A Bit of Advice for Democrats

 Thank you, Tim Walz, for your unintentional humor this morning.  When I read the story about Kamala choosing him so he could "code talk to white guys" I laughed out loud.  

Before I retired, I worked for a company that managed the wellness program of a large international oil company.  In my capacity, I came into contact with all levels of the company, from vice presidents to the roughnecks working offshore and everything in between.  There's no secret to communicating with them.  Simply respect them as human beings, treat them kindly and most important, be authentic.  In other words, don't try to pretend to be something you are not.  

Democrats treat white men, especially blue collar guys, as some alien species that has its own language and they must crack the code.  The problem as I see it is that Democrats are always pretending to be something they're not.  Some of them change their accents and the way they speak, depending on the audience which they are addressing.  On the other hand, if Dems honestly showed who they really are, the majority of Americans would never vote for them.  They simply don't understand the vast majority of Americans, and I hope they remain out of power for at least the rest of my life.  

 A Mass Delusion

A segment of our society has reached a level of insanity that defies explanation and common sense.  They seem to be living in a self-delusional state, for what purpose I cannot discern.  The young people of this country are the most vulnerable to the damage and personal confusion this minority is wreaking.

I'm speaking of the transgender "craze" and especially the insanity of allowing biological males to compete against biological females.  One case is front and center at the moment, i.e., the male swimmer at Penn who identifies as a female.  He's being allowed to compete on the women's team and needless to say, he's breaking records as a "woman".  This is grossly unfair to both the women on his own team, as well as the teams against which they compete.  

Let's consider a few undeniable biological facts.  First, men generally are bigger than women, they have greater muscle mass, larger hearts and lungs, and more blood volume.  This all translates to a physical advantage over women, especially in those sports requiring speed and strength.  It makes no difference what the male "identifies" as; chromosomally and biologically, he's a male.  

Where are the so-called feminists in this?  If they really cared about women's rights, shouldn't they be speaking up on behalf of the disadvantaged females who are being forced to compete against men?  I have a suspicion that they're staying quiet because to speak up would be an admission that men and women are basically different and when it comes to physical activity, men have a decided advantage.  

One can only hope and pray that this delusion will meet its demise very soon.  A society that tries to promote untenable propositions on its citizens is a society that is mentally unhealthy.  People must stand up to this immoral idiocy, speak common sense, and remain courageous against the castigations sure to come their way.

 A Biden Presidency Scares Me

For the first time in my life, I'm scared for the future of the United States.  In the past, I believed that no matter who was elected, the country and its ideals would survive.  I'm no longer certain that this would be the case if Joe Biden is elected.

It's been said by some that Biden is not a socialist, nor is he an extremist.  He's something worse:  a man who seems to have no strong convictions and no courage to defend anything.  He bends whichever way the wind is blowing.  I cannot recall Biden ever stating a position on anything and then defending it.  Instead, he bows to criticism and changes his tune.  As a result, no one knows exactly what he believes in, if anything. To makes matters worse, he has a history of deceit and has been on the wrong side of almost every issue through the years.     

If Joe Biden is elected, he will not be the actual person calling the shots.  He is incapable, both physically and mentally, of carrying out the job of President of the United States.  He has surrounded himself with left wing extremists who want to fundamentally change this country, and I have no doubt they will be the ones in charge.  Biden is merely a figurehead.  He has caved to AOC's Green New Deal and Bernie Sanders' Medicare for All.  If  Biden can't stand up to the extremists in his own party, how could he ever possibly be strong when dealing with China, Russia or North Korea? 

There is little doubt that Democrats will do anything and everything possible to win this election, including fraud.  I pray that they will not be allowed to steal this election.  Meanwhile, they are doing everything they can to undermine voter confidence in the integrity of the election process.  This will have dire consequences for the future of our elections.  I hope I never see the day that American elections become nothing more than a sham exercise.  

An Open Letter to Megan Rapinoe 

Dear Megan,

I'd like to offer my congratulations to the American women's soccer team for your success.  I'm well aware of the hard work and training that goes into winning in sports and I know it takes a lot of personal discipline to succeed, especially at this level.

Your wins, however, have been tainted for millions of Americans, including me, by your antics.  As someone who leans to the conservative side, I will defend your right to freely express your opinions, even if I do think you're seriously misguided.  However, when you are in uniform out on that soccer field, you are not only working, you are representing the United States of America and the millions of people who love this country.  Your kneeling during the National Anthem is a slap in the face to your fellow Americans.  If you want to express your political opinions, please do so on your own time when it is clear that you represent only yourself, and not the country as a whole. 

