And the Magic Word is NUCLEAR

Are the Republicans afraid of the word? Is it the "Third Rail" of the Energy topic?
It seems that it should be the easiest thing in the world to counter the accusations of "no new ideas." If we start using "nuclear" in every conversation about energy, the libs who hate nuclear will knock each other over racing to come up with clean coal and slant drilling off the coast to whatever is in vogue at the time.

So-called spokesmen/women who are supposed to present the logical counter attack to the Dems self-induced longer recession if we go with their 1500 page, including amendments, just can't seem to get it together.

Let's touch base with any Republican we know on a national level and ask them to get on board.

And now---

EVERY CLICHE IN THE BOOK APPLIES!!!

We are now officially dead in the water.
The die has been cast.
You can't fight city hall.
I would rather fight than switch.
Don't tell me the bad guys never win.
and on and on and on....

It's just after 2:00 at which time I heard that Al Franken is the official filibuster stopper in the U. S. Senate and even though I didn't know it at the time I'm sure this was the reason I left Minnesota in 1950 and never looked back except to visit family.

Minnesota always had a problem with the Democrat Farm Labor Party, but now the whole state is full of liberals. Remember Paul Wellstone? The only self-procalimed Socialist in the Senate. I wish John Boehner and Paul Ryan were Senators rather than Reprssentatives--we just don't have any really strong, dependable men or women in the Senate to carry the leadership mantle.

This was a bummer of a day news wise, hope tomorrow is better--

God bless.........

Unions vs The Rest of Us OR Damed if You Do and Damned if You Don't--

I'm trying to figure out the logistics as to what will happen if the healthcare bill really does exempt the union members from paying taxes on their benefits. So I looked up the statistics on the numbers of union members in Michigan and it turns out to be 771,000 at last count. Our estimated 2008 population is give or take 10million.

I really couldn't tell if the union membership figures were for industrial unions only such as UAW, electrical workers, carpenters, pipe fitters, etc., or did it include the AFSCME, teachers, nurses and white collar types plus retail workers.
At any rate I'm thinking that if they are all in the Democrat/liberal column we will have a really tough row to hoe to separate die hard Democrats not to vote with their pocketbooks on this issue.

The next problem I see coming is if 80% is really the true number of small businesses responsible for jobs and the government run and subsidized and national coverage of the already uninsured will certainly be cheaper than private insurance, what can we expect from them? Logic tells us they will stop supplying medical coverage and many more of those people will be recipients of national coverage. Remember, this is blackmail now. Play or pay. Not many choices here any more.

Or they may face another problem. If the Card check thing passes, they will be faced with the option of either watching their workforce unionize and they will just lay off whatever percentage it will take to stay in business or try to stick it out and be forced to pay higher taxes along with mandatory and higher healthcare costs.

It's just a constant puzzle with the administration and government throwing in new rules, regulations or options every day. This subject is in no way finished.

Try to rest easy-
God bless.............

Right Wing Group Helping Marty Griffin

There's an ultra right wing bunch who appear to be suicidal or else they just don'e care. They have a forgettable name, but their main purpose is to elect Marty Griffin by saying that Mike Nofs isn't conservative enough and are apparently knocking on doors to try to defeat him.

I understand that this group was also in charge of some of the Tea Parties held earlier in the year and we need to be aware of them so we don't show them any support. They are really Democrats in disguise or are showing their hands slowly so they chip away at Independents who will go Democrat with very little push.

As soon as I run across their name again I'll post it so we can all avoid them like the plague. Guess what? I "ran across" the name in the comment section when a reader was kind enough to take time to tell us the name is "New Patriot Revolution."
So write a letter to the paper or call a show to remind folks what this group is really up to.

God bless..............

ps-Just heard that the Supreme Court reversed the decision regarding the firefighters who, and I didn't know this, have been taking turns or rotating through their ranks being "boss for a day or week or whatever." That had to be really great for not only morale but efficiency. And who sent that decision to the Supremes? None other than SOTOMAYOR!

Tilting at Windmills

Remember when we talked about the individual wind turbines which cost $10,000 and would take over 40 years, without subsidies, to recover the return on investment?

Well, Parade Magazine, the one that comes with the newspaper, has a piece this week about old fashioned windmills, the kind you see out in the country on farms. They usually use them to pump water into troughs for livestock and other water needs in the country. So this article tells about tax credits for home windmills as a green or environmental project. As I see it, you'd better target farmers and ranchers or really, really rich people who live on large acreages because it certainly wouldn't pass the building codes in urban or suburban areas with lots that most of us live on.

It prompts me to tell you a story about "the olden days, when I was a girl." I have told you that my dad returned from WWII after being a POW for 44 months being captured on Wake Island, right? Well, he bought a 160 acre farm which stood for security in those days. If you had a farm you could grow everything you would need for food which city dwellers could not. And at this stage of his life that was paramount in his mind when supporting his family.

On this farm in 1946 there was what was called a "WinCharger"--a glorified windmill which captured energy and provided enough power to light the house and minimal lights in the outbuildings plus we had a 12 volt toaster and mixer and a couple of other appliances such as a radio and Christmas tree lights as I recall. We couldn't use them all at the same time, but it did provide for pumps and running water as well so we had a full bath. Life was good and the REA (Rural Electrification Agency) was working on bringing electricity to the farmers in rural areas which came around 1948. I have no clue as to exactly how this worked, but in the Minnesota prairie where there are now large farms with the great big turbines (wind farms) we had enough electricity.

The only point I would make mirrors the individual turbines in that the cost of the windmill is $40,000 and according to them, the investment recovery time would be 15 to 20 years. I would suggest that 15 to 20 years would necessitate a very large tax credit and a great location. And, it occurs to me that you need the wealth and dedication of Al Gore and his cohorts to be able to afford using such a system on a periodic basis determined by the weather while the fallback plan has a hookup to the local utility.

Hope this hasn't been too boring, but sometimes memories are fun. When one of the kids called this evening and heard what I was writing about, we started talking about the history of my family and now my kids are thinking they want the story of their grandparents written down. A woman's work is never done.....

God bless.......

Friday Night Loose Ends

Well, they did it--passed the Cap 'n Trade bill in the House. When I called Schauer's office his staffer told me he had not only read the entire bill, but also all of the amendments. Ya think? I really doubt he can read and absorb over 1500 pages in 24 hours. If he truly did, he has to be so tired he hasn't a clue as to which lever he pushed or how he voted. Only the tally board knows for sure.

Item 2-So, how much more will the rest of the workforce have to pay to make up for the fact that Obama is still paying back the unions for his election and is exempting them from having to pay taxes on employer provided healthcare if he has his way. Not going to tax the people who earn less than $200,000 huh?

Item 3-Wonder who the "powers that be" are the ones that said to back off from investigating the fraud and corruption in Acorn. Couldn't possibly be the guy who had "community organizer" on his resume for President, could it?

Item 5-Play or Pay seems to be the mantra of the present administration. At the risk of repeating myself, this is nothing more than blackmail. Isn't that against the law?

Item 6-The Cap 'n Trade liberals are pointing to Europe as a good example of what will happen when we go green. Really? With unemployment rates among young people ranging from the teens to the forties. Is that really what we want? The President specifically pointed to Spain so we can emulate their green behavior and the rate there approaches 35%. Give us a break, Obama.

I really do tune him out and generally try to find his press conferences and speeches written down somewhere so I don't have to hear his voice. Is he still going with the slogan "No New Taxes?"

Have a great weekend.
God Bless.............

ps to Wyanod;I posted a comment on louisvillian as requested but when I pressed submit my text was erased leaving only my name and address. Sorry, I'm not very
good at that kind of thing.

Did anyone watch the ABC Infomercial last night?

Here it is approx 11 hours later and we have heard little about the infomercial. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that although I wasn't home for much of the day I did catch the fact that a couple of celebrities died and took all the oxygen out of the news hours. Having never held a show biz type as a "fan" it is difficult for me to relate to those who really hold icons such as Jackson and Fawcett in such high esteem. However, it's a sign of the times and important to their generations and for that reason my prayers are with you.

MEDIA INFLUENCE

We hear so much about the media bias toward the left that with all the evidence it is hard to refute it. Starting with the Obama/Clinton race it was obvious that if we were to make a comparative list of experience in governing or education, etc. that Hillary Clinton would come out ahead in a double blind study. The difference?
The media had fallen in love with the idea of electing the first black over the first woman.

