Tag Archives: Politics

BENGHAZI BLUES FOR OBAMA

THE FORGOTTEN VICTIMS

After all that has been said about Benghazi, nothing is as damning as the callousness, dishonesty and lack of humanity put on full display by President Barack H. Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and other members of this ruthless regime towards the families of the four Americans killed there on September 11, 2012.

Anyone who was paying even a smidgen of attention in those few days after the attack had a pretty clear picture right away of what had gone down in Benghazi, and the failures of this administration in dealing with the attack. Why the Regime thought they could get away with lying, and then sending Susan Rice out to compound the lies is beyond belief. And still they lie, again and again.

Remember the scene and the promises made at Dover AFB on September 14, 2012, as the flag-draped coffins of the four American Citizens who had been murdered three days before, Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, who preferred to be called Chris, Sean Smith, Glen Doherty and Tyrone S. Woods arrived back in their homeland? Remember the crocodile tears that were shed as a “visibly moved” (per the UK Daily Mail) Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said that Chris Stevens was a friend of hers, and promised the mother of Sean Smith that her son’s murderers would be brought to justice.

President Obama said, “Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. We will bring to justice those who took them from us. . . . Four Americans, four patriots. They loved this country. They chose to serve it, and served it well.” Then he jetted off to a fund raiser. He mourned no longer than necessary.

At Dover AFB Mrs. Clinton hugged Pat Smith as she blamed a video for what had happened, and promised Mrs. Smith that if any information changed she would be the first to know. As of May 4, 2014 Mrs. Smith says she still has not heard anything from anyone, despite her pleas.

All the promises that were made, the tears that were shed, and then, nothing. Less than a year later Hillary Clinton would famously testify: “what difference at this point does it make?” We heard her say Chris Stevens was her friend, but she seems no longer to care, and doesn’t she still have “promises to keep” to Mrs. Smith and other family members?

Now a State Department spokesman says John Kerry can’t appear before the Special Committee. Oh, wait, maybe he can after all. And Rep. Adam Schiff (Dem. CA) recommends that Democrats just boycott the hearings, even while Nancy Pelosi demands that half of the committee be Democrats or, if not, the Dems actually may follow through on the boycott. This is the same Nancy Pelosi who as Speaker regularly weighted Special Committees with Democrats. And if Elijah Cummings is appointed to the committee will Pelosi control him since he can’t control himself?

Charles Woods, father of Benghazi victim Tyrone Woods, repeatedly asked Obama to answer questions about the murders and what was being done about them. The mainstream media paid scant attention to him. Remember when this brave man called Obama out on Benghazi and told him to act like a man? He addressed his words directly to Obama and asked him, for the sake of his own soul, to stop lying. He ended by saying, “It’s better to die a hero than to live a coward.”

Since he received no recognition or answers from the administration, Mr. Woods finally returned to his home in Hawaii. I think I heard someplace that Obama regularly plays golf in Hawaii. Did he ever take time out to visit Mr. Woods, or even call him while he was there? We can guess he prefers to live as a coward.

All the necessary facts are known about Benghazi by which to make an informed judgement. But the most damning aspect of this whole affair has nothing to do with the facts of the attack as much as it has to do with the blatantly callous disregard shown to the families of the four murdered Americans. Perhaps if President Obama and the other principal players in his regime had shown even one speck of human feeling for those families they could have avoided the problems they now face.

MIND THE PENNIES

. . . AND THE DOLLARS WILL TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. Folk Saying

Do you still pick coins up off the ground? Do you have a savings jar of some sort? Do you remember a time when people were taught that thrift is a virtue? Do your children and grandchildren have piggy-banks and savings accounts?

Having asked these questions I admit the biggest question I hear whispering in my ear is: “What possible difference does it make anymore?” (Shades of Hillary Clinton!) As the putative president of the United States, and his wife, run around the world spending money not their own, one has to ask why any of the rest of us should even “save” a single cent again.

When hosts of citizens don’t understand how the tax system works, or doesn’t work; how they think “drastic cuts” to the rate of growth are actual cuts and don’t know that the government shut down was all contrived; why we need “zero based budgeting” and a Balanced Budget Amendment, even the hardiest souls might quake at how to teach so foreign a concept as “real” government savings. But let’s begin with what that quaint Constitution says on the matter:

Section 7: “ALL BILLS FOR RAISING REVENUE SHALL ORIGINATE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES . . .”

This means that the House of Representatives holds the purse strings and is charged with submitting a budget for each fiscal year, and there is a debt ceiling which is, supposedly, not to be exceeded. The budget proposed by the House is sent to the Senate where that body adds its demands for funding, then the budget goes before a joint conference committee for resolution. Both Houses vote on the finished product and once it is passed they forward it to the President for veto or signature. At least that’s how things are SUPPOSED to work.

In reality the budget forwarded by the House is loaded with pork barrel spending by the Senate and by both Houses during reconciliation. Thus the politicians can reward themselves and their cronies, and powerful voting blocs in each state get more funding for their pet projects. The longer members of Congress serve, the more powerful they become and the more pork they bring home, keeping their constituents happy and voting for them. So they keep playing the same old game, year after year.

Other methods of increased spending include raising the debt ceiling, supplemental spending resolutions and adding a desired unfunded program or project and cost as a rider on a completely unrelated bill. (Didn’t the Senate promise not to do that anymore? Have they kept their word?) Everyone turns a blind eye to such shenanigans, and yet again the taxpayers are looted.

The President usually also presents a budget, making clear where his priorities lie. This President’s budgets have been rejected every year since he took office. NO ONE IN EITHER PARTY HAS EVER VOTED FOR HIS BUDGETS. Under this President the game has changed and there is a method to his madness. He prefers to have no limits on his power and with the budget and the budget makers under his thumb, he manages to unconstitutionally keep spending. That means that every time we reach the debt ceiling another battle erupts. And the cowards in the House of Representatives never have the courage to close the purse.

The passing of the fiscal budget is a CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIREMENT, so both Houses appear to have evaded their duties. However, the House has regularly forwarded budgets to the Senate where ONE MAN, the odious Senate President, Harry Reid, pronounced them DOA. Did he then negotiate with the House or attempt to resolve the issue? Not Slimy Harry. He threw the budget someplace (a drawer, a garbage can? Who knows?).

