CHRISTMAS TIME!!

There are certainly many upsetting and blood-pressure raising headlines in the news today; however, it is Christmas time and I am going to focus on the holiday this week.

I have taken a week vacation to spend with my family. We are not going anywhere - I am home with my beautiful, 10 year old daughter and we are going to make cookies and cocoa, wrap presents, I am going to kiss my husband under the mistletoe and discuss with my family what Christmas is really about - celebrating the coming of the Christ.

I normally stay away from Faith specific topics and am aware that many of my fellow bloggers may not share my belief in Jesus Christ, but for this week - I will share my Savior with anyone willing to listen.

I believe in Heaven and Hell and I believe that the soul will go on after the body dies. I believe that there are consequences for sin and that the cost is steep. I believe Jesus was born to intercede for me and that he accepted my punishment for my sins. I believe that he went to the cross willingly and died so that I can go to Heaven. The only thing he asks in return is for my faith in him. We are saved by GRACE, through FAITH. Good deeds are not what he requires, but they are a natural by-product of a grateful heart and a true belief that Jesus died for us. When you have a true belief in Jesus and what he did, you can not help but be grateful and that thankfulness spills over into everything that you do.

A result of my belief in my Savior is that I do have a thankful heart. I seek truth and justice in both my personal and professional life. I try to be kind to others and to help others where I can, because I believe he wants us to love others. Sometimes I fail, but if I did not ever fail and was a perfect person - Why would I need a savior?

I ponder the hours leading up to Jesus' arrest and consider how difficult it must have been, knowing that he would be tortured and hung on a cross to die like a criminal when he had committed no crime. How would I feel if I had to accept punishment for an offense I had not committed? And to not have the benefit of a fair trial? I would be pretty angry and resentful; he wasn't. The Bible says that when the soldiers came to arrest him, Peter tried to protect Jesus, but Jesus asked Peter to stand aside and allowed himself to be arrested - knowing that his purpose was greater than what his Disciples could fully comprehend.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the fulfillment of a promise from God to send the Savior. Because of Jesus I am saved; not perfect or sin free, only forgiven. THANK YOU, GOD!!

If anyone out there is contemplating Jesus and has questions, I am happy to answer what I can. I am not a pastor and may not have all the answers, but I am more than glad to share what I can with you.

ARE YOU COMPLETELY FREAKING OUT YET??!

The president, George W. Bush has again decided to ignore the will of the people and also the decision of Congress and is authorizing a BAILOUT for the Big Three; $17.4 BILLION dollars.

PLUS, Congress is due for the annual pay increase; however, just as I said about the corporate execs with the Big Three, do you really get a raise when you are doing a completely crappy job? Congress' approval rating has been as low as 12% in recent months and yet they still feel deserving of a raise.

I AM SICK OF ELECTED OFFICIALS SPENDING TAXPAYER MONEY WITH SO LITTLE ACCOUNTABILITY!

You people have got to be kidding. Most of Congress is independently wealthy; it wasn't supposed to be that way but who else can take off work from a real job for months at a time to campaign?? I know I can't. Yet they want more.

There are a few heroes that are standing up to colleagues regarding this pay raise. Rep. Harry Mitchell, a first-term Democrat from Arizona, Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind,Rep. Gresham Barrett, R-SC and Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah are all opposed to the pay hike and some have taken drastic measures against it. Mitchell, Burton and Barrett have all tried to push legislation that would curtail automatic pay increases, but the efforts were unsuccessful. Burton is returning his pay increase to the Treasury Department. Matheson has been trying to put the brakes on automatic pay raises for 8 years, but has been voted down by the greedier colleagues.

I see this as a bi-partisan problem and a bi-partisan effort to stop it. I want to give credit where it is due. Mitchell and Matheson are both Democrats on the right side of this issue and I thank them for looking out for the taxpayers. I hope that Bill O'Reilly points them out as "Patriots" this week. No one else seems to be looking out for the citizens of this country.

I want a REAL CHANGE. I want leaders that are not all about spending more of my hard earned money on wasteful, stupid programs that are (1)useless (Endowment for the Arts, PBS), (b) don't work (No Child Left Behind, Homeland Security)or (c) a complete insult to my sense of right and wrong (Planned Parenthood). Next election cycle, I may just advocate firing ALL INCUMBANTS.

AIG LAWSUIT!!

This will make your head explode if you haven't already heard about it. A lawsuit has been filed by the Thomas More Law Center on behalf of Kevin J. Murray, a former Marine infantryman claims that AIG promotes terrorism. According to a statement released by the Thomas More Law Center, The basis of the lawsuit is that AIG intentionally promotes Shariah-compliant businesses and insurance products, which by necessity must comply with the 1200 year old body of Islamic canon law based on the Quran, which demands the conversion, subjugation, or destruction of the infidel West, including the United States. To help achieve these objectives and with the aid of federal tax dollars, AIG employs a three-person Shariah Advisory Board, with members from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Pakistan. According to AIG, the role of its Shariah authority “is to review operations, supervise its development of Islamic products, and determine Shariah compliance of these products and investments.”

The purpose of the lawsuit is to stop any more taxpayer money from going to terrorist organizations. It is believed by some that these Shariah banks send money to Hamas, Al-Qaeda and to spread anti-American sentiment.

I do not know how much truth there is to these allegations, but if it is true - this is incredibly frightening; I DO KNOW, that I do not want anymore taxpayer money going to AIG!!

New note to AIG Executives: GIVE BACK the TAXPAYER MONEY AND WE WILL ALL GO AWAY. Well, I will, but if you are really funding terrorists... DOJ probably won't!

HOORAY!! Finally some IQ points make an appearance!!

The Senate announced this morning that the Auto Industry Bailout failed last night. The UAW refused to accept pay cuts that would put them in the same pay scale comparable to other auto workers in non-union plants. The pay cuts would be necessary for the Big Three to remain competitive; however, the UAW disagreed. UAW President Ron UAW President Ron Gettelfinger seems to be in denial of the situation and actually stated that bankruptcy for the Big Three "is not an option".

The fact of the matter is that not only is it an option - it is the only one left absent an agreement from the UAW to accept a pay cut. Apparently Gettelfinger does not understand that the Big Three are not ABLE to pay those exaggerated wages. THERE IS NO MONEY LEFT IN THE TILL.

I think the Big Three should each file bankruptcy and relocate to the Southern States where you can hire as many people as you need to work for one-third the salary. Areas north of Dallas have had other industries close and the area has plenty of people willing to work. I am sure that the other Southern States have similar issues - I am from Texas and simply know about the situation there first hand. Do a little research and find a handful of areas not run by the out-of-control unions and put plants there. Get a fresh start and out from under the grandiose union contracts.

I believe this can actually be a good thing for the Big Three - perhaps they can attain the level of superior workmanship and reputaion they once held. I am not sure they can do it with the current leadership; so far, I do not hear of any expected changes. If they get someone in there that knows how to run a profitable business - they will rise again.

OPEN ADDRESS TO AIG EXECUTIVES

Since AIG is the company I have been ranting about the most regarding the BAILOUTS (I still refuse to refer to this as a rescue.), I thought we should post the names and office of the AIG executives. Until today, they have been nameless, faceless entities; however, I believe the individuals responsible for AIG should be noticed publicly and I am writing an open letter to them as an unwilling stockholder.

