But Do You 'Like' Me? July 14th 2013

Note: I wrote this several days before the verdict was announced in the George Zimmerman murder case, but I would just like to briefly comment on that. We don't know exactly what happened that night. Witnesses have testified as to what they saw or heard, but there is only one person alive who knows everything. What the rest of us should accept is that according to our legal system, George Zimmerman is not guilty of murder or manslaughter. It does not say that he is innocent, but rather that he is not guilty. That is an important consideration. It doesn't mean that Zimmerman or his attorneys proved his innocence, but that the state failed to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt according to a jury of his peers. That distinction is important because in this country, according to our laws and our constitution, we believe it is more just that a possibly guilty party go free than an innocent party go to jail. We don't always like the outcome that results, but it is something I'm sure we would all appreciate if we were unjustly accused of something. If you disagree with the verdict and feel moved to speak out or protest, that is your right. It is an important right. But if you do so with violence or hate, remember that you are only fanning the flames of hate and injustice.

One thing that we've created with the world of Facebook, Twitter and other social networks (even the world of texting back and forth to an extent) is a new definition of friends, and a way to have friends and extended family around the country and the world. I met my wife in a Star Trek chat room, and another very special, really life-changing friend on Facebook. So I'm the last person to denigrate the concept of Facebook friends. At the same time, we need to remember that our true value is not measured in the number of Twitter followers or Facebook friends we have, or the number of 'likes' and 'shares' we accumulate. Our true value is in what we create in life, and more importantly, the lives we touch. One real, solid friend who gets something from you (and can do the same in return) is more valuable than a thousand who are just part of a list. Don't look for your self worth in a number. You won't find it there. You'll find it in that friend who knows they can turn to you for succor. Being a safe place and a solid companion is so much more important than a bunch of people who just count you as friend number 'whatever'.

Something else along those lines, talking about friends. If you know someone who writes or draws or is an artist of some kind, you probably know that these are all quite personal projects. As a writer, I know that any writing project, no matter the subject or seriousness always comes from my heart and soul. As with most art, its true value is not measured in how many people buy a copy, but in the quality of the piece. And even more important than that is the effort the person put into it. We can all be critics. It doesn't take any skill or work or sweat to criticize someone else's work, especially if you can't or won't even try to do it yourself. If you are going to provide feedback of some kind (and believe me, artists NEED feedback), be honest but also consider that the art wasn't created by a machine. It was lovingly crafted by a person. Every word.... Every drop of ink on the canvas... Every page in the book was an effort. And if you are a spouse of an artist (and yes, I consider writers to be artists), remember that you are also supposed to be their friend. That doesn't mean you have to think that everything they do is a masterpiece (not that they wouldn't appreciate that :) ) but it does mean that you should be their first and greatest supporter. Recognize not only the quality of their work but also the hard work and passion that they put into it. If it is something they are trying to sell, don't put them down or say they're wasting their time if it takes a while to take off. Encourage them. Help them. Stand by them. Odds are they are doing the same for you.

I'm sure most of you remember "It's a Wonderful Life". Well, that is not just a wonderful Christmas classic. It is also an excellent lesson about what is important in life. True wealth is defined by what you have that cannot be bought or taken. I live in Las Vegas, in the shadow of mega-casinos owned by people who don't have a fraction of the riches that I get by just one of my friends. I am truly the richest man in this town.

Independence July 7th 2013

It is perhaps (or perhaps not) coincidental that as the United States celebrated its independence, Egyptians were freed from a man who, though democratically elected, had quickly become a tyrant no better than the one he'd replaced. The future of Egypt is very unclear, and we should not be naive enough to think that the motives behind any of the parties in Egypt's troubles are pure. But the fact is that two dictators have been pushed out of power in just over a year, and that is at least a cause for cautious optimism.

