Change I Believe In

I've been driving by this place for a few weeks with the intention of stopping to take a picture. Someone beat me to it and it's making it's way through cyber-space now. I love it. I really love that it's right around the corner from me too...I knew I was on good land!

It just so happens that I am in need of an oil change, so I guess I could be a Nobel Peace Prize winner by 2010.

Another favorite that I saw on Facebook today:

Photograph courtesy of CJL

See why I have faith in the American people?

Santa in Washington

In the usual fashion of Handout Politics, it looks like Obama and his Democrats are trying to play Santa Claus this week. Tomorrow morning they will go through the motions and vote in the Senate on what appears to be an already done deal. I've deliberated on posting about this for weeks: What to say? As I watched the news this morning it hit me that there may be no stopping the reckless, liberal agenda in Washington no matter what the people of America want. I'm still holding out that this is not what Americans want, even if they voted for the people in charge.

I'll give my top arguments:

#1. An automatic 20% cut in Medicare reimbursements is on the table. After Medicare cuts are in force, insurance reimbursements will follow suit. Our economy is struggling with unemployment over 10%. This is not the time to make sweeping motions that cut profits in 17% of the economy by 20%.

#2. #1 brings me to my second argument which is really of equal weight. This is completely and utterly unconstitutional. The mere fact that the government has the power to simply destroy profits in the private sector would make the founders of our country roll over in their graves.

#3. Coverage for abortions. It's there. Taxpayers will be paying for it. Again, it is unconstitutional for the government to take my money and use it in such a vile manner. Abortion is such a hot button issue. The country has always been divided on the legality of it - but I hold out that even those who feel like women should have the right to an abortion do not want to pay for others to get one.

#4. Coverage for illegal immigrants. What to say...they already get care and don't pay for it. I guess this just burns me because it would legitimize their law breaking lifestyle (and encourage their allegiance to the Democratic party!) Dems have been pushing for illegals to have voting rights for years. This is nothing but purchased votes.

#5. Office of Minority Health. Look it up. It's a provision in the health care Christmas package that establishes new federal bureaucracies within 6 already existing health care agencies. So what, you say? It funnels money, in the form of federal grants, into such organizations as ACORN (and there are plenty of others who don't make the news) specifically marked for communities of color. How is racial tension EVER suppose to go away when "communities of color" is part of our legislative language to send money to specific racial groups?

#6. Just because I think it's funny, and sad - A provision is in the Senate bill that insurance plans covering dependents will be mandated to offer that insurance to "children" up to the age of 26. 26??? Get out of your mother's basement already, get a JOB, get your own insurance. This is the perfect example of government involvement breeding laziness and lack of accountability in the lives of Americans.

Job Summit, Bah Humbug!

Wow, Thanksgiving came and went without me having the opportunity to blog that I was thankful Congress was also on vacation. I didn't feel a nagging sense of panic wondering what might be happening behind the curtain in Washington while America relaxed a bit and focused on family and traditions and the values that founded this great country.

Now we're back in full swing and there's no need to pinch yourself: Obama IS still the President. He has spoken/appeared/graced us with his presence twice this week. Today while I was working out to the news speculation of the Jobs Summit/campaign speech/photo opportunity, my mind was spinning.

Do any of the radical, intellectual, Ivy League graduates in the Obama "White House" Campaign realize that if they would just stop talking new jobs might actually appear? I mean, in that short Thanksgiving week some of us almost started thinking there was actual hope (I hate that he tainted that word!) on the horizon. We laughed about the past, enjoyed the presence, and looked forward to the future.

Then Obama and liberal Congress open their mouths and every productive person in the country gets nervous. Why should anyone expand their business right now and create jobs? A 10% tax increase is on the horizon in just 13 months. Health care costs that are already crippling small businesses are only going to increase while tax hikes and penalties for not enrolling employees in government health care will hurt on the other end. Cap and Trade is going to kill American businesses.

Everything the White House is saying they want to do will kill jobs. Why would any American out there do anything beyond try to hang on to the job they have? I've got a serious bee in my bonnet on this today. The fact that the words "community organizations" are a part of the job creation rhetoric makes me seriously crazy. Honey, if you're getting this you might not want to come home today! :)

Just for fun, if you've missed the latest polls here is some of the Rasmussen data this week:

• 30% of voters say the country is heading in the right direction.
• 71% of voters nationwide say they’re at least somewhat angry about the current policies of the federal government. That figure includes 46% who are Very Angry.
• 53% of voters are still opposed to the current health care legislation.
• 48% of voters are expecting their taxes to go up under Obama. Contrast with only 9% who think theirs will go down.

I'd like to propose a poll:

Do you think The Obama "White House" Campaign and Congress are trying to trying to ruin the country? Yes, No, or Maybe?

My answer is maybe. It looked like inexperience, naivety, and stupidity for a while. Now it starting to look like a calculated effort to destroy the fiber of our country. How could all of these people be so smart and really be that dumb?

ClimateGate

cli⋅mate gate [klahy-mit gayte]

–noun

1. disclosure of Climate Research Unit global warming files showing conspiracy, collusion in exaggerating warming data, possibly illegal destruction of embarrassing information, organized resistance to disclosure, manipulation of data, private admissions of flaws in their public claims and much more.

2. leaked files show that prominent scientists were so wedded to theories of man-made global warming that they ridiculed dissenters who asked for copies of their data, plotted how to keep researchers who reached different conclusions from publishing, and concealed apparently buggy computer code from being disclosed under the Freedom of Information law.

Synonyms:
3. fraud, crime, deceit, lies.

Why does this matter? Computer models have been erected upon this data, which have been incorporated into governmental and U.N. reports, which have become the basis for actual and proposed government policies.

So what? The Cap and Trade bill and the EPA's plans to regulate carbon dioxide are based on these computer models. In international politics: The Copenhagen summit is coming up where the sovereignty of the United States may hang by a thread in the name of "global warming."

So, unlike last year's buzz word "vetting" this one really matters!

•Details of this definition courtesy of CBSnews.com, realclearpolitics.com, and Telegraph.co.uk.

Arguing With Idiots Frontrunner

Glenn Beck is holding an "Arguing With Idiots" video contest on YouTube. This is the current frontrunning video. It's not my favorite out there, but must be striking a cord with others!

It's Been Said...

I've heard bits and pieces of this quote, but decided today to look it up in its entirety. I'm a believer that truth is truth, no matter when it is spoken, and history definitely repeats itself.

