Romney Pro-Choice??

I have found several articles lately that show Romney not only passed legislation tailor made to support the abortion industry when he was governor, but that before that in the 1990s, he was actually personally contributing money to Planned Parenthood.

And this guy is supposed to be a Republican???

ACLU MIA?!?!?!

The state of Illinois is trying to force churches to help gays and lesbians adopt children. 

At this point does anyone take them seriously that they are protecting rights?  Do they really feel like its OK for the state to force religions to change?? 

ACLU is a joke.  They are pushing their own political agenda, and should lose their tax exempt status. 

Watch them try to sue me for saying that!!!

MN Wild 1 - NY Islanders 2

I was at that game tonight when the Wild lost in a shootout to the New York Islanders.

It was a bad game from the start with almost half the Wild team out on injury, but I was glad that my favorite player Cal Clutterbuck got the goal, and even with the loss, Backstrom still had a good night with a ton of saves.

The Wild still lead the NHL in points, but they are on a three game losing streak and have a tough schedule coming up.  I hope some guys get healed up so they can keep this bus rolling!!!

Great Debate!!!

That was a great debate last night!!

I think the people who did worst were Rick Perry (multiple flubs), Michelle Bachmann (went way overboard), and moderator Diane Sawyer who I think was either drunk or on pills.

Newt protected his lead, and Romney struck out when he tried to attack Newt, and then Mitt got mired in a pointless arguement with Perry that ended up in the $10,000 bet line he has been getting flack for all day.

True Wit!!!

When asked about his weight, and whether he could drop a few pounds, Newt Gingrich responded: "God  wanted me to be a bear, not a gazelle."

Newt's Revolution!!!!

Newt is taking the nomination by storm!!

He is leading in the national polls, and leading or contending in all the first contests.

At this point he needs to tighten down on message discipline, leverage his advantage into fundraising, and build a legitimate groundgame in Iowa and New Hampshire.

I really like his message, and I believe that he is the candidate most likely to be a change agent.  

The Irrepressible Newt

Everything is coming together for Newt Gingrich.

He is rising in both the national polls, and the crucial first states.

The media is doing everything they can to try to tear him down, but all of his dirty laundry has already been exposed.  He has already been totally vetted, and even better, he has a long history of putting the media in its place.

I am fully in the Newt camp now.  He really is the guy for our times.  I love his passion for history, and his thoughtful approach to big topics.

Here it is.......

The make or break moment for Newt.  He is at the top of his game, and this debate is right in his wheelhouse.

Lets see if he can solidify his position.

The Rise of Newt

Newt Gingrich is rising in the polls.  He has been doing great at the debates and has avoided any serious setbacks.  He has appeal to both the establishment and the Tea party, but I think that parts of the establishment is going to try to cut him down because he still has a lot of enemies from when he was Speaker of the House.  I don't think it will be enough to derail him though, because he has so many good ideas, and such a good record on the national level that he really does seem to be the best candidate.  I am reading one of his books right now, and I am amazed at how smart he is and how well he understands the important parts of what makes America exceptional, and what needs to be done to fix her.

Thoughts on Israel

Israel is beyond a doubt the most free country in the middle east.

Israel is beyond a doubt the most democratic country in the Middle East.

Israel is beyond a doubt the most tolerant country in the Middle East.

And Israel is obviously the target of the most venom and hatred from everyone including their neighbors to the EU, the UN and American Democrats.  There is no question in my mind that these are good people that deserve our help, and as our friends we should do everything we can to help protect them fronm the many people out there who do everything in their power to hurt, tear down, or ultimately destroy the state of Israel.

Intolerable Burdens

Currently, the Federal Tax Code covers 17,000 pages and requires over 700 different forms. The IRS estimates Americans spend over five billion hours preparing taxes annually, draining $194 billion from the U.S. economy.

The Federal Registry now exceeds 75,000 pages. The Office of Management and Budget estimates that merely complying with these regulations costs businesses $500 to $600 billion per year.

 “Over-regulation is hurting our economy, and unfortunately, the problem is only getting worse. Right now, federal agencies are at work on more than 4,200 new rules, 845 of which affect small businesses, the engine of job creation," says Sen. Susan Collins of Maine.

The problem is as old as the United States, as can be seen in this excerpt from the Declaration of Independence​ explaining the tyranny of King George, “He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat of their substance.”

Sound familiar?

Ma Deuce

Some guys dream about fancy cars or planes...........  these babies could obliterate either of those!! 

Perry's Tax Plan

I haven't had a chance to check out Rick Perry's new tax reform plan yet, but it has had a rough life so far.

His rollout was marred by reports that he was joining the birther movement.  He also is catching flak from having one of his campaign guys suggest that he might skip a few debates.

The worst part of it is that his plan doesn't eliminate the current tax code, it still allows it as an option.

I greatly prefer the plans that scuttle the current system.  If his plan is just a transition from the current code, that wouldn't be too bad.  It will be interesting to see how it holds up under scrutiny.

Deer Season

I am getting really excited about deer season coming up.  This should be a good year.

It looks like I will have an opportunity to go hunting up north by Duluth, and I am really happy about that.  I really like that terrain, and my only regret is that I don't have a lever gun yet.  That would be perfect for those kinds of rolling hills with thick woods.  I am going to have to find a cut, trail, fire break, or overwatch to position on so that my bolt guns can earn their keep.

I would also like to find someplace down closer to the Twin Cities to hunt.  I don't mind shopping around the Wildlife Management Areas, but it would be a lot nicer to find someone with some land.  Wish me luck!!!

Ponder Looks Good!!

This weekend was the first start for Christian Ponder on the Minnesota Vikings in their battle against the perenial enemy, the Green Bay Packers. 

He looked really good!!  He was able to create an air attack that the Vikings have been sorely lacking.  His numbers weren't stellar, but it looked good, and he showed a lot of potential.  It has been years since we have had a real life franchise quarterback instead of a retread or a hold over.  This makes me realize that we really have a chance to get someone locked in for years and hopefully championships!! 

Now at the end of the day, the Vikings lost to the Packers.  I don't think that Frasier and Ponder can turn this season around, but I think that they can build a strong core, pick up some new recievers, and linesmen, and next year we could be a real challenger!!

A Brutal Man meets a grisly death

Yesterday Col. Quadaffi was tracked down and cornered is his hometown.  His aggressors pinned him down, took him captive, beat him within an inch of his life, and then pulled him out to parade him around before they finally delivered the last blow. 

I don't have any sympathy for a man who sent so many others to a similar fate. 

The question is-- what comes next?  Who were these men that put him down, and what will happen in the vacuum of power after him?

A New Day

There is going to be about 4 weeks before the next Republican Debate.

This allows the candidates to hit the road, and build on their last performances.  Perry has resuscitated his campaign by tearing into Romney.  As staged and preplanned as it was, it seemed to hit the mark, as it was the first time Mitt has been ruffled.  This needs to happen a lot more.  The other candidates spent a while trying to steal Cain's thunder, but at least they took the cue, and finally started going after Romney as well. 

Romney has eluded attacks so far by simply keeping his head down, and sitting on his 25%.  Nobody really took him seriously because he doesn't have any enthusiasm behind him.  Now that he has consistently kept his support when everyone else has been gaining and loosing, it is starting to become more obvious that unless he gets pulled down into the mud a bit, he very well might get the nomination simply by being the last man standing.  This should never be the way Republicans choose their nominee, but especially in such an important situation as we have now with the most destructive President in 50+ years, we need the best candidate that we can get.  We also need to make sure that we don't allow the good to become the enemy of the perfect.  No one is perfect, and if we allow every candidate who has a flaw to lose, then we won't have a candidate.  Instead we need to concentrate on who best can turn the tide on a 80 year march to government dominance.  Warts and all. 

Romney and Perry have already come out with incredibly biting attack ads.  Those two might very well end up tearing each other down.  If both suffer, I think Cain and Gingrich benefit.  Cain is in the position of trying to consolidate and build on his recent success.  He needs to find better ways to explain his proposals.  Most of the attacks against them in this last debate were witty, and sharp, and so economically nonsensical as to be borderline stupid. 

