How to Chase a Flying Pig

Happy Birthday President Reagan

2010-02-06T03:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday President Reagan! Today is a great day to truly appreciate what being a conservative is all about. Not only did Reagan shape our country from a policy and ideology standpoint, but from a platform of strong morals and ethics, which are often overlooked in our country today!

Conservatives are often chided for their 'Reagan-love' by those who don't truly understand or appreciate the his significant contributions to creating the America we are today.

(as an aside- Those that mock Reagan love are often the same people who have small shrines set up honoring Kennedy- who really, in comparison, was a fairly unaccomplished President)

President Reagan came into office after years of American dealing with Jimmy Carter. Carter beat the American people down, and, in many ways, proclaimed the end of America's position as a World superpower. Under Carter we had 20 percent interest rates, 22 percent inflation, and the military was unprepared and weakened due deep cuts in military spending.

America needed a hero and Reagan's magnificent optimism, and undying hope, gave America renewed faith in itself. He pursued policies that emphasized personal freedom, expanded the scope of the military, improved the US economy and brought an end to the Cold War. His economic policies aimed at reduction in social spending and enhancing entrepreneurship. By dismantling some federal programs, and reducing others, he forced the states and the cities to assume more responsibility for themselves.

Aside from his practical accomplishments, Reagan's personality almost certainly had a great deal to do with his perceived greatness. He was "The Great Communicator". His speeches rang with optimism and comfort and patriotism. Unlike the current administration, however, they weren't all about rhetoric and sound bytes, his words were supported by actions and organized steps to move us closer to where we wanted to be.

Like all Presidents, Ronald Reagan made some bad decisions in office. But, his greatest contribution was his unchecked love for America and it's people. After the humiliating Carter years, Reagan made us again feel proud to be Americans, and confident in our nation's future. Hmm..a President making us feel proud to be Americans???? Interesting concept isn't it President Obama???

John Hawkins : 5 Things Americans Need To Understand About How Government Really Works - Townhall.com

2010-01-26T04:03:00.000-08:00

Awesome article by John Hawkins today! A must read for everyone.

John Hawkins : 5 Things Americans Need To Understand About How Government Really Works - Townhall.com

The Terrorists We Are Setting Free

2010-01-24T03:47:00.001-08:00

The Department of Justice announced on Thursday evening that two detainees from the Guantanamo Bay prison have been released to Algeria.

The Algerian nationals, Hasan Zemiri and Adil Hadi al Jazairi Bin Hamlili, were returned to the Algerian government upon agreement of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Departments of Defense, State, Justice and Homeland Security.

Let’s take a look at these fine individuals who are now free to roam, rev up their friends with tall tales of the ‘injustices’ and ‘abusive’ treatment at Guantanamo and plan more terrorist attacks on the United States.

Hasan Zemiri, 42, was a Montreal friend of Ahmed Ressam and a co-conspirator of the Los Angeles Millennium plot. Hasan Zemiri provided Ahmed Ressam with a camera and $3,500 in order to help him with the plot. He was already arrested once at Niagara Falls in 1998 but was released on bail and eventually made his way to Afghanistan after the plot failed. Hasan Zemiri was arrested in Tora Bora, Afghanistan, in 12/2001.

Adil Hadi al-Jazairi Bin Hamlili, 34, a former member of the Algeiran Armed Islamic Group –and the former personal representative of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan .

It also serves to note that Algeria has seen an increased terrorist presence in the past few years with the activities of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (an officially al-Qaeda sanctioned affiliate that battles the Algerian government in order to forcibly establish an Islamic state, as well as attacking, European and American targets).

Let us pray, that I am wrong. Let us pray that these detainees will go to Algeria, thank their lucky stars that the had the ACLU on their side and open a Jihad themed coffee shop which specializes in Petite Fours. Unfortunately, looking at past history of other Guantanamo detainees, I am fearful of what the future may hold for these newly freed men.

Take for example, Mohammed Ismail, who was released from the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, in early 2004 and sent back to Afghanistan to be set free. Within four months, he was recaptured in Afghanistan as a result of attacking U.S. troops there.

Another example would be Abdullah Gulam Rasoul, who was released from Guantanamo in December 2007 and set free in Afghanistan. Rasoul has become a powerful Taliban military commander in southern Afghanistan, and the United States suspects he is responsible for several attacks on U.S. forces there. He seems to have built “rock star status” among the Taliban, by using his Guantanamo experience to ‘rev the troops’

These are just two examples former Guantanamo Bay detainees who the military says were active in, or were suspected of being active in, fighting against the United States or committing terrorist acts after being released.

