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!

Another Reason To Say NO To Hillary Clinton for President

Need a reason to say "NO!" to Hillary Clinton for President?

Hillary Clinton and her "superpredator" quote.

Here is a link to a Washington Post piece in February of this year, where during a primary stop she grew irritated by a woman who demanded Clinton apologize for her remark in 1996 (although she said "those kinds of kids" and did not directly call them "black youth") - which she didn't originally recognize as her own quote.

(Incorrect meme floating around the internet.

No attribution is offered but can be found on

"Uncle Sam's Misguided Children"

Facebook page.)

Clinton only apologized in the Post AFTER the event that caused her during the Primary to be confronted by this quote. (But in the scope of fairness, it must be noted that while she was referencing black gangs in her speech she never said "black youth". She said "those kinds of kids".)

The woman raising the issue was chastised by organizers and Clinton, and escorted out. And THIS is the woman who wants us to elect her President? Saying she is better than Gary Johnson? Saying she wants us to BELIEVE her? What a true travesty that people in this country would continue to support her.

Clinton is a bully. And this is not just me saying something mean. This is fact supported by incident after incident of her actions. The Primary stop in Columbia, South Carolina is just one of many where her arrogance is on direct display, yet millions flock to her.

Why?

Based on her record and her actions, I can only conclude that they do so because she is a woman. And they want a woman President . . . no matter what. No matter how unethical, immoral, stupendously arrogant that woman may be.

Although my detractors will call this a misogynistic statement (they are the same who say any disagreement with the President is racist - both completely false observations), it is not. I would vote for a decent qualified woman the same way I would vote for anyone running for office.

I don't want a white President. I don't want a black President. I don't want a woman President. Nor a Republican / Democrat / Socialist / Etc, etc President. I don't want ANY "Fill-In-The-Blank" President.

I want a decent, qualified, ethical, moral President who has the interests of the country - not their own or their financial backers or some party driven agenda crony or some court of world opinion - the best interests of the United States of America as their central motivation.

But I tell you here and now, and you can look it up - in fact I WANT YOU TO LOOK IT UP - for yourself. Don't listen to what people say about the candidates or their speeches or their motives, listen to what the candidates SAY and DO themselves. Look at what they HAVE DONE to see what they will do.

Don't be sheep! Don't listen to the SPIN DOCTORS! Think for yourselves!

(In case the above link does not work, copy and paste this in your browser: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/02/25/clinton-heckled-by-black-lives-matter-activist/)

Another Reason To Say NO To Hillary Clinton for President

Need a reason to say "NO!" to Hillary Clinton for President?

Hillary Clinton and her "superpredator" quote.

Here is a link to a Washington Post piece in February of this year, where during a primary stop she grew irritated by a woman who demanded Clinton apologize for her remark in 1996 (although she said "those kinds of kids" and did not directly call them "black youth") - which she didn't originally recognize as her own quote.

(Incorrect meme floating around the internet.

No attribution is offered but can be found on

"Uncle Sam's Misguided Children"

Facebook page.)

Clinton only apologized in the Post AFTER the event that caused her during the Primary to be confronted by this quote. (But in the scope of fairness, it must be noted that while she was referencing black gangs in her speech she never said "black youth". She said "those kinds of kids".)

The woman raising the issue was chastised by organizers and Clinton, and escorted out. And THIS is the woman who wants us to elect her President? Saying she is better than Gary Johnson? Saying she wants us to BELIEVE her? What a true travesty that people in this country would continue to support her.

Clinton is a bully. And this is not just me saying something mean. This is fact supported by incident after incident of her actions. The Primary stop in Columbia, South Carolina is just one of many where her arrogance is on direct display, yet millions flock to her.

Why?

Based on her record and her actions, I can only conclude that they do so because she is a woman. And they want a woman President . . . no matter what. No matter how unethical, immoral, stupendously arrogant that woman may be.

Although my detractors will call this a misogynistic statement (they are the same who say any disagreement with the President is racist - both completely false observations), it is not. I would vote for a decent qualified woman the same way I would vote for anyone running for office.

I don't want a white President. I don't want a black President. I don't want a woman President. Nor a Republican / Democrat / Socialist / Etc, etc President. I don't want ANY "Fill-In-The-Blank" President.

I want a decent, qualified, ethical, moral President who has the interests of the country - not their own or their financial backers or some party driven agenda crony or some court of world opinion - the best interests of the United States of America as their central motivation.

But I tell you here and now, and you can look it up - in fact I WANT YOU TO LOOK IT UP - for yourself. Don't listen to what people say about the candidates or their speeches or their motives, listen to what the candidates SAY and DO themselves. Look at what they HAVE DONE to see what they will do.

Don't be sheep! Don't listen to the SPIN DOCTORS! Think for yourselves!

(In case the above link does not work, copy and paste this in your browser: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/02/25/clinton-heckled-by-black-lives-matter-activist/)

Why ACA is bad . . . A Response to Facebook Post

A friend posted a negative comment about ACA, the Affordable Care Act - also known as ObamaCare. Another person responded to his Facebook post with a lt of drivel about ACA. SO I thought I would post some links here for him to check out.

* United Healthcare exits Healthcare Marketplace - leaving lots of people with no choices.

http://time.com/money/4300900/united-healthcare-obamacare-exit/

2017 will see a rise in ACA insurance costs.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-27/obamacare-will-probably-cost-more-in-2017-top-insurer-says

There are still millions "falling through the cracks", identified as the working poor. And, of course, if not insured, you get fined.

http://healthjournalism.org/blog/2016/02/a-look-at-those-still-falling-through-the-cracks-in-aca-coverage/

Job do come as the price of Obamacare. Not just in the loss of real jobs being replaced by low paying / low hourly jobs . . . 

