2009 was a year of hope and change but in ways no one expected.
The following are links I view as the most important contributions to conservative Americana for the year. There are 15 links below (none more than 3 min.) so you may want to digest this in a couple of sittings. They are somewhat in a chronological order so as to tell a story
1. The rant from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHbjenBMLno
2. Democracy at its best. (OR WORST) The town hall meeting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rRE5UK6NQU
3.Nancy Pelosi Calls the Tea Party Movement AstroTurf
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gsc_R12Q-4
4. An African American college professor beaten; His crime handing out American Flags ( and being on the wrong side of the health care debate)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTXBOgPCh9w
5. Nancy cries
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u46QoT_eNQ8
6. Did someone say CZARs?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuK164TChm4
7.The rediscovered classic 1948 cartoon Make Mine Freedom
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVh75ylAUXY
8.The instant classic the Acorn Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Er2pz-C3N5A
9.The Protest In DC
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMoQDKHYM74
10. You Lie!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgce06Yw2ro
11. Harry Reed equates opposition to health care reform to being pro slavery
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aojj53Af-60&NR=1
12.SF Chronicle December 13 article on tea party radicals
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/12/13/MN3L1B34BA.DTL
13. Rasmussen Poll 12-7-09
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/general_politics/december_2009/tea_party_tops_gop_on_three_way_generic_ballot
14. December 20 Rhode Island Senator Whitehouse speaks his mind. A joyful rendition of bipartisanship for the holidays
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5D8uft16pt4
15. Jack Webb of Dragnet lectures our President : The future of political advertising
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4r6YCUtxfs
Finally, for Christmas I sent my representatives a Pink Slip ( See the picture to the left above)10 million of these have already been sent to every person in the US Congress and Senate at a cost of $300 million dollars. In fact the entire US supply of pink paper has been exhausted during this campaign. But you never heard this on CNN, ABC, CBS, or NBC now did you?
Happy New Year: The Chinese have a proverb which states May you live in interesting times. Well we certainly do. Did anyone tell you the biggest mass demonstration in American history will be taking place April 15, 2010. Well you heard it here first
A Voice in the Wilderness
PS: In the new year I will give my State of the Blog address. ( Warning will be extremely funny)
Friday, December 25, 2009
Saturday, December 12, 2009
These are not the Droids you are looking for
There is a scene in Star Wars where Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi are interrogated by a couple of Imperial Stormtroopers as to the origin of the Droids (robots) in the back of their hover car. Obi-Wan waves his hand and tells the storm trooper " These are not the Droids you are looking for. We can move along" The storm trooper, affected by the power of the Jedi, parrots the words of Obi-Wan and motions the hover car to move on.
OK, what the heck does this have to do with anything? Well, for one thing, there is a lot of news that the major media just does not report . I first became aware of this in 1989 when we were visiting some friends of ours who happened to be hosting an exchange student from what at that time was called West Germany. The Berlin wall had recently fallen and we were eager to ask the young lady questions. We asked a few questions but was taken back when the young lady said that the protests that led to the falling of the wall started two full weeks before the news media covered the event in the USA. We were surprised to hear this but we attributed it to the delicate situation of geopolitics at the time between the US and the former USSR.
Flash forward to 2009 and we have Climate Gate, the scandal where several thousand emails have been hacked from a British University on the subject of global warming. For over two weeks NBC, CBS, and ABC ignored a story which was covered in leading world newspapers and even made the John Stewart show. The world is a lot different than 1989 and with the advent of the internet news just can't be controlled or contained the way it used to be by the old media.
Concerning Climate Gate we have in effect been told: "These are not the droids we were looking for" and yet we could clearly see them in the back seat. We live in a country that has freedom of the press yet refuses to report an "inconvenient story." To those of us old enough to remember Daniel Ginsburg and the Pentagon Papers any attempt by the media to defend their actions in not reporting this story reeks of hypocrisy.
In the words of the late Mr. Rodgers "Boys and girls can you spell collusion? Sure I knew you could." Does the fact that news and facts are being suppressed by the media scare you? Well it should! You might be surprised what else you aren't being told!
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
OK, what the heck does this have to do with anything? Well, for one thing, there is a lot of news that the major media just does not report . I first became aware of this in 1989 when we were visiting some friends of ours who happened to be hosting an exchange student from what at that time was called West Germany. The Berlin wall had recently fallen and we were eager to ask the young lady questions. We asked a few questions but was taken back when the young lady said that the protests that led to the falling of the wall started two full weeks before the news media covered the event in the USA. We were surprised to hear this but we attributed it to the delicate situation of geopolitics at the time between the US and the former USSR.
Flash forward to 2009 and we have Climate Gate, the scandal where several thousand emails have been hacked from a British University on the subject of global warming. For over two weeks NBC, CBS, and ABC ignored a story which was covered in leading world newspapers and even made the John Stewart show. The world is a lot different than 1989 and with the advent of the internet news just can't be controlled or contained the way it used to be by the old media.
Concerning Climate Gate we have in effect been told: "These are not the droids we were looking for" and yet we could clearly see them in the back seat. We live in a country that has freedom of the press yet refuses to report an "inconvenient story." To those of us old enough to remember Daniel Ginsburg and the Pentagon Papers any attempt by the media to defend their actions in not reporting this story reeks of hypocrisy.
In the words of the late Mr. Rodgers "Boys and girls can you spell collusion? Sure I knew you could." Does the fact that news and facts are being suppressed by the media scare you? Well it should! You might be surprised what else you aren't being told!
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Spare Me Please
I have a unique perspective on the environment. I have seen things that would make most of you cringe. Walking to school in the first grade, I smelled nasty fumes from a chemical plant over 20 miles away which made me puke. I remember being in a car driving past a steel mill in the late 60's and my aunt having to turn the car lights on during the day as flakes of ash fell as a black snow. I saw salt water pumped out of oil and gas wells into creeks and rivers killing what few fish lived in them.
Later on I lived in the Four-Corners area and saw power plants in Arizona burning coal with no pollution equipment. This had the unexpected effect of providing the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. Finally, I settled in the golden state of CA and remember seeing the black dirty haze of smog as you flew over the mountains at San Bernadino on your way to LAX airport.
We have come a long way and things are much better then they used to be. I live in a small house that is very energy efficient and even have solar panels on my roof. I practice organic gardening and, for the most part, have driven economy cars. Am I trying to save the planet? No, I am just frugal and try to make choices based on common sense.
I want to run my own life. I like to set my thermostat where I am comfortable. That means the air conditioner at 68 and heat at 72 . I also love to BBQ and burn my charcoal grill at least one day a week for 9 months out the year. But now I have a problem. There is a governmental agency called the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and they have, for many years, established what are called "Spare the Air Days". The intent of these is to make people aware of high air pollution days. Theoretically upon the announcement of one of these days you are supposed to to take a rickshaw to work or better yet become hunter-gatherer vegans. To be honest, the announcement of these days to most of us has been a complete joke. Our lives proceed as normal as we go to work ,school and the doctor and we drive in our cars to do the mundane things that need doing.
