It's a Night to Remember but Not Surrender Thing

Dear America,

so i guess we went with tyranny...good to know.

It's a new day in America, indeed.

Here's some local flavor for you, not that any of you really care -- San Diego elected Bob Filner... a lying, sleazy, dirtbag of a politician and democrat.... for Mayor;  Governor Brown's Prop 30 Tax "for the children" passed; a huge corporate tax increase passed; residents of the city of San Diego also get a property tax increase -- so just in case you haven't been keeping up:  It's tax increases in sales, income and property all up on the day...while the market this morning, oh it's down, beginning with 130 points only twenty minutes into the day.

SO let me get this straight, America -- we have just spent the last four years hating everything Washington is about -- the division, the partisanship, the arrogance over the governed, the cost, the expanse, the growth of entitlement not keeping up with the duty.........and what did we just do?   Ask for more?

Nothing in Washington has changed.  Nothing.

But perhaps more important, we should be asking ourselves what exactly has changed?

I heard from one of my liberal friends in an email -- sent last night right after the big progressive take down -- and he said it's the GOP that has the issues, it's the GOP that has the problem. it's the GOP that doesn't recognize the new America, the new reality, the new normal, the new "demographics". .. Which is truly rich when I also add that he immigrated from India; he got his education here, enjoys his corporate job here, is surrounded by his whole family, who all immigrated here -- except, of course, his beautiful, darling daughter  -- who was lucky enough to be born here.

And all I wanted to do was reach through the world wide web and shake him!

[and how offensive really -- I would never tell my friend he has to change his ideology so that we can all get along...I mean, seriously?  really?  it's up to the GOP, and conservatives far and wide, to change 200 years of operation going against every fiber of our being? really?]

Earth to ALL Americans -- and especially to my good friend, and especially to those who choose to come here......America has always been a country of IMMIGRANTS; that is who we are!  The very idea of it -- the folklore of America being the "melting pot" -- it isn't some kind of sweet sentiment made up for the history books; it's a real thing!

True story:  Once upon a time, America was designed from it's inception to melt into one body, one culture, one nation.  And we all lived happily ever after.

We must fight for the one and only demographic that truly matters here -- American -- that's it.  Yes, the revolutionary war was hard; but ironically, it's the keeping of the republic that will have to endure the longest, greatest battle.  And I got news for you:  this fight will never be over as long as this planet continues to produce humanity and the immeasurable weaknesses and faults that come with it.

When it comes to immigration, my good friend and his family did everything right -- they are a strong family unit, they are people of faith, they work hard, pay taxes, give back to those in need.  They are a caring, loving, thoughtful family who came to America on a path of opportunity, education and ultimately, a citizenship.  They are exemplary in every way;  I truly believe they are genuinely proud to be Americans, because it shows.

The question we should be asking ourselves is what exactly has changed in the caliber  and intention of the immigrant of yesteryear, as compared to the immigrant of today?  What we should be wondering is why the democrats continue to win elections by a divide and conquer agenda, pitting one demographic against another, on purpose, for power?

THE GOP does not need to change -- how absurd!   These days, it's as close as we get to the principles set forth by our founders.  While it's ideology  -- which seems greatly misunderstood upon morning light -- is not about what separates us, it's about what unites. It's about smaller government, and the individual having more freedom and personal power, not less.

THE GOP is about big ideas, not petty differences staged by demographics and placards and binders and big bird --  forcing the have's against the have not's, and audaciously punishing the job creators while rewarding mediocrity and entitlement.

Once the aftershock wears off from last night, what this tells me is we... as a whole ...and not just the GOP -- have work to do as a country.

Contrary to the recommendations of my well-meaning friend, the GOP has their work cut out for them NOT in the changing of who we are and what we stand for, but in living the example; for we can credit the conservative foundation being responsible for creating the very conditions for prosperity and happiness for the most people, leading generations into wealth, property, and security.

America's future rests in it's ability to remind the electorate what one body working in unison for the betterment of the whole really looks like, acts like, moves like.

So with this newfound president, the one who really, really intends to work across the aisle now -- is he really planning on coming to meet the GOP in the middle -- or like my friend believes, does this just embolden him to force the GOP to change?   Why does it always seem like in order to find a compromise with the left  it just means that the right must bend over?

Is the president planning on resurrecting the Keystone Pipeline?
Do the coal miners in Pennsylvania get to keep their jobs?
Are defense contractor jobs in Virginia safe for another four more years?
Will Jeeps still be made in Toledo?

When do we find out the truth in Benghazi, considering this president was buoyed to re-election on make-believe context, lies and videotape?

I wonder what Bibi thinks about this brand new day?

Will the president finally return to the recommendations of his Fiscal Commission from Bowles/Simpson?

Hmmm I wonder what we, the people, will think about Obamacare in the year 2014 when all the requirements kick in?

I wonder if he will continue using Executive Order, sidestepping congress, to effect change?

Will we ever see welfare entitlement reformed?  Will our unfunded liabilities totaling trillions of dollars -- the Medicare/Medicaid and the Social Security ponzi scheme --  be saved from bankruptcy?  If Obama added six trillion in debt in four years, just what will he add in eight?

So how much is enough -- in taxes?   Will the IRS be fixed, will we simplify the tax code?

Will the president finally let ALL children have school choice -- prioritizing a child's education over the unions?

Oh so many questions, so little time.

Since we seem to be at war with ourselves, let me plug a favorite line from Winston Churchill --

"Socialism is 

a philosophy of failure, 

the creed of ignorance, 

and the gospel of envy; 

it's inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery."

From the president's acceptance speech:

"What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation on earth.

The belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certain obligations to one another and to future generations.  The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights.

And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism.  That's what makes America great."
 

I ask the president -- do you understand what you just said and more important, truly believe it, embrace it, to the extent that you can teach the American people to fully embrace it too?

The president talked for twenty minutes last night.  It all sounded pretty good.

Here's more:

"America, I believe we can build on the progress we've made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunity and new security for the middle class.  I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you're willing to work hard, it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love.  It doesn't matter whether you're black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you're willing to try.

I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests.  We're not as cynical as the pundits believe.  We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states.  We are and forever will be the United States of America."

Isn't this is how you came into office four years ago?

Earth to a president without a people's mandate -- when you say 

"I believe we can keep the promise of our founders" 

I have a hard time believing you.
Do you even know what this means, or is this just what you say when it is written on your teleprompter?  

Oh right...

You do amaze me,  keeping the promise of our founders.... THAT is a good one. 

