The "All Beef" Burger

   As a child in my father’s house, it was the exception to the rule to eat out. But, on occasion, Dad would load us all in the station wagon and head for the drive-thru. The experience of ordering was a simple process; four kids and two adults equaled Dad asking for six hamburger combos with cokes. (Most places only offered cheeseburger or hamburger anyway.) No special orders. His goal; make things simple. It wasn’t because everyone liked the same thing, it was just that we were happy to get the ‘treat’ of eating out, so we accepted the way things were. Dad already knew of the confusion that would ensue if he catered to six of us. It was just easier for us to adapt to the system by customizing our burgers when we arrived home. No gripes / No fusses.


   Today, with a family of five, I have tried to carry on my family’s orders in much the same way. However, I am finding this task is quickly becoming impossible. The problem is that we have a society with too many choices and most of them are taken for granted. For starters, there is the decision of “where we will go to eat.” McDonald’s, Burger King, K.F.C., Taco Bell, Popeye’s, Sonic, Jack-in-the-Box, etc… you get the picture as the list can quickly become a book of its own. After this monumental decision is made, we are faced with the epic menus that are now offered everywhere. It seems that every business feels they need to expand their menu to appease the masses. The burger diners now offer tacos and chicken. The chicken joints serve burgers, and the taco stands have chicken tacos! When I was a kid, we went to a burger place for a burger, and taco stands for tacos. Is this process TOO simple? The fast food system wasn’t broken so why did it need to be revamped?

In much the same way, our country has gone down this same road. Our Grandparents wanted to be Americans so they came to America. This seems like a pretty simple idea. They wanted this so much that they learned the language that America spoke. English. Still a simple concept. They got jobs and didn’t ask their American neighbors to support them. They wanted Social Security and the protection of the military so they paid taxes into the American tax system. So why did all of this change? America is changing its 'menu' to accommodate immigrants who do not want to learn our language. If Obama has his way, the ‘menu’ will now serve free healthcare to people who are not even citizens. He will give Social Security benefits to people who have not paid into the tax system. I cannot see where these are ‘menu additions’ that need to be made or what good can come of this.
   If foreigners want ‘chicken’ then they should go to a place that serves it. (I’m thinking France) If they want tacos then they should go get tacos. (Uh, maybe Mexico) But when they want to order America, then that is what they should get. An American is loaded with rights. Everyone is served the same way. Social Security, English speaking, gainfully employed, with a side of protection by the most powerful military on the planet. No Special Orders. If you don’t like it then go order somewhere else. If you agree with that, then “please pull forward to the next window.” Thank You.

Three Feet Under?

  I read today that Obama’s health care reform will include an “End of Life” planning provision. This is where the government will have someone sit down with you and discuss options for your loved ones that are “nearing death.” The thought of our goverment having a say-so in the time of my death, well, for a lack of better wording; “SCARES ME TO DEATH.” I am already having a hard time adjusting to the Bizzarre World that is being shoved down my throat every day from “King Obama”. Now, he wants the government, who seem to make a three-ring- circus out of every program they run, to guide my family in the “how” and “when” of my death. Yikes!!


  I am not sure that I want my government “counseling” my family on when it is the right time to “pull the plug” on old Dad. These guys have trouble doing the “right thing” and have a history to back it up. This is the same organization that gave us Watergate, and the Iran/contra scandal. Their "decision making clout" doesn’t go very far with me. I think we all remember what happened with FEMA. There are tons of people abusing the welfare system because it isn’t monitored the way it needs to be. And despite all these shortcomings of our government, they think that they can handle “coaching” my family to make the right decision in a time of need. I am definitely NOT comfortable with Big Brother taking on this task.

I have a very small checklist of items I would like the government to RUN CORRECTLY before they start tackling bigger issues like my death.

1. Make sure ALL of my trash is picked up on Mondays. (Instead of being spilled all over my yard)

2. Repair the potholes on my roads. (They keep promising this will happen)

3. Deliver My mail to MY house instead of my neighbors. (I just get tired of going over there)

4. Serve school lunches that are not the topic of children’s jokes. (How do you screw up chicken nuggets?)

5. Make a balanced budget (I am, after all, expected to balance my checkbook)

When you tackle these minor issues, you can come back and talk to me about directing my death.

Bribery

   When someone offers to give you something and you give them something else in return, we tend to refer to this action as reciprocity. “You scratch my back and I will scratch yours”, seems to be the norm for our government. Lately, I believe that our ruling body is stretching this belief into something far more dangerous. You see, when someone “gives” something and expects something in return, this cordial exchange has the potential to become something far darker. It is less of an act of appreciation and more of an act of BRIBERY. The ethics are left out of the equation, thus, opening the door for corruption.


   I fail to see why every tax that is proposed, needs to have an attachment added to “sweeten the pot.” If the tax/bill is not worthy of being passed then it should take the natural course and fail. Too many times our leaders accept these propositions only after they are pumped up with personal agendas that have no bearing to the original themes. Barack Obama signed a bill this week that cut military costs in a time when America has the potential to be at war, in some form, in most of the Middle East and Asia. Not a very smart thing to do when a country is in a recession, cut jobs and weaken the military? He calls it his “fiscal responsibility” to the public. None the less, the expansion of “hate crimes” to include acts against gay people was added to the bill. How does weakening the military and protecting gay rights have anything in common? They don’t!

   This is just another instance of personal political agendas being slid in on the coattails of other laws. Why do these acts continue in plain sight of the press and the American people with no consequences? I personally am tired of our leadership accepting, what is no better than, a bribe to let personal agendas “piggy-back” on the bills that are being passed. If they feel the need to make bills more “palatable” to pass, then they must be distasteful.

Somebody Wake Me!!

  Contrary to what today’s media would like for you to believe, this country was not founded on the principles of “all separation of church and state” and “all religious freedoms”. The idea of religious freedom was not meant for a country without God. Every day as we go through our ordinary lives we do not need to look very far to see the words “In God We Trust”, as it is stamped all over our money. As we take the witness stand we are asked to “swear on the Bible” and we all sang “God Bless America” throughout our childhood. The beliefs in religious freedom were meant to give people of different Christian sects the right to worship God as they saw fit. Religion has been argued as the key factor in the American Revolution. The colonies saw the war against Britain as a War for God. As a matter of fact, one of the many revolutionary flags read “Resistance to Tyrants is Obedience to God.” Does this sound like a country started by Atheists, Muslims, and other non-believers? I am not sure where or when this idea of a Godless nation came to fruition, but I am positive that it is not what our forefathers fought for.


