Saturday, November 29, 2008

EDUCATION AND GEOMETRIC PROGRESSION


Are you familiar with geometric progression?

In mathematics, a geometric progression, also known as a geometric sequence, is a sequence of numbers where each term after the first is found by multiplying the previous one by a fixed non-zero number called the common ratio.

OK...that's tough.

Simplified it means a series of numbers resulting from multiplying any number by something and then multiplying each resulting number by the same something.

3 X 3 = 9; 9 X 3 = 27; 27 X 3 = 81.

Each result in the above example is multiplied by the same number, "3."

A special case of geometric progression is when a number doubles constantly.

3 X 2 = 6; 6 X 2 = 12; 12 X 2 = 24, etc.

This geometric progression demonstrates the reason why you would be a fool NOT to go to work for someone who offered to pay you a penny the first day of work and to double every day, 7 days a week.

By the end of the first month, you would be a millionaire.

That is what has happened in our government (formerly "public") education system.

In 1887, a very influential educator named, John Dewey, was an educational psychologist at the University of Michigan. He published two books: Psychology and Leibniz's New Essays Concerning the Human Understanding.

There were others, as well, but what you need to know is that his books set about to change the discipline of psychology, especially as it relates to the field of education.

He is the father of educational behaviorism, what has evolved into educational humanism, almost universally followed by teachers in government schools.

It was also from Dewey that we began the process of extricating religious thought from school.

Dewey, while honoring the important role that religious institutions and practices played in human life, rejected belief in any static ideal, such as a theistic God. Dewey felt that only scientific method could reliably further human good.

His ideas eventually became widely accepted in academia (though never 100% so).

So what has this to do with geometric progressions?

He taught a given number of students, a certain percentage of whom adopted his beliefs and teaching model.

A certain number of those students became professors and taught those beliefs and models in their classrooms.

In turn, a certain number of those students accepted their professors' beliefs and models and so-forth and so-on ad infinitum.

At a certain point, the majority of professors and teachers of teachers were teaching one form or another of "Deweyism," especially as it relates to the philosophy of education and its methodology.

It took years for "Deweyism" to reach the half-way point in terms of adherents, but then it snowballed until today, most government school teachers utilize his ideas.

Today, very few teachers know where the methods and ideas they teach by came from, but in one way or another most of them, in the educational system, can be traced back to Dewey.

To be sure there have been hundreds of variants on Dewey's philosophy revealed in his books, but the basics are still there.

In my state, using the methods Dewey espoused in one or more of their many variations, we graduate students from high school, 30% of whom cannot read their own diploma.

This has caused considerable concern among educational leaders who have seen as the solution a more stringent application of the methods and philosophies that haven't yet worked.

One of the methods used unsuccessfully in our government schools has been: a behavioral psychological approach that has diminished the requirement of knowledge and has replaced it with good intentions.

Thus if a student had the math problem: 2 + 2 + __, and put a "5" in the blank, and if in the opinion of the teacher, the student was really trying and meant well, the fact that he/she got the wrong answer is overlooked and credit is given for the effort.

Students taught by this approach are NOT the ones I want piloting the airplane on my next flight.

We need to contact our lawmakers and tell them that we would like to start a new geometric progression in education...one that returns our students to creating a foundation of knowledge upon which we can build in them logical, critical thinking by which they can arrive a correct conclusions about a problem, math or otherwise.

Also tell them that we would like control of our school systems returned to the local level, so that we will once again have public schools, not government schools.

Note: Schools became government schools when they began accepting greater and greater amounts of government money, with which came more and more government rules.

Friday, November 28, 2008

FULL OF IT


I have been accused of being full of it before, but let me tell you, today, beyond any shadow of a doubt, without fear of contradiction, as sure as taxes and death, today...

I AM FULL OF IT!!

Turkey, dressing, gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans, 7-layer salad, cranberry sauce, and apple pie, that is.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

WHENCE THANKSGIVING?


I listened with interest and wonder as a newscaster proclaimed how he "...loved Thanksgiving because it came with no religious baggage."

Actually, it comes with plenty of Christian "baggage."

To begin with, the first thanksgiving meal was very like a church covered dish dinner.

The party lasted three days.

Now THAT's my kind of covered dish dinner!

It was held by the Mayflower survivors, of the Plymouth Plantation, after their first harvest, and was a celebration of food and feasting in the fall of 1621.

Indian chiefs Massassoit, Squanto and Samoset joined in the celebration with ninety of their men in the three-day event.

It was a day of thanksgiving to God.

Not to the Indians, as is often taught today, but to God for His provision.

Originally, the band of settlers had lived in Great Britain.

Unhappy because they were pressured to become part of the Church of England, and wanting to worship God in theie own way, they left the country and went to Holland.

Holland's politico/religious climate was not all it was cracked up to be, so they finally set sail for the New World, where they would have freedom of worship.

There were many hardships and illnesses, both at sea and when they reached what is now Plymoth Rock.

They held regular prayer meetings and worship services, asking God to bless their homes and their crops.

The harvest of 1621 was bountiful, leading to the covered dish affair mentioned above.