Gingrich is the one that I feel like he has the most potential, but it's potential wasted.  He sweeps the debates, but all the pundits and media dismiss him out of hand.  By simply doing as well as he has, he has fought his way into the lower top tier.  He needs to find a way to counter media shrug offs.  He would actually learn quite a bit by asking the advice of Sarah Palin who has made a career of using the media for her own devices.  He has learned a bit about that by tearing into the moderators during the debates, but there are many other things he could be doing to get their attention, and advance his message. 

In all, it will be interesting to see how the results of this debate influence the next month of campaigning.  We are getting close to the beginning of the primaries, and it is too late for anyone else to drop in.  We are set with the group that we will have, and now it is a matter of sorting out who has what it takes, and who needs to go back to what they were doing before.

Go Wild!!!!!

The MN Wild are STILL in second place in the Northwest Division!!!

It's no suprise that we are beating Edmonton and Calgary, but I am pretty suprised that Colorado in is first by posting 5 wins already, and that we are beating Vancouver; the offensive juggernaut from last year.  I can't believe that Vancouver will stay behind us for long, but I do hope we catch up to and overtake Colorado.

Calgary always has a chance to make a comeback, but they have been on the decline for awhile and it looks like it will get worse before it gets better.  Edmonton has spent the last few years finishing last in the league and using high draft postions to stack their team with talent.  It is only a matter of time before they become a factor again, but I don't think it will be this year.

Lever Guns

I am starting to really like lever guns.  They are the lever action rifles that you usually associate with cowboy movies.  Now-a-days most people call them brush guns because they are best for hilly or heavily forested areas.
They do well in this type of terrain because they are short, they carry a lot of shells, they are light, and you can get quick follow up shots.  Most tend to be chambered in .30-.30 which is actually an outdated caliber.  It's ballistics don't make it very effective out beyond 200 yards.  But that is another reason why it works well in rough terrain.  I am thinking about buying one.  The ones I am looking at are the Marlin 336 and the Rossi Rio Grande.  I could afford some of the Winchesters, but most are really expensive now!!  Any of the old ones are collectors now and go for a high dollar value.  I really just want one as a good deer gun for the north woods.

Great Debate!!!

Great debate last night!!

I love that the candidates are finally tearing into Mitt Romney.  He really is slick and polished, but he is the kind of fake guy that exemplifies what Americans hate about politicians.  He has been all over the map, supporting abortion, then being pro-life, being anti-gun, and then being for the 2nd amendment, and he even created the forerunning program that Obama modelled Obamacare after. 

He is saying most of the right things today, but you can't help but think he is only saying them because that is what he needs to say.  You look back on his record, and notice that his strategic flip flops have occured at exactly the times he has needed them to advance himself politically.  There are plenty of other candidates that have changed their minds in the past, but none of them have done so so suspiciously, and most have legitimate change of heart stories that make sense.  In fact most other candidates' change on political positions come off as based on the merits simply because they DIDN'T come at political opportune moments!!!  

I think Romney is a polished creep.  I hope he isn't the nominee, because he is still obviously better then Obama, so I would have to hold my nose and vote for him, but thats not what I want to do!!  I want a candidate that I can get behind, and really believe in!!

Obama The Stupid Communist

Cain vs Obama - The debate Democrats dread.

Update on "9 9 9 plan" and other misc.

I have already written about how Herman Cain's 9 9 9 plan has been given the thumbs up by Art Laffer. 

As of today, it has also been given the thumbs up by the Club for Growth, and Paul Ryan as well!!!!

I am a little hesitant considering the fact that one of the best magazines in the world (National Review) has come out against it, but when you read their article, they really just argue that it isn't perfect (which we all knew already), and that there are other options that would work even better, and be better long term solutions.  Well that is wonderful, but until National Review fields a candidate, I think it is most prudent to support the best idea on the table.

Herman Cain's plan for both tax reform, and Social Security reform are unquestionably the best on the table right now.  Paul Ryan does have a more conprehensive entitlement reform package that has already passed the house, but it is dead in the water until we get a new President, and a majority in the Senate.  And it is starting to look like Cain is the man for that job!!  I can be pretty sure that Cain would be more then happy to incorporate Ryan's successful ideas into his own, because Cain has already mentioned Paul Ryan as someone he would be interested in having as his VP candidate. 

National Review did come out in favor of Rick Perry's energy plan.  I do like Perry, and would like to see him improve in the polls, but unfortunately, I don't think he will be able to improve his debating skills quickly, and effectively enough to be able to catch up.  Either way, I hope that whichever one gets the nod does include Perry's plan, or something similar to it.  Leftists have fought against energy development for decades now, and if we could get someone in the White House who could truly cut thru that red tape, the benefits to our economy would be so incredible, that it would destroy the arguements against it.  That is what needs to happen, so that those people can be discredited, and their influence can be discarded.  They have caused enough harm to us already!!

Obama Crackup

Obama's healthcare bill is crumbling.  It is falling apart on its way to the Supreme Court which will most likely strike it down as unconstitutional.

Now really is the time for conservatives to put forward a truly national movement.  We have the evidence, as so many of Obama's big ticket items are going down in flames.  We have the grassroots, as the Tea Party has proved the most legitimate populist groundswell since the 1960's.  Now is not the time to hedge our bets, or try to take the safe route.  We need the strongest, most conservative candidate we can get, and we need to support big ticket bills that will reverse the 80 year tide of leftism.  I really think this is the time, and we can get it done!!

Energy Opportunities

I am really tempted to go out to the boom towns in North Dakota.  Several guys I know are dropping out of school and going to work for the oil companies out there.

I am so impressed by how much money can be brought into an area by allowing energy resources to be opened up.  I looked into it, and Congress has fought against allowing people to produce energy for decades now.  It seems like the strongest opponents of growth are the congressmen who have been bought out by the "Green Movement".

For a long time people have been fooled by these guys, but now that the environmental movement has been exposed as a scam by the email dump, and the "Green Movement" has been exposed by the Solyndra scandal, more people are finally getting skeptical.

There is no need to drive up the price of energy just to support a few favored businesses.

Time Running Out

Herman Cain really is on the clock.

He has hit the biggest stride of his campaign and he probably won't get another one.  Right now he needs to be holding as many fundraisers as he can, and building up all the ground people to campaign in the first primaries.
Unfortunately, he is taking a tour thru Tennesee, and going on a book promotion tour.  I think that if he seized this moment and built on his support, he would have a legitimate shot at the nomination.  On the other hand, if he lets it slip away, I don't think there will be another chance.

Go Wild!!

True fans need to appreciate that the Minnesota Wild are number 2 in the Northwest Division right now!!

Now, granted we are only a few games into the season. 

That is why we should savor this moment, because as fans of Minnesota pro teams know, this probably won't last for long!!

A BIG Boost!!!

Today Art Laffer came out and endorsed Herman Cain's 9 9 9 tax reform plan.

Art Laffer is famous for creating the "Laffer Curve"; a simple demonstrative tool that allows even thick headed leftists to understand how regressive left wing taxation hurts everyone.

Laffer pointed out that Cain's plan broadens the tax base, while eliminating loopholes. 

It has come under attack from Democrats who don't understand how it works.  They say that since 50% of the country isn't paying taxes right now, that making them pay a 9% tax would be too much for them.  Cain rightly points out that even people who get all their federal taxes back (and more!) still pay a 15% payroll tax that is charged to their employer (so most people aren't aware of it.)  This would replace that, and so even people in the lowest income brackets would also be getting a tax break.

This endorsement has me liking Cain's plan quite a bit more.  I still don't like the idea of a national sales tax, but we already have thousands of taxes on the books right now, and if this one can be used to re-orient our economy to a path of prosperity, then it will be well worth it. 

Cain's 9 9 9 plan

I have been looking into Herman Cain's 9 9 9 plan, and his other solutions to the problems the Democrats created.

I do like his 9 9 9 plan, but with reservations.  It would create a strong line in the sand showing that people wanted low taxes, and successful businesses.  It's biggest weakness is that it introduces an entirely new form of taxation!!!  It includes a 9% national sales tax. 

