Who Cares about Freedom?

I have said it before, the presidential election of 2012 is the most crucial election in more than a century.  This election will determine the future of America, the Constitution and your right to be...American!  Our nation and the civilized world is at a tipping point and what happens over the next several weeks could certainly change our lives in ways nobody living today, could ever imagine.  The election will not only be a choice of two men, but a referendum on the future of our freedom as Americans.  Before you vote, you must ask yourself, "Do I care about freedom?"

I have not updated the blog for a while because I am busy with work.  In Obama's America of 2012, fewer people are fortunate to keep their jobs.  Those who do are working longer and harder, for far less money, to keep their jobs.  Unlike too many people who spend their free time watching movies to dull the pain, I spend my little free time researching news and events to stay updated on the state of the world, the nation and the state.  The most common and frightening story I hear each day is how Obama is leading in the polls.  From this news, I can only conclude one or more of several possibilities:

• The polls are skewed or fixed.
• It is already too late and the government has created enough desperation  and dependence over the past four years to sway the majority of voters into feeling that Marxism or communism is a better way of life.
• The majority of voters are ignorant of the facts or simple do not care.
• The voting public is stupid, which ironically, is what the democrats believe.

Let's look at a few items as examples of why this President must be fired.

• Despite his promise to not raise taxes on the middle class, he has already increased taxes more than any President in modern history.  He calls them fees and penalties, but if it means government taking money out of your pocket, it is a tax, pure and simple!  
• The CBO has stated publicly that the Obamacare plan, set to take full effect in 2014 will not work as Obama has stated (lied) several times.  Obama knows this.  For the plan to work, their are estimates ranging from $2,000 - $4,000 per year out of income earning American pockets.  Knowing how government spends money, I would bet my life that these estimates are extremely conservative.  Even with these numbers though, who can afford to pay this much money?
• Under this president, we have become less safe than anytime since the Cuban missile crisis.  The events in Benghazi, Libya, where our unarmed soldiers and our Ambassador were murdered in a terrorist attack, planned for September 11.  Even though the White House now has admitted that they knew (and were warned) it was a planned attack, they continued to blame it on a amateur video more than one week later.  Not only did the White House cover up the facts, but in doing so, they provided cover for the terrorists.  Some might call this, providing aid and comfort to the enemy - from the highest office in our nation.  With Al Qaeda knowing they have an ally in the White House, how comfortable do you feel now?

• This president has not created a single job during his administration.  In other words, from month to month, fewer jobs are created than lost.  The net result, fewer people working for less money today than when he took office.  Yet, he continues to blame George HW Bush.  He says he inherited a mess and many of his followers believe him.  Fact:  When George HW Bush took office, we were attacked on 9/11/2011, spiraling our economy out of control.  We recovered and were out of this recession within months.  Fact:  When Ronald Reagan took office for the first time, our nation was in the worst recession since the great depression.  Yet, Ronald Reagan introduced "Dawn in America" by his re-election and the nation was two years into the greatest recover in modern times.  Both of these presidents spoke of the events (or people) who led the country into a recession, but both had spoke about a brighter future based on the trends at the time.  This president however, continues to blame his predecessor after nearly four years of his leadership, most of which was with a congress made up of democrats.  As for the future, he paints a picture, but unlike the previous great presidents, he has taken this country into the worst, let's call it what it is; depression EVER!  
• Today, more people are on food stamps than ever before!
• Unemployment is higher than it has been since Jimmy Carter.  If you calculate the rate using the formula in place at the time, today's unemployment rate would be pushing 20%.
• As a percentage, fewer bread winners own their own home than before the great depression.
• The current recession has lasted longer than any recession in our time.
• Gasoline prices have stayed at the current levels (or higher) than under any president in the past.
• Fewer small businesses are succeeding or being opened, then ever before in our nation.

While all of this tragedy has overtaken our country, this president has succeeded at one thing...he has played more rounds of golf than any other president.  I guess this is better than hanging out in Casino's.

This president has stated to the Soviet (call it what it is) President that he will enact his true plans after the re-election.  Really?  Do we need any thing more than this to toss him to the curb?

