A Newt World Order?

It appears Newt Gingrich is going to handily walk away in the SC primary. Romney will place second, and Santorum third. Dr. Paul grabs the fourth place slot.

Couple of things are of interest:

1. Despite Gingrich’s marital fidelity issues, and in particular, his second wife’s “interview” with ABC being aired a couple of days before the South Carolina Primary, appears to have done exactly the opposite of what that media outlet (and it’s enablers) intended. Looking at the poll results, at Fox News, specifically at women voters we find 38% voted for Gingrich. Even more surprising is of those who claimed to be married voted in even greater numbers at 41%, non-married carried 38%. So either they are acting much like Democratic women did with Clinton, or there is something else going on here.

2. Santorum has a lot of interesting ideas, some of which I can agree with, particularly his stance on Islam, and sharia law. Dr. Paul has a number of points, especially on the fiscal/domestic side of the house, which I could very easily get behind, but his foreign policy, military stance, and take on Israel make him a non-player. Romney being little more than “Obama lite”, has no redeeming value in my eyes, other than he would arrive slower to the same destination Obama and company are steering us toward now. But with all these folks there is one thing they will have to deal with. And that is the House and Senate; the Legislative branch. Gingrich, for all his warts and blemishes, knows how to do so, and probably has the best record of all other candidates in this. However, even Newt may have to realize some battles will not be won, or perhaps will have to be fought another day. The big difference between any of the above and Obama, they all will return to the “constitutionally mandated boundaries” between the three branches of government. The GOP has not (yet) crossed the lines the current administration has, and I don’t see this happening…at least for now.

3. Gingrich is the last of the remaining candidates who apparently is not afraid to directly confront the media, calling them out for their duplicity in both the kinds of “questions” asked, and in failing to apply these same “tactics” against anyone who doesn’t happen to have an “R” after their name. He also is the only one (remaining) who consistently has called out Obama, his cronies. and his policies as being nothing short of (at the very least) Socialism, or having tactics taken directly from the Alinsky playbook.

Of all the above, the third one is what is resonating with voters. They want someone who is going to challenge the left. They want someone who is willing to at least try to level the playing field. They want someone who will (hopefully) bring this country back toward its founding documents. He does not have to be a saint. But he does have to listen, and he does have to lead, and he does have to put America…her fiscal health, her best interests both foreign and domestic, and her “American Dream”, back on the front burner. If Gingrich can accomplish that. If he can stay on track, on focus with these ideals, I predict he can not only win the GOP Primary, but the national election come next November. If he gets off target, or gets too full of himself, than all bets are off.

As mentioned on twitter; We have been looking for a leader, for someone to at least aspire to the mantle of Reagan. What we have the potential of having is an actual “Churchillian moment”. Where a once unpopular and shunned, but intellectually astute individual, fell from power, came back to lead his people through the toughest of times imaginable. Winston Churchill was that for Great Britain during the war years. Could Gingrich be “our Churchill”?

*Update*
I would be remiss if I didn’t “give a doff of the squid lid” to the following two articles. They both influenced the above.

this editorial at IBD
and of course,Fran, at Eternity Road . Thank you gentlemen!

A Short Story Challenge

Aggie, over at Sithy Things has issued a “short story challenge”. I picked up the gauntlet and stumbled around as best I could. Here is my response, at least for now.

*UPDATE*

Have added a “Short Story” category on the bottom right side of the blog. I will be adding old stories, and update(s) to the current *cough* *sputter* “epic”, there. If you are so inclined, check em out.

Imposing Their Will

Eternity Road has been mentioned and referenced here, more than once. deservedly so. This link is no exception. Which leads to todays bit of soapbox sophistry.

First off, I believe Rick Santorum is a man of principle , and it is refreshing to see this, especially with the antithesis of that occupying the Oval Office right now.

But, and it is a very big “but”, Santorum, entitled to his personal believes as he is, (and a number of which I may privately agree with) does not have the right to impose these on the American people just because he holds these truths to be self-evident to him. It is the same path Mike Huckabee followed in his failed bid for the Presidency. And in a slightly different vein, Gingrich also falls into this trap. (His support of the failed “war on drugs”, as one example.)