To all the Top Executives at American International Group, Incorporated

Win J. Neuger Executive VP/Other Executive Officer
Edmund S. W. Tse Director/Other Corporate Officer
Andrew J. Kaslow Other Executive Officer/Senior VP
Frank G. Wisner Divisional Vice Chairman
Robert E. Lewis Chief Risk Officer/Senior VP
Jacob A. Frenkel Divisional Vice Chairman
Edward M. Liddy CEO/Chairman of the Board/Director
Anastasia D. Kelly Executive VP/General Counsel/Other Corporate Officer
David L. Herzog CFO/Executive VP
James F. Orr Director

Dear AIG Executives,

I am a government employee that earns less than $50K a year. You came to ME - the taxpayer - to BAIL OUT your company in this troubled economy. Against my wishes (and the wishes of most of the country), Congress decided to give you $700 BILLION DOLLARS.

Since that time, we the taxpayers have heard about your extravagant trips to the spa, golfing trips, trips to exclusive resorts and now you want your annual bonuses in excess of $250K for yourselves.

I do not know any of you personally, but how greedy can you possibly be??? I make less than $50,000 a year and you still ask for a bonus - for what? Ruining the company you are responsible to manage? I do not receive a bonus and do not think anybody failing in their job deserves any type of bonus. A BONUS is supposed to be a reward above the earned pay for a job well done.

Frankly, I can not believe you people had the audacity to ask for or expect anything besides a swift kick in the pants out the door. If I fail at my job, I get FIRED - not a bonus for being a dumbass! What you call a "bonus" and the "cost of doing business", I call it Criminal Misappropriation of Funds. You came to the taxpayers pleading poverty and then go out and wine and dine yourselves and pat each other on the backs, spending money like drunken sailors. YOU MAKE ME SICK.

You need to learn how to work within a budget, like the rest of us that are paying our bills and our taxes. YOU CAN NOT AFFORD TO BE GOING TO THE SPA!! YOU CAN NOT AFFORD SIX AND SEVEN FIGURE BONUSES. If you can afford to spend money the way you have been, RETURN the $700 BILLION to the TAXPAYERS. Otherwise, I hope to see your sorry mugs on FOX NEWS when the Attorney General indicts all of you for fraud.
Sincerely,
The TenaciousTexan, aka: ANGRY TAXPAYER

To all of my fellow ANGRY TAXPAYERS, If you have photos or know where we can locate photos of these CRIMINALS, please send them to me. I would love to post them on my page.

Where's the duct tape!!??

Anyone that listens to the GREAT GLENN BECK knows that when he is discussing news on his radio show that is so egregious, he says he needs duct tape to prevent his brain from exploding when his blood pressure is on the rise.

I NEED DUCT TAPE!! AND LOTS OF IT!!

AIG is at it again and I am at a loss, to say the least. How can they possibly be this egotistical as to think that (a) we have the attention span of a knat, or (b) we are so stupid and would think that the following is a good idea.

This is quote from an AP article posted 43 minutes ago - "In a recent letter to Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, D-Md., AIG CEO Edward M. Liddy said 168 employees were scheduled to receive retention payments ranging from $92,500 to $4 million."

Even if each of the 168 people received the minimum suggested bonus, we are talking about $149,850,000. We are easily talking about a quarter million, when you factor in that they are NOT all getting the minimum. Ya know, considering this is AIG we are talking about, they are probably all getting the $4 million...

IS THIS A JOKE OR WHAT??!!

The AIG executives must be the craziest bunch of idiots on the planet!! They are under the microscope because you and I are paying their way and have the nerve to expect their annual bonus's that exceed my annual salary. I cannot believe they still do not get it!!

I wish the DOJ would launch an investigation, but I guess they are too busy with Illinois...

AIG EXECUTIVES: YOU ARE BEING PAID BY THE TAXPAYERS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. YOU ARE NO LONGER A PRIVATE BUSINESS - YOU HAVE FORCED ME AND EVERY OTHER TAXPAYER TO BECOME STOCKHOLDERS IN YOUR FAILING COMPANY.
When you can carry your own weight, take as big a bonus as you want! When you ask me to pay for it, you get SQUAT for a bonus!!
YOU DO NOT GET A BONUS LARGER THAN MINE!!

Is anyone really surprised?

I have to say that I am not really all that shocked to hear about Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, IL. The media describe his behavior as "jaw-dropping", shocking and appalling. I agree it IS appalling, but shocking - not really. I have always said that when you rise to that level of politics that this is the kind of character you will find.

The part that did shock me was his incredible level of stupidity. He knew that he was being investigated, yet continued his mafia-like conduct. He knew that he was likely being recorded, yet continued to conduct his criminal actions on the phone. He knows now for certain that he was recorded, yet was on the news following his arrest saying there is no cloud hanging over him, only "sunshine." He denies any wrongdoing in the face of indisputable evidence.

I can not help but wonder... Has anybody considered that possibility of mental illness?? He may really have a shot at an insanity defense!

This is only the tip of the iceberg and Illinois is in big trouble. The last governor of Illinois is also in Federal prison for corruption. Additionally, Blagojevich was not only selling a Senate seat. I read the first 18 pages of the indictment. He has been selling all kinds of goverment appointments, influence on state committees and all sorts of favors for years. Hmmm, anybody sensing a pattern or problem in Illinois.

My first thought when I heard snippets of the tapes was that he is incredibly comfortable with his illegal acts. He indicated no concern for being caught or arrested. He clearly shows no remorse and appears to be in complete denial of his current situation.

Illinois certainly has a huge mess to clean up in the state politics; however, my fear is that they are not alone. Joe Wurzelbacher, aka Joe the Plummer, told Glenn Beck that he was appalled by answers he got from John McCain regarding the BAILOUTs while on the campaign trail. He said that it made him sick and angry seeing and hearing McCain. Texans have long believed that our governor, Rick Perry is corrupt, but to my knowledge he has never been investigated (if someone will, we won't object!!). I feel pretty certain that every state could do with some house cleaning!

I think most politicains have been in it so long, they don't even know how dirty they really are.

How did we get to this point??

I had planned to post a commentary on the silliness of Black Friday rituals; particularly, one in which my sister annually takes part in. However, the trampling death of a WalMart employee casts a heavy shadow over the Post-Thanksgiving shopping traditions.

For those that have not heard yet, a WalMart employee in New York was trampled to death when a crowd broke down the door to gain first shot at the super deals offered for the official start of the holiday season. They broke the door frame, pushed their way into the store, took the door off the hinges and trampled Jdimytai Damour of Queens to death. Other employees were also trampled and injured trying to save their co-worker. When the store announced they would be closing due to the tragedy - the tramplers complained about the length of time they waited for the store to open and continued to shop - knowing and not really giving a crap that they had just trampled a man to death.

Earlier this year in Hartford, Connecticut a surveillance camera caught a pedestrian being hit by a car, the driver and a second car tailing the first both driving away while bystanders walked by, drivers continued to drive around the man's body and others took pictures with a cell phone. The police arrived shortly afterwards indicating someone called police - but the video shows they did little else. No one even attempted to stop traffic.

GREED and SELFISHNESS killed this man. Greed of the iniquitous shoppers, desperate for bragging rights of the best deal on a TV; the GREED of the retailers that created this escalating ritual of insane shopping behavior - if they did not see this coming as they watched year after year the fights and escalating violence and insanity that accompanied their super sales, they deliberately turned a blind eye. The insanity began in the early
80's with the fights breaking out over Cabbage Patch Kids - this was inevitable and preventable, but no one intervened.

