Category: Chris Freind

Corbett Gas Tax Path To Single Digit Approval

By Chris Freind Corbett Gas Tax Path To Single Digit Approval

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

A hearty round of applause to Pennsylvania’s Republican-controlled House and Senate! By granting GOP Governor Tom Corbett his most highly-sought prize — the nation’s highest gas and diesel taxes — the legislature has ensured two things: 1. Tommy Boy will lose next year’s election by an even bigger margin, and 2. he is now likely to achieve the impossible: an approval rating in the single digits.

To be fair, the last one’s not all that hard, since he was already in the toilet at a historically low 17 percent approval.

About the only thing more monumental than the rear-ending Corbett just gave his citizens via the second-largest tax increase in state history is his “bi-partisan” legacy, as no one has done more for the Democratic Party.

By being himself, the Governor has already presided over the GOP losing the Attorney General’s office for the first time in history (his former position, where he botched the Jerry Sandusky investigation). Additionally, under his “leadership,” Republicans have lost 10 percent of their senators, Democrats won the other two statewide offices (Treasurer and Auditor General), and Corbett’s hand-picked U.S. senate candidate — who supported both Barack Obama and Joe Sestak — got crushed in last year’s primary, coming in an embarrassing third.

Corbett’s insistence on the tax- and fee-laden transportation bill, now law, will, quite possibly, give the Democrats control of the Senate for the first time in decades and seriously erode the House’s sizable majority.

If that’s a “victory” for Corbett, what the hell’s a defeat?

Are the House and Senate also responsible for this debacle? Of course. They caved in, playing the go-along, get-along game. But it’s Tom Corbett on whose shoulders this disaster squarely falls.

And not only will it be a disaster of epic proportions, chasing jobs and revenue out of Pennsylvania, but it was wholly avoidable. Let’s review:

1. First and foremost, Corbett says his transportation law, which will increase gasoline prices by over 28 cents per gallon while diesel will skyrocket as much as 20 cents higher per gallon than prices in the next highest state, won’t violate his campaign pledge of no new taxes. And apparently the increases in drivers license, registration and title fees, as well as a six-fold increase in moving violation penalties, don’t count as “taxes” either.

He can play semantics all day long, but a tax is a tax is a tax.

Even though Corbett is generally considered one of the most intellectually-challenged politicians in the nation, that one hits a new low. He has already violated his pledge by raising taxes several times, but now he expects us to believe that the mammoth spike at the pump won’t be directly caused by the bill he pushed? Maybe the Toronto mayor isn’t the only one using mind-altering substances.

2. The tax increase was completely unnecessary. The Harrisburg think-tank Commonwealth Foundation spells it out: Pennsylvania spends $71,000 per road mile, 11th highest of any state; state highway spending exceeds $660 per person, more than 26 other states; and transportation spending has doubled over the last 17 years. That’s not too shabby.

Maybe if Corbett hadn’t bailed out a shipyard to build ships with no buyers, spent taxpayer money to build a baseball stadium for the Yankees’ AAA affiliate, wasted millions on legal fees to stop the NCAA sanctions against Penn State (which he favored before he was against them), and dished out huge consulting fees trying to outsource the lottery to a foreign firm (just to name a few), there would be enough money to avoid our getting bent over the oil barrel.

3. Corbett says this legislation will create 50,000 jobs and save 12,000 others. But wait. He always claimed that government doesn’t create jobs — only the private sector does. Guess that was campaign rhetoric, just another example, on a very long list, of Corbett’s say-one-thing-but-do-the-opposite existence.

Let’s be very clear here. Massive tax increases never create jobs. In this case, the reason is obvious. Since 100 percent of everything we buy gets delivered via truck, and trucks use lots of gas and diesel fuel, trucking companies will be shelling out substantially more in fuel costs. One of two things will happen: A) some will go out of business, as numerous companies did when fuel costs spiked in 2008 (translation for Corbett: loss of jobs), or some will move out of Pennsylvania to more tax-friendly states (loss of jobs). And as has been the case since the Phoenicians, business taxes and fees will be passed along to the consumer, and small businesses will be forced to raise prices and lay off employees (loss of jobs).

That should have been a simple enough concept, but since Corbett and many legislators have never worked in the private sector, never had to meet a payroll, and never experienced the catastrophic results of a huge tax increase, what did we expect?

4. Millions will gas up in border states, depriving Pennsylvania of any gas tax revenue (anytime New York does something better, you know it’s bad). But this is nothing new, as billions in revenue are lost as Pennsylvanians buy liquor elsewhere to avoid the 18 percent Johnstown Flood Tax (the tax to rebuild that city from the 1936 flood), and sales tax on top of that, so why should buying gas in other states be any different?

5. Another half-billion will go into that bottomless pit known as public transit. Great. So busses will continue to operate with 2 people on board and SEPTA once again gets away with not having to operate like an efficient business. And why should it? The taxpayer bailouts never end!

6. More of our tax money will go toward the Pennsylvania Turnpike, despite five consecutive years of toll hikes. During that time, tolls have risen a whopping 70 percent for drivers paying cash and 35 percent for EZ PASS, yet more of our money is now thrown into that black hole. Nothing like perpetuating a massive failure.

7. Despite the predictions of so-called “political experts” who think Corbett will benefit from this tax hike, nothing could be further from the truth. No one ever votes on transportation funding at the ballot box. Sure, polls showed that people wanted their bridges and roads repaired — but those surveys conveniently left out the part about gas taxes going through the roof. When that tidbit is mentioned, support tanks.

Yet Corbett thinks that people will reward him for the privilege of sitting through endless construction and congestion, while seeing their gas gauge constantly scream “cha-ching.”

If the Governor were a comedian, he would be a gas. But since we’re getting the “close your eyes” gas nozzle treatment, it’s no laughing matter.

But there’s a bright spot. At least his single digit approval will be.

Corbett Gas Tax Path To Single Digit Approval

 

PC Police, Go Away

By Chris Freind PC Police, Go Away

Pop question: What college major would provide an aspiring journalist the best chance of landing a job? Communications? Broadcast journalism? News production?

None of the above. Instead, if you want to be taken seriously in today’s news industry, there’s only one course to master.

Comedy 101.

Apparently, we now take late night comedians so seriously, construing their every word as gospel truth, that we’ve elevated them to the same level as national news anchors.

