Dear America,

It was this time last year we watched the Health Care legislation being forced upon us -- against the will of the people -- and specifically upon a group of hold-out Democrats, who we all thought, ideologically championed life over the selling of their soul...

that was the case until a certain congressman named Bart -- Bart Stupak, of Michigan --  compromised himself and our dear America, in every stretch of the imagination, just in time for Christmas.

One man, just one man, paved the way for a monstrosity of health care entitlements to take hold  -- you know, the one being hailed only by a slim margin of Obama/Pelosi/Reid die-hards, having been kicked to the curb over the mid-term elections in utter embarrassment of it all, that now sits, lifeless, waiting for the Republicans to file in and do something about it.

Mitch Albom, an author I very much admire normally, wrote for The Parade weekly magazine in the Sunday paper had, to my disappointment, a totally different take -- simply titled, Mr. Smith Flees Washington, with Bart's disheartened mug looking down in shame.  Not for anything he did, of course, but for what "Washington" has become.

As Albom quickly pointed out  (although quite certain he would not agree with my angle) -- if not for the executive order that President Obama flashed under Bart's nose, the one that would, in theory, prevent federal funds to be used for abortion, the entire political landscape would be different;  kind of like how the leftist pundits, and maybe even a few staunch GOP elitists, having unfairly gravitated to the belief that "Palin cost the GOP the Senate"  -- you might say, Stupak cost the democrats the mid-terms!


For it was this moment in time  -- after months of townhall meetings, after months of laying the grassroots groundwork for the Tea Party, after months of being denied and dismissed as the able bodied electorate who firmly disagree with the direction this country was headed -- that changed everything for the American people.

Stupak, in one fell swoop, became an overnight (bad) sensation and made us sick to our stomachs; while in Washington, he received a not-so-kind reception in the House, having even been called "baby killer" from the floor one day.  I don't believe the right has any regrets for that, they should have chosen a higher road to take to communicate their true feelings, but no matter now -- a simple look at the glut of unintended consequences seems to speak for itself.

As we have all came to know, and continuing with Albom's narrative, Stupak decided to leave Washington shortly thereafter, realizing that he was just not cut out for the divisiveness and ugliness that has taken root, saying "every boundary of decency has been crossed." 

well yeah, but sorry to say, you're right there along with it, Bart.  are you kidding me?

Later, Albom adds this for color,

"Stupak sighs. 'Remember Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?  Those days are gone.' "

Hold up while I get my tissues...

Last word from Albom comes with a heavy dose of nostalgia going down with the sweet syrup of a wish, posing a modern day can't we all just get along message, ending with a question:

"Can we become real-life Mr. Smiths and change the ugly tone of our national conversation?"

Maybe we could, Mitch, if we sent real-life decent people to Washington.  Maybe we could, Mitch, if, once we send them, they don't change and get caught up in earmarks and perks, and make the back room deals and turn on a dime -- or 300 million.  Maybe we could, Mitch, if we actually had real-life Mr. Smiths get there in the first place; while once there, perhaps even after NINE terms, we would still find them clinging to the exact principles and values that got them there.  Perhaps then, we might have something to write home about.

Stupak sold out -- and for what?  To make it appear that he never wavered, never faltered, never fell from one of his highest tenets of his policy and politics -- that being pro-life?  The Executive Order is, at its best, a  feel good action that does nothing more than sound legitimate, even if in the real world of appropriations and funding, it does nothing to protect real life from somehow finding a way around it...it is Washington, you know. 

Bart caved -- and he knows it -- and that is why he is about two steps out the door already.

He is disappointed way more in himself than the environment he is leaving behind  -- way.  It is written all over his face. 

Washington is a mess, yes; but I see a different version of Smith coming in to save the day.  It might be more like a Mr. Paul or a Senor Rubio -- or someday, maybe even a Mr. Christie (who's so close I could taste it); but clearly, Washington will not change until we change the people we send there (stealing a line from the Carly for California campaign...yes, this girl is still crying over that).

While, as luck should have it, we don't even need to send them there to affect change -- case in point, a Ms.Palin; now, anytime you wanna have a conversation about the difference one woman can make upon a political landscape, call me.

