Just Let Me -- G -- Indoctrinate You!

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Dear America,

Happy Tuesday

I was planning something else for today (given, if you recall, that I am knee deep in S'Linskey's Rules), but low and behold something better came in the G mail this morning; one can't plan for such occasions, and sometimes you just have to go for it, ya know...

plus, we all know the importance of a little levity and laughter...other side makes fun of us all the time...all is fair in love and war...can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em...it's the children who are caught in the middle...and always seem to be the one's who get hurt...sometimes it's just better this way...ahh the way we were...memories, like the corners of my mind....what's too painful to remember, we simply choose to forget...so sad.

So here G goes, sharing a work of brilliance that is going viral as we speak; it is by "John J. Wall" (it doesn't even matter if he's real, or not, if you know what I mean) ...enjoy.

DIVORCE AGREEMENT


American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists
and Obama supporters, et al:


We have stuck together since the late 1950's,
but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce....
I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has run its course.

Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree
on what is right so let's just end it on friendly terms.
We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences
and go our own way.


Here is a model separation agreement:

Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a portion.

That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can
come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy!
Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.


We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them.
You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU.
Since you hate guns and war,
we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military.

You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell
(You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle
big enough to move all three of them).


We'll keep the capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies,Wal-Mart and Wall Street.
You can have your beloved homeless, homeboys,
hippies and illegal aliens.

We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks.
We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood ..


You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll retain the right to
invade and hammer places that threaten us..
You can have the peaceniks and war protesters.
When our allies or our way of life are under assault,
we'll help provide them security.


We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.. You are welcome to Islam,
Scientology, Humanism and Shirley Maclaine.
You can also have the U.N...
but we will no longer be paying the bill.


We'll keep the SUVs, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars.
You can take every Subaru station wagon you can find.

You can give everyone healthcare
if you can find any practicing doctors.
We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right.

We'll keep The Battle Hymn of the Republic and the National Anthem.
I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute Imagine,
I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing,
Kum Ba Ya or We Are the World.


We'll practice trickle down economics
and you can give trickle up poverty your best shot.
Since it often so offends you,
we'll keep our history, our name and our flag.


Would you agree to this?
If so, please pass it along to other like minded liberal
and conservative patriots and
if you do not agree, just hit delete.

In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll bet you Answer
which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.


Sincerely,

John J. Wall
Law Student and an American


P.S. Also, please take Ted Turner, Sean Penn, Martin Sheen, Barbara
Streisand, & Jane Fonda with you..

P. S. S. And we won't have to press 1 for English.


Make it a Good Day, G

In closing,
let us unite in peaceful, holy matrimony with another thing of beauty from my inbox, link to this...

thanks papa x

Friday, March 26, 2010

Dear America,

Good times.

You know I bet one day we're all gonna look back at these days and just laugh...

And here's a striking stat that you don't hear about everyday, did you know that a typical six year old laughs about 300 times/day?!

The average adult, try fifteen.  Now that's pretty sad, isn't it.

But for five minutes let's just set aside the agony of defeat, that came along with a hefty dose of reality, when the Health Care bill became Law -- all of which isn't very funny in the least bit for anyone beholden to the ideology of an American Patriot.

It was my birthday yesterday.

Yeah me!
Having now arrived at four times one of my favorite years of life (twelve), here I am.  For me, it is a stat downright hard to believe, but at the same time, it is pretty funny, I gotta tell ya  -- while, with both parents alive and well and living the good life on the opposite coast, I can only imagine how they must find my new age just hilarious...
how time gets away from us, and yet,
how time has a way of giving us everything we ever really need.

Age, in and of itself, sure does have it's advantages, no?  We get to a point when everything -- oooh now come to think of it -- we get to a point when everything could easily follow along with the President's recent words of wisdom antagonistically directed to republicans (blatantly mocking his own bi-partisan promise in the process, yes he can, but let's move on.org...)
for we come to the age of "GO FOR IT".

We make bucket lists...we do what we have always wanted to do...things we have had to wait for, can be done...things we've always wanted to get, can be got... while, you know, we can also find time to become like community organizers, or something.

For my birthday, I bought myself a little something that was long overdue, a new book.  And, in all honesty, I hated to give the cause two cents, but simply felt the ends justified the means in the long run.  So, showing my new found "go for it" spirit, I got it.  

I got Saul Alinsky's RULES FOR RADICALS, a Pragmatic Primer for Realistic Radicals! 

And I'm so giddy about this purchase I could just spit on Joy "those people" Behar this morning, but as all the rest of the hundreds of thousands, if not absolute millions, of tea party protesters and Icaucus ramblers and patriot post petitioners would agree, that would be just wrong.  And in the Chosen One's three words, it is not something we would say to one another, either incite or condone, to  "go for it" in that kind of disgraceful manner to anyone for any reason (even if it would make us feel good). Besides, it's not lady like, or very funny  -- it would be like how S'linsky (my new name for him) put it:

"These rules make the difference between being a realistic radical and being a rhetorical one who uses the tired old words and slogans, calls the police 'pig' or 'white fascist racist' or 'motherf***' and has so stereotyped himself that others react by saying, 'oh he's one of those,' and then promptly turn him off."
And here's a kicker, S'linsky recognized the fundamental use of good humor to affect change..."for through humor much is accepted that would have been rejected if presented seriously.  This is a sad and lonely generation.  It laughs too little, and this, too, is tragic."  Ahh yes, back in the era when I was twelve, S'linsky
was speaking, sadly, of the greatest generation, go figure...some generations are just so misunderstood, aren't they?

I have only just begun to read the radicals handbook for all time...and I just might take it slow.  Having been in such a rush to get it yesterday, now that it is in my hot little hands, it's like I wanna savor the moment --letting the words set into motion of an entire generation of extremism, attacking Americanism of all things, sit for a bit, as cause for a little inaction, perhaps; to let it's mystery linger in the air like a prevailing punchline waits patiently for just the right moment -- timing is everything, you know.

And so, too, is the force behind a community organizer, in the hopes that the gathering of the masses will change the world.

As much I hate to do it, I must profess and promote radical action today, in every which way to tomorrow, "go for it" and go out and buy this book right now -- of course, many of you have probably already read it four times over, so to those of you already there, my sincere apologies to you for taking so long to catch up.  I will do my very best to never let this happen again, you have my promise; I would hate to be labeled as one of "those people."

But hey, my reality is what it is; it has taken some time to align myself with the enemy -- I mean, align in such a way that I begin to understand who I'm dealing with -- you know, get on the inside; promoting S'linsky's first rule of order:

"As an organizer I start from where the world is, as it is,, not as I would like it to be. That we accept the world as it is does not in any sense weaken our desire to change it into what we believe it should be -- it is necessary to begin where the world is if we are going to change it what we think it should be.  That means working in the system..."
oh, there's more,

"...Any revolutionary change must be preceded by a passive, affirmative, non-challenging attitude toward change among the mass of our people.  They must feel so frustrated, so defeated, so lost, so future-less in the prevailing system that they are willing to let go of the past and chance the future..."

"...Let us in the name of radical pragmatism not forget that in our system with all its repressions we can still speak out and denounce the administration, attack its policies, work to build an opposition political base. True there is government harassment, but there still is that relative freedom to fight.  I can attack my government, try to organize to change it.  That's more than I can do in Moscow, Peking, or Havana."
and still more, before even so much as the first chapter:

"A revolutionary organizer must shake up the prevailing patterns of their lives -- agitate, create disenchantment and discontent with the current values, to produce, if not a passion for change, at least a passive, affirmative, non-challenging climate."
But then, something magical happens, he almost begins to sound like a patriot or something (yeah right):

"Those who can, should be encouraged to grow; for the others, the fault lies not in the system but in themselves."

