Finally, something Obama has done that I can get behind!

Just one note on the fly incident – love it!  How cool was that?  He psyched that little sucker out and SPLAT!  Seriously cool.

Doesn’t change anything.  It was just cool.  Don’t you think?

By the way, did you laugh out loud when you heard that PETA said Obama should have caught the fly and released it outside?  It was the perfect topper, wasn’t it?

Fun stuff.

Geez.  Fine.  Calm down. 

The 2010 Census.  My question is IS it required by law?  Or is the government overstepping its constitutional boundries?  And if so, exactly how much trouble am I in if I don’t comply?

Just so there is no mistaking it, it says right on the envelope “Your Response Is Required By Law”.

Geez.  Fine.  Calm down. 

The 2010 Census.  My question is IS it required by law?  Or is the government overstepping its constitutional boundries?  And if so, how much trouble am I in if I don’t comply?

I know that the constitution says we have to participate in a head count every ten years, and I know the reasoning behind it.  No problem.  But my recently-arrived census form wants to know a whole lot more than how many people are living in my house.

It wants to know what kind of home I live in, my phone number, my name and sex, my age and birth date, my race and heritage, and if I sometimes stay somewhere other than at my house.

Excuse me, Nosy McNosenstein.  I don’t remember any of THAT being in the Constitution!

So tell me.  What exactly will happen if I only answer what I am constitutionally obliged to answer – which is how many people live here, as I understand it – and don’t fill in the rest?  Any idea?

So we are left with the next best idea.  A national i.d. card.  Will it spell the end of our privacy as citizens?

This wouldn’t be necessary, you know, if we were capable of protecting our own borders.  Evidently though that is NOT possible.  No President – Republican or Dem – and no Congress – again, Republican or Dem – has ever had the tenacity or conviction to do the job.

So we are left with the next best idea.  A national i.d. card.  Will it spell the end of our privacy as citizens?

While I have not always been comfortable with the idea, I had a change of heart when I heard a pundit make a comment the other day that really stuck with me.  He said something along the lines of ‘we all gave up our privacy when we climbed on the computer’.

Excellent point.  Do you really think the government doesn’t know what you are doing?  That they could not easily find out anything and everything they want to know about you?  Of course they could.  Our lives are all on-line, even if we are not. 

With your fingerprint imprinted on a card which we would keep for life, just as we do our Social Security card, it is going to be a lot harder to run a scam and fake your identity.  It is also going to be a lot harder to hire an illegal immigrant.  Impossible?  Nothing is impossible.  But harder?  Definitely. 

Between helping to curb voter fraud, making it harder to hire illegals, and giving the government another edge in the fight against terrorists among us, it is getting harder for me to object to an National I.D. Card.  Like I said before, what privacy is it going to take from me that living in an on-line society has not already rendered moot?

The U.S. Postal Service is about to implode.  Should we let it?  Or is there anything there worth saving?

It would appear at first glance to be a Duh.  Of course we should let it go!  Who cares anymore?  Between email, texting, and things like Facebook, we have more than enough ways to keep in touch in those moments when we don’t want to use a telephone. 

The Post Office is an unnecessary drain on the country’s economy and the world in general will be a better place with one less mega-Union around.  We should begin phasing out the Postal Service now – yesterday, frankly – with a 5 year plan to have it gone completely. 

It served its purpose.  Now it has outlived its usefulness.

Like I said, seems like a no-brainer.  But is that really all there is to it?

No.  It’s close, but we have to think it through a bit more.  Yes, the U.S. Postal Service is not needed to the degree it once was.  But I think it still fills a void – just a much, much smaller one.
They are talking about closing a lot of branches and stopping Saturday deliveries.  That, I think, is a good start.  A better one is to drop deliveries even further. 

To me, the ideal situation would be for the Post Office to make deliveries and pick-ups twice a week.  More than that is unnecessary, less than that is inconvenient.  Two days a week, we will get and receive mail.  The other days, the skeleton staff will sort.  That’s it.

This way, those of us who do not like to pay bills electronically still have the option of mailing in payments.  Those of us who still value the personal sentiment of a handwritten letter can still indulge.  And those retailers who want to reach the ever-shrinking population who do not go near a computer or email can still reach out and touch someone with junk mail!

You know, now that I think about it more, a top rate delivery company like Fed Ex could probably easily pick up the slack and do that two-day-a-week-delivery thing for letters and bills.  That way we really COULD close the Post Office altogether, and one more government-run union-controlled entity bites the dust.

Hey!  Now THAT’s an idea!  What’d ya think??

Now a group from D.C. called Americans United says that they have to stop.  And while you’re at it, they say, get that depiction of the Ten Commandments down off the wall.

Sigh.  Here we go again…

At every commission meeting, Sevier County Commissioners say the Lord’s Prayer together before getting down to business. 

Now a group from D.C. called Americans United says that they have to stop.  And while you’re at it, they say, get that depiction of the Ten Commandments down off the wall.

Sigh.  Here we go again…

Is the government promoting one religion over another, as the AU claims?  Or are the commissioners simply choosing to share a moment of worship together in prayer as the Constitution clearly says they can?

It was not a commissioner, by the way, who filed the letter of complain with the AU.  As usually it was some unidentified “individual”, supposedly a resident.  Wonder why he or she won’t come forward?  Why are they hiding behind the AU if they are so all-fired sure that they are right?  Just wondering.

Frankly, I’ve seen one too many of these battles and this one in particular seems just plain idiotic.  If all of the people on the commission are Christian, why should they not be allowed to say a prayer when they are gathered?  The claim is that in doing so, they “send the message that this is the preferred religion of the government.”

Hogwash.  It only send that particular message to an imbecile who has never read the Constitution and has no idea what America is all about.

So far the AU has not filed a lawsuit, but it is sure to come.  Some of the commissioners are holding firm and saying they will not be bullied into not praying.  The AU has suggested a moment of silence to replace the prayer. 

Please.  I got your moment of silence, right here.

Geez, this is so easy it’s embarrassing!  They are praying before a meeting.  So what?  In whose twisted mind is that a government sponsored religion?  They are not promoting Christianity.  They are practicing it, as they are specifically allowed in the Constitution.  They are not trying to pass laws saying anyone else could or should follow their example. 

The spokesman for the AU said “To have a government meeting begin by reciting the Lord’s Prayer is very unusual these days.“

Hm.  Well look around.  Duh.

Maybe I have become more of a cynic that I used to be - or maybe more of a realist - but these days I lean more toward the supposition that such legislation is designed to appease non-thinking constituents.

Wow.  I AM getting cyncial.

I used to think that legislation like that proposed by Republican Representative Curry Todd of Collierville was well-intentioned, though nonsensical. 

Maybe I have become more of a cynic that I used to be - or maybe more of a realist - but these days I lean more toward the supposition that such legislation is designed to appease non-thinking constituents.

Wow.  I AM getting cyncial.

Todd has proposed a midnight curfew on selling alcohol in restaurants and bars in Tennessee.  The curfew would remain in place until 8 a.m. each morning.  He says he believes that most alcohol-related crimes occur after midnight, thus the curfew.

