Conservative principles of personal liberty and responsibility, limited government, fiscal responsibility, protection of private property, freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and the right to protect ourselves and our property are the cornerstones of this country. That isn't just a phrase. A "cornerstone" is a very important part of a structure. It's around the cornerstone that the rest of the bricks, stones or other material are used when constructing the building. It's thus the guide for how to build the rest of the building. Likewise, the aforementioned freedoms and rights are the cornerstone of the United States of America. It's around these principles that our country was formed and it's because of these principles that our country has become the strongest, most successful, most powerful, most free, and most charitable country in the world.
These principles that make up the foundation of, and are responsible for the successes of, this country are under daily attack by liberals in government - from local city councils all the way up to the Oval Office. I think that a lot of liberals actually think they're on the right path. They think that being liberal means you're more generous, more caring, and enlightened - and who wouldn't want to be called those terms? Don't fall for the myth. Many have, and many more will. However, it's a hoax. It's a horrible hoax that has been played on millions of people for generations. It's been used through means such as race-baiting by people like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson who refuse to speak in public without throwing out the race card. Why do they do this? We after all have had African-Americans in the highest positions in this country for generations now, from Congress to the Supreme Court to the President. Obama was NOT the first to break this nonexistent "barrier". Sharpton, Jackson and their lemmings continue to race bait because it is what keeps them relevant, it's what keeps them in power. If all of the sudden minorities all over the country realized that they do not NEED Sharpton and Jackson to "protect" them, what would Sharpton and Jackson do with their time? How would they make their money? Now, I only use those two guys as examples. There are PLENTY of other examples in the Democrat party. For instance, before Harry Reid made the completely ignorant, absurd comment about Obama's "lack of negro dialect", he said that people who were opposed to their socialized medicine bill were likened to slave owners. Why on Earth would someone say something like that? It's just ridiculous to draw such a comparison because there's no analogy whatsoever. It was just another attempt to race-bait, confuse the issues and ensure that Harry Reid and other Democrats stay in office and thus stay in power. For, if you convince the masses that only the Democrats will take care of them, you ensure your never-ending power. Until millions of people take their blinders off, this hoax will continue to work. We as conservatives have to help take off those blinders and help the masses understand that it's actually conservative principles that provide equal rights, liberties and freedoms For All, not just for the political elite or a particular group, but FOR ALL.
Conservative Principle 1: Personal Freedoms, Rights and Responsibilities
It's only the conservatives that absolutely believe in protecting the private property rights of The People. Our Founders fled Europe for many reasons, but all of those reasons were related to escaping from and fighting to the death to avoid a tyrannical, overreaching government. Our Founders fled from governments that took their private property to enrich their cronies and fund international travel campaigns, that burned them at the stake for their religion, and that shot them in a firing squad for any type of writing that spoke out against the government. This country was founded for those who believed in preserving private property, in being able to practice one's religion freely or to not practice at all, and in recognizing the virtue of limited federal and state governments that were in place only for national protection, police protection, prosecution of those who violated the rights of others, resolving legal disputes, regulating (meaning to make regular and reliable) commerce among the states, and other specified rights.
Within this very important list of rights is a right that is under constant attack by liberals, both privately by community organizations and unions and publicly through overreaching government, the protection of private property. If the government takes your property without just compensation, the 5th Amendment has been violated. The government may also only take your property for a legitimate government purpose, meaning they must have the constitutional authority for the programs to which they intend to commit your property once they take it from you. While many people don't realize this, taking your money IS a taking of your private property. You have that money because you either worked hard for that money, or someone in your family worked hard for that money. When the government takes that property for the sole purpose of "redistributing the wealth" to the "less fortunate" they in fact violate the constitution. The federal government does NOT have the power to generally legislate for the health and welfare of the States' citizens, that falls at most within the powers of the individual States. Equally egregious is that the liberals who take this property from us do so not out of any benevolence on their part but out of a desire to retain their power. Again, as discussed above, when the liberals convince the masses that only the liberals will take care of their every need through government handouts, of course the masses will ensure that those same liberals are sent back to public office over and over and over and over.
The tragedy of this system is that this liberal policy of tax and spend has hurt generations of people in this country, and mostly minorities. This system has created a modern day plantation system where people are always in a horrible cycle of poverty out of which they can never rise. As far back as they remember, their family has lived in public housing and has been entirely dependent on government handouts for their food, clothing, medical care and every other need in their lives. Their surroundings do not teach them the value of hard work and getting an education as a means of pulling themselves out of that horrible, strangling poverty. From welfare programs that penalize a single mother if she gets married, to that same system that rewards numerous illegitmate children, to the system that punishes any amount of hard work by taxes that are given to politicians who just waste the money, people have no incentive to pull themselves out of poverty.
I am compelled to also point out that there are many Republicans in public office who follow a liberal and/or a "progressive" agenda. Those men and women should be thrown out of office at the next opportunity as well. RINOs (Republican In Name Only) are of absolutely no use to the party or to the country. RINOs are why Republicans lost power in the first place - many Americans began to feel that neither party was principled anymore and was simply concerned about staying in power. Those people were right on many accounts.
Republicans need to return to and stick with conservative principles, and conservative candidates. It's only those principles that will ensure personal and corporate recovery and long-term success. The government does not need to be meddling in the affairs of businesses. Do you really think that some elected official in DC really has a clue how to run your business that you've sacrificed for and worked hard on probably all of your adult life? NO! Do you think DC should tell you how and why you can hire and fire your employees? NO! Do you think DC should decide how much is your "progressive fair share" to contribute to their redistribution of wealth/seizure of power campaigns? NO! Do you think DC should tell you what type of energy is best for your State, your business and your household? NO! Do you think DC should tell your State government how to utilize its natural resources? NO! Do you think DC should tell you you must purchase a particular type of health insurance or be fined or jailed? A Resounding NO!!!!
