I AM TAKING A FEW DAYS OFF!

I am on vacation starting tonight at 5:30 p.m. until Monday morning 12/01/08 at 9 a.m. This doesn't mean I might not post something in the interim but I have a lot of pre-Holiday prep to do and I'd like to do a little recreational stuff as well during my time off.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

WE HAVE WON!

THERE IS ALWAYS A LOT

FOR WHICH TO BE GRATEFUL!

The miracle of happenstance and incredible beauty is all around us. I spent 10 minutes of my lunch hour watching a YouTube presentation of the exceptional figure skating of Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao, 3 time World Champion Pairs skaters from China, sadly now retired from international competition.

Think about odds. First, that these two exceptional people HAPPENED to be born within a few miles of each other in Harbin, China. Second, that they HAPPENED to be discovered by Chinese athletic officials looking for possible skaters. Third that they HAPPENED to coalesce as a team to the point that they are now or are about to be married to each other.

Chinese figure skating was, until very recently, somewhat of a joke. Then Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao became part of the competitive circuit and everything began to change. Certainly when they began, they were famous mostly for their exceptional athletic abilities. The sheer courage that permits Xue Shen to be thrown through the air at the height, velocity and distance her partner propels her is to me absolutely astonishing. The trust she exhibits, together with that courage, makes her one of my most admired people at any time!

His courage in coming back from what should have been a career-ending blown Achilles tendon, and at an age when figure skaters are starting to lose a step or two anyway, makes Hongbo Zhao another hero of mine. To come back and participate in the 2006 Olympics and then win the 2007 World Championships is the result of herculean personal effort. No nationalism nor ideology could inform that dedication to one’s art – because that is what pairs skating is in the hands of Xue Shen and Hongbo Zhao.

The athleticism was first, but when they developed their artistic style, my how they began to shine! The exceptional unity of their presentation, the grace and flow across the ice is absolutely stunning.

I salute the pair of them and thank them sincerely for the many years of pleasure their skating has provided. You will be missed and I am enormously grateful that some of your more stellar performances are available on the Internet. Sometimes happenstance is a glorious thing!

MY NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION

On January 20, 2009, whether it makes us happy or not, the fact is that at 12 Noon on that day, Barack Hussein Obama will become the 44th President of the United States, and my president. No I didn’t vote for him but nonetheless, he will be my president just as fully as he will be the president of every single American.

Based on that, I have no choice but to wish him well and hope that what we think we have heard in terms of his rhetoric during the campaign will not materialize in his administration. In fact, for the sake of our nation, we should do everything in our power to help Barack Hussein Obama to be the best, most effective President he can be.

Unlike the Democrats’ 8 year tantrum since George W. Bush WON the Florida vote count and became our president (yes, dear leftwing crybabies, a number of independent recounts have conclusively shown that he DID win Florida and thus the presidency – nobody stole anything and get over yourselves already). I will not call my president by stupid and inaccurate names but I will not self-censor in terms of expressing disagreement. Hysterical loathing is counterproductive at the best of times and this nation has far too many challenges facing it right now. We cannot afford to be self-indulgent pouters operating from emotion rather than logic and clear thought!

I believe that this is my responsibility as a United States citizen. Nothing less, nothing more. I will not succumb to the hysteria surrounding our President-elect in many quarters, but I will show respect for him as the occupant of the office he is due to assume and will be an example of correct and proper behavior vis-à-vis a President for whom I did not vote. His greatest challenges may well emanate from his own Party in the persons of Senator Harry Reid and Representative Nancy Pelosi, two incompetents if ever such existed, and the extremists in his Party who wrongly expect him to be and do everything for everybody, without accepting the simple reality that he doesn't have that kind of power and will not have that kind of power. Our new president will be subject to and constrained by the U.S. Constitution and we must make certain that any programs or initiatives that violate that Constitution are rapidly defeated on that basis.

In other words, we must watch him like a hawk!

