What an amazing election! We have witnessed history, as a candidate with no political experience, or even military service, defeated a candidate with years of experience. It shows how much Trump's message resonated with everyday people. It gave a voice to the Silent Majority, who have long been ignored and even laughed at by the media elites and so-called celebrities. Now, since the election is over, who's laughing now?
I extend congratulations and best wishes to the new President-Elect. I hope you are successful in what you have set out to do. I have noticed that you have a transition team that contains some old-guard GOP, who had previously been involved with Wall Street, Finance, and previous Republican administrations. One was a proponent of privatizing Social Security, while another worked for Bear Stearns, which collapsed during the economic downturn in 2008. My sincere hope is that these people are only part of the transition team, and will not gain a position in the new administration. That could be seen as counter to what your message was, which was to clean up Wall Street, and not harm Social Security.
Please do not forget the wishes of the people who elected you. If you stay true to that, everything will be fine. If you don't, the Silent Majority will speak again in four years.
Again, best wishes to you and your new administration.
Saturday, November 12, 2016
Sunday, November 06, 2016
Time for a New Direction
As I stated in my earlier post, I have been watching this election closely. Both candidates have thrown more mud than in any election I have ever seen. Hillary Clinton has trotted out story after story about Donald Trump, while Trump has not been shy to pull any punches, either. Through all the scandals and accusations, however, I have reached a conclusion that would seem contradictory to the name of my blog.
I have kept my peace all summer, but cannot remain silent any longer.
I cannot, and will not, support Hillary Clinton. I will explain why.
I was once a staunch supporter of Democratic candidates. I still support some of them, such as Evan Bayh, who is one of the few conservative Democrats left. However, in the last six years, the Democratic Party at the national level has swung too far to the left. The changes they have championed go against my beliefs, and how I was raised.
I voted for President Obama thinking that he would make good on change in this country. He certainly did, but not the kind of change I was looking for.
When he began his presidency, I was in agreement with most of his policies. He seemed to be more of a centrist politician. As time went on, he moved further and further to the left, adopting policies that were much more to the left than I agreed with. He also began to use the power of his office to push laws through on executive order, instead of allowing Congress to debate the changes. Executive orders should be issued carefully, and should not be used to circumvent Congress when the President knows the law or policy will not pass.
At the same time, he began to present himself to the world as weak. He left a vacuum in Iraq that allowed Isis or Daesh, whichever you want to call it, to flourish. He approved the Iran nuclear deal, which gave them billions of our tax dollars. Now the Iranians are involved in Iraq, and are now threatening to bring their soldiers to our soil! Thanks for emboldening them, Obama! We still owe them for taking our hostages in '79 (yes, I remember that well)!
He has not worked to protect our borders, and stop the influx of terrorists that are determined to destroy us.
He has pushed a politically correct agenda that goes against Christian beliefs, and that demonizes Christians as "haters". It is even becoming apparent that the government under his administration has, and is, harassing people for being a Christian. Some have been punished for refusing to give service to people who's beliefs do not match theirs. Others have been harassed at airport security checks for carrying a Bible.
He is now supporting Hillary Clinton for President. Folks, the changes we've seen over the last few years are just the start if she gets elected.
She will continue Obama's policies, and will increase the harassment of Christians. Clinton has stated that Christians must change "deep-seated religious beliefs...". Her staff, through emails, has mocked Catholics. One even made a snide comment about Rupert Murdoch "baptizing his kids in Jordan where John baptized Jesus " (source: New York Post, October 15th, 2016). That hits hard with me, because my wife was baptized in the River Jordan many years ago. If she gains the White House, the same people who made these comments will be in positions of power, and will have influence over her policies.
She will adopt an open border policy that will allow illegal immigrants to flood into our country. This will also allow terrorists easier access to our country, and severely increase the risk of attack from within our borders.
She will continue the Obamacare disaster. The law was supposed to help people obtain affordable health insurance, but has turned into a nightmare of ever-increasing premiums and lower quality of care. The law needs to be replaced with something that actually works, and gives them a real, affordable choice for health care. I do not know what that will be, but something must be done to fix the problem of high deductibles and rising health care costs.
Clinton supports gun control, and could very well weaken the Second Amendment. She has made comments in the past that stated more gun control was a high priority. She could even try to use her executive powers to push her agenda.
