“You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."
“Great crises produce great men.”
The first quote was a recent statement by President Elect Obama’s incoming Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel. The second quote is from JFK’s book, Profiles of Courage.
And while we are quoting: “power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely” (Lord Acton).
Kennedy, while idolized by many then and now, operated under a “crisis mentality.” There was a “war” on everything…racism, poverty, Cuba, Russia, race to the moon, Vietnam, etc. The 1960’s is commonly known as a “period of unrest in US history.” Maybe it was a “period of unrest” because it was politically expedient to have a crisis at every turn. The “Great Society” came out of this period of “unrest.” Thirty years or so later we finally agreed that the welfare state created by Kennedy and Johnson did not work.
But I digress…history has proven that when people are in a crisis situation, real or perceived, they willingly give up power (personal liberties) to others that they believe will “fix the problem” and relieve them of their anxieties. Power is addictive and the opportunity to gain and keep power while “the people” feel vulnerable during times of crisis is simply just too delicious to pass up.
Mr. Emanuel’s statement is very scary to me.
How much further towards Socialism, Marxism, Fascism (and away from the free market/capitalism) will United States citizens be willing to go in an effort to “bail out” the big guys…the corporations that are “too big to fail?” Are we going to keep subsidizing failures? Is there an end?
Exactly what “things” does Mr. Emanuel think he can do now that the US is in an economic crisis? How much power will the government take during this time of stress? I guess we will find out over the next few months. I expect it will be worse than the Great Society of the 60’s and 70’s.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
American Solutions
If you have not heard of American Solutions you might want to check out their website. Americansolutions.com
Lead by Newt Gingrich American Solutions was the organization responsible for the successful "Drill Here, Drill Now" internet campaign a few months ago.
American Solutions has come up with Ten Proposed American Solutions to get America out of its current financial crisis.
These ten proposed solutions include abolishing the capital gains tax, lowering corporate taxes, ending corporate bailouts, ending earmarks & porkbarrel spending,eliminating the death tax, and creating an optional single rate tax system.
It seems all we hear on the news lately is depressing news about the economy, and rightly so, it is a huge problem. After listening and reading about what should be done I believe that a great jumpstart would be to immediately abolish the capital gains taxes. China does not have a capital gains tax and we have to compete daily with China for investors. I have not heard any convincing arguments for keeping the capital gains taxes.
Anyway visit Americansolutions.com and read what Newt and others have to say...sounds like a lot of common sense talk to me!
Lead by Newt Gingrich American Solutions was the organization responsible for the successful "Drill Here, Drill Now" internet campaign a few months ago.
American Solutions has come up with Ten Proposed American Solutions to get America out of its current financial crisis.
These ten proposed solutions include abolishing the capital gains tax, lowering corporate taxes, ending corporate bailouts, ending earmarks & porkbarrel spending,eliminating the death tax, and creating an optional single rate tax system.
It seems all we hear on the news lately is depressing news about the economy, and rightly so, it is a huge problem. After listening and reading about what should be done I believe that a great jumpstart would be to immediately abolish the capital gains taxes. China does not have a capital gains tax and we have to compete daily with China for investors. I have not heard any convincing arguments for keeping the capital gains taxes.
Anyway visit Americansolutions.com and read what Newt and others have to say...sounds like a lot of common sense talk to me!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Find Your Voice by Glenn Beck
I listen to Glenn Beck from time to time. The following is a list found on Glenn's website. For more on Glenn go to glennbeck.com.
Find Your Voice List
November 17, 2008 - 13:35 ET By Glenn Beck
FIND YOUR VOICE
You are your own voice. Others may be silenced. Who will lead if your guy 'who speaks for you' is gone?
FIND YOURSELF
Who are you really? What do you believe? Have you been pushed and challenged? Do you know where you stand? Can you support it with real facts?
FIND YOUR WEAKNESS
Don’t ignore your weakness. Make your weakness into your strength.
FIND YOUR VALUES
Make it your focus, work at them. Values don’t just ‘happen’ they are developed. A house divided against cannot stand. Be the same person at home, at work, in public and private.
FIND YOUR LOVE
Too much hate has been planted. Uproot it, pull it out and replace it with goodwill for those of different faiths, political party or viewpoints.