These questions represent what liberals in DC have done and want to continue to do in DC with OUR money and OUR government. We must, starting with the recent election of the governor in NJ, tonight with Scott Brown's win in Massachusetts, and with Congressional elections in November, WE MUST take this country back one election, one seat, one voter at a time. It will be a war of attrition but it's certainly a war worth winning. The future successes of this country are worth it - remaining the country that is the most powerful in the world, the country with the greatest freedoms and rights in the world, the country that comes together with private funds and helps those in need more than anywhere else in the world (demonstrated right now by the record giving for Haiti), and the country that continues to lead the world in nearly every realm. It's worth the fight. Our country is worth the fight. Our Founders believed it was worth the fight and so do I. We're very fortunate in that we do not have to take up arms against an oppressive government. We can take up arms by voting liberals out of office and putting someone in that office who will stand on conservative principles. We must do this at EVERY level of government.
We must also not fall for the myth that certain seats are just always going to be "Democrat" seats. That is not true, not if we're willing to fight. For one thing, in this political climate it's absolutely necessary to ensure liberals are not in power. For if a Democrat is elected to one seat, it's easier for a Democrat to be elected to that seat in the future, or to other seats in that region or state. Second, on a national level, electing a Democrat further provides the numbers necessary for the Democrat party to stay in power in DC and control every aspect of our lives. Third, liberals will only appoint liberals. Period. Don't be fooled that there are "blue dog" Democrats out there who want to reach across the aisle to conservatives. Bull. In this political climate, Democrats have been convinced that they must tow the party line even if that means their own political suicide. Put conservatives in office if you want a government run on conservative principles.
And, don't let "traditional wisdom" tell you that a certain seat isn't winnable for other reasons. ALL seats are winnable if it's the right time and you have the right candidate. If you don't have a candidate who stands on the principles you do, nominate yourself and run to turn the country in the Right direction.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Obama's Agenda
Really interesting piece by Dr. Charles Krauthammer:
Dr. Krauthammer is on Fox News . He is an M.D. and a lawyer and is paralyzed from the neck down. A friend went to hear Charles Krauthammer. He listened with 25 others in a closed room. What he says here, is NOT 2nd-hand but 1st. The ramifications are staggering for us, our children and their children.
Last Monday was a profound evening, Dr. Charles Krauthammer spoke to the Center for the American Experiment. He is a brilliant intellectual, seasoned & articulate.. He is forthright and careful in his analysis, and never resorts to emotions or personal insults. He is NOT a fear monger nor an extremist in his comments and views . He is a fiscal conservative, and has received a Pulitzer Prize for writing. He is a frequent contributor to Fox News and writes weekly for the Washington Post.
The entire room was held spellbound during his talk. I have summarized his comments, as we are living in uncharted waters economically and internationally. Even 2 Dems at my table agreed with everything he said! If you feel like forwarding this to those who are open minded and have not drunk the Kool-Aid, feel free..
Summary of his comments:
1. Mr. Obama is a very intellectual, charming individual. He is not to be underestimated. He is a cool customer who doesn't show his emotions. It's very hard to know what's behind the mask.The taking down of the Clinton dynasty was an amazing accomplishment. The Clintons still do not understand what hit them. Obama was in the perfect place at the perfect time.
2. Obama has political skills comparable to Reagan and Clinton. He has a way of making you think he's on your side, agreeing with your position, while doing the opposite. Pay no attention to what he SAYS; rather, watch what he DOES!
3. Obama has a ruthless quest for power. He did not come to Washington to make something out of himself, but rather to change everything, including dismantling capitalism. He can't be straightforward on his ambitions, as the public would not go along.
He has a heavy hand, and wants to level the playing field with income redistribution and punishment to the achievers of society. He would like to model the USA to Great Britain orCanada.
4. His three main goals are to control ENERGY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, and NATIONAL HEALTHCARE by the Federal government. He doesn't care about the auto or financial services industries, but got them as an early bonus. The cap and trade will add costs to everything and stifle growth. Paying for FREE college education is his goal. Most scary is his healthcare program, because if you make it FREE and add 46,000,000 people to a Medicare-type single-payer system, the costs will go through the roof. The only way to control costs is with massive RATIONING of services, like in Canada . God forbid!
5. He has surrounded himself with mostly far-left academic types. No one around him has ever even run a candy store. But they are going to try and run the auto, financial, banking and other industries. This obviously can't work in the long run. Obama is not a socialist; rather he's a far-left secular progressive bent on nothing short of revolution. He ran as a moderate, but will govern from the hard left. Again, watch what he does, not what he says.
6. Obama doesn't really see himself as President of the United States , but more as a ruler over the world. He sees himself above it all, trying to orchestrate & coordinate various countries and their agendas. He sees moral equivalency in all cultures. His apology tour in Germany and England was a prime example of how he sees America , as an imperialist nation that has been arrogant, rather than a great noble nation that has at times made errors. This is the first President ever who has chastised our allies and appeased our enemies!
7. He is now handing out goodies. He hopes that the bill (and pain) will not come due until after he is reelected in 2012. He would like to blame all problems on Bush from the past, and hopefully his successor in the future. He has a huge ego, and Dr. Krauthammer believes he is a narcissist.
8. Republicans are in the wilderness for a while, but will emerge strong. Republicans are pining for another Reagan, but there will never be another like him. Krauthammer believes Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty & Bobby Jindahl (except for his terrible speech in February) are the future of the party. Newt Gingrich is brilliant, but has baggage. Sarah Palin is sincere and intelligent, but needs to really be seriously boning up on facts and info if she is to be a serious candidate in the future. We need to return to the party of lower taxes, smaller government, personal responsibility, strong national defense, and state's rights.
