Barack Obama makes mistake in St Louis Hospital

The apparent Democratic candidate for President of our loved country visited St. Louis today. One of his first stops today before a "fundraising event" was a local metro area hospital. While "O" was there, he was to shadow a worker at the hospital for a little while. Being the "people's champion" that Obama claims to be, he chose a middle aged mother who had worked her way through college at the hospital to getting her RN license. Most would think this would be a good choice choosing a working class mom who made it on her own right?? Well wrong, after she had got off of her shift she called WIL 92.3 and talked to the local radio DJs about her visit. Though I really don't remember much of her phone interview with those guys, one thing she did say really stuck out. When the DJs asked her what Obama was like, she told them, "oh, he really wasn't that impressive...." Wow!! I know not everyone is great with people, but for a guy who is running for president to not be impressive?? You have got to be on your A-game 24/7. I would think doing a high profile PR event like this I would have been sucking up to that girl any time I got the chance.  I just thought of all the bumps in the road Obama has had, he could not have picked a worse person I think in the end...I just pray he is not elected...and if for some ridiculous reason he is, he makes some decisions that are based on some investigation and thought process...not ones that just seem like he is just shooting from the hip and making assumptions about people and issues.

To load, or not to load; that is the question.

Yesterday I finally recieved the new site for my .357. In my excitement, I retrieved the gun and my tools to put it on after dinner. As I unloaded the gun (yes, sometimes I do things right) my wife jumped into her normal routine of telling me it was fine to own guns, but I should not keep them loaded in the house. So, of course now I have to ponder the question a bit.

My wife's stance on the subject is of course an easy one to grasp... at least at first glance. "A loaded gun has the potential to accidently go off and harm someone." This of course is valid. An unloaded gun will not accidently go off if no bullets are in it.

My retaliation of course is closely related to her argument. An unloaded gun will not fire when you need it to. Most of the guns I own I do so because I enjoy shooting them for sport and fun. However, there is one gun in particular (the one in question) which I keep more for unwelcome guest type purposes.

You see, our home, while big enough for the two of us, is not so large as to allow for enough time for me to open a box of bullets, carefully remove 4-6 without fumbling with them and dropping them, get them in the cylindar, and get the gun ready to fire by the time an intruder is on her or me.

I can certainly understand the idea of keeping guns that are around children unloaded, locked up, and out of the reach of little fingers. At the same time, why would you not keep a loaded gun hidden and within easy distance just in case? It's like saying you shouldn't put gas in your car until you are going to use it because a kid might hop in and take off. I just don't see the point.

In the end, those who wish to protect others by not keeping a gun loaded and ready are free to do as they wish. As for me and my house, well... don't come in if you are not welcome.

2008 Economic Stimulus Checks and You

As just about any American that has not been living under a rock for the last six months or so has heard of the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. This act of legislation allows Single Americans a check of $600 USD, $1200 for married couples, and $300 dollars for each child claimed on the income tax return filed before the 15 April 2008 deadline.  Most Americans will qualify for the full amounts, but some will not, based on your 2007 tax liability.

Now I have asked many people who I know who are eligible for the checks what they plan to do with them. Responses varied from paying off bills, saving it, investing it, etc... Now what I see the main problem is that most Americans, (according to a recent survey) plan to use it to pay off bills or save it. That was not the purpose of these payments. We as Americans were to use this money to spend it, to increase sales, to make sure that we have our jobs just a little bit longer. Is this money going to strengthen the US dollar? Probably not. But the increased spending will help companies struggling with increased fuel costs and an economy slowed by a lack of consumer confidence. As you are reading this I am sure that you are thinking how you could spend your $600 bucks, but remember it is OK to save a little of it. 

To those of you who used direct deposit for your Federal Income Tax Returm, you should have already received your check. The keyword is should have. I did get my portion of the check, but having a little one, I did not get the $300 credit. I am one of over 380,000 e-checks that was not processed properly. When am I getting the other $300? Who knows... I never said that the government is perfect, but come one guys, this kind of waste and inefficiency is getting old.

Remember the point of the checks, spend it, do your American duty, go to Best Buy and get a TV made in Asia.

Where do Conservatives go?

This election is proving a few suspicions I have been praying were incorrect:

1. Republicans are the new Democrats,

2. Hardline Democrats are nutcase socialists who hate everything good about America and flammboyantly pursue the destruction of American Society as we know it,

3. Conservatives no longer really have a home in our current two party system.


Conservatives like me who have long asked simply for our Constitution to be followed as it stands, for the United States to remain a Republic as it was originally set up to be, and for people to rely on themselves instead of the government are being ignored by the party we have worked so hard to promote and help stand on steady legs. Now, the Republican party is promoting a central government that has become something of a perpetual motion machine, ever increasing in size and power, and keeps pandering to the demands of the left wing fringe.