Just look at the mammoth firestorm engulfing late night’s Jimmy Kimmel. During a recent unscripted segment of his “Kids Table” skit, where children discuss complicated issues in a funny way, Kimmel asked how the U.S. should handle Chinese ownership of American debt. A 6-year-old boy joked, “Kill everyone in China.”

That was it. World War III. And the uproar continues. Organized protests are occurring in cities from coast-to-coast, including 27 this past weekend. Picketers are demonstrating against ABC and its network affiliates. Demands are being made to fire Kimmel and cut the show. “Kids Table” has been dropped entirely, and the segment in question has been edited out of future reruns. To top it off, because 100,000 signatures have been gathered via the parameters of the White House’s “We the People” online initiative, the White House must officially issue a comment.

So what’s the beef? Well, as the petition puts it, “They (ABC and Kimmel) had a choice not to air this racist program, which promotes racial hatred. The program is totally unacceptable and it must be cut. A sincere apology must be issued. It is extremely distasteful and this is the same rhetoric used in Nazi Germany against Jewish people.”

And of course, ABC has played right into the hands of this politically correct madness. It, and Kimmel, have issued numerous apologies, though one wonders if they meet the “sincere” threshold demanded by the petition (numerous protest groups have outright rejected the apologies). So let’s get this straight. ABC was “wrong” for airing a funny segment on a comedy show, but somehow it’s OK to carry protest signs depicting Kimmel as Hitler and saying he supports genocide?

The chairman of the Roundtable of Chinese American Organizations, in saying that ABC’s apology wasn’t enough, wants the network to “do something in the future to avoid terrorist violence,” whatever that means.

It’s obvious that these people have completely lost their minds. Thank God, we don’t have any really pressing issues, like health care, immigration, and yes, our massive debt.

Crisis management experts claim that ABC did the right thing by jumping out front and engaging in damage control. Wrong. They got suckered and received the worst of both worlds — apologizing for something that warranted no apology and being told it was nowhere near good enough. Now it’s still backpedaling with no end in sight.

Ironically, that didn’t solve the crisis, but only set the stage for another one, as the bar has been lowered for the next person who gets “offended” by a comedian’s joke. ABC should have simply said, “It’s a comedy show. It was a joke. Get over yourself.” But corporate intelligence is an oxymoron, and ABC proved that.

Hopefully, most Americans see this backlash against Kimmel for what it is: A small group of loudmouths with nothing better to do, looking for 15 seconds of fame by trying to garner widespread media attention.

While it’s ridiculous to even address the oversensitive types who feel offended, the level of media hype necessitates we look at this in a rational, common-sense way:

1. Notwithstanding the obtuseness of those incapable of grasping what a “joke” is, it’s preposterous to call the skit racist, bigoted or that it “promoted fascism” since — and this is worth repeating — it was a joke! “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is not “World News Tonight;” it is, and always has been, a comedy show, with the goal of making people laugh. What part of that don’t people understand?

2. Given No. 1, as well as the fact that the person who made the joke was all of 6, it’s safe to say that nothing said should be taken seriously. Nothing. Doing so demonstrates a pathetic propensity for acting like a space cadet.

3. Let’s look at the criticism literally. Does anyone of sound mind really believe Jimmy Kimmel hates Chinese people? And that the best way to reduce America’s debt is to murder its creditors? (If so, we should all be worried, since the American people themselves own the lion’s share). Is Kimmel really the next Adolf Hitler, and is “Live” just a front for him to execute his grand plan of wiping out the world’s Chinese? Finally, did this skit show his true intention of trying to be the world’s foremost genocidal comedian?

4. What’s next? Cut “American Idol” if a contestant or judge says something we don’t like? Censor stand-up comedians? Put a politically correct rating on all TV shows and movies? Don’t laugh. Our ultra-sensitivity is taking us right down that path.

You can tell a lot about a society by its sense of humor. The strong ones have the ability to laugh, poke fun, and engage in self-deprecating humor, made possible by an innate confidence and the ability not to take itself too seriously.

Conversely, societies that live in fear, get “offended” at the drop of a hat and attempt to sanitize everything with the goal of complete homogenization put themselves on the path to self-destruction. Political correctness rules the day, common sense goes out the window, and a bitter resentment grows as people feel they can only express themselves behind closed doors, fearful of being labeled insensitive, racist, bigoted, and yes, even genocidal. And despite the recognition among many that such “rules” are detrimental, they nonetheless succumb to them all too often.

It’s time for the American people, and yes, American companies, to grow a backbone and push back against this rising tide of insanity. No more backing down for innocent jokes and no more apologies to people whose entire existence is predicated upon yelling that they’re “offended.”

If anything needs to be killed, it’s political correctness and the massive insecurity blanket that it has thrown on top of the dying American spirit.

And that’s no laughing matter.

Jimmy Kimmel, keep the laughs coming and show your critics that the real joke’s on them!

PC Police, Go Away

Kill PIrates Says Chris Freind

By Chris Freind Kill PIrates Says Chris Freind

Water is wet. The sky is blue. And the West is gutless.

 

While all three are indisputable, only the last can change. But it will take sheer will and enormous courage to turn around two continents in a death spiral, the result of leaders prostrating themselves before the altar of political correctness, and a people too reluctant to challenge them.

A perfect example is the situation on the high seas. Despite brutal acts of piracy occurring off both African coasts — affecting Western shipping, and by extension, Westerners themselves — political and media elites continue to do virtually nothing to address, let alone solve, the problem.

Sure, Hollywood has produced the Tom Hanks’ movie “Captain Phillips,” recounting how Navy SEALS saved a freighter captain and his crew from marauding pirates, but such tales are the exception. The “rule” is continual ship hijackings, outrageous ransom demands (almost always paid), kidnappings, torture, and yes, murder.

Despite Captain Phillips’ box office success, the pirates aren’t fazed and their lucrative ways haven’t changed. Just last week, an oil supply vessel was boarded off Nigeria’s coast, its crew lined up by nationality. All but the two Americans were released.

Our response? Nothing.

Several years ago, then-79-year-old Norwegian shipping magnate Jacob Stolt-Nielsen wrote an op-ed stating that the only realistic way to deal with maritime terrorists was to sink their ships — with the pirates in them — or execute them on the spot.

Since hanging pirates on the high seas had all but eliminated piracy, common sense tells us reinstituting that policy now would be a good plan. Yet Stolt-Nielsen was viciously demonized, as too many thought pirates deserved “rights” and their day in court.