But wait, there’s more!!

Bachmann had the same temperament, and to a lesser degree, so did Palin. Perry also exhibits some of this, but his saving grace is he will listen to his constituents, “backing up and regrouping” when called on going too far.

What are we addressing here? All of the above are at least passingly knowledgable about the Constitution. All have repeatedly stated they are for returning to our “Constitutional roots”, at least to some degree. All seem to be clear on external threats this country faces, or could be facing within the next few years. They all want “a return to a strong(er) America”, a unfettering of American enterprise, a strong(er) foreign policy and military.

The real problem is, all of them, to some degree, want to impose their personal moral code on each and every one of us.

The progressives, socialists, communists, and their ilk, have no moral code, so this was never an issue with them. However, they did (and do) have a consistent predilection to “know what is best for us”, along with a strong desire to want us to know “they are our betters and we should be damn glad they are willing to lead us to a better tomorrow”…whether we want to go there or not.

Short answer:

These are but opposite sides of the same coin.

They want, for good intent or ill, to control us, and the Constitution be damned!

I want to be talked with, as an adult. I want all my elected (or wanna be elected) officials to adhere to the Constitution, and to their respective sworn oaths. It’s just that simple.

Is it really too much to ask?

Obama’s actions may justify a means to his end.

“The end justifies the means.”

How many times have we heard this particular phrase? How many times has the short and long-term results of this particular phrase, impacted you, your family, friends, community?

Granted, this type of behavior/action is not exclusive to the progressives, or their fellow travelers. There have been those, considered by many, to be on the more conservative bent, who have availed themselves of this notion. Unlike most of those of a more socialist nature, the right of center folks, when caught (as is usually the case) are soundly thrashed, by the government, their peers (on the other side of the aisle, of course), the media, and anyone else who so desires.

Think of Nixon…or more to the point Hunt, Liddy, et al, and a certain break in. We all know what happened to them. Now contrast this with Richard Daley (senior), the DNC, and the Kennedy camp. They all worked together, in one way or another, to insure Kennedy’s (JFK) path to the White House was a successful one. Chicago’s votes were crucial in locking in Illinois electoral votes. The votes were produced, one way or another. Yet crickets still chirp, instead of any hue and cry (long-delayed, or otherwise) over “voting irregularities”.

But those two examples are not nearly as damning as what we are dealing with now.

The seeds for our current state of affairs, were planted long ago. It could be argued this particular “philosophical thought” is but a negative part of human nature, beholding to no particular party or political idealism. This strikes me as being pretty close to the truth. However, it has always been used by those who are in a position of power, to either increase their power, or their control, over others. The last part often disguised as “knowing what is best for you (all)”, because we are, after all, smarter than you.

In modern times one only has to look at what took place under almost every President since (and including) FDR. This also holds true for both the House and Senate. But it is only within the past 20 years or so, up until the present day, this bit of verbiage, reached full bloom. To that end, it can be thought of as being “owned” by the progressives and their ilk, lock, stock, and barrel.

And so within the last three years, we have reaped the rewards of “the end justifying the means”.

We have a president (he does not warrant a “capital P”) who is not only unconstitutionally sitting in office (dual citizenship, regardless where he was born, does not count as being a “natural born citizen”), but one who has consistently worked at violating, not only his sworn oath of office, but the very document he was duty bound to uphold and defend…the United States Constitution.

His list of high crimes and misdemeanors is far too long (and growing … not only day by day, but in depth and scope) to be listed here. In any case, you could search the web and find countless references. Two items, stand out at the moment:

1. “Operation Fast and Furious” How much did the president know, and when did he know it? I suspect, as do others , at best, “in the loop” about what was going on. At worst, who knows?

2. While the Senates away, the jester will play. Though others have played fast and loose with the Constitution, none have, in recent memory, done so as blatantly as our current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

But of course, the ends justify the means.

The real question here should be … what “ends” is the Usurper-in-Chief trying to justify?

Top Ten Peeves of a Harbor-ish Nature

1. Anyone whose actions have the potential to harm (specifically) me or my family and friends. In the broader sense, have the potential to harm anyone. In this case, drivers who feel they have a rendezvous with destiny, requiring them to drive like a bat outta hell. Swerving in and out of traffic, on a 4 lane interstate (two lanes both ways), or a two lane county road. We are not even talking about road rage here, just drivers being rude to the point of placing their needs above all others on the road.

