Is Congress Lazy or Illiterate?

Don't you just love this? Is this the mentality of our leaders today? The restructuring of the greatest health care system in the world is about to take place, and leaders of our country don't feel it is important enough to actually warrant, taking the time needed to read and, more importantly, understand what is in the health care bill. It's pretty simple. If John Conyers (D), Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is admitting that: he hasn't read and, wouldn't be able to understand what is in the Bill, without the assistance of a legal team to decipher it, How could he honestly say that he is earning his taxpayers funded salary, he receives, to represent the citizens of this country? Can he honestly claim he is looking out for Americans best interest? Even if he could care less about how the health care reform bill might negatively affect the citizens of the United States, wouldn't he, and others in office who also have not read the Bill, be concerned about what is in this proposal that might directly affect them, and their families, personally? Unless, of course, it won't. I believe President Obama, his family, and all the members of congress and their families, would be exempt from having to forfeit their coverage and join this beautiful new plan they are putting together for the rest of us. No wonder they could care less about what's in this massive restructuring bill. It doesn't apply to them. The President already stated, in his press conference, on T.V. last week that; this wasn't about him, he has great insurance.

Look, this is really just common sense and the practice of good judgement. Every person, who has ever been involved with agreements, legal forms or contracts, has been advised; read everything before you sign it, make sure you understand what it is you are signing and to take their time, don't rush into anything with out first considering all the implications of what you are about to do.

To Mr. Conyers, and everyone else in congress that refuses to represent us, in the capacity which you were elected, either slow down and take the time needed to do your job, or come 2010, we will get you out of there and put in place leaders who will. I'm just saying.

You gotta love Joe Biden

Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Liberal, Left or Right. You gotta love our Vice President, Joe Biden. Whether you are on the Right, looking forward to hearing what great gaff comes out his mouth this time, or you're the left, who cringe every time he has to make a public speech, for fear of what he might say next. One thing you can truly count on, Our VP will always tell you what's on his mind. Wow, who would have thought, in this day and age, a Washington Politician saying what he feels. You know, as a Conservative, I don't agree with Mr. Bidens politics, but, I do have to respect a man that speaks from his heart. Sure, in dealing with other governments or others in general, it is important not to offend and to be tactful in your approach, but, since when has being politically correct been more important than telling the truth? I wish more politicians would worry less about the terminology used in describing situations at hand ,and worry more about informing us with the facts and truth of what we are up against. We don't need to be coddled, we're adults. Whether you think we can handle it or not, we deserve to know.

What bothers me the most is when I hear the media talk about; how the VP's candor is a "persistent challenge for Obama.". Why is that? Is it because they wish he would be more diplomatic in his speech, or, is it because that, when VP Biden speaks the truth, it brings to light key facts that the President would much rather have us in the dark about? Such as how the Obama Administration "misread how bad the economy was." Or, on the campaign trail, when he stated that; Obama, if elected, would face a "generated crisis" to "test the mettle of this guy." The latest incident happened this week when he said, during an interview with The Wall Street Journal, that Russia would have no choice but to cooperate with the United States because it is on the brink of sharp decline, referring to their current economic problems. Sure he could have phrased it better but, does that make his statement any less true?

I am not saying that Joe Biden is the ideal statesmen. I am fully aware of how diplomacy works. What I am saying is that; we need to listen, a little more carefully, to what our Vice President is saying these days. For this reason: I believe that, when a person speaks off the top of their head, ( and not off a teleprompter ) you are more likely to hear some unintentional truths slip out. More so than from a canned response or a written statement. If that is what it takes for us to get the real facts, about what is happening and what our leaders are thinking, than I say; Let Joe speak freely, and let him speak often.

Are we losing appreciation for what was handed to us?

When I was a child, my father taught me some of his basic rules for living. These rules, he learned from his father and found such merit in them, that he passed them on to me. Some of you might have even heard them, from your parents, growing up as well. Simple rules really, but still, very profound. Rules like; Finish what you start. You are only as good as your word. If you can't afford to pay cash, than you can't afford it. ( I wish I would have paid better attention to that one ) He also taught me that nothing in life is free. If it comes too easy, you take it for granted, but, if you work hard and earn what you want for yourself, and in life, you will appreciate it more because of what you had to go through to get it.

The last one has gotten me to think about our situation in America these days. It's no secret that our parents had to work harder, to achieve what they did, than we had to. We live in such an age of convenience, compared to them, I'm not sure if I could have even walked in my fathers shoes, let alone my grandfathers. And my kids, forget about it, modern technology pretty much insures that, unless they are playing a sport, they probably will never break a sweat. Is this our problem today? Have things come to us too easily? Have we lost our appreciation for liberty and freedom because we, as a generation, personally didn't have to fight to obtain or keep them? How many times have we seen our children, who after begging for that certain something, that they just had to have, express sheer joy, when unwrapping that gift found under the Christmas tree, only to discard it after a few weeks of use? Or even I myself, Knowing fully the pain and suffering that my Lord, Jesus Christ, went through to offer himself ,as a sacrifice, so I could receive his gift of salvation, just to take for granted, at times, what he has done for me.

Thomas Paine once said, "What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value." The American Crisis, No. 1, December 19, 1776.

I fear that, if we don't hold on dearly to what was given to us, as a nation, freely from those who fought so hard so we could have them. We won't truly appreciate our freedoms and liberties, until we have to fight to obtain them ourselves.

