The Uneducated Housewife's Guide to Politics

National Day of Prayer

2010-05-06T08:00:00.001-06:00

Today is the day (the first Thursday in May) when we lift our country and its leaders in prayer as a nation.

History of the National Day of Prayer

Controversy surrounding the National Day of Prayer

Official National Day of Prayer website

THE WHITE HOUSE
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER, 2010
- – - – - – -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION

Throughout our history, whether in times of great joy and thanksgiving, or in times of great challenge and uncertainty, Americans have turned to prayer. In prayer, we have expressed gratitude and humility, sought guidance and forgiveness, and received inspiration and assistance, both in good times and in bad.

On this day, let us give thanks for the many blessings God has bestowed upon our Nation. Let us rejoice for the blessing of freedom both to believe and to live our beliefs, and for the many other freedoms and opportunities that bring us together as one Nation. Let us ask for wisdom, compassion, and discernment of justice as we address the great challenges of our time.

We are blessed to live in a Nation that counts freedom of conscience and free exercise of religion among its most fundamental principles, thereby ensuring that all people of goodwill may hold and practice their beliefs according to the dictates of their consciences. Prayer has been a sustaining way for many Americans of diverse faiths to express their most cherished beliefs, and thus we have long deemed it fitting and proper to publicly recognize the importance of prayer on this day across the Nation.

Let us remember in our thoughts and prayers those suffering from natural disasters in Haiti, Chile, and elsewhere, and the people from those countries and from around the world who have worked tirelessly and selflessly to render aid. Let us pray for the families of the West Virginia miners, and the people of Poland who so recently and unexpectedly lost many of their beloved leaders. Let us pray for the safety and success of those who have left home to serve in our Armed Forces, putting their lives at risk in order to make the world a safer place. As we remember them, let us not forget their families and the substantial sacrifices that they make every day. Let us remember the unsung heroes who struggle to build their communities, raise their families, and help their neighbors, for they are the wellspring of our greatness. Finally, let us remember in our thoughts and prayers those people everywhere who join us in the aspiration for a world that is just, peaceful, free, and respectful of the dignity of every human being.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 6, 2010, as a National Day of Prayer. I call upon the citizens of our Nation to pray, or otherwise give thanks, in accordance with their own faiths and consciences, for our many freedoms and blessings, and I invite all people of faith to join me in asking for God’s continued guidance, grace, and protection as we meet the challenges before us.

Today IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA
# # #

Colorado Springs Tea Party Rally...

2010-04-15T17:30:00.001-06:00

This was a pretty straight forward political rally. There was a group that moved along the outer edges shouting, "We love Obama!" at one point to which the crowd responded with, "U.S.A., U.S.A., U.S.A." That was it as far as any sort of drama and it was very short lived. The majority of the speakers spoke about the next election and how we can turn things in this country around. It was nothing like what you hear about in relation to Tea Party events.

Looking for Answers to the Homeless Question...

2010-03-01T09:00:00.004-07:00

Our city just passed a camping ban a couple weeks ago. It was in response to what is being called, "Tent City." Many homeless have set up camp along a creek bed and as that population grows some have felt that a ban on camping is the answer. Now, those people will be fined and forced to move. I don't even see where this ban is enforceable. If these people had money they wouldn't be down there. You can't get blood from a turnip, ya know? So... they don't pay the fine and are carted off to jail? The jails don't have room! The shelters don't have room!

Sigh...

The fact is that once you cross a certain line in our society it is almost impossible to cross back over.

This past weekend I took a homeless gal to look at an apartment. She had walked several miles to a parking lot near a park where a group I'm involved with serves breakfast to the homeless on Saturdays. Bus service on Saturdays and Sundays was part of our city's budget cuts this year and it would have taken her an hour and a half to walk to the apartment. It was a studio the size of my son's bedroom that was going for $400 a month. The building was clean and I could see the gal was excited about it. Then she was informed that they do not rent to anyone with any prior evictions. She has two.

Each of the people I've met has a different story. There is a homeless subculture... a community. Many of them know and look out for each other. In many ways they are like a family. Yes, there are bad homeless people. There are also homeless people that aren't.

What gives life value? Do the homeless still have value? Do they matter? Do we look at them and see nothing but waste... or do we look beyond that and see a human being that is hurting? When is a person beyond redemption and who of us is worthy of making that judgment call?

When I was 9 years old my aunt sat us down and told us the story of Stone Soup. It made a real impression on me. I don't recall being told a story in that way prior to that day. There was no book and no pictures to look at. She captivated me as she wove through the story and my imagination brought forth pictures in my mind.

The story was about a village of people that were starving. A man went to the center of the village, built a fire, filled a big pot full of water and set about making soup. He threw in some stones. The villagers peered out of their windows trying to figure out what he was up to. Eventually some of them came out and asked. He told them he was making a delicious stone soup. He remained intent as he stirred and the villagers watched. He breathed in the aroma and spoke often of how good the soup was going to be. Then he said to himself that he wished he had some onions for the soup. One of the villagers said he had some onions if he was willing to share the soup with him. The man was.

My aunt continued to tell the story using different voices for each of the villagers that had something else to add to the pot. In the end the entire village was fed and it started with a man that had nothing. I've never forgotten that story.

I know some would look at that story and say it is a good example of how if everybody gives a little bit all of the people can be taken care of and then see taxes and government as a way to accomplish that. I don't.

The government does have its place, as do taxes. However, the more taxes we pay and the bigger government gets... the more we lose our freedom.

In the story, it was the villagers' choice to contribute to the pot. Was it possible that there were villagers that were hoarding vegetables in their cellars? Yes.

I don't have any answers. I am looking for them. I'm trying to get a handle on what services are available, both governmental and privately funded. I'm looking to truly understand the culture and the truth about homelessness.

The man who started the ministry I am now involved in felt led to move into a tent amongst the homeless. I, like one of the villagers from the story, have come out to see what he is doing.

What are your thoughts?

The Homeless

2010-02-09T20:00:00.003-07:00

What are your perceptions of the homeless?

While we were living in Mississippi I got involved with a gal at our church that had written a bible curriculum for children at risk. She was a nurse practitioner and had worked with the homeless in Hawaii. She was able to set up a time for us to teach what we called Bible Club to children in a transitional home for homeless mothers and their children. She and her husband were just staring their family so she was not always able to be involved. Eventually, I moved from the transitional home to the soup kitchen next door that had an after school and summer program for kids in the neighborhood that might otherwise be left alone. I also drove for a Meals on Wheels program through that soup kitchen on Mondays.

I learned a lot.

When we moved to Colorado Springs in 2002 I got involved with another soup kitchen. We were homeschooling our children so they went with me on Thursdays and we helped prep food, cook, serve and clean. We also helped organize donations. This ministry was run differently than the one in Mississippi and I couldn't help but compare. I was disturbed by the fact that although this, like in Mississippi, was a faith based ministry there was no prayer before the meal and in the separate room they had for families there was a plaque on the wall stating that one of their rights was to receive meals without proselytizing. I respected the rules of the ministry but it didn't set well with me. The people were also different. There were those that were grateful and then there were those that were demanding and rude. There were also people that showed up that were obviously not homeless. Once a bunch of people rode up on their motorcycles all decked out in their leather... and proceeded to go through the line. I was floored. A lady that had to weigh 400 lbs told me that her husband left her three years before. She lived in a house not far from there and she told me that she had not had to buy groceries in all that time. Also, after the meal we packed up the leftovers and handed them out to whoever wanted them. The waste was incredible.

We stopped going when I started to fear for the safety of my oldest daughter as she was exhibiting lack of judgment in dealing with some of the men there. That was five, maybe closer to six, years ago. I have not volunteered in that way since... until last weekend.

As I step back into this world I've been thinking a lot about what the answers are. People are homeless for different reasons... Drugs, alcohol, bad choices, events beyond their control, and mental illness with it often being a combination of some or all of those things. There are also children who are there through no fault of their own. It is a lot to take in and can be overwhelming. Most of those that actually live on the streets are men. There are many more programs available for women and children.

Politically the homeless are often used as a pawn. The fact is homelessness is a complicated issue. What do you think about it?

Beneath the Rubble

2010-01-16T14:00:00.000-07:00

The L.A. Times has published an inspirational article about a Compassion International employee and a hotel worker that were buried under rubble for 65 hours in Haiti.

World Vision Help for Haiti

2010-01-14T19:00:00.001-07:00

Even though we no longer homeschool I still receive homeschool related e-mails.

For Immediate Release1/14/10

Homeschoolers around the world band together to support the Haitian community during their time of crisis.Through World Vision and CurrClick.com, homeschool families can now come together to support Haitian earthquake victims and their families. Small donations of $5 and $10 are being accepted at http://www.currclick.com/ CurrClick.com will be matching donations. A counter is being kept on the CurrClick.com homepage that will keep track of the donation amount as it grows.

"Homeschoolers are generous, giving people and CurrClick is excited about being able to match that generosity with a donation to World Vision. World Vision is a great organization and we look forward to donating a significant amount to their efforts in Haiti," said Staley Krause of CurrClick.

Leah Nieman, also from CurrClick asks that homeschoolers help spread the word about this opportunity by posting the following text on Twitter and Facebook: Homechoolers Help Haiti! Join with other homeschoolers & donate now: http://www.currclick.com/product_info.php?products_id=33677&it=1 "Social media is on of the best and fastest ways to spread the word," says Nieman.All donations will go directly toward distributing life-saving relief supplies – including food, clean water, blankets, and tents -- to children and families devastated by the earthquake and aftershocks in Haiti.

To make a donation, visit: http://www.currclick.com/index.php--
Leah NiemanSales and Marketing
http://www.CurrClick.comleah@currclick.com leah@currclick.com
309-678-9576

Churches Fire Bombed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2010-01-08T07:30:00.000-07:00

As reported by The Sydney Morning Herald out of Australia:

Firebomb attacks on Malaysian churches
ROMEN BOSE
January 9, 2010

KUALA LUMPUR: Four Malaysian churches have been firebombed, with one left badly damaged, in an escalating dispute over the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims.

As Muslim groups held protests yesterday, police increased security around churches after one in Kuala Lumpur was set ablaze in a midnight attack that left its ground floor gutted. Three other churches were attacked hours later, with one sustaining minor damage, while the others were not damaged. No arrests have been made.

The Home Minister, Hishammuddin Hussein, appealed for calm amid the conflict over the use of Allah as a translation for God by Christians, and assured minorities in Malay-dominated Malaysia that ''they are safe''.

''I take the events that happened last night very seriously,'' he told a press conference. ''We want to assure the public that this was not a co-ordinated and well-planned action.

''Let's hope for the best in a few hours' time,'' he said before the protests that took place at two main mosques in the capital after yesterday's prayers.

Police said officers had been deployed to protect churches around the country and to monitor the protests, following the attacks and also phone threats against churches.

In Kuala Lumpur, young worshippers carried banners and vowed to defend Islam.
''We will not allow the word Allah to be inscribed in your churches,'' a speaker shouted into a loudspeaker at the Kampung Bahru mosque. About 50 people carried posters reading ''Heresy arises from words wrongly used'' and ''Allah is only for us''.

The High Court this month ruled in favour of a Catholic newspaper which used Allah as a translation for God. The Government has said the word should be used only by Muslims. The ruling was suspended on Wednesday pending an appeal.

''Islam is above all. Every citizen must respect that,'' said Ahmad Johari, who attended prayers at the National Mosque. ''I hope the court will understand the feeling of the majority Muslims of Malaysia. We can fight to the death over this issue.''

The rallies were held inside the mosque compounds after police banned protests on the streets. Participants dispersed peacefully afterwards.

Pribumi Perkasa, one of the groups organising the demonstrations, condemned the fire-bombings but warned that Malays were deeply concerned.

Agence France-Presse, Associated Press

You may be wondering why I'm reprinting that here. My father-in-law lives in Kuala Lumpur. We received an e-mail from him this morning:

We are having some big problems out here. They burned down four churches last night and are now going after cars with anything that looks Christian. This is a result of a court case where the judge ruled that it was OK to use Allah in print but the local Muslims did not agree and now are ripping the town apart.

Will give you update later when more is known.

If necessary I will evacuate to Penang or Singapore.

Dad

My father-in-law is not a Christian. He's been living in KL for around 12 years. He is also not an alarmist in any shape or form so the fact that he's mentioned evacuating has me concerned. I would appreciate any prayers on his behalf.

In addition to that, the reason for this situation itself is alarming.

Interesting...

2010-01-06T15:00:00.000-07:00

The recent announcements by several Democrats (Dodd, Dorgan and Ritter) that they will be retiring or not seeking re-election are... interesting. It certainly puts the pressure on Obama to get those things he wants to passed as soon as possible.

At the same time, there is something going on here in the city of Colorado Springs. There is a lot of talk about the city selling the Memorial Health System. Memorial consists of three hospitals on two campuses and does not receive taxpayer money. It is a self-supporting city enterprise that pays operating expenses through revenue and cash reserves. People have said that it is about to become a liability for the city, so it's a good time to get rid of it... they did lose money through a devaluation of their investment portfolio to the tune of $28 million last year. However, on the other side of things they have remained profitable.

I just can't help but wonder... and that may be from my lack of knowledge on how all this works... but, could this push be in response to the health care stuff going on in Washington?

I've Been Thinking...

2010-01-05T07:30:00.000-07:00

Thinking about what I want to do with this blog. It has been ignored for months. I even thought about deleting it because I seemed to have lost interest. In the end, I decided to keep it and to start posting again.

I don't know what to do about the current political scene. There is much I don't understand. In many ways I feel helpless. One of the things that has bothered me for a long time has been the perceptions that people have of one another... in the political arena as well as just in every day life. We tend to box everyone into a category... even ourselves.

I am a Christian. I am politically conservative. I believe in limited government and a free market system. I am a registered Republican.

I am not surrounded only by those that believe the same as I do. I have the ability to disagree with people while still appreciating their right to believe as they choose. The truth is I am most interested in people and what makes them tick.

The characterization of Republicans being rich and not caring about the poor really bothers me. Where does that come from?

For the time being, I am going to take this blog in a bit of a different direction. I want to understand the people behind the labels. I want to take a look at different relief agencies, learn their histories, see the impact they've had, and look at who is supporting those agencies. I'd like to look at current government programs here in the United States as well as relief agencies supported by donations... secular and religious. I also want to take a look at the same in terms of our involvement in other countries.

I have talked to some people about interviewing them for this purpose. The more I've thought about this project, the more I've realized it could become an overwhelming task. I am just an Uneducated Housewife and I've got responsibilities that come with that. I haven't got this all figured out but I am just going to start and while it may not be well planned, I hope that it will be interesting.

I am going to begin with Compassion International. Stay tuned.

Personal Cost of Health Care

2009-10-08T11:00:00.001-06:00

Last Friday afternoon I went to see my family doctor. I had been having some intestinal issues that were of concern and was sent immediately to the hospital for a CT Scan. After the scan I was given instructions by my doctor and sent home. Sunday evening my condition was worsening and at 1 am on Monday morning my husband took me to the ER where I was admitted. We pay a $30 co-pay for regular office visits, a $50 co-pay for urgent care and/or specialist visits, and $150 co-pay for ER visits and it is always expected that those are paid at the time of each visit. Our prescription benefits are on a tier system which means that we either pay $20, $30, $50 or 20% depending on which tier the drug prescribed falls in. We also have a $1500 deductible per person per year. Our out of pocket medical expenses are usually around $7,000 a year. That is with good insurance.

While I was still in my hospital bed a lady from accounting came in to see me. At that point I had been in the hospital a total of 34 hours. She informed me that our bill was in excess of $5,000 and wanted to know if we would be able to take care of our portion of the bill that day. My husband was not there and they had instructed him to take my purse home with him so I told her no. She then handed me an envelope and told me that they like to see no less than $250 before leaving the hospital but that I could mail it when I got home. I was a bit dumbfounded. We paid our $150 co-pay in the ER and we always pay our medical bills. I also know from past experience that that $5,000 does not cover the ER doctor, the radiologist, the floor doctor, or the gastrointerologist. We will be receiving bills from them shortly.

Why so expensive? Well... different people pay differing amounts. Our insurance will no doubt cut the cost of the bill because they have a set standard they pay for different procedures. If the hospital charges more than that they will write off the difference because they have a contract with the insurance company to do so. In many ways our insurance company keeps the cost down for us by having restrictions like that in place. But the cost is still too high. There is a lot that most do not understand about how health care works. On the surface someone may look at this post and take it as an example of the need for universal health care. It just is not that simple.

I wonder if I would have been able to get an appointment on Friday if we were under a government controlled health care system. Would I have gotten a CT scan the same day? My condition could have potentially become life threatening if not treated. What if I had to wait?

I know a lot of families that are not as well off as we are. There are health care programs for them. They do not go without care. What I hear about and what I know do not add up. I definitely agree that something must be done about health care costs but what is being proposed is not the answer. Why would it not be implemented if passed until 2013? The deductions from all of our incomes will take effect immediately. Does that not raise a red flag?

National Institutes of Health Research Grant

2009-10-02T12:30:00.004-06:00

As someone who suffers from Spasmodic Dysphonia, I received the following e-mail today:

And now, for some really exciting news that could have a real effect on many of us with focal forms of dystonia such as Spasmodic Dysphonia. The NIH has awarded a 5 year, $5.6 million grant to help advance research and studies through a multicenter Dystonia Coalition!!! The Dystonia Medical Research Foundation will play a key role!! Read the complete information below:

NIH Awards New Grant to Develop Better Treatments for Focal Dystonias

September 30, 2009 – Officials at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have announced the funding of a five year award aimed at forming a multicenter Dystonia Coalition to advance clinical research on primary focal dystonias, including Cervical Dystonia, Spasmodic Dysphonia, Blepharospasm, and others. Leading the Coalition will be H. A. Jinnah, MD, PhD, Professor of Neurology and Human Genetics at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder that causes muscles to contract and spasm involuntarily. It affects men, women and children. Dystonia can be generalized, affecting many major muscle groups and resulting in twisting, repetitive movements and abnormal postures. Or dystonia can be more focal, affecting a specific part of the body such as legs, arms, hands, neck, face, mouth, or vocal cords. Currently, it is estimated that at least 300,000 individuals in North America suffer from dystonia, making it more common than Huntington’s disease, muscular dystrophy, and ALS. There is no known cure.

The $5.6 million award will allow the Dystonia Coalition to cultivate a better understanding of the primary focal dystonias and find better therapies. This includes projects to develop a better understanding of their natural history, establish instruments appropriate for monitoring disease severity in clinical trials, and develop proper diagnostic criteria. The creation of a biorepository to store biological samples to support future research is also planned, making these resources available to investigators worldwide. The Coalition will bring together the most committed dystonia researchers in North America and Europe, along with dystonia patient advocacy groups.

The Dystonia Medical Research Foundation (DMRF) will play an integral role by providing logistical and planning support for the Coalition. The Foundation is well-poised to serve in this capacity as it is the largest and most established patient support organization devoted to dystonia.

“Dystonias are rare and devastating diseases, with limited and sometimes inadequate treatment options,” explains Dr. Jinnah. “Funding of the Dystonia Coalition will allow us to address unmet needs in focal dystonia research, as well as make resources available to other investigators that will help to advance the field.”

“We are delighted about the funding of the Dystonia Coalition and pleased that Dr. Jinnah will be leading this effort,” says Mahlon R. DeLong, MD, Scientific Director of the DMRF. “This is a unique opportunity to provide much-needed attention to these rare diseases. The DMRF is proud to play a role in this important effort.”

The Dystonia Medical Research Foundation is dedicated to advancing research for more treatments and ultimately a cure, promoting awareness and education and supporting the needs and well being of affected individuals and families. To learn more about dystonia, contact the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation at 1-800-377-3978 or www.dystonia-foundation.org

I would love for new treatments and/or a cure to be found for my condition. Being told by my doctor last year that there was nothing more they could do for me was a real blow. You would think that the above would come as good news to me. Sadly, it is not.

