From New Deal to Raw Deal

First came the New Deal, then the Great Society, and now comes President Obama's special brand of interventionalist tactics with redistributive aims. When it suits him, the president wants the power to take from some and give to others. But how do you keep the public from correctly identifying this as stealing? You do as his predecessors did: You call it charity.  

Thomas Jefferson wrote,

> To take from one, because it is thought his own industry and that of his fathers has acquired too much, in order to spare to others, who, or whose fathers, have not exercised equal industry and skill, is to violate arbitrarily the first principle of association, the guarantee to everyone the free exercise of his industry and the fruits acquired by it.

Adding to that, James Madison said succinctly, "Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the government."

Today, the idea that it is wrong for the government to take in taxes and spend in "charity" would be considered ludicrous. It is generally accepted that government is there to "help others," and not only ourselves, but foreign nations and aliens in our midst. America is a country of great generosity. Liberal progressives harness that generosity to advance socialism. They accomplish this by saying how important it is to help others, and politicians are unwilling to oppose bills proposed and presented under this rubric of charity.

There have been many arguments under which government has expanded its powers, as described by Mark Levin in his book Liberty & Tyranny, but the most pernicious is this one: that government serves as a charitable organization -- first, because this argument can be leveraged for ever more spending, as the "poor" are always with us (i.e., some people are ambitious producers, and some prefer to be idle), and second, because it can metamorphose into brand new spending obligations growing as offshoots from the root argument. 

The most recent offshoot is the idea that certain businesses are too big to fail. Such businesses are deemed "necessary" to protect citizens from hardship. Thus, the government acts charitably to prop up a business whose failure would have a broad negative impact on unsuspecting and unprepared Americans.

Another offshoot is that people should have a right to certain goods and services, such as, most recently, health care. 

This ever-expanding role of government as a charitable giver obscures the fundamental truth that in order to give, government must first take. But with a "right" to health care, it is more perilous than that. Giving someone a "right" to a service provided by another indentures the other. The freedom to purchase is transmuted into an obligation to provide. 

Does that sound far-fetched? It isn't. In fact, there is a clear precedent. The government has a constitutional obligation to protect the public. Therefore, to make for such public defense, the government may levy taxes and enact the draft, i.e. compel the individual to fight and die for his country. If the government has the obligation to provide health care, then similarly, it is empowered to levy taxes and require individuals to provide health care services. To effect this transaction, government must control both receiver and giver. 

President Obama accomplishes such control via obtaining an expanded power to write new rules. The unrestricted power to write rules is control. Control of services or production is ownership. Ownership of production is socialism.

Both political parties have been guilty of this slide toward socialism. A key precedent-setting moment occurred (a government-as-charity offshoot took root) when former President Bush allowed TARP dollars to be given to the auto companies. The government could actually take tax money to run a business from individuals who didn't choose to patronize that business. A Toyota driver pays taxes to...General Motors. President Obama pounced on the opportunity, and this offshoot took further hold with Stimulus 2.0 and 3.0 

Rather than expand our rights, these events produce a loss to our freedom of association, to the fruits of our labor, to our control over property, and to our ability to make choices for ourselves.

There is another thing lost, and that is the goodwill engendered by free commerce, which government coercion will inevitably crush. Refusing to buy something because it is too expensive, or because it is not a good value, is a foundational market concept and a natural right. The "pursuit of happiness" flows from this right. You may pursue what makes you happier. The freedom to make this choice is what levers pressure upon the market to either improve a product or service's value, lower its price, or both. 

If, for example, insurance companies are not subjected to this same pressure, then naturally the effect will be a reduced value at a higher price. If government may coerce a purchase, the unintended consequence shall be the loss of customer-oriented service. The freedom to walk away and the availability of an alternative source forces the seller to build relationships of goodwill with prospective buyers, as their intent is to create repeat customers, knowing that repeat business is an absolute necessity for the success and sustainability of an enterprise. Such businesses shall be stale, impersonal, and colorless, like the state offices where one picks up an unemployment check. For those who work there, business shall be reduced to mere process, where being busy is not a necessary and good thing.

Beware: In today's America, socialism's offshoots are well-rooted and about to come to full, poisonous bloom. As always, misery shall soon follow.

America suffers from "purple pen syndrome"

One of the biggest problems plaguing modern day America is what should be diagnosed as "Purple Pen Syndrome". For those of you unfamiliar with it, let me explain:

A few years back some idiot in the education system, with more degrees than brains, decided that RED was an "Aggressive color that scared children". If a child got a book report or a test returned with too much red ink, it would hurt the child's feelings.  Anyway, these rocket surgeons decided all teacher comments on papers (passing or failing) should be written in PURPLE ink. This is a much gentler color and won't burn the retinas out of a poor child's eyes.

Nobody says it better than George Carlin (YouTube it) Every child is SPECIAL. No child FAILS. No child LOSES. Even last place kids get a trophy now. Quoting Mr. Carlin, no child gets to hear those all-important character-building words "YOU LOST. You're a LOSER."  When I was a kid we all knew second place was the first loser.  We knew it was okay to lose but it was better to win.

Jelly Beans, Muzzies and Illegal Aliens. They have more in common than you think.

I have a jar of jelly beans. There are exactly 1,000 jelly beans in this jar. I have laced ten of those beans with a lethal dose of cyanide. You cannot tell which ones are laced. However, the remaining 990 beans are perfectly fine.

Decision time: Would you let your child take a jelly bean from my jar? If not, don't you think this makes you a bit of a bigot?? After all, most jelly beans aren't poisonous. It's just a small group of beans which are harmful and by discriminating against all of them you're not being fair to the "good" beans.

Obviously, I'm speaking about islam (though to be fair, I believe ALL of the beans to be poisonous to some degree, but I'll humor the bleeding hearts and limit it to ten). We are being told we MUST accept the poisonous beans in order to be fair to the "good" ones.

This isn't bigotry, it's self-preservation. When you're dealing with people who want to kill you and they're very good at lying and concealing themselves and blending in, the ONLY way to defeat them is to treat ALL of them with caution. It isn't bigotry, it's math.

There isn't a parent I know, liberal or otherwise, who would let their children take a jelly bean from my jar, no matter how fair it is or isn't, yet they are insisting we accept muzzies, despite the present danger.

A liberal statistician will tell you it's OK because the odds of getting a poisoned bean are very, very low. For some reason this is OK with them. As a conservative statistician, I will disagree and say “the odds shouldn't even be considered, because this isn't about diversity, it's about saving lives”. As far as I'm concerned, 100% of the beans are bad. 

If this makes me a bigot, I’m okay with that. "Bigot" is only a word, usually accompanied by a scowl from a liberal but islam is poison. Given the choice, I'll take the scowl and the label.

I also believe this analogy applies just as easily to illegal aliens. Should we open our border to 1000 of them when we know one of them will commit rape and murder?

Barack Obama: savior of America’s future.

By Gary Hubbell, Broker/Owner United Country Colorado Brokers Hotchkiss, CO

Despite the fact that he has some of the lowest approval ratings among recent presidents, history will see Barack Obama as the source of America’s resurrection. Barack Obama has plunged the country into levels of debt we could not have previously imagined; his efforts to nationalize health care have been met with fierce resistance nationwide; TARP bailouts and stimulus spending have shown little positive effect on the national economy; unemployment is unacceptably high and looks to remain that way for most of a decade; legacy entitlement programs have ballooned to unsustainable levels and there is a seething anger in the populace.

That being said, here’s why Barack Obama is such a good thing for America.

Obama is the symbol of a creeping liberalism infecting our society like a cancer for the last 100 years. Just as Hitler is the face of fascism, Obama will go down in history as the face of unchecked liberalism. The cancer metastasized to the point where it could no longer be ignored.

Average Americans, who have quietly gone about their lives, earning a paycheck, contributing to their favorite charities, going to high school football games on Friday night, spending their weekends at
the beach or on hunting trips - have gotten off the fence. They have woken up. There is a level of political activism in this country we haven't seen since the American Revolution and Barack Obama is the catalyst that has sparked a restructuring of the American political and social consciousness.

Think of the crap we've slowly learned to tolerate over the past 50 years as liberalism sought to re-structure the American symbol of freedom and liberty to all the people of the world. Immigration laws were ignored on the basis of compassion. Welfare policies encouraged irresponsibility, the fracturing of families and a cycle of generations of dependency. Debt was regarded as a tonic to lubricate the economy. Our children left school having been taught they are exceptional and special, while great numbers of them cannot perform basic functions of mathematics and literacy. Legislators decided people could not be trusted to defend their own homes and stripped citizens of their rights to own firearms. Productive members of society have been penalized with a heavy burden of taxes in order to support legions of do-nothings who loll around, reveling in their addictions, obesity, indolence, ignorance and "disabilities." Criminals have been arrested and re-arrested, coddled and set free to pillage the citizenry yet again. Lawyers routinely extort fortunes from doctors, contractors and business people with dubious torts. We slowly learned to tolerate these outrages, shaking our heads in disbelief, and went on with our lives. But Barack Obama has ripped the lid off a seething cauldron
of dissatisfaction and unrest.

