Here's my question. How is it that President Obama has not been able to fill 57% of the more than 500 senior positions requiring Senate confirmation. According to the report in the New York Times, the president is still missing an assistant treasury secretary for financial markets; a director for the Agency for International Development; and even his Army secretary, as well as several top national security posts. Now, I know he's had problems confirming a majority of his picks, some with IRS problems, like Timothy Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury, and others, who failed to pay their income tax in recent years. And others like Republican U.S. Senator Judd Gregg who, after being chosen, decided they were not on board with the Presidents radical policies. But why the sudden lack of attention as far as filling the rest of his Presidential appointments to his staff? Could it be that he just wants to bypass the vetting system altogether? I mean, as long as he's appointing his Czars, which DO NOT have to have Senate confirmation and report to no one else but President Obama, why go through the lengthily process?

Wow, I guess Obama wasn't kidding when he stated that he will fundamentally change this nation. One of the changes he seems to favor is to eliminate the checks and balances of power that were put into place, by our founding fathers, so that no branch of government was more powerful than the other. By appointing all his Czars he is doing away with the need for Congressional approval and having these czars accountable, not to the American people, but to him and him alone. Is this how our country was set up to run. I don't think so.

Just in case you were not aware, with over 250 of his presidential appointee spots still open, Obama has found the time instead to appoint the following Czars:


1. Afghanistan Czar - Richard Holbrooke
2. AIDS Czar * - Jeffrey Crowley
3. Auto Recovery Czar - Ed Montgomery
4. Border Czar * - Alan Bersin
5. California Water Czar
6. Car Czar - Ron Bloom
7. Central Region Czar - Dennis Ross
8. Climate Czar - Todd Stern
9. Domestic Violence Czar - Lynn Rosenthal
10. Drug Czar * - Gil Kerlikowske
11. Economic Czar * - Paul Volcker
12. Energy and Environment Czar - Carol Browner
13. Faith-Based Czar * - Joshua DuBois
14. Government Performance Czar - Jeffrey Zients
15. Great Lakes Czar - Cameron Davis
16. Green Jobs Czar - Van Jones
17. Guantanamo Closure Czar - Daniel Fried
18. Health Czar * - Nancy-Ann DeParle
19. Information Czar - Vivek Kundra
20. Intelligence Czar * - Dennis Blair
21. Mideast Peace Czar - George Mitchell
22. Pay Czar - Kenneth R. Feinberg
23. Regulatory Czar - Cass R. Sunstein
24. Science Czar - John Holdren
25. Stimulus Accountability Czar - Earl Devaney
26. Sudan Czar - J. Scott Gration
27. TARP Czar - Herb Allison
28. Technology Czar - Aneesh Chopra
29. Terrorism Czar - John Brennan
30. Urban Affairs Czar - Adolfo Carrion Jr.
31. Weapons Czar - Ashton Carter
32. WMD Policy Czar - Gary Samore

My question for you is, what do we really know about these people who are so closely advising our President?

Is it just me, or does this seem nuts to anyone else? Here we are sitting on some of the most vast resources of oil in the world and we are not allowed to touch them. Yet President Obama is financing Brazil with more than $2 billion of our taxpayer dollars to assist in their exploration of the huge offshore discovery in Brazil's Tupi oil field in the Santos Basin near Rio de Janeiro. What is Obama thinking? Are we not in a financial crises? And since when does an oil company need money? Petrobas, Brazil's state-owned oil company, is one of the largest in the Americas and posted a $10.9 Billion profit in 2008 ( up from a $5.5 Billion profit in 2007 ) Why do they need our money? With this loan, are we going to be able to buy oil from Brazil at below market prices? No such provision is in place for that. So Why are we doing this? Do we as taxpayer even have a say as to where our money goes? More importantly, Why isn't that $2 Billion going to the drilling and processing of the oil we have right here in our country? We have oil rigs in place right now, off of our west coast, that would be able to produce oil for refining in 9 months or less and our President refuses to utilize these resources. With the unemployment numbers climbing, why wouldn't this administration want to re-open an industry that would not only produce thousands of jobs, but also keep our money here, rather than sending it to countries that hate us?

