Charlie Misseijer

Return to LA LA Land

2010-06-22T18:21:00.007-04:00

It's been two years since me and the fam have been back for a visit to Los Angeles. But we are HERE! Of course, a lot can happen in two years . . . including two NBA championship banners for the beloved Lakers . . . beloved if your an L.A. native that is. I realize that there are Laker Haters in abundance anywhere east of, well, Los Angeles, but hey, in sport, the majority of the population are not going to be your fans.

Btw, “Fan” is short for fanatic which also rhymes w/ lunatic. I deposit that I am a Lakers fan who stays grounded on the first floor away from the “atic” unlike some of my LA brethren who liken themselves to insane asylum rejects by smashing car windows, attacking Ethiopian cabbies, tearing down all manner of signage, and looting woman’s hat shops. I like to think of myself as fan in the traditional male mold . . . throwing my many mini tantrums behind closed doors in the privacy of my own home. I mean, that’s the gentlemanly thing to do, right? My family already knows I’m loco, no reason to advertise further.

Fans or Fanatics? :As a native Los Angelino (yes, there are a few non-transplants that grew up here), I was born bleeding purple and gold. I mean, I grew up in the era of Magic, Kareem, and Worthy . . . probably the best TEAM of all time (I also dissent from 99% of the population and believe that Magic Johnson, not MJ, was the best player to ever lace up sneakers). Therefore, when my 9-year old son started suffering the ill-effects of “fandom” a few months ago, I decided that the only way he could get through the postseason was through a purple and gold blood transfusion. It was the easiest procedure ever . . . and here are the results:
So, when the Lakers won it all last week, Chandler was stoked and we decided to cap it off with a risky venture – mixing fans with fanatics at the Lakers victory parade which embarked from the Staples Center.

I’ve never pushed “my teams” on my kids, but it sure was fun to share this postseason w/ my boy. And as for the fans and fanatics at the parade? They would be, what would you say, indistinguishable?

Quote for the Day: "I woke up feeling really bad . . . I had Lakers fever." - Jaime Sanchez of South L.A. who called in sick from work to attend the Lakers parade w/ his family (from the Daily News)

Hillary: Obama’s Choice?

2010-04-23T13:19:00.011-04:00

Has anyone seen U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton lately? It looks as if she’s gained her “freshman 15” (I know, that’s being kind) and aged a decade since she took over her current office. There could be a few practical reasons for this: One, Hillary has to answer directly to Mr. Obama. This is a constant stressor. Just a few short years ago, she thought this arrangement, if anything, would be the other way around; two, she has to do Obama’s bidding in the Middle East – a universe that still treats women lower than the sands. How would you like to walk into a room of sheiks knowing that they were busting up with laughter on the inside? Americans may call this a sexist or chauvinist take on things, but there are no, and, there have never been any, glass ceilings in the Middle East (kind of ironic w/ all that sand) – so put away your BB guns, ladies. The reality is that Hillary Clinton, with her likely dissatisfaction in her current job, should be Obama’s logical choice for the impending high court vacancy.

The SCOTUS seat would provide Ms. Clinton with VIP status within the three co-equal branches of our government and maintain the current balance on the court. Of course, Republicans will use any Obama nomination as an opportunity to primp their own November reelection campaigns – they will fuss because it will be expected of them by party loyalists and their vociferous displeasure will earn face time at the confirmation hearings and in the media. They will also drag out Whitewater – but at the end of the day, they will not want to look like the filibustering “Party of NO” on a nomination and confirmation that is in all reality replacing the most liberal member of the Court. Republicans will want to save some energy for some real fights. The GOP will confirm because Ms. Clinton is still whip-smart, understands the Washington environment, and has a strong legal resume. She may not have judicial experience, but until the 21st century that really didn’t matter as SCOTUS chief justices from Marshall to Rehnquist could attest. I'm sure that Conservatives can agree that with an inevitable Obama nomination and Democratic Congress majority confirmation, it’s better to take your chances with a High Court Hillary than a Stevens Clone.

It also makes perfect sense for Mr. Obama. With the gangrene of gridlock infecting Washington, the president has oftentimes looked ineffective and weak in his 15 months in office. Although it would be odd for him not to win his party’s nomination for 2012, it is not out of the realm of possibility. Mr. Obama is not inoculated from a challenge directed by his own party if the Democrat’s power wanes (and it will wane) following the November midterms. If the GOP presidential contender field remains suspect and Ms. Clinton is still in the mix, she could mount a strong challenge with her own party’s backing – a Democratic party still stung over heavy losses in 2010. So what better way to snuff out a 2012 challenge from Hillary than to “put her away” for life on the Supreme Court of the United States?