This president has snubbed our closest and only true ally in the middle east.  Does anyone realize that if Israel is forced to defend themselves against Iran, it will truly be a fight for the survival of their land and their people?  This will not be a "Shock and Awe" failure, this will be the greatest, most terrific conflagration the world has seen.  Yet, our president continues to warm up to the enemy.  Israel is bordered by Egypt, a country for which they have been at peace with for 30+ years.  Egypt however, is now run by Islamic extremists who side with Iran, whose stated goal is to destroy Israel. Yet, Obama continues to fund Egypt's military to the tune of $2B per year.  To put it in perspective, if you earned $1M per year, this would be 2000 years of your salary that we are giving to the supporters of our enemy.

All of this goes beyond the rhetoric of past posts when I accused Obama of being a Islamic terrorist sympathizer and a hater of America and our values.  This is much more critical.  We have a man in the White House who is determined to bring this nation to it's knees at any cost.  This is a man who called the terrorist slaughter of our unarmed soldiers in Benghazi, "a bump in the road."  This is the man who apologized for America and our inalienable rights, for weeks after the attack.

On the very day the administration released the news that they knew, 24 hours after the attack that it was a terrorist attack; this is the administration who arrested the producer of the "infamous" video, which the administration still publicly blames for the attack.  The news of his arrest buried the news of the administration's failure to place extra protection at our embassies on 9/11, despite the known threats.  This man, character traits aside; has been ordered held without bond and will no doubt never be heard from again prior to the election, if at all!  In keeping with tyrannical governments of the past, I predict we will hear of Nakoula Basseley Nakoula dying unexpectedly while in jail, perhaps it will be suicide.

With all of the fallout from this administration, I am surprised that anyone would vote for this man, yet he continues to remain ahead in the polls.  Under normal circumstances, I would not vote for his opposition.  I do not support Mitt Romney when compared to many other possible candidates.  I am excited to think that some day we may have the Modern Whig party leading the country.  Today however, it is a fight for American values, for the right to Life and Liberty.  This election must be decided not by polls or radical outlaw communist protesters.  This election must be decided by everyone who cares about freedom!

"It Is Time!"

I never thought I would see the day that I quoted a chimp from a cartoon movie, but at least I chose one of the best cartoon movies to quote from.  The Lion King (original version) sent a message which can be applied to the state of our nation today.  Very simply, if you try to take from those who work very hard to make a life for their families in order to give to those who choose to do nothing but drain the resources of the government; everyone loses.  In real life terms, we call it Marxism.

Bringing the message closer to home, we have a governor who is oblivious to the rising unemployment and the exodus of business and residents to neighboring states.  I know Governor Quinn is oblivious because he is doing nothing to stop or even slow this trend.  True, he has given some patronage breaks to Chrysler and Caterpillar, but what has he done to those who really keep the economy alive - the small business owners?  What has he done for the average taxpayer? What has he done for the former taxpayer who is now sitting home, hopelessly waiting for 6, 12, 18 months or longer for that phone call offering them a job?  A job offer which becomes less likely with each passing day.

I remember a bit from the late Sam Kinison, where he joked about starving people in Africa.  He said, "You live in a desert, what do you expect?"  "If you don't want to starve, MOVE!"  Of course, he was making questionable light of a very serious subject and I would certainly not support letting people starve in Africa or anywhere else, but the point is, Americans have a culture of determination; a history of fighting until they cannot fight anymore - a never-give-up attitude.  Through our history, if a person could find work in their home state, they will move to another state because they would not allow themselves to fail!

Unfortunately, our government - both state and federal, have worked hard in recent years to break down this survival mentality, creating a new breed of individuals who are content to sit out on the sidelines and allow the government to take care of them.  The result?

1. Productive people who are out of work move to other states to become productive taxpayers in other states.
2. Productive workers with jobs in this state, work harder and pay higher taxes to support the non-productive culture, created by our government, who remain in Illinois; an entitlement state.

