With the Democrat witch hunt going on right now, it's easy to lose sight of the whole picture. All parties and government bodies are infested with corruption. Our system breeds it. We send these people to represent us. In the process they get power and money. They have lobbyists clammoring to schmooze and woo them. They get perks up the wazoo. And... we usually look the other way as they break the laws and trust they were elected to protect.
In the interest of fairness, here are a few links to articles about some Dem's involved in the "game:"
Democratic Senators Who Live In Glass Houses... Kevin Aylward
The most corrupt member of Congress?
Doug Thompson
Extremely Corrupt Democrats mole333
Leftists Corrupt the Pulpit Michael Reagan
Lawmakers For Hire
We need to make some changes. Accountability, term limits, ban on lobbies, to name a few. If we don't, congress is guaranteed to grow bigger, richer and far more corrupt (if that's possible!)
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Saturday, October 22, 2005
Immigration Reform
It's good to see the discussion coming back about immigration reform. I'm all for the tired, poor and huddled masses. That's how my ancestors came here. In fact, except for Native Americans, we all came from somewhere else. Lately, though, with all the trouble with terrorism, job security, market and welfare woes, it seems the gates to our borders are being overrun with very little control. The republican promise to do something about it is long overdue, and a welcome sight.
Drew McKissick has an excellent commentary with links you should check out.
Link
While we're on the subject of immigration, is it too much to expect people who come here to live and work to learn the language? If you or I moved to Brazil, would we expect their government to cater to our every need? Of course not. Yet we spend countless millions every year printing everything in many languages. We hire translators in all kinds of places, even in schools! We make it so easy that many feel they don't have to learn english. That, to me, is a crock. There are too many other things we need worse right now. Medicine and health care for the needy. Social security. The list is a mile long. If we have to cut back on something, besides pork projects and government bloat, the list should also include making english the standard language in America.
Drew McKissick has an excellent commentary with links you should check out.
While we're on the subject of immigration, is it too much to expect people who come here to live and work to learn the language? If you or I moved to Brazil, would we expect their government to cater to our every need? Of course not. Yet we spend countless millions every year printing everything in many languages. We hire translators in all kinds of places, even in schools! We make it so easy that many feel they don't have to learn english. That, to me, is a crock. There are too many other things we need worse right now. Medicine and health care for the needy. Social security. The list is a mile long. If we have to cut back on something, besides pork projects and government bloat, the list should also include making english the standard language in America.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Pick A Side And Stick With It
Cindy,
I started my usual activity of finding all the contradictions and mistakes in your article. This time, though, I had to stop. I realized there's a bigger picture here.
I was remembering all you've written about prayers, and faith, and vigils. How you countered Congresswoman Musgrave's "hostility" with an offer to pray for her serviceman son. How you felt the need to shower after meeting with some of the legislators.
And the more I read your words, the more I realized that they are filled with contention and hate. It became clear that these are the words of someone who will say and do anything to prove a point. Your constant name-calling and mud slinging is supposedly offset, somehow, by your "Joan of Arc" personna. You're no more a Christian than Pat Robertson is!
I used to think you were a grieving mother who became disillusioned and deluded. Now I recognize you as just another activist with an axe to grind.
Your talk of faith and prayer reminded me how Jesus spoke of those who pray openly- to be seen by others. How their words speak of Him but their hearts are far from Him. Stop using your faith as a badge and a tool. It's unbecoming. You can't declare the love of Christ and spit venom in the same breath.
You make life harder for those with real faith, especially with all the anti-religion bigots out there. Jesus taught love, tolerance, forgiveness. Not hate, intolerance and name-calling. Pick a side and stick with it!
(This post was written in response to Cindy Sheehan's article on Huffington Post:)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cindy-sheehan/warhawk-republicans-and-_b_8312.html
I started my usual activity of finding all the contradictions and mistakes in your article. This time, though, I had to stop. I realized there's a bigger picture here.
I was remembering all you've written about prayers, and faith, and vigils. How you countered Congresswoman Musgrave's "hostility" with an offer to pray for her serviceman son. How you felt the need to shower after meeting with some of the legislators.