"Here we are desperately concerned with the vast mass of our people who, thwarted through lack of interest or opportunity, or both, do not participate in the endless responsibilities of citizenship and are resigned to lives determined by others.  To lose your 'identity' as a citizen of democracy is but a step from losing your identity as a person...That citizen sinks further into apathy, anonymity, and depersonalization.  The result is that he comes to depend on public authority and a state of civic-sclerosis sets in."

"...There can be no darker or more devastating tragedy that the death of man's faith in himself and in his power to direct his future."

"I salute the present generation.  Hang on to one of your most precious parts of youth, laughter -- don't lose it as many of you seem to have done, you need it.  Together we may find some of what we're looking for -- laughter, beauty, love and the chance to create."
So you heard it here today, from the King of Radicalization himself, let us laugh and shake things off and move on to greener pastures; let us frolic in the daisies and create real avenues for change, just like our opposition counterparts do it, laughing all the way, ha ha ha ha.

Contact your local Tea Party.org
Check out the Icaucus.org
GO to Grassfire NOW
Sign a declaration to commit with the Patriot Post.us

And remember, have some fun with this; whistle while you work -- on the inside; a spoonful of sugar always helps the medicine go down; smile -- and the world smile's with you (spitting, not so much); and finally, in three words, now is the time to "GO FOR IT."

In some very warped and twisted way, I think I am going to love my new book; IT IS a new day -- while a brand new year for me begins right now.  I have to go for it as time is of the essence; while, truth is, there is no way I can turn back now, I am in too deep and it means to much.

I will laugh more and cry less.
I will love more and hate less.
I will venture to create a thing of beauty everyday.
I will live as if it were the last; I will live as if this is the first day of the rest of my life, for it is.

This is my reality; this is my world now; and the best part is...
"with all its repressions,
we can still speak out and denounce the administration,
attack its policies,
work to build an opposition political base..."

Community Organization 102 begins with taking back our country one by one, piggybacking upon opportunities everywhere to become more involved -- all we have to do is latch on, dress appropriately, keep our hair trimmed and look alot like "them" -- "those people"; all we really have to do is play a part, sound intelligent, understand our opponent and come at them from the inside, like any other upstanding citizen would do -- calmly, peacefully, showing off our good character, the argument is already won.

Just Do It.
("true, there may be government harassment")
GO FOR IT, anyway.

Having died the year I turned twelve, I'm sure if S'linsky still walked the streets of Chicago, he would be so very proud...
as we use the skills
taught by the master
to organize,
to enjoy ourselves, 
and laughing,
all the way to the next election,
yes we can.

No need to break any rules to
Make it a Good Day, G

The first chapter lies in wait for me...

"The life of man upon earth is warfare..."
Job 7:1

goody, goody gumdrops,
I am just plum giddy about it

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Dear America,

You're right, Joe, it is a "big f****** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars worth of a "big f****** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars spent against the Rule of Law "big f****** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars earmarked with make believe money; when, Mr. President, you know in your heart it's not paid for "big f****** deal." hmmmm just what is the difference between being disingenuous and making a flat out lie?

It is 938 Billion Dollars funneled through private insurance, at the direction of the federal government, embezzling hard earned tax payer funds for a commodity that is unconstitutional "big f***** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars of legislation, cementing the antithesis of America's prevailing free enterprising spirit... in that we have officially become a nation gloating about our free-spirited subsidizing "big f***** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars of redistribution, double counting, taxation, subsidy, entitlement, deficit spending, debt producing, partisan politics running amok "big f****** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars that history will not only prove to be the Democrats Waterloo, it will draw the line for America's second civil war -- a war of words and fundamental differences "big f***** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars that starts to cost us this year, with real benefits not starting for another four years, with the second decade of spending -- well documented by the CBO -- adding one trillion dollars to our national debt "big f***** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars establishing the first individual federal mandate "big f**** deal."  What's next? Will we all have to buy GM trucks and where clothes made in Venezuela out of hemp?

It is 938 Billion Dollars absconded behind closed doors in back room deals  in the dead of night "big f**** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars changing absolutely nothing when it comes to controlling the monumental costs of health care, see also Massachusetts, "big f****** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars funded by smoke and mirrors, special interests and unions "big f***** deal."
Like you were gonna be any different; "no lobbyists, no partisan politics, no special favors, all transparency all the time, we will put an end to the status quo in Washington" my a**.

It is 938 Billion Dollars manufacturing a crisis, supplied with ample rhetoric, to fan the fire of a hotbed of emotion for every American under the sun "big f***** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars chastising an industry that gains a mere 3% profit while supplying every American, even those without insurance, to go to a doctor on any given day, for any reason, large or small "big f***** deal."
If state lines were open for business right from the start, none of this would have ever happened...

It is 938 Billion Dollars added to the 800 Billion in TARP, added to the 865 in STIMULUS, added to the 117 Billion in new stimulus..."big f***** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars throwing in the passive take over of the student loan business which nobody seems to be taking notice "big f****** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars for a new entitlement program which will eventually show up as an unfunded liability, much like Social Security and Medicaid and Medicare "big f***** deal."  Whoever said history repeats itself must have been high, right?

It is 938 Billion Dollars leaving a legacy of debt to our children "big f***** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars of assets and liabilities that the Democrats, and especially their fearless leader, now own, free and clear -- but the funny thing is, nobody can find the pink slip -- "big f***** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars with not one Republican Vote "big f***** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars granting unscrupulous federal funding allowances for abortion via the new Senate Bill, now Law -- no matter what the Executive Order says (which, by the way, still hasn't been signed) "big f****** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars that Stupak could have stopped dead in it's tracks "big f***** deal."  How could he fall for it...after thirty years of advocacy...how?

It is 938 Billion Dollars that would not have been spent, if not for the final arm twisting and deal making and integrity compromising and leg breaking if we have to thug-ocracy running rampant in Washington "big f***** deal."

It is 938 Billion Dollars that we, the people, can only wish, with all our heart, that we could get back.

But just in case I need to be more clear...
I'm gonna go off on a wild tangent here and double down on Joe's sentiment -- as I am in just that kind of mood this morning; so here you go, using a little help from a famous line that came to us out of the mouth of Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston, Friends):

"And just so you know,
it's not that common,
it doesn't happen to every guy
and it is a big deal."



"a big f***** deal."

One that this American girl will never forget.

Make it a Good Day, G

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Dear America,

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm)
that I will faithfully execute
the Office of President of the United States,
and will to the best of my ability,
preserve, protect and defend
the Constitution of the United States."

The Oath of the President of the United States

Is it just me, or is there an element of a whole lotta lip service going on right now in Washington?

As a matter of fact, He is speaking LIVE right now, again.

The process continues, and on this day in the life, Obama is in the midst of convincing his fellow democrats that they are doing the right thing.  He is about to sign the historic health care bill into law any minute now...
wait for it...
done.

But this oath they all take -- doesn't it mean anything anymore?

I just can't help but think of how the likes of Franklin, Madison, Adams, Washington, and Jefferson might be feeling right about now, as they most assuredly are watching the flagrancy of this government sign into law the most reprehensible legislation that has ever lived in American History.  Can you just imagine it? From high above, they are watching all of their hard work be mocked, mangled and molded into something unrecognizable.

All the while, our men and women in office think nothing of it.

PRESERVE

PROTECT

DEFEND
The Constitution of the United States.

At the very root of everything, that is all anyone is ever asked to do (especially a President); even a fifth grader understands the gravity of upholding this one.

Speaking of which, my very own thirteen year old going on thirty is not pleased; she just can't believe that this Administration and House of Representatives could so brazenly oppose not only the will of the people, but the very foundation our country, as prescribed and set forth in our Constitution, was built.  And believe me, this girl of mine was already worried about what was going to happen by the time she was all grown up, but now, she is just beside herself.

Oh, she isn't defeated in any sense of the word; no way.

She is even more committed, more beholden, more enlivened to finding her own way and making her own mark -- following the very dynamics set forth by our founding fathers all the way around; growing up self reliant is her mission in life in every stretch of the imagination.  But here she is, at thirteen and seeing the writing on the wall, she is watching the growing number of Americans pulling on the sleeves of Washington, as if saying. 'moor please', with a voice reflecting the sweetness of the little English orphan, Oliver Twist, if you will.