Ever since she burst out on stage, overshadowing the tired Senator from Arizona in a nano-second -- she has swept the American people off our feet -- "never mind if you disagree with [her] voting record" or not, piggybacking on an Albom thought once again.  Love her or hate her, she has turned heads and is (nearly, solely, contagiously) responsible for the revolution we see going on in Washington, and in every corner of America, today. 

The GOP was bowing their head in shame, as a whole -- and Palin changed everything, overnight; while for America, she has never been quite the same since.  We find once more, America, to be a place where reality and nostalgia meets on a red, white and blue silver screen -- and it's got a name, too -- it's called pulling a Mrs. Smith without ever having to be there, in a yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause, sort of way.

How ironic for Albom to pick Stupak as the source for his lamentation, of all people, of all moments of the last two years, after Pelosi hit a new low saying that "we must pass it [Health Care Law] in order to know what's in it!" , after all that's been said and done and manufactured and destroyed... we get Albom comparing Stupak to Mr. Smith -- the Mr. Smith.

that's a good gig if you can get it.

happy wednesday with just a girl and...

Make it a Good Day, G

"I think that, over the course of two years we were so busy and so focused on getting a bunch of stuff done that, we stopped paying attention to the fact that leadership isn't just legislation. That it's a matter of persuading people. And giving them confidence and bringing them together. And setting a tone. And making an argument that people can understand. And I think that we haven't always been successful at that. And I take personal responsibility for that. And it's something that I've got to examine closely as I go forward."  Obama

Oh, we understand.  And, we get it.  Where we went wrong, is having mistaken you to be a Mr. Smith, and...it's just that.... over the course of two years we were busy watching -- so focused on watching a bunch of stuff get done, we stopped paying attention to the fact that our leadership makes legislation.  That it's a matter of persuading politicians to run with the will of the people.  And giving them confidence we will re-elect them when they truly listen, when you bring both sides of the table together.  And setting a tone. And making an argument that a politician, such as yourself, can understand.  We haven't always been successful at that.  And take personal responsibility for that now...it's just something we have got to examine closely as we move forward. 

Dear America,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"And just so you know,

it's not that common,

it doesn't happen to every guy

and it is a big deal."

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

One that this American girl will never forget.

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm)

that I will faithfully execute

the Office of President of the United States,

and will to the best of my ability,

preserve, protect and defend

the Constitution of the United States."

The Oath of the President of the United States

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

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

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

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

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

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

PRESERVE

PROTECT

DEFEND

The Constitution of the United States.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GAME ON!

Make it a GOOD day, G

Dear America,

Puo ritenere come buon venerdi,

ma domenica sta venendo!

E una vita bella!

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

In the meantime,
waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And isn't this still just a bit premature?

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

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

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

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

"consistency with longstanding restrictions

the use of federal funds for abortion."

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

Oh right, I guess it was.

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

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

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

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

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

“I wish that I had been there when Thomas Edison made the remark that I think applies here: ‘There ain’t no rules around here — we’re trying to accomplish something.’ And therefore, when the deal goes down, all this talk about rules, we make ‘em up as we go along..."

"there ain't no rules around here...we make 'em up as we go along" -- now THAT is giving birth to some kind of new world, now isn't it? 

(Breathe, just breathe.)

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

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

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

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

Now lucky KODAK, no? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"hadn't thought about it".

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

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

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

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

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

Make it a Good Day, G

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

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

Dear America,

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

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

21st

PRINCIPLE

Strong Local Self-government is the

Keystone to Preserving Human Freedom

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

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

James Madison was a big believer in little government, expressing

"the powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined.  Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite."

Thomas Jefferson tightened the definition even further, saying

"let the general government be reduced to foreign concerns only, and let our affairs be disentangled from those of all other nations, except as to commerce, which merchants will manage the better, the more they are left free to manage for themselves, and our general government may be reduced to a very simple organization, and a VERY INEXPENSIVE ONE; a few plain duties to be performed by a few servants."

President Barack Hussein Obama is an expert in CONSTITUTIONAL LAW; understand now, he is an expert in the LAW, as it pertains to the Constitution; he is not an advocate of the Constitution, no matter what rhetoric he deems necessary to use in order to sound more presidential.

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

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

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

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

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

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

John Fiske, American Historian 

"Lamentably impaired" -- see also G, Lamentations

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

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

 "the debate is about the character of our country...

we must have the courage to give every citizen,

not just some, a chance to fulfill their dreams."