And the more I read your words, the more I realized that they are filled with contention and hate. It became clear that these are the words of someone who will say and do anything to prove a point. Your constant name-calling and mud slinging is supposedly offset, somehow, by your "Joan of Arc" personna. You're no more a Christian than Pat Robertson is!
I used to think you were a grieving mother who became disillusioned and deluded. Now I recognize you as just another activist with an axe to grind.
Your talk of faith and prayer reminded me how Jesus spoke of those who pray openly- to be seen by others. How their words speak of Him but their hearts are far from Him. Stop using your faith as a badge and a tool. It's unbecoming. You can't declare the love of Christ and spit venom in the same breath.
You make life harder for those with real faith, especially with all the anti-religion bigots out there. Jesus taught love, tolerance, forgiveness. Not hate, intolerance and name-calling. Pick a side and stick with it!
(This post was written in response to Cindy Sheehan's article on Huffington Post:)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cindy-sheehan/warhawk-republicans-and-_b_8312.html
Saturday, October 01, 2005
The Sky Is Falling!
"The sky is falling, the sky is falling!" - chicken little
"Scientists" and doomsayers have been quoting chicken little for thousands of years. Fear is a good sales tool for converting people to whatever their agenda is. But I have yet to see the sky actually fall.
There's so much propaganda out there, it can be hard to tell where the truth lies. There's always an alternative view, and sometimes they happen to be right! Whether global warming is really the issue, or cyclic weather changes, it makes no sense to cry panic. What does make sense is a general trend toward progress. Taking better care of the environment must be balanced by the needs of the people.
Less dependence on foreign oil is good for America. Stop allowing corporate fuel and energy to suppress innovation. We need to learn to use our own resources more efficiently, and not just for environmental reasons, but economical as well. And we can develop alternative methods. More jobs, self sufficiency, less control by foreign powers.Our people will be better off, and it'll help mother nature, too!
Besides, the way we're going, greed and hate will kill us all long before the arctic ever could.
"Scientists" and doomsayers have been quoting chicken little for thousands of years. Fear is a good sales tool for converting people to whatever their agenda is. But I have yet to see the sky actually fall.
There's so much propaganda out there, it can be hard to tell where the truth lies. There's always an alternative view, and sometimes they happen to be right! Whether global warming is really the issue, or cyclic weather changes, it makes no sense to cry panic. What does make sense is a general trend toward progress. Taking better care of the environment must be balanced by the needs of the people.
Less dependence on foreign oil is good for America. Stop allowing corporate fuel and energy to suppress innovation. We need to learn to use our own resources more efficiently, and not just for environmental reasons, but economical as well. And we can develop alternative methods. More jobs, self sufficiency, less control by foreign powers.Our people will be better off, and it'll help mother nature, too!
Besides, the way we're going, greed and hate will kill us all long before the arctic ever could.
Friday, September 16, 2005
Cindy's Visit To Louisiana
Cindy,
Your article was interesting. I do have to ask you a few questions…
“The people in LA who were displaced have nice, if modest homes that are perfectly fine. I wonder why the government made them leave at great expense and uproot families who have been living in their communities for generations.”
Where have you been? Many of those homes are under water or destroyed. And lots of those “nice” homes are slums. Did you actually go to New Orleans or look at any pictures? And it was the local and state leaders who gave the evacuation order- which was DESIGNED TO SAVE THEIR LIVES!
“When I think of how many other poor neighborhoods are being decimated and made so desperate and hopeless by the failed policies of the Bush administration, it makes me so angry”
Don’t understand much about the welfare system, do you? It’s a breeding ground for dependence. It was that way LONG BEFORE Pres. Bush, and if the Dem’s get their way this next election it will outlive us all. Not to mention the huge problem of government corruption in New Orleans. Their own leaders have been fostering poverty for years.
“One thing that truly troubled me about my visit to Louisiana was the level of the military presence there.”
Ummm, again, where have you been? There’s been a huge argument by dem’s about how there aren’t enough troops because of Iraq and how the feds wouldn’t get the guard in fast enough. They are there to help in many ways. Why are some being used to keep the peace? Because some of the locals are living in anarchy. Looting for food is one thing I think we might all do. But when they overpower the police, steal and destroy property, terrorize the citizens and shoot at rescuers, I think you can safely say they’ve crossed the line. And you cry “governmental fascism.” Shame on you!
