Trayvon Martin

Trayvon Martin
Kevin Bryant

My prayers go out to the Martin Family for the loss of their child.

Trayvon Martin – I am tired of hearing that name. It’s like a call for blacks to riot once again. We have school students in Florida protesting this shooting during school hours instead of the being in the classroom. Worst of all they are being lead by the school administrators and faculty. What a great example of our tax dollars hard at work. Just one more of a 1000 reasons why our education system has went from the best in the world to 30th since the federal government has gotten their grubby hands all in the education system.

George Zimmerman, the man who shot Trayvon now has a $10,000 bounty on his head placed there by the same Black Panther party Eric Holder and Barack Obama refuse to prosecute for voter intimidation. He is now having to live in hiding, fearful for his life. Where is the President and the United States Attorney General? One is hiding under his desk and the other is out calling this a tragedy and pretending to be sympathetic to the family of Trayvon Martin.

Eric Holder is a prime example of wasted oxygen and wasted space. He’s so worthless we won’t even bother with him. This leaves us with the Hugo Chavez wannabee of North America, Barack Obama. Where is his condemnation of the Black Panther party? Where is his wasted words of civility? Where is the man who took an oath to protect and defend the constitution that is supposed to protect George Zimmerman?

Never mind the fact that Trayvon was in a gated community after dark where he did not live. It’s been reported that his father had a girlfriend who lived in this community and he was with her before this tragedy occurred. Why didn’t the girlfriend give him a ride home? If she lives in a gated community certainly she can afford the gas. Why did she not escort him to the gate? She knew there were community patrols out there watching for people who under any reasonable circumstance would not be in their neighborhood. She also knew of the break-in’s that had recently taken place in the area. Why is no one condemning her inactions?

Barack Obama stated if he had a son, he would look like Trayvon Martin. Really? Would your pretend son act like him too? I know I would be a proud
parent if my son acted like Trayvon did that night……NOT!!!!!

George Zimmerman spotted a man (kid – hard to tell in the dark) in his neighborhood while on a neighborhood watch patrol that everyone in the neighborhood knew was happening regularly. He calls 9-1-1 and follows Trayvon. The dispatcher tells Mr. Zimmerman to stop following the “subject”. Now, if it were me, I too would continue following the ‘subject” until they were clear of my neighborhood. Mr. Zimmerman attempted to do this according to the police report, but he lost sight of Trayvon. Mr. Zimmerman states he exited his vehicle to do a quick search of the immediate area but does not see the “subject”. He attempts to return to his vehicle but is suddenly approached from behind by Trayvon Martin and is punched in the face, knocking him to the ground. Mr. Zimmerman states Trayvon continues to his him and repeatedly slams his head against the pavement (or cement).

After multiple attempts to stop the onslaught, Mr. Zimmerman finally pulls a pistol and shoots Trayvon in the chest. This is the statement Mr. Zimmerman made to the police. Multiple eye witnesses tell the police they witnessed Trayvon assaulting Mr. Zimmerman while he was yelling and pleading for help. The wounds sustained by Mr. Zimmerman were consistent with his description of the events.

It doesn’t matter that George Zimmerman is half Hispanic, most blacks refuse to call this anything other than a white man killing a black kid. Never mind that Trayvon was beating this man senseless, no- this was clearly murder according to Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. Hey Al and Jesse, if I remember correctly isn’t on the 10 commandments “Thou Shall Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbor”. You may
not know the meaning but I am sure God does.

This is a tragedy. This is another example of a senseless death in America. Should George Zimmerman have followed this kid as aggressively as he did…….no. Should Trayvon have attacked his follower…..hell no. Does the President need to politicize this event….OH HELL NO.

A good President would use this moment to comfort those affected and unite those
following the events. A good President would condemn the actions of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and others using this to divide America further by race. A Good President would direct his Attorney General to investigate and prosecute those in the Black Panther party who have threatened and placed a bounty on the life of an non-convicted American citizen.

All people want to do these days is blame someone for everything that goes wrong. So here, I am going to blame someone……. The girlfriend. Unless she is somehow incapable of at least driving or walking her boyfriend’s son out of a gated and patrolled community, I’m going to blame her. She REALLY should have known better than to allow this kid to walk out of there alone and unescorted. What’s her excuse?

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Breaks New Ground

Sheriff Joe Arpaio Breaks New Ground
Al Ritter

Arpaio has done something that no other court in America has allowed so far. He has done an investigation based on evidence. Every court finding so far has declared that citizens in general even including servicemenhave “no standing” to even start an investigation. So there is NO confusion,these judges that make that decree have decided not to hear the case at all. Evidence pertaining to Obama’s eligibility has never been heard.

Arpaio was asked by a Tea Party group to investigate the Birth Certificate that Obama offered as evidence of his birth place. To be fair Arpaio has only investigated this piece of evidence because it was the only piece that Obama has personally offered. Arpaio’s Cold Case Posse embarked upon a 6 month investigation of the document and as the lead investigator told the media. “We started this investigation to prove the legitimacy of the birth certificate. Unfortunately after our investigation we can’t give that final declaration.”

The findings of the Cold Case Posse are simple yet definitive.

The birth certificate was “generated” by a computer program and not scanned from an original. This proves what the “birthers” have declared for a longtime. For the first time the legitimacy of the President is in question is based on proof, not conjecture.

The $64,000 question now is what will be done about it? Will Arpaio actually
offer an arrest warrant for fraud? Will Arpaio request that Obama’s name be
removed from Arizona’s slate as the democratic nominee for President of the
United States in November?

Whatever the result is…….The Document Obama offered up as evidence of his citizenship has been declared a forgery. The next step has yet to be made.

The Mess We Made

The Mess We Made
Kevin Bryant

I know some of you out there are Romney supporters, some for Ron Paul and about as
many are for the other two, Gingrich & Santorum. Personally, I am not thrilled by any of them but all them are better than the current occupant of the white house.