2. “Canned” music in grocery, department, or any other, stores. Especially when you work there, and have to hear the same music over and over and over … again. Maybe the store won’t (or can’t) change the channel, but the folks who feed the music in could update their tunes at least once a month? Come on! There is enough “contemporary (adult) pop” out there which would allow for some sort of rotation to be done.

3. Having music which you grew up with being played in the stores via the above. If I may borrow from her Majesty, The Queen, “We are not only NOT old enough to have our cherished tunes of youth bandied about the muzac-al airwaves, WE are NOT amused!”

4. It is high time to declare “Zero Tolerance” on any person, group, agency, or place, which practices or honors “Zero Tolerance”! (Yes, Public Schools at all grade levels, I am speaking to you!)

5. I don’t care what political party you chose to follow and or believe in. I don’t care which political party my local, state, and federal elected office holders belong to. All I ask is all of you adhere to the guidelines and specific restrictions applicable to you, as called out in the Constitution. Is that too much to ask? We can debate your pluses and minuses after we at least agree to honor that charter which allows you to hold office in the first place.

6. The only hyphenated word I want to see, is one which is required by Webster’s to be there. (Okay, Oxford qualifies as well.) In my world, there is no such thing as a hyphenated American. You either is an American, or you isn’t!

7. Enough with “The War On …” (fill in the blank) already! We no longer seem to be able to fight a “real” war with any sort of clear-cut sense of either what the real cost to us all is going to be, or with any concrete objective(s). If we are going to fight a “War on Terror”, than let’s address the real issues/culprits, and go about eliminating same…or not fight at all. This is also true for the pseudo wars, on drugs, on crime, on poverty, (you get the drift) either we do what is needed to eliminate “the core issue/problem/concern”, or realize there is no “real fix”, or find another solution. Cause what we have now, in all cases above, isn’t working.

8. Smarmy newscasters. Don’t care what side of the political spectrum gives you a tingle up or down your leg. Keep your opinions to the editorial comment part of the show. When it is time for the news, or an interview, keep your damn opinions to yourself. Oh, and how about a little fact checking, and objective information from both sides of any given issue (no nutjobs from either side). Let the listening/viewing/reading public have the facts (you do remember those don’t you “Who, WHat, Why, When, Where, and How) and we will decide for our own damn selves about how we should address or react to the news.

9. Political Correctness. Let me put this as gently as I can. Unless I have personally slandered you or your family, or caused you harm by my words, than STFU! If I tell an off-color joke, or happen to expound on the many faults of Islam (for example), or something else which offends your delicate sensibilities, too bad. Now I may be a bore for doing so in various places and at various times, but enough with the thin skin already! (Palin leaping on the use of “retard” comes to mind, as a prime example of political correctness…and of being thin-skinned. And I like a lot of her stances. Just goes to show this toxic mind mush can effect anyone.)

10. “Compassionate Conservatism” People, People, People!!! You are either compassionate or you are not (granted, it can, and does, vary by degree on a person by person basis). It has nothing to do with your political view. This is little more than one side admitting to the other, they were right all along. Conservatives, as a rule, were NOT compassionate…that there was a problem in “our camp”. Individual compassion will be expressed, and known to those parties involved, or at the very least (if done anonymously) between the compassionate one and their God. And that is, and should be, more than enough.

And there is my “Top 10 List of Peeves”. Thanks Aggie! See what happens when you get me started?

He’s Not Dead, Jim!

Hope the Christmas holiday found everyone in good spirits and much good times and good cheer was spent with family and friends.

Posting was light for a couple of reasons. First off, in respect for the season, I could not honestly rant about the massive amount of corruption, evil, and ill will that is taking place around the country, particularly in any area one might find “King Putt”. (I soooo like that particular handle for our Usurper-in-Chief, that I believe it will be used here as much as possible, until the that particular “Constitutional Republically Challenged” individual, and all his sycophants/butt buddies/and fellow travelers are either removed from office, or exit on their own.) Of course, there is the world at large, and all the same flavors of the above, to get spooled up about too. In any case, at least for the few weeks before, and a couple of days after, this was something I could not wrap my heart around.

