In Obama-World

In Obama-World Christians can't pray in school, but the children are taught to say Allahu akbar.

In Obama-World the President is not bound by the Constitution, it is merely an outdated roadblock to his agenda.

In Obama-World Christians and conservatives are harassed by the IRS and the Justice Department while criminals and terrorists are set free.

In Obama-World it is the Presidents job to go around the world and apologize for his America rather than to stand up proud of our country.

In Obama-World a man of color who has twice been elected President feels justified in excoriating the populace as being universally racist.

In Obama-World it is OK for a President to preside over a back-breaking national debt and still spend millions and millions of taxpayer dollars on his own personal vacations.  

In Obama-World the President never misses a tee time regardless of any national crisis.

In Obama-world it is just fine for him to stand in the way of school choice even though those that would most benefit are poor children in the inner city.

In Obama-World it is fitting to ignore gang violence, ignore terrorism, and to ship illegal guns into Mexico while trying to, unconstitutionally disarm honest law abiding American citizens.

In Obama-World it is proper to allow our once great country to exhibit such weakness that Vladimir Putin and Francois Hollande are considered premiere the world leaders.

In Obama-World it is a President's right to care more for his legacy than his country.

Random Thoughts - Seventy-Six

First I would like to thank my readers. My little blog just went over seventy-five thousand hits from one hundred and five countries. Not bad for a tiny one man operation.

How about if all of the politicians just went silent for one week. I think the public could use a break at this point. Too much. Too loud. Too long.

I see where the Iraqis took back Ramadi. I can only hope this is the start of the destruction of ISIS. The world does not need a revival of the fourteenth century.

Prayers please for the victims of tornadoes in Texas. The pictures show astounding devastation.

Barack Obama has just come in first in a "Most Admired Man" survey and Hillary Clinton won "Most Admired Woman". They could only have taken this survey at Government employees union meetings. What ever they were drinking, I don't want any.

RIP Meadowlark Lemon. A great entertainer and a great athlete.

Hillary says that Bill is going to be more active in her campaign in the future. Will she start advertising "two for the price of one", like her husband did in his campaign. It was no bargain then. It will be so much less of a bargain now.

Trump is amazing. He insults people with impunity, but demands an apology when he perceives himself as being insulted. Take the lumps baby, it's hardball.

I'm keeping it short and sweet over the rest of the holidays.

SO, HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Stay safe and drive carefully over the New Year. Remember, New Year's Eve is amateur night. I need my readers. I don't want any to become statistics.

The Entitlement Of Liberals

The liberal cartoonist who depicted the two very young daughters of Ted Cruz as trained monkeys provoked me to write this little essay. It struck me that liberals are insufferably arrogant. They feel that their inherent superiority gives them free rein to do or say anything to move their agenda forward.

They are also overly sensitive when they get repaid in kind. It is OK to paint innocent little girl as monkeys, but if someone did that to the Obama girls the volume of screaming would shatter every wine glass in liberal country.

If liberals feel that there is a conservative threat to an office they hold, they do not debate the issues. They try to destroy the candidate politically and personally. If they can get their minions in the Justice Department to indict on any trumped up charge, so much the better.

Just compare the treatment Sarah Palin got when she ran for office with the treatment Hillary Clinton gets today. The Palins were harassed even for personal family situations including over exposure of a grandchild who should not have been even brought into the discussion.

Hillary, however, is a mean natured incorrigible liar with delusions of grandiosity and a lousy track record. But the press still treats her like a rock star. If anything goes wrong with her campaign, they drag up that old "vast right wing conspiracy" that is out to get her.

Hey it worked for Bill. Just keep that ball rolling. They also, on occasion, bring out their well worn, "it's for the children" mantra. No matter what outre' program they put fourth, it was "for the children".

Liberals take politics beyond hardball. They will drive spikes through the ball and throw it at your head. Conservatives have to adopt the liberal version of politics or be forever 
"also-rans".

MERRY CHRISTMAS

A VERY MERRY AND BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

If you are one of my readers who does not celebrate Christmas,

please accept this as a blessing of faith and love.

Iconology

Most folks today are familiar with icons. Those little gizmos on your computer screen that you click on to open a program or go to some web site. On occasion one clicks on an icon and ends up in unfamiliar territory where they would really rather not be.

If things keep going as they are now, our next Presidential election will not be between candidates. It will be between icons. One icon will be labeled "FEMALE". The other will be labeled "GREATNESS". Icons can be very deceiving.

The greatness icon will bring us to Donald Trump. "The Donald", an arrogant affectation, was born on third base. Got a million dollars start up money from dear old dad, and is now convinced he hit a home run. Donald is great. If you doubt that, just ask him. Everybody loves Donald. Women, Muslims, Chinese, just everyone loves large loudmouths with a sour expression that dress like an unmade bed. Hint to Donald. It may be your billions that they love.

Well Donald has an answer to everything. When asked his plans, he paints with a very broad brush. And uses gallons of whitewash. Truthfully, Donald is not stupid by any means he's just a little over the top. OK, a lot over the top.

Then there is the icon marked female. That icon brings us to Hillary Clinton. Hillary is convinced that she has the right to be the first woman President of the United States. The total of her qualifications for the job is that she is female. Period. She has been a political hanger-on all of her adult life. Because she is driven to attain power she would always play closer to the flames than was good or right. From Whitewater to cattle futures, she grubbed for money at the expense of others. As first lady she covered for her husbands out-of-control libido while spending three years inventing Hillarycare. A health plan so over reaching, it never saw the light of day. 

As Secretary of State, with the aid of her boss, She turned a tumultuous Middle East into a firestorm. All of these anti-qualifications along with her weak and shaky relationship with the truth and a tendency to set here own rules, disqualify her for the Presidency in my mind.

If it really does come down to these two icons of modern politics, I fear I will have to do what I have done a number of times in the past. I will hold my nose and vote for the least bad candidate, Donald Trump.

Ideas Evolve

Ideas evolve, but they don't evolve in an informational vacuum. Candidates go public and expose themselves and their plans to scrutiny. Except for Hillary, who is apparently hiding behind a couch somewhere. 

Debates are held. The masses are surveyed on an almost daily basis. Some numbers go up. Some numbers go down. Are these numbers accurate? Do they mean anything? Most likely, no.

It would seem that this is the year of the gasbag. Shout, bloviate, and brag, screaming intended great deeds and the public loves you. At least some seem to. The fact that these great deeds go undefined, seems irrelevant. Neither the bloviating candidate nor the public supporting him, seem to realize his inability to make good on his promises.