"It's easier to find a unicorn than a Walmart worker who has gotten a meaningful raise, or hasn't had their hours cut," United Food & Commercial Workers Union spokeswoman Jessica Levin said via email. "America's hard-working families expect better from a company that makes billions in profit a year."

http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/20/news/companies/walmart-pay-raise-wages/

. . . but in the health insurance industry.

http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20160204/NEWS03/160209875/blue-cross-parent-axes-workers-on-heels-of-obamacare-losses

These are just a few examples of the impact of ACA, in response to this individuals staunch defense. He obviously doesn't do much research and only believes what he is told to believe.

An example of a true American Sheep.

Don't be a sheep. Don't blindly accept spin.

But hey, as usual, this is just me Thinking Out Loud. Do your own research.

Have a great day.

Charles

Who To Blame Now?! Redux 2016!

COMMENTARY - There are some things to remember amidst all the new presidential campaign rhetoric being posted on social media sites, and throughout both mainstream and alternative media. Not everyone is honest. And social media is filled with accusations, claims and misrepresentations that people keep 'sharing' and touting as fact.

Take for instance Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT). He has been railing against the Republican party blaming them for everything wrong in America. An old video of him slamming Alan Greenspan has surfaced and is labeled as him vehemently attacking the Republican party for the destruction of our economy.

Here's some realities.

In 1977, then President Jimmy Carter created the CRA (Community Reinvestment Act). This was to get banks / lending institutions to be more helpful to members of the communities in which they operate. However, this particular approach was made null and void with all the massive banking convergences. There are no longer local community banking / lending institutions. They are all national (and in some cases, international) conglomerates who don't really “operate” locally in the sense they did when the CRA was enacted.

Then in 1995 then president Bill Clinton lowered the standards about who could get low cost, no-cost housing loans, which – by all accounts – directly led to too many unqualified people getting loans they were never going to be able to pay back.

The blame game began in earnest which led to the current economic crisis America finds itself in.

In April of 2001, the Bush Administration first red flagged Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac stating that "financial trouble of a large GSE could cause strong repercussions in financial markets, affecting Federally insured entities and economic activity."

(Note - Bush also pushed for an audit of the Fed and experienced push back by the Democrats. Here is an interesting timeline on the White House's own archives.)

In response to the Bush's regulatory overhaul proposal, Barney Frank, a ranking Democrat on the Financial Services Committee, defended Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac saying,

“These two entities -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – are not facing any kind of financial crisis, the more people exaggerate these problems, the more pressure there is on these companies, the less we will see in terms of affordable housing . . . I think it is clear that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are sufficiently secure so they are in no great danger. . . I don't think we face a crisis; I don't think that we have an impending disaster. . . . Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do very good work, and they are not endangering the fiscal health of this country.”

Barney Frank railed against the Bush administration's attempts to regulate Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as a racist move. Maxine Waters declared vehemently that they were trying to fix something that “wasn't broken”. Gregory Meeks stated in a hearing (where he felt he had more important places to be other than there) that there was nothing wrong with “you know, Fannie Mae” and even attacked the competency of the oversight agency. Lacy Clay claimed the whole thing was actually about the “political lynching of Franklin Raines” (who was black, thus invoking old time racism prior to the Civil Rights movement).

Democrat after Democrat came to the defense of a broken system that led directly to the financial crisis we have been facing for far too many years. And now Bernie Sanders, Democrats and the media rant against Republicans laying the blame at their feet. When in fact it is the fault of both parties. Democrats for their failed judgment time and time again in the name of social programs, Republicans for a lack of bravery (or cajones) to stop them. BUT MOST OF ALL, it is the fault of the American people as well for being asleep at the wheel and letting these self absorbed and self serving people do ALL of these things.

This is yet another reason NOT to elect anyone from the established political parties. They are all complicit in the decline of America. And any rant to the contrary is simply political showmanship and proof of business as usual.

There are many places to find out this information but here is one source where you can find this information out (See more at: http://www.thehispanicconservative.com/General/the-fanny-mae-and-freddie-mac-debacle.html#sthash.eEnRbonG.dpuf). However, I have always stated that you should never simply take someone's word for it. Go to many sources and form your own opinion from facts you find. (I repeat, FACTS you find.) I don't even want you to simply take my word for it. I am just giving you factual food for thought with my own opinion thrown in. (Thus, why this article is labeled as “Commentary” and “Op/Ed”.)

So, agree or disagree, I only ask that you do so from your own base of knowledge. Don't disagree with me (or even agree with me) because someone else told you to. In order for America to right this listing ship of state, we ALL must learn to think for ourselves and stop being sheep!

But whatever you decide, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud!

Have a great day!

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.

Thinking Out Loud - Straight Line Voting is killing America

“Tucked deep in North Carolina's election revision law that has stirred great passion is a provision that barely gets noticed.”

That's how an August article on the News Observer website begins. Gee, I wonder where this is leading? And as predictable, it rambles on how this is the Republican's way of keeping voters from having “a handy way to participate in many contests with a single mark for a party’s slate of candidates.”

Really? This is how you want your voters voting? In a handy way? I read that as a lazy way. And why this country is in such a shambles as it is. Instead of voting for the best person to represent them, they just lazily vote for the party that they think represents their values.

Yeah, right. The only values a political party cares about is one, how they can get elected / re-elected and two, how their “money” wants them to vote. Years ago, the Republican Party was the party of caring and the Democrats were the greedy corporate types. Somewhere along the lines, the Democrats convinced the people that they were the party of social change and caring and that the Republicans were the greedy SOB's. (And it became true. But then it changed again - but not in a good way.)

