White House Papers

First let me begin by saying that in this country everyone is presumed innocent until proven
guilty. I believe in this. However; I, also, believe in the saying my late grandmother taught me: Where there's smoke, there's fire.

The White House keeps claiming Executive Privilege every time they are asked for anything,
visitor logs, papers, notes. According to Bush and Cheney EVERYTHING is off limits. I'm curious, just who do these guys think they are? President Bush and Vice President Cheney have apparently forgotten the Preamble to the Constitution -- We the People. They work for us. And, if my employer has the right to read my email and view my notes, then I have the right to do the same to Bush and Cheney. This is not, as Bush said recently, HIS GOVERNMENT. This is OUR GOVERNMENT.

The White House papers should be turned over NOW - not later. By them
not turning over the uncensored papers, it makes me wonder what they
have to hide. By not allowing Harriet Miers to testify, what are they
hiding?

Even if you think that Bush is God's right hand man, you have to
realize that he is acting more like a dictator than a President.

Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.

Hatefilled People

I want to know why people are filled with hate think they have a right to sprout off to whomever they want about whatever they want. I'm not talking about someone who disagrees with my viewpoints, I'm talking about someone who is completely filled with nothing but hate.

Take for example, Ann Coulter. How could she possibly think that it is completely okay to say (and I quote) "If I'm gonna say anything about John Edwards in the future, I'll just wish he had been killed in a terrorist assassination plot."

Wouldn't she be having a fit if John Edwards said that about her? Wouldn't the whole right wing be having a fit?

I'm really coming to the conclusion that this woman is just plain mean. There cannot be a loving bone in her body. You don't like someone, fine, but where does she get off making personal attacks? If she doesn't like how John Edwards runs his campaign, fine, say something about that. But, she's been calling him names and not really saying anything of substance. I wonder why that is. Could it be that she doesn't really know anything?

Oh and did you see Hardball with Chris Matthews, when Elizabeth Edwards politely asked Coulter to stop the personal attacks? I think Ann was too busy messing with her hair to actually be listening. I couldn't watch the whole thing, because Coulter can't even be gracious.

And, it's not just Ann Coulter. It's people in general who seem to think that they have the right to yell and scream at someone when they disagree with them. When did this happen in our nation? When did politeness leave the building? No one has the right to humiliate another human being in that manner. I don't think I've ever written in my blog that I wish someone died in a terrorist attack.

So, all of this brings me to an article I was reading in Newsweek. It appears as if scientists have discovered that we can actually change people's brains. So, a psychopath who has no empathy for other people can have their brain altered to have compassion. Someone who is filled with hate for another group can have their mind altered to eliminate the hate. Someone who wasn't born with a maternal instinct could be given one.

Pretty cool, huh. We could eliminate the need for war and hurt and anger with just a rewiring of the offender's brain. This is years away, of course, but years away will be here soon enough.

But, then, I wonder, who would make that determination of what was hate and what was right and wrong? What if Ann Coulter was the one to make that determination? Would we all be hatefilled as she is?

Anyway, it's an interesting concept and one I'm sure we'll end up debating for years to come.

God Bless

PS. Side note to Ann Coulter: Just because you have free speech doesn't mean you should necessarily use it all the time. Sometimes, it's best to be quiet.

Dennis Troha -- Yes, again..

In March of this year, I wrote the following blog about Dennis Troha:

I know I'm probably a little late with this news, but I've been a little busy. Anyway, pretty interesting that Dennis Troha pulled out of the Kenosha casino project less than a week before he was indicted on charges of fraud and making a false statement to the FBI.

That's all I've got to say.

Except, it sounds like I might've been right about him.


A reader commented and I quote: "I'm sorry, but I missed the news reports saying that he was convicted. Funny how you liberals are the first to recite the constituion and free speech rights, but have memory loss when it comes to the right to a fair trial and innocent until proven guilty."
(BTW, the misspelling of constitution is the readers and not mine.)

Well, well, well, Dennis Troha will be entering his guilty plead within the next two weeks according to the Racine Journal Times. (Sorry I'm late on this, I was out of town this past weekend)

So, I'll say it again.

Looks like I was right about him.

God Bless

Can Anyone Confirm this?

I'm posting this, but I'm not sure if it is true or not.  If anyone of my readers can confirm this, I'd really appreciate it.