Is it not high time for the people of this country explicitly to declare whether they will be freemen or slaves? It is an important question, which ought to be decided. It concerns us more than anything in this life. The salvation of our souls is interested in the event; for wherever tyranny is established, immorality of every kind comes in like a torrent. It is the interest of tyrants to reduce the people to ignorance and vice, for they cannot live in any country where virtue and knowledge prevail. The religion and public liberty of the people are intimately connected: their interests are interwoven; they cannot subsist separately, and, therefore, they rise and fall together. For this reason, it is always observable that those who are combined to destroy the people's liberties practice every art to poison their morals. How greatly then does it concern us, at all events, to put a stop to the progress of tyranny. It has advanced already by far too many strides. We are this moment upon a precipice. The next step may be fatal to us. Let us, then, act like wise men, calmly look around us, and consider what is best to be done. Let us converse together upon this most interesting subject, and open our minds freely to each other. Let it be the topic of conversation in every social club. Let every town assemble. Let associations and combinations be everywhere set up to consult and recover our just rights.

~Samuel Adams, 1772

Competition

John Stossel has an informative piece out this morning on the bill passed by the House. Click here to read the entire article. He addresses the argument by politicians that they are "bringing us competition" nicely:

Competition is a "discovery procedure," Nobel-prize-winning economist F. A. Hayek taught. Through the competitive market process, we producers and consumers constantly learn things that force us to adjust our behavior if we are to succeed. Central planners fail for two reasons:

First, knowledge about supply, demand, individual preferences and resource availability is scattered -- much of it never articulated -- throughout society. It is not concentrated in a database where a group of planners can access it.

Second, this "data" is dynamic: It changes without notice.

No matter how honorable the central planners' intentions, they will fail because they cannot know the needs and wishes of 300 million different people. And if they somehow did know their needs, they wouldn't know them tomorrow.

I think at least half of the politicians leading this parade know this and just don't care. This is simply about power. Everybody is at the table for a piece of the pie: Politicians will come away with more power, big pharma has struck their own deals, insurance companies have their hands in the pot, and even Walmart gets something. The only people missing from the discussion is patients and their doctors - aside from the 150 who showed up to be preached to at the White House last month.

I hear about people who think this is the beginning of lower health care costs for their families. That is a gross misunderstanding. If you currently pay for your own health care, at best you will be paying the same or more for (hopefully) the same care. The only difference is that you will be paying higher taxes and perhaps higher private insurance premiums to subsidize the new government health care plans. What if you can't afford your own rising health care costs? There is an answer: you go on the government plan. This is going to fall hard on the heads of the middle class and it's a shame.

*I have to add that I thought it was ironic Stossel pointed to a Nobel Prize winner for his quote about competition.

What to Say?

I've been waiting to post something about this past weekend's health care bill vote in the House, but not much is coming to me. I surfed the web tonight reading about the topic here and there. I thought some bright inspiration would come. Something inspired, maybe? Here's what I came up with:

1. The bill passed.
2. 52% of Americans are still against it. (Rassmussen on Monday)
3. Republicans still think there is hope that the Senate will listen to Americans and not pass the public option plan.

Who really knows on #3 considering that #2 has been the same for months and it didn't impact #1. That's all I have to say about that.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

These 20 House Representatives are still undecided about the health care bill up for vote tomorrow. Call them for sure if you live in their district. If you have friends or family living there, let them know. If neither apply, I've seen it suggested that you call saying you will donate money to their competitor in the next election if they vote for government-run health care. Might be money well spent! It's a simple call really - just dial the number and when the line picks up you say, "Hi this is Savvy Citizen and I'm calling to ask Representative Whoever to vote "no" tomorrow on the health care bill." You can add more if you like, but this is sufficient.

Rep. Arcuri (NY-24)
D.C. Office: 202-225-3665
District Office(s):
Utica 315-793-8146
Auburn 315-252-2777/8
Cortland 607-756-2470

Rep. Boyd (FL-2)
D.C. Office: 202-225-5235
District Office(s):
Tallahassee 850-681-2902
Panama City 850-785-0812

Rep. Cuellar (TX-28)
D.C. Office: 202-225-1640
District Office(s):
Laredo 956-725-0639
McAllen 956-631-4826
Rio Grande 956-487-5603
San Antonio 210-271-2851
Seguin 830-401-0457

Rep. Edwards (TX-17) Yes, this is AGGIELAND!!!!!
D.C. Office: 202-225-6105
District Office(s):
Waco 254-752-9600
Brazos 979-691-8797
Cleburne 817-645-4743

Rep. Ellsworth (IN-8)
D.C. Office: 202-225-4636
District Office(s):
Evansville 812-465-6484
Terre Hatue 812-232-0523

Rep. Giffords (AZ-8)
D.C. Office: 202-225-2542
District Office(s):
Tucson 520-881-3588
Cochise 520-459-3115

Rep. Halvorson (IL-11)
D.C. Office: 202-225-3635
District Office(s):
Joliet 815-726-4998

Rep. Kanjorski (PA-11)
D.C. Office: 202-225-6511
Toll Free: 800-222-2346
District Office(s):
Luzerne 570-825-2200
Lackawanna 570-496-1011
Monroe 570-895-4176

Rep. Kirkpatrick (AZ-1)
D.C. Office: 202-225-2315
District Office(s):
Prescott 928-445-3434
Casa Grande 520-836-3226
Flagstaff 928-226-6914

Rep. Klein (FL-22)
D.C. Office: 202-225-3026
Toll Free: 866-713-7303
District Office(s):
Broward 866-713-7303
Palm Beach 561-544-6910

Rep. Kosmas (FL-24)
D.C. Office: 202-225-2706
Toll Free: 877-956-7627
District Office(s):
Port Orange 386-756-9798
Orlando 407-208-1106

Rep. Langevin (RI-2)
D.C. Office: 202-225-2735
District Office(s):
Warwick 401-732-9400

Rep. Maffei (NY-25)
D.C. Office: 202-225-3701
District Office(s):
Syracuse 315-423-5657
Irondequoit 585-336-7291
Newark 315-331-6903

Rep. Mollohan (WV-1)
D.C. Office: 202-225-4172
District Office(s):
Clarksburg 304-623-4422
Morgantown 304-292-3019
Parkersburg 304-428-0493
Wheeling 304-232-5390

Rep. Nye (VA-2)
D.C. Office: 202-225-4215
District Office(s):
Hampton 757-326-6201
Eastern Shore 757-789-5092

Rep. Perriello (VA-5)
D.C. Office: 202-225-4711
District Office(s):
Martinsville 276-656-2291
Charlottesville 434-293-9631
Danville 434-791-2596
Farmville 434-392-3254

Rep. Rodriguez (TX-23)
D.C. Office: 202-225-4511
District Office(s):
Del Rio 830-774-5500
Eagle Pass 830-757-8398
Fort Stockton 432-336-3975
N. San Antonio 210-561-9421
S. San Antonio 210-922-1874

Rep. Sanchez (CA-47)
D.C. Office: 202-225-2965
District Office(s):
Garden Grove 714-621-0102

Rep. Schrader (OR-5)
D.C. Office: 202-225-5711
District Office(s):
Salem 503-588-9100
Oregon City 503-557-1324

Rep. Scott (VA-3)
D.C. Office: 202-225-8351
District Office(s):
Richmond 804-644-4845
Hampton Roads 757-380-1000

Rep. Smith (WA-9)
D.C. Office: 202-225-8901
District Office(s):
Tacoma 253-593-6600

Letting A Little Light In

Grasping for straws? Maybe so, but it's hard not to be celebrating this morning after yesterday's election results. In case the good news hasn't found it's way to you, Republicans won the gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia last night.