The result since then? Our weakness has allowed the pirates to get even richer (pulling in hundreds of millions), and we foot the bill, as maritime piracy costs the global economy around $7 billion a year.

It’s time for another way.

“You wanna know how to get Capone?” Sean Connery’s character asks Elliot Ness in “The Untouchables.” “They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the Chicago way! And that’s how you get Capone.”

Know what? They got Capone.

Unfortunately, The Chicago Way has been lost on America’s leaders, replaced by softness, complacency and the desire not to offend.

And our enemies have exploited that weakness, as al-Qaeda can proudly attest.

It’s also why we routinely lose to pirates operating from Somalia and, increasingly, in the Gulf of Guinea, through which 30 percent of America’s oil imports flow. (Hello? Can you say “energy independence?”)

And we’re not talking about just pleasure craft or fishing vessels, but huge ships supplying the world with cargo, food, oil — and weapons. Even a supertanker (larger than an aircraft carrier) was hijacked while transporting a staggering $100 million worth of crude oil.

Pirates were even so bold that they executed Americans on a private vessel — despite being closely monitored by four U.S. Navy warships. That level of arrogance tells all we need to know: They don’t fear us.

And no wonder. Our “tough” response would be to haul captured pirates into U.S. courts on the other side of the world, where they will receive first-class, taxpayer-funded defense lawyers and free health care. How nice.

And that’s supposed to deter more attacks?

Manhattan prosecutors don’t make African pirates tremble, a fact not lost on Stolt-Nielsen. As one of the few Europeans who lives in the real world, he stated how to end the unchecked piracy:

“When (piracy) implies a great risk of being caught and hanged, and the cost of losing ships and weapons becomes too big, it will decrease and eventually disappear.”

To that point, he ridiculed the American and European “solution,” stating (We should) “not arrest them and say, ‘naughty, naughty, shame on you,’ and release them again, but sink their boats with all hands.”

Yet, instead of aggressive action, we bury our heads in the sand, listening to those who believe killing pirates would be “barbaric,” a violation of their human rights.

What about the human rights given to murdered Americans and tortured sailors? But, of course, those real victims are always forsaken by bleeding hearts.

You give up your rights upon hijacking a ship. Cross the line and all bets are off. Heavily armed guards and crews should, upon attack, exercise no restraint in vaporizing marauders. The goal should not be to deter, but destroy, for three reasons. First, it’s just as likely pirates will execute the crew once aboard. Second, letting them go will only make another ship’s crew their victim. Third, it will send a clear, unmistakable message that there is a new Law Of The Sea — called The Chicago Way.

Such an initiative would immediately make pirates think twice while relieving pressure on the already-overwhelmed U.S. Navy, which simply isn’t big enough to protect the world’s shipping lanes. Sailors in the merchant marine are highly professional, certainly capable of protecting their cargoes and, more importantly, themselves. And since we already entrust them with ships and cargoes that can exceed a quarter of a billion dollars, it’s a no-brainer that they could, and would, act responsibly in an anti-piracy campaign.

Let’s be very clear about what will happen. When pirate corpses float up on the beaches of Somalia and Nigeria, there will be a shift in how the remaining pirates conduct their business. Translation: They’ll find a different profession, immediately. Bank on it.

There’s a direct correlation between pussyfooting with pirates and the huge spike in piracy. So let’s drop the empty threats, sink some pirate ships and kill the barbarians.

Then they can have their day in court. In Davy Jones’ locker.

 

Kill PIrates Says Chris Freind

Raising Debt Ceiling Failed Solution

After last month’s boardwalk fire in Seaside Heights, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, self-proclaimed fiscal hawk, immediately allocated $15 million in taxpayer money to business owners.

Sorry, Guv, but that’s why God made insurance. Government had absolutely no reason to get involved. Yet it did.

That decision is symbolic of how the United States became so paralyzed by its monstrous debt. A little here, a lot there, often for things that tug at the heart but have no relevance to government, multiplied countless times over decades. The result is municipalities and entire governments, such as Detroit and Puerto Rico, on the verge of collapse.

Now the Piper is calling the granddaddy of them all: The United States government and its incomprehensible $17 trillion debt, and no bailouts or bankruptcies can save that behemoth. Short of a complete reversal of business-as-usual in Washington — cutting debt rather than adding it — things are about to get uglier than ever before.

The airwaves are filled with “experts” admonishing Congress to raise America’s debt ceiling (the amount of debt the U.S. can legally incur) so as to avoid the “catastrophic” consequences of “default” if it doesn’t.

I’m not sure what’s worse: The deliberately disingenuous politicians and media outlets pushing that misinformation, or the ones who, without thinking, actually swallow that pap.

They want you to think this a complicated issue. It’s not. In fact, it’s remarkably straightforward: Aggressively rein in spending with a commonsense approach, or risk an eventual currency collapse that will turn America into a second-world nation in record time. It’s that simple.

So let’s cut through the white noise and look at the facts:

1. Without question, there will be pain if the debt ceiling isn’t raised, but there will be no default. By law, payment on the national debt comes first, and there’s plenty of money to pay our interest obligation ($220 billion) since revenue is more than 10 times that amount ($2.6 trillion). Granted, that’s a ticking time bomb since the principle isn’t being touched, but it’s clear we don’t have to incur more debt to “pay off” existing debt. So let’s not do it.

2. Most everyone concedes the astronomical debt poses a significant problem, yet every time the ceiling is reached, Congress raises it even further — and the shopping spree continues. This of course leads to more deficits and more debt, creating a vicious cycle. (Quick primer: The deficit is the amount we overspend each year; the debt is the total amount we owe). Enough is enough. Keep the ceiling where it is, and force the government to tighten its belt and live within its means, just as solvent businesses and stable families do. Identifying a problem yet looking the other way is impotence. Enabling its growth is cowardice.

3. All the economists, politicians and Wall Streeters who say that not raising the debt ceiling would be the height of irresponsibility need to look in the mirror. How is raising it any saner? Doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result — in this case, thinking that increasing debt will prove beneficial — is lunacy. If they’re the best and brightest, I shudder to think of the dumb ones.

4. Prioritize the budget. Force Congress to finally do its job, making them fight like cats and dogs to fund what is most needed. You’d be amazed at how quickly they figure out what’s important — and what isn’t. Pass a law requiring across-the-board cuts. No exceptions, even the sacred cows of entitlements and defense. While it won’t be pretty, people will be much more accepting if they know everyone feels the pain. Most important, get the ball rolling on a constitutional amendment mandating a balanced budget, as almost all states have that requirement.