Two candidates that I liked have sunk into oblivion. They are governors and smart men, but missteps did them in. I find it hard to get enthused about the candidacy of Senators, no matter how smart they are because they have no experience running a large multifaceted organization.

There is one candidate that has impressed me. He is a candidate that I gave short shrift to at the outset. He is a small state governor with a funny accent and attitude. But this year, it seems attitude sells. Of course I'm talking about Chris Christie. 

What has impressed me is that he has stuck to his guns. Big stage, small stage, he doesn't care as long as he can advance his story. He works at his job and he works hard. He is smart. He is experienced. He is capable. And he has a "take no prisoners" attitude. He has persuaded me that he is the best person for the job.

His greatest qualification to be President is that he loves this country and will do what is needed to protect it. He understands that our greatest threat is terror attacks, not global warming. And he is certainly not one to appease those that hate us and would kill us all.

So I can only hope that people consider what the job of President entails, and realize this is not the time for on-the-job training. Christie is a "grinder", not a dilettante. Seems to me that is just what we need.

I Am Tired

Yes, I admit it. I am tired. You may ask, of what am I tired? "Oh so many things", would be my answer. I am tired of the droning sound of every day Presidential lectures from an ideologue who believes he knows everything but knows so little. I am tired of his constant use of "I" and "me" along with his frequent very expensive vacations. Would a week at Camp David once and a while kill him.

I am tired of the frequent repetition of the name Trump on the TV, on the radio, and in print. I am also tired of the sound of his voice. When Obama is not droning, Trump is shouting. Trump's repetitive use of "I" and "me" is  almost always modified by "amazing" and "fantastic" and any other superlative he can come up with. This gets very old, very fast.

I am tired of hearing that Islam is a religion of peace. For one thing, it is not just a religion. It is a theocratic system of government, based on the Quran and the Hadith, that incorporates religion, executive control, and judicial control. The most fundamental form has hated us, infidels, for thirteen centuries. The problem being that we don't know who are the fundamentalists, who would support them, and who want nothing to do with them.

I am tired of a government that is more willing to appease and protect Muslims than to protect American lives and property. Of all of the people out there willing to do us great harm, most are Muslim. We need to take that to heart. Note to Barack Obama; they want to fly their flag over the White House. That is where you live. If they got through the door, your soft words would not protect you. Nor your family. Remember what they do to women.

Finally, I am tired of talking heads on TV that pontificate based on their intimate knowledge of what they are making up as they go along. Many pretend to be reporters, but they are just gasbags expelling fumes of moral justification for their own agenda. 

How the American people can be exposed to all of this on a daily basis and not be tired is far beyond my ken. Maybe they have just stopped paying attention.

Reasonable Regulation

In the first six months of 2015, there were 18,600 motor vehicle deaths in the United States. Mothers, grandmothers, children, it is an indiscriminate blood letting. This is unacceptable. This is not who we are. 

Congress and the President owe it to the American people to remedy this national disgrace. There are reasonable regulations that can be put in place that will help to stop this mayhem. If the Congress won't act, then the President must act on his own, as he has shown he is willing to do.

I have some suggestions. No car sold to the general public needs an engine larger than four cylinders. They should also be restricted to fifty horsepower. It has long been know that an engine of this size and power is capable of getting a reasonably sized automobile to highway speeds.

Engines would be lighter. Also the rest of the drive train could be made lighter, making for much more economic operation. Also the use of composite materials would make car bodies lighter and stronger.

Publicly sold vehicles should be restricted to five passengers. No reasonable person needs any vehicle larger than five passenger. 

Finally, the government should confiscate any vehicle over four cylinders and shred them for scrap. Cars over sixty years old could be exempt as long as they were in a museum, and not on the road.

I know that this proposal will be controversial. I know there will be pressure from manufacturers and organizations like AAA. But many in our country have seen the logic of similar restrictions to be placed on guns, so I am sure they will understand the logic when applied to the much more serious problem of the dangers we face from automobiles.

Random Thoughts - Seventy-Five

The only person that I can think of who is more entranced with the first person singular pronoun than Barack Obama, is Donald Trump. They make my ears hurt.

Some things never change. The Republican candidates have there circular firing squad well organized. If they don't get their heads out of where they presently are, we will be saying President Hillary. That will be a tragedy.

Just think, if Hillary Clinton should get to be President, she could set things up for a Chelsea run in 2024. Chelsea will be forty-four. There's a concept that should scare people straight.

I see that the "War on Christmas" is back in full swing. Especially in those bastions of free speech, American Colleges. No Christmas parties lest someone be offended. Any person who gets offended by someone else's faith and joy, does not deserve to be catered to.

Actually, is there anything more offensive than people who look down on others simply because they believe differently? Yes, I mean you secular humanists that are so smarmy and intolerant.

In our lives, we say Merry Christmas. It is our Christmas. It is our holiday. And we apologize to no one. How come no one acts terminally offended by Ramadan?

I still have to ask, with all of the danger that we face on a personal basis today, from gangs to terrorists to our own government, why do liberals insist on trying to disarm us? We have a Constitutional right to protect what is ours. Not that liberals care much about the Constitution.

I see that Rush Limbaugh just came out with a great revelation as to why President Obama uses the term ISIL. Those that read my blog knew that months ago. Just sayin'.

I see where Hillary wants to fight terror with love and kindness. That should work out well. 

Echos From The Chasm

There is a deep chasm filled with anger in America. The American people are beyond anger and they have a right to be. We have a President that is more concerned with the feelings of Muslims than he is about protecting our country and it's citizens. We are being attacked and murdered in the name of Islam and he is incapable of saying the words.

Under the circumstances, it troubles me some that both the President and his ex Secretary of State who would be President, both rely on Muslims as their chief advisers. This just does not play well under the circumstances.

What also doesn't play well, is that both of these "servants of the people" play fast and loose with the truth. From this, we would be fools not to expect a reaction from the public. While the American people may be placid and primarily concerned with their own day to day life, they are not stupid and will, ultimately react.

Hence the phenomenon of Donald Trump. He is big and brash and loud and, if not really angry, he plays it well. He doesn't parse his phrasing. He is bold and clear and totally 
un-PC. But it plays well in Peoria as show folk used to say. He has tapped into that great chasm filled to overflowing with citizen anger and amplified it to the world.