Those of us who work in ordinary employment are constrained by our employers as to what we may say and do when we are on the job.  So should it be with you and your teammates.  If you feel you can't stand respectfully during the National Anthem, may I suggest that you go play for another country? 

Your obnoxious behavior is offensive to millions of us and I am embarrassed to have you represent this great country.  You and your teammates could also stand to learn a bit about winning graciously.  I'm under no illusions that you'll be bothered by my opinion, if indeed you even become aware of it.  Just be aware that you not only appear to be an ungrateful brat, you are damaging the sport of soccer which you presumably love.

Sincerely,

Carol Mason

Attitude Makes All the Difference

Many believe that relations between whites and blacks have seriously deteriorated over the past few years.  This has reached an ugly peak with the ambush and assassinations of police in Dallas and Baton Rouge in the last few days.  

I can't claim to fully understand what black people experience in their lives and their relationship to the police and other authority figures.  Is there racism in our society?  Of course there is and the harsh reality is that there will always be racists, bigots, and other assorted idiots in the human race.  Racism will never be completely eradicated due to the imperfection of human beings.  What's a person to do?

Change starts with each individual.  President Obama lectures us on how the police need to acknowledge their racism and mend their ways.  This, however, is a two way street.  What responsibility do blacks have in this?  The fact of the matter is that blacks commit violent crimes at a higher rate than whites, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.  Black-on-black crime is rampant in some cities, yet the President doesn't seem to want to address this issue.  Police behavior is often in response to black criminal behavior; according to the FBI, the rate at which cops are killed by blacks is 2.5 times higher than the rate at which blacks are killed by the police.  

So where does attitude enter into all this?  Did you know that a black man by the name of Charlie Brown spent half his life in slavery and couldn't read, yet when he was freed he built a business domain in Brazoria County, Texas?  He eventually bought the plantation where he had been a slave, married his wife, who was also a former slave, and when he died in 1920, he was a millionaire. Where might Mr. Brown have ended up had he spent his life lamenting the injustice of slavery?  I doubt he would have achieved much success had he chosen to wallow in victimhood.

The first self-made female millionaire in this country was a black woman, Sarah Breedlove, a.k.a. Madam C.J. Walker.  Early in her life, she faced odds that were heavily stacked against her.  She was orphaned at 7, married at 14, and widowed at 20.  After she began losing her hair, she developed a line of hair care products, successfully fighting racism and sexism along the way and making a place for herself alongside America's elite entrepreneurs.  

The point I'm trying to make is that these black people achieved fantastic success long before affirmative action or the Civil Rights Act.  How could that be?  Racism, and in the case of Madam C.J. Walker, sexism, were much more common and blatant in those days, yet they triumphed in spite of it.  I suspect that attitude, determination, and personal discipline played a role in their success.  These are personal traits that are seriously lacking in many individuals of all colors these days.  

I'd like to see our so-called leaders quit talking about eradicating racism; it's impossible.  It will always be with us, so how about talking about achieving excellence and success in spite of it?  It can be done!

Dear Mr. Trump....

Dear Mr. Trump,

Speaking as someone who voted for you on Super Tuesday, despite my serious reservations, I'd like to offer you some advice.  I normally don't attempt to speak for other people, but much of what I'm going to say has been voiced to me by others who agree with me.

First, please expand your vocabulary!  Some of us are sick of hearing certain words over and over, e.g, "disaster", "liar" and "tremendous" to name a few.  In addition, please quit telling us how wealthy and successful you are and how you've built a "huge" company.  Each time you tell us how rich you are, I have to wonder if underneath all that bluster you're really deeply insecure.  I've heard that the old guard folks of Palm Beach look down on you despite your wealth, considering you ostentatious and vulgar.  Could that be part of the problem?

Last, but certainly not least, please quit hurling personal insults at those who criticize or disagree with you.  Calling people names is immature, unprofessional and wholly inappropriate in one who aspires to be president of the United States.  You often act like a bully, which is most unattractive.  Now I hear that you threatened Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, saying he'd "pay a big price" if you can't work with him!  Why not say instead that you and Mr. Ryan will work together to iron out any differences between you for the benefit of the country? I do hope you realize that Congress is not subordinate to the president; it is the president's equal.  

Instead of sending out juvenile tweets, please devote some time to sharing details of what your policies will be like as president.  What, precisely, do you want to accomplish?  Are you wise enough to surround yourself with experts who know more than you do, or will you be like the current egomaniac in the White House who thinks no one knows as much as he does?  "Make America Great Again" is a pretty good slogan, but what specifically do you plan to do to achieve that goal?  

To your credit, you have prodded people to start talking about tough issues that probably wouldn't have been brought up in this election cycle.  A great many Americans are sick and tired of political correctness and your brashness has a certain refreshing quality to it.  How about taking it to a new level by adopting a more mature tone and filling in some details of what we could expect with a Trump presidency.  Please don't make me regret voting for you.

