"When Are You a Person?"

Psalm 127:3- Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is a reward.

I am the eldest of six children. Italians are very big on family, especially babies. I don’t remember any time until my 12th or 13th birthday when there wasn’t a high-chair in our home. It seemed as if my Mom was always taking care of babies, or waiting for a new baby to be born. Each new member of the family was met with great celebration as family gathered at our house waiting for Mom to come home from the hospital with our new sister or brother. Funny faces and baby talk was rampant from everyone from my Grandmother to all of us kids. As I write this, I remember the new baby smell of powder that permeated the house. Aunts, uncles and cousins all showed up to celebrate our new addition. Nona prepared food, and there was pastry with strong coffee and Chianti for everybody. We all regarded this as a blessing from God!

Currently, abortion is legal in America, and our President is a supporter of this practice. Nancy Pelosi, who is supposedly a practicing Roman Catholic, is also a supporter of this procedure. I have strong feelings about abortion, both as a Christian, and as an American. I don’t know what price we are paying for each loss of an aborted child. I don’t know how many great doctors, lawyers or professors are left in a dumpster because of this evil practice. How much promise is cast into a trash can because of the “inconvenience” of a child? Our proposed “Obamacare” covers what is called “therapeutic abortion”: this term is liberally interpreted, and most “abortion doctors” will find a reason for the deadly procedure. It’s too bad about those “inconvenient” children.

Yesterday, I read one of the most disturbing articles I have read in quite a long time. If you are a proponent of abortion, you may want to rethink your feelings after hearing this. In Australia, two ethicists are working on the possibility of “post birth abortions”. This is a polite way of saying murdering a living, breathing baby after a successful delivery! This proposal cites reasoning like “putting the well being of the family first, even if it (the baby) had the potential for an acceptable life”. These advocators of murder also said a fetus or a newborn cannot be considered a PERSON in the morally relevant sense. Listen to this statement and try not “throwing up”: “Merely being human is not in itself a reason for ascribing someone with a right to life.” This sounds quite a bit like the NAZI philosophy of racial cleansing to me. The fact that this is being discussed at all should disturb us.

We continue to devalue human life when it seems to interfere with the “convenient” flow of our lives. To deny personhood to a living child (from the moment of conception) is the advocating of murder! I fear that if this becomes an acceptable theory, we will soon see further, more reaching theories of “acceptable” murder, perhaps the denial of treatment for certain ailments for those who have “outlived their usefulness”.

We stand at the brink of treating human life as a disposable commodity. In a civilized world we must take a stand against, even the thought, of this type of philosophy, or we will soon be facing “death panels”!

"$4, $8,$10; STOP!!!"

I remember when I was a young boy, whenever we were taking a long trip, my Dad would stop at a service station and buy $3.00 worth of gasoline. Back then, $3.00 was about 12 gallons of gas; now that was “the good old days”. America was one of the world’s oil giants with production in Texas, Oklahoma, California and Kansas, plus several other states supplying our energy needs. In later years, we have had our domestic production limited because of some concerns about environmental impacts on plant life and certain animal’s migration patterns. We are currently producing a little more oil due to some policies instituted during the George Bush administration (sorry Barack, it wasn’t you).

The current mantra from most of the Republican hopefuls is “DRILL, DRILL, DRILL AND DRILL”. I must say, that with current technology, we have a real chance to drill our way out of this mess. It won’t be an overnight cure, of course, but it will help America in more ways than just finding more oil. Obama has rejected the Keystone Pipeline, which cost America over 40,000 jobs. America hasn’t built a refinery in over forty years; what could be accomplished if our oil companies were allowed to renovate and build new refineries in conjunction with expanded domestic drilling. We have enough oil and oil shale under America to dwarf OPEC, yet it remains untouched because of certain outdated environmental regulations, which are unnecessary with today’s modern drilling techniques. According to the National Resources Defense Council, the earliest we can expect any real production of bio-fuels will be in the year 2050; that is only if we jump headlong into research right now! President Obama says our future lies in bio-fuels produced through algae. This lab experiment is far from a realistic goal at this time.

Those of you reading this are probably between the ages of 30 and 70 years old. Those of you 30 year olds will be 68 years old when you can buy some “Obamagas”, and if you are 70, YOU WILL BE DEAD!

I have been fact checking this relentlessly, and can find no expert that believes bio-fuel will be of any type of immediate relief to the American people. The continued stonewalling of domestic drilling from the Barack Obama Administration is in direct correlation with the spiraling cost of fuel at the pump! I personally believe Barack Obama is using this fuel crisis to, once again, divide the American people, casting some type of perverse blame on the oil industry which only has a profit margin of 4%! Yes, my fellow Americans, that “evil monster” has a 4% margin of profit; to put it simply, they make $.04 on every dollar!

America, we must ask ourselves, who the real villain is in this situation? We are literally standing on top of the cure for our energy problems, yet we have a Chief Executive who is committed to ignoring what lies beneath America’s feet! The next time you “filler’up” at the pump and pay $100.00+, you can thank a “Do Nothing President” for that unnecessary cost, and think what it means to the guy working at McDonald’s!

"It's Just My Style"

I am now retired, but I still remember what it is like to be in the “working world”. I remember my first job when I was 16 years old, and having a very disagreeable boss; I believe he must have had a cup of sauerkraut juice with his breakfast every morning, but he was my boss and I had to listen to him. As I progressed through life I had many supervisors, some friendly and amiable, some cranky and nasty, but they were all my bosses and I did what I was told. Everybody has somebody to answer to in the “working world”.

I have people from all over the world who read this blog on a daily basis. I doubt if everybody agrees with every point I make, and that is a good thing; who wants a bunch of comatose clones that do nothing but nod in approval at everything one says. I appreciate all comments that are made on any post, be they positive or negative. My only proviso is that anything said be backed up with fact, and if I am proven wrong, I will be happy to yield to facts. I admit I use sarcasm and wit to make some of my points, and they sometimes cut “close to the bone”; I will not apologize for this, it is my “style”.

My criticism of President Obama is obvious throughout my writings; we are politically polar opposites. Whenever I see Mr. Obama doing or saying things I don’t agree with, I will say something about it; if feelings are hurt this is not my intention, it is to shed light on an important issue. A person very dear to me said I am tearing down the President in most of my writings, and that person is probably correct, as I don’t endorse 99% of what Mr. Obama has done since he entered office. Mr. Obama has been prominently mentioned in my prayers, regardless of my personal feelings about him; I continue to hope that God directs his life. This being said, I cannot sit by like a mute while situations take place that I believe are detrimental to the well being of the United States of America.