As though stopping the sale of alcohol at a particular time is going to stop - or even curb - anything other than revenue from coming in. 

Good intentioned?  Or a sloppy snow job that we are not supposed to think through, but instead simply support. 

Yeah, I am probably being too hard on Todd - I should give him the benefit of the doubt, I supposed, about his intentions.  But the bottom line is that his logic doesn’t hold up.

All that is going to happen is those individuals who publicly drink to excess are going to get their fill before midnight.  It is not going to stop them from drinking.  It is naive to believe that it will, showing a complete lack of understanding of the basics of how alcoholism works.  It is really kind of silly when you think about it. 

Todd has had some good ideas.  This just isn’t one of them.

It’s the “party” part of Tea Party that worries me.

On the surface it looks great.  Americans getting involved, doing their political homework, insisting that our government get back to its constitutional roots.  Good stuff.

It’s the “party” part of Tea Party that worries me.

I love the idea of showing people how to get involved, how to make themselves heard.  What I don’t like is the idea of another political party.  And when I started hearing about all the money that the tea “party” is trying to raise, I got even more uncomfortable.  Galvanizing Americans against runaway government spending?  Good.  Early signs of turning into just another political party?  Bad. 

No matter how good their intentions, should they continue in this direction, I fear they will not be able to avoid evolving into one more political entity to whom politicians will be beholden.  Tea Party “leaders” (elected by whom, one must wonder) have announced they are trying to raise 10 million dollars to help their candidates achieve victory in the upcoming elections. 

Really?  Is it just me?  Am I the only one NOT thrilled about another political “party” coming on the scene?  Maybe it is because I am an Independent (a woman without a party, thank you very much) that I am so uneasy about all this.  In my search for a candidate who considers themselves beholden only to the citizens who elected him or her and NO ONE else - especially not a party entity - have I become blind to the GOOD part of being a party-person?

IS there a good part?

Just calm down, people, and remain in your seats.  There’s no need for either side to get carried away at this point.  As usual, extremists - be they Republicans or Democrats - are wrong.

Pundits both liberal and conservative are hyperventilating as they rush to explain (or explain away) Brown’s big win in Massachusetts. 

Just calm down, people, and remain in your seats.  There’s no need for either side to get carried away at this point.  As usual, extremists - be they Republicans or Democrats - are wrong.

Democrats starting making excuses before the vote was even final.  She ran a bad campaign.  The minority rebel bigoted Obama-haters rushed the polls.  It rained.  It didn’t rain.  It was too hot, it was too cold. WHATEVER!

They are stupid to ignore the possible implications of what this could mean. 

Republicans are screaming we-told-you-so’s at the top of their lungs.  It’s a mandate for change.  It proves no one wants this terrible health care bill.

They are stupid to get so carried away with this victory, even though it IS a pretty remarkable one.

The bottom line is this is ONE man, ONE election, ONE instance.  One state election does not a mandate make.  True, it may be that Mass. really is representative of what the whole country is feeling.  Yes, it could indicate a mandate.

But it may also be a fluke.  Because it IS just one election, in one place.  Again, it would be ridiculous for the Dems to ignore what this COULD mean.  But it is just as ridiculous for Reps to act like this is the be-all/end-all indication of how the whole country feels.  Republican politicians keep saying “I think Mass. is speaking for the entire country”.  Well, they may THINK that.  But at this point, they cannot and do not KNOW that.

November’s elections will tell the REAL story.  But until then, geez, just chill, people.

Geez.

But as much as I disagree with his policies and his direction, the low poll numbers are not entirely his fault.  I even kind of feel sorry for him.

Not so well, if the polls are any indication.  According to Gallup, Obama entered his second year with one of the lowest approval ratings of any president in the last 50 years. 

Geez.

But as much as I disagree with his policies and his direction, the low poll numbers are not entirely his fault.  I even kind of feel sorry for him.

Pelosi and Reid are sinking him, no doubt about it.  With complete dismissal of the fact that a mere 36% of Americans support the healthcare overhaul, they have pushed the sucker along with the grace of a bulldozer.  I have to wonder if – had Obama had his druthers – he might have taken a more careful (though still determined) approach.

He might have even kept his much-replayed promise to debate healthcare openly on CSPAN for all to see, if it had been his choice.  But it wasn’t.  Nancy Pelosi came right out and said that promise was a bunch of crap, and she even laughed about it!  It’s obvious the President has no power in this scenario.  Reid and Pelosi are calling the shots and Obama – as I see it – is kind of powerless.  They have cut deals that are ticking off the public in a big way.  Would Obama have done the same?  Who knows?  Maybe not.  But when your own base starts bailing on you, you know you are doing something wrong (just ask the Republicans!).

Ignoring the flaccid economy and the TRUE job crisis (as opposed to the make-believe healthcare crisis) was a stupid call.  But it wasn’t Obama’s call.  It was Harry and Tonto’s call.  And both are apparently willing to sacrifice their own political careers to make sure government-run healthcare becomes a reality. 

Now think about that last sentence.  Why do you reckon that is?  I know what I think – what about you?

Uh, no thank you.  And by the way, what are you thinking?

Newt Gingrich for U.S. President?

Uh, no thank you.  And by the way, what are you thinking?

Truly, what are supporters of Newt Gingrich thinking?  I am genuinely surprised that some voters are seriously considering him a viable candidate for Prez in 2012.  Have these people NO memory?

Look, I think Newt is a good author.  I have read and enjoyed a couple of his books.  I think he has some interesting insights about political matters so as a guest commentator he is worth listening to. 

But as a political candidate?  Really??  His is the face you want to put on a party that is desperately trying to reinvent itself? 

Forget it.  The new face of the party needs to just that - new.  Not someone toting around the kind of personal baggage that Gingrich has.  Because as fed up with the Democrats as the public appears to be, it is not going to be enough this time to simply NOT be the other guy.  We are sick of voting for the lesser of two evils so candidates opposing Obama had better be on their game.

I’ve said it before - if ever there was a time for an Independent to have a realistic chance at the Presidency, now (more specifically, 2012) is that time.

Gingrich said this week that he considers himself to be among the top potential candidates for the next presidential election.  Whatever.  It’s not what HE thinks that counts.  It’s what you and I think that matters.  You know where I stand.  And you?

I watched an interview this morning with the former head of El Al air lines.  The topic was, of course, why what happened on Christmas day would never have happened on an Israeli airliner.

What happened was unthinkable – yet another terrorist boards an America-bound plane with explosives on his person. 

If not for a quick-thinking passenger, the terrorists would have succeeded in his goal.  So much for airline security.

Naturally our first order of business should be coming up with a suspect list that is actually COMPLETE and SHARED WITH ALL AGENCIES CONCERNED, and that officials actually READ.  For goodness sake, this terrorist-wanna-be’s dad TOLD US what his son had planned and he STILL got away with it.  No excuse.

(“El Al” – Hebrew for “to the skies”)

I watched an interview this morning with the former head of El Al air lines.  The topic was, of course, why what happened on Christmas day would never have happened on an Israeli airliner.

What happened was unthinkable – yet another terrorist boards an America-bound plane with explosives on his person. 