A former Communist is given a paid government position in the White House as an advisor to the president. Auto companies are taken over by the government, and the auto workers' union - whose contracts are completely unsupportable in any economic sense - is rewarded with a stake in the company. Government bails out Wall Street investment bankers and insurance companies, who pay their executives outrageous bonuses as thanks for the public support. Terrorists are read their Miranda rights and given free lawyers. And, despite overwhelming public disapproval, Barack Obama has pushed forward with a health care plan that would re-structure one-sixth of the American economy.

Literally millions of Americans have had enough. They're organizing, they're studying the Constitution and the Federalist Papers, they're reading history and case law, they're showing up at rallies and
meetings, and a slew of conservative candidates are throwing their hats into the ring. Is there a revolution brewing? Yes, in the sense that there is a keen awareness that our priorities and sensibilities must be radically re-structured. Will it be a violent revolution? No. It will be done through the interpretation of the original document that has guided us for 220 "FANTASTIC" years--- the Constitution. Just as the pendulum swung to embrace political correctness and liberalism, there will be a backlash, a complete repudiation of a hundred years of nonsense. A hundred years from now, history will perceive the year 2010 as the time when America got back on the right track. And for that we can thank Barack Hussein Obama.

It's not about race you moron!

As you read through this, notice how quickly the "race" card is played and how quickly I'm dubbed a bigot by those referred to as "THEM".

All names have been changed to protect the stupid. Changing the names to THEM and ME may make it a little difficult to follow in spots but it relieves me of any liable or slander issues so you'll have to suffer through it.

Moderator: THERE IS A DISEASE IN AMERICA!!!! It is called Talk Radio. Hannity, Savage, Limbaugh, Sheldon (from Boise) are making bucks by bashing the greatest office in the land and fanning the flames of disrespect of the Office of President.

This comment is not about Obama's policies, actions, or anything he is doing. IT IS about radio personalities such as Nate Sheldon, who said, "I'm making bucks" by bashing this countries leader.

Top of Form

ME: Speaking as a soldier it’s their right to do it. Just as Janeane Garofalo and Air America did when Bush was there. The office isn't any more sacred than the man and no one who's held that office is sacred. Policies aside, if you have issues with the president it's the man and the position. They are one in the same.

Thursday at 7:17pm

ME: At least they have the balls to do it in the States. Unlike the Dixie Chicks, Sean Penn or former Congressman Cynthia McKinney who have all waited until they're overseas somewhere to bad mouth the president or the country.

THEM: Obama makes the bitter white loser bigots feel bad because he's more successful, brilliant, and handsome then they'll ever be...and he's half African American. They are threatened by the loss of their hegemony, which is inevitable, no matter who is president. He's already won the Nobel peace price, edited the Harvard Law Review, and killed Osama Bin Laden, but they'll tell you he hasn't accompllished anything. The haters are incapable of respecting anyone who challenges their view of the world---and they've channeled their inadequacy and hatred at the first African American president. And they will deny all of the above.
You asked ;-)

Thursday at 8:40pm

ME: What was everyone else's excuse. This isn't the first president to be attacked by pundits on the other side of the political spectrum. You're mad because its obama. They did it to Reagan, Clinton, both Bush's and you can trace the diatribe all the way back to Washington. So since none of them were black why were they attacked? Because they were the president and they're fair game. I don't dislike obama because he's black. I dislike him for his policies and as long as he's president than it’s the president’s policies. When he's no longer in office it will someone else's turn. If I don't like the new policies I'll talk poorly of the new president too. It's politics, not race. I'm sure some dislike him for the color of his skin just as there were people who hated the others for being white but they are not in the majority.

For the record obama did not kill Bin Laden. He authorized the mission to take him out. That is all. He had no more to do with Bin Laden’s death than Bush did for Hussein’s capture. They only authorized the operations. The difference is Bush didn’t take credit for what the men on the ground actually carried out, he gave credit where credit was due, not an “I, I, I, I,” speech. After that speech you would have thought obama himself fast roped into that compound and pulled the trigger. As for the Nobel Prize, if I had known you could get one for just having an idea I would have put myself in for one years ago. I could eat a dictionary and shit better ideas than obama.

Thursday at 8:56pm

Moderator: While true ME:, it seems like, to me, that the rhetoric is a bit over the top and nonstop. That is what is bothering me.

Thursday at 8:59pm

ME: I don't see any difference between the way right wing radio treats obama and left wing media treats any of the candidates or past republican presidents. Neither is more over the top than the other. I'll be honest the only one that bothers me is the ones who say they're "journalists" who slant one way or the other. If you're a journalist you have no opinion put to print. You state facts. Period. I know what to expect from O'Reilly or Hannity or Beck or Sheldon. They are OpEd's, opinion pieces, but when someone (e.g. anyone working for MSNBC or CNN) presents themselves as a journalist than moves on to calling all of the republican candidates morons, etc... you're not a journalist and should be taken off the air. And I'm so damn tired of the race card being played. It's over done. Why is it anytime someone disagrees with the president they get called a racist or a bigot? Why does the left think this is such great ammunition? It's not. Calling me a racist for disliking the man won't make you win the argument, won't make me change my mind and won't make me a racist. Enough with the race card already, it's way over played.

Thursday at 10:35pm

THEM: Haters never see hate and insterad justify it. Bigots rarely see their own bigotry and claim they are victims of the "race card." The world is leaving them behind, and they're angry agbout it. They are the losers in a game that used to be stacked in their favor.

Republicans now argue aginst THEIR OWN ideas only because Obama now supports them. Tea Party rallies regularly feature racial hatred and stereotypes (watermelon, apes, etc.) Last night they whined that the president was "lecturing" them. Doesn't that black boy know his place?? The right wing is keeping America in the dark ages of race, enlightenment, education, equality, etc. and will eventualy destroy is. It's done a damn fine job.

Friday at 7:15am

THEM: This is really the best summary of what the right wing has become. I wonder when the everyday Republicans will realize how they have been played, used, and manipulated by powers that don't care if they live or die, literally. http://www.truth-out.org/goodbye-all-reflections-gop-operative-who-left-cult/1314907779

Friday at 7:17am

ME: No, the race card comes out anytime the left doesn’t have an intelligent argument or can’t support their ideology, which has been a lot lately. You brought it up with “He’s half African American” because it’s easier to blame us for being racists than to face the fact he has piss poor policies. It's a shame you can't see past his color. You seem enamored with him because he's black, or are you seeing past his color to the good you think he's done? If you can see past his color to the perceived good without being a racist, why can't I see past the color of his skin to my perceived bad without being a racist? You can't lump everyone into a single category because you disagree with them or they disagree with the president. I've heard the left scream about the racist happenings at rallies but just like everything else the leftist media only tells you what they want you to think.

I would love to see someone produce evidence of racial hatred and stereotyping you threw out there. I hear a lot about it but no one has proof. In this day and age you would think someone got it on a cell phone or something. It would be foolish to say that not a single, solitary tea party member, anywhere in America, is a bigot. In any discussion involving such large numbers, it’s almost impossible to say there’s zero of anything (besides net U.S. job creation).

But it is just as foolish to believe that so many Americans not only would support a group that was fundamentally racist but would, in our politically correct era, admit as much to a stranger.

Friday at 10:13am

THEM: It's a shame you can't see that this is 2011, and that overcoming racism isn't about "seeing beyond color." It's about accepting that America has a long and vicious history of systemic, political, and economic oppression based on race (among other things). You need to SEE someone's race; to see them as equal even though their skin, culture, upbringing, and 1,000 other things may have made them different from you. I see that Obama is half-African American, and that shaped how he grew up, how his identity was formed, how his values evolved---and it shapes how people see him now, though most deny it.

I have no problem with legitimate opposition to Obama's policies. That's the right and obligation of every American; to think and stand up for what you believe. But there is no legitimate opposition any more; only reflexive bigotry, hatred, knee-jerk infantile reactionary crap. The last time the GOP put forth a good idea, Nixon was president.

Friday at 10:24am

ME: Seeing past color, race, etc., is exactly what overcoming racism is about. To see someone as your equal; race should never be part of the equation. If you see their race, creed, culture or sexual orientation; you don't see them as your equal, they become your black friend or your gay friend, not just your friend, which means they are not equal with each other or with you. And who are you to state there's no legitimate opposition? If I don't like his policy of taxing the rich or not putting a fence on the border or not drilling for domestic oil those are legitimate reasons to me. Maybe not to you but they are to me and most of the people I know. Not because we're bigots but because those are policies we don't agree with. Who's to say what's legitimate and what isn't? The left? The right? This administration? How about the voters? That's our right. The problem with the left is all they see is skin color and because of that some people are more equal than others.

Friday at 11:06am

THEM: Your statement shows that you don't see other races, creeds, culture, etc as equal to your own---otherwise you should have no problem seeing people for who they are, sociologically and psychologicall, including those things. If you have to "overlook" that someone is black in order to see them as your equal, you are racist. I've yet to meet a conservative who understands this, though.

Your ideas are nothing but the same things that did not work for eight years under Bush. Try to come up with legitimate ways to solve the country's problems.

Friday at 11:14am

THEM: Jeez, Moderator:, where'd ya go? Lol

Friday at 11:14am

Moderator: bystander on this one. My grievance isn’t one of being pro or against obama...IT IS about how the media personalities who are blatantly fanning the anti-presidential office flames.

