Key West to Cuba - now boarding

I am just a dumb redneck from the middle of nowhere.  But, why would we resume commercial flights from Key West to Cuba?

Why?  What good could possibly come from that?  Obama has allowed this to happen, btw.

There are just some things that I don't understand.

Like, "we can learn so much from eastern religions."

Really?  What can we learn?  Like, how to make women chattel instead of people?

I also don't understand claiming that something is a religion of peace, when it clearly isn't.

Yup, a religion where terrorists with high-powered rifles walk into malls, quiz people on their religion and shoot the people who get the answers wrong, all while screaming, "Allah Akbar!"  That sure sounds like a religion of peace to me.

So, now we are going to have a "cultural exchange" with Cuba.  Cuba has been run by communist dictators since 1959.  Why would we want a cultural exchange with them?

Of course!  To enrich our culture.  We are too imperialist and oppressive.  We need to learn more from communist Cuba.

My ass.

Let's hear from the super hot hunk, William Levy, on what it was like growing up in Cuba.  (Remember?  I watch Dancing with the Stars.)

"The actor tells ABC’s Nightline that as a child growing up in Cuba he was always hungry. Cuba rations out food to families so tight that there was only enough for bread in the morning and food at night, says Levy.

When he arrived in the United States from Cuba at 14-years-old, he was shocked to see so much food available at the grocery stores. It was the first time he saw an apple and a strawberry, he tells Nightline.

“It’s a do-or-die situation. You can’t just stay there and let people step all over you,” Levy says, adding that he was ready to escape the communist island on a raft."

Let's open up a cultural exchange with them!  We have so much to learn!

And the bizarro, backward world buffoonery continues.

Ok, bear with me here.  I was sick for a while, then that whole puzzle thing got me sidetracked.  So, I am playing a little bit of catch-up right now.

Let me get this straight - the scientists who have been stuck in ice for the past week - they are climate change scientists who set out to prove that climate change is real?

Am I getting that right?

Just remember, after it was proven that the polar ice caps are thicker than they have been since recordings started, "global warming" quietly was changed to "climate change."  I didn't get an apology letter, did you?  All of that global warming nonsense, was nonsense.  It went away and has now been changed to a new fear-mongering tactic - climate change.

And, they call us fear-mongers!

Sheesh.

Here is the thing, we are living in bizarro, backward world.  And, I have been on record saying it all this time.

In 40 years, I will be convalescing in a diaper in a home somewhere in Boca and some young reporter will run up and say, "Wow!  It is you!  Redneckmominthehood!  You were right all along!"

And, I will say, "Hunh?  Is it time for applesauce?"

It doesn't matter how many times a person says a lie, it doesn't make it true.  It doesn't matter how many names a person screams at a person who is telling the truth, it doesn't change the truth.

Socialism doesn't work.  Socialized healthcare won't work.  Government entitlement programs don't lift people out of poverty, the free market does.

And, the polar ice caps are thicker than they have been for the past 15 years.

Can someone get that message down to the climate change experts who are currently stuck in a thick layer of ice?

A new liberal low

There used to be a term for it.

NC - no class.

I can just see Fat Albert and the "gang" shuffling along the sidewalk next to the playground.  With their crazy 70s clothes, that one guy who walked goofy and even the kid who had a hat over his face, they were still completely capable of identifying someone who had absolutely no class.

In the spirit of the Cosby kids (and that catchy song at the end, I loved that!) I would like to nominate Melissa Harris-Perry to the NC category.

On her MSNBC show, Harris-Perry showed a photo of the smiling Romney clan.  Maybe it was their Christmas card, I don't know.  I'm not on that list.  Hey, Mitt, call me!

In the photo, Mitt and Ann Romney are surrounded by their clan, all wearing coordinating outfits and huge smiles.  Mitt is holding two small children on his lap.  One is clearly biologically generated from the handsome Romney DNA. The other, who appears to be black, is equally loved, yet clearly produced from another gene pool.

So, ok, some Romney adopted a child.  The Romneys are colorblind and have no qualms about showing it as evidenced by the prominent display of the adopted child on Mitt's knee, instead of hiding the baby discreetly behind a well-groomed ficus.

So back to MSNBC, I am pulling this quote from columnist Howard Kurtz.  (Thank you for showing me how to cut and past, Ashley!)

"As viewers looked at the picture of tiny Kieran Romney, one of the panelists, Pia Glenn, sang: "One of these things is not like the other, one of these things just isn't the same." 

Harris-Perry chimed in that "my goal is that in 2040, the biggest thing of the year will be the marriage between Kieran Romney and North West. Can you imagine Mitt Romney and Kanye West as in-laws?" 

Then came comedian Dean Obeidallah, chortling that the photo "really sums up the diversity of the Republican Party, the RNC. At the convention they find the one black person." 

Ok, it's me again.  If those were conservative commentators, they would be fired.

Period.

Heads would roll and their resumes would be warm and waiting on the printer right by the water cooler and the elevator.

What has happened to us?

Somewhere between, "Now, I'm gonna sing a song for you!" with me dancing in my footy pjs in front of my 3 channel TV set that was also a piece of furniture and today, we have taken a wrong turn.

I didn't notice or care that all of the Cosby gang was black.  I see now that they were tennis-shoe-kicking through an inner city neighborhood, not frolicking on my 5 acre lawn.  But, I didn't care.  There was a good song and a good lesson.

When did it become ok to be so terribly, viciously racist?

When asked to clarify, defend or retract their tasteless, NC statements, apologies were made to the baby.

Snark artist, anyone?

So, while I was watching Fat Albert and not caring that the people on it were black, there were black kids out there being raised to dislike white people?  I don't understand, I don't get it.

I think I am offended.

NC, man, noooo class.

Random thoughts

Obama loves communism.  Well, all liberals do, they love it, slobber over it, praise it, get Pulitzers writing about it.  Putin thinks that Obama is an idiot.  Does anyone else think that is funny?

In a new level of low, Obama's BFF, Beyonce, used some audio from the 1986 space shuttle disaster in one of her songs.  The offended and grieved families have asked her for an apology.  Her response says, in part, "My heart goes out to the families..."  At no point, not once, does she say, "I am sorry."  It must be great being the 1%.

We turned off the wii u for, like, 5 seconds.  My daughter was reading a book about the pilgrims.  Ah, parental success!  That is two for those of you keeping score.  She told me that the pilgrims were praying.  I said, "Radicals! Extremists! Terrorists!"  She didn't laugh.

So, the NY Times has written an article saying that Al Qaeda isn't responsible for the murderous terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya on September 11, 2012.  Whew!  Glad they cleared that up.  Of course, people on the ground know it is all a lie and are saying so.  I saw a clip of a press conference.  Can you even believe the snarky way in which Obama's spokespeople belittle the murder of those Americans by terrorists?  It matters to people.

People are people.  There are good democrats and there are bad republicans.  I know that.  But, the party that tends to not believe in God, tends to tear down marriage, tends to not value life, tends to believe that government has all of the answers, tends to NOT believe in personal freedom, low taxes, limited government and freedom.

It really is that simple.

Which one do you want?

1 million sign up for Obamacare

And, they are acting like that is a good thing.

Seriously?

Let's think about this for a second.  The Obama administration spent a billion dollars on a program that is supposed to help a million people?  And, they are proud of that?

That number is staggering.  A staggering failure.  If a business had those numbers, well, they would be out of business.  The business would be a laughingstock, actually.  And, if the owners of this business, then went to the board of directors and asked for more money, they would be thrown out of the office.

But, that isn't how this works, is it?  Obamacare won't get tossed in the liberal trash heap on top of Solyndra.  Nope, it will stay in business, no matter how dismal a failure it is.  And, the board of directors won't laugh when asked for more money.  That is you and me and we will be forced to continue to fund this nightmare.

The administration was getting a little cocky because the healthcare.gov site can handle 83,000 users now.  Wow!  Let's recap, again, Walmart's site can handle 1.1 million users an hour.

It's like this is a joke to them or something.  There is nothing to be cocky about.  Well, if incompetence and complete mediocrity is your goal, then I guess they have something to be cocky about.  Or, if you figure that Obama dumped over 6 million people off their health insurance, then signed up 1 million (under duress.) More than 1/2 of the people he set out to help with Obamacare (the uninsured) don't plan to sign up for Obamacare.  It is a complete disaster and while real people and insurance companies (who do need to stay in business btw) scramble to make sense out of the mess, you jet off for 2 weeks in Hawaii.

