Are we becoming part of the Axis of Evil?

I am torn by saying that. I don't really believe that the majority of US citizens can even imagine being in such awful company. Yet I look at the events of the last several weeks and I wonder.

Obama had to be cajoled to say anything positive about the Iran protests. When he does, it lacks a moral clarity. It does nothing to bring to bear our heritage in support of all those in Iran who crave freedom. In essence, it panders to the diplomatic inclinations of the Neville Chamberlains of the world.

When a democratic country in our hemisphere takes a stand for their rule of law, Obama takes the side of the despots. If Obama is in agreement with Fidel Castro, Cesar Chavez and Daniel Ortega, doesn't that suggest that something is wrong?

Has history taught us nothing? Oh, I forgot. William Ayers is in charge of screening the school books for our youth. Forget about Washington, Jefferson and Lincoln. Learn about Lenin, Stalin and Mao.

Crystalnacht, the Night of the Long Knives, Tiananmen Square. Cap and Trade, Obamacare, Acorn. I'm not saying they're related, but doesn't there seem to be a pattern?

What more shall come to pass that makes us believe we now must act?

July 4th Tea Parties

With the aspect of Cap and Trade being forced on us and with Obamacare soon to follow, the July 4th Tea Parties offer a compelling way to voice our opposition to this countries rapid descent into socialism.



Now is the time to find a Tea Party near you.

Here is a link to Tea Party Patriots, an excellent resource.

I'll be attending America's Tea Party being held at Southfork Ranch outside Dallas, Texas.

Make your voice be heard! Attend a July 4th Tea Party and put your patriotism to work!

Leave a comment and let me know what Tea Party you plan on attending.

Dear Mr. President

This letter was forwarded via a 21 year-old veteran. This teacher could lose her job for this. If she has the guts to attach her name to it, we should have the nerve to forward it in any way we can.

April 17, 2009

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington , DC 20500

Mr. Obama:
I have had it with you and your administration, sir. Your conduct on your recent trip overseas has convinced me that you are not an adequate representative of the United States of America collectively or of me personally.

You are so obsessed with appeasing the Europeans and the Muslim world that you have abdicated the responsibilities of the President of the United States of America. You are responsible to the citizens of the United States .. You are not responsible to the peoples of any other country on earth.

I personally resent that you go around the world apologizing for the United States telling Europeans that we are arrogant and do not care about their status in the world. Sir, what do you think the First World War and the Second World War were all about if not the consideration of the peoples of Europe ? Are you brain dead? What do you think the Marshall Plan was all about? Do you not understand or know the history of the 20th century?

Where do you get off telling a Muslim country that the United States does not consider itself a Christian country? Have you not read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States? This country was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics and the principles governing this country, at least until you came along, come directly from this heritage. Do you not understand this?

Your bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia is an affront to all Americans. Our President does not bow down to anyone, let alone the king of Saudi Arabia . You didn't show Great Britain, our best and one of our oldest allies, the respect they deserve yet you bow down to the king of Saudi Arabia .. How dare you, sir! How dare you!

You cant find the time to visit the graves of our greatest generation because you don't want to offend the Germans but make time to visit a mosque in Turkey ... You offended our dead and every veteran when you give the Germans more respect than the people who saved the German people from themselves. What's the matter with you? I am convinced that you and the members of your administration have the historical and intellectual depth of a mud puddle and should be ashamed of yourselves, all of you..

You are so self-righteously offended by the big bankers and the 2 American automobile manufacturers yet do nothing about the real thieves in this situation, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Frank, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelic, the Fannie Mae bonuses, and the Freddie Mac bonuses. What do you intend to do about them? Anything? I seriously doubt it..

What about the U.S. House members passing out $9.1 million in bonuses to their staff members on top of the $2.5 million in automatic pay raises that lawmakers gave themselves? I understand the average House aide got a 17% bonus. I took a 5% cut in my pay to save jobs with my employer. You haven't said anything about that.. Who authorized that? I surely didn't!

Executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be receiving $210 million in bonuses over an eighteen-month period, that's $45 million more than the AIG bonuses. In fact, Fannie and Freddie executives have already been awarded $51 million. Not a bad take. Who authorized that and why haven't you expressed your outrage at this group who are largely responsible for the economic mess we have right now?

I resent that you take me and my fellow citizens as brain-dead and not caring about what you idiots do. We are watching what you are doing and we are getting increasingly fed up with all of you.

I also want you to know that I personally find just about everything you do and say to be offensive to every one of my sensibilities. I promise you that I will work tirelessly to see that you do not get a chance to spend two terms destroying my beautiful country.

Sincerely,

Every real American

P.S. I rarely ask that emails be 'passed around'..............PLEASE SEND THIS TO YOUR EMAIL LIST......it's past time for all Americans to wake up!

Ms Kathleen Lyday
Fourth Grade Teacher
Grandview Elementary School
Hillsboro, MO


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Do, Re, Mi!

