For Dawn Marie

When you read this and I know you will, you had better find your voice to do what is within you.

Sometimes you have to be the big girl that I taught you how to be. I think you already had it in you but that is a discussion for another day. It's not a fun thing to do but it is what it is. You tell people up front who you are and be who you are and that is what they have to take away from the conversation. Like it or not they know where you stand. That is a quality that is a gift and something to never take lightly. Used appropriately it is something that can make a difference in so many lives around you.

If you see something you don't agree with then shout at the wind if that is all you can get to listen to you but keep shouting. Sometimes the winds change and life changes. You see something on these pages then talk it out in a form that makes sense with arguements that pin point your values and you will never go wrong. Call someone a moron or use language unbecoming of a statesman like forum and you lose your arguement and the respect of your opponent and all that will listen to you. Point out weakness in your opponents thought process and you have a discussion to change life in America. Otherwise your just slinging shit at the wind and it always blows back on you. Then what are you going to do?

Good advice not only for my oldest baby but for all of us. Have a voice and be heard with character and faith in your convictions. Never be afraid to speak what you feel and know that your voice can start the fire that becomes a new avenue of change for the few that need to be heard. You have been a gift to my life and your sisters and I forever will be greatful for that and I can only hope that I have shown you how to be more than the average person.

Make me proud and make a difference in your own world. That isn't so hard is it?

Papamoka

Government Service Equals Investigations?

Is it just me or does it seem that more and more people in service to the American people in our government are under investigation for one reason or another. I just read that a former acting head of the FDA was under investigation and was of course pleading the 5th. For Lester Crawford it comes down to selling off stock while he headed the FDA. If you think about it all for a bit you kind of have to think that the "Good Fellas" are running our government. Should we be changing the names of the innocent to protect the guilty? That is what it seems comes out of Washington, D.C. lately. Serve the people and there is a 50/50 chance you are going to do time.

Just look at what Jack Abramoff, the God Father of lobbyists was able to do with his company. I've heard reports from different talk radio shows across the spectrum that he alone could bring down upwards of sixty highly elected political people. That is a quote from both Bill O'Reilly and from Al Franken based on various guests they have had on their radio shows. I'm just guessing that Jack Abramoff is just doing the old CYA...Cover Your Ass. So he is talking like there is no tommorow too. We are going to have to put up a deli number ticket dispenser up at the special prosecutors offices. Knowing our conservative fiscally responsible government it will probably be the same guy that supplies those thousand dollar toilet seats to the military. Hey he takes coupons so it really is a good deal! Wink, wink, wink.

How do we get this mentality out of our government? How do we change what is the status quo of serving your own financial gain while serving America? It seems like this all started during the Reagan years but I may be wrong. Could it have been the Nixon era with Watergate? I don't know but Iran/Contra and the diverting of funds and the trials that followed seemed to start the feeding frenzy that has gone on ever since. Every President's administration has been under the legal microscope since. Not that some didn't deserve it but that is a fact. The only winners in this are the lawyers. Then again don't most of our Congressmen and Senators have legal degrees?

To which raises another question as to whether or not we should be electing so many lawyers to government offices? Should we be looking at other proffesions more suitable for public office? We did the Plumbers with Nixon and that didn't work out. We had the Auto Workers with Ford. Jimmy Carter had the churches and the people. the Screen Actors with Reagan. More screen actors and Hollywood with Clinton. Bush has had the big oil and big finance people. Anyone know of a good Jewish Carpenter looking for work rebuilding America? Let me know... God only knows we need one now more than ever.

Just my opinion...

Papamoka

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Gas and Energy Crisis on the Horizon

Energy Secretary Sam Bodman was on Meet the press today with Tim Russert and he isn't painting a pretty picture for the future of oil and gasoline. Basically, we are looking at a three year window of an energy crisis. If that is the case then we as American's and Canadian's need to kick our energy savings butt's into high gear. I'm sure you have seen the signs out there "Think Globally and Act Locally". That is what we all need to do. If there is a way to save energy at home or even where we work we need to look at it, evaluate it and implement it. Below are some of the things we could all do to save dollars on our overall energy use.

The following links are some great websites with energy saving ideas. Click on the link for the area of interest to you...

Gas saving tips for your car... This one has thirty tips on saving gasoline.

Do it yourself Solar Air Heating... How to build your own home solar window heater.

Pre-built Solar heating units... Heats 750 to 1000 square feet on a sunny day.

Tankless Gas and Electric water heating... I have one of these in my own home and love it. Ours is a natural gas heater and with five daughters showering...Dad still has hot water for his shower. Ours has a 25 year warranty from the manufacturer and we bought it at Home Depot. No more paying for heating water when its not being used for 20 hours of the day.

Solar and other alternative power... Great online magazine with great advice and articles on Solar and Wind energy for people that are interested.

High Efficiency Furnace for gas forced hot air... Amazing website with tons of info.

Oil Burner Efficiency... Lots of info on your home heating.

There are lots of websites out there and most of them will tell you what the actual savings per year will be. Check it out and gear your energy use savings up.

Papamoka

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Bush at 2006 Correspondents Dinner

I'm not one of George Bush's favorite fans but I have to give him some credit for his speach with the George Bush impersonator at the White House Correspondents Dinner. MSNBC has the full speach video posted. I was laughing my butt off! Check it out if you get a chance.

I was watching the pre-dinner broadcast and they had President Clinton from his 2000 speach on and he did a video of his last remaining days at the White House and that was funny as all get out too. I tried to find a copy of that video but couldn't find one on-line.

Papamoka

Immigration and May 1st boycott

I personally back the many immigrants in this country legally or illegally. The majority of illegal immigrants are here to work, work hard and provide for their children. I just don't honestly think that an ultimatum boycott is the best way to go diplomatically with the American people or our elected leaders. It sends the wrong message for a good cause that should be settled politically and with the utmost haste in the Congress and the Senate. That in itself is and will always be a slow process.

Americans are an odd bunch of people that do not fit anywhere else in the world. We love the underdog and politically and personally we support immigration no matter what part of the world you come from. Our shining beacon is the Statue of Liberty in New York that asks for your people that are not considered worthy of the country they had to flee from. Only in America can you as an immigrant become an American by choice. Once you are here you are no longer an Irishman like myself, or an Englishmen, a Tibetan, a Mexican, a Puerto Rican or even a Canadian. You are an American if you come here to become more than you had for an opportunity for your life in your country of origin.

Yes there are problems with our country in dealing with immigration and our systems to deal with the flood of people wanting more for their lives and their childrens lives. Are our systems becoming over run? Yes, but that is where our band of people have to talk and throw it out there for discussion. That is what our government is all about. Fixing the problems to keep America moving forward. That is where it all gets kind of tricky and huge demonstrations help to get the attention of the people that make the laws of the land. Demonstrations that are peaceful and without incidents. Ultimatums, work outages sends the wrong message to half or more of the people in the country. It is pretty much chucking the bird at most of us working hard for our own families and our life is not as important as yours. Immigration is coming to the front of the agenda in our government and it has to take its own course. What comes out is what comes to be. There is a reason it is taking so long to come to law in our capitol and government. Pro and Con has to be debated and a resolution for all the people determined. Like it or not that is the system that is the government of America.

Flags have been raised and I see them as well as others that are opposed to immigration. You can't ask for change if you do not work the political system put in place by our founding fathers. Who is hurt by demanding or dictating any desires you need to change the system? Certainly not your cause for immigration. Flying the American flag upside down under the Government of Mexico's is never a good idea to get your point across. Burning our nations flag is way out of the ball park! Not that I've seen it yet but some idiot will do it and that will paint a picture that will never be taken back. All the news agencies will pick it up and broadcast it as the new plague over running the country. That would be the ball game so to speak for your arguement. Veterans that have served our country will rightfully argue against your cause and I and many others could not defend your cause if our flag that you desire to be yours is desicrated and burned. Free speach has its limits.