The National Institutes of Health is the Nation's Medical Research Agency run through the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. This money will be used for research using embryonic stem cells to which I am morally opposed. I was quite disgusted when I went to the NIH Guidelines on Human Stem Cell Research.

The guideline begins with this statement: On March 9, 2009, President Barack H. Obama issued Executive Order 13505: Removing Barriers to Responsible Scientific Research Involving Human Stem Cells.

This statement is misleading. I have previously written about the stem cell debate on this page. President Bush allowed government funded embryonic stem cell research through existing lines that had been slated for destruction. There has never been any sort of ban on any type of stem cell research, just government funding for embryonic stem cell research. The research already done, which is extensive, has revealed that embryonic stem cells are unstable and lead to cancer. Why they want to continue on in that vein... taking money from adult stem cell research that has held much more promise, is beyond me. Yes, I know that embryonic stem cells can be manipulated into any sort of tissue where adult stem cells are more limited. I just have a problem with the creation of life being cannibalized in the name of medicine and cures for diseases. It is wrong.

So what happens if they come up with a "cure" for Spasmodic Dysphonia through embryonic stem cells? I will choose to live with it.

Report on Good Morning America

2009-09-30T07:45:00.000-06:00

I do not normally have the television on in the morning. However, I turned it on after hearing about a second earthquake during the night with another tsunami and knew that Good Morning America would be talking about it as well as the other earthquake and tsunami that hit Samoa yesterday. I was quite surprised by one of the other stories.

Apparently, those in Congress can pay under $400 a year to receive unlimited health care on site. If they need specialists they are brought in with no additional charge. They had a hard time getting people to speak about it on camera. Interestingly, the reporter made the case for primary health care being the key to lowering health care costs and that increasing the availability of primary care is what is needed. I agree with that... to an extent. Medical school enrollment is down and some doctors are leaving the field altogether. Why? I think it is the decline in incentive.

I just wanted to throw that out there real quick. I've got a busy morning and don't have time to look up some things I'd like to. I do know that some companies are now hiring doctors to have on site to keep their health care costs down while still providing services for their employees. I'm interested in seeing if I can find some good examples of how that is working.

Wow...

2009-09-29T12:00:00.000-06:00

I saw this on Gateway Pundit and am... speechless.

Health Care Reform

2009-09-24T16:30:00.000-06:00

We all hear about it every day. We could use some changes in health care to make it less expensive. Does that mean we need to hand over control of it to the government? NO.

Where are the people dying in this country because they have been turned away from hospitals because they don't have insurance? It is against the law for hospitals to do that!

Case in point:

Someone I know in his mid-thirties is an alcoholic that lives in California. He had had four DUI's, his license taken away, and spent many months on house arrest in 2007. In August of 2008 he was in a serious car accident in which he was driving a friend's SUV... drunk. There were no other cars or people involved (THANK GOD!!!) and he was seriously injured. He was in the hospital for a month and required rehabilitation services for a brain injury for months afterward. He had no insurance and no way to pay... yet, he received the care.

I know families that receive state health and dental care for their children because they fall below a certain income level.

Health care costs are through the roof. That has more to do with sleazeball trial attorneys than anything else.

And that is my rant for the day on current U.S. political happenings.

World Politics

2009-09-23T08:00:00.002-06:00

In my quest to understand the middle east I have had my eyes opened to a few things. The fact is that in today's world global politics are just as important as our own U.S. politics. There is no doubt that the United States is the current most powerful nation. However, there are changes being made here that could change that.

When I wrote the post on Palestine I went into researching that with a certain mindset. I first learned of the Holocaust when I was in high school and was very affected by it. I was not raised in a Christian home and was not aware of the history of the Jews from a biblical perspective. My heart broke for a people so mistreated. When I learned of the plight of the Palestinians, my heart also broke for them. As much as I know that life is not fair, I want it to be so.

What is it that drives different people groups throughout the world? Their beliefs. Those beliefs are shaped by their experiences... their history as a people, their lifestyle or culture (which is, in large part, determined by where they are located geographically and what natural resources are available in those areas that enable them to be either self sustaining and/or develop trade with others) and what they believe the purpose of life is. As much as many people would like to leave religion out of things, it is impossible.

Mrs. BLBeamer made the comment in my last post that she was hoping I would not be discussing the middle east as much because it seems to be a futile effort. Maybe so. However, I am more interested, at this point, in understanding it and how it relates to the rest of the world. I will, even though I am disgusted with U.S. politics, also get back into looking at what is going on here.

Today the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be addressing the United Nations. Gateway Pundit has this post up about Canada boycotting the speech and is planning on going to the U.N. today to report on what is happening.

We know that Iran now has nuclear capabilities.

What do you think this means for the United States?

For Israel?

Update: In case you haven't figured it out, Gateway Pundit is my favorite political blog. He has updates throughout the day of what is going on around the world. I really appreciate his straightforward style. He has this post up about the protest against Ahmadinejad outside of the U.N. complete with pictures. He says there is another scheduled for tomorrow. He also has this post up about President Obama using his speech to the U.N. General Assembly to warn Israel that "America does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements."

I am currently taking a class on Bible prophecy. It is providing a different lense with which to look through at what is happening around the world right now. It is foretold in the Bible that the world will turn its back on Israel and that would have to include the United States.

Very Interesting...

2009-08-08T12:00:00.001-06:00

Check out this blog post covering a protest in Denver on August 6th when Nancy Pelosi came to tour a medical clinic for the homeless. Be sure to read the whole thing.

Thanks Paula!

Palestine II

2009-07-29T08:00:00.000-06:00

A new person, Shafiq, entered into the discussion on Palestine last week. In his last comment he posted this link to an interesting article. I'd like to discuss this article. One of the things that I find difficult is sifting through the news. Is it even possible to find unbiased news?

Also, a two state solution seems impossible at this point. There are too many Jewish settlers in the West Bank. In order for the West Bank to become the Palestinian state, those settlers would all have to leave because the Palestinians do not want them there.

Do any of you have any ideas of a solution to the problems in Palestine? Personally, and all fairness aside, I wonder if it wouldn't be better for Israel to just end this by taking over completely. Is that naive?

Political Burn Out

2009-07-27T09:30:00.000-06:00

I have really been struggling with political burn out. There was some activity this weekend on the Palestine post that has piqued my interest so I am feeling the urge to get back to posting here. I need to get caught up to speed on current events and do a little research first. I hope to post in a day or two.

Follow the Link!

2009-07-09T09:48:00.001-06:00

This is a great post over at Tattered Bits of Brain!

Religion

2009-06-29T10:30:00.001-06:00

Between Internet connection problems, a busy summer schedule, and my attempt to wrap my mind around everything I've been trying to learn, I haven't been able to post.

I've been trying to condense all I've been learning about the similarities and differences between Judaism, Christianity and Islam. As always, whenever I attempt to tackle making sense of things for myself, I find my faith challenged. This always makes me uncomfortable but I believe that in order for my faith to be real it must be able to be questioned. That is not to say that I have answers for my questions. There are so many that I don't. It does mean that I come to a place where I can accept that I don't know the answers and yet still believe what I do. I really wish that I was one of those Christians that isn't plagued by doubt. I'm not. I am often frustrated and confused. I don't know if this comes from the fact that I was raised in an environment that was, for lack of a better word, neutral about spiritual matters. God was something that just wasn't talked about. What I believed was left up to me.

Judaism, Christianity and Islam begin pretty much the same. Abraham is a key figure in all three religions. Interesting considering that Abraham is referred to as the father of faith in Christianity. For a quick comparison of the three go here.

I had hoped to be able to do one post on Judaism, Christianity and Islam and present it from a position of my understanding it all. I don't. I can't wrap it up and be satisfied with what I know at this point. So, today I am just going to write a brief synopsis of what each religion believes about who God is. All three are monotheistic in that they believe in only one God.

Judaism: God is spirit. To Orthodox Jews, God is personal, eternal and compassionate. To other Jews, God is impersonal and unknowable and defined in many ways.

Christianity: God is triune, meaning one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It can be explained as multiplied wholeness (1x1x1=1). The title God refers to the first person, God the Father. He is a spiritual being. He is personal and involved with people. He is eternal, holy, and loving.

Islam: God (Allah) is one. He is the judge that is sometimes merciful. They do not believe in a personal relationship with Allah.

The problem with breaking things down this way is that it is overly simplistic. There are many variations of what people believe that fall under each of the religions.

Question:

1. Why do you believe/not believe in God and why?

Also, today in the news:

"Now, in an unexpected move, Obama has told White House aides that instead of joining a congregation in Washington, D.C., he will follow in George W. Bush's footsteps and make his primary place of worship Evergreen Chapel, the nondenominational church at Camp David. " continue reading here.

2. What are your thoughts on that?

Iran

2009-06-22T09:00:00.001-06:00

Due to some Internet connection issues, out of town guests, our daughter coming home for Father's Day and our son's baseball games, I have not been able to focus on another post for this blog. I've got some housewife things to do too... you know, laundry, vacuuming and dishes. Our son also has a double header today. I just wanted to let y'all know I am planning on posting tomorrow.

In the mean time, Militant Ginger has an opinion post up about the election in Iran here. For those of you not familiar with Roland, he regularly posts here and has a unique perspective in that he is British, has lived in Paris and is now a resident of the United States. He and I have very different views on many things... but, we also share some common ground on others. I'm interested in seeing what some of your opinions are on how he sees the situation in Iran.

Reaction to Sunday's Netanyahu Speech and Iranian Election Results

2009-06-14T19:59:00.010-06:00

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed a Palestinian state alongside Israel for the first time today. However, the conditions he attached were that the Palestinians had to recognize the state of Israel, could not have an army, refugees would not be negotiated and settlements would remain. Palestinians rejected the proposal.

Netanyahu Corrects Obama in Speech

Netanyahu Endorses Palestinian Independence

The June 12, 2009, Iranian presidential election went to incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad with 66% of the votes cast leaving Hossein Mousavi 33% of the vote. Violent protests have been raging amidst allegations of voter fraud. Initially U.S. officials said they would not accept Ahmadinejad's victory but are now saying that they will negotiate with the regime.

Madness

Landslide or Fraud?

Questions:

1. What do you think of Netanyahu's speech?

2. What impact will Ahmadinejad have on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, if any?

Palestine

2009-06-10T10:00:00.003-06:00

Back in January I posted that I wanted to understand the ongoing conflict between the Jews and the Arabs in Palestine here. We had the usual debate going in the comment section. In April I received a couple more comments on that thread. We were discussing why Israel hasn’t just taken care of the problem and I made the following comment:

I don't know... I liken it to the way my husband kills bugs. He taps them and often they get away. I obliterate them... and not many escape me. Although, it has led to the need for spackle and paint on occasion. Fortunately, we rarely see bugs here in Colorado.
a

I'm sure Israel is very advanced technologically, as is the U.S. The problem in Iraq was that we went in with too few troops and tied our own hands in an effort to "fight fair." Is war ever fair?I certainly do not want to see innocent people killed.
a

It just seems to me that by not dealing with things effectively in the first place, when you have more than the capability to do so, costs more in the long run in terms of lives and dollars.

Susanne left me this comment:

Wow, it's disturbing to read of Palestinians likened to bugs that need obliterating all at once so the problem won't crop up again and cost more money and lives. Amazing!
a

I guess these people don't have souls worth saving? Just so long the Zionists are saved here on earth, the others be damned to hell for eternity, right?
a

Whatever happened to "overcome evil with GOOD"? I think that would be from Jesus. And you think your method trumps His? Yours is better than GOD's?!
a

I don't see the world in better shape for all the conflicts of "fighting evil" that we have done in recent years. What gives? Whatever happened to "if your enemy is hunger, feed him" and all that stuff? Where does bomb the daylights out of 'em and hope they all die like bugs come from?
a

Argh!
a

Is there any wonder not many people want Christianity? THIS is being the light of the world?

And then this comment:

Please quickly scroll through the pictures at this link. Do you see these as precious people who need Jesus or bugs that need obliterated once and for all?

http://americanarab.wordpress.com/2009/01/

Thank you for your consideration.

I immediately e-mailed her and said that I would respond in another post on my blog. That was two months ago.

The truth is that I feel very convicted by Susanne’s words and ashamed of my choice of analogy. I was referring to the terrorists, not the Palestinian people. However, I can see where my comment could be taken the way that it was and for that I apologize.

I never did click on the link she left until recently. I sensed that whatever she linked to would upset me. I did start doing some research and quickly became overwhelmed by the scope of it all. I then entered into a cycle of trying to put it out of my mind, doing research, trying to walk away from it, and then back to researching again. The more research I do, the more questions I have. When I finally did click on that link I had come to the conclusion that I, as well as most Americans and Christians are misinformed. What I saw, did in fact, upset me.

In many ways I am very much a girly girl. However, at the same time I find emotions highly suspect and don’t trust them. I have the ability to step out of the emotional and look at things from other perspectives. It is a sort of zooming in and zooming out. There is always a bigger picture. At the same time, the fact is the bigger picture is comprised of all the small pictures. I sometimes try not to zoom in too closely because it is then that it is hardest for me to zoom back out.

In my mind, Israel became a nation in 1948 when the United Nations gave them land in Palestine after the atrocities inflicted on the Jews through WWII giving those displaced by the war a place to live and heal. I equated Zionists with those who led the Revolution here in our country. God entered into an elaborate and eternal blood covenant with Abraham. In this covenant, God gave the Jews a biblical mandate to possess the land forever (Genesis 15:8-21) and that is the reason why we Christians support Israel as a nation.

Through my research everything I have believed about the ongoing conflict in Palestine has been turned upside down.

First of all, Zionism got its start in the mid 1800’s. The Zionist movement was officially announced in 1897 and the goal was to create a nation for Jews in Palestine. Turkey was in control of Palestine at that time and refused to give any part of it to the Jews. Small numbers of Jews moved to Palestine and initially the Arabs were not concerned.

The Zionists turned to Britain in an effort to advance their cause. In 1903 Britain offered some land in Uganda but they were only interested in Palestine. During WWI the French and British governments gave Zionists documents that expressed support for a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The French document was vague and never went anywhere. The British document, known as the Balfour Declaration, stated that the British government would help the Zionists create a homeland for the Jews as long as it didn’t bother the Palestinians.

In 1918 British troops drove Turkey out of Palestine. Due to the length of time they were under Turkish rule the Palestinians did not have a government. Britain agreed to protect Palestine until they were ready to self govern. In 1922 the League of Nations agreed to a policy extending that protection to 1948. The Zionists put pressure on the British government to allow them into Palestine. Britain allowed them to emigrate in small numbers but fighting began to break out between the Jews and the Arabs. Britain then entered into a cycle whey they tried to placate both groups where they would allow Jews in and then would not.

After WWII the Zionists took the Balfour Declaration to the League of Nations. As Jews fled Europe the size of the Zionist movement increased. The Holocaust gained the sympathy of the world, understandably so, for the Jews. As the time drew near for Britain to withdraw from Palestine it was clear that they were not in a position to self govern. Britain was trying to recover from the war and was no longer interested in protecting Palestine. They warned the United Nations that there was about to be a problem on their hands.

Representatives of the U.N. tried to figure out how they could divide Palestine into Jewish and Arab states and a plan was drawn up in 1947. A vote was taken that was passed in favor of the plan with 10 countries abstaining, one of which was Britain. But… the resolution to implement that plan was never passed. I was stunned.

At midnight on May 14, 1948, Britain officially withdrew from Palestine. At the same time the Zionists announced the new Nation of Israel using the borders set forth in the 1947 U.N. plan. Initially, only the United States recognized Israel as a nation. Slowly, other nations followed suit. Britain did not recognize Israel as a nation for two years. Interestingly, Israel’s Declaration of Independence in 1948 cites the U.N. “resolution” among items recognizing the right of the Jewish people to establish a state as did the failed 1988 Palestinian Declaration of Independence.

Did you know that not all Jews are Zionists and that not all Zionists are Jews? I did not. In fact, I’ve been reading about Jews who see Judaism and Zionism as incompatible and irreconcilable… that Zionism is rebellion against God and treason to the Jewish people.

I have uncovered writings by well known and respected evangelicals that have historical inaccuracies. What is the truth? There is propaganda thrown out by everyone. I have been reading some crazy stuff! The more I get into this the more I see that the big picture here goes back to the very beginning of recorded history. Whether you believe in God or not, religion is at the core.

I am going to step away from the politics as usual scene here in the United States and concentrate on history. Until I get that straight in my mind I think I am not going to be able to truly understand what is happening now. I also need to really understand what the bible says about war, the differences/similarities between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, the differences between Zionism and Judaism, why Christians support Israel, and the history of the relationship between Israel and the U.S. I need to reconcile what I know and believe as a Christian with all of this. This even includes my re-evaluating what being a Christian means to me.

I have visited Susanne’s blogs and briefly skimmed through them. I refrained from really reading them because I did not want her personal experience to color my research. It is that zooming in too close for me that brings in the emotional… I do plan on reading them in their entirety at some point. The images on her blog are graphic and deeply disturbing. I know that similar images could certainly be found of the carnage brought on by Palestinian suicide bombers that includes children. I leave you with this image and the heartbreaking knowledge that no matter what the race, religion or political background, a mother’s grief over the loss of her child is the same.

**Note: The post below this one was added later in the day after I posted this one. I decided to move it below this post in order to keep this post at the top.

I'm Confused...

2009-06-10T09:50:00.001-06:00

In the post below (now above) I stated that the 1947 plan for the partition of Palestine into two states was passed but that the resolution to implement it was not. I probably did not word that correctly. I came to that conclusion through the following found at Wikipedia:

The United Nations Partition Plan for Palestine or United Nations General Assembly Resolution 181 (II) Future Government of Palestine was a plan adopted by a decision of the General Assembly on November 29, 1947.[1][2] The decision recommended the division of the western portion of the Mandate of Palestine into two provisional states, one Jewish and one Arab, and provided the framework for a regional economic union. The General Assembly also recommended that the City of Jerusalem not be included in either state, but, rather, be placed under a special international regime administered by the United Nations (a corpus separatum). A transitional period under UN auspices was to begin with the adoption of the resolution and last until establishment of the two states. The resolution contemplated a gradual withdrawal of British forces and termination of the British Mandate of Palestine by August 1, 1948, and full independence of the new states by 1 October 1948.

The plan was approved by a vote of 33 to 13, with 10 abstentions. On March 5, 1948, the United Nations Security Council reached an impasse when it refused to pass a resolution which would have accepted the partition plan as a basis for Security Council action.[3] The United States subsequently recommended a temporary UN trusteeship for Palestine "without prejudice to the character of the eventual political settlement", and the Security Council voted to send the matter back to the General Assembly for further deliberation.[4] The General Assembly decided to appoint a Mediator, and relieved the Palestine Commission from any further exercise of responsibility under resolution 181 (II) of 29 November 1947.[5]

While the plan was never implemented, Israel's Declaration of Independence of May 1948 cites the UN resolution among the items recognizing the right of the Jewish People to establish a state. The Palestinian Declaration of Independence of 1988 (one of the attempts to create a "Palestinian state") similarly recalls the partition plan as being among the sources entitling Palestinian Arabs to statehood.

The entire page can be found here.

Everything else I have been looking at states that Israel became a state through the U.N. resolution. I don't get it. The U.N. plan was never implemented and while the Zionists initially declared their state along the borders outlined in the plan, they definitely did not abide by those borders. Of course, this source is Wikipedia and it is my understanding that people can add to things. I'm going to look for other sources to confirm this. Wouldn't the resolution have protected the Palestinians? Or did the fact that the plan was not implemented and the Zionists declared their state mean that the Palestinians were just left twisting in the wind?