I’m concerned that some people are fearful of criticizing this President because they will be branded a racist. If you are a racist, it will be reflected in much more than your criticism of an elected official; you will probably “live it out” in other actions of your life. For those of you who aren’t “racists”, don’t allow that appearance to dissuade you from honest observation in your government. Whether Mr. Obama likes it or not, he works for us, and he will have to get used to having his “feet held to the fire”; this comes with the territory!

As soon as I see Barack Obama do something I believe is for the good of America, I will write about that too!; unfortunately, I’m still waiting for that to happen. I still have hopes that Mr. Obama will wake up and see what his policies have done to America thus far, but “I’m not holding my breath”.

"Justice, Bought and Paid For"

Have you ever gone to court for any reason? I have had jury duty, and have had to attend a hearing at the National Labor Relations Board in front of an Administrative Law Judge. In both cases, the proceedings were handled very carefully as to make sure there were no irregularities that could prejudice the cases.

When a jury is appointed, each prospective juror is questioned to make sure they have no preconceived feelings of guilt or innocence, or that they have had no involvement with the litigating parties. To put this in a much simpler form, it is as if you are playing baseball and the umpire is your best friend; it doesn’t make for a good situation when a close call is made, you need another umpire!

The most prestigious position in the American Legal System is that of a Supreme Court Justice. No court is higher, and it is the final stop in all litigation, both civil and criminal. Ethics are to be the highest on this court over any other court in the land; there should never be a conflict of interest in any decision made by these judges.

This is an election year, and one of the hottest topics of this election is “Obamacare”. Several states have filed litigation questioning the constitutionality of this program, and as they have been moving up the judicial ladder, there have been mixed interpretations on the program’s constitutionality. Most of the big name Republican candidates say they are focused on the repeal of “Obamacare” as soon as they are elected, and this position seems very popular with most Americans when surveyed. Whether pro or con, you will get heated arguments about “Obamacare” whenever it comes up in conversation.

This program is on the schedule of the United States Supreme Court. The 2000+ page document will come before the nation’s highest court to have its constitutionality decided. This program represents billions of dollars in taxpayer’s money and a debt that will last for the next 30+ years if it passes muster from the court. The actual question is: Can the federal government force a citizen to purchase health insurance against his will?

Most of you know the name Elena Kagan; she is the newest appointment to the Supreme Court. Justice Kagan has never been a judge before this appointment; not even a parking violation has been brought before Ms. Kagan! Ms. Kagan was Solicitor General when “Obamacare” was passed. What this situation presents is a definite conflict of interest, as Ms. Kagan must have been involved in possible defense strategies for this program; in fact, she admitted to this herself. That statement, in itself, should disallow her from participating in a decision on this issue. Ms. Kagan has the option of recusal from this decision, yet she has decided against that.

Twenty-six states are involved in this decision, millions of Americans are involved in this decision and Ms. Kagan has a vested interest in the final decision of this issue. Real ethics are in question about Ms. Kagan. It seems Mr. Obama has a “ringer” on the Supreme Court.

The Senate can call for the impeachment of a Supreme Court Justice, yet Reid and his lackeys are sitting with their arms folded. The more I see of the most “transparent administration America will ever have”, the more I see a pattern of unethical conduct and denial of rule by the people. From the Congress to the White House and even the Supreme Court, our citizens have been “short-changed” since Barack Obama has taken office. I only hope that when November finally comes, we can rid our nation of this unethical and unconstitutional administration!

"Are You Kidding ME?!"

Romans 16:18 - For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

The above Bible verse is only one of many that speak about false teachers and prophets. The Bible gives all believers warning after warning about those who use the words of Jesus for their own gain or agenda, yet are not working for God’s purpose. I remember several years ago, Steve Martin made a movie about a phony healer who used fake healings to fleece those who came to his revivals. Being a Bible believing Christian, I believe we must always be on the alert for people who distort the Gospel for their own personal agenda and gain.

It has been said that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and that is truth. Anyone can take certain words or phrases out of the Bible and turn the meaning to fit a purpose for which they weren’t intended; as we have said in Sunday school, there are few Christians who can quote the Bible as well as Satan. The Bible also says a man should be judged by his fruit, the works that exhibit his faith and does it follow God’s intention.

I have been an elder in church for several years, and I had to model the biblical role that describes that position. I am not “holier” than anyone else; I am just given certain abilities to employ God’s work in that position. A major qualification is “wisdom and discernment”, and this can only be attained through the study of God’s word and prayer. If you don’t know your Bible, you shouldn’t be on this job! I have seen many professing Christians during my life, and the true Christian “lives it out” in word and deed.

Recently, I read an article written by a college professor, John Fea, from Messiah College, who said “Barack Obama may be the most explicitly Christian President in American History”. He went on in his article to say ”If we analyze his language in the same way that historians examine the religious language of the Founding Fathers, or even George W. Bush, we will find that Obama’s PIETY, use of the Bible, and references to Christian faith and theology put most other American Presidents to shame on this front.” Now I’m not Billy Graham or Charles Stanley, but I can’t understand where this man draws his conclusions from. Mr. Fea believes Obama’s conflicts with Bible believing Christians is a political matter, when I, as a dedicated Bible reader and follower, must differ with this conclusion. Mr. Obama’s fruit doesn’t reflect Christian value. He is a proponent of abortion. Even before his election, Obama said he wouldn’t want his daughters “punished” with a baby for one mistake. A true Christian would never look at a child as “punishment”; each child is a gift from God! He said he is reconsidering his position on gay marriage, and the Bible specifically says a marriage is a union between a man and a woman. Deviance from the Bible is rampant throughout Obama’s view of Christian faith. This is like saying Heinrich Himler could have been a Rabbi! Obama has exhibited much more belief toward Islam than Christianity over the last 37 months. I think Messiah College should take a hard look at Professor Fea; maybe they should see if he actually has a Bible in his office!

"What Are You Allowed To Hear?"