During the 1700s, it was common practice for individual colonies to observe days of thanksgiving throughout each year.

A Thanksgiving Day two hundred years ago was a day set aside for prayer and fasting, not a day marked by plentiful food and drink as is today's custom.

In 1789, George Washington issued a Thanksgiving Decree entitled "General Thanksgiving." The decree appointed the day "to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God."

Here is the complete text of the proclamation:

General Thanksgiving
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houfes of Congress have, by their joint committee, requefted me "to recommend to the people of the United States a
DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to eftablifh a form of government for their safety and happiness:"
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and affign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of thefe States to the fervice of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our fincere and humble thanksfor His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the fignal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpofitions of His providence in the courfe and conclufion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have fince enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to eftablish Conftitutions of government for our fafety and happinefs, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are bleffed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffufing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleafed to confer upon us.
And also, that we may then unite in moft humbly offering our prayers and fupplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and befeech Him to pardon our national and other tranfgreffions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private ftations, to perform our feveral and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a bleffing to all the people by conftantly being a Government of wife, juft, and conftitutional laws, difcreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all fovereigns and nations (especially fuch as have shewn kindnefs unto us); and to blefs them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increafe of fcience among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind fuch a degree of temporal profperity as he alone knows to be beft.
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand feven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington
In 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.
So there you have it.
A holiday rooted in Christianity still celebrated, but fewer and fewer people know why.
But now YOU know why.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

CRITICAL MASS


I believe we have reached the point of critical mass.

What I mean by that is that we have ceded enough power to the federal government that there is no turning back.

The power has made them drunk and they will do absolutely anything to: 1)keep the power; 2) garner more power; 3) use that power to control the population (that's you and me).

This power is not exclusive to the Democrats.

This power has found its way into the Oval Office, the President's Cabinet, government bureaucracies, the Democrat controlled Congress, the Democrat controlled Senate and the Supreme Court of the United States.

The yielding of that power has reached the electorate, who are pleased to elect those who seek and know how to wield that power.

We have, in my humble, but correct, opinion, reached critical mass.

Monday, November 24, 2008

I DON'T UNDERSTAND...WHY DON'T YOU TRUST US?


I know! I know!

Here's what we'll do: We'll set aside $750,000,000,000.00 to apportion out to AIG, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and a couple of others, and we'll be out of this mess in a heartbeat.

No! No! No!

It won't escalate.

$750,000,000,000.00 tops. That's all.

No! No!

There's no slippery slope.

Trust us...we're your government.

We know what we're doing.

Why you tax payers will hardly notice.

Just $750,000,000,000.00...a trillion dollars, tops.

Not a penny more than a trillion-and-a-half.

Give-or-take.

Look...what we need is only half the value of everything produced in the nation last year.

Just $7,000,000,000,000.00. (For you public school students, that's seven-trillion dollars...just short of ten times the original estimate).

That's all.

(My grandchildren thank you, Feds)

Want to know more?: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=arEE1iClqDrk

Addendum: Please go here" Social Sense and watch the video. It's not too long, but it reveals everything you need to know.

Saturday, November 22, 2008

WHAT TO DO WITH MSM?


I have been reading other blogs with posts about the mess we are in.

For the most part, they are well thought out, logical essays on where we are. A few offer some form of solution.

One of my current favorites is The Oklahoma Patriot, whose "Manifesto" post suggests some viable solutions, or at least a solid philosophy.

Another, Social Sense , has a video you need to see.

Then there is solution oriented, Conservative Convictions.

Fact is, almost all of the blogs in my blog-roll are worth the read, but are not the only ones around.

I have a slightly different viewpoint as to where the actual, if unlikely, solution is found.

It is my belief that the Main Stream Media, has gone beyond getting in bed with the political left, and has actually become one with them.

Their unmitigated delight at the election of BO is so obvious as to be more than a little sickening.

They have gone so far as to join with Al Sharpton in calling him President Obama.

To the best of my knowledge, George Bush is still the President of The United States of America until January 20th.

So my proposal is that we begin the process of finding ways to infiltrate, buy out or otherwise take over the MSM and return it to a protector FROM the government, instead of a protector OF the left wing side of government.

I would like your serious suggestions as to how this might be accomplished, if, indeed, it can be.

Friday, November 21, 2008

IT JUST FRIES MY GRITS!

Governor Sarah Palin pardoned a turkey today.

What made the news?

The fact that other turkeys were being slaughtered behind her.

Newscasters all read the story from the same whatever news feed, as they lamented the plight of the poor birds behind her.

Well, I wonder where people think that Thanksgiving feast comes from?

That golden brown, crisp, flavorful thing in the middle of the table, the one with the two little stubs sticking up and the crooked little thingies on the side and the little heart shaped gizmo on the back end we used to call "the pope's nose" (the tail, for those of you who don't get it), was in days of yore a feathered frenzy of stupidity, gobbling away on some turkey farm.

Then, some weeks before it got to your table, it was unceremoniously dispatched, de-feathered, washed and frozen. After that it was shipped to your local grocer, where it sat until you had mercy on it and bought it for your Thanksgiving meal.

