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.

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Can even party faithful be this dumb?

I have to wonder if even the Democratic Party faithful are this dumb. The DCCC (the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee) routinely sends out emails, a kind of ethernet propaganda bomb, with names of politicians attached as if they sent them out. And at the bottom of the email it says that the emails are not authorized by anybody.

However, this is not the part that I would hope that these fanatics of the Democratic machine would find unbelievable. Since it is right there in front of their eyes, you would HOPE that these people are smarter than a newborn. (Because even a pre-schooler, let alone a 5th grader, would notice this,right?)

Here is a link to a copy of the latest email. (To return to this blog, hit the back button on your browser. Sorry for the inconvenience.)

No, what I find so totally, obnoxiously ludicrous that it is hard for me to imagine ANYONE believing this tripe, is that no one really believes that either party takes the other party's fundraising as serious indications of the sentiment of the American public.

I mean, I have been a pretty intensely vocal person about my political opinion. Yet, in all my 50 years (38 of them as a taxpayer), have I donated more than $5 to anyone's political campaign. This latter lapse in my judgement as to how to spend my money was just two years ago. And that was only so I could get a yard sign because I really believed in this candidate. But in all those years, just one $5 donation means that for all the other thousands of days and dozens of political campaigns and years of bad or good policy decisions I may or may not have agreed with shows that fundraising is no indication of the average American's opinion on anything.

Fundraising is the $2500 a plate extravaganzas which are a politician's way of connecting to elitists who can connect them to more people to give them money. They are ways to make splashy campaign ads to announce their popularity or denounce their opponents "evil" connections with big business or some other villain du jour.

Average people do not make donations to political campaigns. Average people have more important things to do with their money. You know, like buy food, pay rent, pay utility bills or doctor's bills or medicines or any number of things that regular people do with their money. Not that politicians should be able to know what regular, average Americans do with their money.

Politicians are too busy discussing multi-billion dollar spending sprees and debating billion dollar cuts to such programs as to protect some little fishy or create a special turtle crossing or expand an airport that nobody sues. They are way to busy building up incredibly high debts and demanding the ability to increase even more debt. Politicians are so busy spending money that we don't even have, the idea that they know that the average American is wondering if they should buy a dozen eggs this week or wait until next week. They don't understand as they jet off to some bigger fundraiser that the average American is waiting until the cupboards are empty so they can combine trips to the grocery store and conserve gas because the costs are way to high.

So for me to believe that the recipients of these emails really fall for the inane (and often poorly written) missives mean anything in the real world, is beyond fantastical.

But then again, Democrats are content to let Obama be their candidate for the 2012 elections with no competition from anybody. I mean, don't they realize that even Hilary would be a better choice to lead America?

So I guess the Democratic Party faithful can really be this stupid after all. Maybe the real focus of America's problem solving should be aimed at education. Because it is obvious to me that anyone who can be this stupid was never taught to be a critical thinker, to think for themselves, to gather in all the data and look at it in rational and objective view. We need to start educating our youth so that even if they grow up to become Democrats, they will grow up to be smart Democrats and not like the stupid ones we have today who believe groups like the DCCC and people like Nancy Pelosi (who doesn't realize she is no longer in power) are doing things in the best interest of America, the best interest of average Americans.

Agree with me or disagree with me (and we know who will do which, now don't we?). Either way, that is not my objective. My reason for going on and on with these blog entries is to get you, the reader -- be you Democrat, Republican, Independent . . . conservative, liberal or undecided -- to think for themselves. I urge you to not even take everything I say as gospel (although we all know I am right). Just look at all the BS and facts and statistics and gray area information, wrap it all up in that incredible thing on your should, located between your ears and mash it all together. Come up with what is reasonable, what is true. Just THINK FOR YOURSELVES and I will consider my job done.

But heck, what do I know, I'm just a writer. I mean, this is, after all, just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have yourselves an absolutely wonderful day! (And don't forget to check out all the other links on this page besides the blog entry itself.)

Charles

Monday, May 30, 2011

Memorial day 2011 and strange news

It being Memorial Day, I would first like to express my personal thanks to all those who have served, all those who are serving and all those who not only gave the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the freedoms and liberties we all enjoy (be they slightly abridged at present) but their families who also gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Without the men and women who gladly volunteer and serve to protect America and the American way of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we would find ourselves in a country where if you publicly disagree with your government, you find yourself in prison, mysteriously disappeared or just flat out dead. Don't believe it, look what happens in Jordan or Iran or China or Thailand.