Virtually every Sunday, with few exceptions, my wife and I get up and go to church. Those of you who have been with me for a while know that I am a Christian, and not just the “Sunday kind”; I believe I know the true word of God preached in the Christian church, and I try to conduct my life in a way that will bring honor to God, and spread the gospel of Jesus. I enjoy going to church, but the reason I attend is that I believe God wants us to worship Him as a body of believers. It is good to pray at home and read His words, but a message from the pulpit can be a moving and educational experience for an entire congregation. We are fortunate to live in a nation where we can get up on Sunday and worship as we like, without interference from an oppressive government.

Freedom of religion is a cornerstone of the American Constitution. Our Founding Fathers were very careful about protecting that freedom. What many people believe about separation of church and state is in error. What our Founding Fathers wanted to do was to avoid the establishment of a state religion. Actually, Hitler tried to establish a NAZI religion with “Mein Kampf” as its holy book; not only Jews suffered under Hitler, many Catholics and Protestants were taken to death camps too. Words that threatened government authority or policy were unacceptable. Hitler viewed those theological differences as treasonous and seditious. I guess in NAZI Germany, a minister had to weigh his words carefully.

By now, everybody has heard about the stir caused by Barack Obama’s edict to the Catholic owned hospitals, in which abortion and birth control must be covered in their health insurance. The leaders, all the way to the Pope, said it was unacceptable and would send a letter to be read to every congregation saying they would not obey Obama’s edict. This policy was in direct conflict with Christian core belief, making it a law which they couldn’t follow.

Here is the kicker to this whole deal!: our fine and brave soldiers who happen to be Catholic are about to have their sermons censored by the government! Yes, my fellow Americans, those men and women who put their lives on the line to protect your freedom to worship are having that same freedom denied to them!

A directive was sent from the Pentagon to Army chaplains telling them that if they do not change some of the language in that letter, those chaplains will be charged with TREASON OR SEDITION, followed by a court-martial! This is a direct attack from the Obama Administration against EVERYONE’S CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS. Whether a civilian or a member of the military, the government has NO RIGHT to dictate the words that come from the pulpit, or they would be “establishing a state religion” and that is UNCONSTITUTIONAL!

What will happen next from the Obama administration? Perhaps, he will write his own version of creation and salvation that America can follow, with him as the “chosen one”! Yes America, you may be a traitor, if you don’t follow the words and policies of Barack Obama, even to the point of denying your faith!!

"Sorry, No Fries Allowed!"

Growing up in an Italian household, I enjoyed some of the best food on planet earth. Chicken parmigiana, lasagna, meatballs, giambotte, antipasto and ravioli is just a small sample of the food that graced our plates on any given day. When a person grows up in an Italian home, you get a “doctorate in delicious” that no other school can duplicate. Along with all of the Italian delicacies, we had roast lamb, roast beef and fried chicken; I have yet to find a rival for anywhere. My Mother and my Grandmother were wizards in our kitchen and they have given me some of my fondest food memories. They have given me the benchmark for measuring what good food should be. I like going to different restaurants with my wife and sampling the fare that is offered. Barbeque, Mexican, Chinese, country cooking, burgers and even Korean food all fall into my “wheelhouse” when we think of eating out for a meal. I don’t always make the healthy choices; melted cheese, hot butter and red meat are among my favorite things and I do indulge myself.

I would like to propose a scenario for you. The scene will open with you and your spouse getting ready for an evening out, perhaps an anniversary or birthday celebration. You have both spent time deciding where you would like to go, even to the point of discussing which dishes you would order and what appetizers you would share. You both put on your nicest clothes and drive to your destination, you are seated and order your cocktails and begin to look at your menu; upon ordering, the waiter informs you that the dishes and the appetizer you ordered could not be served to you because it has been determined that your choices aren’t healthy enough, and a pre-selected meal will be prepared for you this evening. What reaction do you think you might have to the waiter’s statement? It would probably be “ARE YOU NUTS!” Do you think this could actually happen?

Last week, a pre-school child had her “homemade” lunch confiscated by her school when a FEDERAL INSPECTOR opened the lunch and determined that it didn’t fulfill government nutritional standards! When I heard of this, I was actually speechless for a while. This inspector had absolutely no right to “search” that child’s lunch. When did the government suddenly get the right, or permission, to usurp a mother’s prerogative as to what she should be able to feed her children? The child appeared healthy, clean and there were no visible signs of any type of abuse. This was a plain invasion of personal property from an intrusive government employee! The government decided what this child was ALLOWED TO EAT! I heard the contents of the child’s lunch, and I believe it was a turkey sandwich, juice and some chips! Tell me what you think of this lunch; it’s not “raw hot dogs” or cat food; it is a typical kid’s lunch! How do you think a pre-school child might feel as some stranger fumbled through her food, some person she didn’t know, someone she didn’t trust. This is the “Nanny State” in action, and the rest of our lives are the next target for this overreaching socialist government.

The next time you want to make a choice at “Burger King” or “McDonald’s”, you might want to look over your shoulder to see who is watching you!

"The Presidents of My Generation"

Monday is “President’s Day” in America. This day has been established to honor the Office of the President of our great nation.

We have had Forty-four Presidents, starting with George Washington, up to our current President, Barack Obama. Four of our Presidents were murdered in office: Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley and John F. Kennedy. One President resigned: Richard M. Nixon.

The earliest President I remember is Harry S. Truman; he was in office while I was in kindergarten. He wasn’t on television very much, of course most families didn’t have televisions back then anyway. Harry was the President who decided to use atomic weapons to end WWII. It took quite a bit of courage to make that decision, but it probably saved many American soldiers’ lives.

Dwight D. Eisenhower was after Harry, and he was faced with two recessions and the “Cold War” against the Soviet Union. Ike believed that business could work its way through the recessions and he was proved right, as America flexed its muscles and became the driving force in the world’s economy. America fulfilled the dreams of many during the Eisenhower years.

Jack Kennedy followed Ike, and America entered the years of “Camelot”. The young and handsome President was like an American prince that inspired America to great achievements, until an assassin stole his life in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. I was a sophomore in high school, and I remember it like it was yesterday.

Lyndon Johnson followed JFK, and he became the face of the Viet Nam War to many Americans. He also declared a “War on Poverty”; neither war was a resounding success for LBJ. He was only elected to one term, choosing not to seek reelection in 1968.

Richard M. Nixon was next in office, and his pledge was to end the Viet Nam War. After his election, Viet Nam dragged on into his second term; meanwhile, he became entwined in the Watergate Scandal. The scandal was his downfall and he resigned in disgrace.