Now that a budget deal of some sort has been brokered, Congress can pretend to follow it while everyone happily keeps spending, and the government faces a trillion dollar addition to the “debt ceiling” to allow even more spending. The supposed “cuts” of course are way down the road. As the old children’s song says, “The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round.”

And so, with no budgetary restraints, the Senate President and the President of the United States have proceeded to rape the Treasury and the citizens of this country, and each year increase their power exponentially. After all, what’s a few trillion between thieves? They now think they are so powerful there’s nothing that can be done to stop them and they can take whatever they want. You can always tell who the bad guys are. . . They are the ones who don’t care what happens to ANYONE but themselves and THEY DON’T CARE IF YOU KNOW IT.

Now we can go on to the next manufactured crises. Is it immigration reform or the minimum wage this week? Both plus Racism? War on Women? Or was that last week?

There are words, dishonorable, oath breakers, liars and sinners come to mind, for those who have no conscience. Those who have eyes to see and ears to hear have many times been shown President Barack Obama, Senator Harry Reid and the House leadership for who and what they truly are. Hypocrites, every darn one of them.

Once again we as a nation are faced with the cowardice and lies of the political class and almost everyone connected with it. Is it even possible to recognize any semblance of truth coming out of Washington, D. C. or from the fools who pass themselves off as the brightest amongst us?

Obviously impeachment should be seriously considered for the president and Reid. But no one will do it. The court eunuch Boehner needs to face his own devil – himself. He needs to be put out to pasture post haste. The man can’t even find his way to state the facts which support his case and hates anyone who can. He seems to have totally forgotten the most important job of the House of Representatives, that of saving the nation from insolvency, and he seems to have even forgotten his oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution.

John Boehner, you choose dishonor a whole lot and you have now failed everyone. None can trust you again to keep your oath for anything. Anyone who follows your lead is also guilty and should suffer the same fate.

What a shame it is that so few men stand on principle. And so this nation is led by fools and simpletons. Statesmen and oath keepers need not apply.
If political leaders were anything resembling honest, they would admit they have ceased minding any amount of money, whether on behalf of the country or that used for their own greed, power or comfort:

If Congress minded the thousands, would the millions take care of themselves?
If Congress minded the millions, would the billions take care of themselves?
If Congress minded the billions would the United States still be well over seventeen trillion dollars in debt?

Now here we are, another billion or trillion dollars more in debt each time the president wields his pen. Add Obamacare to this mix and try to guess the debt ceiling next time. After all, what’s a few trillion among thieves?

We would do well to remember that if the devil had fingers, his prints would be all over the world, and since the devil is always in the details, that is where his fingerprints are to be found. Unfortunately we know whose fingerprints help make the devilish details, but no political or moral fortitude exists to stop the carnage.

ONE LITTLE, TWO LITTLE, THREE LITTLE INDIANS

Harry Reid Feels Your Pain

Bonnie’s mother is Navaho (or Navajo, if you prefer). When she had to choose a tribe, Bonnie also chose to be Navaho, so when she had her second little Indian, a lovely girl with masses of black hair, she gave her the wonderful name Nizoni, pronounced ni-ZHON-ee, the Navaho word meaning Beautiful, and beautiful she is. Nizoni was born exactly one year and nine minutes after her older brother, Gavin, so they are real “Irish twins.” Or is that considered a racist term now? Their shared birthday parties are a juggling act, although as long as everything (including the chili) has chocolate in it, Nizoni is happy.

Bonnie’s father is one-half Hopi and a member of that tribe. At Gavin’s Hopi Hair Washing Ceremony, all his direct Hopi relatives (parents, aunts, uncles, etc.) washed his hair and gave him the Hopi name meaning Tadpole. Other members of the tribe are witnesses to the ceremony. At Nizoni’s Hair Washing, being a girl, she was named after the Kachina for cumulus clouds.

Bonnie’s father is also one-half Tewa. His father was the last full-blooded Tewa Indian in Bonnie’s family, and he was the first Indian Platoon leader in the US military. During the closing weeks of WWII, he and the members of his platoon parachuted behind enemy lines in the Phillipines and helped rescue a group of American POW’s who they knew were scheduled for execution by the Japanese within 24 hours. Bonnie’s grandfather was a great man and a great warrior.

When her third little Indian, Soren, was born, she gave him the middle name of Tewa, a lifetime remembrance of his heritage. He was named Little Corn at his Hopi Hair Washing. His mother thinks he’s pretty corny for sure when he’s hungry and yelling for food. He’s nine months old now and seriously considering walking. Since his eyes shine with mischief, Bonnie wonders how she’ll corral him when the time comes and if there’s any sleep in her future.

If you question Bonnie about her heritage she says she prefers to be called an Indian, with no hyphenated anything. That she is a patriotic American is a given. She wishes some Americans would just get over being so phony about their supposed sensitivities and if someone wants to call her a “Redskin”‘ hey, that’s fine with her. She’s proud to be an Indian and hopes the Redskins keep both their pride and their name.

Bonnie’s children belong to a mixed world, for you see she chose a (gasp!)
white guy for a husband. Alex’s roots in America go back only to the Mayflower, so he’s a newcomer to the land. Together Bonnie and her Alex are more concerned about the character, good behavior and toughness of their Three Little Indians than they are about any manufactured hurt feelings. They are, however, not above using Indian culture to make a point.

When Gavin started school this past autumn, he quietly folded his arms and bowed his head over his food at lunch. His teacher told him he was not allowed to do that. He was confused and upset when he told Bonnie and Alex about it because he had been taught at home to always bless his food. His parents very carefully considered their options and what they hoped to accomplish for their son. The next morning Bonnie went to the school and explained that in Hopi culture and tradition it is important to give thanks for the bounty of the earth. Caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place, the school, to be politically correct, bowed to Hopi, not Christian, tradition.

Harry Reid’s evil remarks are both demeaning and insulting to both sides of Bonnie and Alex’s family. Please Harry, everyone’s heard enough from you, just go away.

We are the blessed ones as the Three Little Indians invade our home every day. They giggle as they pull their Papa’s suspenders and kiss the bald spot on his head. He saves himself by bribing them with anything chocolate and calls them his “War Whoops.” The dog loves them with slavish devotion and makes certain they are safe in the yard. They love the dog and tolerate me as they kiss me and call me gramma.