And, of course, in the general election it was no contest. The die was cast and Obama was the choice of the media. Now comes the hard part: was it accidentally or on purpose?

You've heard of price fixing among manufacturers. It's against the law. Can you just imagine, however, the Deans of Journalism schools at various universities deciding that it would be not only fun or amusing, but they could actually end up with a study which would prove the worth or influence that the media has on the outcome of elections. Do you suppose, as we speak, there are rooms full of students in front of computers crunching the numbers with all the variables to prove how very, very important they are? Wonder how long before one of them publishes the results.........

We have covered, albeit in bits and pieces, some of the arguments against government controlled medical care. We'll try to put it together next week. In the meantime do you have any questions or subjects you'd like me to cover in interviews with candidates for Attorney General? I need all the help I can get.

Sleep well-
God bless..........

From the Jackson Citizen Patriot newspaper: Under the Byline of Leonard Pitts- "GOP, bigotry go hand in hand"

When I saw this in my local newspaper this evening, I penned the following letter to the editor:

Tonight we have two choices: 1-write a terse note cancelling our 33 year subscription to the Cit Pat or 2-explain why and then wait a reasonable time before going with #1.

Leonard Pitts has to be one of the most vile, vicious, vitriolic writers walking the planet. If we thought for one minute that he were representative of the thinking of most African American citizens, we would despair of much of what makes this country great and just plain give up on the future.

Neither of us has ever met or associated with anyone who remotely resembles what that man stands for. He is as biased as any of the people he despises--perhaps more so. Anyone who writes with such hate must have curried this attitude throughout a lifetime and the only thing that will help him out of his miasma of misery are the prayers of those who know him and care about him. Love your enemies, right?

Some twenty years ago in the mid-eighties when the Jackson GOP was fortunate in having James Meredith as our Lincoln Day speaker he shared this: the modern day Black voter has traded his ancestor's plantation master for the Democrat party. That might have more to do with voting patterns than Mr. Pitts' opinion.

On a personal level I can say that I probably put in more time as a member of the NAACP than 99% of the black community. Yes, there is still discrimination and we need to fight it wherever we find it, but Mr. Pitts' cohorts who foster bigotry of blacks toward others can see no way out. You see, he doesn't want to be standing alone in his hate.

The Cit Pat is long overdue in giving its readers an opportunity to vote on their favorite comics, news types and columnists. Oh, for the days of William Raspberry who certainly accomplished much more with wine than Pitts' vinegar.

We'll wait a few weeks to see what happens here.

Signed by me and my husband. If you're curious about the article, I guess you can find it online. As for me, I like to hold my newspaper.

That's it for tonight.

God bless..............

GIVING MONEY TO NISSAN AND TESLA?

What is going on?

Why would our government give billions of dollars for "energy research" to foreign car makers? American taxpayers want to know!

Why did Mark Schauer figure it was more important to play baseball than to answer mail from constituents?

It was early February when I first asked Schauer for his view on the Chrysler give away. Some time in March my husband wrote to ask him about the statement he made at his "Congressman on the Corner" meeting when he said he would protect our 2nd Amendment rights. About a month ago I asked him his opinion of having any health plan used by federal employees including Congress and the administration to "road test" any plan for a couple of years to be sure of its viability and accessibility.
No response as yet. Not even a form letter.

We did, however, as I reported earlier, receive a form letter thanking us for "taking part" in a conference call. Remember, that was the one where all of the callers were lined up and he called on them by name and referenced mutual memories.

Other than the baseball and some very innocuous radio interviews and a letter to the editor of the local paper on the death of Cong. Pursell, we just aren't hearing anything from the guy. Previous Congressmen, Smith and Walberg in particular, used to send out reports on pending legislation along with some pro and con information. I get the feeling he just doesn't want us to know what he is up to.
Why not?

And why do I get the feeling thare is someone or some group who has a master plan similar to putting together a model airplane with Tab A going into Slot D and Tab C going into Slot E. Looks something like: Times editorial today, NBC White House interview tomorrow, followed by Newsweek cover photo, skip one day then schedule press conferences and bill signings and interviews in the Rose Garden the next 3 days and do a Chris Matthews show followed by the ABC special from the Blue Room just in time to sell the healthcare program. Take a day off, but don't go to church, the people just can't take the hassle.

The only good news I've heard all day is that Lola Sez was mentioned in the contest put out by Right Michigan alongside some of the really smart, savvy bloggers. Big problem though. Not being a computer nerd I don't even know how to comment to thank Nick for the honor of being mentioned. So this will have to suffice. Thanks, kiddo.

God bless.........

Cellphones, a Love/Hate Relationship--Are We Guilty as Charged?

This could be a post with the usual Top Ten Reasons to Hate Cellphones, including folks who think everyone within a 40 ft radius should be interested or impressed with either their love life or their importance at the office or the drivers who would rather talk than watch where they're going or those who bump into you while they are texting or are rude enough to text while having a conversation.

But tonight we're going to dig a little deeper. And you can call it the political angle if you want, because it's not too much of a stretch to make the connection.

This is from an article in the Catholic Times by a Comboni Missionary apparently based in Cincinnati, Ohio. And if you were concerned about kids making T-shirts for Nike in China, or genocide in Rwanda or starvation and violence in Darfur be prepared to add this one to your list and then, I hope, we will start to wonder what we can do about it. And it takes place in Democratic Republic of Congo.

"People in Congo, including little kids, mine a mineral called Columbite-tantalite, or coltan for short. Without coltan, our phones wouldn't work and 80% of the world's supply comes from Congo. The average Congolese makes about $10 a month, but if you're lucky enough to work in the coltan mines, that can become $10+ per week. That would be true if it happened, but it doesn't."

Why? Because much of the ore is mined illegally and smuggled by militias from Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda into those countries and they, including the Rwandan army, makes the millions of dollars from the sale of the stolen ore.

The 'coltan rush' has both Congolese adults and kids forced at gunpoint to work in the mines. They're underpaid, poorly fed, get no health care and work terrible hours. If they die in the process, they're tossed aside.

No one is going to give up their cell phone, but in my opinion we should all be willing to put a target on Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Motorola, Nokia, etc., etc. and let them know that this would be one tax or fee we would willingly pay if they would change their purchasing practices. Their offers of Buy 1 Blackberry and get the next one free or half price or whatever the "deal of the day" might be, could very well include the nickel, dime or quarter which would enable them, when multiplied by the millions of phones, to ease our consciences and we'd all smile more and sleep better.

Ideas, anyone?

God bless............

Hope You Fathers had a Happy Father's Day!

A lot of the talk shows lately have been discussing the huge amount of press the Obamas have been receiving and the conclusions drawn appear to be that the American public is so enamored of them that all of the network radio and television stations can't seem to put on enough hours from the White House, etc. due to "public demand."
Print media is just as bad. After all, Obama himself noted that all of the press voted for him. Newsweek has had him on the cover 19 times in less than a year?

Let me draw an analogy. Some years ago as you will recall, there was a "slow chase" by the police of the guy who was driving O. J. Simpson in a white van on a California freeway. I think the top speed was something like 40-45 mph and the "chase" lasted about 3 hours.

I can remember clicking through all the channels on the TV to get something else, but there was absolutely nothing else playing. At which time I turned it off. So don't tell me that over 90% of the public wanted to watch that chase because of all the televisions turned on THAT WAS ALL THAT WAS AVAILABLE!!! There was no other choice.

I was thinking about that for the last couple of days when Fox had all Iran news all the time. We tuned in for a few minutes here and there, but I'll bet their story is that of course they gave it 100% coverage because that was what their public demanded. I can live with that decision due to the seriousness of the story.

However, given the choices between what other stations may have been running I have a feeling, since I probably spent less than 2 hours yesterday and today combined and can't prove it, the other stations were undoubtedly airing their usual programming which probably had a lot more of the White House and Washington than they did of what is happening in the Mideast which could lead the world to all kinds of violence, bloodshed and upheaval.

Will leave you tonight with the usual blessing and a prayer for a positive outcome for the protests in Iran.

ps-Thanks so much to Bruce B for taking the time and making the effort to give us the detailed information he posted on June 19.