The Maladjusted Barack Obama

It's a sad state of affairs when a French president shows more leadership and courage than the American president.  President Hollande's response to the horrific terrorist attacks in Paris was completely justified and appropriate. President Obama, on the other hand, seemed cold and detached when speaking of the murders.  Where is his anger?  Why isn't he outraged like most of us? The answer isn't that he's simply "cool" and is "no drama Obama".  He displays anger against Republicans, reporters who dare to ask him pressing questions and anyone else who has the temerity to disagree with him.  His reactions raise the question of his mental and psychological condition.

Could it be that the American president has no moral compass?  Is it possible that he is so incredibly narcissistic that he believes he can do no wrong?  I'd say the answer to these question is "yes".  It's been obvious over the years of his administration that he is incapable of admitting that he's mistaken about anything.  He is a man who learns nothing from his mistakes.  

There have been people who claim that Obama is a Muslim.  I don't believe he's a religious man at all, but I think there can be no doubt that he is a Muslim sympathizer.  He seems to have an antipathy toward Western cultures, especially that of America.  Perhaps that's due to his being raised partly in Indonesia and the fact that his father was from Kenya.  I'm sure that his mother's abandonment had a negative impact also.

Whatever the reasons for his psychological shortcomings, it seems to me that Barack Obama does not understand nor does he experience normal human emotions.  He's angry and petulant when he should be civil, he's cold and detached when he should be angry and outraged; in other words, his reactions are unusual and inappropriate.  I pray to God that the United States and indeed the world can survive the remainder of this man's presidency.  

What Has Changed?

For over two hundred years, the United States has been a country in which people owned and sometimes carried guns. When I was growing up, I don't recall ever hearing about mass shootings such as we've had in the past few years.  If people have always had guns, yet the mass shootings have increased, what has changed?

People who lean left politically always predictably call for gun control after these heinous acts. The problem is that only law-abiding people will obey the laws and we're not the ones you need to be concerned about. Criminals are, by definition, those who violate laws and new gun laws will be no exception.  

These horrible mass shootings present a multifactorial problem. Our society has changed over the past thirty years or so and not for the better.  It's not the presence of guns in society that's the basic problem.  There are other social factors at play:  broken families, too many parents who fail to teach their children right from wrong and a lack of respect for law and order.  On top of this, many children are exposed on a daily basis to extreme violence in video games, television and movies in which human life is portrayed as expendable and not worthy of reverence. In addition, our society has become less religious and more secular which sometimes results in a broken moral compass.  Add all of these factors together and you get a mixture that is toxic and potentially explosive.  

One of the supreme ironies of this day and age is that even as our communication technology has become ever more sophisticated, more and more people seem isolated and alienated from others.  There was a time in the not so distant past that most people had ties to their neighbors, communities at large and churches.  Now, it's not uncommon for people to not know the people who live right next door to them.  The loosening of these community ties contribute to people feeling disconnected from those around them, and when a person doesn't feel connected to others, it's easier to harm those people.  

While I'm in favor of common sense gun laws, we can all play a role in keeping guns out of the hands of those who should not have them.  We must have the courage to speak up if we know of someone who seems unstable, perhaps with violent tendencies, or someone who talks or writes about hurting others.  If you sense something is wrong, don't ignore it!  You could possibly be saving lives by taking notice and trying to get help for those who need it most.

What's the Difference?

Abortion has long been a hot button issue in this country.  The "undercover" videos that have recently surfaced about Planned Parenthood have added fuel to the fire, causing even staunch abortion advocates to wince at the callous attitudes shown by Planned Parenthood doctors and personnel about the harvesting of organs from aborted babies.  

I've had debates with family members in the past about whether abortion is a moral outrage or whether it's acceptable in a civilized society.  The point made by my relative was that abortion is legal.  My point is that while it is legal, it's not moral.

"Legal" and "moral" are two entirely different standards. Ideally, they should overlap, but this is sometimes not the case.  Legality is conferred by man-made laws and thus are subject to the whims of society.  Man-made laws can and do change with societal norms and mores.  

Morality, however, is derived from God's laws, which are constant and unchanging. In my opinion, God's laws should always trump man's laws. Legality does not confer morality on actions. For example, in the early days of the United States, slavery was legal.  Did that mean it was moral?  Did it become immoral only when it became illegal?  Of course not!  It was always immoral, even when it was legal.

