Thank You Mr. President...

I will forever be grateful for your wisdom, courage and compassion. Best Wishes to you and to Laura in all the days to come.

Text of Bush's farewell address Thursday
By The Associated Press – Jan 15, 2009
Text of President George W. Bush's farewell address Thursday, as transcribed by the White House:
___
Fellow citizens: For eight years, it has been my honor to serve as your president. The first decade of this new century has been a period of consequence — a time set apart. Tonight, with a thankful heart, I have asked for a final opportunity to share some thoughts on the journey that we have traveled together, and the future of our nation.
Five days from now, the world will witness the vitality of American democracy. In a tradition dating back to our founding, the presidency will pass to a successor chosen by you, the American people. Standing on the steps of the Capitol will be a man whose history reflects the enduring promise of our land. This is a moment of hope and pride for our whole nation. And I join all Americans in offering best wishes to President-elect Obama, his wife Michelle, and their two beautiful girls.
Tonight I am filled with gratitude — to Vice President Cheney and members of my administration; to Laura, who brought joy to this house and love to my life; to our wonderful daughters, Barbara and Jenna; to my parents, whose examples have provided strength for a lifetime. And above all, I thank the American people for the trust you have given me. I thank you for the prayers that have lifted my spirits. And I thank you for the countless acts of courage, generosity and grace that I have witnessed these past eight years.
This evening, my thoughts return to the first night I addressed you from this house — September the 11th, 2001. That morning, terrorists took nearly 3,000 lives in the worst attack on America since Pearl Harbor. I remember standing in the rubble of the World Trade Center three days later, surrounded by rescuers who had been working around the clock. I remember talking to brave souls who charged through smoke-filled corridors at the Pentagon, and to husbands and wives whose loved ones became heroes aboard Flight 93. I remember Arlene Howard, who gave me her fallen son's police shield as a reminder of all that was lost. And I still carry his badge.
As the years passed, most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before 9/11. But I never did. Every morning, I received a briefing on the threats to our nation. I vowed to do everything in my power to keep us safe.
Over the past seven years, a new Department of Homeland Security has been created. The military, the intelligence community and the FBI have been transformed. Our nation is equipped with new tools to monitor the terrorists' movements, freeze their finances and break up their plots. And with strong allies at our side, we have taken the fight to the terrorists and those who support them. Afghanistan has gone from a nation where the Taliban harbored al-Qaida and stoned women in the streets to a young democracy that is fighting terror and encouraging girls to go to school. Iraq has gone from a brutal dictatorship and a sworn enemy of America to an Arab democracy at the heart of the Middle East and a friend of the United States.
There is legitimate debate about many of these decisions. But there can be little debate about the results. America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil. This is a tribute to those who toil night and day to keep us safe — law enforcement officers, intelligence analysts, homeland security and diplomatic personnel, and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.
Our nation is blessed to have citizens who volunteer to defend us in this time of danger. I have cherished meeting these selfless patriots and their families. And America owes you a debt of gratitude. And to all our men and women in uniform listening tonight: There has been no higher honor than serving as your commander in chief.
The battles waged by our troops are part of a broader struggle between two dramatically different systems. Under one, a small band of fanatics demands total obedience to an oppressive ideology, condemns women to subservience and marks unbelievers for murder. The other system is based on the conviction that freedom is the universal gift of Almighty God, and that liberty and justice light the path to peace.
This is the belief that gave birth to our nation. And in the long run, advancing this belief is the only practical way to protect our citizens. When people live in freedom, they do not willingly choose leaders who pursue campaigns of terror. When people have hope in the future, they will not cede their lives to violence and extremism. So around the world, America is promoting human liberty, human rights and human dignity. We're standing with dissidents and young democracies, providing AIDS medicine to dying patients — to bring dying patients back to life, and sparing mothers and babies from malaria. And this great republic born alone in liberty is leading the world toward a new age when freedom belongs to all nations.
For eight years, we've also strived to expand opportunity and hope here at home. Across our country, students are rising to meet higher standards in public schools. A new Medicare prescription drug benefit is bringing peace of mind to seniors and the disabled. Every taxpayer pays lower income taxes. The addicted and suffering are finding new hope through faith-based programs. Vulnerable human life is better protected. Funding for our veterans has nearly doubled. America's air and water and lands are measurably cleaner. And the federal bench includes wise new members like Justice Sam Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts.
When challenges to our prosperity emerged, we rose to meet them. Facing the prospect of a financial collapse, we took decisive measures to safeguard our economy. These are very tough times for hardworking families, but the toll would be far worse if we had not acted. All Americans are in this together. And together, with determination and hard work, we will restore our economy to the path of growth. We will show the world once again the resilience of America's free enterprise system.
Like all who have held this office before me, I have experienced setbacks. There are things I would do differently if given the chance. Yet I've always acted with the best interests of our country in mind. I have followed my conscience and done what I thought was right. You may not agree with some of the tough decisions I have made. But I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.
The decades ahead will bring more hard choices for our country, and there are some guiding principles that should shape our course.
While our nation is safer than it was seven years ago, the gravest threat to our people remains another terrorist attack. Our enemies are patient, and determined to strike again. America did nothing to seek or deserve this conflict. But we have been given solemn responsibilities, and we must meet them. We must resist complacency. We must keep our resolve. And we must never let down our guard.
At the same time, we must continue to engage the world with confidence and clear purpose. In the face of threats from abroad, it can be tempting to seek comfort by turning inward. But we must reject isolationism and its companion, protectionism. Retreating behind our borders would only invite danger. In the 21st century, security and prosperity at home depend on the expansion of liberty abroad. If America does not lead the cause of freedom, that cause will not be led.
As we address these challenges — and others we cannot foresee tonight — America must maintain our moral clarity. I've often spoken to you about good and evil, and this has made some uncomfortable. But good and evil are present in this world, and between the two of them there can be no compromise. Murdering the innocent to advance an ideology is wrong every time, everywhere. Freeing people from oppression and despair is eternally right. This nation must continue to speak out for justice and truth. We must always be willing to act in their defense — and to advance the cause of peace.
President Thomas Jefferson once wrote, "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." As I leave the house he occupied two centuries ago, I share that optimism. America is a young country, full of vitality, constantly growing and renewing itself. And even in the toughest times, we lift our eyes to the broad horizon ahead.
I have confidence in the promise of America because I know the character of our people. This is a nation that inspires immigrants to risk everything for the dream of freedom. This is a nation where citizens show calm in times of danger and compassion in the face of suffering. We see examples of America's character all around us. And Laura and I have invited some of them to join us in the White House this evening.
We see America's character in Dr. Tony Rehcasner, a principal who opened a new charter school from the ruins of Hurricane Katrina. We see it in Julio Medina, a former inmate who leads a faith-based program to help prisoners returning to society. We've seen it in Staff Sgt. Aubrey McDade, who charged into an ambush in Iraq and rescued three of his fellow Marines.
We see America's character in Bill Krissoff — a surgeon from California. His son, Nathan — a Marine — gave his life in Iraq. When I met Dr. Krissoff and his family, he delivered some surprising news: He told me he wanted to join the Navy Medical Corps in honor of his son. This good man was 60 years old — 18 years above the age limit. But his petition for a waiver was granted, and for the past year he has trained in battlefield medicine. Lieutenant Commander Krissoff could not be here tonight, because he will soon deploy to Iraq, where he will help save America's wounded warriors — and uphold the legacy of his fallen son.
In citizens like these, we see the best of our country — resilient and hopeful, caring and strong. These virtues give me an unshakable faith in America. We have faced danger and trial, and there's more ahead. But with the courage of our people and confidence in our ideals, this great nation will never tire, never falter, and never fail.
It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve as your president. There have been good days and tough days. But every day I have been inspired by the greatness of our country, and uplifted by the goodness of our people. I have been blessed to represent this nation we love. And I will always be honored to carry a title that means more to me than any other — citizen of the United States of America.
And so, my fellow Americans, for the final time: Good night. May God bless this house and our next president. And may God bless you and our wonderful country. Thank you.