The Republican party has given in to the idea that it is better to have a constituency that depends on the government for daily living, so that campaign promises of hand-outs at tax payer expense buy votes.

They have given in to the idea that illegal immigrants are good for our economy, that teenagers really are too good to work manual labor jobs, and that illegal entry into our country should be rewarded with an effective jump in line to legal citizenship.

Republicans have given in to blindly following unproven theories of science at the expense of maintaining a strong dollar and economy.

Conservatives have not given in. But we no longer have men or women in Congress, or the Whitehouse for that matter, who listen anymore.

We are a base for a party that no longer cares to hear what we have to say, because it is easier to buy votes than stand on principle. We are a base for a party that wants to ignore us in order to appear "softer" or "friendlier" to a group of people who are not Sears shoppers. We are a base to a party that will lose because it is ignoring its base.

So my question is, where do we go from here? How does the party of Conservatives once again become the party for Conservatives? One thing is sure, I don't have the answer to the question. I could scream and shout and write Republican elected officials, but my words would only fall on deaf ears. Alas, I am not a minority, I am not an illegal alien, and I do not rely on the government to make my living and my decisions for me.

I am simply someone who worked hard in school, got a good education at great personal expense, work a full week every week, and pay taxes. Therefore, my voice no longer matters to either side of our two party system. So, who do I and those like me dare to ask for help? Certainly not the Republican Party of today.

The idiocy of foreign aid

Myanmar is quickly becoming a shining example of why the United States should reevaluate its stance on foreign aid. Currently, what we are seeing in that country is a terrified regime of bullies that is so scared of losing power that it feels better about allowing about 100,000 people to die due to the typhoon and its after affects than it feels about allowing foreign aid workers to help those who need it. The government was gracious enough to allow us to drop supplies to them however, at which time they started taking the good stuff for stockpiles and replacing that with whatever they had lying on the shelves.

The United Nations does the same thing, just on a much larger scale. Why do we constantly funnel money to organizations and countries that serve only to degrade the United States at every opportunity, and support the corrupt and evil?

I propose a two year break. That's right! Lets take two years off and divert the hundreds of millions of dollars (probably more like billions) we send in foreign aid every year and instead cut taxes, fix roads, or even go socialist with it and help homeless people get some job training, build better schools, or provide free meds to elderly. I don't care what we do with the money, but I would much rather give that money to people in the United States who would appreciate it than give it to another dictator or the U.N.\

Why can't America learn? Why aren't there more people going ballistic over this?

A small lesson in Federalism

Federalism is a deep subject, and very difficult to explain fully. I still don't know all the ins and outs, but I definitely get the basics, and I don't think enough people understand what it is, and why it is what the United States actually was meant to be.

The basic idea behind federalism is that the United States Government and state governments are seperate intities, and that state governments have all the powers not specifically given to the national government. Now, where do I get off saying this is the way the U.S. was meant to be?

The 10th Amendment. Read it. "The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." This is easy to read and understand. The Constitution gives the United States government so many powers that are basically certain and specific. Everything else is left to the states to regulate, and if they choose not to, then the people should regulate themselves. The U.S. was meant to be a very "hands off" government.

Thanks to the Supreme Court, the national government has expanded its powers far beyond what the Constitution grants. Now, is the Constitution final and absolute? Absolutely not! We have a process in place, made by the Constitution, that provides flexibility. It is called the Amendment process. We can amend the Constitution, but it is not easy, and that is for a reason. The Constitution sets up a government that meets the people's needs without being overly intrusive. Amending the Constitution and giving the federal government more power was supposed to be something that was only done when absolutely necessary. These days, it is perfectly acceptable to have the majority of the Supreme Court (that means 5 people who were never elected and can't be voted out of office) to dictate what the laws we live by should be. Think about that for a while. It's a very scary thought, but too many people don't understand our government and have let this practice get out of hand.

The gentleman from Arizona has the floor.

Thank God (and Arizona voters) for Congressman Jeff Flake. Recently on an appropriations bill Congress was trying to pass before going on break, Congressman Flake insisted on debating several earmarks he viewed as at least suspicious. While Flake wanted to actually keep an eye on taxpayer money and keep from spending money (exhorbitant amount of it) on things that ultimately don't help America as a whole, the majority of Representatives from both sides, Democrats and Republicans, were simply annoyed with his efforts. Congressman Murtha was kind enough to lead the hate of Flake. By the way, Murtha is the one who bragged about trying to remove funding from the troops. I guess he thought spending money on useless shit in his district to gain political power was more important than our soldiers safety and well being.

Excuse me for asking, but isn't there some kind of reform supposed to be going on in DC, or is that just something they tell voters to make us feel warm and fuzzy while we're getting royally screwed out of our hard earned dollars. While the rest of Congress is at work trying to maintain a status quo of corruption, Congressman Flake is actually watching your back. We need more guys like this!