You are a so-called expert on the Constitution, while you have governed in every which way to Sunday against it ....as you stand there... accepting another four years to bring whatever is left of it to utter ruin -- and you say,  "I believe we can keep the promise of our founders?"  with a straight face....wow, you are good, you are good.

And telling people "if you are willing to work hard...."  seriously?   You don't really believe that, either.

"It doesn't matter whether you're black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you're willing to try."

You're right, it doesn't matter; so why on earth do you govern like it does?   And worse, how can you use people by demographic, enticing them by false promises, character assassination of your opponent, and a false sense of security in a government that runs counter-productive to creating a healthy, wealthy, happy life all along?

No, Mr. President, unless you are living in your own little bubble, we are "as divided as our politics suggests."   And it's NOT out of racism or bigotry or a prejudice we were born with -- it's because the divide is a giant chasm.  It's an American-style abyss that has no end and has turned us against each other because of our bi-polar visions for America.  Our founders must be rolling over in their graves wondering what in the world has happened to us.

True friends tell each other the truth.   True countrymen who truly want what is best for ALL countrymen stand firm in self-reliance, affirming limited government and the full measure of unlimited freedom in the individual, and the unwavering belief in the Divine Providence that made us; that's what our homegrown politics suggests, and that's what this is all about.  And that's why the GOP -- conservatives, tea party,  republicans -- will not change and should not have to!  If anything, we can see our shortcomings and know exactly where we need to be stronger.

It's called being a patriot in the year 2012. 

And the funny thing is -- when listening to our president, one would think he is a conservative, too, with the way he sounds, with the words he chooses, with the multitude of American principles in which he preaches.

This is a sad day in American history.  My heart aches for each and every one of us living in this fraudulent American dream.    It's become a sham; every living, breathing, organized, hard-working detail of our life has suddenly met with chaos.   What was up, is down; what is right, is wrong.

The biggest fraud is the relationship between the democratic party and the "demographics"  drawn to it.  What does the party  really do for the African-American, the Hispanic, the down-trodden?  If anything, the party that breeds capitalists and money makers and entrepreneurs.... the party that embraces family values and faith.... the party that believes in the words of our Constitution and Declaration of Independence through and through....the party that was created by the anti-slavery activists of yesteryear, for Pete's sake! -- is of no relation to the democratic party.   It's grand; it goes way back -- and it's got a name, the Grand Old Party.   

And those of us in it will fight for our right to believe in it.  We have rights, too; we have freedom of speech too; we have our religion, too.

But let's get back to where this all began in this day in the life in America -- it's the body demographic that needs to recognize how THEY have let America down; it is the body demographic that is choosing not to melt into one [which is funny, given their position on global warming]. 

But don't take it from me, little g -- even the president agrees:

"The freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights.

And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism.  That's what makes America great."

About last night:   It's a night to remember but not surrender, that is an absolute.

We, Americans, sign on to a lifelong duty to America first -- whether we are born here or choose to come here looking for a better life.  America was designed to melt into one body, one culture, one nation under God.  It's the American culture that needs a course correction, not the GOP, not the conservatives.  And we will be happy to talk about it with any liberal all the live long day.  [But more on that in the days to come]

 Make it a Good Day, G

It's Just Thirteen Questions and a Pew Thing

Dear America,

happy monday

we are trying something new today...
I encourage you to take a simple quiz via the Pew Research Center.
It will only take about three minutes -- or less.

Go ahead. Go here.  I'll wait.

It's just thirteen questions.


But if you are anything like me, the quiz itself is nothing; the true test comes immediately upon finish...when you are assaulted with how the average American has responded, with demographic breakdowns and all.


It's just thirteen questions.

Your little G thing got every question right [because they were simple-simon] -- BUT the average American girl, only got 6.8 of the answers correct.   [men, 8.5 out of thirteen]  With 100%, thirteen out of thirteen, I landed in the top 8%; meaning, 92% of the respondents got less than that. [hate to have to spell it out, but kinda feel like I have to be really clear]

When given the answers right in front of you -- with a straightforward, multiple choice selection and no tricks -- only 40% of all women who took the quiz could pick out how many troops have been killed in Afghanistan since the war began; only 36% of all women could emphatically point out that Republicans control the House; only 51% of all women could demonstrate their full awareness of the current unemployment percentage (as promoted by this administration) holding steady at a rocking 9%.  (Did they really think it was five, or the fifteen?)

Quite honestly, this is heartbreaking.


How can we expect to uphold the fundamentals when we can't even keep up with the current events?

Do you really think we can get away with walking around in our own little bubble without responsibility to the whole?

Sure -- maybe this Congress has a NINE percent approval rating (meaning, we dis-approve of 90% of the lot); but what does it matter when 90% of Americans answering thirteen SUPER SIMPLE questions can't even get a hundred percent correct? This only goes to prove one thing -- seems ninety percent of us are walking stupid (or ignorant, or uneducated, or selfish, or ingrates, or spoiled, or looking forward to being communists...to name only seven out of thirteen).

Think about it, but don't hurt yourself; it is only Monday.

Make it a Good Day, G

a little 'Garbage' is playing for the song of the day -- just a click away on 'It's Just Thirteen Questions...'  TuRn It uP and dAnCe

Dear America,

Dream a Little Dream

happy friday...this was supposed to post yesterday, but oh well, that's life.

and be forewarned: this is long.  really long...complete with every audience interruption. 
Of course, G chimed in along the way, too.  It should be fun.  

But if nothing else, pay attention to the words of our president -- which should be easy, as his words are in blue...carry on...


REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM
Chamizal National Memorial
El Paso, Texas
1:21 P.M. MDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, El Paso!  (Applause.)  Well, it is wonderful — wonderful to be back with all of you in the Lone Star State.  (Applause.)  Everything is bigger in Texas.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back!  (Applause.)  Even the welcomes are bigger.  (Applause.)  So, in appreciation, I wanted to give a big policy speech outside on a really hot day.  (Laughter.)  Those of you who are still wearing your jackets, feel free to take them off.  I hope everybody is wearing sunscreen.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We live here.

THE PRESIDENT:  You say you live here?  You don’t need it, huh?  (Laughter.)  Well, it is a great honor to be here.  And I want to express my appreciation to all of you for taking the time to come out today.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  I appreciate it.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

You know, about a week ago, I delivered a commencement address at Miami Dade Community College, which is one of the most diverse schools in the nation.  The graduates were proud that their class could claim heritage from 181 countries around the world — 181 countries.  (Applause.)

