"Those Drug Company Commercials"

                                              
I just finished watching "The Waltons".  It's a wonderful show and shown on The Inspiration Network.  The Waltons is actually part of a triumvirate of "feel good" shows.  The other two shows are "Wind at My Back" and "Highway To Heaven".  After a day of reading or watching frightening things like another terrorist bombing in the Middle East, another rise in the price of oil, or a DNA testing on Maury which showed hubby is not the father of wifey's child, I like to tune in to more wholesome viewing.

The problem is that, with the exception of a commercial for reverse mortgages featuring a retired Senator, Robert Wagner and Fonzie, the biggest cluster of commercials is about the latest medicine to cure osteoporosis, diabetes, heart problems and, god forbid, excessive vaginal menstruation.  Just as I'm settled comfortably in my recliner revelling in Pa filling that lumber order to feed the youngins the show breaks for commercial. 

Okay, I can live with commercials; that's how the network pays their bills.  But I'll be damned if I understand how anyone...and I mean anyone could even consider taking those meds!  My god, people, didn't you pay attention to that final 15 seconds of the commercial?  They begin the commercial by showing the patients riding bikes, running along the beach and taking grandson for a high flight balloon ride!  But then, the commercial narrator speeds up his speech rate to issue forth with all of those FDA-mandated side effect warnings!  "Patients taking 'mediflux' should consult your physician"..."common side effects are nausea, vomiting, dizziness, muscle spasms and brain seizures..."do not take 'mediflux' if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, have a history of heart trouble, are diabetic, are prone to gout, have ever eaten more than a pint of ice cream or have ever listened for the entire length of a Barry Mannilow song....."

Folks, I don't know about you but I'd be thinking long and hard before I would even consider taking any of those meds!  What is really scary is that, in this drug-loving nation, these meds must be selling like hotcakes or they wouldn't be spending billions in marketing them!

Since I've got to have my "wholesome fix", I still watch "The Waltons".  So I've learned to cope:  When Bob Wagner or Fonzi or The Senator come on pushing grandpa and grandma to reverse mortgage the home place to finance a sea cruise, I go get a cup of coffee.  When one of the commercials for the wonder drug comes on I go grab a Tum to settle my nausea, a side-effect of watching those drug promos.

By the time I get back to "The Waltons", Pa has filled the lumber order, Grandpa has made peace with Grandma for his sin of sipping "The Recipe" with the Baldwin sisters and Olivia and Pa are in pre-coital bliss as they bid good night to all the children.  The Walton family has somehow overcome tremendous Great Depression challenges...and without the aid of a single aspirin.

P.S.  If you have ever watched the Waltons you know that they have something like nine kids, who all say goodnight to each other at bedtime with crystal clarity....haven't you ever wondered how Ma and Pa had nine kids with walls that thin?

"California Dreamin-'Undocumented' Nirvana"

                                                       
An illegal immigrant crossing the border anywhere between Nogales, Arizona and the hills east of San Diego is on a quest for "gold" far more substantial than the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez's quest for gold five hundred years ago.  Cortez died broken and all dreams of gold died with him.

Contrast that with the illegal immigrant who is crossing over the border even as I write this.  Most likely, he's on his way to Los Angeles.  As he and his family traverse the coastal range from San Diego to Los Angeles the government has conveniently posted diamond-shaped yellow signs with the profile of two adults and a child; the sign warns drivers along the I-5 corridor to be courteous and not run them over, as they may be crossing the busy freeway in flight from a Border Patrol unit.  Note: It is far more likely that the illegal is being transported, as "cargo" behind a load of Mexican lettuce in a truck. See this:  http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/05/19/20110519mexico-migrants-in-tractor-trailers-business.html  and http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/05/19/20110519arizona-drug-smuggling-ring-arrests.html

Let's call that hypothetical family Juan, Juanita and little Jose.  Once they arrive in Los Angeles this illegal family will find a "welcome wagon" of bountiful government and community gifts just waiting for their arrival.  Their first stop will be a store front in a strip mall where, for less than a hundred bucks, they will be furnished with a fake Social Security card and a fake California Drivers license.  They will easily find housing because the Feds, championed by the ACLU, have dictated that it is "racist" to require proof of citizenship before renting your house or apartment.  Next stop will be to raid the local food bank meant to assist impoverished American citizens.  Now firmly established and "legal", Juan and Juanita, after registering little Jose in free public or charter schools, set out to secure employment, using some American citizen's Social Security number.

