Topping the blog lists!

You made Thinking Out Loud one of the top ten conservative blogs on "Top Political Blog" site (on April 28, 2012) with an international audience. On February 18, 2013, we hit in the top 50 of ALL political blogs. (This changes all the time, so keep reading.) Thank you.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

SC Voter ID bill one step closer to law - Columbia Conservative | Examiner.com

With groups like ACORN trying to literally STEAL our elections right out from under us, and Dems actively courting the illegal immigrant vote, now is the time to take action. Before it is a huge problem. Other states should follow suit. South Carolina needs to become a leader in this fight.

SC Voter ID bill one step closer to law - Columbia Conservative | Examiner.com

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

"The Speech"

In just a short while, the President of the United States will come out and make a speech. It is called the State of the Union speech. He will be addressing Legislative Branch, the Judicial Branch, his own Executive Branch, the military and the American public. In ages past, this speech was to let the people in government, and thereby translated down to the people they represent, how the country is doing. It was a way to let them know what was being done to continue or correct the path America was taking. It was a speech about America.

But in recent decades, and most especially now in the age of the Internet and 24-hour news cycles, it has become something else. The people KNOW what the State of the Union is. They KNOW what is and is not working. They KNOW that those in charge really have no clue as to what they want. And even if they did, they weren't going to listen to a bunch of citizens who just can't grasp the concept of governing.

Of late, the speech has become just another chance in a long succession of such speeches to tell everybody who is to blame for their current troubles. Of late it has become both a political tool and a political barometer. It has become a way for politicians to tell more lies, make more promises they don't intend to keep, and show just how disconnected and clueless they truly are.

It has become a speech that even though . . .

Okay, got pulled away to deal with grandsons. And now the President's State of the Union Address is over. As I suspected, it fell way short of anything worthwhile. He spoke rhetoric, tried to convince the public he was more interested in bringing everyone in Congress together to work on the economy (didn't he say the stimulus / recovery trillions of dollars would do that?) and create jobs (which the only jobs the President or government can CREATE are government jobs, which just increases the size of government, does not spur growth and actually creates nothing but more spending).

Two years ago, the President was "handed a crisis." But what they libs and Dems won't say is that THEY created the crisis they love to blame George W. for. Now that the people have slapped them down this past November (and the months preceding), they want to play all nicey-nice. What hypocrisy.

But as usual, this is just one man's thoughts. I don't really care if you agree or disagree, I just want to to think for yourselves instead of mindlessly following what others tell you how to think. If I have done that, I have done my job. But, hey, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day!

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Be Proud, Joe. Be Proud!

"Anvil" Joe Biden, also known as our VP, sent out an email about the things he and Barack are proud of. I'd like to expound on his list, if I may.

"There's a whole lot to be proud of. Of course, the big ones come to mind first:" Joe tells us. "[H]istoric health insurance reform . . ."

Yes, it was indeed historic. But that 2000 page monstrosity that no one read at the time and we are only coming to see ALL the ramifications of over time is hardly something to be proud of. (Remember "San Fran Nan" Pelosi told us that it had to be passed so we could all see what was in it. Didn't that sound backward to anyone with half a brain?!?) Inside this thing are caveats for not applying to ALL Americans. The Union bigwigs who supported Barack and Joe got their special perks. (And we were worried about the Cornhusker Kickbacks! Sheesh, these guys make the mafiosos go "BadaBing BaddaBang! Wow!")

And then there were the "penalties for not buying insurance. That is so very un-Constitutional. Government cannot tell me I HAVE to buy something. It is so not their business. And don't start on the whole car insurance bango. What if you don't own a car? What if you have no NEED for car insurance because you take the bus? You don't HAVE to buy car insurance. But this health care thing says you HAVE to buy it. And that is just plain wrong. And it literally goes against what is IN the Constitution about commerce.

There is the college stuff in the healthcare law. Yes, college. What?!? And the reporting thing. Yeah, the government is having a new thing on your W-2 about what you make, not just in dollars but in benefits. So that $36,000 a year job is going to say it is a $58,000 job and you'll be taxed accordingly. No kidding! Its in this law . . . that no one got to read.

Historic alright. But not something to be proud of, Joe.

He goes on to say that this bill "is reining in the insurance companies and helping control the cost of care for millions of Americans . . . " There were lots of ways they could have done this that would have truly saved Americans money. But you see, they built so many things into this law, that what it really does is stifle insurance companies and businesses and will eventually force Americasns into a single payer government system. And government does such a good job everywhere else.

