Tell Them to STOP on the Replace and Repeal Nonesense

On the issue of Republicans wanting to start the Repeal and Replace thing all over again. ("Repeal of Affordable Care Act Is Back On The Agenda", as reported by the New York Times)

Why?? Because their guy is facing an embarrassment and their leadership is facing calls for them to step down.

But again, why?? Its all a political charade. Its all about THEM and its supposed to be all about US! So here is a quick editorial opinion on it.

OPINION - DON'T LIKE IT, DON'T READ IT - Contact your representation in DC! Dem or GOP, doesn't matter, call them, email them, twitter them, Facebook them . . . hell, go stand at the door to their offices! Let them know that the repeal crap they are trying is NO GOOD! The legislation they keep trying to write to "replace and repeal" is NOT THE WAY TO GO! Tell them to work on individual legislation to FIX the problems with Obamacare! The House started doing this with H.R. 372 and 1101! Tell them that THAT is the way to go! Make them understand this is not a thing that is a prize to be won between the political parties, this is something that affects the lives of Americans and it is OUR wishes, not theirs, that need to be listened to!

If you want them to keep doing this instead of their job, if you think that one party MUST prevail over the other no matter what it does to the American people, then go ahead and encourage this bad, immoral activity in Washington DC.

But if you, like me, want it to STOP, then do something about it. Don't wait for someone else to do it for you. Thai is the government of the people, for the people, by the people.

But hey, thats just me Thinking Out Loud!

Worth Repeating (A post from 2010)

Sometimes I write something and come back to it years later and say "Wow, that was pretty good."

With the current elections being not only important but wildly out of focus, I think this article I wrote back in 2010 is very relevant. "Who do you listen to??"

One additional reference I might suggest. Its called On The Issues and can be found at www.ontheissues.org. I again provide the link as well as have the site linked because some people have a block on their links.

You can either go to the page and type in the candidate you want to kn ow about, or Google the person and add "on the issues". (For instance, "Gary Johnson on the issues".) Or you can go to the page and right there on the front page is a row of pictures with all the presidential and vice presidential candidates. (Except for Ajamu Baraka, Jill Stein's running mate on the Green Party ticket. Him you have to plug into the search engine. I don't know why.)

Please check it out, let me know if it was helpful or what you think.

Have a great day, keep thinking for yourself and stop being sheep.

This is just me, Thinking Out Loud!

Charles

Come On People All Lives Matter

There are some serious gaps in the education of our youth (and I mean going back decades, so that we find ourselves with an ignorant and uninformed adult population as well).

That has to be the explanation of all the very stupid things people are saying and doing these days. Right? I mean how else do you explain the stupidity of the Black Lives Matter movement? Or the This life is better than that life concept that has followed?

I say this because there is a storycoming out (not on any mainstream media outlet, of course) about a young ex-Marine who was assaulted by a gang of black youths (he figures five between the ages of 16 – 21, including one female) outside of a McDonald's. They had been harassing him inside, cornering him and shouting the question did he think black lives matter. He was knocked unconscious and robbed of money, credit cards, VA id and driver's license.

Here is a young man who surrendered his rights and the possibility of his very life to protect the freedoms these ignorant punks (and that is what they are, “usually a petty gangster, hoodlum, or ruffian”) enjoy.

So I am going to get real here. I mean really REAL. I am aiming this at EVERYONE! Men, women, children, politicians, civilians, black, white, red, straight, gay, transgender, rich, poor, middle class, the powerful and the powerless . . . EVERYONE in the United States!

The founding document of this country, the one that separated us from our colonizer nation, the one that outlined why we became who we became, explains things pretty clearly about who we should be as a nation.

The Declaration of Independence.

It starts out “We hold these truths to be self-evident . . .”.

For the uninitiated into the English language, let me translate. “Here is the obvious truth.” Its obvious, or self evident, to anyone who cares to simply open their eyes and see. Here are some truths and they are obvious. Pretty simple. But some people numbly look at you with a blank stare and go “huh?” and then ignore the document.

