty deserves neither and will lose both. This change in the American consciousness has robbed us not only of our personal integrity- our sacred honor- but it has worn away at the exceptionalism that was the beacon of the American spirit to the rest of the world.

Friday, February 19, 2010

It starts...

I apologize. This post is a few days old, but I was unable to finish it at the time.

Months ago, when the nation was just beginning to wake to the reality of an orgy in government spending and a representative Congress rife with whores and thugs, when the Tea Party movement was only in the embryonic stages, it was warned that our protests should be only peaceful. We were warned that should they turn violent and our demostrations become destructive, we risked illegitimizing the entire movement and could potentially destabilize our economy further. As it was, liberals were mounting antagonistic counter-protests and the media was looking for any way to discolor those in attendence. We met peacefully, showed solidarity not only as white or black or rich or poor, workers or business owners, but as Americans. The close to two million protestors who marched on DC in September who left less of a mess than a modest convention of hippies, managed this showing without a single police incident.

Then comes Joseph Stack. The media has, as usual, jumped the gun in absolute imprudence and has asserted that this anti-government murderer is somehow connected to the Tea Party movement.

Joseph Stack has given the left-wing media the tooth to pursue the extremist label for those attending the Tea Parties. As we have all seen, truth is an irrelevent element when dealing with the leftist media. Everyone has seen the quote from this nutcase's manifesto where he's railing against the IRS, its been everywhere. This is the quote that the media outlets have been using to prove that Joseph Stack was an anti-government, right-winger:
Well, Mr. Big Brother IRS man, let’s try something different; take my pound of flesh and sleep well.


What they don't mention is what immediately follows:

The communist creed: From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.

The capitalist creed: From each according to his gullibility, to each according to his greed.


Now, I am not a brain surgeon, but I am pretty sure that since a hearty percentage of Tea Party activists are also small business owners [myself included], trying to lash them to this capitalism -hating, whiney whack job isn't an argument that is going to hold with any person with full brain function.

Here's a ditty that precedes the "big brother IRS man" quote. It shows just how far down the spiral this guy had gone because if he hadn't been completely eroded mentally he would have seen the irony in his own words with regard to his final plan.

I saw it written once that the definition of insanity is repeating the same process over and over and expecting the outcome to suddenly be different. I am finally ready to stop this insanity.


So, Islamic terrorists crash planes into buildings to disrupt our economy and kill innocent people and it plunges us into a worldwide war to pursue those who have wounded us. It becomes the Pearl Harbor of our generation. Each attempted attack further strengthens our resolve and somehow Joseph Stack thinks that committing the exact same action will somehow lead to lucidity instead of revulsion and rage?

This was an act of bitterness by a man who had had his ass kicked by life just like every one of us. Only this man chose not to learn from mistakes. He chose not to evolve his business with ingenuity and meet the challenges of the changing market. And when his inability to adapt caused him to lose his business, he allowed his rage to swallow him. He wanted punish those who had wronged him. This is what happens when everyone gets a trophy- you end up with grown persons so consumed with bitterness over the fundamental unfairness of life that they mentally and emotionally cannot cope with failure.

To Joseph Stack, the end- bringing light to his perception of an injustice- justified the means. That's Saul Alinsky, Mr. Potok, not the Tea Party movement.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Obama Teaches The ABCs

Now, listen up boys and girls. Your parents may have been receiving some mis-information from those evil Nazi's waving tea bags around and as your divinely-appointed leader, it is my duty to re-educate you so that you may become responsible global citizens. I was planning to do this back in September, but it seems that, um, the timing wasn't quite right.

We'll begin with the ABCs...

A is for Alinsky, ACORN, and apology
B is for bailouts, bonuses and Bernanke
C is for climate- change, czars and Chrysler
D is for debt, deniability and distraction
E is for entitlement, economy and entitlement again
F is for Fed, freedom [to do exactly what you are told] and Fairness Doctrine
G is for green, Gitmo and GM
H is for health care, Hillary, and H1N1
I is for ideologue, illegal immigrants and interest
J is for Jeremiah Wright and justice- the social kind
K is for knuckles- the brass kind, Kennedy and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed
L is for liberalism, legislation and land grab
M is for medicare, misinformation and Marxism
N is for NBC, Nasdaq and Nazis
O is for Obama [and nobody else]
P is for Progressive, polar bears and Pelosi
Q is for qualified, quadrupled-debt and
R is for Rasmussen, racism and reconciliation
S is for shame, single-payer and stimulus
T is for TARP, taxes and Treasury
U is for unconstitutional, unions and East Anglia University
V is for Venezuela, vendetta and Valerie Jarrett
W is for wall Street, water-boarding and windfall profits
X is for eXtremists- the tea baggers I mentioned before
Y is for You Tube, Yemen and Yellow
Z is for Jay-Z, Zelaya and Zimbabwe

Tomorrow, you will be taught "new" math by Ben Bernanke. 'Social Studies' will be permanently replaced with 'Social Justice' and will be taught by Van Jones. For extra credit, you can attend a quick lesson on how to use Turbo Tax by Tim Geitner. I will personally be teaching you about all 57 of our glorious United States. Lunch will be served by the SEIU.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

No more placation...