NBA OR NFL? 
36
have been accused of spousal abuse


7
have been arrested for fraud


19
have been accused of writing bad checks

  
117
have directly or indirectly bankrupted at least 2 businesses

 

3
have done time for assault 

71

 cannot
get a credit card due to bad credit

  14
have been arrested on drug-related charges

  8
have been arrested for shoplifting

 


 

21
currently
are defendants in lawsuits, and

 


 

84
have been arrested for drunk driving
in
the last year

 


 

Can
you guess which organization this is?

 


 

Give
up yet?

Neither, it's the 535 members of the United
StatesCongress.

  
The same group of Idiots that crank out hundreds of new laws each year
designed to keep the rest of us in line.




AND THEY JUST VOTED THEMSELVES $15,000 PER MONTH PENSION FOR LIFE AFTER SERVING ONLY ONE TERM IN CONGRESS!! *

 

* - I'm not sure about this part.  Although, if it is true, I want to run for Congress.

God Bless

 

 

Health Care

Today it was difficult to settle on a topic. Ann Coulter just made an outragerous remark against John Edwards, so I could discuss that. But, I was thinking, hasn't that hateful woman received enough attention? So, I decided to write about another subject: Health Care.

A while back, I contacted the Human Resources department where I work and requested the opportunity to purchase additional coverage -- coverage that I was willing to pay for, but since it would be through the company, I could receive at a lower cost. On Tuesday, I received a we're sorry, but no, along with a lecture on the rising cost of health care and the flexible spending accounts.

Okay, I'm not even going to get into the fact that I understand about flexible spending and it was obvious to me that the woman who answered my email never bothered to see that I put a lot of money into my flexible spending account all ready. What really bothered me was the condescending air that health care is some sort of privilege and I should be grateful that they let me have it.

Excuse me, but I work hard for a living. I give my all at work and I care about the company for which I work. All of this talk lately about health care centers around the fact that somehow in employers' minds, workers don't deserve health care. They shouldn't have to put out the money for the premiums.

Well, that's just wrong. Health care is a business expense, like the computer on my desk, the paper in the printer and the electricity that lights the building. I give them a honest days work and they give me a honest day's pay and health care. That's the deal for which I signed on.

But, it isn't just the company from whom I work, it's all of them. Chrysler, Ford, etc. are blaming their financial woes on the high cost of health care (which was cited in the email), which if they made cars we want to buy, they'd make money.

And, it's the same with other companies. They have these huge payouts for their CEOs, but they don't want to spend the same amount on the people who are actually making them money. I'm sorry, but you know what gets sugar on the table? It's not a CEO, it's the little people who do all the work. And, that's a fact, Jack.

I know that health care costs have gotten out of hand, but I'm tired of these companies wanting to take away the little in benefits they offer.

God Bless

Jib-Jab and Net Neutrality...

I just read an article about the human brain and I was going to write about it, but CNN had Jib-Jab's Star Spangled Banner video, so I thought rather than write an article about brains, I'd link you over to Jib-Jab's site, so you can watch it.

And, speaking of watching videos on your computer, did you know that the United States (according to a Newsweek article) lags behind Japan in the amount of money spent for high speed broadband? In Japan, 50Mbps costs about $30.00 per month. In the US, we pay $40.00 a month for 4Mbps. Also, we lag behind other countries in the percentage of people with broadband. Isn't that sad?

It'll only get worst if AT&T and Verizon have their way and eliminate Net Neutrality. (Watch this video at You Tube.) There's only 18 more days left -- tell your story and help save the Internet.

God Bless

Little Aidan..

I was sitting down this morning and didn't know what to write about. We were out of town this weekend, so I hadn't seen any news reports or read any newspapers. I was pretty much out of touch with the world. So, I went to CNN's website and opened my email. Paris Hilton is out of jail, maybe, I could write about that. Rosie O'Donnell says she won't do the Price Is Right. I could get a couple of paragraphs out of that. There's the war in Iraq and the War in the Capital between the Republicans, the President and the Democrats because of the War in Iraq.

Then, I open my email and there's one from Aidan's Grandmother, Catherine. She's a nice lady I've never met but I know because she sends me emails about Aidan's condition. (I used to work with Aidan's father.) Aidan is three years old and is suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia. I feel so bad for the little guy.

This latest update from Catherine tells about this new phase of treatment, Augmented Delayed Intensification. Little Aidan is on steroids that make him irritable all the time. He has a hard time eating and he's obsessed with food.