   All of this Revolutionary religious talk brings me to my newest “jaw-dropping” moment in American history. On October 23, 2009 The Home Depot chain of hardware stores fired an employee for wearing a button on his shirt which read; “One nation Under God.” Take a second, catch a deep breath, and read that last sentence again. This phrase, which is part of the nation’s Pledge of Allegiance, just got a man fired from his job. A man who says he wore the pin for his brother, a member of the National Guard awaiting deployment for his second tour of duty in Iraq. Is this really happening, an AMERICAN getting fired for wearing “One Nation Under God”. What has this country come to? I would like to ask the CEO of this company, (which I personally plan to eternally boycott), what drugs he was on while making this decision. Home Depot says that they fired the man because “he chose to wear a button that expressed his religious beliefs”. Uh …Hello people…..isn’t this what the Constitution was written for? Is this not what our forefathers fought for? I am floored, no make that “ashamed”, when an American company has leadership that misdirects its employees to believe that “One Nation Under God” is an unacceptable term.

  I am somehow relieved that the men who gave their lives for our freedoms aren’t around to see us throw them away. These men were in no way “disposable heroes” but we are treating their sacrifices as “disposable freedoms.” This nightmare that our country is in needs a wake-up call. I think that criminal charges should be brought against this company and their whole H/R department. This act of anti-American fundamentals cannot, and should not, be tolerated. How quickly we take for granted the things that are given to us, as most of today’s Americans never had to earn their freedoms. In the words of one of our country’s great leaders: “If we ever forget that we are ‘one nation under God’, we will be one nation ‘gone under’. Ronald Reagan” I don’t think that anyone of us could have said it better.

The Short List

   This Blog was originally started with the intentions of allowing one “fed-up” American to vent his discontent with the actions of a new government. Sadly, I now feel that a daily blog will inevitably turn into a “run on sentence” as the atrocities Obama has put into action are becoming too vast for a daily journal of sorts. There are so many negative actions that Obama has made in just a few months of office that it would be hard to pinpoint one thing that has pushed me to the point of blogging. (However, I did start on the day that the media announced he would be presented with the Nobel Peace Prize.) As an act of “self preservation”, I feel the need to list the actions that I personally feel will be the undoing of our country.


1. The shunning of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for having different political views than the current administration. ( A Bold and “In your face” disregard for the constitutional rights of freedom of speech.)

2. The shunning of Rush Limbaugh for also having non-compliant views (Also the same disregard for the constitution’s guarantee of freedom of press. This is exactly what our constitution was meant to stop from happening.)

3. The shunning of FOX news for not agreeing with Obama’s actions (Anyone besides me see a pattern here?)

4. Our President’s action of accepting the Nobel Peace Prize for something that he has not accomplished. (Definitely what I want my children to think of as acceptable behavior.)

5. Appointing Czars to government positions. (Just what our country needed, more government positions. While we are imposing untouchable politicians, we may as well call them “Czars.”

6. Instituting MANDANTORY participation in a new, government run, government regulated, health care system. (There is no way that our government could get their sticky fingers in the bank accounts of the insurance industry, so why not take them over by instituting laws that essentially bankrupt their industry while re-routing the money into government controlled programs?)

7. Bank bailouts using taxpayer’s money; government initiated salary caps on these businesses. (Even though taxpayers have no say-so as to whether they want to participate. Another instance of the government telling you “what is good for you.”)

8. Auto Industry bailouts using taxpayer’s money; Government initiated salary caps on these businesses (here we go with the “pattern thing” again).

9. The apologies that our President has given to the countries of the world for “America’s arrogance”. (I wonder how many of these countries would rather our apology over the FREE food, economic aide, and military protection that the U.S.A. gives them EVERY DAY.)

   Maybe tomorrow will inspire another blog of dissatisfaction, but today I am overwhelmed with the way my country is sliding down the ladder of world leaders. This is, and always will be, unacceptable behavior with me. I hope that I am not around in a future where this is the “norm”.

The Uneven Bars

After months of listening to the Obama administration’s ideas of “Change”, I think I finally see what they are shooting for. If everyone will take a few moments to clear your mind of all sane thoughts or any common sense you are wastefully hanging on to, the next few years will be a lot less painful. Why don’t we all “get on board” with the new “values” system Obama is pushing so we can wipe out all differences between American citizens? I propose that we start with our school system. (We all know that the schools could use a little change.)


For starters, let’s get rid of that nasty title of “principal” and replace it with “Education Czar.” Ahhh, there we go sounds better already. We can call the teachers Czars also. From now on when Czars give out an assignment such as a written report, a student who does not want to participate will not be forced to comply. When the assignment is due, the Czar will take up all of the papers from students who chose to participate. The Czar will then grade the papers and divide the average of all the graded reports, this average will be distributed among the students equally. The students that chose not to participate will also receive the same grade as those that did participate. This way no student has his feelings hurt and everyone shares the same reward come report card day.

For recess we can march the children to the gymnasium. Once all of the students who feel like participating have dressed out, the coaches can do their standardized testing for all of the school’s sports teams. Football, baseball, soccer etc. Students will be judged on their athletic ability and hard work as before, but now ALL children will make the teams. All team rosters will be made up of the ENTIRE school population. (This way no one feels left out and gets their feelings hurt) It will not matter if you actually play in the games as there will be no score kept. (Once again to help with the feelings) At the end of the season, all students who played, and those who didn’t, will be awarded trophies for their “vision of winning.”

Later at the graduation ceremonies, you will notice that there is no valedictorian. (As this too may offend others) Instead, every student will receive a yellow sash to wear for their classes achievements. We will do away with the SAT and ACT tests, as these exams tend to stress students.

As our new graduates prepare to enter the work force, they will find that a resume and list of scholastic achievements are no longer necessary. You will simply wait at home until the government selects your number for the next available job. (Don’t worry; we will all be equally qualified to do every job.)

STOP! Is this what you want? In a very near future, a slightly diluted version of this reality is what you will wake up to. We are NOT all equal in every way. My oldest son has excelled faster academically than my youngest son, and my youngest son has become more of an athlete than his older brother. Some people are harder workers and some are more succesful businessmen than others. This is LIFE. Get over it. Get used to it. Sometimes reality is harsh and cruel. We can only “sugarcoat” reality for so long before the truth comes out and kicks someone in the butt. Obama’s Change is not an acceptable reality for the American people. Are you going to accept his new “Reality” or do you need a “Spoonful of Sugar?”