The sanctity of life holds an obviously low priority these days and extends beyond political pro-life/pro-choice positions. When people trample other people - human beings - to death in an effort to save a few dollars in a so-called civilized country, well.... I am so incredibly appalled that I really do not know what can be said about this kind of depravity. I do know that this is not what Christmas is supposed to be about.

Christmas is supposed to be a celebration of the birth of a Savior; a response to God who sent his son to save the world from their own sins. In light of this, it is clear that we are DESPERATELY in need of that Savior. I thank God that he has come and is coming again. My heartfelt prayers go out the family and friends of Jdimytai Damour; may God comfort them in this time of tragedy.

BAILOUTS again

Are ya'll as sick of hearing about bailouts as I am? I know you guys have been watching with awe as the Big Business Execs troop to DC like ants on a mission with their hands out for BAILOUT money. I have to hand it to them... they have no shame and no concept of how this looks to the taxpayers flying coach to watch these corporate elites show up in private jets asking for our money. They just march on into Congress with heads held high.

Ya know, my family did not take a vacation this year due to the high cost of gasoline. Yet Congress thinks that Citicorp, Wachovia, the auto industry and (my personal favorite) AIG needs the money more than we do. These execs have no intention of doing anything different than what they have always done - live high on the hog and spend, spend, spend.

I heard a Democrat this week on Fox and Friends defending the AIG spa/golf trips. He claimed that they were kissing up to clients and this is part of business. I say BS! If your business is failing, you cannot afford to spend $400K to schmooze clients. Additionally, AIG has never claimed this was a client kiss-ass event. AIG said that these pampering events were for divisions of the company that were doing well - not the failing part.

I applaud Congress' decision to not hand over a truckload of money to the auto industry until they comeback with a plan; However, does anybody think they will actually have a plan that they cannot manipulate after they get the money??

Personally, I want them to force them to have a PLAN for the money, have some public accountablity and have to payback taxpayers with interest. The reality is that Congress is hellbent on giving away billions and billions of taxpayer money in bailouts - okay, but let's see some bang for our buck!

I EXPECT TO SEE EXECUTIVES OF FAILING COMPANIES PASS ON THE BONUSES AND TAKE PAY CUTS - THEY ARE LUCKY TO STILL HAVE JOBS. If they are unwilling to do so, I want to apply for the CEO position of GM - heck, I could run it intot the ground as well as the current CEO and I'd do it cheaper than he is. I would be willing to work for one million a year and I can go to Congress with a better plan than the one he did!

According to Executive Pay Watch Database, the GM CEO G. Richard Wagoner raked in $19,761,874 in total 2007 compensation. Alan Mulally, CEO of Ford earned a whopping $22,750,385 in 2007. Chrysler CEO Bob Nardelli is not obligated to disclose his salary because Chrysler is privately owned; however, his severence package from Home Depot after running it into the ground was an unbelievable $210 million.

Nardelli is willing to accept a salary of $1 in 2009 to secure the federal bailout. Wagoner and Mulally were not so willing to take one for the team. More insulting was that Mulally stated that he already took a 50% decrease in pay a few years ago and he is afraid that cutting executive pay would run off the "top talent". HEY, Mulally!! Your "top talent" is bleeding the company dry!! Wake up and smell what you guys are shoveling!!

I could go in there and work for a fraction of what these guy are paid and get the company within a budget. No bonuses unless the company is in the black and then they are a percentage of profits - not flat outrageous figures! Contracts - what contracts?? I'd just file for bankruptcy and get some realistic employees. Since when did a bonus become automatic in a failing company??!!

On that note, the bailout allows the company to avoid bankruptcy. This means that the company is obligated to honor all those union contracts that have the Detroit auto workers making twice what people in the South are making for doing the very same work.

Guess what Detroit - the ride is over because the money is running out. Somebody better be ready to take a paycut or be prepared for the job cut!!

JUST SAY NO!!!

I say to the so-called "big three", NO!

Just say no to the endless BAILOUTS, say no the the enablement of big business' mismanagement, say no to the Government getting into the business of business,
JUST SAY NO!

I do not want to put a band aid on a gushing artery - you might slow the bleeding, but the person will still eventually bleed to death. It is pointless to throw money at an already seriously mismanaged business and the idea that bailing them out will fix it is RIDICULOUS. Giving them money will only delay the inevitable - the company will just go right back to its self-destructive practices and will eventually be in the same mess again.

I was raised that you are not doing a child any favors by excusing his/her bad behavior or getting them out of trouble. They must learn about consequences, learn from mistakes and learn to deal with problems and obstacles as they arise. Otherwise, they will always depend on someone else to fix things and will never stand on his/her own.

JUST SAY NO!
How is this any different?

WHEN ARE THE BAILOUTS GOING TO RESCUE US?

I have been wondering when these BAILOUTS are going to achieve the goal of RESCUING the economy. Everytime I hear anything about AIG I pop a few blood vessels and now we are getting a line of failing businesses holding their hands out asking to be rescued too. The auto industry seems to be the latest group of victims of their own mismanagement. What I want to know is when we will see the the so-called rescue begin to work???

The whole premise to the BAILOUT was that it would stimulate and rejuvenate our economy. WELL.....

STILL WAITING...

Now they want to BAILOUT GM and the other Detroit auto makers...

HHMMM... STILL WAITING...

I want to know if Nancy Pelosi has any intention of putting any restrictions on any future recipients of BAILOUT money. I do not want to see any company asking for a taxpayer BAILOUT going off on some damn cruise, trip to Hawaii or to some hoyty-toyty spa on the taxpayer dime again. AIG is a sorry excuse for any business and should be required to submit to a full scale criminal investigation of fraud and misappropriation of funds. They were clearly not in dire need or they could not be spending so lavishly on pampering the corporate executives - the same morons that were at the helm while the company spiraled into bankruptcy.

STILL WAITING...

Threats against the President-Elect

According to an AP article posted about an hour ago, threats against newly elected Presidents are par for the course; however, law enforcement has stated that they are seeing an unprecedented number of threats against the President Elect, Barack Obama.
Let me say something to this type of behavior - THIS MUST NOT CONTINUE.

One thing about this, we must keep in mind that there has been an explosion of medium for this type of behavior. When in history have we had the ability to have our views so widely expressed? This is a great gift and an awsome time to be an American. It is also a time for people to very publicly share their low IQ with the world.

Freedom is a beautiful thing but should be tempered with responsibility!

I was not happy with the election, but should we not behave better than the radical left? We (Conservatives) opposed Obama because his views are so radically different from the conservative. Most of us that hold conservative views are influenced by our faith in Jesus Christ. The Good Book gives us guidance on how we should behave as his followers - and making threats against a man put into power is NOT the way to handle disappointment.

If this spike in threats are due to this man's race, well I do not think I can change the heart of someone so shameful. If anything happens to the President Elect, it would set this country back a hundred years. This country was build on free speech and free exchange of ideas - feel free to disagree with him all day long - I do, but do hate him so much that you would risk your life and freedom to violate the law and the Ten Commandments to hurt this man because of the color of his skin - then you have problems that I am simply not qualified to help you with.

You don't have to like Obama. You don't have to agree with him.

Hate is tearing out country apart. Mostly I have noticed the radical left getting completely crazy and out of control, but threats against an incoming President is unacceptable. Do not become like the radical extremist left - full of uncontrollable hate, rage and completely free of any rational thought. The only way that we can regain the ability to put Conservatives back in to power is by keeping a cool head and regrouping - not by acting like a bunch of immature children.