Our New President...

THIS ARTICLE by Juan Williams shares a few of my views about the election of our new president. I really related to his comment about SNL.

Remembering 9/11

I know this is quite long, but for those of you who are interested. I found it fascinating to read the words spoken by President Gordon B. Hinckley just after 9/11/2001. The full transcript is available here.

My beloved brethren and sisters, I accept this opportunity in humility. I pray that I may be guided by the Spirit of the Lord in that which I say.
I have just been handed a note that says that a U.S. missile attack is under way. I need not remind you that we live in perilous times. I desire to speak concerning these times and our circumstances as members of this Church.
You are acutely aware of the events of September 11, less than a month ago. Out of that vicious and ugly attack we are plunged into a state of war. It is the first war of the 21st century. The last century has been described as the most war-torn in human history. Now we are off on another dangerous undertaking, the unfolding of which and the end thereof we do not know. For the first time since we became a nation, the United States has been seriously attacked on its mainland soil. But this was not an attack on the United States alone. It was an attack on men and nations of goodwill everywhere. It was well planned, boldly executed, and the results were disastrous. It is estimated that more than 5,000 innocent people died. Among these were many from other nations. It was cruel and cunning, an act of consummate evil.
Recently, in company with a few national religious leaders, I was invited to the White House to meet with the president. In talking to us he was frank and straightforward.
That same evening he spoke to the Congress and the nation in unmistakable language concerning the resolve of America and its friends to hunt down the terrorists who were responsible for the planning of this terrible thing and any who harbored such.
Now we are at war. Great forces have been mobilized and will continue to be. Political alliances are being forged. We do not know how long this conflict will last. We do not know what it will cost in lives and treasure. We do not know the manner in which it will be carried out. It could impact the work of the Church in various ways.
Our national economy has been made to suffer. It was already in trouble, and this has compounded the problem. Many are losing their employment. Among our own people, this could affect welfare needs and also the tithing of the Church. It could affect our missionary program.
We are now a global organization. We have members in more than 150 nations. Administering this vast worldwide program could conceivably become more difficult.
Those of us who are American citizens stand solidly with the president of our nation. The terrible forces of evil must be confronted and held accountable for their actions. This is not a matter of Christian against Muslim. I am pleased that food is being dropped to the hungry people of a targeted nation. We value our Muslim neighbors across the world and hope that those who live by the tenets of their faith will not suffer. I ask particularly that our own people do not become a party in any way to the persecution of the innocent. Rather, let us be friendly and helpful, protective and supportive. It is the terrorist organizations that must be ferreted out and brought down.
We of this Church know something of such groups. The Book of Mormon speaks of the Gadianton robbers, a vicious, oath-bound, and secret organization bent on evil and destruction. In their day they did all in their power, by whatever means available, to bring down the Church, to woo the people with sophistry, and to take control of the society. We see the same thing in the present situation.
We are people of peace. We are followers of the Christ who was and is the Prince of Peace. But there are times when we must stand up for right and decency, for freedom and civilization, just as Moroni rallied his people in his day to the defense of their wives, their children, and the cause of liberty (see Alma 48:10).
On the Larry King television broadcast the other night, I was asked what I think of those who, in the name of their religion, carry out such infamous activities. I replied, “Religion offers no shield for wickedness, for evil, for those kinds of things. The God in whom I believe does not foster this kind of action. He is a God of mercy. He is a God of love. He is a God of peace and reassurance, and I look to Him in times such as this as a comfort and a source of strength.”
Members of the Church in this and other nations are now involved with many others in a great international undertaking. On television we see those of the military leaving their loved ones, knowing not whether they will return. It is affecting the homes of our people. Unitedly, as a Church, we must get on our knees and invoke the powers of the Almighty in behalf of those who will carry the burdens of this campaign.
No one knows how long it will last. No one knows precisely where it will be fought. No one knows what it may entail before it is over. We have launched an undertaking the size and nature of which we cannot see at this time.