“If George Bush truly listened to God and read the words of the Christ, Iraq and the devastation in New Orleans would have never happened.”
So now you claim Pres. Bush isn’t truly religious because he can’t control the weather?
“The failure in every level of our government is criminal negligence.”
You say that, but the only finger you point is at Bush. Are you saying that he’s responsible for everyone’s criminal negligence? He made Mayor Nagin ignore his own disaster plan? He made Gov. Blanco drag her feet? And everyone else that had a part in the grand dropping of the ball?
You talk a lot about your visit to Algiers. How they came through the hurricane relatively unscathed, and yet they were devastated. How there was no flooding there, but they want a boat to provide help to people in flooded areas. How the poor were forced from their nice homes in spite of the approach of the largest hurricane disaster in American history. How lawlessness is rampant, but you want the soldiers moved out immediately. How there was no help for them until your Veterans for Peace showed up to save the day. You convey the message that Algiers is a town with no leadership, who are totally dependent on the federal government which does nothing, and they are now saved by you and your flock. Does that about cover your editorial?
And then you manage to get in this statement: “One thing George has taught us is that we are self-sufficient and we have a country that is worth fighting for and we are not going away.” So the “greatest terrorist in the world” taught us that we who totally depend on the government are self sufficient, that our country is worth fighting for even though you abhor having our soldiers fight abroad and at home. And that you are not going away, which you will because Algiers is only a short photo op on your way to Washington!
Cindy, you either need a new speech writer or you need to take your medication and get some rest. The country will be okay without you while you’re gone.
Note: Cindy Sheehan's article can be found at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cindy-sheehan/a-bright-spot-in-bush-wor_b_7433.html
Your article was interesting. I do have to ask you a few questions…
“The people in LA who were displaced have nice, if modest homes that are perfectly fine. I wonder why the government made them leave at great expense and uproot families who have been living in their communities for generations.”
Where have you been? Many of those homes are under water or destroyed. And lots of those “nice” homes are slums. Did you actually go to New Orleans or look at any pictures? And it was the local and state leaders who gave the evacuation order- which was DESIGNED TO SAVE THEIR LIVES!
“When I think of how many other poor neighborhoods are being decimated and made so desperate and hopeless by the failed policies of the Bush administration, it makes me so angry”
Don’t understand much about the welfare system, do you? It’s a breeding ground for dependence. It was that way LONG BEFORE Pres. Bush, and if the Dem’s get their way this next election it will outlive us all. Not to mention the huge problem of government corruption in New Orleans. Their own leaders have been fostering poverty for years.
“One thing that truly troubled me about my visit to Louisiana was the level of the military presence there.”
Ummm, again, where have you been? There’s been a huge argument by dem’s about how there aren’t enough troops because of Iraq and how the feds wouldn’t get the guard in fast enough. They are there to help in many ways. Why are some being used to keep the peace? Because some of the locals are living in anarchy. Looting for food is one thing I think we might all do. But when they overpower the police, steal and destroy property, terrorize the citizens and shoot at rescuers, I think you can safely say they’ve crossed the line. And you cry “governmental fascism.” Shame on you!
“If George Bush truly listened to God and read the words of the Christ, Iraq and the devastation in New Orleans would have never happened.”
So now you claim Pres. Bush isn’t truly religious because he can’t control the weather?
“The failure in every level of our government is criminal negligence.”
You say that, but the only finger you point is at Bush. Are you saying that he’s responsible for everyone’s criminal negligence? He made Mayor Nagin ignore his own disaster plan? He made Gov. Blanco drag her feet? And everyone else that had a part in the grand dropping of the ball?
You talk a lot about your visit to Algiers. How they came through the hurricane relatively unscathed, and yet they were devastated. How there was no flooding there, but they want a boat to provide help to people in flooded areas. How the poor were forced from their nice homes in spite of the approach of the largest hurricane disaster in American history. How lawlessness is rampant, but you want the soldiers moved out immediately. How there was no help for them until your Veterans for Peace showed up to save the day. You convey the message that Algiers is a town with no leadership, who are totally dependent on the federal government which does nothing, and they are now saved by you and your flock. Does that about cover your editorial?
