by The GreyWolf

The election is just one week away…it seems like these candidates have been running since FDR left office.

You would think that these clowns would have run out of rocks to throw by now but noooooooooooooooooo……they just make things up…bend the truth and fire away.

Let’s see…..Who is a Muslim? (not true), who was born outside the US? (wrong), who0 is a BFF with an American terrorist? (not quite), who thinks that we should be in Iraq for the next 100 years? (nuh huh), who wants to turn this country into a Marxist dictatorship? (oh paleeeze), who spent $150,000 on her wardrobe? (nope), who is only now proud to be an American since her husband is running for president? (doubtful) and on and on and on. Very few Americans care about this stuff. We want to know…when will we be able to come home from the Iraq, when will the economy turn around, when will we be able to get a mortgage again, what will happen to our aging parents and how will they cope with the crisis of the cost of health care. When will unemployment go down and not up, what do we do about the energy crises (don’t get me started on this one).

See let’s get real here. John McCain and Barak Obama are both patriotic Americans who want the best for this country. The have different approaches…..very little of which will ever go into effect with the economic situation we’re in and the political climate we find ourselves in. Joe Biden and Sarah Palin….two very interesting characters. Sarah is a popular governor of a state with a very small population and small problems on the grand scale of things. Her state has a budget surplus thanks to the oil that can be found there. From all indications she is a great mom with old time conservative values. She is a very pretty woman that can get a crowd into the palm of her hand when she speaks but……….Vice President????

Joe…well what can I say about Joe Biden. He has never done anything but be a United States Senator being elected at the age of 29 (36 years). He has had a tough personal life but has, by all indications, risen above the tragedies that have befallen him. He is nice guy with a dazzling smile but (as one pundent put it) “has never had an unspoken thought”. He is quite frankly a loose cannon when it comes to his oratory skills. The thing about Joe is that what he says is true……not expedient……not smart politically…….but true none the less. Vice Presidential material …welllllll.

The bottom line is this……We have a very weak crop of candidates running…one of whom will be the president elect in a week. To hear the republicans tell it, Barak Obama will turn this country into a welfare state that will redistribute our wealth in line with the Marxist montra “from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs” and make us easy pickens for terrorists and terror states around the world. To hear the democrats tell it, John McCain will turn this country into a country with no soul that will leave the weakest of us in the street and our armies marching all over the world.

I think I’m gonna write in Mickey Mouse’s name, at least with him we’ll have a Magic Kingdom…….of course there is that questionable association with Donald Duck!!!

GreyWolf

The news is filled with reports of the dire straits our economy is in. “Economic Downturn”, “Market Correction”,  Recession”, “Energy Crisis”……..all flowery terms that mean the average American is being  severely hurt financially.

Our paternal government is working diligently  to help us all deal with the problems of rising unemployment, the credit crunch,  bank failures rising prices at the gas pump and of course Islamic Militants. Our  elected representatives have come up with so many great ideas it’s  staggering:

- Sending billions of dollars in foreign aide that many times  come back to
us in booby traps, rocket propelled grenades, foreign industrial  growth
(displacing millions of our own workers) all fostering distrust and hate  of the
American interlopers….

- Helping us all in the form of “economic  stimulus checks” that will give
our waning economy a much needed shot in the arm  and take us to economic
prosperity. Forget the fact that many of these checks  are being used to catch up on
bills, pay those higher prices at the gas pump,  pay those failing banks in
an effort to keep homes that were financed by greedy  bankers without a thought
as to how the home owner can pay for their mortgage.  Oh by the way…this
“stimulus” comes to us courtesy of loans from China….that  we will pay back
with heavy interest. China…our number one rival in the  world……the China
of toys and cosmetics with lead in them…the China of  environmental disasters
to move their economy forward…the China of  overwhelming human rights
violations….this could go on and on but you get the  point.

- The politicians imploring us all to conserve oil…don’t drive  so
much…take mass transit…..plan your trips…car pool. These same geniuses  are now
telling us that tolls, the price for mass transit and gas taxes have to  go up
because they are not collecting enough tolls and taxes because we have  taken
their advice and are not driving as much as we used to.

- States  and Cities all asking for tax increases because they can’t provide
services at  the level they used to because they don’t have enough revenues.

The other  day in the news I watched an official of the federal government
being  interviewed. He was discussing some new government project (what the
project was  is of no consequence). The interviewers asked “How will this project
be funded?”  The official actually looked into the camera and said
“well……part will be  paid for my the federal government…part by the states and the
rest by the  taxpayer”…….HELLLLLOOOOO…..Where does this guy thinks ALL
this money comes  from????

This is just an example of the governmental mind set that exists  today. ALL
the money it spends comes from us the American Taxpayer. The payback  on the
stimulus checks plus interest to China, the billions that go overseas,  the
roads, mass transit, toll booths……(deep breath)

Anyway I have a  novel idea…..how about…the government SPENDS LESS. Make
the same hard  decisions that the American family has to make everyday. How
about they give us  a break.

What do you think….talk to me.

