A political lesson from my ice cream

For Valentine's Day, hubby and I went to Outback Steakhouse. We had a gift certificate so I saved some of my Weight Watcher's points for the evening. Not enough, but I went moderate on the bread and ate a small steak.

On the way home, Husband suggested ice cream. Before I knew it, I was in Baskin Robbins ordering a small Heath  Bar Crunch milk shake. I figured, Ah, it'll be a few points too many, but I'll dip into my weekly bonus points.

I didn't stand by the counter to see how many scoops of ice cream the kid ladled into the shake cup. I really only wanted one scoop, but did I order ONE scoop? No. Did I want to know how many went into a small shake? Not really. If I did, I'd have stood there and watched.

Arriving home, I decided to log my points online. Guess how many that small shake consumed? Twenty-two points. TWENTY-TWO. That's a whole day's worth for me.

And I wonder why the weight loss is going so slow.

I think many of us view politics, especially those in the main stream press, like I did that Heath Bar Crunch shake. We don't really look beyond our emotions and desires to see what is really going on.

If I'd have asked, "How many calories is that shake?" Or, "How many scoops of ice cream are you using, and what kind of milk?" I'd have changed my mind.

But deep down, I wanted the shake. It was Valentine's Day. I wanted to feel good, indulge in a little ice cream pleasure.

I listen to what's going on in Washington and I wonder why no one is asking the hard questions. "How are we going to make up the money spent in this stimulus package?"

Or "Why does Acorn or Sexually Transmitted Diseases deserve millions of dollars in an economic stimulus package?"

Joe the Plumber was eviscerated by the press. Does anyone know the story behind Henrietta Hughes, or Julio the McDonald's malcontent?

No, because people don't want to know. The press is afraid to ask. I've found out interesting tidbits on them.

Tom Brokaw said about Obama, "We don't really know much about him." YET, he advocated the man being president. Really? Tom? NBC Nightly News Anchor for umpteen years. You admit gladly you're voting for a man you know nothing about?

Why? Because Obama made Tom feel good and he didn't want to know our country really couldn't afford the "calories."

Obama, the Heath Bar Crunch milk shake of American Weight Watcher's politics. He makes people feel good. He was what we wanted because we just decided. We didn't want to know what or who was behind the man. So, we just didn't ask.

Then, when it's too late, we discover he's going to cost us more than we wanted and take us farther than we intended, down a road with possibly no return. And, like my Heath Bar shake, he won't have been worth it. Wasn't that good.

Not just Obama, or other politicians. We do the same with abortion. Advocates don't want to know that at eight weeks there's a heartbeat. At twelve, there are hands and feet. They don't want to call it a baby unless it's "wanted." They don't tell the stories about counting body parts.

What about socialized medicine. Have you dealt with a government agency? Stood in line at the DMV? Dealt with taxes? The same government who bankrupted Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac, and are on the verge of robbing social security want to be in charge of health care?

Think? Look deep? What's it going to cost you? Right now, if a company took government bail out money, their CEO's have a salary cap.

Do you want your doctor being a man or woman who can't earn what he's/she's worth? Do you want him being capped and restrained by the government? What short cuts do you think he'll take on sanitization or equipment in order to save money? Do you want your Lasik surgery done by a five year old machine because the doc can't afford a new one. Worse, the government won't let him buy one?

What happens when the Feds do to health care what they did to Fannie and Freddie? WE will be out cold. WE will be left holding the bag.

I heard a woman on a talk show describe her ordeal with Medicare. By government standards, she could not receive the health treatment the doctor prescribed for her condition. That will be the norm for all of us if this government has his way.

Come on. Aren't we the America that is built on the notion of the free and the brave. Let's get brave. Value our freedoms. Take care of yourself and your family. Washington is arrogant and woefully out of touch.

Look, I don't mean to bash Mr. Obama. While he seems genuine about his beliefs and politics, I adamently disagree. His plans and socialist ideas are not where I want this country to go. I don't believe makes for a strong country.

I only write this because I believe many are going along, just like I did in the Baskin Robbins shop. Not really wanting to know the truth. Ask questions. Then, if you still agree with this administration, then you do so for good cause. You know the score.

I've asked the hard questions. I've looked into the stimulus package. I've researched gov'ts with nationalized heath care. I understand socialism and communism. Outside of being run by a benevolent leader, they don't work.

I know what this administrations policies will cost us. So, I speak out. No more Heath Bar shakes for me!

How do George and Laura Bush feel now?

I'm teary-eyed thinking about them, getting on the plane that flew them to Dallas, taking them from Washington D.C., ending eight hard fought years.

George W. is leaving an office and job that still teams with the issues and work he faced. He knows what we face as Americans, as a nation.

I wonder what he feels. Relief? Sadness? Can you believe there were people at the inauguration who snubbed him and jeered. Talk about rude and hateful!

