ILLUSIONS OF CHANGE

I’m beginning to wonder if anyone in government understands how to build or manage a budget. Everywhere you look, Federal, State, and Local Government, they’re in debt or bankrupt. Washington tells you to tighten your belt while they continue to spend and create debt. They give you the illusion that something is being done, but in reality the debt gets bigger. Instead of telling us how to manage money maybe it’s time for us to tell government how to manage the people’s money. Why is it that government employees earn an average of over $70,000 and non government employee’s average earnings are only $40,000? Do they work harder, are they smarter or do they produce better results? Definitely not. Based on performance government employees are over paid. If you want to start bringing Government’s fiscal house in order you start with salaries. Budgets must be cost justified. Salaries should be based on performance not resumes, past experience or patronage, but on meeting quantifiable and measurable goals, like cutting cost and creating efficiency. We need to bring Government in line with the rest of us. There is no reason to treat government as royalty. We hire and elect them to do a job and they must be in line with the rest of the job market.

It’s time to end the pension programs that government has enacted for themselves. Who in the private sector gets pensions after 4 years of service? In fact how many people still get pensions? Social Security is the norm coupled with a 401 Plan. Why aren’t all governmental employees covered under social security? That needs to change along with their Cadillac health care plans. Everyone should pay a percentage of their salary for health care. The people shouldn’t pay for the morning donuts and coffee at meetings. Go and buy your own. Expenses must be based on need not want. You don’t need expensive private jets to get around. Travel the cheapest way.

Let’s attack PORK! Legislative Bills are developed for specific purposes. We don’t need to add Climate, Energy, Transportation or whatever into legislation. This is the biggest waste of tax payer money and needs to stop. How about ending free lunches and trips from lobbyists which are the bribes that create the pork and bad legislation. Governmental employees need to wait 5 years before they can register to become a lobbyist. This is a lucrative sin that tempts and corrupts Government and must be controlled.

The country must be ruled by the Constitution, not by the seat of the pants of politicians. The Founding Fathers created the framework upon which this nation is to be governed. They created three branches to provide the checks and balances so that we would be free. Government is trying to destroy this structure. We must not allow this to happen. The government’s motto is “In God We Trust” and must remain. The people in Washington and our State and Local Governments have gotten so powerful they have forgotten what it’s all about.

We have laws that must be followed. Why is it that illegal’s have more rights and benefits than citizens? Government has no problem in paying for their education, healthcare and subsidizes their existence. Why are we paying for this? Have we no laws? This is bankrupting government. We can be fair, but not frivolous. If you want to live in this country and enjoy its benefits do it legally. End the fraud.

Private enterprise must be allowed to flourish. Businesses need to succeed or fail on their own. That’s the American Way. That’s the risk and beauty of a capitalistic society. Government needs to keep their mitts off of individual ingenuity and creativity. We don’t need government controlling banks, industry or any business. If a business fails someone will be waiting to replace them. I know this is debatable but since the days of our founding the people have depended on business for jobs, goods and services. Government provides us with taxes for their justification. I believe in the American Way not the Government Way which leads to bigger government and eventually socialism.

The recovery of our economy is not dependent on Government but on individual creativity and ingenuity. That’s the strength of this country, its people. The people know what’s best for them and the country. Government has come to know what’s best for government, not the people. They have created illusions of false change. Why have they done this, I believe they no longer believe in this country, its constitution, flag, traditions and culture? It’s forgotten the sacrifices that people made to make and develop this great land. We must return to our roots and values. Government uses the word “I”. It’s not “I”, its “WE THE PEOPLE.” Don’t be caught in the ILLUSION OF CHANGE. It’s time to tell your government to change. It’s time to tell them what to cut and how to behave. It’s time to return to our roots.

IS ILLINOIS READY FOR CHANGE?

