"We The People"

Recent events surrounding the mass killings in Newtown, Connecticut have people responding to the tragedy in many ways.

On one side, you have politicians (mostly on the left) and the hysterical media calling for more gun controls laws.  The National Rifle Association (NRA), which represents conservatives on this issue, believes more attention to mental illness and better protection of the innocent will make a difference.

The reaction of both sides has brought to my attention something I didn't even know existed:  a site on the White House website called "We The People," where people can petition the government to take action on a whole range of issues.  If a specific petition gets enough signatures (25,000 within 30 days), the White House staff must review it, ensure it's sent to the appropriate policy experts, and issue an official response.

The right to petition our government is guaranteed by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, so it's nothing new.  What is new is access to this website that makes writing petitions easier than ever.  And as you might expect, you get some crazy petitions -- which brings me back to the recent discussions on gun control.

Two recent petitions have garnered my interest:  1) a petition that says "Deport British Citizen Piers Morgan for Attacking 2nd Amendment," and 2) a related petition that reads "Eliminate Armed Guards for the President, Vice-President and Their Families and Establish Gun Free Zones Around Them."  (A third petition has been written where someone is actually petitioning that we keep Piers Morgan because Britain doesn't want him back.)  How crazy are we getting here?

What's interesting in the first petition to deport Piers Morgan is the number of people who have signed it.  As of today's date, there are over 84,000 signatures -- well over the required number for a White House response, and by far the most signed petition on "We The People."  So his comments really stirred the Patriot pot.  In case you aren't one of the 84,000 plus who signed it, here's what it's all about.

Piers Morgan is a British citizen and CNN talking head (host) who has engaged in what some view as a hostile attack against the U. S. Constitution by targeting the Second Amendment.  To be blunt, Piers Morgan is a hack, a nobody on cable television who is looking for an audience.  Morgan used his position as a television host to attack the rights of American citizens to have guns.  In particular, he slammed Larry Pratt, the executive director of Gun Owners of America, and John Lott, the author of More Guns, Less Crime over a two night period.

American citizens apparently don't appreciate a Brit telling us how to defend ourselves.  We didn't appreciate it more than 200 years ago, and we still don't.  The response has been swift and in this heated case, effective.

Maybe he can broadcast his cable show somewhere in Kostroma, Russia.  I hear they might support his point of view.

The other petition (featuring the Gun Free Zone) is spot on, and in response to the left's ludicrous attempt to make schools safe by declaring them "Gun Free Zones."  You'd think the left was talking about a place where terrorists check their bomb vests, anarchists put aside their Guy Fawkes masks, and  dictators re-consider using Sarin gas on their own people.

It's the same mentality that leads the left to think they can reason with Islamic terrorists and convince them that we're not bad people.  I hear stuff like this and I think I'm watching the latest "Scary Movie."  Only the results aren't make believe.  They're as real as 9/11 and now Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Many have said that Gun Free Zones are simply announcing to would-be murderers that you will have no armed resistance to your horrific plans.

Anyway, so the touchy-feely left wants to use more gun free zones to keep our children safe.  So what was someone's response?  Start a petition on "We the People" website that states "Eliminate Armed Guards for the President, VP and their Families, and Establish Gun Free Zones Around Them."

I love it!  Anyone on the left who pushes for more gun free zones should have to practice what they preach.  Politicians who wish to strip us of our gun rights should feel sufficiently protected throughout Washington D.C. if we make it a gun free zone.  If it's good enough for our children, then it should be good enough for politicians and their ilk.

In addition, I think all the media elites and political pundits who send their children to private schools with armed security on staff, should shut up.  Haven't we had enough of these people who tell us what to do, but exempt themselves and their families from the laws they pass?  I do.  There's still time to join the bandwagon and sign that petition.

Finally, I've been thinking about some petitions that I'd like to submit to "We the People."   How do the following sound?

"All Members of Congress Must Participate in Social Security."  Congress has created their own retirement plan which allows them to continue receiving the same salary (after retirement) for the rest of their lives.  Isn't it time they join the rest of America -- who will be left without reduced Social Security benefits because Washington can't balance their budget?

"Congress Shall Not Get a Pay Increase Until our Country's Budget is Balanced."  Better yet, they will not get paid until they have put some kind of balance into effect.  For every dollar spent, they have to cut two times as much in spending.  Whatever the combination of performance tied to benefit, Congress and their performance doesn't warrant a pay increase.  They don't even deserve to keep their jobs.

I say throw the bums out, unless they do their job.

"All Members of Congress Must Have the Same Health Benefits that Taxpayers Have."  If you're a member of Congress, you have access to the Office of the Attending Physician, which is an onsite doctor's office primarily for lawmakers.  All for the low, low price of $503 per year.

Add unions to the list of people who can't exempt themselves from Obama Care   Earlier this year there were a total of 733 exemptions -- a total of 2,189,636 workers -- that had asked for, and been granted an exemption from the punitive effects of Obama Care.

UPDATE:  Strike this one from the list.  President Barack Obama just issued an executive order to end the pay freeze on federal employees, in effect giving some federal workers -- including the Senate, House of Representatives and Vice President -- a raise.  

"Congress Cannot Sell General Motors Shares Until They Break Even.."  As much as I hate the fact that Obama bailed out GM and Chrysler  it burns my butt even more to know that he wants to sell 200 million shares at a cost of $27.50 each.  To break even, our government would have to sell the remaining 300 shares it owns at a cost of $70 per share.  And that's just to break even.  But they're not worried, it's not their money!

Finally, "Hollywood Must Stop Making Violent Movies Until Mass Killings Stop."  A recent video by big-time movie stars claiming we need gun control borders on the ultimate hypocrisy.  This is excellent example of the left's pseudo-idealism that comes from a group of people who makes a living by filming Django Unchained, Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill, then tells everyone else that they need to "draw a line" on gun violence.  What chutzpah!

Too bad drafting a petition doesn't result in REAL change.  If it did, then I'd feel like "we the people" would benefit from our country's Constitution, which allows us to petition Washington for change.  Until that time comes, however, the inmates will continue to the asylum (and rule our lives).

UPDATE #2:  The Drudge Report on January 16th announced that President Barack Obama's deputies have quadrupled the number of signatures that petitioners on the administration's "We The People" website must collect to get an official response from the White House following a series of popular, provocative signature drives by his critics.

A Christmas Visit

The clock to my left read 9:48 p.m.

Liz had gone up to bed, leaving me on my own.  This was my time of night, when I could take a moment to think about the end of another busy day.  No television, no internet, no radio, no distractions -- just me and my thoughts.  Time to relax, maybe read awhile and enjoy the quiet.  In a week our two sons would be home from school to enjoy another Christmas.

I was sitting in the living room, enjoying the sweet, amber taste of a rum and ginger ale, when Bailey stirred in my lap.  I gently scratched behind her ears and adjusted the afghan, telling her to relax.  Instead of laying her head on my legs, however, she sat up and started to whine.

"Quiet, Bailey," I said, thinking she had heard someone walking past the house.  "There's nobody's there."

I glanced out the window, past the glimmering lights of our Christmas tree, to confirm that there was no one outside.  My eyes found nothing -- just the gentle drop of snow flakes drifting through the chilly night air.

After a moment of silence, Bailey lowered her head, then dropped to the floor.  She had just left the room in search of some water, when a voice I hadn't heard in over 11 years spoke from the corner of the living room.

"Hello son," said the voice.

                                                     *                        *                      *

 

My father was born on May 19, 1923, one of five boys from rural West Salem.  He died seventy-eight years later on September 21, 2001 after suffering for years from Parkinson's disease and dementia.  During those 78 years, he endured The Great Depression and fought in World War II as a radio operator for the Navy.  His service would take him to foreign lands, including the Philippines, Shanghai and Ireland.

A few years later, he married a woman from La Crosse and together raised a family of two boys and two girls.  Despite wanting to find work in radio, he worked much of his early life  as a bookkeeper until poor health forced him into commercial painting.  When he wasn't crafting furniture in his workshop, he was hunting or fishing.