Okay, so we move on. “ . . . that all men are created equal . . .”. WOW! That line just blows away all of these separatist movements. All. Men. Are. Created. EQUAL! By men, the founders meant men as in mankind, as in humanity, as in EVERYBODY. So, everybody. Created equal. Boom! Black lives matter movement shut down. Because ALL lives matter. Says so in the founding document of this country. Rich lives, poor lives, homeless lives, working lives, black lives, white lives, ALL lives! End of discussion on that.

Now here comes the boom that makes the actions of thugs like the ones who attacked that Marine and like the ones in elected office un-American. “. . . that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights”.

You may ask what the heck “unalienable” means, and what are unalienable rights? Well you would be in good company because this has been discussed over and over by many people in the past. But here is the 411. Unalienable rights are rights that cannot be taken away. That's it. They are rights that you are born with. Like the right to breathe. No one can take that away. They can take away your ability to breathe. But your RIGHT to breath? No, they can't take that away.

So what are these rights? “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Now these are not the only ones. As I said before, you also have the right to breath. But the founders thought that would be kind of obvious to anybody, so they prefaced these rights by stating “that among these are”. So there are others but they wanted to include these three specifically.

Everyone has a right to life, to be alive. Therefore taking a life is not to be done for the hell of it. Any life. (And yes, I know, the taking of lives in war, any war is necessary to preserve life. A contradiction to be sure, but as I said, not simply done for the hell of it. Self defense, protection of others. Usually undertaken by those willing to sacrifice their own lives to defend the freedoms of these rights I am discussing.)

Liberty. Freedom. Everyone has a right to be free. You can be enslaved, in so many ways, but you choose to fight for this because everyone has a right to freedom. We fought a war to be free. People have staged protests to be free. Because it is a right everyone is born with.

And finally, everyone has the right to pursue a happy life. To be happy. To pursue it. A right. Born with it. Not to be taken away. Ever. By anyone.

So how do we secure these rights so that no one takes them away? The Declaration answers this. “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” Which means it is up to the government to preserve these rights. Governments that derive their power from the governed. That's us. The governed. The people. The voters who put the government in place.

But here is the rub. We the people have to ensure the government abides by the tenets of our country. And what to do if they don't? Well, we have elections to make sure that the ones who fail are replaced. But what if it gets so bad that we find ourselves falling apart at the seams, as we are now? There is an answer for that, too.

“That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”

Kind of extreme. So if we want to avoid the latter, the abolishment of it, then we need to get active and work on altering it. By voting in people who do not derive their popularity or power from dividing us.

United, we stand. Divided, we fall. In modern times, one of our Founding Father, John Dickinson, used these words in a pre-Revolutionary War song called "The Liberty Song". In July of 1768 Dickinson wrote: "Then join hand in hand, brave Americans all! By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall!"

These Black Lives Matter movements do just this. They divide us. As do all of these “fill in the blank” Lives Matter groups, and as do all those who seek to usurp power by dividing us. And politicians who only wish to garner the largest amounts of votes. And they not only do a disservice to us as a country, but they tear apart the very tenets this country was founded on. That every one of us are created equal.

To that point, there is not one single candidate for public office in a very long time that is not guilty of dividing us. And we let them. We fall prey and victim to their manipulations.

I say it is time to stop listening to them and start listening to the concepts that formed this country that is the envy of the rest of the world.

Only by standing united, as one citizenry, as Americans all, will we fight off those that would divide and conquer us. Whether they be outside sources such as ISIS or Communists or Socialists or money grubbing, power hungry corporations, we must battle them all by ignoring their attempts and uniting.

Another document that looked to create a better country, a better world for all that followed them – for posterity – is the Declaration of Independence.

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

It is time. To stop being sheep and to stop believing in “the spin” of all these divisive people and groups. We are ALL Americans. Not black Americans nor white Americans nor rich Americans nor poor Americans nor any other kind of such and such Americans. We are Americans and we need to stand united in the knowledge that ALL are created equal. All lives matter. Our Founding Fathers tried to make sure we understood this.