If not for a quick-thinking passenger, the terrorists would have succeeded in his goal.  So much for airline security.

Naturally our first order of business should be coming up with a suspect list that is actually COMPLETE and SHARED WITH ALL AGENCIES CONCERNED, and that officials actually READ.  For goodness sake, this terrorist-wanna-be’s dad TOLD US what his son had planned and he STILL got away with it.  No excuse.

The El Al official’s plain-talk made a lot of sense.  Here is some of what I came away with –

Profile the heck out of passengers.  Quit worrying about offending someone and worry instead about protecting someone – everyone.

Don’t limit profiling to Muslims.  He spoke of employees trained to carefully watch people for suspicious behavior.  Not the usual suspicious behavior you and I might notice, but subtle signs that professionals are trained to pick up.  And when they come across such a person, do not hesitate to take them aside, thoroughly check their papers, their baggage, etc.  WE HAVE A RIGHT TO DO THAT, I say, so quit tippy-toeing around DO IT!

He poo-pooed the idea of full body scans of passengers, and especially the ridiculous idea of not allowing passengers to leave their seats or open a book for an hour before the flight ends.  He laughed at the idea, as well he should.  What a bunch of idiots our airline officials are.

At this address you will find a rundown of some of their basic security procedures, the cost of which – while tremendous – is surely no more than what we currently throw away on much less effective measures: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Al

The idea that fear of offending someone keeps our officials from more effectively securing our airplanes and protecting passengers from terrorists is abhorrent to me. 

Surely it is to you as well.

By the way, did you catch our President’s reference to the terrorist as “isolated”?  Does he really think that this guy was the only terrorist out there planning to try to bring death to Americans and fear and mayhem to our country?  If he does, then our President is the one who is isolated.  Now THAT’S scary.

But it is THAT fact – it’s secrecy – that alarms me; the whole “But there’s no TIME to read it” attitude.  And it is THAT with which I struggle, in an attempt to understand how anyone can NOT be alarmed, given the circumstances.

I am more than a little at sea when trying to understand why everyone is not as concerned as I am about the health care proposal being presented for voting this week by Harry Reid and team.  What strikes me is not the proposal itself – how can I be upset about something I know nothing about?

But it is THAT fact – it’s secrecy – that alarms me; the whole “But there’s no TIME to read it” attitude.  And it is THAT with which I struggle, in an attempt to understand how anyone can NOT be alarmed, given the circumstances.

First a note to regular readers - let’s try something new.  I will pose a situation and ask some specific questions.  Then you reply with answers to those questions reflecting your opinion.

No posturing.  No rambling.  No straying from the question at hand.  Can we do that?  Just this once?

Let’s give it a go, shall we? 

Moving at breakneck speed (for them, anyway), Reid and Sons want to get their healthcare proposal passed before Christmas.

Isn’t that in itself odd?

Giving no apparent regard as to whether it is constitutional for government to turn itself into a health care agency, that aspect has received almost no debate at all.  Shouldn’t its constitutionality be the FIRST thing to be addressed?  So why isn’t it?  Why is the U.S. Constitution being poo-pooed as though its application in this instance is too silly to waste time on?

Okay.  So for the sake of argument, let’s do as Reid & Sons are doing and set the Constitution aside.  Again, we are left to wonder about the ‘need for speed’ in passing this legislation.

Our healthcare problems are not new.  Yet the attitude is that if we do not address them RIGHT NOW, they will run amok to the extent that they will destroy our country.  If we (more specifically, our elected representatives) take the time to actually read the legislation in full, then debate and discuss it, then go home and talk to our constituents (that’s us) about it, then all is lost!  Mayhem and marauding will ensue!  And that is the tone they are setting in D.C., with only minor exaggeration on my part.

If you do not find that alarming, is it at least unsettling to you?

And on a personal note, why are no liberal politicians giving serious thought and discussion to the idea of allowing health insurance companies to compete for my business, rather than stopping them at state lines?  Is it simply because it is a move that will NOT require government to play a role in my health care?  Is it TOO easy?  We know it can be done – look at car insurance, for goodness sake.  We know it would help bring down insurance costs – competition always does.  And we know that the odds of it making things worse are negligible.

So what is it?  Why is such a common sense idea not even given consideration as a starting point for health care reform? 

Anyone?

Many liberals – especially extremists – are drawn in by the ease of stereotyping conservatives.  It is when that stereotype is challenged that their whole thought process is forced to change and adapt.

They hate that.

Do not think that the irony of above comments is lost on me.  I realize that in making these assertions, I am stereotyping.  That is why I deliberate used the word “many” in front of “liberals”.  I know it is not all of them. 

But let’s look at the ones that are in positions of power right now – they are for the most part (there’s that disclaimer again) extremists.  And pigeonholing conservatives into one of three stereotypes is their habit.

Stereotyping makes life easier.  It makes thinking easier. 

Many liberals – especially extremists – are drawn in by the ease of stereotyping conservatives.  It is when that stereotype is challenged that their whole thought process is forced to change and adapt.

They hate that.

Do not think that the irony of above comments is lost on me.  I realize that in making these assertions, I am stereotyping.  That is why I deliberate used the word “many” in front of “liberals”.  I know it is not all of them. 

But let’s look at the ones that are in positions of power right now – they are for the most part (there’s that disclaimer again) extremists.  And pigeonholing conservatives into one of three stereotypes is their habit.

Stereotype 1 – The fat, self-absorbed, rich businessman who made his wealth by trampling on the backs of others, idolizes Ebenezer Scrooge BEFORE the transformation, and is as compassionate and sympathetic as a staplegun.

Stereotype 2 – The stupid, inbred, camo-wearing, teeth-missing, backwoods, backward redneck who lives to shoot his gun (at anything) and shoot off his mouth, thus waving around his ignorance and idiocy like the flag he worships.

Stereotype 3 – The bun-wearing, pearl-wearing, man-pleasing, non-thinking woman who serves as a parrot to whatever the man standing nearest her thinks, and who lives to serve her man, her 2.3 children and her country however she can as long as it does not take her out of the kitchen or cause her to perspire.

In conclusion, let me answer a question that was put to Sara Palin in a recent interview.  She did not give a straight answer – very political of her, eh?  But the answer was not a hard one.

The reason that someone like Sara Palin so alarms the liberal extremists (that was the question) is that she does not fit into ANY of their conservative stereotypes.  Despite their best efforts to make her a square peg that will fit neatly into one of their three square holes (specifically, the “stupid” one), she rises above their attempts and shows herself to be round, so to speak. 

And scariest of all, she represents millions of other round pegs.  That, in a nutshell, explains her popularity.  And that, in yet another nutshell, explains why she is so hated (in this case, a euphemism for feared) by liberal extremists.

Queen Extreme Nancy Pelosi verified all of this when she labeled the millions of tea party attendees around the country as a combination of the 3 afore-mentioned stereotypes.  Poor angry idiots who obviously cannot think for themselves and therefore desperately NEED Pelosi and her cohorts to lead them down the path of righteousness.

There it is.  Deal with it.

