California, Trombones and Euchre

I was sitting in Valhalla in UW-La Crosse's Cartwright Center, waiting for the start of a concert with trombonist Wycliff Gordon at the La Crosse Jazz Orchestra's jazz festival, when I asked my wife a very important question.

"You see the trumpet player in the back row?  He graduated a year or two before me from Central High School.    Do I look as old as he does?"

The trumpet player I was referring to had an oblong head with thinning white hair, and his face looked tired, maybe from a full day of practice or maybe because La Crosse was in the midst of an unbearable heat wave that was sucking the life out of everyone in town.  He also happened to be one of my son's high school band instructors.

"Ummm, yes?" she responded, then hesitated as she realized it was not the answer I was hoping for.

"What do you mean?  I still have a full head of hair and it's only beginning to gray on the sides!"  I couldn't believe it.  Just wait until she asks me if she looks good in those new pair of jeans.....

I was thinking of that exchange this morning as I was running around the Central High School track, preparing for my next Oktoberfest 5 Mile run.  As always, my mind wanders to things that have nothing to do with the monotony of running -- such as some of the fun things I used to do as a kid growing up in a river town on the Mighty Mississippi.

 

Which led into some fond memories of two classmates (who must also be looking old) that I have been lucky enough to know for most of my life.  Paul Mundinger and Doug Schoenfeld have been friends for almost four decades, which is a long time. Long enough to be apart of some of the most important events in my life, including middle and high school, some college, dating, marriage, employment, vacations and even three deaths.

Little did I know that the new kid in the neighborhood who was knocking on my door (wearing a Bart Starr football jersey) would some day stand in my wedding as best man.  I trusted Doug enough to travel 2,000 miles (to California and back) in a beaten down, cramped-for-space, Chevy Vega right out of high school.  Better yet, our parents trusted us  (yes, Paul, even my mom) enough to let three 18 year old boys drive halfway across the country through Nebraska,  Kansas, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and back through Nevada, Utah, the Dakotas and Minnesota.  I spent hundreds of hours learning how to play euchre with these two guys, most often on the same team, but occasionally against.  I could be offered a number of choices, but I would still pick Doug in a game of two-on-two football against almost anyone.  Even though we'd be against all odds to win.  I guess you could say I have faith.

Faith has always had something to do with our friendship.  Paul is a senior pastor at a local church and Doug and I are pretty active in our respective churches.  Our common, Christian beliefs and understanding of where we stand in the universe keep us humble and true to our families, wives and children.

But I think we also have faith in each other to be there for each other when needed.  We have all lost our fathers, with Paul losing his when he was still in high school.  I was at his house when his father fell down the back steps after suffering a stroke.  I will never forget the shock and frustration his family felt as we waited helplessly for the ambulance to arrive.  I always looked at my own father differently after that, and was thankful for the extra years he and I had together.  My father passed away 10 years ago from complications of Parkinson's, and while it wasn't as traumatic, it was difficult to see him go.  While greeting people before the funeral, I was surprised to look up and see Paul standing there.  How the word had gotten to him I didn't know, but he had traveled some distance to offer his condolences.  And just this past year, Doug's father lost his battle against cancer.  In the year prior to his death, Doug had wanted to buy a boat to take his dad fishing and to spend more time with him on the river.  My best memories of his dad are from high school and years later at annual pig roasts held at Doug's house.  Whenever a smile was needed, Doug's dad was game.

Other events have kept us close through the years.  Including weddings, and perhaps more importantly the bachelor parties that preceded them.  In one memorable night (that still angers his wife), we had planned on spending a few hours on the river in a houseboat celebrating Doug's dying bachelorhood.  Shortly after beaching the boat on a sandbar, one of the summer's worse storms hit the area threatening to swamp the boat and those of us still aboard.  Perhaps distracted by the storm, we ran the boat's battery down so low that we couldn't get it started when it was time to head back.  After some creative mechanical maneuvers, we did get enough supplemental power to turn over the engine.  As a result, we didn't get back to the marina until close to four o'clock in the morning on the day of his wedding.  I believe the fire in his wife's eyes during the wedding is still smoldering to this day.

 

Through the years we've ridden motorcycles (I'm not sure if Paul's Honda qualifies), cars, and boats to destinations that have been long forgotten.  Perhaps some day we will add a plane to the list -- how does jumping from a plane to celebrate our 60th birthday sound, guys?   We've laid on a country road at two o'clock in the morning, staring at the stars, pondering what we will do after high school and whether we can get a date with that that buxom girl with frizzy hair.  I can remember a high school basketball game that Paul and I (as part of the pep band) were playing at.  I don't know whose idea it was, but Doug joined us -- "playing" an extra trombone even though he didn't know how to play a note.  You would have thought the band instructor would have wondered what Doug was doing there.  But I can't remember him saying a word.

Music was a big part of Paul's and my younger years.  We both played trombone (one of us better than the other).  It allowed us to share many hours playing in concert band, marching band and jazz band, culminating in the recording of two albums during our junior and senior years.  Paul continued playing in college, while I continued my search for the perfect rum and coke.  There are memories of our time in Madison, sitting at a State Street bar waiting for John Cougar (later Mellencamp) to perform only to find out an hour before the performance that the drummer had broken a leg or something, and the band wouldn't be playing.  I still laugh when I think about the day we walked into Metamorphosis Records in downtown La Crosse and had tee-shirts imprinted with our favorite drummer, "Neal Pert" from the greatest rock band ever -- Rush.  It wasn't until months later that we figured out that the correct spelling of his name was Peart.

Some of our best memories are on the Mississippi River.  During one stormy night, we were coming back to La Crosse through the upper locks and because of a faulty motor, we were almost smashed against the wall by the Mississippi Queen which was trying to tie up before going through the locks.  At the last minute, the motor fired up and we were able to pull away from the oncoming hull, as a driving rain poured down on us.  Our friends, watching from another boat, thought we were goners.

One of our favorite things to do on the river is take a friend's houseboat out for the night and play cards until we can't think straight any more.  Regardless of who wins (and we know who that is), we take time to relive Saturday nights in high school playing euchre.  Our wives love to shop, and will spend a weekend at the Mall of America finding the right pair of shoes.  But if you ask me, there aren't many things better in life than drinking beer and eating brats, beans and a salad while listening to Packer's preseason football while beached on a sandbar beneath a sky full of stars.

This year marks the first time when none of us have any children living at home, which has allowed us to spend more time together riding bikes along the muddy Root River in Minnesota, spending a weekend at a lake house while lightning etches the night sky with an approaching storm, or training for fitness events like the La Crosse Fitness Festival and Oktoberfest Maple Leaf 5K walks and runs.

You might wonder why I'm bothering to mention any of this in my blog, when our nation is faced with a debt crisis that threatens to bankrupt the greatest nation on earth.  Or when the world's last Super Power is engaged in far too many wars, and the prospects of world peace seem more impossible than ever before.  Or when Wisconsin is faced with recall elections from an angry group of union officials and teachers.

Perhaps, as I get older, the world looks a lot different than it did when Doug, Paul and I were three kids growing up in God's country, with nothing more to do than ride dirt bikes, play trombones in band and do floaters on the Mississippi.  And maybe it does my soul good to look back on those carefree days, and find a reason to believe that there are still many good things to appreciate.

Even if your wife thinks you're looking old.

Pay for Play

In June, 1965, the Fraternal Order of the Eagles donated a monument bearing the Ten Commandments in honor of the youth who helped fight one of the worse floods in La Crosse's long history.  The gift was placed in Cameron Park, which is a downtown park, surrounded by a bank, food coop, restaurant, bakery and, during the summer, a farmer's market.  The monument, which stands about 5 feet tall, is maintained by the Eagle's club and its members.  For most of my life, I didn't even know the monument existed, even though I walked through the park on various occasions.