But bureaucrats have one thing in common; they want power and when they get their way they enact regulations. These in turn become law. Now when there is a WINTER spare the air day, no fires are allowed. That means you, as a homeowner, can not burn a log in your fireplace . The smog police literally tour neighborhoods via car and helicopter looking for violators of the law. I have a problem with that. With the current economy many families are stretching their budget any way they can and I have no doubt that families are shivering in the cold.
You may say "Who was stupid enough to gave these regulators that kind of power?" All you have to do is look at the typical San Francisco Bay Area voter. They vote 85% Democrat of which 100% of those elected are liberal. The liberals in turn appoint people to commissions and governmental boards who share the view that "you are too ignorant to run your own affairs and the government most be brought in to protect you." Throw in the fantasies of the new modern Earth worship or "global warming" and you have a recipe for tyranny.
Spare Me From This Insanity
A Voice Crying In the Wilderness
Later on I lived in the Four-Corners area and saw power plants in Arizona burning coal with no pollution equipment. This had the unexpected effect of providing the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. Finally, I settled in the golden state of CA and remember seeing the black dirty haze of smog as you flew over the mountains at San Bernadino on your way to LAX airport.
We have come a long way and things are much better then they used to be. I live in a small house that is very energy efficient and even have solar panels on my roof. I practice organic gardening and, for the most part, have driven economy cars. Am I trying to save the planet? No, I am just frugal and try to make choices based on common sense.
I want to run my own life. I like to set my thermostat where I am comfortable. That means the air conditioner at 68 and heat at 72 . I also love to BBQ and burn my charcoal grill at least one day a week for 9 months out the year. But now I have a problem. There is a governmental agency called the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and they have, for many years, established what are called "Spare the Air Days". The intent of these is to make people aware of high air pollution days. Theoretically upon the announcement of one of these days you are supposed to to take a rickshaw to work or better yet become hunter-gatherer vegans. To be honest, the announcement of these days to most of us has been a complete joke. Our lives proceed as normal as we go to work ,school and the doctor and we drive in our cars to do the mundane things that need doing.
But bureaucrats have one thing in common; they want power and when they get their way they enact regulations. These in turn become law. Now when there is a WINTER spare the air day, no fires are allowed. That means you, as a homeowner, can not burn a log in your fireplace . The smog police literally tour neighborhoods via car and helicopter looking for violators of the law. I have a problem with that. With the current economy many families are stretching their budget any way they can and I have no doubt that families are shivering in the cold.
You may say "Who was stupid enough to gave these regulators that kind of power?" All you have to do is look at the typical San Francisco Bay Area voter. They vote 85% Democrat of which 100% of those elected are liberal. The liberals in turn appoint people to commissions and governmental boards who share the view that "you are too ignorant to run your own affairs and the government most be brought in to protect you." Throw in the fantasies of the new modern Earth worship or "global warming" and you have a recipe for tyranny.
Spare Me From This Insanity
A Voice Crying In the Wilderness
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Two Minus Two Still Equals Zero
About a year ago we were in the tempest of an economic storm whose gale winds still blow. Many businesses have since experienced layoffs leaving the remaining workers having to work longer hours. For those lucky of us enough to still be working, there are no cost of living adjustments and with profit margins reduced we also all have to work harder just to keep the doors open. I and my cohorts at work are painfully aware that two minus two equals zero. Meaning if we make two dollars and spend two dollars we have zero remaining. That's OK fine in this economic environment.
This advanced mathematical concept is beyond the grasp of the University of California system. It seems with tax revenues being down the universities are getting less money and as a result are raising student fees substantially by 42%. This has led to protests and sit-ins and much weeping and gnashing of teeth on the students part. Do I feel their pain? absolutely. I also understand that costs need to be cut and revenues raised.
If you were over the university system-what would you do then? Well, first of all I would cut all unnecessary programs. Now you may ask what is unnecessary? art, music, English literature? No way! I would say these are all precious and must be protected.
You may ask what would you do to cut costs? I would cut academic programs which are inherently racist like African American ,Asian American and Latino American studies. I would also cut degree programs in feminism and gay lesbian transgendered studies, and yes Community Organizing. I could go through the various University of California college catalogs and using nothing but common sense would cut do-nothing classes and their instructors which add nothing but ignorance. I would take great glee and fire former 60's radical and US Communist Party Presidential candidate Angela Davis and keep three nontenured history professors in her stead.
How would I raise revenues then? My college education was largely funded on the taxation of natural resources. I would go before the legislature and beg for offshore drilling and the 100s of millions in tax revenues it would bring my institutions. I would arrange for power plants to be built on every campus for free electricity. And finally when the full fury of ignorance of the tree sitter crowd raised its ugly head in protest to my actions, I would show no mercy and would eviscerate them with all the media at my disposal.
This advanced mathematical concept is beyond the grasp of the University of California system. It seems with tax revenues being down the universities are getting less money and as a result are raising student fees substantially by 42%. This has led to protests and sit-ins and much weeping and gnashing of teeth on the students part. Do I feel their pain? absolutely. I also understand that costs need to be cut and revenues raised.
If you were over the university system-what would you do then? Well, first of all I would cut all unnecessary programs. Now you may ask what is unnecessary? art, music, English literature? No way! I would say these are all precious and must be protected.
You may ask what would you do to cut costs? I would cut academic programs which are inherently racist like African American ,Asian American and Latino American studies. I would also cut degree programs in feminism and gay lesbian transgendered studies, and yes Community Organizing. I could go through the various University of California college catalogs and using nothing but common sense would cut do-nothing classes and their instructors which add nothing but ignorance. I would take great glee and fire former 60's radical and US Communist Party Presidential candidate Angela Davis and keep three nontenured history professors in her stead.
How would I raise revenues then? My college education was largely funded on the taxation of natural resources. I would go before the legislature and beg for offshore drilling and the 100s of millions in tax revenues it would bring my institutions. I would arrange for power plants to be built on every campus for free electricity. And finally when the full fury of ignorance of the tree sitter crowd raised its ugly head in protest to my actions, I would show no mercy and would eviscerate them with all the media at my disposal.
Well that's not going to happen.
These fee hikes are representative of the disease of liberalism which infects the state of California. Programs and services are added with no thought as to tomorrow. The problem is passed to the next generation. Unfortunately the next generation is here now. This 42% fee increase is nothing but a tax on college students and their families. It's what liberals do. The students will bear debt that will leave them enslaved to the state. And that's what some people actually want.
The concept of Two Minus Two Equaling Zero is sadly way beyond the minds of those in charge of issuing advanced degrees in mathematics.
I suppose the students can still pick their protest signs back up for all the good it will do. And they will blame everyone but the liberals as they do it.
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
These fee hikes are representative of the disease of liberalism which infects the state of California. Programs and services are added with no thought as to tomorrow. The problem is passed to the next generation. Unfortunately the next generation is here now. This 42% fee increase is nothing but a tax on college students and their families. It's what liberals do. The students will bear debt that will leave them enslaved to the state. And that's what some people actually want.
The concept of Two Minus Two Equaling Zero is sadly way beyond the minds of those in charge of issuing advanced degrees in mathematics.
I suppose the students can still pick their protest signs back up for all the good it will do. And they will blame everyone but the liberals as they do it.