Normally I say agree with me or disagree with me, it doesn't matter. But I can't say that this time. Read it for yourself, don't just take my word on it. But if you disagree, if you think that all lives don't matter, that we are not all Americans, that we do not all have rights that cannot be taken away, that we don't need to stand united, then we will not all fall divided – then there is not much I can do for you. So just think for yourselves. Read what this country is all about. If you don't like that we are all one citizenry, then maybe you should think about finding a country that lets you feel divided and promotes divisiveness. But really, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

I hope you have a great day, and that you take my words into consideration the next time you hear someone saying something that divides us.

Charles  

Enough is Enough!

Stop catering to cowards and murderers who want nothing more than your annihilation!

I know this will cause some commotion. But I am so sick of the "political correctness" of remaining silent. I feel no pity for the people of muslim countries. I do feel sorrow for them, but not pity. They follow a religion that for centuries has been about the total domination of the world under an Islam banner. They believe there is no room for any other religion. And any muslim that says they want a peaceful coexistence with others is either lying to you or themselves. Their religion says its okay to lie to anyone not a muslim. So when someone cries about why there is no coverage of how we bomb them or shoot them or whatever, I just get so boiling mad. We would leave them be if they would stop doing things like Paris. Like 9/11, like London, like Moscow. We would leave them alone if they would stop trying to usurp our countries, our religions, our laws, our customs and our traditions. But they will NEVER stop. People really need to understand this. I do not want harm to come to anyone. But I will also not sit by while they decide to cause me, mine or other innocent people harm. Enough is enough.

Moderate Islam. Extreme Islam. Peaceful Islam.

These are all the same.

They want nothing more than the total annihilation of those who are NOT Islam. Thats it. Bottom line. Its what their religion, what their "prophet", what their entire ideology calls for. Their "great book" calls for the destruction of infidels. Make no mistake about it, thats us, folks. Thats anyone NOT muslim, NOT followers of the prophet. NOT believers in Islam.

For those who say "they don't know any better" I say BAH!

People have brains. People have common sense. If you are taught and indoctrinated into thinking this is right, then you are foolish. You are mindless. You don't know how to use your brain and think for yourself.

How many Germans fought against Hitler because they knew it was wrong? How many fought Stalin? The czars? These people were taught and indoctrinated into a certain belief. And they KNEW it was wrong. These people WANT to believe its right to cause the genocide of the world that is not Islam.

So I don't want to hear that they don't know any better because its what they were taught. Its like all those morons who were taught differently but decide to join these cowards and murderers. They WANT to do what is wrong!

So if you want to play all nicey-nice and sympathetic to them, and let them kill you. Go for it.

Me and mine? I'm not going let anyone do this. And you can call me mean, heartless or whatever. I don't play nice with someone dedicated to destroying me and my way of life.

Agree, disagree, I just don't care anymore. You want to be sheep and let them erase you, you want to listen to the spin that our bogus leaders are spewing, you want to NOT think for yourself . . . by all means, go ahead. This is just me, Thinking Out Loud and deciding enough is enough of being silent.

Goodbye yellow brick road, hello yellow brick wall

Hollywood has sunk to a new low, even for them - capitulating to demands from an oppressive government not to insult them or their country. All for the sake of money.

And no, I am not talking about America. Because Hollywood has proven they don't care about demeaning America, Americans or American values. I am talking about how they are cow-towing to China and Chinese demands for "sensitivity".

This is pretty sickening. Hollywood has always been a bastion of morally repugnant heels, but this latest bit of "concessions" to the demands of a totalitarian government makes my blood boil. Hollywood has never failed to insult one aspect of America or the other, from the Bush bashing W, EVERY Roger Moore flick and the denigrating Julianna Moore depictions in Game Change to the constant barrage of white supremacy / black violence / homosexual acceptance that inundates the "silver" (yea right) screen. Yet no Hollywood producer cares about - and even hopes for the controversy from - the outcry from the public over these constant insults to America, American business or American values. Yet insult one aspect of China and they "excise" the film. Deplorable. And these low life scum who call themselves members of some elite group of artisans wonder what has happened to American audiences. I'll tell you, they are sick of paying your exorbitant ticket prices for mediocre movies that constantly assault our eyes, ears and sensibilities. Also, when it comes to paying these high prices (both in tickets and concessions) vs paying our bills, putting food on the table or buying medicine for our children, you lose . . . EVERY time.

