A couple of months ago a small group of politicians gathered in our nations capital and drafted a bill of over a thousand pages, that no one took the time to read, and rammed it through the House and Senate with little or no debate. We were told that our nation faced a crisis that we had not seen since the Great Depression. Deliberate thought and debate were not an option; there was no time to waste! The president’s new budget will place more debt on our children and future generations than any other time in our nation’s history. In less than two months the Obama administration and the Democrat controlled Congress have done more to destroy the founding principles of this nation than all the politicians that have come before them. Have they read the Constitution that they swore to protect and defend!
Now they want even more sweeping power to seize financial institutions that are in trouble. We are no longer on the “slippery slope” to socialism. We racing down the track as fast as the engine of big government can pull us! Obama is at the controls and he’s barking out orders to keep shoveling trillions of dollars into the fire box. Tim Giethner is in the back printing up money as fast as he can to keep the steam up. Meanwhile the train just passed a sign that no one could read because the train was going so fast. If we had just taken a more deliberate approach and exercised a little restraint and caution; we would have been able to make out the sign.
WARNING, BRIDGE OUT AHEAD!
So, what do we do? As I see it we have three options.
1. Stay on the train and blindly trust the engineer -- as it careens over the cliff.
2. Say screw this, and jump off the train or,
3. Hire a brakeman to slow the train down so we can read the signs and make informed decisions.
2010 is our next real opportunity to “hire the brakeman.” Think about it.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
WHACK-A-MOLE
Remember the game you used to play at the fair or Chuck E Cheese where to try to whack the mole that pokes its head up from a big board filed with holes? The mole pops up through random holes and goes faster and faster as the game progresses. I’m beginning to think Congress, and the Obama administration, believes it’s playing a giant game of Whack-A-Mole.
Economic “crisis”! Whack; pass a stimulus package that no one has read. Why? Because Nancy has a plane to catch.
“Outrage” over AIG bonuses. Whack; pass a bill (that’s blatantly unconstitutional) to tax the offending bonus at 90%.
Pass an omnibus spending bill so stuffed with pork that it oozes bacon grease. Whack; it was “last year’s business” so we can’t do anything about it.
What ever happened to the legislative branch being the “deliberative” body of our government? The framers of the constitution must be hanging their heads in disgust over what we’ve done to this grand experiment in self-government. Maybe we need to send them all back through a 9th grade civics class, or do they still teach that any more?
We the people, have an opportunity to change the current course of our government. In two years we will have our mid-term elections. We need candidates that will govern as the constitution calls for. We need a Congress that is proactive rather than reactive. One that will act through well thought out, deliberate, plans that address the future of our nation rather than the “crisis dejour.”
Whack-A-Mole is a game for kids. It should not be our model for governing!
Economic “crisis”! Whack; pass a stimulus package that no one has read. Why? Because Nancy has a plane to catch.
“Outrage” over AIG bonuses. Whack; pass a bill (that’s blatantly unconstitutional) to tax the offending bonus at 90%.
Pass an omnibus spending bill so stuffed with pork that it oozes bacon grease. Whack; it was “last year’s business” so we can’t do anything about it.
What ever happened to the legislative branch being the “deliberative” body of our government? The framers of the constitution must be hanging their heads in disgust over what we’ve done to this grand experiment in self-government. Maybe we need to send them all back through a 9th grade civics class, or do they still teach that any more?
We the people, have an opportunity to change the current course of our government. In two years we will have our mid-term elections. We need candidates that will govern as the constitution calls for. We need a Congress that is proactive rather than reactive. One that will act through well thought out, deliberate, plans that address the future of our nation rather than the “crisis dejour.”
Whack-A-Mole is a game for kids. It should not be our model for governing!
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Honoring Their Sacrifice?
Let me qualify this first by saying this is not a grumble. It's more like a rant, but I for one intend to do something about! And I encourage you to do the same.
I heard tonight that one of the ideas that the Obama administration is considering under the cover of "health care reform" is to push off some of the cost of treating our wounded veterans to private insurance companies to cover. As a veteran, I am outraged that this "idea" was even allowed to be brought up, let alone seriously considered, during the recent Health Care "summit" held at the White House.
These brave men and women willingly went off to war to free an oppressed nation, defeat terrorism, and defend our freedoms. They sacrificed their bodies to protect us and their fellow warriors. And this is how our new President would honor their sacrifice! As a nation we owe it to our wounded veterans to cover the entire cost of their recovery and treatment. Don't tell me that we can spend billions on Wall Street bankers and incompetent auto makers, but we can't afford to take care of those who were willing to lay down their lives to keep America free!
I can't begin to tell you the feelings of contempt I have for those that would enact such policy, but most of all I'm ashamed that we have sunk this low. My fear is that we may have farther still to sink.
Write or call your Senators and Representatives. Let the White House know that this can not be allowed to go any further! Take back your government America!
I heard tonight that one of the ideas that the Obama administration is considering under the cover of "health care reform" is to push off some of the cost of treating our wounded veterans to private insurance companies to cover. As a veteran, I am outraged that this "idea" was even allowed to be brought up, let alone seriously considered, during the recent Health Care "summit" held at the White House.