Thou shall not display!

In 2002, a group known as the Freedom from Religion Foundation filed a lawsuit against the City of La Crosse, claiming the monument violated the First Amendment establishment clause separating church and state.  In their lawsuit, the non-profit atheist/humanist organization from Madison, WI demanded that the city remove the monument which was causing "sleeplessness, visible discomfort, and modified behavior"  in the listed plaintiffs.

After months of debate, and after causing far more discomfort in the majority of La Crosse residents who objected to the assault on their beloved monument, a judge allowed the Ten Commandments to remain in the park after it was sold back to the Fraternal Order of the Eagles.  (To this day, I'm thrilled that members of the Food Co Op must shield their eyes as they leave the grocery store, hoping to avoid contact with the "vile" monument.)

Similar disputes have become commonplace around the country as these "civil liberty" groups pursue a leftist agenda that includes censoring prayer and recognition of God in public places, fighting illegal immigration reform, defending racial discrimination and promoting free speech for porno- graphers, same-sex marriage advocates and terrorist organizations.  In every instance, the leftist organization sues for legal expenses to pay for the time and damages brought forward in their lawsuit.  It seems to me to be an incredibly easy way to make a living:  find a supposed Constitutional violation that is strongly opposed by the majority of people, threaten to take them to court if it's not changed, and then collect a hefty paycheck when a carefully chosen, liberal judge finds in favor of the leftist organization.

Groups like the Freedom From Religion, the ACLU, the Center for Constitutional Rights and others unfortunately cause far more harm to the moral fabric of our society and founders of this great country than just the millions they win in their bogus court cases.  I've searched the internet for a few of the more aggregious attacks on our Constitution and list them here for your torment:

.  The ACLU demanded $2.3 million in fees for challenging a law AGAINST ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.  The city of Hazelton, Pennsylvania had passed an ordinance which prohibited landlords to rent to illegal aliens, fined businesses who hired illegal aliens, and required government documents  to be in English only.  The ACLU persuaded a federal court judge to declare this ordinance to be unconstitutional, even though other courts had upheld earlier laws.  The Mayor of Hazelton had this to say about the case which is currently in appeal.  "This demand illustrates the circus the ACLU brought to this case.  They had 20 attorneys sitting in the courtroom at a time, 16 of them doing nothing but running up the bill."  To say nothing about the illegal aliens who were in our country breaking the law.

.  The ACLU often argues IN FAVOR OF PORNOGRAPHY before courts and administrative boards.  They recently forced a Nampa, Idaho public library to return two books to the shelves that many parents found offensive:  The Joy of Sex and The Joy of Gay Sex.  With very graphic illustrations and photos of sexual activities found in chapters entitled "Daddy/Son Fantasies," Exhibitionism and Voyeurism," "Sex With Animals," and "Tearooms and Back Rooms," parents fought in court for over two years to keep the books out of the reach of young children, but to no avail.  Bryan Fischer, one of the parents asking to get the books removed, said, "It's an abysmal state of affairs when a single letter from cultural thugs can undo two years of patient and pain-staking work."

.  In 1999, the ACLU developed a hatred for all things related to the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, a charitable organization for teenagers, after they enforced its policy against having openly homosexual Scout leaders.  The civil liberties group filed a lawsuit to prohibit the Boy Scouts from using an Army base in Virginia for a quadrennial gathering known as the Boy Scout Jamboree.  Even though the Boy Scouts had been using this government property for over 70 years for similar events, the ACLU claimed that the Scout's oath of "duty to God," violated the First Amendment's establishment clause.  Therefore, the government should not be sponsoring this event for the Boy Scouts.  A federal district court originally ruled for the ACLU, but the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit eventually overturned the ruling.

.  In 2008, the Freedom From Religion Foundation sued President George W. Bush, White House Press Secretary Dana Perino and others associated with the NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER.   The administration argued FFRF had no legal standing to sue and that the tradition of the National Day of Prayer dated back to 1775.  Nonetheless, on April 15, 2010 senior federal District Judge Barbara Crabb ruled the 236 year old tradition to be unconstitutional.  She sited, "It is because the nature of prayer is so personal and can have such a powerful effect on a community that the government may not use its authority to try to influence any individual's decision whether and when to pray."  She added, "The same law that prohibits the government from declaring a National Day of Prayer also prohibits it from declaring a National Day of Blasphemy."  Her decision is currently under appeal.

.  Since 9/11, the Center for Constitutional Rights has challenged a number of cases involving the Bush and Obama administration's DETENTION AND INTERROGATION PRACTICES of detainees in Guantanamo Bay.  In 2010, the CFCR brought a lawsuit (pro bono) which seeks to remove reputed al-Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki from the U.S. targeted killing list.  For those who don't know, Anwar al-Awlaki is an extremist Muslim cleric who corresponded with Major Nidal Hasan prior to the Fort Hood shootings and whose teachings may have inspired both the "underwear bomber" and Times Square bombing suspect.  Repeatedly al-Awlaki has called for the killing and assassination of American soldiers and officials throughout America and the world.  The CFCR case has been criticized by many supporters of the organization who ask how it can "stand silently next to an advocate of American assassinations.  The Centre for the Study of Human Rights at the London School of Economics and Political Science recently stated, "Does a highly respected organization, founded in the midst of historic struggles for civil rights and racial justice, now wish to be perceived by some as al-Qaida's legal team?"  Apparently the answer is yes.

As an adult with children about to enter the harsh realities of the real world, I can appreciate the value of having someone protect our rights under the U.S. Constitution.  But it seems to me that too many far left groups -- under the guise of protecting civil rights -- are removing many conventional, traditional and dogmatic institutions in favor of "protecting" chaos, anarchy, disorder and lawless behavior.

Isn't it time to push back against these assaults on our national freedoms?  At the minimum, we need to have the ability to charge these bogus leftist groups for court fees and damages if they lose a court case.  That will make them think twice before defending the rights of illegal immigrants, sexual deviants and atheists/freethinkers.

If not, it is clear that these groups will continue to hamper our rights, while maintaining their tradition of playing for pay.

Total Recall: Taming of the Union Shrew

In the La Crosse area, the "Recall Election of 2011" begins next week with the primary contest between Jennifer (Jen to her friends) Shilling and James Smith, a protest candidate supported by Republicans.  The winner takes on (the Prince of Darkness) Senator Dan Kapanke, a two-term Republican and local businessman.

Why the recall?

Just in case you've been under a rock somewhere, the recall effort is in response to Democrats who are fighting mad at the Republican-controlled legislature in Madison for passing a budget repair bill that includes changes to collective bargaining by public employee unions.  As a result, they want to throw out anyone responsible for voting for it, which by the way, balances the Wisconsin state budget.

Here's what the union-backed Democrats are mad about:

.  employees must pay at least 12.6% of the average cost of annual health insurance premiums
.  5.8 % of employee salaries goes toward their pension plans.

Changes to their collective bargaining include:
.  total wage increases for union members cannot exceed inflation
.  contracts are limited to one year
.  employee units are required to take annual votes to remain certification as a union
.  employers are prohibited from collecting union dues
.  employee units are not required to pay union dues

In addition, the repair bill prevents limited term employees from being eligible for health care and pension benefits.  It also allows appointing agencies to terminate any employee who is absent for 3 days without approval, or who participates in an organized effort to stop or slow work during a state of emergency.  Finally, the bill restructures Wisconsin's debt, increases revenue to Medicaid to cover a $153 million deficit and $22 million to address state prison budget shortfalls.

