Vodka & Cupcakes

So Napolitano, DHS, and Orwell walk into a Walmart

The Department of Homeland Security has teamed up with Walmart to launch the “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign.  Essentially they want you to report suspicious activities that you witness as a means of promoting “hometown security”.  

A great deal of responsible Americans do this anyway and we don’t need “Big Sis” Janet Napolitano to tell us to.  However, there are some Americans who need a gentle nudge to come forward either because they don’t want to cause trouble, they aren’t sure what they think they saw, or they’re afraid they’ll get in trouble.  This “gentle nudge” should come from your local law enforcement, not the Federal Government.

The reason this is such a big deal isn’t because DHS fears a terrorist attack on Walmart, but because they are looking to activate the drones.  Not everyone who shops or works at Walmart are drones, but c'mon, a solid chunk of them are.  If we’re being really honest with ourselves, we know that most of Americans are sheep who aren’t energetic, concerned, or smart enough to think for themselves - Hello Mr. 44th President.

If the Feds tell these people to do something, they’re going to do it.  They’ll probably think they’re getting a reward for it or something.  What we have on our hands is something straight from the pages of George Orwell.  This is Big Brother at its finest.

The Federal Government is using this whole “If You See Something, Say Something” load of you-know-what to activate their eyes and ears on the ground.  Each totalitarian government in history has established one of these.  They scare people into thinking there’s a huge threat to their personal security and that they need to turn those responsible (or who they think might be responsible) in.  

I’m not saying that the United States is a totalitarian state or they are going to start detaining people for no real reason, but what I am saying is this is the path to that nightmare.  Janet Napolitano has said “Homeland security begins with hometown security” and since our homeland is in danger, clearly it’s because of our hometowns being threatened if you use Federal logic.  Forget about “Homeland security begins with profiling, searching foreign cargo, and closing the borders” - that’s a bunch of nonsense!

Moreover, Walmart is the nation’s leading discount retailer; it’s private for the time being, but we all know what happens once the Feds get their fingers in the cookie jar.  This is the making of a dangerous situation.  Libs out there will say I’m a fear-monger, but I prefer to be called a student of history. 

Keanu Reeves vs. TSA

Not since Speed has there been a threat to national security on a bus and, even then, that “national security” part is debatable. 

So why is the Department of Homeland Security trying out enhanced security screening methods like pat-downs at bus stops in Florida?  Did you know they are also developing protocols for other crowded areas, like sporting events?

What past occurrences warrant these enhanced security measures?  Because, in case you haven't noticed, TSA hasn't thwarted anything.  Ever.

Using advanced technology, the Department of Homeland Security is taking another step in keeping America safe.  Or is it another step to taking over our individual liberties?

We need to evaluate whether the Federal Government is being proactive or intrusive because there is an overwhelming difference.  Proactive to me is the Fed saying, “Why, yes, we’re profiling, checking all cargo coming into the country that originates in these countries, and enforcing our No Fly lists like nobody’s business.”  Intrusive is the government groping nuns and looking at near-naked pictures of minors, harassing a mother for not wanting her breast milk exposed to radiation, and searching checked bags not for explosives but for cute fashion finds that just happen to be in the screener’s size.*

The Fourth Amendment protects American citizens from “unreasonable searches and seizures”:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

How can the feds justify searching 90 year old women or patting down 4-year old girls when Michelle Malkin pointed out quite clearly that violent jihadists don’t come from a “broad strata of society”?  Our Constitutional rights are being violated right in front of our eyes and, while we’re outraged, most of us don’t know what to do about it.  Do we stop flying?  Some say yes, but they’ll get you on the subways, bus stops, and train stations.  Do we just drive everywhere in our own personal vehicle?  You can if you have the time and can afford it.  

But what does it say that We The People are sacrificing the conveniences and privileges our society offers in order to appease the Federal Government’s need to feel omnipotent and benevolent?

It says they are out of control and must be stopped.  We have only a select few choices for reining the fed back in:

Keanu Reeves: He stopped the bus in Speed so maybe he can stop the bus in Washington.  Although he is rumored to be involved as the lead actor in a 2012-release samurai movie that won’t suck like the last 7 years of his career, so he might be busy.