This video was made in the Antwerp, Belgium Central (Train) Station on March 23, 2009, with no warning to the passengers passing through the station. At 8:00 am a recording of Julie Andrews singing 'Do, Re, Mi' begins to play on the public address system.

As the bemused passengers watch in amazement, some 200 dancers begin to appear from the crowd and station entrances.

They created this amazing stunt with just two rehearsals!

Enjoy!

Iranian Protests

I'm going to provide a regular update to goings on in Iran. The protesters are not backing down. Notice the number of cell phones being used to video. Thank God for that technology, otherwise, we may know very little. I am always anxious to "see" what is going on. I hope you are too.

June 29, 2009


June 28, 2009


This is why I only watch Fox News.


For my updates on Neda, go HERE.

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Defund the EPA!

Here's an idea, let's defund the EPA; cap the employment in the State Department to, say, twice the number of embassies; remove the Secretary of Education; remove the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; reign in the Secretary of Commerce (too many ridiculous surveys); remove the Secretary of Energy; and severely restrict the Secretary of Health and Human Services. After all, aren't all those positions part of the Executive Branch, subject to the whims of the President? The next President can do all these things!

The reason I bring this up is due to a story I read today. The EPA quashed information that was counter to its argument for the proposed endangerment finding regarding carbon dioxide. The EPA is supposed to be a non-partisan organization that looks at all side of arguments in deciding what is the best course of action. I has now failed in its charter. As a result, we have Cap and Trade legislation passing through Congress.

I could add other Cabinet positions that I would like to see abolished (Education, to name one), but let's just focus on the Department of Energy. Screw them!

For the Operation Red Wing Families

For more information, go HERE.

Beat It!

Michael Jackson being put to good use...



#iranelection
#neda

Tweeting Etiquette

Tweet, tweet and followers run. The more you tweet the harder they come. The more they come, the better you feel. So you should tweet before, during and after each meal.

I know, stupid. But witty. Right?

Ah, Jagermeister. It's a wonderful thing!


:-)

Satellite TV coordinates for Iran News

ChannelOneTV On The Eutelsat W2M:11472 27500 Ver 2/3 *MAATV* / ParsTV Radio On The HOTBIRD:11566 27500 HOR 3/4


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A Pat Toomey Surge?

Support for Arlen Specter continues to wane.

Pat Toomey's website has an interesting observation about the electorate in Pennsylvania:

Toomey acknowledged that there was a shift in Pennsylvania voting patterns during the presidential election, with a number of Republicans leaving the party and registering as Democrats.

Sounds to me like he's referring to Rush Limbaugh's Operation Chaos.

What do ya thing?

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Weekend Wish List

What a week! The passing of Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson. The passing of Cap and Trade (Good Grief)! Let's hope that we are not treated to a diversion from the events in Washington by the various tributes that will begin for our fallen entertainment icons.

Cap and Trade. What can I say. This is the line in the sand that must NOT be crossed. The Gang of Eight must go!

What about a President that: defunds the EPA, caps the employment in the State Department, removes the Secretary of Education cabinet position, removes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development position, reigns in the Secretary of Commerce (too many ridiculous surveys), removes the Secretary of Energy, and severely restricts the Secretary of Health and Human Services? After all, aren't all those positions part of the Executive Branch, subject to the whims of the President?

Will the July 4th Tea Parties hit 2 million participants? The numbers suggest that the April 15th Tea Parties drew almost 1 million. Shouldn't we expect a LOT more, given the acts of Washington since April 15th?

The Gang of Eight

Here are the Republican defectors that voted "Yea" on Cap and Trade:

Bono Mack, Mary (CA-45) 202-225-5330
Castle, Mike (DE) 202-225-4165
Kirk, Mark (IL-10) 202-225-4835
Lance, Leonard (NJ-7) 202-225-5361
LoBiondo, Frank (NJ-2) 202-225-6572
McHugh, John (NY-23) 202-225-4611
Reichert, Dave (WA-8) 202-225-7761
Smith, Chris (NJ-4) 202-225-3765

They MUST be replaced in 2010 with true CONSERVATIVES!!

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Rep. Michael Burgess on Cap and Trade

I sent an email to Dr. Michael Burgess, R-TX, 26th District, to voice my concerns about cap and trade legislation being considered today in Congress. What follows are excerpted portions of his email response (my emphasis added). What follows that is MY return response.

Dear Mr. Vogel:

Thank you for contacting me regarding current cap and trade energy and climate legislation. It is good to hear your thoughts on this important issue.

I am highly supportive of energy conservation and the advancement of renewable energy. In our own district we have a manufacturer of wind turbine blades and a manufacturer of solar panels. In fact, Texas is the leading producer of wind-powered electricity in the country. Conspicuous in its absence from cap and trade legislation is any increase in electricity generated by nuclear power, which is truly a low-carbon source of energy. While I wholeheartedly support investing in alternative energy, and even transitioning away from complete dependence on carbon-based products, we cannot afford to do this at the expense of our national security and economic wellbeing, and we cannot do it at the continued expense of the taxpayers, who are already shouldering the biggest deficit in American history.