This past week, I placed an ad to hire for possible positions and several people applied.  Most applicants who were currently working, were looking for new jobs because their current employer was cutting pay and increasing workloads.  Of those who were not working; the mature of the group (over 35), had been out of work for 6 months or longer and were willing to do anything, at any price to have a job.  They usually came from industries hard hit by the economy where they had been earning a very good wage.  The group of younger unemployed (under 30), had a history of job hopping - 6 months here, 2 months there...or they had not worked for 12 months or longer.  When asked what they were doing during that time, one said without embarrassment, "collecting unemployment and watching TV".  Another said, "not much, just hanging out".  These were not high school kids, but were adults in their 20's and early 30's.

I also spoke to a delivery driver early in the morning.  Here is a fully employed individual, protected by a union.  He very shamelessly told me about a day in his life.  He quipped about how he and his co-workers bid on their stops.  He said the route he had today was not too bad so he took it.  Then he added, if he gets to work late, only the bad routes are left and he does not bid on them. I asked him what he does in that case?  He said, it's no problem, I still get most of my pay for sitting home, so I would rather sit at home than run a bad route.  I should add, he works out of Wisconsin, where Governor Walker is currently being recalled because he is trying to fix what is wrong with the state budget, and has been very successful so far.  Who is leading the recall charge in Wisconsin?  The same unions that are protecting this driver who would rather sit home and do nothing than do a respectable day's work for a day's pay.

Then we have fuel prices blowing through the roof!  The price for gasoline is the highest it has EVER been with promises of prices to go much higher.  When prices increased under Republican Presidents, it was always said that the President was not doing enough to bring down the prices.  Under a Democratic President however, the President has no control over gas prices.  How does that work?

In Illinois, one of few state that charge tax on fuel as a percentage of the price, why has the governor not changed to a flat rate as most states do, for taxing fuel?  This step alone could bring some relief, albeit minimal, at the pump.  Simple, for Illinois government, higher gas prices equates to a windfall.  This is nonbudgeted revenue in their pockets which no doubt, will be wasted just as every other dollar going into our government is wasted.  It will not benefit the state in any way.

The history of our state's leadership has been colorful to say the least: 

Jim Thompson - Moderate Republican, helped bring commerce to the state but big on spending.  Knew how to play the game and knew the limits so he would stop just short of going too far.
Jim Edgar - Moderate/Conservative Republican - Honest.  More fiscally conservative, but the conservative opposite of Jimmy Carter - wanted to be everybody's friend.  Could not make the tough decisions.
Jim Ryan - Corrupt, Moderate.  Old time politician.  Played the game and did not expect to get caught.
Rod Blagojevich - Corrupt, Liberal, out to benefit himself at any cost. Cared about nobody.  I would not trust him with the code to my garage door.
Pat Quinn - Liberal, Big Spender, will placate anyone and do anything to stay in office, but I believe he is honest.

I can go back a little farther to pull a few more rotten apples out of the barrel and fortunately, I can also find some great leaders which have left their footprints in our great state, not the least of whom are Ronald Reagan and Abraham Lincoln.  This proves that corruption does not come from drinking our water.

It Is Time...To Save Illinois -

Our next governor must have absolute qualities.  Among them:

• Fiscal conservative - the irresponsible spending must stop!
• Thick Skin - Stand up to Chicago politicians in Chicago and Springfield and say no to handouts.  If Chicago wants to give away the farm, let Chicago find a way to pay for it.
• Stand up to union leaders - a state that works, provides more competent employees to pay union dues.  A state of unemployed workers pays nothing.  Union leaders do not understand this concept.
• Social Moderate - We are a changing culture but as the state go, so goes the nation.  If we become extreme on either end of the spectrum, we alienate the majority of the constituency.  We do not need roadblocks to protect us from ourselves, but we should not allow lawlessness and anarchy.  
• Parents should police their children's behavior first.  If law enforcement has to be the family disciplinarian, than parents should be held accountable.
• If abortion rights or gay marriage are the most important concerns to you in an election, than you need to re-evaluate your priorities.  These issues matter to specific individuals as do others, but in any election, the most important issues should be those that affect the health and the future of the entire state, because if the state does not exist, these (and other) issues become moot.
• Rebuilding Industrial Base - Illinois at one time was the home of some large manufacturing facilities which employed tens of thousands of employees.  Many of these jobs left the state and the country.  Our next governor must produce a climate which will encourage companies to return or relocate to Illinois. This should be done without sacrificing our states future with TIF incentives.
• Create a Climate For Entrepreneurship - The state has taxed small business into certain failure over the past 15 years.  By driving through your local towns, you will notice vacant storefronts unlike anytime in the past.  In my travels in my work, I have seen many businesses in strip malls come and go by the month.  The restaurant business alone, where the average profit nationwide is 3%, in Chicago it is only 1%.  It does not take much of an increase in taxes, licenses, fees, surcharges or some other name the government creates, to take away a business owners profit and send them spiraling into bankruptcy.
• Business is None of Your Business - The state government is not in the job of operating restaurants, hospitals, car dealers or any other business.  The IDPH is charged with developing guidelines for food related business and healthcare facilities to ensure the safety of the consumers and patients, respectively.  These guidelines should be fair, reasonable and rational.  Each industry has councils, associations and/or commissions which produce standards and offer their form of accreditation.  Our food and healthcare industries have been the safest in the world, but have only recently began to show signs of failure; ironically after the government became more involved.  Politicians are not experts in these fields and should not interfere.
• Respect All People of Illinois - It is called the state of Illinois, not the state of Chicago.  This is a state rich in culture and diversity, from the recent European immigrants in the City of Chicago, to the long time family farmers in the southern third of our state.  Each of these people who contribute to the state in their own way and each of these people deserve the same respect and attention.  That said, a farming family in Livingston County toiling for 12 hours, 7 days every week including holidays - in the hottest summer sun and the coldest winter wind; should not be forced to pay for a person to have free air conditioning and cable TV, while they sit at home in government provided housing in Chicago.  There is trash on the streets and graffiti on the bridges.  If people collecting state welfare are able-bodied, they should be required to perform public service for 40 hours.  This will clean the streets, save money for the state, provide work experience and self respect to the recipients.  

Another quality the next governor must have - Whig Party!
One quality the next governor must not have - He must not be Pat Quinn or anybody currently serving in the state General Assembly.

Now, who is ready and willing to step up?

The Taxman Cometh, The Governor Taketh

As the wrought iron grip of tyranny continues to spread over the nation with the President forcing his will on the American people, we must not forget from where he came.  Yes, right here in our own back yard where we keep the rest of our compost.  Of course, more and more, we are learning that our own Governor appears to have spent a good share of his time digging for treasures in the heap as well.

Before you judge me as being mean spirited, I am not disparaging these two men without cause.  The news of this week was enough to send any freedom loving American into a fit of anger.  The worst of them of course is our beloved President.  This man feels he has the right to tell a religion based hospital that they must provide free birth control and abortions.  Excuse me?  I have always said that this man believes he is mightier than the Almighty, but this is taking it to an extreme.  Mr. Obama, just who do you think you are?  It is one thing to mess up the lives of 300 million American people, and though God is an awesome and forgiving force, rest assured, God is not a push over. Unlike you, God tells Satan what he will do, not the other way around.  My advice to you Mr. Obama, is to come back down to earth and pick a fight with someone your own size because no matter how big you think you are, this is one fight you will lose.  If you choose to challenge the creator of man, you will prove to many others what I already knew - that you are not a good person and are not interested in doing good for anyone except yourself.  Enjoy it while you can because eternity lasts a long time.*Author's Note Below

Now, Mr. Quinn. Unlike our President, I give our Governor kudos for all of the work he has done for our troops.  The Governor has really stepped up and supported our soldiers as much or more than any leader - certainly more than our President.  I also give the Governor kudos for calling out Blago before anyone else ever suspected this crooked Governor of any wrong doing.  Governor Quinn began to show his support falling off very early in the process if you watched close enough. That is about the end of my support for Governor Quinn.  Everything since has been boilerplate Democratic party tax, rule, spend. 

The latest came this week when Governor Quinn announced a plan to have all gun owners in Illinois register and pay a fee for their firearms.  I am sure he is doing it to "save at least one life."  My first thought was that I should rush out to register my guns and pay my fees before the lines get too long.  After-all, once the 150,000 gang bangers in Cook County hear about the new law, the lines will be down the block.  Then I realized, that's right, gang bangers have illegal firearms.  So my position now is simply, Mr. Quinn, when you can prove that all of the gang bangers have registered their firearms and paid their fees, call me.  Until then, I'll just say no thanks.