Friday at 11:30am

ME: You're right I don't see other races, creeds, cultures, etc... I see another human being that is on every level equal to me. Wow, what a horrible concept. I should be ashamed but I'm not. I'm pretty proud of the person I am and I sleep peacefully. But maybe people should rethink calling me a bigot or a racist when they know nothing about me other than labeling me a conservative. That's pretty prejudice if you think about it. I'm actually a libertarian but you couldn't see fit to take the time to learn that about me. You decided, with nothing but a glimpse of me, that I was a white conservative and therefore a bigot and a racist, or do you not see your own bigotry?

You want a plan? Here you go:

1. 15% federal sales tax. No income tax, etc. Everyone buys stuff, pimps, whores and drug dealers all spend money and right now they don't pay taxes. This will ensure the rich pay tax on the expensive stuff they buy and the poor pay the same share on the crap they buy. That is a fair tax.
2. Put full force patrols with all available technology on the borders (yes, both) our country is being invaded and the government is too stupid to do anything about it.
3. Drill for oil in Nebraska, Texas, Oklahoma, N and S Dakota and Alaska and let China buy from OPEC.
4. Support refineries
5. Support nuclear power
6. Eliminate all of the Department of Redundancy Departments there are too many doing the same thing.
7. Reorganize the military to the modern battlefield we are currently engaged in and stop funding pet projects.

8. Defund special interest groups. All of them. If they have a special interest find like minded friends to support your group but quit using tax money.

That’s for starters.

@Moderator: I still think the right has no more disdain for the president than the left did for his predecessor and no one on the left was crying about the treatment of him. It's the ebb and flow of the political climate. No matter who is there - there will be those who hate him. It's just a fact of life.

Friday at 12:06pm

Memorial Day

Well Memorial Day just recently passed and on Friday it will be 4 years since Carrie Lee was killed in Iraq and 4 years ago tomorrow since Virgil died in Iraq (two friends in three days makes on helluva week). Even as this amount of time has passed, I find it difficult to not get choked up when I think about my friends, gone. I have lost other friends over there before and since but I can say the loss of Carrie Lee effected me more than the others combined. Maybe because she was a girl but I really doubt that had too much to do with it. I enlisted Carrie into the National Guard so she really was one of my soldiers.

I’m not having a pity party, I’m just reminiscing. Virgil was one of the most laid-back guys I ever met. Always easy going, always even-tempered. Just a good ol’ southern boy with a love for his kids most could only hope to have. Carrie was one of the most wonderful, fun loving, full of life people I’ve ever known. My other friends? I hadn’t been in contact with them for many years and only heard of their deaths through “channels”. Of course it had an effect on me but it was more distant I guess.

Anyway, I tip my glass to all of my friends, fellow soldiers and Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.

I salute you my friends. You are gone but you will never be forgotten.

The economy as I see it.

Whether you consider yourself a liberal, a conservative or any other label you decide to use for yourself, I’m sure you are all aware of the fiscal mess our country is in right now. It’s seems to me we’re going the way of Marx quite rapidly. We seem to be punishing the wealthy and the achievers of this country and rewarding the sick, lame and lazy. I’m sure based on that statement many of you will automatically label me as a conservative or a right-winger and although I’d tell you otherwise, that’s your right to think this. I came to this conclusion based off of my own research, not from reading some talking points memo. And for the record I am not an accountant or a financial person by any stretch of the imagination so I'm sure there are problems with my thoughts but I doubt there as big or as many as what's going on right now.

Here are the facts as I know them:
1. The top 1% of wage earners in the U.S. pays just shy of 40% of the income taxes.
2. The top 10% pays just shy of 71% of the income taxes.
3. The bottom 50% pays 3% of the income taxes.
4. With approximately the lowest earning38% paying no taxes at all. (Just for the record: If you pay income tax and get it all back (or maybe more back than you paid) you do not pay taxes.)

Based on those facts alone I’d say the wealthy pay more than their fair share of the taxes. Another fact to keep in mind: Businesses do not pay taxes. I know you may think they do but if the government raises taxes on a business, small or large; they pass that cost on to the consumer. In addition to that most of them tack on a percentage of additional profit because they can. Consumers are the only ones that pay taxes. Period! If the government levies a tax on tobacco, sugar, gas, fat, rubber or what-have-you those companies raise their cost to cover the tax and the people who buy those products suffer the governments will. Not the corporation. This is free-market capitalism, which really is a good thing (I know, there’s that right-wing mentality again but hear me out and you’ll see why I think this way).

In New York City, San Francisco, L.A. and other large metropolitan areas people making over 250,000 dollars a year pay almost 60% +/- of their income in miscellaneous taxes, be it to the state, city, federal or county governments. I don’t care how much you make that seems rather Draconian to me. There is no reason for any person or group of people or business should surrender that much of their earned income to any government. This is a punishment and goes against a core value this country was founded on. If you work hard, you will be rewarded for your efforts. That ideal is why America has been so great. If you create something the people need you can charge what the people will tolerate for your item and you can become wealthy. That is what makes great thinkers, and great minds. Why would you poor your life’s blood into inventing/creating something if you know the government is going to prevent you from reaping your just rewards?

So many people point to Europe and the French as their model as to how well socialism works but when is the last time you saw any great leap in technology or medicine or any other industry come out of France or any other part of Europe? I know we’re in the same economic crisis as the EU right now but how we got there is what sets us apart. The people in charge of these companies did this to themselves, through greed and poor business practices, which if left alone would have fixed itself. The bad banks would have collapsed. The poorly run companies would have bankrupted. It’s how a free economy works. Would we have suffered for it? Of course we would have but we’re suffering it right now anyway. At least if we’d let it happen on its own we wouldn’t be footing the bill for the failed bailouts. In Europe they are in the same situation because their government put their countries there, still through greed and poor business practices but it will never be left alone to fix itself. Now our government has dug in and promised no one will be allowed to fail. In addition, the consumer is going to foot the bill. The danger we face here is this: Once you stop allowing the thinkers/inventors to be fiscally rewarded for their work there is no reason to share their ideas. Of course we won’t come to a standstill but progress will certainly slow to a crawl. However, once you actually start punishing the thinkers/inventors by taking what they’ve worked and strived for it will stop. Think about it this way: If I live in San Francisco and I make $250,000 a year to create whatever it is I create and between all of different applied taxes (meaning not taking into account sales, use and other taxes) I take home $100,000 while the owner of the used car lot making $249,000 takes home over $154,000. That $1,000 threshold is the difference between 60% and 40% paid in taxes. So why wouldn’t I take a lower paying job where I can take home more money, even if it means not creating the stuff society may need? This seems rather insane to me but this is really happening and the governments of California and New York can’t figure out why the wealthy are leaving their states and taking their businesses with them. So just for the record, California is not a good example to model the federal tax plan.

So, you’ve heard my complaint and no one should complain without a thought as how to fix it so here goes:
1. Abolish the income tax.
2. Don’t allow Ex-pats to own businesses.
3. Institute a federal sales tax.
4. Make in fiscally irresponsible to move a company out of the U.S.
5. Use our own oil and coal until we come up with something better.
6. Go nuclear.
7. Let the failing businesses/banks fail by allowing the market to decide what it will support.
8. Bring back the gold and silver standard.
9. Vote.
10. Trim the fat!
11. Deregulate.

Yes, abolish the income tax. There are too many loopholes and it’s too complicated to follow anyway. If you stop raping the wealthy, they won’t have to do things like move all of their wealth offshore. That would bring it back here and put it in our economy, not Switzerland’s. This ties directly into number 2. Don’t allow expatriates to own businesses in the U.S. It’s a dodge and we all know it so, if you’re too good to be an American than we’re too good to allow you to operate on our soil.

A federal sales tax: 10% across the board. Everyone pays his or her fair share this way. If you can afford $1,000,000 for a car, you pay $100,000 in tax. If you can only afford $10,000 for a car, you pay $1,000 in tax. This way, even those who earn illegally or under the table will pay tax. Now I know establishing a sales tax creates a black-market so we move everyone working for the IRS over to work in the organized crime units of the FBI to investigate the black-market now we haven’t even added to the unemployment.

Don’t tax the production of American goods but if a company thinks it’s beneficial to move their company offshore or to outsource jobs we should tariff their products to a point it’s not fiscally responsible to do so. This in-turn will reward companies that decide to stay here.

Stop being dependent on foreign commodities, the U.S. is one of the richest nations in the world when it comes to natural resources and we are more environmentally conscious than any other nation when it comes to harvesting those resources. That and it would put thousands of people back to work and more money into our economy.

Build nuclear power plants; if we can learn one thing from the French it’s nuclear power is safe and clean. Even when the melt down at 3-mile Island happened nothing was contaminated and there was no loss of life. The melt down in Chernobyl was because the Soviets cut corners and they lacked the technology to operate it safely or maybe it's because their government was running it (another reason to keep the government out of stuff). It’s safe and proven affordable. Quit being so scared.

