Goodbye '06

"Andrea: Unhappy is the land that breeds no heroes.
Galileo: No, Andrea: Unhappy is the land that needs a hero." Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956) Galileo

The past year has been...eventful. There have been many tragedies and scandals, and I know that my blog can be depressing.

Tonight is a traditional evening of celebration. As you enter into merriment tonight, take the time to raise your glass to those who have fallen, and to those who fight our wars across the water.

As you make your resolutions tonight, as is tradition, ask yourself what you can do in the next year to make the world a better place.

Have fun, and be careful.

How to Destroy America

The following was sent to me via e-mail on 29November2006. I do not know who the author was, but I have placed a link at the end for more info.


TEXT:
We know Dick Lamm as the former Governor of Colorado. In that context his thoughts are particularly poignant. Last week there was an immigration overpopulation conference in Washington , DC , filled to capacity by many of America's finest minds and leaders. A brilliant college professor by the name of Victor Hansen Davis talked about his latest book, "Mexifornia," explaining how immigration - both legal and illegal was destroying the entire state of California . He said it would march across the country until it destroyed all vestiges of The American Dream.

Moments later, former Colorado Governor Richard D. Lamm stood up and gave a stunning speech on how to destroy America . The audience sat spellbound as he described eight methods for the destruction of the United States . He said, "If you believe that America is too smug, too self-satisfied, too rich, then let's destroy America . It is not that hard to do. No nation in history has survived the ravages of time. Arnold Toynbee observed that all great civilizations rise and fall and that 'An autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide.'"

"Here is how they do it," Lamm said: "First, to destroy America , turn America into a bilingual or multi-lingual and bicultural country." History shows that no nation can survive the tension, conflict, and antagonism of two or more competing languages and cultures. It is a blessing for an individual to be bilingual; however, it is a curse for a society to be bilingual. The historical scholar, Seymour Lipset, put it this way : "The histories of bilingual and bi-cultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy." Canada , Belgium , Malaysia , and Lebanon all face crises of national existence in which minorities press for autonomy, if not independence. Pakistan and Cyprus have divided. Nigeria suppressed an ethnic rebellion. France faces difficulties with Basques, Bretons, and Corsicans.".

Lamm went on: Second, to destroy America , "Invent 'multiculturalism' and encourage immigrants to maintain their culture. I would make it an article of belief that all cultures are equal. That there are no cultural differences. I would make it an article of faith that the Black and Hispanic dropout rates are due solely to prejudice and discrimination by the majority. Every other explanation is out of bounds.

Third, "We could make the United States an 'Hispanic Quebec' without much effort. The key is to celebrate diversity rather than unity. As Benjamin Schwarz said in the Atlantic Monthly recently: "The apparent success of our own multiethnic and multicultural experiment might have been achieved not by tolerance but by hegemony. Without the dominance that once dictated ethnocentricity and what it meant to be an American, we are left with only tolerance and pluralism to hold us together." Lamm said, "I would encourage all immigrants to keep their own language and culture. I would replace the melting pot metaphor with the salad bowl metaphor. It is important to ensure that we have various cultural subgroups living in America enforcing their differences rather than as Americans, emphasizing their similarities."

"Fourth, I would make our fastest growing demographic group the least educated. I would add a second underclass, unassimilated, undereducated, and antagonistic to our population. I would have this second underclass have a
50% dropout rate from high school."

"My fifth point for destroying America would be t O get big foundations and business to give these efforts lots of money. I would invest in ethnic identity, and I would establish the cult of 'Victimology.' I would get all minorities to think that their lack of success was the fault of the majority. I would start a grievance industry blaming all minority failure on the majority population."

"My sixth plan for America 'S downfall would include dual citizenship, and promote divided loyalties. I would celebrate diversity over unity. I would stress differences rather than similarities. Diverse people worldwide are mostly engaged in hating each other - that is, when they are not killing each other. A diverse, peaceful, or stable society is against most historical precedent. People undervalue the unity it takes to keep a nation together. Look at the ancient Greeks. The Greeks believed that they belonged to the same race; they possessed a common language and literature; and they worshipped the same gods. All Greece took part in the Olympic games. A common enemy, Persia , threatened their liberty. Yet all these bonds were not strong enough to overcome two factors: local patriotism and geographical conditions that nurtured political divisions. Greece fell. "E. Pluribus Unum" -- From many, one. In that historical reality, if we put the emphasis on the 'pluribus' instead of the 'Unum,' we will balkanize America as surely as Kosovo."

"Next to last, I would place all subjects off limits; make it taboo to talk about anything against the cult of 'diversity.' I would find a word similar to 'heretic' in the 16th century - that stopped discussion and paralyzed thinking. Words like 'racist' or 'xenophobe' halt discussion and debate. Having made America a bilingual/bicultural country, having established multi-culturism, having the large foundations fund the doctrine of 'Victimology,' I would next make it impossible to enforce our immigration laws. I would develop a mantra: That because immigrat ion has been good for America , it must always be good. I would make every individual immigrant symmetric and ignore the cumulative impact of millions of them."

In the last minute of his speech, Governor Lamm wiped his brow. Profound silence followed. Finally he said,. "Lastly, I would censor Victor Hanson Davis's book "Mexifornia." His book is dangerous. It exposes the plan to destroy America . If you feel America deserves to be destroyed, don't read that book."

There was no applause. A chilling fear quietly rose like an ominous cloud above every attendee at the conference. Every American in that room knew that everything Lamm enumerated was proceeding methodically, quietly, darkly, yet pervasively across the United States today. Discussion is being suppressed. Over 100 languages are ripping the foundation of our educational system and national cohesiveness. Even barbaric cultures that practice female genital mutilation are growing as we celebrate ' diversity.' American jobs are vanishing into the Third World as corporations create a Third World in America - take note of California and other states - to date, ten million illegal aliens and growing fast. It is reminiscent of George Orwell's book "1984." In that story, three slogans are engraved in the Ministry of Truth building: "War is peace," "Freedom is slavery," and "Ignorance is strength."

Governor Lamm walked back to his seat. It dawned on everyone at the conference that our nation and the future of this great democracy is deeply in trouble and worsening fast. If we don't get this immigration monster stopped within three years, it will rage like a California wildfire and destroy everything in its path, especially The American Dream.


Richard Lamm speech
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/lamm.asp

Out of Control

" I was young, I was foolish, I was angry, I was vain. I was charming, I was lucky, tell me how have I changed"-Mick Jagger Out of Control

The Muslim immigrant population of Europe is nuts. Google it. Check out the TROP link to your right. They are taking over, slowly but surely.

The illegal immigrant population in the US is acting in similar fashion. Check out Law Enforcement stats.

We are still fighting over slavery and the Indian Wars. Race is an issue. We have seperated ourselves from one another over really, really silly details that won't be remembered in a hundred years. We fight about decisions that have already been made. We argue over present issues for so long that decisions never get made at all. Our spectrum of entertainment gets more bizarre each month. We all ignore some laws (which are Constitutional), and allow others to be rigidly enforced (which are not). There is no sense of propriety in this country, while a false and overblown tact (PC) pervades our language in a manner that was considered rediculous fiction in the writings of one George Orwell.

I find myself so angry about all of this that I am unable to sort out all of the steps required to fix things. I have to drag discussion out of you, Faithful Reader, and you care enough to listen to me. I obsess over this damn blog while I am alone with my thoughts. I obsess over this damn country always. Maybe noone gives a rat's ass, and maybe there's no stopping the downward spiral. The Republicans weren't the answer, nor the Democrats before them. There are no American values anymore. There is no American work ethic. I can work circles around you, but I probably won't. American manufacturing is all about quantity, and so is retail. Customer service sucks in this country, and from my experience, its no better in India or Pakistan.

I'm babbling, or the keyboard equivalent. My point is rattling around in here somewhere...

Oh, yes! I remember now! You can e-mail your congressman just as quickly as you can post a comment on my blog. You can spend ten or fifteen minutes a day talking about the bullshit that is going on in this country (refer people here if nothing else). the citizens of America have to get wound up, angry, loud, and most of all INVOLVED. If you tell your congressman what you expect, and get your friends to do the same, at least that congressman will know why he/she is losing their job next election. Maybe we can't fix the problems quickly (if at all), but if we actually get loud, and let them know that we are pissed, they WILL start to kiss our collective ass. Watch how they brown nose the gay community in this country.

But see, you are all chuckling, thinking how right I am, but you aren't actually going to do anything, ARE YOU?

On Strike for a minute

The King is Dead

I cannot help but feel a little saddened by the passing of one of the greatest rebels of our time. Saddam Hussein is dead.

He was a murderer and a volatile dictator. He was a war criminal and a despot. But, you have to admit, he went out like a man.
Saddam was the last man standing, more or less. He had guts (lacking in strategic skills, maybe, but balls that clanked when he walked, for sure) and determination. He was not afraid to point out the hand that our president had in his trial and eventual execution. He was a gritty old buzzard, to be sure.

I am afraid that we should have kept him alive. Exile or prison would have been more appropriate. He was, after all, the president of Iraq. It just seems very..."Haji" of us to let him be hanged. I'm not sure why, but Saddam's execution leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

Maybe justice was served. Still, I worry that no good will come of it.

I Don't Get It

I do not understand why building a wall across our Southern Border wouldn't work. I keep hearing people on TV talk like it won't, and they seem to imply that we all understand why it won't work, but I just don't.

