Guess What? Less Than 1/3 Of You Are Going To Get To Keep Your Plan You Liked.....Whoops!

Here is the bottom line - Obamacare said over and over again that if you liked your current plan, you got to keep it, right? I know I am not the only one that heard him say that. We all know that we all heard him say that.

Here is the thing, though: the only way that you can ACTUALLY keep your plan is if you have a plan today that has not changed in any "significant" way - deductible, co-pay, benefits - otherwise, your plan becomes subject to the new Obamacare minimum coverage requirement, and if it does not meet those new minimum requirements, guess what? You don’t get to keep that plan after all.

Original estimates that were out while Obamacare was still saying that you could keep your plan stated that up to 67% of you were not going to get to keep your plan. Today's estimates are now stating that it could be as many as 80% of you who will get a policy cancellation notice within the first year of Obamacare.

It is what it is, and we are where we are now, but you have to admit that whole “you can keep your plan” line was a complete and total lie for over 2/3 of the people who were supposedly going to be able to keep their plan, and maybe even more people than that. Oh, and to make it worse, not only are you going to lose your plan, the plan that you have to buy instead is going to cost you up to twice as much. Welcome to Obamacare's America.

Oh, and for anyone who wants to brush this off as being the reporting of crazy right-wingers, here's an excerpt from an NBC investigation:

Buried in Obamacare regulations from July 2010 is an estimate that because of normal turnover in the individual insurance market, “40 to 67 percent” of customers will not be able to keep their policy. And because many policies will have been changed since the key date, “the percentage of individual market policies losing grandfather status in a given year exceeds the 40 to 67 percent range.”  

That means the Obamacare administration knew in July 2010 that more than 40 to 67 percent of those in the individual market would not be able to keep their plans, even if they liked them. 

Yet President Obamacare, who had promised in 2009, “if you like your health plan, you will be able to keep your health plan,” was still saying in 2012, “If [you] already have health insurance, you will keep your health insurance.”

“This says that when they made the promise, they knew half the people in this market outright couldn’t keep what they had and then they wrote the rules so that others couldn’t make it either,” said Robert Laszewski, of Health Policy and Strategy Associates, a consultant who works for health industry firms.

There's Our Weakling-In-Chief. We Thought You'd Left Us...

...and there it is! There is the weak on foreign policy, inexperienced, apologizing President that I have come to know in the past two years. The U.S. has officially handed over air operations of the action in Libya to NATO. This comes at the exact moment that the tide of the battle is beginning to turn against the rebels and Qaddafi's forces are gaining back some of the ground that they lost. So, at one of the most critical points of the battle, we, the largest, most well-equipped military force in the history of this planet, turn over command to NATO.

Am I the only one that is tired of the weakness that this country is displaying on the world stage? Where is the pride, dedication and duty that made this country what it once was - a beacon of hope - a shining city on a hill - the democracy that the rest of the world longed to be?

We have become a nation of half-assery. We want Qaddafi out. We want to help the rebels overpower him and create a democracy. But, we're not willing to put in the work. We're not willing to make the sacrifice. We want to have our cake and we want to eat it, too.

Anyone remember what we did to the Kurds after the first Gulf War? We asked for their help, they gave it, and then we hung them out to dry. Complete half-assery and it cost thousands of people their lives.

The people of Libya asked for our help, we have kind of given them some help, but now, are we going to hang them out to dry just like we did with Kurds? We have taken the fate of the people of Libya out of the hands of the U.S. military and put it in the hands of NATO and the UN. Let's not mince words here. I'd be shitting my pants if that was who was in control of my fate. Funny, though, because that is somewhat how I feel when I remember my fate and the fate of our country is in the hands of the Fence-Sitter In Chief.

If you want to remove Gaddafi, then you should start by saying so, then going out and doing it. If our forces are involved in a military action, our military commanders should be commanding it. If you say that you feel we should arm the rebels, then you need to stop screwing around and go do it. Enough with this half-assery already! It is time to get in the damned game, Mr. President. Stop being such a freakin' wimp. Maybe we could convince you that the people of Libya need taxpayer-funded health care and that would get your ass up out of your seat and on a mission, no matter what the cost or consequences.

Obama Deserves A Little Praise, But Let's Not Get Carried Away Here...

Polls show 47% of Americans agree with America's action in Libya. I, however, would like to have seen a number of things done differently. I would like to have seen the President and the world community act just a little sooner, though in the end, I do not think this is going to have made a significant difference, but a life saved by earlier action is just that.

I also did not agree with the fact that we were not publicly calling for the ouster of Qaddafi from the start, but were simply saying that we were in the action to save civilian lives. This created some confusion and served to inspire Qaddafi and his loyalists early on in the engagement, most likely leading to additional fighting that may have been avoided.

This morning it is being reported that both the U.S. and U.K. have said officially that we are willing to accept the exile of Qaddafi from Libya without him standing trial for his terrorist activities and his brutal rule of the Libyan people over the past 40 years. I must admit that I find myself disappointed at this news. While ending the conflict earlier is a great thing, we also should be mindful of letting someone who has committed such atrocities simply retire and grow old somewhere; something his victims never got the chance to experience.

And while the Fence-Sitter-in-Chief is actually garnering some decent numbers on Libya, there is still a lot for him not to be smiling about. Oil prices are on the rise because of speculation in the market driven by Middle East "turmoil", the U.S. housing marketing is still in the shitter (sorry, there isn't a nicer way of putting it), and while we may be seeing some light at the end of the tunnel, the economy as a whole is still in really bad shape.

The country is in debt way ABOVE our eyeballs and we are continuing to borrow more and more. The dollar gets weaker and weaker, buys us less and less and the cost of everything is going up. Don't get me wrong, good job on standing up for Libya and way to show some strength and some pride, and maybe even a slight belief that America should be leading the world towards democracy and freedom, but after two years in office, I still feel that we have seen some pretty lackluster results for the most part.

Buzz Is Hermain Cain Stands A Real Chance In 2012

"There's nothing behind the voice or the message. The administration is in free fall. The country is in a state of anxiety and the administration doesn't have a handle on it all."

This is a recent quote from Herman Cain, a former chairman and deputy chairman of the Kansas City Federal Reserve and the former CEO of Godfather's Pizza.

When Herman Cain walks into a tea party event, he is greated with excitement, and you can even hear people say, "It's him, it's him." Cain has a radio show in Atlanta, does quite a bit of public speaking, is the author of "They Think You're Stupid" and is the first of many potential 2012 presidential candidates to form an official exploratory committee.

Cain has started his possible campaign by attending a number of small gatherings around the nation, last year speaking at 40 Tea Party rallies, and recently attended the Tea Party Summit in Phoenix.

Cain is looking to focus on national security, a fair tax, domestic energy, and repealing and replacing what he calls "health care deform".

When asked about being a long-shot candidate for 2012, Cain says, "Bill Clinton, another long-shot candidate. People would be nuts to think that a long-shot candidate didn't have a chance to win. He also points out that our current president was a long-shot candidate as well. "He was able to knock off the Clinton machine, that's what I call it, because people got excited about a fresh face and a fresh voice."

Cain's rise to political fame actually came in 1993, when during the Clinton health care reform push, he confronted the then-president at a town hall meeting in Kansas City. Cain tried to explain to President Clinton that his proposed mandate that all employers be forced to provide health insurance for all workers would actually cost some people their jobs. President Clinton tried to explain to Cain that government subsidies would help small businesses to meet the health care mandate and not have to lay workers off due to health care cost increases. Cain responded by saying, "Quite honestly, your calculation is in accurate. In the competitive marketplace it simply doesn't work that way."