Gerry Ford was next; he was never elected to office, and his presidency proved divisive and bland, as our economy began a fight against runaway inflation.

Jimmy Carter took the reins after Ford, and proved himself to be the most inept President America has had the misfortune to elect. Fuel prices skyrocketed, and jobs were invisible, plus we had the Iranian Hostage Crisis, which couldn’t have possibly been handled worse. Jimmy was a one termer when he was destroyed by Reagan in a landslide.

Ronald Reagan took over a nation in dismal shape and went about repairing four years of destructive policies, and rebuilding American strength and prestige around the world. He is lauded today as one of our nation’s finest Chief Executives.

George H.W. Bush followed Reagan; he was a one termer who was defeated by his own words “Read my lips, no new taxes”. Unfortunately, he had to tax, and he lost his bid to remain President.

William Harrison Clinton, two terms with economic prosperity and questionable morality in the Oval Office. He is still a popular figure, even with his checkered past. America can be a forgiving nation, although they didn’t give Nixon much of a break.

George W. Bush, a man who was a victim of his own integrity, followed what he believed was the best interests of America and was castigated by the press at every turn. He was Commander in Chief after the murderous attack in New York on 9-11, and he handled it with grim determination and resolve. In my opinion, history will be much kinder to President Bush than his contemporaries have been. He did and does still conduct himself with Presidential dignity.

Barack Hussein Obama, our current President, our first black President, and a man who has been surrounded with controversy from his first day in office to the present has policies that have been questioned by people on both ends of the political spectrum, even to the point of questioning his eligibility to hold the office. Although he was very popular immediately following his election, he is now at low ebb with the American people. It will be very interesting to see what the will of the people will be in November of 2012.

These are all the men I have seen in the Oval Office, the most difficult job on earth. Regardless of politics, we must respect all those who choose this grueling test of a man’s metal, and the patriotism it takes to hold this responsibility. Prayers should go to anyone who sits at that desk; he holds America’s future in his hands.

(This is my last blog until Tuesday; see you then.)

"Limp-Wristed FOOL!"

I remember a saying from my youth:”I can beat you with one hand tied behind my back!”; common braggadocio from young boys on the field of athletics. In truth, nobody wants to compete with someone at a disadvantage. Football teams watch game films of their next opponent; fighters go to their next opponent’s fights and pitchers and catchers study the line-ups of the team they will face next. Athletes like to have an edge when preparing for a contest; it makes good sense!

When I wrestled in high school, we always talked about the other team and where they were weak and how that could be exploited. We knew the individual records of each team member and found out who were the “studs” that we needed to really be prepared for.

In the Army, we hear the term “margin of victory”; do you know what that means? The “margin of victory” is the size of the enemy forces in comparison to the size of your forces. Ideally, the United States Army likes to go into an encounter with a three to one margin. You can forget all that stuff about a “fair fight” when it comes to a combat situation; we want to overpower and crush our enemies. It is the mindset of “killing a flea with a sledge hammer”; and it is a GOOD IDEA!

On the D-Day mission of WWII, we sent thousands upon thousands of men into Europe to force the occupying NAZI forces back away from the Atlantic shore. We knew we would have many casualties from that invasion, but we knew we had to destroy Hitler. Hitler himself didn’t want to face the American forces, as he knew how powerful America was. A strong defense is the key to a free nation!

Yesterday, I once again heard very disturbing words from the Obama administration. Once again, the “limp-wristed” Obama is talking about reducing our already depleted nuclear arsenal. Mr. “I don’t have a clue about the military” Barack Obama wants a reduction of nuclear arms to the level not seen since the 1950s. The Pentagon press secretary George Little said Mr. Obama wants an alternative to nuclear deterrence. I guess we could have some clothing manufacturer make up 20 million “white flags”, as it seems Mr.Obama is surrendering American strength before any conflict can take place.

Our weak Chief Executive is very busy in his pursuit of the “gelding” of America’s military might. He is also dedicated to the removal of privately owned weapons from American citizens. The words “protect and defend” are very prominent in the oath of office that this man took over three years ago; yet, I don’t believe he has lived up to that oath during his entire term thus far. I can’t print everything Obama’s new proposal encompasses, there is just too much to put into a small blog! I urge every person who reads this to do some research into this proposed policy. If everything Barack Obama had done in his office were a success other than this, this would be enough reason to keep him out of the White House in November. Since January of 2009, Barack Obama has done more harm to this nation than ANY OF HIS PREDECESSORS, BAR NONE!!! How are you today, better off than 2008, or worse? Weak economy, weak defense and weak leadership; these things define Barack Obama!!

"Carrying The Team on Their Backs!"

Just over a week ago the football season ended; I was sad. I really like football; my wife, not so much. A couple of days ago, I was watching the NFL channel, the program was called “A Life in Football”. This program profiles some of football’s greatest players. Now I don’t always watch this channel, and I’m sure my wife appreciates that, but on this night the profile was on Walter Payton. Understanding wife that I have, she suffered through the show as she knows how much I liked Walter. I remember watching him in the college all-star game before he was a legend, and I commented to my buddies that this kid could really help the Bears. I guess I was right about that. For years, Water was the Bears; there wasn’t much else to depend on from some of those early teams. Every yard he gained, he was carrying the Bears on his back. After Mike Ditka took over as Head Coach, things changed for the Bears and for Walter Payton. New players and new philosophy turned the Chicago Bears into a winner for the first time since the 1963 Bears won the NFL Championship (there was no Super Bowl back then). It took eleven men on offense and eleven men on defense, working as a team to make them great. Each player had a specific job to do, and each player was paid according to his skill level and the difficulty of his position. Walter couldn’t play as well as he did in those later years without those he depended on to play their positions properly. Walter was less than 10% of the team, but at times he was 90% of the offense; he was a major contributor to the team’s success, and I doubt that you could find any of his former teammates who would disagree with that statement.

In some ways, our economy works like a team effort. We have star players who shine because of their business sense. They take money and ideas and produce a successful enterprise that benefits them and those who are employed by them: in turn they, who have benefitted the most, pay the most in taxes. The top 3% of income earners in America are paying 97% of America’s taxes. I would have to say that they are definitely “carrying the team on their backs”, contrary to the statements of President Barack Obama! Mr. Obama wants even higher taxes on America’s job creators. He continues to make the successful into the villains for political fodder for his campaign rhetoric. His “smoke and mirrors” budget proposal is more warmed over “tax the rich” and “spend on government projects” which are the same economic clap-trap from his first three years in office.