As an alternative, I'm working hard to focus Congressional efforts on improvements in energy efficiency and adaptation to climate change. In May, 2009, Synapse Energy Economics released a report which showed that the emissions reduction targets proposed by the Obama Administration can be met by completely focusing on energy efficiency improvements. History shows that strong and growing economies are the most prepared to adapt to changes in climate. Congress should focus on making energy more affordable and building the necessary infrastructure to sustain the economy through economic and climatic changes.

When the Energy and Commerce Committee officially opened HR 2454 for consideration, I offered several amendments to put safeguards in place. Democrats methodically rejected 56 separate Republican efforts to learn the full cost of the bill, to prevent scams in its trading system, and to establish limits on the costs that would be shouldered by the American taxpayer. Remembering very clearly the impact that speculation had on gasoline and diesel prices last summer, I personally submitted an amendment to prohibit the transfer or receipt of carbon credit derivatives in an attempt to curb manipulation of the carbon credit market created by cap and trade. This amendment was rejected. Among the other amendments proposed (and rejected) were:

An amendment to suspend cap and trade policy should gasoline prices reach $5.00 per gallon

An amendment to suspend cap and trade policy should electricity bills increase 10%, 20%, or 100% (this amendment was offered three times, each time raising the cap)

An amendment requiring utilities to disclose to consumers on their monthly bill the direct cost that cap and trade legislation will add to their utility bills

An amendment to suspend cap and trade policy, should unemployment rise to 15% by direct cause of cap and trade

An amendment to suspend cap and trade legislation if China and India do not participate in similar mandatory greenhouse gas reduction efforts

Cap and trade legislation will continue to be heard by several Committees, including the Energy and Commerce Committee. I am a member of this Committee, and you can be certain that I will keep your comments in mind as we discuss and debate this legislation. Rest assured, I will give this issue a great deal of thought and effort, and I will vote based on factual evidence and thorough reasoning, not partisanship.

Again, thank you for taking the time to contact me. I appreciate having the opportunity to represent you in the U.S. House of Representatives. Please feel free to visit my website (www.house.gov/burgess) or contact me with any future concerns.

Sincerely,

Michael C. Burgess, M.D.
Member of Congress
__________________________________________


My response to Rep. Burgess:

Dr. Burgess,

I appreciate your response but am still concerned about one thing. Although you've put forth good arguments on how to better-craft cap and trade legislation, my issue is this: ANY cap and trade legislation is BAD! This is NOT the approach to take for our energy problems and certainly NOT a direction to take during this economic downturn.

I worry that your efforts to establish "safeguards" within the proposed legislation does not address my primary concern. This effort only serves to lend legitimacy to the entire cap and trade effort and shift focus away from the fact that the entire concept is WRONG!

Please take a fresh look at the motivation behind your current efforts. I cannot support any position you take that takes away from our ability to become energy independent by restraining existing energy production and mandating alternative and uneconomical alternatives. Preserving the employment at wind turbine blade and solar panel manufacturing sites within the district will not offset employment losses at other manufacturing locations that will result from this legislation. After all, your suggestions seem to have been met with complete resistance by the Democratic leadership, so why bother with nuance?

Finally, I wish to assert that my concerns are not partisan in nature. I stand against the impact that this legislation will have on all Americans, whether they be Democrat or otherwise. It is truly unfortunate that the Democrats have made this a partisan issue. That, in itself, is a travesty.

Let's hope he gets the message. In all fairness to Dr. Burgess, he is a solid "NO" on Cap and Trade legislation being voted on in the House today. But where will he be afterwards? HERE is a target list of fence-sitters.

Of Song and Stature

Michael Jackson's passing evokes a lot of emotions, including disbelief, sadness and the emotions associated with all those old memories. Oh, those old memories. Whether or not you liked Michael Jackson the person, you can't help but remember his music and the enormous talent that he brought to bear from a very young age.

When I was in high school, the Jackson Five were cranking out countless hit songs, all anchored by the talent that was Michael Jackson. There have been numerous times, when, upon hearing an old song, I am immediately overwhelmed with a memory that takes me back those many years to the time when that song was airing on the radio.

I watched Michael Jackson grow up and evolve into a musical force that we may not see again for an awful long time. Although his current influence had been waning for a number of years, his past influence is still felt. I put his talent and musical influence on par with the great ones and I'm sure the comparisons will begin immediately.

Although his evolving countenance brought much criticism, his talent transcended the ridicule. After all, don't we kind of expect a little bit of eccentricity from those who bring us so much musical genius?

I was looking forward to the aspect of Michael Jackson returning to tour and sing. Not so much for any original content, but just to know that his talent still lived and breathed. He is now one for the ages and I look forward to all the positive tributes to this talent. We have all been treated to his stature.

Refuting Obamacare

I will add more information as I find it. This is the only way we can counter the propaganda being foisted on us by ABC News and the White House.





