1-1-11 STRANGE LITTLE DATE ISN’T IT?

1-1-11 seems like a strange little date to me. I think that this next year will be a strange one indeed … maybe even stranger than the one just ended. So many strange things happened in 2010 that I can’t begin to recount them all hear. We had a strange year if you ask me … but I think 2011 will even more strange.

Everything from sports to politics last year was disappointing for me. We saw Congress pass laws that the majority of Americans did not support. We saw them do nothing to improve the nation’s economy, secure the border, curtail illegal immigration in any meaningful way, or end the Jihad against us. Change we could believe in became change we could scoff at. Then the Democrat Congress, which was amongst the busiest Congresses at doing its will rather than the peoples’ will, ended there reign with a mad lame duck rush of laws that once again the majority Americans did not support … how strange was that? No wonder so many of them will be staying home in 2011.

The Dallas Cowboys were a big disappointment in 2010. It was supposed to be their YEAR! They’d even been predicted to be the first NFL team to host the Super Bowl in their own home stadium …. BUT NOOO! …. they screwed that up royally.

Barack Obama has proven to be a big disappointment to his supporters that are honest enough to admit it. He was even a bigger disappointment to the silly conservatives, Republicans, and independents that did not vote for Bill Clinton, and whom had voted for GW twice. All I can say to them , ala Dr. Phil, is…“WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?”. Didn’t 2009 give you a clue? I mean really. Heck, the campaign should have been enough. I know you were mad at the Republicans, mad at GW, mad about the economy, mad at wall street, mad about the housing collapse, and mad at the world. You got pissed off in 2006, and were even angrier in 2008. Now guess what? … you’re even madder today! Why would that be? … because the man you said was the smartest to ever run for the office, and the Democrats you elected the years before made things even worse instead of better.

For me, 2010 is one I’m certain never to forget … especially in my work life. I won’t go into detail about it here, but it was unusual to say the least. I’ve taken part in some high profile assignments, some low profile work, and even did some work related to counter terrorism. I also endured a false accusation (that was later dismissed). It has been a very strange year for me, to say the least.

I even had the bitter sweet realization that my little girl isn’t a baby anymore …. this year just a day or two before Christmas, she told her Mom that she did not believe in Santa Claus. When Lisa asked her why she didn’t, Emily told her “I don’t believe reindeer can fly or that elves can make electronics”. Our son, JT (6), gave us a shocker the day after Thanksgiving while we were on our way to look for a Christmas tree, when he blurted out that he does not believe in Santa Claus. When we asked him why not, he said, “I don’t believe in anything I can’t see!”. Now where did he get that kind thought process from? HUM.

I think 2011 will have its share of disappointments as well as triumphs. In our house, if things don’t change too dramatically, we expect to lower more of our debt and maybe even get a little ahead of the game. I’m working on a plan to be fit by fifty (I’ll turn fifty next December). I’d started the idea when I turned 47 thinking that 3 years was PLENTY of time to achieve my goal … well guess what somebody didn’t get the memo from himself. So my challenge to myself is to work not on my weight so much as on my waist. My goal is to go from a 44-46 (depending on the pant style) to a 38-40. I know, that isn’t exactly thin … but it’s achievable! Hopefully my work life will become more mundane, but I know that I will still have at least 3 of my assignments carry over into 2011.

I’m certain that a lot of TEA partiers (like me) are going to be in for a disappointment with the new US Congress ... which is why I’ve said that we must be vigilant toward them. I’m sure that there will be a great temptation for them to try and revert to the old go along to get along mentality in order to keep the left wing media off of their backs, and weak-kneed RHINO’s happy. The year 2011 will only insure that the 2012 elections will be even more eventful to watch than to 2010 elections were. I’ve been very upfront with whom I support to be the next US President, and I know that Sarah Palin is well aware of the attacks that are going to be coming at her. Funny, isn’t it, how the left vilified her as VP for lack of experience while at the same time praising a man that had no experience for the highest office on earth. I like her and don’t care what anyone has to say about that … especially from anyone that voted for Barrack Obama. Even less from those that voted for Obama that claim they did not voted for Bill Clinton but did vote twice for GW (like San Antonio radio host Paul Alexander).

I’m a little more optimistic about the Dallas Cowboys. But I’m not going to jinx next season by revealing my hopes publicly. OK OK! … I hope they go all the way next year. I don’t think that Tony Romo will lose his job to anybody. Jones will name the Red Head, head coach. The kicker is gone (or at least put back on kickoffs only). Some of the DB’s will be cut, as will poor Sam Hurd (hate for them to do that). They will also get an new offensive line and line coach. Dave Campo will be gone again.

My biggest concern for 2011 isn’t what will happen in Washington, but what will happen with the Jihad. I think that 2011 will see more home grown terrorist activity. I think it will be somewhere here in the southwestern United States and it will be on a large scale. I’m thinking a dirty bomb, or a raid by terrorist on civilians, or homicide bombers exploding themselves in public places. I also think that there will be more border violence that will lead to more American bloodshed. I hope I’m wrong on all of those accounts.

My other concern is that California and New York will come to the Congress looking for bailout money … they will of course get that money and we will all have to pay for their mistakes and I’m afraid that will lead to violence. Never mind that the rest of the world is unstable and in turmoil. I hope I’m wrong about this too.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

COLTON RUSK USMC

Earlier this month a fine young man lost his life … he was only twenty. He was handsome, athletic, helpful, and kind. He didn’t lose his life driving drunk, taking a crazy dare, or by doing something foolish. No, he died defending our freedom in Afghanistan. He hadn’t even been in uniform for a whole year yet. His name was Colton Rusk and he was a Marine. I never met Colton, in fact I don’t even know his parents … but my wife does. She is from the same small town of Orange Grove, Texas (not far from Corpus Christi).

We went to his funeral service, as did many others, to pay our respects to his family and to show our appreciation for the sacrifice he gave. Lisa (my wife) has known his parents for years, but as things would have it, she’d never met Colton because by the time he was born she’d moved away from home. She’d just recently reconnected with her old home town in October when we went there for homecoming weekend … she even visited with Colton’s Mom and Dad that very weekend (just 2 weeks after Colton’s deployment).

The funeral made me feel both sad and gratified. Sad for the loss the family has suffered and gratified that there are young people like him around that aren’t ashamed of their country and believe in serving it. I was impressed to find out his motto was “Don’t be afraid to go after your hopes and dreams, but don’t be afraid to be willing to pay the price,” … and pay the price he did. He paid the ultimate price. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends”.

I was also sadden at the thought of losing one of my kids. It is one thing to lose a loved one suddenly, and even more devastating to lose a child that way. We worry about our kids safety and keeping them healthy. We feel sympathetic to friends and family that have lost a child due to an accident or illness. But a military Mom and Dad live with the constant fear of getting that dreadful notice that their son or daughter will not ever be coming home again. How do you deal with that? It is easier in times of peace, but we lose Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines at those times too … but in time of war, those notices come much too frequently.

We are blessed with having an all volunteer military. Those men and women know that they are entering into a contract that is literally a life or death package. Thankfully men like Colton willingly volunteer. I have several cousins that are serving in the armed forces today … my prayer is that their parents never have to face the loss that Colton’s family is going through now. My brother-in-law retired from the Navy this year and, fortunately for us, he made it through twenty years unharmed (even though he’s been involved in both Gulf Wars). But in retirement working for a company in Afghanistan his base was mortar attacked. That left us all worried. But he was safe. I only wish that more families could say the same thing.

The funeral also left me impressed with we as a people. There were so many that went to the visitation, and to the Church and still more lined Hwy FM624 all the way from Calallen to Orange Grove … and then more at the Cemetery, too. I’d never seen such a turnout. I’ve lived in or near San Antonio, TX, all of my life … it is a major military town, an Army and Air Force city in fact. Yet I haven’t seen anything like this. A friend of mine lost his father during the first gulf war in 1991, in fact his father was amongst there very first casualties of that war. He was killed when the C-5A he flew in crashed in Germany. The crew consisted of mainly Air Force reservists from San Antonio, my friends father was one of them. Looking back, I don’t think the funeral for those victims (as sad as it was) was as moving as that of PFC Colton Rusk.

Freedom isn't free...we are free because of the brave.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don't have a clue.

Eddie

THE NEXT AMERICAN REVOLUTION

The next American revolution or civil war won’t be started by conservatives, Republicans, or by Bible believing Christians … it will be started by the far left wing of the Democrat party, by union extremist, and by Communists. If you haven’t noticed, it’s already begun. It isn’t conservatives that have said they are going to fundamentally change the country … it was the left wing lead by Barrack Obama and liberals too numerous to mention.

Left wingers in government (at the local, state, and federal levels) have been far to willing to encroach on our liberties with little regard of our disapproval. Local governments routinely enact ordinances and policies that restrict us from doing what we please in our own homes and businesses. They create enactments that they have no intentions of enforcing and have neither the capability or resources to enforce them with. State government has been just as bad only on a larger scale. Legislatures have passed laws and budgets that they then turn around and ignore. The Federal Government is simply a mess.