Juanita quickly finds a job as a hotel maid.  Her salary and tips amount to $2,000 dollars per month.  Juan, using his illegal contacts, quickly gets a construction job with a home remodelling contractor making $2,000 per month, all in cash, no benefits provided.  On his way home, Juan walks by a Home Depot and notes that illegal day workers are hanging out in the front of the store and learns that the "gringo" county government has mandated that Home Depot provide a restroom, water fountain and air conditioned picnic tables to ease the plight of illegal day laborers awaiting a "pickup".  (Google: Home Depots in Los Angeles ordered to install Day Labor rest facilities, I swear it is true!).  http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,286944,00.html

As Juan and Juanita become more acclimated to their new home country, they quickly learn from their illegal neighbors that there are at least two dozen taxpayer funded financial assistance programs available where the question of citizenship is verboten.  Their neighbors also recommend that Juanita get pregnant right away for that is the route for the real "mother lode" of benefits.  It gives the family access to the WIC program, welfare, free medical care under the Medicaid program, racial and economic preferences for low cost university tuition programs and a whole host of taxpayer give-aways. 

 

                                                      
       
Soon a year has passed and Juan and Juanita have raked in tens of thousands of good old American dollars.  While during a visit to a Western Union office to send money back to family in Mexico, Juan and Juanita learn from the Western Union operator that there is more "gold" to be had from Uncle Sam; "go over to that Hispanic owned tax office over there", they are urged.  "they will file your tax returns using a W7 (INIT) non-citizen tax filing".  The IRS will then return to you all of your payroll taxes and, as a bonus, will send you a check for thousands of dollars as a Child Tax Credit for little Jose.  You'll also get more money from an  Earned Income Credit because the IRS only knows about Juanita's salary" (wink, wink).

Juan, a little cautious, says "won't the IRS report us to ICE?".  "No way!", says their advisor.  By federal law the IRS is not allowed to report tax information or your address to ICE". 

So Juan and Juanita and little Jose are living the good life indeed!  Between Juan's tax-free salary and Juanita's taxable salary and financial freebies from state programs and food banks and  other goody give-aways, Juan and Juanita and little Jose are pulling in over $5,000 dollars per month and don't know what to do with all the money!

After buying a late model SUV, Juan and Juanita are cruising in high style.  Oh sure, Juan's driving is a little erratic since he hails from a small Mexican village and has no driving experience.  His new found illegal neighbors advise him not to be crazy enough to waste money on car insurance.  Very expensive they warn!  So Juan drives L.A. and truly hopes he doesn't have an accident, or god forbid, run over someone due to his driving deficiencies.  But he has now been trained to drive away from any accident because he knows that will surely get his SUV impounded and he'll be pursued in court for human and property damages.

Soon Juanita is pregnant and, as the family awaits the "mother lode" of benefits awaiting them upon the arrival of a "real American citizen", they decide to buy a home.  Soon they learn that the State of California will actually give them $40,000 dollars toward the purchase of a home!  (Google it; it's true!)  Juan and Juanita carefully select a California city that has declared itself a "sanctuary city", which denotes city governments that refuse to comply with E-Verify laws, illegal federal arrest warrants, and vows to protect the poor "undocumented immigrant" at all costs!  http://www.sanctuarycities.info/sanctuary_state_california.htm

Now permanently ensconced in the welcoming community and enjoying the advantages of tax evasion, enriched by dozens of free federal and state social service programs, enriched further by IRS Child and Family tax credits, Juan and Juanita and little Jose are literally rolling in abundance!

Then, Juan and Juanita and little Jose hear about these "radical" gringos who are demanding that they be deported!  Juan and Juanita are very angry!  Who wouldn't be?  They have a huge investment in the continuance of the gravy train and their very wealthy quality of life is threatened!  "By God, we'll take to the streets!" cried Juan and Juanita.  "We'll march by the tens of thousands through the streets of L.A!"   "We'll scare the hell out of those gringos and we'll eventually get amnesty and the gravy train will roll on!" 

"And if that doesn't work, we'll just call anyone who opposes illegal immigration, a racist!"...that'll do the trick.  Their mind at ease, Juan and Juanita crank up the mariachi music another notch and lean back and smile.  Ah "California Dreamin!".

                                                               

"Extreme Makeover; American Excess"

                  Good morning folks,

If you've ever spent any time in Europe...and get past the "polite exchange of greetings" stage, you'll hear some veiled or subtle comment from a European that we Americans are cultural barbarians.  Part of that sentiment comes from the lingering class system that continues to pervade European society and part of it derives from jealousy that we Americans have led the world in both military and economic power for three quarters of a century.  Alas, part of it is true.

Europeans tend to read more fine literature and appreciate the fine arts more than Americans.  Europeans watch less trash television than Americans do.  With respect to tastes and lifestyle Americans are also guilty of excess.  We need only to look at our recent ten year "spending spree" when we overspent for home re-modelling and furnishings and living the good life on borrowed money to know that is true.

If I might co-mingle both trash TV and excess spending, I would like to point to the TV show, Extreme Makeover, Home Edition, as evidence of reaching my own personal "gag" factor.

A few years ago someone recommended the show to me; they indicated that they couldn't watch the show without breaking out in "bawling mode", tears of joy shed for the "family rescue".

So, I tuned into the show one evening and was amazed at the "orgy of giving" going on.  The show starts off with the right premise; they have usually identified a deserving family, usually with a heart-rending sad luck story.  A "need" is usually identified.  A home may have been damaged in a tornado, a returning vet finds while he was out serving America, cold-eyed banker foreclosed on his home...there are any number of these scenarios. 

