It's About the Public Debt Thing

Dear America,

this is a day called going with the motions.

it's not going to be an epic read;

and fair to say, it's not going to be anything to write home about.

So how's that for a lead? 

I am just so sad.

It feels like every single mother lovin' day, America's foundation gets whittled away, slowly, like the sand on the shore -- east or west, pick a shore, any shore, and might as well throw in the great plains in between.

I have found myself feeling so displaced... from the inside out, from the outside in, from top to bottom, to the ends of the earth and back. 

All I could do with myself is clean.  Or fix things. Or cook.  Anything but think about what is going on in America.

Oh and did you hear?

From The Foundry @ The Heritage Foundation, Amy Payne highlights this:

But the worst is yet to come: The Congressional Budget Office projects that public debt will reach an economy-crushing 100 percent in less than one generation...

Oh and there's a whole lot more, read it and join me in a good long weep, here.

America is being manipulated to fully ignore the big stuff, just begging us to put our heads in the sand year over year over year  --   and all the while, tumbling us, edge over edge, into a perpetual state of submission to the state, eroding every beautiful facet of our rugged individualism and self-reliant cornerstones.

Oh and this Fed thinks it's all up for grabs and anything goes alright, even after over a century of grazing and cattle herding and making a fairly decent livelihood and staying out of trouble to boot.  See more here.

And just take a look at old dirty Harry, here, saying this:

"Well, it’s not over...we can’t have an American people that violate the law and then just walk away from it. So it’s not over."

Says the guy integrally involved as a key congressional leader of an administration run amuck.....

.... ignoring laws left and right, writing Executive Orders to usurp the Rule of Law itself, undermining a government holding to the constitutional limitations as our republic was designed. and more or less allowing the LawBreaker-in-Chief to do his thing without checks and without a doubt, without balances --  especially in light of The Foundry's current disclosure of the American Framily data sharing package fine print.


We are over our monthly gigabytes allowances by the trillions.  Seventeen Trillion, to be exact -- and not even counting the unfunded liabilities to the tune of almost a hundred trillion.

The thing is -- the foundation built upon the rock has crumbled like sand at the hands of man.

Lawlessness, wretchedness, sinking to the lowest common core denominator, spending more than we take in, has led us to a dark place in history.   And at least half of us -- The Entitlements ---   don't even see it; and having said that, not to be confused with The Establishments, as they're in a group of their very own; and having said all that,  not to be confused with The Replacements ...forthcoming to a theater near you.

Of course, The Establishments not only see it, they created it out of thin air and know exactly what they are doing.  Just too bad it's made of sand.   So here's to Divine Providence sending in the tide alongside the Blood Moon{s}. [Did you see that?  It was beautiful...the west coast only had to stay up til midnight to catch a glimpse.]

In the meantime, America is being buried alive and seemingly quite unconscious of it's future demise.

But the worst is yet to come: The Congressional Budget Office projects that public debt will reach an economy-crushing 100 percent in less than one generation...

"Well, it’s not over...we can’t have an American people that violate the law and then just walk away from it. So it’s not over."

No, it's not over.
We can't just have an American people that violate the law -- no matter if they come with a title of Senator, President, Health and Human Services Director, Attorney General, IRS Commissioner, or any one of us just plain folk and general peon...

It's not over until the sun sets upon the shining city on the hill along with every single mother lovin' sand dune, for Pete's sake, thank ya Jesus and can I get a praise the Lord.

No use crying over the day; there is plenty of work to be done. [aww there's my girl; that's the spirit G]

Hallelujah, Happy Easter everybody, and God Bless the United States of America.

Make it a Good Day, G

It's a Day

Dear America,

even the lofty and self-righteous coffee bean requires a good grounding to start the day...

take note, Mr. President.

The real question is, Mr. President, are you serious?

From yesterday's presidential size lambasting of the United States Senate for acting according to the people's will, by the people, for the people --  all broadcasted live -- at the presidential podium -- with a presidential glare and presidential grimace ...oh, and with presidential props, of course:

"I've heard folks say that having the families of victims lobby for this legislation was somehow misplaced. A prop, somebody called them. Emotional blackmail, some outlets said. Are they serious? Do we really think that thousands of families whose lives have been shattered by gun violence don't have a right to weigh in on this issue? Do we think their -- their emotions, their loss is not relevant to this debate?"

