Category: Guest Authors

Biggest Winner Of 2011 Is Illegal Immigrants

Biggest Winners Of 2011 Is Illegal Immigrants

By Chris Freind

 

 

It’s that time of year when Freindly Fire heaps praise upon those most deserving.

So in the spirit of consistency, the Biggest Winner of 2011, just like every year, is illegal immigrants. They
are granted driver’s licenses, free education — in some cases all the
way to college — and free first-rate health care. Not only do they pose a
national security threat, but a personal one, as many are criminals
released back onto the streets because the government refuses to deport
them. Their presence has forced the closure of hospitals, ripped jobs
away from American workers, depressed wages and caused taxes to increase
sharply.

And let’s not forget that many illegals are voting in our elections.
How’s that for irony: foreigners deciding American elections. Maybe
that’s why both parties pander to illegals, including leading GOP
candidates Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.

And every time the illegals win, the American people lose.

Iran
For a country so incompetent that it took a quarter-century just to
build a simple subway in its capital, and equally as long to construct
the Tehran airport, Iran sure knows how to gain international attention.
Year after year, Iran successfully extorts the West, and the U.S.
continues to play the Iranians’ game. Now, Iran is threatening to cut
off the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which one-sixth
of the world’s oil supply passes.

And what does America do? Prepare for yet another armed conflict —
with yet another Muslim country. That would make Iran the eighth — yes,
eighth! — Muslim nation the U.S. has attacked since the Clinton
Administration, truly a bipartisan debacle. Despite the insanity of this
possibility, in which oil could spike to $200 per barrel and decimate
whatever is left of the world economy, some talking heads continue
advocating such military intervention. Going to war with random Middle
Eastern oil nations isn’t sound foreign policy. It’s lunacy.

Here’s an idea. Maybe if we got off our duff and stopped kowtowing to
radical environmentalists who offer no solutions, we could pursue
energy independence with the virtually unlimited resources literally at
our feet. And guess what happens when we start producing $2 gasoline
and diesel? We wouldn’t give a damn about Iran. Or Iraq. Or Libya.
Or….

Rick Perry
Who’d have thought another Texas governor could be so entertaining?
From taking 12 hours to come up with a response to Mitt Romney’s $10,000
bet, to shrinking the size of the government (apparently, we have only
eight Supreme Court Justices and no Department of Energy), Perry has
been in a class by himself. Of course, not knowing the date of the
election nor the correct voting age, while priceless, won’t help Perry
stay in the race. But his significant campaign cash just might, which
would undoubtedly provide more “Oops, I Did It Again” moments. So hats
off to the only politician who could make George W. Bush look like
Daniel Webster.

Barack Obama
See “Rick Perry” above. This election is the GOP’s to lose — and they are well on their way to doing so.

Occupy Movement
Give credit where it’s due. The Occupy Movement was able to dupe the
media (admittedly, not a very hard thing to do) into providing nonstop
coverage of…pictures of tents and filth. How newsworthy.

It was bad enough that Occupy had no organization, no spokesman, and
absolutely no message. But for the media to cover, night after night,
lazy hippies who thought it cool to camp out, not work and get free
things from idiots who thought it politically correct to patronize hobos
was nauseating.

So incompetent was the Orgy — I mean Occupy — Movement that it took
the media to inject its own rationale for why the “protests” were
occurring — income inequity. Well, here’s a newsflash: there is, and
should be, income inequality. As in, the person waking up every day at 6
a.m. to work a 12 hour day should makes more money than a sloth looking
for a handout.

In the immortal words of The Big Lebowski: “Your revolution
is over… Condolences. The bums lost. My advice is to do what your
parents did — get a job, sir! The bums will always lose!”

Andy Reid
Despite commanding an uber-hyped team whose spectacular failure was
surpassed only by the Phillies, the best three-quarter coach in football
— and the one who game after game commits bush league mistakes that an
eighth-grade coach would never make — will absolutely,
put-it-in-the-bank-guaranteed be back leading the Philadelphia Eagles
next season. Where he leads them is equally predictable: not to a Super
Bowl Championship. Reid has simply been in Philadelphia too long and
has settled into a comfort level where winning The Big One, while nice,
isn’t an imperative. He seems content with the moniker of being the
winningest coach in franchise history along with all the other
superlatives that don’t mean a bloody thing in a town that bleeds Eagle
Green.

Reid has proven his value at turning around a franchise, but that is
where his usefulness ends. The Eagles should, but won’t, bring in a
closer to seal the deal and get the job done — like Jon Gruden did with
Tampa Bay.

So Reid will win another season where his mediocrity will be on full
display, and, this being Philly, will undoubtedly be making this list
again next year for all the wrong reasons.

Archbishop Wood Football
Their season was full of confidence and hope, a fourth straight Catholic
League title and a state championship in their sights. Yet Archbishop
Wood stumbled in their opener, losing that crucial first game. Many
teams would have folded, finding excuses as to why the season was
slipping away (read: 2011 Philadelphia Eagles). But Wood rebounded, and
dedicated their efforts to the memory of former legendary coach Skip
Duffy, who lost his battle with cancer in September.

And the rest is history. Wood rolled out 14 straight wins, racking up
average margins of 38 points in the regular season and 41 points in the
playoffs, culminating in the total evisceration of perennial powerhouse
Bishop McDevitt, 52-0, to win the state championship. In doing so,
Wood has earned a place as arguably the best Class AAA football team
ever.

Perhaps Andy Reid and Company should be taking notes from Wood — not
plays and calls, but the intangibles that always, always win
championships. Dick Vermeil’s character in the Vince Papale movie Invincible
said it best. ”The team with character will find a way to beat a team
with talent…great teams weren’t just playing for themselves. They played
for a city. The people of Philadelphia have suffered…You are what gives
them hope.”

And in times like these, hope is needed more than ever. Congrats,
Archbishop Wood, for demonstrating what so many professionals have long
ago forgotten — that character still means something.

 

Extremes of Diversity

The Roar

The Extremes of Diversity

How many of us remember the “melting pot” identity of America?  Well, this is just another generational asterisk since that concept has quietly been removed for reasons which are becoming more apparent day by day.  Many traditions and common day assumptions of American living have contributed with the demise of America’s “melting pot.”  This spiraling parade is part and parcel of a gradual remaking that seems either too inconsequential at the time or it is labeled as a normality in “changing times.”

In the realm of sports, who remembers when Mike Schmidt signed his last contract for two to three million per year?  Phillie fans went bonkers!  The general sentiment was, and I’m paraphrasing, “no athlete is worth that kind of money to play a boy’s game.”  Remember?   Need we look at the salaries today?  Bench warmers are near the million per season mark.

This then verses now comparison parallels the degree of change that we as free people have adjusted to in all facets of our society, personal standards, governmental practices and growing authority.  Comparisons are useful in that much of what transpires goes unnoticed, much like the hands on a clock.  However, when comparing then verses now, the differences may well become alarming.

