14 posts tagged “news”
American JOBS- The Solution
First, I would like to thank all of the men and women who serve in our military.
Without you, I would NOT be FREE to write this stuff.
Thank you for your service..!!
American JOBS part 3- “The Solution” (Dream, the impossible Dream)
This is part three of a series of editorials on American JOBS. In the last two editorials, we talked about “what went wrong” and WHY we need to return jobs to America.
THE PROBLEM
America has become a country that doesn’t MAKE anything, anymore.
We service things, and we sell things.
But very few products are actually made here in America.
As a result, many Americans are “underemployed”, and 10% of the American workforce is unemployed. They have no job.
In just a few years, because of republican AND democrat party leadership, we have dropped from 5 % unemployment, to 10% unemployment.
If this trend is allowed to continue and the unemployment rate doubles again; we will be closing in on the 29% unemployment rate of The Great Depression.
It MUST stop now.
Democrats and Republicans are fighting over “words on paper.”
2,000 pages of words on paper, called: “Health Care Reform Act.”
Health Care might be important to some.
Education is at the top of the list for others.
But American JOBS and the economy should be important to all.
I do not claim to have the answers, I only have a single solution.
You may agree or disagree with my solution. However, we should agree that the economy and jobs should be the number one priority for every politician in Washington.
For, without a solid workforce, without a strong economy, there will be no tax money for education, or health care, or newly paved roads.
American JOBS- The solution
To come to this solution that I have, I had to drop a couple of “beliefs” that I held dear.
It wasn’t easy.
(Belief One) Religious-
“..If you give a man a fish, that is very noble, he can eat. However, you will have to give this man a fish tomorrow.
If you teach a man to fish, he can feed himself..”
In essence, that is what we did. We taught the “third world” how to fish.
Ever since I was a child, I remember hearing about the starving people in Asia, Mexico, Africa, and the likes. America has sent billions of dollars in foreign aid to starving nations, only to have to send more the next year.
By allowing our manufacturing to head overseas, we gave the third world a “fishing pole” so they can feed themselves.
However, with our current economic situation and lack of good paying jobs, there should be a third line in that old parable. A line that reads:
“..If the man that you taught to fish begins fishing IN YOUR POND and takes all of your fish, causing you to go hungry. It is time to kick that man in the ass..”
(OK, my “third line” of that parable may not fit into most religious text. But the point is made.)
Yes, God wants us to help the poor.
But God doesn’t want us to be stupid and hungry.
There are many ways to help the poor. But we cannot help anyone, if WE are poor and hungry.
(Belief Two) Strict Conservatism
“..The government cannot interfere in the ‘free Market’. What about the constitution? Every time that the government messes with capitalism, they screw the whole thing up..”
This is a tough one. You hear it on every conservative show. All of the “talk stars” subscribe to the notion that “you cannot mess with free enterprise.”
This idea is simply not true. The free market in America has NEVER been “truly” FREE, and has been “screwed with” by the government, ever since the founding fathers. Sometimes it works very well. Sometimes, it doesn’t work at all.
I can only give a couple of examples of what I am talking about here, and we have to move on:
In 1904, a Socialist named Upton Sinclair was paid $500 bucks to write a fiction series for a newspaper about American workers. Sinclair focused on slaughter houses and the Meat Packing industry in Chicago. In the 1900’s, people were dying from tainted meat. The meat packing industry in America was sickening.
The meat packing plants were unsanitary. Meat was left out in the open for too long, and people were dying.
The goal of Sinclair was to show Americans that capitalism didn’t work, and socialism could protect you.
Sinclair’s work, later packaged as a book called: “The Jungle”, was mostly fiction. (It was never proved that someone actually fell into a meat grinder and was sold for food.) However, Sinclair’s book had just enough truth in it, that it become popular.
The goal of the socialist movement and Sinclair’s idea failed with the American public. Instead of adopting socialism, our government created the “Food and Drug Administration”, which began inspections into America’s food industry.
No one reading this can deny that WE MUST have an independent government agency to watch over our food and drugs. If left unchecked, private business could become “The Jungle”, that Sinclair penned, long time ago.
The second example I wanted to give, before we move on, is based on Thomas Edison.
Back when America was “getting wired” for electricity, Mr. Edison was NOT going to run power lines out to rural areas and farmers.
I will paraphrase what Edison said:
“..I’m not spending hundreds of dollars to run power lines and telephone poles out to some farmer, so I can get a couple of bucks back selling electricity..??”
Power companies were not going to run power lines out to the rural areas.
It took the government to create the REA, which ran power lines, and then bought electricity from existing companies to sell to the farmers.
FACT: There are 6 billion people in the world today, only half of the world’s population has electricity, even today.
The government CAN do some things very well. They can also screw things up.
Unfortunately, we will need the government’s help to return JOBS back to America.
Here is what we CANNOT do
When trying to figure out what we need to do to return jobs back to America, it helps to rule out what we cannot do.
Lower payroll
We cannot ask American workers to work for the same pay as their Mexican and Chinese counterparts. Rule that one out.
Ending OSHA and the EPA.
We all want clean water, fresh air, and safe jobs. So, there is not much that we can do here.
We can pull back on some of the outrageous EPA rules: “the Delta Smelt” cutting off the water supply to California farmers, EPA restrictions on wood burning heaters (our only TRUE renewable source heater), etc.
A “Buy American” campaign
Back in the 1970’s and 80’s, you could have a successful “buy American” campaign because you could still find American TV’s, clothes, and such, to choose from.
Today, you will not find an American made TV sitting on a shelf next to a Japanese made TV. You are not going to find an American made shirt sitting next to a shirt made in India. Even if you wanted to “buy American”, you could not. It has gotten that bad.
The above was a list of things that we cannot do. Let’s move on to:
American JOBS- The Solution
Taxation.
That’s the solution.
(Really, it’s the only thing that we can do to bring back jobs to America.)
Today; American made products are taxed higher than foreign made product ONLY because the government can tax American made products- more.
In America, we can tax a product many times during the manufacturing process and the distribution. Then we can tax that product again during the sale of it, to you.
A foreign made product is taxed when it comes into the country, and again on the resale to you.
(That’s a bit simplified, but you get my drift.)
When you add taxation, and high labor costs, with EPA laws, and OSHA concerns, it is amazing that anything is still “Made in America.”
I propose the removal of ALL taxes on American made products.
All Federal, State, and Local taxes will be removed from any product that is “truly” Made in America.
To compensate for the loss of revenue to the government, an import tax (tariff) shall be placed, therein, or raised, if applies.
Now, I am not an economist. So, I cannot tell you how high the import tax would be. A really good “bean counter” would have to go over the federal budget and figure out “how high” to raise this import tax. (And, I’m sure that this economist would tell me that it is impossible to remove ALL taxes from American made products.)
A very low domestic tax, coupled with a higher import tax, should level the playing field.
The downside: No company is going to move to America “the minute” that this new tax policy is implemented. Companies would wait a year or so to see if we are serious about it.
Which means, the cost of buying goods will be very high, for all of us.
The upside: We grow “most” of our own food. So food cost shouldn’t be effected. We use American lumber to build houses, so housing shouldn’t be effected. We may have to make an exception for heating oil and gasolene.
The downside: China will be pissed off at us..!!
If we were to do this, we would piss off most of the world. We would be breaking trade policies, and we would be kicked out of the “One World Order” club.
The upside: We would be kicked out of the “One World Order” club.
Hey, what’s China going to do? Kick our ass..??
These foreign countries already know that America’s foreign trade laws are screwed up. They laugh at us.
The ratio:
For every (1) children’s toy that is made in America and shipped to China. China makes 1,000 different toys that are shipped back here.
For every (1) GM car that is sold in Japan, Japan sells 400 cars to America.
Folks, these people are laughing at us. And they are getting rich. And we are losing work.
I believe that after a year or two, when companies see that we are serious with this new tax system, they will be moving to America, and hiring American workers.
The timing is right
Many American companies moved to foreign lands in the 70’s and 80’s. Which means that their buildings are going on 30 or 40 years old. They may be thinking about expanding or re-tooling their factories. If we catch them in time, why not build here in America? Get a BIG tax break. Instead of putting a new plant in India or Malaysia..??
We really are not talking about something that is “that” radical. We do this all the time, between the states. One county will offer Wal-Mart a 5 year tax break if they build their new Wal-Mart here, instead of another county, somewhere else.
The State of Pennsylvania will offer a Hollywood movie company BIG incentives to film a movie here, instead of some other state. (Which means another “killer zombie” movie will be made near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania; “Night of the living dead”, “Dawn of the dead”, etc.)
So, this tax plan is not really radical.
Some products are partially made in America. Parts for this product are made somewhere else and shipped here to be assembled. “That’s not good enough.”
I suggest a “Pride in America” label.
This label, (dressed up with a pretty flag) will tell consumers “how much of the product is actually Made in America.”
If 50% of the product is actually made in America, then they get a 50% reduction in tax. This would place an incentive to make MORE of their product here.
Take a car, for example: it would be impossible to make 100% of a car here, right now.
