Thanksgiving

A little late here, but I wanted to talk just briefly about Thanksgiving Day. I am glad that our Canadian friends celebrate Thanksgiving, even if it's on a different date. While the circumstances behind the holiday are myth-prone and clouded, and we're now told how horrible an effect that Europeans had on the new world. I'm not going to try to defend what happened, but at the same time, the natives (and even they truly were no more native than I am. Their ancestors migrated from China, across the land bridge that used to connect North America to Russia) were not entirely peaceful and prosperous. They warred with each other, suffered from disease, and were, by some reports, in decline as a civilization. But forget all that. What I'm really talking about is the idea of setting a day aside to reflect on all that we really have to be thankful for. We live with more freedom and prosperity than many other countries, even in these days of crisis. We have an issue of too many people wanting in, as opposed to the throngs of refugees in many countries. We have just elected someone from an middle class family of mixed race in a peaceful if passionate election. We can rest assured that once in office, Mister Obama will not seek to change the law to lengthen his term of office.

While many families are in the midst of crisis unseen in this country in years, somehow people still find a way to give what they can for those in more desperate need, and the spirit of optimism and dignity is as evident across the land as ever. We have problems, we know, but we also have great blessings, and we know that. The day after Thanksgiving, I spoke with a couple in the laundromat who lived in a two-room tent, but were washing work-clothes and enjoying each other's company. I'm not trying to say we don't have problems. Not by a long shot. But this country has never failed to rise to challenges, and we always end up better off in the long run. And the fact is that we still have lots to be thankful for. And I might just add that I hate hearing people call Thanksgiving "Turkey Day". That turns the holiday into nothing more than just another excuse to take a long weekend, eat too much, drink too much, and fall asleep in front of the television. That's like changing Christmas to "Present Day".


What is Fantasy Trek?
Not Just a Game. It's a Star Trek Experience
http://fantasytrek.blogspot.com

Not That We Don't Love You, But....

I've only met about five Canadians I didn't like. Considering that I don't make it through a week without meeting five Americans that annoy me, five annoying Canadians in a lifetime isn't bad. But here's a serious beef. I met a traveling Canadian who not only told me that their entire country was celebrating obama's election (I didn't ask if that included the conservative pm), but that literally tens of thousands of canadians had come down to the states to volunteer to help obama get elected. Smiling politely, I just said 'Yeah! People from all over the world helped him get elected.'

What I was thinking was get out of my country and get out of my election. I realize that other countries have more of a stake in our election than we do in theirs (primarily I think, because much as the rest of the world likes to spit on us and look down their noses at us, they still depend on us more than they like to admit), and I realize that they think that every American capable of stringing together two syllables must be a liberal (that's what stephen king teaches us, remember.... the same guy who thinks that our soldiers are all illiterate), and I also realize that conservatives don't have feelings (for example, in New Zealand, where they also just elected a conservative pm, I was told that all Americans would have had to have had a lobotomy... because George W Bush was elected). But here's a newsflash from the illiterate unfeeling conservative American Patriot. I would never presume to interfere in your election, and much as I generally like you and your country, I'd like to ask that from now on you stop interfering in our elections. If those tens of thousands of volunteers would maybe try instead to patch up your sieve of a border, we'd have fewer problems. And when you come back (and really, you are welcome. I forgive your ill manners and thoughtless mouth), please don't assume that I agree with your radical and/or ignorant politics. When in doubt, keep your unwanted opinions to yourself.



What is Fantasy Trek?
Not Just a Game. It's a Star Trek Experience
http://fantasytrek.blogspot.com

Our Duty as Americans

I was almost surprised to find Glenn Beck almost supporting Barack Obama the other day, in response to a caller who refused to admit or accept that Obama was going to be our next president. Now, I am not (as you may have guessed), a fan of Obama, and I am in fact convinced that the election was bought and paid for illegally, and it was determined early on that Obama was to be our next president. The facts may never come out, and most likely we are stuck with him for at least four years. But we are indeed stuck with him, and like it or not, it is our duty as Americans to support him as our president (Something most of the fringier liberals never really figured out with George W Bush). Having said that, it is also our duty as Americans to keep an eagle eye on our new employee-in-chief. Obama has skated along for his entire career by keeping just far enough away from the filthy crooks and general scumbags who are behind his power to avoid being seriously linked with them. It requires quite an imagination to not link him to these people (Ayers, Wright, Fannie, Freddie to name a few), but obviously enough first-time (and probably last-time) voters have just that. Well, Mr Obama, you may find that sometime over the next four years, you might just have to commit yourself to something. Granted, most decisions you'll be called upon to make are probably above your paygrade, but you may just find that people like Putin and Ahmedinejad are not as impressed by that as Bart Simpson, Daffy Duck, and "Will, Good" of Austin, Texas were.