My sister, having learned how animals are "prepared" for consumption, became a vegetarian.

That's a good thing.

Left more meat for me.

Eat your celery-heart out, PETA! I'm having turkey for Thanksgiving and, as long as "they" kept the salmonella out, I don't much care where it came from or how it came to be in my local supermarket.

I can hardly wait to sink my teeth into that succulent bird.

I want one of those behind Sarah Palin.

Being a sort of gross type, my favorite parts are (in order): the tail, the heart, the liver and the back...you know, the part with all the bones.

I have made myself hungry.

I'm going for a sandwich.

A turkey sandwich.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

CAN YOU PASS THIS ONE?




How's your Civics?

http://www.americancivicliteracy.org/resources/quiz.aspx

Leave your score in the comments section (if you dare).

I socred 91%, but I still think they are wrong on one.

Can you guess which one I think they're wrong on?


ADDENDUM:



And you thought Tom Daschle was not a leftest.
(leftist, for you purests)

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

OF, BY AND FOR



The United States of America is different.

We are not France.

We are not Great Britain.

We are not Germany.

We are neither Canada nor Mexico.

We are unique.

Abraham Lincoln saw it. In his Gettysburg Address he used the phrase: "...that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

He recognized that this is a nation under God.

No one had told him that the founders set up a secular nation. That idea had not yet been invented.

He believed, as did they, that the God who created the universe led men and women who knew and followed His principles to set forth this nation as a part of His great plan.

Lincoln's words, "...shall have a new birth of freedom..." was a confirmation of the Declaration of Independence's thought that, "all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights..."

Then he said one of the most fundamental statements ever uttered, "...that government of the people, by the people, for the people..."

That was a summation of the intent of those who set up this government: that it is not a government that should rule over the people, but is a government directed by its citizens by way of a representative republic.

As we know, however: power is infectious. Power corrupts people when unrestrained. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

One of the things against which we must guard is giving too much power to our governing authorities.

Today, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson has been given too much power.

Watching him testify before Congress, it is evident that he is enjoying his power a little too much, and is on the brink of crossing the line into monetary despotism.

He said, “...it is only prudent to reserve our TARP (Troubled Assets Relief Program) capacity, maintaining not only our flexibility but that of the next Administration.”

In other words, he does not want Congress to mess with the power he's been given...in fact, he wants to keep it.

With the soup line growing for those who are hungry for a piece of the bail-out pie, it is time for us to exercise our government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Call, write, email or visit your Congressperson today.

If you ask for my advice as to what to say, I would tell you to tell them in no uncertain (but polite) terms to back off this bail-out stuff and practice fiscal conservatism, placing the responsibility for the ills of these corporations where it belongs: on Congress first, for requiring lending institutions to make bad loans; and on the corporate heads for not screaming out their objection to the government's intrusion into their business.

If we do not take control of this anarchical government, we will realize Lincoln's fear that we will soon perish from the face of the earth.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

WHOSE BUSINESS IS IT, ANYWAY?


Let's make it simple.

You manufacture thingamadoodles.

Each thingamadoodles you make costs you $.30 in raw material.

So, you sell it for $.60 and make $.30 on each one, right?

Wrong.

The cost of material is not all that goes into the cost of making your thingamadoodles.

There is the cost of productions machinery, which is amortized over the life of the machines.

Then there is the cost of the building you build your thingamadoodles in.

Added to that is the cost of the utilities you use to build thingamadoodles: electricity, water, sewer, etc.

By far the largest cost to most manufacturers is the cost of labor.

Let's say you pay your workers $30.00 per hour to produce thingamadoodles for you.

They also want you to pay for health insurance and to provide them with a retirement fund.

By the time you add in all of these factors, it costs you $1.00 to produce a single thingamadoodle.

Now let's say you decide to sell each thingamadoodle for $3.00.

You make $2.00 per thingamadoodle, right?

Wrong.

The government taxes your business (because your business sells 250,000 thingamadoodles per year, bringing in $250,000.00 per year).

The tax rate is, let's say, 39% of your earnings after "deductions" and "loop-holes," or about $97,500. Subtract that from your $250,000.00.

That brings your earnings down to $152,000.00.

That's an additional $1.52 for each thingamadoodle you make.

So now your "landed" cost (the cost after all other factors have been added in) is $2.52!

If you sell your thingamadoodles for $3.00, you make only $.48 on each one.

In order to make $250,00.00 now, you must sell 520,000 thingamadoodles per year.

Since the market will only support 250,00 thingamadoodles, you must make adjustments to your "landed" costs.

That might mean lay-offs, cuts in health insurance or wherever you can find things to cut.

Now the employee come along and tell you they won't work any longer without making $45.00 per hour and they want a bigger retirement plan and more health coverage.

Do you see what happens?

Exactly what has happened to the auto industry.

Add to that the costs of government required, but not relevant to your industry, "green" standards, etc., and your company makes even less and in fact may face bankruptcy.

Raise the price of my thingamadoodles?

People won't buy them at that price.

So you am stuck between a rock and a hard place, so to speak.

