Conservative Women United

WHO IS THE WIZARD?

2009-03-22T14:17:00.000-07:00

Written By D.

There are many jokes on the internet right now that refer to TOTUS, the President’s teleprompter. I hear it even has its own official seal. The references are mostly in regards to O being fed information through his teleprompter and his apparent dependency on it.

This dependency on a teleprompter by someone we were told during the campaign was highly intelligent because of his Ivy League education and speaking ability, is an interesting observation. It appears that his ability to communicate diminishes substantially without it and that is troubling.

But instead of dwelling on the teleprompter, shouldn’t the real question be who is behind the teleprompter?

Like the Wizard of Oz, the Wizard was larger than life but behind the smoke and projected image was a little man hidden behind a curtain who was the true ruler of Oz.

So shouldn’t we be asking who really rules Oz and, like Toto, pull back the curtain to expose those who are trying to project the image of O as a “great and powerful” Wizard? After all, even Dorothy’s little dog Toto knew enough to sniff out a sham and expose it.

We need to start asking who is in charge? Americans need to know because we didn’t elect that person, he is neither POTUS nor TOTUS – but he appears to be in control and is formulating some very bad policy for our country.

NO THANKS, WE ALREADY HAVE ONE THAT YOU CAN’T IMPROVE UPON

2009-03-21T15:06:00.000-07:00

Written By D.

I hear by way of American Thinker http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/03/obama_wants_you_to_pledge_loya.html that the O Groupies are out knocking on doors trying to get people to pledge their allegiance to O.

Last I heard there was only one Pledge of Allegiance in the United States and it wasn’t a pledge of allegiance to a politician.

Now, historically, there was only one President who, theoretically, could have been King and that was George Washington. We all know George didn’t think that was a good idea and I tend to agree with him, and I would guess so do the vast majority of Americans.

Either the O Groupies never learned the basic history of our country or they chose to ignore it because they blindly place their worship of one politician ahead of all else.

So just in case they missed it – here is our country’s Pledge of Allegiance;

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of American, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.”

I also suggest that the O Groupies wake up and smell the Democracy inherent in our pledge before it is too late.

RESOLVE

2009-03-14T09:24:00.000-07:00

Written By D.

On December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor was bombed and it marked our entry into WWII.

After the Pearl Harbor attack, Japan’s Fleet Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto is attributed to have said, “I fear that all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve.” The Admiral had spent time in the U.S. so he had a better understanding of our people and capabilities than most of the Japanese leaders of the time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isoroku_Yamamoto

I am reminded of that quote often as I watch patriotic grassroots movements springing up all over this land.

People are not just shocked by the new administration’s Socialist laden activities of the past several weeks, they are angered.

It is very foolish for the Socialists to believe in the complacency of Americans. But that is just what they are doing and are counting on it for their success. Like the Zero fighters, Val dive bombers and Kate torpedo bombers aiming to take out our ships at Pearl Harbor causing as much damage as possible, the Socialists are swarming in trying to destroy as much of our capitalistic system as possible before we have time to react. In doing so, the Socialists hope to take Democracy down with it.

While there are people who are content to rely on the government gravy train and resent others for their hard work and success, the vast majority of Americans believe in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness as well as the freedom to pursue opportunity. They know their hope for a good life and bright future for their children is tied to that of their country and the future survival of both Democracy and Capitalism.

The silent majority have been jolted awake by the Socialist policies of this President. In pursuing these policies against the beliefs of most Americans, all he has succeeded in doing is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with resolve.

Many millions of Americans are now wide awake, they don’t like what they see and they are resolved to make their voices heard. This is truly an historic moment we are witnessing. It is the blessing given to us by our forefathers, it is Democracy in action.

Socialist Blitzkrieg

2009-03-01T05:46:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Blitzkrieg as defined at Wikipedia; “an all-mechanized force concentrating its attack on a small section of the enemy front then, once the latter is pierced, proceeding without regard to its flank.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blitzkrieg

In World War II, The French & English were defeated in the Battle of France by Blitzkrieg. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_France

Right now we are experiencing the Socialist political equivalent of Blitzkrieg. The liberals are concentrating on quickly destroying capitalism and enacting laws that will restrict our freedoms by using a highly mechanized force of the like-minded. This is aimed at forcing highly unpopular government taxes and controls on the rest of us – the silent majority.

Traditional politics as played by the GOP is like a Maginot Line whose purpose is defensive. The Low Countries (RINOs) are a weak spot. The Ardennes is the unattended forest of issues attacking our basic rights because freedom, taken for granted until now, seemed unnecessary to defend and impossible to break through.

Well folks, the tanks are rolling right over the Low Countries and they are breaking through the Ardennes. The Maginot Line is being flanked. This is not traditional politics we are facing … this is Socialist Blitzkrieg.

Do you think maybe it is time to do something? And I don’t mean retreat to the coast and hope that ships will come along and carry us to safety. In this battle for freedom no ships will be coming to save us. Yep, it’s time to take a stand, it is time to move forward and go on the political offensive.

What can the Conservatives & the GOP do to defeat the Blitzkrieg?

1. STOP the GOP mea culpa talk immediately. Our leaders need to take the philosophical fight to the enemy, and end the “girlie man” self recriminations.

2. DEVELOP a clear, simple message that is easily understood by all and keep repeating it

3. ABANDON the Maginot Line defensive attitude and go on the attack in a unified manner. The Tea Parties are a good start in the right direction.

4. IGNORE MSM criticism completely, this is no time to be sensitive about what the people who hate your guts and are out to destroy you think

5. USE the conservative websites, blogs and social media to share and spread the message

6. KEEP UP the pressure on elected representative at the state and federal level. Start putting that same pressure on the judicial branch, let them know you are watching and start calling for the resignations of judges who ignore our Constitution.

7. FOCUS your criticism and stop prefacing them with complements about speaking ability or intellect. Remember where the buck stops and that’s where you focus, forget the other lib clowns, for now. If the last 8 years were Bushes fault, then everything from here on out is O’s fault.

8. REMEMBER this is not about you it is about the “US” in USA, so put aside any pettiness or power trips and work together.

9. TALK to anyone who will listen, remember you are “PROUD TO BE A CONSERVATIVE” and unafraid to share its philosophy. You can start by asking people if they are better off now than they were a month ago and keep adding to it as the months go by.

10. VOTE in every election like your freedom depends on it and make sure all your like-minded family and friends get out and vote

11. JUST say no to compromise that isn’t bipartisan and to legislation that robs you of your freedom and your money.

Just remember, the French & English lost the Battle of France to Blitzkrieg, but the Americans won the Battle of the Bulge ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bulge) because when the Germans tried the same type of Blitzkrieg tactics again in the Ardennes, the U.S. 101st Airborne Division and General McAuliffe, though surrounded, held out, kept fighting and famously said, "NUTS!" in response to German demands for surrender. General Patton arrived with the 3rd Army to relieve them – proving Blitzkrieg works both ways. Four months later the war was over, Hitler was gone and so was his brand of Socialism.

Meanwhile, Back in Tax-A-Lot

2009-02-25T05:36:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Once upon a time in the land of Tax-A-Lot most of the serfs were working very hard to improve their lives by growing small gardens in the back of their huts. They were also able to raise more livestock by feeding them from their gardens. Eventually, they had enough crops and livestock so they could sell or trade in the marketplace for goods and services. Life was as good as it gets for the serfs.

But the lords, seeing this success, wanted a share of this largesse so they decided that new taxes were in order. First the Lords ruled that a tax of 50% of all the garden crops and livestock be imposed. They knew this would not be popular so they gathered together the non-productive serfs who were too lazy to grow gardens and were very jealous of the success of the hard working productive serfs. They told these non-productive serfs that they were “less fortunate” and that it was “unfair” for those “rich” serfs to have more. The non-productive serfs readily agreed with this analysis.

The lords made these “less fortunate” serfs the tax collectors and gave them the power to confiscate the crops and livestock owed to the lords. Of course, the lords knew that these non-productive serfs were not to be trusted and expected that a portion of the crops and livestock collected would be stolen by the tax collectors but this was a small matter in their minds.

The goal of the lords was to enrich themselves while setting serf against serf. They posted a declaration in the village that since some of the serfs had more than others, it was only fair that they collect 50% to even the playing field. They had no intention of giving the 50% they collected to the “less fortunate” serfs but knew these serfs would be satisfied skimming off the tax collections and beating up on the “rich” serfs. The lords knew the value of “empowering” the non-productive serfs and allowing them to act out on their feelings of jealousy and hatred.

In the meantime, the productive serfs gathered together and discussed the new tax burden and the way in which it was to be collected. They decided that enough was enough and that they would resist. So they appointed a spokesman to express their grievances and they all headed to the castle to discuss the matter with the lords. But the lords ignored them and mocked their protest. This angered the serfs.

Next the serfs decided to form a group to defend their gardens and livestock from the tax collectors. But the lords sent their loyal castle guards to protect the tax collectors.

What’s a serf to do? Finally, one of the productive serfs realized that it was their productivity that drove Tax-a-Lot, he told the other serfs that without their labor, there was no Tax-a-Lot.

The serfs were willing to make sacrifices to drive home this point because they knew that if they didn’t, they would continue to be oppressed and there would be no end to the greed of the lords.

The serfs destroyed their gardens and all the crops, setting even the Tax-A-Lot fields on fire and they slaughtered all their livestock. They stopped working and Tax-A-Lot quickly ground to a halt. The marketplace closed down as there was nothing to trade. The serfs lived off of roots and rats and anything that was available. But serf’s were used to a life of just getting by and believed this hardship was worth it.

The tax collectors had nothing to collect and as they were held in distain equally by the lords and the productive serfs, they were the first to starve. They realized too late that the productivity of the majority had also kept them fed.

The lords soon realized that their plan had backfired and they had become considerably less wealthy as a result of it. They had gone too far and pushed the serfs too hard, but they still felt the need to abuse their authority because that is what lords do.

So they sent all their troops to intimidate the serfs, but the troops refused to harm the serfs because they knew that without their productivity they too would soon starve. The troops, after all, were just serfs with swords and rightly identified with the serf’s plight.

The serfs convinced the troops that the lords needed to be sent a message. They joined together and headed for the castle. They stood before the Lords and read a declaration of their own.

“Let it be known that from this day forward in the kingdom of Tax-A-Lot that the serfs, will provide the lords a reasonable portion of their labor to cover the costs of governing and defending Tax-A-Lot. The portion will be determined by a vote of all the productive serfs and the lords will have to learn to live within their means. Further, all personal gardens, possessions and accumulated wealth of the serfs will not be subject to taxation.”

The lords had no choice but to accept these terms, because as it turns out, much to everyone’s surprise, the serfs were the real power behind the success of Tax-a-Lot.

And, because this story has no stimulus package or bailouts, Tax-A-Lot became the most productive place in all of the land.

It's Terminator Time

2009-02-18T07:46:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

The Governor of California says he will lay off 10,000 state employees in response to the failure of the legislature to pass tax increases. The total could be 20,000 employees. That is 20,000 out of a total of 2.5 million state employees. The msm usually forgets to mention the fact that California has that many government employees.

My first question is: If you can respond to not getting your way with increased taxes and layoff 10,000 people, did you really need those employees in the first place?

My second question is: Will the taxpayers of California miss them, or even realize that they are gone?

My third question: What is more important; 10,000 government jobs or the ruin more taxes will cause to California’s economy?

People and businesses have been voting with their feet in large numbers as they flee California for friendlier economic ground. Earth to California; you have a problem and tax increases will only make it worse.

When economic times are hard, government cutbacks are in order. It seems the only people expected to make sacrifices are the taxpayers. The solution to economic problems is not more taxes, it is cutbacks, and that means shrinking the size of government.

California has more idiotic rules and regulations than any other state, you could say they are the model for Socialism in this country and that is no complement. That’s why the world’s eighth largest economy is going under fast.

Now a reasonably intelligent person would say: We have gone too far and we need to revisit our idiotic policies and make changes. We need to stop listening to and appeasing every special interest “I’ve got a gripe” group of leftwing nutcases and do only what is best for the majority of California taxpayers.

It is time for states as well as the federal government to look at ways to shrink government and reduce regulations. Reality is people in the private sector face the possibility of losing their jobs in tough economic times. While no one wants to see others lose their job, do state employees deserve to be treated differently? Are they so important and special that they should be guaranteed employment for life no matter what the cost to the taxpayers?

Rather than using layoffs as a threat, use it as a part of a plan to help relieve a government that is suffering out of control bloat. Ask yourself: Exactly why is it that California taxpayers should be upset by a reduction in government employees beyond a bit of sympathy?

Prove to us that you are serious about solving the economic problems you have helped to create and you will be taken seriously. It is time to Cowboy Up and make the hard choices.

A Majority of Two

2009-02-07T05:32:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Do Senators Arlen Specter and Sue Collins believe they are reasonable, independent and thoughtful legislators because they support the “compromise” stimulus, which is really no compromise at all? http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/02/06/senators-reach-tentative-deal-b-economic-stimulus/

The tip-off that this is not compromise seems to be Carl Levin saying outright that they’ll just try to get the rest of their pork back in. http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NWM4ZDM2NDJlODc1MjJiMmIxMGEyMDE3NmI3ZDEyMGM=

There is no good justification for losing the compromise negotiations and caving into the Democrats while trying to make it look like they achieved something. If they stop for a moment and look around they might see that none of the other usual RINO suspects are standing closely beside them and you would think that might give them pause for concern. And if it is such a needed piece of legislation how come no one wants to be the 60th vote?

I realize that both Maine and Pennsylvania are in financial difficulty and stimulus pork will be going their way. But the stimulus package contains much that is very questionable non stimulus spending.

For instance; ACORN funding is still in the bill and I predict that money will be used for “community organizing” against Republicans through voter registration, GOTV and collection of Census data which will impact redistricting. So supporting this bill could provide government funding that is destructive to the fairness of the political process. Think of it, our tax dollars being used against us politically.

Specter and Collins in their “five minutes of fame” moment can try to spin their support anyway they want, but I don’t think it will wash with people who understand the significance of this horrible piece of socialist spending legislation.

Interesting, neither Pennsylvania nor Maine voters have the right to recall their politicians. http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Recall Voters might want to consider changing their state constitutions to include recall after they see the damage caused by this spending spree.

When the spending spree fails to deliver and the economy worsens, remember those who voted for it. Let’s make sure their five minutes of fame lives on forever in infamy.

Pelosi Next Under The Bus?

2009-02-04T03:05:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

This story at Fox News belies any myth about Democrat unity. Would Congressman Jim Cooper be out there saying the O team encouraged him to defy Nancy on Stimulus unless they wanted it publicly known? http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,487632,00.html

Now the story seems to be that O team wanted a clean Stimulus bill but House gave them a messy bill. House Dems did not even read it? They were told to just sign it?

Well, if O Team wanted a clean bill why did they support the messy one? Why didn’t they ask that it be cleaned up? Why didn’t they urge Nancy to work with the GOP on it? Why weren’t members encouraged to read it?

Now that the pork in the bill has been exposed and it is rapidly losing favor with the voters, looks more to me like they want to find someone to blame for this terrible piece of legislation and for the failure of the bill to gain bipartisan support and Nancy drew the short straw. Of course she set herself up to be the whipping boy with her highly partisan behavior. But there is plenty of blame to go around between them.

Yet, the buck stops at the White House. Who wanted the bill in the first place? Who made the pork campaign promises? Who wanted it quickly? Who urged its passage? Who proclaimed “I won” and, while urging GOP compromise, offered none in return?

With Conservative Democrats in open rebellion, GOP criticism of her leadership and the White House calling her stimulus bill messy, Nancy may find she has few friends willing to go to bat for her. But there is plenty of blame to go around. So much for personal responsibility in “every man for himself” Washington.

D.’s Tax-A-Lot Stimulus Package

2009-01-31T13:50:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Yep, you guessed it, more Tax-A-Lot tongue in cheek.

Stimulus Plans …The Dems have one, The GOP has one, Rush has one, so hey, why not me? I’m a citizen and taxpayer too ya know.

Here is my proposal; BAILOUT EVERYBODY.

As you can see, I prefer simple plans, so here’s how it works;

We mail special ATM Stimulus cards to everyone in Tax-A-Lot. Whenever anyone needs money they simply go to the closest Tax-A-Lot ATM machine punch in their SSN – “Stimulus Security Number” (formerly known as Social Security Number) enter the amount they need and presto the money machine comes alive!

Think of it, no more poverty … everyone will be wealthy. There will be no need for socialized medicine because everyone will be able to afford healthcare. No need for Social Security, Welfare, Medicare, Medicaid, Subsidized Loans for College and no one will need a mortgage so bye, bye Fannie and Freddie. We won’t even need banks. Think what it will do to lower the crime rate. We will all live in mansions, have big screen HDTV, drive Lamborghini’s and eat Caviar whenever we feel like it. Just one long bailout bash.

Now I know it will be hard for the government to print money as fast as we withdrawal it, so I propose the new ATM machines be equipped to print it on the fly. Problem solved!

O.K. - There is a downside to my plan, but there is always a downside in every plan. Since no one will have to work in Tax-A-Lot a few problems might arise; there will be no taxpayers to pick up the tab and it will be impossible to find a plumber, but it's impossible to find one now so nothing will change much. I don't want to get defensive but the Dems came up with their flawed plan in ten minutes and why should I spend more time on my plan they did on theirs? And, just like them, I'll work out the problems later.