A GOOD FRIEND SAYS IT SO WELL!

"The Republican party is made up of people from lots of different walks in life. There are people who are Christians, Jews, Atheist, Agnostic, straight, gay, some are socially conservative, some are fiscally conservative...you really can't put a "one size fits all" label on us. I think, however, that most of us would agree that we already pay a LOT in taxes (despite Vice President-elect Biden saying it's "patriotic" to pay more taxes!), and don't see that the government has done a very good job in managing what we've given to them. I don't have at my fingertips the stats for how much the Federal Government has actually spent on welfare since the inception of The Great Society, but it's in the hundreds of trillions of dollars. What was once seen as a "helping hand" for people who were down on their luck, has become a "hand out" for millions of people...there are some families who are 3rd & 4th generation welfare recipients. I would suspect that the "overhead" in managing such programs far exceeds any actual benefit that goes to the individual(s) needing help.

It is correct that "helping others" is a core belief for Christians, no matter what the denomination. However, I think for the most part, private organizations do a better job at this than does our favorite Uncle. There are many groups that refuse to take money from the government because they don't want the government intrusion in what they do ... SOME, Central Union Mission, Salvation Army, The Smile Train, etc. Many refuse government help because they want the freedom to bring religion into the mix...they know that a person who has a drug or alcohol problem is going to need "something/someone/higher power/God" to help them gain control in their lives. The government tends to meddle when they are holding the purse strings and won't let the organization bring religion into the picture.The Bible does talk about our obligations to the poor, and has plenty to say about those who will not work (not cannot, but will not!) but this is not to be mandated by the government.

Most Americans are generous to a fault, not only with charities in this country, but around the world when disaster strikes. There are missionaries from many denominations who really do sell all (or almost all) and dedicate their lives to making the lives of others better. My Grandfather was a missionary to Africa. He buried his first two wives on that continent. My dad was born in Nigeria while his parents (my grandfather & his 3rd wife) served there for many years. After my grandfather contracted African Sleeping Sickness, the family was traveling by ship to Liverpool, England, where my grandfather was to receive treatment. Just as they entered the harbor, the ship was torpeedoed by a German sub. They were the only family saved in its entirity...my grandfather was lowered into the life boat in his wheelchair, and my grandmother sat in water up to her waist as they awaited rescue. She held my dad, just a few months old, over her head to keep him out of the frigid water...she was told it would be better to toss him overboard for a quick death than to try to save him.

Look at the number of young people who forsake the pleasures of the world and go join a monastery, convent, or other such outreach of not only the Catholic Church but other denominations. God expects us to build into our budgets monies to help others who cannot help themselves. There are some people, unfortunately, who don't want to help themselves, and expect someone else to do it for them. You likely didn't see the woman at one of the Obama rallies (it's available on you tube) who was beside herself with happiness at the prospect of Obama being elected..."Obama will put gas in my car, and Obama will pay my mortgage. If I help him, he will take care of me!" The government is far too free to throw around money...you only need look at the earmarks and pork that politicians haul back to their districts that help them get reelected every 2 or 6 years. A lib friend of mine lives in John Murtha's district...he told me that Murtha is thought of as a "god" in his congressional district for all the pork he brings there.

A poor person has never created jobs that can employ others...as much as we hear how awful "big business" is, think of the hundreds of millions of people who are employed because of big & small businesses ~ people who pay taxes, are good citizens, do for others, and help to keep other businesses in the black! I don't quite remember the exact stats, but Exxon (vilified so much) has approximately a thousand smaller companies that supply them with goods and services, and I think there are well over 1 million people who have jobs because Exxon exists. Obama's call to tax people who make over $250,000 a year is a call to stifle job creation and ingenuity. While that seems like a LOT of money to me, there are many small businesses that gross that amount.