Now the fact is, this would be a successful plan, and would help fix our economy.  We would enjoy a long period of success.  Unfortunately, after people have been successful long enough, that's when they are most vulnerable to leftists' income redistribution schemes.  And this would allow an entirely uneeded way for leftists to take more peoples' money. 

I do like the flat tax idea, and it could be successfully done with a rate of 15% on taxes that are already in existence.  Why go thru more trouble, or take bigger risks then we have to?  I want to support a candidate who would keep it simple, and keep it effective.  That was how our government was supposed to be in the first place anyway!!

The thing that I like most about Cain's plan is the Chile model for Social Security.  Democrats are such reactionaries that it has been impossible to get them to release their death grip on the current Social Security, even after it has been conclusively proven as a failure.  The fact that there is an actual real life example of a successful system out there makes it a lot harder for them to argue against progress.  More and more people are coming to the conclusion that we might as well fix it, because it is getting more and more likely that we will be the ones that it defaults on.  (because it openly says it will default on us!!)

I can't wait for this to get fixed.  The sooner we implement a system that actually works, the better it will be for me and my children.

Welcome New Readers!!!!!

Welcome to my blog!!  Feel free to read all my posts, and let me know what you think and what you would like to hear more about.

Hockey Starts!!!!!!

A new season of hockey has started!!!

I went to the first game of the Minnesota Wild vs. the Columbus Blue Jackets, and was pleased to see the Wild come out of the box swinging!!!!

Unfortunately today they had their second game against the New York Islanders, and lost 2-1.  I guess starting the year 1-1 against two of the leagues worst teams isn't so bad, but I hope the Islanders was a fluke.

I do like the new coach.  I think Mike Yeo has a good philosophy when it comes to always being on the attack, and I like that Chuck Fletcher (Wild GM) gave him the tools to do it by aquiring several high powered forwards in the off season. 

Like always, this should be a fun, interesting season.  The Western Conference is brutal, but I think this year we stand a chance of getting into the play-offs!!!

Cheap Guns II

Still looking at the best bang for the buck out there!!

Hi point definitely makes the best pistols, and pistol caliber long guns on the market.  You can get full sized .45 acp pistols with lifetime warranties for under $200.  There simply is no other company out there that can offer that deal.  Makes me think it is only a matter of time before that price goes up!!

Mosin Nagants are the best high caliber rifles on the market.  $99-$109 for the rifle, and $55-$85 for a new stock.  Costs go up another $100 to $250 if you want to put a scope on it, but you don't have to, and even if you want to, you can wait until money is available.  It fires the Russian 7.62x54R round which is slightly more powerful then the NATO standard 7.62x51 round.  It is a good high powered, long distance round that can go thru most anything, and is cheap to buy.

With shotguns, I think the best is the Maverick 88's that sell for around $200 a peice, but I recently found the H&R Pardner Protector that is selling for $170.  These all seem like good deals, although there are many 12 gauges that are only a bit more expensive. 

Football Politics

Hahahahahaha!!!!!!

I am really happy to announce that a recent study looked into political contributions from football teams, and found that NFL teams tend to contribute mainly to Republicans.

This is impressive, since they are union players, college graduates, and famous.  These are all things that tend to lead people to feel guilty, or at least feel Democratic.

I think that since football players are part of a game that is entirely based on merit, that they must realize the importance of hard work to be able to see results, and I also think that it must force them to get over feelings of entitlement.

Now of course, we all know football players who are prima donnas, and who expect the world on a platter, but the study leads me to believe that they must be the over-reported few, and that the quiet majority must see past these egomaniacs.

Good for them!!

Vikings Win!!!!!!

Vikings finally win a game!!!

Sure, it took 3 touchdowns from our all pro running back Adrian Peterson.  The guy basically had to take the game into his own hands and win it by himself, but at least it is finally a win!!

Now that we have one win under our belts, it will be interesting to see if the team can pull together, and keep it going.

Cain Rising and Rising.....

Herman Cain is doing very well.  He has really been the primary beneficiary of Rick Perry's crash and burn.  It is good to see Cain taking such a commanding position, because there is always the attraction of a candidate who has never been in politics before. 

It just seems like such a stretch.  I have heard the term before that the Presidency is not an entry level position, and I think it has a lot of truth to it.  I honestly do think Cain would do a much better job then Obama, or for that matter, any Democrat.  But I don't just want someone to do better then a Democrat, I want someone who can change the paradigm of modern politics.  I want a revolutionary who will stop the regressive policies of the last 80 years, and get us back on track for success. 

Unfortunately, I just don't see Cain as that guy.  I think he could get a lot done, and be a positive force for good in Washington, but I don't see him transforming the debate.  I just see him making good points on our side, a few big chunks of legislation, and 10-15 years down the road, we are arguing over the same things we are today. 

I do like him more then Romney, though.  At least Cain is standing up for the right things.  Romney is just making excuses to look good, and be just conservative enough to aquire power.  I don't really think he believes enough of it to ever be our candidate.

Steve Jobs

A truly American story comes now to an end.  To a life well lived!!
Rest In Peace.

BTW

I don't even want to talk about the Vikings humiliating defeat this weekend. 

I am starting to think Leslie has been paid off to produce a horrible season so they can justify a move to a better venue. 

Raiders, Bills, and the (shudder) Lions are doing much better then the Vikes.

End of the world must be near!!  Hahahahaha!!!

Newt's New Plan

I have been reviewing Newt's new Contract with America.

It seems to be pretty comprehensive, and it addresses a lot of the things that I have the most concerns with.  I really do think that he would have the best chance at creating the legislative agreements that would be important to get thru any true reforms. 

I wish that he would go into more detail about foriegn policy, and what he would do about more specific circumstances around the globe.

It is right for him to concentrate on the domestic though, because that is were our biggest problems are right now, and that is the only way for him to create a mandate so that if he is elected, he can pursue these issues.

I am starting to like Newt a lot more.  His debate performances have been stellar, and he has the experience of working in highly partisan environments and producing results.  Many of the other candidates have the sort of leadership qualities that I like, but none of them have proven that they can effectively take on Washington in Washington like Newt has. 

That is a huge plus in his favor in my opinion. 

He is still having trouble gaining traction because of his poor campaigning skills, and most pundits' stigma of him, but he does seem to be coming across quite well with more and more of the base.  This is where he needs to make his stand, and if he can generate enough support, than pundits and commentators will flock to him like the weathervanes they are.

Vikings Choke. Dog bites Man.

20 point lead.  20 to nothing.  20 point lead. 

Game in the bag.

Just don't mess it up. 

WHAT?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!  

How does that happen??? 

Even as it is transpiring before your eyes, it just feels like some kind of sick joke.  Like they are going to call "Fooled You!!"  and go back to the regular game.

But no.  They have done it again.

26-23.  Vikings lose.

Central MN TEA Party

I went to another Tea Party event last weekend.  It was pretty good.  They had a guest speaker. I can't remember his name right now, but he had spent a few terms in the Minnesota State Senate, and had been the Minnesota Republican candidate for Governor back in 1994.

The speech was pretty good.  He went into a lot of detail explaining a UN education program called IB for International Baccalaureate.  It is sliming it's way into our schools as we speak, and schools sign off to teach our kids to be "citizens of the world" and to teach "United Nations values and beliefs". 

Many of the people in the crowd were teachers or retired teachers, and said that this is a legitimate problem.  It started after I graduated high school, so I was completely unfamiliar with it. 

It did seem like something that people should be concerned with, but I just couldn't get excited about it.  To be honest, I think we should have pulled out of the UN back when the Berlin Wall fell.  That should be our main focus.  The longer we stay in this group that has shifted its focus to trying to hurt us and Israel, the longer they can claim some legitimacy.  These guys are chumps, losers and thugs.  There is absolutely no excuse for us sticking around pretending like they are respectable.

As far as the education aspect goes, I actually agree with Ron Paul when he says that we need to just get rid of the Dept. of Education.  American kids were some of the best educated in the world until 40 years ago when we started the Dept. of Education, and created govt standards for govt schools that  forced every single kid to fall into the lowest common denominator.  Every year we have had the Dept. of Education, it has consistantly failed.  Every year it has gotten worse.  It is time to stop rewarding failure, and turn the education of children back over to the people who do it best-- their parents and communities. 

