"Better People Are Available!"

Currently Herman Cain is under some extreme scrutiny about some alleged sexual harassment charges from his past. I don't know how true or false these allegations are, and I have yet seen any hard and fast facts to support or deny these claims. One fact I do know is that Herman Cain is the current front runner in the Republican race for the presidential nomination. As the leader, Mr. Cain is now the preferred target for the media; any aspersion cast upon Cain at this time is fodder for every commentator and pundit on television, the radio or the internet. This charge is one of the most volatile that can be leveled against any public figure, as it raises questions about that person's character and personal habits. My personal belief about this is that I find it very strange that none of this behavior was mentioned until Mr. Cain became a serious candidate, and the severity of these charges are so heinous, I find it difficult to believe Cain would seek this office, knowing how closely his life would be examined. Cain is not a stupid or naive man, and I'm sure he would never believe that such behavior wouldn't be uncovered if it were truthful. Mr. Cain's behavior, thus far, seems like a man caught in disbelief. He has consistently denied these charges and has said he is willing to submit to a polygraph examination; this hardly seems like the actions of a guilty man. He seems willing to face his accusers (unlike some men previously accused of the same acts).

I hope America can see this issue resolved in a timely manner, and a just manner. If these allegations prove to be spurious, then America has been, once again, made to take its focus off the real issues of our next election in order to shift attention away from a poorly managed Presidency by an ill-equipped leader.

Regardless of the outcome of these allegations, America must focus on the actual problem of a Barack Obama Presidency, which has left America in shambles. With the possible exception of Ron Paul, I believe any of the Republican field of candidates would do a better job in Washington then our current Chief Executive. If Herman Cain's campaign survives this attack, and these charges are proved untrue, I'm positive he would do a more competent job in the Oval Office than Barack Obama is doing now! If it is not Herman Cain, if it is any of the other potential candidates, I know America would be better served by any of them rather than four more years of this incompetent leadership. I wish Mr. Cain the best in this bad situation, and I hope he can get past it quickly; for himself, his family and for America.

"Casual Remarks"

Do you have a best friend? I have a best friend, his name is Phil. We have been friends for very many years. I was the best man at his wedding, and he was my best man when I renewed our vows on our 25th anniversary several years ago. I trust Phil implicitly; there is no doubt in my mind that he will always do things for me that are in my best interests; as I would for him. We often kid each other and make fun of one another; the laughs make our friendship great. We share common memories, and often reflect on our shared experiences. I have NEVER talked behind Phil's back, as I am sure he would never do so to me.

There are few real democratic republics in the world today. America is the model for all democratic republics, and we should embrace all those nations who emulate our values. It was said that when FDR met Winston Churchill, they had an immediate bond of trust and sincere affection; this was fortunate for both England and America; that trust and affection was a key to our joint victory in World War II. Hitler was a "so-called" friend of Stalin; until he launched an attack against the Russians and opened up the second front. I guess dictators are true friends.

Yesterday, the worst thing that can happen to a politician happened to French President Sarkozy and U.S. President Barack Obama; the dreaded "open mike"! Yes, my fellow Americans, these two world leaders were caught exchanging "honest thoughts" about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It is alleged that Sarkozy said of Netanyahu, "I can't look at him, he is a liar", to which Obama replied, "You've had enough, but I have to deal with him every day."

This is quite a few collective toes to have in the mouths of two of the world's democratic leaders; especially when the remarks were directed against the only real democratic republic in the Middle-East. Prime Minister Netanyahu has not responded about the alleged remarks; but how must he feel as his nation now sits under the gun of Iran, and his nation is seemingly being parceled out to Palestine by the United Nations.

As an American, I am aghast at the remarks that were exchanged by these two men about the only leader of an actual democratic republic in the most volatile area of our globe. Mr. Netanyahu must now weigh heavily all of the statements of "support" he receives from our current President. He must ask himself if Barack Obama is a sincere man, who can be trusted, or just another politician whose word means little to nothing? What do you think, America?

"A Seat On The Chopper!"

How many of you out there remember the "Watergate Scandal" from way back in the administration of Richard M. Nixon? How many of you remember the "White House Tapes" and those missing 18 minutes that were mysteriously erased, by accident? Watergate brought down a standing President; something that had never before happened in United States history. Richard Nixon resigned in disgrace because he tried to cover up a crime perpetrated by some of his closest advisers.

When all the facts were coming to light, the Senate held hearings to try to discover who knew what and when they knew it. Even the White House appointed a special prosecutor to "get to the bottom of this crime"; his name was Archibald Cox, and he took his job seriously (I don't think he was supposed to though). When Mr. Cox found out that audio tapes existed during the times of the "cover-up", he immediately wanted those tapes subpoenaed. This came as a surprise to the Nixon White House and this request was immediately refused under the shield of "executive privilege", and Mr. Cox was fired for his actions. He was not fired immediately; Nixon ordered Attorney General Elliot Richardson to fire Cox, but Mr. Richardson refused to do so and resigned his office (integrity). The person to finally fire Mr. Cox was Robert Bork, the Solicitor General.