5. Magically creating money to pay our bills is insane, but the Fed has been doing just that, inventing $85 billion per month with a keystroke (they don’t even print it anymore. Ain’t technology great?), which then gets pumped into the “economy” via Wall Streeters’ pockets. That’s why, despite the stagnant economy, the stock market remains so robust, artificially propped up by an entitlement program for the super-wealthy. Wall Street has become so addicted to the Fed’s drug that the mere mention of cutting back sends the market tanking, so the funny money keeps rolling. This must end now, on our terms, before the big meltdown occurs, since what goes up must come crashing down.

6. While unfathomable a generation ago, the world now views America as an increasingly bad credit risk. That’s why there has been such a drop-off in the purchasing of Treasuries, and why the Fed itself is buying a trillion dollars’ worth each year.

Many are concerned with the substantial U.S. debt owned by the Chinese, but that’s yesterday’s news. Not only aren’t the Chinese buying Treasuries like they once were, but they (and the Japanese) have been dumping significant U.S. debt while buying gold and silver at a record pace. Think they know something?

The game is up, and everyone knows it — except those in Washington.

A wise man once said there’s what people want to hear, there’s what people want to believe, there’s everything else — and then there’s the truth. And the hard truth is that all of the easy answers are behind us.

To think America can’t fall is arrogance at best, stupidity at worst. It can, and will, unless drastic action is immediately taken, starting with the current debt ceiling being kept intact. Doing so would send an unmistakable message that America is serious about making a comeback. But raising it as a “solution” would be akin to rearranging deck chairs on the Titantic.

Anyone remember how that turned out?

 

Why We’re Losing The War On Terror

Why we’re losing the war on terror.

By Chris Freind

In the 12 years since the 9/11 attacks, thousands of Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice, and trillions have been spent fighting overseas battles. But the hard truth is that the United States has thus far lost the foreign “War on Terror.”

What makes the sin mortal is that this was eminently preventable. But the failure to learn from history, combined with a lack of foresight and common sense, have allowed true victory to slip away. And in true bipartisan spirit, both parties have been equally incompetent.

Can America turn the tide? Of course, but since Washingtonians keep coming up with “new” ideas to solve our old Middle Eastern problems — code speak for recycled policy failures — it’s more likely that history will keep repeating itself, to the detriment of the West and the delight of radical fundamentalists.

***

Let’s review the most pronounced failures in post-9/11 foreign policy:

No Energy Independence: The most incomprehensible mistake after 9/11 was President Bush’s failure to understand what precipitated the attack, which left him unable to solve the problem. While he should have gone after bin Laden and the Taliban, the ultimate goal should have been withdrawing troops from the volatile Middle East — there because of America’s huge dependence on foreign oil — whose presence infuriated radical Muslims.

Doing so would obviously require America to once and for all become energy independent, easily accomplished by opening up America’s vast petroleum reserves, including the ANWR in Alaska, and lifting the offshore drilling moratorium imposed by the first President Bush. With an approval rating in the ’90s and substantial Republican majorities in Congress, winning the day on these crucial issues would have been a layup for George W. Bush, had he tried.

But he didn’t.

Iraq Quagmire: So Bush and Dick Cheney, both oilmen, instead chose to invade Iraq, a country that hadn’t attacked America, nor had any involvement in 9/11. Oil prices skyrocketed — bankrupting countless American companies and throwing the economy into chaos — while Big Oil made record profits. Thousands of American soldiers lost their lives, and hundreds of billions exited the Treasury, all for a war where “victory” was never defined.

Throwing fuel on the fire, the promise of Iraqi oil revenue rebuilding Iraq was a bust, and American taxpayers forked over $60 billion for that reconstruction, while American infrastructure continued to deteriorate at home.

So how’s Iraq doing after the American “liberation?’ Almost 80 percent of its oil now flows to China, creating a powerful Baghdad-Beijing partnership. And sectarian violence is everywhere, with 3,000 Iraqis killed in just the last few months, including 1,000 in July, the deadliest month since 2008. That chaos has allowed Iraq to become a haven for America’s enemies, which it was not prior to invasion. As a comparison, when Saddam Hussein was in control, there were virtually no car bombs nor terror attacks in Iraq.

So if what we’re seeing now is “victory,” what the hell is defeat?

Afghanistan: While hitting the Taliban and hunting Osama bin Laden were appropriate, we have stayed in-country far too long with no clear objectives. Now, American troops can’t even operate alongside Afghan forces because “friendly Afghanis” have routinely opened fire on our troops. With friends like that, who needs enemies?

Enabling Iran: The same neo-conservatives who led us to invade Iraq are back at it, demanding a strike on Iran to stop it from developing nuclear weapons.

The irony would be comical if not so tragic.

Any guesses why Iran didn’t have a bona fide WMD program before America engaged in Iraqi regime change? Simple. Iran and Iraq were mortal enemies, and their ongoing mutual hatred kept both countries in check; neither developed WMD’s because they were wholly consumed with killing each other.

But ignorant American leaders broke that stalemate in the name of “democracy” when they took out Hussein, destroying the critical balance of power. By taking out Iran’s archenemy, the U.S. gave Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad all the time and resources he needed to develop WMDs. Brilliant.

Democracy For Radicals: A constant in Middle Eastern countries is that large majorities view America with extreme contempt. Common sense tells us that, in a democracy, these people will always vote for fundamentalist governments reflecting that vitriolic mindset. So why do we constantly push that concept?

Democracy simply doesn’t work in many countries, and would certainly be counter-productive to American interests if it took hold in the Middle East. Yet president after president pursues that unwise goal, usually through regime change. The fact that it hasn’t worked should be a sign to change course, but instead, we continue full-steam ahead.

Iraq, Libya, Egypt and even Afghanistan have proven to be disastrous “experiments,” yet obtuse leaders like John McCain now want leadership change in Syria, despite no idea who would assume power. At least when the U.S. orchestrated the Iranian coup in 1953, it knew it was installing the Shah as leader. Since Assad is fighting al-Qaeda-affiliated Syrians, the odds of seeing a leader who doesn’t despise America? Less than zero.

***

In less than two decades, the United States has invaded two Middle Eastern nations and bombed seven, with plans to strike an eighth and possibly a ninth (Iran). Trillions have been spent and thousands of lives lost, yet radical fundamentalism keeps rising while America’s credibility continues to diminish.