Superman: We haven’t seen much of him lately so he may have gone into hiding.  If you find him, let me know.

 

You: That’s right, you’ve been added to the list.  Use your cameras, audio recorders, and video cameras to catch goings on that will show what’s really going on.  Start a blog, write your Representatives, write the President, let the world know that you’re one ticked off citizen.

Your Representatives: Remember, they work for you.  Melt their phone lines, fill their inboxes, write a letter, pay a visit - whatever it takes to get their attention and do not relent.  Remind them that if they ignore you, they will find their next venture in the unemployment line come 2012.

Don’t be afraid to get upset about it.  In fact, get mad.  I mean, don’t go crazy or anything, but the United States of America was not founded by a bunch of sissies who decided to lay down and take it.  This is our country, these are our freedoms, and they are worth fighting for.

 

*On a recent trip to New England, I checked a bag and when I got home and unpacked, I realized that something wasn't there.  I remembered packing it, unpacking it at the hotel, re-packing it before checking out but, alas, it wasn't there.  Someone stole my $50 sports bra.  Moreover, my sister and her husband had a romantic weekend getaway to NYC a little bit ago and my brother-in-law was sweet enough to take her shopping.  She had a ball, but when she got home all of her designer clothes were gone - over $500.

Comparison: Kim Jong-Il & Dark Helmet

A few readers brought it to my attention that they didn’t quite understand a few jokes in the Kim Jong-Il & Obama: A Snarky History Lesson, namely those referring to Spaceballs and Team America.  

Let’s start with the easiest one to explain:

“Then again, maybe Kim Jong-Il is just looking for a friend; after all, he is ‘so ronery’.”

This comes from Team America, a movie from the creators of South Park that is so insanely offensive it’s funny.  Because I don’t think everyone should see the film, I’ll provide you with a 2-minute clip of Kim Jong-Il’s soliloquy in song:

WARNING: If you are particularly sensitive to the f-word, I would recommend muting your computer for the first 3 seconds.

 

Now, let’s dive into the second reference that is not offensive, but done in true Mel Brooks style!  I would recommend you see the entire Spaceballs movie because Mel Brooks could use the money and you could use the laughs.  If, however, you’re like my mom who refuses to waste a second of her life on Mel Brooks, here is the trailer followed by a clip of my favorite Dark Helmet scene:

So on what grounds do I base my comparison of Kim Jong-Il to Dark Helmet?

Dark Helmet is the military leader of Planet Spaceball; he is supposed to get his orders from President Skroob, but tends to take things upon himself believing that he is all-knowing and wise.  His decisions typically backfire and, when they do, he awkwardly blames someone else.  While his voice may sound ominous behind the huge helmet, he is just a mousy little man who plays with dolls but people fear him because he’ll shrink their junk if they don’t respect his authority.

While I cannot confidently say that Kim Jong-Il plays with dolls, I can assure you that he is indeed the same kind of mousy little man who maintains control through fear.  This little tidbit of information tells us a lot more you might think:

1) Fear -- Get ready for a little Political Science 101: There are two paths to political organization, the friendly way called “consensus” and the not-so-friendly way called “coercion”.  

Consensus = Democratic Rule         Coercion = Authoritarian Rule 

Now, authoritarian rule means that the leader and a small, elite group of cronies took power by force - it was not given to them by the people, they are not held accountable by the citizens.  Basically it’s like a bully on the playground: no one gave him power, he just started beating up kids and pretty soon everyone was scared of him.  Next thing you know, kids are throwing their lunch money at his feet when he walks down the hall and no one goes near the tire swing.  

But what if that bully starts beating up kids and telling them that the sky was red with blue polka dots?  The bully’s sidekicks form a commission to seek out non-believers (kids who are dumb enough to still think the sky is blue) and beat them up.  Lots of kids would start claiming the sky was red with blue polka dots even if they didn’t believe it.  When a leader uses violence to implement some ideology, employs institutions and organizations to enforce it, and citizens submit for fear of persecution, that’s Totalitarian Rule.  Welcome to life in North Korea.