In Response to the Murder of Dr. George Tiller

2009-06-01T12:30:00.001-06:00

As someone who is vehemently pro-life I am very disturbed by yesterday's murder of Dr. George Tiller.

The term "Christian" encompasses many denominations, sects, cults and groups of individuals that hold wildly varying ideas of what being a Christian means. The fact that Dr. Tiller was a church goer involved in ministry through ushering and yet performed late term abortions is evidence of that fact.

In the past I've engaged in debate with individuals using the Word of God as a weapon as we've fired verses and interpretations of those verses back and forth at one another. I came to a place where I decided that I would not use scripture that way and now rarely quote it. However, today I feel the need to explain where I, a Christian woman who lives an obscure life, is coming from and I will need to quote some scripture to do that.

"Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. Render therefore to all their due; taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor." NKJV Romans 13:1-7

This piece of scripture was written during the time of Roman government rule and they had recently crucified Jesus Christ. The Roman government was known for the viciousness of it's soldiers, was not a democracy and was by no means pro-Christian. In spite of all this Paul, a servant of God, said what he did in the above verses in the book of Romans.

It is clear that there is no authority except from God, and that God establishes government for His purpose and that citizens are clearly commanded to be in subjection to governing authorities.

If the Roman government persecuted Christians, how was it "appointed by God"? In what sense were Roman authorities "God’s ministers"? And in what sense are Christians to be "subject" to these "authorities"?

Even Satan’s authority comes from God and the story of Job demonstrates that. God did not morally approve of this persecution, but allowed it to occur, because it was in line with his divine plan. In other words, God “appointed” Satan to persecute Job. Throughout the Old Testament, there are many examples of where this theme is extended to human governments. Although these governments persecuted God’s people, often in brutal ways, they are described as God’s servant showing that they were appointed by God. Examples of this include the Pharaoh of Egypt and King Nebuchadnezzar.

The LORD instructed Moses to tell Pharaoh, "But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." NKJV Exodus 9:16 In God’s divine plan, he allowed the Pharaoh to persecute and enslave the Hebrews because it led to their ultimate good through their exodus from Egypt. The fact that the LORD instructed Moses to challenge Pharaoh shows that although Pharaoh was placed in that position by God, it does not justify his actions against the Hebrew people.

In the case of King Nebuchadnezzar, the prophet Jeremiah declared to the unrepentant people of Judah, "Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Because you have not heard My words, behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' says the LORD, 'and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations." NKJV Jeremiah 25:8,9 And later in the passage, " 'Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,' says the LORD; 'and I will make it a perpetual desolation.' " NKJV Jeremiah 25:12 Describing Nebuchadnezzar as God's servant does not mean that his actions were morally just. It only means that his sinful actions were used by God to the fulfillment of God’s plan.

Even as a believer, these types of passages are difficult for me. I understand God allowing things to happen for the ultimate good of the people as a whole but when I think about the individual suffering of people it can be hard for me to accept. We all know people who endure much suffering and, along with our own suffering, the knowledge that what happens in any of our lives is allowed by God can, and often does, incite anger toward God in many people. There's also the issue of the foreknowledge of God... our own free will... I often grapple with my own understanding of things and my efforts to reconcile everything in my mind. It's complicated.

It is interesting to me that Paul was the author of Romans in light of the fact that he constantly disobeyed governing authorities, was often on the run, was imprisoned for two years and eventually executed. Peter, John, the other apostles, as well as Jesus himself all disregarded and disobeyed governing authorities. Yet, they were still under the power and authority of the Roman government. Being called upon to love their enemies, violent resistance was not an option. This non-violent message was important to Roman Christians. Many of the Christians in Rome were of Jewish descent and Jews throughout the Roman Empire had suffered centuries of persecution and were continually on the threshold of violent rebellion. It was approximately at this time that the Roman Emperor Nero began his immense persecution of Christians. Taking this into consideration, it becomes perfectly clear why Paul would urge Roman Christians to be “subject” to the governing authorities. Rather than violently opposing the government, Paul instructed these Christians to subject themselves to the persecution they were suffering.

Throughout the New Testament are instances where the apostles, following Jesus' lead, set the example for later Christians regarding subjection to persecution, leading to their martyrdom. Jesus predicted this type of subjection to persecution many times throughout the Gospels:

"But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before ruleres and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them (v.9)... And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved." NKJV Mark 13:9,13

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of this world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember what I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also." NKJV John 15:18-20

What exactly does this mean for Christians today? What is our role when faced with issues such as abortion, the death penalty, and child abuse?

"Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good." NKJV 1 Peter 2:13,14

"Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vegeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord." NKJV Romans 12:17-19

For me, it is clear that human governments throughout the world are the avenue through which God chooses to bring evil doers to justice. Interestingly, there are Christians who believe that any involvement in government is wrong, whether that be through any kind federal or state employment, service in the military, holding of public office, or voting. Obviously, I am not of that opinion.

What about the commandment, Thou shalt not kill ? How does a Christian adhere to that in times of war? What about a police officer using deadly force? I believe that falls under the rule of law through our government. There are rules of conduct that have been issued in military and police action. If those rules are broken then the soldiers/officers who broke them must be submitted to the proper authorities.

I believe abortion is wrong. I find late term abortion particularly heinous. That being said, the man who took the life of Dr. Tiller yesterday was wrong and he should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

In this country we have been given certain rights, among them freedom of religion. People look to laws to define what is right and wrong. People of different faiths look beyond common law to the tenets of their faith on how to conduct themselves. As citizens of this country we do have a say, through our votes, as to the laws that are passed or abolished. We have a right to vote our conscience and as long as we have that right, we need to do so. The battlefront needs to be seen as the courtroom. It may seem that there is no point and that we are fighting a losing battle. That may be so. However, if through standing up and explaining why we believe as we do we can reach some people and turn them back toward God... shouldn't we? Jesus did not come to condemn the world... He came to save it.

Are you Surprised?

2009-05-27T09:00:00.000-06:00

I have to admit I am shocked that the State Supreme Court has upheld Proposition 8 in California banning same-sex marriage. Shocked! I've become a bit jaded in the belief that the people of this country have much say anymore. This decision has given me some hope that our system can, and still does, work. The fact that the majority of people in California voted to ban same-sex marriage says a lot.

What do y'all think about Obama's Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor? I haven't gotten excited this time around and didn't follow the speculation as to who Obama might pick. I mean, really, there's not a thing any of us can do about it. The time to be concerned about potential Supreme Court nominees under differing potential administrations was back before the election. I will say this... I find it interesting that it is acceptable for people to make comments against "white" males these days. I'm not into political correctness but... if a male were to make a similar comment about a woman there would be some backlash... regardless of ethnicity.

Doug Ross posted a RED ALERT on Monday, May 25, 2009, asking the question: Did anti-Obama campaign contributions dictate which Chrysler dealers were shuttered? (I found this through Gateway Pundit) The article is chilling. There have been many updates included as more people look into the possibility of some foul play in regard to which dealerships were to be shut down.

What are your thoughts on all of the above?

S.O.P. Syndrome

2009-05-18T07:00:00.000-06:00

I've got it bad. Sick of Politics Syndrome. I'm wanting to just bury my head in the sand and not think about anything relating to the economy, Democrats, Republicans, Supreme Court Justices, Gitmo, Obama, Pelosi, Reid, Rush, Hannity, or the environment.

But... I want to be a good little steward of my one little votes in the matters that affect this country and the only way I can be sure to do that is to be informed and to truly form my own opinions I need to put in the time it takes to understand how things work and the people that are the players in this game. Ugh.

Obama spoke at Notre Dame and received an honorary degree... "Jane Roe" was arrested for protesting at the event... I don't even have the energy to be outraged. Just sad. I was glad to hear that Notre Dame is losing close to 14 million dollars from alumni and donors due to Notre Dame's abandoning of its Catholic roots.

Cap & Trade debate is starting on Capitol Hill today. If this tax goes through our energy costs are going to go through the roof. Here in Colorado Springs our water prices have gone up 40% due to the fact that when we were in drought conditions everyone conserved to the point where now, although we have water, they weren't pulling in enough money. Thanks guys!

Has Obama even decided on a candidate yet for the Supreme Court? I don't even want to go through all the speculation of who he might pick.

Question:

What do you think is the most important or several most important things to pay attention to right now in regard to American politics? What I mean by that is... what is going on right now that us little uneducated housewives should be paying attention to that we might be able to make a difference in?

A Man is Only as Good as His Word...

2009-05-05T12:00:00.000-06:00

This video comes from the Family Research Council. For background information on this video, read FRC Action's article "A Change Watch 100 Day Edition: A Change You Can Bereave In"

Changes to Come in the Supreme Court

2009-05-04T09:30:00.000-06:00

Bloomberg.com has an excellent article up today that includes some speculation about some possible candidates for Justice David Souter's spot on the Supreme Court.

Democratic control of the Senate means Obama will have much leeway in selecting his nominee. Democrats hold a 59-40 advantage and have the prospect of a 60th vote should Democrat Al Franken be seated as a senator from Minnesota. That would be enough to overcome a procedural move to stall a nomination should the Democrats all vote together.

Question:

With Obama not having the types of restrictions that typically are in place when a president nominates a justice to the Supreme Court, what do you think is going to happen?

Current Events

2009-04-30T10:00:00.001-06:00

This blog requires mental functioning on my part and is the first thing to go when things get crazy at my house. LOL! I'm not up on all the current political happenings but am trying to catch up!

Questions:

1. Did you watch Obama's 100 Day Press Conference? If so, what are your thoughts?

2. What do you think about Arlen Specter changing parties?

3. Are you worried about Swine Flu? Have you started taking any precautions?

Personally, I did not catch the press conference until near the end. I did watch all of the question and answer period. I take these sorts of things with a grain of salt. We'll see how things continue to go.

I don't know why, but I was surprised that Arlen Specter officially changed parties. I don't think it really matters. He votes the way he votes. I do think his political career is probably over.

I am a bit taken back by everything about the Swine Flu in the news. It is hard to gauge how serious it really is and what kind of threat it poses to us personally in Colorado. Our son has asthma and gets flu shots every year. When he was eleven (now 16) he came down with a normal strain of it and was seriously ill for 2 months. At this point, I am making sure he takes his meds every morning and once a vaccine is available he'll be getting it. I've also got our air purifier running on high and am working on getting our house disinfected. I'll be cleaning door knobs, light switches, key boards, and phones regularly after that and will be wiping down cart handles at the store, not touching public door handles with my bare hands and keeping hand sanitizer and wipes with me. We will get the vaccine when it becomes available to the general population. Our son is able to get things like that earlier. I'll also make sure we have over the counter meds, kleenex, and extra juice/fluids on hand. That is about all I can do right now. I am not freaking out or overly worried about it. I do think it is wise to start taking certain precautions.

The Winners

2009-04-09T10:30:00.001-06:00

Congratulations Angela from FREE SPIRIT HAVEN and BLBeamer, commenter without a blog! Send your addresses to coffeebeankel@earthlink.net and I will get that coffee ordered for you!

I found it interesting that the winners were both the first to comment on both blogs! Funny how things work out like that sometimes!

Things have been crazy here... I honestly thought this morning that it was Wednesday. Sigh...

I hope y'all have a great day!

Conscience Clause

2009-04-02T10:30:00.001-06:00

Be Heard Project - A Special Message from Future Nurses of America from beheard on Vimeo.

Be Heard Project

The following is from Jay Sekulow's Trial Notebook of the American Center for Law and Justice:
Stand Up for Conscience Clause Protection

Just wanted to update you on efforts to protect the rights or pro-life medical professionals when it comes to practicing medicine. As you know, President Obama has indicated his desire to rescind the Conscience Clause protections in place that permits medical professionals to act according to their conscience - their Christian faith - to avoid abortion and abortion-related procedures.

The ACLJ has filed important comments with the Department of Health and Human Services clearly arguing that these protections should remain in place. You can read those comments here.

At the same time, there are reports that Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma is introducing an amendment to the budget bill today that would protect the rights of health care workers. His budget amendment "ensures that the funds made available through the budget’s health care reserve fund will not be used to violate the conscience of health care providers."

And just this week, two Democratic Senators sent a letter to President Obama urging him to keep the Conscience Clause protections in place.

Senators Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania told the President: "Discriminating against health care providers because of their consciences or forcing coercion into their practices would be a substantial deviation from our shared goal of reducing abortions in America. Therefore, we strongly urge you to preserve the conscience protection rule."

Time is running out for public comment on this issue. The deadline for submitting comments to HHS is April 9th. And, I want to thank the thousands who already have signed on to our petition urging President Obama to reconsider and to keep the protections in place for medical professionals.

If you haven't done so already, please take a moment and add your name to our petition, which will be delivered to HHS. You can add your name here.

We'll keep you posted as developments unfold right here and on our daily radio broadcast, Jay Sekulow Live!

Posted: 4/2/2009 12:00:00 AM

Oprah, Dr. Oz, and Michael J. Fox... with a Surprise at the End!

2009-04-01T09:30:00.002-06:00

**I posted this over at The Righteous Buzz but felt it also belonged over here.

Yesterday Oprah had Michael J. Fox on her show along with Dr. Oz to discuss Parkinsons Disease and Dystonia. Spasmodic Dysphonia, or SD, of which I suffer, is a form of dystonia.

I was actually very nervous about what was going to be said on the show... Last June I posted this video of me talking in an effort to raise awareness about dystonia. In July, I was contacted by a representative from Bachmann Strauss about posting a PSA on my blog regarding dystonia. I did so immediately here. It had not occurred to me until after that that the relation between Parkinsons and dystonia might mean that research could include embryonic stem cell research.

I busied myself and tried not to think about it... until I couldn't any longer. I started doing some research and contacted the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation and asked them if they were involved in embryonic stem cell research or were involved in the fight for federal funding for that type of research. I was assured that they were not.

Because I believe that life begins at conception I am opposed to the use of embryonic stem cells. At the same time, I have a focal form of dystonia that can be hidden simply by my not talking. I can only imagine what it is like for those that have Parkinsons and dystonias that affect their entire bodies. There is and has been great debate over when life begins and I can see where someone who does not believe that life begins at conception would see someone who believes as I do as being an impetus to progress in which they might someday be cured. I do have muscle spasms that occur in my face from time to time, usually when I am greatly stressed, that have caused me to fear that I will develop other dystonias as I age. I've often wondered if there were a cure found through embryonic stem cells if I would change my stance. It has been determined that I am now botox resistant which means I would not have that treatment available to alleviate those types of movements on my face. Where just my voice is concerned, I know that I would not.

This inner conflict has caused me to not use this blog (as I thought I might last summer) as much in the way of bringing others with dystonias on here to share their stories. I was afraid that if Obama was elected that federal funding would become available and that these research foundations would then get involved in ESCR.

It all just made me very uncomfortable.Over on my political blog I did write a bit about stem cell research. If this is something that interests you, here are the links (read in order): Embryonic Stem Cell Research ,Embryonic Stem Cell Research Part 2 , and Frustrated.

The subject of Obama lifting the "ban" on embryonic stem cell research came up. I was very surprised to hear Dr. Oz state that it really didn't matter now. Fox was obviously irritated (or defensive) when Dr. Oz went on to explain the problems with embryonic stem cell therapy. Fox said that we could have found that out sooner had the research been unfettered... with responsibility, of course. How you can have responsible yet unfettered research is beyond me. I don't want to seem like I have a problem with Fox... I understand where he is coming from and can see why he thinks the way he does. However, it is a perpetuation of the perception that President Bush banned that research altogether when the facts are that he allowed federal funding on that research through already existing embryonic stem cells that were slated for destruction, of which there was a lot, and it is through those strains that much of what we now know was learned!

Dr. Oz went on to say that he believed that we were single digit years away from a cure through adult stem cells. Whether that is true or not and whether that will affect me or not remains to be seen. It did give me some hope, more hope than I've had in awhile, for myself.

I found a website called Cell Medicine that is very informative regarding Parkinsons. The Oprah show did little in the way of actual information in regard to Parkinsons and Dystonia. There is only so much you can do in an hour and there was Fox's book to promote. The fact is that no two people are exactly alike and these conditions cover a wide array of symptoms and affect people very differently. I would like to throw a few quotes from the site down here, however, I would really encourage you to click on the link above and really read through it.

However, the actual use of stem cells to regenerate damaged neural tissue is an area of intense interest and research, and experimental studies have been conducted with varying degrees of success, depending on the particular types of stem cells that were employed. In the 1990s, stem cells from fetal tissue were directly implanted in people with PD in an attempt to regenerate their dopamine-producing neurons, and although many of the implanted cells were indeed found to produce dopamine in the brains of the patients, the patients themselves did not exhibit gross improvement. Some of the patients even developed a disabling dyskinesias that could not be relieved by the usual reduction in antiparkinsonian medications. Indeed, fetal and embryonic stem cells have been shown to carry a number of substantial medical risks to the patient, whereas such risks do not exist in the use of adult stem cells.

Since it is the dopamine-producing cells of the brain which degenerate in PD, an appropriate treatment for PD would be one which is capable of regenerating these dopamine-producing cells. In fact, this would constitute the only truly effective treatment of PD.

Adult stem cell therapy does exactly that.

Although adult stem cell therapy as a treatment for PD is not specifically targeted per se as an isolated area of research at many of the finest research laboratories, nevertheless, there have been numerous studies conducted by some of the finest researchers throughout the world, from which very promising results have been obtained. Indeed, the transplantation of adult stem cells directly into the brains of PD patients has already been performed and has already shown marked success.

One such PD patient, who received his own adult stem cells, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Science, Technology, and Space on July 14th of 2004, regarding his own progress as a result of this treatment. The headlines from this very newsworthy event read, “Beneficiary of Adult Stem Cell Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease: Safaris and Swimming with Sharks.” The Committee was chaired by Senator Brownback, and the patient who received this novel treatment was Dr. Dennis Turner who had suffered with PD for 14 years. His poor responsiveness to conventional medications made him an ideal candidate for the experimental treatment, which was performed by Dr. Levesque. The procedure itself involved removing a very small tissue sample from Dennis Turner’s brain, from which adult neural stem cells were extracted and cultured into matured dopamine-producing neurons which were then injected back into the left side of his brain, which controls the right side of the body, which was the side that was most severely affected in his particular case. The procedure was performed in 1999. A portion of Dr. Dennis Turner’s testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee is included herein:

“Dr. Levesque did not tell me that this treatment would permanently cure my condition. Science has yet to learn what causes Parkinson’s disease, much less how to remove it. However, since this cell-replacement approach had never been tried in a human patient we hoped for the best. And since my only other realistic alternative was to continue growing worse until I eventually died, I decided to have the surgical procedures in 1999, one to remove the tissue and another to inject the cells. I was awake for both procedures under local anesthesia.”

“Soon after having the cells injected my Parkinson’s symptoms began to improve. My trembling grew less and less, until to all appearances it was gone, only slightly reappearing if I became upset. Dr. Levesque had me tested by a neurologist, who said he wouldn’t have known I had Parkinson’s if he had met me on the street. I was once again able to use my right hand and arm normally, enjoying activities that I had given up hope of ever doing.”

“Since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease my condition had slowly, but continuously worsened. I can’t say with certainty what my condition would have become if Dr. Levesque had not used my own adult stem cells to treat me. But I have no doubt that because of this treatment I’ve enjoyed five years of quality life that I feared had passed me by.”

**I highlighted certain points in red for skimmers. :O)

For information on the specifics of Dystonia visit the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation and for more information on Spasmodic Dysphonia go to the National Spasmodic Dysphonia Association.

If you read this far leave me a comment and I will enter you into a drawing for a pound of Saint's Coffee. If you link to this post on your blog, I will enter you into a separate drawing for another pound of Saint's Coffee. Not only could you help me spread the word about Dystonia... you could get a free pound of coffee and feed and orphan for a month in the process.