Let the market decide what will and what won't make it. If GM makes big cars and no one wants, them let them fail. If the banks are poorly managed, break them up into small pieces so other banks can buy the debt they want and liquidate them. If a company makes a widget and sells it for less than another company than the other company needs to adapt or die. That is what makes America great. Not only can you succeed but also you can fail as well just let the market decide what's a fair price and who will be successful. It's not the governments place to decide these things. Why are we dumping money into things like the newspaper? It's a dying albatross and needs to go the way of the horse drawn buggy. The government didn't bailout the horse-shoers when Ford brought the car to the common man and we actually survived. Don't dump money into a failing media when it's being replaced by the internet. This is growth and economic Darwinism. Adapt or die.

Bring back the gold and silver certificates. The onset of our poor economy was Nixon eliminating the gold and silver standard. Now our money isn't worth the paper it's printed on. At least with the certificates we knew there was some value there. You can’t just print money and say the economy is fixed. That doesn’t work.

Be responsible with your vote. Everyone is complaining about the job our representatives are doing but we keep voting them in. Vote your conscience not your party line. It doesn’t matter if you're red, blue or purple. If the person in office isn't representing your views and ideals: VOTE THEM OUT! Just for the record if you didn't vote you have no right to complain. That's not up for discussion.

Our GDP is almost 13 trillion dollars and could be god-only-knows if we brought business back to America. I can't tell the future any better than any of you can but I bet that would go up exponentially if companies didn't feel they could do better elsewhere just based on the number of jobs created and the money poured into our economy. We can find a way out of this without the government jumping in the middle of it.

Trim the fat: These are program duplications I found with just a little research:
342 economic development programs;
130 programs serving the disabled;
130 programs serving at-risk youth;
90 early childhood development programs;
75 programs funding international education, cultural, and training exchange activities;
72 federal programs dedicated to assuring safe water;
50 homeless assistance programs;
45 federal agencies conducting federal crimi­nal investigations;
40 separate employment and training pro­grams;
28 rural development programs;
27 teen pregnancy programs;
26 small, extraneous K–12 school grant pro­grams;
23 agencies providing aid to the former Soviet republics;
19 programs fighting substance abuse;
17 rural water and waste-water programs in eight agencies;
17 trade agencies monitoring
400 interna­tional trade agreements;
12 food safety agencies;
11 principal statistics agencies; and
4 overlapping land management agencies

Deregulate: Get the government out of business of any and all types. A free market can't work if the government won't allow it to be a free market. Insurance companies are over regulated. Gas prices and utility price minimums are set by the federal government. There is allowance for competition. That is not a free market. Bring back the dog-eat-dog.

But, what do I know? I'm no politician and since we keep putting these clowns in there they must know best. Right?

Old

So, I was talkin' to my papa on his death bed.
With a smile on his face, here's what he said.

On the day I came out of my mama's womb
I found myself in the delivery room.

All bloody and wet I rappelled to the floor.
I cut the umbilical and crawled to the door.

I had a Humvee stroller and a tricycle tank.
Three safety pins on each shoulder for rank.

A camouflage diaper and baby dress blues.
A butter knife sword and black baby shoes.

I showered and dressed and then cruised the ward.
Saluting the nurses with my butter knife sword.

I heard all the babies just crying like heck.
I stormed thru the door, yelled "Attention on deck"!

"Listen up wimps! I'm in command.
Cryin' and whinin' I can not stand"!

When they said "Aye, aye sir"! I had it made.
Commanding officer. Baby Brigade.

Papa laid back and then he died.
I lowered my head, but didn't dare cry.

This is a story I love to tell.
My pop's the commandant of Marines in Hell.

~PFC Moysard, 1987, Infantry Training School, Camp Pendleton, CA.

The Liar

I don't know if I'm hurt, sad, upset, disillusioned or what. In my life, long to some of you and short to others, depending of from what end of the age spectrum you're looking at me from, I've become acquainted with many types of people. A very few I consider my friends, some I consider my enemies, most are just people who have crossed my path but any one who knows me knows I try to learn from all of them. Of all those I've met I've learned there are certain types of people I can't stand. Among the top are thieves and cheats but the worst one are the liars. You see the thief steels from you and you learn you can't leave your stuff out. The cheat, well they cheat you and you learn you can't play games or make dealings with them. Both fall under the "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me" rule of life.

The liar, however, the liar is another animal all together because they are all three and yet worse than the others combined. You see you don't know where you stand with a liar. You don't know if your friendship is real or fake. If they like or dislike you. If they love or hate you. Are they just using you? You don't know if what comes out of their mouth is truth or fiction. With the liar you never know if you're being lied to. You don't know what you can and can't believe so you're better off not believing anything they say.

The worst type of liar is the one you considered a friend. They're even worse than a family member who lies to you because you choose your friends. Which means you're a poor judge of character because you invited this liar in to your life. You can't choose your family but your friends are completely up to you. Unfortunately by the time you realize you've been duped, lied to or used, you have an emotional relationship with that person. How do you just dump someone out of your life after they've become a part of it? Life isn't like MySpace. You can't just delete them from your friends list and have that be the end of it. Regardless, they are someone you allowed to become your friend which adds insult to injury. Yes, injury. It rips your heart out when a "friend" lies to you.

You see, when someone you don't know lies to you it's no big deal. Move on and don't deal with them again. When it's a "friend" you learn very quickly it was a one way relationship. I say this because the liar never take into consideration how their lies will effect your life outside of your "friendship". You see their lie could endanger you, your other friends, your family or your loved ones. The liar doesn't care. Which means you don't matter to them even if they say you do. This makes your heart hurt even more because the one that betrays you has gained your trust to some extent. You've shared things with them, they've become a part of your life. That's what a friend is supposed to be. That's why you call them your friend.

Oh well, chalk it up to another life lesson. We live, we learn. Don't take this as a warning to not trust others because that's not my intent. I still love my true friends and I'll go to the depths of hell for them to this day. I don't believe "One bad apple" that's too easy. It just means I have room for a new friend.

All secrets are deep. All secrets become dark. That's in the nature of secrets.

A prayer for the troops

From Boondock Saints:

And when I whet my flashing sword And my hand takes hold in judgment, I will take vengeance upon mine enemies And I will repay those who hate me.

O Lord, raise me to Thy right hand And count me among Thy saints

Whosoever shed last blood, By man shall his blood be shed, For immunity of God makes he the man.
Destroy all that which is evil So that which is good may flourish.

And I shall count thee among my favored sheep And you shall have the protection of all the angels in heaven.

Never shall innocent blood be shed, Yet the blood of the wicked shall flow like a river.

The three shall spread their blackened wings and be the vengeful striking hammer of God.

Rant On!

What happened? What happened to the General Patton's, the Audey Murphy's, the Sergeant York's and the Chesty Puller's? What happened to John Wayne? What happened to the military of yesterday? The military they based movies like "The Green Beret's", "The Dirty Dozen" or "The Guns of Navarone" on? I don't think the young men and women are that different but society sure as hell has changed and now the days of the drunken, womanizing soldier are gone. That is truly sad, because it was the drunken, womanizing soldiers that won WWI and WWII. It was the sissy politicians that caused us to not accomplish our mission since. "Don't cross that line." "Don't do that." "Give that hill back." I'm sorry but it's war.

Soldiers train hard, work hard and play hard. Soldiers kill. Soldiers fight. Soldiers drink. Soldiers swear. Soldiers smoke. Soldiers fuck. These are not bad things they just embarrass people who choose to believe the world is a gentle, loving place. They don't get there are people out there that, regardless of how much love we show them would, at the drop of a hat, kill each and every one of them. They don't understand that because there are people like that you need people like us. They can't grasp the concept that someone who is willing to fight and die for their rights and freedoms could be such animals. Guess what! We are, but now it's politically incorrect to be that way. Society has become so touchy-feely they've forgotten the blood and guts it took to settle and establish this country, the pure, hard, animal drive it has taken to defend this country. They want the military when it's convenient. They want to see us on Independence Day and Veterans Day. They want to see us all spit and polished in the parades and they want us to come to their rescue when tyranny raises its ugly head. Other than that most of them would be happy if we were not allowed to socialize with "normal" society.

Soldiers can't drink in combat zones so now these poor men and women (most of who are of a legal drinking age) can't have a beer or a shot before they go into hell. They can't celebrate the return from a successful mission or celebrate they made it back from hell when they're done. Now they have a counselor to help us cope with the thought we just escaped death. Sorry guys, sometimes a good drunk is better than talking about our feelings. Let a soldier have a drink for Christ sake. Hell I've watched C-SPAN, I know we have alcoholics and drunks running this country. All the soldiers are doing is trying to relax a bit, forget about what they did and saw for a little while. Leadership by example Mr. Senator. As far as I'm concerned if you're in the military you should be allowed to drink any where and any time you want. If you're old enough to fight and die you should be able to have a beer when you're done with your mission.

Not too long ago if a soldier screwed up you pulled them to the side, and depending on the offense, you chewed them out or smacked them in the back of the head and all was well. Now if they screw up you can no longer just take care of something in house, you have to take judicial action. That's ludicrous. There is a time and a place for a good old fashioned "Wall to wall" counseling. The Soldier learned his lesson, the mission continued and it didn't cost the poor guy his rank or money for a stupid mistake. There's nothing wrong with chewing someone's ass if they screw up. You don't have to take legal action to prove your point.