We need to remember to respect the Office of the President. Obama won - He will be the 44TH President of the United States. We need to pray for and support our President. Support does not mean blindly agree with everything he says or does. It means that we express our concerns to our President in appropriate ways, we vote for the candidates that we believe in, we hope that in spite of our concerns, that he will be putting the Unites States of America and its citizens first and we remember that at most he can only serve 8 years. This is temporary.

WATCH OUT FOR THE FUTURE OF THE GOP

ALASKAN GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN: Of course, we have all been watching her through out the election cycle. She is smart, straight forward and unafraid, unintimidated by the press and the Washington Insiders. She is the epitome of what Conservative Women have been waiting for in a pollitical leader.

Former MD LT Gov MICHAEL STEELE: VERY ACOMPLISHED AND IMPRESSIVE.He obtained his undergraduate degree at Johns Hopkins and his JD at Georgetown University. Steele considered the priesthood and spent three years in seminary, but decided on a career in law before taking the vows.

LA Gov BOBBY JINDAL: EXTREMELY INTELLIGENT Jindal attended Brown University, graduating with honors in biology and public policy. Although he had thought of a career in medicine or law and was accepted by Harvard Medical School and Yale Law School, he chose to pursue a political career. He received a master's degree in political science from New College, Oxford, as a Rhodes Scholar.

I heard Michael Steele this morning on FOX NEWS, I like what I am hearing from him. He said that Republicans do not have to become more like the Democrats to regain the trust of the Conservatives - they have to "get their act together and get back to the values, roots and principals of the Republican Party." He said that those that think they should move to the left are welcome to join the Democratic Party.

http://senate.ontheissues.org/Senate/Michael_Steele.htm

http://senate.ontheissues.org/House/Bobby_Jindal.htm

http://senate.ontheissues.org/Sarah_Palin.htm

Political websites are helpful; www.ontheissues.org has been rather good; they do lean slightly to the left, but it is very slight and not really noticable unless you really scrutinize the site. According to ontheissues.org Palin and Jindal are historically more conservative than Steele. Steele is rated more moderate, right leaning. All three up and comings are pro-life and have a track record that supports their verbiage.

Really - only time will tell if they are as great as they seem. Let's hope they live up to the hype.

THE FUTURE OF THE GOP

Where do Conservatives go for leadership? The GOP has done what it has always done; they tell us what we want to hear, then once they get into office they abandon the principals they claimed to hold.



The GOP is right now trying to decide how they want to prepare for the mid-term elections and 2012. But do Conservatives really want to give power back to the same old same old? I am tired of so-called conservative Republicans getting into office and not fighting for conservative values and issues. When W was elected, they had full control of the House and Senate and did NOTHING. In his second term, he wanted to appoint Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court- a candidate that few Conservatives were happy with, and give illegal immigrants amnesty. What the he77?



The future of the GOP is currently being planned!! (By the way - Attention all Republican Party leaders: DO NOT LET RICK PERRY, TEXAS GOVORNER HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE GOP FUTURE!!! As a Texan, I hope that when he leaves office that he also leaves Texas!) I would like to see TRUE conservatives take back this party. I was never happy with John McCain as the nominee and have made no secret of that fact. I was never comfortable with any Republican that was willing/able to work that closely with Ted Kennedy - among the leftist of the left.



According to the RNC website the party platform regarding Illegal Immigration is as follows:



Immigration, National Security, and the Rule of Law


Immigration policy is a national security issue, for which we have one test: Does it serve the national interest? By that standard, Republicans know America can have a strong immigration system without sacrificing the rule of law.


Enforcing the Rule of Law at the Border and Throughout the Nation
Border security is essential to national security. In an age of terrorism, drug cartels, and criminal gangs, allowing millions of unidentified persons to enter and remain in this country poses grave risks to the sovereignty of the United States and the security of its people. We simply must be able to track who is entering and leaving our country.


Our determination to uphold the rule of law begins with more effective enforcement, giving our agents the tools and resources they need to protect our sovereignty, completing the border fence quickly and securing the borders, and employing complementary strategies to secure our ports of entry. Experience shows that enforcement of existing laws is effective in reducing and reversing illegal immigration.


Our commitment to the rule of law means smarter enforcement at the workplace, against illegal workers and lawbreaking employers alike, along with those who practice identity theft and traffic in fraudulent documents. As long as jobs are available in the United States, economic incentives to enter illegally will persist. But we must empower employers so they can know with confidence that those they hire are permitted to work. That means that the E-Verify system—which is an internet-based system that verifies the employment authorization and identity of employees—must be reauthorized. A phased-in requirement that employers use the E-Verify system must be enacted.


The rule of law means guaranteeing to law enforcement the tools and coordination to deport criminal aliens without delay – and correcting court decisions that have made deportation so difficult. It means enforcing the law against those who overstay their visas, rather than letting millions flout the generosity that gave them temporary entry. It means imposing maximum penalties on those who smuggle illegal aliens into the U.S., both for their lawbreaking and for their cruel exploitation. It means requiring cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement and real consequences, including the denial of federal funds, for self-described sanctuary cities, which stand in open defiance of the federal and state statutes that expressly prohibit such sanctuary policies, and which endanger the lives of U.S. citizens. It does not mean driver's licenses for illegal aliens, nor does it mean that states should be allowed to flout the federal law barring them from giving in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens, nor does it mean that illegal aliens should receive social security benefits, or other public benefits, except as provided by federal law.


We oppose amnesty. The rule of law suffers if government policies encourage or reward illegal activity. The American people's rejection of en masse legalizations is especially appropriate given the federal government's past failures to enforce the law. http://www.gop.com/2008Platform/NationalSecurity.htm



Ya know, while this sounds precisley on point with my personal view, this is not what the actions of the GOP reflected when President Bush was pushing the McCain/Kennedy and who-the-hell-ever amnesty bill. Thank God that the people of this country stood up and shouted loud enough in one voice to stop it - those politicains would have passed it and hope that no one noticed.



I want party leaders to follow through with Conservative agendas. I want the Republican Party to GROW a pair!! I want the Republican Party to stop allowing the liberal far left to hijack this country for God's sake!!



I am tired of electing people that claim to share my values, then suddenly - poof! They become spineless whimps and allow Pelosi and the gang to take over!



I want Republicans that believe in the Constitution, remember that ya'll?? This is not a communist country and I am tired of hearing about RESCUES and BAILOUTS and NATIONAL HEALTH CARE. I want leaders that will return this country to what it was intended to be!

THANK A VETERAN TODAY

Every November 11, we take a moment to remember the veterans that have so honorably served this country and fight for the freedom we enjoy. I am the daughter of a United States Marine, three of my uncles all served in the US Army and throughout my family history, members of my family have served the United States in every war and conflict until the Gulf War, including the Revolutionary War and the Texas Revolution - most of this generation in my family consists of girls. Because of the long family history of military service to this country, I have a great respect and appreciation for all those serving this great nation.

In more recent years, when Veteran's Day comes around, I think of another - Sgt. Michael Luke Boatright died in service to his country in Iraq on December 4, 2004. He left behind his wife and childhood sweetheart, Desty and their three children Colton, Tanna and Zoie. Luke was only a few weeks away from discharge and was making plans for when he returned home to Texas when a roadside bomb blew up in his face.