Many of the details are interesting, but some of my favorites:

• Many of the voters interviewed who voted Republican called their vote a referendum on the White House. People are desperately trying to be heard.
• This was Virginia (southern to some but definitely within the traditional MSM beltway due to it's access to D.C.) and New Jersey. Not Texas or Alabama or Utah. People all over the country are taking issue with the Administration.
• The grassroots networking system that has produced large numbers at Tea Party movements mobilized from all over the country to get conservative voters to the polls. This is something Democrats have been doing for years with organizations like moveon.org and finally Republicans wised up. Individuals from all of the country traveled to the northeast to volunteer their efforts in the campaigns. It's motivating to know that even though I live in a primarily conservative area I can make a difference somewhere else! If you can't travel, there are electronic phone databases that allow you to make campaign calls for another state from the comfort of your own home in say, Oklahoma.
  

Other good news that may be disregarded by the MSM - the NY-23 race for an open Congress seat. A mere 30 days ago there were 2 candidates. One Democrat, one Republican. In the past, I don't think voters have been paying a lot of attention to the flaws of their own candidate - which is probably how Republicans got into the position they are now. Not so here. She was a liberal Republican and the people called her on it. A man who was unknown a month ago entered the race as the Conservative candidate and ended up with 45% of the vote. Unfortunately, the Republican candidate only pulled out (and supported the Dem) last week so her name was still on the ballot and she took the 5% needed to win the race.

Still...the story has been fascinating me all month and the outcome last night holds a lot of promise in my mind. A message was sent to all politicians. Lazy liberal Republicans better watch out and Blue Dogs should think twice about voting for nonsense like the current healthcare bill.

Socialism is Funny

Well, not really, but this video is all kinds of funny. Can you tell I'm trying a more upbeat approach this week?

Lighten the Mood

Will Ferrell and a bunch of other celebrities did a sarcastic pro-public option video for moveon.org and some great spoofs have hit YouTube. If the nonsense is stressing you out, you might find these humorous. I was going to post the original video here, but I just couldn't bring myself to embed something from moveon.org on my blog. Even linking was too much. Big brother might be watching you know! :)

Short Term Memory

Politicians are betting on Americans having a short term memory when I comes to their reckless behavior, so I'm doing my part to remind my small corner of the world why it is so critical right now (while votes are being made on bills that don't even exist) to stay engaged. Keep calling your senators and your representative. Just some food for thought to motivate:

The government now owns General Motors, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, American International Group and partially owns Citigroup and Bank of America. It's been estimated that they own or control businesses that generate one third of the United States economy. I'll round it down to 30% being generous.

Healthcare is 18% of the economy.

I keep seeing an estimate that 8% of the economy will be controlled through Cap and Trade. The last person I heard say it was Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann on Glenn Beck's radio show.

I'll even do the math for you: 30 + 18 + 8 = 56% of the economy controlled by the Government. 56% of what was private wealth a year ago would be government.

It is fully expected that the healthcare bill (draft) that has already been voted on and now being rewritten behind closed doors will be the first step to a government run healthcare for the United States. As dreadful as I think that will be regarding healthcare, the bigger picture is even more important.

Healthcare and Cap and Trade together mean the end of our free market society. I'm hoping to motivate, not scare or depress. The battle has been going on for so long that it's starting to feel like old news, which is good for Democrats who are tired of hearing negative feedback from citizens. They would love to pass this nonsense in peace. I still believe that American citizens hold the keys here if they will stay involved for the long haul.

As a Mom...

On September 25th Glenn Beck hosted a show completely dedicated to mothers who are concerned about the direction our country is heading. It was really good. I actually try not to watch Glenn Beck lately. He makes my blood pressure rise too high, and at a bad time of day for me - 4 p.m. That's a time when mom needs to be very patient, not stressing out about the uprising of Socialism in America...still, I turned it on that day to watch because I was really excited about the idea. 15 minutes into it, Obama came on to speak about something. It must have been important because I can't remember what he was speaking about.

In any event - Obama ruined that day's showing and it was shown again the next Monday. The next day, as inspired by the show, a woman started a forum for mothers called As a Mom...A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots. It's kind of like Facebook, only it's hosted on Ning and it's only moms talking about their political and social concerns as conservative moms. Tuesday, the day the site went up - just two weeks ago, there were two members. Today there are almost 48,000. I think it's pretty cool.

Click here to check it out.

RNC Who?

There is a new RNC website up today that I think is worth checking out. It would appear that a lot of people are checking it out, so it's not working well enough at the moment for me to give details on what I like about it - so I'll do that later.

I wanted to address my feelings, and maybe yours, about the RNC. I've struggled lately as I've received requests for donations from various groups gearing up for the 2010 elections. Who do I support? I'm really a fairly textbook Libertarian, but I don't have high hopes for the Libertarian ticket any time soon.

The grassroots conservative movement in the past year has been amazing. For me, it has verified that my own ideals are not unique - and that's a good thing! The organization happening in local communities shows an untapped power in the American citizen that I haven't seen in my own lifetime. How does this translate into real action though?

I think/hope that the RNC is wising up and trying to be the answer. I've been a little cocky about my relationship with them - I mean, they must be drooling over the Tea Party activists and their devotion and money. Wouldn't they just love it if all they had to do was open their doors and the RNC would be infused with new numbers, new life, and new money?

It struck me today though that any conservative who hopes to see their ideology reflected in Washington needs the RNC. They need us and we need them. Yes, if they had behaved properly we would not be in the current mess...but there must be an organization to funnel all of the current energy into to accomplish much needed action. So, if you have been looking for something to DO other than read my ramblings and the ramblings of a million others in the political blogosphere, go to GOP.com and really check it out. I'm going to. Sign up, be a Facebook fan, engage. It looks like (though I haven't properly been able to click through everything) it may truly be an online community forum that can capture the grassroots energy that has mom's like me blogging during naptime!

Nobel Peace EFFORT Prize

TIME magazine's online header this morning:

"Obama Wins the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize for Effort"

The first paragraph of this article touches on some of the things running through my mind right now, only nicer: "The Nobel committee awarded the 2009 Peace Prize to President Barack Obama Friday in a prospective, premature accolade normally reserved for those who have accomplished considerable, tangible results in the pursuit of peace."

Ooh ooh, there's more: "he has attempted to reinvigorate international agreements limiting nuclear weapons." Yeah, he's made a HUGE impact in Iran. So obvious by their recent announcements of nuclear capabilities.

I'm sorry, why did Barack Obama win this award??

