"Ft. Hood Massacre--a Hate Crime?"

Thirteen Americans murdered in cold blood. Another 30 wounded. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan shot them down without warning. Or was there a warning that should have been heeded? For years he had made his hatred of American involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan known. On websites he had justified the actions of Muslim homicide bombers as they murdered people in pizza parlors or school buses. Years ago he had described his nationality as "Palestinian" even though he was born and raised in Virginia. The day before the massacre he had handed out copies of the Quran to his neighbors. He shouted "Allahu Akhbar" before he pulled the trigger and as he was murdering people.

But this was not a hate crime. No, no, just an "isolated incident" of a deranged killer who somehow just innocently slipped through our security. No, he probably did not hate anyone as he blew them away and shouted "Allahu Akhbar." I wonder how our government, which can no longer even properly name or identify an enemy we are fighting, will prosecute Major Hasan if he is able to stand trial. (I am glad that millions of Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan do fight on our side against the jihadist terrorists, but this man clearly saw the U.S. as an enemy.)

If a soldier had "KKK" or Nazi symbols tattooed on his body he would be booted out (rightly so). If a soldier had been spouting off death threats to our government officials he would be arrested or discharged (rightly so). But this man for months and years had a pattern of siding with Islamic-fascist-jihadists, and nothing was done. Why?

Will our government have the nerve to actually call our War Against Islamic-Jihadist Terror what it really is? Will we ever have the guts to truly identify potential terrorists (of whatever religion or belief system) and remove them before they can cause harm? Or are certain religions "off limits" because we might make their advocates mad at us? Right now I'm not very optimistic that we the people--especially our representatives in the Federal Government--have the nerve to do so. We can't even call a massacre what it is--instead it's constantly called a "tragedy." Why? Where is our moral compass and common sense?

"NY 23 and the Rebirth of Conservatism"

So the Bill Owens/Dede Scozzafava faction won two days ago. I can hear some Republicans now telling me, "See?! If the conservatives had just endorsed Dede, she would have won!" So what? We still would have had a member of Congress who would have voted with a liberal/leftist agenda. Proof? Whom did Dede endorse at the 11th hour? She endorsed Bill Owens and the socialist agenda of the current Democrat majority in Congress.

But notice how many people voted for a man whose candidacy stood no chance just two weeks ago. Roughly 54,000 people told Newt Gingrich to take a hike. Over 50,000 people in New York's 23rd Congressional district told the Republican Party brahmins that they were going to take charge of their own lives, and they don't have to take what "the Party" offers them anymore. And Doug Hoffman in less than two weeks went from zero to just losing by a hair--this time.

Next year is another election in the same district. And I think Doug's supporters will be very, very busy over the next 12 months seriously planning and working for victory.

"The Revolution Continues"

Well, well, well. So Dede Scozzafava has bowed out of New York's 23rd District House race. She cited lack of money and falling poll numbers. Could it be that just maybe--I know this is a real stretch--she just did not believe what a full third (probably more) of what her constituents believe? Her poll numbers fell because she had no real convictions over the issues that truly matter, and her constituents basically said, "Why should I vote for a liberal Republican? It's the same as voting for a liberal Democrat?"

To be honest with you, we were faced with almost the same choice a year ago in the Presidential election. And we are constantly being confronted with this kind of nonsense in other state-wide elections across the country. Vote for Candidate A who is liberal/leftist/clueless or Candidate B who is maybe not as liberal/leftist/but still clueless.

But in Doug Hoffman, maybe the cycle is beginning to break. Here is an independent who seems to be a real choice. By the way, thanks Dede for showing your true colors and endorsing the liberal Bill Owens. That ought to bring in a whole bunch more conservatives over to Doug Hoffman. We'll see tomorrow. Even if Hoffman loses, he still wins to a certain degree in my book. His candidacy has told the party elites that the people who truly believe the Constitution and the protection of life, liberty, and property are not going to take their bilge anymore.

The Revolution Continues.

"Bad for Both Newt and Nancy"

By now millions of Americans are scratching their heads over the U.S. Congressional race in New York's 23rd District. Just one week ago, Doug Howard, the third party Constitution Party candidate, supposedly did not stand a chance. Conservatives in New York (I know--supposedly a pretty rare breed in that state) were scratching their heads. Do I vote for a pro-choice, pro-same-sex, pro-card check, big government candidate like Dede Scozzafava just because she has an "R" next to her name? What is the difference between her and Bill Owens the equally liberal Democrat? Why, if we vote for an independent or anyone else, that just puts more power in the hands of Nancy Pelosi, right?

