Mosque or no Mosque???
I've listened pretty intently for about a week now to all sides of the debate concerning the building of a Mosque near the site of the former World Trade Center now often referred to as "Ground Zero". This is a very difficult situation indeed because it raises serious questions about our ability to live up to one of our core principles in the founding of our great nation, religious tolerance.
I firmly believe that if the World Trade Towers were still standing that having a Mosque and Islamic Community Center two blocks away wouldn't cause anyone to take a deep breath or blink more than usual. I also believe that if the World Trade Center was still standing that the purchase of the property for that purpose would not have ever occurred. Putting a Mosque in that location is without question a statement of sorts and the only problem any of us has is determining what exactly that message is, so the most reasoned choice is not to go there. If you do go there you begin to look at everything from completely innocent and socio-economic motives to the building of a victory monument designed to rub it in the face of the infidels. No one really knows, all they know is that it's something they don't understand and don't really see a need for in that neighborhood. So at the risk of being intolerant of New Yorker's feelings, why even go there. There are some things you do not do simply because you can. I mean realistically the US could have nuked every Muslim country to be sure that all of the culprits of the 9/11 conspiracy were punished. Just because it's possible doesn't mean it should be, and while that is an extreme example it is nonetheless accurate.
Today there are noises of cooler heads prevailing and the Governor of New York is to be commended for offering a reasonable solution to the problem. The developer and the Imam will meet with him at some time in the near future and hopefully a deal can be struck to put the Mosque on a plot of land nearby but with a less conspicuous footprint. In that case everyone wins. No one wants to deprive the Muslim face of a place to worship or the developer an opportunity to create something that he can be proud of and profit from. So, the rest of us need to let them work things out and keep our mouths shut, from the Whitehouse on down.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
"When Haste Meets Race"
The recent blow-up concerning the firing/resignation and then offer to re-hire USDA's Shirley Sherrod over comments made to a gathering of the NAACP indicates that we are not yet a "Post Racial" society. As a matter of fact, we have become so Politically Correct that hardly anyone can say anything without taking the chance that they might be accused of some sort of malicious intent toward someone. In the words of the great one (radio's Mark Levin) "There I said it". However unfortunate you might feel something is, keep your mouth shut or suffer the consequences. This however was a case where an "African American" woman made comments regarding a White Male farmer (probably a dumb redneck...but I digress) saying she had taken him to one of "his kind" a white attorney where he could get help (help that amounted to nothing as it turned out), less help than she might have otherwise been willing to give him if he had not been white. Now the moral of the story is you have to watch the entire video to understand she had an epiphany and realized she was there to help poor people regardless of the color of their skin. God opened her eyes and this was incredibly revealed to her. Given the audience she was speaking to and the context in which the entire video placed her comments, she should not have been fired because she was trying to make a point that had nothing to do with her previously held position on considering white folks in her capacity as someone from the government that was there to help.
The problem here is that no one watched the entire video, only the excerpts, even though the video in its entirety was available, and apparently a written transcript of the dialogue contained therein. The Secretary of Agriculture did not, people at the White House did not, and certainly a number of news people including commentators and contributors on Fox News did not take the time to do their due diligence in the matter and this woman was shamed out of a job. This follows on the heals of the President (Barack Obama) making a hasty comments regarding his friend Henry Louis “Skip Gates” a professor at Harvard to which he said the Cambridge Massachusetts police had acted “Stupidly” in his arrest admitting at the time he made his remarks in an East Room press conference that he did not have all of the details. This resulted in the now infamous “Beer Summit” with the President, Vice President, Mr. Gates, and Cambridge Police Officer James Crowley where little if nothing was accomplished say for a nice photo op and the potential for another meeting between the Professor and the Cop at a later time. This all begs the question, who is running our country and for God sakes what are they thinking?
The Secretary of Agriculture and the White House and several of the Fox News commentators, and the NAACP have since apologized for making asses of themselves in light of what eventually came to put Ms. Sherrod’s comments into context. Ms. Sherrod made it to NBC’s Today Show and Good Morning America and while she may have extended her proverbial 15 minutes of fame to a half hour, she did herself no favors by embellishing her positions that came off as more perplexing than the out of context commentary given the day before. She certainly harbors some animosity toward power and seemingly when it comes from someone of the Caucasian persuasion. As previously stated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack (D-Iowa) a former agriculture state governor made a maximum mea culpa for his hasty firing, and then extended a job offer to Ms. Sherrod (not the same position) at the time this is being written she graciously accepted the apology but has not decided whether to accept the new position. She has also said that legal proceedings against biggovernment.com founder and Fox News contributor Andrew Breitbart may be in the future.