I guess its time for another round of independent filmmakers and production companies. The last time Hollywood went too far afield, along cam such visionary independent companies such as Weinstein, Wachowski, New Line and others. Eventually, they were absorbed by the Hollywood megaliths of cinematography. Some, like Touchstone, were the big companies pretending to be independent. But these were quickly discovered and the ruse abandoned. But new indepndents will rise in response to thsi latest Hollywood depravity.

I hope. Otherwise, coming soon to a theatre near you, you'll be watching the new incarnation of Red Dawn, where it is America swooping into a country and toppling the government, only to be thwarted by the brave cadre of rice farmers who battle the evil invaders.

Anyway, agree or not, I really don't care. Just stop being mindless sheep and unconcerned drones. Think for yourself. But hell, its all good. This is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

America is STILL a sovereign nation

The UN should not be allowed to run anything that is American. PERIOD!

They should not be allowed to tell us how to write our laws. They should not be allowed to tell us how to handle our gun rights. They should not be allowed to run our military. They need to keep their grubby hand out of our wallets. And they should definitely keep their collective mitts off our internet.

We are a sovereign nation. We fought a war 236 years ago that says so. We broke from a distant regime that tried to rule us then and we should not allow these foreigners any power to do so today.

I don't mean we should not cooperate with our neighbors in this world. But let them run their own damn countries and leave ours alone. The internal workings of America is OUR business, not theirs.

The minute our leaders abdicate our rights in the name of world cooperation is the minute we kick their collective butts out of office. And I mean that. I don't care if its a Democrat or Republican controlled government Administration. The UN has no business trying to run our country. Despite what has been going on the last several decades, America is run by Americans. True, the people have had very little say in our own government, but that is OUR fault. Collectively, we have given up our rights to an ever expanding Federal control. But it is still our American Federal government. The folks at the UN have a different idea.

And that simply cannot be allowed.

Get involved. Call and / or write your local, state and Federal officials. Tell them not only NO but HELL NO! to the UN takeover of America!

You can agree or disagree with this that the UN needs to stay out of America's business. You can agree or disagree that we need to maintain the sovereignty we fought to get and maintain over the past 236 years. But whatever you do, do NOT sit idly by as our leaders sell us down the river. Anyway, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

Its Time!

This was a post about Madison, the Federalist papers the government's over reach. But right after I posted it . . . everything was gone.

I apologize to all my readers for this technical glitch.

I am too frustrated to try and recreate it.

But I will leave you with Ned Ryun's article about it being time to tell the "parties" that the party is over.

The Party's Over! by Ned Ryun of the American Majority.

Have a great day.

Charles

Happy Birthday, America!

Okay, so the birthday thing is a little off and often debated. Some say July 2, others say the 8th; some say August, others even argue for the years later thing. But why quibble the date. We picked one and thats that. Its not like there are no other birthdays out there we don't celebrate on a debated date.

But anyway, its been 236 years. Pretty good run, eh?

But we're not over yet. No matter what you hear from both sides of the political aisle.

Politics and Presidents and Senators and so on and so on are all just fleeting things. Good ones and bad ones come and go. As do huge country-wide ideological uproars.

Lets not forget, we had a bit of a row back in the middle of all this that nearly ended it.

But America kept going on.

Why?

Good question. And one I think I can shed some light on.

Americans.

We the people.

Through whatever adversity that prevails, Americans stay strong. We debate and argue, sometimes pretty heated. But at the end of the day (and some of those days are gawd-awful long), we go on.

Be it taxes, states' rights, moral dilemmas, ethical faux pas, or any nu,ber of things that "almost tore this country apart," we have come out the other side of the tunnel. Mayeb a little tarnished, maybe a little tattered. But the American spirit lives on.