What happens if the government WITHDRAWS from its requirements that you pay so much in taxes and "green" regulations?

Then you can make money and contribute to the productivity of my country.

That, my friends, is why the capitalistic system needs to be allowed to function without interference from the government.

This is not to say that they should be allowed to abuse their employees, the environment or anything else.

It means that there are certain things the government does NOT do well.

Business is one of those things, because business is profit driven and the government is not.

Business gets its money in exchange for productivity.

Government gets its money by confiscating it from people...you and me.

Business, as it relates to the government, is none of their business.

Monday, November 17, 2008

A SITUATIONAL BO



There are some people who do not know the difference between right and wrong.

They adjust their belief(s) according to the circumstances.

That is called, "situational ethics."

What is true in this situation is not true in that. What is right in this circumstance is wrong in that.

I watched the 60 Minutes interview of President-elect, Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle (my belle).

He actually said some good things.

However, the "good" things he said contradicted the statements he made during his run for the White House.

That begs the question, "Which is the real BO?"

What is he really going to do when he ascends his throne?

I say that it depends on which way the wind is blowing at any given moment.

He wants to bail out the auto industry, but does not want to hurt the tax payer in doing so.

Where does he thing the money to bail out the auto industry would come from, the Money Fairy?

Of course, Washington has its own money tree.

That tree has two branches: The printing press and the tax payer.

In the interview, BO went on to list a few other things he wants to accomplish, but in the end, he was non-committal on most.

I have to give him this, though: he looked very intense and sincere.

It is my opinion that this is a time when we have to be very vigilent.

Since BO must go through Congress to get his agenda done, we need to be in constant touch with our law makers, letting them know what we think of his bills and pending legislation.

Here is a link that will help you know what is coming up legislatively: What's Happening in Congress .

Here is a link that will lead you to your law makers: Contact Your Congressperson .

Don't restrict your contact with just your own legislator.

The others may not directly represent you, but what they decide affects your life. Include as many as you can in your contacts, especially Nancy Pelosi; Barney Frank; Chris Dodd and others.

Keeping in touch with them will let them know where YOU stand on issues and DOES influence them, especially when contacts on a given subject are many.

Friday, November 14, 2008

HOW TO FIX THE AUTO INDUSTRY


I am absolutely opposed to the bail-out program on every level.

I believe it was a result of the poorest of governmental interference and blindness.

The government regulated what did not need regulating and refused to regulate what needed regulating.

One of the cries heard often when the "rescue" plan was first introduced was "If we do it for one we will have to do it for everybody."

That is exactly what has brought on the auto industry's groveling for a piece of the federal bail-out pie.

Now sit back and learn, 'cause I'm about to tell you how to "save" the auto industry in the United States of America.

I bought a Saturn SL2. It came with a crooked finder, a door handle that was not fully installed, a defective alternator and a cruise control that worked only spasmodically, at best.

I bought a Honda Accord. It came with no unfinished parts and no defects.

That's the difference between what is happening to American auto companies and what is happening to "foreign" auto makers (most of whose "imports" are no longer imported, but are made in America).

So here's what needs to be done.

American auto makers need to produce a product that delivers on its promises.

They need to make a car free of defects (yes, it CAN be done).

They need to price their products in a way that is fair to the consumer as well as to the manufacturer.

They need to employ workers who are dedicated to building a great product, rather than to making all they can for as little work as they can get away with.

This is accomplished by management, their enthusiasm, their proficiency and their absolute dedication to the needs of their employees.

Most American management says, "I'm the boss. Do what I say, when I say it, as soon as I say it and don't make any suggestions, 'cause that will make me feel like I'm not the boss."

Most American workers say, "Pay me top dollar, don't make me show up on time, don't make me be dependable, and don't expect me to be creative."

This mix is deplorable. It will NEVER work.

The problem with management is ego and power.

The problem with labor is wanting as much as possible for as little productivity as possible. What it boils down to is Management vs Union. That's sad.

If labor trusted management to treat them well, they would be treated better and would work based on pride, not only on pay.

If management trusted labor, they would let those "in the trenches," who deal with the product day-by-day, pass on good ideas that would garner serious consideration.

They don't trust each other, and each one behaves in ways that preserve that mutual distrust.

The only ones who really benefit from all of this are Union Leaders.

They end up serving themselves while convincing Union Members that they are serving them.

They do that very well.

Ask most Union members and they will tell you that the Union is the only way to go. Argue with them on this point and watch them explode.

That's a testament to how well Union Leadership has done its job. Not the job of representing the Union Members, the job of representing themselves.

What the American auto industry must do is to reinvent its methods of providing the product that Americans absolutely love: well made; good looking; dependable vehicles that last at least as long as the warranty.

The answer is not in technology, as important as that is. The answer is in relationship.

If they keep going like they are, no bail-out or "rescue" plan will be of any help at all. In a short period of time they will be right back where they are now.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

S.W.I.N.E.


Editor's Note: Only Mark is likely to understand where this came from, as he seems to be a Pogo fan, as am I.


I am a Member of S.W.I.N.E.










That stands for Seniors Wildly Indignant about Nearly Everything.