Can someone please explain it to me?

Islam in a Nutshell

I recently posted a comment on an Arab news column, and it turns out that Muslims get offended when I mock Muhammed.

So I invited the staff of the Arab News Network (or whatever they are) to "Come see my blog", a phrase all of my friends are probably getting tired of (suck it up, I ain't done yet).

Here I will give a brief, but Biblical, description of Islam.

First, one must understand that the entire Arab race exists as proof of Abraham's single largest misinterpretation of God's will. Genesis 16.

Second, one must understand that though the offspring of Ishmael were greatly multiplied, they will act like idiots for all eternity. Genesis 16:11 & 12.

Third, and most important, God made a covenant with Abraham, and passed that covenant to Isaac. Genesis 17:18-21

Understand me, I am no preacher, but that's really all I need to know about it. Muhammed (Mohammed, whatever) was a politician who saw a way to gain power over people. He had no covenant with God. That's it, that's all, there ain't no more to it.

Test Your First Amendment

When I was a small child, my grandmother would tell me the reasons that America went to war in WW2. She would tell me about the sacrifices made by those left at home, and she was very proud to have worked in a rail yard (whatever that is) while all her brothers and her future husband were off fighting the war. My grandfather would tell me stories about the war, like how they would be happy to get a hot meal once a week, and how they tired of picking meal worms and weavols from their biscuits, so they just ate them. My father told me stories from the Vietnam war, how "Charlie" would do horrible things to American soldiers, and how they would return the favor if given the opportunity.

Now my generation complains because we don't have up-armored humvees. We whine because our body armor doesn't fit right. We piss and moan because we only got two hot meals a day in Iraq. People raise hell about the supposed torture of terrorists at Gitmo while ignoring Al Jazeera's public airing of the beheading of civilians and "Sniper Videos" in which American Soldier's dead bodies are televised for all the world to see.

Every day some well-meaning civilian tells me that they appreciate what I do. "Support our Troops" bumper stickers are everywhere. I think of those who came before me and feel shame. I should never complain.

I spoke of this with my grandmother a few months before she died, and she encouraged me to make a difference. She also reminded me that her generation had worked very hard to pass a better life to my generation.

Will our posterity say the same of us?

What direction are we taking as a nation? What are our plans? Where do we wish to be in fifty years? We can't even agree that illegal immigrants don't belong here. We feel guilty about "profiling" Muslims, after they killed over 3,000 unarmed Americans. Or are we letting the fringe elements more voice than they should have?

I challenge you all to offend someone today. Not for the sake of offense, but for the sake of what is right. Point out the flaws in someone's logic today. Argue out loud about illegal immigration. Draw your peers into a political discussion. Defend your religion. Point out the obvious flaws in common political solutions. Stir it up.

Or can we still do that?

The Price

" Silence becomes cowardice when occasion demands speaking out the whole truth and acting accordingly"-Mohandas Ghandi, 07 April 1946

So many people in this country are tired of the way things have been going, yet so few are speaking out. Here is an example; Over 75% of the population of the U.S. claims to be Christian, but there are more Muslim organizations in this nation who are actively participating in political activities.

Homosexuals are characters on 13 weekly television programs, debates are held weekly on whether or not to allow homosexuals in the military, congress and our courts are constantly debating the right of homosexuals to marry, while only about 7% of the U.S. claims to be homosexual.

We are about to escalate the war in Iraq, while surveys and polls have shown that 71% of Americans oppose continuation of our efforts there.

Illegal immigration has cost billions in social services and lost jobs, while debates are being held discussing whether or not to find an approach to the problem or to continue to ignore it.

This country was founded on certain democratic principles, two of which are Majority Rule and Minority Right.

The general idea is that the majority runs things while the minority doesn't get stepped on or violated. This idea has mutated into a nationwide "apologist" approach to being a member of the majority. I will not apologize for being a member of working-class America. We should not allow our basic rights a s citizens of the greatest nation on Earth to be violated because some jack-ass from Berkely doesn't believe in God. We should feel OK about wishing those we meet at the mall a "Merry Christmas". I feel perfectly normal living in a community without any married gay couples. I feel it is my patriotic duty to treat illegal immigrants like they don't belong here. I feel it is my duty as a father to scare the hell out of the crack dealer at the gas station every chance I get. I will, as a soldier and defender of the Constitution, fight any and all Arab or Islamic influence on America.

These are the basic reasons why I started this little diatribe-based blog. There are many out there who agree with my words, but how many of you are afraid to take action or get involved? How long have we just "let things slide"? How long will we allow it to continue? We do not have to agree about everything, but we do have to commit to some sort of unity if we wish to continue living the American Dream.

Out of respect for all who have sacrificed in the name of these United States, we must raise a unified voice to get back what was our birthright.

Otherwise, every American soldier who ever fell died for nothing, and the Constitution is just a piece of paper in a museum.

Peace Talks Happen Here!

I want a Muslim to explain it all to me. If you are one or know one, I want some comments.

My impression of Islam is this:

Islam is meant to rule over all the world-Not until you get that whole"civilization thing" figured out

Muslims are superior to all others-You people are about a genome away from being baboons

Its OK to rape women who don't wear body sacks- Because self-control is SO much to ask of a man/baboon

Muhammed was the last, great, most holy prophet-Or he could have been a serious politician with an agenda(much like Joseph Smith)

Am I wrong? Have I missed out on the big picture? I've been reading some of the articles on TROP (www.thereligionofpeace.com that's the terror counter to your right) and I must say, only self-control and a civilized upbringing are keeping me from commiting a few "hate-crimes" myself. But then, that's really all it would take to end terrorism as we know it.

So we have to deal with the root of the problem. We need to take control of Iraq and reeducate these idiots until they are civilized, industrialized, educated, and peaceful capitalists. Basically, we change their way of life before the BS gets big enough to destroy ours.

All comments are welcome, but remember, I really would like to have a discussion with a real Muslim.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and to Hell with Iran!

Repeat for discussion

FREE MONEY-Originally posted on September 21, 2006

Well THAT got your attention, didn't it?

Let's talk about free money. The United States of America(land that I love) gives away $27Billion a year in foreign aid (UN Website). That doesn't include money that we loan out. This money is simply given away. Now, I understand that some of this money goes to feed hungry people and vaccinate children, and these are noble endeavors. My philosophy with regards to feeding people in foreign countries is much like my policy with street beggars. I'll buy them a burger anytime, but I'm not giving them money(the root of all crack purchases). I have yet to find any real source of accountability for foreign aid. Simply put, you give me money to feed my kids, all I have to say is "yes, I fed the kids with that", and then you give me more. What kind of program is this?

I have an idea. Let's spend all the money that we were going to give away in '07 on a wall between here and Mexico. What's that? You say a wall won't solve the problem with illegal immigration. Maybe not, but a wall with machine gun turrets and minefields would make a pretty little bump in the road, now wouldn't it?

I understand that we won't really do that, but it could be the back-up plan.

In reality we need to help our neighbors become more industrialized. So why not spend ALL of our foreign aid close to home. Let the UN feed Africa for a couple of years. Let's give $27Billion to Mexico, Honduras, and Ecuador on the condition that they spend all of the money on education and industrialization. I'm OK with a global economy, but for crying out loud, let's bring everyone else up to standard!

If our neighboring countries have a lifestyle comparable to ours, their citizens are less likely to want to come here and work for less. If we were to repeal NAFTA and CAFTA and put serious pressure on Central America to develop a working public education system, we would all benifit. Who knows, in ten years, we might all be driving Honduran cars that run on alternative fuels.

We have to take corporate interests out of the equation for the time being, and really strive to globalize the American Dream. Giving away money with no expected return is simply poor economic policy. With the global political climate what it is today, we need to develop some close ties with the people of Central America, not the corporate interests. If we can help our neighbors become more educated, more industrialized, and more independant, then we should. Its not just good foreign policy, its the right way to do business.

Chew on This...

The following is the transcript of a tape by a young man who has converted to Islam. That he is an American is unimportant. That he is slightly inarticulate is unimportant, also.
Two things about this speech disturb me.
1. The belief system described is not just ant-American. It is anti-everyone.
2. The content will be ignored. We will focus on the fact that Azzam was once an ordinary American.

These people will show no quarter, will honor no treaty, and accept no less than the utter annihilation of every way of life which is not their own. The "War on Terror" cannot be fought on the same terms as any war ever fought before. These people are not going to worry about the rules and laws of civilization as they fight this war. We will never deter this element with sanctions or political pressure. We must understand as a nation that in order to civilize the planet, in order to provide for posterity, in order to protect those famous inalienable rights, we MUST seek out and destroy all radical fundamentalist organizations that even imply that terrorist tactics are acceptable. But we won't.

We will instead focus on the "human interest" side of Azzam's story. We will talk to teachers and friends and uncles who knew him as an average guy. There will be more 9-11 scale attacks. There will be more conversions. More and more of the landscape of the planet will look like Beirut in 1988.

Read the following transcript. Understand that this young man speaks of his own free will. Understand that we face a very dangerous foe. They are dangerous because they BELIEVE. No one is more dedicated to his cause than the man who is willing to die for what he believes is right. Ask any WW2 vet.

TEXT TRANSCRIPT OF VIDEO CLIP INTERVIEW WITH "AZZAM THE AMERICAN



Interviewer:

"You are an American who has joined a movement for waging war on America and killing large numbers of Americans. Don't you in any way feel you are betraying your people and country?"