You know, the truth is, we can’t afford any of the other plans either but at least my plan really spreads the wealth around.

So, isn’t it just the greatest plan ever?

Gulag Days?

2009-01-29T11:17:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Guess these three Putin protesters never heard the old saying, "Don't spit into the wind." They have been “detained” by police but they are sure their grievances will be heard? Right, bet they never read Solzhenitsyn ‘s “Gulag Archipelago.” I figure if Putin’s got ‘em in custody, they’ll have plenty of time to catch up on their reading now. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090129/wl_nm/us_financial_russia_protest_1

Bastille Day Re-Enactment Basically a Bust?

2009-01-29T11:05:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090129/wl_nm/us_france_strike_5 Labor Unions in France protest but it did not result in Bastille Day. The economy in France is 6 feet under and they’re basically protesting about union gripes, so much for French patriotism.

And now a moment of pause to quote from a classic;

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the
age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief. It was
the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of
Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had
everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to
Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far
like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its
being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison
only.” Charles Dickens, “A Tale of Two Cities.”

Hey, that could apply to France in 2009. Come to think of it, that could apply to the entire world right now. Well, I already read the book so I know how it ends.

Hollywood is probably already preparing for another endless remake movie. Do you think Angelina should play the “Madame Lafarge” character? I wonder if she knows how to knit.

When they storm the Bastille, give me a call.

Pelosi Could Learn From Lyndon Johnson

2009-01-29T07:14:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked if Pelosi had failed the President; http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obama_economy

“When asked whether Pelosi had failed the president by crafting a bill that that
Republicans saw as too partisan to support, Gibbs replied: "This bill went
through Congress, through its procedures. If people stop looking through the
partisan lens and through the economic lens, they'll see it was put together
with Democrats and Republicans and economists who supported us. Because it not
only puts money in people's pockets, but it also creates jobs."

Notice anything? There is no defense of Pelosi in that reply. In politics, if someone is asking that kind of question about you, then you usually have a problem.

It is tough defending defeat and make no mistake Pelosi’s failure to get a single GOP vote added to eleven Democrat defections on the Stimulus Package is a leadership defeat. I suspect that Pelosi is hiding her spectacular leadership failure behind that terse looking smile (the sharks are probably already circling.) It seems she is blinded by her partisanship. It also seems that every time Pelosi opens her mouth she polarizes people. Now that’s a special talent.

Powerful titles merely assign someone the ability to become a successful mover and shaker, what you do with that power really defines your success or failure.

Former President Lyndon Johnson, while serving in the House and later as Senate Majority Leader, understood power and how to use it better than most. He was a practical, pragmatic politician who knew how to compromise to get what he wanted.

On Page 15 of Robert A. Caro’s excellent book “The Years of Lyndon Johnson Means of Ascent” Caro provides some insight into Johnson’s leadership style;

“He ridiculed—intensely and harshly—politicians who fought for ideals and
principles”

Caro also quotes former Congresswoman Helen G. Douglas as saying this about
Johnson; “He made fun of those who refused to bend. . .”

What would Lyndon think of Pelosi’s leadership? I strongly suspect he wouldn’t think much of it. The Stimulus vote was a message about the need for political compromise and inclusion, but who knows if the message was received.

Support Freedom of Speech

2009-01-29T02:58:00.000-08:00

Smart Girl Politics has a petition supporting Freedom of Speech for everyone, including Rush Limbaugh. Freedom of Speech is not just for Democrats and any attempts to stifle opposition is something we should all be concerned about. Please take a moment of your time to sign the petition at; http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/smartgirlpolitics/

Rush Radio Stimulus Plan?

2009-01-28T07:46:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Rush Limbaugh does not form my opinions for me. I form them for myself. While I do not listen to him all the time, I do on occasion tune in on my pocket radio while walking my dogs.

I think Rush is a man of hubris and I’m not much for a constant feed of hubris. But I guess he has earned the right through hard work and perseverance. He is a uniquely American success story.

I was very disturbed this morning when I saw an article on Fox News that said the Democrats had launched an online petition attacking him for his comments; http://www.foxnews.com/politics/first100days/2009/01/27/dems-launch-online-petition-rush-limbaugh/

I really don’t know what the Democrats hope to gain because I only see in their action anger aimed at Rush simply for expressing his views. Expressing views is a concept we call Free Speech and it is the right of all Americans, including Rush.

I don’t know if his views actually influence people, but I am sure the facts that he uses to support them probably do. Rush is not to blame for the facts. Rush is not to blame for the economic meltdown nor the consequences of Democrat bailout mania laced with pork. The facts are the facts. If Rush wants those policies to fail, he has the right to say it.

Now that Bush is no longer President, it seems the Democrats are in search of a polarizing figure to attack and Rush is a convenient target. Vilification of Conservatives is a way of life for Democrats. They always seem to have a whole list of adjectives at the ready to attack those that do not agree with them. This is just business as usual.

Of course you would think that these “important” Democrats would have something better to do with their time.

But the result they seek to achieve, which appears to be stifling the free speech of their opposition, is not going to endear them to anyone except their hardcore base. They have gone after Rush before to charge up their base, so this is not new. Democrats are not known for originality, I guess that’s why they are using the failed FDR plan to “stimulate” the economy.

Do they think they will separate Rush from his ditto followers? My guess is that he will gain more listeners and generate more advertising revenue. Maybe the Democrats attack on Rush should be called the “Rush Radio Stimulus Plan.”

Do they think that the GOP will turn their backs on Rush? I figure the GOP will just use Rush because as long as the Democrats focus on him as their big target, GOP legislators can use him for cover. They will probably say, “We don’t like what Rush is saying,” but I’d bet they hope he keeps saying it. Good cop, bad cop.

Is this "act" the Dems are putting on part of a plan to shut down talk radio and blame Rush for it? Well, estimates are that 23 million people listen to Rush. Do they really want to anger that many people, most all of whom are real taxpayers and are feeling a bit insecure right now?

For me, in the end, this is not about Rush, this is about Free Speech. I may not always agree with what others say, whether liberal or conservative, but I will defend their right to say it. I suggest that the Democrats could learn something from the children’s taunt; “Sticks and stones will break my bones, but names will never hurt me.” If Democrats don’t like what Rush has to say about them, the solution is easy; ignore him and don’t listen to his radio program. It is that simple, unless they have something against Free Speech. And, if that is the case, they'll anger a lot more than 23 million people.

The Socialist Extinction Plan?

2009-01-27T03:21:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Don’t let the word “Social” in Socialist fool you. Let’s face it, Socialists like people’s money, but they just do not like the people they take it from …they especially don’t like children because funding programs for non-voters is a waste of perfectly good taxpayer booty. And, after all, children also do not produce goods and services that can be taxed. So, from a Socialists point of view, children are worthless.

Pelosi’s plans seem to include a lot less children, I guess that’s so Socialists won’t have to waste their taxpayer booty on them.
http://www.heraldextra.com/component/option,com_fireboard/func,view/id,430063/catid,2/
Now you might think this is a new idea that Pelosi seems to have embraced, but not so, Socialists have had it in for children for a very long time …

Here’s three quotes regarding Communist attitudes towards having children from Whittaker Chambers' book Witness;

“And what right had any man or woman to bring children into the 20th-century
world?”

And

“One extreme group among the Communists held that it was morally wrong for
a professional revolutionist to have children at all.”

And

“Abortion was a commonplace of party life. There were Communist doctors who
rendered that service for a small fee.”

Socialists do all in their power to reduce birthrates. That is why, in part, the birthrates in Socialist countries are so low. Only problem with the plan for Socialists is that most of the prevented births and abortions will be of future red diaper babies and their numbers will dwindle, until just us Conservative taxpayers are left. Oops! I’d say it was a very poorly thought out plan. That’s the Socialists for you, always taking the short sighted view and not very bright.

"Grandma" Pelosi, now that seems ironic, doesn't it?

Score One for the Lobbyists

2009-01-27T02:39:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Looks like eliminating earmarks in Tax-A-Lot lasted about 30 seconds. Now there will be earmarks but we just won’t know about it? So, that’s how the new transparency works. The lobbyists will still get earmarks and life goes on in D.C.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090125/ap_on_go_co/the_influence_game_stimulus_lobbying

I keep forgetting that when Democrats put a name to something it means the opposite of what they call it. Example; Transparency means Non-Transparent; The Employee Free Choice Act means No Choice for Employees, etc.

So in Tax-A-Lot, "Read my lips" has a whole new meaning.

LESS = MORE for Pelosi

2009-01-26T12:38:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

I went to Google and typed in “Pelosi says more needed.”

It gave me 254,000 hits, the headlines were mostly about how she wants more money. No surprise there ...

THEN ...

I went to Google and typed in “Pelosi says less needed.”

It gave me 234,000 hits … BUT … and here’s the kicker … the headlines were still MOSTLY ABOUT HOW SHE WANTS MORE MONEY! I guess there should be no surprise there either.

And the hits just keep coming!

Simple Equation For Republicans;

Jobs = Tax Cuts – (Pelosi, Reid + Federal Spending x Obama)

NY Politics … “If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.”

2009-01-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

I LOVE NY – NY POLITICS that is … Here we go, liberal hysteria aimed at Paterson and his choice for Senate.

There are claims that Paterson split the Democrat party, enhanced with attacks on his work ethic, abilities and management style. The threats are coming fast and furious that Cuomo will challenge him in a primary for Governor and that a Lib Congresswoman will challenge Gillibrand for senate in a primary. But in reality isn’t it just a few disgruntled libs with an over inflated sense of self? http://www.nypost.com/seven/01242009/news/columnists/dave_dooms_self_to_lose_vs__andy_151642.htm
It’s a regular New York minute.

But if we cut through some in the left’s hysteria and hyperventilation over this appointment there is much to see, learn and question.

The Democrats were already badly split in NY. Accusing Paterson of splitting them up is a joke. Some who would gain from the accusation are trying to sell it and saying Paterson self-destructed with this appointment. I think not.

Does the following information sound like NY Democrat unity to you?

Many Clinton supporters wanted Gillibrand, why?

Remember Kennedy did not support Hillary for President. Although Cuomo endorsed Hillary for President and she endorsed him for NY Attorney General, Hillary didn’t endorse Cuomo when he ran for NY Governor in a primary against McCall and Cuomo eventually had to drop out of the race.

Paterson supported Hillary in her run for President. Who will the Clintons support for Governor? I’m guessing Paterson.

It is widely reported that the Kennedys and the Cuomos are not on friendly terms .Will the Kennedys support Cuomo in a primary bid against Paterson? My guess is they’ll stay out of it.

The President is said to be pleased with the appointment http://www.politickerny.com/1626/obama-gillibrand-wonderful-choice and apparently Caroline wished her well. But the Cuomo supporters attacked Paterson. Caroline is moving on, Cuomo is not, his supporters are vowing a gubernatorial primary fight against Paterson.

A Cuomo primary fight with Paterson would likely be all or nothing for Cuomo, does he want to take that chance against an incumbent who also happens to be the first African American Governor of NY? If Cuomo loses, chances are there won’t be any more comebacks. I believe Steve Kornacki gets it right in this New York Observer article; http://www.observer.com/2009/politics/why-gillibrand-makes-sense-and-cuomo-doesnt

Ever since Paterson was named Governor, certain liberals have been looking down their nose at him. If I were in his shoes, I would realize they were not going to support my candidacy for Governor no matter what I did to appease them, so why bother trying? What to do? Easy, form alliances with others and position himself for support from some of the most powerful people in politics.

Enter Alphonse D’Amato, former NY GOP Senator and now big time lobbyist and friend of Gillibrand’s REPUBLICAN father, also a big time lobbyist. D’Amato already held a fundraiser for Paterson. Gillibrand interned in D’Amato’s Senate office many years ago. Gillibrand will be able to raise big money for her campaign in 2010 and also for Paterson. http://www.nypost.com/seven/01242009/news/regionalnews/dem_red_alert_on_sen__kirsten_151645.htm

Somewhere out there is the real threat of Rudy Giuliani running for Governor of NY. Giuliani and D’Amato have an on again, off again relationship. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/us/politics/15damato.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

Giuliani has said he is endorsing Pete King for Senate http://www.politickerny.com/1631/giuliani-complements-kennedy-backs-king-senate

Looks like the battle lines are being drawn. (And what’s up with Giuliani’s complement to Caroline?)

With the appointment of Gillibrand, who do you think D’Amato will support for Governor, I’m guessing Paterson and there is gold in “them thar hills.”

2010 is not 2008 - No one who assumes the Liberals will still be in the same power position they are in now truly understands the fickleness of the electorate. Two years is a lifetime in politics especially in hard economic times. Paterson seems to understand that a turn to the right is a real possibility and that Gillibrand has the credentials and money backers to survive it. In the process Paterson seems to be gathering a rally of the moderate Democrats, RINOS and Independents around him so he too can survive it. If he succeeds, these few angry anti-Paterson liberals are about to find out they are a small insignificant group that live isolated, out of touch lives in NYC.

One more thing and maybe the most telling of all, the very liberal Chuck Schumer is also pleased with Gillibrand’s appointment; http://www.politickerny.com/Horowitz Apparently, he gets it. Paterson is the man with the plan.

Over the next two years, DINOS (Democrats in name only) may become the next big thing in politics. Democrats are good at surviving, if nothing else.

Anyone up for singing a political chorus of “I Will Survive”

NY Gov’s Shrewd Move; "Palin Light"

2009-01-23T07:18:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Liberal NYC Dems are not happy with Gov Paterson’s apparent choice of Hillary’s Senate replacement.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/22/new-york-gov-paterson-rep-gillibrand-clintons-senate-seat/

But I’d say it was a very politically astute move on his part. Appointing US Rep. Gillibrand, a moderate Democrat who was elected in a traditionally Republican district throws NY State moderate Democrats and RINOS a political bone. These Upstate folks have got to be uncomfortable with the off the wall behavior of the far left bordering on absolute lunacy, but Gillibrand is their kind of Democrat ... non threatening.

The NYC Dems should be thanking Paterson because he might be the only Democrat in NY, or the country for that matter, who “gets it.” Paterson is giving the Democrats of his state and country “Palin Light.” He apparently understands the attraction that millions of Americans have for Palin as the persona of “every woman.” Now the Democrats will have an “every woman” of their very own. They should be celebrating. Of course no one said Libs were the brightest of bulbs, but the benefits may eventually become apparent even to them.

Since Palin has already run the interference and suffered the slings and arrows of “hunting,” “lacking experience” and “motherhood” Gillibrand can cruise into the spot without so much as a scratch from the msm, despite her centrist Democrat credentials. Paterson will send a strong moderate message to the voters of NY, the great majority of them are probably very relieved he did not choose Caroline or the other Leftos on the list.

I know a smart political move when I see it.

The Census Circus Will Be Coming To Town

2009-01-22T07:30:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

The 2010 U.S. Census will be upon us before we know it. What that means to politicians is; federal money and political power.

If you understand what is at stake you will see how important it is to pay attention to the Census. Here is a good explanation, long, but a good read; http://supct.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/98-404.ZS.html

The Census will be used for redistricting (redrawing) political lines of representation. Municipal Council Districts, County Board Reps, State Legislative and Congressional District Representation map lines will change.

In states that have lost population some elected officials at the Congressional level will lose their seats and in states that have gained population seats will be gained. Municipal, State and County Legislators will have their lines shifted based on equalizing representation through population. But make no mistake; these lines will be very creative interpretations of fairness for political purposes.

Each of the political parties wants the same thing; to make sure the lines are drawn in their favor. Dems and the GOP will hire people to draw them new maps based on gaining the redistricting advantage. These maps will be held close to the vest and played like a game of high stakes poker.

State legislators will become very important because they decide on how the Congressional maps will be drawn. Whatever party is in charge at the state level will pretty much get the district lines they want and if there is a loss of a Congressional seat, chances are great that it will be the party in the minority that loses it. Deals will be struck for political survival. If the new lines are too bizarre they will be challenged in court.

Since the last Census, people who were not happy with their state, mostly blue states, have been voting with their feet. It will be interesting to see the number of Congressional representatives they lose in redistricting. New York and California will definitely lose Congressional seats.
This will require that the Democrats put on a Census Circus in order to inflate the numbers of what they call “undercounted minorities.”

Court battles will probably renew a fight over “Imputation.”

The statistical question is; If you do not know how many people there are in the first place, how do you know that you under, or for that matter, over-counted them? It is just a statistical guess. While sampling cannot be used in the Census, imputation can be used. But I can see where there would be plenty of opportunity for Dems to abuse imputation in the count.

“It’s not fair to minorities.” will be the Dems mantra, barkering it under the "big tent" of the Census Circus. The msm will overdose on it. But it is really just about power and money, fairness has nothing to do with it. After all, it is not the population count per se that determines the fairness of representation within district lines; fairness is determined by the politicians who draw those lines.

Here is the real danger ahead; I believe the ultimate goal of the Dems will be to use imputation to their advantage. If this is allowed to happen it could be a political redistricting disaster.

I also believe the Dems will do all in their power to control the count. Imagine this; ACORN Census takers being paid to count “undercounted minorities.” Don’t think it cannot happen. Remember that much political power and federal funding to the states is at stake and I don’t have to tell you that Democrats are known to cheat.