As you look over the candidates on the February 2nd Democratic and Republican Primary Ballots what do you find? I find the names of many of the same old candidates running to retain or regain power. There are a few new names that are willing to battle the money and power of the entrenched Democratic and Republican Candidates. What are their chances? Everyone complains about corruption and the lack of leadership, but we find little support to find and promote new ideas and new leaders. The media continues to support most of the people who have been part of the system and problems that have plagued Cook County and the State Of Illinois for years. We need new leadership. Will the people go to the polls and vote for new people and new ideas or will the voters continue to vote for the old names and status quo. We can break that mindset, Massachusetts did. If the Parties were really interested in change and efficiency, they would inject new blood, into their parties, and support new ideas and skilled people to clean up the mess. That won’t happen because the people who control the Democratic and Republican Party like the control and status quo. With too much change they wouldn’t be able to make the deals that keep them and their cronies in power. It’s up to us, the voters, to pick and choose the candidates, for the November 2, 2010 election, that will work for us, not themselves or their party. Vote February 2nd.

2010 - TIME TO TAKE BACK OUR GOVERNMENT

2009 was a year that will be looked upon as one of the most politically corrupt in the history of the United States. President Obama was to bring change and hope. There was to be an end to back door politics, an end to influence and payoffs. There was to be transparency and openness. What we got was Chicago Politics. Tell them what they want to hear, once elected do what you want. You only need the voters every four years, they have short memories. President Obama learned his craft well and makes most Chicago politicians look like amateurs.

Why am I so critical? Some of the events of the past year will explain. The best example is the Health Care Reform Bill. I know deals are cut and pork is tied to legislation, but the techniques used to get votes for this bill were far and beyond normal arm twisting. It was downright immoral. $300 million to Louisiana Senator Landrieu, $1 million to Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson, $1 million to Chris Dodd. Chairman Harry Reid said, if a Senator didn’t get something in this bill, he or she didn’t do their job. I always thought you voted on the merits of a bill, not how much pork was brought to your state. That’s a crime, it’s a bribe, it’s wrong. How can you treat states differently in creating legislation? That’s discrimination. Any bill that passes with such questionable activity needs to be brought before the courts and the people responsible prosecuted and sent to prison. I thought there was a code of ethics for Congress?

In 2009 there were bailouts for the auto industry and financial institutions. We learned that government pushed for quick and easy mortgages for those who could not afford homes. No questions, no down payments just sign on the dotted line. That’s not how banks used to work. In the long run, who suffered, it was the people who thought they could afford the home, they lost everything. The Barney Franks, Chris Dodd’s and Freddie or Fannie Mae’s, who created the policies, ignored the outcomes and went along as if nothing had happened. In the process Freddie and Fannie were bailed out and safe. Not so for the poor souls who trusted and believed in Washington. Was there an investigation or any accountability, no?

The year found a Stimulus Bill, Cash for Clunkers, Health Care Reform, Bailouts which raised the national debt into the trillions. The value of the dollar was less than the Euro or Canadian currency. China said no more borrowing. The administration’s position was that the only way out of a recession was to spend. The Feds kept printing and the Administration kept spending. They say the recession is over. They say the Stimulus added and saved millions of jobs. They predict 2010 will be a boom with millions of new jobs. The administration has been wrong and fudges numbers; there is no reason to believe this prophecy. With a huge debt and increasing cost coming out of Health Care it is more probable that we will see companies reducing budgets, while the cost to cover an additional 30 million insured will impact everyone. We will see higher insurance premiums, cost of commodities will go up, there will be new and higher taxes to pay for Obama’s follies. It is my opinion, as cost rise, we will enter a period of inflation which will lead to tougher times.
The laws of the land seem to have no meaning to the Obama Administration. When a friend of Obama creates a controversy and police come to help, Obama comes to his aid, no questions asked, he supports the friend. When 13 soldiers were killed at Fort Hood he said, we must be deliberate and look at the facts. How can a President be outraged when a friend gets into a controversy and have so little remorse and outrage when 13 soldiers are killed? There’s a big difference between the two incidents. We found that Attorney General Holder was quick to protect Acorn, and the Black Panthers. He wants to try 5 Gitmo detainees in New York so that they can have the same rights as all US citizens. Does he want to make them heroes? He wants to close Gitmo and bring those detainees to Illinois so they can be treated as equals with the same rights as you and I. It makes no difference that over 3000 people were killed on 9/11. Wasn’t that an act of war Mr. Attorney General? If someone is captured and classified as an enemy combatant they should be tried under military law, not civil law. Harry Reid’s actions to bribe Senators for Health Care was a good example of a lawless government. Washington seems to be creating their own laws and rules to fit the situation. The Constitution is ignored and Washington trashes the very foundations upon which this country was founded.