Sweet!  We totally fooled them!  Wow, they are dumb.

The puzzle

I have had some sort of flu or virus or something for about a week.  It is probably good that it is Christmas time because I could do a little less work and a little more sitting around.

I even hosted a party without leaving the couch.  We put all of the food on the coffee table, my neighbor gave me hot, spiced wine (medicinal) our kids played, husbands drank and we had a really nice party.

Finally, a few days after Christmas, I woke up and I was well.  For the first time in over a week, I didn't feel like crawling right back in bed.  I could have scurried up to my office and worked all day.  Perhaps I should have.  But, I didn't.  I decided to make meaningful memories with my children on that snowy, after-Christmas day.

I cracked open a brand new puzzle, asked the kids to turn off the wii and to put it together with me.

You would have thought that I had killed Santa Claus.  The lip, the 'tude, the fits, it was unbelievable!  I told them that if we could put the edge together, they could go back to their electronics.  That worked out pretty well.  It was a little mermaid puzzle (don't let that fool you, it was a hard puzzle) so they sang the songs and we worked happily for a little while.

Ah, parental success!

Soon enough, we finished the edge and they were off like a shot.

Very quickly, that puzzle became, for me, much more than a puzzle.  It was an opportunity to take control of my life.  It was a chance to work hard and finish a project and with each piece, I found an answer to different questions about the big puzzle - my life.

Why do some family members insist on fighting during the holidays?  I don't know, but I can finish Ariel's darn, flipping tail.  Click.

Will everything be ok with my job?  Probably, but right now, I don't have to worry about it, I can make this fish.  Click.

I spent several nights alone with a glass of wine and that puzzle.  I spent several mornings alone with a cup of coffee and that puzzle.

I thought about Obamacare.  Nothing I can do about that.  Oh!  There is a piece of the castle.  Click.

And free speech, the war on Christmas and Christians, click, click. I thought about the pervasiveness of liberalism and how it is taking over our country.  Click.

As Ariel and her prince took shape before my eyes,the picture came clearly into focus.

There is nothing that I can do about any of these things, except fight.  And, I will continue to fight.  You should, too.

Call your local church and thank them for proudly displaying a nativity.  Write a letter to Mattel and ask them to call "holiday" Barbie "Christmas" Barbie next year.  Don't give any interviews to GQ, no matter how many times they call.

Go to Chik-fil-a, be nice to people.  Give someone your seat, let someone go in front of you in line.  Talk about freedom, talk about lower taxes.  Mention how inefficient the government is when you are at the post office.

:)

And, get boots on the ground - yours.  We absolutely have to get limited government, free market republicans into office. We have to.

So, what is your puzzle?  What is your life going to look like in 2014?

I can't wait to find out.  Can you?

Happy New Year!

Phil wins

But, it really isn't just Phil that wins.  Everyone wins because free speech wins.

Duck Dynasty family member, Phil Robertson, has just been reinstated by A & E on his own show.

I have heard several people say that this isn't about free speech because a government body isn't involved.  This is an argument between a public figure and his employer.

But, it is about free speech, it is about the fundamental right of Americans to freely express their opinions.  It is the right that allows the gay community so much free speech.

Just to recap, in an interview with GQ, Phil quoted some verses from the Bible.  I have heard people express outrage and offense at the Bible verses quoted.  This is dangerous, people.  If we start getting offended by books, we are on our way to Nazi Germany.

Phil went on to say some kinda graphic, crude things.  But, he was very clear that he doesn't hate anyone.  He treats everyone, even people who are different from him, with respect.

We are living in a world where we have proudly broken down barriers.  For some reason, it is totally ok to walk into the office and say, "My spouse and I are trying to get pregnant!"

TMI

But, we are all pretty sure that it is NOT ok to rush into an office meeting, late, all rumpled up and say, "I'm sorry I am late, my spouse and I were up late having sex."

So, now we have all of these blurred lines.  A kid kissing someone's hand is "sexual harassment."  If she had been running around kissing little boys, she would have been a "sexual confident" child.

I am so sorry to say this to gay people, but really no one cares that you are gay.  I grew up with several gay people.  We all knew, but, we didn't say anything about it because we didn't care and we loved them no matter what.

Also, WE WERE TOO POLITE TO SAY ANYTHING.

We need some more of that.  No one cares if someone else is gay.  It is the whole "in your face, shove it down your throat" mentality that has gotten so much airtime.  That is the problem.

You know that show Modern Family?  The gay guy with a chip on his shoulder is struggling to get his partner and adopted child into an airplane.  Someone says, "Wow, look at that cream puff!"

He immediately and ridiculously dresses down the entire airplane for their insensitivity.  He looks like a complete fool.

Then, the person who spoke holds up a large puff pastry.  The gay man sits down all embarrassed.

The point is, no one cares if someone is gay and had adopted a baby from China.  We just don't want to hear at it all the time.  Just like you don't want to hear about what goes on in my house and every little thing that my little rednecks do.

See?

Let's go back to being a more polite society which doesn't talk about all these things.  Let's talk about making America's business community stronger, not weaker by taking about personal stuff all the time.

Camille Paglia, a social critic and a lesbian activist, is among the many who have blasted the A&E Networks for suspending "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson for sharing his belief that homosexuality is a sin. She called the action "utterly fascist and utterly Stalinist."

"I think that this intolerance by gay activists toward the full spectrum of human beliefs is a sign of 
immaturity, juvenility," Paglia went on to say. "This is not the mark of a true intellectual life."

Kwanzaa

We are doing this whole blog thing to be educated, right?

Ever wondered about Kwanzaa?  My step dad is black.  He says, "I'm not African-American!  I've never been to Africa!  I'm black!"

So, that is how our family has always kinda viewed the whole "African-American" thing.

I don't call myself British-German-Cherokee American.  All good rednecks are Scots-Irish with a little Cherokee.  Seriously, ask anyone.  I get so red in the summer.  Anyway...

Since our family has never been big in this whole calling-ourselves-another-country-plus-American-thing, I did a little research on Kwanzaa.

The holiday Kwanzaa was invented by an American professor, Maulana Karenga in 1966.  The African word is really "kwanza" and means harvest but he added the extra 'a' for emphasis.

Kwanzaa starts on December 26 and ends on January 1.

Kwanzaa celebrates 7 African principles.  They are:

1. Umoja-unity: success starts with unity, unity of family, community, nation and race

2. Kujichagulia-self determination: to be responsible for ourselves , to create your own destiny

3. Ujima-collective work and responsibility: to build and maintain your community together

4. Ujamaa-collective economics: to build, maintain and support our own stores, establishments  and businesses

5. Nia- purpose: to restore African American people to their traditional greatness.

6. Kuumba-creativity: using creativity to make your communities better than what you inherited

7. Imani-faith: believing in our people, our families, our educators, our leaders and the righteousness of the African American struggle.

So, that is what it is all about. I wish that we just all celebrated being American.

Don't you?

Jahi McMath

I just can't believe this.  Have you heard about this young woman?  A 13 year old was having a routine tonsillectomy when she started having breathing problems.  She lost an excessive amount of blood and within 3 days was brain dead.

It is just so horrible, it is hard to even think about.  Imagine going to the hospital for a routine surgery.  Then, inexplicably, you lose your child.

But, here is the reason that I am blogging about it - the California hospital in which Jahi is staying wants to take her off life support.

What?!?

I figured that the parents would be the ones who decide whether or not their child stays on life support or not.  In this case, no.  Since a doctor has pronounced her brain dead, the hospital has no responsibility to keep her on life support and the hospital is pushing to pull the plug.

Is this because of Obamacare?

A judge had to intervene on behalf of the family.  He said to keep her on life support until December 30.

My heart goes out to this family.  Jahi is on a ventilator.  She is alive, I can't even imagine how hard this must be.  But, to have to fight with the doctors and the hospital every step of the way makes this completely unbearable.

God bless Jahi and her family.

Merry Christmas

Luke.2

[1] And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
[2] (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
[3] And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
[4] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
[5] To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
[6] And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
[7] And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
[8] And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
[9] And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
[10] And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
[11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
[12] And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
[13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

[14] Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
[15] And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
[16] And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
[17] And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
[18] And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
[19] But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
[20] And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

Duck Dynasty, part 3

Cracker Barrel has dropped Duck Dynasty merchandise from its stores.