However, let’s say that TODAY: 60% of a Chevy is made in America. You can bet that Honda will advertise 70% of their car is made in America. (And they will display it WITH PRIDE on the “Pride in America” label.) This will cause Ford to relocate a factory from Mexico, up to Detroit, or Cleveland, and advertise 75% “Made in America.” And so on.
I have racked my brains for this editorial, and this series of posts on American JOBS. I wanted to provide solutions, not just talk about it.
We do not want to lower our wages. We do not want to pollute the earth. Our only choice to bring back American JOBS is through taxation.
I truly believe that if we remove ALL taxes from American Made products, and raise taxes on foreign products to compensate for lost government revenue, we can entice manufacturing back into America.
We CAN provide Americans with JOBS.
This concludes the third editorial on American JOBS. I am placing links below, incase you missed the first two editorials.
The forth editorial in this series is really special.
For those of you who still believe that the American government CANNOT interfere with the free market…
Well, we are going to learn exactly what the founding father did, when faced with a similar situation, as we have today.
Also in the next editorial, we will talk about how to implement this new tax policy. (How to get congress on board.)
But, that will be our next editorial. Due out in a week or two.
American JOBS part 1- (What went wrong)
American JOBS part 2- Safety First
American JOBS part 3- The Solution
(You just read that one)
American JOBS part 4- Franklin, Adams, tell us what to do?
(Due out, in about 2 weeks)
Written by AR Babonie for The Angry Republic
Thanks for reading
The Angry Republic
American Jobs- Safety First
(What’s in my chicken..??)
For years, many of us have worried about the job situation in America. It was difficult to bring the issue to the forefront when the unemployment figures hovered around 5%.
5% unemployment is about the best that you can do, right..??
It’s hard to “cry wolf” when most people are employed, and no one wants to listen.
“..What about the under employed? People working less than 40 hours a week, or those making much less than their skills..??”
These cries were not heard.
Today, the unemployment figures are closing in on 10%. In some cities, the unemployment rate is around 13% and for American youths, the rate is 25% unemployed.
1 out of 4 young Americans are out of work.
If the unemployment rate can double from 5% to 10% in a little over a year, it could double again next year, if we do nothing to stop it.
20% unemployment is unacceptable, and we cannot let it slip to that level. Hell, the Great Depression saw unemployment at 29%.
The time to act is now.
Republicans are clearly stuck somewhere between “liberal lite” and conservatism. Many republican politicians seem to think that they can “talk tough” on Fox News about how “conservative” they are. Yet, they head off and endorse a socialistic compromise in congress.
Democrats are stuck in campaign mode. They haven’t stopped campaigning since the election.
The “cure- all” for the democratic party is health care. Health care: that will not take place for 3 years, (which could be too late.)
If you press the democratic party on the economy and American Jobs, their answer is to use taxpayer’s money on “stimulus jobs.”
“Stimulus jobs”.
I saw some “stimulus jobs.”
They came through my town and fixed all of our cities sidewalks and curbs. There was about 100 people fixing curbs.
The sidewalks and curbs are all fixed now. What will these people do next year..??
Maybe next year, we could take MORE tax money and have these “stimulus people” trim bushes and pick up trash..??
This is a band-aid on a broken arm. It looks like we did something because there is a cute little band-aid on there, but the arm is still broken.
We need permanent JOBS. Not a temporary fix.
American Jobs- Safety First
In my last editorial on American Jobs, I talked about a system that has broken down which would allow a “chicken” to be raised in China, butchered, placed on a ship; to sail across the ocean, to then be sold in American stores. AND IT WILL BE CHEAPER than raising the chicken here, in America.
The system is clearly broken, and we have known that for years. Yet, we cannot get the republicans and democrats to do ANYTHING about it.
We the people, are going to have to do it ourselves.
Before we get into the solution, I wanted to talk about safety.
How “safe” is it to rely on other countries for FOOD..??
Currently, we buy fruits and vegetables from Mexico because the labor is cheap, and they have a longer growing period then we do.
We also buy “farm raised” fish from China. Why..?? Because the labor is cheaper and the cost is low because some of these Chinese farms feed the fish a collection of “stuff” that I do not even want to list here. (I will NOT eat this fish.) However, the fish meat from China passes the US- FDA because the meat shows up as being: acceptable.
Soon we will be eating chicken that was raised in China.
You will never know that you are eating this “Chinese Chicken” because the restaurant is not going to list on the menu where it came from. When you buy chicken in the grocery store, the package is not going to say: “Raised in China.”
You will never know.
We know the facts: Baby toys that contained lead in the paint. Poison pajamas that caused people to have allergic reactions. Canned soup that contained e- coli. Babies milk that was contaminated. All products from China.
It is one thing to import a DVD player, however…
Importing food..??
America has some of the most fertile land that the world has ever seen..!! Why are we importing FOOD..??
Food safety is a major concern.
However, there is a deeper, more dangerous concern, as well:
When talking about national security; how “safe” is it to rely on other countries FOR FOOD..??
At any time, China, Russia, and the Arab world could boycott America; for any reason. They could STOP products from coming to America.
If we import 60% of our oil, most of our manufactured goods, and now FOOD…
A boycott against America would bring this country to a standstill.
Sure, the Europeans would help us. Canada and Mexico would too. But if China held back manufactured goods and food, if the Arab world held back oil, and Russia provided the “muscle” to enforce this boycott; which one of our friends would cross this “blockade” to help us..??
Safety is a major concern when talking about American Jobs, and that is why I wanted to use one editorial talking about safety.
What is the “safest” product that you have ever owned..??
It is the product that you made, yourself.
Because you were there when it was formed from steal and wood. You watched as it was shaped and molded and transformed into a viable product. You know its weakness, and strength. You know, because you were there.
American Jobs are very important to put people back to work. But you cannot discount safety.
Facts are stubborn things..!!
It is much easier to inspect a factory in America, then it is to inspect a factory in China.
In China, we must get an OK from the Chinese government, which could take days, maybe weeks. By then, the factor will be “cleaned up.”
In America, the only thing that we have to do is get proper documentation from the FDA and a judge, and we can inspect that factory on the same day. We can catch them in the act of doing (whatever it was that they were doing.)
This pretty much concludes this editorial on American Jobs- Safety First. If you folks have anything that I forgot, please comment below.
In my last editorial on American Jobs, I forgot to list “taxes” as playing a major roll in “what went wrong” with American employment. Nobullthinker pointed that out, and I hope that you will add comments on this editorial, as well.
It is real tempting to just roll right into the solution for American Jobs. But I am trying to put together a web site that is fun, entertaining, and interesting; so I am holding “the solution” back, for the NEXT editorial on American Jobs. (Besides, you folks who are reading this are very wise. You already know the solution.)
As I have said before, my site takes a look at current news and politics, and we talk about it with humor (and a tad bit of anger.) However, we also pick a topic each year and focus on that topic.
One year, we focused on “radical Islam.” Last year, because of his idealism, we focused on stopping Barack Obama from becoming president. (Which didn’t work out so good.)
This year, we are focusing on American Jobs.
The editorials that we have lined up are:
American Jobs part 1- What went wrong
and...
American Jobs part 2- Safety First
(You just read that one.)
and...
American Jobs part 3- The Solution
(Due out in about a week.)
And…
American Jobs part 4- “Franklin, Adams, tell us what to do..??”
Written by AR Babonie for The Angry Republic
Coming soon
To The Angry Republic
Are you a republican..??
Are you lost and confused..??
Are you thirsty..??
Why not try some GOLD water..!!
It’s refreshing, and it no longer smells like goat piss.
“..When you have lost your way, it helps to review where you have been..”
A special editorial, coming soon to this site..!!
Thanks for reading
The Angry Republic
Fairness in Talk Radio
Every so often, the topic of a “fairness doctrine” surfaces, and I feel a need to talk about it because I have a different take on the situation.
CNN has a running series on the topic of “localism”, (which we have talked about before on my web site) and it brings this topic to the forefront again.
Here is the premise:
Democrats would like to break up a conservative “strong- hold” in AM talk radio.
However, no democrat (including President Obama) wants to be the one to get in front of a national audience and PUSH for a “free speech” killing bill in congress.
So, up pops the ugly idea of “localism.”
LOCALISM- using local markets to push an agenda. Not using the national markets or create a federal bill.
Which means..??
Community Organizers (aaahh, ohhh) would rally and petition to change the programming at your local radio station.
This would be done across the country, city by city.
This is, really, the “back door” method in resurrecting the fairness doctrine.
How does it work..??
Say that your local AM radio station’s programming consists of this:
9am to noon- Glenn Beck
Noon to 3pm- Rush Limbaugh
3pm to 6pm- Sean Hannity
6pm to (8 or 9pm)- Mark Levin
(I am just giving a few examples, there are dozens of “Talkers” out there.)
OK, local groups of (liberals) would organize and protest this radio station to add “fair” programming that is more “neutral.”
(The key wording here is “fair” and “neutral.”)
(Free) Radio Stations MUST carry an FCC licence. Within that licence, is a clause that they MUST be fair, in dealing with politics. If they give an hour of air-time to a democratic politician, then they MUST offer an hour of air-time to a republican.
Sorry, folks. But that is the way it is.