Ever Hear a Politician Promise to be Brief?

That's really a joke in most cases and although I'm not a true politician you must be aware that it takes up a disproportionate share of my time. However, tonight it will be brief-

Going to a "going away-good luck" cook-out for the Doctor/Captain Air Force Grandson leaving next week for 2 years in Germany. Just finished cooking one of his favorites and it's one of those labor intensive recipes that is not written down but came down through the family. This is the one who went through the G-Force experience I told you about a few weeks ago. He brought home a video of the event which was quite an eye opener, especially when he "came to" after passing out.

Just a couple of passing thoughts--

We talked about Obama the Liar recently and one example came across my desk Friday-the one about never taking away our Second amendment rights. Something, like "I would never take away your gun rights." Well, it's in the process now, with Eric Holder leading the charge.

And now that Obama is responsible for the warranty on my GM car even though he says he really doesn't want to run car companies - what? It sure looked like he had a deal going with Fiat for some reason or other.

Now that he has said "If you like your private healthcare insurance, nothing will change." Well, folks, I'm thinking that would go down a lot better if he gave me a written guarantee and what do you think the chances are of that happening?

And last, the news today was all the time Iran. God bless 'em. Of course our President, having committed himself to a "talk" foreign policy, seems to be hedging his bets by more talk so that no matter who wins he will be on the side of the angels and can make nice with either one of them. All I can do is wonder if the Iranian youngsters were able to see democracy in action in Iraq and figure they wanted some of that. Thank you George W.

See you after the party tomorrow--

God Bless..............

Do You Ever Wonder Why?

Why the spokesperson the Obama team sends to a hearing on healthy lifestyles has to weigh oh, say in the neighborhood of 200 pounds? Uh, pot calling kettle!

Why would a 10 cent tax on soda or sugary drinks also be levied on diet soda/pop.

Why Obama would attend a Hispanic Prayer Breakfast, but made excuses not to attend the traditional service?

Why it is such a "security nightmare" for the Obamas to attend a church when as far as I know every President until now has seemed to surmount that problem. Maybe it's the celebrity status......

Why, if it truly presents a problem for the spiritual life of any church in Washington, isn't there an arrangement made for private prayer services in the White House? And if they think they would be criticized for being "exclusive" they could invite certain groups to join them.

Why, if they have truly taken some of the questionable projects out of the stimulus package, don't they share with us that list instead of the usual "trust me" attitude.

Why were we treated to the mantra of a new administration practicing reliability and transparency and we have anything but.

Big day tomorrow-Republican State committee meeting so as usual,
Sleep well.
God bless...........

OBAMA THINKS THE AMA WILL HELP HIS CAUSE?

I'm told that only 25% of the MDs even belong to the AMA and hardly any of the surgeons, so if they really booed him about the malpractice issue it doesn't make a lot of sense to be stroking the only part of the medical profession which would have a disproportionately low number of malpractice cases. Surgeons have a very high percentage of malpractice suits--it's logical since it's easier to pinpoint "blame."

In the 24 hours since that speech to the Docs there has been a never ending stream of news items in all branches of the media describing the various angles of disagreement with the "plan." I'm thinking it may not be too late to have some influence on the outcome.

If all of us, including those who have Democrat representation in Washington, were to pick out the one issue that is at the top of our personal list of disagreement and write to them about it, they might get the message. After all, all those House guys and women have to run again next year.

Now Debbie and Carl are a different matter, but if we put it to them as though we will not forget this issue, and IT CAN ONLY GET WORSE their own re-elections may be in jeopardy. This probably becomes a moot point since Debbie may feel forced out if Jennifer really wants that job and somehow I just don't think "old" Carl will run for another term. You gotta wonder what he is really looking at as he peers over those glasses.

Obama's plan to reform healthcare really should be at the top of our priority list of Things to Defeat because not only might it bankrupt the system it doesn't even have a snowball's chance of being successful.

Think about this: if it weren't for Fox News we wouldn't have any source at all in the major media of getting real facts, the other side of the story, or certain information would not be available at all. I realize there are some dependable Internet sources, but most are still in a developmental stage and haven't been around long enough to have historical credibility. I hope someone with the resources to tabulate and publish statistical proofs is working on it as we speak.

Another day gone, just one more day until the Republicans hold their first State Committee meeting with all that entails. Hopefully we'll have something to report.

God bless...........

Social Security/Medicare: Entitlements? NOT!!

I am getting sick and tired of hearing Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid lumped together as a percentage of the Gross National Product or the Budget. Medicaid stands all alone at the top of that heap and Medicare probably has a little help, although I've never seen an actual breakdown of the shortfall of "premiums" paid.

What premiums? Well, folks, look at your paychecks and retirees, look at your Medicare statement demonstrating how much per month you pay for Medicare. This is not a freebie. I'll try to get those figures.

As for Social Security, back in the day when I was 5th Vice Chair, I used to travel around with a presentation which undoubtedly has changed a bit (it was 1996 to 2002) but the percentages are probably still fairly close. The statistics showed that if you were a lower income worker, you would recoup all you had contributed to the Social Security program within a very few years. If you were a middle income person it would take about 25 years to get back all your money meaning you would have to live until 90 years of age and if you were in the upper income brackets you would never get it back.

Now, don't forget, your employer matched every dollar you put in so you're looking at a whole bunch of money which was so tempting to Congresses through the years that they found ways to "loan" it to the general fund that now that there are fewer workers per retiree they are not breaking even.

As I recall, there were 17 workers for every retiree in 1950, by 1996 there were only 3 and by 2029 there will be only 2. With the change in birth rates plus abortion, I can't be sure of the demographic, but it's still fairly close. Oh, and by the way, they do say that depending on how long we live, there is the possibility that there will be a one to two percent return on investment. Whoopee!!

In the time frame when I was more precise with the numbers I do remember that health-care was 1/7 of the budget and now I believe it is approximately 1/5 so all of the predictions are coming in as expected.

So, listen folks, your parents or grandparents who are collecting Social Security are not on the public dole or welfare as Democrats would have you believe. It was a forced savings plan with very little return on investment. Most of us would have done better on our own--even with the market down as it is now. Over time the market has served free enterprise very well. If only we could keep the government out of it. Barney Frank and Chris Dodd and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have a lot to answer for.

Just don't let them kid you. And don't forget, you are already paying into Medicare so you can be under government controlled healthcare when you're older. Look at the decisions they are making now and project where it will be when you are old enough to collect some of what you are "investing."

Now and then I leave you with "sleep well." It's a good thing I put this up late at night with you reading it the following day. If you read it before bedtime, you might toss and turn a bit.

God bless...........

MICROSOFT'S BING .COM HAS A POTTY MOUTH

I know that search engines use variations of words and closest to the word and other ways of looking for what I might type in to try to get to the closest thing I may be looking for.

Well, long story short, sometimes I tell people that if they google "Lola Sez" instead of trying to remember the blogspot address you will get a link to the 2 or 3 most recent posts. And can go on from there.

So when I heard about Microsoft's new service in competition with Google I thought I would check it out.

You can imagine my surprise when the first page of entries all had Lola associated with sex (I can see the similarity in spelling) but when there is an exact match, I can't imagine why they would post the "close" one at the top and maybe or maybe not, I didn't go past the first page, they would post an "exact" match.

I went to their website and there is no way to contact them, so I'm telling you instead.

Just a warning--I'm sticking with Google and now I need to find out how I can get bing.com off my toolbar. One hour later-called Comcast and Sparkle walked me through going to the Control Panel, clicking on Add/Remove then scrolling until I found the Microsoft butterfly with toolbar and removed it!

See ya

God bless......

Where is Jimmy Carter When You Need Him?

He's going somewhere this week, but he should have been in Iran last week, but then maybe he knew it was a lost cause.

Biggest problem I see is Israel. What would you do if you were Israel and you had absolutely no friends. Right. Not even one.

They used to have their big brother, the U.S., who would stick up for them when the going got tough, but now we've thrown them to the wolves. And there were a few kids in the neighborhood, the Jewish people living in the U.S., who through the years have helped them monetarily as well as morally, but they have all deserted them as well.