Seems to make sense to me, right?  We tried that and it worked well,  thought this would work better, but it hasn't.  So why in the world would we not go back to what works???  It is just stubbornness and powerhoarding that keeps us from doing right by our kids.

Obama's Economy

Hallmark is now starting a line of cards expressing sympathy for getting laid off. 

Anyway, Contagion......

Back to my earlier post about Contagion.

It was a pretty good movie.  Spent most of its time tracking the progress of the disease and concentrating on the medical details and implications.  It didn't focus much on the huge effect it would have on day to day life in America.  It mainly used that as a backdrop for its story of CDC personnel trying to contain it. 

This was a good movie, and I am suprised that more movies like this aren't released.  It was very accurate to what is a likely scenerio in our future. 

I think Hollywood really drops the ball by not making more movies based on real life possibilities.  Imagine all the movies that could be made about the repercussions of a shake up in power in Iran, North Korea, or Pakistan!!!   Or WMD terrorism!!  Or EMP strikes!! 

The obvious one right now would be economic collapse.  There are a million ways they could go with that, and it would have topical appeal as well as the old post apocalyptic zing!! 

People like to see stories that have something to do with whats going on in their lives.  Or what might happen in their lives.  I know that I would love to see that kind of stuff a lot more then one more retread of a movie that was popular 30 years ago, a super hero movie, or some fantastical CGI special effects blockbuster. 

So I think Contagion was a step in the right direction.  It sheds some light on what the CDC does ALL THE TIME, and what might happen if they slip up, or just run into something they aren't prepared for. 

It was only about 4 generations ago that tens of millions of people died from influenza.  Even if something big didn't hit America, it is a matter of time before it hits somewhere in the globe. 

So, if anyone else has seen this movie and has something to say about it, or some other movie in the same genre, let's hear it!!

Some cool links!

Here are some great sites to check out:

http://www.downsizinggovernment.org/

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

Always good for thought!!!!!

Contagion

I had a great night last night!!  my fiance and I went out to eat, and then we went and watched the new movie Contagion.

It was a pretty good movie.  I liked how comprehensive it was and how it didnt get too caught up in the melo drama.

oppps,  i will get back to this later!!!

Perry Beatdown

Rick Perry had a really bad night two nights ago at the debate.  He looked flustered, and sometimes even bewildered.  It seemed like he only had a few cribbed notes, and he was trying to fit them in no matter what came up, or what question was asked of him. 

There is a very short timeframe for him to get his act in gear.  The fact that he has had three debates now to cement his frontrunner status, and still hasn't means that he very likely will lose it, and will have to do much better to fight to get it back.

It also means that there is an opening for someone else to swoop in and pull a "Rick Perry".

It looks like that someone else could possibly be either Chris Christie, or Sarah Palin.  Palin has huge unfavorables, and is only starting to honestly look into joining the race because she has recently pulled even with Obama in national polls.  She has a strong core of followers, and is an expert retail politician.  Her unfavorables are her albatross, but other then that, she has great name recognition, and has already been thoroughly vetted.  On top of all that, she has forgotten more then most Republican politicians will ever learn about how to deal with the modern media.

Chris Christie is still a big question mark.  He is incredibly popular with the base, and has proven to be exceptionally effective in office, but has not been vetted, and is unknown to the national public.  And to be honest, there are some things in his past that Republican primary voters might not be as in love with as they think they are right now. 

Either one of these, and possibly others might jump in now that Perry has faltered.  He needs to tighten up his game, avoid future gaffes, and prove that he can handle pressure.  People don't want a leader who seems uncertain.   Doesn't mean he has to rush to judgements, just that he has to be in control of the situation, and thoughtfully consider before he responds.  If this is outside his abilities, then his candidacy will flare out in weeks. 

I am personally starting to really like Newt Gingrich.  All the political insiders say that he doesn't have a chance, and I tend to agree only on the grounds that he just isn't that good of a campaigner.  He takes too many breaks, and is not good at the kind of retail shaking hands and kissing babies that presidential primaries require.  I do love his style, and substance; also I think he would be the kind of force on the hill that could drive the sort of substantial change that our country needs to reverse the course of 80 years of left wing dogma, and get us back on the course to success. 

Modern Poverty

Unemployment has been over 9% for months now. 

When Obama took office, it was high(!) at under 7%. 

Currently there are 46 million people living below the poverty line.

22% of children live below the poverty line.

The single best indicator of which households have kids living in poverty?  Single moms. 

The economy has been stagnant for 3 years and appears to be getting ready for a second dip into official recession.

Inflation is revving up.  So far the Fed has been able to hide it, but after pumping several trillion dollars into the economy, it is only a matter of time before the full effects are felt. 


This is the legacy of Obama specifically, and left wing policies in general:
misery, and economic and moral erosion.  Do we really want more of that???

Palestinian State??

How can a death cult be a state? 

A nation is historically a collection of people who hold similar views enough that they feel like they can get along, and coexist peacefully.  Even states that are aggresive still have some kind of culture, or idea of what they want for the future.

These territories are simply UN sanctioned refugee camps that have stagnated for 6 decades, and been flooded by terrorists.  The few schools they allow simply teach their kids to hate Jews.  They have stuffed animals that call for hatred and murder.

Their current government has (in it's official, public charter) the call for the destruction of Israel. 

So, everyone is asking Israel to let them in?!?!?!?!  Hmmmm...... I'm sure that would work out just fine.

Seems to me, that if you really wanted to solve the refugee camps, and let these people go, then you would ask Jordan and Egypt to open their borders.

Since no one ever asks that question (which is so obvious) it makes me believe that the intention isn't to help the Palestinians, but to let the blood thirsty people into Israel.

This is just Jew Hatred writ large.  It is disgusting.  The Jews are our best friends in the Middle East (and also in the UN) and we need to stand by them and oppose the cultists who want them to die, as well as the effete liberals in the media and the ivory towers who help (and secretly support) the cultists.

1 year left, Barry is trying to call it quits

This last week or two, I am almost getting sick of talking about Obama.  It seems like he is finding every way he can to shoot himself in the foot. 

His new "Son of Stimulus" plan is dead on arrival, and to compound the damage it is doing to him, he just announced that if he ever got it passed, he would pay for it by raiding the last few successful businesses in America. 

This guy just doesn't get it.

At least Clinton understood that it is all about the economy.  Barry is ruining our country, and it is getting to the point where he is the only guy left standing who doesn't understand that his policies have failed. 

He keeps doubling down on these crazy ideas: like the best way to help the economy is to ruin businesses with more regulations and taxes.  Like the best way to help jobless people is to hamstring the people who might give them jobs. 

This is turning into a one man depression.  He took the little recession he inherited, and has expanded it to every sector of our country. 

The truly scary thing is that he has made our country so vulnerable at a time when the world economy is at the tipping point.  Normally if Europe went off the deep end, we would be able to float them until they got their act together.  But right now, they are in such bad shape, that it is going to get messy; the only question is how messy it will get.  And unfortunately, not only can we not be any help, but because of what Obama has done to our economy, Europe very well might take us down when they fall. 

Vikings Stay True

True to their nature, my Minnesota Vikings lost in the last minute. 

This is two games in a row where they have started the game strong and created a lead that should be easy to defend, if not grow, and then give up the game. 

This is part of being a Vikings fan.  They have never won a Super Bowl.  Their most famous signature move is the choke.

On the other hand, it is always fun to root for the perpetual underdog.  I think a lot of people really liked the Patriots until they became the team that always wins.  Once it was no longer a suprise when they won, people started to lose interest.  And now that they win consistently, everyone just sees them as the guys that are expected to win, and start to root against them.

We have never had that problem with my Minnesota Vikings.  Even when they are strong, like the 2009 season, or the first halves of these two games, they always find a way to throw it. 

I do hope that they eventually put together a winning season or two, but for now, I am just going to enjoy my team!!