People, get your head in the game, this country was made from revolutionaries and pilgrims, pioneers and tycoons.

The burden is on us to make a life, a life with the ability to afford using the services of a doctor and buying health insurance, just as we buy car insurance (if we own a car), life insurance (just in case we die), home insurance (just in case of a flood/earthquake/tornado...), rental insurance (just in case we leave the iron on), boat insurance (if we are lucky enough), or even pet insurance (for our furry friends of the family)... 

If we have a body, we should have health insurance; while if we smoke, drink too much, eat too much, or simply let ourselves go for any period of time -- there are consequences.  

Is it a right to have health insurance?  Absolutely not; but to mandate that every one of us has to buy it (and punish us if we don't)?  Command states to cover additional liabilities years down the road when they are already overburdened with their fair share of fiscal policy landmines?

 This kind of thinking is simply not part and parcel of the framework, or intent, or even in the actual words specifically chosen within the Constitution of the United States...building self-reliance and autonomy was the key, even while we were each and every one of us united in faith, hope and success of the whole.

But basically, the federal government was never intended to grow up like this.
Yet here we are -- reckless, poor, dysfunctional, looking desperately for a safe haven, a place we can call home...just a little bit of security could go such a long, long way.

Chock it up to a bad set of circumstances maybe;  perhaps we were born into the wrong family, or no family at all; perhaps we were given everything, yet nothing had value;  perhaps we were wronged by someone, used by someone, violated or left alone; perhaps we grew up surrounded in despair and desperation, allowing a bad element to permeate our belief system and prevent our own natural inclinations to aspire to grander things; perhaps we just gave up altogether -- he left me, she got sick, the world is unfair and I just don't care anymore; perhaps we were simply out of touch with reality, not saving for a rainy day, not protecting ourselves, or unfortunately, just put all of our eggs in one basket; perhaps we failed at something and then another thing, and then another, and then, simply lost faith.

This health care "reform" doesn't feel quite right because it goes against every American principle in the book; oh sure, there are a host of people supporting this, but that doesn't say anything except that either they "are misinformed, or have misinformed you."

My idea of reform would be based on building upon what we do right and eliminating what we do wrong.

We are good at competition here in America, whip out a Monopoly game and just wait until all the railroads are purchased by another player.  So if we are good at that, which history proves that we are, build upon that!  Incentivize the competitive spirit, create the environment that promotes service and substance and growth in a healthy and supportive way.

As most of us agree now, a good place to start would be to open up commerce over state lines, and eliminate what is not working, the protections our government has furnished open handedly to insurance companies -- and getting rid of the anti-trust exemption which restricts growth into new markets.  OPEN it up; let insurance opportunities from far and wide flow in and out of the homes of  America, just as we get water from the well.

Unfortunately, back behind Obamacare is an element of restriction, regulation, taxation and mandates -- it seeks to find money it does not have through simply taking money from somewhere else -- and in the end, at some point, this will fail us (just as we have seen in Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid).

Where is the reward to the hospitals and doctors and nurses for their capital investment, for the years of schooling and cost of doing business, and most importantly, for their bedside manner that gets us through the night?  Where is their reward in this new legislation? 

Restricting Medicaid reimbursements, cutting off Medicare allowances and regulating what they can or can't do, using the same 500 Billion dollars to fund two programs, and all the while not address the most prevailing pitfalls in the health care system by not providing for TORT reform and limiting malpractice liabilities -- is this the way this administration rewards 10 years of schooling, student loans up the a**, buying everything from radar machines to tongue depressors, and somehow being able to continue to hang the doctor's shingle out their door until they die, or retire, whichever comes first?

With this kind of love, America will never inspire our children to grow up to be doctors and nurses...

You know, the truth is, even in spite of the prevalence of diabetes and  childhood obesity, as a country, we are healthier; no longer are we dying from a pneumonia, bubonic plague, German measles or mumps; but here we are, in spite of all of the system's ills, it has worked reasonably well.

Here we are, though, with technology to combat cancer, treat heart disease, prescribe antibiotics and cure nearly anything that comes along, the system is suddenly frowned upon, forgetting we are light years away from the days when a little tooth decay was a precursor to a set of wooden teeth; when we had a tumor, we didn't even know it; when we had a heart attack, we died.

LOOK at all the ways our health care system has worked, how it has progressed -- for all the years we have usually been quite happy with it -- let us take a moment and revel in it right now, for it's days are surely numbered now.

AND with that, we should also take a look at all the ways in which we have allowed it to erode right out from under our noses; our ability to control our standard of health care, our personal responsibility to it, along with the benefits we gain from it is part of the oath we take as Americans as one to another...we have just ignored the symptoms for a very long time now, or we have just expected to be able to take a happy pill and have the diagnosis totally go away.

We had it in the palm of our hands and somehow we let it slip away; little corrections could have done the job, and yet, here we are with a brand new government entitlement program signed, sealed and delivered.

The fact is, the more government interference -- and especially it's involvement with the insurance marketplace -- the more we the people have lost control over every aspect of our lives, even areas we thought were once hands off. 

We let it happen to us.  And once a company like Blue Cross has the monopoly on the individual out of pocket plans, and has the discretion to use this leverage, knowing full well there isn't another company walking in the door right behind them offering something better, cheaper, more comprehensive, the game is over.

But to be perfectly fair, this practice doesn't make insurance companies evil (as we are so often misinformed they are); this is just how the game is played.

More often than not, America has excelled over the last couple of hundred years because of how well we played the game, how well we played with others, along with our ability to play fair, follow the rules, not cheat, and take turns. 

Yes, at times, competition gets to us, we scream "you're not playing fair" when in fact, things are just rolling in someone else's favor; but normally, we keep our head in the game, we keep moving our feet onward and upward, while after a little extra effort and a lot of patience, we can sometimes turn the game around -- if not completely come back and bury little nancy in the process.

As long as we seem to have a government who takes greater pride in penalizing industry, stifling creativity and ingenuity, punishing doctors, insurance companies, and any other company or place of business who makes a little profit or is rewarded with success,
and be willing to risk it all in the process, we will all lose.

What's there to love about a government where it is common place
to leverage our personal freedoms and liberties
and burdens us with overhead we can no longer afford?

What's there to love about a government where it is common place
to add more worry and less security,
and divide us from the sound principles from which we were made?

What's there to love about a government where it is common place
to reward failure over success
and capitalize on a system sinking
to the lowest common denominator vs. rise to our highest values?

As long as every time we pass go and land smack dab on taxation without representation, restricting our ability to grow our own wealth, build our own business, acquire our own property, and pay for our own insurance (however many we want or need) fair and square, the more Americans will become discouraged.  I mean, who wants to play with the punish-er or the control freak, someone who just does a hostile take over every time we play or someone who can't stand to watch other people win -- where's the fun in that?

Cheaters never prosper....nana nana na na....

Mr. President, you took an OATH.  You swore on the Lincoln Bible to preserve, protect and defend our Nation's Constitution.  Not only were the founders watching, but our children, too.

Lord knows, it may be too late for you, but please, I beg of you, even though some people may be lulled into thinking entitlement programs we can't afford, or for that matter work, are justifiable reform --
they hardly pass as true rewards of the America I know and love -- stop, and get back to basics.

Teach our children to compete, wisely and fairly, honestly and respectfully; it's not just about the Rule of Law as it's carried up through generations, but  in the choices we make each and every day.

Teach our children to strive higher and to work smarter; and that perhaps the old adage remains true, it doesn't matter if we win or lose, it's how we play the game. 

Teach our children to recognize that this country rewards those of us who don't smoke too much, or eat too much, or drink too much (...hiccup)

Teach our children that we reward companies with sound business practice, remarkable service,  outstanding products and long standing reputation of excellance.