Occasions of this kind pull us up sharply to a realization that life is fragile, peace is fragile, civilization itself is fragile. The economy is particularly vulnerable. We have been counseled again and again concerning self-reliance, concerning debt, concerning thrift. So many of our people are heavily in debt for things that are not entirely necessary. When I was a young man, my father counseled me to build a modest home, sufficient for the needs of my family, and make it beautiful and attractive and pleasant and secure. He counseled me to pay off the mortgage as quickly as I could so that, come what may, there would be a roof over the heads of my wife and children. I was reared on that kind of doctrine. I urge you as members of this Church to get free of debt where possible and to have a little laid aside against a rainy day.
We cannot provide against every contingency. But we can provide against many contingencies. Let the present situation remind us that this we should do.
As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to extremes. Let us be prudent in every respect. And, above all, my brothers and sisters, let us move forward with faith in the Living God and His Beloved Son.
Great are the promises concerning this land of America. We are told unequivocally that it “is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ” (Ether 2:12). This is the crux of the entire matter—obedience to the commandments of God.
The Constitution under which we live, and which has not only blessed us but has become a model for other constitutions, is our God-inspired national safeguard ensuring freedom and liberty, justice and equality before the law.
I do not know what the future holds. I do not wish to sound negative, but I wish to remind you of the warnings of scripture and the teachings of the prophets which we have had constantly before us.
I cannot forget the great lesson of Pharaoh’s dream of the fat and lean kine and of the full and withered stalks of corn.
I cannot dismiss from my mind the grim warnings of the Lord as set forth in the 24th chapter of Matthew.
I am familiar, as are you, with the declarations of modern revelation that the time will come when the earth will be cleansed and there will be indescribable distress, with weeping and mourning and lamentation (see D&C 112:24).
Now, I do not wish to be an alarmist. I do not wish to be a prophet of doom. I am optimistic. I do not believe the time is here when an all-consuming calamity will overtake us. I earnestly pray that it may not. There is so much of the Lord’s work yet to be done. We, and our children after us, must do it.
How grateful I am for the law of tithing. It is the Lord’s law of finance. It is set forth in a few words in the 119th section of the Doctrine and Covenants. It comes of His wisdom. To every man and woman, to every boy and girl, to every child in this Church who pays an honest tithing, be it large or small, I express gratitude for the faith that is in your hearts. I remind you, and those who do not pay tithing but who should, that the Lord has promised marvelous blessings (see Mal. 3:10–12). He has also promised that “he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming” (D&C 64:23).
From the day of Cain to the present, the adversary has been the great mastermind of the terrible conflicts that have brought so much suffering.
Treachery and terrorism began with him. And they will continue until the Son of God returns to rule and reign with peace and righteousness among the sons and daughters of God.
Through centuries of time, men and women, so very, very many, have lived and died. Some may die in the conflict that lies ahead. To us, and we bear solemn testimony of this, death will not be the end. There is life beyond this as surely as there is life here. Through the great plan which became the very essence of the War in Heaven, men shall go on living.
Job asked, “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14). He replied: “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
“And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
“Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another” (Job 19:25–27).
Now, brothers and sisters, we must do our duty, whatever that duty might be. Peace may be denied for a season. Some of our liberties may be curtailed. We may be inconvenienced. We may even be called on to suffer in one way or another. But God our Eternal Father will watch over this nation and all of the civilized world who look to Him. He has declared, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord” (Ps. 33:12). Our safety lies in repentance. Our strength comes of obedience to the commandments of God.
Let us be prayerful. Let us pray for righteousness. Let us pray for the forces of good. Let us reach out to help men and women of goodwill, whatever their religious persuasion and wherever they live. Let us stand firm against evil, both at home and abroad. Let us live worthy of the blessings of heaven, reforming our lives where necessary and looking to Him, the Father of us all. He has said, “Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps. 46:10).
Are these perilous times? They are. But there is no need to fear. We can have peace in our hearts and peace in our homes. We can be an influence for good in this world, every one of us.
May the God of heaven, the Almighty, bless us, help us, as we walk our various ways in the uncertain days that lie ahead. May we look to Him with unfailing faith. May we worthily place our reliance on His Beloved Son who is our great Redeemer, whether it be in life or in death, is my prayer in His holy name, even the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Is socialism really what we want?