To which I say "bravo!", let's get this vet installed in a decent home or let's get this storm ravaged family's home re-modelled!  But no, this simple display of help is not enough!  The show's premise, it's very "sexiness", must rely on showering the family with gift upon gift.  A home remodel?  Pshaw, Pshaw!  Let's give em a palatial home with state of the art, energy saving appliances and a security system!  Let's drown them in top of the line washers and dryers, let's build em a solar heated swimming pool!

Soon the needy family is literally drowning in largess and have joined the army of the "victim class" whose salvation shall always be just around the corner!  Indeed, have you read how many of these families returned to the "destitute class" very shortly after being "saved"?  Here's a google search page of many of those "needy" families in trouble with the tax man, a mortgage company..and even the police!  http://www.google.com/search?q=Extreme+Makeover+family+in+trouble&hl=en

Hasn't anyone in America heard of a simple and quiet act of kindness anymore?  Must we all have to watch "orgy" level excess to be impressed by charity?  Rather than all the sexy stuff they do to draw big viewer ratings, why the hell don't they do one tenth of what they are doing now...and do it for ten different families instead of one?

Hey, Extreme Makeover, Home Edition!  If you come across this blog entry, go back and read the one about my 1960's kitchen!  I'm on a fixed income and I could really use a kitchen makeover!...and I'll be damned if I'll accept a new car, or appliances, or an IPAD or the IPod! ....and I definitely don't need a year's supply of diapers!

Well....okay...I'll accept the new car....and my old washer could certainly be replaced....is that IPOD the white or the black one.....

:)

"Hubris; Obama Is Thy Name"

                                                       
Last weekend C-Span re-broadcast Jimmy Carter's famous "American Malaise" speech from 1979.  In that speech Carter reprimanded the American people and spent 45 minutes lecturing us on our laziness and our greed and our need to be "disciplined".  That was the hubris of Carter; he felt like he was far superior to the average citizen; he was smarter and worked harder and could comfortably tell us exactly what we should do.  A year later Carter, with his 15 percent inflation rate and 18 percent home mortgage rates,  his coddling of Iranian rebels, was on his way out of office in a massive election defeat

                               1980 Presidential Election Map (Carter Won Minnesota and Washington, D.C.)                                                           

      and would bear the title "worst President in history" for the next three decades.  (Note; 17 minutes after Reagan was inaugurated, the Iranian hostages were airborne, en route to freedom in America)

Somewhere Jimmy Carter is smiling; he is no longer the "worst President".  That honor goes to another "supremacist" who knows better what is good for us and unfailingly works every day to dictate for us the "medicine" that will cure our sickness.  Barack Hussein Obama, who has never in his life, held a job and drawn a four-figured pay check, who was favored with racial preference quotas for both college and law school, who garnered hundreds of thousands of dollars in minority scholarships and taxpayer-supported federal education grants, has built for himself an "empire of the imagination" in which he alone knows all...and knows it better than anyone else in the world.

Observe carefully the "Great Obama" as he emerges daily from the White House, teleprompter ever at the ready, to offer pronouncements of wisdom which will surely resolve every American problem.  Focus on the visage of the man; with utmost sincerity the man will jack the chin up in arrogant pose and mandate what Americans will and will not do.  Having learned a trick or two from his reverend of 20 years, Jerimiah Wright (he of the God Damn America!), Obama preaches the sermon of socialism and American "unexceptionalism" with great gusto!

Listen to Obama as he circumvents the Congress through the appointment of "specialty czars" who dictate the laws and mandates without either review or approval of Congress.  Listen to him as he champions Obamacare because the government knows how to manage your healthcare options better than you do.  Listen to the anointed one as he dares to spend a trillion dollars to "stimulate" the economy with such projects as studying the mating habits of squirrels, builds a rat preserve in San Francisco, or water parks in the city of Chicago.  Listen more intently as he explains why this "stimulus" hasn't worked in the three years since the money was spent. 

Cup an ear and listen carefully as Obama makes a speech in the Egyptian parliament and speaks of the grandeur of the Muslim culture and denigrates the American effort to free a billion people.  Listen carefully to see if Obama cheers America's role in the crumbling of the Soviet empire and the crumbling of the Berlin Wall, or the Marshall Plan which re-built post war Europe or re-built a post-war Japan. 

Now listen to his most recent pearls of wisdom; he now tramples on the only democratic nation in the Middle East, Israel.  See how he embraces rebellious forces in Egypt, even as they rape American news correspondents, burn Christian churches and, through the Muslim Brotherhood, call for re-newed "Crusade" to destroy Christian nations!  Watch closely as Obama executes an air war against Khadaffi without demanding from the rebels a pledge to implement policies favorable to peace and tolerance for non-Muslims!

