The American Middle

Police Corruption

2012-07-26T18:26:00.003-05:00

Though only slightly more than half over, the year 2012 has been a particularly rough for me and thousands of my brothers and sisters in blue. Not only are more of us being assaulted and/or killed than in years past, it seems that more of us may be crossing over the thin blue line and falling prey to the darker side.

Having never witnessed it myself, I have- until this year vehemently defended against all accusations of police corruption. Sadly, no longer will I be so naive.

It actually all started in the latter months of 2011 when the FBI, ATF and DEA along with state and other local agencies executed Operation Delta Blues in my home town of Helena-West Helena Arkansas. Like many former and current residents, I was initially elated to hear that something was finally being done to rid these once glorious towns of the criminality that had all but ruined the quality of life they'd once offered. Elation soon turned to horror when it was announced that five actively serving police officers were also arrested as part of the sting. For just a few hundred dollars, these officers sold their souls to the devil by providing criminals with confidential information, aid, and protection.

I started with the West Helena Police Department and served side-by-side with two of the arrested officers- Dean Jackson and Marlene Kalb. Dean has since plead guilty and Marlene is still pending trial at the time of this article. Although a sergeant when arrested, Marlene was a captain during my stint with that department and was my direct supervisor. When I left to go to a much larger agency, Marlene gave me a police related coffee mug as a going away gift and I drank my coffee from that mug every morning for the next 17 years. I was devastated by their fall from grace and the mug now sits on a self in my office and serves as a reminder to place honor before all else. Never again will I enjoy my morning cup of coffee from it.

The harshest sentence handed down to the officers arrested in Operation Delta Blues was a mere 6 years in prison.

As if Delta Blues did not tarnish our badges enough, in March 2012 three more Arkansas officers were found guilty of robbing an armored car. For their crimes, one was sentenced to 12 years in state prison, one to 1 1/2 years in prison while the third received only 2 years of probation.

Adding salt to our wounds, two brothers- both of whom are employed by the Little Rock Police Department were arrested May 24th, 2012 for conspiracy to aid and abet possession with intent to distribute over 1,000 pounds of marijuana; aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute over 1,000 pounds of marijuana; and possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. It was later learned that one of the brothers conspired to sell drug dealers and other criminals, Social Security numbers he'd obtained as part of his police duties. They have yet to be sentenced.

The punishment handed down thus far to these disgraced officers is hardly sufficient. They violated the public's trust and without that trust, we cannot be public servants. Crime is a constant in America and its associated costs, both financial and social are a greater threat to our nation than terrorism. Officers who conspire to aid, abet or work with narco-criminals are guilty of no less than treason and once convicted, they should be forced to live-for the rest of their days with the criminals with whom they chose to associate. There should be no reprieve, nor parole. To protect our honor, all police unions should lobby for harsher sentencing for officers found guilty of engaging in such acts.

Although deterrents through harsher sentencing are needed, I can honestly say that the vast majority of the outstanding men and women that I have the pleasure of knowing and working with would never, for any reason violate the public trust. That trust is what gives our badges their shine- it is a sacred honor that we should never forsake nor take for granted.

Labor shortage leading to higher produce prices

2012-05-24T17:15:00.000-05:00

The Associated Press recently interviewed farmers in Alabama and Georgia and found that many were being forced to reduce their crop production due to a severe lack of field-hand laborers.

Farmers such as Keith Dickie said he and other growers in Alabama had no choice but to reduce acreage for fear of not having enough workers to harvest their crops.

According to the AP article, state agriculture officials blame recently enacted immigration legislation for the labor shortage. It seems that after the legislation was signed by Gov. Robert Bentley, many illegal immigrants fled the state for fear of being detained and eventually deported. The problem has become so severe that the Alabama Farmers Federation has warned that the labor shortage will affect produce availability and prices this year.

With unemployment at 7.2 percent and almost 50,000 people receiving welfare, it is difficult to understand how Alabama could have this problem. However understanding can be gained by listening to local farmers such as John Aplin, who stated during the interview that non-Hispanics "will work a morning and come up at lunch time and say 'I'm done.'" Apparently the work is to difficult and prospective workers know they can get a bigger paycheck from the government without having to break a sweat. So why work?

Unfortunately this problem is not unique to Alabama and is happening in all states with stringent immigration laws. Due to the laziness of the entitlement class of America, we have become far to dependent upon migrant workers (illegal aliens), who have a better work ethic than our own entitled class. There needs to be a total overhaul of America's system of entitlements and unless one is drooling and confined to a wheelchair, they should be required to accept any available job before being considered for any type of assistance. Too many people are feeding from the government teat.

True Americans do not depend on the government for their livelihoods. They work and will do what ever it takes to not only keep a job, but to prosper in that job.

A confluence of bad behavior

2012-05-06T18:52:00.002-05:00

Reprinted from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette

Yesterday in a confluence of bad behavior, another self-inflicted tragedy befell the black community of Little Rock, Arkansas. Crime beget crime and the end result was death.

Supposedly, it all began when a pistol- belonging to a 58 year old convicted felon was stolen from a motel room. Seeking ghetto justice, the felon offered to pay two school aged boys to assist him in tracking down the suspect and according to reports, he showed the teenagers the $1,300 in his wallet. Instead of providing the assistance requested, the teens opted for what should have been the easier course of action and stole the mans money.

This resulted in the teens fleeing on their bicycles and the adult felon pursing in a minivan. The felon of course caught up with one of the teenagers and intentionally ran over him with the vehicle. That act alone not being sufficient for the felon, he dragged the teen from under the vehicle and began to pummel and stomp on the teen's unresponsive body before two city employees intervened and ended the assault.

