Elephants are strong and have been utilized as beasts of burden in Asia for as long as we know. Elephants are also short sited , are known for their long memory and also can also be short tempered. A logging elephant can slam its master to the ground after the master has fed and taken care of the beast for decades.
Yes I am using an elephant as an analogy for the GOP. For you see this election cycle the elephant has a new master in the members of the tea party. The beast bears additional burdens this election cycle in that its new masters actually expect the elephant to be happy with less. That is less government , less taxes and less pork.
Many of the elephant herd long for the past when the rhetoric ran deep and things were much simpler. Just until recently you could trumpet an anti flag burning amendment in the morning and after lunch with the lobbyist there was still plenty of time to add earmarks to the appropriations bill.
Trust me I have no ambition to ride an elephant but I am left with no choice. It is the only animal capable of performing the hard work needing to be done this November. The question is will the beast serve its new master or throw us to the ground.
A Voice In the Wilderness
PS I have re-posted my posting The Big Brass Elephant from last year for historical reference .
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
The Big Brass Elephant
This is a repost of a Blog entry from November of 2009.
Going to the Dentist , an appointment at the DMV, deciding to volunteer for the local Republican Party . You may ask why should volunteering for the GOP be listed these other activities.
Well lets go back in time.
The year was 1974 and my father and I were visiting in Ashland, Ky. My father had worked away from home for several months, as he often did, and stayed at a boarding house in Ashland. My father wanted me to meet the lady who owned the house. When I met the lady, she was a little grumpy. It seems as she had donated quite a bit of money to a GOP US Senate candidate in KY who had been just beaten in the general election. Upon her coffee table stood a large brass elephant with the words GOP on the side of it.
Going to the Dentist , an appointment at the DMV, deciding to volunteer for the local Republican Party . You may ask why should volunteering for the GOP be listed these other activities.
Well lets go back in time.
The year was 1974 and my father and I were visiting in Ashland, Ky. My father had worked away from home for several months, as he often did, and stayed at a boarding house in Ashland. My father wanted me to meet the lady who owned the house. When I met the lady, she was a little grumpy. It seems as she had donated quite a bit of money to a GOP US Senate candidate in KY who had been just beaten in the general election. Upon her coffee table stood a large brass elephant with the words GOP on the side of it.
Flash forward 20 years to 1995 . I remember my late father-in-law was a benefactor of the GOP , and as a result his evenings were often interrupted with phone calls to donate to the GOP and his mailbox filled with surveys from the national committee. These surveys were loaded with leading questions that somehow were supposed to make you think that you - John Q Public- were actually contributing to the party's ideology. The GOP still sends these surveys to my wife in envelopes with big stamps stating URGENT SURVEY ENCLOSED IF YOU DON"T OPEN THE EARTH WILL CRASH INTO THE SUN. OK that was an exaggeration but not much. I shared the Big Brass Elephant story with my wife and it became an analogy to people who gave too much to the GOP and got little in return.
I just took a Zogby poll and it asked me if I was embarrassed to have Barack Obama as my President to which I answered yes. Had the same question been asked two years ago I would have responded the same about GW. But now I feel now I am actually scared for our Republic and need to do more.
I have been flirting with getting involved with politics on a local level for quite a while and went to a local GOP meeting. But there is a problem after attending, I am not interested in a group ran by Roberts Rules of Order nor listening to committee reports. That is why I never was a PTA member and I have trouble being part of some religious organizations I suppose I am too much of a rebel ,a Teddy Roosevelt /Sarah Palin Bull Moose Republican. I will continue to express my thoughts and ideas to those who will listen. I will continue to speak to the deaf in the hopes their ears will open . I suppose I will never earn the coveted Big Brass Elephant.
I will continue to be a voice crying in the wilderness.. .
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Liar Liar Pants on Fire
Mark Twain said it best " There are liars, dammed liars and statistics. I had the experience recently of visiting Progressive Hell, a city council meeting in a small liberal leaning northern CA city. The following is my letter to the editor to local newspapers regarding that experience. The arrogance of liberalism filled the air that evening. It is a stench I will not soon forget,
On 6-1-2010, I had the privilege of addressing the Benicia City Council. The City of Benicia was considering passing a resolution in opposition to the California Jobs Initiative which will place the new environmental law AB32 on hold until unemployment reaches levels below 5.5%. Many Californians, including myself, believe that the implementation of AB32 will place massive tax hikes and regulations on our state and will increase unemployment which is already in excess of 12%.
I must admit as I am a citizen of Vallejo and I really had no business speaking at a Benicia City Council meeting. However, I also feel the City of Benicia had no business weighing in on a state ballot initiative issue. I had no choice other than to publicly express my opposition to the resolution as I feel the implementation of AB32 will directly affect my ability to make a living.
The Mayor started the meeting stating how important it was to retain decorum and not to make arguments personal.
I gave a speech and quoted several sources including the Orange County Register and the New York Times. After myself and another conservative gave our speeches, the mayor stated, for the record, the we did not tell the truth and that she doubted one of my sources was actually the New York Times. I have provided links for all my sources included in my speech including the New York Times one at the bottom of this correspondence.