I believe humans have an immortal soul.  Greater minds than mine have contemplated the question of when the soul enters the body.  Is it at conception, at birth, or after birth?  The truth is that no one knows for certain. An analogy may help illustrate my point here.  Let's say you go out into the woods to hunt.  You see movement in the bushes:  is it the animal you're hunting, or is it possibly another hunter?  You don't have to know with certainty that it's another hunter to be morally constrained from shooting.  The fact that it is possibly a hunter means that you are morally bound not to shoot.  Thus it is with abortion. You don't have to know with certainty that the soul has entered the body to be morally constrained from ending that innocent life.  The possibility that this being is fully human, with an immortal soul, means we should be morally constrained from ending it.  

Who's Coming Across Our Southern Border?

The southern border of the United States is extremely porous, despite what this administration has been telling us about it being as secure as it's ever been (which isn't saying much anyway).  When Republicans talk about securing the border, Democrats and the butt-kissing press that supports them scream about Republicans hating Hispanics and immigrants in general.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Republicans in turn too often shrink from talking about stemming illegal immigration for fear of totally alienating Hispanic voters.  Is there anyone out there who has the courage to stand up for doing what's right and protecting our borders?

While it's impossible to completely halt illegal entry into the country, the federal government could do a damn sight better at controlling the border than it's currently doing.  This is not a matter of hating immigrants or Hispanics; it's a matter of national security.  In this day and age of terrorism, with the rapid spread of ISIS (or ISIL if you prefer), isn't it just common sense to suspect that there are more than just poor Mexicans coming across the border into the U.S.?

Indeed, there is evidence to support the contention that those who would love to kill Americans are indeed entering the country via the southern border.  
The Tucson Weekly reports that the Bureau of Land Management estimates that there is a total of eight pounds of trash per day, per person dropped in Arizona by this invasion of illegal immigrants.  Alarmingly, prayer rugs, juice boxes in Arabic, and an Arabic diary have also been discovered, among other things.  An illegal female migrant knocked on the door of an Arizona rancher one night, asking to use his phone.  He complied; the call she made was to Libya!

Obama talks often of "fairness".  How fair is it to the hundreds of thousands of people around the world who are going through legal channels to enter the United States, only to see the president allow millions to enter through the southern border illegally?  Republicans need to remember the legal immigrants who are outraged at the illegal entry so many people make into this country.

Improving border security is not discrimination.  It would be a step toward bringing order to a chaotic situation, enabling us to know who is entering the country and where they are going.  This would be of benefit to everyone living here; the failure of our government to do so is a dereliction of duty.  

There's Something About Trump

Anyone who's paying even a little bit of attention knows that Donald Trump has recently made some very blunt - some would say outrageous - comments about immigration, other Republican candidates for president and now about John McCain.  This has caused an uproar and condemnation from both Democrats and  Republicans.  In spite of this, polls show Trump in the lead for the nomination.  What's going on here?!

I think the explanation is quite simple.  First, Trump is saying what many people are thinking, but are afraid to say.  Political correctness has run amok and muzzled many people who lack the intestinal fortitude to stand up for what they believe.  Regardless of whether you agree with Trump or not, you can't deny that he says what he thinks, however artless and broad it may be. When he receives criticism for his words, he doesn't immediately back down and apologize, as so many do.  Second, when he's asked a question, he actually answers it!  What a concept!  People are sick and tired of politicians who dodge answers to direct questions.  They talk and talk while saying very little.  Equivocation is the name of the game for most politicians.  Third, many Americans are rejecting the weakness and dishonesty embodied by the Obama administration.  These people, who I believe constitute a majority of Americans, would like to see the United States project strength again.  I'm not talking about being a bully or rushing willy-nilly into military action.  The United States needs to be an honorable country and an example for good in the world, as it so often has in the past.  The current administration has no honor; our allies no longer trust us to keep our word and our enemies don't fear us.  This is unacceptable to many Americans.

Whether you agree or disagree with what Trump says and how he says it, he at least is saying things that politicians are afraid to say and in doing so, he has initiated conversations about issues that need to be addressed.  Whether Trump has the personality and temperament to be president is debatable, but at least he's not afraid to speak his mind and that's a refreshing change from the status quo.  

Hate Crime Legislation: Smart Idea or Stupid?

I've never understood the reasoning behind hate crime legislation.  I personally think it's a dumb idea and suspect it's a product of those on the left who would just love to control our thoughts, biases and motivations.  

I oppose the concept of "hate crimes" mainly because it seeks to punish people for their thoughts, prejudices and motives, when in reality we can only punish behavior.  If someone commits murder because of racial, religious or sexual prejudice, is that somehow worse than if one commits murder because of, say, greed or jealousy? If so, why?  The end result is the same - the death of a human being at the hands of another, and we already have laws against that. Years ago, two white men in east Texas killed a black man in what was clearly a racially motivated crime.  This was in the days before the inception of hate crime legislation, yet the two perpetrators were given the death penalty. What else could have possibly been done to these two killers if we had had hate crime laws at the time?  