Our dear friend, Bob, likely grosses (not nets) that amount...he pays himself, two mechanics, and his office manager, gives them a generous raise each year, and keeps up to date with equipment and book knowledge so he can be one of the best mechanics in the area. Part of his "giving back" is that he does all the work on the vehicles for the Montgomery Humane Society at his cost. That allows the Humane Society to spend more of their money taking care of animals, rather than putting it into vehicle repair. An increase on his taxes would likely mean a cutback on what he was able to do for others. I'm sure there are even more things that he does like this, but this is the one example that comes to mind.

When the Reagan tax cuts went into effect, instead of less money coming into the US Treasury, receipts exploded. It was no longer worth trying to figure out how to hide money off-shore, and people were able to use the extra money they had to expand businesses and hire more people, which resulted in more tax payers added to the coffers.Sharing with the unfortunate IS a core foundation of Christianity...the VOLUNTARY sharing of our money is a very good thing. When the money is taken from me by coercion, it's not money that is given willingly, and certainly won't be blessed by God if I don't have a good attitude. The other evening I heard a brief interview with Rev. Rick Warren, who wrote the bestselling book, The Purpose Driven Life . He said that it becomes part of our personal development when WE give rather than having the government taking our money & giving it away. I make it a goal to set aside pretty close to 10% of income to give to various churches and other organizations that help the less fortunate. I feel like a local agency (SOME, Salvation Army, Central Union Mission, Feed the Children, etc.) is in a better position to know who needs financial assistance, food, clothes, housing, than is a government agency.

I'm not saying that the government agencies shouldn't exist, but there are some real horror stories coming out of social welfare agencies...the latest is the 10 year old girl who jumped out of a second floor window at her home in Lusby, MD, and got to someone who could help her. Her foster mother had beaten her severely, and when the home was searched, they found the remains of two other foster children in the freezer. This took place in the past 4-6 weeks.One of my friends recently sent me this poem about taxes which I shall include at the end of this missive...at this point you are probably sorry that you asked a simple question. I guess it boils down to not wanting the government in my life any more than is Constitutionally mandated. I want the freedom to decide where I put my money to help others...not have the feds make that decision for me. When I make those decisions, I research to find out who will be a good steward of my meager means. For instance, The Smile Train can correct a cleft palate on a child in a third world country for $250, which gives them a new lease on life. Wealthy benefactors (Cindy McCain is one) pay all the overhead costs of transporting medical personnel, hospital space, etc., and the gift of any amount from someone like me goes 100% to the purpose at hand. Central Union Mission can serve a Thanksgiving meal to a homeless person for about $1.70. Operation Gratitude sends boxes filled with all sorts of things to our military overseas and in hospitals at Christmas time. There are so many really wonderful, worthwhile charities out there, just waiting for help from people like you and me.

As far as the idea of selling everything we have and giving it to the poor, who, then, will support us? If the lions were hungry, should we walk into the lions den to become their food? The problem is that selfishness is always hungry and self-perpetuating. I read recently of a Monastery where the men had taken a vow of poverty and a pledge to help the poor. Trouble was, they had no funds to help the poor. So, they developed products they could sell, and while they still live a simple, no frills life, they are bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars per year that they can use to help others. There will always be those who, while calling themselves Christians, do not adhere to the basic tenants of their faith, but there are many, many more who go about life in their own quiet way, making life better for so many that they touch, either personally or via an organization in the community.

Here's the poem about taxes...At first I thought this was funny...then I realized the awful truth of it.Be sure to read all the way to the end!
Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the tableAt which he's fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his work,
Tax his pay,
He works for peanuts
Anyway!

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass.

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won't be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers,
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He's good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he's laid.

Put these words
upon his tomb,
' Taxes drove me to my doom...

'When he's gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply
The inheritance tax.

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recu rring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local TaxTelephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility TaxesVehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY?Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.What in the hell happened? Can you spell 'politicians????!!!!'And I still have to 'press 1' for English!?!?!?!?"

BIG HAT TIP to Piano Girl who shared this explanation of true charity with me.