What did he do wrong?

Sounds pretty heartless and devastating, doesn't it?  Seriously, these people need to get a real job, then they might have something to complain about.

So does this sound like something worthy of recalls?  Typically, recalls are designed to remove people from office who had engaged in unacceptable behavior, not just because you disagree with their vote.  Recalls are not very common in Wisconsin.  In fact, there have only been four attempted recalls in our state's history.  Recalls were in 1932, 1990, 1996 and 2003 (two of which failed).  So it's really historic that there are nine recalls on this summer's docket.  And there's already efforts being made to recall Governor Walker later next year.

The answer to my earlier question -- why the recalls? -- is because public employee unions, specifically their powerful leaders and tag-along members, have much to lose if they are removed from the bargaining table.  Through union-negotiated contracts, they have used our children and schools to pad their pockets with nice working conditions, pay and benefits.  When challenged, they threatened to remove athletic and music programs because they didn't have the money.  Seriously -- we all know that the majority of school cost is in benefits, not extra-curricular programs!  Teachers claimed they were getting paid less than their private sector counterparts, despite many in my son's school earning more than $67,000 for nine months of work.  "Save the children!" they cried, all the while taking more taxpayer money for special education, more teachers, longer vacations, and low out-of-pocket health insurance.

While schools have benefited mightily from collective bargaining, other public employees have done quite well through contracts that encourage waste, fraud, and union abuse.  For example, union contracts have allowed some city employees to benefit from higher salaries through overtime, sick days and vacation pay (a Madison bus driver earned over $159,000 due to a clause in his contract that awarded him overtime pay).  In another example, a Wausau, WI school was forced to hire a paid, union crossing guard when it was discovered that an 86-year-old volunteer crossing guard didn't have proper liability insurance.  To hell with school budgets, they need to follow union orders.

Common in all collective bargaining contracts is the control by unions to set the pay, working conditions, alternative choices and cost for health care and pensions.  These monopolies have allowed unions to benefit through higher cost and control of the bargaining process.

And they protect themselves by electing powerful union bosses and school board members who support existing collective bargaining contracts.  Not only do they get to make the rules, they also get to vote on them.  And until Governor Walker and Republicans like Kapanke put their foot down on reckless spending -- unions got their way.  And like all bullies, when they were threatened, they got in our face and shouted us down to put things back in order.

Photo courtesy of Huffington Post

One of the reasons Democrats are so eager to have these recalls is because they are afraid Walker's plan could be successful.

An example of this is what's happened in the Kaukauna Area School District.  Unlike many school districts who scrambled to extend existing union contracts, the Kaukauna school board waited.  As a result, they have been able to renegotiate contracts (without fear of union threats) resulting in higher contribution rates to pension and benefit packages.  Immediately, the district had enough cash to reduce class size and provide merit pay to teachers.  What was projected as a $400,000 budget shortfall before Walker's budget bill passed, has turned into a $1.5 million surplus overnight.

Another example of the savings now available to state jurisdictions can be found in the city of Racine, Wisconsin.  County officials, unfettered by union claims of jurisdiction over certain menial-labor tasks, have put jail inmates to work performing landscaping and maintenance.  Since they don't have to pay high-earning union employees to do the work, the county now has new ways to save money.  (Six months earlier, a similar effort was crushed by a judge who ruled in favor of union complaints that having inmates work around the county courthouse violated a union contract.)

A final example is in the Hartland-Lakeside School district, which for years was required to purchase health insurance for their employees through the (Wisconsin Education Association) WEA Trust.  The WEA Trust was charging the school district significantly higher rates than available through the open market.  Changing to a different insurance company,however, was prohibited by the union leaders, because then the WEA Trust would lose the money that came with the insurance.  Governor Walker's law (removing collective bargaining) has changed that.  So now, freed from the expensive WEA Trust deal, the school district has changed insurers -- resulting in savings of about $690,000 in 2011-2012.

The new law also has the potential to improve labor discussions between teachers, city employees and public employee administrators.  When it comes time to sit down at the table to discuss contracts, administrators will now be able to openly discuss benefits and merit pay with all employees, not just a small group of teachers and union directors, who controlled what their members could and could not hear, much less decide.

It is truly amazing that some many people don't see the benefits of what is happening in Wisconsin.  National organizations supporting these unions are putting everything they have into making sure it's portrayed as bad for the working, middle-class family.  When in reality it's the best thing to happen since many of them got their first public employee paycheck.

That's why these recall elections are so important.  If the public employee unions bosses and their whiny, controlling members are successful in getting their people back in Madison, the union gravy train will continue down the tracks.  Leading us and future generations over the cliff to financial bankruptcy.

The recall battle begins on July 12th.

On Graduations and Beyond

Earlier this month, my youngest son graduated from high school and is now planning on attending college this fall.  It is a seminal moment in life -- both as a parent AND as a young adult who is eager to leave the high school scene behind.

 

It has been too many years for me to remember much of my graduation from high school.  It's a terrible thing to lose memories of sitting on a hard folding chair for 2 hours while classmates and teachers talk about the last thing you want to hear:  more school.  I was trying earlier this summer to remember who our class president was, and came up empty.  Fortunately I received an invitation to our 35th class reunion next year, so maybe I'll find out then.

I actually have more memories of graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison -- one of which has me sitting on my Suzuki motorcycle, black gown flowing in the wind, while I hold onto a cowboy hat with one hand, a beer in the other.  Perhaps college had more meaning for me and the end of school (getting a job) signified more than the passage from high school to college.

Regardless, the past month has been spent planning and attending graduation parties, Sean's graduation and his orientation to college.  It has given me time to reflect on a number of things, among them --

Attending a graduation party is a lot more fun than hosting one.  Sitting down with a plate full of good food and a cold beer is just the way to spend an hour or two in early June.  Taking vacation days off to clean the garage, setting up tables and chairs, buying food and drinks and selecting pictures of your graduate's lifetime is not.  It's always rewarding to have the party and see everyone's reaction -- but ask my wife -- it's a lot of work and something I'm glad only comes around once every so many years.


Pulled pork is way over-rated.  Every party we went to (save one) served pulled pork.  The exception was bratwursts and hot dogs.  It got so bad that my wife decided to change our choice of food from pulled pork to beef and chicken tacos.  Is there a book on graduation parties that says you have to serve the same thing?  Trust me when I say that I like barbecue pork and all, but it'll be awhile before you see me eating at Famous Dave's restaurant. 


Where do I put all this food?  One of the hardest things to know is how many people are going to show up?  And those who do show up -- are they going to eat or not?  After filling up at other parties, chances are they won't be eating much this time around.  As a result, we had people showing up (after their own party) with left over food and desserts.  We gave as much away as we could, and still had a lot left over.  I'm still eating potato chips and drinking soda and beer.

"What did they just say?"  There were three class speakers at my son's graduation, all girls.  They were well prepared, looking sharp with their gold cords and maroon gowns, and eager to expound upon the meaning of their time at Central High School.  All three were Summa Cum Laude and well adorned with scholarships, class awards and offers to some of the best colleges around.  Somehow I was expecting to hear them say something worthy of all the accolades, but as soon as they were done, I looked at my wife and thought, "What did they just say?"  At the least, analogies to Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer, Hemingway's In Our Time, or  Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land would have been appropriate.  I honestly think I could have said something more memorable and relatable....