Isn't that rich.

So according to you, Mr. President, only one side gets to lobby?  Is that how it works now?  Of course these families have a right to have a say.  Just as all the rest of America.

Are you serious?

It's especially disconcerting considering how well you play the props all through the years.  This is what you do...all the time... Mr. President.   Who can forget the doctors in white coats for health care, the use of children,  senior citizens, first responders, the military, or, heaven forbid, caskets?  I mean, my goodness, Mr. President -- look who you have standing right smack next to you?  Gabby Giffords!

Your presidency lives, thrives, off of props -- for political fodder -- every cotton pickin' day!

And what up with this tone?  And what up with letting Harry Reid get a pass?

Not even a whisper about the Leader of your Senate -- being a fellow Democrat and leading the democratic majority, no less -- having, himself, voted no!   Harry Reid VOTED NO!   Hello?!   Are you serious, Mr. President?   I thought you said,

"And I talked to several of these senators over the past few weeks, and they're all good people...But the fact is, most of these senators could not offer any good reason why we wouldn't want to make it harder for criminals and those with severe mental illnesses to buy a gun. There were no coherent arguments as to why we wouldn't do this. It came down to politics."

But did you talk to Harry?

Um and call me stupid, but isn't it always politics?   Politics, and the science thereof, is the business you are in, you freak.

[my apologies for that outburst, not sure what just came over me.]  

[ah who are we kidding.  I'm not sorry.]

And what's up with this fixation of yours on this man-made super majority of 90%?   It felt like 90% of your presidential remarks included speaking on behalf of the "90% of Americans" who you seem to magically pull out of a hat (90% wool over the eyes)  to your side of the stage.  That's a good one.

And basically calling the NRA a mad bunch of rootin' tootin' liars?  wow.  Just who needs a good grounding on telling the truth? 

But you know what else, Mr. President --  this girl doesn't believe 90% of what you say.

For any of you who wish to read the full presidential remarks blow by blow, go here.

I must go before I say something I may regret.

It's time for a second cup of coffee.   Feeling a smidge cranky.

And hopefully -- for the benefit of anyone I run into today -- may the quality time alongside a little sunshine in a cup result in the immediate release of the residual steam clearly clinging under the rim.

It may just be the perfect morning to crack open the new, yet used, American-made gleaning courtesy of Ben Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack.     The day is calling for anything and everything to ground myself for whatever lies ahead.    

What a day in the life. 
What a week, what a week,
huh, boys and girls.

Make it a Good Day, G

and let us add Waco, Texas to our prayer list, too.
 

It's a Status Quo is So Gay Thing

Dear America,

it's funny, one of the first stories I read this morning was all about fourteen [female] Senators having sent a letter to the King of Saudi Arabia begging for him to change -- pleading to his higher self to allow women to drive.

Among the gang-ette of fourteen... both of my California Senators!  Isn't that just fabulous.  Now yeah, sure, we can multi-task; there is really no shame in spreading ourselves around for the love of country and all.  But seriously, right now?  When in fact our Senate cannot even gather the troops long enough to vote on major life changing financial legislation, with Harry Reid refusing to bring Cut Cup and Balance even to the table...this is how my Senators keep busy?

Hello!
Sure we are global now -- and this campaign featured through an organization simply known as Change.org -- is all about building respect for women all around the globe under an array of good causes; but don't you think we have enough, right here at home, to work on?

Not to mention, I would think getting a driver's license, ranked  by importance and pinned to the front of any given refrigerator at the home of a the typical Saudi woman, comes after treating women like real human beings.  Like giving them certain unalienable rights like each and every American woman...

All women under Sharia Law have to be escorted by a man everywhere they go; they can't even speak to a man that is not their husband in public; they can't even decide what to wear in the morning without being forced to cover it all up. They can't eat with men in restaurants; they have no decision making authority in the home; they can't even CHANGE their religion without meeting up with certain death.  Their genitals might even be brutally mutilated, okay...

But let's get them a driver's license.