I'll never know how their Jewish relatives and friends of generations have traded their heritage for a fast talking liberal from Chicago. But then he seems to have destroyed quite a lot of relationships along the way to his success. It appears that just like all the others they are mesmerized and still believe that "we should give him a chance. Give him a little more time." Well, Obama couldn't even bring himself to look Netanyahu in the face when being interviewed, but bows and scrapes when talking to the Muslims all over the place. How very sad.

Does it sound like I'm a little more upset than usual? Maybe it's because Obama called me a liar today and I resent the heck out of it. He says that folks who say the option is a Trojan Horse are liars. Well, this really smart guy only has an opinion as well I do. I only call him a liar if he has said something and then goes ahead and does something diametrically opposed to a previous decision. or if he has made a promise and broken it. Then he is a liar, but if it's just his opinion he's welcome to it. And he should allow me the same choice.

And you know, I hadn't given too much thought to the birth certificate issue. Now that he is calling folks who are truly concerned with the issue a bunch of loonies and other things I'm thinking--why doesn't he just show it to them? It would be so easy. Now I'm getting suspicious. I'm thinking maybe he's just holding it in reserve so if things start going badly with any of his "projects" he can haul it out and change the subject--probably on a Friday.

It's really quite frustrating.

Sleep well--
As they say, don't bother counting sheep, talk to the Shepherd.

God bless.............

Abolish Subsidies

I'm thinking that one way to save a whole lot of money is to just do away with all subsidies. They won't outlaw tobacco but they want to regulate it and tax it, but they still subsidize it, right?

What about all the hullabaloo about everyone eating too much junk food. Much of which contains sugar. Now they have a campaign going to keep us away from sugar but they still subsidize it, right?

If they do the Cash for Clunker thing, isn't that a subsidy? Especially for Fiat?

Farmers are going to be told what they can plant, how much they can plant and do they still get cash for idle acres? A subsidy on the one hand and a restriction on the other.

Play or pay--
That is nothing more than what anyone not a politician would call a threat or a promise or just plain blackmail. Bribery comes to mind and all of this just plain is not the kind of lessons we want to teach the young people of the future. Talk about an uneven playing field.

And speaking of that, shouldn't the union bosses have a czar to determine what their salaries should be? Another one I forgot to mention the last time we broached this subject is charitable organizations like the Red Cross and United Way. If other non-profits are under government restrictions, certainly those who take money from those who believe they are helping a good cause should know that it's not going into the pockets of the executives.

On the other hand, let's start the week with a chuckle or two.

Non Sequiter has had an ongoing conversation between a couple kids and a Martian who admitted that "Martians sent us the program for Twitter as a joke."

And Frank and Ernest are sitting in front of the fireplace with cigars and brandy and the caption "What could be more appropriate than using bailouts for golden parachutes?"

And last, Zits' friend says "You said THAT?? Dude, your mom must have had a total hissy fit!" to which Zits answers "Not really. After sixteen years of me she says she's running our of hissy."

And just about the time I hear something more outrageous than the day before and am on my last hissy, along comes another one. As far as the eye can see, there is an endless supply of hissy as poor Zits will find out.

In the meantime, sleep well--

God bless............

Boomers Apologizing to this Year's Grads?

No joke! Many speakers at this years College Commencement ceremonies are telling the graduates that they screwed up and are leaving them with a real mess that they are going to have to clean up. It is noted that these speakers are filled with "self-recrimination and gloom" over the state of the economy, etc. Apparently the grads aren't as gullible and accepting as they might be--they are wondering why the Boomers aren't doing a little more and moving a little faster than to clean it up themselves.

My personal take might surprise you.

In my opinion it is the "Greatest Generation" who should be apologizing to both the Boomers and their kids which in effect are their own offspring and grandkids plus, in many instances, their great grandkids. Of course WWII generation are hard working, innovative and made untold sacrifices and the country has prospered. And they well deserve to be called Great.

Here comes the "but." They grew up during the Depression, went to war and sacrificed much. Things were tough all over, as we used to say. To the point, when all those young folks married and started families the mind-set was "my children are not going to have to do without as we did and will never have to want for anything." Consequently, Boomers are looking for instant gratification and for lack of a better term were "spoiled rotten."

Now, don't go throwing stones--of course, there are many fine young Boomers who have always had their noses to the grindstone, worked their way through college and are responsible and accountable citizens. I'm talking about the group who think they are "entitled" to a life of ease and plenty. And there are many, many of them.

We therefore have a country where many are suffering for the sins of the relative few who have little in the way of a value system which is based on honesty and integrity. We can only hope that this is a lesson being learned so that history will not repeat.

(Just the other day one of the "old guys" who go to the local Y and indulge in talking politics in the steam and locker rooms had a bit of a surprise. They were talking about current happenings when a younger fellow spoke up and said they should give the new President a chance. Having seen their retirement nest eggs shrink they weren't having any of it and asked him what he thought about having to pay pretty hefty taxes, fees and license costs at his age. His response was that he didn't have a job. After a rather long pause one of "old guys" asked how he could afford the Y membership and his answer was that the Y has special programs for poor people, which of course, are funded in part by the "old guys" dues. Need I say more?)

So no generation really owes the next an apology. Any mistakes made were unintentional and the legacy of the Greatest Generation is still intact even though we see that sometimes we erred. Now that the Boomers are recognizing that there were mistakes made by them it should be possible to rectify some of them and maybe, just maybe, the next generation will learn from both of us.

Just some food for thought--

God bless............

FOLLOW THE MONEY OR THE MASTER OF COMPENSATION CZAR

Are you scared yet? Do you think this is the change they had in mind?

You know, the one where the wealth is redistributed by that same formula the feminists wanted to use where the trash hauler makes the same money as the teacher or vice versa? Sort of like: we're all created equal and it doesn't matter how much education you had or how dirty the job was or should you be strong enough to carry a victim out of a burning building?

I can see it now.

1-The Master sets the pay scale for the banks and insurance companies who took TARP money - that starts the service industry/business control

2-Then the Master sets the pay scale for the executives of GM and Chrysler because they are publicly owned

3-Next he looks at what is the easiest low-hanging fruit and aha! how about non-profit businesses? Like hospitals...That won't upset the private enterprise folks, will it.

4-When he takes care of them he sets his sights on the people who compete with the non-profits and say--Gee, guys, this isn't fair--You are all in the same business and just because you make some money, you shouldn't be paid more than other folks in the same business.....

5-If the hospital administrators all have to take pay cuts, why not start with a sliding scale for doctors based on how much time they have put in. Specialists should get a little more than GPs, right? Besides, we have a vested interest in the healthcare field and we have a right to input here

6-Let's revisit the automobile industry. If GM and Chrysler have taken pay cuts, shouldn't Ford have to meet our "industry standard?" Don't forget, we are putting money (a subsidy) into GM and Chrysler so Ford has an unfair advantage if we "let" them do their own thing

7-If the automotive engineers, accountants and production staff are on our scales, we should look at all the engineers: civil, mechanical, aeronautical, environmental, and all the rest should be on "level playing fields" whether they work for NASA or the Department of Transportation in Idaho

8-Public employees such as teachers shouldn't have such discrepancies in their pay scales, should they? A college instructor with a master's degree doesn't work any longer hours than a high school teacher with the same education, and they're both paid for with tuition and tax money and should be non-profit so we should put them in the same category

9-We've been forgiving education loans for graduates who go into particular fields or even geographical areas. If there are no fields where there are high salaries because we've leveled the playing field, all junior colleges, 4 yr colleges and universities should be free to all high school graduates

10-Everyone puts the same amount of time into his or her working years and generally there's not much difference in pay so the Social Security or retirement investment is approximately the same, so let's just set retirement categories as well

I could go on and on and on, but you get the picture and no doubt could make your own list. Do you see what's happening? After we have lost the freedom of speech, religion and self-defense and everyone is earning like homogenized milk, whatever happened to this land of the free?

One last thought on Letterman-if there is not a word for it in the psychology glossary, there should be. The definition of anyone, not just so-called comedians, who make mean-spirited remarks which are generally hurtful but the ordinary person doesn't defend him/herself because it hurts too much, if called on it says, "can't you take a joke?" I've known a few of these jerks and I'm sure you have also. We really should stop letting them get away with it.

Let's sleep on it. Have a good week-end.