It doesn't make any sense. He is pushing for "Green" here in the United States while no one else in the world seems to care about it.

See story from the Wall Street Journal at:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203863204574346610120524166.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

It's starting to happen, can you feel it? It's happening all around you, do you see it? The buzz is getting louder, do you hear it? All around our country, people are finding their voices and raising them in opposition to what this administration is trying to do without the majorities consent. Representatives are coming home from Washington to town hall meetings, packed with everyday citizens who are furious at how decisions are being made by congress, and the President, about; their health care, how stimulus money is being spent and also how our tax dollars aren't being spent. They're demanding answers to questions the main stream media should be asking but won't.



They are still gathering in protest against taxes and government intrusion at rallies, like the one this past weekend in Columbus, Ohio, where thousands attended another Tea Party to protest "socialized health care, bailouts, rising national debt and a Columbus' proposed income-tax increase that would increase from 2 percent to 2.5 percent, which would mean $1 billion over the next 10 years taken out of the local residents wallets. By the way, it's funny how you saw nothing from the MSM about the thousands of people, who stood in the hot sun, to attend this protest, peacefully. I'm just saying.




These are people, just like you and me, who are waking up and realizing that they don't have to sit back quietly and watch our leaders lessen our freedoms and take control of our lives. They are remembering that this is a Nation of "We the People" and not of "Them the Politicians". We are starting to hold our elected officials accountable, as they should be, for their voting records, their wasteful spending and their careless passing of legislature that they haven't even taken the time to read.

We all have a voice, and our elected officials are there to echo it, loud and clear, to our countries leaders. The roles have reversed when our representatives are dictating, to us, the policies of an administration that cares more about their own agendas and special interests than the will of the American People as a whole. Find your voice, use it, raise it. What are you waiting for? What are you afraid of?

Remember the words of one of our Founding Fathers;

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. - Thomas Jefferson

Republican or Democrat, Conservative or Liberal, Left or Right. You gotta love our Vice President, Joe Biden. Whether you are on the Right, looking forward to hearing what great gaff comes out his mouth this time, or you're the left, who cringe every time he has to make a public speech, for fear of what he might say next. One thing you can truly count on, Our VP will always tell you what's on his mind. Wow, who would have thought, in this day and age, a Washington Politician saying what he feels. You know, as a Conservative, I don't agree with Mr. Bidens politics, but, I do have to respect a man that speaks from his heart. Sure, in dealing with other governments or others in general, it is important not to offend and to be tactful in your approach, but, since when has being politically correct been more important than telling the truth? I wish more politicians would worry less about the terminology used in describing situations at hand ,and worry more about informing us with the facts and truth of what we are up against. We don't need to be coddled, we're adults. Whether you think we can handle it or not, we deserve to know.

What bothers me the most is when I hear the media talk about; how the VP's candor is a "persistent challenge for Obama.". Why is that? Is it because they wish he would be more diplomatic in his speech, or, is it because that, when VP Biden speaks the truth, it brings to light key facts that the President would much rather have us in the dark about? Such as how the Obama Administration "misread how bad the economy was." Or, on the campaign trail, when he stated that; Obama, if elected, would face a "generated crisis" to "test the mettle of this guy." The latest incident happened this week when he said, during an interview with The Wall Street Journal, that Russia would have no choice but to cooperate with the United States because it is on the brink of sharp decline, referring to their current economic problems. Sure he could have phrased it better but, does that make his statement any less true?

I am not saying that Joe Biden is the ideal statesmen. I am fully aware of how diplomacy works. What I am saying is that; we need to listen, a little more carefully, to what our Vice President is saying these days. For this reason: I believe that, when a person speaks off the top of their head, ( and not off a teleprompter ) you are more likely to hear some unintentional truths slip out. More so than from a canned response or a written statement. If that is what it takes for us to get the real facts, about what is happening and what our leaders are thinking, than I say; Let Joe speak freely, and let him speak often.