I refuse to accept "Politics as usual" anymore

I am so tired of hearing, in response to the lies and deception in Washington, phrases like; "That's just politics, Politics as Usual or What do you expect? they're Politicians". When did this all begin? How long has it been the Status Qua that, it's OK to allow our nations leaders to lie and deceive us? And when they do, just write it off as politics as usual. I'm no historian and maybe I am wrong, but, I can't imagine our founding fathers sitting around the room, when they were drafting our constitution, saying; "We can't put that in there, it might offend this group over here" or "If we don't include this, this group over here won't get what I promised them" or what seems to be going on, more and more, in the Bills flying through Congress these days; "If we use this language, it will give the impression we are looking out for their best interests and still leave it open to do what we want" When did it become OK for us to be lied to and deceived? When did we decide as a nation that; we have no choice but to settle for leaders who say one thing and do another? When did we drop the ball; when it comes to holding our elected officials accountable to do the job they were elected to do? Think about this. We let Congress pass Bills on TARP, Cap and Trade and Health Care without reading what's in them. How can they possible be protecting the citizens who elected them when ,they don't even read what they are putting into policy? I guarantee our founding fathers not only read what they signed and passed, but also, had full knowledge and understanding of what they were voting on. Remember this?:



The problem is; We as Americans are letting our so-call leaders do this to us. We are letting them lie to us. We are not holding them accountable for their actions or lack there of. We are justifying their playing games, with our freedoms and future, by letting them off the hook with a simple excuse of; "What do you expect, they can't help it. That's the nature of the game in Washington" "That's how politics work" ENOUGH ALREADY!!

As long as we just sit back and allow our leaders to keep doing this, to us and our country, they are going to. If we don't hold them up to a higher level of accountability, then we deserve what they give us. I can't speak for anyone else, but, I for one will be writing letters to, calling and emailing my elected officials, State Senators and Representatives, letting them know that; when it comes to their role as my elected official, They are expected to do the job they were elected to do. When it comes to communication with the voters, that they say what they mean and mean what they say. When they don't, I will hold them accountable and they WILL hear from me.

I have a right and an obligation to keep our leaders in check, and, so do you

I am one of the “46 million uninsured” in America.

I can see why the topic of Health Care Reform is such a priority in our country today. The facts and figures show compelling evidence that there is a need to fix the current system. That doesn't mean we have to scrap what we have all together and start from scratch. We, as a nation, still have the best Health Care System in the world today. Whatever IS working in that system can definitely be improved on and whatever isn't working should definitely be changed. Common sense, right?

You see, I am one of the “46 million uninsured” in America. At 46 years old, I have never had medical, dental or vision. Now, do i need it? Yes! Do I want it? of course. I thank the Lord that I have never had to have been hospitalized without insurance, yet. Being over weight and having high blood pressure, at my age, it's just a matter of time. I have always been a commission sales person, so, when I was younger and made the money, I was healthy and insurance wasn't a priority. Now that I am a small business owner and not so healthy, I can't afford it. That doesn't mean, that I believe, the government should be responsible in supplying it for me either. As it stands for me right now, I do have a regular doctor, I just don't see him as regularly as I should. I have to pay cash for my doctors visit and cash for my blood pressure medicine, so when things are tight financially, that's one of the things I sacrifice. The thing about my situation now is, when I do go to the doctors, I go to the doctor I know and trust. I have that choice. When I do go, I have an appointment and I am seen in a timely manner. Because I don't go as often as I should, usually my visits are more urgent, and require more immediate attention, so I am grateful I don't have to wait for weeks or even months to get in and be seen. This is what scares me about a government run plan. Even though it might supply me with the ability to go and be covered, the fact of having to go to a doctor that I am not comfortable with or know anything about bothers me. And if the government plan makes me wait weeks or jump through hoops to be seen, chances are, I won't go. At least not until I absolutely have to. So much for health maintenance. As a small business owner, who had to let go of his employees because of this economy, If I am waiting in lines to see a doctor for a check up, My business is closed with no one to operate it. So do I shut down my business for a couple of hours or maybe even a whole day, to go get a check up, or do I convince myself I'm fine and it can wait another month so I can run my business and make a living. It's already a strain to shut down my store just to go to the DMV. I don't even want to think about what it would be like to have the government running my doctors or hospitals.

Yes, We need reform. But as Americans, we need the freedom to be able to choose which doctors we see and when we see them. We need affordable plans, but we need plans that are best suited for our individual needs. Not some blanket system that takes away the individual factors that make up our unique medical situations. I don't want to have to look up at a monitor to see how close I am, to my number being called, when trying to see a doctor and, I don't want to have to trust what one physician says without the option of getting another opinion of a doctor with whom I am confident and comfortable.

I don't know, maybe because I have no insurance I don't have a right to be so critical. But I am not asking for the government to cover me either, or do I want to be fined $2,500 if I don't have a plan of my own. President Obama said, in his press conference last night, that it's not about him, he has the WORLDS BEST INSURANCE for his family, but proceeded to say that he believes everyone should be able to have good insurance at a reasonable cost. Well to be fair Mr. President, either give the rest of the country some of that "Worlds Best" insurance you have, or, you and your family, sacrifice and take one of the those " good insurance at a reasonable cost" plans your trying to push on us. THE U.S.

What's with The Need For Speed ?