Whenever he comes out with a new, over-the-top, idea, for every liberal that screams and moans, there are a thousand Joe Six-packs that are thinking; "Yes, yes, he gets it. That is just what I was thinking." When put upon, and Americans have been highly put upon by the Obama administration, Americans vent their spleen. When Americans are angry they rage. They shout and they cannot be appeased with hollow phrases.

In spite of all that, most Americans want their President to behave with dignity. They don't want a leader that blows up like a two dollar pistol. (Old saying, two dollar pistols now cost three hundred dollars.) While they don't want a President that leads from behind, they do want a President that is wise, thoughtful, and operates from a love of his country.

With the right President, our problems will be solved over time and the echos from the chasm will fade away. I just question if that is a task Donald Trump is up to.

Readings From The Book Of Platitudes

Last night President Obama went on television to give a major speech. What it turned out to be was a series of readings from the "Book of Platitudes". You may wish to read this book yourself, but you cannot. You see, there is only one copy and it exists only in the mind of Barack Obama.

"We are not at war with Islam." Well, some part of Islam is, most certainly, at war with us. ISIS is growing the new caliphate and Iran's leaders scream "death to America". People are killing shouting "Allahu ackbar". Seems like a war to me.

"All religions have some among them that are radical." I have not seen attacks, as yet, by Methodists or Buddhists or Presbyterians. Come to think of it, it has been a Muslim only situation.

"We've hardened our defenses from airports to financial centers." Except that there are twenty-two Al Qaeda training camps functioning on American soil today. There are over seventy people on the no-fly list employed at major airports. The FBI has insufficient capability to monitor all of our suspected radicals. Our borders are a sieve and more are getting here every day.

"Assault weapons are too dangerous and must be banned." True assault weapons are already banned except in certain circumstances. Politicians have labeled some common semi-automatic weapons as assault weapons to demonize them. They are no more dangerous and usually less powerful than your average deer rifle.

" Guns are too easy to purchase." Not if you buy them legally. I have been through the process. I had to go to a state building and take a gun safety test. Then I had to go to an in state federally licensed dealer. After picking out a gun, I had to fill out a form in great detail. The dealer had to send the form to the local police and to the Attorney General. If they both signed off I could get the gun after a three day waiting period. So, you see, it is not that easy. The only time it is easy is if they are smuggled in or you contact some guy in a bar on the seedy side of town who deals in stolen guns. No forms to fill out there. 

"I have formed a huge coalition of the willing that will side with us in this fight against ISIS." Then, where are they? France did nothing until they were attacked. England is helping out now. You won't arm the Kurds and Turkey's AWOL.

"ISIS is not getting any stronger. Most Muslims will not have anything to do with them." To many Muslims, the great caliphates of the past were the glory days of Islam. They see that ISIS as trying to restore those glory days. With every success, with every infidel slaughtered, ISIS image gains a little more polish among the believers. With each victory more Muslims want to bask in that perceived glory.

Thus ends today's reading from the Book of Platitudes.

Life's Great Truths

1. It never works the way they claimed it would in the commercial. 
2. That bargain won't be such a bargain when you add shipping and handling.
3. That kit that you bought will always be one special part short.
4. And the instructions for that kit will be written by someone who learned English in an oriental country.
5. It won't fit where you thought it would.
6. It won't come with batteries.
7. If it is too heavy for one person to move, all your friends will be out of town that weekend.
8. That one time you need AAA, everyone else will too. Enjoy your two hours sitting in a snowbank.
9. Flat tires occur when you are already late for an important appointment.
10. There is no way to stop those long distance phone calls labeled 800 service or from some distant city where you know no one.
11. And they always call when you are eating.
12. Those little GPS gizmos aren't perfect.
13. Cell phone batteries discharge themselves when you most need them. Really, it's them not you. I'm sure you remembered to charge the little bugger.
14. Pizza just doesn't taste the way it used to. 

Random Thoughts - Seventy-Four

It appears that our military intelligence gurus are altering their reports to make it fit the Presidents preconceived notions. It also seems that NOAA is playing loose with their findings to support the Presidents stand on "global warming" or "climate change" or whatever their latest catch phrase is. The Fed is keeping interest low to try to force the economy to recover in the face of bad policy. Our ex Secretary of State and would-be President has lied about almost everything and is facing a possible indictment. It must be so fun to be a Democrat running for office today.

In the face of new information, a person who is not willing to change their position is a fool. I still think that Donald Trump is too much bluster and insult to be a good President but as things shake out I am thinking that Chris Christie would be a good choice. He is tough, a little on the rough side, but he is smart and experienced. If he were the candidate with Rubio for veep, they would be hard to beat and it would also give Rubio the seasoning and experience for a later run.

I enjoy football and am a Patriots fan. But I watch other games too. The officiating in the last two Pats games had a definite aroma about it. My opinion, like the proverbial rotten fish, it starts from the head. The NFL needs new management.

By the way, it speaks well of Brady and Belicheck that, in spite of the "slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" in the form of injuries and insults, that they are ten and one. And I will never be convinced that, absent two bad calls in the last game, they would be eleven and zero.

I see that Russia has banned two of George Soros' groups. Would that we could do the same.

I do not know who are the biggest pantywaists, the poor little entitled babies that whine their way through college, being unprepared to face any new ideas or the reality that not everyone is nice and accommodating, or the weak and inane college officials who are willing to cuddle them and abolish free speech. These dolts will do really well in the real world. 

The Sadness Of Nothing

I just read an article about someone named Howard Bryant, who is apparently a writer for ESPN, claiming that there is too much patriotism in sports today. Also, he apparently doesn't much like the police or military either. 

It seems that more and more people in today's America cannot deal with anything great and uplifting in their lives. It used to be that people cheered the military as the great protectors of the American way of life. We keep our freedoms because there are people committed to their defense.

Police today have a thankless and almost impossible job of keeping our streets safe while, it seems, the government is intent on crowding our cities with criminals and possibly even terrorists. Meanwhile there is an organized movement to weaken police because some do the job badly and some even criminally. 

People of faith are looked down on by the self-proclaimed intellectuals who see them as weak and gullible.

The police and the military have fallen on hard times due to political mismanagement. Both were and are great organizations that have served us well over the years. Our country would be chaos without them. One day we will get politicians that love our country more than their own power and we will see changes that are long needed take place.

We have always been a people that valued that which was uplifting in our lives. But somehow a nihilist doctrine has spread. All those things that once gave up pride, we are now told are wrong and old fashioned and boring and useless.