Americans are a funny bunch of many nationalities but together we are all Americans that have one thing we all believe in, freedom. Many of our sons, daughters, parents, grand parents and the list goes on fought and died to defend that one thing that we all hold dear. To be just free.

The May 1st boycott of immigrants will only serve the people that want to be served. It will also send a negative message to those that oppose you and give fuel to thier fires. Working with the people that make the laws makes far more sense. Be heard by contacting your Congressmen or State Senator. Contrary to popular belief you do not have to be a legal U.S. citizen to have a voice in change of our laws. That is the beauty of our country.

Tell me what you think?

Papamoka

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Limbaugh and his addiction is not a joke

Rush is facing the demons of his life and taking what he should for what he did from the court. Regardless if it was a settlement or terms from the judge the decision has been made. I think it is in poor taste for anyone, anywhere in any media format to paste his personal problem and drug addiction and boast how he deserved more or less in punishement. We have to take the high road on this one as Democrats. We have to be above the people that knock others down when they have a personal problem. I love being a semi liberal Democrat and I feel bad for the guy. If he was my next door neighbor and I knew he had a problem I would be the first one to say "What can I do to help you?" That is what people that think like Democrats do. We help up others. Pick a cause and their we are in the front lines. Helping others that can not help themselves.

Is Rush an obnoxious Republican tool? Absolutely! Is he crude and condescending to Democrats, liberals and anyone that is not towing the party line and agenda? Oh ya. That is how he makes his living and give him some credit for being the best radio idiot on the other side but that is a political distinction and not a personal one. If you hate his politics and line of thought then thank God above you are not him. Then step away from this issue and be thankful that you do not stand in his shoes.

Drug addiction to prescription drugs can strike anyone no matter what your lot in life is and it is not a fate you want to face and fight. Lots of us have stories of addictions of many kinds and from many sources and it is nothing to cut anyone down for no matter what reason you think you have. Step up and step away from tearing Rush down. Take the higher road. Be a better person. Do as we as Democrats always do and see the problem and help the troubled souls of this world back up to participate in our society as a free individual. Nobody else will so we have too!

That in the nutshell is the real difference between a true Democrat and a true Republican. Other than that you have to hate the sin but love the sinner as it is said in the good book. Ironic isn't it?

When he says he is on the road to recovery and past this crisis in his personal life and wants to talk about issues then I am the first one to have game. Till then, on political issues we disagree and always will but I give him credit for seeking the help he needs to fight his own personal addiction problem.

Tell me if I'm wrong?

Papamoka

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Darfur and 5 Real Congressmen

The AP is reporting that five U.S. Congressmen were arrested outside the Sudanese embassy in Washington D.C. for protesting the horrible conditions in Darfur. I am proud as all get out to say in fact that they are all DEMOCRATS! Two of the Congressmen are from my home state of Mass-a-two-sticks, Jim McGovern and John Olver. Tom Lantos of CA, Sheila Jackson Lee of TX, and Jim Moran of VA were the other protestors taken away in cuffs. Now that is called standing up for what you believe in! I give them each my support and appreciation for keeping Dafur in the headlines.
Come to think of it, when was the last time a mini publican was arrested for standing up for what they believe in? You can’t count former Congressmen "Duke". Then again maybe you can? He believed he was due the bribes so maybe he had a deep sense of conviction (pun there) on bribery? Did they actually arrest Tom Delay or was that just a drive by booking and photo op? Well I’m sure that there is somebody out there in the mini publican’s that’s been arrested for a noble cause…isn’t there?

Papamoka

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John McCaine

John McCaine on Imus in the Morning talking about the latest multi billion dollar quarterly profit margins from the oil companies said that these oil companies are second only to satanic cults for publicity people. On another subject he was talking about the dismantling of FEMA and suggested that we privatize it out rather than building another huge government agency from scratch. In the wake of Katrina companies like Walmart, Fedex and Home Depot with in depth distribution facilities nationwide could have mobilized their efforts in record time at huge savings compared to what FEMA could ever do. I would have to agree with him on that.

and I thought this was funny...

Lauren Owen of 105.7 FM radio in Boston on the new Neil Young song about impeachment of President Bush said it had a good melody but was hard to dance out of office too.

Papamoka

Lobbyist Reform

I was reading the news about Congress and the efforts to get "Lobbyist Reform" passed and was laughing my little butt off at some of the arogant remarks by some of the mini publicans. One went as far as to say “Changing anything here in Washington is almost impossible.” said John Boehner Republican “The status quo is a powerful force.” Now this could have been taken out of context and he might of been talking about house rules requiring a daily change of your underwear but the article didn't clarify that.

What is at stake to get it passed you might ask? Well one thing is that the Dem's want the damn cookie jar put up in a locked cabinet and the mini publicans want it moved just a little to the right. "Earmarks" as they call them to list what add ons were attached to a bill and at who's requests...meaning the lobbyist. The other point the mini publicans have with it is they just don't want to have to leave all them nice gifts and meals on the table. Good old Nancy P. is doing her best to keep them honest but that would be like fighting the moon. She's got a good right hook but you can't seem to land a solid hit.

I say the Dem's introduce a bill that all members of Congress and the Senate have to brown bag it to work every day. I do it, my kids do it. Working late, pack up the Tupperware leftovers from last night and nuke them in the microwave. We'll have John Kerry attach the bill with a requirement of no gifts larger than a stick of gum. And if you put the gum under your house seat you have to pay a penalty and stand in the front of the house with the gum on your nose. Now that is house reform!

Papamoka

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John Kerry makes sense

John Kerry has presented Bill Frist with a letter regarding passing real legislation to cut all the tax cuts and freebies the oil and gas companies get. Pamela Leavey at The Democratic Daily has it posted on her site along with a few other news worthy blogs.

Now this is the kind of stuff that John Kerry does that he never gets credit for. He is out there fighting the good fight for people and somehow this will get spinned around that the mini publicans came out with it first. I've been following Kerry lately and it is almost as if he's reinvented himself to some degree. He gave a great speach down in Boston recently and the media just gobbled him up. They were mentioning that if he had given speaches like that when he was running for office he would be sitting in the White House today. There still is no real confirmation that he will run again but he's sounding more Presidential every day.

I was surprised today when I drove by the gas station where I normally tank up and the price had dropped below $2.90. Do you think that the retailers of gasoline are getting the jump on the wholesalers? All this talk all over the place about IRS Audits and Congressional investigations into price gouging might just be getting some serious attention. I tell ya, it pisses me off when I throw thirty bucks in the tank and it just barely makes it over half a tank on the gas gauge. I'm waiting to see the first gas station that puts one of those punching bags up over the pump so you can whack it once or twice to vent your frustrations. Better yet putting a picture of one of them mini publicans on it to really get your anxieties out. Then again, that might cause lines at the pumps so we better not.

Papamoka

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John Kerry

Oil Company IRS Audits

All the bean counters are lining up at the big five oil companies with pencils sharpened and ready to take a poke from the IRS Auditors. Can you picture the CEO’s of these companies swearing up a storm and cursing themselves for writing that last campaign donation check. Not that the audits will find anything more than a few dinners that were really trips to a nudie bar but it makes me feel better. Just knowing that somebody is scrutinizing big oil is good enough for me.