Wrong. Thankfully, gutsy people are demonstrating that they've had enough of the hogwash coming from Newt Gingrich and Republican party bosses. They are rallying behind a man who is not a professional politician, a man who is considerably more conservative than either of his two opponents. And in just one week he has surged ahead and is leading in the race according to many of the polls. And they said it couldn't be done.

Imagine--actually electing your representative who believes in the Constitution and is not beholden to the party bosses in the Republican or Democrat parties. This can only be a good thing for America, and a bad thing for both Newt and Nancy.

"Living Within Our Means?"

Just three days ago, on October 17, Treasurey Secretary Tim Geithner told all of us that America "must live within its means once its economy recovers if it is to preserve global confidence in the U.S. dollar's status."

Hmmmm. Just a few questions and comments will be sufficient I think. This is the man who with the current Congress and President put us 1.4 Trillion dollars in the hole for this year alone. Projected deficits for the next four or five years (and the Government's predictions are always way too low) are somewhere near 9-10 TRILLION dollars.

And HE is telling US to live within OUR means?

Our country went into a steep recession last year, our government was broke, and the "solution" to getting us out of an economic hole is to print up MORE money and put us DEEPER into DEBT? 'Scuse me--is that how you run your household???? It's not how I run my house. But it's how leftists run their house (Congress) I guess.

By the way, who is this guy Tim Geithner to preach to me? Isn't he the same guy who "forgot" to pay $34,000 in taxes? He gets off scot-free and becomes Treasury chief. Could you get away with it and do the same? Isn't America a great country or what?

Had enough of this kind of arrogant, hypocritical, criminal behavior?

"Stimulus Money and Your Healthcare"

I just heard Lawrence Summers of the National Economic Council rave about the effect of the Federal government's "stimulus plan." He said on CNBC.com recently: "We saw data for the first time. . .that showed that the first $16 Billion of the stimulus created over 30,000 jobs. So this is working, and the majority of the funds haven't been paid out. . ."

So it took $16 billion to create 30,000. First I would like to know what kinds of jobs these are, and where they are. Where I live I have not seen any revival of the economy. Are these jobs service jobs? Government jobs? Or are they jobs that actually create and sustain an economy like manufacturing, farming, mining? I wonder.

But to get to the heart of things--divide 16 billion by 30,000 and you'll get the amount of money spent by your Federal government to create one single job. $533,333.33. Over $500,000 of YOUR money spent to create ONE single job? What are the jobs that it costs this much money? Does this sound just a little wasteful or extravagant to you?

And I thought the whole purpose of the Federal takeover of the healthcare industry was to bring DOWN expenses! These are the same people who are just so smart with money that they will bring down costs if only they could takeover your healthcare. Follow their track record.

"Long Live Capitalism"

I was getting bummed out at the local festival. I know, I should have been happy, eating carnival food and looking at all the booths loaded with interesting things for sale. But I saw a bunch of out of control children stomping the daylights out of some beautiful plants in a public garden. The mother didn't know what to do with her precious darlings who were running rampant and destroying public property. I was really getting steamed. My wife and kids were trying to control me so that I wouldn't "accidentally" trip up the little menaces.

Then, I saw something that turned it all around for me. There in the middle of the street was this kid selling balloons. He was taking balloons, and twisting them into umpteen different formations and creating animals out of them. And people were buying his wonderful artistic creations! They were shelling out money hand over fist, and this kid was loving every minute of it. He had made this terrific, colorful hat out of his balloons so that people could notice him more. Not that he needed more attention. A considerable crowd had gathered around to buy his balloon animals. He was just amazing to watch.

I finally walked up to him and said, "Where do you go to school?" "I'm homeschooled!" he cheerfully replied. "How old are you?" (I was thinking he was about 12.) "Thirteen--here. . . " then he whipped out a business card and handed it to me in between making another amazing balloon creation for more small children and grateful parents. He was charging two dollars per balloon creation. He was happy. They were happy. He found a hole and filled it. And I'm sure by the end of the day, he had earned----earned---enough money to start paying for college (which he was probably smart enough to start attending next year). I told him, "God bless you--there's still hope for America." And I walked away, grateful that I found a young man who was energetic, hard-working, shouldering responsibility, and blessing others by filling a need. Long live Capitalism.