It is indeed ironic that, at almost this same time, 32 years ago, Jimmy Carter chose to "lecture and scold" the American people, only to be defeated in 49 states 18 months later.  We can only hope the American people are tired of being lectured to, are tired of having our American way of life demeaned and will send this hubristic son of a Kenyan radical to a massive political defeat.
                                             

"Nancy Pelosi's Phallic Gavel..and Women's Liberation"

The above photo was shot on the day that Obamacare was rammed down the American people's throat.  Democratic House members were walking from a meeting at the White House back to the House.  Any who watched that day could not have failed to have seen Pelosi's near orgasmic delight in passing a bill she admittedly hadn't read, that adds more trillions to our national debt, and against massive opposition from 70% of the American people.

Note the strange ferrying of the huge gavel that she strangely felt she should carry around in transit to and from the White House.  At that very moment Pelosi was the most powerful woman in America.  What does it say about a woman who would deflate like a balloon if all the Botox was removed, that she had to carry around a huge phallic symbol as evidence of her power?

Maybe it says that perhaps we have not advanced the liberation of women as much as we had hoped.  I thought for sure that recent statistics proved beyond all doubt that women have achieved equal footing in our society.  National college statistics show more women are completing a college education than men.  During the current recession the National Labor Bureau is reporting that women are keeping their jobs even as men are losing theirs.  Federal Title 9 mandates that women's collegiate sports teams must be funded, even if the programs don't draw enough spectator revenue and even if the costs involved forces the cessation of men's sports programs.  Even the majority of social safety net programs are designed primarily to benefit women.

How is it then that we have the most powerful woman in the United States feeling that she must wield an over-sized, almost phallic, gavel to prove she's "in charge".   Was Pelosi so insecure that she felt a need for artificial "power devices" to hold her own? 

If the most powerful woman in Congress feels the need for such artifice what does that say about the average female worker in America?  Are all women feeling the need to wield the phallic challenge?

The gains made by women in the workplace and in our society over the past forty years has been truly astounding!  I personally would like to see a woman conservative elected as President!  But, for god's sake, how much is enough?  While I'm sure most women have no designs on our "uniqueness", a certain circle of women do indeed seem to want to castrate the men and wield the "results" for all to see.  Must we men surrender our penises to women as well?

Then again, perhaps I'm all wrong about this; I saw the Current Speaker of the House, John Boehner, take that huge gavel from Pelosi on the day he was installed....and he seemed to enjoy wielding it as well!  Maybe it's just a "power" fetish of which both parties are guilty.
No matter,  let's call a truce; we men will allow you to keep what is rightfully yours and you allow us to keep what is ours and "Viva La Difference!".  For now anyway...after all...in an earlier blog I admitted "In Fifty Years We'll All Be Chicks". 

                                                      

"Doomsday Today"

Good morning folks,

Well a certain contingent of American citizens believe that the world comes to an end today.  Being inherently cautious, I plan on hedging my bets on this. I think I'll just stay home and wait for it.  As I do for the Superbowl, I plan to make a big pot of chili and marinate some chicken wings to throw on the barbecue this afternoon.  I've got three flicks all lined up to screen today; "Fail Safe", "Dr. Strangelove" and "On The Beach".  For those of you who aren't familiar with them, these films all deal with some end of the world type stuff.

If Doomsday comes today I won't have to worry about my weight so I'll probably give up my low carb diet for today.  I think I'll run up to the bakery and order up a gooey double chocolate cake and a big tub of ice cream. 

I'll also take a holiday from worrying about where our nation is going and join the other 150 million Americans who apparently don't give a damn either.  Maybe I'll just wile away the day posting inanities on Facebook and Twitter.  If Doomsday doesn't occur by 6pm I'll probably mix up a batch of Long Island Ice Teas and celebrate the delay.

When I was a kid I read the bible a lot.  When I got to Revelations it scared the hell out of me...all those strange horseman and the blood and all...but then I got to the part where they said no one knows when the end of the world comes so I figure tomorrow will be just another day.  Besides, I've had about six decades to get ready and I don't figure I would do anything differently today than I would any other day.

Oh well, Doomsday does give me a day to slack off and just bum out...I've never been one to pass up the opportunity to chill out and graze. 

I hear Caesar's Palace's Sports Book in Vegas is offering a million to one odds that Doomsday doesn't happen tomorrow.  Are they crazy?  If Doomsday comes how the hell are they going to pay off all the winners?...oh yeah...if it happens, they won't have to worry about it will they?  Oh well, that sounds as good a bet as any.  I've had worse odds.

Well folks, I sure hope to see you again real soon and right here!  But, if the Doomsdayers are right this is probably my final blog entry.  If so, look for me on the "other side".  Most likely I'll be at the bar downing a "milk and honey" cocktail.  Cheers!

"Obama's Illegal Immigration 'Tantrum'"

                                                            
Good morning dear reader;

Despite my antagonism against any politician catering to illegals for voter support, I couldn't help but be bemused by President Obama's recent trek down to El Paso to, rather than kissing babies, opting to kiss Hispanic "behinds". 