It doesn’t matter which of these individuals get into the white house because they are all basically the same. None of them are real conservatives, not even Ron Paul. None are really strong on national defense. None are willing to fight the fight that it would take to truly secure the borders and despite all the hot air they have spewed, none is really wanting to actually reduce the number of people who currently work for the government or willing to bring those workers down to a level even with private sector workers.

Sure, they talk the talk but when have they ever walked the walk? Never,
according to their own records except Ron Paul and a snowball has better chance
of surviving a vacation in hell than he does of winning the white house.

Sadly, we ran off the best candidates. Sure, it is doubtful the best candidates would have been able to defeat Obama but not impossible. Of those that are out of the race, I would much rather see Huntsman, Perry, Cain or even Gary Johnson in the white house than any of the 4 remaining. Last go round, Huckabee would have been better than McCain or Romney but we ran him off. After Clinton beat Bush 41, who did we elect to run against him…….Bob Dole, nice man but a big government moderate at best.

No matter which gets elected, we can all rest assured that the best we can hope for out of these four is a president and an administration comparable to the likes of George H.W. Bush. The country wasn’t better off with Bush 41 in office than it was with Reagan, Eisenhower, or even Gerald Ford in office. Of course it also wasn’t as bad as when LBJ, Carter or Nixon were in office either.

Sadly, I didn’t even vote in the Missouri primary and this past week I didn’t caucus here either. Why does it matter? Republicans keep sending up moderates who they think can bring the country together but with every passing election, the left just keeps moving further left widening the gap.

How much further left are you willing to go? I’m sick and tired of having the choice of voting for a far left of center democrat or a republican willing to go betray conservative principals and move beyond center and into left territory to get watered down compromises that doesn’t do anything but slow down the left’s destruction of the constitution and self governance.

This election, like the last, I’ll vote for the lesser of two evils. 2016, republicans put up another fake conservative, I’ll be voting 3rd party and encouraging others to join me.

The Capture and Release that Led to the Death of Agent

The Capture and Release that Led to the Death of Agent
Brian Terry
Al Ritter

So there is no mistake about who instituted Operation
fast and Furious we need a time line. Democrats want Republicans to believethat the ill-fated program was started by President George Bush, but that just isn’t true. Project Gunrunner was Bush’s program but didn’t involve the illegal passing of automatic weapons into illegal gun dealers hands, unfortunately operation Fast and Furious did.

I equate Fast and Furious to an FBI investigation about say the Mafia and a murder for hire issue. To blend in the FBI does actual murders and claims it is merely an investigation, thereby becoming the very thing they are investigating. Of course the FBI was never involved in such a thing but we can see the flawed thinking that went into Fast and Furious.

Barack Obama took the office of President on Jan 20, 2009 and it wasn’t until October 2009 that Operation Fast and Furious started under the ATF. Up until now we never really knew the aim of the program but through the Freedom of Information Act the Times/ Tribune were able to obtain documents that show the actual aim of the ill-fated operation.

Previous to the commencement of Fast and Furious on April 16, 2009 President Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon issued a joint address that 90% of all guns used by drug cartels in violence in Mexico come from America. Later Secretary of State Clinton repeated those same figures as did several high ranking Democratic lawmakers. This figure was later discredited as the real figure was closer to 17% but even that figure is disputed because the Mexican Government never gave us all the weapons only particular ones they hand-picked, so the figure is probably still too high.

In an effort to prove that guns are evil and should be removed form America, the Obama Administration instituted Operation Fast and Furious through Eric Holder and the ATF in October 2009. Through the documents obtained it was found that the ATF was after 20 individuals suspected of illegal gunrunning activities. On top of that list was Manuel Fabian Celis-Acosta a 24 year old gunrunner from Mexico. He was suspected of being the top gunrunner with connections to the Mexican Cartel. On May 2010 Celis-Acosta was detained in a remote area of Arizona. He was found with 74 rounds of ammunition and nine cellphone in his old BMW.

ATF Special Agent Hope McAllister the lead agent in Operation Fast and Furious personally questioned Celis-Acosta, knowing full well his real identity there was no case of mistaken identity. Celis-Acosta promised to cooperate with McAllister, so the promise seemed enough for McAllister and she released him even though he was the ATF’s top target!

On December 15, 2010 was the fateful day that Border Agent Brian Terry was gunned down by an actual weapon passed to an illegal gunrunner by the ATF. One can’t help but to wonder if Terry’s murder would have happened at all if this operation never happened.

Operation Fast and Furious shut down as a direct result of Terry’s death in January 2011, a mere 15 months after it began. On February of 2011 Manuel Fabian Celis-Acosta was arrested with the 19 other targets of Operation Fast and Furious………none of which have actually been prosecuted as of yet.

It seems very sad to me that this Administration has seen fit to make this a political football. Operation Fast and Furious was started to prove the grossly overinflated claimed percentage of American weapons in the hands of the Mexican drug cartel. The eventual aim of this administration is to take guns out of the hands of the citizens of our country, unfortunately this have not only backfired, but have virtually blown up in the collective faces of this Administration, embarrassing us not only in the world’s eyes but in the eyes of the citizens who were used as the Administration’s pawn.

Obama:Did I Really Say That?

Obama:Did I Really Say That?
Al Ritter

I decided to compile some of Barack Obama’s speeches. Some funny, some sad, some downright lies but what remains is proof of what the man stands for. We need to think long and hard about reelection of the man who stands in the way of progress in America to merely further his flawed ideological agenda. He wants to make America somehow smaller in the eyes of the world, to somehow IL legitimize our role in world affairs. Read on and you will see what I mean. These are his words, mine are in italics.

Whoops, I forgot I said that, orrrrrrrrr……..do as I say not as I do!

“We need to steer clear of this poverty of ambition, where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in nice apartments but don't want to work hard to accomplish these things. Everyone should try to realize their full potential.”……Barack Obama, Daily Southtown, Feb. 19, 2005

This speech was in 2005 before he was elected President; in 2011 over half the American population is on some sort of public assistance.

