Friday, March 27, 2009
Thanks, NRCC
I would like to thank the National Republican Congressional Committee for going there. It's almost hard to believe I have never cast a ballot for any candidate that you champion.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The War Next Door
If you didn't get a chance to see Anderson Cooper 360 last night, I suggest you tune in tonight for day two of his live report from the Mexican border. He's reporting on the intense drug wars being fought in Mexico, and how those wars are spilling over into the United States. It's sobering and enlightening to learn about the intense violence going on just to the south of Texas, and I suggest you take some time to learn about the problem.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Three Things
AIG: I have no problem understanding the outrage. The thought of a company surviving on the lifeline of the American taxpayer paying huge retention bonuses to the very people that got the company into the mess its in is disgraceful. This week, the head of AIG testified in front of a House committee and got lambasted. We're talking filleted. And I can understand it. But Congress, please get off your high horse. The man that you were lecturing -- Edward Liddy -- is not the man who ran AIG into the ground; he is the man put in place to try to get it up off the mat. Use your head, and stop being so self-righteous, acting like you've never dropped the ball on a major level. When was the last time you actually read a piece of legislation before you passed it? And this stunt to tax the bonuses at a 90% rate to get the money back? Please think before you act. Think of the precedent that you would be setting: the ability to tax a specific group of people more simply because you don't like their legitimate business practices is very distressing, and thoroughly un-American.
Special Olympics: Alright, so last night on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, President Obama made a quick joke likening his bowling skills to the Special Olympics. Politically correct? No. Funny? Yes, and here's the truth: everything is funny in the right light. Would President Bush receive more outcry saying this than President Obama will? Yes, and there's no denying that. But I say let's celebrate having a president smart enough to think up such a funny quip.
Suckling: This week, Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) said to TV cameras and reporters, "From my standpoint, it's irresponsible for corporations to give bonuses at this time when they're sucking the tit of the taxpayer." Hilarious (and much funnier than when he said AIG executives should "commit suicide"). I like that kind of fire, but I really enjoyed the looks on the faces of the two senators standing behind him when he said that. They didn't know what to do. President Obama and Senator Grassley should headline a U.S. Government comedy festival.
Special Olympics: Alright, so last night on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, President Obama made a quick joke likening his bowling skills to the Special Olympics. Politically correct? No. Funny? Yes, and here's the truth: everything is funny in the right light. Would President Bush receive more outcry saying this than President Obama will? Yes, and there's no denying that. But I say let's celebrate having a president smart enough to think up such a funny quip.
Suckling: This week, Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) said to TV cameras and reporters, "From my standpoint, it's irresponsible for corporations to give bonuses at this time when they're sucking the tit of the taxpayer." Hilarious (and much funnier than when he said AIG executives should "commit suicide"). I like that kind of fire, but I really enjoyed the looks on the faces of the two senators standing behind him when he said that. They didn't know what to do. President Obama and Senator Grassley should headline a U.S. Government comedy festival.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Chuck Norris: Bad Actor, No Patriot
"Slaughter in San Francisco." "The Octagon." "Invasion U.S.A." "The Delta Force." "Sidekicks." And lest we forget, "Walker, Texas Ranger," all 196 episodes, plus specials. These are just some of the works that encompass Chuck Norris' "acting" career. Yeah, Mr. Norris' acting ability isn't exactly worthy of awards, and now neither is his patriotism.
On Monday, Chuck Norris published a short article on WorldNetDaily entitled, "I may run for president of Texas." In it, he writes the following: "[Running for president of Texas] may be a reality sooner than we think. If not me, someone someday may again be running for president of the Lone Star state, if the state of the union continues to turn into the enemy of the state. From the East Coast to the 'Left Coast,' America seems to be moving further and further from its founders' vision and government." Mr. Norris then goes on to invoke the warnings and advice of political theorists and several of America's founding fathers. Touching.
First of all, while the founders' advice on the governance of our country is important to keep in mind, it is also important to understand that when this advice was given the world was nowhere near as interconnected as it is today. Frankly speaking, the risks to our country when it was founded did not include mass terror attacks, cyber attacks, global economic crises, or serious threats from countries across the world. Advice is only as good as its application, and the modern way forward has to come from modern day thinking.
Second, it is crucial to understand that the constitution is a living document, and one need only look at the addition of it's 27 amendments to grasp this concept. And with all due respect to the founding fathers, they are gone, and the thinking of their time is in many ways vastly inferior to today -- slaves are no longer 3/5 of a person, and not just white male property owners have the right to vote. The constitution is a living document and can change with the times. Don't like it? Work to change it. That's the beauty of this country, and the ability that you and I have.