Secondly, at least during the week leading up to Christmas, there was lots to do at work (we are, like most other retail establishments, very busy at this time of year) so more hours were spent there, than were before (and they were busy ones).

Finally, medical issues also reared their ugly little heads. What could have been a potential Christmas write off (as far as visiting family and friends), ended up, thanks to the efforts of not only some fine medical folks, but my sister as well, as a smooth medical procedure for my mother. She was in and out of the hospital in a few days, and was able to have her family over for Christmas, without missing much more than a beat.
(And for those of you who were not as fortunate, my thoughts go out to you, was there myself ten years ago…when dad passed on…may the coming New Year bring you peace of mind, body, and soul.)

So this bit of fluff on the net, was neglected.

But now, all bets are off.

Expect to see a new post in the next day or so. Between SOPA and PIPA we should have some interesting verbiage shortly. There is the ongoing GOP circus…err, primary, lots of potential there. We have a subset of the last one, here in my own Congressional District (the 16th, for those taking notes). It seems Illinois has shrunk a bit in population, between the last two census were taken.
So we have to have our Congressional Districts re-apportioned. What this means to me, is our current Congress critter, is now in a fight for his seat, against the Congress critter from the old 11th District. The “new kid” on the block, looks to be the one I will be tossing my vote toward. He is a tea party fav, and seems to be part of that new freshman class that is causing consternation on both sides of the aisles, in Congress. But we shall see.

Milk in the raw, and other misadventures in the hinterlands of northern Illinois.

I remember having milk delivered to our house in the (then) furthest western suburbs of Chicago, back in the early 60′s. Oberweis was a diary back then, and not a (positive) political voice in the cesspool of Illinois gubernatorial gladiator pit. It was (and I suspect, still is) good tasting milk. The products available at our local grocers, and those in the nearest big city, are okay, but there is no longer the rich creamy goodness one remembers from childhood.

So Deb and I were talking about what choices are available. Yes, there are some stores, relatively close enough, who offer Oberweis. But for all their creamy goodness, they are a bit higher in cost, not to mention the (one time) deposit on the glass bottles. So, we went one step further. After all, if we are going to pay more, why not see if there was a way to eliminate the middle man, and buy directly from the source. Thanks to this fine fellow, we found a place.

Yesterday, we went and picked up two gallons of rich unadulterated “raw” milk goodness. Two quarts of cream also found their way to our car. Not to be forgotten, were the dozen eggs of various hue and size, and finally, a brisket. It took about an hour to get there. The roads are nice, but there is no such thing as a straight line from our part of the hinterland, to where that bit of dairy heaven awaited us.

Tried a glass when we returned home. Somewhere, a memory from a far simpler time stirred. A six year old’s eyes lit up, and smile widened at the arrival, some fifty years later, of milk as it was ment to be. Rich creamy goodness, caressing taste buds in a manner almost immoral. And the cream…my coffee demanded not to be left out, and who am I to deny my caffeine addiction, a bit of satisfaction. Add a bit of sugar, a dash of cinnamon, and there is not a manufactured “creamer” on the market which can rival it, in taste or texture.

We will be returning. Having sampled the ambrosia of the Dairy Gods, we mere mortals have little choice but to return. Thank God, none of us are lactose intolerant.

After “moo-vanna”, we headed over to one of my companies other stores (I work for a small grocery chain, here in the hinterlands). As with many grocery chains over the past 10 years or so, this particular building had once housed a competitor, now it was “ours”. It was the first time I had the pleasure of seeing another of our stores. This store was easily 3 times as large as ours, and it showed. It wasn’t that there was so much more product, the large amount of area would have almost demanded this be so. What was of greater interest to me … the layout. All the photos we, my fellow employees and I, have seen of product layout, now made sense. They have more than enough room to be as creative as they want in product placement and presentation. When it comes to our store, we are lucky in having room enough to properly place what we have, let alone allow ourselves some extravagant product presentation, at least to the level of our bigger brother(s). It was interesting, and awakening to some degree.