I don't have many memories of my dad as a child.  Vague images of riding in a fishing boat, bouncing on an aluminum bench seat as we raced through cold September winds.  We would go fishing at night for catfish in the backwaters of the Mississippi River, listening to the hiss of a gas lantern as fireflies and mosquitoes whizzed around our heads.  And I can still smell the odor of cut wood and feel the crunch of sawdust beneath my feet while watching him plane a board in the basement workshop.

As a teenager, I remember telling him "no thanks" when he asked if I wanted to go deer hunting.  My answer was in stark contrast to the interest I showed while waiting patiently at the kitchen window to see if there was anything tied to the top of his car.  He was a hit in the neighborhood as the dad who would trap snapping turtles.  I contributed to the novelty by inviting my friends over so they could watch him chop the head off with a quick strike of an ax.

As I got older, my interests turned to sports, which eventually took us in different directions.

I have a vivid memory of sitting in a darkened hospital room waiting for him to recover from surgery on a torn retina.  His body looked damaged somehow, laying on that hospital bed.  It was an image that would hold true when the news came later that he would not regain the sight in his damaged eye.  And it would appear once again, a few years later, when he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

Despite these setbacks, I don't remember any complaints coming from him.  I remember him as a quiet, religious man, comfortable in his own skin -- simply satisfied to provide a house and food for his growing family.  Perhaps those conversations and concerns took place with my mom (away from my ears), while they lay in bed at night thinking of what lay ahead.

Years later -- too many considering his illness -- he closed his eyes to the world he knew.  And left his son, now a grown man with a family of his own, to ponder what the future held.


                                                *                            *                          *

"Hello son," said my father.

The shadows from the corner of the room, like gentle arms holding him in their embrace, opened slightly and I had the glimpse of a young man no more than 25 years old.

"Dad?"  I asked, disbelief causing my hands to tremble slightly as I put down my drink.  "Is that you?"

The shifting shadows revealed a man of above average height, with a strong face, peaceful eyes and thinning hair with a curl slightly off-center.  "It is.  It's good to see you again."  His voice sounded different from the last time I had seen him, laying in his hospital bed, weak and in pain.  It was strong, confident and wise.

"Why are you here?" I asked.  "Am I dreaming?"

His young face continued to reflect the warm glow of the Christmas lights as he answered, "No, I'm here because I'm worried about you."

"Me?  Why are you worried about me?" I asked.

"Because you are my son, and I want you to know that things are never as bad as they seem."

His words were spoken by someone who had found strength as a boy in his own self-reliance during the early years of The Great Depression.   And fought through the fear of Japanese kamikaze pilots and endless days at sea to come home again.  "I've been watching, and you have me wondering if you're going to be alright."

"I'm doing... ok."  I willed my own voice to match the confident tone of my father's, but failed.  "The election has me pretty worried about my sons and our future.  But I'm... sure I'll get over it."

I paused as I tried to put into words what I meant.  "I'm just having trouble feeling positive about the direction our country has taken.   I see too many people looking toward Washington for help.  It's almost like people can't do anything for themselves anymore.  And even worse, they're tearing down many of the things that made America great -- like success, religion and freedom.  You, of all people, should be understand my concern."

As I looked up, my father's image had lost some of its youthfulness, but none of its concern.  "Well, you know I was always a Democrat -- your mother and I voted for FDR and Kennedy, because we always felt like they could take care of people in need.  And during the 30's, 40's and 50's there were a lot of people in need."

"But wasn't it President Kennedy who said, 'Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country?' "   I paused for a moment as his head nodded in agreement.  "I don't hear the government asking people to help out.  Instead all I hear about is raising taxes on the rich so others can get their fair share."

"Well, the world today is definitely a different place than when I was growing up.  Not only the politicians, but also the people they serve.  I'd hate to think that Democracy has failed."

Dad hesitated as his eyes looked around the small room.  They focused on the picture ornaments hanging from the Christmas tree, showing my sons, Matt and Sean when they were in school.  Perhaps he was thinking back to an earlier time when he and his brothers would spend all day down at the river fishing and swimming on a warm summer day.  His hand reached for the ornament showing Sean. His thoughtful eyes looked at the young boy wearing a baseball cap, glove in hand.  Then he let is swing freely back and forth.

"Family has a way of making things different,"  he continued after a moment.  "You have to worry about your children, your wife, your job -- and if you're lucky enough, you can find some time for yourself.  I used to get away from it all by going fishing or hunting.  When I had the time, I would work in the basement on something for the house."

"Let me suggest that you turn things around," Dad said.  "Take care of your own business, and you will find that you will be taking care of others that you love."

Dad's mouth hardened as he continued, "America has always faced challenges that none of us thought she'd survive. But we did.  When it was darkest during the 20's and 30's we found a way back.  And there will will always be wars -- during my lifetime, we lost a lot of good people in the Pacific, Korea, Vietnam and even Kuwait.  Sometimes you just have to have faith.  As bad as it looks, this country has always found its way home.  Now is no different, trust me."

My hand relaxed its grip on the chair's arm rest, and I said, "So, don't worry about others who are moving in another direction?  Take care of my own, put on my public face and hang on to what's important to me and my family, knowing that there are STILL others like me?"

"That's the spirit!" he said with a smile.  "Don't quit the fight -- keep working inside out, not outside in."

Inside out, not outside in.  Focus on my own success, rather than letting others dictate what my success will be.  Don't abandon my faith, my core beliefs and love of this great country.

The room became quiet, except for the muffled sound of a car engine idling outside on the street.   Suddenly I said, "I've missed you dad."   Taking a deep breath, I felt my throat tighten in anticipation of something held back for many years.  "I wish we could have had more time to talk about things like this."

The chair creaked as Dad leaned back into the shadows.  "We will, son.  We will.  Merry Christmas to you and Liz.  Remember, I'm always here, all you have to do is ask."

As his image sank into the fabric of the chair and faded from my sight, I notice Bailey had somehow found her way back onto my lap, with her head nestled among the blanket, sleeping soundly.  "Her, girl -- how did you... ?"  My hand still held the half full glass of rum and ginger ale as time moved forward once again.

Outside, the snow was falling gently as the clock clicked to 9:49 p.m..

Bert, We Hardly Knew Ya

Decades from now, parents will page through baby books in search of the perfect name for their soon-to-arrive baby boy.  They will stumble upon the name Breton, with its origin English, also spelled Brett.  In the year 1986, it was the 69th most popular boy's name in America, before sliding down the ranks.

The name's popularity took a major hit in 2008 -- at least in Wisconsin --  when someone named Brett Favre decided to cry his way out of retirement and remain the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers.

Don't cry for me, Brett

When that failed, he tried the Jets, then headed to the hated Minnesota Vikings, before fading to insignificance on a cold December night (while lying on his back staring into the face of Bear's defensive back, Cory Wooton), in TCF Stadium on the campus of the University of Minnesota.

Since that time, it's been hard to notice people named Brett.  About the only ones I can name on the spot is Brett Hume (Fox News), Brett Ratner (X-Men) and Brett Michaels (Poison).  Perhaps there are others but I can't think of any.

Ok, maybe there is one other that comes to mind.

That would be Brett Bielema.  The former head football coach of the Wisconsin Badgers, who abruptly left the team this week to coach the Arkansas Razorbacks from the SEC.  It was surprising news, considering his team had just walloped the Nebraska Cornhuskers 70-31 in the Big Ten Championship game.

Less than 72 hours after being doused by Gatorade and celebrating with Athletic Administrator Barry Alvarez on the confetti-strewn turf of Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Brett was catching a plane to Arkansas to be introduced as their new head coach for 2013.

Strange behavior from someone who confessed to Alvarez after winning the game, "We're going out there (the Rose Bowl) to win.  That's the mission, and I appreciate all the fans coming out ..."

Perhaps the combination of the name Brett and the state of Wisconsin is just not meant to be.

In fairness to Brett Bielema, he was a successful coach while at Wisconsin.  I had the distinct honor of sitting in the stands of Camp Randal during the Dave McClain era (1978-1985) when we barely broke even with wins/loses.  He was followed by Don Morton who went 6-27, who was remembered not for winning any football games, but his sports television show (when he rose from a coffin to declare, "We're not dead yet!")

It took Barry Alvarez to truly resurrect the program, winning 118 games over 16 seasons, going 8-3 in bowl games -- and most importantly--  3-0 in three Rose Bowl appearances.