In foreign affairs the President apologized for America’s misgivings and works to form and lead a world union. His agenda and objective appears to be one to dismantle our laws, traditions and constitution so that everyone is equal. This is part of his plan to redistribute the wealth. You may say this is far fetched, but this is how this man and his inside cronies see the future. There should be no independence, no liberties no freedom we should all be alike. It’s like something out of Orwell’s “1984”. The president has surrounded himself with czars and czarinas that follow far left and socialistic ideologies. Van Jones was an avowed communist, Anita Dunne lives by the teachings of Mao, the communication czar Mark Lloyd praises Hugo Chavez’s takeover of the media, Rahm Emmual’s brother writes and talks about “death panels”, Andy Stern, SEIU, is pushing to unionize the world. Is this the direction we want our country to go? These are the people the president listens to.

The drive by media continues to ignore the realities of what is happening. The spin is so good you want to believe it. The President is a master of the word, but short on truth and substance. You must pay attention to the truth and what is happening. Our country is being stolen right in front of our noses. The White House wants to control and dictate. They’re not interested in what you think or say. The Tea Parties were chastised as being Nazi’s and trouble makers. Why is it that the actions of Acorn and SEIU are never challenged or questioned? The PEOPLE have been relegated to being non existent. Washington no longer works for the people; we no longer have a representative government. It’s broke and needs to be fixed. Where is the hope, where is the change. Stand up America; let’s make 2010 the year that we take back our government. God Bless America.

NO SUBSTITUTE FOR VICTORY

The military credo has been and will always be “NO SUBSTITUTE FOR VICTORY”. While watching the President’s Afghanistan Speech, at West Point, I had to wonder if he really understood the military. To me his presence at West Point was to use the Cadets as props to deliver an uninspiring speech. I felt a letdown from the man who is called “Commander In Chief”. I was not inspired nor would be desirous of following this man into battle. Remember, we respect the Office, but we don’t have to respect the man. He never spoke of the history or the great leaders that passed through the halls of the Point. He never spoke of Duty, Honor, and Country. He appeared to be programmed in giving this lackluster speech. He had no feeling or empathy with his audience. He outlined the Mission as something that was to be accomplished in 18 months. What was the specific mission? I always thought it was to rid the world of the Jihad terrorist that call themselves Al Qaeda. The Jihadist has a clear mission, kill the infidels. This is a declaration of war and we must defeat this ideology. The strategy and tactics presented by General’s Paetreus and McCrystal is clear and concise. . You can’t win a war by playing politics. It takes a dedication to the mission and planned objectives. The military has done a wonderful job in learning. adjusting and applying new tactics to changing situations and terrain. The war will be fought in phases with specific objectives. The time table is the accomplishment of successfully completing each phase and objective. The timetables cannot be related to elections. We must support our troops to defeat the Jihadist and bring civility back to the world. You don’t wage a war or go into battle to lose. There Is No Substitute For Victory.

NO SHAME

The inclusion of $100 Million Dollars in the Senate Health Care Reform Bill, for Louisiana Disaster Recovery, was an obvious blatant act to bribe Louisiana Senator Landrieu. This section and any section with the same intent must be removed before any final vote. It is a clear cut example of how low and corrupt Washington has become. They no longer have any shame.