The Heritage Foundation: Heath Care Articles

American Issues Project: Columns on Heath Care

For an earlier post regarding Obama's misleading health care rhetoric, go HERE.

And HERE is more insight into Obama's intentions via his own words. Very telling!

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Iranian Protesters Being Slaughtered

Any pretense of civility toward Iranian protesters is now gone.





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Marandizing Enemy Combatants!?

I heard about this briefly last night, but the storms in North Texas prevented me from doing any research online. Fox News has picked up the story (read it here) and I suspect that Rush will have something to say about it on his show today. (Update: you can also read about it here and here)

When asked about it, Robert Gibbs basically said it wouldn't surprise him if it were true.

What in the name of God is going on here? Are we conferring Constitutional rights on enemy combatants in the middle of a war? Does this not fly in the face of this country's values? Barack Obama is quickly destroying EVERYTHING that this country was built on.

Where is the leadership in the GOP? Why is this not headline news everywhere?

This is an absolute outrage!

Barack Obama is the Anti-Leader

Consider what leadership is. This video say it all.



Attend the Dallas Tea Party to register your dissent!

Information is HERE. It should be a great event. Lots of good speakers, entertainment and FIREWORKS!

What more could you ask for?



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The Plot Thickens on Healthcare

John Boehner posted an entry to his website yesterday, "White House Admits Americans Will Be Forced Out of Their Current Health Care Plans". In Barack Obama's words, this is "troubling". The Associated Press said "White House Officials Suggest the President's Rhetoric Shouldn't be Taken Literally". Huh?

If we can't take the President's own words, what the heck can we take? I certainly don't trust Robert Gibbs to tell us anything worthwhile. And I guarantee you that ABC is not going to offer anything during their Wednesday fiasco to suggest that they aren't just a shill for the White House.

The bottom line is this, President Obama's vision of nationalizing healthcare must be defeated. If ever there was a rallying cry for the July 4th Tea Parties, this is it. Forget about anything else and focus on this one thing. We have to send a specific message to Washington that we are not willing to see our healthcare administered by the Federal government. In fact, we need to demand that the private sector be given greater latitude to correct the problems. In other words, let capitalism work!

Capitalism has made this country the greatest economic force in the history of the world. Why the hell does the Obama administration want to turn its back on that? I suspect it's because they like the power that centralized planning gives them versus the relative anonymity of the free market.

Update: You can read the House GOP Solutions Group's outline on it's proposal for healthcare reform HERE.

Thomas Paine quotes.....

These are the times that try men's souls.

The world is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.

Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.

Man must go back to nature for information.

I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection.

Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.

Honest men are the soft, easy cushions on which knaves repose and fatten.

Character is much easier kept than recovered.

What we obtain too cheap, we esteem to lightly.

The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.

Weekend Wish List

First and foremost, I hope the protesters in Iran don't suffer the same fate as those at Tiananmen Square 20 years ago. I had a colleague that visited Tiananmen Square about 3 months before the protests started. She brought me back a kimono which, although Japanese, reminds me of the massacre every time I wear it.

There has to be a way to boycott ABC for being a shill to Obama's healthcare plan. Whatever happened to the once-vaunted profession of journalism? It only seems to live in the blogosphere these days.

The July 4th Tea Parties are just around the corner. I'll be attending the Dallas Tea Party at Southfork Ranch. I hope y'all plan on attending one close to where you live! The Dallas Tea Party will be doing fireworks when it gets dark, so I won't have to go anywhere else to participate in that tradition.

I fear for the future of healthcare if Obama gets his way. Pressure needs to be put on EVERY member of Congress to delay action on ANYTHING related to healthcare. I don't mind seeing a mandate to update record-keeping to some electronic format, but leave the rest alone. In fact, unshackle competition and let the market find ways to improve healthcare! I have NO doubt it can! Read this open letter from The Heritage Foundation to learn more.

I was just told that the reason my "Airbag" light is on in my truck is because there is some kind of short in that system. That "system" is a computer-type device (mandated by government) that will cost me $500 to replace. This is bulls*** to the highest order! The government demands these safety features, which inflate the cost of the vehicle. They're intended to protect the dimwitted ones that refuse to wear seat belts. I've worn a seat belt since I began driving and thought the advent of the shoulder harness was a revolutionary and excellent idea. Why do I need a Supplemental Restraint System (SRS)? Needless to say, it ain't gettin' fixed! And if the vehicle fails inspection (due in 2 months), I'm gonna be really pissed!

What About Using Capitalism in Heathcare?

I have a premise born from the experiences we have learned from the Obama administration. With the last several months in mind, let's look at the likelihood of success of Obama's socialized heathcare plan based on the recent past.

From the get-go, I think we can assume that the elements of his heathcare plan will not work. After all, did the government bail-out of GM and Chrysler do what he said it would do? Has the stimulus plan stopped unemployment from reaching the levels he said it would? Have TARP funds helped the housing industry? In all cases, the answer is NO.