While this is the letter my two Senators from California just had to place their Jane Hancock; allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia gets tossed into the Things to Do Today of team Boxer & Feinstein, and twelve others, ranking the Debt Ceiling Resolution, Balanced Budget, Cutting Spending, Unemployment, Obscene Growth of the Federal Government to come happily ever after.  Way to show your priorities, ladies.  [fyi, the lone republican Senator, was Susan Collins, of Maine]

I really didn't set out to discount a good deed of fellow American women this morning; standing up to oppression, whether large or small, all add up and make a difference.  We have seen the small step for man, big step mankind, become something bigger than life time and time again.

To pick at that small step even more, very often, these baby steps require a steadfast, solid, unwavering, fortified in every way, spine before that big toe even makes a move, so much as a wiggle.  We know that sometimes, what started out as the will of maybe 150,000 women protesting -- growing to become the grassroots movement back behind the efforts of Change.org's involvement -- becomes a full on platform for real change to occur.  Once it gains a foothold, natural momentum has the support to fundamentally transform reality.

This is precisely why the Debt Ceiling/Cut, Cap and Balance Debate seems so inane; the spine is missing.

Neither side is showing any Chutzpah  -- which is ironic, considering we are operating under the Audacity of Hope president, and after making a very convincing argument through the likes of Jay Carney, administration spokesman/poster boy of the moment, when addressing the press, saying, "We have shown a lot of leg on what we were proposing." 

all elements of sexism aside in the aftermath of making such an asinine comment, what leg?  Was the leg covered by an Abaya by chance?  [For a fabulous expose, and more along the same lines, go to sweetness & light, right here]

While what we get from the left is Harry Reid...business as usual and whining about the Tea Party...stopping just short of calling John Boehner a unick when expressing his concern, noting that the republican party is "being driven by the radical right-wing in tune with the tea party...We should not let these extremists dictate the outcome of this debate....it is time for ideological extremism to end... break away from those extremists who seem to be running  the Republican party in Washington.”

Basically, what Harry met Nancy want, is a compromise built solidly on more of the same: an illegitimate growth of an overzealous government without checks, balances, scruples, principles... let alone, a limit.

So what are we left with?

Honestly, just how are we still standing up?

...when the Left Leg is simply begging for us to continue under Status Quo -- stumbling along on a limp that sees no end... compromising upon so much... and redistributing every bloody thing... until we are left powerless, broken, and in ruin; with the Right Leg bending and tweaking and twitching uncontrollably, to the extent of going utterly numb.

Back bone?  Spine?  It's something that masterfully sits above the legs; and when turned into an admirable quality, it is something rarely associated with compromise --- but of pure, unadulterated, honorable, resolve.  Until such time we have statesmen (or WOMEN!) showing one, we, the people, will suffer.

Sure, Reagan bended a wee bit back in 1982; a closer look at the details would reassure the average patriot he compromised on a policy to stand firm on a principle. When searching for more on the bigger picture then, and now, I stumbled upon a fairly decent article on Reagan's "compromising" spirit here.  Reagan transformed taxation in this country beginning with a few small steps, eliminating loopholes, that in the short term amounted to tax increases, in order to change everything.  Can you just imagine still operating with the top income tax bracket at 70%?  Think about it.

"Right wing extremists" are screaming loud and clear DO NOT COMPROMISE on this now.  "WE the People" are lighting up the congressional switchboards, overloading websites, taking it to the airwaves and bloggers large and small, united with the same cause; and we number in the MILLIONS!  The spine of the right wing sweeps long and wide, spanning from sea to shining sea.

This has to be the time when America rejoins with her spine -- for we are faced with 60 trillion dollars in unfunded entitlement liabilities, while under the weight of an insurmountable 14.4 Trillion dollars in debt, when we continue to spend WAY more than we take in and running 1.5 trillion dollar deficits, when government by the numbers looks absolutely insane!  Go here for more on that...leading you, on fingertips, to The Heritage Foundation.

Call us what you want, Harry, but Status Quo is so gay.  [that is just piggy backing on something like this.]

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

“This is making the federal government dysfunctional 

on the 150th anniversary of the Civil War. 

These guys will support three wars. 

They’ll support tax dodgers. 

They’ll support the wealthiest Americans getting tax breaks. 