I could name a lot of things that aren’t fair but a true count of the census is not one of them. I urge people who want a fair count to pay close attention to information reported about the Census and you may want to volunteer to become a Census taker, especially if you live in a city. If possible, also try to get involved in the redistricting process.

SGPball

2009-01-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

I was at the SGPBall last evening. I am new to Twitter having signed up for it to attend the Ball. My husband looked at the screen and said “Are you in a chat room?” I hadn’t thought about it, but he was right, so I said, “Yep, that’s what it looks like to me.”

I really didn’t make but a couple of comments, call me a good listener! I just read the comments as they scrolled along down the screen because I was really interested in finding out the opinions of others.

It was interesting and a good way for people to connect with each other, no one wants to think they are alone in their views. It was a success from the publicity point of view as I’m sure it generated lots of new interest in SGP and that is a good thing. Making people feel included is important. SGP is growing quickly because of this inclusiveness and mutual respect for the varied opinions of conservatives.

I thank the organizers for their hard work in putting it together. If you are tired of same old, same old click on over to SmartGirlPolitics (link on logo at right on this page) and join the team, guys are welcome too!

Musings

2009-01-21T05:58:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

1. I woke up this morning, looked out the window and no new car was in my driveway. My refrigerator had not been filled with food and I still had to write the checks to pay my bills because they did not disappear. My investments were worth less due to yesterday’s post speech stock plunge and I’m sure my share of the national debt increased. So I asked myself the “Reagan question” only modified; "Are you better off today than you were yesterday?" Nope.

2. The big question will be whether or not we will all be better off four years from now? I’m guessing not.

3. A “stay classy” moment, much to my amusement. Hot Air, bless their hearts, posted this video clip from ABC on their website; http://tinyurl.com/8nf49t of the Carters and Clintons apparently snubbing each other at the inaugural. It was hard to tell who seemed to snub who and I give it a -5 on the Presidential greatness charts. Hey maybe it just needs a peace process. O could bring them both to Camp David and shuttle between cabins, replicating Carter’s “All you need is love theme” holding hands with them until there is a breakthrough. There could be a Noble Peace prize in it. Of course the Carter Love In didn’t work out real well over the long term, especially for Sadat.

4. The msm is having an “adjective overdose moment.”Unfortunately, it is not going to go away. They are all beginning to sound like society page writers due to the apparent lack of journalistic integrity. Be prepared for; Grace, Humor, Wit, Style, Class … and all sorts of gush … just don’t expect any serious reporting, we are on our own for that kind of news.

SGP Ball Tonight

2009-01-20T03:53:00.000-08:00

Visit:

#sgp2012

Nothing But Blue Skies Ahead

2009-01-19T07:19:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

No, the world won’t be singing in perfect harmony. The doves of peace won’t make any more inroads than they have before.

BUT … it will seem that way.

Now that a Liberal Democrat is becoming President, the msm will make it sound as if all our worldly troubles have disappeared.

And these are the times that will try the minds of petty dictators. In their endless quest for msm attention all they had to do to get attention was criticize Bush and blame our Democratic/Capitalistic system for their personal failures and the msm would hang on their every word. Socialist movie stars would flock to their side in support and there was no end to the attentions paid them.

If they think low oil prices are ruining them politically, these petty dictators are about to fall on really hard times. It has already started. The effigy burnings in Iran of the Pres-Elect were not widely reported. Chavez’s paranoid criticism of the Pres-Elect was also not widely reported.
These same dictators were huge supporters of the Pres-Elect during the campaign and were deliriously happy when he was elected. I guess they should have been more careful of what they wished for, because now the msm has a vested interest in running cover for any of their negative or critical comments aimed at the Pres-Elect.

The petty dictators are going to find it much harder to get any public attention when criticizing U.S. policy. They will have to rely on European news outlets to get the story out and let’s face it most Americans don’t read Euro news. So they will remain blissfully ignorant of the latest info coming from the petty dictator information super highway. It is akin to; “If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?” well; “If a petty dictator goes on an anti-American rant and the msm doesn’t print it, does it count?” Heaven only knows what dangerous stunts they will try to pull to feed their U.S. media attention seeking egos.

Suddenly the msm is going to make the world seem like a much more peaceful place. But in reality it will be the same old war weary place with the same divisions and hatreds. The petty dictators will still be spewing their lies and blaming our country for their own failures. The only difference is we just won’t be told about it or the story will be buried on the back pages. And whereas the msm blamed every woe in the world on Bush, now all woes will be directed away from the new administration. Any military action taken by the Pres-Elect will become noble and necessary, free of anti-war protests.

Consider it a “bad news blackout” for the next four years. No famine, No disease, No poverty, No petty dictators, No world tensions, No U.S. bashing, No nuclear threats, No protests, No environmental crisis, No criticism of the U.S. from Socialist movie stars …

Just blue skies ahead in Liberal La La Land.

Dress for Success?

2009-01-18T09:23:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Replicating Lincoln’s inauguration is not what I would have chosen as a “theme” party. Nostalgia and history are two different things. The Democrats have adopted Lincoln as one of their own. First they replicated his funeral for JFK and now his inaugural. You would think they could come up with Democrats FDR or Wilson for their reenactments of history.

I guess that is because the Democrats are much like the Whig Party that Lincoln was a long time member of before it fell apart and he became a Republican. But he never stopped being a Whig. Besides, usurping the other Party’s guy is so much more Machiavellian.

I really wouldn’t want our country to emulate, over the next term of office, years of civil war, the suspended writ of habeas corpus, destruction of vast amounts of property, inflation, shortages, forced impressments, church burnings, hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths, family turned against family, trampling on state rights, rape and pillage and thousands of imprisonments for merely being critical of the government.

Although a re-enactment of Lincoln shutting down the msm for the slightest of criticism would be an interesting and ironic turn of events, I would be against it in any form.

At the time of Lincoln’s election with less than 40% of the popular vote, he was so despised there were plots against his life. He actually had to sneak into Washington for his inaugural dressed as a woman. He succeeded in getting into town, disguised as an old woman, complete with hunched over walk. Talk about dress for success.

I’m sure glad they decided to skip re-enacting that part of the story.

The Slippery Slope of Creeping Corruption

2009-01-16T06:26:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

“America is a shining city upon a hill whose beacon light guides freedom-loving people everywhere." Ronald Reagan

Remember way back in the old days when any scandal would send a politician packing? Over the years the Democrats and their msm friends have been lowering the standards of integrity to a point where almost anything goes. Corruption is a dangerous slippery slope because entrusting corrupt people to protect our freedom is like entrusting a fox to guard the henhouse.

Our government currently has or have had serving in very high offices people who have stolen, perjured themselves, taken bribes, cheated on their taxes, been involved in sex scandals, taken illegal drugs, sold out their country, avoided the draft, behaved irresponsibly causing someone else’s death, etc. or you name it, they've done it.

There have been many corrupt politicians over the course of the history of our country, but if they were caught their political careers were ended. Now, if a Democrat is caught, the msm run cover for them minimizing the offense and the damage. They just stay in office like it never happened, unless the Democrats themselves have a reason to want them gone. Of course, the Republicans are still being held to the old standard. But everyone needs to be held to a higher standard.

This bold, in your face corruption is the way of the Socialist state. It is the hallmark of Socialism, an immoral way of life with a double standard for the people in power versus the masses. Things that others in our society would be jailed for doing, politicians are rewarded for doing. Politicians being above the very laws that they enact is no Democracy.

And we tolerate it. Is it any wonder that they feel empowered to get away with anything? Our tolerance tells them yes they can. Re-electing crooks, who then appoint their crooked friends to assist them is the surest way to corrupt government.

The Senate confirmation hearings have become a joke. Crooks and cheaters are being praised and put into positions where they do not belong. These are very powerful positions and the decisions they make will impact us all.

You don’t have to wonder why the politicians in D.C. are ignoring the wishes of the people because they no longer represent the people. They represent their own selfish agenda so what else would expect of a bunch of cheaters and crooks?

My disappointment is in the voters who do not take the time to educate themselves. There are too many people who know all the details about the goings on in Hollywood or in sports, but can’t name their Congressman or Senator or even answer simple questions about their government. The crooks and cheaters count on this inattentive ignorance and millions of voters gladly accommodate them.

Corrupt government is not going to give these people a wake-up call because they prefer that they sleep in and these people seem to enjoy sleeping. But as a result, we are all going to continue to get the most corrupt, power hungry government money can buy. If this continues unabated, for those of us with our eyes wide open there will only be a memory of a bright shining city on a hill whose beacon light at one time guided freedom-loving people everywhere … but whose light flickered then died and freedoms were lost because so many did not have the will to preserve them.

It is time to wake up and speak up, the light is flickering, do not let it die.

New Effigy In-Chief

2009-01-13T13:34:00.000-08:00

Posted By D.

Something has changed in Iran. They have now given up Bush effigy burnings in favor of O effigy burnings. I'm sure this is one aspect of the job Bush won't miss at all.

I seem to recall these folks cheering when O was elected. Talk about a quick drop in popularity. Hey the guy isn’t even in office yet.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/middle_east/article5510665.ece

Guess they aren’t buying into the "hope" thing. Just goes to show, politicians can’t please everybody, much as they try.

A Tax-A-Lot Tale

2009-01-13T09:54:00.000-08:00

Written tongue in cheek by D. because I'm tired of reading all the deficit spending news today.

Once upon a time in the kingdom of Tax-A-Lot the serfs told their lords that they could grow 3 trillion potatoes for the support of the kingdom. But the lords told them they wanted 5 trillion potatoes. The vast majority (about 65%) of serfs strongly protested the burden, the rest of the serfs don’t pay much attention to what the lords are doing, to the detriment of all.

This majority told the lords that 5 trillion potatoes was an impossible request as there was a limitation on what could be taken from their productivity. They asked; “What if something unpredictable happened?” The situation could get out of hand.

Ignoring the pleas of the serfs, the lords voted among themselves declaring that Tax-A-Lot would print drawings of 2 trillion potatoes to make up for the extra potatoes they wanted. But the serfs knew that this was a bad idea because you cannot eat drawings of potatoes and eventually there would be a potato shortage, causing great hardship among the serfs.

The lords didn’t really care, after all, even if there was a shortage, the lords would still be well fed, because they controlled the collection and distribution of the potatoes.

Once the lords printed the potatoes they saw that 2 trillion was not going to be enough to pay for all their castle improvement projects and pay off their well connected friends at court, so they printed a couple trillion more drawings.

As predicted by the serfs, a famine occurred among them and all the barrels full of potato drawings could not be used to obtain a single real potato. The cost of a real potato being out of reach and having exhausted the personal supply allotted to them by a complicated potato tax formula devised by the lords, the serfs were reduced to eating roots and grass. Then, due to unpredictable poor weather, they were unable to grow even 3 trillion potatoes, so the shortage worsened as potato production fell sharply. Many serfs eventually gave up trying to grow potatoes as the climate and unreasonable demands of the lords made potato growing seem a pointless effort.

For a while the lords continued to eat well, so they could not understand why so many serfs were starving and complaining. They decided to print more potato drawings to bail the poor ignorant serfs out. Of course, this did not solve the problem.

And, eventually, there were no potatoes to be had in all of Tax-A-Lot and even the lords started to starve. The lords realized too late how dependent they were on the serf’s productivity to support the economy of Tax-A-Lot. They did not heed the serf’s common sense warnings because, having never actually produced potatoes or, for that matter, anything at all, it turns out they were really the ignorant ones. They failed to understand the basics of the potato economy they were trying to control and as a result became impotent lords ruling over non-existent potatoes.

Meanwhile, the serfs being a resilient group of folks who knew how to survive on roots and grass, started growing carrots in small gardens behind their huts and devised a new barter system based on their carrot production. The serfs saved Tax-A-Lot from complete ruin by their idiot lords but it was never the same successful kingdom it had once been.

And they lived ever after. Hey,"happily ever after" would be a bit of a stretch, they are serfs after all. You get to choose your own moral to this story. Share it with me in comments.

The Replacement’s Replacement Choice

2009-01-13T04:03:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

You would think that selecting NY Senator Clinton’s replacement should be something about which New Yorkers need to be kept abreast. After all, this person will represent them in the Senate.

Not so. Governor Paterson seems to be playing his selection process close to the vest;
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/12/ny-governors-secretive-process-selecting-clinton-successor-violate-state-law/

While it is his legal right to choose a replacement, leaving New Yorkers out of the information loop seems like bad form. It seems New Yorkers don’t even know all the names of those being considered, let alone qualifications or positions on the issues.

Apparently this may also be a violation of NY Freedom of Information law. But the Governor is a Democrat and we know the law doesn’t apply to Democrats. They pick and choose the laws with which they wish to comply.

So basically, a Governor who was not directly elected Governor by the voters is choosing a Senator who will not be elected Senator by the voters. The replacement chooses the replacement and chooses not to reveal details of selection process.

New Yorkers need to remember that when they vote and replace them both.

But I Don’t Own a Tiny Violin

2009-01-11T04:18:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

I cannot believe the sympathy employed in this AP article regarding the poor pirates who drowned off Somalia when their boat capsized while trying to speed to shore with their booty of $3 million;

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090110/ap_on_bi_ge/piracy_12

The poor, poor pirates drowned and there is a search on for their bodies. These poor, poor pirates can’t make a living in their poor, poor, poor country so they turn to piracy on the high seas.

This part was especially touching; (my emphasis added)

“Abukar Haji, uncle of one of the dead pirates, blamed the naval surveillance for the accident that killed his pirate nephew Saturday.

"The boat the pirates were traveling in capsized because it was running at high speed because the pirates were afraid of an attack from the warships patrolling around," he said.

"There has been human and monetary loss but what makes us feel sad is
that we don't still have the dead bodies of our relatives. Four are still
missing and one washed up on the shore."

Pirate Daud Nure said three of the eight passengers had managed to swim to shore after the boat overturned in rough seas. He was not part of the pirate operation but knew those involved.
"Here in Haradhere the news is grim, relatives are looking for their dead," he said.”

Yea, and I strongly suspect that while looking for the bodies, they are also looking for the booty.

Armed pirates and their illegal activities are the poor, poor victims and the bad guys are naval surveillance? That's kinda twisted.

I don’t own a tiny violin, so how else can I express myself about these pirates? Arrrrrrrrrrrrrgh!

Piracy is not the answer to Somalia’s problems.

The Six Degrees of “Democrat” Separation

2009-01-09T14:41:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Yep, I was out hunting for the degrees of separation of party affiliation in this AP article entitled;

“Baltimore mayor indicted on theft, perjury charges” http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090109/ap_on_re_us/baltimore_mayor_probe_4

Of course, it was in Baltimore (first degree of separation,) so I strongly suspected it had to be a Democrat Mayor who was indicted on theft (second degree of separation) and perjury (third degree of separation) charges. The real “Democrat” affiliation tip off for me was the flattering photo (fourth degree of separation) and the quote by Mayor Dixon in paragraph four; “I am being unfairly accused.”(fifth degree of separation) Then I knew it was a Democrat for sure, but I hung in there until I reached the final degree of separation and the Mayor's Democrat party affiliation was finally revealed to me in the sixth paragraph.

Now if it had been a Republican, party affiliation as well as the politician’s name would probably have been in the headline and it would have probably also been accompanied by the most awful photo they could find. Zero degrees of separation!

Key Point

2009-01-09T09:18:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

I was reading a brochure from TD Wealth Management this morning. There was a section called “Six key points to remember about the Credit Crisis.”

Key point number three was interesting (my emphasis added);

“Credit crises generally run their course over a period of two years or when governments do not let their economies purge themselves of their excesses, in which case the crisis can drag on for years. Japan was the best example of this and their credit crisis lasted the full decade of the 1990’s.”

Is the financial world trying to tell us all something?

Seems to me they are and the message is real clear, it is time for government to spend less, not more.

Right now we are being told that a few Democrats are opposed to some of the items in the Pres-Elect’s “economic recovery plan.”

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hEx3tiPJhZQLVqjNmHR_oP6FZMuwD95JI2G81

They are mostly just splitting spending hairs arguing about amounts and how to spend it. If you argue over whether to put the billions here or there, I’d say you are missing the point.

Although, to their credit, Senators Conrad and Gregg both say they are “against using the economic recovery plan for permanent spending increases.” But that probably won’t stop the permanent spending increases, unless they are the toss away part of the "show" to make it appear they are fiscally responsible.

These disagreements are always more about show than go. It may even be aimed at baiting the Republicans into arguing about the merits of parts of the plan, rather than the merits of having a plan at all ... once Republicans take the bait, Democrats give in on something they didn’t care about anyway, claim they compromised and then Republicans and Democrats congratulate themselves for reaching the compromise … and the Democrats get the cover they want in the form of bipartisan support. Hey, Republicans fall for that Liberal trick all the time, that’s part of the reason we are in this mess and in the minority.

I stopped believing that Liberals were capable of any fiscal responsibility long ago. I am also beginning to doubt the will of Republicans to fight the good fight against government excesses.
What would get my attention is if they opposed the plan altogether. In that same AP article, Rep. John Boehner, the House GOP Leader said,” We can’t buy prosperity with more and more government spending.” And my reply is; don’t just talk the Republican talk, walk the Republican walk.

My father once told me, “Be careful of any plan that has the broad support of both parties, it usually means you are about to be “expletive deleted.”” (I won’t use his colorful terminology here)

Folks, right now it doesn’t look like the excesses are going to be purged, so I guess we can expect the crisis to drag on for years.

Want to run for Congress in 2010?