I am so tired of hearing, in response to the lies and deception in Washington, phrases like; "That's just politics, Politics as Usual or What do you expect? they're Politicians". When did this all begin? How long has it been the Status Qua that, it's OK to allow our nations leaders to lie and deceive us? And when they do, just write it off as politics as usual. I'm no historian and maybe I am wrong, but, I can't imagine our founding fathers sitting around the room, when they were drafting our constitution, saying; "We can't put that in there, it might offend this group over here" or "If we don't include this, this group over here won't get what I promised them" or what seems to be going on, more and more, in the Bills flying through Congress these days; "If we use this language, it will give the impression we are looking out for their best interests and still leave it open to do what we want" When did it become OK for us to be lied to and deceived? When did we decide as a nation that; we have no choice but to settle for leaders who say one thing and do another? When did we drop the ball; when it comes to holding our elected officials accountable to do the job they were elected to do? Think about this. We let Congress pass Bills on TARP, Cap and Trade and Health Care without reading what's in them. How can they possible be protecting the citizens who elected them when ,they don't even read what they are putting into policy? I guarantee our founding fathers not only read what they signed and passed, but also, had full knowledge and understanding of what they were voting on. Remember this?:



The problem is; We as Americans are letting our so-call leaders do this to us. We are letting them lie to us. We are not holding them accountable for their actions or lack there of. We are justifying their playing games, with our freedoms and future, by letting them off the hook with a simple excuse of; "What do you expect, they can't help it. That's the nature of the game in Washington" "That's how politics work" ENOUGH ALREADY!!

As long as we just sit back and allow our leaders to keep doing this, to us and our country, they are going to. If we don't hold them up to a higher level of accountability, then we deserve what they give us. I can't speak for anyone else, but, I for one will be writing letters to, calling and emailing my elected officials, State Senators and Representatives, letting them know that; when it comes to their role as my elected official, They are expected to do the job they were elected to do. When it comes to communication with the voters, that they say what they mean and mean what they say. When they don't, I will hold them accountable and they WILL hear from me.

I have a right and an obligation to keep our leaders in check, and, so do you

I can see why the topic of Health Care Reform is such a priority in our country today. The facts and figures show compelling evidence that there is a need to fix the current system. That doesn't mean we have to scrap what we have all together and start from scratch. We, as a nation, still have the best Health Care System in the world today. Whatever IS working in that system can definitely be improved on and whatever isn't working should definitely be changed. Common sense, right?

You see, I am one of the “46 million uninsured” in America. At 46 years old, I have never had medical, dental or vision. Now, do i need it? Yes! Do I want it? of course. I thank the Lord that I have never had to have been hospitalized without insurance, yet. Being over weight and having high blood pressure, at my age, it's just a matter of time. I have always been a commission sales person, so, when I was younger and made the money, I was healthy and insurance wasn't a priority. Now that I am a small business owner and not so healthy, I can't afford it. That doesn't mean, that I believe, the government should be responsible in supplying it for me either. As it stands for me right now, I do have a regular doctor, I just don't see him as regularly as I should. I have to pay cash for my doctors visit and cash for my blood pressure medicine, so when things are tight financially, that's one of the things I sacrifice. The thing about my situation now is, when I do go to the doctors, I go to the doctor I know and trust. I have that choice. When I do go, I have an appointment and I am seen in a timely manner. Because I don't go as often as I should, usually my visits are more urgent, and require more immediate attention, so I am grateful I don't have to wait for weeks or even months to get in and be seen. This is what scares me about a government run plan. Even though it might supply me with the ability to go and be covered, the fact of having to go to a doctor that I am not comfortable with or know anything about bothers me. And if the government plan makes me wait weeks or jump through hoops to be seen, chances are, I won't go. At least not until I absolutely have to. So much for health maintenance. As a small business owner, who had to let go of his employees because of this economy, If I am waiting in lines to see a doctor for a check up, My business is closed with no one to operate it. So do I shut down my business for a couple of hours or maybe even a whole day, to go get a check up, or do I convince myself I'm fine and it can wait another month so I can run my business and make a living. It's already a strain to shut down my store just to go to the DMV. I don't even want to think about what it would be like to have the government running my doctors or hospitals.