Obama knows full well that, in order to legalize 30 million illegals, he'll need the approval of Congress.  The last time I looked Congress was in session in Washington, D.C. and not El Paso, Texas.   Rather than deal with the issue with the House and Senate, Obama has opted to "throw a tantrum" down in Texas.  As I wrote in an earlier blog, "Obama, Naive Child of Wonder", Obama continues his "child-like" Presidency.  We need only go back to early in his term when he ceded leadership to Reid and Pelosi to implement the massive and fraudulent and ineffective trillion dollar "stimulus" program.  Further, as he sat in the Oval Office "playing President" Pelosi and Reid hammered out a 2,300 page healthcare bill that did nothing to improve the efficiency or cost effectiveness of our health care system. 

When really pressed into a corner, as Obama was after failing to act after the BP oil spill, Obama finally flew down to the Gulf Coast, rolled up his trousers, walked along the beaches and railed against the entire oil industry, guilty and innocent alike.  Gathering up his courage and inspired by an old Reverend Wright diatribe, Obama threw a tantrum in hopes that Americans could see that he was "feeling their pain". 
He then stomped back to Washington D.C. and, in pouting petulance,  stopped all off-shore drilling, even for those oil companies who installed the latest, technologically advanced capping systems.   

Now, Obama is frustrated by all the Hispanic backlash because he failed to keep his campaign promise to legalize the invaders in his first year in office.  Rather than having an "adult" discussion with members of Congress, Obama, in keeping with his child Presidency, flew down to El Paso, and in his best community organizer voice, screamed out a tantrum while ignoring every negative point of illegal immigration.

I, personally, can't wait until we once again have an "adult" in the White house.

"My Friend, Eddie"

Dear Eddie ,

Do you remember when our two families worked the fields together back in the early fifties?  We were all so poor back then; our whole familes worked just to get enough money to eat and pay the rent.   Do you remember all of us rising before dawn and filling the burlap covered water bottles, packing our baloney sandwiches in wax paper, then heading to the grape vinyard or peach orchard?  We were always in the fields as the sun came up, the vines still damp in the morning calm.  We cut those grapes and either boxed them for the wineries or layed paper trays for the raisins.  Remember how hot it got on those 100 degree days?  How the knats swarmed about our noses and mouths and drove us nuts?  We were just little kids back then, Eddie, and to break the monotony we would plug each other with dirt clods and raise the ire of our parents.

When we marched out of the fields the sun would be setting so we were too tired, Eddie, to do much playing....but on Sundays we'd congregate in one or another's back yard and mount our broomstick horses and hold off the bad guys with cap guns. 

Eddie, we shared alot in those days, you ate Okie food with me and I ate home-made tortillas and tamales at Christmas at your house.  As the years went by both of our famiies moved around alot back then and it would often be months before I would see you again.  We finally got to see each other daily when we got into junior high and high school.  What I remember most about you, Eddie, was that perennial smile; I don't think I can ever remember you without that smile!

We both went into the military at the same time, Eddie.  You beat me to Vietnam by two months.  After getting my orders for Vietnam I was determined to look you up; maybe have a beer or two at the club!  You stood me up, Eddie; you died in battle on a February day two months after you deployed.  Your face is now frozen in youthful smile now, as I think of you.

I'm now an old man now, Eddie.  I was one of the lucky ones who got to come home.  But, I remember you Eddie on every veterans day.  Eddie, do you remember that big yellow rose bush that climbed the back fence of our house on Thompson?  Some day, my friend, I'm going to visit The Wall, and leave you a yellow rose.

I'm proud of you, Eddie ; not Mexican-American, just "American".  We need you badly, Eddie...I know there are still many "Eddies" today, just like you, but there are far too many who now march in our streets carrying the Mexican flag and burn and desecrate ours, who see America as an ATM, not the America you died for.

                                                                

                                                              

"No Amnesty; You Weren't Invited To My Home"

Note to Readers:  I apologize for any inconvenience you may have had in viewing and/or posting to my blog for the past 36 hours.  The Google Blogging system was inoperable due to a glitch which occurred during periodic maintenance.                                                    



Each time I watch a news show and see illegal Mexicans up in arms because the President has failed to keep his promise to legalize them, I get very angry.    Noted, this issue has been discussed from all angles.  Democrats and even some Republicans try to justify the illegals' presence here by saying "we can't deport them all".  I say Bull Hockey. 

You would not reward or welcome people who invaded your home...and I refuse to welcome those who have invaded my country.  This time I won't even get into the quality of  illegal immigrant who are invading.  I won't even get into the cost to us in increased crime and the crippling of our social service programs.  It is simply enough to say "No Mas"...no more. 

Of the 120 or so blogs I have written here, I would guess that at least a quarter of them have dealt with the specific problems that illegals are responsible for.  I have also offered plausible and logical solutions for ridding this country of the illegal element. 