Really?  So, now Cracker Barrel is a champion of the GLBT community?

Nothing about Cracker Barrel screams "gay and lesbian hangout" does it?  I mean, the decor and menu at Cracker Barrel leans a little more toward backwoods, Christian redneck.  Doesn't it?

A reader sent me a list of "Si-isms" from Duck Dynasty, pearls of wisdom from Uncle Si.  Thank you, reader!

 “Last time I dressed up was in sheepskin on a recon mission in ‘Nam.”

“Hey, I know we’re all family boys, but look here, I might kill for a cupcake.”

"I’m the master of distractions. Do a couple of hand gestures, and bam! I’ll take the underwear clean off your butt.”

 “One time, in Vietnam, I saw a grizzly bear ridin’ a scooter.”

“Stop what you’re doing, cuz I’m about to ruin, the image and the sound you’re used to. Look here, I love that Humpty song. Stop cramping my style, man.”

"I had a woman once tell me that it wasn't me it was her. And I said you're darn right it's you, you heffer."

"A diversion? No....I never was good with math."

"what is this, star wars?"

"I am the MacGyver of cooking. If you bring me a piece of bread, cabbage, coconut, mustard greens, pigs feet, pine cones...and a woodpecker, I'll make you a good chicken pot pie."

"I gotta work with what I got, its called improv-isavation"

"Hey, they's all kinds of fish in the sea. Stingrays, manta rays, gamma rays, Raybans..."

"Have y'all ever heard the term Nam?"

"it's time to bring the pain jack."

"when your brain needs to sneeze but it cant cuz its a brain so it just hurts"

"Homie don't play that."

"I'm the Michael Jordan of annoying people"

"I know my way 'round here like the back of a ham"

I heard that Phil has had problems with A&E before.  The network wanted to add "bleeps" to make it sound like the Robertsons were cussing.  They don't cuss.

The network also wanted to edit out "Jesus" when the family prayed.

I hope they leave A&E and go to a different network.  Let's see what happens.

Gitmo

Why are liberals obsessed with closing Gitmo?  Seriously, why?

People who have been "detained" in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba have been detained for a reason.  They have been suspected of trying to do icky things to people.  Specifically, American people.  More specifically, they seem to favor blowing people up and maiming them with pointy things.

I read once that Gitmo "detainees" love it there.  They get three square meals a day and they get perks, like, shoes.  I seriously read that people in Gitmo were pretty happy with their accommodations.  Apparently, back home in the desert, there aren't a lot of eggs or cows.

It is fun and cool to be on the Mediterranean diet by choice.  But, when you live in the Middle East and only figs and olives are available, it probably gets kinda old.

Meanwhile Gitmo detainees get eggs every morning and American style, fatty deliciousness the rest of the day.  They also get shoes.

So, since liberals are completely obsessed with sending these people home, they will be heading home to continue plotting ways to blow people up and stab them with sharp objects.

Why do liberals want to release these people?

Armageddon

Remember that movie starring Bruce Willis?  Armageddon?

He was a roughneck who lived on the edge, but has a soft spot for his daughter.  Aw.  When the US government asks him to save the world, he assembles a motley crew of misfits.

Each of the individuals in his "crew" lives somewhere near the fringe of lawlessness.  But, each lovable character has a talent.  Putting all of the talents together, they save the world and get an indefinite tax break.

Here is the thing, we are currently living in a B movie.  Navigators for the Obamacare website could be criminals.  No criminal background checks are required to work for Obamacare.

What?!?!?  Yep, you heard that right, criminals can have access to social security numbers, health records, infinite personal, sensitive information.

But, this isn't a B movie.  Bruce Willis isn't going to crash in, weapons blazing and save us.  This is real life and it is really happening.

Obama blows all of these things off.  He doesn't seem to care at all.

I wish that Bruce would save us.  This is Armageddon.

Duck Dynasty, part 2

Here is the part of the GQ interview with Phil Robertson that you may never hear about.  At the end, Phil turns the tables on his interviewer.  He asks a question:

"So you and your woman: Are y’all Bible people?”

“Not really, I’m sorry to say,” the reporter replied.

“If you simply put your faith in Jesus coming down in flesh, through a human being, God becoming flesh living on the earth, dying on the cross for the sins of the world, being buried, and being raised from the dead—yours and mine and everybody else’s problems will be solved,” Phil said. “And the next time we see you, we will say: ‘You are now a brother. Our brother.’ So then we look at you totally different then. See what I’m saying?”

Anybody out there see what he is saying?

Christmas stamp - follow up

I go to the post office a lot for work.  And, every time, there is that huge banner with the Kwanzaa stamp, the Hanukkah stamp and the stamp with a gingerbread house.

So, I pointed it out to another postal employee today.  You know, there is a Kwanzaa stamp, a Hanukkah stamp and no Christmas stamp.

She told me to follow her to the back.

As I was following her, another customer walked past me and said, "You tell her!"  I am not sure if he was joking.  Then, I started thinking that maybe she is leading me back to the room where they put people who complain.  Like, maybe we were going to the dead letter office and it is also the dead Christian office.  Sheesh, they wouldn't find me for years and all of that correspondence would muffle my screams.

Anyway, the point is, she took me "in the back" where she discreetly and privately showed me the:

CHRISTMAS STAMP!  It exists.  It had a picture that in some way alluded to the birth of Jesus and it said, "Christmas" on it.

So, I said, "Wow, great, thanks.  Can you put that one on the big poster out front?"

She didn't answer.

Hunh.

The Christmas stamp exists, Christmas warriors.  Go to the counter and boldly ask for your Christmas stamps.  Of course, it is too late for this Cnristmas.  But, my letters are going to have Christmas stamps on them all year long!

Ha!

Pajama Boy

Pajama boy is the star of the latest brilliant ad by the Obama administration to "sell" Obamacare.

Wait, why do we have to "sell" Obamacare?  I thought it was the law of the land?

Oh!  Right, no one is signing up for it.  So, after spending about a billion dollars to get it up and not running, we have to spend more to advertise it.

Pajama boy is a man, wearing footy pjs, with his hands (that have never seen labor) wrapped around a steaming cup of cocoa.  His picture is in an ad, encouraging people to sign up for Obamacare.

There are so many things wrong with this, I will just start randomly pointing them out.  Work with me.

A 26 year old man shouldn't wear footy pjs.  He should probably be drinking, at least, spiked nog, not cocoa.  A 26 year old man can take care of himself.  He doesn't need his parents to take care of him and he probably doesn't need health insurance.

By the time that I was 26, I had put myself through college, passed the CPA exam, had been preparing financial statements for 4 years and made, well, plenty of money. I had my own house and certainly had my own health insurance.

If I were a millennial, I would be seriously offended by what Obama thinks of me.  Wouldn't you?  For some reason, he sees these young people as unable to care for themselves.  Why?

To imply that people in their 20s can't take care of themselves is ridiculous.  It is insulting. 

To imply that their parents or the government needs to take care of them is even more ridiculous and insulting.  Is this the message we are sending to our young people? You can't take care of yourself, someone else should.

Um, when does that stop exactly?  At what age should an (able bodied) adult start caring for him or herself?

Well, according to liberals, never.  They want cradle to grave entitlement programs.  If you get in a bind, no matter what the age, the government will be here to bail you out.

This mentality is taking away the hope of our youth.  You didn't build it means, you CAN'T build it, without the help of the government.  That is the opposite of the way this country works.

And, what does this mentality do to ingenuity?  What happens to hard work and creativity?  Well, if the government is taking the majority of your money to pay for entitlement programs for other people, what incentive do you have to work?  None, none at all.

So, liberals say, "Well look at Western Europe.  They are doing fine, just fine."  Kate is gorgeous and Wills is just dandy.

But, they aren't fine.  Their economies have gone down the loo.  Think for a second, have you ever known an American who has lived in Europe or an American who has a family member over there?

What are they always doing?  Loading up care packages of all the stuff that they can get here, but can't get over there.  I can think of so many examples, but one that comes to mind is of a woman I met in my work.  She comes home, to American, every year for Christmas.  While here, she loads up 15 boxes of stuff and has them shipped to Europe because you just can't get as many things over there.

