Americans Know It

The recent stimulus package is the government’s acknowledgment that the current economic path is sucking the life out of consumers.

The majority of Americans know the country is in deep trouble. The favorability numbers of President Bush and Congress are in the tank. Americans, whether conservative, moderate or liberal, have concluded the country is tumbling in the wrong direction.

The politicians, including Barack, Hillary and John, spend their energy pointing fingers across the aisle, while filling their campaign coffers by pretending to share our pain. In reality, they are little more than the designated, wannabe, keepers of the solution free zone we call DC.

The international scene is bleak. Afghanistan’s path to democracy seems stuck in neutral, except for its ability to grow and ship heroin. Iraq is improving, but there is no end in site. North Korea and Iran are neck deep in militarized nuclear programs, and China’s military is growing at an alarming rate.

Muslims are gunning to destroy Israel and Western Civilization. And even our so-called friends in the Middle East, like Saudi Arabia, are funding schools worldwide, including the United States, which preach the overthrow of democracy.

Our traditional allies have all but relinquished even the pretense of sharing the responsibility for stabilizing and protecting the West’s future. Like the UN, they just sit on the sidelines and carp.

The United States has all but forsaken manufacturing stateside. The source of most consumer products is China, India, South Korea, Japan and Indonesia. When the impact of this negative cash flow is combined with the dollars spent on foreign oil, it’s a wonder that the US currency is stronger than the Mexican peso.

Now factor in the US immigration policy. President Bush and Congress have abdicated control of our borders, abdicated our sovereignty. Those that can’t sneak in illegally are provided temporary visas. This influx is padded with droves of HB1 workers.

This endless flow is the wedge that business employs to depress the wages of US families, and increase its profits. Because the cost of illegal immigration is borne by local and state governments, Reid, Pelosi and Bush get a freebie for their constituencies.

Our primary education system is in default. We’re graduating illiterates at record levels. The decay of scholarship is destroying our ability to compete in a global market. By taking the work out of learning, we’re taken learning out of work.

Now throw in the pervasive attacks on Christianity and the Constitution, the deterioration of our infra-structure, the rampant pork barrel politics, the energy crisis, the soaring cost of food and the national media’s contempt for truth. Then stir in the anti-military sentiment, the decline of personal responsibility and free-for-all litigation.

Right now this nation is eating its young, and surviving on the reserves accumulated by previous generations. It can’t last. And Americans know it.

By Comparison

Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States ended as the Pennsylvania primary election readied to kick-off. Although it is impossible to judge the success of his mission, it’s obvious that all three presidential candidates would like the favorability ratings His Holiness garnered.

There is no doubt that Michelle Obama doesn’t understand the power of the charm and humility he exuded. Maybe the hats and robes are a giveaway, but assuredly, the Pope has never asked anyone in a snooty voice, “Do you know who I am?”

Michelle’s response to an inquiry defined her impression of herself and her sneering attitude toward average Americans. In the vernacular, she is an arrogant snot nose. So is her husband.

It’s just a guess. But it is difficult to believe the Pope clings to his religion because the economy is bad. In contrast to Barack and Michelle Obama’s spiritual leader, he asked God to bless America. Pope Benedict understands America’s pride in its history and believes the United States, with all its warts, is a well intentioned country; a country worthy of praise.

Setting religion aside, the Pope’s kind humanity was obvious. By comparison, Barack and Michelle’s humanity appears microscopic. The accouterments of respect can be purchased in Illinois. Remember Al Capone’s ascendancy?

But respect is mutual, or an empty, slick charade.

So it can’t be faked for long. In six days His Holiness earned more respect across our nation than Senator Obama and Michelle grossed in Pennsylvania with an eleven million dollar media blitz.

Senator Obama and Michelle won’t win the general election because they have illuminated their selfishness. Like the Clintons, these two elitists only care about their personal glory. That’s why their campaign is unraveling.

Pope Benedict doesn’t place morality on a sliding scale. He can’t be accused of being a flip-flopper, or pandering to the crowd. He has a single message. It doesn’t change if he is speaking in San Francisco or Pennsylvania.

That’s the true definition of the courage of conviction.

Honesty and consistency can travel long distances and can stand the test of time. Many may not like the Pope’s message, but few believe he would change it for votes or contributions. Maybe that’s the real definition of core values. Maybe that’s the change Americans are seeking.

Like Al Capone, Senator Obama is what he is. The impact of his message of change and hope has shriveled now that Americans understand his candidacy is only about his ambitions, now that his disdain for ordinary Americans is clear.

There is some good news for Senator Obama. He has caught up to the Clinton’s reputation. That explains why the Democratic campaign is in a dead heat.