The Stock Market

2009-03-30T11:00:00.000-06:00

So, how does the stock market work? To put it simply, companies choose to go public and issue shares because they need money. One of the first types of stocks was issued by traders who wanted to finance expeditions to India and China. Such a project was naturally very risky and really expensive, but if the expedition turned out to be a success and managed to bring silk, porcelain, spices, tea and other rare and valuable commodities to Europe the traders would become immensely rich. If, on the other hand, the ship would sink, be hijacked by pirates, or something similar, all the money invested in the project would be lost. High risk and high potential rewards. In order to gain sufficient founding, a trader could allow wealthy persons to invest in the project. If the expedition turned out to be a success, the investor would receive a specified share of the profit. If the ship sunk or failed in some other fashion, the money invested would be lost. Unlike a normal loan, each investor would take the risk here and if the ship sunk, they could not force the trader to pay back any money. If you can understand this basic concept, you are actually well on your way of understanding how our modern stock market works. How does the stock market work? Like 17th century trading expeditions! (stockmarket.nu)

Okay... I get that. However, I don't really understand all this Dow and points stuff. Why do the numbers drop so drastically and then go back up? Why does all this affect our economy?

Spring Break

2009-03-19T10:43:00.002-06:00

My daughter has been home on Spring Break this week and our son's break is next week. I'm not sure if I'll be posting here over the next ten days or so. Just to let ya know.

The 9-12 Project

2009-03-17T07:30:00.001-06:00

Glenn Beck launched the 9-12 Project last Friday on his television show.

Mission Statement

This website is a place for you and other like-minded Americans looking for direction in taking back the control of our country. It is also a place to find information that will assist you in navigating the rough waters we face in the days, weeks and months ahead.

We suggest that you start in your own homes. Talk to your family about the Values and Principles. Discuss the importance of what the Founders designed for America.

Hold or attend a weekly meeting in your neighborhood or town. Communication with your neighbors is vital to the process of protecting our country. Gather in living rooms, coffee houses or restaurants. Share your thoughts and ideas.

Visit this website often. Make use of the resources that are linked here. Share the ideas and resources that have worked in your home or town.

This is a non-political movement. The 9-12 Project is designed to bring us all back to the place we were on September 12, 2001. The day after America was attacked we were not obsessed with Red States, Blue States or political parties. We were united as Americans, standing together to protect the greatest nation ever created.

That same feeling – that commitment to country is what we are hoping to foster with this idea. We want to get everyone thinking like it is September 12th, 2001 again.

Ask yourself these questions:

*Do you watch the direction that America is being taken in and feel powerless to stop it?
*Do you believe that your voice isn’t loud enough to be heard above the noise anymore?
*Do you read the headlines everyday and feel an empty pit in your stomach…as if you’re completely alone?

If you’ve answered YES, then you’ve fallen for the Wizard of Oz lie. While the voices you hear in the distance may sound intimidating, as if they surround us from all sides—the reality is very different. Once you pull back the curtain, you realize that there are only a few people pressing the buttons, and their voices are weak. The truth is that they don’t surround us at all.

We surround them.

At the origin of America, our Founding Fathers built this country on 28 powerful principles. These principles were culled from all over the world and from centuries of great thinkers. We have distilled the original 28 down to the 9 basic principles.

So, how do we show America what’s really behind the curtain? Read the nine simple principles. If you believe in at least seven of them, then we have something in common.

The 9-12 website is well worth checking out and has much food for thought.

The Gig Is Up

2009-03-13T08:45:00.001-06:00

Populist lawyer, Gary Fielder, presents “The Gig Is Up: Money, the Federal Reserve and You." Live from Wolfe Hall at The University of Colorado School of Law, on December 4, 2008, Mr. Fielder, a criminal and constitutional lawyer from Denver, Colorado, presents a power point and video presentation on the creation of money with an historical analysis of our current banking system. With quotes from Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Abe Lincoln, Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich and many others, Fielder makes his case to abolish the Federal Reserve and return to a sound and honest money system. Fractional Reserve Banking. Currency. Amero. World Government. International Banking. www.gigisup.net Produced by Jack Creamer, Side 3 Studios, Denver, Colorado. Video edits by Jonathan Ellinoff. Technical Assistant, Rye Miller. This video is for educational purposes only. Admission was not charged, nor will any effort be made to profit from its production or sale. The DVD is free.

Court Ruling Against Homeschoolers in North Carolina

2009-03-12T10:45:00.002-06:00

A North Carolina judge has ordered three children to attend public schools this fall because the homeschooling their mother has provided over the last four years needs to be "challenged."

The children, however, have tested above their grade levels – by as much as two years.

The decision is raising eyebrows among homeschooling families, and one friend of the mother has launched a website to publicize the issue.

The ruling was made by Judge Ned Mangum of Wake County, who was handling a divorce proceeding for Thomas and Venessa Mills.

To read the full article go here.

The judge, when contacted by World Net Daily, explained his goal in ordering the children to register and attend a public school was to make sure they have a "more well-rounded education."

"I thought Ms. Mills had done a good job [in homeschooling]," he said. "It was great for them to have that access, and [I had] no problems with homeschooling. I said public schooling would be a good complement."

The judge said the husband has not been supportive of his wife's homeschooling, and "it accomplished its purposes. It now was appropriate to have them back in public school."

This ruling is of concern to me due to the fact that we homeschooled for nine years. I believe that parents are responsible to see that their children are educated, whether that be through public school, private school or homeschooling. For me, this means that if the public school is failing your child that you need to get involved and fight for your child or find other alternatives. That is what we did.

For a judge to say that the homeschooling the mother provided needs to be challenged is an infringement on the rights/responsibilities of parents and I'm afraid this case will set a bad precedent. It just smacks of children belonging to the state mentality. So often people spout about children needing to have a balanced education and social setting. The public school system does not even address religion/spirituality and the socialization that goes on in schools is not necessarily a good thing. When in life are you ever only around those of the exact age? Never. That only occurs in school. Are there times when children would be better off in school? Yes. There are homeschoolers out there that aren't homeschooling. I am not one of those that is against testing or having some sort of accountability. I just think that you have to be very careful where court rulings and bills about homeschooling are concerned.

The Mills are getting divorced due to the father's adultery. When we were living in Mississippi there was a gal in our homeschool support group that was in the middle of a nasty divorce. Her husband was a heart surgeon and she had previously been the VP of a company (I cannot remember what type of business it was... I think it may have been a company involved in research of some sort). She had a Bachelors, Masters and PhD in Mathematics. He was an uninvolved father who didn't want his kids homeschooled out of spite. We moved away before the case was settled and I don't know what happened.

Homeschooling is very difficult in many ways. Often times you have family members that are very much opposed. I cannot imagine attempting to homeschool without the support of my husband. What do you do in cases where a couple is divorcing? I do believe that fathers should have just as much say as mothers where their children are concerned, unless they don't pay child support. It seems to me, though, that in the case of the Mills that the judge has made the decision from an anti-homeschooling bias. These children have been homeschooled the last four years, are testing 1-2 grades higher and are involved in extra curricular activities. The combination of the trauma of their parents divorce and being forced into public school could be disastrous.

If this ruling makes you uneasy... check out parentalrights.org.

Frustrated

2009-03-11T09:30:00.000-06:00

How can the average American be informed without being swallowed up into the He Said/She Said type crap that goes on between the political parties in this country? It is easier to shut it out and focus on your own life. I know, I did it for years. The problem is that by shutting it out and not paying attention people get elected through sound bytes rather than facts. If you are like me, waking up late in the game, it is all overwhelming and it's easy to feel helpless. Even though I want to go back to not thinking about any of this, I can't.

The whole stem cell thing is really getting to me. I cannot stand to hear misinformation constantly being fed to the public. President Bush only had a ban on federally funded embryonic stem cell research. He actually allowed federally funded research limited to already existing embryos. Privately funded research has been ongoing. Great strides have been made in adult stem cell research that is very promising. Much more so than embryonic stem cell research. The push is because in theory the embryonic cells can be programmed to become any kind of tissue whereas the adult stem cells are more limited. That research has showed that the embryonic stem cell created tissue forms tumors. I just don't get the mentality that sees government funding of research as a right and/or the lack of government funding as impeding progress.

Furthermore, what is with the U.S. providing funding for abortions in other countries? Not only do those of us that are against abortion have to participate in it through our taxes here in the U.S. but now, throughout the world? Isn't there something wrong with this picture?

What about Cap and Trade bills? These measures would set limits on carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel use. The effect of such a cap would be to impose rationing of coal, oil, and natural gas on the American economy. That would increase energy costs and do considerably more economic harm than environmental good. Interestingly, nearly every European country that is a participant in the Kyoto Protocol has higher emissions than when the treaty was signed in 1997 and they are rising at a rate faster than the U.S. For consumers, cap and trade means more expensive gasoline and electricity as well as net job losses in energy-dependent sectors. Such energy cost increases act as a regressive tax on the poor. Is this something that should be aggressively sought in our current economic circumstances?

There is so much going on that it is impossible for me to take it all in. It seems to me that there should be some sort of prioritization where the most critical issues are taken care of first. We all knew we were in for a change but those changes are so many and so fast that my head is spinning. Ugh... sorry, it seems my post is just a rant today.

I Don't Understand...

2009-03-09T01:00:00.001-06:00

Why would we allow countries, such as China, to buy our debt? I. Just. Don't. Understand.

Is this anything like the companies that buy housing loans?

What happens if we can't pay China back?

I don't get it.

Where to go from Here?

2009-03-06T08:15:00.001-07:00

I am feeling so very... uneducated. LOL! I am a bit overwhelmed by everything in the news, everything that isn't in the news and all of the great gaping holes in my understanding of what is happening in our country... and in the world around us.

I need to step back and pick one area to concentrate on and move from there. I just can't decide which area.

The obvious choice would be economics... the how, what, and why of where we are at right now. It is hard for me to move from understanding to explaining... well, probably because I'm not fully understanding everything.

I'm very interested in history and how it ties in to today. But... there is so much I don't know.

I'm very interested in the history of the middle east and how that ties in to what is happening today... and what it could mean in the future.

What would YOU like to see discussed on this blog? If you do not want to leave a comment here you can e-mail me at coffeebeankel@earthlink.net .

The Role of Government and Definition of Freedom

2009-03-04T08:15:00.000-07:00

OSO left the following comment on yesterday's post:

The ability to care for the weak and helpless define us as a civilisation. Our inability to help defines us too.

Our wage, our income, does not come to us because we deserve it. It is not due to our hard work or skill. It comes to us because the "market" determines its value, and the market is not concerned with fairness or wellbeing.

Our income comes to us based upon hidden subsidies found in a civil, ordered society. Without police, judges, teachers, doctors, nurses and a multitude of others paving the way, our income would be less.

We owe society for the income it gives us. We owe society for not breaking down. We owe society for preventing crime in our area. We owe society for an educated population, who can make better decisions that benefit us directly and indirectly, financially and not financially.

A country exists as a group of people, not as a canvass for a person's selfishness. The US Constitution was written for a group of people, not for one person.

There are many ways that community can band together and improve things for all. The most normal way is for tax revenue to be raised to pay for things that keep society together (roads, schools, law & order, health, etc). Without this cost being incurred through tax, the individual cost of coping with the inevitable societal breakdown would be much higher.

And it therefore stands to reason that those who benefit most from the market should in turn be made to pay proportionally more - for without society providing the peace the rich person may never have gotten rich in the first place.

I responded to him in the comment section of that post. I will admit that I found parts of this comment offensive. In reality, this boils down to a difference in thought in regard to government and the role it should/should not have in our society. It is almost as if conservatives are coming across as not agreeing with any kind of tax at all... that is not the case. It is about how those tax dollars are spent and about how much in taxes should be taken. There also seems to be an inability to understand that our tax system is and has been set up to where those who make more pay more. It leads me to believe that the thought is more communistic than socialist in that any and all differences in ability should not be recognized through income.

Questions:

1. What do you see as the ideal role of government?

2. What is your definition of freedom?

3. What is your opinion on what OSO had to say?

Fairness

2009-03-03T04:00:00.001-07:00

President Obama's US Trade Nominee Ron Kirk owes about $10,000 in taxes. Isn't he the 5th nominee with such problems?

Personal responsibility/accountability sure doesn't seem to mean much these days.

Did you ever whine to your parents when you were a kid about stuff you thought was unfair? I did. They always told me, "Life isn't fair."

My little brother and I were on a swim team together for several years. He excelled in most everything he did, academically and physically. At the end of the season we had a big party and a few awards and trophies would be given out. It was a pretty big deal if you got a trophy. For each trophy that was given they gave out a certificate for the person who was essentially the first runner up for the trophy... or second best.

My last season I received the certificate for every stroke. Four second places. My little brother got a trophy. When we got home I cried. I had even been put up into the age division above mine for the butterfly. I often came in fourth but ended up with the first place ribbon because the others would all be disqualified.

I never did get even one trophy growing up. My little brother? He received many. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

By the time my children came along the popular thought was that all kids should get a trophy. We parent's paid for them. Even with my background, I was never really comfortable with that. Incidentally, the dozens of trophies my kids gathered hold little to no meaning for them. They are just tokens of a sport's season.

It was painful for me to strive for a trophy and never get one. I would not change it though. Life isn't fair. That is just a fact. Learning those lessons have prepared me for real life.

In relation to taxes... which way do you look at it? The redistribution of wealth in the name of fairness... is it another instance of life not being fair for those that have had more... because life was not fair to those that have had less? Is it even possible to balance the scales? In terms of character development... is it better to just give and foster an entitlement mentality or is it better for people to earn and foster a mentality of independence? What about those that fall through the cracks? Do we have a safety net for them... or do we try to come up with a system where all conform to the needs of a few?

Capitalism/Free Enterprise vs Socialism

2009-03-02T10:10:00.006-07:00

I found a very interesting report online, The Australian Achievement: From Bondage to Freedom, authored by a Dr. Mark Cooray.

Dr. Cooray was at one time a socialist. You can read his philosophy here. It is very interesting reading!

The third chapter of the report is titled, The Rise of Western Civilisation, and I found it very relevant to the discussions going on here in the U.S. I'm going to pull out a few quotes to share. I'd really like to reprint the whole chapter here but I don't think I can do that without permission.

A detailed examination of the great breakthroughs and inventions provides interesting data. It is significant that during the past one hundred and fifty years almost all of them have taken place in liberal societies. The reference is to the pioneering inventions which involved exponential advancement in science and technology. There have been developments in the Soviet Union and in other communist countries but these countries merely adopted the scientific discoveries made in the free world.

The great achievement of private enterprise over about two centuries has been to reduce levels of inequality and to improve standards of living. In feudal times there were relatively few privileged and wealthy persons. The "masses" were exploited and lived in near poverty or absolute poverty. The great achievement of private enterprise was to bring into existence a large middle class — and to reduce very significantly the areas of inequality.

Most of the benefits of western technology and capitalism have endured primarily to the benefit of the less privileged sections of the community. Poverty and injustice, which critics make much of, exist and will exist in any human society. Jesus Christ said, "the poor you will always have with you". However, the perspective which radical and not so radical reformers overlook is the extent of the change that took place under freedom.

Critics refer to the "crisis of capitalism" today. But if by capitalism the reference is to a system of free enterprise, such a system does not exist anywhere in the western world. Private enterprise has been so gradually strangled by government regulation and taxation that from about the 1960's onwards it has been incapable of reducing levels of poverty and inequality. Over a period of a few centuries limited government and private enterprise had been responsible for the gradual reduction of poverty and inequality.

It would really be worth your time to read what is contained in the links above!

What Incentive?

2009-03-02T07:00:00.003-07:00

I read an interesting article at Forbes.com. It is titled, So What's in the Simulus for You? Nothing! In it they talk about phaseouts (curtailing tax breaks as income rises) and give the following example:

Take an example of a single mother with an adjusted gross income of $75,000. She claims the standard deduction and has one high schooler and two kids in college. Under the stimulus package, she'll have her 2009 federal income tax bill chopped to $1,465 from $7,865 thanks to two $2,500 college credits, a $400 worker's stimulus credit and a $1,000 child credit. But if she takes a second job to help pay college bills and her AGI rises to $90,000, she gets no college credits and only $100 of the worker's credit and $250 of the child credit, for a total tax bill of $11,265. That makes the tax rate on the $15,000 of extra earnings 65%--not counting the 7.65% employee share of Social Security and Medicare or any state and local income taxes.

If this hardworking parent knew what was about to hit her, she might be able to reduce her 2009 AGI, say, by increasing her pretax contribution to her 401(k). But with three kids and two jobs, she's likely too busy to figure this out. "With all these phaseouts, planning is pretty hard," says Mark Luscombe, principal federal tax analyst at Wolters Kluwer (other-otc: WTKWY.PK - news - people )'s CCH business.

This really bothered me. I was listening to the radio the other day. I don't recall which program... and a gal called in that told the story of how the stimulus check she received under Bush pushed them up into the next tax bracket and in doing their taxes learned that it actually cost them money to accept it. Talk about falling through the cracks! I wonder how many people were right on that line and didn't realize it was going to cause them some problems? The people that have made more money have always paid more taxes... now they must pay even more.

I just don't get it. Of course, my husband is an accountant and he works for a small family owned company. A family that has worked to build their company for 25 years and who is going to be one of the many small company owners that are going to pay. The American dream is changing. Hopefully, there are enough people with character that will continue to do what they do and to live out their principles. Sadly, I think a lot of people will look at things and not see the point in working harder and independence will be lost.

Would You Like a Cuppa Tea?

2009-02-27T10:00:00.000-07:00

Today is the big Tea Party day! Michelle Malkin has got a list of where all these Tea Parties are happening and is twittering (I don't twitter but some of you might). I'm very interested to see how the mainstream media covers this.

Gateway Pundit has a bunch of interesting stuff up (as usual) including a link to this Yahoo article about a panel suggesting a federal gas tax based on mileage. Sound familiar?

I've been reading Colorado Senator Brophy's blog and really like it. He's got a down to earth style. Check it out.

Finally, Two Dogs has got a post up that I really like that is a clarification of what he believes.

Questions:

1. What is your opinion of the Tea Party demonstrations?

2. How are you feeling about the changes already made under President Obama's administration?

The Art of Becoming Informed Coffee Bean Style

2009-02-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

Good Lord. I have spent the morning trying to figure out what to post. Newsmax sent out a plea from one of their sponsors, The Susan B. Anthony List, asking for people to sign this petition to stop an abortion bailout.

Well... I thought, Is Congress voting on bail out money for Planned Parenthood? What? I wanted to look at this 55 page proposal that was given to Obama in November laying out what they would like to see him do in his first 100 days.

Did y'all know that the main page of Change.org is no longer up? With a couple more minutes of digging I was able to find the original Advancing Reproductive Rights Rights and Health in a New Administration document. It definitely makes for some interesting reading.

Now, as far as I'm aware, this sort of money disbursement was removed from the original stimulus plan. However, I'm not clear as to what all is in the plan that passed. Is anyone yet?

On January 23, 2009, one day after the 36th anniversary of Roe v Wade, President Obama lifted the Mexico City policy, a Reagan-era policy that prohibits taxpayer funds from going to organizations that promote or perform abortions overseas. It had previously been revoked by President Clinton and then re-instated by President G.W. Bush.

So... I was wondering what kind of money has already been released or if that has yet to be voted on. I went to Congress.org... some women's rights watchdog sites, Planned Parenthood. I looked through bills... I tried to find a congressional legislation schedule...

My brain is all flip floppin' around and I can't see straight. I've got dishes to do, laundry to fold and toilets to clean. Why is it so hard to find certain information? Holey Moley! I am overwhelmed by the gaping holes in my understanding of what is going on in this country.

What do y'all know? Is there a Cliff Notes version of current events? Somebody help me!