2) Charisma -- While two petite, unattractive men aren’t exactly the first things that come to mind when you hear that word, politically they are what we call “charismatic leaders”.  Their power is not legitimized through historical precedent (like a king or queen) or voting procedures (like a democracy), but their credibility comes through an idea that is conveyed to the public.  “Our dear leader” Kim Jong-Il didn’t come with that title - he made it.  So it’s not the physical appearance of the person, but it's the person’s ability to communicate ideas that wins and this is done primarily through the media.

In a totalitarian state, the media is the leader’s lapdog.  Existing solely to suck up to and do the leader’s bidding, the media picks and chooses which stories perpetuate the leader’s ideology and then edits it to make it that much more unbelievable.

For example, on June 19, 2000 a North Korean news report was obtained by the BBC and reads in part as follows:

“The outstanding greatness of Kim Jong-Il as a peerless politician lies in the fact that he has scientifically led the revolution and construction to a brilliant victory without a mistake or failure for nearly 40 years...The moves of the imperialists and reactionaries to stifle the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have been totally smashed by his bold grit and just politics.”

After you’re finished throwing up, it’s easy to see that the media is nothing more than the bully’s crony institution out to convince people that the leader is looking out for the well-being of the citizens and country.

There you have it - Kim Jong-Il is just a wee man hiding behind a big media charade, just like Dark Helmet is hiding inside his oversized dark helmet.  Neither one have much of a clue what they’re doing but they know they’re right, that they’re better than everyone else.  When their plans suck, junk gets shrunk and missiles get launched.  

You’ve learned a lot, so go pour yourself a drink and revel in your new-found brilliance.

 

 

"Evil will always triumph because good is dumb."
-Dark Helmet, Spaceballs 

 

The Physical Inadequacies of North Korea

I’ve had a few requests to expand on some topics mentioned in my November 23 post “Kim Jong-Il & Obama: A Snarky History Lesson”, so this is the first in a multi-series elaboration on North Korean politics.  Before you close your browser window and think to yourself, ‘Gee, it’d be so much more interesting to explore the nutritional value of styrofoam’ remember who is conducting this train: me.  

Apparently there were some ruffled feathers about the following comment I made:

“North Korea has an inferiority complex.  It’s the under-achieving, low life slacker child of the two Koreas.”  

It seems that there is some doubt as to the accuracy of this statement, as well as some hurt feelings referring to “low-lives”, “slackers”, and “children” in this context.  Let’s explore the inadequacies of North Korea then, shall we?

The easiest element to consider when it comes to analyzing crappy countries like North Korea (or NoKo as I like to call it) is geography.  Usually you’re not supposed to make snap judgements based on physical appearances, but this isn’t the sleazy girl at the bar, this is physical land mass so let the cattiness begin!

The Korean Peninsula is wedged between China, Russia, and Japan.  The Yellow Sea is the body of water to the west and the Sea of Japan to the east. To the north is China and the wasteland known as Siberia.  The border between North and South Korea is the 38th parallel.

Looking at a topographic map (a fancy way of saying maps that show you mountains and stuff), you can see that NoKo is indeed quite mountainous while South Korea is flatter.

Alright, that’s all pretty basic information.  Not sure if a chimp could get all of that, so at least we’re one step ahead of that.  What do we do with this information?  Analyze it.

Because Korea is between China, Russia, and Japan, it’s prime real estate and, as a result, wars have been fought in an effort to control the 80,000-something square mile area.  It’s not like there’s anything glamorous about it; it’s just convenient.  It’d be like the ho-hum girl in high school having the captains of the football, basketball, and baseball teams fighting over her.  Not that China, Russia, and Japan are globally the captains, but for the region they are.  Just go with it.

Next, as it is a peninsula, it is obviously surrounded by water on three sides (west, south, and east).  What does this mean?  Ports.  Ports mean commerce.  Commerce means economic growth.  Basically, ports = money.

“Get to the point, Ashley, or I’ll go find some styrofoam.”  Okay, okay, but you need to have the basics to understand the rest.

All of this sounds great: desirable location, lots of coastlines for ports, diverse terrain - what’s not to love?  If you’re NoKo, the 38th parallel.  Take a look from their perspective and see how much their country physically blows.