Well it seems like everyone on both sides of the isle in Washington has their own little plan to save the consumers from the high gasoline prices. I saw one that will give us each a check for $100 to help offset the rising cost. Another one is cutting the tax breaks that gave the oil companies two billion in investment relief for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. One other plan was to declare a tax holiday at the pump for a couple of months. Then there is the one that really made me see the joke of it all. Some Dem’s want to change the accounting rules for the top five oil companies so that over a period of five years they would end up paying four billion in additional taxes. Of course the Mini Publicans will have no part of that plan and neither will President Bush. They see it as a windfall profit tax that is unfair to the companies involved. Tell me we didn’t see this one coming? Are they or are they not the same companie cranking out record quarterly profits…again!

So today we will see who will try to out do whom on attacking big oil and casting accusations of disgust at the opposing party. As long as they get the cost of gas down at the pump they can fight like cats and dogs all day and night. At least now they are fighting over who is really taking care of all of us out here where life really is happening.

Papamoka

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Tony Snow Appointment

While nobody was looking the President stumped us all and reached out far and wide to find an independent thinker to be his Press Secratary. Well he reached as far as the Fox News Network of ...fair and balanced journalists to get his pick of Tony Snow. Now that was a fresh breath of clean air...cough, hack, wheeze.

I can hear old Uncle Bill O at the Factor coughing up a lung knowing that his "Fair and Balanced" agenda is all over the news. His cover and funding is blown. Not that it was a secret but it was fun for Uncle Bill to pretend he was an independent thinker and real journalist. "Looking out for the folks." He tells us and many of his viewers and listeners believe him.

I used too listen on the radio and watch on the idiot box. I attend meetings now as a recovering Conservative Liberal American Democrat Addict. CLADA as we call ourselves. We are the ultimate oxymoron but it happens to people. Irish Americans that have been set on the right track so to speak. Voted for Reagan twice and still thought what we thought was right but saw the light. Yes, I still have issues. I am in remission from my sickness and you too should think about seeking help. We validate values that are humane and just for the middle and lower classes. Free parking too.

I'm betting big that all of a sudden Fox News has exclusives all over the place in the coming months news. The new Bush war with Iran will break on Fox if it is going to happen. The oil and gas gouging scandal will break on Fox if they really go after one of their own. This is all so transparent that it isn't funny and nobody else has picked up on it anywhere in the blog-o-sphere? I'm surprised! No I'm shocked!

All you bloggers should hang your head in shame or at least hit the space bar a couple of times in shame as you finally come up with the real deal.

Papamoka

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Hillary in 2008? Not really.

Shawn Howard has it absolutely right on the Dem’s putting all the chips on Hillary for 08. I think it would be a big mistake too. I could imagine a Hillary vs. the mini-publicans and it would be a good campaign but I can not for the life of me seeing her win it in the end. The majority of her popularity is in who her husband is and was. Now Bill could literally charm the skirt off of an intern but I digress. Hillary does not have the charm and speaking skills that her husband does. When Bill Clinton talks he makes everyone feel that he is talking to you and with you rather than an audience of ten thousand folks. Hillary speaks and your mind wanders off in thought pondering if you locked the front door of the house or not when you left.

Joe Biden has character and a firm grasp of what he is talking about. The Dem's should be putting all the money on Joe for President in 2008! Granted, sometimes he doesn’t know when to shut up and he is the first one to admit it. When he is talking it is from a deep understanding of the topic and with real facts to back it up. Even when he calls in on Imus in the Morning he has to be told to shut up and listen once in a while but he takes it with grace and class. When you get right down to it all he is a genuine person and not just telling you what you want to hear but what is the truth. Now that would be something fresh and inviting at the White House.

Papamoka

Bush and Gas Politics

I think that the president is just another politician that will say what you want to hear and do the exact opposite to help the people that put him where he is. One thing he has accomplished is putting an end to the Bush dynasty in American politics. Jeb can kiss a White House election goodbye. The simple facts are all over the news and the blogs and at the gas pumps. In two terms as president he has brought our nation to war and to its knees financially. And yet he is still going for the jugular?

Bill Clinton handed him a house in order with huge surpluses that could pay our deficit down and that was not good enough. George Bush sought and passed the largest tax cuts to the top five percent of income earners in history not once but twice. The second time was during a time of war for our nation. For the record, never in U.S. history has a tax cut ever happened in a time of war. I'm not sure if you can call it a war either because a declaration of war has never been declared as far as I know? The congress just gave him cart blanche to do what he saw fit. The war on terrorism is rather vague and at thier own definition as it fits the days events. Checks and balances failed that test of governing.

He declared the no children left behind act and then didn't fund it for the education of our kids? He revamped prescriptions for our seniors and then made it a maze that even the highest of educated government leaders can't figure it all out. Medicare part D is a nightmare to comprehend but if you don't figure it out you pay a fine after May 15th if you do not pick a plan? One percent penalty graduated upward per year I believe is the way they are helping our seniors. But the congress made good with the lobbyist's and put in a safe mode to make sure the Pharmacy companies were protected from lawsuits and competition in the market place and he signed it into law.

There is one recouring ideology about this president and this Republican led government, if you do not live in their world, then you do not matter. Friends in the millionaire club support other friends in the club. We have had six years of robbing the middle and lower class of this country and the laugh of it all is that they have so many people who are hurting believing that they are honestly looking out for them!

Billions of dollars are being sucked out of this economy daily by the few and the rest of us just have to grin and bare it because we put them in office! Checks and balances. If they will not police themselves then we as the voters have to speak loud and clear.

Papamoka

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The Gas Crisis is Over...

I’m telling you I don’t know what we would have all done if President Bush didn’t come along and save the day today. Prices at the pump should be dropping by Friday thanks to all his efforts. Then on top of it he is unleashing all his federal pit bulls on all them pesky oil companies for price gouging.

I just sent off an email to my good friends over at the local gas station where I tank up that they better be watching their backs. Bush is kicking ass and taking names. They gave me a dollar off on my oil change to do their part to help the nations crisis but I think they still gouged me on the bag of chips I bought.

Now all of the mini publicans out there can all brag how only they knew how to fix this crisis and we should all be thankful to them for it. I think one of them is on the volunteer fire department here in town and we haven’t lost a cellar yet so he must know what he is talking about.

Unlike all them cry baby democrats whining about how they can’t afford to tank up the old Geo Metro and the kids will have to go without food and diapers. If you listen to all of them then we are all going to be a nation of walking, no cheese for our lunches, free range babies. Soup kitchens and welfare checks are an equal opportunity public service. Be thankful that we have them.

Suck it up the mini publicans tell me as they tank up the SUV Supper Tanker that they got for free from the local yacht dealership as part of the rebate back from the factory program. As they pull away from the pumps you can read the back of the yacht…Texas Gold. Our national crisis is over. Thank you Mr. President.

Hmmm

GAS War

Well they started throwing punches today on Capitol Hill. The Republicans tossing blame granades at the Democrats for the cost of Gas. Dem's fired back with a volley of counter blame for passing legislation the big oil companies wanted. So this is how it starts. The press will cover who said what about whom and in the meantime the prices for gas at the pump will start to drift up and over $3.00 per gallon. Seeing how they are both calling for investigations into price gouging the big oil companies butts are however somewhat in a sling. How are they going to get their keister out of this one? Same way they always have.

Watch the news and see who heads up the investigations if one ever happens. We have a Republican controlled congress and senate that will appoint and independent thinking Republican committee. The presidency is held by a Republican that is also a former oil man that says we are addicted to oil with a smirk. Then cuts spending on alternative energy studies and programs. Somehow it will all be blamed on market conditions that the government or the big oil companies can not control. That's right, you and I are to blame for the cost of gasoline at the pump. The Dem's will cry foul and rightfully so.