She is part of the politically correct crowd, one that is not shy about pushing their views on everyone else, while expecting us to keep silent. When we express the opposite view, we are viewed as racists, haters, and deplorables.
She will be able to select liberal justices to the Supreme Court, which could affect the course of this country for the next fifty years.
If elected, she will come into office under a cloud of scandal. The investigations that have dogged her recently will not go away. There is a very real possibility that she could be indicted, because the FBI investigations are still finding evidence of "pay-for-play" with the Clinton Foundation, and more evidence of sending and retaining classified emails on a non-secure server. If we committed crimes like this, we would be looking at some very hard time in Federal prison. The thought of a new President under indictment, and the resulting disaster for the country, would be a horrible thing.
I cannot support her for President, due to these and many other issues.
I am supporting Donald Trump for President.
Trump would not be the person I would first think of for President. However, he is the only clear choice we have.
Trump is a businessman, not a politician. He is anything but politically correct. He speaks his mind about issues, and doesn't worry about whether someone is offended. Granted, sometimes he does go off base, but that is his way. He is the kind of strong leader we need, not someone weak and that tries to be "politically correct".
He is not part of the establishment, which is probably why he has had such a tough time getting support from traditional Republicans. He represents a fresh view from the traditional politician.
He is anti gun control, pro-life, and supports the military. He has stated he will protect our religious freedoms, and will work to keep our borders secure.
If elected, Trump will select conservative justices that will help preserve the sanctity of life, marriage, and religious freedom. It is vitally important to choose someone for a leader that will help restore and protect these freedoms.
I cannot say with certainty that he will keep all the promises he has made. We will only know if he is placed in office. One thing is for certain: if Hillary Clinton is elected, we will have more of the same failed policies that we have lived with for the last eight years, and worse. We cannot afford this. The country needs a new direction, and needs it now. We are at a critical turning point in our history, possibly more critical than at any other time in history.
If you are undecided, and sitting on the fence, I urge you to get off the fence and vote for Trump. If you are planning on voting for Clinton, think about what I said above. Can we really afford to elect her, and all the problems that come with electing her?
Please get out and vote Tuesday! The future of this country is at stake.
Thank you for reading.
I have kept my peace all summer, but cannot remain silent any longer.
I cannot, and will not, support Hillary Clinton. I will explain why.
I was once a staunch supporter of Democratic candidates. I still support some of them, such as Evan Bayh, who is one of the few conservative Democrats left. However, in the last six years, the Democratic Party at the national level has swung too far to the left. The changes they have championed go against my beliefs, and how I was raised.
I voted for President Obama thinking that he would make good on change in this country. He certainly did, but not the kind of change I was looking for.
When he began his presidency, I was in agreement with most of his policies. He seemed to be more of a centrist politician. As time went on, he moved further and further to the left, adopting policies that were much more to the left than I agreed with. He also began to use the power of his office to push laws through on executive order, instead of allowing Congress to debate the changes. Executive orders should be issued carefully, and should not be used to circumvent Congress when the President knows the law or policy will not pass.
At the same time, he began to present himself to the world as weak. He left a vacuum in Iraq that allowed Isis or Daesh, whichever you want to call it, to flourish. He approved the Iran nuclear deal, which gave them billions of our tax dollars. Now the Iranians are involved in Iraq, and are now threatening to bring their soldiers to our soil! Thanks for emboldening them, Obama! We still owe them for taking our hostages in '79 (yes, I remember that well)!
He has not worked to protect our borders, and stop the influx of terrorists that are determined to destroy us.
He has pushed a politically correct agenda that goes against Christian beliefs, and that demonizes Christians as "haters". It is even becoming apparent that the government under his administration has, and is, harassing people for being a Christian. Some have been punished for refusing to give service to people who's beliefs do not match theirs. Others have been harassed at airport security checks for carrying a Bible.
He is now supporting Hillary Clinton for President. Folks, the changes we've seen over the last few years are just the start if she gets elected.
She will continue Obama's policies, and will increase the harassment of Christians. Clinton has stated that Christians must change "deep-seated religious beliefs...". Her staff, through emails, has mocked Catholics. One even made a snide comment about Rupert Murdoch "baptizing his kids in Jordan where John baptized Jesus " (source: New York Post, October 15th, 2016). That hits hard with me, because my wife was baptized in the River Jordan many years ago. If she gains the White House, the same people who made these comments will be in positions of power, and will have influence over her policies.