God bless.........

Let's De-centralize the U. S. Government!!

First off, I need to give credit where credit is due. My brother-in-law and wife are visiting and of course we have exhausted political conversational topics for the day. Cliff has come up with an idea that I wonder if its time has come:

Keep the Presidency and Congress and maybe the Supreme Court in Washington, D. C. Move everything else to an appropriate area of the country such as the Department of Agriculture in Des Moines.

This would accomplish two very important issues facing the country today. 1) It would remove Washington as a target for an attack that could bring the country to a standstill and 2) It would give an economic boost to wherever the agencies move.

If we look at the statistics re unemployment, we are sure to find that Washington, D.C. has a very low unemployment rate. That when the rest of the country is suffering from any economic downturn Washington just goes merrily along and in fact probably gains jobs because the government has an excuse to hire more people to administer the "necessary programs" to deal with the crisis. Remember, Rahm Emanuel says we should ever let a crisis go to waste.

Just think how many jobs have been created in less than 5 months of Obama's administration to staff the new 15 czars alone. They all need staff and office space and furniture and computers and telephone systems and the myriad of other necessities of opening an office.

Then add to that they need to move to DC if they aren't already here and their wives and children will need new clothes and furniture to fit into DC society. And the private schools will need to hire a few extra teachers or aides plus chauffeurs and caterers and all the other things Washingtonians just can't do without.

We could put the FBI in Houston, the CIA in Chicago, the EPA in Minneapolis, the Department of Transportation in Detroit, the Department of Interior in Omaha or Kansas City, the Department of Commerce in Nevada, the Department of Labor in Ohio, the Department of Defense in New Orleans, the Department of Treasury in Fort Knox, well, you can see where we're going with this. (Don't put all the blame on my brother-in-law, I made up a bunch of this stuff myself.)

But, you know, if you look at this with an open mind, it's not really such a bad idea. Think of all the arts and educational facilities that could be housed in some of those buildings in Washington. Wouldn't the Pentagon make a beautiful museum?

This could add a whole new meaning to the President's concept of redistribution of wealth. Just think what he could come up with.

It's time for a break. Rest well--
God bless............

Added Friday morning-
You just have to click on "Right Michigan" on the link list. An excellent article on solar power!! (Hopefully this weekend I can put on links to other blogs I follow. This came from the blogprof.com.

Tonight's History Lesson - Under The Oaks - 1854

The historical marker in the Under the Oaks park says, "Here, Under the Oaks July 6th, 1854, was born the Republican Party, destined in the throes of civil strife to abolish slavery, vindicate democracy and perpetuate the union."

Jackson is the Birthplace of the Republican Party.

However, we must recognize that good citizens across the nation at the time were in agreement with the general philosophy and need for change and meetings were held from Ripon, Wisconsin to Bangor, Maine and Washington, D.C., Exeter, New Hampshire and Friendship, New York. Smaller meetings also occurred in Crawford, Indiana, Ottawa, Illinois and Freedonia, N. Y. These meetings were held before July 6 of 1854, but Jackson's claim is stronger than any other.

Witness: All other meetings were extremely local and were comprised of relatively few people. In Jackson there were citizens from Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan numbering in the thousands!! (Estimates ranged from 1,500 to 10,000.)

At the end of the day, the name "Republican" was formally adopted, a platform had been initiated, candidates were nominated (many of whom were elected) and there was no question that this event was arguably the first convention of the party!

Conceived elsewhere, perhaps.....
Born in Michigan, no doubt!!!!

You are invited to attend our annual commemoration of that historical event on Monday, July 6 at 6:00 P.M. You will hear of some of the events and personages who were instrumental in changing history and although we do not bill this as a political rally, in fact, there will be no political speeches, but there will be many candidates for office in attendance and you will be able to meet and greet as many as you would like.

Just a couple of political observations:
It came up in a conversation today with #2 son and his wife that we could very easily draw an analogy between some of the "anything goes" types like Emmanuel and Carville and mercenaries. Honorable men and women serve in the military for a variety of noble reasons, but far back in history we have had mercenaries who go to war for the money and opportunity to loot.

The other thing that happened today was the shooting at the Holocaust Museum by a deranged anti-Semite. A friend told me that Jeremiah Wright said yesterday when he was asked if he has much contact with the President "them Jews won't let him talk to me." Don't get me wrong, I don't mean there is any direct connection, but it does demonstrate how making derogatory remarks in the hearing of someone of weak character can be dangerous. We probably all need to think of the potential damage if our words might be taken out of context. We cannot stop telling the truth and trying to educate those who need to learn--it is just as dangerous not to speak out at wrongs in society. The silence when faced with bad behavior might denote approval
or agreement.

We all have a job to do. Speak up and speak out to right wrongs.

God bless...............

WRAP UP AND THANK YOU!

My sincere gratitude to the candidates for Secretary of State!

At a time when these folks are burning the candle at both ends, are no doubt exhausted, but are looking at the future of Michigan as well as to their own futures it is doubly appreciated that they would take the time to formulate answers to what some may not consider of vital importance.

I am certain that each of us has had a time in our lives when we can look back and if not doubt, at least second guess, decisions we made for ourselves and our families. And then know that there is no guarantee that even if you put every bit of energy and resource into that effort that you will be successful. It is, after all, a contest.

A couple of housekeeping notes: When I read over the last question I realized I had omitted Anne's last remark (in the interest of saving space, I think.) She went on to say "No one should have to work on their birthday!" and she had a big grin on her face. It was the end of the interview and we both relaxed. Anne has a fine sense of humor that isn't always apparent because she is serious about the job.

I am sorry that we had a mix-up with email communication to start with Cam. He has always been a straight shooter and a good friend. I shouldn't have "needled" him as I would have had it been just between us. Glad we got it straightened out. Sooner or later he will publish some of the books he is carrying around in his head.

And as for Michelle--I am so glad she is running for a statewide office giving me a reason to make a new friend. She has had such an interesting life already and has such a long way to go. (No gray yet.)

I hope you all get an opportunity to meet these candidates, any one of which will do a great job for us. Maybe reading these questions will motivate you to attend an event where they may be speaking especially if you'd rather stay home.

So tomorrow is the first day of the rest of our lives and I need to get a few things off my chest that have been piling up like:

Letterman, now that Leno is gone for awhile, is sure the King of Mean. A guy who flaunted his bad behavior ridiculing Sarah Palin's daughter? The nerve!

And who is surprised that Obama is on the Celebrity list? He's a pretty good actor, after all. I don't even understand his comment that we "lost our values after 9/11."

We have a local Chrysler dealer who lost his franchise making lemonade out of that lemon by a television ad which says he is having a "government ordered sell out."
Telling it like it is. This whole car thing is a house of cards.

Question: How long do we give "talk" to show results? How many tests will Iran make before they capitulate? How many times will China laugh in Geithner's face before he can convince them he's really the smart one? Does next summer on the ice ring a bell?

Today Obama said "don't spend what you don't have." He's gotta be kidding! Since we have to borrow fifty cents for every dollar we spend isn't this the height of hypocrisy?

And last for tonight, we need to talk about Medicare and Social Security being social welfare programs. Doesn't anyone look at a pay stub? That's 15% of your pay going to Social Security! (I'm not sure of the percentage for Medicare.) Anyhow, if they can't stop stealing from the Social Security what do they expect? These programs are pretty much bought and paid for by us!

Shall we start on interviews for the gubernatorial race? Would you like to submit questions? When we do that we will probably take only one question at a time since there are so many candidates. Let me know what you're thinking.

Sleep well,
God bless.........

Sec'y of State -Questions 8, 10 and 11

#8 - What organizations are your strongest supporters?

Michelle: I am proud to have repeatedly earned the support of conservative groups like Right to Life of Michigan, the National Rifle Association and the Michigan Chamber of Commerce and others throughout my legislative career.

Cameron: In my House and Senate campaigns I have been endorsed by Right to Life of Michigan, the NRA, Chamber of Commerce, Citizen's for Traditional Values, Michigan Farm Bureau, the Small Business Association of Michigan and others.

Anne: In the past Right to Life and the NRA have not endorsed countywide candidates. I have been endorsed by our area Board of Realtors, Marshall and Battle Creek Chambers of Commerce, the Farm Bureau and the Municipal Clerks Association.