In fact, in May of last year the Pentagon released information that showed 14 percent of former detainees have turned to, or are suspected of having turned to, terrorism activity since being released from Guantanamo.

Wow, that’s swell!

Martin Luther King Jr. Helped Recommit Our Nation To Its Founding First Principles

2010-01-18T07:47:00.000-08:00

Martin Luther King Jr. Helped Recommit Our Nation To Its Founding First Principles | The Foundry: Conservative Policy News.

Curt Schilling and the MA election

2010-01-18T05:42:00.000-08:00

Curt Schilling is a wonderful baseball player, intelligent guy and gives a great insight into the MA election.

Follow his blog HERE http://38pitches.com/

Great commentary on life, politics, sports......

Martin Luther King Day Tribute

2010-01-18T04:22:00.000-08:00

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

On this Martin Luther King Day, I’d like to take a little look back at history and the two political parties in association with black civil rights. It is an often overlooked truth that the Democratic party identified itself as the ‘white man’s party” during the civil war era and ran on a pro slavery platform in the presidential campaign between John C. Breckinridge vs. Abraham Lincoln.

They demonized the Republicans as being “negro dominated” and were able to gain a long stronghold over the southern states with their strong white supremacy platform. Democrats denounced President Lincoln for his Emancipation Proclamation, and congressional Democrats voted unanimously against the 13th Amendment to abolish slavery. It really wasn’t until John Kennedy in the 1960’s that democrats started supporting racial integration and equality.

In some ways this little bit of history is neither here nor there, and I could go on and on about the history of civil rights and the good and bad way that politicians on both sides of the aisle handled things. Alot of very good information can be found on www.NBRA.info (National Black Republican Association). I will warn that this site is very partisan and somewhat bias in their take on things. However, it does give an interesting insight into a more conservative side of racial politics.

Other sites that give this counterbalance look include

The Black Republican Blog: http://www.theblackrepublican.net/

Project 21: http://www.nationalcenter.org/P21Index.html

Project 21 is my personal favorite and I think gives the most balanced and motivating platform for both White and Black conservatives

Tomorrow, I’ll give an overview on some amazing Black Conservatives in American history...and there are many! Today I will leave with this absolutely amazing and thought provoking article by Mary Baker, written in fall of last year. Link to the article is HERE, yet I think it is worth a full reprinting below as well:

Why I am no longer an African American

By Mary Baker

The Obama election was a milestone in our country's history. Blacks danced in the streets, talked about feelings of finally being able to feel at home in America, and cried for the cameras. But as a black woman in the Age of Obama, I don't see anything that reveals that Blacks in America have anything to celebrate. I grew up in the Deep South during the 1960's, so I'm quite aware of the issues our country faced at that time. Blacks mourned the deaths of two of their most profound leaders, Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This was a time when those who represented the leadership of Black Americans promoted a longing for the "Motherland."

There was propaganda promoting African ancestry, even the reclassifying of Blacks as African Americans. The establishment of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 barred many of the practices of racial discrimination and Blacks began to believe that achieving the dreams that Dr. King hailed in his speeches was possible. Black leaders such as Malcolm X and Stokely Carmichael promoted the new image of the African American through the Nation of Islam and the Black Power Movement. Kimani Nehusi, a lecturer at the University of East London, writes,

Many Rastafari use the term ‘repatriation' to express this longing for Africa, and a determination to return physically. However, when we examine the practice of Rastafari, we can see that the idea of a return to Africa goes beyond just repatriation, the physical resettlement on the continent of our ancestors. It also means a return to the values, culture and history of Africa, and a particular Africentric way of seeing the world. Many of these ideas have also been expressed in the work of Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, Kwame Nkrumah and other leading fighters for the rights of Africans at home and abroad.

Fast-forward to November 4, 2008 -- America elects her first African American President. Now, one would think that all has finally been laid to rest and America has once and for all times achieved racial reconciliation. But it appears that this election has resulted in even more racial division. After observing the attitudes of African Americans and gaining an understanding of the drive to classify Black Americans as African Americans, I must now say that I can no longer identify myself as an African American because this classification holds several proclamations and principles to which I no longer identify with as a citizen of this country. This title holds anti-American sentiments to which I cannot embrace. I have never held to the viewpoints of those from the Black Power Movement, Nation of Islam, or the Black Nationalist Movement. I don't think about Africa, or what it would be like to live there, as I have always been content living in the country of my birth, where I grew up in a small town in Louisiana.