(Thiandian News, Zurich) "...for his extra ordinary dialogue in the world, for the way in which he was solving conflicts thru negotiations." Oh, yes. I forgot how very gifted he is in giving speeches.

(Reuters) "...for offering the world hope and striving for nuclear disarmament"

Of course I love that Fox News pointed out the nomination deadline of February 1st. So he was nominated based on his campaign. I guess the whole world bought the Obama package hook, line, and sinker.

So, the Nobel Peace Prize went to a President who is currently leading two wars and has yet to do anything but talk about his ideas for peace. The committee even admits that he got the award for nothing more than trying. Today, children everywhere participate in sporting events where everyone gets trophies. Gifted and talented classes are being eliminated in favor of leaving no child behind. The November 9th, 2008 post-election headlines were "Anybody Can Be President." Today we have yet another example of how you don't actually have to do anything or accomplish anything to get a huge pat on the back. Barack Obama got an "E" for effort today. My job as a mother trying to raise productive children just got a little more difficult.

*Disclaimer: I'm not really sure how important or credible the Nobel Peace Prize is anyway since the last United States President to receive the award was Jimmy Carter.

What's Wrong With This Picture?

(Photo courtesy of Fox News)

Let me count the ways this picture is screwed up. 150 doctors were present at a White House press conference on healthcare reform this week. All in attendance clapped wildly at everything the President said. Red flags were flying in my mind, how about yours?

For starters...let's look at the obvious: All 150 are sitting happily in the audience wearing their white coats. Have you ever seen a doctor wearing a white coat anywhere other than the hospital or clinic? I mean, most of the doctors I know would wear a suit given the opportunity to conference with the President of the United States. There are actually pictures of White House staff handing out white coats to the doctors who forgot theirs, which only makes this even funnier to me. This is the equivalent of holding an auto workers' union press conference in the Rose Garden and smudging grease on the faces of the attendees prior to the photo op. How stupid do they really think Americans are? Are they just hoping they can hoodwink a large enough percentage that the support for their government healthcare program looks reasonable, no matter how misled the supporters are?

(Photo courtesy of LA Times)

"Wow, look at this picture! If doctors are supporting Obama's healthcare plans, they must be good." Let's take a look at the facts before jumping to the conclusion Obama is hoping we will jump to with his propaganda staging here.

Some of Obama's words at the "press conference" were especially troubling to me:

"...all the distractions that are out there, I think what's most telling is that some of the people who are most supportive of reform are the very medical professionals who know the health care system best -- the doctors and nurses of America."

This is so misleading. Particularly if you go back to the idea that Obama's camp claims "reform" is his plan and anything else is anti-reform. Doctors (and many nurses) are NOT for Obama's plan. Doctors want deregulation, tort reform, portability of insurance plans, and a number of other viable reforms that are not even on the table. The AMA supports Obamacare. Most people don't realize that the AMA has a very small membership made up of doctors.

"But, what about the doctors in this idyllic photograph?" There are answers for you. The invitation-only audience of doctors drew heavily from an organization called Doctors for America, formerly known as Doctors for Obama. Hmmmm.

Just for entertainment value, I found the picture I referred to above. I'm shocked they didn't have some stethoscopes to hand out as well. Maybe stage a doctor stopping to look in someone's mouth with a tongue depressor on his way to sit down...

(Photo courtesy of New York Post)

*If you are really interested in what doctors are saying, check out these survey results from Sermo, an actual non-partisan group of physicians.

Laugh at Me

Go ahead. Laugh as I share my insanity:

I'm hooked on many things iPhone despite their affiliation with so many liberal causes. They make good stuff...what can I say? I think they are a bit similar to Michael Moore and his movie condemning capitalism. Would Michael Moore's movie be a success if people didn't PURCHASE the tickets? Doubtful, however you measure "success." I have a feeling it will be dubbed a success even if nobody actually goes to see it. Turn to Apple: Maybe the left wing population supported them when nobody else was buying their products, but the current success of Apple did not happen without conservatives who believe in getting up and going to work to make money to buy stuff...like iPods, iPhones, and iMacs. They'll come around some day when they realize that ACORN workers are not supporting their bottom line. I'm getting off track here.

My husband got me hooked on Scrabble for the iPhone this week. After enjoying the game a bit, I noticed that just above the word "Scrabble" in the logo was the phrase "Every word's a WINNER." I shared my observation with Mr. B as well as my conclusion that the Scrabble people are in cahoots with the Obama Administration. He let out a nervous laugh and probably hoped to himself that I would not repeat such thoughts. Not so, dear. :)

Crazy Right Wing Radical

I sent this in to the Dallas Morning news a few weeks ago. When I didn't hear back, I thought "I must really be a crazy right wing radical!" Then I turned on the news and realized how many other people were reacting similarly. Now I'm thinking I didn't make the news because I sounded just like everyone else! So - if you had some thoughts on the matter that made you a little crazy (like me!) feel free to share.

Jimmy Carter caught my attention this week in his interview with NBC's Brian Williams. The former Democratic President stated that an "overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man." While there have been numerous headlines over the past nine months that made my head turn, this one invoked the deepest reaction.

I am white. I have some very intense animosity toward President Obama. I've even "demonstrated" it peacefully in writing and in attendance at various events. Race has nothing to do with it. Seriously, who has the time to stop and notice the President's race? The bailouts he claimed were so critical earlier this year baffled me by their recklessness, speed, and lack of common economic sense. I worried for myself, my parents, my siblings, and my children. That was only the beginning of my feelings of animosity.

As our economy has continued to spin downward, those of us in my family who have jobs are quietly hoping and praying to keep them. Others are working towards finishing schooling they had hoped would give them an advantage. We're all now learning that in the new Obama America of "spreading the wealth", hard work and playing by the rules doesn't get you very far. We are too young to have any wealth to date, but it doesn't look as if we will get there. We are not greedy. We are actually very civic minded and try to give back to our community. Even in my most philanthropic moments I've never had any desire to simply turn over hard earned money to bureaucracy thousands of miles away. I have some animosity towards a president who thinks he has the right to take from me and do what he pleases.

Before the dust can settle on one way that the Obama Administration's policies are hurting me, another one crops up. Enter in Cap and Trade. This will raise my everyday costs. As it kills more jobs than it creates, Texas will suffer. I see the struggles of my family and friends with the already difficult economic circumstances and I have some animosity towards a President who places greater value on highly politicized environmental policy than people. Can President Barack Obama find another way to mess with my life?

Of course! Right now it would seem that our family's livelihood rests in his hands regarding healthcare reform. We have made a lot of hard choices, sacrificed years, and spent a large amount of money in pursuit of medical training. The thought that it may lead to a position of government employment, lack of professional autonomy and less ability to deliver quality care is disheartening. Looming in the back of our minds is also a knowledge that the reimbursement we need to pay off our loans and begin saving for things we haven't been able to save for may never been realized. Every day I feel stress about this. I feel intense animosity.

This Administration has done more to create stress, worry, and fear in my life than any threat of terrorism ever has.