9. The current level of spending is irresponsible and outrageous. We are spending trillions that we don't have. This could lead to hyperinflation, depression or worse. No country has ever spent themselves into prosperity. The media is giving Obama, Reid and Pelosi a pass because they love their agenda. But eventually the bill will come due and people will realize the huge bailouts didn't work, nor will the stimulus package.These were trillion-dollar payoffs to Obama's allies, unions and the Congress to placate the left, so he can get support for #4 above.
10. The election was over in mid-September when Lehman brothers failed, fear and panic swept in, we had an unpopular President, and the war was grinding on indefinitely without a clear outcome. The people are in pain, and the mantra of change caused people to act emotionally. Any Dem would have won this election; it was surprising it was as close as it was.
11. In 2012, if the unemployment rate is over 10%, Republicans will be swept back into power. If it's under 8%, the Dems continue to roll. If it's between 8-10%, it will be a dogfight. It will all be about the economy. I hope this gets you really thinking about what's happening in Washington and Congress. There is a left-wing revolution going on, according to Krauthammer, and he encourages us to keep the faith and join the loyal resistance. The work will be hard, but we're right on most issues and can reclaim our country, before it's far too late.
Dr. Krauthammer is on Fox News . He is an M.D. and a lawyer and is paralyzed from the neck down. A friend went to hear Charles Krauthammer. He listened with 25 others in a closed room. What he says here, is NOT 2nd-hand but 1st. The ramifications are staggering for us, our children and their children.
Last Monday was a profound evening, Dr. Charles Krauthammer spoke to the Center for the American Experiment. He is a brilliant intellectual, seasoned & articulate.. He is forthright and careful in his analysis, and never resorts to emotions or personal insults. He is NOT a fear monger nor an extremist in his comments and views . He is a fiscal conservative, and has received a Pulitzer Prize for writing. He is a frequent contributor to Fox News and writes weekly for the Washington Post.
The entire room was held spellbound during his talk. I have summarized his comments, as we are living in uncharted waters economically and internationally. Even 2 Dems at my table agreed with everything he said! If you feel like forwarding this to those who are open minded and have not drunk the Kool-Aid, feel free..
Summary of his comments:
1. Mr. Obama is a very intellectual, charming individual. He is not to be underestimated. He is a cool customer who doesn't show his emotions. It's very hard to know what's behind the mask.The taking down of the Clinton dynasty was an amazing accomplishment. The Clintons still do not understand what hit them. Obama was in the perfect place at the perfect time.
2. Obama has political skills comparable to Reagan and Clinton. He has a way of making you think he's on your side, agreeing with your position, while doing the opposite. Pay no attention to what he SAYS; rather, watch what he DOES!
3. Obama has a ruthless quest for power. He did not come to Washington to make something out of himself, but rather to change everything, including dismantling capitalism. He can't be straightforward on his ambitions, as the public would not go along.
He has a heavy hand, and wants to level the playing field with income redistribution and punishment to the achievers of society. He would like to model the USA to Great Britain orCanada.
4. His three main goals are to control ENERGY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, and NATIONAL HEALTHCARE by the Federal government. He doesn't care about the auto or financial services industries, but got them as an early bonus. The cap and trade will add costs to everything and stifle growth. Paying for FREE college education is his goal. Most scary is his healthcare program, because if you make it FREE and add 46,000,000 people to a Medicare-type single-payer system, the costs will go through the roof. The only way to control costs is with massive RATIONING of services, like in Canada . God forbid!
5. He has surrounded himself with mostly far-left academic types. No one around him has ever even run a candy store. But they are going to try and run the auto, financial, banking and other industries. This obviously can't work in the long run. Obama is not a socialist; rather he's a far-left secular progressive bent on nothing short of revolution. He ran as a moderate, but will govern from the hard left. Again, watch what he does, not what he says.
6. Obama doesn't really see himself as President of the United States , but more as a ruler over the world. He sees himself above it all, trying to orchestrate & coordinate various countries and their agendas. He sees moral equivalency in all cultures. His apology tour in Germany and England was a prime example of how he sees America , as an imperialist nation that has been arrogant, rather than a great noble nation that has at times made errors. This is the first President ever who has chastised our allies and appeased our enemies!
7. He is now handing out goodies. He hopes that the bill (and pain) will not come due until after he is reelected in 2012. He would like to blame all problems on Bush from the past, and hopefully his successor in the future. He has a huge ego, and Dr. Krauthammer believes he is a narcissist.
8. Republicans are in the wilderness for a while, but will emerge strong. Republicans are pining for another Reagan, but there will never be another like him. Krauthammer believes Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty & Bobby Jindahl (except for his terrible speech in February) are the future of the party. Newt Gingrich is brilliant, but has baggage. Sarah Palin is sincere and intelligent, but needs to really be seriously boning up on facts and info if she is to be a serious candidate in the future. We need to return to the party of lower taxes, smaller government, personal responsibility, strong national defense, and state's rights.
9. The current level of spending is irresponsible and outrageous. We are spending trillions that we don't have. This could lead to hyperinflation, depression or worse. No country has ever spent themselves into prosperity. The media is giving Obama, Reid and Pelosi a pass because they love their agenda. But eventually the bill will come due and people will realize the huge bailouts didn't work, nor will the stimulus package.These were trillion-dollar payoffs to Obama's allies, unions and the Congress to placate the left, so he can get support for #4 above.
10. The election was over in mid-September when Lehman brothers failed, fear and panic swept in, we had an unpopular President, and the war was grinding on indefinitely without a clear outcome. The people are in pain, and the mantra of change caused people to act emotionally. Any Dem would have won this election; it was surprising it was as close as it was.