Many of the students were immigrants themselves, coming to America with little more than the dream of their parents and the clothes on their back.  A handful had discovered only in adolescence or adulthood that they were undocumented.

G: and here we go...those pesky details, right Mr. President?.

THE PRESIDENT:  But they worked hard and they gave it their all, and so they earned those diplomas.

And at the ceremony, 181 flags — one for every nation that was represented — was marched across the stage.  And each one was applauded by the graduates and the relatives with ties to those countries.

G: but this is America...we are supposed to be "E pluribus unum" (confirmed by the president in one minute)

THE PRESIDENT:  So when the Haitian flag went by, all the Haitian kids — Haitian American kids shouted out.  And when the Guatemalan flag went by, all the kids of Guatemalan heritage shouted out.  And when the Ukrainian flag went by, I think one kid shouted out.  (Laughter.)  This was down in Miami.  (Laughter.)  If it had been in Chicago, there would have been more.

But then, the last flag, the American flag, came into view.  And everyone in the room erupted in applause.  Everybody cheered.  (Applause.)  So, yes, their parents and grandparents — some of the graduates themselves — had come from every corner of the globe.  But it was here that they had found opportunity.  It was here that they had a chance to contribute to the nation that is their home.

And it was a reminder of a simple idea, as old as America itself:  E pluribus unum.  Out of many, one.

G:  exactly.

THE PRESIDENT:  We define ourselves as a nation of immigrants — a nation that welcomes those willing to embrace America’s ideals and America’s precepts.

G:  "willing to embrace AMERICA'S IDEALS and AMERICA'S precepts." IDEALS -- a conception of something in it's absolute perfection...an honorable or worthy principle or aim.  PRECEPTS -- a rule or principle imposing a particular standard of action or conduct. Amen to that.

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s why millions of people, ancestors to most of us, braved hardship and great risk to come here — so they could be free to work and worship and start a business and live their lives in peace and prosperity.  The Asian immigrants who made their way to California’s Angel Island.  The German and Scandinavians who settled across the Midwest.  The waves of Irish, and Italian, and Polish, and Russian, and Jewish immigrants who leaned against the railing to catch their first glimpse of the Statue of Liberty.

This flow of immigrants...

G: ...who got here legally...

THE PRESIDENT:  ...has helped make this country stronger and more prosperous.  (Applause.)  We can point to the genius of Einstein, the designs of I. M. Pei, the stories of Isaac Asimov, the entire industries that were forged by Andrew Carnegie.

And then when I think about immigration I think about the naturalization ceremonies that we’ve held at the White House for members of our military.  Nothing could be more inspiring.  Even though they were not yet citizens when they joined our military, these men and women signed up to serve.

We did one event at the White House and a young man named Granger Michael from Papua New Guinea, a Marine who had been deployed to Iraq three times, was there.  And you know what he said about becoming an American citizen?  He said, “I might as well.  I love this country already.”  That’s all he said.  Marines aren’t big on speeches.  (Laughter.)

G: Now this girl loves a marine...any uniform really...but seriously?  The president quotes a guy who says, "I might as well?"  as if his citizenship to America is just an afterthought?  The people I have come across (two specifically) get there a little differently.  Like the french woman married to a man in the military, who spent twenty years thinking maybe I will, and then, in almost a split second decidedly say "oi" -- and from that moment on, it was a process that took years to arrive at the day she could apply her studies on American history, take the test, and then stand before a crowd, pledging their allegiance to the United States of America. The other girl was from the Philippines.  She came to America with a crowd of generations.  Similar story.  Same ending...but let's continue. It's going to be days before we're through...  

THE PRESIDENT:  Another was a woman named Perla Ramos who was born and raised in Mexico and came to the United States shortly after 9/11, and joined the Navy.  And she said, “I take pride in our flag and the history we write day by day.”

That’s the promise of this country — that anyone can write the next chapter in our story.  It doesn’t matter where you come from — (applause) — it doesn’t matter where you come from; it doesn’t matter what you look like; it doesn’t matter what faith you worship.

G:  you're absolutely right. It doesn't matter where or what.  What matters is the HOW. 

THE PRESIDENT:  What matters is that you believe in the ideals on which we were founded; that you believe that all of us are created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights.  (Applause.)  All of us deserve our freedoms and our pursuit of happiness.  In embracing America, you can become American.  That is what makes this country great.  That enriches all of us.

G:  "believe in the ideals on which we were founded...endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable right."  Exactly!   Think about that!  Words are powerful, aren't they!   America's Ideals are not simply lip service to some kind of imaginary level of perfection -- it is real for us.  And we are a nation with certain inalienable rights given to us by OUR CREATOR; government has absolutely NOTHING to do with it.  

THE PRESIDENT:  And yet, at the same time, we’re here at the border today — (applause) — we’re here at the border because we also recognize that being a nation of laws goes hand in hand with being a nation of immigrants.  This, too, is our heritage.  This, too, is important.

G:  that was hard to say for you, wasn't it Mr. President?   ho hum, but we got these silly laws that get in the way...just what are we gonna do...

THE PRESIDENT:  And the truth is, we’ve often wrestled with the politics of who is and who isn’t allowed to come into this country.

G:  whoopsy daisy...that's where we take a turn for the worst.  Again, it's not about the politics.  This is both sides of the aisle debate and argument.  It isn't about the who is and who isn't "allowed" as if we are a snotty club.  It is about the proper way to enter our country.  That's it.  But continue. please.  This campaign , I mean, Immigration Reform speech, is just starting to get good.

THE PRESIDENT:  This debate is not new.

G: and it's sure getting old.

THE PRESIDENT:  At times, there has been fear and resentment directed towards newcomers, especially in hard economic times.

G: again, enough already!  it is not "fear and resentment directed towards newcomers."  It is not the WHO, it is the HOW.

THE PRESIDENT:  And because these issues touch deeply on what we believe, touch deeply on our convictions — about who we are as a people, about what it means to be an American — these debates often elicit strong emotions.

G: you make it sound so complicated.  The thing is, you are either with us or your against us.  You either follow the law, or reap the consequences. I'm sorry, just what is there about this that we can't all agree?  

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s one reason it’s been so difficult to reform our broken immigration system.  When an issue is this complex, when it raises such strong feelings, it’s easier for politicians to defer until the problem the next election.  And there’s always a next election.

