Showing posts with label John Boehner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Boehner. Show all posts

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Littlestuff Weekender-3-10-2012


At 2:00am Sunday morning our ‘time” is magically transformed, and we begin to save daylight. This maneuver has always puzzled me because “saving” suggests some form of storing, and I’ve never found a system that will successfully retain daylight for more than several hours. Maybe our new emphasis on green energy development can include a daylight storage component. We can pass out billions of research and development dollars to well-placed friends of politicians who will, in turn, hire tens (perhaps even dozens of people) of people to resolve the problem. If anyone can possibly save daylight for an extended of time without its molding or rusting, our efficient government bureaucracy armed with unlimited cheapening dollars will find a way….or not.

One other aspect of Daylight Savings Time that perplexes me is why do we go back to Standard Time for such a short period? From the end of October to mid-March isn’t very long, so why bother? Perhaps it’s an extension of Obamacare as the government gurus assume that several senior citizens will tumble from ladders while changing clocks thus saving dollars for Medicare and Medicaid after they break their fragile necks. Just a tin-foil thought. Almighty God has cautioned us that His ways are not our ways, and we are incapable of totally understanding everything about Him. Obviously our government and its representatives believe they are godly because nearly everything they do is beyond human comprehension. Frankly, I trust the Original Creator, but fear and distrust the interloping copycat.

For those of us who remain transfixed by the GOP race for the presidential nomination….the Kansas caucuses are today (Saturday) and Mississippi and Alabama selections are coming this week. The three leading contenders are all predicting victory. I suspect that none of them will be correct. The mess marches on.

Greece has technically defaulted although the true default was nearly two years ago. Once again bond holders will be holding the bag. If you were one of those, you deserve your “haircut.” Greek bondholders are being transformed into “skin heads” right before our very eyes.

What a jolt as Chevy suspended production of the VOLT. Purchases by government and General Electric were not enough to prop up this latest socialist-managed-economy-government-meddling fiasco. I suggest you hold off placing your order until after the new GM-Puegot merger has been finalized wherein you might qualify for a 100% subsidy. Of course you’ll have to supply your own batteries at $12K each, your 40-mile extension cord and your very-own EPA-DOE approved charging station (roughly $275,000 plus ten years delay for impact studies). It’s really tough to top those wonderful government subsidies. Geeeesh.

So President Obama and his covey of clowns are becoming quite perturbed because the “new media” are vetting him. Andrew Breitbart’s recent death has generated more interest in his site’s recently released videos about BHO’s college years. Unlike Anthony Weiner, the President doesn’t want to be ‘exposed.’ Our modern-day Manchurian Commander-in-Chief confidently believes that he can fool all the people all the time…..well, except for those pesky right-wing zealots. It will be up to individual states to determine if Obama is qualified for their respective November ballots. Clearly….the distribution of Democrats versus Republicans will factor into each state’s decision-making process. It must be states who take the lead because Boehner is too cowardly and Harry Reid is too far in the tank for Obama to assure a fair and just Congressional effort.


As the conference tournaments wrap up this weekend, we surge into March Madness next week. There will probably be enough money wagered in office pools to severely dent the national debt. Just like career politicians and bureaucrats, many of those who gamble will have little real knowledge about the vagaries of college hoops. They will generally really on the S.W.A.G. method for designing their brackets (SWAG = Scientific Wild-A$$ed Guess)….just like government only without the “scientific” part. Good luck and NEVER choose a 16 seed to win it all.

Earlier I wrote a column that briefly addressed the Sandra Fluke-Rush Limbaugh kerfluffle (“Sluts and Nuts,” 3-7-2012). This little news item is unworthy of prolonged consideration because it was a movement by strident socialist women to move the contraception debate away from Church-State-1st Amendment issues into the realm of anecdotal downtrodden victim of the system. They chose the wrong representative. Fluke is not a sympathetic character, so when Limbaugh stepped in it and rendered his infallible judgment, the focus quickly shifted toward his supposedly misogynistic attitudes. The old line is “when you wrestle with pigs you have to get into the mud with them….and they have the advantage there.” Still it is much ado about nothing yet it has eaten up bandwidth and print space.

Have a special weekend as you “spring forward.” Monday’s column will be “The Placebo Effect”  …. Unless I change my mind.