Note: All three candidates have lists of individual endorsements on their websites which I will list in the wrap-up tomorrow.

#10 - What do you want the voter to know about you on a personal level?

Cameron: I'm proud to be the sixth generation of my family to live in southwest Michigan. My wife Helen and I live in the farmhouse built by my great-great grandparents just outside of Sturgis.

My father was an attorney and naval officer in WWII and my mother was an RN. Together, they instilled in me and my siblings a deep love of God and country. My desire to serve comes from these values. You can read much more about Helen and me at my website.

Anne: I have been active in party politics since 1976 and have learned politics from the ground up. I currently serve as the 7th District vice chair and have served as a precinct delegate, state committee member and budget committee member. I was appointed chairwoman of the Michigan Women's Commission by Gov. John Engler and was a presidential appointee to the Selective Service Board. I am a proven vote-getter receiving the most votes in the last 6 presidential elections.

None of this would be possible without the love and support of my husband, Jim. We've been married for 36 years, have two great children and three incredible grandchildren. You can find more on my website.

Michelle: On a personal level I would like people to know that my family keeps me grounded and inspires me to try to do better for our state. When I married my husband, Keith, 14 years ago, I also gained a daughter. My oldest, Jessica, is now 21 and a student at Ferris State University. My middle daughter, Mary is 11 -- going on 16. And next month, we will celebrate the one year anniversary of our trip to Korea to bring our son, Ben, home. He turns two in September. One of the happiest moments of my life was stepping off the plane in Traverse City and welcoming Ben to his new home!

#11 - If you could be Queen, or King, for a Day, what would you do?

Anne: Oh, that's easy. I would clear the calendar and those of my daughter, my daughter-in-law and my grand daughter and we would spend the day at the spa being pampered and entertained beyond our wildest dreams.

On the political or power side of that question, if I were in charge of the world, I would give everyone their birthday as a mandatory holiday.

Cameron: On a political level my observation is that many historians consider George Washington's refusal to serve beyond two terms a true "tipping point" for our young country. There was a real chance at the time that the presidency could have become a monarchy. His foresight and restraint was a true gift. Monarchies have no place in a free society and do not reflect the will of the people, just the will of one person and should not be allowed.

On a personal level that day of time and freedom to do whatever I wanted for one day would be quite a blessing. Elected officials find out very quickly that their lives are no longer their own. On a day free of responsibilities I would spend it at the beach with my wife, Helen, and a good book about Abraham Lincoln.

Michelle: Personally, I would spend the day out on the water - skiing, tubing and relaxing on our boat with my family. All food would be served on the grill (you can't spend time in the kitchen when you're queen for the day!) And we would finish out the day sitting around the bonfire watching the ships out on Lake Michigan - an especially beautiful sight after dark.

Politically, As queen for a day, I would completely overhaul state government to create a business- and family-friendly environment where your basic services are met and government does not intrfere with your right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

And there you have it. I hope you found the questions of interest--I tried to be just a little bit nosy without being obnoxious. I'd like to take a little time to do a wrap up tomorrow. Sleep well.

God bless...............

Secretary of State Questions 7 and 9- (8, 10, 11 tomorrow)

7-What is your opinion of absentee voting at any age for any reason?

Michelle: I am completely opposed to the idea of no-reason absentee voting. Michigan voters already do a fantastic job of getting to the polls on Election Day, and state law already allows those who have a legitimate reason for not being able to make it to the polls to vote absentee. No-reason absentee voting is a solution in search of a problem.

Anne: In my experience I see a need for checks and balances and it is my position that "any reason" absentee voting would be a step backward. I have studied other states such as Wisconsin and Minnesota who encourage this kind of voting and do not see any advantage as a result.

Cameron: Nearly 70% of Michigan voters cast a ballot in the 2008 general election which is a higher percentage than some states who have "no reason" voting. Voters in our state have every opportunity to cast an absentee ballot when necessary. There is little evidence that expanding so-called "convenience voting" improves voter turnout, but there is ample evidence that it encourages fraud.

#8 What organizations are your strongest supporters?
I just realized I didn't ask this question of Anne. Will touch base with her and put up that question Monday.

#9 Do you think you can raise the money for a credible campaign?

Michelle: Absolutely! While job number one for a candidate seeking a state convention nomination is to get to know the grassroots of the party, I am also spending the necessary time raising money so that I can be an asset to the Republican ticket after the convention. No one will outwork me in this race.

Anne: The job of running for office includes fund raising. It is impossible to run a credible campaign without sufficient money. I find that in looking over a typical schedule that I am spending the equivalent of about 3 days a week on making calls which result in both personal and monetary support. I am proud of my long list of endorsements and donors.

Cameron:I will absolutely raise the money necessary to win in 2010. In past years, I have raised tens of thousands of dollars for not only my own races, but those of Republicans around the state in competitive districts. With the Governor's office, Attorney General, and every House and Senate seat on the ballot next fall, the Secretary of State nominee must not only be financially self sufficient, but able to assist with these other key races.

See ya tomorrow-

God bless.............

Questions # 4 and 5 for Secretary of State Candidates

#4 - What do you consider your particular accomplishments?

Anne-My record shows that I have the drive and courage to give effective and responsive government service. My office generates millions in revenue and we have a terrific team of 23 full and part-time employees with a combined service of 230 years. I am a proven vote-getter having received the most votes in the last 6 presidential elections and unseating a 24 year Democrat to start.

As mentioned before Calhoun county had experience with all four voting systems in Michigan's march toward optical scanners state wide. And while I am proud of Calhoun county I need to stress that elections are true state and local partnerships. Michigan's record of election administration and innovation is outstanding and teamwork is a key reason. Michigan has excellent voter registration numbers and groups like ACORN should be concentrating on encouraging voters to go to the polls. Voter turnout, not registration, is the real issue.

Cameron-I've passed a long list of bills during my time in the legislature - everything from a ban on partial birth abortion to tax credits that will attract logistical and warehousing facilities to our state. But I consider my greatest accomplishment to be my dedication to my Republican values through thick and thin.

For example, when Gov. Granholm tried to reward big campaign donors with a no-bid contract to build an ill-equipped $90 million State Police Headquarters, I was one of only a few Republicans willing to stand up and oppose this gross waste of taxpayer dollars. There was intense pressure to compromise our core conservative principles of limited government and fiscal responsibility, but I refused. Now, 100 State Police troopers are on the verge of being laid off while a lavish new headquarters is being completed in Lansing for those who remain on the job. This is simply irresponsible.
I've taken tough stands on tough issues like this throughout my career.

Michelle-I am proud of my record of legislative accomplishments. In the House, one of the more significant things I worked on was getting the informed consent for abortion legislation signed into law. I also was a leader for Gov. Engler's tax cuts and welfare reform initiatives, among others.

In the Senate, I spearheaded the fight against partial birth abortion in Michigan by sponsoring legislation to define when a person was considered "born" and therefore eligible for full legal protection. After that bill was vetoed by the governor, it became the basis for the "People's Override." a citizens' initiative that received overwhelming support from Michigan residents. Also, it was gratifying to act as a watchdog in the Appropriations Committee helping attain fiscal responsibility.

#5-Let's get to politics: How do you think your candidacy can help the Republican ticket?

Cameron-Frankly, voters have had a hard time in recent years telling the difference between Republicans and Democrats. Michigan Republicans must nominate candidates who can not only articulate our party's core values, but who have proven records of defending these values through thick and thin. I am such a candidate. During my time in the legislature, I've earned a reputation for taking on touch issues and defending my core conservative principles - the rights of the unborn, limited government and protecting our constitutional rights - whether politically popular or not. These aren't just bullet points on a campaign brochure - they're my guiding principles, and I will give voters a clear, conservative choice for Secretary of State.

Michelle-If the last election cycle taught us anything, it was that successful candidates must be self-reliant, start campaigning early and most importantly, have a winning campaign strategy. Despite not having the traditional primary election that the statewide candidates for Governor are experiencing, my aggressive campaign strategy has me traveling all over the state meeting with the kinds of people and groups that will also make me a strong candidate in the general election.