The classification of me as an African American says that although I live in America, my loyalty and allegiance are to Africa. My loyalty and my allegiance are first to Jesus Christ who is the Lord and Savior of my life. These same principles were those held by many of our Founding Fathers who held high regard for God's protection and leadership over this nation. These are the principles that are common to the foundation of Conservatism. As I think of my viewpoints politically, everything I believe about this country is wrapped up in my Conservative views. The tenets of the Declaration of Independence were set forth to bring equality and well being to all Americans. And those are the principles that I embrace as an American.

It is my faith that drives everything that I believe and hold as dear. The Founders of this country envisioned a nation that would secure the God-given rights of its citizens. The desire that every citizen born in this country would not suffer the oppression they endured under England's rule, set as the backdrop for guaranteeing freedom for all Americans. The Founders especially desired that our nation would be one ruled and protected by our Creator God. Many beg to differ, but the Founders' insistence that God guide the ways of this nation is apparent in their acknowledgement of His hand in the creation of life, the rights of life, and the prosperity of life.

It is these principles that make me proud to just be an American. So, I select for my identity the title of American. The radical ideologies of Blacks involved in the Civil Rights Movement gave birth to attitudes like those of Professor Henry Lewis Gates Jr., the Harvard professor who became livid when his identity was questioned by a white police officer. Those who embrace Professor Gate's sentiments and attitudes today are those who still believe that America owes something to the Black population for the horrors of slavery. They are the ones that continue to stoke the fires of racial hatred toward other races and promote the continued attitude of self pity within the Black community. They also hold to the teachings of Black Liberation Theology, a school of thought that I never knew existed until the presidential campaign of then Senator Barak Obama. The teachings of Black Liberation Theology run counter to the American way. They also are counterproductive to the love I hold for my country.

I began to think about how we all got to be categorized in the first place. I have not noticed on any forms that the category of American is an option to be selected. Is this division amongst us perpetrated by our very own government? It is obvious that the inspiration for the classification of African American has nothing to do with those born of African descent. It is a radical group of Black Americans who hold to the anti-American views of those shared by Jeremiah Wright, Professor Gates, Jesse Jackson, President Obama and many others who came out of the radical Civil Rights Movement.

Because of these things, I now part ways with the classification of African American because I hold no allegiance to Africa. I embrace the American qualities of freedom to worship, freedom to have my own opinion, freedom to express my views, freedom to achieve whatever it is God has created me to achieve. I hope that I will find others like me who are willing to break ties with the things that divide us, and embrace the timeless principles that have made this country the greatest nation on earth. That is why, when the next U.S. Census occurs, I will be making a new category just for me, the classification of being an American.

Mary Baker is a married mother of seven children, a stay-at-home mom who loves writing, and enjoys home-schooling her eight-year-old daughter, Krystal. Mary lives in Houston, Texas.

Relief for Haiti!

2010-01-14T06:39:00.001-08:00

Here is a grouping of ways to help, resources, etc. that I have been able to round up

First- This is a website put together from the International Red Cross to help find your loved. The aim of the International Committee of the Red Cross FamilyLinks website is to help those separated by conflict or disaster to find information about their loved ones in order to restore contact.

Second- Here is a list of reputable and trusted charities to donate to

Sending thoughts are prayers there way! I will post more as I come upon them

George Will has a point....

2010-01-12T06:07:00.001-08:00

Follow up on my last blog and the continued "Harry Reid Crisis". George Will brought up a very good point on Sunday in a little tiff with Liz Cheney.

Watch it HERE

Lott vs. Reid: Another case study in Liberal Bias!!!

2010-01-10T07:19:00.000-08:00

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid went into damage control over the yesterday after news broke that during the 2008 presidential campaign he said Barack Obama had an advantage because he's "light-skinned" and has "no Negro dialect" unless he wants to employ it.

These comments, clearly racist in nature, once again give us a brutal look at the hypocrisy of the democratic party when dealing with race issues.