Harry, not a single one of us needs anything from you.

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT

THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT:  YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, Deuteronomy 5:10. Tanakh Version, JPS.

One would think of this commandment as self evident in creating a civilized society. No such luck. Stealing has been a problem since humanity began. In ways large and small there are people who can always justify “taking” what they want or think they “need.” Is it a new pen, change from the cash drawer, shop lifting, or embezzling from the boss that tempts you? Would you get a thrill out of breaking and entering? Would you do it because you “deserve” more things or because “everybody else does it?”

Cain’s anger and choice to steal his brother’s flocks led directly to murder. How many murders today are the result of first deciding to steal?

Reading recently about the woman chosen to head ObamaCare in Colorado who has been indicted for embezzling massive amounts from a federal housing program in Wyoming leaves me scratching my head. It’s simply startling what people think they have a right to, and what they will do for financial gain. Some of them get away with their predations for many years and seem to never get caught. Some in the Government are known by Department heads to be padding accounts, double-dipping, and getting paid for personal travel for years and yet they receive no punishment at all when they are finally publicly exposed. They may even get promoted or simply transferred.

How much of the public debt has accrued because of theft and malfeasance all down the line? There is mind numbing malfeasance and outright theft by elected and appointed officials, and administrators within the bureaucracy, and recipients of government contracts and programs. Virtually penniless elected officials become millionaires, if not billionaires, and no one says a word.

In the end stealing leads not just to dishonor, fines or jail time for the thief, it also leads to a gradual breaking down of inhibitions in all who are willing to steal for their own gain. If the man at the top is willing to lie, cheat and steal, then the restraints that inhibit such behavior in others below him weaken and gross immorality occurs.

I have often wondered about Adolph Hitler’s underlings. If there had been no Hitler, would Eichmann, for instance, have been just a faceless bureaucrat all his days? Would the men who carelessly murdered and maimed their fellow citizens in the name of the state have been the animals they were? The same questions could be asked in any bureaucracy that falls into lawlessness. The old saying that, “A fish rots from the head down” is only the truth.

The public loss of confidence in the honesty and integrity of members of the government is another symptom of rot at the top. The corruption may take time to filter through society, but filtered or not, it does continue to taint all down the line and becomes public knowledge. TRUTH will out and eventually shine through to those who have open eyes to see and ears to hear. Many eyes and ears are beginning to open. Every honest citizen has begun to wonder if there is anyone at all in government worthy of trust.

God Himself has told His people not to steal. He knows how sin weakens us and always leads to greater sinning. Theft makes slaves of us all.

 

 

WE’RE ALL HOMOGENIZED NOW

NO CREAM WANTED

My father-in-law worked caring for hogs when he attended college at UCDavis for a degree in Animal Husbandry. He observed that the hogs he supplemented with cod liver oil were more healthy and sleek than those who were not given the supplement. He decided that if the oil was good for the hogs it was also good for him, so every day for the rest of his long, long life he took cod liver oil.

After graduating from college he returned to the family ranch in California’s Napa Valley and became a dairyman. After a few years he said he got tired of being “married” to the cows, moved into town and opened a creamery, buying milk from local sources. He agreed that pasteurization was necessary but felt that homogenization was a mistake. He said that drinking milk with different sizes and shapes of butterfat was much better for human consumption than that with uniform sizes. At the time we discussed this matter we had no idea that soon all fats would be declared harmful to human health. That is another pronouncement that medicine will soon regret.

Many people are now beginning to recognize that raw unhomogenized milk is much better for humans than what one can buy at the grocery store. Where you are allowed to buy raw milk is another matter. The full force of the almighty federal government has been sent out against one honest Amish farmer for his sale of raw milk. Big Brother always knows best so you and I no longer have choice in the matter.

If, in fact, Pop was right we should still be letting the cream rise to the top, skimming it off for other, perhaps better, purposes and using whole unhomogenized milk. Perhaps we would all be more healthy.

Homogenization within a society is another matter of great concern every citizen needs to seriously consider.

It hardly seems acceptable today to celebrate individualism. As much as we discuss “diversity” it seems some types of diversity are undesirable in our society and people who profess certain opinions are considered unworthy. Hasty prejudgements are made in political debate, and false witness is borne against leaders in opposing political parties. Only those with cast iron souls seem to survive the lies hurled at them. Science has been politicized to the end that few survive the lies and slurs made against their work and good names.

Maybe we all need a good dose of cod liver oil to make our bodies and minds clear and healthy, and none of us should desire the homogenization of our society. You might love NASCAR, I might prefer going to the opera, that is entirely up to us, and it is certainly not the business of anyone else to  make that decision for us.

We all have gifts and intelligence to offer as we pursue our God-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of OUR individual happiness.

LET THE CREAM RISE.

UR-MEN

(This is a poem I have written in response to the Holocaust Deniers who make a mockery of and deny the reality of historical Truth)

Of late the faded photograph, grainy and old,
Intrudes upon my mind
And sears my sleep.

The women – naked, exposed –
Led helplessly to an open grave,
Striving still, to shield their beauty,
Hands covering breasts and mounds —
Enclosed by encircling arms, one protects her child
within,
Now never to be born.

Nearby with rifles stand
things
Who think they are men,
leering at the capturing camera,
Bearing witness forever to their unholy glee.

In the vast economy of God,
Whose loss is worse?
The women, whose beauty is only transformed,
Or the unthinkers who destroy themselves?

Anniel

I feel such a sense of foreboding for the Jewish people worldwide and for the State of Israel.  Our amazing president has managed to fail all of our strongest allies. Will Israel stand alone? Prophesy says so. The Lord has said He will bless those who bless them and curse those who curse them.

Where will we stand?

GOVERNMENT SPENDING (and Barbarians) – YET AGAIN

“Conservative groups . . . are ridiculous”  “. . .they are misleading their followers . . . I think they’ve lost all credibility.”  John Boehner (R), Speaker of the House
 
Here we are, over SEVENTEEN TRILLION  dollars in debt with more piling on every second of every day, idiots like Mr. Boehner in charge, lies and cowardice running rampant, and what are we to do? Send off yet another blast-fax? Is anyone at all even THINKING, let alone LISTENING?