If our ailing economy was like a football game and Barack Obama was the coach, it would be a game where the coach told one player to walk out on the field against eleven players on the other team, while those on the “bench” rested on their “laurels”. Forty per cent of Americans pay NO FEDERAL INCOME TAX. Three per cent of Americans pay 97% of America’s bills. Mr. President, let’s get the rest of the team OFF THE BENCH!!!

"Valentine"s Day"

I guess everybody knows what today is; “Valentine’s Day”. Today is the unofficial holiday for lovers everywhere. There will probably be thousands of tons of chocolates, and more flowers than the “Rose Parade” given out in tribute to romance. Some people choose this day to propose or even get married; a great way to never forget an anniversary.

I remember the first time I saw my wife; she was sitting behind a desk in an office hallway, she smiled and we engaged in a little conversation, not much, just an ice breaker, I guess. After our initial meeting, we began having breakfast in the company cafeteria. I didn’t know she was in the middle of a divorce at that time; I thought she was happy, but she wasn’t.

Italian men have great respect for marriage, and I’ll admit, I was disappointed to find out she was “spoken for”; then one day, as I walked past her desk, I noticed that her last name had changed. Then a minor miracle happened; she asked me to help her move to a small apartment, and I did. During the course of the move, she asked if I played cards and I answered to the affirmative. She said she was going to a friend’s house on the following Saturday and asked if I would like to go with her for a friendly game of cards. I accepted. The game was “penny poker”. At this time in my life, I did play poker, but I was used to stakes a little higher than pennies. After an evening of “high stakes” with her, I wanted to spend every waking minute with her, and I practically did. I knew from that night on I wanted her for my bride, and she has been my bride for the last 34 years.

Love makes you ache for the other person unlike any other relationship in your life. The bible says the “two shall become one flesh”, and it couldn’t be said any better. In today’s world, we have, in some cases, cheapened love as a relationship that can be stepped out of when the situation becomes difficult during problem times. The test of love is the importance of self over the importance of the one you say you love. Herman Hesse said “If I know what love is, it is because of you”, and Karen Sunde said, ”To love is to see a glimpse of heaven”; these are honest feelings, well expressed. Jesus told us to “love one another”, and even the Beatles said “All You Need is Love”. The poet Robert Browning really nailed it down with this statement “Take away love and our earth is a tomb”.

I hope you have a special person in your life, a person who completes you in a way no one else could. A dozen roses or a couple of pounds of candy is a small tribute to that person. She holds my heart in her hands every day, she is the reason I smile and the most precious gift God has granted me on this earth. I will close by dedicating this to my sweetheart of these many years with a quote from the Bard, William Shakespeare, “My Heart is ever at your service”.

"A Good Investment"

This weekend past, we recognized the anniversary of the birth of Thomas Edison. Hollywood made a couple of movies about Tom: “Young Edison” with Mickey Rooney, and “Thomas Edison” with Spencer Tracy. Edison was called the genius from Menlo Park, and he certainly was. Every time you watch a movie or turn on a light when entering a room, you can thank Tom Edison. At times, Edison didn’t have two nickels to rub together, yet he continued with his work, the work from which the entire world has benefited. Mass electric power was from the Edison Company, not a public company at the time, but a private enterprise from an inventive genius. Edison didn’t seek any public funding while he was doing his experiments; at times he had very little money, and some of his fellow scientists that worked with him went without pay in order to help fulfill Edison’s dreams. None of those men knew whether Edison would succeed or fail, yet they continued on the quest. To the credit of Edison and his associates, we found a method of affordable power for America and the rest of the world, and they never asked for a government grant or loan! I’m sure over the course of past years billions upon billions of dollars have been made by different power companies around the world. Risk of investment and invention are the keys to the free enterprise system; sometimes they work, and sometimes they don’t. If the public wants what you make, then you will succeed; if they don’t, you won’t!

SOLYNDRA is a great example of a bad idea! Five hundred and twenty-eight million dollars of “government money” (your tax money) was given to a “bad risk” investment. In 2006, this company asked the George Bush administration for funding for this very same project. After some investigation, the advisors to the President said SOLYNDRA would be bankrupt by September of 2011, and an investment into this company would be money thrown away. Wow, talk about prophetic vision! Almost to the day, SOLYNDRA threw its hands into the air in bankruptcy. The owners of the company still got paid, and it was quite a bundle too. The only people to get stuck were American taxpayers; we took all the risk, even though we weren’t in on the decision to invest in this debacle.

It didn’t take SOLYNDRA too long to give up, after all, it wasn’t their “dream”, it was the “dream of Barack Obama”. They were actually risking very little and they already reaped a massive reward in your tax dollars. Not one executive went without a paycheck to keep things going; they just closed the doors. Hourly workers and American taxpayers were the ones left with stunned surprise.

In the free market, a business failure is an acceptable risk if you believe in what you are doing; but you must be the one taking the risk, not an innocent public. Since Mr. Obama has been endorsing and funding companies like SOLYNDRA, the attrition rate has been well above an acceptable level. This policy by Barack Obama has been an abysmal failure because those companies didn’t offer anything that the free market wanted, and they had no “skin in the game” themselves.

America thrives on the ideas of men like Thomas Edison, who are willing to take their own risks, and make their own sacrifices, and then reap their own rewards. This is capitalism, this is the free market and this is why we have had success in America.

"A Real Endangered Species!"

I own two dogs named Simon and Garfunkel. These two animals are trapped in my home. I feed them and give them all the veterinary care they require. They sleep on my sofa, chairs and in my bed. They bark at the neighbors and any other animals that walk past my house. They beg for food at the table, and are usually fed. They get turkey on Thanksgiving and roast beef on Christmas. I bathe them regularly. They are rescue dogs who now are practically owners of my house. They follow me around like I’m some kind of a god (I think it’s all about the food).

Do you remember the names Simon Legree or Ramses II? I guess if you own a dog, cat, bird, fish, hamster or small lizard, you can connect your name to the above gentlemen. They were famous slave owners! Simon Legree was the owner in the novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and Ramses II was the pharaoh who chased the Hebrew slaves into the Red Sea, only to have God turn the tables on him and destroy his finest troops. The difference between Legree, Ramses II and us is that they tried to own PEOPLE!