That familiar tune.  Graduation ceremonies are exciting and boring at the same time (after your son/daughter has walked across the stage, you can't wait for it to be over).  After 12 years of elementary, middle and high school, the energy level of the students and their guests is sky high.  The song "Pomp and Circumstance"  manages to evoke a number of emotions, including happiness, relief and triumph.  For me however, it is also tinged with a bit of nostalgia, as graduating seniors move beyond their first days of school, backpacks and parent/teacher conferences.  Did you know that the name of the song comes from a line in Act III of Shakespeare's "Orthello"?  And that there are actually five different "Pomp and Circumstances" marches?

 

Yeah!  I'm done!.  With the end of graduation, comes the relief in knowing that you have made it into the adult world.  While this is exciting, it can also be pretty intimidating and stressful.  So while you have the chance, enjoy an American tradition and get an ice cream cone or pick up a gallon of ice cream.  Few things make you feel like a kid -- with no worries -- like a scoop of Mackinaw Island Fudge in a waffle cone.




You expect me to live here?  When visiting prospective colleges, we also took a tour of the campus, including the dorms.  Inevitably we got the grand tour of the newest, nicest and largest dorm which had room to sleep, study and eat with magnificent views of Lake Michigan and tree-lined boulevards leading to the football stadium.  Reality sinks in on moving day when you try to cram two beds, a couch, a small refrigerator, TV, stereo, computers, 2 desks, 2 dressers and clothing into a 13 X 20 foot living space.  Thank goodness it's a coed dorm where women outnumber the men 2:1!


On your mark, get set, go!  Your son has spent the morning scouring the course catalog, meeting with a freshman adviser and preparing for 15 credit hours spread between lectures and labs.  All that you need is an open spot on Tuesday afternoon at 1:10 for that science lab.  Unfortunately when you get to class registration, you are told that the class just filled up and the only other Biology 207 lab is in the middle of your Macro Economics 110 class on Wednesday.  What do you do?  Back to the drawing board (and your adviser).

As I mentioned earlier, I don't remember much about my high school graduation or my first year of college.  I'm not sure if it's a coping mechanism that was implanted years ago to ease the pain or if it's something less sinister.  But I've always felt like one of the biggest joys of having children is being able to feel like a kid again.  Watching Disney's "The Little Mermaid," coaching baseball, building a medieval fort using pop-sickle sticks, and helping with math problems are things I'll always cherish doing with my two sons.

I can now add another graduation and college song to that list.


Eau Claire college dear, 
Hail to thee our Alma Mater.
Strong through every year,
carry high the Blue and Gold!
U – Rah – Rah
Aim for excellence.
Give the best that you have in you.
Go Blugolds, fight to win, for fame and victory!
B – L – U – G – O – L – D – S, BLUGOLDS!

Great Music and Movies but Stupid Politics

I can remember the first time I heard my mother-in-law say, "I won't go to any movie with Barbara Streisand because she's a liberal."

At the time I thought, that's stupid because she's been in some terrific movies, like "Funny Girl" and "The Way We Were."  Her singing was even better, with her "A Christmas Album" one of my holiday favorites over the years.   She is one of a few entertainers who has won an Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony award.  I really can't think of someone with a better singing voice, especially in light of the musical crap we have on the radio today.

But a funny thing happened through the years.  When she wasn't acting or singing, she was actively politicking for the environment and various Democrats, including Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Barrack Obama.  With less singing and more politics, I grew more and more tired of her critical attacks on things I hold true.

Hollywood -- What Are They Smoking?

Streisand once said, "The Democrats have always been the party of working people and minorities.  I've always identified with the minorities."

Seriously?  Someone who is worth between $300-$600 million can identify with a migrant worker making between $6 - $15 dollars an hour?  A few years ago, she was quick to sue a photographer for alleged violation of privacy over a photo of her bluff-top Malibu estate (worth about $15 million).  What are the odds that she would welcome illegal aliens through her front gates so she can relate to them better?

The problem with people like Streisand is that they think they are better than the rest of us when it comes to the economy, environment and world peace.  And smarter, more compassionate and with a better understanding of how the rest of the world acts (France comes to mind).  Despite their hypocritical actions (massive stage shows requiring 50 gas guzzling semi trucks to transport everything needed) and lifestyles (drugs, private jets and numerous homes), they say "Do as I say, not as I do."

Will Ferrell, the not so funny-man from "Saturday Night Live!" was recently involved in a PSA video that supported the passage of Obamacare by making fun of big health insurance companies who were reaping huge profits from existing health insurance premiums and coverage. Television actors and actresses from "Scrubs," "Mad Men," and "Reno 911!" tried to make fun of insurance executives who were opposed to President Obama's socialistic healthcare grab.  Instead of being funny, the video is like so many of these celebrity group think PSAs --  boring, overly long and completely wrong on the issue.  The irony is that actors and musicians are some of the most over paid people in the world.  Will Ferrell,  has absolutely NO RIGHT to complain about insurance executive salaries when he gets paid $20 million dollars each for cellulite trash like "Bewitched" and "Talladega Nights."

What was the harm?

Another fine example is the rush to defend movie director Roman Polanski, who was finally arrested on charges of drugging and raping a 13-year-old child after 32 years in exile.  The tragedy isn't just in the crime, but in Hollywood's defense of this pedophile.   Here is what Polanski said after committing the crime and fleeing the country:  "If I had killed somebody, it wouldn't have had so much appeal to the press, you see?  But f---ing you see, and the young girls.  Judges want to f-- young girls, juries want to f--- young girls, everyone want to f--- young girls!"  Pretty disgusting huh?

So what do people like Whoopi Goldberg, Woody Allen and Martin Scorsese do?  Sign their names to a petition demanding that Polanski be freed.  Whoopi Goldberg went so far as to say "I know it wasn't rape-rape.  It was something else but I don't believe it was rape-rape.  He went to jail and when they let him out he was like 'You know what, this guy's going to give me a hundred years in jail.  I'm not staying,' so that's why he left."  What comedic rock did she crawl out form under?  There is no defense from the left for this kind of self-important crap. They feel that they are above the law and can judge their own actions for what they are.

Hollywood is home to another political tourist who tells us how to live our lives -- Sean Penn.  I don't know if there is another actor who is so polar opposite to everything good in America.  Fortunately, it helps to picture him as Jeff Spicoli -- the surfing, pot smoking Valley Guy loser in "Fast Times At Ridgemont High" -- and completely dismiss everything coming out of his mouth.

Penn prides himself as a peace activist, having criticized President Bush for his involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.  He is a staunch supporter of President Obama, even though the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have spread into Libya and beyond.  Of particular embarrassment to this country are his visits with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a dictator and socialist who is sympathetic to Libya's murderous Muammar Ghadafi and Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.  Penn, who espouses free speech (his free speech) should ask Chavez about Venezuela's crack down on private property, free speech and civil rights.

What does it say about these publicity whores who are so quick to let the press know about the thousands donated or their time spent adopting poor children from Africa?  Wouldn't it be so much better if Tim Robbins, Madonna, Susan Sarandon and Angelina Jolie just donated their time and money without letting Hollywood Reporter and Entertainment Tonight know about it?  A number of big names (usually in business) are involved in charity events that go unreported, yet their efforts raise millions for health issues, education and other charities.  Being quiet about it doesn't make it less effective or meaningful.

Television networks have an orgasm when celebrities go on air to provide their opinions on world dictators (why can't we be more like Chavez and Castro), natural disasters (Katrina) and endangered animals cute enough to get their attention (have you seen the Red Panda). Who was the last rock star to go on Good Morning America complaining about this administration's destruction of American jobs?