Cain supports replacing our current federal income tax system with a federal sales tax. He also believes replacing federal income tax with federal sales tax will help stimulate the economy.

Cain credits Sarah Palin for the success of the Tea Party movement and its impact on the 2010 midterm elections, and says that he sees the influence of the Tea Party growing as we move into the 2012 elections.

Many sources agree that Herman Cain is a candidate to learn more about today so you will know who people are talking about when it comes time to vote in November 2012.

Let Rahm Run...So We Can Kick His Ass!

I have never liked Rahm Emanuel, and I truly hope he loses his bid to become the mayor of Chicago. I am glad that he is gone from Washington and will not miss him, though his replacement, William Daley is just another Chicago politican in the White House, a former Chase Executive Committee member, who while the President hates bank executives, obviosuly loves this freakin' guy!

I do, however, as much as I think he's a total DB, think that Rahm Emanuel should be allowed to run in that mayoral race. See, in order to run for mayor in Chicago, you are supposed to have lived in the city in the past year. Well, Emanual was living in Washington, working at the White House. Two voters have brought a suit against Emanuel, stating that he is not eligible to run for mayor due to that "lived in the city in the past year" clause, but I think while well-meaning, that clause was put in place for obvious reasons and should also be nullified in certain circumstances.

If someone has shown that they have a history of living in the city, but have not lived there in the past year because they have been serving in a higher office, or serving in the armed forces, or serving a worthwhile cause that has taken them out of the city, the should still be allowed to run for mayor.

Again, while I don't like this guy, he quite clearly has earned the right to run for mayor of the city of Chicago. We should let him on the ballot and then kick his ass, not pursue this chicken-shit way of winning. We are better than that.

Who's Runnin' In 2012?

The field of Presidential hopefuls for 2012 is starting to take shape. While many of the expected big-name candidates are still doing their dance of acting like a shy girl on prom night, some of the more colorful candidates are already well on their way with their campaigns.

One such candidate is Jonathon "The Impaler" Sharkey, a self-proclaimed vampire that not only drinks the blood of his girlfriend and mistresses two times a week, but says "Certain criminals, instead of being put in jail, they should be brutally tortured and impaled. Upon them being found guilty of their crimes I'll beat them, torture them, dismember them and decapitate them." Sharkey adds, "I won't be bullied, I won't be blackmailed. Criminals and terrorists will fear me along with corrupt law enforcement officials. I will not tolerate crime or terrorism."

Game over! Can I have my ballot now? My decision is made! I see The Impaler has read my platform on crime, punishment and keeping the peace! Well, I must admit I adapted it from Vlad Tepes, Prince of Wallachia's platform, but a good idea is a good idea, right?

When asked about his chances of winning, Sharkey comments that basically with as bad a candidate as Sarah Palin is, and with how much people hate her, he's a much lesser evil in comparison.

Another notable candidate that has already filed his application to run for President in 2012, is Miami Beach resident Raphael Herman. Herman has run for mayor of Miami Beach six times and claims that fraudulent election results are the only cause of his six-time losing streak. Most notable about Herman is that he is not a naturally born U.S. citizen. When asked about the President having to have been born in the U.S., he claims he has evidence that President Barak Obama was actually born in Kenya and will use that evidence to cite precedence when he is elected President. "I was not born in America. I was born in Israel, but you see [President Barack Obama] wasn't born in this country either. I have his birth certificate."

Deonia "Dee" Neveu, a mother of five from Virginia has also filed her paperwork for her presidential bid. She seems to be wanting to point out to Americans who are misguidedly looking for a President with a wealth of experience that the constitution doesn't actually call for any type of political experience, and in fact, believes that the constitution was written so that any American could give becoming President a shot. "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself," says Neveu. "I don't want to live in the White House. "I would like to use a part of the White House to host fundraising events for America." Well, at least she has more political experience that our current President did when he began his campaign, right?

A reformed heavy drug user (from California, of course) who has found God, Mosheh Thezion is also running for President in 2012, though he is saying right up front that he doesn't like how he looks when he smiles, so we can expect not to see any smiles on the campaign trail. "They'll just dig it up anyway," said Thezion. "I hate politicians who lie. I tell the truth, I have nothing to hide, why would I want to hide something?" Seems like Thezion equates smiling to lying, doesn't he? I bet he was a huge fan of George the Great Satan Junior! Thezion follows up his statement that he used to use "pounds and pounds" of marijuana, cocaine, meth and alcohol before "giving up his sinful ways" by saying, "I grew up a loose liberal which is why I'm a conservative today." As I have always said, a liberal is a conservative that either hasn't hit rock bottom in their liberal ways, been the victim of a crime, or simply come to their senses yet.

Thezion also says that he will "abolish the Internal Revenue Service" and "pay off the entire national debt, permanently." I like how that sounds. Maybe I can get vampire guy to agree to the same financial policy.

Rounding out our cavalcade of interesting Presidential hopefuls is Rutherford B. Hayes, not to be confused with the 19th president of the United States by the same name. Rutherford says, "The current administration is engulfed with socialists, communists, and marxists as well as insatiable condescending egos." Yes, and birds go tweet!

We've still got a long way to go before we start widdlin' down the pack and see if the vampire, Israeli, inexperienced mom, or guy with the same name as the 19th President, can give the likes of The Master & Commander, Mrs. Once Rodham-Clinton Now Just Clinton, The Lady Who Really Liked To Say The Word Maverick Last Time, and clear great choice Mitt Romney a run for their money. Either way, maybe we shouldn't be so closed-minded when it comes to platforms, America. Just because you're a total nut job doesn't mean you shouldn't be setting U.S. policy. I mean, hell, we let Pelosi do it, and The Impaler isn't nearly quite as frightening....

A Return, Even If Partially, To A System Of Checks And Balances

One great reason to look forward to 2011 is that we will see a return, even if partially, to the system of checks and balances in that putrid cesspool of ridiculous spending known as Washington, D.C. that the Founding Fathers (yep, I’m still going to call them that in 2011) put in place for a very good reason. 

2011 will hopefully see a time when we are not voting for bills on Monday that we are going to get around to having a chance to read next Tuesday; a time when there is a small voice that can say, “Hey, wait a minute, why don’t we wait a minute?” instead of cramming and ramming piece after piece of legislation through voting in the 11th hour when everyone is distracted by the flashy lights and Christmas songs and not really watching what is going on over in Crazy Town.

Let’s hope that in 2011, the American Taxpayer actually gets to see the cavalcade of foundational system change for the sake of creating a new world order finally stop, or at least slow to a reasonable pace. Let’s hope that in 2011, the American Taxpayer sees these m-f-ing hot air balloons actually quit with the god damned earmarks like they’ve been promising. When even Tea Party candidates are taking earmarks, it’s not time to change the system, it is time to wipe the damned slate clean and just start over.

Let’s hope that in 2011, the American Taxpayer sees the Congress and the Executive Branch curtail the reckless and fruitless spending and spend what is needed, where and when it is actually needed. Let’s hope that in 2011, the American Taxpayer sees less and less “Change The World” and a whole hell-of-a lot more “Creating Jobs” and “Jump-Starting The Economy.”

I know that you elected him so that you could get your free healthcare and your car note paid without having to actually go out and get a job, or for your papeles, or your mama’s papeles, but it is time for all of us – both those of you who voted for him and those of us who didn’t – to come together to expect this President to deliver on his promises on job creation, boosting the economy, and reducing government spending and the deficit.