I stole the title of my organization from Walt Kelly's comic strip called "Pogo."

Back then the word "Seniors" was "Students," but I got older.

My church members tell me that I must think that indignance is one of my spiritual gifts.

Be that as it may (or may not), I do find myself being extremely indignant about those things that contradict my experience with, and understanding of, what our country is supposed to be and how it is to be represented in the world.

Raised the son of a United States Air Force officer, I was taught a great deal about the war we were involved in at the time (WWII), as well as the history of our country.

My father often read to me at night.

Sometimes he read adventure stories.

Often, he read to me the writings of our founding fathers.

Contrary to what you might have been taught in government schools (before they started taking so much federal money they were public schools...they are no more), our country was NOT founded as a secular nation.

The Declaration of Independence is VERY clear that our rights come from our Creator.

The Constitution is built upon that premise, and assumes those rights as untouchable by the government. Never mind that the government continues to seek ways to touch those rights.

Furthermore, the Constitution is constructed around the principles of religious and civil law laid out in the Old Testament.

Where did YOU think those ideas (that were considered by the rest of the world to be inappropriate for government) came from?

Why did you think otherwise? Could it be that you were taught that we are a secular nation in your evolving government school system?

Since we get our rights from our Creator, and since the majority of those who originated this great nation wrote extensively about Him, it bothers me when the principles they set out are disturbed.

It occurs to me that it makes sense to hearken back to why we were formed as a country and what was expected of us as a nation by our historical leaders, to measure whether we are keeping faith with that vision.

One of their very strong visions was for a centralized government that was minimally involved in the daily goings on of our society, that is: a SMALL federal government.

Other nations had (and have) strong central governments that kept citizens in constant check, even to the point that they told on each other whenever someone strayed from the path set by the government.

We were quite the opposite. We believed in individual freedom, manifested in the First Ten Amendments to the Constitution and the Constitutional guarantees of life, liberty and property.

A few things were placed in the government's purview: 1) to form a more perfect Union; 2) to establish Justice; 3) to insure domestic Tranquility; 4) to provide for the common defence; 5) to promote the general Welfare; and 5) to secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.

Those things that were not specifically covered by the Constitution were supposed to be left up to the individual states to determine for themselves.

As is the want of government, over the years the feds have usurped more and more of our freedoms and have become more and more involved, not only in the states' matters, but in matters of individual liberty.

This is an anamatha (a Greek word) to me, and causes be to react indignantly.

Thus, I am indignant when the federal government "nationalizes" private companies, "to keep them from going under."

They do this under the guise that if these large corporations fail, the country could be hurt and they are not supposed to let that happen.

Nonsense!

If a private institution fails, and if our country is affording the opportunities it is supposed to, another will come along to take its place.

While this might be temporarily painful, the end result will be a stronger nation, not a weaker one.

But the government as assumed the roll of mega-nanny and watches over us.

That is as scary as anything that was imagined in novels such as "1984" and "Animal Farm."

And that, my friend, is why I am a conservative and a founding member of S.W.I.N.E.

Wanna join?

It's free.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

BAIL-OUT PARTY TIME!


AIG.

Remember them?

They're the large insurance company so vexed by the "current economic conditions" that they just HAD to be rescued by the federal government.



Last week the company held a conference in Phoenix, Arizona at a place called "Point Hilton Squaw Peak Resort."

That's all well and good, except that AIG spent $20,000.00 of taxpayer bail-out money on the event.

The total cost to AIG was $343,000.00 but $320,000.00 of that was supposedly paid by "sponsors."

In the mean time, AIG has received $85,000,000,000.00 in "rescue" money, and now tell us that the total amount of our money they need to survive is up to $150,000,000,000.00.

Now, in the grand scheme of things, $20,000.00 may not seem like a lot of money to you.

If that is the case, simply put your contact information in my comments section and I will contact you about sending me $20,000.00, with which I could buy several tanks full of gas in my car.

The point is, of course, the lack of integrity, lack of honesty and unmitigated gall of those executives who would be so gutsy as to spend taxpayer money on a company "party."

Now is a time when we need to contact our lawmakers and object to "rescue" money being used to pay for a party pretending to be a "conference."

In my humble, but correct, opinion, the bail-out was a mistake and an open invitation for fiscal abuse.

Is that the way you want YOUR tax dollars to be spent?

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

SOME VETERANS DAY LINKS FOR YOU















Conservative Convictions

Social Sense

Palace for a Princess

Pasadena Closet Conservative

The Right Is Right

Have a great day honoring those who are serving and who have served in our Armed Services as well as those who have given their ultimate for our freedom.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

HOW TO GET INVOLVED


It is my opinion that in order to get the United States of America back on track, we the people must become more involved.

Each of us has an opinion on just about every law or potential law before Congress.

Trouble is, Congress does not know what your opinion is, and they are not going to canvass you before every vote.

You, therefore, must communicate with them.

There are several ways you can do that.

You can call the Congressional switchboard and ask to be put through to your Congress person's office. The number is: 202-244-3121.

When you get your Representative's office, be polite (a lost art on some people).

It is OK to be firm, but it is never helpful to be abusive or derisive.