I think it is clear that some old fashioned hand wringing is necessary. I think that people need to resist political correctness when they hear comments made by anyone and at least try to put things into their proper although possibly offensive context before flying off the handle and making a decision or comment that might later be regretted. I think that everyone needs to count to perhaps 50 before saying anything when there is a hot microphone, or the possibility of a hot microphone nearby. While I generally disagree with everything that comes out of the mouth of the Attorney General Eric Holder I will agree that people have been cowards when it comes to addressing “Race” in this country. If we are going to do it we must do it in a way that is not going to cause what in the 1960’s became riots in Washington, DC and the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. We must face the facts that people are different, and we must look to history to understand why people have different opinions and we must agree that in some cases we will have to disagree. We must also not be afraid to hear words that are offensive during conversations and in that way de-stigmatize them and hopefully by default remove them from our lexicon. We have to be “Grown Up’ for a change and think like “Americans” not White-Americans or African-Americans or Hispanic, Asian, Muslim, or whatever other hyphenated variety of American someone might inevitably lay claim to simply to seemingly protect their heritage.
In the United States of America everyone is from somewhere and they came here because they wanted a new life and opportunity as an American. If they did not want those things, they would have stayed where they were no hyphen required. While it is true that many blacks were brought here in the chains of Slavery, it is also true that no black in America is a slave today and no black slave owner is alive today. To blame people for the sins of the past, many generations past, is the same as blaming them for sins that may occur just because new sins are conceivable. We have to treat each other as equal and we have to make decisions based on character and merit. We have to stop promoting a culture of a perpetual under class dependent on the government and we have to concentrate on lifting everyone up by always telling the truth and taking personal responsibility for our actions. This includes but is not limited to the one core value that has been nearly destroyed, the FAMILY UNIT
Obviously I could go on forever, but the clear point here is that we must be willing to listen and listen to everything, not just to the point that we become offended. We must also be willing to accept the fact that we could be wrong about certain things we have long held as true. We don’t have to get along with everyone, but at least we need to know the facts, not some white washing or spun around set of facts…just the facts, the plain and simple truth. Is that too much to ask for? Are all of us too unwilling to listen?
The recent blow-up concerning the firing/resignation and then offer to re-hire USDA's Shirley Sherrod over comments made to a gathering of the NAACP indicates that we are not yet a "Post Racial" society. As a matter of fact, we have become so Politically Correct that hardly anyone can say anything without taking the chance that they might be accused of some sort of malicious intent toward someone. In the words of the great one (radio's Mark Levin) "There I said it". However unfortunate you might feel something is, keep your mouth shut or suffer the consequences. This however was a case where an "African American" woman made comments regarding a White Male farmer (probably a dumb redneck...but I digress) saying she had taken him to one of "his kind" a white attorney where he could get help (help that amounted to nothing as it turned out), less help than she might have otherwise been willing to give him if he had not been white. Now the moral of the story is you have to watch the entire video to understand she had an epiphany and realized she was there to help poor people regardless of the color of their skin. God opened her eyes and this was incredibly revealed to her. Given the audience she was speaking to and the context in which the entire video placed her comments, she should not have been fired because she was trying to make a point that had nothing to do with her previously held position on considering white folks in her capacity as someone from the government that was there to help.
The problem here is that no one watched the entire video, only the excerpts, even though the video in its entirety was available, and apparently a written transcript of the dialogue contained therein. The Secretary of Agriculture did not, people at the White House did not, and certainly a number of news people including commentators and contributors on Fox News did not take the time to do their due diligence in the matter and this woman was shamed out of a job. This follows on the heals of the President (Barack Obama) making a hasty comments regarding his friend Henry Louis “Skip Gates” a professor at Harvard to which he said the Cambridge Massachusetts police had acted “Stupidly” in his arrest admitting at the time he made his remarks in an East Room press conference that he did not have all of the details. This resulted in the now infamous “Beer Summit” with the President, Vice President, Mr. Gates, and Cambridge Police Officer James Crowley where little if nothing was accomplished say for a nice photo op and the potential for another meeting between the Professor and the Cop at a later time. This all begs the question, who is running our country and for God sakes what are they thinking?
The Secretary of Agriculture and the White House and several of the Fox News commentators, and the NAACP have since apologized for making asses of themselves in light of what eventually came to put Ms. Sherrod’s comments into context. Ms. Sherrod made it to NBC’s Today Show and Good Morning America and while she may have extended her proverbial 15 minutes of fame to a half hour, she did herself no favors by embellishing her positions that came off as more perplexing than the out of context commentary given the day before. She certainly harbors some animosity toward power and seemingly when it comes from someone of the Caucasian persuasion. As previously stated Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack (D-Iowa) a former agriculture state governor made a maximum mea culpa for his hasty firing, and then extended a job offer to Ms. Sherrod (not the same position) at the time this is being written she graciously accepted the apology but has not decided whether to accept the new position. She has also said that legal proceedings against biggovernment.com founder and Fox News contributor Andrew Breitbart may be in the future.