G: like, with how you're overwhelming democratic House and Senate deferred over the last two years?  something like that? Oh, my mistake, it was just stuck in Your Senate. Harry Reid didn't have the votes.

THE PRESIDENT:  So we’ve seen a lot of blame and a lot of politics and a lot of ugly rhetoric around immigration.

G: ...and we're about to get some more....coming right up...

THE PRESIDENT:  And we’ve seen good faith efforts from leaders of both parties — by the way, I just noticed, those of you who have chairs, if you want to sit down, feel free.  There’s no rule about having to stand when I’m –

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  — we love you!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  But we’ve seen leaders of both parties who try to work on this issue, but then their efforts fell prey to the usual Washington games.  And all the while, we’ve seen the mounting consequences of decades of inaction.

Today, there are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants here in the United States.  Some crossed the border illegally.  Others avoid immigration laws by overstaying their visas.  Regardless of how they came, the overwhelming majority of these folks are just trying to earn a living and provide for their families.  (Applause.)

G:  way to let us know where you stand -- "regardless of how they came" is it.  Interesting, that doesn't coincide with the ideals and precepts AMERICA stands for under the Rule of Law.  but do go on...

THE PRESIDENT:  But we have to acknowledge they’ve broken the rules.  They’ve cut in front of the line.  And what is also true is that the presence of so many illegal immigrants makes a mockery of all those who are trying to immigrate legally.

G:  thank you.

THE PRESIDENT:  Also, because undocumented immigrants live in the shadows, where they’re vulnerable to unscrupulous businesses that skirt taxes, and pay workers less than the minimum wage, or cut corners with health and safety laws, this puts companies who follow the rules, and Americans who rightly demand the minimum wage or overtime or just a safe place to work, it puts those businesses at a disadvantage.

G:  oh no.  now Illegal Immigrants are victims?

THE PRESIDENT:  Think about it.

G: no, you think about it.

THE PRESIDENT:   Over the past decade, even before the recession hit, middle-class families were struggling to get by as the costs went up for everything, from health care, to college tuition, to groceries, to gas.  Their incomes didn’t go up with those prices.  We’re seeing it again right now with gas prices.

So one way to strengthen the middle class in America is to reform the immigration system so that there is no longer a massive underground economy that exploits a cheap source of labor while depressing wages for everybody else.  I want incomes for middle-class families to rise again.  (Applause.)  I want prosperity in this country to be widely shared.  (Applause.)  I want everybody to be able to reach that American dream.  And that’s why immigration reform is an economic imperative.  It’s an economic imperative.  (Applause.)

G:  you're not saying what I think you are saying?  SO if we get immigration reform, we will wake up to a brand new day in America...the value of our dollar will come rolling on back, we will begin to innovate and grow business again, we will go back to drilling for oil and gas like there is no tomorrow, we will awake to a new day, living within our means; we will stop printing money out of thin air.  And then, the good illegal immigrants (who become legal citizens under your plan) will stop doing crimes...getting arrested and filling up our jails; their babies will be paid for under their own insurance, and they will be good citizens forever and ever.  Is that how you see it?  That illegals are really the answer we've been looking for all this time?

THE PRESIDENT:  And reform will also help to make America more competitive in the global economy.  Today, we provide students from around the world with visas to get engineering and computer science degrees at our top universities.  (Applause.)

But then our laws discourage them from using those skills to start a business or a new industry here in the United States.  Instead of training entrepreneurs to stay here, we train them to create jobs for our competition.  That makes no sense.

G: yeah, that makes no sense.  You are confusing immigration laws with our corporate tax system and regulations that inhibit our true free market and fair enterprise system in which this nation was founded. But it sounds good, doesn't it?

 THE PRESIDENT:  In a global marketplace, we need all the talent we can attract, all the talent we can get to stay here to start businesses — not just to benefit those individuals, but because their contribution will benefit all Americans.

Look at Intel, look at Google, look at Yahoo, look at eBay.  All those great American companies, all the jobs they’ve created, everything that has helped us take leadership in the high-tech industry, every one of those was founded by, guess who, an immigrant.  (Applause.)

G: WTF  THEY WERE ALL HERE LEGALLY!  THEY are AMERICAN CITIZENS! And the Intel guys, all born in United States; Google -- one was born here, while Sergey became a U.S. citizen legally; the ebay guy -- a buddy of yours -- was born to Iranian parents in France, before coming to America as a child and becoming a U.S. citizen. again, all legally.  And like you said, American Companies, paying into the American tax system, creating hundreds of thousands of American jobs, all along the way.

THE PRESIDENT:  So we don’t want the next Intel or the next Google to be created in China or India.  We want those companies and jobs to take root here.  (Applause.)  Bill Gates gets this.  He knows a little something about the high-tech industry.  He said, “The United States will find it far more difficult to maintain its competitive edge if it excludes those who are able and willing to help us compete.”

So immigration is not just the right thing to do.  It’s smart for our economy.  It’s smart for our economy.  (Applause.)  And it’s for this reason that businesses all across America are demanding that Washington finally meet its responsibilities to solve the immigration problem.  Everybody recognizes the system is broken.  The question is, will we finally summon the political will to do something about it?  And that’s why we’re here at the border today.

And I want to say I am joined today by an outstanding Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, who’s been working tirelessly on this issue.  (Applause.)  Our commissioner who’s working diligently on border issues, Alan Bersin, is there, and we appreciate him — Bersin.  (Applause.)

So they’re doing outstanding work.  And in recent years, among one of the greatest impediments to reform were questions about border security.  And these were legitimate concerns.  What was true was a lack of manpower and a lack of resources at the border, combined with the pull of jobs and ill-considered enforcement once folks were in the country.

All this contributed to a growing number of undocumented people living in the United States.  And these concerns helped unravel a bipartisan coalition that we had forged back when I was in the United States Senate.  So in the years since, “borders first, borders first,” that’s become the common refrain, even among those who were previously supportive of comprehensive immigration reform.

But over the last two years, thanks to the outstanding work of Janet and Alan and everybody who’s down here working at the border, we’ve answered those concerns.  Under their leadership, we have strengthened border security beyond what many believed was possible.   They wanted more agents at the border.  Well, we now have more boots on the ground on the southwest border than at any time in our history.  (Applause.)

The Border Patrol has 20,000 agents — more than twice as many as there were in 2004.  It’s a build-up that began under President Bush and that we’ve continued, and I had a chance to meet some of these outstanding agents, and actually saw some of them on horseback who looked pretty tough.  (Laughter.)  So we put the agents here.