11. In 2012, if the unemployment rate is over 10%, Republicans will be swept back into power. If it's under 8%, the Dems continue to roll. If it's between 8-10%, it will be a dogfight. It will all be about the economy. I hope this gets you really thinking about what's happening in Washington and Congress. There is a left-wing revolution going on, according to Krauthammer, and he encourages us to keep the faith and join the loyal resistance. The work will be hard, but we're right on most issues and can reclaim our country, before it's far too late.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
How Obama's incompetence and that of his administration continues to cost American lives and jobs
Obama and his entire administration have shown an extreme level of incompetence that is steadily destroying American lives and jobs, and will only cost more in the future. From the time he was on the campaign trail, it was glaringly obvious that Obama was the wrong person at the wrong time for this job. His election was due in part to people stupidly falling for the "hope and change" mantra but what has that "hope and change" brought us thus far? I'd love to know the actual numbers of people who now deeply regret their misguided vote for him. Hopefully that number will continue to grow as more people turn off "American Idol" and turn on a legitimate news organization's channel (i.e., one that will report the actual facts rather than serve as the blushing cheerleader for everything Obama does or says such as is done daily by CNN, MSNBC, CBS, NBC, ABC, etc).
Let's recount just some of the highlights of Obama's incompetence and that of his administration. It has ranged from the highly incompetent Desiree Rogers (Social Sec) being more concerned about sitting as a guest at a White House State dinner (a breach of protocol) than assisting the Secret Service with the security-cleared guest list. Those gate crashers could have had any number of weapons (hardware or chemical) that could have killed or seriously injured the President or any of the guests there. Why wasn't Rogers immediateley fired??? She's good buddies with The Obamas thus regardless of the level of her incompetence she gets to keep her job and refuse Congress' request to answer questions on the matter. How many more people will she permit to crash events at the White House or other, less secure locations?? Will her incompetence be permitted to cause someone's actual injury or death? She shouldn't be given the chance to screw up again.
The tragic Ft Hood massacre was another result of the incompetence of the Obama administration. That murderer should not have even been in the Army any more but instead had been recently promoted?!? Why? Because of the Obama administration's, and far too many other's, deadly insistence on being PC and not wanting to risk hurting someone's feelings by "profiling" them. However not wanting to risk hurting delicate feelings is risking lives, and at Ft Hood COST precious lives.
Obama has nominated numerous people for high level positions who have had to "decline" the nomination or resign b/c of their incompetence - Daschle, Richardson, Van Jones, etc. Geitner who has great influence over large sums of money couldn't even figure out Turbo Tax and do his taxes done properly?!?
Most recently, on Christmas Day, the now dubbed "Underwear Bomber" was permitted to get on a plane and fly here with explosives in his crotch. This guy was on a terrorist watch list, had been communicating with known terrorists, had purchased his ticket with cash, had a one-way ticket, had been denied a travel visa to Britain and his own father had warned the U.S. 6 months ago that this guy was a threat. However, due to Sec Napolitano's ignorant insistence on not hurting his delicate feelings by "profiling" him, he was allowed to board a plane and head toward the U.S. Napolitano actually had the audacity to state that the "system worked". Worked? Oh, Obama has "asked for answers" on how this could have occurred. I can save the administration a whole lot of money and time and tell them in 5 seconds - incompetence and stupidity by Obama's high level picks for his administration caused this to happen.
It isn't surprising that Obama keeps nominating incompetent individuals. He feels a kinship with them. He had absolutely NO executive experience before being given the most powerful position in the country, and indeed the world. It still astounds me that a majority of Americans didn't give a damn about that fact. We're certainly seeing the consequences of that error in judgment on a daily basis. Anyone who owns a business where professionals are needed to get the job done knows better than to hire someone who has absolutely no experience with the type of work involved. I couldn't get a job as a pilot no matter who I know because I have not received the training necessary. I would be laughed out of the HR Dpt if I applied for a job as a brain surgeon. Why then were so many Americans confident enough to elect a person who had NO experience for the job???
Obama was elected for a variety of reasons, none of which were legitimate reasons to put him in the Oval Office. There were millions who voted for him b/c they thought it was simply 'time' to have someone with an African-American heritage in the office - he's thus the Affirmative Action President. Many elected him b/c Americans get stupidly apathetic about the real issues and/or too often think that if one party has been in power for two terms the other party should be given their "turn", regardless of the incompetent boob who may be running for a particular office. Many were also swaying and swooning over Obama's "powerful, moving" (teleprompter-fed) speeches. Barf. Every time he delivers a speech he spews out a lot of words that don't form a coherent message, or if a message does somehow manage to cobble itself together and get across, it's a message of a plan that is VERY dangerous for America.
Obama's plans for Socialized Medicine and Cap and Trade is another example of how his incompetence shapes his decisions. Anyone with even a small amount of knowledge of finances and business should be able to understand that over-regulation and over-taxing KILLS JOBS. Doctors will leave the profession by the 1,000s when they simply can't stand the government bureacracy anymore and can't afford to pay skyrocketing liability premiums on top of additional and increased expenses for their employees' health insurance. Nurses and other aides to Drs will leave the profession by the 1,000s when they are even more overworked because of the millions of new people abusing the "free" health care system and the steadily decreasing number of Drs. Socialized Medicine will also cost Americans their jobs in other areas because employers won't be able to afford the costs of mandatory socialized medicine, and will eventually lay off millions of people. Sen Vitter recently provided some facts about this matter: the dramatic expansion of Medicaid that served as the bribe for Sen Landrieu's vote for Socialized Medicine will cost the state at least $1.3 billion over ten years, far more than the $300 million 'benefit'; the $300 million is a one–time benefit while the $1.3 billion per decade is forever; the bill cuts Medicare by $466 billion and steals almost half a trillion dollars from Medicare to pay for a new entitlement; the bill contains $518 billion of tax increases nationwide; as for the oft-repeated promise that no one who earns under $200,000 will be affected, 42.1 million of those earning under $200,000 will pay higher taxes in the form of higher insurance premiums because, as the Congressional Budget Office reports, the bill increases health care costs overall; businesses will have to provide a government-defined health insurance benefit to their employees or pay a new tax, and the National Federation of Small Business says that would cost the nation at least 1.6 million jobs; and, this new mandate will also create an incentive for businesses to dump their employees off their health plans, because it would be cheaper to do that and pay the new tax. Finally, the "benefits" of the new Socialized Medicine bill do not kick in until 2014 but the taxes and other cost increases will start immediately upon Obama signing the bill.