It is the natural state of mankind to be free. We were created with a natural curiosity and compulsion to push back the horizon. We are naturally drawn to reject limits, and without outside influence we generally desire to better ourselves. Simply put, we want to be better and go farther. There is no greater natural draw than the unknown, and no more naural enemy than imposed restriction. Unfortunately, those who seek to dictate to or enslave others usually do so with not only guns and force, but with a far more powerful and seductive tool. Economics. Terrorists and dictators today and throughout history have always used economics to win territory and enslave people when military might would not have worked. Just as Adolph Hitler initially gained support in post World War One Germany by promising to make the country strong and proud again, and both sides in the Vietnam War learned the value of winning the hearts and minds of the people, terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Al Qaeda frequently gain footholds in strategically located towns and villages by promising and delivering economic aid and improving infrastructure. They are in effect buying the hearts and minds of the people.

This tactic even extends to politics. Candidates throughout history have sought to buy votes. This has sometimes been outright, but especially recently has been more clever and insidious. The idea of basing one's vote on which candidate will put more money in your pocket (or the infamous 'free stuff') may be distasteful and politically incorrect, but it is also undeniable. This is not a new phenomenon. It has simply become supercharged and more of an art form. Make no mistake though. When you allow a politician to buy your vote, you are selling a very important piece of yourself. You are bartering your freedom for that 'free stuff'.

When our Founding Fathers declared independence from Great Britain, they were essentially giving up the free stuff. They were stating to the world that their freedom from a distant tyrant was more important to them than the protection of one of the world's superpowers of the day. They were aware of the risks to not only their personal fortunes but to their lives and their families' lives. They risked everything material for something far more important. Freedom and self-determination. 

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. Simple and eloquent.

I'll finish with my words from July Fourth. The Egyptian people have reminded us that freedom must be fought for. It is not safe. It is not easy. It is not cheap. It risks injury, ruin, and sometimes death. Its frontline soldiers come in all races, genders and classes. They will be vilified. They will be opposed. They will be arrested and beaten and sometimes executed. But they will not be silenced, and their enemies will know defeat. The frontline soldiers of freedom fight not only in Tahrir Square, but all over the world and every state in the United States. Never forget the price that others have paid for our freedom, nor the price that others today are paying for theirs.

July 4th 2013

The Egyptian people have reminded us that freedom must be fought for. It is not safe. It is not easy. It is not cheap. It risks injury, ruin, and sometimes death. Its frontline soldiers come in all races, genders and classes. They will be vilified. They will be opposed. They will be arrested and beaten and sometimes executed. But they will not be silenced, and their enemies will know defeat. The frontline soldiers of freedom fight not only in Tahrir Square, but all over the world and every state in the United States. Never forget the price that others have paid for our freedom, nor the price that others today are paying for theirs. Happy Independence Day!

"Throwing Stones" June 30th 2013

"Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"

It is impossible to ignore the latest distasteful airing of dirty laundry. The admission by Paula Deen that decades ago she used a racial slur. There can be no defense for using such offensive language by anyone of any race. This seems to get a pass in some circles, primarily hip hop culture where it seems somehow to almost be a term of affection. The fact is, this is the worst kind of hypocrisy and ultimately self-defeating for a society that seems to want to remove this word from usage. The more it is used, the more it is heard and the more it will be repeated. And of course, every time a rap artist uses it, they seem to belie the contention that they don't like it. Simply put, if you don't want to hear it, don't say it. 

But that is not all that I want to talk about. We have all said and done things that we regret. They aren't always quite as public as what Paula Deen did, but they can be as insensitive and in some cases as indefensible as what she did. Most of us make a sincere effort to not only come clean about our offenses, but to make amends and redeem ourselves. When we do this we are not defending what we did but we are simply asking to be forgiven. At that point the charitable and Christian thing to do is to forgive. Because we have all been there. We have all done wrong somewhere at some time and needed to be forgiven. Think about some people who have done wrong... very wrong in some cases, and have been forgiven. Jimmy Carter admitted publicly to lusting in his heart after women other than his wife, and while I am not one of Mister Carter's biggest fans, I appreciate the fact that he not only saw a flaw and sin in his heart but that he had the courage to publicly admit it. And I think that while Jimmy Carter has said and done many things that are at best questionable, he has been forgiven for that. Michael Vick is a very good example of someone who has done far worse than using a racial slur, but he admitted to his crimes, asked for forgiveness and paid the debt that our laws and society demanded. It seems fair to say that he has been forgiven. To be clear, I do not now, nor will I ever condone his acts. I do not now, nor will I ever defend him or what he did. But because I am a Christian I am compelled to forgive him for his heinous and inhumane acts. That doesn't mean that I will frequent businesses that employ him in any capacity, and I would obviously never let him near my cats. But (not that it is likely to mean anything to him) I forgive him because he asked for forgiveness.