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

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

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

"A people must from time to time,

refresh themselves at the well-spring of their origin,

lest they perish."

Ben Franklin

"Though, when a people shall have become incapable

 of governing themselves and fit for a master,

 it is of little consequence from what quarter he comes."

Ben Franklin

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

Make it a Good Day, G

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

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

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

Dear America,

Back off Bret,

"everybody knows what's in the bill"

said Barack to Bret

...annoyed as all get out

did you see him?

...hand poised in a claw position,

pushing back at Bret,
trying to tame the mass confusion
and clear frustration
over why everybody
just doesn't get it.

...and then some moments,
he just pointed his finger

and said,

"look"

...talk about body language

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

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

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

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

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

"now listen"

"look"

"I just told you"

"No, what is absolutely true..."

Barack

 

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

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

'But Mr. President",

Bret:          "I've got 18,000  people who have sent in questions for you."

Barack:      [c'mon Bret, rolling the eyes back]  "I get 40,000 letters/emails a day." [top that]

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

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

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


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

...like we really wanna do.


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

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

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

Process

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

Push back

Process

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

Push back

Process

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

Push back

Process

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

Push back

Process

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

"Everything that we see

is a shadow cast by that which we do not see."

Martin Luther King

Happy Friday!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” says Budd-Falen. “We believe when the curtain is raised we’ll be talking about radical environmental groups bilking the taxpayer for hundreds of millions of dollars, all allegedly for ‘reimbursement for attorney fees.’ And what is even more maddening is that these groups are claiming that they are protecting the environment with all this litigation when not one dime of this money goes to projects that impact anything on-the-ground related to the environment. It just goes to more litigation to get more attorney fees to file more litigation..."
 

The health and welfare of our nation is under attack, and as long as the "apple a day" philosophy, and all of it's character and message back behind the simple phrase continues to be ignored or frowned upon, we will never correct what truly ails us.  Even the current health care legislation, the one that is "supposed to be good for us" never stands a chance to bring us the good -- given the political, legal and corrupted nature of "this land is your land, but not really", combining this dubious environment with the fall of man.
 
It is things like this, the imbalance of power with the destructive activities of attorneys, the unscrupulous actions under the guise of environmental and conservation causes (point of ref. Cap & Trade and Global Warming), along with the rampant use of "the public good" without consent or approval in order to commit fraud against an otherwise proud and stand up nation from right under our noses -- things like this will ultimately be our downfall, like the bite of the proverbial apple.
 
Did you know that even the scent of an apple is believed to be enough to "wash away all negative thoughts while also prompting or promoting loving thoughts towards others" ?  That little tidbit was found in my daily visit from astrology.com, giving me the word of the day according to some aspect of Feng Shui (and you can get it, too, by just going to http://www.yahoo.com/ , they can take you from there).

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

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

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

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

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

Make it a Good Day, G

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

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

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

Dear America,

"And you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack

And you may find yourself in another part of the world

And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile

And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful Wife

And you may ask yourself-well...how did I get here?

Letting the days go by/let the water hold me down
Letting the days go by/water flowing underground

Into the blue again/after the money?s gone

Once in a lifetime/water flowing underground.

And you may ask yourself

How do I work this?

And you may ask yourself

Where is that large automobile?

And you may tell yourself

This is not my beautiful house!

And you may tell yourself

This is not my beautiful wife!

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

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

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

Thank you, Talking Heads.

How did we get here?

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

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

Then there is Nancy.

"We have to pass the bill so you can find out what's in it, away from the fog and controversy."

The quintessential dash board bobble-head, that she is; she will tell you anything you want to hear and more.

How did we get here?

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

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

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

How did we get here?

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

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

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

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

How did we get here?

Have you ever watched fog roll in?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Make it a Good Day, G

"I believe there are more instances

of the abridgement of freedom of the people

by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power

than by violent

and sudden

usurpation's."

James Madison

Dear America,

"The Morphine Within"

G has been all tied up in knots lately; my world is a tad out of whack these days -- that really being just way more than usual. So what did I do about it?

I started running again.

Oh, I know.  It's not like I'm on a streak yet; nor have I gone two days in a row.  But the most important factor is I feel good.