They are in the north, so they don’t have three sides of coastline, they have two.  Well, one and half really because their west coast opens into Korea Bay instead of the Yellow Sea which means restricted commerce; people don’t want to be on ships any longer than possible, so they will opt for ports that aren’t 500 miles out of the way.  Less coastline means fewer ports and fewer ports mean less trade/money. 
Disadvantage: NoKo

They are in the mountains and that’s not really suitable for this thing we call agriculture.  The soil is rocky and it’s colder, not exactly a wealth of farming opportunity.  South Korea is not only warmer, but mostly coastal plains and, therefore, has very fertile soil in addition to more flat space to farm. 
Disadvantage: NoKo

Moreover, the difference agriculture makes is so staggering that South Korea sustains 64% of the Peninsula’s population.  It’s like SoKo has twice as many Facebook friends.
Disadvantage: NoKo

So what’s the point of being in a desirable location if you don’t have access to anything that’s really, well, desirable?  It’s pretty fair to say that NoKo is an underachiever when their urbanization is practically non-existent, they can’t feed their own people, and their economy is in the crapper.  Meanwhile, SoKo is killing it with a blossoming population which means lots of workers for a strong capitalist economy.  Note: this also justifies the “low life” portion of my controversial comment. 

So you can see why NoKo has a big stick up its butt.  It isn’t easy being the lesser of two countries that share the same name.  

As for the “slacker” and “child” part, consider this: the country is doing nothing to improve the standard of living for its citizens.  They don’t care.  Kim Jong-Il knows that educated, empowered people won’t stand for communism and that would mean revolution which would jeopardize his power.  To ensure this doesn’t happen, food and services are rationed, freedoms are restricted, and there is absolutely nothing fun to do in the whole country.  

What Kim Jong-Il will do, however, is act like a child pitching a fit whenever he wants something.  He wants to talk to Obama, so he launches an attack on South Korea.  He wants other countries to fear and revere him so he openly lies about his nuclear program to George W. Bush and the rest of the world knowing he'll be caught in the lie.  He wanted fame and fortune, so he got nuke technologies from China and started building bombs.  You get the idea.  The only thing done to reprimand North Korea are these ridiculous UN sanctions that do absolutely nothing except give Kim Jong-Il more attention.  The UN is irrelevant and its sanctions are laughable, but that’s another post for another day.

That’s all for now, but check out the next post that addresses Kim Jong-Il and Dark Helmet.  

Oh, and I’d like everyone to know that reading this blog is completely voluntary so I am wholly indemnified from any damages that may have occurred as a result of eating styrofoam.

Kim Jong-Il & Obama: A Snarky History Lesson

For anyone who has been in a hole today, the President got a call at 3:55am regarding a brewing international crisis centering on North and South Korea.  As would be expected, Obama rolled over and went back to sleep claiming he’d “deal with it later.”  I don’t necessarily know that the last part happened, but it’s a safe speculation. 

News sources are telling us that South Korea was conducting regularly scheduled military exercises near the disputed border with its northernly neighbor when North Korea demanded that they cease said exercises immediately.  South Korea gave them the proverbial finger and continued the drills.  North Korea then shelled the crap out of a South Korean island killing 2 South Korean Marines and injuring several civilians.  South Korea fired back and said, “Okay, we’re even now.  If you do it again, it’s on like Donkey Kong”, or something to that effect.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Obama did not say anything about these events.  There wasn’t an immediate formal statement, reprimand, press conference, or anything from Barack Obama.  Let me be clear: I do not think this is a problem.  In fact, I think it was a wise decision.  While I’m pretty sure it wasn’t Obama’s decision to make, I’m glad someone made it.  Before you go getting your panties in a twist about me agreeing with something this White House did, let me explain.

 North Korea has an inferiority complex.  It’s the under-achieving, low life slacker child of the two Koreas.  They're mad because South Korea has seen success with a democratic, capitalist system.  They're ticked off because the border wasn’t drawn where they wanted it to be at the end of the Korean War.  Above all, they're irritated that they aren’t the global super power they want to be.  It's like they want so desperately to be Darth Vader, but all they can muster is Dark Helmet.  “Raspberry!”