The Audacity of Hope Revisited

We’ve all learned a lot about politics and the human condition in this presidential election cycle. It’s not a game for weak kneed players. The gloves came off in the Pennsylvania Democratic debate. Political correctness took a back seat to equal opportunity.

For forty-five minutes Senator Obama looked like a deer caught in a poacher’s spotlight. He wasn’t prepared for non-vetted questions, and walked away with a bloody nose when he was tossed head first into the fray.

Who knew he was a pampered, protected sissy?

His supporters screamed that the fight was unfair. And it was. A light weight contender should never have been tossed into the ring with a heavy weight opponent. But the complaints are falling on deaf ears. He’s the one who has repeatedly proclaimed that he has the experience to lead the nation.

That may be true. It appears he is only missing the skill set, knowledge, aptitude and fortitude required for the post.

His ultra-leftwing fan clubs are hurling stones at the ABC moderators. They claim Senator Clinton was given a pass. And she was. Therefore, in their distorted logic, Americans should just ignore Senator Obama’s first non-kindergarten recital.

His performance didn’t substantiate his much heralded rhetoric. But it pretty much defined what he means by the Audacity of Hope. He had the audacity to hope that the American electorate wouldn’t notice that he isn’t qualified. At best he is a Jimmy Carter without a hammer.

If his association with blatant anti-America religious leaders and bomb throwers, including his wife, didn’t cause you to twitch uncontrollably, his economic platform should send you into convulsions requiring 24/7 medical assistance.

Senator Obama wants the capital gains tax increased to support new entitlement programs. When told that this tax strategy would hurt one-hundred million Americans, including most of the middle class, he countered candidly that he didn’t care.

This outcome was acceptable to him if the tax punished the wealthy. No one has to put words in this man’s mouth to prove he is a proponent of class warfare. Hey, just a second! Isn’t this the guy that is promising to heal the nation’s divisions?

Don’t be hard on him. He’s just another politician whose aspirations are larger than his britches.

It seems Senator Obama is destined to be the Democratic presidential candidate. The Super Delegates won’t have the stomach to admit he is another Walter Mondale in waiting. They will hold their breath and pray for a victory.

That really defines the audacity of hope.

Bashing Catholicism

Pope Benedict XVI will spend six days in the United States. He will receive plenty of advice over the airwaves from the political pundits. He’ll sure get an earful.

In leftwing circles, Christianity is not protected by political correctness. So the religion bashers, like Bill Maher, will use the visit as a pretext to spew their hatred of the Catholic Church.

Maher called the Pope a pedophilia cult leader. Oh yeah, Maher is all class and so inspiring.

The Catholic Church has been around for about two thousand years. That’s enough time for the leaders of any powerful organization to wander in and out of a lot of trouble. Most Protestant religions were spawned by rebellions against the practices of the Catholic Church. And many with good cause.

It would take a life time to read the volumes of treatises written about the Church’s abuse of temporal power, the blood letting it instigated, the intrigue in Rome, its unsavory political adventures and the ruthless protection of its dogma.

The rampant pedophilia in the ranks of US clergy added another sordid chapter to its history. Its bishops and cardinals were accomplices. They played pedophilia roulette with the lives of the young and innocent church members. The disclosures rubbed raw nerves.

As the story unfolded, Catholics were outraged, ashamed and humiliated. Many walked away from the Church in silent disgust; others stood outside the church doors, ready to lynch the offenders. But most stayed. That is the point.

Why every last Catholic didn’t leave the Church is something that the Bill Mahers of this world will never understand. He and his comrades are so imbued with their smirking, intellectual hatred of religious principles that they have deceived themselves into believing all Catholics and Christians are stupid, gullible sheep in need of a crutch.

Their presidential candidate of choice, Senator Obama, voiced this elitist position when he described the faith of Pennsylvania’s rural residents.

Maher’s crowd is too myopic and shallow to distinguish between the frailty of the Church’s temporary keepers and the eternal message of Christianity. Despite the unworthiness of many of its messengers, Christianity has flourished for two millenniums.

The secular elitists can’t separate the Christian message from the Christian messengers without exposing the emptiness of their value system. Trapped in their own distorted logic and demagoguery, they are as pathetic as the pedophiles.

Like truth, the Christian message is immutable. It’s not dependent on the frailty of mankind; like matter and infinity, it would exist without mankind.

Catholicism and Christianity exist because absolute truth is absolute truth. That’s why the message of Christianity will endure to the end of time.

Thank You Massachusetts

It’s nearly impossible to park in the lot of a Wal-Mart, Lowes, Staples, Target, gas station, liquor outlet, grocery store, or a shopping center in southern New Hampshire without being surrounded by vehicles with Massachusetts license plates.

It would not be surprising to discover that the New Hampshire retailers were the largest contributors to the Commonwealth’s Democratic election coffers. And for good reason. The merchants in southern New Hampshire owe their prosperity to Massachusetts’ leftwing government.