Vikings / Tampa Bay

I am looking forward to the game this weekend!!!!  This is a team that the Vikings have a legitimate chance at beating.  They are a young team with lots of talent and potential, but it hasn't all come together yet.  The Vikings really are in constant transition.  There is always a ton of talent, some old some young, and it never seems to be able to get on the same page enough to put together a championship season. As a traditional Vikings fan, it is my duty to hold out hope for the incredible, and for now just try to take pleasure in the few games we should still be able to win!!

Scandal Season

The scandals are really stacking up for old Barry!!   He is getting dragged thru the mud with the Solyndra scandal where he wasted half a billion taxpayer dollars on his buddies.  These guys threw it at a silly solar energy company that never had a chance, and immediately set it up so that they could be first in line when the company went bankrupt, leaving the taxpayers out to dry. 
Top that off with LightSquared.  This is a scandal where it cam out that Obama's staff pressured a 4 star general to change his testimony and effectively lie on oath to cover up for one of their programs. 
Last but not least, to go back a bit, I still feel that Fast and Furious has not blown over yet.  It was that scandal where Obama's Justice Department allowed Mexican drug cartels to get assault weapons in a botched attempt to follow them.  Of course they got away, and promptly used them to kill hundreds of people to include several American Border Patrol agents. 

It would be bad enough if Obama had to run purely on his economic record.  He has screwed up the economy enough that even many Democrats are turning against him.  But the fact that he has performed so amateurish as an executive makes his chances of getting re-elected almost nonexistent.

Central Minnesota Tea Party

Tonight I went and watched a movie with a group called the Central Minnesota Tea Party.  The movie was called "Agenda- Grinding America Down".  It was a good movie.  It traced the influence the left wing has brought to bear over different parts of our culture.  It showed its origins, its history, and how it has worked out in other countries (spoiler- millions died). 
The group was pretty interesting.  Not as many young people as I would have liked, but I did like that there was several thoughtful people there.  The organizer seemed most interested in getting more people to show up, and the current education issues.  I would be more then happy to get involved on the education front, even though I don't have any kids.  I certainly would like more people to show up.  I think the closer we get to the election, the more this will build up steam, and more people will want to get involved.  Until  then, I do like these movie nights, and occasional guest speakers.  Anyone interested can check out their webpage at http://www.centralmnteaparty.org/. 

Obama Becomes the Fall Guy - Victor Davis Hanson - National Review Online

Obama Becomes the Fall Guy - Victor Davis Hanson - National Review Online

This is exactly what I have been saying!!! Obama has been the perfect left wing President. He has pushed through all kinds of crap that liberals have been wanting for decades now. And as these policies stagnate and fail, liberals are faced with the stark choice of attacking their "savior" or finally admitting that their whole worldview is a farce. They are too egotistical, and conceited to admit that they are wrong about so many things, so it is only a matter of time before they start to turn against Obama in huge numbers.

NY 9 and Nevada

This week there were two special elections held.  One in New York city and one in Nevada.  Back in 2008, the Nevada district voted for McCain by only about 90 votes.  The New York district went for Obama by a huge margin.  This week the Nevada seat went to the Republican by a big margin.  It showed a huge swing from the razor thin margin that Republicans had back in 2008.  This looks very good for Republicans.  Even better was the New York result!!  The Republicans won that seat for the first time since the 1920's!!!!!  They won a seat in New York City, in a district that registered voters are registered 3 to 1 as Democrats!!  This is a decisive indictment against Obama's agenda.  His policies are ruining our economy, and it is getting so bad that even Democrats are leaving him in droves!!  This is the chance for conservatives to do the most good.  The best opportunity we have had since Carter woke people up to how bankrupt liberal policies are.  I hope we don't miss it!!

Epic Fail

I love how so many stories are using the words "fail" or "failure" to describe Obama.  Pundits and commentators are starting to use it in a non-bombthrowing way that signals that it is pretty much uncontroversial.  So many people who never followed politics before are waking up to exactly how much damage his policies are doing to our country.  It is impossible to defend his flushing $4 trillion down the drain, and then begging and pleading for half a trillion more to throw to his cronies.  Even people who like this kind of behavior are waking up to the fact that they can't keep it up forever.

GOP Debate

Last night, the GOP Debate was pretty interesting.  The format was a hoot, considering CNN was teamed up with the TEA party in a wedding of nessecity.  The way they introduced the candidates like they were pro-wrestlers was kind of sad, but I did like the Tea party crowd and their heated applause during the answers.
I think Romney has changed tactics.  He was trying to stay above the fray, and soldify his position, but now that he is clearly not the frontrunner anymore, he will try to do everything possible to tear Perry down.  Bachmann is in the same camp, and went over the edge last night using everything imaginable to damage Perry.  This isn't pretty, but it is what primaries are all about.  I like Newt, Cain, and Santorum.  They all have useful things to contribute, and help make the whole thing more interesting. 
Overall, I would have to say that even with everyone ganging up on Perry for the second debate in a row, he has gotten better about holding his own.  There where several things that came up last night that might prevent his poll numbers from skyrocketing thru the stratosphere, but he definitely maintained his frontrunner status, and helped define himself more in his relatively new campaign. 
I really like these debates.  I had always wished that they had more of them, and this year it seems like there is one every week or two.  They are fun and interesting, and I feel like they give me a better insight into how these candidates are going to perform in office.

Obama's Speech

Last night Obama gave a speech where he tried to convince the country to let him double down on his failed policies.  He has already burned thru 4 trillion dollars and now he wants us to let him burn up another half a trillion.  This is just getting sad.  Even his own supporters are abandoning him.  It is getting to the point where you can't hear them talk about him without hearing the word "failure".  It does seem like he postured this speech as an attempt to put himself in a better position for the campaign by being able to say that the Republicans are stopping him from fixing the country, but at the end of the day, that is pretty cynical of him.  People aren't going to forget all the money he has wasted already, and if those policies worked, we would see it by now.  He is as leftwing as it gets, and he is publically proving to the world that leftwing policies are a joke.  The true believers in the media and colleges will not accept the truth though, so as Obama goes down in flames we will see them start to abandon him in droves.  You have to give him credit for having the courage of his convictions and sticking to them even when it became obvious they didn't work, but now itt's time for the country to abandon leftwing policy, and do what works.

Republican Debates!!!

I watched the Republican debates last night.  Overall it was a good night, and very interesting. 
I think Mitt Romney did pretty well.  He always does pretty well, but never quite good enough to steal the show.  He just seems too polished and contrived.  It's like everything he said was extensively focus-group tested before he was willing to say it. 
Rick Perry clearly is the frontrunner now.  He jumped into the lead as soon as he entered, and now is the prohibitive favorite.  You could tell that he was just warming up last night.  He was strong, but not as strong as he can be, and had a few miscues.  Everyone including the moderators ganged up on him, and tried to make him look as bad as they could.  I really liked how honest he was about Social Security.  It is painful to watch all the other candidates contort themselves into trying to say that it is a wonderful program that just needs a few tweaks and it will be right back to good.  Perry steps up and tells the truth: it is going bankrupt, and is threatening to take the country with it.  He is bold, and willing to take on the third rail of politics.  It might be his undoing, but if he pulls it off, he will be doing the country a favor. 
After those two, my next favorite is Newt Gingrich.  It is such a shame how he torpedoed his campaign a week after starting it.  Ever since, he has been crawling his way back up, but it will take a near perfect performance to get back in the lead now, and he simply isn't that consistent of a campaigner.  It's a shame, because he has a lot to offer the country. 
Michele Bachmann is steadily slipping in the polls.  I like her, and hope she uses this exposure to become a true force in the House, and maybe run again the next time the cycle is open.  I do not think that with as little experience as she has that she can pull off an upset, especially now that Perry has stolen her thunder. 
Cain, and Santorum are both decent guys that have a lot to offer, and some of their ideas need to be cannabalized by the frontrunner, but they simply are not going to be the candidate. 
Paul and Huntsman leave me scratching my head.  What are these guys trying to do?