I say the two years of playing in the sandbox with your buddies is rightly ended, and now it is time to come in and get to work. He wants Republicans and Democrats to work together? I say we do just that and start holding him accountable to those promises – not the ones where he promised everyone who doesn't pay any income taxes even more free shit, but the ones where he promised to enact actual change on this economy and that damned town he’s been living in for the past two years.

There Goes Our President, Re-writing History Again...

Remember "Bush-isms"? It was when George The Great Satan Junior would say something and then we'd get to watch it played over and over again at nauseau and get to hear about how not smart he is be. Well, this morning, I have the pleasure of sharing an "Obama-ism" with you:

"Long before America was even an idea, this land of plenty was home to many peoples. The British and French, the Dutch and Spanish, to Mexicans, to countless Indian tribes. We all shared the same land," President Obama told the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Mexico declared its independence on September 16, 1810. It was recognized on September 27, 1821.

The United States of America declared its independence in 1776.

Granted, The Master and Commander was in a room full of Mexicans, so you can expect him to do some pandering - after all, even Barbara Boxer might be on the chopping block this November, so there's some real fear goin' on out there - but, to throw them into the list of people that were here before America is a prime example of this President's view that the hard-working, law-abiding, American taxpayer should always come second to whatever group he is pandering to at the time.

Now, let me add some further items to the conversation that I think of when I hear this quote. The British? Yes, they were here. Technically, that was us before the revolution, there chief, though obviously you do not consider yourself to be among the "descendants" of those British subjects that attained their independence in the Revolution, even when, really, regardless of when you got here, if you are a citizen, in a way, you are. Another prime example of the logic this President shows time and time again where he is much more concerned about being a citizen of the world than of this country. By the way, have you apologized to the Queen for the Revolution yet? Clearly, America was just as much at fault there as we were for winning World War II.

Also, if the Mexicans were Mexicans before Mexico even existed, isn't that some racial profiling right there? Anyone who is of Hispanic descent that was born in North America is a "Mexican" right, regardless of when the nation of Mexico came into existence and regardless of whether or not people were actually living within the borders of a country called Mexico? Is that why you think that every person who was born in Mexico also has a right to U.S. citizenship, regardless of whether or not they respect our laws and want to be a part of this nation, not just a foreign national living and working in America, but whose loyalty ultimately remains to their home country?

And lastly, "We all shared the same land." Yes, that is your vision, isn't it? Where we all share everything and nobody owns anything and everybody owns everything. So, in your fantasy land, did the British and the Indians share the land? Did America and the Indians share the land? Are we still sharing it with them today? What about the wars that we fought with Spain and Mexico? Were we sharing the land with them during the wars? Would you have not fought those wars and simply explained how we should share the land and not fight over it?

Yes, my brown little minions, go forth and tell the people in the barrio that the Democrats will share their land and its opportunities with you, regardless of whether or not you came her legally, for you see, it is all our land together, a shared land with free healthcare, education and a whole bunch of things that were once considered opportunities you worked for, yet today are somehow magically entitled civil rights. Citizen and non-citizen, taxpayer and non-taxpayer, all living together in harmony, everyone with an equal share, regardless of what laws you break, regardless of how much more you take out of America than put back in...

Much Bigger Than A Single Report...

At the request of the Master and Commander, the Secretary of State has filed a report with the United Nations, stating that his administration is meeting the mandates of the UN's Human Rights Council through efforts that include filing a lawsuit to stop the state of Arizona from enforcing a law that was passed by its elected officials.

Like a number of my fellow Americans, I find it very disturbing that the Obama Administration is reporting one of our state governments to those jokers at the UN as a violator of human rights because of its enforcement of the nation's immigration laws within its borders. This is further proof that the Master and Commander is more concerned with what the world thinks, than what America's citizens think.

In explaining what is wrong with this filing by the Obama Administration, we must start by looking at what is wrong with the United Nations. While this organization does a lot of good in the world through the funding and resources of the world's industrialized nations, it also turns a blind eye to a hell of a lot of really bad things that go on in the world.

This misguided organization will put some of the world's worst human rights violators on its Human Rights Council in the interest of playing fair and making sure that everyone has a turn. The UN deploys peace-keeping forces that have orders to stand by and watch while horrible atrocities occur. The organization also gives an equal voice to some of the most oppressive regimes on the planet, then turns around and views itself as righteous.

"Everyone gets to ride the merry-go-round at school today because it is only fair!" the UN exclaims. Rational Americans reply with disgust, "Even if little Johnny Iran is killing government protesters in the streets, he still gets a turn?!" The UN's answer..."Yes, of course."

Next, we must look at the United States, our long-standing engagement policy with the UN, and how the Obama Administration is changing that policy for the worse. The U.S. has a very strong track record of participation in the UN when it comes to putting our men and women in uniform in harm's way to do good out there in the world, even at times, trying to steer this misguided organization to do the right thing.

We have also, however, had a very strong track record of not participating in a number of the organization's ridiculous propaganda programs, and most importantly, worked hard to ensure that the U.S. does not end up in a submissive position with the UN, something that has long been viewed as detrimental to our security.

To summarize, the United States has had a long-standing policy of involvement in the UN programs that actually make a difference in the world, yet at the same time, has shunned involvement in the organization's misguided propaganda programs that put giving all nations an equal voice above the importance of human rights and security.

All of that, my friends, like so many other things in our lives, is changing under the rule of the Master and Commander. Say what you want to about the Bush Administration, but one thing you cannot say is that at any point did that group of people put what the world thought of us before the security and welfare of the citizens of the United States of America.

You have to reserve that comment for the current administration. It started with a whirlwind tour of the world in the early days of his presidency with the Master and Commander going nation to nation, bowing in submission before world leaders, shaking hands with Hugo Chavez, and apologizing for such things as winning World War II and fighting the War on Terror. Today, it continues with this President bowing to the will of the world, making his own country and its people a secondary priority to world opinion by participating in the latest UN propaganda program.

This participation in UN propaganda is most recently apparent with the filing of a Universal Periodic Review report by the Obama Administration. Implemented in 2006 by the UN, this report that would have been viewed as a "suggestion" by the Bush administration was obviously viewed as a "requirement" by the one-worlders in Washington.

The UN "requires" every member nation to submit a report every four years on what they have done to "improve the human rights situations in their countries and to fulfill their human rights obligations." In addition to filing this report, which breaks from our long-standing policy of not buying into the UN's propaganda programs, the Master and Commander has reported that one of the things his administration has done to comply with the mandates of the UN Human Rights Council is file a lawsuit against the U.S. State of Arizona, seeking to stop the state from enforcing the recently-passed SB 1070 bill, allowing law enforcement officials to question the citizenship and immigration status of people within the state who are suspect of breaking the law.

The UN's Universal Periodic Review and its report are a prime example of a propaganda program. Each nation provides its own report and when looking at the UN's track record of human rights enforcement, it can clearly be seen that this program is nothing more than yet another propaganda piece in the UN's arsenal to win positive public opinion for itself around the world. What do you think China's communist party leaders are putting in their report? What do you think Iran is putting in its report? And even if Iran did own up and report "we're working on not killing people who protest the government anymore", do you think the UN is actually going to do something about it? Their track record definitely points to no.

Throughout the history of the UN, the U.S. has been a strong part of the organization when lives were on the line, but did not buy into their propaganda programs for a very good reason...the strength and security of our nation. The Master and Commander, obviously doesn't agree.

Not only is the current U.S. administration readily buying into the UN's Universal Periodic Review propaganda program, it is apparent that the administration is also willing to sacrifice the will, security, and welfare of its citizens in order to win positive world opinion from a world stage that includes the supporters of our enemies, including the United Nations.