If it were not for the brave young people in our country who selflessly place themselves in harms way to protect our right to vote for whomever we want. Don't think this is important, just ask those who demand the right to vote for their leaders and get imprisoned or killed for protesting, like they do in Iran. Or ask those who go out in public despite the imminent threat from terrorists on their very lives to practice the democracy we often take for granted.

Thank a veteran, a service member or the family of a American military killed during war ot peacetime. Pray for those who have lost a loved one in the protection of our American freedoms and those currently in harm's way. Remember that the life you live in America, as much as you might complain about the problems we face and no matter what "side of the aisle" you fall on, these precious gifts we have through our Constitution are envied by everyone, even those who hate us, should never be taken lightly nor for granted.

Shifting gears for a moment, I have some videos of a strange critter in my back yard in South Carolina. I have no idea what this thing is but it kind of looks like a fat little mouse with a small tail. Or some kind of gerbil. And it is not alone. We have seen several of them, a couple I suppose, running around. If anyone knows what the heck these little buggers are, please let me know.

Thanks and have a great day. And remember those who have and do serve. Happy Memorial Day!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Politicians writing books - good thing or bad??

Barack Obama, author. Jimmy Carter, author. Bill AND Hilary Clinton, George W, Bush Sr, Al Franken, Sarah Palin, Jim DeMint, Newt Gingrich, Al Gore, and a slew of other politicians . . . all authors. I could include John McCain in that list, except it is a pretty well established belief that Mark Salter actually wrote the books while John gave him all the details. Although, most of these books probably had a ghost writer in the mix somewhere.

The point is, if these politicians have so much time to go ahead and write books, why can't they get things going in the area for which they were actually hired. I can defend some of the authors here, like Clinton and Bush and Palin, who wrote these tomes AFTER the fact. But even with them, why did they save their best toil and sweat for themselves? Couldn't they have expended such energies on serving the public and getting things right in the Legislature, Supreme Court, and Executive Branches?

As much as I like Palin and DeMint, were books really necessary?

Am I serious?

Of course not. Really, what does it matter? Why would we care if they make millions more by exploiting their previous (or current) political offices?

Maybe because, as a writer, it makes it harder for us "normal" folk to get anyone to look at us seriously when we submit to an agent or a publishing house? How can we get editors to look at our column or opinion submissions when the likes of Sen. DeMint write opinion pieces for the Wall Street Journal? How can lowly mainstream stringers or alternate media journalists compete against the Ron Paul's of the political world when they want to get a piece published in the Washington Times? Or how can we mere mortal scribes go up against such powerhouses like Sarah Palin, who, at the mere mention of her name with a book, gets it another 100 million copies potentially sold?

But other than that, what does it matter? Does John Q. and Jane Q. Public care?

They seem to do just that. But for the wrong reason. They care because they can't wait to get their hands on or debate about or argue from a new book by a politician.

The real reason, and yes the real reason I am writing about this, is that most of these books try to explain what they would have, could have or should have done while in office. Yet they did not. Sen. DeMint's latest tome, The Great American Awakening: Two Years that Changed America, Washington, & Me, discusses everything from the consequences of the years since President Obama's election win for the White House to legislation and the grassroots movement of Americans being "stirred" to make changes in DC. And even though he has been a whirlwind of activity in the midterm elections and getting sound bites on the news that have gotten him the label of "Senator Tea Party," he still has not done much in the way of shaping leadership and opposition to the wrong path America is steaming full force down.

As much as I applaud anyone's individual efforts to improve their situation and their family's situation, as well as their work in securing a legacy, I do wish our political figures would stick with the business of running this country instead of making certain to run this country into the ground. I wish we could have serious people who take seriously the business of America. I wish we could get the Pelosi's, Reids, McConnells, Clyburns and all the rest of these poll eyed, publicity hound, re-election minded jerks off the book tours and back into the chambers of politics where they can sit down, work together and get this country back to the grand hope it has always represented in the hearts and minds of its citizens and the rest of the world. Let their publicists or their lackeys or their community liaison people do the public opinion thing, do the "feel for the pulse of the people" thing, or run the "get me re-elected" thing. Sit down, balance the pros and cons, and get America running again. Stop the leak of our economy, stop the fizzling of our international reputation, get jobs going, stop spending more than we have (in other words do what average Americans are having to do every day) and make Americans proud to be Americans.