Racial, no. Deeply personal, yes.

Lighthearted Truths

This is pretty funny, though perfectly fitting. I found it while surfing the web reading up on 9-12 events tomorrow. May be an interesting news day...

Enjoy!

Unnecessary Arguing

I read an article today by Michael Gerson in the Washington Post that compared Obama's strategy of "crisis" creation about healthcare to Jimmy Carter's energy crisis. I don't know if it was the writer's intention, but it left me with some thoughts about all this healthcare nonsense.

Obama talked a lot about healthcare on the campaign trail, so I realize that this is a priority for him. However, he did walk into an existing war. Add to that the economic crisis. Why are we even talking about healthcare right now? Maybe Americans have become comfortable about the ongoing war and can deal with it, but the economic conditions are stressing everyone out. Everyone. Not 48 million , or the various ways that number has been broken down. It is beyond me why the President was addressing a joint session of Congress tonight about healthcare when there are so many other issues to address. And I'm a little annoyed that they've stressed me out about this on top of the economic craziness going on.

I think he's scrambling. No liberal in his right mind wants his entire presidency to be defined about economic issues. Liberals don't fix economic problems. They make up programs and spend money to fix humanitarian problems. Sometimes they even create jobs, other than Czar positions. I think President Obama is trying his best to get a new deck of cards other than what he's been dealt.

Good Things

I recently made the observation that liberals must have been trained on how to talk about their issues far better than conservatives. I sometimes find myself feeling guilty and tongue tied by the arguments made by the left. Case in point: Healthcare. Yesterday many of my Facebook friends had the following in their status message:

"No one should die because they cannot afford health care, and no one should go broke because they get sick. If you agree, please post this as your status for the rest of the day."

Seriously, who can argue with this? I will - but it's not concise enough for Facebook!

This statement is indirectly slapping every conservative in the face by labeling them as people who believe someone should die because they cannot afford health care and that one's entire financial situation should be destroyed by illness. This is no different than the way that the White House and it's allies say that those in opposition to their plan "are opposed to health care reform." They have claimed "health care reform" as their ideas alone, thus anyone who is opposed to their ideas is against reform.

Be of good cheer my friends. Take a step back. Breathe. Now remember the heart of the problem: It is NOT the the government's job to make decisions about anyone's healthcare and you are doing your fellow man a great service by standing up for the Constitution of the United States.

I missed the opportunity to support John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods, earlier this week as a kickoff of a grassroots "buycott" movement was held at the Preston Whole Foods in Dallas. The buycott is in response to the boycott lefties are staging against Mackey for his recent article in the Wall Street Journal condemning Obamacare. I know, I've been ranting about the environmentalist movement lately and even included Whole Foods in my gripe, but this is good enough to make me wish I could have been there. Read it HERE. I can't give it enough praise. There are so many good ideas for reform out there. The argument is not as simple as reform vs. no reform.

To make myself feel better about missing the buycott on Tuesday I booked it up to Dallas from Houston yesterday, with tired babies in tow, so that the tired babies and I could make it to the Tea Party Express event in Dallas. I'm glad I went too. It was patriotic, peaceful, motivating...really. It just feels good to see people out in defense of this great country. The media makes this movement look so weird, but as I've said before: these are some of the most patriotic events I've ever been to. Everything about it was American. A few pictures from the event:

 

I feel better having seen others who are as concerned as I am today. There are a lot of good things happening right now in opposition to what's happening in Washington.

Brave New World

Why are there actual ideas floating around in our government that read something like the fiction I studied as a high school student? Here I am during naptime at my house. The floors are clean. Kids are snoozing. My headache is healing, so I sit down for a bit of web surfing. What's going on in the world today? Somehow I stumble onto such information as this:

The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) had their inaugural meeting last week to discuss primarily our failing economy and climate and energy research. Boring. Right?

THEN I learn a bit about a co-chair of this little panel, science-czar John Holdren. Among his many publications concerning an apparent favorite topic, overpopulation, Ecoscience (1977) is something to take note of. This man coauthored (with only 2 others) a book suggesting forced abortions and sterilization. More details can be found here. I'm all for free speech (unlike the White House) but if "intellectuals" want to study, encourage, publish...whatever this kind of extremist doctrine they should NOT be in a top, unchecked (he's a czar, remember??), position in our country.

Aaaaand the headache is back. Signing off...

Environmentalism vs. The Family

An idea has been buzzing around in my head lately that continues to grow. It all started a few months ago when I was in Whole Foods to pick up a few specialty items that one of my kids needed. As I plowed over every thing and everyone with my seemingly over-sized, though really regular-sized, grocery cart loaded with my two children it dawned on me that the organic/eco-friendly/environmental pop-culture seen currently on the rise is not exactly family-friendly. To truly fit in there, I needed to only have a small basket in hand or one of those neat small basket holding carts. No space for babies in those.

While I was there, I noticed that it was almost dinner time. Since I was at a grocery store anyway, I thought I'd just find something quick and easy in the freezer section. There wasn't even a pizza large enough there to feed a family of four. Luckily, my kids are still very small so it was not an issue. I was bothered though and the wheels in my brain were definitely turning.

A month or so later I saw this study about eco-friendly cars. It only further convinced me that I should not put my babies in one of these. I think my jogging stroller could take the Smart car.

This was just crazy talk really, until the scales were tipped this week. A new study done at Oregon State University concluded that if people are really concerned about the environment, the best thing they can do is not reproduce. Forget the swirly lightbulbs, recycling, composting, or even using one of my favorite eco-friendly products - Glad Rags (insert sarcasm there). Just stop having kids. That will lower your "carbon legacy" far more.

People are seriously going to far. No need to be hard core scientific about it. Maybe people should stop reproducing so that we can have less poop on the planet. Clearly a new child has nothing to offer this world other than their waste?

So there you have it. Environmentalism is not family friendly. Since there is also a corrupt government political "save the environment" push moving forward and ridiculous programs like "Cash for Clunkers" are being embraced I'd have to say that our current government is also not family friendly. Add to that the potential for government takeover on our health care. Of course they had to write in counseling for the elderly about end-of-life care. There will be no younger generation to care for them!

On a slightly different, but related note I don't believe in "global warming" along with most of the studies out there on the topic. All science aside (and I am a fan of the science), I believe in Creationism. Since the Creator is all knowing, I think He knew the many ways we would "damage" the Earth He gave us. Do I think it is a gift we should value and take care of? Absolutely. I just also believe that the Earth has been built to last as long as He intends for His purposes. So while I try to be conservative (what's that word??), and I could do a lot better on our family's production of trash, I don't think that there is anything I can purchase at Walmart that is going to save the planet.

czar

–noun
1. an emperor or king.
2. (often initial capital letter) the former emperor of Russia.
3. an autocratic ruler or leader.
4. any person exercising great authority or power in a particular field: a czar of industry.

Definition courtesy of dictionary.com.