Mujahid 'Azzam, the American:

"First of all, the allegiance and loyalty of a Muslim is to Allah, his Messenger, his religion and his fellow believers before anyone and anything else. So, if there is a conflict between his religion and his nation and family, then he must choose the religion every time. In fact, to side with the unbelievers against Islam and Muslims is one of the acts that nullifies one's Islamic faith and there's a verse in the Qur'an (recites a verse from the Qur'an in Arabic) you will not find any people who believe in Allah in the last day loving, loving those who resist Allah and his Messenger.

"Even if they were their fathers or their sons, or their brothers, or their kindred or their clan. As such he has written faith in their hearts and strengthens them with spirit from himself. So, some of the early Muslims fought and killed their closest relatives during battle, prompting the revelation of this verse. And, even our Prophet Mohammed, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, er, fought, uh, and after a lot of defeat the Quraish tribe, to which he belonged. when it fought to impede Islam's propagation, sought to impede the message of Islam, rejected the message of Islam, and sought to impede its propagation. And some of the staunchest enemies of Islam were from among his closest cousins like Abu Jahl. Thus, Allah's religion takes precedence over all else: Wealth, status, family and nationality."

Interviewer:

"OK, how do you respond to the Muslim clerics and governments around the world who say that you are a small fringe group of extremists, unrepres"

Mujahid 'Azzam, the American:

"Well, they would say that, wouldn't they? These Crusader pawns are the ones who don't represent Islam and Muslims, despite their claims to the contrary. And they know very well that the Mujahidin stature has increased substantially among the Muslims after September 11, and the events that followed, which poses a direct threat to their continuing hold on power. This argument of theirs is especially well liked by their masters in the White House and 10 Downing Street, who apply it not just to us, but to all Muslims who reject Crusader domination. Uh, but the truth in evidence is on our side. Open the Qur'an, open the books of Sirah, the prophetic biography, and Ahadith, the prophetic teachings. Open the books of Fiqh, jurisprudence, both modern and ancient and you will find our position well supported. Jihad isn't something that al-Qa’ida made up. Ruling by Islam law wasn't started by the Taliban. Hamas didn't invent the concept of martyrdom. Uh, where we differ from these defeatists and hypocrites is that we don't believe that these divine orders and principles are open to negotiation and compromise.

"I'd like to tell these people, this is our religion. If you don't like it, that's your problem. But don't tell me that you're the true Muslim and I'm the extremist. You know, the same clerics and people who call us violent extremists and outcasts and endlessly repeat that Islam is a peaceful faith, permit or even encourage their followers to join the American and European militaries and intelligence agencies and the armies of the idle kings in the Muslim world and take part in the killing of thousands of Muslims in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere. So in effect, they're saying that for the Muslim to kill unbelievers in defense of Islam and Muslims is unacceptable, and if he does so, he's an extremist. While for the same Muslim to kill fellow Muslims in the name of America and so-called freedom and the supposedly civilized world is just fine and dandy and he will be practicing moderation.

"Look at this logic. These are evil, uneducated, ignorant, backwards people who should not be speaking on behalf of Muslims, much less talking about what is true Islam and what is not and accusing others. We are defending those who have no defender. We are holding fast to genuine Islam at a time when it's under siege from all sides. And we're standing up to confront an enemy that has intimidated governments and international organizations with fear. It's only natural that the governments and individuals who stand the most to lose from the defeat of the crusaders and Zionists will seek to hide our true nature and goals from the Muslim majority that is desperately looking for a way out of the nightmare that these traitors have imposed upon them for decades.

"We have strong support from within all sectors of Muslim society and from within all Islamic groups. This is what terrifies the enemies of truth and causes them to resort to this sort of accusation. It's wishful thinking on their part. It's like they're telling themselves, 'Maybe if we repeat the lie often enough, it will come true.'"

The American Idiot

I just watched the news. Then I watched Mind of Mencia. Which show do you think was more intellectually stimulating?

Of course it was Carlos.

Anyway, its all your fault. That's right, I'm talking to you (if you are a US citizen). Your apathy and political correctness has caused the country to end up on its head. You have allowed standards to be lowered in our education system so no one would be "left behind". Your sniveling and whining has created the idea of fairness to be overblown until people expect a hand up everytime they fall.

Life ain't fair. Get a helmet (or pacifier).

Bullying has been outlawed because it "may lead to school violence". It may also lead to determination, jusk ask Bill Gates if he ever got picked on in junior high. We are a nation of whiners, with unrealistic expectations, and over inflated egos. The Army is full of people who "just joined for college money". Congress is full of people who are in it to get laid, and rock and roll has become a political forum for any idiot with a wad of cash to spend on trips to Africa and public service messages. Cops are being arrested left and right, while murderers, child-molesters, and drug dealers are running rampant.

Its got to get better, and soon. If not, my grandchildren will grow up in an environment much like Sodom and Ghamorra (best case scenario) or Beirut. We have to collectively grow a pair (sorry mom) and take our country back from the whining, wheedling, left wing, right wing, fascist, anarchist, queer, klan, illegal immigrant, islamic, morons that are ruining it for those of us who still give a damn. All of the extreme politics, coupled with the politically correct atmosphere , have left a sour taste in my mouth.

I'm gonna go beat up an illegal immigrant muslim drug dealer.

Influence Your Own Bubble

Leadership (leed-er-ship); Having influence over others in order to accomplish the task at hand, while always improving the organization to which one belongs.(according to the US Army)

This should be written on a banner hanging from the ceilings of the House and the Senate.

Does your representative fit this definition of a leader? Is your congressman someone that you want your child to emulate? Does your leader get stuff done?

I doubt it.

We have the laziest governing body on the planet (also the highest paid). In ten years, I can only recall one law being passed and put into action that directly affected the common people. I'm speaking of the insurance for National Guardsmen proposed and put into action by Sen. Clinton and Sen. Lieberman. ( I hope I spelled that right)
I'm sure there were others, but it still happens rarely. My point is that our government only works hard at re-election and screwing over the other party. We don't want these people in our homes. We wouldn't hang out with these guys. Yet we continue to allow them to run the country. A few of them are OK, I'm sure, but I have seen no evidence that any of them make an honest living.

The world is a toilet. Men without conscience are in control. My only suggestion is that you find a local leader who fits the definition, and follow his or her lead. Think of ripples on a pond. If we work hard to turn our communities into better places, perhaps in a generation or two the country will get better all over. Its a lot to hope for, but it would be nice. Maybe we can all start by raising our kids right.

Recommended Viewing: Pay it Forward

I'm Back!!

Sorry for the break, folks. I've been at an Army school in Nebraska for the past two weeks. It was cold.

So I have been to a leadership course, basically learning to do the job I've been doing for the last several years. I did gain some perspective, though, so it wasn't a complete waste of time. I made a few friends, and heard a few new ideas.(new to me, anyway)

Tomorrow I will come up with something brilliant and funny, but tonight I'm hanging out with the family. We just got "The Shaggy Dog" from NetFlix.

Have a good one.

You Go

Hugo Chavez is the president of Venezuela. He is a democratic socialist (whatever that means), and possibly brilliant.
Chavez hates U.S. foreign policy, and especially President George Bush. Chavez has recalled his ambassador to Israel, and has renewed relationships with Iran and Syria. Chavez was the first head of state to visit Saddam Hussein after the Gulf War.
Venezuela is one of the largest suppliers of foreign oil to China, the US, and Spain. Chavez was the first head of state to offer foreign aid after Hurricane Katrina. President Bush turned his offer down. Chavez has also implemented a heating-oil subsidy program for low-income areas of the US.

I believe that Chavez plans to unite South America in some manner, perhaps using the European Union as a model (initially). This is dangerous to us. Chavez maintains close ties to Iran and Syria, and a Venezuelan Hezbolla has made an appearance or two. (For those interested, go to MSN Groups and search for "Hezbollah Venezuela")

This guy has been portrayed as a buffoon by the media here in the US. Do not be fooled. He is no fool, and so far has shown far more political savvy than any previous Latin-American leader. He is less corrupt than most, and has worked hard to improve the quality of life in Venezuela, thus preserving his popularity. His constant manipulation of the Venezuelan Constitution and presidential term-limits have been forgiven so far, due largely to his progress in so many areas.

Progress or no, he is in bed with our enemies, and he lives in our back yard. This is a definate reason to secure our border.

Insulting Islam

I am reminded of Nick Berg, a young, decent man, who felt bad about the Iraq invasion. He went to Iraq as a volunteer to hand out blankets or build communication towers or something equally noble. Nick was a bit of a pacifist, and was definately one of those touchy-feely types. He was, in my opinion, a brave man. He at least had the courage to act on his convictions.

Nick was taken from his bed in the middle of the night. He was blindfolded and bound for three days. He was asked to talk about his family, his home, and his life in America. Then a tough guy (like the fellow to our left) named Abu Musab Al Zarqawi took a knife and sawed Nick's head off while he screamed. All in the name of Allah. The video is still easy to find on the internet.(someone post a link)

I did not agree with Nick Berg's ideas about Iraq. I doubt if he and I would have been friends. I do respect him and others like him who are willing to walk like they talk.