In America, it is illegal to own PEOPLE! On January 31^st of 1865 our Congress passed the 13^th amendment abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude; we can’t have slaves anymore.

These facts that I have stated above apply to people only, although I would hardly classify my dogs as slaves; they are much more like my children. Now comes the point to all this rhetoric; P.E.T.A. (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) recently filed a lawsuit against SeaWorld stating that they are “enslaving” killer whales at the facility. For a long time, P.E.T.A. has been trying to cover animals under the Constitution in the same way human beings are covered. The judge has already dismissed this case, as it is ridiculous on its face.

I don’t like animal abusers, and I support organizations that try to stop animal abuse; but animals are, in most cases, not human. This is why groups like the S.P.C.A. try to find homes for abused animals; they are not being sold into “servitude”. I sincerely doubt that SeaWorld is abusing those killer whales. I believe that those animals are probably receiving a well balanced diet and good medical care. All those fish have to do is swim and eat in front of a crowd; not a bad gig!

If P.E.T.A. really wants to get upset, perhaps they could concentrate their efforts on another abused mammal; unborn human babies. Every year, hundreds of thousands of human babies are murdered because of the inconvenience of their existence. It is disturbing that we live in a society that seems more worried about birds, frogs, fish and chipmunks than children! The idea that a case like this goes before a judge, when legalized murder happens on a daily basis without much comment, is a terrible indictment against our society.

The next time you look over at your dog, or cat, as they tear up your rug or get hair all over your furniture, try to think about how many children aren’t given a second thought when a woman goes into an abortion clinic.

"A Cheap Knock-Off!"

Have you ever heard the term “knock off”? A “knock off” is a look alike product that, shown to someone with an untrained eye, will be a perfect duplicate of the originally designed item. Purses, watches and clothing are common items to be “knocked off”. Swap meets and garage sales are common places to find items like these. I know some people who have told me they bought a Rolex watch for $35.00! I didn’t want to hurt their feelings, so I smiled and said “Nice watch” politely, and walked away. I watch some of the “Pawn” shows on television, and I’ve seen people who were deeply disappointed to find out their “antique” items are only elaborate copies, and are really worthless. Counterfeit items are a big business, and people lose tens of thousands of dollars a year on “a deal that is too good to be true”.

One hundred and six years ago, a portion of the people of America “purchased” a really bad “knock off”!

On February 9^th of 1861, Jefferson Davis was elected President of the Confederate States of America. Now old Jeff wasn’t a bad guy, but he was in rebellion to the lawful government of the United States of America when he accepted his new position. Jeff was no Abe, he was only a “knock off”. On this same day, the Confederate Provincial Congress declared that all the laws under the Confederate Constitution were consistent with those same laws in the United States Constitution. If that were true, then the Confederacy had no reason to leave the Union! I think there must have been a flaw in the “knock off”!

We are presently living in a time where some factions of the country want to “alter” what our Constitution says. The words “living document” are thrown about quite frequently by those who object to the written precepts of this great document. If we rearrange words or phrases to please a pressure group, we are taking an “original” and turning it into a “knock off”. We have seen the “Bill of Rights” twisted into more curves than a pretzel as anti-gun lobbyers do their best to revise a citizen’s right of self protection. We have seen the right to worship twisted into a position that makes worship some type of a hate crime.

We now see our President, Barack Obama, turning into a “knock off” of himself, as he seems to be reinventing himself on a daily basis. Two years ago, he didn’t attend the annual prayer breakfast; this year, he is the “faith president”. After the election, he was out to get the rich; then he was a friend of big business; then he was a friend of the rich; and then he was against the rich again! Are you getting a little confused yet; I am! In 2008, he was against same sex marriage; yesterday, he said he is “re-thinking” his position. The real question is: Can any of us trust what Mr. Obama is selling to the American people? Is he a President or a “CHEAP KNOCK-OFF!?”

"Just Punishment!"

I am going to list some names; see if you can identify them: Aaron Dwight Stevens, William Bruce, Mary Surratt, Lewis Powell, George Atzerodt and David Herold. These names belong to a “select “group of Americans; they have all been found guilty of TREASON!

One of these infamous people was hanged for tearing down an American flag during the Civil War; several were put to death as part of the people who conspired to murder President Lincoln: not a very good group to be a member of.

I will now mention another name, Edward Everett Hale; he was a writer at the turn of the last century. Mr. Hale wrote a story called “The Man Without a Country”, there have been several adaptations of Mr. Hale’s story for television and the movies. This tale is about a young man named Philip Nolan, who was a friend of Aaron Burr. He was put on trial for treason at the same time as Burr was. In the story, upon his conviction, Nolan gave this statement “Damn the United States. I wish I may never hear of the United States again!”. In the story, the judge granted Mr. Nolan’s request and sentenced him to life on American war ships, and no word of news from America was ever to be spoken to him; he was to be transferred from ship to ship as he was not allowed to gaze upon American shores for the rest of his life. As this story goes on, Mr. Nolan ages and regrets the error of his youth, and develops a longing for his native land, yet he passes away never to see America again. He paid a great price because of a youthful error in judgment.

Here is a name that has been out of the news for a while, Pfc. Bradley Manning. How many of you recall of what he is being accused? The Army is beginning court martial proceedings against the soldier. Manning is accused of “leaking” classified documents to the WIKILEAKS web site. His lawyers say he was in “emotional turmoil” because he was a “gay soldier” during the era of “don’t ask, don’t tell”. Evidence of conversations between Manning and WIKILEAKS founder, Julian Assange, were discovered on Manning’s computer, dealing with classified material. Thus far, there are 22 counts, including, but not exclusive to, aiding the enemy. Manning could face a life sentence if convicted of the charges as presented. Manning is now 24 years old, and probably in peek physical condition, so we may be feeding and clothing Mr. Manning for the next 55+ years. He will have access to a balanced diet, exercise, a library and free medical treatment for the duration of his sentence.

As a former soldier, I remember stepping forward and pledging to protect and defend the United States and her Constitution. As a former NCO, I remember how important my men were to me, and that I would do nothing to jeopardize their safety. If these charges are true, then Manning is the lowest type of traitor a soldier could be; he sold out his comrades and this is inexcusable!