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
My Wifes Letter to The AARP
Hello AARP:
Long ago a man named Edmund Burke made the statement: "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." I am ashamed to say that I have primarily been a "do nothing" politically for a long time. I can no longer stand on the sidelines and let our beloved country be gulled and shoved down the road to ruin!
Ronald Reagan once said "The most frightening words in the English language are "I'm from the Government and I'm here to help." I do not believe in a big wet-nurse Government who assumes they know what is best for ME! How profoundly arrogant,conceited and just plain prideful! And we know where pride leads...
Due to what I perceive as the shortsighted, and fundamentally unwise bought-and-paid-for support by AARP of Obamacare, I am canceling my membership in AARP effective immediately. I will expect a refund of the remaining 6 months membership fees as soon as may be.
To paraphrase Patrick Henry:"Is life so dear or retirement so sweet as to be purchased at the price of the chains of managed healthcare and the slavery of Eternal National Debt... .Forbid It Almighty God!!!". AARP has forged its own chains and it has sold its soul to Barak Obama and Nancy Pelosi but I will not sell mine.
That was the end of the letter from my mild mannered wife.
It is not surprising that AARP" Has Taken a stand". Follow the money trail below
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=115617http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=115617
A Voice Crying In the Wilderness
Long ago a man named Edmund Burke made the statement: "The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." I am ashamed to say that I have primarily been a "do nothing" politically for a long time. I can no longer stand on the sidelines and let our beloved country be gulled and shoved down the road to ruin!
Ronald Reagan once said "The most frightening words in the English language are "I'm from the Government and I'm here to help." I do not believe in a big wet-nurse Government who assumes they know what is best for ME! How profoundly arrogant,conceited and just plain prideful! And we know where pride leads...
Due to what I perceive as the shortsighted, and fundamentally unwise bought-and-paid-for support by AARP of Obamacare, I am canceling my membership in AARP effective immediately. I will expect a refund of the remaining 6 months membership fees as soon as may be.
To paraphrase Patrick Henry:"Is life so dear or retirement so sweet as to be purchased at the price of the chains of managed healthcare and the slavery of Eternal National Debt... .Forbid It Almighty God!!!". AARP has forged its own chains and it has sold its soul to Barak Obama and Nancy Pelosi but I will not sell mine.
That was the end of the letter from my mild mannered wife.
It is not surprising that AARP" Has Taken a stand". Follow the money trail below
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=115617http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=115617
A Voice Crying In the Wilderness
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Making Seuss of the Matter
Now there was an old Writch (Witch + Grinch) that some say lived in the land of DC .
A most Utopian place filled with more bureaucrats than a forest has trees.
But that old Writch hated those who lived in the outside,
in land the land of the Doos for so she said:
"they are AstroTurf and don't wear designer shoes"
Now that old Writch cooked up quite a plot.
The old Writch said "We will give the Doos a health care bill whether they like it or not.
Now we will polish it and package it and will extol it with glee.
We will tell the stupid Doos that it will be free .
We will even shout it virtues from the hallowed halls of NBC. "
Now every thing was going to plan or so the old Writch thought.The Doos were sleeping and Horton (the elephant) sloughed.
Then the smallest of the Doos, little Cindy Lou Doo, did something the Writch never expected her to, she opened her special package and read it through and through.
Now little Cindy Lou Doo said "This is something more here than a present for me;
it looks like there is something in this package that costs over a trillion dollars and a hundred billion times three.
"Now Cindy and a million other Doos traveled to DC.
They clanged and made a great noise.
The old media ignored them and said go home and play with your toys.
Nothing changed because that old Writch had no heart
and she could not wait for the voting to approve her package to start.
The clock chimed 12 and the Writch shouted with glee:
" The bill is approved! Thank you for making history with me!"
The next day the old Writch put her ear to the ground
listening for sighing and the baying of hounds.
"My package is passed! the deed is done! why no crying or other sad sounds?
Then the old Writch raised up from the ground and looked out past the land of DC.
All she could see was Little Cindy Lou Doo and the Doo's land of the free.
The Doos were growing and adding you see,
and it seemed they had multiplied by factors of 10 of millions times three.
Now the old Writch's problem was not really that she had no heart
but in judging we Doos as not very smart.
The moral of the story is: One should learn how to count above 220.
A Voice Laughing in the Wilderness
PS : My sincere apologies to Dr. Seuss
A most Utopian place filled with more bureaucrats than a forest has trees.
But that old Writch hated those who lived in the outside,
in land the land of the Doos for so she said:
"they are AstroTurf and don't wear designer shoes"
Now that old Writch cooked up quite a plot.
The old Writch said "We will give the Doos a health care bill whether they like it or not.
Now we will polish it and package it and will extol it with glee.
We will tell the stupid Doos that it will be free .
We will even shout it virtues from the hallowed halls of NBC. "
Now every thing was going to plan or so the old Writch thought.The Doos were sleeping and Horton (the elephant) sloughed.
Then the smallest of the Doos, little Cindy Lou Doo, did something the Writch never expected her to, she opened her special package and read it through and through.
Now little Cindy Lou Doo said "This is something more here than a present for me;
it looks like there is something in this package that costs over a trillion dollars and a hundred billion times three.
"Now Cindy and a million other Doos traveled to DC.
They clanged and made a great noise.
The old media ignored them and said go home and play with your toys.
Nothing changed because that old Writch had no heart
and she could not wait for the voting to approve her package to start.
The clock chimed 12 and the Writch shouted with glee:
" The bill is approved! Thank you for making history with me!"
The next day the old Writch put her ear to the ground
listening for sighing and the baying of hounds.
"My package is passed! the deed is done! why no crying or other sad sounds?
Then the old Writch raised up from the ground and looked out past the land of DC.
All she could see was Little Cindy Lou Doo and the Doo's land of the free.
The Doos were growing and adding you see,
and it seemed they had multiplied by factors of 10 of millions times three.
Now the old Writch's problem was not really that she had no heart
but in judging we Doos as not very smart.
The moral of the story is: One should learn how to count above 220.
A Voice Laughing in the Wilderness
PS : My sincere apologies to Dr. Seuss
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
The Hammer Must Fall
The year was 732 and Europe was deep in the dark ages. A great army of 50,000+ Islamic Moors invaded from Spain into the land of the Franks which is now France. The Moors viewed Europe as easy pickings whose inhabitants were seen as ignorant barbarians.
The leader of the Franks, at that time, was a man I can trace my ancestry to - Charles "The Hammer" Martel. European armies at that time were made up of farmers who would join in battle when needed but as soon as the battle was over would return to the harvest and their family. (Note: this farmer/soldier model did not change until well after the American Civil War.)Martel knew he could not defeat the great invading army without a trained professional army. Martel sought funding for an from the the richest institution in Europe at that time - the church in Rome. At first the church turned funding down but after a couple of monasteries had been ransacked they acquiesced. The funds were spent to train an army whose sole purpose was to fight. The great armies finally met at the battle of Tours where the Franks were triumphant and it is remembered as one of the most important battles to shape world history. The moors retreated to Spain. The grandson of Martel was Charlemagne.
What does this have to do with current events? For one, we are being overrun by a force that truly believes it is more intelligent than we are and believes it has superior numbers and technology. Most of us feel we are good citizens. We vote, we go to jury duty, we go to church , we pay our bills and raise our families. But the trouble is that is no longer good enough. If we are not willing to donate our time and money to causes and candidates we believe in, we will lose time and time again to forces that seek to overwhelm us.