“In a country of 300 million people, there is a certain degree of audacity required for anybody to say, "I'm the best person to lead this country."…….Barack Obama, Washington Post, Nov. 18, 2006

President Obama, then candidate Obama constantly confuses audacity for arrogance.

“When we send our young men and women into harm's way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they're going, to care for their families while they're gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world”…..Barack Obama, speech at 2004 Democratic Convention

In 2009 the Generals on the ground in Afghanistan requested 40,000 troop surge. Obama denied that request and only offered 30,000.

“I cannot swallow whole the view of Lincoln as the Great Emancipator”…….Barack Obama, Time Magazine, Jun. 26, 2005

In late 2011 into 2012 Barack Obama likened himself to “the great Abraham Lincoln.”

“No one is pro-abortion.”…..Barack Obama, speech, Oct. 5, 2004

This one leaves me speechless as he once said he didn’t ever want an unwanted pregnancy to saddle either one of his daughters.

“I think the American people have a generous instinct. They understand that we're a nation of immigrants. But if those folks are going to live in this country, they have to be put on a pathway to citizenship that involves them paying a fine, making sure that they are at the back of the line and not cutting in front of people who applied legally to come into the country”……Barack Obama, Larry King Live, Oct. 19, 2006

By Executive Decree Obama has ordered hands off illegal aliens, stopped deportation, and sued every state that signed mirror laws of the federal mandate that already exists.

“The single biggest threat that we face is a nuclear weapon or some weapon of mass destruction. What that means is that we have to be extraordinarily aggressive and vigilant in controlling nuclear proliferation. We have a nuclear proliferation treaty and strategy that has failed. I think it failed in Iran. It also failed in North Korea”……Barack Obama, debate, Oct. 12, 2004

Unable to force North Korea and Iran to stop their nuclear weapons programs Obama still thinks sanctions will work.

“I do think that there is a big difference between family farms and agri-business, and one of the distressing things that I think has occurred is with consolidation of farm lands. You've seen large agri-businesses benefit from enormous profits from existing farm programs, and I think we should be focusing most of those programs on those family farmers.”……..Barack Obama, debate, Oct. 12, 2004

I think this would be a good idea to institute……three years after becoming president has it become law?

“I think that the Democratic Party and progressives generally have gotten confused in getting trapped in this debate about are you liberal or are you centrist? I'm not interested in being a centrist or rushing to the middle, in the sense of just splitting the difference with a radically ideological Bush administration. And that’s how I think we got into trouble in many instances, was we just kept on splitting the difference until you find out you don't stand for anything, you just keep on compromising”….Barack Obama, Tavis Smiley Show, Oct. 23, 2006

It seems then Senator Obama has empathy for how republicans feel now, why should we give up conservatism?

“It’s time to hold Washington to the same standards families and businesses hold themselves. It’s time to save what we can, spend what we must, and live within our means once again”…….Barack Obama Feb 2, 2010.

Such a short time ago, if he really believes this why doesn’t he do it?

“What I will not welcome, what I reject is the same old grandstanding when cameras are on, and the same irresponsible budget policies when the cameras are off”…..Barack Obama Feb 2, 2010

Barack Obama commenting on “grandstanding” how special

“That is the true genius of America, a faith in the simple dreams of its people, the insistence on small miracles. That we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door”. …..Barack Obama 2004 DNC convention

The Department of Justice under Eric Holder has seen fit to prosecute or not prosecute the people they see as violators of law based on political selection rather that constitutional mandate, thereby instituting the big brother idea.

“You can disagree with a certain policy without demonizing the person who espouses it”…..Barack Obama May 1, 2010 University of Michigan Speech

White House press secretary Jay Carney this morning characterized Newt Gingrich as a liar for his stance on lowering the price of gasoline.

“In reaffirming the greatness of our nation we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted, for those that prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long rugged path towards prosperity and freedom”….Barack Obama Inaugural Address, Jan. 20. 2009

Greatness is never given it is earned….I have three words for this claim….Nobel Peace Prize.

“I don't want to pit Red America against Blue America. I want to be President of the United States of America”….Barack Obama, speech, Nov. 10, 2007

President Obama never speaks to America; he speaks to his allies in the DNC

“What Washington needs is adult supervision”…..Barack Obama, fundraising letter, Oct. 2006

Really?....no I mean REALLY?

“I always believe that ultimately, if people are paying attention, then we get good government and good leadership. And when we get lazy, as a democracy and civically start taking shortcuts, then it results in bad government and politics”……Barack Obama, MSNBC interview, Sep. 25, 2006

Well in a way he is right when he says in a democracy it can end in bad government, obviously nobody has ever told Barack Obama we don’t live in a democracy, we live in a REPUBLIC!

“When special interests put their thumb on the scale, and distort the free market, the people who compete by the rules come in last”….Barack Obama, speech, Aug. 2, 2008

Special interests….hmmmmm….wasn’t it Obama who said that no lobbyists would ever work in the Whitehouse? We see how that went didn’t we?

“But if we choose to actively seek out information that challenges our assumptions and our beliefs, perhaps we can begin to understand where the people who disagree with us are coming from.... The practice of listening to opposing views is essential for effective citizenship. It is essential for our democracy.”….Barack Obama, remarks at University of Michigan, May 1, 2010

We now know that opposing views to the Presidents’ can bring Eric Holder to quick action!You will also notice he still thinks we live in a democracy!

“That is why I have ordered the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, and will seek swift and certain justice for captured terrorists – because living our values doesn’t make us weaker, it makes us safer and it makes us stronger”…Barack Obama, Address to Joint Session of Congress, Feb. 24, 2009

Three years and Gitmo is still open, and not one combatant has been tried.

“With the magnitude of the challenges we face right now, what we need in Washington are not more political tactics -- we need more good ideas. We don't need more point-scoring -- we need more problem-solving.”….Barack Obama, press conference, Mar. 17, 2009

This defies a response.