She will adopt an open border policy that will allow illegal immigrants to flood into our country. This will also allow terrorists easier access to our country, and severely increase the risk of attack from within our borders.
She will continue the Obamacare disaster. The law was supposed to help people obtain affordable health insurance, but has turned into a nightmare of ever-increasing premiums and lower quality of care. The law needs to be replaced with something that actually works, and gives them a real, affordable choice for health care. I do not know what that will be, but something must be done to fix the problem of high deductibles and rising health care costs.
Clinton supports gun control, and could very well weaken the Second Amendment. She has made comments in the past that stated more gun control was a high priority. She could even try to use her executive powers to push her agenda.
She is part of the politically correct crowd, one that is not shy about pushing their views on everyone else, while expecting us to keep silent. When we express the opposite view, we are viewed as racists, haters, and deplorables.
She will be able to select liberal justices to the Supreme Court, which could affect the course of this country for the next fifty years.
If elected, she will come into office under a cloud of scandal. The investigations that have dogged her recently will not go away. There is a very real possibility that she could be indicted, because the FBI investigations are still finding evidence of "pay-for-play" with the Clinton Foundation, and more evidence of sending and retaining classified emails on a non-secure server. If we committed crimes like this, we would be looking at some very hard time in Federal prison. The thought of a new President under indictment, and the resulting disaster for the country, would be a horrible thing.
I cannot support her for President, due to these and many other issues.
I am supporting Donald Trump for President.
Trump would not be the person I would first think of for President. However, he is the only clear choice we have.
Trump is a businessman, not a politician. He is anything but politically correct. He speaks his mind about issues, and doesn't worry about whether someone is offended. Granted, sometimes he does go off base, but that is his way. He is the kind of strong leader we need, not someone weak and that tries to be "politically correct".
He is not part of the establishment, which is probably why he has had such a tough time getting support from traditional Republicans. He represents a fresh view from the traditional politician.
He is anti gun control, pro-life, and supports the military. He has stated he will protect our religious freedoms, and will work to keep our borders secure.
If elected, Trump will select conservative justices that will help preserve the sanctity of life, marriage, and religious freedom. It is vitally important to choose someone for a leader that will help restore and protect these freedoms.
I cannot say with certainty that he will keep all the promises he has made. We will only know if he is placed in office. One thing is for certain: if Hillary Clinton is elected, we will have more of the same failed policies that we have lived with for the last eight years, and worse. We cannot afford this. The country needs a new direction, and needs it now. We are at a critical turning point in our history, possibly more critical than at any other time in history.
If you are undecided, and sitting on the fence, I urge you to get off the fence and vote for Trump. If you are planning on voting for Clinton, think about what I said above. Can we really afford to elect her, and all the problems that come with electing her?
Please get out and vote Tuesday! The future of this country is at stake.
Thank you for reading.
Friday, November 04, 2016
Back from a Long Hiatus
Hello! It's been six years since I posted here, and a lot of things have happened since then. I'm not going to go into the details, but it has been a very busy time, with many changes in my life; some good, some not so good. Good thing is that I have survived, and feel that I need to take some time to start this up again. I have been following the Presidential election very closely, and have formed some strong opinions on which direction we should go. I will go into details in another post.
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, January 03, 2010
The Congressional Smoke Screen
While Congress has kept the attention focused on health care reform, there have been many things happen in Washington that have directly affected the working man. This "reform" is just a smoke screen, to allow flawed legislation to pass while people's attention is focused elsewhere. For example, Congress passed new taxes on items such as cigarettes, which, even though smoking is bad for your health, takes more money out of the pockets of those who choose to smoke. The majority of people who do are lower income, and for some, that's one of the few pleasures they have. Now they're even poorer. What is ironic is that the government says for people to quit smoking, but funds an insurance program for children with the money from tobacco taxes! If everyone quits, how are they going to pay for it? Congress knows that many won't quit, so they put the burden on the remaining people who do. Not exactly a fair way to tax, but then, when was the last time the government did something fair?