Why do we have so much more to choose from here?  Because of the free market.  People here get to keep the money that they earn (well, they used to) so that inspires them to dream up all sorts of cool new stuff.

In socialist countries, people have most of their money taken by the government and given to other people, or redistributed, if you will.  Do they have any incentive to think of cool new products?  Nope.

It is already starting to happen here.  Businesses are closing down because of Obamacare.  This new, overreaching tax on everyone is killing jobs and businesses.   Say goodbye to new inventions, new products and cool new things. No one is going to bother when the government takes most of the profits and gives them to someone else.

So, I say get rid of pajama boy.  What about a young man dressed in a suit who is on his way to work?  Or, a young man dressed casually with his wife and children around him?  Why can't we have a picture like that as the model of a man in our society?

Oh, because it would look exactly like Mitt Romney.

This is real life!

This is going on in real time!  The things that Obama is doing from the comfort of the Oval Office take effect in the lives of real people.  His dreams that become policies to be carried out by his minions have an impact on actual humans.

I am not sure if he knows that.

It's as though he thinks, "Hey, it would be really cool for everyone to have healthcare from the government!  England has it, let's do it."

But, he isn't much into details.  So, he makes someone else write up the law and he goes to play golf. He had a great idea, his job is finished, in his opinion.

Then, while he is daydreaming, he thinks, "A website where people could sign up for my health insurance plan would be really cool.  Let' s get one of those."

And, Michelle has some college chums who can help out.  Plus, he gets bored easily.  So, he hops on Air Force One to grab dinner with Jay-Z in Vegas and leaves all of those messy, icky details to someone else.

I don't think that he understands or cares about the ramifications of these decisions.  They are good ideas, so they will work.  So, a few people are inconvenienced or hurt.  That's no biggie.  Something has to give in the name of progress.  He just likes to give speeches.

Of course he knew that millions of people would lose their insurance.  He really thought that he could move the moon and stars, hold back the tides and make insurance companies give people affordable plans.  But, they were plans that he wanted, not plans that people actually wanted.

He underestimated or doesn't understand the free market.

People will give something up so they can pay $100 a month for an awesome phone.  The phone makes their lives better.  It does something for them, plus it is cool.

People will not give something up for insurance that they can't afford and can't use when they need it.

So, after all of the keep your plan, keep your doctor lies and 6 million people losing insurance and most of the people who didn't have insurance aren't signing up, Obama picked up his pen again.

Now, he is saying that people can keep their catastrophic coverage, if they want.

Please read "The Constitution and You."  Presidents can't do stuff like that.  There are three branches of government.  The founders made it that way so that no branch could have too much power.  That is why it is called the separation of powers, checks and balances.

He can't push through a law in the middle of the night and then re-write it dozens of times and have everybody do what he wants.

Stompy-foot!

It doesn't work that way.  This is real life.  Obamacare is hurting millions of Americans.  It is helping no one.  The people who have signed up for Medicaid could have done that without a $600 million website.  The people who didn't have insurance and still don't - they are going to keep going to the emergency room.  It is paid for, they know it and why should they change anything?

And, all of the hard-working Americans who are paying for all of this?  The cat is out of the bag, it is straight up wealth re-distribution.  Don't kid yourself, you have too much and Obama is punishing you.  You should pay more while he and Michelle eat lobster in Hawaii.

Duck Dynasty

I have never watched the show.  I am not a duck hunter.  Duck is a little bit greasy, in my opinion.

And, I am not going to get totally into what Phil Robertson said.  Basically, he quoted scripture.  Then, he said that sleeping around is wrong - he mentioned that he thinks homosexuality is wrong, sleeping with lots of people is wrong.  That is what he said.

There has been outrage by the "gay community."  Phil was immediately fired from his own show.  Phil is a Christian.  He apologized and said that he treats everyone with respect, even if they are different from him.

You know what my first thought was?

Cheaters.  What about cheaters?  Why aren't the associated cheaters of America outraged that Phil said sleeping around is wrong?  Why wasn't there outrage from cheaters anonymous for Phil saying that sleeping with woman after woman is wrong?  Isn't that offensive and "hurtful" to their lifestyle?

Cheaters have a right to cheat!  They have a right to live like they want.  And, if someone says that cheating is wrong, it is "hate speech."

Why can't Phil have his own opinion?  Why can't Phil voice his opinion without getting fired from his own show?  Why do we have to silence any objection to the liberal agenda?

We are entering dangerous territory here.  If we are going to totally silence half of the country. It could someday swing the other way.  Liberals might want to bear that in mind.

Dumb things that liberals say

Former Clinton chief of staff, John Podesta, has just been hired by the Obama administration.

He said that house Republicans are like a cult.  And not just any cult.  He compared people who want to BALANCE THE FEDERAL BUDGET AND CUT WASTEFUL GOVERNMENT SPENDING to the followers of Jim Jones.

In the late 70s Jones killed all of his followers in the largest murder/suicide in history.

That is what we call people who want to balance the budget?

Really?

I am so glad that Obama has stopped all of the name calling so that we can have logical debate.   I am so glad that this transparent president is bringing people together.

Kum-ba-ya!

Somebody's pants are on fire!

I bet you can guess who!

Yes, I am talking about Politifact naming Obama's "if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor" lie the "lie of the year."

While tossing a bucket of water in the general direction of the White House, I heard a liberal commentator say that Obama didn't lie.

What?!?!?

He actually said that Obama didn't lie.  Then, he parroted all of the liberal talking points about Obama's lying, it is the insurance companies' fault, etc. etc.

That got me thinking about the other weird things that liberals say.  I was with friends and one said, "I just don't get Republicans."  I got that slit-eyed, looking over my shoulder face, like, "What, a Republican?  Where?"

He went on, "France has government run healthcare and they aren't socialist.  Why do they call us socialist for wanting government run healthcare?"

That is when I choked and had to rush out of the room to get water.

But, isn't that weird?  I mean how could this person, who is educated, not know that government run healthcare is the linchpin in socialism?  How can he not know that France is socialist?

A reader told me about a liberal friend.  The reader asked her friend if he would like still like Obama if Obama was socialist.  The liberal friend said, "No way!  I am not for big government."

Hunh.

How can any liberal not know that Obama is at least socialist?  More accurately, he is communist.  How could a liberal not know that Obama is for big government?

I am starting to think that if someone doesn't know that: France is socialist, Obama is socialist, he is for big government and government run health care is the very definition of socialism, then they are:

1. Intentionally deceiving themselves or
2. Not paying any attention, at all, to anything.

See what I mean?

Anyhoo, someone knows that Obama is lying and isn't afraid to point it out.  Polls show that 45% of respondents still believe Obama to be honest and truthful.  Who are these people?

Wow, I hope he has flame retardant underpants.

I haven't forgotten about you

Seriously, I promise.  I am just not sure what to say.

We are living in a world where lies are not called lies.  They are called "misunderstandings" or "miscommunications."

Every possible part of our system of government is being "fundamentally changed" by the Obama administration.

We are calling lower taxes "greed" and higher taxes "paying our fair share."

We are embracing the morally corrupt idea of income redistribution and calling it morally superior.

We have members of congress who don't know that Libya is in the Middle East.

And, the craziest thing of all, nationally syndicated columnists are writing things that sound eerily like my blogs.  There was a headline on Yahoo today that said something like, "Now we know what happened to dope smoking hippies" and the subtitle was that democrats think the launch of Obamacare has been fine.  Haven't I written that, like, 15 times?

I was reading a column by Wayne Allen Root today and it sounded so much like my last 20 or so blogs, it was weird.

Well, it wasn't weird, it was all true.  Every lie, every scheme, every scandal is out there, in the open. There is no hiding it now.  Liberals still defend every single lie, scheme and scandal.  That is totally weird because if this were a Republican... See?  I have written that, like a hundred times.

Now, I am kinda waiting to see what will happen.  We know Obama will go on an extravagant Hawaiian vacation, but, I mean what will happen to the rest of us.

Can he please take the dog this time so that we don't have to pay for Air Force 2 to fly all the way back and get the dog?

Anyhoo, the action is going to pick up, big-time near year-end.  I guess that is when we will see what happens to the 6 million Americans who lost their health insurance, some who need life saving treatments.  I hope that somebody wakes up in the White House and we fix this complete disaster before it is too late.