I think it is clear that some old fashioned hand wringing is necessary. I think that people need to resist political correctness when they hear comments made by anyone and at least try to put things into their proper although possibly offensive context before flying off the handle and making a decision or comment that might later be regretted. I think that everyone needs to count to perhaps 50 before saying anything when there is a hot microphone, or the possibility of a hot microphone nearby. While I generally disagree with everything that comes out of the mouth of the Attorney General Eric Holder I will agree that people have been cowards when it comes to addressing “Race” in this country. If we are going to do it we must do it in a way that is not going to cause what in the 1960’s became riots in Washington, DC and the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. We must face the facts that people are different, and we must look to history to understand why people have different opinions and we must agree that in some cases we will have to disagree. We must also not be afraid to hear words that are offensive during conversations and in that way de-stigmatize them and hopefully by default remove them from our lexicon. We have to be “Grown Up’ for a change and think like “Americans” not White-Americans or African-Americans or Hispanic, Asian, Muslim, or whatever other hyphenated variety of American someone might inevitably lay claim to simply to seemingly protect their heritage.
In the United States of America everyone is from somewhere and they came here because they wanted a new life and opportunity as an American. If they did not want those things, they would have stayed where they were no hyphen required. While it is true that many blacks were brought here in the chains of Slavery, it is also true that no black in America is a slave today and no black slave owner is alive today. To blame people for the sins of the past, many generations past, is the same as blaming them for sins that may occur just because new sins are conceivable. We have to treat each other as equal and we have to make decisions based on character and merit. We have to stop promoting a culture of a perpetual under class dependent on the government and we have to concentrate on lifting everyone up by always telling the truth and taking personal responsibility for our actions. This includes but is not limited to the one core value that has been nearly destroyed, the FAMILY UNIT
Obviously I could go on forever, but the clear point here is that we must be willing to listen and listen to everything, not just to the point that we become offended. We must also be willing to accept the fact that we could be wrong about certain things we have long held as true. We don’t have to get along with everyone, but at least we need to know the facts, not some white washing or spun around set of facts…just the facts, the plain and simple truth. Is that too much to ask for? Are all of us too unwilling to listen?
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Don't Blame BP Gas Station Owners....
Independent Small Business people who happen to own BP Franchises and sell Amoco brand Gasoline & Diesel fuel should not be the target of boycotts, protests, or violence. Tonight I spot to a client and friend who owns a local BP Station. His business has dropped terribly since the accident in the Gulf of Mexico that destroyed the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that was controlled by BP. He went on a trip to his native Lebanon and on the night he returned he found his bullet proof glass shattered by a gunshot. Fortunately no one was injured. BP will not pay to replace his window. He has suffered at the hands of people who do not understand that he does not work for BP.
Hardly anyone in the media bothers to remind people that purchasing BP Products from local independent business people is not the way to express discontent with the company BP. Many politicians including the President himself fail to do the same. All who do not repeat this message are complicit. All who fail to remind us that small business owners are not to blame risk repercussions at the polls when Americans finally wake up.
Boycotting BP Stations because of the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico makes as much sense as boycotting The Home Depot or Lowes because the lumber in houses blown down by a hurricane or tornado, or washed away in flooding did not stand up to mother nature.
BP is the responsible party. BP has accepted responsibility and has agreed to clean up the damage and compensate all legitimately damaged parties. BP will make it right, so said their chairman. Small business owners that happen to market BP Products are not responsible and are not liable for any damages to anyone because of their actions with respect to what happened 57 days ago.
Support your local businesses and continue to trade with your local BP dealer if you have been buying BP Products in the past. Do not let anger whipped up by those who know not of which they speak push you into changing your loyalties. Be an independent thinker and a thoughtful person. Wake up!!!
Independent Small Business people who happen to own BP Franchises and sell Amoco brand Gasoline & Diesel fuel should not be the target of boycotts, protests, or violence. Tonight I spot to a client and friend who owns a local BP Station. His business has dropped terribly since the accident in the Gulf of Mexico that destroyed the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig that was controlled by BP. He went on a trip to his native Lebanon and on the night he returned he found his bullet proof glass shattered by a gunshot. Fortunately no one was injured. BP will not pay to replace his window. He has suffered at the hands of people who do not understand that he does not work for BP.