Children's Court

   Growing up in a house with three other siblings, there was seldom a day of peace for my parents. It seems that someone was always in the middle of controversy as someone else had “invaded their space” or “touched their belongings.” On family vacations my father would inevitably threaten to pull the car over and “tan someone’s hide” if we didn’t leave each other alone in the back seat. “Stop touching him” or “give his ‘(insert any belonging I had managed to take from one of them)’ back to him” were just two of the threats thrown around. The constant struggle between brothers and sister was not confined to the car though.


   The girls would typically pester us by trying to take up residence in our room and “mess” with our toys, until finally the P-Bomb was deployed. “That’s it!! I’m telling ‘(Once again, you can enter either parent that was willing to intervene here)’.” Our father would usually herd us into a room to hold council and hear everyone’s side to the story. He would then give his judgment and someone would be left feeling that the whole process was unfair and vow to never play with us again. When our parents had been saturated with our nonsense, and refused to step in, we would take matters into our own hands. A sort of “children’s court” was enacted. Typically, the child who would not conform to the group’s idea was shunned from all participation in the group’s games. The “odd man out” was banned from playing tag or hide-and-seek with the others. The group never “won” by implementing this punishment because it only weakened our numbers and caused resentment between the siblings. The ‘hardliner’ would say, “Keep them out, they are trouble anyway.” While the “voice of reason”, (usually influenced by a parent), would want to accept them back into the group. It was the right thing to do. We needed to learn to work out our differences instead of alienating the person we disagreed with.

   As we grew older, we learned the skills necessary to co-exist. The older and more mature the four of us became, the less parental intervening was needed. We learned the social skills that enabled us to deal with the fact that not everyone had the same daily agenda. Things that were important to me were not always the same things that were important to my siblings, but I still learned to respect their values and needs. These life experiences were good for us as without them we would have never been prepared to have a relationship in the “real world.”

   It would seem that our current governing administration grew up in a world without parents. They never learned the importance of differences of opinion, and how to embrace them instead of shunning them. Obama has “shunned” FOX News for its “differences”, and now is threatening others that do not want to “play by his rules.”It seems that you must play in an Obama-friendly tone, or face the judgment that he hands down. There is no appeals process when you are shunned, only Obama making the rules up for his game that all players MUST follow. Is this acceptable behavior from a man in charge of the most powerful country in the world? Doesn’t he know that this sort of behavior only breeds hate and animosity? When Obama makes threats that he will “strip the insurance industry of its exemption of federal anti-trust laws” because they are lobbying against his health-care program, isn’t this the same behavior that we expect from our children?

   I hope that the country is awakened to the type of person we are playing with here. Someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to get his way. Not necessarily the “right way” but “his way.” Black-listing, shunning, and making an “enemies of the administration list” are not the answers that we need right now. Let us pray that Obama and his administration grow up in a hurry.

The Price of Freedom

   I had been at work for a few hours and was surprised when my supervisor called me on the radio. “Hey, Craig. Come to the control room now. Hurry!!” I was in the middle of checking equipment and couldn’t imagine what he needed now. When I entered the control room I was met by a crowd of people who were gathered around our 19” television. One of the guys yelled, “An airliner just crashed into the World Trade Center!”


   I thought, “Are you kidding me, they called me all the way up here just to tell me that?” Yeah, it was news but I didn’t think it was anything more than an inevitable accident. I stood around the TV with the other guys discussing how many planes pass over New York every day, and how something like this was bound to happen sooner or later. We discussed various scenarios that probably led up to the accident with each other when someone yelled “Another plane just hit the other tower!” Total silence filled the room. EVERY one was quiet as we watched the replays of the two planes hitting the towers. Then the news came in that a plane had crashed in a Pennsylvania field and another had crashed into the pentagon. No one knew what was going on for sure, but I believe that we all had the same gut feeling that this was something of epic proportions. Over the next few hours we were glued to the TV as updates came and the news that terrorists were responsible for the attacks was announced.

   I recall one of my co-workers (the man was an ex Air Force mechanic) asking if he could leave work. He said that he was sure we were going to war and he wanted to have all his affairs in order so he could get back to the Air Force and help out. This man had a wife and children at home, but what was first on his mind was his responsibility to protect this country. WOW!!! No bull here folks. This is what the guy really asked. How many Americans today would have asked the same question? I wonder how many people, if any, were thinking these same thoughts.

   Today’s Americans seem to have lost their will to pay the price for the things that they want. We have enabled a whole generation of individuals who are more concerned with their own well being than the future well being of all mankind. Instant gratification has taken the place of self accomplishment. Our children do not want to “earn” anything, but would rather others give it to them. I am sure you have heard the saying; “There is a time and a place for everything.” Well the time for fighting for our freedoms has not passed. We cannot let one man undo what our nation has earned.

   When President Bush sent our troops to Afghanistan and Iraq the general public was behind his administration’s decision. It didn’t take but a thousand or so troop deaths before the nation turned against him. It is estimated that the United States lost 416,800 service men in World War Two. As of September 20, 2009, 4,345 soldiers have died in the Iraq War and 881 deaths have been recorded in the war in Afghanistan for a total of approximately 5226 military losses. That is only around 1% of the men that gave their lives to this country to stop Hitler. Is this too high of a price to ask for freedom and the way of life that we all have come to take for granted? Have Americans become so complacent and lazy that freedom can be taken from them without even a fight? Are today’s Americans only willing to lose 1% of the battle before they give up? This war must continue, whatever the cost, so that our children can live without fear and in peace as we have become accustomed to. 
   Whether you realize or acknowledge it, the war on terror is a “World War.” Let’s act like Americans.

Good - Better - Best

   My father was a union electrician for almost forty years. He pulled his own weight and went to work for forty hours every week. All the while, he provided for my siblings and me. Many days he came home exhausted or just frustrated with his working conditions. Despite his long work days and unending responsibilities, he eventually progressed into a management job and retired just a few years ago.


   I suppose I grew up the same way that most of my peers did, hearing the same old tale of how my father walked five miles to school uphill, both ways, yadda yadda yadda. You know the tales our parents adamantly stuck to. (Total bull because I live in the mostly marsh area of Louisiana) All my life I can remember him harping on me to get a better education. Throughout my school years he constantly pushed me to put more effort into my education. He would say “Son, you don’t want to end up working at a dead end job like me. Get yourself an education and life will be much easier for you.” Ultimately, I graduated high school, and after a few years of working construction, decided to try my hand at college, only to drop out after less than a semester. Too much of my day was filled with a job that “paid the bills”, not allowing enough time or dedication to further my education. I still had no idea why my father placed such weight on a good education. His bills were paid; he didn’t face the layoffs that the construction industry did, what was wrong with his way of life?