I believe this is a misguided attempt to abolish bias in all forms, but it won't work.  While we can pass and enforce laws related to behavior, we will never be able to control what people think, feel and believe, although I'm sure there are many out there who would like to try to do just that.  

Can We Talk - Honestly?

Mayor Bill de Blasio, President Obama, Eric Holder and others have suggested we have a conversation about race relations and the police in this country. Okay, let’s talk, but let’s do it openly and honestly.  This is no time for thin skin on either side.  We must also remember that an important component of true communicaton is listening, not just talking.

I admit that I’m usually willing to give police the benefit of the doubt.  They put their lives on the line every day when they put on that uniform and go out on the streets.  When faced with tense moments that are fraught with danger, they don’t have the luxury of taking time to mull their options; they must make split-second decisions.  Sometimes those decisions have fatal consequences.

The media have attempted to lump the Ferguson, MO case with the New York case and to me they’re different.  Both involve white cops and black men who died at the hands the police, but similarities end there.   In the Missouri case, black eyewitnesses, as well as forensics, supported the narrative that Michael Brown did not have his hands raised in surrender, was not obeying the policeman’s orders and was behaving in a threatening, bullying manner.  In the New York case, it appeared to me that the police were unnecessarily rough in the treatment of Eric Garner, although perhaps I didn’t see it all. Selling individual cigarettes may be a crime, but doesn’t NYPD have more important things with which to deal?

Racism exists – there’s no denying it.  It always has and, to be realistic, it always will to one degree or another.  It’s not something that happens only in this country; it’s a world-wide phenomenon.  I happen to believe that the majority of police in this country are not racist.  However, Barack Obama and Eric Holder have huge racial chips on their shoulders, even though they are two of the most powerful men in the world.  They have not worked to improve relations between the races; they have actually stoked the fires of anger and resentment that exist in black communities, and when they speak of problems between the police and blacks, they address only one side of the equation, i.e., bias on the part of the police.

If things are to improve, both sides must recognize and be willing to accept certain responsibilities.  As far as law enforcement goes, they have a responsibility to build ties within the communities they police.  I seriously doubt that law-abiding black people want the police to disappear from their streets.  They must treat people with respect and reasonable restraint. 

 Black people also have some responsibilities.  First and foremost should be honesty in facing and dealing with the social chaos that exists in so many predominantly black communities.  Too many young black men and women are growing up without a good male role model in their lives.  I’m old-fashioned – I happen to believe that fathers are important in their children’s lives.  It’s fathers who teach boys how to be good men.  Fathers are important to daughters too; he’s the first important man in her life and has the obligation to show his daughter how good and decent men should be.  A daughter’s relationship with her father will affect her relationships with men as an adult.

We must work to ensure that equal opportunity exists for Americans of all races, but we can never assure equal outcomes.  That will require taking personal responsibility for one’s own life and being willing to work hard to achieve goals.  I’ve read several of Dr. Ben Carson’s books and one thing in particular has stuck with me:  Dr. Carson’s mother refused to allow Ben and his brother to use racism as an excuse for failure. 

There are two options:  wallow in being a victim or work to become the most excellent person you can be.  The choice is yours to make.

What's Wrong with the President?

There's something very odd about President Obama and it's getting stranger by the minute.  It's becoming increasingly apparent that while he loves the benefits of his job, he doesn't like the job itself.  He seems to have checked out early. Could he be having some sort of mini breakdown?

I've long felt that there is no real feeling behind the words he reads from his teleprompters.  When he talks of the United States being a great country, I don't sense that he actually believes that.  He's an actor playing a role, that of president, but he doesn't do it very well.

There is something alien about Obama.  He seems to lack normal human emotions and because he lacks something so fundamental, his responses are often inappropriate and sometimes even bizarre.  He seems to have no idea of propriety or boundaries.  He either doesn't know or doesn't care about how he comes across to others.   

We saw this on full display yesterday with the news of the downed Malaysian airliner.  Obama said it was "possibly a tragedy".  News flash, Mr. President: when an airplane carrying almost 300 people crashes it IS a tragedy and would be so even if there were no Americans on board.  He devoted a whole 40 seconds to the announcement and then proceeded as if nothing were amiss. Heaven forbid that you should let anything interfere with your fundraising.

It's been obvious for a long time that Obama lacks leadership skills.  What's also apparent now is that he lacks people skills. He seems devoid of empathy, incapable of understanding how others might feel and therefore doesn't know how to respond to unusual situations.  He is thin-skinned and when questioned or challenged, becomes petulant and mean-spirited.  At times, he doesn't even seem to be in touch with reality and that's a possibility that's downright scary.  