Favors will be promised to politicians effected by the investigation if they loose an election. More of the Oil exec's will bail into retirement with huge golden parachutes so that they can't be blamed. The finger pointing of one party against the other will continue till it is concluded without a doubt that price gouging is not and never has happened. In one years time the American people will be glad that gas isn't $4.50 a gallon and will gladly spend the $2.50 average price.

So the cost of the Gas war is going to show in the quarterly earnings of the big oil companies where everyone will agree that $9 billion net profit every three months is nothing compared to $15 billion. Now that is an exit strategy!

Air Force One Hoax

I was laughing when I saw the stories about the video of pranksters supposedly spray painting "Still free" on Air Force One over the weekend. Apparently, it was so convincing that even the Air Force crews in charge of the care and security of the President's jet had to double check to make sure the plane was in fact untouched by spray paint. All of it a hoax by somebody with a rather large advertising expense account.

For a publicity stunt this one ranks up there at the top...LOL!

Does Congress Know Rumsfelds Plan?

I'm concerned over the latest story on MSNBC from The Washington post by Ann Scott Tyson...http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12412488/

So should you. So should your congressional member! You should be very concerned about the expansion of such a plan on the world. Last time I checked Donald Rumsfeld was not the President of the United States. What committee in Washington did this plan blow through? Apparently, it didn't have to go through Congress, the President approved it himself? How does that work on the hill if the President ultimately through Rumsfeld is authorizing operations that could be taken as an act of war? President Bush simply claims defense of our country?

Rumsfeld is taking President Bush's war to his charges in the military and side stepping the CIA because he simply can by Presidential order. Special service teams will go in and deal with what is or is not politically acceptable to the administration or what is not? Anyone other than me have a problem with this? If this tactic and generalization was used on 9/11 then we would have obliterated Saudi Arabia, one of our greatest allies in the region. Most of the participants were from Saudi Arabia! Our military is for national defense and not for speculated political interaction with other nations. Period! Rumsfeld has other plans and has them all approved to strike regardless of what you and I think is right. How is the Congress allowing this to happen? How are we to stand strong in the world if we are going into our friends back yards and doing as our Military agencies please? Using the military as your intelligence gathering information base can never be a good thing. Our boys and girls want to kick ass and take names later. That is what they do. God love them all for being there for us all but this is not who we as a nation are? You have to think of the big picture on this one. There is no Republican or Democrat arguement on this one.

The budget for this strong arm brigade is 8 billion US dollars! Up 60% since 2003 according to Ann Scott Tyson in her article. Anyone have a clue in the Congress as to what that money is really spent on? Any oversight? Probably not. Email or write your representatives and ask the questions. Meanwhile President Bush can't fund the rebuilding of the hurricain stricken south? 8 billion dollars to fight a couple of guys in the desert that decided they wanted to punch the big kid on the block in the nose is far more important.

This is the key phase that the Bush administration has to blindly do whatever they care to do. "Terrorists". No name, no nationality, no country of origin, just Terrorists. Paint that fence any color you want and if President Bush or Rumsfeld himself think its in poor taste then you too could be a terrorist. I wouldn't be surprised to see them use in it some spin that all the immigrants from Mexico or South America are terrorists. Does this ring a bell to anyone from the World War II days. Place a label out there and make it fit whatever you please.

President Bush is a man with his own personal agenda and nobody is going to knock him off that pedastal. Some folks could take that as leadership and others take it as the lack there of. Authorizing our military to act out for any reason in any country without notice to our Ambassador first and the host government is so far from what our founding fathers wanted our country to be about. That is not the American way.

I am a proud American of the United States of America. Speaking out as is my right as an American citizen.

Papamoka

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Prepare for Next Winter

For all the folks living in the Colder parts of the world you had better think ahead now to save later on your heating bills. If oil prices are this high now can you imagine what they will be like next winter? Some tips and advice for you below.

#1 Check out alternative heating sources other than Oil and Gas. Google search "alternative home heating" and see what comes up? I saw one web site that just happened to be a bussiness in the same city as me that offers all kinds of new and old sources that could save your freezing home next winter. Solar is becoming far more attractive than you ever thought. It isn't just for "Hippies" anymore, as they used to say. I came across a website long ago that offered free plans to build your own solar window heater for less than a hundred dollars. If you are not mechanically inclined then you can purchase one from an alternative energy web site and have it installed by them or a local contractor. One unit on a sunny day can heat up to 1000 square feet.

#2 Look into the insulation of your home. Check for your area online to see what is recommended in your area. Spend a weekend and go down to Home Depot or Lowes or your local home improvement center and insulate your attick yourself. Or get your adult children to volunteer to help out. Insulate the joists in the ceiling of your basement. Make sure if you insulate the basement that you wrap the exposed pipes with insulating foam or other products out there.

#3 Get your current system looked at and have a regular maintenance plan. Most calls for an annual system check are reasonable if you keep the heating system maintained. All heating systems need regular maintenance regardless of what you may have heard to the contrary. Hire a professional to come into your home and get it inspected and any parts that might need replacing replaced now. Better now then when it is ten below and it kicks the bucket. If your system is more than fifteen years old it is an absolute must to have it checked annually.

#4 Install a programmable thermostat! This will save you a bundle on heating your home. Why heat the house when your are not there? Their are so many options out there to choose from and all the home improvement stores have them. They are simple to install and even simpler to program. If I can replace my one dial model with the new one then so can you. Read the directions that comes with it and just do it.

#5 Take the air conditioners out of the windows! How many of us are guilty of this one. Yes, I'm raising my hand. When you leave an air conditioner in the window you might as well just leave the window open several inches all winter. Pull it out and don't try and go the easiest route by getting a cover for it. The window is still open! There is probably not a cover out there that will give you a perfect air tight seal.

#6 Look into energy efficient replacement windows. This one is more costly but really does not have to be if you know some friends that are construction savy. Most home improvement stores offer new windows. They also offer contractors to install them if you can't do it yourself or know friends that can. Most of your homes heat will go through the windows. If they are not tight and sealed well that is the quickest way out for your heating dollars. If you can not afford to replace your windows or live in a rented apartment or home then get the plastic up on all the windows!

#7 Look into replacing your current heating system if it is more than fifteen years old. This one is big bucks in cost but long term huge savings. Google search it before you call someone about looking at your home heating replacement. New systems have energy efficiency requirements that the government required after certain dates. Some companies went beyond the requirements and consumers that can afford them benefit. If your gas boiler system is twenty years old it probably could have a 45% to 75% efficiency rating. There are new boilers out there that are 95% efficient or higher. Oil burners have come a long way and are still improving. Efficiency ratings are climbing to compare with gas fired systems. I have a gas system so I'm limited on what oil burners have done lately.

Then there are ground pump heating systems that take the constant temperature of the earth and circulate the water through your heating system. Very expensive for new installations but again huge savings.

The list of new possibilities for your home are up to you but alternatives to your main heating system are out there. Just look on line for them.

#8 Install a woodstove or coal stove or woodpellet stove or corn stove. We installed a wood pellet stove several years ago and love it. Google or Yahoo search "Wood Pellet Stove" to see what they are all about. It is not an entire home heating system replacement for us. It takes the edge off the cold in the house and mainly heats our huge living room and three bedrooms upstairs. The gas still kicks on when it gets below ten degrees but for the most part it heats our family home to our liking. The cost to buy it and install was about $2500 and we were able to vent it right out the wall so we did not have to install a chimney. Word of warning, wood pellet stoves are becoming more and more popular in the northeast and wood pellets are at a premium. Availability has not kept up with demand. Wood pellet manufacturers are expanding as fast as they can but could not keep up with demand this past winter. Wood pellets are available at most Home Depot and Lowes and other retailers that deal with home heating stoves.