The United States currently has 32 of them. That's more than Imperial Russia, just so you know.

Plain English

My brother passed THIS article by Betsy McCaughey on to me today and it's really interesting. I especially like that it goes into some of the alarming specifics (down to the page number) of what's on the table currently. Short, intelligent, worth the read.

A few excerpts to mull over:

"It's one thing to require that people getting government assistance tolerate managed care, but the legislation limits you to a managed-care plan even if you and your employer are footing the bill (Senate bill, p. 57-58). The goal is to reduce everyone's consumption of health care and to ensure that people have the same health-care experience, regardless of ability to pay."

"One troubling provision of the House bill compels seniors to submit to a counseling session every five years (and more often if they become sick or go into a nursing home) about alternatives for end-of-life care (House bill, p. 425-430). The sessions cover highly sensitive matters such as whether to receive antibiotics and 'the use of artificially administered nutrition and hydration.'

"This mandate invites abuse, and seniors could easily be pushed to refuse care. Do we really want government involved in such deeply personal issues?

"Shockingly, only a portion of the money accumulated from slashing senior benefits and raising taxes goes to pay for covering the uninsured. The Senate bill allocates huge sums to "community transformation grants," home visits for expectant families, services for migrant workers -- and the creation of dozens of new government councils, programs and advisory boards slipped into the last 500 pages."

Time Management

Poor use of your time: Taking ANY time out of your busy schedule under the grossly misled assumption that you could watch an Obama press conference and get anything out of it other than a headache. What did he say?? Oh yeah, people need healthcare. Have we made that point already? Duh, they need food and water too. Let's not waste our time folks.

Good use of your time: Bobby Jindal's article here. It's intelligent and full of good ideas for discussion.

Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is

Congressman John Fleming caught my eye for the first time this morning. The former physician has drafted a resolution requiring members of Congress who support healthcare reform that includes a public option to enroll themselves. You can go to The Center for Health Transformation's website to sign a petition in support of this resolution by clicking here.

As written, the current legislation exempts members of Congress from enrolling in the public option they are touting as the answer to all of our healthcare woes. Here's a short clip with Congressman Fleming with more: http://fleming.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=24&sectiontree=23,24&itemid=199

Fleming's site also has a letter you can print out to send to your representative.

Seriously, this is keeping me up at night. The healthcare system makes up 1/5th of our economy. Government already has control over the banking and auto industry. What does this mean for us and our children? Don't even get me started on the 30 czars now running things. What about checks and balances??

Tea and Fireworks

Michelle Malkin reported that 37,000 people turned out to the Dallas Tea Party on Saturday.

37,000.

That's a lot of angry Texans. Inspiring, really.

When Is The Last Time You Read This?

Declaration of Independence
July 4, 1776

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government."

Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness - That's it. Not food, health care, housing, successful business endeavors...

Deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed - I think we still have a voice. What's important here is that we remember that we SHOULD be in control.

Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes - So...what about the smell of pig manuer in Iowa? Retrofitting your house to be "green" prior to sale? Why do politicians even talk about this stuff?

Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves - This is true, but I hope the days of "silent majority" are over! They sure are for me.

Duty - It's not just a nice idea if we want to get involved. It's our duty.

I was easy on you and left out the list of complaints against the King of England, but if you'd like I can formulate one against the present monarch/dictator of our country. :)

I wonder what the face of our country would look like if everyone read this once a year? Now I've done my patriotic duty...off to decorate the backyard in red, white, and blue!

Happy Independence Day!

The Corruption of Walmart

I have a love-hate relationship with Walmart. From a personal viewpoint, I generally dislike the Walmart shopping experience - though like most, I endure it because from a rational standpoint, it's a great place to get a good deal. From a business standpoint, it's brilliant in many ways.

Walmart is the largest private employer in America. In the great health care debate, I've often cited Walmart as the ultimate example of how an unregulated free market provides the ideal environment for an organization to step up and meet the demands of the low and middle classes. There was a demand for cheap goods, Walmart saw it, met it, and profited from it.

Though I know it's not exactly that simple with health care, I would love to see the same free market idea happen. Let the brilliant minds of driven Americans come up with a solution to meet the demands of those who currently cannot afford to pay for their health care (because let's be serious - everyone is GETTING it) and let them profit from their brilliance. It's a stretch, I know.

Walmart has fallen now...they are official supporters of government health care. Official, like they are on the letterhead. It's craziness. It has nothing to do with doing something good for American citizens. It's all about squeezing out Target. What better way than getting in with the biggest takeover organization in the world? Now maybe my husband will get over my dislike of Walmart and deal with the higher grocery bill!

Food for Thought

Chew on this...

Obama on health care:

“A big part of what led General Motors and Chrysler into trouble,” he said, “were the huge costs they racked up providing health care for their workers — costs that made them less profitable and less competitive with automakers around the world.”

“If we do not fix our health care system,” Obama said, “America may go the way of GM — paying more, getting less, and going broke.”

So many things wrong here...anyone care to start listing?

The Skinny on Obamacare

Here is the current situation and all the facts I can organize in a reasonable fashion for you. I found a great article to draw from so you're not just hearing my words, but I have to add that this is only one of many such sources I've seen - so I'm not just taking one person's point of view. This is a well understood argument by many, and with any luck it can be well understood by more and more every day.

President Obama originally asked Congress to draft the health care legislation that would eventually make it's way to his desk for signing. He quickly abandoned that idea because even Democrats working on it were too moderate for him. Nobody wanted to include the controversial "public option". As of late, Obama has decided to take a more hands on approach, no doubt to insure that his pet "public option" is included. Where are the checks and balances?? I heard someone say on the news the other day that there aren't any checks anymore because Washington wrote them all...sidetrack, I know! It was funny, even though it's true.

It's all so deceptive to me, really. Obama is shunning all accusations of socialized medicine, but this "public option" is at the heart of what everyone is afraid of.

Simply stated by Carol Platt Liebau:

...if Obama succeeds in imposing a “government option” on America, the privately insured will be forced to pay even more to compensate for the government-created cost/payment shortfall as the rolls of those in the government plan expand. As a result, the cost of private insurance will ultimately become untenable. And then – there will be only government-administered health care for all.

TRANSLATION: The public option puts our private option, and our choices, out of business.

and then...

Without privately insured Americans subsidizing Medicare and Medicaid, there will have to be another way to close the deficit between the cost of treatments and the below-market payments government offers for them. The answer, of course, will be health care rationing. Rather than the free market – or health care consumers’ economic and personal choices – driving the distribution of health care, the government will do it.

TRANSLATION: Government runs out of money to fund already sinking programs, so they have no other choice but to take away our choices.

Couldn't leave this part of the article out, cause it's just so true!

A government bureaucracy controlling your medical care is likely to combine the efficiency of the post office with the compassion of the IRS. Imagine a trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles – but to secure lifesaving treatment for yourself, a spouse or child, rather than simply to obtain a driver’s license. What a nightmare.