So, keep dreaming of sugar plums, get your shopping done and hold on tight to that smart phone. 

I'll be back with plenty to rant about, very soon.

An American, Bob Levinson, has been missing in Iran since 2007.  Democrats have asked the associated press to hush up the story for years to protect Levinson.

Now, I don't disagree that he is in danger and the AP should be careful.  I totally get that.  Here is what I don't understand - if a Republican White House or a Republican congress person or senator asked the AP to hush up a story - there would be outrage.

There would be non-stop, 24/7 coverage of the evil people who want to squash the 1st amendment.

Do you see what I am saying?

When we were going into Iraq in 2003, the media demanded to know our military ops.  Bush spokespeople were like, "Uh, we can't give that information, it would compromise our military."  The press went off the rails, screaming and shouting that the Bush administration was keeping secrets.

Does anyone remember this?

Now, in a twist of events that is completely unbelievable, we have the most secretive, untruthful administration in the history of the world and the media is barely noticing.

I say barely because Politifact just gave Obama the "Lie of the Year" award.  Of course, we all know what that lie was - the Obamacare lie that if you liked your doctor and your plan, you could keep it.

We also know now why he perpetuated that lie for years, he WANTED to get people off their health insurance, dump them into the federal plan and have socialized health care.  The ultimate goal is redistribution of wealth.

As noble as redistribution sounds, like every single liberal idea, it doesn't work.  Just like Marx, the liberal ideas are all based on something that is entirely false.

Scarcity - liberals believe that there is one big pot of resources.  If someone takes one dollar out of the pot, someone else loses a dollar.  That just isn't true.  If humans are able, they will make more.  This has been proven by our society for over 200 years.

They want us to stop using so much energy, they can't conceive that we could go out and find more.

They want us to stop capitalism, someone making stuff is greedy.  But, taking money from people and giving it to other people, somehow isn't greedy.

They want abortion because we don't need to have all those people around.

It's like they run around saying, "Stop!  Everybody stop!  There isn't enough!"  But, there is enough and we will make more.

Through the advancement of technology, we will find new ways to make energy.

Through the miracle of the free market, we will make more stuff and more money.

All of those "unwanted" children can become hard-working, productive members of society so that we can have more innovation and achievement.

Why can't liberals see that?

Why can't anyone at the AP see that?

Top 10

I have writer's block.  So, I am forwarding this message to you.

I call this bizarro world and we really are living in it.  We have removed all reason and sanity from the public debate.  Anyone who has morals and principles is labeled "evil, extreme, a terrorist and racist."  We have elevated childish finger pointing and name calling into the highest political arena.  The role of grown-up is "stupid."  Balancing the budget is somehow hateful, enabling people to be irresponsible is ok, but keeping your own money isn't.

What have we done to this republic?  What are we doing to this republic?  History will look back upon this time as the craziest ever.

I don't know if this is from Canada or not, but it would be funny, if it weren't so horrible.

 

WHEN WILL SOME AMERICANS GET IT?          Canadian's Version of David Letterman's Top 10.                      10) Only in America ... could politicians talk about the greed of the rich at a $35,000.00 a plate campaign fund-raising event.   9) Only in America ... could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when they have a black President, a black Attorney General, and roughly 20% of the federal workforce is black, while only 14% of the population is black. 40+% of all federal entitlements go to black Americans - 3X the rate that go to whites, 5X the rate that go to Hispanics!   8) Only in America .. could they have had the two people most responsible for the tax code, Timothy Geithner (the head of the Treasury Department) and Charles Rangel (who once ran the Ways and Means Committee), BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes.   7) Only in America ... can they have terrorists kill people in the name of Allah, and have the media primarily react by fretting that Muslims might be harmed by the backlash.   6) Only in America ... would they make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries, and pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege, while they discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just 'magically' become an American citizen.   5) Only in America ... could the people who believe in balancing the budget and following the country's Constitution be thought of as "extremists."   4) Only in America ... could you need to present a driver's license to cash a check or buy alcohol, but not to vote.   3) Only in America ... could people demand the government investigate whether oil companies are gouging the public, because the price of gas went up, when the return on equity invested in a major U.S. oil company (Marathon Oil) is less than half of that of a company making tennis shoes (Nike).   2) Only in America ... could the government collect more tax dollars from their people than any nation in recorded history, and still spend a Trillion dollars more than it has per year - for total spending of $7-Million PER MINUTE, and complain that it doesn't have nearly enough money.   1) Only in America ... could the rich people - who pay 86% of all income taxes - be accused of not paying their "fair share" by the 47% of their people who don't pay any income taxes at all.                 Why do Canadians get it and Americans don't?

Real charity

My grandmothers went to college, both of them.  I am no spring chicken, that was a long time ago and it was unusual for women to attend college.  But, they both did.

My paternal grandmother was a teacher and a principal in the rural area where I grew up.  She worked hard every day of her life.  A neighbor was on welfare and never worked.  In fact, the family has 3 generations of welfare recipients.

It is a way of life, a class structure, if you will.  Some work, some collect government money and don't work.  There is absolutely no difference between the neighbors at all, only a choice.

My grandparents had a beautiful home and really nice cars.  One day, as my grandmother was driving home from work, her neighbor needed a ride.  He was coming home from the liquor store.  As they were heading toward home, the neighbor started to complain that the government didn't give him enough money.  Then he started to look around the car and decided that her car was pretty nice and he should have one just like it.

She dropped him off at the side of the road.

In my work, I have a lot of stuff.  I sell the most, so I have a lot of profit, product, supplies, etc.  I earned it, it is mine.  I am happy to share it with those who have less.  In fact, I go out if my way to give to those who have less.  It is never enough, no one ever appreciates it.  For some reason, people think that since I have more, I OWE them some of my stuff.  Why is that?

Today, in 4th grade lit we read a story called, "The Gold Coin," by Alma Flor Ada.  In it, a thief sees a woman with a gold coin.  He automatically thinks that she is rich and decides to steal her coin.  The story describes him as sickly, pale and frowny because he always steals, hides and doesn't have any friends.  (Kinda like Gollum.)  But, in the story, he starts to work and becomes tanned and strong.  In the end, he even smiles.

Why am I going on and on like this?  Because everywhere you look, there are examples of the socialist idea system.  And, whether it was 50 years ago, today, or in a work of fiction, the moral is the same:

Work hard, earn what you have, you will be happier.  You may even be able to help other people.

I had coffee with a dear friend this week.  When she sees someone in need, she brings the person into her home.  The first thing - RULES!  If you want her help you have to follow her rules.

Now, let's compare and contrast that to the government system, shall we?

She provides shelter, food and a system of structure and rules.  The goal is to help the person help him or herself.  Eventually, the person learns to stand on his or her own two feet.  This gracious act of charity doesn't give a hand out, but a hand up.  While meeting the basic needs of a person, the person is being taught how to take care of him or herself.  The goal is a productive member of society.

The government gives a handout, unlimited, no strings attached, no requirements.  They just give stuff away and don't ask for any sort of accountability in return.  This enabling creates a class of welfare recipients.

Why can't the government system look a little bit more like the private system?  Can't the welfare recipient have some standards for receiving benefits?  Can't we work with people to help them learn to stand on their own two feet?  Can't there be a system of rewards and punishments, kinda like the rest of the world?

No, of course not.  Once a person starts to work hard, earn their own money and get their own stuff, they vote Republican.

Adam Levine

So, Obama is enlisting support from Hollywood A-listers to get people to enroll in Obamacare.

Great, that is all we need, rich people telling us to do stuff that they won't do.

Adam Levine is now going to tell us all that we need to sign up for Obamacare.  And, we finally will!  People will magically get money that they don't have to pay for insurance that they don't want (or need) and is too expensive to use if they need it.

Here is the thing about socialism - it really isn't going to work.

People think that Western Europe is so quaint.  And, it is.  It is fun to go to the market every day and cook meals in a tiny kitchen.  It is fun to walk to the store everyday and lose a little weight.  You don't even care that there is just a tiny little dorm refrigerator.  It is quaint for a few weeks, then you go home and go back to work.

What people don't understand is that people HAVE to walk because they can't afford cars.  Why can't they afford cars?  Because everyone is so heavily taxed, they can't get a car.  They have a tiny fridge and kitchen because the government taxes you for those things.  They will never have a bigger house, they will never get a car because the government takes too much of their money, they will never get ahead.