The same spirit that took hold of the hearts of our founders. The spirit of independence. The spirit of freedom. No matter how much we may disagree on some things, we always step back, look around at what goes on in the world and say "whoa, we could have it so much worse."

There are countries in this world that really don't care what the people think. Their leaders just do whatever they fancy with no regard. At least in AMerica our silly politicians make a show of making it seem like they care what you think. And some actually do care. And its these that are the true leaders that guide us out of folly.

There are some countries that will actually take you out and kill you if you practice a religion. Or a religion the leaders don't like. In America, we have strong words aimed at religion and from religion. But in the end, we are offered the freedom to have that. Without being slaughtered wholesale.

There are some countries where the people are forced to eat pig slop, are told they like it and actually believe it. In America, there are those who are hungry, yes. And some even eat things the average person would lose their cookies over. But they know the difference. And there are people in America who go out of their way to help. AND in America, there are people who openly decry these conditions without being sent off to jail or to the bottom of some shallow ravine.

There are countries in this world who advocate the destruction of other countries because of a difference in religion, politics, manner of dress . . . whatever gets them to sleep at night in order to feel superior to the rest of the world. And no matter your opinion of one leader's policies or another, America is not one of those countries. We don't want to be the world's policeman . . . but are often called on to do just that. We don't want to be the mom and dad to the bad little dictators of the globe . . . but are often (way too often, in my opinion) forced to be just that.

As harshly as you may criticize American politics, leaders or whatever else you might have a beef about, AMERICA (and that is synonymous with AMERICANS) is the proudest, most giving and forgiving, generous to a fault shining light for so many out there who are amazed that we don't see it the way they do.

Yes, there are fanatics who want to destroy anything that is not them. America is the biggest kid on the block and the light they want to quash for everyone else. How can they be totalitarian if there is a HUGE example of how things can be free? Of course they want to extinguish that light.

Its not about "American imperialism". Its not about "America the nation builder". Its not about "America the bully." Its not about any of these things. The reason terrorist and others want America to fall its so they can shout, "see, we are better" and exert their power over people.

America is about freedom.

Plain and simple.

Freedom to express your ideals. Freedom to practice your religion. Freedom to disagree. Freedom to live and excel. Freedom to raise your family, go on vacations, be whatever you want to be . . . to live your life how YOU want to.

So, today, on America's birthday, the day of our celebration for independence, remember three things.

1) Freedom is never free. There are prices to be paid . . . but there are those willing to pay them, for you. SO,

2) Remember our military, their family and their friends. They are sacrificing so that YOU can enjoy those freedoms.

And finally,

3) No matter your political stripe or ideology or religious belief or moral code, we are ALL Americans. Today should remind us of the BIG PICTURE. 236 years of the BIG PICTURE.

We will survive. No matter what anyone internally or externally wants to threaten / warn / frighten you has to say. We will keep going on.

Happy Birthday, America!

Happy Independence Day, Americans!

Lets forge on for 236 more (and beyond).

Charles

Some wonder, others criticize

Some wonder why I write this blog, some wonder why don't write more and some just criticize what is written and debate the motive.

I shall endeavor to put it as simply as possible - although I thought I did this at the end of every blog entry - by employing the words of history's greatest philosopher, Socrates.

"I cannot teach anybody anything I can only make them think."

I only pass along things I have found that are contrary to common sense, that I have discovered through my skills as an investigative journalist, and the obvious manipulations by unscrupulous people to make their bosses sound much better than they truly are.

As for my political philosophies, I am indeed conservative, with one caveat - that is with a small "c" not a capital one. I do not identify with a party nor do I ascribe to any one political party or affiliation. Everything I view, I do so from a conservative tableau. And that is the only benchmark I have for myself.

So from that, I point out the stupid things, the SPIN things, the lack of common sense things that EVERYONE is doing.