Yes, We need reform. But as Americans, we need the freedom to be able to choose which doctors we see and when we see them. We need affordable plans, but we need plans that are best suited for our individual needs. Not some blanket system that takes away the individual factors that make up our unique medical situations. I don't want to have to look up at a monitor to see how close I am, to my number being called, when trying to see a doctor and, I don't want to have to trust what one physician says without the option of getting another opinion of a doctor with whom I am confident and comfortable.

I don't know, maybe because I have no insurance I don't have a right to be so critical. But I am not asking for the government to cover me either, or do I want to be fined $2,500 if I don't have a plan of my own. President Obama said, in his press conference last night, that it's not about him, he has the WORLDS BEST INSURANCE for his family, but proceeded to say that he believes everyone should be able to have good insurance at a reasonable cost. Well to be fair Mr. President, either give the rest of the country some of that "Worlds Best" insurance you have, or, you and your family, sacrifice and take one of the those " good insurance at a reasonable cost" plans your trying to push on us. THE U.S.

I am hoping that, at the speed in which this administration is writing bills, passing laws, spending money and changing policy, this Bullet Train of Change has an emergency brake. My head is spinning trying to keep up with the intense pace that things are being done. And what is up with the month of August? The President wants EVERYTHING done by this time. Sotomayor, Cap and Trade, Health Care, Why? Whatever happened to "slow & steady wins the race"? I agree that we want and need things done, but, I don't want them done fast as much as I want them done right. It's all "Hurry up and Wait" with Obama it seems. Hurry, we need the stimulus, now, wait for the results to be seen and felt. Hurry and pass Cap and Trade, now, wait for China and India to come on board. Hurry with Health Care reform, but, wait while we come up with a plan to pay for and implement it. We can't fix things over night that have been broken for years. I applaud the intentions, we need to have progress and find solutions, but, to do something, just for the sake of saying that we are doing something, is not the right solution.

My Father always told me to "Take your time, do it right the first time. That way you won't have to waste time in doing it all over again"

As humans, we tend to attack things that pose a threat to us. I mean it's only natural that when someone threatens us, our way of life, our self interests, our agendas and our money, we get defensive, Right? Many people feel that, when there is a threat looming, the best course of action is to strike first, kill it before it kills us.

With that being said, why is anyone surprised at the way the Main Stream Media (MSM), which is comprised mostly of very liberal individuals, is going after Sarah Palin? I'm one of those who believe that MSM is the strongest proponent for the "Left". I mean think about it. The "Left" loves the fact that they are in the drivers seat. They're in their hay days and loving every minute of it. Do you think they want the ride to stop now? I mean, with the ferocity that the MSM went after Palin during last years election, it was obvious that they were relieved when it was all over. I mean Obama only won with 53%, and that sure wasn't the landslide the MSM predicted it would be. I give Sarah Palin the credit for closing the gap and, I believe, they do too.

I really think that the MSM and those on the "Left" were hoping to, not have to worry about Palin for ,at least, a little while. The fact that the victory party was cut short has really upset them. I mean Sarah Palin hasn't even announced what her plans are and, already the media has their claws out, ready to pounce on her. Like I said, when someone is threatened, they attack. I'm sure they have seen the latest Gallup poll which states that; " Currently, 72% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents have a favorable opinion of Palin, compared with 56% for Romney and 59% for Huckabee. But her lead on this measure largely reflects the fact that she is better known than the two former governors, given the substantially lower "no opinion" figures for her. Republicans rate each candidate more positively than negatively by better than 3-to-1 ratios." And this is in spite of the MSM's non stop attacks on Sarah Palin and her Family.