It was Barry who hand-selected Brett Bielema to continue the winning tradition he started -- selecting under-rated football players from in-state, developing them into quality players and beating football powerhouses (like Michigan and Ohio State) through the run and behemoth offensive lines.

To his credit, Brett Bielema stuck to this winning tradition, recruiting talented players like quarterback Rob Wilson (all right, so he got lucky on that one), running back Montee Ball, tight end Travis Beckum, and defensive stars like J.J. Watts, Chris Borland and Mike Taylor.

In his first year of coaching, he led the Badgers to an 12-1 record.  As a result, he became the first head coach in Big Ten history to win ten games in his first season.  And the third coach in NCAA history to win twelve games in his rookie season.  And under his coaching, Wisconsin joined Michigan as the only Big Ten team to go to three consecutive Rose Bowls.

His teams were always competitive, but you got the feeling that whenever the game was close, it was up to the players, not the coach, to win the game.  And while there was no one bigger on promoting Wisconsin football, he made as many enemies as friends with his style of play.

For example, he relished the border-battle between Minnesota and Wisconsin, so much so that he attempted a two-point conversion while leading by 25 in the fourth quarter during a 2010 game.  Minnesota coach Tim Brewster never forgave him for that, and made sure the rest of the Big Ten understood Bielema's "bush league" bravado.

Not one of Brett's better days.

There was the criticism Bielema took for running up the score in 2010:  a 70-3 win against Austin Peay, a 83-20 embarrassment against Indiana and a 70-23 whipping of Northwestern.  I have a friend who repeated thinks running up the score is one of Bielema's worse traits, yet I read similar scores by Texas, Oregon, Florida and Oklahoma and no one complains.  So why do the do it when it's Bielema?  Maybe if the team won a national championship his critics would remain silent -- I don't know.  My philosophy has always been, if you can't stop them, then you should be complaining about the score.

Many of his enemies were in-state.  Wisconsin fans were some of his biggest critics.  They loved him for promoting Wisconsin football ("On Wisconsin," after every interview), for running a clean program (no Ohio State or Penn State controversies), and having well- disciplined teams (among the least penalized teams in the nation).  But fans were much quicker to criticize him for his game management, special team's play and winning percentage in big games (11-16 against Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State -- not to mention 0-2 in the Rose Bowl).

So if Bielema had Wisconsin on a winning path, with a strong recruiting class in place, and the distinction of being the highest paid public employee in the state, why would he leave?

According to players, he wanted to coach a team that had a chance to win the national championship.  Seriously?  After assembling one of the most prolific scoring Badger teams in history, he failed to stop two "Hail Mary" throws by Michigan State and Ohio State, and badly mismanaged his timeouts against Oregon leading to a mediocre 10-3 record.  So given all the tools to win a national championship, he still failed.

Perhaps if he was more honest, he would have told his players that he left for a bigger paycheck.  Or that he felt like he couldn't beat Ohio State and Michigan State, so he was packing his bags for greener pastures.

I don't know, but good luck winning in the SEC where you trade Ohio State and Michigan State for LSU and Alabama every year.  If he thinks SEC talent and a fatter paycheck will get him to the promised land, I think he'll need longer than 40 years to get there.  With or without Moses to guide him.

Which finally leads me to ask --what happens to Wisconsin next.   My hope is for Wisconsin to win the Rose Bowl (under the Hall of Fame coaching of Barry Alvarez), and 1) vindicating the critic's belief that Bielema couldn't coach in the big games and 2) demonstrating that leadership comes during the game, not when you're in front of recruits or television cameras.

There are lots of talented coaches that are waiting for their first chance at being a head coach.  Or who' are already successful coaches but want to move up to the "big time" in the Big Ten.  Whoever we get as our next coach, he will have to learn the lessons that Brett Bielema failed to learn.  Leadership through honesty, discipline, recruiting -- and of course, winning.

In a few weeks we'll know who's the next "chosen one" in Wisconsin football.  Let's hope it's not someone named Brett.  We can't take it anymore.

In Search of Thanksgiving

With November nearly done -- and Thanksgiving barely  finished -- I am struggling with my usual response to this time of year:  "I am thankful for the following..."

Still smarting from our election defeat, I find myself thinking about things differently.  The majority of time, I tell myself ... it could be worse.  You could be dying, your wife could be leaving you, or your two sons could be moving back in with you.  

And that thinking is right, it COULD be worse.

As Liz reminds me, I'm the eternal optimist, which is what makes this so tough.  Normally I need a day or two to get over the loss of the Packers or Badgers.  Pretty soon I'm right back in front of the television thinking last week's loss was a fluke.  We'll get 'em this time!  More times than not, I'm right.

So let's look at a few things and put them into perspective.


I still don't like the dark meat (it's nothing racial).

1.)  Obama's re-election means that Obama Care is going to be the law of the land.

With the Supreme Court allowing the take over of our healthcare system by government bureaucrats, and this fall's election signalling America's endorsement of such folly, be prepared for higher taxes, higher insurance premiums, less control over your care choices, and death panels.  Know someone in the business of selling health insurance?  Add them to the growing unemployed ranks.

I AM THANKFUL that I won't be sitting in front of business clients trying to explain why their premiums are going up 30% this year.  In the near future, my ex-clients will be on the phone talking to someone else who will piss them off and eventually pass the buck to their "supervisor," who will then promise to get back to them.  Right.

2.)  During a season of yuletide blessings, peace on earth and good will towards men, I find it ironic that the Freethinkers Society is having such a hard time with Christmas.  When the whole world is enjoying a season of lights, carols and the occasional eggnog, this atheist group has their Santa undies in a bundle over the busing of school children to see "A Charlie Brown Christmas" at a local Arkansas church.

Anne Orsi, spokesperson for the group, says the sponsored field trip made "some" parents uncomfortable because of the religious content of the program.  Makes me wonder if these parents turn the television off when CBS runs the special on television.  The late Charles Schultz must be rolling in his grave.

I AM THANKFUL that as a child, I faced no such hurdles in observing and celebrating Christmas. Religious displays on public property were a joy to visit -- providing assurance that someone greater than me was born in the city of Bethlehem.  I'm sure many of the displays were tradition and involved whole communities celebrating their similarities, not differences.

How long before they ban "Silent Night" from public airwaves?

3.)  The Land of Lincoln -- Illinois -- recently elected Jessie Jackson Jr., Democrat, to another term in Congress, despite a bipolar disorder, links to disgraced former Governor Rod Blagojevich, an affair that threatens his marriage and suspicious activities leading to a federal investigation into his political finances.

Before election day, a number of political observers said that the developments would have no impact on his re-election.   They were right.  Jackson, who was too sick to even campaign, was chosen by Illinois' Second Congressional District with more than 66% of the vote.  "Congressman Jackson is in a very safe congressional district," said DePaul University Law Professor, Len Cavise.  "Absent the most blatant kind of violation, I don't think (anything) would have much of an effect."

Update:  It was recently reported that Jackson would resign, citing a federal ethics investigation and poor health.  It is believed he swung a deal to avoid further investigation and potential prosecution.

I AM THANKFUL that the great state of Wisconsin has Republican Paul Ryan of Janesville.  The presidential campaign introduced many people to Ryan, who -- as the Chairman of the House Budget Committee -- has stood his ground on many conservative issues.   By challenging President Obama during the Obama Care health forum debate, people got to see  his  Midwestern principals on display.  .

Anyone who is viewed by Washington's left as "the evil genius, the cruel and mad budget cutter who threatens grandma's health care, granddad's retirement, and the entitlement state as we know it," gets my vote every time.

Apparently others feel the same way.  He was re-elected to his seventh term by a large margin (in a mostly Democratic district).


I'll take the white meat (just keep it moist).

1.)  The Wisconsin Badgers football team has had a really tough year.  How tough?  For the third time this year, they lost an overtime game.  Once to Michigan State, once to Ohio State, and last weekend to Penn State.  I don't know what effect losing in overtime does to a team's psyche, but I would imagine it's like reliving the election results of November 6th over and over.  And over.