You don't make the poor richer by making the rich poorer.

The inherent vice of capitalism is the uneven division of blessings, while the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal division of misery.

Quotes by Sir Winston Churchill

We all declare for liberty; but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing. With some the word liberty many mean for each man to do as he pleases with himself, and the product of his labor; while with others the same word may mean for some men to do as they please with other men, and the product of other men's labor.

That some should be rich, shows that other may become rich, and, hence, is just encouragement to industry and enterprise.

Quotes by Abraham Lincoln

The President Elect and I agree on 1 thing...

I think this is it...
Pull your pants up guys... Nobody wants to see your undies.
(taken from an interview with MTV)

But while he does not favor legal prohibitions on low-riders, he said "brothers should pull up their pants."

"Having said that," he added, "brothers should pull up their pants. You are walking by your mother, your grandmother, your underwear is showing. What's wrong with that? Come on. There are some issues that we face, that you don't have to pass a law, but that doesn't mean folks can't have some sense and some respect for other people and, you know, some people might not want to see your underwear -- I'm one of them."

Connecticut Court Allows Gay Marriage...

See Reuters article HERE.

The Most Vital Issues On Election Day 2008

Fetus at 20 Weeks...

This is part of an e-mail that my dad sent out to our family this morning. I hope he won't mind if I share it:



"No matter how many billions of dollars are pledged to revitalize financial institutions, and no matter how many human and financial resources are allocated to prosecute the war on terror, we cannot expect the Heavens to bless and protect a nation that prostitutes the sacred institution of marriage and that tolerates many hundreds of thousands of abortions each year. Recently, the Catholic Church released the following video on this issue. I hope that each of you, and that every voter in the United States, will take the opportunity to see this brief video presentation, and to give careful, thoughtful notice to some of the supporting articles . . ."


Please take the time to view this beautiful video put together by our Catholic friends.

http://www.catholicvote.com/



You can also visit HERE

and HERE


We have an aging court. The next president may choose 2 or possibly 3 of the next Supreme Court Justices. Those justices will define marriage and when life begins for this nation. There are no two more important issues on the national stage than these two. Make your vote count!

"I know that the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord's side." ~Abraham Lincoln

Wall Street is Main Street Folksies...

It has been maddening to watch and listen to the media coverage of the Wall Street Bail Out/ Rescue or whatever you want to call it. Liquidity is something that our economy must have. In other words, banks must have monies to loan to folkies or the whole operation shuts down my friends. Apparently 95 percent of Americans don't get this.

While I agree with President Bush that Wall Street got drunk, the American public also has a lot to answer for. Americans have been asleep as legislators from almost every state have abused earmarks that have been tied to every piece of legislation passed including and even especially the monies that fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The public has looked the other way as their representatives have over-spent. It's a general problem. There are lots of us who buy much more house than we can pay for and more car and carry credit card debt we can't afford... all of which has contributed to this mess.

So, one way or the other WE as the general public have to bite the bullet and take the consequences. My strong preference is that we urge our legislators to get some kind of rescue package passed and fast. My congressman, Rob Bishop, voted against the bail out bill.. he will be hearing from us tonight and possibly in November.

How does it affect "Main Street" if we don't... (I swear I'm going to gag if I hear one m0re time about Wall Street and Main Street). If banks don't have money, then neither do you. If you want to get a car loan, a home loan, a home improvement loan, a small business loan, if your small or large businesses requires a line of credit to make payroll ... if congress doesn't do something fast.. we can forget about all of that. Think of how just the things I've mentioned can shut the economy down tight.

You may be thinking that YOU are one of those responsible people. You have protested in writing every time your representatives have over-spent. You have used credit responsibly and carry no debt. But, if you work for the car dealership, the real estate brokers, or the furniture retailer down the street and you would still like a pay check this weekend... I'd get my congressman to grow some chest hair and vote for some kind of rescue package. Is that "main street" enough people?

Something to know... before you vote...

See this post.

Military Leadership...