I am hoping that, at the speed in which this administration is writing bills, passing laws, spending money and changing policy, this Bullet Train of Change has an emergency brake. My head is spinning trying to keep up with the intense pace that things are being done. And what is up with the month of August? The President wants EVERYTHING done by this time. Sotomayor, Cap and Trade, Health Care, Why? Whatever happened to "slow & steady wins the race"? I agree that we want and need things done, but, I don't want them done fast as much as I want them done right. It's all "Hurry up and Wait" with Obama it seems. Hurry, we need the stimulus, now, wait for the results to be seen and felt. Hurry and pass Cap and Trade, now, wait for China and India to come on board. Hurry with Health Care reform, but, wait while we come up with a plan to pay for and implement it. We can't fix things over night that have been broken for years. I applaud the intentions, we need to have progress and find solutions, but, to do something, just for the sake of saying that we are doing something, is not the right solution.

My Father always told me to "Take your time, do it right the first time. That way you won't have to waste time in doing it all over again"

"The Golden Rule" - Does any one remember it?

I'm not quite sure when it all stopped, but, when I was growing up ( in the late 60's early 70's ) and going to elementary school, I remember doing certain things, as a class, that just aren't done anymore. I can recall, like it was yesterday, everyone standing with their right hand over their heart and saying the Pledge of Allegiance, I remember watching "The Electric Co." on t.v. before snack time. I also remember, just before we would enjoy our milk & graham crackers, everyone bowing their heads and saying a prayer. Another thing I remember was, on the bulletin board, right up there with the alphabet, the pictures of the presidents and the weekly cafeteria menu was " The Golden Rule " You remember that one don't you? It stated; " Do Unto Others, As You Would Have Them Do Unto You ". I tell you, I don't know how many times my teacher made me recite the Golden Rule after she caught me being rude to another classmate or pulling the pig tails of my weekly schoolboy crush. It was instilled in me growing up and it means just as much to me today as it did back then. Hopefully, I practice it a little better than I did back then though. It's a pretty simple application right? I mean, it's just the respect of others. It's the Christian thing to do. It's the humanitarian thing to do. The civil and right thing to do.




To hear our President quote "The Golden Rule", to the students of Notre Dame, at this years commencement ceremony, upsets me. There is no way, with everything he is trying to pass through congress ( almost under our noses ), that he was sincere when he said that. He couldn't have been. How could someone, who is putting our future generations into debt, say that with a straight face? How could a president, who wants to destroy our health care system and make it harder for us to receive the quality of care we have built and deserve in this country, really mean those words. Do you honestly believe, that if his children were sick, he would trust them to a public doctor or a state run facility? If he wouldn't subject his family to it, why would he insist that we should? If he was running a small business, do you really think that he would want the tax burdens, that he is imposing, put on him that make it almost impossible to expand, compete or stay in business? He's not even asking the American People how they feel about what he is doing with our country. He's acting like he knows what's best for us and doesn't need to ask us. Do you think he would want his future being decided by a president who won't even consider his feelings or opinions, concerning the changes they are implementing with lightning speed? I don't think so.

If President Obama really believes that; he is doing what the American People want him to be doing with all these changes , He better stop and ask somebody. And if he is sincere and standing true to " The Golden Rule ", by doing to us, what he would want done to him, Than I'm worried.


"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets". Matthew 7:12 NIV

We have committed the Golden Rule to memory; let us now commit it to life. " - Edwin Markham

Just an observation

As humans, we tend to attack things that pose a threat to us. I mean it's only natural that when someone threatens us, our way of life, our self interests, our agendas and our money, we get defensive, Right? Many people feel that, when there is a threat looming, the best course of action is to strike first, kill it before it kills us.

With that being said, why is anyone surprised at the way the Main Stream Media (MSM), which is comprised mostly of very liberal individuals, is going after Sarah Palin? I'm one of those who believe that MSM is the strongest proponent for the "Left". I mean think about it. The "Left" loves the fact that they are in the drivers seat. They're in their hay days and loving every minute of it. Do you think they want the ride to stop now? I mean, with the ferocity that the MSM went after Palin during last years election, it was obvious that they were relieved when it was all over. I mean Obama only won with 53%, and that sure wasn't the landslide the MSM predicted it would be. I give Sarah Palin the credit for closing the gap and, I believe, they do too.

I really think that the MSM and those on the "Left" were hoping to, not have to worry about Palin for ,at least, a little while. The fact that the victory party was cut short has really upset them. I mean Sarah Palin hasn't even announced what her plans are and, already the media has their claws out, ready to pounce on her. Like I said, when someone is threatened, they attack. I'm sure they have seen the latest Gallup poll which states that; " Currently, 72% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents have a favorable opinion of Palin, compared with 56% for Romney and 59% for Huckabee. But her lead on this measure largely reflects the fact that she is better known than the two former governors, given the substantially lower "no opinion" figures for her. Republicans rate each candidate more positively than negatively by better than 3-to-1 ratios." And this is in spite of the MSM's non stop attacks on Sarah Palin and her Family.

Now, I am in no way saying who ,I believe, should be the next candidate for the Republican Party or any one else. All I'm saying is this; The best way for the "Right" to gauge who the "Left" is most afraid of, in the FUTURE, is to watch WHO they are attacking NOW.

Just a Note.