Here is the thing.  Once you register, the state now knows what you own and where you keep it making it easier for them to take it when they decide to confiscate it...and be sure that day will come.  Here is the other thing...suppose your legally registered handgun is stolen and used in a crime, the police recover the gun, but not the criminal.  Who do you think the police and the lawyers will be going after?  You are now at the very least, held liable because you failed to secure the firearm properly, causing it to be used to hurt or kill another person.  Don't think it will happen?  Are you really willing to take the chance?

The US Constitution gives citizens the right to keep and bear arms.  It does not say that citizens must register arms with the government and pay a fee.  It does say however, that citizens have a right to protect themselves from a government that has gone wild.  If the government can control your right to protect yourself from the government (we are not talking about building an militia here), wouldn't you be giving up this right by registering your firearm?

The Governor will say it is to protect people from getting hurt needlessly by keeping track of who owns firearms.  Are people really that stupid?  It serves two purposes, it raises revenue and puts government in control of citizens rights to bear arms.  Once again however, the law abiding are the victims.  Those who follow the law would pay the fees and suffer at the hand of government.  It is the gang bangers, the killers and the thugs who are doing the killing and none of these people will be standing in line to register their handguns and pay their fees; and neither would I.  In all honesty, I do not personally own a gun, but this is my choice.  I do however, fully support the right for every law abiding citizen to own a gun if they so choose.

Governor Quinn, I think you need to take another look at the US Constitution.  It's cold this weekend and the football season is over.  Let me know how it turns out.

*Author's Note: 

After posting this entry, it occurred to me that people of all types may read this.  Unfortunately, I am concerned that some people who may not be quite stable may read this blog and misinterpret my intentions.  Because of the nature of the two subjects, I felt it necessary to add this note. 

My statement that "eternity lasts a long time", is simply meant to say that, as with the rest of us, Mr. Obama will be called upon to answer for his actions on judgement day, which I hope is many years from now.  I do not support, encourage or wish any harm to come to this, or any American President, past or present!  My lack of support for his policies is clear and obvious, but like it or not, he is the President of the United States and the only way I would encourage anyone to challenge his authority is through the democratic process, which takes place this November; by voting for his whoever challenges him.

I believe that an act against an American President, by an American citizen is  an act of treason.  An act against an American President by a person who is not a citizen of the United States, an act of terrorism.  Furthermore, my position on gun control is in support of the American way of life and the rights of the American people.  I believe that people who carry their argument to an extreme and use their rights to commit acts against the country they claim to love, only serve to fuel the argument for those who wish to take away the rights of law abiding citizens.

Fueling the Occupy Movement

By now everyone has heard about the Occupy movement sweeping the country with their radical activities and their disorganized antics.  From what I can see, this group is made up of a mix of people from all walks of life.  The most notable of the members are those that are pushing for socialism, fueled by the democratic party.  This small sect is demanding that government take care of them, cradle to grave, by taking money from the rich and giving to those who refuse to do their part - thereby balancing out the classes.  The people in this group have no idea what their message is or what their goals are.  They just shout their mantra about punishing the rich.

There is another group within this movement who we do not hear much about. These are the people who have worked hard their entire lives and are now being victimized by government and the banking industry.  Unfortunately, this group will not be successful within the Occupy movement because they have been overshadowed by the socialist radicals who have pirated the organization.  It is this group though, which has a true gripe against the "system" as the banking industry has transitioned over the past 20 years from a friend of the community, into a much darker, more punitive industry; not unlike the IRS.  That is, they will gladly take your money, but do not expect anything more!

There was a time when your neighborhood bank would work with you through hard times, assisting with financial planning, loan repayment and so forth.  Those days are gone.  Over the past several years, the federal government has provided the banking industry several tools to assist homeowners with mortgage modifications.  The federal reserve has allowed banks to borrow money for free, and recently announced that they will continue to allow banks to borrow money for free.  That means the interest and fees banks charge you for the loan will essentially flow to their bottom line.  Now, try to modify your mortgage.