Let us remember way back to 2002, when then Senate Majority leader Trent Lott, R-Mississippi, made a comment during a 100th birthday celebration for the retiring Strom Thurmond:

"I want to say this about my state: When Strom Thurmond ran for president, we voted for him. We're proud of it. And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years, either,"

To put those statements in context for anyone not familiar with Thurmond’s background, he ran as the presidential nominee of the breakaway Dixiecrat Party in the 1948 presidential race against Democrat Harry Truman and Republican Thomas Dewey. He carried Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and his home state of South Carolina, of which he was governor at the time.

During the campaign, he said, "All the laws of Washington and all the bayonets of the Army cannot force the Negro into our homes, our schools, our churches."

Thurmond's party ran under a platform that declared in part, "We stand for the segregation of the races and the racial integrity of each race."

Eventually, Thurmond moved away from his segregationist position and went on to the longest career in Senate history (not to mention a career in which he was well known for carrying around little pieces of candy to give to all the pretty interns- or throw on the ground to watch them pick them up- but I digress).

Anyway, back to Trent Lott’s legendary comments: After poor Senator Lott uttered these remarks, the liberal bayonet virtually castrated him. Civil rights activist Jesse Jackson called for Lott to resign, and former Vice President Al Gore told CNN that the comment was "racist."

The media was all over Lott’s ‘racist agenda’. Finally the poor man was forced to step down under the liberal firestorm of sound bytes and misrepresentations over both his character and his past. A wonderful look into the hypocrisy of many of the allegations can be found in this article by Tom Gormon.

Not let us contrast that incident to the now known comments by Senate Majority leader Harry Reid. Almost as quickly as news of the comments were reported by the media (mostly by Fox News, since god forbid any of the other liberally-biased news outlets rush to report anything that might hinder their own), Al Sharpton can out defending Reid.

In a statement issued yesterday, Sharpton said:

“I have learned of certain unfortunate comments made by Senator Reid regarding President Barack Obama and have spoken with Senator Reid about those comments. While there is no question that Senator Reid did not select the best word choice in this instance, these comments should not distract America from its continued focus on securing healthcare or creating jobs for its people. Nor should they detract from the unquestionable leadership role Senator Reid has played on these issues or in the area of civil rights. Senator Reid’s door has always been open on hearing from the civil rights community on these issues and I look forward to continue to work with Senator Reid wherever possible to improve the lives of Americans everywhere.”

This is the same Al Sharpton who has no problem throwing the likes of Don Imus, Trent Lott or legions of others under the bus for virtually any utterance that can somehow be interpreted as racist.

As Michael Steele, the African American Chairman of the Republican National Committee pointed out Democrats are simply full of hypocrisy on the matter,

"There is this standard where Democrats feel that they can say these things and they can apologize when it comes from the mouths of their own. But if it comes from anyone else, it is racism," Steele told "Fox News Sunday."

Democrats are amazingly talented at these things, voo doo magic, a pack with the dark side, who knows....it will be interesting what fate beholds Reid as the week unfolds. My guess: this gaff, like many others, will fade into the sunset and only be discussed in backrooms by Democratic strategists as they recount fondly all they ways they screwed the American people.

2009: An ‘extraordinary’ year in politics - TheHill.com

2010-01-03T04:10:00.000-08:00

Nice overview!

2009: An ‘extraordinary’ year in politics - TheHill.com

2010 Blog Resolutions

2010-01-03T04:01:00.000-08:00

Welcome 2010!!!! I have a feeling this will be a great year!

A few resolutions for this blog in the new year...

-First and foremost: I will post more content. My goal is to have 2-3 posts each week at a minimum....so please try to keep me accountable to that!

-Along that same note, if any reader has a particular issue or concern they would like me to rant, inform or just discuss in general, please feel free to make requests

-With the 2010 elections coming up, I would LOVE to be able to highlight one candidate each week. If you are a candidate in a NATIONAL race anywhere across the country and would like a chance to speak your mind on the issues...I'm your girl

-In a similar vain, if you are representing an issue that you would like highlighted or detailed...contact me as well, I'd be more than happy to look into the issue and give a summary

WARNING: This does not mean that I will not include my own commentary or feelings on your candidacy/issue. You will be able to have a forum to speak your mind and promote yourself (issue), but I will give my thoughts at the end.

Ok, that is it for now. Happy New Year everyone...lets make it a great one!

The Ridiculous, Irresponsible and Frightening!