Another item that Congress passed under the smoke screen of health care debate was credit reform. The bill is supposed to change the way credit card companies charge for fees and interest, as detailed here. Yes, it is a good idea to do this, as these companies will instantly raise rates for a number of reasons, such as getting a report of a late payment from another company, or discontinue your card for non-use, or for problems with other companies. The ideas are good, but unfortunately, the credit card companies lobbied Congress hard to push the bill's effective date out to February, 2010. Guess what? While the bill was waiting to go into effect, the companies raised rates, created new fees, and on and on. They knew that they had plenty of time to do this, and are profiting from the waiting period. Consumers are getting squeezed, and the companies are making the rules so tight that it is hard for anyone with less than perfect credit to borrow money. Congress could have made the law effective much sooner, but they bowed to the pressure. We are the ones who are paying for it. Another case of dithering while the people suffer.
These are just a few of the items that have passed under the smoke screen of health care reform. If Congress does not get their act together, and start doing something for the people instead of themselves and the fat cats, this election promises to be an incumbents nightmare. People are fed up, and so am I. They are tired of having the burden placed upon their shoulders. People want a fair shake, not a shakedown. Right now, I don't see much change from either party. The change will come in the fall if they don't do their job, and this applies to both parties. There will be a lot of smoke in Washington then, when the incumbents political careers go up in smoke.
Another item that Congress passed under the smoke screen of health care debate was credit reform. The bill is supposed to change the way credit card companies charge for fees and interest, as detailed here. Yes, it is a good idea to do this, as these companies will instantly raise rates for a number of reasons, such as getting a report of a late payment from another company, or discontinue your card for non-use, or for problems with other companies. The ideas are good, but unfortunately, the credit card companies lobbied Congress hard to push the bill's effective date out to February, 2010. Guess what? While the bill was waiting to go into effect, the companies raised rates, created new fees, and on and on. They knew that they had plenty of time to do this, and are profiting from the waiting period. Consumers are getting squeezed, and the companies are making the rules so tight that it is hard for anyone with less than perfect credit to borrow money. Congress could have made the law effective much sooner, but they bowed to the pressure. We are the ones who are paying for it. Another case of dithering while the people suffer.
These are just a few of the items that have passed under the smoke screen of health care reform. If Congress does not get their act together, and start doing something for the people instead of themselves and the fat cats, this election promises to be an incumbents nightmare. People are fed up, and so am I. They are tired of having the burden placed upon their shoulders. People want a fair shake, not a shakedown. Right now, I don't see much change from either party. The change will come in the fall if they don't do their job, and this applies to both parties. There will be a lot of smoke in Washington then, when the incumbents political careers go up in smoke.
Thoughts on Health Care Reform
We've all been watching what is going on in Washington, and frankly, I'm not impressed. President Obama's health care plan, while a good idea in principle, seems to be getting derailed and distorted out of proportion. I don't pretend to know a lot about it, as I haven't had much time to study it. What I have seen, however, is that the plan seems very confusing. I read stories about how employers may opt for a less comprehensive government plan, rather than the plans they have now, leaving the insured stuck with the bill for the rest. I've also read that it will provide coverage for those who do not have it. There are good and bad points to the whole thing, and it is very confusing. What worries me is that, with any plan made by the government, we the taxpayer usually lose, by paying more in taxes, premiums, and the like.
It seems to me that the problem with health care reform is that it doesn't address the real issue, the cost of health care. Doctors, hospitals, and insurers keep charging higher and higher fees. A visit to the emergency room can cost well in excess of $1000, and much more if you add in x-rays, etc. Hospitals and doctors have been raising fees for years, and even though most insurance plans say they are only going to pay them so much, the fees are still exorbitant. The costs must be controlled, and not by placing them on the backs of the consumer. How this can be done remains to be seen, as, IMHO, this has not been addressed.
Another way to get real health care reform would be to find cures for diseases such as diabetes. This is a drain upon the system, and a huge financial burden upon those who must battle it everyday. Testing supplies, doctor visits, blood work, and the like are very expensive, but very necessary for someone with diabetes. If a cure was found, say, for example, Type 2, which is not insulin dependent, millions of dollars could be saved every year, not to mention many lives. Type 1, which is insulin dependent, is even more costly, as the patient is forced to use insulin shots every day just to stay alive. Unfortunately, in this writer's view, it seems like there is more profit in treating it than curing it. This is where the reform must start. Take out the incentive for profiting from people's suffering, and find a cure. All of us, including the entire health care system, will benefit, and the quality of life would improve for millions. I can only hope that someday, we will see this.