They want to cut into education and health care. 

This is an ideological battle.”

you're right Jesse, as in Jackson, it is about a difference in ideology; you got me. them. whomever. whatever.

Although I beg to differ on each and every one of them, I couldn't help notice you left out a few.

They'll also support:

-- the right to life

-- the de-funding of the UNfunded, UNconstitutional liability enacted illegally under the "afforable care act"

-- the continuing receipt of paychecks and supplies to our courageous boys/girls, presently fighting three wars, without the illogical, unconscionable, ideological interruption -- by the passing of an interim CR on behalf of the clear and present danger on multiple continents, but that which our "Commander In Chief" deems a "distraction" to the debate. (a debate he only popped into in the last 48 hours)


speaking of which, Mr. oops I did it again President made another curtain call late last night, and in effect, told us nothing new (again) by saying:

"...just completed another meeting

...we've made some additional progress this evening...

those differences have been narrowed.

still, 

a few issues

that are important to both sides

...further along than yesterday.

now, less than 30 hours away...

800,000 families...

they,

suddenly,

are not allowed to come to work...

we then have millions more...

impacted...FHA loans...passport...

seeing money lost or opportunities lost.

again, 800,000 federal workers impacted

millions more, businesses, farmers, veterans...

that's what's at stake.

[quoting an economist]

'mount very quickly..greater the odds for a renewed recession.'

IT is because of the narrative of a shutdown

starting to move,

I EXPECT

an answer in the morning...

meaningful cuts,

living within our means,

preserving [winning the future]."

Leader in Chief

second verse, same as the first, everybody now

Precedence tells us our President does two things really well -- he waits to the last minute to speak up or he jumps to conclusions.  In this instance, he completes both, with his usual mojo leading the way; and sees all outcomes as a win-win for him.  Either way, he believes he has thought this one through -- through and through; and comes up with the ends justifying the means, regardless.

He is basically partying like it's 1999 -- or rather, '95?

But really, what kind of president holds our military hostage for an unknown length of time, even after entering the United States into a third war (not to mention, one that is totally misguided and misunderstood)... who does that?

And really, what kind of president is elected on the wings and a prayer he would be truly different, but after all that's been said and undone over the last two years, still acts as if he is above it all when he wants to be, but a radical when he needs to be, and yet, takes the middle of the road, milquetoast approach more often than not... who does that?

Fresh from my happy place this morning came word from Mark Alexander, of The Patriot Post (the entire read linked just two sentences up):

"However, the outcome of the current debate is much more than a budget agreement for next year and the next decade: It will determine whether our nation will avert systemic economic collapse or collide with it head-on, plunging us into the most significant National Security Crisis since 1860, and condemning our posterity to the inevitable institution of socialism and the abject tyranny that accompanies it.

If a majority of our countrymen are not able to distinguish between the veracity of this grave assertion and political playbook hyperbole, the consequences for the next generation of Americans will be grim as the light of Liberty fades."

"condemning our posterity  to the inevitable institution of socialism and the abject tyranny that accompanies it."  oh my...I had to make it pink just to help me breathe again.  What, pray tell, are we doing here people?

Make sure you hook up with Alexander's Essay on"The Most Perilous National Security Crisis Since 1860" this morning.  He gives us charts, graphs, sparks of vision and Reagan-isms... showering us with purple rain if we don't do something soon, for we truly are at the corner of jive and dime ("prosperity or poverty").

so this budget thing...apparently it gets down to the public being forced to fund abortions:

"They're willing, it appears

--clearly, to throw women under the bus 

even if it means they'll shut down the government. 

Because that's where we are. 

That's the one issue that was remaining last night." 

Prince Harry, today

(I do crack myself up)

In this day and age, I do believe Planned Parenthood could be abundantly funded by those who support what they do, it is as simple as that (and the beauty of the FREE market!).  I mean, my goodness, just have the ladies of  NARAL and NOW and Code Pink-- and all of their associations, like SOROS and moveon.org and every other left wing media outlet, just send out an email alert; King George could right one check; done. next.  Where is my right to choose?

Why should I have to pay for someone else to have an abortion?