Many people believe that when President Reagan dropped the fairness doctrine, this stopped the practice of “fairness” in broadcast. And it did on a nation level. However, on a local level, “public airwaves” (free radio) still MUST abide by this policy, or risk losing their FCC licence, if people complain.
This is where liberals have us. On a local level.
No one could EVER say that presenting 12 hours of conservative talk radio is being “neutral.” Even Rush Limbaugh would slap you in the face if you ever called him a “neutral moderate.”
This is the strategy. This is the plan.
There will be no big announcement about it. Localism will just happen. (Because it is “grassroots.”)
You will hop into your car one day, turn on the radio, and Glenn Beck will be gone. You will check the radio dial to see if you have the wrong station. But Beck will be gone. In place of Glenn Beck, will be some local DJ taking calls on a proposed raise in garbage collection.
That’s how it will happen, folks.
One of your beloved conservative talkers will be GONE.
(OK, maybe I did put a little too much drama in there, sorry.)
I want us to do a little experiment right now. Everyone, pull out your AM radios.
What I want you to do is a slow scan of the AM radio dial in your area. Start at the bottom of the AM dial, and scan to the top. Count how many AM stations are in your area.
(OK, so you don’t want to play along, I get it.) I will tell you what you will find: If you are in a big market (big city), you might have 4 or 5 AM stations to choose from. If you are in a small market, you might have 1 or 2 AM stations.
On those AM stations will be a mix of politics, sports, financial, religious, and old music.
There is plenty of room on the AM dial for NEW political radio stations. Even in a big market.
Let’s move into the hypothetical realm for a moment:
Liberal “localism” comes to your town, and they protest your local AM Radio station that is playing 12 hours of conservative talk. If the station is FORCED by the FCC, (or they give in on their own) to the demands of “localism,” they would probably try and hold onto a 6 hour block of conservative talk. (IE- Keep Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh back to back. OR- Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity back to back.) Then, the stations would offer an alterative show(s) in the mix.
Many liberals do not understand what they are fighting for.
I believe that many liberals have a misunderstanding and are ready to pump their fists into the air and proclaim: “..Yea, we will get Limbaugh off the air and get Randi Rhodes on..”
That’s NOT the way it goes.
Localism doesn’t allow you to pick which shows get aired. It only allows you to “protest for fairness.”
Actually, I see very few stations dropping Rush Limbaugh. The fatalities would probably be Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and the dozens of other talkers in the market. (But, that is not necessarily true. And I will explain later..!!)
OK, lets say that our local AM station chooses Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh for 6 hours, back to back- live. (Sorry, Hannity fans, I am just picking an example, here.)
Our local AM station DOES NOT HAVE TO put on a “liberal talk show” in place of Sean Hannity. The only thing that they HAVE to do is offer an alternative that gives the community a voice.
A local DJ- (host), who calls himself: independent, can take calls from your community, on any topic that the community feels is important, would satisfy the FCC’s “fairness.”
Many liberals think that if talk radio drops Hannity or Beck, they must put in someone like: Bill Press, or Ed Shultz, or Randi Rhodes.
Not true..!!
A local DJ- host would work out fine.
(Sorry, liberals. But “localism” may not guaranty that liberal talk is brought to the airwaves.)
Remember when I talked about ” the fatalities might be Beck and Hannity.” Then I said: “that may not necessarily be true..” OK, here is where we get to that part:
Lets say that I am an investor. Lets say that I have wanted to open a talk radio station, BUT, my competition; the “Big Talker AM” has Beck, Rush, Hannity, and Levin.
There is no way that I can compete against that.
If I tried to offer “liberal talk”, it fails every time that it is tried. So, that is no good.
There is no way to start a new political AM station, as long as “Big Talker AM” has Beck, Rush, Hannity, and Levin.
But…
If Liberals push “localism”, and force “Big Talker AM” to drop Hannity and Levin from it’s line up, this is my opportunity to start that new station.
I could start that new AM station with Sean Hannity and Mark Levin. I could play Laura Ingram while “Big Talker AM” is playing Glenn Beck. And I could place a local host on the radio, while “Big Talker AM” is playing Rush.
Folks, this would benefit Talk Radio.
Jobs-
Two political AM radio stations in you community would provide twice the jobs in radio. (Sales, accounting, programming, on-air talent, etc.)
Alternatives-
Hey, I like football. But some people do not. Rush Limbaugh could talk for a half hour on football. You would now have another station to choose from, if Rush was dealing with something that you do not find interesting.
Talent, in general-
How DID Rush Limbaugh get his start..??
How did Glenn Beck get his start..??
Both started in local markets, (one station) and they grew an audience, which led them to syndication, across the country.
Today, with many AM stations playing Beck, followed by Rush, followed by Hannity, followed by Levin…
THERE IS NO ROOM for local talent to get started.
There is no room for a future “Glenn Beck” to get noticed.
Satellite Radio offers an alternative today, but you have to pay money for it.
There is a great amount of entertainment out there, and you do not hear it, because there isn’t enough hours in the day.
There is a great show called “Brian and The Judge”, and you are not going to hear it, because there is no room on the air.
Mike Church puts out a fine radio show. Not enough people get to hear it.
Neal Boortz does a great show. You probably never get to hear it because your station plays: Beck, Rush, Hannity, Levin.
I even listen to Bill Press and Stephanie Miller, who do liberal talk shows. You will never get hear them, because your station plays Beck, Rush, Hannity, and Levin.
Hell, former presidential candidate Fred Thompson does a radio show, and it is funny. You will never hear it because your station plays Beck, Rush, Hannity and Levin.
There is a lot of great talkers out there, and you never get to hear them. Because there isn’t enough hours in the day for ONE station to play them.
But if there were 2 stations, or 3 stations in your area, then we could hear all of the BIG talkers.
I find it very ironic that something the liberals are trying to do: use “localism” to break up conservative talk radio, could actually HELP conservative talk radio in the long run.
Folks, when you hear about the “fairness doctrine” or localism, don’t panic. It could actually benefit talk radio.
Localism: “..Bring it on..!!”
Written by AR Babonie for The Angry Republic
CASE IN POINT
Maybe you do not believe what I am saying, with the editorial above? Am I talking out of my ass..??
I have a GREAT “case in point” to prove my editorial.
The Market: Youngstown, Ohio.
The BIG TALKER: AM 570 WKBN
(Because of a programming decision made by the station manager, they help prove what I am saying.)
Years and years ago, 570 WKBN decided to only provide Rush Limbaugh. They use local talent to fill in the time slots before and after Rush. In doing so, they have cultivated some great local talent.
BUT…
Because 570 WKBN was NOT providing Hannity and Levin, they left the door open for another AM station to open.
Which is exactly what took place. AM 1330, Youngstown; began providing Hannity, Levin, and others to that market.
Because of this, Youngstown has two channels of political talk radio.
You are able to “stream” 570 WKBN, if you are interested. However, they cannot play Rush Limbaugh over the computer because of contractual agreements. Their web address is: 570wkbn.com
They provide some great local talent. (Be warned, some of it is liberal talk.)
Or maybe, because of Halloween, you are interested in “ghosts?”
Dan Aykroyd, (the original Ghostbuster) has an editorial on “ghosts.”
It is a, mostly non- political, editorial about the supernatural with hundreds of comments by readers and their “ghost stories.”
Or, how about an old post I did 2 years ago about celebrities and global warming..??
Thanks for reading The Angry Republic
Proof of UFO’s (or UFFO’s)
There are so many interesting news stories this weekend, I couldn’t pick one to focus on.
So why try and pick just one?
“Balloon Boy.”
Yes, I was caught up in the drama, like many other folks were.
Thursday, I was traveling from one town to another and caught the news that a boy was sailing across Colorado, trapped inside a homemade helium balloon.
It was not feasible for me to pull over and set up my laptop computer, to get video of this spectacle. But as soon as I made it to the next town. I turned in.
The balloon looked to be going 100 mph, (from the video I viewed), and was heading towards the ground. I walked away from the screen. This was one train wreck that I didn’t want to watch.
You know the rest of the story:
Balloon boy was never in the balloon.
TV news looked like a buffoon.
The father of this family is a Loon.
And that is the name of that tune.
But, take a look at this photo again..!!
Is this PROOF that UFO’s exist..??
OK, maybe NOT UFO’s
Maybe- UFFO’s
Unbelievably Foolish Families On-tv
File this under weird “stuff” on TV and the Internet.
Which leads us to famous movie director Oliver Stone. (JFK, Platoon) who doesn’t like you, much.
Stone doesn’t care for the Internet and video sharing sites.
Stone says:
“..Certainly at the beginning of this thing, the internet was an enemy. It was just a disaster for people like me who are classically trained in film school…”
Makes you kind of feel sorry for Oliver Stone, right? He spent all that time studying the “craft” of film making, and people are staying home to watch a monkey pick his butt on YouTube.
Stone Continues:
“…(The Internet) It’s a joke. It’s jerking off in front of the camera and that’s what most people are doing and I’m sick of it…”
Yes, Mr. Stone. When you are climbing that mountain, it is fun, rewarding, and a challenge. However, after you reach the peak, the only thing left is to head down.
(It CAN make you angry. And blame the Internet.)