That is my speal on home heating tips to help the folks. I hope you take caution with your families and make sure that your home is warm and affordable next winter.

Papamoka

Please feel free to link this blog spot to your website to help the folks everywhere out next winter.

Gasoline Induced Recession?

It's out all over the net that the prices at the pump are hitting people pretty hard in the wallet. From my own families perspective it's obvious that cutting back on non-essentials is what we have to do. The money for the gas tank that gets us back and forth to work has to come from somewhere? It starts with the grocery bill and instead of the name brand products you buy the store brand. Instead of beef we get chicken or pork or at the least the cheapest cut of beef there is. No more bakery birthday cakes, boxed mix will have to do. The list goes on.

We are just one family. What is the multiplied effects of this same behavior across the nation? Could this change in purchasing have a vast enough impact that it could kick in a recession? I think it will and it won't take long for it to begin.

I saw on MSNBC that even the big retailers are cutting back and changing their business strategies and targeting consumers higher on the old food chain. Rightfully, so. Lower income families are not going to be purchasing products that they can technically do without. Some of the airlines are cutting back and scrapping inefficient planes. Cutbacks and more cutbacks. Eventually, it will trickle down to layoffs by the thousands.

What happens next? Besides giving the retiring executive of one of the worlds largest oil companies a $400 million dollar exit bonus we wait and see. Gasoline prices are still going up and we bite the bullet, that morning coffee and doughnut a day habit will have to change.

Papamoka

Oil Hits $75 A Barrel

Why isn’t President Bush stepping up to bat for the American people? He should be hopping mad at the current prices of oil and using his executive powers to tap our national reserves. The longer he waits the higher the prices will climb. Tapping the reserves and dumping it onto the open market is the only way to stop the insanity in the oil markets. At times like these are when we have to act as the leader of the world and put our money where our mouth is.

How many barrels of oil would it take to drop the prices below sixty dollars per barrel? How long would we have to tap our reserves to let the markets know that there is not a shortage? The answer to these questions I do not know but a true leader would.

As for the prices at the pump that is a whole other story. The Wall Street Journal had a great little piece in it about the swapping out of MTBE for Ethanol and how all the experts said that what is happening is what would happen. Did anyone in Washington D.C. listen? Nope. Is there any way to fix what they legislated and jammed down the refineries throats? Nope. Are prices ever going to stabilize? Sure they will but not at prices you want to fill your tank at.

Papamoka

Lame Duck Bush

President Bush has spent all of his political capital and he is shooting blanks right now. He could fire or replace everyone in his administration and it will not matter. All the lies and all the corruption in his own party have placed him in the same place as Queen Elizabeth of England, dog and pony show.

Ask yourself this question. How does a President of the United States with approval ratings in the lower thirty percent range have a pulpit to dictate an agenda? The answer is simple. He does not. He no longer has the trust of the houses of government. Even his own party is running as far and fast as they can from him. That in itslelf tells you where he is politically.

What do we do from here then? You have to wonder who is going to replace this administration and place us back in the world agenda? Who is going to offer a new ideology that is going to place us as a country back in the world? What candidate is going to offer trust and honesty?

Time will tell. For the time being we have moving vans at the White House and a never ending spin as to who is right and who is wrong. All the time America slips into the void of power gone bye. New leaders are just around the corner and the people will speak when they vote. That is what I love about our country, we speak with our votes.

Papamoka

Is China Reaching Out?

I'm basing this post on this opinion on MSNBC...

By Kari Huus http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12382306/
Reporter
MSNBC
Updated: 6:52 p.m. ET April 19, 2006

Does anyone other than me get the simple fact that President Hu of China is offering an olive branch on trade? I see President Hu's speech today as an honest attempt to say that his country is more than willing to spend their money with a friend if we are a true friend. This is where the real minds of the world come to meet! I'm eating myself up and dying to know what President Bush and President Hu will talk about? This will be a true meeting of two worlds and either one can run with it to make a difference in the world.

One step at a time is all it takes to get to the other side for everyone.

Papamoka

Immigration at the White House

Looks like the White House Press Secretary is calling it a day. I don't envy Scott McClellan and the job he had at the White House. He worked for a bunch of folks that hate the press and avoid them like they have the plague. Scott was in the catch twenty-two situation. He had to report the news from the White House and the facts he was given were not given willingly. He had to come up with more ways to say "No comment." or "I do not know." or "I'm not aware of that." than anyone in his position in history.

This is a White House that thinks it owns the world news information and not leaking to the press is an art form that some of them are being prosecuted for. Technicalities are a bitch for some and a win win for others. Scooter Libby is working his own defense. He will pay for others indescretions or his lawyers will spin it somehow that it was something other than what it truly was.

Some friends have clipped some moving van coupons from the paper for all the folks that are going to be leaving Washington, D.C. in the next few weeks. I'm mailing them off to the people I think will be out of the Bush administration over the next couple of weeks. Don has asked for mutiple coupons and Carl has asked to be kept in mind for a few extra coupons.

What drives me nuts about this whole Bush shuffle of people is that not one of the networks has made up a list of who is going. Anyone knowing of a list please let me know. I'd love to compare notes.

CHINA VISIT

President Bush has to come away with something from this visit that is on the table. No matter what it is, he has to come off as the victor and for President Hu to go home he has to go with something as well on the table victorious. We shall all see what they both are happy about in the days to come.

Papamoka

China Visit to U.S.

The current visit of President Hu of China to the United States is an important step forward for the world and their country. That is what is needed is simple steps. Like it or not China is becoming a world leader in trade and its own economy is bursting at the seems. That economic engine is feeding on the simplist of needs for the consumers of the world. Make a product for the cheapest amount and the world will buy it.

Some people would say that it is a lop sided economy benefiting only the few while the many languish in poverty just blocks away. I saw a piece on Sixty minutes or Nightline a few months back and it showed just those facts. It was a good news program for one side of thier multi tiered countries issues.

Business in China is opening up to outside sources as well as from within. Many American companies have large interest in China today that didn't even exist five years ago. Most people don't know that one of the largest growing financial markets of the world is in China. The government of China is slowly selling off its interests in manufacturing companies. How do the people that run these factories get the capitol to buy the companies? They offer stock to the world. Check the financial markets here in the United States and see for yourself. These are small steps that are being taken to push the economy off the back of the government and into the peoples own hands. One interesting thought to what these new owners do with the profits is that they re-invest and expand operations. That is a step that eventually leads to employee participation which leads to employee benefits which leads to human rights slowly expanding.

All these steps that are being taken are steps more in line with a country that wants to be part of the world and not isolated from it. With each step comes change. Change is slow. Nobody would have ever believed you in 1972 if you said that China would be an economic bull in a China closet in 2006.

Papamoka

Abramoff Factor

Arrogance and Corruption

I’ve been catching bits of information on the Abramoff dealings with our government officials in the news. This guy was beyond arrogant in his dealings. The people he was dealing with saw nothing but the perks of associating themselves with him. Rub my back and I’ll rub yours blatantly out in the open tactics that if there was a smoke detector that went off whenever improper dealings were afoot it would have died from exhaustion. Fancy dinners, box seats for all kinds of sporting events, golf trips that cost tens of thousands of dollars and the list goes on.