"In God We Trust" is More than a Motto

Group Seeks to Block 'In God We Trust' Engraving

The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation's lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in western Wisconsin, claims the taxpayer-funded engravings would be an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/14/group-seeks-block-god-trust-engraving/

As a Christian, I am not so naive that I can't see that we are slowly becoming a minority. It's easier, these days, to recognize when our country is trying to separate or distance themselves from God. The truth is it's an inevitable fact, which unfortunately, we are not in control to reverse. If you believe God's word, as I do, He laid it out quite frankly. The promise of His return was not based on that the majority would be following Him rather that, ALL will have the opportunity to accept Him, or in some cases, reject Him. But this is not the main theme of my post today.

What got me started on this, when I read the article referenced above, was the ridiculous reasons they give for their lawsuit. The first one about "the tax-payers funding, of the engraving, would be unconstitutional". Would you give me a break? With all the wasteful spending that is happening today; millions of tax-payers dollars for Nancy Pelosi's field mice, $100's of $1,000's on studies for the connection of alcohol and promiscuity in gay bars or the NIH funding the study of "Why men don't like to use condoms" for the sum of $423,500.00. Why isn't anybody suing for these misuses of tax-payer money? The article goes on saying; "The lawsuit says both the motto and the words "under God" in the pledge were adopted during the Cold War as anti-communism measures." Here's a little history; The motto " In God We Trust" was first used on coin currency back in 1864, The only time it came under scrutiny was when Pres. T. Roosevelt felt in 1907 that the motto was being used as a political slogan and was in effect irreverence, which comes dangerously close to sacrilege. He felt it would cheapen the motto by using it on coins and postage stamps. As far as the Pledge of Allegiance, In 1954, in response to the Communist threat of the times, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words "under God," creating the 31-word pledge we say today. So I guess what this group is saying is; It was acceptable to use, rely or call upon God when we were fighting communism, but now that communism is not a direct threat to us anymore, we can neatly put God back in a little box, place Him in a closet or on a shelf until we need Him again. My direct argument for that is; what about socialism? Wouldn't it be wise to keep him out of His box for a little while longer, to help ensure victory over the threat of socialism in our country?

The fact is, our Founding Fathers believed in a nation under God enough to write: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" Who do you think they were referring to as their "Creator" ( big C not little c ) And Ben Franklin was referring to the Bible as the 'Sacred Writings" when he said; “ God governs in the affairs of man. *And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that **except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel” –Ben Franklin-Constitutional Convention of 1787. He was convinced, as I am, that unless we are a nation that truly builds it's foundation on God, all our efforts to bring our country back to health are in vain. Now more than ever, we need God's blessing on our nation. The atheists and agnostics have always and will always be around. We cannot shrink against their efforts to pull us away from our roots. We must continue to fight for the freedoms our Founding Fathers fought to give us.

I cannot tell you what the future holds in store for our country. All I can tell you is that, With God, My future is secure.

*Matthew 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

**Psalm 127:1 “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.”

A letter to Sonia ( Judge Sotomayor )

Dear Sonia,

First of all, I would like to congratulate you on your success and the long list of accomplishments you have achieved in life thus far. The fact that you had to overcome so much and rose above the adversity you faced, is a testament of your strength and courage. For that, I commend you.

I have to admit that at first, being Hispanic myself, I was proud when I heard of your nomination to the highest court in the land. I was also pleased in knowing that I would be able to point to you, as an example of a strong independent woman to my young daughters, the next time they were feeling like life is too hard and unfair. Or, wanted to use the cop out of”what's wrong with being average?" because the road ahead had a little bit of an incline. I thank you for your example.

Then, the closer it got to your confirmation, I would hear more and more of your opinions and views regarding race and social justice and I started to get concerned. Now, your views and opinions in no way take away from your accomplishments as an individual or as a justice. But, I feel, they have no place in the considerations of your decisions as a Judge in the Supreme Court. You see, today you pledged "Fidelity to the Law" in response to the questions about your judicial philosophy. The problem I have is, knowing what you have stated publicly, on more than one occasion, saying; “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,” I don't see how you would be able to separate bias from the law when it comes to making decisions on matters concerning race and social justice. Matters that are so close to your heart. In my opinion, it would be like having a judge preside over a case involving a drunk driver, knowing that 2 years prior the judge lost his daughter in a terrible auto accident involving a drunk driver. It's too close to him. As for me, I doubt that I would be able to separate my feelings from the law in matters that were so close to my heart. But then again, I'm not a judge. You see, we all are shaped and formed by the circumstances and situations we experience in life. And for someone like you, who has fought so hard for so long for such worthy issues as racial equality and social injustice, the demand for blind justice in accordance to the law is imperative. There is no room for empathy. Not at this level.

Because you have proven to be such a strong and determined person, I have no doubt that if anyone could overcome the obstacles of partiality in order to uphold the law without prejudice or bias; I believe it would be you. So I will take you at your word, when you stated today in your hearing, "I look forward ...to being part of a process that reflects the greatness of our Constitution and of our nation." and give you the benefit of the doubt. There are many, in Washington and in the public, who voice these same concerns. Some oppose strongly your nomination for fear you won't be able to rule objectively. But, as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) said to you today at your hearing, "Unless you have a complete meltdown, you're going to get confirmed" So again I say congratulations.

Just remember this, and this is true for everyone in life; Where you have come from, how you were raised and your life’s experiences, up to this point, have made you the person you are today. But, your actions from this day forward, determine who you will become.

I pray that our Lord will give you, not only knowledge, but the wisdom to apply that knowledge in accordance to His will.