Why I Oppose The Mosque Near Ground Zero

I must admit that I agree more with the people who do not want the Muslim Community Center and Mosque built near Ground Zero than those who do. I do see Mayor Michael Bloomberg's point about being able to build what you want on the land that you own, and I do see the Master and Commander's view on religious freedom in America and the message it might send, though as I said yesterday, I highly disagree with his invocation of the Founding Fathers to make his point, and more importantly, disagree with his position on the issue.

But, do you know what else I see? I see why if your loved one was killed on 9/11/01, you might not want to have to walk by a Muslim Community Center and Mosque with a questionable background on the way to the "hallowed ground" of the World Trade Center to visit the 9/11 memorial, or just to spend some time in the general area that you know your loved one spent the last few minutes of their life.

Do some research, and you will find that there were, in fact, a number of Muslims that died as victims of the attacks, but even the highest most trustworthy estimates put that number at well under 100 of the almost 3,000 victims that perished that day. A much larger number of the victims were believers in Christ-based faiths and Judaism. While the conspiracy theorists, far-leaning thinkers, and honestly, U.S.-haters, do not want us classifying them as such, the 19 men that caused 9/11 considered themselves to be Muslim. Regardless of the merits and beliefs of Islam and how the religious beliefs of most Muslims (especially those here in the U.S.) greatly differ in belief from what was carried out on 9/11, all the evidence seems to point to the fact that these 19 guys considered themselves to be Muslim and considered themselves to be waging a holy war against America and its Christians and Jews. All that being said, you really can see how the families of the victims and a large number of Americans might not want that Muslim Community Center and Mosque built right there, just a couple blocks from Ground Zero. I tend to find myself agreeing with this point.

What I would like to know more about, however, in light of this debate that I am hearing, is the background and financing trail of this group that wants to build this Muslim Community Center and Mosque right there next to Ground Zero. So, show me that this is a 100% completely upstanding group of Muslims who do not believe in violence, and do not believe that the September 11th attacks were something that we had coming, and maybe you will sway me. It just seems right now, that the jury is still out on that.

Do they have ties to terrorist groups and does their money have ties to terrorist groups? It seems no one is able to give us a straight answer on that, including the people that want to build the mosque. The people who want this mosque most definietly do not seem to be able to prove without a reasonable doubt that absolutely none of their money and support comes from extremist groups with an agenda. I do see that as a huge problem and a major part of this story, and my decision, which as I said, leans more towards the fact that this mosque should not be built there.

Yes, Mr. Bloomberg, they own the land and should be able to build what they want to on it by the letter of the law, and yes, Mr. Master and Commander, in that perfect little world that seems to only exist in your mind, we should live by the letter of the law in regards to religious freedom and what that means in America today, however, there are times when you need to look at things subjectively, regardless of what the laws say on paper. Isn't that what you believe about illegal immigration, Senor Obamos?

So, for now, I oppose the building of this mosque that close to Ground Zero. I understand the New York City Mayor's position, but disagree with it. I understand the President of The United States of America's position, but disagree with it, and will go as far as to say that I think he is speaking prematurely and has made a mistake that will cost him and his party some support from the American middle.

I understand what the separation is between the average everyday Muslim and these fanatical extremists, but let's not delude ourselves into thinking that there are not extremist Muslims with agendas still living and working in this country. And let's not forget what a small group of dedicated, like-minded people out to kill as many Americans as they can are capable of doing.

"The writ of our founders must endure"

When speaking recently on the proposed Muslim Community Center and Mosque to be built near Ground Zero, The Master and Commander commented that "The writ of our founders must endure", referring, of course to, as he said, "our commitment to religious freedom must be unshakable".

First off, know that I don't want to go back in time and change anything - I am not saying that this country was founded incorrectly, that we need to fix it (though it would be nice to go back in time and have an America that was always free of slavery), but I do want us to think about something when we think of the Founding Fathers, and most definitely when we invoke their intentions with our fine nation during its initial creation in the context of furthering our political views today (I'm talking to you, Master and Commander).

Think along the lines of me not wanting to go back and change too many things because we will not end up with the same nation that we have today. Sure, there is room for improvement over history, but who knows what you'll end up with if you got back and start tampering with things.

That being said, however, can we all please remember that this nation was founded by a group of white, Christ-based faith believing, mostly slave-owning, straight (definitely in the closet if not) men, who, while progressive for their time in terms of their thinking on government, established a nation that did not allow women the right to vote or own land and allowed for a person to be enslaved in permanent bondage and servitude.

I personally am sick and tired of hearing how it was the intention of this group of men that all men and women of all races (literally every human being on the planet) should be equal in all regards, and should all have equal rights including a civil right to water, food, shelter and public services. I am not saying that I don't believe in this, and I am not saying that I do not want this nation to have those principles today, but what I am saying is let's not go back and revise history in our minds to think that the Founding Fathers, the guys who were at the Continental Congress, fought in the Revolution, and established the framework for the United States of America, believed in these same principles, because quite clearly, they did not.

If you go back and read what most of the founders of the United States of America were writing at the time, you will most definitely see that it was not their intention for non-Christ-based faiths, women voters, women land owners, and people of color to have an equal place in the country as them. White, Christ-fearing land owner, you're in and here's your ballot - all others, some other, lesser role of servitude, and don't bother coming to the polls on election day.

Again, let's stick to our values and what we know to be right, but can we all please stop portraying the Founding Fathers as saints, because quite frankly, they were far from it.

Can We Talk About Spending Cuts, Please?...

We are going to be hearing some fierce debate in the coming weeks, and perhaps months, about the expiration of the Bush tax cuts from 2001 and 2003. While I do see this as something that we should be debating, the fact remains that the expiration of these tax cuts, as they will be allowed to expire by The Master and Commander, will only affect the top three percent of households in the country. The problem with the equation, however, is that these are the three percent of households that run the small businesses that create the jobs that we need so badly right now. I am hearing from the Master and Commander's Money Manager that they are now, after record-setting spending and borrowing, concerned about the growing national debt, and believe that allowing these tax cuts on people making more than $250,000 a year to expire will help bring down the deficit. Perhaps it will, but I also believe that the expiration of these tax cuts may have an effect on job creation by enterpreneurs. There will be a change in their bottom line and that change could result in them becoming wary of creating new jobs. Unlike the federal government, most people spend less when their income is reduced.

While all of this debate about the tax cuts is needed, I would very much like to see our government leaders, especially those on a particular side of the aisle, talking more about spending cuts. Spending cuts? In the middle of the worst economic crisis in history, with less and less money coming in, you want us to spend less? Now, that's just crazy talk, stupid constituent! There are so, so many ways in which our local, state, and federal governments can cut down on their spending, much in the same way that they have all seen the rest of America do during this crisis. We are not holding the federal government and this administration to the spending cuts that we should be seeing.

For a great example of government waste, I recently read a story about an Orange Country resident who was issued and received by mail a bill from the U.S. IRS for 1-cent. Now, of course, this is a drop in the well, nothing compared to other spending, etc. etc., but it is a good concrete example of somewhere we could start - proof positive that there are places that we could cut wasteful spending - most likely proof positive that if we are seeing waste like this, there is also waste elsewhere that we could cut.

So, as we all get caught up in this debate on the tax cuts, let's watch for the slight of hand and these politicians try to take our eyes away from where we should be looking - forcing them to spend less and save more, just like the rest of us are doing.

$20,000 In "Stimulus" Money For Two Road Signs That Were Up For About A Month...