“All of us share this world for but a brief moment in time. The question is whether we spend that time focused on what pushes us apart or whether we commit ourselves to an effort, a sustained effort to find common ground, to focus on the future we seek for our children and to respect the dignity of all human beings”….Barack Obama, speech, Jun. 4, 2009

Seeking “common ground” for President Obama has come to mean….”it’s my way or the highway.”

“The country is not as polarized as our politics would suggest”…..Barack Obama, interview, Oct. 27, 2006

It’s common knowledge that the parties have become far more polarized under Obama.

Ranting of social responsibility otherwise known as socialism

“You know, there's a lot of talk in this country about the federal deficit. But I think we should talk more about our empathy deficit - the ability to put ourselves in someone else's shoes; to see the world through the eyes of those who are different from us - the child who's hungry, the steelworker who's been laid-off, the family who lost the entire life they built together when the storm came to town. When you think like this - when you choose to broaden your ambit of concern and empathize with the plight of others, whether they are close friends or distant strangers - it becomes harder not to act; harder not to help”….Barack Obama, speech, Aug. 11, 2006

Empathy clearly trumps the ability to pay for it in the mind of Barack Obama

“Yes, our greatness as a nation has depended on individual initiative, on a belief in the free market. But it has also depended on our sense of mutual regard for each other, of mutual responsibility. The idea that everybody has a stake in the country, that we're all in it together and everybody's got a shot at opportunity. Americans know this. We know that government can't solve all our problems - and we don't want it to. But we also know that there are some things we can't do on our own. We know that there are some things we do better together.”…..Barack Obama, speech, Aug. 7, 2006

Government can’t solve all our problems?.......we would never know that by the policies mandated by the Obama Administration in just three years!

These are but a few of the statements by Barack Obama, some are hypocritical some are socialist, some are outright lies but the point is…..everyone will make you scratch your head. Is this what we really want for four more years?

Think about this for a minute……his first four years were mild compared to what the next four would be like. He has showed restraint in his first four years for the possibility of reelection, can you imagine what he will pass if he doesn’t have to worry about reelection. Think second amendment removal and cap and trade returning!

Ideology

Dear Patriots:
William Grant Burmer

I was impressed today that if only men and women, those who hold tenaciously to leftist ideology would soften their hearts by turning from a devotion of popularity, party politics, and ego centrism in exchange for Godly principle, our country and certain parts of the world would not now be in peril.

There is an ironic twist in history which few know of in light of what is going on in Iran at this very moment. King Cyrus of Persia lived about 500 years before Christ. History records that he conquered most all of Arabia and what is now Iran and Turkey. He is mentioned in the Bible in 2nd Chronicles 36:22. Cyrus restored certain political and social rights to the captive Hebrew and gave them permission to return to Jerusalem and directed that Jehovah’s Temple should be rebuilt. Today these same states would desire to “Wipe Israel off the map.”

Our Founders understood history well and established boundaries set within the Constitution they created for us. There is no need to change or adopt another constitution to replace it. Americas Constitution, whether you appreciate it or not, is ordained of God, and if followed as the Law of the Land contains all the safeguards necessary to control those elected to serve. The Peoples allegiance is to the Constitution itself and not to those elected only to the degree to which they stand by their country and the Republic. So it is written in the Constitution, the oath of office.

Communism threatens America’s very existence thus Hearts and minds must be changed, and if the people, regardless of party or politics do not save the Constitution from the dangers that now threaten it, we will have a change of government and freedom will not exist within its confines.

We need to be mindful and prayerful about whom we choose to lead our great nation, while it remains great among other nations of the world.

Obama’s On Again off Again Pledge To Israel

Obama’s On Again off Again Pledge To Israel
Al Ritter

My dear old departed mother once told me not to judge people by what they tell you but rather by their actions. Unfortunately our president wants us to believe the words and to forget the actions. After telling the world at AlPAC that America has “Israel’s back” three days later Jay Carney retreated and diluted the comment saying that that phrase didn’t mean any specific action just offered support.

The really sad part in all this is the disrespect Obama is showing to Bibi Netanyahu. Netanyahu is being used as a pawn in Obama’s reelection campaign. Netanyahu is smart enough to know he can’t count on Obama to support him despite all Obama’s claim to the contrary.

It’s especially sad when the Obama administration constantly views the threat of the extinction of the Jewish people as merely a bargaining chip in the world court. Then to claim that he has done more to help Israel than George Bush ever did is reprehensible. His narcissistic rants never cease to amaze me, and his school yard boasts repulse me.

I want to look into Barack Obama’s face and holler……..”You need to grow up and act like the leader of the free world instead of the childish brat you presently look like!”

I WANT, I’M ENTITLED

I WANT, I’M ENTITLED
Kevin Bryant

It’s really hard to admit the truth sometimes. There are several reasons why we sometimes don’t. We don’t want to hurt the feelings of someone else or we don’t want to paint ourselves as being “that person” who makes simple or stupid mistakes. Sometimes we don’t do it because it will expose our own shortcomings. Whatever the reason is, it usually makes sense to the individual but leaves those around them scratching their heads. We also like to think of our children in the best of light and heaven forbid someone else have a more perfect child. Let’s be honest, there is no such thing as a perfect person and there certainly is o such thing as a perfect child regardless of age.

When my siblings and I were little, if we wanted something, there was like “maybe” a 5% chance we would actually get it when Christmas rolled around. When we were teenagers, if we wanted something, we had to earn the money and pay for it ourselves. My brother and I did so many different types of odd jobs growing up I could write a whole column just on that. Besides the odd jobs, we both were substitute bus drivers and worked at a bottling plant while in high school. We both roofed houses during the summer and even tore down a couple. My sister worked at KFC while going to high school. The bottom line is, we didn’t expect anyone to give us anything. We knew we had to earn it if we wanted it.