Let's assume that Obamacare will not work either. Let's look at some alternatives that take into consideration capitalism's point of view.

(Courtesy of The Heritage Foundation)

Undermining State Authority

"States have played a significant role in developing unique and innovative approaches to address the health care needs of their citizens. During the 08 campaign, then-candidate Obama promoted the idea of state flexibility, but as President he replaced this embrace of flexibility with an embrace of federal standards. Obama has already taken numerous steps to roll back many of the flexibilities extended to states in administering Medicaid and SCHIP."

Do you want to surrender your healthcare to a farther-away bureaucrat?

Solution: "... a patient-focused health care system will provide the highest quality and lowest cost when patients are able to choose among competing private plans. When patients can vote with their feet, insurance companies will be forced to deliver better quality care".

[Key word: competing]

Seniors Pay for It

"[A program]...should resist any efforts to undercut...competitive pricing for drugs that have yielded big savings for both seniors and taxpayers. Moreover, they should not impose a price-controlled regime for prescription drug coverage that limits access to a broad range of drugs available today".

[Key word: competitive] If you want it, it's available.

Unlevel Playing Field

"If Congress creates a public plan modeled on Medicare--as some have previously proposed--the result, of course, would be to undercut any pretense of a promised "level playing field" for competition with private health insurance. Public plan premiums would be 25-40 percent lower than private insurance premiums as the public plan would reimburse providers less than private payers would--and often less than the cost of care delivered".

[Key word: competition] Companies offering private plans will discontinue them if they avoid the cost by shifting workers to a public plan.

I could go on. The problem with Obama is that "competition" never enters his mind. Any alternatives that leverage free-market capitalism will accomplish results than could NEVER be achieved by government mandate, because government has NO competition.

I vote for increased capitalism in healthcare. It will solve the healthcare problem by rewarding the market-place with the best solutions, as long as government does not try to "level the playing field" and limit competition. Think Amtrak.

The Road to Perdition

As I ponder the substance of who we are, I am struck by the turn of the American culture.

We were founded on the idea that all men are created equal, yet, since our founding, we have lost our way. We are no longer equal by government mandate. Hence we have affirmative action.

We now value a culture that accepts the killing of unborn children, the inheritors of our lives. What can we say to our grandchildren if they don't exist? What do we say to the survivors that remain in our midst? "You were the lucky ones?" Hence we have a President that supports abortion.

What do we say of a culture that debases life and laughs at the suggestion of raping innocent children? What do we say of apologies that do not change course, but only offer excuses? Hence we have the likes of David Letterman.

How do we respond when our chosen government decides to determine what we can or cannot do, whether it be buying homes, cars or heathcare? What do we do when our government encourages the extermination of our future AND our past, by advocating infanticide and by going down the path to deny life-saving heathcare in the name of cost control? Hence we have the Obama administration.

Why did we ever decide to buy a car, if only to get us work? Why did the government build interstate highways if we're now discouraged from driving? Where is the neighborhood bar that allows us to converse with friends without restricting the right to smoke? Why does the government tax alcohol and cigarettes in the name of health, yet decline to restrict their use? Hence we have liberal policies to curb our abuse.

How did we come to discover that our financial institutions were broken, when our government was in charge of overseeing their health? What happened to create Amtrak and how will that model work for our car companies? Hence we have a new era of government-owned enterprises.

Where have we gone when we can't pay for groceries and the credit card companies continue to call? Why were we encouraged to buy what we can't afford, whether it be a car or a place or an iPod? Hence we have TARP and government-mandated solutions.

Where does this end, if we're not allowed to make our own decisions and must depend on the government to do everything for us? Hence we discover we're on the road to Perdition.

Weekend Wish List

When are people of influence going to conduct themselves with the highest level of integrity and class? David Letterman has taken the final step into irrelevance with his tasteless comments regarding Sarah Palin and her daughter. And all for a cheap laugh. Should he still be considered an entertainer? I know that I'll never watch him again. He really should be fired. Sign the petition.

When are all the feminists going to rally to the Palin family's defense? If they don't, which is most likely, they are only showing their true colors, which is not to stand for the defense of women but to being connected to the issue for political gain only. NOW has come out with a statement in support of the Palins. Of course, at the same time, they have to take a pot shot at Rush Limbaugh for something he never said.

Are there ANY honest Democrats in the House or Senate? Are they simply going to roll over and let the Federal Government run our heathcare? Surely there has to be some clear-headed Democrats that KNOW what nationalizing heathcare will do to our country. Is there anybody out there?! Has the Federal Government ever run anything successfully and cheaper than private enterprise? Are the escalating costs the result of private enterprise or government meddling?

Is it just me, or does Obama really believe that he can take credit for the elections going on in Iran? Just wait until Ahmadinejad declares himself winner of the election and jails his opponent. Will Obama be willing to take credit for that?

