The Melting Pot

I remember years ago in grade school we were studying American history and politics. My teacher at that time was discussing America and the ideal we represent to the world. This was right in the middle of the Cold War. The Soviet Union was attempting to spread its form of socialism around the globe. Even in the relatively "free" Europe, socialism was destroying the economies of once global powers. But America stood alone as a beacon of hope to all those who yearned to be free, or simply hoped for a better life.

As we studied the birth and growth of this great nation, we were introduced to the notion of America being a Melting Pot. The idea was that the very best ideas from a multitude of cultures were blended to create a common culture that celebrates freedom. For decades, this grand experiment worked. Germans, English, French, Irish, Spanish, Asian and African immigrants brought their customs, food, language, music, ideas, inventions to our shores and the very best of each became part of a new and wonderful American culture. America's freedom allowed capitalism to thrive and create the most powerful and economically successful nation in the history of the world in just couple centuries.

Where did the Melting Pot concept go?

In the last few decades, the concept of a melting pot disappeared. In its place we have the scourge of multiculturalism, that wants to separate people by culture, sex, religion, race or any other way liberals see fit to divide this nation. Instead of immigrants embracing all that is good about this nation, they want to recreate their own little enclave here in America and refuse to integrate. They stick to their customs, language, dress and then wonder why Americans treat them differently.

America is a country of immigrants. We celebrate those that have arrived here LEGALLY and have contributed to the success of this nation. We hear the stories of families that lost everything in Viet Nam, Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, China, Africa, Latin America or the Middle East, that come here with nothing but a dream and stand in awe of their struggle. These people come here, work hard, pay their taxes, obey the law and remain committed as a family to become AMERICANS. Within a generation, many of these are quite successful and fully integrated into society. They remember and honor their past culture, but they also EMBRACE their new home, America.

Love America Or Leave It!

There is not a major city in this country that does not have pockets of immigrants that have recreated their own little homeland. And there is nothing wrong with this as long as the ultimate plan is to assimilate into the culture of your new country. Learn the language, obey the laws and enjoy the freedom that America gives you. Leave the barbaric laws and practices of the old country behind and enjoy the fruits of western civilization.

Instead, we get groups like NCLR and CAIR that attempt to elevate or provide special privileges to certain cultural groups. Or even worse, encouraging illegal immigration or illegal activity. This must be stopped. We do not need another official language. English has united us quite well for over two hundred years. We don't need sharia laws. The Constitution, when it is upheld, works quite nicely. Nor do we need honor killings, rapes, terrorism, drug gangs, beheadings and all the other fruits that are staples in many parts of the rest of the world.

If legal immigrants or residents are not willing to live under our laws, or honor the values of this great country, its time to head back home. If you are not willing to learn the language and enjoy the American dream - Adiós, Aloha, Auf Wiedersehen, Au revoir, Shalom, Ciao, Chao, Hyvästi, See you later!

Just The Facts, Ma'am...

You have probably seen this little factoid posted on Facebook or anywhere else crazy folk might lurk:

Only 5 states do not have collective bargaining for educators and have deemed it illegal. Those states and their ranking on ACT/SAT scores are as follows:
South Carolina – 50th; North Carolina – 49th; Georgia – 48th; Texas – 47th; Virginia – 44th

Usually followed by the claim that Wisconsin (#2), and supposedly all union states, do far better than states that have rightfully outlawed or minimized collective bargaining for PUBLIC employees. Funny thing is, this claim has now been retracted. See here. Seems it was based on faulty data - their words, not mine.

But I am not surprised. This is standard practice for the loony left. They take some small statistic out of context to try and prove their point.

Blogger Iowahawk put the smack down on the premise above, so I don't want to repeat his noble work. You can see his original post here and the follow up here. He rightly pointed out the drastic demographic differences between states and the absurdity of using ACT or SAT as a ranking in the first place - especially if you are looking at cumulative score and not by ethnicity.

But I do want to take a look at the ACT numbers, of course by ethnic breakdown, to see just how collectivist states compare to free states. These numbers are for 2010.

Average ACT Composite Score 2010 (Evil free states in bold)

White students: Virginia 23.5, North Carolina 23.4, Texas 23.1, Wisconsin 23.0, Georgia 22.9, Ohio 22.5, South Carolina 22.1, Michigan 20.7, Illinois 20.1 (national 22.3)

Black students: Virginia 17.6, Georgia 17.4, North Carolina 17.4, Ohio 17.3, Texas 17.3, Illinois 16.7, South Carolina 16.5, Wisconsin 16.0, Michigan 15.8 (national 16.9)

Hispanic students: Virginia 21.6, North Carolina 20.3, Ohio 20.3, Georgia 20.1, South Carolina 19.8, Wisconsin 19.8, Texas 18.3, Illinois 18.0, Michigan 17.7 (national 18.6)

You don't want to form any definitive opinions from these numbers. Several factors might explain the difference. For instance, the amount of private schools and home schooled children per state may skew the results. Income and poverty levels may play a part as well. But it is interesting that the ACTUAL data is the complete opposite of what the left is claiming. Note that all 5 evil states are at or above the national average.

Conservatives do not want stupid children or underpaid teachers. We want a quality education system that rewards the best teachers based on merit. We do not want a system that is designed to reward laziness or incompetence. Nor do we want a system that is basically a money laundering scheme for the Democrat party - where dues go through the unions into the pockets of Democrat politicians, who then sit down with the same union folk and "negotiate" how to further screw taxpayers and ultimately the children.

Just so you know I didn't just make up the data (who would do that), here are the ACT scores and for further amusement, you can find all sorts of stuff on the Nation's Report Card.

Drill Baby Drill!!!

We have millions out of work, gas prices are going up - around $4.00 a gallon in some places, inflation and higher energy costs are raising prices across the board, and the answers to our problems are right in front of us. Is it ignorance? Or have we actually elected people who are purposely against American prosperity? I truly hope that is not the case. Most Americans, including myself, want to think the best of our elected leaders, but in times like these, you wonder.

Just in the two years of the current administration, we have seen them lending money to Brazil for deep water exploration. A foreign, state-run oil company can drill and even receive US government handouts, but our own privately owned oil companies are prevented by this administration from drilling in the Gulf of Mexico in defiance of a court order.

But forget the politics for a moment a consider the economic impact. A study was just completed by the University of Alaska Anchorage together with Northern Economics on the economic impact of drilling in the Outer Continental Shelf of just two areas of Alaska.

Now remember, this is just two relatively small areas of North America, but the economic impact is staggering.

• Over 50 years, drilling in the Beaufort and Chukchi OCSs would generate $97 and $96 Billion respectively in revenue to federal, state and local governments.
• An annual average of 54,700 jobs nationwide, with a payroll of $145 Billion over 50 years.
• There is an estimated 30 Billion barrels of oil and gas reserves in the Chukchi Sea alone.

The US imports a significant portion of its oil every year, sometimes from nations that aren't so friendly and use oil revenue to fund the very terrorists we fight. There is no reason to believe that if other areas of North America were opened to exploration and drilling, America would soon become an exporter of oil, not an importer. The jobs created, increased tax revenue, lease payments and royalties, along with lower energy costs, would be a massive stimulus to the economy. And these would be real jobs, not show up and do nothing government union jobs that drain the economy of productivity and capital.