The left has attacked traditional marriage … who’d have ever thought that would happen? We are now able to get hardcore porno movies “beamed” into our homes … not so long ago that could never have happened. People have sex changes on a regular basis (that’s just incredible), which affects the birth certificates of people that have a sex change … because now that man/woman is no longer the male/female on the original birth certificate. Who finds this kind of confusion acceptable? ... left wing liberals. They have no problem changing things that are better off left alone. They are radicals and support radical ideas regardless of weather or not those ideas are good, make sense, or are moral … after all, theirs is a cultural war, not a hot war. (However, I’m starting to think that the left is beginning to embrace violence.)

I know a lot of you are already thinking, “but Eddie that’s crazy talk! You’ve been listing to too much talk radio … Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Glenn Beck have made you loony.” While I do like and admire them, I also listen to others … but mostly I’ve paid attention to what others say (especially those who have lived through and been persecuted by radicals). I also have paid attention to Christians that I admire that are both ministers and lay people … and I read history. For most of my life I’ve heard about signs of the end times and how this world will fall into moral corruption. I view liberals, communists, and humanists as corrupt, untrustworthy, and dangerous … and we should always be aware of their actions.

Communist are the worst, because they have shown a willingness throughout modern history to shed blood in order to take power. They don’t care about ballots … if they can’t win with the ballot they have no problem resorting to bullets. I know what you’re probably thinking, “but Eddie there aren’t communist in the USA!” Oh yes there are, and they have found favor in our colleges and universities, in unions, and even with some within the general population. Why is that? … because they’ve been duped. I don’t know who is more a dangerous - a foolish Communist or a committed Jihadist.

When could a movement like this have started and how could we not notice? I always point to my least favorite era … the 1960’s. It has been a slow roll, but a steady movement nevertheless. With the election and take over of the Federal Government by Democrats in 2006 and 2008, and with President Obama in the White House, the left went on a rampage. They believed that the Republicans had been given a deadly defeat, that they would control the Federal Government for decades, and that the Republicans would become inconsequential … they misread the election and became arrogant with power.

Here is where my fear of a bloody revolution by the left comes into play. The election in November 2010 was unforeseen by the left. They did not understand that Americans do not and never have supported radically changing the nation. We didn’t ask for or approve of the government bailing out businesses weather or not they were giant banks or car companies. We did not ask for or approve of the government running those banks or car companies and we definitely did not approve of Obamacare. So what did we do? … we the people voted out Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives in record numbers … and it seems that we will do it again in 2012 if they don’t get the message. But they won’t get the message because they have an agenda, and just as Nancy Pelosi and friends did not realize American’s suspicions of the healthcare bill; they haven’t gotten the election yet. But when they do and when they understand there isn’t any hope of Americans willingly changing how we live, worship, govern ourselves, and do business, they will become dangerous.

I believe the next American revolution will not be one of states rights or of freeing an oppressed people, but it will one rooted in creating an oppressive government controlled by a ruthless ruling class of politicians. It will also be one of sectional rivalries and rural versus urban values. I also think that it will not only be started over politics and power, it will be over money. Not for the money the country owes to other nations, but for money that will be transferred from one state to another. American politicians on the left and those more interested in maintaining a powerful central government will use their power to force states to pay for the mistakes of California, New York, and Michigan. That will create a backlash they will not have foreseen and cause tensions between the states … that tension will quickly increase and could lead into a bloody war.

I do not believe that liberals understand just who it is they are laying with. They can’t tell the difference between the viper or the wolf and that will be just as costly for them as it will for everyone else in the United States. Dictators and tyrants always hide their motives under the false covering of good intentions. Liberals are pacifists that never see through their oppressors until it is to late. Why is that? … because as I’ve just said, they’ve been laying with them … laughing at and ridiculing the very people that will first be attacked before they in turn are attacked by them. Who are they? … Communists, Atheists, Intellectuals, Globalists, and radicals that have been laying in wait to radically change the USA. They are now seeing that Americans will not simply allow a takeover without a fight … only there aren’t enough of us that are willing to even consider that those types of individuals even exist in this nation.

The attacks on 9-11, the financial collapse, and world disorder has worked to a certain extent as a distraction for those who seek to weaken the United States and see a fundamentally changed world emerge. While many of us have been worried about Jihad and finances, we haven’t paid attention to other threats we face as a nation and people. Old threats like communism, and Godlessness have never gone away and seek to destroy us still … only now there is a movement within the country that is sympathetic to their cause. I hope I’m wrong for all of our sakes.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

Virtue & Vice

When did we stop encouraging virtues? Was it some time in the last two weeks? … the last two years? … the last two decades? From my perspective, it’s been since the mid-1960’s. Have you looked up the definition of virtue? A quick Google search will bring up these definitions: moral excellence, goodness, righteousness ….and the quality or practice of moral excellence or righteousness….get the picture?

It seems that at this time in our American history, virtue is no longer a principle we care to practice or reward. Virtue is a word that I’ve seen repeatedly throughout the writings of our founders. They believed that without virtue, man is lost. It’s not uncommon for pop culture to mock and ridicule those that would try to live by a high set of values that are in and of themselves extremely difficult to maintain. Why is it difficult? … because it is not easy. It is much simpler to give in to vice than it is to maintain virtue.

Lying, cheating, and stealing are now considered almost as necessary in our everyday lives as is eating, drinking, and sleeping. I know that lying, stealing and cheating are no more necessary in our lives today as it was before the 1960’s. I don’t know anyone that trusts a known liar and cheat … nor do they trust anyone that is valueless (except when it comes to politics).

The best example I can give of this willingness for Americans to accept a virtueless politician would be Bill Clinton (bet you thought I’d say Barrack Obama). Bill was a known lying, cheating, immoral man. He could not be trusted to keep his word or his vows, yet the press and large numbers of Americans (mostly Democrats) supported him as a politician. While on the other hand, my favorite politician in America right now is Sarah Palin. Sarah is the anti-Clinton. She is known for saying what she means, she’s faithful, religious, and independent … all attributes our founding fathers had and encouraged. Yet she is vilified (mostly by Democrats) in the press and by some in her own political party. She has been faithful to her spouse (Bill hasn’t) … she’s been truthful in her actions (Bill hasn’t) … she left the Governor’s office so as not to be a strain on her state and family (Bill left the Governor’s office to be an embarrassment to the Presidency, to Arkansas and, his family).

But I won’t stop there. Sarah did not abort a baby she knew would have special needs. She and her daughter both kept their babies when the easy option would have been to kill them. Yet, instead of being applauded for their courage and virtues, they’ve been attacked by the media and liberals. Bill Clinton has never shown any courage in any situation (for that matter neither has Hillary). Bill humiliated his wife in front of the nation and world and even had her publicly lie for him. Sarah has brought honor to her husband and family. Sarah has been vilified for doing the right things … Bill is championed even though he has no redeeming qualities. Sarah is labeled extreme … Bill is embraced.

It seems that we have decided that all things good are extreme and all things that used to be consider vice are now an acceptable norm, whether it’s legalized gambling, legalized marijuana use, prostitution, pornography, and homosexuality. I haven’t watched much network TV in the last 5 years, but now it seems as if every show includes a gay couple that is the sane couple and the traditional couples are the ones in turmoil. Talk show host are now gay or reformed drug addicts. Comedians think of themselves as enlightened political and social commentators (when in fact they aren’t anything more than the court jesters of old that are meant to be laughed at). Gay couples are not the norm today any more than they were at any other time in history. Destructive behavior is just as destructive now as it has ever been, no matter what pop culture has to say about it. Once virtue is lost, it cannot be recovered … that is why virtues have to be cultivated, nurtured, and reinforced …. vice is easy! ... sin is fun (and it taste good too). Is vice now virtue and virtue vice … or vice versa? Of course not! .... it just seems that way.

Political correctness and fear of ridicule has caused a shift to take place in this country that has weakened the moral and ethical foundation the United States was founded upon. Liberal professors, social elites, opportunist politicians and Hollywood entertainers have used their influence with the media to mount an attack on those of us that believe common sense, common values, and common interest are what made this country great as well as our system of government.

Diversity of culture, race, and ethnicity has also been a major advantage we have in this country … but not because of those things that make us different from one another but because of those things that make us the same. Our common agreement with the preamble of the constitution that we are all entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Our common religious beliefs in God, The Ten Commandments, moral and ethical correctness (not political correctness), and social and personal virtue. Vice hasn’t changed because the times have changed … the only thing that has changed is the power and influence of the popular culture on our society and government. That hasn’t been a change for the better, the change has negatively impacted almost every aspect of American life. Families are broken, men are less manly, women don’t trust men, and sexual perversion is on the rise … all because we have left virtue behind to pursue vice.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

Noverber 2010 Elections

The elections on Tuesday are going to be interesting. The U.S. Congressional elections are the ones that I am most interested in. Congress is where I believe a large degree of the troubles the country is facing originates from. Congress passes the laws and regulations that govern the country … they also control the purse strings.