All in all, we seem to have a president who is incapable of handling the job and who just might be falling apart psychologically.  God help us.  

Democrats and American Women

What was the "women's movement" about?  Allegedly, it was to open up previously unavailable choices and options to women and to foster equality with men - socially, sexually and economically.  

Why, then, do so many women look to the government, Democrats specifically, to be their provider?  As you may or may not know, there is a "gender gap" when it comes to the support each political party enjoys.  By and large, men tend to support Republicans, while women tend to support Democrats.  When looking at single vs. married women, this gap narrows, with a larger percentage of married women supporting Republicans than single women.


Perhaps women have bought into the notion pushed by Democrats and reinforced by the compliant liberal media that Republicans have no compassion and are waging a "war on women".  Listening to the Democrats, one might come to the conclusion that Republicans and conservatives are trying to deny access to contraceptives, keep women down and - who knows - maybe even take away the right to vote!

As a woman, I'm embarrassed that so many of my fellow females have fallen for these falsehoods.  The assumption that women need the government to take care of them and provide their most basic needs is insulting and condescending. The policies endorsed and promulgated by Democrats do not arise from compassion.  They originate in the desire to gain and keep political power. After all, if you can keep people dependent on governmental goodies, they're likely to keep voting for the provider of those benefits.  

Conservatives, on the other hand, endorse a smaller governmental footprint in our lives, common-sense regulations and policies that foster economic growth that will benefit all levels of society, while keeping the safety net for those who truly need it. 

I'm appealing to American women:  don't fall for the Democrats' lies about the terrible tragedies that will befall you should Republicans be elected. You're smarter than that! Republicans are the ones who recognize that you are strong and capable of standing on your own two feet.  The policies of the Democrats are patronizing and condescending.  Ask yourself:  who's truly conducting a "war on women"?   

The Variable that Liberals Try to Ignore

President Obama's obsession with "income inequality" seems to be spreading around the globe.  This ideology leads proponents to enact policies that take money from those who earn it and redistribute it to those who are less fortunate and/or less industrious.  I can't help noticing, however, that these ideologues don't seem to redistribute their own wealth. They only want to use other people's money.

It would be wonderful to have everyone making good money and having a high standard of living, but this is not likely to ever happen.  People are equal in the eyes of their Creator and should certainly have equal opportunity to become successful.  People, however, differ in their levels of intelligence, ambition and personal discipline.  For these reasons, equal opportunity can never assure equal outcomes.

Why don't wealth redistribution and socialistic policies work?  These are things that might be good in theory, but in reality have unintended consequences.  Throughout human history, there has been one thing that has remained constant and unchanged.  It's also the variable that liberals try to ignore:  human nature.  The human race has a certain number of "slackers", those who don't pull their own weight.  I'm not referring to those who can't work, I'm referring to those who won't work.  If the government is taking money from those who produce wealth and giving it to those who won't work, it essentially is giving the slackers a reason not to work.  Why work for money if you can just have it handed to you?!

On the other hand, the drive to work hard and earn a good living is dampened by the knowledge that the government is just going to take a huge chunk of it.  Thus, both earners and takers end up losing the incentive to become productive and in the end, wealth and power become concentrated in the hands of a few, while the great mass of people are poor and miserable, albeit equal.  

Human nature is not going to change.  It's normal for people to want to keep what they earn and, unfortunately, it's also a human weakness to want things to be easy.  The goal should be to provide ample opportunity to everyone and educate people to the fact that dependence on government will never provide financial security or true freedom.  

An Open Letter to Tom Steyer

Dear Mr. Steyer (and other environmentalists and anti-fossil fuel folks), 

So, you're against the Keystone pipeline, believe the propaganda about climate change and are against fossil fuels. Fine, you're entitled to your opinion and from everything I've read, you and your wife seem like decent, well-meaning people.  

I just wanted to throw a few things out here for your consideration.  First, no matter how you feel about fossil fuels, the reality is that we need them now and in the foreseeable future. That is a reality. You can dream all you want about wind and solar power, but that doesn't address our present-day needs.  

Second, have you given any thought to how many people are employed in the energy business?  I'm not just talking about those who work for oil and gas companies, but all the peripheral businesses that support the petroleum industry: oilfield service companies, pipe companies, pipefitters, welders, etc. If you succeed in doing away with fossil fuels (which I personally don't believe will happen in my lifetime), hundreds of thousands of people will be put out of work. Do you care about those people?