2009-01-09T03:40:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Gals, if any of you ever dreamed of running for Congress, 2010 may be your best chance.

Why? Because GOP candidate recruitment is as likely to as low as their moral right now and you won’t get the normal rush of lower level “risk adverse” career politicians seeking to move up. It just won’t be as difficult to get on a ticket in areas where a Democrat incumbent currently holds the seat. These are the conditions that are ripe for newcomers, especially women newcomers. There is opportunity in defeat, which never exists in victory.

You’ll need the backing of the party. Call the GOP County Chairman/men within your Congressional District and express an interest in running and be prepared to sell him on your qualifications and abilities. If he is interested, he will advise you and open doors for you that will assist in winning the party nomination which gets you the ballot line and party support.

But you must start now. It takes a lot of groundwork, planning, fundraising and campaigning to become a viable candidate. Chances are you will not win the first time so you should be willing to run more than once. That is how many, now famous, politicians got their start.

When the odds in politics become longer, there are fewer people willing to risk taking them. But for those who are willing to go for it, the reward can be all the sweeter. Campaigns are a lot like horse racing, anything can happen during the race. Racing fans know that, most of the time, the favorite wins but long shots occasionally do win.

If you lose, but a make a good showing and earn the respect of the party, you will be surprised at the opportunities that might come your way as a result. If you take the long view, winning and losing are not always as clear cut as they seem.

A salary for the First Lady?

2009-01-08T10:14:00.000-08:00

Yes, Even The San Francisco Chronicle Thinks This is a Bad Idea.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/01/04/INED151STP.DTL

Sounds like a trial balloon to see how the country will react to giving Michelle O. a salary because the poor woman will lose money being First Lady. I guess it is not enough that hubby is Pres-Elect. So, do you think if she gets a salary she will finally be proud of her country? Hellooo … the U.S. is in a major economic downturn, people are losing their jobs, homes and savings … and a salary for the First Lady is being floated. UNREAL.

Words Almost Fail Me

2009-01-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

Germany’s Chancellor Merkel at a Conference on Globalization, wants a U.N. Economic Council created just LIKE the U.N. Security Council? Yea, the U.N. has been so successful at failure in world security matters, now we should let them have a crack at completely destroying the economy.

SEE: http://www.iht.com/articles/2009/01/08/business/crisis.php and
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/01/08/business/EU-France-New-Capitalism.php

“World leaders have said they want to remake the world's financial structures in
the wake of the recent economic turmoil, but there has been no clear consensus
on what needs doing.”

GOT THAT? If not, here is my translation; “We have no idea what we are doing, but we are going to do it anyway.”

ONE WORLD ORDER? THE NEW CAPITALISM = THE OLD SOCIALISM
Personally, I liked the old capitalism.

Folks, this is serious stuff so I guess that’s why it is not being reported much in the msm.

“Anyone? Anyone?”

2009-01-08T06:46:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

A big number doesn’t seem so large without all those zeroes. So saying 1 trillion as opposed to 1,000,000,000,000 is a useful way to make the number seem smaller and to save time typing all those zeroes. But the zeroes are very important and deserve inclusion.

The government of Tax-A-Lot’s deficit numbers are so large most people can’t relate to their actual size, more so without the zeroes, they just know the word “trillion” means a big number. Tax-A-Lot is counting on that as they pile on the debt, deeper and higher.

But here is a way to visualize it;
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/img/09-08/0920NATtrillions.pdf

Yesterday it was reported that the federal deficit for fiscal year 2009 will be $1.2 trillion. That’s $1,200,000,000,000.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090107/ap_on_bi_ge/budget_deficit_22

That’s a lot of debt, but if you think that is big, check out the total Federal Debt;

The Federal Debt is approximately; $10,600,000,000,000 (10.6 Trillion)

“As of November 19, 2008, the total U.S. federal debt was $10.6 trillion,
with about $37,316 per capita (that is, per U.S. resident). The October 3rd,
2008 bailout bill (H.R.1424), section 122, raised the U.S. debt ceiling from $10
trillion to $11.3 trillion. Of this amount, debt held by the public was roughly
$6.3 trillion. In 2007, the public debt was 36.8 percent of GDP, with a total
debt of 65.5 percent of GDP.”
Source Quoted; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_public_debt

The government has succeeded in making debt a large percentage of GDP.

How much does the government take in from taxes? Well, in 2004, Federal, State and Local government took in over $3,000,000,000,000 ($3 trillion.)

But they just can’t seem to manage on that paltry sum.

Where did that $3,000,000,000,000 come from? The short answer is it came from us taxpayers. But with higher and higher unemployment and more and more people entering retirement, there are fewer and fewer of us.

In case you are curious about the $3,000,000,000,000 broken out by specific taxes, here is a list of taxes for 2004 with all the zeroes;

Table 13. Federal, State and Local Taxes Allocated in the Current
Study, Calendar Year 2004

Federal Taxes
Calendar Year
2004
Amount

Payroll Taxes (Contributions for
Government Social Insurance) $802,200,000,000

Individual Income
Taxes $801,400,000,000

Corporate Income Taxes
$244,500,000,000

Estate and Gift Taxes
$24,600,000,000

Gasoline Excise Taxes
$24,200,000,000

Customs Duties, Etc.
$23,300,000,000

Air Transport Excise Taxes
$12,100,000,000

Other Excise Taxes
$10,400,000,000

Diesel Fuel Excise Taxes
$9,200,000,000

Alcoholic Beverages Excise Taxes
$8,400,000,000

Tobacco Excise Taxes
$7,100,000,000

Total Federal Taxes
$1,967,400,000,000

State and Local Taxes

Property Taxes
$329,800,000,000

General Sales and Gross Receipts Taxes
$254,200,000,000

Individual Income Taxes
$225,100,000,000

Other Taxes on Production and Imports
$48,200,000,000

Corporate Income Taxes
$43,100,000,000

Gasoline Excise Taxes
$33,800,000,000

Other Excise Taxes
$29,300,000,000

Public Utilities Taxes
$21,600,000,000

Insurance Receipts Taxes
$14,600,000,000

Personal Motor Vehicle License Taxes
$13,600,000,000

Tobacco Excise Taxes
$12,300,000,000

Motor Vehicle Licenses on Production & Imports
$7,600,000,000

Severance Taxes $6,900,000,000

Special
Assessments Taxes $6,500,000,000

Personal Property Taxes
$5,700,000,000

Estate and Gift Taxes
$5,700,000,000

Alcoholic Beverages Excise Taxes
$4,600,000,000

Other Personal Taxes
$4,100,000,000

Total State and Local Taxes
$1,066,700,000,000

Source: U.S. Commerce Department’s
Bureau of Economic Analysis; Tax Foundation
http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/wp1.pdf

And now we are being warned of the “dire consequences” of not spending more. I seem to recall being warned of the “dire consequences” of not passing the big bailout a few months ago. Yet as the deficit spending increases, the economy continues to tank.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090108/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_economy

OUESTION: How long do you think we can sustain this ever increasing debt?

ANSWER: Who knows? … I feel like the Economics Professor (played by Ben Stein) in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” when, after asking a question and receiving no reply, he said, “Anyone? Anyone?”

Good News; Earrings for Almost Everyone in Tax-A-Lot!

2009-01-07T12:16:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

So the Pres-Elect wants to give a $500 “tax cut.” http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090105/bs_afp/uspoliticseconomytaxobama

Of course unlike the $600 Bush tax rebate last year, this is the Liberal Democrat version, extending the amount of folks who receive it. Apparently, who does the cutting makes all the difference, because now Michelle O. can be “proud” that in America her husband has made it possible so that almost everyone can afford to buy another new pair of earrings. Of course, since the “tax cut” is smaller you will have to settle for less expensive earrings, maybe you can buy them on sale.

What am I talking about?

Back in July, Michelle didn’t much like Bush’s $600 version, here is what she said;

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/11/a-week-of-malaise-and-many-gaffes/
“Barack’s approach is that the short-term quick fix kinda stuff sounds good. And it may even feel good that first month when you get that check. And then you go out and you buy a pair of earrings.”

My advice; buy gold earrings you can always sell or trade them when you need the money to buy groceries.

Note: This post was written by me at the request of a good friend, hope you’re happy now!

Pres-Elect Appoints Spending “Watchdog”

2009-01-07T11:11:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

News flash from Tax-A-Lot … reform of government spending coming to an entitlement program near you. Social Security and Medicare are on the table for spending “reform.” Remember when Republicans tried to reform those programs and Democrats told Senior Citizens that the “Mean-Spirited GOP” wanted to take away their Social Security? My, how times have changed.

Not surprising that “few details” of the reforms were provided, don’t want to anger the Senior Citizens and Baby Boomers who are about to retire before you find a way to blame the GOP for the “reform.”

According to AP; http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090107/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_15

“President-elect Barack Obama said Wednesday that reforming massive
government entitlement programs — such as Social Security and Medicare — would
be "a central part" of his effort to control federal spending.

Obama made the pledge but provided few details as he named Nancy
Killefer as his administration's chief performance officer, creating a new White
House position aimed at eliminating government waste and improving
efficiency.”

With all the bailouts and wild deficit spending that is going on, plus the new spending that is being proposed, excuse me if I doubt the sincerity of this new found fiscal responsibility.

At least the “news light’ folks of the msm can spend endless hours speculating on what breed of dog this watchdog should be … my guess is it will turn out to be a toothless Chihuahua.

Who is going to break the bad news to all those House and Senate Democrats who have built their long careers on entitlement programs and pork spending? Of course they may not notice since, at the moment, they are in a spending feeding frenzy.

In case you didn’t know how broke these programs are;

“projected expenditures for Medicare and Social Security programs exceed tax
revenues by over $40 trillion over the next 75 years. “

Source; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_public_debt

The Marquess of Queens-Buries-The-Rules

2009-01-06T15:57:00.000-08:00

The fight is on; http://news.yahoo.com/s/cq/20090102/pl_cq_politics/politics3002254_6

And the sport of Boxing will never be the same.

Thanks to Queen Pelosi, the fight rules of Congress have changed;

1. The fight isn’t fair so the size of the majority is the only thing that matters.

2. The gloves are off so forget honest and transparent.

3. Hitting Republicans below the belt is encouraged.

4. When a Republican falls, he is to be trampled and any Democrat can assist in piling on.

5. Any man hanging on the ropes is to be sucker punched, especially Southern Conservative Democrats.

6. Anyone trying to be a reasonable referee, will be tossed from the ring.

7. A Republican on one knee is considered down and out.

8. Republicans are barred from the ring, except in the final knock out round.

9. Shoe and Boot throwing is encouraged.

10. If there is any interference, the lights and microphones will be turned off and the doors locked.

11. The contest in all other respects to be governed by the revised rules of the New Socialist Agenda.

Don’t Blame God

2009-01-05T14:12:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Land is not holy, God is holy. Temples, walls and shrines are not holy, God is holy. Cities are not holy, God is holy. War is not holy, God is holy.

Christianity, Judaism and Islam all believe in one God. Christianity and Islam are rooted in Judaism. Yet, each believes they are the true religion.

Each of these religions preach love and tolerance, none are very good at practicing it.

Christianity was formed around the teachings of one individual Jewish prophet. Islamic religion was formed as a uniting force.

We delude ourselves if we believe there will be an end to violence in the name of God. Violence committed in God’s name is really not about him at all. It is about the tribal nature of humans and how those tribes seek to impose their will on others because of their own insecurities and aggression. And we are no more enlightened or advanced in the matter of achieving religious tolerance than we were thousands of years ago, despite all the intellectual study. That is because we are foolish enough to actually believe the violence has anything to do with religion.

The same battles rage on, each claiming God is on their side, I can’t remember a war in the past several hundred years that has been fought where one or both sides failed to drag God into it. There really is no good solution. In regards to the Middle East, many politicians have tried to offer a solution, all have failed and most have just made the situation worse.

Hate is a powerful emotion and when combined with the name of God it becomes a powder keg. Justification for violence in the name of God is merely cover and a refusal to accept the real human motivations behind it. Those motivations mostly boil down to power struggles that have nothing to do with religion.

It is impossible to address the root of the fears and insecurities of man that cause him to choose violence as a solution as long as God is used for cover. A problem cannot be solved if those who have it refuse to recognize the problem for what it is and I don’t see much that has anything to do with God in the Middle East.

In the Middle East, God is simply being used to rally Muslims against Jews and Christians, the excuse is an injustice against Palestinians. But the Palestinians are merely the pawns who do most of the dying. Iran is pulling the strings. They act as though it is a Holy War being fought over a Holy Land, but it is really just another power struggle aimed at focusing hatred in a certain direction. But then, no one would get very excited about it or be so quick to die for it without the word “Holy” added into the mix.

The greater problem is the game we could call “Ultimate World Chess” that preys upon these disagreements. The motivations of these parties are purely selfish and they take the side that benefits them the most to increase the chances of survival of those in power.

That is why you are not hearing real protest from most of the Middle East. They’ve proved more than once that they really don’t care about the fate of the Palestinians and Iran is a greater threat to them than Israel, so they are probably hoping Israel eliminates the problem of Iranian backed Hamas terror. Iran is under the serious possibility of political and economic collapse and rallying support for Palestinians based on religious war in Gaza deflects attention from their internal problems.

Of course, should it benefit any of the parties involved, they will not hesitate to shift allegiances as necessary for whatever gain they seek.

That is why, for instance, The Soviet Union was able to form a non-aggression pact with Germany, but when invaded by Germany in WWII, they joined the Allies. And after the war, they became our enemy over ideology, which is the Communist’s version of religion.

Speaking of Atheists …

Atheists often make the argument that a world without God would be more peaceful. But the Soviet Union proves that Godless states use ideology and cult of personality, in place of God to achieve the same results.

As long as tribes of men are willing to be manipulated by fear and hate mongering leaders, there will be wars. As long as man holds earthly possessions and objects out to be holy and worth fighting for, there will be wars. As long as we allow our insecurities to get the better of our intellect, there will be wars.

So don’t blame God for the fighting in his name, blame the way man has interpreted and used God for his earthly purposes.

Cross Posted at http://historytwist.blogspot.com/:

GOP Wisdom

2009-01-04T09:52:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

A GOP political mentor of mine once told me that people learn very little from their victories but a lot from their defeats. He said that defeat forces intelligent people to look at the mistakes they made and seek ways to correct them, whereas victory leads to belief in the illusion that you have done everything correctly.

Further, he told me that victories and defeats are really subject to circumstances, many of which are out of your control. But it is important to see what you have done that contributed to either result that was within your control, holding on to what works and applying new ideas to what needs changing. He was a very wise man.

This past election reminds me of the Watergate political era, not because of Watergate, but because of the circumstance of the negative political effects it caused. Right after Watergate, the msm were gleefully pronouncing the GOP dead. Many Republicans running for office actually did not use the word Republican on their political materials. There was talk of a third party. Democrats were gleeful and took every opportunity to “twist the knife in,” so to speak. Republicans lost elected office at all levels of government. The Democrats were the fire ants at the picnic and soon proved they had learned nothing in victory.

It was tough times for the GOP but they were learning much from defeat.

Something important occurred. Many young Republicans refused to be mired in the swamp of the circumstance of Watergate and they stepped up to the plate with enthusiasm, fresh ideas and a willingness to work their hearts out for their beliefs. They were the first to embrace the new, emerging technologies of the computer age and seriously apply them to politics. The RNC sent young field reps into “rough and tumble” political proving ground states like New Jersey where the GOP joked; “that if a Republican could make it there he could make it anywhere.” They teethed on politics and sharpened their skills. They worked long hours, slept in hotel rooms or rented houses, assisting state and county party officials with all aspects of political campaigns and they were having fun doing it. Eventually, these reps would become some of the biggest names in political consulting. But back then they were just worker bees learning their trade the best way anyone can among the folks and the old pols.

These young Republicans helped bring their party back from the dead and within a few years they started winning elections and gaining ground. The circumstance of Jimmy Carter being elected President was a big break for the GOP. After four years of his negative rhetoric filled lectures to the American people, his disastrous handling of the economy and his weakening of the military and U.S. status around the world, people wanted a change because they were not better off under Democrat control. These young Republicans were poised and ready to help make that change happen and Reagan was the right man at the right time to lead them to victory. You could say the very young and the very old teamed up for a smashing success that stunned the Democrats and sent the liberal socialists running for cover. Reagan and his young GOP soldiers became a formidable force.

I tell you this story because after this past election, I am hopeful that history is repeating itself. I see young Republicans refusing to be mired in the swamp of this past election, stepping up to renew their party and infuse it with enthusiasm, fresh ideas and a willingness to work their hearts out for their beliefs. They are applying the latest technologies to GOP politics and seeking to get actively involved in the political process. They see the mistakes and they seek to correct them. It is a very good sign.

The young and the old need to team up to achieve their mutual goals, holding on to what works and applying new ideas to what needs changing. The young pols are the future and the old pols need to mentor them, listen to and embrace their good ideas, encourage their participation and then let them run with the ball. This past election may be the best thing that has happened to the GOP since Carter. It has created a new generation of Republican activists and this old pol will be cheering wildly for their success.