If you can earn it, own it, clean it, wear it, listen to it, smoke it, see, use or touch it, Massachusetts taxes it. This is pretty much ditto for Maine and Vermont. That’s why their residents shop in New Hampshire.

For the record, although New Hampshire has no state income or sales taxes, its property taxes are brutal. People on fixed incomes, especially the elderly, are pushed to the brink by ever increasing taxes on their homes.

There is more disturbing news. The oppressive tax burdens placed on families in the Border States continue to encourage them to move to New Hampshire. As Republicans are as rare as diamond mines in Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts, the state of New Hampshire is rapidly turning blue.

It’s obvious that these border jumpers are not necessarily America’s best and brightest. Most are arithmetic and civics challenged. They flee states with confiscatory taxation and then demand the same Nanny State accommodations in New Hampshire.

Evidently, they interpreted the New Hampshire slogan “Live Free or Die” to mean “Live Free on Entitlements.” In fairness, many were educated in liberal dominated public schools, where years ago scholarship was replaced by a feel-good agenda and multi-culturalism, so they are probably illiterate.

Any serious candidate for political office in New Hampshire has always had to take “The Pledge.” Put simply, they had to guarantee the electorate that they would never vote for any broad based tax.

The newcomers, usually Democrats, believe that any candidate that takes The Pledge is evil.

They aren’t aware that the subject was thrashed out a few years back. The majority of New Hampshire citizens agreed that reliance on property taxes was unfair. They saw what it was doing to the elderly, and this mindset hasn’t changed. Neither have politicians.

There was a roaring debate over introducing a sales or income tax. The debate ended when the politicians refused to guarantee that property taxes would be reduced dollar for dollar by the revenues raised by a new sales or income tax.

In addition, the politicians were unwilling to cap the percentage bite of any new sales or income tax. Nor would they promise to cap property taxes. The taxpayers smelled a fat government rat.

New Hampshire’s citizens are often labeled as ignorant hayseeds, but they are smart enough not to trust the spending habits of politicians. You can’t say as much about our sophisticated neighbors in Taxachusetts.

They are currently looking down the barrel of a one-half billion dollar tax increase. The market value of homes in New Hampshire should improve shortly. Thanks Governor Duval Patrick!

Educational Malfeasance

If there is one subject that defines the moral decay of the liberals' agenda, it is education.

No one is shocked, or even surprised, when a political party introduces legislation that benefits a constituency that contributes tens of millions of dollars to its campaigns and religiously votes the party ticket.

But the Massachusetts Legislature has brought this game to a whole new level. This is the sanctuary state that is trading illegal immigrants for the productive segment of society. The educated, native born are bailing out of Massachusetts at the rate of 46,000 per year.

The reason for the flight is epitomized by the proposed legislation supported by Governor Duval Patrick and the other maladroit, liberal representatives that dominate Massachusetts.

In 1998 the state instituted tests for all prospective teachers, titled the Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL). The tests were designed “to ensure that Massachusetts educators can communicate adequately with students, parents/guardians, and other educators and that they are knowledgeable in the subject matter of the license sought.”

This was a laudable piece of legislation, as it is reasonable to expect teachers to know the subject matter being taught in their classrooms, and to be able to communicate with the students.

All applicants are given three chances to pass the four hour test. Many applicants finish the test in less than one hour and score in the 90 percentile range.

There is a fly in the ointment that the state’s pro-diversity, multi-cultural adherents are trying to correct with legislation. Over one half of the Hispanic and African American candidates fail the test all three times. The liberal solution to this conundrum: more affirmative action.

The legislation they want enacted will still demand that minorities take the test. But Hispanics and African Americans won’t have to pass the exam to teach in Massachusetts.

Their justification for this rubber stamp certification is astounding. The first is standard liberal boilerplate. If teachers were paid higher wages the quality of minority applicants would improve. Naturally, many claim the tests are ethnically biased. There is nothing worse than an ethnically biased math test . . . .

Of course, they all agree that students need minority role models teaching in the schools. That’s the loudest drumbeat. Evidently they want the students to know that they can be functionally illiterate when they graduate and still find a job in government.

This may explain why over 50% of minority students never receive a high school diploma; why they are illiterate when they graduate. This may explain why Massachusetts demanded lower standards of achievement in judging the national No Child Left Behind test results.

One sentence on the official MTEL Website offers a clue to the liberal agenda. “If you wish to register [for the test] and don't have a social security number, you must obtain a temporary identification number.” Illegal aliens are welcome to teach in Massachusetts. That may explain why so many minority candidates can’t read, write or speak English.

Lowering the standards of achievement is the textbook solution offered by liberals to reform education.