So they act out.  All the time.  With provocative, violent methods in an effort to keep the international spotlight on them.  The idea of direct talks with the United States gives them the warm fuzzies.  They were hoping that an attack on South Korea would lead to a serious reprimand from the U.S., to which they would respond and, thus, enter into a “conversation” with Obama.  Just like a child throws a fit in a store to get what he wants, North Korea uses something explosive to seek attention.  Then again, maybe Kim Jong-Il is just looking for a friend; after all, he is "so ronery." 

I should go on to say that Obama did state that “North Korea is a serious and ongoing threat that must be dealt with”, although no specifics were given as to how he intended (or didn’t intend) to deal with it.

 Here is my issue with North Korea and Obama:

The world does not see Obama, his administration, or subsequently, the United States as a threat.  After all of the speeches, lectures, apologies, and excuses, the credibility of the United States has been brought into question thanks to Obama.  Nicolas Sarkozy called us “weak”.  When the President of France sees you as more of a doily than he is, you know it’s bad.  North Korea knows it can’t send a nuke to American shores, but it’s sure going to test the strength of the US/South Korean alliance.  After witnessing Obama turning his back on Israel and the UK, it’s only natural (and logical) for North Korea to assume the US is no threat via South Korean alliance.

While this is frustrating, there is a bigger problem at hand:

We are potentially looking at the threshold of Cold War, Part II.  And, no, I’m not fear mongering - I spent my time in college studying Asian politics and history so this is my academic analysis:

North Korea is a communist state.  Guess who else is?  Their neighbor, China.  You see, North Korea is nothing but a land mass without China.  The Chinese not only influence North Korea's policies, but also fund their military and sustain their economy.  North Koreans find refuge in China both figuratively and literally.  Essentially, North Korea is just an annex of China.  I won’t go so far as to say a puppet and puppet master only because the North Koreans truly believe they are in control of their own destiny.  Ignorance is bliss I guess.

 Anyway, guess who used to be an "extension" of another country?  That’s right: China.  In the 1940’s when the future Chairman Mao was rising to power, guess who supplied him with knowledge, support, money, and weapons?  Russia, or the Soviet Union as it was then.  Because there is less than a degree of separation between socialism and communism, the common goal for these folks isn’t socialism OR communism, it’s either or - as long as it’s not capitalism - so communists and socialists are more often than not  each other’s allies.

So, here we have history repeating itself.  I love it when that happens because it makes history relevant when so many are so quick to turn their backs on it... And I’ll step off of my soap box...

 Anyway, so here we have the remnants of the Cold War throwing rocks at the country that put them where they are today.  Think about who else is in the shamed club: Afghanistan.  Ohhhh, things are about to get interesting.  For those of you who didn’t take a whole class devoted to the Cold War, the Soviet Union came rushing to the aid of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan to provide them with weapons, intelligence, manpower, and supplies for a total of 11 years until the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.  

Who would love to hand us our lunch?  Hamid Karzai and Osama Bin Laden.

 I'm guessing y'all didn’t have to map out the region a bazillion times, I should tell you that Afghanistan shares borders with China, Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan.  Note that those three obscure counties ending with “-stan” are former members of the Eastern Bloc and, while some claim to be “democracies” or “republics”, they are shaky at best and blatant totalitarian states at worst.

The fact of the matter is we aren’t exactly BFFs with any of these countries.  In fact, they all want to destroy us physically or economically, or both.  This is the problem.  Ronald Reagan isn’t around to stand up for America.  Barack Obama is here to stand aside.

So to all of you socialist / communist states out there waiting for the right opportunity to strike, don’t worry - you won’t get any trouble from Barack Obama.  As for the American people, we’ll give you the kind of hell you can only imagine in your worst nightmares; the nightmares that wake you in a cold sweat, shaking, and crying out for mercy.  We The People will never back down from a fight, so think long and hard before you do anything stupid.

It's okay - I didn't punch the guy!

At 3am on Tuesday morning, my alarm went off signaling it was not only time to get up, but it was time to go wait in line for hours on end to get a book signed.  I can assure you the only thing that roused me from the pillowy comfort of my bed was the fact the man signing the book was the 43rd President of the United States of America.