Yesterday the Hammer fell and we won a battle. The war will not be won without all of our continued involvement.
A Voice Crying In The Widerness
PS : There is a small gathering on the Capitol steps tommorow
The leader of the Franks, at that time, was a man I can trace my ancestry to - Charles "The Hammer" Martel. European armies at that time were made up of farmers who would join in battle when needed but as soon as the battle was over would return to the harvest and their family. (Note: this farmer/soldier model did not change until well after the American Civil War.)Martel knew he could not defeat the great invading army without a trained professional army. Martel sought funding for an from the the richest institution in Europe at that time - the church in Rome. At first the church turned funding down but after a couple of monasteries had been ransacked they acquiesced. The funds were spent to train an army whose sole purpose was to fight. The great armies finally met at the battle of Tours where the Franks were triumphant and it is remembered as one of the most important battles to shape world history. The moors retreated to Spain. The grandson of Martel was Charlemagne.
What does this have to do with current events? For one, we are being overrun by a force that truly believes it is more intelligent than we are and believes it has superior numbers and technology. Most of us feel we are good citizens. We vote, we go to jury duty, we go to church , we pay our bills and raise our families. But the trouble is that is no longer good enough. If we are not willing to donate our time and money to causes and candidates we believe in, we will lose time and time again to forces that seek to overwhelm us.
Yesterday the Hammer fell and we won a battle. The war will not be won without all of our continued involvement.
A Voice Crying In The Widerness
PS : There is a small gathering on the Capitol steps tommorow
Thursday, October 29, 2009
A Halloween Horror My Home Town Coming To Your Town Soon
Vallejo California is not where I was born but is where I have lived since 1995. It is here that I chose to buy a house and to raise my family. It is now my home town. Vallejo in a way encapsulates the USA. Here is a short history. From the mid 1800s Vallejo had a large naval presence and repaired and constructed ships and even nuclear submarines. Downtown Vallejo was prosperous and business thrived . In the late 1960s the city policemen and firemen staged a simultaneous strike whose effects are still being felt today.In the 1980's the city was offered a large shopping mall which was fought by the local businessmen. In a scene repeated around the country the mall was built in another city and downtown died a slow death.
In the early 90's Congress due to environmental concerns did not approve funds for dredging the bay in front of the shipyard. Soon silt filled the harbor and the shipyard no longer had the ability to service the large subs of the US Navy. The shipyard closed as part of the peace dividend of the end of the cold war. The shipyard employed thousands and provided millions in tax revenues. Latter on the city became home to a Six Flags amusement park and several hundred $10.00 an hour jobs. The town remains to an extent an old blue collar town and votes 85% Democrat. The old shipyard on Mare island sits with a group of mainly unoccupied decrepit buildings.
Crime increased and street prostitution flourished. The state for a short while provided 35 highway patrol officers to restore the peace. Any development in the city is stifled by an incompetent planning and permitting process.
The tax roles decreased but city spending did not. Vallejo became a bedroom community with no good local jobs . The public employee unions signed lucrative contracts with the city and expenditures ballooned as the city was burdened with over 100 employees making in excess of 100K per year. The local school district was so ineptly run that after the head of the district was arrested for embezzlement the state of CA took it over for a while. Crime and drugs are still a problem and the police forces have been reduced. The city was offered the development of a large liquefied natural gas processing facility and latter shopping center associated with a super Wall Mart at the site of an old Kmart. The local liberals howled and the natural gas facility was never built and the Wall Mart shopping center moved itself five miles up the road to the next community. The existing Wall Mart in Vallejo sits closed and the old Kmart property still sets on a vacant lot next to a stinky swamp.
Over time the local politicians did nothing and pushed off today's problems until tomorrow . Tomorrow finally came and several months ago despite legal challenges from the public employee unions the city of Vallejo was declared bankrupt.
Now this is where it gets interesting. About two years ago the city announced there would be no more money to trim trees on city streets and residents would be expected to pick up the tab. This became a hot issue in the local letters to the editor forum. A few weeks latter I saw barricades on my street about tree trimming. This tree trimming was paid for by a grant from the US Forestry Service. There are some nice trees on our city streets but certainly no forest. This in many ways was a mini stimulus package. The issue of tree trimming became mute as did the local citizens complaints. The city streets had deteriorated as the city can no longer afford to do proper maintaining. Recently due to Federal stimulus money a great deal of asphalt has been recently laid.
The trees are trimmed the streets are paved hey everything is great ... But wait nothing has really changed . We have no new long term good paying jobs or even prospects for them; tax revenues are still way down ;environmentalists fight any development and the city bureaucrats slow what few projects are approved;over 50% of our kids are dropping out of school ;and the residents continue to vote the same way they always have. There is a quotation that says those who do not learn by history's mistakes are doomed to repeat them. Have you learned anything today?
I hope this has scared frightened you , and sent shivers up your spine for after all it is Halloween.
A Voice Crying In the Wilderness
In the early 90's Congress due to environmental concerns did not approve funds for dredging the bay in front of the shipyard. Soon silt filled the harbor and the shipyard no longer had the ability to service the large subs of the US Navy. The shipyard closed as part of the peace dividend of the end of the cold war. The shipyard employed thousands and provided millions in tax revenues. Latter on the city became home to a Six Flags amusement park and several hundred $10.00 an hour jobs. The town remains to an extent an old blue collar town and votes 85% Democrat. The old shipyard on Mare island sits with a group of mainly unoccupied decrepit buildings.
Crime increased and street prostitution flourished. The state for a short while provided 35 highway patrol officers to restore the peace. Any development in the city is stifled by an incompetent planning and permitting process.
The tax roles decreased but city spending did not. Vallejo became a bedroom community with no good local jobs . The public employee unions signed lucrative contracts with the city and expenditures ballooned as the city was burdened with over 100 employees making in excess of 100K per year. The local school district was so ineptly run that after the head of the district was arrested for embezzlement the state of CA took it over for a while. Crime and drugs are still a problem and the police forces have been reduced. The city was offered the development of a large liquefied natural gas processing facility and latter shopping center associated with a super Wall Mart at the site of an old Kmart. The local liberals howled and the natural gas facility was never built and the Wall Mart shopping center moved itself five miles up the road to the next community. The existing Wall Mart in Vallejo sits closed and the old Kmart property still sets on a vacant lot next to a stinky swamp.
Over time the local politicians did nothing and pushed off today's problems until tomorrow . Tomorrow finally came and several months ago despite legal challenges from the public employee unions the city of Vallejo was declared bankrupt.
Now this is where it gets interesting. About two years ago the city announced there would be no more money to trim trees on city streets and residents would be expected to pick up the tab. This became a hot issue in the local letters to the editor forum. A few weeks latter I saw barricades on my street about tree trimming. This tree trimming was paid for by a grant from the US Forestry Service. There are some nice trees on our city streets but certainly no forest. This in many ways was a mini stimulus package. The issue of tree trimming became mute as did the local citizens complaints. The city streets had deteriorated as the city can no longer afford to do proper maintaining. Recently due to Federal stimulus money a great deal of asphalt has been recently laid.