There will be return trips to both places, in the not too distant future.

Aunt Betty

Mom had two sisters, my Aunt “Nibs”, and Aunt Betty. Aunt Betty, like mom, stayed physically close to her roots; though all three sisters were of a bond, which neither time nor distance from each other could diminish or erase. Betty was of the generation which grew up during the “Great Depression”, became a young adult during “the war”, and became a blushing bride and eventually a mother, shortly there after. Both her and my Uncle Les, worked hard, saw their children, my cousins Chris and Laurel grow to adulthood, and were able to retire from the rat race most of us are still shackled to, some 20 odd years ago.

Betty was of quick wit, and had a way with words. I believe, had she been of my generation, she would have embraced the internet and blogging, and we would have been richer for it.

For my Aunt remembered.

She recalled, on paper, the life and times not only of her mother, but her grandmother as well. I was privileged to have been able to read a rough transcript of her memories, and found it easy to read.

Mom willingly told us about her families history as she remembered it, but Aunt Betty’s story provided depth, a thicker texture, which could only be produced from one who was old enough to remember in greater detail what went on, things her younger sibling would perhaps have missed.

And her skills in the kitchen … a slice of one of Aunt Betty’s pies, was to taste fruit, flour, and assorted spices, in the way the good Lord intended … as a bit of heaven on earth. To be at my grandmother’s house on Thanksgiving or Christmas, when all the women folk were performing their kitchen alchemy, was to know your waistline was in for a losing battle. If the dinner itself did not cause your belt to loosen up, seemingly of its own accord, or the button on the top of your trousers to voluntarily rocket skyward, well … then their desserts would provide the coup de grace.

But my Aunt’s pies, cookies, and cakes, quick wit, sparkling eyes, and smile, will have to content themselves to remain only as memories. As so many of her generation have done, with increasing frequency, my Aunt left us this week. And the world is a much quieter, a less enjoyable, and yes, a less “dessert friendly” place.

Please give Great Grandma, Grandma, Grandpa, and Dad, a couple of hugs from me when you see them … cause I know you brought them a pie or two to nibble on, while sharing a cup of coffee, and catching up on all the latest gossip from down here.

You will be missed, but never forgotten.

Fall slouches down the road, while Winter inches ever closer.

It seems like Autumn only arrived a month or so ago. Yet, though temperatures are holding at normal levels, perhaps even a bit on the warmer side, it looks more like the end of fall and the early stages of winter, than not. It feels like it. Yep, a very sad state of affairs when feeling starts being the basis of ones modus operandi, instead of adjusting to the reality of it all, but still, there it is.

There are often times grey clouds obscuring the sun, during what little daylight is to be had. We already have been visited by snow. A day of big flakes, with grand ambitions, but a ground with a warmth greater than said ambitions, saw the frozen white banished, at least for a few more weeks.

Here we are, one week past Thanksgiving, spiritual cornucopias pregnant with what we should have been thankful for; yet demanding more. Physical bounties placed, if only symbolically, on our tables. And I get the feeling, we may not have partaken of an annual Thanksgiving, but something more akin to, a Last Supper.

The melancholy has hit hard.

Not an angst fulled, suicide hot line, “oh woe is me”, pity party. No, this is looking at what has been, what is, and by all indications, what will be, kind of feeling. That baring some major epiphany on the part of the American people, those we have elected, and will elect to office, will see us on our way to a very long winter. A passing of … something. Youth, innocence, last chances to right what has been made wrong… without paying “full adult fare”.

The occupy wall street crowd (Yeah, I know it should be capitalized, but they neither warrant, or deserve it.) and their fellow travelers throughout the world, would argue otherwise, many not even knowing what they were arguing for or about. But banging their sippy cups none the less.

The morally corrupt, their corrupters, and enablers of all political affiliations, either silently cheer them on, or are actively supporting them, while advancing their own agendas. The largest of corporations seek to keep their bottom line secure, by any means fair or foul. And that which was once the faithful watchdog, has been given its pound of red meat (or thirty pieces of silver, if you prefer). Tail wagging, it sits happily in the corner, dining, while it’s masters are robbed…of their standard of living, their freedoms, and perhaps any real chance of regaining same.