European Debt Crisis

The PIIGS are falling apart.  (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece, Spain) These are the countries that have racked up the most debt, and gotten to the point where they are struggling to avoid default.  Most are going around asking for bail outs, or just simple hand outs (anything they can get!) They have spent so much money for such a long time that they have not only run out of all their own cash, but also they have spent up every single dollar that they can loan from anyone else.
It is important to note that this is not corporations that caused this mess.  This is the governments of each of these countries.  They have created programs where they promised money to people in exchange for their votes, just like here in America with our Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs.  They have taxed more and more money so that they can buy more and more votes, also just like here.  This has brought on fiscal ruin.  We know that this is exactly what is coming to America as well if Obama continues to destroy our economy. 
Many of these countries are rich in resources, and have well educated populations.  There is no circumstancial reason their economies are falling apart.  It is simply a result of too many people allowing themselves to be bought off by politicians spending other peoples' money. 

Perry's Vetoes

I recently read about Rick Perry when he first took over as Texas Governor.  On his first year in, he struck down more laws with his veto then any other Texas Governor had before in the history of the state.  Now, of course the left wailed and screamed.  They attacked him in every way they could imagine, and called him every dirty name they could think of.  But he took it in stride, and instead of apologizing for it, he touted it as one of his proudest accomplishments.  This set the terms of the debate for his long run as Governor.  Instead of always pushing the envelope and seeing what they could get away with, he had the left on the run.  He wouldn't cave to their demands or allow them to frame the issue.  Instead they were just trying to protect the hideous programs that they already have on the books. 
I think this speaks to Perry's character, and shows that he might have the strength to be a real leader.  Not only that, but also an effective leader.  In todays political climate, if you are not as corrupt as the left, then they will try to discredit you in any way they can.  They frame the issue as them of course being the rational ones and you being extreme.  Then they try to talk you into "just compromising on this one issue".  Once you admit to their terms and compromise then you are accepting the terms they have set, that you are extreme.  Then it is only a matter of time before they have you compromising on issue after issue, until you are basically just a Democrat lite.  It is important to find politicians who not only understand the stakes in todays' issues, but also have a talent at being able to frame it so that they are in control of the conversation.  But most of all, they have to have the backbone to be able to stand up to the nonstop assault of liberal interest groups and pundits. 
Perry has shown that he has the backbone to stand up to these kinds of assaults.  He has shown that he can take control of the conversation, and lead it in the right direction.  He is well aware of the stakes in the modern game of political brinkmanship.  I would like to see him improve on his ability to coach issues in more politically palatable ways, but given how thoroughly Obama has wrecked the economy, that might not even be nessecary in this election cycle.  I think he could be a strong leader, and a bull for our economy.

Tom Speaks!!

"What has destroyed liberty and the rights of man in every government which has ever existed under the sun? The generalizing and concentrating all cares and powers into one body."
Thomas Jefferson

Cheap Guns

Here is a list of the cheapest guns I have been able to find on the market today:
Handguns- Hi Point really is the cheapest.  Other then that, Taurus has the lowest prices for typical guns.
Shotguns- Mavericks are the cheapest but Mossbergs have the lowest price with the best reputation.
Rifles- Gotta go with the Soviets!!  Cheapest bolt actions are the Mosin Nagants, cheapest semi auto is the SKS's and cheapest semi autos with high capacity mags are AK-47's.  i

After America

I finished reading Mark Steyn's most recent book, and he has yet again outdone himself.  I can never believe how well he can read the important trends in the modern world and sort out what is going to be the strongest influences, and how they are going to pan out.  His book five years ago America Alone is still one of my all time favorites, and even though I have read it close to one hundred times, I zipped through it again recently, and it was amazing how right he was on how the influx of Muslim immigrants was going to affect the political culture of Europe.  Going back and reading those words from 5 years ago is a shock at how accurate it is to the front page news of today.  I highly recommend both books to anyone interested in current events, and how the course of history is turning in our lifetimes.

Musings on Solitary Confinement

Today at college we had a guy in class who had spent a few years in prison, and decided to get up on his soapbox.  He talked about solitary confinement and how it really helped him tone out all the distractions and focus on self improvement.  He went on to recommend a month or two in the can to everyone so they could find themselves.
This strikes me as absurd.  Serving time in prison is shameful.  Now I am not saying that this guy is irredeemible, in fact he has paid his debt.  But he should not be proud of his time or find it theraputic.  He should be ashamed of it.  If he needs to talk about it, he should do so with a trusted friend, not complete strangers.   Instead of dwelling on it he should try to learn from it and move past it.  No one is perfect, but it is destructive for people to identify themselves by their faults.

Obama Nosedive

Well Obama is slipping further and further in the polls.  His economic policy has run its course and people are starting to see the fruits of his beliefs.  The government has grown larger then at any time in US history.  He has taken the unprecedented steps of nationalizing private industries and running them from the White House.  He has fired and hired private citizens as the President of the United States.  He has taken control of other industries and run them into the ground.  His fiscal policies have devalued the dollar and put tens of millions of Americans out of work.
At this point even the most hardcore leftists are waivering.  They were never prepared for someone to take them seriously and actually follow their ideas through to there logical conclusion. Now that they are exposed as failures for the whole world to see, they must either demand that Obama double down, or abandon him.  If he fails, his failure must be framed as personal, and not a failure of the ideology.  As the election gets closer, if Obama continues to do this poorly, watch for leftists to abandon himn in droves.

Perry Rubio 2012!!!!

So there it is.......... As it stands right now, it looks like that is going to be the next ticket to win the Presidency of the United States of America.  My prayers go out to both men.

Perry is pulling into First!

The Iowa Straw Poll is barely over and we still have several months before the primary season really kicks off, but it looks like Rick Perry is already taking a commanding lead in the race for the Republican nomination.  He has already firmly overtaken Michele Bachmann, and in several polls he has overtaken the frontrunner Mitt Romney.  Just to stipulate, the primaries havent even begun yet and there is a lot of time between now and then.  Anything could happen.  Thats why we have a primary season; to weed out and vet a candidate before a national audience.  This is how we see if that candidate can stand up to that level of scrutiny and attention.  But at this point, it really looks like things are running in Rick's direction.   I wouldn't be suprised next year at this time to see a ticket of Rick Perry and Marco Rubio soundly kicking Obama's butt.

Obama's Vacation

I love how upset everyone is getting that Obama is taking a vacation when the economy is falling apart.  It makes me wonder whether these people know that it is exactly his policies that are driving the economy off the cliff.  If it was possible I would have him stay on vacation nonstop and only come back for the transfer of power after the election.  So live it up, Barry!!!

Beautiful Night

I just want to take a second, and talk about what a beautiful night it is. Its about 70 degrees and cool and breezy.  There are a few clouds in the sky that look like giant floating cottonballs.  It is late enough that all the bugs are gone.  And for some reason- maybe because it is a monday, all my neighborhood is quiet.  These are the kinds of nights to enjoy and cherish.  I know I will be looking back on this in a few months when it gets cold and the snow arrives.  Well good night everyone!!!

Candidate Tussle

Perry is in and looking strong.  It looks like he and Michele Bachmann are going to fight it out for the support of the all important Tea Party. 

On a side note, I really really like the Tea Party.  I think people should have gotten organized and involved like this a long long time ago.  I like how de-centralized it is with no real leaders for the MSM to focus in on and try to attack and distract people.  It really is just the honest expression of true Americans who want the best for their country.

So anyway, I think Perry really has Bachmann rattled.  She has been off her game lately, and not campaigning as well, and when she does campaign, she makes huge promises like taking the price of gas back down to $2 a gallon.  Now I don't think that is beyond the realm of the possible, but it does set her up for easy attacks and one offs by her enemies.  Perry came in strong, with harsh words for the Fed, and good campaigning right off the bat.  He is being set up as an establishment guy, when actually many movement conservatives are working against him.  But his enemies are right to be worried about him.  He is a strong campaigner, and he has one of the best records in the country.  If he can help his state be so incredibly successful during the Obama double dip recession and general stagflation, just imagine what he could do for the country.  This is catching the interest of tons of conservatives, and independents, and has already propelled him high in the polls.

08/17/2011

08/17/2011

McNabb????