It is clear that Congress hasn’t been held accountable for the mess it’s created. I’m almost 50 years old and for most of my adult life I’ve been hearing about the dangers of deficit spending and the growing national debt. I’ve also heard year in and year out about how government entitlement programs have been consuming more and more of the nation’s tax revenues. It is the job of Congress to distribute our money and control expenditures. Americans have been promised by both Democrats and Republicans that this Congress or that Congress is going to come into Washington and straighten out and clean up the halls of Congress and restore our physical house ... no more business as usual! … but they haven’t.

This Congress has been the most active Congress that I can remember. They have passed bills that haven’t been read, that were not popular with the American people, and that have had little effect on the general welfare of the nation. Our physical house is out of order, deficits are larger, the debt is inconceivable and unsustainable, and (to add insult to injury) spending is out of control. Yet the Congressional leadership claims that they haven’t been given enough credit for all the good they’ve done. Members of the House of Representatives have even scoffed at the idea of reading the bills. Nancy Pelosi once said that the health care bill would have to be passed in order to find out what was in it! (That is because no one in Congress knew what was in it.) To make matters worse, they also increased the size and power of the Federal Government.

That is why Tuesday’s election will be so interesting. It has been this Democrat controlled Congress in combination with President Obama that has created the feared and vilified Tea Party movement that has awakened voters at this time in history. We are aware of the dangers of increasing the power of the central government (just as the Founding Fathers warned us against). Thomas Jefferson said, “a government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take away everything you have”.

However, I can’t blame this Congress alone. The 2004 Congress, the wars, the collapse of the economy, and some poor decisions made by President Bush had a lot to do with bringing in the current Congress. Americans became angry and lost trust in the Republicans … so they voted them out in 2006 and again in 2008. Now Americans are even madder. They don’t like being ignored by thier elected Representatives, Senators or the President. Nor will they accept divisive rhetoric from them either that pits race, ethic groups, social class and regional interest against each other. Americans will not, accept leaving a poorer, weaker, less free, and indebted country to our kids and grandkids.

We understand Congress is most responsible for the laws passed in 2009 & 2010 that have been detrimental to the country and it must be corrected. This mid-term election is the most important election in my lifetime … what happens on Tuesday will affect the United States for years to come. I’m supporting the Republicans … and if they win that is when the real work will begin for those of us that voted for them. A lot will be required of us … we will have to be vigilant and watchful of what they do, how they do it, and by whom. We will have to hold their feet to the fire, as well as provide them with support in order to help them keep up their resolve to do what is necessary to preserve our country for ourselves and posterity. Thomas Paine wrote in his pamphlet Common Sense “extending millions for the sake of getting a few vile acts repealed .... is unworthy the charge, and is using posterity with the utmost cruelty; because it is leaving them the great work to do, and a debt upon their backs, from which they derive no advantage.” We cannot leave future Americans with a crushing debt to pay because this generation would do nothing.

There you have it.
Pass it on if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

Why I Support Republican Candidates

I support Republican candidates mostly for moral and social reasons. I have often said that Republican and Democratic politicians are more alike than not. They’ve gone to the same schools, live in the same neighborhoods, and belong to the same clubs and organizations. The real difference between then usually is their position on moral and social issues.

Very often I call local radio programs and point out that conservatives like me don’t have any real choice between the two parties. Democrats cater to liberalisms, so that leaves us with the Republicans. If you are pro-life there’s no room for you with the Democrats. If you support traditional marriage, your best bet is with Republicans. If you’re against open homosexuality in the military, then you won’t find help from the Democrats.

But it doesn’t stop with those issues … the health care debate was never really debated and the Democrats forced their law down our throats. Since 9-11, Americans have been calling for our border to be secured, but the Democrats (with the help of moderate and liberal Republicans) have yet to secure it despite the fact that Americans along the border have been killed and our Border Patrol and law enforcement officers have been attacked and fired upon. I must say it has been conservatives that have been at the forefront of these issues calling on the federal government to take action, only to have our concerns fall on deaf ears by our leaders in both parties. The only allies we have had has been the conservative Republicans.

Earlier this year when the controversial Arizona immigration law was being attacked by liberals and moderates they openly misrepresented the law … even President Obama and A. G. Holder said things about the law that were untrue. Mr. Holder and Homeland Secretary Napolitano (a former Governor of Arizona) stood before Congress and made false statements about the law … and then had to admit that they hadn’t even read the law before they made those statements. How many times have we heard about Democrats not reading laws over the last two years? The Arizona law mirrors federal law, it would allow local law enforcement to do the job that federal law enforcement can’t seem to do. What has been the response to that law by the Democrat President of the United States and his Attorney General? … they sued the State of Arizona. When the President of Mexico Felipe Calderon made an address before our United States Congress and berated the law that eventually was duly passed by the State of Arizona legislature and signed by the Governor, Mr. Calderon received a standing ovation from the Democrats in Congress. Just who’s side are they on? It is actions like these that leave me no choice but to support Republicans.

I know that some of your are going to say “but Eddie the Republicans aren’t perfect” and “they are the party of the rich and powerful”. Those types of statements could not be more wrong. Ideological differences cut along all lines of social status and income levels. Those issues alone are not what divides us. It is ideas, morals, ethics, and traditions that cause us to choose sides. I have to support those that I believe are most like me and support the country as I have come to understand it (and how I believe the founders intended it). You must do the same. I do not believe that the Democrat leaders of today are like me. Too many of them have been educated by “blame America first” professors that are socialist (some of them are outright admitted communists) … that bothers me. I would think it should bother you too.

There are way too many of us that have allowed ourselves to made to feel guilty about being an American, and that we are somehow undeserving of our good fortune and blessings as a country. Some have bought into class envy, social jealousy, and prejudice. While almost all of us live a more leisurely life than our parents and grandparents did, we somehow think that we deserve more and that our government should provided for us … even if that means that they take from one group and give to another … that is not American. That is what the old world does, we left that world behind with the Declaration of Independence. Americans should never allow the mindset of government dependence to enter our consciousness … that will lead us into subjugation.

Democrats are full of wonderful sounding (even companionate) rhetoric, but their past history and present day actions tell otherwise. They are the party of slavery, they are the party of the KKK, they are the party of abortion, they are the party that attacks traditional marriage, they are the party that attacks our Christian Judaic morals and ethics, and they are the party that socialist, communist, and world dictators admire and have friends within. I am not comfortable with a party with that kind of a past history, while at the same time holds it’s current reputation, and enjoys favor from foreign enemies.

There you have it
Pass it on if you like, or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

NO DEMOS FOR ME

I don’t spend much time on local politics - my interest is in what happens in Washington. National politics is where the power lies. Local politics is more nuts and bolts. I am a conservative, politically, socially, and economically. I am liberal in the sense that I believe that we are all created equally and that people of all races, religions, and ethnic backgrounds can live together peacefully and respectfully. I believe that men and women should be paid the same for equal work, and that men and women who love each other should be able to marry no matter what … and I think most American’s feel the same way.

I have not voted for a Democrat since 1996 because I could no longer give my vote to a party and its candidates that would support a man (Bill Clinton) that I felt was void of virtue. Dishonest, unfaithful, cruel, and abusive are just a few of his shortcomings that come to my mind. He has been given far too much credit for good things that happened during his time in office. He lost Democratic control of the Congress because people like me paid attention to the direction he and the party were trying to take the country. Because of that, Republicans gained control of Congress and the country was better for it.

Ted Kennedy is another politician that caused me to stop voting for any Democrat (even if I would have liked to have voted for some of them). He was a failure as a husband, a father, and a man - not much more has to be said about him. Robert Byrd is another - I cannot respect anyone in politics that has been a member of the Ku Klux Klan no matter the reason or how long ago. The list goes on and on. But in 1996 I had enough. After Democrats in the House of Representatives circled the wagons around Bill Clinton, the party lost me.

In the years that have followed, the party has done nothing to change my mind. I often say that until the Democrat party leadership is changed and the party direction is corrected, people like me will not vote Democrat. I believe Democrat majorities in Washington are not good for the nation because, as the party leadership goes, so does the country. Politicians like Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Barney Frank, William Jefferson, Maxine Waters, and the like leave me to wonder how they ever got elected. A party that would support and praise them is not for me.

I wrote all of the above back in September of 2009. Here it is a year later and nothing has changed and now I am only more convinced that the Democrat party is not for me.

It is Democrats that have attacked things that most Americans hold dear. They have attacked traditional marriage, the sanctity of life for the unborn, and US sovereignty. They have ignored the rule of law while at the same forcing new laws onto the American people that the majority of Americans do not support. They haven’t learned lessons from the recent past. When Bill Clinton won his first election he had a tough time moving things in a congress that his party held the majority of … sound familiar?