LIES AND/OR DECEPTION

It’s becoming obvious that the Obama Administration is playing a game of lies and deception. You don’t have to go far to find contradictions. Recently the media reported large discrepancies in the number of jobs created from the Stimulus Package. Closer examination found that some of the jobs were created in non existent Congressional Districts and that numerous errors were found in the calculation of jobs saved. In fact, it was found that more jobs were saved than those that existed. Was this incompetency or lies and/ or deception. Yesterday the Department of Health and Human Services came out with a report stating that women under 40 and over 75 did not need mammograms. This was immediately challenged by doctors and the medical profession. It contradicted previous studies and the fact that early detection saves lives. Can HHS support this conclusion or is it another case of lies and/or deception? Are Death Panels really dead? Recently we found that AG Eric Holder recommended holding court in New York City for 5 of the Gitmo detainees. This is a case that will put the U.S. at risk: security, cost, embarrassment, and the possibility that the detainees will walk free. Again this is a contradiction. We know that military tribunals are being held and that a criminal trial gives detainees the rights of an American citizen. I read that Holder’s previous law firm is instrumental in representing many Gitmo detainees. Wouldn’t you call this a conflict of interest? Yesterday Harry Reid walked to the podium followed by the three stooges; Durbin, Schummer and Dodd to announce that the Senate had just completed a Health Care Bill. “It is affordable and covers 96% of all Americans.” The Bill is 2047 pages. The details presented were astounding, affordable and covers almost everyone. It was completed behind closed doors, more transparency. The full Senate and the Public were to have access to read and critique this bill. Another act of lies and/or deception. I guess we can go on and on and the results would be the same, more lies and or deceptions.

Charles Krauthammer nailed it yesterday, when he stated that President Obama’s comments on the economy came after meeting with China. The President is quick to respond to China, but is deaf to the people of the U.S. Charles went further in relating this to the concept of the world order. It is becoming clear that President Obama isn’t concerned with the United States, but converting us to a part of a United World. This man with his charisma and smooth talk is slowly dismantling the U.S. He can no longer be trusted. Unfortunately the Congress continues to dance to his tune. This reminds me of the new TV series “V” were aliens where planted here to overthrow and take over the world. This may be far fetched, but the game is the same; power, lies and/or deception.

GENERALITIES OF HEALTH CARE

The Congress passed the 2000 page Health Care Reform Bill last night by 5 votes. Nancy Pelosi declared that people can finally have affordable health care. Can someone please tell me how you can boil down a 2000 page bill to a few meaningless words? It reminds me of the 2008 campaign, “Hope and Change“, words that no one challenged. Maybe it’s time to challenge what Congress means by affordable health care. What’s it going to cost me? You say it will be cheaper, how can it be cheaper. Please give me an example. You say it will cover 96% of the people, where’s the money coming from? Cheaper and covering more people, that’s very interesting. You say everyone must have insurance or pay a fine or spend time in jail. Very democratic. What if I can’t afford insurance, will you send me to jail? How does that work? You say that there is going to be a public option, but you can keep your present insurance. What choice do I have if I belong to a group and the business decides for the public option how can I keep my present insurance? You say abortion won’t be paid but provide no guarantee, how can I trust you? What else is hidden in the 2000 pages that you don’t want me to know? How are you going to cover illegal’s, what’s the catch? I know you’re going to sneak it in. There will be a life time maximum, how much? How many beauracrates will it take and cost to administer this bill? How about ending fraud and corruption? Why didn’t we have the option of going across state lines to buy insurance and what did you do about tort reform? If nothing, why?

At this point I think it’s a big game. A game of trying to win public opinion. Remember, “Hope and Change”, trust me. Don’t trust anyone and don’t believe what you read or hear. Ask questions and get as many facts as you can. It’s a political game about control and power. It’s a game about taking away my freedoms and giving them to the government. A government that can’t manage much of anything. It’s no longer common sense, its lies and deception. Why should I trust or believe in any politician?

Just remember, health care reform is going to provide everyone with affordable health care. That’s what Speaker Pelosi says and that’s what her 2000 page bill guarantees. So says Pelosi. Now if you believe all of that, step forward and buy a bottle of my Fountain of Youth Tonic.