PYRRHIC VICTORY

2010-03-22T19:50:00.007-04:00

What does AD 2010 have in common with 280 BC? Victory at a devastating cost. You see, in 280 BC, King Pyrrhus of Epirus “defeated” the Roman army at Heraclea, but this battle coupled with the one at Asculum the following year left the army of Pyrrhus depleted while the larger army of Rome was able to replenish itself.

Tomorrow morning at 11:15 AM, President Obama will sign the socialist health care reform legislation into law, the most far-reaching social welfare bill since Social Security in 1935 (with the potential of becoming THE most far-reaching reaching if private employers opt their employees onto the most slippery of public policy slopes - the government plan).

The health care reform law is straight up unconstitutional: Since the inception of our democratic republic, the American people have never been forced to purchase any privately produced product. However, this new law will force Americans to sign onto a health care plan or levy a hefty fine on them for not signing up. According to Article I, Section 9 of our U.S. Constitution, this is a Bill of Attainder. A Bill of Attainder amounts to a punishment (i.e., fine, imprisonment) for specific group of Americans - in this case, those who choose not to purchase a health care plan. Additionally, this law violates the commerce clause and abuses the meaning of the general welfare clause (which Dems already have used and abused for scores of years).

According to Rep. Jim Clyburn of South Carolina health care is now a “fundamental right.” For liberals, what is not a fundamental right? With this new law, we have officially threaded socialism through our constitutional fabric.

The American people will fail to be fooled by this nonsense. President Obama & Co. have made a choice and declared victory. But victory at what cost? The conservative voice in American has time and the electorate on its side - it will replenish itself, and it will speak in November.

BLUE LAWS (Sneaky Sunday)

2010-03-20T09:41:00.008-04:00

Historically, blue laws were a local laws forbidding certain practices on Sunday – may it be working, dancing, or the purchase of liquor. I live in the upstate of South Carolina. Some have referred to this region as the “buckle” on the Bible Belt. The mall still doesn’t open until after the noon hour on Sunday and some local vendors still don’t sell liquor on the Lord's Day. Of course, we can always count on Chik-fil-A to self-impose their own blue law on staying closed on Sunday no matter where they are located.

An Epic Vote: Tomorrow, Sunday, March 21, 2010, the U.S. Congress is set to vote on the most paramount piece of social welfare legislation in the 45 years since Medicare/Medicaid in 1965 - if not the last 75 years since Social Security. For many of us, the size of this bill in relation to its far-reaching effects, make it the most important piece of legislation to come before Congress in our lifetime. This bill, if signed into law, will affect every single American. It begins by providing health care for 30-40 million uninsured Americans and ends where? Does it, as Biden/Pelosi/Reid state, go to the heart of America's competitive senses, by providing an alternative to the high cost of private insurers, or does it provide a slippery slope to a fully-run system of government healthcare? The federal government can drive down prices as far as they want to drive them down. When "Joe the Plumber" is getting paid better than government doctors, as most of them by default will become, then what will be the motivation to go spend the next seven postgraduate years of your life in medical school? And how are the 1,100 newly minted general practice MDs of 2010 going to meet the influx of 30 million new patients? Is the answer to open up new medical schools as the administration touts? No, that's simply ludicrous. Especially if no one is motivated to become a doctor anymore. It's fine to want to help people, but no doctor ever rejected the doctor's salary, either. If this bill passes, guess what folks? The line at the doctor's office just got longer. There is good reform and bad reform - this massive piece of legislation, with our economy currently in shambles, is bad reform.

I think there should be a blue law against Congressional voting on Sunday. Not only are they voting tomorrow in an act of disrespect to the Lord’s Day, but they are also voting in a “blue law,” as in a law that is SAD. In fact, this push to pass this particular health care reform bill has become a sad, desperate attempt to pass a mediocre bill save face for an administration that has been inept and unable pass any reform legislation of consequence under, get this - a unified government – one where the legislative and executive branches are led by the same party; in this case the Democrats.

Yes we Can? No doubt, the Dems are limping to the finish line with a cumbersome bill that is as obese as Michelle Obama’s new primary school-aged targets. But once this 2,700 page bill is law, it is not as easy to remove or substitute for as the soda pop machine on the school’s premises.

One reason this bill is bad is that the cost is enormous. The alleged trillion-dollar price tag over the next decade is but a drop in the proverbial bucket of the fiscal and familial cost to us over the next several decades. The CBO estimates are as funny as our money. At some point, people will realize that pure confidence in green-tinged paper is not the real thing and that our government cannot logically double down on the national debt without consequences that reach far into the deepest depths of your pockets, thus threatening the inalienable rights of life, liberty and property that we once had held so dear.

Quote for the Day: "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." - Thomas Jefferson

Torture

2009-12-09T22:00:00.002-05:00

Attorney General Eric Holder has decided to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed on American soil in New York City as opposed to a trial at Guantanamo Bay. There have been reports that Mohammed has requested the waterboarding option be back on the table after the CIA hit the repeat button on a Bose HD stereo surround sound version of Miley Cyrus' "Party In the USA."