The trees are trimmed the streets are paved hey everything is great ... But wait nothing has really changed . We have no new long term good paying jobs or even prospects for them; tax revenues are still way down ;environmentalists fight any development and the city bureaucrats slow what few projects are approved;over 50% of our kids are dropping out of school ;and the residents continue to vote the same way they always have. There is a quotation that says those who do not learn by history's mistakes are doomed to repeat them. Have you learned anything today?
I hope this has scared frightened you , and sent shivers up your spine for after all it is Halloween.
A Voice Crying In the Wilderness
Monday, October 26, 2009
The Peasants are Revolting
Something interesting is happening in upper New York a tiny revolution of sorts. It seems there is a special election in the 23rd congressional district . The local GOP committee and the national party is backing a candidate who maintains many views more in line with the Democrats then what you would perceive the GOP to stand for. The Conservative Party of New York is backing another candidate who has been given an endorsement by Sarah Palin and several other leaders of the conservative movement. Normally the GOP candidate in NY automatically gets the endorsement of the Conservative Party as the Democrats automatically get the endorsement of the state Liberal Party.
The RINO's ( Republicans in name only) have been giving us voters lip service and then doing exactly as they please for quite a while. They think and believe the GOP voters of this district are so stupid that they can fly in a tired old retread like Newt Gingrich to make an endorsement for the official GOP candidate and the rank and file GOP will run like lemmings to the polls. I started to write a post concerning this when I read the following article. It expresses in much more eloquent terms then I could ever do what many of us in the rank and file conservatives have been feeling for quite a while.
http://news-political.com/2009/10/26/sarah-palins-call-to-arms/
PSST Don't tell anybody but The Peasants are Revolting!
Until latter A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
The RINO's ( Republicans in name only) have been giving us voters lip service and then doing exactly as they please for quite a while. They think and believe the GOP voters of this district are so stupid that they can fly in a tired old retread like Newt Gingrich to make an endorsement for the official GOP candidate and the rank and file GOP will run like lemmings to the polls. I started to write a post concerning this when I read the following article. It expresses in much more eloquent terms then I could ever do what many of us in the rank and file conservatives have been feeling for quite a while.
http://news-political.com/2009/10/26/sarah-palins-call-to-arms/
PSST Don't tell anybody but The Peasants are Revolting!
Until latter A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
How did we get here?
How did we get here?
1. We rebuilt industry in Europe and Japan after WWII as a vanguard to stop communism and as a place to sell our goods and services
2. For 40 years we ran our steel industry into the ground ( no preventive maintenance)The mills closed and the rust belt was born.
3. In the 1970s we decided that some industries steel , chemicals, oil production were too dirty so we outsourced the production of those products overseas. We were going to be a service economy and an information economy.
4. In the early 1970s there were two oil embargoes. The American automobile industry was unprepared to produce fuel efficient cars. The American consumer found higher quality and value in Japanese autos and then proceeded to buy their electronics and appliances for the same reasons.
5. There was a plan to turn our vast reserves of coal into gasoline. Our good friends in the middle east talked us out of it.
6. In the late 80's we stopped enforcement of antitrust laws and as a result company's were bought and sold with junk bonds. This produced less competition among fewer companies and many American firms were sold to multinational corporations. Divisions of corporations were sold for the sole intent of a short term profit to the shareholders.
7.In the 90s the Internet and the personal computer industry blossomed as well as the American economy. The bubble was short lived as investment capital was invested in projects with no thought to profit.
8. In the late 90's we began to outsource our customer service jobs to countries like India. We also shifted jobs like computer programming and engineering overseas because it was cheaper. Hundreds of thousands of US manufacturing jobs moved overseas where they don't have to worry about the EPA, OSHA or other burdensome state or federal regulations.
9. In 2000 we elected an inarticulate idiot for President who poured over one trillion dollars into the sands of Iraq and in conjunction with the Republicans and Democrats allowed a financial house of cards to be built on the mortgage industry.
10. In 2008 we elected a new President this one being eloquent; charming; a socialist; and also an idiot. We have spent over 3 trillion in nine months. Now OPEC in conjunction with Japan and China does not even want to use our currency as the standard for procurement of oil.
How do we get out of this? Pray for our leaders and pray for our county. Everything else will follow.
1. We rebuilt industry in Europe and Japan after WWII as a vanguard to stop communism and as a place to sell our goods and services
2. For 40 years we ran our steel industry into the ground ( no preventive maintenance)The mills closed and the rust belt was born.
3. In the 1970s we decided that some industries steel , chemicals, oil production were too dirty so we outsourced the production of those products overseas. We were going to be a service economy and an information economy.
4. In the early 1970s there were two oil embargoes. The American automobile industry was unprepared to produce fuel efficient cars. The American consumer found higher quality and value in Japanese autos and then proceeded to buy their electronics and appliances for the same reasons.
5. There was a plan to turn our vast reserves of coal into gasoline. Our good friends in the middle east talked us out of it.
6. In the late 80's we stopped enforcement of antitrust laws and as a result company's were bought and sold with junk bonds. This produced less competition among fewer companies and many American firms were sold to multinational corporations. Divisions of corporations were sold for the sole intent of a short term profit to the shareholders.
7.In the 90s the Internet and the personal computer industry blossomed as well as the American economy. The bubble was short lived as investment capital was invested in projects with no thought to profit.
8. In the late 90's we began to outsource our customer service jobs to countries like India. We also shifted jobs like computer programming and engineering overseas because it was cheaper. Hundreds of thousands of US manufacturing jobs moved overseas where they don't have to worry about the EPA, OSHA or other burdensome state or federal regulations.
9. In 2000 we elected an inarticulate idiot for President who poured over one trillion dollars into the sands of Iraq and in conjunction with the Republicans and Democrats allowed a financial house of cards to be built on the mortgage industry.
10. In 2008 we elected a new President this one being eloquent; charming; a socialist; and also an idiot. We have spent over 3 trillion in nine months. Now OPEC in conjunction with Japan and China does not even want to use our currency as the standard for procurement of oil.
How do we get out of this? Pray for our leaders and pray for our county. Everything else will follow.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
The AARPing of America
The AARP not a bad deal. You get reduced hotel rates, discounts on dining etc. The membership is about $15 to $20 dollars a year. The membership also buys you membership into the largest political action committee in the United States which has over 40 million members and that is both good and bad.
It seems like yesterday I was watching a 1988 GOP Presidential debate and the subject of Social Security was being discussed. When questioned about monies that had been removed from the trust fund, Bob Dole stated no money had been removed - we had simply given the fund an IOU. No one with any chance of the nomination disagreed with him. The moderator moved on to another subject and I threw dirty socks at the TV.
Pushing the fast forward on our remote let's go to the Presidential debates of 2000 and Al Gore's famous let's put Social Security in a lock box comment. That's right - the magical mythical don't touch the sacred cow lock box that only Social Security lives in.
In 2004 GW wanted to revise Social security and privitate it. No I purposely did no use spell check on the last sentence and that's exactly why no one in their right mind wanted him touching Social Security.