We have all witnessed desperate measures when the pressures of life and liberty seemingly become too great -- with an airplane flying into a building, a man in Ohio bulldozing his house before he would succumb to foreclosure, and a professor shooting up a biology department meeting.

While with the Health Care legislation still looming over our heads and heating things up again -- can't wait for Thursday -- it would appear America has reached a point of no return on this one; what to do about nothing and everything?

Somewhere along the line we have lost our ability to take care of ourselves, while I may not be the best one to talk about such matters for very long before my own creaky joints get the best of me and kick me in my own behind -- I'm going to meander down this road anyway, if only to walk off the shin splints.

But how is it we have come to this place where we expect the government to fix everything?  Just who is responsible for teaching this behavior to us? Inquiring minds wanna know -- as it is soooo wrong in soooo many ways to Sunday.

The GOVERNMENT:

They can't eat (right) for us.

They can't strap on the old running shoes and take in a mile or two, all the while fighting off the evil green giant within who just wants to go home, sit on the couch and eat potato chips.

They can't see into our lives and know what each and every one of us wants for ourselves, if not also for our children, our neighborhood, or the aging parents who need us -- who may live all the way across town or perhaps over a couple state lines.

They can't show up at the office and do the work for us, including the over time while being under paid.

They can't go to the lender and plead our case to buy more time or cut a new deal -- or for that matter, make the commitment for the three bedroom, two bath town home as if times are so good and we got nothing to lose anyway.

They can't even tell us to turn off the lights, not to buy that television at Best Buy, or know when to say when.

Our habits -- Our choices -- the things we put our money where our mouth is --  whether good or bad or indifferent, originate from the one source within us and that which we can call all our own. On a micro scale, it's one thing; but upon the macro --
oh      my     God.

There is just no conceivable way the government can be all things for every body, but it very well seems to be that this is what we are expecting out of them and in the end, this mentality will surely bring us all down.  The Government is not God, people.

And really, what God actually gives us to use at our own discretion is far more valuable.  Up until now, most of us just didn't see it.

For people who run (religiously that is -- not people like me, ha ha ha), they refer to the "runner's high" after they have been running so long they reach a peak, pushing their own endurance beyond it's capabilities, to a point where the body releases endorphins into the system.  God created our bodies with it's own natural mechanism to fight the sensation of feeling pain in order to relieve that which might seem unbearable. Ingenious, no?

It wasn't until the 1970's, when a University of California at Berkeley chemist, by the name of Choh Li, actually discovered "the morphine within" and aptly named it ENDORPHINES:

"any of a group of endogenous peptides (as in enkephalin and dynorphin, of the Nervous System) found especially in the brain, that bind chiefly to opiate receptors and produce some of the same pharmacological effects (as pain relief) as those of opiates; specifically Beta-Endorphin, of the Pituitary Gland."

Natural Heroin; and we wonder why so many people get hooked, on running that is.

Who doesn't want the feeling of euphoria, coupled with appetite modulation or control, along with the release of sex hormones and all things good and fabulous?  Who doesn't want a piece of that action?

 Twenty more minutes of this and I am out the door...

But no matter how hard we try, the turn we are collectively making towards the county line of nanny state meets pimp daddy will never give us what we really need; it will never give us the high as compared to doing the work ourselves; it will never give us a sense of satisfaction, having labored the road ourselves; it will never be enough, as we will continuously look ahead down the road to see what else can you do for me...yeah baby...this feels good...hit me up with some more of that...
as the more we get...the more we want...and pretty soon, it's all we want.

When it comes to euphoria, just how high can we go?

Apparently there was a meeting of the minds here in my neck of the woods this past weekend; scientists, psychologists, coming together to evaluate things pertaining to the natural, the supernatural, and more specifically including our inherent ability to create happiness.  Certain attributes, other than what we were born with and genetically bound by lineage, were highlighted -- in accordance with all things happy people share:

 Gratitude, for what we have

Optimism, for what will be

Counting our Blessings

Using Our God Given Talents/Strengths

Promoting Random Acts of Kindness

I have to wonder, if only people would stop for five minutes every day to focus on the things that truly matter -- as within this simple list of five -- how our world would look a whole lot healthier, wiser, perhaps even bring a certain glow to our cheeks and a little bounce to our step.