Bill Clinton and Barrack Obama both are guilty of misreading the American people. Both of them came into office and immediately began to overreach because they foolishly thought that they were given a mandate to implement changes that run counter to the will of the American people. Their policy initiatives haven’t been very different; however, Barrack Obama has used race as a weapon to move his liberal progressive movement forward. Obama, Harry Reid, and Nancy Pelosi have continually blamed Republicans for holding up their agenda when they have all the Democrat votes needed to get most their bills passed. Why haven’t they been able to move their agenda more swiftly? … because some Democrats in Congress know that they are not working with or for the will of the people they represent. They know that they are causing themselves political harm back home by being in lockstep with the party leadership. However, in the end they’ve stuck with party rather than with the people of their districts and states.

By circling their wagons around Barrack Obama, just as they did with Bill Clinton in the1990’s, the Democrats are losing the political middle ground. They are losing independent voters and Republicans that voted for Obama because he (as then talk radio host Paul Alexander and self-proclaimed Conservative Republican told me) was too smart to make the kind of mistakes that G. W. Bush made. Never mind that Paul Alexander could not prove that statement … it was more of a feeling than it was fact. To add insult to injury, he is losing Democrats that are out of work and don’t have any hope that he (just as when Jimmy Carter was President) and the Democrats have a plan they can trust or BELIEVE IN. It has also become apparent that this group in political leadership simply does not understand how average Americans have to live. We are cutting back at home while DC continues to borrow, spend, and squander our money!

Republicans and Democrats are entering a new era ... one where they will have to re-learn that elected officials serve at our will to do our will, we are not here to be ruled by their will. They should know that we are paying attention and that we will not sit idly by anymore. No party is safe from removal. The Democrats learned that in the 1990’s, the Republicans learned that in 2006 and this crew will learn in November not to miss around and try and fundamentally change this nation we love.


There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

THE US AND BIBLE PROPHECY

I’ve tried to keep my religious opinion out of my blog (not that I’ve never expressed them, but I write this blog as a commentary of how I see things politically with in our country). I don’t write about local or state politics, I focus on what is going on in DC. However, I do believe that religion does and should play a factor in how we are governed … and so did the founding fathers. I do not, and have never, supported a national religion, but at the same time I disagree with anyone that states we are not a religious country or that we are no longer a Christian nation, because that could not be farther from the truth of who and what we are as a nation.

I am a Bible believing Christian. I believe that Jesus is who the bible says He is … the Son Of God. I also believe in biblical prophecy. I am no bible scholar, just as I’m not a legal scholar, or a scholar of any kind. I count on scholarly people to help me with my understanding of things. I listen and pay attention to those who have a calling to preach and teach about those topics that compel them. I listen to political minds that I agree with and I do the same thing when it comes to religion. I’m not alone in that philosophy … almost everyone follows teachings that they agree with in matters of religion, politics, finances, education, etc.

From what I’ve read and heard from experts in biblical prophecy, they almost all agree that the United States does have any significant role in bible prophecy. The US does not appear in biblical prophecy. Some experts believe that may be simply because the United States did not exist in biblical times, while other say it is because the United State is not significant in prophesy. I’ve been raised believing that the return of Jesus is near, just how near no one knows. When I was young, I thought His return was very near and that I would see His return. As I got older, I started to believe that the chances of me seeing His return were slim … after all, there are millions of Christians that have passed away believing that they would be alive to see His return, but did not.

When I hit my thirties, I became more convinced that I would not see the return of Jesus Christ. I did not stop believing in Him or give up on being a Christian, but I thought it may be centuries more before we see His return. Now, I’m not as good a Christian as I ought to be, and I probably don’t love Him as much as I should … but Jesus isn’t done with me yet. Here lately, a lot has happened that has caused me to wonder just why the United States does not have a significant role in prophesy. Aren’t we the greatest nation the world has ever known? Aren’t we the freest people on earth when it comes to religious and political liberty? Aren’t we the most powerful country in the world? Aren’t we a primarily Christian nation? So why aren’t we as important a nation as the others mentioned in prophesy? I’m not saying our nation should be mentioned literally in the bible, because many nations aren’t either, but bible experts have been able to determine which countries play a significant role and have identified them through biblical text.

As a child, some of the first stories I heard were from the book of Revelations and end times prophesies. I’ve seen movies and heard stories about all the things that would be signs of the end times. It hasn’t been until recently that I’d heard that the United State not only hasn’t had any role in prophesy but, more interestingly, the US is not at all significant in the end times. Why is that? Again, experts say it is because this country must not have any great role to play in those times. Why might that be? They will say it is because we will no longer have power and influence when those times come. I never would have believed that in the past. The United States is not a significant country when the end comes? … no way. I’d have thought that those people had gone off of the deep end and were religious loons ... but things are different now. With the world economies in trouble (ours included), with a crippling debt and no clear plan of dealing with that debt, our nation (as well as others) will soon be broke. I think that we are broke already, that is why we have such staggering debt. At some point, that debt will become so unmanageable that the country won’t be able to pay it and loans will go into default. Those loans are to other countries … now do you think when the time comes that this nation will simply roll over and hand ourselves, our position, and our sovereignty to our debtors? No … but, as a nation without economic strength, we will be a nation without influence. Sure we will have a military (that won’t be able to buy fuel and weapons) and modern cities (we won’t be able to provide basic services to) and an infrastructure (that we will not be able to maintain). Why will that be? … because of the actions our government has been taking for at least the last 30 years (some say for even longer than that), and the ever faster and bigger run-a-way spending that is happening now with the current leadership in DC.

I have been reading and listing to President Obama’s philosophies for at least three years. Me and millions of Americans have known all about his radicalism and of those he has chosen to surround himself with. However, those people have been around before … how many of them that are with him now were with the Clintons? What Bill and Hilary Clinton could not do, he has done. However, not all by himself … he’s had the help of a willing Democrat leadership, a Congress that has chosen to serve him instead of the people from the districts and states they represent, and Republicans that seem to have forgotten that the Congress is there to be a check on the White House and the Courts. Together they have placed a burden on the American people and, by default, on our nation that can kill it or severely weaken it. That is the plan of many of the people that are in power now … they don’t want to kill the country, they just want to weaken it and put it in its proper place. They call themselves citizens of the world instead of their country. Obama believes that … and so do a lot of others we’ve sent to Washington DC. We must never forget that we the people are our nation … not those in political office and government bureaucrats.

Biblical prophecy does not include the United States … up until now I could not understand why … now I do. We have people in power that are no longer willing to give God credit for our blessings of freedom and liberty and a President that openly states we are no longer a Christian nation. When did he get to decide? His plans (if what I am hearing is correct) and the plans of the socialists and communists that are advising him won’t make us a more perfect union, but will make us a lesser, inconsequential nation in the eyes of the world … and, I fear, in the eyes of God.

There you have it.
Pass it on if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

I'M TROUBLED

I’m troubled. It seems like there are an awful lot of Americans that have come to think of their country as being mean spirited, intolerant, imperialistic, and bigoted. They have come to believe that it is acceptable to be sympathetic to our country’s enemies, in war, immigration, and business.

Many American will not acknowledge that we are at war with Muslims (albeit they are radical Muslims) not simply terrorists. Not facing up to who we are at war with doesn’t change that fact. It is not to say that every Muslim is our enemy, but when we have attacks executed against US soldiers by other Muslim US soldiers, it makes you worry.

There is an alarming number of Americans that simply do not believe in national sovereignty and are willing to let people into our country illegally, yet many of them live in gated communities surrounded by tall fences. Do they live behind those gates and fences to keep their families from escaping to freedom? No … it is to keep others out that don’t belong in the neighborhood.

Then there are folks who say that capitalism and business (especially big business) are ruining the country. Never mind that capitalism and business is what has given us the highest standard of living of all of the developed world. I don’t know if you have noticed or not, but a great many of them have prospered and grown wealthy as a result of capitalism and business.

We are in a time that I thought I would never see. The United States Attorney General has filed a law suit against The State of Arizona for attempting to address illegal immigration, yet this very same AG had dropped voter intimidation charges against The New Black Panthers (a very anti-white anti-American organization). He has also voiced a willingness pursue criminal charges against the CIA for using harsh interrogation tactics on terrorists. I wonder just who’s side he’s on. With an AG like him, criminals and terrorist should feel very safe from prosecution … but cops and agents better watch their backs … that leaves you and me less safe.

Our nation, and we as a people, have never had to worry about both an outside enemy that is hell-bent to kill and destroy us, while at the same time have to worry about a political movement from within that is hell-bent to fundamentally change these United States.

There are way too many politicians (including our President) that have become complacent with our safety when it comes to the wars our military is fighting, with the border and immigrant violence, with our economic future, and with our energy needs. I am worried and troubled at just how well my kids will have it here in our country if we don’t reverse the trend we started in 2006 when we handed our government over to the liberal progressive movement that has infected Washington DC in both political parties. Yes, I’m troubled … and I think that you should be too.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue

Eddie

THE FAITHS OF OUR FATHERS

I’ve been reading a small book I picked up about our founding fathers. The book is titled THE FAITHS OR OUR FATHERS..WHAT AMERICA’S FOUNDERS REALLY BELIEVED it was written by Alf J. Mapp, Jr.