God Bless You

One is better than None

For the longest time, I put off getting involved in local and even national politics. My study of economics involved counting how much money I had left and making it last til the next payday. Current events simply meant knowing which movie was coming to the theaters that week. Issues any larger, than those I listed, didn't affect me. My world was small and simple. As the problems in our nation have grown larger, issues that only other people had to deal with soon became mine too. I got busy, looking on-line and tuning into Fox News, trying to bring myself up to speed on what was happening and why. I found out WHAT was going wrong in our nation ( that was the easy part ) but, listening to all the "Point / Counterpoint" debates and opinions from the Main Stream Media, it seems like the experts can't agree on the WHY. The more I learned, the more upset I was becoming. The more upset I became, the more I felt the need to do something about it myself.

But what could I do? Who's going to listen to me? I mean, when considering where I fit in the grand scheme of things, who am I? I don't have celebrity status. I don't have a radio talk show or political ties. What kind of impact could someone like me have that would affect the state of the nation? I know that I am not alone when I say that, when it comes to being just an average citizen, it's easy to start believing the lie. The lie that tells us that our feelings and thoughts, regarding the direction that our country is heading in. are insignificant. Even though the latest RCP Poll states that 52% feel that our country is heading in the wrong direction, it's still scary feeling like you're alone and wondering if what you are doing will make a difference.

The truth is, I do make a difference. Even if what I do or say should only impact 1 other person, I've made a difference.

Albert Einstein said, "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."

I refuse to "look on and do nothing" any more. I believe it is much too important for me to act, even if alone, than to stand by and watch things get worse without doing what I can.

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can
Edward Everett Hale

Are we looking for Labels or Leaders ?

It seems like all I keep hearing about, in regards to the 2010 and 2012 elections, is; Who will be the next great leader to emerge from the Republican Party. With Sen. "X" gone or Gov. "Y" out of the running, who will be the parties next rising star ? Or, with both parties losing face in the public eye and more and more outrage is being heard, against Republicans & Democrats, through events like the "Tea Parties", Is America looking to an Independent to rise from the ashes and rubble and steer our nation back in the right direction?

Here is my concern. As voters, what are we looking for in deciding who will be the next candidate we choose to support ? Are we saying; "Oh, I like this person because they're "pro-life" or " I don't like this person because of their position on " gay marriage" ? Maybe it's as simple as," they're a Republican, they're a Conservative, they're an Independent or they're Black, she's a Woman, so, They have my vote". With the shape our country is in, we need to be focusing on the core problems that affect everyone. The economy, National Security, Health Care and Energy Independence. To put our own personal "special interests" before the needs of our country, as a whole, is just plain selfish. We need to get behind, as a nation, the person who will best Lead us, in regards to our core issues, rather than a person who just wears the Label that most reflects our self interests.

Let me personalize this point a bit. I am a Conservative Christian, Small Business Owner. Those are my labels, it seems. I would love to have someone like a Mike Huckabee as president. He's a Christian who is for; pro-life, sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman and wants to get rid of the IRS. Unfortunately, the chances of someone like MH, with such outspoken christian morals, being elected as president are very slim. Too many dividing issues. So, if I have to get behind someone who doesn't agree with my ideology on social and moral issues, but, is strong on ( I believe ) the 4 core issues that need to be addressed, than that would be for the good of my country and not for my own personal interests. All that means to me is that the responsibility of teaching my children about; God, His will for us, morals and ethics, falls directly on me as their father. I would then hope and pray that the choices that they would make as adults, in the areas I mentioned above, would be influenced by how I raised them rather than how society might influence them. Isn't that the way it should be anyways ?

Someone I also believe would be outstanding for our country would be Sarah Palin. Now, do I believe Sarah would make a great President ? Yes! Do I believe that she is strong enough to tackle the 4 issues that are holding this great country back? Yes? Do I think that the American people will give her the chance to do the job she is more than capable of doing? I don't know. I'm afraid that because the MSM and the people on the far left had made such a fuss about her, they would refuse to see the ability of her as a Leader, and spite themselves, just to save face. It's the same thing in reverse. Us backing a candidate for the wrong reasons ( personal interests, labels ) is just as bad as not voting for the right candidate for the wrong reasons ( saving face ) when it comes to the overall good of the country.

**In my opinion ( and remember, like my blog title states, "I'm nobody special" ) The best chance the Republican Party has in 2012 is to find their front runner and put Sarah Palin on the ticket as their running mate again. With what she brings to the table, combined with the experience and respect the Republican Presidential Candidate should have ( better have), It will be a winning combination. I don't believe John McCain was that candidate. By the time 2020 rolls around, No one would be able to say anything about Sarah Palin regarding her experience. Remember, this is just my opinion. I'm not a political strategist. **

My point is this, We all desire to have some one who believes and thinks just like us ( I would say like me, you would say like you ) running our country. The problem is, there are so many different us's in the U.S.. It would be impossible to ever find that one person to match everybodies individual ideologies. All we can do is, as a country, agree on what issues are most important for the success of our nation. I named 4, maybe there's more, maybe less. Issues that affect EVERYONE, not just our special interests. Find a leader that will focus on those issues and fix what is most important right now. Then, when we, as a nation, are back to some degree of normalcy, we can then take back up the personal issues on more of local level. That's where, I believe, they should be taken care of in the first place.

Time to Laugh

We sometimes forget to do it but, in my opinion, it's as important as taking a breath. I've written in an older post about "Balance" and today is a day I need to level things out. I'm not going to get into all the psychological and medical reasons why laughter is good for body & soul. I would have to understand them all before I could explain it, and I'm not that guy. All I know is, it feels good at the time and I feel better after. Do we need any more reasons than that ?