Aside from the teen's death there are several other aspects to this situation that are troubling. First is the fact that a convicted felon would be in possession of a firearm which is in itself a felony. Our prisons should be so uncomfortable and miserable that once released a person would never consider engaging in any type of activity that could cause their return. Rather than being viewed as ghetto resorts, prisons should be viewed as hell on earth- a place to be avoided at all costs.

Secondly, this incident occurred during the middle of the day, a time when the teens should have been in school rather than hanging out in a crime ridden area of town. As it turns out, the thieving and now dead teen had been expelled from his "normal" school and placed into an Alternative School for troublesome students. Even there, among the very worst students the school district has to offer, he was considered too troublesome and difficult for school officials to handle and in an all but unprecedented step, was transferred to another Alternative School in a neighboring city. I can only surmise one reason for such drastic measures and that is that the teen was deeply entrenched in gang activity and schooling him in another city would remove him from his base of power and influence. Even at the new school he performed poorly and according to school officials, "He'd had quite a few absences" and that "he did not attend regularly." The deceased was hardly an innocent child.

Most troublesome of all would be the teens home life and lack of parental involvement. By all appearances his family was typical of many ghetto families. According to news reports, he lived with his mother and father although the couple were not married, which is very typical of ghetto life. Staying single qualifies the mother for innumerable government benefits. The deceased is survived by five sisters and six brothers- five of whom did not reside in the household and are presumably half relatives. Of the seven children that did reside in the household, four had different fathers. This is an entitlement family and these children were born with very little chances for future success. This is the end result of the Great Society created by Lyndon B. Johnson.

As an entitlement family, the idea of personal responsibility is but an abstract concept and obviously not something practiced in this household. Instead of blaming himself for his son's repeated truancy and other acts of delinquency, he blamed the felon for having gotten involved with his son in the first place. Referring to the felon, the father told a reporter with the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, "You should know damn well you shouldn't be getting in a transaction with a kid who should be in school."

Tragic incidences such as this or that of Trayvon Martin will continue to occur until the ghetto portions of the black community are forced to clean themselves up. Their reliance upon public entitlements must end and they must stop having babies they cannot care for. Additionally, the rest of society must stop blaming the plight of the "poor" on everything under the sun except for the individuals who are too lazy to get off their duffs and do better for themselves and their family's. Black crime has been allowed to fester for too long and it is coming to a point from which there may be no return. Citizens are feed up with crime and acts of vigilantism are on the rise. It's getting to the point that even criminals are getting tired of crime.

Trayvon Martin...Victim or National Hero

2012-04-06T19:37:00.000-05:00

As a nation, let us mourn the loss of Trayvon Martin but let us not cheapen his death by portraying him as just a victim― his death could mean so much more. Let us portray him as a national hero, one whose life was sacrificed― justly or not, so that Americans of all races could openly engage in a much needed national dialogue on crime. To be effective and to add meaning to his death, we must set aside political correctness and be prepared to tell the truth, the whole and nothing but the truth.

Right now, emotions are raw and as I mention in my book- Good Morning Uncle Sam, where one stands on the subject is likely based on one’s race and other socio-economic factors. This however does not mean that one is right and one is wrong, it only means that we have differing perspectives. We’re divided; not only as a nation and as communities, but also as individuals within our own races. Too many people have personal interests in keeping us divided; doing so provides them with fame and wealth and keeps them in the public spotlight. They have blamed everyone for the problem except for those who actually created it.

Typically, I prefer to cite statistics to make my point but I will not do so now― they simply are not required. Unless you’re a cave dweller somewhere in New Mexico, you know that black crime― particularly black-on-black, has been at its boiling point for a number of years. Until Trayvon’s tragic death, we, as a nation chose to remain silent for fear of being labeled racist’s or Uncle Tom’s but let us no longer be afraid. Lives are at stake.

As the population majority, whites commit the majority of crimes but blacks commit a disproportionately high amount of crimes based upon their percentage of the national population and commit certain crimes such as murder at rates eight times greater than members of other races. Now, regardless of your race, if that number alone does not raise your suspicion or your level of caution, you are foolish. But in case it did not, of the 32 persons currently wanted for armed robbery by the Chicago Police Department, 22 are black, 7 are white and 3 are Hispanic. Sorry, but I had to throw in some stats.

There is no denying black crime. However, all of us must realize that it’s only a very small percentage of the black population that’s engaged in criminal activity. Sadly though, their actions impact us all, particularly decent, hard-working and successful blacks who are probably more enraged by this bad behavior than anyone else. To add insult to injury, unless they have reached the upper levels of society, society’s fear of black crime is often projected towards them. Given human nature, how do we prevent this from occurring?

Of the more than 2900 species of snakes in the world, only 725 are venomous and only 250 of those can kill a person with one bite. That’s only 9 percent which is a very small portion of the snake community. Why then are we so deathly afraid of snakes if only 25 percent are venomous and only 9 percent can kill with one bite? Because unless you know what to look for, it’s not always easy to tell the good from the bad. In the human world that’s called profiling― looking for danger based upon certain characteristics.

We associate certain characteristics with certain behaviors and we respond accordingly. This is done intra-racially as well as interracially. Whites are very good at separating white trash from low-income whites― we’ve been doing it for generations. In turn, blacks are very good at distinguishing between blacks who are ghetto and those who aren’t. Rarely though, are we good at accurately making these distinctions outside of our own race.

Once the characteristics that we associate with criminality blend with pop culture, it becomes all but impossible to distinguish the good from the bad.

The man on the left has a gun pointed at a clerk, so we can be pretty sure that he is a criminal. But what of the guy on the right? All we know is that he is a white guy who is wearing a hoodie, much like the one the robber is wearing. You can almost bet that if the clerk from the photo on the left survived, he or she would be suspicious and perhaps scared of the person on the right should he come into their store. It does not matter that he’s white or that he happens to be a very famous rapper, it only matters that he looks like a thug.