I will never forget the morning the Army showed up at his father's home - across the street from mine. It was only a matter of minutes before the tragic news was all over the neighborhood. This is a small neighborhood and everybody knows everybody - everybody knew Luke. My family and the entire neighborhood mourned for his family. This was particularly tragic because it was so soon after the death of Luke's sister, Candy.

We lowered our flag to half staff until after his funeral. My heart broke for his wife - she was inconsolable. They had been together since they were kids and she was now left with three children to raise alone. I cried for his parents that had buried not just one, but two children, in a short period of time. No parent should have to go through that even one time and to have to deal with that kind of loss twice - I cannot even begin to imagine the pain they suffered.

Four years later and the saddness still looms. So today, remember those that serve this great nation and sacrifice so much. There are a lot of Luke Boatrights out there. This sad account is close to my heart, but there are thousands more. Remember that the soldiers are not the only ones sacrificing - their families are sacrificing too. Some are giving everything.

TO THOSE THAT SERVE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU
WITH ALL MY HEART!

Post election bloviating

I have been gone from the blog for a while due to some personal stuff going on, but America needs us to keep going. Obama may have won this one, but I will be shocked if he can follow through with his promises of saving the poor and spreading the wealth. I am very saddened to think about the future of the Supreme Court.



Additionally, I want to know what the govenment intends to do about the ACORN FACTOR. I do not know if Acorn was able to steal this election or not and will not allege that they did; however, I do want to know what the feds are going to do to prevent any future voter fraud. We will probably never know the true impact of voter fraud in this election, but I am not willing to sit by and allow this to continue.



I propose that everyone write, call or somehow contact his/her senators and congressmen and women and demand that they address voter fraud.



Another thing bothering me post election is the continued attack on Sarah Palin. I am absolutely certain that the childish backstabbing coming from within the McCain camp is fear that she will return to the national stage and will not be a party puppet or just go along with the status quo. Her approval ratings in her home state are probably among the best held by any politician in the country and are certainly better than ANYONE in DC. Alaskans love her and I have no doubt it is because of her work cleaning house of corruption, cutting spending and honestly looking out for the people of Alaska.



The good ol boys of the Republican Party recognize that she is as big a threat to them as any Democrat because she is cabable of bringing new life to politics and was actually better received than John McCain. While I very much respect John McCain, I was not happy with him as the Republican nominee. She - like Obama - is truely about change, except she does not want to change the country into a Socialist nation. Her brand of change is returning power to the people, less spending, lower taxes and less cooruption. The good ol boys know that she will upset the party as they know it.



Here's what I see. I am tired of putting Republicans in office, only to have them stab the voters in the back. I have not forgotten George Bush trying to put Harriet Miers on the court. I felt completely betrayed and then his attempt to give illegal immigrants another amnesty was the end for me. I was very angry that the Republicans allowed the Democrats to hold up the Supreme Court nominations. They refused to take a stand and fight when they should have and allowed minority Democrats to hijack the hill. I sent emails to the Republican Headquarters begging them to grow a backbone. It has not happened yet.

I pray that Sarah Palin will return to the capitol and rise to a position in the Rebublican Party where she can make a difference for America as she has for Alaska! Perhaps the speculation of her being on the ticket for the White House in 2012 is not unattainable.

WHERE DO I EVEN START

Good Grief, Charlie Brown!!! Where should we start??? Can you say ACORN and VOTER FRAUD! Or how about... AIG, its trip to the spa, the second bailout in a month or the second PLANNED trip to a resort???!!!

I am so appalled and do not even know where to begin, but I think we'll start with ACORN. For those who have not heard, ACORN is a leftist group that has been very active in recruiting people to register to vote and then follow up with rides to the polls. They specialize in seeking out the homeless, the poor, etc... They claim to be non-partisan, but their are abundant reports that they are persistant in their push for the Democratic candidates. In 20 states there have been accusations of voter fraud specifically naming ACORN. About 48 hours ago, authorities in Las Vegas, Nevada raided the local ACORN office. As is turns out... there were voter registrations forms for the entire starting line up for the Dallas Cowboys in Las Vegas. Now, I am sure many of those young men have spent more time than they should in Vegas, but I am equally certain that those Cowboys do not LIVE in Vegas; however, ACORN insists they have done nothing wrong and issued a statement. Below is only an exerpt from their website.

"As part of our nonpartisan voter registration program, ACORN staff reviews every single application submitted by our canvassers. Special, dedicated staff makes up to three phone calls attempting to reach the voter listed on EVERY SINGLE CARD before they are turned in to verify the information. Our callers verify the information on the cards before turning them in to election officials to make sure that as many new voters as possible get on the rolls and to make sure that all of our voter registration workers are doing the high quality work they are trained to do."
In the name of fair and balanced, you can read the entire text at the ACORN website. It should also be noted that ACORN officials have been cooperating with authorities.
http://www.acorn.org/index.php?id=12439&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=22368&tx_ttnews[backPid]=12387&cHash=b73691350d

Althought ACORN is cooperating with investigators, this is not an isolated incident and ACORN is a target of other investigations across the country. How can they defend themselves and claim that they are doing "great things" all the while ignoring the serious threat to our democracy they have created. They have accepted voter registrations that are OBVIOUSLY fraudulent and do not seem at all bothered by it.

If this wasn't enough to wake up to, there are new reports about AIG and another bailout and plans for another trip to some exclusive resort by executives. WHAT THE HECK!? Are they serious!? How dare they take taxpayer money and go on a vacation while the people footing the bill are working his/her fanny off just trying to keep gas in the tank and food on the table, then have the audacity to ask for more!? Those losers should have to pay that money back IMMEDIATELY and AIG investigated for fraudulently claiming an emergency to the Feds and begging for the bailout, then using those funds to pamper themselves. This is no longer just irresponsible - THIS IS CRIMINAL. The executives that asked for these TWO BAILOUTS and PLANNED VACTIONS WITH THE BAILOUT MONEY should be prosecuted for misappropriation of funds and for fraud. The first trip cost taxpayers $440,000 ($23,380 for spa treatments alone) leaving Congress with egg on their face as his/her constituents demand answers. Wide spread reports on this state that lawmakers were furious - they should be. I sure as hell am!!

OH MY GOSH...

Well, well, well... Wall Street took a nose dive today. Hmmm... Citi Bank and Wells Fargo in a financial tug of war for Wachovia... The European markets are also falling... The BAILOUT (aka the rescue) does not seem to be having the desired effect.

Could it be that the public is not buying the chocolate dipped turd? Could it be that the American public is losing faith in the markets? Or could it be that the markets were falsly inflated with over-reaching profit projections of big business and the pitiful mismanagement of others. I have thought for years that the market would have to correct its self. When it went over 10,000, every one celebrated and thought it was so fabulous... Now if it goes back to 9,999, speculators are saying what a disaster it would be. I don't recall things being so bad at 9, 900, do you??

Personally, I think that it would be a wake up call for the CEOs and CFOs of all these oversized companies that now hold the testicles of our legislature.

ATTENTION TO ALL CEOs AND CFOs: Stop inflating estimated quarterly profits, stop making business decisions that a seventh grader could acurately tell you won't work, stop being so damn greedy that you run the entire economy of our country into the ground with your thievery.

Maybe if they suffer a little bit they will think twice before doing the things that got us here.

$700 BILLION - Isn't it funny...