Why do I have so many questions? Is there anyone that can put forward some solutions? I don't consider anything that Obama proposes to be a solution. There is an opportunity in 2010 to end this madness. And it MUST end!!

My Evening With a Freight Train

I've lived in North Texas for almost 14 years. I was here when downtown Fort Worth was decimated by tornadoes about 10 years ago. I've seen hail storms, downpours and dust storms that I never experienced in the Midwest. But I have never experienced what I saw last night.

I left work around 6pm and it took about a half hour to get home. On the radio, I heard that there was a tornado warning for southwest Denton County, which is close enough to my house to create worry. When I got home I immediately pulled up my new flagpole and carried it inside, flags attached. After a quick change of clothes, I grabbed my video camera and went out front to record the approaching storm. The clouds were a mixture of mass and movement. There were reports of rotation, but my video did not capture it before the rain began and I was forced to retire the video camera to the inside.

After gathering my wife, we proceeded back out front to watch the approaching storm. I noticed the movement of low-level clouds running counter to the general direction of the storm, which was heading due east. After closer examination, I saw that the lower-level clouds were moving in a clockwise motion as the general front moved eastward. I watched this rotation while the body of the storm moved in. My wife and I could see debris flying over above the tree-tops: boxes, leaves and who knows what. As we watched the approaching storm, weather sirens began sounding in the distance.

As the debris was flying overhead, the ground wind picked up considerably. The rain was secondary to the wind and only forced us to take refuge within the covered entry way to our house. We pressed against the brick wall as we peered out into the driveway. All of a sudden, the wind took on a different quality and began howling in a way that is most-often described as a "freight train". This occurrence created such a chilling effect that my wife and I both moved into the house, quickly glancing above to see if the rotation was moving downward. Thankfully, it was not.

We moved through the house and proceeded to the back, covered patio area to continue our watch. When we entered the patio, we noticed that our glass-top table was upside down and the chairs that had been situated around it were in the yard to the east, up against the fence. Another table had it's accompanying chairs blown into the hot tub, directly next to the pool. As I looked out into the back yard, our silver oak tree was bent over in a violent dance with the wind. How it didn't shatter at the base, I do not know. I have never seen it whipped about in such frenzy.

The entire ordeal lasted only 30 minutes or so. After the storm began to subside, I remembered that I had bought a weather radio at the store about three weeks previous. It was supposed to turn on automatically at the threat of an approaching storm, but it stood silent (so much for cheap weather radios). I turned it on to hear NOAH weather radio. The monotone voice repeated the same warning: "take cover away from exterior windows to a place at the interior of your dwelling". I thought to myself, "dwelling"? Don't you mean "house"?

By now the main storm had passed over, allowing me to retrieve the potted lime tree that had blown into the pool. I had watched as the tree and pot were pushed by the wind to the shallow end of the pool against its edge. From there I retrieved it and brought it into the patio area. It was still intact, but it will take time to learn if the chlorine from the pool had an impact on it.

By now the wind had completely subsided and the rain was coming down in a tolerable drizzle. I hopped in my truck and embarked on a tour of the surrounding neighborhood. Trees were broken, street lights and fences were down and there was debris cluttering the streets. I drove in a circular pattern from my house to assess the damage. It was primarily in a pattern from west to east, about a half mile north of my house to a mile south. We had been in the path of the most serious part of the storm and the surrounding damage bore that out.

Police cars were blocking traffic where power lines were down and trees had restricted passage. There were chain saws being deployed in yards throughout the area, trying to reclaim cars and streets from toppled trees. I made my way back home and entered the house to my wife lighting candles to offset the approaching darkness. We had lost power the minute the storm enveloped us. The sun peaked out from the clouds. We both grabbed cameras to capture the magnificent sunset that marked the horizon to the west.

I may never forget last night, for I was treated to an experience that had no equal in my life. Fortunately, it was not an experience marked by tragedy and I thank God for that. But it was memorable just the same, because for the first time in my life, I experienced a storm with a freight train.

A Rising Tide?

There is plenty to be anxious about. The Obama administration is spending (borrowed) money and nationalizing bigger chunks of our economy faster than anyone could believe possible, much less imagine. Despite the fact that we were warned and 60 million voters said NO, the result is what it is.

I'm beginning to sense some awakening within the 69 million that said YES. The gap is closing, rapidly. Keep in mind that we are only 6 months into the Obama presidency. As Sarah Palin said, "Told ya so". People are starting to understand and, I believe, beginning to pay attention to the direction we're heading.

Do the math. It will take a (relatively) small swing in voter sentiment to turn this around. Granted, we only have Congressional elections to look forward to next year, but I think this trend will continue and influence those elections. I should add - God willing!

Obama Restricts Military's Participation in Charity Events

The subject is an email I received from a friend of mine who told me that he had personally spoken to the originator to confirm the truth of the email's contents. Read the email and I will comment on what I found out about the subject.