In the next six months to a year or so, I am willing to bet we will have closed a chapter in the book of mankind. Perhaps it will be titled “An American Experiment”, or perhaps it will be but a smaller section of a larger chapter … “The Rise and Fall of Western Civilization”.

There is still a chance, for there is always hope, however fleeting and tenuous. But the chance grows smaller with each passing day.

What was once a beacon, is now little more than a flickering candle in the wind.

“Livin on jacks and queens … Maverick is a legend of the west.”

Or so the song goes from the old Maverick television show. A series about a gambler, and a bit of a rogue, whose conscience, at the end of the day, usually won out over his wallet. A good man, in spite of himself. The kind of man John McCain would have you believe he patterns himself after. One outside of the political norm, a risk taker, a rogue if the occasion warrants.

It was, and is a myth.

He claims to be for the common man, the working man, the everyday American. But will be forever known as part of the Keating Five. His actions, or the allowing, on his part, of other’s actions, caused “the common man”, the “everyday American”, to lose large parts of their retirements. I know about this on a personal level, my grandfather lost over 40k thanks to the actions of these men.

This was a myth.

He has sworn to, “protect the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic …”, not only as a member of the United States Navy, but as a sitting United States Senator. So, how could he in good conscience (there’s that conscience thing again), co-sponsor the “McCain-Feingold Bill”? And there was his active support toward John “thank God I had my magic cap and leather jacket in Vietnam” Kerry, while he was being hammered by the Swiftboat Vets. (And rightly so, I might add.) How could he indorse the actions and antics of such an empty suited opportunist over the well founded and grounded information provided by “real Vietnam Vets”? Political opportunity/payback trumps “duty”, “honor”, and “country” I guess.

His honor towards his oath taking was a myth.

And now, there is this

A congressional “super committee” tasked to slow the nation’s rising debt appears to have reached consensus on dampening future cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for federal entitlement programs, including military retirement, through use of a “chain-weighted” Consumer Price Index.
Source: Tom Philpott-Military Times “dot” com, November 03, 2011

And this.

Pulling the TRICARE Prime idea from a recent Congressional Budget Office report, McCain said forcing retirees under 65 to use TRICARE Standard, the fee-for-service option, or health insurance from civilian employers, or space-available care at base clinics or hospitals, could save DoD medical accounts up to $111 billion over the next decade.

McCain, ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, was once a champion for expanded TRICARE benefits to retirees. He was not available for an interview. But a staff member explained the senator feels eliminating retiree TRICARE Prime is more acceptable than alternatives to cut equipment, training or key weapon programs needed by the current force.

“Faced with the possibility of sequester and its potential for an enormously harmful impact on national security,” he said, McCain wants the super committee to consider carefully options “that would not impose drastic negative impacts on the Defense Department, or the currently serving force and their families, while sustaining the TRICARE benefit.”

As reported here two weeks ago, McCain also has embraced President Obama’s proposal to set a $200 a year enrollment fee for TRICARE for Life, the prized supplement to Medicare for military beneficiaries age 65 and older.
Source: Tom Philpott-Military “dot” com, November 03, 2011

Once again, McCain, under the guise of “fairness”, and “making the best choices in the toughest of circumstances”, seeks to work with Democrats and others of the anti-military ilk, in stabbing he fellow veterans in the back. It costs him nothing to do so. He has money enough to be “self insured” … oh wait, he also has that nifty Senatorial medical benefit package. Something his “fellow vets” could only dream about, well unless they were federal employees too.

But let’s cut out the vets from what they were, if not promised, at least strongly suggested, would be theirs… availability of free medical. Which then became, CHAMPUS, and then TRICARE. Now TRICARE, at least in its current form, may be under the knife. This along with the traditional retirement plan. All being looked at as “fat” to be trimmed from what some folks on capital hill consider to be a bloated defense budget.

And McCain is casting his lot with these bastards.

As I have said before, years ago now, this man is not to be trusted.

Maverick? Not bloody likely. Unless you consider “Maverick” to be taken in the same context as “fallen angel”. In which case, John McCain you are in the best of company with all others damned to hell. One of Satan’s gamblers … living on the souls of Jacks and Queens, indeed.