Am I the only one thinking how strange it is that the BAILOUT (I refuse to call it anything else!) has disappeared from the headlines so incredibly fast?? The home pages of Fox and CNN are devoid of any mention of the BAILOUT in the headlines. However, CNN had a link to an "ireport" page that I found interesting. It discusses the enormity of 700 BILLION DOLLARS. Ya'll already know what I think about that and the greed and stupidity that got us where we are today.

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-104501

Now the only thing they want to talk about are the campaign ads. So, let's talk about them... Is anyone surprised about the gloves coming off in October?? I am not. What surprises me is that the media and some of the politicians seem to be...

Why is Obama so shocked and upset about the ads regarding his highly questionable associates?? WELCOME TO NATIONAL POLITICS - you are not in Illinois anymore, Senator. Guess what - your middle name will be used too - just like everybody else. It is not McCain's fault or the fault of the media that your Momma named you Hussein. Not to mention that you are the one that chose use your given name instead of the name you used in school, Barry.

Same to the overreaching feminists that are angry about the hounds running around Alaska looking for dirt on Sarah Palin... Hey, I am on record as a Palin supporter, but I live in the real world too-- THIS IS POLITICS. If anybody really expected something else to happen, they were dreaming.

I will go out on a limb and make a prediction - this is October... There will be what has been known as the "October Surprise". I do not know what they will be, but it will surprise me if there is not one or two. This is what happens every election cycle. The opposing parties hang on to some juicy titbit about the other side and will wait until the last week of October to release the info to the media in hopes of a last dig to effect the vote November 4. It has been an effective tactic and a regular part of American Politics - so be ready.

A TURD IS STILL A TURD, WHATEVER YOU CALL IT

If you are unhappy with how your Representative or Senators voted - VOTE THEM OUT! If you live in a community where you are offered no choice - the incumbant runs unopposed until he/she dies or retires - go file the paperwork to RUN AGAINST THEM!!


THIS HAS GOT TO STOP! The politicians clearly went against what their constituents wanted. Very few Americans wanted this bailout and very few politicians actually wanted to vote for it. They were pressured into passing a bill that almost NO ONE wanted. Bloggers are commenting on how members our legislature were "given permission to vote against the bill". Permission from who??!! These jackasses are supposed to be representing his or her district -NOT VOTING HOW THEY ARE TOLD BY SOME PARTY LEADER!


Fox News reported, "I think most Americans understand that we're facing a serious economic crisis" House Minority Leader John Boehner (R) said. "And I think over the past few days, it's been clear the House Republicans have stood on principle. We made this bill better. It's not perfect but it's clearly better than it was a week ago." THIS GUY NEEDS TO BE GONE! How is adding an extra $100 BILLION DOLLARS making this outrageous theft of taxpayer dollars making it better???!!!


These jerks think that by calling it a RESCUE and not calling it a bailout anymore, will make it more palatable to the American People. I, however, think that any educated person who has been paying attention to this fiasco will see right through the BS.


A BAILOUT IS STILL A BAILOUT - WHATEVER YOU CALL IT. They think if they dip this turd in chocolate that will will foolishly eat it up. Well, I AM NOT BUYING THIS CRAP!!












DEMS




THIS IS A NONPARTISAN PROBLEM - REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ALIKE SCREWED THIS COUNTRY TODAY.
















REPUBLICANS

I wish that some third party would rise up and gain some strength. Instead we have so many Independants and "Third Parties" that they share a pretty good percentage. For example take Texas; Rick Perry is a sorry excuse for a Govorner, if he had not had three viable challengers the last election, he would not be in Austin now. He had only 30 something percent of the vote. If that could be narrowed down to one solid candidate, I would advocate voting for the the person NOT HELD HOSTAGE BY ONE OF THE CORRUPT ALL-POWERFUL TWO PARTIES CURRENTLY RUNNING THE SHOW.

Unfortunately, we are forced to vote for one of the two parties or have our vote fall on deaf ears. If McCain had chosen a different running mate - he would not have my vote. I think this is the very kind of thing Palin will go after and I will be voting for McCain mainly because of her.



I've said it before and I'll say it again -- handing over $700 BILLION dollars will not fix this problem unless they go in there and BREAK UP ALL THESE OVERSIZED COMPANIES, BANKS AND MORTAGE AND LOAN OPERATIONS.



IF A COMAPANY IS SO BIG THAT THE ECONOMY OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY DEPENDS ON ITS SUCCESS, IT IS TOO BIG!!! We are being held hostage by a big business that got too big for its own britches and got too greedy!!

GO, SARAH, GO!!

As Glenn Beck would say... AAWWW, YEAHHH!! She nailed the debate. There was a short time she seemed a bit nervous, but she snapped back and really shined. I cannot help but think that Joe Biden was even a bit impressed and maybe even surprised at how well she handled herself. She got in a few zingers, but still was very pleasant while she did it!! I think that this is a huge victory for women and all conservatives!! I loved what she said about being happy that McCain never asked her to "check her opinions at the door". I loved the little wink she added when discussing ANWAR. I love that she very simply stated that the Obama/Biden Iraq policy was waiving a white flag of surrender. She has a way of getting her point across without seeming "bitchy" , "scary" or any of the other negative epithets used to describe Hilary over the years. She has a very likable personality; she has a very pleasant way about her; she thinks like a regular American, because she is one. She is not a professional politician - She is a woman who became fed up with the "Good ol' Boy System" and instead of complaining about it she took action.

Considering that I personally think he is wrong on nearly EVERY issue, I thought Joe Biden did fairly well himself, better than I thought he would. Intellectual honesty - I give credit when it is due.

ANYWAY!! I just had to go on about how well SARAH PALIN handled this debate and I think the world will be impressed, but more important...
I think this country will be very blessed to have her watching our backs!!

MUST VENT

What the heck is going on with the bailout? Frankly, I am opposed to it, but I am starting to wonder... If it is so urgent to the stability of our economy, like Congress keeps insisting, why did they vote it down? Now I am just a dumb voter, but if it sooo important... You know, I am starting to think that maybe we were right all along. They jumped the gun on this and can't quite back off after the fuss they made, but can not bring themselves to force it either. POLITICIANS, UGGH!

Why can't they just admit they might have made a mistake? Politicians will never say they were wrong, the best they can muster is political correctness speak - "circumstances changed", "all the information was not available at the time" or (my personal favorite) "I was for it before I was against it". A politician will deny, deny, deny in the face of overwhelming evidence, before ever admitting they are actual human beings that make mistakes. I can only speak for myself in saying that I would have far more respect for a person that will come out and just say "I was wrong, I am sorry and will learn from my mistake".

It is called being a GROWN UP and accepting responsibility.

The act of trying to justify bad decisions is immature and something I expect from my child, but hope to teach her better. In my nations leaders, I expect - wait - DEMAND - more than a childish response when they find they are wrong about something.

TOO BIG

You know... the more I think about this banking crisis, the angrier I get. When WAMU went under last week, JP Morgan was the benefactor that came in, bought them out and saved the day - at least that is how it appeared on the surface. The government did not have to come in and pay through the nose to keep all those people employed and prevent the taxpayers from footing the bill; however, JP Morgan is another one of those tremendously large companies. So what happens if JP Morgan goes under in six months??? Unless someone else dumb enough to spend billions buying a failing business purchases them, then what?? Will JP Morgan continue the same practices that got us here in the first place?

Not everybody is going to pay you back.

Not everybody is going to maintain a job.

Not everybody cares about their credit rating.