My sport analogy of salary increases brings forth changes outside of the stadiums; all of which we have adapted to in a gradual manner.  How about the demise of daytime baseball or the favorite, the Sunday double header?  Salaries bring a need to increase overall revenue.  Prime time viewing has become a must, and two for one Sunday offerings have become prohibitive.  Again, I mention these rippling effects simply because we all can see, have experienced and understand these associated but necessary short cuts and sacrifices.

Now transfer this sports “progress” into our society, with particular scrutiny on our religious freedoms and subsequent changes or adaptions.  While the First Amendment remains visual, it has undergone “progressive” changes of a gradual nature.

Such changes, similar to that rippling effect with sports, spreads through our communities and daily routines.  Gone are the Catholic  services performed in Latin.  The old traditional hymnals have over the years been refined to the point that actual services have modernized.

On the freedom front, a parent’s complaint about prayer in school has revolutionized our freedom to worship in public.  Over time, it has been strictly enforced that prayerful worship in, on or around public school grounds is now considered to be unConstitutional.

I think we all have experienced shock at the brazen affront from an ongoing transformation from a “Merry Christmas” to a “happy holiday” presentation.  Easter vacations are now termed “spring breaks” without any parental condemnation.  Those of us who were raised in a Christian environment, who still hold true to Christian beliefs and who silently go along, while mumbling inside, must agree that there is a determined effort to rid any Christian belief and/or influence from our society today.  This cannot continue.

Lastly, there appeared in my local paper, exactly a week before the Birth of Christ, a front page article entitled, “A Diverse God.”  Briefly, it detailed the diverse traditions of immigrants in today’s America.  Quotations such as “It brought tears to my eyes,” and “It’s nice to have a place where I belong” were said about a church service in one’s native Hungarian tongue.

Then there was The Simbang Gabi, the Mass of the Rooster, for those of Filipino heritage.  Comments such as “It is a wonderful opportunity for us to gather as a Filipino community”  confound and besmirch our American experiment.

There was a time in which America promoted an assimilation , not this current diversity.  How does one become American with diverse loyalties?  Am I asking too much?

Extracting our “melting pot” purpose, identity and traditional values has produced another rippling effect which in the end,will cost more than any monetary increase to sporting events.

Jim Bowman, Author of,
This Roar of Ours

My Biggest Losers of 2011

Although I have never been known for sarcasm and
negativity, it feels compelled as a civic duty to point out this year’s
biggest losers.

So with very little pleasure (okay, maybe a little), here are some of 2011’s notable wankers:

Philadelphia Phillies
A colossal failure. Period. End of story.

But this being Philadelphia, further explanation is, of course,
warranted. Yes, they won the (ridiculously weak) National League East
division for the fifth time in a row. Yes, they set a franchise record
for regular season wins. Yes, there was one World Series championship
three years ago. And yes, they will probably win the division again in
2012. So what? All meaningless.

And for anyone who actually believes any of those achievements mean squat, well, you’re delirious from being an Eagles fan.

The team — the only one in the nation’s top four markets which does
not share its city with another franchise — was billed as having the
best rotation in baseball history and a powerhouse lineup of
battle-tested veterans. But when you enter Yankee territory, as they
claimed they did, anything short of a championship must be viewed a
total failure, as there are no points for second place.

The blame should be laid at the feet of the players, several of whom
refused to hustle and play fundamental baseball, and more importantly,
the coaches who didn’t address those problems.

So while the Phils are still a dangerous team, their window of
opportunity is closing fast. Time to lose the ‘tude and play ball the
way Little Leaguers and consistent World Series Champs do. Otherwise,
Charlie Manual will become the city’s next Andy Reid. (All right, that’s
a stretch. Andy’s in a class by himself.)

NBA
Speaking of sports, shame on the NBA for ending the lockout. If
they really cared about fan appreciation, they would have continued the
impasse for the next decade. It was leaps and bounds more exciting than
anything the 12 people watching a typical NBA game will see.

Jerry Sandusky, His Wife Dottie, Penn State, Tom Corbett, Joe Paterno, and Mike McQueary
At the very least, all failed the test of moral leadership, permitting
small, defenseless children to live a nightmare from which they may
never awaken — because no one would help. How could Happy Valley seem
more like Yemen, where child sex trafficking and molestation is an
accepted fact of life? Even if Penn State turns into the State Pen for
those who may have done wrong, it will be little solace to the victims.

And all the folks on this list, whether directly or indirectly, have blood on their hands. For shame.

Mitt Romney
Is Romney the most intelligent candidate running for President?
Probably. Is he a successful businessman? Undoubtedly. But what does it
tell you when, after campaigning for five years and spending hundreds of
millions, Romney still can’t even muster 30 percent of the GOP base? In
other words, seven of ten Republicans simply don’t like him.

And it’s not rooted in his issue positions (though his Romneycare law
in Massachusetts doesn’t help), but that he has no core convictions
on…anything. The man is the very embodiment of an articulate politician
without a soul, one who will say whatever it takes to get elected. So
prevalent is his flip-flopping that he couldn’t even decide whether to
campaign in Iowa. Contrast that to Congressman Ron Paul, whose support
is surging for the opposite reason — because he has been steadfastly
consistent throughout his entire political career.

It’s a lesson totally lost on Mitt. He’s so out of touch that he
doesn’t understand the people’s yearning for a leader who stands for
something and sticks to his guns. Instead, Romney’s “be all things to
all people” approach has him foundering and will make him an inviting
target for Obama should he win the GOP nomination.

Romney is the best Christmas present the GOP could give the Democrats.

Hollywood Movie Studios
Fewer Americans went to the movies this year than at any point in the
last 16 years. Sure, the economy is in the toilet, tickets are
expensive, and you need to take out a second mortgage to buy Raisenets,
but they are all symptoms of a much greater illness: Hollywood’s product
continues to decline.

Most flicks are flat-out horrible, but Hollywood execs don’t care.
Their formula of hiring a star and throwing in some special effects is
enough to dupe Americans into opening their wallets. And despite the
dismal box office numbers, don’t look for that to change anytime soon.
As long as they can make enough money to get near break even in North
America, they’ll still be laughing all the way to the bank because the
foreign box office is providing the big haul. In fact, it was a record
year for overseas profits. Which means that folks in Indonesia who are
still starstruck will ensure more of Hollywood’s mediocrity for the
foreseeable future.

Or here’s an idea: maybe Hollywood could stop looking for the easy
way out of making remakes of remakes and using the same musical score ad
nauseum –just listen to Pirates of the Carribean (2003), Gladiator (2000), and The Rock (1996)
— and reinvent itself. Sure, it takes effort to be creative, but
that’s what made Hollywood the most powerful force in the world.