You can agree or disagree. Call me a crack pot, whiner or misdirected. Or call me brilliant and right on target. Or even something in between. It really makes no matter to me. So long as I get you thinking for yourself and not listening to the rhetoric of anyone else, then I have indeed done my job. Because heck, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

Monday, May 16, 2011

GOP 2012 Mess?

Former Gov. Mike Huckabee and Donald "You're Fired!" Trump have both decided not to run for the GOP nomination in 2012.

"They're all backing out," one person recently quipped to me. "Its all because Obama killed bin Laden. They're afraid to run against him because they won't have a chance."

First, Obama did not kill Usama bin Laden. SEAL Team Six killed bin Laden. It was a concerted effort over three Presidencies to find and take out this delusional, sick madman. Clinton tried, backed off when the first attempt failed. Then Bush directed concentrated resources to find him. And finally, Obama was President when it happened. He did not personally do the intelligence, fly the mission or pull the trigger.

It is certainly a plus that he got to tell the public that America's Number One bad guy was gone. But this one act cannot cover up all the negative he has done for this country. At least in the eyes of conservatives. (You all are welcome to comment and dispute this if you like.) And any true conservative would not balk at the challenge to stop him from continuing down this road.

In 2008, President Obama somehow got into his mind the absolutely erroneous idea that a 49% to 51% is a "mandate from the people" to go ahead with all his crazy programs and policies. He was decidedly slapped down on that notion with all the TEA party activity and the 2010 midterms. The country cannot allow this man to be unchallenged on a serious level in his bid for re-election. There is no telling how much he will believe a re-election win will be a new "mandate" for his policies.

Second, I would not like to think that anyone such as Mike Huckabee would fear running against the President. I would HOPE that no true conservative with the chance to run for the GOP nomination would back out because he or she was intimidated by the President being the one in office when bin Laden was taken out.

Let's face it. No matter who was President, the intel would still have been gathered. (It is absurd to think that our intelligence community would give up even if the President didn't give it high priority.) The order to follow up would still have been given. The approval to go in and take him out would still have happened. Even if Donald Duck or Rumsfeld or Cythia McKinney were sitting in the oval office. Because no intelligence liaison or Sect. of Defense or Joint Chief would have allowed a President to miss an opportunity (again).

So, for The Donald, I believe it was mere ploy (as it was in 1988 and 1992) and he is and always has been the consummate showman who will do what is needed for good PR. Irish author Brendan Behan once quipped, "All publicity is good, except an obituary notice." I am sure Trump is very familiar with this.

As for Gov. Huckabee, he said doesn't feel the sense that God has a nomination in mind. He said when supporters were encouraging him, he felt the love and commitment. But when he was alone, his inner voice differed. He said it best on his blog on HuckPAC website. "All the factors say GO, my heart says NO."

I think the 2012 election cannot be a cake walk for Obama. The death of Usama bin Laden cannot be the deciding factor for millions of Americans. The whole body of work this President has undertaken to steer this country in the wrong direction needs the attention of the American people and they need to speak out loud and stop being led like sheep by the left wing pundits, the liberal leaning mainstream media or the charismatic voice of a President.

American voters need to look deep inside themselves and see the reflection of the ideal America, the one where the American Dream still lives. And they need to then look at the facts of what Obama has done / is trying to do, and they need to make a choice.

The GOP cannot roll over as well. It needs a strong conservative leader who will not back away from the challenge of getting America back on track and getting Americans back to thinking for themselves instead of thinking like sheeple.

Agree or disagree, as usual, and it is fine by me. So long as I got you thinking about other things, looking at things in another light and closing off your ears to the PR spins of everyone out there (yes, even me) and doing some self reflection, then I have done my job. Because hey, this is just me, thinking out loud.

Have a great day.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Some much needed changes

A very smart group of people were discussing writing, from a professional perspective. I found myself lucky enough to have been nearby to listen in. (Thanks, Angela.) They had some very practical and real world ideas on bringing in clients to their freelance work, what the best way to do some promoting of your work to garner more clients and ways to present yourself in a professional manner.

I found these insights very helpful and took the advice of a very smart man. (Thanks, Vincent.)

So, as you may have noticed, I have made some much needed changes to the site. I hope you like. Let me know.

As for making much needed changes, I suggest that the voting public also needs to make some changes.

With the advent of more corporate money flowing into political campaigns, a one sided media (that may be coming around because us alternate media types are making them look pretty foolish), and a campaign season that is determined to be sleazier, hazier and even more of a popularity contest than ever before.