Posted 7/1/2008 1:07 PM CDT on shreveporttimes.com
"As an officer serving in America’s uniformed services, I maintain a strict personal code of nonpartisan politics. Of course I have my opinions about politics and favorite local, state and national candidates, but only my immediate family knows my thoughts and opinions on politics. I do not openly or publically endorse nor campaign for any particular politician or political party, nor will I ever do so for as long as I wear the uniform. I firmly believe officers serving the nation must remain apolitical in all that we say, write and do. But I feel compelled to share with you gentle readers the simultaneous reaction of hundreds of military personnel yesterday when retired General Wes Clark—Senator Barak Obama’s military advisor—publically questioned Senator John McCain’s ability to make decisions and serve as Commander-in-Chief.
First, I will be upfront and candidly inform you I am equally indifferent toward the two candidates. This post isn't to compare or contrast either in a more or less favorable light; but I absolutely detest retired General Wes Clark. I have loathed him (as I suspect do most of his former subordinates) since I had the unfortunate experience of serving under his command in the Balkans in the 1990s. That being frankly disclosed, allow me to paint a picture for you. Imagine several hundred hungry men and women representing all the armed services, from new privates to crusty old Colonels, sitting in a dining facility about the size of a school gymnasium in hot, dusty Afghanistan. The big screen televisions in the corners are all tuned to CNN and retired General Wesley Clark appears on the screen.The text underneath read in bold red letters “Clark questions McCain’s ability to lead the military” The gist of Clark’s interview was that McCain is a war hero, but "hasn't held executive responsibility, and has no experience making tough military decisions". Surely retired General Clark can’t really expect the American people to buy the load of manure he’s shoveling, but he’s well-known throughout the military as one extremely accomplished and gifted manure-shoveling S.O.B. The only other time I’ve heard a military dining facility suddenly become so eerily quiet was at Camp Comanche, Bosnia on September 11, 2001 when we all watched the live CNN feed of the second airliner crashing into the WTC.
Within seconds the “He really didn’t just say what we all heard him just say, did he?” chuckles of disbelief became a roar of laughter. Even die hard Obama fans in the room were shaking their heads in disbelief someone would be foolish enough to compare John McCain’s military abilities or experience on any level with the first term Senator from Illinois.
McCain and Obama—the first name belongs to a decorated combat veteran with Silver Stars, Distinguished Fl ying Crosses, Purple Hearts, Bronze Stars…a War College graduate with a masters Degree in National Security Strategy…the guy who served 22 years in the military and declined promotion to Rear Admiral to retire as a disabled Navy Captain (Colonel), and who has since served over a quarter century in the U.S. Congress and Senate—including 21 years as a member on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The second name is a man with a sound education, an accomplished lawyer, a community leader and state legislator, and someone who has never served a single day in the U.S. military, and who has absolutely no working concept about how the military or national strategic policy works, and hasn’t even finished his first term as a U.S. Senator. I’m not saying either candidate is “better” than the other based just on those facts. I am merely pointing out that retired General Clark obviously thinks we Americans are either too stupid, or too lazy to bother thinking for ourselves. His vanity and pom posity remains just the same as a civilian as when he wore a uniform.
For retired General Clark to compare these two men using the words “military”, “leadership” and “experience” indicates one of two things: he’s suffering from a traumatic brain embolism and should seek immediate emergency attention by skilled doctors; or he feels toward the American people the same condescension and narcissistic intellectual superiority he did toward his subordinates and peers while he served on active duty. He sure looks healthy—it must be the latter."

Al Gore... Green off the cliff...

Lovely isn't it? Big too! I personally just love Al Gore's house. It's in perfect taste... well except for the miles high lies, hypocrisy and manure that his lovely lifestyle is built upon. Now, before you go judging him as harshly as I do... remember that his spokesperson said that you can't judge a man by his power bill alone.. even if it is an Inconvenient Truth.

"... think tank report cited figures from the Nashville Electric Service that showed Gore burned through 22,619 kilowatt-hours of electricity at his house last August, a rate that is twice the level used by an average U.S. household in an entire year."

Of course Al hates the bad publicity, but he's not going to be moving into a modest "Green" home. He's going to try and make this monster "Green". And, he's buying thousands of dollars worth of carbon offsets, which in my opinion is stupid in many ways. 1. Al expects you to drive an economy car that gets good mileage while he flies around in private jets and is transported via Escalade. If he uses a lot of power, it's OK because he's paying for it twice! 2. Al expects you to live in a small HoVEL with solar panels for the roof and wind mill to the side while he lives in this place paying in one month for power what what most American households paid in an entire year. This is just the sort of thing that starts the kind of class warfare we don't need in this country. The attitude that says, "I make the rules... and you have to live by them.. Oh, but I don't because I'm super rich."

Do you think that any of our nations liberal celebrities are going to move out of their giant homes because they BELIEVE in saving the planet? I know of only one that has... and I wish I could remember his name, because he is a crazy nut, but atleast his life has integrity to it. (He has a cool picket fence made out of recycled milk cartons.)

Don't get me wrong. I hate super consumption (I loathe Walmart) and waste and I do drive an economy car (36 MPG Freeway.. if there isn't gridlock). However, sneaking weasels of questionable parentage (SWQP's) like Al bother me most of all. He gets rich on the gullibility of the public, by taking advantage of fear tactics while no one holds him accountable. %40 of the "science" in his film has been called into serious question, but he's signed up so many Americans on his band wagon that the stories setting things straight (like: polar bears aren't really drowning because of ice melt you know).. get buried on that last page.

And, this "green" craze is really expensive. It's the reason you are paying $4.15 at the pump right now. Did you know that? Green liberals won't allow us to explore and drill and process oil on our own turf... and so we pay the Saudi royal family, the Iranians, and people like the lovely Hugo Chavez billions to turn around and hate us with. Last I heard we are almost %80 dependant on foreign oil. And we are sure dependent on the wrong foreigners if you ask me. Energy should be the biggest issue of this election, but isn't because even many conservatives don't have the courage to fight the green wave. But, ENERGY is the biggest issue to our economy and our national security.

It's the perfect time for the Iranians to pick a fight. They could send us into skyrocketing inflation and a serious depression. And, it will be our own fault for being so stupid. We need to get a clue. Stop the ethanol fiasco, which is costing us two gallons to make one and drill for OIL people. Drill offshore, drill in Alaska and do it fast. If congress would lift it's ban on off-shore drilling, it would lower the price of oil per barrel atleast $20 dollars, mark my words. If we did some actual drilling... you'd see real relief at the pump!

And, by the way, carbon offsets are pretty much considered crap even by the greenest of the green.. the kemits you might say "...More broadly, the proliferation of suspect RECs and offsets may persuade consumers and businesses that preventing climate change comes cheap, says Anja S. Kollmuss, outreach coordinator of the Tufts Climate Initiative, an advocacy group affiliated with Tufts University. "We cannot solve the climate crisis by buying offsets and claiming to be climate-neutral," she adds. "Nature does not fall for accounting schemes." (See the full Business Week article here.)

