April 2010 Ramblings...

Ok, this blog has turned into a monthly posting then weekly, but here goes my observations for the month of April 2010:

President Obama stated that the right claims that he and his administration are Marxist but cannot offer any proof…oh really?

• When pushed for proof, President Obama states no one can support those claims including Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh.
• Compares his health care plan to that proposed by Former Republican governor of Mass. Mitt Romney – so therefore it is not socialist. Funny thing is that is at the state level not the federal level.  You do not like it in MA - then move out of the state.
• Joe Biden tries to defend Obama regarding the redistribution of wealth regarding the health care bill (calls it fair)
• Allen Grayson – defends and compares socialism/Marxism with the Nazis.
• People comparing the word socialism to that of the “n” word.

So my two questions are, What has President Obama done to prove he is not a Marxist? and What has Obama done to prove he is not fundamentally transforming this country?

Phil Hare (D-IL) Illinois Senator believes in people dying and not having health care, then upholding and defending the Constitution. He quotes Declaration of Independence.

• When someone calls him out on that, he stated he doesn’t care.

Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA) speaking at a press conference is worried that 8000 marine troops sent to Guam would tip over and capsize the island. It was only until the video of this incident, that he issued a statement – that this was just a humorous statement that no one got. It was just a metaphor to the damages on the eco-system. Right...I will believe that when pigs fly.

Steve Cohen (D-TN) compares Tea Party to KKK. Claims they are following George Wallace – a racist democrat. Claims that Tea Party is not diverse enough by not having enough minorities.

Outstanding statistic for April:
47% of this country will not pay any income tax for 2009 tax year.

Speaking of the New York Times, it reports that the government will compare the effectiveness of health care treatments. Now that the government is in charge of the Health Care System, the NYT is trying to sell us on how we need less health care. I do not know about you, but this sounds like rationing to me.

Bill Clinton recently gave a speech at the Center for American Progress (you know the place where Van Jones is hiding and is funded by left progressive - George Soros). Basically he compared the Tea Party movement to that of the Oklahoma City bombing.  Funny thing was before giving this speech he was in partial support of the Tea Party - for the right of peacefully speaking out and demostrating.

Speaking of Bill Clinton, Will a Clinton Member become a Supreme Court nominee? Funny how Bill was just at the center for American progress which serves a think tank for the current administration.  And now Anita Dunn has opened the for this as well.  Dunn states we need a diversity of experience in the Supreme Court.

Chris Christie receives threat for freezing teacher pay for one year. Not from Teachers themselves but rather the all powerful Teacher Union.  Funny thing was he was not asking for teachers to be fired but just a one year pay freeze to helpe get the state budget in order.  Now there are calls for his resignation.  He was brought in to clean up the mess left for former governor John Corzine and he is making the tough choices to make a difference.

Joe Klein is stating that anyone who speaks out against this administration is becoming seditious (like Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin).  What has happened to free speech and the first admendment in this country?

Federal security workers can go through your computer in addition to luggage called digital seizure. Currently the law is enforced only 100 miles from either Canada or Mexico. Doesn’t this get protected by the 4th amendment? Government is making a case that they no longer need a warrant to track you via cell phone GPS. Also the government states that you should not expect privacy when it comes to using your cell phones or electronic mail.

David Gregory of NBC stated during his Sunday shows “What did freedom give the American people?” “And this free market collapse is more of a case we need less freedom”

President Obama wants to pass a law limiting free speech, that states there is some free speech that is so offensive that it should be silenced. They want congress to determine what that speech is. The first amendment states “Congress shall pass no law…” in regards to free speech.  So I would love to see how the President will achieve this.

The IMF (International Monetary Fund) wants to create a global VAT tax and keep the fund for distrubtion.  They are calling this a global bank tax.  These global organizations for some time wanted a serious revenue stream and now they are trying to get one.