But, as always, the truth is somewhere else.

Today, the political party system is all about staying in power, catering to special interests and letting the less than scrupulous big money people frame the laws in their best interest.

The people are nowhere to be seen in the equation of modern government.

Gone is the government “of the people, for the people and by the people.” As much as we'd like to think otherwise.

So whats the answer?

Vote them all out!

Yeah, nice sentiment, but that doesn't really work, does it. Not only do they never get “all voted out”, the people who actually vote in numbers are the ones who are too lazy to look at all the candidates on the ballot.

So its just a popularity contests influenced by a media that is bought and paid for by the political parties they are supposed to be watchdogging.

Its a vicious circle. Truly it is.

But I have the answer. Not a perfect answer. But an answer thats better than allowing the 14 states out there that still have it. Do away with ALL straight party voting. Make the voters choose their candidates wisely and not through skewed news and campaign ads.

Okay, so the first part is easy. States need to do away with the straight ticket voting and their courts need to stop giving in to BS lawsuits trying to get it back.

Making people accountable for WHO they vote in is NOT racist. It is NOT a ploy by one party or another to gain an advantage. Its about making the voters do their homework before they get into the voting booth.

Wow, an informed electorate! What a concept.

But its the second part that is going to take work. There needs to be a law banning all negative ads. If you want people to vote for you tell them why they should vote for YOU. Don't tell them why NOT to vote for the other candidate. That's their decision. Anyone flooding the airwaves and the newspapers and billboards and mailings who stoop to negative campaigning should be ripped off the ballot.

And before you say that candidates would just sue their opponents claiming negative ads, there needs to be accountability. Have a strict set of guidelines on what is a negative campaign strategy and what would constitute a valid lawsuit. And in the second part of that, make the consequences of a spurious lawsuit be having the person bringing it ripped off the ballot.

Contrary to this article in the News Observer, and all the whining out there being done by both parties over this matter, straight ticket voting hurts America. It hurts all of us. And it is the lazy man's way to vote.

I know of people in the Democratic party that are really concerned citizens wanting to make a difference, wanting to serve their country and represent their constituents. I also know of republicans who are that way. And Green party and independents and people of every stripe and color.

They care. They work hard. But they cannot do their jobs if the people keep voting a straight party down the line without doing their due diligence before stepping into the voting booth.

If they vote straight Democrat than they are voting on the PARTY Agenda. Which means the republican on the ballot who is better than the Democrat doesn't get in. And America suffers. Same with the Democrat who deserves a chance but is wiped out by the straight Republican voter.

And then there are all those independent candidates out there who realize the party system is broke, but can't even get in the door to fix it because of the lazy voter.

Just take for example the guy in Texas who should never have been elected but was voted in because of the straight line voters. If the voters had done their homework on this guy they would have said “whoa, no way!”

In 1994, Steve Mansfield was elected to the state's highest criminal court . . . with no criminal court background, despite claims to the contrary, and a very dubious past. Part of that included being fined in Florida for practicing law without a license. Mansfiled himself said he didn't expect to win and said his campaign would have been “dead in the water” had anyone looked into his background.

This kind of thing will happen every time you vote straight line and do not KNOW who the heck you are voting for.

Stop being lazy! Stop being sheep and believing the lies the political parties feed you! You're not babies who need to be spoon-fed pablum, you're responsible adults who not only have a right vote but you have a duty to be informed. And for heaven's sake, stop being brainless masses for the irresponsible media to fill up with whats popular at the moment and spewing out the words of who's got the most power! I feel shame for my colleagues who don't have the backbone to stand up to the corporate bean counters who worry about ratings and access. They are shirking their duties as the fourth estate, the watchdogs they are supposed to be. (But that's a rant for another time.)

And don't just take my word for any of this. Look around. Research. (Lots of places to do this - but don't pick just one. Like PolitiFact and Snopes. And you can check voting records at GovTracks and Project VoteSmart.) Be responsible adults. Do whats right, not whats easiest or laziest or popular.

But hey, who am I right? This is just me, Thinking Out Loud! Have a great day!

Charles

Secession?

Okay, whiners are whiners, right? So Obama won. Big deal. Get over it.

This is the call from the left.

Its a mandate, some cry out. You lost. Stop whining you big babies.

All the Chris Matthews of the world clamber.

So what is with the rush by 30 states now to file petitions on the government's We The People website?

Is it really a bunch of people who lost the election crying in their beer that they didn't get their way? Is it a bunch of rich white people who hate poor black America? Is it thieving, conniving  Republicans who want to steal money form little old ladies, push grandma over a cliff and rip-off poor young students? Is it a bunch of racist pigs who want to stop poor latinos from getting into America?

Or is it something more? Could it be a reaction by true patriots who want to stop the madness that has left America on the brink of third world status? Could it be anger of the other half of America who don't want to see the country plunge into the abyss of European socialism? Could it be citizens who understand what the Federal government has been doing over the past several decades in gathering power they were never meant to have?

Maybe its just a bunch of pissed off people who are tired of a government intent on treating fully grown adults as irresponsible children all the while acting like the mindless irresponsible morons who couldn't figure out that 25 cents a pound is better than $60,000 a ton.

Maybe its a way for the common people to actually get a deaf government - who thinks they know better and we would too if they could only explain it better to us - to LISTEN to us.

The real issue behind the petitions of secession is to place the President on notice that there was no landslide, no mandate, and that the Federal Government as envisioned by the founders (read the Federalist Papers to understand how far we have traveled away) has been seriously eroded. Madison argued for a central federal government by dismissing claims that it would become too powerful and steal the rightful power of the states and the people. Despite Madison's assurances, this is exactly what has happened. These petitions are a response by a frustrated and angry citizenry. The President, Congress and the Federal government as a whole need to listen. If they don't, it will only get worse. These petitions of secession are not threats but cries for a government out of control to return to one of the people, for the people and by the people.