I am known as a man of integrity at work and in my public life. I was shocked at the mayor's comments. These comments would not be acceptable in the business environment in which I work. Just because you say is a person is not telling the truth with a smile and a smirk does not make it acceptable. In addition another Council member made a condescending statement concerning chemistry and CO2 emissions. I can assure you this graduate of West Virginia Institute of Technology hardly needs a lecture in chemistry. In fact, all scientists agree mankind creates CO2 emissions. The difference in opinion between scientists is in the amounts of CO2 thought to be produced by man and the overall effect on global temperatures.
It was a shame I did not get to quote or discuss one additional source that night. The Times of London stated the following in an article on 5-31-2010:
"Britain’s premier scientific institution, the Royal Society of Science, is being forced to review its statements on climate change after a rebellion by members who question mankind’s contribution to rising temperatures. The Royal Society has appointed a panel to rewrite the 350-year-old institution’s official position on global warming. It will publish a new “Guide to the Science of Climate Change” this summer. The society has been accused by 43 of its Fellows of refusing to accept dissenting views on climate change and exaggerating the degree of certainty that man-made emissions are the main cause.The society appears to have conceded that it needs to correct previous statements. A statement released by the Royal Society said: “Any public perception that science is somehow fully settled is wholly incorrect — there is always room for new observations, theories, measurements.”
The Royal Society of Science is equivalent to our National Academy of Science and they have admitted they do not have sufficient scientific data to make a definitive judgment on global warming. If they can not make such a judgment, then I doubt the Benicia City Council can. Unfortunately, the truth is often "inconvenient" and the Benicia City Council approved the resolution.
A Voice In The Wilderness
Source 1: Vallejo Times Herald- Rising oceans a threat- Tony Burchyns 3-18-2009
Source 2: Orange County Register- What to say to a global warming alarmist-Mark Landsbaum 2-12-2010
Source 3: Orange County Register- Why California firms move to Colorado Springs-Jan Norman 5-13-2010
Source 4: New York Times- Climate fears turn to doubts among Britons- Elisabeth Rosenthal- 5-23-2010
Source 5: The London Times- Rebel scientists force Royal Society to accept climate change skepticism-Ben Webster 5-31-2010
On 6-1-2010, I had the privilege of addressing the Benicia City Council. The City of Benicia was considering passing a resolution in opposition to the California Jobs Initiative which will place the new environmental law AB32 on hold until unemployment reaches levels below 5.5%. Many Californians, including myself, believe that the implementation of AB32 will place massive tax hikes and regulations on our state and will increase unemployment which is already in excess of 12%.
I must admit as I am a citizen of Vallejo and I really had no business speaking at a Benicia City Council meeting. However, I also feel the City of Benicia had no business weighing in on a state ballot initiative issue. I had no choice other than to publicly express my opposition to the resolution as I feel the implementation of AB32 will directly affect my ability to make a living.
The Mayor started the meeting stating how important it was to retain decorum and not to make arguments personal.
I gave a speech and quoted several sources including the Orange County Register and the New York Times. After myself and another conservative gave our speeches, the mayor stated, for the record, the we did not tell the truth and that she doubted one of my sources was actually the New York Times. I have provided links for all my sources included in my speech including the New York Times one at the bottom of this correspondence.
I am known as a man of integrity at work and in my public life. I was shocked at the mayor's comments. These comments would not be acceptable in the business environment in which I work. Just because you say is a person is not telling the truth with a smile and a smirk does not make it acceptable. In addition another Council member made a condescending statement concerning chemistry and CO2 emissions. I can assure you this graduate of West Virginia Institute of Technology hardly needs a lecture in chemistry. In fact, all scientists agree mankind creates CO2 emissions. The difference in opinion between scientists is in the amounts of CO2 thought to be produced by man and the overall effect on global temperatures.
It was a shame I did not get to quote or discuss one additional source that night. The Times of London stated the following in an article on 5-31-2010:
"Britain’s premier scientific institution, the Royal Society of Science, is being forced to review its statements on climate change after a rebellion by members who question mankind’s contribution to rising temperatures. The Royal Society has appointed a panel to rewrite the 350-year-old institution’s official position on global warming. It will publish a new “Guide to the Science of Climate Change” this summer. The society has been accused by 43 of its Fellows of refusing to accept dissenting views on climate change and exaggerating the degree of certainty that man-made emissions are the main cause.The society appears to have conceded that it needs to correct previous statements. A statement released by the Royal Society said: “Any public perception that science is somehow fully settled is wholly incorrect — there is always room for new observations, theories, measurements.”
The Royal Society of Science is equivalent to our National Academy of Science and they have admitted they do not have sufficient scientific data to make a definitive judgment on global warming. If they can not make such a judgment, then I doubt the Benicia City Council can. Unfortunately, the truth is often "inconvenient" and the Benicia City Council approved the resolution.