2009-12-20T00:32:00.000-08:00

The ridiculous: President Obama flying to Copenhagen to discuss global warming and climate change in the middle of a HUGE blizzard

The irresponsible: Sen. Ben Nelson.....'nuff said

The frightening: Al Franken is actually in the Senate...and allowed to talk

Honestly, the events of this week are so astronomically catastrophic that the above comments are all I can safely muster without Xanax close at hand

Climate Change-apalooza

2009-12-13T03:31:00.000-08:00

I will be the first to admit that when it comes to environmental issues, I stand a little bit to the left of many Conservatives on the issue. Although, I'm not out chaining myself to trees, I do believe that protecting the environment, cutting needless waste and pollution and, in general, encouraging the development of more green spaces is beneficial for everyone (see my previous blog "The Real Socioeconomic Gap in Healthcare". However....as well known to many readers, the current climate farce (along with the ridiculously hypocritical Copenhagen summit) is more focused on

a) gaining political points

b) creation of a worldwide system of regulation to puts business under government control and transfers wealth from rich nations to poor ones.

than it is actually benefitting the environment.

As Dick Morris terrifically pointed out in a recent Op-ed on the issue:

"The worst nightmare of the left is about to come true: The United States is about to achieve the carbon emissions goals set by the 1997 Kyoto Accords. Once seemingly beyond reach, the United States is already halfway toward meeting the stringent Kyoto goals for reduction in carbon emissions without a cap-and-trade law or a carbon tax or carbon dioxide being declared a pollutant...............................Should the emissions come down on their own, as they are doing, the excuse for draconian legislation goes, well, up in smoke."

The rest of the article can be found HERE, a must read to put climate change, emissions regulation and where the U.S. stands as a polluter, in perspective.

A similar economic coup was attempted during the 1970's with the The New International Economic Order (NIEO). This was a set of proposals put forth by developing countries to promote their interests by improving their terms of trade, increasing development assistance, developed-country tariff reductions, and other means. It was meant to be a revision of the international economic system in favour of Third World countries--- basically wealth redistribution via global socialism.

Luckily these aims went no where, thanks mainly to Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, both of whom refused to let the world cadre of entitlement advocating whiners walk all over the United States and take away the rights of hard working citizens.

Unfortunately the attack on democracy has risen once again, this time attaching itself to the fad of environmentalism and climate change. And frighteningly, this time our political leaders are submitting to their whines, much like an embarrassed parent trying to subdued a child having a temper tantrum in a public place.

Environmentalism is essentially becoming a new form of socialism.

On the first day of Copenhagen opened, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency claimed jurisdiction over the regulation of carbon emissions by declaring them an "endangerment" to human health. Due to the fact that we operate in a carbon-based economy, this declaration will give the EPA unprecedented regulation power. Any institution that emits more than 250 tons of CO2 a year will be under EPA control.

According to Charles Krauthammer, not since the creation of the Internal Revenue Service has a federal agency been given more power over every aspect of economic life.

Frightening to say the least. The Obama administration is determined to turn the United States into a socialist nation and is mounting the war on multiple fronts...environmentalism, healthcare, economic regulations.....

PolitiFact | Vote now for 'Lie of the Year'!

2009-12-10T08:06:00.001-08:00

PolitiFact | Vote now for 'Lie of the Year'!

Posted using ShareThis

In Search of an Icon

2009-12-05T16:59:00.000-08:00

As I watched Tim Tebow respond to reporters questions with ultimate class and sincerity after losing the SEC Championship to Alabama...I'm reminded of the deep human need to have a hero. I'm not a Florida fan, in any manner, Tebow is a good player and I appreciate his morals, however I have never understood the Tebow love shown by both fans and commentators. Tonight...for the first time I did.

It is human nature to always look for a hero. Sort of like how as children we would play with action figures, or dress up like super heros for halloween. We crave an idol, perhaps it gives us a sense of security, perhaps it gives us hope, perhaps it simply helps us believe that anything is possible. In this often dark world we live in, we need a Hercules to lift us up.

Unfortunately it seems the human idols of our world are slowly disappearing. Some may think this is a positive, since in this world of the 24 hour news cycle, everyone and everything is exposed. Perhaps. Perhaps it is a plus that people can't hide behind facades anymore and are eventually shown to be what they are, imperfect, flawed, human. But in reality what do we, as a struggling civilization, need the most...to know that Tiger Woods had affairs with numerous woman, or to be able to see him as a sort of super hero of our time. What helps us more? The truth or the hope? It is a hard line to draw.