Mr. President, with all due respect, what you signed today is a game changer, that is for sure.
And from me and my girl, I have two words for you:

GAME ON!

Make it a GOOD day, G




Monday, March 22, 2010

Dear America,

Puo ritenere come buon venerdi,
ma domenica sta venendo!
E una vita bella!

(It may feel like Good Friday, but Sunday's coming! It's a beautiful life!)

In the meantime,
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

but let's get real, G may be a big cry baby over things large and small, but deep down I know,
when we walk by faith,
we never walk alone.
So here we are again, on another day after; and in a warped and weird way, G has come full circle; for it was an early morning much like today -- the sun was shining, the air was bright and clear, a slight breeze blew the fragrance of eucalyptus and jasmine into my window as if America hadn't a care in the world -- when 'its-a-gthing' was born.

It was so seductive really, easily I could have found myself happy with the status quo, just as I had done previously, like any other July --  July 23rd to be exact -- in the day, in the life of America;  and yet, something drew me in.

And here we are, from it's conception to this very moment, nearly nine months have passed me by.

The good news, at least we all don't have to skirt around the issue anymore, our federal government -- in an overwhelming partisan display of politics with a vote of 219 to 212 -- is now in charge of our health care.

Whether a little or a lot, the federal government is now dictating health insurance policy, quadrupling the authority of the IRS with the instruction to create four more departments to handle the Fed's new responsibilities, and all the while, outlining accompanying policy for turning Medicare upside down; basically, as of today, everything changes when it comes to our health care system in America. 

It is done; socialized medicine is here -- albeit sugarcoated to help the medicine go down -- but don't kid yourself, it is here.

America has given birth to a brand-spankin'-new entitlement program, this time for the so-called "middle class" -- not to be confused with it's big brother, Social Security, which is currently running 43 Trillion dollars shy of meeting it's fiscal liabilities (amounts to roughly $400,000/ household) --  or the evil twins, Medicaid/Medicare, which as we all know by now have a number of issues going on, not the least of which is Medicare's inability to cover it's liabilities; even though it is years younger, it's got a couple of inches on him and towers over Social Security at 57 Trillion dollars  (amounts to about $500,000/ household).

Here we are -- one big dysfunctional family, joy to the world -- and I've got just one question for you, what are we gonna name it? 

Oops, sorry, it's not just one... I seem to have a few more popping out to my surprise... had no idea...

Just why, for Pete's sake, were we in such a hurry? 

And isn't this still just a bit premature?

Aren't we still  -- after all the talk, after all the debate (the debate that is over, but is still not over), after all the selling points, talking points, props, pitch and ditch -- not ready?

Why did we induce -- knowing there were real risks involved, knowing we were clearly opening ourselves up to the well-spring of emotions bubbling under the surface and a whole of brand new issues?

Oh my, the last twenty 36 hours has been a doozy... really wasn't sure if I would make it...ice chips, anyone?

And how about that last minute Executive Order?  As if Obama's word to uphold:

"consistency with longstanding restrictions
the use of federal funds for abortion."

is enough
to convince
the small fraction
(twelve in fact)
of pro-life democrats
to follow Him? 

Oh right, I guess it was.

But the crowning blow arrived just knowing how close we came, without the E.O. from the B.O.-- when push came to shove and then shove some more -- the measure didn't stand a chance.

(we were 4 votes away, that's it)

The sad truth is, the executive order is just another example of how our government takes creative license with it's legislative power.  To be sure, it is merely fluff; it is style without substance, show without tell, and a mask to a fraud. 

As much as our dear President would love to see His Word be the new Gospel, he can't make it so no matter how hard he pushes; an Executive Order does not trump the Law.  Sure, it is nice to have, and it did the job to pacify the merry band of Stupak's imposters long enough to nab the vote, but it did nothing to change the law -- as in the new law as set forth by the Senate Health Care Bill. 

But hey, like the Chairman of the Rules Committee, U.S. Rep. Alcee Hastings (D-FL), so eloquently put it,

“I wish that I had been there when Thomas Edison made the remark that I think applies here: ‘There ain’t no rules around here — we’re trying to accomplish something.’ And therefore, when the deal goes down, all this talk about rules, we make ‘em up as we go along..."
"there ain't no rules around here...we make 'em up as we go along" -- now THAT is giving birth to some kind of new world, now isn't it? 

(Breathe, just breathe.)

But since I brought it up, let us jump on a thing called Trump for just a moment.

The Apprentice was on last night; and as it would turn out, it was just what the doctor ordered. Besides reminding me of a few fine principles America used to stand on with a greatness of ease, it was also great comic relief after laboring the day away with health care drama.

Now, Trump is not someone I usually turn to for guidance, you know, like Mao is to Anita Dunn or something like that, but I dig him -- there is definitely something about this guy that causes people to stop and pay attention to what he has to say.  Sure, he's been up and he's been down -- he doesn't have all the answers nor is his way the only way, that we can be sure -- but without a doubt, the wealth of his experiences can teach many of us Americans a thing or two (I mean, for heaven's to Betsy, look at his children...)

The centerpiece of last night's show was an iconic American brand:  KODAK. 

Now lucky KODAK, no? 

Trump is just like the Oprah Effect -- both of whom embody the rare commodity of  just saying the word and millions are sold  -- only in America!   And if you really think about it, just the premise of Trump's show alone proves my point -- only in America can someone sell you on watching his show, based on the success (or lack thereof) and celebrity (or lack thereof) of himself and others like him (or lack thereof), and sell an American label or brand name in the process, and all the while GIVE SOMETHING BACK TO CHARITY!  Is America a great country, or what? Love it...wish I thought of it...but I digress.

The task at hand was for both teams to take their store front business and turn it into a Kodak showpiece, an emporium designed to capture the best of Kodak and it's products while taking the idea of "Kodak Moments" to the streets of New York; the underlying message asked of each team to incorporate the idea, besides real sales and promotion of it's product, that real Kodak Moments don't just happen when you take the picture -- they happen when you actually SHARE the moment.

The team which captures the Kodak philosophy and bring their pitch to the marketplace the best, wins.

Well, the boys brought their A-team -- they sold themselves and their celebrity over and over throughout the night, hey, look at me, "I'm funny", "I'm sexy", "I'm sporty", "I'm smarty", "I'm anything you want me to be" and for once, the girls, just brought heart and substance -- for once, it wasn't about T and A!

What a breath of fresh air.  What a turn around.  What a way to bring the whole package, girls!

Just in case you missed it, in the end the girls got Trump's attention, along with the thumbs up from the visiting Kodak entourage, for all the right reasons; in the end, substance truly did matter... here, in the Kodak Moment of a day in the life of America. 

For centuries now, the American marketplace has naturally rewarded good policy, sound principles, hard work, ingenuity, service, charity, truth, honor, following the law, setting high standards, creating an income stream for ourselves, our families, while enabling us to care for our broader communities; the only times we have failed to do so, were in times we have compromised our values and principles.

And as we have seen by Executive Order in the last twenty four hours, it doesn't take much anymore.

By the way, the donation last night went to Make-A-Wish Foundation (go to them and make a wish come true).  During the show, a touching Kodak moment came when a young boy, in the midst of awaiting a wish for himself to come true, was asked a simple question,

"what are you gonna do when you grow up?" 

He answered with this, with a look on his face worth a thousand words,

"hadn't thought about it".

A future can be hard to imagine for many a set of circumstances, but when a child is sick enough not have one, we can hear everyone in America cry.

After all things said and done in the last nine months, we can't push it back in, now can we? 
It is here. 
It is out. 
WE the People -- without so much as a choice, I might add -- are the parents of another entitlement program.

Congratulations (say it like Ben Stein would say it). 

Oh, one more thing, you do know that not only will they not move out, you will have no choice now but to cover for their health insurance until the age of twenty-six...even if you one of the lucky one's and they are the picture of health. 

God speed, parents, countrymen, girls and boys, one and all.