In closing, I'd just like to reiterate that we have all done wrong. We have all fallen short and needed forgiveness. When someone publicly falls and publicly asks for forgiveness, try to resist the urge to start casting stones. 

Perspective June 23rd 2013

Not too long ago, I had the displeasure of running into someone who felt the need to make fun of a bit of harmless Star Trek fun out there in Facebook land.... He said that it was lame and stupid and we needed to get a sense of perspective. I don't particularly care if this person likes Star Trek or not, or really any of my other interests. What I do care about is the bad manners and utter disdain that was demonstrated by one of my 'friends'. Nobody forced him to make a comment, nobody solicited his opinion. We certainly do have freedom of speech, and Facebook and similar social networks certainly represent an open mic across the country and the world. But the fact is, if all you are doing is spreading negativity and putting others down, you are not making the world a better place. You aren't helping. There are serious issues out there, and websites like Facebook are ideal for getting important word out to many people. But it is also important to understand and respect the fact that some people aren't always 'on' politics. Awkward as this sounds, important issues are certainly important, but sometimes people need to be able to turn off the important and have some fun. And beating up on them for that really doesn't do anyone any good. This guy, and others like him not only love to talk politics (which admittedly is important), but will also denigrate anything else. Now far be it from me to tell people what they should or shouldn't be talking about, but the anger and vitriol has been turned up so loud that it is threatening to drown out everything else. Folks, I can guarantee you that if you occasionally let a trivial post go without injecting politics into it, or leave a harmless picture alone, despite its lack of perspective, the sky will not fall. The country will survive you skipping a target on Facebook.

What I'm really trying to get at is this. There are very serious issues out there that affect us all on a daily basis, and we need to be vigilant and pay attention and even spread the word. But we weren't put here to be serious all the time. A life without laughter, without light or fun or play is quite simply a waste. Aside from the proven health benefits of smiling and laughing, the fact is that life can be serious and dreary enough without trying to rain on someone's parade. And for that matter, it is important for everyone to find time in the day, even if it's just a half hour or twenty minutes to stop and relax. File away the bills, turn off the depressing news, walk away from the politics and find some way to treat yourself. And don't ever begrudge someone else doing the same thing. This isn't about Star Trek, or Facebook. It's about having fun in life and allowing others to.

Strength

Think of the way that your body fights off infections and disease. Not by never being exposed to injury or sickness, but quite the opposite. Our antibodies are strengthened through germs... Minor attacks on the body that teach our systems to fight back and be strong. Our spirits and hearts are the same. Every hit... every fall.... every unjust injury makes us stronger and better. You may hate the storm.... the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. But you will be better and stronger in the end. Never give up. Never surrender!

"Promises Promises" June 16th 2013

I'd like to talk today about keeping our word. That means not only to others, but to ourselves. When we decide to make a change in our lives for the better it is usually not an easy thing. It may be an exercise regimen, or saving money, or giving up a bad habit. Whatever it is, it usually means breaking from a comfort zone and pushing ourselves to improve our lives. It is very important to realize that these things generally take time and persistence. They may not show immediate results. They require strength of will. Faith and determination pay off in the end, but only through self discipline. Changes that are easy are rarely substantive. The important stuff takes patience and determination and sometimes good old fashioned sweat. Depending on what you are changing in your life you may be able to go to others for advice and support, but you are the key. You have to find a way to stay strong. In the end, the only person who can change you is you. Don't fill your life with broken promises to yourself. It may be easier in the short term to not do the hard work of changing, but in the long run you won't like the person who let you down.