Growing up in a small town back in the 70’s and 80’s, the spoiled kids in school who got everything they wanted were few and far between. Those who worked for their stuff never complained that anyone owed us anything. Had I told my dad that he owed me something, I would have been lucky if all he did was knock me out. My mother, she wouldn’t knock me out but would certainly reminded me of who way paying for the roof over my head, the bed I slept in and most of the food I ate and clothes I wore.

Today far too many younger people believe they are owed something by either society or the government. Many believe that if society doesn’t give it to them freely, then the government should take from the haves and give it to the have not’s. Sadly, many who believe they are owed something got this mentality while growing up. Parents spoil and give into children’s wants more now than ever before. Government has gone to great lengths to remove parental rights and choices and enforce the beliefs they know best what a child needs.

Our own President believes in Social Justice. What exactly is Social Justice? All I see when I hear that term thrown around is take from those that work hard and give it to those who don’t. What I see is class warfare with a twist. If someone today told me that growing up, my family was middle class, I would have a hard time believing the bar went down so low that we were included. Now we have upper class, middle class and lower class kids whining and crying about having to pay back their student loans. They demand government force companies to give them an $80,000 a year starting salary with absolutely no experience. The demand government provide them a house and pay for their utilities. Where do these 20 something year old kids think the money is going to come from to do all this, the government? No. It’s going to come from their parents. Every time I hear the words Social Justice, Their Fair Share, Entitlement(s), Right of Basic Needs and every other form you can twist class warfare against those who actually worked for their money, makes me just want to go out and slap one of these young punks because they are basically stealing from their own family and using the government to do it for them.

Wall Street Occupiers, Most Berkley and other Liberal College Students, The 22 year old Welfare Recipient in better shape than I am. Why are they the “I WANT, I’M ENTITLED” generation, we created them.

I have three kids. Two of the three disagree with the Wall Street movement. Two of the three disagree with the idea of “Social Justice”. Unless things change with the third one before I grow old, the day I die, only two of my three kids will inherit anything and everything I have. The third one is specifically slated to receive a dollar, and that is only for the purpose of making it difficult to practically impossible to contest the will. I may have failed to instill good work ethics and principals, but my child knows what and how I think and I’ll go out with the last word.

ADDENDUM: I want to make something clear. I certainly do not hate my daughter nor am I just punishing her for her views. There is a lot more involved regarding my “entitlement” minded daughter than just her stance on this issue. Those issues are personal in nature and do not belong outside the family.

Obama May Be Right about Oil Prices, But Only Partially

Obama May Be Right about Oil Prices, But Only Partially
Al Ritter

Obama went on the offensive last week to proclaim that Republicans will have three objectives to lower the price of oil….drill, drill, and keep drilling. Oil drives the economy of this country and not just to fuel our houses and cars. Everything we have around us uses oil. The petro chemical industry uses oil for production of plastics and other uses. In fact oil is used in the production in 80% of the items sitting close to you right now.

Oil is also a national security problem, as the oil we import usually comes from countries unfriendly to the U.S. For these countries to use this product as a wedge between something we need for the furthering of their cause challenges our security.

Reducing our dependence on foreign oil secures our future as a sovereign nation. This should be our #1 aim as a nation, to reduce our dependency on foreign oil.

President Obama claims that it’s the unstable Middle-eastern fear that drives up the price of oil and that in part is true. The big question is what has our president done to calm those fears? Supporting Hamas while pledging allegiance to Israel? We have supported the over throwing of foreign governments and the subsequent establishment of the Muslim Brotherhood? We have supported the removal of one regime for the installation of a worse regime. We have sat by and tried to put in economic sanctions against Iran while they build a nuclear weapons program to annihilate Israel.

What exactly has Obama done to calm the Middle East?

If you are like many Americans you see the price per barrel of oil and you think, well the price of gasoline wasn’t this high the last time a barrel of oil cost this much what has happened? The last time oil was this high per barrel our dollar bought more. We have printed so much money to accommodate our national debt and deficit that our dollar is worth much less now.

When our country defines what is or isn’t inflation, two things are taken from that equation, food and gas prices. Why is that you ask? Obviously it’s to bolster the politicians in office. Eric Bolling from Fox news has surmised that if food and gas were figured into the equation that inflation would stand right now at 5 to 7%. That’s radically different than the government claimed 2.9% isn’t it?

Obama claims that the cry from Republicans is out of his control, that may be partially true but all the situations leading up to it have been within his reach, and yet he has taken an active role to drive that price up whether he admits it or not.

The Iranian Hostage Crisis Part Deux

The Iranian Hostage Crisis Part Deux
Al Ritter

On November 4, 1979 The Iranian revolution took 52 hostages in the American Embassy and held them for 444 days. They were upset at two actions the Americans took to support the Shah of Iran. President Carter toasted the Shah at a state dinner in Washington extolling the Shah’s popularity in his home country. Later when the Shah asked for a received medical treatment in America, the militants over threw the government and stopped oil production. Later the oil production restarted but never recovered to the pre insurrection rate when the Shah was in power.

The result was a fuel shortage not previously seen in America. At that time the price of oil per barrel was at a low $15.85! Once Ronald Reagan took office in 1980 some 30 minutes into his Presidency the hostages were released. Reagan also took active steps that drove gas prices down in a 20 decline. Mexico, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Russia all increased production to minimize the drop in production from Iran. Drilling in Prudhoe Bay along with the Alaska Pipeline further dropped prices, and reduced our dependency on foreign oil.

Flash to 2012, now Iran wants nuclear weapons, and the world court doesn’t want them to have those weapons. The new version of the human hostages of 1979 is the Strait of Hormuz, as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has threated to close the main water way that transports every one in 5 barrels that are exported from that region. The mere threat has already been felt in America as the price of gas is skyrocketing.

There is one major difference now, the President we have in our Whitehouse hates fossil fuel, especially oil that we produce! He recently denied passage of the Keystone XL pipeline, because there “hasn’t been enough time to study it.” 35 years in the making and the result would mean tens of thousands of American jobs and an alliance with a country friendly to America, rather than radical Islamic counties.