...and pulleeze, do not even go there on cancer screenings...right, like Planned Parenthood is just a 'health care provider'...crock, crock and more crock.  PP has stayed in business because it is THE business to take care of unwanted business, pregnancies; otherwise, all that "health care" providing they keep dishing out like a buffet line...birth control, counseling, immaculate screenings...would actually have the reverse affect....

...something is not quite right...something doesn't jive... unless, in reality, they must not be very good at protecting the community of women and girls in the first place.

America is at the crossroads.  We are in a time that questions everything we are and everything we want to be meeting up with destiny.

You are right on, Jesse, it is about dueling ideologies, and may the best one for America win; scratch that, make that a win-win for everybody.   Can you say flash forward?

While this girl only wishes she could just flash dance this one away on this happy friday, I am still puzzled...

It is just so strange, no?  Abortion has jumped out as the stinking point.  hmmmm

...makes me wonder...
...so what are we to think...
...so defunding parts of Obama's love child under the "Miss Affordable Care Act" is no big deal?
...just an unstuck sticking point, no longer a flash point, oh well...we just had to let it go.
...just part of the unintended consequences. my bad, too bad.
so what you're saying is...25 billion in funding for the 'affordable care act' can get thrown under the bus and everybody's okay with it?  really?  seriously?  Parts of the largest piece of legislation known to man can be thrown up on the stirrups...while defunding Planned Parenthood, we will have none of that.  no way. no how. not under my watch....

who does that?  why?  

Make it a Good Day, G

but this we do know...the Democrats had total control of Congress and the White House for two years, with ample time to push through the 2011 budget with no fuss before it's deadline of OCTOBER 2010!; first excuse, didn't want to affect the outcomes of the midterm elections; after shellacking, couldn't muster the enthusiasm, nor the will, in the lame duck; now, after 48 days of having a budget proposed by the House GOP, after the Senate delayed and delayed and delayed, the president entered the picture with just 48 hours to spare -- and the democrats want to point fingers at the republicans?  that's a good one.

Dear America,

Harry Reid is a chicken.

He knows exactly what would happen if the repeal of the Health Care Law came to the floor of the Senate for a vote; exactly, without a doubt, as the case with everything else NOT brought to the floor -- it is a case where you want the votes and don't have it, or you don't want the votes and you do.  Congressional Math 101.

And now, with twenty six states joining forces in the Floridian Lawsuit, the Senate -- who's founding principles were to act on behalf of the best interests of the state, having originally be destined to each seat in the senate by a vote by the STATE legislature, and not directly by the people -- it would seem they almost have to now.  Needless to say, our system of checks and balances, as the founders intended, is not being properly orchestrated without this key relationship in place.

But what does Harry do?  Just don't talk about it, don't discuss it, and surely, don't take up a vote -- you pick up your toys and go home.

Hey, Reid -- READ THIS... from some of my favorite people... The Heritage Foundation; churning out Constitutional repartee, and explaining the process of process, every day... with what I do believe is a big smile on their face; for deep down, they know, they are on the right side of the argument, on behalf of the American people, every time.

Hey, Reid -- I got another idea -- how about this, given you are an avid follower of the anti-business, anti-corporate, anti-free enterprise president, how about we run with that and also take the lead from information flashing the airwaves in thirty second spots daily -- let us go, all together now, to the root cause of what is "killing more people than aids, drugs, alcohol, cancer, and car accidents COMBINED."

Honestly, when I first heard this, my mouth dropped to the floor; just think about it for a second.

Just what is this mass murderer, on the loose, and chipping away at our national security and well being?  

TOBACCO.

Now, if you think way back, there were days when I actually took up smoking -- research, you know -- only a matter of a few days -- for my blog; disgusting habit, couldn't stand my breath, let alone smoke actually inside my house, ugh! yuck.  Don't hate, but I do not know how people do it!  but people do.

SO this commercial claims that much of the rising costs of health care are due to the unintended consequences of getting people hooked on the bad stuff; and clearly, statistically speaking, it sounds quite right.

Being a non-smoker, let's just cut to the chase right now; just as my taxes should not support abortion, I shouldn't have to pay -- and by the looks of things, pay dearly --  for everybody and their uncle's smoking habit -- especially in light of such a cost.  That is just not right.