We know what Willie's smoking

One final example of musicians and actors acting stupid are benefit concerts.  Every year it seems like we have a natural disaster or disenfranchised group needing money.  Ever since Woodstock, I think people have been looking for a reason to listen to some good music while getting stoned and drunk.  Living in Wisconsin, you would think I'd be more sympathetic to farmers, but I'm not.  Farm Aid, which was started in 1985 by John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson to raise money for farming families, recently celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary.

Organizers of these concerts, claim success in drawing attention to AIDS, flood victims and other human right issues.  While that may be the case, I can't help think their motive is to cut a record that promotes their self indulgent music, record companies and organizations.  Some of the more notable benefit events include The Concert for Bangladesh (1971), The Secret Policeman's Ball (1979), The No Nukes concerts (1979), Live Aid (1985), Self Aid (1986), Conspiracy of Hope Tour (1986), Human Rights Now (1988), Live Earth (2007) and Billion Hands Concert (2008).  Can you tell me who benefited the most-- the musicians or the cause?

I leave you with the following quote from a CNN interview with Matthew Bodine, an actor who has been in a few good movies.  Here's what he had to say about Osama Bin Laden before a group of our elite Seals put a bullet in his head (thank God), "Imagine if someone were to really sit down with Osama Bin Laden and say, "Listen, man, what is it that you're so angry at me about that you're willing to have people strap bombs to themselves, or get inside of airplanes and fly them into buildings?"  That would be the miracle if we can get, sit down and talk to our enemies and have a fine way for them to hear us."

'Nuff said.

Labor Pains: A Conflict of Interest

I've never been a fan of unions.

Which would seem to put me at odds with a lot of people:  actors, airline pilots, contractors, engineers, hotel employees,  government, restaurant workers, musicians, nurses, teachers, bus and taxi drivers, plumbers, electricians and the television industry -- to name a few.

Fortunately, I don't know too many successful actors, musicians or television stars.  But it can be a problem when I sit down for parent/teacher conferences or have a meal with my brother, who is the transit manager for the city of La Crosse.

My first job out of college was with the Department of Natural Resources, which put me into the ranks of Wisconsin's public employee union.  Fortunately, it was a temporary job and six months later I was breathing in the freedom of a private industry job.  Six months isn't enough time to get familiar with a job, much less any of the complexities of being a part of the State of Wisconsin employee collective.

But I do remember feeling like it didn't really matter what I did at my job -- how well, how quickly, or how much -- I had the protection of being one of many working effortlessly for the DNR.


Today,  unions (public and private) are making news.  Big news.  And not the kind they want.  Despite their stranglehold in education, government and manufacturing, unions make up less than 11% of today's workforce, and are quickly becoming less relevant than at anytime in the last 60 years.  After peaking in 1970, the private sector union membership has fallen steadily, led by dramatic losses in the automotive and manufacturing industry.  Some of it is just a numbers game, with more and more manufacturing going overseas -- where unions have less influence.  But there's more to it than just a shift of jobs out of this country.

That's because unions are now losing approval in states that can no longer tolerate intrusive union rules, the threat of costly work stoppages, lawsuits and worker benefits that are far above average.  Unions are focused on their own self-preservation and wealth, not their workers and -- in more and more cases -- not taxpayers with nothing left to give. This conflict of interest -- putting union interests before state budgets or corporate profits-- has always been there, but the recent U.S. economic downturn has lifted the veil on recent state employee union contracts and forced-union agreements.

I site the followiing -

1)  States like Wisconsin (with a Republican governor and majorities in both state houses) can no longer pay for the exorbitant  health and pension benefits that have been a key component of public employee jobs.   The rising cost of providing excellent health care, while requiring little payment from employees, has put unsustainable pressure on budgets.  With no more money coming from Washington, states are having to cut benefits or default.  Wisconsin has chosen to remove collective bargaining from contract negotiations to balance their budget, but the fierce backlash from unions has put this strategy in doubt.

The battle has been bloody, as challenges to the State Supreme Court and recall elections of nine key senators move toward a mid-summer conclusion.  In my hometown of La Crosse, signs for a replacement candidate (Schilling) have sprung up early and often.  Republicans, hoping to force recall candidates to spend union money in primary contest, have encouraged fake Democrat candidates to run in opposition.  Ads, paid for by unions, are pushing bilge about helping working families and keeping worker rights, but the ads ignore the immediate need to balance the state budget.  To his credit, Governor Walker has stuck to his guns and is pushing his conservative agenda in Madison.

Can the government tell Boeing where it can operate?

Indiana, Ohio and other states are following Wisconsin's lead by challenging long-standing agreements with their own state employees.

2)  In the private sector, Boeing Company has been fighting a complaint from the National Labor relations Board (NLRB) claiming Boeing illegally punished its Machinists union by building an assembly line for its 787 Dreamliner jet in South Carolina, instead of Washington state.  The poison apple was that the new plant in South Carolina was non-union, thereby violating its forced-union agreement.

This particular case is a big deal in the battle between forced-union states and right-to-work states.  (To explain the difference, states that have a right to work law provide employees the right to decide for themselves whether or not to join a union or financially support a union.)  Are labor unions, with the help of our government (NLRB), going to be able to tell business (and its employees) where it can and cannot operate a plant within the U.S.?

Today there are 22 right-to-work states and 28 union-shop states.  Over the past 10 years, the right-to-work states (such as Texas, Georgia and Tennessee) have grown faster in nearly every economic respect than their union-shop counterparts (like New York, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania).  See the chart below.


So are unions an endangered species?  If they are, it's more like the polar bear, than the Alabama beach mouse because unions are fighting mad.  For example --

. "Card Check" remains a serious threat.  As part of the "Employee Free Choice Act" unions have been pushing for Congress to change the rules for how workers can organize.  If ever there was a chance for this law to pass, it was during the 111th Congress, with Democrats holding super majorities in the House and Senate.  But it did not pass.  And now that Republicans have reclaimed the House, AFL-CIO, SEIU and the Change to Win Coalition are pushing harder than ever to find the votes.

. Big labor unions, fearing loss of power, political influence and money, are spending millions on elections and encouraging aggressive protests throughout the country.   As Mr. Mahlon Mitchell, president of the Professional Firefighters of Wisconsin, put it recently to a crowd of protesters in Madison, WI:   "This is not just about union rights, it's about worker's rights, it's about the middle class.  This has galvanized the people who were sitting on the sidelines and not involved in politics.  They realize now that the attack is on me."  He continued, "We cannot stop this fight.  We have to have sustainability; we have to make our voices heard.  Our resolve has to be stronger, out pain has to run deeper, our passion has to last longer."

. The Boeing case is showing the extent unions will go to to prevent businesses from building union-free plants.    The National Labor Relations Board, a powerful force in Washington, is preparing for a lengthy and politically charged legal battle which will make life difficult for Boeing.  As is so often the case, lawyers can drag litigation on for years adding millions of dollars to the cost.  The judge on the case, Judge Anderson, stressed at a recent hearing that if the battle goes all the way to the Supreme Court, "I'll be retired or dead."

. Washington's remains in the pocket of big labor, as was shown with the bailout of General Motors and Chrysler to the tune of over $24 billion taxpayer dollars.

Without a doubt, unions are suffering labor pains.  The bad economy is laying bare their heavy-handed tactics and intimidations.  The real pain, however, remains with the American worker.  Despite their 60's style rhetoric, the disconnect between unions and most employees remains bigger than ever.

Let's hope that teachers and government workers -- without the protective illusion of collective bargaining -- will begin to see the benefits of individual effort.  Perhaps, greater take-home pay (no union dues) and being rewarded for hard work will be the silver bullet that ends union influence in states throughout the country.

Predict THIS!!