We wouldn't be watching the partisan bickering in Washington over a subject matter that was never intended to be theirs to discuss in the first place; we would be taking care of our own, within the boundaries and civil liberties of a country suspended and highly held above all that. 

• 
  
  Our fellow countrymen would be allowed to sell insurance over state lines, and travel miles across the purple mountains majesty to find the right fit, the right price, and the right services.
• 
  
  Frivolous lawsuits for burning our mouths -- and our laps -- on a cup of hot coffee from the drive thru simply wouldn't exist -- we would know better and take responsibility for our own stupidity. 
• 
  
  Doctors and hospitals would charge whatever the market would bare for their expertise and years of experience and schooling -- some would be rewarded generously -- and likewise, if they made a big mistake, it would cost them and their shingles would come crashing down. 
• 
  
  It wouldn't take a discussion with Congress, a Board of Directors, or a panel of seven or even a hundred, to decide what is best for me and my health -- all it would take is a sit down with a doctor and the family. 
• 
  
  While we all recognize the real cost of healing the uninsured (including illegals) is insurmountable and will be the root cause of our final demise (through legislation enacting overhead of nearly twenty percent of our economy, added to the already overwhelming bureaucratic heart attack waiting to happen)...

The real ailment -- not producing enough American-made Endorphins to override the full operating system breakdown -- will escape us.

That secret, which four out of five doctors agree, is safely held deep within; get plenty of rest, eat right, do something nice for someone else, and take a walk, run, bike ride, or swim -- move the body and move the mountains seemingly too hard to climb.

And then,

just before we close our eyes at the end of a day,

give a moment of yourself to the world within and feed the soul -- that which truly sustains us to make it through another day when perhaps not every thing is going our way.  In place of sheep jumping over a cloud, imagine counting blessings; give thanks for what is good, even if it was only a smile from a stranger or an "A" on your child's math quiz; look forward to tomorrow, even if it means rising at dawn to look for a new job, a new home, a new lease on life; share your strengths with the world, if only a sense of humor or your rose colored sunglasses.

America needs you -- she needs all of us to do our share and to do our part.

We all start at a crawls pace and work up to the coffee table and eventually the sprint across the living room floor.  This is what we do; we start small and go big, and with each step, a greater responsibility of our movements come along -- yet in time, our endurance will outlast even the most aggressive paths.  We will be rewarded with endorphins kicking in and feeding our ultimate destiny.  We will create a society so healthy and vibrant, the world will want a piece of us once more -- and in a good way.

Our health and happiness was never intended to be in the government's hands; no matter how many ways to make believe, it never has been and it never will.

MOVE today and make it a Good Day, G

nothing stays the same,

but if you're willing to play the game...

it's coming around again...

....I believe in love...

...coming around again...coming around again...

oh I believe in love...I believe in...

Dear America,

and we're back to health care.

He told Katie on Sunday, "[republicans] want to ask them to put their ideas on the table, and then after the recess, which will be a few weeks away, I want to come back and have a large meeting, the Republicans and Democrats, to go through systematically all the best ideas that are out there and move it forward."

So now he wants a "large meeting"; not to be confused with the umpteen mini meetings behind closed doors where the republicans were all but shut out openly and transparently in front of all 300 million Americans.

Now, he wants to hear republican ideas (even though they had them all along).  Now, he wants to include republicans.  Now, he wants to have a "large meeting" where both sides are brought to the table.  Didn't we elect him to begin that last year?

And, make no mistake there miss katie, my focus on health care (again) is not going against my commitment to jobs; "in retrospect, jobs were my number one priority last year [don't you remember], that's why we did the stimulus package...maintaining the jobs we had...growing infrastructure...if we hadn't..."

SO, with regards to the stimulus package: "Do I wish we could have done it faster? That it hadn't been so painfully slow through the legislative process? Absolutely. But it was the right thing to do then, it continues to be the right thing," he said.

Painfully slow?  You became President on January 20, 2009 and within thirty days, on February 17th to be exact, the stimulus bill was signed into law with your left paw; if that is painfully slow, then by all accounts and according to how you roll, Mr. President, this health care legislation must be going backwards at warp speed.