Why would Obama push his plans so hard then? I hope it's just incompetence but I fear it's far more sinister - he's setting out to "fundamentally" change America (his own words) in the WRONG direction - the U.S. becoming a socialist republic. (As a quick reminder, socialism is when the government takes from those who produce (i.e., work and made money) and give to those who don't produce thru government handouts). Socialism has ALWAYS been a miserable failure for any country that has attempted it, ALWAYS. Plus, if Obama wants socialism so badly I am happy to host a fundraiser to buy him a one-way ticket to China or any of the other countries that are currently socialist.
Obama's planned Cap and Trade will be a job killer as well. Companies will be forced to pay higher taxes (i.e., penalties) for any output that whatever extremist environmetalist wacko running the E.P.A. or money-wasting Congressional Committee decides on a whim is a "pollutant" that week. The environmentalist crazies are picking on dogs this week by saying that dogs have a larger "carbon footprint" (thru their passing gas) than an SUV. What's next, taxing us for owning dogs, forcing us to only have one per family, or killing any who poot too often? I suppose that with the "energy meter" the Obama administration wants to put in every household you could tell if the family dogs are farting too much and the fart police would be sent in immediately to shoot the offending dog(s).
When will it stop? How much is America willing to put up with before we decide finally and firmly to kick the incompetent, socialist bums out of office this coming November and the next? I hope that people will stay involved and stay informed about what Obama and the other liberals are doing and planning to do in DC. We have to stay vigilant about these issues and hold our elected officials accountable. From the local city council races to statewide positions to national offices we MUST be willing to kick out (or not elect in the first place) the incompetent and the socialist (which is redundant I know), regardless of party affiliation or no affiliation at all. What Obama and other liberals are doing and planning in DC are unconstitutional power grabs and are destroying this country economically and militarily. Even worse is that many of the bills the liberals keep passing are nearly impossible to repeal in the future, and with more and more liberal judges being nominated by Obama and voted on by liberals in the Senate, won't be declared unconstitutional. We must Continue to Fight on every issue, every day and in every election no matter how big or small!!!
Let's recount just some of the highlights of Obama's incompetence and that of his administration. It has ranged from the highly incompetent Desiree Rogers (Social Sec) being more concerned about sitting as a guest at a White House State dinner (a breach of protocol) than assisting the Secret Service with the security-cleared guest list. Those gate crashers could have had any number of weapons (hardware or chemical) that could have killed or seriously injured the President or any of the guests there. Why wasn't Rogers immediateley fired??? She's good buddies with The Obamas thus regardless of the level of her incompetence she gets to keep her job and refuse Congress' request to answer questions on the matter. How many more people will she permit to crash events at the White House or other, less secure locations?? Will her incompetence be permitted to cause someone's actual injury or death? She shouldn't be given the chance to screw up again.
The tragic Ft Hood massacre was another result of the incompetence of the Obama administration. That murderer should not have even been in the Army any more but instead had been recently promoted?!? Why? Because of the Obama administration's, and far too many other's, deadly insistence on being PC and not wanting to risk hurting someone's feelings by "profiling" them. However not wanting to risk hurting delicate feelings is risking lives, and at Ft Hood COST precious lives.
Obama has nominated numerous people for high level positions who have had to "decline" the nomination or resign b/c of their incompetence - Daschle, Richardson, Van Jones, etc. Geitner who has great influence over large sums of money couldn't even figure out Turbo Tax and do his taxes done properly?!?
Most recently, on Christmas Day, the now dubbed "Underwear Bomber" was permitted to get on a plane and fly here with explosives in his crotch. This guy was on a terrorist watch list, had been communicating with known terrorists, had purchased his ticket with cash, had a one-way ticket, had been denied a travel visa to Britain and his own father had warned the U.S. 6 months ago that this guy was a threat. However, due to Sec Napolitano's ignorant insistence on not hurting his delicate feelings by "profiling" him, he was allowed to board a plane and head toward the U.S. Napolitano actually had the audacity to state that the "system worked". Worked? Oh, Obama has "asked for answers" on how this could have occurred. I can save the administration a whole lot of money and time and tell them in 5 seconds - incompetence and stupidity by Obama's high level picks for his administration caused this to happen.
It isn't surprising that Obama keeps nominating incompetent individuals. He feels a kinship with them. He had absolutely NO executive experience before being given the most powerful position in the country, and indeed the world. It still astounds me that a majority of Americans didn't give a damn about that fact. We're certainly seeing the consequences of that error in judgment on a daily basis. Anyone who owns a business where professionals are needed to get the job done knows better than to hire someone who has absolutely no experience with the type of work involved. I couldn't get a job as a pilot no matter who I know because I have not received the training necessary. I would be laughed out of the HR Dpt if I applied for a job as a brain surgeon. Why then were so many Americans confident enough to elect a person who had NO experience for the job???