There were things on those tapes that Mr. Nixon didn't want disclosed, and as history has unfolded, we have all seen what they were. Nixon did send out several "edited volumes" of transcripts to the Senate Watergate Committee. Later, under testimony of John Dean, some of the conversations which were "edited" in the transcripts became very clear; the results were Dick Nixon bidding farewell to America from the door of a helicopter, disgraced forever.

When Congress requests a subpoena, it isn't something that should be ignored. Currently, a house committee which is investigating the SOLYNDRA scandal sent a subpoena to the White House in regards to meetings with the principals involved in this financial debacle. Strangely, the most transparent administration in history is stone-walling this subpoena: the excuse being used by the White House is that they feel this is politically driven; really, 528 million dollars of taxpayer's money has been thrown away! Why does the White House believe this is political? Is it not proper for Congress to investigate the facts behind such a grave loss of taxpayer's money; especially if there is any hint of influence peddling involved? Previous documents have revealed that the White House was aware of SOLYNDRA's financial problems, yet this massive funding was still permitted; in fact, expedited through the system. This is at least curious, and at the most, possibly criminal. This is not political, it is essential; the American people have a right to know what was going on in the White House at that time! WHAT IS THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HIDING? I'm not sure, but I'll bet that helicopter has an empty seat right now and there's plenty of room for Barack Obama. Remember these words: "I'm not a crook!"

"Corner Men!"

I am old enough to remember when Joe Louis fought Rocky Marciano; Rocky knocked Joe through the ropes and ended the career of one of America's greatest fighters. Joe Louis was one of those people who transcended politics, race and creed. My Dad talked fondly of Louis, saying that there wasn't a modern heavyweight around who could hold a candle to the "Brown Bomber". Way back then, civil rights weren't even discussed, yet a commentator once said "Joe Louis is a credit to his race, the human race": it couldn't have been said any better than that. Joe met cheering crowds wherever he went. Joe was a great contributor to the war effort, doing exhibition fights and selling War Bonds. Joe Louis was a great champion, but more than that, he was a great American. Joe ended up dying broke; he wasn't too smart with his money and the IRS cleaned him out. Nothing that happened to Joe was intentional, he was just trusting and innocent; this was a real American tragedy! Sometimes trusting the wrong people can cause big problems. Sometimes you can't believe that people are always acting in your best interests.

America is like a great fighter who has been the champion for many decades. We have had numerous knockouts which left our opponents hanging on the ropes, and like the true champion that America is, she picks up her opponent and helps him back on his feet. America is a gracious victor. We aren't a nation that shops for new territory; we are liberators, not OCCUPIERS! Unlike Nazis, communists or socialists, we believe in the freedom of each individual to determine his or her own destiny; like a fighter in the ring. Our "corner men" were Washington, Jefferson, Adams and Franklin; not Marx, Hitler or Mao! We have had some pretty good advice come from our "corner men"; not so much from that other bunch. If we examine the body count of innocents from Marx, Hitler and Mao, I don't think their followers of today would be so vocal. You see, in America, we don't murder dissidents, we let them vent no matter how stupid their ideas may be. Oddly, they complain the loudest when the people who pay the taxes want their own rights defended, when they want their own property protected. I guess they want those "preferred rights" instead of "equal rights", and when the "referee (police)" step in, they don't like the rules. They have gotten bad advice from their "corner men", they told them to use "low blows" and it didn't work. Success in America depends on the individual, just like the boxer, your fate rests with you. Life in America can be "won or lost" on the effort the individual puts forth, just like a fighter. If you really want to occupy something, occupy your mind with some individual initiative instead of "collective crap!" You will find that our "Founding Fathers" were the best "corner men" in history; the rest are pretenders!

"Expert Advice!"

Growing up, I constantly asked my Dad questions. I was probably a pest, but he never complained; he was a cool Dad. I always wondered how he knew where he was going when we went out in our car, all I knew was the walk to school; two left turns and I was lost! Dad never got lost going anywhere; at least, if he did, I didn't know about it. I always asked him for directions and he never let me down; he knew what he was talking about. After a few years of driving a truck around Chicago, I was pretty good at directions too; it became fairly difficult for me to lose my way in the city. I learned from the best. When we are new on a job, or taking on a new task, it is always a good idea to ask questions of those people who have done it before us, especially if they are good at it. Obviously, there are folks out there who have been doing things for many years who are still not very good at it, and their reputation usually precedes them. If you go into a barber shop always go to the barber with the worst haircut because they cut each other's hair; both barbers may have the same years on the job, but one is better than the other! They are both barbers; one good, one, not so good!

President Obama is in Paris at the G-20 economic conference. Europe, especially Greece, is in dire financial straits and general belt tightening is definitely in order. Greece is close to financial collapse and the EU wants to offer a bailout package, but it requires some loss of entitlements to make it a soluble solution and the Greek people don't want to give anything up. The Greek Prime Minister has said he will resign, which will put added pressure on an already volatile situation. If there is a financial collapse in Greece, all of Europe will feel its effects. Too many public entitlements and high taxes have put Greece into this dire state; the nation can't survive under this continued policy.