In my case, a business sale gone bad (because of government restrictions) had resulted in me assuming a significant amount of debt. The government's role in this was that I could not legally require proof of citizenship or residency from the buyers. When the buyers skipped out on the business and the lease, my attorney informed me that I could not take action against the buyers because they did not have legal authority to be in the US. The debt is now legally mine.  As a responsible, albeit, pissed off American, I have been paying the debt and will continue to pay the debt until I die.

The banks role in this mess is when they refinance my home, which was almost paid off, at a rate of 7.75%.  They did not require any proof of income, tax forms, nothing, just a signature. In hindsight, at the time the house was worth far more than the loan so the bank had little risk. While I question the banks ethics in the process now, I accept responsibility for signing the paperwork back then.

Today, times are tougher, bills are higher and values lower.  At the end of the month the bills just barely get paid and debts are not being reduced.  The high mortgage payment is what seems to be causing the problem, so I assume, if I can modify the mortgage, I can work toward reducing my overall debt.  Now I should add, I do not live extravagantly - basic cell phone, no home phone, no air conditioning, 1000 sf home, 1 car (paid off), basic cable/internet ($24/mo. combined). 

So I call my mortgage company, which is also my bank and request to apply for the home loan modification.  They ask me if I would consider selling my home?  I explain that this has been my home for 20 years and I do not want to sell my home.  They ran some numbers and told me I cannot afford my home even under the home loan modification program, that my only choice would be to sell my home.  I told them that their answer was not acceptable - I know what I can and cannot afford.  I have not missed a payment, though I have been a week or two late, but have never missed a payment.  Then I was told that my only option was to sell my home or eventually face foreclosure - again, never missed a payment and now they are threatening to take my home. 

This is the banking industry hard at work for it's customers.  After all, why would they want to modify a loan which they are collecting almost 8% on? My question is, with the millions of foreclosed homes in their inventory, why would they not be willing to take a little less each month if it will keep on less home from being foreclosed? If they truly care about their customers, why would they be so willing to put a person out of a home they have lived in for 20 years? If their Actuaries can tell me today that I cannot afford my home at my current income, why couldn't they tell me this 5 years ago when I refinanced and was making 1/3 of the salary I am making today?  Does the banking industry not have a fiduciary responsibility to protect their customers financial interest?

There was a time when the banking industry assisted their customers reach their financial goals.  There were personal bankers who spoke to the customers with $10 in their accounts the same way they spoke to their customers with $10,000 in their accounts.  Over the years this has changed and the banking industry has become not only a collector of debt, but a significant creator of debt.  Where they at one time would provide cashiers checks for free to their customers, they now charge $5 or more.  At one time they would use discretion when charging overdraft charges.  I actually was charged $35 for overdrawing my account by 35 cents. 

If banks cared about their customers, why don't they provide classes to teach people how to create a household budget?   Why don't they provide free Quicken software?  The provide free Turbotax software, but that is only so their customers will direct deposit their refund checks into their bank.  If they cared about their customers, why don't banks take more of an interest in helping their customers out of trouble during hard times rather than punishing them? 

I find it sadly amusing how banks treat their customers no different than the government treats the American taxpayer.  Interestingly, the government does not treat the banks the same as they treat the American taxpayer.  In fact, the bank I have been dealing with would not be in business today if the government had not provided them a significant bailout a couple years ago.  Think about it...the bank went to the government and said, "I cannot make my payments, can you give me money so I do not lose everything?"  The government said, "sure, how much?"  This past weekend, I went to the bank and said, "I can make my payments, but it is becoming increasingly difficult, can you work with me to make it easier?"  The bank said, "Take a hike!"

I would like to say that it was my tax money that bailed them out, but in reality because of my losses I have not paid much in taxes for the past few years, but there are many, many taxpayers who had paid in to the government so Bank of America can be around to put more hard working people out of their homes for another day.

Mute Newt?

