My Two Cents Worth

AMERICA: "An Angry Nation"

2009-11-06T15:13:00.002-06:00

For quiet a while now I have been very concerned about the state of mind of our country. It takes just a few minutes of surfing through the various social sites on the Internet to realize that America is an angry...and bitter, nation.

From my personal observations I see that our country in more divided today than it has ever been, but the one characteristic we have in common, sad to say, is that we are all angry.

Some folks feel that we have been deceived by those we trust. Others feel that we have been misled down a path we never thought we would ever travel. The one group is trying to keep America... America. The other group is fighting to protect those they chose to lead regardless of the consequences. Either way, America is an angry nation.

Add to this terrible dilemma the fact that the silent majority is silent no more. This has the vocal minority in a pickle.

What happened to hope? Where did it go?

At this time, our country needs a leader. We have none! Any takers?

I want my America back!

"A Government Big Enough...

2009-11-03T07:11:00.002-06:00

...To Give You Everything You Want Is Big Enough To Take Everything You Have" Thomas Jefferson.

Here's a copy of an email sent by US Congressman Marsha Blackburn, (R) TN-7, it speaks for itself:

Friends,

As I said yesterday, the public concern about H.R. 3962 is growing. So much so that many Americans are on their way to Washington to participate in a "House Call" on Thursday afternoon. From all over the country, people are coming to let Speaker Pelosi know that they are opposed to her massive new health care bureaucracy. If you can make it to Washington, you should. If you are already coming to Washington, please let me know. The event will begin at Noon on the Capitol steps.

Since this bill is more tax bill than health care bill, I thought we could take a page from the Tennessee Income Tax debate. If you can't make it to Washington for the House Call, lets join together in expressing our opposition to this bill by honking our horns at 11:00 AM Central Time. If you are willing to take this action, reply to this e-mail and let me know that as well.

In the meantime, we have pulled together a list of all of the new Federal boards, bureaucracies, commissions, and programs created in H.R. 3962. It is staggering.

My Best,

Marsha

Boards, bureaucracies, commissions, and programs created in H.R. 3962, Speaker Pelosi’s government takeover of health care:

1. Retiree Reserve Trust Fund (Section 111(d), p. 61)

2. Grant program for wellness programs to small employers (Section 112, p. 62)

3. Grant program for State health access programs (Section 114, p. 72)

4. Program of administrative simplification (Section 115, p. 76)

5. Health Benefits Advisory Committee (Section 223, p. 111)

6. Health Choices Administration (Section 241, p. 131)

7. Qualified Health Benefits Plan Ombudsman (Section 244, p. 138)

8. Health Insurance Exchange (Section 201, p. 155)

9. Program for technical assistance to employees of small businesses buying Exchange coverage (Section 305(h), p. 191)

10. Mechanism for insurance risk pooling to be established by Health Choices Commissioner (Section 306(b), p. 194)

11. Health Insurance Exchange Trust Fund (Section 307, p. 195)

12. State-based Health Insurance Exchanges (Section 308, p. 197)

13. Grant program for health insurance cooperatives (Section 310, p. 206)

14. “Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 321, p. 211)

15. Ombudsman for “Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 321(d), p. 213)

16. Account for receipts and disbursements for “Public Health Insurance Option” (Section 322(b), p. 215)

17. Telehealth Advisory Committee (Section 1191 (b), p. 589)

18. Demonstration program providing reimbursement for “culturally and linguistically appropriate services” (Section 1222, p. 617)

19. Demonstration program for shared decision making using patient decision aids (Section 1236, p. 648)

20. Accountable Care Organization pilot program under Medicare (Section 1301, p. 653)

21. Independent patient-centered medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302, p. 672)

22. Community-based medical home pilot program under Medicare (Section 1302(d), p. 681)

23. Independence at home demonstration program (Section 1312, p. 718)

24. Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research (Section 1401(a), p. 734)

25. Comparative Effectiveness Research Commission (Section 1401(a), p. 738)

26. Patient ombudsman for comparative effectiveness research (Section 1401(a), p. 753)

27. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1412(b)(1), p. 784)

28. Quality assurance and performance improvement program for nursing facilities (Section 1412 (b)(2), p. 786)

29. Special focus facility program for skilled nursing facilities (Section 1413(a)(3), p. 796)

30. Special focus facility program for nursing facilities (Section 1413(b)(3), p. 804)

31. National independent monitor pilot program for skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities (Section 1422, p. 859)

32. Demonstration program for approved teaching health centers with respect to Medicare GME (Section 1502(d), p. 933)

33. Pilot program to develop anti-fraud compliance systems for Medicare providers (Section 1635, p. 978)

34. Special Inspector General for the Health Insurance Exchange (Section 1647, p. 1000)

35. Medical home pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1722, p. 1058)

36. Accountable Care Organization pilot program under Medicaid (Section 1730A, p. 1073)

37. Nursing facility supplemental payment program (Section 1745, p. 1106)

38. Demonstration program for Medicaid coverage to stabilize emergency medical conditions in institutions for mental diseases (Section 1787, p. 1149)

39. Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund (Section 1802, p. 1162)

40. “Identifiable office or program” within CMS to “provide for improved coordination between Medicare and Medicaid in the case of dual eligibles” (Section 1905, p. 1191)

41. Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Section 1907, p. 1198)

42. Public Health Investment Fund (Section 2002, p. 1214)

43. Scholarships for service in health professional needs areas (Section 2211, p. 1224)

44. Program for training medical residents in community-based settings (Section 2214, p. 1236)

45. Grant program for training in dentistry programs (Section 2215, p. 1240)

46. Public Health Workforce Corps (Section 2231, p. 1253)

47. Public health workforce scholarship program (Section 2231, p. 1254)

48. Public health workforce loan forgiveness program (Section 2231, p. 1258)

49. Grant program for innovations in interdisciplinary care (Section 2252, p. 1272)

50. Advisory Committee on Health Workforce Evaluation and Assessment (Section 2261, p. 1275)

51. Prevention and Wellness Trust (Section 2301, p. 1286)

52. Clinical Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 1295)

53. Community Prevention Stakeholders Board (Section 2301, p. 1301)

54. Grant program for community prevention and wellness research (Section 2301, p. 1305)

55. Grant program for research and demonstration projects related to wellness incentives (Section 2301, p. 1305)

56. Grant program for community prevention and wellness services (Section 2301, p. 1308)

57. Grant program for public health infrastructure (Section 2301, p. 1313)

58. Center for Quality Improvement (Section 2401, p. 1322)

59. Assistant Secretary for Health Information (Section 2402, p. 1330)

60. Grant program to support the operation of school-based health clinics (Section 2511, p. 1352)

61. Grant program for nurse-managed health centers (Section 2512, p. 1361)

62. Grants for labor-management programs for nursing training (Section 2521, p. 1372)

63. Grant program for interdisciplinary mental and behavioral health training (Section 2522, p. 1382)

64. “No Child Left Unimmunized Against Influenza” demonstration grant program (Section 2524, p. 1391)

65. Healthy Teen Initiative grant program regarding teen pregnancy (Section 2526, p. 1398)

66. Grant program for interdisciplinary training, education, and services for individuals with autism (Section 2527(a), p. 1402)

67. University centers for excellence in developmental disabilities education (Section 2527(b), p. 1410)

68. Grant program to implement medication therapy management services (Section 2528, p. 1412)

69. Grant program to promote positive health behaviors in underserved communities (Section 2530, p. 1422)

70. Grant program for State alternative medical liability laws (Section 2531, p. 1431)

71. Grant program to develop infant mortality programs (Section 2532, p. 1433)

72. Grant program to prepare secondary school students for careers in health professions (Section 2533, p. 1437)

73. Grant program for community-based collaborative care (Section 2534, p. 1440)

74. Grant program for community-based overweight and obesity prevention (Section 2535, p. 1457)

75. Grant program for reducing the student-to-school nurse ratio in primary and secondary schools (Section 2536, p. 1462)

76. Demonstration project of grants to medical-legal partnerships (Section 2537, p. 1464)

77. Center for Emergency Care under the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (Section 2552, p. 1478)

78. Council for Emergency Care (Section 2552, p 1479)

79. Grant program to support demonstration programs that design and implement regionalized emergency care systems (Section 2553, p. 1480)

80. Grant program to assist veterans who wish to become emergency medical technicians upon discharge (Section 2554, p. 1487)

81. Interagency Pain Research Coordinating Committee (Section 2562, p. 1494)

82. National Medical Device Registry (Section 2571, p. 1501)

83. CLASS Independence Fund (Section 2581, p. 1597)

84. CLASS Independence Fund Board of Trustees (Section 2581, p. 1598)

85. CLASS Independence Advisory Council (Section 2581, p. 1602)

86. Health and Human Services Coordinating Committee on Women’s Health (Section 2588, p. 1610)

87. National Women’s Health Information Center (Section 2588, p. 1611)

88. Centers for Disease Control Office of Women’s Health (Section 2588, p. 1614)

89. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Office of Women’s Health and Gender-Based Research (Section 2588, p. 1617)

90. Health Resources and Services Administration Office of Women’s Health (Section 2588, p. 1618)

91. Food and Drug Administration Office of Women’s Health (Section 2588, p. 1621)

92. Personal Care Attendant Workforce Advisory Panel (Section 2589(a)(2), p. 1624)

93. Grant program for national health workforce online training (Section 2591, p. 1629)

94. Grant program to disseminate best practices on implementing health workforce investment programs (Section 2591, p. 1632)

95. Demonstration program for chronic shortages of health professionals (Section 3101, p. 1717)

96. Demonstration program for substance abuse counselor educational curricula (Section 3101, p. 1719)

97. Program of Indian community education on mental illness (Section 3101, p. 1722)

98. Intergovernmental Task Force on Indian environmental and nuclear hazards (Section 3101, p. 1754)

99. Office of Indian Men’s Health (Section 3101, p. 1765)

100. Indian Health facilities appropriation advisory board (Section 3101, p. 1774)

101. Indian Health facilities needs assessment workgroup (Section 3101, p. 1775)

102. Indian Health Service tribal facilities joint venture demonstration projects (Section 3101, p. 1809)

103. Urban youth treatment center demonstration project (Section 3101, p. 1873)

104. Grants to Urban Indian Organizations for diabetes prevention (Section 3101, p. 1874)

105. Grants to Urban Indian Organizations for health IT adoption (Section 3101, p. 1877)

106. Mental health technician training program (Section 3101, p. 1898)

107. Indian youth telemental health demonstration project (Section 3101, p. 1909)

108. Program for treatment of child sexual abuse victims and perpetrators (Section 3101, p. 1925)

109. Program for treatment of domestic violence and sexual abuse (Section 3101, p. 1927)

110. Native American Health and Wellness Foundation (Section 3103, p. 1966)

111. Committee for the Establishment of the Native American Health and Wellness Foundation (Section 3103, p. 1968)

Are you sure America...that this IS what you want?