Nobody was shedding a lot of tears when Phil Mickelson could only take home 39% of his pay from winning the British Open.  But, think for a second,  please.  What if you only got to take home 39 cents of every dollar that you earn?

Could you ever get ahead if you worked hard and only got to take home that small portion of your pay?

Well, no, you couldn't.  And, that is exactly the point.  You aren't supposed to get ahead, ever.  You are supposed to stay just the same as everybody else.

Then, remember the tragedy of the commons, everything goes to hell in a hand basket.

People go to Western Europe that is being taxed half to death to pay for all those cool trains and for all of that "free" health care and think it is so relaxing.  And, it is relaxing, for us.  For them, it stinks. They don't have many of the conveniences that we take for granted.

Yesterday, Kathleen Sebelius actually said that the services provided by Obamacare are "free" to the consumer.  The senator (or congressman) questioning her couldn't get her to understand that nothing under Obamacare is free.  Obamacare is costing all of us billions of dollars.

Now, imagine this: when our taxes for Obamacare get so high that I can't afford a car, it won't be much fun to HAVE to walk to the store.  And, I won't have as much time for work.

Neither will you.

We are still in Bizarro World

I am not kidding you, as I watch this stuff, only one thing keeps coming to mind:

If this were a Republican, he would be mocked, ridiculed, and eventually fired.

As I watched Obama speak during the Mandela memorial, I noticed the guy signing next to him.  I thought, what is that guy doing?  Is he mocking?  What is the deal?  Well, it turns out he was signing gibberish.  Really?  Why would they let a guy who was hallucinating and signing gibberish stand next to the president of the United States?  Why would anyone let it continue as it did?  Didn't it occur to anyone that those little birdy-like hand motions weren't real sign language?  Why aren't the offense-obsessed liberals offended when something is truly offensive?  But, the left just brushes it aside as if it were nothing.  You and I both know that if that was George W Bush, we would never hear the end of it.

I am serious, Dan Quayle infamously misspelled the word potato.  (He added an 'e' at the end.)  Of course, that is ridiculous.  The vice-president of the United States should know how to spell potato.  But, that was basically the end of his career.  They mocked him for that until he was out of office.

Meanwhile, "Uncle" Joe Biden should have been laughed out of office on January 21, 2009.  He has done hundreds of things that were: dumb, wrong and downright offensive. Those things barely get covered.

That guy standing next to Obama at the funeral looked like something out of a Mel Brooks' film!  As I watched him flapping his arms and preparing to take flight, I thought, it is almost like Obama surrounds himself with loons to make him look better.  Unfortunately for him, he doesn't look better, he just looks ridiculous, too.

Yesterday, I watched a line-up of democratic senators explain, in detail, why they think that it is ok for the government to spy on ordinary, American citizens.  Those same people were up in arms about spying on our enemies.  If Republicans flip-flopped like that they would receive media scrutiny similar to Chinese water torture.  But, these liberals can flip-flop all they want.

For the record, I am totally fine with spying on people with links to terrorism or for cause.  I do not agree, at all, with spying on American citizens for no reason.

This is bizarro world.  Speaking of Seinfeld, in Tallahassee, they have actually put up a "Festivus" pole (a pole of beer cans) which is not just a made up holiday, it is a holiday that was made up on Seinfeld.  They put the pole up next to the Nativity, for religious reasons.  Give me a break.

In Colorado, a 6 year old was suspended from school for sexual harassment, for kissing a classmate on the hand.  Ok, the girl doesn't want to be kissed and this little man needs to stop getting all up in her personal space.  But, for those of you keeping track on your liberal score cards - if the girl had kissed him, it wouldn't be sexual harassment, she would be an empowered, sexually liberated woman.

How can anyone keep track of this stuff?  Ok, let's see when the president is a Republican, this is bad.  But, when our guy is in office, anything goes.

I know I can't keep track.  Can you?

Cuddling

Ok, even though we have gotten really close, I am not sure how to tell you this.

Here goes, lonely people can pay to be cuddled.  Yup, for $60 you can get hugged, spooned and "touched" lovingly.

Apparently "touch experts" who have been professionally trained, provide the cuddling services.  Sheesh, I thought that women's studies was a cushy major.  I never dreamed when I was in studying on Saturday nights that I could major in hugging.

This makes me sad in so many ways.

It reminds me of David Myers American paradox, "bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences but less time, steep profits and shallow relationships. We've learned how to make a living, but not a life; we've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul."

How can our sex crazed society be so full of people who need to "touch?"  How can a society which says, "if it feels good, do it" feel so bad that we have to pay people to hug us?

Could it be that what those old ladies in church called "sins of the body" actually do hurt the person?  How can it be?  The liberal way says that anything someone does to him or herself hurts no one.

Then why are we hurting so much?

Well, it is the Christmas season.  Yes, the Christmas season, Hanukkah is over (mazel tov.). Let's be a little bit more loving to each other.  Be nice to the person in front of you at Walmart.  Be nice to the checker at Walmart.  You never know, she could become the manager.  Then, when all of the lines are full, she will open a new lane just for you.

I'm just sayin'.

What I mean is, do everything you can in your little part of the world to make sure that nobody needs to go pay for hugging.

Merry Christmas.

Emanuel

Nope, not Jesus.  The other one - Ezekiel.  But, this guy isn't going to save us from anything.

Do we know, by the way, why he is no longer with the Obama administration?

Anyhoo, while avoiding church and appearing on the Sunday shows, Dr. Emanuel gave an interesting perspective on why Obamacare isn't working.

Is it the outrageous premiums? No.

Is it the high deductibles that make it impossible to even use the insurance once you have purchased it? No.

Is it the fact that the website couldn't possibly enroll anyone because it doesn't work, it doesn't take payments and it isn't connected to insurance companies?  No, no, and no.

According to the good doctor, Obamacare's failure is because there hasn't been a big public relations campaign!  If we could just publicize this thing a little bit, people would really start to go for it!

Is this guy serious?

The past 6 years have been like a non-stop, in your face, 24/7 Obamacare infomercial.  There couldn't possibly be more PR for this thing than there has been.

Maybe he doesn't watch TV.

Seriously, when are liberals going to get it through their thick heads that no healthy, young man is going to spend $200 a month that he doesn't have to buy health insurance that he doesn't need?

Of course, the failure of Obamacare is really all the Republicans' fault.  Seriously, if they had just gotten behind this thing, with, like, a big PR campaign, maybe the website would work.

(People actually say stuff like that.)

Another thing that Obama has been saying a lot is - if you can come up with a better plan, call me, I haven't heard a single plan from anyone else.  That just isn't true.  The Republicans have suggested several plans.

One has been proposed by Georgia Congressman, Tom Price.  Price's plan would cut government costs by $2.34 trillion.  The plan gives tax deductions for having health insurance.  There is an idea, instead of punishing people for not having something, let's give them an incentive to have it.

That one little point would solve the liberals dilemma about people who don't have health insurance using emergency rooms.  Liberals say that people who don't have health insurance use emergency room care and cost taxpayer millions, that is why Obamacare is good.  I wonder how many years of emergency room care we could have paid for with the $600 million we spent on that crappy website.

And, after this whole Obamacare nightmare, we know that those people who just go to the emergency room for care and don't pay for it, oh, they aren't interested in buying insurance.  They liked their old plan.

Any plan that removes the albatross of government interference from the insurance industry would save trillions of taxpayer dollars.  But, an important point in all Rebuplican plans is to allow insurance companies to sell insurance across state lines.  Allowing the free market to operate that way will reduce costs.  It will reduce premiums.

Even Geraldo has a plan - expand Medicaid.  Hey, isn't that kind like what we are doing?  Only, instead of just expanding Medicaid, we expanded Medicaid while incurring 3 billion dollars in extra government costs.

So, Obama, stop all of the PR campaigns, pick up the phone.  Lots of people have better plans than this Obamacare turkey.

Call me!

Minimum wage increases

Wow, you go to work for a few days and BAM! all hell breaks loose.