The value of our word becomes even greater when we give it to someone else. Really, the only thing we have of any value is our word. Material things may place us at the top levels of society and in positions of power, but that value is meaningless because it can be lost or taken away. You cannot print value. (if you doubt that, look at the rollercoaster ride that is the dollar, or the rise and fall of people like Bernie Maddoff). Only we can give our word, and only we can break it. Before you give your word to someone, consider whether or not you can actually do it. If you aren't sure, you should either not promise anything at all, or tell them that you will try your best. It is far better to not promise than to promise and not deliver. And one more, very important point. If you break your word, don't fall back on the excuse "I didn't say 'promise'." That carries as much weight as crossing your fingers behind your back. It's an excuse that belongs on the playground. When you give your word, you make a promise. Simple as that. So my advice, something I strictly follow is this. Don't make promises easily or casually. Make them only when you know you are willing and able to keep them. That may not make as many friends quickly and easily, but those that you do make will value you a great deal more.

"All in the Family" June 9th 2013

I'm talking about two seemingly unrelated subjects today. We lost Jean Stapleton last week. A very sad thing. As Edith Bunker she represented something that made America great. A quiet, stubborn dignity and inherent decency that sees us through crisis after crisis with a moral compass that is unshakable. Edith didn't always do the smart thing. She wasn't always the brightest person in the room. She was occasionally gullible. She even allowed Archie to walk all over her sometimes when she shouldn't have. But she was good and loving and hardworking and unselfish. She stood by her husband and family no matter what. She chose her friends based not on the color of their skin but by the content of their character. And as the series went on she learned to stand up to Archie more and fight for what was important to her. She loved her family and despite the fireworks, her family always loved her. They understood that at the end of the day, the family was the most important thing. It was the core. The strength. The foundation. Years later, Rosaanne Barr liked to call herself a "Domestic Goddess". Well, it's just my opinion, but the real Domestic Goddess always was and always will be Edith Bunker. Quiet dignity. Quiet humility that loves rather than bullies or laughs at. Quiet stubborn hard work to keep her family together and taken care of. Those are all old fashioned values that may sometimes be subject to the ridicule of those who are used to a fast-moving electronically connected world, but they are also the glue that holds us together. They are what keeps a roof over our head and food on the table, not to mention the family together at the end of the day. We could do with more of Edith Bunker today.

We also observed the anniversary of the D-Day landings on June 6th. That was a moment when the free world united to put aside our cultural differences and confront and defeat evil. We were not always in complete agreement in our plans or agendas. We did not entirely check our egos at the door. We made mistakes and lives were lost unnecessarily. But we worked together and sacrificed for the greater good. Britain opened her arms and homes and bases to foreign soldiers... indeed, past enemies in order to coordinate and launch an invasion that was under the ultimate command of an American general. Remember that little more than a hundred years before World War Two, America and England were bitter enemies. This was a moment in history when we learned as a civilization that not only is evil enabled and encouraged by appeasement, but that it can only be defeated by putting our differences aside and fighting together. The fight was won not only by brave men in uniform on the beaches of Normandy, but by men and women in England working to coordinate the complex invasion, and by private citizens in France and Germany and all over Europe who risked all to aid the soldiers and hinder the enemy. It was even fought by people at home who conserved vital resources and did without basics so that our soldiers would be provided for. There was no guarantee that the invasion would succeed. Many died before they hit he beach. Some even landed on the wrong beach. But we persisted. We worked together. We fought as one. We sacrificed. And in the end, we didn't just end the war. We won it.

These two subjects actually have a lot in common. We can disagree with each other. We can fight and argue and drive each other crazy. We can make mistakes and be gullible. But we are all one family and we should never compromise on that. Love without condition. Stand by each other. Know when it is important to stop arguing and put differences aside to confront evil. None of us are perfect. The important thing is that we don't let go of the wheel in the middle of a storm. We know inherently what is wrong and what is right. Don't ever deviate from that. And make sure that at the end of the day the family is together.