These brave men and women willingly went off to war to free an oppressed nation, defeat terrorism, and defend our freedoms. They sacrificed their bodies to protect us and their fellow warriors. And this is how our new President would honor their sacrifice! As a nation we owe it to our wounded veterans to cover the entire cost of their recovery and treatment. Don't tell me that we can spend billions on Wall Street bankers and incompetent auto makers, but we can't afford to take care of those who were willing to lay down their lives to keep America free!
I can't begin to tell you the feelings of contempt I have for those that would enact such policy, but most of all I'm ashamed that we have sunk this low. My fear is that we may have farther still to sink.
Write or call your Senators and Representatives. Let the White House know that this can not be allowed to go any further! Take back your government America!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Grumble, Grumble, Grumble. Just Stop It!
I’m sure you’re all familiar with the Nike marketing slogan “Just Do It.” It encouraged us to get up and get moving, but most of all to buy Nike products. Brilliant!
After listening to my Pastor’s sermon yesterday, I started thinking about that slogan; only with a twist. Our Pastor challenged us to stop grumbling for 40 days. JUST STOP IT! Sounds easy right? Well think about it for a minute. How many things do we complain and grumble about on a daily basis? Our jobs/boss, our spouses, our kids, that person in line in front of you in Wal-Mart with 29 items in the 15 item express lane. There’s a saying in the military, “a GI is not happy unless he has something to complain about.” Stop and ponder on it for a while, and you’ll likely come to the conclusion that we are a nation of complainers. We like to grumble!
How does God view grumbling? James 5:9 says, “Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!” When the nation of Israel was wandering in the desert they grumbled about not having any meat to eat. God provided manna for them every day, but they wanted meat. So God provide quail for them to eat. So much so that the meat came out their noses and they became sick of eating quail. When He showed them the Promised Land they sent spies in to take a look around. Joshua and Caleb came back with a positive report and said “let’s go”, but the others were afraid of the people that were already there. They stirred up discontent and doubt (grumbling) among the people. What was God’s response? He sent them back out into the desert for 40 more years until all those who grumbled had died and then lead them back to the promised land. Get the picture? God does not like, nor want us to grumble.
There’s also a saying that says, “If your not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” Rather that complaining about things we don’t like, how about suggesting a solution.
Forty days without grumbling. I’m going to try, please pray for me.
P.S. Pastor Tom went on to say that when the 40 days are over it does not mean that we can start grumbling again. Hopefully our characters will begin to change in that time, and we will begin to act differently.
After listening to my Pastor’s sermon yesterday, I started thinking about that slogan; only with a twist. Our Pastor challenged us to stop grumbling for 40 days. JUST STOP IT! Sounds easy right? Well think about it for a minute. How many things do we complain and grumble about on a daily basis? Our jobs/boss, our spouses, our kids, that person in line in front of you in Wal-Mart with 29 items in the 15 item express lane. There’s a saying in the military, “a GI is not happy unless he has something to complain about.” Stop and ponder on it for a while, and you’ll likely come to the conclusion that we are a nation of complainers. We like to grumble!
How does God view grumbling? James 5:9 says, “Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!” When the nation of Israel was wandering in the desert they grumbled about not having any meat to eat. God provided manna for them every day, but they wanted meat. So God provide quail for them to eat. So much so that the meat came out their noses and they became sick of eating quail. When He showed them the Promised Land they sent spies in to take a look around. Joshua and Caleb came back with a positive report and said “let’s go”, but the others were afraid of the people that were already there. They stirred up discontent and doubt (grumbling) among the people. What was God’s response? He sent them back out into the desert for 40 more years until all those who grumbled had died and then lead them back to the promised land. Get the picture? God does not like, nor want us to grumble.
There’s also a saying that says, “If your not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.” Rather that complaining about things we don’t like, how about suggesting a solution.
Forty days without grumbling. I’m going to try, please pray for me.
P.S. Pastor Tom went on to say that when the 40 days are over it does not mean that we can start grumbling again. Hopefully our characters will begin to change in that time, and we will begin to act differently.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Bait and Switch
You've all probably heard of the tactic that many stores use called the "bait and switch". That's where the business would advertise one product at a great price to get you in the store. Then when you show up, they are all out but they have a product that's better than the one advertised just at a higher price.
Well my friends we have one of the biggest bait and switch operations going on right now in our nation and very few people even realize it. "What you ask?" You know that tax break Obama promised 95% of taxpayers. You know the one that's going to put extra money in your paycheck each month beginning in April. "Yeah that's a great deal right!" Nope. What they've done is change the withholding tax rated so you'll see more in your take home pay, but what they did not tell you was that the marginal income tax rates did not change. So come next April we are in for a nice surprise. Your going to have to pay taxes on that extra money you were getting each month from Obama's "tax cut." Thank you may I have another!
Let's take back our government America!