Maybe, Mr. Stone, the reason people are not packing movie theaters is this:
Comment by Colin Cody (Actor):
“..I was a professional actor during the time when movies were transitioning from clean and inspiring to filthy, poorly done and depressing. That is why I am no longer in the business and why I feel sorry for all who remain in it, many of whom are too young to know what it used to be like.
The film industry is clearly declining and with good reason. A large and growing part of their former audience can no longer stomach the degrading experience of going to a modern movie on Saturday night. We have much better things to do now, and we are willing to allow increasingly decadent Hollywood to rapidly sink below the slimy surface of the entertainment sewer they have chosen to inhabit. Good riddance say I, and may their like never be seen again..”
I couldn’t have said it better..!!
LINK: Oliver hates the Inter-web
Hey, Oliver…
If you think that there is nothing good on the Internet, look at this…
Halloween Costumes for your dog.
(OK, maybe that isn’t the best example of how important the Internet is?)
Chicago High School: 115 girls get pregnant
Robeson High school has 800 girls.
115 of them got pregnant. (That’s 1 out of every 7 girls.)
WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING OVER THERE, TO GET PREGNANT..??
(OK.. OK, I know what they DID to get pregnant.) But, what went wrong..??
The Religious Right will say that we didn’t teach these kids abstinence.
The Liberal Left will claim that we should have delivered a truckload of condoms to this school.
Hey, I don’t have the answer.
Giving kids condoms is kind of like saying: “Hey, go have a party, it’s OK.”
However, I know that when I was a child, telling me NOT to do something wasn’t a guaranty that I would follow that order. BUT SHOWING ME why I shouldn’t do something, did work.
I was lucky, I witnessed several classmates have children while still in school. The cost. The burden. Not to mention what kind of life this baby will have.
That was all I needed to see.
Something went wrong in this Chicago neighborhood.
Blame the schools. Blame the family unit. Blame TV.
Maybe the children never had “family time” where they learned the story of:
“Ho White”
Yes, “Ho White”
An Australian Beer company is using the children’s story of Snow White to sell beer.
LINK: Disney is suing, (of course.)
Not much else to say about that.
However, on the virgin side of things, comedy writer and TV star Tina Fey, (who spent last year making fun of Sarah Palin) stayed a virgin until she was 24.
She told David Letterman this while on his show.
(It’s a good thing that Tina Fey worked for Saturday Night Live and not for David Letterman. She may have never made it to age- 24, virgin style.)
Speaking of virgins…
Hillary: MORE popular than President Obama.
I know that many conservatives, like me, are happy about this poll. It shows President Obama slipping.
However, we can make polls show anything, by asking the right people the right questions.
Like all politicians, Hillary is MORE popular today because we NEVER see her.
Really, what does it matter? Obama is still president.
However, this is something that will plague the democrats, during Obama’s presidency:
Obama ran on BIG change and BIG hope.
When you put that much hype out there…
People expect “some hope” and “some change.”
Unless Obama does something, AND FAST, his numbers will continue slide.
What’s up at The Huffington Post..??
It sounds as though Huff Post founder Arianna Huffington is calling for VP Joe Biden to resign..??
(Isn’t that something that WE republicans are supposed to do..??)
I feel like someone is stepping on my toes here.
No, actually, I want Joe Biden to hang in there as VP. Biden brings “comic relief” to the constant “campaign mode” that President Obama is stuck in.
Biden is funny. (I’m not sure that he is trying to be- funny.) But, that is what I like about him.
Fox Facts
Marc Lamont Hill PhD, has been fired from Fox News.
Hill, who was a regular on Bill O’Reilly’s show, and presented the liberal perspective, was canned because of his reputation of defending cop killers and racists.
I do not care for Hill’s stance on rap songs about “cop killers” as expressions of “free speech,” that is sick stuff. And there isn’t much that I agree with Hill on- in politics. However, I always felt that Lamont Hill was a polite man who did a good job presenting his side.
Fox should have Lamont Hill on to talk about this situation. However, I am sure that Lamont Hill will be welcomed with open arms at MSNBC.
Speaking of liberals at Fox News…
I was horrified to hear a liberal radio talk show host tell Fox News’ Juan Williams to “go back to the porch.” (A reference to “Uncle Tom, token Negro type stuff.)
Juan Williams doesn’t see a “big deal” in Rush Limbaugh wanting to buy into an NFL football team.
(Ooohhh. BIG no, no) Especially if you are liberal (and Black.)
So, Liberal talk show host: Ballantine told Willaims to “go back to the porch.”
All because Williams defended the right of Limbaugh to buy a football team
This is just sick stuff. I hate to even print the fellows name who made the comment, but I have to: Warren Ballantine, who was appearing on the O’Reilly Factor, made the comment.
There are many, many racist liberals out there. But somehow, we conservatives are always blamed for everything- racist.
Papa- Bush calls Keith Olbermann and Maddow “sick puppies.”
The LEFT is clearly strung out about this.
Never in the history of America, has a former president done anything like this.
Well, except for President Carter calling Americans “racist” for not walking in lock-step with Obama.
Oh, and President Clinton calling us “Angry Republicans”, (one of the reasons for the name of my site.)
And don’t forget that Barack Obama called people in Pennsylvania: “bitter people who cling to our guns.”
Or that his grandmother was a “typical White person.”
Oh, and don’t forget that Obama has a running feud with Fox News.
We can tolerate that stuff..!!
But we cannot tolerate Bush calling Olbermann a “sick puppy.”
I’m not sure why, but I find that funny.
See ya..!!
Thanks for reading The Angry Republic
American- JOBS- (What went wrong.)
Like you, I have been following the TOP news stories of the day:
Will the Baucus Health bill get passed..?? It is lurching forward like an old man looking for soup.
And we were PROUD when President Obama brought home the Nobel Prize for Peace. Because NO ONE expels “peace” like America, (and we will beat the crap out of you if you disagree.)
So I was bouncing back and forth between BIG news stories on David Letterman and Iran…
When a “chicken” forced me to take a good look at American jobs.
A “chicken”..??
Yes, a “chicken.”
A news “source” told me that the Chinese have an “exploratory team” in America, searching for a franchise to SELL Chinese raised chicken.
The Chinese believe that they can sell chicken in America. (And do it at a lower cost, then an America poultry producer can.)
OK, let’s stop for a moment. Let’s analyze what we have just learned.
How can it be CHEAPER for a chicken to be raised in China, butchered and processed. Then place on a truck, to be delivered to a large ship. Then shipped across the ocean to America. Then placed in a refrigerated storage facility, to then be loaded onto another truck and delivered to your neighborhood store..??
How can THAT be cheaper than raising the chicken in America, placing it on ONE truck, and delivering it to your store..??
WHAT THE HELL HAS GONE WRONG..??
I mean, even if the chicken farmer in China only makes a dollar a day, still; you have so many costs in delivery of this chicken to America, I cannot believe it is cheaper..??
But it is.
It is, because it is already happening with fish.
When you go out to you neighborhood restaurant to order dinner, you could be eating Chinese raised fish, and you do not even know it. (I know this to be a fact.)
My goal with this series of editorials on JOBS is NOT to name, names.
I am not here to attack the LARGE national grocery chain that “may” sell Chinese chicken in the future.
My goal is not to expose the BIG national restaurant chain that is selling you Chinese raised fish.
I am not interested in pointing a finger at the farmers market that is selling you tomatoes that were grown in Mexico.
No, what good would that do..??
My goal is to talk about a “system”, that has made it CHEAPER to raise, grow, or make these things in other countries, and ship them here to America.
Because this is the HEART. This is the starting point. This is the reason for a lack of JOBS in America.
We do not “make” anything in America, anymore.
We “sell” stuff. (We are VERY good at “selling” you stuff.)
We “service” things. (We fix the stuff that we sell, we help you hook up and operate the things that we sell.)
We “service” people. (With food, movies, doctors, prostitution, etc)
But we do not MAKE anything, anymore.
Now, I know that some of you could comment that: “..We still make train locomotives at GE..” Yes we do, but GE just laid off 1,400 workers related to that industry.
“..We still make American cars..” (Need I even speak to that..??)
You could say- “AR, we still make Boeing planes in America.” You would be correct, but they are experiencing tough competition from Airbus.
Yes, there are a few industries that remain an “American Made” product, and I solute them for it. Being a capitalist, I can understand how tempting it could have been to move your industry overseas and use cheap labor and take advantage of lower environmental standards. But, you stayed here in America, and I thank you for that.
(I just hope that you stick around a while longer, till we get our shit together..!!)
In my series of editorials on “American JOBS”, which I will be presenting this winter Blogging season (2009, 2010), We will talk about what went wrong, exactly what we can do to fix it, and how to start implementing this “fix” today.
(It’s interesting to note that the founding fathers experienced a situation similar to what we have today.) We will talk about what they did, to overcome their dilemma.
But that is for a future editorial on JOBS.
Today, as you may have already guessed, we are talking about:
American JOBS- “What went wrong?”
There are thousands of industries in America. My fingers would get sore, my eyes would get weak, and you would be bored to death, if we dealt with EVERY industry, and what went wrong with each.
It is better to focus on one industry that has similar characteristics to all, and dwell on that.
Let’s go back to our “chicken.”
The Chinese chicken
What went wrong..?? THE PROBLEM
(Problem ONE) Labor
This one is real easy.