Appearances do matter and when someone makes themselves appear counter to societal norms, they must be willing to accept coming under suspicion or being ostracized, regardless of their race.

What we know about the men in either of these groups is based simply upon their appearances. Now ask yourself which of these groups do you fear the most? I’m white but if I came across members of either group in a darkened alley, I would gravitate to the blacks for my own safety. The way that we perceive people and situations is a survival instinct and I would perceive a much greater threat from the white guys, and none from the black guys.

From these same groups of people, who would you be more likely to let into your house? Or if you are an employer looking for a sales representative for anything other than biker gear or motorcycle parts, who would you hire? Is this discrimination? You’re darn right it is and your 100 percent justified in doing so!

Just as whites have done, blacks must also draw a line of separation between the good and bad portions of their race. Blacks have every right to be mad about black crime but they should ONLY be mad at the portion of the black community that’s committing the crimes. Besides criminals, nothing or no one can be blamed for society’s current perception and fears related to black crime― not slavery or poverty and certainly not the white community.

Although many attempt to claim that Zimmerman's motives were racially based, the simple fact is that if black crime were not such a problem, there would not have been a neighborhood watch and the paths of Martin and Zimmerman would not have crossed. I am not placing blame on Martin, he was more than likely doing no harm. I am however placing it where it belongs, squarely on the shoulders of black thugs.

The death of Trayvon Martin is a national tragedy but let his death unite the good from all races so that we may be an Army of one― prepared to defend all that is good. Stop wearing hoodies in protest, stop listening to race-baiters and start the national dialogue that could finally led us to the Promised Land.

Samuel Wurzelbacher... A leader for the rest of us!

2012-04-04T18:26:00.005-05:00

Recently I’ve begun to follow Ohio’s race for its 9^th Congressional District due to Samuel Wurzelbacher’s victory over Steve Kraus to become the Republican nominee. Although I have no personal interest in Ohio’s politics, I think we should all be interested in the fact that it may very well be an everyday, average American worker representing other working Americans.

As I make clear in my book Good Morning Uncle Sam, we can no longer trust career politicians to take the actions necessary to right our nation. They are too far out of touch and do not understand what it takes to survive as a working or middle class American.

By all accounts, Mr. Wurzelbacher is a no-nonsense straight shooter who will stand up for other average Americans. He’s walked in our boots, (heck he’s actually unclogged our toilets) and knows first hand the struggles of the 99 percent.

Washington needs a man with common sense, who knows how to balance a check book and what it means to serve in the military rather than serving beer at a frat party. Thank you sir for stepping up to the plate and I can only hope that more of us follow your lead.

Good Morning Uncle Sam

2012-04-03T18:04:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to announce that Good Morning Uncle Sam is

now available at Amazon.com. I really look forward to

the discussions it may invoke. Below is a brief narrative from

the publisher describing the book.

In the most trying financial period our nation has seen since the

Great Depression, the federal government’s entitlement programs

are weighing very heavily on an already overburdened economy.

Analysts and scholars talk about the issues on a systemic level

every day on news programs across the country, and viewers are

inundated with first-person accounts of the terrible price many

Americans are paying. What has thus far been missing, however,

is a grassroots examination of the societal effects from a criminal

justice perspective. That wait is now over.

Offering a street-level view of the problems created by an out-of-control government

and an exaggeratedly liberal judiciary, Andrew Miles’ analysis is a patriotic call

to arms to forego the free—and often counterproductive—ride too often offered in

many sectors. A police officer for the past seventeen years, his blunt, factual view is

based on thousands of hours working on America’s streets. Focusing on the

human impact as well as the fiscal, Miles tackles the difficult subjects of incarceration

versus rehabilitation and welfare versus meaningful contribution to explain the

fundamental need in our country for reform. Right now our prison system resembles

overcrowded housing, offering very little, if any, job or life skills training to help

prisoners re-enter the outside world as contributing members of society. Much like

the bailouts of corporate giants, this merely creates a system of handouts wherein

the cycle repeats and the burden is placed squarely on those who form the backbone

of America: the middle class.

A healthy dose of reality and hope, Miles’ no-nonsense polemic is a cold shock to an

American system desperately in need of it. An empowering exploration that is sure to

change the way you look at our country, Good Morning Uncle Sam is a clarion call

for a return to the greatness upon which America was founded.

Congressman Ron Paul. A man of true character!

2012-04-02T18:25:00.000-05:00

Recently, I mailed certain member of congress and other politicians copies of my book Good Morning Uncle Sam. It is still too soon to gauge the response but I was very impressed by the fact that one of the busiest members was the first to acknowledge receipt- Congressman Ron Paul.

His was mailed to his Texas office about two weeks ago and today we received a letter which had been mailed from Washington DC. This may mean that a staffer read the book and thought it worthy of the congressman's attention and forwarded it to him.

Congressman Paul thanked me for the book and said that he "looks forward to reading it" and that we can all rest assured that he will continue the fight to restore limited government under the Constitution of the United States.

The letter itself as well as certain portions within it really say a lot about his character. First, that he would even take the time to acknowledge an unknown author implies that he is truly connected to average citizens and cares about us individually. As nice as his response was, it's the way that he vowed to continue the fight to restore limited government under the Constitution of the United States that I found most impressive. I think most people would have simply said the constitution or perhaps- the Constitution. But for Congressman Paul, nothing less than the Constitution of the United States would suffice.

Black crime and racial leeriness

2012-04-02T16:50:00.000-05:00

As tragic as the death of Trayvon Martin is, it is but one example of a much larger problem in America― black crime and whether directly or not, Trayvon was a victim of it. Set aside your assumptions of innocence or guilt and take a look at the bigger picture. It’s time that we have a national discussion in a reasonable and polite manner concerning this subject. We will use Sanford, Florida as an example.

