THE KRONIES, Episode 1

I really found this cartoon funny. Despite your politics, you have to admit, it's a creative way of reaching out to the world. I'm looking forward to more episodes of The Kronies.

Romney Was Right About Russia

You can find the article at this link:


http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2014/03/03/why_obama_got_russia_wrong_and_romney_got_it_right.html

Obama, Putin, and Syria

Taxing the Internet

I just found out today while skimming some articles, that the U.S. Senate has agreed to go forward on the "Marketplace Fairness Act of 2013". This is a bill that, if passed, would force retailers to collect local and state sales tax on all purchases made over the Internet. Don't buy into the notion that this has anything to do with fairness, because it doesn't. Those small "mom & pop" stores who can't compete against the likes of Amazon or Wal-Mart have long since ceased to exist. No, this is all about money and big corporations like Amazon and Wal-Mart trying to further squeeze the smaller businesses this Internet taxation is supposed to help. Local businesses that are still around have thrived in part because of the Internet. State governments are chawing at the bit for this because they don't know how to cut spending and balance their budgets and anything they can do to get more money in their pockets, they will. If you read the articles about this, they'll talk about a theoritical $23 billion that states are losing because of the loss of sales tax because of the Internet. Notice the key word there: "theoretical." If people end up having to pay more to buy products off the Internet, they aren't going to shop there as much. People, unlike our federal and many of our state governments, have to cut spending when the price of goods goes up. There isn't going to be any major boon to state governments because of this. Don't buy into the lies, the truth is out there.

World Leaders Snubbed By Obama in Favor of an Appearance on THE VIEW

"The president won't hold separate meetings with any key world leaders, citing scheduling concerns. But Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have found time to sit down Monday with the ladies of "The View" to tape an interview."
                                                 -Yahoo! News

So, once again because of "scheduling concerns" the President of the United States, Barack Obama, can't hold any meetings at the UN General Assembly, but he can make time to visit the set of another talk show. Unbelievable. There has never been another U.S. President in the history of the United States how has shown so much dismay at the office that he holds.

President Obama, David Letterman, and Israel

Next week Tuesday, September 18, 2012 is the start of the United Nations General Assembly. On that same date, President Barack Obama will be appearing on the LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN. President Obama will be making another trip to New York a week later for the General Assembly meeting. President Obama is scheduled to arrive that week on Monday, September 24 and leave on Tuesday, September 25. A few days later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be in New York for the UN General Assembly, too. Prime Minister Netanyahu has requested a meeting with President Obama while he is in the U.S., but President Obama has denied that request. Prime Minister Netanyahu offered to come to the U.S. earlier to meet with President Obama, but that request was denied.

So, the Prime Minister of Israel wants to meet with the President of the United States. Israel is one of only a handful of allies we have left in the Middle East (as illustrated by the storming of the U.S. embassy in Egypt and the murdering of the U.S. Libyan ambassador yesterday) and by far our strongest ally. Prime Minister Netanyahu will be in the United States (something that doesn't happen very often) and offered to visit earlier than planned in order to meet with President Obama, but those requests have been denied because of President Obama's "uncertain and hectic election-year schedule." Yet, President Obama can make a special trip to New York a week earlier so he can go on LATE SHOW WITH DAVID LETTERMAN.

Mr. President, I realize that you are in the midst of a re-election and are really worried that you might lose. However, currently you still are the President of the United States. That means that when there are matters of national importance, those matter take precedent over any campaigning you might have planned. A request by the Prime Minister of Israel to meet with you while he is in the United States is of national importance, especially since the "Arab Spring" that you so prominently backed, supported, and helped implement is falling apart. I understand the difference between right and wrong, but when it comes to leading a country, sometimes what's best and most right for the country you are leading is not best and most right for the rest of the world. However, that is what you have been elected to do. Instead of showboating around the country campaigning, you should be leading. Of course, that's something you've never really done. Just because you can make a good speech,  just because you can read a telepromter, just because you pretend you have great listening skills does not make you a leader. President Obama should entitle his first post-Presidential memoir THE AUDACITY OF ARROGANCE

Do You Belong to the Government?