I have always believed that the founding fathers were men of conscience. They seem to have all been men of substance, bravery, courage, and vision. They knew at the time that they were risking there lives, liberty and pursuit of happiness so that future generations of Americans would not have to. They were men willing to sacrifice their lives and good fortune for a cause they knew was greater than themselves. Only men (and women) of faith and devotion have that kind of character.

Most of the founders were Christians, yet they were not all of the same denomination and some did not claim any denomination. They supported religious freedom but that there should not be a sanctioned church in the U.S. However, they did not support removing God from governance. They were also pragmatic in their approach to forming a new nation and realized that there would have to be compromises in order to keep the states together.

Here is a quote that caught my attention from Charles Carroll of Carrollton, he was the last surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence and the only Catholic to sign it. I’ll admit I never heard of him before I read the book. The quote is from a letter he wrote to his son, “Without morals, a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore, who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure, which denounces against the wicked, the eternal misery, and insures to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundations of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments”.

I have said in the past (and on my blog) that the lack of good basic morals and ethics is it at the root of most of our troubles as a nation and people. I always seem to forget another key component our founding fathers always referred to, and that is an adherence to virtue. Honesty, fidelity, loyalty, and integrity are all virtues that have eroded through the decades here in the USA. Behavior that used to be considered disgusting, perverted, immoral and indecent just thirty years ago are now considered acceptable, and the country have suffered because of it.

We as a people are no better of now in the 21st century by lowering our cultural standards than we were as a people at the time of our founding. Certainly our lifestyle has improved but when it comes to things higher than ourselves, we are not the people we once were. We cannot match the commitment it took of our founding fathers to radically change the face of government. They turned the tides of time to create a nation that is tolerant of competing ideas in religion, politics and social interaction. In their wisdom came about the foundational documents that insure and protect our freedoms while at the same time recognize that those freedoms do not come from government, they come from God. This nation was founded with a reverence of our creator without establishing a state religion so that every American can worship God freely (or not worship) and still be considered in every way a citizen of the United States of America.

Also, in their wisdom, they placed limits on government so that it cannot take on the form of a tyrant to the people. Thomas Jefferson said, “ when the people fear government you have tyranny; when the government fears the people you have liberty”. Did the founding fathers live up to all of their ideals? Of course not, however as the author wrote in the book “Of course they did not always live up to their ideals. People who do have low standards”.

Another document I would recommend reading (and is included in the book) is the Virginia Statute For Religious Freedom. This particular passage in the statute stuck with me “…that to compel a man to furnish contributions of money for the propagation of opinion which he disbelieves is sinful an tyrannical…”. The rest of the statute is good reading too.

I believe that I possess a good understanding of the nation’s founding and why we became the greatest nation on earth. I also believe that the further we stray away from the principles, virtues, and morals the founders embodied, the less likely we are to stay the greatest nation on earth.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

Stop The Complaining

We live in the greatest country the world has ever known. Our lifestyle is the envy of the world. Sure, there are places where luxury rules … but those countries have small populations, they do not stretch from sea to shining sea, or are as diversely populated as the United States, and they are not Super Powers.

For far too long, we as Americans have been fed the notion that we are a nation that does not care for the poor and the needy within our midst … nothing could be further from the truth. I will say that we have become more and more calloused to one and other, but that is a sign of the times. However, when disasters take place here and abroad, this nation stands ready to offer aid … not only from government but from, individuals, civic and church groups, and from the rich and the poor alike. No one ask, “Will the Americans help?” … they know we will.

We’ve been accustomed to having everything we need to survive. Clean water, plentiful food supplies, electricity, you name it, virtually everyone of us has what we need. That cannot be said for other nations around the world. Not that we have all we want, for some that will never happen. There are far too many that covet what others have, yet are unwilling to do what is necessary to achieve them … and unfortunately, a large percentage of us don’t have the talent or means to do so. In this country (and in every country) there exists “the haves” and “the have-nots”. However, by any measure, we that live in the United States have it better than almost anywhere in the world.

In the 1960’s LBJ started his war on poverty. That war has been a failure as the poverty rate in the U.S. has remained the same or worsened. But I ask you to take a close look at those that live in what we call poverty. I come into contact with the poorer among us everyday in my line of work. What I find there astonishes me. I will walk into a home in dilapidated condition that is not fit to live in and what to I find? … I find large screen TV’s (almost always they have more than one), expensive clothing and jewelry, alcohol, and drugs. Instead of making good use of what little they say they have, they squander it. But if you were to ask someone from a third world country if what I’ve seen is poverty they would not agree, they would say that we don’t know what poverty is.

As our politicians have become more willing to use class envy to win elections and gain power, they have become successful at having Americans believe that they are deprived. They use this tactic to pit us against one and other, never pointing out that most achievers get what they have fairly … instead they accuse them of taking advantage of the less fortunate. Why do they do that? … because it is easier to stir up anger than it is to encourage self improvement. They have made it acceptable to take from one group to give to another, rather than have it be socially unacceptable to be dependant on government or charities. Yet what most Americans never realize is that what is taken from one group is used up by government on government and those that are in need never really get the help that the government promised. That is why the war on poverty has been a failure. Government is as dependant of a mechanism on the successful as are the needy. As Ronald Reagan said, “Government is not the solution to our problems, government is the problem”.

The United States is the third most populated country on earth. I’ll bet you didn’t know that. Yet we have the highest quality of life, higher than countries with far less populations, and far better than in China or India. That is why I say stop complaining and start complimenting our nation. If we don’t do that as a people, no one will. Tell the President and his wife that we live in a down right great country and not a down right mean one. Tell the Democrats and Republicans to respect the constitution and our individually protected rights. We do not live in a socialist collective, we live for ourselves. Until we are willing to take responsibility for ourselves, we cannot help anyone else. It’s been proven in the past that when Americans are left alone to prosper without government intrusion, we have always lifted each other up and spread prosperity (not wealth) around.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

Bill Clinton The Tea Parties and The Oklahoma City Bombing

Bill Clinton was not a great President. He single-handedly lost the Democrat majority in Congress by thinking he was given a mandate to grow government and change American institutions. He tried to nationalize healthcare with “Hillary-care”. He tried to force the military to allow homosexuals to serve openly. He reneged on his promise to lower taxes. In the end, he failed to nationalize healthcare, he compromised on the homosexual issue with the “don’t ask-don’t tell” policy, raised taxes, and lost Congress … government even had to shut down under his watch (and we all found out that the sun will still rise even when government is closed). He’s received credit for the good economic times during the 90’s, but he did not balance budgets until the Republican Congress did it for him. I will say that he was a better President than Jimmy Carter … but when he left office, the country was in an economic recession.

I have always said that Bill Clinton is a failure as a man, a husband, a father, and a President. His administration was among the most investigated and had some of the most (if not the most) convictions of any. Why am I writing about Bill Clinton? … because he (like Jimmy Carter) just will not go away. In a recent interview, he tried (as he did when he was in office) to attack conservatives and accuse them of instilling hatred of government. Back when the Murrah building was bombed in Oklahoma City then-President Clinton went on radio and accused conservatives of fomenting hatred. If you will recall, that building was bombed on the anniversary of the Waco massacre (yet another Clinton failure). Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols developed their hatred on their own. At that time, Bill Clinton tried to (as he still does today) use divisive rhetoric for political gain … the very tactic he accuses conservatives of using.

Conservatives do not hate this country, nor do we want it overthrown or fundamentally changed. That is what the Clintons and the Obama administration strive for. When Mr. Obama took office, he brought in the whole Clinton team … from Leon Panetta to Hillary … the only one missing is Bill.

In 2004, I read The Third Terrorist, a book written by journalist Jayna Davis about the Oklahoma City bombing. I’ve also read the 9/11 Commission Report. After reading both of these publications, I’ve been convinced that Bill Clinton left us unprotected from Islamic Terrorism. In The Third Terrorist, Jayna Davis uncovered connections to Iraqi and Islamic terrorist networks long before September 11th. The 9/11 report pointed out that al Queda was at war with us; we were not at war with them. Most of the al Queda attacks prior to 9/11 happened during the Clinton administration (the attack on USS Cole, the embassy bombings in Africa, the first World Trade Center attack, and the Murrah Building attack in Oklahoma City all took place under Clinton’s watch). Remember the Black Hawk down incident in Mogadishu, Somalia? … that happened during his watch, too. Bill Clinton did nothing to secure us from Islamic Terrorism. What he did do (and has done recently) is shoot his mouth off by attacking concerned Americans and labeling them as dangerous. More dangerous than who? .... him! Bill Clinton - go home, give Monica a call, and keep quiet.