So yes, real Americans...  those patriots that you scoffed at, bitterly clinging to guns and religion, they'll support you, probably better than you'll support them. But they'll also be watching you very closely. Just like I will. You actually work for us, Mister Obama, and if you don't do the job right we'll fire you in four years.



What is Fantasy Trek?
Not Just a Game. It's a Star Trek Experience
http://fantasytrek.blogspot.com

Why This Is A Good Thing...

Without preamble, except to say that I am very happy that this historically expensive and ugly campaign is over. What an ugly time it's been. If only I believed that it couldn't get worse. I shudder to think what the next one will be like.

So why is this a good thing for conservatives and bad news for liberals? Well, it is simple. Liberals will run the White House and both houses of Congress. If they fix things, then anyone who truly believes in "Country First" will be happy. Me included. If they make things worse, which I am convinced they will, they'll have nobody else to blame. Congress has been largely liberal for two years and has accomplished nothing but allowing the mortgage and credit meltdown and attaining historically dismal ratings. Now it looks as though they'll have filibuster-proof control. Fine. You promised bipartisanship and delivered partisan hatred unseen in this country in years. Now you've promised change. You'll be held accountable. At the same time, the republican party had six years of control over three branches of government and failed miserably. They lost because they deserved to lose. I can only hope that the next lot that gets in thanks to the democrats' failure will do better.

So in a nutshell, this is why I am so happy with the way the election turned out. (And a big shout-out and thanks to Tony Romo and the gang for registering to vote in Las Vegas, and to Daffy Duck, Bart Simpson, and all the other community organizers for buying those untracable prepaid credit cards, from wherever in the wide world they got them:) ! ).

The Republicans who failed so miserably to justify our votes and our support can go home and not come back.

The Democrats will have no one else to blame when their flawed policies fail. And maybe, just maybe, Pelosi and Reid and all the other liberal vipers will get the boot for good.

And mister obama... well, for one thing, you've just demonstrated that 'Affirmative Action' is no longer needed in this country. You've got your chance to 'change' things. If you do, you'll either fix or break this country. If you fix it, fine. I'll vote for your second term. If you break it, well, you'll get rewarded for that too. On the other hand, if you do as you've done before and break your promise, well, we have your promise on tape, and we'll play it endlessly at every opportunity. But think about what 'change' entails. You have two alternatives. You can continue the hand-outs to minorities, you know, the instutionalized slavery called welfare, and change nothing and continue to make the country safe and free for lazy gang-banging crack smoking pimps who probably shot themselves full of speed just so they could crawl to a voting booth and vote for you. That is where we're at now, and Joe the Plumber is working for a living so these particular breed of small business owners can sit on their aspens and fry their brains. So if you want to retain the crackhead vote, don't change too much. On the other hand, if you really do change the status quo, you are likely to lose the support of all of the cartoon characters, pro NFL players and gang-bangers who elected you.


What is Fantasy Trek?
Not Just a Game. It's a Star Trek Experience
http://fantasytrek.blogspot.com

Good News!

Just a quick note before work. Tomorrow I'll tell you why the election news is good news for conservatives and bad news for liberals.....



What is Fantasy Trek?
Not Just a Game. It's a Star Trek Experience
http://fantasytrek.blogspot.com

Another NewsMax special.... "Obama Positions Run Against Grain of Voters"

I don't want you all to think I'm gettiing lazy, but here is another important gem from Newsmax. Ted, who commented last time, I have bad news. That lawsuit has been dismissed. Apparently a single person can stop a Christmas tree from being put up in a mall, but a single person cannot stop someone who is ineligable from running from president. As long as that person is a liberal. Have no fear. If mister barack hussein obama does manage to buy this election, I will declare this blogsite to represent the interests of the American government-in-exile, and maintain a close eye on the government of the Peoples Republic of America.



Obama Positions Run Against Grain of Voters

For the first time in modern political history, American voters appear to be on the verge of electing a president they profoundly disagree with on a stunning array of issues.

Indeed, on subject after subject - ranging from gun ownership, to partial-birth abortion, to English as a national language, to driver's licenses for illegals, and even to raising taxes - voters sharply disagree with Sen. Barack Obama, who some in the mainstream media portray as a virtual shoo-in to win the presidency.

