I have my issues with Governor Romney. Some of the things I know of Mormonism cause me to have even bigger issues with that faith. But his faith wouldn't keep me from voting for him it's his politics.

Yesterday, I questioned if making a speech on his faith was necessary. I was totally wrong. A politician that can explain who we are as Americans and what make us a great people demand respect...if for no other reason than we don't talk about the grandeur of this nation enough any more.

The respect I have for the Governor has grown today, even if I don't agree with him.

Since you have been running I have listened continually talk about how you wielded the constitution against the citizens of New York like William Wallace thrust his claymore through Scotland. And again during that worthless YouTube debate saying that the citizen's rights come from the constitution, thus the government. I think it is necessary to remind you what the Founders said. Thomas Jefferson wrote that human rights come from the Creator in this nation's founding document.

Then Thomas Jefferson had also wrote this:

"The Constitution of most of our states (and of the United States) assert that all power is inherent in the people; that they may exercise it by themselves; that it is their right and duty to be at all times armed and that they are entitled to freedom of person, freedom of religion, freedom of property, and freedom of press."

The way you approach government is just about as totalitarian as mrs. bill clinton and makes us hicks fairly nervous about the freedom that we would sacrifice would be equal to what the first clinton administration put us through during the 1990's.

I know you are a cityslicker, but I'm sure that you are able to go down to the local bookstore and purchase a copy of the Federalist Papers. If you want to be President, us hicks expect you to understand that the government exists at the consent of the governed not the other way around.  

Flipping between the YouTube debate and Mythbusters on the Discovery Channel there was at least one intriguing question (if not short-sighted) about the death penalty and Christ.

What I find amazing coming from Christians is the total lack of belief in justice. While mercy is important there is no place in Scripture where it supplants justice...even at Calvery.

While the Bible never says directly what Christ says about the death penalty there are somethings we may infer from what the God the Father demanded.

First off, I believe God takes the execution of murderers pretty serious if it was one of the first Commandments God gave Noah when he disembarked. Not to mention all the crimes God said that the evil must be separated from the Israelites in Numbers and Deuteronomy.

I don't believe in an eye for an eye. I don't think that an executioner should take three days to execute someone like Jack the Ripper. Granted, I believe the sooner a monster is burning in hell the better off society is, but there again read Numbers and Deuteronomy.

We know that Christ said that he didn't come to negate the law, but fulfil it. Christ never intervened in an execution, He stopped a vigilante group from killing a woman. The only argument I hear from Christians that the death penalty shouldn't occur is because the condemned may become a Christian. An interesting thought at best, but if that was the case why didn't Christ get the two thieves off the cross. There was one that didn't repent, according to the thought that he may become a 'Christian' Christ would have gotten that thief off the cross. Even the thief that repented didn't receive an earthly pardon, he still paid for his crime.

What do I think Christ would do? I think He is grieved that it came to the place where a person needs to be strung up for destroying a human life, but at that point I'm not sure it fazes God. I think it reaches the point of the day of Judgement where we KNOW God will tell those that don't follow him "Get away from Me, I don't know you." Christ's responsibility is redemption and restoration, but I don't see anywhere in the Bible where Christ subverted justice.

Yesterday morning I was listening to Glenn Beck in horror and great anger when he said GI JOE isn't GI JOE anymore. Mr. Beck reported that the 'Real American Hero' is going to become an international reactionary military force. I went for independent confirmation of this and found this article from IESB where it isn't just going to include the British Actionman but agents from around the world. While I can understand the concept of wanting a broader international appeal, but why not try to put out a better view of our country. The answer maybe because of the fear of being to Patriotic (see /films).

This begs the question: "What is wrong with being too Patriotic?" When has the freedoms that God granted us that we as Americans enjoy to the fullest extent that ANY NATION has had? When there is a natural disaster as private citizens we are the first to open our wallets. Our troops have gone world wide to save the lowest person on earth. We still have heroes buried in France, in Asia, and Africa. I'm not saying we haven't ever done anything wrong, but to not celebrate who we are as a people we are setting ourselves up to be over run by cutthroats crossing a border, because we don't want to look like 'we're evil' or not being willing to admit our troops have the enemy on the run in Iraq because some how a handful of criminal guards abused some monsters (never mind the guards were punished.)

We don't celebrate our advancement into space (even if we haven't done anything new in 20 years), or in medicine. I heard a Giuliani commercial where he said that in our medical system because it has some basis in the free market prostrate cancer has an 84% survivor rate compared to the much touted tax-payer socialist of Great Britain survivor rate is at 44%.

If it wasn't for the US women would be oppressed in Afghanistan.

While I know we aren't perfect, far from it. But when the communist system of Cuba is held up as an example where millions were slaughtered and telling ourselves we are a horrible people what do we gain?