TRANSLATION: Ouch! Keep the DMV image in your head when I give you a "to do" list on this later. :)

My final point for why we should all be wary of the current Obamacare campaign is simple. It's just not what it seems. He is flat out lying when he says that he has no desire to form government-run health care. He has supported a single-payer system in the past, even though he claims not to at this time. His key Democratic counterparts, including Hillary Clinton and Ted Kennedy, have been pushing for government controlled, single-payer health care for years. This is where they want to take us and it looks like they are doing a good job of blurring the lines just enough for people to get sideswiped by it. There's a good reason our celebrityesque President of the United States is out "campaigning" to get the citizens of the country on board with this - it won't fly on it's own.

Bits and Pieces

Obama is out and about trying to sell his health care plan to the people. Today something refreshing happened...he was booed by doctors at an American Medical Association meeting. Shocking to me, since I know far too many physicians who were crazy enough to vote for him despite the potential threat to so many aspects of their careers.

Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar reported for the Associated Press:

The boos erupted when Obama told the doctors in Chicago he wouldn't try to help them win their top legislative priority—limits on jury damages in medical malpractice cases.

But what could they expect? If Obama announced support for malpractice limits, that would set trial lawyers and unions—major supporters of Democratic candidates—on the attack. Not to mention consumer groups.

Politics. Gotta love 'em. I realize that he wasn't generally booed by the crowd, but I still think it's cool he got a boo for ONCE in a blue moon. Then I read on. Sometimes I read or hear something that makes me think that maybe my brain is wired incorrectly and I think completely different from everyone else. This is one of those things:

Doctors have special reasons to be wary of the president's plans to overhaul the health care system.

Not long ago, doctors' decisions were rarely questioned. Now they are being blamed for a big part of the wasteful spending in the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system. Studies have shown that as much as 30 cents of the U.S. health care dollar may be going for tests and procedures that are of little or no value to patients.

The Obama administration has cited such findings as evidence that the system is broken. Since doctors are the ones responsible for ordering tests and procedures, health care costs cannot be brought under control unless they change their decision-making habits.

I've had a conversation or two with many a physician and some interesting complaints are often heard. 1) Patients readily request/demand unnecessary tests be run, despite the doctor's recommendations. 2) Doctors are driven to run many unnecessary tests because of liability. They cannot simply make a "gut" call and save the patient/insurance company/taxpayer some money. When the lawsuit comes a calling, they have to be able to show that they did everything they could.

The lawyers have no accountability here? And, of course, the most amazingly overlooked question of our time: Where is the personal accountability?

Coming soon - why Obama's plan is bad for doctors (as I alluded to above without explaining) but most importantly, as the Obama administration will go down denying, bad for patients.

The entire article can be found here.

Jobs Saved

My focus right now is on health care, but it is hard not to pick up tidbits here and there of other topics. I'll tie this into health care for you.

Back when the Obama Administration first started shoving trillions of dollars worth of debt in the form of a "stimulus" down our throats, they sold it under the guise of "saving or creating jobs". The first time I heard this statement my head spun, but it seemed I was the only one. Silly me, I figured others would catch on...like maybe some of the people interviewing him? Alas, months have gone by and the unemployment rate is approaching 10% and Obama is still praising himself for all the jobs he has saved.

Here's my health care tie-in: If I tried to prove to you how healthy I was by giving you an impressive list of all the diseases I have NOT had, would you be sold?

Why are people buying this? "Saved" jobs are not a quantifiable.

Healthcare Reform

It's on the horizon in the next few months. Obama's administration is already prepping the people to embrace the takeover by slinging around one of their favorite words, "urgent". On a personal level, I'm busy and stressed by life right now so paying too much attention to the news can seriously give me a headache some days. That said, I think everyone else is busy and stressed by life and politicians would love it if we kept our heads down in the grind so we'd miss what's happening. There is so much happening!

I'm going to try to focus in on educating myself & others on universal health care. I am adamantly against it from an ideological standpoint, but it's going to take more than that to stop the train wreck - if stopping it is really possible. There are real, serious reasons why this is a terrible idea for America and I hope to shed light on that in the days and weeks to come. My goal: to educate on a confusing but critical topic and to find out what we the people can do, if anything, to stop or curb the takeover. I'd love to break it down for everyone so that we could all just be hanging out in the work lunchroom, playgroup, airport, etc. casually explaining to our counterparts how damaging this is. Goodness knows the media won't do it.

So there, I'm committed and I will produce!

Last One to Know

Maybe this is information that most people are aware of, but just last week I was made aware of the fact that GE owns NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC. GE stands to make a HUGE fortune off of Obama's environmental policies, particularly the Cap and Trade program buzzing around. They've also benefited from the bailouts.

I've had issue with NBC, MSNBC, and CNBC over their obvious bias towards Obama, but this severe conflict of interest? Aren't there journalism rules out there? or laws?

Need Understanding?

I escaped the fact that my children were not napping as needed (by me) today to the tune of a diet coke, brownie, and a quick read on nationalized health care by Steve Forbes, editor-in-chief of Forbes magazine. Sidenote - my husband calls Forbes magazine the equivalent of People magazine for money. I'm not sure what level that puts my blog writing on...

If you would like to educate yourself quickly on what conservatives mean when they say that Obama is going to socialize medicine, this is worth the few minutes. It's short and simple (like People magazine, remember?) I also like that it poses ideas for alternatives instead of simply putting down an idea. A little creativity goes a long way in problem solving.

Click here for the read. Oh, and definitely grab a brownie and a diet coke. :)

Intolerance & Divisiveness

I've been seeing this story all over the news for the past few days and just NEED to clear my head. The scoop seems to be that Miss California pretty much lost the Miss USA pageant this weekend because she said that she did not support gay marriage. *Personally, I was not impressed at all with how she answered the question. She was probably a little tongue tied to have to deal with the subject matter at such a critical time in the pageant though, so I'll give her a break. The backlash has been huge. Amazing really. Quite the litmus test for where our country is heading.

She has been called every name in the book for her answer. Answer. Everyone is going ape over the fact that she would be so divisive, intolerant, and overall unrepresentative of the USA. Last I checked the majority of Americans given the opportunity to vote on gay marriage were still saying no. Further, nobody seems to be asking why this completely controversial and altogether divisive question was ever asked. And why can't anybody tolerate her answer? The aggressive "think how we think or else" vibes floating around are astounding. Who's intolerant here? Who is divisive? Hmmm.

*I did not actually watch the pageant in it's entirety - just the clips of the controversy.

More Right Wing Radicals

I'm hearing 15-20,000 people are in Atlanta, GA right now. Earlier today around 10,000 were in Sacramento, CA. I don't know how many people were in Houston, but these pictures were just from ONE of the 4 or 5 parties in the greater Houston area. Apparently this group rocked downtown Houston pretty hard.
Look closely at the picture below in the bottom left corner. There's a small sign that says "I See Debt People." Made me laugh.

