Whether you think it’s necessary to get out of Iraq RIGHT NOW before we’ve finished clean-up duties or not, you are likely still an American if you stop by here once in a while.  If you are not, you at least have an interest in peeking in once in a while to see what an American is thinking once in a while.

I live with a former soldier.  My brother is a soldier.  His son is training to be a soldier.  My cousins and uncles are soldiers.  I know the heart of a soldier.  A real soldier who is in it for his love of this country and not just for college tuition.  Here, if you have less than two minutes, is a real soldier talking from the heart.  Disregard the endorsement if you want.  But he speaks for all the true soldiers I have ever met and lived with when it comes to the mission and love of country.  I hope you find it within yourself to at least listen to what he has to say.

Here’s the link.

We corresponded with an Apache helicopter crew chief in 2005, and trust me…he was in it.  Here is a link to that post with excerpts to his letter written during down time to The Boy.

I think sometimes we lose sight of the daily sacrifices our soldiers make to protect our freedom.  I would hate to see their resources cut.  Their lives depend on the support they get while in theater.

“I will rebuild our military.”

Yes, I watched parts of the grand advertisement to see if he had anything new to say or actual detailed information other than general comments about budget cutting to back up all his new programs.

But seriously….he’ll rebuild our military?  Is there any sane person out there who actually believes that, given that he’s vowed to cut many programs and in recent days Barney Franks said they’ve got a 25% defense cut in the works?

In a meeting with the editorial board of The Standard-Times, Rep. Frank, D-Mass., also called for a 25 percent cut in military spending, saying the Pentagon has to start choosing from its many weapons programs, and that upper-income taxpayers are going to see an increase in what they are asked to pay.

Full article for your review here.

Really?  Was that a serious promise?  He’ll rebuild our military?  I don’t think so…..but sadly, some will believe it.

Okay, so I was trying to wrap my head around the fact that we will likely be well on the road to living in a country where increasingly, the government makes more of our decisions for us.  This will range from the government taking what they consider to be excessive wealth and spending it as they please via income redistribution to those that don’t pay income taxes or whatever else they want to spend it on – to deciding how much health care and which kind we should provide our kids and employees – to defunding the military by 25% at least and instead spending the money on failed social programs – to telling us how we should think about energy, the environment, to taking us at least another trillion dollars into debt to expand our government to astronomical proportions, etc.

I’m left wondering where it will end, if the worst happens and the socio-marxists democrats control both legislative houses and sit in the big chair?  What other decisions will they take out of our hands?  I recall information coming out of the Soviet Union where the government decided what goods were made available to the working class in the shops, and there was an abundance of men’s work shoes but no flour, sugar, milk, salt to cook a meal with.  And long, long, long lines for the few goods that were of use to the people.

Choices, choices…we all want choices and change.  But with increased government, we get less choice and less control over our own lives.  It’s just a fact.

Could we be that far away from the government deciding which produce is best for us and which is not?  Which pastries and which not?  I know The One truly enjoys a good sweet potato pie…you can see him talking about it here.

One has to ask oneself – if both the legislative and executive branches have total control over where we go as a nation….

“But what if I don’t like sweet potato pie?”

Sounding very professorial regarding the constitution, it’s clear that in The One’s early political career the seeds of wealth redistribution were already sown…in my view by whom he was spending his time with but that’s neither here nor there.  Here are some excerpts:

…….the issues of redistribution of wealth..basic issues of economic wealth in society….it doesn’t say what the ….government must do on your behalf.  One of the tragedies of the civil rights movement….there was a tendency to lose track of the…activities on the ground…that were actually able to bring about redistributive change….

And here is the link which contains his earlier comments in 2001 and his most recent comments.  Of course, if you think it’s “more fair” to tax some people in order to cut checks to others to spend on whatever, then you won’t find this distrubing.

But if you’re like me and you’ve been looking into this whole redistribution policy and where it came from (the phrase “From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs” keeps coming to mind), which now appears to be centered on using means outside of the courts and the constitution to accomplish the goal, the more disturbed you are about just where he intends to take the country.

And then of course there’s the Biden interview in Florida.  Where the order of the day seemed to be – if they ask you something that might be true, then just lie.

We haven’t paid ACORN a single penny to register a single voter…..he is not spreading the wealth around….

Oookaaayyy…whatever.  Lie, then cut off all interviews with the station asking the tough questions.  I was glad to see that interview, and although it did cost the reporter any further interviews, at least it gave us a look into how Biden and the campaign would handle tough questions….lie, then stop talking.