I was looking through the Wall Street Journal today and saw these headlines:

"U.S. Manufacturing Growth Slows Dramatically", "Housing Imperils Recovery" and "Private Sector Added Few Jobs in May".

All of these developments seemed to catch the economic experts off guard, who were expecting improved job growth and housing starts.  One week the economists are expecting a turn around for 2011, the next week a double dip recession.

And where were the financial experts when the devastating stock market crash of 1929 hit banks and businesses?  Or the Black Friday Crash of 1987 when the market lost more than 22% in one single day?  How many of us were ready for the latest stock market decline beginning in 2008?

How can these people win Noble prizes for economics? My basic predictions-- based on talking to a few clients, basketball junkies and family -- come closer to the truth than these guys.  I'm convinced economists (preferably liberal) are idiots, trust them at your own risk.

Hardly a week passes when some "expert" predicts something that is later proved false.

A few weeks ago, Family Radio Network founder, Harold Camping, was predicting the end of the world. The "rapture," as it was known, was scheduled for May 21, 2011, would signal the day when Christ would come back to earth to take his believers to heaven.  A 14-year-old Russian teenager committed suicide when she heard the prediction, because she didn't want to be one of those left behind to suffer on earth.  Others quit their jobs and sold possessions in anticipation of not needing them anymore.

When it didn't happen, Mr. Camping laughingly said, "I miscalculated the date, it should have been October 21st."  How convenient for someone who has been wrong before.  His miscalculation of the impending rapture hasn't stopped new followers from saying, "when I heard he had the wrong day, I went out and thanked the Lord for another beautiful day." OOOOOOkay!

Speaking of wiping egg off your face, wasn't global warming supposed to melt the polar ice cap and raise sea levels over 25 feet and flood coastal cities?  How about David Viner, a researcher at the University of East Anglia in the UK,  who claimed that within a few years children "wouldn't know what snow was" and that "snowfall would be a very rare and exciting event."

In Al Gore's documentary, "An Inconvenient Truth," he confidently stated that "within the decade, there will be no more snows of Kilimanjaro" due to warming temperatures.   Global warming believers fail to acknowledge that the cap has been shrinking since 1912 long before greenhouse gas emissions started to rise.  To date, the famed snow cap -- a poster child of global warming --  remains a fixture on the mountaintop.

Why are people so eager to predict things, and why are we so quick to buy into their predictions?

The answer is one or all of the following:  money, power and/or politics.  The people making these predictions are typically trying to change behaviors (driving a car), sway voters to accept legislation (giving up our freedoms) or organizations in need of money to keep their jobs and continue their lies.  For me, the reasons are easier to understand than the willingness of people to believe them.  Common sense should eliminate 90% of the outrageous claims being made, but there persists a willingness to believe the people telling us these fabrications.

So there must be a desire by a lot of people who want to accept responsibility for their own bad behavior and to find redemption.  A asinine example of this are carbon credits which supposedly offset the global warming activities of big business and individuals.  The Sierra Club, Green Peace and the Environmental Defense Fund are some of the biggest hypocrites when it comes to telling us to give up something and then doing the very thing they tell us to stop (buying credits -- then flying everywhere in private jets or driving SUVs).  Their arrogance is unbearable.

The remaining ten percent must believe these predictions because they are simple-minded people, or lack the confidence in American enterprise to create the next Apple or Apollo spacecraft.  My suspicions are that you could track the people that voted for Obama and find them on the same list.  Or just look in his Administration.  I have more sympathy for them, but not much.

For fun, here are a few predictions from the past:

"It will be years -- not in my lifetime -- before a woman becomes Prime Minister,"  Margaret Thatcher, October 26, 1969.

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers," Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.

"That virus -- HIV -- is a pussycat," Dr. Peter Duesberg, U.C. Berkeley, 1988.

"A rocket will never be able to leave the Earth's atmosphere,"  New York Times, 1936.

"The singer (Mick Jagger) will have to go.  The BBC won't like him,"  first Rolling Stones' manager, Eric Easton, to his partner after watching them perform.

"Rail travel at high speed will not be possible because passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia," Dr. David Larder, (1793-1859).

"There will never be a bigger plane built," a Boeing engineer, after the first flight of the 247.

"640K ought to be enough for anyone." Bill gates, founder of Microsoft, in 1981.

                                                 *           *           *

My prediction for the Super Bowl?  Packers

Bar Time For Big Spenders

Having a good time yet?

There is a political cartoon that shows Republicans and Democrats sitting at a tavern celebrating and toasting each other for working hard on this year's bloated Federal budget.  The celebratory mood is in stark contrast to a taxpayer who stands outside the Big Spender's Tavern with empty pockets and growing impatience.

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, the United States is currently running a Federal deficit of $14.3 trillion dollars. Just what does that mean?  In simple terms, it means that we owe a lot of money to creditors (individuals, businesses, governments and other organizations) who own U.S. government treasuries.  We are in this predicament because we have spent more than we take in.  And since we continue spending more,  selling more treasury bonds and increasing the deficit even further.  It's a never-ending cycle that feeds on itself.

This is important because Congress is about to debate raising the country's debt limit again (allowing us to borrow more).

Big Spenders

As you would expect, the political party currently in the White House (led by President Obama) will be voting to raise the limit, while Republicans will likely fight against it.  Not ironically, when Bush was in the White House, Republicans voted for raising it, and the Democrats against it -- with Senator Obama calling it a "failure of leadership."

In an early indication of the fight looming, House Speaker John Boehner said "It's true that allowing America to default would be irresponsible.  But it would be more irresponsible to raise the debt ceiling without simultaneously taking dramatic steps to reduce spending and reform the budget process."  The Speaker added, "Without significant spending cuts and reforms to reduce our debt, there will be no debt limit increase.  And the cuts should be greater than the accompanying increase in debt authority the President is given."

In simple terms, the Speaker is saying that he wants cuts in spending equal to the increase in the debt limit.  Is this even remotely feasible for the GOP?  They struggled mightily to pass a simple cut of $38 million a few weeks ago.  If the debt limit is raised $2 trillion dollars as Obama has asked, how are they possibly going to find the cojones to cut $2 trillion?

The response to Boehner's speech was predictable:  "Economic Armageddon!" as stated by the Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, allies on Wall Street and the mainstream media.  And Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said, "... failure by Congress to raise the debt ceiling is a risky approach that could result in an increase in interest rates that would worsen the nation's economy.  The worst outcome" he added, "would be that the nation's financial system becomes destabilized again."

So, like it has for the past five decades of debt raising, (the debt ceiling has been raised 78 times since 1960) one political party is preaching fiscal responsibility and the other is predicting catastrophic economic consequences.  When are these people going to stop putting their own re-election first and do something about Washington's out of control spending?

First off, this much I know.  Not raising the debt ceiling wouldn't necessarily lead to defaulting on U.S. obligations.  It would require Washington to use the money it's getting to pay toward that debt, but by itself wouldn't lead to defaulting on those loans.  The difficulty would be in paying for other things that are currently on the docket -- like defense, social programs and payrolls.

My hope is that a compromise (I know an ugly word these days) will be reached where Republicans force through significant spending cuts and raise the debt ceiling, but only to pay for existing obligations.  It would be like paying off debt before adding to it --no new furniture until the kitchen appliances are paid for.

Our U.S. Constitution (the 14th Amendment) prohibits us from defaulting on our country's financial obligations.  In particular, it must continue to make payments, interest and principal to countries like China and other holders of U. S. treasury bonds.  But this requirement doesn't mean we need to add new debt, and that's where necessary spending cuts could be made.