Thought from the Green:

2009-12-09T21:55:00.003-05:00

Boy, even Tiger must think golf is boring.

Dem Prez Ticket 2012: Obama-Winfrey

2009-11-25T22:13:00.005-05:00

Move over Biden. Stepping down from her long-running daily talk show in 2011, there is a very real possibility that Oprah will mark the "change" within President Obama's VP slot for 2012.

UGHH!! IT'S MORE LIKE "GOING ROUGE"

2009-11-18T11:48:00.004-05:00

Puhhhlease, GOP, let's find a pit bull instead of a hockey mom for 2012. I'm calling on Michael Vick to form an exploratory committee!!!

My Current Thoughts On Health Care Reform: Thank God for Bicameralism

2009-11-09T09:08:00.000-05:00

The Call for a Third Party?

2009-11-03T16:49:00.001-05:00

What has Election 2009 taught us other than the fact that the Grand ‘Ole Party is being stabilized off life support? Perhaps that there are more choices from party realignment coming to an election booth near you.

The most interesting sideline discussion this election season is not the resurgence of the Republican Party (yet to be determined), but the surge of independent and third party candidates. Take a look at Doug Hoffman’s smackdown in New York’s 23rd district or Michael Bloomberg’s mayoral stomp. It is becoming more chic as the months pass to ditch the established Washington Do-Nothing parties and claim the political status of a different kind.

Why should this surprise us, for aren’t we a fickle nation when it comes to exercising our right to do just about anything, anymore? Political cleavages continue to splinter party loyalty. It’s not just the GOP not cooperating on health care reform, now it’s those moderate Dems who don’t like the way abortion will be mixed in this federal fruitcake of a bill.

So, why not a third party? The other developed democracies around the world present more choice at the ballot box and they have survived. Isn’t this the type of change we can really believe in?

What would a third party look like in America? For starters, it would probably tilt center-right and be. . .
1) fiscally conservative,
2) pro-business,
3) support a pragmatic national defense (think elder Bush),
4) libertarian on social issues, and
5) gives some credence to an emasculated 10th Amendment.

Theoretically, a third party could “bag the sag” of the current Big Two party’s adherents, including but not limited to everyone from moderate Democrats to moderate Republicans as well as self-identified libertarians. Bloomberg has shown this approach can work in liberal New York City just like his predecessor Giulani (who by all accounts could have been considered an independent) proved.

What has to happen for a new national party to emerge on equal footing as the Democrats and Republicans?
1) Recognizable, charismatic leadership
2) impeccable organization and management, and
3) an articulate platform supporting the five identifiers above.

Who would lead this third party if it arose in this generation?
I do not know, but we can think more in terms of Bloomberg, Liberman, Giulani, and Gingrich . . . rather than a McCain or Romney.

Why does New York seem like the center of the political independent universe? Because that is where the Independence Party of America is best organized.

What should we name a new political party if it was so established? That’s up to you. Shoot me some names and we’ll go from there.

Blazing Trails

2009-08-23T15:15:00.003-04:00

Happy New Year ! (if you are a student that is)

This past week I spent time cutting some new trials on my property here in upstate South Carolina. It rained so much and so often this past spring and early summer that the grass, brush and pines grew very rapidly, so much so, in fact, that even the regular use trails I had on the property simply disappeared. After a nice tractor/rotary cut once-over, I took my smaller lawn tractor and re-cut the original trails as well as blazed some new ones.

As law students entering a brand new school year, you too will find yourself with the options of following the trodden paths of legal practice or blazing a whole new trail (and sometimes, like in the current dumpy economy, some trodden path options disappear). But whatever path you choose, and whatever stumps, bumps, craters, snakes and yellowjacket nests you encounter along the way, it is important that you take time to be still and know that He is God and that it is He who is in control. Once you are submitted unto God, He will not only place you on the correct path, but He will also help you meet all of the challenges along the way.

A shot of my kids enjoying the new trails

Whether you are a new student, prospective student, or returning student, my prayer and admonition for you comes from those familiar words of Proverbs 3:5-6 (AV), "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths."

May God bless you and your efforts this school year :)

A Decade of Weddedness

2009-07-02T09:49:00.004-04:00

Just celebrated my 10th wedding anniversary this past weekend to my beautiful and accomplished bride, Tamra. To mark this event, we decided to visit a city that we'd both never been to. As two history buffs wanting to spend some time alone in a city away from the rugrats, Boston, MA met this criteria and ended up being the perfect sight to see.