Then they wanted a fence.  Well, the fence is –

AUDIENCE:  Booo!

G:  okay.  now this is where if I were president I would be standing at the podium shaking my head.  Just who is in the audience?  Illegals?  sons and daughters of illegals?  What is wrong with the fence to these fine American citizens sitting in the audience of our president? I would stop and tell them to straighten up and fly right.  but I guess that's just me...go on..

THE PRESIDENT:  The fence is now basically complete.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Tear it down!

G:  now whoa nelly.  this is where I would turn to that section of the audience and say, "stand up and give me ten (Pledges of Allegiance, that is).  unbelievable...and he just let it go...

THE PRESIDENT:  Then we’ve gone further.  We tripled the number of intelligence analysts working at the border.  I’ve deployed unmanned aerial vehicles to patrol the skies from Texas to California.  We have forged a partnership with Mexico to fight the transnational criminal organizations that have affected both of our countries.  (Applause.)  And for the first time — for the first time we’re screening 100 percent of southbound rail shipments to seize guns and money going south even as we go after drugs that are coming north.  (Applause.)

So, here’s the point.  I want everybody to listen carefully to this.

G:  ...this outta be good.  listen up...

THE PRESIDENT:  We have gone above and beyond what was requested by the very Republicans who said they supported broader reform as long as we got serious about enforcement.  All the stuff they asked for, we’ve done.  But even though we’ve answered these concerns, I’ve got to say I suspect there are still going to be some who are trying to move the goal posts on us one more time.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  They’re racist!

G:  seriously?  you are just gonna let that one go?    Not to mention, "all the stuff they asked for" -- what, so only republicans want the secure border now?  Democrats, Independents, Libertarians have no concern on this whatsoever?

THE PRESIDENT:  You know, they said we needed to triple the Border Patrol.  Or now they’re going to say we need to quadruple the Border Patrol.  Or they’ll want a higher fence.  Maybe they’ll need a moat.  (Laughter.)  Maybe they want alligators in the moat.  (Laughter.)  They’ll never be satisfied.  And I understand that.  That’s politics.

G: No.  YOU SIR are POLITICS.  None stop.  Always campaigning, never a president.  But let's do it. Let's build a moat and get us some alligators; how many do you think it will take?

THE PRESIDENT:  But the truth is the measures we’ve put in place are getting results.

G:  right.  previous administrations have done nada.  That is apparently the new truth.

THE PRESIDENT:  Over the past two and a half years, we’ve seized 31 percent more drugs, 75 percent more currency, 64 percent more weapons than ever before.  (Applause.)

G: and sold weapons to drug gangs to see if we could follow the gang-banger, the weapons of mass destruction -- or was it to follow our money go down the tubes -- and make us all look like idiots?  who's brilliant idea was that, Mr. Commander in Chief? 

THE PRESIDENT:  And even as we have stepped up patrols, apprehensions along the border have been cut by nearly 40 percent from two years ago.  That means far fewer people are attempting to cross the border illegally.

And also, despite a lot of breathless reports that have tagged places like El Paso as dangerous, violent crime in southwest border counties has dropped by a third.  El Paso and other cities and towns along this border are consistently among the safest in the nation.  (Applause.)  Of course, we shouldn’t accept any violence or crime.  And we’ve always got more work to do.  But this progress is important and it’s not getting reported on.

And we’re also going beyond the border.  Beyond the border, we’re going after employers who knowingly exploit people and break the law.  (Applause.)  And we are deporting those who are here illegally.  And that’s a tough issue.  It’s a source of controversy.

But I want to emphasize we’re not doing it haphazardly.  We’re focusing our limited resources...

G: but you just said five minutes ago ..."we’ve gone further.  We tripled the number of intelligence analysts working at the border.  I’ve deployed unmanned aerial vehicles to patrol the skies from Texas to California.  We have forged a partnership with Mexico to fight the transnational criminal organizations that have affected both of our countries.  (Applause.) And for the first time — for the first time we’re screening 100 percent of southbound rail shipments to seize guns and money going south even as we go after drugs that are coming north."  So is it limited -- or -- "gone further...tripled the number...deployed..forged...fight...for the first time"...?

THE PRESIDENT:  ...and people on violent offenders and people convicted of crimes — not just families, not just folks who are just looking to scrape together an income.  And as a result, we’ve increased the removal of criminals by 70 percent.  (Applause.)

That’s not to ignore the real human toll of a broken immigration system.  Even as we recognize that enforcing the law is necessary, we don’t relish the pain that it causes in the lives of people who are just trying to get by and get caught up in the system.

And as long as the current laws are on the books, it’s not just hardened felons who are subject to removal, but sometimes families who are just trying to earn a living, or bright, eager students, or decent people with the best of intentions.  (Applause.)

And sometimes when I talk to immigration advocates, they wish I could just bypass Congress and change the law myself.

G: hasn't stopped you before...

THE PRESIDENCY:  But that’s not how a democracy works.  What we really need to do is to keep up the fight to pass genuine, comprehensive reform.  That is the ultimate solution to this problem.  That’s what I’m committed to doing.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes, we can!  Yes, we can!

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, we can.  We can do it.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Yes, we can!  Yes, we can!  Yes, we can!

G: si sempuede si sempuede

THE PRESIDENT:  The most significant step we can now take to secure the borders is to fix the system as a whole so that fewer people have the incentive to enter illegally in search of work in the first place.  This would allow agents to focus on the worst threats on both of our — both sides of our borders, from drug traffickers to those who would come here to commit acts of violence or terror.  That’s where our focus should be.

So, El Paso, the question is whether those in Congress who previously walked away in the name of enforcement are now ready to come back to the table and finish the work that we’ve started.  (Applause.)  We’ve got to put the politics aside.

G:  yes, let's put politics aside BECAUSE it is NOT about politics remember -- it's about America's Ideals and Precepts.   Twenty minutes ago...what were you saying...or was all that just for show?  [sideshow alert sideshow alert]

THE PRESIDENT:  And if we do, I’m confident we can find common ground.

G:  yes.  common sense LEGAL ground.

THE PRESIDENT:  Washington is lagging behind the country on this.  There is already a growing coalition of leaders across America who don’t always see eye-to-eye, but are coming together on this issue.  They see the harmful consequences of a broken immigration system for their businesses and for their communities, and they understand why we need to act.

There are Democrats and Republicans,

G: but you just said republicans can never be satisfied.  What is it about your speeches that turn into a swirling durbish of contradictions?