And finally, I think that it is shocking that after living through the previous 2922 days of an administration that bent, obfuscated, and blatantly disregarded the constitution (rendition, suspension of habeas corpus, and a vice-president that claimed he was neither in the executive nor legislative branches of government -- just to name a few), Mr. Norris only claims outrage after the first 50 days of the current one. I'm honestly dumbfounded.
Norris writes, "Anyone who has been around Texas for any length of time knows exactly what we'd do if the going got rough in America." I guess when the going gets rough, Texans give up -- at least according to Mr. Norris.
On Monday, Chuck Norris published a short article on WorldNetDaily entitled, "I may run for president of Texas." In it, he writes the following: "[Running for president of Texas] may be a reality sooner than we think. If not me, someone someday may again be running for president of the Lone Star state, if the state of the union continues to turn into the enemy of the state. From the East Coast to the 'Left Coast,' America seems to be moving further and further from its founders' vision and government." Mr. Norris then goes on to invoke the warnings and advice of political theorists and several of America's founding fathers. Touching.
First of all, while the founders' advice on the governance of our country is important to keep in mind, it is also important to understand that when this advice was given the world was nowhere near as interconnected as it is today. Frankly speaking, the risks to our country when it was founded did not include mass terror attacks, cyber attacks, global economic crises, or serious threats from countries across the world. Advice is only as good as its application, and the modern way forward has to come from modern day thinking.
Second, it is crucial to understand that the constitution is a living document, and one need only look at the addition of it's 27 amendments to grasp this concept. And with all due respect to the founding fathers, they are gone, and the thinking of their time is in many ways vastly inferior to today -- slaves are no longer 3/5 of a person, and not just white male property owners have the right to vote. The constitution is a living document and can change with the times. Don't like it? Work to change it. That's the beauty of this country, and the ability that you and I have.
And finally, I think that it is shocking that after living through the previous 2922 days of an administration that bent, obfuscated, and blatantly disregarded the constitution (rendition, suspension of habeas corpus, and a vice-president that claimed he was neither in the executive nor legislative branches of government -- just to name a few), Mr. Norris only claims outrage after the first 50 days of the current one. I'm honestly dumbfounded.
Norris writes, "Anyone who has been around Texas for any length of time knows exactly what we'd do if the going got rough in America." I guess when the going gets rough, Texans give up -- at least according to Mr. Norris.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Detect This
In mid-January, Dr. Laval S. Wilson, superintendent of the Poughkeepsie City School District, released his 2009-10 Preliminary Budget Concept Paper, documenting the serious fiscal problems the district will be facing come the fall. According to Dr. Wilson, the district is anticipating an estimated $6.872 million budget shortfall, and he has earmarked $6.88 million in cuts to faculty, staff, programs, and services in order to combat the deficit -- things that will adversely effect the students and the district as a whole, but which may simply be unaffordable in this economic climate.
Recently, there have been some well-publicized acts of violence in the vicinity of Poughkeepsie High School, including shootings, that have been part of an escalating trend of violence within the city limits. Mayor John Tkazyik and the Poughkeepsie Police Department have been rightfully engaging with community members in an effort to reduce the violence, and while these acts did not occur on school property or in school buildings, the Board of Education is also working to take proactive steps to keep violence out of the school system.
One of most controversial proposals has been the installation of metal detectors at the three main student entrances of Poughkeepsie High School, at a cost of $38,000. This is an overreaction based on fear, and it is a bad idea. There are 28 entrances at Poughkeepie High School, not to mention the countless windows that can be opened at anytime. Need I say more? The sad truth is that if someone wants to get a weapon into the school, they will, and no amount of metal detection will prevent that. Furthermore, a potential shooter would not need to pass through these metal detectors to cause the most damage. I am also forced to ask -- if at the high school, why not at Poughkeepsie Middle and Smith Schools, which are also in the vicinity of the shootings? And in a time when the superintendent is being forced to cut almost $7 million in costs, $38,000 for a metal detection system is unwise, as that money could be used to finance field trips, teaching assistants, or technology equipment.
Airline crashes are one of the most publicized and sensationalized events that can occur. Whether it is a successful ditch in the Hudson, or an unsuccessful tragedy in suburban Buffalo, the news coverage is immense. However, air travel is still the safest means of transportation. Thousands more die every year in automobile accidents, but very few of us think twice about hoping into a car every day. The same is true with school shootings and school violence. The safest place for a child to be is in school, and installing metal detectors at 3 entrances will not make the students, faculty, or staff of Poughkeepsie High School any safer than they already are.