I believe Mr. Hale had the right idea about punishment! If guilty, Manning should never see America again, and never have news about this great nation ever again. At least, we won’t have to worry about him passing on any more aid to our enemies!

"Are We the Next U.S.S.R.?"

Today is February 7^th, a day with quite a bit of history surrounding it; for instance, did you know, on this date in 1935 “Felix the Cat” made his first appearance, in 1936 “Monopoly” was invented, in 1958 the “Dodgers” moved to Los Angeles and in 1964 Baskin Robbins introduced an ice cream called “Beatle Nut”, in honor of the British Invasion of Rock N’ Roll! Some of this may sound a little trivial to most of you, but to the people of Brooklyn, New York it was a devastating date as they saw their beloved “Bums” moved to the land of “fruits and nuts”.

I have a large number of readers in Russia; actually, Russia is my second largest group outside of the United States. I value my Russian readers very much, as they are people who have only had a free government for a relatively few years, and are certainly suffering some “birth pangs” in the free enterprise system. It is definitely rough when a free people must make political choices from more than one party: America can testify to that.

On February 7^th 1991, Soviet President, Mikhail Gorbachev and the Soviet Communist Party Central Committee agreed to end the single party dominance of the Soviet Union, allowing a political challenge to the communists who had been in power for 70 years. Later that year, on Christmas day, Mikhail Gorbachev resigned the Presidency, and the Soviet Union itself ceased to exist on New Year’s Eve. In eleven months, the most powerful communist country on planet Earth collapsed.

I grew up with the “Cold War”, and I always looked at the Soviet Union as a nation of great power, second only to the United States in military might, hidden behind the “Iron Curtain” like a frightening giant, holding nuclear missiles, pointed toward America. How did the Soviet Union collapse; it is really very simple. America simply out spent them on defense and “drove them broke”; free enterprise makes money and socialism doesn’t. A nation that has a thriving economy with large manufacturing and investment will produce enough tax to support a strong military. The Soviet Union didn’t generate enough in its socialist economy to support its military efforts, and it “folded”.

This little scenario is a valuable lesson for all of my fellow Americans. The Soviet Union was powerful. It had great natural resources and wielded influence all across Eastern Europe and the world, yet its socialist agenda caused it to fall away, cease to exist, disappear. Whether it is 70 years or less, socialism will destroy a strong nation. Freedom to achieve is the real key to strength, regulation and government control over a nation’s citizens makes those citizens slaves to the system, and eventually those controls will cause the nation to cave in, like a building with all the supports removed.

The old Soviet Union had government housing, and collective farms of massive size, yet there were always problems of not having enough food. We sent wheat to Russia because the free American farmer produced more than we needed; because he made his own profit, he didn’t farm for the government. This same axiom holds true in industry and business.

America will be voting in November, and we have a chief executive with socialistic ideals; those ideals that have proven to be spurious every time they have been put into practice. I don’t want America to fall away in the next two or three years because we elected a president who feeds the American people a load of garbage about “evening things out”. IT WILL NOT WORK!! He has already started to weaken our military; he cannot be allowed to go any further. Maintain American strength, and DON’T RE-ELECT BARACK OBAMA IN 2012!!

"Responsible and Irresponsible"

Are you a responsible party? Do you admit to your errors and try to rectify them? Each day, all across America, we have vehicles engaged in auto accidents, and most of the auto owners are required to have automobile insurance, not to protect themselves, but to protect the injured parties of an altercation. Additional coverage for the owner’s loss is optional and can be declined. We carry homeowners insurance to cover injury incurred by guests while in our homes; this protects them as well liability to the owner. If you have a mortgage, you are probably required to carry this insurance; the bank wants their investment protected too.

Insurance can lapse if we don’t make the payments, or if we do things that void the agreement, such as numerous traffic violations for reckless driving or drunk driving; in the case of home insurance causing a hazardous condition to exist without an attempt to remedy the situation, and it is possible to void your mortgage agreement if you lose your insurance. We are expected to be responsible people in our deeds and actions, or there will be consequences.

A while back, I addressed the “Fast and Furious” scandal that is plaguing the United States Department of Justice. Last week, Eric Holder, once again was called before the Congressional Committee for further testimony. There have been allegations of suppression of evidence by Mr. Holder’s department, and refusal to submit documents to the committee. This committee has requested 93,000 documents, and has received only 6,400 pages thus far. These pages have been described as “heavily redacted” by Darrel Issa, chairman of the House Oversight Committee. There is now talk of citing Eric Holder for contempt because of his not being forthright in his testimony and the “stone-walling” on the surrender of requested documents to the committee. Contempt citations are a severe action from a congressional committee; nothing to be “sneezed at”.

As if the Justice Department didn’t have enough to think about with a contempt citation looming on the horizon, a civil action against the department has been filed by the family of slain Border Patrol agent Brian Terry, who was murdered with a weapon from the “Fast and Furious” program. The suit is requesting 25 million dollars in a wrongful death prosecution against the Justice Department, alleging it was the department’s negligence that led to the death of Officer Terry. It has already been shown that numerous people have been murdered by the weapons that this policy put into the hands of criminals by the Justice Department under the supervision of Eric Holder. Holder has given conflicting statements about his knowledge of “Fast and Furious” since the investigation has been launched in what appears to be an effort to deflect blame to those who work beneath him. I guess Mr. Holder doesn’t take too well to responsibility as he “tap dances” around the truth. Officer Terry was doing his job “responsibly” when he was murdered by a weapon that Mr. Holder was “responsible for”. One of these men took his responsibility seriously, one didn’t; you tell me which is which.

"Hippies or Heroes?"

Sunday is the unofficial American holiday known as the “Super Bowl”. For the past two weeks, we have been bombarded with stories of each team and the cities from which they come. There will be ten hours of pre-game coverage telling us more than we ever wanted to know about the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. We will find out what they ate for breakfast and who has the biggest feet on each team. After endless hours of talk and hype, we will be ready to actually watch the game. Before that game starts, we will do something that is done before every NFL game; we will sing the National Anthem and watch our American Flag fly proudly over the stadium. For a few moments, all eyes will be on that flag, a flag unlike any other; a flag that has flown over countless battle fields and military burial sites. I have special feelings for the American Flag. I believe it deserves some honor and respect from our citizens. Living during the Viet Nam conflict, I saw demonstrations from unwashed cowards who were either too afraid to fight, or sympathized with a communist regime over that of the United States of America. We were told it was part of our 1^st Amendment rights, and they were entitled to use the flag as a “political statement” when they burned and desecrated our treasured national symbol. Most veterans will disagree with this interpretation of the 1^st Amendment.