Third, I suspect most people either don't know about or give little thought to the myriad products that are petroleum-based.  In your own kitchen, your coffee pot, drinking cups and cooking utensils are probably made from petroleum products.  Refrigerator shelves, sponges, trash bags and nonstick pans are all derived from petroleum.  

In your car, the dashboard, upholstery, windshield wipers, visors and even your brake fluid are all derived from oil and gas products.  In offices, computers, calculators, cell phones, printers and copiers, and even the floors and counters in the building are most likely from petroleum-based products.  

Numerous medical products are also derived from petroleum: artificial hearts, prosthetic limbs and hearing aids are all representative of life-enhancing and life-saving products that were developed from oil and gas.  Even some medications are petroleum-based:  anesthetics and drugs to treat arthritis and allergies to name a few.  

There are many recreational pursuits in which you come in contact with petroleum products:  golf balls, footballs, tennis rackets, diving boards, swim goggles and bicycle tires would not exist as we know them without oil and gas. Even the soles of your sneakers are made from gas and oil products.  

I could go on and on, as the list is long and the products too numerous to mention here. I think you get the point though. Are you willing to give up all these products in your quest to end the use of fossil fuels? Have you come up with alternative materials to make these everyday tools we take for granted? If not, may I suggest you direct your efforts toward that end? I for one am not willing to forego my modern conveniences and I suspect you aren't either.  

Sorry State of the Union

As many people know, tonight is the annual State of the Union address, in which the president lays out his agenda for the coming year.  Although this is a long-held tradition, it often is an exercise in frustration and futility.  

According to the Wall Street Journal, the country is "increasingly worried" about the president's abilities and are fearful about America's future.  A Washington Post poll revealed that fully 63% of Americans have little or no faith that Mr. Obama will make the right decisions.  At the same time, the public seems to support many of the president's themes and policy ideas.  There seems to be some kind of disconnection here.

Mr. Obama and other Democrats have certain phrases that they use over and over, knowing that they resonate with people:  "income inequality", "war on women", "minimum wage", etc.  When it comes to income inequality, for example, who could possibly be against helping the poor improve their lot in life?  No one whom I know.  But pay close attention; what has Obama actually done to address these problems? His "solution" is to take money that the wealthy have earned and redistribute it to those less fortunate. Would it not be better to empower people to rise out of poverty through their own efforts, rather than simply taking from the wealthy? Our economy remains anemic, millions of people have simply given up on looking for work and the median household income has decreased during Mr. Obama's presidency, due to his failed policies.  We could all possibly end up poor and miserable, but, boy, we'd all be equal!  

The United States, although weakened, is still a strong country, but we will likely not recover fully under this president.  Mr. Obama seems to confuse rhetoric with action, and there is a dichotomy between what he says and what he actually does.   We would do well to follow the example of Andrew Carnegie, who said "As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say.  I just watch what they do." 

Letter from a Dying Senior Citizen

I received an email from a friend today that is simple, yet eloquent, and expresses perfectly what many Americans are feeling these days.  The email contained a letter to the two senators from Washington state and I've reprinted it below.  Please feel free to pass it along to all who might be interested.

"April 3, 2013 

            
       
Senator Patty Murray
Senator Maria Cantwell
Washington, DC , 20510  
       
Dear Senator:              
       
        I have tried to live by the rules my entire life. My father was a Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army, who died of combat related stresses shortly after his retirement. It was he who instilled in me those virtues he felt important - honesty, duty, patriotism and obeying the laws of God and of our various governments. I have served my country, paid my taxes, worked hard, volunteered and donated my fair share of money, time and artifacts.        
       
        Today, as I approach my 79th birthday, I am heart-broken when I look at my country and my government. I shall only point out a very few things abysmally wrong which you can multiply by a thousand fold. I have calculated that all the money I have paid in income taxes my entire life cannot even keep the Senate barbershop open for one year! Only Heaven and a few tight-lipped actuarial types know what the Senate dining room costs the taxpayers. So please, enjoy your haircuts and meals on us.
               
       
        Last year, the president spent an estimated 1.4 $billion on himself and his family. The vice president spends $millions on hotels. They have had 8 vacations so far this year! And our House of Representatives and Senate have become America 's answer to the Saudi royal family. You have become the "perfumed princes and princesses" of our country.
               
       
        In the middle of the night, you voted in the Affordable Health Care Act, a.k.a. "Obama Care," a bill which no more than a handful of senators or representatives read more than several paragraphs, crammed it down our throats, and then promptly exempted yourselves from it substituting your own taxpayer-subsidized golden health care insurance.
               
       
        You live exceedingly well, eat and drink as well as the "one percenter's," consistently vote yourselves perks and pay raises while making 3.5 times the average U.S. individual income, and give up nothing while you (as well as the president and veep) ask us to sacrifice due to sequestration (for which, of course, you plan to blame the Republicans, anyway).
              