It really makes you wonder exactly whose side the current administration is on.

Bieber Politics - A Lesson

If you don't know who Justin Bieber is, don't feel left out, neither did I. But apparently he is the latest teen beat heartthrob to come down the pike.

I don't pay much attention to what celebrities "think." But it does sometimes offer an opportunity to explore a topic. In this case, we revisit the joys of socialism.

In an interview with Rolling Stone, he calls the US medical system "evil" and then praises Canada's socialized medicine because "We go to the doctor and we don't need to worry about paying him."

It seems that, in typical liberal fashion, he has a bodyguard facing some high medical bills after a premature birth. What is odd, is that nothing in the story mentions why this person has no insurance and why on the same weekend that Bieber's film grossed $30 million is one of his employees faced with a lifetime of medical expenses. We can only assume that explanation is forthcoming.

I don't want to be too hard on the lad. He is only 16. Most kids that age should not be bothered with politics and using their brain for anything more than deciding what to eat for lunch.

But I did want to explore the whole socialized medicine debate from a completely different perspective. In a system like Canada, you pay exorbitant taxes that theoretically cover your medical expenses. Government bureaucrats determine what each procedure costs and in many cases forbid you to take certain medicines or tests for purely economic reasons. They also determine what health practitioners should earn. When demand is high, and health care providers few, the services are delayed and/or rationed. The incentive to find cures, new medicine or best practices does not exist - since there can be no profit motive in a socialized health care system.

Also, after spending 10 years in college/medical school/residency and a small fortune for the training, you may never see a real return on your investment. Having a steady government paycheck and being constantly overworked by people expecting the very best care for free, may not be worth it.

Now let's apply liberal logic to celebrity world.

Imagine that millions of Americans demand their rights to free music and free movies. Its in the Constitution, I swear! Some Democrat Congress critters agree and pass a law declaring that all movies and music will now be free.

Taxes are raised and every American can download music or go see a movie without paying a dime. In order to pay these actors/artists/producers, the government puts them all on a fixed income. And everybody is now happy, right?

Do you think Justin would work as hard if some government agency determined his income? Would he be as creative or innovative as every other artist/actor/producer on fixed government wages?

And that in a nutshell is what is wrong with socialized medicine. Without any motive to do better, or innovate, or generate more profit, quality drops and mediocrity becomes the norm. Instead of working hard to get ahead, just like unions have proven, everyone works as little as possible.

A true capitalist system is not evil. It brings out the very best of people. It gives them the freedom to succeed, or even fail, based on their efforts alone. It made the United States the most successful and powerful nation in the history of mankind in just a couple of centuries. There are nations that date back 5,000 years that have economies that are smaller than most of our states!

It really should be no surprise that virtually every major medical advance in the last several decades has come from the efforts of "evil" for profit companies here in the United States.

We have seen example after example of how horrible socialism is and how it retards everything it touches. And yet there are still, supposedly smart people in Washington, academia and Hollywood, that think it will work.

Now, where are my free movies!?


Oh Canada...

Visit link below for a story and video of a Montreal Hospital that is desperate for a renovation. The doctors posted videos on Youtube showing the poor state and complaining about lack of help from government.

LaSalle hospital doctors complain of shoddy work conditions

The Mother of All Charlatans...

I completely missed this little nugget as I was freezing my butt off, stuck at home under about 6 inches of ice and snow...in DALLAS, TEXAS! Not that we don't have a little wintry weather every so often in Texas, it usually does not hang around for a whole freakin' week!

Although I do remember, in the not too distant past, the winter of 1983 in Dallas. White Rock Lake froze and we spent 12 consecutive days below freezing. Not sure where Al Gore was back then, maybe he was releasing his chakra.

Now I don't want to be too hard on Al Gore. He did invent the Internet and failed out of divinity school before realizing that politics was where he belonged. And you can't find a better training ground for becoming the Mother of All Charlatans than the US Government, especially as a Democrat.

Some time during the 20 or so years he haunted the hallowed halls of Washington, he became an expert on global climate. We know that is the case because he reminds us every chance he gets. Even made a movie about it and won some prize I think.

In the midst of the week long freeze in Dallas, Al Gore wrote a blog 'splainin' all this cold weather to us nincompoops out here who reject his sky is falling folly. You see, when it gets warmer, it gets colder. So says the anointed prophet of doom himself. Peace be upon him. No linky for Al, simply search for blog al com for February 1st. Its short and ridiculous, kind of like its author.

I almost pursued a degree in meteorology. I decided against it at the last moment when it became obvious that I was too tall for the camera. Who wants a meteorologist having to point down at Maine on the weather map. But I have always been fascinated with weather and climate, so that makes me about as much of an expert in the field as Al Gore. Maybe I should make a movie?

Commonsense screams that if the climate is warming, you don't get colder weather. But don't just take wisdom's word for it. Let's go to someone who actually STUDIES climate for a living.

No serious climate researcher — including the ones I disagree with — believes global warming can cause colder weather. Unless they have become delusional as a result of some sort of mental illness. -- Roy Spencer, Ph. D.

Dr. Spencer has spent 40 years researching climate and has worked with NASA and the University of Alabama at Huntsville and is a personal hero of mine in the field. He is a man that tells it like it is as you can see by the above quote.

I could write yet another lengthy blog showing once again how ridiculous it is to assume that mankind, even if he wanted to, could change the global climate. But hopefully we are well past that point. The global warming hoax has been thoroughly debunked numerous times. There are only a few crooks and hacks still pushing this in hopes of enriching themselves. Chief among these of course is Al Gore.

I almost feel sorry for ManBearPig. He has lied so much that he actually believes his own lies. He has personally and immensely profited from his doomsday proclamations. Honestly, jail seems too good for him.

But what sets him apart from all the other crooks in the world, is that his nonscientific ramblings have been used to terrify school children all over the world. In my opinion, there is nothing worse than lying and scaring children to the point of making them think their parents are criminals for driving an SUV or using electricity. That crap was done to me in the 70s and I will never forget how angry I was that teachers had lied to me about an imminent ice age and frightened children unnecessarily. That is just plain evil.

If you jail Bernie Madoff for his Ponzi scheme, surely there will be an appropriate punishment for the Mother of All Charlatans very, very soon.

Dan Democrat

This is in response to a blog that I read praising all the "great" things liberals have done to make our lives better. I am not going to link to it. Simply imagine all the Barbra Streisand ever written by liberals dumped into one blog. You know what I am talking about - Republicans want dirty air, poisonous water, untested medication, kill old people and minorities - the usual bilge from the left.

Here is the story of Dan Democrat.

Dan is unemployed now because liberals raised taxes and increased regulations to the point that Dan's employer could not compete with the rest of the world. And now that drilling is verboten in the US, and Federal spending is out of control, inflation will wipe out whatever savings he has managed to squirrel away. Maybe Dan could retire early? Nope, Social Security, the mother of all Ponzi schemes is bankrupt, so he can't count on that. His 401K plan was his last hope, but liberals have been scheming for years to nationalize those to shore up Social Security and union pensions that are also bankrupt. Only a matter of time - I mean it is for the good of the country right?