When John Boehner can speak so crassly and stupidly of the Conservatives in his party, why should they support him in anything he attempts to do, even if it looks OK on the surface? What rocks and shoals await the unwary? I agree totally with defunding the Republican Party and have not given to them in years.

I, personally, am not a member of the Tea Party, but wish I were in a position to join and support them. I often think about the good things they do in standing up for the Constitution and that they are the adults in the room, toilet trained, respectful, sane, cleaning up after themselves, what more can we ask?

That Occupy Wall Street group, who seem to be in love with their bodily excretions (does this prove Freud’s anal phase?), especially in public places and smeared on cop’s cars; their disrespect for persons and property; their general filth and lack of thought, leave me with the proverbial “chill up the spine.”

Now we have ObamaCare tearing the nation apart while said Obama goes to South Africa and again reveals himself as not only a narcissist but a horny juvenile to boot, with no sense of proper behavior or decorum whatsoever. One can only hope his wife does read him the riot act and teach him some manners. I also hope the people of Denmark chastise their ostensible “leader” for her actions on such a supposedly solemn occasion.

The charming Nancy Pelosi (DEMOCRAT), House Minority Leader, has told the Democrats they’ll just have to “embrace the suck” over the budget deal and ObamaCare. What is that party thinking, having such a woman as one of their “leaders”? Are they really proud of her, or of themselves for that matter? Yuch!

The very people who should set the standards of morality and manners (at least) are the very ones who embarrass both themselves and their countries. The barbarians are not just at the gates, they are HERE.

It was Patrick Henry who said, “These are the times that try men’s souls.”
Lately I have begun to think that we are in the midst of those “times” again and there are few willing to confront our condition in any honest way.

THE QUICKSAND THAT IS GOVERNMENT

“The real question of government versus private enterprise is argued on too philosophical and abstract a basis. Theoretically, planning may be good, but nobody has ever figured out the cause of government stupidity and until they do (and find the cure) all ideal plans will fall into quicksand.”    Richard Feynman

Today we once again find ourselves in the dirt and muck of government stupidity, and because the swamp that is Washington D. C. needs to be seriously drained, quicksand has entrapped us all. Just try to lift your feet out of the mud and find someone who will help you to solid ground. Chances are not too good that anyone will be there. It all depends on who you know, how much money you “donate” to whom, and how well you know how to play the political games.

There are so few who win elections and actually attempt to correct the problems that beset this country. Those who do are attacked mercilessly, even by their supposed friends. What are we, the patriots who stand by the law of the land, the Constitution, to do in this situation?

Some throw up their hands in despair, and it is tempting to withdraw from all public and political life, but I am reminded here of a statement by Plato: “The punishment that the wise suffer who refuse to take part in government, is to live under the government of worse men.”

Can it get much worse? The worse men and women are in charge today and they tell lies on top of lies on top of even more lies, ad nauseum. They even seem to believe their own lies. Again, what do we do?

Study history, not just about our land, and the founders, but also about people who would be our leaders today. Study their records. What are the outcomes of programs or laws they have championed? Are they constitutional? Have the programs worked? If not, should we get rid of them? Right away or over time so people can adjust? Should we get rid of the people who continue to do the same things in spite of failure and ask for more and more money?

Learn to question everything. Look between the lines. Check serious meanings, imagine outcomes.

Don’t be afraid to question your most deeply held beliefs. Have the courage to change yourself if you need to. Walk away from any group or person who will not be civil to your opinions and your right to express them.

One thing people loved about Richard Feynman, who is quoted above, was his “no nonsense” approach to life and his joy in living. Remember the hullabaloo after the Challenger explosion? Mr. Feynman was the gentleman who, on a national TV report by the investigating committee, placed the “O” ring in a glass of ice water to show how the ring failed because of cold during take-off. There were many members of the committee unhappy with his actions. Apparently some of them thought such a “simplistic” approach was demeaning to them personally and to the company who had failed in their specs for the flight. There were those who would have white-washed the whole matter if they could.

Mr. Feynman knew government stupidity when he saw it and didn’t pull any punches about what he saw. Listen carefully to those who speak up, listen even more carefully when they are attacked. Maybe some of them are as smart as Richard Feynman, who also said we need to find the cure for government stupidity. Want to bet on when that will happen?

THE GREATEST EVIL

The greatest evil is not done in those sordid “dens of crime” that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see the final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars, and cut fingernails, and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice.
                                                                      C. S. Lewis

This is such a frightening thought, that evil comes with soft voices and under the guise of well-meaning, reasonable men (and women) who want only the “best” for every one. The thought alone makes one feel — slimed??

How do real people fight against such evil? You and I, who have no voice in such offices, or with the hollow men who glide on silent feet to enslave the world and make it in their own image, where do we go and what do we say to their unhearing ears and dead hearts and minds? How do we reject such ends? Sometimes it seems that war becomes the only weapon left.

Only bumper sticker mentality thinks that “giving peace a chance” will halt the progress of evil. Does no one remember the wars to end all wars? The  agreements to never forget, to scrap our weapons and disband our armies and live in peace forevermore? Evil smiles and goes underground in such times, lulling peaceful people to sleep.

Wake now. Anyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear truth must have the heart and courage to face facts: our nation and world are in perilous times. Times where, once again, the hollow men and women are in charge of the institutions meant to protect freedom and law. Look and listen carefully, you will know who they are.

They are the liars and oath breakers who no longer care to even hide their tracks. As their power seems to grow, we are left in wonderment at their ability to lie so smoothly, with such facile ease. No shame attaches to them, and yet they point the finger of shame at anyone who has the courage to speak out and confront the lies.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob has promised to fight our battles if we will but trust in HIM, repent of our evil doing and follow HIS ways. If we will but ask for guidance for the safety of our land and people is there still time to stand fast and free? Will we need to fight, and will we have His blessing if we do? Only He can answer that question, but our hearts need to be open and brave to fight if we must.

POSSIBILITIES

“With God all things are POSSIBLE.” — Matthew 19:26
“Without God all things are PERMISSIBLE.” — Fyodor Dostoyevski
“Without God all things are INEVITABLE.” — Gertrude Himmelfarb (?)

When I first read it, I thought the scripture in Matthew meant that since GOD was all powerful anything was possible for HIM, and it was a novel concept to begin to understand that if we have GOD with us then all things are possible for US. It certainly makes our human possibilities more profound.