What do we gain by changing our icons? If GI Joe answers to the un (an entity that couldn't fight it's way out of a paper sack, an entity that raped and pillaged the people they were sent to "protect" and amazingly barely if at all covered by those that whined for almost a year about abu grahib) Cobra would in reality would rule the world as the un would refuse to pass sanctions or may send in the blue helmets to watch as Cobra wrecked, ruined, and pillaged the earth.

With the un we get the oil for food scandal, with the US the world gets freedom when we don't run away because we defeat ourselves because we for some reason believe we are a bad people.

GI Joe for a couple of generations taught boys what was great about the US. To make GI Joe an international force answerable to the un is like saying John Wayne loved joe stalin. We need to quit trying to destroy our culture other wise there won't be a US.

The Army Corps of Engineers have a way of doing some incredibly incompetent things. The states that have the Missouri River running through is well aware of how the Corps release so much water downriver-especially when there is no barge traffic on the Mississippi river (the stated reason they release so much water from the dams Sakakawea and Oahe.) A monument that was covered since 1954 was visible for the first time this Summer on Lake Sakakawea. It's an annual ordeal for our state to extend the boat ramp into the lake.

This is irksome enough, but when you see a state having to conserve water and even that isn't going to be enough because the Corps is 'obeying' the law to save some purple mussel over the lives of Americans one has got to wonder where the priorities are in this nation Human life must trump animal life. IF Darwin is to be believed then the mussels must either die or adapt.

IF our government is going to put, an endangered animal above the lives of our fellow citizens it is time to rethink trusting them for our security, end social security-because they can't be trusted with our money, and we should NEVER allow the government to run our health care.

But what do I know, I'm just a hick that has seen how poorly it has done running the Reservation system and the Veteran's Administration.

Listening to Speaker pelosi's cry on S-CHIP being for the children honestly began to grate on me because every time the liberals want us mere mortals to swallow something that is extra-constitutional they utter this phrase. Until I saw what Rush Limbaugh was doing with the Senates letter to violate his 1st Amendment rights.

Rush has put the letter up on E-bay for auction with all proceeds going to the Marine Corps- Law Enforcement Foundation. This Foundation gives scholarships to children of military and federal law enforcement officers that die in the line of duty. There is little or no over head for this Foundation so ALL the money go to the children.

The next time a liberal ELLECTED official says it's for the children and has not contributed at least out of their own pocket $10,000 to this Foundation for the children they should be ignored because they are doing nothing for the children. No matter what people think about Rush this is a worthy charity that anything we give to this Foundation is a drop in the bucket for what we owe to those that picked up a rifle or put on a badge for this nation.

After I rolled out of bed and decided I needed some food, I hopped into Elly to head to a steakhouse for dinner. The radio was tuned to the Hannity show where he was interviewing Newt Gingrich. I was treated to the same old discourse that comes out of the Easterners mouth every election year and their complaint that Dr. Dobson said that if Rudy was to get the nomination he would run a third party candidate.

First off, Mrs. bill clinton is evil. No one would argue otherwise that has read the Communist Manefesto, Das Kapitol, 1984, and Animal Farm as long as they are intellectually honest. We know that statement that 'when clinton lied no one died' is false (see Branch Davidians, Blackhawk Down, and the Serbs). There is no dout that Echelon and Craig Livingston and the FBI files on thousands of Americans should terrify all those that complain about the NSA phone captures.

That been said, I'm tired of republicans using her as a the boogieman to get us to sacrifice our principle to support Rudy, Romney, or Huckabee. The concept that Rudy will only nominate 'strict constructionist' is hard for me to swallow knowing that he started the New York law suit aimed towards an American Industry, because it was 'responsible' for the deaths of New Yorkers. Even beyond this I listened in horror a couple of months ago when actually bragged about how he wielded the constitution against the populace...just as disgusting as if it came out of mrs. bill clinton's mouth. Or the debate where Governor Romney bragged about his state's gun control laws.

I have a buddy that says I should fall in lock step with Huckabee. The problem is he's for a nation wide ban on smoking in restaurants, bars, and in public. Not only making it impossible to support mrs. bill clinton's health care plan because people can't smoke, but I have been consistent on personal choice rights from seatbelts, helmet laws, and smoking. The founders intended that the individual right wasn't going to be trampled by tyrants...even if the swamp was just outside of Maryland and Virgina.

Newt's point about Chief Justice Roberts because President Bush was able to nominate him and get him passed the marxists and the RINOs in the Senate is a valid point on why supporting these three (which was weird considering Thompson is closing in on front runner Romney), It isn't enough reason why us conservatives should sacrifice our principles to vote for RINOs. I keep seeing stories about how the marxists are raising more money than the Repubs. If this is the case, maybe the Republicans need to realize that we are torqued, we worked hard for decades to get a Republican congress and they acted like wusses. They didn't demand a cop assault be prosecuted or a bribe case be filed. They didn't make any move to change Senate rules and they did nothing to secure the border. So, we get nothing from them except 'well either you vote for us or the boogieman becomes El Presidente for life.