Most people couldn’t name one U.S. senator, nor do they care. But
when Hollywood produces a creative, classic movie, it touches the soul,
inspires, motivates, and enlightens (Remember the Titans meets
all that criteria and then some). It makes people think in a way they
normally wouldn’t, and more often than not, produces a smile. When was
the last time Congress did that?

The slogan of the G4 network is playing “Movies That Don’t Suck.”
Since that list is growing thin, let’s hope Hollywood regains its
footing and returns to its glory days by putting blood, sweat and tears
ahead of the easy buck.

Jim Matthews, Joe Hoeffel, and Montco Residents
Even in its most creative mode, Hollywood couldn’t have scripted this
soap opera. Four years ago, the GOP won control of the county
commissioners, but Jim Matthews forsaked loyalty for power and sided
with Democrat Joe Hoeffel, giving the chairmanship to himself and power,
effectively, to the Democrats. Top vote getter Bruce Castor was left
out in the cold.

So (in)effective was the dynamic duo of Matthews-Hoeffel that both
got the boot from their respective parties and were forced into
retirement. And for the first time ever, the Democrats took control of
Montgomery County. So once again, Castor will be the only voice of
reason as the Dems will most certainly raise taxes and get cozy with the
unions.

But in a most fascinating twist, Matthews was recently arrested on
perjury and false swearing charges for allegedly lying to a grand jury
about his relationships with county vendors. The grand jury found that
“Matthews lied with such ease and frequency, that he acted as though, as
chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, he is above
the law.”

When your arrogance knows no bounds, what goes around comes around.
And for Jim Matthews, the red and green colors of the season may well
turn to jumpsuit orange. So in the spirit of giving, Freindly Fire will
send Jim a belated Christmas present, just to be safe: Soap-On-A-Rope.

Pennsylvanians
Maintaining the status quo simply isn’t good enough when the state has
an effective unemployment rate above 10 percent. So to solve that
problem, what did Republican Governor Tom Corbett and the GOP-controlled
legislature achieve? Pretty much zilch.

Sure, the budget wasn’t increased, but that wasn’t due to political
courage but the fact that the Federal stimulus funds had evaporated. And
yet, despite many good programs going on the chopping block, the
“fiscally conservative” Republicans still spent money on a lavish union
deal, the Yankees’ AAA stadium, a bailout of the Philadelphia Shipyard
to build ships with no buyers, and –while not ultimately spent — a grant
to Jerry Sandusky’s Second Mile Foundation.

And what of the signature issues that will be ignored in the upcoming
election year? School choice? Dead as Marley’s Ghost. Liquor
privatization? Forget it. Reducing the second highest corporate tax in
the nation — a certified job killer? Not going to happen.

And because the demand for natural gas remains so low, the industry
will cap their wells and move out of state, so we won’t have them to use
as a convenient punching bag anymore.

So Pennsylvanians will suffer as more opportunites to bring the state
into the 21st century are squandered. The politicians change, but the
lies stay the same.

Happy New Year, and for a list of winners check back in a few hours.

 

Biggest Losers of 2011

Regarding The 2011 Pa. GOP Senate Primary

Regarding The 2011 Pa. GOP Senate Primary

By Bob Guzzardi
(Bob is a Tea Party activist from Montgomery County)


The Republican/Democrat Establishment Insiders, apparently, have concluded Pennsylvania’s incumbent U.S. Senator Bob “98%” Casey cannot be defeated because he is so likeable and guileless; they ignore the ObamaCasey fiscally-reckless policy agenda.  Therefore, below are presented policy issues that move Voters; in PART-II, the major Republican Candidates for US Senate 2012 are introduced, for your consideration. Remember, Sen. Bob Casey almost always votes with President Barack Obama.

Judging from public debates held during December, the Pennsylvania Republican Senatorial Primary race will be “positive.”  Competition for the Republican Establishment Endorsement [with no Big Government Establishment “favorite” having yet emerged] and the Primary Race [which some competitors are planning, regardless of whether they are endorsed] will be fiercely contested on issues but not personalities, since no candidate has any major “negative.”

In clear contrast to an anticipated effort of CaseyObama, they all eschew Big Government Command-and-Control Socialism, Centralized and Concentrated in the Federal Government; this will contrast with the self-interested and self-centered Corporatist/Lobbyist Political Network in Washington, D.C.  The focus of all Republican  Senatorial candidates will, likely, be to  contrast their Free Market Constitutional Limited Government positions with that of ObamaCasey on JOBS, ENERGY, GOVERNMENT SPENDING, DEBT AND DEFICIT, and FOREIGN POLICY.

Recommended Reading for these candidates are two key resources on policy issues:   Rick Perry’s “Fed Up!” articulates an intellectually rigorous federalism platform, and Pat Toomey’s “Road to Prosperity” invokes a set of Free Market CATO Institute economic principles.

For independent, intellectually honest and scholarly commentary on Middle East Issues and Israel, Daniel Pipes, President of the Middle East Forum, www.danielpipes.org and www.meforum.org is reliable and comprehensive. For a broader, academic view and topical commentary based on his background in American History and Middle East Studies, see Barry Rubin’s GLORIA CENTER at the Interdisciplinary College in Herzliya and Barry Rubin in PJMedia; he incisively critiques the Obama Administration’s dangerous policies.

Vote-Moving Issues of US Senate 2012 Election
To win an election, a candidate needs to support ideas and policies that move voters to vote for him/her. This is condensed to “the message.”  The core issues in 2012 are, in my opinion:
1)    JOBS, THE ECONOMY and ENERGY, that is, energy exploration and development in the USA and in Pennsylvania.  Energy, Marcellus Shale, and coal create productive, family-sustaining jobs, grow the economy, and raise the standard-of-living for all by providing affordable energy. Energy policy is inextricably linked to jobs, our standard of living, and national security.

2)    ENTITLEMENT REFORM, DEBT AND DEFICIT, GOVERNMENT SPENDING are essential to prevent further devaluation and debasement of the currency that impoverishes all but Government Apparatchiks and self-serving bureaucrats and corporatists feeding off taxpayer financed subsidies . Until the central government, and even state governments, cease siphoning off the productivity of the productive Tax Makers. Restraining the Leviathan’s inexorable growth is tied to creating meaningful and productive jobs which raise the standard of living for all of us. Included in this is the perniciousness of Unions in Pennsylvania and, particularly, PSEA and other public sector unions who are drivers of Alinsky Class Warfare of Have Nots v. Haves. Free Market Republicans represent the Tax Makers and the Union Financed Collectivist Democrats represent the Tax Takers who want money without working or producing;

3)    ISLAMIST THREAT AND NUCLEAR IRAN ARE EXISTENTIAL THREATS.  Islamism is a radical interpretation of Islam. Islamism is a totalitarian, violent, expansionist and fanatical ideology that is implacably, and unappeasably, opposed to American Liberty and Constitutional Limited Government.  Iran is Islamism with Nuclear Weapons. And it is an existential threat to the USA like Soviet Russia, Imperial Japan and NAZI Germany. Islamism, probably, most resembles, in its fanaticism, Imperial Japan;

4) Specifically regarding the funding of abortions and of organizations that advocate and perform abortions, compare the Pro Life viewpoint and Bob Casey’s record on Abortion, elaborated upon here and here.  Most citizens—even those not considered to be Pro-Life by the standards of the Pro-Life movement—are repelled when made aware that the Forgotten Taxpayer is forced to fund a BILLION dollar “nonprofit”; note the PPA’s Annual Reports  through June 30, 2009  which show corporate profits accrued from performing abortions and that salaries for individuals are generous, including that of Cecile Richards [$400K]

Embraceable You
Here is You-Know-Whom with Cecile Richards and Sen. Bob “98%” Casey, Jr.