One thing the above had in common is that every few years when the issue of Social Security or Medicare reform comes up the antenna of the AARP anthill go on to full battle protect the queen alert and they get their way. The last time was a couple of years ago when the prescription drug plan was added to Medicare. The plan was approved by Congress with no thoughts to the billions of unfunded liabilities. That's someone else's problem in the future. What was important to the politicians in Washington was getting elected the next time around. Since old people vote in greater numbers and percentage than young people, the AARP usually gets what they want.
Now it is 2009 and the health care debate rages. The Democrats are talking about cutting Medicare and the Republicans are complaining about it. Remembering the quote from the movie "Ghost Busters": "This is Old Testament wrath of God stuff! We're talking about fire and brimstone and dogs living with cats!"
Well, one thing remains constant. No health bill is going to pass without the geezer brigade on board. And that my friends is the ARPPing of America.
It seems like yesterday I was watching a 1988 GOP Presidential debate and the subject of Social Security was being discussed. When questioned about monies that had been removed from the trust fund, Bob Dole stated no money had been removed - we had simply given the fund an IOU. No one with any chance of the nomination disagreed with him. The moderator moved on to another subject and I threw dirty socks at the TV.
Pushing the fast forward on our remote let's go to the Presidential debates of 2000 and Al Gore's famous let's put Social Security in a lock box comment. That's right - the magical mythical don't touch the sacred cow lock box that only Social Security lives in.
In 2004 GW wanted to revise Social security and privitate it. No I purposely did no use spell check on the last sentence and that's exactly why no one in their right mind wanted him touching Social Security.
One thing the above had in common is that every few years when the issue of Social Security or Medicare reform comes up the antenna of the AARP anthill go on to full battle protect the queen alert and they get their way. The last time was a couple of years ago when the prescription drug plan was added to Medicare. The plan was approved by Congress with no thoughts to the billions of unfunded liabilities. That's someone else's problem in the future. What was important to the politicians in Washington was getting elected the next time around. Since old people vote in greater numbers and percentage than young people, the AARP usually gets what they want.
Now it is 2009 and the health care debate rages. The Democrats are talking about cutting Medicare and the Republicans are complaining about it. Remembering the quote from the movie "Ghost Busters": "This is Old Testament wrath of God stuff! We're talking about fire and brimstone and dogs living with cats!"
Well, one thing remains constant. No health bill is going to pass without the geezer brigade on board. And that my friends is the ARPPing of America.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
1975 Chevy's and other lessons
Did I say this blog entry was not about seat belts?
OK the above will make sense as you read this entry. The year was 1975 and my father had just purchased a new car. It gleamed in the sunlight and the blue seat fabric had nearly the look of blue velvet. The car had many good things going about it but one thing my father hated. It seemed the government thought it would be a good idea if all of us wore seat belts. Our Federal Government in their infinite wisdom mandated that all vehicles produced that year come with a mechanism that would not allow the car to start without the seat belts being buckled. I did not have a problem buckling my belt but my father bellowed every time he had to buckle his belt. Eventually my father disabled the electric system associated with the seat belts which would not allow the car to start. This was completely legal as there were no laws mandating seat belt usage. I thought my father was stupid and narrow minded at the time and he seemed to be overly concerned with the government getting in our business. The next model year after much complaint from the buying public the hated devices no longer were installed in new cars.
As time passed I moved and traveled all over the USA and witnessed a metamorphosis regarding seat belt laws and usage.
( Did I tell you this was not about seat belts?)
With pressure from the insurance industry individual states enacted safety belt usage laws. The one thing these laws had in common was the promise that you would never ever get a traffic ticket just for not using your seat belt. You could only get a ticket if you were pulled over for let's say speeding and you would get a second ticket for not wearing your belt.
These laws did not satisfy the insurance industry and the Federal Government used their ability to hold federal highway funds from states to force laws that require mandatory seat belt use. Today we have click it or ticket laws. The point to all of this is the government will always seek to expand its powers if given an opportunity and our freedoms will be slowly removed and so slowly so that we won't take notice or complain. The government can also not be trusted to keep its promises. That is why the promises coming from Washington on health care are deserving of our discernment, questioning , and sarcasm.
There is no "slippery slope" toward loss of liberties, only a long staircase where each step downward must first be tolerated by the American people and their leaders. Alan K. Simpson
By the way this blog entry was not about seat belts nor their use and 35 years latter I think my father was a much smarter man.
Till the next time
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
OK the above will make sense as you read this entry. The year was 1975 and my father had just purchased a new car. It gleamed in the sunlight and the blue seat fabric had nearly the look of blue velvet. The car had many good things going about it but one thing my father hated. It seemed the government thought it would be a good idea if all of us wore seat belts. Our Federal Government in their infinite wisdom mandated that all vehicles produced that year come with a mechanism that would not allow the car to start without the seat belts being buckled. I did not have a problem buckling my belt but my father bellowed every time he had to buckle his belt. Eventually my father disabled the electric system associated with the seat belts which would not allow the car to start. This was completely legal as there were no laws mandating seat belt usage. I thought my father was stupid and narrow minded at the time and he seemed to be overly concerned with the government getting in our business. The next model year after much complaint from the buying public the hated devices no longer were installed in new cars.
As time passed I moved and traveled all over the USA and witnessed a metamorphosis regarding seat belt laws and usage.
( Did I tell you this was not about seat belts?)
With pressure from the insurance industry individual states enacted safety belt usage laws. The one thing these laws had in common was the promise that you would never ever get a traffic ticket just for not using your seat belt. You could only get a ticket if you were pulled over for let's say speeding and you would get a second ticket for not wearing your belt.
These laws did not satisfy the insurance industry and the Federal Government used their ability to hold federal highway funds from states to force laws that require mandatory seat belt use. Today we have click it or ticket laws. The point to all of this is the government will always seek to expand its powers if given an opportunity and our freedoms will be slowly removed and so slowly so that we won't take notice or complain. The government can also not be trusted to keep its promises. That is why the promises coming from Washington on health care are deserving of our discernment, questioning , and sarcasm.
There is no "slippery slope" toward loss of liberties, only a long staircase where each step downward must first be tolerated by the American people and their leaders. Alan K. Simpson
By the way this blog entry was not about seat belts nor their use and 35 years latter I think my father was a much smarter man.
Till the next time
A Voice Crying in the Wilderness
Sunday, August 30, 2009
The next address to the schools coming soon
I can not take credit for this. It was written by a good friend of mine in another state. He had never sent me an email as far as I could remember until today. He is the kind of person who just goes to work pays their taxes and votes every two years. He is a part of the great sleeping giant waking up.
Following is his email
President Obama’s 2ND Address to Students Across America (Coming Soon)
PreK-6 Menu of Classroom Activities: President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
Produced by Teaching Ambassador Comrades, U.S. Department of Education
In the Near Future
Before the Speech:
• Teachers can build background knowledge about subjects very important to the President like the
impending end of the world due to climate change and how some evil people in the country don't want
sick people to be able to see the doctor and get well.
• Motivate students by asking the following questions:
Do you want all the Polar Bears in the World to suffer horribly and die?
Do you want your sick grandma to be thrown out into the street to die?
Do you want to see Mommy or Daddy be fired and be poor because they don't have proper collective
bargaining representation like your teacher does?