Last night (Sept. 4, 2012) as part of the Democratic National Convention, this snippet of a video was part of the evening festivities. In the greater context of the entire video, the statement "The government is the only thing we all belong to," is clarified somewhat and I believe I understand why this statement was included. Yet, this is a statement that shouldn't be glossed over. It speaks to the core of the major differences between progressives and conservatives in the country; it illustrates a contrasting world view, one that I do not share. Though much of the political climate of the past few years has tried to force us to belong to the government, I do not belong to the government. I am not a slave to the behemoth of bureaucracy that has become the government. I am a free man with God-given individual rights, including but not limited to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I understand why some might ignore or try to gloss over this video. Yet, though I understand, I cannot forget it. A few weeks ago a Congressman from Missouri was pilloried (and rightly so) for making a major verbal faux pas. This video wasn't a verbal mistake made by one man. It was made by members of the Democratic National Convention (the DNC has to ok everything that happens on the main stage, make no mistake about that) for a national audience. It was carefully filmed and edited. Every syllable and image was given the utmost scrutiny and after all of that, this statement still remained. Why is that? Do you belong to the government? What is your number? As for me, I am not a number, I am a free man.

President Obama and the Budget

I'm not always a fan of Glenn Beck. Also, I realize that it can sometimes use the same statistics to support opposing viewpoints. However, that isn't the case here. The federal budget deficit has been growing exponentially larger since President Obama took office. As a nation, we literally cannot afford to keep this up.

Pearls Before Swine Occupies Sesame Street

Back in January of this year, one of my favorite comic strips, "Pearls Before Swine" took on the Occupy Movement and illustrated how ridiculous much of it is when one of the characters in the strip (Rat) Occupied Sesame Street. Here are the three main strips from that storyline. I think they're hilarious. Maybe Stephan Pastis will finally win the Reuben Award this year.

-Monday, January 9, 2012, "Pearls Before Swine"

-Tuesday, January 10, 2012, "Pearls Before Swine"

-Wednesday, January 11, 2012, "Pearls Before Swine"

Prediction: Ron Paul Wins Iowa

I don't write much about politics here. I know there's a lot of people who despise it. I don't like the games involved in politics, but I do enjoy following political campaigns and learning about candidates.

The race to choose a Republican nominee for the 2012 Presidential Election begins in earnest next week with the Iowa caucuses. Iowa usually doesn't mean anything, even though they are the first primary. With that said, I think Ron Paul is going to pull off a victory in the state. The man has the best advertising people of any of the other candidates working for him. Just watch this ad.

See what I mean? This is a no BS ad. It takes names and kicks butt. None of the ads for any of the other candidates come close to something of this quality. I think Paul will win the Iowa caucuses. At the least he will finish in second place and because Iowa is distributing its delegates proportionately, Paul will be guaranteed a voice and presence at the Republican Convention in the summer. So, sit back, buckle up, and get ready. It's going to be one heck of a ride.

Tony theTiger, the Jolly Green Giant, Cap'n Crunch Could Be Criminals?!

Earlier this year there was a rumor floating around that Captain Crunch was being retired by the Quaker Oats Company. It was suggested that the Obama's administration campaign against childhood obesity was the cause (Quaker Oats is owned by Pepsi and the execs at Pepsi were major contributors to Obama and his cronies). A few days later, after cyberspace was being swamped by commentary and complaints about the matter, Quaker Oats issued a statement that in short said they weren't retiring the good ol' Cap'n.

However, that rumor might not have been just a rumor after all. It turns out that a couple of years ago the federal government (a few months after the 2008 election) set up a new agency (do we really need any more federal agencies?) to look into "Food Marketed To Children". Part of the mandate of the new agency was to write standards for the food industry in marketing towards children. A year behind schedule, the group has released a preview of their "voluntary" recommendations. Basically, any food advertisements with cartoons or drawings are recommended to be banned. That means not only no more Tony the Tiger or Snap, Crackle, or Pop or Cap'n Crunch; but it also means no more Jolly Green Giant and Charlie Tuna. Illustrations of cows on milk cartoons (Prairie Farms, this means you) and drawings of personified carrots would be banned, too. The recommendation don't stop with fictional creations either. Celebrity endorsements and likenesses would be banned, too, which would mean good bye to famous sports stars on the front of Wheaties.

You can read a short article about this whole thing here.

Personally, I know there is a place for government involvement in society. However, the government is too involved in our lives right now. This is just another example of that. We the people don't need nannies. We need people who will actually lead. Things like this aren't an example of leadership. They are an example of government gone amuck.

The Art of Politics

Another strip from the 2011 Daily teaching comic calendar I have.

President Obama Is Anti-Israel

I don't like writing about political events because many people choose not to approach political discussions logically, they let their emotions take control, and things turn into an explosive shouting match. However, sometimes "when in the course of human events it becomes necessary" to make a stand and say something.