       
        You understand very well the only two rules you need to know - (1) How
        to get elected, and (2) How to get re-elected. And you do this with the aid of an eagerly willing and partisan press, speeches permeated with a certain economy of truth, and by buying the votes of the greedy, the ill-informed and under-educated citizens (and non-citizens, too, many of whom do vote ) who are looking for a handout rather than a job. Your so-called "safety net" has become a hammock for the lazy. And, what is it now, about 49 or 50 million on food stamps - pretty much all Democrat voters - and the program is absolutely rife with fraud with absolutely no congressional oversight?        
       
       
        I would offer that you are not entirely to blame. What changed you is the seductive environment of power in which you have immersed yourselves. It is the nature of both houses of Congress which requires you to subordinate your virtue in order to get anything done until you have achieved a leadership role. To paraphrase President Reagan, it appears that the second oldest profession (politics), bears a remarkably strong resemblance to the oldest.        
       
       
        As the hirsute first Baron John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton (1834 - 1902), English historian and moralist, so aptly and accurately stated, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men." I'm only guessing that this applies to the female sex as well. Tell me, is there a more corrupt entity in this country than Congress?        
       
       
        While we middle class people continue to struggle, our government becomes less and less transparent, more and more bureaucratic, and ever so much more dictatorial, using Czars and Secretaries to tell us (just to mention a very few) what kind of light bulbs we must purchase, how much soda or hamburgers we can eat, what cars we can drive, gasoline to use, and what health care we must buy. Countless thousands of pages of regulations strangle our businesses costing the consumer more and more every day.
               
       
        As I face my final year, or so, with cancer, my president and my government tell me "You'll just have to take a pill," while you, Senator, your colleagues, the president, and other exulted government officials and their families will get the best possible health care on our tax dollars until you are called home by your Creator while also enjoying a retirement beyond my wildest dreams, which of course, you voted for yourselves and we pay for.
               
       
        The chances of you reading this letter are practically zero as your staff will not pass it on, but with a little luck, a form letter response might be generated by them with an auto signature applied, hoping we will believe that you, our senator or representative, has heard us and actually cares. This letter will, however, go on line where many others will have the chance to read one person's opinion, rightly or wrongly, about this government, its administration and its senators and representatives.
              
       
        I only hope that occasionally you might quietly thank the taxpayer for all the generous entitlements which you have voted yourselves, for which, by law, we must pay, unless, of course, it just goes on the $17 trillion national debt for which your children and ours, and your grandchildren and ours, ad infinitum, must eventually try to pick up the tab.
        
       
        My final thoughts are that it must take a person who has either lost his or her soul, or conscience, or both, to seek re-election and continue to destroy this country I deeply love and put it so far in debt that we will never pay it off while your lot improves by the minute, because of your power. For you, Senator, will never stand up to the rascals in your House who constantly deceive the American people. And that, my dear Senator, is how power has corrupted you and the entire Congress. The only answer to clean up this cesspool is term limits. This, of course, will kill the goose that lays your golden eggs. And woe be to him (or her) who would dare to bring it up. "
           
        Sincerely,
               
        Bill Schoonover
        3096 Angela Lane
        Oak Harbor , WA 98277   
        360-675-3609

The Mythology of Hillary

The next presidential election in 2016 is still three years away, which is an eternity in politics, but many people are already assuming that Hillary Clinton will be the Democrats' nominee.   Some felt certain she would get the nomination in 2008 before she was upset by newcomer Barack Obama, and they believe that the nomination in 2016 is her due.  

Quite frankly, her appeal has always been a mystery to me. The conventional wisdom among liberals is that she is one of the smartest women in the country and has a sterling resume.  But let's look at this objectively; what, exactly, are her accomplishments?

Let's go back to the 1970s, when Hillary worked on the Watergate investigation. Her boss, Jerry Zeifman, a life-long Democrat, fired her, saying she was a "liar" who had engaged in "unethical" behavior.  If Hillary was not trustworthy then, why should anyone believe she can be trusted now?

Hillary served as a Senator from New York for eight years, during which time she had no noteworthy accomplishments. There is no major legislation which bears her name and she missed 9.5% of roll call votes, while the median is 2% among lifetime Senators serving in 2009.  

Her next position, Secretary of State, is similarly lacking in significant achievements.  She traveled a lot, but what did she accomplish?  If someone can tell me, please do so. 

I see the same mythologizing going on with Clinton as happened with Barack Obama.  These two are supposedly among the best and brightest in the country, but what they really share are a lack of character and a dearth of accomplishments.