Tebow is as loved as he is because he still maintains an aura of goodness around him. He is skilled, gracious and morally grounded....or at least that is what it seems for now. I hope he is able to maintain his stellar reputation, I hope more like him are able to rise up.

Humans need a hero. Each time one falls, so does our own sense of possibility and value.

“We have every right to dream heroic dreams. Those who say that we're in a time when there are no heroes, they just don't know where to look. ”

- Ronald Reagan

Military vs. Civilian Trails Revisited

2009-12-03T03:53:00.001-08:00

Very interesting document put together by Congressional Research Service. Very much clears up the distinctions and rights afforded to defendants in each one.

PDF document found HERE

(Courtesy of Secrecy News, a publication of the Federation of American Scientists, a great resource for intelligence and security news)

2009-12-01T16:25:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Trash Day

2009-11-30T03:29:00.000-08:00

WARNING: This post is unpolitical in nature, but heck, it is my blog and I can post whatever I want :o)

There is something very meditative about trash day. Call me crazy; but, for me trash day is Monday and it feels good. The trash men here come very early in the morning, right after I have returned home from my run. If I’m not too busy I like to watch as the different trucks drive by, the disgruntle men jumping off the back and throwing your waste, your burdens over their shoulders to take off somewhere else. It must be stressful being a trash man, dealing with everyone else’s junk.

Sunday night is sort of like a ceremony, a ritual. Separating the recycling, flatting out the boxes, gathering up everything in the house that could even be considered as trash, just to get it out, to start new. Sometimes, if it has been a particularly hard or stressful week, I will put the trash out first thing on Sunday morning, (I’m sure this doesn’t make the neighbors happy) it is just too much to deal with for one more day.

Once it is all out on the curb, out of my house, almost out of my life, I feel at peace. I know that it will be gone it the morning and I can start out the week anew.

Of course I’ll build up more trash as soon as that is picked up. Little slips of paper here and there or even bigger items that just have to go, but at least I know if I can make it through the week…………………

Last night I was thinking about it and I realized that in some of the most difficult times in my life I developed this almost obsessive habit of taking the trash out to the can every night, no matter how empty or full the bag was. It was like I was trying to get rid of something, but at the time I just didn’t know what.

I still do this now. When I am stressed I go through and toss and toss and toss, clean out my closet, throw out files, kick people out of my roladex. It is as if I'm on a frantic search to find what stinks in my life. Something rotten that was brought in and hidden by the dog or fell behind the stove.

I seem to become better at handling trash day as each year passes. Knowing what to throw out and what to keep is the hardest part of the chore. I know I have lost a lot that I now regret and kept a lot that I soon realized was trash.

I guess that is life. Sometimes a weed looks like a flower, sometimes lead looks like gold and sometimes trash looks like treasure.

There is something very meditative about trash day.

The Fallacy of a Higher Minimum Wage

2009-11-29T00:38:00.000-08:00

Once when I was young I asked my father why we couldn't just print more money in order to help the poor people. He, being a brave man, attempted to proceed through an explanation of inflation that might be understandable to an eight year old. At that age I could not understand all the in's and out's of the process, but I still understood the basic concept. It is impossible to add something to one part of the economy without seeing effects elsewhere; any economic policy needs to be look at from a 'total picture' viewpoint instead of just as a stand alone subject.

Unfortunately, this quick fix idea is often touted by two types of policy makers:

a) Those who have no concept of consequences of actions (Obama Administration)

b) Those who advocate any policy which leads citizens to greater dependency on government and government programs (Obama Administration and Congressional Democrats).

Just as printing more money seems like a good idea, but doesn't work in real life, raising the minimum wage, as good as it sounds, just doesn’t measure up.

There are a couple of things that occur in the economy when the minimum wage goes up. The first one is the loss of jobs (using history as an example, this is not the way to raise up the working class). Ever Since the Congress mandated the Minimum Wage Commission of the 1980's the consensus average estimate has been that raising the minimum wage by 10% increases unemployment by 2%. This creates a raise to loss ratio of 5 to 1, not too bad until we look a little closer.

Not every worker makes the minimum wage, in fact recent studies have shown that only around 1/5 of the workforce are minimum wage earners. The unemployment effect will, therefore, be concentrated in this group of workers (one fifth of the total workforce), further increasing the loss of jobs in this group.