They really have no vision for this country. I will grant Rudy will keep the monsters on the run, but at what price? I can't vote for them just because of Mrs. bill clinton, most people don't vote against someone they need a reason to vote for them.

I have a buddy that thinks I'm nuts for backing Fred, but he's the only one talking about federalism. (well that's not anti-Semitic). His articles that he wrote for townhall.com really spoke to my Federalist heart and I've checked out his voting record I can support him. Those three scare me just as much as Obama and Mrs. bill clinton. And yes it would be a mistake to run a third party, but there is no way I can vote for Rudy or Romney.

First off I have to renew my contempt for any government spending on health care beyond our troops, vets, and the Nations.

The health care program that President Bush vetoed would have expanded the program to 25 yr olds and families that make Eighty thousand dollars a year ( don't think dad made over $30 grand his whole life for comparison.) Eighty thousand dollars isn't poor, it may not be rich, but it isn't poor the stated purpose of the program. Which has caused some to postulate that it is a precursor of some marxist program to subjugate our health care to the government.

What happens when you read the news on this or watch cnn or C-SPAN with all the dems...they claim it's for the poor. There isn't even an attempt at honest reporting or the truth from our politicians. Instead of being honest about the bill, the call the President a horrible person for not expanding the program to those that the original program wasn't meant for in the first place.

I'll admit it I'm sick of both sides of the isle claiming this or that about each other when there is no honesty involved.

Some may claim I'm doing the same thing calling those that support this marxists, I challenge you to read the Communist Manifesto and Das Kapitol then try to convince me that they aren't willing to steal my money to provide for someone else's health care. I can make the case it's a marxist program.

While tobacco is everyone's favorite 'whipping boy' because it's the ultimate evil. It makes it alright for government to tell people how to conduct their business on private property (Never mind according to Roe v Wade we have the right to privacy and choice, backed up by the Equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, but that's another post). And in my continuing effort for full-disclosure I enjoy maybe three cigars a year.

Now Tennessee has instituted a law if people buy more than two cartons of cigs out of the state they can seize their car and send them to the penn for a few months. The thing that COULD violate the Interstate Commerce clause of the US Constitution is Tennessee has revenuers spying on OTHER STATES stores, meaning they have to violate the jurisdiction of another state so they can either get more tax money or ruin some blue collar guys life because he's trying to save money.

The new Tennessee's tobacco tax increase from $.20 to $.62 is nothing more than a punitive tax on a legal item because tobacco is the ultimate evil today and the average citizen doesn't care. (I guess US history isn't taught in Tennessee, our Founders threw tea off a boat because of a smaller tax than this.) The thing is government never stops at taxing just one thing. Since money is power, those in government cravenly do everything they can to grasp all the money they can get.

Of course I maybe looking at this all wrong. IF Tennessee has so little violent crime and no drug problems they MUST have the greatest state in the nation to be able to allocate so many resources to stop 'bootleg' cigarettes from coming into the state.

Poor reporting of the week

One of my favorite blogs is Important stuff or not. He works for Voice of America so he sees ALL that comes across the news wire. So when an Iraqi woman claimed that colition forces were chasing the monsters she claimed that her house was shot up. She showed the rounds that hit her house and the news media ran with the story. One small problem they are unfired rounds. He has pictures of what fired rounds look like that he posted on his blog.

Even farther than this I doubt those are the 5.56 mm rounds (M-16 and the Squad Automatic Weapon), they appear to be the 7.62 mm round (AK-47 not an American weapon).

The lack of effort of the media to check this story out is becoming more and more clear that they are not trust worthy, and I even question their Patriotism. I think that they are traitors to this nation...

 I'm not a Barry Bonds fan in the least, but I'm happy he broke the record because it's good for baseball. One of the things that detracted from his accomplishment was the constant drumbeat of Mr. Bonds not deserving the record because of an alleged use of steroids.

The biggest offense was of this slander when one moment a sports broadcaster was slandering Barry Bonds and five minutes later celebrating Michael Irving's induction to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. It torqued me off that this "reporter" would slander someone that has been not convicted of anything, then celebrate someone that has been convicted of all sorts of drug possessions. (Granted being a Cowboys fan I was repeatedly embarrassed by Mr. Irvin's actions and his induction was anything but a celebration for me).

With all the scandal talk that seams to be streaming from the depths of depravity that the media has no boundaries for, forces me to ponder what would happen if someone started to investigate the private lives of the purveyors of filth. If private lives of citizens are fair game to a scrutiny that would make an autopsy look like taking a person's temperature, why shouldn't those of us that consume news have the right to know what a given reporters religious, political, and philosophical beliefs are? Reporters are nothing more than citizens, I know for a fact that they aren't issued blue tights and a red cape from Columbia School of Journalism. Reporters are just citizens and not above the law, and should not be above scrutiny either.