Soldiers are not allowed to swear. I guess it might hurt the enemy's feelings if you call him a "cock-sucker" while you're plunging your bayonet into his chest cavity. It's sad to know a soldier could single-handedly save his entire platoon with nothing but his K-Bar and bare hands and instead of getting a medal he gets a Court Marshal because he called the enemy a "Fucking Bastard" and it insulted someone in his platoon. And God help the poor bastard if he utters anything about the enemy's race or religion. I just can't imagine the soldiers of WWII attacking the beaches of Normandy or the sands of Iwo Jima and being court-marshaled for calling the enemy "Japs" or "Krauts". I just don't see men like McArthur, Patton or Puller allowing this to happen under their command. Regardless of what the politicians back home had to say about it. But then again I can't imagine the politicians of that time coming up with these lame brained ideas either.

I spent the first four years of my long military career in the United States Marine Corps, with some of the toughest, gungiest (gungy: hard-core, dirty, mean) sons of bitches the world will ever know and I'd trust my life to any one of them. They drank, they swore and they loved to fight. These Marines would fight with each other if there were no one else to fight with. These men were hard; they would go into the depths of hell and drag the Devil out by his tail if ordered to do so but when they were done they were allowed to cut loose and release some of the stress that builds up when you know you could have died. Now, those of us that are still hanging around the military machine are "Old Soldiers" or "Salty Dogs" we are an embarrassment to what the politicians and the "Let's all hug and be happy" crowd are trying to turn us into. "No combat ready unit ever passed inspection. No inspection ready unit ever passed combat."
Political correctness has its place; the military just isn't the right one. I just don't see how it's possible to be politically correct when you're being shot at. You can't have a group of people trained to protect you at any cost, to include giving up their lives, trained to kill another human being, trained to do whatever may be necessary to secure your freedom and expect them to be socially acceptable and politically correct at all times. We can't just turn it on and turn it off. It doesn't work that way.

Society has two choices:

1. Keep its goddamned nose out of the military's business and allow the professional soldiers to do their jobs.

2. Keep two types of militaries at your disposal:
a. The one that is spit and polished and ready to march at your next inauguration/parade.
b. The one you keep hidden and only let out when you need to prove your might or have someone bale your dumb ass out of a jamb.

Well, maybe I'm just too old for this anymore. Maybe I should just pack my ruck and take that last road-march.

Rant off.

Anonymous.

Poem Found in the Pocket of a Dead Marine
Quang Tri Providence, Vietnam 07 June 1969

Take a man and put him alone, put him twelve thousand miles from home. Empty his heart of all but his blood,make him live in sweat, in mud.

This is the life I have to live, this the soul to the Devil I give. You have your parties and drink your beer, while young men are dying over here.

Plant your signs on the White House lawn; "Lets get out of Vietnam". Use your signs and have your fun, then refuse to use a gun.

There's nothing else for you to do, then I'm supposed to die for you. There is one thing that you don't know; and that's where I think you should go!

I'm already here and it's too late. I've traded all my love just for hate. I'll hate you till the day I die. You made me hear my buddy cry.

I saw his leg and his blood shed, then I heard them say "This one's dead". It was a large price for him to pay, to let you live another day. He had the guts to fight and die, to keep the freedom you live by. By his dying your life he buys, but who gives a DAMN if a Marine dies!

Devildogs, Shocktroops, Blood-Sucking War Machines, Ready to Fight, Ready to Kill, Ready to Die but Never Will, Marines make the Blood Flow, Blood Makes the Grass GrowSemper Fi Do or Die! oo-Rah!!

Veritas Aequitas (from Boondock Saints)

And shepherds we shall be, for Thee my Lord, for Thee.
Power hath descended forth from Thy hand,
that our feet may swiftly carry out Thy command.
So we shall flow a river forth unto Thee, and teeming with souls shall it ever be.
In Nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sanctus

October 18, 2006

So, I was just sitting here thinking about all the beautiful people who have allowed me to become a part of their life and this is to you. "Thank you." It's really all I can say to you and it doesn't really convey how I truly feel about any of you.

Four of you are serving in Afghanistan. To you I say "Stay safe. Stay careful. You are always in my thoughts, my prayers, my heart. Each of you is so very, very special to me. I love you and I miss you. I am always here for you."

One of you is a (sorta) long time friend that I just got the chance to finally meet that is going through a really tough time in her life right now, but has always found a way to brighten my day through her thoughts and words. For you I say "Keep your head up. You are a wonderful and beautiful person that is so much better than the things going on in your life right now. Although I don't know you as well as some I love you just the same and I am always here for you as well."
One of you is no longer with us. To her I say "I love you, I miss you and I'm sorry. I wish I had been there for you."

And last but certainly not least, is the one of you that is (finally) back here. To you I say "Thank you. You were my rock, as I was yours, you were where I couldn't be and helped me cope with that horrible period and you helped keep me sane during that time when everything was insane. You listen to me when I need to just talk about anything and nothing or get things off my chest. I love you and just as you are there for me I'm there for you when you need it."

So to all of you, "Thank you. My life is better and brighter for having each of you in it and would be sad without any one of you. You are all very special to me; near and dear to my heart. You are always in my thoughts, my prayers, my heart."

October 2006

It tears me up inside. I sit here knowing my girls (yeah, I said My girls, get over it) are preparing to go off to some shit hole country in the Middle East and Im torn between pride, fear, worry, guilt and God only knows what other emotions I am not accustomed to feeling. My heart sank into the pit of my stomach when I heard from them they were leaving. I know this is what soldiers do. I really do not care. That fact is, at this time, irrelevant to me. These young ladies are my friends and to top it all off I am not able to be there to protect them. Call it whatever you like: machismo, chauvinism, sexism, chivalry. I do not care what you wish to label it. I have grown attached to each one of them. I think of them as little sisters or daughters or what have you. They are all very special to me. Each one holds a very special place in my heart. They are my kids. I have known each of them from the beginning of their military careers and some since before that. I have watched them grow up. I have watched them become soldiers.

I know; as a leader, you should never become emotionally attached to your soldiers. It is a simple rule. One every Army leader knows, but I have grown attached, so that rule goes unheeded and is now a moot point. It is hard not to become close to them when you spend so much time learning about these kids and listening to their dreams and desires. Why not the same attachment to my male soldiers and friends? Well, mostly because men do not, generally speaking, openly share as much as women do. Because of that simple fact, I was able to get to know the (my) girls better than I was allowed to know their male counterparts. I have over the years been, and may still be, their friend, their counselor and their confidant and to some, I think, a father figure. Each of them, at one time or another, has shared thoughts and dreams with me, asked me for advice, come to me with a personal problem, confided in me or just needed me to listen, and apparently listening is something I do well. On the upside, it is the reason these young ladies have become so important to me. On the downside, it is the reason these soldiers have become so important to me. I know they are fully capable. That does not make it easier to watch them go. I have other friends going, male friends, and although I do not want to see them go either, it is easier because this is what men do. Men go to war. Maybe it is genetics, maybe it is testosterone or maybe it is a primal wiring we have not yet evolved out of but men have this prehistoric desire to conquer. It has been within us since the beginning of time. Since we lived in caves and fought wars with sticks. We cannot escape this; it is a part of us just like hunger, thirst and our need to procreate. I guess it really is primal.

On the first Sunday in June I received word one of my girls was killed by an IED, while serving in Iraq. A beautiful, young, vibrant life extinguished by some cowardly piece of shit who was too afraid to come out and fight, face-to-face, for his Holy cause. Since that day, I have questioned everything I thought I knew. I do not mean I have lost faith; I just question His master plan or big picture. Well, guess what? If the loss of someone so wonderful, in the freedom fight for people who will never truly appreciate their freedom (because they are not willing to fight for their freedom) is part of His master plan then His plan is flawed, because in this instance He has truly cast pearls before swine. I have lost other friends over there; just none so personally heart breaking. I read their names on the Roll Call and I feel my heart get harder and colder with each name I recognize. I will never forgive the terrorists for taking my friends from me and I will never forgive the Iraqi people for allowing it to happen. I feel nothing for these people beyond pure, seething, unadulterated hatred. I abhor them. I abhor their beliefs, their god and everything they stand for and hold dear. Very few have the bravery to stand up to the cowards and terrorists who are trying to prevent their freedom. Freedom they are not even being required to fight for. We are fighting for it for them. Handing it to them like a gift. The rest are too chicken-shit to stand up, or maybe, they are content with the status quo. I do not know. Again, I do not care. All I care about is the fact our soldiers are dying to free people who do not seem to care if they are free. That sickens me.

Some may label me a racist for this but I do not consider it racism. I consider it prejudice. If I see someone who looks Middle Eastern, I leave. I will not talk to, or even look at them and I sure as hell will not do any sort of business with them. I cannot tell if they are Iraqi, Persian, Indian, Arab, Turkish or what have you and I really do not care. That is not racism. That is just plane pre judging someone based on appearances. Therefore, I guess I am practicing appearance profiling and I am okay with that. If I am wrong I will deal with that when I meet my maker. He will scorn me for this and I will scorn Him for allowing my friends to die. We are even.