Anyway, so I figured, the little guy needed prayers more than I need to rip on Paris Hilton. So, right now, I'm asking all of my readers to ask God to help this little guy and his twin brother, Brandon (this is hard on him too) and his parents and family.

I believe the power of prayer can work miracles and I'm pretty sure you do too, so when you're down on your knees praying, throw one in for little Aidan.

God Bless

PS. Aidan is being treated in a Children's Hospital. So, the next time you have the opportunity to donate money to a Children's Hospital, please do so. They do amazing work.

Questions...

I took a survey this morning and I thought some of the questions were quite strange. For example, Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree, somewhat disagree or strongly disagree that people who miss three straight elections should be prohibited from voting? I mean, is some legal body actually considering banning people from voting because they miss three straight elections?

Or, how about this one: Do you believe certain words that denigrate a person's race, gender, or sexual orientation should be banned in America? I don't think people should say the words, but are we really going to take political correctness so far that we ban them? Doesn't that go against free speech?

There's more... Do you believe the U.S. Government should regulate content on the Internet? Please, again, against free speech and what a crazy idea! I can't imagine anyone on either side of the aisle agreeing to that one.

There was also a question about changing the Constitution in regards to natural citizenship. If you are born here, you're an American no matter what the legal status of your parents. Legal status of your parents wasn't a consideration when our founding fathers wrote the Constitution and it shouldn't be now. Can you imagine the mess of having to prove you're a citizen, so your child will be one too?

If these questions are being asked in a survey by a well known company, that means someone is actually thinking we should change our country in these ways. I really hope these things do not get discussed on a national level. It would be a waste of time.

God Bless

Lisa Pond and Anti-Gay Florida...

This morning I really wasn't sure what I should write. Then, I remembered a post I saw on Rosie.com. I don't often read Rosie's website, but Elisabeth Hasselbeck was on Access Hollywood, which I was only watching because the TV was on and one thing led to another and...

Well, that doesn't matter. Anyway, there's this post about Lisa Pond. Lisa died of a brain aneurysm on Feb. 18th, but that's not all. Below is a quote from another blog:

"From The Olympian: ``Langbehn, a social worker, said officials at . . . [JMH] did not recognize her or their jointly adopted children as part of Pond's family. They were not allowed to be with her . . . and Langbehn's authority to make decisions for Pond was not recognized . . .

``Even after a friend in Olympia faxed the legal documents that showed that Pond had authorized Langbehn to make medical decisions for her, Langbehn said she wasn't invited to be with her partner or told anything about her condition. She said she wasn't allowed to see Pond again until a priest arrived to give . . . Last Rites.''"

Situations like this are the very reason gays and lesbians should not be denied marriage. Family values my ass. The mean spirited people who do things like this do not know the meaning of the words family values.

This woman died without her kids and partner, because of hate and bigotry. A social worker, Garnett Frederick, told Langbehn that Florida is 'an anti-gay state.' Well, well, well. Langbehn had a legal right to make decisions for Pond and the hospital denied it to her. I hope she sues, I hope she wins and I hope that hospital has to close its doors for good. (I should note that Mr. Frederick has denied this allegation.)

Cheryl's been talking for years about going to Florida to see the sites and, even though I've never been a fan of Florida, I probably would've given in, but not now. I told her last night that I will never step foot into that hate filled state. I won't take a vacation there, I'll never travel there on business until this kind of foolish stops.

So, here's my final and very UnChristian thought, let's just stop visiting Florida. The whole state only has two things: Oranges and tourists. Let's stop drinking their juice, eating their oranges and visiting their way too hot and humid state. Let's just leave them be.

I think Rosie should sell her house and arrange for her cruise line to pick up passengers somewhere else. No gay person should do business in Florida and no straight person who knows a gay person or is related to a gay person should go there either.

I do want to offer up a prayer for Lisa Pond and her family. May God hold them close to His heart until they can all be together again.

God Bless

Country Music's Top Ten

As a lover of both kinds of music - Country & Western - it just burns my butt watching and hearing all these new "fans" of Country music. They all cheer at the redneck songs, but they don't know the history and they don't have an appreciation of how far country has come. And, BTW, listening to Big and Rich don't make you a Country fan. Wearing boots and a hat, don't make you a Country fan.

So, in order to help this new generation of posers move from just posing to true fan status, I've posting a list of ten country songs that are the litmus test of Country Music. If you don't know the words to these songs and can't sing along when you hear them played on a jukebox or the radio, you are just a poser, son.