A Voice In The Wilderness
Source 1: Vallejo Times Herald- Rising oceans a threat- Tony Burchyns 3-18-2009
Source 2: Orange County Register- What to say to a global warming alarmist-Mark Landsbaum 2-12-2010
Source 3: Orange County Register- Why California firms move to Colorado Springs-Jan Norman 5-13-2010
Source 4: New York Times- Climate fears turn to doubts among Britons- Elisabeth Rosenthal- 5-23-2010
Source 5: The London Times- Rebel scientists force Royal Society to accept climate change skepticism-Ben Webster 5-31-2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
A Fallen Giant
You may have noticed my production of BLOG posts is slowing down. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is I am blessed to be extremely busy at work. The second reason is not so great you see my big brother died two weeks ago.
My brother was a giant of a man 6-6 tall , an honorable mention high school All American in basketball and and a champion power lifter. He was a general superintendent on huge power construction projects and directed thousands of men building them. He traveled all over the US and worked in the extreme cold and heat on the modern American frontier in such garden spots as Rock Springs WY and Farmington NM.
My brother and his family settled in Philadelphia and in 1988 he worked on his last power project. The power construction industry died along with the growth of the American economy in the late 1980s. My brother worked numerous jobs over the next 22 years and at one time cleaned office buildings to make a living. It really makes me mad when I hear someone talk about " The jobs Americans won't do". Although the house they purchased was in an upper middle class neighborhood the public school district it was in was not. His children attended private schools to keep them safe from the gangs and drugs that were bussed into their neighborhood from the inner city. All the while he was being heavily taxed for inferior local public schools. Needless to say they struggled to pay their bills but they were paid.
My brother definitely had the gift of gab and was a charmer. He was a natural born salesman and could sell hamburgers to the Hindus. He moved into construction marketing and managed to sell 10s of millions in construction projects for the firms he worked for.
But 12 years ago something happened, my brother developed a debilitating decease known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Don't worry you won't find this disease in the approved list of AMA diseases. My brother grew sicker and sicker lost weight and eventually became a walking skeleton. He grew deathly ill around certain chemicals and smells and developed nausea .The Dr's whom he visited were unable to treat his ailment let alone his symptoms. Over the years my brothers world became smaller and smaller until the point that he was reduced to living and sleeping in his living room. He to an extent became a type of " bubble boy". His marriage suffered and eventually he was separated from his wife.
Despite his chronic disease he still managed to sell massive amounts of construction until late 2008. That was when and we were hit with TARP Wall Street bailouts and a massive heart attack to the American economy. My brother was 64 years old laid off and had little savings and was chronically ill. He lost his health insurance with his job and he was too young for Medicare. I offered for him to move in with me in CA but he refused. He finally ran out of hope last week and took his life.
My brother played by the rules , paid his taxes and lived a good life. He was the kind of person no one would have resented helping but no one did. He was a poster child for health care reform but my brother would have vehemently disagreed with the monstrosity passed by Congress masquerading as health care reform.
A Giant has fallen deafly in the woods .
A Voice Crying
My brother was a giant of a man 6-6 tall , an honorable mention high school All American in basketball and and a champion power lifter. He was a general superintendent on huge power construction projects and directed thousands of men building them. He traveled all over the US and worked in the extreme cold and heat on the modern American frontier in such garden spots as Rock Springs WY and Farmington NM.
My brother and his family settled in Philadelphia and in 1988 he worked on his last power project. The power construction industry died along with the growth of the American economy in the late 1980s. My brother worked numerous jobs over the next 22 years and at one time cleaned office buildings to make a living. It really makes me mad when I hear someone talk about " The jobs Americans won't do". Although the house they purchased was in an upper middle class neighborhood the public school district it was in was not. His children attended private schools to keep them safe from the gangs and drugs that were bussed into their neighborhood from the inner city. All the while he was being heavily taxed for inferior local public schools. Needless to say they struggled to pay their bills but they were paid.
My brother definitely had the gift of gab and was a charmer. He was a natural born salesman and could sell hamburgers to the Hindus. He moved into construction marketing and managed to sell 10s of millions in construction projects for the firms he worked for.
But 12 years ago something happened, my brother developed a debilitating decease known as Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Don't worry you won't find this disease in the approved list of AMA diseases. My brother grew sicker and sicker lost weight and eventually became a walking skeleton. He grew deathly ill around certain chemicals and smells and developed nausea .The Dr's whom he visited were unable to treat his ailment let alone his symptoms. Over the years my brothers world became smaller and smaller until the point that he was reduced to living and sleeping in his living room. He to an extent became a type of " bubble boy". His marriage suffered and eventually he was separated from his wife.
Despite his chronic disease he still managed to sell massive amounts of construction until late 2008. That was when and we were hit with TARP Wall Street bailouts and a massive heart attack to the American economy. My brother was 64 years old laid off and had little savings and was chronically ill. He lost his health insurance with his job and he was too young for Medicare. I offered for him to move in with me in CA but he refused. He finally ran out of hope last week and took his life.
My brother played by the rules , paid his taxes and lived a good life. He was the kind of person no one would have resented helping but no one did. He was a poster child for health care reform but my brother would have vehemently disagreed with the monstrosity passed by Congress masquerading as health care reform.
A Giant has fallen deafly in the woods .
A Voice Crying
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