Dan would like to start his own business, but government red tape continues to prevent him from realizing his dream. Between permits, regulations, union corruption, and lawsuits, the risk is too great and the rewards all taxed away.

Education? Yea, Dan found that studying multiculturalism, socialism and being filled with a deep hatred of the US and western culture doesn't get you far in life - unless he wants to read the news on MSNBC or run for office as a Democrat. 60 years of liberal/union control of schools has produced some of the least educated graduates in the industrialized world, even after spending an average of over $9,000 per year, per student. Dan does think it odd that students taught in the home, by the 8th grade, are as much as four grades ahead of their peers in union-controlled, state run indoctrination centers, even with so much of a disparity in spending per student. But he feels guilty questioning government or Liberal orthodoxy.

In a moment of wisdom, Dan thinks that we could offer vouchers to students and free them from this academic slavery. Liberals are for choice when it comes to destroying life, right? But we can't have choice when it comes to education now can we. Have to keep those union bosses well compensated and those administrators enjoying the very best hotels and luxuries at their conferences. He quickly turns on CNN and switches back to drone mode.

Maybe he could get a green job? Nope, no money there either as Spain has found out. Might as well flush money down the toilet. Except we have to flush several times because liberal-mandated low flow toilets don't do the job effectively, wasting gallons of water with every flush. We already have "invested" billions of taxpayers’ $$$ in green energy for over 30 years and still can't figure out how to make a windmill or a solar panel drive a car or light a house without massive government subsidies.

All this stress has Dan feeling a little ill. Unfortunately, Obamacare has caused a massive flight of doctors out of the country and the profession. Although he feels pretty bad, its still not an emergency, so it will be three weeks before he can see a nurse. It will take up to five weeks to see an MD. Hopefully, its just a cold that will run its course and not something serious. But he takes some solace in the fact that all Americans, except those liberals in power, suffer from the same medical delays. But at least they have "free" health care.

Fortunately for Dan, it was just a cold this time. He never saw a doctor or nurse, but he still has his appointment scheduled - just in case. He did miss out on a few job opportunities that were filled by illegals while he was recovering. Liberals believe in open borders. It doesn't matter if Dan was harmed by unrestricted illegal immigration. Whether its fraud, or granting the right to vote to millions of criminals, Liberals simply lust for power and can't win with honesty. Besides, Dan knows the end justifies the means.

It looks like Dan is stuck on some sort of government handout. Like millions of Americans, many of which are liberals or vote for liberals, he will be totally dependent on a government check. Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer "rich" Republicans left to tax and the Chinese will probably get tired of lending money at some point, or even worse come to collect it all back by force. Dan doesn't mind, Keith Olbermann is back on TV...somewhere.

Yep, now Dan's got it made - the gubmint gravy train. And any day now the government will start taxing the air he exhales, all in the name of "saving the planet." Life is grand living on the Liberal plantation. Al Gore be praised!

How Long Before Illinois Builds Walls and Barbed Wire Fences?

From the Wall Street Journal concerning our comrades in Illinois:

Under the current version of the bill, the individual income-tax rate would jump to 5%, from the current 3%, a 67% increase. That is more conservative than last week's proposed 5.25% rate, a 75% increase. Also, the corporate tax rate would increase to 7%, from the current 4.8%.

I have posted comments concerning Illinois' attempts to extort more money from its citizens in the past, including the ludicrous attempt to tax bottled water that failed miserably. Now, in a last ditch effort to chase every bit of wealth and business creators out of the state, they are jacking up income tax rates by 67%! Now this is not the law yet, but its pretty darn close to fruition.

When the trickle of citizens and businesses to low tax and business-friendly states becomes a flood, will they build a wall with gun towers and barbed wire to keep the serfs in the state? That seemed to work in East Germany.

No Labels?

Here is an interesting article from Big Government on the new group calling themselves the No Label movement. Here is an excerpt:

The “No Labels” approach is inherently contradictory. Simply by creating the group and giving it a name, it has been labeled. Now we have Republicans, Democrats, and No Labelers. While it claims to be inclusive, it seems to attract primarily those to the left of center, whether Democrats or Republicans. The thing is, they don’t consider themselves left of center; rather, they place themselves squarely at the center and conclude that anyone not of their ilk is a “wingnut.”

No labels, moderates, or whatever they call themselves, are fence sitters and prone to compromise (which always means agreeing with the left) in my opinion. Believe in something, take a stand and be passionate. If you don't know what to believe, study our founding history and ask yourself if modern America reflects the the dream of our Founding Fathers. There is a very good reason there is not a museum or any books that honor "Great Moderates in History."

I found it interesting that the writer listed Christian, American, Conservative and Republican as his personal labels. I totally agree with the first 3. I have hard time calling myself Republican though when so many so-called Republicans are DIABLOs - Democrat In All But Name Only. They destroy the Republican brand when they continue to vote for leftist causes.

At the very least, stand for freedom. Every new government regulation, tax, expansion and law is an infringement on liberty. People need to wake up to this fact and resist the rapid growth of government before its too late.

Smarter than a 5th Grader?

I'm thinking a box of rocks might have them beat...



Do I really need to add anything?

For people receiving this as a feed on Facebook, if the embed is not visible, click on the "view original post" link below to see video. It will be worth it for the chuckle.

Global Warming Updates...

Global warming agitation has had numerous setbacks recently. First, it was the corrupted data that hid the decline in temperatures. And of course mother nature hasn't cooperated as temperatures continue to defy the weather "experts" and decline - sometimes in spectacular fashion.

So it is with great sadness we find that the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), the outfit that was created to profit, I mean trade carbon offsets has closed. The organization was a who's who of Democrats and their cronies hoping to enlarge their fortunes by forcing Americans to pay for the right to use energy. Here is an excerpt from a great article on the subject.

Its (CCX) planning was initiated thanks to a $345,000 grant from the Chicago-based Joyce Foundation to Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management to study and test the viability of a future carbon-credit market.

This transaction occurred when a young community organizer, Barack Obama, served on the Joyce Foundation's board of directors, along with his mentor, present White House advisor Valerie Jarret. Eventually Joyce Foundation startup contributions for CCX totaled about $1.1 million, and its president, Paula DiPerna, later left the organization to become executive vice president of CCX.

If you are awake and breathing, you should have figured it out by now. The global warming campaign has nothing to do with changing the climate. The reality is that the climate is way too large and complex for man to have any real impact, except on a very local level. It has always been about transferring wealth first to poor nations, who are kept in squalor by the green Nazis and not allowed to industrialize and develop. A side benefit would be to transfer wealth into the hands of Barack Obama, Al Gore, Franklin Gaines and a host of liberals who like wealth, as long as they are the only ones that have it. For the industrialized world, we get to see our way of living destroyed and our hard earned tax dollars sent overseas. Bring on Cap and Tax!!

But don't be alarmed, the green army marches on. Spending billions in taxpayer dollars and burning tons of fossil fuels, they converged on "sunny" Cancun to decide the fate of the world. You would think people so concerned about the environment could figure out a way to video conference. But that wouldn't be any fun.