Hardly anyone in the media bothers to remind people that purchasing BP Products from local independent business people is not the way to express discontent with the company BP. Many politicians including the President himself fail to do the same. All who do not repeat this message are complicit. All who fail to remind us that small business owners are not to blame risk repercussions at the polls when Americans finally wake up.
Boycotting BP Stations because of the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico makes as much sense as boycotting The Home Depot or Lowes because the lumber in houses blown down by a hurricane or tornado, or washed away in flooding did not stand up to mother nature.
BP is the responsible party. BP has accepted responsibility and has agreed to clean up the damage and compensate all legitimately damaged parties. BP will make it right, so said their chairman. Small business owners that happen to market BP Products are not responsible and are not liable for any damages to anyone because of their actions with respect to what happened 57 days ago.
Support your local businesses and continue to trade with your local BP dealer if you have been buying BP Products in the past. Do not let anger whipped up by those who know not of which they speak push you into changing your loyalties. Be an independent thinker and a thoughtful person. Wake up!!!
When you get caught between BP & DC
BP doesn’t know what to do about their blown out oil rig that has millions of gallons of crude oil spuing into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico short of drilling a relief well. DC our all powerful and all knowing government can get their act together and has nothing to offer except photo ops, hearings, and a ban of all drilling in waters deeper than 500 feet.
Everyone agrees that this is a disaster, one that certainly could have been prevented say for the negligence of BP and a refusal of the rig owner to stand up to BP when they pushed them to keep working against the advice of on site professionals. Everyone also agrees that more needs to be done to stop more oil from reaching the shores and cleaning up the oil that has found its way into the estuaries and onto beaches.
We have a lack of leadership in Washington, DC. The Obama administration has failed miserably to demonstrate any kind of competence. Of course since January of 2009 when they assumed control of the White House we’ve seen nothing that would give us a reason to expect otherwise, and I digress. Obviously the government does not have the expertise to resolve the problems caused by this tragedy. However, they do possess the resources to mobilize manpower and materials, and they can cut red tape completely to enable the States and Private Industry to do what is necessary to mitigate the damage to the highest degree possible.
Already the major oil companies with drilling operations have joined together to try to solve the problem. Countless American citizens have offered legitimate ideas to help on a number of fronts in the effort. Offers have been made by other countries to assist with our situation and we have made no effort to give them an opportunity to make a difference.
Tonight the President addressed the nation from the Oval Office on day 57 of the Siege on the Gulf Coast. He had lofty words and then used his speech to promote his Cap and Trade legislation now in Congress. We are not looking for legislation, or fact finding missions, or hearings in the US House or Senate. We are looking for leadership and solutions. Why wasn’t this speech given the first week of the disaster and without political gamesmanship as the center. The President has failed to find the right people to advise him and as a result has failed to grasp the true issues involved. He needs to understand that the people of the Gulf Coast region are under siege from the oil floating in the waters; moreover they are being slapped down from Washington DC by his administration standing in the way.
President Obama at this point needs to leave the clean up to the States. He needs to provide a wide birth for them to bring in whoever is needed both domestically and abroad. He needs to provide whatever Federal asserts maybe asked for and most of all he needs to keep as far away from the problem as possible. He has become the problem and not the answer. The moratorium on drilling needs to be lifted immediately so the people of the Gulf Coast can go back to work and so the long term exploration and exploitation of our natural resources can be done in a safe and environmentally sound manner. Politics needs to stay out of it from now on and science needs to take the lead when it comes to making decisions that involve the livelihood of Gulf Coast residents and our National Security.
BP on the other hand needs to get to work. They need to open up any and all records for complete review. BP needs to come clean about what happened and take seriously the offers of all others to help. BP needs to provide the States with the ability to run a claims program and distribute monies to all those who have been legitimately damaged.
The people of the Gulf Coast need not to be trapped between BP and DC for another day. BP and DC need to do what is necessary to make things happen in a constructive and positive manner. BP and DC need to commit themselves to solving the problem with the States.
BP doesn’t know what to do about their blown out oil rig that has millions of gallons of crude oil spuing into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico short of drilling a relief well. DC our all powerful and all knowing government can get their act together and has nothing to offer except photo ops, hearings, and a ban of all drilling in waters deeper than 500 feet.
Everyone agrees that this is a disaster, one that certainly could have been prevented say for the negligence of BP and a refusal of the rig owner to stand up to BP when they pushed them to keep working against the advice of on site professionals. Everyone also agrees that more needs to be done to stop more oil from reaching the shores and cleaning up the oil that has found its way into the estuaries and onto beaches.