Just like that, Obama has disregarded the scandal over the manipulation of global-warming data. 
Ignore it and it will go away seems to be the thought process.
Unfortunately, that may be exactly what happens.  At this point, I don’t know WHAT it will take to get the public to sit up and realize the depth and breadth of the environmental scam that we are in the midst of.

So.  What IS it going to take, people?
Our President has decided to simply ignore the myriad of warnings that his refusal to consider the implications of the scandal and his determination to hold on to the weak science behind man-made global warming could impose huge costs on our nation and endanger our shaky (to say the least) economic situation.  (Whew.  Now THAT’S a run-on sentence.  True, though)
Even if congress does manage to sidestep the cap-and-trade deal, Obama’s stubbornness – backed by the EPA’s laughable logic -  will provide him with a way to impose tough new restrictions on greenhouse-gas emissions.

If you ignore, it will go away.  That is his logic and unfortunately, the logic of many Americans as well.

But will it be ENOUGH Americans?  Will enough of us just keep feeding away at the tainted trough that the few who DO step back and refuse to eat the poo-poo will be easily ignored?

Sigh.  Makes you wonder.

No doubt about it – it wouldn’t be Christmas without Dickens’s A Christmas Carol.  But the questions is who, in your opinion, is the ultimate Ebenezer Scrooge??

There are plenty of Scrooge’s to choose from, and I am offering here my top picks, one for a literal depiction of the story, and one from the many, many “based-on” depictions.

My top pick for “based-on”?  Bill Murray in Scrooged.  What a fabulous take-off on the original.  It cracks me up every time – Murray is a riot, Cratchett is a hoot, and the “spirits” are too funny, especially the Ghost of Christmas Present.  Even John Forsythe as Marley is hilarious!  And best of all, it keeps the spirit of the original story alive, so much so that for the last scene, I am laughing through tears.  If you haven’t seen it, you don’t know what you’re missing.

And – drumroll, please – for the ultimate portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge taken straight from the Dickens classic, no one – and I mean NO ONE – can beat George C. Scott.

Just WOW.

His portrayal is dead-on, from first moments of the movie, through the slow awakening of his senses to the final transformation.  Just takes my breath away, as does the FABULOUS costumes and scenery that make you feel as though you are right there in merry old England for the holiday.  The spirits are portrayed so convincingly that I cannot help but imagine Charles Dickens himself must have pictured them JUST THIS WAY when he wrote the story.

Scott was born to play Dickens.  No one else even comes close.

Okay – your turn.  Am I right?

In the words of Steve Martin in his heyday, “But noooooooooooo.”

What a dopey move.  Bowing to a foreign leader.  After the flack he took when he did it before the Saudi king, you would think he’d know better.

In the words of Steve Martin in his heyday, “But noooooooooooo.”

So there he is, our President, in a deep bow to the Japanese emperor.  Etiquette 101:  Our Presidents do not bow to members of royalty, dopey.  Give me a break.

Okay, in the overall scheme of things, it is not that big a deal.  But face it, he did set a presidential precedent by doing it. And it can easily be PERCEIVED as a big deal to other countries and as anybody in advertising will tell you, perception is reality.  Gee whiz, even the Japanese press slammed him for appearing week as a result of the bow!

Now straighten up and extend a hand in civility.  Quit bowing in perceived servitude.  It stinks.

And by the by, what is he doing on an Asian tour anyway?  What pressing business has taken him there?  Anyone?  Is he just trying to remove himself from the health care debate back home?

I’m just asking…

That’s what Obama has done for the moment – actually for a long string of “moments” – on the subject of the American presence in Afghanistan.  And in the larger sense, on the subject of the war on terror.

My problem is that I, too, cannot make a decision about how I feel concerning HIS decision to be indecisive.

Eek.

In truth, not making a decision is making a decision.  You have decided not to decide.

That’s what Obama has done for the moment – actually for a long string of “moments” – on the subject of the American presence in Afghanistan.  And in the larger sense, on the subject of the war on terror.

My problem is that I, too, cannot make a decision about how I feel concerning HIS decision to be indecisive.

Eek.

On the one hand, if he is not happy with the options, then he SHOULD refuse to agree to anything.  If he is not convinced of the wisdom of the alternatives offered him, then he should seek better alternatives rather than just choose the lesser of what he sees as evils.  Especially when it comes to something this important.

But then there is that pesky OTHER hand.  His hesitancy makes us – our country, that is, -  look weak and indecisive.  We appear uncommitted to protecting ourselves and the world at large from terrorists, where were once strongly committed, thereby giving terrorists the upper hand and leaving them an opening to strike.  Not to mention the fact that that perceived weakness is putting our troops currently present in Afghanistan at greater risk.

If we walk away, we literally turn the country over to terrorists.  Period.  Can we afford to do that?

And what if our president IS genuinely weak and indecisive?  What if he is truly in over his head?  It is an idea too frightening to think about.  But I suppose we must.

And what say you?

Seriously.  Hurray for Hillary.  Now who in the world could have seen THAT coming?

It can never be said that I have been a fan of Hillary Clinton.  Her policies and political ideals are about as far from my own as it is possible to get.  (I must say, though, for all her political faults – as I see them – I’d rather have her in the White House right now than Obama.)

I could go on and on about the problems I have with her politically and ethically.

HOWEVER…

The position of Secretary of State calls for someone with serious cajones.  And by golly, she’s got them.  As opposed to Obama’s now famous Apology Tour, Hillary is not apologizing to anyone.  None of this cow-towing and kissing up for her, no sireee. 

And I like that.

Now granted, I am unconvinced that her motives are pure.  I daresay she is more concerned with thumbing her nose at Obama than with furthering world peace.  But if furthering world peace – specifically America’s peace – is a side benefit of thumbing her nose at Obama, more power to her!

I also cannot say I understand her reasoning.  When she said on her recent trip that she could not understand how in the world Osama had not been found yet – if indeed they were really trying at all – it struck me that that is something that should have been said behind closed doors, diplomatically speaking.  But maybe she had her reasons.

In any case, I was never more pleasantly surprised when in a recent interview I heard her make reference to the current “war on terror”.

Excuse me?  Aren’t those words supposed to be banned from the mouths of anyone and everyone connected to the Obama administration?

You bet they are.  Using that phrase is a distinct no-no, straight from the mouth of the President himself.

But she said it.  And she MEANT to say it.  Call it what it is, girl.

It may not be a whole-hearted Hurray, but it’s still a Hurray.

Hurray for Hillary.

Now don’t get me wrong…

What a ridiculous discussion.  What a silly issue.  Surely it is a non-issue.  The very idea of still supporting corporal punishment at our schools is positively arcane.

Now don’t get me wrong…

Teachers’ immeasurably important jobs are made all the harder these days because of the attitude of many of today’s children – an attitude instilled by their parents, either intentionally or unintentionally.  But teachers spanking kids with a wooden paddle (or anything else, for that matter) is not the answer.  It never has been.

Lack of discipline at home leads to lack of discipline, period.  But it is not and has never been the job of a teacher to try to literally hit respect into a child. 

What IS the answer?  What will finally restore some kind of respect in some students for their teachers – indeed, for the institution of learning itself?  I don’t know.  But it has to be done in the home.

Honestly, I cannot believe this law is even still on the books, in Bristol or anyplace else.  Ridiculous.