Recipe for Disaster

2009-01-03T18:23:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Ingredients:

1 Democrat President

59 Democrat Senators (or 58 will do)

257 Democrat Congressmen

1 tablespoon of Pelosi (added a little bit at a time)

A dash of Reid (don’t inhale)

½ cup Blago with some Rahm cut in

¼ cup Barney Frank

A teaspoon each of Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, India, Russia, North Korea, Venezuela and Gaza

A liberal sprinkling of trillions of dollars in national debt

Note on Substitutions: Any Kennedy can be appointed in substitution for an ingredient of your choice listed above.

It is very important that you add all ingredients together at once and mix it thoroughly.

Grease the palms carefully and spread the wealth into a very deep pan. Sneak it into the oven as possible and don’t make any sudden noises, because it will deflate quickly. Bake it at 4 trillion degrees, or 5 or 6 trillion for four years.

Remove from oven, and cool quickly in order to prevent over inflated rising.

Serve chilled, best when eaten with crow. It is hard to swallow, but you get used to it. I’m told it tastes just like chicken. Enjoy!

News From Orwellian Oregon

2009-01-03T09:53:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

The traffic on the Irony Super Highway doth get better and better in the land of Tax-a-Lot. MORE PUNISHMENT COMING YOUR WAY FOR CONSERVING GASOLINE. Oregon,as well as other states and the feds, are looking into ways to tax the miles you drive by installing GPS devices to track it. I bet the good people of Oregon will get to pay for the devices too, why not add insult to injury?

WHY? Because fuel efficient cars use less gas and the state will lose revenue on the current gasoline tax. Hey, I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090103/ap_on_re_us/mileage_tax_10

Forget the tax for a minute, what about the invasion of privacy? Don’t let the article fool you about them not being able to track your travels because that is what GPS locators do. If the tax was their only motive, then why not just have drivers list their mileage at the beginning and end of the year and submit it on their state tax form? They will probably argue that GPS will prevent cheating, but there really is no good answer to that question is there? That’s because every electronic device ever created can be beat with a cheat and GPS is very easy to jam.

So, our reward for conserving gasoline is to be taxed AND spied on. Beam me up Scotty!

D's Twisted History

2009-01-03T04:55:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

I launched a new blog yesterday. It is called D's Twisted History. I will be posting mostly historical information and current events as they apply to history on it. Anyone who reads my posts here on the Smart Girl network may have noticed my interest in history.

My intention with the new blog is to get down to historical fact as much as possible and encourage thought and discussion about those facts. It might not always be pleasant to know the facts because they challenge us to throw off historical myths we have embraced. But as Sergeant Friday always said, "Just the facts ma'am."

Of course, I will continue posting on this blog and sometimes cross post when the information is appropriate to both blogs.

If you want to check it out go here;

http://historytwist.blogspot.com

Just Say No

2009-01-02T06:30:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Okay, this is rich. The federal government wants to raise gas taxes BECAUSE WE ARE USING LESS GAS AND THEY WILL NOT RAISE ENOUGH REVENUE.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090102/ap_on_bi_ge/gas_tax_10

Doesn’t anyone in government see the IRONY IN TELLING US TO CONSERVE AND WHEN WE DO, THEY PUNISH US WITH ADDITIONAL TAXES?

They just see this as a window of opportunity to tac on more taxes because of the dropping gas prices, but the prices will rise again and the tax will just add more to our burden.

Time to call your legislators and tell them to JUST SAY NO to additional gas taxes.

Twisted History

2009-01-02T03:51:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

I was musing about how different history would be if our early settlers and Founding Fathers had to confront political correctness, government bureaucracy and the main stream media in today’s upside down world.

So, JUST FOR FUN – Here Is Some Off The Wall Twisted History;

“Young Ben Franklin received his printer’s union card today and wanted to work at his brother’s print shop but his brother couldn’t afford to pay the union wage, so Ben is seeking employment elsewhere. His brother, meanwhile, has to pay OSHA fines for violating employee safety regulations because he failed to upgrade his equipment to meet the new safety standard.

General George Washington was arrested today and is expected to be court marshaled for ordering a raid on indigenous tribes in New York. Washington told reporters that these tribes had sided with the British in the Revolution and were raiding homes and villages and killing Americans, but the spokesperson for the five tribes denies the accusation, claiming they are peace loving and the scalps on his belt were just souvenirs from the French & Indian War.

One of the local Native American tribes living along the Delaware River have filed a lawsuit against William Penn, the Quakers and the Colony of the Province of Pennsylvania for the return of all lands legally purchased from the tribe by the Quakers, claiming that because the Quakers were willing to pay them several times for the same real estate they must have realized the tribes didn’t want sell their land and were coerced by Quaker friendliness and fairness into accepting the deal.

Thomas Jefferson is embroiled in a paternity case. Sally Hemmings is suing him for child support and the courts have ordered DNA tests to confirm Jefferson’s paternity. Jefferson denied the allegations saying it all depends on what is, is when referring to paternity.

All of the Minute Men, including Silversmith Paul Revere, were arrested by the State Police for riding their horses at excessive speeds and disturbing the peace by shouting “The British are Coming!” They have all paid fines and were released on their own recognizance.

A stash of of muzzle loaders and gun powder were seized by the ATF at an arsenal near Boston, as a group of militia were seen scattering into the night. The ATF broke up this organization of self-described “patriots” who were intent on firing the first shot heard round the world. The ATF also announced the arrest of Samuel Adams for illegally brewing and selling beer without a license.

Famous Philadelphia Printer Ben Franklin was fined by the EPA for failure to dispose of his inks properly. Franklin’s backyard was declared a Superfund Site and Franklin will have to pay the cost of soil removal and decontamination, estimated in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, effectively putting his print shop out of business. When asked for a reaction, Franklin, who is currently living in France, said he was really more interested in Science and beautiful French women than the printing business, although he would miss Poor Richard.

John Adams was disbarred today for signing the Declaration of Independence. The trial lawyers applauded the decision saying that Adams, being a member of the British legal system, owed his loyalty to the King. Adams commented that since a law degree was not required to practice law in the colonies, neither was a license to practice law, so being disbarred is a moot point.”

Too Little Too Late

2009-01-01T07:33:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

The RNC Party Vice-Chairman, James Bopp, Jr. submitted a resolution opposing bailouts. Those members who signed it say we are heading toward Socialism! They urge no more bailouts.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2008/12/31/rnc-resolution-opposing-bailouts-airs-rift-party/

WOW! I’m impressed. You mean they just figured out what the majority of Americans already knew and opposed? No wonder we are the minority party.

Hey, and what about that Socialism? We have been going down that path since at least 1913 and they just noticed. Got news, we are already there. What is the Federal Government doing funding Social Welfare programs? This is not the job of a Federal Government based in Democracy. They’re Socialist programs. If we aren’t Socialist, what are we? We certainly aren’t anything our founding fathers would have recognized as a Democracy with a capitalistic free economy.

In case anyone at the RNC hadn’t noticed, the Constitution has been trampled on so much we have become the nanny state. Where ya been fellas?

It is admirable that you oppose bailouts, but the fox has already raided the chicken coop. So you are going to have to do better than that.

I have some suggestions for RNC resolutions. How about limited Federal Government? In case anyone forgot what that is, go back to the pre-Lincoln the Whig as RINO days and check it out.

Something simple will do, like a strict interpretation of the Constitution and States Rights. While you are at it how about eliminating Social Welfare programs with a firm date for their eventual expiration. Leave social issues for the State and local governments to handle as they see fit.

How about supporting a cap on all federal income taxes to a maximum of 10% - with no deductions and every worker pays? That’s all the money that the Federal Government gets and that’s what they get to spend, so use it wisely, like for national defense. How about making pork spending illegal? How about we borrow a Wal-Mart ad slogan and apply it to eliminating all the really stupid laws and regulations, calling it “Roll-Back Days.” We could even put up smiley faces every time a worthless regulation is repealed.

Or how about just prove you are serious and grow a real Conservative backbone, finally stepping up and standing up to the liberals and their agenda, no more compromises, no more backing down. I’d settle for that.

Final Score; Serfs: 2 Taxpayers: 1

2008-12-31T16:32:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

The portion of Americans who actually pay taxes are the new serfs of the Kingdom of Government Greed and Waste. I believe the Liberals call it Camelot and I guess if you are the one in charge of the largesse, it is Camelot, but for the rest of us it is just called Tax-A-Lot.

I thought a review might be in order since tax filing time will soon be upon us. A time when we get to gather our receipts and spend hours filling out software created tax forms or talking to expensive accountants. Not only does the government take your money, they make you go through grief in the process of giving it to them.

According to The Tax Foundation, in 2008 the average tax freedom day in the U.S. was April 23rd. If you live in Democrat Blue States, your freedom day is a lot longer, in New York it is May 5th, In New Jersey it is May 7th in Connecticut it is May 8th … you get the picture. Of course this only covers Federal, State and Local taxes. The hidden taxes like tolls, gasoline, heating oil, sales tax are variable for individuals, but I’m sure if they were added into the mix, the government would get at least a few more weeks of our pay out of us. So if you live in New York, chances are pretty good you work until late May for Tax-A-Lot. In Medieval times Serfs worked for their Lords approximately two to three days per week. In 2008 you worked for Tax-A-Lot over two days days per week.

What distinguishes you from a serf? Not much. We take baths, eat healthier, dress better, and receive better health care, well better health care for now that is, until they socialize medicine. So for quality of life, we have one up on the Serfs.

Let’s take a closer look. You are told how much money the government wants and they take it from you. Serfs were told how much work they owed their Lord and he took it from them. Serfs didn’t get to vote on the amount of work they would do for their Lord, neither do you.
If the Serf did not fulfill his obligation, he could be punished and have his possessions taken from him, so can you.

Their Lord made the rules and enforced them. The Serf had to follow any rule their Lord made in regards to land use, legal rights, commerce, etc. So do you.

A key difference between you and a Serf is that their Lord knew better than to overtax (overwork) his Serfs, lest they go elsewhere and attach themselves to a more benevolent Lord. We can’t do that. In Tax-A-Lot there is no end to the amount we can be taxed. So that’s one for the Serfs.

Serfs had direct redress with their Lord, which is something we lost long ago with our government lords who routinely ignores the wishes of the taxpayers in out of touch Tax-A-Lot. That’s two for the Serfs.

AND, looks like the Serfs win it by one.

In the movie “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” Dennis the Peasant said to Arthur;

DENNIS: “What I object to is you automatically treat me like an inferior!”
ARTHUR: “Well, I AM king...”
DENNIS: “Oh king, eh, very nice. An' how'd you get that, eh? By
exploitin' the workers -- by 'angin' on to outdated imperialist dogma
which perpetuates the economic an' social differences in our society!”

Interesting that very few people know income taxes were Unconstitutional until they amended the Constitution in 1913 in questionable procedure some might call fraud: http://www.givemeliberty.org/features/taxes/notratified.htm Why? Because they knew they could get away with it … and they have been piling on those taxes ever since, adding newer ones along the way.

DENNIS: "You're fooling yourself. We're living in a dictatorship.
A self-perpetuating autocracy in which the working classes—"

I’ve always thought some of the best humor has an element of truth to it. Welcome to the New Serfdom of Tax-A-Lot and have a nice day!

HAVING IT BOTH WAYS ... NO WAY

2008-12-31T05:47:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Illinois Governor Rod Blagovich appointed Former Attorney General Roland Burris to fill Obama’s US Senate seat and now the Senate Dems as well as the Pres-Elect don’t want him seated. The Senate Dems are vowing to fight it.

WAIT A MINUTE. Blago is still the sitting Governor and has the right to seat anyone he chooses. The Governor has only been charged and not yet convicted of any crime. The Senate has no right to interfere with this appointment. Many of these same Senators as well as the Pres-Elect supported Blago when he ran for Governor and helped him get elected. Now they want to distance themselves from him and play Kabuki political theatre with his choice of appointments simply based on the fact that the Governor appointed Burris, therefore, they reason, Burris is tainted.

With no regard to Burris or his merits they project guilt by association onto him. Well, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. I don’t imagine it has even occurred to them that if Burris is guilty by association, then they are just as guilty because they are also tainted by their associations with Blago. If we are to be expected to believe that the Pres-Elect is innocent of all taint through his associations with Blago, why should we be believe Burris is guilty? Either all are innocent or all are guilty.

The law is the law, even when you don’t like it or it doesn’t benefit you or your party’s agenda. Seat Roland Burris or risk losing any credibility. The stench from Illinois politics is bad enough without further violation of law – and the law is Blago gets to choose.

Do Mothers Hold the Key to Peace?

2008-12-30T13:28:00.000-08:00

We sing songs at this time of year that talk of Peace on Earth, Goodwill Toward Men. And then, just a few days after Christmas, we see news reports of Israeli atttacks on Palestine in retaliation for the rockets fired by Hamas from the Gaza Strip. And we wonder if our world will ever really experience the Peace and Joy these songs exhort.

I read an article about a week ago regarding this very subject. It made me think about mothers in the Middle East and it made me wonder about the choices that are being made there regarding the lives of their children. I'm not trying to judge here. I just don't get it. But it's a different culture, with different values. How to you convince people who are born and raised to believe that their neighbors are evil and must die that just maybe there is another way to look at things? How do you overcome a culture that teaches mothers that children will be exalted when they die as martyrs (suicide bombers) by taking out a street filled with Israelis or Westerners? At what point do mothers in these countries stand up and shout "Enough!"? This is exactly what this article, written by Mitchell Bard, addresses.

I have been thinking about the article ever since I read it. Actually, not so much about the article as about mothers in general. It's easy for me, living here where I am relatively safe, to wonder how mothers in the Middle East could allow the questionable traditions of their forefathers to be passed on to their children when those traditions cause so much death and destruction.

Then it occured to me that maybe we are struggling with some of the same issues, albeit on a much different level. We have become a country divided. Especially in the political arena. One of the reasons this election has been so stressful is because it has seriously magnified the shifts in values and morals that our country is experiencing. There has always been a difference of opinion when it comes to how our country should be governed, that is nothing new. The difference lies in the way we handle our disagreements as a collective citizenry. Peaceful disagreement seems to be a thing of the past. Those seeking power or acceptance have resorted to manipulating the truth, name-calling, hateful and vindictive behavior and even violence to achieve an end result that has done nothing but reward criminals and put our freedoms and way of life in peril.

We also have our own brand of suicide bombers. Our suicide bombers don't strap on bombs and blow themselves and their conservative neighbors to smithereens in hopes of receiving virgins in heaven. Our suicide bombers fight for acceptance of immoral behaviors. They pass laws that undermine our constitution. They use public schools to teach our children about alternative lifestyles and to encourage socialism and other issues that have nothing to do with academics.

While our issues may not be exactly the same, the fact that our children are being subjected to the evils of the world is something all mothers have in common. How we protect our children is where the difference really lies. As Americans we have been blessed with a culture that has allowed us the opportunity to voice our opinions and offers us alternatives to violence when fighting for peace. The scripture Ephesians 6:12 says it best: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. We understand that fighting against the policymakers will ultimately do more than blowing up a neighborhood. So we take to the streets, the polling places, the halls of Congress.

Mr. Bard points out in his article that part of the problem in Palestine is the lack of willingness by women there to take a stand. "Palestinian women as a group have never been willing to stand up to the men who send their children out to be suicide bombers. They have never said to their leaders that it is time to stop advocating violence against Israel, which has only brought their families misery, and negotiate a peace agreement that would allow two states to coexist side by side." Easy to say. Sometimes harder to do. But ultimately, for the sake of Palestinian and Israeli children, it has to be done!

Mothers have often been a force to be reckoned with. In Mr. Bard's article, he points to 2 or 3 different groups of women who organized and protested to bring about policy changes that they felt were better for their countries. We know from our own country's history that the Suffragettes are the reason that American Mothers have such a big say in our own electoral process! As mothers, we are a powerfulful group! We truly have the ability to help change the course that our country, even our world, takes. Mothers have power. Why? Because the love we feel for our children is deeper and stronger than any bond on earth. (Not that dads don't have that bond too. But we are talking about moms today. We'll do a dad post soon.) And that bond compels us to fight fiercely on their behalf when we feel they or their future are being threatened. We eat, drink and sleep our childrens' well-being! We dream for them and with them. We plan for them and with them. We strive to give them every opportunity to be successful.

Will they be grow up to be politicians and statesmen and work to promote peaceful communication and positive change? If we teach them how to deal with confrontation and differences of opinion without getting angry and using violence, then chances are they WILL become people who work to promote peace and positive change.

Will they become criminals and terrorists who justify poor decisions, inflict pain on others and use dishonesty as a means to an end? If they are taught to hate those who are different and hear negative, untrue and unkind words about others in their home, if unseemly behavior is ignored or rewarded, then they go out into the world filled with venom. They direct their unhappiness toward those who are different, those who are successful and those who seek to hold them accountable. And then chances are they will become terrorists, criminals or corrupt businessmen and politicians.

Our children will be who we teach them to be. Will there ever be peace in the Middle East? Until Palestinian children are taught to love their neighbors, or at the very least to tolerate or ignore their neighbors, Israel and Palestine will always be at war.

Will the United States continue to be riddled with corruption in high places? Will there continue to be hatred for those who believe in God? Will the unkind words and unseemly behavior become the norm, while courtesy, kindness and morals are mocked and spat upon? Until extreme Liberals quit confusing "tolerance" with complete acceptance, they will clash with religious Conservatives who stand by a set of core values. Until Americans start holding public officials accountable for dishonest behavior, we will be governed by criminals. Is this the legacy we want to pass on to our children? Do we want them to grow up to be adults who are afraid of their government and neighbors?