Around us are people lost and struggling because they have cut themselves away from any moorings to God and think they have the right, the permission to do anything they wish. When there is nothing beyond his own will to consult it is easy for any man to become a law unto himself. When a man reaches that point in his life, anything at all becomes permissible, and there is no price to be paid except in the lives of others who run afoul of those who so believe.

Beyond being permissible, though, is the inevitable result of having no mooring in the reality of what happens to one’s soul when a person exercises unrighteous dominion over others, and the havoc one evil man or woman can cause to a nation and its people. When people with no moral foundations reach positions of power they pose a danger to everyone and everything within their sway.

Understanding how another can sear his or her conscience to the point where it no longer exists, to become a psychopath, is beyond the experience of most people, and they fail to recognize the danger in the facile charm that seems to be a trademark of the psychopaths among us.

The inevitable result when such people gain power is the loss of liberty and goodness for all they touch. Truth becomes one of the first casualties in the battle, and lies become coin of the realm.

You and I, in order to protect truth and integrity, must follow God, understanding that if HE is with us, all things truly are possible. Through study of the doings of men, prayer about all matters that face us, and honesty in our assessments, we need to ask ourselves, “What would HE have us do?” Sometimes facing that answer will cause us pain and fear. Repentance and a return to virtue are certain to be required. Great courage to repair our own lives will be needed in the task before us if we are to maintain our liberty.

In repairing our lives perhaps Herman Melville said it best: “IN THIS WORLD . . . SIN THAT PAYS ITS WAY CAN TRAVEL FREELY AND WITHOUT A PASSPORT, WHEREAS VIRTUE, IF A PAUPER, IS STOPPED AT ALL FRONTIERS.” (Moby Dick)

Virtue is truly a pauper in our world, but it is also said to be it’s own reward. It seems then that virtue is an internal and personal matter between each man and God. External frontiers, such as public scorn and ridicule, should not deter us from holding on to and having faith in virtue as one source in our search for the truth that makes us free.

Will enough people repair their lives and regain faith in the possibility of having God help our nation in its struggle?

“Despotism may govern without faith, but liberty cannot.”  DeToqueville

BETRAYAL

“Traitors are the lowliest of God’s creatures, despised by those they betray, and secretly loathed by those they serve.”   Richard Paul Evans

Once again the odious, slimy Harry Reid has struck against the liberty of the American people. I know that eternal judgment belongs to God, but as free people we need to remember what the term judgment really means. Eternal judgment belongs to God, but here on earth and under our laws, generally a jury of the accused’s peers hears the evidence and decides guilt or innocence, then a Judge decides the punishment or doom of the guilty. We are the jury, not the judge.

With that in mind you and I need to know that each citizen has not only the right but the duty to decide if there is enough evidence to say an elected official has betrayed the country and broken his or her oath of office. I have decided for myself that we are surrounded by too many liars and oath breakers in all offices of our government. They need to be held accountable for their deeds and delivered to the judges.

To repeat: Once again the odious, slimy Harry Reid has struck against the liberty of the American people by changing Senate rules under the direction of an even more odious President, who is also guilty of lies to the people.

It is disenheartening to remember that the mess we presently face with Obamacare could have been avoided save for the actions of one man, Chief Justice John Roberts. What I hear from others indicates they suspect John Roberts and/or his family was threatened, that he had  been caught in some shameful act and blackmailed, that he wanted to be “accepted” by those in power, or that he is simply a traitor. It is a terrible thing to believe that any of those things could be true. Perhaps it is simply a sign of our times that not only are such suspicions voiced, but that they are so easy to believe.

How many other officials or bureaucrats in government service need to face a jury of their peers so that a judge may pronounce RIGHTEOUS judgment?

LANGUAGE III

“. . . within an established totalitarian regime the purpose of propaganda is not to persuade, much less to inform, but rather to humiliate.” Theodore Dalrymple

In the early stages of a totalitarian political upheaval, propaganda is always used to win the hearts and minds of the people being groomed for take-over, so it sounds soothing, reasonable and just. Once a core of supporters is established within a society, propaganda takes on a different purpose and is used to shape minds and make sure no one questions the purposes of the movement or its leaders. This is a very dangerous time for anyone on the inside who wavers in their commitment to the movement.

Once a totalitarian regime is established, propaganda takes on yet another purpose. The people as a whole now need to be controlled so new methods are set up for everyone but the strongest leaders. They control by trusting no one and intimidating and humiliating everyone below them. Any one who questions will be destroyed by any means at hand, whether it means blackmail, loss of home and fortune, threats to family, exile, prison and even death if deemed necessary.

This is also a dangerous time for the leaders because a Strongman will always arise and destroy any one he perceives to be a threat. No one is ever safe.

Eventually everyone in such a society is forced to participate in the evil used against them in order to assure their own survival. They are afraid to speak out against what is happening and give their silent assent to the destruction of their neighbors. They will eventually bear witness against even such neighbors and friends out of fear for their own safety and prosperity. All children are taught to turn against their parents and siblings. And the propaganda includes visible punishment so that everyone knows what awaits them if they speak up. Everyone is humiliated by the lies and ugliness they are forced to participate in. Few people in such circumstances have the strength or will to resist and so they suffer even greater personal shame.

Solzhenitsyn’s novel The Third Circle paints a horrifying picture of people caught in Soviet communism and how they are all subverted by their leaders. In The Black Book of Communism actual first hand witnesses retell the true history of communism in several societies during the time they were under USSR domination and the Soviets were militarily meddling in other countries (which they still seem to be doing).

Why no one pays attention to the histories of the USSR and those countries left within their control after WWII,  or China, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Cuba, North Korea and all other countries who have endured communism (you can safely read “socialism” here) is a continuing mystery to me.

What but soothing propaganda from on high keeps us believing we will never face such a fate?

THE LANGUAGE BATTLE II – Part Two

“Free thought is key to political freedom.” Myron Magnet

After birth we all learn to speak, and if we are spoken to frequently we pick up grammar, metaphor, imagination, and vocabulary more quickly than one might think. Some forms of speech are more socially acceptable than others, and some forms are repugnant to others. Besides common speech, often called “kitchen” speech, there is sacred speech which some never learn, and there is profane speech that others learn only too well.