I wanted to give ya'll some disturbing information on our wonderful president. I work with the Catch-A-Dream Foundation (www.catchadream.org) which provides hunting and fishing trips to children with life-threatening illnesses. It is a great program needless to say. This past weekend we had our annual banquet/fundraiser event in Starkville. As part of the program, we had scheduled Sgt. 1st Class Greg Stube, a highly decorated U.S. Army Green Beret and inspirational speaker who was severely injured while deployed overseas and didn't have much of a chance for survival. Greg is stationed at Ft. Bragg and received permission from his commanding officer to come speak at our function.

Everything was on go until Obama made a policy that NO U.S. SERVICEMAN CAN SPEAK AT ANY FAITH-BASED PUBLIC EVENTS ANYMORE. Needless to say, Greg had to cancel his speaking event with us. Didn't know if anyone else was aware of this new policy. Wonder what kind of news we all will receive next?

I'm not going to add the originator's name because I have not received his permission to do so. You can read a more-thorough analysis of this email at Snopes.

Most of what's included in the email is true except for one thing. Obama did not initiate a policy to preclude US Serviceman from speaking at faith-based public events. There was already a policy in place to restrict US Servicemen from speaking at charitable fund-raising events in their official capacity as a member of the Armed Forces. What I do find interesting is why the DOD would start enforcing this policy now, when it had not done so on a consistent basis for several years.

Blogging to Anonymous

There has been a recent uproar over a blogger "outing" an anonymous blogger for reasons that may be less than honorable. Read a good synopsis here. I choose to blog under my own name for a couple of reasons. First, I'm not ashamed of any position I might have on a given subject. You can disagree with me and that's fine. I'll take your criticism in stride. Second, I believe that by blogging under your own name, you have to put your personal honor in front of you. You can't hide behind a pseudonym and throw caution to the wind in any remarks or posts.

If there is something that I want to post, it gets filtered through my "G" ratings filter. There are always ways to say things that do not have to involve vulgarity or abusive language. That's my plan and I'm sticking with it! That doesn't mean to say that I can't use double entendre or innuendo. That's something that you see all the time in G-Rated Disney movies. After all, you have to be able to entertain the adults too!

Voluntary Interviews at Club Gitmo

I just read a great piece about interrogations at Club Gitmo. For the last few years, they have been VOLUNTARY! I thought we were the scourge of the Earth for interrogating prisoners with untold brutality.

I am so sick and tired of the bullshit that is published about American atrocities. What is the only country that came to the aid of Europe in the last century? What is the only country that has engaged in countless efforts to liberate millions of people from tyranny?

As far as I'm concerned, if we have to water-board every last inmate at Club Gitmo, what difference does it make? All we'll do is figure out what abominable act THEY are planning on. Pardon me for asking, but isn't that a GOOD thing?

Acoustic Alchemy

My teenage daughter has "discovered" acoustic guitar and is enthralled with it's integration into pop music. My heart is born up in the thought that she is beginning to transcend the age of "rap" and "hip-hop" and beginning to find her own preferences.

I remember listening to all the popular stuff back when I was her age. Once I got to college, I started to gravitate to Blues and Jazz. It still defines my most-listened-to choices.

When she told me she liked acoustic guitar, I couldn't help but dig out an old CD of mine. The group is called "Acoustic Alchemy" and my favorite album of theirs is called "Red Dust & Spanish Lace". I first heard their title track, "Mr. Chow", when I was driving a rental car while on vacation in Naples, FL. I never did hear the name of the song or the artist, but I was enthralled with the music. I wasn't able to find it for almost a year, but finally my Indianapolis jazz/blues station played it. I don't think I've ever waited so long to figure out what the name of a music track was and who the group was that performed it. It was just one of those things that sticks in your mind that you can't forget. The minute the radio station announced the name of the track and the group, I was off to the local music store to purchase the CD.

Music can hold you in place at a specific moment in time. I remember hearing "Mr. Chow" for the first time and I remember what I was doing at that exact moment. There are countless other memories that have stuck with me regarding other music. And the really great part about it is that every year brings new songs and tunes that register within my psyche just like "Mr. Chow" did over 20 years ago.

How Hopeless Are We?

As I ponder the 65th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion, I am worried about something. When I told my teenage daughter that she should switch from watching "Bridezilla" to a program covering the memorial events at Normandy, she asked me what THAT was all about.

The Left has done an excellent job of dumbing down our educational system. How could anyone age 16 NOT know about the events surrounding the invasion of Europe and the liberation of an entire continent from tyranny? Why are the events of June 6th not celebrated in the classrooms to ensure that all students understand what transpired on this date?

We are fast-becoming a nation of "here and now". History teaches us so many important things and for some of us, "history" took place in our own lifetimes. I find it hard to believe that Reagan's speech at Normandy took place 25 years ago! To me, it seems like yesterday. To the surviving participants in that historical event, I'm sure it seems like yesterday. Yet our children are taught about it as a footnote to events of WWII as if it were similar to Civil War studies.....ancient history.