Stop listening to the commercials.

Stop listening to the rhetoric from the media and from the candidates themselves.

Stop listening to all the radio, television and internet talking heads. (Yea, that means me, too. Even though I won't stop talking.)

And when I say "stop listening," I don't mean stop taking in the information they put out. I mean "STOP LISTENING" and taking it all to heart as gospel. I mean STOP LETTING THEM DO YOUR THINKING FOR YOU!

There is this incredible gray matter stuffed into your skulls between your ears that has all sorts of uses. And one such use is for logical thinking. It has amazing capacity for sniffing out the BS and sifting through the information to get at the facts.

There are so many unbiased places you can find out about the people who want to represent us. Find out what they believe in by finding out what they have done. If it is an elected official, check out his / her votes. Check out the bills they have personally sponsored as opposed to ones they jump on board with after the bill is written. (Some of these just may be repaying favors.) Check out the speeches they make in public, in office and during interviews.

If they have not held office, scrutinize where they come from and what they have done in their lives. If they espouse giving to the poor and homeless and the uneducated, see what they have done in their own loves to this end. have they donated to charities (money or time)? If they have a business, how well was it run? Did the employees like working for them? Have they had any SEC or ethics violations against them?

The American voter needs to know what they believe in as well, and how committed they are to those beliefs. If a the public doesn't know what they believe in with a passion unmatched, then how can they judge the people they elect on their beliefs?

We've got 18 months before the next general election. Between now and then there will be a lot of rhetoric flying around out there. It is about time we cut through all the crap and get to the heart of the truth. It is about time we have leaders who are more interested in leading then filling their own pockets or expanding their own influence. We need leaders who are willing to lead through the hard times and the good, and not just interested in exploiting a "good crisis" to further their own agenda. It is time we stand up and let Washington know that we are tired of the in-fighting, the ideologue mentality and the "we're better than you" mentality. We are tired of back and forth bickering when we need a fix to our problems in the PRESNT not in the FUTURE. Because without leadership and solutions now, we will have no future.

As always, agree or disagree with me, it makes no matter. So long as I make you stop listening and start thinking for yourself, I have done my job. But hey, this is just me, Thinking out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

North Charleston Boeing workers have another option - Columbia Conservative | Examiner.com

Unions used to be important, now they are just greedy, power hungry slugs. And guess who the union leaders have in their pockets? Stealing jobs and stomping on state sovereignty is becoming the hallmark of this Administration.

North Charleston Boeing workers have another option - Columbia Conservative | Examiner.com

Monday, May 9, 2011

Gingrich’s fatal mistake in snubbing SC GOP - Columbia Conservative | Examiner.com

You know, it would not have been such a big deal if Newt Gingrich had waited until next month (or even in a couple of weeks), to declare his candidacy for the GOP nomination for President in 2012.

It might not have been such a big deal if he decided to declare his candidacy in Iowa or Oregon or New York.

But he decided to declare in Georgia and make a speech to the Georgia GOP during their convention.

Why is this such a big deal? Because he snubbed the 1st in the South GOP Primary state of South Carolina. He is declaring his candidacy in Georgia, right next door to South Carolina and a week after South Carolina's convention. He could not have picked a worse time or a worse location. (Except maybe in North Carolina, but lets not quibble which border.) Voters in South Carolina will not shortly forget his lac of consideration for the Primary state that GOP nominees need if they ever want to be elected. (Not since Reagan has a GOP won the Primary without winning South Carolina.)

Read on:

Gingrich’s fatal mistake in snubbing SC GOP - Columbia Conservative | Examiner.com

Saturday, May 7, 2011

GOP members should stop worrying about "no-shows" at 1st SC debate - Columbia Conservative | Examiner.com

GOP made rules for who could show up at 1st SC debate. But many people, including a US Senator who should have known better, were upset by the "no shows," the popular candidates for the 2012 GOP Primaries. Silly arguments and even sillier statements.

GOP members should stop worrying about "no-shows" at 1st SC debate - Columbia Conservative | Examiner.com

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Rep. Jackie Speier is Lying for Money!

Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), acting as an agent for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, has decided to send out a "scare" email in order to raise money. And in that email, she is lying.

In the email, Speier states "Last night House Republicans voted in favor of an appalling piece of anti-choice legislation that could force victims of rape and incest to relive their trauma during an IRS audit and deny millions of American women access to life-saving reproductive health care."