Sanford has a total population of 51,000 persons and is 47 percent white, 30 percent black, and 17 percent Hispanic. Its Violent Crime Rate is 664 crimes per 100,000 persons compared to the national rate of 403. Its Property Crime Rate is 6,285 per 100,000 persons compared to the national rate of 2941. As with many cities with large “low-income” black populations, Sanford has its problems.

As categorized by the FBI, the Violent Crime Rate includes: Murder, Rape, Robbery, and Assaults. For these crimes blacks are arrested much more frequently than are whites, with arrest rates 6 times higher for murder, 8 times higher for robbery and 3 times higher for assault. Overall, blacks are arrested 4 times more frequently for violent crimes and 3 times more frequently for property crimes than are whites.

Given Sanford’s population we can deduce that roughly 332 violent crimes were actually committed and if the national rates are true for Sanford, then blacks committed 249 (75%) of the violent crimes and 2,095 (66.6%) of the roughly 3,142 property crimes. With rates such as these, it is not unreasonable to assume that if one falls victim to a crime, the perpetrator is likely to be black and it would be imprudent of persons of any race not to exercise due caution.

Although in some cases racism may be a factor in situations such as Trayvon’s and Zimmerman’s, the bigger culprit is black crime. People are fearful and that fear is often projected upon the entire black community, who in turn perceive it as racism. But as I mention in my book Good Morning Uncle Sam, it is not racism but racial leeriness. Outside of our own social circles, whites generally are not proficient at separating the good portion of the black community from the bad; and out of precaution, we often look with a suspicious or leery eye at blacks whom we do not personally know. Blacks of course realize this which in turn causes them to be leery of the actions taken by whites. It’s a vicious circle which will not be broken until black crime is brought under control.

Unfortunately there is a very small segment of the black community in which crime is very pervasive and it is their actions that cause a dark cloud of suspicion to be cast over a good portion of the black community. It is unfair and I hate to think that some of the people whom I respect the most are living under this cloud, but given the numbers, how can it be any other way?

I believe that black leaders such as Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton feel that they are fighting for the good portions of the black community but in reality, all they are doing is widening the racial divide. Rather than shouting racism and organizing million hoodie marches, they should be telling the criminal portion of the black community to stop the stupidity which is costing so many lives and creating victims such as Trayvon. Every week, approximately 150 black males are killed in America― 94 percent of which are killed by other black males.

Were black crime rates were not so high, people would not be as fearful, there would be no need for crime watches and Trayvon would most certainly still be alive. Although it was not a black man that pulled the trigger, Trayvon is none the less a victim of black crime because the fear that such crimes create led to his death.

These are not black or white problems; they are red, white, and blue and it’s time that the good people of all races join together to stop the insanity. It seems as if good blacks are in an impossible position and unfortunate incidences such as Trayvon's makes it that much more difficult.

Givers and takers hits home

2012-02-19T17:51:00.000-06:00

Earlier this week, I encountered a situation that inflamed the senses of myself and my co-workers.

A young woman reported that she had been attacked by her "baby's daddy" and that his mother stood by and encouraged his assault. The young woman was not upset about the physical assault but wanted the involvement of her "baby's daddy" mother to be documented. She alleged that the mother of her "baby's daddy" was trying to take custody of her children. She claimed that this was not being done for the love of the children but rather so that her "baby daddy's" mother could receive their benefits.

The young woman. who is 24 and has 4 children, reported that she receives $2100 each month from the government and that she also lives in government supported housing. She stated that all of her "baby daddy's" mothers children are now grown and that the mother is no longer receiving adequate assistance and was only looking for a way to fill that void.

When the report was completed and the young woman was gone, the officer that was with me blew up. He is the father of 6 children, works full time and he only brings home a few hundred dollars a month more than this young woman who has never worked a day in her life.

It is absolutely foolish on our part that we allow such abuses to not only continue but to flourish.

Winter Weatherization

2012-02-19T17:46:00.001-06:00

The Department of Energy's $5 billion Winter Weatherization Assistance Program is designed to help low-income persons better prepare their homes for winter.

The funds, which are administered by the individual states can be used to pay work crews to install programmable thermostats, replace light bulbs, insulate pipes, and caulk windows and doors as well as other services.

According to DOE spokesman Bill Gibbons, over a 3 year period, the program paid for repairs to 750,000 homes of low-income persons. With funding at $5 billion per year, that equates to $20,000 per home. For some reason, I think tax payers took yet another screwing. Even factoring for administrative costs, this is an exorbitant amount to pay for each home and it really depicts the depth of governmental inefficiency.

Not too proud to work

2012-01-21T18:20:00.003-06:00

This goes to show, that jobs are available for those not too afraid, proud, or lazy to take them. True American’s would rather take any job, than live off the government teat.

It does not matter if you possess advanced or professional degrees, or if you have spent your entire adult life in upper level management. If you don’t currently have a job, you should be willing to take whatever is available. Period!

Free Phones

2012-01-18T19:25:00.000-06:00

In 1996, Congress enacted the Universal Service Fund which was intended to subsidize the higher costs of providing telecommunication and internet services in rural areas. The subsidy is a fee placed on long-distance and international phone calls and is assessed at the rate of 17.9% of a provider’s long-distance revenue. This in turn is passed on to consumers at an average cost of $2.50 per phone each month.

Most consumers have no qualms paying the additional fees for improvements to the telecommunications infrastructure – we’ve all lost cell phone reception at some point while traveling. However, hidden deep within the Telecommunications Act is the authorization for the creation of the Life-line and Link-up programs. Both are administered under the funds “low-income” provision and were intended to provide emergency communications such as panic buttons to the elderly and those with special conditions.