It appears that it is avant garde to worship the value of nothingness. To take pride only in personal acquisition. Tear down your city and your state and even your country as our President does at any opportunity.

But I value that which is uplifting, not the sadness of nothing. 

The Adoration of The Liberals

I admit that I adapted this title from "The Adoration of the Magi". That was the name of a  couple of paintings. One by Da Vinci and one by Boticelli. They showed the Three Wise Men with the baby Jesus. Wonderful works of art by great masters and a wonderful topic for the holiday season.

But there is little room for adoration of Jesus or of religion in general in liberal land. If they admit Jesus existed at all, he was, to them, a historical figure who preached around two thousand years ago. God is but a mere myth in liberal land.

So what do liberals adore? They adore power. The more power a liberal acquires the more he or she is adored in the liberal community. That is why, in spite of his innumerable failings, liberals in general and the press in particular love Barack Obama and continue to extol his virtues. I am sure that if liberals had saints, he would be one of them.

Liberals love politics. Politics is the wellspring from which all that is great and good in liberal land comes. And they do politics very well, indeed. It all stems from a burning need to control. Two areas, politics and teaching, give liberals the proverbial "thrill up their leg" as one of them, so succinctly, put it. Molding young minds to bring up the next generation of liberals, and having the political power to control those that have not yet seen the liberal light is their goal.

Liberals have convinced themselves that they are the best and the brightest. History tells us otherwise. But then they don't read history, they rewrite it. As they are sure that they are the intelligentsia, they have a compulsion to regulate, order, and control all phases of life. So because of their special position in the hierarchy of creation they allow themselves any means to their ends. Obfuscate, destroy peoples lives, rake a little off the top to finance their efforts, it's all good. They know what their brave new world will look like. 

So as people of religion and conservatives, we have an obligation. While we must be tolerant of them, we must beat them. We must bring back traditional freedom, strength, and honor. Our country and our good people are suffering. There is more hate on the streets than I have seen in my lifetime. The liberal agenda is failing and taking America with it. Anyone that can't see this is just not looking. 

A War For The Feckless

One may wonder why Barack Obama, Al Gore, John Kerry, and their hordes of Flying Monkeys have declared war on "climate change". 

Oh, so many reasons. No boots on the ground. No expensive aircraft carriers and jet fighters to buy, so all that money can be spent on cool social programs. No military coffins to have to explain. And best of all it doesn't interfere with golf and vacations.

If you're are a liberal and running a really liberal administration, you can create your own monsters to rail against. The press, academia, and a good portion of the general populace will shout huzzahs and anoint you a god (or at least a king) for your efforts. As long as it either fits their preconceived notions or they find something in it for them.

Convince people that it is the greatest existential threat that mankind has ever seen or ever will see, and you can break any news cycle that suits your purpose. Turkey shoots down a Russian jet. "Well yes, but we must go to Paris and deal with climate change."

All those Syrian refugees that Obama wants to bring into the country. No problem. They are just friends that you haven't met yet. But have you seen what is happening to the polar ice caps? 

The bombing in Paris, nothing compared to CO2 levels. Shut down the coal mines.

But sometimes events catch up with you. Lately our kingly President reminds one more of a cat playing dodge-em on roller skates. History is closing in from all sides and what he would like to keep hidden is getting very public. 

All he wants is one more year and he can kick the proverbial can down the road to his successor. But if we should be attacked and American blood gets spilled on American soil, it is all on him. I cannot see how his legacy can possibly stand as things are today, but a terrorist attack here would be the crushing blow. He would have totally lost the "war for the feckless".

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday. Through the years when we were raising our family, we took possession of Thanksgiving. After breakfast was over, the kitchen was mine. I loved making the holiday dinner. I even had my own secret stuffing recipe.

The deal was that since I cooked, others cleaned up. When I cook a meal like that, I guarantee that every pot, pan, and most dishes will need washing. So, as you can see, I got the best of that deal.

As citizens of America and citizens of the free world we have so much to be thankful for. We control our own destiny. Those of us that desire to create our own life have the freedom to go where we choose and do what we choose. We marry according to our own wishes and, hopefully, rear children that will learn to love our country and our life, and bring it all to a new level.

We live in a time where there are many that would curtail our freedom. Unfortunately, some of these misguided creatures are our fellow countrymen. They have the strange idea that there can be too much freedom. That will never be true. Human freedom is God's greatest gift. From that freedom all other benefits flow. Those that try to control or enslave a truly free people will, ultimately, fail.

Through time, our family has joined with other families, so holiday celebrations have multiplied. So we won't be able to see all of our daughters, sons-in-law, and grand kids this Thanksgiving. We will join our oldest daughter's celebration. She does the traditional meal and does it very well. It will be a great day.

If you are living in the free world this week, especially in America, and you are angry and feel put upon. If you are boiling over with hatred for the freedom that we possess. You are wrong. You need to take control of your own life. If you are waiting for largesse or hoping to draw blood, thinking either one will bring happiness, you are misguided.

Thankfulness, love, and reverence for a higher power that makes all of that possible will bring the joy and contentment, along with the ability to create that better life. Anger, greed, and hatred will only drag one further into the abyss.

Have a happy and holy Thanksgiving all.

And In Third Place

There was a time when the United States was the world leader. We fought wars. But they were wars against aggressors. We had to defeat Germany twice. We defeated Japan. We drove North Korea out of South Korea even though that war never technically ended. There  were missteps like Viet Nam. But we even won a cold war against the USSR.

In those days, the United States was the world leader and the President was the leader of the free world. The Senate was considered to be the greatest deliberative body in the world. We had a House of Representatives that, for the most part, looked to the needs of American citizens. 

Then the House eroded into Boehners boneheads. They became a rubber stamp for the President rather than the loyal opposition. Meanwhile evil Harry Reid and his more evil twin, Mitch Mcconnell, have turned the Senate into worlds greatest roadblock.

Through all of this the very confused American people decided we needed a "cool dude" with great pipes and a huge ego to be President. And thus it was so. Remember all those promises he made to get elected. The results have all been the opposite. And now because of the rise of ISIS among other things our country and the world is in greater danger than we have seen since WWII.

But we have a Commander-in-Chief who leads from behind and cannot speak the name of our enemy. They have declared war on us, but we will not declare war on them. Christians and conservatives are considered more dangerous than fundamental Islam. And our greatest threat is "global warming".