BUT IT’S OKAY FOR

THE LEFT TO CALL
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH

“HITLER”?

Congressman sorry for likening Obama to Hitler
Posted: 02:38 PM ET
From CNN
Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

Rep. Paul Broun is sorry for seemingly comparing Obama to Adolf Hitler.

(CNN) — Republican Paul Broun is sorry for calling President-elect Barack Obama a 'Marxist' and comparing him to Adolf Hitler, the Georgia Congressman said Tuesday. “I regret putting it that way,” he told WGAC radio in Augusta, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. “I apologize to anyone who has taken offense at
that.”

Talk about your basic double standard. It would be tragic if it weren't so damned terrifying!

AW SCREW IT –

LET’S TALK ABOUT
FIGURE SKATING!

Candidly, I am sick to DEATH of politics at this point. It’s nearly Thanksgiving and that means that the figure skating season is underway – not that you’d be able to tell from the television coverage or lack thereof!

Of the Grand Prix Series, Skate America (a dreadful bore), Skate Canada (likewise), and Cup of China are complete and the Trophee Eric Bompard is currently underway. The quality of skating on display is so far uninspiring – not that much of it is available except on IceNetwork.com or on NBC Universal Sports (not NBC itself – this is a special cable channel that carries nothing BUT sports but only on its own arcane scheduling agenda).

So let’s talk about my usual obsessions: dirty skate laces and dark roots. No – I’m even sick of those topics even though I still do wish they would disappear from view.

Let’s talk about the phenom from South Korea Yu Na Kim. She is exquisite and remarkable and perhaps being pushed too far too fast. In fact, I think far too many of the skaters, especially the female skaters, are being allowed to try too many difficult tricks far too young. The jarring impact of landing a quad or even some triple jumps can be extremely detrimental to the physical health of a skater when they are in their 40s and 50s or, as is the case with me, in my mid-60s. And I wasn’t even awfully good and still I’m suffering severe spinal issues! It's the falling on your derriere, folks! However, the particular “ace in the hole” possessed by Yu Na Kim is her coach, the still marvelous Brian Orser who is one of the most intelligent, thoughtful and, I think kind and gentlemanly coaches someone like Ms. Kim could be lucky enough to know. It seems to me that he takes care to maintain her physical and mental well being in a very careful manner. If I were a young skater and I could be coached by Brian Orser, it would be a very good thing. Clearly, I’m a fan!

Both Johnny Weir (Isn’t he a tad too old to be Johnny?) and Evan Lysacek have not even come close to peaking and the Japanese men seem to be setting the skating world on fire with their tricks. Their artistry is, however, woefully inadequate.

When are we going to see coaches absolutely forbidding their skaters to do that offensively ugly “leg wrap” on jumps. It’s awkward and should lose points for skaters every time they do it. What coach permits a skater to ever START doing that nonsense? Shame on them! Technique people, technique!

When are layback spins going to be done with consistent quality? Skaters should be losing points for improper free leg position routinely. I’ve done laybacks. I did laybacks when I could still barely do a 3-jump! And I did them correctly from the very beginning because my coach made sure that I did.

There are a lot of coaches making a lot of money teaching skaters to do things improperly. And there are some choreographers who are doing likewise by creating some of the most frenetic and unlovely programs I’ve ever seen. In their zeal to incorporate 47 positions into one spin, they have designed some of the most unlovely positions known to man! Folks, this is grand theft skater! And like Dick Button, I am so tired of seeing skaters - again, especially the female skaters, grabbing onto their skate blade constantly. Enough already!

So let’s start making our objections known, if in fact we object. The Olympics are in 2010 and it would be nice to send well trained skaters with attractive choreography and good physical conditioning who don’t fall on their prats every 12 seconds! I mean really!

THE PRESIDENT ELECT,

THE ECONOMY
AND ALL THAT JAZZ!

There is no question that the economy has serious issues at the moment, and has had for the past several months.