Yet, despite everything we know, we still try to make these people like us? Why? They will never like us. They hate us. They hate us almost as much as I hate them. (Deuteronomy 32:41 -- If I whet my glittering sword and my hand take hold in judgment; I will render vengeance upon my enemies and will repay those who hate me.)

Make no mistake this is not anti-war rhetoric! I believe we are just and right for being where we are. I just have a problem with helping those who will not help themselves. I do not think we should leave. We started a project and we need to complete it. If for no other reason than to prove to the people of other countries, as well as the people in ours, just because the going gets tough we will not turn tail and run. To back out now would be the worst possible solution. It is time, however, to take the gloves off. It is time to fight the fight these cowards and terrorists will understand. It is time to get biblical on our enemies. (Ezekiel 25:17 The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness. For he is truly his brothers keeper, and the finder of lost children, and I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy My brother. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you.) Let them know: If a terrorist attacks an American interest, either here or abroad, we will irradiate Mecca. Nuke Mecca? Yes. My reasoning for this is: all Muslims must, according to the Koran, make a pilgrimage to Mecca before they can enter paradise. If we promise to obliterate their holiest of holy sites and no Muslim can enter paradise if another terrorist attack is carried out against us, or ours, then maybe they will take it upon themselves to ensure it never happens again. We did not make this a Holy War, they did, but if they want to fight this like it is a Holy War then I firmly believe we should accommodate them. If they want to know whose God is more powerful or whose God loves His followers more, I think we have an obligation to show them how mislead and unrighteous they truly are.

Get in. Get done. Get out. We cannot help someone who is not willing to help himself. Help them by showing them how to help themselves. Give them the tools to do the job and leave. If they do not have the fortitude to use these tools to better their lives for themselves To hell with them! It is not our job to hold their hands. We cannot continue to baby sit. It they are content to live like animals in a Dark Ages society; so be it. Who are we to tell them they are wrong? It is now their decision. Do they want to be free and live a better life (as we see it) or do they want to crawl back into their mud huts and pretend all is well? That is for them to decide, not us. What is for us to decide is: How are we going to win these wars with the least amount of American casualties? That is the only question needing answered.

I know deep down my girls will be okay, that fact does nothing to ease the knot in the pit of my stomach. No matter how much that little voice in the back of my mind ensures me everything is okay I will continue to worry, until they return home. So it is with a heavy heart I say Good bye to my friends, my girls, my kids, my soldiers. You will all take a piece of me with you and I pray you will all bring them safely back to me, in one piece. You are all in my thoughts, my prayers, my heart. God speed and be safe my friends. I will miss you.

With all the love a father can give his daughters, a brother can give his sisters and a friend can give his friends,
-Moÿ-

The Invitation

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your hearts longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by lifes betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us
to be careful
to be realistic
to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn't interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
"Yes."

It doesn't interest me to know where you live
or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn't interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

~Oriah

Just venting I guess

Well, I was told I owe y'all a blog so I've been wracking my brain trying to figure out what the hell I'd right about that 1) I deem important enough. 2) Would be relatively entertaining. and 3) Might stimulate the readers gray matter. Not coming up with much. In fact I'm pretty much drawing a total blank, but I'll throw something out there anyway, not so much to entertain or stimulate anyone but more to vent. So I hope this gets me off the hook with her and you find this enjoyable, enlightening and possibly entertaining or stimulating.

So here goes. For those of you who don't know I commute about 60 miles round trip to work and home each day. Both ways I travel with the majority of the flow of traffic. Now to many this may not sound too bad, and I understand that but take into account most of the people I drive with can't drive. They're afraid of the traffic. They learned to drive on a tractor (e.g. 10mph was fast enough for John Deere it should be fast enough for Toyota). These are the people that get on the freeway at the same speed they were going on the last street they were on. If the surface road speed limit was 25mph then they do 25 on the freeway until they see a 65mph sign. Frustrating, especially when I'm usually doing around 70 or 75 when they pull out in front of me.

There are the people too lazy to set their alarm 15 minutes early so they can put their makeup on at the house or shave or what have you. You do realize you're not the only on the road, I'm sure because I most of us honk and wave with one finger when you cut us off. Please, do us all a favor and get up a couple minute early and do this stuff at home or leave a couple minutes early and do it when you get to work. Either way it's good for me. I've seen, as I've said, people doing their makeup, shaving, reading books and newspapers. I actually saw a guy one day, his head appearing and disappearing down in the passenger seat (I won't say what I thought he was doing). When I got up next to him he actually had a small microwave oven plugged into the cigarette lighter and was heating a danish of some sort. Now, is this invention really necessary? What in the name of all hell was the guy thinking when he came up with this idea? "Hmm. You know with all how little I pay attention to what's going on around me, I could make breakfast on my way to work." This guy should be taken out and hit in the head with a pick-hammer. He and his invention are truly menaces to society.

There's the speed police. You know who they are. They're the ones that get on the freeway and do 64 or 65mph and not a penny more, in the hammer lane and to top it off they won't get out of the way. To those of you who do this, do me a favor; GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE WAY!!! The left lane is a passing lane. If you are not passing someone; move over. If someone wants to do 85 in a 65 it's none of your business. And you holding them up is just as dangerous as their speeding. Plus on top of them speeding now they have road rage. Not a good combination. And to those of you who want to speed; no problem. I will get out of your way as soon as I can, but I am not speeding up to do it and tailgating only makes me slow down. If you're gonna ride my ass you may find out how good your brakes work. Is that the right answer? No, but it makes me feel better watching you swerve and raise a cloud of dust as you go down into the median. Quite the show. If that makes you angry and you want to follow me home, don't let anything but fear and common sense hold you back.

There's the "Ooh, Awe" squad. You know; the rubber-neckers. The ones that slow down when there's an accident or someone pulled over by the police or an orange bag of garbage on the side of the road. Just to let you know, I've seen a lot of accidents and all the gore that goes along with them. You don't really want to see this. It will scar you for life. If you want to see this so bad stop and render aid but get out of the way first. You don't need to know who's getting the ticket and no matter how hard you stare at the orange bag, it won't do any tricks. Take my word for it. I promise. The rest of us have somewhere to be, otherwise we wouldn't be on the freeway 2 hours before the sun's up.

This morning I had the opportunity to drive to work with "First not fast". I drive a very nice car (yes I am bragging, I waited a long, long time to be able to drive this car, I deserve to brag) that makes it very easy to speed. Therefore I use my cruise control any time I have the chance. If I don't I have a tendency to look down and not only am I going fast but I'm going "go to jail" fast. Anyway, this morning I'm on my way to work (yes on a Sunday), my cruise set at 70 +/- and I pass this woman in a white Benz. I get around her and move back in to the right lane and she comes flying up on me, goes around me and slows back down to about 60 again. So, since I didn't want to go that slow I again went around her and again she passes me and slows back down again. This went on from Nampa to the "Flying Y" where she finally got off at the Interchange. Now I'm just going to guess her Benz came with cruise. Why not use it?

Some other people I have yet to attach a moniker to are those out there that drive in a lane even though they know it's ending in 1000 feet. Remember this: It's your lane that is ending. We are under no obligation to let your dumb ass in. Then there's the people who see you signal your intention and they speed up to close the gap so you can't get in. This is usually the same jagoff that speeds up when you try to pass them. Nice asshole. Now I may play your game if I'm by myself but if my family is with me and you're putting them in danger by doing this, I will push you out of our way. I have done it before and I won't hesitate to do it again. No skin off my nose; with the nice car comes good insurance. Another one that really gets to me is the one you let in and you don't get the obligatory "thank you" wave. Look, if I let you in and you don't acknowledge me I should be able to get under you, take your air and put your ungrateful ass into the wall. Just some food for thought.

So I leave you with this:

1. The on-ramp is for accelerating. If the speed limit is 65 use the ramp to get up to speed.

2. If you are getting on the freeway, you are merging with us. Not visa versa. I don't have to let you in.

3. Don't do your makeup, shave, read, eat or hold conference calls while on your way to work. Get up early and do it at home. Leave early and do it at work but the rest of us would appreciate your undivided attention since we are trying to share the road with you.

4. You are not a cop. You have no right to try to control the speed of traffic by being a dipshit. Get the fuck out of the way and let the cops get the speeders.

5. Don't tale-gate me. I will slam on my brakes (see the insurance remark above).

6. Don't gawk at accidents, or stalled vehicles or police cars or people on community service. You are hindering traffic and could end up pulled over, causing an accident or out there on community service and slowing someone else down next month.

7. If you can't do the speed limit and yet can't stand being passed by someone please use your cruise control so I don't have to play leap-frog with you all morning.

Be curtious:

8. Don't drive until you run out of road, again I have no obligation to let you in.

9. Don't speed up when I signal my intention and I won't do it to you.

and last but not least,

10. When I am curtious and let you do something I am under no obligation to let you do: Wave!

I don't think I'm asking too much, am I?

Waxing Philosophical

Good morning sir, we're with..

I know who you're with.

Well what we'd like to talk to you about is...

I know what you want to talk to me about. I know what your beliefs are and without being disrespectful, I don't really believe the things you do.