We have a lack of leadership in Washington, DC. The Obama administration has failed miserably to demonstrate any kind of competence. Of course since January of 2009 when they assumed control of the White House we’ve seen nothing that would give us a reason to expect otherwise, and I digress. Obviously the government does not have the expertise to resolve the problems caused by this tragedy. However, they do possess the resources to mobilize manpower and materials, and they can cut red tape completely to enable the States and Private Industry to do what is necessary to mitigate the damage to the highest degree possible.
Already the major oil companies with drilling operations have joined together to try to solve the problem. Countless American citizens have offered legitimate ideas to help on a number of fronts in the effort. Offers have been made by other countries to assist with our situation and we have made no effort to give them an opportunity to make a difference.
Tonight the President addressed the nation from the Oval Office on day 57 of the Siege on the Gulf Coast. He had lofty words and then used his speech to promote his Cap and Trade legislation now in Congress. We are not looking for legislation, or fact finding missions, or hearings in the US House or Senate. We are looking for leadership and solutions. Why wasn’t this speech given the first week of the disaster and without political gamesmanship as the center. The President has failed to find the right people to advise him and as a result has failed to grasp the true issues involved. He needs to understand that the people of the Gulf Coast region are under siege from the oil floating in the waters; moreover they are being slapped down from Washington DC by his administration standing in the way.
President Obama at this point needs to leave the clean up to the States. He needs to provide a wide birth for them to bring in whoever is needed both domestically and abroad. He needs to provide whatever Federal asserts maybe asked for and most of all he needs to keep as far away from the problem as possible. He has become the problem and not the answer. The moratorium on drilling needs to be lifted immediately so the people of the Gulf Coast can go back to work and so the long term exploration and exploitation of our natural resources can be done in a safe and environmentally sound manner. Politics needs to stay out of it from now on and science needs to take the lead when it comes to making decisions that involve the livelihood of Gulf Coast residents and our National Security.
BP on the other hand needs to get to work. They need to open up any and all records for complete review. BP needs to come clean about what happened and take seriously the offers of all others to help. BP needs to provide the States with the ability to run a claims program and distribute monies to all those who have been legitimately damaged.
The people of the Gulf Coast need not to be trapped between BP and DC for another day. BP and DC need to do what is necessary to make things happen in a constructive and positive manner. BP and DC need to commit themselves to solving the problem with the States.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The New Arizona Immagration Law and Immigration Reform
The State of Arizona has enacted a law to allow local law enforcement officials to enforce United States Immigration Policy. While no person in this country has should be denied Civil or Constitutional Rights if they are in the United States legally, those who are not here legally are subject to all of the laws of the United States and the State of Arizona has the right to enforce their law. The State of Arizona has the right as a sovreign state of the United States to protect their citizens from violent crime. The State of Arizona has the right to protect their own citizens from paying for governement services that illegal aliens have no right to use.
Assimilation is why our society became referred to as a “Melting Pot”. E pluribus unum, Latin for "Out of many, one" is our national motto. Immigrants for hundreds of years have come to our shores seeking their future as part of the “American Dream”. There was never a Hyphenated American Dream (African-American, Hispanic-American, etc.) because when people came here they left behind their circumstances and to become part of something new. Immigrants came here to become Americans. Immigrants knew learning English was key to their success and being functioning part of our society. They knew that future generations would identify less and less with their foreign heritiage, and embrace being uniquely American. This was not easy because there was without question prejudices that led to widespread rejection of certain people. Irish and Chinese were sent off to build the Transcontinental Railroad because they were not considered to be equal to other immigrants. Regardless, decendants from both of those heritages are now integral part of American Society.
We have a border with two countries Canada and Mexico. The borders are poreous and it is relatively easy and simple to get into the US and out of the United States with proper identification. The United States requires its citizens to possess and present a biometric tamper resistant passport to both leave and re-enter the country at all border checkpoints. The same is true for all other countries but previously Canada and Mexico (and a handful of other countries and US Territories) required only a drivers license and a birth certificate as proof of US Citizenship for the purpose of entry to and exit from their country.
We have an embassy in nearly every country of the world. People from most of the countries where we are represented make application for Visa’s to come to the United States of America. They take a legal path to becoming American, and understand all that is required of them, including the ability to read, speak, and write in the English language, as well as an understanding of American History and the United States Constitution.
We are a sovreign country that must have safe, secure, and sustainible borders. We have to maintain a fair and reasonable immigration policy. We cannot tolerate the blatent disregard of our immigration laws, and the associated cost of providing federal, local, and state government services to those who are here illegally. We must respect the laws of other nations and the citizens of other nations must respect our laws. No other country on earth tolerates agregis disregard of borders or their immigration policies. Why should the United States be different.