Here's my list of "The 10 Most Surprising Facts About Boston":
10) The residential buildup around Breeds Hill and Bunker Hill.
9) As the largest city in the first state to legalize gay marriage, you see less gays here than Atlanta (perhaps they have nothing more to achieve here?)
8) Harvard: Women that graduated from Harvard were not issued Harvard diplomas until 1999 (they were issued Radcliffe ones instead; Harvard is not that pristine/landscaped as I imagined and the town of Cambridge is pretty "seedy"
7) There are more Starbucks here per capita than anywhere (or so it seems)
6) It's kid-friendly
5) It's courteous
4) It's clean
3) Rare to actually hear people speak w/the Boston accent
2) Quincy Marketplace on the north End has more annual visitors than Disneyland (this according to our tour guide - hard to believe as I've been to Disneyland lots of time - at least I could put one foot forward in Quincy Market)
1) It's maneuverability: Boston is a fully walkable city!

And now, "The 10 Most Non-Surprising Facts about Boston":
10) The real Cheers pub looks nothing like the TV show's Cheers pub
9) It's ethnic diversity
8) Public restrooms are waaaay few and far between
7) It's reasonable and efficient public transportation
6) It's historical smorgasbord
5) Pleasant summer weather
4) Lot's of smart kids walking the streets (w/Harvard, MIT, etc.)
3) Red Sox are adored
2) Great Seafood
1) It's expensive

I titled this post a "decade of weddedness" instead of a "decade of wedded bliss" because I could not tell a lie. When Tamra and I wed 10 years ago we were young and impulsive and we were both "first childs" in our own families. Lots of head-butting went on that first year, and the words "wedded bliss" do not ring a bell, but we worked at it and things are good now. Tamra has become my best friend (among other descriptions).

I say all that to say this: Marriage is work. But it can be the most rewarding work that two people of different backgrounds can embark on. The adage "growing old together" is a progressive term - and it is a positive one. No matter how much the world maligns the institution of marriage, it is just that - an institution - a God-created institution. And I for one do not want to challenge God on His definition to His own term.

A lot has happened in our ten years together - we welcomed five children into the world, finished four college/graduate degrees, bought and sold three homes, moved to three different states covering over 3,000 miles in between, and met countless professional demands . . . but through it all, God has been good and faithful and has allowed Tamra and I to grow closer over time and through the trials that we have faced together.

Tamra is my wife, my best friend, and the mother of my beautiful children. I look forward to facing each day with her for the next 50+ years :)

Father Abraham, King David and Governor Sanford

2009-06-30T17:09:00.007-04:00

S. Carolina Governor Mark Sanford admitted last week to carrying on an adulterous relationship. In a vain attempt at damage control, Sanford sat down his cabinet and apologized for his actions, or inactions (like telling them where in the world he had been the last week), and then proceeded to compare himself to King David who fell into sin w/Bathsheeba and then continued to lead Israel after getting things right with God. Armed w/the knowledge that David, in spite of his moral failure was called a man after God's own heart, Sanford rationalized why he, like David, should be able to continue residing in the governor's mansion.

Hence, my questions to Gov. Sanford:
"How far do you want to take this analogy?"
"Which of your four sons are you willing to give up for your selfish indulgence?"

If I were Gov. Sanford, I would cease the biblical comparisons, cut my son's hair and quietly resign from office.

In related news, check out Gov. Sanford's wife, Jenny, and her graceful statement on this unfortunate event (South Carolina's first lady, Jenny Sanford, issued this statement after her husband's news conference. This is from thestate.com.):

"I would like to start by saying I love my husband and I believe I have put forth every effort possible to be the best wife I can be during our almost 20 years of marriage. As well, for the last 15 years my husband has been fully engaged in public service to the citizens and taxpayers of this state and I have faithfully supported him in those efforts to the best of my ability. I have been and remain proud of his accomplishments and his service to this state.

I personally believe that the greatest legacy I will leave behind in this world is not the job I held on Wall Street, or the campaigns I managed for Mark, or the work I have done as first lady or even the philanthropic activities in which I have been routinely engaged. Instead, the greatest legacy I will leave in this world is the character of the children I, or we, leave behind. It is for that reason that I deeply regret the recent actions of my husband, Mark, and their potential damage to our children.

I believe wholeheartedly in the sanctity, dignity and importance of the institution of marriage. I believe that has been consistently reflected in my actions. When I found out about my husband's infidelity I worked immediately to first seek reconciliation through forgiveness, and then to work diligently to repair our marriage. We reached a point where I felt it was important to look my sons in the eyes and maintain my dignity, self-respect, and my basic sense of right and wrong. I therefore asked my husband to leave two weeks ago.

This trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage. During this short separation it was agreed that Mark would not contact us. I kept this separation quiet out of respect of his public office and reputation, and in hopes of keeping our children from just this type of public exposure. Because of this separation, I did not know where he was in the past week.