1. Crazy. Written by Willie Nelson and sung by Patsy Cline. If Patsy had never gotten up on a stage, there wouldn't be a Faith Hill, Gretchen Wilson or Carrie Underwood. Even the women who sing rock pay homage to the true queen of Country music.
2. He Stopped Loving Her Today. Best song ever. George Jones just tears your heart out and all of us have loved until we die.
3. Walk the Line. Johnny Cash. Enough said.
4. The Devil Went Down to Georgia. Charlie Daniels. A song that races along and drags you with it.
5. Anything by Hank Williams, Sr. No, that's not a song title. I mean any song sung by ol' Hank. Not only could that man sing, but he was the first Superstar in Country Music.
6. The Dance. Garth Brooks. This is the song that showed Garth knows his Country. Just listen to the words.
7. Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys. Waylon Jennings. Another Enough Said.
8. Stand By Your Man. Tammy Wynette. Ah, if you've heard it, you know why.
9. Anything by Loretta Lynn. Just like Hank, Sr., she embodies Country Music. Check out The Pill and don't forget to give a listen to You ain't Woman Enough to Take My Man.
10. I was Country Before Country Was Cool. Barbara Mandrell. The song probably wouldn't make anyone else's top ten, but if you can't sing about your own roots in Country Music, then you're probably just a poser.

God Bless

For Once, some Good News...

Last week, after I read the horrid story about the man who killed his family (including his infant twin boys) and then himself, I read another awful story of a man who's entire family were murdered in the family car.

Just when you think that there is no hope for the world and all is lost, a small miracle occurs and you wonder just how you could doubt that there is a God.

Then, I read the story of Hannah Klamecki. She and her grandfather were missing for two days after last being seen on the Kankakee River. Unfortunately, her grandfather was found dead, but Hannah found the rescuers giving new meaning to the word hope. That's all the proof I need that there is a God.

God Bless

Save the Internet

There are very few things on which every American can agree.  We fight over the War in Iraq, gay rights, abortion, etc.  But, when we fight, we are all practicing free speech. 

 

Free speech is the reason I can post this blog – whether you agree with it or not.  It is the reason you can post your own response, either through adding a comment or writing on your own blog.  Free speech means that we all have a voice (or in theory we should have a voice) in our government.  We can all stand up and show our support or our dissent for a sitting President.

 

To quote Michael Douglas in "An American President", " 'You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.'"

 

And, that is what freedom of speech is all about.

 

Except, somewhere along the line, AT&T and Verizon (& I'm sure other companies) have forgotten that this is not just their country.  They want to limit our access to the Internet.  They want to sell bandwidth to the highest bidder.  If you want to view a site, you're not going to get there unless the site's owner has paid an extra fee to a communications company. 

 

That may be capitalism, but it certainly isn't freedom.

 

Sometimes, when things are quiet and I have a few moments to think, I wonder what the greatest threat to our way of life is.  I've come to decide that it isn't terrorists.  We were attacked on 9/11 and America didn't crumble.  We joined together and survived.  It isn't the war in Iraq or abortion or our disagreements regarding gay rights. 

 

No, the greatest threat to America is us.  When I say us, I mean all of us.  If we do not stand up and shout at the top of our lungs that we're not going to stand by and allow companies to hijack the Internet, America will not remain the dissenting, fight among ourselves democracy that it is.  If we sit still and shake our heads, we stand to lose the best of our democracy.

 

And not one shot will have been fired.

 

I write a lot on this blog about what's wrong with our country.  I write about how our leaders have let us down and what we need to do to fix things.  I'm sure that some of my readers agree and some don't and that's the beauty of it.  The freedom I have to voice my opinion and you to voice yours.   We don't have to agree, we don't even have to like each other, but I would defend to my death your right to say what you believe and vice versa (I hope).

 

But, if a communications company stands in the way, who's views will get through?  Only those who can afford the extra fees?  Only those voices that follow the ideology of the companies in charge?

 

I just read somewhere that Clear Channel just cancelled a billboard because they a) didn't agree with it and b) received complaints.  Do you want them controlling what you can and cannot see on the Internet?

 

I don't.

 

Oh, and don't think it'll make surfing the web safer for children.  Porn is over a billion dollar industry.  I'm sure the porn sites will have the money to pay the fees.