P.S. Where's my Congressman, Bart Gordon? How come he hasn't pointed this out to his constituents?

Cash For Clunkers - My Two Cents Worth

2009-07-31T11:16:00.003-05:00

On the surface, it looks nice. After just one week the government went through $1B our taxpayer's money to subsidize those affluent enough to purchase a car, and as of this writing congress is debating and will probably vote on printing another $2B to inject more money into this project.

I received an email from my Congressman, Bart Gordon earlier this week on how proud he was to have been one of the sponsors of the PAYGO bill, which was voted on and passed the House a few days prior.

In it he states that Congress will have to come up with the cash to pay for any money spent from here on out. So my question is: Where's these extra $2B coming from? and how will Bart Gordon vote?

I would hope that the banks acted responsibly this time around and only approved funds to those qualified to pay it back. I would hope that this time around we're not going to get stuck with this bill as well. Only time will tell.

If you're affluent enough to have been able to purchase a car without government help, I just helped make your down payment... shame on you! If you're not affluent enough to be purchasing a new car today, and you did... shame on you.

"Beer Summit" - My Two Cents Worth

2009-07-30T18:37:00.001-05:00

With all the hoopla surrounding the White House Beer Summit is it proper to ask: "What have we learned?"

Well, I tell you what I have learned.

I have learned that we have a Yahoo for President! Well, actually I didn't just learn this, this is something I have suspected for some time, but with each passing day, I am more convinced that this is a fact.

Never mind for a moment the hope he has brought to our country, the unity he has created, the transparency he's working under, just never mind all that if just for a moment. Focus on his ability to speak "off the cuff". An ability that demonstrated to the world just what type of person he is.

I'm not so sure the remark about the "police acting stupidly" was written on his teleprompter. This had to be an impromptu remark, a remark that overshadowed the entire content of the purpose of the news conference.

Oh, wait a minute. Was this his intention? Was the news conference going so badly that he had to create a distraction so that the news would focus on this one comment instead of the entire subject at hand? Clever!

We all know by now that he did not have all the facts. We all know now that had he had the facts he would have thought twice about making such remark. Or did he have the facts? An opportunist he is, I tell you.

The White House Beer Summit is nothing more and nothing less than a great photo op. Nothing will come out of this. This will get a couple of more days of headlines and will be forgotten, that is at least until re-election time when the media and the dems will bring this out as proof that Øbama kept his promise to work on race relations.

Bart Gordon and "PAYGO" - My Two Cents Worth

2009-07-22T18:24:00.001-05:00

I have just received an e-mail from the offices of Rep. Bart Gordon (D) TN-06 explaining to me why he is supporting HR-2920 aka "PAYGO" or the Pay-as-you-go bill.

You can view said email by clicking here.

I was overwhelmed and flabbergasted by my congressman's arrogance. Does he really pretend to believe that we cannot see right through him?

Sir, with you support and votes you have run up the deficit to levels never seen before. Additionally you say that "in 1998, the federal government saw its first budget surplus since 1969."

Had we spent responsibly, during the glory years of budget surplus, as we should have in programs that would have protected our country from terrorism, the events of September 11, 2001 would never had happened and therefore the spending that you Democrats so willingly point to as often as you can, would have never had happened and life would have been great.

There's plenty of blame to go around... both sides should take their hits. To continue to point to the spending between 2002 - 2008 as the culprit of our present day woes is useless and serves no purpose other than self promotion.

So that I understand Mr. Gordon his email tells us that, "PAYGO" means that "for every dollar we spend on a new program, we must find a U.S. dollar to pay for it." Why is he not telling us where we're going to find this dollar? Is it in a reduction of spending somewhere else? Is it in new taxes? Will this include the Healthcare program? Will they make this retroactive to the auto-bailout and stimulus fiasco?

Mr. Gordon, at first glance your email looks nice and responsible, but upon further review your finger pointing is what we here on main street are sick and tired of, and lack of further explanations and specifics leaves us wondering: How will your next junket to Europe be paid for?

Let Me Rant For A Bit

2009-06-12T14:08:00.001-05:00

On Monday, two California based journalists Euna Lee, 26, and Laura Ling, 32, were sentenced by North Korea to 12 years of hard labor. Immediately the Ø administration struggles to respond took front page. First it was mentioned that Al Gore would be sent to help negotiate their release, after all they work for him. Apparently not very pleased with response from Al, the admin immediately turned to Gov Bill Richardson for help. Later in the week it was back to Al.

My question is very simple: "Is this not what we pay Hillary to do"?