Well my friends we have one of the biggest bait and switch operations going on right now in our nation and very few people even realize it. "What you ask?" You know that tax break Obama promised 95% of taxpayers. You know the one that's going to put extra money in your paycheck each month beginning in April. "Yeah that's a great deal right!" Nope. What they've done is change the withholding tax rated so you'll see more in your take home pay, but what they did not tell you was that the marginal income tax rates did not change. So come next April we are in for a nice surprise. Your going to have to pay taxes on that extra money you were getting each month from Obama's "tax cut." Thank you may I have another!
Let's take back our government America!
Friday, March 06, 2009
Private Jets
Let's talk about private jets. Our new President and our representatives in Congress have taken every opportunity to slam corporate CEOs for traveling in private jets. It's kind of like the pot calling the kettle black.
President Obama went to great lengths to scold CEOs and tell the American people that the days of jetting around in private planes was over. Yet barely two weeks into his term, the president made a trip aboard Air Force One from Washington D.C. to Newport News, VA to address the Democrats at their retreat in Williamsburg. To make this trip happen required not only Air Force One, but at least two of the Marine Corps helicopters that ferry the president from the White House to Andrews AFB, another at the Newport News airport to ferry him to Williamsburg and back. They also used an Air Force C-5 cargo jet to move his motorcade to Newport News just in case he decided to travel via the highway instead of by helicpoter. Is your head about to explode yet? It's less than 250 miles from the White House to Williamsburg as the crow flys. In the time it took to ferry him from the White House to Andrews AFB, fly on Air Force One to Newport News, then ferry him to Williamsburg, he could have made the trip entirely on Marine One and saved you and I tens of thousands of dollars. That's just one example.
You would be amazed at the number of "official fact finding trips" congressional delegations make using their "own" fleet of tax payer funded jets (courtesy of the USAF). How many times a month do you think Nancy Pelosi jets back and forth across the country on a dedicated Air Force C-20 (Gulfstream G-5 equivalent). You would be amazed. And they have the nerve to lecture the very people who fund their campaigns and fuel the economic engine that makes this country function.
To be fair, there have been abuses and misuses by corporations. Corporations need to make a profit in order to survive; they also have a social obligation to be good stewards of their resources. Why aren't we expecting, no demanding, the same from our government?
Let's take our government back America!
President Obama went to great lengths to scold CEOs and tell the American people that the days of jetting around in private planes was over. Yet barely two weeks into his term, the president made a trip aboard Air Force One from Washington D.C. to Newport News, VA to address the Democrats at their retreat in Williamsburg. To make this trip happen required not only Air Force One, but at least two of the Marine Corps helicopters that ferry the president from the White House to Andrews AFB, another at the Newport News airport to ferry him to Williamsburg and back. They also used an Air Force C-5 cargo jet to move his motorcade to Newport News just in case he decided to travel via the highway instead of by helicpoter. Is your head about to explode yet? It's less than 250 miles from the White House to Williamsburg as the crow flys. In the time it took to ferry him from the White House to Andrews AFB, fly on Air Force One to Newport News, then ferry him to Williamsburg, he could have made the trip entirely on Marine One and saved you and I tens of thousands of dollars. That's just one example.
You would be amazed at the number of "official fact finding trips" congressional delegations make using their "own" fleet of tax payer funded jets (courtesy of the USAF). How many times a month do you think Nancy Pelosi jets back and forth across the country on a dedicated Air Force C-20 (Gulfstream G-5 equivalent). You would be amazed. And they have the nerve to lecture the very people who fund their campaigns and fuel the economic engine that makes this country function.
To be fair, there have been abuses and misuses by corporations. Corporations need to make a profit in order to survive; they also have a social obligation to be good stewards of their resources. Why aren't we expecting, no demanding, the same from our government?
Let's take our government back America!
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Time To Clean Out the Medicine Cabinet
A funny thing happens to you as you age. Your collection of prescription drugs begins to grow at an exponential rate. This past weekend the wife and I decided it was time to clean out our medicine cabinet along with the bathroom closet that contained all sorts of pharmaceuticals (many of which were out of date). So we did the logical thing -- we flushed them down the toilet! What was left was a clean, organized and efficient medicine cabinet. Then it hit me like a flash! Why don't we treat our congress like we do our medicine cabinets? It's time to go through the lot and toss out the old, the out of date, the ineffective, and the inefficient! If we want our government to be "Of the people, for the people...", then it's up to us to do some good old fashion spring cleaning. For far too long we have elected our representatives and sent them off to Washington to do our business only to find out that a congressman's first priority once elected is to get re-elected. They stop listening to us and focus on consolidating power and raising enough money to run the next campaign.
Do you want a Congress that's efficient, well organized and free of scandal and corruption? Well then it's time to flush the old, out of touch lot of them. Place term limits on them, tolerate no graft or corruption, start demanding that they answer to us!
Take back your government America!
Do you want a Congress that's efficient, well organized and free of scandal and corruption? Well then it's time to flush the old, out of touch lot of them. Place term limits on them, tolerate no graft or corruption, start demanding that they answer to us!
Take back your government America!
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