Health Care

2009-02-25T09:30:00.002-07:00

We received an unexpected surprise in our mailbox the other day. I suffer from a vocal chord disorder called Spasmodic Dysphonia (SD). It is a neurological condition that causes my vocal chords to over contract causing portions of words to get lost. I also have very low volume. For several years I have gotten botox injections to partially paralyze the chords which has given me the ability to speak more clearly for 2-4 months. However, I have not had a successful injection in quite some time. I even stopped getting the very expensive injections for awhile.

Out of desperation I decided to try again last fall. The last two injections I had were done with the aid of a camera threaded down through my nose. It appears that I am now botox resistant which leaves me with no other alternatives for treatment.

Normally, we pay 20% of the cost. Each injection has run $1100 to $1400. My husband also has to go back and forth with the insurance over each bill to get them to pay it. It often requires a call to the company insurance agent. My husband is very involved in the procuring of insurance for the company he works for and has more pull than other employees and is also very familiar with what is covered. It is always very frustrating. Especially when the injections do not work.

The surprise? The insurance is not paying for the last two injections. The last two injections that did not work and were close to $1400. The injections that were done in the office and took around 30 minutes. Apparently, it is now considered a surgical procedure and being applied to our deductible. My husband doesn't know if he'll be able to fight it.

When we've complained about our health care costs to friends and family we've often been met with the... "Well, that is why we need universal health care." Really? There seems to be this belief that if we have universal health care that everything needed will just be covered... no hassle.

I actually wrote the above for a post yesterday and did not finish it. I got frustrated and had to walk away. Last night, watching the State of the Union address, the high cost of health care and the need for health care reform was mentioned...

Universal health care sounds nice... in theory. The United States is the only wealthy industrialized country that does not have it.

In Canada, health care is mostly publicly funded with most services being provided by private corporations/enterprises. Doctors do not receive an annual salary and are paid a fee per visit. Interestingly, many Canadians have private health insurance to cover services that are only partially covered or not at all, such as prescription drugs, dentistry, and vision care.

In my experience, socialized medicine opens the door to a myriad of problems. There is not a limitless supply of money to pay for such programs. There are so many restrictions in place by insurance companies already. However, they are still working within a free market system and have to sell their packages to employers. If the service isn't acceptable or it gets too expensive, the employers go looking for a better deal.

The real problem with health care is trial attorneys. Malpractice insurance is outrageous! There is some sort of expectation that doctors are in control and can fix anything. If a mistake is made, people sue. They sue for BIG money and often get it.

When I was in labor with our second child the catheter for my epidural cracked. They inserted another one. Soon after our daughter was in distress and I was rushed to a delivery room. I was in excruciating pain and scared. Our daughter had moved down into the birth canal so they couldn't do a C-section, the vacuum extractor didn't work, they got another, the cord did not reach the outlet, they put something more into my IV, I had a seizure and stopped breathing, our daughter was in respiratory distress and they were beating on her chest... and my husband got shoved out into the hall. When the bill came... there were dozens of charges that were bogus and many of them duplicated.

My husband did go see an attorney. I had hot needly sensations in my back for 8 months. He went to see him when we were worried about there being long term problems with either our daughter, myself or both of us. He said we had a case and was willing to take it on a contingency. The problem was... we didn't know what the lasting effects were, if any. We just wanted to make sure we were taken care of if there were. He told my husband that we had a year so we decided to wait. We were both fine. I sometimes think about that. The attorney seemed to think we could get some money out of it. It bothered us then and it bothers us now.

How often are you watching TV when an attorney comes on to tell you he'll got to bat for you to get you what you deserve... and then show someone holding up a check for a large amount of money? How many commercials are there for class action lawsuits for medications?

Ugh. I'm just going to post this as is. There is so much to consider but people just don't. We have insurance... but our health care costs are way and above many other people we know. When our son gets sick, one trip to the doctor costs us usually $100-$250 between the co-pay and all the prescriptions (he has asthma). We have health care in place for those that can't afford it. Sure, we could tweak things and something should be done to bring down the costs. I personally know a family that pays $5 per doctor visit, $5 per prescription and $5 to go to the dentist for their kids... and they complain because they have a ton of kids and it adds up. Okay... I am backing away from that one.

Where is the money going to come from? Who is going to set the standards of who receives care and who does not? What kind of availability/access to doctors will there be? What choices will we have? Where will the cut off be for those that automatically get care for their children (I recall seeing somewhere $80,000 a year). I want to know exactly what is being proposed... not just "change."

I want to hear from you. What do you think? What do you know that I don't? (uhhh... probably a lot...but, limit it to health care for today) If you have experience or know of other's experiences in countries with socialized medicine... please share!

Tea Party U.S.A. Movement

2009-02-22T23:30:00.001-07:00

Michelle Malkin has a great post up about the Tea Party U.S.A. movement with many links to protests to be held this week in many cities. It is jam packed with information and even has a link with detailed tips on how to organize your own tea party protest. There are also a ton of humorous parodies set to old Schoolhouse Rock songs, American Pie, Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz, Dixie and others. I think y'all will find it worth your time to read.

Senator Jim DeMint from South Carolina sees America's unique centuries-old system of freedom dying out and he thinks we may have to take to the streets to save it. "I would think it's time to start thinking about peaceful demonstrations," Augusta Chronicle.

Questions:

1. Taxation without representation sparked the Revolutionary War. What do you think about the parallels between then and today?

2. Do you think these tea party demonstrations will be peaceful and do you think they will have an impact?

Colorado Car Tax

2009-02-21T15:00:00.001-07:00

Colorado SB09-108 has passed the House Transportation and Appropriations Committees (with a few minor changes related to ride sharing cars being charged the same owned cars rather than rental cars which have to pay an extra $2 a day and exemptions for some collectors’ cars).

We have a Democrat controlled House with 37 Democrats and 28 Republicans. It takes 33 votes to pass a bill. No Republicans have voted for the bill and in the Senate two Democrats voted against it.

This tax increase is being held out as job producing, job protecting and as an economic stimulus. What it is is a massive tax increase on citizens during a bad recession. If this passes, and it will, there will be an increase in vehicle registration of $41-$51 for most cars every year. There will be a new tolling authority that would allow tolling anywhere local governments want it. There will be a MBR (mileage base revenue) to institute a charge for how many miles you drive. There will be an additional $2 charge per day for rental cars.

I don't know about you... but, that sounds like it is going to have an impact on individuals that will supersede any relief soon to be coming from the federal government... which I think is going to be less than $15 a week for individuals in the "right" tax bracket.

What y'all got goin' on in your neck of the woods?

Binyamin Netanyahu

2009-02-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

Binyamin Netanyahu is the new leader of Israel. Netanyahu said repeatedly during the campaign that not forming a national-unity government when he was prime minister from 1996-99 was his worst-ever political mistake. Some are demanding that Netanyahu expand Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a move that could cause some problems between the new Israeli government the Obama administration.

Washington Post article here.

I want to do some more posts about Israel and the history of the ongoing conflict with Palestine.

Questions:

1. Do you see this development as helping the situation in Gaza and the West Bank or do you think it will escalate the conflict?

2. Do you think that relations between Israel and the U.S. will change?

History

2009-02-19T09:30:00.001-07:00

I have a vague and fuzzy grasp on history. Being a product of the public education system and a community college drop out, most of what I know now I learned on my own. I'm trying to step away from the compartmentalization of different times in history in my mind and bring it all together for myself. This is very hard to do. What I am learning is that I can't fully understand U.S. History without first understanding European History.

Actually, I now see that to truly understand, you have to go back to the very beginning of recorded history. ... the people, the religions, the philosophies and ideologies, the emergence of scientific thought, all the different forms of government, the wars and revolutions, the advancement of technology... it all builds on each other.

This is overwhelming to say the least. To get a better understanding of where we are we need to know where we have been. I'm not talking as an American here. I am talking as a human being. The United States is the big melting pot and comprised of people from all over the world... people that were influenced by their place of origin and that bring/brought their unique views developed by their life experience. Everything is connected. Fashion and technology change, human nature and the problems we face really don't.

I've been noticing the philosophers during different eras had a great impact on many world leaders. When I go to people's homes I often take note of what reading material they have lying around and the sorts of books they have on their shelves. It is probably more revealing of a person's interests and character than anything else. We once visited a church and decided not to go back due to the books they had on the shelves in their bookstore.

The American Thinker has this post up today, Allies of Palestinians have a powerful friend in Obama, by Ed Lasky. It is a very interesting piece that I found through Gateway Pundit.

There is a picture of Barak Obama carrying the book, “The Post-American World” that was written by Fareed Zakaria. Please take the time to read the article.

Question:

What do you think President Obama's ultimate goal is in regard to Islamic states?

Great Resource

2009-02-18T08:30:00.001-07:00

PolitiFact is a project of the St. Petersburg Times out of Tampa Bay to help you find the truth in politics.

Every day, reporters and researchers from the Times examine statements by members of Congress, the president, cabinet secretaries, lobbyists, people who testify before Congress and anyone else who speaks up in Washington. We research their statements and then rate the accuracy on our Truth-O-Meter – True, Mostly True, Half True, Barely True and False. The most ridiculous falsehoods get our lowest rating, Pants on Fire.

We also rate the consistency of public officials on our Flip-O-Meter using three ratings: No Flip, Half Flip and Full Flop.

We created the Obameter to help you assess the Obama presidency. Our reporters have compiled a database of more than 500 individual promises that Barack Obama made during the campaign. We research and rate their status as No Action, Stalled or In the Works and then ultimately determine whether it earns a Promise Kept, Compromise or Promise Broken.

To read more about Politifact and how the Obameter works go here.

Currently, they have two promises made by Obama listed as broken.

1. Campaign Promise #234, Allow five days of public comment before signing bills.

To reduce bills rushed through Congress and to the president before the public has the opportunity to review them, Obama "will not sign any non-emergency bill without giving the American public an opportunity to review and comment on the White House website for five days."

Read more here.

2. Campaign Promise #505, Create a $3,000 tax credit for companies that add jobs.

"During 2009 and 2010, existing businesses will receive a $3,000 refundable tax credit for each additional full-time employee hired."

Read more here.

The fact that this stimulus package was rushed through both houses, five days were not given for the American people to review it, that it was published in a PDF file that could not be key word searched and that it is going to impact our country into the next generations is very alarming.

Breaking News!!! North Korea is testing a missile in the next 2-3 weeks that has the capability to reach the United States. They are saying it could look like on an attack on the United States, but it won't be.

Questions:

1. How do you feel about the U.S. relations with Muslim countries? (here is an article quoting Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and here is an article on an order Obama signed issuing an emergency contribution of $20.3 million for "urgent relief efforts" in Gaza. He approved the aid, which is to come from the U.S. Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund).

2. Do you feel we are as safe with Barak Obama as our president?

Freedom

2009-02-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

What exactly does freedom mean anymore?

As I look around it seems to me that, to many, the freedom they seek is freedom from responsibility, personal and otherwise.

I care about people. I care about this country. There are a lot of people hurting that need help. I just feel that the help coming from the government is not what is best for this country as a whole... or for the individuals.

Things are changing.

I've been very burdened for some time in my thoughts. I'm just an uneducated middle aged housewife. My children are nearly raised. I have a vocal chord disorder that prevents me from speaking clearly and cannot work. What can I do?

You've all heard "Obamessiah" in reference to how so many seem to feel about Obama. It is disturbing. Initially, I found it clever and funny because I didn't think anyone really felt that way about him. You know... an exaggeration to make a point.

I've come to realize that I had a certain amount of faith in our country and our way of life. Being an American offered me a sense of security that I believed in and was comforted by. I had a sense of justice, fairness and equality that I felt was intrinsic to our society. I was proud of our country and the spirit of freedom behind its formation. There are parts of our history that are dark and ugly but as we've marched forward we've moved to right those wrongs.

We are a nation of immigrants. People have come from all over the world in search of the American dream where if you work hard you can shape your own destiny. My great grandfather was one. He came from Sweden and settled in Seattle. My grandmother told me that during the depression he walked to work with a pocket full of dimes every day that he handed out to those he passed on the street that he thought could use a cup of coffee and a donut. He came here because he wanted to be an American. He wanted his children to be American.

I am a Christian first. Even though I am saddened by so many people clamouring for our government to take control of more and more in this country without a thought beyond themselves, my hope is ultimately in Christ. For me, this does not mean giving up and walking away or abandoning all hope that this country will not once again stand as originally intended. It means that I will do what I can... be informed, be a good steward of my votes, and most importantly, pray.

Stimulus Contains Possible Rationed Medicine

2009-02-10T09:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=88457

Speechless

2009-02-03T07:57:00.001-07:00

Gateway Pundit: Unreal! Obama Replaces "Hail to the Chief" With Sting's "Desert Rose" -- With Arabic Lyrics#links

"Stimulus Package"

2009-02-02T09:00:00.000-07:00

What do y'all think is going to happen with HR 1? Hopefully, there will be some changes made before it passes the Senate.

Gateway Pundit had a post on Friday that caught my eye. On January 14, 2009, Dianne Feinstein introduced this bill. Interestingly, our Colorado Senator Salazar initiated much of the thought and drafting for this legislation at the end of the last Congress.

Gateway Pundit: Unreal!... Stimulus Includes Government Plan to Crush New Cars

We own two SUV's. We live in Colorado where we deal with snow, ice, hills and mountains. I am 5'11" with a 36" inseam. We did have a 4 wheel drive Subaru for a time but it became too small for our family. Just two weeks ago, a 2 wheel drive vehicle got stuck turning out of our son's school preventing people from getting out and, eventually, preventing people from dropping their kids off on time. The classes were disrupted and I'm sure my husband was not the only person late for work. There have been countless times when there have been vehicles in front of us that start sliding backwards down hills... and countless numbers of vehicles that are left on the side of the road during inclement weather.

Needless to say, this type of legislation irks me no end.

Blog Break

2009-01-27T05:24:00.001-07:00

I need to stay away from the computer and concentrate on some other things (mostly housework... ugh). I'll be back on Monday.

HR 1

2009-01-26T11:00:00.000-07:00

Two Dogs sent me a copy of HR 1 this weekend... nearly 650 pages. I've read a good deal of it. You should too. He has a link to it today up on his blog along with many other links y'all should check out.

Big Brother

2009-01-24T18:00:00.000-07:00

I was just watching the world news on ABC. They had a segment on the peanut butter recall and said that Costco (or Sam's?) has instituted robo calls to those who have bought products that have been recalled between July of last year and January 20th of this year. They then played one of the calls... I froze. They can, with a click of a button, pull up every purchase you've made, have the computer search for items in question, and then call to notify you?

A couple months back I read an article in Sports Illustrated about how some college somewhere was having their athletes carry cards that they had to swipe everywhere they went on campus so that their whereabouts could be tracked. They also had to friend their coaches on facebook so that they could be checked for any references to drugs. Apparently, the athletes are viewed as an investment... or commodity, and therefore property of the college.

On Friday, my oldest daughter who just started school at our local community college showed me her student ID card. She then went on to tell me how she had to swipe it everywhere... the library, the computer lab, and all but one of the lounges. She's just a regular student... I will be asking my other daughter if her college does the same.

Over the years I've heard the religious people that are always hollering about this, that and the other. We all know how Y2K turned out. I tend to ignore what I consider to be extremism. However, listening to the robo call on the news and realizing the absolute enormity of such an endeavor really made me sit up! All of a sudden all the movies and tv shows where people are tracked instantly... everything all ready is in place.

I'm freaked out.

Watch This!

2009-01-22T11:15:00.001-07:00

I lifted this from Two Dog's blog, mean ol' meany. If this concerns you, get the word out and e-mail it to your friends and/or post it on your blog.

Here We Go!!!

2009-01-21T09:00:00.001-07:00

Today marks the first full day of the Obama Administration. It is typical for a new incoming president to issue executive orders and/or overturn some executive orders, and/or federal rules, by a previous president.

Slate has published a piece on the top ten Bush executive orders that they believe Obama should overturn immediately here.

Tomorrow marks the 36th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling in the infamous Roe vs. Wade case which legalized abortion across the nation. As George Bush took office in 2001, he chose the 28th anniversary to reinstate the policy of Reagan and his father preventing federal funding to international family planning organizations involved in abortion support, either through performing the surgery, counseling on abortion as a family planning option or lobbying foreign governments on abortion policy. Clinton had lifted that ban in 1993. There is speculation that Obama may do the same tomorrow.

Many proponents for abortion rights commemorate and/or celebrate the Roe vs. Wade decision. I found a short article at mydesert.com which is located in Palm Springs, CA. Here is a portion of a comment that had been left:

Thank God we live in such a free society where a woman is allowed to make choices in her life free from shame and guilt thrown on her by centuries of religious practices. We are a shining beacon for the rest of the world because we let the Supreme Court define our freedoms and not a Pope or Caliphate or Patriarch. This does not make us evil or sinners for this.

As someone who is for limited government, I found this chilling. Those of us opposed to abortion are forced to participate in it through our tax dollars. If federal funding is released for international groups involved in abortion, we will be forced to support it not only here in our own country, but throughout the world. Anyone up for writing some legislation for a tax credit for those who are opposed to abortion?

Freedom of religion is in danger. More and more people are looking to our government to meet more and more of their needs... and to set the standard.

If you are like me, you have a hard time keeping up with who's who in Washington. I found this Obama appointees guide. It has pictures and a little blurb about each of them. Things of this sort really help me.

Inauguration Eve

2009-01-19T23:00:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow we will wake to the dawn of a new era here in the United States. Barak Obama promises to be the change America needs and his followers see him as the embodiment of the hope he says they can believe in. The day every president has taken the oath has been momentous for our country and tomorrow will be even more so. I did not vote for Obama but I will give him the respect due his title. It is going to be an interesting four years.

As a Christian, I am very concerned by the direction our country has taken in the form of certain legislation. There is a growing animosity toward Christians that cannot be denied. I recently discovered that I was put on a right wing watch by gayagenda. The following comment was left for me on the site:

Dear Uneducated Housewife:

Your first mistake is believing that America was founded by Christians. It was not. A good portion of our founders had no belief in a God.

Your second mistake; believing that where the conservative people congregate has a disproportionate amount of intelligence. I beg to differ. I find that conservative areas abound in less education and reason than areas dominated by liberals. Yes, that’s right, when we get real education, we develop tolerance.

And further, the founders of this nation sought to separate church and state. Conservatives have fought in recent years to undo this. Not a good idea dear uneducated housewife, as this mistake will certainly come back and bite you in your ass when the Muslim wants their religion and it’s commands in a courthouse. If you do it for one, you must do it for all.

And furthermore, your own use of the term uneducated housewife shows how minimal your mentation really is. It fits you like a glove dearest. Wear it well, and enjoy the next four years of rebuilding this nation from the corruption that right wingers put upon the entire world.

Number one, I was not notified by this group that my blog had been put on their list. Number two, it was not made clear that the quote they pulled from the blog came from the comment section and was not written by me.

I initially began this blog in an effort to educate my kids and allow them to hear the views of others rather than my telling them. They, being teenagers, have not been interested and it has evolved into more about me writing about the things I'm thinking about in regard to our current political situation, asking questions of readers, and basically just trying to figure things out for myself. I've been very honest here as I've worked through different issues. I'm not, nor have I ever been, looking for validation. I've been looking to connect with those of differing views in an effort to better understand why they stand where they do on the issues I present.

The last several weeks I have really been thinking about whether I have the right to impose my beliefs on others through the votes that I cast. It is a trap that I believe many Christians are falling into. I do not hate gay people. I saw a preview for Prayers for Bobby starring Sigourney Weaver the other day. It is a movie about a Christian mother's inability to accept her son was gay, his suicide and her proclaiming his death was a direct result of his parents ignorance. It looks to be a very moving story and, as a mom, it made me think of how I would deal with things if I were in that situation.

I do not watch Oprah but I did catch part of one of last week's shows. She was discussing her weight gain and had several people on the show that had lost weight and then gained it back. This is something I, too, struggle with. There was also a priest on following up on some remarks he made on an earlier show. He had stated that being gay was a gift from God and it had sparked some controversy.