GreyWolf

Today I watched Al Gore on Meet The Press and for the first time I find myself in complete agreement with him on the issue of our country and it’s dependence on foreign oil.

When I was in grammar school the teachers told us that we are running out of oil and we need to find other forms of energy. The people in power at that time said that it would take at least 10 years for us to find alternate forms of energy and nothing happened. The price of a gallon of gas in 1955 was $.23 cents.

In the 1960’s the scientific community sounded the trumpet again…..telling us that we had around 50 years of oil left (an underestimate, as it turns out). During that time we began to feel the pressure from the middle eastern countries and the creation of OPEC, a cartel that fixed the price of a barrel of oil. The people in power at that time said that it would take at least 10 years for us to find alternate forms of energy and nothing happened. The price of a gallon of gas in 1965 was $.31 cents.

In the 1970’s OPEC got together and slapped us with an oil shortage. Long lines at the pump spilling over into the street, people only allowed to buy gas on odd or even days (depending on the last number on their license plate) Jimmy Carter came on TV in late 70’s sporting a sweater telling us to lower the thermostats settings in our homes….People clamored to find a way out. Those on power said that it would take a least 10 years before we could find alternate forms of energy and nothing happened. The price of a gallon of gas in 1975 was $.57 cents.

In the 1980’s our economy boomed. Ronald Reagan was president and a new American pride was taking over the country. OPEC was not quick to pressure us on pricing and we rode the economic wave with increased wages and a higher standard of living. Still in the background were the voices that warned us that oil was running out and that OPEC could put a strangle hold on us anytime that wanted to and that this robust economy was at their mercy, the people in power said it would take at least 10 years. Nothing happened. The price for a gallon of gas in 1985 was $1.20.

In the 1990’s we entered the DOT.COM era. Internet stocks rose like a rocket, the economy again was running like a clock and the price of a gallon of oil actually dropped to $1.15 in 1995. Unfortunately this era of Pox Americana was about to suddenly come to an end.

September 11, 2001, a day that will live in American history side by side with Pearl Harbor. We were attacked by Islamic Terrorists. We are all aware of how it happened and how we felt when we heard about it and watched it over and over again on TV. We responded first by attacking Afghanistan, the Taliban stronghold where the attackers were given safe haven and where training was taking place for additional attacks. Then we attacked Iraq. This attack has been criticized both at home and around the world. Based on what was found or should I say wasn’t found, namely WMD’s, this attack was dubious and seemed to galvanize a large portion of the Islamic world against American boots on the ground in the middle east. The price of a gallon of gas exploded. There were murmurings about finding alternate fuels, maybe a wind farm or two of the coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, which the powerful Kennedy family ended quickly…..a clear Not In My Back Yard response. Many said it was time for us to make an all out effort to find alternative fuels…..find domestic sources of oil…..make more fuel efficient cars….but of course that would take at least 10 years to achieve…….

Today…in 2008 the price of gas is $4.25 a gallon! Fifty years have passed since my days in grammar school. Housing prices are dropping like a rock, banks are failing, unemployment is rising, inflation is rising. Bread, eggs, milk, produce, etc. pricing are rising at an alarming rate. In a large segment of our population a person can only buy 1-1/2 gallon of gas with the wage they earn per hour. All of the above effected by the price of oil!

What is needed is a Manhattan Project (the development of the atomic bomb during WWII) for getting us off the oil tap of the middle east.

Al Gore has challenged us to become energy independent using renewable, carbon free forms of energy such as bio-fuels, wind energy, solar energy, water energy and clean electric energy. It will require an all out effort from all us. It will require some sacrifices but they will be worth it.

Of course it’s gonna take at least 10 years……..

What do you think….talk to me.

GreyWolf

Should Gay people be allowed to serve in the military……….of course they should. Gay people should be allowed to do anything and everything the rest of the population can do.

Should Gay people be allowed to serve “openly” in the military….I think not. We have to remember that the armed forces are not meant to be treated as a test tube to see how our social culture can evolve and change. These warriors train together, kill together, survive together, and live in very close proximity………..together.

The problem, as I see it, is the morale and comfort of the overwhelming majority of the men and women in our armed forces. There is no reason why each soldier needs to know the sexuality of their comrades. Sharing barracks, communal showers are all places where these men and women should be able to let their guards down and relax. Even if a gay soldier doesn’t act out in a lascivious way towards the straight soldiers…the mere fact that they are openly gay causes tension. I don’t see “don’t ask…don’t tell” as an abridgement of gays rights but rather an affirmation of the rights of the majority of our men and women that serve us so well.

There are those that will say that there are many countries where gay men and woman serve opening in their armed forces. This is true but ask these same people….when it is time for armed conflict….which army they want to do the heavy lifting…..there is no contest. America has THE best army on earth. Don’t ask….don’t tell has worked for over 230 years and has served America well. I see no reason to change this policy now.

Over the years there have been many gay soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen that have served this country with distinction. Their accomplishments have been as valorous people and there has been no need categorize them into gay or straight…they have been American patriots all.

If it ain’t broken….don’t fix it!

What do you think….Talk to me.