This is why we have credit ratings and credit checks. USE THEM, PEOPLE!!

You do not need an MBA to know...

No credit - loan in small amounts... see how they do with it.

Bad credit - THINK TWICE, THINK SMALL.

Capitolism is a great system. It encourages people to strive to do better, but it needs limits. Companies like Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, JP Morgan, Exxon, Chase Manhattan, etc... the list goes on and on. They are so huge that if anyone of those failed and went under today, the fallout would be disasterous. Just think for a minute about the number of people that depend on these companies for work, the effect on the stock market and the domino effect that could follow- other businesses depend on these big ones for their business. At least if these businesses were forced to franchise, instead of going public with stock, each location (ie. Wal-Mart) would operate, sink or swim, independent of the others. If one failed, the others and the overall economy would be uneffected. The failing store and its owner/operator would be out on his or her rear end and there would be no "golden parachutes".



If one failing bank is so big that it effects the entire country's financial stability, then something is seriously wrong. If the leadership in this country continues to do the "same old - same old" - it is exactly like pulling the peanut butter and jelly out of the cupboard daily and expecting a ham sandwich to eventually pop out of your ingredients. Companies need to be downsized small enough that they do not have the potential to set off a fiscal panic through the entire U.S. It seems that these businesses have evolved into monopolies and have entirely too much influence over the economy and the legislature.



"In 1912, the United States Steel Corporation, which controlled more than half of all the steel production in the United States, was accused of being a monopoly. Legal action against the corporation dragged on until 1920 when, in a landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled that U.S. Steel was not a monopoly because it did not engage in "unreasonable" restraint of trade. The court drew a careful distinction between bigness and monopoly, and suggested that corporate bigness is not necessarily bad."



This decision in 1920 could not have anticipated the explosion of big business that was years down the road. Quite frankly, the 1920 Supreme Court was wrong. It is that very "bigness" in business that has us where we are today. The taxpayers are becoming active particpants in what should be private enterprise. Instead of being the referees, they are the players. This is not the role of government. They need to figure out how to fix the problem instead of perpetuating it by enabling the wrongdoers to escape the inevitable failure of loaning money to EVERYBODY. The "unreasonable" restraint of trade referred to by the Supreme Court is something Wal-Mart has been accused of several times and by numerous entities, but still nothing has been done.



I used Wal-Mart as an example, but they are by no means the only offender. There are many of these huge conglomerates, some of which you have probably never heard of unless you are an investor, but they are out there and our economy could be jeopardized by any one of them.



Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice. shame on ME!

BANKING CRISIS

This morning, for those who have not heard, Washington Mutual (aka WAMU) went under and was bought out by JP Morgan after the government began seizing assets. Something I had not heard before was that John McCain predicted this banking crisis three years ago and attempted to address it at that time. McCain was quoted on Fox this AM as saying in 2006 something to the effect of ... the sheer size of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the impact of these companies could have on our ecomomy and having so little oversight is frightening.

He predicted and wanted to do something to prevent what is happening this very day in 2006. Hmmmm... Isn't the economy the one area that the Obama camp happily claims is McCain's Achilles Heel - the area that McCain is the least knowlegable?? I wonder where we would be if the rest of Congress had listened to John McCain back then; I hope they are asking themselves the same question.

I am glad he focused in on a key element in the banking problem - the SIZE of these companies. When the fall of a single company can have a devastating effect on the economy, it is too big and should be broken up. Look at ENRON. My sister-in-law lost a small fortune when ENRON collapsed and it had a huge impact on the economy, not to mention the thousands of people that lost all their retirement - hundreds of thousands of dollars that belonged to hard working average Americans who counted on the money set aside for his/her "golden years" -gone in an instant.

It is funny; I was not very thrilled with John McCain as the Republican nominee. I have a real issue with his posistion on illegal immigration and am always very skeptical of anybody that appears too close to Ted Kennedy, but I am one of the many that is being drawn in and more satisfied with his name on the ticket. His choice of Sarah Palin as his running mate and his dead-on analysis of the economy prior to this election cylcle is making me much more at ease.

BAILOUTS

I think most of America on both sides of the political isles are in agreement on this one. We are sick and tired of government bailouts and the CEOs and executives running these businesses into the ground walk away with the "golden parachutes" while at the same time asking the taxpayers to fix the mess they leave behind.

I have another beef with this mess. Has anybody else been noticing for the last several years the advertising "no credit -- bad credit - no problem, we'll get you the loans you need!!!"? I have been complaining to my husband for years that there is no way a business can stay in business by issuing bad loans. These companies spend thousands of doolars on paper and postage sending PREAPPROVED CREDIT CARD APPLICATIONS to everybody and anybody, job or no job and sometimes to minor children; I know this because my son received a pre-approved credit card application when he was only fifteen years old.

Come on!! Are we all really shocked that so many of those people with bad and no credit defaulted?? The mortgage companies were deliberatly marketing to high risk clients.

Really... No job - no problem! No credit - no problem! They offered loans and credit cards to anyone with a PULSE.

I am no business major, but you don't have to be one to see that this was a disaster in the making.

I hope that every person that is tired of this ridiculousness will contact the legislators in his or her state and ask that before they go ahead with this bailout, some serious restrictions need to be put in place regarding the marketing and the criteria for loan approval, not to mention the rich ride off into the sunset by the executive that ran his/her company into the ground.

Ike and the Texans

As a Texan, I have to say...I love Texas and have been watching Ike closely. I have family in the Bay area and was concerned about their safety. I have been praying for all the effected residents. It truely saddens me to see fellow Texans suffer this kind of loss and damage to their homes and businesses.

That being said, I feel strongly that I have to comment on the people that chose to stay and ignore mandatory evacuations. That was pure stupidity and for those that did so, you should be ashamed of yourselves. When you decided to stay in a danger zone, did you for a moment think about possible consequences? Authorities estimated that more than 100,000 people ignored the evacuation orders; the area 911 centers received over 4,700 calls for help and the Coast Guard made 23 rescues. After Ike passed over, people were interviewed by the media - bragging about toughing it out. Every person that ignored mandatory evacuations potentially put some first responders life in danger because you wanted to be able to tell people about riding out the hurricane. Shame on you.

The 23 people that had to be rescued, you shoud be required to PAY for the cost of your rescue, plus fined for putting the RESCUER in danger. Did you people ever think about them or their families, their children?? The Coast Guard, National Guard, Firemen and Police are people with families that love and depend on them. How incredibly selfish to stay in danger and jeopardize the lives of other people because you were too narcissistic to go somewhere safe for one night. It probably never even occured to any of the 100,000 people that when they chose to stay, someone else might have to risk their own safety.

I do not normally throw out blanket criticism and I am sure there were a few people that had a legitimate reason to stay, but not all 100,000. As a taxpayer, I am ticked off that we will be paying for the stupidity of the selfish. as a person, I am ticked off at the harebrained decision that could have left many people mourning the loss of a son or daughter, brother or sister.

To those that did have a rightful reason to stay, I am sorry that your neighbors are idiots.

Palin charging rape victims for the Rape Kit

I looked at this issue closely because I have spent hundreds of hours of my time volunteering as a crime victim advocate, specifically - rape victims. The left is going crazy because Wasilla was charging rape victims for the cost of the exam during the Palin mayoral term- according to a newspaper article out of Alaska.