The mere fact that Obama posed for such a picture is just odd.

Winston-Salem, NC Tea Party

I just got back from my local Tax Day Tea Party and I'm so glad I went. There are most definitely a LOT of citizens out there scratching their heads at what's happening in Washington and it was refreshing to see them. They estimated about 600 were at this event. I've never been to a "protest" but I had a vision in my head of fringe outcasts or something, especially with the way the media has been portraying this. Not so here.


The party was over most people's lunch breaks. Hmmm, I guess that's because they have jobs and pay taxes? You could tell a lot of attendees were there from work. Lots of veterans, retirees, grandparents with grandchildren in tow, parents with children in tow, college students, etc. No crazies there either...just regular, hard working Americans who want to preserve their Constitutional rights. They had music and face painting too, which was a nice touch.

Some of my favorite signs:









I think I saw about 2 1/2 people trying to protest the protest. They carried Barack Obama bumper stickers. I should have taken their picture to make them feel like their effort was worth while. I think they were disarmed a little bit at the organization of our event, which looked more like a Fourth of July celebration than a protest. I saw some serious patriotism today and it made me proud.

If anyone wants to email me pictures from their party, I'll post them here!

Strong Message from Texas

Texas is sure sounding like a nice place to live...

Why Go Out?

So why would I, or you, leave the comfort of my usual routine tomorrow - more than likely with small children in tow - to attend a Tax Day Tea Party? I'll tell you what I think.

The top 10% of earners in this country pay 70% of the taxes. That's the current situation without factoring in the unbridled spending that happened post-Obama-inauguration. That is without the promised changes to the tax code that are coming down the pipeline, as well as promises for major spending on healthcare and the environment. After the past two months, we have no reason to believe that such initiatives cannot be passed on their own, as singularly expensive as each of them may be, without every politician in Washington making sure their neighborhood gets some new flowerbeds. Further, those flowerbeds will have to be constructed and maintained only by companies who employ unionized workers or illegal aliens.

I was shocked in November when the Obama-Biden-Reid-Pelosi organization was given what appears to be more power than I thought was possible in our system of checks and balances. I couldn't believe this was what Americans really wanted and I still don't believe it. That's why I'm going out tomorrow. I think good people were misled by the Obama campaign and their kindergartenesque "can't we all just get along" slogans while the Republican Party failed to produce a viable candidate worth voting for. Now, it seems that the politicians in Washington think that getting voted in meant we the people gave up our voice. Not so.

The message tomorrow: Stop excessive and unfair taxation. Rein in government spending.

I contacted the organizers of my local Tax Day Tea Party and was assured of a few points many might be interested in - the event is planned and organized with all necessary permits. There will be speakers, press, and children are welcome.

Go to http://taxdayteaparty.com to find out if there is one near you to check out. You might be surprised that there is one 15 minutes from you. There are an estimated 700-800 parties happening tomorrow!

Random Tea Party Goers you may have heard of:

Governor Rick Perry (Fort Worth, TX Party)
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul (Seabrook, TX Party)
Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (Atlanta, GA Party)
Sean Hannity (Atlanta, GA Party)
Neil Cavuto (Sacramento, CA Party)
Glenn Beck (San Antonio, TX Party)

That's all the time have today, but tomorrow I'll post pictures!

HENRY is Footing the Bill

I found this article while blog surfing a while back and wanted to post a link to it for anyone interested. I think it does a nice job of explaining just who Obama's so-called "wealthy" people are, what their lives are like, and what it will mean for them to foot the bill for the ridiculous spending happening in Washington right now.

H.E.N.R.Y. = High Earner Not Rich Yet.

"These folks aren't America's hedge fund managers, investment bankers, or CEOs - who boast net worths in the multimillions and qualify as rich right now. Instead, these are the doctors, consultants, and attorneys, the marketing managers and CIOs, the owners of real estate agencies and security firms. They write the contracts, inspire the sales teams, and integrate computer systems. They own many of America's small businesses. A man aspiring to join this cohort, nicknamed Joe the Plumber, has put a face on a big issue in the presidential campaign: Whether it's fair or wise to raise taxes on the powerful job engine of America's corner stores, maintenance firms, and yes, plumbing contractors." Shawn Tully, "Look Who Pays for the Bailout", Fortune Magazine, October 2008.

This group of people has been grossly mis-characterized as "wealthy" but at best they are comfortable if they live within their means (what's that??) and follow a budget. Read the article...you just might be one. Or, you might be "hoping" to become one someday after years of hard work. You may just be lining up to foot the bill for America's entitlement society.

I just heard on the radio this morning the total TARP spending is officially 4 trillion. That is 4,000,000,000,000 folks. The zeroes don't lie.

Tea Parties

Apparently, the Main Stream Media (MSM, aka Obama-Democrat-Liberal-Loving Media) is unwilling to cover a brewing grassroots movement called Tea Parties, so I thought I'd post some information and educate a little. The Chicago Tea Party idea was first thrown out by CNBC's Rick Santelli. The clip is on your right. It definitely made me smile.

People have gone a little crazy with the Tea Party idea and since Santelli's idea was introduced in mid-February there have been parties happening every weekend. 5000 people showed up for the Cinncinnati Tea Party this weekend. 5000!?! Something is happening.

A Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party movement is underway and parties are being organized in a city near you for April 15th. Just go here to find out where a party near you is. I think I'll head out to one myself and check it out. I'm very interested in mingling with others who feel like I do about what's happening to our country. I'm going to put a little video of the last Houston Tea Party on the right so you can see what these events are like. Go out to one...tell us how it is...take pictures!

Tea Party Gear can be found here. I might just need some more running clothes...

The Birth of A Savvy Citizen

A phenomenon has happened in America. Aside from radio and TV personalities, conservatives abide by the strangest "rule" of not talking about politics. Ever. Bring up politics with the neighbors you're having over tonight? Bad. It's entirely okay for the entire belief system of a liberal to be plastered on the back of their car. Before you've even seen a person's face you know how they feel about spaying and neutering, coexisting, and saving the environment. (I could write an entire other post about how comical I think it is that somehow the liberals "own" the right to be concerned about these issues and conservatives are just jerks who let their pets reproduce, can't get along, and destroy the environment with their endless productivity...)

I hear these terms thrown around like "sleeping giant" and "silent majority." Well, it's time to wake up and make some noise. As a concerned citizen, I have become obsessed with current events and how they clash with how little I can remember of my government classes. Four key things are troubling to me and have prompted the start of this blog:

1. It looks as if politicians are coming as near to rewriting the Constitution of the United States as possible.

2. I don't feel well versed enough in the subject of politics to know for sure if that's really happening.

3. I get the distinct impression that the politicians are betting on #2 being true for most Americans.

4. I think the politicians are wrong about us.

Please join me on my journey as I try to wrap my head around what is happening, get a clue about how it happened, and figure out what we can do now.