Whenever one of our soldiers in Iraq would get "soft on Haji" as we called it, we made them watch the Nick Berg beheading. No one ever had to watch it twice. It is the most horrifying thing that I have ever seen.

Watch the video. If you know someone who still believes that these people can be reasoned with, make them watch the video.

There is a new link on my blog. You will notice the counter to the right. Follow the link and explore the site.

Then remember that our borders are still open.

A Message

He probably means with love and kindness...

White Men Can't Gripe

I'm a little brown guy. It was just an accident of birth, really. I could have been a pale-face, but God likes me. You see, my ancestors were lucky enough to be members of a highly advanced civilization that flourished on the North American continent for centuries before the European men came. As society evolved, they became known as Choctaw. I have no idea what that means. Anyway, I'm a little brown guy. I'm also Irish and German. I love to drink, I can drink a lot, and I'm a shitty drunk.

I don't drink anymore, I'm just pointing out my genetic character flaws.

I am mistaken for a Hispanic man quite often. This used to amuse me. Now I find it...disconcerting. I wonder if people avoid making comments about illegal immigration in front of me. I often wonder if people consider my children "mixed". I get offered good "state" jobs when people learn of my heritage. This is just stupid. I wonder how limited my life would be if I was really all that focused on my race.

One thing that I have noticed is that people never call me a racist when I speak in public about illegal immigration. People never call me a bigot when I proclaim from the rooftops my nationalist views. If I was a pale-face, I would be run out of town on a rail. Because white men can't complain.

Being a little brown guy means that I can point out flaws in our current (lack of) immigration policy. I can make fun of white people, brown people, and sometimes (if we're friends) black people. I have accidentally discovered something wonderful. I have more freedom of speech than most of you! I know few black people, and even fewer brown people. So what I'm saying is that even though I am a member of a very small minority, I am more free to speak my mind than anyone in the majority. Its like I'm in on some private joke at the expense of white people everywhere.

I believe that race is a difference that should be recognized, respected, and then forgotten. Celebrate your ethnicity in your communities and homes, but do not lose sight of the larger community. Do not lose sight of America (The United States of, specifically).

Do not give up your right to free speech in order to appear apologetic for something your grandfathers did before you were born. Let it go already. My people took their land from others. White people came (some of which were my people) and took that land again. Had the Indians united and fought back, there would be few, if any, European settlements in America. Now, due largely to an unwarranted sense of guilt, America is on the verge of changing ownership again.

I'm working on my Spanish.

Your Enemy: A Profile

Your enemy is typically a male between the ages of 20 and 40 years. He has a poor education. He is disillusioned and in need of something to believe in. He has been taken in by those who claim to know the truth, and they are willing to share this truth with him. His new education includes all the books of Islam, not just the Koran. He is taught that Muhammed was the last great prophet, and that the words of Muhammed come directly from Allah. He will learn that paradise awaits those who die for Allah. He will be taught simple, yet effective ways to destroy facilities or kill infidels. He will be taught always that Allah hates Israel and the West. He will be taught that while Christians and Jews originally worshipped the One True God, they have been taught by heretics, and that they are forever damned. He will be taught that no life is precious but the life of a Muslim, and that only as far as it serves Allah. Once he has been convinced of all of these things, he will be sent to do "the bidding of Allah". Wherever it is, whatever the task, he believes that Allah has directly appointed him to do it. Whether it be an elementary school in Chechnia, or a junior high in New Jersey. He will set off a car bomb in Baghdad, or Los Angeles. He will stop at nothing. If he loses his life along the way, he understands that this is war, and losses lead to lessons learned. There will always be someone to replace him. It is the will of Allah.

So how do we fight this enemy? Well, I'll tell you.

We seek out and destroy the people and places from which they get their doctrine. We kill all those we can find that spread this diseased distortion of religion. We rededicate ourselves to the defense of our nation and her principles.We give up a little comfort in order to serve our nation, our way of life, and our best interests.
We actively participate in this war on our end.

Since the end of WWII, these people have been fighting this war. They have bombed and killed and kidnapped the West and Israel for the last fifty years. Yet still there are those who wish to reason with them.
Who can argue with the will of God?
We face an army of BELIEVERS. There is nothing more dangerous than a soldier who believes in his cause.

And therein lies Americas weakness.

Recommended Reading: The Art of War, by Sun Stzu

Beat the Devil

So here's the point...

The whole world has gone insane, and we are on the brink of a real war with a real enemy.

We must secure our borders, and do so in a manner that leaves no room for doubt. This way our enemies will know that a direct attempt at infiltration cannot succeed.

We must accept the fact that we will need to strike first, on occasion, in order to prevent a 911 type scenario, or worse. I do not believe that N. Korea is as great a threat as Iran. We must focus on Iran as the "new" enemy. We must be sure that we are prepared to go to war with Islam itself. There is no greater threat to America at present.

We must do away with this politically correct language and become a nation of citizens to whom truth is the most important characteristic of information. Without honest discourse, no progress can be made within our country toward true unity. Without unity, we cannot defeat our enemies.

Mark my words, our enemies will not stop until they are utterly destroyed or utterly victorious.

And post comments for crying out loud!

Emperor's Clothes and Such

"It has always been the perogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothes, but the half-wit remains a half-wit, and the emperor remains an emperor."-Neil Gamen's Sandman, in The Kindly Ones

I feel as if I am wasting time and energy here. Perhaps I am the half-wit.

Good-bye for now...

Sleazy Dealings

Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast well over a year ago. I spent nearly six months on orders in New Orleans, helping the police and handing out ice, water, food, and information. I came home at the end of February, and I hear that there has been no improvement since that time.

Now, up front I will tell you that I am not over-sympathetic for the residents of New Orleans. Many of these people had no insurance, and my opinion is that you shouldn't take risks that you can't afford.

That being said, the insurance companies have basically ripped off all of their clients in the Gulf Coast Region.
I personally spoke with one man that had paid his insurance premiums to State Farm for 32 years. He was never late with his payments, and had never filed a claim. His home was destroyed by Hurrican Katrina, and he was offered $120.00 for a storage building in his back yard. His roof had been blown off, a tree from across the street was in his front room, and all of his windows were broken. He was offered $120.00 after 32 years.

Many of the police officers that I patrolled with did not file claims, as they had little damage or no flood insurance. They all received letters canceling their insurance, stating that their companies would not be covering the Gulf Coast region any longer. They received no refund checks, and no further explanation.

All-State, Farmer's Insurance, State Farm and others are guilty of just walking out on their clients. How well are you covered?

I am sick of corporate America getting away with this crap! But what can you do? Most banks require home-owner's insurance in order to finance a house. Give me some feedback on this one, folks. I want to know what you think we can do about this.

The Global Economy

While researching my farm subsidies blog, I ran across several articles about the WTO (World Trade Organization). After awhile, I found myself digging deeper and deeper into this organization, and pretty soon I was chomping down blood pressure pills like they were Skittles.

Many people have heard of the WTO (aren't they the group those hippies out in Seattle were protesting a few years back?), but I doubt if the general public knows how the WTO is set up and who they represent. WELL, I'll tell you.

The WTO facilitates trade agreements between nations in order to keep armed conflict to a minimum and to produce commerce between nations who would otherwise never do business with each other. That seems nice.

Over seventy-five percent of the WTO's members are developing or least-developed nations. That means that 112 of the organizations 149 members are what we call "third-world countries". Now I'm beginning to understand!

You see, in order to be a full-fledged member of the WTO, you have to allow them to review your trade agreements and treaties, and (here's where the blood pressure starts to go up) and laws regarding trade, especially laws regarding outsourcing! The over-all satisfaction of members is very high, and most nations can report economic growth since joining. No Kidding! They're third-world countries!

Basically , we are subjugating our nation's interests to the poorest, most undeveloped economies in the world in order to belong to a "Global Economic Circle". Somebody shoot the guy who came up with this crap!

We are the superior power on the panet. We dictate who gets to be our partners in trade. I have nothing against Pakistan or India, or even Kazhakistan, but they do not get to benefit if American citizens lose jobs. The idea seems to be that we are trying to level out the global standard of living. I'm OK with these under-developed nations getting a leg up, but I'm not willing to bring down the standard of living at home in order to improve the lives of people who are not my children.
I do have sympathy for people who don't have indoor plumbing, just not enough sympathy to give up my job.

Capitalism is a lot like democracy or freedom. If it gets handed to people, they don't know what to do with it. We may be improving the lifestyles of Indians and Pakistanis by giving them some of our jobs, but they didn't earn these positions. These jobs were not created by their fathers who worked long hours and dedicated much of their lives to developing new technologies. Just like Iraqis haven't freely risked their lives for freedom (maybe for food, but not for freedom). We all saw what happened to the Soviet Union after they were handed freedom and democracy. The whole damned country nearly starved to death.
We as Americans have to stop feeling like we owe everyone in the world a better life simply because we are a wealthy nation. If these people need help developing their own economy, we should help. But we don't have to give them our jobs in order to help. We already give away $27 Billion a year to these same countries. Why should we give them our jobs as well? We cannot bring down our nation in order to build up others. Or maybe that's the purpose of a group like the WTO.

The Annual Tomfoolery Awards!

As the year nears an end, I want to give special recognition to the best and worst idiots from the American political arena.
The Year of Our Lord Two-Thousand and Six has been an especially interesting year, and here is a brief list of reasons why and persons responsible:

1. A big thumbs up to the Iraqi people, who, after waiting two years to learn how to do it right, have begun killing the Iraqi people! Maybe we really should invade every country in the middle east. You go, Haji!