The hostages in this picture are the Strait of Hormuz and the American people. It’s rather hard to differentiate between one hostage taker and the other Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Barack Obama they both seem bent on destroying America. I only hope we will have a modern day equivalent of Ronald Reagan to ride in and save the America we know and love in 2013.

Where Are Our Heroes?

Where Are Our Heroes?
William Grant Burmer

Over the many years I have lived upon this earth I have had the privilege of being introduced to various characters of fame and fortune; many of no fame or fortune, and most all from books, fairy tales, and most importantly Scripture. Many of the stories and their characters portrayed in them might be considered worthy role models for a young “skull full of mush,” as Rush Limbaugh does so often pontificate. Not all could be categorized as heroes, none the less most demonstrated a core moral code worthy of imitation.

Where oh where might this code of conduct come from, what is it that creates for us the character we all can agree upon makes us want to follow, or be followed as a person worthy of such honor? For most reading this commentary the answer is obvious but let me continue.

Many of our role models of today come from the Movies we see, the actors, singers, sports and Political arenas, and even some of the video games we play. Unfortunately too many of the individuals thus portrayed, after careful scrutiny, are eventually discovered to be hollow substitutes, unworthy of example, or the esteem given them, especially by today’s media. I am being kind by saying they are for the most part course in their language, abusive to themselves and others, and lack any moral character; all the wealth and power in the world notwithstanding.

Who am I to make such a statement? Being imperfect, a Christian living in a politically correct society, as a casual observer, a conservative by nature, concerned citizen, and one who served honorably in the service of my country which I love, and a historian, methinks qualifies or justifies my previous remarks.

I will conclude pontificating with this statement, God lives, we are his children, America is and has been great because men like myself and many of you, concluded over two hundred years ago that we could live in a Republic, even our founders. Our Constitution, our Declaration of Independence from England declares our belief that all men are capable of self government. We are far more capable than a single individual, or group might declare or dictate. Our Country is great because of our Christian Faith, our hard work, and belief that goodness and virtue exists and should be taught from an early age. Heroes are found in our homes, our churches, and communities. They ought to be found in our government institutions by those worthily elected to protect and serve us. Remember this, our next President is elected to protect and preserve our right under God to live worthily of ourselves. He will also need a Senate and Congress who feel like wise. Be--Always Faithful.

Contraceptive Mandate

Contraceptive Mandate
Al Ritter

There are so many facets to this issue that it begs further scrutiny. First you have an Administration that thought they would extend to female citizens the economic advantage of not having to pay for contraceptives out of their pocket. The administration knew that the largest portion of Catholic women defy the church and use contraceptives anyway, so this could be a feather in their hat if they supplied them with something for “free.”

Unfortunately nothing in this world is “free,” someone always has to bear the cost, especially when it involves a product produced by a private company. This is no debate on this, it is a fact of life. Let’s look at an actuarial chart of all insurance companies. All insurance companies supply a service based on mandates by governments whether they be federal or state. The rates are based on what services the government deems necessary. When you add a mandate or a service, that service is figured into the entire pool which the annual rate is determined from. More services or mandates equal higher cost. This is not up for debate either it is a fact of life.

Mandates are voted on by congress, not demanded by Presidents. There is no legal precedence for President Obama to keep demanding services and decisions based on his social guilt. This is a country of laws, and Obama constantly denies and ignores them based on some sort of idea of social injustice.

It is my opinion that this is one major issue that the Obama Administration has misjudged. He is now being attacked by both sides on his waffling of the issue. Sebelius has already told Obama that the issuance of contraceptives will be a major cost to health insurance, but Obama has ignored that advice.

Now let’s consider the religious side of it for a moment. Religious leaders from all religions and backgrounds testified on Capitol Hill yesterday to put their support behind the Catholic Church, that this mandate violates the first amendment, whether they believe the same way about contraceptives or not.

Not only is this a first amendment violation, it violates the Supreme Court ruling of the separation of church and state. You may view this from many different angles, but the underlying argument from the left is that a “woman has a right to choose.” That is all well and good and the law is on their side with that for now.

This mandate is strictly about “who pays” and the answer is we all do through increased health care costs at a time when they are increasing at a rate faster than our salaries.

Massive Hypocrisy Part 4

Massive Hypocrisy Part 4
Al Ritter

On March 1, 2010: “In the 21st century, high schools shouldn’t just make sure students graduate—they should make sure students graduate ready for college, ready for a career, and ready for life”….President Obama.

What a difference two years made as President Obama made the decision to allow 10 states to opt out of President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” initiative. This initiative was enacted to make graduating prerequisites more stringent, and to raise the bar on students. One fifth of our nation is now exempt from a program designed to make our children once again competitive in the world market. What kind of signal does that send our children? That subpar performance will once again be accepted in the job market?

There is no affirmative action in the world hiring market that will assure our American children over the more educated children of say China. The world doesn’t work on a “bell curve” the way Obama assumes it does.

I have a better question still……why should students of the other 40 states be held to a higher standard than the ones from the 10 excused states? I thought Obama’s war cry said that everyone should be made to play by the same rules……Hypocrisy?......You bet cha!

Obama’s quote: http://projects.washingtonpost.com/obama-speeches/speech/190/

Obama’s initiative: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/02/09/no-child-left-behind-waivers-let-team-obama-seize-control-your-childs-education/

Massive Hypocrisy Part 3

Massive Hypocrisy Part 3
Al Ritter

President Obama’s newest war cry is, “everyone must pay their fair share, and everyone must play by the same rules from Wall Street to Main Street.”

As we delve further into his words they become sadly laughable to say the least. It appears that his Whitehouse staff of 36 not only hasn’t paid their fair share, they haven’t paid anything lately. As a group they owe $833,970 in back taxes, even though most make over $100,000 yearly.

Unfortunately the Whitehouse staff isn’t alone in their wayward tax ways. The Senate as a group owes $2.1 million, the House of Representatives as a group owes $8.5 million. Department of Education owes $4.3 million, Department of Homeland Security owes $37 million!