And quite predictably, Cancun experienced the coldest temperatures in a century during the conference and toga party. It has become a tradition that whenever green Nazis meet, count on some defiant weather extreme.

For an update on these freedom-killing zombies at the UN, here is an excerpt from an article on the Cancun confab.

That the Cancun summit was never a climate conference at all has become increasingly obvious. Even before it began, IPCC Working Group III co-chair Ottmar Edenhofer said, COP-16 is actually “one of the largest economic conferences since the Second World War…. One has to free oneself from the illusion that international climate policy is environmental policy.” In fact, it has “almost nothing to do with the environmental policy.” Its real purpose “is redistributing the world's wealth and natural resources.”

I can sleep safer at night knowing the blue berets and the green Nazis are out there working to save the world!

Nuts!

This day in history - After being surrounded at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge (WW2), the acting commander of the 101st Airborne, Brigadier General McAuliffe, received a written surrender request from German General Luttwitz. McAuliffe replied, “NUTS!”

For a few days, it looked like much of the gains after the Normandy invasion might be lost during a German counterattack into Belgium. After initial success, the Allied forces rallied and sent reinforcements to Bastogne, a key city that controlled several major roads in the area. The reinforcements included the 101st Airborne and elements of the 10th Armored Division and the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Facing them were 4 German divisions including two armored divisions that surrounded the city.

The Allied forces held out for 7 days until clear weather allowed for supplies to be dropped and the arrival of reinforcements ended the siege.

For a week in December of 1944 things looked bleak. But it was the moxie of American leaders and fighting men that snatched victory from defeat.

Its that same attitude Americans need right now. We have seen the incredible assaults on freedom and the destruction of jobs during the last two years - Obamacare, Cap and Tax, Net Neutrality, Union Expansion (Card Check), as well as Drilling Moratoriums.

We have watched our money, that we don't even have, wasted on bailouts, turtle trails, reparations to black farmers who never set foot on a farm and every other idiotic liberal wet dream and wealth transfer imaginable.

Time after time we have seen tax cheats and ethically tainted Democrats retain their positions or even get promoted and never pay the penalty for breaking the law.

Its time for real Americans to say, "NUTS!"

The real change starts right now with a new Congress.

We will fight to turn the tide of socialism and reign in a government completely out of control.

We will rid the Republican Party of DIABLOs (Democrats in all but label only) - If you are going to support socialist causes by voting with Democrats, why soil the GOP label?

We will elect leaders in 2012 that believe in America, believe in freedom and will defend the Constitution.

And to those hellbent on destroying this country and turning it into some glorified 3rd world hellhole, we say, "NUTS!"

Deconstructing Tingles...

Chris Matthews, Mr. "thrill up my leg" himself, hosts a show called Hardball. Since few people watch it, I thought it would be helpful to post a video and let you see what you are missing. You can also access the video here if you have trouble viewing it.

This segment deals exclusively with Sarah Palin, a favorite target of the far left. His guests are Richard Wolffe, some schmuck from the ultra liberal MSNBC network, and Jay Newton-Small, a hyphenated lady from Time, one of the many Democrat house organs still in circulation despite rapidly declining numbers.

At the start, you will notice that all three have a profound hatred and obsession with Governor Palin. The tone is snarky and condescending and really unworthy of professional journalists. But then again this is MSNBC, where even Herr Goebbels would be envious of their methods.

The left long ago created a narrative on Palin. She is dumb, a diva, not well-read, a hick etc etc. Of course none of this is true. But if you repeat it enough times, even liberal simpletons will believe it to be true. Matthews starts the interview by insinuating that Palin does not answer her own interview questions. He has no proof, but liberals love false accusations and truth really does not matter to them anyway. Remember, its the seriousness of the charge that matters.

They then comment on her interview with Barbara Walters, a woman who jumped the shark before the invention of watercraft. Barbara, doing her best Katie Couric impression, asks Palin what she reads. Why this is relevant we will never know. Frankly, I would find it very condescending and I am not a former governor. The video was edited so that only a few sources were listed reinforcing the meme that Palin is uninformed.

One author mentioned that does not get cut is C. S. Lewis, who Richard Wolffe mocks as a "children's book author." Yes, Lewis did write the Chronicles of Narnia, a beloved children's classic, with a not so subtle Christian message. But he was also one of the premier Christian apologists of the 20th century. Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters and Surprised By Joy, along with many other titles by Lewis, are Christian classics. According to the left, liberals are smart and well-read. Are we to assume Mr. Wolffe is simply ignorant of all the works by Lewis, or was he purposely trying to disparage Governor Palin for appreciating one of the great writers of our time? I assume its a little of both.

Chris then segues into his wish that all candidates should be forced to take a test, again implying that Palin might not pass this test. Frankly, I would like to see the same be done for TV personalities. I wonder if these three would pass a test that I would create.

And of course we have the feigned outrage over her slip of the tongue, where she mistakenly said Reagan went to college in California. Yep, you could travel to all 57 states, with one to go, and never find a liberal prone to gaffes like that.

And oh my gosh, Sarah Palin hunts! This is something I have personally experienced in my travels to the blue states. Liberals have an irrational fear of guns and a hatred of people who enjoy hunting. These same people wear leather and fur. And they consume all types of meat. But the thought of someone cutting out the middleman and bagging their own food sends them off the deep end. There are over 45 million hunters in America and several million more gun owners. Tingles might want to rethink his opinion on hunting.

And of course they quoted the "brilliant" screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, who was displeased that Palin was a hunter. Why anyone in America would care what any Hollywood leftist has to say is a mystery. But if I'm looking for an opinion on just about anything, I would go with the former governor rather than a serial drug abuser.

I realize Hardball is not news. I assume it is supposed to be entertainment. It certainly is a window into the soul of the left. And by the way, I know this post was quite snarky. Tingles brings out the worst in me.

Go Sarah Go!

Who is the most powerful Conservative voice in America today?

Who single-handedly reframed the health care debate and drastically slowed the onslaught of the government takeover with nothing more than a Facebook post?

Who after resigning an elected position (which was the right decision for the people of Alaska in the face of frivolous Democrat manufactured ethics charges that were costing taxpayers money and paralyzing state business) is an even more powerful national figure?

During the last Presidential election, which of the four candidates for POTUS and VPOTUS had the most executive and business experience, and was the most familiar with life in the real world?

Who has become a Conservative kingmaker even in faraway local elections?

Who has the most experience working with the energy industry, the lifeblood of a growing economy?

Who is a fundraising and base-energizing dynamo?

Who represents the interests of most Americans when it comes to the most important issues - lower taxes, limited government, stopping the global warming hoax and national defense?

Whose books are both best sellers?

Who turns leftists into foaming at the mouth lunatics, even more so than usual?

Who is most feared by the elitists in New York and Washington, the same folks largely responsible for the current mess in DC?

Who truly is a compassionate Conservative in word and deed?