I got up, dressed, took my dog out, and hit the road.  Never before and never again will I make the 37 mile trip in half an hour because never again will I be driving to Dallas at 4am.  After circling the parking lot a few times I finally found a spot and began trekking to the back of the line.  I walked around the front of the shopping center, down a side street, and into the back alley where I took my spot behind a middle-aged man holding a library book.  On my heels were two people around my age, a man and a woman, who got in line behind me.  ‘Well, this is it,’ I thought to myself, ‘the people I will be around for the next few hours.’

Eventually the four of us started talking about our careers and hobbies, what books we were reading, and our pets - small talk, nothing of substance.  But then my major came up (B.A., International Studies) and what exactly that entailed (Chinese political history); the middle-aged man was fascinated.  He guided the Chinese political conversation around the corner of the building until we were in front of the first store window.  

The two behind me had dropped out of the conversation until the man told me that I “shouldn’t read or respect the Constitution because the Founders and their document never intended for [me/women] to be anything more than property.”  I felt as though I had been punched in the face.  Over the last several years I have worked on managing and controlling my temper, but that developed discipline was struggling to persevere.  I told him why I loved the Constitution, what made it different and important to our country, and why it should not be tampered with in interpretation.  Fighting back tears, I told him that if he didn’t like it, he should leave.

This is when things got interesting.  He started talking about the ignorance and idiocy of the Founders, that they weren’t well-read and they were misguided in their fight to establish freedom and independence.  I was shaking I was so angry (I blamed it on the cold).  At one point I think my vision blurred with a tinge of red.  While contemplating whether or not I should stop talking to him and endure the awkwardness of 3 more hours in line or if I should punch him in the face and risk being hauled off by Secret Service, one of the two who had been absently quiet popped up.

The gentleman started talking about how well-educated the Founders were, quoting Montesquieu, the Declaration, and the Constitution.  The urge to throw a punch abated.  Then the man said “the Second Amendment is completely irrelevant; the Founders never intended for black people to own guns” with the same matter-of-fact tone used in stating women shouldn’t be more than property owned by men.  The gentleman started quoting Supreme Court cases, the Founders’ true intent, and the evolution of society.  When the man questioned the gentleman’s credibility, I just about died.

“I went to Harvard Law.”

These two people in line behind me were classmates at Harvard Law and now work as attorneys for the Liberty Institute.  Talk about a total God-send: these people were insanely well-educated and primed professionally to stand up to people like this man in a court of law and defend the Constitution, individual rights and liberties, as well as advance the cause for freedom altogether. 

Seeing he was now outnumbered, the man tried to stick to safe topics but faltered every now and again and began speaking about the economy or border security.  We all managed to get through the line, get our books signed, and depart the store without altercation.  I will be forever indebted to the Harvard Law Duo, as should the man I didn’t punch.  We exchanged email addresses at the end of it and I received a gem of a Top 10 List today that I wanted to share with y’all:

 

Top 10 Things You-Know-Who Said In Line

 10. Obama deserved the Nobel Peace Prize.

 9. The Supreme Court has decided that the Second Amendment does not apply "hundreds" of times.

 8. Massive debt is okay because governments can just print their way out of it and everything will take care of itself.

 7. "King Edward" dissociated England from Catholicism.

 6. The Constitution had no thought put into it.

 5. Separation of powers and federalism as limits on government were unintentional.

 4. The Founding Fathers were a bunch of uneducated, unsophisticated farmers.

 3. This was because there were ALMOST NO BOOKS in America in the late 1700's, so no one could read anything.

 2. The Pope used to be in the Bible, until he was edited out by "King Edward."

 1. The best form of government is a one-world government with all of the power in the hands of a few.

This man waited in line for hours to buy two copies of Decision Points and have them signed by George W. Bush - isn't that supposed to be his mortal enemy?  I'm not sure quite why he was there; perhaps it was a divine intervention (probably not) or a test of my convictions (more likely) or just a flash in the pan of life that led me to two new friends (safest bet).

Rick Perry for President? About that...

Rick Perry, well-known Texas Governor, won a third term on Tuesday and now people are “speculating” as to whether or not he will run for President in 2012.  I must admit, the very thought of this makes me chuckle and cringe at the same time.  Do I think it will happen?  No.  Here's why:

Not enough time has passed since George W. Bush.

