Relax...It Won't Be Long

Have you all heard about the U.S. House of Representatives latest move towards socialism? The Democratic ruled house passed an energy bill targeting the oil companies. That's great right? We need to get those bastards who are sitting on their billions profit while we are struggling to fill our tanks! I agree, but the House decided to raise taxes on oil companies...all of the companies except Venezuelan owned CITGO.

What do you think is going to happen when the oil companies get the latest tax bill? You will see prices at the pump go up even more. This is a ridiculous idea! and giving a tax break to socialist dictator Hugo Chavez? Yea, way to sell out the American people Pelosi! Are you giving him a tax break in hopes that he will come here and teach you guys how to efficiently take over a country and oppress its people?

They should start running with this slogan--- "Liberals; raising taxes, killing babies and selling out since the beginning of time!"

To tell you the truth, I would not be the least bit surprised if Obama or Hillary won in November considering the Republicans are putting up a weak candidate like McCain. I can understand where everyone is coming from and all. I just don't like to sell out. But, I suppose, with the bullseye that the media has had on the GOP for the last 4+ years, we don't have the luxury of voting for our favorite candidate in the primary. We are stuck with the most "electable".

Don't worry my traditionalist friends. It shouldn't take too much longer. If, as predicted, a Dem takes office in '09, they surly won't be reelected. It will be a classic Jimmy Carter scenario. 4 years of total Dem control, higher taxes, more government, bad economy and weak national security and the American people will be fed up, subsequently ushering in 20 years of conservative rule.

Of course, if the Dems do happen to win again in 2012, then my suggestion to you would be to give your heart to Jesus as it would signal that the END is imminent.

Special Interest?

I am sure you have all heard about and are sick of hearing about the New York Times story alleging a sexual relationship between Senator John McCain and a Washington lobbyist. Of Course, this story has been discredited as a shotty piece of journalism allowed by a left-wing editor and meant to derail the McCain campaign. However, I take issue with the negative connotation attached to the word "lobbyist".

Now, I am not denying that when you get lobbyists together with legislators there is an increased risk of scandal. This is not to mention that for other legislative employees lobbyists can be quite annoying. I experience this first hand trying to push my way through the mob of lobbyists in the hallway at the Indiana Statehouse every day. But lobbyists are not evil people. Sure, I have only experienced them in action at the state level, but I know two Washington lobbyists, even call one of them ( a former lobbyist for the health insurance industry) my mentor.

The truth is that the legislative process would not work without lobbyists or "special interest groups". Legislators know a little bit about a lot of issues, but they typically do not know a whole lot about one single issue. This is where the lobbyists come in. It is a lobbyist's job to be extremely educated on certain issues (generally pertaining to the group they are lobbying for). These lobbyists then share their knowledge with legislators who then are either moved to introduce legislation or decide for themselves how to vote on a certain piece of legislation. Believe it or not, by lobbying for a special interest group, lobbyists are lobbying for you!

Key point: Without lobbyists we would have weak and possibly damaging legislation. So, let's not be too hard on our friends the lobbyists!

Jon Elrod's Conservatism

Today in the Indianapolis Star there was an article which talked about some republicans having a problem with what they called Jon Elrod's own brand of conservatism. This is simply not true. The Indy Star just WANTS Republicans to be concerned about Jon Elrod's loyalty to party issues. The Star based their assumption on the fact that Representative Elrod has refused to vote in favor of an amendment to the Indiana Constitution that would define marriage as between one man and one woman. This shouldn't even be an issue in the U.S. Congressional race considering most Republicans agree that the issue of gay marriage should be left up to the state governments. Besides, Indiana already has a laws banning gay marriage, this is just a formality. It is a formality I support of course, but it is no reason to disregard Jon Elrod calling him a questionable conservative. Jon Elrod holds all of the traditional beliefs a conservative should. He is for small government, lower taxes, fiscal responsibility and, among many other things, he is pro-life! Besides his politics, he is a man of great character and integrity. I have the privilege of seeing him almost everyday. I know that he has the experience to get the job done for those in Indiana's 7th district in Washington.

7th District

If elected, Andre Carson would be Indiana's first Muslim representative and only the 2nd Muslim Congressman in U.S. history. It is not THAT Andre is Muslim it is that he attends an Islamic center that has its roots in black separatism. Trust me, I am not attacking Muslims in general here, though I do think we need to be cautious in the post-9/11 world. In fact, I take more of an issue with Carson's inexperience than I do with his faith or EVEN his politics. I would like to note however, that Andre Carson has ties with Louis Farrakhan who is radical, often referred to as one of America's number one anti-Semites and a man who is famously know for referring to Caucasians as "white devils". Just something to think about.

Indiana 7th District

The all new Howey-Gauge poll came out and the results were in todays Howey Political Report. The results show Democrat Andre Carson leading State Representative Jon Elrod (R-Indianapolis) 54-36 percent for the special congressional election to be held for Indiana's vaccant 7th district seat on March 11th. Now, I am not too big on polls, but when a poll shows such a commanding lead it is hard to deny.