It is too early to say if Boehner and the House Republicans will be able to muster the courage to cut the $2 trillion mentioned earlier -- alright, it's not going to happen -- but I'd be happy with a smaller amount that could be reviewed periodically.  At least through the next year and a half until the 2012 elections are in the books, putting pressure on President Obama to stop his "change you can all believe in."  It would also remind the American people -- 60% who oppose raising the debt ceiling -- to demand more spending control from whoever wins the White House, Senate and House of Representatives.

It was recently announced by the government that Social Security and Medicare are running out of money sooner than the government had projected (shocking!).  When was the last time they were ever correct about anything?  Unemployment numbers?  Jobs?  Economy?

Medicare won't have enough money to pay full benefits starting in 2024, five years earlier than last year's estimate.  Social Security's cash to pay full benefits will run short in 2036, a year sooner than the 2010 projection.  Why not tie raising the debt ceiling to changes in both programs, forcing change to these entitlement programs that have been "off limits" for so many years?

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, Republican from Wisconsin, has proposed serious budget cuts and changes to the way Washington spends our money.  The response from Democrats, with help from the liberal mainstream media, has been to mock, denigrate and dismiss such proposals as a budget "that rips apart the safety net" for the poor and elderly.  Their answer?  Raise taxes, a non-issue with Republicans.  The longer we wait to address this elephant in the room -- entitlement programs, the more painful it is going to be for us, our children and their children.

A great president, Thomas Jefferson, once said, "no generation can contract debts greater than may be paid in the course of its own existence."  Let's hope that future presidents (and enough in Congress) feel the same way.

Always There

I was ten years old when my appendix needed to be removed.

I am always able to remember the day we landed on the moon because I was in the hospital for surgery when Neil Armstrong climbed down the Apollo Lunar Module's ladder and took "one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."  The date was July 20, 1969.

I am also able to remember how scared I was to be spending time in the hospital, alone in an uncomfortable bed, connected to strange-looking medical equipment that kept beeping and clicking throughout the night.  I'm not too proud to admit that I cried for my mother and wanted desperately to go home.  My combination of emotions proved too much for the hospital's night nurse who stuck her head into the darkened room and said to me in no uncertain terms "THAT'S ENOUGH!"  Needless to say, I stopped my crying and feel asleep.

Sometimes you need to be held -- and other times told to get a hold of yourself.


The week of May 6 through May 12 is National Nurses Week, when those who are blessed with such memories can give thanks to the men and women who provide compassion, respect and care in healthcare settings.  Whether it's the birth of a new baby, battlefield triage or end-of-life hospice care, nurses are a critical component to providing the care we need most in times of need.

 

Every nurse takes a Hippocratic oath of sorts called the Florence Nightingale Pledge as a token of esteem for the founder of modern nursing.  It reads,

"I solemnly pledge myself before God and in the presence of this assembly, to pass my life in purity and to practice my profession faithfully.  I will abstain from whatever is deleterious and mischievous, and will not take or knowingly administer any harmful drug.  I will do all in my power to maintain and elevate the standard of my profession, and will hold in confidence all personal matters committed to my keeping and all family affairs coming to my knowledge in the practice of my calling.  With loyalty, will I endeavor to aid the physician in his work, and devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care."

As the husband of a nurse, I can say that after more than 25 years, my wife still takes those words to heart.  While nursing has changed over the years (the white caps, capes and skirts have been replaced by multi-colored scrubs), the philosophy of patient care (using eyes, mind and intuition) hasn't.  Modern technology has made it easier to measure vital signs, record information efficiently, and to administer medications.   It has not however, replaced the need for nurses to perform diagnostics that cannot be managed by a computer or machine.

The word nursing derives its meaning from the Latin word nutricius which means nourishing.  Whether it is the mother of a newborn child needing instructions on how to nurse, or an older patient needing someone to talk to about missing his deceased wife -- nursing tends to matters of the heart.  Our fears, our sorrows and our physical limitations require special attention, and it is often given by nurses.

It's fitting that on the weekend we honor mothers for all they do for their families, we also honor nurses who serve a similar position in clinics, hospitals, schools and the home.  In recent years, nurses have moved beyond simply "following doctor's orders" to using advanced degrees for management positions at health care facilities and universities.  Today, nursing includes advanced practice nursing -- nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners,  nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists.

It's been said that nursing is not a job, but a calling.  My wife seemed to know what she wanted to do much earlier in life than I did.  That's not to say that she's had it easy.  Early in our marriage, I would spend parts of Christmas and Thanksgiving at the hospital since she had the holiday shift.  Working weekends and nights was hard on raising our two boys and at times on our marriage.  But never to the point where I wasn't glad that she was a nurse.

My healing skills go as far as some soap and hot water, or an occasional band aid for cuts and scraps.  Once, when our youngest boy needed stitches for a deep cut to his finger, I was so nervous that I drove to the wrong clinic before realizing my mistake.  Cool under pressure?  Not me.

It's nice to know that if anything should happen to me or our boys, she will be there to help us through it.  Whether its a skinned knee, a persistent fever, fainting spell or something more serious like an appendix, she knows what to do.   She's always there when needed.

I, for one, am glad.

Your Majesty, King Barack

I can't help thinking about the Royal Wedding of Prince William and  Kate Middleton -- maybe it has something to do with the non-stop coverage on every channel from FOX, CBS, ABC and NBC, as well as a few mentions on ESPN and  PBS.

I've also been thinking about the relationship that exists between the Monarchy of the United Kingdom and the general public (commoners) who overwhelmingly support them in their elevated role. Legislative, executive and judicial powers are given to other parties, but the Queen of England and her lawful successors are given the "Royal Prerogative" to regulate civil service, declare war, make peace, direct actions of the military and negotiate international agreements and alliances.  Great Britain's Parliament, however, can override any power the Monarch holds by passing legislation.

It's a relationship (however symbolic) that I can't fully understand, because our first president, George Washington, made it clear he did not want to be king.  He believed the United States would be a stronger Republic if led by its free and independent citizens.  It was a controversial position taken by our commander in chief, who resisted the masses and military might who deeply desired a sovereign ruler.

Our First President

Over the years, his way of thinking has been diminished by the power elite in Washington and a welfare state needing more and more assistance (tax payer money).

George Washington said in his first inaugural address in New York City:  "The magnitude and difficulty of the trust to which the voice of my country called me... could overwhelm with despondence one who... ought to be peculiarly conscious of his own deficiencies."

His modesty and abhorrence of power set a standard for American presidents that lasted for more than 150 years.

We need government's help

The fierce independence and self-reliance that George Washington envisioned for the United States eventually succumbed to the political scheming of powerful leaders who took advantage of an economically-weakened American populace.

With the "Great Depression" of the 1930's and presidency of Franklin D Roosevelt, the United States was introduced to our first organized system of welfare, joining the ranks of Germany, Great Britain, and the rest of Europe.  Roosevelt's power grab led to The New Deal, which meant a drastically new and intrusive role for government.

"I pledge you," he said at the 1932 Democratic National Convention, "and I pledge myself to a new deal for the American people."  Roosevelt and his "brain trust" of political advisers -- arrogant and opportunistic -- convinced millions of U.S. citizens that he was their savior in their time of need, or as the New York Times editorialized on June 18, 1933, "the heaven-sent man of the hour."

President Roosevelt

In truth, President Roosevelt was nothing more than an opportunistic politician who succeeded in revolutionizing the institutions of American political and economic life -- and as a result, diminished our economic and individual liberties.

In the 1950's President Lyndon B Johnson's desire to create the Great Society took the New Deal policies to even greater heights through public broadcasting, Medicare, Medicaid and federal education spending.  The power and arrogance that Johnson seized was made possible by the assassination of President Kennedy, who had had his own initiatives known as the New Frontier.