The second way is by mail.

The address of your Representative can be found at: https://writerep.house.gov/writerep/welcome.shtml

Writing is slower, but gives a pure paper trail.

The day before yesterday I got a personal reply from Connie Mack to a letter I had sent him about six weeks ago.

The third method is to use email.

I'm not sure how effective email is, although I have gotten responses from emails I sent to Representatives from my own Party (Republican).

Finally, you can visit the local office of your Representative.

If he/she is out of town, talk to the office staff. If you are friendly and polite, they will hear you.

Which ever way you choose, be specific. Don't ramble. Stick to one topic at a time and don't be distracted from your point.

Be polite.

Politeness is a lost art, but is really appreciated when it is tried.

A favorable response to your message is more likely to be forth-coming if you are pleasant.

So, be polite.

And did I say, "Be polite?"

That is because I think you should

BE POLITE!

It is little to ask of one who wants to be involved in issues of government, so be polite.

You can find out about upcoming bills and legislation at several sites, especially if you know from what committee the bill you are interested emanates.

Sites like: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/committee.xpd?id=SSJU will show the people on the committee and pending legislation.

It requires some wading, but it is useful for specific items.

A comprehensive listing can be found at http://www.govtrack.us/ , with which you can follow the status of federal legislation.

Anyway...I hope this helps you become more involved.

And by the way: be polite.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

REBUILDING


See, I am from Miami (the one in Florida).

Therefore, I am a Dolphins fan.

I can't help it, I am.

Part of the reason is that I personally knew so many of the members of that 1972 team...the one with the perfect season.

I knew Earl Morril, Tim Foley, Nick Buonticonti, and Norm Evans.

And I still think Bob Griese was the best tactician to ever play the game.

The year 2007, however, was a very different story.

The Dolphins found a way to lose a game, even in the rare instances when they were in the lead with only moments to go on the clock.

They were just plain awful.

This year they are rebuilding and are doing an admirable job of it.

Conservative Republicans find themselves in a similar situation.

We conservatives look back on the Reagan years with great nostalgia.

After Reagan we had George H.W. Bush.

Remember, "Read my lips...no new taxes?"

Then it was George W.

Most fondly remembered for, "Mission Accomplished!"

And now we are like the 2007 Dolphins.

We must rebuild...but how?

Let's start with the basics.

We did not lose this election because we did not embrace enough people who were "moderates" (read: stand for nothing), or because we did not "reach across the aisle."

We lost this election precisely because we DID embrace the wrong folks.

And because we stood for nothing.

Until Governor Sarah Palin entered the race as VP candidate.

Then, nine weeks (out of over two years of campaigning) before the election she comes in and shows John "reach across the aisle" McCain what he should have been doing all along.

He tried to get the idea, but it just never jelled with him.

He was obviously uncomfortable when he tried to be on the attack against Barack Obama (BO), and looked stilted, almost robotic, war injuries notwithstanding.

If conservative Republicans want to make any headway in the next elections (two years away), they must re-find themselves, totally DUMP the so-called moderates and left-wingers among them and focus on, and only on, those Palinesque leaders who will champion the real conservative cause.

If you are a "moderate" Republican, why don't you just get out of the Party and join the Democrats. At least then we'll know who you are and where you stand.

If you are a "lefty," what on earth are you doing in the Republican Party to begin with?

We don't need you.

We don't want you.

Go away and let us get on with being who we are.

"But Joe!" I hear you whining, "Won't that lessen our numbers and give us less of a chance to win?"

Absolutely NOT.

It will come as a surprise to you who think this way, but there are MORE conservative Republicans than there are of you.

Many conservative Republicans stayed away from the polls, or even went so far as to vote Democrat, to show their disgust with the state of the Republican Party.

So I'm telling you, dearly beloved Republicans, if you want to win next time, and the time after that and so on, you had better heed my advice.

Get back to your roots.

Once again be the anti-slavery party; the Party of Abraham Lincoln; the Party that passed the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the U.S. Constitution; the party that passed the Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1875; the Party that founded the NAACP; the Party that sent troops to Arkansas to desegregate schools; the Party that established the Civil Rights Commission in 1958; the Party of Earl Warren, who drew up the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision ending school segregation; the Party who cast the most votes for the Civil Rights Acts of the 1960s; the Party of the FIRST Affirmative Action program in 1969 and the Party that approved the spending of over $200 billion to fight AIDS in Africa.

We need to become the Party of Judeo-Christian values; the Party of Economic initiative (so that no Democrats can ever again reject suggested regulations on entities like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac); the Party of trust and integrity; the Party of smaller centralized power and the Party of Constitutionalism.

The question now is, DO YOU, MY FELLOW REPUBLICANS, HAVE THE GUTS TO BECOME WHAT YOU MUST BECOME TO WIN?

We'll see.

Friday, November 7, 2008

WHAT TO DO TO KEEP OUR REPUBLIC













We live in what has variably been called "a democratic republic," or "a constitutional republic."

Most Americans believe that we are a democracy, but that is not true in the classical sense of the word.

At any rate, we have a voice in our government.