The one fact that keeps on coming up is that not a single one of the people he dealt with thought they were doing anything wrong? That tells you volumes on the ideology running rampant in our government. That in itself is going to be a factor when the next round of elections come up. Credibility is lost for the most part for the Republicans. You could have been above the board and honest as the day is long through all of the Abramoff dealings and it will not matter. In the back of peoples mind will be that little question. How much were you involved with him?

I think that we can seriously consider throwing out the incumbent factor when trying to formulate who will be re-elected and who is cast out by the Abramoff factor come November. The more information to come out over the next few months and the arrogance of that corruption will be a multiplier for all the equations.

Moving Van's needed!

Moving Vans Spotted

It looks to me like the Chief of Staff at the White House has thought about giving out some eviction notices. Seeing how there really hasn’t been much excitement at old 1600 Pennsylvania Ave and the dibs challenges for Andy Cards leftover office supplies are done, Josh Bolten has started looking at rent receipts and he isn’t to happy. Seems that some of the folks on the old staff have been reviewing and updating their resumes and Josh has caught them red handed. He knows that they did it on George’s time too because of all the missing W’s in the resumes. (See Clinton staff takes W’s from all White House keyboards)

Now it doesn’t surprise me that a shake up is coming but it does surprise me that it was let known so quickly? Josh goes into the first meeting and lets it sail that if you were thinking of leaving before the end of the year please make up your mind now and fast track it. Don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out either!

I bet you any amount of money that old Don Rumsfeld swallowed hard at that point. He feels as much job security right now as Brown did at FEMA. As you recall, the President was highly confident in his abilities to handle the crisis during and after the hurricanes. Wait a minute, he pulled a Kerry on that and canned him didn’t he?

Well I’ve begun cutting out all the coupons from the phone book for moving companies in the DC area and I’m mailing them off today. I’ve got twenty so far clipped and ready to go. I hope I have enough? All that confidence floating around down there we just might have to take up a collection for all those poor displaced federal workers in the President’s Cabinet.

Mid-Term Elections

Checking on websites regarding the possibility of the Republicans losing control of the the house and senate are outright confussing. One site tells you that the Democrats could easily pull it off and take more seats than they need for control. Then the flip side is the Democrats don't have enough steam built up to overcome the Republicans at all.

I spotted on one of the webistes and interesting piece comparing the percentages of voters that cast a ballot for Bush in 2000 and 2004 and based on that statistic alone the Republicans will hold the firm on the election. One problem with that theory is that Bush could not get elected dog catcher in any of those districts today never mind President?

This is just a friendly reminder that you should keep an open mind to all possibilities come the elections. The spin cycle is just cranking up and it hasn't even hit the turbo charge yet. It's going to be really funny to see all of these folks on both sides of the isle blaming one another for all the problems with the country. You get the hardliners that practically spit when they have to appear on a show with an opponents hardliner. When the spitting starts you have two kinds of hosts, one that lets the spittle fly and the one that cuts the microphones. It's almost as good as pro wrestiling.

One thing is certain, there will be some upsets and some real surprises because when it all comes down to it, just the folks are voting. Everybody do a wallet check and see which way the wind is blowing? Hmmm, which party took less out of here the last time? Pick the devil you do know or the one you don't know? Either way and you still are going to end up with less than when we started.

The war in Iraq

Seeing the latest news on the war in Iraq and the enemy leaders in Al Queada or whoever or however it is spelled today is troubling to me. It surprises me to no end that it took all of these brilliant journalist and "analysts" to figure out that the enemy is a rag tag bunch of thugs with no center of control. There is no true leader in the opposing force of the war. There is nothing but factions of extremists that have their own cause and bitch going on and that is their entire reason to fight. Nobody is running the whole show in the big picture from the opposition! It took them all this time for the media to figure that out?

Osama Bin Laden is dead, probably has been for over a year or two. Power and leadership is like a drug, you have to have more and you have to be known. He's dead. Osama has been absent for too long to be a factor in this war. The number two guy is a political extremist that just wants others to die for his cause and he is loosing his grip on what is truly his cause. He has no more control over his minions than you do on allowing cockroaches into your home. He is just a man with a microphone and the media is far to willing to give him time on the air. His days of leading are done, all the splintered groups are now the forefront of our little war. How do you fight that?

A friend of mine who immigrated from Iran wrapped it all up in a nutshell. They live in the desert, they are hot and miserable and they don't eat right. They don't get enough protein in their diet to stimulate normal thoughts. They are all just nuts from the heat and they are hungry for some kind of meat.

Think about it for a minute?

The middle east nations are and will always be a group of nations and people that will fight amongst themselves. It has been going on for thousands of years and will continue to be just that. It all comes down to one line of thought. How much of this piece of pie is really in our best interest? Do we as a nation want to be the heavy handed policeman in the region? If so then how long are we willing to do so? Liberty and freedom is not in their cultures mindset. Look at the history of the region and it shows itself over and over again. Only absolute rule by a dictator or self proclaimed monarchy will ever work there.

One exception to the rule is Israel. They are the only seed for democracy in the entire region.
Iraq will never be the seed if the people can not grasp the what and how a true government by the people for the people is all about. They just do not want it enough for it to work for their nation.

Think about it some more?

Post what you think! Participate in this discussion!

Help Support this site!

This semi political opinion blog takes time and a ton of thought to keep up to date. It needs your response and thoughts on any of the topics covered. Be they positive or negative it helps people to think of all sides of any topic posted. Participate in this format, have a voice and be heard.

One thing I have learned in life is that no two people will ever see a situation or dilema in the same mind set. Just like witnesses at a crime scene on CSI, nobody saw the same thing but the big picture can come together to the investigator. We are all unique and if you want to be heard then say something! Even if it is just an "I agree" or "I don't agree". No name or email or anything else is required to have a voice in this blog's political opinion. Take a stand and speak.

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When people are afraid to speak what is on their mind then those that are not will take what is left. Become involved and contribute to the discussions that does make a difference in your life.

Papamoka

Rumsfeld or the Generals

One by one they are stepping up to the microphone and demanding that Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld step down. According to the story in The Washington Post by Thomas Ricks, Army Major General John Batiste turned down a three star promotion and the opportunity to be second in command over in Iraq rather than work under Rumsfeld. Army Major General Paul Eaton pretty much has the same opinion. Marine General Anthony Zinni is one of the harshest critics of his former bosses in the capitol. Lt. General Wallace Gregson had this to say about it. "A lot of them are hugely frustrated," in part because Rumsfeld gave the impression that "military advice was neither required nor desired".

What this tells me is that our leaders have not listened to their military advisors here and over in Iraq. That troubles me on many fronts. First point is that I would think that you would let them do their jobs in their own way to get the mission completed. Second is that you should supply them with all of the resources they need to get the mission completed. Third is that you should not be telling a well trained and highly educated general how you as a civilian want the war to be fought.

When this many of our generals and commanders in the military have the same thing to say and we do not listen to them then who is really to blame? When those same people would rather retire than serve under these conditions then there is a serious problem. These are the people that have trained for years and served all over the world in our armed services. They are the proud leaders of the greatest military in the world, and without the teamwork approach from Washington who can blame them for stepping down?

I’m sure the spin from Washington will start up soon. Somehow it will get turned around and all of the finger pointing will be back at the generals. Rumsfeld will dodge this controversy and all will be well with the military and the war in Iraq. The only problem is all the generals will have retired by then!