In my young life I was assaulted (truly) with profanity and it embarrassed me terribly. However, when I was about twelve a friend and I thought it would be funny to swear and I got pretty good at it. I didn’t swear around my parents even though my father used vulgarities all the time. I had been swearing for a few years when one day a bunch of us were ice skating on the local pond and a boy came up behind me with a snow shovel and scooped it under my feet. I went over on my ankle and severely sprained it. The pain was terrible and I started screaming profanities at the boy. Suddenly it was like my consciousness split and I was standing above my painful body hearing how awful I sounded. My words shocked me more than my pain. I was absolutely devastated by my language and resolved to stop swearing. That was one of the hardest habits I have ever broken.

So, what about free speech? I have heard that the First Amendment was to protect political speech. If that is all it was meant to protect, what about those who use language offensive to others? Why are some things that are not even “speech” protected? Do we go too far when we attach no shame to some speech and actions? I side with Voltaire on real speech freedoms, but some other things I’m not so sure about. I mean, is nude dancing really “speech?”

Politically Correct speech is so pervasive now that speaking what is true is almost forbidden. I see kids who can barely voice a coherent thought, whose speech makes them unemployable anywhere. No one teaches them speech that will prepare them for employment or for a place in a better society. Their language abilities are so impoverished one wonders how they can have any hope of learning to read with any mind expanding  possibilities, or thinking about and desiring a better life. How does a gang member ever break away and make a different life for himself? Do none of these children ever feel a sense of shock at how they sound? Perhaps they are so inured to their vulgarity they are no longer capable of shock. And yet we are forbidden to speak of such “victims of racism” or whatever else is claimed to excuse their “ghetto” language and behavior. What in fairness can be done to bring such people into an open society so they can enrich themselves intellectually and culturally? Why does such advancement mean ostracism and hatred by their own families and former friends? How can they intelligently enter into political life?

Out-of-Wedlock birth rates continue to rise and harm young girls, leaving them dependent and causing harm to their children. Can it possibly be good for society to allow the welfare dependency to continue? For children to continue having children? And what of the fathers who are not present in their children’s lives, do they never grow up? The babies born in these circumstances suffer impoverishment of life and spirit with little hope of escaping from their circumstances. And yet we cannot speak openly in any way about this heart breaking situation.

Such Political Correctness is the very opposite of free speech or thought in any form, and leaves us unable to make any effort to help and understand those most in need of our care and concern. Government has become so shallow and manipulative that many of our fellow citizens don’t recognize their own danger and to try to warn them is futile.

These people have no concept of free thought or speech so TRUTH becomes a daily casualty to the sway of political correctness. The most pitiable people are those who think they are “victims” and that someone else, preferably the government, should take care of their needs.

Those most in need of self control and self reliance become takers and make themselves slaves while forging their own chains.

THE LANGUAGE BATTLE II- Part One

“I do not agree with what you have to say, but I will fight to the death for your right to say it.” Voltaire

Voltaire, who said a lot of things, has probably been the most ardent and most quoted free speech champion of all time. What is speech? When and how do we learn it? How do we think without speech? What is “free speech”, and why is it so important to a free people? Is free thought even possible without free speech?

LEARNING TO SPEAK

Studies have shown that human brains are “hard wired” for speech, that babies recognize and respond to the sounds they hear before birth, and even in the womb the child may “practice” sounds. Some researchers and many parents are aware that babies learn grammar and process imaginative ideas long before previously thought.

My daughter finally had her treasured girl (after five boys), and one day when Andreina was about five months old her mother told me she thought she was already talking. My own children had been rather precocious speakers, but I told my daughter Andreina probably couldn’t be speaking so young. Leah, our dog, came walking by and Andreina stuck her lip out, glared at me defiantly, smacked the dog and said, “Hi, Leah.” I’ll be darned if I know when and how children understand language. Leah was about all the baby babbled on about for some months, but she sure wanted me to know she could talk.

My best advice to parents is to speak to your children about everything, don’t use “baby” talk, and assume they understand just about everything you say.

I have decided here to add in about my eldest son who now speaks several languages and is big in the linguistics field.

When he was a baby, around a year old, I would try to get him to say something, anything would do. He stubbornly kept his mouth shut for months and I couldn’t  get him to even wave “bye-bye”. One evening when he was 17 months old we decided to go out for dinner and as I was putting his sister in her car seat, he started to whimper. “Don’t cry,” I said, “We’re going to feed you soon.” He stopped for a second, then said, “Are we getting Chinese soup and noodles?” I was stunned and tried to get him to talk to his dad when he got into the car. No deal. He didn’t say a word until we pulled up to the restaurant, then this is what we heard, “Oh boy, Chinese soup and noodles, my favorite. Are we getting egg rolls, too? Do you think Steve (the waiter) will give me extra fortune cookies?” We figured out later that he didn’t like doing anything until he knew how and had a horror of being thought stupid. By the way, he never closed his mouth again, taught himself to read, saw a book on learning Norwegian, asked me to buy it and proceeded to try learning how to speak it.

Never underestimate your children.

Part Two tomorrow.

Why Read the Bible?

Seeing the Handwriting On The Wall – As told in Daniel, Chapter 5

People who never read the Bible miss a rich cultural heritage passed on and preserved for millennia. King Solomon correctly taught that “there is nothing new under the sun.” And yet each new generation arrogantly believes that they are the first ones to be in their circumstances or know truth. Because they reject historical biblical principles, many people no longer learn that liberty is an unalienable right that comes from God and in their ignorance sell their birthright for a mess of pottage.

Even today there are cultural differences that separate us from others. If an Australian Aborigine were suddenly transported to New York City and a New Yorker took his place in the Outback, which one would be most likely to survive? At least the Aborigine would know how to fight, could learn to raid garbage cans for food, and could sense danger, but what would a city boy alone know about how to orient himself by the stars, how to find food and water in the wild, or how to defend himself from wild animals?

In our hubris we have forgotten that people in the past also led full lives and had wisdom we can learn and receive guidance from. The Bible is one such source of practical lessons on life and recognizing what is important in human experience.

In the not too distant past even people who were not “religious” were somewhat literate in biblical knowledge. The writer Florence King wrote about having problems with Social Security. Finally she had an appointment with a supervisor and after once again explaining her problem the supervisor assured her she understood and the problem would be resolved. Miss King muttered, “I can see the handwriting on the wall already.” The supervisor looked at her blankly, then turned her chair around to look at the wall and said, “I don’t see any handwriting.”