Now, I am in no way saying who ,I believe, should be the next candidate for the Republican Party or any one else. All I'm saying is this; The best way for the "Right" to gauge who the "Left" is most afraid of, in the FUTURE, is to watch WHO they are attacking NOW.

Just a Note.

Group Seeks to Block 'In God We Trust' Engraving

The Madison-based Freedom From Religion Foundation's lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in western Wisconsin, claims the taxpayer-funded engravings would be an unconstitutional endorsement of religion.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/14/group-seeks-block-god-trust-engraving/

As a Christian, I am not so naive that I can't see that we are slowly becoming a minority.  It's easier, these days, to recognize when our country is trying to separate or distance themselves from God.  The truth is it's an inevitable fact, which unfortunately, we are not in control to reverse.  If you believe God's word, as I do, He laid it out quite frankly.  The promise of His return was not based on that the majority would be following Him rather that, ALL will have the opportunity to accept Him, or in some cases, reject Him.  But this is not the main theme of my post today.

What got me started on this, when I read the article referenced above, was the ridiculous reasons they give for their lawsuit.  The first one about "the tax-payers funding, of the engraving, would be unconstitutional".  Would you give me a break?  With all the wasteful spending that is happening today; millions of tax-payers dollars for Nancy Pelosi's field mice, $100's of $1,000's on studies for the connection of alcohol and promiscuity in gay bars or the NIH funding the study of  "Why men don't like to use condoms" for the sum of $423,500.00.  Why isn't anybody suing for these misuses of tax-payer money?  The article goes on saying; "The lawsuit says both the motto and the words "under God" in the pledge were adopted during the Cold War as anti-communism measures."  Here's a little history; The motto " In God We Trust" was first used on coin currency back in 1864, The only time it came under scrutiny was when Pres. T. Roosevelt felt in 1907 that the motto was being used as a political slogan and was in effect irreverence, which comes dangerously close to sacrilege.  He felt it would cheapen the motto by using it on coins and postage stamps.  As far as the Pledge of Allegiance,  In 1954, in response to the Communist threat of the times, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words "under God," creating the 31-word pledge we say today.  So I guess what this group is saying is; It was acceptable to use, rely or call upon God when we were fighting communism, but now that communism is not a direct threat to us anymore, we can neatly put God back in a little box, place Him in a closet or on a shelf until we need Him again.  My direct argument for that is; what about socialism?  Wouldn't it be wise to keep him out of His box for a little while longer, to help ensure victory over the threat of socialism in our country?

The fact is, our Founding Fathers believed in a nation under God enough to write:  "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"  Who do you think they were referring to as their "Creator" ( big C not little c )  And Ben Franklin was referring to the Bible as the 'Sacred Writings" when he said; “ God governs in the affairs of man. *And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that **except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel” –Ben Franklin-Constitutional Convention of 1787.  He was convinced, as I am, that unless we are a nation that truly builds it's foundation on God, all our efforts to bring our country back to health are in vain.  Now more than ever, we need God's blessing on our nation.  The atheists and agnostics have always and will always be around.  We cannot shrink against their efforts to pull us away from our roots.  We must continue to fight for the freedoms our Founding Fathers fought to give us. 

I cannot tell you what the future holds in store for our country.  All I can tell you is that, With God, My future is secure.

*Matthew 10:29-31 “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”

**Psalm 127:1 “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.  Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain.”

Dear Sonia,

First of all, I would like to congratulate you on your success and the long list of accomplishments you have achieved in life thus far. The fact that you had to overcome so much and rose above the adversity you faced, is a testament of your strength and courage. For that, I commend you.