FIND YOUR FELLOW AMERICANS
Connect and encourage those who put Constitution and service to God first. Help them wake others.
FIND YOUR JOY
It will not come from places that Americans are encouraged to find it. True joy won’t be found in stores, sex or power. You will need to know where your unlimited supply can be found. Look to your family. Look at selfless service. But you have to find it for yourself.
Find Your Voice List
November 17, 2008 - 13:35 ET By Glenn Beck
FIND YOUR VOICE
You are your own voice. Others may be silenced. Who will lead if your guy 'who speaks for you' is gone?
FIND YOURSELF
Who are you really? What do you believe? Have you been pushed and challenged? Do you know where you stand? Can you support it with real facts?
FIND YOUR WEAKNESS
Don’t ignore your weakness. Make your weakness into your strength.
FIND YOUR VALUES
Make it your focus, work at them. Values don’t just ‘happen’ they are developed. A house divided against cannot stand. Be the same person at home, at work, in public and private.
FIND YOUR LOVE
Too much hate has been planted. Uproot it, pull it out and replace it with goodwill for those of different faiths, political party or viewpoints.
FIND YOUR FELLOW AMERICANS
Connect and encourage those who put Constitution and service to God first. Help them wake others.
FIND YOUR JOY
It will not come from places that Americans are encouraged to find it. True joy won’t be found in stores, sex or power. You will need to know where your unlimited supply can be found. Look to your family. Look at selfless service. But you have to find it for yourself.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Is it the Fairness Doctrine...or the Unfair Doctrine?
Let’s play a little game.
• You are the owner of a small news/talk radio station in a community of less than 500,000.
• Your radio station broadcasts at 1,000 watts of power; by comparison a station in Cincinnati or St. Antonio broadcasts at 50,000 watts.
• As the owner of the radio station you choose a ‘conservative’ format as opposed to a ‘progressive’ format.
Rules:
1. You will be given a license to operate for a period of three years.
2. During the time you operate you will have to prove that your station is “operating on behalf of the public interest.”
3. If you can not prove that your radio station is operating on “behalf of the public interest” you will be charged a fee. Said fee will be paid directly to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
4. When your three year license is nearing the expiration date you will have to announce when the license is going to expire and explain to the public how they can participate in the process of determining whether or not your license should be renewed.
5. The FCC would have a website that would facilitate interaction with the public about the station’s conduct and content.
Using the example above you would be a small business owner who due to the “Fairness Doctrine” would not necessarily be able to choose the format for your radio station that attracts the most advertisers. Instead you would be forced to operate a radio station that serves the “public interest” or pay a fee to a Corporation that would operate a news/talk radio station that support local news, public affairs programming, and cover controversial political issues in a fair and balanced manner.
Knowing the rules stated above would you invest your time and money in a news/talk radio station?
The “rules” I stated above come directly from a “Talk Radio Study” researched and published by the Center for American Progress. Gene Sperling, Senior fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP), currently serves on Obama’s economic transition advisory committee which met last week. CAP mission is: Progressive Ideas for a Strong, Free, and Just America. I am for a strong and free America…but who said life is “just?” Oh, I know the same people who think that spreading the money earned by some to those who don’t pay any income taxes is the “fair and patriotic” thing to do. I believe that CAP’s report is part of the ammunition being used by liberal democrats to bring back the Fairness Doctrine.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/0/talk_radio.html
Several leading members of the liberal democratic congress and President-Elect Obama have stressed that they want to bring back the Fairness Doctrine. Basically the Fairness Doctrine was a policy that required radio and TV stations to provide equal time to issues of public interest or face the possibility of losing their license to broadcast. During the Reagan administration the FCC repealed the Fairness Doctrine under some concerns about its constitutionality (Free Speech). Within months after its repeal Rush Limbaugh’s radio show became nationally syndicated and the rest is history in terms of conservative talk radio shows peppering the AM radio waves.