Obama was elected for a variety of reasons, none of which were legitimate reasons to put him in the Oval Office. There were millions who voted for him b/c they thought it was simply 'time' to have someone with an African-American heritage in the office - he's thus the Affirmative Action President. Many elected him b/c Americans get stupidly apathetic about the real issues and/or too often think that if one party has been in power for two terms the other party should be given their "turn", regardless of the incompetent boob who may be running for a particular office. Many were also swaying and swooning over Obama's "powerful, moving" (teleprompter-fed) speeches. Barf. Every time he delivers a speech he spews out a lot of words that don't form a coherent message, or if a message does somehow manage to cobble itself together and get across, it's a message of a plan that is VERY dangerous for America.
Obama's plans for Socialized Medicine and Cap and Trade is another example of how his incompetence shapes his decisions. Anyone with even a small amount of knowledge of finances and business should be able to understand that over-regulation and over-taxing KILLS JOBS. Doctors will leave the profession by the 1,000s when they simply can't stand the government bureacracy anymore and can't afford to pay skyrocketing liability premiums on top of additional and increased expenses for their employees' health insurance. Nurses and other aides to Drs will leave the profession by the 1,000s when they are even more overworked because of the millions of new people abusing the "free" health care system and the steadily decreasing number of Drs. Socialized Medicine will also cost Americans their jobs in other areas because employers won't be able to afford the costs of mandatory socialized medicine, and will eventually lay off millions of people. Sen Vitter recently provided some facts about this matter: the dramatic expansion of Medicaid that served as the bribe for Sen Landrieu's vote for Socialized Medicine will cost the state at least $1.3 billion over ten years, far more than the $300 million 'benefit'; the $300 million is a one–time benefit while the $1.3 billion per decade is forever; the bill cuts Medicare by $466 billion and steals almost half a trillion dollars from Medicare to pay for a new entitlement; the bill contains $518 billion of tax increases nationwide; as for the oft-repeated promise that no one who earns under $200,000 will be affected, 42.1 million of those earning under $200,000 will pay higher taxes in the form of higher insurance premiums because, as the Congressional Budget Office reports, the bill increases health care costs overall; businesses will have to provide a government-defined health insurance benefit to their employees or pay a new tax, and the National Federation of Small Business says that would cost the nation at least 1.6 million jobs; and, this new mandate will also create an incentive for businesses to dump their employees off their health plans, because it would be cheaper to do that and pay the new tax. Finally, the "benefits" of the new Socialized Medicine bill do not kick in until 2014 but the taxes and other cost increases will start immediately upon Obama signing the bill.
Why would Obama push his plans so hard then? I hope it's just incompetence but I fear it's far more sinister - he's setting out to "fundamentally" change America (his own words) in the WRONG direction - the U.S. becoming a socialist republic. (As a quick reminder, socialism is when the government takes from those who produce (i.e., work and made money) and give to those who don't produce thru government handouts). Socialism has ALWAYS been a miserable failure for any country that has attempted it, ALWAYS. Plus, if Obama wants socialism so badly I am happy to host a fundraiser to buy him a one-way ticket to China or any of the other countries that are currently socialist.
Obama's planned Cap and Trade will be a job killer as well. Companies will be forced to pay higher taxes (i.e., penalties) for any output that whatever extremist environmetalist wacko running the E.P.A. or money-wasting Congressional Committee decides on a whim is a "pollutant" that week. The environmentalist crazies are picking on dogs this week by saying that dogs have a larger "carbon footprint" (thru their passing gas) than an SUV. What's next, taxing us for owning dogs, forcing us to only have one per family, or killing any who poot too often? I suppose that with the "energy meter" the Obama administration wants to put in every household you could tell if the family dogs are farting too much and the fart police would be sent in immediately to shoot the offending dog(s).
When will it stop? How much is America willing to put up with before we decide finally and firmly to kick the incompetent, socialist bums out of office this coming November and the next? I hope that people will stay involved and stay informed about what Obama and the other liberals are doing and planning to do in DC. We have to stay vigilant about these issues and hold our elected officials accountable. From the local city council races to statewide positions to national offices we MUST be willing to kick out (or not elect in the first place) the incompetent and the socialist (which is redundant I know), regardless of party affiliation or no affiliation at all. What Obama and other liberals are doing and planning in DC are unconstitutional power grabs and are destroying this country economically and militarily. Even worse is that many of the bills the liberals keep passing are nearly impossible to repeal in the future, and with more and more liberal judges being nominated by Obama and voted on by liberals in the Senate, won't be declared unconstitutional. We must Continue to Fight on every issue, every day and in every election no matter how big or small!!!
Saturday, December 19, 2009
A Christmas Poem
* A Christmas Poem
*Different Christmas Poem*
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me,angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said, "Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam, And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
*PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.*
LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq
*Different Christmas Poem*
The embers glowed softly, and in their dim light, I gazed round the room and I cherished the sight.
My wife was asleep, her head on my chest, My daughter beside me,angelic in rest.
Outside the snow fell, a blanket of white, Transforming the yard to a winter delight.
The sparkling lights in the tree I believe,completed the magic that was Christmas Eve.
My eyelids were heavy, my breathing was deep, Secure and surrounded by love I would sleep.
In perfect contentment, or so it would seem, So I slumbered, perhaps I started to dream.
The sound wasn't loud, and it wasn't too near, But I opened my eyes when it tickled my ear.
Perhaps just a cough, I didn't quite know, Then the sure sound of footsteps outside in the snow.
My soul gave a tremble, I struggled to hear, And I crept to the door just to see who was near.
Standing out in the cold and the dark of the night, A lone figure stood, his face weary and tight.