Do you worry about all the mean people who don't like the president, who is the only person who
really cares about you and the fate of the world?
• Teachers can ask students to imagine the poor president being bullied by all the mean people who don't
like him because of his color and because he cares. What would you want to be done about the bullies?
• Why is it important that we listen to our government officials who, after all, only have our best interests
at heart and have to make difficult decisions in spite of what some less enlightened people think.
During the Speech:
• As the President speaks, teachers can ask students to write down key ideas or phrases that are important
or personally meaningful.
• As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following:
What can I personally do to help the President battle his bullies?
What might happen if the president isn't allowed to stay in office until his job is done?
After the Speech:
• Encourage Students to share their concerns over what the President has said.
• Encourage Students to share concerns about their friend and families that may not agree with or support
the President and his vision.
• Encourage students to ask their friends and families about their feelings about what the President said
and be prepared to come to class and share these with the class and Teacher. Questions may include but
not limited to:
Do Mommy and Daddy talk bad about the President or disagree with his desire to help the Polar bears
and Grandma?
Do Mommy and Daddy talk bad about the President with their friends and other family members?
Do Mommy or Daddy own any guns?
Do Mommy or Daddy not belong to a Union?
Does Mommy, Daddy or any of your brothers or sisters serve in the Military?
Do Mommy and Daddy have health insurance for you so you won't die if you get sick?
Preparations for the next address to the children:
• Look for the new materials to be released before the next address outlining the new "Concerned Child
Citizen's Program (CCCP) to motivate children to be responsible state citizens and report any concerns
they have about their friends and families attitude towards the President's plans.
• Look for an announcement soon for special summer camps, geared toward preparing children for
national service in organizations like the Americorps, ACORN and the new National Security Service. ( End of EMail)
OK: To be honest I don't think there will be anything objectionable in the President's speech to school children next week. My intuition says the content of the President's speech will be much different than the one he originally planned to give and that's a good thing. That is only because we have raised Cain which is still our right for now. Giving a speech at the beginning of the school year just before a national speech to a joint session of Congress on health care has a stench about it.
In 1991 Bush senior gave a speech to school children and the Democrats complained as
is their right. Please see the following link http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/09/03/flashback-1991-gephardt-called-bushs-speech-students-paid-political-a
I received a flier from my Congressman George Miller today and I agreed with nearly every thing it said regarding health care. The only problem I have no trust in Mr. Miller. That's where we are right now many of us simply don't trust anything that comes from Washington. Stay tuned its going to be interesting.
Following is his email
President Obama’s 2ND Address to Students Across America (Coming Soon)
PreK-6 Menu of Classroom Activities: President Obama’s Address to Students Across America
Produced by Teaching Ambassador Comrades, U.S. Department of Education
In the Near Future
Before the Speech:
• Teachers can build background knowledge about subjects very important to the President like the
impending end of the world due to climate change and how some evil people in the country don't want
sick people to be able to see the doctor and get well.
• Motivate students by asking the following questions:
Do you want all the Polar Bears in the World to suffer horribly and die?
Do you want your sick grandma to be thrown out into the street to die?
Do you want to see Mommy or Daddy be fired and be poor because they don't have proper collective
bargaining representation like your teacher does?
Do you worry about all the mean people who don't like the president, who is the only person who
really cares about you and the fate of the world?
• Teachers can ask students to imagine the poor president being bullied by all the mean people who don't
like him because of his color and because he cares. What would you want to be done about the bullies?
• Why is it important that we listen to our government officials who, after all, only have our best interests
at heart and have to make difficult decisions in spite of what some less enlightened people think.
During the Speech:
• As the President speaks, teachers can ask students to write down key ideas or phrases that are important
or personally meaningful.
• As students listen to the speech, they could think about the following:
What can I personally do to help the President battle his bullies?
What might happen if the president isn't allowed to stay in office until his job is done?
After the Speech:
• Encourage Students to share their concerns over what the President has said.
• Encourage Students to share concerns about their friend and families that may not agree with or support
the President and his vision.
• Encourage students to ask their friends and families about their feelings about what the President said
and be prepared to come to class and share these with the class and Teacher. Questions may include but
not limited to:
Do Mommy and Daddy talk bad about the President or disagree with his desire to help the Polar bears
and Grandma?
Do Mommy and Daddy talk bad about the President with their friends and other family members?
Do Mommy or Daddy own any guns?
Do Mommy or Daddy not belong to a Union?
Does Mommy, Daddy or any of your brothers or sisters serve in the Military?
Do Mommy and Daddy have health insurance for you so you won't die if you get sick?
Preparations for the next address to the children:
• Look for the new materials to be released before the next address outlining the new "Concerned Child
Citizen's Program (CCCP) to motivate children to be responsible state citizens and report any concerns
they have about their friends and families attitude towards the President's plans.
• Look for an announcement soon for special summer camps, geared toward preparing children for
national service in organizations like the Americorps, ACORN and the new National Security Service. ( End of EMail)
OK: To be honest I don't think there will be anything objectionable in the President's speech to school children next week. My intuition says the content of the President's speech will be much different than the one he originally planned to give and that's a good thing. That is only because we have raised Cain which is still our right for now. Giving a speech at the beginning of the school year just before a national speech to a joint session of Congress on health care has a stench about it.
In 1991 Bush senior gave a speech to school children and the Democrats complained as
is their right. Please see the following link http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/09/03/flashback-1991-gephardt-called-bushs-speech-students-paid-political-a
I received a flier from my Congressman George Miller today and I agreed with nearly every thing it said regarding health care. The only problem I have no trust in Mr. Miller. That's where we are right now many of us simply don't trust anything that comes from Washington. Stay tuned its going to be interesting.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
In search of Ronald Reagan
The year was 1980 and the warnings were all around us. If we elected this conservative cowboy the world as we knew it would come to an end. We would surely be the victims of a nuclear Holocaust as the result of a war with the Soviet Union. The children would starve and the elderly would die if this conservative ogre were elected. The intellectuals and the pundits foretold our impeding doom like old testament prophets. Despite all these warnings the American people elected this populist as President. The following eight years were not perfect. The federal budget never once was balanced. The USA however gained so much from this man in his eternal optimism, the championing of the American dream. and the strengthening of national pride, and his good natured wit. You knew where he stood on any issue and after he explained his position you understood what he said whether you agreed with him or not.
In his last speech as President Reagan warned us of an America which felt patriotism but whose citizens lacked a basic knowledge of the history and events which should shape their patriotism. In 1992 Regan gave his last speech in public and as time passed he faded into Alzheimer's. At that time Conservatives began to yearn for his fatherly advice delivered from the bully pulpit. We conservatives have hoped for some time that another politician others would pick up his torch of the conservative movement. Sadly the GOP has lost its roots and for 20 years has been speaking Reaganise while at the same time ignoring the conservative principles he stood for. Yesterday a congresswoman got in trouble for saying Republicans were looking for "The next great white hope". The choice of words was unfortunate but also hit the nail on the head at the same time.
We have looked in hope at Bush SR. , Dan Quayle , Newt, GW, and Sarah only to be disappointed time after time waiting for them to channel the great communicator.