Today President Obama delivered a speech where he said, "The borders of Israel and Palenstine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states." In other words, the President of the United States told Israel, "Hey, thanks for being our friend and ally for over half a century. Now, bend over because I want to screw you."

Excuse me? Who died and made you world dictator, Mr. President? Israel has been one of only a handful of consistent allies that the United States has had in the past fifty years. Their help in anti-terrorism measures and intelligence has been invaluable. Now the President of the United States is telling them that they have to give up part of their country?! WTF!

I have never liked President Obama. He became one of the two senators from my home state of Illinois by having some of his cronies publicly release sealed court documents from the private divorce case of his opponent less than six months before the Senatorial election. These were documents from a private case. These were documents that not one, but several judges had ruled should remain sealed. Yet, somehow these private and sealed documents were released and made public. Prior to this, Obama was losing in the polls by nearly 80%. Once those documents were made public and it was learned that the Republican candidate had an affair, things changed. Most people in Illinois didn't know who Obama was, but the Republican party was tainted by the sexual scandal and they voted for him because he wasn't involved in a sex scandal. Once those sealed documents became public, I knew Obama wasn't who he was pretending to be. Ever since then, I've seen him as a modern Willie Stark. Nothing he has done since then has changed that opinion.

I've tried to be respectful of President Obama even when he's showed no respect for the Office he holds. I pray for him. However, today's statements have really put me on edge. Our President might be anti-Israel and perhaps anti-Semitic, but many of the people in the United States are not.

I hear you, Israel, and I support you.

Our "Silly" President

Two days ago (Wednesday, April 27, 2011), President Obama held a press conference. That's nothing unusual; President Obama can be seen on tv more often than a movie star plugging their latest picture. The press was gathered there under the impression that the President was going to be speaking about his new security team. Instead, the President released his birth certificate. Instead of talking about the real and difficult issues facing our country, President Obama devoted the time debunking a conspiracy theory. Dana Milbank sums up the event best in an essay for The Washington Post.

As Milbank says, "Speaking to 'the vast majority of the American people, as well as to the press,' the president said: 'We do not have time for this kind of silliness. We’ve got better stuff to do.' The President then flew off to Chicago to be on Oprah."

New Graphic Cigarette Labels

This past Wednesday (Nov. 10, 2010) the F.D.A. released a series of 36 proposed images to appear on U.S. cigarette packages beginning on Oct. 22, 2012. According to the Washington Post by June of 2011, 9 of the images will be selected as the "winning images." About 20% of adults in the United States are smokers. Part of the goal of these new graphic warning labels is to drop that rate to 12% by the year 2020.

Even though the pictures on cigarette labels might turn some people off, particularly among some adults, I think that such a move here in the United States might backfire, especially among teenagers. There's going to be a whole new market out there where people are going to be trading these graphic cigarette packages like trading cards: 1 out 9, collect them all.

Personally, I'm not sure why the government keeps doing things like this. They pretend they want to get rid of "smoking," but in reality they really, really want to keep it around because tobacco is a huge cash crop for the federal treasury.

Anyway, for your viewing enjoyment, I've collected all 36 of the illustrations. Some of them don't have the written statements on them, but those are kind of superfluous when you've got pictures of dead people on morgue slabs.

Election of 1800 Campaign Ads

Do you think this election season has been particularly dirty? Then you don't know much about history. Watch the following video and some campaign ads that were made taken directly from written words of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams. You'd never know they were on the same side during the Revolution.

Christianity, Social Justice, and Politics

I've read C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters at least three times. There is so much in the book that continues to be relevant in this post-post-modern era we now live. Below is a passage from the book about social justice and politics. Read it and see if you can recognize how it's being used in certain political circles today.

From a letter from Senior Tempter Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood, who is in training to tempt Christians:

About the general connection between Christianity and politics, our position is more delicate.

Certainly we do not want men to allow their Christianity to flow over into their political life, for the establishment of anything like a really just society would be a major disaster.

On the other hand, we do want, and want very much, to make men treat Christianity as a means; preferably, of course, as a means to their own advancement, but, failing that, as a means to anything—even to social justice.

The thing to do is to get a man at first to value social justice as a thing which the Enemy (God) demands, and then work him on to the stage at which he values Christianity because it may produce social justice. For the Enemy will not be used as a convenience. Men or nations who think they can revive the Faith in order to make a good society might just as well think they can use the stairs of Heaven as a short cut to the nearest chemist’s shop. Fortunately it is quite easy to coax humans round this little corner.