It is not too late to right the ship, but it will take immense political will. A good starting point would be to reflect on the tragedy of 12 years ago, and remember the forgotten message. Eliminate dependence on the Middle East by becoming energy independent, stop playing policeman to the world, and start taking care of the ones who matter most: our own.

The thousands who gave their lives that day, and those who fell defending their honor, deserve no less.

Union Membership Labors

 Union membership labors

By Chris Freind

Talk about freeloading. The nine of 10 Americans who aren’t part of organized labor still took full advantage of Labor Day, that hallowed holiday honoring unions, aka “the working class.”
And since those 90 percent aren’t considered “working people” (meaning they must not work) every day is clearly a holiday for them. So relaxing on Labor Day just seems like sticking it to the unions.

What else is new? Public-sector unions are seeing their salaries, benefits and pensions under constant threat of reform from dastardly Republicans trying to stave off bankruptcy. The nerve!

For some unions, that might mean paying more than, God forbid, 5 percent of their health care costs, even though most in the private sector pay far more.

Far “worse,” some Republicans want to allow public union members to negotiate with their prospective employer individually, with free market-type incentives allowing for a fair offer for both employee and “employer” (the taxpayer).

An offer is made and the individual accepts or declines, same as in the private sector. Accountability and efficiency would increase, and unmotivated, bureaucratic sloths would be eliminated.

Sound fair? It is, and it’s called the elimination of collective bargaining. But union leaders demonize its supporters while fighting to continue a system that is completely broke, even opposing attempts to replace antiquated pension plans with 401(k)s. The result? Only 11 percent of the workforce is now unionized, and the decline continues.

Despite a complete inability to articulate its message, the GOP is not anti-labor. It just happens to be the one cleaning up the mess, especially in states like Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin. Noticeably absent is soon-to-implode Pennsylvania, where Gov. Tom Corbett has pursued a business-as-usual policy.

For decades, unions have reaped the rewards of Ponzi-style pay-me-later deals made between union bosses and gutless politicians interested only in self-preservation. But the piper has finally come calling.

Math doesn’t lie. There simply isn’t enough money to continue paying high wages and lavish benefits. It’s either reform or bankruptcy. There’s no third option.

Originally, joining a public-sector union was a trade-off: You wouldn’t make as much, but received a healthy pension and job security. But all that changed after millions in union dues were used to defeat politicians who dared cross labor.

Now, salaries of many public workers are higher than those in the private sector, with pensions so extravagant that Wall Streeters blush with envy.

But with an economy still in shambles, tax revenue down, and baby boomer retirements skyrocketing, the pension system has become permanently unsustainable.

Is it right to reform pensions and benefits? Don’t public-sector union members deserve what they were promised?

At the risk of seeming callous, that’s irrelevant. There isn’t enough money. Period. Unlike the feds, states and municipalities can’t print cash so cutbacks are inevitable, especially on big-ticket items like labor and pension costs.

The alternative is far worse: Bankruptcy. And municipalities can and are declaring. In towns nationwide, including Detroit, the message is simple: Agree to reforms, or risk losing everything. Yet unfathomably, that message is lost on the teachers union in America’s eighth-largest school district (Philadelphia), which is refusing any pay concessions despite a massive deficit, making the district one of the nation’s foremost candidates for bankruptcy. Obviously, it’s not fair. Rank-and-file union members were promised an unfulfillable bill of goods by long-gone hacks. But to paraphrase JFK, anyone who believes in fairness is seriously misinformed.

Unions are not being singled out, as the private sector has fared far worse, with considerably higher job losses and some pensions returning pennies on the dollar. That’s not fair either, but it’s reality. So what now?

Union leaders should tone down the hype, stop the personal attacks, and enter the real world. Reforms are imminent, not because of political principle, but because the money is gone. Failure to be reasonable will result in a protracted battle the unions cannot win, guaranteeing unnecessary pain.

Union bosses are supposed to represent their members’ interests, so it would behoove the rank-and-file to hold their leaders accountable, which they haven’t done. On the two issues that mattered most — defeating NAFTA and Most-Favored-Nation trading status for China — union leaders batted zero. Ironically, both passed under Bill Clinton. Yet labor still blindly supports the Democrats, who take their votes for granted.

Want to stop the union bleeding? Repair the roof now, while there’s still a little sunshine, and don’t wait until the monsoon strikes.

There will never be a perfect “union,” but if reforms aren’t made quickly, there could soon be a Labor Day with no labor. And we’ll all be the poorer for that.

Union Membership Labors

Hollywood Movies Aren’t Leftist

Hollywood movies aren’t letist By Chris Freind


News flash: Leftist Hollywood is at it again! “Elysium,’ the summer blockbuster starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, has, dare we say it, political overtones, which numerous right-wing groups have denounced as liberal propaganda.

What a surprise.

Honestly, I’m not sure what’s more annoying: These folks sounding like a broken record about the horrors of “liberal’ Hollywood, or the fact that they are, flat-out, completely wrong.

If they stopped blathering for just a second and looked at the real Tinseltown, they would realize that A.) the vast majority of movies have much more of a conservative tilt than a liberal one, and B.) they’d be a whole lot better off becoming part of the entertainment industry instead of incessantly complaining, but doing nothing to change it. In other words, try lighting a few candles instead of cursing the darkness.

A big part of the problem is that too many fail to see the difference between those who produce, direct and star in movies versus the messages of the movies themselves.

Are many, if not most, individuals in the industry politically liberal? No question. But, overall, their movies are not. And that’s because the Hollywood masterminds aren’t dumb. They inherently understand that if they produced films that were leftist in nature, they would lose billions by alienating a huge chunk of American moviegoers. And make no mistake — Hollywood’s first goal is to make money.

The proof is in the pudding, as the most common themes of the biggest movies are anything but far-left: Good guys carrying guns; self-reliance; redemption; racial harmony; fighting for freedom against impossible odds; standing up against corporate greed; stopping terrorists; telling the truth despite the consequences; keeping families together and the rewards of a strong work ethic. Oh, and did we mention good guys carrying guns? (Emphasis on that one never hurts).

So where exactly is that infamous liberal bias? And how do any of the above qualify as leftist indoctrination?

Instead of embracing Hollywood for what it does “right,’ too many on the right ignore the good and instead throw fire to get their 30-second sound bite or use the “liberal Hollywood elite’ line to raise money.