If we continue to ignore the policies being made in our country and simply hope for the best without taking a stand, are we doing any better than women in Palestine to protect our children? Aren't we sending our kids the same message? We are telling them that we would prefer them to be followers and accept a way of life that will harm them in the long run. And that can be just as bad as strapping a bomb to their little bodies. Maybe even worse, because by allowing them to succumb to socialistic, immoral behavior, we sentence them to a long, slow spiritual death. A little dramatic? For sure. But the point has to be made that conservative families will continue to be targeted and under seige until we love our kids enough to stand up and say "ENOUGH!"

So...do mothers hold the key to peace on earth? YES! Mothers do hold the keys to peace on earth. First we create it in our homes. Then we take it to the streets. We stand up and shout "ENOUGH!" when the corruption begins to take hold and our children begin to suffer from its effects. When women gather in support of a cause, there is no stronger force on earth. Mothers have effected change in all parts of the world as they stand resolute in the desire to create a better world, whether that world be their own little village or an entire continent.

Do I believe there can be peace on earth? Yeah. On a global scale? I don't know. But I do know when mothers love their children enough to call for an end to hatred and violence, corruption and tyranny, lies and dishonesty, peace will come. It may take awhile for places like Palestine and Israel. They have a lot to overcome. But it shouldn't take as long for us here in the United States. In fact, in 2 years, we should have a bunch of new Congressmen in place. And 2 years after that, we should have a new president in place who will help us in our quest to create a safer world for our kids. We have freedom on our side. We have the constitution and knowledge and truth on our side. So this is a call to arms, Moms!! If you can't change THE world, at least try to change YOUR world. And pray for Moms in Palestine to have the courage to be the catalysts for change in their own country.

Peace, my bloggy friends. It's what's for dinner.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T12:27:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Decided to name names and wish all a very Merry Christmas. Yes, it is called Christmas, it is on December 25th and that is what we are celebrating. I am so tired of the politically correct “Happy Holidays.”
Best wishes to you and yours!

The “It’s Good For You” Tax

2008-12-24T12:16:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

New York Governor Paterson wants to add an 18% tax on non-diet soft drinks. Would you believe he wants to encourage drinking diet soft drinks to help fight obesity? I guess we could call it the obesity prevention tax. I am truly amused that he wants to fight obesity with a tax. But apparently we are now being told by researchers that both non-diet and diet soft drinks are unhealthy and drinking more than one per day can have negative health consequences including obesity. Oops!

So now that all soft drinks are bad for us, I guess Governor Paterson has two choices, tax all soft drinks at 18% or skip the tax altogether. Which do you think he would choose? I think he will ignore the information and just stay on the obesity prevention tax superhighway, just like global warming advocates ignore the fact that the planet is getting cooler.

It is bad enough that forty new taxes are being added to the already overburdened taxpayers of New York without insulting taxpayer intelligence by telling them that a tax is going to help them make a healthy choice which, turns out, isn’t even true. Why not just tell it like it is? Something like, “We are broke, but unwilling to make any cuts in our bloated (as in obese) budget, therefore you suckers (as in taxpayers) will just have to pay more. We don’t intend to sacrifice our pork, so you’ll just have to suffer.”

When politicians tell us they are helping us by hurting us, I’d say be sure to remember them when they run for election or re-election. Bailing out on these “tax and spend liberals gone crazy” at the polls will be the best way to help yourself. People who advocate “behavior modification taxes” need to be sent a message.

By the way, I love Coca-Cola, I drink at least one per day, I’m drinking one right now. I am not obese and I don’t really believe soft drinks cause obesity or other major health problems that a person wouldn’t already be predisposed to genetically. Hmmm … now I’ve gone and done it … I can just hear them tax and spenders thinking now … how about a tax on defective genes? After all, everyone has a few defective genes, what a great source of new revenue.

Expletive Deleted

2008-12-20T09:12:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Deep Throat has passed away, many people never heard of Deep Throat, Watergate was a long time ago. Except for a few radicals, still clinging to Watergate, Richard Nixon’s legacy has been pretty much rehabilitated, especially in the area he cared most about, foreign policy. He wasn’t that great with the economy, but he knew his world politics.

Besides the word “impeachment” doesn’t have the same sting to it, after all when Clinton was actually impeached (Nixon never was) people yawned about it. Plus, there have been so many more significant crimes and scandals committed by the Democrats since Watergate that it really is quite insincere for liberals to try and take the high road and get all huffy about Tricky Dick. It seems like our Presidents can get away with anything these days if they are Democrats.

My one very liberal friend used to bring up Watergate every time I talked to him, which was more tiresome than anything. But even he got the message when I finally broke down and warned him that if he brought up Watergate ever again, I would counter with the Clinton impeachment every time.

I grew up with Nixon in politics. I don’t remember politics without him. I always felt sorry for him because he seemed to be a fish out water with people. I don’t know if he was shy or felt inferior or what, I just sensed that he did not enjoy being in the public spotlight, it was the backroom that he longed for where he could play the ultimate world chess match with his considerable talent in strategy and tactics.

Nixon actually defined the modern Vice-President. He traveled the world as Ike’s eyes and ears. He was a real participant in government, not just a stand-by. And who can forget the Kitchen Debate?

Many people who don’t know their history, may not realize that Nixon actually won the 1960 Election, but Chicago politics stole it from him with “mucho” voter fraud and it was an openly known fact. He was urged to contest the election, but he refused on the grounds that it would damage the country.

After he lost the 1962 California Governor’s race, the press were told they wouldn’t have Dick to “kick around anymore.” But I knew he wouldn’t be able to stay away. Times change and 1968 was his time. He won big in both ’68 and ’72.

But then, Watergate was never about Watergate. It was about Alger Hiss. The socialists in government had been out to get him for a very long time. Nixon teamed up with ex-communist spy Whittaker Chambers and blew Hiss out of the water. Exposing the communists in government really upset them and their friends in the press. Their first attempt at destroying Nixon in 1952 by making his perfectly legal “so called slush” fund into an issue backfired mightily on the press when he pulled off the Checkers speech and he cruised into the Vice-Presidency.

They finally nailed him on a two bit break-in and made the cover-up sound like a really big deal, when it was really only politics as usual in DC (The Democrats broke into the GOP HQ more than once.) Was it wrong? Yes. Was it important? Not really.

The socialists finally got their pound of flesh. But so did Nixon. After the fall of the Soviet Union, it was proven conclusively that Hiss was a communist spy, despite Hiss spending a lifetime of proclaiming his innocence.

As for Deep Throat, who apparently was passed over for head of the FBI by Nixon but denies it had anything to do with illegally ratting out Nixon during Watergate, well I doubt anyone will remember him, except a few historians. He apparently got indicted later for illegal break-ins into the homes of members of the Weather Underground http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081219/ap_on_re_us/obit_felt The libs in the Carter Administration went after him, but Reagan pardoned him and Nixon approved of the pardon and even contributed money to his defense. There is some kind of irony in that pardon. The most amusing thing about it is Deep Throat’s daughter convincing him to come out of the closet with his identity so he could make money with a book deal. I didn’t bother reading that book, I set a higher standard for people to qualify as my heroes.

Deep Throat gave Woodward and Bernstein their ten minutes of fame, but except for an old movie, no one will remember them either. It is probably because they are unimportant. I don’t read any of their stuff either, nor do I read the Washington Post.

The reason I have not mentioned Deep Throat’s real name throughout this writing is simple, it is not really important enough to mention. But I do think Deep Throat’s family should thank Nixon’s family as well as the entire country for the money they made on the book deal. That was a lot of grief we all had to go through because one man violated the trust of the government position he held. There were legal ways to go about addressing Watergate, but he chose to do his business in the shadows. I wouldn't choose to be in a foxhole with this guy, ever. But Nixon would be welcome in my foxhole anytime.

I’ll remember Nixon best for ending the draft thereby effectively ending the college protest movement. It disappeared overnight because he knew it wasn’t really about the war, it was about the draft and the possibility of being sent to fight in the war. Thanks to Dick, the socialists haven’t been able to get a good protest movement going since then. So I guess Tricky Dick gets the last laugh.

I read the complete transcripts of the Nixon tapes and my favorite part is still all the “expletive deleted.” I guess that is the term I would use in describing my feelings about Deep Throat.

SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN

2008-12-19T04:07:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

My mother grew up during the depression. I won’t call it the “Great Depression” because depressions aren’t so great to the people who live through them.

Mom always told me that she never knew anything but the depression until she reached adulthood and WWII happened. As with most anyone who had a parent that lived on the poor end of the depression the tales of poverty abound. My Mom had it better than some because she lived on a farm and they could grow their own food. My grandfather also hunted, so they could get meat and they had a cow for milk. But still, it was no picnic. There were ten children to feed and clothe. Yes, they walked miles to a one room schoolhouse, wore hand me downs and slept at night in a room without heat, using hot bricks under the covers to keep them warm.

My mother was a dye in the wool FDR Democrat. Her father was President of the local Democrat Club. She told me they really believed in FDR almost to the point of worship. They thought he was helping them get out of the depression with all his “three letter” programs.

Looking at it from her point of view and vulnerable station in life and having studied this period of time in our history extensively, I can honestly see how her family believed in FDR. They needed to believe in him because they needed to believe things would get better. His sunny disposition and cocky self-confidence must have had a very calming effect for people living on the edge of survival.

She gave up the Democrat party long ago in young adulthood. But I have always teased her about it, calling her the family liberal, because you could still detect the FDR indoctrination in her opinions. Theirs was a whole generation of Democrats raised on FDR’s socialistic policies and that is hard to shrug off.

My mother recently told me she thinks we are heading into another depression. She said this is how it starts and it only gets worse. But this time she thinks “FDR like” government intervention is a really bad idea and will only prolong the problem because she realizes now that FDR was wrong. That is the first time I ever heard her criticize FDR.

Now to the other extreme; my daughter, privately schooled, very highly educated at the top colleges in the country , who never suffered a day of want in her entire happy life and raised as a conservative Republican, told me the other day that she and her highly educated friends have discussed the matter and believe things are not so bad and will turn around in a year or two.
Now here I am, stuck in the middle of two generations of women. My rural childhood is actually more closely related and identified with that of my mother, without her poverty. My adulthood is more closely related to that of my daughter, without her self-confidence.

After hearing their opinions, I began to think why were they so different in their conclusions about the economy? Could it be by virtue of education? Could it be that the young are just more optimistic than the old? Could it be that our opinions are truly based on our life experience, so that those who have suffered will always believe more suffering is to come and those who have never suffered cannot imagine it happening? Could it be that the young are whistling in the dark but those who have seen the dark do not fear it, and so can more easily accept it and adjust their eyes to the darkness?

I don’t know the answer. I have mixed emotions about what will happen and maybe because I am stuck in the middle I believe what will happen will not be as terrible as my mother thinks and not as good as my daughter thinks.

But I definitely believe there will be a whole generation of the “vulnerable” people, not unlike the Democrats of my mother’s generation, who will look for someone to believe in and who will blindly embrace socialistic programs. It won’t be as a result of reading and embracing Marx, it will be to seek security in their lives, looking to the government as a father figure. They will not even realize they have become socialists. And even if they move to the right later in life, they will never quite be able to entirely shake off these beliefs. The socialism of Wilson and FDR is still with us and our country appears to be headed further down that road. Unfortunately, this time, I think it will be at the expense of freedom.

Maybe that is why the socialists see this economic disaster as their opportunity.

I never forget what Whittaker Chambers told us in his book; “Witness”

“Sooner or later, one of my good friends is sure to ask me; How did it happen that a man like you became a Communist? Each time I wince, not at the personal question, but at the failure to grasp the fact that a man does not, as a rule, become a Communist because he is attracted to Communism, but because he is driven to despair by the crisis of history through which the world is passing.”

What the $50 Billion Madoff Ponzi Scheme Should Teach Libs

2008-12-18T10:53:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

1. Greed does have a down side. When promised large returns on investments always be very suspicious. If it is too good to be true, it is too good to be true.

2. Trust but verify. That just about applies to everything, especially where money is involved. If these investors had done even a little homework, they could have saved themselves a lot of grief.

3. Never mix business with pleasure. Just because you have cocktails with someone or belong to the same club, doesn’t mean you should think the person you are dealing with thinks the same way you do. When it comes to money, think anti-social and just because your pal Chip is investing with Tad and raving about him, doesn’t mean Chip knows beans.

4. Easy come, easy go. A lot of the investors made their money during boom times, when any dummy could hardly miss making dough, but I guess it didn’t occur to them that it is a lot harder to make money during times of bust and it can disappear real fast.

5. Put a little away for a rainy day. Never spend beyond your means and stash some cash in safe places that won’t pay out much in interest but will be there when you need it.

6. Don’t ever rely on the government or any agency it creates. You will always end up disappointed that they haven’t lived up to even your lowest expectations. Always assume they will not do their job properly, if at all, and that their mere participation is reason for suspicion. The conservatives are born knowing this one.

7. Big political contributors are not being altruistic. When someone throws big political contributions around they want something in return … always. But then, you libs knew this one already, greasing wheels is your stock and trade.

8. Don’t expect a bailout. Just sell your mansion, Mercedes and your yacht and move on.

9. Chalk it up to experience. We’ve all had our share of ups and downs.

10. The Reagan “greedy eighties” are looking good right about now. All you libs complained about it, while pocketing huge sums of cash and accusing the rest of us of being greedy, what say you now?

Asserting Your Power

2008-12-18T06:30:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Powers of the weak are always fascinating. The people who run political blog sites, henceforth called “leaders,” are really trying to amass power through numbers. They solicit new members, or “suckers,” by taking up a cause and voicing opinion whether liberal or conservative. If enough suckers buy into it, the leaders control “X” amount of suckers and leverage them into a seat at the power table. This could lead to TV and radio appearances, book deals, advertising dollars, and adoring attention from fans and invitations from the real political power players. I especially love the sites that brag about how “important” people in Washington read their posts. But I imagine really important people don’t have the time to read all the thoughtful garbage out there.

Most of these site leaders are just weaklings trying to make themselves more important than they really are but with the proliferation of these sites this power becomes more and more diffused. Very few new sites will make it to the big time because they really have nothing new to offer. And I imagine even established sites will lose readers as time goes on because people will tire of them and go elsewhere.

Those who began sites several years ago certainly still have the advantage simply because they have established a readership. But they play God on their sites and it stokes their ego to allow or disallow membership in their group. The members (suckers) tend to suck up big time to these leaders in hope that they will be a featured blogger on their site or be looked upon with favor, possibly being graced with a reply or comment by the “leader.” Heaven forbid if a member dares to constructively criticize anything they do or say, they will get thrown off the site. Yet, they claim to be set up to voice free opinion for a cause. Just proves that no opinion is ever free.

Certain things I have noticed on conservative sites (I don’t visit liberal sites so I wouldn’t know about them) is the rehash effect. One of the big sites I like to visit is “Hot Air.” It amuses me that when they post something, all of a sudden all the “me toos” jump on it and basically the same information is rephrased in slightly different words going round and round. There is very little that could pass for original thought coming out of these “me too” sites. Certain leader bloggers are so stuck on their own rhetoric that it is actually painful to read, especially when they advocate mean spirited sniping. More words do not a thoughtful commentary make.

Another thing I noticed is every time there is a real call to action, it usually gets ignored. These sites are static places that are really going nowhere. The leaders have no interest in action only self-interest.

An observation I’ve made is when one of the members posts a good blog, the response they get is not measured by the quality of it. For instance, if the blog is posted by the site “leader” it will get positive responses no matter how stupid or vile it’s content, whereas if one of the “suckers” were to post the same thing, they would get no responses or negative ones. I actually see “suckers” post things and get no response then the “Leader” takes the same information, rewrites it as their own post and get tons of responses and praise. Proves the old adage, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”

There are a few good sites out there “American Thinker “ comes to my mind. They are an excellent source of information and they do their homework. They also tend to be very tolerant of the civil opinions of others. Maybe that is why they are a successful site.

On a purely psychological level, it is fascinating to watch how easily the “suckers” are manipulated into believing how important it is to actually have a seat at a particular table, when in reality they are just being used for someone’s personal gain. I guess even though it’s not written in the Constitution, you do have the right to be a sucker! But just remember you suckers are the real power givers because if enough of you choose to go elsewhere then the leader becomes powerless. There are lots of other sites to choose from who might serve you better because their leaders are better.

I have high hopes for Smart Girl Politics. They really do have something new to offer “words AND action!” They also offer civility and leadership that listens and responds. If you are tired of being someone else’s sucker on the static line, come join us. And, it is not just for women, you guys are welcome too! You don’t have to be a sucker and settle for the “me toos.”

Let's Say Thanks

2008-12-17T19:22:00.001-08:00

Xerox is sponsoring this. I am proud to pass the word along to support the troops! Hope you'll all join in, regardless of how you feel about the war. Our fighting men and women need to know they are loved and appreciated!

AND THEY CALL IT FREEDOM?

2008-12-12T04:07:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Obama’s plan to make the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) a priority may backfire mightily causing a crisis in healthcare. He wants to force all hospitals to perform abortions on demand.

The Catholic Church, which is the major power player in the sheer number of hospitals they control, is going to be force fed FOCA despite the fact that it goes against their religious beliefs. Apparently the Liberals believe the right to have an abortion, though not written in the Constitution, trumps the Constitutional right of Freedom of Religion. And those Doctors and Nurses who object to being a part of such practice because of their religious beliefs will be denied their freedom of choice.