The Values Vote and Abortion:  Abortion on Demand is unlikely to be an overtly pivotal issue because it is highly unlikely that Roe v. Wade will be overturned for another generation, if then. The Abortion issue, itself, is simply overwhelmed by the Economy, Jobs and Fiscal Instability of the Federal government and Nuclear Iran.

Like every election this is  a Values Election,  a choice between two competing world views:  Secular Humanist European Welfare Socialist State vs. an American Constitutionally Limited State built on American Exceptionalism and the principle that every life has a value endowed by Our Creator and that every life is a life worth living. The choice is between alternative value systems:  the Biblical (Torah) Worldview vs. the bloody and soulless Secular Humanism, Scientific Materialism, and Historical Determinism with the stultifying uniformity of the Leviathan Socialist State.

Fiscally, it amazes me that we, the Forgotten Taxpayer, are forced to fund a BILLION dollar “nonprofit” and PPA’s Annual Reports  through June 30, 2009)  from which some profit rather well and here(2010 CNS) Cecile Richards $400k   Note salaries paid.
(FYI:  I would not be considered to be Pro-Life by the standards of the Pro-Life movement.)

Second-Tier Issues
Restraining the Government Leviathan I would like to see Departments of Education, Energy and Commerce and the Export Import bank eliminated and their legitimate fact finding functions consolidated with, or merged into, other departments. These Departments and the Export–Import  Bank, in addition, to their functions of compiling statistics, are conduits  for massive amounts of taxpayer financed subsidies to the biggest American Corporations, corporatists all, corrupting both economic and political decisions for the benefit  of a few. Ethanol and Farm Subsidies come to mind; Boeing is prime beneficiary of Export-Import Bank guarantees, the centralization of education by the Carter Created Department of Education into a regulatory octopus that has not reduced cost or improved student learning.

TAX CODE and REGULATORY REFORM. Related to job creation and a growing, productive economy is restraining the kudzu growth of endless and incomprehensibly complicated Tax Code and business regulation.  Billions of hours of energy and work to comply with a nonproductive code would be re
leased to build and grow real, productive jobs and grow our standard of living.

BELLING THE CAT
BELLING THE CAT is mandatory.  Message and policies are not enough, for political campaigns (like businesses) are won by competently-executed plans employing quality personnel. The campaigns necessarily need  to create a statewide organization and to raise money (along with personal funds).  The challenges of money and fundraising are unrealistically ignored by TEA [Taxed Enough Already] Party Movement activists, who sometimes become fixated on policy rather than the reification of those policies.
The US Senate campaign for 2012 will likely require the Republican candidate to raise $20,000,000. Sen. Bob “98%” Casey, Jr. will have the support of every Pennsylvania and National Union who justifiably look upon him as one of their own.

From what I know, only Steve Welch and Tom Smith, and maybe Tim Burns (although Ray Zabourney is a huge drag) have the financial resources to create a state wide organization and raise the money to be competitive with Sen. Bob “99%” Casey’s financial tsunami.
Steve Welch’s campaign team, in addition to the competent Peter Towey, includes the very Establishment and very expensive BrabenderCox, which produced SEPARATED AT BIRTH video, the best I have seen, and Rick Santorum’s former fundraiser and well oiled insider Rob Bickart

Sam Rohrer has many loyal supporters but those supporters do not write checks and do not seem to coalesce into a coherent organization to deliver the message and to get out the vote. The Primary is 24 April and we will know a lot more by then.

Sam Rohrer has wide appeal and an organization but, as was shown in 2010 gubernatorial race, cannot raise the money to run a competitive race nor recruit an effective organization. Sam Rohrer’s messaging skills are exemplary and compelling.

Tim Burns is dragged down by the feckless but connected Ray Zabourney, a spawn of Self-Serving Senate Team of Jubelirer-Brightbill-Long-Nyquist-Crompton
It does not appear that Dave Christian, Laureen Cummings, John Kensinger have the financial or organizational resources or organization to run a primary.

The Candidates

It seems only Tom Smith, Steve Welch and [perhaps] Tim Burns have the financial resources to create a statewide organization and to raise the money to be competitive with the financial tsunami which will be mustered by  Casey.  Sam Rohrer must prove he can match these two criteria.

Opinion

Tom Smith is My Guy. “Independent of Leadership”; “No Squish” on policies and principles and has the resources to run a Primary.

Steve Welch is working hard and his “Separated At Birth” is a gem, maybe the best political ad I have seen.

Tim Burns is highly accomplished and solid.

Sam Rohrer brings very positive name-recognition with an ability to center the discussion on the Constitution and Limited Government and the underlying values of self-government.

John Vernon personified the excellence of our military, but has dropped-out.

Laureen Cummings has been at candidate debate forums and has been well received from media reports.

I have not gotten anything from Dave Christian or John Kensinger and don’t know them nor do I know anyone who does.

I have met with Steve Welch and am very impressed. Steve is building a solid campaign organization with Peter Towey, formerly of the Toomey campaign, and advised by Wayne Woodman, the talented and independent chair of Lehigh County Republicans. Steve is meeting with all the committee people around the state in a well organized effort to obtain the Republican State Committee endorsement and, in my opinion, is the candidate most likely to get the Republican Endorsement.

Tom Smith is unlikely to get the endorsement and has committed to running a primary against the endorsed candidate. Tom Smith as the resources and is building a state wide organization to do that. Steve Welch, also, has the resources and organization and will have to run a primary even with the Republican State Committee Endorsement.

I don’t know if Tim Burns intends to run a primary if he doesn’t get the endorsement. By hiring Harrisburg Republican Insiders, Ray Zabourney and Jan Holman, he is positioning himself to try for the endorsement. I haven’t met Tim Burns, personally, but my sense is his bio mirrors Steve Welch’s as an entrepreneurial, productive job creator.