Some say, "no you are anti-Obama." To this I have to say honestly no I am not. Am I against many things he does as President? Yes. Am I outraged by some of the things he and his administration have to say and do? Most definitely yes. BUt I was once impressed by him when he was younger. I was once looking forward to what he could do in his political career. But then I watched him get chewed up by the machine and infiltrated by the SPIN. Sometimes (and I only believe this sometimes), I think he actually even believes some of the SPIN. SOme of it. Not all of it. Which makes him even more of the typical politician. Because he only believes some of it. Which means he knows most of it is BS. And still does what he does.

But as a man, a father, an American, a human being, I have absolutely nothing against him.

I am equally vocal about many things supposed Conservatives, Republicans and other "patriots" do. I will blast Romney, the GOP and anyone else who spews the SPIN for their own person, party or political gain.

America is better than all this nonsense. And there needs to be voices out there - even those who oppose me as well - speaking to truth. Because it is with these voices, speaking loud and clear, and unhindered by an oppressive government, that will KEEP America strong.

So, I will keep on speaking to the idiots and SPIN and blatant lies that undermine this country I love and served, and continue to serve in my own way. I will keep calling politicians, celebrity, fawning media, and anyone else that would SPIN the truth to suit their own agenda and against what is best for America.

How do you know what is best for America!?

I hear you screaming that (and I thought I was done with this post - but noooooo). So I will address this now, here, rather than later.

I don't know what is best for America.

But our founders did. They created a beautiful template for us to follow.

Freedom of thought. Freedom from dictatorship states. Freedom to choose our religion. Freedom to chose who we work for, what we do, how we do it. Freedom to be the best we can be.

They put into a place a government answerable to the governed. A government that is a servant and not a tyrant. A government, if it becomes too deaf and blind, has in its mechanism a manner to which to expunge it and replace it with one that returns to that which it was designed to be - a government of the people, for the people and by the people.

By using this benchmark, I can see what the founders believed to be best for America. And speak from these truths to show people how to STOP BEING SHEEP and AVOID THE SPIN.

And to those who say, oh that is outdated and old-fashioned, America needs to change, I simply respond it is NOT America which needs to change - at least not it founding principles. It is those who feel this way that can move to somewhere else.

America is not the land of the dependent and the lazy. It is the "land of the brave and home of the free." If you can't live with the basic ideas that founded the freedoms this country is built upon, then there is no locked door keeping you here. If you want cradle to grave service, move to Europe. If you want a government that does all your thinking move to Russia or China.

This is why I oppose Obama and anyone who would "change" America into some socialist, nanny state. That is NOT America.

But you know, agree or not, its all good. I just want you to think for yourself. Look into the truth of history and not the lies of SPIN. Learn from where it is you (and by this I mean the collective you of America) grew from. Learn to discern truth from lies and half truths, AVOID THE SPIN they would have you believe. And if I can get just one person to STOP BEING SHEEP, then I will feel I have done well. Anyway, this is just me, as usual, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

5 Reason I wish Obama had a REAL opponent in November

Here is a list of FIVE reasons I wish Barack Obama had a REAL opponent in the November elections. (I don't believe that ANY of those running have a chance in hell of beating Obama because the President's liberal followers, those who only follow him because of race and those who follow him because of misplaced guilt are too numerous and the GOP doesn't have anyone who inspires those who feel defeated already to vote in November.)

1) He comments, nationally, on the Trayvon Martin story, igniting even more racial tension in a highly controversial case . . . yet remains completely silent on the disgusting treatment by a union officla causing a female representative to leave office.

2) He thinks its okay to use the White House, his position as a sitting president and dinner to lure people into giving money to his campaign. Not because its a ploy to get donators . . . hell they all use their "celebrity" status to do that. No, its because he is using the White House (which WE own, not him) and he is using the Presidency (again, which WE own, not him) to get people to donate money to his re-election campaign. This is just sleazy. And what's worse, no one is challenging him on it. Hell, no one has even answered my questions on this.

3) He has no concept on how to create jobs. And I don't fault him on not knowing everything. No President can know everything. Which is why they have advisors who are experts in their fields to advise him. But this nimrod of a President doesn't even surround himself with real experts on job creation. He thinks he has to "educate" us on his "vision." And he has people who have never created in their life, are felling guilty about being rich and/or only teach things (in other words, the academia elite who know nothing about the real world).