 

We need to tell Congress, the President and the FCC that we – all of us – still believe in the freedom of speech.  That we want our right to gather and assemble on the Information Superhighway.  We don't want our voices and words hijacked by corporations.  The Internet is free and it should stay that way.

 

God Bless all of us and God Bless America.

 

author's note:  I will be posting a link to Save the Internet at a later time.  I don't have it handy as I post this.

T-Shirt

I saw an advertisement for a t-shirt that says, "If Hillary is elected, I'm moving to Canada." What kind of jerk would wear a t-shirt like that? You're going to change countries because you don't like the President? If we all thought like that, 49% of us would be in Canada right now.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for showing your support or your non-support for a candidate or party, but leave the country? Isn't that going a bit too far? Plus, it just bugs me because the guy wearing it probably doesn't know anything about Hillary Clinton except the fact he doesn't like her. He probably can't even tell you why if you asked him.

So, I say, let's all vote for Hillary to get morons who wear shirts like that to leave the country!

:-) It might make the USA a better place to be!

Oh and one last thought, could we try something a little different this election year. Could we try to be civil to one another and make decisions on Candidates based on issues? United we stand, divided we fall and we have been divided for far too long.

Just a thought.

God Bless

Justice is Served...

I was having a conversation with someone who shall remain nameless about a proposal Congress either passed or wants to pass which would give law enforcement $100 million dollars to investigate and prosecute offenders who committed crimes against blacks in the fifties and sixties. You know the ones I mean, where a Ku Klux Klan member or members killed a black man because he looked at him funny or because he (the black man) was working to register voters.

Now, this person with whom I was speaking said that it was just wasting money. Most of the offenders are probably dead or just frail old men (case in point James Ford Seale) and why bother.

Well, speaking of Seale, he was just convicted of killing Charles Eddie Moore and Henry Hezekiah Dee back in 1964. Isn't that worth some money? Finally, after more than forty years, Moore's and Dee's families can feel that there is justice. The closure alone is worth the money.

Further, a lot of these men convicted have gone on to enjoy nice lives. Children, grandchildren and all that goes with being an elder member of a family. Their victims had no such lives. Why should we let murderers enjoy their remaining years? They didn't allow their victims any mercy.

Finally, there is no statue of limitations on murder. (Too bad there isn't on rape, but that's a different article.) Justice may be blind, but she's also patient.

God Bless

Immigration

We've heard a lot about immigration these days. It's on the front page of the paper, top story on the news and the Presidential candidates are all discussing it. President Bush is calling for his way to be passed -- it is stalled in the Senate.

Sometimes, I wonder just what a big deal this is. Why is it that we only worry about illegal immigrants once every twenty years or so? Why aren't we spending as much time on lowering our national debt as we pay lip service to immigration?

Lou Dobbs put this much better than I can regarding what to do about illegals, but basically, he said:

• Secure our borders -- say we're going to secure them and back it up with the money and manpower to do so.
• Make those who hire illegals pay for the crime. Add in stiffer penalities for those employers that hire illegals
• Enforce the existing immigration laws. We all ready have many laws in place, but no one actually enforces them.

I think Lou Dobbs is right on the money. This is a smart man and I wish he -- or someone very much like him -- would run for President.

But, that'll probably never happen. People talk about making tough choices all the time, but they usually think someone else should be making them.

God Bless

Sad Stories...

Yesterday, I was reading the Chicago Tribune and I came across an article called The Chronicles of Ben by David Royko. It is a heart wrenching story about a couple dealing with their son's severe autism. After reading this true story, it just makes one grateful for what they have and want to huge one's children.

The other sad story is from the front page of today's Chicago Tribune Online. It is a picture of Isaiah and Argenis Analco, the two twins that were among the six dead in that house in Delavan Wisconsin. Another sad story that makes you grateful for what you have.

I'm going to work now and hopefully there'll be better and happier stories when I get back home.

God Bless

Paris Hilton...

I was sick of Paris Hilton long before her troubles with the law. I can't stand hearing about this blond wouldn't be anybody if she didn't come from a rich family. Now, I'm really peeved that she has some made up "medical" reason that the Sheriff releases her -- without court permission -- to serve out her 45 days in house arrest.

Then, I heard that the judge ordered her back to jail where she belongs. My hat's off to that judge. It's about time someone takes a stand with this girl and makes her take her punishment as an adult. Except, she whined and cried the whole way back to jail.

Poor Baby.

God help her if the Hilton family ever loses their money and she has to work for a living like the rest of us.