2. A big, manly pat on the butt goes out to Ted Haggard, who brought us Jesus Camp, The Movie, all the while snorting crank and biting the proverbial pillow. I feel good knowing that the President's Top Spiritual Advisor was out doing research so he would REALLY know what he was talking about when he spoke of sin and death and Hell.

3. A nod and smile goes out to Vicente Fox, who has learned the best way to provide health-care and higher income for his people, all the while saving national treasury funds for important stuff, like BMW's and Mercedes.

4. A hearty punch in the arm to Rush Limbaugh for making fun of that weasel, Michael J. Fox, who has somehow learned how to act as if he has something wrong with him.

5. Finally, a respectful bow goes out to our brilliant commander-in-chief for his strategic termination of Donald Rumsfeld(The Devil), and his subsequent hiring of a guy with the same last name as a really smart fellow.

I wish to thank my Mother, also, who taught me that the age-old Chinese greeting, "May you live in interesting times." was actually a curse.

Recommended Reading: War on the Middle Class, by Lou Dobbs.
If you don't read anything else on my list, read this!

Sedition

I was listening to talk radio today(because I'm a giant dork), when I heard an ACLU attorney explaining how the current illegal immigration problem is really just like any other time in American history when tensions ran high between the native born and new arrivals.

First of all, for all you Mexican citizens out there, the ACLU is the American Civil Liberties Union, a pinko-commie bleeding heart organization if there ever was one.

This attorney, a Mr. Guttentag (I'm not making that up), claims that these "undocumented workers" are not a burden on society, and that we are just being misled to place the blame on them, when in reality we have over-burdened the welfare system, and the over-abundance of high-paying jobs in the US has led to a lack of low-wage American workers.

By the way, its really long sentence day here at Solving America's Problems.

OK, you heard it, stop using all those social services, people.
As for all the high wage earners out there, well, its your fault, too. I sure am glad that fancy feller with the funny name went to law school and got that fancy eddycation so's he could splain all that to us dumb po folks, ain't you?

Item one: Anyone this stupid obviously cheated on his bar exam and should be prosecuted.
Item two: If you are a citizen, you (theoretically) pay taxes, so therefore, you do have a right to social services when needed.
Item three: Three million middle class income manufacturing jobs left this country last year due to free trade agreements with India, Pakistan, Thailand, and MEXICO.
Item four: The local food processing plant here never had trouble finding workers before the latest influx of illegal immigrants. Now, however, they are able to find people who won't raise hell when the labor laws get fudged a bit.

When did being a patriot and a nationalist become unAmerican?

I know I harp on the illegal immigrant issue a lot, but security is my line of work, so I can't really help it. The sheriff of Laredo, Tx ( a Hispanic man, I might add) is having nightly firefights with illegals crossing into the US. Weapons caches have been found just across the border that look a whole lot like the stuff being confiscated in Iraq. More and more people across this country are discovering that their Social Security numbers are being used by illegals in order to obtain employment. These people are choosing to live outside of our laws. Do not let the language of this issue be blunted.
Undocumented Workers are people who work for cash in order to avoid paying taxes.
Ilegal Immigrants or aliens are people who are in this country illegally, who are breaking laws in order to get jobs, and who do not respect you or me or our rights as true citizens of this nation. The sovereignty of our nation is being tested, and the ACLU is apparently part of the problem.

I believe that the job of every American is to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States of America. To affirm a lifestyle which calls into question the sovereignty of the United States of America is, at a minimum, seditious. We cannot allow illegal immigration to continue unchecked and unaddressed. Some action must be taken within the year or the damage will be irreperable.

Reccomended Reading: Free Money-follow links at right.

Fertilizer and Other Niceties

I am not a nice person.

This has been pointed out to me over the years by various imbeciles and morons, though I can't remember a specific name or group. It has been said that I am insensitive, stubborn, and pig-headed. I agree.

You see, I am following the time-honored tradition of political pundits everywhere. I am expressing my opinions whether anyone wants to hear them or not. If you are reading this, and you aren't new to this blog, then you have at least resigned yourself to the (somewhat) painless fate of reading my arrogant self-expression.

My heros are not famous cowboys or legendary warriors. They are men who made a difference in this great nation, like Andrew Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, or Larry Flint's attorney. I love this country, with all of her flaws and foibles. I love the process by which we elect our leaders, and I enjoy scrutinizing them until they break. If we can't keep them honest, we may as well keep them guessing.

I even enjoy when some idiot misunderstands my intent, and assumes that I will agree with some extremist idea or another. I love to squash a foolish premise or step on a bad argument.

I love being a citizen soldier. I would not be the man that I am today without the experiences that I have had in the National Guard. I have seen the best and the worst in myself and my fellow man.

For all of her imperfections, I love America, and all of her sons and daughters. This is why I spew my home-spun solutions in hopes that someone will someday take action on one issue or another. We are a unique experiment gone wild, and I hope and pray that, as a nation, we continue to evolve in interesting and radical ways.

As for my insensitivities, my pig-headedness, and my stubborness, live with it. What is the point of having an opinion if I don't believe that it is right?

Why Pedro Didn't Vote

I just read a news article that said Hispanics made up around 6% of the vote last Tuesday. The author of said article was puzzled by the lack of Hispanic turn-out. I'll try and explain...

IF YOU ARE NOT A LEGAL CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY, YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO VOTE!!

Just like you shouldn't be allowed to draw any kind of welfare/social services. Or get a job. Or bond out of jail. Or even be here.

I am so tired of being called a racist. When did national pride or concern over the security of my country become a racial issue? Why am I supposed to watch what I say in order to keep from offending people who don't belong here in the first place?

These people don't want to be Americans. They wave Mexican flags and watch Spanish television. They segregate themselves from mainstream America more than any other group in the nation. They refuse to learn the language. They are arrogant and insolent toward American citizens and police.

Why did Vicente Fox spend three months of his campaign tour in the United States?
Why doesn't Mexico secure her borders?

When illegal immigrants began raising Mexican Flags at US Post Offices and Schools, I became more angry than I have ever been over any political issue. Even more upsetting was the lack of news coverage of these events.

My children go to school with children of illegal immigrants. The teachers are constantly struggling with the language barrier. Valuable classroom time is taken away from the English-speaking students in order to play catch-up with the illegal immigrants.
Then I have to hear about the wonderful contributions these people are making to America.
Soldiers are reenlisting now more than ever in my unit, not because they are planning on a career in the service so much as they need the bonus money, because there are no jobs available at the local chicken plant.
Then we hear how these people are taking jobs that Americans don't want, anyway.
My friend on the local drug task force tells me of a drug smuggling ring here in town that is led by illegal immigrants. No one will testify against these people because they are afraid. The Mexican gang that these men represent has a reputation for burning down houses and killing entire families.
Then I hear how these people are good and decent and just want to provide for their families.

So maybe I am a little judgemental. Maybe I am a little skeptical of the motivations and intentions of the Hispanic men that I come into contact with.
The racial tensions created by this situation are not the problem, however. The security and safety of my country IS the issue.

Arizona Rocks!!

Four items on Arizona's ballot Tuesday received national attention. All were related to illegal immigration, and all passed by more than 70%.

Item one made English the official language of Arizona.
Item two made illegal immigrants who are incarcerated for serious crimes unable to bond out of jail.
Item three establishes that illegal immigrants may not sue any citizen in civil court, nor or they eligble for any punitive damages from any state agency or private enterprise.
Item four(my favorite), establishes that no illegal immigrant may receive state or federally supported social services of any kind.

I say we do this across the nation. What do you think?

Public Referendums and Cyclic Redundancy

OK America, I'm going to take you by the hand and explain, yet again, why your actions on election day were lacking...

We keep sending messages that are subject to interpretation. All day long for two days, talk radio has been buzzing with theories about what America was trying to convey. Was it just about the war? Was it about spending? Was it about unchecked power? Was it a liberal uprising? Did the conservatives give up?

My head hurts from it all.

People wanted things to change. That's all, that's it, no more. We have become like Pavlov's freaking dogs. If a republican pisses us off, we vote for a democrat. If the dems incur our wrath, we vote republican.

Had we voted out all the incumbents, as some idiot may have suggested, we wouldn't have sent a message that would take months to translate.

Most people don't want to be involved in the actual governance of America. They want to make their pick and drive on, knowing that they made a good choice with their vote. When a choice turns out to be bad, they replace a candidate with whatever choice is left. The republicans are obviously not doing so hot, so we have replaced them. Just like fifteen years ago we replaced the democrats FOR EXACTLY THE SAME REASON.

Any military man knows that no task can be completed without the clear and concise communication of expectations to every key position on a team. We, the people are not clearly communicating our expectations, and so the team is not reaching the goal.

Simplicity is the answer here. We must stop assuming that our differences need to be addressed on every side by all involved before decisions are made. No one is a true liberal or conservative in this country. Our differences are far less well defined than politically correct language would lead us to believe. For instance, parents (good ones, anyway) want their children to get a good education and to have choices when they come of age. Husbands want to be able to provide for families. Students seek opportunity. People in general are chasing one VERY important piece of the American Pie: the persuit of happiness.
All the other stuff is just detail that really won't make a difference in a hundred years. If we remain caught up in this redundant and pointless political game, the simple stuff that we all want will get chewed up by the big machine, and no one wins in the end.