Barack Obama said the United States will do it's best to advise the Greek government on fiscal solvency. Now I'm not Greek, but if I were Greek, I don't believe I would want any financial advice from Barack Obama. In about three years, he has piloted the United States into near bankruptcy compiling the largest deficit in American history. For the very first time in American history, our bond rating has been lowered, and there is a distinct possibility it could be lowered again; this is not a glowing endorsement of Mr. Obama's financial smarts. Mr. Obama's idea of smart finances is for the government to spend MORE money and ENLARGE U.S. debt; to me, this sounds STUPID!

My advice to my Greek friends is: hand Barack a gyro sandwich and send him away; he will only make things worse!!

"Limited Menu!"

Whenever I visit Chicago, I try to go to some of my favorite places to eat; I'm Italian! I used to frequent a place called "Gene and Jude's", a "hot dog joint", and one of the best in the Chicagoland area: it was in business long before I started going there in the late fifties. All they have on their menu is hot dogs, fries, tamales and soda; NOTHING ELSE. On mostly any given night, you will find a line that leads out the door into the parking lot; and nobody complains. Most of the food is carried out to the customer's cars; if you want to eat inside, you are welcome to stand at a counter with no stools; ambiance isn't this places strong suit. If you were to walk in and ask for Italian Beef or gyros, you would probably be laughed at by most of the patrons and the staff; you won't find those things at "Gene and Jude's"; it's strictly "dogs". No one going into "Gene and Jude's" is expecting anything but a great hot dog; and they are certainly worth standing in line for.

Recently, a professor from George Washington University, John Banzhaf, filed a complaint against the Catholic University of America. By its name, you may be able to guess that this is not a secular place of learning, yet they do admit students of other faiths, as this university has a fine reputation. Professor Banzhaf is complaining that Muslim students don't have anywhere to have Muslim prayer on the campus, and all the facilities that are provided have "Crosses" in them, thus those students are being discriminated against. Currently, there are less than 150 Muslim students in the Catholic University of America, and none of them have registered any complaint to the university previous to that which was brought forth by this professor. Evidently, everything was going along quite well there until Professor Banzhaf decided to "stick in his two cents"!

Banzhaf has been an activist for some years now; he was an anti-smoking advocate and is also engaged in the anti-obesity campaign that is now being pursued by some health advocates. The professor is a man who likes to "rock the boat"; I guess he like the attention. I don't smoke, and I would like to lose a few pounds, but I would like to use my own responsibility in all those matters and leave the government out of it; they will only screw it up!

There was no valid reason for Banzhaf to start this trouble! The Muslim students knew when they enrolled in the CATHOLIC University of America they were not entering a secular school. Professor, there is only one thing I can say to you: "This school has a limited menu, no changes allowed!" Professor, you can't get hamburgers at a hot dog joint!

"Play Clock!"

Last week, the St. Louis Cardinals won the World Series; one of the best Series ever played, and I have watched quite a few. I remember when my White Sox won in 2005; I sat, transfixed, in the final game, counting the balls, strikes and finally the last out! I can identify with all those Cardinal fans; nothing feels quite like that sigh of relief and that rush of exultation that flows throughout your body when the victory is, at last, achieved! I recall the Bears win in 1985 and counting the last seconds on the time clock before they were official Super Bowl Champions (I still watch the DVD). I also have tapes of the Bulls Championship wins, and I watch them regularly; it may be the only professional basketball I can see this year. Those last moments in each of those contests are thrilling and exhilarating. Every fan knows these feelings; like they used to say on "Wide World of Sports", "The thrill of victory; and the agony of defeat"; sometimes only a few seconds separates one from the other.

One year from today, we will be choosing a President for the United States of America; that is just TWELVE MONTHS, my fellow Americans, not a very long time! This is so much more than a championship game; this is the path America will be on for our future, and the next season won't be back until 2016, so we better be sure we don't make a mistake again! I make no apologies for my opinion of Barack Obama; I believe he is the worst President we have ever had in our history. He has admitted that he will work his way around our Constitution to achieve his goals; he has been a caster of blame on the last administration continuously since entering office; never accepting responsibility for any of his own actions. He has made statements pitting one segment of our society against another, in an effort to demonize his opposition. Be it race or ideology, or economic strata, Mr. Obama wants every American to feel that their neighbors are their enemies if they are at all different in any way. Mr. Obama now blames Congress and the Republicans for our economic disaster, although he held a congressional majority for his first two years in office; which was a virtual "rubber stamp" for him. Once again, I cite "Obama-care" as a program that he is "proud of"; as a symbol of his arrogance in office. Seventy per cent of America didn't want this giant debt-filled debacle, yet the Pelosi-Reid Congress shoved it down America's throat!

The last seconds on our political clock are starting to count down; this "game" can be in real jeopardy all the way to the "last buzzer". I know Obama is about as popular as the plague right now, but this is no time to relax America. He depends on the ignorance of the average uninformed to achieve his victory and we can't allow that to happen. Engage those who support Obama on the issues, be knowledgeable of what you are speaking, don't make it a personal argument. An educated electorate is our greatest weapon against four more years of disaster from Barack Obama. Watch that "Play Clock"; our time is short!