I’m re-reading the 9/11 report and the book by Jayna Davis because of Bill Clinton’s irresponsible comments. Over the years, I have tried to find out more about Jayna Davis but could not find out much. I’d started to believe that she had gone into hiding or was under protection. However while doing my research for this blog, I found an article written by her just this past Friday (4/23/10) in which she reminds us of Bill Clintons demagoguery. Here is a link to her posting: http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2498824/posts God bless you, Jayna Davis.

There you have it.
Pass it on if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

The Race Is Done

Will Hurd lost the run-off election to Francisco “Quico” Canseco. I will be voting for Mr. Canseco because there is no alternative … we simply cannot send Ciro back to Washington DC. Mr. Canseco can beat Ciro. Why? … because Ciro is beatable and Texas and the country will be all the better for it.

My concern is that I believe Mr. Canseco will be a run of the mill Congressman. Will Hurd is not run of the mill. I believe that his loss is our loss too. Will would have been a stand-out Congressman. Why do I say that? … because he always has been outstanding in whatever he’s done. Will is going to go on and do great things and be an effective voice for the Republican Party and for conservatives. Men and women like Will, will bring a new generation of conservatives into the party, as well as women and minorities. He and the young people around him will show others that it is cool to be Conservative and a Republican and that the two can go hand in hand.

I’m thankful to Will and his campaign manager Barry Hammond, I got more from the campaign that I ever put into it. I know that they will stay in the fight. Our country needs leaders like them in the coming years. We aren’t out of the woods, we are just entering them. We are going to need more young conservative men and women with solid values, morals, and ethics to lead us through those woods and march with us during the difficult times that lay ahead. Will was already battle tested when he entered the race and Barry has proven to be ready, willing and able to take on a fight. I have every confidence they will be back stronger, bolder, and more determined to make a difference than ever.

Thank you Will Hurd and Barry Hammond for renewing my faith in the next generation of leaders.

There you have it.
Pass it on if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

The Run Off Is Here

The run off election for the Texas Republican Party Primary is on Tuesday April 13th. As I’ve mentioned on my blog before, I’m supporting Will Hurd. I encourage you to support him as well. I hope those of you who live in the US 23rd Congressional district will go out and vote (if you have not early voted). Remember; if you voted in the Democratic primary, you cannot vote in Tuesday’s run-off. If you voted in the Republican primary last month, you can vote again this month (even if you did not vote for Will Hurd). Lastly, if you haven’t voted in any of the primaries, you may vote in Tuesday’s run-off.

I support Will because we agree on the issues, ranging from taxes and economic growth and jobs, to national defense, military readiness and the wars we are still waging, to national security and border protection. He is pro-life and so am I. He does not support “Obama-Care” and neither do I. He is a strong conservative and so am I. What I know more than anything is that a great many of you support conservative issues and principles, but for some reason have not found yourselves comfortable voting for Republicans. To quote the Obama campaign, it is time for “Change we can believe in”.

By sending good solid conservatives to Washington and by having them to stick to conservative principles we can save the country … wait, what I should say is we can save our government from itself. This government has lost its way, is out of control, and is power mad. Now is the time for Americans to set aside wedge issues that are meant to turn us against one and other and come together to send men and women to Washington D.C. that respect the Constitution and basic American principles and values. I believe that Will Hurd is just that kind of individual.

I had a friendly conversation with a gentleman a few weeks ago, a Democrat. He asked me why I would support Will over Francisco Canseco. We exchanged ideas, but in the end I told him this, “if Will was able to get terrorist to work with the U.S., I think he can get Democrats to work with us, too”. He looked at me and said, “ that’s a good point”. Some of you may not know that Will was in the CIA and served our country in Afghanistan and in other dangerous counties. I know that once Will goes to Washington, with his background and personal biography that the other members of Congress will be receptive of him. Will has strong leadership and organizational skills, has great judgment and character assessment instincts, and he follows a strong moral and ethical compass … as he has shown with his campaign style. Will Hurd will be a great Congressman, I hope you will consider voting for Will over Mr. Canseco on Tuesday and again in November against Ciro Rodriguez.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

Under Attack

You are under attack! Whether you believe it or not, anyone that believes that the United States is the most prosperous, freest, and greatest country the word has ever know has a target on their back. Sounds extreme doesn’t it?…that’s because it is.

If you’ve noticed the Tea Party movement has received a lot of attention from the Liberal Press and Democrats in elected office. What I’ve noticed is that they not only attack the most effective leaders and speakers, but (and this is more unnerving to me) they are targeting the law-abiding participants that attend the meetings and rallies. Never mind that a good many of the attendees are Democrats and Independents, and of all races. They target them by calling them “Tea Bagging Redneck Hicks” and racist, yet I never hear them calling any of The New Black Panthers racist , Islamic terrorist, or radical Hispanic groups racist. No they call law abiding citizens demonstrating their Constitutionally protected right to free political speech as racist.

The targeting does not stop with the Tea Party movement … religious institutions are under attack as well. Everything from posting The Ten Commandants and Christmas displays in public places to praying at public school sporting events, and in school cafeterias has been targeted no matter the denomination. But the most ridiculed of all religious covenants has been marriage. Marriage is under attack and has been for more than four decades. First it was the free love movement of the 1960’s that came with the drug culture. Marriage was scoffed at as old fashioned and unnecessary. Next came the universal acceptance of divorce and the breaking up of families. Many of us, myself included, lived with someone outside of marriage, even though we knew that someday we were going to marry. Which brings us to today, now the movement is to pervert marriage by accepting people of the same gender as married. Marriage, for better or worse, has been the foundation of the American family and has made us strong. Weakening marriage has lead to tremendous misery and pain in families and for the country. If you don’t think marriage has been targeted and that those of us that still support traditional marriage are not targeted….guess again.

Capitalism is under attack as well. If your work for yourself in return for pay, guess what?… you are a Capitalist. If you work for someone else or for a company in return for pay, guess what?…you are a Capitalist. Moreover you are participating in the free market. Now if you add to your work a mark up for profit you are now not only a Capitalist you are a GREEDY Capitalist at that. When government takes over major manufacturers and banks, where else will they turn?…to you and your business. If government can see fit to force everyone to purchase a product, such as healthcare, capitalism is severely injured. When our government is allowed to do something that extreme, it can force you to do anything…you are under attack.

Free speech is under attack. When government is allowed to place limits on when and where political or religious speech can be used it can then place limits on any speech. The first Constitutional amendment was written to protect religious and political speech. It was not written so that Hollywood, Larry Flint and Hugh Hefner are able to spread their message (although it does just that), it was written so that Americans are free to worship God and question government without any fear of government. It also forbids government from establishing a religion, so that there is no official Church of the United States. It does not remove God from being worshiped in the public square. I am not a constitutional lawyer, but here is how it reads, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibit the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press; or the right of the people to peaceably assemble, and petition the government for a redress of grievances.” If you do not think that this most important amendment is under attack…guess again. This amendment protects you and me from government…when it’s ignored, you and I are under attack.

I’ll ask you to ask your self who upholds our great American traditions - the Republicans or Democrats, Conservatives or Liberals, Capitalist or Socialist, Christians or Communist?…..be honest as you think that over and do your research.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

Fundamental Change …. Fundamental Tyranny

During the first Clinton administration we looked at and rejected nationalized health care. We thought it was a bad idea then and feel the same way today. Now the Democrats and the “smartest President ever” are going to force it into law. They are going to pass it without having read the final bill … because there is not one (this trend has to stop), and disregarded the will of the people.

They are betting that after they go against our will that we will find out just how wrong we were about not wanting to nationalize healthcare. They foolishly believe that Americans who have not purchased healthcare insurance in the past will be grateful to be forced to buy insurance now under penalty of law. Americans will have to first pay for health insurance before paying for food, shelter, clothing, utilities, and transportation. Some families don’t buy healthcare insurance by choice because they can afford to pay for their healthcare needs without spending money on insurance. All Americans can purchase healthcare insurance today if they so choose, but they do not. There are several reasons, but mostly because, 1) they don’t want it, (2) they don’t think they need it, or (3) they cannot afford it. Making those that cannot afford it buy it is not going to make their lives any better … in fact, it will add to their burden and cause them even more unhappiness.

It will make insurance providers happy. Anytime the public is forced to buy a product, it creates a revenue stream that did not exist before and it lessens risk and softens business losses. The cost insurance companies take on is more than counter-balanced by the new policies they will sell. Why? … because now you will have to buy healthcare coverage whether your employer offers insurance or not. Many companies will opt to let you buy coverage on your own … Why? … because they will no longer have to offer insurance to retain employees. You will by law have to get it … whether you want to or not. The Democrats (and Republicans, for that matter) are not telling you that. Insurance providers count on you never (or almost never) filing a claim. Most of us, especially younger people, will go months (if not years) with little need of healthcare services. Insurance has always been a product that we purchase to protect ourselves. We don’t buy it to protect others, or to protect other insurance providers, or to protect our government. Nationalized healthcare is all about protecting government interest, not yours.