As we entered the weekend, low level workers were threatening to strike if they didn't get wage increases.  These workers (God love 'em, I was one back in the day) make minimum wage.  They work at the least expensive restaurants in the country.  The pay is low because the positions are entry level.  If the person works hard and does well, he or she will quickly advance out of the lowest paying positions and will, typically, get a pay increase in 6 months.  The pay increases will continue as long as the person does a good job.

These positions were never intended to be jobs that support a family of 4.  These jobs are to teach people how to work, and boy do they ever.  You keep the memories and the intoxicating scent of the deep fryer with you forever.  You can just drop anything you want it there, by the way.

So, to demand a wage increase from $7.25 and hour to $15 an hour will not just automatically increase the pay for all of those people.  Most of them will lose their jobs.  The cost of the cheap and tasty food will go through the roof.  The fast food restaurants will go out of business.

Businesses will stay in business anyway that they can.  If the cost of something prohibits them from staying in business, they will cut that expense.  In this instance the overpriced item is low-level, low skilled workers who make minimum wage.

The entire reason that this argument even exists is the left's inability (or refusal) to understand simple economics.

The liberal idea - pay everyone a living wage!  Republicans are evil because they don't want to pay you!  Boo!  Hiss!

The Republican idea - get in here, work hard and clean this floor.  If you do that well enough and work hard, you could own this place someday.

Now, most people just can't swallow the cleaning part so they look elsewhere to get their pay increase.  Of course, the liberal way doesn't work.  Please look at the model - Detroit and every other major city in the US that has been run by only liberals for 50 years, they are going broke.

It just doesn't work.

And, this is the land of opportunity.  Go to school, get an education, work hard and you will earn $15 an hour.

But, unfortunately, for liberals, then you will be a Republican.

More freedom from religion

A disturbing billboard appears in Times Square.  It says, "Keep the Merry" with a smiling picture of Santa Claus and "Dump the myth" with a picture of Jesus Christ (being crucified.)

This billboard has been brought to the public courtesy of the American atheists.  (www.atheists.org)

Another billboard from this group shows a picture of the nativity with a large slogan that says, "You know it is a myth."  The sign promotes that atheists are "reasonable" and have been since 1963.

Wow.

So, it has come to this?  Now, the American Atheist organization is openly attacking Christianity?

In a country that is totally obsessed with offending anyone, we actually openly attack a religion to which 75% of the population ascribes?

If the American Atheists attacked Muslim, Hindu or Buddism, there would be lawsuits flying higher than Rob Ford.

They aren't attacking Judeism either.  But, I am afraid it is not far behind.

The fact that Jesus of Nazareth was born and the manner in which it happened it a historical fact.  The fact that he was crucified is also a historical fact.

Both pictures labelled "myth" by the atheists actually aren't myths at all.  Ask any historian, he or she will tell you that these historical events happened.

Of course, the meanings of those events have a very different significance for Chisttians versus secularists.

But, there is a philosophy of imposing their view on others that exists on one side much more than on the other.

Go to a church.  A nice person will welcome you, there will be a clean bathroom and chances are good that there will be baked goods.  (Really yummy ones!)

People aren't going to judge you, punish you, shame you or be unkind to you.

Why are atheists so upset that they have to attack other people?  Why do they have to attack my religion, I don't attack theirs?

I don't agree with them, but they are welcome to have their beliefs.

See previous post, "Rallying the troops."

Christmas patriot, pray for atheists.

It's a Christmas hoax

Ok, I think that I am starting to get it.

Obama intentionally tossed 6 million working, paying people off of their health insurance.

He then spent about two billion dollars to get about 100,000 lower income people enrolled in health insurance.

Most of those enrollees got on Medicaid, not actual insurance.

But, the reason that Obama genuinely doesn't care about the 6 million people, some of whom are gong to die, is that he wanted all of that to happen because he wants to re-distribute wealth.

Ah!

Don't expect him to apologize, back pedal or repeal.  It is full steam ahead, because if socialized health care is the holy grail for liberal progressives, the juicy deliciousness inside the cup is re-distribution of wealth.

He is even saying it now.  I heard him giving a speech about how the inequalities of wealth distribution hurt the middle class.

Hunh.

"You can't be for big government, big taxes and big bureaucracy and still be for the little guy."  Ronald Reagan

Why?  Because "Free enterprise has done more to reduce poverty than all the government programs dreamed up by democrats."  Ronnie

But see, democrats make their message sound a lot like, "We want to help people."  That message is a lot more popular than, "We want you to work hard, achieve a whole lot and then be proud of yourself."

Also, getting a check from someone is so much quicker than going to school, working hard, getting a degree, getting a good job.  See?

And, here is the liberal philosophy behind that: "When you want to help people, you tell them the truth.  When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear." Dr. Thomas Sowell

I wish that guy would get more air time.  But the left calls him names that would make Martin Bashir blush.

The Obama administration is completely out of touch with regular, ordinary people.

In love with their ideals, with no concept of reality and that degree in liberal arts, you can see how things that just won't work in the real world pass with flying colors.

Obamacare is built on the notion that healthy people between the ages of 18 and 29 will sign up and will pay astronomical premiums.

(Aren't people allowed to stay on their parents' plans until they are 26?)

So, a guy, who has zero health costs, is supposed to start voluntarily paying $200 for health insurance premiums for health insurance that he will never use?  And, the deductibles are so high, he couldn't use the insurance if he wanted to.

Really?  Who thought of that?

I bet when Nancy Pelosi looked at that, she thought, sure, sounds like a good plan.  She has absolutely no concept that $2,400 a year is significant to EVERYBODY.  Just because it is her June shoe allowance at Dillard's, she thinks that everyone can pay that much.

Anyhoo, good hearted Americans like helping people.  But, they aren't quite as keen on socialism,  so, I look forward to seeing how things unfold.

Demand more Carrie Underwood this Christmas

Now, right now.  Turn on your TV and increase the ratings for Carrie right now.

Our country has changed so much in 50 years, that a live broadcast of "The Sound of Music" is nothing short of revolutionary.

And, heading it all up is country music superstar Carrie Underwood.  With nerves, pipes and cajones of steel, Carrie has put her Christianity on display for everyone to see.  I wanted to post before the vultures rip her apart all night tonight and in the morning.

Who can be a superstar, belt any note and still look positively innocent all at the same time?  For that matter, who could carry the star power to headline a live broadcast while still looking totally sincere while kneeling down to pray?

Who could possibly command an audience to watcher her kneel down and pray?

The Walmart shopping, country loving, Christian patriots who love Carrie Underwood.

Remember the story behind "The Sound of Music?"  A wealthy and unavailable father comes to his senses.  He learns to put aside his grief and love his children due to the tutelage of the governess, Maria.

Her unyielding devotion to: her faith, the children and the family she serves changes not only her life, but eventually the lives of the entire family.

Turn her on now.  She isn't doing this for money or ratings.  She doesn't need either.  But, we can demand more Christmas, and Carrie Underwood, this Christmas.

Demand more Christmas, part 2

I met my mom for lunch today.  That is the really cool thing about home-schooling.  We finished school, scrubbed behind our ears and dashed off to the mall for lunch and a latte.

My daughters and I were walking toward the restaurant and I could see part of a sandwich sign out front.  I could see:  Merry ...us and I got so excited!  Know what is said?  Merry Festivus.

Know what makes me so upset about that?  It took someone a REALLY long time to think of that.  Seriously, wouldn't it just be easier to say Merry Christmas?  It would have to be cheaper than hiring a group of anti-offensive experts to make up goofy ways to AVOID saying the obvious.

Well, lunch was yummy and kinda got my coaxed off the ledge for a few minutes.  Then, we went to Bath and Body Works.  I like to get Christmas-y hand soap and put it all over the house.  It makes me feel Christmas-y, ok?

Maybe I should just stay at home.  There is a Christmas tree, I send out Christmas cards, I even eat Christmas cookies.  We are allowed to say Christmas in the house.

Anyway, so, there I was, in Bath and Body Works.  I am not kidding you, the names of the fragrances were:
Winter,
Merry Cookie,
Merry Marshmallow,
Vanilla Bean Noel,
Twisted Peppermint,
Frosted Plum Berry,
And Candy Cane Bliss.

I am going to smell fantastic.  And, seriously, I couldn't make this stuff up!  How long did it take to think up all of those ridiculous ways to say any other word, no matter how silly, as long as the word wasn't "Christmas."