The truly devastating effect of a minimum wage increase occurs when you consider the ripple effect that it creates. It is not just the loss of a job, it is the loss of opportunity for these newly unemployed individuals that will continue to affect our economy long after the initial effects of the wage increase have subsided.

Minimum wage jobs are often thought of as learning jobs. They allow employers to feel more comfortable giving someone a chance that they might not have otherwise. The loss of total jobs might only be 2% for every 10% increase, but the loss of opportunity for those newly unemployed people is 100%. How will these people gain the skills necessary to make them more valuable employees? Case in point, before the minimum wage was applied to teenagers in 1956 the unemployment rate for black teenagers was the same or lower then that for white teens. After it was put into effect the black teenage unemployment rate skyrocketed. We can only imagine what the future became for those newly unemployed black teens. The same could be assumed to have occurred in the adult population as well.

Those workers that are able to stay employed do not face as bright a future either. They will either have their hours cut (therefore stopping them from earning a greater income), or non-wage benefits slashed. The higher skilled workers who were making close to what the new minimum wage is previously will not be happy either (with good reason since their skills have now been devalued). The whole domino effect falls on top of the employer.

Employers will face a few choices; raise prices, cut employees (thus cutting quality and service) or go out of business. How many small to medium business owners who already run their operations on a shoe string will be forced to close?

In the long run the only people who will truly benefit from this increase are the shameless politicians trying to show the poor voters that they care. If these poor people lose their jobs because of it, they will most likely blame their employer, not their policymaker.

A politicians dream: Appear as if you are helping out the ‘little people’ and then when they lose their job, promise them that if you stay in office you will do something about those greedy politicians and business owners who have ruined their lives.

Washington's First Thanksgiving Proclaimation

2009-11-26T16:35:00.000-08:00

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houfes of Congress have, by their joint committee, requefted me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to eftablifh a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and affign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of thefe States to the fervice of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our fincere and humble thanksfor His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the fignal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpofitions of His providence in the courfe and conclufion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have fince enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to eftablish Conftitutions of government for our fafety and happinefs, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are bleffed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffufing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleafed to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in moft humbly offering our prayers and fupplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and befeech Him to pardon our national and other tranfgreffions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private ftations, to perform our feveral and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a bleffing to all the people by conftantly being a Government of wife, juft, and conftitutional laws, difcreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all fovereigns and nations (especially fuch as have shewn kindnefs unto us); and to blefs them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increafe of fcience among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind fuch a degree of temporal profperity as he alone knows to be beft.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand feven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789

Click HERE for a look at the actual document

Congress Establishes Thanksgiving

2009-11-26T16:33:00.000-08:00

Gobble, Gobble! Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Interesting link detailing Congress's original establishment of Thanksgiving, complete with pictures of actual documents.

Congress Establishes Thanksgiving

Broder vs. Reid: Round One

2009-11-23T06:23:00.000-08:00

Great piece by David Broder, on Obamacare, in the Washington Post yesterday...cut and paste below so you don't have to sign in to the WP to see it

A Budget-buster in the making

By David S. Broder

Sunday, November 22, 2009

It's simply not true that America is ambivalent about everything when it comes to the Obama health plan.

The day after the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) gave its qualified blessing to the version of health reform produced by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Quinnipiac University poll of a national cross section of voters reported its latest results.

This poll may not be as famous as some others, but I know the care and professionalism of the people who run it, and one question was particularly interesting to me.

It read: "President Obama has pledged that health insurance reform will not add to our federal budget deficit over the next decade. Do you think that President Obama will be able to keep his promise or do you think that any health care plan that Congress passes and President Obama signs will add to the federal budget deficit?"

The answer: Less than one-fifth of the voters -- 19 percent of the sample -- think he will keep his word. Nine of 10 Republicans and eight of 10 independents said that whatever passes will add to the torrent of red ink. By a margin of four to three, even Democrats agreed this is likely.

That fear contributed directly to the fact that, by a 16-point margin, the majority in this poll said they oppose the legislation moving through Congress.

I have been writing for months that the acid test for this effort lies less in the publicized fight over the public option or the issue of abortion coverage than in the plausibility of its claim to be fiscally responsible.

This is obviously turning out to be the case. While the CBO said that both the House-passed bill and the one Reid has drafted meet Obama's test by being budget-neutral, every expert I have talked to says that the public has it right. These bills, as they stand, are budget-busters.