Agree, disagree, but stop listening to the Party apparatus on both sides. Research the things this is about, check out what the actual people are saying, ignore what the SPIN masters are saying and DECIDE FOR YOURSELF what you think about it. No matter how you come to a thought on this issue make sure it is YOUR thoughts. No matter what you decide, so long as YOU decide, then I will have done what I set out to do. After all, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

No Friend of Mine

The presumption and audacity of these political emails is getting just too much for me. I kept getting them even though they were getting just too much full of BS than I could take. Because that is part of my job - keeping up with the campaigns and all they are saying and doing. But now I have to just "unsubscribe" because lately they have gotten way out of hand.

Like this recent one I got from Kal Penn. You know Kal, the actor who thinks he's a public servant - no, wait, he's an actor - nope, nope, he's a public servant. He keeps bouncing back and forth between an Administration position and acting, which he keeps resigning and can't figure out what he wants to be when he grows up.

So, anyway, Kal writes:

Friend (yes, we're friends) --

In 2007, I spent a few months in Iowa before the caucuses, getting all sorts of folks fired up to cast their vote for this guy named Barack Obama.

What I remember most: It was shockingly, painfully cold. And fun.

Actually, super fun. And easier than I thought, to talk to total strangers and ask them to vote. That's why I traveled to 25 other states for the President in 2008, and why I'm volunteering again. Well, that and because we don't want to see the progress we've made on everything from student loans to health care get turned back.

You could play that role this year, by joining Vote Corps -- a group of the most dedicated organizers out there.

If you join, you'll be doing exactly what I did -- going to one of the most critical states for a few weeks leading up to Election Day, and making sure people there go to the polls.

You'll make phone calls, knock on doors, and have one-on-one conversations with people about why you support President Obama. It's important, fun stuff.

Yeah, you'll be a volunteer, but the local staff, fellow volunteers, and people you meet will make it worth your while in donuts, love, and appreciation (and let's face it, donuts are legit).

Whenever you arrive, they'll want you to stay through Election Day -- and take my word for it, that'll be the best part. On Election Day in 2008, I was in Florida with a bunch of awesome young volunteers (and their sweet robot, pic below). Where will I go this year? Where will you go?

Sign up now to join Vote Corps, and a really nice organizer will drop you a line to tell you more:

http://my.barackobama.com/Vote-Corps

Just tell them Kal said you should do this. Because I did. And then fist bump and hug it out with your new friends. Smell that? It's freedom.

Thanks,

Kal

Sorry, Kal, but you are no friend of mine. If you were, you would know that I don't consider it progress to have hundreds of millions out of work. Not just out of work, but no longer looking for work. I don't consider a great man one who would discount these Americans because it makes a statistical upswing when they fall off the rolls of the unemployed assisted people onto the rolls of the forgotten. Obama complains about Romney's 47% gaff. Yet he consistently ignores that many and more when he talks about how many people want him to keep "moving forward."

Kal, if you were really a friend, you would know that I only keep the truly delusional ones like you because I personally like them. I don't even think your acting is all that great. And as for liking you for you, I don't even know you. So how could I decide to keep such a delusional friend.

Really, Kal, you need to decide what you want to be when you grow up. Until then, you need to leave politics to the adults.

As for volunteering for ANYTHING political, I certainly won't be doing so just because some actor - be you Kal Penn or Clint Eastwood - TOLD me I should. Most actors don't know their political truths from a hole in their butt. they live in Hollywood's make believe vault.

So Kal, one last bit here. Stop sending me emails. I have unsubscribed. Can't the political morons who populate these campaign offices even figure out that a do not call and do not email list actually has the word "NOT" in it?

Anyway, as usual, you can decide for yourself what you think. In fact, I PREFER you start thinking for yourself and stop listneing to twitlets like Kal Penn, or anyone who would tell you to do something "because they said so." Because this is, just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

Politicians and the economy - maybe we need NEW ones

Back in August of 2010, when I was living in Columbia, SC - before my life was laid waste by a young woman with a serious mental illness - when I was the Columbia Conservative Examiner, I wrote an opinion piece.

It was called "Sometimes you just need a new one."

It bears repeating here. And I'll tell you why afterwards.

My five-year old grandson came up to me with a small inflatable basketball. He asked me to blow it up. I suspected that there was a hole in it but I went ahead and wore out my lungs blowing the darn thing up anyway. Sure enough, there was a small leak in it. Slowly, it began to deflate again.

"Sorry, pal," I explained to him. "It won't stay inflated. It has a hole in it." I then squeezed on the ball to show him where the air was coming out. He took the shriveling plastic globe and looked at it for a second. Then he said, "I know how to fix it."

"You can open it up,” he thoughtfully explained to me. “And put money inside. That will fix it."

I explained that putting money in it would not fix the hole. But he insisted it would. I then showed him the tube and said money would not fit in there.

"Yes, it will," he insisted. Then he looked around, spied a dime and said, "It just has to be a little money."

I took the dime and showed him it would not fit in the tiny tube.

"Sorry, pal," I explained. "Money won't fix the problem." Sadly, he took the ball, looked at it for a second then cheerfully turned to his brother and said, "Wanna go play in our room."

And off they went, deflated ball forgotten on the floor. Ah, the resilience of youth.

Then I wistfully wondered why Democrats are not so easily taught. You can show them the tube, explain that not only will the money not fit into the tube, it won't fix the problem. And they will keep trying to shove that dime or penny or quarter into the hole and insisting it will fit and it will fix the problem.