I AM THANKFUL that the Badgers have Montee Ball who was voted the Big Ten's top running back for the second straight year.  As a first team all-conference pick by both coaches and the media, Ball set a NCAA record with his 79th TD.  He has rushed for 1,528 yards this year and 18 touchdowns.  Wisconsin now has the honor of having two of the greatest college running backs ever:  Montee ball with his 79 touchdowns and Ron Dayne with his 6,397 rushing yards.  If that doesn't help future recruiting, I don't know what could.

The Badgers also have the honor of going to the Big Ten Championship game again for the second year, playing Nebraska.  The first time this year the two teams played, Nebraska came from behind to win 30-27 in Lincoln, NE.  It was a game that featured a fast start by Wisconsin, followed by strong defense in the second half by Nebraska.  The winner will travel to the Rose Bowl to face the winner of the PAC 12 Championship Game.

Admittedly it's been a tough year for the 7-5 Badgers, but wouldn't it be great if they could play in Pasadena one more time?

2.)  The fickle voters of Wisconsin pulled a bit of a surprise with Republicans regaining control of the state Senate and state Assembly, when they picked up two Senate seats that were lost in last summer's recall election.  In typical fashion, Democrats blamed the re-districting efforts by the GOP for their surprise victory.  It's surprising, considering the cantankerous recall elections earlier in the year, and the decision to send Tammy Baldwin to the senate instead of Tommy Thompson.

I AM THANKFUL that Republicans gained influence in 60% of all states, where we can establish a firewall against President Obama and the rest of Washington.  In stark contrast to the Presidential outcome, voters put Republicans in control of local and state purse strings.  This is significant because Democrat-controlled states like California, Illinois and New York are spending themselves into bankruptcy.  If Republican-controlled states, like Wisconsin, can foster economic growth and job creation at the state level, perhaps we can give the electorate a clear choice in 2016.

Do the people of America want  more California/Illinois or more Wisconsin?  It may be the kind of test that finally fixes the problems coming out of Washington.  Perhaps the Rose Bowl (with Wisconsin playing the PAC 12 winner) will be a harbinger of things to come.

Rockwell's Thanksgiving

3.)  Finally, what would Thanksgiving be without family?  My wife and I were speaking recently about how much family means to us at Thanksgiving.  For her, it wouldn't be the holiday without sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, moms and dads.

This year marked the first Thanksgiving for Liz without either parent.  Her dad died almost 20 years ago, and her mother passed away this summer from cancer.  For some very good friends of ours, it was the first Thanksgiving without their son, who died in a car accident.

And it wasn't the same without them.

Many of us take for granted that we will always have family sitting around the table at Thanksgiving.  It seems like your sister will always be there with her green bean casserole, or your mom with the sweat potatoes topped with marshmallows.  And how many kinds of pie will there be?  Apple, pumpkin, banana cream and pecan?

I AM THANKFUL for our traditions -- like watching the Macy Thanksgiving Day Parade,  sitting down to some Detroit Lions football (maybe playing a little ourselves outside if it's warm enough), that afternoon nap, and perhaps best of all -- the leftover turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy.

When I worked at Gast Manufacturing in Benton Harbor, Michigan, the owner -- instead of sending Christmas cards -- would send Thanksgiving Day cards.  It was my job to work with an agency that created a new card every year.  We always focused on the customer, who was the most important part of his business.  It was his reason for going to work everyday.  And ultimately for it's success.

I think of those cards often.  Thanksgiving is about work, and reaping the benefits of that hard work.

Hopefully, this blog finds you thankful for many of your blessings.  Despite the election results, it could be worse.  If we do our best, love those around us, and treat our friends like family, we will truly be blessed.

Give thanks for that.

A Letter to My Sons

Dear Matt and Sean,

I'm sorry.

Today -- November 6, 2012 -- a majority of voters ended what it means to be an American.  Despite being a beacon of ethical individualism, a paragon of untethered capitalism and a benevolent force that withstood the evils of fascism, communism and radical Islam, America finally lost its standing as the western world's last example of a free society.

After more than 200 years, those who made America the land of the free, are no longer in the majority.

As Abraham Lincoln said in his Lyceum speech on January 27, 1838, "At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected?  I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us.  It cannot come from abroad.  If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher.  As a nation of freemen, we must live through all time, or die by suicide."

Who would have thought one hundred-seventy-four years later, America would succumb to the temptations of Barrack Obama and the Democratic party's false promises of "hope and change", and a classless society? In fact, fifty-two percent of America put a president back into office despite a horrible economic record, a campaign based a "war on women" and a booming federal deficit.   And rejected a man who had provided balanced budgets, worked on a bipartisan basis while governor, and turned around failing business, including the 2002 Olympics.

I'm still asking myself "what's happened to the America I used to know?"

As a child of ten, I remember playing a game with my friends that involved a folded piece of paper that you moved with your fingers.  I don't remember what the game was called, but the folded triangles contained numbers, then colors, and finally words.  By picking certain combinations, you would be rewarded with the coolest car, a big house or lots of money to spend anyway you wanted.

 

In many ways it represented the dreams of a nation, who was finding its way through the Vietnam War, gender/race equality, and the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy.  But as a young boy, all I understood was the possibility that I would some day grow up to get married, find a good paying job, buy a cool car and own a home.  The American Dream was alive and well, despite the winds of unrest blowing through the storied halls of Congress.

Twenty years later, I was moving up in the world -- the girl of my dreams had said "yes," my first son had turned four, and we had just moved into our second home, nestled among the peach and apple orchards of southwestern Michigan.  I remember like it was yesterday:   the joy I felt as I lay in the grass of our backyard looking up to blue skies and drifting clouds.  My hopes were high, and our family's future looked bright.

President Reagan, who had led us out of the recession of Jimmy Carter's doing, had been replaced by another man of integrity and honor, President George H. Bush.  During those good years (the late 1980's), the United States was still a "shining city... a tall, proud city built on rocks stronger than oceans, windswept, God-blessed and teeming with people of all kinds living in harmony and peace..."

More than 20 years later, I now feel foolish to think that such vision and faith in the human spirit would continue.  At some point during my lifetime, the citizens of this great country changed.  The American Dream -- getting an education, working hard and achieving success -- lost its appeal.  Those striving for prosperity became a pariah to those voting in elections.

We somehow lost our momentum through the Clinton and Bush presidencies -- but to be honest (in looking back) those winds of unrest had been gathering new focus and intent for years.  Traditional families lost their cohesion, God fell out of favor, love of country was replaced with love of self, and union influence dominated our educational and judicial institutions, as well as the workplace.

Equally damning was the emergence of the liberal media.  Early in the 20th century, the media was hard on both political parties, but with more and more liberal journalists gaining prominence in our media -- newspapers, television and magazines --  their passion for fact finding turned regularly into attacks on conservative ideals.  Watergate became the calling card for a new generation of "investigative journalists."  Within a single lifetime, mainstream journalism lost all pretense of unbiased reporting.  They have clearly put all their chips on the left, with no apologies.

Today, more youth get their news from Comedy Central and Saturday Night Live than ABC, NBC and CBS combined.  The internet, blogs and You Tube videos have expanded the aberration of what is broadcast on TV as mainstream news.

Many voters who elected Obama to a second term no longer read newspapers, or bother to research candidates' claims (immigrants even fight the need to learn our language).  This has led many youth to get their news through highly opinioned web sites and  late night appearances on liberal talk fests like David Letterman, Conan O'Brien and Jimmy Fallon (let's get our news with a dose of comedy).  Unfortunately, the ones being made to look foolish and dumb are usually the conservative choice.

The cover up this year from the major networks on important stories like Libya, Solyndra, and Fast and Furious was unparalleled and (as a fellow journalist) perhaps I'm more sensitive than most.  I know there's media bias on both sides, but how thin skinned is Obama that he has to complain when it's 6 to 1 in his favor?

So Matt and Sean, I want to apologize for what has happened to this once great nation on our watch.   One of the most important things parents can do for their children is provide a better future.  Perhaps that thinking is what misled us.  Perhaps your mom and I loved you so much that we forgot to teach you how hard it was to achieve success and to appreciate this great nation.  Rather than saving for your own car, we gave you one.  Going to college? -- let us pay for it.  Don't worry about a job, focus on doing well in school.