The world is always looking for a strong leader. Strength brings respect and trust. Vladimir Putin stepped right into that roll. He was riding a horse bareback while our guy was pedaling a ladies bicycle.

But then, out of a clear blue sky, comes a contender for second place. After the attack in Paris, with no hesitation, with no deep contemplation, Francois Hollande struck back. He showed his backbone and sent French jets in to destroy ISIS' base. With that action he took over number two position in the world leadership stakes.

And not very firmly ensconced as number three, "comfortable in the pocket", as he said, is Barack Obama. I don't quite get the football analogy. I doubt he ever played. Maybe saying, comfortable in the sand trap, would be more appropriate.  

Random Thoughts - Seventy-Three

The cowardly fools that call themselves ISIS think think they are warriors because they attack unarmed women and children with assault rifles. There is no honor among them.

As I sit in my room writing, I hear Obama's voice from the TV in the living room. I don't even need to hear the words. I can tell from the tone that he is just droning on explaining that which we do not need him to explain. We get it. We just wish that he did.

Guns are illegal in Paris. Assault rifles, the real thing, not the liberal version of assault rifles, were used by these low lives. The French stood defenseless. But the liberals still wish to disarm good Americans. We have to ask ourselves why. I think most of Europe wishes they had their guns back now.

Did you ever notice that none of this stuff ever happens in Switzerland. They have universal military training and almost every house has a firearm and someone trained to use it.

Look closely at the pictures of the crowds of Muslim refugees leaving the Mideast for Europe and the USA. Almost all young men of military age and looking very fit. You might even see it as jihadists on parade. This is not going to get any better soon.

I'll say again. People, practice situational awareness when you are out and about. Stop texting and see what is around you. If you see something that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, clear the area. If you see real danger, shout and run. If you are not just a little paranoid, you don't understand the situation.

Aujourd'hui, nous sommes tous Parisienne. Pray for the people of Paris. We must stand with them, as they have with us since the Revolution. 

I just heard, compliments of my wife, that Obama thinks that the Boston Marathon bombers used crockpots. Really?

WWIII

There has been no formal declaration of war. No country's planes have dropped bombs on American territory. No ICBMs have been launched against us. But do not make the same mistake that our ideologically driven President has made. We are at war and have been for some time. 

We have been attacked, France has been attacked, Sweden has been attacked, Germany has been attacked. We are in the midst of World War Three. Those that hear no evil and see no evil will not acknowledge the truth of this statement. They only recognize the traditional war of their youth.

We are involved in a new kind of war. We are being attacked by a political ideology with the face of a religion. The true believers know that they have been given a pass by their god to commit any atrocity at any time, at any place, against anyone. Even non-believer women and children.

There will never be battle lines drawn. Our enemy will never don uniforms. They fight by hiding among the lawful. They hide their faces with masks. They meet and plan in the protected sanctuaries of mosques. Their craven leaders send their misguided young into crowds with bombs strapped under their clothing to "martyr" themselves for Allah. They are promised paradise. If they get anything, they will get hell.

President Hollande of France made a fine speech last night. He promised to mobilize their forces and defeat the terrorists. Fine. I hope he does. I will not hold my breath waiting. But there is one great irony in this horrible situation. During WWII, it was Muslims that joined with Hitler against the Jews. Today it is those same Muslims that attack Germany.

There must be a coalition if the West is to survive with minimal damage. NATO forces and Russia must join together and be relentless. Those mosques that support political activity must be exempted from freedom of religion. Those that come into our country must be vetted. Our borders must be controlled.

This is a war that started over 1300 years ago. We are just entering into the latest phase. While our enemies still love their scimitars, they love dirty bombs even more. As has been said, "the price of freedom is constant vigilance".

Celebration At Last

Back in 1980, Kool and the Gang, had a hit song called "Celebration". There is a line in the song - "A celebration to last throughout the years." That is what the Republicans have today.

I have been an ardent observer of the political scene since the days of FDR, with a primary interest in conservative politics. Never has the Republican party been so blessed in the candidate department as they are today.

From the days when both parties selected candidates in smoke filled rooms through the last election candidates were older, stodgy, white males who had done their time and obiesance. It became their turn to run through natural progression. Two elections ago, the Democrats veered from tradition and went with young and inexperienced. That isn't working out well.

This time the Republicans are giving us a full menu of potential candidates to select from. There are males and a female. There are Hispanics, white folk, and a black man. There are medical doctors. There are doctors of law. There are MBAs. They run from super rich to a little above average. There are traditional pols, young bulls, and outsiders. They range from a little conservative to very conservative.

The one qualification that they all have is that they are all extremely smart. They are all smart enough to know that they don't know everything. I think that even the blustery one gets that. So they will surround themselves with smart and qualified people. I find that reassuring.

One other common factor is that they all have big egos. That is not a bad thing if it is not overblown and narcissistic. One requires a big ego to have the confidence to make the big and and important decisions that a President must make on a daily basis. And they are all able and seem willing to stand up before the nation and explain their actions and decisions and bring the rest of us along.

I am looking forward to watching the shakeout process. The process so far has changed my ideas some. I wish that were also true of the press. Their minds were, largely, made up going in. They are selling the country short by their actions. I can only hope that they will break the mold and take a second look. That would be a celebration!

A Nation Of Laws?

Throughout my whole life it has been a tenet of American citizenship that we are a nation of laws. "No one is above the law." In my civics classes in grade school through political science in college it was spoken of as the most natural state of civic life. All men (and women) are equal under the law.

Not so much any more. Lawlessness may not have started under the Obama administration, but they have certainly nursed it to full flower. There has been so much, it is hard to know where to start. "Fast and Furious" comes to mind. Encouraging guns to be bought illegally and shipped to drug cartels in Mexico. We will never know how many lives this has cost.

Then there was the conversion of the IRS into the enforcement arm of the Democrat National Committee. So many things just went on that Attorney General Holder would not see as illegal because they fit his and Barack Obama's agenda.

The ultimate low spot was the murderous attack on Benghazi and the lies told and supported by multiple minions of the administration. Then to put the cherry on the top they blamed, arrested, and allowed to languish in jail a small time film maker who was defenseless against the government juggernaut.

Illegal sanctuary cities, created by local governments, were allowed and encouraged. The Border Patrol was told to stand back and allow illegals to pass. Illegals that were caught were released by ICE. One of the candidates for the new head of the Border Patrol is a woman who is a vociferous supporter of sanctuary cities.