Come on, the scents for "this time of year" should be: Christmas, Christmas Cookie, Christmas Vanilla, Christmas Peppermint, Christmas Candy Cane.  See how clever those sound?

So, I went to the clerk and kindly, politely suggested that they use the word "Christmas" in future scent creations.

Here is why I mention this whole sordid tale, her response.  She said, "You are so right!  I will tell my manager.  I am a Christian, I think we should say Christmas."

Haaaahhhhh (contented sigh.)

Demand more Christmas this Christmas.  You may find people who feel the exact same way that you do.  You may find others who are happy to pass the message of "more Christmas" up the corporate ladder.

If enough of us do it, something may happen.

So, Christmas soldier, let me arm you with some facts.

92% of Americans say they believe in God,
75% of Americans say that they are Christians.

Why would we not say the name of a holiday that at least 75% of the country celebrates?  Many more than that celebrate Christmas but AT LEAST 75% of Americans celebrate Christmas.

Be proud!  Demand more Christmas this Christmas!

Bankruptcy

"I refuse to let Detroit go bankrupt."  Barack Obama

He said that during the election last year.  At the time, it was extremely popular, it sounded a lot like the liberal battle cry, which never has much to do with facts, "We love trees, we love puppies and we want to help people."

And, they won.

What Mitt Romney, the reasonable adult with actual business experience, said was that we should let failing businesses (or cities) go through bankruptcy proceedings.

That wasn't popular.  It got boos, hisses and sneers from the liberal media.

And, Romney lost.

Since Detroit's demise, that got we thinking about bankruptcy.  Maybe people don't understand what it means to "restructure under bankrupcty law."  So, let's figure it out.

Bankruptcy is like rehab for the over-spender.

Let's say that Tina, our favorite shopper, owes $1,000 to her creditors.  But, Tina only has $100.  If Tina wanted relief from her creditors, she could file for bankruptcy.  Her creditors would get the $100.  Say she owes Neiman Marcus $800, Target $150 and Famous Foootwear $50.

Using the percentages of the amount owed, Neiman Marcus would get $80, Target would get $15 and Famous Footwear would get $5.

They would then forgive Tina's debt, they would ban her from ever returning to their stores and they would write off Tina's debts as a loss.

Now comes the restructuring.  Tina has some serious work to do.  She has to go cut up all of her credit cards, she has to re-program her GPS cause she is not going back to Neiman Marcus.  She needs to send a note to all of her favorite friends at Auntie Anne's that she won't be around for a while.

Tina has received relief from her creditors, she has restructured her spending habits, she can't do this again.

Ok, what if Tina's daddy (or sugar daddy, you pick) just paid the $1,000?  Would Tina have learned anything?  No!  Tina would be right back at the food court loading up on carbs before another round at Neiman Marcus!

It is the same with companies.  When a company seeks protection from creditors under bankrupcty proceedings, somebody comes in and tries to figure out how they got so screwed up in the first place, like Tina.  They pay off the debts, they figure out new ways to do business without making such a mess out of it in the future.

The company comes out of bankruptcy proceedings (hopefully) stronger and can go back to business.

But, what if the sugar daddy government just pays off the debts for Chrysler or Detroit?  Chrysler and Detroit take the money and keep right on screwing up.  Since they keep right on doing business in the same way that got them into such a mess in the first place that they needed a bailout - they eventually GO BANKRUPT.  Then, they need to "restructure by going through bankruptcy proceedings."

The difference is, billions of tax payer dollars were wasted the liberal way.  The conservative way would have allowed the private sector to handle its problems with its creditors.  Oh!  Like this:

"Detroit's bankruptcy is between the city and its creditors." Jay Carney, yesterday at a White House press briefing.

That is an interesting change in position, isn't it?  When you are running for re-election, "We aren't going to let Detroit go bankrupt."  When you have wasted another billion or so of taxpayer money, then Detroit's bankruptcy is between the city and its creditors.

The government stinks at fixing things.  The private sector does it a lot better.

Has anyone figured that out yet?

Marxism

I can't stress this enough - liberals are in love with ideas.  They love the abstract.  They love to imagine the world to be totally different than it is.  But, the concrete world?  Reality?  Liberals don't do so well with that.

I also can't stress enough how badly I wish that the liberals who have risen from Woodstock hippies to the most powerful people in the country, would go back to being Woodstock hippies.  Seriously, they can go back to their cush jobs at Ivy League schools, engage in recreational drug use, and dream up grand new ideas.

The rest of us could get back to work.

In 4th grade history today, we learned about Karl Marx.  Of course, you know that Karl Marx was a London philosopher who wanted social change.  My daughter pointed out (wisely) that Marx didn't work.  His friends gave him money to live so that he could study philosophy and socialism.

Hunh.

I know that the industrial revolution was not a rosy, huggy-feely time in history.  Some changes did need to be made, specifically about the maiming.  But, as with all liberal philosophies, they sound really good and don't work very well in real life.

In the end of the lesson, it was pointed out that communism or Marxism has failed everywhere that it has been tried.  But, why?  Why doesn't communism work?  Why doesn't Marxism work?  Because Marxism is based upon a premise that is completely false.

Marx' basis for his belief system that all income should be divided up equally and distributed equally to everyone is based on the untrue premise that:

ALL OWNERS OF INDUSTRY AND BUSINESS ARE INHERENTLY BAD.

That just isn't true.  Some business owners are bad, sure. Some workers are, too.  There is the second premise for Marx' philosophies that is inherently false - all of the workers are good and they will work exactly as hard with or without incentive.  It just isn't true.

There was a really interesting story going around Thanksgiving weekend.  It was about the "tragedy of the commons."  I had never heard of that, but, remember, I got schooled in Econ this weekend.  The story was saying that the Pilgrims almost starved because of communism.

In the new world, the land belonged to everyone.  Everyone worked and everyone shared the harvest.  It didn't take long for a Pilgrim to figure out that if he stayed in the dirt-floor cabin, propped those buckle-y shoes on a milk urn and watched the sheep stroll by on the big screen picture window, he would get the same amount of food.

So, people stopped showing up at work!  Yeah!

Then, they divided up the land.  When the land was privately owned and you ate what you grew, guess what happened?  They worked their buckle-y shoes off to grow food.

Marxism doesn't take into consideration human nature.  If someone can work hard, earn more and get, maybe, a second pair of shoes with a cool buckle, he will do it.  If, however, when people work hard, and know that what they are making will be taken from the and given to someone else, they don't work as hard.  See?  The workers aren't inherently good.

Also, while Marx was eating his free kidney pie, he didn't realize that business owners (even crabby ones) assume a lot of risk.  They invest their own money in their business and if the business fails, they stand to lose a lot.  The worker can go find another job.

So, back to those liberal ideas.  They love them, but they don't work.  Americans are good-hearted people who want to help others.  Obamacare passed because of that fact.  Americans are waking up and seeing that the big-government, liberal idea of socialized healthcare isn't going to work.

But, liberals actually still don't get it.  They think that it is still going to be ok, even though:
-you can't make payments for your health insurance coverage on the Obamacare website.  Did not one liberal philosopher think of that?  Do they just not care that people can't actually pay for a plan and subsequently get a plan?
-the information that people are putting in healthcare.gov ISN'T GOING TO INSURANCE COMPANIES.  That part of the system, hasn't actually been built.
Oops!  Sorry!

They are so in love with the idea, they couldn't be bothered with the icky details of actually carrying out the idea.  Those details are so BORING!  If it weren't so horrible and it weren't destroying our economy so terribly, it would actually be funny.

We have all of these dreamers walking around the White House, living on the goodness of others (hey! Like Marx!), and not one of them thought to be sure the website works?  No one thought that it should be able to take payments?  Not one person thought that the website should link to, oh, I don't know, ACTUAL INSURERS.

And, I am not even reviewing the sickening fact that over 6 million people have lost their insurance because of Obamacare and am I believable 100,000 have signed up for Obamacare.

So, I want to make an open invitation.  Liberals, go back to your jobs at universities.  I am sure the jobs are still available or they will make a position for you.  Smoke stuff, make fun of Rupublicans, capitalism, Christians, people who work hard.  It's ok, we will keep paying your salaries.  But, let us get back to doing what we do best: WORK.

"Free enterprise has done more to reduce poverty than all the government programs dreamed up by Democrats."  Ronald Reagan