I understand that those who struggle with sexual confusion do not see it as a choice. I did not choose to struggle with food. However, we choose what we do with our individual struggles. I have lost weight many times only to gain it back. We've all heard the statistics and the claim that diets do not work. It is true that some people have a harder time controlling their weight. I know from my own experience that diets do work. It is when I stop exercising and start taking in more calories than my body requires that I gain the weight back. Food is necessary to our survival and unlike alcohol, drugs or sex, it cannot be avoided.

Our society worships sex. All you have to do is turn on your TV, glance at the magazines at the check out line, or notice the adds and billboards all around. Any expectation of restraint in this area is met with disdain. The line of what is socially acceptable is continually being pushed further back.

Last year a bill was passed here in Colorado that has become known as the Bathroom Bill. This new "transgender nondiscrimination" law makes it illegal to deny a person access to public accommodations, including restrooms and locker rooms, based on gender identity or the "perception" of gender identity. Churches, mosques, synagogues and any place used for the primary purpose of religious services are exempt from the discrimination clauses. However, it reads as if it only protects a person’s faith expression inside the church building, during the church function. If you are a Christian business owner you could be prevented from expressing your convictions anywhere, save an immediate religious setting. I've tried to find the reason for the bill being written in the first place, such as a case where a transgender individual was prevented from using a restroom, and couldn't find one.

I believe the reason legislation of this sort is being pushed through is an effort to shift the moral standard of Christians, as well as other religions, from their faith to the government. Our very ability to think for ourselves, worship and live out our convictions is under attack as just our personal views and votes are seen as oppression and a infringement on the rights of others. A Christian photographer in New Mexico was fined $6,000 for refusing to photograph a homosexual commitment ceremony. Christian firefighters in San Diego were forced to participate in a Gay Pride Parade. How is this happening? Could the very words I've written here today become illegal?

Fortunately my hope is not in men. I pray my fears are unrealized. I pray that I am able to live my convictions while imparting the love of Christ to all. And I will be praying for Barak Obama.

Thank You President Bush!!!

2009-01-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/bush_commutes_agents/2009/01/19/172960.html?s=al&promo_code=77FC-1

Mental Journey

2009-01-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

I've been neglecting this blog... It is because I've been on a bit of a difficult mental journey. I needed to figure some things out for myself. I'm now trying to gather all those thoughts so I can share them here... just so y'all know where I am coming from. I'll try to get that together by Monday.

As for politics... I'm in a bit of a holding pattern. I've been keeping my eye on the happenings in Gaza. I've been avoiding speculation on what Obama is going to do. We're going to find out soon enough.

I watched the Bush exit speech last night and it made me very sad. Overall, I believe he has been an excellent president. He's taken some pretty hard blows and I hope that history acknowledges his strength of character.

So... as we head into the new Obama Administration... what are your hopes?

The 2009 Legislative Season

2009-01-08T09:00:00.002-07:00

The 2009 Legislative Season opened here in Colorado this week. I've decided that this year I am going to be paying close attention to what is going on up at our capitol. Fortunately, we have a wonderful gal here who co-wrote Colorado state homeschool law and is a constant presence up at the capitol throughout the season and sends out news regularly. We no longer homeschool but do support parents' rights to do so.

I just spent too much time reading all sorts of things about some bills that were passed during the last legislative season. Namely, the "bathroom bill" and the "bible ban." I took the time to read both sides of the issues and am now cross eyed. It is interesting when you read the actual bill and then what both sides have taken from it. I can see how these passed but I can also see the concern over the wording in certain parts. All it takes is one case to set a precedent. I wonder what this year will hold.

I have a hard time focusing on local politics. We've moved around so much and it takes time to get things figured out. There really are differences between state and national politics and I feel I've been pretty unbalanced in this area.

Anything interesting coming up in your states?

Vehicles to be Airlifted to Darfur for Humanitatian Aid

2009-01-06T02:00:00.003-07:00

Sudanese Vice President, Salva Kiir, in the Oval Office with President Bush yesterday.

President George W. Bush announced on Monday the airlift of equipment and vehicles for the humanitarian effort in Darfur. President Bush has done more in humanitarian relief to Africa than any other president. Go here to see a video about PEPFAR which is an acronym for the President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief. Please take the time to watch it. I think you'll be glad you did.

PEPFAR website

What do you see as President Bush's legacy?

Did I Bite Off More Than I Can Chew???

2009-01-05T08:00:00.004-07:00

Lord have mercy! I've been trying to educate myself on the history of Israel and the current conflict with the Palestinians. It is mind boggling. There is so much history that is in play here! I decided to try to just get a basic grasp by looking at timelines. I really want to get this so I am going to have to take it slow. I pilfered these maps from CIA-The World Factbook. Unfortunately, they are hard to see on the blog.

I chose this map of the middle east to show the placement of the surrounding countries. I really need to be able to picture this while I am reading through things to help increase my understanding.

This map is a close up of Israel. The Gaza Strip and the West Bank are outlined with a dotted line.

During the 1800's there was a Zionist movement of Jews from around the world returning to Palestine to reclaim their homeland. The British ruled Palestine from 1918. In the 1930's Arabs revolted against the British and the growing number of Jews. The British were successful in putting the revolt down with the aid of Jewish militias. In 1948, the British finally pulled out of Palestine and the Jews declared the independence of the new State of Israel. There was a war between the Arabs and the Jews in which the Jews were victorious. The Gaza Strip and the West Bank did not become part of the new Israel state.

The Gaza Strip was initially annexed by Egypt. Israel went to war with Egypt in 1956 after conquering the Gaza area only to have Egypt retain control. In 1967 there was another war ending with a peace treaty between Egypt and Israel in which Egypt gave over control of Gaza to the Israelis. There was then a Palestinian uprising in the area during the late 1980's that resulted in a peace agreement (the Oslo Accords) which gave administrative control to Palestinian authorities in 1994.

*editing to add the Arab-Israeli War of 1973. This was an armed conflict between Israel, Egypt and Syria. Both sides suffered heavy losses but Israel maintained control. It is also called the Yom Kippur War by the Jews or the Ramadan War by the Arabs.

In 2005 Israel pulled completely out of Gaza in an effort to placate Palestinian forces. One year later, on June 25, 2006, Palestinian militants crossed into Israel and kidnapped an Israeli soldier. Israel invaded the Gaza Strip until a cease fire was declared in November of 2006.

In 2007 there was a short civil war in Gaza between Hamas and Fatah. Fatah (a reverse acronym for Palestinian National Liberation Movement) was founded in 1954 and led by Yasser Arafat until his death in 2004. Fatah is not recognized as a terrorist organization by any government. Hamas (an acronym for Islamic Resistance Movement) was created in 1987 by three members of the Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood. Hamas supporters see it as an armed resistance movement defending Palestinians from Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Hamas is a terrorist organization and state in their charter, "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad." Fatah was forced out of Gaza.

With Hamas taking over the Gaza Strip the area has remained in conflict with them firing missiles and homemade rockets into Israel. Israel has responded with warplanes targeting Hamas military and political infrastructure sites with air to ground missiles. It needs noting that Hamas is closely allied to and supplied by Iran. In June of 2008, Egypt arranged a cease-fire. Hamas recently increased rocket attacks on Israel which led them to a major attack on December 27, 2008. For a timeline breakdown of what has happened each day since, go here.

There are those that believe that the attacks on 9/11 stem from the United States long history of supporting Israel. What do you think?

Hello 2009!!!

2009-01-01T12:30:00.000-07:00

It is a brand new year with some pretty interesting changes coming up for our country. Some of y'all have expressed that you are ready to move on from the recent topics on this blog. So am I.

I would like to pick my head up from the issues in this country and take some time to look at the world around us. Specifically, the long standing conflict between Israel and Palestine. I'd like to get to where I have a very clear understanding of the history as well as the current circumstances. Being a Christian, I am also interested in how it relates to prophecy.

Question:

What do you think about the role the United States has played in this conflict in the past and what do you think our involvement will be under the Obama administration?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

2008-12-31T09:01:00.000-07:00

Politics, Faith and Homosexuality

2008-12-29T10:00:00.002-07:00

So... I'm still stuck here. I put everything on the back burner through Christmas and tried not to think about any of it, unsuccessfully. The truth is that I am a bit of a people pleaser. I want everyone to be happy and to get along. I want to stay neutral in those areas that cause the greatest discord. However, isn't neutrality really a cop out of sorts?

Is it possible to have a society that is governed in complete absence of faith of any kind? Is it possible for those of deep faith to divorce their convictions in service to the society in which they live? What about humanism? Isn't that a faith of sorts minus a traditional church structure? If it is okay to do whatever you want as long as it doesn't infringe on another's right to do the same... why do we have any other laws at all?

Roland said something in the comment section of another post that has been in the back of my mind. He grew up on a farm and said that homosexuality is found in nature. I've heard that argument many times before. I guess if you are an evolutionist that would be a legitimate argument from the standpoint that we are all animals but... in the animal world that kind of behavior is about establishing dominance. I've never seen where that behavior in animals has been a (cough) completed act... if you get what I mean (uh... dying here). I think this argument is a weak one and doesn't take into account the unique ability of humans to reason and control themselves.

It has been my argument all along that homosexuality goes against nature. I still believe that. Are they created that way or is it a choice? There have been many studies and there has yet to be any discovery of a genetic link predisposing someone to that sort of activity. That being said, isn't all human action subject to that person's will? Even if someone is genetically predisposed toward any kind of aberrant behavior it doesn't remove moral responsibility or make the behavior right. What about, as Just Me pointed out, pedophiles? What about men/women that are chronically unfaithful to their spouse? What about eating disorders? I am personally familiar with that one. If choices are hard to make for some does that remove the responsibility for those choices?

How does all of this fit in with how our country is run? Do we stipulate that in order of fairness that all civil servants be void of faith? Who sets the standard? How can a state pass legislation regulating what kind of cooking oil restaurants use because of the harmful effects, yet people in that same state riot over decisions made during the election concerning gay marriage? It's okay for the state to regulate what people are eating? How does something like that go through when alcohol is legal? What about parading through the streets naked as a form of protest? How is that legal? How about in my own state where it is now legal for men and women to use whatever restroom they believe they belong in? Does anyone else out there find any of what is going on in our country bizarre?

If you are neutral are you complicit in those things in which you claim neutrality? Is it possible to love people that live a lifestyle that is detrimental to them? How do you reach out in love and acceptance of where they are and still maintain your standards of right and wrong? Don't we have a personal responsibility as citizens to live out our convictions... and are those convictions real if we are able to lay them to the side in favor of peace that will only last until the next battle to push the line back further?

As for the current fight for gay marriage rights... The common definition of marriage has always been the union of one man and one woman. Some online and newer dictionaries have added to their definitions to include more politically correct wording. I did a bit of research on civil unions and was shocked to learn that they are only available in some states and that there are some differences between legal marriage and a civil union... most notably the divorce option. I do not understand why the fire power behind the gay movement doesn't go after making civil unions more accessible. It seems to me that that would be the easier route. Looking at it from that perspective makes me feel that this fight really is a fight to undermine some basic tennets of our society. If it were only a fight for the same rights it would be apparent that the way to go would be through civil unions due to it being the path of least resistence yeilding the results they say they are seeking. However, this is also a battle over a word and the definition of that word... to the point of irrationality and a seeming desire to bend all others of another mind set to their will. There are many battlefronts here and you need to look at all of them. The push for earlier and earlier sex education in order to indoctrinate children into the belief that homosexuality is normal and good for one.

What are "Rights"?

2008-12-22T10:30:00.002-07:00

We hear a lot about "rights." Just what are "rights"? There are Women's Rights, Children's Rights, Minority Rights, Gay Rights, etc. We have, "The Bill of Rights," here in the United States...

Where are the lines drawn? Who draws the lines?

I cannot be heard in places where there is background music playing. Do I have a right to make those businesses turn it off? I can't help that I can't be heard so does that mean that everyone else should be mandated to modify their behavior in order for me to be more comfortable?

Gay Marriage Continued...

2008-12-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Roland made a profound statement in his last comment on the last thread:

Conservatives argue so much about wanting 'freedom' from government, but then they insist on having the right to dictate how OTHER people live their lives.

As a Conservative I do want freedom from government.

My going back to whether homosexuality is a sin or not is me just working through it all in my mind from my core outward. I'm trying to understand and see homosexuals as people with histories, hopes, dreams, fears and lives they are trying to live in a world in which they are defined by their sexuality (whether chosen or not). I'm not known as a "heterosexual." I'm a woman... a daughter, sister, wife, mother and friend.

I am trying to reconcile my faith with my political stands. Essentially, in this area, I have wiped out everything I previously thought and am attacking it from what is the beginning for me. My doing this on the blog is to, hopefully, draw others into the conversation to help me along the way. I know that in many ways my life experience is limited. I want to hear from others and what their experiences are and what they believe... and why.

Along with attempting to reconcile my faith with my political stands, I am also trying to decide how faith should or should not play a part in our governmental structure here in the U.S. I'm even wondering if Christians should be part of the political scene. Really, the inside of my head on these issues has become quite a mess.

That brings me to my questions for today:

1. If gluttony is a sin why do churches often participate in it? Why is it not condemned from the pulpits?

2. If we have the freedom to choose to accept the sacrifice of Jesus shouldn't we respect the freedom of others not to choose it?

Avoiding Politics

2008-12-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

So... obviously I haven't been posting here. I stressed myself out and have been wanting to just bury my head in the sand. It is also the holidays and I just want to try to create some sort of Norman Rockwell views of our family, our home, and our country. I'm bored of the speculation of what Obama will do once in office. We'll find out soon enough. I haven't been keeping up with the political news. I just don't want to care about it right now.

However, I wanted to tackle the issue of gay marriage and did a lot of research. It has been causing me some real heartburn. It has brought me all the way back to my core beliefs and brought up so many questions that I just want to run away. But I can't. It is there. In the back of my mind. Bothering me. So, I am going to share some of those questions. Tell me what you think.

Questions:

1. If God has given us a free will to choose to follow Him or not, is it right to expect others to follow our convictions?

2. It seems to me that Christian morality has been under attack for some time. People are fighting against what they see as restrictions based on Christian principles. Aren't all laws based in some sort of morality? What is the standard? Who comes up with it? Some argue what is wrong for most is not wrong for all. Is our system really set up for majority rule?

3. Are there levels of sin? I always believed there were not. Aren't all of us guilty of sin?

I'll stop here for today. Believe me, I have many more questions. These questions are from a Christian trying to figure things out and I know all who read here are not of the same belief system.

Thanksgiving Week!

2008-11-24T07:45:00.000-07:00

My daughter is home from college for the week! My son also has the week off from school. I am taking a political break and concentrating on getting ready for Thanksgiving and enjoying my family!

Be sure to take some time this week to think about what all you have to be thankful for in your life and for what we all have to be thankful for as Americans. Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents... Conservatives and Liberals... we all bring something to the American table!

God Bless y'all and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Gay Marriage

2008-11-20T08:15:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a lot of research on gay marriage this week. I'm working on an editorial of sorts but my housewifely duties have been suffering. And Thanksgiving is in one week... I've got some projects I've got to finish!!! I will say that in really digging into this issue I've learned that I've been misinformed in some areas and it has caused me to really re-evaluate some things and try to form a fully developed opinion based on facts.

Questions:

1. Where do you stand on gay marriage?

2. What do you see as the differences between gay marriage and civil unions?

3. Do you see this issue as one of equality?

Embryonic Stem Cell Research Part 2

2008-11-17T10:30:00.002-07:00

Just Me asked the following questions in the comments of the previous post:

Maybe I'm not as informed on the science as I should be, but why can't they use stem cells from umbilical cord blood? Why must we use stem cells from embryos?

I thought stem cells were stem cells. What's the difference here?

The difference between adult stem cells and embryonic stem cells is embryonic stem cells can form any adult tissue except placenta or fetus while adult stem cells can form only a few other than the parent tissue. Also, embryonic stem cells can be cultured to generate millions of stem cells needed for replacement therapy... adult stem cells are rare, difficult to isolate and cannot be cultured.
a
A possible problem with stem cell therapy is rejection by the immune system of the recipient. It is believed that by replacing the nucleus of an egg cell with the nuclear DNA of the patient that you could generate a perfect genetic match and circumvent any chance of rejection. However, this process is in reality cloning, albeit in a therapeutic sense.
a
I do not know enough about umbilical chord stem cells... my guess is that they present the same limitations as the adult stem cells.
a
The fact is there is and has never been a ban of embryonic stem cell research! The ban is on federal funding for research on newly created embryos. Okay, there was no federal funding for embryonic stem cell research at all prior to the decision by President Bush in 2001 to allow federal funding for research on the already existing embryos slotted for destruction at that time... but I am not aware of any specific ban against federal funding other than it had never been granted. Federal funding is about resource distribution... who and what will get how much of the nation's taxpayer dollars. It is not about restricting rights. For example, there is no constitutional right to federal funding of biomedical research.
a
The fight for ESCR is for our fedral government to foot the bill. Those fighting for federal funding of ESCR believe that by withholding federal funding for research that involves the creation of new embryos or the future destruction of embryos in existence, the President effectively banned embryonic stem cell research... as if the only way that this research will be able to continue is if the federal government pays for it. They also believe that the congressional ban (through withholding federal funds) is wrong because they see it as an imposition of religiously based moral views.
a
Again... there is no constitutional "right" to federal funding for biomedical research... or for anything else that is not in direct relation to running the government.
a
For those of us that believe life begins at conception this is a clear cut issue. Personally, I would not participate in certain fertility procedures due to this belief. However, there are many different views in regard to when a human life is viable... there are those that are satisfied with restricting the use of embryos for ESCR to only the first 14 days after fertilization.
a
Stepping away from the fight over when life begins... there is still the issue of whether this research should be paid for by the American public. The federal government just put forth a massive bail out... that we, the American people, will be paying for. Where will the money come from in this economy?

Embryonic Stem Cell Research

2008-11-13T12:00:00.002-07:00

Well... we've all heard it on the news. Obama is planning on lifting the ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

First of all, I want to make clear that President Bush did not ban private and state research funding... just federal funding. The fact is that embryonic stem cell research within the private-sector has always been permissible without restriction in the United States. I find the demonization of President Bush over this issue to be quite astounding. It also bears noting that there never was federal funding for embryonic stem cell research prior to his taking office.

I believe life begins at conception. I was fortunate enough to not have fertility issues. I cannot stand in judgment of those that seek alternate avenues to procreate but, there are certain procedures that I would not personally involve myself in had that been the case. It pains me to say that because I have not personally experienced the anguish of not being able to bring a child of my own into this world.

I do, however, suffer from Spasmodic Dysphonia which is a form of Dystonia. It is a movement disorder in which the nerve endings in my vocal chords over contract making it difficult for me to speak. Dystonia causes those that suffer from it to have all sorts of uncontrollable muscle movements involving areas such as the face, neck and limbs. It is truly debilitating for those who have it. There are similarities between dystonia and Parkinsons, both of which it is believed that embryonic stem cell research might provide the cure for. I am extremely fortunate in that only my vocal chords are affected. My heart breaks for those who have it much worse than I do. That being said, even though I and many others could possibly benefit from the research, I am still against it.

I do not understand the fervor in which this type of research has been sought. There have been great strides made in adult stem cell research. The embryonic stem cell research that has been done has yet to provide the results that were believed possible. Those out there think that the answer to that is to mandate federal funding... to throw more and more money into research.

I'm just an uneducated housewife but doesn't anyone see the danger here? Is science exempt from ethics? Wouldn't federal funding open the door for the need for more and more embryos? Isn't that creating a market for them? Are Americans willing to sell their soul to advance a science that is unproven? Aren't their doors we ought just not walk through?

Back to Obama... he's making some pretty big promises. We here in America are facing some pretty tough times. Our economy is getting worse by the day. Where is this federal funding going to come from?