Instead, the majority of funds are being used to provide free phones and cellular service to “entitled persons.” In order to qualify one must already be receiving assistance through one or more government entitlement programs and must be able to present a valid I. D. In the past six months, 40,000 free phones were handed out in Arkansas alone. In the eight state region managed by Wireless for Hope a private non-profit, over 200,000 free phones have been distributed. A spokesperson for the non-profit stated the program was about “the freedom to communicate.”

Freedom is never free and this program is very costly for those of use who are feeding the fund. In 2010 it paid out $8 billion nationally - $1.3 billion of which went to the free phone program and served over 10.5 million “less fortunate” people. As with any federally administered program, the USF is fraught with fraud, waste and abuse. In 2010 alone the fund improperly paid out $31.4 million - $3 million of which went to the “low-income” phone program. The most recent audit found that 250,000 customers had duplicated their services and received multiple phones.

I am really starting to question why in the hell I get up each morning and go to work. I could live just as well being a lazy slug and burden upon society. Free phones, free food, free housing, and free utilities – hell, I guess that really is freedom and something that I will never have.

Food stamps, fat kids and crime

2012-01-15T22:34:00.000-06:00

Ever wonder why America's children are getting fatter? Is it due to improper diet, inadequate school based physical education or could it be because of public entitlements and crime.

Although many factors lend themselves to childhood obesity - its connection to public entitlements and crime cannot be denied. The Roberts Woods Johnson Foundation - the nations largest philanthropic organization devoted solely to public health - recently ranked childhood obesity by state. Interesting patterns appear when these rankings are compared to state ranking for food stamp consumption and violent crime rates.

State	Obesity Ranking	Violent Crime Rate	Violent Crime Ranking	Food Stamp Rate	Food Stamp Ranking
Mississippi	1	269.7	36	15,925	1
Georgia	2	403.3	20	11,760	15
Kentucky	3	242.6	42	15,292	6
Illinois	4	435.2	18	11,102	19
Louisiana	5	549	8	15,167	7
Tennessee	6	613.3	5	15,397	3
Arkansas	7	505.3	11	13,305	10
Texas	8	450.3	16	10,544	21
District of Columbia	9	1330.2	1	15,337	5
West Virginia	10	314.6	28	15,394	4
North Carolina	11	363.4	25	10,618	20
Ohio	12	315.2	27	10,471	22
Florida	13	542.4	10	9,013	29
Alabama	14	377.8	22	12,840	12
Arizona	15	408.1	19	11,489	17
New York	16	392.1	21	10,454	23
Oklahoma	17	479.5	13	11,533	16
Kansas	18	369.1	23	6,938	41
New Mexico	19	588.9	7	12,536	13
Nebraska	20	279.5	33	6,648	42

Note that the District of Columbia is included in these figures.

Of the 10 states with the fattest kids, 9 were among the 10 states with the most Food Stamp recipients. Interestingly, 6 were also in the Top 10 of states with the most children receiving free school lunches. No need to go any further with this comparison. Government largess, is making these children too freaking large.

Now that we understand how free food makes kids fat...duh, how does crime relate to obesity? Just think about your own childhood for a minute.

If you were born prior to 1975, your childhood memories most likely consist of long hours spent outdoors riding bikes, playing hide-and-seek, playing tag, and other childhood outdoor activities . We did not have X-boxes, computers, and our social networking was done in person. More importantly, our cities and towns did not suffer from high-crime rates and our parents were not afraid to let us be children.

Today, however, only foolish parents allow their children to venture out beyond eye sight. Crime has taken over many cities, and the old saying "kids will be kids" no longer applies.

Of the Top 20 states with the fattest children, 11 were also among the Top 20 most violent states and, not coincidentally, 12 of the most violent states also made the Top 20 list for Food Stamp recipients.

Because of public entitlements, America has lost the quality of life that it once provided. Our children are no longer allowed to play and, because of that, they are getting fatter.

Internet access and the new divide

2012-01-14T19:35:00.000-06:00

A recent article in the New York Times, the most liberal of all print media, made the claim that the internet was the new divide between the rich and poor as well as the black and white.

The article claimed that while the rich rode the digital "high-speed superhighway", the poor or members of minority groups, were relegated to a bike path - dial-up or wireless connections via smartphones. The claim was made that "the new digital divide raises important questions about social equity," and that regulatory policy is the solution.

Although the article inflamed my senses in many ways, two particular points really made my blood boil. First,

there is no such thing as "social equity," nor should there be. This is America, the land of opportunity. You have the opportunity to work however long, and however hard needed to achieve the status in life that you desire. Conversely - and unfortunately, you also have the opportunity through entitlement programs to lay on your back and suck from the government teat. If you want high-speed internet, get off your back and go get a freaking job. If ones not enough, then take a second, or even a third.

As for these poor and down trodden people only have internet access via their smartphones - so what. I pay more monthly for my 3G smartphone than I do for my ultra-fast internet service through Comcast. If having high-speed internet available at home is so important, get rid of the very costly smartphone. Its called establishing priorities, and low-income persons should have to set them just as I or anyone else must.

To avoid government interference, some providers such as Comcast have already begun offering low-cost but high-speed access to "families" who receive public assistance. This is not an act of kindness or even charity. These costs are passed on to those of us who are foolish enough to get up and go to work everyday.

When will we ever learn that the chronically disadvantaged actually have more advantages than many or our hard-working citizens.

Free money for all of my friends

2012-01-03T19:16:00.000-06:00

The Central Arkansas Development Council has announced that it will begin accepting applications for Utility Assistance on January 9^th, 2012. This federally funded program will pay monthly heating bills that you may not wish to pay yourself. While picking up your utilities check, you should really apply for some of the other great programs they offer.