The illegal communty is blaming President Obama for not keep his promise to legalize them.  I say, "welcome to the club", he broke a lot of promises and illegals would be wise not to count on him keeping this one.  I still assert that there are enough of the American people who oppose illegal immigration to punish any politician who tries to grant amnesty to illegals in any form, to include the Dream Act. 

It is high time for the American people to be pro-active.  We no longer have the luxury of waiting until some hair-brained Kennedy-McCain Amnesty bill raises its ugly head again.  We need to boycott businesses that knowingly hire illegals, we need to be clogging up every legislature's email box with letters demanding that illegals be deported immediately!

Bring our troops home from the Middle East and post them at the border, with orders to shoot unlawful border crossers,  and augment ICE in sanctuary cities, round them up and bus them to the border. 

So, Eva Longoria and all you Open Borders/Blanket Amnesty supporters, you have a wake-up call coming.  America is mad as hell and we're not going to take it anymore.  Past amnesties only encouraged further invasion.  We've been polite enough for too damn long.

Leave My Home!

"How Ya Like Those Egyptian 'Freedom Fighters' Now?"

                                                   
Good Morning Loyal Reader,

In several of my earlier blogs I warned against naive optimism about the so-called Egyptian "freedom-fighters" that ousted Hosni Mubarak.  I cited the insight I received during my ten years of living in the Middle East.  I voiced the certainty that democracy is not possible in a Muslim culture and that a benevolent Muslim theocracy is the best we can hope for in any Muslim society.  This is why I argue so vehemently against wasting the lives of young Americans and our national treasure trying to democratize and nation build in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Never the less our President and a whole host of senators and congressmen from both sides of the aisle continue to boast of "freedom outbreaks" in the Middle East.  They point to the riots in Tunisia and Yemen and Qatar and Egypt and all the other Middle East nations as evidence that Muslims want "democratic freedom".

Now, in the headlines we see Egyptian "freedom-fighters threatening Egyptian Christians with violence as they burn their Christian churches and chant "we will defend you, oh Islam!". 

How is it possible that so many can be so stupid and naive?  The wise guy analysts on nearly every news network have been trumpeting the "birth of democracy" in the Middle East.  Our diplomats and ministers and congressmen and our President are hailing the wave of freedom sweeping across the region.  Really?  Can no one distinguish political and cultural unrest from freedom movements? 

America's "wise men" even go so far as to say the region has turned its back on the Taliban and Al Quaida.  Really?...and if so, how is that so important when there are a hundred other extreme Muslim groups poised to take their place?  Witness the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt who are now clamoring for the seat of power and re-newing their pledge to take any measure to spread the word of Islam and to defeat the West!

Must we go back 800 years and re-study the Crusades before we learn that Islam and Western democracy and culture do not mix well?  Can't we learn from the half-century of efforts we have made to bring Peace between Israel and the Palestinians...and know that it is a culture and religious clash and not an economic one?

Now, the West, through NATO, has chosen to take sides against the despicable Qaddafi and never question the political or religious or cultural aims of the Libyan rebels.  Yes, almost certainly, Qaddafi will fall.  Knowing that, shouldn't the West be demanding certain commitments from the Libyan rebels; say, for instance, you promise to swear off holy wars, you promise to install a corruption-free government, and you promise not to persecute those whose religion is different than your own?  Shouldn't we be demanding something from these rebels before we expend vast treasure in military arms to enforce a no-fly zone and, far more, for actually conducting a massive air war? 

I guess in the long run all of this waste is of no consequence.  Our massive national deficit will soon mandate bringing our troops home and let these "freedom fighters" determine their own fate.  We've invested over a trillion dollars in Iraq and Afghanistan alone, not to mention hundreds of billions of borrowed dollars to give to other countries in the region in the form of military assistance and economic assistance programs.  Within a year or two we'll be forced to cease and desist from "nation-building" because China and Japan are going to stop buying our bonds and we'll be in virtual bankruptcy. 

We will then be taking on a new form of nation-building...our own.  And, alas, it will be building from the ashes.

"Sadly, It Looks Like Obama Will Be Re-elected"

For a month now I've been badly embarrassed by Donald Trump and his impotent pluckings about Obama's birth certificate.  I was even more disappointed in the number of Tea Party folks who were championing Trump's campaign for a "birth certificate showdown".  There was ample evidence that Obama was born in the U.S.  Rather than concentrating on the massive damage Obama has done to our economy the fringe element of "birthers" took us all down a road we wished not to travel.

I've already detailed my problem with Trump in an earlier blog (The Great Trump Flameout).  The guy is a wild egotist, a philanderer, shows no consistent positions on any issue worthy of debate and is not even a good businessman; he's wiped out many investors in his enterprises through several near bankruptcies. 

Yet, here we have a small but significant element of conservative voters who are actually trumpeting Trump as a viable Presidential candidate.  Were Trump fortunate enough to survive the primaries and emerge as the Republican nominee the race would be over by June of next year.  Trump has so much dirty laundry that the Obama political machine would chew him up and spit him out in record time. 