Take all the recent criticism of “Elysium.’ The standard attack line is that it’s a sci-fi socialism pic, portraying the haves versus the have-nots by highlighting the issues of class warfare, health care only for the rich and immigration.

Damon’s character, a factory worker on overpopulated (and slummy) Earth who receives an accidental lethal dose of radiation, can only be saved by obtaining medical treatment on the space station orbiting Earth, which happens to house all the rich 1 percenters. To get there, though, he makes a deal to take up arms and steal (evil) government secrets. While set in the future, critics — and director Neill Blomkamp himself — agree the movie reflects life in the present.

OK, let’s review. Is America increasingly a place where there are haves and have-nots, where the middle class is disappearing, and where class warfare is becoming a way of life? Is there not a major health care crisis, where people now value health care above owning a home, where millions are uninsured, and where those with “money’ are much more likely to receive high-quality care? And do we not have a raging debate about immigration, from open borders to security walls to amnesty for illegals?

So why all the criticism for a movie that asks legitimate questions? Is the right so scared of its own ideas that it can’t defend them, rather than solely resorting to attacks?

Apparently.

Maybe if Republicans stopped their unproductive bashing and offered positive solutions, while holding their own accountable for their (many) mistakes, movies like “Elysium’ wouldn’t hit so close to home.

Is universal health care the answer? Of course not. But it’s not productive, nor accurate, to just blame President Barack Obama (and “liberal’ Hollywood) for these problems, as both parties are equally guilty in driving us to where we stand today.

When the Republicans under George W. Bush had six years and all the power to fix these things, they chose to do nothing. No free-market solutions to health care, no reining in the greed of insurance companies, no border walls, no rational solution for the millions of illegals beyond the insane “deport them all’ line. No overhaul of the immoral tax system, no energy independence, and no reduction in massive government spending, all of which would have led to a more prosperous and exponentially larger middle class — and a vast reduction in the us-against-them mentality that so many Americans now harbor toward their fellow countrymen.

Like it or not, these problems are upon us and they’re only getting worse. If it takes a movie like “Elysium’ to finally make us think about and, hopefully, deal with them, then so be it.

The right would be wise to embrace this movie, engaging in constructive dialogue, rather than cowering behind worn-out attack lines that only serve to marginalize their worthy ideas.

Agree with director Blomkamp’s themes or not, it is commendable that he has put out yet another movie (“District 9′ and its take on the horrors of apartheid was his first blockbuster) that makes us take a hard look at the future. And that future — our future — is now.

Engery Independence Beats Terrorism

By Chris Freind

Let’s play Connect The Dots. How are the following related?

1. The U.S. military launches an emergency air evacuation of diplomatic personnel in Yemen, while two dozen other embassies and consulates throughout the Arab world remain closed because of major terror threats.

2. Protesters at a Chevron oil refinery chant, “Hey, hey! Ho, ho! Fossil fuels have got to go!” as they continue to demand the death of drilling and the proposed KeystoneXL Pipeline.

3. The Associated Press reports that nearly four of five Americans are at risk of poverty, joblessness and reliance on welfare, mainly due to manufacturing jobs going overseas.

Since these problems are certainly not new, their connections should be fairly obvious. But try telling that to the U.S. Congress, the Obama administration, and yes, both Bush administrations. Because none of them had, or have, a clue as to how they are related, let alone how to respond. And the clock is ticking.

It’s not a stretch to say America is hated throughout much of the Middle East. Not by everyone, of course, but by a large number of extremists hell-bent on blowing us up, and the even larger silent majority that sheds no tears when their compatriots are successful. Since many of these folks have the tacit permission of their governments (and funding via our petro dollars) to engage in jihad, they are most definitely a threat. So why don’t we just leave, instead of subjecting our citizens to the constant threat of annihilation, as is the case in Yemen right now?

Simple. America is totally dependent on the Middle East oil barons for its black gold. Translation: Because of our choices, we’re now stuck in the most dangerous place on Earth for the foreseeable future.

But why? Why are we so dependent on foreign oil when, far and away, America has reserves larger than those of the entire Middle East combined?

— Ask the Chevron protesters, to whom oil is a dirty word and “alternative energies” are the only way to go — which would be great if all 300 million Americans biked everywhere and lived in thatched huts with no power.

— Ask George H.W. Bush, who signed the moratorium on offshore drilling. And ask W., who, despite massive Republican majorities in both houses of Congress and an approval rating in the ’90s after the 9/11 attacks, refused to open the ANWR in Alaska to drilling. And who, along with oilman Dick Cheney, took seven years to call for dad’s oil drilling ban to be lifted — which the by-then Democratic Congress denied.

— Ask President Obama, who still has not green-lighted KeystoneXL and who, beholden to the selfish and often extreme environmental lobby, has seen drilling for oil and natural gas on federal lands/waters decrease.

— And ask Mitt Romney, who advocated “energy independence,” but couldn’t articulate — at all — what that would mean to the average American, much less the overall economy. And, while you’re at it, ask the Republican House, which continues to do nothing but offer empty rhetoric on the issue.

Our refusal to maximize drilling for oil and natural gas, combined with Middle Eastern volatility, has driven energy prices through the roof. Whereas gasoline, diesel and jet fuel should retail for under $2 a gallon — and yes, that is a “pipe” dream, as more domestic drilling and pipelines would make that dream come true — we are instead bent over the barrel, faced with the impossible task of trying to make an economy boom while energy prices are double what they should be.

And guess what happens when energy costs soar? Manufacturing jobs disappear. It’s that simple — hence the AP report’s dire picture of America.

However, anyone who says we can’t compete with cheaper overseas labor is dead wrong. True, we will never have the lowest employment cost, but if we make use of the world’s cheapest energy right at our disposal, we’ll have something better.

Low-cost energy not only eliminates the significant expense of importing goods from around the world, but dramatically lessens domestic distribution costs — the rising economic tide that lifts all boats.

The most expensive aspect of manufacturing is energy cost. When that number is low, more plants open, existing ones thrive, Americans get hired at substantial wages, and ancillary businesses boom, employing millions. If energy is expensive — and oil over $100/barrel ain’t cheap — it all tanks. Costs to make and move goods skyrocket, inflation spikes and productivity takes a hit. Coupled with America having one of the highest corporate income tax rates on the planet, companies either raise prices, go under or leave.