4) He really believes Obamacare . . . OOPS . . . Healthcare Reform is a good thing. And while I don't disagree that "healthcare reform' is important, his healthcare reform is so NOT! I mean it is NOT about health, its NOT about care and its NOT about reform in any meaningful way. It IS about CONTROL! It IS about POWER! It IS about paving the way for a SINGLE PAYOR SYSTEM! (Which no matter how you slice it IS socialism.) SOme things in there - I guess they happened by accident - are good things. Like addressing the reality of family life today where children are staying at home longer but still need affordable heath insurance. But where is the real reform about tort (which would lower doctor expenses and thus doctor costs)? Or how allowing companies and individuals to cross state lines to buy insurance (which would help self employed, small businesses, and low income workers to get affordable rates - honestly, this one is a whole post to itself, so I will stop here. if you don't see the benefits of this one, comment me and I will explain)? No Obama is about POWER, CONTROL and SOCIALISM (and I mean that in the societal sense not the political, so don't scream that I am calling the man socialist)! He is about doing what he thinks is right even if we (oh the little children we are to his grown-up-ness) don't want it.

5) As outlined above, I think his arrogance, expressed again and again, as well as his contempt of the average American is deplorable. Many a President has sat in that office and believed himself better than the people he "served." But Obama actually walks and talks and acts on this belief of his that he is more knowledgeable, smarter, and better suited to run our lives than we are. And this is something that I simply cannot tolerate.

There are more reasons why I wish there was someone, ANYONE, who could go up against Obama and win in November. I think there have been some who could have done it, but the left, the Democrats and the media have gone out of their way to sour the general populace against those people. Can't have a real opponent out there who could do something for this country and undo the damage he has done in the last three years (gods, imagine what damage he will do this year and in four more where he won't even care about re-elections?). I didn't even really go into all the times he embarrassed this country with his apologies and bowing and demurring to other countries. I didn't go into ALL the racial divisiveness he has fostered with his words and sicking his nose into situations the President's nose has not right being. I didn't even go into the ways he has insulted the average American. Nor did I even bother to mention his complete LACK of presence in many situations where his nose really did belong.

I didn't want to overwhelm you OR me.

But I know there will be those who don't agree. Those who think I am overstating the case. Those who just think I am a "mean man" who doesn't like their President because I am . . . oh no you don't - you are not labeling ME with your poor excuses because you don't have an argument against me . . . well, lets just say there are those out there who will read this (only because someone wnated to get your goat and made you read it) and just not agree with me. You might say that they DISAGREE with me.

Yeah, okay, you can disagree with me. Or you can agree with me. That is not really the point of this blog. I don't want you to simply agree or disagree with me. I want you to listen to what I have to say and THINK about it. If you disagree because you truly came to this opinion on your own - Great! But I want you to STOP BEING SHEEP and AVOID THE SPIN out there! God (or your creator or divine providence or simply the universe or happenstance) gave you a brain. USE IT! It doesn't matter to me if you agree or not. If I get you to think for yourself, I have accomplished what I strive for. but heck, this is just me, after all, Thinking Out Loud!

Have a great day.

Charles

Egypt Constitution not for Ginsburg to discuss

There seems to be a bit of an uproar in the conservative community about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's comments to an Egyptian television station.

Seems Justice Ginsburg did not extoll the value and virtue of the US Constitution to the middle eastern country who is seeking a new one. When asked what type of government Egypt should look to in when rebuilding their country, Ginsburg said "“I would not look to the U.S. Constitution, if I were drafting a constitution in the year 2012.”

As much as I hate to disagree with Rep. Bachmann (R-MN) - okay you can stop laughing - I will have to do so here, on this point.

In a "diary" article posted on Erik Erickson's RedState website, Rep. Bachmann states "I am deeply saddened and disappointed in Justice Ginsburg’s answer. As a Supreme Court Justice who daily delves into the U.S. Constitution looking for answers to the nation’s top cases, I would hope she would have developed a love for this crucial founding document. Yet instead, she implied its irrelevancy! Why would our Constitution not be just as good a foundation for a nation’s government today as it was in 1788?"