If an American chicken producer’s helper wants $12 bucks per hour, while the Chinese chicken producer’s helper (doing the same job) gets $12 bucks per WEEK, that is the problem.
If the American worker wants $480 per week.
And the Chinese worker wants $12 per week…
We cannot compete with that.
There is no way..!!
However, we do not want to lower our standards. We want the American worker to make that, and much more. If we can.
(Problem TWO) Planes, trains, boats, and automobiles
If you cannot “ship” a product into your region, then you have no choice but to make, or raise the product yourself.
HUGE tanker ships have made it possible to ship goods around the world and only add a fraction to the cost of each idem.
This is something that our grandfather’s generation could never have conceived, and never had to deal with…
MASSIVE ocean going ships.
A global semi- tractor trailer system that uses GPS satellites to navigate and guide products to their destinations.
Planes, that can ship things “overnight.”
HUGE warehouses that can accommodate any idem, any time. Regardless of whether it needs to be stored at 70 degrees, or minus 70 degrees. No problem.
Our great- grandfather’s generation would have a small heart attack if they saw this system. For in their day, they had to guzzle down beer as soon as the barrel was tapped. (Because there was no way to keep the beer cold and keep it from going bad.)
(Problem THREE) “Give me liberty (and clean air) or give me death.”
Let’s face it, when we demand clean air, clear water, and undisturbed soil, we make it more expensive to build something in America.
When we demanded that “strip-mining” be stopped, we pretty much nailed the coffin shut on the steel industry in America.
When we restricted the use of mercury and certain acetones, we sealed the fait of the American textile industry. We do not make clothes in America, anymore.
When we beefed up OSHA standards, we crippled the American factory.
(We could go on, and on. But I believe that the point has been made.)
I must state that I do not believe in going backwards.
I love having clean water. I can’t imagine living in a country that you “cannot drink the water, or you will get sick.”
I like the fact that we have clean air, or that I can plant a tomato in the backyard, and not worry if the ground contains mercury, or PCB’s.
We need safe jobs.
No one is saying that we head backwards and lower our standards to compete with China or Mexico.
But, to find solutions to our problems, we MUST know what the problem is.
To provide a safe work environment, that doesn’t pollute the air and water…
To provide a decent wage to the workers…
To allow foreign competition, regardless of an “edge” they have over us, or how they treat their workers…
We have made it impossible to build a new factory here in America, and hire Americans.
We have made it impossible to create American JOBS.
Which leads us back to the Chinese chicken.
“..How can it be cheaper to raise a chicken in China, and ship it to American stores..??”
(We have answered that question.)
When the American worker demands 40 times more money, than the Chinese worker…
When the American poultry farm MUST meet certain EPA, OSHA, and environmental requirements…
When the food that is fed to American chickens can be controlled, and the meat will be inspected at a greater level…
When a boat ride across the ocean is hardly any factor in the cost of the Chinese chicken meat…
That is how it is cheaper to raise a chicken in China.
That, is the problem..!!
This, pretty much, concludes my first editorial on American JOBS.
I appreciate you taking the time to read this.
American JOBS, I believe, is the top issue facing our country, as we move forward.
The Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are important. We cannot lose site of solutions there.
Health Insurance is also important.
However, JOBS are as vital as air and water.
Without JOBS, we cannot pay our taxes. Without taxes, we will never be able to provide health care “for all” and win these two wars.
My future editorials on American JOBS are tentatively titled:
American JOBS- “What went wrong.”
(You just read that one)
American JOBS- “Safety First” (What’s in my chicken..??)
(Due out, in about a week)
American JOBS- “The solution” (Dream, the impossible dream.)
and...
American JOBS- “Franklin, Adams, tell us what to do..??”
Written by AR Babonie for The Angry Republic
Thanks for reading The Angry Republic
Celebrity- gone mad
I was all set to start writing an editorial on the loss of American jobs and I was writing about how a “chicken” forced me to take a hard look at employment in America.
As I usually do when I first start writing, I had several TV’s on so I could check out the cable news.
On all of the TVs, were these stories:
David Letterman: sex at work with his staff.
Hollywood’s LOVE of Polanski.
Whoopi’s “Rape, rape”.
And the GOP is excited that Obama didn’t get the Olympics. How tragic..!!
My mind strayed away from jobs and I started thinking about that elite, private club called: “Hollywood.”
First:
I, (The Angry Republican) I am NOT happy (and jumping up and down) that President Obama failed to get the Olympics in Chicago.
I am, however, happy that Rio got them.
South America has never had an Olympics, and we have had our fair share of them, so why not Rio. Plus, they look REALLY happy about getting it.
To the republicans who are excited about President Obama NOT getting the Olympics…
OK, I can understand it.
It kind of reminds me of that movie- “Predator,” when the soldiers finally are able to shoot the alien / monster and they find some blood on a leaf. One soldier says: “He bleeds.” Another soldier replies: “If he bleeds, we can kill him.”
(To my liberal friends: No, I didn’t just ask people to KILL Obama. I am making an analogy.)
President Obama has seemed “untouchable” in the eyes of American (and some world) news services, this might be the FIRST time that many media outlets HAVE to say, Obama failed.
Speaking of Obama’s failing, there is a great Saturday Night Live video of all the “failings” of Obama. (Plus a video of Madonna and Lady Gaga fighting.)
Click and scroll down to find videos
Http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
To the democrats who are “ANGRY” to see republicans happy about this…
Give me a freaking break..!!
I watched many liberals who were “giddy as hell” to see a shoe thrown at an American President.
This should have been a serious moment FOR ALL AMERICANS, primarily because US soldiers had died to give Iraq freedom. Someone tossed a shoe at Bush and you laughed about it.
One thing I hate more than fake laughter, is FAKE ANGER.
Fake Anger sucks..!!
For this “fake anger”, the liberals receive the dreaded- WTF: (The Wisconsin Tourism Federation logo)
(Hey Wisconsin, change your logo, dudes. “It means something else.”)
Speaking of “Fake” emotions, let’s take a look at:
Celebrity- Gone Mad.
I was going to rip into David Lettermen with his current dilemma. This guy was smacking the Palin’s over personal “family matters” and morals, now we find out that Lettermen was banging intern “chicks” on the side, while his wife and child were waiting at home.
But that isn’t the case.
Letterman’s “future” wife was at home, waiting, (with small child at her side) while Letterman was banging intern chicks. But they were not married, at the time.
So this story is less about infidelity (maybe, in some weird sort of way) and more about another TV personality who fools around with young chicks.
Not a whole lot to talk about here, except…
I found this video:
The video shows Letterman and Stephanie Birkitt doing a comedy bit. In the video, Letterman makes fun of Stephanie’s EX boyfriend and the way that the boyfriend danced.
Several years ago, when this video aired, it was “cute”, in an odd sort of way, that Letterman was making fun of Stephanie’s EX boyfriend.
But NOW that we know that Letterman and Stephanie were lovers, it is sort of “creepy” that a 55+ year old man would use his national TV show to make fun of his 20 year old girlfriend’s EX boyfriend’s dancing skills..??
This is like school yard bully type stuff. “Creepy” is the only word I have to describe it.
I have watched Letterman since I was in my 20’s, and I like his show. I am not sure how I will be able to stomach his jokes about Sarah Palin, Bill Clinton, and the like, after finding out all of this stuff..??
It somehow seems hypocritical.
Payback is a bitch. The website TMZ is reporting of other Letterman female staffers coming out and saying that they were one of Dave’s “chicks.”
How long will it be before someone claims that they were “held back” in their job because Letterman was having sex with a coworker, and promoted them instead..??
Stupid Human Tricks- you bet..!!
On NBC’s “Late Night,” Jimmy Fallon said this: “There’s a new book out called “Why Women Have Sex” that says there are 237 reasons why women have sex. And folks, Letterman knows the top 10.”
Roman Polanski
Former Saturday Night Live writer and cast member / radio talk show host and Bill O’Reilly regular- Dennis Miller is asking everyone to “read the court transcript of what Polanski did to this 13 year old girl.”
Dennis, I thank you for the suggestion, but I do not need to. (But members of Hollywood might want to?)
Whoopi Goldberg may want to read the court transcripts.
Whoopi said something like this
“..(what Polanshi did) isn’t really rape rape..”
Aaaaahh, yes it is, Whoopi.
What I believe Whoopi did right there, is similar to what some White people did around the KKK, 50 years ago.
Hollywood is like the KKK.
(OK, Hollywood doesn’t hate Black people, but Hollywood does hate conservatives.)
Both Hollywood and the KKK are exclusive “clubs”, filled with elitist members, and if you do not believe the exact same things as they do, you are not going to find much work “in this town.”
Whoopi was doing the same thing as an old White person would do in the 1960’s with the KKK. She doesn’t care for what Polanski did, but she thought she better be “gentle”, so she would have future work in Hollywood.
If Whoopi had a 13 year old daughter who was raped, she wouldn’t be defining “levels” of rape. (IE- there is RAPE, then there is rape / rape. But there is also rape rape rape, which is totally different.)
This is what sickens me is all the Hollywood types coming out to demand that Polanski be free. I think that offends me MORE than the act itself because Polanski WILL pay for what HE DID. These others, who came to his defense, will never pay.