Our President lied

Check out the news and see what else is wrong with our leaders. Right from the White House comes news today that they new ahead of their spin about the mobile weapons trucks that they were not "Mobile Weapons Trucks"? Somebody leaked the Plame identity which is a crime but our leaders wanted to get to the bottom of it and see that someone was punished for it. They leaked it for personal attack against the people speaking the truth. How many spins have we as a people had stuffed down our throats as the truth for the war in Iraq? Right now all of it points to the President and that is a sad day for this country. Time will only tell how many lies he gave to justify what he wanted to get done. History and the Presidency he had will not look well for him no matter what he does now and that is something we all should be concerned about. It will not bode well for those that put him there either. Right now the future of our country is in jeaopardy if you really think about it.

How do you maintain a super power of the world if all that comes from that goverment is lies and mis-truths. Corruption on multiple levels so far and deep that you could not find a prosecutor willing to take it on? It seems like the whole system is broke and no matter how many media agencies report just that it doesn't matter. If you can not trust what they tell you and it is found out not to be true then how far away are we as a country of becoming the next former USSR? Makes you wonder. Our government is only as good as the checks and balances the founding fathers put in place and that is the next step that our leaders need to take. Stop the lies and get the truth out because that is the only thing that will keep us all free.

Mass Healthcare Tax

It’s nice that our state leaders have taken the time to seriously look at healthcare for all of our citizens. Personally, I think we really needed it. If you have ever needed to go to the emergency room then you would see the wave of people that use that service for all their healthcare needs. We need to do something to fix the problem. People need other options to get treated and cared for medically.

So all the folks down in Boston came up with a plan. Everyone gets care and everyone pays except the people making under ten grand a year. That works for me or does it? Here is the low down guts of the plan.

If you have health insurance and are in the middle class then you should not see any increases in your premiums. If you are in the lower class then health insurance plans will be made available to you for a scaled premium. If you have a job and are over that ten grand minimum salary and choose to not take the coverage then you will pay a tax penalty of up to one grand per year. HOLD THE PRESSES!

Basically, they just slammed the lower working class of the state with a mandated tax no matter how you look at it. Who would have thought our legislature would think of that? It gets better. Governor Romney (R) who is pro business and what good upstanding Republican isn’t has a problem with the new plan. If you are a business that can afford health coverage for your employees but do not then you pay a penalty of $294 to the state. He want’s to axe that part. But it is okay to slam poor Joe Sixpack making eight bucks an hour at the widget factory? So this is just another tax on the lower working class disguised as healthcare.

Papamoka

Abramoff or the GodFather?

Is it just me or does it seem like this Abramoff guy was the GodFather of political lobbyist in Washington D.C.? Every time I read something about him it reminds me of that covert language you see in the Mafioso movies. Somebody is going to be sleeping with the fishes if we don’t get what we want. Nobody speaks in direct terms as to what they are truly doing but circumvents that lingo to pass the general idea. These are some terms and definitions I’ve made up that could have been used in the underworld of our nations capitol.

Bust some knee caps - Offer more cash to stimulate agreement.
Sleeping with the fishes – Congressional underling should be demoted
Six feet under - We need this legislation buried in committee.
An offer they can’t refuse – Huge campaign contribution.
The juice is running – Congressional fact finding trip.
Hitting the Mattresses – Block the Democrats.
Young Turk’s busting a move – New politician or lobbyist
Take a walk – Avoiding sensitive ears on the hill.
Friend of ours – Introduction of one on the take to another.
Double Decker Coffin – Attaching your lobbyists needs onto a spending bill.
Let the rat out – Leaking to the press.

The list goes on and I look forward to your additions to it…. Please feel free to link this page on your website or you might find the pony in your bed….

Immigration politics

Did you ever wonder if the reason behind the failure of the immigration legislation was a political stunt. Seeing all the people protesting it across the nation pretty much killed the whole idea. When a group of folks can organize that quickly and peacefully for the most part then they are what you would call a political land mine. No politician is going to walk through that field without losing a limb or two in the process.

Now all we have to do is get all those folks on Social Security organized and out there marching...or walking....or pushed to help save the system. Do you suppose all the nice folks at the immigration marches would mind lending a hand to get this system fixed?

Immigration...again already

Watching the news you would think that this issue is top on the minds of all the people in Washington to get something that works passed. The country is alive and debating the issue and wants our leaders to do something about it. Be that one direction or the other. The protestors and people concerned are out on the streets from Boston to San Fransisco and right down into the Texas border cities. They are not just Mexicans or South American people but Asian and Middle Eastern, Indian from India, Pakistani, Europeans, English and Irish, Polish and Canadians. They are people from all walks of life that just want to live and prosper amongst us and who can really blame them. The damn system is broken and nobody wants to admit it. People think it is like going down to the office to get your car registered or a liscense for your dog but it is nothing like that. Would you wait five years to get your car on the road? Immigrants to this country sometimes wait longer than that legally to become a citizen. Does anyone in Washington have a clue as to what this is really all about? They simply don't get it.

That is where we end up with this issue. Washington is to busy thinking about protecting their own asses for re-election to truly devote the time to immigration this year. This whole scenario will pass without any legislation because that is the easy route to take. All the folks that have their lives up in the air and worried if their American born children will have a mother or father home to support them deported are for nought. Sit back, relax, have a friend over and talk about the future because this Congress has no intentions of touching this third rail. That is what you call the end of the day for a Congress that faces an overthow of its self serving ideology.

I welcome my friends and contributors to our society that are immigrants. Be you legal or illegal you make a difference to our world and you play a part in what is the greates experiment ever acheived. That is what America is and will alway be, the great experiment. Toss in some rebels and some loyalist and you have a non stop revolution that expects and demands nothing less but change with every generation.

God Bless America,
and all her immigrants from any shore
Papamoka
Worcester, MA

Politics and Immigration

Immigration and politics are the third rail for the Republicans in Congress. None of them want to touch it. This is a topic and situation where you see the real leaders of the country step up and you see the ones that place blame step back. Mid term elections are coming up this fall. Anyone can step back and point fingers at who is to blame for the failure of the cause and legislation. True leaders will pick up the flag and bring it forward into the battle of the righteous.

And yet we have two leaders that everyone knows that have picked it up and will fight for what is right. True leaders of good government. How it should be done without the verbal game of placing blame. Leaders that will get something done that makes sense.

Ted Kennedy and John McCain. One a Democrat and the other a Republican. Two men that are so far from one another politically that these two things don't go together. Dogs and cats, not fighting but working together to find a real solution. These are real leaders of a nation and not people that tow the party line. This is an issue that takes leaders and not finger pointers of who is to blame. That is how you get things done in Washington D.C. and that is a fact. If you don't have the guts to put your name and reputation up for judgement then shut the hell up.

Unless we plan on building the wall of China on our borders then we have to come to a realistic solution to our friendly immigrants that just want a better life. We should never stereotype the majority of immigrants based on the worst of the lot. That is not and should never be the American way. All nations build on our country through immigration.

Papamoka
AKA Matthew O'Keefe
Worcester, MA

Support OUR Troops

I was driving to work this week listening to talk radio and all the politics of pro war and anti war and a Ford Escort wagon passed me. All over the back of it were those ribbons we all see. Most of them were originally to show support for our kids in the military serving all over the world. Then you get the pink ones for Breast Cancer, puzzle pieced colors for Autism, and the list goes on. There were so many of them you couldn't tell what color the car was. The driver probally suffers from support anxiety or ADHD. I'm sure there was a ribbon for it I just couldn't catch it going sixty miles per hour.