I don't know...

I'd like to think that we raised you to value family, honesty and hard work.  But somehow our society -- and I'm including my generation as well -- focused on the wrong things.

For generations, our forefather fought in wars, putting their country first.  With the perceived failures in Vietnam, the mandatory draft became a thing of the past .  Love of country and self sacrifice died as quickly as those brave souls who lost their lives in Kuwait, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Believe me when I say that I'm glad that you didn't have to fight in any wars -- but perhaps by doing so, your focus drifted to blaming America for those wars.  How could you not see that we were liberating Iraq from a bloodthirsty murderer who had beheaded mothers and fathers in front of their children, gassed thousands of Kurdish villagers, tortured hundreds of "conspirators" by gouging out eyes, chopping off limbs or executing others who displeased him simply because they would not allow him to take their virgin daughters?

Where did this idea that America was the bad guy come from?

Surprisingly, most of the criticism comes from within our borders.  Starting with our public schools.

Columbus's discovery of America is being re-written in history books, as is the treatment of Native Americans and their culture.   High schools and colleges focus on the bad behavior of a few soldiers who interrogate prisoners with water boarding to gain information that saves thousands of lives.  Candidate Romney was right when he said that President Obama took an apology tour, claiming America was to blame for everything from global warming to Middle East unrest.

The push in schools to allow our children to travel abroad encouraged your mom and me to send you to Europe, Asia and South America.  Perhaps somewhere along the way, you were allowed to think those countries were better.   As taught in school, these countries had many of the things missing in America -- economic and social fairness, equality for all.

The trouble is that none of these countries will ever be as good as America once was.  I've heard both of you come home from school saying communism was the fairest form of government, despite it's failure.  Every country that has tried communism, socialism and radical Islam has failed miserably.   Too bad schools don't see it that way.

Look at the current crises facing Great Britain and Europe.  Socialist doctrine reduced Great Britain from a super power to one that is a pale shade of what it once was.  Prime Minister Attlee embraced it, Churchill fought it to no avail, and Margaret Thatcher (at best) held it in check.  No one has been able to go back to the way it was.  Some countries are either over the edge (Greece), heading full speed toward the cliff (France) or suffering a slow death (Germany).  What makes anyone think America will be any different?

Apparently we either don't believe it will happen here or, worse, we don't care.

For many immigrants, America still represents that shining city President Reagan spoke about thirty-five years ago.  Unfortunately, more and more immigrants today are coming to our country uneducated and non-skilled, looking for government assistance.  The breakdown of this year's election indicated the majority of Latinos who voted for Obama didn't do it because of Republican anti-immigration policies -- they did it for the benefits promised by Democrats.

There are more elected minorities in the Republican Party than the Democrat Party.  Yet former Secretary of State Condi Rice,  Florida Senator Marco Rubio, governors Nikki Haley (South Carolina) and Susana Martinez (New Mexico) are made fun of by most of your friends.    If any of these politicians were Democrats, they would be loved and defended by the media and minority groups.  But no -- rather than applaud their struggles and success, they are called uncle toms and culturally incorrect.  No wonder I worry about your generation.

Matt and Sean, I wish you could have seen America through my eyes as a child.  The great things we did, the hope our country had for its future and its indispensable courage against impossible odds.  As a child, I saw us land on the moon...  Today, NASA is out of business.

We didn't make excuses or complain about what our neighbors had.  If nothing else, we sought out what they did and tried to do it ourselves.  It was a great time to grow up -- we were proud to be Americans.

America used to be about merit -- talent that should be allowed to rise and prosper.  It didn't pick winners based on race, sex or age.  There was no "war on women," "fair share," "one percent" or "affirmative action" needed to embraced this philosophy.  Teachers, students, laborers and business owners were all allowed to succeed.  And immigrants knocked on our borders to have a shot at it.

Somehow we've gotten away from it.  And I'm afraid there's no turning back.

Leftist Fatwas

The great Ronald Reagan once said, "Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction."

He said, "We don't pass it on to our children in the bloodstream.  (Freedom) must be fought for, protected and handed off for them to do the same.  Or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children ... what it was once like in the United States."

Reagan -- Freedom Lover

Lately, I've been feeling life our freedoms are being assaulted like never before.  Not in the sense that another country has invaded our borders and is claiming our country for their own.  Rather our individual freedoms -- the right to choose to live our lives the way we want to -- are under constant assault with the left taking away things they don't like.

And the list of things that are bad for me, my family and our planet just keeps getting longer.  Whether it's drinking water out of plastic bottles, buying buttered popcorn in a movie theatre or washing my dirty clothes, liberals have a knack for messing with my life.

And it's not enough for them to wallow in their own Mother Earth, hippy commune world.  No, they have to make sure I'm banished to the same miserable fantasy land they live in.

They are not happy unless I am forced to give up many of the things I love.  (I take that back -- they're never happy.)  They are not as miserable (it's a temporary feeling, believe me) until the rest of us are just as miserable as they are.

I think with Obama in the White House, the leftists -- with their economic, religious and health fatwas -- have unloaded a world of hurt under the guise of "change we can believe in."

Top three things they won't leave alone:

Religion.  It's not enough for them to not believe -- no, they want to destroy the feeling of reverence, inspiration, and security we feel from attending church, observing Christian holidays and remembering that this country was founded on religious beliefs, as evidenced by "one nation under God."  They won't rest until they've relegated Christ to some dark corner in a church that has shrinking attendance.   Which is why I've never understood why so my churches lean to the left.

Some critics would say the religious right is no better.  Admittedly, there are a few people who feverishly crusade against sinners, but they are more more often some character in a Hollywood movie than reality.  I can only speak for myself, but I'm not going to push my religious beliefs on someone, unless they are looking for something I can give them.  And then it's usually just an invitation to attend church.  I don't demand that they change their lives, quit their jobs and forsake all worldly things.

For me religion allows me to recognize my position in the universe and lead a life I hope is a little better than one without God.  Unfortunately, the left thinks they know better.  Supporters of religion must be shown to be not merely mistaken, but morally lacking.  Politicians and televangelists are prime candidates.

"Hypocrites!" they cry.  "You claim you're better than gays, single mothers and wife cheaters -- but you're just as bad."  I've said it before, but I think the left just can't stomach someone telling them that they shouldn't do something. They lead a very selfish and self-centered life.  The concept of a supreme being -- God --  is unacceptable.  By tearing down religion they are able to maintain their "rightful place" in their lonely hierarchy.

And of course, the right is more than willing to fall on the sword.  For the left, it's far easier to live the perfect life when you have no morals, standards or limitations.

Health.  New York Mayor Bloomberg recently made news when he decided it was government's role to keep citizens healthy by prohibiting large sizes of soda and other sugary drinks at restaurants, delis, sports arenas and movie theaters.  Drinks would be limited to 16 ounces, which is considered a small serving at many fast-food joints.

This isn't Bloomberg's first assault on our freedoms.  In 2006 he banned restaurants from cooking with trans fats.  Other states have followed with a me too attitude.  The harmful effects of removing trans fats isn't limited to our health, however.  Suddenly, the health police (insert your local health department) seem to think it's their place to decide what's best for us mere citizens.

NBC recently ran a story critical of movie theatre snacks, like popcorn, candy and soda.  In typical leftist "crisis mode" fashion they proudly claimed the following:


AMC theaters are serving smaller sizes, but they still pack a wallop. A large popcorn has 1,030 calories and 57 grams of saturated fat -- the equivalent of a pound of baby back ribs topped with a scoop of Haagen-Daz ice cream, but with more fat.

At Cinemark, which pops its popcorn in heart-healthy canola oil, a large popcorn has 910 calories with 4 grams of saturated fat. "Though popping in canola gives this chain's popcorn far less saturated fat than its competitors, it's almost as high in calories and has the most sodium -- about twice as much as Regal or AMC," the Center for Science in the Public Interest said in a statement (don't you love that name?).

The giant sodas served at movies also take a toll, the study said. To name just one example, a 54 ounce large soda at Regal has 33 teaspoons of sugar. And an 8-ounce bag of Reese's Pieces contains 1,160 calories and 500 empty calories.