So can we talk division now?  Let's separate the smokers from the non-smokers; let's get a health care package that rewards those of us who do not use a nicotine crutch everyday, and give all the punitive damages to the one's who do.  

How about we redistribute the disproportionate costs, and stick it to the maker of the cancer sticks, and we all know who they are...although the only one that comes to my mind right now is Phillip Morris... along with the millions of Americans who consciously choose to smoke, day in and day out, at what, five bucks a pack, every single day. unbelievable as that sounds.

Separate us right now; divide and let us conquer the liability gap, right here, right now.

I shouldn't have to pay for something "killing more people than aids, drugs, alcohol, cancer, and car accidents COMBINED" and exponentially adding to the cost of health care, burdening the American people who do not smoke with an unfair, unbalanced, unfunded liability that sends our insurance premiums through the roof.  That is just not right.

This is the irony though -- here we sit with the best health care system on the planet, arguing over who is going to pay for it and how -- and all these years, we didn't even realize how we have grown so far away from our first principles; by the beauty of becoming this burgeoning economic superpower that we are (and yes, we still are), we have fallen away, mindlessly and carelessly, from the days when we were actually responsible for ourselves in every which way til Sunday (even for dealing with, and paying for, our own addictions).

I'm thinking of the days before we had insurance at all!  I'm thinking of the days when we got seriously ill, sometimes we just died; I'm thinking of the days, we had old wives remedies and a medicine chest full of homemade elixirs and whiskey; I'm thinking of the family doctor venturing out to the family farm for a house call; I'm then thinking, how in the world did we pay that? a family doctor making house calls!? did we pay him in chickens? give him a buck/fifty and call it a day? oh how I get lost in the details, right?

I'm thinking of the days when a child was born with down syndrome, the doctors told the parents to put the child in a "home away from home" and move on (that wasn't that long ago, as it happened in our family in the 1960's); I'm thinking of the time before massive amounts of antibiotics were distributed like candy; I'm thinking of a time before there was a pill for everything under the sun; I'm thinking of a time before heart stints and replacements were no big deal.

I'm thinking of a time before Europeans and Canadians and Sheiks could easily cross over to America to take advantage of our system, our doctors, our hospitals, our nurses, our rehabilitation care, our expertise, our medicines...our liabilities, our doctors who pay through the nose for added insurance and malpractice lawsuits; I'm thinking of a time before we let other people cross our border to have babies while we simply paid for it -- handsomely-- in more ways than one-- trusting them with our unbelievable generosity

I'm thinking of a time before we made America this big and if I do say so myself, pretty darn great, compassionate, and open-hearted.

We grew a good reputation rapidly; word got around; the dream, for hundreds of thousands of people, more like millions, around the globe, was simply to get here; to live and raise a family in America, and gladly blend into the American family, for the American way came with a flashing sign in neon lights that you had finally arrived.

IF we really think long and hard about how things have turned out over the years, I do believe, we could very well find ourselves all in the family on the funny farm, by golly; what have we done to ourselves?  where have our first principles gone?  we had everything going for us...what happened?

The thing is, the prevailing winds afoot have blown in a mighty vicious strain, a progressive contagion, with enough strength to take hold, if we let it; the ability for this nasty stuff to go viral is upon us.  It is an addiction of the worst kind, for we, as a people,  have just allowed it to rule our every  move, giving it free rein to sneak up on us and become this huge burden right before our eyes -- for they were closed -- or we were simply lost in the moment of enjoying a really good high; while just maybe, some of us even saw it coming -- there were signs, you know, the dust up was a plenty -- but no matter now; 

now, the addiction just has us in a choke-hold, either begging for more or for mercy.

hey Harry, don't be a chicken; take this repeal to the floor of the Senate today; if you don't have the guts, America will never find her glory again.  buuuc buucbuucbuuc buc bucbaaww (say it like a squawking chicken)...

long gone are the days we can afford to pay Peter with the help of Paul, especially when our name is Harry.

long gone -- 

our founders knew this day would come -- they warned us -- they gave it their best shot by giving us all the tools necessary to stay on the path of the straight and narrow.... the thing is, we kept on smoking behind the barn anyway as it was just    too    much     fun and so hard to stop.

Make it a Good Day, G