Make it a Good Day, G

All in all, it's nothing that a little congressional tubal ligation can't fix...go to:
www.firenancypelosi.com/  really, it's brand new, too!

In the meantime, and in all seriousness, here's a good song for you today...

Friday, March 19, 2010

Dear America,

Take a 5000 year leap with me this morning, it is coming round to the first day of spring, after all; let's frolic through the early years, when fresh green shoots were just bursting with life in this beautiful country...

March 21st is Sunday...let us just ignore the fact it may go down into the history books as a day like none other, if in fact our lawmakers continue to enforce corrupt legislation, along with the loss of liberty and justice for all...let us instead look to the 21st Principle, as found within the pages of The 5000 Year Leap, by W. Cleon Skousen:

21st
PRINCIPLE

Strong Local Self-government is the
Keystone to Preserving Human Freedom


"The centralization of political power always destroys liberty by removing the decision-making function from the people on the local level and transferring it to the officers of the central government.  This process gradually benumbs the spirit of 'voluntarism' among the people, and they lose the will to solve their own problems.  They also cease to be involved in community affairs.  They seek the anonymity of oblivion in the seething crowds of the city and often degenerate into faceless automatons who have neither a voice nor a vote."

Over and over again, we are seeing the "centralization" of nearly every aspect of our lives; and how true is this idea of losing our voice, along with our vote, as we move closer to Sunday morning.

James Madison was a big believer in little government, expressing
"the powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.  Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite."
Thomas Jefferson tightened the definition even further, saying
"let the general government be reduced to foreign concerns only, and let our affairs be disentangled from those of all other nations, except as to commerce, which merchants will manage the better, the more they are left free to manage for themselves, and our general government may be reduced to a very simple organization, and a VERY INEXPENSIVE ONE; a few plain duties to be performed by a few servants."
President Barack Hussein Obama is an expert in CONSTITUTIONAL LAW; understand now, he is an expert in the LAW, as it pertains to the Constitution; he is not an advocate of the Constitution, no matter what rhetoric he deems necessary to use in order to sound more presidential.

He has studied the words of the Constitution, and over the course of his years in school became astute to the ways and means of circumventing and changing and shape-shifting our Constitution, as if it were a living thing and fully capable of moving beyond our founder's boundaries. He knows how to do it; and moreover, he knows how to do it in such a way that we think nothing of it -- like the Nancy Pelosi's of this world, "are you serious? are you serious?".

The greatest fear of our founders, and anyone else who respected the Law of the new-found Commonwealth, was that one day we should be so stupid as to disconnect from our individual responsibility to uphold our duty to each other and ourselves, as citizens and countrymen, rich or poor, in sickness and in health -- and recognize what is at risk if we do.

The founders set forth an environment blessing the fertile life force inside each and every one of us.

Through the enlightened eyes of our founders, springtime burst eternal for each and every one of us.

From the skillful hands of our founders, we were firmly and equally planted, each and every one of us; the soil being a perfect mix of freedom and duty, rights and privileges, and we were each left of our own convictions to grow, blossom and flourish in this new land -- to pursue our own happiness, without being a burden to the whole, as individuals.

"If the day should arrive (which God forbid!) when the people of he different parts of our country shall allow their local affairs to be administered by prefects sent from Washington, and when the self-government of the states shall have been so far lost as that of the departments of France, or even so closely limited as that of the counties of England -- on that day the political career of the American people will have been robbed of its most interesting and valuable features, and the usefulness of this nation will be lamentably impaired."
John Fiske, American Historian 

"Lamentably impaired" -- see also G, Lamentations

We have ceased feeding the American spirit with the seeds of independence, drenched with the courage and conviction to stand alone and make our way.

The President said today, addressing a crowd at George Mason University (his final, final speech on health care reform):

 "the debate is about the character of our country...
we must have the courage to give every citizen,
not just some, a chance to fulfill their dreams."

For goodness sakes, as a Constitutional Law expert, as one who has studied America from it's core principles, as one who has -- so very often -- spoken eloquently of our founder's and the foundation in which they laid before us, what part of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and the Federalist Papers, along with the State Constitutions and the actual Constitutional Convention and all, what part do you not understand, Mr. President? What country are you  living in?  What shapes your character?  What are your values and principles from which you hold dear?

INDEPENDENT people is who we are and always will be; which means, we are not DEPENDENT, just to be clear -- you like being clear, right? And as a matter of fact, big government is simply not considered a seed to our success.

Yes, we have character; we have plenty of it; we are overflowing and bursting out of the earth like the black, silky, organic richness of oil found right smack in the middle of our rows of corn and wheat.  We are here -- where are you?

"A people must from time to time,
refresh themselves at the well-spring of their origin,
lest they perish."
Ben Franklin

"Though, when a people shall have become incapable
 of governing themselves and fit for a master,
 it is of little consequence from what quarter he comes."
Ben Franklin

Voting no on this health care bill shows the kind of character from which we are made; the kind of character grown from the bounty of springtime, long established, tried and true, through and through; the representatives of We the People who vote no, come Sunday on the first day of Spring, will prove our utmost respect.

Make it a Good Day, G

Mr. President, with all due respect, the debate is not over; every day, America grows out of the well-spring of ideas brought forth from everyday people, everyday Americans. Every spring, trees grow tiny buds, little green shoots come up from the earth, and birds begin to sing in joy.  Life is reinforced, time and time again, through action -- taking that which inside us as individuals (God-given talent/skill/attributes) joined together with an environment that builds, fortifies, encourages, supports, uplifts, and nurtures that which is already inside us to grow big and strong.

No matter, rainy days and sundays, all of us have what it takes to be everything God intended us to be.

Let us hope (and pray) a few more minds see the light come Sunday. 

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Dear America,

Back off Bret,

"everybody knows what's in the bill"
said Barack to Bret
...annoyed as all get out
did you see him?
...hand poised in a claw position,
pushing back at Bret,
trying to tame the mass confusion
and clear frustration
over why everybody
just doesn't get it.

...and then some moments,
he just pointed his finger
and said,
"look"

...talk about body language

But the left brain talking heads are out in force today -- popping up all over the place thinking that Bret didn't use appropriate presidential decorum; let the President speak for goodness sake; let him answer the question, geeze.

According my little wide world of G, we saw a glimpse of the incredible shrinking President right before our very eyes.

Simply amazing, if I hadn't have watched it for myself I never would have believed it to be true.

He was uptight, defensive, clearly desperate for his point of view to be understood -- as unclear as that may be, even after a year.  After all this time, he still can't explain it right.

But as sweet as cotton candy, with the scent of buttered popcorn wafting through the air, the show must go on, Barack cracked his whip across the fierce interruptions (Baier in mind, Bret's motto "...and unafraid"):

"now listen"

"look"

"I just told you"

"No, what is absolutely true..."
Barack

 
Now, this interview occurred about twenty four hours ago -- even Barack couldn't tell Bret what was actually in the bill, as it wasn't even finalized yet; this interview was twenty four hours ago, even he couldn't tell Bret how much it would cost and how he would pay for it, the CBO had yet to figure it out;  this interview was twenty four hours ago, even he couldn't tell Bret which special favor should stick and which one's shouldn't -- but not really -- because some special favors are due fair and square -- you know, due to natural catastrophies -- and for those states, we must uphold -- everything else, must go -- but I couldn't even begin to tell you which one's those are.

{Claw up] now, now, "Bret, let me finish...

'But Mr. President",
Bret:          "I've got 18,000  people who have sent in questions for you."
Barack:      [c'mon Bret, rolling the eyes back]  "I get 40,000 letters/emails a day." [top that]

Moving on.org to a couple of my favorite lines,

"...you keep on repeating the notion that it is one/sixth of the American Economy..."

as if this thing, this notion, is speculative -- just some kind of idea hanging out there, under the big top, over a hefty pile of peanuts; it's like he's saying 'Now Bret, this is a whole lotta something over nothing, c'mon now, please, what's the big deal?'