But a funny thing has happened. The other day I heard a person make a comment at a town hall meeting about how it took Obama six months to pick the family dog a much longer time then the Congress has spent in preparing a national overhaul of the insurance system. I said to myself Reagan would have been proud of that comment and then it struck me. The average Jane and John Doe have picked up the football and are running with it. We can't wait for someone else to do it. And the same as 20 years ago we conservatives are now labeled as neanderthals , and hate mongers lacking the common sense to do what Big Brother demands. Look across America and search no more. The spirit of Ronald Reagan is alive and well. Somewhere I am sure the Gipper is riding high in the saddle across the plains of Heaven with a big smile on his face.
In his last speech as President Reagan warned us of an America which felt patriotism but whose citizens lacked a basic knowledge of the history and events which should shape their patriotism. In 1992 Regan gave his last speech in public and as time passed he faded into Alzheimer's. At that time Conservatives began to yearn for his fatherly advice delivered from the bully pulpit. We conservatives have hoped for some time that another politician others would pick up his torch of the conservative movement. Sadly the GOP has lost its roots and for 20 years has been speaking Reaganise while at the same time ignoring the conservative principles he stood for. Yesterday a congresswoman got in trouble for saying Republicans were looking for "The next great white hope". The choice of words was unfortunate but also hit the nail on the head at the same time.
We have looked in hope at Bush SR. , Dan Quayle , Newt, GW, and Sarah only to be disappointed time after time waiting for them to channel the great communicator.
But a funny thing has happened. The other day I heard a person make a comment at a town hall meeting about how it took Obama six months to pick the family dog a much longer time then the Congress has spent in preparing a national overhaul of the insurance system. I said to myself Reagan would have been proud of that comment and then it struck me. The average Jane and John Doe have picked up the football and are running with it. We can't wait for someone else to do it. And the same as 20 years ago we conservatives are now labeled as neanderthals , and hate mongers lacking the common sense to do what Big Brother demands. Look across America and search no more. The spirit of Ronald Reagan is alive and well. Somewhere I am sure the Gipper is riding high in the saddle across the plains of Heaven with a big smile on his face.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
If you had a protest in the forest would any one hear you?
Last Friday something amazing happened just across from the ferry terminal in San Francisco. The Bay Area Patriots organization held a " town hall " meeting to protest the fact that Nancy Pelosi has not scheduled any town hall meetings during the Congressional recess. This protest was just down the street from all the local television stations and the San Francisco Chronicle yet zero coverage was given. I did see on one local news telecasts where a group of about 30 gray panther types marched in Oakland for health care reform on the same day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKPHMAe93q0
A little over a week ago Nancy Pelosi was interviewed by the Chronicle and was asked if she thought the protests against health care reform at town hall meetings were part of a grass roots movement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gsc_R12Q-4
This quote appeared nowhere in the Chronicle but fortunately was captured on camera and put immediately on You Tube. I mentioned this comment by the speaker to a young lady at work named Megan who is of liberal persuasion. She had not heard the comment and appeared to be visibly shaken after hearing it. Were you?
The Chronicle which is running on the edge of bankruptcy could have certainly sold a few more papers or gained more web traffic with the above quote in its headline. You may ask why not report the news isn't that their job? This quote like the protest must have occurred in a forest as far as the old media was concerned. What is not reported is not heard. What is never heard never happened. A free press shackled to silence as it serves in slavery to the liberal establishment. Mr. Pulitzer is rolling in his grave.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKPHMAe93q0
A little over a week ago Nancy Pelosi was interviewed by the Chronicle and was asked if she thought the protests against health care reform at town hall meetings were part of a grass roots movement.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gsc_R12Q-4
This quote appeared nowhere in the Chronicle but fortunately was captured on camera and put immediately on You Tube. I mentioned this comment by the speaker to a young lady at work named Megan who is of liberal persuasion. She had not heard the comment and appeared to be visibly shaken after hearing it. Were you?
The Chronicle which is running on the edge of bankruptcy could have certainly sold a few more papers or gained more web traffic with the above quote in its headline. You may ask why not report the news isn't that their job? This quote like the protest must have occurred in a forest as far as the old media was concerned. What is not reported is not heard. What is never heard never happened. A free press shackled to silence as it serves in slavery to the liberal establishment. Mr. Pulitzer is rolling in his grave.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
A Voice In the Wilderness
A Voice In the Wilderness
OK I am 52 years old. Why start a blog you may ask? Well for one thing I saw the movie Julie and Julia last weekend and I was inspired. For another reason I have ideas though sometimes they are hair brained and I want to express them. The traditional outlets for political thoughts from the citizenry are letters to the editors of newspapers. The newspapers are like the giant woolly mammoths who died in the ice age the newspapers as is the rest of the old media is retreating into extinction.
Recently I have tried several times to send a letters on various issues to papers throughout the state of CA. In most instances your letter can only be published if you are responding directly to an editorial expressed in that paper and in many other instances you are limited to less than 200 words in your letter. I must admit that most of my letters have only been published in my local town's paper the Vallejo Times Herald. I have felt like a voice crying in the wilderness ( although I refuse to wear bearskins and eat locusts).
Our political leaders are not listening to us and the old media wishes people like me would just be quiet. I am not a soldier in the mindless army of the beltway GOP but my views tend to be conservative. The name I have chosen for my blog is Barbarians at the Gates. Like the latter days of ancient Rome the USA is a great nation with an increasingly corrupt political system. We have many enemies surrounding us who want to plunder our wealth and we are less and less self sufficient in producing our own products and services.
From time to time I have posted some of my rants to my Face book friends. I know this was not the best format and that is why I am sending this link to you. I am not asking you to agree with me but to pass it on to thinking people both liberal and conservative. To those of you who know me personally I thank you in your prayer and support in this endeavor. I hope I can bring some thought and some humor into all our lives.
OK I am 52 years old. Why start a blog you may ask? Well for one thing I saw the movie Julie and Julia last weekend and I was inspired. For another reason I have ideas though sometimes they are hair brained and I want to express them. The traditional outlets for political thoughts from the citizenry are letters to the editors of newspapers. The newspapers are like the giant woolly mammoths who died in the ice age the newspapers as is the rest of the old media is retreating into extinction.
Recently I have tried several times to send a letters on various issues to papers throughout the state of CA. In most instances your letter can only be published if you are responding directly to an editorial expressed in that paper and in many other instances you are limited to less than 200 words in your letter. I must admit that most of my letters have only been published in my local town's paper the Vallejo Times Herald. I have felt like a voice crying in the wilderness ( although I refuse to wear bearskins and eat locusts).
Our political leaders are not listening to us and the old media wishes people like me would just be quiet. I am not a soldier in the mindless army of the beltway GOP but my views tend to be conservative. The name I have chosen for my blog is Barbarians at the Gates. Like the latter days of ancient Rome the USA is a great nation with an increasingly corrupt political system. We have many enemies surrounding us who want to plunder our wealth and we are less and less self sufficient in producing our own products and services.
From time to time I have posted some of my rants to my Face book friends. I know this was not the best format and that is why I am sending this link to you. I am not asking you to agree with me but to pass it on to thinking people both liberal and conservative. To those of you who know me personally I thank you in your prayer and support in this endeavor. I hope I can bring some thought and some humor into all our lives.
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