I believe enduring love is primarily a commitment and an act of will, and for a marriage to be successful, that commitment must be reciprocal. I believe Mark has earned a chance to resurrect our marriage.

Psalm 127 states that sons are a gift from the Lord and children a reward from him. I will continue to pour my energy into raising our sons to be honorable young men. I remain willing to forgive Mark completely for his indiscretions and to welcome him back, in time, if he continues to work toward reconciliation with a true spirit of humility and repentance.

This is a very painful time for us and I would humbly request now that members of the media respect the privacy of my boys and me as we struggle together to continue on with our lives and as I seek the wisdom of Solomon, the strength and patience of Job and the grace of God in helping to heal my family."

Party On, Dudes!

2009-04-15T08:00:00.013-04:00

Party on! It's Tax Day! Today many American cities and towns are holding their version of the "Tax Day Tea Party" to protest what has become perhaps the most important non-partisan issue of our day: tax dollars - the amount good 'ole Joe American is taxed, where those funds are going, and, highlighted in such difficult times like these, why Joe is footing the government dole rather than feeding his own family (Oh, b/c the government could feed them so much better, of course :).

Historically, this has been an important issue to Americans. I mean, it did start us on the road to independence from Britain and all. Now we are on the brink of begging the Chinese (who save about 25% more of their discretionary income than we do) to bind us back to the 1700s by buying our debt since our own banks and private investors have positioned themselves unable or downright unwilling.

It seems the homemakers of America have more sense than our own Congress and Treasury Department as Ericka Franzi shows us here in one of the local paper op-eds out of Ashville, NC:

Op-Ed In Asheville Citizen Times and Asheville Tribune
2009 April 12

At a time when the word “prosperity” is no longer identified with this nation, it is inconceivable that our government continues to spend tax dollars as though the supply is endless. Millions of Americans are out of work or have been dropped to part time status. We all have fewer dollars to spend, and the dollars we do have in our wallets buy less at the market. Yet, in their infinite wisdom, elected officials on Capitol Hill and in State Capitals nationwide continue to spend our tax dollars at an unprecedented rate. We have been promised time and again, from both sides of the aisle, a close inspection of spending and surgical excision of waste. Always finding an expedient reason to postpone the fulfillment of that promise, the cutting of the pork gets set aside and our government grows, our spending grows, our debt grows, and our economic crisis grows.

Our corporate tax rates are among the highest in the world. The United States regularly practices double taxation in the form of estate taxes, gift taxes, and other wealth transfer taxes. Those who generate wealth, thereby nourishing our economy, are punished by the American tax code. Our taxes are a burden to enterprise and a drag on our economy. The only entity that benefits from the current level of taxation in this country is our bloated government.

Just last week, our US House, a group of individuals who passed a massive spending bill that they admitted to not even reading, approved another tax law that retroactively taxes private industry bonuses at 90%. This tax was to make up for a mistake they made in the law they passed unread. Such a tax is unconstitutional and confiscatory. Americans ought not stand for it.

Our current level of national debt is not payable in this lifetime or the next. Lawmakers in Washington have spoken from their soapboxes about the predatory lending practices that resulted in mortgage customers who couldn’t afford homes getting mortgages and becoming homeowners. How is that any different from our government, knowing the American taxpayers can’t afford all of the projects the government believes are necessary, writing us a $1 trillion loan for “stimulus”? Who’s the predatory lender now? And who’s the poor borrower who’s going to be paying for it for generations to come?

What happens to the value of your money in the bank when the Treasury Department decides to print 1 trillion more dollars and pump them into the system? Did you know that in the last year, our money supply has doubled? Does that mean your money is worth about half what it once was? Think about it. If your money was once worth $100 and, after the Fed printed billions of dollar bills, it is only worth $50, didn’t they steal your money? They certainly robbed you of its value without your consent.

Businesses succeed and businesses fail. No business should ever be subsidized or propped up by the government. The result of rewarding failure with tax dollars, as we have seen more than once with the automotive industry, is dependence upon the public dole and refusal to reform. When business is allowed to fail, it either reemerges stronger, or it makes room for more successful ventures in its place.

All of these issues are non-partisan issues. At one time or another, politicians on all sides of the political divide have been duplicitous in delivering us the situation in which we now find ourselves. To claim otherwise is disingenuous. As Americans, we must rise above the partisan political fray and realize that these issues strike at the very core of our American form of government. Should we allow these abuses to continue, we may not find ourselves at liberty to argue over partisan politics in the future. Should our Republic crumble beneath us, our party affiliations will matter little.

Whatever your political persuasion, come out to the Asheville Tax Day Tea Party on April 15 at 4:30 pm in front of the Asheville City Building and Buncombe County Courthouse and lend your voice to the chorus of opposition to the above abuses. No more out of control spending. No more confiscatory taxation. No more adding to the debt our great grandchildren will be paying for us. No more devaluing our dollars. No more bailouts. Let your elected officials know that you have had enough.