Conservative talk radio shows have been profitable for radio stations owners (and the hosts…Rush Limbaugh makes a lot of money) but “progressive” (aka liberal) radio talk show programs have been not so successful. Ok, that’s supply and demand, free market, capitalism. But those basics of (what used to be) the American economy do not make liberals happy…it is not fair or just…according to them. They want to require a radio station that airs Rush to air liberal shows with equal amount of time and show time (can’t play liberals at 11 pm if Rush airs at 1 pm).
So the radio station owner would have to air liberal shows even if advertisers don’t want to advertise due to fewer people listening to the liberal shows. This means that the radio station owner would have to charge companies that advertises on conservative shows more to make up for the revenue lost on liberal shows just so they can afford to run the liberal shows. (Under the CAP plan the station owner would not have to air the liberal shows but they would have to pay a fee…either way it costs the station owner money.)
Call me idealistic but if people wanted to listen to progressive talk radio stations they would be more successful and on the air in more cities.
The Media Research Center is actively involved in fighting the FCC bringing back the Fairness Doctrine. Go to their website, read their info, and sign their petition if you agree that the Fairness Doctrine is, well, unfair.
http://www.mrcaction.org/517/petition.asp?PID=18636028
Their home page is www.mrc.org
• You are the owner of a small news/talk radio station in a community of less than 500,000.
• Your radio station broadcasts at 1,000 watts of power; by comparison a station in Cincinnati or St. Antonio broadcasts at 50,000 watts.
• As the owner of the radio station you choose a ‘conservative’ format as opposed to a ‘progressive’ format.
Rules:
1. You will be given a license to operate for a period of three years.
2. During the time you operate you will have to prove that your station is “operating on behalf of the public interest.”
3. If you can not prove that your radio station is operating on “behalf of the public interest” you will be charged a fee. Said fee will be paid directly to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
4. When your three year license is nearing the expiration date you will have to announce when the license is going to expire and explain to the public how they can participate in the process of determining whether or not your license should be renewed.
5. The FCC would have a website that would facilitate interaction with the public about the station’s conduct and content.
Using the example above you would be a small business owner who due to the “Fairness Doctrine” would not necessarily be able to choose the format for your radio station that attracts the most advertisers. Instead you would be forced to operate a radio station that serves the “public interest” or pay a fee to a Corporation that would operate a news/talk radio station that support local news, public affairs programming, and cover controversial political issues in a fair and balanced manner.
Knowing the rules stated above would you invest your time and money in a news/talk radio station?
The “rules” I stated above come directly from a “Talk Radio Study” researched and published by the Center for American Progress. Gene Sperling, Senior fellow at the Center for American Progress (CAP), currently serves on Obama’s economic transition advisory committee which met last week. CAP mission is: Progressive Ideas for a Strong, Free, and Just America. I am for a strong and free America…but who said life is “just?” Oh, I know the same people who think that spreading the money earned by some to those who don’t pay any income taxes is the “fair and patriotic” thing to do. I believe that CAP’s report is part of the ammunition being used by liberal democrats to bring back the Fairness Doctrine.
http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2007/0/talk_radio.html
Several leading members of the liberal democratic congress and President-Elect Obama have stressed that they want to bring back the Fairness Doctrine. Basically the Fairness Doctrine was a policy that required radio and TV stations to provide equal time to issues of public interest or face the possibility of losing their license to broadcast. During the Reagan administration the FCC repealed the Fairness Doctrine under some concerns about its constitutionality (Free Speech). Within months after its repeal Rush Limbaugh’s radio show became nationally syndicated and the rest is history in terms of conservative talk radio shows peppering the AM radio waves.
Conservative talk radio shows have been profitable for radio stations owners (and the hosts…Rush Limbaugh makes a lot of money) but “progressive” (aka liberal) radio talk show programs have been not so successful. Ok, that’s supply and demand, free market, capitalism. But those basics of (what used to be) the American economy do not make liberals happy…it is not fair or just…according to them. They want to require a radio station that airs Rush to air liberal shows with equal amount of time and show time (can’t play liberals at 11 pm if Rush airs at 1 pm).
So the radio station owner would have to air liberal shows even if advertisers don’t want to advertise due to fewer people listening to the liberal shows. This means that the radio station owner would have to charge companies that advertises on conservative shows more to make up for the revenue lost on liberal shows just so they can afford to run the liberal shows. (Under the CAP plan the station owner would not have to air the liberal shows but they would have to pay a fee…either way it costs the station owner money.)