He was the Speaker of the House when the Republicans controlled Congress in the mid 90's.  He crafted the Contract with America. He is handily an intelligent, albeit direct and politically incorrect candidate.  His platform is generally fiscally conservative and socially moderate - I did say generally.  Yet, his party is throwing him, head-first, into the political shredder.  Instead, the GOP is pushing to place Mitt Romney on the ballot against Obama in the general election.  What happened to the one time GOP hero that would cause the GOP establishment to turn their back on the Newt, instead opting for a known fiscal and social moderate such as Romney?

The answer is simple - all of the above.  In this day of oversensitivity and political correctness, there is no place for a politician like Newt.  The GOP is certain that in a contest between Newt and Obama, the GOP does not stand a chance.  Frankly, I don't believe the GOP has a chance in a contest between Romney and Obama either.  Most people looking for change will see Romney as being too close to Obama and decide they would rather stay with the devil they know. 

The only hope for our nation is to have a radical shift.  While I am not convinced that either Romney nor Gingrich will bring about the shift we need, I do believe that Newt will create a greater shift than Romney.  As for his personality?  Newt has a questionable past, to say the least. I am not comfortable with the way he has conducted himself with respect to his relationships, but I also do not know the entire story and more importantly, who am I to judge how he and his partner's conducted their private business.  I can have my opinion, but it is only my opinion based on what we are told in the media.  I judge the candidate based on his/her platform, what they say and more importantly, what they have done.

Newt states that poor people should become janitors in schools and he is labeled a racist.  I am caucasion, grew up in a "poor" household which did not collect aid.  To earn money for clothes, I worked as a janitor assistant in the high school during school vacations.  I am not ashamed nor offended by Newt's comments.  In fact, I learned at 14 years old that hard work built character.  What's more, I did not get into trouble, did not take drugs and never had to dodge bullets.  Because of my the decisions I made early in life, I managed to work for 30 years before I ever experienced what it was like to be unemployed.  Even after being unemployed for the first time in my life, I still worked part-time at a much lower pay rate because it was the thing to do.  Fortunately, after 8 months, I returned to work full time in a career position.

Newt talks about stopping spending in government. Again, we blast him for taking food from the very young and the very old, but he did not say this.  He is only saying that out of control spending must end in government - we cannot spend what we do not have.  What is wrong with this statement?  My checkbook runs out of money, I cannot spend anymore.  There is nothing magical here, it is simple arithmetic.  Newt can promise a chicken in every pot and a Porsche in every driveway.  This may make the voters feel good, but it will not happen, so what is the point?  Remember back to the day Obama was elected when people celebrated in the streets and made statements about how they would not have to pay for there houses now because Obama was the President?  Well, they were partially correct, which is why banks are now foreclosing on millions of homes.

At the end of the day, a candidate can promise anything and throughout history they have.  In 2012, America in the condition it is in, needs to wake up and face reality.  Newt is giving us a tiny reality check with his candor.  Granted, he is a long time politician and far from honorable, but among the people we have to choose from, I believe he is sprinkling less sugar than the others.  As a party, the GOP should think about the nation and back the candidate who will do the most and be the best for the nation.  As citizens, we need to understand that we will have to take our medicine - today, tomorrow or a month from tomorrow.  We can keep dreaming and vote for the candidate who promises to make those dreams come true, making the cure much worse down the road or we can start treating the problem now by voting for the candidate who will begin to turn things around.  It all rests on whether you want to enjoy today and pay dearly tomorrow or pay less today and look forward to a much brighter tomorrow.

Four More Years? Really?

What has happened to the intellect of the American people?  Is the government poisoning our water supply?  Is the media placing subliminal messages in our television programs?  Are aliens coming into our bedrooms at night and placing stupid chips in our brains?

The GOP is going through the ritualistic primary campaign which takes place every four years when a President of another party, has spent the past term dancing on the floor of the oval office.  The difference this with the GOP primary from a Democratic primary however, is that the media tends to dig up every bit of dirt on each GOP candidate.  Magically, the media can turn even the most innocent of issues into a scandalous event, the likes of which the nation has never seen.