Anne-I am a proven vote-getter, even though I am a staunch Republican in a Democratic county. The message of a true Republican shines through. I am convinced that the answers to our state's challenges lie in the common-sense wisdom of its people. Republicans meet our deadlines, pay our bills and spend our money wisely. We expect nothing less from Lansing. I fear the flames of the adventuresome spirit, creativity and determination that motivated the visionaries like Henry Ford which are ingrained in Michigan's workers might be snuffed out by over-regulation and burdensome taxation. I am passionate about private property rights and Second Amendment rights. As is evident throughout these questions, I am a team player which translates into support from the top of the ticket on down.

Note: The question of having a Republican May convention rather than August of 2010 is up in the air at this time since the policy committee turned it down. If it is brought up at a later date we'll just put it up in a later posting. It was #6.

The Wings are ahead 5-0 as we say good bye tonight!

Sleep well and God Bless..............

Obama's Mixed Emotions? Is he a total hypocrite or does he just not get it?

What label do we put on a world leader who travels the globe vacillating between apologizing for the poor behavior of his constituents to being reminded that those same constituents were responsible for saving the world from some of the worst tyrannical despots who ever lived given the modern age with modern weapons and modern transportation.

Within 72 hours he stroked the very people whose forebears were responsible for the Holocaust while at the same time ignoring the results of those actions still being felt by present day Israelis and nearly simultaneously stroked those who are still trying to destroy them.

I just can't help wondering if anything he witnesses at Normandy Beach or talking with Elie Wiesel is enough for him to feel somewhat humble in their presence and enough for him to tell Michelle that perhaps there is something more to be proud of in our American heritage than just electing a minority President.

Oh, well--guess we'll never know.

SO LET'S GET BACK TO MICHIGAN BUSINESS!!

First, let's play a little catch up and breathe a sigh of relief that Cameron Brown wasn't avoiding us, just a mix-up in communications. So we'll post his answers to the first two questions and then do a comparative on #3.

Brown's priority on the duties: For many Michigan residents, their interaction is limited to renewing their driver's or boat license at the local branch office. Continuing the outstanding efforts of Candice Miller and Terri Lynn Land improving customer service and capitalizing on new technologies will be among my top priorities. However, we have the tremendous responsibility of protecting one of our most sacred rights - the right to vote. The elections of 2008 are a reminder to see that this right is constantly at risk from groups like ACORN who would bend, if not break, election law if not for strong, vigilant secretaries of state. Protecting our state and nation's "one person, one vote" will be my top priority as your next Secretary of State.

And #2 on his experience allowing him to do better or revamp present practices: Our next Secretary of State is lucky - the groundwork has been laid by two outstanding secretaries in Candice Miller and Terri Lynn Land. I will build upon their accomplishments in customer service, technology and overseeing fair elections.

Now let's get all three answers to a pretty heavy question: IS THE SOS BUDGET PRETTY MUCH CAST IN STONE OR WOULD YOU ANTICIPATE CHANGES IN AREAS OF EMPHASIS?
(We'll go last name alphabetically.)

Sen. Brown: Having served on the Appropriations committees in both the House and Senate throughout my time in the legislature, I have a detailed knowledge of our state budget. Every budget has programs and line items that can be adjusted. My top priorities for the department budget will be branch office customer service (including technology advancements that make transactions easier for customers) and election management. In addition to the most efficient branch office experience possible, Michigan residents rightfully expect that their Department of State will defend the integrity of our elections.

Sen. McManus: In these challenging budget times, departments and agencies throughout state government are looking at all options to reduce their operating expenses. Difficult choices are facing all of us as we struggle to balance Michigan's budget. As Michigan's next Secretary of State, I am committed to ensuring all Michigan residents receive efficient, high-quality customer service from the Secretary of State's office. (Ed: In general conversation I remember that McManus has served on Appropriations which she said gives her a good background on working with budgets and costing.)

Clerk Norlander: I will bring a creative, dynamic and fiscally responsible agenda to the Secretary of State's office. I want to take customer service to an even higher level by applying innovative concepts. For example, I will explore the possibility of offering multi-year vehicle registrations. That would eliminate the need for annual renewals saving time for both customers and department employees (time is money.)

I will champion needed reforms to our campaign finance laws and the way in which they are enforced. Our laws do little if they are not enforced in a timely, meaningful way. That's why I will promote greater transparency in campaign spending and work to rededicate greater resources within the Secretary of State's office so that campaign finance complaints are addressed in a timely manner. I look forward to applying the same principles at the state level as those which brought improvements to Calhoun County. And I will want to hear your thoughts as well. Together we'll make sure your needs are met.

So there we have a third of the serious questions under our belts. I just can't help putting the right to vote, which is such a major part of the SOS race, with the reminders of D-Day without which we may not even have this kind of right and responsibility.

God bless..........

THE END IS NEAR!!!???

We are being delivered up to the enemy by our very own President. It is so difficult to be reminded that Obama is going to be at Normandy for D-Day and not at the same time be reminded of Chamberlain, that grand appeaser.

Random thoughts--
There is no need for Muslims to continue the population growth project which would have taken a little longer, but would be a peaceable method.

There is no longer any threat of terrorist attack. So we can dismantle most of the CIA. Says who? Sounds like Obama. No one needs nuclear weapons any more. Everything is going to be just fine. We all trust one another and we look for the common good. Yeah, right.

All is forgiven? There is no more need for a war on terror?
Overseas Contingency Operation-necessary or not? What does that actually mean?
Overseas has to mean "world wide," right?
Contingency means "just in case."
Operation in the military sense according to Webster's means "a course of warlike proceedings." (Had to look this one up.)

Everyone will be free (except women and Israelis) and perhaps a few others too numerous to list here?

He just cannot be that naive, can he? Is he trying to fool the rest of the world or just the U.S. citizens who elected him and who he continuously courts thinking ahead to the next election?

So, let's change the subject a little (or a lot.)
This turned out to be more difficult for me than I anticipated. Not being a professional journalist, I fell into a couple of traps. First, I had a general get-acquainted session with Michelle. Then I had a face to face interview with Anne by which time I had formulated the questions so everyone would be on an equal footing. My mistake? I took notes with Anne while Michelle did her own writing--does that make sense? So you'll have to make an allowance one way or the other on your own.

Let's start by taking the questions for the SOS candidates in order--then maybe we'll skip around a bit later.

1-Please prioritize the duties of the Secretary of State as you see them.

Anne-My first obligation is to deliver a strict, ethical process of elections never forgetting that the Federal Government will dictate much of how we proceed. We need to adhere to every aspect of the law with efficiency and integrity

I believe my experience as a County Clerk for over 20 years is the best preparation for knowing the needs of the public through customer service which is vital to the job of Secretary of State.

Michelle-The Department of State has contact with more Michigan residents than any other area of state government. For me, customer service is Job One.

The Secretary of State also plays a critical role in protecting the integrity of our elections. I am committed to putting sharp teeth in our campaign finance laws to protect the ballot in Michigan and make sure elections are fair for everyone. Tough and timely enforcement of campaign finance laws gives voters the facts they need at the ballot box and helps preserve the integrity of our elections.

2-What does your expertise allow you to do better or revamp present practices?

Michelle-The best part of my job as a legislator is getting the chance to solve problems, both for individual constituents and for our entire state. In fact, I have responded to thousands of constituent inquiries each year I have served in the Legislature. I have always embraced technology as means to improve efficiency and provide better service, and that will be one of my primary concerns as your next Secretary of State.

Anne-Michigan leads the country in ethical voting and Calhoun County led the way in voting methods culminating in the optical scan process now in use throughout the state. We went from paper, to levers, to punch cards on the way and we had to give training in all four methods because not all townships were using the same systems.
We changed daytime commission meetings to evenings so more people could attend and be active and reduced the size from 9 to 7 members. We have used vision and new technologies resulting in 2.5 million documents available on line. If you need a copy of a deed or other legally filed document the turn around time is now 24 hours rather than days or weeks. In most instances if you come to the Court House, you will leave with a document in your hands.

Let's stop with two questions this evening. That way if you have any suggestions we can make an improvement before we are too far into the research.