   Now I am faced with the task of raising three teenagers, I am just starting to see how much of a struggle it must have been for my father. I worked construction for twelve years before landing a job at the electrical powerhouse my father retired from. Every day at three a.m. I rise to another day of what I would equate to as “lower, middle class America”. Not a poor man’s way of life by any means, but no Donald Trump living here either. And after all the years of hearing my father preach to me, I find myself giving the same sermons to my children. Now I am not for one minute complaining about, or poor mouthing my current situation in life. That, in its entirety, is the reason for tonight’s blog.

   You see, as good as my father’s job was for him, and as good as my job has been for my family, I, like my father, wish for my children to surpass my accomplishments. As Americans we have always been this way. It is not greed, but instead an undying commitment to better ourselves. I would love to see my grandchildren reach even higher goals than my father or I could ever imagine. My third grade teacher taught our class a rhyme that has stuck with me to this day. “Good, better, best, never let it rest, until your good is better and you better best.” This train of thought is dying quickly in America. As a people we “accept” the flagrant abuse of our welfare system. It is no longer a helping tool, but instead has become a way of life for a new generation of Americans. The pride that once came with accomplishment and over-achieving is fading from our children’s mentality. It has become more and more common for underachieving to be accepted and nurtured.

  I have heard the saying “Acceptance is condonance.” Is this what we wish for our children? A way of life where the public condones welfare, food stamps, government health care, and acceptance of all biblically unethical ways of life? I still cannot stoop to this new administration’s backward un-American ways. I, like much of the population, know in my heart what is right and what is wrong, and will not let the government bully me into condoning a way of life that Americans have never before accepted. We must continue to help our country stay on the right path and not accept any alternative other than the path we have previously condoned. It is our moral duty to persevere against this destructive administration’s agenda of “change”.

The Obama Daily Herald

  “Newspaper!! Newspaper!! Get your Barack Obama approved newspaper here!!” Since when did the government get a say in what was reported in the news or for the bigger issue, HOW it is reported. From the start of this country, the news has been reported BY the people, FOR the people. Today the White House issued a statement about FOX news saying “they're not really a news station. ... It's not just their commentators, but a lot of their news programming. It's really not news. It's pushing a point of view” Is this supposed to be a “news flash” for me? This is what news agencies do.


  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference, and impart information and ideas through any media regardless of frontiers"

  Most of educated America realizes that Fox tends to support more of the Republican views and CNN tends to be more Democratic in their opinions. After the media, who were the sole reason Obama was elected, has a different opinion than the White House, Obama decides to act like a nine year old and whine about it. He didn’t mind the media pushing him past McCain when he had done nothing to merit this other than being born black. He didn’t mind when the media bad mouthed Bush for his foreign policies. And he surely didn’t mind it when the media quieted the rumors of his lack of citizenship. Now that he has to hear someone else’s opinion on shows like Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity he has an epiphany, and decides that he can have them silenced by declaring that they are “not a news station?” What is he thinking?

  Once again Barack Obama proves the point that I have been trying to make for months. “If you disagree with him you are prejudice or blatantly wrong.” He will let you know what is best for you. If all of America would just sit back and quit thinking, this will be much less painful. People!! Have we forgotten that the freedom of the press is a Constitutional RIGHT? The White House sent their administration’s message on Afghanistan, health care, and the economy to ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN but decided not to include FOX. This is willful censorship by the White House.

  The Virginia Declaration of Rights (1776) proclaimed that "the freedom of the press is one of the greatest bulwarks of liberty and can never be restrained but by despotic governments."

  What an action packed nine months this is turning out to be. In defense of our press I propose that we start our “Countdown to Socialism”.

1. Government run Banks

2. Government run Insurance

3. Government say-so in the Auto Industry

4. Government editing of the Press

Read fast my friends. If the administration reads this they are likely to pull the plug on this blog!!!!!

CHANGE

  “The bills moving through Congress generally would require most Americans to buy insurance, provide federal subsidies to help lower-income people afford coverage and help small businesses defray the cost of extending coverage to their workers” This is a quote from the Associated Press article on Obama Health Care 10/17/2009. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091017/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_health_care ) It clearly states how you and I will foot the bill for lower-income people that cannot afford coverage. WHY? WHY? Why do I have to pay for others? Am I not doing enough? Have I not been given the same opportunities that others have? This is just another example of Barack Obama sharing the DOERS spoils with the Non-Doers.


  Obama seems to think that he can twist things around and make it seem as if he is doing the American public a favor. He implies that he is saving us from the insurance companies. He IS NOT in fact doing this. Your taxes will pay for this new “help”. He has already made this clear. With over a trillion dollars of debt, it is not like the government has extra money that it is willing to spend helping you out. In fact, Obama will not impose any more taxes or penalties on people that do not already pay into the system. (I say ‘people’ instead of ‘citizens’ because under his new Health Care Program, illegal aliens will have the same coverage as you) That is correct. Look at the legislation that is in the process of being passed. This new plan is going to hurt insurance companies along with taxpayers. Where do you think the money for this will come from? YOU. This is going to cause jobs to be cut in the insurance industry, only to be replaced with low paying government jobs that come at an inflated price to taxpayers. This doesn’t sound like a solution to the recession or a plan to “help” me.

  Why should I pay into a system to receive the same benefits as someone who does nothing? This “CHANGE” Obama is trying to institute will be the ruin of our society. There will be no reason for a man to get out of bed in the morning if he doesn’t have a consequence for staying home. Would you go to work every day if you still got paid the same to stay home? Obama is headed toward a society that has no motivation or moral compass. You will be able to stay in your section eight house, draw your food stamps, send you children to any school/college you pick, and have free healthcare, while your neighbor works his ass off and pays for it. There is no penalty or cutoff of the free “goods” because it will be immortalized in red tape as “the law.” Your children will grow up with the idea that leaching off of someone’s accomplishments is a normal thing. Now that IS change.
 
   I have set a baseline of values with my children that I hope will prepare them for the “Real World.” No lying, cheating, stealing, and when you do something wrong you are to stand up and face the consequences. I guess these values will become obsolete in Obama’s vision for my country.