It was my understanding from reports I was able to decipher that Chrysler stock holders, share holder, bond holders (not really sure which), tried to get help from the Supreme Court to stop the sale of the company to Italian Fiat. From what I gather, it was due to the fact that the arrangement presented favored the unions and not to the owners, as it should be. The SC allowed the sale to go through by not listening to arguments (correct me if I'm wrong).

And speaking of the union, if Ø's universal health care plan ever becomes a reality, the unions will see windfall earning due to the fact that now the government will subsidise workers' health plans so they won't have to. Pretty sweet, huh?

So much to say about health care, so little time...

This plan is being shoved down our throats with the argument that "every American has the basic right and/or need for affordable health care". According to Maslow's hierarchy's of human needs, health care is no where to be found.

So, let's suppose for a micro instant that this is true, that this package of bologna will pass. Will the government then focus on providing water, food, sex, etc to all. After all, these are basic needs as well. And if this is so, why are there so many hungry people in our land? Shouldn't the government address this first? Just a thought!

I also went back and read the constitution (not really, I already know it doesn't) to look for the place where it spells the "right to health care" and couldn't find it.

Also, what's with the argument of a "Public Option"? Wouldn't a "Public Option" put the legit insurance companies out of business? Who makes the rules? The Government. Wouldn't they make the rules to favor their state sponsored "Public Option".

Not sure about you, but I don't want my health care plan to be managed by the same people that manage the USPS, The Veterans Administration, Amtrak, Social Security... Am I forgetting others?

Two horrible, inexplicable acts of violence in the past few days, two different ways they were reported.

First was the shooting at the Army Recruitment office in West Little Rock by Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhamma d, 23 and the second the shooting at the Holocaust Museum by James von Brunn, 88.

Both of these are tragic, despicable acts of violence that no sane person would condone. So why is it that the media has found it necessary to treat them different. I explain... In the case of von Brunn there was not enough ink, not enough air waves, not enough megabytes to describe the hatred of the white supremacist. "It was the hatred and extremism that drove him to this".

I have searched high and low and cannot find the same description of the act performed by Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad. So I ask... why the different treatment? Was the shooting of the two recruiters, one fatally not the act of "hatred and extremism"?

"Pay as you go" declared Øbama midweek. We cannot spend another dollar without first reducing a dollar of spending to cover for this. Damn, wish we would have thought of that!

The left has to be scared and scrambling because they know the train is coming and is coming fast, so fast that it's going to hit them so hard, they will be knocked out silly! Let me explain...

On Wednesday, USA Today thought it necessary to spend half of their front page to ask the question: "Who speaks for the Republican Party". They know something is going on, they know there's a movement taking place, they just don't know how, who or where it's coming from. They are scrambling to figure out who to blast next and how to take them down. My answer to their question is: "who gives a darn, most of us don't need someone to speak for us. We speak for ourselves and somehow our message has been united and is loud." Could this fear come from the fact that the latest poll show public opinion favoring the Republicans? And this only five months into the new administration.

Two more issues that deserve mention but little attention. One is the comparison of Øbama to God by Newsweek's Evan Thomas. Mr. Thomas, sir... the only and I mean only similarity between Øbama and God is that neither has a birth certificate.

And I close my weekly rant by asking David Letterman. Are you serious? Could you stoop any lower? Oh, I'm sorry I forgot, you can't get lower than where you are. Good news here is that Mr. Letterman continues to show the classless character of the left leaning entertainment industry.

"A Matter Of Public Responsibility"

2009-06-09T17:02:00.001-05:00

On Tuesday Øbama pitched his plan for "pay-as-you-go" for Congress, calling this a matter of public responsibility. No kidding?! This administration is full of Einsteins.

Where in the world has this man been? Oh yeah, never mind... Egypt, France, Germany, etc.

Barely five months into his administration and his support has dwindled to insignificant numbers. According to the Rasmussen Reports, more American now trust the Republicans to take care of the Economy than they do the present Administration.

So stop playing games with us sir! We know what you're up to and come next elections, we're holding you and yours accountable. And as much as you and your puppet media would like for us to, we're still not drinking the Kool-Aid.

A Happy Liberal...An Oxymoron

2009-06-05T15:08:00.002-05:00

During my many hours on the road this week, I was privy to a conversation on the radio regarding the "happy index" comparing liberals and conservatives, and I must tell you that I was not surprised by the conclusions.

It appears that conservatives, specially older white male conservatives are the happiest of the bunch. Not sure if I heard why they're happier than white female conservatives, but that was the conclusion.

One of the studies mentioned was published by LiveScience.com where reasons for this are explained.

I see it all around me, but I will not divide male vs. female. I will just compare Conservatives vs. Liberals.

Conservatives are taught to work for what they get. To appreciate what they have and enjoy the fruit of their labor. Liberals are taught to wait for the hand out because it is owed them. Liberals grow old and tired always thinking that they didn't get what should have been theirs. Conservatives grow old enjoying what they have accomplished.

At a youg age, liberals are sucked into this belief. They will fight for years for the cause, while conservatives will work their way through their young years. When liberals reach the mid 30's they find that the cause they fought for really wasn't worth fighting for but now they're way behind the eight ball and decide to blame conservatives for their misfortune. They find themselves, at this point in life, somewhat unemployable because they have little to show. This could make anyone very unhappy.