It would be fun to live like Al, but when we are picking leaders here. Let's not be lemmings and pick the biggest hypocrite in America to lead us off a cliff.

Tony Snow...

Tony Snow was my favorite news commentator when I used to have cable and used to be addicted to Fox News (I cured my addiction by no longer having cable otherwise I'd still be glued). He died Saturday after a long struggle with colon cancer. He was a great man; good and kind and wise. He will be sorely missed. He is not replaceable. I wanted to post a piece of his best writing. I had this piece saved in a scrapbook since 9/11. His words here are words of wisdom, hope and comfort. These are the words I will remember him by. Goodbye to a great American.

Good and evil almost never express themselves as harshly and clearly as they did Tuesday morning. People we don't know slaughtered people we do, and they did it with contemptuous glee.

Yet, even as clouds of dust and smoke rose from the from the rubble, even as family members tortured by hope and doubt took to the streets with pictures and pleas; even as mobs celebrated in Gaza, Cairo and Bagdad something shook itself to life.

That something was a sense of ourselves. Kindness flourished amid the flames. A couple carried a disabled man down 68 flights of stairs. A priest crouched to give last rites as a mighty tower collapsed and the hand of God closed about him. A man and woman, their hope gone, held each other and leaped. A solitary candle, a flag, a tear. These are the tokens of our renewal.

The United States had a spirit even before it had a name-- one of faith and freedom; of ambition tempered by public piety. We once were a nation of neighbors and friends. We are again today. We were once a nation of hardship-tested dreamers. We are again today. We once were a nation under God. We are again today. Our enemies attacked one nation,. They will encounter another for they underestimated us.

Today, in our grief and rage; our determination and hope, we have summoned what is best and noblest in us; The kinship that awes our enemies and friends alike. We are again -- Americans.

Sunday, September 16, 2001 Tony Snow

For Love or Country: The Auturo Sandoval Story

This is a political blog and not a blog about films. However, you should see this one if you haven't. I watched it again recently and there is such an interesting line in it where Arturo Sandoval makes the comment that Castro came to power by promising the people the things they were most desperate for.. something like that.

The recent political climate worries me. It seems that the man leading the pack right now is the person who will promise that the government will give the most to the people. I am not comparing Obama to Castro, (much) .. but I am comparing the attitudes of the people of the United States to the people of Cuba.

The government is not a self-filling magical cornucopia of goodness. It can only give to one what it takes from another. The sense of entitlement that we see in the people worries me. The news coverage of Katrina especially bothered me.. So many people waiting for something to be done for them rather than doing for themselves.

I believe in this country, but I am concerned that we are slowing giving away our liberties. As we allow government intervention to encroach more and more, we are risking our independence. It is so difficult already for a start-up business to make it. Less than half do. With more taxes and government regulation, with more people demanding less of themselves and more of the government, where are we going?

In Cuba, the people wanted Nationalized Health Care.. They got it! Now their best Doctors drive cabs in order to make a living wage.. along with their physicists and engineers.

We need to demand of ourselves, not of our government. What should people be demanding of themselves? Remember John F. Kennedy.. (a liberal) who said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country." What happened to that attitude? What does our country need from us, an education, for one thing. There is no reason whatsoever that a person should not get a decent education in this country. It doesn't have to mean college. There are all kinds of great jobs that can be had with other types of training. We have Pell Grants and student loans and free public libraries. Nothing else is needed other than the will to do it. Instead, we entertain ourselves to death and expect to drive the cars and have the lifestyle of our favorite celebrities appearing in In Style Magazine on the basis of earning a GED.

Then, it is pathetic to me as well how many people go to the trouble of getting a college education and then figure they've learned it. Lifelong learning not only helps people to understand better what is happening in the public forum, but it makes you a more interesting person. Read... or be a bore.

People don't learn to manage their money. They don't get the concept of you must either make more or spend less.

I am also so tired of hearing about how hard it is to live on the minimum wage. I've made minimun wage... I know! But, no one is meant to spend their life working for minimum wage. You are meant to get through school earning minimum wage.. just to get started, but eventually you should be getting more training and education and be able to get a better job. We can't demand that small business pay benefits and high salaries for jobs that take little or no skill. We as a nation cannot afford the inflation. When you raise the minimum wage, you simply raise the cost of everything for everyone, including those who make minimum wage. Raising the minimum wage is an issue that Democrats love to get elected on, but in actuality it helps not a single soul and hurts many.

Everything should be done to get out of the way of business and help it prosper. This is how the individual succeeds. When more jobs, better jobs are created.. people have the opportunities they need to advance out of the menial and into a better life... and they do it in a way that doesn't teach their families to live on the dole for generations, they do it with pride and independence.

I've been interested to read recently a fascinating book about Paul Revere, which I will review in a few days on my other blog. From this book, I learned that Paul Revere charged his elderly mother rent to live in his home. Not that he was a jerk of a son or anything like that, the practice was very common. He charged his mother rent more out of respect for her, knowing that she had saved and prepared for her old age and was able to care for herself.. an independent woman. That independence, that financial liberty was so prized and respected people spent blood, sweat and tears to get it. We think a dollar is hard to come by these days. Revere would never have disrepected his mother by assuming that she could not care for herself.