It doesn’t end here, the Treasury Department headed by tax cheat Timothy (turbo tax) Geithner owes $9.3 million, Postal Service owes $270 million, Department of Veteran Affairs owes $151 million. Department of Energy owes $5 million, Department of Justice (including Eric Holder) owes $17 million.

Here is the real laugh, according to federal law only one branch of government employee can be fired for not paying taxes and that is the IRS! My question is……how come these employees aren’t having their salaries attached for back taxes? You or I would have to have ours attached.

Obviously President Obama doesn’t mean his war cry on the wealthy, because if he did he would write a Presidential Executive order enforcing equal treatment of ALL taxpayers, but don’t hold your breath because that’s never going to happen!

Massive Hypocrisy Part 2

Massive Hypocrisy Part 2
Al Ritter

At the National Prayer Day meeting, President Obama decided to interject politics into his speech. This marked an occasion that had never happened with any past president’s speeches, but that didn’t stop Obama. While earlier in the week the Administration decided to push back against catholic groups to institute a mandatory push towards abortions and contraceptive services.

He then had the unmitigated nerve to claim that the Bible gave him the moral high ground on taxing the rich. “Jesus said that what we are doing is right.” Later in the VERY same speech he claimed that he was against religions bearing false witness. Which is it Mr. President? You can’t come to the party with Nancy Pelosi and Joe Biden and claim that the three of you speak for the entire catholic religion. The very fact that America trusts the two of them less than a used car salesman should speak volumes.

False witness is exactly what YOU do Barack Obama, you double speak and lie to our faces and then you expect us to re-elect a liar who singlehandedly has ruined more of the ideas that have made our country great in the past.

The Massive Hypocrisy of the Obama Administration

The Massive Hypocrisy of the Obama Administration
Al Ritter

In the State of the Union Speech this week President Obama decided to parade a tax cheat and his secretary in the public eye to promote what he constantly refers to as wealthy Americans who are not paying their “fair share.” Obama brings Warren Buffet and his “secretary” to prove to the American people that his secretary pays more in tax than he does.

This is cannot be further from the truth. To begin with Warren Buffet and his “secretary” pay certain percentages on income taxes based on investments and wage income. By shear bulk dollars rather than percentage Buffet pays WAY more than his “secretary,” so lie #1.

Fact: Warren Buffet’s company Berkshire Hathaway owes over $1 Billion in back taxes and has for YEARS, and yet Buffet constantly crows about not paying enough in taxes? How about paying what you already owe Mr. Buffet and stop being the mouthpiece for a socialist president?

This is the really funny part in all this. Steve Forbes did an evaluation of what his “secretary” must make in wages and investment returns for Buffet to make his claim. Forbes says that his “secretary” makes between $250-500K a year! On top of all that she must not be very savvy about investments because her capital gains have to be practically nil.

Now I don’t know about you but I don’t know any “secretary” that makes that kind of money. Buffet conveniently demoted her position in name to make the claim seem more preposterous. She is obviously an executive assistant and not a secretary. Her salary alone makes her a 1%er………one of the evil nasty people that Obama says isn’t paying her fair share and wants to raise her tax!

Wouldn’t that make her taxes higher still Mr. President? Make Berkshire Hathaway pay what they owe in taxes Mr. President, and while you are at it collect the $1 Billion in back taxes owed by federal workers, and leave the unsavvy executive assistant out of it, we don’t care how much she makes!

Why the Middleclass Is Scared To Death of Obama

Why the Middleclass Is Scared To Death of Obama
Al Ritter

The media and the Administration claim that Obama is demanding that the “rich” pay more of their “fair share,” has Middleclass Americans scared to death. Obama claims to want to put more money in middleclass American’s pockets, but the general feeling of the Republicans is that we already know the man lies, and they are afraid this is just one more in a continuing trail.

With 41% of Americans paying no tax at all, and the top 1% of wage earners paying 95% of the taxes in America, where is the equity in that? What is the fair share of the 41% who pay nothing? We pay percentages, meaning the more you earn as a base the more you pay volume wise. A study was done that reported that if the top 1% of American wage earners were taxed at 100%, the National debt, and the deficit wouldn’t even improve .01 of one percent! So why this sudden attack on the group as Obama says isn’t paying their fair share?

Folks it is the attack of socialism plain and simple, the need to want to give the fruits of someone’s hard work into the hands of someone with either no drive or no skill to do the same thing. Republicans are baffled at his claims of not paying their fair share, but it’s the basic mindset of capitalism versus socialism that is at stake here.

Middleclass Republicans are afraid to do well now, afraid to go into that higher echelon of the upper class, for fear if they do their fruits of labor will be taken from them. Is it any wonder that 48% of America still support Obama? Of course it isn’t, look at the percentage that pay no taxes………..why would they want to give up their free ride with a chance at getting more?

Open Letter to Andrew Sullivan

Dear Mr. Sullivan
Kevin Bryant

The cover of Newsweek asks the question “Why Are Obama’s Critics So Dumb” by Andrew Sullivan. My question to you Mr. Sullivan is what makes you think you have the right to call over half of all voter aged Americans and many more around the world “Dumb”? Well Mr. Sullivan, I’m NOT dumb enough to try and answer that question for over 100 million people. I'm just one person and these are just a few of my own reasons to criticize Obama:

It’s dumb for Obama to call President Bush “Unpatriotic” for adding 4 trillion to the debt in 8 years in office and the turn around and add an additional 5 trillion in only 3 years in office.

It’s dumb when the first major oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico occurs and halt all operations for an exuberant amount of time before any investigation has even reveals preliminary findings, effectively killing over 20,000 jobs.

It’s dumb to make it ALMOST impossible to drill for oil in the U.S. and yet give BILLIONS of tax payer dollars to Brazil to promote and increase oil production.

It’s dumb to take over bankrupt car companies and mandate that the labor unions get almost all their money back first while stock holders and other investors receive less than 40 cents on the dollar.