A few days ago, I was on my Facebook page and a friend sent me a picture from one of the OCCUPY demonstrations. He is a retired police officer, and close personal friend, so I knew this wasn’t a “doctored” picture. I almost got sick to my stomach as I looked at this image of a young MORON with his pants pulled down to his ankles, squatting over the American Flag, defecating like a farm animal! I cannot tell you how much anger I felt at that moment. This lowlife scumbag was using my flag as a toilet, making a “political statement”!! Had I been able to reach him, his teeth would have been a memory, along with his testicles!!

My fellow Americans, this is the OCCUPY movement that has been lauded by Nancy Pelosi, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Barack Obama as a good healthy “grass roots” political movement! I know what kind of “grass” they were talking about!

These are the same people who questioned the patriotism of members of the TEA Party; making accusations of racism and Naziism. Nancy Pelosi was “afraid” of the TEA Party demonstrators! How ludicrous is she? How hypocritical are these so-called “guardians of the Constitution”! If you are a veteran, or if you know a veteran, or if you have a family member who was a veteran, you need to remember what they have given up for that symbol of freedom. Remember who has endorsed the OCCUPY movement, while condemning the TEA Party. Do you want these people to remain in the positions they now hold? Do they reflect the ideals seen on that waving flag? Do you want “hippies” or “heroes”?

"GROUNDHOG DAY FOR OBAMA!"

In 1993, a movie came out called “Groundhog Day” staring Bill Murray. It was a comedy with a “Twilight Zone” twist to it. Murray plays an obnoxious television weatherman who goes on location to Punxsatawny, Pennsylvania for its annual groundhog celebration. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this tradition, people wait outside the home of a groundhog called “Punxsatawny Phil” waiting to see if he will see his shadow. Legend says if the groundhog doesn’t see his shadow, we will get an early spring; if he does, we get six more weeks of winter. Murray’s character is so anti-social, he alienates everyone around him; a man full of his own self importance. He goes to Punxsatawny and does his remote broadcast and is stranded in the town when a blizzard forces everyone to remain there. When he wakes up at the local inn, he finds out that it is still the same day it was the day before; he is trapped in endless yesterdays. He tries everything he can to get the calendar to move with no success. At first, he is the same selfish man he always was, but eventually he changes as he sees the people of the town differently and becomes more involved in their lives. He finds romance and humility and everybody lives “happily ever after”; only after Murrays endless “Groundhog Days” have shown him the error of his ways.

In a movie, the idea of endless yesterdays is funny, repeating the same things, over and over again. In life, repeating the same actions over and over again will only produce the same results.

For the last three years, I have been talking about the nation of Iran and the maniac leader who wishes death to Israel and the United States. For many years now, we have heard that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and a missile delivery system to carry those weapons. We have seen numerous attempts from the United Nations and the United States to impose sanctions to put a halt to the possibility of this program. For the past three years, we have seen Iran pay absolutely zero attention to these sanctions. To anyone with any common sense. we can see these sanctions are of no value in trying to influence Iranian leadership. We continue to impose sanctions on Iran today, with the same results.

The United States intelligence agencies now believe that Iran is willing to launch terrorist attacks within the borders of the United States. Last year, a plot was discovered to assassinate the Saudi ambassador by the Iranians. There has been some “saber rattling” from the Obama administration, but Iran is paying little attention, as Obama has proven himself a weakling in the past. It is a safer prediction to say Obama will ask for further sanctions against the Iranian government. Iran has already issued veiled threats to other nations if they join in more sanctions against Iran. No shadow will scare this “groundhog” back into its hole; this “groundhog” will bite!

That LUNATIC in Iran isn’t “Punxsatawny Phil”, he is a homicidal maniac bent on destruction, and doing the same thing, over and over again won’t work. Sadly, I believe Barack Obama will just wake up to the same “day” again, and never change his behavior, while this “groundhog” bites the United States of America!

"America's Deadly Habit!"

I have written many words about my father and how much he meant to me. Few days go by when I don’t think of him with great fondness. Dad would be 87 had he lived this long, and I certainly wish he were here to give me advice when things seem confusing. He had a way of making everyone around him feel at ease, with an easy smile and sense of humor, Dad could charm the spots off a leopard. For a man who didn’t finish high school, he was one of the wisest people I’ve ever known, and he seemed to have a great recall of family history and would hold my attention for hours with his stories. He was 74 when he passed away from the effects of lung cancer. My Dad started smoking when he was about ten years old, and continued until he had his lung removed at age 72. By the time he died, the disease had made too much progress to be stopped completely, and I saw this once powerful man fight to breath with the aid of an oxygen concentrator. I don’t know how much longer my Dad would have lived had he quit smoking years earlier. He watched my uncle Sammy die from lung cancer years earlier, and that didn’t prevent him from continuing to smoke another twenty years. Could it be possible that I might still have my Dad if he had turned away from cigarettes twenty years earlier? I think about this quite often. Sometimes we are given sign posts from God, and sometimes we fail to follow them because we choose to ignore them.

America has been given sign posts for her future. Greece is in near financial collapse because of runaway public entitlements. Germany and France have experienced riots over socialist policies that have crippled their governments. England has had students rioting over a lack of further funding for their tuitions. Britain’s government health care has been under fire for poor care and lack of funds; people are dying because of bad medical care! Communist China is now the “Big Gun” in world economy, and America is trying to play “catch up”. The once great independent country of the United States is in “free-fall” because of policies installed over the last 36 months and mistakes of past administrations. America spends more than she makes, and our government is encouraging even further government spending. We are now in a hole so deep it will take generations to fill it up, if that is possible.

Our nation has a cancer from within, and it is feeding on our “free ride” mentality. What we continue to do is depend on the government to supply our every need, while our government is tearing down our national house for “firewood”. We have a Chief Executive who advocates this policy of taxation and self destruction. His plan is to tax until there is no money left to tax on; no money to invest and an economy that is in its last gasps until the national lungs collapse!

My Dad is gone; my country is still hanging on, but needs to break its bad habits! Obama is that “one more cigarette” before I quit; the one that may put America in her grave!!