In a petition that Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, and dozens of other Hollywood types signed; they are asking that Polanski be free BECAUSE:
(Let me give you the exact quote from the petition:)
“…By their extraterritorial nature, film festivals the world over have always permitted works to be shown and for filmmakers to present them freely and safely, even when certain States opposed this.
The arrest of Roman Polanski in a neutral country, where he assumed he could travel without hindrance, undermines this tradition: it opens the way for actions of which no-one can know the effects.
Roman Polanski is a French citizen, a renown and international artist now facing extradition. This extradition, if it takes place, will be heavy in consequences and will take away his freedom…”
(Man, am I glad that I didn’t eat a big meal before reading that..!!)
Here is the link to the petition-
http://www.awardsdaily.com/?p=13432#more-13432
What these aging celebrities are saying is: Because Polanski is a STAR / artist, he should be able to travel all over the world and NOT worry about stupid laws, or your State’s silly little morality.
Hollywood claims that: Stars have always been able to travel the world to display their art, regardless of some stupid law called rape, (not true, but let’s continue) and if we do this to poor Polanski, it could have dire consequences to future STAR / artists displaying their art in other countries.
Who gives a rats ass..??
Can you believe the arrogance..??
If you are a movie director, and you are thinking about raping a 13 year old girl, keep in mind that your movie career will be over. You will be sent to jail.
That is the message that should be sent from all of this. Not that STARS should be able to travel, even if they broke the law.
There is a bright spot.
I have watched many of Hollywood’s younger generation come out against Polanski. Chris Rock on the Jay Leno show did a good analogy of Hollywood and Polanski, and Jamie Lee Curtis has an editorial on the Huffington Post about Polanski and Lettermen.
As more of these aging, elite members of Hollywood die off or retire, we might be able to look forward to better movies in the future.
Movies that focus on story and good acting and less on sex, blood, violence, and one-sided political agendas.
Am I asking too much..??
Written by AR Babonie for The Angry Republic
If you are interested in reading more, if you are really bored, might I suggest an editorial I did a while back called:
“Hollywood- Missing the BIG picture”
http://www.blogster.com/angryrepublican/missing-big-picture
Thanks for reading The Angry Republican
My question to the democrats
Is this what you wanted..??
"Tea Baggers"- (I thought I would NEVER use that term, unless I was referring to a porno flick?)
Tea Baggers are growing in numbers. They will become a force to be reckoned with, regardless of how much "fun" people make of them.
The "Baggers" will haunt President Obama during his first term. Questioning every presidential decision on it’s merits of constitutionality.
My question to the democrats:
"Is this what you wanted..??"
When you were questioning the authority of the Bush administration on wiretaps, war prisons, and interrogation technics, DURING A WAR; did you ever consider what will happen when YOUR president makes unpopular decisions..??
Decisions like using the government to break an agreement between an employer and an employee. (90% tax on AIG workers who make over $250,000.)*
This is, without a doubt, a breach of The Constitution. If the feds can go after the banking system and set pay levels, nothing will stop them from going into other institutions and doing the same.
If we move closer to national health care, the feds might decide that nurses make too much money. They could cut nurses salaries in half.
Where are the concerned members of the left? Where are those people who worried that President Bush would listen to private phone calls?
I read the Huffington Post and I am not seeing the ANGRY liberals: worried about President Obama stepping on the constitution?
Hey, I know...
Lets ask Rosie O’Donnell:
Aaahh, Rosie seems kind of busy right now.
So, now, today; we have angry mobs of liberal groups like Code Pink hanging out at AIG members houses, screaming death threats at these AIG family houses.
Is this what you wanted..??
We have congress members telling AIG executives that they should commit suicide..??
We have some guy dressing up like a founding father. His videos on YouTube are grabbing millions of hits and he was featured on Glenn Beck. He is telling Americans that they should "tar and feather" a fellow American for using his freedom of speech rights.
Because an "idiot" in the Obama administration said America has become a nation of cowards because we do not talk about race; this "modern" founding father thinks we should ship him off to another country, or tar and feather him.
"..He called you a nation of cowards... and you do nothing..."
I’m sorry folks, but ignorance is wasteful.
The "actual" founding fathers never called for violence until after the British used force on the colonies.
John Adams and Thomas Paine NEVER called for an ANGRY mob to do "anything", much less tar and feather someone for using free speech.
John Adams wanted representation in Britain, he was not looking for revolution. Not until the British took, by force, two Massachusetts cities, did Adams make a call for arms against the British.
(Keep in mind, John Adams had to write his "freedom" essays "anonymously" in fear that the British might snatch him up. And yet, John Adams STILL didn’t call for violence.)
My question to the left...
Is this what you wanted..??
When you were poking fun at President Bush. Highlighting every gaffe and verbal mistake, you must have known that it would come back to haunt you?
Or did you think that you are so high on that pedestal that any president that YOU picked "could never be as bad as Bush.."?
It was a terrible thing that President Bush played a round of golf while America was at war. (Highlighted in a Michael Moore film.) However, there is nothing wrong with President Obama bowling or having a few laughs on the Jay Leno show while America faces the worst economy since the Great Depression..??
Where is Michael Moore..??
Where is the outrage..??
Is this what you wanted..??
When you were calling for Dick Cheney to resign because he once owned stock in Halliburtin, you must know that today you have to call for Chris Dodd and Barack Obama to resign; because they received campaign cash from AIG.
Fair is fair, right..??
Democrats...
Your congress passed the biggest spending bill in American history and no one in congress read the bill before signing it. (Including President Obama.)
This is a very sad display of leadership, and this bill WILL destroy your party, once we all go through it. (The AIG bonuses are just the tip of the iceberg.)
You can blame Bush all you want, but the fact remains: this bill was passed and signed by your congress. The people that you elected to watch over your interests. (And they never took the time to read the bill before signing it.)
My question to the democrats...
Is this what you wanted..??
Let me take you to, what I believe, will be a very sad day in American history.
Picture a well dressed couple heading to a hotel. They are not democrats, nor are they republicans. This couple happens to own a business in the community and wanted to attend a political event, to listen to a politician and determine if this candidate has their interests in mind.
An angry crowd has gathered near the entrance to this hotel. This mob begins to spit on the well dress woman, while calling her a "whore" and a "slut."
Her companion begins to scorn the crowd, telling them to "back the fuck off.."
Three members of the crowd surrounded the businessman and ask: "What are you going to do about it..?"
What the rowdy crowd members didn’t know was this businessman happened to be a Black Belt in martial arts. They soon found out and took off running.
Unfortunately, the businessman lost track of his wife in the mob of thousands. He spent the next 15 minutes frantically looking for her, being spit on and taunted the whole time. He even climbed a light post to try and find his wife.
On the other side of the hotel, a grandfather in a wheelchair was making his way to the hotel. A thirty-year-old protester, wearing a mask, stepped in front of the wheelchair and said: "..Where do you think you are going..??"
The wheelchair bound man replied: "I’m going to the reception, if this were reversed and you were me, I would let you pass.."
Another "masked" protester told his friend: "Let the old bastard go.." Hotel security saw the old man and helped him through the crown.
City police were of no help.
They had their own problems.
The president was due any minute, and this could get ugly, real fast.
The presidential motorcade was having problems making its way to the hotel, through the thousands of protesters.
Just then, a rock was thrown at the president’s car and it made a loud "thud" as it hit the window. "How the hell did city police allow..."
Before the secret service member could finish his sentence, a protester lunged for the president’s car and slammed his body on the fender.
"...The package is being routed to plan- B" "I repeat, the package is being routed to plan B.." was the call that went out to the secret service and local police.
Out the window, the president could see signs being held up by protesters.
One read: "Fuck you, mother fucking fascist."
Another sign read: "(The President)- wanted dead or alive." The protester put an "X" over the word "alive."
One sign read: "Impeach the court appointed junta and the fascist, egomaniacal, blood- swilling beast.."
President Bush turned to his aid and replied: "I’ve been called a liar and an idiot... But... blood swilling beast..??"
The president smiled and demanded the event go "as planned."
And now you know the rest of the story.
No...
I wasn’t talking about some future protest against President Obama, "by mean, angry neo-cons."
I was talking about an actual protest that happened in Portland, Oregon in 2002.
This out of control, display of ignorance, was not conducted by angry republicans against President Obama.
This "dark day" in American history. A complete lack of respect for fellow Americans, was carried out by liberal democrats.
So, my question to the democrats...
Is this what you wanted..??
Now that you see "this" coming back on you..??
I used to think that America would be better if more people were involved in politics.
I no longer feel that way.
Some people SHOULD focus on their own lives and stay away from politics.
(Of course, I am NOT talking about you.)
I am talking about the people who care more about their party winning, and care less about America winning.
In the past, I have been called a "puppet" or a "mouthpiece" for neo-cons.
Today, I have been called "a liberal leaning republican." Or, "I am walking in the middle."
Behind my back, some have question whether I was ever a true conservative. Yet, I have never in my life voted for a democratic president.
It really doesn’t matter to me.
At times, I may have a thousand people read my site. Other times, it is less than ten.
Year after year, I have been here.