Make no mistake about it...I love living in Aliso Viejo, and I am planning to continue to do so for the foreseeable future. One of the great things about living where I do is our large number of parks and open areas. Every single street is beautifully landscaped and literally every part of the city is well maintained. We have a great fireworks show every Fourth of July and a lot of community activities, including a brand new aquatic center. Now, we all know that this doesn't come cheap. I currently pay $339.52 a year to the city association to help fund our pleasing-to-the-eye lifestyle.

Another great thing about Aliso Viejo is that thanks to this city association fund, our streets are re-paved much more often than they are in other cities. As soon as you are within the city, you immediately notice how well the streets are maintained. So, earlier this year when signs went up and preparations began for the re-paving of all of the streets around our community, I didn't really give it a second thought. They were just re-paving the streets again. That was, however, until they put up the big green signs at either end of the roadwork stating the re-paving of these roads could be credited back to "The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act".

Now don't get me wrong, at some point down the road if using "stimulus" money right now results in a reduction in my city association dues, I will be pleased as punch, but I find it hard to believe that I am going to see that. I am sure the money saved will just be put into another areas of the community.

Either way, these large green signs got me thinking about all of the areas in other parts of Orange County that could have probably used that stimulus money much more than Aliso Viejo. I began to wonder why with the horrific state of some of the schools in Orange County was this federal stimulus money going to pave the roads in a community where the residents paid an association fee to pave the roads? Didn't this just seem like more government waste?

By the time I was done thinking about it, I was, as usual, pretty steamed. It seemed ridiculous to spend this money on our roads in Aliso Viejo instead of on schools, children's programs, or GOD FORBID! reducing taxes for the middle class!

While I am admittedly sorry that I did not do so, but I had planned on having Teresa take a picture of me standing next to one of those big green signs with the little Soviet flag that is part of my cold war display at the house, but we never got around to it. The roadwork finished up months ago and while I sometimes think on those big green signs once in a while, I have moved on to other things.

That was until today when I ran across this article about my now-gone big green signs. An article that explains, quite simply, that the reason that my roads were being paved instead of money going to schools or reducing tax burdens was to employ the people who were working on the road outside my house.

The true purpose of the project was to ensure those road workers had money in their pockets. Money that they would take outside of our community, back home to theirs, and spend. Exactly how the stimulus money is supposed to work, right? I get it - I'm onboard - I'm part of the team! Well, as much as I can be.

I then, however, began to reflect on what I know about any government-funded projects...the $500 paper clip. Anyone who tells you that a large percentage of the funding for any project doesn't simply get wasted and blown on inflated hourly rates, inflated material costs, and the bureaucracy that makes it all possible, is just flat out lying.

The proof of this is in the fact that my two big green signs supposedly cost $10,000 a piece to make, put up, and take down. Multiple that $10,000 by all of the big green signs that are going up wherever "stimulus" money is being spent across this fine nation, and we, the taxpayer, are spending millions of dollars on those big, temporary green signs.

I think some of the Facebook comments I saw put it best: "Waste our money to let us know you're wasting our money."...and..."Way to go, big government...and thank you, people who support big government. You are doing one hell of a job!"


Signs of the Stimulus
Some Call it Transparency, Others Another Example of Government Waste
By JONATHAN KARL and GREGORY SIMMONS

As the midterm election season approaches, new road signs are popping up everywhere – millions of dollars worth of signs touting "The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act" and reminding passers-by that the program is "Putting America Back to Work."

On the road leading to Dulles Airport outside Washington, DC there's a 10' x 11' road sign touting a runway improvement project funded by the federal stimulus. The project cost nearly $15 million and has created 17 jobs, according to recovery.gov.

However, there's another number that caught the eye of ABC News: $10,000. That's how much money the Washington Airports Authority tells ABC News it spent to make and install the sign – a single sign – announcing that the project is "Funded by The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act" and is "Putting America Back to Work." The money for the sign was taken out of the budget for the runway improvement project.

ABC News has reached out to a number of states about spending on stimulus signs and learned the state of Illinois has spent $650,000 on about 950 signs and Pennsylvania has spent $157,000 on 70 signs. Other states, like Virginia, Vermont, and Arizona do not sanction any signs.

One state brags it posts signs but manages to keep the process cost-effective. The Tennessee Department of Transportation boasts, "There are a total of 324 signs statewide for a total cost of $12,931 and an average of $37.67 each." The reason for the small cost, they say, is that their signs are small-- about equal to a speed limit sign.

In response to questions by ABC News, Jill Zuckman of the Department of Transportation said, "The best estimate is that states have spent about $5 million of the $28 billion spent on road projects on signs – or less than .02 percent of overall project spending."

Still, some Republicans are crying foul. Congressman Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, sent a letter to Earl Devaney, Chairman of the Recovery Act and Transparency and Accountability Board, requesting an investigation to "determine the scope and impact of the Obama administration's guidance" regarding signs to stimulus recipients.

Rep. Issa writes that the passage of the Stimulus Bill, "has provided an opportunity for the Obama administration to claim political credit for the various projects around the country that have been funded by this redistribution of taxpayer dollars."

At the center of the controversy are a series of guidelines provided to stimulus recipients. In the letter, Rep. Issa cites what he calls "perhaps the most overly political guidance on stimulus advertising" involving the Department of Housing and Urban Development and a stimulus recipient. According to investigators from the oversight committee, HUD provided the Office of Native American Programs with information on "signage requirements." The document suggested a sign template informing the public the projects had been, "Funded By: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Barack Obama, President."

Congressman Aaron Schock (R-IL) has joined the chorus of Republican outrage over stimulus signs and claims at least $20 million has been spent on them. He told ABC News, "I think it's a bit of an oxymoron to spend tens of millions of dollars of taxpayer money, borrowed money, on a bunch of signs to tell them how we are spending their taxpayer money."

Schock's office provided ABC News with administration guidance on stimulus signs sent to him from a constituent. The document, dated March of 2009, outlines the "General Guidelines for Emblem and Logo Applications." The Recovery Act logo which was provided not only looks oddly similar to the Obama logo from the 2008 campaign but its stated purpose, according to the document, is to act as "a symbol of President Obama's commitment to the American people to invest their tax dollars wisely and put Americans back to work."

Rep. Schock argues that the signs are not a wise investment at all, but rather, a waste of money. He took to the House floor today to offer a bill, "to prevent funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 from being used for physical signage indicating that a project is funded by such Act, and for other purposes."

Massachusetts Democrat James McGovern fired back, "This is the best we can get? Not putting up signs?" He continued, "How about paying for the tax cuts for the rich that my friends on the other side of the aisle passed? Hundreds of billions of dollars in debt that you put on the backs of my kids and my grandkids so that the wealthiest of the wealthy in this country can get a tax break."

When asked about Republican outcry over spending on stimulus signs, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs quipped, " I'm glad the Republicans have noticed the several – nearly 11,000 road projects that are underway this summer."

-Robin Gradison and Avery Miller contributed to this report.

My Take On Illegal Immigration - Part 2

While I view most of it as political fluff, the Master and Commander claims to have done quite a bit already in working towards solving the illegal immigration issue:

"The President and his administration have provided the technical assistance to develop key elements of a bipartisan immigration bill and have taken important steps to make interior enforcement smarter, more effective, and reflective of our values, as well as addressing problems in the detention system to improve accountability and safety."

This may be the only part of what this administration claims to have done that has any substance, though, in reality, all this is saying they have done is dedicate taxpayer funded resources to drafting this new immigration bill and inactively starting working against enforcement of our current immigration laws.

I will talk a bit more on the lawsuit that my federal government just filed against one of the states in our union a bit later, but a good example of this passive stance against enforcement is the fact that one of the reasons cited in this lawsuit for not enforcing current immigration law is that we do not have the facilities to house those that would be detained. So, you just let people break the law because you don't have room for them in your jails? That makes sense. I am sure that will help create a safer America.