Wonderful.

Hey, I’m under no illusions that I’ll change anybody’s mind here but facts are stubborn things and the Wall Street Journal lays them out rather nicely here.

The Tax Foundation estimates that under the Obama plan 63 million Americans, or 44% of all tax filers, would have no income tax liability and most of those would get a check from the IRS each year. The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis estimates that by 2011, under the Obama plan, an additional 10 million filers would pay zero taxes while cashing checks from the IRS.

The total annual expenditures on refundable “tax credits” would rise over the next 10 years by $647 billion to $1.054 trillion, according to the Tax Policy Center. This means that the tax-credit welfare state would soon cost four times actual cash welfare. By redefining such income payments as “tax credits,” the Obama campaign also redefines them away as a tax share of GDP. Presto, the federal tax burden looks much smaller than it really is.

Some families with an income of $40,000 could lose up to 40 cents in vanishing credits for every additional dollar earned from working overtime or taking a new job. As public policy, this is contradictory. The tax credits are sold in the name of “making work pay,” but in practice they can be a disincentive to working harder, especially if you’re a lower-income couple getting raises of $1,000 or $2,000 a year.

Those are the highlights.  But go take a look at the link, which also compares McCain’s Health Care tax credit and how it is different.

Facts are stubborn things….

Looking over my past few (okay, several) posts, it appears I have had only one subject to post on.  In an effort to get back to my roots of random posts on random subjects, I have a list which contains (mostly) nonpolitical thoughts.  I think I can speak for all of us when I say this is probably a good thing.

1.  I have been doing laundry since eight o’clock.

2.  I am on my fifth load, and it is only 11 o’clock.

3.  I….have discovered…THE SPEED CYCLE!!!

4.  If you are like me, and recently purchased a front loading washer (yes I know…hard to believe…I did the right thing for the environment) you know that they add much time to your laundry duties.

5.  However…if you have a load of let’s say…jeans….that have been worn but have no apparant stains….you can use….THE SPEED CYCLE!

6.  Which….more than 30 minutes shorter…hello?!

7.  So I am happily awaiting my fifth load out of the washer while getting ready to mix my fourth drink.

8.  Could life BE any better?

9.  I have not worked since The Boy was in the middle of 2nd grade.

10.  SINCE THE MIDDLE OF SECOND GRADE!

11.  He is now well into his 9th grade year.

12.  Could it be possible that I have not worked for seven years, while I was (mostly) gainfully employed for the 22 years prior and now qualify for full social security benefits?

13.  Yup.  I guess I’m officially a “stay-at-home” or whatever….

14.  But…in the past seven years I’ve been to London and Ireland and Argentina (three times)..and we’ve taken trips back home to WI and to D.C. and had loads of family time.

15.  And…I’ve created some beautiful drapes, which…I am NOT Martha Steward but I discovered having custom windows there’s a downside which requires sweat equity if you want to have cool drapes.

16.  So I did that.  Just two more rooms to go.

17.  I’m so glad I’m not working because really we only have three more years with The Boy before college (unless he grauates early which is a strong possiblity).

18.  Speaking of The Boy….he has decided that the thing we need to do is get rid of all regulations and let businesses fail where they may and that although it will be rough for a couple years we will all come out of it for the better with better products and services and a true free market economy.

19.  Yup….it appears he leans Libertarian.

20.  But…he’s for McCain because “He stood up to torture.”

21.  As you know by know, I can’t argue with that.

22.  That’s it for politics…that wasn’t so bad, was it?

23.  Damn…the washer just dinged.  Time to switch the last load and make the last drink.

24.  Peace out.

P.S.  The Boy got a trophy at last weekend’s debate tournament.  WAY cool.

Whether you agree with the guy or not, he does have some interesting points.

Go take a look if you have time.  It’s only one page.

You betcha!  It appears the Dem’s are now so confident they will make a clean sweep, they’re comfortable in being totally honest about the fact they will have to increase the deficit and raise taxes even more than The One has promised.  Well, if you’re gonna send free money to “tax payers” AND grow the government, I guess they realize that even with more taxes, they will grow the deficit.

Based on his interview with CNBC yesterday, you can’t say Barney Frank is not being honest about what they’re gonna do.  It’s about a fifteen minute piece, but it gives us a good view of where the Dem’s want to take us.  I don’t know about you, but I don’t wanna go there.  You can see the full video here.