The Candidates, Alphabetically

Tim Burns is highly-accomplished and solid, an entrepreneurial, productive job creator.  I haven’t met Tim Burns, but my sense is that his bio mirrors that of Steve Welch. By hiring Harrisburg Republican Insiders [Ray Zabourney (and fund raiser Jan Holman)], he is positioning himself to seek the endorsement.  Yet, some feel that he is dragged down by the feckless-but-connected Ray Zabourney, a spawn of the Self-Serving Senate Team of Jubelirer-Brightbill-Long-Nyquist-Crompton.  I don’t know if he intends to run a primary if he doesn’t get the endorsement. Tim Burns has high and positive name recognition in the Southwest and good relations with Rob Gleason, the chair of the State Republican Party.

Dave Christian is from Bucks County, but I have never met him. He has served our country well and is to be honored for that service, defending American security and freedom.
Skip Salveson at Lehigh Ramblings: Christian, a veteran’s advocate and Philadelphia businessman, has worked with various federal agencies including the U.S. Department of Labor, under four U.S. Presidential Administrations in Washington D.C.  He is especially proud of his work in developing jobs, outreach programs and assisting returning war veterans in transitioning back to civilian life. Christian has consistently demonstrated his commitment to veterans. He was responsible for drafting some of the first Agent Orange legislation and for founding assistance programs which established Pennsylvania as the first and only state in compliance with federal regulations with respect to serving employment needs combat veterans.
From Dave Christian’s web site:  In his civilian life, he has owned and operated a number of business ventures. He established DAC Consulting Firm which focuses on developing relationships between American and foreign companies for investment opportunities. He is the president of a defense manufacturing company located in Northeast Philadelphia which builds ground support equipment for US Navy Aircraft Carriers.
Tom Fitzgerald, The Inquirer, Big Tent, writes on 11 July 2011:  He said his exploration “is going to be short and sweet,” and that whether he can raise enough money would be the most important consideration. Christian said he would put some of his own money into a campaign as well as raise contributions from others.

Laureen Cummings—  I have never met her; I’m told she is exceptionally articulate and knowledgeable. She is “TEA [Taxed Enough Already”] Party”-oriented and, thus, committed to Constitutional Limited Government, Economic Freedom and Personal Responsibility.  Competition and choice are keys to quality and, thus, she merits a serious hearing.  Her Communications Director [@ 570-291-5658] notes that she had 20-plus years of business administration experience before starting her own business adding that, during the three years after she had started and grown her business, she was
•    awarded Businesswoman of the Year by the NRCC Business Advisory Council
•    nominated and served 2 years as Secretary on the Board of the Greater NE Chamber of Commerce
•    nominated to Who’s Who among Woman.
She is a tea party activist and the Founder of the Scranton Tea Party but she is much more.
She is currently serving as Republican Committeewoman, Old Forge Ward 3-0. Laureen recently testified in Harrisburg at the Right to Work hearing giving voice to the many wives of Union men that feel enslaved by the very system that provides their financial security.

She is a small business owner in the field of health care. As a nurse and a business owner in the healthcare field, she has personally seen the effect of the government on her business and the lives of her patients. She knows better than any of the other candidates how important it is to repeal “ObamaCare.”

She has worked with multiple campaigns and helped with her precinct, tea parties, at rallies and marches all the way to D.C., and has a history of fighting for the rights of the people as well as educating the people of their rights.

John Kensinger — I know nothing at all about this Bedford County pharmacist. The website suggests his campaign is thinly-funded.

Robert Allen Mansfield –I have met Robert several times and he is engaging, transparently decent and patriotic with a compelling biography and message; all good but not enough. Money and Organization are fatally missing.

Sam Rohrer —   is well-known as a conserver of Constitutional principles.  He brings very positive name-recognition with ability to center discussion on the Constitution and Limited Government and the underlying values of self-government; his messaging skills are exemplary and compelling.   He has many loyal supporters who, alas, do not write checks, as was shown in 2010 gubernatorial race; he must show that he can raise the money to recruit a coherent organization that will effectively deliver his message and get out his vote in a competitive race.

Marc Scaringi —  I have met him and he is polished without being slick. Like Laureen Cummings, he does not seem to have executive experience. He is an energetic and committed candidate, but his financial resources are limited; he seems to lack an organization that would enable him to run a statewide primary.

Tom Smith —  is My Guy. I want biases to be candid. He has extensive financial resources to run a very competitive primary against the Establishment’s Endorsed Candidate. Not only has he built a multi-million-dollar energy business [evidencing strong entrepreneurial and executive ability], he is solidly committed to Tea Party principles. In my opinion, energy, particularly, Marcellus Shale is the key to productive jobs that raise our standard of living; Tom Smith has real world experience in creating energy jobs.  Tom Smith on Energy: There is no quicker path to American jobs than American energy. Tom knows we need an energy policy that brings all options to the table to reduce costs and reduce our dependence on foreign sources. The Marcellus Shale, American oil, and clean coal are tremendous opportunities to bring the cost of energy down and create jobs.

Steve Welch — is working hard; I have met with him and I am very impressed.  He is building a solid campaign organization, led by Peter Towey [formerly of the Toomey campaign] and advised by Wayne Woodman [the talented and independent chair of Lehigh County Republicans]; it includes Rob Bickart [Rick Santorum’s former fundraiser and well-oiled insider]. Also assisting is the very Establishment and very expensive BrabenderCox, which produced the “Separated At Birth” video that is a gem, perhaps one of the best political ads ever created.   He is meeting with state Committee-People throughout the Commonwealth, promoting a well-organized effort to obtain the Republican State Committee endorsement.  Thus, he may be the candidate most likely to receive the Republican Endorsement.  If he does not receive it, he still has sufficient resources and organization to run a primary.

John Vernon – announced he was dropping  out  on Dec. 13.

Our Diversified Eagle

The Roar

Our Diversified Eagle

While our blessed Christmas season heightens the antics of the anti-Christians and their wannabes, it never-the-less brings home the message that nothing is insignificant.  It has become painfully clear that our Country and our traditions are in the cross hairs of diversity.

This word introduces a belief that is antithetical to our “united” American way of life.  The definition of “diverse” is, “different from one another.”  That is as simple as it gets.  How is it that after two hundred plus years of unity, we accept “diversity” as a required societal function?  Being so diametrically opposed to our American assimilation, what would cause its adoption?

This “Merry Christmas” issue presents the degree to which this alien concept has been introduced to our youth, and more importantly, accepted.  The openness of such a greeting, the warmth, the friendliness and the well wishes represents a basic cohesive value.  This image of youthful defiance silhouettes the common influence from a public education.

Results from this instruction are becoming  as varied in society as they are numerous.  In effect, our Department of Education has apparently adopted a policy in direct confrontation to our most basic American purpose.  Our bewilderment, to a most ordinary and accepted religious based practice, and which is in concurrence to our Christian heritage, offers an indisputable testament to this present day anti-American curriculum.

Consider the turn around America has undergone as far as what was and what is now.  This inclusive sense of a global partnership effectively erased our Nation’s enemies.  Almost overnight, those who caused major loss of American life were transformed into peaceful and legitimate trading entities.  In short, the “buck” has erased the communist threat!  Or did it?   The most infamous characteristic of the communist doctrine is its “Godless” belief system.  Does this sounds familiar with what is now taking place on Main St America.