The government, however, often behaves as if it is deaf to our voice.

We proved our power, however, as the fed's first attempt at a bail-out (now called "the rescue plan") failed because of a blitz of phone calls, letters and emails against it.

So here is our hope: When a bill is sent to our law makers by soon to be President BO, if it is one that advances one of his socialistic ideas, we must inundate the Congressional switchboard with objections to it.

Our involvement is the most likely deterrent to a move toward socialism.

The only other hope is the Supreme Court, which could declare a particular proposal as unconstitutional, but that will depend upon whether or not BO has yet nominated, and has had confirmed, his cadre of liberal judges.

So get ready, stay informed and be VERY active in the process.

BO is already building a core of very liberal heads of departments for his cabinet, etc., so we will really have to be diligent.

As the Boy Scouts motto says: BE PREPARED!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

OH YEAH?

Yesterday I asserted that we could look for certain things from a BO presidency.

Several commenters challenged my conclusions, saying they are warnings with no basis.

Well, I'd like to challenge the challengers to get their heads out of the sand and just look at what the man, himself, has said.

In a morning radio interview in Chicago, BO said the following:

"As radical as I think people tried to characterize the Warren Court, it wasn't that radical. It didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution, at least as it has been interpreted -- and Warren Court interpreted it in the same way, that generally the Constitution is a charter of negative liberties. It says what the states can't do to you, says what the federal government can't do to you. But it doesn't say what the federal government or the state government must do on your behalf. And that hasn't shifted, and one of the tragedies of the civil rights movement was because the civil rights movement became so court-focused, uh, I think that there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the actual coalitions of power through which you bring about redistributive change. And, uh, in some ways we still suffer from that."

Do you understand what he said?

He said the Constitution was written on a flawed premise: what the government cannot do, rather than what it must do.

He went on to say that the Constitution is "...a flawed document."

Those are not my words, they are his.

Yet he is willing to stand before the American people and place his hand on a Bible, or some other "sacred" work and say:

"I, Barack Hussein Obama, I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

He will swear to you that he will preserve the Constitution.

He will swear to you that he will protect the Constitution.

He will swear to you that he will defend the Constitution.

Notice that there is nothing in the oath of office that promises what the president will do for you.

Now, either he will fulfill his oath or he will act on his belief that the Constitution is flawed and will try to change it.

Based on his assertion that he is an honest man, I expect that he will do his best to change the Constitution into a "less flawed" document by re-writing it to say what the government is obligated to do for you.

That will require a Constitutional Convention, and that is a very dangerous idea.

In another interview, BO stated that he intends to place "clean air" restrictions on the coal industry that it will become too expensive for them to comply and that if they choose to build new plants they can do so, but it will bankrupt them.

I didn't say that, he did.

Is he honest?

Will he really do what he said he will do?

That is a matter of trust.

If he can be trusted to accomplish his goals, there will be consequences that are beyond anything we have ever had to endure.

Are you aware of the importance of the coal industry to our economy and to the well-being of citizens presently dependant on coal for heating their homes and providing them with electricity?

New energy sources are fine, but the logistics of developing, constructing and distributing these new sources will take a great deal of time, as we do not currently have the technology or the infrastructure to make efficient use of them.

In the mean time, we must continue to rely on what we have, as responsibly as possible.

On the topic of energy, did you notice that as soon as the US announced that it would consider drilling for oil in places it has not been drilling the price of a barrel of oil began to drop?

See, oil prices are based on anticipated supplies and demands, not on today's use.

As soon as OPEC and others are convinced that we will not drill in the near future, they will conclude that the supply will not be increasing and they will be able to raise the price of a barrel of oil once again, bringing them great profits on their oil.

We, then will pay more for gasoline at the pump.

BO has frowned on the idea of drilling for oil off shore or elsewhere, leaving us at the mercy of foreign sources.

As you know, computers work on an "if-then" basis. If certain conditions exist, certain things will occur.

My assessment of the things that will be coming our way in a BO presidency are based on the same principle: if this happens, this will be the result.

So I stand by my predictions, based not on some Nostradamical prophetic ability, but on a logical extension of the beliefs BO, himself has stated he believes and will do.

You don't have to agree with me.

This is still America, and you have the right to be wrong.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

A TIME FOR CHANGE

Barack Hussein Obama has been elected president of The United States of America.

The American people have spoken, although I doubt very much whether they know what they have said.

Except that they want change.

Change they will get.

Some changes are needed and very much to be desired.

We need to change the way laws are enacted...not the process, but the content.

I am convinced that we need to change law making to one bill-one subject, with no amendments not related to the main bill, no earmarks, no additional anything.

But we will not get this kind of change.

We need to change the moral climate of the Congress and the Senate.

But we will not get this kind of change.

Here are some changes you can expect to see in the next four years:

1. Expect to see a drastic change in the make-up of the Supreme Court. Justices will be nominated whose regard for the Constitution is low and who believe they have the right to make it mean whatever they want it to mean.