If reporters performed full-disclosure I wonder if we wouldn't get better quality of reporting, better quality of news stories that don't convict law abiding citizens without a trial, let alone those that may be guilty before they are tried as much if we knew if Katie Couric ever was busted on a drug charge.

 The Bismarck Tribune has an article where parents are calling the police when their kids aren't doing the typical things kids do, such as making their beds.

Somehow, even in a state where personal responsibility is celebrated the idea has been deluded to the point where adults are abdicating the duty they have in their own home to the government. Not only is it disturbing that a parent would rather trust the government, something that the Founders of this Nation would be appalled and dismayed at, than be the "bad guy" and parent the kid.

I know that there are good parents that have teens that choose to be criminals, I'm not saying that these parents shouldn't call the police on this type of the punks...

Unfortunately, the idea of government can take care of all problems didn't start here, it was when we as a nation decided that we are going to give hand outs, bailout, prescription drug benefits, Social Security (which was never set up to pay out anything...it was just another way for the government to get money), hoping the police arrive before the bad guy kills you, and the war on poverty that we have no exist strategy is a complete failure.

Part of the problem of trusting the government is it is way to big to respond quickly (See Katrina and when government did respond it stole the citizenry's right to self-preservation). There is a huge waste of money when it comes to government. Something that is being ignored in Minneapolis, if the bridge was that bad, why are they building a new Minnesota Twins Park? Also, by submitting your personal duties to the government you are sacrificing your God-given free-will to an organization that declares God doesn't belong in the public arena (unless it's allah, but that's another post). Then there is the inefficient use of resources, what we pay for public education and what we get in return is disgusting, there is no reason that we don't have a 90% literacy rate. Then the idea of just waiting 20 minute for the police when you can bleed out in 30 seconds. Even the Supreme Court has decreed that the police don't have to respond to a call.

Letting the government take care of all the needs the Nations had destroyed their hope (well that and the Carlisle Indian School). To this day we are still seeing the consequences of that from those that couldn't adapt. Welfare in any form has the ability to destroy pride, hope, self-respect, and the desire to improve one's life.

While helping one another out collectively is desirable, doing it corporately is a massive failure. When we find out someone is sick we have a spaghetti dinner. There is the Farm Rescue program that is incredibly efficient, probably because it is farmers helping each other and the government is no where to be found.

The bottom line is we need to return to our self-relient nature we have as Americans, it's what makes us great...the dependence nature only destroys.

 I have to admit I do get a perverse thrill in watching car chases. I guess it comes from a dusty criminal justice degree that has had little or no use or possibly because it means another bad guy is going to prison.

While I have sympathy for the families that lost reporters and pilots in that chopper crash in Arizona this past week, it isn't the criminal's fault that the pilots lost situational awareness. I know it's is weird coming from someone that thinks the more criminals executed the better, but to hold this thug responsible for reporters, that are no different than if they were any other citizen interjecting themselves into a story. Reporters DO NOT have a special status that gives them a cape and blue tights to see all news. I would say the same thing if civilians were to "deputize themselves" or cheer the criminal on.

Most if not all car chases have no real public interest beyond our current voyeuristic tendencies. The only way that a car chase would have any real public interest is if ted kennedy, castro, and lindsey lohan would have have a bender on land owned by harry reid or nancy pelosi while running over illegal aliens trying to get health care after working at a job that Americans won't do.

There is nothing saying that there has to be media coverage of car chases. IF we are to prevent this there should be allowed only one media helicopter, and they all get the feed (granted there would have to be some rental fee for the feed.) While this was a tragedy that shouldn't have happened to blame a criminal that didn't ask the media to follow him is pure idiocy.

 

The National Day of the Cowboy started a couple of years ago as to honor a part of our heritage that includes the producers, rodeo, and those who settled this land.

The cowpoke of the 19th century 1 in 3 were white. That means there were cowboys of Mexican decent, African-Americans, and a few Indians. A ranch was a melting pot.

While a cowpoke from the old days were low paid, worked hard, and lived with a constant threat of death from stampedes, floods, rustlers, bandits, snakebites. The all lived with a code that no matter how historians want to degrade it can really be seen in western where the cowboy was the good guy.

I have said before that rodeos and westerns really represent the best of who we are as a people. While there were travisties that occurred there comes a point that you just accept them and remember the intestinal fortitude the cowboys and the settlers had to settle this land.

What a cowboy is-is honest, we don't back down from a fight that needs to be fought, we look out for our animals, and we love a big steak.

So Saturday watch a western, go to a rodeo, and eat a steak. Remember the cowboys represent the best of who we are as Americans.