I'd like you to read the following excerpt from the AAAS September Research & Development Funding Update:

"Congress has made little progress on the federal government’s budget for fiscal year (FY) 2009, which begins October 1, leaving federal funding for research and development (R&D) in limbo. Congress is preparing to leave Washington for the rest of the year after completing action on a bailout for the financial sector, postponing final budget decisions for most federal agencies until 2009. To keep the government operating, lawmakers approved a continuing resolution (CR) extending funding for all programs in unsigned 2009 appropriations bills at 2008 funding levels through March 6. The CR contains final FY 2009 appropriations for the Departments of Defense (DOD), Homeland Security (DHS), and Veterans Affairs (VA); all three receive substantial increases for their R&D portfolios, but other federal agencies in the remaining 9 of the 12 appropriations bills will be operating temporarily at or below 2008 funding levels for several months. Earlier in the year, congressional appropriators endorsed large increases for the three physical sciences agencies in the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI), increases for human spacecraft development, increases for biomedical research in the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and increases in other parts of the federal research and development (R&D) portfolio. But instead, most federal programs will continue to operate at or below 2008 funding levels for several months into the new fiscal year. In real terms, the federal investment in basic and applied research has already declined since 2004, and under the CR federal funding of research would decline again in 2009 for the fifth year in a row. "

Again, I ask, where is the funding going to come from? And I would like to know when it became acceptable in this country to FORCE its citizens to participate in ventures that they are morally opposed to? Will this funding come from tax dollars? Or will Congress just order up the printing of additional monies to cover it... and, if so, will those monies be paid back by our tax dollars? How does this work? Someone please tell me.

Oh Lord Have Mercy!!!

2008-11-12T10:00:00.001-07:00

Our friend Roland of Militant Ginger has blessed me with this blog award!!!

Roland awarded four other individuals and as I read through his descriptions of their blogs I nearly burst into flames and was afraid my family was going to come home to my ashes in a pile before my laptop. If you go to his blog to read about the other blogs he graced with this award... know that some of them contain adult only content.

Here is what he had to say about me:

The Uneducated Housewife's Guide to Politics: Coffee Bean is a clean living, conservative Christian, so might not be entirely comfortable with the idea of me celebrating her charismatic cranium with a Big Sexy Brain Award.

However, her Uneducated Housewife's Guide was one of the most active and stimulating blogs leading up to the election, in which she pitted libertarian, Democrat, Republican and Conservative against each other to chew up the issues that affected us the most.

What makes Coffee Bean smexy is that she breaks the conservative stereotype and thinks for herself. Both her Uneducated Housewife blog, and her day-to-day blog, are filled with intelligent, thoughtful ponderings in which she does something the hardcore liberals and conservatives are unwilling to do - admit that she doesn't know all the answers. Coffee Bean is an example to all of us and that humbling fact makes her very smexy indeed.

I thank you, Roland, from the bottom of my heart. You are most kind!

Now... I do want to pass this award on to a certain someone. He and Roland have gone head to head in the comment section here many times. It has been, at times, enlightening, horrifying and, above all, quite humorous. Yes, I am talking about Two Dogs. This blog would not be nearly as much fun for me if either of you weren't commenting! I very much appreciate both of your contributions!

And... I am sitting here laughing... I must say, I am enjoying myself immensely!

I'm Still Here!

2008-11-11T10:20:00.002-07:00

I'm just busy! You can read what I'm up to here. Hopefully, I'll be back tomorrow.

Thought Provoking Blog Post by OSO

2008-11-06T19:30:00.000-07:00

One Salient Oversight (OSO) was once a regular commenter here... I think I scared him away or something. Anyway, I've been trying to get caught up on reading other blogs and have spent a good bit of time on his blog this evening. Now... I don't agree with everything OSO has to say but I have very much appreciated his sharing his views. I particularly liked this post. Please take the time to read it (especially you Roland!).

The Fairness Doctrine

2008-11-06T07:30:00.003-07:00

Obama said back in June that he did not support The Fairness Doctrine... However, many Democrats do, including Nancy Pelosi.

Questions:

1. What are your thoughts on The Fairness Doctrine?

2. Do you believe Barak Obama will stand by his word?

Congratulations to Barak Obama

2008-11-05T08:00:00.001-07:00

This has been a truly historic election on many levels...

Graham left a link to this article in the comment section of this post. I loved the article! I hope y'all take the time to read it. I'm not sure that Graham and I took the article the same way... but it is an article of hope for me. A hope that regardless of who is leading our country that those of us within it will take the time to look at those around us and do what we can to help those in need. There are differences in how the opposing parties approach the needs of those in this country that are in trouble... but, I am hoping that all of us will remember to keep a human face on those issues.

I am also hoping and praying that those of us that supported McCain will move forward in ways that foster respect for us and for our beliefs. The will of the American people has been spoken.

Things Aren't Lookin' Good for McCain

2008-11-04T20:22:00.001-07:00

Well... the next four years will be interesting, no?

Wise Words

2008-11-03T20:45:00.003-07:00

There are a whole lot of people, and from all walks of life, who are incapable of grasping the simple common sense that was written in 1916 by William J. H. Boetcker, a Presbyterian minister. Although misinterpreted over the years as being quotes from Abraham Lincoln, they still ring true 92 years later. So on this last day of the 2008 presidential campaign, let's be reminded of these wise words he once wrote:

"You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.

You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.

You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.

You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.

You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.

You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.

You cannot help small men by tearing down big men.

You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income.

You cannot establish security on borrowed money.

You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they will not do for themselves."

ONE MORE DAY!!!

2008-11-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

I don't know who all is reading this blog but I do know that it is being read by a certain number of people. So, here is your chance!

Closing Statements!!! Tell us all why we should get behind YOUR candidate in the comments!

Listen Up!!!

2008-10-31T08:58:00.003-06:00

My friend, Elysa (who has contributed on this blog as has her homeschooled daughter), sent me the following e-mail from her brother-in-law:

I have a good friend that witnessed the Castro regime first hand. He's Cuban born and now an American citizen. Out of curiosity, I asked him if an article I read was an accurate depiction of Cuban-Americans. Below is a link to the article. And below that, is his response. I thought his insight is worth sharing.

M.G.
Hattiesburg, MS

Cuban-Americans 'allergic' to Obama-talk - A Cuban-born author and anti-Castro activist says Barack Obama won't make any inroads with voters in the Cuban-American community by pushing a wealth redistribution message. That community, he says, is all too familiar with the consequences of such a policy.

RESPONSE:

Yes it is TRUE. We are allergic to Obama. We are more than allergic, we are mortified over his ideas and the possibilities. We lived them once and don't want to see it ever again. Here is a brief reason why.

Most of my family were Spanish and French immigrants that came to Cuba over 150 yrs ago. They had nothing and worked hard to build businesses and purchase properties. Raised their children (my grandparents and parents) to be productive members of society and to assist the poor to have a better lives. My grandfather adopted a little black boy at the age of 7 from our town. Sent him to private schools, fed him, clothed him and made him a successful man with a business. We hired poor people from the country, brought them to the cities to live under our roof as workers to give them a better life, so they in turn could help their families. My parents rented properties to poor people in the best parts of town according to how much they could pay. We voluntarily "shared our wealth" and with great results. Everyone was happy. However, a few disgruntle members of our society felt we need CHANGE.

Along comes the Castro brothers promising CHANGE and with the idea of "sharing the wealth (by force)". They promised freedoms yet took them away. They promised to correct Congress by dissolving it and took over the entire government in less than a year. They took our properties, they took our money to share it with the less fortunate. In 1950's, Cuba's economy was to par with the US and the envy of every Latin American country. The Cuban peso was equal to the dollar. Today, the economy is completely non-existent and the peso is worth about 0.9 cent (yes, less than a penny.) The brain surgeon makes 280 pesos (about $22) a month, so does the teacher, the butcher and the street sweeper. He cannot own real estate or cars. They are all government "own" (better yet, stolen.) Food and clothing is rationed and it is minimal to sustain life. Travel between cities and towns is restricted. You cannot move to another place unless the government gives you "permission". Only high government officials, live the high life. The general public are slaves to the government with no way out.

As you can see, this is a very sore subject for Cubans, both old and young. Even my children, all American born, understand the suffering of the Cubans. Yes, we are allergic because we have been there before and don't what it to happen again.

Some Americans want CHANGE and think they will be better off? "Sharing the wealth" will not do it. Some of the candidate's ideas will backfire. We will be sent back to the 1800's economically and the ones asking for "change" will be enslaved again along with everyone else.

God save this country if this CHANGE takes place. Just make sure your Congressmen don't let those changes go thru.

Thanks,
Name withheld for confidential reasons

Feel Free to pass this along as you see fit!!!

If Iraqis Could Vote, They Would Vote for McCain!

2008-10-31T08:30:00.001-06:00

I found this article (by way of Gateway Pundit )to be quite interesting!

Back in September I had the chance to talk about Iraq with a helicopter pilot that had just retired and who had served in Iraq. I've found that when I've had the chance to talk with those that have served in Iraq I am told a much different story than what is usually offered up in our newspapers and on our news programs. This helicopter pilot told me that many Iraqis are afraid of working with the Americans because they they will be targeted if the U.S. pulls out. At the same time, there have been many brave Iraqis to step up and do just that, regardless of their safety should we leave.

What will happen to these people if we pull out too soon? How would that affect our standing in the world? What message would that send to the terrorists? Whatever the reason for the war... we are in it and we have a duty to finish it. We cannot go in there and turn everything upside down just to walk away. The United States needs to stand up and make it right. We must help the Iraqi people establish their freedom and protect that freedom. You cannot make it right by walking away.... Over 4,000 American lives have been given and we have a duty to those to make sure that their lives were not given in vain!

I find it ironic that as we fight for the freedom of another people we are facing the possibility of losing our freedom here... and not by force. Do people hear what Obama says??? Do people not understand what it means??? Is this election going to come down to a tax calculator and votes being cast for how much money they think they will get personally? Have they not noticed the number at which people will be taxed more keeps getting lower and lower from the mouths of Obama and Biden themselves?

I pray to God that something happens this weekend to open the eyes of the American people!!!

Barak Obama Breaks Promise

2008-10-30T08:00:00.000-06:00

Well I, of course, watched Barak Obama's 30 minute infomercial with great interest. It was very well done... from the examples of down to earth struggling American families, to the camera work, to the inspirational music in the background throughout... and to the live impassioned speech at the end. It was impressive. Hopefully, people will see it for what it was. A well produced PR piece.

The text that goes along with the above clip can be found here. Barak Obama was only able to produce that infomercial through a broken promise. A man of his word he is not.

What are your thoughts on the infomericial and/or Obama breaking his promise to accept public financing and to work with the Republican nominee to ensure that they both operated within those limits?

Responses to Letter

2008-10-29T07:30:00.005-06:00

We've gotten some responses to my husband's letter via e-mail that I'd like to share. Someone commented yesterday that they thought this site was about laying it out so they could make a choice and that they were disappointed that I shared my (our) choice... When I started this blog it was not my intention to use the blog as a platform for what I believe. I did want to present the different sides so that those of differing views could say what they believe and why rather than me saying what they believe and why. I always strive to understand other people and where they are coming from so that we can communicate on a deeper level that includes respect.

My comments, obviously, will be in red. Mr. Macchiato's response will be in blue. I will also be editing the e-mails so that they are anonymous.

Thanks for the message. Unfortunately, I am probably the wrong audience.

You argue good versus evil. This is not a decision between a good man and a crazed terrorist. This is a decision between two good men with different opinions on how to turn the country around. Barack Obama and the Democratic Party are not evil. The Democratic party is not determined to create socialism, abort all children, take money from the rich and give it to the lazy, nor to open our borders to criminals.

I was not decided on this race until McCain chose Palin as a running mate. She is, by miles, the least qualified of the four to have any involvement in governing the US. I was disgusted by the choice, and nothing in her campaign has changed my opinion. McCain is a great man, but he has sold his credibility in his pursuit of the presidency.

I am a registered Republican. I would personally benefit more from McCain's tax plan that I would from Obama's. I have affordable healthcare. I don't care for abortion. I firmly believe that each individual is responsible for their choices and destiny. I worked my way through college - and don't necessarily agree that those opportunities should be handed to anyone. I own a gun. Still, I will vote for Barack Obama for several reasons:

· I am tired of the Republican good vs. evil argument (especially since the evil argument contains threads of racism)

· McCain and his advisors hands are ALL OVER the financial crisis. Many of his advisors worked with Fannie Mae, and he has been a strong proponent of deregulation. The financial crisis is a direct result of deregulation in the banking industry and the conflicting interest created by that deregulation.

· Barack Obama is more likely to inspire and build confidence - the most important aspect to a recovery

· I am scared to death that something would happen to McCain and Sara Palin would be President

· John McCain is enamored with military conflict and has a dated view of the American station in world affairs. It is not 1955, or even 1995. We don't need a meathead approach to foreign policy.

Your response is an intelligent one (mostly). I don't agree with the bit about good versus evil or with the bit about racism. You can’t play the religious zealot card or the race card every time you disagree with a conservative. I wish I shared your faith in the goodness of Barack Obama and the Democrat Party. I believe that there are well meaning Democrats, but by and large they are not in positions of leadership especially in Washington DC. I think that the Democrat Party benefits from dependency and that the more they can further dependency, the more they can secure their grip on power.

Sarah Palin has more executive experience than Barack Obama and Joe Biden combined. You may not like her views on things, but she has been a successful mayor and governor. She has a proven track record of reform and fiscal responsibility. She understands energy policy probably better than anyone else in the race.

I too am a registered Republican, but I am a conservative first. Neither tax plan will affect me personally, except that Obama’s plan will hurt the business that I work for. Our business is an S Corporation. Our majority shareholder is in a 35% federal tax bracket, plus 4.63% state income tax, plus Social Security and Medicare Taxes. How much is enough?? We too have health insurance, but our out of pocket expense are still high for the reasons I explained before. I’m glad that you don’t care for abortion. Abortion is a matter of right and wrong for me. It should not be tolerated. I too am a big believer in personal responsibility. I didn’t work my way through college. I was fortunate (my mom and dad paid). We do not own a gun. Still, I would never vote for Barack Obama.

I am tired of Democrats playing the race card every time someone questions Obama’s associations. He is associated with some very unsavory, very untrustworthy folks.

Democrats including Barney Frank and Chris Dodd pushed an amendment to the Community Revitalization Act during the Clinton Administration that for the first time allowed for the securitization of subprime mortgages. Millions of federal dollars were funneled to ACORN through this legislation. ACORN used this money in part to intimidate banks into making bad loans. The aforementioned Community Revitalization Act also created rules which caused banks to make bad loans, including rules which downgraded them if they did not make loans to certain disadvantaged borrowers or locate branches in bad neighborhoods. Banks which refused to follow these rules were not allowed to expand their businesses. Democrats including Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Chris Dodd and Barney Frank, not John McCain, have all profited handsomely from the demise of Fannie Mae and Lehman Brothers. John McCain saw the looming crisis and tried to fix it in 2006. He was blocked by Democrats.

I would argue that Barack Obama is perceived by our enemies as being weak. Why else would they prefer him to be president?? I don’t think that Barack Obama knows what the heck he is doing in regards to the economy. Tax increases have NEVER led to prosperity. Even John Kennedy knew this and that is why he cut taxes.

Sarah Palin is arguably much better prepared than Barack Obama, and she would have McCain’s advisors to rely on. I won’t argue that she is more qualified than Joe Biden on foreign policy, since he is far more qualified than his running mate. That being said, Joe Biden has pretty much been on the wrong side of every foreign policy issue for the last 30 years.

I would argue that John McCain understands the cost of war far better than anyone else in the race. John McCain has served heroically and has suffered greatly. He also has a son in the war, as does Sarah Palin and Joe Biden. As I stated before, whether you believe in the reasons for the war or not, we cannot afford to surrender now. The Iraqis who have helped us would be subject to genocide, and we would most likely be forced to return to clean up the mess we left. The prosecution of the war had been a disaster until the surge. Victory is now within in reach. I believe that while the Iraqis have suffered greatly and the cost to our country has been great in terms of bloodshed and dollars, Iraqis and others in the Middle East will reap the blessings of freedom for generations to come.

As for nations like Iran, it is naïve to think that they can be reasoned with. I believe we should exhaust every diplomatic effort before we take military action, but we cannot stand idly by while Iran destroys Israel. What every American must understand is that radical Islam hates everything that we stand for beginning with tolerance. Women have no rights in these countries. Gays are put to death. No dissent of any kind is allowed. Their beliefs call for our destruction, conservative and liberal alike, man and woman alike, gay and straight alike, white, black, Latino or Asian it doesn’t matter.

Please understand that I respect your right to believe differently than I do. I have several friends that are either Democrats or liberals. I just think that all of us are making a grave mistake if we elect Barack Obama. I do not think he is trustworthy, and I do not share your opinion that he is a good man. I think he is especially dangerous in light of the fact that Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi control the congress. Many of the things that they would like to do will be extremely harmful to our nation.

In the event that Barack Obama does win, I sincerely hope that I am dead wrong.

You are certainly passionate and informed on the specifics, more so than I am.

The good vs. evil comment has little to do with religious belief. My point is more that, while there are practical reasons to oppose Barack Obama, I don't understand the fear that he is untrustworthy. It is highly unlikely that there are sinister motives behind his policies. If you want to make that argument, you could make a more powerful and similar argument against the Bush administration. I do not believe that Barack Obama, nor anyone in either party intends to hurt America. Politics are an ugly business. There is no way that you can make your arguments of the Democrats grip on power without including the more heinous eight years of Rove, Cheney, Rumsfeld, and their befuddled front man. The good vs. evil venom preys on basic human emotion and fear of change. It's ugly. As for racism, I was not referring to your argument specifically, rather the undertone of conservative speculations about his name, ties to muslims, etc.

Sarah Palin's experience as a small town mayor and Governor of Alaska does not in any way prepare her for national politics. She has zero experience navigating congressional politics and zero experience in foreign policy. She is also poorly educated relative to the alternatives. Your argument is that she can balance a budget. Many can. She has no business whatsoever on the National Political scene. None. There is no way to argue differently. It is naive to suggest that her advisors can walk her through foreign policy, congressional politics, and all other nuances of the job should McCain die. Why bother giving her the job if her advisors will have to do all the work? We can just pay the advisors and save the $400K salary.

I have not heard Barack Obama say that we are going to take the troops out of Iraq on January 17th. He has said that we need a timetable to transition policing (that's what we are doing) to the Iraqis. That makes sense. If not, the Iraqis can at least start footing the bill. You are worried about spending. How about $1 Billion a month on that war? The battle with Terrorists is in Afghanistan and Pakistan. We cannot afford to continue the War on our own on two fronts. We need to transition the War in Iraq, or solicit help from nato countries. Barack Obama is more suited to those negotiations. (If you are worried about genocide, why aren't we in Darfur? President Bush does not care about genocide in non-oil producing countries. Just a snide side note.)

There is a fairly neutral article in the October GQ issue on John McCain and his involvement in Iraq. It paints a portrait of a patriotic man, but points out his enthusiasm for this war, and war in general. It also points out his loyalties to Bush. You should read it.

Foreign governments, particularly Muslim nations do not have the same values we do. Of course we cannot reason with them on the basis of philosophy. We can, however, wield a financial stick. That's all diplomacy ever is. We will withhold if you don't, we will give if you do. The world prefers Obama not because he seems weak, but because he seems reasonable. McCain is a throwback - dictating the world without recognition of a new economic parity.