I will not say that we do not have troubles. Medical cost are high, but nationalizing insurance will not change that. The next step will be to nationalize healthcare providers … that is where cost is most expensive. Here is where government, or I should say the current leadership in DC, is looking at next. Controlling healthcare providers is how Washington will move into directly controlling you. You will be forced to adhere to government standards, just as our men and women in the military are forced too. Once the government is allowed to force you to buy health insurance, they will be able to force you to do anything … that is fundamental change … that, my friends, is tyranny … and that is where we are headed if we do not stop them now.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue

Eddie

And The Race Is On!

As most of you know I’ve been supporting Will B. Hurd in his run to win the nomination in the Republican primary to be the party’s candidate to run for U.S. Congress in my home district. As of Tuesday, March 2nd, we are one step closer to reaching that goal. I’d like to say that he has already won the nomination, but we fell short of our goal of 51% of the primary votes cast. I’m disappointed in coming up short, but not discouraged. Will has worked hard to make the campaign a success … and in all respects it has been. After all of the ballot counting was done, he received the most votes. This from a candidate who was told to stay out of the race because he could not win. Now we begin a run-off election campaign and the race is on!

When I first met Will, he told me that he was committed to winning and that he would need the help of others to do it … including people like me and you. He always says that this campaign is not simply about him going to D.C., it is about us. He also guaranteed that he would work harder than anyone to reach our goal … and work hard he has. Will has physically been in as much of the district as one man can possibly be. He’s attended candidate forums, various functions, large meet and greet meetings, and small in-home meet and greets. He’s talked to large groups and small groups alike … from a crowd of dozens to a group of eight or ten (as he did in my home). Will has worked to earn every single vote he’s gotten and he hasn’t taken any of them for granted. I like Will and trust that he will continue to work hard … to win the run-off … and then the general election this November … and as my Congressman. I fully expect that he will become the next Congressman of the Twenty-Third District.

When Will started the campaign, he knew that he was going to be a long shot … he knew that he was going to be out-spent and less-known than the assumed front runner, Quico Canseco. Will has said, “we won’t have the most bullets, but we’re going to shoot straightest”. After the March 2nd primary, his was the shot “Hurd” around Texas and the Republican Party. Will has not had party support, he is winning with a grass roots movement and with the help and support of a first-rate staff. His Campaign manager, Barry Hammond, is just as committed to taking back Congress as anyone and is a solid conservative (I like him, too). In fact I haven’t met anyone supporting him that I haven’t liked. I’ve met more Aggies than I ever knew existed and they are determined to help send him to Congress … they know him from the time that he was their class president and they know just how capable he is. Meeting them, and Will’s parents, helped convince me that he was worth knowing and supporting.

There are just a few weeks left before early voting begins for the run-off and then the actual election. Will is still working to meet as many of you as he can and going to meet and greets. If you are interested in learning more about Will or attending/hosting a meet and greet, it is not to late … check out www.texansforhurd.com or Facebook for details or call the campaign office at (210) 957-2375.

Please consider voting for Will in the run-off. If you voted in the Republican primary, you can vote again in the run-off for Will even if you did not vote for him at the primary. If you did not vote at all in either party primary you can still vote in the run-off. I cannot stress enough how important it is to send people to Washington, D.C. that we trust. I trust Will Hurd and am convinced that he will work to help stop runaway spending and the radical changing of our country. I know that once he is in Congress, he will take a prominent role in the House of Representatives and use his skills and talents to help persuade and influence other members of Congress (in both parties) to redirect and correct the wrong actions that we have seen them take in the last few months and years.

There you have it.
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue

Eddie Perez / U.S. American

Left Wing Contempt

I’m sure you’ve noticed that those on the left could careless if they insult those of us who think differently from them. They never hesitate to let us know just how smart and tolerant they are and how ignorant others are. Even though, all the while, they are anything but those things. They prefer to level insults in broad about ways. For example they enjoy telling women that are pro-life or that have a conservative point of view just how stupid they are by making fun of and ridiculing some of the most prominent conservative spokeswomen in the country such as Sarah Palin, Elizabeth Hasselbeck, and Michele Bachman. They foolishly expect us to believe that they are not attacking everyday American women or that they are not deriding like-minded conservative women. They proudly display their arrogance.

The men and women of the United States know contempt when we see and hear it. In the past few days and weeks, many on the left (Rosie O’Donnell, Jeanine Garofalo, and Bill Maher to name a few) have said some of the most vicious, angry words about their fellow citizens that I have ever heard. It amazes me that their corporate employers and sponsors keep them around … perhaps it is because they do not disagree with their point of view. Their favorite targets are Christians, Conservatives, Tea Partiers, Whites (men and women, even though most of them are white), Pro-lifers, and did I mention Christians. It is not just those in entertainment, it is also coming from the Democratic Party , Congressional leaders, and the White House. They don’t recognize that the very intolerance they accuse others of is what they are most guilty of themselves. If that isn’t the pot calling the kettle black, then I don’t know what is!

The left is getting louder, they see that they are losing influence with Americans of all kinds - rich and poor alike. They are losing influence with Blacks, Hispanics, Asian, Native Americans, and Whites at ever increasing rates. The reasons are many, but mostly it is because Americans are waking up to the fact that the left has every intension or remaking our country … and we don’t want that. Yet they force their plans onto the people, even though they can hear us telling them to stop.

A time is coming where sides will soon have to be taken. Do we stand by the great American traditions established by the Declaration of Independence and the Revolutionary War and our Constitution? Do we stand for individual freedom and for the right to let the states decide how best to govern themselves? Do we stand for a weak central government with limited powers or for a strong oppressive one? You must ask yourself if the left reflects the best of American traditions or some new ideal of a mediocre USA, no greater than any other nation on Earth.

Yes they are angry. They’re angry because we will not listen to them. They are angry because they cannot get their way. They are angry because they cannot come to agreement with one another on how best to impose their will. They are angry that we have a system that allows the people to have a voice in how we are ruled. They will attack every tradition and guiding American principle that stands in the way of a radically changed United States. The question is are you willing to stand in their way, are you willing to obstruct their plans or will you simply go along to get along? In the past, the left has had every reason to believe just that. I’m betting that they will soon find out that We the people of United States of America will not simply go along to get along anymore.

There you have it
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue

Eddie Perez / U.S. American

Laws, Morals, and Ethics..Oh My!

I’ve been busy working a ton of overtime the last few weeks. It seems as if I haven’t written in a long time. A lot has happened in that time … there has been some really big news here in San Antonio and around the country. San Antonio has gotten some poor press with mothers killing their children, Toyota stopping production, and the national coverage of a retaining wall failure in a new home subdivision near the area I live in Helotes, Texas.

Nationally, the President has finally been called on his campaign promises he has not kept (or even attempted to keep). From his broken promises, to televise healthcare negotiations, to his failure to lower the unemployment rate and save or create new jobs, and even for not knowing what a Navy Corpsman is.

A new tell-all book has come out detailing John Edwards’ moral and ethical transgressions, written by the very person that was enabling him. (I won’t be reading that book.) A lot has happened and it has gotten me thinking about the root cause of such things. Is it because we don’t have enough laws? … or the right laws? … I don’t think so. The irony within laws, codes, regulations and ordinances is that they only effectively control the law abiding. The law abiding usually share common qualities, they are generally honest, hard working, moral and ethical. I have for a long time said that a lack of good morals and ethics is the root cause of most of our problems as a people. How many times do we hear of a law or some type of enactment written to satisfy a real or perceived public concern?

The range of laws is broad and far-reaching. They are written to punish or control all matters of concern, from minor inconveniences to more major problems. Many times, if we just investigate a little we find that a law already exists that pertains to the issue that is not enforced or has been forgotten. Laws exist at every layer of government and they are meant to control you and me. They limit how loud we can play a car radio and dictate how we dispose of our garbage. There are laws that punish crimes and how we describe them. We have white color crime, organized crime, hate crimes and crimes against humanity. Why do laws (rules) exist … or more importantly, why are they broken? It always boils down to morals and ethics and the lack thereof. We see it in every thing we do.

I happen to have spent most of my working life in construction-related businesses. I’ve seen what can happen when greed, opportunity and temptation collide. It is a perfect storm for disaster. Shortcuts take place, things are overlooked or ignored often causing unintended consequences; either some one gets hurt or something goes terribly wrong. Construction building and trade codes, engineering specifications, and the use of proper materials are usually the areas where deception is targeted. In the end, what we usually find out is that someone (or a group of people) have allowed a moral or ethical breakdown take place.

Our ethical standards and moral positions are how our reputations are earned. They are the reason behind our reasoning. We have become too accustomed to accepting lying, cheating, and stealing as the way of the world. In the 1960’s we entered the “if it feels good do it” era and our moral and ethical foundation has been severely damaged because of it.