Then we have Hillary Clinton's blatant lies and illegal actions as Secretary of State. She is supposedly under investigation by the FBI. Damning evidence should not be hard to come by. There is no doubt in my mind that a felony case can be made. But will it? Only if the President decides it is to his advantage to take Hillary out of the Presidential race. If he makes that decision she is doomed.

Our present administration considers themselves and operates as an extra-legal entity. If the Congress won't do his bidding, a Presidential edict will get it done. If they won't pass a law have an agency pass a regulation. The hell with the Bill of Rights. There are way around everything if you are willing to ignore the Constitution. 

Right now, we are not a nation of laws. The administration and, particularly, the President are too power hungry and agenda driven. But nothing is forever. Many people seem to be catching on. Those of us that love and believe in the Constitution pray that it will be enough to force a change. 

And So It Begins

Although Starbucks denies it, it appears that they have thrown the first spear in the annual war on Christmas. Their "Holiday" cups are red with their green logo. They claim a minimalist approach that will be comfortable for all. 

It is Christmas, for Pete's sake. It is not the "name it yourself holiday". It is a celebration of the birth of Christ. A day important to millions of Christians in this country and billions around the world. The martyrs who sacrificed there lives for their faith over the years did not expect it to be denigrated by a mere coffee vendor, no matter how over-blown their self-image.

But, in fact, there are two Christmases. Their is the religious Christmas and there is the secular Christmas. Most Christians celebrate both. But many non-Christians still celebrate the secular holiday. They do that because taking part is both joyous and uplifting.

Starbucks could have used a secular Christmas motif on their cups. Santa and Christmas trees would have satisfied all but the most severe of their critics. But as they have taken a non-religious secular stance, it will be the plain red cup with a logo. I would bet that they are offending more good folks than they are pleasing.

I do not know if the phrase "Merry Christmas" will be heard within the confines of their little coffee shops. I will never know as I will not be found there. I will continue to wish people a Merry Christmas in public, and I will do it in loud ringing tones. If someone takes offence where none is intended it is on them. I take no offence when someone wishes me a Happy Hanukkah or a joyous Kwanzaa. I am willing to celebrate any holiday that is celebrated with joy, peace, and good fellowship.

So let me be among the first to wish you unbelievers and even you haters out there a Merry Christmas. Unclench those anger muscles. Relax. Enjoy the season. Most people are friendly even if you don't want to be. You might even read "A Christmas Carol" and put yourself in the place of Ebeneezer Scrooge. You might even wake up one morning and find you were wrong. 

Ethical Equivalency

We hear that one of the biggest problems with liberal philosophy is that they promote moral equivalency. A belief in satanism is equal to a belief in Christianity. Iran is a good as America. Illegal aliens are equal to citizens. And so on. And on. And on. 

But they also have a quiet belief in ethical equivalency. The by-laws of Hell's Angels is as important as the Ten Commandments. The Quran and the Bible are equal. Marriage has no true definition. It is adjustable to the needs of any minority that demands it. I read that a few days ago, three women all married each other.

We are having an ethical crisis in this country, perhaps the world. But I care about our own great United States. Let others heal their own ills. What is troubling is that the liberal social engineers have turned our children into laboratory animals. And that is not ethical.

Prepubescent children are a blank slate to these people. So when these kids start getting lectures in school about gay, lesbian, and transgender life styles, it confuses them because they don't even know what a sexual identity is at this point. Then they are told you don't have to be what you seem to be, you can make your choice from a menu. The hormones haven't kicked in yet so their body has yet to receive the biological clues it needs.

Then, about the time that those hormones start pumping, the schools start passing out condoms. Well if the school is passing them out, it must be right for us to use them. Right? Too much, too soon, with no ethical perspective.

Awards just for showing up. No mark lower than a C. Social promotion. Lax discipline both at home and in the schools. No sense of responsibility. Keeping troublemakers in class with those that are not yet lost. The litany goes on.

Then as the worst of these lost souls get older, when they find themselves in court or even in prison, they are put back out on the streets to re-offend.

We have to get back to the old ways. The new ways are just not cutting it. Rehang those Ten Commandment plaques in the schools. They are not just religious, they are historical. And they are good. Give kids responsibilities and make them stick. But above all, clean up the educational miasma. Our kids both need and deserve better.

The Return To Common Sense???

Am I mistaken, or is our populace suddenly having a return to common sense? Has the sweeping swerve to the left by liberals and the over-reaching policies of the Obama administration, along with the deterioration of our country, suddenly caused much of the population to appreciate personal freedom and despise government heavy handedness once again.

The "Sanctuary City" sheriff of San Francisco was voted out of office. In San Francisco none the less. In Texas, the locker room that you use will be decided by your plumbing and not your state of mind. Or your incipient weirdness. No legal pot in Ohio. You see, middle Americans have values. That thin air out in the Colorado Rockies seems to dilute that idea that some things are just wrong.

Kentucky voted in their first Republican Governor in four decades. The campaign against the Second Amendment failed in Virginia. One can only hope that these are harbingers of things to come. Our country cannot take much more of a beating.

Hillary Clinton's numbers are totally under water and many polls show her as a loser. Not that one should have much faith in early polls. Or polls at all, for that matter. She is old, shrill, and a proven liar. But for some very strange reason there are those that still support her. Apparently the fact that she is a woman is all the qualification needed.

It is still my opinion that at some point the President will turn the FBI hounds loose on her and Barack's mini-me will be trotted onto the world stage, much a Obama himself was eight years ago. He wants to protect his legacy. That will not happen under a President Hillary.

Most elections are finally decided by the low information voters. Those that stay informed pretty much split even on party lines. This is not a good thing. So maybe this time we have been damaged enough that more people will be truly concerned people. We may be able to save the country yet.

A Brief Update

This is an update on my previous posting. Actually, it is more like some additional observations. I enjoy football. Since my Patriots were not playing Sunday, I watched the Saints-Giants game. I'm also a little bit of a Saints fan. 

Before the game, it was not unusual to see a player take a knee or bow their head. During the game a Saints player severely injured his leg. As he lay on the ground, in pain, being attended to by the Saints medical staff, players from both teams took a knee and were, obviously, offering prayers.

When players scored, many of those who carried the ball across the goal line, either took a knee or pointed upward in a gesture of thanks.

I heard no booing from the stands as prayers were offered. I saw no mass exodus of offended fans. I heard no diatribes by sports reporters on TV. Nor did I see any excoriating articles in the news. 