Working Works

   A few years ago I purchased a 2006 Ford F250. I have driven the truck just about every day since my purchase. The truck had all the features I was looking for, bucket seats, long wheel base, 6.0 liter diesel motor and a ¾ ton suspension. But the feature I like most about the truck is it always WORKS. This is not a “piece”, like I have owned in the past that I have to say a prayer for every time I start it. You simply turn the key and it starts. I obviously hate the note that accompanies it, but all that reliability comes with a price. I do my part by keeping up the maintenance, and the truck does its part by WORKING. Our relationship is a very simple concept; we both WORK and in return, receive a service.


   Forty-plus hours a week, my truck takes me to my jobsite. My employer gives me certain tasks to be completed and in return, I am paid a fair salary. Now, it goes without saying, I hate getting up at three a.m. every day for work. But the financial reward I want comes with a price. For years now this routine has WORKED. My job and I, like my truck, have a very simple relationship; a day’s WORK for a day’s pay.

   When I am paid, “Big Brother” takes roughly a third of my check. They spend the money on projects that they deem necessary for our country. Schools, roads, Social Security, the military etc… I pay into the system and in return, I receive a service. I drive on maintained roads, receive a mediocre education, am protected by our military, and after a lifetime of work will be supplemented financially by Social Security. A third of my earnings may seem steep at times, but for the services I partake in, I guess it is a good deal. Once again, this is a very simple concept of giving a service and getting another service in return.

   Now, after a lifetime of a working system, Barack Obama says he is here to “CHANGE” things. Some Americans, and illegal aliens, will not need to WORK for the services that they receive. No need to pay the price that others have. Obama thinks that the people who WORK should share with the people who choose not to work. (I say “choose” because it is and always has been a “choice”) The tax dollars that I have WORKED for and paid into the system will not only benefit me, but also the NON-WORKERS. This is his definition of “change?” Our current system in its simplest form WORKS. It motivates people to succeed. It challenges people to support themselves, to rise above hardships and find a way to persevere. You get out of the system what you put into it. It is a tried and true, age-old concept. It has WORKED for centuries. The saying “you reap what you sow” is not a fable but a means of existence. It is not natural to reap other people’s rewards. As a matter of fact, that is STEALING! Even when a wild animal steals they know it is wrong to take something that you have not earned. Watch a dog steal a piece of meat from another dog. He will hide his head, stoop his shoulders, and retreat with his stolen spoils watching his back so that another dog does not do the same to him.

   If CHANGE=STEALING, then count me out. I don’t want and will not support an administration with this mindset. How much will be stolen from you before you open your eyes?

This land is YOUR land

   Socialism. Webster's dictionary defines Socialism as :
   1. Any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or government ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods.
   2a. A system of society or group living in which there is no private property
     b. A system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state.
   3. A stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done.
   Now I hate to point out the obvious here, but this is dead-on where our country is heading. I am not talking about getting there in a few generations or decades, but in just a few weeks. Once the Health Care Reform is passed, the government will be able to tell you what you get covered and what you don't. No appeal process like there is now with the insurance companies. They will also mandate that you have insurance. Part of the bill allows for fines and other penalties to citizens that do not have health care. This is a government owned and government run business that you will be mandated to take part in. This is the EXACT definition of Socialism.
   The government has recently placed their hand in the banking cookie jar. They decided to use our tax dollars to "bail out" the banking industry. Ther was no vote from the people to decide where it went. The government bodies took it upon themselves to decide what was best for you. (Just like the health care) The government then let it be known that they were in control of the banks by dictating that no CEO would be allowed a salary of more than $500,000.00 annually. That sounds like the government is running the banks that the government owns. Once again, the EXACT definition of Socialism.
   After the "Great Bank Buyout" of 2009, the government bailed out, (took partial ownership), of the auto industry. They placed emmisions regulations and financial boundaries for the auto industry. The government also mandated that the industry change the product they offered by changing fuel efficiency guidlines. If you want to purchase a "gas guzzler", and have the money to spend, it won't matter after 2025. The government is setting strict guidlines that its auto industry must follow. Say it with me, "government owned and government run." Socialism?
   If all of this isn't scary enough, the President insists on appointing Czars to do his bidding. Czar? Czar ? Really, of all the titles in the world he chooses CZAR? Don't sit there and say that the writing wasn't on the wall when this country is on its knees. I really don't like quoting Webster's dictionary, but this is what they have to say about the word CZAR.
   1. Emporer; specifically: the ruler of Russia until the 1917 revolution.
   2. One having great power or authority
   Well it looks like Obama hasn't decided if he wants this country to be Communist, Socialist, or if he will settle on a Dictatorship. But either way, he seems determined to do away with our free capitalism economy. I have said it before and MUST repeat myself again. All that Barack Obama has done in his first nine months of office is :
   1. Become the first Black President elected
   2. a.Manage to strengthen the government's rule by infiltrating our businesses
       b.weaken the people's voice and power
  Not exactly what I was wishing for in a President. The government has become its own Monopoly. A business that is far too big and powerful for its own good. They make laws that cater to lawmakers. The days of "representation" are lost.  My father always told me as a youngster, "Be careful what you wish for because you just may get it." For all of you who voted for Obama's "Change", you got it.

Holidays for Sale

   Every once in a blue moon, a man comes along that changes the way we view the world . Someone who challenges us to "rethink" what normal is and leads us into a better tommorrow. This week we celebrate Christopher Columbus's discovery of the Americas by honoring him with his very own holiday. A day well earned, as what he achieved was an unheard of feat in his time. For a man to go against society's belief that the world was flat, and sail Westward into what most thought to be certain death, was a remarkable task. This man did not take a pre-paved path to infamy. He had no idea what dangers lay ahead for him, but he did have a vision of success that he was compelled to follow. Unfortunately Columbus did not initially discover an alternate route to India as he had planned. Instead he discovered something that turned out to be far greater. His courage and determination are what we celebrate this October to remind the world that he was no ordinary man.
   This February we will celebrate George Washington and Abraham Lincoln's birthdays. Two men with immeasurable drive and determination to accomplish what they knew to be " the right thing " in their hearts. Washington's battle for independence from a dictatorship ended up snowballing into something of epic proportions. This man ultimately helped establish the greatest country on the planet. Abraham Lincoln also shared greatness worthy of celebrating. His desire to right what he felt was wrong changed the entire planet's views on slavery.
   Our country's history is saturated with over-achieving men doing unprecedented and unequaled tasks. Neil Armstrong not only became the first man to step foot on the moon, he gave hope to all future generations, that they too could achieve goals once thought unreachable.
   This month as we admire Columbus's courage and determination to succeed, we must also question when, if ever, the next great achiever will come along. Our President was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this week. A man whose achievements DO NOT hold a candle to those great achievers before him. I wonder if George Washington would hae accepted an award for "wanting" to lead our revolution. What if Abraham Lincoln never accomplished his goal of freeing the slaves, would  he have been honored for "his extarordinary effort"? Maybe, we should have honored Neil Armstrong for his "vision" of walking on the moon, instead of making him follow through? And finally, what would our country be today if Columbus never boarded a ship, but instead, spent his life babbling about what he planned to one day accomplish? Would we celebrate his name this month because he talked of doing great things, or is it the accomplishment that is neccesary to receive rewards?
   Barack Obama will accept the Nobel Peace Prize in December for his "vision of peace" as the NPP committee stated. Not for any great achievment or action on his part. A sad day for a country that has so many achievers it could be celebrating.  I wonder what day the New World Order will designate as Obama Day? ( I hope that it is not on my birthday)