We don't know what it is to save like that and I am concerned. Social Security (who wants to live on that measly amount anyway) is not going to be there for my generation. If it is, it will be because the government will have passed the bill a long to our children.

I hope that when this next election comes up.. the electorate will be smarter. Don't fall for the easy line. Don't fall for a Robin Hood. We are the government, when the government takes, we all give something up and in this election year, it could be a devastating amount.

FDR... A Declaration of War...

It's important to remember some bits of our history every occasionally..
FDR 1941

As commander in chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense. But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us.
No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph -- so help us God.

The Court Disturbs a Hornet's Nest...

The issue of the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay has bothered me. I don't want people held there indefinitely. However, our nation, is in a real war. During every other conflict our nation has been involved in, we have held prisoners until the conclusion, until they could be safely dealt with. The prisoners are the enemy. I have never understood the criticism of President Bush on this issue. As Justice Scalia explains so well here, the President didn't make this stuff up.. he followed over two hundred years of legal precedent.

Dissent by Justice Scalia here:
Excerpts (again citations omitted) from Justice Scalia’s dissent (joined by the Chief Justice and Justices Thomas and Alito):

“Today, for the first time in our Nation’s history, the Court confers a constitutional right to habeas corpus on alien enemies detained abroad by our military forces in the course of an ongoing war . . . The writ of habeas corpus does not, and never has, run in favor of aliens abroad; the Suspension Clause thus has no application, and the Court’s intervention in this military matter is entirely ultra vires.

The game of bait-and-switch that today’s opinion plays upon the Nation’s Commander in Chief will make the war harder on us. It will almost certainly cause more Americans to be killed.

That consequence would be tolerable if necessary to preserve a time-honored legal principle vital to our constitutional Republic. But it is this Court’s blatant abandonment of such a principle that produces the decision today.

The President relied on our settled precedent in Johnson v. Eisentrager (1950), when he established the prison at Guantanamo Bay for enemy aliens.“[I]n response [to the Court’s 2006 ruling in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld], Congress, at the President’s request, quickly enacted the Military Commissions Act, emphatically reasserting that it did not want these prisoners filing habeas petitions.

It is therefore clear that Congress and the Executive—both political branches—have determined that limiting the role of civilian courts in adjudicating whether prisoners captured abroad are properly detained is important to success in the war that some 190,000 of our men and women are now fighting . . . What competence does the Court have to second-guess the judgment of Congress and the President on such a point? None whatever. But the Court blunders in nonetheless. Henceforth, as today’s opinion makes unnervingly clear, how to handle enemy prisoners in this war will ultimately lie with the branch that knows least about the national security concerns that the subject entails.

“What drives today’s decision is neither the meaning of the Suspension Clause, nor the principles of our precedents, but rather an inflated notion of judicial supremacy. The Court says that if the extraterritorial applicability of the Suspension Clause turned on formal notions of sovereignty, ‘it would be possible for the political branches to govern without legal constraint’ in areas beyond the sovereign territory of the United States. That cannot be, the Court says, because it is the duty of this Court to say what the law is. It would be difficult to imagine a more question-begging analysis . . . Our power ‘to say what the law is’ is circumscribed by the limits of our statutorily and constitutionally conferred jurisdiction. And that is precisely the question in these cases: whether the Constitution confers habeas jurisdiction on federal courts to decide petitioners’ claims. It is both irrational and arrogant to say that the answer must be yes, because otherwise we would not be supreme.

“Putting aside the conclusive precedent of Eisentrager, it is clear that the original understanding of the Suspension Clause was that habeas corpus was not available to aliens abroad, as Judge Randolph’s thorough opinion for the court below detailed . . . It is entirely clear that, at English common law, the writ of habeas corpus did not extend beyond the sovereign territory of the Crown.

“Today the Court warps our Constitution in a way that goes beyond the narrow issue of the reach of the Suspension Clause, invoking judicially brain stormed separation-of-powers principles to establish a manipulable ‘functional’ test for the extraterritorial reach of habeas corpus (and, no doubt, for the extraterritorial reach of other constitutional protections as well). It blatantly misdescribes important precedents, most conspicuously Justice Jackson’s opinion for the Court in Johnson v. Eisentrager. It breaks a chain of precedent as old as the common law that prohibits judicial inquiry into detentions of aliens abroad absent statutory authorization. And, most tragically, it sets our military commanders the impossible task of proving to a civilian court, under whatever standards this Court devises in the future, that evidence supports the confinement of each and every enemy prisoner. The Nation will live to regret what the Court has done today.”

Hugo Chavez..

Mr. Chavez, the Hitler of Venezuela, recently put forward a kind of inform on your neighbors type of policy.. which he says that he is now repealing. The man is a lying snake.
I feel so sorry for the people of Venezuela.. those who want to build something in this nation will not be able to under this dictator.. and the poor and un-educated will follow the path that so many do when ruled by those who slowly but surely take away their liberties. Wake up Venezuela and smell the coffee! Check out a book on the occupation of Hungary, the reign of Hitler, the presidency of Joseph Stalin... Wake up! Demand your liberties back!! It's almost.. if not.. too late..

What will the U.S. do when he invades Columbia? The Colombians are just getting on their feet.. what will they do?

The Envrionment...

Shall we bankrupt our nation based on popular science?
This... is pretty close to my view on Environmental issues..

NASA...