What is said about me, or how many people read this site, is of little consequence. I am just some little blogger who speaks his mind.
(And will continue to, God willing.)
Conservatives...
I feel the anger inside. I too, worry about socialism.
However, I never want to witness a spectacle like what took place in Portland Oregon in 2002. President Obama needs to be free to travel and conduct business where ever he sees fit. And liberals MUST be able to attend these rallies without being harassed, or spit upon, in the manner that they did to us.
We conservatives are bigger than that. We are wiser than that.
This problem that we Americans face today must be solved with wisdom, not anger.
Liberals...
President Bush and his team are all gone now.
Presidents Carter and Clinton are out of government.
There are only a few people involved in politics today who helped create this financial crisis we face today.
Chris Dodd and Barney Frank.
If liberals want ANY credibility.
If you want anyone to listen to you in the future, you MUST remove these men from office, as soon as possible.
I’m not sure how much proof you need..?? We have Barney Frank on video tape saying Fanny Mae and Freddy Mac need no further federal regulation because there are no problems. That was just a year before the financial collapse. And Chris Dodd help author the bill that allowed the AIG executives to receive their bonuses.
And liberals...
Do we need this MUCH spending..??
I know that President Bush started this "stimulus" spending, but that doesn’t mean we have to continue it.
Some say anger motivates men to action.
However, I say anger motivates people to spit on an old man in a wheelchair, who is trying to attend a Bush rally.
Wisdom solves problems.
Anger just makes people angry.
(Yes, I see the irony of a guy called: "The Angry Republican" lecturing about the evils of anger.)
So, with that, I will begin my conclusion with some ironic words from Winston Churchill.
Mr. Churchill said:
"America always does the right thing. (Once they have exhausted all other options.)"
It is, without a doubt, one of Churchill’s funniest lines. But it is so true.
We may not always "get it right." but in the end, "we make it right."
We made it through slavery and today, we can live side by side.
We forced Native Americans from their land, but yet today; we can live side by side.
We made it through a Civil War and several World Wars, and today; we can live side by side with our past enemies.
Some of us treat homosexuals like they are not human beings, and yet; we can still live side by side.
This mountain that sits in front of us, is not too high to climb.
America has survived MUCH greater challenges then this financial crisis.
You are JUST as strong as those who walked this path before.
(It’s just that no one tells you that.)
Because the pundits are too busy selling fear. (On both sides.)
Fear turns to anger.
And anger solves nothing.
*(note) At the time of writing this, President Obama was questioning whether he would sign a bill that would add a 90% tax on AIG executives. But, Obama hadn’t yet made a decision.
I have been very tough on conservatives as of late. (And I promise this will be the last post in a while on this topic, I’m going back to comedy.)
I just hate to see us turn into a wacky "mirror" image of the far left.
I remember reading a liberal web site in 2007 that theorize that President Bush was going to "claim marshal law" over the "dangerous" country of Iran, in an attempt to remain in office forever. "Bush was going to cancel the 2008 election..!!"
This liberal site even had facts and legal bills that "sort of" PROVED what they were claiming. Tons of liberal readers were chiming in to warn of this pending doom.
It sounds funny now, doesn’t it..??
And it would be funny, except I am starting to see the same thing coming from the right.
If we were talking about political fighting and policy debate, I got no problem with that and I often take part in it.
However, today we are talking about the American economy and a possible depression.
What made the Great Depression so GREAT..??
Fear...
Fear and panic.
When rich people FEAR the future, they hoard their money. They begin to move money overseas, they no longer invest in American interests. This causes a loss of jobs, stagnation in construction, and a lack of new ideas for industry. (Or ideas head overseas; along with the rich peoples money.)
When average people FEAR the future, they quit spending. This also causes a loss of jobs and companies that rely on your spending begin to close stores.
Unlike many of the political issues that we have debated in the past, this selling of fear, AT THIS TIME, is dangerous.
We could SCARE ourselves right into a Great Depression.
Folks, I got to say this...
I consider this as equal to the crazy liberals who called American soldiers: "torturers and terrorists" while these poor soldiers were trying to with a war.
We conservatives saw this as an attempt to lose the war for political gain.
Today, I see this "selling of fear" by the conservative media as an attempt to bring on a depression for political gain.
(Not that I believe any decent conservative really wants to bring on a depression. Just as I never believed that any America loving liberal really wanted to see America lose a war.) We just get misguided from time to time.
Do I want to see this kind of federal spending coming from Washington..??
Hell no. I prefer a smaller government that stays out of our lives. (And our wallets.)
But I refuse to SCARE people into a Great Depression.
What goes around...
Comes back in your face.
Sometimes we feel that TODAY we are experiencing something "new" that America has never seen before.
That our two party system of government is "out of control" and gone too far.
This is what I love about studying history...
There is nothing that CAN BE DONE, that cannot be "undone" later on.
The politics of today is no worse than it was in the past.
Take this flyer from 1963...
The flyer shows Democratic President JFK and claims that he has committed (sic) treasonous acts against America. For the war in Vietnam, his dealings with Cuba, and it lists other "so called" crimes against the constitution.
Now, I’m not willing to say that this flyer was put out by the republican party. However, it was done by people who wanted democratic JFK out of office.
I bring it up because in modern times we saw progressive members use this very same tactic on President Bush. Though each member of the progressive movement saw, "with their own eyes", their democratic congress vote with President Bush to give the authority to remove Saddam from power in Iraq. It didn’t matter to them, they still used the political tactic of calling Bush a "war criminal."
Let’s do one more...
This political cartoon is from 1901.
This cartoon shows America as a "ship" and Uncle Sam is booting off a person who doesn’t agree with the way the ship is being run. The person being booted off represents the old way of doing things. Also, a person who speaks out about change.
This cartoon was favoring Republican Theodore Roosevelt and his policy of busting up BIG railroad trusts and setting aside land for National Forests. Fighting against the greed of the past.
Today, this same tactic is being used by President Obama. Because of "greed from the past", we must attack corporate America today.
Anyone who disagrees with the "Obama ship" should be cast off the side. (As in President Obama telling people not to listen to Rush Limbaugh, etc.)
I find these very interesting. They display so well that things you do to the "other political party" can come back to haunt you.
Also, spreading FEAR about a depression could actually cause a depression.
FACTS are stubborn things..
Current jobless rate- 8%
The last time the jobless rate was at 8%
1983- During President Reagan.
Jobless rate during the Great Depression-
29%
Relax...
Take a deep breath.
We are not in a Great Depression.
We are not going to be a communistic country.
There is nothing that can be done, that cannot be undone later on.
People love you when you are getting the crap beat out of you. When your face is being pushed into the muck, that is when people care.
For example: People seemed to tolerate Israel when Hamas rockets rained down into this tiny State; day after day.
However, the minute that Israel retaliated against Hamas, they lost all compassion from the world. 
The United States also found this to be true...
Just after 9/11 when we were at our lowest, the world poured out sympathy for us. (I believe France even send us 2,000 beds. Or, maybe that was during Katrina?)
However, the minute we lashed out at Afghanistan and pulled Saddam from a hole in the ground, we lost sympathy from the world. We become "the hated."
So, if we use this analogy, the answer would be to keep getting your ass handed to you- FOREVER, until the day you die. Then, and only then, the world will love you.
(Note) You are dead. Your ass was kicked every single day of your life by "someone." However, the world LOVES you.
So, I’m trying to figure out where this concept came from? (Because, usually; the "good guy" is justified regardless if he is winning or losing a battle.)
Did it come from Hollywood..??
Name one movie where the "good guy" gets his ass kicked AND NEVER retaliates near the end of the movie?
I can’t think of one?
(My first thought was Clint Eastwood’s "The Unforgiven." Where the "good guy" was actually bad. The "Bad guy" was actually fighting for a good reason. However, near the end of this movie; the "bad" GOOD guy does take revenge and is respected in this old western town.)
Could you imagine Batman, Rambo, or James Bond getting slapped around AND NOT seeking some sort of revenge?
Even Hollywood movies teach people to fight for what they believe, so this idea that "losing is GOOD" doesn’t necessarily come from Hollywood.
The Bible teaches people to "turn the other cheek" and to love your enemies. However, the people who are pushing the "good guy must lose" idea probably do not read the Bible.
This idea that "winning is bad" could come from the school system. I seem to remember the idealism being taught that there may not be a "right and wrong", (or good and bad) because of a "gray area" where the BAD guy might be a good guy to someone else.
So if you were taught (and you believe) that right could be wrong and "bad" could be good, then you wouldn’t want to see America or Israel win a war. (Because of the gray area where right could be wrong and good could be bad.)
OK, I understand that. (I do not agree with it, but I can understand it.) But, then how could these same people go to the movies and watch a "hero" beat up the bad guys..??
Somehow, they are able to turn off this "gray area" idealism long enough to watch the movie?
Maybe we have found our answer...
I believe that every person instinctively understands right from wrong. (They just pretend that they didn’t know what they were doing was wrong.) In school, or maybe through parents, children learn of a "gray area" between right and wrong. This causes these people to rethink what they knew to be true.
Here is a great example:
The democratic mayor of Baltimore (Sheila Dixon) was just indicted for stealing Christmas gift cards for the poor and using them on herself to buy video games and furs. She was having sex in her office, (with a guy who wasn’t her husband). And she took many gifts in exchange for city contracts awarded to the gift givers.