I am a little skeptical about the Vikings this year.  After the total collapse last year with Brett Favre retiring, and Chilly getting fired, we have lost Sidney Rice, and Pat Williams.  This really is going to be a rebuilding year.  I do like that they drafted a promising young quarterback in Christian Ponder, and brought in veteran Donovan McNabb.  Hopefully this will give us a fighting chance in our division this year and the potential to seriously grow in the years ahead.  We really need to solidify that quarterback position.  It has been a decade since we have had a real franchise guy who showed promise, and was in the peak of his career.  The lack of leadership and consistency there has left our team adrift.  This was especially evident when Favre came in in 2009, and was able to put the peices together, and give us a serious run at the Super Bowl.  There is no denying it, we have a good team, with quite a bit of talent on it, we just need someone to lead it to it's natural potential. 

Go Michele!!!!!!!

Today Michele Bachmann won the Iowa Straw Poll!!!!  I am really impressed with how well she has done in such a short time.  She did have advantages like being born in Iowa and serving in Congress in an adjacent state, but she proved that she could successfully compete on a big stage under a huge spotlight with some of the biggest names in the game.  I think this shows that she has real potential, and is a serious contender.

Republican Debate

I watched the debate on Fox last night.  It was much better then i expected!!  It was too bad that Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty tore into each other as much as they did.  I like both of them for different reasons.  I would like to see either of them succeed, so it was a shame to see them try to cut each other off at the knees.  I think the suprise of the night was Newt Gingrich.  I had pretty much written him off, but he made a really good showing for himself.  It will be interesting to see if he can capitalize on that or if his campaign continues to flounder.  I think Santorum did well, and he made several points that I think are very important, but I really don't see his campaign going anywhere.  He certainly is fighting the good fight though!!

Are you getting your moneys worth???

I wish there was some kind of reality TV show where they toured the multitude of ridiculous government agencies and bureaus.  It could be sort of like a mix between Undercover Boss (because ALL those govt bureaucrats work for us!) and my favorite sitcom The Office (because they are all self important losers taking pleasure in running whatever little tyranny they have built).   There could be special episodes on public service unions, and safety commisions.  There could be entire episodes just on how many offices and departments there are out there.  You could have wilderness month and hit up Fish and Game, DNR, Dept of Interior, Land Management, etc etc.  This show would be great because it would really show people how redundant and useless these departments are.  I think if more people knew how swamped we are paying for all these groups, there would be more calls to eliminate all the redundant ones, and finally demand some results and accountability from the few that were left.  Just saying...

As The World Burns.........

You see riots breaking out across the world.  In some places they have been going on for half a year now.  The Arab Spring has burnt out as the factions that gained power are now busy consolidating it.  In the places where there is no clear winner, fighting rages on and casualties pile up.  Now even in the "First World" countries violence is breaking out.  It starts off as "protests" and soon escalates at any excuse to hurt someone or break something.  The world economy is causing all of this.  Different regions have different specifics, but in every one  it boils down to people not having enough personal freedom and personal responsibility.  In the middle east people have had absolutely no personal freedom, and feel helpless stuck in their stagnant economies.  Frustration built up until it started exploding!  Literally!!  In the Western World, people have spent generations being bought off by government promises and entitlements.  They lost any sense of personal responsibility.  And like a spoiled child who runs out of toys, they are reacting violently to the news that the gravy train is going to have to stop soon.

Obama Makes History (of Our AAA Credit) - The Editors - National Review Online

Obama Makes History (of Our AAA Credit) - The Editors - National Review Online

This is the best article I have found that explains what led up to this mess, and what the important factors are. This should be read by every American citizen. It really puts it in terms that help others understand what is going on, and why it is happening. Anyone have any other articles to recommend?

S&P Downgrade

No suprise here.  S&P decided to downgrade America's credit rating from AAA status to AA+.  This makes sense because they are not measuring whether or not the debt deal got done by August 2nd like the Democrats were so worried about.  They are actually measuring the content of the deal.  If we had passed the Ryan plan or the Cut Cap and Balance plan then there was a chance that we could have kept our sterling credit rating.  But by passing the plan that the Democrats had gutted, that provided for no real meaningful spending cuts or structural reforms, S&P had to be honest in its assessment.  And in all honesty all this plan does is slow down the budgetary problems that got us in this mess in the first place.   As long as we continue to spend more then we need to, we will continue to dig ourselves deeper and deeper into a hole.  The farther we get, the more painful it will be to get us out.

Obama's lame duck session

I think that this is officially the beginning of the end for Obama's presidency.  He has tried every single Keynesian trick in the book to expand government, and its not working.  The more he spends and expands the size and scope of government, the more people are waking up to what it means for their lives and futures.  The economy is such a mess now that even people who voted for the guy are sick of him, and want something different.  He came into office promising to be something different.  A post-partisan president. But in office he has proven to be a hardcore liberal.  He has pushed bills thru like the stimulus and the repeal of DADT.  He has forced Obamacare on a nation that doesnt want it.  And now he has spent us into an inch of defaulting.  No one can deny that he tried all the most liberal things available, and now no one can deny that they have failed, and his presidency with it.

Spending Authorization Bill 2011

The debt ceiling is going to be raised again.  I don't understand how so many people can convince themselves, each other, and millions of people in the country that the best thing to do when you have spent too much money is to go ahead and spend a few TRILLION more!!!  They need to be held accountable.  This next election, unless something has changed with the economy, there is going to be a house cleaning!!

God Bless

All my prayers go out to those poor people in Norway.  I wish they could have had a chance to defend themselves.  May God show mercy on their souls and those of family and friends they left behind.

Brokest Nation in History

Borders recently went out of business.  As recently as when I was in High School, it had the coolest, most cutting edge business model around.  It combined CD's with movies, and a ton of books!!  I loved it!!  Tons of my favorite stuff all in one place. 

Unfortunately in the last 15 years they have fallen behind.  The failed to start selling ebooks.  They failed to set up their own website, so all their online sales gave profit to Amazon.  They were contractually obligated to an older inefficient distribution model. 

And so I hate to see them go, but fair is fair.  They agreed to certain terms, it didn't work out, and now they have to sell off their assets, and start over in new jobs.  This is the responsible thing to do.  It means telling the truth.  Admitting where you went wrong.  And being willing to live up to your obligations and honor your word.  It is best for everyone too, because it is a clear, undeniable signal that the model Borders was using was a failure.  All that, because of a system that was only 15 years behind the times.

Well Govt is also behind the times.  They have signed on to several programs that are between 60 and  80 years behind the times.  The Democrats have used these programs to buy votes for generations now, and have built up those constituencies until the Democratic party itself can no longer exist without them.  These programs are so old and inefficient that they are doing irreprable harm to our government and our economy, but the Democrats know that without them they would be goners. 

So our country finds itself in a situation where the Democrats make themselves popular by creating programs to buy votes.  These programs ruin the economy.  And the Democrats fight tooth and nail to keep them because they know they can't survive without them.  They are taking us down, and either they have to be defeated so that our country can start to heal itself, or they will burn through the economy using all that money to buy votes to stay in power until there is no money, and no economy left.

Slow-Roasting

Going on Day 4 of straight 100 plus heat index.  It is too hot to blog!!

Stand for Fiscal Sanity!!!

Everyone should go to this website:

nodebtincrease.com

www.nodebtincrease.com

The Deal

I am glad that the Congressional Repbublicans didnt go for the deal that was offered.  The Democrats got us into this mess by spending trillions of dollars of other peoples money and now they want a deal where they get to spend another trillion today in exchange for a promise that they maybe will agree to 3 trillion dollars of cuts over the next 4-10 years.  Hmmmm does anyone really think the spendaholics can be trusted?  They need to be held responsible for the problems they have created.  The first thing that needs to be done is for them to fix this problem.  We need to find some kind of way to prevent them from going crazy spending money like they have been doing the last 70-80 years.

"Shared Sacrifice"

"Shared Sacrifice" is the new code word that Democrats are using to try to get more money.  They have already spent trillions of dollars that they didn't earn on their friends and pet projects.  They have been so enthralled by their own obsessions that they either don't understand or honestly don't care that their financial recklessness is ruining the country.  Even when they are confronted with the facts they come up with phrases like this as an excuse to try to get just a few billion more.  I hope the House stands firm.  They need to stand up for us and rein in this insane spending.  We need to stop trusting office to people who are obsessed with the power they get by spending other peoples' money.