Over the past 11 years, I have spent a considerable amount of time at Poughkeepsie High School, both on a regular and semi-regular basis. Not once have I ever felt unsafe. Not once have I ever felt I was in danger. I believe that anyone who truly feels Poughkeepsie High School is in need of metal detectors has never spent any meaningful time there, and I encourage those people to do so -- especially the Board of Education, before they take their vote on this measure.
Recently, there have been some well-publicized acts of violence in the vicinity of Poughkeepsie High School, including shootings, that have been part of an escalating trend of violence within the city limits. Mayor John Tkazyik and the Poughkeepsie Police Department have been rightfully engaging with community members in an effort to reduce the violence, and while these acts did not occur on school property or in school buildings, the Board of Education is also working to take proactive steps to keep violence out of the school system.
One of most controversial proposals has been the installation of metal detectors at the three main student entrances of Poughkeepsie High School, at a cost of $38,000. This is an overreaction based on fear, and it is a bad idea. There are 28 entrances at Poughkeepie High School, not to mention the countless windows that can be opened at anytime. Need I say more? The sad truth is that if someone wants to get a weapon into the school, they will, and no amount of metal detection will prevent that. Furthermore, a potential shooter would not need to pass through these metal detectors to cause the most damage. I am also forced to ask -- if at the high school, why not at Poughkeepsie Middle and Smith Schools, which are also in the vicinity of the shootings? And in a time when the superintendent is being forced to cut almost $7 million in costs, $38,000 for a metal detection system is unwise, as that money could be used to finance field trips, teaching assistants, or technology equipment.
Airline crashes are one of the most publicized and sensationalized events that can occur. Whether it is a successful ditch in the Hudson, or an unsuccessful tragedy in suburban Buffalo, the news coverage is immense. However, air travel is still the safest means of transportation. Thousands more die every year in automobile accidents, but very few of us think twice about hoping into a car every day. The same is true with school shootings and school violence. The safest place for a child to be is in school, and installing metal detectors at 3 entrances will not make the students, faculty, or staff of Poughkeepsie High School any safer than they already are.
Over the past 11 years, I have spent a considerable amount of time at Poughkeepsie High School, both on a regular and semi-regular basis. Not once have I ever felt unsafe. Not once have I ever felt I was in danger. I believe that anyone who truly feels Poughkeepsie High School is in need of metal detectors has never spent any meaningful time there, and I encourage those people to do so -- especially the Board of Education, before they take their vote on this measure.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Tired of Congressional Leadership
As you may have noticed in a few of my recent posts, I am getting tired of the leadership in Congress. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, I feel, are ordinary people in positions that require extraordinary talent...or at least above normal. And they are at it again.
A few days ago, President Obama announced his plans to remove all combat troops from Iraq by August 31, 2010. However, he plans to 50,000 troops on the ground for various training and security duties (which has caused a stir over what exactly the president means by "combat troops"). Reid and Pelosi, however, do not agree with the president's plan of action, and are letting him know. They feel that 50,000 residual troops is simply too high a number, and would like to see only 1/4 to 1/3 of that.
Here's what I think: In November 2006, the Democrats won control of Congress for the first time in 12 years, largely on the issue of Iraq. They pledged to end the war that most Americans feel was a mistake, and what did they do once they were in power? Absolutely nothing. They could have attempted to cut off funding for the war, but they chose not to. And now that President Obama is doing what they could not, they have the gall to publicly question the policy? Wouldn't you think they would be less vocal about criticizing a president from their own party who is trying to end an irresponsible war responsibly? I guess not.
Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi should simply stop talking, because I'm getting tired of rolling my eyes in annoyance.
A few days ago, President Obama announced his plans to remove all combat troops from Iraq by August 31, 2010. However, he plans to 50,000 troops on the ground for various training and security duties (which has caused a stir over what exactly the president means by "combat troops"). Reid and Pelosi, however, do not agree with the president's plan of action, and are letting him know. They feel that 50,000 residual troops is simply too high a number, and would like to see only 1/4 to 1/3 of that.
Here's what I think: In November 2006, the Democrats won control of Congress for the first time in 12 years, largely on the issue of Iraq. They pledged to end the war that most Americans feel was a mistake, and what did they do once they were in power? Absolutely nothing. They could have attempted to cut off funding for the war, but they chose not to. And now that President Obama is doing what they could not, they have the gall to publicly question the policy? Wouldn't you think they would be less vocal about criticizing a president from their own party who is trying to end an irresponsible war responsibly? I guess not.
Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi should simply stop talking, because I'm getting tired of rolling my eyes in annoyance.
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