So today, take time out to laugh and let others see you laughing. There's something contagious about somebody laughing, we've all experienced that, at least, one time in our lives. And for those who can't find anything to laugh about today, I added a few clips to get you started.

Enjoy and don't be shy, laugh out loud

Have a Blessed weekend and talk to you on Monday

What are we leaving behind ?

I have to admit that sometimes I get tired, run down and overwhelmed trying to stay on top and informed on what is happening in our country everyday. You see, If i am not aware of what is going on, I won't know what I am supposed to be doing. The truth is, I have a responsibility to act when it's required, influence who I can and fight when I see injustice. The problem is, the more I look, the more I see. Whether it's calling or writing my Congressman, Representatives or Senators praising their support of Bills or voicing my disappointment about how they voted on them, informing others of issues they might not be aware of ( Cap and Trade, Universal Health Care, Wasteful Spending in Washington) or putting in work to support the right candidates in local and national elections, there is ALWAYS something I can be doing. Sure, sometimes I get down and feel like my efforts are in vain. At times I feel defeated. There is so much to do and sometimes I wonder if anyone else is doing anything. I'll be the first one to admit that, many times, I just want to quit, lie down and just take it. I find myself asking " Why am I fighting so hard?". Then I ran across this quote from one of our Founding Fathers;

"If there must be trouble, let it be in my day, that my child may have peace."

Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, No. 1, December 19, 1776



Like many of you, my parents and grandparents worked their tails off, served in wars and sacrificed much in order to secure our country and our futures. They wanted to insure that they left this world a better place for our sake. As a Father of 5, I can't stand the thought of my children and grandchildren being left in a worse predicament than what we are facing today. As a son, I feel guilty for not doing more, before this, to at least sustain what my father worked so hard to build for me. The Lord IS in control of the future and my trust is secure in Him. Never the less, God has entrusted me with my children and blessed me with this great nation and commands me to be a good steward of all He has given me. So If that means that I have to work harder to make a difference, yell louder to be heard and fight longer to protect our freedoms. Then that is my charge. I will do it gladly in thanksgiving to my Lord, for the love of my country and to make sure that what I leave behind for my children will be, not only better than how it is now, but better than how my father left it to me

Passion without Persecution

My desire, for this blog, was to create a venue that would allow me to express my concerns and offer solutions, not just complain. Hopefully in doing so, I could connect with others who feel the same and together, discuss ways to bring about change in a positive way. I do believe that I am not alone and that, when like minded people get together, corperately great things can happen. Our Founding Fathers proved that already. I believe everyone has something to contribute and realize that my views are not everyones ( or for that matter, always right ) and I look forward to your comment, either for or against.

Because I want to glorify God in All I do, I often ask fellow Christians to look over my posts and hold me accountable, not just in the content of my posts but in the attitude of my words. A Dear friend, whom I trust, mentioned that I need to "stay gracious" in the way I handle different opinions ( thanks VB, I can always count on you ) and to not make monsters out of people with different views than mine. Now, If I meant what I said about "everyone has something to contribute", then I need to be careful of my attitude towards those who may oppose my point of view. I am the first to admit that I can get a little "passionate" when i express my views and, when I get on a roll, I can lose sight of my overall objective here. But, even more, I need to remember that others feel just as passionate about their opinions. You see sometimes, I feel, we tend to draw lines in the sand between those who agree with us and those who don't. We build a wall and label the opposition; Left or Right, Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative and forget the the common denominator. We start to look at the other as, the ones who want to destroy our country, want to tear down not build up or even worse, as the enemy. We forget that, We are ALL Americans, more importantly, We are ALL Children of God. I really doubt that there is a secret desire, in the hearts of those who oppose our views, to destroy "Our Country". I do believe that their goal is the same as ours, it's just that they have very differant ideas on how to achieve them. That does'nt make them the "Enemy".

Instead of always trying to get the other side to see things the way we do ( and visa versa ) We ALL need to pull together as a Nation. The first thing we should do is find our common ground, find what we All can agree upon. Re-discover the thread that binds us all together. From there and there only, I believe, is where we can really start to take steps in the right direction. The direction of healing and rebuilding of this great country.

We can agree to disagree. We can voice our opinions and express our ideas but, in doing so, let's not forget that the ones who might not agree with us are not monsters or the enemy. They're just like us, citizens of The United States of America

A note to myself.

News worthy or Not ?

It seems like, after the tremendous amount of participation from average citizens attending the April 15th Tea Parties, there would have had more media coverage about the 4th of July Tea Parties that were held all over America. But, after searching the news and Internet this weekend, I was very disappointed at the lack of coverage. I was extremely upset at Fox News, which in the past has been a champion for these "grassroots" events. As far as the "Main Stream " media goes, I was in no way looking for any enthusiastic or glowing coverage of the events as much as I was surfing for their condescending reports of all the "Right Wing Conservative Nut Jobs" who gathered together in vain protest over, what should be, their patriotic duty, in tough economic times such as these, to pay higher taxes ( as VP Biden was quoted saying )

The media has already voiced their opinions of the 10's of 1,000's of people who attended the April 15th tea parties, using such terms as : extremists, prejudice, rednecks, Obama haters and Tea Baggers. Is this what the media really thinks? Do they feel like events such as these are not news worthy? Have we led them to believe that we, their audiance, are not interested in stories about people who are frustrated just like ourselves? Is that what they really see when they witness these lawful and peaceful assemblies of citizens who gather under the protection that our Constitution gaurantees? Radical, out of touch wack jobs? Watch this clip. What do you see.