SO, which is it really, jobs or health care?
SO, did you talk to Reid and Pelosi about including republicans last year in the conversation, or do you take the fifth on that?
SO, the stimulus worked so well the first time, you feel the need to ramp up and do it again, is that it?
SO, when your administration sent SEIU members to disrupt town hall meetings last summer, that was just our imagination?  After dismissing the hearts and minds of the people, you still want to push a legislation that costs too much and doesn't fix the real issues at hand and goes against the will of the people and the law of the land (as you well know, being an "expert" in Constitutional Law)?

You and your democratic super majority had the capability to ram whatever you wanted through congress -- you just knew, all of you, that the people wouldn't tolerate such nonsense. 

I got news for you, it was painfully slow for us Americans to watch the antics back and forth for the last year and 21 days and five hours, not that I'm counting...

What is painfully slow is waiting for the November elections -- just to catch a glimmer of hope -- that one day soon all of this will go away.
What seems to be running painfully slow is your entire term; at this point, I don't think we can get you out of there fast enough.

And what is certainly painfully slow is listening to the empty rhetoric dripping out of the mouths of the people's house, the people's seat, the people's representatives like a broken sewer, slowly trickling into the crevasses below our foundation, unseen and mischievously going about it's business, until one day the ground will just open up and swallow us whole.
Day after day, watching the closed door sessions.
Day after day, listening to the flip and the flop of partisan politics gone awry.
Day after day, being called names like "nazi's" and "astro-turf" and "extremists garnering guns and swastikas".

All this, from a government who belongs to us, the people!

What seems to be, by all appearances, a painfully slow death of our constitution and this country calls for action -- action that may require a little overdrive  -- in order to right the wrong, make the crooked road straight, once more.


But the thing is, we are so far off course, the painfully slow reality is settling in -- it may be that no amount of speed will be enough to catch up with the recklessness of Washington.

All the while, as we hear our President say things like 'it takes time', 'a little longer than we expected', 'it's not going as fast as we would have liked', it's 'painfully slow' -- what we feel inside is quite the contrary. 

Here's an idea for Katie, what is going on in Washington is too much!  too soon!  too fast!   not what we want! and never will be painfully slow enough!  for our liking. 
 
We see the curves up ahead, and we want to slow down.
We see the broken bridge and realize there is no other way around.
We see the finish line on the horizon -- and all we want to do is stop, dead in our tracks, before it's too late.
 
The irony really. 
 
IF only our President realized that an environment that supports real job growth -- not government growth (currently at it's all-time high @ 14%) --one that lowers business and capital gains taxes, supports thriving and active competition in the marketplace, promotes ALL businesses, large and small -- only then will we have the makings to create the jobs necessary for the 10-20% of Americans currently unemployed and who want to be fully, and gainfully, an active participant in society. 
 
Subsequently, when people are employed, they will have health insurance offered to them or are able to afford it on their own; by opening commerce over state lines, insurance companies will be able to finally compete for true market share, naturally providing better service and opportunities to increase sales and their customer base, otherwise they will fail; with simple reforms added in to remedy fraud, malpractice or wrongful litigation, ultimately the cost of providing care to all of us will correct itself, becoming more manageable and fair.
 
The irony really; if our president just stopped overcompensating in the turns, flip flopping from jobs to health care and back again, and simply concentrated on creating the best and the brightest free market on earth, the relationship between our health meeting job opportunity would surely go hand in hand, making all of our little engines begin to purr.
 
A sweet hum on down the road, that's my kind of painfully slow, what's yours?

"A wise and frugal government,

which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement,

and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned --

 this is the sum of good government."

 Thomas Jefferson

 

"The circulation of confidence is better than the circulation of money."

James Madison

 

"Democracy...while it lasts is more bloody than either aristocracy or monarchy. 

Remember, democracy never lasts long. 

It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. 

There is never a democracy that did not commit suicide." 

John Adams

 

"The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. 

You have to catch it yourself." 

Benjamin Franklin

 

It's not up for discussion; it is not the duty of this President to decide if it's a conversation about jobs OR health care, we must make the decision for him. He can talk up his plan all he wants, on a daily basis if that's what he thinks it will take; we all know it doesn't come cheap and we can't afford it -- while it goes against every free market principle in the book.

 

What seems to be painfully clear now, is how long it may take for him to get that --

or get off the road, honk! honk!

 

 

Make it a Good Day, G