"A proposal for comprehensive immigration reform has been presented in the Senate, based on a bipartisan framework the administration helped Senators Schumer and Graham develop."

This bill will be far from bi-partisan by the time it is on the Master and Commander's desk to be signed into law, and really, probably isn't that bipartisan as it stands right now. One party makes a deal with one member of the other party, and all the sudden, a state of bipartisanship exists? I am not buying it.

"The President's unprecedented strategic and integrated approach to border protection and security efforts have increased pressure on illegal trafficking organizations, resulting in record seizures of illegal weapons and bulk cash transiting from the United States to Mexico, lowered average violent crime statistics in states along the Southwest border, and reduced illegal immigration into the United States."

Just because you are doing more than ever before, doesn't necessarily mean that you are doing enough. Record seizures also mean that a record amount of illegal drugs, drug money, and criminals, are still getting through our porous border. While violent crime statistics may be down in the border states, the workload of those trying to enforce our immigration laws is also unprecedented. The reduced number of illegal immigrants has nothing to do with any type of new enforcement methods, or any efforts of the current administration. Illegal immigration is down as a result of America's faltering economy.

"The administration has also eliminated the FBI backlog of background checks for legal immigration applications, and launched a new website that allows legal immigrants to check the status of their applications online and via text message for the first time ever. In its first month alone, three million people registered to receive text message updates on their applications."

This is fantastic news! I am happy to hear it, but I would really like to know how our system is going to handle the millions and millions of applications that are to be filed when amnesty is granted by the passage of the Master and Commander's reform. Who will be in place, and how will they handle that workload? What resources are going to be in place to apprehend and detain those who do not come in and register and those that do not pass the review process?

While these may be some "fine examples" of some of the steps that have been taken, I still think that this administration has been greatly lacking in their response, especially when it comes to securing the border and enforcing our current immigration laws. Where are the numbers that prove that the Master and Commander is taking a stand and enforcing our current immigration laws? Where is the proof that they are doing nothing more than sitting back, waiting, and trying to get through to the coming elections, pushing a bill that will bring about changes that we may not have the resources to support? I just don't see what I was looking for on your website, Master and Commander...

My Take On Illegal Immigration - Part 1

If you type "Barak Obama on illegal immigration" into Bing, the top search result is the Master and Commander's own web site that was created when he was running for office, www.barakobama.com. I decided that I should grab and re-post a part of his plan on how to deal with illegal immigration before it disappears from the site like it was a bad review of General Petraeus on www.moveon.org.

Here is the first part of Obama's web site info (more on the second part later):

The President has made it clear that the only way to truly secure the borders and have an orderly immigration system that honors our traditions as both a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants is through comprehensive reform grounded in the principles of responsibility and accountability:

Responsibility from the federal government to secure our borders: The Obama administration takes this responsibility very seriously and has dedicated unprecedented resources to securing our borders and reducing the flow of illegal traffic in both directions.

Responsibility from unscrupulous businesses that break the law: Employers who exploit undocumented workers undermine American workers, and they have to be held accountable.

Responsibility from people who are living in the United States illegally: Undocumented workers who are in good standing must admit that they broke the law, pay taxes and a penalty, learn English, and get right with the law before they can get in line to earn their citizenship.

Comprehensive immigration reform is essential to continuing the tradition of innovation that immigrants have brought to the American economy and to ensuring a level playing field for American workers. It's also essential to providing lasting and dedicated security for our borders.

I agree that we need to overhaul the current immigration system, and that we need to secure the border. I believe that changing current U.S. policy can effect the tide of illegal immigration to the point at which many of illegal immigration's problems can be solved. I believe there is a diplomatic solution, but until your diplomacy starts working, you put boots on the ground to solve the problems now. You use actions and not words. You don't push policy and wait for it to work so that the extra boots are not needed. I sometimes believe this is what the Master and Commander is hoping for; a way to be involved without actually getting involved.

I believe that we should crack down on the businesses that are hiring and exploiting illegal immigrants. Now, I know not every business that hires illegal immigrants is exploiting them, but realistically, I have to think it is widespread enough that we should be doing something about it. While it may be unpopular, in the mean time, until the law changes, we need to enforce the current laws by citing and heavily fining the business owner and deporting the workers that are working for them illegally. It is the letter of the law, regardless of its popularity.

I laugh at the administration's use of the phrase "undocumented workers who are in good standing". That really shows you how the Master and Commander and his administration view our current U.S. immigration policy. They view it as unjust and they want to change it. They, in my opinion, do not view crossing the border into the U.S. illegally as a crime.

You name the laws that we as citizens can break that will continue to leave us in "good standing". Try getting a traffic ticket and not paying it, then see the "standing" in which you find yourself. It should not be up to us to determine which laws we choose to obey and which laws we choose to ignore, and it should most definitely not be up to an illegal immigrant or a Presidential administration to make that decision either.

Since we are knee-deep in changing decades-old policy while the Master and Commander is in command, how about we make these two minor changes? In order to be citizen of the United States, you can no longer just blindly marry into it. If you are a citizen and want to marry a non-citizen, how about that person become a citizen in the same manner that everyone else has to? Also, how about if neither you, nor your wife or partner are citizens, and you just happen to have a baby while you are "visiting" the United States, you and your partner have to apply for citizenship for you and your baby, again, that same way everyone else has to?

That's no immigration by marriage, and no anchor babies. I'll even meet you in the middle and agree that everyone born here from now on, regardless of their parent's citizenship be required to go through a citizenship process at the age of maturity. I'll take your citizenship test and your English test -- bring it on. Oh, and by the way, just to clarify, if I decided to move to France tomorrow and become a member of their collective society, I would have no problem with the understanding that I would have to learn French and pass a citizenship test over there. That's only fair, right?

I know that so many on the other side of the aisle want to paint this as a race and segregation issue, but for many of us, it is just not the case. We are wanting people to abide by the laws like we do, pay taxes like we do, and be just as loyal to our nation as we are.

We want to see you rooting for America, abiding by its laws (all of them), and helping us to continue to build what many of us believe to be the greatest nation in the history of mankind. I always quote back to Dennis Miller who said that he doesn't mind you joining the party, he just would like you to sign the guest book so we know who is here.

Oh, and don't think I purposely glossed over this part: "Undocumented workers who are in good standing must admit that they broke the law, pay taxes and a penalty, learn English, and get right with the law before they can get in line to earn their citizenship." What this means, is that once the new policy is enacted by the Master and Commander, the policy of the United States of America will no longer be to deport people who have entered the country illegally as long as they meet certain criteria, doing away with our current policy of deporting in all cases except for reasons of political asylum.

I am honestly torn on this issue because I do agree with our current law, but at the same time, we have to be realistic about the cost and probability of deporting literally millions of people. If we see a policy that calls for illegal immigrants to actually admit that they have broken the law, agree to pay fines, back taxes and penalties on those back taxes, learn our language, and then get in line to be reviewed for citizenship, just like everyone else, I fully understand that supporting it might be the best thing for everyone.

I would also like to see, however, the resources in place that are ready to act with the full support of the administration to deport the people who do not come in and register, pay their fines, back taxes and penalties and/or who are denied citizenship in the review process for whatever reason. You will excuse my skepticism about the Master and Commander acting against the largest single pool of potential voters and their families and friends who already have the vote once his new immigration policy is in place.

More on this issue later...

Don't Forget To Watch The Oily Magic Show Tonight

I've been refraining from saying it, but I'm just going to go ahead with it already. Can you imagine how apeshit everyone would be going with The White House right now over this oil spill were The Great Satan George Junior still in office right now?