It seems to me that the problem with health care reform is that it doesn't address the real issue, the cost of health care. Doctors, hospitals, and insurers keep charging higher and higher fees. A visit to the emergency room can cost well in excess of $1000, and much more if you add in x-rays, etc. Hospitals and doctors have been raising fees for years, and even though most insurance plans say they are only going to pay them so much, the fees are still exorbitant. The costs must be controlled, and not by placing them on the backs of the consumer. How this can be done remains to be seen, as, IMHO, this has not been addressed.
Another way to get real health care reform would be to find cures for diseases such as diabetes. This is a drain upon the system, and a huge financial burden upon those who must battle it everyday. Testing supplies, doctor visits, blood work, and the like are very expensive, but very necessary for someone with diabetes. If a cure was found, say, for example, Type 2, which is not insulin dependent, millions of dollars could be saved every year, not to mention many lives. Type 1, which is insulin dependent, is even more costly, as the patient is forced to use insulin shots every day just to stay alive. Unfortunately, in this writer's view, it seems like there is more profit in treating it than curing it. This is where the reform must start. Take out the incentive for profiting from people's suffering, and find a cure. All of us, including the entire health care system, will benefit, and the quality of life would improve for millions. I can only hope that someday, we will see this.
Happy New Year!
Hello, everyone! Been a while since I posted, so I thought it was time to get started again. I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and hope for better times ahead. It has been a rough year on everyone, but things will get better. Keep smiling!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
New Look to the Site
My Blog is under construction...please be patient as I am trying to improve the look of the site. I will be back to posting soon, so thanks for your patience.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
New Posts Coming Soon
Hi folks! It's been a busy year, with no time to write. I hope to be back to blogging soon. I have some topics I need to write about, along with some changes to the site. See you soon!
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
Wins and Losses
Well, we made it through another Election Day, this time without wondering whether the vote would be close like in 2000. It was anything but that. Obama's landslide victory surprises even me. I know a lot of people are concerned whether he will do well or not. I think he will. It will take time, but we will find out. If not, then we'll look for another President. At least he can't be worse than Bush :)
I would like to thank John McCain for his effort, and for his service to the country. He has served his country honorably, in both peace and war. Here's a suggestion: If Obama wants to truly create a bipartisan cabinet, why not select John McCain for Secretary of Defense? His military experience alone qualifies him in my book. I have a lot of respect for John McCain, I just don't like his party. He would be a tough cookie in that position.
Congrats to Baron Hill for his win over Mike Sodrel. Baron ran a good campaign against a tough opponent. Baron's win means that we still have a voice in the House, a voice that will work for us, not for a party. Again, congratulations Baron.
On the loss side, I was terribly disheartened to hear that Jill Long Thompson lost to Daniels. That is really a shame. Jill did not have enough money to push back against Daniels' massive sign blitz and television ads. She would have made a good Governor. Now we face four more years of watching our state get sold off piece by piece. In a few months, those that believed his ads will wake up to realize they made a mistake, once he starts back in on his privatization kick. Just wait and see. The only good thing is that the Democrats control the Statehouse. This will help to keep Daniels in check, and stop him from running roughshod over the state. Maybe someone in the Statehouse can get enough support to push a measure to end DST, or at least a referendum. It will have to have a lot of support in order to override any possible veto by Daniels. I can only hope.
I would like to thank John McCain for his effort, and for his service to the country. He has served his country honorably, in both peace and war. Here's a suggestion: If Obama wants to truly create a bipartisan cabinet, why not select John McCain for Secretary of Defense? His military experience alone qualifies him in my book. I have a lot of respect for John McCain, I just don't like his party. He would be a tough cookie in that position.
Congrats to Baron Hill for his win over Mike Sodrel. Baron ran a good campaign against a tough opponent. Baron's win means that we still have a voice in the House, a voice that will work for us, not for a party. Again, congratulations Baron.
On the loss side, I was terribly disheartened to hear that Jill Long Thompson lost to Daniels. That is really a shame. Jill did not have enough money to push back against Daniels' massive sign blitz and television ads. She would have made a good Governor. Now we face four more years of watching our state get sold off piece by piece. In a few months, those that believed his ads will wake up to realize they made a mistake, once he starts back in on his privatization kick. Just wait and see. The only good thing is that the Democrats control the Statehouse. This will help to keep Daniels in check, and stop him from running roughshod over the state. Maybe someone in the Statehouse can get enough support to push a measure to end DST, or at least a referendum. It will have to have a lot of support in order to override any possible veto by Daniels. I can only hope.
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