Call me idealistic but if people wanted to listen to progressive talk radio stations they would be more successful and on the air in more cities.
The Media Research Center is actively involved in fighting the FCC bringing back the Fairness Doctrine. Go to their website, read their info, and sign their petition if you agree that the Fairness Doctrine is, well, unfair.
http://www.mrcaction.org/517/petition.asp?PID=18636028
Their home page is www.mrc.org
Monday, November 17, 2008
The Presidential Seal
I know I have seen the presidential seal thousands of times over the years but I never paid much attention to it. In reading about Obama’s seal that he used during the campaign I found out a couple of interesting things about the Presidential Seal.
A Newsmax article, written by Jim Myers, discusses Obama’s podium seal and prompted me to think about the significance of the presidential seal. The following is from Myer’s article:
“Back in June, he (Obama) spoke at a podium bearing a new seal that altered the official presidential seal.
The seal did include the American bald eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch, but the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum” was changed to “Vero Possumus,” a rough translation of the Obama campaign slogan, “Yes we can.”
Obama’s seal also removed the shield over the eagle’s breast, representing the president’s oath to defend the Constitution, and replaced it with the letter “O,” presumably for Obama, and the image of the rising sun.”
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/obama_president_elect_/2008/11/10/149643.html
In 1776 the first design committee was convened but it was not until 1782 that the final design of the seal was approved. E Pluribus Unum translates into “Many uniting into one” or “Out of many one” was the motto that the first committee in 1776 suggested. The olive branch and the bundle of arrows in the eagle’s talons represent the “power and peace of war.” Above the eagle’s head there are thirteen stars representing the 13 original states. The shield on the Great Seal has seven white and six red stripes (the flag has seven red and six white stripes).
I hope that the seal, which was so thoughtfully designed by our founding fathers over 200 years ago, is not going to undergo a radical change in the next administration. Hopefully, that was just political posturing by Obama during the campaign; trying to look presidential. I for one do not want to see a single red star or a rising star on our seal…reminds me of some symbols of nations that do not have anything in common with what America really stands for. Also the “yes we can” part of O’s seal reminds me of the “yes I can” training program that I taught Radisson Hotel employees.
A Newsmax article, written by Jim Myers, discusses Obama’s podium seal and prompted me to think about the significance of the presidential seal. The following is from Myer’s article:
“Back in June, he (Obama) spoke at a podium bearing a new seal that altered the official presidential seal.
The seal did include the American bald eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch, but the Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum” was changed to “Vero Possumus,” a rough translation of the Obama campaign slogan, “Yes we can.”
Obama’s seal also removed the shield over the eagle’s breast, representing the president’s oath to defend the Constitution, and replaced it with the letter “O,” presumably for Obama, and the image of the rising sun.”
http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/obama_president_elect_/2008/11/10/149643.html
In 1776 the first design committee was convened but it was not until 1782 that the final design of the seal was approved. E Pluribus Unum translates into “Many uniting into one” or “Out of many one” was the motto that the first committee in 1776 suggested. The olive branch and the bundle of arrows in the eagle’s talons represent the “power and peace of war.” Above the eagle’s head there are thirteen stars representing the 13 original states. The shield on the Great Seal has seven white and six red stripes (the flag has seven red and six white stripes).
I hope that the seal, which was so thoughtfully designed by our founding fathers over 200 years ago, is not going to undergo a radical change in the next administration. Hopefully, that was just political posturing by Obama during the campaign; trying to look presidential. I for one do not want to see a single red star or a rising star on our seal…reminds me of some symbols of nations that do not have anything in common with what America really stands for. Also the “yes we can” part of O’s seal reminds me of the “yes I can” training program that I taught Radisson Hotel employees.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Rebuilding the Republican Party
There is a movement to rebuild the Republican Party. One group is called Rebuild the Party. Their website is: http://rebuildtheparty.com/
I am not endorsing this group (I may later...I want more information before I get involved) I just wanted to share the info so you can read their ideas.
I am not endorsing this group (I may later...I want more information before I get involved) I just wanted to share the info so you can read their ideas.
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