"...we're not transforming one/sixth of the economy in one fell swoop."

...like we really wanna do.


Now look, any vote against this health care reform is a vote for "the status quo." 
Wrong again.

Now look, it will "reduce the deficit a trillion dollars over the next ten years."
Wrong again.

Now look, "whatever they vote on
[for God only knows, we have no idea yet. Remember, it was twenty four hours ago -- the vote could very well be for who gets the next ride on Air Force One for all we know...]
that vote will be FOR or AGAINST my health care proposal."
Wrong again.

Process

Bret:   "So is the Connecticut deal still in?"

Push back

Process

Bret:  "Do you know what deals are in or out as of today?"

Push back

Process

Bret:  "There's a whole lot of deals here, sir."

Push back

Process

Bret:  "So you support the deem and pass rule?"

Push back

Process

Bret: "one-sixth of the economy, sir"


Barack: "let me tell you something, the only thing that will change is more security under your insurance"...we  are saving the American people from "insurance company abuses." That's it.

If that were true, then why are we seemingly all holding our breath and closing our eyes, as if we can't watch?

If that were true, why would he postpone a trip to one of his favorite places, Indonesia?
[Live G News Update: I mean cancel the rendezvous altogether.]
 I mean, hello, if this were 'no big deal', he would have been gone already.

Look, this is his signature bill!
And yet, he waited a year and three months to fully engage himself; he exhibited more courage stepping in to the center ring orchestrating more troops to Afghanistan (although not a quick step there either) than he has shown for the star of his presidency.  Health Care has been just waiting in the wings, waiting to burst out of the canon or float through the air on the flying trapeze -- flying higher than the flag -- with oooh's and aaah's just cheering it on.

But the truth is, he looked uncomfortable right from the start.  He didn't want to do it; he didn't want to justify to the world that Fox News was, heaven forbid, a worthy news organization -- and worth twenty minutes of his time.

The thing is, he didn't want to give Bret even so much as a minute,
let alone two to twenty;
he wanted nothing to do with it, and it showed.

But allow me, if you will, to be a little more clear,
he was perturbed, annoyed, impatient, condescending, immature, and outrageously unrealistic in his expectation to get one question and simply filibuster for the next twenty minutes, as if he wouldn't need a teleprompter just this one time --
oh yeah,
and he made this whole process 
look even more sleazy, slimy, corrupt, and illegitimate
in the process --
my new favorite word.

So, send in the clowns, let the fat lady sing, the incredible big head is apparently perfectly fine making a total fool of himself, we might as well get this over with (so we can simply move on to litigation);  capitalizing on a life of illusion, the ringmaster has spoken -- on FOX  News of all places!
After last night, the greatest show on earth just got better.

Make it a Good Day, G

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Dear America,

Well, top of the morning to you.

I hope you are all emailing and calling and faxing and revolting this morning; I know I am.

Through http://www.americanvoice.com/ you can contact your very own representatives for free -- and you can add any other congressman/woman at your discretion and for a nominal fee.  Might I say, worth every golden coin a plenty. 

Isn't technology wonderful -- how our world has changed.

I chose to contact my three people, and then included every, single dum-dum democrat on the roll, saying:

Subject: Health Care Legislation
My Dear Fellow Americans,

I implore your fullest attention to what is at stake here within this legislation; there are other ways to put this health care reform into action without creating a brand new entitlement program -- I beg you to please do that first.  There are far too many reasons to state here in which this legislation is the wrong way of doing things, be that as it may -- if this goes through, America will be economically and culturally upside down, and we will hold each and every one of you accountable.  The President seems to be putting everything on the line -- but most of all, the American way -- and he knows not what he does (or worse, he does) -- Please VOTE NO! Thank you very much.
Will it change the world as we know it?

Is it earth shattering or saying something we don't already know?

Is it shining a light upon anything new?

Of course not -- it is just one little American voice; but surely, we the people all know, it is one of a million voices which is concurrently being blended into one marvelous and magnificent chorus of countrymen standing arm and arm together and making it's way to the steps of the capital.

I am reminded of few words I heard come last Sunday morning; words of encouragement from my very own mama and papa, along with a link to Father Joe and his weekly radio show.

Father Joe included one of his favorite lessons from Francis of Assisi,

"always preach the gospel and, if necessary, use words."

I believe, much of what we are witnessing today stems from this very idea.  Up until the last twenty or thirty years, America's ability of walking it's talk had never really been in jeopardy -- that is, the majority of us have led by example; whether it has been only for ourselves, or for our children, or on behalf of our fellow countrymen or the people we touch.

We have always risen to the highest level;

We have always been driven to succeed in life and love and work;

We have always taught our children, under the veil of exceptionalism, the value of hard work and charity and liberty -- and not by apology or disgrace or regret.

Where did this prevailing attitude come bubbling up from?

Let me turn to Father Joe again,

 "if only we, as a people, continued to
 live our religion
(and paraphrasing now...)
... bad things would never truly come to harm." 


Our individual faith in something greater than ourselves was, and is, what we have in common; we lived a life affirming our inherent birthright given to us from our God, and not by government. This belief was not only the makings of a new government, it was a convenant made by the American people, with it's every intention to endure all time. 

It is from this mentality America was made; all people -- more often than not, naturally and successfully -- set out to be good citizens, good neighbors, good countrymen, good representatives, good teachers, good engineers, good astronauts, good policemen, good firemen, good doctors, good nurses, good Presidents, good ministers, good kids, good dogs, and even good little lowly birds who hung on every word of Francis of Assisi -- all of us strove to be better children of God -- for the betterment of the whole, for the elevation of an entire nation.

Even the atheists followed along (like a famous one by the name of Thomas Paine, hello!), as their belief in a higher Nothingness is truly Something -- and reinforces their own faith in the Absolute of No God. 

But in the end, the Nation grew from all that we had IN COMMON, from that which makes good and stand up citizens, fit for establishing a brand new commonwealth, preaching religious freedom and liberty and justice for all.

Many ideas, stemming from the natural laws appointed by God and learned by man -- are only illuminated if one takes the time to return to the wealth of the very words spoken back in the day when our nation was crafted. (see The 5000 Year Leap, by W. Cleon Skousen or Christianity and the American Commonwealth, by Charles B. Galloway) 

Yet, according to the tune of these modern times, our enlightened civil duty to uphold the values and principles of the commonwealth -- along with our ability to keep it -- doesn't come from the wisdom of the ages, or sages, or saints, teachers, elders or a God of any color; matter of fact, and try as they might, it is plum drowned out, all under the guise of equality for all!

All preludes to a heaven, a God, a faith, a peace that passes all understanding is dismissed; no, correction, it is deleting the entire first verse --  as if tweaking with the American life and the American way, we the people could still follow along in sweet song, let alone succeed in hitting the high notes, without a refrain of revolutionary ideology providing us with the common man foundation!

The further we get away from being a people of faith -- truly LIVING OUR RELIGION in harmony, however different that they may be -- and following the American way, like fishers of men or a chorus of song birds following Francis of Assisi -- the more trial by nature we will find ourselves; we will be trapped by our own ignorance, disconnected to that which all things are made and from which all good flows. 

While in fact, the majority of us still follow the Way in some way, shape or form -- you would just never know it, if you are one of those distracted by all the background noise. Good thing we have an entire book of Psalms singing our praises and repenting our weaknesses, looking on High for guidance and strength, understanding all the days of our life...only by following theWay, as best we can, in spite of our poor choices or wayward wanderings, will our life work.

Today, we stand witness to the American melody being lost in the perpetual drumbeat of  lawlessness and corruption within the halls of congress, representatives not only off pitch, but completely out of tune with the rest of us; sadly, the longer we remain off key to the lasting principles that fortify a happy and soulful and successful and abundant and INDEPENDENT way of life, the higher our chances of losing the greatest nation that has ever lived; and certainly, the more we sing the praises of man over all things seen and unseen, the more we arrogantly branch out -- going solo -- thinking we don't need the accompaniments, the enlightenment, the muse or give even an ounce of credit to the raw, God-given talent to begin with, America will find herself alone in the valley of darkness.