A soldier, I puzzled, some twenty years old,Perhaps a Marine, huddled here in the cold.
Alone in the dark, he looked up and smiled, Standing watch over me, and my wife and my child.
"What are you doing?" I asked without fear, "Come in this moment, it's freezing out here!
Put down your pack, brush the snow from your sleeve, You should be at home on a cold Christmas Eve!"
For barely a moment I saw his eyes shift, Away from the cold and the snow blown in drifts
To the window that danced with a warm fire's light Then he sighed and he said, "Its really all right, I'm out here by choice. I'm here every night.
"It's my duty to stand at the front of the line, That separates you from the darkest of times.
No one had to ask or beg or implore me, I'm proud to stand here like my fathers before me.
My Gramps died at ' Pearl on a day in December,"
Then he sighed, "That's a Christmas 'Gram always remembers."
My dad stood his watch in the jungles of 'Nam, And now it is my turn and so, here I am.
I've not seen my own son in more than a while, But my wife sends me pictures, he's sure got her smile.
Then he bent and he carefully pulled from his bag, The red, white, and blue... an American flag.
I can live through the cold and the being alone, Away from my family, my house and my home.
I can stand at my post through the rain and the sleet, I can sleep in a foxhole with little to eat.
I can carry the weight of killing another, Or lay down my life with my sister and brother..
Who stand at the front against any and all, To ensure for all time that this flag will not fall."
"So go back inside," he said, "harbor no fright, Your family is waiting and I'll be all right."
"But isn't there something I can do, at the least, "Give you money," I asked, "or prepare you a feast?
It seems all too little for all that you've done, For being away from your wife and your son."
Then his eye welled a tear that held no regret, "Just tell us you love us, and never forget.
To fight for our rights back at home while we're gone, To stand your own watch, no matter how long.
For when we come home, either standing or dead, To know you remember we fought and we bled.
Is payment enough, and with that we will trust, That we mattered to you as you mattered to us."
*PLEASE, would you do me the kind favor of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to our U.S service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities. Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.*
LCDR Jeff Giles, SC, USN
30th Naval Construction Regiment
OIC, Logistics Cell One
Al Taqqadum, Iraq
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
New Orleans Secret Supper Club
When I saw the invitation for the New Orleans Secret Supper Club, I was intrigued and knew immediately that I wanted to attend. First of all, almost any culinary and wine event in NOLA is going to be a good time regardless of who throws it or where it is held. Second, I received a tip from a friend (local wine expert Brenda Maitland) that the Sonniers, who were preparing the food, previously ran one of NOLA's beloved restaurants - Gabrielle. Since we are always up for an adventure, we decided to RSVP.
Upon entering the courtyard of The Uptowner, the event space Uptown where the Supper Club was held, I knew it would be a delightful evening. In typical NOLA fashion, there was no signage so you had to know where you were going, or for whom you were looking. The courtyard was quintessential NOLA - cozy, romantic lighting, and an inviting open door from which were coming the familiar sounds of a NOLA gathering. Immediately upon entering the event we were greeted with a glass of wine, as it should be. The gracious hosts from Partysists gave us a warm hello then introduced us around. (Those ladies know how to throw a party!)
The Super Secret of the evening was not the identity of the guests or even the location but the fabulously exciting menu. The culinary expedition began with passed hors d'oeuvres of Goat Cheese with Marinated Sundried Tomatoes on Toast Points. This was perfectly paired with Foris Pinot Gris '07, a very nice Pinot Gris: more full-bodied than many I've tried, not as citrusy, and much more like a warm vanilla and apricot combination. The next dish was "Oysters Gabie", named after their daughter and restaurant "Gabrielle". This was an oyster dressing, with a surprise whole oyster in the bottom, stuffed in an oyster shell. The next dish was Mixed Sausage Kabob with Lavender Creole Mustard Sauce. This paired very nicely with Cosme Cote du Rhone Rouge '08. Any who know me well know that I am not a big fan of sausage. However, I ate every bit of this. This combination of meats, herbs and spices produced a very hearty, ideal dish for such a cold winter evening. Interestingly, while you may think that something as delicate as lavendar would be overwhelmed by such a hearty dish, I found it to be directly to the contrary. The lavendar brought an exquisitely delicate undertone to what could have been an otherwise overly hearty meat dish. The wine was also a splendid pairing. This Cote du Rhone was vivacious and peppery, a perfect compliment to the enticing flavors of the sausage. Our next course was Petit BBQ Shrimp Pie. This dish made me break my rule of "not messing with shrimp". I generally like a simply prepared shrimp dish, for that's generally the only way to get the full depth of delicious briny flavor common to Gulf Coast shrimp. And, chefs often bury shrimp in heavy sauces because their shrimp is not freshly caught. This was certainly not the case with this dish. It was spicy in an herby way, not too peppery just for the sake of being spicy like some cajun dishes can be. It tasted like a typical NOLA BBQ shrimp preparation (not BBQ sauce like that with which those from other parts of the country are familiar). NOLA BBQ Shrimp sauce is a combination of butter, garlic and Worcestershire sauce, and other tantalizing secret ingredients, that result in a rich and robust dish that somehow manages to not overpower the shrimp. This particular shrimp, nestled in a delicate, flaky mini pie shell, also perfectly paired with the herbacious, peppery Cote du Rhone. We then moved to the Slow Roasted Duck with Roasted Peppers, Mushrooms and Orange Sherry Sauce over Shoestring Potatoes. I'm new to duck as I generally do not care for dark fowl meats. However, the Orange Sherry Sauce was brilliantly paired with what could have been (to me) too gamey of a meat. The citrus in the orange helped to mellow the fatty taste that I usually find off-putting in darker meats. The Sherry provided just a hint of the alcohol needed to further mellow and balance the dish. The duck was paired with Fritz Winery Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley '05. I'm already a Zin addict and this made my condition worse. This was not overly jammy as some Zins can be (the characteristic that turns off many winos who prefer the musty taste of many Europeans wines that taste like the cellar floor from which they came). This wine was fruit forward, in that you could detect the fruit but it wasn't overpowering and syrupy. I thought it had a perfect balance of fruit, spiciness and alcohol. The splendid meal was capped with a choice of two desserts - a Peppermint Patti or Mixed Berry Shortcake. Since James and I are always on the tapas prowl trying anything and everything offered by a restaurant, I chose the Peppermint Patti and he chose the shortcake, planning to each try the other's. The Peppermint Patti was a delectable brownie partnered with a scoop of refreshing peppermint ice cream. This was truly one of the best desserts I have had in a long time, and I'm not a huge fan of sweets. I'm assuming the shortcake was good as I realized later that James didn't even offer me any!