Erika Franzi
Asheville Tea Party Organizer
Homemaker, wife, mother of 4, area business owner

The Great Desperation

2009-03-16T11:36:00.005-04:00

Not to be Debbie Downer about it, but the job market has officially rejected chemo, shed 100 lbs, and survives on a life support system not named Stimulus Bailout. The bank implosion, housing disaster, job loss, lowered wages, rising inflation, and federal funny money has led us to a place rarely visited in American History: A Great Desperation.

This crisis has hit every sector except two, federal government hires and healthcare, and those two sectors are getting a lot more competitive. If the executive and legislative branches have their way, those two sectors will merge and form a gargantuan government healthcare system funded by you and you and you.

Education, thought to be resilient, has started cutting jobs across the board – from support staff to administration. Public and Private institutions are sweating it – as tuition has only risen every year since the inception of the Calendar – with downed enrollments and shriveled up outside giving. Part of the problem in education is that they do not know how many students they are going to have next year nor what type of education they will be demanding (MBA’s anyone?). Many schools think now is the time to realign and restructure their programs, but to what end? How can you do this effectively when you don’t even know what your new customers will look like or what type of education they will seek in this new Land of Nonportunity.

Students who thought they could hide out in graduate school while waiting out the crisis have found that banks don’t just hand out blank check loans anymore.

All other industries have either shrunk their workforce or have frozen hiring. Many of the larger industries, like automotive, were punctured long ago by their union bosses. And many union workers find that in the end, even a union can’t save your job for you.

As a recent graduate with two graduate degrees, I, like many of my friends, currently find myself underemployed/unemployed. And it’s not for lack of trying - Employers are just as fearful as the Unemployed. This fear is rationally-based. When the government arbitrarily gives away money that they do not have, they will make it up at some later date in the not-to-distant future. That means Employers must take serious stock of their situation now because they are looking at much higher taxes, rising interest rates, wage increases, more government regulation and even higher inflation in the future. Instead of giving the private sector a shot at digging ourselves out of this mess, we entrench ourselves yet further in this crisis through a less than stimulating stimulus.

But it’s not all bad news. I say to those, who like me are recent grads, or are going to be - keep your head up. Why? Because you cannot lose anything (i.e. jobs) that you didn’t have in the first place. At times we may get frustrated and experience feelings of great desperation, but life could always be far worse. Our greed and selfishness got us into this mess and it will take a much more humble spirit to get us out. We are getting there. Remember, we are Americans and we have the ability to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and try, try again.

MLK's DAY

2009-01-19T09:21:00.006-05:00

January 19, 2008
In 1983, Ronald Reagan signed the new MLK Day holiday into law. The day would first be observed in 1986, and by 2000, all 50 states got officially on board to observe the day set aside to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. Born on January 15, 1929, and assassinated on April 4, 1968, King lived an incredible (Nobel Peace Prize at age 35) life that was integral in changing the social and political landscape of civil rights in America.

What people often overlook is the fact that MLK's religious foundation supported a political and legal philosophy that extended far beyond civil rights for blacks. The "spinners" efforts to malign and manipulate King's legacy to their own political ends have disemboweled the preeminent point of King's life message, best summed up in his just law/unjust law - natural law argumentation proclaimed in his "Letter From a Birmingham Jail." This summation, of course, is not original with King (see Aquinas and Augustine), but he certainly used his bully pulpit to remind people everywhere that just laws are directly rooted in divine, natural law. This is the same belief that leads one to conclude that Jim Crow was wrong and that legalized abortion would be unjust.

As a registered Republican since 1956, King honored the party of Lincoln by fighting for the the civil rights of all mankind - the tantamount of those rights being the sanctity of life itself. How else could he say the words, "I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character" if he did not believe that they would in fact survive birth first in order to be judged?

Quote for the Day: "If we are to go forward, we must go back and rediscover those precious values - that all reality hinges on moral foundations and that all reality has spiritual control." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Jam Session

2009-01-17T18:27:00.004-05:00

January 17, 2009WELCOME TO SOUTH CAROLINA - PROVIDING PUBLIC RESTROOM ACCESS TO THE FISCALLY CONSERVATIVE TAXPAYER SINCE 1788

After stickin' close to home this past week, we decided to take a day to get away from the house. We loaded up the FamVan and headed to the Hagood Mill in Pickens County. The over-200 year-old mill still grinds away corn meal, flour and grits. Throw in a nice hiking trail, Blugrass / Folk Music, a picnic lunch and some sunshine, and you have yourself a pretty nice day - even if the mercury hovered around 30 degrees.