"Speak Out" June 2nd 2013

Freedom of speech and freedom of the press have come into the national discussion of late, and it is beginning to transcend political lines. That is good, because it is something that affects us all. Not necessarily today, but someday. When the government, or anyone in a position of power begins to try to control peoples' right to speak out or report the news, then all of our freedoms are in jeopardy. That may sound a bit melodramatic, but really, think about the importance of simply being able to speak your mind, to call attention to the government, to address injustices. Then think about someone in authority who uses the power entrusted to them to try to limit or control what you say. Not always by literally stopping you, but by harrassment. By searching your correspondences or phone records on the pretense of investigating criminal acts, or using the taxing authority of the federal government to curtail your ability to functon as an organization. This is exactly what is happening in our country right now, and it is not a political issue... it is a moral issue. Any abuse of power by anyone must be fought and decried and exposed for what it is. 

You might think, depending on your political affiliations that it is okay for the IRS to investigate and obstruct certain groups from getting the tax exempt status that they apply and qualify for, but you should also remember that if the rule of law can be denied to one group it can be denied to any group. Political power is fleeting. Parties in power today may find themselves out of favor tomorrow, and could easily find themselves subject to the same scrutiny and constraints that their opponents once experienced. Once lost, freedom is very  hard to regain. If it becomes acceptable to target certain groups because of ther political views, then someday it may become acceptable, by extension, to target other groups for other reasons. Selective discrimination (and really, that is what it is, to target individuals or organizations simply because they belong to a certain group) is always wrong and dangerous. If you don't see that, I would recommend reading George Orwell's fascinating "Animal Farm".

Am I getting political? No. This is a universal and very serious issue in which not only Americans but people all over the world should be interested. If we can justify or allow or even discount the sort of discrimination that seems to be going on (while the truth appears to be locked away somewhere in our nation's capital), then we can justify the same mistreatment for anyone. Any politial group. Any gender. Any race. Equal treatment under the law is a cornerstone of our judicial system and society, and one would hope that our nation's top law enforcement officials would hold that concept in high regard.

In The Spirit of Reagan

A recession is when your neighbor loses his job.

A depression is when you lose your job.

A recovery is when Mr Obama loses his job.

Sharks Under the Bus

Have you ever noticed that when conservatives stick to their fundamental principles, (and when liberals break from theirs) the country prospers, and vice versa?


It's been fun watching the liberal pack fall on each other like a bunch of blood-smelling sharks. Surprisingly, the Republicans in Congress have stuck to their guns, forcing a weak president to cave and agree to a compromise. Mr Obama isn't good at much, but he is very good at throwing people under the bus at the first sign of trouble. Mr Obama realized that he's lost the rubber-stamp congress that he had for two years (during which time he failed to show any positive results from his socialist playbook), so he's suddenly decided that he has no choice but to cave. (Just like Mayor Quimby from the Simpsons "I have decided... to waffle!") He agrees to a compromise with the Republicans and expects his liberal friends to follow along. Surprise, he suddenly meets something none of us expected, liberals with principles. And what does he do? He shows his true colors and throws them under the bus, but not without calling the Republicans hostage-takers first.

Okay, Mr Obama. I understand that you lectured constitutional law when you realized what a failure you were at community organizing (still haven't gotten that right, have you?), but did you happen to read the document at the time? Because amongst everything else, it says nothing about the president having a vote in Congress. In case that isn't clear, sir, you aren't in a position to compromise on a funding bill. You could try to negotiate a position that Democratic leaders have put forth, but you have no say over what gets written in those hallowed halls built so appropriately on a swamp. In case that whole constitution thing is a little confusing, talk to Mr Reid. He told us on Thursday that the constitution is their rule book. Who knew?