By contrast, the most horrific scandals of a democratic candidate can just as magically be turned into innocent, uneventful, back page drivel.  We know for example, that Obama had attended a church for several years and was close friends with the pastor, who was blatantly racist, anti-Semitic and anti-American.  In a recorded sermon which Obama attended, he said, "not God bless America, God Damn America!"  But we did not hear about this on an interview the night before the election - or any other night.

We also know that a good friend and neighbor of Obama was a 1960's radical who set off bombs in this country to protest the Vietnam war.  In a book he authored, he wrote that he was sorry he did not do more damage.  Where was this reported? We also know that Obama had ties to convicted felon Tony Resko, but again, back page news.

However, let the ex-wife of a GOP candidate come out with a story about her husband, 13 years divorced; this makes the headlines.  Less noted in this was the fact that without her husband's knowledge, she was accused by the FBI for attempting to sell his influence for $10 million.  She said she didn't know anything about it, but admitted that she met with "the man". 

Now we have people saying that they will vote for Obama if Newt is nominated on the GOP ticket because they want to teach the GOP a lesson.  Well, the Whig Party is here to teach the GOP and the Democratic Party a lesson too, but we are not stupid about it.  The simple fact is, the nation will not survive four more years under Obama and people need to wake up.

Since he has become President, Obama has blown our nation's debt into hyperspace - nobody living today will ever see this debt disappear through normal spending cuts.  We are literally on the verge of total financial collapse and people must begin to understand what the consequences of financial collapse can mean for our nation.  Unemployment in this country is close, if not higher than it was during the great depression.  We hear about unemployment falling to 9%, but this is only the report of new claims - it does not include those who have fallen off, those who stopped looking for work, the unemployed military, and so on.  True unemployment is well over 20%.  If you do not believe me, test the theory - run a help wanted ad offering minimum wage.  Ten years ago, you would not receive one call.  Today, you will have graduate students lining up.

Since Obama has taken office, we have seen prices on food, gas, utilities, taxes - everything you need to live; go through the roof.  Investments and housing prices however, have fallen and will continue to fall.  During the previous three administrations, yes this includes Clinton, the economy went up...and down.  There were good times and there were bad times.  Gas prices rose and then they fell.  People did not sweat when things turned bad because they knew it would get better.  Under this President however, we have seen nothing but bad and worse.

Obama's new world order!  The move by this President to create global treaties with everything from currency to citizen's rights is what frightens me the most.  There is and never has been a question in my mind that Obama is an enemy of the US Constitution.  Since taking the office, Obama has mocked our system of government time and time again by his constant refusal to show his birth certificate - who among us would have any problem showing our birth certificate.  Obama still has not produced his college records.  He has bypassed the constitutional process several times by pushing through more executive orders than any President before him, again mocking the purpose of the executive order.  With the power of the executive order, this President will sign away our freedom entirely at the rate he is going.

What makes the worst of the worst even more disgusting however, is the arrogance of the President.  This, more than anything is what makes me wonder how anyone in this country can even consider supporting this person for a new term.  For those who remember, during the recession of the 70's, our worst President (to that point), Jimmy Carter, empathized with the suffering of the American people.  He dialed down his thermostat, wore sweaters, cut back on fancy White House dinners.  He spoke to the American people and said that he would not spend money on extravagances and vacations while the citizens were suffering. 

Though Obama has seen more people lose their jobs than any President in recent history; and though he has orchestrated an economy which has placed more people on public assistance than any President in US history and though more people are losing their homes than under any President before him; he still manages to play more golf, take more vacations and work a shorter day than any President before him.  I do not even need to mention the private trips and staffs of 50 that the first lady has taken around the world.

Everything I talk about above relates to the nation as a whole.  Everything I care about is the future of the rights and freedom of all Americans.  I am not about pushing for a candidate that believes in only the issues that I believe in or supports only the causes that I support.  First and foremost, I want a candidate that will abide by the oath of office and support and defend the Constitution of the United States.  If we do not have that person in the White House, nothing else matters!

As a Whig Party Chairman, I agree that our government from the smallest level to the highest, must be reformed.  I believe the Whig Party is the party with the platform to fix the problems in this country and all of it's 50 states.  In this case however, we have a fire that is burning out of control and we must first put out the fire before we can think about cleaning up the mess.