The House of Representatives voted and approved on Puerto Rico Democracy Act HR2499

• Pushed by New Progressive Party movement in PR for federal vote
• Governor of Puerto Rico who is listed as a republican, is chairman of New Progressive Party. And what is this current administration full of - Progressives on both sides of the asle.
• This bill is being presented as a non-binding vote, would allow a two step process to vote on statehood in Puerto Rican senate because it passed in the House.
• Political flyers from Puerto Rico state PR could implement Tennessee plan:
• Send 2 senators and 6 representatives to Washington to demand to be represented
• To Self determine the country’s future
• Congressman Jason Chafets (R-UT) is a oppenent of this bill recently stated:
• Will allow people who live in United States to vote on status of PR.
• Where is the coverage in the news?  I had to hear about this bill from my family members in Puerto Rico who do not want statehood and conservative talk radio.  There was nothing on the main stream media
• During the 2008 election campaign in Puerto Rico, the new progressive party stated it would get Puerto Rico statehood by enacting the Tennessee Plan.

Obama states that there should be a salary cap – so at what point do people have enough money.  This is not just for CEO's but ordinary United States citizens.

You know I was thinking Police and Law enforcement cannot ask illegal immigrants for ID, but the IRS can ask legal American citizen for proof of health insurance now that the health care bill is passed.  And now congress wants United Citizens to carry a national ID card...again, why are citizens getting the shaft?

Reading Materials:

• The Real George Washington (by Jay A. Parry)
• The Epic of America ( by James Truslow Adams)
• Notes on the State of Virginia (by Thomas Jefferson)

NY Mets

As March is well under way, it's time to focus my sporting attention to baseball.  26 Days until Opening Day.

Living walking distance to Minute Maid Park (home of the Houston Astros), my team will always be the New York Mets.  Don't get my wrong, I never pass up a chance to attend any sporting event - something about a live crowd and thousands of your closest friends that always interests me.  Last year in fact, my wife and I attended about 10 home Astro games.  The value compared to New York cannot be beat.  Sitting in the luxuary club level seats for 50 bucks a ticket? That is upper deck money at Yankee Stadium or Citi Field.

Being a Mets fan comes with extra baggage - especially the last three years.  Losing to the Phillies two years in a row in the last week of competition while holding a lead in the division is tough to swallow.  But we do because we have developed rough skin with the Mets.  Always hoping for the next year to be better.

Will this year bring the World Series to Flushing?  Not sure.  I would go out and say well it could not be worse then the injury riddles season of 2009.  But the Mets would probably try and up the ante on that one.

Here's to a health 2010 for the boys of Blue and Orange.

Politics of the Past...

Recent snipets of the last few weeks in the news...

President Obama has recently hosted 10 House Democrats who voted against the health care bill back in November at the White House.  This was in order to persuade their answer to yes.  Funny thing about that, The White House send out a little press release:

• Democrat from Utah (Jim Matteson) who voted against Obama’s Health Care Bill in November – President Obama has nominated his brother (Scott Matheson) to the US Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit.

Does that mean Health Care votes are for sale once again?  We shall see...

 

Remember when Congress passed a Pay as you Go measure – come up with money before passing any legislation?  This was to show the American people they want to be accountable for "out of control" spending.  Interesting fact though, since passing Pay as you go – the Democratic controled Congress has voted to bypass Pay as you Go in every vote.  Normally its the first vote during the legislation process.  Where is the media holding Congress accountable for this?  Maybe they are busy finding green jobs and covering that Global Warming.

 

A secret White House memo is looking to seize more than 10 million acres in the western states (Montana to New Mexico) in order to stop logging, mining, energy development, ranching, etc.  I think President Obama is being the puppet of Czar Cass Sunstein in this case.  Sure Obama signs off on the deal, but he did not come up with this on his own.  Funny we are focused and busy debating health care and this gets the small print in the papers.  The government already owns approx 1/3 of all property in this country.