The stimulus money, what little was actually spent trying to stimulate anything, was a total bust. But what do they (those in power - aka the Democrats and the Obama Administration) want to do? They want to keep trying to shove money into that tube. Even if they force the tube wide enough to accept the dime, no amount of money is going to cover up a hole in the ball. It may sit on it for a little while, keeping some air from escaping. But in the long run, the air will still keep whistling out of the hole, the money will shift, and the initial problem will not get fixed.

And then you have the problem of closing the hole you widened to get that dime through in the first place.

The only way to fix a hole in a plastic ball is to use the right patch for the job, wait for it to set, then slowly re-inflate the ball to make sure the patch stays. And sometimes, you have to just accept the fact that the ball is not going to be fixed and you need to just go ahead and get a new one.

But as much as some politicians act like a five-year old, we just have to accept the fact that they're not as smart. And we have to just go ahead and get some new ones. Politicians that is, not five-year olds.

Now, the reason I bring this back up, because the economy is still in the toilet. The whole has still not been patched and the powers that be thing it needs MORE money shoved into it. Not only are they delusional, but they are using the problems in this country to consolidate power into their own hands and OUT of the hands of the people.

Don't get me wrong. Both parties are playing these stupid games of consolidation. Both parties are steering America off a cliff. The Obama Administration with its stupid politics of fiscal ruin and European style revision. It didn't work for them, it sure as HELL is not going to work here.

AND the Grand Old Party is doing with controlling manipulation and sneaky politics.

AND BOTH PARTIES are doing it with the extreme division of this great nation.

Look, it takes the heart of a liberal and the common sense of a conservative to find and administer solutions. Compassion to want to help those in need and a steely eye to make sure those who would take advantage of another's compassion to make sure there is the means to help those in need.

You can agree or disagree. I don't care. But if you want this country to regain its footing as the greatest nation on the earth and begin leading the way again, then you need to stop listening to all those spinners out there and start thinking for yourself. If I get you to at least do that, than I will consider this time well spent. But hey, this is just me, as usual, 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

Will they ever learn? Or care?

"Today, Mitt Romney is holding a $50,000-a-head fundraiser in the Hamptons with one of the Big Oil billionaire Koch Brothers.

They'll have a lot to celebrate together: Romney's campaign brought in a whopping $100 million in June and the Kochs have raised millions more for their outside groups.

Charles -- I won't mince words: If Mitt and his SuperPAC backers can bury us under a wave of corporate special interest cash right now, we will lose in November.

We need you right now."

This is from Robby Mook.

Here's my response:

"Yo, Robby. You and the President and all your PACS, along with Mitt, the Koch Borthers and all their PACS can go scratch and kiss my a**!

You guys want to win in November? And I mean you or Mitt or whoever? You morons want my vote? Get your priorities straight! Stop whining about how your going to be outspent. We don't want words or spin or rhetoric or blaming of the other guy. We want action. We want demonstrable leadership. Whining is not leading. Show you can be a leader who isn't intent to ask the people who are set to hire you (again, in Obama's case) for money to convince them to hire him (again).

I mean think about this for a second. Just use some freaking common sense.

If you went to Walmart for a job. Then went and asked all the employees, managers, owners and shareholders of Walmart to give you money so you can put up a billboard stating whay you should be hired and why the other applicants are lame. That is exactly what you are doing.

Stop begging and start doing. Stop whining and start listening. In 2008 President Obama did not "win by a mandate." He only got a liottle over half the votes. In my opinion, that means that he didn't get almost half the votes.

And you all spent an unbelievable amount of over $51 BILLION dollars for him to get the job.

Do you know how much food for food pantries across the country this money could have provided? Do you know how many Americans who have been kicked out of their homes that could have used some of that to get caught up so they didn't have to end up on the streets, in food lines, in homeless shelters, bunking with family?

You all really need to get your priorities straight."

I really sent this reply back. He probably won't read it. No one will probably read it. But that would be typical of politicians today. They don't get it, they don't hear it and they really don't care.

But maybe, if everyone sent replies back to all these stupid, whining, moronic emails, they might just start. I know that we got them to change their "raffling of the White House" with our campaign to end the "Dinner with Barack" campaign lottery. We got Mitt Romney to include a "no purchase necessary" line which made Obama do the same.

So who knows, maybe they will listen to the little guy if enough little guys gang up on them.

But who knows. I mean, who the heck am I? Who the heck are you? To them anyway.

Agree, disagree . . . doesn't matter. Just think for yourself, see these butt holes for who they are - buncha rich, fat cats, who only listen to special interest and really don't care about the common American. But hell, who am I? Nobody. Just a guy, an American with some conservative values that loves this country, Thinking Out Loud.

have a great day.

Charles

Mook is a . . . well, mook

Robby Mook is the Executive Director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. He is supposed to be an intelligent person. You really couldn't tell it, in my opinion. But this latest email he is sending out makes one just turn their head sideways and go “huhnnnnn??”

Just take a look at this and ask yourself the question, “what the hell is this guy talking about?”

“I had to send this around -- it’s new poll numbers for the generic Congressional ballot just released:



You can bet Boehner and Cantor are really panicking now.

Let's win the House for President Obama. Chip in $3 right now >>

Thanks!

Robby

Robby Mook
DCCC Executive Director”

Wording-wise, its standard Democratic fare. We're gonna win, but we (the really rich schmucks in politics) need your money to do it.