Currently through their Individual Development Accounts the CADC is offering better returns on savings than any local or national financial institutions that I know of. For every dollar that you save, this federally funded program will match it with 3. This is much better than the .77% my IRA is earning and I will be running to their offices first thing tomorrow morning.

Since you will be receiving 300% interest on your new savings account, you should really schedule an appointment with their tax advisors. They will prepare your tax returns for you at no cost. Oh, I almost forgot, they can also help you find a way round the $6500 they will pay to weatherize your home.

If any of you are single moms and would like to go back to school, they also offer Single Parent Scholarships to cover any financial emergencies that may cause you to drop out of school. This is not for tuition but is to be used to catch up on rent, car payments or other bills that you may be behind on.

You’ll have to forgive my ignorance on the other services they offer in that I really don’t understand why anyone would need them after receiving all of the above. The CADC also runs a Benefits Bank that will assist you in obtaining food stamps, Medicaid or other programs. They will even pay for your child care expenses.

I am just sorry that it took me so long to discover all the help that federally funded, private non-profits have to offer. I feel so stupid for working and investing my savings all these years at such paltry rates when all I would have had to do is walk through their front doors.

Oh dang, I should have read a little further before saying anything. Sorry but only low-income a.k.a non-working persons need apply. This is why the democrats get so many votes.

Obama the Great... spender that is.

2012-01-02T18:01:00.002-06:00

Shortage of people receiving food stamps

2012-01-02T17:56:00.002-06:00

Across the country bleeding-heart liberals are upset that not everyone eligible to receive food stamps is doing so. Citing desperate economic times, many have undertaken campaigns to encourage enrollment and are perplexed as to the lack of participation.

It’s called pride - something liberal democraps hope to strip us all of. Some people would rather make sacrifices than accept government handouts - no matter how easily accessible they are. These are Americans willing to stand on their own two feet and should be applauded for their independence rather than being cajoled onto the welfare rolls.

I certainly do not look down upon someone for accepting assistance when needed however it is the individual’s decision to determine when to accept it. It’s a waste of tax payer dollars to run advertisements making people aware that assistance is available – everyone knows that it is.

Wealth disparity or simply supply and demand?

2011-12-30T14:59:00.001-06:00

So much attention has been drawn to the ever widening gap between the haves and have not’s but is it the 1%, the .1% or ourselves that we should be angry with.

The entry fee into the one-percent club is an income of at least $368,000 and though this certainly provides for a nice lifestyle, it is by no means excessive or something that we should even be upset about. Primarily this group consists of doctors, lawyers, successful entrepreneurs and managers of non-financial businesses. Through their education, determination and long hours, members of this group merit every penny that they earn. Rather than begrudging their success, we should embrace it and let it inspire us to better our own lot.

In my humble opinion, it’s the top .1% that we have some right to be upset about. This very privileged group overwhelmingly consists of financiers, corporate executives and entertainers – all of whom depend upon the patronage of the bottom-feeding 99.9%.

At the expense of average Americans, earnings for this group skyrocketed in the 80’s and 90’s and reached unprecedented and disgusting levels by the turn of the century. While working unbelievably long days for 30 plus years a very successful doctor can hope to retire with a few million dollars in savings. Leonardo DiCaprio on the other hand, earned $77 million in just one year. Sean Combs (P. Diddy, Puff Daddy) a very successful performer and astute entrepreneur has an estimated net worth of $500 million while earning a “paltry” $35 million a year. These figures though pale in comparison to the most recent earnings of the highest paid men in entertainment.

· Tyler Perry $130 million

· Jerry Bruckheimer $113 million

· Steven Spielberg $107 million

· Elton John $100 million

· Simon Cowell $90 million

The sports world is just as bad - player salaries and luxurious stadiums have all but ended the ability of most fathers to take their sons to games on a regular basis. To obtain 3^rd tier (semi-decent) season tickets to the Dallas Cowboys, a person must be prepared to shell out $10,000 upfront and then an additional $2,500 each year for 2 tickets. Across the NFL, player salaries total $3.2 billion annually with many players earning more than $20 million. While professional athletes are extremely talented and work very hard for their money – no one player deserves to earn that much.

However, what the Occupy Wall Street movement and perhaps all of us should truly be rallying against is corporate compensation for top executives which has reached obscene amounts. Christopher Helman of Forbes magazine wrote an interesting article on the subject appropriately titled Why America's Highest Paid CEOs Are Insanely Overpaid. In the article Helman compared the earnings of the Forbes Highest Paid CEO’s of 2011 to that of 1985. Helman said “the results were nothing short of startling.”

In 1985, Lee Iococca was the highest paid CEO with earnings of $11.5 million while John Hammergren –Chairman and CEO of McKesson Pharmaceuticals topped the list in 2011with earnings of $131.2 million. Through regression analysis, Helman calculated that Hammergren’s current earnings equaled $23.4 million in 1985 dollars – more than double Iococca’s actual earnings. As with other professions, Hammergren’s overcompensation is not unusual and many of the top CEO’s have net worth’s above the billion dollar mark.

· John Hammergren $131.2 million $1.2 billion

· Ralph Lauren $66.7 million $630 million

· Michael Fascitelli $64.4 million $830 million

· Robert Iger $53.3 million $4.5 billion

· George Paz $51.5 million $1.3 billion

Here again, I don’t know that we as citizens and consumers have a right to be upset about the earnings of these and other such figures. I for one have never turned down a pay raise and I really don’t expect anyone else to do so either. We’re it not for our spending habits; these CEO’s could very likely be penniless.