THE PRESIDENT:  ...people like former Republican Senator Mel Martinez; former Bush administration Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff; leaders like Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York; evangelical ministers like Leith Anderson and Bill Hybels; police chiefs from across the nation; educators; advocates; labor unions; chambers of commerce; small business owners; Fortune 500 CEOs.

I mean, one CEO had this to say about reform:  “American ingenuity is a product of the openness and diversity of this society.  Immigrants have made America great as the world leader in business, in science, higher education and innovation.”  You know who that leader was?  Rupert Murdoch, who owns FOX News, and is an immigrant himself.  I don’t know if you’re familiar with Rupert Murdoch’s views, but let’s just say he doesn’t have an Obama sticker on his car.  (Laughter.)

G: haha ha ha ha...you are so funny.

THE PRESIDENT:  But he agrees with me on this.  (Applause.)

So there is a consensus around fixing what’s broken. And now we need Congress to catch up.  Now we need to come together around reform that reflects our values as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants; reform that demands that everybody take responsibility.  So what would comprehensive reform look like?

First, we know that government has a threshold responsibility to secure our borders and enforce the law.  And that’s what Janet and all her folks are doing.  That’s what they’re doing.  (Applause.)

Second, businesses have to be held accountable if they exploit undocumented workers.  (Applause.)

Third, those who are here illegally, they have a responsibility as well.  So they broke the law, and that means they’ve got to pay their taxes, they’ve got to pay a fine, they’ve got to learn English.  And they’ve got to undergo background checks and a lengthy process before they get in line for legalization.  That’s not too much to ask.  (Applause.)

G:  yeah, about that:  taxes to pay...is that based on future earnings, or will you go back twenty years (if the case applies)...and that fine, will that be like the 'per mile gas tax' about to be imposed on all Americans and businesses? Is it a one time fine -- or annually, or as long as you ignore the statute (like your health care mandate)?  And learning English...when does that start, when can we stop duplicating, at such a great expense, nearly everything we say into Spanish? And, we don't have time to get into so called "background checks" and the whole "get in line" part...but it sure is funny.

THE PRESIDENT: And fourth, stopping illegal immigration also depends on reforming our outdated system of legal immigration.  (Applause.)  We should make it easier for the best and the brightest to not only stay here, but also to start businesses and create jobs here.

In recent years, a full 25 percent of high-tech startups in the U.S. were founded by immigrants.  That led to 200,000 jobs here in America.  I’m glad those jobs are here.  I want to see more of them created in this country.  We need to provide them the chance.  (Applause.)

We need to provide our farms a legal way to hire workers that they rely on, and a path for those workers to earn legal status.  (Applause.)  And our laws should respect families following the rules — reuniting them more quickly instead of splitting them apart.  (Applause.)

Today, the immigration system not only tolerates those who break the rules, but it punishes folks who follow the rules.  While applications — while applicants wait for approval, for example, they’re often forbidden from visiting the United States.  Even husbands and wives may have to spend years apart.  Parents can’t see their children.  I don’t believe the United States of America should be in the business of separating families.  That’s not right.  That’s not who we are.  We can do better than that.  (Applause.)

And we should stop punishing innocent young people for the actions of their parents.  (Applause.)  We should stop denying them the chance to earn an education or serve in the military.  And that’s why we need to pass the DREAM Act.  (Applause.)  Now, we passed the DREAM Act through the House last year when Democrats were in control.  But even though it received a majority of votes in the Senate, it was blocked when several Republicans who had previously supported the DREAM Act voted no.

G: again with the untruths.  Tell the whole truth Mr. President -- can you name the democrats who voted against it?  Hint Hint:  there were five.

THE PRESIDENT:  That was a tremendous disappointment to get so close and then see politics get in the way.  And as I gave that commencement at Miami Dade, it broke my heart knowing that a number of those promising, bright students — young people who worked so hard and who speak about what’s best in America — are at risk of facing the agony of deportation.  These are kids who grew up in this country.  They love this country.  They know no other place to call home.  The idea that we’d punish them is cruel.  It makes no sense.  We’re a better nation than that.  (Applause.)

G: and yet, look at the story arising out of the halls of Tucson, can you say government overthrow?  Students rioting school board meetings in solidarity against this country?  And more closer to home, the Hispanic population of middle-schooler's and high-schooler's in this neck of the woods, aren't exactly into doing their homework or attending class. Generally speaking, the kids I see and the one's my girl tells me about, are just not that into school, or this country, or following the rules of any kind -- high on their list... getting high and just hanging out. When will we have the courage to talk about the whole truth and nothing but the truth? 

THE PRESIDENT:  So we’re going to keep fighting for the DREAM Act. We’re going to keep up the fight for reform.  (Applause.)

And that’s where you come in.  I’m going to do my part to lead a constructive and civil debate on these issues.  And we’ve already had a series of meetings about this at the White House in recent weeks.  We’ve got leaders here and around the country helping to move the debate forward.

But this change ultimately has to be driven by you, the American people.

G: funny.  we're you just calling for a citizens revolt?

THE PRESIDENT:  You’ve got to help push for comprehensive reform, and you’ve got to identify what steps we can take right now — like the DREAM Act, like visa reform — areas where we can find common ground among Democrats and Republicans and begin to fix what’s broken.

So I’m asking you to add your voices to this debate.  You can sign up to help at whitehouse.gov.  We need Washington to know that there is a movement for reform that’s gathering strength from coast to coast.  That’s how we’ll get this done.  That’s how we can ensure that in the years ahead we are welcoming the talents of all who can contribute to this country and that we’re living up to the basic American idea that you can make it here if you try.  (Applause.)

That’s the idea that gave hope to José Hernández.  Is José here?  Where’s — José is right over there.  (Applause.)  I want you to hear — I want you to think about this story.  José’s parents were migrant farm workers.  And so, growing up, he was too.  He was born in California, though he could have just as easily been born on the other side of the border, if it had been a different time of year, because his family moved around with the seasons.  So two of his siblings were actually born in Mexico.

So they traveled a lot, and José joined his parents picking cucumbers and strawberries.  And he missed part
of school when they returned to Mexico each winter.  José didn’t learn English until he was 12 years old.  But you know what, José was good at math and he liked math.  And the nice thing is that math was the same in every school, and it’s the same in Spanish as it is in English.

So José studied, and he studied hard.  And one day, he’s standing in the fields, collecting sugar beets, and he heard on a transistor radio that a man named Franklin Chang-Diaz — a man with a surname like his — was going to be an astronaut for NASA.  So José decided — right there in the field, he decided — well, I could be an astronaut, too.