On the lighter side, someone sent me a photo of a Church sign which reads:
"THE MEEK
Shall Inherit the Earth
If it's all right with you........" God bless

(I just added the following on the earlier page referencing Cameron Brown: Rec'd call from Cam Brown this morning and I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt since I have known Cam for a long time and it was very strange that he wasn't responding to me. Emails have been known to fall through the cracks and I am careful about "talking campaigns" on work phone numbers. So, I ask that you keep that in mind as I add Cam's answers to the questions. Also, we should give a hard-working guy a break. My words, not his.)

JOHN CHERRY TO RUN ON 10 YEARS OF NEGATIVE GROWTH So What Good is the MEDC?

I Promise To Start the SOS Questions Tomorrow, but these two items need talking about in a timely manner.

1-Michael LaFaiave of the Mackinac Center advises us that MICHIGAN IS THE ONLY STATE IN THE UNION HAVING NEGATIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH FROM 1999 TO 2008. The new numbers of the Gross Domestic Product countrywide put together by the Bureau of Economic Analysis came out yesterday. I have a feeling the only positive numbers from the MEDC have to do with ink sold and headlines written as to the outstanding job they are doing put out by whom? Themselves!!!

So be prepared for another onslaught of "Engler and Bush are responsible for all the bad news in Michigan." Add to that the ridiculous taxes on business and the total time wasting (which equals dollars and cents) of going through permit processes and everything else it takes to do business in Michigan. Instead of being alarmed at the high unemployment figures perhaps we should be glad it isn't any worse.

2-A quote from then Senator Obama as to why he voted against Judge Roberts after saying that 95% of the cases are decided purely on the law, but the other 5% are hard cases and "can only be determined on the basis of one's deepest values, one's core concerns, one's broader perspectives on how the world works and the depth and breadth of one's empathy."

He goes on: "...in those difficult cases, the critical ingredient is supplied by what is in the judge's heart. I talked to Judge Roberts about this........He did say that he doesn't like bullies and has always viewed the law as a way of evening out the playing field between the strong and the weak. I was impressed with that statement because I view the law in much the same way. The problem I had is that when I examined Judge Roberts' record and history of public service, it is my personal estimation that he has far more often used his formidable skills on behalf of the strong in opposition to the weak." And he goes on "given the gravity of the position to which he will undoubtedly ascend and the gravity of the decisions..... I ultimately have to give more weight to his deeds and the overarching political philosophy that he appears to have shared with those in power than to the assuring words that he provided me in our meeting."

Bottom line: a vote against John Roberts' nomination.

So he feels it more important that even though a minority did not even apply for the fireman's job, those who passed the test and worked hard were also denied. Picture this: me shaking my head back and forth and back and forth.......So the Latina woman's heart is bigger and she has more wisdom. I don't see it.

Oh, well, since Obama won the election along with all those other Democrats we will certainly have a Justice named Sotomayor. We can only hope that those common sense and intelligent white men can make her see in the future what she does not see today.

God bless........

PS-This year, according to LaFaive, is the 10th anniversary of MEDC. Michigan at that time ranked 16th per capita GDP in 1999 and since then plummeted to 41st place. Three states experienced bigger real declines in 2008, but Michigan is the only state in the union whose real GDP has declined each of the past three years.

Check out www.mackinac.org--it's a great resource. Also, check out HB 4922 which provides for an amendment to prohibit granting targeted tax breaks to a firm that has a competitor in the state. (Giving breaks to new business when there are established businesses in the state seems counter-productive and basically unfair to me.)

Interviews and Worldwide Energy Numbers

Added June 5-Rec'd call from Cam Brown this morning and I'm inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt since I have known Cam for a long time and it was very strange that he wasn't responding to me. Emails have been known to fall through the cracks and I am careful about not "talking campaigns" on work phone numbers. So, I ask that you read the next paragraph with this in mind. Give a hard-working guy a break (my words, not his. lp)

First I need to tell you that there appears to be little interest from State Senator Cameron Brown in an interview for this blog. Therefore, I will start on Wednesday to compare the two who appear to be working the hardest: McManus and Norlander.

Then let's get to the numbers in the recent "Michigan Science" publication put out by the Mackinac Center. And if you're like me, you'll have no trouble envisioning the hypocrisy of the Al Gore and Michael Moore preachers who want to tell us how to live.

We all know that it has been around 30 years since any permits have been issued in the United States for nuclear power, but let's look at the rest of the world.

China is the largest carbon dioxide emitter in the world and is working to slow down their rate of growth by using more efficient coal-burning equipment, co-generation, coal liquefaction, etc. In the last two years they have moved toward nuclear energy.

Japan is increasing its use of nuclear power from 30% to 41% over the next 10 years while limiting renewables to 3% in 2010.
California currently produces only 0.2 of its energy needs from the sun.
Germany generates 15% of its energy from solar and wind power exceeding the European Union's 12.5% target for 2010. However, their costs for electricity have increased 38% from 2006 to 2007 since solar panels and wind are less efficient (my word, not theirs.)
Italy and Sweden have rescinded their nuclear energy moratoriums adopted in the 1980s. Italy is scheduled to get 25% of their needs from 8 new nuclear plants.
England has plans to upgrade 8 nuclear reactors and build 10 new plants.
France already derives 80% of its electricity from 58 reactors and is into what they term their third generation reactors at home and abroad.
Ukraine announced plans for 11 new reactors over the next 20 years while India plans to build 40 new reactors over the next 22 years to increase its energy yield from its current 3% to 45%.

And all Obama and his crew of liberals can do is talk about cap and trade and carbon taxes. Those $10,000 home turbines which take 30+ years to break even at best sure don't have many takers yet. I don't know how Cascades Engineering can advertise their expertise with a straight face.

The professor at Spring Arbor University said something about the need to figure the abstract benefits into the equation, but if you don't have the money, you just don't have the money. Right now some folks make choices between food and comfort or between healthcare and Christmas and birthday gifts for their kids and grandkids. It's not just an opportunity cost, it's the true cost of not just living, but staying alive.

Let's hope some of the powers that be can open their eyes and hearts to those of more modest means than their own. And let's hope that some of the bureaucrats who cheat on their taxes don't think that just because they do it that "everybody does it." That's just not true for us average income, God-fearing (even though the President says we are not religious) citizens. We can only hope and pray that everybody does the right thing because it's the right thing to do.

God bless...........

Pro Life/Pro Choice Myths and Definitions

Before I react to a carefully constructed and thoughtful comment about the murder (assassination?) of the doctor in Kansas, I want to be sure that we agree on definitions so this doesn't become an example of "what I heard you say" rather than "did you mean to say" or my definition being different from yours. I can only define my words and definitions, but at least you know where I'm coming from.

1- I believe that life begins at conception.
2- I believe that more education is needed to let women of all ages know that in the case of rape that not reporting the incident is the worst thing that can be done or not done. Immediate medical treatment before implantation makes abortion due to rape a moot point.
3- I do not believe in capital punishment, but I do believe that what are called "capital crimes" should probably be put in a category where rehabilitation is not going to work and if, per chance, it appears there has been a conversion or change of heart, if it is a true remorse it would be logical to expect that person to be willing to live a life of reparation behind bars rather than expect to be freed. He/she can best serve humanity within the system.
4- I believe that for every "extremist" on the pro life side there is an "extremist" on the pro abortion side.
5- Not being sure of which polls are referred to by the reporter from the CSM, I seem to recall that during the discussion about the Notre Dame flap polls were said to show that for the first time more than 50% of those polled were pro life, so I'd say it depends on how the question may have been phrased. At any rate it's probably "too close to call" at this time.
6- I find it interesting that the word "extremist" is not capitalized by the reporter. This tells me that one of the first things we learned in high school writing/journalism classes which was not to "generalize" is being ignored.

All this being said, I would only comment that two wrongs don't make a right. The trial of the murderer should not become a trial of the victim. I would hope that a tragedy such as this and abortion in general will not be politicized any more than it already has been.

I would be remiss if I didn't offer at least one example of a "leftist" extremist such as ELF or environmentalists who put nails in trees in an attempt to injure or kill a lumberjack or Greenpeace putting a ship in danger would be examples of violence on the other end of the spectrum.

We should all put a lot of thought and prayer into our positions on these issues as well as our politics and lifestyles as a whole. If we are not critical of particular behaviors it means that we don't care enough to be concerned and apathy can be as dangerous as violence in some cases.

Time and space has its limitations. Thanks again for a thoughtful comment.

God bless.............