There are numerous successful "liberals". So why are they unhappy? Very simple. They're caught between a rock and a hard place. They think they need to be true to the liberal movement but now they don't think that they should distribute their good fortunes with other liberals. This, again, could make anyone very unhappy.

Look around you, look for signs of the "Happy Index" amongst your conservative and liberal friends, you will see that I'm not far off.

GM, The Hummer, Bernanke and More... My Two Cents Worth

2009-06-04T21:06:00.000-05:00

Once again, and much to the delight of the blogosphere, this week's headlines have provided a sea of opportunities for all those of us that like to give our two cents worth.

Before I even had a chance to get my first cup of coffee on Monday, various news outlets were already reporting that GM had officially filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Not surprised, I was. Not surprised at all. For the last few days, if not weeks, the word on the street was that this was inevitable. This was just a matter of time and it would happen sooner rather than later.

Shouldn't had this been done before we gave GM all those gazillions of dollars? What will happen to that money? Any bets on this? Will we ever see this money again? I'm not a betting man, but I put my money on "not".

What did this bailout accomplish? Nothing! Nada! Silch! Zero! Just a waste of money and time. We have Saturn in our back yard. Middle Tennessee is a state of shock. Representative Bart Gordon (D) of TN's Sixth Congressional District supported the bail out because it would save "all those jobs", although when the time came to cast a vote, he was no where to be found.

Has anyone else noticed how quiet the unions have been this week? Nothing to say, I guess. Will they be taking care of all those union members that loose their jobs? Or will they be added to the State's unemployment rolls? Governor Bredesen of TN already said that he's going to add people to the Unemployment service to hand deliver the unemployment checks to the auto workers so they don't have to travel to the unemployment office to get their check? What's up with that?

Speculation as to what would take place was the talk of the day. Which lines would survive, which would be sold, which would just disappear. Talks of possible buyers for Hummer, SAAB and Saturn were making the rounds.

On Tuesday, GM announced that it was in negotiations with a Chinese company, Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Company. Reports speculate that a mere $80 million is the price tag for the Hummer Brand. I say "mere" because in the whole scheme of things that's a drop in the bucket.

So I have a few questions: Where will the new Hummer be built? Will they take production to China or use present facilities? Will the American people support a Chinese built automotive? If to be sold in the United States, will they have to abide by the new and improved fuel efficiency standards imposed by the administration? Will a Hummer ever run on 45 mpg? Will the government give Hummer an exemption to these standards in order to make the "deal" with the Chinese possible? If exemptions are made, will other vehicles get same exemption?

And what about the Humvee? Will the military version of the Hummer be made in China? The Pentagon says not a chance

With the nationalization of GM and Chrysler how will Ford fare? The government makes the rules for auto manufacturing, they'll have to make the rules to favor GM and Chrysler so Ford will have to follow. What will happen to Ford if this does happen?

So many questions, so little space.

Last Friday the Øbama administration sided with the Saudi Royals against the 9/11 families lawsuit. In a nutshell what this means is that the 9/11 families cannot sue in U.S. courts the Saudi Arabians for their part in the attacks of September 11. Nice going chief! The Saudis over your own American people.

This week he traveled to the land of his roots. This was all just a little to calculated for me.

And finally, this week's "Einstein Award For Brilliance" goes to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke for declaring to the House Budget Committee that "large U.S. budget deficits threaten financial stability and the government can’t continue indefinitely to borrow at the current rate to finance the shortfall". No? Really?

The Era Of Irresponsibility and Double Standards...My Two Cents Worth

2009-05-31T12:11:00.003-05:00

This has been a very busy and active week in the news. It all started on Monday when Øbama (I still refuse to put the title of President in front of his name) introduced Sonya Sotomayor as his nominee for the soon to be vacant Supreme Court seat.

It became apparent and very quickly, that Sotomayor is a racist. Her controversial remarks in 2001 clearly defines her as such. Don't agree? Well, had this been a statement by a Conservative President's appointee, what would the reaction be? My point exactly.

She was born in the Bronx, not in Puerto Rico. This makes her an American, not a Puerto Rican nor a Puerto Rican-American. Her "Latino" or "Hispanic" roots don't impress me a bit. And this will definitely, in my estimate, will not make her a better judge.

Should she be confirmed? I'm not sure. I Googled her name to find out more about her, there are over 2.4 million results. I trust that the system will work.

Will she be confirmed? Probably. "The White House expects and demands a quick and smooth confirmation". If she truly is the "best" person for the job, so be it. If she's not, will there be someone with enough guts to fight this nomination? Probably not.

Senator Graham wants an apology for the comment that seems to be the most controversial issue to date. What the hell will this accomplish? Okay, should she apologize, what then? All's forgiven?

Can't hardly wait to see how this plays out. Only good thing here is that her appointment will probably not change the philosophical make up of the court.

Also this week, Øbama thought it best to spend $250,000 per day of taxpayers money to travel to California to raise money for the Democrats. And he thought it prudent to spend who knows how much to go on a date with MrsØ in New York. I wasn't aware that it was the taxpayers function to finance his personal trips. All this during a time when Americans are hurting.