Sarah Palin is not perfect - nobody is. But she is the strongest Conservative voice in America, and at this point, the best hope to stop the carnage in Washington. If someone better emerges, fantastic. The more strong Conservative leaders the better. I will rally around the one that shares my passion for freedom.

I don't even use the term RINO (Republican In Name Only) to refer to most Republicans these days. They are Democrat-lites, or as Mark Steyn so brilliantly labeled them, DIABLO (Democrat In All But Label Only). I'm tired of them compromising our freedom away. We can't afford any more "hope and change."

I would think all Republicans, Conservatives, or even a few DIABLOs could support limited government, lower taxes, strong national defense and opposing the global warming hoax with its evil "solutions" proposed by AlGore and the UN.

That doesn't sound too "radical" or "right-wing" to me.

As for me, I support Sarah Palin. There are few Conservative leaders on the horizon that have inspired me like Palin. Maybe that makes me a "nutcase" or maybe I am just a patriotic American that loves this country. But until someone else takes up the Conservative cause and stands up to Washington, she's my best hope. And I will not let the propaganda arm of the Democrat party, the mainstream media, or a bunch establishment kingmakers, or even Ivy League-trained pinheads decide who will be my nominee. Been there, done that, and didn't even get a freakin' commemorative T-shirt.

Whether its Palin or some other nominee, it will be a Conservative that loves this country and is committed to reversing the curse of the last few years and actually draining the stinky swamp that is DC.

Too Many Morlocks, Too Few Eloi...

At times, we need a reality check.

People we have over 64 million people completely dependent on some form of government handout. That number will surely expand as 77 million baby boomers retire. And it will grow even more if we suddenly grant citizenship and freebies to millions of illegal aliens. Let's not forget the millions and growing civilian employees who receive a paycheck from the Federal government, which is another liability taxpayers have to cover. Add to that the billions we will spend for the bureaucracy and health care costs under Obamacare - see Medicare and Medicaid for a preview. 60% of the budget is already entitlements (Social Security, Medicaid etc) and interest on the debt and that is BEFORE Obamacare!

Its simple math. Half the population and growing pays virtually no Federal taxes (less than 3% of the entire tax burden), but continually wants more freebies and handouts. Regulations, lawsuits, high taxes and unions keep driving businesses to other countries reducing our tax base and putting more people in the unemployed or underemployed category. The ultra rich, like many Democrats and their supporters, can leave the country or hide their money - see Soros, Rangel, John Kerry etc. There is simply not enough of us ordinary "rich" folks to create or maintain the socialist utopia where everyone has free health care, never works and has a pony in their backyard.

Or put another way, the Morlocks will soon outnumber the Eloi. After they consume all the Eloi, will the Morlocks turn on each other?

Another Dim Dem Speaks...

Democrat Senator Rockefeller on free speech:

"There's a little bug inside of me which wants to get the FCC to say to FOX and to MSNBC: 'Out. Off. End. Goodbye.' It would be a big favor to political discourse; our ability to do our work here in Congress, and to the American people, to be able to talk with each other and have some faith in their government and more importantly, in their future."

One of the most cherished rights protected by the 1st Amendment is the Freedom of Speech. This was meant to allow people, even with differing views, to express them freely. It was hoped by our Founders that having this right would help guarantee that no elected official would ever be able to suppress those he/she disagreed with.

But here is a senior Senator, openly hoping that a Federal agency would shut down media outlets and stifle free speech! Especially, those that oppose him. Make no mistake about it, this was aimed at Fox. PMSNBC was just thrown in the mix to make it sound like he was somewhat balanced.

I'm old enough to remember when all we had was Democrat talking points fed to us daily by ABC, CBS, PBS and NBC. There was no Conservative talk radio and the newspapers, as they are today, were dominated by liberals. There was no counter to the liberal message for almost 40 years! Even after cable networks emerged like CNN, they were even more extreme in promoting the leftist agenda.

Finally, Conservative talk radio emerged followed by the Internet and Fox News. They provide a balance to the obviously biased news sources that existed for most of the modern era. They are the opposing view, and more often than not, present the most balanced view of world events. When you've received your news from the very biased ABC, CNN, Time, New York Times etc all your life, Fox will look very partisan. But there is a reason they are so successful - Americans are tired of the propaganda from the dinosaur media and want the truth.

The Senator longs for the days when he could destroy the country and the news media would celebrate him. He does not want to be challenged. My God, he's a Senator! Us serfs need to shut up and mind our manners.

Frankly Senator, I have NO faith in my country's leadership precisely because of idiots like you. You have sworn to protect the Constitution, and yet you would undermine it in a heartbeat if you thought you could get away with it.

Hopefully, the folks in West Virginia will make sure this putz is sent into retirement the next time he is up for election. I might even watch it on Fox.


Sen. Rockefeller: FCC Should Take FOX News, MSNBC Off Airwaves -- see video at link

Financial Bigotry...

An outstanding article from American Thinker

The point of the tax debate must be the principle that every man -- rich, middle-class, or lower-class -- has the right to keep as much as possible of what he has honestly earned. It is this foundation of freedom and property rights that is being ignored in the increasingly complicated political debate over an elusive definition of how to promote "growth" for the country.


I have never understood why anyone should be forced to pay a higher percentage in taxes. And I find it ridiculous that nearly half of the country pays absolutely nothing when it comes tax time.

The tax code needs to be simplified to one very low rate with little or even no deductions. Even the very poor should contribute something - even if it is symbolic. Then, we might have some fairness and a vibrant and growing economy once more. When it comes election time, liberal voters might think twice before voting for people hell-bent on raising taxes to pay for their spending orgies.

The Buck Stops Here?

Not too long ago, President Harry Truman had a sign on his desk that read "the buck stops here." It was meant to make sure people understood that he was a man of action and was not going to blame others for his mistakes. As a leader of the free world, you lead, not make excuses.

Most of the inhabitants of the White House since that time and to varying degrees, adopted the same mindset. They took credit for their success and responsibility for their mistakes. That is what good leaders do.

It has been three years since the Democrats took over Congress with Obama as a Senator, when he wasn't off campaigning. And almost 2 years since he was elected POTUS. And yet once again he was in Texas and Georgia blaming the Bush administration for the current economic mess.

When your administration has literally destroyed jobs - car dealerships in the automotive takeover and oil field workers with the drilling moratorium, and stifled all job growth through new taxes and the threat of even more with Obamacare, its time to start taking some responsibility for 10% unemployment and a shrinking private sector. And you need to take responsibility for the housing/financial meltdown that had many Democrat fingerprints all over it.

An honorable leader would not be acting like a child blaming someone else. But I will save that for another blog.

Drain the freakin' Swamp, Nancy!!

Remember when Nancy Pelosi promised to "drain the swamp" of corruption. Well, the swamp is alive and expanding every day. Charlie Rangel is yet another Democrat that does not believe laws were meant for the ruling class. He is charged with 13 ethics violations, some of which might land us ordinary folks behind bars. But not Charlie, he is a leftist hero. He even has a monument built in honor of himself paid for with taxpayer dollars.

When challenged about this ridiculous waste of our money and the audacity to build a library and education center at a university named for a sitting Congress critter, himself no less, this is how he responded:

"I would have a problem if you did it, because I don't think that you've been around long enough that having your name on something to inspire a building like this in a school."