Why would voters flirt with electing a president whose views contradict their own? Blame the economic meltdown on Wall Street, experts say.

"The dramatic downturn in the fortunes of the financial sector in the last month has driven all other issues into the basement," pollster John Zogby of Zogby International told Newsmax.

Almost 65 percent of Americans now say the economy is the No. 1 issue, Zogby said. By comparison, the No. 2 issue on voters' minds, the war on terror, is cited by just 9 percent of voters.

"We almost never get a response like that when we ask about the most important issue facing voters," Zogby said.

So voters are so frustrated over the economy, pollsters say, that they might put a candidate in the White House whose views drastically contradict their own. Consider:

   * On political philosophy, National Journal has identified Obama as the most liberal member of the Senate. Year in and year out, a solid 60 percent of Americans identify themselves as "somewhat" or "very" conservative.


   * Obama openly advocates income "redistribution." A June 27 Gallup poll asked 1,625 U.S. adults what approach government should take to fix the economy. By an 84 percent to 13 percent gap, respondents disagree with Obama and oppose redistribution of wealth. (In fact, even 77 percent of Democrats opposed it.)


   * Obama has been an outspoken supporter of bilingual education. In fact, he got in trouble during the primaries by leaving the impression that he might favor mandatory bilingual education for American kids. Here's how U.S. voters feel: 85 percent of Americans believe that English should be designated the language of the United States, according to a June 2006 Rasmussen poll of 1,000 adults.


   * On the right to bear arms, Obama says he supports an individual's right to own guns. But in 1996, he stated on a questionnaire that he opposed the sale, manufacture, and possession or firearms. At a Milwaukee news conference this year, he said cities should be able to enact gun control "to deal with gang-bangers and random shootings." The NRA awarded Obama an "F" grade on protecting Second Amendment rights. On that issue, Obama would appear to be seriously at odds with the average voter. A June 4-5 CNN poll of 1,035 adults nationwide showed that 87 percent oppose "Preventing all Americans from owning guns." Similarly, a Feb. 8-10 Gallup survey of 1,016 adults found that 73 percent agree that the Second Amendment protects an individual's right to own firearms.

   * During the Democratic primary, Obama repeatedly voiced support for granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, describing it as a public safety issue. Yet 77 percent of Americans oppose giving driver's licenses to illegals, compared with just 16 percent who favor it, according to a Nov. 6, 2007, Rasmussen Reports survey. Even 68 percent of Democrats thought driver's licenses for illegals is a bad idea.


   * Obama has pledged that 95 percent of Americans will actually get a tax cut under his proposals-quite a feat considering that more than a third of American adults currently pay no taxes at all. Promises aside, an August 26 Gallup poll of 1,023 adults shows 53 percent expect Obama to bring higher taxes. A September Rasmussen poll of 1,000 likely voters gave voters a choice: Fewer government services and lower taxes; or more government services and higher taxes. By a 57 to 31 percent margin, voters preferred lower taxes -- even at the cost of fewer government services.


   * On partial-birth abortion, Obama said during an April 26, 2007, Democratic primary debate that he trusts women to decide for themselves if they want them. Obama stated that he strongly disagreed with a Supreme Court decision last year upholding a ban on partial-birth abortions, because it provided no exception provided for a pregnant woman's health. Given such an exception, Obama said he would consider limits on late-term abortion. In August, he said that the question of when a baby qualifies for human rights is "above my pay grade." NARAL, the pro-abortion rights advocacy organization, gives him a perfect 100 pro-choice rating. But 68 percent of voters disagree with Obama and favor a ban on partial-birth abortions, according to a November 2003 Gallup poll of 1,036 adults.


There's no secret to Obama's popularity in the polls despite his unpopular stance on many key issues.

"These are important issues that may drive individual voters away from Obama," Zogby said, "but they are not by a long shot the most important issues in this campaign."

Larry J. Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, isn't at all surprised at Obama's strength, as reflected in many surveys.

"When an incumbent president is at 25 percent in the polls, when 91 percent of Americans say the country is off on the wrong track, and when the economy is very rocky, it is virtually impossible for the White House party to get a third term," he told Newsmax. "I've been studying this subject for 38 years. It really is that simple."

All of which raises the possibility of a country at war electing the candidate widely viewed as less capable of protecting the country.

"McCain is seen far and away as a better commander in chief," Zogby said, "but nobody's thinking about that right now."

© 2008 Newsmax. All rights reserved.



What is Fantasy Trek?
Not Just a Game. It's a Star Trek Experience
http://fantasytrek.blogspot.com