Well, sir what we'd like to ask you is if you believe in God, Satan, Good, Evil, Heaven and Hell?
That was how I was greeted by the two, very attractive young ladies standing on my door step. One appeared to be about 21 and the other maybe 19 or a bit younger. Both dressed very nicely, with large black tote bags and their bibles. I politely invited them both into my house. Not for that reason. I would have invited them in whether or not they had been attractive. I invited them in because they were young and young people think. They aren't yet callused against those of us who don't follow their beliefs completely.

Now just to shine some light on me and my beginnings into religion, spirituality and the world of church; I was raised by a mother who had no idea what she wanted to be, believe or what church was best for her but in her quest for knowledge or salvation or what have you, I have been dragged from church to church and had religion thrown down on me since I can remember. I was christened Catholic. I've gone to non-denominational Christian churches, Methodist churches and even been beat over the head with the word of God at a Pentecostal Church. I've studied the Pagans, the Celts, the Saxons and Wicca. I've delved into Deism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Druidism, Confucianism and Taoism. I am, by no means, trying to say I know everything about anything but I could consider myself a bit of a Renaissance Man when it comes to religion and spirituality. I know enough to hold an intelligent conversation with people and to hold my own while doing so. Truthfully; I know just enough to be dangerous. What I hope to do is make some people think and piss off the others that are too closed minded to think for themselves and I think I do a fairly decent job at both.

So it is with this scattered knowledge that I invited these young followers of religion into my home to talk religious philosophy, the bible, my beliefs and maybe, just maybe give these two young ladies something to think about.

So we sat down in my living room after offering them something to drink and our conversation began. I sat crossed legged on the floor in front of them. They sat, closed off to me, on the couch. Arms folded across their chests and leaning away from me. I don't think they really wanted to hear what I was going to say but they were being cordial. "Do you believe in God?" the older of the two asked. "Not in the same one as you." "What do you mean by that?" "Well, your religion tells you to believe in God because the bible and the stories in it tell you he exists. You've chosen to believe out of the revelation of others. I believe if there is something out there, it isn't the white robed, omnipotent being, standing on a golden street, somewhere in the sky.  I think if there is something out there, it doesn't really care one way or another about any of us.  We've been left to our own devices.  We're a discarded science experiment".

"What about the devil?" the younger asked. She was beginning to relax a little, her arms now down to her side. "If he exists, I think he's one of Gods greatest creations." "What would make you say something like that?" the older sister asked. "Well, as religion goes, if there were no Satan there would be no need for God as you know it. There would be no need for religion. All would be good with no need to search for something better. Satan is doing what God created him to do." "God didn't create Satan this way. Lucifer turned against God." "Really? Do you believe the bible?" I asked the girls. "Of course we do." "Okay, then you believe the only one of Gods creations that He gave free will was man. Right?" "Yes. That's what makes us his most loved creation. It's why Lucifer and the other angels got jealous and turned against him." "Now listen to what you just said "God gave only man free will but the angels and Lucifer got jealous and turned against him". It can't be both ways. If God didn't give the angles free will they couldn't decide to turn against him. They had to have been created to do that. So, as I see it Satan or Lucifer is doing exactly what God created him to do. He's carrying out his God given mission because he doesn't have free will. So based on that, I think when this world is finished and time doesn't exist any longer, Lucifer will take his seat next to God for a job well done." On that note you should have seen the looks on those two girls faces. Shock doesn't do it justice. "So you think God knows what Satan is going to do?" "Do you believe God is omnipotent?" "Of course he is." "Then He has to know. He knows what you're going to do, what I'm going to do and what Satan is going to do. Which kinda goes against that whole free will thing, doesn't it?" "What do you mean?" "Well if God is omnipotent then our free will is just an illusion. If He is omnipotent and omnipresent, all knowing, all seeing, He knows what we are going to do. Our destiny is predetermined and our "free will" is just what I said, an illusion. We think we have free will, the ability to make a choice, but He already knows what we are going to do."

I think this is where our conversation took a turn. They no longer seemed to be there to talk to me about their church but question me about my beliefs. Both of them had relaxed themselves, their arms down and they were leaning toward me now. "Then what about good and evil?" "I don't know if I really believe in good and evil, per say, but like the Taoists I do believe in consequences. Everything we do effects our life and the world around us. Everything we do has consequences if you buy a homeless man a sandwich the consequence is he eats. If you drive drunk the consequence may be getting in an accident or going to jail. Not all consequences are bad so if you weigh things out and are willing to suffer or enjoy the consequences than do it. Not all religions consider all the same things sins. In fact sin and morality are both geographical. So, good and evil are enigmas." I think it was the younger sister that said she didn't understand what I meant. "Somethings we look down upon in the US and based on our religions, practices and beliefs may not be looked down upon in China or by someone who practices another religion. Therefore both are geographical."

They were both completely relaxed with me now and were both leaning forward listening to me. "Then what are your beliefs on heaven and hell? If there's no real good or evil, what happens with your soul when you die?" "Personally? I have no idea. What I believe is my energy, or spirit, will become part of everything around us. It's what the Druids and Taoists believe and those mirror my beliefs the closest. Sort of another dimension of where we are right now. To me it may explain ghosts and other psychic phenomena. There are too many sightings for me to just shrug them off so maybe it's the next dimension crossing over slightly. As for hell? I think hell is more of a purgatory for people not ready to move on. When they're ready they'll cross over to their heaven, whether it be heaven as Christians know it or Valhalla or Shangri La or what have you." It was the older sister who asked me this time "So you think everyone in hell will go to heaven? What makes you think this?" "Well, if you believe the bible, then you believe it too. According to your religion to get in to heaven you have to claim that Jesus Christ is Lord, the bible also says at the end of time every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. So if both are true than at the end of time everyone will go to heaven. I also have trouble believing that just because you're not a Christian you can't go to heaven. The Jews don't believe Jesus was the son of God, but they're supposed to be His chosen people. Buddhists believe in charity, love and peace. Live their lives with those beliefs to the best of their ability, why would a forgiving God punish good people for living good lives?" "So you think Hitler or Hussein or people like that will go to heaven?" "Well, if you believe in an omnipotent God that creates everything, than yes, I guess I do. God created them knowing what they would do. Created them with a destiny. So why would he punish them with eternal damnation for fulfilling what He created them to do. It's kind of like the Lucifer thing. Why could you create something to do a job and then punish or destroy it for doing what you made it to do? It just doesn't make any sense to me."

We sat for a while and talked about other things but that was the end of our religious conversation. When the girls had finished their drinks I escorted them to the door, shook their hands and said our good-byes. As they were walking down the drive way I heard the younger ask her sister "Do you think he might be right?" I smiled to myself as I went back upstairs. I didn't set out to change anyone's mind. I just wanted to give them some food for thought. I think I did that without attacking their beliefs and maybe they'll ask some questions and not take everything someone tells them as the gospel truth.

A history lesson.

For those who do not know about history here is a condensed version.

Humans originally existed as members of small bands of nomadic hunters/gatherers. They lived on deer in the mountains during the summer and would go to the coast and live on fish and lobster in the winter.
The two most important events in all of history were the invention of beer and the invention of the wheel. The wheel was invented to get man to the beer. These were the foundation of modern civilization and together were the catalyst for the splitting of humanity into two distinct subgroups:

1. Liberals;
2. Conservatives.

Once beer was discovered, it required grain and that was the beginning of agriculture. Neither the glass bottle nor aluminum can were invented yet, so while our early humans were sitting around waiting for them to be invented, they just stayed close to the brewery. That is how villages were formed.

Some men spent their days tracking and killing animals to BBQ at night while they were drinking beer. This was the beginning of what is known as the Conservative movement.
Other men who were weaker and less skilled at hunting learned to live off the conservatives by showing up for the nightly BBQ's and doing the sewing, fetching, and hair dressing. This was the beginning of the Liberal movement.
Some of these liberal men eventually evolved into women. The rest became known as girlie-men.

Some noteworthy liberal achievements include the domestication of cats, the invention of group therapy, group hugs, and the concept of Democratic voting to decide how to divide the meat and beer that conservatives provided.

Over the years, conservatives came to be symbolized by the largest, most powerful land animal on earth, the elephant. The jackass symbolizes Liberals. Modern liberals like imported beer (with lime added), but most prefer white wine or imported bottled water. They eat raw fish but like their beef well done. Sushi, tofu, and French food are standard liberal fare. Another interesting evolutionary side note: most of their women have higher testosterone levels than their men. Most social workers, personal injury attorneys, journalists, dreamers in Hollywood and group therapists are liberals. Liberals invented the designated hitter rule because it was not fair to make the pitcher also bat.

Conservatives drink domestic beer. They eat red meat and still provide for their women. Conservatives are big-game hunters, rodeo cowboys, lumberjacks, construction workers, firemen, medical doctors, police officers, corporate executives, athletes, Marines, and generally anyone who works productively. Conservatives who own companies hire other conservatives who want to work for a living.
Liberals produce little or nothing. They like to govern the producers and decide what to do with the production.

Liberals believe Europeans are more enlightened than Americans. That is why most of the liberals remained in Europe when conservatives were coming to America. They crept in after the Wild West was tamed and created a business of trying to get more for nothing.