And don't forget about the candy. A 5-ounce bag of Twizzlers contains 15 teaspoons of sugar. A 7-ounce box of Nerds contains 46 teaspoons of sugar. And an 8-ounce bag of Reese's Pieces contains 1,160 calories and 35 grams of saturated fat.

"Sitting through a two-hour movie isn't exactly like climbing Mount Everest," said Jayne Hurley, senior nutritionist for the Center of Science in the Public Interest. "Why do theaters think they need to feed us like it is?"

Jeez, it must be fun going to the movies with a lib, huh?

Getting back to New York Mayor Bloomberg, Charlie Rose once asked him:  "What is it that drives you to impose this stuff on people?"

Bloomberg said "If government's purpose isn't to improve the health and longevity of its citizens, I don't know what its purpose is.  We certainly have an obligation to tell them what the best science and best medicine says is in their interests."

Ok... here I thought the job of government was to protect public safety, collect garbage, clear roads and fight wars.  So much for civil liberties.


Ecology.  Low flow toilets, laundry detergent, and light bulbs have been changed in the interest of the public good.  Unfortunately, like most things the left thinks are better for good ol' mother earth, none of them are any good at improving our lives.

I was meeting a client the other day and we were talking about his septic tank at home which was getting clogged and backing up.  The resulting mess needed to be cleaned up and there was no guarantee that the problem wouldn't come back with a few more flushes.  My client works for Coulee Region Mechanical which specializes in plumbing, so he knew a thing about the problem.

He said it was the low flow toilet (HET, which means high efficiency toilet) causing the problem.  Not enough water was getting into the pipes to properly flush the plumbing.  He's decided to just flush the toilet two or three times, hoping that it will do the job our "old" toilets used to do.  So much for efficiency and saving water.

When asked if he could buy a regular toilet, he said no.  Toilets from commercial manufacturers like American Standard and Kohler are all the same.  All capable of saving water, but not flushing properly.

Want to hear the sound of a thunderous whoosh! the next time you flush?  Can't do it.  The Energy Policy and Conservation Act mandates that toilets sold in the U.S. use no more than 1.6 gallons of water per flush, instead of the old standard of 3.2 gallons.


A few years ago, Time Magazine actually ran a story about illegal toilets that could be purchased in Canada that used twice the water.   Can you imagine?  Sneaking across the Canadian border with a toilet in your trunk?   Whatever happened to the good old days when you sneaked drugs and contraband across borders?

Laws were recently passed in seventeen states requiring dish and clothes detergent makers to reformulate their products to reduce what had been a crucial ingredient, phosphates, to just a trace.  While phosphates help clean clothing and dishes, they have long ended up in lakes and reservoirs, stimulating algae growth that deprives other plants and fish of oxygen.

So the resulting damage to our lakes and rivers means that we now have to put up with shirts, underwear and towels that look dull, lackluster and dungy.  They don't even smell the same.  And dishes that used to come out clean and spot-free now look like my front door -- which is streaked with dirty water marks from the lawn's water sprinkler.

Who's idea was this?

Consumer product reviews are blasting away at everything from detergents to washing machines and dishwashers that don't do the job.  One consumer said, "This is the worst product ever made for use as a dishwashing detergent!"  Another said, "It was horrible and I won't buy it again!"

While I agree with the problem phosphates create in our nearby Mississippi River, I can't believe the stupidity of passing a law that outlaws a critical cleaning ingredient without considering a viable replacement.  One that still cleans, would be nice.

And finally, energy-saving light bulbs.  The environmental crazies would have you believe that you are saving the planet by replacing burned-out incandescent light bulbs with new, compact florescent lighting.  Die-hard environmentalists actually believe that the earth will benefit from less urban smog, oil spills, acid rain and global warming.

Plus, they argue, you will cut your business and home energy bills if you use the new bulbs.  So what's not to like?

Well, like everything else on this list, we are not given a chance to choose which light bulb we want to use.  It's become law that we must use the new, energy-efficient light bulbs, despite recent studies that show the bulbs emit UV radiation and contain trace amounts of mercury, a toxic element.

Most of us are also aware of how difficult it is to dispose of these bulbs.  If they break (which is common in our household), instructions are to evacuate the home for 15 minutes until the harmful material dissipates.  I don't know about you, but how do we really know if it dissipates?  It could be in the carpet for all I know, waiting for me or our dog to roll around on it and pick up the harmful mercury particles.

Environmental lawyers freak out just thinking about lead paint and asbestos material, so do we really want to encourage more potential problems?

I also know that these bulbs are not good if you're turning the lights on or off on a regular basis.  It may be acceptable in the office, where the lights are on for 8 hours or longer.  But in my home, where my wife reminds me to turn off the lights, they are much less efficient than advertised.  And finally, at a cost of $3 to $5 per bulb, how long will it take for me to make up the extra cost, when lighting typically consumes only 5-8% of my total energy bill?

Despite the mercury controversy, my biggest gripe about the new light bulbs remain that we don't have a choice.  Someone in Washington D.C.  -- at the urging of environmental wackos -- has decided what's best for me and my family, and removed another freedom from our lives.

Unlike Senator Ted Kennedy, who made a stink on the building of windmills near his compound on Martha's Vineyard, I don't have a voice in my choice of energy, religion or what to eat.  It's time for us to remember Reagan's warning, and fight back.

It's now or never.

Unhealthy Options

As a working member of the health-care industry, I have always wondered why some doctors, hospitals and insurance executives agreed to support The Affordable Care Act.  Why sell your soul to the devil -- when it seemed like a perfect time to draw a line in the sand and say "NO MORE."  Time to push back against more mindless bureaucracy, mandated benefits and higher cost.

I should have know that the answer was the same as always -- money.  In particular, who gets what and how much?  Screw the patient, screw the employer and screw us the taxpayer.  Private profits and political power are as tempting today as they've ever been.  

 

Unfortunately for them, and more importantly us, The Affordable Care Act went on to become law. With their help, the bill passed by the slimmest of votes -- and as a result of the Supreme Court upholding it as such -- the way we buy, use and pay for our health care changed forever.

Recent emails -- uncovered by House Republicans, despite stonewalling by the Obama Administration -- indicate one of the biggest perpetrators was the pharmaceutical industry.  Drug companies, through their health-care reform lobby (PhRMA) were brought on board early.  In the spring of 2009, they met repeatedly with (Senate Finance Chairman) Max Baucus, (White House Chief of Staff) Jim Messina, (Energy and Commerce Chairman) Henry Waxman, and (Nebraska, D) Ben Nelson to work out favorable treatment for price controls and the removal of "drug re-importation language" being considered by (then candidate) Obama.  It was crony capitalism at its worst -- PhRMA understood that this new entitlement would be a windfall to the drug companies as taxpayers bought more and more of their products.

America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), a lobbying group for the health insurance industry, also got in on the bidding.  Thinking they would craft the legislation for bigger profits, they worked with Democrats to promote the new bill as a way to provide cheaper insurance for everyone.  They promised to squeeze $2 trillion in costs out of the system -- in large part by requiring 85% of premiums be associated with care, not administrative costs.  This led to basically eliminating insurance agents who sold insurance and a reduction in the number of people working at the home office (underwriting, customer service and marketing).  Health insurance "exchanges" are being set up by states (another government agency) to facilitate the sale of whatever health insurance comes out of The Affordable Health Act, starting in 2014.

AHIP believed that in return for its support, the industry would be able to set the terms of reform and be spared the government option (which would decimate the health insurance industry).  Despite opposition from many of their own trade groups, AHIP went ahead and backed The Affordable Care Act, with dreams of 30 million uninsured being forced to buy their insurance.

Another group that sold out was the American Association of Retired People (AARP), which -- despite calls from seniors running 14 to 1 against the new law -- announced in 2009 that they would support Obama's new health plan.

On the surface, AARP's backing of the healthcare bill was puzzling, as the bill was designed to cut an estimated $500 billion in benefits for seniors by forcing them from popular Medicare Advantage plans.  However, like PhRMA and AHIP, the answer lies in the financial windfall AARP got in return for their support.

Many people mistakenly believe that AARP is just an advocacy group for senior citizens.  Over the years, AARP has become a much bigger player as an insurance company, specializing in the sale of Medi-gap insurance policies, which supplement Medicare coverage.