Immigrants from Mexico and Central and South Ameica. Hispanic-Americans have been against the concept of “Many into One” and to giving up their heritage. They and their advocacy groups are insistant on being embraced as a protected class of immigrants. Politicians have done little to change their attitudes or thinking finding it more politically expidient to give in than to lose votes. As a result much of our governent produces documentation in both English and Spanish, and many businesses looking not to alienate a large block of purchasing power provide a Spanish translation to their customers. When you contact most any company doing business with a diverse customer base you are faced with making a choice between hearing their information in English or pressing two (2) for the Spanish translation. No assimilation is taking place anywhere in terms of immigrants from south of the border.
Persons here in the United States illegally should leave. If they are not able to leave on their own, or demonstrate why they should be allowed to stay in the United States for reasons such as political or religious persecution in their own country should be given immediate assistance to return to their country of origin. Illegals can upon their return apply to come to the United States legally, and given reasonable consideration. However, those who have made application from outside of the United States should be given consideration first.
Each and every person in this country with the exception of Native Americans (Eskimos and Indians) come from a family of immigrants from some other country. Each and every person in this country has their own proud perspective with regard to their heritage and family country of origin. However, we must all be one people, one United States of America, but none of us have a right to demand our country assimilate to our own heritage. The United States Federal Government should take heed and enforce the Federal Laws agressively and protect all of the citizens of the United States from the currently poreous borders.
The State of Arizona has enacted a law to allow local law enforcement officials to enforce United States Immigration Policy. While no person in this country has should be denied Civil or Constitutional Rights if they are in the United States legally, those who are not here legally are subject to all of the laws of the United States and the State of Arizona has the right to enforce their law. The State of Arizona has the right as a sovreign state of the United States to protect their citizens from violent crime. The State of Arizona has the right to protect their own citizens from paying for governement services that illegal aliens have no right to use.
Assimilation is why our society became referred to as a “Melting Pot”. E pluribus unum, Latin for "Out of many, one" is our national motto. Immigrants for hundreds of years have come to our shores seeking their future as part of the “American Dream”. There was never a Hyphenated American Dream (African-American, Hispanic-American, etc.) because when people came here they left behind their circumstances and to become part of something new. Immigrants came here to become Americans. Immigrants knew learning English was key to their success and being functioning part of our society. They knew that future generations would identify less and less with their foreign heritiage, and embrace being uniquely American. This was not easy because there was without question prejudices that led to widespread rejection of certain people. Irish and Chinese were sent off to build the Transcontinental Railroad because they were not considered to be equal to other immigrants. Regardless, decendants from both of those heritages are now integral part of American Society.
We have a border with two countries Canada and Mexico. The borders are poreous and it is relatively easy and simple to get into the US and out of the United States with proper identification. The United States requires its citizens to possess and present a biometric tamper resistant passport to both leave and re-enter the country at all border checkpoints. The same is true for all other countries but previously Canada and Mexico (and a handful of other countries and US Territories) required only a drivers license and a birth certificate as proof of US Citizenship for the purpose of entry to and exit from their country.
We have an embassy in nearly every country of the world. People from most of the countries where we are represented make application for Visa’s to come to the United States of America. They take a legal path to becoming American, and understand all that is required of them, including the ability to read, speak, and write in the English language, as well as an understanding of American History and the United States Constitution.
We are a sovreign country that must have safe, secure, and sustainible borders. We have to maintain a fair and reasonable immigration policy. We cannot tolerate the blatent disregard of our immigration laws, and the associated cost of providing federal, local, and state government services to those who are here illegally. We must respect the laws of other nations and the citizens of other nations must respect our laws. No other country on earth tolerates agregis disregard of borders or their immigration policies. Why should the United States be different.
Immigrants from Mexico and Central and South Ameica. Hispanic-Americans have been against the concept of “Many into One” and to giving up their heritage. They and their advocacy groups are insistant on being embraced as a protected class of immigrants. Politicians have done little to change their attitudes or thinking finding it more politically expidient to give in than to lose votes. As a result much of our governent produces documentation in both English and Spanish, and many businesses looking not to alienate a large block of purchasing power provide a Spanish translation to their customers. When you contact most any company doing business with a diverse customer base you are faced with making a choice between hearing their information in English or pressing two (2) for the Spanish translation. No assimilation is taking place anywhere in terms of immigrants from south of the border.
Persons here in the United States illegally should leave. If they are not able to leave on their own, or demonstrate why they should be allowed to stay in the United States for reasons such as political or religious persecution in their own country should be given immediate assistance to return to their country of origin. Illegals can upon their return apply to come to the United States legally, and given reasonable consideration. However, those who have made application from outside of the United States should be given consideration first.