Many words of faith were left unsaid; voices illuminating an undying gratitude and favor to the Lord were left unsung.

Why?

Because we LIVED our religion, what more needs to be said!

Such a duty and joy falls purely under the personal relationship composed by the individual man with his Creator; only in this way could a people remain free to sing their own song, drum to a different beat, and be entirely at liberty to do what we want without any other person sharing in the burden.

If everyone simply did this, true harmony would linger for generations.

Where is your American Voice today?

Make it a Good Day, G

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Dear America,

"Giving money and power to government
is like giving whiskey and car keys
to teenage boys."
P.J. O'Rourke

Just a wee bit of the Irish philosophy on the eve before ye old leprechauns do their mischief.

I'm only guessing about the 'wee bit Irish', but with a name like Patrick Jake O'Rourke, I think I'd put money on it.

I love the use of humor with politics -- with a fair amount of luck and most likely alot of work, O'Rourke has made a living out of it.  America is famous for continuing to churn out the Art Buchwalds, Paul Harveys, Will Rogers, Mark Twains, Bob Hopes, just to name a few funny guys reporting on the times.

As Will Rogers once said,

"All I know is just what I read in the papers,
and that's an alibi for my ignorance." 

or how about this,
 "Be thankful we're not getting all the government we're paying for."

or,
"About all I can say for the United States Senate
 is that it opens with a prayer and closes with an investigation." 

From Art Buchwald,

"You can't make anything up anymore. 
The world itself is a satire. 
All your doing is recording it."

And isn't what is going on right now in Washington all of that, and more.

But here's the thing -- and it comes from the wisdom of Abraham Lincoln:

"the philosophy of the school room in one generation
 will be the philosophy of government in the next."

Of course, here he is being totally serious -- and how.

In spite of his lack of early education, he grew to become one of  our most beloved American Presidents, renowned for his use of humor and real life experiences to connect with people and move beyond the usual capabilities of an ordinary man, becoming the iconic symbol of freedom and liberty and justice for all.

I have been really troubled in the last few days, watching the politics as usual succumb to the provocation of money and whisky and power and mayhem.  Lord knows what Lincoln would have say to this sorry lot we have before us and running amok, in the house America built.

The house. 
Our home. 
Your house. 
My home.

I am struck by the overwhelming destruction of the Big House and our Humble Homes, tumbling down more and more each day; I believe this warrants a wee bit of advice from Carl Sandburg, "in these times you have to be an optimist to open your eyes when you awake in the morning."

It all goes together -- government hanging from the capital chandeliers, hootin' and hollerin' the days away -- our children without supervision and left home alone with the whiskey cabinet, or worse -- competing with  the wild and reckless behavior of their own parents.

What the heck are we doing?

It's as if every single one of us needs to go on restriction.

But noooo, we've got parents like Rielle and "Johnny", out there and front and center. (yes, Rielle, like you didn't know you were sitting there half dressed, having pictures taken, in order to have them plastered across the pages of GQ -- come on!)

But noooo, we've got the DIShonorable Rep. Eric Massa returning to what he has left at home -- I suppose with his tail between his legs -- but I'm guessing again, now aren't I?

But noooo, we've got a woman in Jersey, parenting two children while filming her search for the thousandth pound over the wide world web for all the world to see -- send money, cakes, baklava -- feed my obsession and my perversion, while my very own babies are afoot and dependent upon my means to make a quick buck... all the while destroying my own health, my body and anything and everyone in my wake...

Or how about the children that never really had a chance -- like the ten month old sitting in the backseat while his parents were gunned down on the streets of Ciudad Juarez, capping off the weekend's murder rate of at least sixty people in this border town, snuffing out the lives of two vibrant, loving American parents (along with a second child on the way). With gang warfare and drugs out of control, the issue is now hitting home everywhere -- especially in neighboring cities like mine, living along the 2000 mile border of California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas.

My girl was in Vegas over the weekend for a softball tournament. She returned home without a trophy yesterday, but with wide open arms waiting for her.  We hunkered down last night eating one of our favorite meals, just picking off the meat of a rotisserie chicken with a side of mashed potatoes.

I didn't even want a nip of the Jack Daniels sitting atop the fridge, I was brimming over with happiness just to have her home, to forget the world, and batten down the hatches with my baby girl by my side.  She had no idea why I couldn't take my eyes off her -- it was all a could do to keep from crying.

Beware the Ides of March, yes, as Caesar didn't see it coming, did he; but the good news is, we do!

With a wee bit of luck and a lot of work, perhaps some well timed humor and a leprechaun or two, we may be rounding the corner; paying attention to the right things may very well be, not only in the neighborhood, but under our roof and wrapped around our arms...as it is within our school houses the next generation of government is made.

It may take everything we've got to flip priorities, restrain government shenanigans, the tom foolery and chicanery; but restoring our civil liberties -- all the while reinforcing true discipline and building up the extraordinary, instead of stooping to the lowest common denominator, above all things -- our children may still have half a chance.

Make it a Good Day, G

Friday, March 12, 2010

Dear America,

"Everything that we see
is a shadow cast by that which we do not see."
Martin Luther King
Happy Friday!

Did you know that people are ten percent happier on Friday than on Monday? 

That is a no-brain-er now, isn't it?

Didn't take a study taking $71,623 hard-earned tax payer stimulus dollars to figure that one out -- you know, like the one researching the affects of cocaine on monkeys currently going on in the state of North Carolina.

Nope; we just know that most of us are pretty much happier at the end of the work week and not at the beginning; we are happier at five o'clock Friday afternoon than on Sunday night at bedtime.

It was Johnny (Chapman) Appleseed Day yesterday; and to that end, we could probably credit Johnny for the homegrown American philosophy, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away."

Nowadays, it is a well researched fact illuminating the wealth of attributes wholesomely embedded in the apple; the article linked above counts out nine of them within the confines of a brand new site I found today, simply called "Succeed with This".  Very easily, a slip into a place like this could turn into an afternoon browsing it's offerings of good tidings, life lessons and suggestions; and like Adam and Eve, just blame it on my attraction to the little lowly fruit, luring me in with it's shiny red skin and juicy goodness, to start things off for me this morning -- perhaps persuading you to go there now, or later.

Ahh but Johnny Appleseed could very well be one of our nation's first conservationist, as the legend goes he walked the parts of Ohio and Indiana and Illinois sowing apple seeds and promoting land preservation wherever he went.

 And just maybe he was one of our first capitalists, too -- exemplifying a free enterprise approach, building a market of franchisees along the way, making deals with land owners for next to nothing --  anyone with a little plot of earth to turn could get a piece of the action; at the end of the day, or even a week, it didn't matter to ole Johnny if he ever saw a dime, all he really needed was a warm meal and a sleep on the floor before moving on to the next town.

Whether Friday or Monday, or midday Tuesday -- it would appear that Johnny was content with his lot in life and made a career growing seeds of charity, love, and wholesome goodness.

After all these years of folklore and song, I never knew the missionary man inside the legend. According to personal accounts, he walked the Midwest (and normally barefoot), having never settled down with a wife and family. He made it part of his travels to tell stories and propagate the word of the gospel,  connecting his love of nature and conservationism with the Kingdom of God through the teachings of Swedenborgianism (I never heard of it before today either. Unless of course, you are smarter than me and have -- which may very well be the case -- what do I really know).

Anyway, Swedenborgianism, an organized religion from back in the day and familiar by many names, the name pertinent to the discussion is it's creator's, a man by the name of Emanuel Swedenborg -- a Swedish scientist and theologian who lived from 1688-1772. 