The Democrats created this crisis by forcing lending institutions to issue mortgages to people who were unqualified to have same. Two of my acquaintances, both of whom liberals and Obama supporters, are BOTH bailing on their home mortgages primarily because they were stupid enough to get in over their heads with ARMs. And hell, why not join the stampede, right? One of them was even miffed that she had to meet criteria in order to short-sale her current home come Springtime! That is an irresponsible attitude at best, particularly since both of them are capable of earning a good enough living to pay the damned mortgage themselves. It just doesn't fit their "aspirations"! Lord help us all!

The roller coaster ride that financial markets have become is very much at the doorstep of George Soros and others of his ilk. After all, that’s how George Soros made his billions of dollars in the first place. He has been quite blunt that he doesn’t give a damn who gets hurt when he has manipulated the markets in the past and I am willing to bet that he expects to benefit mightily this time. Certainly MoveOn.org has already served notice that they expect President-elect Obama to "fall in line" once he takes office.

In the meantime, groups such as ACORN have been permitted to run amok and create chaos during the 11/4 election, creating more instability.

The leftists have no intention of surrendering their gains in taking over our nation any time in the future. They have used our own strengths against us and have been enabled to do so because Republicans in the Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives have been too spineless and too lacking in core moral values over a long period of time to put a brake on them.

And then there’s our President-Elect. I’m sure he is smart enough not to have authorized his campaign spokesperson to opine that he will be “ready to rule” on Day One, but my personal opinion is that for the next 2 years, with an unfettered Congressional delegation, we are in for a rocky period.

There’s no point in going elsewhere folks. Mexico is in the middle of a drug war and Canada has slid so far down the road to socialism that it may be 50 years before its people are able to free themselves, if ever. An island in the Pacific is fairly impractical, albeit attractive!

What we need to do right now, without any delay and even before the Inauguration of President-elect Obama, is begin rebuilding the Republican Party in a solidly conservative vein . We can begin by insisting that Michael Steele is elected RNC chairman and that Newt Gingrich is brought onto the board as an advisor. Newt is an ideas guy and grand at achieving majority. But once he’s there, he’s not the best at maintaining. That’s why Michael Steele is a far better choice. The site is RNC.org and I would advise hopping on over there and expressing your desires in the matter.

We need to start now to find and encourage solid candidates for Congress so that their organizations are in place well before the runup to the 2010 elections. To quote someone else, “Yes we can" – drive the left wing out of Congress and reestablish the rule of law and the respect for the U.S. Constitution in our nation. If we are successful and blow the wienies out of the House then even the most feckless RINOs in the Senate will take notice and begin to behave themselves! At least enough of them to keep the Dems in check.

We have 2 years to get things back on a more even keel in the Congress. As inept as Pelosi and Reid have proven themselves to be, and as inexperienced and inept as our new President will probably prove himself to be, it may just be enough time. I hope. And I pray.

GREAT NEW SITE!

I have discovered Paul Ibrahim - a really great site that I think you'd enjoy. Intelligent and insightful stuff over there.

GEORGE W. BUSH, 43rd President -

AN APPRECIATION

We have been totally blessed for 8 years by a great and good President named George W. Bush. Most of us failed to appreciate his greatness; all of us marveled at his consistent refusal to dignify the calumnies by firing back at the pinheads attacking him in childish and despicable language.

Through these 8 years, my genuine affection and respect for the man has become enormous. I was happy in 2000 when he was elected over the execrable Gore; thoroughly relieved in 2004 when the fraudulent poseur Kerry was defeated.

We have been blessed by God for 8 years and showed our appreciation for His bounty by ALLOWING the dialogue to be controlled by hateful people. Obama may be our punishment.