And then you manage to get in this statement: “One thing George has taught us is that we are self-sufficient and we have a country that is worth fighting for and we are not going away.” So the “greatest terrorist in the world” taught us that we who totally depend on the government are self sufficient, that our country is worth fighting for even though you abhor having our soldiers fight abroad and at home. And that you are not going away, which you will because Algiers is only a short photo op on your way to Washington!
Cindy, you either need a new speech writer or you need to take your medication and get some rest. The country will be okay without you while you’re gone.
Note: Cindy Sheehan's article can be found at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/cindy-sheehan/a-bright-spot-in-bush-wor_b_7433.html
Thursday, September 15, 2005
Banning the Pledge of Allegiance?
I'm so sick of us having to tippytoe around and change our policies and beliefs because someone might be offended.
This is America. You are free to believe whatever you want here. But when one faction tries to force their beliefs on the other by law, that is unconstitutional. It shouldn't be allowed. That's what's happening here. Atheists, who are a very small minority, are trying to force the whole of the nation to comply with their own beliefs. They have convinced judges they're right, which makes it a legal case promoting one "faith" over another. That's expressly forbidden in the constitution.
"Offended" is a much abused term. Here it's an emotion brought on by the intolerance of a few toward the many. Wow, what a great reason to legislate against the majority of the country!
In America, we celebrate Christmas. If you don't believe in Santa Claus, that's your business. But don't take away our right to celebrate just because you happen to differ. Part of celebrating Christmas is remembering Jesus with reverance. If you don't believe in Jesus, that's fine. Celebrate whatever you want or whoever you want. I don't go to Iran and tell them not to observe Ramadan. I don't disrespect Jews for their holidays and beliefs. If you're the only Jew in a school full of Christians, don't take the school board to court because you might be offended that they celebrate the holiday with programs and songs. It's a national holiday, for crying out loud!
In America, most of us believe in God. Some worship a heavenly man. Some worship a vaporous cloud. Some worship money. Some worship themselves and expect us to. Some choose not to worship. Whatever. Your right to worship or not isn't more important than mine. Tolerance!
In America, we speak english. If you want to live here, you should learn it. If I moved to Bolivia and expected their government to cater to me, do you think they would? But here, we spend millions publishing everything in 40 languages so we won't "offend" somebody.
In school we learn American history coupled with patriotism. The pledge of allegiance is part of that. If you don't like it, don't say it, but don't take it away from the rest of us.
If there's something you'd like changed, bring it up with your congressman. If it has merit, it can be voted on.
America was born of a desire for freedom. Freedom from tyrants, freedom to worship, freedom to speak our minds. Part of having those freedoms is having tolerance for others, and that goes both ways. Someone is going to have a different set of values than you. If you don't like what I believe, that's your right. If you allow yourself to become offended, get over it!
If you don't like it here, there's the door. Don't let it hit you where the good Lord split you!
Americans, don't bow down to the intolerant few who want to force us to comply. Be proud of who we are. Stand up for a change and be counted.
This is America. You are free to believe whatever you want here. But when one faction tries to force their beliefs on the other by law, that is unconstitutional. It shouldn't be allowed. That's what's happening here. Atheists, who are a very small minority, are trying to force the whole of the nation to comply with their own beliefs. They have convinced judges they're right, which makes it a legal case promoting one "faith" over another. That's expressly forbidden in the constitution.
"Offended" is a much abused term. Here it's an emotion brought on by the intolerance of a few toward the many. Wow, what a great reason to legislate against the majority of the country!
In America, we celebrate Christmas. If you don't believe in Santa Claus, that's your business. But don't take away our right to celebrate just because you happen to differ. Part of celebrating Christmas is remembering Jesus with reverance. If you don't believe in Jesus, that's fine. Celebrate whatever you want or whoever you want. I don't go to Iran and tell them not to observe Ramadan. I don't disrespect Jews for their holidays and beliefs. If you're the only Jew in a school full of Christians, don't take the school board to court because you might be offended that they celebrate the holiday with programs and songs. It's a national holiday, for crying out loud!