Now I would assume FOCA can be achieved only because hospitals accept payment from federally funded entities like Medicaid and Medicare. Not unlike the Mafia, if you accept money from the government, then you are beholden to play by their rules whether they violate your Constitutional rights or not. (This is yet another good argument against socialized medicine.)

The Catholic Bishops have threatened to close their hospitals or, at the very least, close their OB/GYN wards before submitting to FOCA http://www.lifenews.com/nat4568.html The closing of these hospitals, many of which provide care to inner city patients would be devastating to our system of medical care provider facilities. Yes, they are that important and this is no small matter. It could create a crisis in healthcare. But there doesn’t seem to be any willingness for compromise on the part of Obama, probably because he doesn’t believe they will act upon their threat. So the question is whether they are really serious about their threat.

In some ways, I blame the Catholic Church for this credibility problem. For years they have turned a blind eye to politicians who claim to be Catholic yet support Choice. If excommunication is their tool to remove members who violate church principles and they do not use it consistently, then how do they expect to be taken seriously? They are now suffering the consequences of their own hypocrisy. They have made it too easy to say you are a Catholic without actually practicing Catholicism.

The Catholic Church really needs to win this one because it is a real threat to the practice of their membership beliefs which is the basis of Freedom of Religion. They need to actively get their members involved in a vocal and highly visible campaign to fight FOCA. They need to enlist the help of other religious groups and the Pro-Life movement as well. They have to use the excommunication tool in a very public way to demonstrate that they are serious about this issue and not allow those who do not adhere to Church doctrine to claim they are Catholic. They have to make sure government knows they are not bluffing on this issue.

If the state decides to dictate abortions on demand, then let those who want abortions go to a clinic that performs them. But no church, doctor or nurse should be forced to do something that goes against their beliefs simply because the facility accepts federally funded payment for medical care. The church did not start these federal programs and they are not the ones who blurred the separation of church and state with federal dollars, so they should not be punished or have their rights and beliefs violated as a result. It is time to draw a line in the sand.

Car Wreck

2008-12-11T04:04:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Lately, when I wake up in the morning I actually dread reading the news. If you have witnessed a car wreck, you understand. You can see it happening, there is nothing you can do to prevent it and mostly, you just can’t believe what is unfolding in front of your eyes.

Our latest collective national car wreck is the bailout mania of Pelosi, Reid and all the Liberal special interest flakes. And it is truly getting out of hand. These people are a symptom of a much greater problem. The government is out of control and the spending spree they are on is going to bring us all down.

I have never seen a group of people so bent on throwing good money after bad solutions. The danger they pose to our economy is of a proportion that cannot be measured. The house of cards they are constructing cannot stand for long because it is built upon the poor judgment of people who seem barely qualified to screw in a light bulb, yet seem to think they are expert in all things. I cringe when I hear Pelosi and Reid speak because neither seems capable of putting together a coherent sentence let alone a sensible solution to a problem and the insult to my intelligence is just too much.

The auto bailout is the latest car wreck that makes a strong case for term limits. They are going to effectively trash an already ailing industry for the benefit of their union pals. They weren’t fooling anyone with their show trials to bash the auto executives before giving them billions of dollars. This bailout dog and pony show proves that professional politicians are the real disaster to governance in our country. These politicians are a wholly owned subsidiary of special interest groups who exchange money and perks for legislation and, now, bailout bucks.

Therefore, no one should be surprised that Blago is accused of trying to sell a senate seat. That’s just business as usual and not just in Chicago. The best part about it is that the Democrats don’t want him to resign because of any wrong doing. They want him to resign so they can be sure to avoid a special election and get a Democrat seated in the Senate. Yep, the standards have sunk that low. After all they didn’t ask Jefferson to resign, despite the cold cash in the freezer, because there was nothing for the Democrats to gain from it. This insanity has to end.

Two terms in the US Senate and six terms in the House are more than enough time in Washington, DC because the longer they stay, the more damage they do to our country. Pelosi and Reid should be the poster children for term limits. They have been feeding at the public trough way too long. How many more car wrecks can we withstand?

Mr. Yoon Exemplifies the Best of Human Behavior

2008-12-10T17:45:00.000-08:00

Dong Yun Yoon, the Korean immigrant who lost his wife and 2 baby girls yesterday, has every reason in the world to feel angry and bitter. A troubled military jet crashed into his home yesterday, causing a fiery crash which took the lives of his loved ones. His response? "I don't have any hard feelings," Dong Yun Yoon, 37, told reporters near the rubble where his home once stood. "I know he did everything he could. Please pray for him not to suffer from this accident," Dong Yun Yoon said. "I know he is one of our treasured for the country."

Here is a man who just lost his home, his family, his life as he knows it. Did he immediately start bashing the military and threaten lawsuits? No. Did he challenge the pilot's abilities or his methods? No. Did he rage against the United States and the President and ask for millions in reparations? No. Even faced with unimaginable circumstances his thoughts were not for himself, but for the pilot that he knew would be racked with guilt over the lives that were lost when his jet crashed. His quiet plea for the well-being of this pilot is one of the most compassionate and charitable responses to tragedy a human being could offer, made even more significant by the fact that he is the victim of the tragedy. How many of us could respond in such a manner? The truth is, sweet Mr. Yoon gets what many in this world don't. Sometimes S**T happens. Sometimes good things happen to bad people. Sometimes there is no one to blame.

Wouldn't it be nice to see our elected officials respond to national disaster and economic meltdown with the same charitable responses and bipartisanship that Mr. Yoon has shown, instead of immediately looking to blame and cast aspersions at the opposing party? Wouldn't it be nice to see someone like Michelle Obama, who has suffered next to nothing compared to Mr. Yoon, express the same kind of patriotism by offering up kind and charitable remarks about the country that has given her so much? Wouldn't it be nice to see someone like Al Franken graciously accept defeat and offer his heartfelt and sincere congratulations to his opponent, rather than to manipulate the recount effort to skew questionable votes in his favor? Shouldn't our elected leaders be the people we look to as examples of compassionate service and speakers of charitable word and doers of kind deeds? Instead, the majority of us see many of them as folks of questionable character, who are not looking out for the welfare of their constituents, but for their own gain. How sad is it that a man from Korea, who made the effort to become a citizen and support the country that welcomed him, can behave better than the leaders he came here to support?!

Dong Yun Yoon is a shining example of humanity at its best. He is the person I will think of next time I want to lash out in anger over a minor slight or inconvenience. He is the person I will think of when my liberal neighbor goes off on the Bush Administration's shortcomings. I hope you will all join me in offering a prayer on his behalf, that he will find a way to heal and go on with his life. he deserves our support and respect and I can think of no one better to honor in our blog as a Great American-Korean than Mr. Yoon. Thank you sir, for reminding us that even in the worst of circumstances we can choose to be charitable, kind and forgiving to those around us, even those who have unintentionally caused us pain. Our thoughts are with you during this troubling time in your life.

What's Goin' Down in Chi-Town?

2008-12-09T13:16:00.000-08:00

Amazing story about the Governor of Illinois being indicted today over the open Senate seat, no? Sadly, not so surprising anymore! Illinois/Chicago politics continue to be a cesspool of corruption and this is just one more example of why our state and federal governments are falling apart. Until Americans are willing to take a stand and start forcing these guys out of office, we will continue to hear story after story about corrupt politicians who are wiiling to sacrifice the well-being of their constituents for their own power and gain and in the end most will suffer very few consequences for their actions. Why? Because fully half the country is willing to excuse the behavior. I personally don't get it. I have no idea why more people are not screaming bloody murder when it comes to these guys getting away with criminal activity! Is it because it takes effort? Is it because they don't think they can make a difference? Is it because they really don't understand the ramifications of letting a corrupt government run roughshod over its citizens? Or is it a differnce in definitions regarding what constitutes criminal behavior? I have a feeling it's all of the above, along with thee double standard that has been set for politicians regarding their culpability when it comes to anything they touch. We have lost control of the people who are supposed to be working for US, folks. This latest news from Chicago is a perfect example of how power can corrupt.

Another story from Chicago...the factory that shut down due to Bank of America's decision to withhold credit has been granted an extension of needed credit by bank of America. Hmmm...let's recap. The workers got laid off and decided to send a message by staging a PEACEFUL and COLLECTIVELY UNITED protest and guess what? They made a difference! Bank of America realized it is in their best interest (especially since they just received 25 billion in bailouts) to do the right thing. This is proof positive that there is power in numbers, that the "little people" can and do make a difference and that we have the ability to take back our country! Kudos to all of those employees who were willing to put forth a show of solidarity and suffer some personal discomfort in order to get their message heard. It paid off. Unity in ideals and purpose can change the tide of any battle. Liberal or conservative, Republican or Democrat, it is going to take a united citizenship to turn the tide of corrupt politics in this country, but folks in Chicago just showed it can be done. David just slew Goliath.

HOUSE OF LORDS

2008-12-09T07:01:00.000-08:00

So, rumor has it that Caroline Kennedy wants Hillary’s Senate seat. Wait a minute, the same people who are thrilled by this prospect, were the ones who claimed Sarah Palin was not qualified for VP.

What qualifies Kennedy? Nothing that I can see. Oh yes, she is a Kennedy, so it must be her devine hereditary right to serve in the US Senate. Democrats are like the Loyalists of the American Revolution, they love all things royal. Since New York was the center of the Loyalist camp during the Revolution, I’m sure they will love having a “Princess” as their Senator.

The Loyalists can spend endless hours expounding on her virtues, run old JFK tapes and cry their eyes out over Camelot lost. Of course her hair and clothes, or any other criticism will be strictly off limits. That is only reserved for the low born like Sarah Palin. I can’t wait to hear the Katie C. tear jerker interview questions. It will probably be all about legacy and nothing about representing the little people of NY.

And it is so convenient, that the “Princess” will not have to run for the office. She would be appointed or in this case, anointed might be a better word. That’s a relief. She won’t have to come into contact with the great unwashed masses.

Excuse me if I don’t get all excited over the prospect of yet another royal Kennedy lording it over us with that special self-righteous attitude born of a lifetime of unearned privilege.

Perhaps she would be better suited to the House of Lords.

BETTING ON THE LONG SHOTS

2008-12-04T06:29:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

There have been so many political races over the years whose outcomes were determined by the misdeeds or missteps of the incumbent. The challenger wins, not because he had a better campaign or was a better candidate. He wins because the other guy is so bad.

In NJ Whitman didn’t beat Florio, Florio did. Whitman was a toss away candidate who was expected to lose. In Alaska, Stevens beat Stevens.

We are too quick to list races as unwinnable because during the course of a campaign, anything can happen. The trick is to be prepared with a viable candidate who can capitalize on it and to be able to provide the resources to assist them.

Also, there have been many Reps in the House who had to run more than once to get elected, including Newt Gringrich who got elected on the third time he ran.

I think we write candidates off too quickly. First, the party encourages them to run because they want to have someone on the ticket in every race, but then they are left out there on their own without resources. They become the self fulfilling prophecy. They often end their campaigns in debt and discouraged, and certainly unwilling to take on another campaign, when in some cases, that is exactly what they should do.

If a candidate manages to get 40% of the vote in an election, you could say, “Well he got beat good 60 to 40.” Or you could say, “Let’s spend the next couple years finding the 10% + 1 more votes we need to win this race.” Selecting the best candidates is important but supporting them in a continued effort is equally important.

I don’t live in la la land and I understand that the party’s limited resources have to be spent on the most competitive races. But when I was a kid my grandfather used to take me to the racetrack. He’d sit there studying the racing form and in each race he’d make a bet on two horses - one would be listed among the favorites and one would be a long shot. One day I asked him why he bet that way. He told me that while, over the years, he had won more races betting on favorites, he actually had won more money betting on long shots. He also told me it was a lot more thrilling to win on a long shot!

I figure if the party bets on some long shots and takes the “we are in it for the duration” approach to making inroads we might just start making some inroads. It sure beats abandoning the field of battle and throwing good people away.

My suggestion would be that the RNC form a special group of contributors who are willing to bet their money on the long shots. There are always gamblers out there! I also would suggest that they tap the resources of retired political consultants who would be willing to donate free time to advising candidates in these races.

My grandfather was right … of all the many political races I consulted over the years, winning the long shots were the most thrilling for me!

GOOD ADVICE FROM AN OLD POL

2008-12-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

When I first started out in politics I worked for a GOP County Chairman. The Chairman and his sidekick assistant taught me just about everything I needed to know about politics. It was a first rate education that no poli-sci degree can hope to match.

They had a few simple sacred rules that you had to follow. There was one rule in particular that rang true for me throughout my career and which I have shared with every candidate I have ever worked with; The Pandering Rule; “Never risk losing the votes you have by going after the votes you can never get.”

It is a simple truth. When McCain got the nomination for Pres, I really didn’t want to vote for him, although I did. He would have been my last choice on any list. My GOP County Chairman would have recognized him as destined to lose because he pandered to voters who would never vote for him and sacrificed his base voters assuming that they would vote for him … just because he was the party candidate. If the powerful County Chairmen system had still existed as it did back then, McCain would have never got the nomination.

You see, I don’t think we lost because the campaign was particularly bad. We lost because McCain violated one of the sacred rules of politics and then tried to package it as “Maverick.” Yes, he did throw the base a bone in the form of Sarah Palin, but she was not the top of the ticket and could not cover for his past transgressions against the party. The trouble was compounded when she was gagged by the campaign because they really didn’t want her to express her conservative views. But for McCain to expect the GOP base to support him, despite his many years of flying in our faces, while chumming it up with the Democrats, was unrealistic. There were enough votes out there to pull it off, but they just didn’t want to come out and vote for him. I don’t think I have ever heard so many Republicans say they could not bring themselves to vote for their party nominee.

Political Parties have always had their ups and downs, sometimes through situations we cannot control. In this election, we had the added burden of the economic downturn. But another rule my County Chairman taught me was; “It is good to do a self exam after every election, win or lose. Find out what you did right and what you did wrong and next time, make it better.”

We don’t need to bash ourselves or others around us. We are a political party not a self-flagellating mea culpa religious order. My County Chairman would have thought this a waste of time; after all, bashing is the job of your opponents. He believed that you should always act like a winner and talk it up, even if you don’t really believe it. It is akin to “never let them see you sweat.” That is what I did during the election and I don’t regret it.

By the way, yesterday in Georgia, Sarah Palin would have scored big points with my County Chairman. She demonstrated a lot of class and a true understanding of party unity by saying nice things about John McCain. Palin didn’t have to do that and it certainly didn’t earn much applause. If my County Chairman were still around, I know he would say, “Watch that one, she’s going places.” This election year, choosing Palin is the main thing the campaign got right. Now it is up to the party and rejecting a gift like Palin would be very foolish.

THE SOCIETY TO ASSIST IRRESPONSIBLE GRASSHOPPERS

2008-11-25T05:38:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

So many people are outraged about the corporate bailouts. I’m wondering why they aren’t outraged about individual bailouts.

If you turn on the TV these days, you can’t watch for more than 15 minutes, without a viewing a commercial explaining how, if you contact their toll free number, they can help you cheat the government out of the taxes you owe, paying only pennies on the dollar. It goes something like; “Wow, I owed the government $50,000 in back taxes, but I went to SO & SO Company and they settled my debt for only $1,000!”

And how about those credit card debts? No problem, you can call a toll free number and they will show you how to unload your debt WITHOUT hurting your credit rating. “Wow, I owed $10,000 in credit card debt, but thanks to SO & SO Company, I don’t have to pay it!”

Who are these commercials aiming at? My guess is they’re aimed at individuals looking to bailout of personal debt.

Now, if someone doesn’t pay the income taxes they owe, who do you think picks up the slack? If someone doesn’t pay their credit card debt, who pays? Yep, it’s the rest of us. And now we will be bailing out homeowners with big mortgages they can’t afford and giving tax relief to people who don’t pay taxes.

People are doing a lot of complaining about companies and government acting irresponsibly, but in many ways they just mirror what our society is becoming. Personal responsibility used to be something people took pride in, now acting responsibly is just for us suckers. Trouble is, there are fewer and fewer of us suckers left to pick up the tab.

I hear complaints all the time about kids going off to college and being “sucked in” by credit card companies. They ring up thousands of dollars in charges and surprise, they can’t pay the debt. But no one told them to accept the credit card and charge up all that debt, they did that all on their own. Yet, who is at fault? Yep, blame the credit card company.

But the kids are just mirroring their parents self gratifying behavior … no one told them to buy the big house they can’t afford. No one told them to buy the car they can’t afford. No one told them to buy all those big screen TVs and gadgets they can’t afford. I don’t own a big screen TV and my home is not huge, but I don’t have a mortgage and I paid for my kid’s very expensive college education. I achieved both by working hard and saving money. Oh yea, and I also took the time to teach my kid personal responsibility.

So, when I hear people complaining about the bailouts, saying things like, “Where’s my bailout?” I realize that the grasshoppers are taking over the anthill and I really don’t have much sympathy because I’m one of the ants. I am a charitable person but I would never choose “The Society to Assist Irresponsible Grasshoppers” as my favorite charity. I prefer donating to real victims of disasters that are not of their own making.

When a society rewards irresponsible personal behavior and votes for the politician offering the most government goodies they are in no position to complain about corporate bailouts. If those whining grasshoppers want to know what’s wrong with our government and the economy, I suggest they start by looking in the mirror.