Conservatives are tired of hearing W. blamed for everything from the economy to global warming to starving children in Africa, but that doesn’t mean the mantra is going anywhere.  Considering Rick Perry is following in George W.’s footsteps, it wouldn’t be hard for the MSM or the left to brand him as “George W. Bush, Jr.”.  

Perry took over when Bush went off to Washington in 2000.  Several of the policies Bush put in place during his 5 years in office have carried Perry’s popularity and success the last decade.

 

He might have won, but his 2010 campaign wasn’t great.

Even in the Republican primary, unknown Deb Medina garnered a corner of the market with 17% of the vote - even after her truther gaffe as heard on Glenn Beck’s radio program.  Medina appealed to the strong conservatives and left Perry with the moderate label over his head; Kay Bailey Hutchison got caught in the height of the anti-Washington mood.  After Medina’s comments on Beck, many of her supporters got behind Perry.

In the general election, Perry refused to participate in any debates until Democrat opponent Bill White disclosed some tax returns.  This was construed as a child throwing a temper tantrum and did not do him any real favors, although I feel obliged to give him credit for sticking to his guns.  Perhaps if he had participated, he would have come away with a landslide victory but with the rumors flying and the bad press, it was a 55/45 margin.  

Perry snubbed the newspapers, didn’t answer too many questions, and lost the urban vote to White.  Some said he was too arrogant for his own good.

 

He has made some questionable decisions.

Trans-Texas Corridor: This $145 billion project brought into question Perry’s stance on imminent domain.  Seen as a land grab for a 4,000 mile long, 1,200 feet wide network of roads, rails, and data lines, it was met with harsh criticism on all fronts.

Gardasil: The HPV vaccine is available to teenage girls as a means of preventing a type of cervical cancer.  Rick Perry issued an executive order in 2007 mandating that all girls receive the vaccine unless the parents comply with an opt-out process.  Naturally, social conservatives were not pleased.  A few months later, Perry signed a bill into law that trumped his executive order.  Oh, and there was that little tie between Perry and Merck, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures Gardasil.

 In-State Tuition for Illegals:  As long as they graduated from a Texas high school and sign an affidavit claiming they will apply for citizenship when they become eligible, illegals can receive in-state tuition for Texas public universities.  U.S. citizens who live in the other 49 states that want to go to UT or A&M have to pay out-of-state tuition.  Foreign students that are in the country legally on a student visa have to pay out-of-state tuition.

 Is he sincere?

If you’ve ever met Rick Perry you know he is one smooth-talking, amiable guy - a true politician.  While he claims to oppose big government and support the 10th Amendment, he doesn’t want to do anything on the state level to close the border and prefers to wait for the feds to do something about it.  Sure, it’s a federal issue, but Texas has a huge problem with illegals putting a strain on the state economy, as well as the drug cartel violence along the border.

He puts forth the true Texas stereotype image of a gun-toting, Bible thumping, capital punishment-supporting guy that has a deep, unexplainable love for his state.  He carries a gun when he goes out to run, but he also takes an entourage with him so is he out for exercise or is he out for show?  It’s hard to say because the guy never turns off the politician.  We’ve never seen Rick Perry not in campaign mode, whether he’s vying for re-election or support for a new piece of legislation.

 

Don’t get me wrong, Rick Perry has done some wonderful things for Texas and, as a result, Texas is weathering the recession better than most places.  I support Rick Perry, but I don’t always agree with him.  

I think he wants to run for President but I also think his ego would dictate that the right person or people have to ask him to do so.  I think he’ll accept an offer for VP only if he believes he can be President after that.  While I can think these things all day long, I would hope that the RNC is smart enough to recognize the obstacles they would have to overcome putting Rick Perry on their 2012 ticket, that is if he even survives the primary. 

 

Manual Labor the Obama Way

Nothing says “Working In The Garden” like $500 designer boots.  Really, who wears Tory Burch to do anything in the dirt?  Michelle Obama, that’s who.

 

Yesterday the First Lady participated in the annual fall harvest with area elementary school students.  Surely she wouldn’t think that Tory Burch would impress a bunch of second graders, so who was she trying to impress?  Celebrity chefs Daniel Boulud and James Kent were in attendance, but I doubt she was trying to one-up them.  Of course the media was there to perpetuate their on-going love affair with Michelle O, but she doesn’t have to try to keep their attention.  