On the radio is an older gentleman, Bob Meaders, that is doing all that he can to support our troops with his organization modifying soldiers helmets. Along with several former military veterans and friends they make the helmets safer for the troops. The standard issue helmets do not offer enough protection and many soldiers are getting seriously hurt without the modifications. Brain injuries from roadside bombs and head trauma are rampant due to the fact that the helmets were never designed for such activity. The cost to retro fit these helmets is less than one hundred dollars each. The cost to medically treat and care for a soldier with blunt force head injuries can run into the millions over a lifetime. I'm doing the math in my head quickly and I think I like the idea of the retro fitting of the helmets better. This is not a Pro Democrat or Pro Republican organization, they just care about our kids in harms way.

OPERATION HELMET pays all of its own expenses and the cost to modify the helmets is all covered by donations. To date they have provided over 4500 kits to make the battle gear helmets safer for our kids. They are far behind all the requests they have from military units in Iraq for their service. You can check out their web site for yourself and decide for yourself if you want to put another troops ribbon on your car or really make a difference.

http://operation-helmet.org/

My thanks to Bob Meaders and his organization, Operation Helmet, for trully supporting our troops. Sometimes it takes more than just a ribbon on your car to show that you care about our kids in service to all of our country.

Papamoka
Worcester, MA

Bush vs Plame

Seeing how the President was the ultimate one responsible for leaking Valerie Plame's covert CIA status does that mean that he is going to fire himself? What was he thinking when he gave that little speach about getting to the bottom of this and the persons responsible will no longer have a job? From where I'm sitting he knew what he was saying and knew who was responsible then just as he does now. Let's see how he wiggles his way out of this one. It should be interesting to see at the least. How many lies is it going to take to spin this one? I can't wait to hear the political machines take this one out for a ride. So Mr. President what did you know when you didn't know what you do know was that you did know.

Credabiltiy is a great responsibility and once you loose it you can't get a "do over". I just don't know what he was thinking. Could this end up being a Dick Nixon event where he is forced to step down? Just when we thought we were getting over that embarassment we get this one.

So the silver lining to all of this is that the Democrats get to run on the high road while we all sit back and watch all the Republicans run for cover from anything to do with Bush or Cheney or Delay or Duke or Libby or... Set up the domino's and let them rip!

Papamoka
Worcester, MA

Immigration common sense...

Does anyone in Washington D.C. have any common sense? Now I am just guessing that the big huff and puff is not about all of the Canadian's trying to sneak over the border and more about our southern borders. So they manage to come together on a compromise of plans and solutions that make no sense. If you've been an illegal immigrant over five years you have to pay back taxes and a fine of a couple thousand dollars and then get a green card? It gets better, if you have been here less than five years you have to go back to the border and pay a fine and back taxes and hope that they let you in to get at the back of the line to be in the country.

Is it just me or is this just more incentive not to do it legally? Now I was born here and I don't have that kind of cash or credit to afford five years back taxes or a couple thousand dollars in fines. On top of it all I would have to start from scratch when my life is already in progress to a better world for my family. Lets really think about it... ya this whole thing is destined for failure. You think they could have offered up a plan that didn't penalize immigrants for wanting the American dream? Be realistic about it. If there are twelve million illegal immigrants here already, I would guess that only a handful of the ones that have really made it financially could afford the joke that is being talked about becoming law.

If they wanted to talk about the realistic way of doing this it eventually has to come to some kind of amnesty plan. How else are you going to get them to fully participate in our systems and laws? Telling them it is going to cost you upwards of ten grand to be here legally is a bad joke. In all honesty who is kidding who? They are here already, they are not going away so somebody has to have some common sense about illegal immigration.

Papamoka

Governing For Sale

Can political values be put up for sale for a price? I'm just wondering if the ideas and thoughts that gave someone the courage to run for public office can be bought? I do this blog and I have advertisers but I can't see myself selling my personal belief's for the almighty dollar. When I am writing here and thinking about current events and how I feel about them I wonder what people that are elected really think about those same issues? Could a dollar amount sway a persons life long raising and character?

Pick an issue and there is a lobbyist out there to pay your elected official tons of cash to their re-election campaign from any direction possible. I heard once that there are more people working for lobbyist in Washington D.C. than there are government workers. That scares me. How do you get good government if only the people that have something to sell have all the influence? The answer is pretty simple...you don't.

Forward your concerns via email or letter to your state Senator or Congressman. Ask a question that pertains to you and see what you get back for a reply. I'm still waiting on my Senator and I sent it months ago. For the record, auto replies don't count where they tell you how very busy they are and can't respond to every email or letter. They are there because we voted for them. No reply is a snub and what they are all about now a days. If they can't answer to you then who are they answering too? Just for giggles and laughs, mail two letters at the same time and sign the other one with a prominent family surname in your area. See which one you get back first and you decide if your vote is up for sale?

Elections are nice sound bites of what they are told you want to hear. When they get there it is another story for another day.

Papamoka,
Worcester, MA

Immigration

This country is what you would call the Statue of Liberties best attempt at beef stew. She has welcomed every nationality the world has ever had and she will continue to do so. This is her melting pot and her creation and she is a damn good cook. Sometimes she adds a little to much salt and not enough pepper. Then she tosses in a little garlic to spice it up. She loves garlic and who doesn't. She could never forget the vegetables like your carrots and green beans and of course turnips and celery. Then she reaches into the old cabinet were she stores her spices and throws in a little oregano, a touch of sweet basil and just a bit of honey. Just enough to make it a wonder and joy to the taste buds. Then she just has to add some hot sauce to kick it up a notch as Emeril Laggasse says. You have to love Emeril! So she preps the beef with a little flour and a touch of seasonings. They have to be browned just right to make it the best stew ever. Lady Liberty makes this stew every day and she has been doing it for years.

Pick your nationality and or country of origin around the world and you are a product of immigration. Unless you are an American Indian of pure blood then shut the hell up. Eat the damn stew and be glad that it is a hot meal.

I can't count on both hands and all my toes how many people I know from other countries living the true American dream. The real issue is that all of us that have been born here, educated here, and working here just don't get what the American dream is. To us it is just life. Immigrants do get it and I can't blame them for wanting it so bad that they will do whatever it takes to get a bowl of Lady Liberties beef stew. Own a home, own a car, educate your kids in the best school systems in the world bar none. These people took the biggest risk a person could ever take. They left all that they knew and loved behind to make a better life for them and their families. Tell me if you as an American would ever move to another country where you don't speak the language or understand the culture? You wouldn't.

Politically, they are doing exactly what the Irish did, the Italians did, the Germans did, the English did, the Jews did and everyone else had to do to get what they needed to do to survive. They have found the weakest link in the system and I applaud them for it. Elect your people and be heard!!! Now that is a bowl of beef stew that the founding fathers loved.

Vote and be heard...

Papamoka

Gas Prices

I'm sure that you have noticed the cost of gasoline lately and if you've pulled up to the pumps lately and been asked to fill out a credit application you aren't alone. Do you think anybody in Washington D.C. has noticed? Probably not. The millionaire club we call our government probably hasn't touched a gas pump in a couple of decades.

I've been writing and complaining to my state representatives and congressmen and senator about the price gouging but they just don't seem to get it. I'm sure if I had a huge check for their re-election fund that I might get a minute or two of their time but I don't have that kind of extra money after tanking up the truck. When you hear or see politicians talk about the prices of gas or home heating they almost have a smirk on their faces? Maybe it is an inside joke that we are not privy to?

So next month or whenever they post their earnings for the quarter and it is in the record books as the largest profit ever for any company in the world don't be surprised. Just thank your government for letting them rip you off every time you pull into the pumps. The truth be told, they are stealing from you and me legally and there isn't a back bone in all the state houses or in D.C. that will stand up to them. The days of Teddy Roosevelt and a President having the guts to break them up are long gone.

Papamoka