I had a loved one recently request that I take a step back . He pointed out that I was losing my usual tolerance, that I was becoming demanding with my kids and had stopped being as easy-going with everyone else. I value this person [I don't necessarily agree with their views or opinions.] and I wanted to make them happy so I decided to give it a whole-hearted try. I backed off listening to so much talk radio, I stopped most of my blogging [I have some late night drafts from when I couldn't sleep.] and stayed out of the political loop. I tried, honestly, I did.

But, I can't do it anymore. And what's more, I realized that it was a foolish thing to agree to attempt. The hope is that we as a society will get tired of the angst and upheaval and just plop our heads back in the sand. The assertion is that Americans don't have the tenacity to stomach the unrest. We as American, perhaps even as humans, inherently want everything to be normal and deep down most of us are just waiting until things return to "normal" enough that we can go back to our lives. I realized a while ago that "normal" wasn 't going to cut it. We have to be fully invested in this struggle, completely sure of the side we are on because we are going to be waging this war for many years to come. It is going to take serious fortitude to stick it out, because this mess is going to descend into a sub-level of Hell that many of us have never seen. I will get more into that in coming days.

The opposition truly is not a particular administration or political party. We are fighting to preserve our right to liberty as it was defined to us in the Constitution against a mentality of entitlement. With all of the snow, D.C. was pretty much shut down and most meetings were cancelled. Which single appointment did Obama keep? His meeting with the heads of several minority organizations. It was important enough to him to meet with these groups to assure them that his plans for wealth redistribution are still a go. He's given lip service to the issues that voters are most concerned with in his State of the Union [State of the Union? Ummm, it sucks. Wow, I didn't even need the 70 minutes.] address and then in the same breath that he says that his focus of 2010 will be jobs, he reverts back to Healthcare and resurrects Cap and Trade. Reconciliation has reared its ugly head again. The rumor going is that the new "Jobs Bill" [see Stimulus #2] will have CardCheck legislation written into it. The Senate refused to approve the formation of a Deficit Panel [aka Tax Hike Committee] so Obama has decided to use an executive order to create one. His choice for the Head of the National Labor Relations Board was denied a confirmation vote by all Republicans and two Democrats, so he is threatening to make an incontestable recess appointment. What is the point of all of this?

The lips are moving and there are words coming out- BUT THEY MEAN NOTHING.

Growing up, most of us were told that a person is not what they say. We all know the adage, "Actions speak louder than words." This presidents' actions show us that he
ideologically cannot deviate from his agenda. He is convinced that Socialism is the best path for Americans and that we are only fighting it because we are too stupid [or fearful while clinging to our guns and religion] to accept that academics know better what our future should be. Therefore, he and his Progressive Congressional comrades keep pushing forward unpopular legislation, martyring themselves politically to "do the right thing" for our future.

There's a problem with academics: very few of them are successful at anything. Academics are the thinkers who don't have the courage to actually take the risk to put their thoughts to action. They lack, for the most part, any practical knowledge whatsoever. They discount morality as an intangible, almost theological after-thought, which is how the monstrosity of eugenics was born. When the colossal failure of Socialist regimes passed are brought to light- the massive slaughter of human life compared- academics discount these arguments as fear- mongering or flat-earth. Their reasoning is so much more sound, the learned plan so pristine that it could only succeed.

Anyone who has ever worked up a household budget knows how often learned plans come to perfect fruition and since most academics have never really done anything with all of their thinking, it's no wonder that their theories are not tempered with experience. Socialism is doomed to failure- always. Its most intrinsic precepts- that man, society, and its environment can be bred into perfection- discount morality, defies reality and most importantly it decimates personal liberty. And the kind of thinking that leads to larger government control of our lives and our choices cannot be allowed. We have allowed the Progressives to drag the term "normal" further and further left until "normal" means little to none of what it used to and the original definition is no longer even visible.

NO more making nice.
NO more middle ground.
NO more keeping the peace.