Does he feel confident he did the job he was called to do? Is he ready to fade into private life? How do you go from fighting for freedom and safety for eight years to putting your feet up on the recliner and reaching for the remote?

He doesn't, I suppose.

But, you know how you feel when you have to leave a party early? Or when you left a job but Monday morning, everyone would be there like always but without you? It's kind of a weird, sad feeling.

Does he wish he'd accomplished more, or have done more?

He's lost sleep, I know, worrying over our nation. While I didn't agree with him on everything, George W. Bush was a great president. I can't think of a better man to be in office on 9/11.

It takes a man of character to be willing to be the most hated president in order to do what needed to be done to make and keep us safe.

Thank you, President Bush. We will miss your leadership and steadfastness. May God bless you and reward your faithfulness if not in this life, the one to come.

Our government

Tell me this. How come our government is asking every one to sacrifice but themselves?

They get an automatic raise every year while the constituents are being laid-off.

They are spending our money bailing out irresponsible companies.

They are covering their poor laws and poor oversight on gov't programs like Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac with OUR tax dollars.

The man or woman making $17 an hour is being asked to bail out the man or woman making $30 an hour. (Thank you auto industry.)

Our new president is spending $150 million on his inauguration while asking us to hold on for the ride.

Our government wants us to believe they are needed to watch over the "evil" corporations. But from what I see, they are way more corrupt and evil. Who watches over them? The media? That's arm of society is SUPPOSED to watch over government and expose all crime and fraud.

But after this last election, their bias is clear. They cover up for "their" politicians and hound the ones they hate.

I read a 2008 book review where the characters were supposed to be like W and Laura Bush. Publishers Weekly said the W-like character bungled his off-the-cuff speech like the real W.

This after we clearly witnessed a very bungling "uh-um" ridden Barack Obama who ever after his blunders spoke off-the-cuff with a teleprompter.

Sure W blundered. Sure Obama blundered. So SAY that. Even PW's biased was blatant.

So who is watching over our government. God. Us, the believers, who bend the knee daily to pray for America.

This is my prayer out of Revelation 11:15. "The kingdom of (America) has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, forever and ever."

Remembering 9.11

Nine o'clock on a Tuesday morning, I was standing in the lobby of the Imported Car store, finalizing some issue with my brand new Volkswagen Cabrio.

People were talking about the Twin Towers being hit, an airplane crash or something. While it was weird, I didn't feel immediate alarm.

Back at the office, the news was coming out. The tragedy, the unbelievable sight of the towers crumbling. The notion of terrorism coming to America.

And I was glad George Bush was in office. His speech was amazing. He was praised by all the newscaster and politicians. Congress VOTED TO GO TO WAR.

Now, they are hypocrites. They deny what happened. They don't care about American lives and soldiers, they don't care to honor those who died for freedom, they only care about power. We have an enemy America, and "he" came calling seven years ago today.

Radical Islam wants to take over the world. We are in their way. And our next president is a critical component to them winning or losing.

We need a strong leader, one willing to stand up and fight. Sometimes talking isn't enough. It doesn't work. It's like arguing with your stubborn, determined kid, only ten times worse.

Radical Islamic values are not our values. They don't care about things we care about. They believe Allah has called and chosen them to do his will and convert the whole world to their ways. Where is there any room for compromise and deals, treaties and fairness. There isn't.

Our brothers and sisters who died in the Twin Towers, and our fighting men and women who gave their lives will have done so in vain if we do not fight this war to win. The biggest issue with Nam was the boys weren't allowed to fight to win. Let's not make THAT mistake again.

Fight to win. Fight to preserve freedom not only in America, but for those in other countries. The more who are free, the more the world will be free.

We need men and women in our government who don't care about our country being liked, but respected. As a parent, you're not always liked, but you sure better be respected. It's respect, not like, that causes your kids to obey.

Obama is not a partriot. He was not raised in America. And when he was here, he lived with people who despised their country. He's attended a church for 20 years that rewarded men (Luis Farrakhan) for blaspheming their country. Why does he even want to be president? It makes me wonder. He wants to change who we are, and what made us great.

If he's president, there will be more terrorist attack because our enemies see him as weak. Why do you think they endorse him. Think about it. Our enemies endorse one of our political candidates. And are we so ignorant as to think it's only because he's the man they want to negotiate with? They see what we don't - someone they can manipulate.

While I don't agree with everything McCain is and has done, I believe he'll fight for his country just like he did 40 years ago. He's sacrificed his own body for our freedoms so what is to keep him from fighting if he's in the White House. He knows what is at stake.

Our enemies don't want him. Hmmm...

If we care at all about 9.11, it's memory and the life of those impacted by this terrorist attack, we must continue to vote for freedom, a strong defense and for a man and woman who will see that we remain the great nation we are today.