I admit, I am a closet Bluegrass fan (I have been for some time) and the Blue Ridge Rounders failed to disappoint. From 2-3 p.m. the Rounders invited the local folk to sit in on a jam session. About a dozen musicians, sporting their fiddles, guitars, mandolins, bajoes and basses, let the music rip. My corner of the room - consisting of my family - quickly became known as the "Dancers."

Even though this entry may be my coming out party on the Bluegrass landscape, I won't be coming out in a pair of overalls anytime soon. Not that there is anything wrong with overalls, of course :)

The Office

2009-01-14T14:33:00.018-05:00

January 14, 2009
Finding new and innovative ways to stress my wife out, I decided to move all the contents of our seven-member household on December 22, just a few days before Christmas. The wife will tell you that I made the decision and SHE did the moving, but that is only partly true, as I'm not a total nincompoop. Plus, Tamra had about six wonderful law wives show up to help pack boxes, so they took a little of Tamra's laser-eyed heat off of me :)

Once I finished finals on the 16th, my father-in-law, a few of my law school buddies, and I actually loaded the stuff onto the truck. Twenty-seven linear feet later, we were well on our way to our next stop in life: Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Once here, Tamra's brother Steve drove down from Cincinnati and helped us unload. Tamra purchased a cheap Christmas tree from Wal-Mart and did what any great mom would do - she stayed up all Christmas eve turning the downstairs portion of the house into a festive celebration of Christ's birth. Of course, the Misseijers always celebrate two birthdays on Christmas, Jesus and Avalon, our own little Christmas surprise who was born 10 weeks premature in 2001. Many family and friends came through the new place for the holidays, and for that, we are grateful.

This South Carolina stop may be permanent, or it may be temporary - depending on how the job apps wring out - but most importantly it has provided me a quiet study for the South Carolina bar exam given February 23-25. As if holing up in the foothills of upstate South Caroina were not quiet enough, I found a small red barn/shed (pic above) to set up my "office" on the property where we are residing. Remember, I have five wild Indians that would love to throw a tomahawk in my study time. Of course, my wonderful wife keeps them occupied by feeding, schooling, and throwing them in the playroom above the garage when they get a bit rowdy.

Not only have I set up my office, but after a long, hard day of hitting the books, Tamra sits me down in the evening for about an hour to watch The Office - Seasons 1-3 (she already had Season 4) - her Christmas present from me this year. It came with a Dunder-Mifflin lunch bag (great buy!).

In closing, if you find yourself travelling through the Greenville-Hendersonville-Ashville area, please stop in and say hello. We'd love to catch up over a cup of coffee.

Verse for the Day: "Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass." - Psalm 37:5

Quote for the Day: "Wow, you are very exotic looking. Was your dad a G.I.?" - Michael Scott

DONE!

2008-12-17T06:56:00.003-05:00

I am finished with law school . . . I am absolutely speechless. Somebody pinch me. Ouch. Now on to the Bar Review.

"My Friends"

2008-11-14T14:43:00.001-05:00

Powdered Kisses

2008-11-11T09:27:00.002-05:00

Leaving the house this morning in my usual hustle and bustle, I paused long enough to give each of my kids a peck on the way out; two of my daughters were sitting at the kitchen table eating white powdered sugar doughnuts. I hopped in my truck and halfway to school I peeked in my rearview mirror - I spotted some white stuff on my cheek.

Kissies from my little princesses - I'll take them any way I can get them, especially when they're extra sweet :)

The Silver Lining

2008-11-06T08:55:00.008-05:00

Three Silver Threads from Election Tuesday:

1) Proposition 8 passed in California, with similar measures legally recognizing marriage ONLY between a man and woman passing handily in Arizona and Florida (God can spare us the lightning bolts for now).

2) The Democrats fell far short of their coveted 60-vote Senate supermajority. Nov. 4, 2008 was the Dems best chance to reach this goal. History says that 2010 and 2012 will see much different results.

3) With the Executive and Legislative branches now in the hands of the Dems, they can't hide behind Bush and point their fingers at him anymore. People won't care about Bush when he is not in office. We're not that stupid are we, to listen to 4 to 8 years of whining from the Left on why they can't get us out of this economic mess? The people elected Obama and reelected a Democratic Congress w/a 15% approval rating (maybe we are THAT stupid) to get positive results - not backtracking soundbites like Nancy Pelosi's day-after oratorical gem when she said something to the tune of "it will take time 'cause we don't have the dimes."

Hey America, enjoy the next 4 years - you got what you asked for. And unlike Michelle Obama, I'm always proud of my country. Disappointed at times, yes, but never not proud. I am proud that the people exercised their right to vote, and finally took responsibility for something - for their future - no matter how bumpy that may be.