It would have served us right, at any time over the past almost-8 years, if George W. Bush had told us all to go to hell, decamped from the Presidency and just headed back to Crawford. But that would be untrue to the tungsten spine of a deeply moral and steadfast man who loves this country a great deal more than do his enemies - both foreign and domestic. They can demonize him all they want with their not-terribly-clever little epigrams like "chimpy Bushhitler" which only demonstrates how utterly ignorant of history AND the amazing character of the man they slander that they really are. They can speak vicious untruths about the current President of the United States, but he serenely sails along the course that he believes is the right one and ignores the jabber of the more-than-a-little insane class!

Never does our good President Bush dignify any of the calumny by a response. If he isn't leaving the Presidency with a duodenal ulcer, then God has been protecting the President's stomach lining as well as this country since 9/11!

Not only was George W. Bush betrayed by the Democrats who made a great (and fraudulent) show of patriotism after the 9/11 attacks, but he was betrayed by his own - the self-serving and spineless Republicans in the U.S. Congress. We didn't really deserve George W. Bush and it was definitely a gift of the Lord that we had him for 8 years. Barack Hussein Obama is really good at doing that passive-aggressive finger thingie - but despite how seriously it has been warranted, George W. Bush has never given "the finger" to the American people.

My prayer now is that, as has happened before, the presidency will be a transformative experience for Senator Obama. That’s my prayer, not my expectation based on his proposed Cabinet nominations and his actions since the election! God bless and keep George W. Bush, the United States of America which we all love, and all of us that we remain safe in God’s hands.

I'M TAKING A FEW DAYS OFF!

Time to take a deep breath, sit back and get some rest and then decide what steps I would recommend the GOP/Conservatives take in order to roar back in 2 years with a more reasonable version of the U.S. Congress. One thing that is a comfort is that Mitch McConnell will be the "go to" guy for us in Congress. He has proven pretty consistently that he actually does possess some cojones, something sadly lacking in our GOP elected officials of late!I'll be back by Monday. Meanwhile, keep on praying for our nation's future and safety from threats both foreign and domestic.

OKAY - I WAS WAY WRONG!

Now let's see if he can govern!

And let us pray as we've never prayed before that he is not the complete waste of time that he appears to be.

And next time I listen to Dick Morris, kick me where I live!

WHY OBAMA WILL LOSE TODAY!

Actually, there are a variety of factors that will contribute to Senator Barack Obama's defeat today. The first is that there are sufficient Americans who have not quaffed at the altar of the heretical messiah worship indulged in by the American news media and many of the Senator's dimmer supporters.

The second reason, one not widely discussed except in specialized blogs, is the abortion issue. The Catholic bishops have, this year for the first time, spoken out forcefully against Catholic candidates who are pro choice such as Senator Joseph "Rosary Joe" Biden and Representative Nancy Pelosi. This is a quiet dynamic that has received insufficient attention.

The third reason, again not being discussed, goes by the names of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, two of the most disliked politicans in Washington, D.C. Maybe they aren't disliked by their own constituents - but this country is made up of a great deal more than San Francisco values and the State of Nevada and in those venues, these two cretins are seen for the completely ineffective partisan hacks they truly are. The thought of a President who will not hold these two farceurs in check is unattractive at best.

Finally, there is the Bradley factor. Given the thuggish and/or intimidating behavior of so many of Senator Obama's supporters and his failure to condemn their actions (need we look further than the Black Panthers with night sticks standing in front of a polling place in Philadelphia THIS MORNING), is it any wonder that many people may SAY they are voting for Senator Obama when in reality they are simply fearful about saying that they are not voting for him? The woman in Florida who opined to a telephone solicitor that she would not vote for Senator Obama because he killed babies was turned in to the Secret Service. Supporters of Senator Obama attempt to intimidate radio talk show hosts in Chicago when they have on people whose views differ from those of the Senator. Reporters for newspapers that have endorsed Senator McCain are kicked off the campaign plane. Sounds like Argentina during the rise of Juan Peron to me, folks! Or the 1930s in Germany perhaps?

Finally, there is the matter of national security. Americans with even one functional brain cell know that they can TRUST John S. McCain to preserve, protect and defend the United States of America. Those who do not vote for Senator Obama do not believe that they can trust Senator Obama to do likewise.