In America, most of us believe in God. Some worship a heavenly man. Some worship a vaporous cloud. Some worship money. Some worship themselves and expect us to. Some choose not to worship. Whatever. Your right to worship or not isn't more important than mine. Tolerance!
In America, we speak english. If you want to live here, you should learn it. If I moved to Bolivia and expected their government to cater to me, do you think they would? But here, we spend millions publishing everything in 40 languages so we won't "offend" somebody.
In school we learn American history coupled with patriotism. The pledge of allegiance is part of that. If you don't like it, don't say it, but don't take it away from the rest of us.
If there's something you'd like changed, bring it up with your congressman. If it has merit, it can be voted on.
America was born of a desire for freedom. Freedom from tyrants, freedom to worship, freedom to speak our minds. Part of having those freedoms is having tolerance for others, and that goes both ways. Someone is going to have a different set of values than you. If you don't like what I believe, that's your right. If you allow yourself to become offended, get over it!
If you don't like it here, there's the door. Don't let it hit you where the good Lord split you!
Americans, don't bow down to the intolerant few who want to force us to comply. Be proud of who we are. Stand up for a change and be counted.
Friday, September 09, 2005
Bringing Katrina Home
We Americans love to disconnect from reality. The majority of us have no clue what was going through the hearts and minds of of those who struggled to survive Katrina's wrath. Nor do we want to. We'd rather spend all our energy bickering about who to blame for everything, and then go back to our sheltered little lives. That's our way. It's so much easier than taking down the walls, feeling someone else's pain and acting in a totally selfless way.
The following account was posted on the internet by someone who chose to be anonymous. That doesn't change the power of the message. The discussion on Huffington Post had been the normal left/right slinging of blame and propaganda. Suddenly this appeared and took me completely off guard. As I read it, I found myself engulfed in howling winds and rising water. The girl in the article will carry the scars throughout her life. I hope that I can carry a small portion of her pain in my heart to remind me that the universe does not revolve around me. The needs of others should be more important than my daily agenda. And in light of her and those around her, my petty troubles seem insignificant. I hope some of you can find a similar change of heart.
"When I took my son to his guitar lesson, I met one of the guitar instructors who is from New Orleans. The instructor said his niece survived the hurricane in one the parishes in Louisiana. He talked to her on the phone recently. This is the niece's account: A whole community of people assembled in the high school gymnasium to ride out the hurricane. The bleachers were full of people. The one hundred plus MPH winds knocked out all the windows. The water entered the gymnasium foot by foot. People on the lower bleachers tried to climb higher, but the upper bleachers were already full. As the storm surge rose to fourteen feet, people started to drown en mass. When the water was high enough, the niece was able to swim out the gymnasium window into the one hundred MPH winds. She said she saw a one-year old baby float past her face down."
The following account was posted on the internet by someone who chose to be anonymous. That doesn't change the power of the message. The discussion on Huffington Post had been the normal left/right slinging of blame and propaganda. Suddenly this appeared and took me completely off guard. As I read it, I found myself engulfed in howling winds and rising water. The girl in the article will carry the scars throughout her life. I hope that I can carry a small portion of her pain in my heart to remind me that the universe does not revolve around me. The needs of others should be more important than my daily agenda. And in light of her and those around her, my petty troubles seem insignificant. I hope some of you can find a similar change of heart.
"When I took my son to his guitar lesson, I met one of the guitar instructors who is from New Orleans. The instructor said his niece survived the hurricane in one the parishes in Louisiana. He talked to her on the phone recently. This is the niece's account: A whole community of people assembled in the high school gymnasium to ride out the hurricane. The bleachers were full of people. The one hundred plus MPH winds knocked out all the windows. The water entered the gymnasium foot by foot. People on the lower bleachers tried to climb higher, but the upper bleachers were already full. As the storm surge rose to fourteen feet, people started to drown en mass. When the water was high enough, the niece was able to swim out the gymnasium window into the one hundred MPH winds. She said she saw a one-year old baby float past her face down."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)