As far as I am concerned, these are just your everyday, average, hard working American people who believe that they have a voice in the direction of our Nation. As do I. I'm starting to think that, the media has gotten so liberal in their own views, they feel like any action or reaction against this current administrations policies is a direct attack against themselves ? They even go so far as to report these protests as not being a "grassroots" movement at all, but, more a clandestine movement by the Republicans against the Obama administration to use these functions as a platform to push their agenda. On the contrary, most of these events have not invited, or even banned in some instances, local politicians from even attending so they can't use the tea parties as a tool to get themselves in the good graces of the people. In Austin, Texas, over the 4th of July, Sen.John Cornyn (R) was "Boo'd", while starting his introduction of a guest speaker, because the citizens of Austin were very upset with his "Yes" vote on the wasteful spending "Tarp" bill that passed earlier this year. They Boo'd over his rhetoric and as you watch the clip, you can see that he was not even listened to until he started talking about Our soldiers overseas and the characteristics of the guest speaker.



These aren't republicans, democrats, left wing, right wing, religious nuts or extremists. They are American citizens and I, for one, am interested in what they have to say. To me this is news also. Since when has it been the medias job to report only issues that are in line with what they believe ? Observe & Report and let U.S. decide. They are not there to decide what they think is news worthy. 35,000people attending an event in Texas, on the 4th, protesting tax increases peacefully is news, but to do it in tandem with 100's of other cities across the nation on the same day is something, I believe, we also need to hear about. But yet there was little, if any, reporting about it by the networks. What's up with that ??

Ok, I understand how, in the shadow of " MJ's " death 10 days prior, smaller, less important events such as ; the energy bill that would implement the largest tax on American citizens passing the House floor, N. Korea flexing their muscles and breaking more International laws by shooting off 7 missiles with greater accuracy than before or an unemployment rate of 9.5% that is at the highest number in the last 26 years might be overlooked or downplayed by the media. Are we that detached as a nation ? Are we, the people, that shallow that the media feels like, if they break and report on these types of issues, they will lose viewers to the entertainment channels that are running 24/7 MJ coverage ? What is that saying about us? Are we tuning into the News to be informed or simply entertained? The networks are reporting more like the "National Enquirer" or "E" rather than a news agency.

Hey Media !! Do your Job ! You Observe it, than Report it and We will Decide.

God's gift of Freedom

Freedom is a gift from God. And that gift was given to us long before 233 years ago. Not only was given to us way before the birth of our nation, It was given to everyone, not just us living here in the United States. What some people don't realize is that, within Freedom there are rules and laws. Because of the fact we are pretty much sinful and selfish by nature, these rules are designed to protect each individual from freedom unchecked. Unchecked freedom can create chaos. Freedom is dangerous in the hands of those who don’t know how to use it. That’s why criminals are confined in prisons with barbed wire, steel bars, and concrete barriers. Or consider a campfire that is allowed to spread in a dry forest. It quickly becomes a blazing inferno. In Freedom, their are Boundaries. It was because of this lawless and selfish nature, our founding fathers left their homes and traveled to this land to test out their experiment called Democracy. Setting up laws to protect us, basically, from ourselves and the selfish nature within us.

We, In the U.S., took this gift of freedom and started out great, we built this great country with an attitude of helping our fellow man, achieving a common goal and set up for ourselves rules to protect the rights of others and allow us the freedom to thrive and succeed, according to our desires for ourselves and our families, as long as we didn't infringe on the same rights of others. But here is where we often fail. We use freedom’s luxury to live selfishly, or we claim ownership of what God has merely entrusted to us. Because of our selfish nature, greed and power corrupted us and we stared to ignore the rights of others and only cared about serving ourselves. Now, because of our misuse of freedom, we have placed more rules, more laws and more systems of check & balances on our backs. All in the name of Freedom. Unfortunately, some have placed more restriction on our lives, not for the good of their fellow man but, for the good of themselves. Now it seems we are slaves to the laws, rules and regulations that were designed to protect us.

" It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. " Galatians 5:1.


You see, Freedom doesn't come from laws that rule over us, Freedom comes from us ruling over our hearts. When we rely on the God's Spirit and expend our energies on loving God and helping others, the destructive works of the flesh will be restrained by God

" Do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. " Galatians 5:13

Freedom doesn’t give us the right to do what we please, but to do what pleases God.


Happy Independence Day

Walking on a thin Line - Keeping our Balance

As I sat down in front of my computer this morning, searching the Internet for the daily articles, videos and sound bites for the today's topic, I realized that I was looking through these sources trying to find information about the latest scandal, conflict or drama happening today. What was N. Korea doing now ? How did President Obama contradict himself today ? What politician was caught being unethical ? What new injustice was done today ? By whom and to whom ??