Recommended Reading: 1984, by George Orwell, and This Perfect Day, by Ira Levin

Eschew Obfuscation

A few years ago, a friend loaned me an 8th grade Latin primer from 1907. I figured I would teach myself a bit of Latin (that's right folks, I bite off more than I chew). My problem was not the Latin. The English lesson at the beginning was enough to make me quit.
Don't get me wrong, English is my first language.

Now, I graduated salutatorian of my class. I make good grades even now that I am the "old guy" in college. I like to think that I am of average intelligence. But an 8th grade lesson in English was beyond my comprehension. Now I know why it was a big deal that my grandfather graduated from High School.

Public education in America is ranked 50th in the world. -Interestingly enough, I don't know how many countries there are...

I hate to say it, but we have to make life a little tougher on our kids, at least academically. Imagine a high school with modern technology and a curriculum as tough as it was in the early 20th century. As a nation, we would be unstoppable.

We need to find a way to triple our education budget, and spend an EQUAL AMOUNT PER STUDENT. Forget standardized testing. Some kids will be left behind. Some will do fine. What does a college degree really mean if everyone can get one, anyway?

The best and brightest are being held back by political correctness. "No child left behind" is a rediculous concept. Do we think for a moment that the people who came up with that little sound bite actually send their kids to public school? Do we believe that all students posses an equal ability to learn? Aren't we just lowering the bar?

We need better books, tougher curriculum, and more structure. We need to put more stress on the importance education. The children of America deserve the best education that we can offer. They need to be as smart as possible so they can clean up all the messes we're leaving them.

Recommended Reading: Anything written before 1930.

Rock the Revolution!!!

Every two years, we are given the opportunity in this country to "overthrow" the current government (at least the largest part of it). This year, it is more important than ever. Congress blames the President for the current state of the Union, but they have ALL given in to partisan party politics. I say FIRE THEM ALL.

We as citizens of this great nation owe it to each other to send a message to congress. We cannot allow the political games that have run rampant in the hallowed halls of congress to continue for even one more term. So here are some important things to remember before you vote:

1. If a candidate is talking smack on his/her opponent, they have no fresh ideas to present. Do not vote for this idiot.

2. If you disagree with a candidate on two or more important issues, do not vote for them.

3. If a candidate mentions his/her political party in a campaign ad, they are part of the partisan party politic games. Do not vote for them.

4. If a candidate mentions "distraction" issues that cannot be resolved at this time, like school shootings or drugs, do not vote for them.

5. If a candidate uses politically correct language, like "undocumented immigrants" instead of illegal aliens, do not vote for them.

6. If a candidate is an incumbent, think seriously about their record. Any incumbent who has been in office for more than ten years is probably out of touch with the American public.

7. If a candidate apologizes for something in a campaign ad, ask yourself, "Would he/she be apologizing if the information wasn't already made public?".

8. If a candidate does not have an answer to illegal immigration, alternate fuels, or Iraq, they are a waste of time.

9. If a candidate does not mention education reform, Social Security reform, or Medicare reform, do not vote for them.

I would not presume to tell people who to vote for. I certainly won't tell people who I'm voting for. Imagine, if you will, what kind of message we could send to congress and even the president if we voted out every incumbent. I know that some of these people are doing a good job (or trying, at least), but we have an opportunity to completely renew our legislative branch. If we did this two elections in a row, I bet we would see a whole lot less party politics in Washington, and a whole lot more of what we need from our governing body.

So let's all go about our business for the next few days, like everything is normal. Come election day, let's get together and get rid of some dead weight.

Recommended Reading: The Broken Branch, by Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein.

Stem Cell Research

Call me crazy, but I'm for it. Parkinson's, Hotchkin's, heart defects, liver problems, lung problems, almost every degenerative disorder known to man will be affected and eventually cured due to stem cell research.

Now before you get picky, I never went to medical school, so don't be a jerk.

Everyone ties Stem Cell Research in with abortion, or cloning, or some other insidious anti-right-wing activity, and I grow weary. We have been given an opportunity to make giant leaps and bounds on the scientific front, and religious ferver and partisan politics are getting in the way. If someday they could replace your heart with, well, your heart, what are the odds your body would reject it? Part of the responsibility of our government is to look after the welfare of the public. Squashing Stem Cell research at this point in the game is not only preventing the advancement of science, but also dashing the hopes of millions of people world-wide.

People always resist the next step in science on moral or religious grounds. This is simply the next step, people. Stop repeating the silly parts of history already.

End of an Era

I love this country.

As the election draws near, the republicans and democrats are breaking out the "big guns". I see ads for politicians, some slinging mud, some taking the higher ground, and my eyes are opened. These people are desperately fighting for their livelihood. They can smell the end coming, just like the rest of us. Politicians know, perhaps for the first time in generations, that the common people are no longer willing to play the game. Men who are five or ten years from retirement are going to have to go get some semblance of a real job for the first time in their lives. Republicans will be replaced with Democrats. Democrats will be replaced by Republicans and Independents. Every commitee on Capitol Hill is about to lose long-time members. Congress is about to initiate the largest incoming freshman class in decades.
Its beautiful. People are discussing politics in gas stations, at work, at fast-food joints. The apathy that has been obvious on election day for many years is disappearing. We, the people have finally had enough. We still can't really agree on who to vote for, but we all agree that those who are in office must be replaced. I have spoken recently to no less than ten people who are over twenty-five years of age who are going to vote for the first time in their lives. I would not be surprised to see the largest voter turn-out ever on election day.

My only hope is that we can do it again in '08.

People keep talking to me about term limits. Term limits wouldn't be an issue if we would vote our conscience every time. As appealing as term limits might be, I think that we have been given a much greater tool for change: The Vote.

Women in America

Is America ready for a woman president?

Not really, but that's not exactly a statement about women. A certain senator from New York is rumoured to be a raving lunatic bitch. She has been called the devil, even. Instead, I think she is representative of a large part of the female population in this country. She has taken a lot of crap from her husband, and doesn't want to talk about it in public. She knows what she wants and acts accordingly. She has personally gone to bat for every National Guard soldier in the country, proposing and pushing a bill providing health insurance for NG soldiers and families on regular drill status. I cannot name another politician that has made an effort to accomplish anything that has had such a direct effect on my life.

Come to think of it, it was the first time in a long time that a law was passed that directly benifited any common citizens.

A woman is president of India, one of the largest and most powerful nations on Earth. Margaret Thatcher was definately one of the strongest leaders in recent history. But we are still debating whether or not a woman can run this country. Sounds like crap to me. Its all just another distraction, and we're falling for it.

Women still make less per hour for the same job in many places in this country. Women are still relatively unprotected from spousal abuse in this country. Yet they have proven themselves perfectly capable in nearly every field of employment. If we can elect them to congress, theFIRST BRANCH OF OUR GOVERNMENT, why can't we elect a woman president? Why can't we protect them from abuse? Why can't we pay them the same wage for the same work?

In '08, I may not vote for Clinton (if she gets the nomination), but I do not doubt her ability to run the country. She already plays a part in that. As do many women.
If every woman in this country decided to sit down and do nothing for one day, a message would be sent to all of the men in this country. It would scare the hell out of most men.

My point is that we claim to be a progressive country for women, but we are still hanging on to primitive ideas about them. Let it go, already. If you trust a woman to help you pay the bills, raise the kids, and get through life, then the idea of a woman as president is really no stretch at all.


recommended reading: The Lysistrata

Have A Good Weekend...

I am watching campaign commercials. If you flip over to wrestling, and then back to campaign commercials, the only difference is that the trash talking is cleaner(on the surface) during campaigns, and candidates usually dress better than wrestlers.

I hate wrestling. I'm just making an observation.

Anyway, once again, in November we get to go down to the ballot box and pick between Airline food and Hospital food. I would rather pluck out my left eye than vote for either of the candidates running for Governor of Arkansas. But, just like everyone else, I'm going to vote for the lesser of two evils. So be it.
On the bright side, Huckabee isn't running for re-election. He thinks he has a shot at the presidency in'08, but he's just another pseudo-religious gasbag without a chance in hell.
Next week, I'm posting on women's rights. I bet I get some response from both sides of the fence.

Have a good weekend. Play with your kids, play with your dog, eat something good. My gut tells me that Monday's gonna suck...

The War on Drugs

The country is moving further and further from traditional ideals and values. The distribution and use of illegal substances has been blamed for this for quite some time now. I believe that the widespread use of drugs is just a symptom of a larger problem. As the middle class shrinks, and as traditional families get fewer, the causes behind habitual drug use become more common. We have to start treating the disease here, not just the symptoms. But that's another post...

The problem with "prohibition" is that it creates a perfect supply and demand scenario. In other words, there's more money in drugs because they are harder to come by. I do not mean to imply that drugs are hard to find, but that the distribution and manufacture of illegal substances require such precautions as to raise the price.

I do not condone the wide-spread decriminalization of drugs. I do support the legalization of Marijuana. For starters, Marijuana does not typically produce violent behavior in users. The violence involved in the Marijuana trade is directly related to the fact that it is illegal. Growth and distribution could and should be governed by the same agencies that watch over alcohol and tobacco (now what was the name of that agency?...). Making Marijuana legal and taxable adds revenue, clears court dockets, and reduces prison populations. Legalization also creates a cash crop that farmers in the lower Mississippi Valley could grow (Farm Subsidies Rant in the making, folks, be patient).