Okay, let's assume that there are enough sane conservatives to eliminate Trump somewhere around New Hampshire.  Where does this leave us?  I was watching C-Span yesterday morning and the Associated Press Political Analyst was offering his assessment that the candidates already declared is probably the field we'll be voting on.

That's not especially good news; most of the current candidates carry more baggage than a United Airlines porter.  Many are shopworn, having been looked at and passed over in previous races, others have as much charisma as Ben Stein in that Ferris Beuller flick. 

I was hoping that Senator Marco Rubio from Florida or Senator Thune from South Dakota would step in and accept a draft but that's not likely since they are so fresh off their own recent election victories and don't want to look like D.C. carpetbaggers. 

I still say a Rubio/Christie ticket would steamroll Obama and his minions but, alas, we may have to suffer still more pain and economic turmoil until sanity is restored in 2016.

I won't give up the fight.  Hope springs eternal but it's not looking good.  God help us, our nation may be bankrupt before we are done with the Obama/Reid/Pelosi regime.  If we are to hold any hope in sending those three to the unemployment line we'll have to forgo the "thrill" of birth certificate conspiracies and begin debating serious national issues...and find someone in the Republican field that can inspire the electorate.

You've likely heard at least one speech by our current field of candidates.  Contrast those speeches with the one given by Senator Marco Rubio on tax day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WgBnCINauQ

"Nancy Pelosi's Frequent Flyer Program"

                                                       
For two years Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi opined that "the oil men in the Whitehouse" was the reason gas prices were so high.  This did not prevent her from making 85 trips at taxpayer expense during her last year as Speaker of the House.  The U.S. Air Force expensed the cost out on separate expense line items and reported the cost to taxpayers to ferry Pelosi and her friends and family on weekend jaunts to San Francisco.  The expenses totalled $ 1,285,362.00 dollars.  An additional $86,000 was spent for food and alcohol.  ( Judicial Watch  December 2010, Volume 16, Issue 12.)

Other taxpayer expensed items prove that our former Speaker had expensive tastes: 

Quote:

"On one junket to Baghdad, according to the Air Force report, she had the aircraft bar stocked with Johnny Walker Red Scotch, Grey Goose Vodka, E&J Brandy, Bailey's Irish Creme, Maker's Mark whiskey, Courvoisier Cognac, Bacardi Rum, Jim Beam Whiskey, Beefeater Gin, Dewars Scotch, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Jack Daniels Whiskey, Corona Beer and several varieties of wine."

Note:  None of the above listed "refreshments" was offered to our military troops in Iraq since they are not allowed to partake in alcohol while serving in a Muslim country.  This luxury is reserved for our honorable public servants.

Also, regarding Pelosi's assertion that oil prices were high because of the "oil men in the Whitehouse", Pelosi failed to disclose that she and her banker husband own more than a million dollars in stock in a California Natural Gas company (Clean Energy Corporation) which has received favorable treatment by Pelosi during her congressional service.

Somehow last November the American people decided that Ms. Pelosi needed to be "grounded".  Now that she is no longer Speaker, her air travel is limited to a choice between Southwest Airlines or "broom". 

                                             

"Do We Need A Military Draft?"

Today, I offer a conundrum for which I have no easy answer or satisfactory solution.  Specifically, in a time when we are fighting two and a half wars, is it now time to consider a return to the military draft?  I also wish to preface all of this by urging you to read my earlier blogs arguing against our occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan.  I am not advocating for a larger defense force; I'm simply saying that, if the U.S. intends to continue to pursue these adventurous wars, they are simply not equipped to do it!

During the later stages of my military career I served as a war planner at a major command headquarters.  At that time, our foreign policy planners formulated the "maximum capability" level of our military forces which was a 'two and a half war' scenario.  I'm not giving anything away here; this was a well publicized strategy and known to anyone who wished to study American foreign policy.  Note:  Keep in mind these were two "major wars and one regional war"!  (Both Iraq and Afghanistan would, historically, be considered "regional" wars.

Without going into detail I will say that, as of the late 1980's our forces were "strained" at best to meet that kind of multi-war potential.  Shortly after that the Clinton administration and Congress affected huge defense level reductions which made the "two and a half war" scenario obsolete.  Huge troop reductions and base closures and the implementation of an "All Volunteer Force" forced Defense planners to implement strategy that would call for highly mobile troop contingents and an expansion of equipment staging areas in "areas of concern". 

When President George Herbert Walker Bush provided an armed response to Sadaam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait, he was forced to wait for an international contingent of international forces to form in order to assure a successful campaign.  This should have been both the State and Defense Departments first "wake-up" call that our forces were not sufficient to meet both department's foreign policy objectives.