Obama has set his hounds loose on a Fox hunt (Fox News, that is), determined to bring his prey down. 

The hounds – a.k.a. Emanuel and Axelrod – were set loose to attack the Fox over the past couple weeks, attempting to paint Fox News as an opinion outlet instead of a legitimate news source.  Obama himself joined the fray when he unleashed his own insults against the network this week. 

REALLY bad move, don’t you think?  More Americans get their news from Fox than any other cable news network AND any network source.  To make such accusations with nothing to back them up is like shooting at the proverbial fox with no bullets in the gun.

Let’s face it.  The hounds have no teeth.

But it is not only a bad move on the administration’s part because they will not win.  The worst part is how it makes them look:  whiney.  Like a bunch of crybabies lashing out at the one source that does not pander to their whims. 

Americans hate whiners.

In an opinion piece, Fox said the following:  “Every major cable and broadcast news channel operates as both (news format and opinion format) at different times of their broadcast day.  Clearly the public is smart enough to know the difference between news and opinion programming.  Why then pick on Fox?”

The answer is all too obvious.  Because the opinion shows on Fox are the only ones that don’t worship at the Obama alter. 

In any case, it belittles the office of the Presidency to lower itself to whine about dissenters.  I don’t recall any President in recent history – Republican or Democrat – doing it before.  They knew better.  Obama and his advisors,  unfortunately, do not.

Is it too much to ask that our leaders consider all of the healthcare options out there?  It shouldn’t be.

The Far Left keeps saying there ARE no Republican proposals on the table, but that’s just not true.  There are lots of options beyond those laid out by the Far Left.  We should demand that our leaders explore them, and take their time in doing so. 

I’m sick of feeling rushed in the healthcare debate, as though the world will end if something is not decided in the next couple months.  That’s ridiculous.  More than that, it’s stupid.

“Stupid” is a harsh word.  I save it for special occasions.  Like this.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal has taken up the banner, hoping to organize the Republican-offered alternatives and insist they be given serious consideration.  Granted, offering a Republican alternative to a Democratic-controlled congress may seem an exercise in futility.  But isn’t it important that it be noted that they tried?  There are more than 20 alternative healthcare bills out there already, many calling for tax cuts, tax breaks, malpractice reform.  None is given a snowball’s chance in your know where, but you can’t say the Republicans have not tried.

But the answer is simpler.  Simpler than Obamacare, or any Republican alternative as well.

Take the state boundaries off of insurance.  Let health insurance companies compete for our business, just like auto insurance companies do.  Nationally.

That’s it.  No need for anything more, in my opinion.  Competition will drive the prices down so that it is more affordable for more people, and the government will continue to take care of the lowest income people who have no way to pay. 

Why does everyone keep trying to make it more complicated than that?  And why aren’t any of our representatives – on EITHER side – pushing this?

So what is her secret to success?  Why is it that no matter how vocal her detractors, Sarah Palin continues to rise like cream to the top?

Her book is coming out November 17th with a first printing of 1.5 millions copies.  Which, if you didn’t know it, is huge in the publishing world.  (You can get a look at the book cover at this link:
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/Palin_book_Rogue/2009/10/02/267761.html )
The book is already an on-line bestseller before it has even been released.

You know my thoughts – I felt – feel - like her skipping out on what would have been the lame-duck final months of her governorship was a strategic move, allowing her to start building some international creds in preparation for a run as an Independent in 2012.  People on both sides of the aisle are clamoring for a candidate who is not beholden to a Party. 

The time is right.  The people are ready.

I already know what the Palin detractors are going to say – I’ve heard it all before.  But I’d love to hear from some folks who are genuinely interested in what her next move will be and whether or not she’s up to what could be a huge task.

Any Palin supporters out there?

In yet another desperate attempt to become (not remain, but become) relevant, Jimmy Carter goes off the deep end.  Again.

Carter has opined that it is not because we do not like Obama’s healthcare that - - well, that we do not like Obama’s healthcare plan. 

It is because he is black.

Thank you, Mr. Carter.  Thank you for reminding us – lest we ever forget – that you have become a joke.  Unfortunately, one without a laugh track.

His presidency was overall an embarrassment.  Such unarguable incompetence is seldom seen in such a glaring light.  However I was duly impressed with his after-presidency efforts when they focused on the worthy and worthwhile Habitat for Humanity. 

Of late, though, he has decided that that humanitarian enterprise was not enough, perhaps, to erase the memory of his failed presidency.  So he has begun weighing in with extremist viewpoints that a liberal press just eats up.

If only Obama were white, insinuates Carter, his big-government-big-brother ideology would not bother me at all.  With this outlandish comment, he automatically not only dismisses all dissenters but insults them personally. 

Fortunately, name calling – even ugly names – is not going to scare us away anymore.  There was a time when the fear of being labeled a racist caused some people to NEVER disagree with ANY minority about ANYTHING.  The fear of the “R” word was truly that great, and that fear was exploited unmercifully by those of a certain ilk. 

Evidently ex-pres Carter is of that ilk.

No more.  Nice try.  Wait.  Not even that.  Make that “lame try”, Carter.  Now go build a house and be useful.

What I want to talk about is why this person – in a position that was hardly pivotal in the administration – mattered. 

Make that “matters”.

(Jones/Johnson.  Whoops.  Heh heh.  My love of movies from the 40s is showing.  Anyway, at least I got everything else right - and I do mean EVERYTHING…)

I’m not going to talk about his background.  By now, you know it.  If you have been paying attention, you know who he is, and who he WAS until last Sunday.  You have seen the video documentation that he really did the things they say he did.  None of that, though, is the issue I want to address here.

What I want to talk about is why this person – in a position that was hardly pivotal in the administration – mattered. 

Make that “matters”.

Tuesday night, Glen Beck – who can be credited with bringing Johnson down almost singlehandedly – appeared on Bill O’Reilly’s show to talk about the incident.  I don’t know whether O’Reilly was being deliberately obtuse or not, but he kept saying that Jones was such a minor player overall that his resignation really didn’t matter.

Wrong.

In his 3 minutes of allotted time, Beck didn’t have a chance to sufficiently explain why it does matter. 

The problem with Jones, as well as all the other “czars” surrounding our President, can be summed up in three little words:

“Balance Of Power”.

Our government is set up via the Constitution to distribute power between three separate branches – Executive, Congressional and Judicial.  This distribution is vital, as the constitutional framers obviously knew.  Governmental power must not – can not – rest too heavily in one branch.

Oh, but it does, people.  Thanks to Obama, the scale is tipping heavily in his favor and will continue to do unless Congress says “Now, wait just one minute!”.

Not likely, unfortunately.  But the citizens are another matter.

See usually, the President appoints people to Cabinet and sub-Cabinet positions and those folks are subject to Congressional scrutiny. 

Not so with Obama’s czars.  No need for Congressional approval, for vetting, for any kind of scrutiny from anyone because, after all, these are not cabinet heads.  These are just informal advisors to the President.

(Note – there is nothing informal about being in ANY kind of advisory position to the President of the United States. Period.)