Soda for Thought

   Once again, California is leading all states in the race to take away all our "given" rights and freedoms. Only to be later substituted with government propaganda about "what is best" for us as Americans. On Monday October 12, 2009 the "Governater" signed a bill into law dictating fire arms retailers in California to register customers who purchase ammunition. Yes, from now on, law abiding citizens residing in California who wish to purchase ammunition will be logged into a national database. They will need to fill out proper paperwork confirming their eligibility to make the purchase. Then the data will be kept on file for five years for the government’s needs. (Whatever that may be?) As for all of the gangbangers, criminals, thugs and thieves, you may purchase yours illegally, without registration. (The same way that you buy your guns.)


   Is our government changing this drastically before our eyes? Just nine and a half months into the NEW administration we have achieved more gun control, an endless sea of company bailouts, the attempt to overtake the healthcare system, and an unearned but willfully accepted Nobel Peace Prize. Is this one nation under God or one nation under The NEW government’s thumb?

  Well fear not America. After much deliberation and a few soft drinks, I believe that I now see the reason behind our government’s madness. It’s simple. Old Coke / New Coke. That’s Right. Just as Coca Cola did in the mid-eighties, our government seems to have decided that interest in the country has gone flat. What better way to get people up and motivated to be active in our country once again, than to change the formula? It would seem that most of the country has taken for granted what we had with the original formula. All of the representation has been replaced with greed and personal agendas. It just may be that a change in the country’s formula is what it takes to make the American people realize what they HAD. No sane American wanted the new Coke flavor when it was introduced. It was something that was forced on us and we as a people let them know. It had a bad taste and left an even worse aftertaste. (Tasted like flat Pepsi to me) I can’t see where any Red Blooded American is happy with the NEW flavor of socialism this country is headed for. Having the government share all of the things that I have worked my ass off for with another person who won’t get off his ass tends to leave a bad taste in my mouth too.

   We all know the original Coke was something that could not be improved upon. Our Country and constitution work the same way. Yes, it is, at times, acceptable to keep up with the ever evolving world around us. We can sell Coke in a plastic bottle today, but the formula for what is inside is what counts. As American citizens we need to let our distaste of the NEW flavor be known. It didn’t take us four years to realize that we didn’t like or want New Coke. Just one sip. I have had all the NEW flavor I can stand. Socialist leaders and Socialist ways are not the formula that made America. How about we bring back what has always worked here. We can even call it Classic if you like.

"Gimme' Some More"

  How many of you have had the chance to sit your children down and tell them “how it was “when you were their age? My father always captures my full attention when he shares his stories of picture-show movies that only cost a dime and popcorn for a penny. He tells how a quarter really went a long way in the fifties. My son also loves to hear the stories his Paw Paw rattles off at family gatherings. Dad tells stories of how you had to work for what you wanted. No one gave you a free ride. Stories of saving for weeks, months, even years to purchase something you “had your eye on”. Stories of how Paw Paw’s father was strict with his punishment, at times harsh, and how that is what gave him the sense of right and wrong he has today. You see he received whippings as a child. His parents had no idea what “time out” was. And after all that scolding and spanking, something happened that is unheard of in our time.


   He grew up to be a man with a moral compass. A taxpaying, working, family man who raised four taxpaying, working children. An American Citizen. He doesn’t even have a criminal record. This man worked his whole life. He paid into the tax system, Social Security, paid for his share of health insurance through his job, was a homeowner, a gun owner and even coached his son’s baseball team. He paid for the food on the table with the salary he earned. No, he didn’t get a government rebate when he traded in his old station wagon. He didn’t get government money to help him purchase a new home either. Why, he didn’t even get government money to pay for his healthcare. What he did do was pay into a tax system that gave money to other citizens and non-citizens for all of these reasons.

    Maybe people today deserve money back to help them with a new car purchase? Perhaps we should reap the benefits of taxes before we pay into the system, instead of waiting our turn to draw social security benefits. I’m not sure how the government justifies this new system they are implementing. What year was the cut-off where we stopped taking care of ourselves and asked the government to do this for us? Of all the statistics the government agencies like to report, maybe they could clue me in on this one. The nation’s mindset has gone 180 degrees out from the fifties, sixties, and seventies. Instead of taking pride in what we have accomplished, more and more it is the norm to take pride in what you have squandered. Are we really getting over on the government when we take these handouts, or are we leaching off of the people who earned it? My father’s generation had many failures and many successes, but one thing was for sure, they all physically did something. You can’t fail if you are sitting in a section eight home waiting for a government check. You can’t fail if you do nothing all month but wait for your food stamp card to be validated. And you won’t be able to fail if the government bails out every business that makes bad financial decisions. Isn’t the threat of failure what drives the winners?

  What has happened to “the way things used to be?” Where has America slid off course? When we elect a new President, are we not electing someone to repair what is broken? We need leadership that will do away with these programs instead of escalating them and concocting new ones. Ronald Reagan said “Welfare's purpose should be to eliminate, as far as possible, the need for its own existence.” I wonder if this is even on the agenda anymore. Reagan also said “We should measure welfare's success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added”. Now, I wasn’t born until 1970. A quarter just never seemed like a “bundle of money” to me. But those last two quotes, somehow, make TOTAL sense to me. What do they mean to you?
       Note to self:     Save a quarter to show your grandchildren what they looked like, on second thought, save any currency you have. The “New World Order” will be using ‘credits’ by then. )

"Never confuse motion with action."