But according to the actual Bill (which can be seen here), there is no such language. In fact, it says just the opposite of what Rep. Speier is alleging.

"19 ‘‘§ 308. Treatment of abortions related to rape, incest,
20 or preserving the life of the mother
21 ‘‘The limitations established in sections 301, 302,
22 and 303 shall not apply to an abortion—
23 ‘‘(1) if the pregnancy is the result of an act of
24 rape or incest; or

PAGE 6
•HR 3 EH

1 ‘‘(2) in the case where a woman suffers from a
2 physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness
3 that would, as certified by a physician, place the
4 woman in danger of death unless an abortion is per
5 formed, including a life-endangering physical condi
6 tion caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself."

Read in (page 5) line 22. It specifically states the bill does NOT impact women pregnant due to rape or incest or with physically dangerous conditions. Therefore, she is lying just to get you to send money to the Democrats for "Rapid Response ads."

This is the lowest of the low and quite frankly I am tired of this type of politics from ALL sides of the political spectrum. If you can't stand on your own merit without trying to scare voters with outright lies, you don't deserve to be a leader of our country.

I know Speier's constituents from California and would never in a million years attempt to recall her. (These loons have some of the most messed up laws in the country, have the most loathsome moral ideas and the loosest sets of values around.) But that is exactly what I think they should do. I think that people like Speier, and the larcenous Jefferson, and the sick child molesting and tax cheating and the money laundering scum that inhabit our highest political offices should all be recalled. But no one is going to recall Schumer, or Jefferson, or any of these other offensive individuals.

It is about time we take our government back from the losers who keep convincing us to re-elect them and then return to their sleazy way of politicking they were up to in between elections. I think it is about time we DEMAND they set term limits, so they don't get comfy in the DC roles. Then we can make them come back to the real world where the rest of America lives before they lose all concept of reality. No more 30, 40, 50 year political office holders. No more politicians beholden to special interests who pay millions to their campaigns.

And along those lines, we should DEMAND that any laws regarding THEM, like raises, should be put before the public in referendum votes. I am tired of Congress giving themselves raises while the rest of us suffer through tough economies. But I digress from the point.

(Here is a copy of the entire text of the email from Speier.)
******************************************************************************************

Charles --

Last night House Republicans voted in favor of an appalling piece of anti-choice legislation that could force victims of rape and incest to relive their trauma during an IRS audit and deny millions of American women access to life-saving reproductive health care.

Their assault on women has nothing to do with saving money and everything to do with forcing extremist beliefs into the tax code of the United States of America.

And they didn't stop there. They used the occasion to sneak in a provision restricting the definition of rape to deny victims access to reproductive health care -- even after they claimed to have removed the language in the face of overwhelming public opposition.

We must take immediate, decisive action against this attack on women's health and reproductive freedom.

Help us hold House Republicans accountable: Contribute $3 or more right now so we can get hard-hitting Rapid Response ads up holding Republican extremists in Congress accountable for their radical assault on women’s health care and reproductive freedom.

Republicans’ H.R. 3 bill would drastically restrict women's options for reproductive services by imposing burdensome new regulations on public and private insurance coverage. If made law, women would be denied using money from their personal health savings accounts to pay for abortion services.

I know how important it is for all women to have access to reproductive health care and it is unconscionable that one party would hold women's health hostage and use the tax code as a moral club to force their religious beliefs on every American.

We are just $27,215 short of our emergency Rapid Response goal of $100,000 by Midnight Tonight to fight this Republican extremism.

Help us hold House Republicans accountable: Contribute $3 or more right now so we can get hard-hitting Rapid Response ads up holding Republican extremists in Congress accountable for their radical assault on women’s health care and reproductive freedom.

With your help, we will stand up to this extremism and protect women’s reproductive freedom.

Thank you.

Rep. Jackie Speier

P.S. House Republicans will stop at nothing to appease their extremist anti-choice Tea Party backers. Please contribute right now so Democrats can get hard-hitting Rapid Response ads up to hold the extremists in Congress accountable for their radical assault on women’s health care and reproductive freedom.


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*********************************

Agree or disagree, it makes no matter to me. So long as it makes you think for yourselves and stop letting these nimrods tell you what and how to think. But hey, you know, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

New Superheroes

The latest Conservative Cartoon from Townhall is great. Check it out.

Click here.

As a Navy vet and a proud conservative, I totally agree.

USA! USA! USA!