But the twist is the poll he is so proud of. What the heck is it saying? Democrats 47, Republicans 43? First, that doesn't equal 100. So it isn't talking about how many of one or the other is going to win the House. Its not 50, so it doesn't represent the Senate. Is it an approval rating? Not likely, as those for Congress are down in the teens and single digits.

So what the hell is he really saying here?

I have my own thoughts.

He's saying: “Hey all you sheep! Ignore what I'm saying because it doesn't really matter! What matters is that I get you all psyched up to send us money! Because despite what we say on the campaign trail, its all about the money we don't have to spend and can soak you for all you got! So, come on, give us money! Right now! And we'll win! YEA!”

Well that's how I read it anyway.

But the worse thing about this email. Not that its doesn't really say anything important. That is just typical politics. All they care about is the power their position gives them. Oh and maybe the pension for life that most of us would kill just to get for a few years.

No what is really bad about this email is that there are millions of sheep ready to send these people money every possible chance.

Why? Because they are scared that the other “evil” party will get in. No matter that the party in there now has done so much damage, the OTHER party is the evil one. Or its because they are lazy sacks of you know what that don't want to see an end to the gravy train of entitlements. Or its because they have no mind of their own and believe whatever it is they are told they are supposed to believe.

No matter what the reason, the sad part is that this email – and so many like it that seem to be pumped out daily – people will give them money. Forget the fact that $3 to Obama and Mook is a tip on a cup of coffee in the morning, while it represents the weekly disposable spending of grandma Kelly and Mr. Jones down at the recycling center. To them, $3 is the difference between going one day without breakfast or buying little Timmy a birthday present.

The gall of these guys, and every politician like them – which most of them are – is that they just don't get it. The President gets $430,000 a year, and then every year after he's out of office as a pension. Congress gets $172,000 a year and also that same amount as a pension after being voted out of office (or more likely retiring, because none of these slugs willingly leaves such a cushy job). If they really want these jobs then these punks, most of whom were or will be millionaires even without the money they get for being politicians, they should have to pay for themselves.

Imagine you're going for a job with ABC Company. But someone else is going for the same job. So you put up bulletin boards on the boss' way to the office. You take out newspaper ads in papers he or she reads. You do television spots. All to get the job. Now imagine you go out and ask people at the company to give you money to pay for these ads.

Ain't happening. So why should it be this way in our government?

Agree with me or not about all of this. I just want you to LOOK at it and decide for yourself, without the whispering of political consultants telling you what to think. If you come to a conclusion without these leeches influencing it, that's all that matters to me. But hey, you know, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

The audacity of politicians!

Just because the Democrats can't build a big enough backbone to upset the apple cart and send a nominee against Obama in the Primary, doesn't mean they can assume (you know what they say about that) to deny the voters their choice. Its like they discount voters (which they have done ever since "O" was elected where they said he had a mandate (49% to 51% is NOT a mandate by any stretch of the imagination, Mr. President). Now they are denting the chance for those in states who haven't voted yet to make their choices known.

From the Democrat machine: "Since Rick Santorum dropped out yesterday, the Obama-Romney general election has fully engaged.

Just hours after Santorum’s announcement, Karl Rove teamed up with the Koch Brothers to launch a $1.7 million SuperPAC ad buy attacking President Obama in key battleground states.

There’s too much at stake to fall behind Romney, Rove, and the Koch Brothers."

I know its highly doubtful that Ron Paul wold win the nomination. And its not very likely Gingrich will win. But maybe the rest of the GOP voters who have NOT spoken will have a different opinion of who should be the nominee. And maybe they will push for a brokered convention. No one knows.

But apparently the Democrats and the President know who is going to be the nominee in the November General Election. They are all set to "go to battle" against Romney.

It is this kind of attitude that has disenfranchised so many millions of Americans - Republican, Democrat, Independent, etc - and caused voter apathy. I am so sick and tired of our elected officials discounting me and ignoring my concerns. Aren't you?

I think that all those Democrats who "say" they are tired of Obama ignoring them should write in Hillary. I think that all those GOP voters who don't think they even need to go to the polls - because the powers that be KNOW who they SHOULD vote for - should get out there and vote for Ron Paul. Just to let the establishment know how peeved we are.

Anyway, agree or disagree, it only matters to me that you stop letting them walk all over us. STOP BEING SHEEP and think for yourselves. AVOID THE SPIN they are trying to shove down your throats and let them know you won't be bullied or discounted or ignored anymore. Either way, this is just me Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

Fighting the stomach bug

Its a government conspiracy.

At least I wish it was, then I could have someone to blame. Really hard to blame a little unseeable virus for how bad I have been feeling the past two weeks. I think I'm getting over it and then it comes back. Being sick relaly sucks. Being sick without a job and health insurance sucks worse.

But I still am against this government run health insurance, one-payer, everyone gets it from cradle to grave BS.

There were sick people before insurance. There will be sick people long after the government crumbles and there is no insurance. You either suck it up and take care of yourself or you suck it up and pay a doctor for the visit. Thats the way it goes.

Take care of old people? You bet. Take care of children? No question. That is one of the founding principles this country is based upon. Taking care of those who cannot. And I don't care if you are a religious person or an atheist. The facts are the facts. The founding principles of this country were based on faith. Religious dictates were considered when the documents were written. It doesn't mean you have to be religious to follow them or believe in them or ascribe to them.

Thou shalt not steal.

A pretty simple concept. Yes, it is one of the ten commandments of the Jewish / Christian religions. And it is the foundation of law in many, many, many countries / cultures / communities. But you don't have to be religious to know its a pretty gfood idea not to steal. And the fact that there is punishment for disobeying this simple statement has nothing to do with religion.

For those who ARE religious, the punishment is meted out by God. But for those not big believers in the Big Guy, its the law and society who mete out this punishment.