Eat the Rich!!!!

Eat the Rich!@!  It has been the battle cry of the Democrats for generations.  They have used it to effectively get people to ignore their excessive spending.  They have divided they large majority who dont consider themselves rich from the small minority who are most wealthy and used envy to use that majority to abuse the minority.  This has gone on so long that most people don't even think twice about it.  But as a wise man once said "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other peoples' money to spend!"  We have reached that point.  Obama keeps begging for "just a few more taxes!"  He promises it would only be on the rich.  But he has spent so much money that even if he confiscated EVERY single penny the rich have and left them starving in the street, it still would only pay for one tenth of the bill that he has racked up.  Abusing the rights of productive people will no longer hide the Democrats' spending problem.  People are finally starting to wake up to that.

Primary Buzz

I am starting to get more excited about the primaries!  It is really exciting that Michelle Bachman is neck and neck with Romney.  She is so principled and passionate that she would make a great candidate.  If the race stays between the two of them then it is only a matter of time before she overtakes him.  He is so staged and fake and has so many permanent black stains on his record that there is no way conservative primary voters will go with him.  It is exciting just to think of what all Michelle could accomplish when she gets elected.  She could reverse so many of Obama's mistakes that within 2 years she could have our economy humming along again.  And considering the circumstances of how horribly Obama has screwed things up (so much that even most nonpolitical people have to admit it) and how passionate and untarnished Michelle is (so that she wont just be another republican who says the right things to get elected and then turns in democrat-lite in office) there is a real chance that she will be able to get significant things accomplished and turn back the 80 years of democrat entrenchment!!!!

Minnesota State Shutdown part II

The proper organizations for "helping people" is churches, charities, and non-profits.  It is not the government.  When the government tries to use its monopoly of force to help certain groups of people it is by definition using the force of law to hurt other groups of people.  The danger is when people start to really honestly believe that it is ok and desireable for the government to isolate and use its force against certain groups of minorities.  This is true no matter who the government is supposedly "helping".  That is when the road to hell (Democratic fascism) is really paved with the best of intentions.  And that is why government has no business (and NEEDS to get out of the business) of "helping" its favorite clients.

Minnesota State Shutdown

I think it is great that the state of Minnesota is shutting down over the 4th of July week11  The Governor and the Democrats had just gotten too greedy, and were trying to spend WAY more money then they were taking in, and its good to see that there are still some politicians out there that will stand up for the citizens!!

Bachman jumps in!

I am really excited about Michelle Bachman getting in the race.  She is an interesting candidate that has a lot to offer.  I really like her approach and views on a lot of different topics.  And of course the best metric to judge how she is doing-- she is making all of the right enemies!!!!  Just seeing all those liberals get so upset when they are faced with someone who questions their authority and so called "compassion" makes me want Michelle to go all the way!!!

Double Dip Recession

the economic data just keeps getting worse and worse.  so many people are unemployed now that the government doesnt even count them.  the fed keeps on soaking us with so much paper money that our dollar has almost no value now and pretty soon we are going to be in for more inflation then we bargained for.

the worst part about it is that the people who are to blame are getting off scot free and are hard at work trying to make it worse.  treasury secretary tim geithner is going around trying to convince people that the worst thing we could do is stop the government spending spree that got us into this mess.  this is completely unacceptable.

Govt Overreach

every year the size of the federal government just keeps growing and growing.  Most people have just resigned themselves to this.  In fact most people alive today have never known a time when this wasn't the case.  

I think this is pretty sad.  I think people should expect more from themselves then just going along with this.  Honestly I think most people would be suprised at just how much they could accomplish if they had more control and responsibility over their own lives.

"Liberalism"

Liberalism in it's modern context bears no resemblance to what the founders originally intended when they said liberal. 

Liberalism has been hijacked by people who don't believe in individual freedom, restraint of government to constitutionally mandated parameters, personal responsibility, and self sufficiency. 

Modern liberals believe that citizens should be subjects of the state.  They believe that the state should have discetionary to pick winners and losers.  They believe that the state should provide the most important things for them in life. 

They do not believe in equality before the law.  Instead, the believe that they need to divide and conquer, by declaring certain groups of citizens as favored and protected, and other groups as unfavored, and fair game. 

This is a horrible perversion from what the Costitution means, and good people everywhere should stand up against it.

PALIN IS IN!!!

I was starting to think that Sarah would sit it out, but she decided to toss her hat in the ring!  I think all the other big names that have been dropping out clinched it for her.  Once she saw how open the field was, she couldn't resist. 

I hope she does well.  I think now that there is so much open space in the field, she will be the first of a sort of second wave of candidates that decide to take a chance.  I could see Huntsman joining, as well as Guiliani, and maybe Christie. 

Definitely shaping up for a lot of fun this winter and next summer!!!

The Big Zero!!

Obama's budget was voted on today in the Senate, and it failed by a whopping 0 to 97 vote!!!  It is so unpopular, and downright insane that even the most socialistic members of the Democrat party couldn't be caught supporting it in public!!

At least Toomey and Ryans' bills got 42 and 40 votes respectively.  These are actual serious proposals that could start the long process of getting our government back under control.  They are strategies to stop this insane government spending that has been ruining our economy, and to put it in check permanently. 

Daniels Out!!

This week we have had Mitch Daniels, Mike Huckabee, and The Donald bow out.  Couple that with Palin not getting in, and Newt's less then spectacular performance, and it looks like everything is lining up for Pawlenty to get the nod!!

I have actually met Tim a few times and I think he is a good man, and an honest leader.  He is definitely less then overwhelming, but thoughtful, and fair.  He would definitely be a good candidate to offer as a competent, quiet alternative, so that all the lights focus on Obama, and his incompetence. 

I think the primaries are lining up to be Tim's to lose.  It should be fun, and there will be a lot of less then serious candidates that make big waves, but Tim seems to hold the reins.

Antons Widget Fallacy

Antons Widget Fallacy

Badges?! We don't need no stinking badges!!

I love the fact that Obama doesn't feel like he needs to follow the laws as a President conducting a war!!!???!! 

If it's that limited and unimportant, then why the heck did you get us into it in the first place???

Debt Ceiling

I am constantly disgusted by the situation our country has gotten itself into. 

It should be common sense for any grown adult that if you spend more money then you take in, eventually you are going to find yourself in a pile of trouble.

I invite everyone to look for themselves at the mess that we have gotten ourselves into.  Check out :

http://www.usdebtclock.org/

When you watch that alongside news interviews of Democrats explaining, arguing, and even down right begging to keep spending every last dime they can get their hands on, they look absolutely desperate. 

These people need to be stopped before they ruin this country!!

Romneycare

Mitt seems to being doing well right now.  He definitely has the organization and financial backing to propel him into the primaries. 

Unfortunately, this election is going to be a referendum on what Obama has done so far.  And Obama's greatest weakness is Obamacare.

No matter what Mitt says or does to try to explain away Romneycare, it is the black stain on his record that he will never be able to recover from. 

GOP crop of hopefuls

Still keeping an eye on Palin, Christie, and Daniels to see if they jump in.  I still don't know much about Huntsman. 

Pawlenty, and Gingrich seem like the most serious candidates.  Although Newt sure has shot himself in the foot since declaring!!!  I would like to see more of Cain, but unfortunately, I don't think anyone is going to want to vote on a nation wide level for someone who has never won a single election.  Bachman needs to throw her hat in, and stay in as long as she can.  Her influence will be extremely important. 

Obama's Israel speech

I am always suprised at how often certain Americans are willing to toss our friends in the fire.  The Israelis have it tough enough as it is without the American President tossing bones to their enemies. 

Pleezed to meet ya!!

Let me introduce myself:

My interests include precious metals, guns, hockey, football, and everything Army.

I believe in the Christian God, and don't believe that to conserve nature we have to worship Al Gore. 

I enjoy debate, but demand that everyone keeps a civil tongue!

First Post of the Blog

I always love starting something new.