Last night's news brought us the story of American fighters landing in Japan. This to prepare the U.S. to attack or engage into fight with North Korea.

Okay, so what has North Korea done to the U.S.? Why should the U.S. engage into a fight with them? Was this not the battle cry for the entire Bush Administration regarding the fight in Iraq? Were we not told during the campaign that one of the many "changes" coming was more "dialog"? Has Hillary been in North Korea "dialoging" her way out of a conflict? I cant remember the news reporting this. Maybe I have been under a rock.

And why haven't I heard the entire world, specially the Europeans, express their disgust with this measure? Oh, yeah... the North Koreans have the capability of reaching Europe with their weapons, as does Iran. Now I get it.

And that's my week's "two cents worth".

History Being Repeated?

2009-05-08T11:13:00.002-05:00

Earlier in the week, I received an email from the TRP - Tennessee Republican Party. This email included the following excerpt.

My Fellow Americans my name is Raul Lopez. I am a Hispanic, I am a Republican, and I live in the GREATEST country in the world and I’m proud of it. Why do I love the United States of America? Because of its people, because of its Christian values and because of its form of capitalist Government. You see capitalism encourages faith, family, freedom, and fiscal responsibility.

For those who don’t know me I was born in Havana Cuba. My family and I escaped when I was young because we hated extreme socialism (Communism) and the bondage it imposed on its people. We came to the greatest country in the World; the United States of America. After a couple of years my grandmother used to sit us down every year and tell us a story.

It was about a young charismatic, articulate speaker who took the country by storm. He would go from town to town preaching his "gospel of change". His "change" promised redistribution of wealth, where everyone would prosper and flourish. Every time he made a speech his support grew larger and larger. In fact his support grew so large that the crowds finally put him in power.

Well, as soon as he took control and became the leader of the country, he quickly began his plan of "change". Unfortunately, it wasn’t the "change" the people were expecting.

He took control of the banks and businesses, and quickly got rid of any executives who disagreed with his way of thinking. He took control of the schools to start indoctrinating the children with his left wing agenda. He took control of the churches and thus minimizing their influence on the people and their lives. He took the people's guns thus eliminating any chance of revolt to his ever increasing power over the land. And then he also created a nationalized healthcare system which ultimately turned into a nationwide rationed healthcare system.

And he did all this very quickly under the umbrella of "change".

Who was this ruler?

Fidel Castro. Does this story sound familiar?

My friends, we can’t let history repeat itself. We must stop President Obama from spreading his Socialist agenda.

And we must do it now.

Being an immigrant myself, this touched a special nerve with me. Although I came to America at an early age, I returned to Colombia to "find my roots" but quickly realized why it is that I love the United States so much. I rapidly packed my bags and returned home and have proudly lived, worked and paid my taxes here for years. My wife and I have raised two daughters and are putting them through college. We have volunteered countless hours - to many to count - in our community, attended our church somewhat regularly. I have also spoken my mind when needed to without fear of retaliations and earned a reputation of being plain spoken amongst my friends. I have flown the stars and stripes in my front yard since the day we bought our first house, we have paid our mortgage and credit card bills on time. We have bought American made whenever possible and have supported our local merchants every chance we've had.

Things have not always been easy but we have managed to always make it work. We have never received nor asked for a handout because we believe on the power of hard work. We see many abusing the system and our stomachs turn, but we move on. We do this because...

... we live in the only country in the world where, by our estimate, this is possible.

The problem as I see it is simple: Like Mr Lopez in the above article, myself and millions upon millions more, we migrated here...legally...to escape the tyranny and oppression our lives where filled with, to find and live the American dream. If we allow Øbama's agenda to succeed, what will become of us? and more importantly... where would we go? There are no more options, this is it!

Janeane Garofalo's View On The Tea Parties

2009-04-17T11:24:00.007-05:00

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

After watching this whole thing, I was mad as hell and offended as all get out. I am writing letters to GE, MSNBC, NBC and FOX. I am demanding an apology (although I know I'm not be getting one). I have been a huge "24" fan since day one, but I will not be watching the conclusion of the series, nor will I be a return viewer.

Being labeled a racist just because I dared to rally against big government and out of control spending, my constitutional right, is well... unacceptable. Add to the insult the fact that the network supporting this view, MSNBC-NBC, is being kept afloat by my tax dollars, $140 Billion worth of bailout money received by its parent company GE.

To contact GE, click here

To contact MSNBC and NBC write here:
NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, N.Y. 10112

To contact Fox write here:
FOX Broadcasting Co.
P.O. Box 900
Beverly Hills, CA 90213

Additionally, I will be getting in touch with my local NBC and FOX affiliates and their local advertisers.

If this makes me a redneck, a proud redneck I will be. And by the way, who said that rednecks are not Americans with equal rights to speak their mind. Will the entire redneck community of the USA be added to the DHS terrorist watch?

Tea Party, DHS and Other Stuff... My Two Cents Worth

2009-04-17T07:59:00.008-05:00

When I woke up on Wednesday, April 15th my one and only intention was to go to work (so that others don't have to) and possibly make it home in time to attend my local city's (Hendersonville, TN) Tea Party gathering... a Tea Party that had just been put together in the last couple of weeks. We had no idea how many people would show up, but I knew I had to be one of them.