A CEO who packs up and ships out overseas isn’t unpatriotic, but is often doing the only thing possible to save the company. For the most part, business leaders don’t move offshore because they want to, but because they have to, compliments of a government that refuses to make the right choices and citizens who don’t demand otherwise.

Yet, there is a blueprint for success, as Proctor & Gamble’s large manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania illustrates. After realizing there was a treasure trove of clean Marcellus Shale natural gas sitting under its feet, P&G drilled several wells and is now energy self-sufficient for the reported 800 billion kilowatt-hours it requires, enough to power 40,000 homes.

Companies that can reduce or eliminate millions in energy bills can quickly jump-start the economy by expanding manufacturing operations and hiring more Americans, which moves folks away from the poverty line and off the welfare and unemployment rolls. Tragically, the P&G example is the exception rather than the rule, even though America’s resources could make the dream of cheap energy a reality for millions of businesses.

The situation in Yemen, along with the sobering AP report, should be a wake-up call to all Americans. The need to drill responsibly, but drill nonetheless, must be the No. 1 issue from this point forward. More than anything, energy independence would make the economy boom while protecting our security at home and abroad.

Alternative energies are certainly welcome in that equation, provided two things:  They are cost-effective, and  they can meet our needs. But since most of the anti-oil crowd is also fervently anti-nuclear (which accounts for 20 percent of U.S. energy), they need to do a whole lot better than the tired old “solar and wind” line while trashing fossil fuels.

Leaving Yemen isn’t a bad thing; it’s a good start. So bring our boys home, fire up the drills and let’s get America making things again.

Otherwise, we all better learn to speak Arabic.

Riley Cooper And The Pompous Who Judge To Feel Holy

By Chris Friend

Philadelphia Eagle Riley Cooper really stepped in it.

He
uttered one of the most vile, racist, and derogatory slurs out there,
one that not only hurts a particular ethnic group, but “….
dampens the aspirations of (its) people.”

And here’s the
thing. I guarantee Cooper said this word many, many more
times than just once.

No amount of sensitivity training will
prevent him from saying it again. And that’s the way it should be,
for he is not alone, as millions from New York to Dallas to yes, even
Washington, utter this word around the kitchen table and even in
public.

“Redskins.”

Now known just as the “R”
word.

That’s not a joke, as 10 United States congressmen, in
demanding that the Washington Redskins name be changed, actually
wrote “…Native Americans throughout the country consider the
R-word a racial, derogatory slur akin to the N-word among
African-Americans.”

And right there, in black and white, is
precisely why we cannot move ahead with race relations, and why,
whenever a racial controversy erupts, it not only isn’t handled
with an appropriate response, but often provokes a counter-productive
backlash.

Enter the Riley Cooper saga.

On a fateful night in June, Cooper made two mistakes. First, he
actually attended a Kenny Chesney concert. That alone is cause for
concern.

But then came the big one, when he was caught on
video having an altercation with a security guard and using the
N-word. Not good. Not good at all.

True, he was not on the
clock, per se, but when you are a public figure, you need to
inherently understand that the clock never stops. It’s not Riley
Cooper the private citizen saying that slur, but Cooper the Eagle,
Cooper the NFL player. And yes, Cooper the white guy in a league
that is two-thirds black.

Can’t let that go, and can’t
chalk that up to anything but what it is: a major mistake.

But
here’s the bigger problem. While appropriate consequences have
been administered – fines, public humiliation, shame and even a
bounty placed on his head – that isn’t enough to some. They want
more. A lot more.

And to what end? Should he really be
suspended or even kicked out of the league, as some are advocating,
or arrested for hate speech, just for saying a bad word, offensive
as it may be? Have we really gotten to the point – where speech will
get you fired, thrown in jail, or worse?

Does he really need
“sensitivity training,” as he will undergo? And honestly, does
anyone actually believe that will help in any way? Of course not,
but it’s all part of the charade, the “feel good” measures we
employ in the name of improving race relations, all while doing
absolutely nothing of substance to identify, let alone solve, the
real racial problems.

It has gotten so preposterous that the
paternalistic services of Philadelphia District Attorney Seth
Williams have been requested to teach Cooper, and everyone else, a
lesson. (Glad to see he has nothing better to do with his time in
crime-plagued Philly.) Yes, insane as it sounds, the Eagles asked
Williams to recommend charities and community-service programs that
could benefit from Cooper’s time (and money). The D.A. will also be
in touch with other city officials to do “what they can do to
help (Cooper) and to use this as a teachable moment, not only for
him, but maybe for the city as a whole to deal with racism and
insensitive language.”

Sound like a guy running for mayor
soon?

Frankly, the last thing we need is the City of
Philadelphia telling anyone what to do, how to act and what to say.
God help us.

Worse are those who not only think he isn’t being punished
enough, but that his apology isn’t genuine. When did we become so
damn judgmental and almighty? Who the hell are we to look into a
man’s soul and self-righteously proclaim that his sincerity isn’t
real? Who gave us the power – the “right” – to tear a person down
without end, to ruin a career, to destroy a life, to be so bold as to
turn a deaf ear to an apology – all because we don’t see and hear
exactly what we want?

His apology was sincere enough for many
if not all of his black teammates – who, by the way, showed immense
class and dignity in how they handled this affair – yet it’s not
good enough for those in the cheap seats.

That arrogance is
astounding, and ironically, vastly diminishes the really important
point.

The amount of overkill on Cooper, who you would think
ran a lynch mob, is totally backfiring. Many Americans, who would
normally feel that what he said was wrong and needed swift action –
so long as the punishment fit the crime – have now become so turned
off by the piling-on that they feel empathy for Cooper. Instead of
his words being wrong, plain and simple, the collective mentality is
becoming, “OK. No big deal. Enough already. Play ball.”

Is
Riley Cooper a racist? Absolutely no idea, though his teammates say
he isn’t. Either way, his words are a big deal. But because we
can’t see the forest through the trees, unable to focus on what is
important, Cooper is increasingly viewed as a victim. A valuable
lesson is lost, but personal agendas (however warped they are) are
being accomplished.

That arrogance isn’t limited to
race, but increasingly prevalent throughout society.

Look at
the cavalcade of politicians and commentators publicly demanding that
Anthony Weiner withdraw from the New York mayoral race because his
lewd “sexting” while a congressman continues to haunt him.