Anyone caught with a significant amount of heroin or cocaine should be sent to prison for life. Dealers are usually just trying to make a living or supporting their own habits. Distributors are usually the people who commit the violent crimes for a buck, or territory. We need to come up with an amount that qualifies an individual as a distributor, and each state should come up with a minimum mandatory sentence. None of this panty-waste ten -year sentencing crap, either. I'm talking 60 years without the possibility of parole.

The Crystal Meth problem is out of control. I know at least six people personally with a meth habit, and I don't run in any "dope circles" by any means. I have started making fun of tweekers in Wal-Mart to let my kids know what that crap will do to you. Meth is so easy to make and so quick to sell that it is not always possible to tell who is a "cook" and who is a simple user. Anyone who lives in rural America knows this. Gone are the days when a small town is a guaranteed safe haven from drugs and violent crime. If you live in a rural area, and you disagree with that last statement, I challenge you to talk to your local sheriff about it.
There should be no tolerance for crystal methamphetamine in this country. A mandatory 30 year sentence without parole for simple possession, add thirty with possession of a weapon. Make it life within 1000 yards of a school, public park, or daycare. We can't stop crystal meth, but we can put it back underground.
As far as the "drug war" goes, we lost. We need to bring our troops (cops, or whatever you want to call them) from Columbia or anywhere else. If we had a secure border, Columbia's problems would not be America's problems. We should stop wasting money on this program because it isn't working.

I doubt if there are any tweekers reading this, because they are all too paranoid to get online. All comments are welcome, though, especially from any "intellectual" drug users. I love to argue with those people...

Crime and Punishment, Part 1

Sexual Assault, Child Molestation, and Rape are all versions of the same kind of crime. They have very little to do with sex, and a lot to do with absolute control of another person. Studies show that a person who has committed one of these crimes is almost sure to be a repeat offender (around 98% ). What we have here is scientific support of mandatory life sentences for these crimes. I personally believe that the death sentence would be appropriate, but I really don't want to talk about that right now.

If we aren't going to put these people behind bars, then we should tag them with a device that will allow us to track them for the rest of their lives. When a child goes missing, the first thing we should be able to do is accurately locate all known pedophiles and sex offenders in the area. If we can track sharks and sea turtles, we can do this. As a parent, I am perfectly willing to pay more taxes to support this, though that wouldn't be necessary if everyone would just read my post titled "One Simple Solution". (blatant self-promotion)

I don't think there are too many people out there with sympathy for these people, so I'm not presenting a long winded argument here. If you have an argument, please be sure that it is a good one, or I'll just tear you up. I f you have any ideas to add, I would love to hear them. I am hoping to come up with a practical way to make this happen over the next few years. This is one change that we can and should make.

Next: The Drug War and Why We Are Losing...

Terrorism, AlQuaida, North Korea, Iran, School Shootings, Weird Weather and more...

Current Situation: North Korean Nukes, Possible development of nukes in Iran, World-wide Jihadism, Rising drug trade, Illegal Immigration, War in Iraq, War in Afghanistan, Pedophilia at an all-time high, School shootings, increase in sexual assaults, rise in domestic violence, mediocre economy, high fuel prices, weird weather, global warming, increase in seismic activity world-wide, and my new boss doesn't like tattoos.

What a mess!!!

Solution: Pressure the UN and China to sanction N. Korea, Sanctions against Iran (also recommend TNT from the Sky technique), Bomb all terrorists and their support systems, Initiate new drug policies(another post), Build a wall and pressure Mexico and neighbors South to educate and industrialize, Bring our troops home, Death Penalties for pedophiles, I still don't know what to do about school shootings, life sentences for first-time offenders for sex crimes, mandatory beatings for abusive spouses, repeal NAFTA, CAFTA, and outsourcing laws, develop alternate fuel sources, pray real hard, and I'm gonna quit soon, anyway. Whew!

Not only have I just solved most of the country's problems in less than 30 seconds, but I also managed to reference the top five google searches twice in half a page!!!

This week I will talk about crime and punishment in America. I would greatly appreciate some response, folks. I want to rant and rave, sure, but I also crave feedback(attention!!) from my loyal or not-so-loyal readers.

Dog the Bounty Hunter

So here's the story in a nutshell...

This make-up company heir is on trial for raping three women. When it gets kind of obvious that he is guilty, he runs off to Mexico. This bounty hunter goes to Mexico to get him. The bounty hunter catches the rapist, the Mexican police jail the bounty hunter AND the rapist. The US brings the bad guy home and the bounty hunter bonds out and leaves Mexico as well. Three years later, Mexico has asked for the bounty hunter to be extradited on kidnapping charges, because bounty hunting is illegal in Mexico.

This has got to be the most assinine thing that I have ever heard of.

Let's make a deal: Mexico can have Dog for 24hrs, and can fine him up to $2,500.00 on one condition. They also have to come get all the criminals that have crossed into our country since 1985, they have to publicly acknowledge that the current administration in Mexico is encouraging illegal immigration into the US because they are too lazy and corrupt to fix their own economy, and Vicente Fox has to go door to door to every taxpaying American household to kiss the ass of every man, woman, and child in this country.They also have to give up any and all US monies be they loans or grants for the next twenty-five years. I guess that's actually more than one condition. If we were Israel we would be massing our military on the border over this.

I am a relatively peace-loving individual, but this crap has gone far enough. Mexico had better stop gnawing on the hand that feeds her before we all get angry enough to do something drastic. The gall to even suggest that this man be arrested! And what imbecile prosecutor got behind that arrest? I want this guy's name and e-mail address! Somebody out there has got to have it. Give it up.

Religion and Culture in America

One of the beautiful aspects of our constitution is that it provides for personal religion without enforcing any religion. People have taken things to the extreme, however, by trying to take religion completely out of our culture. Others overreact, and try to force too much religion on the public. My opinion on this is that my religion is personal, and also provided for as a personal liberty.

The most important failure in America is the failure to maintain our culture. This land was once the country where any young man could grow up to be president, or a great leader. There was little or no "Aristocracy" in our nation. The people wouldn't have it. As we see the decline of the middle class, we see the decline of the republic. There are fewer families with the time or inclination to get involved in the community. There are fewer close neighbors. There are less participants in town meetings and community organizations. Even getting involved in local politics seems to suck people into the machine. Our culture is difficult, if not impossible, to define.

We seperate ourselves by gender, race, sexuality, religion, and ethnicity by nature. But now the seperation is all we have left. Like my anonymous friend who hates or fears all ideas uncomfortable to him, we have pushed ourselves away from the reality of it all because it is all too ugly to face.

The definition of unity has become obscured by our lack of trust within our own nation.
We are a nation of citizens who knowingly elect liars, and then complain when we find out that we were lied to.
We are a nation of despots and sinners, with the highest divorce rate in the world.
More children are being raised by single parents and grandparents in our nation than ever before.
One in four girls are sexually assaulted in their lifetime in this country.
One in nine boys are sexually assaulted in their lifetime in this country.
Five out of seven people in this country have casually used drugs at some point in their lives.

This is how we are viewed by the rest of the world. These are the facts that define our culture. Rant and rave and blame all you want, but if you are not willing to rage against this deadly decline in our society, you rage for nothing. Confusing morality with self-serving ideals is no way to approach life in a civilized society. The longer we fight within over silly details that won't matter in a generation, the more likely that that generation will live in a third world society, without the riches and trappings of what was once an inspiring nation.

Family Values

I am a pretty lazy guy, but I work hard for my employer. That's just how I was taught. I work for a rather large, well-known retail outlet, we'll call them "House Station". The company promotes excellent customer service, which is something we could all use a little of. However, the majority of employees have different idea. How many of you have been satisfied with your experience at "House Station", "WallyWorld", "Bullseye", or anywhere else lately. When I walk into a store, I want to at least be able to find what I'm after. I'm OK with a little subtle marketing, like placing like items far apart so that I am more likely to buy items I didn't originally intend to purchase. That's fair enough. The company does exist to make money. I don't really even mind too bad when the guy helping me isn't an expert on the subject matter at hand, as long as he tries to help me in the best, most courteous fashion possible.
But that really doesn't happen either.

Americans have stopped caring about service. Waiters are snotty, salesmen don't care if you get what you need, and checkout girls are usually too tired to even pretend to care. If you do run across a good waitress, you probably won't tip her, because you don't care about your fellow American, either. When was the last time that you told someone that they were doing a good job? When was the last time you greeted a customer with a genuine smile?

Maybe we do deserve to have our jobs sent over-seas. We certainly don't appreciate them. The Pakistani guy that helped me with my internet problem tonight may have been reading from a script, and I'm pretty sure that his name wasn't really Gary, but he told me that he appreciated my business. He couldn't help me, so he passed me along to Todd(Punjibar), who could, and did.
Perhaps when we are living three generations to a house, and we are riding donkeys to work and to school, then we will appreciate the opportunity to earn a dollar.

I hope that I am teaching my kids how to work hard, and to do a good job. I hope that I am an example of a good and decent man to my children. I don't have much in the way of material goods, and my bank account balance certainly won't impress anyone. But I have dinner with my wife and kids every chance I get. We go to church together. We hang out without the TV on. My children know that the color of a man's skin is not a reason for judgement. They also know that people and cultures are different, which is what makes us interesting.