I am hoping that we finally see The Magician grow a pair over this oil spill when he speaks to us tonight. It kinda seems like he's been laying the foundation over the past few days to finally get in BP's face.

While I do understand how after blaming The Bush for eight years, it can be the go to response for Democrats that are appearing on The TV to talk about the oil spill, but really, you are going to need to do better than that. We need to take a long, hard look at oil drilling, its regulations, lack of regulations, and lack of adherance to regulations. Blaming The Great Satan George Junior for this isn't going to get us anywhere. We need to determine if our regulations did enough, if BP met them, and what we do if they did not. We need to quickly ensure all of our offshore drilling rigs have met regulations and get back on track.

Another thing I have noticed that some folks out there are starting to do is to compare the oil spill with Hurricane Katrina. Apples and oranges. Katrina was a swift-moving hurricane that killed people who could not, or just refused to, evacuate out of its path. Katrina's devastation was quick and deadly - killing a large number in a short period of time. It's economic and environmental impact will last for decades.

This oil spill, on the other hand, despite the fast-gushing oil we see at its source, moved relatively slowly over the water. There was well over a month of warning to react to ensure that this oil did not reach the coastline. The spill's devastation will be quick and deadly to a lot of wildlife, but to humans, it's devastation will take some time. Economic impacts will take months and health issues will take years to surface. The environmental impact may be around for well over one hundred years.

But, if we are going to make a comparison, here are some things to think about:

- Think reasonably about all of the other natural disasters that hit America (hurricanes, floods, earthquakes) and you will see that the response to those disasters before, during, and immediately after, all falls into the hands of local and state officials. The federal government doesn't usually get involved until the point at which the state's governor asks for federal assistance. Yet, with Katrina, the blame for a lack of planning, action, and response fell on the federal government, especially after the fact. Why was Katrina different than any other hurricane and who could have possibly known for sure what was going to happen before hand?

- This oil spill is different. This is a man-made disaster that occurred on federal "land" on an offshore oil rig that was OK'd by and regulated by the federal government. Do you see how this was the responsibility of the federal government from the very beginning? Have not, historically, the problems of the federal government fallen at the feet of whoever is President at the time?

- The Great Satan Geroge Junior called for a mandatory evacuation before Katrina hit, and while criticized, it is generally accepted that federal relief efforts were well underway four days after the hurricane hit with emergency funding signed and FEMA engaged. What is often overlooked is that both Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco refused to issue mandatory evacuations of the city despite being advised to do so by the federal government.

What is also overlooked is that in the case of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, standard emergency management protocol calls for local and state officials to be prepared to manage the situation for three days until a federal response can be made. That would mean that the planning to ensure proper warning, mandatory evacuations, and transportation for citizens would be responsibility of the officials in the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana, not the federal government. Local officials don't really get any of the blame for what happened before, during and after Katrina, though, do they?

- I must say that within four days of the start of this oil spill, I did not see a massive response from the federal government, i.e. the current administration. It really seems like it took them a couple of weeks to even get up to speed on what was really going on and about 45 days before you could see them finally realizing what a big deal this was going to be.

- Bush went to New Orleans eight times in the first 46 days, and was condemned for not visiting enough. Obama took 49 days to visit the Gulf region three times.

The Great Satan George Junior will continue to be criticized for not getting out of his chair on the morning of 9/11 for eight minutes and not getting aid to New Orleans for four days, but I do believe in the long run, history will better remember this oil spill and will better remember that it took The Magician 45 days to realize that this was going to have an effect on his Presidency...oh, I mean, the American people.

It's Finally Time To Comment On The Magician & This Oil Spill...

I have done my best to give this thing time. I have done my best to not be reactionary. I have done my best to not be swayed by media sources. I have still reached the following conclusion, though:

I am not impressed with this administration's efforts to date. While you cannot accuse them of doing nothing, and I do see that significant efforts are being made, I feel that these efforts were not undertaken as quickly as they should have been and while in an "unprecedented" volume, the efforts I am seeing are still not enough. While your efforts on any task may be the most by volume that have ever been done in history, it does not automatically mean that you are doing enough by default.

The Magician says that they explored every alternative, have done all that they could have, and would have tried anything that they know would have worked. I argue that they could have authorized the building of sand barriers along the coastlines much sooner than they did, could have better ensured that more resources were fighting in the water and not waiting until the oil reached the shore. When you are in a crisis, it is wise in the best of circumstances to not undertake efforts that you know will have no effect on the situation, but at the same time, if there is a chance that something will have an effect, you try it. You don't just sit there and wait for a better alternative to be suggested.

I must admit, also, I am bothered by the fact that The Magician has not had a direct conversation with BP's CEO at this point. I don't think the American people are asking you to pick up the phone and shout at the guy, but they are asking you to take command of the situation in the manner that you claim to have done. How do you command a situation when you have not had a direct conversation with the person that is in charge of the most important part of your operations?

I think that we need to take a long look at the fact that while drilling at these "incredible" depths, there are not enough safeguards in place, obviously, to make sure that this does not happen. We should take a long hard look at our drilling policies as a whole. While I understand some people's argument that a lapse in regulation and governance is to blame, we also need to look at the market and supply and demand as it relates to our current environmental policies. We're still using gas, which requires oil. We don't want to see oil rigs off our coastlines, so we force the oil companies to drill further and further out at deeper and deeper depths, then get upset when they cannot repair wells that are too deep. Do you not think that BP would much rather be drilling oil that is under the beach than under a mile of ocean? Why aren't they? Because we've told them that they can't, yet at the same time, demand low gas prices.

While I do appreciate the fact that The Magician has visited the area, I do still make the argument that he has not done so enough. Regardless of the fact of what he can and cannot do personally while there, the American people want to see him down there fixing this thing. A three hour stay on four hours of flight time so that he can get back home for the holiday weekend does not impress me.

Again, whether or not he is effecting the situation, the people of the Gulf Region would have at least liked to have known he was in the area, working well into the night and early morning with local officials, not see him stroll on the beach for a few hours and then go home. How in the world does a politician like The Magician not understand that? Also, I still think The Magician flew to California more times for campaigning this election season than he flew to the Gulf Region since this spill started. That says a lot to me.

The bottom line, Mr. Magician, is that we are not asking you to perform for the cable shows, we are asking you to perform for the American people, especially those that are being directly effected by this oil spill. Sometimes, when you need to get things done, you just don't take the time to figure out exactly whose butt to kick, you kick them all until people and resources get moving and start fixing the problem. Empowering local resources, moving federal resources, taking the time to be cool, calm and collected, you are doing, but commanding, you are not.

A Lesson In Capitalism & The Great Depression

It seems that America is undergoing a fundamental change in how we think about money, capitalism, and our economy. While conservatives are often accused of revisionist history and remembering the good ol' days to be better than they actually were, I refuse to believe that things have always been this way. I believe that in the past, when economic woes were at hand, America looked to hard work and ingenuity to get out of the hole, not reckless borrowing, increased spending in social programs, and an abandoning of our capitalist and democratic values.

We cannot afford these magic social programs, yet our government says that we have no choice. A majority of the American people are against undertaking these social reforms right now, yet the federal government says, shut up and support it anyway. These decisions go against the democratic and capitalistic ideals that a good deal of Americans hold dear.

As many of you may know, in my continual efforts to stay on top of what is going on throughout multiple industries, I read a lot of trade magazines. Too many, really, but I'll keep it up as long as I can. One of the magazines I get always puts a smile on my face because while the boats that are in it are way out of my price range (for now at least), I always like to dream and look to the future (as opposed to just sitting back, accepting my station in life and looking to the government to sustain me like it wants me to).