The first breakdown came as George W. Bush began waging wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.  While Senators like McCain argued that insufficient forces were being brought to bear against Iraqi oppostion, it should be noted that the truth is Bush simply did not have sufficient forces available to meet those needs.  That's why such heavy participation of National Guard forces were used to meet the war time needs.  Even these forces proved insufficent as the Bush adminstration wore out our forces in multiple war time deployments for many units.  These shortages also took away our ability to wage full scale efforts against terrorists in Afghanistan. 

Contrast our present force stucture with that which existed during the Vietnam War era, a time when the military draft was in force.  When I deployed to Vietnam the U.S. Air Force had over 800,000 active duty troops in the force.  Today, the Air Force is barely one quarter of that number!   With the exception of the Marine Corp, most of our other military services experienced similar drastic reductions in force.  

It's obvious that we cannot continue to expect to wage any war succesfully with current troop levels.  While it is true that the quality of the active duty force is superior to that during the draft era, there is simply not enough to go around. 

I expect the current budget problems are going to cause a serious re-examination of our capability to fight any further sustained wars as we have been doing in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Hopefully, some one will wise up and bring our troops home and let those in the Middle East sort it out for themselves.  We could more reasonably protect our nation by bring our troops home and beefing up our harbor and border security.  Barring that option, the U.S. is going to have to seriously consider a military draft.  Our troops have been abused enough, as evidenced by the high suicide rates and frequent social problems associated with too much time spent in an intense combat environment.

"Adult Diapers, Penis Pumps and Mobility Scooters"

                                                   
Do you ever watch those commercials that cater to the aged?  All manner of products aimed toward the "Medicare Set" are offered in carefully tailored presentations.  The TV network wonks have advertizing demographics down to a science.  The old 80's shows on TV Land seemed to be all sponsored by companies marketing to the age group who visit them most often, those who were "prime-timers" when LaVerne and Shirley were "Sha-banging and sha-meeling" out on their front walk. 

The Medicare Set's viewership is rewarded by such disparate offerings as adult incontinence products, penis pumps and mobility scooters, and by god, they'll even show you how to get Medicare to pay for it! 

Look, I don't have any problem with Medicare to cover medical treatment and hospitalization; I'll be there myself in a few years.  However, in these critical budgetary times I wondered just how Medicare became so all-encompassing that Uncle Sugar can pay for every single medical need!  At what point does the individual take some responsibility for even a meager amount of their medical treatment?  Must we really pay for penis pumps for seniors?  Are seniors really having that much sex?  When seniors reach the age of 65, are they all relegated to a mobility scooter?  And, if so, can't someone in their immediate family contribute something to take care of mom and pop? Finally, how in hell are these seniors needing a mobility scooter to get around but still have the stamina for sex and penis pumps?   I recently read a report by the Washington Post that the Medicare program is paying four times the actual cost of motorized wheel chairs!  This fraud is rampant throughout the program.  That's why I'm so damned angry that the feds continue to want to run the entire healthcare system; there is just too little oversight and too damn much fraud! 

If you've read my previous blog entries you know that my prime concern about Medicare/Medicaid are the numbers of people who have absolutely no business getting this assistance; illegal aliens, anchor babies and folks getting paid in cash and gaming the social service system by reporting lower than actual earnings.  However, there is also fraud throughout the Medicare/Medicaid program which includes seniors receiving bennies that we just can't afford!  By all means, lets pay for medical care and treatments for our most vulnerable citizens.  But, by God, I'll be damned if I'm happy paying for Penis Pumps for Grandpa who's apparently having more sex than I am!

                                                              

"Obama's One-sided, Back Door Immigration Summit"

Do you know how to tell when President Obama is lying?  When his lips move.  Witness the never-ending press conferences where he comes out, earnest look in place, and says he wants to work with the opposition to get things done.  How many times have we heard that lie?  His first lie went into effect when the Dems started the spending orgy with the $800 billion dollar "stimulous" bill that funded rat parks and Acorn and all manner of non-job creating projects.  The second time was when the Obama/Pelosi/Reid regime dreamed up Obamacare behind closed doors, then denied Republican input or amendments and then rammed it down the American people's throats, even as every town hall meeting said "NO!"

The list goes on and on; Obama circumvented the Congress to dictate his socialist edicts through his appointment of 40 or "czars".  Now Obama is holding an immigration summit.  Look who's invited:  every liberal in favor of granting amnesty, to include Bloomberg and Al Sharpton and a couple of dozen spanish language TV broadcasters and executives.  To "doll up" the place he also brought in Eva Longoria for her outstanding expertise in immigration and foreign policy.   Notice you don't see one anti-illegal immigration representative. 

Obama again ignores the fact that over 70 percent of the America people are against illegal immigration.  I guess he has figured out that he's already lost middle America and his only re-election chances lie in the Hispanic vote. 

In the last two and one half years I wish I had a nickle for every time I've heard the phrase from our citizens:  "Fool Me Once, Shame on You, Fool me Twice, Shame on Me".  I think most of us have had quite enough. 

The only immigration initiative I want to see is Obama returning to his father's homeland.  He's shown much more affection for foreigners than he's ever show for the American people.