It’s dumb to look at a report that plainly states that Solyndra is not a viable company and give them half a billion of tax payer dollars only to see them file bankruptcy two years later.

It’s dumb to champion the idea of reducing the dependency on foreign oil and kill an already approved major project that does just that and kill over 20,000 direct jobs and countless tens of thousands of additional indirect jobs in the process.

It’s dumb to make it impossible to build coal fired power plants in the country that has the most coal in the world even though technology exists that can make a coal fired power plant less pollutant than a natural gas fired plant.

It’s dumb to look the other way when the Secretary of the Treasury and the Federal Reserve Chairman loan TRILLONS of tax payer dollars to other countries knowing full well that the U.S. will not see one dime of it returned.

It’s dumb to have an Attorney General in place that refuses to uphold the constitution, lies to congress and approves the sale of guns to Mexican drug cartels and has no plan in place to track where these guns go.

It’s dumb to state that as President I (Obama) will not have my justice department investigate or prosecute any Black on White racial cases, will not defend the Defense of Marriage Act, will not pursue charges of voter intimidation on any member of the Black Panthers even though the act was extremely blatant.

Mr. Sullivan, in only three years in office, the current president has committed about as many “dumb” acts than all the other 8 presidents combined during my almost 50 years of existence on this earth. You ask, “Why Are Obama’s Critics So Dumb”, my question to you is “Why Are You Too Stupid Not To Criticize Obama”?

How To Drop Gasoline a Dollar a Gallon in One Day

How To Drop Gasoline a Dollar a Gallon in One Day
Al Ritter

The EPA has successfully increased the price of gasoline little by little since the inception of the agency in 1970. Yearly mandates have not only added to the cost of fuels, but are slowly forcing an end to the use of fossil fuels. What started as an admirable aim to curb emissions has now blossomed into a headlong assault on the American economy.

Fossil fuels represent the largest single item any country either imports or exports. Source materials may or may not be the determining factor to whether a country is forced into importing or not. Different Presidents set the tone of the EPA each year as to the ferocity of the agency and also to their agenda during his term.

The President we have now has set the tone to full attack mode on the average American. It was no secret that Barack Obama claimed as a candidate that he would “necessarily bankrupt the coal industry.” It should be no surprise that he is implementing that aim to the fullest of his ability. The president hasn’t asked congress to make or change laws thereby accomplishing his goals through legislature. He has given the EPA the green light to implement his agenda through mandates approved by nobody but himself.

The EPA regulates so many things in the energy sector, it isn’t even funny anymore. I’m sure you remember when the cost of diesel fuel was less than the price of regular gasoline. Did you ever wonder why that changed to the point of where it cost more now than premium gasoline? The answer is the EPA. In a move to reduce the emission of sulfur dioxide the EPA mandated the immediate reduction of sulfur in diesel fuel, thus adding yet one more refining process to the cost.

Gasoline has also been targeted in another attack. Seasonal blending is a term used to describe the ability of gasoline to burn cleanly in temperature changes. One blend for summer, one blend for winter. Not many people know that the winter blend actually offers less miles per gallon than the summer blend, but that really doesn’t matter to the EPA, their concern is strictly environmental.

Add these mandates to the absurdly ridiculous addition of ethanol to gasoline blends started by President Bush and the price of fuel skyrockets.

What we really need is an EPA that takes the delicate balance of emissions and compares that the negative effect it will have on our economy before making mandate changes. Forcing such changes on a struggling economy serves nobody but the arrogance of a single man bent on removing fossil fuels from his country.

Until the technologies are there to offer alternative fuels on a comparable cost basis an agenda of destroying the use of fossil fuels should be put on the back burner. Only an illogical thinker destroys one industry without a replacement in the wings. Claiming that you are going green should mean you have a viable alternative, not just an idea. We can’t run America’s tractor trailers on wind and solar power, that is not only unrealistic, it is downright foolish.

Relax the EPA mandates on fuels tomorrow and the price WILL drop a dollar a gallon in one month. Increase the mandates silently and off the radar and the price of gasoline will continue to climb. In much the same way the economy was blamed on Bush……Obama will blame the fuel price increase on the oil companies……..surprised?...........no I didn’t think so!

California Politics

Califonnia Politics
William Grant Burmer

Looking over the initiatives for 2012 ballot in California there are five which will increase taxes for all Californians. Any California voters who would support any of them should have their head examined, better yet, removed as a useless appendage. Truth is Jerry Brown is hoping the voter (the one with the useless appendage) will pass them so that he can save face with the Union bosses who supported h is election. Californians can no longer fund the extravagant pensions and salaries state workers, including those who work for the counties and cities currently enjoy. These ballot measures are a glaring proof of that.

It does not matter that State, County, and City employees pay taxes; the biggest pinch will be felt upon the private employer and employee. Somehow it does not register with the majority of government employees that their job does not produce a dime in real revenue that will sustain their current standard of living; If not for private capitalism they would not have a job--------Period. It is my humble opinion that by the end of 2012 California is going to be the first state in the Union to drive home that reality as the ship will sink from the sheer weight of government.

One “watch dog” group has predicted that California will soon have the nations’ highest unemployment rate (currently 11.7%) and that in addition, California companies are continuing to leave the state, further increasing the unemployment figures, and driving down tax revenues to the state.

Logic, common sense, would dictate our governor and legislature should take a 180 degree turn towards a more responsible fiscal attitude; that is decrease taxes(eliminate most), further, eliminate burdensome regulations, and make government workers abide the same rules of living and acquire pensions that currently are a standard part of the private sector reality. That would take courage which for the better part of our current crop of public servants lacks the will or character to stand for. To Browns credit he has suggested this approach be taken for future employees of the state. We shall wait and see how that ship sails. Without some drastic, immediate reforms in current pension plans, and elimination of Union interests it will be the same old same old.

Less government, more capitalism is the answer to solve California’s problems.