Don't get me wrong, I'm no saint. Most of you have read my response to the Anonymous Racist on the Gay Marriage post. I get wound up and opinionated, and I go on tirades here at home just like I do on this web page. I try real hard to make my children understand that they have to work hard to make the world a better place, if only in some small way. I have taught my children the value of service.

People in America are failing their children. And mine. And yours. Politicians, Policemen, Private Citizens. We are all to blame.

We have to stop making family values less a political platform and more a reality. It makes me sick to hear a candidate use the phrase anymore. My family values didn't come from politicians. From what I have seen lately, I great many politicians could use a dose of raising like I got. My mother would crawl on her hands and knees all the way to D.C. just to beat my ass for acting like some of these slobs. God bless my mother.

I worry that my children will have to live in China in order to make a living when they are grown. No one wants their kids to live that far away. I worry that the world outside of our home will be more influential than I am. I worry about this country because my children and grandchildren will live in it long after I am gone. If only a handful of people here are willing to work hard, the jobs won't be here. If we keep playing politics with terrorists, Little Rock could someday be as bad as Beirut. Like Baltimore. Or Oakland.

We have problems here that must be fixed soon, because the future of our republic is at stake. It won't be gay marriage, or terrorism, or illegal immigration that brings us down. It will be our lack of interest.

We owe our children something better than what we are giving them.

Terrorism and the Angry American

The whole " Kill 'em All" approach ain't workin'.

The problem with the war on terror is the way we are fighting. GW and his cronies are taking the fight to Mohammed, and I believe that on some level, they do mean to win. This is the wrong approach.
Ronald Reagan knew how to fight terrorism. You squash it like a bug. We shouldn't have troops on the ground in terrorist country. We should drop lots of really expensive bombs. First, the world sees the action as dismissive to a point. A long distance death sentence has a definate psychological advantage. Second, the folks at home don't get addled every time the "Terror Alert" hits mauve or puce or whatever color it is these days, because the troops aren't overseas pissing off the natives. Let's face it, the troops are Angry Americans, and really can't be taken anywhere. Finally, it just seems less likely to end with soldiers being called "baby-killer" and being spit on in the streets. After all, Angry America is Fickle America's twin.

I remember when Libya was a training ground for terrorism. I also remember how we made that end. I realize that bombing Afghanistan back to the stone age is redundant, but hey, somebody somewhere would have been impressed.

I do not mean to downplay the events of 9/11, but if we had bombed the crap out of every country know to support or harbor members of Al Quaida, maybe we could have spent a little more time actually analyzing intelligence in order to seek out and destroy Bin Laden and his crew.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is time to bring our troops home for awhile. We need to deal with internal problems. If anyone attacks, threatens, or looks at us wrong, we should drop a few thousand pounds of TNT on them and go on about our business.

How It Should Be

If you see a problem, make noise. Not the quiet, whiny kind of noise that we've all been making, but a loud and unified cacophony. Raise hell now or go through hell later. It doesn't matter if you are a Republican or a Democrat. Get ahold of the idea that America is in real danger of changing for the worse forever. Stop sending anti-Republican or anti-Democrat e-mails.
Stop following these terrible people so blindly!

Here are the rules.
No incumbent has the right to re-election.
Nowhere is it written that Democrats or Republicans will be the only candidates to be taken seriously.
The constituion does not proclaim that candidate funding will be the deciding factor during elections.
Do not be influenced by polls, but rather influence them.
You have the right to expect a change when something is wrong.
Do not be distracted by "non-issues".
Contact your representatives and senators. If they do not respond, vote for someone else. They are, after all, your employees (of the people, by the people, for the people).
Jerry Falwell is a moron.

These are the rules for voting like a problem solver. If you are as tired as I am of the same old nonsense, then tell your friends the rules and get on board. I am not asking for you to join an organization. I am not asking for money. I am asking that honest and decent human beings raise their voices for the good of a nation.

And please post comments. Sometimes I feel like I am ranting to empty cyberspace.

Free Money

Well THAT got your attention, didn't it?

Let's talk about free money. The United States of America(land that I love) gives away $27Billion a year in foreign aid (UN Website). That doesn't include money that we loan out. This money is simply given away. Now, I understand that some of this money goes to feed hungry people and vaccinate children, and these are noble endeavors. My philosophy with regards to feeding people in foreign countries is much like my policy with street beggars. I'll buy them a burger anytime, but I'm not giving them money(the root of all crack purchases). I have yet to find any real source of accountability for foreign aid. Simply put, you give me money to feed my kids, all I have to say is "yes, I fed the kids with that", and then you give me more. What kind of program is this?

I have an idea. Let's spend all the money that we were going to give away in '07 on a wall between here and Mexico. What's that? You say a wall won't solve the problem with illegal immigration. Maybe not, but a wall with machine gun turrets and minefields would make a pretty little bump in the road, now wouldn't it?

I understand that we won't really do that, but it could be the back-up plan.

In reality we need to help our neighbors become more industrialized. So why not spend ALL of our foreign aid close to home. Let the UN feed Africa for a couple of years. Let's give $27Billion to Mexico, Honduras, and Ecuador on the condition that they spend all of the money on education and industrialization. I'm OK with a global economy, but for crying out loud, let's bring everyone else up to standard!

If our neighboring countries have a lifestyle comparable to ours, their citizens are less likely to want to come here and work for less. If we were to repeal NAFTA and CAFTA and put serious pressure on Central America to develop a working public education system, we would all benifit. Who knows, in ten years, we might all be driving Honduran cars that run on alternative fuels.

We have to take corporate interests out of the equation for the time being, and really strive to globalize the American Dream. Giving away money with no expected return is simply poor economic policy. With the global political climate what it is today, we need to develop some close ties with the people of Central America, not the corporate interests. If we can help our neighbors become more educated, more industrialized, and more independant, then we should. Its not just good foreign policy, its the right way to do business.

I Love Iraq

We went into Iraq to spread Democracy (like a virus) and freedom. We took down a violent dictator and raised up a new and glorious republic in his place. We shattered the chains of bondage and blah, blah, blah...

Let's tell the truth here. We took out the only completely secular government in the Middle East and replaced it with a Koran based constitution. We found the only government in an Arab nation that made women's rights an actuality, and replaced that government with a power base that considers women little more than cattle.

Sounds like I'm complaining, doesn't it? That's not what we do here...

I have heard time and again on television and radio that "No occupation has ever worked", and the like. I beg to differ. There has never been an occupation without the occasional problem, but several have worked out quite well in favor of the occupying force.
The Romans made an Empire out of occupied lands. The Germans were doing all right in France until those pesky Allies showed up. The most succesful occupation of all time was the occupation of Japan by U.S. Forces at the end of WW2.
We have got to take the term "politically correct" out of our vocabulary, especially when it comes to war. We should have (and still could) occupied Iraq like we meant it. Martial Law in the streets and on the borders. Re-education of the population, beginning with the children. We had no problem taking Native American children from their parents in order to teach them how to be "free Americans". Why not do the same with a bunch of little Arab kids 7,000 miles away. Let's face it, only about half of them will survive to adulthood in the environment we have created there, anyway.
If we were to actually teach the principles behind our freedom to the citizens of Iraq, they would do just as the Japanese did, and accept a better way of life. Once they got their head around the concepts of democracy and freedom, Iraqis would assimilate nicely. If we could simply let go of the idea that everyone thinks like we do(they don't) and force feed economic theory and democratic practice down their throats, we would have a good thing going there inside of ten years. The way things are right now, we'll blow a truckload of money in Iraq for another 5 to 10 years and then pull out with no return on our investment.
We could reeducate the populace, rebuild Iraq as a power platform for our interests in the Middle East, establish permanent military bases, and pay for it all with Iraqi oil.

I know, I know, its all a little too harsh for the average American to handle.

So is going overseas and getting shot at, losing friends, being investigated for being "mean" or "insensitive" to the guy with the RPG, all so we can turn the country over to a group of people who will inevitably turn on us.

One Simple Solution

We are all sick to death of politicians. Let's face it, if it weren't for all the money grubbing, crooked, egomaniacal jerks that are running things, this country would be better off. So let's get back to basics...

First, American government is supposed to be "of the people, by the people, for the people". We are not the subjects of our government, rather they are our employees. Their job is serve the best interest of the populace of the nation. The House and Senate were not established to create a new career field for affluent individuals with law degrees. These positions were created to represent us. I don't know about most of you, but a man who makes $165,200.00 a year doesn't have a clue what my life is like. Factor in the pension that congress gets for life, and it isn't hard to understand why Social Security is in such a mess.

Combine the high cost of living with the lack of true representation, and one can certainly find something to complain about. But we don't complain here. We come up with solutions.

Congressmen make $165,200.00 per year(Congressional website). There are 535 congessmen. The total that we spend annually on congressional salaries is $88,382,000.00. The average annual household income in this country last year was $44,389.00 (Census Bureau Stats). Lets reduce the annual salaries of our representatives in the House and Senate to $44,389.00. This will do two things. It will save the American people $64,633,885.00 per year, and turn our government back into a truly representative body.

If we don't reduce taxes or make any major changes, the money could be pumped into education or various other areas. That will be another topic all together.

I am not claiming that this is the only solution to our current political problem. I am not naive enough to believe that it will ever happen. But wouldn't it be nice?