"Wall Street reform," Joe is proud of. But it isn't there. Wall Street bailouts, yes. Real reform? No. If Joe and his Demo buddies were so into reform, how come they missed all the signs from the previous 8 years about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac?? There was reform needed and they turned a blind eye. Stupidity? Or getting their pockets lined? You figure it out. I know where my bets are.

Then there is "the end of combat operations in Iraq, which brought more than 100,000 troops home." Yes, Joe, this is something to be `proud of. Thanks George W. and the surge. You both did a great job getting us to this point. Oh, wait, is Joe saying this is to be proud of because he thinks he and the Prez had any hand in this? Sheesh, what a loon.

Then the list goes on. "We passed the Recovery Act, which saved and created more than 3 million jobs, provided the largest middle-class tax cut in a generation, and made landmark investments in clean energy, infrastructure, and education." LIE! LIE! LIE! Nothing was recovered, no jobs were created. And to use that line about saved, what a load of crap. Anyone else uses that line and the Demos are right out there calling them on it. So here I am, calling Joe on it. LIE! Where was the middle class tax cut??? I didn't see it in MY paycheck. Can't get more middle class than me. And the thing about clean energy, infrastructure and education? Oh come on, cut the crap. I remember the shovel ready thing. Even the Prez admitted there were no such thing. Joe, you're behind the times on this one.

"We made critical investments in General Motors and Chrysler, saving tens of thousands of jobs -- and perhaps the companies -- and spurring a rebirth of the American car industry." Yes, bailed out the automakers, spent OUR dime (whoops, actually China's dime, or, er, yuen), and proved once more you were so "in bed" with the Union that Michelle must have had to sleep on the floor.

"We wrote into law student loan reform and credit card reform, which ended the worst abuses of the banking industries and are making lending fair for American families." Screwed up the student loan system, thank you. And allowed the credit card companies to act worse than the street corner loan shark thugs, arbitrarily dropping good customers, piling on fees, exponentially multiplying rates without warning and denying more and more individuals and small businesses than ever before.

"We put two new Supreme Court justices on the bench -- Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan, who bring rich and diverse experience to the Court." Neither of whom has any right to be on the high court. Their "stories," though compelling, are no different than millions of Americans who probably know more about the Constitution than they apparently ever will.

"We have begun to reset America's relationship with the international community, from the ratification of a new START nuclear arms treaty with Russia to tough new sanctions on Iran to strengthening our long-term partnership with a unified Iraq." Resetting international relationships as the poor wimpy Oliver asking for more forgiveness please. And kowtowing to the Russians every demand making us the weaker for it. And they are doing such a bang up job with Iran, who not only refuses to stop their nuclear program but are still holding Americans hikers in prison while thumbing their noses at us and the whole world saying "bite me!"

"And we finally repealed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," which was the right thing to do . . ." First let me say it was the right thing . . . for the military to do. But these nits in Congress and the White House didn't do it for the right reasons. They did it for votes. They did it for social justice and social engineering. And they did it when it was not in their purview to do it. It was, has always been, and should always be, a military issue. It should have been a decision by the military and the military alone whether to continue or discontinue this MILITARY policy. But, as usual, the politicians did it for political reasons only. But it isn't anything for Joe and Barack and the rest of the Demos to be proud of. That’s like me saying because I voted for the red M&Ms as my favorite, I am proud of Hershey for making a special bag with just red M&Ms.

As usual, Biden gets it wrong. And the country suffers while he and all the peacocks inside the Beltway do their collective strutting.

But hey, you know me by now, you can a gree or disagree, and it makes no matter to me. I just want you to look at all sides, ignore what the rhetoric is and see things logically. And just start thinking for yourselves. I'm the wise man, nor am I some fortune teller with a crystal ball. I'm just one man, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

2011 is a new year for ALL to Think Out Loud

Hey, I know its been a bit. Sorry I've been away from the blog for so long. Between being pretty sick, the weather and other issues, It has been kind of hard to focus on things. And many things have indeed been happening that require words being said. There's Obama's healthcare (joke of a title) that has so many loop-de-loops in it that even the most experienced roller coaster rider would get sick taking it all for a spin. And we find out more and more about it each passing day. And of course the liberals who decry that if its repealed, the whole country will lose everything from their right to chew gum to their grandmother's wisdom teeth. In truth, that whole thing is chock full of crap barely wrapped together by a few good things.