I have to admit that at first, being Hispanic myself, I was proud when I heard of your nomination to the highest court in the land. I was also pleased in knowing that I would be able to point to you, as an example of a strong independent woman to my young daughters, the next time they were feeling like life is too hard and unfair. Or, wanted to use the cop out of”what's wrong with being average?" because the road ahead had a little bit of an incline. I thank you for your example.

Then, the closer it got to your confirmation, I would hear more and more of your opinions and views regarding race and social justice and I started to get concerned. Now, your views and opinions in no way take away from your accomplishments as an individual or as a justice. But, I feel, they have no place in the considerations of your decisions as a Judge in the Supreme Court. You see, today you pledged "Fidelity to the Law" in response to the questions about your judicial philosophy. The problem I have is, knowing what you have stated publicly, on more than one occasion, saying; “I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn’t lived that life,” I don't see how you would be able to separate bias from the law when it comes to making decisions on matters concerning race and social justice. Matters that are so close to your heart. In my opinion, it would be like having a judge preside over a case involving a drunk driver, knowing that 2 years prior the judge lost his daughter in a terrible auto accident involving a drunk driver. It's too close to him. As for me, I doubt that I would be able to separate my feelings from the law in matters that were so close to my heart. But then again, I'm not a judge. You see, we all are shaped and formed by the circumstances and situations we experience in life. And for someone like you, who has fought so hard for so long for such worthy issues as racial equality and social injustice, the demand for blind justice in accordance to the law is imperative. There is no room for empathy. Not at this level.

Because you have proven to be such a strong and determined person, I have no doubt that if anyone could overcome the obstacles of partiality in order to uphold the law without prejudice or bias; I believe it would be you. So I will take you at your word, when you stated today in your hearing, "I look forward ...to being part of a process that reflects the greatness of our Constitution and of our nation." and give you the benefit of the doubt. There are many, in Washington and in the public, who voice these same concerns. Some oppose strongly your nomination for fear you won't be able to rule objectively. But, as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R) said to you today at your hearing, "Unless you have a complete meltdown, you're going to get confirmed" So again I say congratulations.

Just remember this, and this is true for everyone in life; Where you have come from, how you were raised and your life’s experiences, up to this point, have made you the person you are today. But, your actions from this day forward, determine who you will become.

I pray that our Lord will give you, not only knowledge, but the wisdom to apply that knowledge in accordance to His will.

God Bless You

For the longest time, I put off getting involved in local and even national politics. My study of economics involved counting how much money I had left and making it last til the next payday. Current events simply meant knowing which movie was coming to the theaters that week. Issues any larger, than those I listed, didn't affect me. My world was small and simple. As the problems in our nation have grown larger, issues that only other people had to deal with soon became mine too. I got busy, looking on-line and tuning into Fox News, trying to bring myself up to speed on what was happening and why. I found out WHAT was going wrong in our nation ( that was the easy part ) but, listening to all the "Point / Counterpoint" debates and opinions from the Main Stream Media, it seems like the experts can't agree on the WHY. The more I learned, the more upset I was becoming. The more upset I became, the more I felt the need to do something about it myself.

But what could I do? Who's going to listen to me? I mean, when considering where I fit in the grand scheme of things, who am I? I don't have celebrity status. I don't have a radio talk show or political ties. What kind of impact could someone like me have that would affect the state of the nation? I know that I am not alone when I say that, when it comes to being just an average citizen, it's easy to start believing the lie. The lie that tells us that our feelings and thoughts, regarding the direction that our country is heading in. are insignificant. Even though the latest RCP Poll states that 52% feel that our country is heading in the wrong direction, it's still scary feeling like you're alone and wondering if what you are doing will make a difference.

The truth is, I do make a difference. Even if what I do or say should only impact 1 other person, I've made a difference.

Albert Einstein said, "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing."

I refuse to "look on and do nothing" any more. I believe it is much too important for me to act, even if alone, than to stand by and watch things get worse without doing what I can.

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can
Edward Everett Hale