 

Interesting observation, President Obama wears a purple tie during a press conference regarding Health Care. Purple is the color of union SEIU and SEIU stands to make millions from the Obama Health Care bill. The standard Presidential colors are Red and Blue. Interesting indeed.  I do not believe you saw President Bush or President Clinton with a purple tie, but I am just sayin...

 

Save education Protests of late:

• This is a Socialist/Communist Union lead movement:
• Demonstrators in Detroit stated we have a right to free university degree.
• State it’s a Human right to work and have a job.
• Stated 45 million people are in food emergency.
• States that Human right to property and housing rights.

Last time I checked going to college was not a human right.  College is not for everyone.  For some its a specialized technical school others get by with just a high school deploma.  I am a firm believer that if you want to go to college, you work hard to get good grades and stay out of trouble (as they say keep your nose clean), you will get scholarships.  Sure it may not be at Harvard or some other elite school, but there would be a place at your local public university I am sure.

 

As an American who has student loan debts (I CHOOSE to attend an expensive school - it was not my right), I certainly feel for todays college students.  College costs have soared to record highs.   Even the cost effect public universities and community colleges have gotten quite expensive.  Since the US Government interveined with the federal loan program, tutions has increased significantly.  To the tune of 295% between 1982 and 2003.  Let me state that again 295%.  To provide some comparision - Health Care costs during the same time periood: an increase of 195% and housing 84%.  The arguement could be made that the federal subsidies are not making higher education more affordable because the college and universities are consuming the additional source of revenue.  Every year campaign trails are littered with promises of increased spending for higher education - after all these years is it really worth it?

 

I was not aware of this fact, but due to Congress - people in high unemployment states can receive up to 99 weeks of unemployment.  That is almost 2 years worth.  Being a person who recently collected unemployment for 9 months back in 2008, I know the security that check brought to me and my financial situation.  But 99 months worth?  I know there are people who truely need assistance, in fact more then the situation I was in, but the other side to this arguement this would lead to people becoming comfortable receiving unemployment as the main source of income and not actively search for a job.  I must admit I did slack off when I was let go from my wall streeet financial job.  That lasted about 4 weeks, then I got bored doing nothing at home.  Personally I cranked up the job search engine and went to every job fair that was in driving distance.  Sure it was discouraging for months not recieving any offers (but getting lot of interviews).  I prayed about it and I walked into the perfect job.  Actually I interviewed for another position, but my skills matched a position that was not posted yet.  No explaination other then God's intervention.  Perhaps people should be praying about their situation in addition to job searching.  Never know the answer's the Lord might just provide.

 

Final bit of news is that Elliot Spitzer may return to the political life after all - hookers be damned.  He has recently started to write a new column about Wall Street and the financial crisis.  Yeah, good luck with that.

New Year...Same old Politics

Our dear friend, Harry Reid:

• Made comment about President Obama being “light skinned” black and doesn’t have a negro accent unless he wanted to. Interesting where was the press on this one? Not saying he should be fired, but come on now - if this was a republican there would be bills passed condemning this behavior. What democrats can say racial type of things and republicans can't?
• Steele “if Trent Lot is the standard” then Reid must step down.
• Lot made comments during 100th birthday party for Strung Thurmond. Saying that he should have run for president. Some how do not think there was any racial undertone there.
• I feel Harry Reid is not a racist – he is just destroying the country along with Pelosi..

Kisser who closed EWR
This happed the day before my wife and I left from Philadelphia Airport to come back to Houston, Texas.  Thank God we did not leave from our usual Newark Liberty Airport. I just have a few questions about this...

• How about the TSA Agent who did not do his job?
• How did he keep his job and he was on his cell phone?
• How much money did he cost the airlines and government and most importantly the American people?
• The offender goes to jail for 30 days. Why isn’t this employee fired. I know I would be fired if I cost a company millions of dollars.  But hey that is just me. 