Never did I imagine that by the end of the day, my actions and points of view would possibly land me in the list of DHS terrorist watch along with the thousands upon thousands of others that dared exercise their right to express their feelings. When the news started filtering through the air waves I was amazed, to say the least, appalled to say it best.

I am against illegal immigration, I am against abortion, big government, out of control spending. Although I do not own a gun, I believe in our right to bear arms. I have religion in my life and have always felt free to speak my mind. I guess this makes me a target for DHS.

It was around noon time when I found myself in Nashville with a little time to kill so I decided to gander over to the Legislative Plaza to partake, as best I could in Nashville's Tea Party. Well, that was not to be. The traffic leading to downtown was hellatious, the crowds had turned into multitudes and it was impossible to get close to where the action was. I parked several blocks away and made my way to the Plaza. Not much time I had, for an appointment at 1pm was in my future. When I arrived at the site I was overwhelmed with pride. Pride to see so many proud Americans voicing their constitutional right of expression. I began to wonder how many DHS agents were in the crowd taking note, I began to wonder how many of us would end up in their "list". By my conservative estimates I put the crowd upwards of 5,000 at that moment.

I did make it to the 6pm rally in Hendersonville (TN) but it was closer to 6:30pm. Another traffic jam due to the crowds, or at least that's what I was hoping for. When my wife and I finally arrived at City Hall, we looked at each other with a silent "Oh My God" look in each other's face. We could not believe what we were seeing. The crowd was later estimated at 2,000.

I had had the opportunity to listen to some local news on the radio and they reported that in Nashville the estimated size of the crowd was 2,000 to 2,500 people. This did not surprise, it just didn't. I had seen it. I knew better.

One of the speakers told us that she had spoken to a TN State Trooper and that they had officially estimated Nashville's crowd to be upwards of 10,000. I will give all the benefit of the doubt and split the difference. I will settle for 6,250. Still pretty amazing.

What to make of all this? I may not be the only one asking this question, the media has to be asking this same thing. They're not sure what to make of this. With the support of only FOX News promoting this event, crowds were gathering across this land of ours. How could this be? Only option left to them is to tear it down and dismiss it, as we saw it throughout the day on CNN and friends.

What happened to the left's battle cry of "dissent is patriotic"? Did we not hear this over and over again during the Bush years? What is the difference today? I do not recall ever calling or hearing the media or the government label any of them "terrorists", "racists", "ignorant", etc.

I am hopeful that this movement is just getting started. I am hopeful that by election time 2010 people will remember to vote all the bums out. I am hopeful that we've truly had enough. I'm just hopeful.

Presidential Dignity... Not Any More!

2009-04-11T06:44:00.001-05:00

National Tax Day Tea Party. What if...?

2009-04-02T10:48:00.005-05:00

According to nationwideteaparty.com, it is expected that over 300 cities will be participating in the Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party on April 15, 2009. It is also expected that at least 10+ of those cities will have upwards of 5,000 attendees. So, what if...?

What if each and every person attending each and everyone of these tea parties, were to call Congress at the same time, what would happen then? Would they get the message? Even better, what if...?

What if each and every person that is not able to attend their city's tea party due to other responsibilities, like work, were to call Congress at a predetermined time?

Because of time zones and local planning efforts, I am sure that these tea parties will be going on at different time. Much better, I say. Congress will be hearing from us throughout the day.

What if, everyone would call:

202-224-3121

Additionally, what if...?

What if each and every person attending each and every tea party were to mail a letter to their Representative and Senators so that they would receive it on April 15th (the letter would have to be mailed by April 1oth). Said letter would go something like this:

Dear Congressman/Senator (So and So):

I am writting this letter to let you know that I will be attending the Nationwide Tea Party to be held in (my city) on April 15th. I am doing this because I want to send you, my representative, a message that I am mad and I will not be silent any longer.

Please take this opportunity to review your current standing on issues that are driving this country to bankrupcy. Remember that you are elected to represent the will of your constituents and we expect you do just that.

Respectfully Submitted,

(Your Name)
(Your Address)

Obviously you can change the text to depict you personal message.

So, What if...?

If You Have Any Doubts About Øbama's Intentions

2009-04-01T08:30:00.002-05:00

Listen to this:

The Consequences of Taking Government Money

2009-03-31T10:14:00.001-05:00

It should serve as a lesson to all that taking money from the government comes with a whole lot of strings attached. This, now more than ever before, is more evident.

In every circle of discussion, on line and off, there are as many opinions on the latest developments from Detroit via Washington as there are dollars in the bailout/stimulus/budget bills.

There are those that say that Øbama does not have the power to fire (disguised as a request to resign) GM CEO Rick Wagoner, and although I personally agree with this assessment, I understand that once GM took federal funds, the doors were opened for such abuse of power.

These same folks argue that the government has no business meddling in the affairs of private industry. I too, agree with that. Interventionism is a very dangerous thing. I believe that since Øbama believed that GM was to big to fail, he was determined to dump money into this giant mess. At that point his team should have put out a set of rules for the money prior to handing it over. Here, these rules could have set deadlines, bonuses, management, etc. If the company agreed to these rules, then take the money. If not in agreement, then don't take the money. The government at that point should have just let the company do it's thing and moved on to the next project.