I HAVE ALREADY VOTED!

Here's the deal . . . I was at my local polling station at 6 a.m. and there was a line out the door and down into the parking lot. A ton of people. However, as soon as the doors were opened, the line was ushered into the school where we were divided into 3 lines based on the alphabet. From there, the process went smoothly, although I did notice a lot of minority voters giving up and leaving before voting . . . possibly needing to get to work and planning to vote later (good luck with THAT). Polls in Virginia open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. We of the infamous carpool stuck it out because voting after work is not an option. By 6:40 I had voted and by 7 a.m. the other carpool members had voted. And the ginormous crowd had thinned down to something more closely resembling normality. However, when I placed my ballot into the OCR reader, I was ballot 152. Joyce was the last of us to vote and her ballot was ballot 282. So they had enormous volume and handled things briskly. When I was leaving the polling place to get the car moved closer to the door for Joyce and Linda, I ended up talking to a very very nice looking man in a suit (tipoff to me - I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday - I KNEW he was a poll watcher) about how things were going in there. He kept trying to wrest details of problems from me and finally I looked him right in the eye and told him "There are NO problems! It's running as smooth as silk in there. If some people didn't WANT to stand on line for a few minutes, that's THEIR laziness. I'm 66 years old and I did it and if I can, most anyone can!" Pissant lawyer.

WHY I AM VOTING FOR

JOHN S. McCAIN

I am not a John McCain fan on some levels. I consider McCain/Feingold to be fundamentally in violation of the First Amendment and, to my mind even worse, it has given rise to the 527s which have been, in my opinion, enormously disruptive and which have also led to the current atmosphere of poisonous animosity abroad in the land.

I will vote for Senator McCain because he is an honorable man. I will vote for Senator McCain because he is an ADULT. I will vote for Senator McCain because he will, above all other things, protect this nation’s safety and security.

While neither John S. McCain nor Barack Hussein Obama has, based on my criteria, ever held a “real job” – one in which an actual production of goods and/or services is involved – Barack Hussein Obama’s contribution to his nation’s betterment has been precisely ZERO. What bill has he written and shepherded through the legislative process? What positive contribution have either he or his perpetually petulant spouse ever really made to the betterment of their fellow citizens? From all that I have been able to glean on the sparse information made available on the man, he has been very good at TAKING from the bounty that is America, and just plain piss poor at giving back. Even his charitable giving, as detailed on his income tax returns, has been virtually nil despite his personal wealth.

John S. McCain has served his country his entire adult life, in one capacity or the other, and has made some sacrifices that are unimaginable, including 5-1/2 years in the Hanoi Hilton – something that his opponent wouldn’t survive for 5 minutes, so lacking is Obama in character or moral center! And Senator McCain and his wife are exceptionally generous in their charitable giving.

While Senator Obama has no problem with the killing of the unborn – or even the just-born, I believe it was Senator McCain and his wife who adopted a severely ill third-world child and provided the necessary medical care to make her the vibrant and happy teenager she is today. Would either Barack Obama or Michelle Obama have the generosity of heart to do that? Based on the fact that Senator Obama has family members living in abject poverty – both here and in Kenya – my answer has to be no.

Finally, I will vote for John McCain because of Sarah Palin. She is like fine wine and will only get better with the passage of time. On the other hand, Senator Joe Biden is a horse’s ass on his best days and it is unthinkable that he would be a heartbeat from the presidency! As unqualified as Barack Hussein Obama is, his selection of Rosary Joe Biden as his running mate is proof certain of his appalling lack of judgment!

We’ll be voting at 6 a.m. tomorrow morning in Virginia. Then we’ll drive in to work.

PLEASE BE SURE TO VOTE. Your lives very well may depend on it. And while you’re at it – pray for our nation.

FINALLY - THANK GOD THIS INTERMINABLE CAMPAIGN IS OVER!