The comfort zones of modern America have incurred a sort of a lazy softness throughout much of our countryside.  Hard choices are to be avoided as are perceived threats.  There is an  assumption is that all will be fine tomorrow.  With these attitudes, our vulnerability invites mischief.  And, that is exactly what is taking place today.

This “Merry Christmas” greeting is one example of our victimization.  Another is this incessant and counterproductive support to that element that finds assimilation too difficult.  Our Federal “Justice” Dept. “rejected South Carolina’s law requiring voters to show photo identification at the polls.”  Why?  Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez stated that thousands of minorities might not be able to vote because they don’t possess the correct ID.

The insinuation of this article pits the Republicans, who enacted this voter law, against the Democrats who care more about the vote numbers than about election integrity.  This decision highlights the influence gained from this hoovering cloud of “diversity.”  Not only has this all inclusive state of mind shredded our societal traditions, it now attacks our common sense legal requirements which should be non-political.

This ongoing transformation to our American landscape is intentional.  It has to be if merely based upon its consistency.  We are under attack from all quarters.  Amid this do or die period in American history, I am more and more reminded of a great Statesman who warned of this peaceful communist threat long ago.  In response, the average American was informed that this was not the actions of a patriot but of a drunken lout and a bully of the defenseless.  Could it be that the McCarthy experience provided clues as to how important our communist trading partners would become?  Seems that way.

Jim Bowman, Author of
This Roar of Ours

War on Christmas Dangerous Consequences

 War on Christmas Dangerous Consequences

By Chris Freind

 

 

“This is the way the world ends … Not with a bang but a
whimper.

Does that famous quote aptly describe America’s future?  Time will tell, but indications are that this nation, the most powerful, benevolent and fair in the world, is crumbling before our very eyes.

Like Rome, it isn’t falling from outside invasion, but within.


And one of the biggest culprits is political correctness.


It’s all around us, but especially this time of year, as the assault
on “Merry Christmas” accelerates. It used to be a standard greeting, and people would reciprocate with a smile. Your religious denomination, or
whether you even had one, didn’t matter. It was simply a friendly expression in a nation where the vast majority celebrated Christmas.
Those who didn’t returned the sentiment anyway because it was just a nice thing to do during the jovial season.


But all that changed as Americans’ sense of entitlement exploded. And
yes, that included being entitled not to feel “offended” because
something may not be to your exact liking.


“Merry Christmas? Well, I celebrate Hanukkah or Kwanzaa or am an atheist, so how dare you presume to wish me your holiday? How offensive and rude!”


But it doesn’t stop there. Hypocritical retail stores woo Christmas
shoppers—you know, the 95 percent who do celebrate Christmas and spend a
half-trillion dollars doing so—but won’t put the word “Christmas” in
their ads or on their displays.


Nativity scenes are increasingly barred from public places. Residents call the ACLU because a development hangs simple white lights on its trees. Office Christmas parties are replaced by generic “holiday” events. And there are mayors like Michael Nutter, who last year deliberately removed the word “Christmas” from the holiday retail complex near City Hall (but subsequently was forced to replace it).


All of this is a brazen attempt to make America a more secular society through political correctness; those who dare question it are labeled “bigots.”


Several important points need to be addressed:


1) The push to make all things politically correct has been successful, as it is now entrenched in all aspects of society. Everyone gets a trophy in most youth sports leagues. We don’t keep accurate score when one team is winning over another, and all things must be racially, culturally and ethnically homogenous.


The problem is that’s not how the real world works. And it’s the basic principle that the Occupy movement doesn’t understand. You have to
work hard and fight for things you want, but when they are bestowed
upon us—without merit—from those who worship at the altar of political
correctness, things go downhill fast. Need proof? Just look at those who
engage in PC the most: Europe and the United States. Enough said.


2) This is a not call for “Thought Police” to mandate that everyone say “Merry Christmas.”
Quite the opposite. It’s a call for the silent majority to wake up and
shove it right back at the small but extremely loud minority who shout
“I’m offended” at every single thing. Saying “Merry Christmas” behind
closed doors doesn’t take guts. Saying it because you truly believe it
and not worrying that such an innocuous greeting will offend does—insane
as that is.


3) Most important, Americans need to remember that actions have consequences. And until we connect the dots and see the error of being so PC, those consequences can, and will, have devastating results.


When good folks start looking over their shoulders before uttering
“Merry Christmas” for fear of “offending,” it all begins to unravel.


Think the PC stops at that? Well, think about the fact that the next time you step foot on an airplane, it may be your last day on Earth because your government—we the people—absolutely refuse to non-invasively profile the very folks who openly state their intentions to blow up said aircraft. And it gets better, as the Transportation Security Administration just announced that children under 12 don’t have to take off their shoes for screening, and will not be subject to routine pat-downs like everyone else


Here’s the $64,000 question: What do we think al-Qaeda will do now?
Here’s a wild guess: start flying a lot more with children? What’s next?
Not screening foreign children at all?


So when your wife gets incinerated two minutes after takeoff, and the
wreckage of a jumbo jet falls on your child’s school because a
terrorist put the bomb in his 11-year-old’s shoe, courtesy of the red
carpet we provided, perhaps we shouldn’t wonder why it happened.


Or when your son gets his skull sliced in half by a bullet that
emanates from a mosque in Afghanistan that is “off limits” for
retaliation for fear of offending the very people who don’t like us
anyway, maybe we should think about where it all started coming apart.


Did it start from the reluctance to say Merry Christmas, or the
refusal to put a Christmas tree on a courthouse plaza? Did it originate
from the refusal to acknowledge Christmas on a public school calendar
while other religions’ holidays are clearly labeled as such? It’s
impossible to pinpoint, but it really doesn’t matter. That mentality is
here, and has in large part led to the Great Decline.


So when the inevitable tragedy happens again—one that could have been
prevented—and dumbfounded Americans stand around asking “How and why
did this happen?,” well, you’ll know why. The ’40s and ’50s were
certainly not perfect, but people spoke their minds, were respectful,
and America was a powerhouse. That attitude put a man on the moon a mere
60 years after the Wright brothers took flight, but is now a fleeting
memory—which is what happens when you bow to the wrong principles.


When Rome was at its zenith, it adhered to the simple principle that the well-being of its citizens was paramount. All of them.In
fact, so fervent was that belief that the Romans would literally go to
the ends of the Earth to hunt down any thug that violated the rights of
just a single Roman. They didn’t let political correctness rule the day,
and the Republic thrived. But when it abandoned that principle, it all
came crashing down.


They said Rome would never fall, but it did. Many say the same about America. Yet the whimper is at our door.


So if we are to ever return to our former glory, perhaps the path begins with good folks jettisoning political correctness and saying two small but incredibly joyous words without reservation:


Merry Christmas!