Fred Thompson

I like Fred Thompson. I think the guy is a terrific actor. I can see why the very right wing of the Republican party is courting him -- enough for him to give up his job on Law & Order.

Here's what I've found out about where he stands on the issues:

• Abortion - He voted against abortion on three different occasions.
• Gay Rights - He voted against adding sexual orientation to the hate crimes bill and he is against gay marriage.
• Death Penalty - He's for it.
• Privatizing Social Security - For
• Gun Control - He voted on more than one occasion to eliminate background checks at gun shows.
• Voted for the war in Iraq.
  

Now, I like Fred Thompson. I think he'd be a great guy to sit and chew the fat with over ice tea on a hot summer day on the back porch, but I'm not so sure I want him to be the next president. Although, I think he's got a pretty good shot at winning.

First, the man's from Tennessee. He's a southern boy and southern voters like voting for one of their own. Second, he plays a very likable character on TV. A lot of people associate actors and actresses on-screen characters with their real life character. Heck, even I like the guy based on nothing more than his movie and TV parts. I've never seen him play a character I didn't like. I don't have much else to go on. Third, he's not a Washington insider, which has been a bonus for candidates lately. Finally (but only because I'm running out of time), he's a protestant, which is always good for business for a presidential candidate.

But, you should make up your own mine. Do the research and decide if you'll offer him your support.

God Bless

The Starter Wife...

I know I just posted a serious piece on home sale transfer fees, but then I put my computer aside and started reading this next week's TV Guide (the one with the Sopranos on the cover). I had my choice of three magazines that arrived at the house yesterday -- US News & World Report, Newsweek and TV Guide. Sometimes, a girl doesn't want to read serious news, so I picked up the guide.

Anyway, there's a spoiler in the magazine. I'm sure they didn't mean it. Maybe, they didn't realize that those of us with subscriptions would receive the issue BEFORE we saw the next episode.

So, as a public service announcement, DON'T READ THE JUNE 11TH ISSUE OF TV GUIDE UNTIL AFTER YOU WATCH THIS WEEK'S THE STARTER WIFE!

On other news, they put in 3 pages of Rosie/Elisabeth coverage. Oh, and what a joy that is to read. I didn't even bother reading the whole thing. I used to like Rosie O'Donnell. Really, I did and I still do to a point, but I agree with Elisabeth. She was calling Americans terrorists. Now, it should be stated that I agree with Rosie about 75% of the time -- maybe I don't agree on how she says it, but I agree. I disagree with Elisabeth about 98% of the time. I rarely think she knows what she's talking about. President Bush could announce a new bill that says parents should beat their first born and Elisabeth would blindly follow him. However, based on Rosie's statement, I agree with Elisabeth, she was calling Americans terrorists. I also agree that Elisabeth should in no way feel as if she needs to defend any remark made by Rosie and vice versa. I don't believe the hype that Rosie was fired. People who bring up the ratings by 10% do not get fired.

I only have a couple more things to add to this.

First, even I'm getting sick hearing about all of this and I don't think TV Guide needed 3 pages on a story they've covered and covered.

Second, as far as who should be the next co-host, well, I'd like to sign up for the job, but I don't think Barbara Walters will be calling me. So, here's my choice, Sherri Shepherd. She's funny, she's opinionated and she can hold her own. Next choice would be Whoopi Goldberg. But, since me and Barbara Walters aren't bffs, I don't think she's going to call me up and ask my opinion.

Third, the only reason I still watch the View in any capacity (and I've missed the last few weeks) is for Joy Behar. I just love her!

Finally, I'm done writing on this subject, unless Barbara Walters calls me up and asks my opinion. I think the rest of the world should be done with this subject, too.

God Bless

Home Sale Fee...

On my way to work, I'm listening to 95.7 and I hear this ad from the Wisconsin Homeowners Alliance. (I didn't even know there was such a group.) Apparently in the new budget, they want to raise the home sale transfer fee -- something else I didn't know existed.

Currently, the home sale transfer fee is 3%. That comes to 3.00 for every $1,000. Governor Doyle wants to double it to 6% or $6.00 for every $1,000.

What's the big deal?

First, only 7% of homes sell in Wisconsin every year (According to the JSOnline.) So, we're discussing something that only affects 7% of the people and I don't think the home sale transfer fee is stopping anyone from selling their home.