Then there's the bills slammed through by the "lame duckers" who couldn't get as much BAS through as they could before they were run out of town on the proverbial rail tie. And the stupid comments by people like Reid and Pelosi (who still thinks she has some kind of power left in the House).

And of course, there was the sad news of Congresswoman Giffords (D-AZ) who was shot by a lunatic, and all those who were killed by this lunatic. (We all pray for her speedy recover and for the families of those slain.) Then came the even sadder news of the mainstream media and the political slugs who would use this to make attacks on people who had nothing to do with, would not have condoned it, and gained nothing by it. The hypocrits who have used violently worded rhetoric in the past are in turn assailing people like Sarah Palin for using the same things in political speech as they have in the past. (Need I remind you of the President's own "they bring a knife, we bring a gun" comments just a few short months ago?) And hey, what the hell is the left doing attacking Palin, whom they constantly try to persuade us is of no consequence and no threat to them?

(Note - I refuse to offer up this pathetic sicko's name nor link to the story in this blog. He does not deserve any more notice than this. The real focus should be on the victim's of this heinous act.

But all that aside. What I want to first do is say "Happy New Year" to all my readers here and overseas. Thank you for making 2010 enjoyable for me, as I was able to see that people were actually reading what I was writing. And not just here, but in places such as the Netherlands, Russia and Brazil. Even China and Korea and Panama have taken a look at us. Thank you all. And I hope that not only do you have a great 2011 but that "Thinking Out Loud" continues to offer you something to read and think about.

Now, for the thing that got me to drag myself from my sick bed.

Unemployment. It is something that all of us either have experienced, have known of someone who has gone through it or it has been on our collective minds of late. Verbal sparring has gone on concerning this issue throughout the halls of Congress and onto the streets of the country. The economy and business prospects have left millions jobless and unable to pay their bills. Many ideologies have debated the need for extensions and tried to balance that with the proper path to recover from it.

At this time I am not going to add to that debate (though I assure you I will expound upon this at a later date).

The one thing that has gone both unresolved and mostly ignored, is the pitiful way many states have executed the payment to those in need.

Federal guidelines say that states must pay 87% of all claims within 21 days of filing. As outrageous as this sounds (shouldn't they require 100% of lawful claims to be paid?), most states cannot even make this mark. Save a handful, with Alaska doing a fantastic job of paying out 98.8% of their claims (info found in Jim Davenport's AP article).

But most states fall far short of this requirement. States like Georgia and North Carolina drift right around the mark at 86% and 88% respectively. While states like South Carolina went from 82% in 2009 to a miserable 65% in 2010 timely payment of initial benefits. Then there are states like Louisiana (67.2%) and the District of Columbia (whose pitiful rate is 59.9%) that just never come near the mark. Often times this means the difference between keeping a roof over your head and either homelessness or moving in with someone else.

And the thing is, for states like South Carolina, the state government is at fault. For instance, they just changed the business reporting time from seven days to 12 in reporting the reason for termination. This does not allow the state ample time to process and mail benefits to claimants. Even though many times the state agencies are slow themselves, the practice of allowing companies this much time to report is inefficient and unnecessary.

Businesses can fill out the paperwork at the time of termination with all the rest of the paperwork and file it the same day. If states made this simple change to a standard 5 days reporting time, then people will be able to get their checks on time. And they can pay bills, buy food and keep a roof over their head.

As much as I might disagree with many of the current way the government is making a nanny state acceptable, by making people MORE dependent on government, I find the practice of delaying something this important, insurance that workers actually pay into during their days of laboring, incomprehensible and reprehensible.

Agree with me or not, agree with the unemployment compensation system or not, it makes no difference. So long as I get you to think for yourself instead of just accepting what is told to you by anyone (myself included), then I have done my job. But hey, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Alcohol Superconductor connection

A scientist in Japan found out that when he uses booze, he can solve the puzzle of making more effective superconductors which has been baffling the science community since they were first discovered in 1911. And since the human race has been drinking hundreds of years before they even wore shoes, this is quite the accomplishment.

Just think, we can have superconductors at room temperature. This means we can have levitating trains and watch computers and all kinds of neat applications. Maybe not now, or in a few years, but some time down the line.

Maybe Obama and Biden can invite Dr. Takano over for a 'beer summit.'

Any excuse, eh?

Just me thinking out loud. Pass the bottle opener, would ya?

Have a great day.