President Johnson took advantage of Kennedy's assassination and the idealistic 1960's to push his utopian views on poverty and discrimination.  Instead of ending "the war on poverty" Johnson led the country into further dependency and political/racial/military unrest.

The Great Society's programs expanded further under Presidents Nixon and Ford.  With President's Bush Clinton, and now Obama, welfare has continued its spread into the lives of children, seniors and even working class citizens.

While the goals of these social programs was originally honorable -- ending poverty and racial injustice -- the result has been much less:  a loss of  freedom and a growing dependency on our country's leaders to provide everything from food, childcare and healthcare.

The New Deal

The Man Who Would Be King

As Barack Obama ascended to the presidency in 2008, our country was once again reeling from the aftermath of a severe recession.  Once again, America mistakenly looked to Washington and its political royalty to find salvation.

Obama's historic victory caused some people to view him as a messiah, as this quote from Rep Jesse Jackson Jr shows:  "I cried all night.  I'm going to be crying for the next four years.  What Barack Obama has accomplished is the single most extraordinary event that has occurred in the 232 years of the nation's political history... The event itself is so extraordinary, that another chapter should be added to the Bible to chronicle its significance."

And with this view firmly entrenched, Obama has proceeded to launch one of the greatest assaults to our freedoms in modern times:  passing Obamacare despite the objections of the American people and lower courts who have called the bill unconstitutional, attempting to change the Second Amendment (gun control), and bypassing Congress to name czar positions overseeing healthcare, climate change, the auto industry and urban affairs.  President Obama has also passed two massive economic stimulus programs that are bankrupting our economy.   And let's not forget how quickly he nationalized auto companies, financial institutions and banks.

The results?  A country with over $14 trillion of debt, over 9% unemployment, one in seven on food stamps, a three year low for the dollar, gasoline prices over $4 per gallon, and more than 50% of our population receiving some type of income from the government.

Based on his first two years in office, I'm convinced our Lord and Majesty, King Barack would be at home in Persia, Alexander's Greek Empire, Rome, Egypt, the Inca and Maya empires, and the Soviet Union.  They were all pyramid-building empires made up of welfare-like programs commanded from the top.

Let's hope that with the election of last fall's conservative agenda, America sees the error of their ways.  In less than one-hundred years, we have seen the rise of government that would shock our founding fathers to the core.  Unless we are willing to stop our dependency on government welfare -- and restore the presidency to the time of George Washington -- the United States of America is doomed to go the way of prior empires.

God save the president.

The Hollow Men

Say what you will about Donald Trump as a candidate for president, but you must admit that he speaks his mind.  Unlike other candidates, he isn't afraid to give you his opinion and get something done.

If only all politicians could be so endowed.

President Obama was recently overheard on an open microphone taunting Republicans by saying "You want to repeal healthcare?  Go at it.  We'll have that debate.  You're not going to do that by nickel-and-diming me in the budget.  You think we're stupid?"

Reporters also heard him privately rip Wisconsin's very own Paul Ryan, the GOP's Budget Committee chairman who had proposed cutting federal spending.  "Paul Ryan says his priority is to make sure he's just being America's accountant, "Obama said.  "This is the same guy that voted for two wars that were unpaid for, voted for the Bush tax cuts that were unpaid for, voted for the prescription drug bill that cost as much as my healthcare bill, but wasn't paid for.... So he's not on the level."

Lincoln
A man of action

Every so often you get a chance to hear what these politicians really think about each other -- and it's no surprise that they can't get anything done.

The lovable persona that is staged on television (shaking hands and holding babies while the U.S. flag flies in the background) or on Sunday morning talk shows (my good friend, Senator McCain) is one of a concerned politician who is "working hard" for the American people.

Unfortunately, that translates into the American voter, since so many politicians are mostly concerned about being re-elected.  So concerned that Democrats (and for the most part Republicans) will 1) do nothing, 2) say nothing and 3) propose nothing that gives the slightest hint of substance.

Isn't it time we get more out of these fraudulent wind bags?

Take our country's national debt -- estimated at 14.2 trillion.  President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Reid and Speaker of the House Boehner made daily headlines trying to avoid a government shutdown over the federal budget.  Each participant let it be known that they had a moral responsibility to reign in out-of-control spending while maintaining critical programs needed by the elderly, disabled and children.

In reality, they were fighting for their constituents who demanded that no action be taken on Planned Parenthood and new Obamacare spending (Democrats), raising taxes (Republicans) and almost anything to do with Social Security and Medicare.  Bottom line, with 2011 spending at $3.87 trillion, our fearless representatives are having orgasms over a measly $28 billion in cuts.  Sounds like business as usual in Washington, where every year since 1969 politicians have spent more than they have taken in.

I'm beginning to think every politician in Washington is nothing but an empty suit filled with nausea-inducing sound bites -- like this one from Mr. Boehner, "The biggest accomplishment of the first 100 days is that the spending debate ...  has turned 180 degrees."  How about that?  It's now a major victory to say that "talk" has changed in Washington.  All politicians DO is talk - how is that an accomplishment?

Truth be told, this country is in big trouble unless we can get politicians to do MORE than talk.

Another example of the "meaningless babble" we get from Washington has to do with the high cost of gasoline.  Everyone is feeling pain at the pumps these days -- from commuters and truckers to anyone heating their homes or buying groceries.  Since 2008, the price of a gallon of gasoline has increased from $1.84 to almost $4.00 in most parts of the county.

Naturally this ties in nicely with the country's overall energy strategy, which since the mid-1970's has produced no new oil refineries, and no new nuclear power plants since Three Mile Island in 1970.  Is doing nothing really a strategy, or is it just cowardice on the part of these politicians to avoid taking a stand against environmentalists who would like to see America riding bicycles and heating their homes with ear wax?

So let's play the blame game -- something else politicians are good at.

Who's responsible?  Local and national media would have you believe one of the following:  1) Obama, whose restrictions on drilling for new oil in the United States means we can't even take advantage of our own resources; 2) Congressional Republicans who refuse to support alternative fuels which would reduce our dependency on foreign oil; 3) market speculators who have bid up the price of oil in order to make a killing; 4) freedom fighters in the Middle East and North Africa who have destabilized major oil producing areas; and 5) supply and demand with the recovering economy and recovering demand.

President Obama -- completing the final trifecta of all good politicians -- calls for an investigation into the high price of oil, thinking this will somehow provide an answer (but not lower prices since he has stated numerous times that he wants higher oil costs to support his alternative energy agenda).  Investigations are like catnip to politicians who would rather discuss the problem, rather than a solution.  Remember the arrogant and condescending Senate hearings into auto companies in 2008, which included testimony from the CEOs of Ford, Chrysler and General Motors?  What ever came from that charade?  Government Motors and electric cars?

Nonetheless, not to be outdone, the following congressional committees are gearing up to investigate the situation:

May 8th:  House Energy and Commerce Committee
May 9th:  House Select Committee on Energy Independence & Global Warming
May 10th:  House Science and Technology Committee
May 15th: Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee
May 16: House Judiciary Committee
May 22nd:  House Oversight Subcommittee of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Can you believe we actually have that many committees?  And that's just energy.

Imagine the political theatre that will follow when politicians -- on television, of course-- tell oil executives to stop price gouging (oh, no!) while taxing those profits to expand wind and solar energy.   And then pass the cost for their political ineptitude onto us through even higher gas prices.

Politicians will continue to play the part of hollow men as long as we allow them to play it.  It's time we put some people with substance in Washington to take care of business.