Part of my role as an advocate was to assist crime victims in utilizing the resources available to crime victims, including the Crime Victim Compensation Fund. Of course, I am in Texas... but I checked - Alaska has had a CVCF since the 1970's. A Crime Victims Compensation Fund reimburses victims of violent crimes for certain expenses incurred by the victim that were related to the crime; including medical expenses. The money does not come out of the taxpayers budget; it is paid for by criminals. When a person is convicted or granted a deferred adjudication and ordered to pay monies like a fine, court costs, probation or supervision fees, etc... part of that money collected goes into the fund. Who better to pay for the crime related expenses than the people perpetrating crimes??

Until quite recently, it was customary in Texas (or at least in my neck of the woods) to bill the victim and then they would be reimbursed by the CVCF. As recently as 2005, I was arguing with a local hospital that wanted my client to sign a document accepting responsibility for the rape exam - even after the legislature determined that victims would no longer be expected to do so. While the Alaska newspaper reported that most municipalities and state police agencies in Alaska were paying for the exams, it failed to mention that all across the country the expense and payment for rape exams has been hotly contested.

The other part of the story that caught my attention was that the stories fail to mention if Palin instituted this policy? if it was already in place when she took office? or like other jurisdictions I have seen - did the investigating agency make this decision independently? Some want to beat her over the head with this, but unless she was a micromanager, I think it is unlikely that she knew about details like this. This would have been a line-item in a department budget and, as Mayor, she was overseeing several departments - all with separate budgets.

This Crime Victims Compensation Fund was set up in the 1970's, long before Palin took office. I did not notice where any of the other articles or blogs about Palin billing victims mention that it was her idea to do so or that they got their money back.

September 11

On September 11, 2001 the world changed. For days after, I could not focus on anything, my mind was in a complete tailspin.

I cried a lot, prayed a lot and thought about all the families that lost a son, a daughter, a brother or sister or a friend.

I thought about all the police and firemen, in their attempt to save lives - gave their own.

I thought about Father Mychael Judge - a man that served both the Lord and men. Father Judge was a chaplain to the fire department and was giving last rites to a fireman killed by a falling body.

I thought about the survivors that will live with the unimaginable horror burned into their memory for the rest of their lives.

I thought about the people that jumped from the windows of the World Trade Centers in a futile attempt to escape the smoke, fumes from fuel and the flames consuming the top floors of the skyscrapers.

I thought about the NYPD and FDNY that lost so many of their own and yet they kept serving and working.

I still think about the children that lost parents, some lost both. My heart continues to break for them.

I thought about all New Yorkers and prayed for all.

I thought about my friend, Elaine and her son enlisted as a United States Marine and what this would mean to their family. He was among the first deployed and was injured when his helicopter crashed. He continues to serve our country today. Thank you Timothy Hale-Booth and all our military.

I thought about Rudy Giuliani and the leaders that had to step up and deal with a disaster beyond imagination.

I learned what sorrow older generations felt when Pearl Harbor was attacked.

When I think about September 11, it all comes rushing back. The fear, the sadness and uncertainty of what would follow - it still haunts me today.

Now, seven years later - I still mourn for my neighbor's son that was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. Michael Luke Boatright was weeks from completing his service. He left behind a loving wife (his high school sweetheart) and three small children.

I hope that one day, the one good thing that came out of September 11 will come back without requiring another attack. In the days and weeks following that horrifying morning, Americans came together to stand as one nation. Political parties did not matter. Skin color did not matter. For a time, we were truely one - we cried together, we prayed together, we grieved together. Strangers were helping strangers. People from all over the country gave their money, their time and their blood for New York - for fellow Americans. This is my prayer in memory of all those lost September 11, 2001.

Illegal Immigration

I am curious to see if illegal immigration makes it back into the headlines during the election. I am oppsosed to any further amnesty and am disgustesd with our federal govornment for failing to stop or deal with it. As a Texan and Border Stater (?), I see a lot of immigration issues up close and personal. I want to be perfectly clear, I am not opposed to legal immigration - what I oppose is the flagrant disregard for our sovereignty, laws and national security. If I commit a felony, I will be prosecuted. Period. Why is our federal govornment allowing this to continue unadressed?

I may have a biased perpective - because my husband is in construction and has not been able to charge a normal cost of living raise in ten years. He can not because he is having to compete with illegal immigrants that live in a house with twenty other guys and can charge a lower price for the same work; so my American-born husband has been working for ten years without a raise in pay. Essentially, he is making less than he was ten years ago due to the rising costs of materials and gas. So, admittedly, I have a pet peeve about this issue.

Pet peeve aside - wrong is wrong. My ancestors fought in practically every military conflict this country has been involved in, going back to the Revolutionary War. I am pretty sure that our founders and forefathers did not come to this country, some died for this country, just so we could hand it over to another country (ies).

It is PAST time for our elected officials to get with the program.

ATTENTION CONGRESS: ENFORCE OUR LAWS, SECURE OUR BORDERS, DO YOUR SWORN DUTY TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION

The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence. The Constitution of the United States of America

Sarah Palin

I have had several people ask me what I think of Sarah Palin this week. One person that asked is a hardcore, far-left liberal. She thought I would not like her because she is a woman and the feminist that asked - she knows I am conservative. Her shock was evident when I said that not only do I like her, but I like her better than I like McCain. She was very surprized, so I explained... I would vote for a black man or a woman - just not the ones whose views and policies are polar opposite of mine.

Many Liberals seem to be under the misconception that they have an exclusive on being so sophisticated that they could vote for a minority (gender or race), while we conservatives are so archaic that we should be appalled that Sarah Palin would take on such responsibility while having five children at home. It appears to me that she has the full support of her family and is more qualified for this position than Obama or Biden. In fact, she has more executive experience than McCain as well.

I say "many Liberals" because there has been some rational thought among the opposition. Susan Estrich wrote an article for Fox News, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,416102,00.html in which she points out the media bias against Palin and the hypocrisy of those suggesting that a Palin should be home raising her kids, yet never question a father's ability to be a father and president. The part that strikes me is that the party of the "feminists" and the "sophisticated, open-minded" people are the very people attacking her because she is a woman. They are the very people that usually accuse conservatives of being racist or sexist. If Republicans chose a black man to be the running mate, would they begin screaming that a Black man is unqualified? It certainly leaves one to wonder...

About Palin, one pundit said they thought she hit a homerun, but added - "in this first inning". The implication being that she has only been in the spotlight for a short time - I completely agree. I am very impressed with what I have seen so far, but you never know what will pop up after a few weeks... I am eager to see how she does for the long haul!

WELCOME

Welcome to my new blog! I hope that you participate in this open discussion of issues facing Americans today. I will limit this discussion to rational, intelligent posts - vulgar or abusive posts will be removed. Opposing views are welcomed, but I ask that when posting you tell us WHY you believe the way you do. "Just because" is not a rational or intelligent reason for a position on important issues; The why is important.

My position is that of a conservative Christian point of view. I have a strong belief in Jesus as my Savior - so I am pro-life, but I believe in certain exceptions. I am a gun owner and believe it is my constitutional right to do so. I believe in the rule of law. That being said, I am a compassionate conservative. I have volunteered thousands of hours with a victim services agency, I donate money to other community service agencies and my career is in public service.

I am happily married, a parent and a taxpayer. I believe that elected officials have an obligation to serve the constituency - not themselves. I am an educated Southerner that does not believe that geography determines IQ. I live in the real world and feel that plans, expectations and agendas should be realistic. I hope that you will join me in rational discussions about issues that effect you and me alike.