More important, I have heard of no threats by the ACLU to sue either the NFL Football or individual players. A single coach at an obscure high school game takes a private moment to exercise his Constitutional right and give thanks, and his world is brought down around him. You see, he is one man without resources. Low hanging fruit, as it were. 

But professional football is a harder target. Big, rich, organized men as part of a very wealthy sports organization that has it's own bevy of lawyers. So what it amounts to is that the ACLU are a bunch of legal bullies. They are willing to destroy the "little people" who can't fight back but can't handle someone their own size.

Once More Into The Fray

I have written a lot about politics. Frankly, I'm tired of it. Ninety percent of those in office should be taken out behind the barn and have a good beating administered. They are stupid and avaricious people for the most part. Most of the ones that are reasonably smart are power mad. I need to give myself a vacation from that pig sty.

Being a cranky conservative, there is always something that disturbs me. I have recently been ordained as a Christian clergyman. There is a story there, but not to be shared here. Catch me in a local public house and offer me a touch of the Irish and I will share. What disturbs me greatly is the current attitude, among "intellectuals", against religion in general and Christianity in particular.

These brilliant intellectuals, they're actually no smarter than a fence post, never come down against Islam. Do they fear those peace loving Muslims will track them down and behead them? But peace loving Christians are an easy target. Nothing to fear there. Well maybe there is. 

I, for one, am tired of having my freedoms, delineated under the Bill of Rights, my God given freedoms, trod under foot by a bunch of troglodyte politicians and lawyers espousing a legal precedence that never existed. And getting away with it.

There is no separation of church and state. None. Nada. Never was. The state can not "establish" a particular religion. But they cannot prevent the"free exercise" of religion.
Once again, they cannot exercise the "free exercise" of one's religion. If you wish to bend a knee and pray, even as a coach at a football game, you have that right. It is as much your right as the right a criminal has not to answer questions.

Why does the ACLU work so hard for criminals and against Christians? M-O-N-E-Y. They get paid when they win cases against our rights and for criminals rights. So, Congress, shut off that money hose.

Freedom of religion is covered under the first amendment, as is freedom of speech. As one can speak about anything at any time, one can practice their faith any place at any time. Both freedoms have some caveats like shouting fire in a theater or killing as part of ones faith. But, other than such excessive behavior, any removal of personal freedom is unconstitutional.

Random Thoughts - Seventy-Two

Back in the day when there seemed to be a little bit more sanity in the country, when a man was loud and extolled his very own greatness, when he explained at length how smart he was, and how stupid and inadequate everyone else was, he was labeled a "blowhard". He was then ostracized and ignored as a useless human being. Now he gets a shot at being President.

As I am sure everyone knows by now, a Washington state football coach has been threatened with dismissal by his employer for praying before games. Athletes that are religious have been praying or giving thanks as far back as I remember. It is traditional. Come to think of it, such actions are protected in our very own Constitution. But those of a secular atheistic bent care not for anyone's rights when their tender psyches are offended. I say once again - Dudes, it is freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. If this good man gets fired, I hope he sues and gets millions.

I read this morning that all those enlightened Europeans, much admired by our President, who gave up their firearms are now scrambling to acquire those selfsame firearms because of the influx of of Middle Easterners prone to violence as a political tactic. I guess they realize that "progressive-ism" is not so great when it bites you in the butt.

Does anyone really believe that the FBI will do anything about Hillary's dangerous and criminal activities. If they gave a pass to low hanging fruit like Lois Lerner, Hillary is free and clear. That is unless the President comes up with a reason to take her out of the game. He controls everything. It may be just an "echo of my mind", but I still hear the hoof beats of a dark horse coming down the canyon. But whatever happens, please, no dynasties.

I see where Iran will execute one thousand prisoners this year. Where are all those liberals that get all up in arms if we execute one murderer in this country. 

I don't have time to write any more today. Halloween is coming up and I still need to get some garlic and silver bullets.

A Sense Of Privilege

The trouble with liberals, they like to think of themselves as "progressives", is that they have a sense of privilege. They are the, self-described, intellectual elite. They don't care for physical work as that makes one sweat. So they prefer to think about things and talk about things and make up grandiose schemes. In warm weather these occupations can be done under air conditioning so as to remain sweat free.

Since they incessantly talk about these grandiose schemes, they always end up with a consensus among their fellow elites. If one is part of this deep thinking group one knows that it is intentions that matter. Actual result are far less important and outright failure proves nothing.

The fact of the matter is that most of their schemes fail. Since they base their efforts on people and societies doing the "right" thing as they define it, failure is inevitable. People and societies operate in their own perceived self interest. They are more concerned with results than theory. 

So when the "intellectual elites" gain power, society becomes a social experiment. They see it as the opportunity to show the world the overwhelming greatness of their collective thought. So we end up with a weak military, open borders, political correctness, universal abortion, gay marriage, the IRS used as a political enforcer, and a nineteen trillion dollar debt. You get wars that aren't wars. You get Islamic jihadists beheading Christians. Then you get Christians and Jews being called terrorists and the jihadis being called....... nothing at all. 

Many of the things that have been done are criminal in nature. Our Justice Department seems to be giving every illegal action a pass. And that is the reason that Democrats are holding their noses and lining up behind Hillary. If a Republican gets in, a new Justice Department can re-examine all that has been done. A Democrat will offer cover until the Statute of Limitations runs out. 

So we can support criminals with a sense of privilege or we can try to clean up the mess they are leaving us with.

The Last Of Benghazi

I started writing about Benghazi almost three years ago. I hope this will be the last time that I write about that tragedy. I knew almost immediately that we were being played by the administration because too many things didn't make sense. I encouraged people to go after the truth. I was sure that the day would come and the truth would be known.

Over time, hints and rumors were revealed that allowed us something pretty close to the real story. And it was ugly. But as is typical of the Obama administration in general and Hillary Clinton in particular, obfuscation preceded any truth. Documents were denied and facts were spun. E-mails were wiped and servers were hidden in bathrooms, lest real responsibility be doled out.

Trey Gowdy is a true American hero. He continued, in the most professional manner, to dig for the truth. He did this in spite of the minority members of his committee being part and parcel of the cover up. E-mails were finally found and delivered to the committee. Ms. Clinton was brought before the committee. The truth was presented. 