The prudent and right thing to have happened to begin with, as Mitt Romney suggested way back when, was to allow the company to file for bankruptcy and allow restructuring through that route. Now they're faced with the possibility of having to go there anyway. What will happen to these "loans" then? Is anyone taking any bets on how long it will take to get our money back?

Now the precedence has been set and Øbama has become the new ghost CEØ of GM. The newly appointed head man, Fritz Henderson will be dictated what he can and can't do. He will have to follow in the steps of various government run enterprises like the USPS and Amtrak as well as the examples set by the Veterans Administration and Social Security... after all, this is the experience the government has.

And there are more dangers coming. Tennessee's Senator Bob Corker put it this way:

With sweeping new power the White House will be deciding which plants will survive and which won't, so in essence, this administration has decided they know better than our courts and our free market process how to deal with these companies.

It’s been a long time since Washington has seen the kind of kowtowing that’s about to occur among members of Congress trying to curry favor with the administration to keep plants in their states open, and it will be interesting to see if the administration makes these decisions based on a red state and blue state strategy or based on efficiency and capable, skilled workers at each plant.

This is a marked departure from the past, truly breathtaking, and should send a chill through all Americans who believe in free enterprise. I worry that in one fell swoop we’ve lost our moral high ground throughout the global community as it relates to chastising other countries that use strong arm tactics to invade on private property rights.

Question #1: Who gave this "sweeping new power to the White House"? I don't claim to be a constitutional expert, but I have read and studied the constitution a bit, and I can't remember such power mentioned. Was it Congress? If so, when and how did this happen? Or was it self-imposed power that Øbama just gave himself?

Question #2: "Would you, in your right mind, purchase a GM vehicle knowing that the government has taken over the service and warranty policies of your purchase?"

How Does The Military Feel About Our President(s)

2009-03-30T09:40:00.001-05:00

Morale in the Military affects readiness, or so I'm told. How's this for HØpe and Change!

The devalued Prime Minister of a devalued Government

2009-03-27T10:37:00.000-05:00

Confused By The Numbers

2009-03-25T14:00:00.000-05:00

The latest polls show that 60.8% of those polled approve of job Obama is doing while 30.2% disapprove. 37% approve of the job Congress is doing and 52% disapprove, while 37.7% say that the country is headed in the right direction and 54.7% say it's going in the wrong direction.

So why am I confused?

If 54.7% say the country is headed in the wrong direction who do they think is driving the car? Apparently not Obama because 60.8% approve of his driving. Maybe they think it's Congress' fault. 52% are not happy with Congress.

Why are these people are so willing to give Obama such high marks while admitting the country is headed south? Why are these same people blaming Congress now and didn't blame Congress for creating this mess?

That's why I'm so confused!

Is The "War On Terror" Over?

2009-03-25T13:00:00.001-05:00

It is very apparent to anyone not living under a rock these days that it is the intention of the current administration to destroy all the efforts and progress made by the previous administration. After all, did Obama not campaign and continue to campaign under the very popular and likable phrase "the failed policies of this/previous (Bush's) administration".

His very first act as POTUS was to order the closing of Guantanamo Bay. Then he lifted the ban on restrictions for federal funding for abortions, then it was the removal of stem cell funding restrictions.

And now, it is apparent that the "War on Terror" is over. Or at least it has a new, catchy name: "Overseas Contingency Operation". It rolls right of the tongue, doesn't it. Wonder if without his teleprompter he could even say this.

Is this his way of letting terrorist know that the war is over? Is this his way of letting people that want to kill us know that there's no "war"? Or is this just his way of reaching out to the international community?

I don't know about you, but I sure do feel safer now. Thank you, Mr. President for putting American's safety first!

Reply to Rep Bart Gordon's Request For My Opinion

2009-03-24T08:47:00.003-05:00

On March 17th, I posted an e-mail that I received from Congressman Bart Gordon (D-TND6) asking for my opinion... here's my reply.

March 23, 2009
Congressman Gordon:

On Friday, March 13, 2009 I received an e-mail from your office requesting my opinion regarding the matter of NASA Inspector General Moose Cobb.

I first would like to thank you for your efforts to control wasteful spending by our government.

However,

Since you asked… I must ask:

$1 Billion in stimulus money; our money, for NASA? Just how many permanent, new jobs is this suppose to create? How many of these jobs go to Tennesseans?

Also, since we’re talking wasteful spending, could you please elaborate on your European Vacation costing us, the taxpayers an estimated $7,250 at a time when every dollar spent matters? I have yet to hear or read an explanation on this issue despite the many requests from your constituents to do so.

I understand that Mr. Dave Evans has made some pretty specific and public requests from you including but not limited to the repayment of these funds. Again, I have yet to hear your response to these demands.

Respectfully Submitted

Mauricio Sanchez

Hendersonville, TN

Presidential Jeopardy

2009-03-23T08:48:00.002-05:00

The Second American Revolution

2009-03-20T22:30:00.002-05:00

Couldn't have said it better myself!

Democrats False Hope For Change

2009-03-20T22:07:00.000-05:00

I hope to have the opportunity to play this over and over again.