The Screwtape Letters, pp. 126-127. [A special thank you to Justin Taylor for posting this]

The Thin-Skinned President

When I first starting preparing to enter acting as more than just a hobby, one of the things I kept hearing over and over and over was that performers have to have a thick skin. Rejection is a constant in the business and for every job someone says yes to you, you'll get at least 100 nos. People will constantly be judging and evaluating you and if you want to be successful, you can't take everything that's said personally. You have to have discernment and grow some "rhino-skin".

Though there are differences, the same advice goes for politicians. Everything you say or do will be examined, judged, and critiqued and you have to have discernment and some rhino-skin. That doesn't mean you don't listen to the people who elected you, but it does mean that you can't take every little thing personally.

Apparently President Obama doesn't have much discernment nor a very tough skin. Yesterday he fired the commanding general of U.S. operations in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, for some comments he and some of his staff made in an impromptu interview with a Rolling Stone reporter. Neither McChrystal nor his staff disrespected the President, but they were rather critical of Vice President Joe Biden and other members of Obama's administration. Some media sources have been quoted as saying that McChrystal's "resignation" came about because of his insubordination to the President which is utterly absurd. Insubordination involves a willful disobedience to a direct order and though it is frowned upon and usually punished, there are times when insubordination is called for (e.g. raping women that you are supposed to be protecting). McChrystal's comments were NOT insubordination. Perhaps they were foolish and misguided, but that's about it.

There have been comparisons to Obama's firing of McChrystal to that of Lincoln removing Gen. George McClellan of his command during the Civil War and Truman's dismissal of Gen. Douglas MacArthur during the Korean War (the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is one such newspaper that made the comparison). Such comparisons are invalid and show a willful ignorance of history. Lincoln gave McClellan every opportunity to win the Civil War early and fast, but McClellan was indecisive and lost numerous battles and a high cost and even his few victories came with large numbers of casualties over an extended period of time. McClellan wasn't a very good war-time general. Truman's dismissal of MacArthur was for the opposite reason. The U.S. was fighting in Korea as part of a U.N. conflict. Under MacArthur's guidance, the early part of the war went well. However, China started flooding North Korea with troops and equipment and the early victories were eradicated. MacArthur wanted to make a full fledged invasion into North Korea and if needed into China. Truman was against it because it would mean the U.S. fighting alone and Truman didn't want to upset those countries who were allied with us. MacArthur, however, was convinced a massive invasion was needed and continued making plans not only to invade the northern part of Korea, but even into China. Truman fired MacArthur for that, something that is closer to insubordination than McChrystal's criticizing politicians and poking fun at Vice President Biden. (By the way, MacArthur was probably right, in my opinion).

President Obama's firing of McChrystal is more akin to a spoiled teenager having his parents bail him out for breaking a school rule than that of a Commander-in-Chief leading a country's military. It was an action that was far more dictatorial than Presidential.

Private Pay At Historic Lows

In an article from yesterday's USA TODAY, it was reported that, "Paychecks from private business shrank to their smallest share of personal income in U.S. history during the first quarter of this year," while, "At the same time government-provided benefits — from Social Security, unemployment insurance, food stamps and other programs — rose to a record high during the first three months of 2010."

This isn't good news. Yes, we need programs to help people in need, but if the economy is really getting better, as is being reported in most of the traditional media sources, then private pay should be increasing while government provided benefits either remain the same or decrease. The opposite has happened and, as evidence by what's happened in Greece and is on the verge of happening in several other European Community nations, this is one of the final warning signs before a nation jumps over the edge of the cliff. History does repeat itself, will we learn from the mistakes of the past or will we just repeat them, too?

Keep Your Eye On the Ball and Not the Hand That Moves It

GM is playing the video below all over the place. I've seen it on broadcast tv, cable tv, in a pop-up internet advertisement, and heard it as an ad on the radio. It's a really slick and well-made ad. However, it's also mostly lies.



Early last year GM received an $8 billion loan from the federal government. In addition, it also received nearly $59 billion in TARP funds. GM is operating in the red right now, so essentially what they did was take part of the TARP funds they received and used those to "payback" the loan they received. Make no mistake GM is in trouble, but with the U.S. and Canadian federal governments owning more than 50% of the company, expect to see lots more slick advertising like this to make you believe all is well.