In 2003, President Bush passed the Medicare Advantage program, which offered an alternative to Medi-gap policies offered by AARP (and others).  Through this new program, senior citizens got all the extra coverage they needed plus coordinated, well-managed care, usually by the same doctor.  And at a much lower cost.  The plans were so popular, that more than 10 million seniors went with Medicare Advantage plans.

So, AARP saw The Affordable Health Care Act as a way of forcing more seniors to buy their policies by supporting Obama's goal of eliminating subsides for the lower-cost Medicare Advantage plans.  Without the subsides, Medicare Advantage plans would no longer be as affordable (with luck, cease to exist) and seniors would be forced to buy AARP supplied plans, boosting their Medi-gap revenues, profits and more importantly, AARP executive salaries.

As a result, AARP has revealed themselves as a profit-motivated organization that put its own goals in front of the needs of its constituents.

Finally, the American Medical Association (AMA), which represents just 17% of American doctors, supported the new act despite the fact that a large majority of doctors opposed it.  Why?  Because in return for their support, the government would delay implementing something called ICD-10 diagnosis-coding.

Currently, physicians use ICD-9 codes to list patient diagnoses on claims, while hospitals use them for diagnoses and procedures.  Under ICD-9 there are 12,000 diagnoses being used.  ICD-10 would increase this number to more than 140,000 codes.  The thinking is that with more codes, doctors would be able to provide government with better information that could be used in managing health care payment.  Opponents, however, believe it will be used by Washington to micromanage and ration health care dollars.

Under AMA's cooperation, the new health care bill would delay implementation of the new ICD-10 codes to allow enough time for hospitals and doctors to upgrade practices and billing systems, saving them millions of dollars in the near term.  However, the bill only allows for a delay, not removal.  So, AMA succumbed to Washington's power for a few more years of ICD-9 coding without regard for the more damaging aspects of the law, including less pay for doctors and more interference by the Department of Health and Human Services in providing proper care to their patients.

                                            *                                 *                              *

I mention all of the deals made by hospitals, drug companies, trade associations and doctors to point out the irony of them NOW WANTING TO GET OUT.  The bill, in its final form (which according to Obama is still being worked on) isn't what these groups thought they were getting.  The agreements reached in 2009 and 2010 are being modified (in some cases receiving outright denials that any agreement was ever made).

I'm sorry, but the bill is already beyond repair.

So the bill that was passed with the help of a powerful few -- despite the majority of America against it -- has now received the approval of the United States Supreme Court.  The Affordable Health Care Act, our nation's newest entitlement program, is here to stay despite the political rhetoric being used by Mitt Romney and the rest trying to fundraise off its survival.

Did these medical trade associations and CEOs really think Washington was going to play fair?  Come on -- since when?  I've always wondered how some of our brightest medical minds can be so naive and gullible.  I guess they think they're so smart that they can out-maneuver the politicians in Washington.

It didn't happen in 2010 and it won't happen now.  It's already too late for the taxpayers in America; it's about to become too late for the rest of them.

Voting Matters

One of the greatest things about America has always been its faith in its election process.  For as long as I've been alive (50+ years) I've always believed that the candidate getting the most votes won the election.

Unlike rigged elections in places like Cuba, Afghanistan, Kenya, Venezuela and many other middle east countries, America has - throughout most of our history- maintained the moral standards that have allowed for fair and trustworthy elections.  People still believe that the results given on election day are legitimate.

It seems, however, that recent elections (in my lifetime at least) have been getting closer and closer than ever.  And with all the things related to the internet and new ways of communicating today, more and more people are questioning some of the methods used on election day.  Most of the rumors you read about are proved wrong, but in this day and age where its easier than ever to take someone's identity, why is it so hard to believe that voter fraud could be perpetrated?  Maybe it's not as technically devious as the internet -- maybe it's good enough to just pay a bunch a people, put them on a bus and drop them off at a voting spot --  or felons and illegal aliens that find their way into a voting booth.  Stakes have never been higher, so why not safe guard against possible fraud and preserve the integrity of our elections?

Why not require voters to show an ID to safe guard our voting rights?

As sensible as that question is, it's tremendously offensive if you're a hard core liberal who feels certain rights are being infringed upon by requiring someone to how a picture ID.  Cries of "disenfranchisement" are shouted on cable news shows, opinion pages of today's remaining newspapers and by left-leaning non-profits and union organizations.

About a dozen states (with Republican governors) have or are considering changing voter registration by requiring proof of identification.  Most are being fought feverishly in court.

So why is requiring a photo ID such a threat to Democrats?  Why do Democrats think it harms minorities and the elderly?

Again, common sense tells us that minorities and the elderly population are no different than the rest of us in terms of what they do.  They drive, they cash checks, buy alcohol and cigarettes, maybe get married and live in a house or apartment.

So they should have picture IDs.  What's the problem?

Polls indicate that most Republicans support the voter ID law.  Men and women support it.  Blacks support it.  Elderly support it.  So, if most  people support the concept of voter IDs,  why are judges around the country challenging the law?  Why is the Justice Department, led by Eric Holder, challenging the citizens of Florida, Ohio, Maine, Texas and North Carolina and questioning the constitutionality of the law?

The difference is that Democrats look at minorities and the elderly as being helpless.  Their mantra requires them to "defend the helpless, the poor, the downtrodden and the old" against the evil Republicans who are disenfranchising voters by rendering their vote mute.  I would think these people would be insulted by this type of pandering, but maybe they've become so dependent on government assistance that they are truly becoming "helpless."  I hope I'm wrong, but you start to wonder if they  think they'll lose their benefits if they start to rock the boat.

That's the "be nice... " answer to my question.

A less diplomatic answer is that Democrats are worried about losing their power.  Minorities are their power, their fuel that puts them in office and keeps them in power.  A recent example can be found in Florida where the Justice Department has ruled that the state cannot remove illegal voters by purging them from the voting list.  The warning from the Justice Department claimed the procedure violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which protects minorities.  Apparently illegal aliens, too.

Once again the Obama Administration is sticking its nose into state rights, by preventing Florida from trying to ensure a legitimate voter registration roll.  The Supreme Court just ruled that the Justice Department went too far by declaring Arizona can stop illegal immigrants if they suspect there is something wrong.  Stopping Florida's "voter scrub" is another attempt at drumming up Democratic support even if it means keeping illegal voters on board.

The whole idea that voter IDs are a burden is ridiculous.  The other day, I had to show my driver's license to get into the local YMCA to play racquetball.  No problem, I thought.  But apparently for some it's too much to expect that they have an ID to vote.

I'm sure you can add to the list, but isn't it interesting that you need an ID for:

Boarding a plane
Buying a car
Getting a passport
Getting a driver's license
Buying alcohol
Buying cigarettes
Applying for food stamps
Cashing a check
Renting an apartment (sometimes)
Purchase a firearm
Getting a marriage license

BUT NOT TO VOTE.

Most recently, House Minority Leader, Nancy Pelosi claimed that the attempts by Republicans to hold Eric Holder in contempt over his involvement in "Operation Fast and Furious" was in response to voter suppression.  Pelosi, in a press briefing the other day linked the contempt charge by saying (incredulously) "They're going after Eric Holder because he is supporting measures to overturn these voter suppression initiatives in the states.  This is no accident.  it is no coincidence.  It is a plan on the part of Republics, to suppress voters."

Nancy Pelosi has said some dumb things before, but this one puts her WAY ahead!  What is she talking about?

We cannot challenge Holder (or Obama for that matter) without being accused of some racial bias towards them being black.  As a result, our attempts to make Eric Holder accountable come across as racist.  No reasonable man or woman should let Pelosi's mad ramblings confuse the issue.  The Democrats are unable to defend their position and are caught doing the very thing they claim to defend.  I call that hypocritical.

As an example, note the requirement of the Democratic Party  at the Massachusetts Democratic Convention being held last month.  As part of the convention, the pre- program mailed to attendees says "Registration and Credentials:  A PHOTO ID WILL BE REQUIRED TO ENTER THE MASS MUTUAL CENTER."  Add it to the list above, I guess, and let the crazies ramble on.