Each and every person in this country with the exception of Native Americans (Eskimos and Indians) come from a family of immigrants from some other country. Each and every person in this country has their own proud perspective with regard to their heritage and family country of origin. However, we must all be one people, one United States of America, but none of us have a right to demand our country assimilate to our own heritage. The United States Federal Government should take heed and enforce the Federal Laws agressively and protect all of the citizens of the United States from the currently poreous borders.
Friday, April 23, 2010
WHAT A MESS...
We've come a long way in the last 15 months since President Obama took office. He promised that he would transform our country and to that end he has not disappointed. While it is absolutely true that he inherited arguably the worst economy since the Great Depression, it is also true that he and Vice President Biden were prior to taking their current offices members of the world’s most deliberative body and America's most exclusive club, the United States Senate. As Senators the condition of the US economy should not have been lost, or at least not a secret. Candidate Obama was brought into the White House along with his opponent Senator John McCain by former President Bush for a sit down meeting about the very difficult economic issues caused primarily by the failure of housing market and really bad loans made by US banks and mortgage companies. At that time (September 2008) the stock market had found its way into the toilet and Trillions of dollars in US wealth disappeared with the Dow falling from it's more than $14,000 high to less than half it's value.
Since taking office in January 2009 we’ve received the following from the Obama Administration and the Democrat controlled Congress:
1. The Troubled Asset Relief Program of 2009
2. The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009
3. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
4. America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009
5. The Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010
Let’s not forget that the take over of AIG, Chrysler, and General Motors all as a result of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) of 2009, and the Cash for Clunkers program from funds made available in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
To date not one member of either body of Congress has made the claim they have read any of the extremely complex bills that they have passed and the White House has not made it clear that the President has done more than a cursory reading of any of the bills himself.
The President and the Congress are not done either because the Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2009, and the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 are pending legislation that the Congress intends to push through for the President’s signature before the mid-term elections in November.
The legislation that has passed and been signed into law has put the United States into perhaps unrecoverable debt. The pending legislation shows no intent of providing any relief from that position; in fact, the evidence is quite to the contrary. It is unconscionable that our government could put our country in this position. It pains me to have to consider what future generations of Americans will have to contend with, especially when I recall the fall of the former Soviet Union who spent themselves into oblivion in the Cold War that ended with the fall of the Berlin wall in the George H.W. Bush Administration.
While the President has repeatedly resolved both as a candidate and since his inauguration in January 2009 not to increase taxes a single dime on individuals with incomes of less than $200,000 and married couples earning up to $250,000 there is talk of a Value Added Tax (VAT) to help get the country out of debt or provide additional revenues for not yet contemplated programs. The VAT would be in addition to the income tax which is slated to increase as tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003 under the George W. Bush Administration expire. There is no pending legislation to exempt individuals and married couples under the President’s thresholds from feeling the bite of the sunsetting of the Bush tax cuts.
Our economy is extremely fragile. Unemployment is at higher levels than have been seen since the recession during the Ronald W. Reagan Administration’s first term. Fortunately massive inflation has not become reality just yet, but with the amount of money printed by the Federal Reserve it will be impossible to stave it off forever and maintain the low interest rates needed to insure a robust recovery. The housing market has begun to return in many areas, but the hardest hit places like California, Florida, and Nevada may not return for a decade or more. There is talk of another round of major repossessions in the near future when mortgages not converted from adjustable rates to fixed rates reset from below prime levels. While efforts have been made by the White House to urge lenders to work with home owners there is little hope that the majority of troubled mortgages and homes will be saved.
The Republicans in Congress with rare exception have voted unanimously “NO” on all of the legislation passed to date. Polls consistently show that the favorable ratings of the Congress are below 25% and recently the President’s own job approval rating has fallen below 50%. They show that the American people are angry because of the piles of debt that are continuing to grow, and the arrogance of the politicians voting in direct opposition to their will.
Washington, D.C. has become ground zero in the economic destruction of our country. There is no doubt that the Democrat majorities in Congress will be severely curtailed if not lost completely in the upcoming mid-term elections. Should they lose one or both houses of Congress the President will be powerless to accomplish any of his agenda because there will be a continual gridlock until his term ends in January 2013. Unfortunately the damage has been done, and reversing it may be impossible without the ability of the Congress to override a Presidential veto.
The American people must wake up and smell whatever turns them on, be it their coffee or roses in their gardens. We must learn to understand the reality of the issues and they must strive to stay informed about legislation before their elected officials. We must use whatever legal and peaceful means necessary to return our fiscal house to order, and to mandate that the Constitution be followed. Our country is too important and in our history we have never been quitters or been kept down. The tyrannical actions taken by our elected government can be stopped. We can recapture the constitutionally guaranteed rights given to us by our founding fathers. There cannot be a middle ground, we must persist and we must succeed. I know we can do it and accomplish many of the goals of the American people lost in the bizarre legislation brought to bear of late. We cannot lose faith and we must take action. Find out what you can do and get started today!