RETREADS

2008-11-24T04:34:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

Ever wonder why 18 wheelers blow so many tires? It is because they use retreads.
When the retread portion of the tire separates, it spreads debris all over the highway and can pose a real danger to other drivers who swerve to avoid it.

They told us voters that if we supported McCain we’d get four more years of Bush. They didn’t mention that voting for them would get us four more years of Clinton, Wilson and FDR.

Turns out the old Wilson/FDR agenda of the man from “Hope” is the “change” they were talking about. It only makes sense to dredge up former Clinton staffers if you are promoting the Wilson/FDR agenda. After all, no one understands it better than they do.

Give credit where credit is due. The offerings of change from the left are all the same old retreads of the Wilson and FDR “control the folks through bigger government agenda.” There is nothing new about seeing a crisis as an opportunity to promote a socialist agenda, higher taxes, youth indoctrination, the WPA and the media spinning it all as “Happy Days Are Here Again.”

The Clinton retreads are the real winners of the election. If only they had lived to see this day, the Wilson and FDR staffers would have been so proud of them.

Looks like we are all going to have to be careful for the next four years and try to avoid being hit with the flying debris from the left. Hope your defensive driving skills are sharp.

LIBERALS PRO TURKEY?

2008-11-23T13:11:00.000-08:00

Evidently Sara Palin pardoning a turkey in Wassilla, Alaska Friday was big news. To me news is the progress that we are making in Iraq but of course that is rarely reported on in the dominate liberal media.
No, news to liberal media types is Sara Palin pardoning a turkey. After the pardon took place she gave an interview and in the background a turkey is in the "process" of becoming Thanksgiving dinner. Now, I happen to be a conservative woman and a vegan. So no, I will not be eating turkey on Thanksgiving day, or any other day.
But what I find offensive in the coverage of this "story" is not the turkey, but the fact that it is a story at all. Where do liberals think that the meat at the grocery store or their favorite restaurant comes from? I wonder how many of the people reporting and commenting on this story will be eating turkey themselves on Thursday? I wonder if the President Elect will be eating turkey on Thanksgiving, maybe someone should ask him. Would the President Elect eating turkey make Sara Palin less offensive to liberals? Probably not. No, this is just another attack on Sara Palin.
The message here is clear. Sara Palin is a conservative female politician and that is what is unacceptable to liberals. Liberals feign such horror over the slaughtering of a turkey and are "pro choice"? There are certainly things about liberals I will never understand.

SQUIRRELS, LET’S ROLL

2008-11-22T03:06:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

I heard that there were Democrats out there during the election encouraging folks to vote twice because the election was “stolen” from them in 2000. They try to justify encouraging illegal behavior by saying it is “only fair” they be allowed to vote more than once this time to even the score. In the first place, the 2000 election has become the stuff of liberal fantasy. What really happened in 2000 was that we refused to let them steal the election AGAIN.

They are either too young or too stupid to remember 1960. Nixon won that election, but it was stolen away by voter fraud. Nixon was urged to contest it but he refused, because he believed it would throw the country into turmoil. It is no surprise that Chicago played a major part in that fraud.

I have asked myself; What can I learn from this election and how can the next one be made better?

We can’t do much about the things we have no control over. For instance, we can’t control the media and make them honest.

There is one thing we can control. We can fight the voter fraud. This election gives us the perfect opportunity to start a discourse and a campaign all across this country to demand fair elections. Voter fraud has had the light of day shown on it this year as never before. Americans would be very foolish to ignore it.

No one knows how many illegal votes were cast in this election, but I believe it was massive. I don’t know about you, but that makes me angry. The arrogance of those who are committing the fraud is based on our past behavior because it is assumed, and rightfully so, that we will not do anything about it. They are flaunting our election laws, using the liberal courts to back up their illegal activities and WE LET THEM.

Our party has been victim of this fraud for many years and I see this as a rare opportunity to begin to rid our country of the massive voter fraud committed by those who have sought to corrupt our political system. We are going to have to demand that our party and our elected officials act and the only way that will happen is if we come together and keep the pressure on them, especially at the state level.

Addressing voter fraud is one of the most important issues facing our country because it threatens our freedom. It is too important to ignore. It won’t just go away on its own, but it can and will get worse if we turn a blind eye toward it.

Something is fundamentally wrong and we need to correct it. When polled, Americans time and time again overwhelmingly support voter photo ID. Yet, when I searched for a voter fraud website, I couldn’t find a serious one (if anyone here knows of one, please give me the link.) I encourage all conservative websites to take up this cause and get involved. Please consider addressing what we can all do to fight voter fraud and keep it on the front burner. This is not a part time endeavor to be fretted over, acted upon during the election, complained about after the election and then forgotten until the next election.

This needs to be a full time effort and we need our party to make it a top priority all the time. Please encourage the RNC to establish a full time voter fraud unit that works to support a tightening of state laws and requires voter photo ID. They could use the massive email list of the RNC to let people know who to contact when state legislation is introduced that requires our support. This unit could host seminars, especially in swing states, training people in state election law and how to combat and report fraud. These people would then become a knowledgeable on the ground team working during elections. They also need to pursue punishment for those who seek to intimidate voters at polling places.

Weak knees, that collapse when the laws are challenged by accusatory words like “disenfranchised” won’t make it happen. It’s time for the squirrels to clean up the acorns.

Always protect your freedom, because once it’s gone, it’s gone.

COLLECT ALL SIX!

2008-11-21T06:53:00.000-08:00

Written By D.

When I woke up this morning and checked my email I noticed one from the RNC that offered me a Teddy Bear named “Nick” in return for a $35.00 contribution … and for a $150.00 contribution I could COLLECT ALL SIX stuffed animals … “Nick, Max, Maxine, Patrick, Victor & Sam “… in the RNC collection! (I don’t want to even get into the fact that only one out of the six has a female name … yea, better not to go there D.)

First I checked to make sure it wasn’t an email from Macy’s … nope, it was from the RNC alright. I got to wondering if this was a specific fundraising appeal aimed at women (and men looking to buy something cute for their wives or daughters.) But that thought was too horrible for my intelligence to contemplate … yea, better not go there either D.

This year I contributed to four different GOP Congressional and Senate races at the federal level, not one of them offered me a Teddy Bear. Sucker that I am, I should have held out for a Teddy Bear, but I was undeterred in my support of the conservative agenda. I gave because those candidates were real conservatives and appeared to share my values. They appealed to me for a contribution in the good old fashioned way of political fundraising … on the issues.

Silly me, here I am seeking better representation for my contribution dollars when I could give the RNC mother ship $35.00 and get “Nick,” PLUS a vague promise to build the party from the grassroots up … AS WELL AS an effort to block the left wing agenda! Wow, I’m going to get all that for only $35.00? Heck, “Nick” must be worth $3.50 alone, add in the mailing costs and I get the party back on its feet for only $29.50 … what a bargain.

Trouble is, they didn’t give me any specifics or even try to appeal to my intelligence. They didn’t address how, or even if, they were going to fight voter fraud or what kind of an effort they were going to launch to assist in party building among our youth. Not to mention what they are going to do to save our IRAs and 401ks from taxation and possible confiscation, or cut the budget, or stop pork barrel spending, or stopping bailouts … etc., etc. You get what I am driving at here.

Yes RNC, even us Gals are interested in the issues and our fundraising efforts should be built upon offering intelligent answers to the many major issues facing our party and our country. I like Teddy Bears, but if I want one, I’ll go to Macy’s.

No wonder there are tens of thousands of frustrated GOP supporters out there blogging their hearts out with criticisms of our party’s structure and need for revamping, hoping that their party will hear their voices and actually do something about it. I’ve seen dozens of good suggestions … helloooo is anyone listening?

Want my money? Then tell me specifically what you intend to do with it to promote the Conservative agenda.

SILLY LIBERALS, TRICKS ARE FOR KIDS

2008-11-20T06:06:00.000-08:00

Written By D

If you have children or helped raise younger siblings, you will understand that toddlers like to push the envelope, especially male toddlers. That is why despite the fact that, when he was a toddler, I told my younger brother NOT TO EVER stick anything in an electrical outlet, he took a kitchen knife and tried to do it anyway. I caught him in time and he is lucky to still be here.

Well, I see Liberals as the toddlers of the political world. They are the group that never grew out of the terrible twos. Conservatives are the parents that have to keep a constant vigilant eye on their behavior to save the Libs and the rest of us from the negative effects of their behavior.

The Libs don’t even bother to disguise their immaturity. They rant and rave, make ugly faces, throw temper tantrums and whine hoping this behavior will win the day. If that doesn’t work they use the “I hate you!” method every parent will recognize. If that doesn’t work, they very often try to get away with whatever they want to do when you aren’t looking. They have shown time and again for the past 90 years that no trick, no matter how dirty, is below them in their efforts to pursue their socialist one world agenda.

The extreme left try to disguise themselves as enlightened intellectuals, but most of the garbage they write (example: “Kill Your Parents”) could have been written in crayon by an angry child. And their bullying can be seen on any playground during recess. I think of all the things they say they want, not unlike children, rebellion is what they crave most.

They push us and test our limits, constantly offering all kinds of off the wall legislation, daring us to try and stop them. Unfortunately, over the years, many Conservative parents have caved into the pressure just to get them off their backs. They have tried to meet them halfway on their crazy schemes and so we are dragged further and further into the lefto abyss. Our skills definitely need an infusion of “just say no” parenting. Parents must always consistently stick to their principles because as with any child given an inch, they’ll try to take a mile.

And while no one in their right mind would allow two year olds to run the country that is what we are about to experience. The Id and the Ego will be in play, but without a Superego to constrain them if they actually achieve a 60 vote majority, the toddlers will be in complete control.

And without enough Conservative parents to stop them, all manner of havoc will break loose. Irresponsible self-gratification will rule the day. (This should keep the folks who hand out Darwin Awards very busy.)

Every parent knows that toddlers should not be given control over their world because they have very little self-control, most aren’t even potty trained. Heaven knows what will become of our country with no one to stop them. We can definitely count on much higher taxes and the new definition of rich will be anybody who has anything worth taking. But I get the creepy feeling taxes are only the tip of their iceberg.

That is why I urge you to be a good Conservative parent and support Saxby Chambliss in his run-off election. We are going to need every Conservative vote in the Senate that we can muster. The toddlers are focusing their time and money on this race big time. You can contribute to his campaign at http://www.saxby.org/

The Left is standing at the electrical outlet with their kitchen knife in hand, and if we don’t try to stop them they won’t be the only ones who end up suffering the consequences of their bad behavior.

WOW 34% - I’M CELEBRATING

2008-11-19T03:32:00.000-08:00

Written By D

I just read that the Dems got 66% of the youth voter turnout. Sixty-six percent, that is, of the small total of young voters who bothered to vote at all.

Now, the pundits want to spin this as the GOP in a downward spiral. They tell us we will suffer for generations because we have lost the youth vote. Our party offers nothing … we are in crisis … yadda, yadda, yak, yak, etc., etc.

SO WHY AM I CELEBRATING?

Remember that big youth turnout that the liberals were touting … it didn’t materialize. Despite the fact that Libs spent plenty of time and money trying to inspire, buy and brainwash our young people, by overwhelming numbers they yawned and were totally underwhelmed. LESSON: Don’t ever believe that a few thousand loud mouthed radical leftos (LMRL) speak for the majority of our young people because they don’t.

If you lived through the Sixties you understand that those chaotic campus protests were never composed of more than a few thousand LMRL who espoused Marx, but mostly never bothered to actually read him. The success of their small movement was based on anti-war sentiment, the draft, media sympathy and, to some extent, the chance to smash things and get free sex and drugs. The minute Dick Nixon eliminated the draft, the party was over. I still believe this was one of the two smartest things Nixon ever did for America because once again, peace and quiet spread over the land.

I remember they tried to once again kick start their radical movement on campuses when “W.” went to war. They dredged up some old hippie professors who were still stoned on their nostalgia from the Sixties and tried to rally our youth to protest the war. It fizzled big time. They could never get more than a thousand people to march even in Boston, the left college capital of the world. So the press just made up numbers to provide cover for their big flop. Polling data at the time actually showed that the vast majority of young people supported the war.

NOW CONSIDER THIS …

Without any prompting, money, support or encouragement from the Republican Party, 34% of the youth turnout still voted for the GOP. That is astounding. Despite LMRL get in your face, we have cool rock concerts and parties, t-shirts, a big campus organization and you GOP losers don’t have anything, 34% still went out and voted GOP … AND, ABOUT 85% didn’t vote at all.

That is a lot of young people refusing to drink the Red Star Laced Kool-Aid. And, that is good news for us and bad news for the LMRL. So before you begin believing there is a big youth movement to the left, consider the real numbers.

NOW IMAGINE THIS …

The Republican National Committee finally comes to their senses and actually focuses some of their attention and money on building up support among young people and making them feel welcome in our party … not because they can be counted on to vote in larger numbers today, but because they will vote in larger numbers in the future.

They can start doing common sense things, like stop calling someone in their 40’s a Young Republican. Last time I checked, forty is middle aged. What does someone who is twenty years old have in common with someone who is forty? Not much. Face it RNC, Young Republicans are people 18 to 25 years old.

How about starting by creating a website just for Young Republicans that is actually geared to their interests? Oh yea, and make it entertaining because the current website even bores me. Then, how about going through the voter records and identifying all people 18 to 25 years old who are Registered Republicans … mailing them a postcard with a website address asking them to join the site for free. The only rule for joining is you must be a Registered Republican and it will be verified through the site. Include politics but also things like meet-ups and yes, even dating … in other words help the Young Republicans find each other so they will know they are not alone. We have to let our young people know we care about them and their interests. Let the left offer them boring idol worship and indoctrination, while we offer them freedom of expression and fun.

There is plenty that can be done but the main point is, appeal to the young in ways that appeal to them and leave the indoctrination to the left.

RNC PLEASE WAKE UP – There are a lot of young people waiting to hear from you, don’t let them down, reward their loyalty and quite possibly you will expand their ranks.

ONE LAST THING …

If you share my belief that our young people are an important part of our party, I urge you to contact the RNC and tell them about it. You can send them your ideas and suggestions at http://www.republicanforareason.com/

You Betcha

2008-11-18T19:58:00.000-08:00

written by D

It seems quite a few of the elite folks on the left and many RINOS are very disturbed by Sarah Palin. There is no end to the criticism of her hair, make-up, clothing, family, lifestyle and intelligence.

I find most interesting the attempt to connect comments about her choice of words and manner of speaking to her intelligence. The Palin critics seem to be giving her a failing grade on the vocabulary portion of their Northeastern Intellectual Litmus Test.

But let’s face it, that is not what is really bothering them. Ever notice liberals only believe there are two classes of people worth mentioning; the rich and the poor? When Sarah Palin spoke to the middle class and inspired them, it drove the left insane, to the point where it acquired the title of “Palin Derangement Syndrome.” Good common sense, plain language, real world solutions and a positive attitude threaten the very fabric of their existence. But in the upside down world of the liberal, normal is abnormal.

The fear is real and palpable that is why they continue their assault on her despite the fact that the election battle is over. Sarah Palin is not elite and heaven forbid if middle class women act up and support one their own for the highest office. They think people who talk like Palin are supposed to park the cars of the liberal elite and the RINOS. They are supposed to wait tables in their favorite restaurants and hold doors open for them. They are to be treated with polite, respectable contempt and given a tip for their services. THEY ARE NEVER SUPPOSED TO LEAD.

After all, using middle class productivity to enrich themselves while belittling and subjugating them has always been one of their preoccupations. That is why they are so supportive of preventing middle class success through regulation and taxation. A friend, speaking of the liberal elites, once said to me, “They want you to work hard and aim to succeed, but do all in their power to see that you do not actually succeed.”

That is why I have always thought that the middle class is the “feminine” among our class structure. Like women, they are expected to hold everything together while being vilified and denied basic credit for their efforts. And like women, the middle class are supposed to be seen and not heard. That makes Palin, who is middle class and a woman, the double threat. I guess they figure if they destroy Palin the rest of us middle class women will head for hills in fear.

But they underestimate us. Those large, adoring crowds at Palin rallies only got larger and drove the elites crazy because they saw it as a threat and a possible new movement in the making. The many tens of thousands of people who have come to the defense of Sara Palin on the Internet is cause for great concern among them. She has rallied so many women to her defense because they can identify with her. Their attacks on her have only backfired and they couldn't stem the tide of her popularity.

They don’t understand the middle class and the precarious balancing act between poverty and wealth that we live everyday of our lives. Sarah Palin is a middle class hero for women because she personifies our hopes, dreams, values and common sense. Her vocabulary speaks to us and we understand it. The ridicule of Palin is really the ridicule of middle American women . . . and that is a point that middle American women are quite savvy enough to understand.

The middle class is facing massive tax increases, small business failures with resulting higher unemployment, greater restrictions on personal liberties, and a full frontal assault on our value system. Yet we are supposed to somehow continue being productive so the elites can spread what little wealth we have, to support those who hold us in disdain. And, as always throughout history, women will be the hardest hit.

Is there an angry group of conservative middle American women out there? YOU BETCHA! And BY GOLLY they think Sarah Palin, a middle class woman, would make a fine leader. I urge all conservative women to get involved in the political process. We need many more like Sarah out there fighting for our causes. We can make it happen and wouldn't it be SWELL if we were finally represented by people who actually understood us?