I also disagree with your assessment of your placement of blame on the democratic party for the financial crisis. The securitization of mortgage and debt are not dragging the economy down. The securitization instruments themselves may in fact still prove useful in spreading risk. The insatiable demand for the assets based on AAA ratings are the root of the problem. The irresponsible rating of the assets (paid consulting fees by the companies who's assets they are rating - deregulation) and the unregulated derivatives and credit swaps are what will drag the economy down. The sub-prime mess itself was relatively small in dollar terms. The collapse or AIG and Lehman were do to the credit swaps - unregulated and irresponsible insurance of bad assets. This is a function of deregulation - a mantra of conservative Republicans.

All that said, I could be wrong. I greatly respect John McCain, and I have felt sorry for him during the campaign. I am repulsed by politics. It would not be the end of the world if McCain were elected. Whoever wins will have a brutal job ahead of them. For me, it boils down to hope in a new direction. That part may be naive, but the alternative is just depressing. In any event, it's been a good discussion and I appreciate your opinions.

Again, I am very interested in those whose views oppose mine (ours) and it is dialog such as the above that I've been looking for. We are, or should be, Americans first when it comes to politics and we each get our one vote. I fully respect each person's freedom to vote however they see fit. Yes, I have decided to vote for McCain, but that doesn't mean that I no longer am interested in what the other side has to say.

We also got the following comment via e-mail.

Too late. I've already voted.
You have obviously drunk the Koolaid.
It won't be nearly as bad as you think.
The four stages of loss are as follows:

1 - Denial
2 - Anger
3 - Bargaining
4 - Acceptance

Once the fairness doctrine is reinstated and the right wing hate mongers are forced to go hide on paid radio, folks will have to figure all this out for themselves and they just may come to some different conclusions.

Freedom means folks are free to do things you may not agree with.

You are going to be far better off with a Democratic Congress, filibuster-proof Senate and a Democratic president. We just have to make sure they don't keep it all for too long since power corrupts completely.

Having all the wealth concentrated in the top 1% of people isn't good for the economy. The only thing that creates jobs is demand. We hire employees to meet that demand. Where does demand come from? It comes from the people who spend their money (providing they have some) on something besides derivitives and other get richer faster schemes.

No Kool-Aid here, but I wonder what kind of magic potion the DNC is handing out to get you all to discount Obama's bad friends. Obama's questionable associations go way deeper than Bill Ayers or Jeremiah Wright (as if they weren't bad enough).

I wonder if ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC or NPR will observe the “fairness doctrine”. The liberals already have their voice in the media. Maybe you don’t recognize it because you have drank too much of the magic potion. Hate Mongers?? Are you talking about Jeremiah Wright, Father Pfleger, Louis Farrakhan or someone else? Just because somebody disagrees with your politics doesn’t make them hateful. I thought free speech was a right in this country.

People are free to do many things that I don’t agree with. Where I draw the line is when their rights infringe on the right of others.

If we’re going to start redistributing wealth, why don’t we start with Warren Buffett. He seems to be a good Democrat. I would not even agree with this. Taking money from people who have worked for it and giving it those who haven’t is just wrong. Taxes are necessary, but they should be fair to everybody. 35% when coupled with state taxes, sales taxes, Social Security and Medicare is more than enough. If you tax small businesses another 4.63% (and I know it is not all small businesses, but it is many, the ones that create jobs), you take away money that is typically spent on equipment purchases, new buildings, etc. How will this help the economy?? Tax increases have never led to more prosperity for anyone. The last time we raised taxes during a recession, it led to the Great Depression. I guess since Herbert Hoover was a Republican, the Democrats need to try it for themselves (brilliant).

CEO, CEO, CEO. There, I said it for you. Maybe Democrats should look at where CEO’s and corporations dole out their money starting with Franklin Raines and Exxon. It isn’t just ordinary people giving Obama all that money.

As I wrote above, if Obama wins, I sincerely hope that I am dead wrong about the intentions of Obama, Pelosi and Reid.

We both know that small businesses are defined as less than 400 people. That includes the one I work for.

The tax Obama is talking about is personal income tax. Many small businesses are sole proprietorships and therefor their tax is personal income tax. Most "small businesses" are incorporated and he is proposing tax breaks for them to assist with modernization, re-tooling, etc.

The candidates keep it simple for the masses but you and I both know there is a lot more to it,
I agree with and share your hopes that he will surprise his critics and do the right things.

Most closely held corporations (like the one I work for) are in fact S Corporations. S Corporation shareholders pay taxes at personal income tax rates. Incentives and tax credits are nice but they generally result in more tax forms, and I’m pretty sure that Obama’s tax increase minus credits would still result in a net increase.

A Letter from my Husband

2008-10-28T07:15:00.000-06:00

My husband and sponsor, who I lovingly refer to as Mr. Macchiato on my blogs, has written a letter he wants me to share.

Dear Family & Friends,

The outcome of this election will affect our future and those of our children for generations to come. We have a choice between traditional American Values including free speech, the right to keep and bear arms, limited government, the right to choose our own doctor, the right to vote in private when choosing a union, traditional marriage and the sanctity of life or the “fairness doctrine”, gun control, massive government, socialized medicine, coercion, gay marriage and abortion on demand. We have a choice between a true American Hero who has lived his adult life under the scrutiny of the media, and a man whom we know little or nothing about.

On the Economy – Take it from a small company accountant, Obama’s planned tax increase WILL hurt small business and kill job creation. No tax increase has ever led to prosperity. Small business is already over burdened with taxes and regulation. Have you ever heard of employment taxes (Social Security, Medicare, Federal Unemployment, State Unemployment), workers compensation insurance, health insurance regulations, 401(k) regulations, census bureau reporting, garnishments, tax levies, tax liens, sales tax, use tax, permits, reporting, reporting and more reporting?? These are all unfunded burdens that small business must bear. In fact, many small companies do not offer benefits due to the regulatory hassles that go with them.

Tort Reform – John McCain supports tort reform. Runaway lawsuits are destroying business and destroying our healthcare system. Frivolous lawsuits are yet another way small businesses are being torn down. Experienced doctors retire early because their malpractice insurance costs too much. Fewer and fewer qualified students are entering medical schools. Why not fight?? The cost of defending these lawsuits is often more than the cost of settling and unless you have been through one, you cannot understand the disruption it brings. We need loser pays. Why should a few profit while the rest of us pay?? Why has nothing been done?? You guessed it… The number one donor to the DNC is the American Trial Lawyers Association.

Healthcare – John McCain supports healthcare reform. Fact, socialized medicine is a disaster in every country where it has been tried. If you’re healthy, it’s great. If you’re not, you’re screwed. It is six months to get an MRI in Canada. Wealthy Canadians come to the USA for healthcare. You don’t have the freedom to choose your own doctor in Britain. What if you have a brain tumor?? What if you are not deemed worthy of being healed?? Where are you then?? What country will you go to when the USA no longer has a pay for service healthcare system?? There are two things that could be done that would dramatically reduce the cost of healthcare. First, implement loser pays. Legitimate lawsuits would continue while frivolous lawsuits would stop. Defensive medicine is very expensive. Trust me. I have been a victim of unnecessary tests. Second, control the borders. We cannot afford to provide free healthcare for illegals (and we do). Why is it that Liberals fight every attempt to reform the healthcare system, while pushing socialized medicine?? Could it be their buddies at the Trial Lawyers Association?? Could it be they are compassionate, or do they just want another way to control us?? What will we do when there are no more doctors?? Do we really expect young people to invest 10 to 12 years of their lives plus tens of thousands of dollars becoming doctors so they can work for half of what they do now?? Why not become an attorney and sue doctors for ten times the pay??

Immigration – John McCain supports border security first. We must stop pandering to illegals to garner votes. Control the border now. Make it easier for law-abiding, hard-working people to emigrate. Keep the criminals out. Do not reward anyone for breaking the law.

Energy Independence – John McCain supports offshore drilling plus a host of other “green” alternatives. We cannot achieve energy independence in the short run without drilling. Windmills cannot replace coal-fired power plants. Solar panels cannot replace nuclear power plants. To believe otherwise is simply naïve. A jet airplane will not fly on batteries and a locomotive will not run on biodiesel (yet).

Judges – John McCain will appoint judges that interpret the law not make law from the bench. We have a congress for making laws. We cannot have judges making new laws every time some legislator does not get his or her way.

Sanctity of Life – John McCain believes in the sanctity of life. Life begins at conception. This is an undisputable fact. We should not terminate the life of a defenseless human being simply because we made a mistake any more than we should terminate the life of someone who cannot provide for themselves. Choose before you hop in the sack. If you can’t help yourself, live with the consequences for nine months, and then give the baby up for adoption. As for back alley abortions, I cannot sympathize with someone who dies while breaking the law. What about the emotional distress abortionists inflict on “law-abiding” women every day?? What about increased breast cancer rates?? Is anyone ever glad that they had an abortion?? Yes it might be your body, but the fetus’ body is not.

The War – Whether you agree or disagree with the reasons for the war. We must win. John McCain supported the surge. Barack Obama did not. Barack Obama was wrong. If we leave Iraq now, there will be genocide. If we leave Iraq, America’s credibility will forever be diminished. Who will enter the next war with us when we cannot finish the job?? All the next enemy will have to do is outlast our political will just like Vietnam. Are Vietnamese better off because we left?? Is anyone better off living in a totalitarian state?? John McCain understands war probably better than any leader since Dwight Eisenhower. Barack Obama has never served, and in fact has been critical of the troops he wishes to command. Who will follow him??

Education – Why are liberals pro-choice on matters of life and death, but they are against parents sending kids to the school of their choice?? Could it be the teacher’s union?? Hmm, I wonder how much they give to the DNC. John McCain supports school choice.
Why do liberals insist on throwing good money after bad?? Public schools receive the most funding, yet they are at the bottom of the barrel. Private schools spend on average half of what public schools do, yet they perform better. Home school families spend less than private schools, yet they out perform both. Are liberals really concerned about education or are they concerned about thought control??

Gun Rights – Criminals will always have guns. Why prevent law abiding citizens from owning guns?? John McCain supports gun rights. Why do we have second amendment rights?? Our founders knew that ultimately an oppressive government could not survive while the citizenry had the right to keep and bear arms. The second amendment guarantees every other right promised by the constitution.

Limited Government – Any government big enough to give us everything we want is big enough to take away everything we have. John McCain has fought for limited government his entire career. The Federal government has far exceeded its constitutional authority. It is literally bankrupting the country. We cannot afford any new spending or any new wars for that matter. Barack Obama has proposed one trillion dollars in new spending. Who will pay for it?? Social security is bankrupt, yet Barak Obama proposes to give tax credits to those paying social security taxes. The social security trust fund is comprised entirely of US Government securities. If the government can’t pay its debt, then what happens??

National Security – John McCain understands what it takes to keep America safe. Our troops respect him. Barack Obama is the least experienced candidate for President that I can think of. He has been inconsistent on his foreign policy. He has said that he would sit down with leaders of rogue regimes without precondition. Do we really think we can reason with terrorists or rogue leaders?? Hmm, did that work for Neville Chamberlain?? Would Barack Obama really defend Israel if attacked??

The Financial Crisis – Barney Frank, Chris Dodd and Maxine Waters are all at the center of this debacle. Barack Obama benefitted from massive campaign donations from the CEO of Lehman Brothers and from Franklin Raines the head of Fannie Mae. Fannie Mae also gave massive amounts of money to ACORN. John McCain, George Bush and even Bill Clinton tried to reign in Fannie Mae. They were blocked while others profited.

The Other Guy – What do we really know about him?? What is his relationship with Bill Ayers?? Why would he have a relationship with someone who bombed our Pentagon?? Why would he attend a church for twenty years that preaches hatred against whites, Jews and others?? I would not attend a church that preached hate against blacks for twenty minutes let alone twenty years. What is his association with Tony Rezko?? What is his relationship with Rashid Khalidi?? What is his relationship with ACORN?? Why did his campaign give ACORN $850,000?? Is ACORN preparing massive voter fraud??

I am sorry if I have offended anyone, but the stakes are high. I will not sell our country down the river for the promise of free healthcare and tax credits for those not paying income taxes. I will not sell our country down the river for the promise of a quick end to a war that is not over. John McCain represents a return to fundamental American principals of governance. He is not George Bush. Barack Obama will take us down the path toward socialism. He has said as much (redistribution of wealth, universal healthcare). Are you willing to trust Barack Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi with your future?? What will they do with unchecked power?? Will they stack the deck against future opposition?? Are you willing to take that risk??

Sincerely,

Mr. Macchiato

This is Interesting

2008-10-27T12:30:00.000-06:00

I found this through Two Dog's blog which led me to Gateway Pundit. I've really stayed away from posting this sort of thing on this blog but the time is drawing near and this is Barak Obama speaking himself.

Eight Days

2008-10-27T07:45:00.002-06:00

We are getting down to the wire! Yes! I am working on a comparison of sorts and I want to get all my facts straight so it is going to take me some more time. I'm curious to know though...

1. If you are still undecided, what factors are you considering that are making the decision hard for you?

2. If you are decided, what were the deciding factors for you?

3. Do you have any caveats in your decisions?

Eleven Days and Counting

2008-10-24T09:05:00.002-06:00

So very counting... I am ready for this election to be over. Whatever the outcome. Just Done. Do you wonder what the rest of the world is thinking about all of this? I haven't spent much time on here talking about the ridiculousness but I've been watching. What has happened to our culture?

Anyway...

Who do you think is going to win?

I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if Obama wins but I wouldn't be surprised if McCain wins either.

I'm Back!

2008-10-22T08:19:00.002-06:00

I am back and out of the loop! Hopefully, I can find some time today to get back up to speed on some things. In the mean time...

1. How do you feel about the election today?

2. Has there been any information that has come to light over the last week that has you thinking?

3. What are the hot topics going around?

Sad News

2008-10-16T21:02:00.002-06:00

A dear friend died this week and I am on my way to Mississippi to go to the funeral. I'll be back next week.

I'm Sick of Politics

2008-10-13T09:30:00.000-06:00

What is there to holler about today? Last night while I was circling the airport trying to pick up my husband I heard some guy on the radio comparing stuff Obama wrote at different times to the book he wrote, Dreams From My Father. He didn't feel that Obama could have possibly written it. He then took a leap and compared it to writings of Bill Ayers and came to the conclusion that Bill Ayers must have actually written the book... and that Bill Ayers and some other dude are like parental figures to Obama... My mouth is still hanging open. What? Of course, my reaction is much the same as when I first found out about Ted Haggard and we all know how that turned out. Anyone else hear this craziness? Any thoughts?

Saw on the 10 minutes of Good Morning America that I watched this morning waiting for the weather segment that the McCain campaign is now going to focus on the economy rather than attacking Obama. I'd heard the McCain campaign was all on the attack. Huh?

I'm about ready to pull my hair out and run stark raving mad through the streets in my town. But, with clothes on. I haven't lost it completely.

So, what ridiculousisities have you heard? Yes, I made up that word. Any other angry people out there want to step out and send me another e-mail on my intellectual ineptitude? Feel free! I can use the laugh.

Plan A, B, or C?

2008-10-08T12:30:00.000-06:00

Our middle daughter is a freshman in college and this summer we had to sit down and figure out which dining hall plan to purchase for the semester. I got to thinking about that… What if we Americans could purchase specific plans in regard to our government? What would that look like?

PLAN A:

Rights: Jobs, Food, Housing, Healthcare, Education.

Advantage: Freedom from responsibility.

Price: Choice

PLAN B:

Choice: Jobs, Food, Housing, Healthcare, Education.

Advantage: Freedom from government control.

Price: Hard work

PLAN C:

Freedom to pick and choose from Plan A and Plan B

Price: Currently undetermined. To ensure availability of this plan in the future, we advise you purchase Plan B.

Of course, we would be told it isn’t that simple. But, what if it is? Clear away the smoke of debate and the rhetoric thrown out by both sides. What are we left with? Aren’t there ideologies at the very base of these candidates? What are those ideologies? In my opinion, it is either Plan A or Plan B.

Now, I know that life is not that simple and there is much left out of the above equation. However, wouldn’t those basic ideologies be the driving force behind the candidacies?

When I was a little girl my Aunt told me a story that made an impression on me that has stuck with me through the years. She was a wonderful story teller and I very much enjoyed how she changed her voice to make the story come alive.

There was a village in which everyone was starving and one man went into the village square and put on a large pot of water to boil and threw in a stone. This caught the attention of the other villagers and they secretly watched from within their homes as this man stirred the water in the pot and talked of how glorious the soup would be. He would then mention something that might make the soup better… onions, potatoes, carrots, etc. One by one the villagers came from their homes with something they could add to the pot. They came together as a community and no one went hungry that night.

Imagine that the story went a different direction for a moment. What if the leader of the village went and entered each of the villagers’ homes and just took what was needed for the soup? What if some of the villagers had worked hard and stored up more than the other villagers and instead of being given the opportunity to share willingly, their stores were taken and split evenly among those that had not worked hard and planned ahead?

People that work hard and plan ahead are not bad people. People that don’t have the ability to work hard and plan ahead through mental and/or physical limitations or circumstances beyond their control are not bad people. Even the people that do not work hard and fritter away their resources are not necessarily bad people. Many people learn valuable lessons from making those kinds of mistakes. What if those teachable moments are interrupted? What if, rather than experience some discomfort they are just given what they want or need? Is that good for the person? Is that good for the community as a whole?

I personally believe it is much more effective and much more beneficial to the community to inspire those with more to give willingly of their resources, time and money rather than to have a mandate requiring more and more from them. We already have differing tax rates for those in differing tax brackets. What Obama is proposing will seriously affect small business and have a negative impact on our already suffering economy.

Just as trickle down economics has not provided what was hoped for, neither will trickle down change. Change is something that has to occur from the inside out. It begins in our individual hearts and then spills out into our homes, then into our towns, cities and states. The spirit of America’s citizens is what makes this country great, not its government. It is that spirit of freedom that launched this country, the very spirit of freedom that is in danger today.

You are purchasing a plan with your vote. Which plan will you choose?

Something is Bothering Me

2008-10-08T08:30:00.004-06:00

I was planning on going back to my asking of questions and reading what y'all have to say in the comments but... a few things are bothering me.

Last night, during the debate, Obama said something about making sure that WE provide China with the energy they need (due to their building of coal burning plants and the need to clean up the environment). I did not listen to the talking head dissection of the debate last night, nor am I planning to today (I'm really tired of it) so I don't know if anyone else has brought this up. WHAT?!?! Don't we have more important things to attend to at the moment?

AND... I just don't get something. Call me dumb. We have got how many cars on the road that run on gas? I think any and all avenues toward cleaner and more efficient energy use need to be pursued. There are very smart people out there and necessity is the mother of invention, right? In the mean time, however, we are a nation dependent upon oil. I am so sick of people talking about getting rid of SUV's... where do they think they are going to go? If people in this country don't buy them... they'll surely be sent down to Mexico and sold there. The fact is not everyone can just go buy a hybrid. The law of supply and demand will take care of the vehicle issue, but all of the vehicles on the road have a certain life span. While we are moving in the direction of lowering/eliminating our dependence upon oil we have to ensure we have the oil we need to get there. I don't get it. Okay... the world does not have an endless supply of oil... we need cleaner and more efficient energy supplies... I get that. I get that we as individuals need to be aware and start doing the things we can to move in that direction. What about the practical side?

Politicians lie. They do. What each of us has to do is to figure out what is most important to us and then cast our vote for the candidate that we believe is more likely to go in the direction we think they should. There are no guarantees. This really is not a democracy and our votes are really nothing more than hopes.

If you believe that the government should be our Daddy... that health care, education, jobs and homes are rights without responsibility and that you lack the ability to plan for your future and need to be told what to do... and you have no problem with your great grandchildren standing in line for hours for their ration of scratchy toilet paper... vote for Obama.

If you believe that government should be limited and that you should have the freedom to make your own choices... vote for McCain.

Above all... PRAY.

Presidential Debate

2008-10-08T07:45:00.000-06:00

Snore.

Same ol' Same ol' if you ask me.

Can we just vote now?

Any thoughts? Any concerns? Anyone paying attention anymore?