The thing is, I don’t think she was trying to impress anyone.  Now, I’m all for looking fabulous in all occasions, but I also know the virtues of practicality.  What’s that?  They have a 1 1/2” rubber heel?  Sure, that’s better than stilettos, but they’re $500!

 I believe Michelle Obama doesn’t give a rat’s behind that her shoes are expensive because she’ll just get another pair (or rather, have another pair given to her) if she ruins them.  Sense of entitlement anyone? 

This First Lady and her husband have no regard for the value of a dollar - it’s evident in the way they spend.  Whether it’s their money, tax payers money, or money they don’t have, it will undoubtedly be spent lavishly in the hands of an Obama.  

$500 shoes to harvest vegetables in the mud...

Patriots, They Are Distracting You.

Perhaps instead of being angry at the government for saying "No" to soda, we should instead focus our energies against the fed's Food Stamp Recruiting Effort:

Food Stamp Outreach Program Radio Ads (English & Spanish)

When the pundits got ahold of NYC’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s food stamp request, they turned it into quite the fiasco.  Recently released numbers indicate 41.8 million Americans are currently enrolled in the food stamps program, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).  I can’t seem to find anyone too upset that 13% of the United States population is on food stamps, but there are plenty of folks outraged that New York City is asking the USDA for a 2 year waiver that would prohibit the purchase of sodas with food stamps.  

 The city claims it is part of it’s War on Obesity (I don't think that's the official title, but it works here for all intents and purposes), but this restriction on food stamp purchases has already been applied to beer, liquor, wine, cigarettes, and prepared foods.  

 No one refutes that removing sodas from one’s diet is a way to substantially reduce caloric and sugar intake, thus leading to weight loss and a lesser risk of diabetes.  Moreover, most children hyped up on Mountain Dew are a school teacher’s nightmare.  However, does the state have the right to take over one more facet of life?  Should Uncle Sam tell you that you absolutely cannot buy cases Dr. Pepper to support your 12-can-a-day habit?

 

Yes, if you’re participating in the food stamps program.

 

For starters, the program is appropriately named the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. 

• Supplemental meaning it’s not the only source.  
• Nutrition does not mean “calories”, it means vitamins, minerals, and all that other junk that’s good for you.  
• Assistance Program in government terms means they will give you vouchers when you enroll in the program.  

You want to drink Fanta?  Either buy it with your own money or get out of the program.  You want to put chicken nuggets on the table so your kid doesn’t go to bed hungry?  Cut the Coca Cola.

 Most importantly, let’s remember that no one is forcing anyone to apply for the food stamp program - it’s 100% voluntary.  If hard times have fallen on you and your family so much so that you need help putting food on the table, I think forgoing the soft drinks is a minor concession for not starving.  Call me crazy.  But we all know there are people who manipulate the system...and the feds aren't stopping them.

 It's like the guy on the street corner that's asking passersby for money: You can give him money and he very well could go buy a bottle of booze instead of a sandwich or, you could escort him to the nearest eatery and buy him lunch.  It depends on how you want your money spent.  

Food stamps are the government's way of "going with them" to ensure they spend government money (yah, yah, I know - save your breath) in the way that the fed sees fit.    

But if you have to have your Pepsi to get out of bed in the morning and can't scrape together a dollar and some change to buy that Pepsi, then perhaps we have some bigger fish to fry.

It's hard for me to be Ms. Crabby Pants about the government actually discerning how to spend taxpayer dollars when that discernment is the kind I would make in my private life.  My big problem is the program has grown so big that it is no longer keeping Americans from starving; it seems almost anyone can get in on the handouts.  Did you know that if you have a job and a car, you may still qualify for food stamps?  

If people are angry about the size of government, maybe they should realize that banning sodas isn't the nudge that turns into a shove - playing the Pied Piper to struggling families in order to grow government welfare programs is the bigger offense that will lead us to the point of no return.

All I'm asking is that you consider the more important fight: banning sodas or exponentially growing government.  Don't be distracted, patriots.

 

Groups like Share Our Strength and Feeding America can help us reach out in our own communities to combat hunger.  

 

New York Times Op-Ed article: No Food Stamps for Sodas by Thomas Farley and Richard F. Daines