Seperation of Church and State:
With the New Jersey just narrowly defeating the same sex marriage law, a lot of people started crying for a Separation of church and state.  That got me thinking:

• I beleive the founding fathers meant seperation of church and state meant that you don’t have to be a certain religion to have a certain job within government.
• This goes back to the Church of England versus the Vatican
• When Henry VIII broke away from Rome and the Roman Catholic church.
• You had to be a member of the church of England to serve the country
• The founding fathers did not want the new America to be like England, thus included the seperation of church and state.  People over the years have taken this line completely out of context.

Martha Coakley has used this line previously.   She believes that if you are a Catholic you cannot work in emergency rooms in Mass and do not have religious rights.

• Catholic hospitals are told they cannot deny services
• She supports partial birth and late term abortion, but is a child advocate.

SEIU spent 680k on Coakley’s campaign against Scott Brown to show he is supported by extremists – Tea Party members.  Funny how Scott Brown won anyway.

Ed Shultz:
Left Wing Commentator Ed Shultz: "Tea Party people are un-educated and carry guns at rallies. Thinks the Senators only represent a section of the state, not the whole state. Stated he would cheat the election system to keep conservatives and defenders of the constitution out of office. Also have been whipped up into a frenzy."  Interesting though, can't the same thing be said of exterme liberals?

President Obama's agenda push:
It seems like lately, our vote does not matter, some examples.

• Congress did not pass Cap & Trade
• The EPA said they would do it anyway
• FCC wants net neutrality – Congress said no
• The FCC as said it will make the internet a public utility and get it done anyway.

President Obama's endorsement not as strong:
Special election in Mass is now Obama’s third failed attempt to gather support for party:

• Governor race in Virginia
• Governor race in New Jersey
• Senate Race in Massachusetts

Scott Brown Victory:

Scott Brown will take away the 60th vote and the super majority for Health Care Bill. Important to keep in mind they only need 51 votes and congress still has that.

There was a clear message from the unions – Brown won because democrats could not get Health Care done.

56% people were polled and voted for Brown because of the Health Care situation.

The Democrats and the Liberal left have said the state of Massachusetts is not really as liberal as people make it out be.  Because Ted Kennedy lost after his little car accident, seriously how stupid do they think we are?

President Obama sums up the victory by blaming the voter anger in MA on 8 years of George Bush. So to show how angry they are they voted for a Republicans?? How long can you blame the previous administation?

President Obama states that government lost touch with the American people because he is too busy getting work done. So 400+ speeches, constant compaign mode isn’t enough?

NAACP:
The NAACP Chairman Julian Bond in a radio interview stated Martin Luther King Jr. was a socialist and Dr. King thought a modified version of socialism would be best for the United States. Also the chairman stated that the man we celebrate today is different from real life

A New Year...Fitness Goals

Wow, I did not realise it has been over a month since my last posting. 2009 was certainly interesting to say the least.  I got married, moved to a new loft apartment downtown and I finally started a personal training program at Body 3 Fitness.  The gym's owner Tom Jacobs and our trainer Carlos Camacho could not have been more wonderful and supportive in our goal of getting more fit.  Our 2009 stats:

• Weight Lost:
• Me: 40lbs
• Wife: 50lbs
• Percentage of Bodyfat lost:
• Me: 2.7%
• Wife: 3.0%
• Clothes size:
• Me: down 2 sizes
• Wife: down 6 sizes

Needless to say I have some catching up to do.  Due to my competitive spirit I feel I must reach the finish line first...ok well maybe tied since she is my wife and all :).  The ultimate goal before our anual two week trip to New Jersey for Christmas, is to loose 100lbs each of us.  We are currently on track to accomplish this.  It is hard to imagine that kind of weight loss, but averaging 2lbs a week, should do the trick. 

Tomorrow starts our 5th month of personal training and it has certainly paid dividends.  While the scale is not as impressive as I would have liked, I have gained lean muscle (a pound of muscle burns 35 calories a day at rest) and I can actually run up stairs without feeling like I am going to pass out.  I do not have the body type that will be rail thin, but if I am healthy at 225lbs then that is where I want to be.