In addition to Walter Mondale, there are many Americans who don't see the benefit to funding NASA. Like, Mondale many see the millions that go to scientific research in the area of defense of which space is an arm and see waste. Mondale, a Robin Hood character who ran a presidential campaign based on a promise to raise taxes, was just the sort of take from the rich and give to the poor type that drives me crazy. We have seen this sort of short sited politician before and we are seeing him again.

Let me just list a few ways that NASA spending has affected the global community...

Image processing used in CAT Scanners and MRI technology in hospitals worldwide came from technology developed to computer-enhanced pictures of the Moon for the Apollo programs.
Kidney dialysis machines were developed as a result of a NASA-developed chemical process, and insulin pumps were based on technology used on the Mars Viking spacecraft.
Programmable Heart Pacemakers were first developed in the 1970s using NASA satellite electrical systems.
Fetal heart monitors were developed from technology originally used to measure airflow over aircraft wings.
Surgical probes used to treat brain tumors in children resulted from special lighting technology developed for plant growth experiments on Space Shuttle missions.
Infrared hand-held cameras used to observe blazing plumes from the Shuttle have helped firefighters point out hot spots in brush fires.
Satellite communications allow news organizations to provide live, on-the-spot broadcasting from anywhere in the world; families and businesses to stay in touch using cellphone networks; and the simple pleasures of satellite TV and radio, and the convenience of ATMs across the country and around the world.

In my own home I sleep foam topper that saves my back and was initially developed for use in the space shuttle.

And what Mr. Mondale about feeding children... ALL of these technologies have turned into industries that supply good jobs and feed families with children across the entire globe and not only that, they keep us healthier and safer. Money spent on defense including space is the ONLY money the goverment spends that shows a real return in the economy. There are some government entitlement programs that are absolutely necessary in civilized society, but they should always be a hand up... and a subject for another day.

Obama proposes to cut NASA funding.

Mr. Lincoln...

Last summer, I read the book Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. I think that it will remain a favorite book for the rest of my life. There was a majesty to this man who rose from very modest beginnings to lead a nation at a crossroads that made all the difference. Recently a friend returned from a trip where she visited some of the sites of both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars.. She brought me a little book of Lincoln's words..

"I intend no modification of my often expressed personal wish that all men everywhere could be free."

"The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just."

"In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free-- honorable alike in what we give, and what we preserve. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last, best hope of earth."

It is my belief that freedom everywhere is the best protection against oppression anywhere. I have been thinking this past week of the soldiers who are serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. I wish them well. I wish for peace and I wish them a quick and safe return. I pray for all of these things.. But, I also wish them success.

We recently lost a soldier with ties to our home state. Lt. Jeffrey A. Ammon was a very smart and talented man who loved the people of Afghanistan and was achieving success. He organized drives to get school supplies to children. He fasted during Ramadan with the local people. He could have come home, but he extended his tour because he loved what he was doing and he knew he was making a difference. I believe that he, like so many others, is a hero who gave his life in an effort to secure liberty for others. May God bless his family with peace and comfort and may all of us remember the cost of liberty, the last, best hope of earth.

Coal Mining...

In August of 2007 Utah suffered a terrible disaster, the collapse of the Crandall Canyon Mine in Emery County. Six miners were trapped inside the mine. There was a search that went on for over a month to recover the miners. Attempting to rescue those six, three rescuers were killed, a tragedy for the families of the miners and rescue workers, for the employees of Crandall Canyon Mine, for the close knit community around the mine and for the whole state. It was and is a terrible thing. Mining is a dangerous job.

However, the reaction of many in the community and the state bothers me a lot. The reaction is something like, "Coal mining is too dangerous. These mine owners are horrible jerks who exploit their workers. Mining is not an industry that we should have in this country."

The United States is a country rich in coal. It should be considered a blessing. It should be a resource we use to make us less dependent on foreign energy. Miners should be thought of like other public servants. The work they do is heroic and it keeps this country moving. Miners contribute to the wealth and richness that all of us enjoy. And, if environmentalists and government would scooch out of the way a bit, just a bit.. miners could contribute a lot more.

We have too great a habit in this country of tying our own hands. Yes. Make it as safe as possible. Yes. Make clean coal burning a must. Yes. Make mine owners put the land back the way they found it as much as possible... but don't take one of our greatest resources as a nation off the table as an option.. There are people who think that our coal resources could make us energy independent from the Middle East.

And since a lot of the oil money in the Middle East.. which could educate whole nations and provide hope, health and happiness for millions is instead funding terrorism, upholding selfish monarchies, and oppressing millions ... maybe we should stop paying those people so they can turn around and hate us with it.

And, as far as safety goes. I think there are miners in this country who may wonder rightly how safe my job is.. sitting on my behind all day or of many other Americans whose jobs keep them tied to a desk and a computer screen.. whose only exercise is to get up for a candy bar from the vending machine and whose behinds spread across the chair and then cascade over the sides after a while. Statistically, that kind of job is highly dangerous. And then, there are those Americans who commute in cars on the freeways. Many of those Americans die everyday, their professions un-protested. I used to have a job where I spent a lot of time in a kitchen with raw meat, wet floors, sharp knives.. you get the idea.

Mining is important. It is heroic. I've made a little bit of fun here, but the truth is that the greatness of our nation is built on the backs of all of the everyday people who have the courage to get out of bed everyday and make a contribution through their labor. Miners in this country provide a great service to our country and all our lives. If we would get our government out of their way just a little, there is no telling what they could accomplish for the greater good of this nation, this economy and even possibly the peace of the planet... no kidding at all.