So, if you are able to gerrymander a district, get elected, feed at the government trough for 40 years, break laws with impunity, THEN you have the right to waste taxpayer dollars on yourself. Got it!

A man with even the slightest bit of integrity would have long ago resigned in shame. But when you have Nancy and the rest of Democrats flying cover, you are able to disregard the law with impunity. It would be nice to think that Rangel is the exception, but he is in fact the poster child with what is wrong in Washington. A bunch of fat cat crooks that think and act like they are royalty - completely above the law.

And a final thought, remember this gem from our beloved Speaker Pelosi in 2006?

"The American people voted to restore integrity and honesty in Washington, D.C., and the Democrats intend to lead the most honest, most open and most ethical Congress in history,"

Since Nancy is as much a part of the swamp as anyone else with a 'D' next to their name, I guess we will have to drain it ourselves in November.


Summer of corruption: The enablers of Charlie Rangel

PS - As I was adding labels for this post I found it amusing that whenever I use Democrats as a tag, I almost always have to add corruption and typical liberal behavior.

An Elite Speaks...

In discussing Sarah Palin's comments regarding the horrific decision to build a trophy mosque next to the 9/11 site, Ross Baker a "political scientist" from Rutgers had this to say:

The Washington elite has had more experience than the general public in spotting phonies and opportunists who line their pockets by feeding raw meat to gullible people.

There is so much wrong with that sentence I don't know where to start. The "Washington Elite" couldn't spot a phony if they stared into a mirror all day. Phonies and opportunists are what has made a mess of our Federal government. Insider deals, corruption, favoritism, cronyism make DC "work." And the Democrat machine has become experts at selling their crap to "gullible people" for decades. How's that war on poverty going? Have we won it yet? Did you plug that hole daddy? Can I really keep my doctor and health care under Obamacare? Are those borders really more secure than ever?

You know there was an earthquake in Washington DC a short time ago. And even though I would not want anyone to lose their life or get hurt, it does bring me some satisfaction to know that if the earth suddenly swallowed DC, America would keep humming along and be more prosperous than ever. Washington elites need us. But we don't need them.

The Ruling Class...

This is an excerpt from an article in American Spectator. It is a little lengthy, but an excellent analysis of the country at present and the forces that oppose freedom.

The ruling class's appetite for deference, power, and perks grows. The country class disrespects its rulers, wants to curtail their power and reduce their perks. The ruling class wears on its sleeve the view that the rest of Americans are racist, greedy, and above all stupid. The country class is ever more convinced that our rulers are corrupt, malevolent, and inept. The rulers want the ruled to shut up and obey. The ruled want self-governance. The clash between the two is about which side's vision of itself and of the other is right and which is wrong. Because each side -- especially the ruling class -- embodies its views on the issues, concessions by one side to another on any issue tend to discredit that side's view of itself. One side or the other will prevail. The clash is as sure and momentous as its outcome is unpredictable.

The "country class" are the millions of Americans who go to work, create jobs/wealth, pay taxes and otherwise make the country work. Without the support of these people, the ruling class is doomed. Unfortunately, the ruling class exists in both parties. While the Republicans will occasionally find a Reagan that believes in and supports freedom, he will be surrounded by others who disagree - who are eager to grow the government and their own interests.

In the 18th century, Patriots stood up to a distant government that ruled against the will of the people. They were raising taxes, passing onerous regulations, and constantly infringing on personal liberty. In short, England was not behaving responsibly. Is Washington in 2010 that much different? We have a Federal government suing Arizona for merely trying to stop the flood of illegal immigration that is bankrupting the state and is a source of increasingly violent crime. We have a POTUS destroying the oil industry in the Gulf by Presidential decree, even after the courts have struck down previous attempts at this gross overreach. We have an unconstitutional takeover of health care and nationalization of automobile manufacturers. Is this what our Founders imagined when they declared their independence and formed this nation?

This next election is an important step to bringing sanity back to Washington and reinstating our Founding Father's correct notion of limited government. Let's make it happen.

Hands Across The Sand...

Useful idiots was the term Stalin used for communist sympathizers in the West. These were usually reporters, academics and students too dumb to realize how horrible life would be under totalitarian rule. The term can also be applied to progressives, its really just a fancy way of saying socialists. They desire the same things: massively large government, wealth redistribution and limited freedom.

Which brings me to the latest progressive laugher in the news. Literally DOZENS of folks around the country turned out to demonstrate against oil. The Hands Across the Sand protest brought out all the usual fruits, flakes and nuts in a valiant effort to stop drilling for oil.

Carrie Dolwick of the Sierra Club cried, "It's time to stand up to the oil industry. It's time to move America beyond oil and into a clean energy future."

And then she climbed into her 12 mpg suv and drove home on roads made partially from and with the use of oil. In her vehicle, she was surrounded by oil byproducts. Tires, gasoline, oil, lubricants, upholstery, CD player, dashboard, refrigerant, battery, speakers, oil filters and on and on have their genesis with petroleum. What is a good environmentalist to do?

And what did she find at home? Well, unless she lives in a tree, the paint on her house comes from oil. Without oil, the house would not even exist as all the materials had to be moved to that location. From the roof to the plumbing, you will find products that had their origins in petroleum.

The cute plastic button along with the ink used to write that catchy poster slogan, you guessed it, come from oil. The clothes along with the laundry detergent to wash them every other month are oil derivatives.

And there are many more oil products we use every day. Although being a leftist hippy type, she may not use deodorant, shampoo and shaving cream, but if she did, she would be a hypocrite.

Petroleum is the life blood of a modern economy. Without it almost every field of human endeavor would suffer. There are literally thousands of products from plastics to medicine that owe their existence to petroleum. You can see a partial list here.

Oil occurs naturally and seeps into the ocean without any help from man. It is not limited. We have seen the known reserves continue to increase even after chicken littles in the 70s swore we were on the verge of running out of it.

We do suffer, here in the states at least, from an unwillingness to aggressively pursue it. It takes an act of God to get permission to drill, and a Moses-like performance to part the bureaucratic red tape. The same goes for nuclear, which is the safest and cleanest source of electricity, but I digress.

Drilling creates jobs. Remember those? After almost 2 years of double digit unemployment, several thousand more jobs would be nice. The recovery and marketing of oil produces tax revenue from lease payments and oil profits. It creates wealth that circulates into the economy creating more jobs from transportation and other related industries.

And best of all, that wealth would stay in US hands and not bankroll people and despots who hate us and would force even female progressives to wear burqas - which might not be a bad thing if they were living a petroleum-free existence.

Thank God For Conservative Women!

Watch this clip from Governor Jan Brewer (R - Arizona) where she throws the gauntlet down on immigration:

"But I will tell you, Greta, we are not going to back away from this issue. We are going to pursue it. We're going to be very aggressive. And we'll meet them in court! We will meet them in court. And we will win." -- Gov. Brewer

It seems the only political leaders with any balls these days are Conservative women. God bless them. They may be our only hope to stop this madness in DC.

Linky poo.

Shake Shake Shakedown...