Rather than sitting around an occupy whatever camp – talking on Iphones, eating McDonald’s or trying to garner media attention, perhaps we should simply change ourselves. The only way to bridge the gap between the highly privileged have’s and the remaining have not’s, is to stop giving them our money. Stop attending or watching athletic events, don’t go to the movies and forego purchasing the latest and greatest electronic gadgets. Though they may receive a very generous “pay to fail” bonus as did Leo Apotheker of Hewlett-Packard ($25 million) for losing over $40 billion of shareholder wealth in just one year, once profits drop they too will lose their jobs.

Voter Identification

2011-12-24T19:09:00.001-06:00

The U. S. Justice Department recently blocked South Carolina’s new law requiring voters to show I.D. at the polls. The department felt the law would “significantly” burden nonwhite voters who according to Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez are “disproportionately unlikely to possess the necessary identification. This marked the first time the Obama administration has intervened on any of the eight states with voter identification requirements and it was strictly a political move.

This is just a bunch of partisan hog wash and you can bet more will be stuck down before November 2012. The democrats know that Obama will have a difficult time getting re-elected and that requiring people to show ID will significantly reduce voter fraud – no more double dipping for the democrats.

Whether white or nonwhite, every legal resident has the ability to obtain state issued identification and most already have. They must produce it in order to obtain free cell phones, food stamps, welfare or benefits through any of the other 100 + entitlement programs which nonwhites receive at a rate 3 times greater than whites.

So if it is not too burdensome for nonwhites to produce ID every time they sign up for new benefits, how in the hell then is it too burdensome to require them to produce ID every two or four years for purposes of elections. Rather than stealing votes, perhaps the Dems should try doing what is best for the nation and in turn, actually earn some votes.

Perry Joins Gingrich In Desire To Drug-Test Federal Aid Recipients: ‘I Don’t Have A Problem In The World With That’

2011-12-23T08:52:00.000-06:00

Perry Joins Gingrich In Desire To Drug-Test Federal Aid Recipients: ‘I Don’t Have A Problem In The World With That’:

Last month, 2012 GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich called for drug-testing recipients of federal aid. “Unemployment compensation, food stamps, you name it,” he said.

And Gingrich now has a kindred spirit in the GOP race when it comes to drug-testing those who need to access federal programs and the social safety net — Texas Gov. Rick Perry:

“I don’t have a problem with before you get any dollars from the federal government that you’re drug tested,” Perry said in response to a man who suggested the idea in a question to him at a meet-and-greet in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, that drew over 80 people. Perry pointed out that as a pilot in the Air Force, he himself had been drug tested. “I don’t have a problem in the world with that,” he said.

As ThinkProgress’ Justice Ian Millhiser has noted, this sort of policy “would likely run headlong into the Constitution,” as it constitutes a “suspicion-less search,” nevermind the fact that drug testing requirements cost more money than they save and welfare recipients actually use drugs less than other groups. Even 2012 GOP candidate Rick Santorum, a big fan of rabid right-wing causes, wouldn’t endorse federal drug-testing for benefits.

Republicans in several states, however, have embraced testing those who need benefits, as have House Republicans at the federal level. In Georgia, one Democratic lawmaker responded to his Republican colleagues’ desire to test beneficiaries by introducing a bill to drug-test lawmakers.

The American Middle Class

2011-08-01T08:50:00.001-05:00

Each day we hear our elected officials using the American middle class as pawns in their gerrymandering. Do you, Mr. or Mrs. Politician even know who the middle class really are or are you so out of touch that you think it extends to those persons earning $250,000 annually. The median income in the United States is only $50,000 and that’s where most of us fall.

We do not base our opinion of the economy on complex economic formulae or the Gross Domestic Product. We know the state of the economy based upon how much overtime we have to work to make ends meet, what is left in our checking accounts after paying our bills and whether or not we can add meat to our spaghetti.

When you mention the negative effects the economy will have on small businesses, you refer to those that employ 2500 persons. Maybe in your grandiose world that is a small business but to us, it’s not.

We are your true small business owners. The ones that generate thousands of dollars in tax receipts each year but don’t employee enough people to qualify for tax credits or sometimes, small business loans.

We are the ones that will have to close our doors if Obama Care is not repealed. We could bring more money into our households flipping burgers at McDonalds than we could at our own businesses if we had to pay employee health care costs.

We are public servants, teachers, mechanics and store managers just to name a few; the very people you depend on for your day to day lives.

We are the service men and women who as we speak, are placing our lives on the line in defense of freedom and democracy. The very servicemen that you are threatening to not pay if a compromise cannot be found. Unlike you, we will remain honorable and continue to do our best even if that happens.

You espouse your concern for us on television, in the newspaper or anywhere else you can beg, borrow or steal face time in the hopes of securing our votes. Our votes are not based upon the words that spew from your mouth like vomit. They are decided at the gas pump, the unemployment line or as we lay in bed, exhausted from a 12 hour shift.

Yes, we are upset with the reckless way in which you have mismanaged our tax dollar through wasteful spending and the support of persons who have never contributed one minutes worth of labor to the economy.

How is it that the first things you mention when speaking of budget cuts are entitlements yet no one utters the unspeakable: Medicaid and Supplement Security Income. Instead you attack Social Security and Medicare; funds that have paid in to for 40 plus years.

You want us to believe that Social Security is unsustainable and that it must be altered or even privatized because the funds just aren’t there. Of course their not, you stole $4.6 billion from the trust fund and replaced it with IOU’s that can never be redeemed.

In fairness, you should cut an equal amount from true entitlement programs such as farm subsidies, the Supplement Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly know as food stamps), SSI and others. The savings could be used to pay us back. We would really like to at least partially retire someday.

We spend so much of our time attending to and supporting our families that we can’t dedicate more than just a few minutes each day to following the pitiful display of statesmanship taking place in Washington.

Don’t let that give you a false sense of security though. We will know how well you have done your job based upon the colors we see in our shopping carts. If we see a multitude of colors we will know you have done well. We will know you haven’t if all we see are the white labels of generic products.