So José kept on studying, and he graduated high school.  And he kept on studying, and he earned an engineering degree.  And he kept on studying, and he earned a graduate degree.  And he kept on working hard, and he ended up at a national laboratory, helping to develop a new kind of digital medical imaging system.

And a few years later, he found himself more than 100 miles above the surface of the Earth, staring out of the window of the shuttle Discovery, and he was remembering the boy in the California fields with that crazy dream that in America everything is possible.  (Applause.)

G: Jose sounds pretty wonderful.  I would love to shake his hand and say 'well done.'  

And, if I may be so bold, I bet Jose might tend to agree with me, that his story is pretty special.  His patriotism, his drive, his grit, his spirit to do his very best is not akin to every Hispanic illegal immigrant crossing the Mexican-American border.  Am I right, Jose?  You are kind of the exception to the rule.  

Some Immigrants do cross, illegally, just to get away from the corrupt government  they once called home. Some use US just to make some money, to feed their family, and many of them mean well, it's true -- but their true loyalties are to a nation no longer their own, living in a nation that deep down they loath, disrespect and curse.  They have no interest in assimilation with the whole.  While some Immigrants come to America to get an education and leave, because their true home is somewhere else and they know it;  it's very clear it is not here.  And then, some immigrants just come to kill us.  think about it.

THE PRESIDENT:  Think about that, El Paso.  That’s the American Dream right there.  (Applause.)  That’s what we’re fighting for.  We are fighting for every boy and every girl like José with a dream and potential that’s just waiting to be tapped.  We are fighting to unlock that promise, and all that holds not just for their futures, but for America’s future.  That’s why we’re going to get this done.  And that’s why I’m going to need your help.

Thank you.  God bless you.  And may God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END           1:56 P.M. MDT

wow.  what we are fighting for is the AMERICAN life, liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.  What we seem to be fighting for, is our nation's security, at a time when every American Ideal and Precept is being taunted, questioned, spit upon, and bullied into submission.

Mr. President, can't you see the opportunity missed here?  Your words carry so much weight.  People truly listen to you and hang on your every thought, word, and deed.  In this moment, after all that's been said and done, I do believe that Immigration Reform needs a new role model; ah, who am I kidding, the whole of America needs a new role model.

America is no longer just a nation of immigrants built by immigrants; we have evolved -- and have long been turned into a nation of Americans.  We are our own breed, made from those coming to the new world centuries ago and survived by generations freshly grown.  We are American citizens,  making the American Way of Life, out of the fruits and labor of our ancestors, indeed.  But a nation of immigrants only tells part of our story -- and that is, how do you say, history now -- for we are all made in America now.

The thing is, our prosperity, our solvency, our ideals and principles, our future happiness  will be nearly entirely based upon how well future immigrants, and those already here, assimilate to U.S. -- not the other way around.

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

My head is about to explode.

But before we can go any further, I think today is a good day to stop and take a look at what it truly means to be an American. I realize that there are so many issues swirling around us right now, how can I ask you to contemplate something so elementary even for a moment. We have racial tensions uprooted, health care in a forest of concerns and an economy hanging on by our last dollar.

But let's just assume that if you are reading this, you were probably born right here in the good 'ole US of A. Well done. The stars were certainly aligned for you, now weren't they -- that being a statement, not a question.

I may be stepping out on a broken limb but I must say, just because you may be born in the states doesn't guarantee the American tree is embedded in your roots.

America was created by hand and through hard work. What began with the Pilgrims, a discovery that used to be celebrated in our schools with Columbus Day, has now evolved into a serious case of identity theft, that which we need all fellow Americans to find the courage to address.

For the sake of conversation, let's bounce over our first two hundred tumultuous years prior when America found herself grappling with wars, documentation, creating government and giving birth to western culture and the hip, young, up and coming democracy we know today (for people who don't know me, there was a bit of sarcasm in that last remark).

Point is, we created a Republic -- a people working freely and equally for the same cause, and direct opposite of monarchies and dictatorships.

As part of our American way, we all grew up pretty much in the same way for a very long time. Not without a few exceptions of course, having had our grandparents and great grandparents and maybe even all the generations before that, we can trace our roots back to a family member arriving to the land of the free to become an American.

We were given the image growing up in school of the "melting pot" and how all kinds of people, through strife or through joy, came to America to make a better life in the new land. A land where freedom was fought for and revered by not only ourselves through generation after generation, but through the eyes of the entire world. We were respected, and honored, and deep down inside each and every one of us, we KNEW we were special and that this country of ours was some kind of wonderful.

Our federal government was somewhat controlled. Our states personalized our experiences. Our communities celebrated American culture individually and collectively through the simple turning of the pages in the calendar. America had her seasons. America had her culture of holidays and festivals, from birthdays to Memorials, and rites of passages and traditions. America had her roots in all kinds of different soil, but deep down, we all drank the water from the same well.

Our formative years, besides being a world entrenched in security, liberty and means, gave custom to a culture that grew from this place of faith and tradition. Whether we had an Irish grandma and Italian pop, whether British or German, African or Asian, Mexican or Islander we were created on American soil -- giving birth to an American soul -- and blessed with the great duty as caretaker to the health, wealth and life of all that She stands for.

As history proves time and again, the most precious of these freedoms may lie in the separation of church and state; our founding fathers recognized that as simple as it may sound, making a land and it's people free to follow God (or not) by not aligning with a state religion. This allowed for all people who come to our shores the free will "endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights...Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness". But the conversation on faith is not going to happen today...

I am going to make a giant leap now and warn all of you that if we, as a people, as a Republic, do not "wake up" as one of my favorite people, Glenn Beck, likes to say, we are going to lose our American Identity, our American Way, and find ourselves living in a state without the simple liberties we seemingly are taking for granted now.

Our young President Obama was not raised American. Forget about the documentation of the birth certificate people! It doesn't matter even if it were true. What does matter is how this President, who represents us as Americans, has struggled with an identity crisis of his very own, admittedly in his own words from his memoir Dreams From My Father. He stresses how so much of his early life was wrought with questions of who he was and void of the firm foundation that only a nurturing, secure parent can bring.

His formative years were absent of any security. Both of his parents struggled with the duty of raising their son, having his father flee by the age of two and his mother leaving him to his grandmother. Neither parent offered much of a spiritual foundation; his mother proudly atheist and while both his birth father and step father were Muslim, Obama claims he was never really involved with the teachings of Islam however illogical that may sound. He had little tradition, little faith and hardly a mainland experience to speak of. The reality is, the American culture that most of us were raised on was just not a part of his life.