Epic Fail. That is all that needs to be said about this administrations handling of the BP oil spill. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 provided the road map for the administration. Instead it was golf outings and listening to a drunk Beatle at the White House make a fool of himself.

Several countries that specialize in cleaning up oil spills offered help immediately after the accident, but this administration declined. Among these the Dutch, and as many as 22 countries in all with ample experience in skimming and dredging. The reasons why some were refused, or greatly delayed, we can only guess. Ineptitude, a desire to capitalize on a oil disaster to push their green fantasies, protection of their union buddies by not waiving the Jones Act, only Obama knows the reasons. But it might explain the steep decline in his approval rating as oil washes up on the Gulf Coast.

Now that they have allowed a major spill to become an epic disaster, they are using the crisis to further their agenda - higher taxes and the destruction of our energy industry. At a time when hostile nations are drilling off the coast of Cuba, and we are sending money to Brazil for them to drill off their coast, do we really want to destroy our capacity to harvest our own energy? Is it really smart to sink trillions more into windmills and solar panels, both of which have proven to be woefully inefficient decades after Carter started wasting our tax dollars on them both.

And now, over and above the potential litigation that BP will invariably endure, the administration has strong armed them into setting up a $20 Billion dollar slush fund. Representative Joe Barton correctly called it a shakedown. Of course this got all the liberals' panties in a wad. But imagine how they would have acted if Bush had attempted this against one of their favored companies?

But the most ironic part of this sad tale, is that Obama has also forced BP to set aside a $100 Million fund for oil field workers that lose their jobs. Now why would they lose their jobs? Because Obama has put a moratorium on offshore drilling. Do we ground all airplanes after a crash? Is there any other country on the planet suspending their drilling activities onshore or off because of this accident? This isn't even the largest spill in history, not even close. And had the government acted appropriately, the damage could have largely been contained. So why destroy jobs and send rigs overseas? We can only wonder.

It is estimated that Obama's drilling ban would cost Louisiana 20,000 jobs and an untold number nationally. Now why in the heck during the worst economic period since Carter's disastrous reign, would you further destroy jobs? Especially when you consider that this administration has destroyed more jobs than it will ever create. In fact, only 20,000 private sector jobs were created in May. But they did create 400,000 temporary government jobs (Census), so they got that going for them.

On the bright side, look for higher gas prices this Summer. Hope and change!

One more thought - Leaders are made during difficult times. After 9/11, Bush immediately took the necessary steps to make sure our economy was strong and no further attacks would be successful. During Katrina he was wrongly blamed for the gross ineptitude of local Democrat hacks who couldn't figure out how to evacuate their own citizens and refused Federal aid until it was almost too late.

Contrast that with Obama's first two years, which half the country would call a total disaster. Numerous terrorist attacks, a faltering economy continually made worse by more government spending/programs, and now an environmental disaster, made worse by an administration hellbent on destroying our energy, fishing and tourist industries in the Gulf. It boggles the mind how any Americans still approve of this administration.

For Further Reading:
Wanted: Oil Spill Czar
Daily Presidential Tracking Poll
Obama's Oil Disaster
Inhofe: Obama 'Hasn't Made Good Decision Yet' on Spill
Keeping Up with the Jones Act
Oil: The Real Green Fuel
Obama’s Snake-Oil Spill

If It Walks Like a Duck and Swims Like a Duck...

Socialism - various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

Obama and his minions have been doing their best to paint TEA Party protesters as racists or violent extremists - calling their ideas "dangerous." As if defending the Constitution and personal freedom is somehow a bad thing.

This morning in an interview with Matt Lauer, Obama continued this refrain with this little gem:

“There's a part of the Tea Party that actually did exist before I was elected … where there’s some folks who just weren’t sure whether I was born in the United States, whether I was a socialist."

Seeing how he has spent millions preventing one shred of evidence from being released to end the speculation on his natural born status (a Constitutional requirement for POTUS BTW), the questions do have merit. But I will leave that for another blog. The real issue is his political beliefs. Is he in fact a Socialist? And that is clearly the case.

Since he started his reign, we now have government ownership of auto manufacturers, student loans and now health care. Obama's administration has attempted to control payroll decisions of private financial companies and grown government at a pace heretofore never seen in this country. Of course he is a socialist.

He was the one that campaigned on a platform to "radically transform the country." We certainly aren't seeing the expansion of personal freedom during his time in office.

The reason the TEA party movement keeps growing is a reaction to the things he is doing. We do not want to see our country "radically transformed." We have the best health care system in the world and cherish our freedom. We believe the Constitution is the supreme law of the land and really don't like seeing that precious document treated like it is toilet paper by the left. If I wanted to live in Cuba, Venezuela or some other 3rd world nation run by a tyrannical despot, I would freakin' move there!

President Obama, you are a socialist. Stop the crying, and blaming George Bush for your failures. Be a man and admit that you truly believe government should run everything. It would be much easier to respect someone who stands up for something, instead of continually lying about their core beliefs.

Life After Utopia...

Well, that sucks. A secret vote on the weekend, a stroke of a pen, and freedom takes a kick to the groin. As true patriots scramble to find a way to correct this travesty, I thought a better approach would be to examine what life might be like if we applied progressive logic to all of society's ills. If the goal is "social justice" what about all these inequalities?

Thousands of pets die needlessly every day without pet insurance or guaranteed free access to a veterinarian. This is unacceptable in America. We need government-run pet care. We'll put a tax on pet food and supplies to pay for it. Yea, that's the ticket.

I once had to stay in a Red Roof Inn. In a country like America, how can anyone be forced to stay in anything less than a 3-star hotel? We need guaranteed free access to 3-star hotels for all and a hotel surtax for any 4-star or greater property to pay for it. Nobody deserves a bad night at a cheap hotel.

Airlines, where do I start? If I want to travel to a Dear Leader praise rally, why should I have to pay for an airline ticket? Air travel is a right! Its in the Constitution, I swear!

Cars? Don't get me started. Its unfair that my neighbor drives a Mercedes while a putter around in my Obama-made lawnmower. I have a right to a brand new car every year and nobody should have a newer or better model/make than me. Are you going to restrict my ability to travel? Oh, by the way, I'm not paying for it, or for any maintenance or repairs. That's the government's job. Obama even promised to put gas in my tank!

When I die, don't even think about charging me or my family for a funeral. I have a right to a decent casket, funeral service and honor guard. After a lifetime of leaching off the few remaining American taxpayers and not contributing one single penny to the economy, a 21-gun salute to honor my departure seems appropriate.

NO JUSTICE NO PEACE!!

Only A Handful of Patriots Needed...

The fate of freedom rests in the hands of less than 20 members of Congress. Will they vote for liberty or tyranny?

Never in my wildest dreams did I think freedom could be lost by a vote in Congress. How can there not be at least 218 people in the House of Representatives that will honor their oath and defend the Constitution?

This is the most important week in the future of the United States as the fate of Obamacare is debated. God help us all.

Thomas Jefferson once said:

"When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny."

Unfortunately, we are falling deeper into the tyranny stage.

Damn the Constitution! Here Comes Obamacare!!