At this point: it doesn’t matter if you are a democrat or a republican; if you are White or Black, you KNOW what Sheila Dixon did was wrong.
So right now, your "gray area" idealism is turned off, and you can tell right from wrong.
However, in the weeks to come; you will be bombarded with "extra" information about Ms. Dixon. Maybe you will learn that she grew up in a tough situation. You might learn that there are many other politicians doing about the same thing, so why pick on the Baltimore Mayor?
(These are things that shouldn’t matter..!! She committed a crime.)
Your "gray area" idealism will kick in and you will no longer be able to tell right from wrong and a criminal will get away with a crime.
Take Illinois Governor Blago; when we first heard the audio tape of Blago trying to sell Barack Obama’s senate seat, we all knew that he was a criminal. (No gray area.)
However, in the weeks that followed; the spin started that "Blago hadn’t really committed a crime yet. He just TALKED about selling Obama’s senate seat. Blago didn’t actually sell it yet.."
(Would that be like a terrorist who TALKED about blowing up the White House. But he is OK because he didn’t actually blow it up yet..??)
Republicans even began to speak highly of Blago because "he made the democratic party look bad."
In this last example, republicans are using the gray area idealism to allow a crook (Blago) to stay in office, (because democrats put Blago there and the people need to see what the democrats have done.)
A crook is a crook, and Blago should have been made to step down long time ago.
Lets take one more look at today’s news:
A video tape of Britain’s Prince Harry calling an Afghan tribesman a "raghead" surfaced this weekend. He also called a fellow Pakistan soldier his: "Paki friend."
Now, most of us know that during a war, soldiers talk tough to "toughen" each other up. Prince Harry was serving in the British military and during a war, you may not always be politically correct.
However, in the next few days; depending on which side of the political fence you dwell on- you will look at this statement by Prince Harry different.
If you are for the war in Iraq, you will believe that we always call the enemy names. Hell, terrorists call us names like "western dogs" and "pigs." So what if Prince Harry called a terrorist a "raghead?"
However, if you are against the War in Iraq, you will believe that what Prince Harry said was the worst possible thing ANYONE could have said. You will believe that statements like this are causing Arab people not to like us.
"Gray area" idealism is a fun way to debate in the safety of a school. It gives a person representing an unfavorable position a chance to win the debate. However, it is a terrible way to send a child into the real world.
People MUST know the difference between right and wrong.
Every car thief could argue the "gray area" of why they should have a car.
Every rapist could point out the "gray area" of why the girl was "asking for it."
"Gray area" idealism is a great debating trick, but that is as far as it should go.
Radical Islam is USING the gray area idealism to win your mind over to their side. Terrorists have you convinced that right could be wrong and that bombing a restaurant full of innocent people is OK- because... (Well, they have many reasons. "We killed innocent people because you buy oil." Or- "Israel sits on land that was ours, so instead of talking- we shoot rockets into Israel because of the gray area and you have no freaking clue of what is right and wrong..")
Gray area idealism causes you to fall for political spin and not recognize an enemy (until it is too late.)
I have to fight very hard to shut down my "gray area" idealism (that was forced into my brain as a child), or I find myself falling victim to the spin doctors.
You begin to believe that:
It’s OK to blow up innocent people and retaliation is the evil.
It is OK to steal gift cards from the poor because your life was bad and everyone is doing it. (Or because you think republicans do worse.)
When you think about it; how could "right" ever be wrong..??
Written by AR Babonie for The Angry Republic
I have a paragraph from Newsweek. Please read this and tell me if it scares the crap out of you?
"..A new study argues our personal choices cause more than 1 million premature deaths a year. What, if anything, should the government do to protect us from ourselves.."
After reading that statement from Newsweek, do you feel:
Grateful that the government is "looking out for you" and your heath?
Terrified, because experience tells you that another American freedom will be lost?
Answering THAT question will tell you a lot about yourself.
Slip- sliding away: Freedom
I have been slammed by news stories this week, all pertaining to "what the government can do for us."
(I have a few links located below.)
All of these stories are based on ways that the government can "protect" you from- "something."
And the way that the government will protect you is by taking away your right to choice.
From restaurants being told how to make food, to cigarettes that "burn themselves out", to cars that will not start unless you pass a test, to mandated exercise...
My God man, where is our freedom.??
There used to be a time when one political party checked the other. But I cannot find that in these days.
Who can I blame for this..??
From the moderate republicans, to the extreme conservatives: from Sen. John McCain, to President Bush, to Newt Gingrich; they are all on board with global warming laws that restrict freedom. These laws reject personal conservation and rely on FORCED- mandated conservation.
However, the republican / conservatives are the "old guard" and are stepping down soon.
Liberal / Democrats have control now and I need to ask you a few questions..??
You believe that a woman has the right to choose if she will abort her child, however you do not want a woman to have the right to drive a big car; if she feels safer in a bigger vehicle?
(Let me see if I understand this correctly?) It is OK for a woman to choose to terminate a child, but not OK to keep a child safe in a big car..??
I can't understand that? How can that be..??
I have another question...
Liberals believe that the government has NO RIGHT to tell people who they can marry. However, the government has every right to tell you what you can put on the dinner table..??
The government has no say in what constitutes a "family", however the government can mandate what this family eats..??
OK, before you begin to believe that I am attacking the left and giving the right a pass. I am going to get back to republicans in a minute; because I am equally pissed at them.
It is important to focus on the left now because they hold the power.
I'm not sure what happened to the democrats. They are far from the party that my grandfather and mother supported many years ago. I cannot recognize them anymore?
Liberals seem to want to FIGHT for the right for Kathy Griffin to say the word "Dick" on live TV.
They want Amy Winehouse to have the freedom to be, (aahhh) freaking weird.
However, they want to BBQ a White comedian (Paul Shanklin) for making light of a Black situation. (Barack the magic Negro- song.)
Who is deciding this stuff..?? And why would any of us allow a "person" to tell what is right and what is wrong, for all of us?
Who are "these people" who are deciding this stuff? Who are "they", the ones who believe that "they" know what is BEST for "us"..??
About a half a dozen states passed the "safe- cigarette" law this year. My state: Pennsylvania, was one of them. I had no idea it was happening. I do not know who pushed the bill into a state vote? Who voted for it? We, the people of Pennsylvania didn't vote for it. No candidate that was running for office listed "safe- cigarettes" as a campaign promise?
Maybe you do not care for cigarette issues and that is fine. However, many states are pushing the idea of a higher gas tax. (Either by the gallon or by the mile.) "Who is pushing for this gas tax..??" Why do I not have names of the congress members that want this?
The reason I do not have names to go with these freedom killing bills is because the American media is on "auto- pilot."
No one in the media has balls anymore.
Newspapers, TV, the Internet... You are my eyes and ears.
You have us all flying blind, today.
The next thing I know- SLAM. We fly right into a "gas tax." (Who the hell voted for it?) The media has no clue. And that means "we the people" have no clue.
(And you wonder why your ratings are down.)
The media needs to hirer journalists who can relate to the topics that Americans are interested in. Sure, Britney Spears' ass might interest many and it probably pays the rent for the news room. But don't forget to tell us who (in congress) voted to change property rights.
The left is to blame primarily (now) because you folks hold the keys to this country. Liberals used to fight for freedom. Now you are fighting for "light bulbs"..?? (How bright my house lighting is..??) What the hell happened to you?
But the conservative wing of republican party takes the brunt of my anger.
This stuff right here...
The stuff that I am talking about in this editorial..
This is exactly why I am paying your salary. To stop this "government babysitting service."
We do not need a babysitter.
We need an affordable, lean, trim, strong government.
Republicans: Now do you understand why we fired you?
Because you didn't do your job.
Written by AR Babonie for The Angry Republic
Here is a tad bit more from the Newsweek editorial:
"..Each year more than a million people needlessly die because of their own personal decisions," says Keeney, whose work gives new meaning to the clich
"Stay inside the lines..??"
The Newsweek editorial explains that "we" have health food, seat belts, smoking laws (and people are still dying so this stuff didn't work) and Newsweek suggests we add MORE babysitting laws..???
So we can "stay inside the lines"..??
Ohhh hell, I got to get away from this topic or I am going to pop a gut.
LINKS: to stories on today's topic
Liberal writer wants the RIGHT to have her Adult web site "unblocked" from the public library. (Because it is educational)
LINK: Nothing wrong with T & A, little Johnny
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/twanna-a-hines/im-a-writer-not-a-child-p_b_154584.html
LINK: Newsweek- saving us from ourselves
http://www.newsweek.com/id/177587
LINK: News laws, coming to your freaking State?
http://news.aol.com/article/new-year-brings-new-state-laws/291721
LINK: How about a new GAS TAX?
http://www.walletpop.com/article/_a/bbdp/group-urges-federal-fuel-tax-hike/291629
Rock legend Neil Young wants fuel efficient cars at YOUR expense.
LINK: Old man take a look at my life
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/neil-young/perfect-storm-for-innovat_b_155148.html
(Note) you can also read my reply to Neil Young. Listed as AR Babonie.