Sometimes we don’t see “the handwriting on the wall” because we have never studied it enough to see its relevance to us.

In his book “After America: Get Ready For Armageddon”, Mark Steyn clarifies the story of Belshazzar, King of Babylon, and “the handwriting on the wall.”

Belshazzar had a feast for all his courtiers and brought out the gold and silver plates, utensils and goblets looted from the temple in Jerusalem and used them to drunkenly toast the gods of gold and silver worshiped by the Babylonians. In the midst of the feast a disembodied hand appeared and wrote the words, “mene, mene, tekel, upharsin,” on the wall. Belshazzar understood the words, but not why they suddenly were written during his big party.

No one ever explained to me what the words meant, I only knew the interpretation. Mr. Steyn explains that the words are names for units or weights of Babylonian currency, or as he says: half-dollar, half-dollar, penny and two bits.

Daniel the Jewish prophet was called in by the King to interpret the “handwriting on the wall.” The interpretation given to Belshazzar by Daniel is:

MENE: “God hath numbered thy kingdom, and hath finished it”.   TEKEL: “Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.”  UPHARSIN: “Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.”

Within a day Belshazzar was slain, and the Persians and Darius the Mede had taken over the kingdom.

I am grateful to Mr. Steyn for identifying what the words written on the wall actually mean and placing the story in the context of Belshazzar having wasted the resources of his kingdom, thereby destroying it. If we were to ponder just a little would this story have any relevance to our nation’s trillions, trillions, billions, and millions in debt?

Is anyone in Washington reading the “handwriting on the wall?”

BLING

ALL THAT GLITTERS  IS NOT GOLD – – Folk Saying

I well remember the first time I found gold. We must have been in Yellowstone Park and I was playing at the edge of a river when I saw the shine of iron pyrite and knew I had found gold and would be able to enrich my family. I grabbed a few rocks and ran shouting to my father that we were rich. He and my mother laughed while they explained I had only found “Fool’s gold.” No sugar coating was ever allowed by my parents, their daughter was a FOOL and boy did my brothers help reinforce that idea.

It would be many years before I stayed at a working gold mine in Alaska and found out how much work is involved in mining. It takes a lot of strength, grit and character to draw forth gold from the ground, and it takes more grit and strength of character to draw gold from ourselves.

We live in an age of glittering people who pursue power, fame and fortune at any cost. That cost is high for so many as they plunge into the abyss of adulation and wealth and then into drugs, loneliness and despair. The ruin of so many young people is particularly sad.

What constitutes true gold in a life? Do we even look anymore, or do we prefer the glitter over the real?

A person whose judgment I absolutely trust often uses the term “he’s only from the teeth out” to describe people he doesn’t trust. He recently referred to Joe Biden that way and I had to laugh because it was such a true statement. Can’t you just see the flash of light from “old Joe’s” teeth while he makes a fool of himself?

Learning the wisdom of judging fairly among competing interests for our time, money and loyalty is a wearying task, but one we avoid at our peril.

Take time to really listen and think hard about what you hear. After you have contemplated all sides, try to make an informed decision, apply your intelligence to the matter, and if someone is telling you it’s a crisis and the need to act is urgent, to “pass the bill so we can find out what’s in it”, ask yourself how trustworthy such advice is and why they who disagree are demonized with such hatred. Why is the issue being forced and what is to be gained from creating such chaos? The old saw about “follow the money” (and who gains power) applies here.

The silly theatrics of this administration are such a give-away about bling over substance. How can the idiots who stand behind this president as props not be ashamed of themselves? Maybe they just crave their fifteen minutes of fame.

Harry Reid and his lies and false witness against Romney were sickening to behold and should have been repudiated by all honest souls. That Romney did not more vigorously defend himself still astounds me.

Truth should not be silenced by fear and we all seem to need a truth detector these days.

SERIOUS WAR

And there was war in Heaven. . . Revelations 12:7

When I was young and first heard about war in Heaven I tried to imagine what it was like. It seemed so exciting. Did Michael and his side win by throwing the largest lightning bolts, using the biggest swords, killing the most foes — but wait, we’re speaking of immortal beings here. They can’t be killed, can they? So just how IS a war fought in Heaven?

On earth war is bloody, grim, noisy, dirty and frightening. Terror and loss are always present. But Heaven? How could Heavenly Beings turn against their own?

Apparently there were those who thought they were smarter and better at determining the best interests of others and so decided to strike out against the Great God and all who sided with Him. That is the eternal war. There are always those who fight against agency and freedom and few who are willing to bear the burden of freedom. And there are also those willing to use that fear of freedom to seize control. The struggle between liberty and bondage, between darkness and light, has been the same from the beginning and will be to the end.

I have watched and considered the doings of nations, the history of brother against brother, and decided that the war in Heaven was one of IDEAS, of WORDS used to hurt and degrade, to lie and persuade, to promise safety. Even in Heaven as here in mortal existence, the war has been one of deceit and hatred in order to gain power and glory. Always power over others, to control and defeat them.

Watching the last political campaign, hearing the obvious lies and ignorance, the pandering to greed, the twisting of truth . . . and then, BINGO!, the answer to war in Heaven came! POLITICS! Politics were introduced into the Holy Realms and mankind became locked in the perpetual battle for their right to be free.

“I was never so free as when I was a prisoner.” I decided upon reading that statement by Alexander Solzhenitsyn that as choices narrow the final choice a man must make in order to remain human and free is to always be aware of righteousness and our individual responsibility to ACT well before God. To be willing to die if necessary to protect liberty.

I can’t remember who said it, but there was the thought that, “we often forget the essential humanness of God.” He does love His creatures and is very kind to those who love and serve Him. We are commanded to become as He is, completed and perfect. Hard, yes, but we are to do the best we can in the battle we face.

This is a very serious war for the souls of all men.

THE LANGUAGE BATTLE I

“Ah, so, you are surprised I speak your language.”
Charlie Chan, fictional Detective, Honolulu Police Department.
(Movies made between 1925-1949, later shown on TV)

In the course of his investigations the “inscrutable Chinese” detective, Charlie Chan, would fool a witness/suspect into believing he could speak very little English. When the person would get careless and give away a clue Charlie would shock everyone by speaking impeccable English and saying “Ah, so, you are surprised I speak your language”, and almost immediately solve the case.