Now Johnny, born September 26, 1774, as a boy he was taught to have great respect for the earth and all of nature, he gravitated easily to the teachings of Swedenborgian and the thinking "we see love and wisdom of the Lord manifested -- if one is learning truth or doing good it is from Him -- whether consciously aware of it, or not, that God is the source."  While Johnny sang the song, "The Lord is Good to Me" everywhere he went, children would naturally flock to him, making it a custom to finish the day sharing words of wisdom with the wee ones at his feet soaking up every word, the little offshoots that they are.

But basically, Johnny was a wanderer and a drifter, leaving only a small orchard to his sister when he died, and yet remarkably, the legend of his life and times seems to have left quite a mark on the American landscape.  He was a man who truly walked his talk.  (As a side note, I sure hope he remains an admirable lesson to uphold in the classroom, warranting at the very least a half a page of American history in return... Lord knows, given what's going on right now in the state of Texas and the controversial textbook review.)

Now, the converse of little Johnny Appleseed can be discovered through the fine research of an outlet called Pajamas Media. They uncover:

"Without any oversight, accounting, or transparency, environmental activist groups have surreptitiously received at least $37 million from the federal government for questionable “attorney fees.” The lawsuits they received compensation for had nothing to do with environmental protection or improvement.

The activist groups have generated huge revenue streams via the obscure Equal Access to Justice Act. Congressional sources claim the groups are billing for “cookie cutter” lawsuits — they file the same petitions to multiple agencies on procedural grounds, and under the Act, they file for attorney fees even if they do not win the case...

Nine national environmental activist groups alone have filed more than 3,300 suits, every single one seeking attorney fees. The groups have also charged as much as $650 per hour (a federal statutory cap usually limits attorney fees to $125 per hour).

...Most cases were simply based upon an alleged failure to comply with a deadline or to follow a procedure...

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” says Budd-Falen. “We believe when the curtain is raised we’ll be talking about radical environmental groups bilking the taxpayer for hundreds of millions of dollars, all allegedly for ‘reimbursement for attorney fees.’ And what is even more maddening is that these groups are claiming that they are protecting the environment with all this litigation when not one dime of this money goes to projects that impact anything on-the-ground related to the environment. It just goes to more litigation to get more attorney fees to file more litigation..."
 
The health and welfare of our nation is under attack, and as long as the "apple a day" philosophy, and all of it's character and message back behind the simple phrase continues to be ignored or frowned upon, we will never correct what truly ails us.  Even the current health care legislation, the one that is "supposed to be good for us" never stands a chance to bring us the good -- given the political, legal and corrupted nature of "this land is your land, but not really", combining this dubious environment with the fall of man.
 
It is things like this, the imbalance of power with the destructive activities of attorneys, the unscrupulous actions under the guise of environmental and conservation causes (point of ref. Cap & Trade and Global Warming), along with the rampant use of "the public good" without consent or approval in order to commit fraud against an otherwise proud and stand up nation from right under our noses -- things like this will ultimately be our downfall, like the bite of the proverbial apple.
 
Did you know that even the scent of an apple is believed to be enough to "wash away all negative thoughts while also prompting or promoting loving thoughts towards others" ?  That little tidbit was found in my daily visit from astrology.com, giving me the word of the day according to some aspect of Feng Shui (and you can get it, too, by just going to http://www.yahoo.com/ , they can take you from there).

Hence, the medicinal value of smelling mom's apple pie wafting through the house...

Johnny had it all going on -- he promoted the cultivation and preservation of our land, he fed the children with words of character building and loving grace, he walked the earth sowing seeds of peace and understanding, he left America a better place than which she was found.

A pioneer, a drifter and a wanderer, clearly he lived a life so well grounded, his legend speaks for itself.

This is the kind of country from which he came -- and this is the kind of country we need to propagate and nurture -- planting the seeds for a nation's true success; only by restoring our roots and drenching the earth with happy thoughts and good character will we grow an orchard of this caliber, ample enough to sustain a people for generations to come.

Certainly, an apple a day -- if only in good conscience -- is a good place to start.

Make it a Good Day, G

A little research on details in the 2010 Obama budget points to a disturbing trend...the elimination of key character building tools and programs within our Department of Education. See for yourself.

The program expanded by nearly thirty percent?  Organizing for America -- youth indoctrination under the abomination of propagating the Obama mystic, ideology free of charge.

Tears for Fears, Sowing the Seeds of Love is featured on "Dear America" today, click it!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Dear America,

"And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack
And you may find yourself in another part of the world
And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile
And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful Wife
And you may ask yourself-well...how did I get here?
Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground
Into the blue again/after the money?s gone
Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.

And you may ask yourself
How do I work this?
And you may ask yourself
Where is that large automobile?
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful house!
And you may tell yourself
This is not my beautiful wife!

Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...
Same as it ever was...same as it ever was..."

Thank you, Talking Heads.

How did we get here?

Same as it ever was...same as it ever was...same as it ever was...

I heard just yesterday on Fox News that the President has made 38 speeches on Health Care in the last 52 weeks; I could have sworn it was more than that.  But even then, our Commander in Chief Speak Easy is not going down quietly, is he; even when HE KNOWS that We the People don't want what he's hawking, whether it's being done behind closed doors or paraded down main street as if it's something really good for us -- we want nothing to do with it in it's current condition.

Then there is Nancy.
"We have to pass the bill so you can find out what's in it, away from the fog and controversy."
The quintessential dash board bobble-head, that she is; she will tell you anything you want to hear and more.

How did we get here?

Now, for point of reference and geographical accuracy, she should know a lot about fog, coming from the city by the bay in which on any given day, it's people awake to a blanket of it at their feet.  But if things were so clear, wouldn't this legislation have passed by now -- I mean, your party has had the majority all along.  It doesn't take one republican, for or against, to not make this thing happen overnight, now does it?

Seems to me, Nancy's party has done a pretty good job blowing in their own fog; meteorologically speaking, that's what happens when a lot of hot air meets a cold ocean of discontent.

But then there is the mess of Massa -- Eric Massa, the gentleman from New York; now, talk about talking heads, talking out of both sides of the mouth, talking in circles, taking up an hour of Glenn Beck's time -- talking in freak speak at lightning speed... oh     ma   gaaawd

How did we get here?

Glenn actually said to us at the very end of the hour, "America, I think I wasted your time." 

Of course, he feared that possibility coming to light from the first few minutes of his show...asking us to pay attention, look for the new information, that he doesn't know anymore than you and me as far as what this guy, Massa, could say or not say -- adding that he doesn't agree with Massa on most levels, (if not all, after yesterday's performance).

For Glenn, it was a crap shoot really; and in a word, yesterday, the crap won (but not really).

You could just feel Glenn's frustration; it was as if he wanted to reach over across the desk and strangle the rampant idiocy streaming live into the nation's living rooms violating his own brand name; while he tried to control it, back it into a corner, coax it into places he didn't want to go, and for the better part of hour, hold back his (cough) bullsh** outbursts -- pure, unadulterated crap spewed for 60 minutes.

How did we get here?

Have you ever watched fog roll in?

It's slow.  Methodical. Creeping in from the shore and meandering it's way into every nook and cranny, enveloping an entire town and countryside, eventually touching everything in it's path with it's graceful theatrics; all the world is a stage under the dewy, narcissistic games she plays.  Only with street lights does it really show it's face; otherwise, it is dark, mysterious and leaves much to the imagination, and at times, may very well scare the living daylights out of us.

And then the next minute,
it could be all gone.
Poof!

And just like that, the veil has been lifted and the light of a new day dawns.

What Nancy and Massa seem to miss is that America is awake now; what we thought was our beautiful house, is not.  Between the fog rolling over the countryside; between the wanton disrespect of the people's seat; between representatives speaking cheap and easy from both ends; between a nation on the verge of fundamentally transforming everything under the sun...

the people have spoken; we will no longer tolerate fog politics.

To be sure, it is hardly a question as to How did we get here anymore, as we know better;
now, it is more a concern as to how we find our way through the fog and never go back.

Make it a Good Day, G

"I believe there are more instances
of the abridgement of freedom of the people
by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power
than by violent
and sudden
usurpation's."
James Madison