But its still there. A fact. Plain as day. The principle this was founded on is religious in nature.

Get over it.

And get over yourself.

Having a moral compass is a good thing. If our leaders did NOT have a moral compass, they might do whatever the hell they want despite the people being governed don't want it. They might say things like "just let me explain it to you better" or "you can't know whats in a law until you let us pass it" or . . . oh wait, yea, they already do that.

Maybe that is why this country is in such disrepair. Not only are the governed a bunch of extremists and deniers of the basic founding principles of America, our leaders reflect this attitude. And that is on both sides of the so-called aisle.

Extreme religious proponents do not recognize the fact that America is not just for them. And extreme religious opponents do not recognize that fact that religion played a significant part in America's founding. And BOTH extremes do not recognize the fact that those of us (you know, the REAL 99%) who are note extreme are getting relaly pissed off at all of them.

Yes, President Obama and his Democratic allies in the rest of government have made really BIG mistakes. And one of their biggest is thinking that we are all so stupid we will let them keep doing all this stuff that is unraveling this country.

Also, the Republican establishment have and continue to make really BIG mistakes in thinking that we're just going to follow their extreme ranting. THEIR biggest mistake is not listening to the country as a whole - GOP, Dems and Independents . . . plus a slew of lesser known groups - which means that when they get their establishment guy on the ballot come November, Obama is going to stay in.

(I would love to think that all the Americans who a getting pissed off at both sides would actually go to the polling place in November and vote in NONE OF THE ABOVE. But not going to happen. They will either stay home of just go in and vote either party line or for the incumbents. People are generally listless and apathetic when it comes to elections. They don't really believe that their one little vote really matters. I wish I could get the whole country to read this little thing I wrote years ago about that, where one vote really has changed the course of history. But they won't. And the NONE OF THE ABOVE option really is just fantasy on my part.)

Anyway, thats all I have to say today. Stomach bug. Hate it. But as usual, you can disagree with me (on the bug, the insurance or the government) or you can agree with me (on all those things I just mentioned). Either way it doesn't matter to me personally. What does matter to me personally is that I want to try to get just ONE person to start thinking for themselves. To STOP BEING SHEEP and to AVOID THE SPIN (I have just got to get those bumper stickers made). If that happens it means there's hope. It means there can be real change starting. And not the empty words kind. But no matter. This is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles

What do they have to hide?

I know the Democrats have a lot to hide this Primary season. But what is the media hiding? Why are they STILL playing favorites when it comes to Obama.

In South Carolina, the SC Democratic Party decided NOT to hold a Primary in 2012. What they decided to do was hold elections during their party reorganization meetings between now and the end of March. Of course Dick Harpootlian will say it is because of the expense. But thats not very open and democratic of them. And the only way to find this information out was by going to the SC Elections website.

No media is interested in how Obama is doing in the Democratic Primaries. I mean, here is the sitting president with "no opposition" in the Primary and he only got 82% of the vote in New Hampshire. (There is no way of knowing how many votes he got from the Iowa Caucus because those numbers aren't available anywhere.

But the mainstream media only seems to be interested in reporting the GOP races.

Why? Wouldn't the people like to know that the Democratic Party is not as "unified" as they would have you believe? Don't you think they would be interested in knowing that if Hillary were on the ballot, Obama would have a RACE on his hands? I mean, there are states and districts all across the country where Hillary would actually BEAT Obama at the polls.

But where is the media on any of this. Asleep at the wheel and STILL a tool of the Democratic Party and the "Yes We Can" front man, President Obama himself.

I not only demand that the Democratic Party open this information up instead of hiding in the shadows of their slick and deceptive leadership. And I chastise the media for not standing up in the role as the Fourth Estate. They squander their privilege as the watchdogs of government for the people and maintain their "need' for access to the current powers that be. That is a sad excuse, as they should neither be influenced nor controlled by ANY governing body, because they are the people's eyes and ears within that said body politics.

(For those of you unfamiliar with the idea of the 'fourth estate,' it was considered a separate body to watch over and advise the other three main groups within government. Its current position as the eyes and ears of the people came from Edmund Burke and others during his time. They promoted the idea that the media (which they referred to journalist as a professional group, or editors of papers - but with today's diverse media of radio, television and internet, is any news reporter) is the watchdogs of government, being only beholden to their readers. Unswayed by who was in power, as those individuals were transient and served by the will of the people, they (media) are free to shed the light of truth and public scrutiny on those politicians and elected officials, so that the people could stay informed of how those they elected governed.

Without an unbiased and unswayed media, the people have no advocate to keep watch over their interests. And today more and more politicians fail to realize they govern only by the will of the people. So today, more than ever, we need the media to NOT abdicate their responsibilities.)

Agree with me that the Democrats are hiding the growing unpopularity of their President by those in his own Party or that the media has abdicated their responsibilities, or disagree with me on any and all topics discussed here. Either way, it makes no difference to me. All I ask is that it be YOU who agree or disagree, and not that someone TOLD you to agree or disagree with me. I just ask that you look at all the points I make and THINK about it. Think for yourself and don't be SHEEP. If you do that, than I consider my job well done. But hey, this is, after all, just me Thinking Out Loud.

Have yourself a great day.

Charles

People to defeat

Here's a rare thing for me to do. I am going to publicly thank Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

Thank you, Nancy.

For providing us a list of those to make sure GET DEFEATED come November.

AN explanation, of course. Nancy sent out an email with this list on it that she wants to get elected in November to help them win the House for Democrats. this, of course, can never happen.

So here is Nancy's email, word for word.

"Charles --

Today, we are pleased to give you a sneak peek at our first round of Red to Blue candidates. These are the top races in the country that will help us to win a House Democratic Majority.