 

 

My Christmas List

The Roar

My Christmas List

With Christmas right around the corner, my list needs is now for publication.  For openers, John Boehner is an establishment stooge.  Do not be fooled ladies and gentlemen.  Whether it be “the establishment,” “the Republican establishment,” the Democrat establishment” or even the “Insiders,” this influence and control stymies any hope for productive leadership.  As we all begin to anticipate the November Presidential sweepstakes, it is this shadowy influence  which requires our focus leading to its eradication.

Secondly, I am sick and tired of all this bellicose punditry.  Number one, who appointed these misfits to channel my thinking?  I think the answer comes down to the one doing the listening, me.  If we can stand back and disassociate for a time, isn’t it a bit overbearing that all these shallow voices churn our book after book and have totally overtaken the NY Times book list?  Do we really need, in all probability, the ghost writing efforts of a Dick (he was a Clintonite but now he’s a conservative) Morris, or the likes of a Karl (I’ll take down any conservative) Rove or the boisterous Bill (I can scream louder than you) O’Reilly?  In the coming new year, such viewing would be best served by downplaying their nightly discourse to our own “need to know” level.

With due emphasis upon my first two list makers, I am becoming well versed upon this recently concluded Congressional budget stalemate.  Listening to and reading of all the pros and cons, democrat verses republican and two months verses one year insistence, I now focus upon the reaction from my fellow hard working and patriotic Americans.  Echoing the sum of $19.23 per week, are we to believe that our President now beats the drums of concern for middle class working  Americans; the same class which his campaign strategists have publicly written off as being a wasted voter effort?  Or more to the point, could it be a re-electing campaign asset with the American worker caught in the middle?

The media’s coverage of this political football has fed the animosity between a differing of economic situations.  The heightened publicity surrounding this “class warfare” tactic also undresses the media’s blind support of a President who is the exact opposite from his 2008 “uniter” appeal.

My Christmas list for a better New Year centers not just upon the President but with my fellow Americans.  I’m aware that for many, on both sides of the aisle, the party comes first.  Having said this, the recent cave-in by Boehner has opened the Democrat flood gates.  Politicians being politicians, any and all want to get their jabs in while the carcass is still warm. When that $19.23 cents is combined with party support, it becomes a public no-brainer.  Further justification is fueled by the media’s incessant detailing of the Republican’s devilish support for the greedy rich.

A step back in time reveals a bargaining session, that dwarfs this current year long span of bickering and one upmanship.  Our Forefather’s creation required a compromise so that their newly written Constitution could be ratified.  Such a weighty subject as equal representation for both small and large States threatened its enactment.  However, the one difference with those negotiations verses the impasses of today is that our Founding Fathers all had the betterment of the Country as their number one goal.  And why would that be?  Simply because that they were the ones who sacrificed so much to attain what current day Americans take for granted.

So, my Christmas list ends with a hope that both sides of the aisle can find that humble respect and appreciation for what has been bequeathed.  The coming Supreme Court session, which will decide whether our Constitution includes socialism or not, characterizes just how far we’ve strayed from those founding principles.  America has but one path for her journey back to independent prosperity.  That would be a return to those constitutional limits that once keyed our prosperous growth.  Merry Christmas to all.

Jim Bowman, Author of,
This Roar of Ours

Save Philly Refineries? Get Pols Out Of The Way

 

 

Part 1 of a series on saving refinery jobs and getting America working again

For the tens of thousands whose livelihoods depend on the Sunoco and
ConocoPhillips oil refineries in Philadelphia, Marcus Hook and Trainer,
the Grinch arrived early this Christmas, announcing that all three
facilities would be closing in the near future.

But unlike the Grinch who delighted in causing misery for the sake of misery, the oil
companies seemed to have no choice. Their hand was forced by a
combination of market forces that saw them losing millions every single
day.

And now, short of the companies finding buyers, those
workers will be thrown out into the cold, unemployed in an America that
is plunging farther into the abyss. An America that doesn’t make a
bloody thing anymore. An America with the highest corporate taxes in the
world. And an America with trade policies that sell out its own
citizens.

Making matters worse, most of the workers will be
seeking new jobs in Pennsylvania, one of the least competitive states in
the nation when it comes to attracting new companies.

Doom and
gloom? No, just the hard truth. And here’s another one. Short of packing
up and moving to refinery-laden Louisiana, most of the laid off workers
will never find a job in this region close to the pay scale and skill
level that they are leaving.

Welcome to The New America, one that
too often puts the interests of its competitors – and even its
adversaries – ahead of its own citizens.

Compounding the problem
even further (if that’s possible) is the unwanted involvement of those
who caused our economic mess in the first place – the politicians. And,
as they continue to demonstrate, they don’t have the slightest clue as
to how to right the ship.

Politicians need to be taken out of the equation. Pandering for votes by holding pointless meetings with
refinery and union officials isn’t solving anything. It only gives false
hope (while providing them with 30-second sound bites).

But
here’s the good news. There is hope, more than can be imagined. Those
refinery workers could not be sitting on a better spot on Earth to reap
the rewards of a massive opportunity –  the correct utilization of the
Marcellus Shale natural gas bonanza. If the politicians do their most
important job –  and the only one they should be doing – of cutting
bureaucratic red tape and slashing stifling regulations, the free market
will take hold, creating jobs and wealth of unprecedented proportions.

But that’s a tall order.

Former
Gov. Ed Rendell, while certainly an affable chap, was never mistaken
for a genius, especially when it came to getting Pennsylvanians working
again. His mentality was that a paternalistic government knows best,
derived no doubt from the fact that he virtually never held a private
sector job in his life. Thus, he was wholly incapable of understanding
the difficult decisions that businesses must make to maintain
profitability.

So it was no surprise when, in 2009, Rendell
inserted his nose where it didn’t belong, publicly excoriating Sunoco
for its decision to lay off some of its salaried workforce. Sunoco
officials had stated the move was geared toward remaining competitive,
as the company was anticipating a “more difficult economic reality”
moving forward.

Taking his criticism even further, Rendell flatly
rejected the decision-making of Sunoco’s Chairman and CEO Lynn
Elsenhans, arrogantly saying he couldn’t take her at her word.
Incredibly, he went so far as to state the “real” reason for the
layoffs: “They are solely intended to make a profitable company more
profitable and helping pad the dividends paid to shareholders.”

So
if Ed was correct (which is always the case – just ask him), Sunoco’s
recent decision to shut down its refineries – permanently – must be
because it’s just making too much money.

Or…

Maybe the
folks at Sunoco had a slightly better idea than Ed Rendell of the
deteriorating market conditions coming down the pike, and maneuvered
accordingly to keep their head above water. Despite their best efforts
though, Sunoco did not meet with success, as the closures clearly
indicate.