Bizzarro Date 10/11/2009

   The Nobel Peace Prize awards ceremony is drawing near, December 10, 2009 to be exact. So I propose that we celebrate this historic night by giving our President another award. One that he has actaully earned. (Unlike the NPP) This man should be honored for what he has actually achieved through his nine months in office. Let us spare no expense on this gala.  (After all, we spent approximately $100,000,000.00 alone on his failed attempt at hosting the Olympics) Why not invite all of the world leaders who support his doings?  I invision the guest list as follows:

1. Kim Jong-il                      ( North Korea )
2. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad    ( Iran )
3. Vladimir Putin                  ( Russia )
4. Fidel Castro                     ( Cuba )

   If we are going to put together a "wish list" of people that would appreciate Obama's first months of action, then allow me to make exception and "bring back" a few men that really shared many of his same views.

1. Adolf Hitler                  ( Germany )
2. Benito Mussolini           ( Italy )
3. Joseph Stalin                ( U.S.S.R. )

  I can hear it now. "Mr. President, will you please step foreward and accept this 'Most Likely to Turn His Country into a Socialist State Award'." Now this may seem a little radical to some, but here me out. During the first nine months of Obama'a term he has managed to pass legislation that gives the government partial control in the banking industry, the auto industry, and now is frantically trying to pass into law government control of the health care industry. I wonder if this is what our founding fathers envisioned?
   Joseph Stalin
   I know, I know, how do these actions make Obama like these former dictators? Well, Stalin once said "A sincere diplomat is like dry water or wooden iron."  There's probably not too many middle class Americans that would disagree with that. I don't recall anything during Obama's campaign that talked about government control of the "Big Three". About dictating a budget for the banking system to follow. Where does it say that the government can dictate what a CEO of a company can make? What is the term they use for government run and owned businesses? Oh yeah, SOCIALISM. Throughout history, businesses fail and businesses succeed. In our infinite greed and failure to face the consequences of our actions, the American people have allowed the government to get their hands into the cockpit of our corporate world. Does anyone here think that there is room for more greed and less guidance in Corporate America? Stalin also said "When we hang the capitalists, they will sell us the rope we use." I have seen first hand how the government runs its business and it is a catastrophy. I have one word for their failures. FEMA.
   Benito Mussolini
   Another of the failed dictators of the twentieth century gave us this quote. " Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power." How is this not EXACTLY where we are headed? Are we not in the midst of merging health care with government? I personally am scared to death of the road we are on. The days of thinking "that won't happen to me" are far behind us now.  The American public is is no more in control of the government than they are of the tidal changes. Our public relations with the world are horriffic. When is the last time you turned on your television to see another country's people praising America? When do our foriegn failures stop? Mussolini also told us "We become strong, I feel, when we have no friends upon whom to lean, or to look to for moral guidance." Is this what we are trying to do? Alienate ourselves from everyone. If so, I think we are doing a great job. The Middle East, Asia, most of Europe, and South America all have ill-will towards the United States.
   Adolf Hitler
   It goes without saying that this was definitely one of the most controversial leaders of the last century. Once again, we cannot change history, but should at least learn from it. Hitler envoked gun control laws that later crushed much of his opposition. Overnight he took control of his political party and waged a personal campaign against all that opposed him. It seems that even though he blatantly broke the Versailles Treaty by strengthening his country's army, the world stood by and some even praised his actions. He was even nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize in 1938. This was just a year before the start of World War 2. One of the most disturbing things Hitler said, that sadly mirrors our society today, was "How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think."  Is that what we have become? A nation of non-thinkers. A nation that claims men like George Washington, Benjamin Farnklin, leaders in technological advances in medicine and many other fields is now reduced to non-thinkers?
  This country was not founded by men who were told what was right and wrong. But by men who could not help but to do the right thing. It is time for us, as American citizens, to demand that our elected leaders do no less for this country than their forefathers did. Obama has put on a front of action that is masked with grave undertones for this country.  " Never confuse motion with action." Benjamin Franklin

Award (noun)

Bizzarro Date 10/10/2009

   Webster's dictionary has always held a special clout with the education system, and for that matter , the general public. When there is a dispute over a word's meaning you will usaully find someone popping open their Webster's dictionary. A few "I told you so" phrases are usually tossed around , and the matter at hand is firmly resolved. Businesses, pop culture, and various individuals spend years "lobbying" the Webster organization to get their word or phrase accepted in print.  It seems that once you have accomplished this feat, your word is immortalized and the definition is accepted as the gospel in the community.
   This "respect" for Webster's is why I have a hard time accepting the Nobel Peace Prize as an award by definition. Webster's dictionary defines award as : "1.a a judgement or final decison; especially:  the decision of arbitrators in a case submitted to them b. The document containing the decision of arbitrators. 2: Something that is confered or bestowed especially on the basis of merit or need."
   "Confered or bestowed especially on the basis of merit or need". That is pretty strong language when you are describing eleven days of a man's presidential term. Some people have had lifetimes without award worthy accomplishments. When did the merit happen? The need? I am not the kind of guy that can recite all of the past Presidents and Vice Presidents in alphabetical order but I don't remember living under a rock for the last week and a half of January. Did I really miss this/these great accomplishment(s)? I remember January of 1981 and the release of the hostages in Iran. I remember the first and second Gulf Wars. I remember the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and I remember the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. But I just can't latch on to what basis or merit for a Nobel Peace Prize happened during the last eleven days of January 2009.
   "The decision of arbitrators in a case submitted to them". This "case" was submitted with "hopes" of a man having great accomplishments. The NPP guidlines don't say anything about awarding future good deeds. Mahatma Ghandi was nominated Five different times over a span of eleven years, yet he never received the award. You tell me what kind of world we are now living in when Ghandi's peace actions spread out over a lifetime aren't enough to justify getting this award and a man who was in office eleven days is. This decision of arbitrators sounds like a decision of traitors to humanity. The men that made this decision deserve a lifetime suply of Nyquil, because I know they will need it to sleep at night.
   "The document containing the decision of arbitrators". This is the only justification that I can find for the definition of the Nobel Peace Prize. Barack Obama will actually be given a document containing the decision of the arbitrators on December 10, 2009. It is kind of hard to argue that point. So I guess that is the definition of The Nobel Peace Prize: A document containing the decisions of arbitrators. Nothing more than a piece of paper. Sort of like that perfect attendance paper you got in second grade. But you don't have to actually do anything for this one.