We've come a long way in the last 15 months since President Obama took office. He promised that he would transform our country and to that end he has not disappointed. While it is absolutely true that he inherited arguably the worst economy since the Great Depression, it is also true that he and Vice President Biden were prior to taking their current offices members of the world’s most deliberative body and America's most exclusive club, the United States Senate. As Senators the condition of the US economy should not have been lost, or at least not a secret. Candidate Obama was brought into the White House along with his opponent Senator John McCain by former President Bush for a sit down meeting about the very difficult economic issues caused primarily by the failure of housing market and really bad loans made by US banks and mortgage companies. At that time (September 2008) the stock market had found its way into the toilet and Trillions of dollars in US wealth disappeared with the Dow falling from it's more than $14,000 high to less than half it's value.
Since taking office in January 2009 we’ve received the following from the Obama Administration and the Democrat controlled Congress:
1. The Troubled Asset Relief Program of 2009
2. The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009
3. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
4. America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009
5. The Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010
Let’s not forget that the take over of AIG, Chrysler, and General Motors all as a result of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) of 2009, and the Cash for Clunkers program from funds made available in The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
To date not one member of either body of Congress has made the claim they have read any of the extremely complex bills that they have passed and the White House has not made it clear that the President has done more than a cursory reading of any of the bills himself.
The President and the Congress are not done either because the Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2009, and the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 are pending legislation that the Congress intends to push through for the President’s signature before the mid-term elections in November.
The legislation that has passed and been signed into law has put the United States into perhaps unrecoverable debt. The pending legislation shows no intent of providing any relief from that position; in fact, the evidence is quite to the contrary. It is unconscionable that our government could put our country in this position. It pains me to have to consider what future generations of Americans will have to contend with, especially when I recall the fall of the former Soviet Union who spent themselves into oblivion in the Cold War that ended with the fall of the Berlin wall in the George H.W. Bush Administration.
While the President has repeatedly resolved both as a candidate and since his inauguration in January 2009 not to increase taxes a single dime on individuals with incomes of less than $200,000 and married couples earning up to $250,000 there is talk of a Value Added Tax (VAT) to help get the country out of debt or provide additional revenues for not yet contemplated programs. The VAT would be in addition to the income tax which is slated to increase as tax cuts passed in 2001 and 2003 under the George W. Bush Administration expire. There is no pending legislation to exempt individuals and married couples under the President’s thresholds from feeling the bite of the sunsetting of the Bush tax cuts.
Our economy is extremely fragile. Unemployment is at higher levels than have been seen since the recession during the Ronald W. Reagan Administration’s first term. Fortunately massive inflation has not become reality just yet, but with the amount of money printed by the Federal Reserve it will be impossible to stave it off forever and maintain the low interest rates needed to insure a robust recovery. The housing market has begun to return in many areas, but the hardest hit places like California, Florida, and Nevada may not return for a decade or more. There is talk of another round of major repossessions in the near future when mortgages not converted from adjustable rates to fixed rates reset from below prime levels. While efforts have been made by the White House to urge lenders to work with home owners there is little hope that the majority of troubled mortgages and homes will be saved.
The Republicans in Congress with rare exception have voted unanimously “NO” on all of the legislation passed to date. Polls consistently show that the favorable ratings of the Congress are below 25% and recently the President’s own job approval rating has fallen below 50%. They show that the American people are angry because of the piles of debt that are continuing to grow, and the arrogance of the politicians voting in direct opposition to their will.
Washington, D.C. has become ground zero in the economic destruction of our country. There is no doubt that the Democrat majorities in Congress will be severely curtailed if not lost completely in the upcoming mid-term elections. Should they lose one or both houses of Congress the President will be powerless to accomplish any of his agenda because there will be a continual gridlock until his term ends in January 2013. Unfortunately the damage has been done, and reversing it may be impossible without the ability of the Congress to override a Presidential veto.
The American people must wake up and smell whatever turns them on, be it their coffee or roses in their gardens. We must learn to understand the reality of the issues and they must strive to stay informed about legislation before their elected officials. We must use whatever legal and peaceful means necessary to return our fiscal house to order, and to mandate that the Constitution be followed. Our country is too important and in our history we have never been quitters or been kept down. The tyrannical actions taken by our elected government can be stopped. We can recapture the constitutionally guaranteed rights given to us by our founding fathers. There cannot be a middle ground, we must persist and we must succeed. I know we can do it and accomplish many of the goals of the American people lost in the bizarre legislation brought to bear of late. We cannot lose faith and we must take action. Find out what you can do and get started today!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)