While the menu was fabulously pleasing, the company was just as nice. We were paired with a charming couple and another young lady with whom we talked the entire dinner. It was one of those dinners where we so enjoyed their company that we never had a lull in the conversation and were sorry to see the evening come to an end. Overall, we found the evening to be elegantly pleasant and delightfully delicious, and will certain go again in the future.
Upon entering the courtyard of The Uptowner, the event space Uptown where the Supper Club was held, I knew it would be a delightful evening. In typical NOLA fashion, there was no signage so you had to know where you were going, or for whom you were looking. The courtyard was quintessential NOLA - cozy, romantic lighting, and an inviting open door from which were coming the familiar sounds of a NOLA gathering. Immediately upon entering the event we were greeted with a glass of wine, as it should be. The gracious hosts from Partysists gave us a warm hello then introduced us around. (Those ladies know how to throw a party!)
The Super Secret of the evening was not the identity of the guests or even the location but the fabulously exciting menu. The culinary expedition began with passed hors d'oeuvres of Goat Cheese with Marinated Sundried Tomatoes on Toast Points. This was perfectly paired with Foris Pinot Gris '07, a very nice Pinot Gris: more full-bodied than many I've tried, not as citrusy, and much more like a warm vanilla and apricot combination. The next dish was "Oysters Gabie", named after their daughter and restaurant "Gabrielle". This was an oyster dressing, with a surprise whole oyster in the bottom, stuffed in an oyster shell. The next dish was Mixed Sausage Kabob with Lavender Creole Mustard Sauce. This paired very nicely with Cosme Cote du Rhone Rouge '08. Any who know me well know that I am not a big fan of sausage. However, I ate every bit of this. This combination of meats, herbs and spices produced a very hearty, ideal dish for such a cold winter evening. Interestingly, while you may think that something as delicate as lavendar would be overwhelmed by such a hearty dish, I found it to be directly to the contrary. The lavendar brought an exquisitely delicate undertone to what could have been an otherwise overly hearty meat dish. The wine was also a splendid pairing. This Cote du Rhone was vivacious and peppery, a perfect compliment to the enticing flavors of the sausage. Our next course was Petit BBQ Shrimp Pie. This dish made me break my rule of "not messing with shrimp". I generally like a simply prepared shrimp dish, for that's generally the only way to get the full depth of delicious briny flavor common to Gulf Coast shrimp. And, chefs often bury shrimp in heavy sauces because their shrimp is not freshly caught. This was certainly not the case with this dish. It was spicy in an herby way, not too peppery just for the sake of being spicy like some cajun dishes can be. It tasted like a typical NOLA BBQ shrimp preparation (not BBQ sauce like that with which those from other parts of the country are familiar). NOLA BBQ Shrimp sauce is a combination of butter, garlic and Worcestershire sauce, and other tantalizing secret ingredients, that result in a rich and robust dish that somehow manages to not overpower the shrimp. This particular shrimp, nestled in a delicate, flaky mini pie shell, also perfectly paired with the herbacious, peppery Cote du Rhone. We then moved to the Slow Roasted Duck with Roasted Peppers, Mushrooms and Orange Sherry Sauce over Shoestring Potatoes. I'm new to duck as I generally do not care for dark fowl meats. However, the Orange Sherry Sauce was brilliantly paired with what could have been (to me) too gamey of a meat. The citrus in the orange helped to mellow the fatty taste that I usually find off-putting in darker meats. The Sherry provided just a hint of the alcohol needed to further mellow and balance the dish. The duck was paired with Fritz Winery Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley '05. I'm already a Zin addict and this made my condition worse. This was not overly jammy as some Zins can be (the characteristic that turns off many winos who prefer the musty taste of many Europeans wines that taste like the cellar floor from which they came). This wine was fruit forward, in that you could detect the fruit but it wasn't overpowering and syrupy. I thought it had a perfect balance of fruit, spiciness and alcohol. The splendid meal was capped with a choice of two desserts - a Peppermint Patti or Mixed Berry Shortcake. Since James and I are always on the tapas prowl trying anything and everything offered by a restaurant, I chose the Peppermint Patti and he chose the shortcake, planning to each try the other's. The Peppermint Patti was a delectable brownie partnered with a scoop of refreshing peppermint ice cream. This was truly one of the best desserts I have had in a long time, and I'm not a huge fan of sweets. I'm assuming the shortcake was good as I realized later that James didn't even offer me any!
While the menu was fabulously pleasing, the company was just as nice. We were paired with a charming couple and another young lady with whom we talked the entire dinner. It was one of those dinners where we so enjoyed their company that we never had a lull in the conversation and were sorry to see the evening come to an end. Overall, we found the evening to be elegantly pleasant and delightfully delicious, and will certain go again in the future.
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