Then it hit me. Ron, What the heck are you doing to yourself ? You're going to drive yourself crazy ! Where is the Balance ? You see, until recently, I used to avoid the news. I didn't read the papers, I didn't watch the news or listen to news radio. I lived my life in a protective bubble, safe from the influence of current events, news of violence and scandal. I didn't care about wall street of even know who was a Senator or who my local Congressmen were. I mean, It's all negative. Why would I want the doom & gloom of what's happening around the country, much less in other countries, to infringe on my life and bum me out ? Then, The things that were happening around me started affecting me personally. My small business was getting smaller, my wife couldn't find work so, I started to listen and watch the news. I had to find out why ( in my mind ) was this happening to me all of a sudden ? How could I let this catch me off guard. I got really involved in the last election, Fox news was on all the time when I was at home. My kids were getting upset because they had to watch their shows in their rooms because I invaded the living room. I was watching the Strategy Room on foxnews.com at work. I had to get informed and fast. I was reading blogs and started making calls to Senators and Representatives. I was gonna do my part and not just be one of those people who complained about what was happening and not doing anything about it. I started this blog to add solution and remedy not to get caught up in the drama. So, as I was searching for topics, I had to tell myself to STOP !!

Here I am, the day before our Nations 233 Birthday Celebration of Independence and where is my focus? Where is my joy? Where is my Balance?? I feel so blessed by my Lord and Savior for all he has given me. I know that God will see this great nation through these difficult times but I can't just sit back and be oblivious to what is going on around me. Or, let others do the work for me. We all have to do our part...... "Where is your balance Ron?" Am I daily taking the time to truly enjoy what God has given me ? To really appreciate the blessings and the simple joys he bestowes on my family ? " Find your Balance Ron. "

Psalms 46:10 says " Be still, and know that I am God"

We ALL need to remember to Stop, take a breath and daily focus on what God has given us. If not, we will drive ourselves crazy with the news of the world and start to feel overwhelmed and lose hope. But, we also need to stay informed on what's happening around us and each do our part to help each other and this country. The trick is..........Keeping our Balance

God Bless you and your Families and have a joyful Independence Day Weekend

I guess the "Media" doesn't like it much either.

Why does it take so long for the media to open it's "objective" eyes and see what many of us have seen for months. Is the spell that seemed to be cast, on mainstream media, finally wearing off. It's one thing for us, as citizens, to be sucked up and in by a very talented and charismatic politician. Especially when Our Nation has been crying out for some ( desperately needed ) change in our government and, out of nowhere, this good looking eloquent speaker, who looks nothing like any of our leaders of past, promising us the Hope & Change we needed so desperately. I might add, we STILL do. We wanted to believe him, we almost needed to. Yet, it still took us, normal everyday citizens, less time to sober up to the fact that this guy was not who he claimed he was. That the change he is bringing, is not the change we had hoped for. Maybe I was wrong in assuming that the news media were more educated than me. That they were trained in detecting "B.S.". That their job was to report objectively, search for the angle and bring to light inconsistencies. See, we have an excuse, ( not really, but for the sake of making my point ) we are "un-edjumicated" in this sort of stuff. All we had to go by was what the "Powerful & Mighty" Press reported to us. ( lame excuse, don't even try to use it )

Still, that's not the point of my ranting today. That's not why I'm even writing about this.

Here's what made me mad when I watched this clip on RealClearPolitics.com

THE ONLY REASON THEY ARE TAKING NOTICE NOW, IS NOT BECAUSE THEY SEE THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS DESTROYING OUR GREAT COUNTRY. IT'S BECAUSE THEY ARE SEEING ( like we have ) THAT THEY ARE BEING CONTROLLED BY THEM !!

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2009/07/01/cbs_helen_thomas_challenge_gibbs_on_controlled_town_hall_meeting.html

Independence Day or 4th of July

Well, It's July 1st. Firework stands are open for business, you can hear Piccolo Pete's whistling that all too familiar tune, people are dusting off their BBQ's and hosing down the lawn furniture getting ready to celebrate the 4th of July. Wait a minute, what was the other name for this holiday ? Oh yeah, INDEPENDENCE DAY !!. When was the last time you heard anyone refer to this holiday as Independence Day ??

It used to mean a lot more than bbq's and fireworks and I'm starting to wonder if, over time, that's all it will be. Another day off of work (although it falls on a Saturday this year) to enjoy some great food, good friends, nice weather outdoors (hopefully) and some amazing displays of pyrotechnics. Don't get me wrong, I look forward to days like this, but, What are we celebrating ? And the real question I have to ask is, Do we have as much to celebrate this year as on July 4, 1776 ? Do we have the same Rights & Freedoms as we did at the signing of the Declaration of Independence. I'm not talking about civil rights or equality, We made much needed progress in those areas since the birth of our Nation. I'm talking about role the government plays in our lives. Do we have the same balance of government that was fought for and blue printed out for us by our Founding Fathers? Or even since our Bi-Centenial ? I am afraid with the way things are going, If we do not act and stand up, our Tri-Centenial will be a joke.

Get involved people, attend a Tea Party, Let your voice be heard this Independence Day. Let's make it a celebration of "We the People", of our rights and freedoms before more and more of them get stripped away from us by a Government that feels that they know best, what's best for us. Share with your children the importance and meaning of the day. Let them see you take pride in our country and show them that, Yes, they count too.

I plan on taking my daughter to a local Tea Party event this 4th of July. I want her to experience the power of the people, We the People. She will still have her BBQ, still have her fireworks, but, after the food settles and the smoke clears, she will have a memory of participating in an event that has meaning. Meaning not just to her and the thousands who attended all over the country, but to her kids and grandkids.

Happy Independence Day

FIND A TEA PARTY NEAR YOU

http://www.teapartyday.com/

http://teapartypatriots.org/