2. Expect to see several amendments to the Constitution suggested, brought to the people and passed.

3. Should that fail, expect to hear a call for a Constitutional Convention, that would result in a broad change to the Constitution's body and nature. BO has already expressed his belief that it is a flawed document...his words, not mine.

4. Expect to see double-digit inflation after the manner of the Jimmy Carter years.

5. Expect to see thousands of "lower-middle class" people suffer extremely high heating and cooling bills as BO seeks to bankrupt the coal industry...his words, not mine.

6. Expect to see us abandon Iraq, to see Iraq dissolve into Islamic radicalism and the world threatened with terrorism as never before.

7. Expect to see Iran and other countries develop and use nuclear weaponry on anybody who does not suit their fancy, despite many "summits" with their leaders.

8. Expect to see an unprecedented rise in abortions, partial-birth abortions, and children of failed abortions left to die on a cold steel table or in a medical waste hamper.

9. Expect to see your taxes go up if you make more than $250,000.00...no, make that $200,000.00...wait, make that $150,000.00...no, no, no...its $120,000.00. Actually, if you do the math, you will see that in order for BO to implement his announced plans, everybody will be taxed more...you, too.

10. Expect unemployment to rise drastically as employers discover that they have to pay out so much in taxes that they must lay people off and raise prices in order to break even.

11. Expect gasoline to cost over $4.00 per gallon again, as other countries realize that we are not going to enter their markets in competition with them.

12. Expect to see our borders opened to every form of alien, without regard for their ability to fit into and/or contribute to society.

Well, those are some of the changes you have voted for.

You have voted to change my country into something it has never been and I hoped it would never be.

But we are all Americans.

We must embrace the coming changes and learn to love them.

If we don't, we will probably get a visit from some new government agency encouraging us in no uncertain terms to get with the program or suffer the consequences.

We needed change.

You have told us so.

Monday, November 3, 2008

THE TIME HAS COME


Vote.

If this process is to work, people need to be involved, and that means get up off your...your...your couch and go vote.

You have all the information you need.

You know which candidate wants to change the very nature of this country, its Constitution, its tax practices, its distribution of wealth and its reverence for life: the man who ran on the theme of "change," Barack Obama.

You know which candidate loves and has fought for this country, reveres the Constitution, wants to lower taxes, let you keep what you work hard for and who respects life, in agreement with the Declaration of Independence, John McCain.

So, now that you have decided which America you want, go vote.

Be reminded that if you choose the path of BO, there will be no turning back, for the power of the centralized government will increase to the point that it will no longer give you a say in how the country is run.

Be also reminded that the system we have used, though not perfect, has shown itself to work well, if somewhat slowly. To keep that one, choose the path of McCain.

Either way, please get to the polls and vote.

This might well be your last chance.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

HOW DID WE GET HERE & WHERE DO WE GO?


How did we get to the point in The United States of America where we might very well elect a man as president who:

1. Has no administrative leadership experience;

2. Has no understanding of military matters at all;

3. Has disavowed the very Constitution he will swear to uphold and protect;

4. Has aligned himself with domestic terrorists and explained them away as if they are unimportant;

5. Has espoused Marxist, or at the very least extremely socialistic, philosophies;

6. Has a wife who would be "First Lady," who was never proud of The United States of America until just after her husband entered the race for the White House;

7. Has repeatedly accused the Republicans of running a campaign of slur, while his own party has done exactly the same thing;

8. Has introduced the "race" card on multiple occasions;

9. Has chosen a running mate who cannot construct a coherent sentence or even thought pattern, all the while disparaging the choice of the Republicans, who chose a very articulate and straight thinking VP candidate;

10. Has actively sought to confiscate fire arms from law abiding citizens and has done virtually nothing to get them away from criminals;

11. Has actively aligned himself with an organization that seeks to convince people who cannot afford the payments on a house, to buy one anyway, with the government enabling them to do so with no money down and with no obligation to pay it off;

12. Has repeatedly treated the "American Dream" as an entitlement, instead of a goal toward which to work;

13. Has found some "right," in his words, "...for Americans..." to health care, as though billions of people in other "third world" countries don't have such a right;

14. Has allowed members of his own family to languish in poverty, while he, himself, finds the means to spend hundreds of millions of dollars in a bid to take over the American way of life;

15. Has lied about his past, lied about his roots, lied about his associations, lied about his affiliations and yet says, "trust me," about his ability to lead with good judgement and honesty;

16. Has been a part of the cause of the current economic crisis, through his "leadership" as a "Community Organizer;"

17. Has voted to allow babies born of a failed abortion to languish on a cold, steel table or in a waste hamper until they die of a lack of medical attention;

18. Has voted to allow the killing of unborn babies at the whim of the mother and for her convenience;

19. Has sought to undermine the work of our troops in Iraq, both by setting some sort of arbitrary withdrawal agenda and by visiting with and encouraging enemy leaders;

and

20. Has proposed a tax plan that no calculator on earth could justify by promising a tax cut for 95% of "middle class" Americans, 40% of whom already pay NO taxes at all?

How did we get to the point where normal Americans are willing to put up with the rank dissolution of freedoms proposed by this historical anarchist and would be dictator?

Its beyond me how so many of us could be so stupid.