Ms. Clinton went into full Clintonian mode. Deny, deny, deny. What can't be denied, dis-remember. What can't be denied or dis-remembered, spin. And that is what she did. Including blaming Ambassador Stevens for not getting increased security, because he was "kidding". Really. An American ambassador in one of the most dangerous parts of the world asks for more security personnel, and she thinks he is kidding?

So the rumor was floated that a third level aide named Kennedy denied the request and Hillary never heard about it. That is just not believable that such a denial would be made without the Secretary's approval. But Hillary smirked and smiled and threw up her hands in victory when her questioning was over. It was reminiscent of an end zone celebration at a pro football game. And just as unbecoming.

Those of us that care, now know most of the truth. What we still don't know is why there was no military intercession. One Spectre gunship or a couple of F-18s could have broken up that attack before those men were killed. It has been said that both assets were available and could have been there in time. Why were they not brought in and who made that decision?

But it was Hillary's State Department. It was Hillary's ambassador. And it was Hillary's deal in Benghazi. She failed. She does not deserve to be President.

Not A Crime

Practicing ones religion is not a crime. Practicing it publicly is protected by the Constitution. Although many people seem to be of such a weak nature that they are shocked and offended at the merest sign of a religious activity. Have we reverted to the depravity of ancient Rome where practicing Christians used the secret sign of the fish to identify themselves to the like minded.

Last week a high school football player from upstate New York scored a touchdown. As many professional players do in multiple sports, he raised his index finger toward the sky to give thanks to God. The referee immediately penalized him for taunting. So, the referee is not a sports fan and is unfamiliar with this practice or he has bad vision and didn't correctly see which finger was raised or he is a lout and an atheist and brought his hate for Christians onto the field. 

If the first is true, I think it very odd that a man that referees football would not be a fan of sports in general and football in particular. But, could happen. This might stand as an excuse. If either of the other two are true, he shouldn't be refereeing. 

I am not a fan of full grown professional athletes doing silly girly dances in the end zone looking like fools. I also dislike the trash talking garbage that goes on in sports today. Those are taunting. Raising one finger as you go to the sidelines or round the bases is harmless and, certainly, not taunting. The referee that penalized him was wrong and owes that young man and his parents an apology. 

What I would like to see is every player in every game in the division where this referee works raise a finger when they score in support of this player. If they get a penalty, accept it and move on. Then go on doing it each and every score. Make a point of the principle for the principle is more important than the game.

Diversity

I have heard complaints that the Democrat Presidential candidates are not diverse enough. If you judge simply on the basis of skin tone, that would seem to be true. But we are told not to judge a person by the color of their skin. Perhaps there are other factors that need examination to show diversity.

First the obvious. To be thorough, I am assuming that Joe Biden will become part of the field. So that would give us an elderly, happy, but somewhat confused Vice President, an elderly, angry, harridan of an ex-Secretary of State, and an elderly, whacked out, socialist, Senator. I'm starting to see some diversity already.

Now, two are male and one is female. But at their age I'm not sure it matters anymore. Hey, diversity is where you find it. I believe there are three other candidates making a run for the nomination, but as I can't remember their names, I doubt anyone else can.

OK, onward. You have one that always has a big grin. You have one that always has a big frown. And you have one whose eyes kind of glaze over. I think that the one with the big grin has it because the other two have gone so far left that all anyone can see is their backsides as they race each other into fiscal oblivion.

And support structure. One is supported by a sitting President. One is supported by an ex President. And one is well loved by Fidel Castro. That is pretty diverse. When you come right down to it, you would think that the political party that produced FDR and JFK could do better. 

Have they gone so far into the stagnant pools of leftist big government thinking the no bright young minds are willing to follow? When times are bad and your solution is higher taxes and more regulation, all the diversity in the world is not going to make for a candidate that is good for America.

Stand Up

The State Department says that Christianity is under attack around the world. Judaism is also but that would never be spoken of by the Obama State Department. The attacks in foreign climes are mostly from Islamist groups. Particularly ISIS. What they call ISIL. Our President seems eager to cede them the Levant. That is a leap that, I am sure, Israel and Jordan are not prepared to make.

Christianity is also under attack in this country, by the far left, atheists, and the ACLU. If you are part of a Christian organization that takes political stands, you will be targeted by Homeland Security, the IRS, and the Department of Justice. Plan on it. And don't expect any support from the Southern Law Poverty Center or the NAACP.

It is coming time where, not only Christians, but all Americans who respect and love the Constitution and believe in the freedoms delineated in the Bill of Rights have to stand and take a position. The camel of governmental control has more than his nose in our tent. It is in here full head and shoulders, and he is tramping on our rights. Even as they are telling us that they plan to go even further.

If you haven't read George Orwell's classic "1984", do so. And pretend that the title is "2024". If some of that book doesn't creep you out because it sounds familiar, you haven't been paying attention.

Young people don't have the perspective of time to realize how intrusive the government is today. Find a politically aware curmudgeon over sixty-five and have a long discussion.  When the government starts pushing religious organizations around, and they are, they have stepped over a line they should never cross. 

Stand up now if you love freedom, or lose it forever.

Random Thoughts - Seventy-One

During the Democrat pseudo debate, the two major players were trying to outdo each other in giveaways. Not one mention of how to pay for all of it. But there are some things that I would welcome them giving Americans. They could give us back the rule of law. They could give us back the right to succeed through hard work. They could give us the freedom to prosper. They could give us less divisiveness. They could give us a government that works for the good of the country. Wouldn't cost a cent.

Do we really need a two year Presidential campaign? Do we really need loud mouthed, self-aggrandizing politicians yammering at us and getting in our faces for twenty-four months or longer? Six months is enough. If you can't bring your case to the people in six months, you are not qualified to be President.

And yes, Benghazi and the e-mails are still important!

Sunday, another stop in the Patriots Check Our Balls tour. Can't wait. Go Pats.

It is being reported that Iran never signed Obama's nuclear deal. They signed their own version, which is considerably different. If this is so, Obama has tried to hornswoggle us once again. Oh, and by the way, he is leaving troops in Afghanistan. If it weren't so sad it would be fun seeing him backpedal his girly bike.

When I was a kid, our teachers loved our country and encouraged patriotism. Many of today's teachers seem to hate our country, hate the military that protects them, and discourage patriotism in their students. This is just evil.

Speaking of patriotism and evil, no person should ever be disallowed to fly the American flag, anywhere they choose as long as it conforms to normal flag etiquette. This is especially true of homeowners associations. A flying Stars and Stripes enhances any piece of property.