It Was Good for our Souls

Bizzarro Date 10/09/2009

Am I the only person left in America that thinks losing is good for the soul? As a child I have many memories of winning games and probably just as many (if not more) of losing.
A childhood friend of mine had a chess set that I could not wait to master. He repeatedly toyed with my inexperience for months, beating me game after game. It was probably longer than that, but what I remember more than all of the LOSSES was the look on his face when I finally beat him. Not the games he would occasionally let me win, but the legitimate first time I out-thought him. My chest probably stuck out as far a Popeye's after that "W". And I think he also got something out of it too. It was good for our souls. No matter how many times I won or lost our back and fortth competitions, my wins were his wins too. You see, he knew that he had accomplished something in a loss to me. His losses were really wins for him as he was able to pass on his knowledge and love for the game to me. With every loss he could sit back and bask in the feeling that I was a product of his hard work.
Later as a young adult I wound up working construction. A dog eat dog world in every sense of the saying. I worked alongside ex-cons, high school drop-outs, the many superviser's relatives, and others who all had taken many alternate paths to the construction world. This was not your "Captain Kangaroo' kind of atmosphere. One job comes to mind though where we had a chess set in the break area that a few of us would play. A couple of the guys were very talented and understood the game well. Then there were others who didn't know what they were doing. We would all watch the games unfold waiting for our turn to play the winner. I remember beating a few guys that didn't look like they would be good losers, and in another setting, there probably would have been grave consequences for winning. But what I don't remember is a single instance of someone getting those "consequences." I'm sure that every man there shared the same experience of repeatedly losing before they were able to win a game and that kept everything civil. There was even a small tournament that took place over a few weeks. One of the guys brought an old trophy from his house and it was given to the winner. No arguements, nothing but respect for the winners and compassion for the losers. Yes, I said it......losers. You see, there has to be a winner and a loser for a game to play out. It is good for the soul.
We actually played the game before we announced the winners. No man was given the trophy on what he was about to do. It sounds crazy , I know. Asking teams to play football games to an end instead of giving out the "W" to the team that had a good game plan. While parents sit at games and give out ribbons to everyone for showing up, they have taken away the satisfaction that comes along with achievement. Shouldn't the person that worked hardest, overcame, and excelled get something to reward their work?
This attitude of "trophys for everyone" has reached a new low today, when the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Barack Obama. For what? Maybe it was given to him for his actions? What actions? I don't see any NPP worthyness in his actions. It seems, sadly, that this award has been downgraded to nothing more than a soccer ribbon. How embarassing for the leader of the most powerful nation on the planet to accept reward for something he hasn't achieved. What a role model for our youth.
I can hear the mothers of the next generation of children now. "It doesnt matter if you win or not, everyone gets the same trophy."
This attitude has the haunting undertones of Socialism. Everybody gets the same house, same car, same pay. That is not the America that I invisioned for my family. Our new phony leader getting a now phony award. (Kinda brings a tear to your eye, doesn't it?)
Our President has once again left me with the task of explaining this life lesson to my children. Do I now tell them that dear old Dad has been lying to them and they don't need to study, the teacher will pass them anyway? Or maybe i should tell my son to stop practicing his basketball skills? That Obama is changing things and he will get to start no matter how bad his layup is? Oh my , Barack Obama, if we are to endure four years of you leading our country. I hope that soon you will decide to lead them in the right direction.

bizzzaarrre??

Bizzarro Date 10/09/2009
Today we wake up to get the "great" news that a new Nobel Peace Prize winner has been named. I say "great" with much sarcasm due to the fact that the winner is none other than newly elected President Barack Obama. What? What? What? No, you heard it right. Barack Obama, the man who has now been at the helm of this out of control ship we call "The United States" for less than ten months, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. Once again I feel the need to repeat myself. I said "less than T-E-N months."
How is it that in less than ten months of service this man deserves the Nobel Peace Prize? Theadore Roosevelt (1906), Woodrow Wilson (1919), and Jimmy Carter (2002) were all former presidents that received the NPP, but none of them were awarded the prize in the first year of their term. Maybe they did not achieve what Obama did in his first few months of office. According to Alfred Nobel's will , the Nobel Peace Prize should be awarded "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses."
With that being said let's compare the three former Presidential winners with Obama.
1. None of the former Presidential winners were elected as the "First BLACK President" so Obama wins that one. I personnaly don't care if the President is black, white , green, etc. But does being black go toward the NPP score card? How is it that we are working towards "equality" in our nation for all races and then awarding someone merit because they are "black"? Sounds like Reverse Discrimination to me. But none the less the other Presidents did not achieve this.
Score....... Roosevelt, Wilson, Carter =0, Obama -= 1.
2. Well, this is where I should write the second thing Obama did to validate his nomination for the NPP. However I cannot see where there is a Nobel Peace Prize type of action that is worth noting. Now , I am not saying that nothing has been done in the nine and one half months he has been in office. I am however saying that I personally do not see where he has done "the most or the best work for fraternity between nations" as the prize stipulations say. Nor do I see where he has had part in "the abolition or reduction in standing armies" as is also stated as a requirement.
Hmmmm. This also leads me to the realization that we cannot leave our "contest" to stand with only four competitors. Obama did not need to surpass three fromer Presidents achievements, but instead must have done something that NO other president has accomplished. I have to stop and ask myself and everyone who reads this "What actions did Barack Obama take in his first eleven days in office that were so grand they were worth a NPP nomination?" What did he do better or more intense than all of our other Presidents before him? Surely he did something that no other President did in their first eleven days. Why do I keep saying that he must have done this/these deed(s) in the first eleven days? The NPP Requirements say that ALL nominations shall be recieved no later than February 1 of each year. That is right, February 1. Obama was innaugurated on January 20, 2009. ELEVEN days before the deadline for the NPP nominations. This must truely have been an awesome eleven days in the White House.
It is a stretch for me morally and ethically to embrace this award and the nomination process that shadows it. This is an embarassment for the other recipients of the award who gave so much of themselves to the world. Kim Dae-jung, Nelson Mandela, The 14th Dalai Lama, U.N. Peacekeeping Forces, and Martin Luther King Jr. were all immeasurable influences on the world as we know it. Does Barack Obama deserve to have his name sit beside these due to his actions over eleven days?
In closure I need to somehow bring this attrocity back into some form of reality that I can "sell" to myself and my family. We cannot change history, but instead, must learn from it. Hopefully this event will open the eyes of the world. Let everyone see the farce this Presidency has become. We must not allow something of this magnitude to be repeated. Albert Einstein ,a Nobel Prize winner in physics, told us this definition "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. " Lets not become an "insane" country.
Afterthought:
I believe that I now know what Barack Obama did that no other President has done............. Cash For Clunkers!!!.......it all makes sense now
.