It’s the sinkhole that is destroying minority opportunity. More generations of blacks will be left dependent on government entitlements, which automatically makes them second class citizens, and Democrats for life. Is that the goal?

Let's Select Candidates Randomly

The 2008 primary campaign is winding down. We are left with three candidates, none of whom is especially appealing. Granted, each contestant has a number of rabid supporters.

We know Bill would vote for Hillary, and the staff at MSNBC, African Americans and Michelle would vote for Barack in the general election. Certainly, Senator McCain can list his wife as a fan. Beyond that there isn’t much enthusiasm for any of them.

Forty percent of Americans despise Senator Clinton, and no one is certain if Senator Obama’s grandmother would even cast a vote in his favor. If the stars of conservative talk radio are correct, there is no reason for a Republican to vote for McCain if matched against Senator Clinton.

Based on the results of the 2008 primary season, there has to be a better way to select candidates.

Maybe the election process in 2012 should be changed. Let’s just throw the names of all willing American citizens, constitutionally eligible to fill the Oval Office, into three hats. One hat will be for Democrats, one for Republicans and one for Other.

Then draw three names from the hats the first week of June, 2012. It’s doable, inexpensive and guaranteed fair, that is, if no politician is involved in the drawing. Follow the raffle with a dozen national debates and have the election in November.

No group could scream age, sex, religious, geographic or ethnic discrimination. How sweet is that? Now let’s take this a step further.

The same methodology could be used for electing the members of Congress and state Governors. Rather than having career politicians, the Senate, House and Governor Mansions would be filled with citizen politicians.

Most of us have more faith in our friends, neighbors and business associates than any politician we ever voted into office. Ordinary folks have had real jobs, and have a better grasp of the problems confronting Americans than the shielded, pompous office holders running from camera to camera.

Earmarks, lobbyists, corporate donors, cronyism, and outright pandering would be greatly reduced. And worse case, the graft and kickbacks that make politicians rich would be spread around more democratically.

Statistically there would be fewer lawyer lawmakers and no opportunity for the rich to buy elections. In the same vain, about eighty percent of the elected representatives would respect traditional values and the rule of law.

Of course, that’s a problem. Anyone sitting on the left side of the leftwing, like Speaker Pelosi, would be aghast at the speed in which the country would veer right. They would be tearing their robes and gnashing their teeth over the prospect of political correctness becoming extinct.

Imagine the fate of illegal aliens, our open borders, our pathetic educational system, activist judges, proponents of multi-culturalism and diversity if ordinary citizens sat in elected offices.

You can be assured that no one would be pressing a number to hear a message in English.

Energy and Fiscal Responsibility

Energy prices are searing the hides off American families. Based on the impasse between the environmentalists and those seeking national energy independence, don’t expect the government to solve the problem.

There is nothing wrong with the intent of either side of the energy debate, and there is plenty of room for cooperation and compromise.

It appears Americans see validity in wind and solar power, the potential of thermal power, and the advantages of nuclear power. The rise in our monthly energy bills defines the danger of relying on foreign oil. No one believes this dependency is good. It’s an economic anchor.

The country is sitting on staggering amounts of coal and shale oil, and has the technology to generate clean electric power and fuel from these commodities.

Political posturing, not the availability of technology and natural resources, is the major barrier against achieving a balanced energy solution. Americans know this and understand they are in it together.

We know that both political parties are more concerned with pleasing their constituencies than embracing a long term solution. The politicians are sitting on agendas; sitting on the problem.

Who are the politicians blaming? One side of the aisle blames the American consumer and American business. They believe that increased taxes on energy use and on the energy providers will lower the demand. That’s a brilliant solution! Increase the cost of energy that’s already crippling family budgets.

This is the same group that signed on to the recent tax stimulus package to put more money into the hands of low income American consumers to increase consumption. Evidently, consumption is good for the economy (and the environment) unless it’s the wealthy making the purchases.

The answers to the energy questions will not be found in class warfare rhetoric. Nor will they be solved by blaming Corporate America. Nor will they be resolved by more government intervention in industries that are already choking on state and federal regulations. Nor will they be found in environmental handbooks.

The American consumer is light years ahead of those crack troops running our government.

The vehicle manufacturers are scrambling to produce affordable, energy efficient, attractive cars and trucks due to demand. Government fleet mileage standards are irrelevant to Detroit’s survival. They must respond to the dictates of the American consumer or perish. That’s real incentive.

The American consumer is buying energy efficient appliances and building materials. They may care dearly about the environment, but their buying decisions are based on reducing utility bills. The environment and fiscal responsibility make good neighbors.

Americans are also recycling, while the idiots in government argue about paper verses plastic grocery bags. So invite your government representatives to follow your lead, or demand they stay out of the way.