I’m no saint and have never said I was, but I write this blog as a political commentary. I’m trying to sound a warning that we are in a time where we must pay close attention to who we elect at every stage of government because our nation has suffered enough at the hands of morally and ethically bankrupt politicians and bureaucrats. There is a trickle-down effect that takes place in our country that causes me to believe that as our leadership in government, politics, business, education, and so on go … so goes the country. When we have political leadership that reflects strong moral conviction combined with high ethical standards, our nation mirrors those traits. In contrast, we’ve seen the same effect take place when our leaders are less moral and ethical.

Some say that it is foolish to set our standards so high that they are not achievable or sustainable. They say it creates falseness and hypocrisy and they are right, but it gives us something to strive for. By lowering expectations and loosening our moral and ethical beliefs, we become a less perfect people and a less perfect union. I myself will always believe that we are created by God to never stop working at becoming a more perfect people, in order to form a more perfect union.

There you have it
Pass it along if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.
Eddie Perez / U.S. American

United States, the U.S….What’s That Spell!

Have you ever noticed that the initials of the Unites States spell us? Funny, isn’t it, that a country founded by religious outcasts and freedom seeking souls (mostly from Europe, a place not known throughout most of its history for its unity and harmony among nations) would found a nation where all of them from over there would evolve into all of us over here …the U.S.

But I won’t stop there … most of the nations of Africa and Asia have been warring people and have been brutalizing each other for centuries. Even the nations of the new world in South and Central America are not as friendly to one another as they could be they are not united.

I refrain from calling myself an American … I try to describe myself as much as possible as a citizen of the United States or the U.S. (and a Texan). In my writings, I try to avoid referring to the our country as America … I do my best to use United States. It is significant to me that we always remember that we are one nation composed of states held together by documents meant to unite a common people with a common cause, while at the same time allowing the states to remain free and independent enough to govern themselves in a way that will suit the will of the people of each state best.

I like that the initials spell out a word that best describes who we are. Us is a simple word that can be easily be swapped with the word we (as in we the people), another simple, yet descriptive, word. We mostly use us and we when identifying with each other positively such as with family and friends, as a team, and as a nation. We often use them or they typically as a negative way to identify others. I don’t know who first said it, but I like this saying, “if we stand together united, no one can defeat us” … it sounds like something a coach would say doesn’t it? … I’ll bet it is from the Bible.

We are at a point in our country’s young history when it is important to remember why the United States was founded. We are a nation that was born in a time when individual rights, liberties, and concerns came second to those of a king and of oppressive, imperialistic nations. Had the colonies been territories of France, Spain, or Italy, the revolutionary war would still have had to been fought. The founders knew that a powerful central government limits the rights given to us from God … that is why limiting government is the foremost function of our Constitution … not the over-reaching control of We the people ...us: you and me.

We are now in a time when we must recognize that there are factions at work among us that desire we be at odds with each other. They (Republicans and Democrats, immigrants, both legal and illegal alike ) believe that they can do better than our founding fathers and that they can keep our nation together by eliminating our union. However, there are people (like me) that look to our constitution as the corner stone of our union. Our desire is to keep our union safe from harm by putting away our differences … just as the framers of the Constitution did in order to create these United States … in order to create US.

There you have it
Pass it on if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue

Eddie Perez / U.S. American

Dirty Harry Reid and The Lap Dog News Media

Does anyone really expect that the Democrats in Congress will punish Harry Reid for his blatant racist remarks that have been uncovered in a new tell all book? Of course not! He wasn’t punished by them or the news media (their lap dogs) when he said that the war in Iraq was lost, or when he called President Bush a loser and a liar, or while he’s pushed bills through the Senate. No … they won’t punish him.

Trent Lott lost his leadership role for simply saying something nice to the old Senator Strom Thurmond on his hundredth birthday (what was he supposed to say, “you’re a mean old man and I hope you die”!). Strom Thurmond has been accused of being a racist segregationist … never mind that the old guy was a Democrat and he ran for President as a “Dixiecrat” … years later he switched parties. No, Dirty Harry won’t lose his position … the Democrats won’t do that, and the news media will not keep up any pressure on them. What Mr. Lott said to Strom Thurmond was said in jest, Dirty Harry Reid’s words have been said in all seriousness. Radio talk show host are held to a higher standard by the news media … yet the hosts are not elected, they cannot introduce law or make policy, he or she is just a commentator. But if any one of them said some of the things that Mr. Reid has, the coverage would be nonstop, just as the coverage of Mr. Lott’s verbal mishap was constantly reported. When Senator Read said the “war is lost” the news media did not hold him to task and the Democrats supported him. When Rush Limbaugh said he hoped President Obama “failed”, we did not hear the end of it. Who is more consequential: the Senate Majority Leader or a radio host?…you be the judge. Lott apologized for what he said and his apology was graciously not accepted … he was replaced as the Senate Majority Leader. Dirty Harry should’ve been gone already.

When actions like this take place, it only reinforces why I (and people like me) will no longer support the Democrats. It is also why the news media is now looked upon with little admiration. The news media can no longer be counted on to keep us informed … we have to do that for ourselves. It is clear to millions of Americans that the news media is now in league with the Democrats…either by choice or by chance. If it is the latter, that’s all the more reason for them to have lost their esteem. Some in the news paper business wonder where all of their readers have gone. They haven’t gone anywhere ... you left them.

Ronald Regan said he did not leave the Democrats … they left him. That holds true today for millions of Americans, but it isn’t just the Democrats that left us the majority of the news media has too. The people are not blind, we are not stupid, and we do pay attention. We will not be taken for granted anymore and we will no longer give them our unguarded trust. However, the Democrats and the news media have been slow to catch on … they think we are the same sheeple they’ve come to know … well, here’s some news… we are not sheep. We have found new ways to communicate with each other and find out information without them. We’re smarter, better informed, and better organized than ever before and unless they come back to serving us, the common ordinary people of the United States, they will find out what it is like to become marginalized and ignored.

There you have it
Pass it on if you like or let me know it I don’t have a clue.

Eddie

Why’d I Start This

I started writing this blog in order to reach you. I know that a lot of you are not news junkies like I am, and you don’t have as much interest in politics like I do. You don’t always keep up with what is happening at city hall, the county court house, the state capitol, or in Washington D.C. … not because your don’t care, it just hadn’t seemed to be necessary and you’re busy.

I have also been guilty of not paying attention to local and state politics .... my interest has been in Washington. I think local government is more focused on the nuts and bolts of running the counties, cities, and towns … state government has that same function, only at the state level. However, federal government is where power and control over all of us stems from. I’m also aware that in writing this blog, I provide some of you with information or of new stories you haven’t heard about. I know this because you’ve told me.

In talking and visiting with you I’ve discovered that a lot of us think what is happening in Washington is just politics as usual … but we are not in a time of politics as usual, it is a time of radical change and I have taken it as a responsibility to you and my country to spread the word.

I’m concerned now more than ever before about national politics and the direction Washington D.C. is taking us. I’m doing things I’ve never done before … this blog is one of them, doing volunteer work for Will Hurd’s campaign is another, and we have even given our first ever campaign contribution. That was a big deal because I’d told myself that I would never do that … I would show support with my vote. Making campaign contributions is something I thought rich people did. I thought it was a waste of money, and did not guarantee that a politician or political party would do what they promised. I also thought that if a politician wanted it bad enough, they should put up their own money. Meeting and getting to know Will Hurd has caused me to change my way of thinking. I have found that if we want good people to run and serve us, in most cases, they will need our help.

Our country is at a crossroads in history, and a big reason for that is due to Congress. We must take the Congress back from Democrat control in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. I am supporting Will Hurd because we have to remove Cero Rodriguez from office … not because he is a bad man, but because he does not represent us well. Rodriguez does not reflect our core values or our political concerns effectively. Congress can only be changed one seat at a time and his seat is one that I can help with. There are others but they don’t have as much of an impact on my family and friends here in Helotes, San Antonio, or in the state.

There are times when I have become discouraged and think that I should just accept the fact that the country will be forever changed … but then I meet others that are getting involved in ways as never before (just as I am doing). I met a man this weekend who is a small business owner … he and I talked about how we have been awakened into action. He is also doing things he’s never done before and sees the importance of taking back Congress. He has also decided to support Will Hurd and is focused on helping make things better for small business owners like himself.

We both understand the false assumption that we should not support Republicans because we are not white … and we both find it offensive that others would tell us that because of skin color or surname, we are expected to support a party that does not reflect who we are as men, individuals, or ethnic group. I find this closed-minded attitude offensive whenever others expect me to vote Democrat just because of my last name … and even more so that the Democrats take it for granted that Blacks and Hispanics will always vote for them. Blacks and Hispanics are partly to blame for giving Democrats that assumption and false confidence. I and others are working to use that false confidence against them to take our country back. Once we do that and get back on course, we will be able to return to life as usual … but not to politics as usual.

There you have it.
Pass it on if you like or let me know if I don’t have a clue.

Eddie Perez