But please Mr. or Mrs. Politician, enjoy your dinner of steak and lobster tonight at some upscale D.C. restaurant. Perhaps you will actually do your job so that the rest of us can eat something other than spaghetti.

What 'Big Deals' Did to America - HUMAN EVENTS

2011-07-29T16:05:00.000-05:00

What 'Big Deals' Did to America - HUMAN EVENTS

America's Elderly

2011-07-28T15:02:00.001-05:00

The other day I saw an elderly man lying on the ground in front of a local motel. Thinking he may be in need of assistance, I approached and asked if everything was okay. He stated that he had been grocery shopping and was resting from the bus ride that the outing required.

He stated that he lived in a room at the motel and requested that I assist him getting there because he was weak and tired. Though it was just a short walk from where we were, it took several minutes. He had to stop frequently to catch his breath so I used this time to learn more about him.

He was a 72 year old Vietnam veteran and his only source of income was the $1040 he received each month in Social Security benefits. He had numerous health problems which he was fortunate enough to receive treatment for at the local Veterans hospital.

The motel room cost him just under $600.00 each month which explained why his idea of groceries was so pitiful. His bags contained Ramen noodles, a loaf of bread, some potted meat and a bottle of generic soda. This would be his breakfast, lunch and dinner for the entire week.

He was grateful for the assistance and once we made it to his room he wanted to show me what he had. Though not disorderly, the room was crammed with memories of what had once been a comfortable life.

His wife died a few years earlier after struggling with a very painful and prolonged illness. Prior to her becoming sick their lives had been very comfortable. They had owned their home and had seen their children graduate college. His wife’s illness had stripped them of all their savings and they lost everything.

Prior to her death, she had been asked to testify before Congress in support of a particular health care bill. While there they met then President Bill Clinton. This gentleman’s most prized possession was a photograph of himself, his wife and the President. He said that having the opportunity to meet the President of the United States was the greatest honor that had ever been bestowed upon him.

By the time we had concluded our visit, I was infuriated with and disgusted by the society in which we live. I just do not understand how we could allow someone like this gentleman to live in utter poverty.

He served his country in time of war, had worked all of his life and by no fault of his own, lost everything. Yet we continue to meet every need for persons who have not contributed one ounce of good to the community.

I would not mind my tax dollars being used to assist people such as the gentleman that I’ve described but it absolutely pisses me off to see some young, relatively healthy person swiping their SNAP card at the grocery store. Stop having babies and get a real job!

Social Security is not an entitlement!

2011-07-28T10:19:00.001-05:00

Professor Daniel Palazzolo wrote an interesting article concerning the current drama surrounding the national debt. In it he clearly makes the destinction in philosophies between the Republicans and Democrats and why nothing can be accomplished.

He states that the Republican party believes that government should be small and that people should be rewarded for hard work while the Democrats are more compassionate and believe that it's the governments responsibility to care for the poor, sick and elderly.

When discussing budget cuts, both sides bring up the hardships that will be caused if cuts are made in entitlement programs. Each specifically mentions Social Security and Medicare but never mention Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). I guess they are afraid of being labled racist or excessively hard on the "under priveledged".

Social Security and Medicare are not entitlements. We have worked and paid into those systems all of our lives. We have earned them! Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) however, are entitlements and are given out like candy to people who have contributed nothing to society.

Our politicians need to make the distinction between entitlements and self-funded programs. Yes some people will receive more than they paid in but the vast majority of us will be lucky to break even. When a person works, they pay 6.2% of their gross earnings into Social Security with their employers matching that amount.

Assume that a person enters the job market at age 18 earning $20,000 and stays gainfully employed until age 65, at which time he retires with an ending salary of $60,000. He will have paid approximately $223,200 into the system.

On average, a person will receive just over $14,000 per year in Social Security once they are retired and the average lifespan for an American male is 75 years. This indicates that again on average, a person will only receive benefits for 10 years or a total of $140,000. Where did the other $83,200 go? It gets stripped away to fund other government programs.

Currently about one third or 4.6 billion dollars of the US debt is in the form of IOU's to trust funds such as Social Security, Medicare and pension plans. They federal government continues to rape these trusts to make up for shortfalls in other areas of the budget.

The federal government wants to reduce our quality of life in retirement so that they can continue to provide a decent quality of life for persons who have never worked a day in their lives.

Wake Up America!

http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/07/27/debt-ceiling-drama-good-excuse-for-americans-to-figure-out-what-want/

Another Young Boy Dies

2011-07-27T13:47:00.001-05:00

The state newspaper for the area in which I live, reported this morning that yet another young, black male has been murdered. The home at which the murder occurred was a known crack house that had been raided by the police just a few months earlier. Though the child did not live at this address, he was present at the time of the raid.

According to the article, the child was gunned down as he approached a car that pulled up to the house at 4 am. Having served in law enforcement for almost 20 years, I have a good idea the kid was not just asking for a ride.

The community is upset with the city over what they say is a lack of proper upkeep. Residents pointed to overgrown alleys and vacant houses as a source of the problem. They questioned why the home was allowed to sit vacant after the raid rather than being boarded. No one asked the obvious question though which is why was that child out at 4 in the morning?

We have to start admitting the truth. Its not the city's fault nor is it our fault, blame belongs on the persons residing in these neighborhoods. These are welfare communities or to be politically incorrect: Ghetto's. These are the very neighborhoods whose residents consume billions of dollars every year in public entitlements. They don't have to work, everything is provided for them yet they cannot find the time to properly supervise their children.

I agree that the beautification of rundown neighbors is vital towards reclaiming them but first you must address the societal decay within them.

Wake Up America!

http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/jul/27/gunman-kills-lr-boy-14-20110727/