Enough with the tired excuses coming from Democrats about voter ID laws.  Be honest, you need every vote you can get to put your badass in office.  And you don't care if they're illegal, dead, in jail or living in another state.

It's time to require voter ID.

Doing It The Wisconsin Way

In last Friday's debate for Wisconsin's governor, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett kept calling Governor Walker a "rock star," claiming the governor's campaign was all about his rising popularity among the Republican Party.   Barrett repeatedly criticized Walker as a "rock star for the far right "who was spending more time fundraising throughout the U.S. than creating jobs for Wisconsin workers.

Well, after tonight's results, Governor Walker has every right to feel like a rock star.  His approach to solving Wisconsin's fiscal mess -- challenging public section unions and their "fiscal cancer" which had been devouring Wisconsin's state budget -- has resonated throughout the country as other states struggle to balance their own fiscal mess.

Governor Walker's medicine was to balance the budget by curtailing collective bargaining, asking state employees to pay more for their health care and pensions, and by giving schools and state agencies the freedom to openly negotiate their ever-increasing costs.

As a result, Walker becomes the first governor in history to survive a recall election, and provides damaging evidence that anti-union legislation is alive and well in Wisconsin.  There's little evidence that the rancorous and divisive positions taken by public employee unions will abate anytime soon, but nonetheless, I can't tell you how terrific it feels right now.

After months of chaos including vandalism, lies and union thuggery in Madison (which is what community organizers like Obama thrive on) I feel like the storm has passed and a nice cool breeze is blowing in.  I'm convinced that the people of Wisconsin were fed up with teachers complaining about having to pay a small part of their benefit costs, while so many others were paying double digit increases or losing their job entirely.

My wife and I walk by a house that is the poster child for everything I've hated about this recall.  Handmade signs calling for Walker's recall -- not one but three, even a UNION PROUD sign pasted to the front window -- , someone standing on the street corner by their house asking for recall signatures, and frequent trips to Madison and Riverside Park to protest Walker's attempts to balance the state budget.  It's been a struggle to walk pass those signs without wanting to knock some sense into them, but I realize you can't reason with a rabid dog.  And something tells me their passion hasn't gone away.  Chances are they will continue to smoke their pot and watch "Red Ed" Schultz and Rachel Maddow on MSNBC.

What's Walker's re-election mean?

Fortunately, the damage done to the union's monopoly will stand.  And hopefully spread as another two years goes by.  It's interesting to read in the Wall Street Journal that membership in the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), a union founded in Wisconsin in 1936, has declined in state from 62,818 in March 2011 to only 28,745 in February of this year.  Membership in the American Federation of Teachers has declined instate from 17,000 to 11,000.  I'm still looking for the membership numbers for the state's largest public-sector union, the NEA, but it's safe to say their numbers are down, as well.

In addition the state budget has been balanced.  The unemployment rate has been dropping and is now below the national average of 8.2%.  Property taxes are down, even if only a little.  Apparently, fraudulent sick leave policies -- which allow employees to call in sick and then work the next shift for overtime pay -- have been ended.  And the government has stopped forcibly collecting union dues from the paycheck's of state workers.

I've read a number of articles where school districts throughout the state are finally able to negotiate their healthcare benefits.  Instead of taking what the union representative offered, schools are choosing alternative health plans that are saving them millions.  In a few situations, schools remain with the union, but at a significantly lower cost.  Competition works in the private sector -- it's great to see that it works in the public sector, as well.

Last but not least, the myth that union bosses represent their member's interests has been exposed as a lie.  Now that union dues are voluntary, tens of thousands of union members have stopped paying them (as indicated above).  Because unions used this money to play a major role in national politics, the implications of this change could be significant.  Union bosses's bloated political action budgets aren't going to be as big as they were in the past.  And if Walker's success can be duplicated in other states, think of the damage this will inflict on future union influence on elections starting with this fall's presidential contest.

                                                 

 

Last night's result -- 53% for Walker / 46% for Barrett -- means that $60-$75 million dollars was spent for nothing.  There will be NO change in who's governor and it's still too early to say if anything will change in the State Senate.  The only people to benefit from the millions spent on this election were the television stations, radio stations and politicians.  Together they stroked the fires of fear and division with the hopes that voters would send them piles of money.  Leading up to June 5th, we were receiving five to six calls a day, asking for money, so we stopped answering the phone.

I spoke to a client this morning who had breakfast with a Democrat who was saying that Republicans (specifically from out-of-state) bought this election.  "I guess money speaks," he was saying.  Well, if it wasn't for the protesters who stormed Madison in February and made a major issue out of this, none of this would have happened.  So the burden lies squarely on their shoulders.  And how hypocritical is it of them to say money bought this election?  President Obama has been fundraising ever since he took office in 2008.  There's no questions money was spent in this state, but with good reason.  People wouldn't have been contributing money if they didn't believe passionately about the cause -- when attacked, we attack back!.

The good thing to come out of this is that it has put Walker and Wisconsin into the national spotlight, given the Republicans a road map for fighting unions in Ohio, Florida, Texas and North Carolina, and shown that character counts.  Walker didn't cave in on his conservative principles.  He didn't compromise on his agenda, didn't reach across the aisle, and didn't apologize for changing the way things are done.

Walker said he was going to change things in Wisconsin, and he did.  Changing a progressive state like Wisconsin which has voted Democrat in each presidential election since 1988, isn't easy.  But unlike Obama, who couldn't admit to the change he wants, people liked what Walker brought to Wisconsin, and he raised millions of dollars (and gained voters because of it).  One poll I saw had over 33% of union households voting for Walker.

That's why Walker won -- he didn't leave the state when it came time to vote, and he stuck to his principles when the union thugs brought out the big guns.

Last night, the left-leaning media (is that redundant?) was having a hard time reporting the election results.  Early in the evening, they were calling it 50/50, and too close to call.  At best they were indicating Walker was barely surviving the recall attempt.  Surviving?  Most of us were expecting a close fight, a late night and maybe even a recount before knowing the results.  As it turned out, we knew the results before 10:00 CST.  That doesn't sound like survival to me.  Sounds like Walker kicked some ass.

Nonetheless, the folks at CBS, ABC, NBC and cable outlets spun the news of Walker's victory as being secondary to the fact that Obama had actually had a good night.  Exit polling showed many of the people voting for Walker would still vote for Obama by 8-9 points.  I've always said that this recall was about Wisconsin politics, not necessarily national (meaning Obama).  The people of Wisconsin (Democrats, Independents and Republicans)  DIDN'T like what the Democrats were doing to Walker.

I'm convinced the media over-reached early on by claiming this was going to be a referendum of Obama's presidency.   As more and more polls indicated Walker was going to win, they more they backed off, saying politics is local.

I also think Obama is going to have trouble in Wisconsin this fall -- only because the president didn't support the unions, and didn't show them the respect they think they deserve.  Obama's biggest supporters have always been the unions. The fact he didn't fight hard for them is going to come back to haunt him.  When it come time to push out the vote and call in a favor, I don't know if they're going to be there.  In Obama's mind, he is always the biggest person in the room -- not the unions, not the teachers, not the state workers, not the media.  He should know better though, 'cause that's not the Chicago way.

                                          

 

What I take from last night's election is this:  unions and their influence on elections is fading.  With the last three elections in Wisconsin -- Walker's win  in 2008, Supreme Court Justice Prosser's win in 2010 and Walker's win again last night -- the left fired everything they had at our conservative agenda.  And failed.

Walker may speak about mending fences and bringing both parties together, but if last night is indicative of anything it's that he doesn't have to back down anymore.

Let the Democrats come on bended knee.  Let the Democrats support Walker's way of balancing the budget and cutting taxes.  Let the Democrats realize that unions controlling our failing education system doesn't work anymore.  Let the teachers and state workers have a voice with less influence from union bosses when it comes to paying for benefits and pensions.  And let the losers from last night who proclaimed "Democracy is dead!" go back to Michigan were they have an audience.  Let other states facing the same budget difficulties learn from Scott Walker that you don't have to be afraid of unions any more.

Because the union way is no longer the Wisconsin way.

If Scott Walker was a rock star before, he's a superstar now.  FORWARD WISCONSIN!