From teachers to doctors to even a NASA astronaut, these candidates are problem solvers who will help us to win in November and move our country forward.

Please watch this special Red to Blue video message and sign our pledge to commit to 2012 alongside our outstanding Democratic candidates.

Thank you for all you do and for always standing with us.

Onward to victory,

Nancy Pelosi"

Not one to be mean, but Nancy really looks a little "plastic" in this video. I sure hope she isn't sick or anything. I wouldn't want to see her leave the House because of illness. I just want to see her leave the House, period.

Anyway, as usual, you can agree or disagree with my desire to not see these Democrats get into the House of Representatives just to GIVE THE DEMOCRATS the majority. It doesn't matter to me. Just don't be SHEEP and simply vote them in. (Especially if its what you're being TOLD to do.) Check them out. Check out their records. Check out their intentions for America, and you, its citizens. If I can get you to think for yourself, I have done my job. Heck, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day. AND STOP SOPA and PIPA!!!!!!

Charles

Crazy man threatens while we are sleeping

Here we go. A leader of a small country, ranting and raving about the rights of his country to rule the world, er, rule their own destinies, threatening the security of the rest of the world and just plain making shit up. And the leaders of the rest of the world. Well, they're sitting around with their thumbs up their collective . . . anyway, not doing anything but 'talking' and 'discussing' the issue. Some are even agreeing with this lunatic. They call him a true leader, a patriot to his fellow countrymen, an inspiration for taking on the bigger countries and not being cowed by their 'superiority.' There's talk of sanctioning his country. There's talk of being 'stern' with him. Meanwhile, he threatens with military might and global destruction in order to secure his country's future. Damn the rest of the world. And what does the President of the United States do about it? Nothing, as usual.

You know who I am talking about.

Yea, that's right . . . Hitler.

What? You thought I was talking about Am-a-nut-job in Iran?

Actually I was talking about both. And in conjunction, I was talking about how the leaders of this world do not learn form the past. But the thing is, the leaders of the '30s when Hitler was rising didn't learn form the past would be conquerors such as Atilla, or Ceasar, or Wilhelm (yea, he was thew Prussian – or Germany – guy before Hitler in WWI). They didn't learn and even admired the fanatic for what he was doing in his own country. Ignoring what he was SAYING and what he was DOING and the rhetoric he was laying out there to rile up his countrymen.

True, back in the day when Hitler was doing his recapture of ancestral lands and and spouting his need for Germany to have “living space” to grow and breathe, there was no 24/7 news coverage of the world, there was no internet. But still, they knew and they did nothing, even when his Arayan race thing included the decimation of an entire people – which ironically or sadly enough (depending on your point of view) – is the same people.

Today, however, the world has no excuse for not seeing what this irresponsible, power mad, well, just plain crazy dictator is doing and saying and proposing. And they, especially our very our leaders, have no excuse for just dilly dallying around.

First, no one has aright to endanger the world at large with their bullshit beliefs. I don't care if you squeal that everyone has a right to do in their country what they want. Like Hitler, we are not talking about someone who wants to limit their beliefs and way of life to their own country. This madman wants to 'wipe out' another country and all its citizens. He wants to expand his religious and political beliefs into ALL countries of the world. He threatens all this with nuclear weaponry, which everyone YEARS and YEARS ago agreed are a BAD IDEA. Super powers around the globe have been dealing with how to responsibly and fairly deal with the REDUCTION of these potentially world altering AND world ending instruments. And along come this mush for brains who wants to make NEW ones.

And his expansionist agenda, backed by his threat of conventional and nuclear force, is being ignored by the powers that be. Instead of aiding those in his own country who SAW how bad this fruit cake is, we all did nothing. Our leaders did nothing. And our very own President, fresh off his “I am so sorry we are big and powerful” tour of the world, started a campaign to ignore him.

Now, like Hitler, he is just making shit up. A scientist and military member were 'murdered' by someone. I can't tell you if it was the US, Israel, another country or this madman himself. But he is using it to expand his agenda, to find an excuse to go on a global rampage. And justify it, even if it is just in his own mind.

And our leaders DO NOTHING, SAY NOTHING. Well, they did send a letter. Uh, yea, right. This is not leadership. This is, if not plain old cowardice (political or otherwise) or some subconscious need to be subservient to the outside world, it is really poor judgment and even poorer leadership.

But who can blame our leaders? They are so busy trying to prove to the rest of us that they deserve to lead the country for the next four years . . . oh wait, wouldn't their LACK of leadership prove just the opposite is true?

Not in the world, or minds, of politics. If they shake their left hand in the air over here you don't really notice or see the dog biting the right hand. Or more appropriately, the dog pissing on the right leg and sporting a nuclear missile adorned collar. If they spew their SPIN about the economy – its good, its bad, its not coming back, its coming back (when the truth is somewhere outside of all that) – you can stay distracted from their not being leaders. The election is the be all and end all of the thing for these losers. They don't even really care about the stuff they are talking about. All they care about is getting you to VOTE for them.

And don't think I'm just harping on the O-miester. The GOP side is just as guilty about talking about what they think will get you to VOTE for them.

None of these losers deserves to be the President of the United States because none of them are DOING anything deserving of the job.

You know, you can agree or disagree, or even act like our leadership and STICK YOUR HEAD IN THE SAND. It really doesn't matter to me if you do (except for the sticking your head in the sand – that just pisses me off), so long as you think long and hard on what the hell is going on around you and come to your own conclusions instead of listening to the SPIN of others. Think for yourselves and I will consider my job done. But hey, this is just me, Thinking Out Loud.

Have a great day.

Charles