Now that Obama is safely grounded in the oval office he talks about his Muslim roots, as if all of a sudden he had this great epiphany. Clearly afraid of discussing it while campaigning, I ask then what is this allegiance all about? How have these young formative years, absent of American culture an tradition, truly shaped our President? These are fair questions.

While Obama may say that we are not a Christian nation, we are founded under "one God" with Liberty and Justice for all as defined in our Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and Constitution, Pledge of Allegiance, and our money. Our founding fathers recognized something greater than ourselves as evident in our unwavering faith in our Creator; and as most Americans agree today, make no apologies for it! Accentuating the positive, we love how we are a country of faith and tradition and Christmas and Easter. Whats more, 86% of us believe in God altogether.

As Americans, we have inherent by our birthright formative years as a country and as individuals that come together to shape us into who we are today. While we may not all look the same or come from the same place, we choose to have these traditions of faith, family, ritual and certainly the English language in common with each other; conversely, the more we look at what divides us, the less grounded and uprooted we become.

The culture that trumps whatever else we bring to the table is being true blue Americana. It is through our traditions year in and year out that bind us together and make us as strong. And even though the American tree is diverse, I am most assuredly not speaking in terms of turning us into one big loaf of white bread; I am only recognizing that it is through this pure dynamic of melting into one that we are longing for and show great loss as a culture without, as evident in these trying times. I believe America is intelligent and regenerating. It evolves with each new season, blossoming into new generations springing forth innovation and discoveries that are for the betterment of the American future.

The Sun shines upon our Culture and the entire world has reaped our bounty.

Before I leave you today, I only recently discovered something that I thought fascinating. By contrast, John F. Kennedy made Sir Winston Churchill an honorary American in a ceremony in the Rose Garden in 1963. The remarks made were extraordinary and to recite the entire read may be a little much, so I will leave it to your free will if you are so inclined (see http://www.winstonchurchill.org/)

Point is, in a rare occurrence you can become a citizen of this great country through profound service and inspiration. While our fine young President Kennedy's words of commendation and proclamation made a stunning finish in saying:

"DONE at the City of Washington this ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord
nineteen hundred and sixty three, and of the Independence of the United States
of America the one hundred and eighty-seventh."

Need I say more.

Make it a good day, G

Dear America,

Perhaps every couple of hundred years a people has to do what a people has to do... Revolution, anyone?

I got to thinking about all of this hullabaloo about health care, reform, the need for government to step in and help us poor souls and it just started making me so crazy. The politics of spin and timing and bad economics along with the prevailing winds of "the sky is falling we must do something now before it's too late" is basically creating a culture of fear. Dare I say, rushing to solve this issue from a position of fear and deprivation will only rush us into another bad new deal.

They say that the 47 million "Americans" not covered amounts to about 15% of our nation -- so 85% are covered! They also say that due to the government provisions already in place, nobody is turned away from an emergency room -- ever -- even those who are here illegally! They also say that we in America are blessed with the BEST health care in the world, hence the story goes everyone and their mother COME HERE for recovery to reap the benefits of American innovation and organization second to none.

I love that word INNOVATION. It is funny that a product today pokes fun of the very word in a television commercial...Post Shredded Wheat. Have you seen it? The spokesperson says, "we take the NO out of Innovation"...reveling in the very nature that this product doesn't need to change.

Why do they capitalize on the idea of no innovation? Because like my dad always said if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Some things started out a good idea and just kept on going being a good idea. Simple. And taking it one step further, I can't help but think of my grandmother who has been eating Shredded Wheat since the age of 10! Today, at the age of 92, she still makes a bowl of it every morning, divining a count of 22 pieces as if it were a religious experience (and maybe it is). Of course, at the risk of digressing, she is an example of what eating right and taking care of yourself is all about. Again, personal responsibility goes a long, long way. Enough said.

Our country and our fellow Americans have always been recognized for our innovation, our discoveries, our inventions, our attitude, our good Samaritans, our military who saves the world, and most importantly, our ability to year in and year out be the country where dreams can come true and anyone can grow up to be anything. When you put us all together we are this country.

So what is really happening here? Is it not the current political agenda in play that has us all bushwhacked? For really then, after careful study, doesn't this issue simply become a tool to create another bureaucracy?

By definition, a bureaucracy is "any administration in which the need to follow complex procedures impedes effective action". Just because government believes they are acting in ways which are presumably what is best for us doesn't make it so. We must think it through for ourselves and trust our own judgment otherwise we will grow to become a people dependent on the government for everything!

I just obtained health insurance for myself after leaving my previous employer and turning down the expensive option of going on Cobra. It took me three days to shop around, apply and get approved (even with pre-existing conditions). It was amazing how easy and efficient it was and, in the end, amounts to half of what I would have had to pay if choosing the Cobra option. Here's the kicker, I remain with the same health insurance I was previously on with my company, but getting even BETTER service; for with my old company I was only receiving an HMO, and now I have a PPO, allowing me even more choice when it comes to taking care of me.

I cover my daughter, too, under a separate policy and have had that ever since she was born and she is now twelve.

It was so easy and such a good experience, I will even tell you who the lucky show of health innovation and organization won my loyalty over -- Anthem Blue Cross.

Now here's another kicker, I am single too. So break those old prejudices and preconceived ideas of single mothers; even us poor single mothers can get health insurance! But let me be clear, I am certainly not rich, and currently inbetween opportunities with employers, but the point is I got insurance.

I believe that people, in general, would rather just get a free lunch out of our government; make someone else responsible for our ills and pay for it. Who really wants to pay for health insurance anyway, certainly not me. It is no fun being responsible for ourselves sometimes. No fun being the adult. And no fun in paying out each and every month for an insurance on something we hope we never really need to use, like in the catastrophic ailments.

So perhaps what we must do is revolutionize our health care system -- simplify it, extinguish waste and fraud -- and maybe even allow for the industry to ultimately prosper. You know, it is okay if our doctors and nurses and hospices and cancer centers and alternative medicine clinics all prosper from giving us such great care. It is who we are as a culture to think and grow rich and be healthy and happy as we do it. It is who we are as Americans. It is what we are made of and what dreams are made of everyday.

If we limit ourselves under this veil of fear we will not prevail. Our country will go on life support and slowly fall into a coma of no return.

Make it a good day, G