Andre Carson, the grandson of the late Congresswoman Julia Carson, has been on the Indianapolis city counsel since the summer of 2007. THATS IT people. What is that? Six months of governing experience at the municipal level! And you are going to elect him to represent you in the United States House of Representatives. Why? Because of his name? Because his grandmother was seen by many in the African American community as iconic? No wonder people are losing faith in our government.

Let's take a look at the other 7th district candidate, Jon Elrod. This young Hoosier Republican has had experience with the law in his family run law firm, two years experience in township level government and two years experience making laws in the Indiana House of Representatives.

Even if you are a Democrat. Way the options here. Andre Carson will get to Washington and have no idea what is going on. Jon Elrod is already prepared for the job. Even if you don't agree with Elrod, vote for him. Vote for experience until the general election when hopefully your party can come up with a better qualified candidate!

Make 'Em Work

My parents always tried to teach me financial responsibility. All throughout High School I had a job. I bought my first car, paid my insurance and cell phone bills and I would have never dreamed of asking them for money to go out with friends. It is not that my parents couldn’t afford these things. I knew that they could which made me angry at first. They always said that my brother and I needed to learn responsibility and how to become productive members of society. They also taught me that there is nothing free in this world. If something is labeled as “free” than someone, somewhere is paying for it. So, how much of our (those of us who work on campus, off campus or during the summer) tax dollars go towards those “free” checks that welfare families receive every month?
I know you are thinking, “Oh great, now he is bashing the poor”. That is not what I am doing I assure you. However, I am quite vexed with the way that welfare is distributed in this country and with the people who abuse the system. Welfare is supposed to be a temporary government aid to help families get back on their feet. Did you know that there are third and fourth generation welfare families in this country? There are. This is because we have taught people that it is perfectly fine if you do not want to work. The government will take care of you.
When you give someone something for nothing it takes away their dignity. This leads to higher crime rates and the decline of urban neighborhoods. When welfare programs were first instituted in this country with the New Deal people we not just given a check every month. The first welfare programs included the WPA and the CCC which put people to work for the government cleaning up parks and highways, planting trees etc. I believe that every able bodied person who needs money should work for it! Obviously I would be willing to make exceptions for the physically and mentally handicapped, but eve they have something to offer to society. If President Roosevelt were alive today he would be appalled with our welfare system.
I am sick and tired of people believing that the government is there to provide for their every need. It is not. This country was founded on the idea of LESS government intervention. I am not advocating neglect for the poor but it is not the government’s job to care for them. It is our job. Church groups and charitable organizations should help the needy and I should be able to choose which needy group I want to give my money to. If we are going to have welfare programs they should be set up more like the WPA. There is nothing wrong with helping people but we need to give them a hand up not a hand out. We need to teach people responsibility and the skills that they need to become productive members of society. Cutting them a check every month is just further harming them and contributing to a vicious handout cycle. This is going to sound very cliché but I will go ahead and say it anyway. If you give a man a fish he will eat for a day. If you teach a man to fish he will eat for a lifetime. We need to reform the welfare system and make ‘em work.

What's Next? Global Cooling?

Since Al Gore cannot be president, I guess a Nobel Peace Prize will do. He is sharing the prize for his efforts to fight “global warming”. Yes, I put that phrase in quotes. If the former vice president is so concerned about “global warming” than why is he still flying on private jets, being carted around in big SUV’s and why is the energy bill for ONE of his homes reported to top 30,000 dollars a year? Spell it out with me hyp-oc-risy.
Back to putting that phrase in quotes. Do I believe in the greenhouse effect? Yes. However, I do not believe that “global warming” is as big of a problem as many liberal tree-huggers make it out to be. When we look back in history we can see that our lovely planet routinely goes through climate changes. I read a study done by the National Center for Policy Analysis that claimed that during the Jurassic period the earth was an estimated average of 4 degrees Fahrenheit warmer. I don’t think that the Flintstones’ foot-powered vehicle didn’t emit any greenhouse gases. It is some sort of cycle. I am not denying that there are holes in the ozone. I do think that we need to research and use alternative fuels for environmental as well as dependency issues but I do not think that our hairspray and our cars are going to make the poor polar bears and penguins go extinct. Nor do I believe that in ten years there will no longer be a California, Louisiana or East Coast. If in ten years California is gone than it will be because God has finally sunk it to the bottom of the Pacific along with all of those who inhabit the state.
Many people claimed that hurricanes Katrina and Rita were results of “global warming”. That statement is actually quite comical. In 1938 a massive hurricane hit the east coast north of the Carolinas. New York City, of all places, was ravaged leaving hundreds dead and millions of dollars in damage. Calculating inflation, the 1938 hurricane is the sixth costliest in U.S. history. Should we blame that one on “global warming” too?

Environmental activists (and Al Gore) are just alarmists who take thunder away from the real pressing issues. As the global climate cycle continues there will come a day when the earth will start to cool back down. I predict that if Al Gore is still alive he will call this “global cooling” and encourage American citizens to increase their carbon emissions and lobby for the reintroduction of CFC’s. Maybe he will win another Nobel Peace Prize.