In the meantime, while the number of these so-called czars keeps growing, has anyone noticed that even after several months in office, Obama has yet to fill all the cabinet appointments, not to mention hundreds of sub-cabinet positions?

The Presidential branch of government is teeming with unsupervised, un-vetted advisors to the President.  While the Congressional branch of government is minus cabinet and sub-cabinet heads who would each normally wield a certain amount of very public authority.

Thus tips the scale.

Lamar Alexander summed it up today (Wednesday) when he said “It’s too much authority in one place, and it undermines the very careful system of checks and balances that the founders set up in the Constitution.”

Jones DOES matter.  Each unscrutinized czar matters. 

FUN FACT:  THE PRESIDENT HAS ABOUT 500 APPOINTMENTS TO MAKE ALTOGETHER THAT ARE SUBJECT TO SENATE CONFIRMATION.

In the meantime, I hear some folks are making a drinking game out of listening for some of his favorite quotes from health care speeches gone by:

I am positively atwitter with excitement about Obama’s last-chance (theoretically) pitch tonight for socialized medicine!  If he hopes to get folks behind it, he is going to have to offer something new tonight.  To say something different.

In the meantime, I hear some folks are making a drinking game out of listening for some of his favorite quotes from health care speeches gone by:

Slam one down each time you hear…

“Let me be clear…“

“The time to act is now…“

and “Nothing will change (for you and/or your doctor)“.

I don’t think anyone will get wasted playing this game, but I’ve been wrong before.  Let’s see, shall we?

…and 2 steps back.  That’s our government for ya!

As of Tuesday, the feds decided to require federal contractors to use the E-Verify system to check the citizenship and immigration status of people they hire to work federal contracts.

Well, duh.  Kind of stupid that they haven’t been doing that all along, but at least they’re doing it now – “it” being making sure that our own government is not hiring people who are in the country illegally to do government work.  Until now they have only used some silly paper application that just about anybody could fake.  So things are cool now, right?

Um, not exactly.  If you read further in the announcement of this new procedure, you pick up on little things.  Like that the new rule only applies to contracts over $100,000.  That it only applies to contracts that last longer than 120 days.  That it only applies to contracts that do not involve “commercially available products”.

Huh?  What does that last one even mean??

In order for a rule like this to indicate true progress – even a tiny degree of progress – there cannot be exceptions.  And there are no legitimate reasons for these exceptions to exist.  Either our government is not in the practice of hiring illegal aliens, or they are.

And for now, it looks like they are.  Still. 

Like I said, one step forward, two steps back.

These particular cases took my thinking down a path I want to share with you here and get your thoughts on.

It’s about prison.  This isn’t a new question, but it IS one I think worthy of debate and consideration. 

I’ve been following the trials of a couple of particularly horrendous regional murders lately.  No, it’s not a hobby.  Just keeping an eye on the evil that exists in society.  Usually it is quiet, often unnoticed, but sometimes it rears it’s ugly head for all to see. 

These particular cases took my thinking down a path I want to share with you here and get your thoughts on.

It’s about prison.  This isn’t a new question, but it IS one I think worthy of debate and consideration. 

Does or can prison rehabilitate?  And should that even be it’s role?  Punishment or rehabilitation?  And don’t say “both”  because I really don’t think that it is possible for jail to carry both roles.  At least, not successfully.

Punishment?  Well, incarceration is definitely not a preferred way of living.  However with the amenities available to many prisoners these days, it is not always the harsh punishment some may have originally intended it to be.

Rehabilitation?  Okay, I’m all for second chances.  But if it is about trying to honestly rehabilitate someone, then therapy is called for, and schooling and societal instruction and such.  There is no role for “punishment” in successful rehabilitation.

Or is the goal simply removal from society?  And if that IS the goal, then should every sentence be a life sentence?

There are so many ins and outs and what ifs and then agains when it comes to jail time.  How long is long enough?  For one such as myself who does not believe in the death penalty, it is sometimes a bit of a struggle to come to satisfactory answers on the topic.  I just wondered what YOUR thoughts are on the subject…

Let me clarify.  That is what people do WHEN the government gets out of their way and let’s them do it.

See?  This is the America I believe in.  An America – that is, Americans, for what is a country but the people who live in it? – whose citizens take care of each other.  Reach out to each other.  Not because they are told to.  Not because they are forced to.  But because that is what people do….

Let me clarify.  That is what people do WHEN the government gets out of their way and let’s them do it.

No where is that more obvious than here in the Tri-Cities.

Operation Insasmuch, a grassroots group of citizens determined to live out their Christian values by giving a helping hand to those in need, recently put their beliefs into action in Bristol.

http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/operation_inasmuch_grassroots_christian_aid_comes_to_bristol/30652/
The Remote Area Medical Clinic has come to Wise 10 years in a row.  Thousands of people receive free eye care, glasses and dental care - something that is crucial to your overall health -  who could not otherwise afford it.

http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/opinion/editorials/article/eager_to_hear_obamas_health_care_talk/29648/

There are medical clinics in each city run by volunteers and staffed by medical professionals for the “working poor” – those who work and make too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford health insurance on their own. 

The churches who do outreach work to the poor in our communities are too numerous to count.

Look, I am not saying that volunteerism is the whole and complete answer to whatever health care problems exits in our country.  But it is a big part of it, and who knows how much bigger a role it COULD play if we didn’t pay so much in taxes that the Government decides how to distribute.

When it comes to helping others, more often than not, people rise to the occasion.  When some one – or some thing – has their foot on your back, though, it makes it a bit hard.

Need more evidence?  Have you checked out Christian Healthcare Ministries?  Go ahead.  Take a look – http://www.chministries.org.

Who?

ALL of them.

I spoke with my personal political guru (and brother-in-law) today, and I think he has once again hit the nail on the head.  They have to go.

Who?

ALL of them.

Like so many Americans - more than anyone suspected - I have had it up to HERE with the politicians whose choices are responsible for the mess we are in right now, on so many levels.

Republicans.  Democrats.  First termers and lifers.  Matters not.  If they are an incumbent, then we have to throw them out!  ALL of them. 

It was the choices they made, the votes they cast, the deals they made that brought us here.  Things are going from bad to worse, they’re going there fast.  So regardless of their party, as far as I am concerned, time’s up.  Game over.  Recast the whole lot of them.

In every upcoming election - unless someone is an obvious buffoon - the new guy gets my vote.  If I have choice between a new guy who is Rep or a Dem and an Independent, the Independent gets it.  The important thing is that our politicians get the message. 

Now I want to say something like “And if you have a lick of sense, you will do the same thing with your vote as well.“  Maybe that is too harsh.  Or, maybe you too, HAVE HAD IT!

We have Medicaid to protect the very poor.  We have Medicare to protect the very old.  Both systems are rife with corruption, mishandling, and waste, and both are run by the government.

…but I suppose somebody has to. 

We have Medicaid to protect the very poor.  We have Medicare to protect the very old.  Both systems are rife with corruption, mishandling, and waste, and both are run by the government.

So.  If the far-left liberals are so all-fired sure that the government is able to run a health care system and run it well, then shouldn’t our goal be to fix Medicare and Medicaid before we do anything else? 