And something else. All this talk about 'paying for tax cuts' is missing a few vital facts (just like most things that come from the liberals and their Newspeak Thought Police drive-by media... I know it sounds dramatic, but really, they are in the business of telling us what to think, aren't they?). I'll put it simply. You don't have to pay for tax cuts. They pay for themselves. Look at it this way. Say I'm managing a household budget (something your average community organizer apparently never does), and I'm making two kinds of purchases. Buying groceries to eat tonight, but also buying seeds to plant a vegetable garden. I might spend a dollar on a packet of, say carrot seeds, but spend a dollar on a one pound bag of carrots. It might take a dollar out of the budget to buy seeds that won't give me carrots to eat for a couple of months, but eventually they'll give me much more than a pound. Wealth works the same way. If people are allowed to keep more of the money that they've earned, they will put it back into the economy. Businesses will boom, and not only pay more taxes, but eventually hire more people, who will pay more tax and spend more money. And of course, those businesses are owned by people who will buy more houses and cars, hire more domestic workers, and maybe even expand their businesses. And as an added bonus, the ranks of the unemployed and welfare dependent will shrink, and the government will have more money to blow. That is simple proven economics that worked before. (Remember when they stopped calling it Reaganomics? When it started working.) The only problem is that a prosperous independent people don't need Uncle Sam to dictate and provide their needs. And liberals, for some reason, don't do well in those circumstances.

At the same time, some Republican senators have already started to add earmarks to this monster spending bill that our Prime Minister... er, President has negotiated, after campaigning on a "no Earmarks" platform. Keep that up and we'll throw you under the bus.

Burning Issue

Pastor Terry Jones, like so many extremists, just doesn't get it, and he is likely to get a good talking to from God some day. As many people have said, just because you have a right to do something, that doesn't make it right. (Imam Rauf, you listening?) You don't make the world a better place by burning books. You don't do it by encouraging hate and ignorance. Read the book. Read the bible. Talk to the Lord about what you should be teaching your flock. Then apologize. You will be forgiven.

"The Real Racist"

Dr Martin Luther King Jr spoke quite eloquently about the need for us to stop seeing and judging each other, not by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character. I think he would be greatly disappointed that the Reverend Al Sharpton has claimed the 28th of August and the Lincoln Memorial, for 'us'. For 'our day'. How is it, Reverend, that your shouted words are not racism? How do you honor the memory of Dr King by closing off the date, the historic place, the celebration of that date and speech and the ideas of Dr King to all but you? The rally wasn't political, as reported even by the leftwing media. It wasn't racially motivated, as evidenced by the presence of Dr King's niece. For that matter, the Tea Party itself, which was a force behind the event, has many many African Americans. I'd say they are doing a better job handling (or tossing out) the race issue than you are. Be honest with yourself. When you are, you'll realize that the problem in this situation is in fact you. You are displaying racism and spreading hate. You are willing to ignore the spirit of a great man and his great work to satisfy your own agenda. At that point, maybe you'll see the light. If you are truly serving the Lord, that should be your only interest.


The dilemma of the Reverend Al Sharpton in fact reminds me of a very sad thing that happened to someone in my apartment complex. This man is an African American who, though he is obviously quite healthy and competent, manages to live his entire life on disability benefits. This has enabled him to life rent-free (the money is given to him), sit around all day long smoking pot, drinking beer, and barbecuing steaks. That is his life. Or rather, that was his life. He apparently could no longer stand the stress and strain of his difficult life, because a few days ago, he grabbed a knife and started running around, spouting the "N -word" more times that Dr Laura ever tried, looking for someone to kill. First off, wrong for me is wrong for you. Stop saying it or stop being offended by it. If you want to be treated with respect, you have to treat others with respect. And maybe, just maybe, despite everything that Big Brother... oh, excuse me, I mean Mr Obama says, you won't feel any sense of satisfaction or self respect without earning your keep. Eventually, 'empty' won't sustain you, and dependency will let you down. And Reverend Sharpton, eventually racism and lies will come home to roost.