I must say, I think the U. S. Constitution is a beautiful document. It is a magnificent example of words being used in the finest light. And it has been a cornerstone and benchmark for America to be proud of. It was a document, unlike any at the time, which allowed for future tuning without losing its basic fundamentals.

And I must also say, for the record, that I think any country that truly looks to the Constitution as guidance can not be served any better for an example.

BUT - and I mean this with all the love and compassion for my fellow human beings around the world - these nitwits and twits and thick headed illiterates could never truly grasp the fundamental and founding concepts of the U. S. Constitution. Hell, there are tens of millions of Americans who fail to grasp it. Including, ESPECIALLY, most of our political leaders. And I would rather they not say they are framing their document based on ours because they will get all the essentials wrong, blame us for their failures and have even more weapons and ammunition (imagined, of course) to use in their campaigns of hate and violence.

Back to Ginsburg for a moment. While the right wing (and I use that here instead of conservative, because there is a difference) is upset, the left - like Media Matters - is "freaking" at what they say is the "freak out" by the right. But here is the thing. Ginsburg both misspoke and should not have even been in the conversation.

As a member of a body that is supposed to measure all US law through the prism of the US Constitution, she should phrase her comments through that prism as well. The US Constitution IS relevant - to the US. It is NOT relevant to those who do not understand it nor to those who, at their very core, despise it. But the question was one of what type of government, not what type of constitution they should have. She was right that they need to form one that reflects their country and their needs, just as our founding fathers did. She was wrong not to express the core foundation of the US Constitution, which would be relevant to any freedom loving people.

As always, you are free to agree or disagree with my assertions here. But don't form your views through what I say, through what Rep. Bachmann or RedState or Media Matters or ANYONE else for that matter. You need to stop listening to the SPIN of those who wish to control what and how you think. You need to STOP BEING SHEEP. And think for yourselves. But, whatever, this is just me Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

11/11/11 - Not the mystical but the heroic

The date is 11/11/2011. The eleventh day of the eleventh month in the eleventh year of the new century. (Actually it is the 12th year, but lets not tell the mystically inclined.) But today is special for another reason.

It is Veteran's Day. Ninety-three years ago, on November 11, 1918, hostilities ended in a cease fire and armistice for the 'war to end all wars.' A year later, the President (Woodrow Wilson), officially proclaimed it to be Veteran's Day, a day "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

And in 1967, this was the day that the North Vietnamese released prisoner's of war. Unfortunately, they didn't release them all. Still, on the 48th Veteran's Day, it should have been a event cheered by the public. It wasn't. VietNam vets are only recently getting the recognition for serving their country that they should have gotten decades ago.

Let us hope that the vets who serve today will never know the denigration received by those earlier brave patriots.

But no matter how you view this day's, as a observed holiday where no government offices or banks are open, or whether you know its history and significance, try stop for a moment to think of all the things you enjoy because there are those who have served and are willing to serve in the protection of this country and the American way of life.

Thank a veteran today, or write a letter to one, or just think about how much they sacrifice in order for you to stop by the coffee shop on your way to work, cross state lines without having to 'produce papers' or even say negative things about your government without fear of being roused in the middle of the night and made to disappear. All the freedoms you have available to you are secured and kept safe by those who 'stand guard at the wall and on the front line.'

This is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

4th of July - Happy Birthday, America!

Just wanted to share what an acquaintance of mine wrote on her Facebook. It is truly awesome, truly American and I can support it 100%. (Even though we usually are on opposite sides of the political spectrum.)

"Let's be the UNITED States of America today with no fussing or arguing about our country. I treasure our freedom of speech, but today I just want to enjoy my county. We are a mixed bag of political parties, races, and religions but we are all Americans, but here we are free to be individuals. Happy July 4th."

Thanks, Kathy.

I hope all of America has a safe and happy and wonderful Independence Day! God Bless the USA!

Next week, back to the job of making you think for yourself while I will be Thinking Out Loud!

Charles

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!

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