Now the big questions loom – can the refineries be
saved, will a buyer be found, can they be converted to refine natural
gas, and, of course, what will be the fate of the thousands of families
whose livelihoods depend on the refineries?

While Rendell is out of the picture, the involvement of other elected officials still leaves a lot to be desired.

Earlier
this week, members of Congress emerged, extremely frustrated, from a
meeting with refinery officials, complaining that the company wouldn’t
reveal details about highly confidential strategic negotiations with
potential buyers.

Earth to Congress: Have We Met? Who
do these guys think they are that Sunoco owes them an explanation for
anything, let alone sharing privileged information of the highest
magnitude? And do we even have to mention that Congress hasn’t been able
to keep anything secret in 200 years?

And last month, a
bipartisan congressional delegation called on the U.S. Energy
Information Administration (along with the U.S. Department of Energy and
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission) to conduct an impact analysis
on the potential of the refineries’ closure.

Uh, here’s a not-so-humble message to each member of that delegation: your proctologist called. He found your head.

Are they serious? Another Blue-Ribbon study to tell us what any sixth-grader already knows?

It
will be bad. Very, very bad. Jobs will be lost, families thrown into
chaos, houses foreclosed, businesses shuttered. The refining capacity
for the East Coast will suffer tremendously (not helped, of course, by
the fact that we haven’t built a new refinery in America since 1976).
Prices will increase. Volatility will spike. And America will, yet
again, find itself bent over the barrel, spending billions more petro
dollars buying oil from hostile nations because we (READ: Congress) will
not do the obvious – implement a policy of energy independence.

So
let’s save the tens of millions of taxpayer dollars on an absolutely
meaningless study, and do something novel: solve the problem!

And
to reiterate Step One, the politicians woefully short on private sector
experience and who lack the necessary vision to turn an unfortunate
situation into a positive one need to get out of the way and let
business-savvy entrepreneurs do what they do best: Create opportunity.

Energy
is the single most important industry in getting America back on her
feet again. And retooling the refineries here in our backyard – the
right way, for the right product, to fulfill the right vision – is the
blueprint to make that a reality.

And what a Christmas present that would be!

Talk Carries the Times

The Roar

Talk Carries the Times

There’s smooth talkers, cheap talkers, fear mongering talk and just plain liars.  That just about sums up our Presidential timber.  Representatives of any or all of the above usually find their way to the top echelons of Presidential aspirants every four years.  For the most part, this current batch falls right in line.

Aside from the glibness of these hopeful prevaricators, our susceptibility to their polished fables is invigorated through the daily offerings from our journalists and political pundits.  More and more, it’s even become apparent that most of our popular radio talking heads are talking like the carnival barkers of old.  Like the infamous bank robber Willie Sutton once replied, “it’s where the money is.”

Just when will the American voter become strong enough, in mind and spirit, to be able to demand truth from our political representatives?  Being told what we want to hear has led us to this national abyss.

The 1964 fear promoted from a little girl picking a daisy in the field as a mushroom cloud rises in the background was all it took for LBJ’s re-election.  His promise not to send American boys off to fight in Asia was a classic “tell them what they want to hear” hoodwinking.  Later, we were treated to a sitting President avowing that “I didn’t have sex with that woman.”  Or how about the other classic of, “read my lips” from President Bush.  About the only instance of truth came from candidate Obama when he promised to “fundamentally change America.”

This last promise should speak volumes about what the voter wants to hear.  Three years later, I have yet to hear of an Obama supporter remembering that one word, “fundamentally.”  The idea was “change” and that single word filled the public’s ears.

I, for one, look past the candidates which are now being shoved down our throats.  Smooth talking just will not cut it anymore.  When one can step back and observe how all facets of our media are funneling this contest into a predetermined two horse race, one must start to consider other options.  And they are there for your choosing.  And from a personal point of view, one who is qualified and experienced also hails from Pennsylvania.  Why is it that not a Santorum word makes the Pennsylvania daily print?   He may not be as polished as the sound bite master or the former liberal Governor but he sure makes a lot more sense.  Just a thought.

Jim Bowman, Author of
This Roar of Ours

Out Of Control

The Roar

Out of Control

Tis the season to be merry.  However, the days are dwindling for the average “free” American to buy a necessary, practical and efficient household item of century age durability.  That would be the 100 watt incandescent light bulb, of which served us during two World Wars, not to mention The Great Depression.  Old faithful will become illegal on January first.

To begin with, our reaction of “are you kiddin me” just doesn’t quite do it justice.  Many of us have watched as our highly paid governmental officials flubbed one policy after another.  However, this is a policy which defies common sense along with the product’s useful history.  Just how much are “free” people willing to digest before the boot becomes insufferable upon our throats?

The 2007  democrat Congress passed the Energy Security and Independence Act which President George W. Bush then signed into law.  Words in the act’s title, ” Security” and “Independence” are insulting, devious and nonsensical.  How does outlawing such a useful product increase or even stabilize our “security?”   And, as far as cementing or protecting our “independence” goes, forget it!  These little curled light bulbs are the products from our patriotic General Electric plants in China.

The bottom line to this absurdity is that our government forced the closing of our manufacturing centers in America so that we could buy a product which would be made in China.

Now, one of the definitions of the word “treason” is, “a betrayal of trust or confidence.”  This Act certainly exemplifies such a betrayal.  In addition, it was bandied about Congress that this insanity would be shelved, starting with a pro-American vote in both Houses.  Our illustrious Senate became the bulb’s “A Bridge Too Far.”  The same Senate which cited the eradication of the incandescent age would, in turn, reduce the need for new power plants.  This ability, to rationalize from a 100 watt bulb onto the stage of eliminating the need for “24 fewer coal-type electric plants” defies any system for equational understanding.

To estimate just how out of the understanding loop this legislation is, reasoning leading to its passage also cited inefficiency and wasted energy.  This is the flimsy and unproven thinking which introduced such a negative result against the most standard American product ever made.

It may be interesting to note that while we all rage against the evil influences from Washington’s lobby culture, we at the same time ignore the most effective of lobbyists.  That would be the environmentalist’s greasing of the Washington gearbox.  One yet unproven outcome from this quarter is the Presidential action concerning the Keystone pipeline project from Canada to Texas.  Our President, as was likely the similar case with former President Bush, will be swayed not to endorse an instant 20,000 plus jobs project based upon the concerns and goals from this radically led environmental fringe.

In typical gradualist fashion, today it’s the 100 watt bulb, next year it will be the 75 watt followed with  the 60 and 40 watters in 2014.

In conclusion, talk floats as to the dispersing of those Americans who followed the communist dogma into the current environmental enclaves.  Wisdom preaches that “actions speak louder than words.”  Judging from their lobbying results, their influence seems frightening as they apparently have the power to eliminate common sense from the equation.  Add to this scenario the complacency of the American “go along” mentality and viola, the Red flag may be on the rise!

Jim Bowman, Author of
This Roar of Ours