Headlines From the Edge: "Obama Issues Primary Challenge to Self"

Finally winding up the last few stops of the campaign that landed him in office almost two years ago, President Obama has already started setting his sights on the 2012 election.
He didn't let his vacation, (now in its sixth week), stop him from making carefully choreographed surprise stops. In one, the President took time out to address the nation. "If the previous administration thinks they're going to get away with pulling the wool over the eyes of the American people, they've got another thing coming," Obama said. "Are you better off than you were when I walked in here? Heck no! What you really need is for me to come in and fix this mess we've inherited. And how many times are we going to hear 'hope and change' before it becomes 'hope things change'? You can go back to the failed policies of the past, or you can stick with me." The unscripted tirade which capped off the rare Obama press conference lasted more than ten minutes before the broadcast was cut and replaced with a rerun of "I Love Lucy". TOTUS, the official Presidential Teleprompter Of The United States could not be reached for comment.

A Letter to the President

Sir:
I would like to speak to you as a fellow American citizen. As a conservative. As someone who didn't vote for you, and as someone gravely distressed with the job you have done as President of the United States. I would like to speak to you, at the same time, as someone who respects the office of the president.

I wonder, sir, if you truly understand why it is that so many people disapprove of what you have done since taking office. I cannot speak for the people who once supported you but don't anymore, but I can speak for myself. I think it likely that what troubles me about your job performance also troubles many others.

Firstly, sir, I don't care about your race. That doesn't come into it, but people who call me a racist because i disagree with you are in fact racist themselves. I'm not a racist, and I greatly resent being called one. As a white male, I have been subject to both racism and gender discrimination. They are both evil practices, and none of us are immune from them. Don't allow yourself the luxury of thinking that people who disagree with you must be racist.

Before I talk about your work, I'd like to briefly talk about the previous administration. As president, you certainly inherited big problems. That is obvious. But I'd like to simply point out that you have been president for almost two years. Whether you've had sufficient time to fix those problems or not, there does come a time when you should stop blaming others. Whether or not you have a valid point, I feel that you should stop telling us why we still have a crisis and start telling us exactly what's being done to solve it. And to be fair, sir, the democratic Congress that we have now was in power for the last two of the eight years of the Bush administration. Indeed, sir, you were part of that Congress. So it begs the question, sir. What were you doing then, as a member of the majority in the branch of government that held the nation's purse strings?

One of the major focuses of your term has been the stimulus. Granted, there was a previous stimulus package that didn't seem to do much. But that was another president. The same Congress, but a different president. Now we have another president and another stimulus. The same Congress, incidentally. But, sir, despite everything we hear about so many millions of jobs 'saved or created', there doesn't seem to have been any improvement. By the way, that expression 'saved or created' sounds disingenous. 'Saved or created' honestly sounds like a hypothetical accomplishment that someone might use to pad a resume. It is too non-specific to be impressive. 'Jobs created' is unverifiable, and therefore meaningless. We hear that things would have been so much worse. But after nearly two years and a stimulus of some 800 billion dollars, we should be hearing that things are better. Not that they could be worse. For all of the jobs 'saved or created', the jobless numbers are not improving. To sum it up, the results have matched neither the cost nor the promise.

Health Care reform has been a major initiative of your administration. I admire bold initiatives, and I don't think that anyone disputes the need to reform our health care system, and while the specifics (and indeed, the legality of it within the constraints of the Constitution) are obviously a subject of great dispute, people generally believe and fear that the Federal Government will control their health care. Is that true? Unfortunately, the law is so long and so shrouded in secrecy that most people don't know. And when information is kept from people, they fear the worst. You might say that the details were available online, but not everyone has time to read a two thousand page legal document, or has, for that matter, internet access. People felt like they were sold a very expensive mystery package, and they resented the backroom deals that were necessary to pass it. And speaking just for myself, while I need the health coverage, I honestly resent paying to care for someone who is unwilling to work or support themselves. And there are too many of them. Heatlh Care coverage should be no more than, say, ten dollars taken out my paycheck weekly to cover my family. What we have is a law that I fear will cost more than we can afford and not substantially change anything.