No, neither of those systems can help those of us who are not old enough for one and not poor enough for the other, and not quite well-off enough to afford private insurance.  So for now, we continue to go without.

But before taking on the bigger challenge of providing health insurance to every American, shouldn’t they have to prove that at the very least, they can take care of those that the system is already set up for?

I’m just asking…

It is another rousing round of “Ooooh, look at the shiiiinnnnyyyyy object” on Obama’s part.  And there is nothing “stupid” about it.

Let’s look at this thing.  It started with the show (aka press conference) on health care.  Now in case you have not noticed, Obama’s press conferences are pretty much staged - especially those that take place during these prime time side shows.  The media is allowed only a certain number of questions on only certain topics.  And here, in the middle of a supposedly vital push for Government health care, Obama allows an off-subject question.  Something about the economy?  About North Korea?  About his snubbing of Georgia and Ukraine?  Nope.  It was a question about a supposed race incident involving one of his friends.

You didn’t think that question was a surprise, did you?  That was the shiny object.  And it worked - or rather the media allowed it to work.  MADE it work.  Because the next day, no one was talking about health care, for a change.  They were talking about the shiny object.

Of course his use of the word “stupid” was inappropriate, especially since he admitted he did not know all of the facts.  In fact it could be called a “stupid” thing to do.  But Obama is not stupid.  So.  Why does a person who is not stupid do something stupid?  To distract you from something else. 

It only SOUNDS paranoid.  I know, I know.  But think about it.  And about what it has accomplished.

Obama brought the race issue into the spotlight exactly when he wanted to.  He does not do ANYthing he does not want to, and never without a specific goal in mind.  So now he subtly reminds that HE is a man of color and racism still exists and - - well, I’ll let you take that wherever you want. 

Inviting the cop and his buddy to the White House for a beer was, in my opinion, inappropriate.  The beer part runs all over me.  But that’s just me.  Once again, though, it was inappropriate but not stupid.  It allows him to drag things out and keep the race issue taking up space in the headlines for awhile.  And in doing so, it is taking headine space away from issues that actually matter at this moment in history.  Of course both men will have to accept - his buddy willingly, I’m sure, and the cop, because he will look like a racist if he doesn’t.  More time, more talk, more shiny objects.

No, Obama is not stupid.  But he does have one fatal flaw, and I think it may well prove to be his undoing.

He thinks WE are stupid.  In fact, he is counting on it. 

Just as troubling is that they are so determined to ram it through so quickly.  The speed with which they want to make the plan law should be sending red flags up left AND right!  The whole proposal by its very nature demands thoughtful consideration and debate. 

National healthcare run by the government is such a ridiculous idea, I have a hard time understanding why anyone is in favor it. 

Anybody remember Tenncare?

Just as troubling is that they are so determined to ram it through so quickly.  The speed with which they want to make the plan law should be sending red flags up left AND right!  The whole proposal by its very nature demands thoughtful consideration and debate. 

This isn’t the first proposal that the hard left has rammed down our throats before the signers could even read the details.  Surely it won’t happen again.  Not with healthcare.  Not with something this huge. 

Yeah.  Right.

Supposedly a group of six centrist and conservative senators sent various leaders a letter urging delay in considering health care reform last Friday.  Don’t know if it will do any good.  Obama is pushing hard for a final vote before they recess next month.  Geez.  Again, doesn’t the speed and urgency scare anyone else?

Here’s a little gem I found from Media Research Center President Brent Bozell.  The UT(exas) Health Science Center, along with Zogby Internation did a poll and found that 84% of Americans – including 46% without health insurance – are either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with the health care they currently receive.  The poll was released last Wednesday but the media ignored it!

So today Bozell says “The media need to stop acting like arsonists when it comes to their reporting on the U.S. health care system, starting a fire and then suggesting to put it out the government takeover of 1/5th of our economy. 

“There is no health care crisis.  The American people are overwhelmingly satisfied with the health care they currently receive.  The media should report this instead of helping incite for the socialist solution - the government making our most vital life and death health decisions. 

“The real crisis here is the crisis of confidence that the American people have in the media.  The press need to stop creating calamities where there are none, and instead do what they are charged with doing – reporting the facts.”

And there it is.  Most of us are okay with things as-is.  It is the politicians – who have no personal health care worries – who have determined that we are wrong to be satisfied.

Geez, could all this stink even more?

Obama had a few words on the subject as well today.  He is not going to take this like he wants us to – lying down.

“This isn’t about me.  This isn’t about politics.  It is about a health care system that is breaking American families.”

Really?  Which families?  Where are they?  They certainly are not the majority in America – not by a long shot. 

One trillion.  The way numbers get thrown around on capital hill, it is easy to miss the true impact of a trillon dollars.  Let’s see what we can do about that.

According to NASA, if one were to count the national Debt at the rate of one dollar per second, we’d have to use a mechanical counter to click off the digits because if we counted in the usual way, saying “one, two, three, …“ etc., there would be numbers whose names are so large, that it would take more than a second of clock time to pronounce them. For example: “Nine hundred and ninety nine billion, nine hundred and ninety nine million, nine hundred and ninety nine thousand, nine hundred and ninety nine,“ takes about 8 seconds to pronounce.

According to mint.com, a trillion dollar bills laid end to end would reach the sun, and one trillion dollars in pennies would weigh as much as 2,755,778 Argentinosauruses (the largest known dinosaur). 

Also according to mint.com, one trillion dollars can pay the rent for every renter in the U.S. for three years, or the mortgages of every homeowner for 14 months.

My favorite, though, comes from Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell:  “If you spent a million dollars a day every single day since Jesus was born, you still would not have spent a trillion dollars”.  Only 3/4 of a million, to be exact.

Amazing.  That is our national debt. 

Now are you ready for another stunner?

Since Barack Obama has been President – about six month, give or take –  he has spent about 1.2 trillion dollars.  The entire amount of our national debt.  About a billion dollars an hour.  I’m just saying…

You know, people talk a lot about the debt we incurred during Bush’s eight years.  Now while I certainly take umbrage with some of the things Bush spent money on (unwisely, in my opinion), you have to figure in the WHOLE story.  Which is that during those years, we had Hurricane Hugo.  We had 9/11.  We had the dot/com bubble burst.  We had the war with Afghanistan.  These things were not of Bush’s doing.  Be they natural or man-made disaster, the truth is that they each cost bazillions of dollars. 

Like I said, you gotta take the whole picture into consideration. 

We’ve heard it all.

Except what I think she REALLY has in store…

Do NOT underestimate Sara Palin.  “She quit to push her book”, “She quit to sidestep distractions that were not food for Alaska”, “She quit to run for national office”.  “She quit because of her legal bills”.  “She quit to protect her family”.

We’ve heard it all.

Except what I think she REALLY has in store…

Mark my words, people.  This is just the FIRST thing Sara Palin is going to quit.  First, the governorship.

Next?  The Republican party.

Just wait and see.  The country is ripe for – and in desperate need of – people willing to step outside traditional party lines.

Thank goodness.  It’s about time we conservative independents had somebody to rally behind.