Here ends today's lesson in world history: It should be noted that a Liberal may have a momentary urge to angrily respond to the above before forwarding it. A Conservative will simply laugh and be so convinced of the absolute truth of this history that it will be forwarded immediately to other true believers and to more liberals just to piss them off.

25 May 2007

Today is my 20th anniversary. On this day in 1987 I left Marsing Idaho to start my career in the United States Marine Corps. Since that time I have been around the world; several times. I've seen Italy, Spain, Greece, Turkey, France, Portugal, Crete, The Phillipines, Japan, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Africa, some places none of you have even heard of and all 50 states. I've seen some of the most beautiful places the world has to offer and some of the poorest places anyone could imagine.

I have seen combat (even in places we weren't at war) and I have seen my friends come and go. Many moving on. Many passing away. And too many have been killed in the last couple years. Eight to be exact (Rest in Peace my brothers and sister). Some I still maintain contact with and some I will never hear from again but they will always have a place in my heart or next to my fire should they come back in to my life at some time in the future. And someday I hope to meet back up with those that have gone before. I even got out for a little while, once, a long time ago, if was a foolish decision but one I made none the less. But the uniform kept calling me back to it. It truly is my siren. I have never really been able to imagine myself doing anything else. I never knew it would call me to the Army though. I have been an infantry man, an analyst, a supply sergeant, a recruiter, a programmer, a webmaster and an instructor. I have watched the military grow in leaps and bounds. Technology I never thought would be possible is now everyday. Computers that scared me to death 20 years ago are now the size of a pen and common place. A necessary evil for every person, every day. And my only means of communication with some. I have met some of the most wonderful people, most of you fall into that catagory since if it had not been for the military and the jobs or travels it has sent me on, most of you would have never come into my life. So as I rapidly approach the dusk of my career and I watch many of you just passing the dawn of yours, I have to look back and smile. No, I haven't loved every minute of it, but I have loved most of it and I wouldn't trade what I have, who I've met, the friends I've made or the things I've done for any amount of money.

I'm done now. Hope all of you have a wonderful day. I know I will.

The town so nice they named it twice.

So to those of you who knew I was gone: I am back and just as good as ever. I spent four days in New York City with my sister; she truly is a wonderful and amazing person. If only she could grasp how wonderful and amazing she is, but that is neither here nor there, maybe someday thought, I can hope.

Anyway I'll start with my flight which was, for the most part, uneventful, however I flew out of Oakland which meant I flew over San Francisco and I got an overhead view of all the landmarks of my very early youth. The Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, Alcatraz and Angle Islands, Coyt Tower, Hunters Point, The Presidio, the huge red and white tower that rested on top of the hill about the home of a long time passed, very dear family friend. The plane banked hard and I could look down over The Cow Palace, so with only minimal searching I was looking down on my old neighborhood and my old house. A short while later and there was Candle Stick Park, Three Com to those of you under 30; it will always be Candle Stick Park to the rest of us. It was almost surreal, I have not been back in 20 years and other than the best Chinese food, I see no reason to go. Looking down on all of my past caused a flood of emotions to come over me and I was unsure why it was having such a strong effect on me. It has been over 27 years since I lived there and I have no real emotional attachment one way or another, to the area. Then it dawned on me as I reminisced of trips out of the area from my past. I was waiting on the copilot to reach back, smack one of us and scream at all of us "Do not make me turn this goddamn plane around"!

All was well on to LAX and as I sat in my seat a very attractive and I am guessing by the book she was reading (Beowulf), intelligent young lady sat in the aisle seat and we started to chat. This is something I try to avoid while flying because most of the time the people I sit next to are just the rich cousins of the ones I sit next to on the Greyhound bus (Everybody out of the gene pool. It's time to clean the filter). We did not discuss anything earth shattering but it was a nice change from the normal travelers chirping.

Our conversation was quickly interrupted when a very large, very sweaty, unkempt black man (yeah I'm a racist, whatever. He was black if he'd been white I would have pointed that out as well) climbs over the top of the young lady in the aisle seat and squeezes his far too large ass in to the middle seat without so much as an "Excuse me" or "May I sit here"? My friends, this man stunk. The closest thing I could compare it to is what I imagine BigFoot would smell like. It was overbearing and stomach turning.

As we settled in for the preflight checks and safety briefing our new seat guest pulled out a bundle of bananas and proceeded to eat all of them, 8 or 9, I'm not sure, but they were all gone before we left the gate. Well apparently this guy liked bananas far more than they liked him because even before we reached cruising altitude he shifted forward and suddenly our seats were surrounded by an aroma that can only be described as "a dead rat, floating in sewage and sprinkled with a touch of banana"; truly a stench beyond redemption. It didn't get any better until Chicago. I think I will have to burn my clothes.

Well besides that I made it to New York without incident and it was great to see my sister, it had been far too long. And I believe we crammed 8 days worth of stuff into 4 days. We saw the "Shakespeare in the Park" rendition of Romeo and Juliet with Claire Fisher (Six Feet Under), Camryn Manheim (Ghost Whisperer) and Austin Pendleton (Christmas with the Kranks), so it wasn't a low budget production which I also enjoy. We walked the East Village, Broadway, Union Square, Time Square, Central Park, Midtown, and Downtown, anyway I walked much more than I have in a very long time.

We ate at Spark's, the East Side steak house where John Gotti had Paul Castellano "whacked", went shopping for tattoo's but decided against a new one (for now anyway), went to the Museum of Modern Art, or MOMA for those of you not "in the know" (of which I was one until I went there). They also call Washington Mutual WAMU, so I realized New Yorkers have their own dictionary of acronyms, very military for a city full of liberals. I saw Picasso's, Pollack's, Mattise and many more.

We went to a Broadway play called "Avenue Q", a musical with puppets. I'm sure, for those of you who know me, the first thing you that comes to mind when you think of me is "Musicals with puppets", however let me give you a quick rundown: It's almost a cross between Sesame Street and South Park. It's a coming of age with a musical score including songs like "It sucks to be me", "The internet is for porn" and "We are all a little racist". So, as you see it fits me better than I would have thought. I recommend if you ever get to see it; do. You won't be disappointed.

I met a few of her friends, each uniquely different but all beautiful, interesting and intelligent women. I remained on my best behavior to ensure I didn't say anything that would alienate her from them.

We had great Italian food, Indian food, and the best bagels in NYC, tons of coffee and a sandwich at Carnegie Deli that could feed a family of five; or my sister and me.

We saw The Fantastic 4; Rise of the Silver Surfer; a decent sequel. Went to the American Museum of Natural History, which I'm sure they tried to come up with a cool nickname but AMNG sucked and maybe AMUNATHIS was already taken or it sounded too Greek and in some way that would be bad. Who knows? We rented Night at the Museum; very good even if, like me, you don't like Ben Stiller. But it was an amazing place and should be seen by anyone who gets the opportunity to do so, it is worth the side trip.

I did not go to "Ground Zero", although I was offered repeatedly. I don't know if I could have dealt with the emotions of it and I'm also pissed beyond all belief it has been almost six years and it's still a giant hole and they've done nothing to rectify it. "ATTENTION REPRESENTATIVES: We are the laughing stock of the terrorist world!" They brought down the towers and these committees can't even place a corner stone without pulling it back out. They crippled you guys and you're doing nothing at all to save face. You are all a waste of money, time, space and oxygen. I can't take a bottle of shampoo on a plane with me unless it fits in a bomb proof one quart plastic bag? We're still taking our shoes off because some total whack job tried to light his on fire? Give me a break. We need someone to try a bra bomb or a panty bomb. At least then going through security will be fun and visually stimulating for me. Be honest; do any of you feel any safer knowing we have to do this crap? I can't take a lighter on a plane but I can take matches? Our enemies are laughing at us and "We the Sheeple" are still taking our shoes off and strip searching 90 year old Jewish women while Akmed and Hadjii are going through without so much as an eyebrow raised all so it doesn't appear we're singling him out because he looks like our enemy. They are using our laws, our courts and our Constitution against us and laughing all the way to the bomb factory. Would we really rather lose another 200 people or another national monument just to ensure we don't offend some Mula by pulling him off a plane because his prayer and "allahu ackbar" made the people on the plane nervous? I keep hearing people say "What about his rights?", well what about my rights and the rights of the other passengers to feel safe? No one has a right to not be inconvenienced but the people should have the right to feel safe in their travels and "allahu ackbar" does not make me feel safe.

But I digress, that was a large wander off the path I was taking. I didn't go to "Ground Zero"; maybe some day but not right now.

We had what I hope were great conversations about politics, life, love, happiness, writing, reading, war, peace, you name it and I think we touched on it. We solved all of the worlds problems well at least ironed them out a little.

I had a truly wonderful time with a truly wonderful person. I am however glad to be home. New York is a wonderful place to visit and I recommend it to everyone. Do it at least once but I miss my open space. It is a very invasive city. My sister told me people need 24" of personal space and the average New Yorker gets about 16". I think she's being very generous with that estimation though. It feels more like 10 or 12" and even less at times. I miss making eye contact with passers by. A friendly head nod is nonexistent and if you do get one you soon realize it was just a turrets' tick by the crazy guy. But the architecture, history and culture make it all worth while.

Go. Enjoy. You won't be sorry.