Here, for example, is what Robert Bixby, the executive director of the Concord Coalition, a bipartisan group of budget watchdogs, told me: "The Senate bill is better than the House version, but there's not much reform in this bill. As of now, it's basically a big entitlement expansion, plus tax increases."

Here's another expert, Maya MacGuineas, the president of the bipartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget: "While this bill does a better job than the House version at reducing the deficit and controlling costs, it still doesn't do enough. Given the political system's aversion to tax increases and spending cuts, I worry about what the final bill will look like."

These are nonpartisan sources, but Republican budget experts such as former CBO director Douglas Holtz-Eakin amplify the point with specific examples and biting language. Holtz-Eakin cites a long list of Democratic-sponsored "budget gimmicks" that made it possible for the CBO to estimate that Reid's bill would reduce federal deficits by $130 billion by 2019.

Perhaps the biggest of those maneuvers was Reid's decision to postpone the start of subsidies to help the uninsured buy policies from mid-2013 to January 2014 -- long after taxes and fees levied by the bill would have begun.

Even with that change, there is plenty in the CBO report to suggest that the promised budget savings may not materialize. If you read deep enough, you will find that under the Senate bill, "federal outlays for health care would increase during the 2010-2019 period" -- not decline. The gross increase would be almost $1 trillion -- $848 billion, to be exact, mainly to subsidize the uninsured. The net increase would be $160 billion.

But this depends on two big gambles. Will future Congresses actually impose the assumed $420 billion in cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health programs? They never have.

And will this Congress enact the excise tax on high-premium insurance policies (the so-called Cadillac plans) in Reid's bill? Obama has never endorsed them, and House Democrats -- reacting to union pressure -- turned them down in favor of a surtax on millionaires' income.

The challenge to Congress -- and to Obama -- remains the same: Make the promised savings real, and don't pass along unfunded programs to our children and grandchildren.

The best part of this article was the reaction by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Broder's article, which was published in the Sunday Post, was available online Saturday, prior to the Senate's Healthcare debate. Reid displayed extreme professionalism and maturity by exclaiming that the Senate shouldn't "focus on a man who has been retired for many years and writes a column once in a while."

Rivaling a teenage girl in his fickleness, according to The Hill, "In 2004, Reid praised Broder as 'a long-time syndicated columnist who is nonpartisan and fair' and last year, he called him a 'moderate columnist.'"

Such 'frienemies'....Paris and Lindsey....Harry and David, I'm virtually waiting for Senator Reid to throw his little sequined clutch at Broder. I have a feeling this wont be the end of this little fight....

Say Thank You to Our Troops

2009-11-22T06:34:00.000-08:00

Such a simple, easy way to support our troops, but so important. Way to go Xerox!

Copied from the website:

"The mission of Let's Say Thanks is to provide a way for individuals across the country to recognize U.S. troops stationed overseas. By submitting a message through this site you have the opportunity to send a free personalized postcard greeting to deployed servicemen and women.

The postcards, depicting patriotic scenes and hometown images, were selected from a pool of entries from children across the country."

Go HERE to send your card

Knock, Knock...whose there? Hypocrisy...

2009-11-22T03:45:00.001-08:00

Hypocrisy who?

Hypocrisy is ok if it is a tactic used by liberals to get their way....

Just a few great recent articles to give Sunday morning taste of the hypocrisy which has abounded lately, especially in the realm of healthcare...more to come

Calling Dianne DeGette’s bigotry and ignorance out

By Michelle Malkin

Democrat Rep. Dianne DeGette of Colorado is leading the charge to keep abortion funding in the Obamacare/Pelosicare government health care takeover bill.

She is fuming over the exercise of political speech by leaders of faith who oppose government abortion subsidies.

She wants to shut them up: MORE HERE

Who's Legislating Morality Now?

by Andrew Tallman

When I argue that abortion under most circumstances should be illegal, I am charged with trying to legislate morality.

When I say divorce ought to be harder to obtain, not easier, I am accused of trying to legislate morality.

And when I say states should be free to make laws concerning adultery, homosexual behavior, contraception, or premarital sex, I am accused again of trying to legislate morality.

Yet when Barack Obama and the Democrats propose making it a crime to not carry health insurance, no one seems to notice that they are very aggressively trying to legislate morality.

MORE HERE

The Five Flaws of the Reid Health Bill

2009-11-20T10:41:00.000-08:00

Great synopsis from The Heritage Foundation: The Five Flaws of the Reid Health Bill