Do we all even speak the same language anymore?

When I was young the term “Confucius say” was a kind of joking way to introduce words of supposed Chinese wisdom. I seem to remember that Charlie Chan was the one who began the use of the term in the United States. When I actually read Confucius I was surprised about his absolute insistence on correct language so that people could clearly understand one another. He felt that knowledge of language and vocabulary is the most important skill for maintaining a civilized society, and that whoever controls the language controls the society.

Over many years I have thought of how words have been used to change and degrade our moral and religious perceptions. The most obvious example has been the bastardization of the word “abortion”. I had never even heard the word until I was in my late teens. Everyone in my social milieu knew that abortion meant killing- no, murdering- a baby, and the practice was never condoned. Did abortion occur and did women die in back alleys? I’m sure they did, but not nearly as many as proponents say. Then came the drive to legalize abortion. I have tried to remember how the word “baby” was changed, to “zygote”, “clump of cells”, “fetus”, “tissue mass”, “products of conception”, even “parasite”. I can’t even remember the iterations used to change hearts and minds away from the child lost.

The word “abortion”, too, went through many changes until the words “a woman’s right to choose” were finally hit upon. And now “choice” has become a woman’s sacred right.

One afternoon I picked my young children up from school and my third grade son was unusually silent. Suddenly he started to cry and said, “Mom, my teacher says that abortion means killing a baby. Did you know that?” “Yes,” I told him truthfully. “Then why don’t you stop it?” he sobbed. What could I say? I knew his teacher that year was bad and I had been excusing her crassness, but now she had crushed my child’s tender heart. I went to see her the next day, and described his reaction to her revelation. She snorted with laughter and said, “So what? He’ll get over it. He has to grow up sooner or later.” How does one cope with that?

Seeing my son with his little babies today I’m so glad he didn’t “get over it,” and still weeps for the loss of those other little babies.

Now we have the specter of political correctness hanging over our heads, destroying the enlightenment that comes from free and accurate speech. I fear for the young minds being formed in an environment of verbal poverty and profanity. How can one think and question if the words are not available?

It was George Orwell who wrote: “(Language) becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts.”

More on language later.

KILLING THE GOOSE

In theory there is no difference between theory and practice, in practice there is.
Yogi Bera

Something has been bothering me for a long time, and my mind still cannot wrap itself around those who are complicit (can we make a new word “complicitors”?) in the destruction of their own country and think they will escape the fallout, even those at the very pinnacle of power. They knowingly kill the goose, freedom, that lays the golden egg but think THEY can keep the eggs coming. In theory they expect to keep THEIR wealth and things while taking from you and me, presumably because our contributions don’t matter. In practice, however, they, too, will lose all.

The Soviet leaders had a name for such followers, they were called “useful idiots”, and that name was not just for the little guys, but soon included some of those very leaders. I think it was Beria who went to his death weeping, not that he was to die, but afraid Stalin did not love him anymore. His final words were addressed to that effect. Who will weep this time when they are being tossed aside?

The people who close their eyes to lies and sidle up to power will all lose when the leaders finally turn on their own, but there are other sides to this story. What happens when a civilization falls? How long can technology last when there is no innovation or upkeep available?

Without question there will be chaos when a nation falls, but I have another scenario about such a future that I think is true. If you want to know what will happen and how people will live when a population declines, choose a time with a much lower population number and learn how people lived then. Within a very few generations that is the way you and your descendants will live. How do you keep computers going when there is no way to repair and service them? What happens to satellites and other forms of communication? Who keeps automobiles running and airplanes flying? Think about all the things we have simply because we have the population to sustain them.

Cellphones are a great example of technological innovation. The first “mobile” phones were cumbersome, unreliable, and expensive. They were mostly used in commercial operations. When they started being used by individuals, only the so called “rich” had them. Those people were very limited in their calling system. Now the phones are small, reliable and cheap. Everyone has them. A man who worked in Africa told me how shocking it was to be in the African “bush” and find that every native had a cellphone. How long do you think any cellphone system will survive a societal breakdown?

If you had to leave your home in an emergency, with electricity gone and enemies at the door, and you told your children to grab just the necessities so you could run, what would they take? Their IPhones and computers, or warm clothing, food and water? Would they even believe they were in danger?

Back to the “complicitors”, where oh where will they be? It won’t take long for their lights to go out, too. They are fighting against us by design and what they do to themselves is out of sheer stupidity.

CAVEAT EMPTOR

CAVEAT EMPTOR – BUYER BEWARE, OR NEVER BUY A PIG IN A POKE

Never buy a pig in a poke, the buyer’s beware of its day, has generated many explanations about sacks and pigs and stuff, but I prefer my mother’s take on the matter.

Many years ago women wore what were called “poke bonnets”. These bonnets were designed with a wide brim that projected out and around the wearer’s face. This allowed women to decorate the inside of the brim to frame and call attention to their lovely faces and away from other attributes that might not be so desirable. If a man were searching for a wife he might be taken in by the beautiful flowers, lace, and ribbons arrayed around a comely face and not see or think about flaws elsewhere. Or in the heat of the moment he might overlook personality or character issues.

When one falls for a (pardon the use of such an unladylike term) “pig in a poke”, he might not see clearly until he has brought the pig home and removed the bonnet, and we all know what happens when a pig, with lipstick or not, gets loose in the house.

This is not to say that women can’t be fooled, too. How many Jane Austin heroines got taken in by handsome men in “regimentals”?

The way I see it, the poke bonnet was the Madison Avenue of its time, the same false promises we are enticed with today by those who lie and connive for their own ends.

When was the last time you knew an advertisement was legit, or that a politician was telling any kind of truth? And yet we keep on buying things that don’t satisfy and believing what we really do know are lies. (Another old saying about “being led like pigs to the slaughter” comes to mind here. Sorry, that’s terrible, I know.)

There appears to be no area where politics does not rear its ugly head. Think about all the money and lies that go into a political campaign to make a candidate appear desirable, and the opposition not just wrong, but evil. Why oh why do we keep bringing the pigs home???

Please, don’t put your vote in a poke and then be surprised by the pig.