Oh, she’s prepping for national service, alright, but don’t expect it until 2016.  Until then, maybe she’ll run for Senate or Congress, maybe not.  But she is going to ditch the Republican party faster than you can say “You go, girl”.

Count on it.  Watch for it.  I can’t wait to do the Told-You-So dance!

Wow.  This is good stuff.

Whenever I find a book I really enjoy, I can’t wait to pass it on to someone else to read.  So I figured this time, with this book, who better to pass my copy on to than one of my fellow political junkies on the blog?

So if you would like to have my personal copy of Common Sense – written by Beck, inspired by Thomas Paine – read on…

I just started reading Glen Beck’s new book “Common Sense”. 

Wow.  This is good stuff.

Whenever I find a book I really enjoy, I can’t wait to pass it on to someone else to read.  So I figured this time, with this book, who better to pass my copy on to than one of my fellow political junkies on the blog?

So if you would like to have my personal copy of Common Sense – written by Beck, inspired by Thomas Paine – read on…

Here’s what I will do.  I will take the names of anyone who wants the book, write the names on pieces of paper, and randomly draw out a winner next Monday.  (Sorry, gotta trust me!)  I will let you who won here on the blog site and all you have to do is send me your address (I’ll give you a private way to do that) and I will send you the book.

I do not care if you are Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal – it doesn’t matter.  Which, by the way, is also the tone of the book.  Regardless of your political affiliation, there are certain things which unite us.  Things which our representatives have forgotten or choose to ignore. 

So you can either add some comments if you like, or just send the words “Gimme That Book!!” when you “comment”.  I look forward to sharing with you my thoughts about the book as I read, and the book itself with you, too!

I’m not saying he was not a massively influential figure in American music.  Heck, I bebopped to the J-5, boogied to Beat It, and thrilled to Thriller just like everybody else.

But c’mon.  Was it really necessary for the supposed-NEWS channels to devote almost 24 hours a day for the first two days to MJ? 

No, he didn’t OD.  At least, not as far as we know yet.  But I have overdosed on him, no doubt about it.

I’m not saying he was not a massively influential figure in American music.  Heck, I bebopped to the J-5, boogied to Beat It, and thrilled to Thriller just like everybody else.

But c’mon.  Was it really necessary for the supposed-NEWS channels to devote almost 24 hours a day for the first two days to MJ? 

See, THIS is one of the reasons why too many people put way too much stock in “celebrities”.  Because the media tells them to.  Same thing happened when Anna Nicole died – a women who contributed pretty much nothing aside from some moments of mild entertainment during her lifetime.  Yet the media acted as though Joan Of Arc had just passed away.

Jackson may have contributed more - specifically to music and dance - but the treatment they got was pretty much the same.  If I don’t think Jackson rates, you can imagine how frustrated I was by the media reaction to Smith’s death.

When dopey Greta Van-whatshername shows up with a mic and a cameraman, you can pretty much count on the trash factor setting in.  Okay, that was ugly.  Maybe it’s just me.  I really can’t handle that woman’s on-air persona.  I digress.  Anyway…

There is huge news going on in politics, much of which we will delve into this week.  Yes, Jackson’s death was worth reporting.  But was it worth a 72 hour lovefest?  No.  Not only was it not worth it, it was kind of insulting.

Well, not so much “what” but “who”.  They may be protesting for more individual rights and for fairness in government, but is the man who is – for the moment – the figurehead of their protests worthy of that position?
If not, it could turn out to be a serious setback to their movement.  A movement that is showing signs of momentum, though I would not compare it – as some have – to the Iranian version of Teheneman Square.

Still….

Mir Hossein Mousavi – the opposition leader – is now supported by former president and reformist Mohammad Khatami.

Hardline president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is backed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who holds ultimate power in Iran.

The names may be tricky for some of us, but we would do well to learn and remember them.  See, this is all made even more confusing by Iran’s government-controlled media.  “7 people dead in protests!  No, wait, it’s 27!  It’s a massacre!  It’s a mistake!” Despite the efforts of American reporters to get the truth out, it is a struggle.  Add in images from Twitter and the like and it gets even hard to figure out what is really going on.

It is important though.  And it will become moreso in the weeks/months to come.  So we have to try to keep up. 

Any insights, comments and/or opinions on the situation in Iran are welcome, as always.

As for me, I’m just trying to keep up.

Sunday morning, I watched the top Republican on the House Intelligence (ha) Committee in an interview, commenting on the protests and uprisings in Iran.  He speculated that the protests will spread.  That young Iranians want is free elections, more opportunities, less oppression, etc. 

I am not sure what he bases that on.  Wishful thinking?

No doubt about the desire for a fair election – the protests make that obvious.  But if look closely, of the two candidates vying for the position of President, one is almost as bad as the other.  It seems that one is open about pursuing nuclear tech, and the other intends to do the same thing, only in secret.

What a choice.

Meantime, lots of the usual Republicans are crying out that Obama is not doing enough to support the protestors.  They are wrong (the pundits, not the protestors.)

Obama has done just enough.  The last thing we want is to be tagged as is meddlesome Americans.  Obama has pretty clearly come down on the side of “reformers” but stopped short of flaming the fire as Hannity and the like would have him do.  We need to be quietly supportive but from distance, not thrusting ourselves into the middle of what Iran’s people are going through.

Not yet anyway.  We need to play wait and see for the moment.

In the meantime, it is crazy to assume that the Iranian citizens who believe the election was “fixed” against their candidates are “reformers”.

That will not be known until some who wants clear and obvious reform comes along to lead the movement.  If a baby step toward some version of democracy is, indeed, what the population wants, then I pray someone comes along to lead them there.

This guy is killing me.  He just keeps pushing and pushing.  Now he says he is going to shoot a missile at Hawaii on the 4th of July.  He just can’t help himself, can he!?!

Of course, technically he is going to aim the missile TOWARD Hawaii, not AT it.  Still, this guy is a nut.  He’s like the kid making faces and jabbing at the caged gorilla.  Question is, will the gorilla finally have enough and eat the kid?  Or are the bars strong enough to hold him?

State Dems want more taxes.  State Republicans want more spending cuts.
Finally!  Each party is living up to its reputation.

With Republicans spending like drunken democrats in the last few years – especially on the national level – it’s nice to see them looking at spending cuts at last as an alternative.

You can read the background of the upcoming economical firestorm at http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/tenn._revenues_fall_112_million_short_in_april/25130/

But I just want to look at one little tiny piece of the budget as an example of Republicans I FINALLY don’t resent:

It is about 375,000 dollars that the Governor – and all senate democrats – want to spend to support a statewide poison control center with a toll free line where people can call for quick medical advice.  Without the money, the program doesn’t happen.

The Republicans wanted to cut it.  Every Dem on the Senate Finance Committee voted to keep it.

Doofuses.  What do they think 911 is for?  Quick medical advice in case of an emergency – including poisoning – PLUS the dispatching of medical personnel. 

This redundant idea is just – as I said – a tiny piece of the pie.  But I think it is one heck of a good barometer as to how our politicians think and which ones are using common sense.

No, I have not and probably will not in the foreseeable future forgive the Republican Party for their stupid mistakes.  But this one they’re getting right.  I hope they stick to their guns.