The biggesr thing, with these issues is their expense, and what seems a casual throwing around of billions of dollars. Speaking for myself, sir, I simply cannot see any result from the massive expense incurred so far, nor does it seem like anyone responsible for spending all of this money has any real appreciation for just how much has gone into accomplishing so little. Almost a trillion dollars and no change to the jobless rate. When you're talking that much money, 'saved or created' just doesn't impress. What we need is a program to create permanent jobs.

Some in conservative talk radio have said that they hoped that your programs fail. I don't think anyone truly wants our economy to get any worse, or for our country to be less secure than it is now. We can't afford to put partisan politics above the interests of our country, sir. So as a conservative, do I hope to see a democratic president succeed? As long as I believe you are helping the country, yes. But I can honestly say (and I don't think I'm alone), that based on your performance so far, I don't always believe that.

Headlines From the Edge: "Obama Pushes Reset Button on First Term: "The Next Four Years Are Going to be Great ""

In his latest plan to succeed at fundamentally changing the country, the President returned to the site where some say his presidency was born, the Illinois State House, where he was greeted a cheering crowd. In prepared remarks, the president acknowledged difficulty in communicating his agenda to the majority of Americans, based on historically low poll numbers. "It's obvious, from the millions of jobs saved or created, that we've been successful. But it's just as obvious that a majority of Americans, many of them in the employ of the insurance companies and the Tea Party, simply don't understand. So rather than try to explain it to more than half the country, I'm going to use the same method that has been so successful in thawing relations with the Russians. I'm hereby officially, under my absolute authority as President, pushing the reset button on this term. The gulf oil spill? Shame on the previous administration. Record deficits and unemployment? Shame on the previous administration. Starting right now," he paused to push a large plastic red button, "it's the start of Obama, First Term, 2.0. And the next four years are going to be great!"

Being Honest With Yourself

When a person is confronted by a choice, the opportunity to do something right or wrong, is their decision based upon the chance of getting caught, or if they are thinking about taking something that is not theirs, maybe they think they 'deserve' whatever it is, or they think the owner won't miss it. It's not a rare thing, especially in these days that see all of us struggle to get by, and most might casually take something without wanting to think of that ugly 'thief' word.




Let's just imagine you are at a laundromat, and you find a cold can of soda, left unopened by a family that you've seen leave. Imagine further that this family is obviously traveling through, and will most likely not come back looking for it. Would you feel that it was acceptable to drink the soda? You aren't really stealing it, are you? They left it behind, maybe on purpose. What you are judging at this point is really the relationship, if you will, between the soda and its owner. Based just on that, you could make the case that there is no harm in taking the soda. But really, that relationship is not your concern. Not your business. It's not what you need to think about. What you need to think about and really use as the baseline for your decision is your relationship to the soda, because that's really all that counts. First and foremost, did you buy it? Did you earn it? No. And really, that should be all that it comes down to. But you can also consider that the traveling family could conceivably come back looking for their soda. What will they think? But again, that shouldn't matter. All that should matter to you is your relationship to the soda. And the simple question and simple answer. Did you buy it? Do you own it? No. That simple idea can apply to many situations. Any time you find yourself in the position of taking something that in fact isn't yours, even a snack left unclaimed in the breakroom at work, don't think about whether or not the owner might miss it, or whether or not you might get caught. Just think about whether or not you have any right to it. If you're honest with yourself (and if you're lying to yourself, you're lying to the whole world), you'll know the simple answer, and do the right thing.

Headlines From the Edge: Obama Outlines Bold Space New Initiative: "Let Them Come To Us!"

Following luke-warm reaction to his initiative to depend on private citizens and corporate America to push the manned space program to Mars and beyond, the president 're-clarified' his bold vision for the future, stating that since extra-terrestrials have the greater ability to travel easily through space, they should carry the greater burden of putting humans on their planets. "Hey, you know," the president explained, "you've seen their ships. You've read the books. Now let the experts in the Federal government do what it does best. We have the right plan to redistribute their technology and save or create dozens of jobs in the process."