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Greater Expectations


You are probably familiar with the fable about the Emperor’s New Clothes. If we were writing a story about today’s gallant knights who are running for office to save our nation, we would probably note that they’re wearing tin-foil armor. They are clothed with the fragile protection of expediency that they expect us to assume is principle.  Every candidate from every party or movement is to some degree a flawed warrior. For those of us who must choose our standard bearer, we are faced with the unenviable task of choosing a lesser leader. When we consider whom to choose, we should reflect about what our previous choices have yielded so that we do not compound one error with another. We do not require a leader who wears the faulty armor. We must have leaders who have principled minds and courageous hearts.

While at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last week, I was struck by the dichotomy of passions that I witnessed. On the one hand supporters of various candidates and issues were vociferously promoting their “new best thing,” while on the other hand the overall tenor of the event was tenuous and somewhat subdued. For some Mitt was the best choice, and for others Newt or Rick was the obvious pick. Dr. Paul’s support was somewhat muted because of many liberty-oriented groups decisions not to participate in this year’s cattle call.


Is that all there is? Is this the best that America has to offer? Are Mitt, Newt, Rick, or Barrack the true guardians of liberty that our Framers had hoped would succeed them? Are Mitch McConnell and John Boehner the most virtuous and courageous people available to lead the Senate and the House of Representatives respectively? Yes, each of them is flawed….dangerously so, but those of us who are dissatisfied with them and their positions, policies or practices have not explicitly identified our criteria for leadership.

While we may choose to support the most electable or the best option available, we are admitting that our standards have sunk to the point of non-existence. Even in our local or congressional races we celebrate people whom we believe are better than the incumbent but are sorely deficient in principle, integrity and honor. Although we may whine about the paucity of principle among our candidates, we ignore the ones who are steadfast and solid because we perceive that they cannot win. That observation is true because it is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If we settle for lesser candidates in order to win, we shall always lose in the longer run. By promoting or electing lesser candidates what do we win? Perhaps a little more time before the Republic implodes, but not much else. We allow them to chisel away at our liberty and deny us the use of our property bit by bit.

Times have changed, Patriots. When we yet enjoyed our inalienable G_d-given rights and our Constitutionally-protected freedom, we could occasionally afford to elect an unprincipled charlatan or two. Today, however, the landscape has been altered. Each and every day we encounter another abuse from our government, and we cry for men and women of courage and principle to stand up and say “No More!” We must exercise our “greater expectations.” Close enough is not good enough any longer. Electable but seriously-flawed candidates will continue the destruction of our Republic and the future for our progeny. Greater expectations must be the order of the day and all our subsequent days. We have been identified as an exceptional people and nation. An exceptional people does NOT elect inadequate leaders just because they call us exceptional. An exceptional people insist that leaders be principled, honorable and honest. Maybe we should demand the “NOTA” (none of the above) option in our elections until we begin to attract the quality of candidates who are worthy of the Founders’ and Framers’ visions. We should exercise our greater expectations.

We have recently celebrated the 200th anniversary of Charles Dickens’ birth (b. 7 February 1812), our present constitutional republic has been in effect for 225 years, and our Declaration of Independence was issued some 236 years ago. Our greater expectations have been submerged in expediency and pragmatism as we march toward our tyrannical nirvana. Our liberty has been forfeited on the altar of electability and we have selected or elected leaders who compromise away our heritage….while we allow it. I am painfully aware that no one is perfect. I also know that the perfect candidate cannot satisfy the expectations of 312 million people. If we are convinced, however that a candidate is resolutely committed to identifiable principles then we can choose to support or reject that candidacy for legitimate reasons. Without a clear exposition of principles…we are blindfolded in the dark while trying to detect the least objectionable contestant.  

Truly I do understand the terrible fix that we’re in, but we’ve got to cure ourselves of the self-defeating strategy of falling for the first girl that shows some thigh or the buff guy with the six-pack abs. We must demand more of our candidates….more depth, more principle, more integrity and more courage. Glitter and almost-good enough does not cut it. The John Boehner’s of the world are absolutely undermining our liberty and our nation. Obama and his Marxist clan are destroying our nation. Unprincipled Republicans are allowing it. We must not be complicit. We must be insistent and consistent.