Be Not Afraid Nor Dismayed

2008-11-06T08:38:00.007-05:00

(This was adapted from one of those pestering forwarded e-mails - author unknown):

No matter who won the election,
1) There will be room at the cross - Jesus loves and will save the lost when they repent and come to him
2) The Bible will still have ALL the answers.
3) Prayer will still work

The only way to bring this nation back to God is to see a change in the hearts of its people; to see people get serious in their personal relationship with the Lord; and for them to look to God for their answers, not Government.

McCain: The Real Victim of Racism

2008-11-05T10:13:00.011-05:00

(An image that hearkens back to another campaign based on race):
It’s not the economy stupid. It’s not even the wake of perceived destruction that Bush has left. It was race – all along, it was race. Barack Obama was chosen as president in an electoral landslide that will go down in history (eventually) as a race won by racism.

No matter what fanciful reasons the media cooks up, the votes did not change much from the last two elections, except that battleground states with high black voter turnout did make the difference. On the same hot-button issues, the country is just as divided as Y2K. Yes, the economy was a consideration, but unlike the exit polls asking about the economy and reflecting a quantifiable response, they certainly did not ask blacks if they voted for Obama only because he was black.

Take for example this morning after pill, I mean poll, from MSNBC:
Query: Which contributed most to Barack Obama's victory?
1) His message of change
2) His ability to get the vote out
3) The country's anti-Bush sentiment
4) The economy
5) The war in Iraq

Username "Koukla50" voted on the above question by answering: The country's anti-Bush sentiment, but also commented that Obama won because of the "fact that 97% of blacks voted for him, and a good portion of whites, showing whites are NOT racist, but blacks certainly are."

Where is race? People only exit poll and answer questions that they are asked. This is why Republicans rarely exit poll - because what does it matter? Is there a "none of the above" choice, or an "other" blank that can be addressed?

Election hangover has surely set in. The Virginia Pilot observed that “nearly one in 10 whites said race was an important factor in selecting a candidate.” Duh – and we were worried about how racist white voters might be. The daily paper also stated that “virtually all blacks were supporting Obama.” What if the election results were the other way around and the statement read “virtually all whites supported McCain.”

Fact: an unprecedented number of black voters turned up at the polls to vote their race. The American Heritage Dictionary defines racism as “discrimination or prejudice based on race.” If there was any discrimination or prejudice at the polls on November 4th, it was not by the white voters that the mainstream media so often polarized, but it was by black voters that voted for Obama at an over 90% clip. After decades of voter apathy (gratuitous description), blacks decided to exercise their right to vote, but only when a black candidate was anointed from a major party. Like Michelle Obama, for the very first time, they could be proud of their country.

Black voters claim that it wasn’t race, but it was about the issues. Really? Is that why California blacks voted overwhelmingly for Obama, but also helped the Proposition 8 ballot measure squeak through? I don’t follow that logic. If I am a black voter basing my vote on the issues, wouldn’t I vote for someone who reflects my values? So the line of logic is, I will not personally vote for gay marriage, but I will cast my vote for someone who supports gay marriage. Why? Because he is black.

Use Your Soles to Reach Some Souls

2008-11-03T11:46:00.005-05:00

This past week Obama's footsoldiers hit my street. Toting signs and stickers and flyers, his faithful were getting out the word that there was an election on November 4th and relaying what their candidate stood for. On Friday, one story stated that Obama's opponent, McCain, had his faithful going door-to-door up to 10 hours a day in the battleground state of Pennsylvania.

It struck me. What if? What if we, as Bible-believing Christians, submitted and obeyed to the command given in Matthew 28:19? What if we hit the pavement 10 hours a day on behalf of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ?

If Christians were as motivated for what they believe in as much as the Obama and McCain footsoldiers, then we wouldn't be in the morally upside-down position that we find our country in. We would not be supporting candidates who support abortion and/or stem-cell research - both positions which support the termination of human life; we would not support a politician who promises to take more from the Have's and give to the lazy Have-Nots; we would not support a man who promises to emasculate our armed forces in the face of war; we would not support a candidate that seeks to break down our borders.

A large part of the problem are confused Christians. Once we left a standard Biblical text, confusion reigned supreme. Now you go to church and we "read in tongues" as everyone has a different translation of the Bible on their lap. Additionally, Christians the last 20 years have taken their eye off the prize. They have looked to a prosperity gospel instead of the Gospel of Christ. The learned behavioral trait of my own Christian generation is political correctness. I am not supposed to offend but to be tolerant of every vile view under the sun - yet no one has to be tolerant to my own beliefs on issues which are cemented in Biblical truth - issues like homosexuality is an abomination and abortion is murder. All "tolerance" does is stir up more intolerance.

It is the world turned upside down.

The King's heart is certainly in the hands of the Lord, but the Lord is also willing to place an unrighteous leader in the Oval Office if that is what we have sown. For true CHANGE, the hearts of American citizes have to be changed. Let this be a clarion call to action: "Use your soles to go reach some souls."