I do think at this point there needs to be a focus on an immediate increase in spending…deficit fear has to take a second seat…I believe later on there oughta be tax increases…..

Maybe I’m dense….but if you need to bring in more tax revenue to cover income redistribution, more government, and deficit spending and raising taxes brings in LESS revenue (history proves this)…how is that ever supposed to work?  Do they really think people are that stupid?

Well, maybe they are.  We’ll have to wait and see if this is really what people are looking for in their Congressional leaders, who actually pass the legislation that determines how THEY will spend OUR money.  Remember, it’s our money.  Not theirs. Well…at least it’s money that some citizens have paid into the system anyway.

There’s positive change and there’s negative change.  Everyone has to decide for themselves the definition of each when they go to the polls.

It MUST be five o’clock somewhere….now, where did I put that Vodka?

It was the first day of early voting here in Texas.  I stood in line for almost an hour to cast my ballot.  It was the longest line I’ve ever seen for early voting in the middle of the day.

Right behind me in line was a Vietnam vet.  He lived through the war, coming home, and the Carter years.  It was the most informative, worth-while 45 minutes I’ve spent in a really long time.  He gave me a good view of what it was like to have taxes raised during a down turn, how veterans were treated, etc. during those years.

Choices have consequences.

Elections have consequences as they are a result of the people’s choice.

The problem is many who are voting in this election don’t care to find out what the other side has to say or what they really intend to do.

CHANGE…we all want CHANGE.

Two years ago, many voted for CHANGE when they gave the democrats the majority in Congress.  So….how did that work out for us?  Let’s see…hmmmmm….in the past two years:

1.  Consumer confidence has plummeted.

2.  Gas prices have not been very good; better lately but they were really bad a few months ago – didn’t Nancy Pelosi say she was going to do something about that?

3.  Unemployment has increased 10%.

4.  Home equity has dropped to the tune of $12 trillion dollars and prices have not hit bottom yet.

5.  1% of Americans are in foreclosure.

6.  The DOW has dropped more than four thousand points – that’s right, more than four thousand since Pelosi took control of the House and Reid too control of the Senate.

7.  Five trillion dollars have evaporated from the market.  Money that cannot be redistributed to others that have not worked for it…oh well, I guess there’s always a silver lining….

Oh, I long for the days when:

1.  Consumer confidence stood at a 2 1/2 year high.

2.  Regular gas sold for $2.19 per gallon.

3.  The unemployment rate was 4.5%.

4.  The DOW was up over 14,000 – a record level.

5.  Americans were buying new cars, taking cruises, going overseas on vacation….life was good.

Yes, I’m all for change.  Change BACK to having people in Congress that do things that will grow instead of hurt our economy, keep our troops safe, and protect our shores.  Also change that will make a difference in actually seeing bi-partisan legislation make it to the President’s desk..legislation we can ALL get behind.

I don’t think I have to tell you how I voted today….

Of course, like many thinking Americans, it’s really hard for me to get past the fact that ACORN has been using our money to commit voter registration fraud on an unprecedented level.  Add in the fact that one of the key states (Ohio) has someone in charge that estimates at least 200,000 of the ACORN submitted ballots are likely fraudulent and refuses to do anything about it, and it expands my worry level on this exponentially.

We all know Obama has ties with ACORN and that every step of the way he’s tried to hide just how deep his past and current relationship to the group is.  But for me, the fact he used campaign dollars to the tune of $832,000 to gain “votes” from Ohio and other swing states during this election cycle gives us some indication the ties are still there.

Hey, I’m all for helping groups get into the community and help those down on their luck get into low income housing.  That’s a good thing.  And I do think ACORN does some of this with those tax dollars.  But wide-scale voter registration fraud using federal funds is a whole different deal.

I wonder if there would be a way to drill down and see just how many of the $31 million of our (yours and mine…those of us who actually pay taxes) tax dollars ACORN received in federal funds for different projects actually went to provide low-income housing, which is what most of their federal funds were supposed to cover.  I wonder how people would feel about them then?

Just a thought….

P.S.  If you still think Obama’s ties to ACORN are not troubling or even relevant, go look at this video of the promises he made to have those “honest” people at ACORN help him shape his agenda – even before he gets innaugurated.  I’m just sayin’.  They always say just be glad you’re not getting all the government you’re taxpayers are paying for.