Second, the home sale transfer fee hasn't been raised since 1982. Raising it now, when the money will be used for things like police officers is not a bad thing.

Third, has anyone noticed that our state is in financial trouble? (Along with almost every other state in the union.) The Republicans (according to the JSOnline article) are against this. Really? They had control of both the senate and the assembly for years, I didn't see them come up with any great ideas to help fund the state. (But, they did bring us the anti-gay amendment and concealed carry, so let's all applaud their efforts.)

Finally, the average person is not going to even notice this. The homeowners alliance group's ad on the radio sounds like we're all doomed if this passes. But, in reality, on a home that sells for $95,000, the fee is only $570.00. Since the last time I checked my house was valued at $95,000, I don't think I'll even notice the $570.00 fee. We're not talking about a huge amount of money. I pay half of that every year in state taxes on the gas I buy.

I read one blog entry that liken this rise in a state fee to the same tax raise that caused the Boston Tea Party. Things were a lot different 200 years ago. We didn't need as many police officers and fire fighters. We didn't have teachers. (Women couldn't vote.) I don't like paying taxes anymore than the next guy, but I like knowing that underprivileged children have access to Badger Care. I like knowing that we don't have to cut state funding to police offices and fire fighters. If that means I have to pay a little more when I sell my home, well that's just the way it goes.

God Bless

Movies...

Last weekend, Cheryl and I enjoyed a very rare weekend with nothing to do. So, we spent most of Sunday watching old movies. One of the old movies we watched with "Stage Door" with Ginger Rogers, Katharine Hepburn, Eve Arden and Lucille Ball. It's a movie I've seen a couple of times and I enjoy it each and every time.

The fast paced speech and one line wisecracks makes one wonder why they don't make movies like this anymore. Why is it that most of the movies advertised have buildings blowing up or families in torment? What happened to good writing?

I think good writing has gone the way of special effects -- meaning that they (the movie makers) are spending so much money on special effects, they don't have any left for character development and writing.

And, that's just a shame.

God Bless

The Upcoming Election Year...

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that next year is a Presidential election year. It's all over the news.

I'd like to try something different this election. Let's not pick a front runner until all the facts are in. Let's not let the media pick the two people we should like.

Also, let's agree on some basic items with which our next President has to deal. Here is my top three list and I have more, but I'll save them for later.

1. The War in Iraq. Anyone who thinks we'll be out of Iraq by the end of 2008 is fooling themselves. We can't leave this country until it has a stable environment. That means more troops and more money spent. (and, yes, unfortunately, more lives lost). We've started something that we just can't leave. Not winning in Iraq means more terrorists, not less. This isn't like Vietnam. The Vietnamese weren't going to get on boats and planes and attack us. Terrorists trained in Iraq eventually will. Should we have started the war? No, but now that we have, we can't just take our football home and not play anymore because it's too hard to finish the game.
2. Health care. 45 million Americans do not have any form of health care. I'm not necessarily advocating a national health care plan, but let's find ways to reduce costs, while not reducing coverage. The company for whom I work is touting their new health care program for 2008. Smaller premiums, but they are encouraging each employee to put money into a tax free savings account -- that translates to less is going to be covered. We shouldn't have to lose coverage for lower premiums. Also, I'm tired of these rich companies complaining about health care, like it's some great sacrifice to cover their employees. These same companies pay their CEOs so much money that if they got themselves a cheaper CEO, they could put that money into health care for their employees. (You know, the ones doing the work.) We need to offer better tax breaks on the employers' portion of the premiums, maybe even credits (which is better than a deduction).
3. Dependence on Foreign Oil. Enough is enough. We need, since our car companies can't seem to do it on their own, to mandate higher MPG on our cars. If we have to subsidize some of this, take the money back from the oil companies to do it. We need more research into other alternative fuels -- including electric cars. GM (correct me if I'm wrong about the company) had one, but they concluded that it was too expensive to mass produce and there wouldn't be a large enough buying public. Are they kidding?!? I would've purchased the car. Also, let's do real tax credits for buying electric or hybrid cars. Not this only the first so many buyers need apply and that it had to be by a certain date. Further, let's encourage companies that provide company cars to purchase hybrids/electrics -- give them a tax credit for doing so.

There are many other items we can agree upon, but these are a fairly good start. Let's find the candidates that come up with the best solutions to these issues. Let's not care about political parties. And, above all, let's not let the extreme right wing Christians hijack our country for another four years.

God Bless