Last
time I checked, we live in a democracy, and the only ones who get to
decide who stays and who goes into public office are the people.
Period. Not blowhards, and not political hacks. Just the people. If
Weiner leaves the race, that should be his, and only his, decision.
But once again, we see the audacity of “leaders” who think they,
and not the people, know what is best.

And what better example
of a counter-productive backlash than the election of former KKK
leader David Duke to the Louisiana state Legislature in 1989? Duke,
with his racist past, was all but certain to lose, but President
George Bush, Ronald Reagan, and the Republican National Committee
stuck their noses where they didn’t belong – in other people’s
business – and effectively scolded anyone who would vote for Duke.
The result? David Duke won, not because the people were bigots, but
because they resented overkill and outside interference.

Heap Screamin’ Red Over Redskins

By Chris Freind

 

Life is good.

Summer is in full swing, the Trayvon/Zimmerman soap opera is finally fading away, government is probably reading only half our emails now, and the excitement of football is in the air.

Most important, though, is that America apparently has solved all of its problems. Otherwise, how could you possibly explain the fact that a cadre of congressman — both Republican and Democrat — recently sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder, every league team, and Redskins sponsor FedEx urging them — demanding, actually — that the Redskins name be changed because it was so racially demeaning to Indians. Oops. Native Americans. Sorry.

Really? That’s the most
dominant issue consuming our elected officials? Granted, if we had an
Indian nickel for every boneheaded thing Congress does, we’d all be
millionaires. But those congressmen need to be scalped for this one, and
publicly admonished until they turn red-faced with embarrassment.

This
is no time for peace pipes. We must, without reservation, not just hold
down the fort but go to war with those riding roughshod over hallowed
American traditions — fighting the people who love nothing more than to
chop away at things no one actually finds offensive. As with most issues
though, we lack a political chief brave enough to tackle this type of
political correctness. The biggest irony? If a leader painted this
picture as the insanity that it is, it wouldn’t be his last stand, but a
feather in his cap, because the vast majority of Americans recognize
that using Indian names isn’t offensive, but complimentary.

“Native Americans throughout the country consider the `R-word’ a racial, derogatory slur akin to the `N-word’ among African-Americans or the `W-word’ among Latinos,” the congressional letter states.

OK, a
little help on this one. Members of the United States Congress honestly
think “Redskin” is akin to the N-word? That may not be the stupidest
thing ever said, but it’s definitely top three. And the “W-word?” What
the hell is that? Since there are a whole lot more derogatory names for
Latinos, if you actually have to pause, pondering what the big “W” is
(and I’m still not 100 percent sure), I’d say these folks are making up a
problem where one doesn’t exist.

But of course, this insanity
doesn’t end with the Redskins (though they seem to have it the worst, as
they are also in a legal battle to maintain protection of their
Redskins trademark. Thankfully, Snyder has, to this point, resisted the
pressure and pledged to keep the name intact.

A recent debacle
unfolded in New York as the Mets, who had worked for months with the
American Indian Community House in planning a Native American Heritage
day at the ballgame, abruptly canceled the event because — are you ready
for this? — they were playing the Atlanta Braves! What playing the
Braves has to do with canceling the event is any rational person’s
guess, as is how anyone could find the festivities offensive in the
first place.

A Mets spokesman said “… our multicultural days and
nights are celebratory versus political in nature,” though it remains
unclear how Native American Heritage day is political. The result? No
singing, no dancing, no Indians. So instead of celebrating a spectacular
culture, opening the eyes of thousands to Native American traditions in
a positive way, the people got nothing, and the Indians got tomahawked
again.

While political correctness chalks up another win, how is that helpful in any way?

And
it’s not just sports where this warped mentality is taking hold, but
the classroom. Walk into any kindergarten during reading time, and you
will see the children gathered ‘round the teacher, all sitting
“crisscross-applesauce” on the floor. That used to be called
“Indian-style,” but the PC gods had a pow-wow and determined that such a
term was derogatory and racist, despite not a single child ever saying,
“I sat Indian-style today, so I hate Native Americans.”

Even
worse than the assault on Indian names is when otherwise intelligent
people give in so easily. St. John’s University was, and is, a top-notch
school that had never been associated with institutional racism or
bigotry of any kind, yet changed its team name from “Redmen” to “Red
Storm.” And if you’re going to cave, at least come up with a name that
has meaning. Outside of the red storm on Jupiter (or is it Uranus?),
what is a “Red Storm?”

Has it dawned on anyone to actually ask
the forgotten people — aka the Indians themselves — if they feel
offended? That doesn’t often happen, because when it does, turns out
many tribes welcome the use of Native American names. A Sports
Illustrated poll found that 83 percent of Native Americans have no
problem with the use of Indian names and mascots for sports teams.

But
that didn’t stop the deity known as the NCAA from imposing mandates
several years ago to jettison Indian names, threatening severe sanctions
for any school that kept names, logos, and mascots, as they were deemed
“hostile and abusive.” And if a university didn’t play ball? They would
be banned from hosting post-season championships and face forfeiture of
games, among other penalties.

Where does the craziness end?
What’s next? Animal rights groups demanding Penn State eliminate the
Nittany Lion because felines feel offended being identified with Jerry
Sandusky? Don’t laugh, because that’s exactly the type of political
correctness driving our country.

How can we expect to move forward as people when all we ever do is search for things which divide, rather than unite, us?

Were
Indians considered low man on the totem pole, stripped of their land
and human dignity — sometimes brutally — by early Americans? Without
question, as atrocities committed against them were unspeakable. No
reparations and no apology can ever fully right those wrongs.

But
America, despite the errors of its past, has shown the most remarkable
resilience of any nation in history not just to learn from its mistakes,
but to make things right and yes, better, for future generations. We
have seen triumphs for the descendants of the Irish and Italian
immigrants who faced major discrimination; the Chinese who built the
railroads under deplorable conditions; the Japanese interned during
World War II; the blacks who were enslaved; and yes, Native Americans.

Rather
than needlessly reopening old wounds, maybe those pushing political
correctness to satisfy their own personal agendas should take a hard
look at the everlasting tribute to Native Americans in the United
States. What more of an honor could there be to the Indian values of
hard work, conservation, respect of traditions, and pride than the fact
that 28 states are named for Indian tribes or words as well as numerous
professional sports teams (and at one time scores of colleges), and
countless high schools and businesses?

It’s time to stop this foolishness, for if we don’t, it will not end with the Indians. Watch out, Fightin’ Irish.