We need to take our educational system back from the liberal elites that pollute our childrens' heads with "relativism". If we don't, we will be handing our country off to a generation of historical idiots. We cannot fear the taunts of liberals as they try to tar and feather us with labels of "racism" or countless other derisive terms. We must not stand hopeless in the face of the tyranny of statism. If we do, we will be damned forever and should be.

Weekend Wish List

First and foremost, please, please, please do not let Barack Obama go overseas anymore. He is an embarrassing presence on the world stage and I am sick and tired of his ongoing "Apology Tour". Nor do I think he needs to suck up to the Saudi and Egyptian regimes and Muslims in general. Truly disgusting! He says his job is to dissuade people from making negative remarks about Islam....not! His job is to serve and protect the people of the United States. What the f*** is going on?

The July 4th Tea Parties are just around the corner. I plan on attending the event at Southfork Ranch in Plano, TX. It was the site of external shots for the "Dallas" TV series. Michelle Malkin is a scheduled speaker along with several others. Very exciting! There will be a fireworks display when it gets dark and I'll be attending with several other people. I'll post videos after the event.

There needs to be a prominent website committed to educating the voting public about who the conservative candidates will be coming into the 2010 elections. Lord knows that we won't be able to get that information from the mainstream media or the Republican Party. Maybe that's something I will do.....hmmmm, we'll see.

I hope the general public continues to awaken to the Obama administration's radical agenda. Rasmussen's current poll shows that the tide is turning.

A heartfelt note of sympathy to the family of Koko Taylor, blues singer extraordinaire, who passed away on Wednesday, June 3rd, in Chicago. I never saw Koko perform in person, but I truly have enjoyed her performances via CD and Jazz/Blues radio. Another icon has passed over to the other side. We all look forward to gathering together once OUR time has come. A special acknowledgement goes to cooltommyd, an old friend from Fort Wayne, who knew Koko on a personal basis and informed me of her passing.

When is Barack Obama going to apologize to the men and women of the Armed Forces for the crimes committed by Muslim extremists? I hate to end on this note, but Barack Obama makes me sick to my stomach for all his misplaced apologies!

On a lighter note, does anyone know how to keep mosquitos from biting you when you're blogging from your back patio? I have a wealth of "Off", but sometimes they seem immune.

Don't you love summer? I know I do!

Obama's [edited] statement on Pvt. Long

I am going to parse and replace Obama's statement with my preferred version. I've taken the context of his statement and replaced certain words and phrases.

The original statement:

“I am deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence against two brave young soldiers who were doing their part to strengthen our armed forces and keep our country safe . I would like to wish Quinton Ezeagwula a speedy recovery, and to offer my condolences and prayers to William Long’s family as they mourn the loss of their son.”

My version:

“I am horrified by this Muslim terrorist's act of violence against two brave young heroes who were committed to doing their part, while serving within our Homeland, to strengthen and expand our armed forces and keep our country protected from these mindless Muslim extremists. I would like to provide Quinton Ezeagwula with government funds to aid a speedy recovery and to provide the complete resources of the US Government to Pvt Long's family's during this difficult time. I offer my personal prayers to God while William Long’s family mourns the loss of their son and honored Patriot.

We can no longer allow Muslim extremism to flourish in our midst. I am calling on a renewed commitment to rid this scourge from our Homeland by demanding that all foreign-taught Muslims register with the Department of Homeland Security within the next 90 days. Anyone who ignores this process will be arrested and detained until all acts of jihadist violence against American citizens within our Homeland cease to exist.”

Soldier On!

There are times when I get discouraged and think that events in the present political environment are too overwhelming to counter. I am always looking for ways to gain enthusiasm and to inspire a thought for a new blog post that I can share.

I recently started watching the John Adams series that was carried on HBO several months ago. It is a fascinating study of the progression of John Adams' commitment to the cause of freedom. He and the other Framers withstood unbelievable odds in the face of a mightier foe, the British Crown. Despite the fact that they knew they would be "marked men", they soldiered on in their commitment to create a better life for their fellow countrymen.

We are now faced with a similar challenge: Standing up against a growing and oppressive government that is attempting to undo everything that the Framers stood for. I must ask this of MY countrymen: Are you willing to meet the challenge? Are you willing to stand up and be counted, knowing that you may be a target of the Left? Are you willing to put your principles before your security to see to it that your sons and daughters are not banished to an existence of government-mandated dependency? Are you willing to sacrifice your comfortable existence to champion a higher cause?

John Adams left his comfortable law practice to stand for something that we now take for granted. The Framers signed the Declaration of Independence KNOWING that they were signing their death warrants. In terms of size, what they stood up against pales in comparison to what we are facing today. It will take no less measure of courage to withstand the onslaught of the mainstream media, statist lackies and the left-wing nutroots to make our case to the American population. Just like John Adams and the Framers had to do in 1776.

I truly believe that there will be an awakening in this calling. And I believe that the majority of the American population will concur: We MUST soldier on! Let's all make a case for what John Adams and the Framers believed in. Let's take OUR country back!