Its frightening that there are so many people in Washington willing to completely ignore the Constitution in the process of pushing this nightmare legislation. Progressives will stop at nothing, even their career in politics, to force the nationalization of the health care industry. Government has already thrown a monkey wrench in the system through Medicare and Medicaid, which causes us all to pay more for everything health related. Now they want it all. If you control the $$$ in health care, you can control every decision a citizen makes in the name of "controlling costs."

But the only way it cuts cost is by restricting access and denying care. This is about control, creating more Government/Democrat/union jobs and making more people even more dependent on government, guaranteeing Democrats power for the next several decades.

We don't have to look far to see the failure of government run systems since virtually every country suffers under some form of socialized medicine. There is a reason the well-to-do in those parts travel to the states for timely, and safe surgeries. But we don't even have to go that far for evidence, we can simply look at Massachusetts for a preview of what is to come. They passed the affectionately called Romneycare, named after the former "Republican" governor Mitt Romney.
They had hoped to lower costs, insure everyone, while maintaining high standards of care. The results as found in the Wall Street Journal:

- 140,000 remained uninsured in 2008.
- A family of 4 spends on average more than $13,000 in insurance premiums, 27% higher than the national average.
- Insurance companies are required to sell "just-in-time" policies, meaning you can wait until you need surgery and buy a policy. Needless to say, many people are taking advantage of the system and driving up premiums in the process.
- As one would expect in a socialized system, physicians are quitting the business, moving or restricting access. 56% of internal medicine doctors are not taking new patients. 44 days is the average wait for an appointment.
- Emergency room visits have jumped by 7%. If you can't see a doctor, where do you go? You guessed it, the emergency room, and this only increases the cost for everyone else.


Obamacare proponents claim that it will only increase the deficit by $900 Billion over 10 years. I call shenanigans. First off, whatever program comes out of Washington, multiply it by a factor of at least 10 and you might be close. This will be a budget buster of epic proportions. Taxes start immediately, while benefits don't kick in until 2014. But I thought Obama claimed that thousands were dying every day because of lack of health insurance? Why wait for 4 years to implement? What part does election year politics play in delaying Obamacare implementation until after Obama's run in 2012? Inquiring minds want to know.

And in the irony of ironies, it will still leave several million uninsured. Wasn't that the reason for the stampede to nationalization in the first place!? You could take a fraction of the above amount and buy private health insurance for all the so-called uninsured in America. Why was that not even considered?

What are the alternatives? I'm glad you asked.

Indiana offers Health Savings Accounts (which would be illegal under Obamacare) to state employees. 70% Have chosen this option, bringing health related costs down by 11%. Click on the link to see what a free market solution might look like.

Tort Reform in Texas and other states reduce the use of defensive medicine, spur economic growth and reduce cost. There are no provisions in Obamacare for Tort reform.

These are just two of many proposals that should be tested in all 50 states to determine the best direction to go. Testing various proposals in 50 states seems far more sensible than a government takeover of the best health care system in the world.

The Message of Massachusetts...

Along with most Americans I was happy to see Scott Brown win in Massachusetts, but not that surprised. Even though this election was to replace Ted Kennedy, one of the most liberal Senators in my lifetime, and in one of the most liberal states in the union, this election was about course correction.

The Democrat party is not the party that my parents supported. The leadership is full of people who truly believe that government can do everything. And the bigger the government, the better they can do it. Individual Democrats worship Chairman Mao and other radical leftists from history. They crave power to implement all their socialist dreams on an unsuspecting population. And for years, Democrats could rely on union members, Democrats and others to support them no matter what.

Well, last night something changed all that. A Conservative candidate won in a very blue state. He may not be the perfect Conservative for everyone, but he is a far cry from Ted Kennedy when it comes to important issues like fiscal restraint or a government takeover of health care. Small steps, right?

With Obama's win in 2008, and the Democrat takeover of Congress two years earlier, the country has been on a downward spiral, made worse by reckless Obama policies. Unemployment at 10% (much higher (17%) if you count those that have given up), foolish spending and treating terrorists as common criminals are just a few of the problems created by the current leadership.

Voters have had enough. Its not really a Republican versus Democrat thing. It is a Progressive versus Conservative thing. America is a Conservative country and Americans recoil at the thought that government will run their health care or anything else. Hopefully a moderate Democrat party will emerge from this defeat, but somehow I doubt it. November should be a major course correction back to the center of the political spectrum where most Americans call home.

All Politics Is Physical...

This is a funny, but typical story of politics in the age of Obama.

Martha Coakley (Democrat) is running in the special election in Massachusetts (or is it Massachusettes) for the Senate seat vacated by the recent death of Ted Kennedy. For some reason a week before the election she is in Washington meeting with health care lobbyists and raising gobs of cash from unions and pharmaceutical companies for who knows what favors down the road.

Outside the happy gathering, The Weekly Standard's John McCormack is assaulted by one of her goons when he has the audacity to ask Queen Coakley a question about some of her recent debate answers. I know that is some pretty serious stuff. Anyway, here is the account from the reporter along with video: We Report, We Get Pushed.

The liberal Boston Globe, first posted this laughable report of the crime: Reporter takes stumble chasing Mass. candidate. Somehow their version of the events has the reporter falling down only to be helped up by the kind stranger.

Within a day, a new story in the liberal Boston Globe appeared: Weekly Standard reporter says he was pushed by Coakley aide. Never mind the video and the eyewitness accounts, must protect the liberal goon and candidate. The comments at the bottom of both Globe articles are priceless!

The race is very close with Coakley and the Republican candidate, Scott Brown, virtually tied. Which is amazing in of itself, because Massachusetts is probably the most liberal state in the country. This is a state that already "enjoys" government health care and elects such notable liberals as John Kerry, Ted Kennedy and Barney Frank to Congress.

Other fun stuff on the race:
Why vote for Scott Brown? Let me count the ways
Video: Union workers admits being paid by Coakley camp…but he’ll vote for Brown
Video: Its The People's Seat

The Spirit Of Esther...

I just finished some research on Esther from the Bible for an online project. For those not familiar with the story, Esther is a young Jewish girl who becomes queen of Persia and later is instrumental in saving her people from destruction.

The secular world, and in some churches too, want to make the story nothing more than a beauty pageant for Esther. But there was so much more going on behind the scenes. At every turn God's favor lifts her above the other potential candidates. When she dares to go before the king unannounced, God's favor spared her life so she could intercede for herself and her people.

As favor had protected and promoted Joseph before her in Egypt, Esther was prepared in advance for the exact moment God had planned to use her. After fasting and praying for three days along with all Jews in the city, Esther was able to save her people and see their enemies destroyed.

I know I'm not alone in my comparison of Esther to Sarah Palin. I too think she was born for this moment. At a time when corruption reigns supreme in Washington and freedom is on life support, God has raised us a champion. A person who believes in all the good America stands for and who is willing to fight against the tyranny of the left. A mother that served time in local politics and later as Alaska's Governor. A woman who really believes in small government, accountability and in harvesting the abundance that God has blessed us with here in America.

Whatever the future holds for the Governor, I'm glad she is out there fighting for America.