That "normal" needs to come a hell of a lot further right. Further than it was a year ago. Further than it was fifty years ago. So if you're of the opinion that a large central government that regulates everything is the cure for humanity's ills, that by doing enough everything should be guaranteed and the idea of a nanny state wraps around you like a warm blanket, then I am here to rip the covers off.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Desperate Men Make Dangerous Enemies

Like the rest of the state, my family and I have been buried under a gossamer blanket of pristine snow since the New Year. My husband, who unfortunately had to make the dangerous daily trek to work, was the only one to leave the house for days at a time. As school still has not gone back into session in our district, many are just as shut up in their homes subjected to copious hours of Spongebob Squarepants, Avatar, and Scooby Doo [I actually kind of enjoy the latter.] and up to their elbows in cheese puffs and Ramen Noodles. It has been a battle and a fight to get in any news, let alone the large amount I usually consume in a day, so I fear that despite the occasional moments locked in my room to get in a bit of Glenn Beck, I have fallen a tad behind on my current events.


One thing I have noted, and maybe it took a step backward and fresh pair of eyes to see it- there seems to be the beginning onset of panic among our political classes.

Now, honestly, anything that has Reid or Pelosi squirming like they've got a bad case of hemorrhoids tends to bring a smile to my face. I can't help it- it's MY version of social justice. With 2010 staring many unpopular incumbents in the face, there are a handful that have already thrown in the towel. But, the adage "Desperate men make dangerous enemies." is sage advice and we should heed it.

There's a bit of legislation in the pipeline that I think people should be made aware of in order to be better informed. I had serious concerns that ACORN was going to be used as a vehicle to commit massive voter fraud in the 2010 elections. With the irreverent way that politicians have been thumbing their noses at constituents in the last year, it certainly seemed that they had a higher allegiance- a fail safe as it were to ensure that the midterm elections don't interrupt the Progressive agenda. However, ACORN is buried under so much sh*t, their name is tainted everywhere its uttered. They are even planning to change their name [according to assertions by former board member Wade Rathke on his blog]. Obviously, that plan could not possibly work now. What's the new plan? Three words:

Universal Voter Registration

The plot is to load everyone- and I do mean everyone- onto the roles of registered voters. Anyone who has ever registered a car, signed up for unemployment, sits on the Welfare roles- you get the idea. Whether you want to be or not, you will be a registered voter. Now, the argument is that universal voter registration will end the voter problems, such as the Florida debacle, and people being turned away because of paperwork issues. But, anyone with a speck of insight sees the true glimmer of this plan: It's a treasure trove of new names and identities to pack into the blue ballot box. Even if it is kept legit and above board [trying to keep a straight face] most of those involuntarily registered would be those on the government dole- those dependent upon the government largess for their day to day lives. What better way to create a pool of loyal voters that to create one from a demographic that is completely dependant upon you?

Where does the audacity stop? When does the arrogance, the oppression, the hand-to-the-throat suffocation get to be enough that we start fighting for air? To save ourselves?

But speaking of physical fighting, we have got that as well, and its not even the log-headed cretins from the SEIU that are roughing people up, this time. According to a tipster, it's a miserable propaganda artist named Michael Meehan*, sent from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to help Mass. Democratic Senatorial hopeful, Martha Coakley revive her slipping campaign. Coakley is the Democratic nominee who brilliantly decreed during her debate that there were no longer any Al Qaeda terrorists in Afghanistan, so we should pull out immediately. She also mis-spelled the name of the state she's trying to represent in a television ad. Think Joe Biden in a skirt. Anyway, as she was leaving a fundraising event, this Meehan goon shoved a Weekly Standard reporter to the ground. The AP is reporting that the reporter "stumbled". Sorry, Jack, reporters typically have cameras present and this one was no different. There is clear footage of Meehan shoving John McCormack. Meehan then apologized to McCormack for the incident late today, but the AP had already shown their hand. Another bunch of whores in the liberal harem.

The temperature is rising. Politicians are staring November in the face with rabid denial that can only fade as realization dawns and the desperation will redouble as the elections near. 2010 will no doubt be a year of more manufactured scandals, media complicity and hostility between social classes than we have ever seen before. Are we ready to do what we must? Can we keep the focus to uphold our Constitution, restore our civil liberties and not be swept up in the frenzy that's already beginning?

Our founders fought to throw off the shackles of a government that oppressed them. It is nothing short of vulgar to see where we stand at this moment and not be willing to defend the foundations that they laid, appreciate the sacrifices that they made and heed the wisdom they imparted.

Whether we are ready for the fight, the battle is here. Will we arm ourselves to regain what we have lost or refuse to fight and sacrifice our liberty?

*The Weekly Standard, blog of John McCormack Jan. 13th.
www.weeklystandard.com/daily/daily.asp#blog-318178