Having said all that, I want to share a story with all of you that puts a great perspective on what we should be doing right now...working hard.

From Showboats Magazine:

There's been a lot of talk from Washington recently about getting the economy moving again. Much of the chatter has been focused on stimulus plans, but there have also been quieter murmurs about redistribution of wealth. It may come as a surprise, but we believe that both are excellent approaches. It's just that the government is going about it all wrong.

Our plan is simple, and rather than put a few hundred dollars into the pockets of thousands of average workers on a continuing basis over a span of years, even decades, it builds real jobs and provides real wages. It doesn't require one red cent of taxpayer money and doesn't add a single dime to the federal debt. Better yet, our plan will work not just in the United States, but around the world to get the economy moving again on a global basis.

What's the secret? Encourage those with adequate assets to start building yachts again, and when they do, don't scorn them. Rather, commend them for their contribution to the common good. Instead of damning these yachtsmen - often epitomies of classic entrepreneurialism - as profligate examples of conspicuous consumption, we should be lauding them as economic heroes, and the reasoning is simple.

The tens of millions of dollars spent building a single superyacht turn into billions and billions when multiplied by the hundreds of yachts built in a typical year. Additional billions are spent annually on the existing world fleet of yachts, which runs into the thousands. Those dollars don't simply trickle down, they rush in raging torrents to workers and suppliers worldwide, and those workers and suppliers pass the money along to local stores, car dealers, movie theaters and restaurants that, in turn, pass them along to their own workers, who buy houses and send their kids to college so their grandchildren might enjoy a better life. What a magnificent system!

Politicians in the present hour of economic trial are fond of pointing back to the Great Depression for comparisons, so let's play along for the moment. Sea Cloud, at 316 feet in length, was the largest private American-owned sailing yacht ever built. She was completed in 1931 for Marjoire Merriweather Post, heiress to the Postum Cereal fortune and herself the founder of General Foods, and [married] to E.F. Hutton. She didn't need the yacht, but she considered it her civic duty to provide work for the unemployed, including desperate shipwrights, at the depths of the Great Depression. It was a private stimulus package of the best sort, and it didn't take an act of Congress and a plundering of the U.S. Treasury to accomplish it.

Amazingly, Sea Cloud continues in service to this day, nearly 80 years later, and for every day of all those years her succession of owners has funneled money into economies around the world for her maintenance, staffing, provisioning and operation. The next time someone mentions 'Tarp funds', think not of tax dollars, but of the money spent just to replace that fabulous clipper's vast spread of canvas every two years. She is no longer a private yacht, but is now a part of a cruise fleet, so who is it that's enjoying sunny days aboard? Perhaps it is that family of an auto machanic who repaired the car of the restaurant worker who was paid by the patronage of a welder from a nearby yacht yard.

Some Thoughts On U.S. Relief Efforts Around The World

As you read this, U.S. war ships are on the move again, but they're not doing what is typically laid upon the Great Satan as the only action that America takes in the world...war. The U.S. military machine has been mobolized to take the lead in providing disaster relief in Haiti. Quite literally, millions of Americans have also been mobilized in making donations, providing relief supplies, and even getting on planes to go down there and do what they can to help save lives and stave off the coming famine and civil unrest.

I am very proud of, and fully support the efforts of both or government and our citizens in the endeavor. Throughout Haiti's entire history, which began in 1804, relations between our two nations have been strained, and I hope that we can show our true colors in the face of this tragedy and change the course of our relations with our neighbor to the south (If you have some spare time at some point, read a bit about the history between the U.S. and Haiti and you'll see that we actually started the relationship off on a very bad foot).

I spend a good deal of time writing and speaking out about what is wrong with America, but, in my opinion, what we are seeing right now is one of the things that is right with America. Despite our strained relations with Haiti, we still have sent over $3 billion in aid to the country over the past two decades. This is a perfect exampe of how the U.S. government can object to the policies and practices of another country's government, yet still wield our power and industry to help the very people that are being mistreated by that government. While I will be one of the first to argue that at times we have no choice but to enact policy through force, I also think that we need to continue to positively affect the lives of people around the world.

There are, however, two exceptions to this rule. One, is that I whole-heartedly believe that we should take care of those who are in need here at home before we look to the rest of the world, and we should do more to ensure that our aid dollars are actually going into the hands of the people and not into the corrupt governments that we are trying to help the people survive under. A good example of this would be the fact that Saddam Hussein was able to pocket billions in U.N.-funneled U.S. aid dollars that were meant to provide food and aid to the Iraqi people.

Another change I would most definitely like to see is a more concerted effort by America to let the rest of the world know how often the U.S. military machine is used to do good in the world. Yes, we use it to wage war, and that is a debate that we should continue to have in America, but perhaps if those who relish in seeing us killed by terrorists had a better understanding of all of the good the Great Satan America does in the world, they'd be a little less apt to want us dead. I know that for some people, we just can't change their mind because of how absolutely dedicated they are to wiping us off the face of the Earth, but I think there are some who would stand against us that we could convince otherwise.

I hope you will join me in supporting the Obama administration's efforts in Haiti, as long as he stays on the straight and narrow, of course, and in thanking the brave Americans who are already in country and those that are in line waiting to go help. They are our best line of defense in the world, winning hearts and minds during people's time of need.

As We Begin 2010...

2010!...Can you believe it's here? As we officially begin this new work year, I am optimistically looking forward. Despite the fact that I will always remember 2009 to be a “year of years”, I honestly feel that I ended the year in a much better position than I started the year.

October of 2008 was really when the world changed for us, but luckily, much more in fear and anxiety than in actual tragedy and fruition. It was about nine months later, in July of 2009 that I honestly began to feel like things were starting to turn…that we had seen the very worst of it pass.

Then, about a year after it all began, October of 2009, was when it felt the recovery was starting to finally gain ground. I am aware that there are still tough times ahead for all of us in some areas, and harder times ahead for some than others, but as 2009 finally drew to a close, I came to a very stark realization that, in all honesty, I was better off on January 1, 2010 than I was on January 1, 2009.

While the media continues to paint 2009 as the era of doom, I think there are still a good 85% of us who are starting 2010 in a better spot than we did at the beginning of 2009. It is as if we have survived one of the major battles of our lives in a much better spot than we anticipated to be.

I am, however, also well aware that now is not the time to sit back and relax, but in fact, it is time to dig in our heels even deeper and get ready to work harder than ever before. Things could take a turn for the worst just as easily this year as they could have last year, but with a staunch routine of completing work, seeking out new work and opportunities, and ensuring that we are performing at the top of our game, I think we will find 2010 to be a much better year, and 2011 an even better year still.

We need to look forward, we need to work hard, and we need to keep up the fight, because while things are looking up, there is still a tough fight ahead of us. We have to perform our jobs better than ever before, we have to be mindful of brining true value to our business relationships, and we have to continue to be diligent to keep our eyes out for thieves. Both Taxramento and Taxington, D.C. are going to continue to fight for our money and The Magician is going to do all he can to spend the money that we haven’t even earned yet, but you can also feel the tide of favor swaying back towards conservative spending and values as the novelty of a new President and "new" party wears off and people see The Magician and his party for The Politician that he truly is, and the thieves that they really are. The tax pool has grown weary, and while we are willing to work, fear is subsiding and we are going to start questioning what was done to us during those turbulent times by the people that were in office.

So, let’s get back to work, let’s continue to be successful, and above all, let’s do all that we can to ensure that the largest amount of the fruits of our labors remain just that…ours.