It was only July 22nd when I last addressed the subject of quotations; however, it is time to take a look at a few of the many utterances made by our late President Ronald Reagan. There is a wonderful website called BRAINY QUOTE that contains over twelve pages of Reagan’s more significant remarks. Here are a few that caught my attention.
“We might come closer to balancing the budget if all of us lived closer to the Commandments and the Golden Rule.”
“We must reject the idea that every time a law’s broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.”
“We should measure welfare’s success by how many people leave welfare, not by how many are added.”
“While I take inspiration from the past, like most Americans, I live for the future.”
“The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much.”
“They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They are wrong.”
“Unemployment insurance is a pre-paid vacation for freeloaders.”
“We cannot help everyone, but everyone can help someone.”
“People do not make wars; governments do.”
“Status quo, you know, is Latin for ‘The mess we’re in’.”
“The best minds are not in government. If any were, business would steal them away.”
“If we love our country, we should also love our countrymen.”
“It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.”
“Man is not free unless government is limited.”
“No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we’ll ever see on this earth.”
“Government’s first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.”
“Governments tend not to solve problems, only to rearrange them.”
“I’ve never been able to understand why a Republican contributor is a “fat cat” and a Democratic contributor of the same amount of money is a “public-spirited philanthropist.”
“If the federal government had been around when the Creator was putting His hand on this state, Indiana wouldn’t be here. It’d still be waiting for an environmental impact statement.”
“Concentrated power has always been the enemy of liberty.”
“Entrepreneurs and their small enterprises are responsible for almost all the economic growth in the United States.”
“Facts are stubborn things.”
“Government always finds a need for whatever money it gets.”
“Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them.”
There are literally hundreds of additional quotes from President Reagan, but don’t you find the few that I have listed above to be visionary and insightful.
It certainly would be revealing were Reagan to be able to address the state of our government as it is today. Maybe he will tell us all, God willing, when we next meet and hear from him on the other side.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
THE MORNING AFTER THE MICHIGAN PRIMARY
Regretfully I am coming to the conclusion that a frighteningly large number of eligible American voters have just given up on government. That is a really scary thing to say, but when you consider that with all of the voter discontent and anguish that exists today, we are witnessing a shockingly low percentage of voter participation in our election process.
Yesterday the State of Michigan held a very important Primary Election, because their do-nothing Obama pawn, Governor Jennifer Grandholm, could not run again due to term limits. The election of a candidate for the Governorship of any State is important, but it was especially important in Michigan with its devastating unemployment situation and the concentration of businesses associated with the struggling automobile industry.
With 6,859,332 registered voters in Michigan, its Secretary of State estimated that 1.7 million voters would turn out or about 23 percent for the August 3rd Primary Election. Considering the fact that this election included all the Congressional seats, the Governorship candidates, and numerous referendums, this was an important election to be determined by less than one-quarter of the eligible voters.
Looking at national voter turnout data in Federal Elections from 1960 – 2008, I found the percentage to vary from 48.4% in 1966 to 56.8% in 2008. The major elections every four years tend to deliver about a 20% better participation than the off-years. The highest year of voter involvement was 1968 with 60.8% when Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey for the presidency.
All over the world citizens have given their lives to attain the right to vote for their leadership, and the right to vote has always been a cherished privilege here in the United States.
Your Commander contends that if 23% is the final figure for participation in the recent Michigan Primary it is an extremely sad commentary on the degree of involvement by the American voting public in the political process. I suspect the final Michigan figure will be lower, but remember as a comparison in 2010 the Iraq election turn-out was 62% and in the northern Kurdish area it was 80%.
Considering the importance of our elections at this time, 23% involvement is pathetic and inexcusable. Apparently a growing number of our fellow citizens have just thrown-up their hands in disgust and walked away from membership in the election process. For those who have done so they have absolutely no right to complain about conditions, and they are just playing into the hands of devious corrupt political influences.
Between now and the November 2010 election, each and every kind of voting block better pursue an all-out effort to motivate their people to get off their back-sides and make their voices heard at the polls. I can assure you the Democrat Party and their Union surrogates will be active with their welfare/entitlement voters on Election Day. If 2010’s off-year election is like the 2006 voter level of 37.1%, little will be accomplished in cleaning up the swamp in Washington.
With the importance of elections in our political process there is reason to strive for participation as high as 80 or 90% in a true democracy. Remember your vote is vital in making your voice count, and anyone who neglects to vote is granting a greater possibility of their opponents’ positions prevailing. The sleeping silent majority must be awakened and loudly heard if we are to guarantee the American Way of Life into the foreseeable future.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Yesterday the State of Michigan held a very important Primary Election, because their do-nothing Obama pawn, Governor Jennifer Grandholm, could not run again due to term limits. The election of a candidate for the Governorship of any State is important, but it was especially important in Michigan with its devastating unemployment situation and the concentration of businesses associated with the struggling automobile industry.
With 6,859,332 registered voters in Michigan, its Secretary of State estimated that 1.7 million voters would turn out or about 23 percent for the August 3rd Primary Election. Considering the fact that this election included all the Congressional seats, the Governorship candidates, and numerous referendums, this was an important election to be determined by less than one-quarter of the eligible voters.
Looking at national voter turnout data in Federal Elections from 1960 – 2008, I found the percentage to vary from 48.4% in 1966 to 56.8% in 2008. The major elections every four years tend to deliver about a 20% better participation than the off-years. The highest year of voter involvement was 1968 with 60.8% when Richard Nixon defeated Hubert Humphrey for the presidency.
All over the world citizens have given their lives to attain the right to vote for their leadership, and the right to vote has always been a cherished privilege here in the United States.
Your Commander contends that if 23% is the final figure for participation in the recent Michigan Primary it is an extremely sad commentary on the degree of involvement by the American voting public in the political process. I suspect the final Michigan figure will be lower, but remember as a comparison in 2010 the Iraq election turn-out was 62% and in the northern Kurdish area it was 80%.
Considering the importance of our elections at this time, 23% involvement is pathetic and inexcusable. Apparently a growing number of our fellow citizens have just thrown-up their hands in disgust and walked away from membership in the election process. For those who have done so they have absolutely no right to complain about conditions, and they are just playing into the hands of devious corrupt political influences.
Between now and the November 2010 election, each and every kind of voting block better pursue an all-out effort to motivate their people to get off their back-sides and make their voices heard at the polls. I can assure you the Democrat Party and their Union surrogates will be active with their welfare/entitlement voters on Election Day. If 2010’s off-year election is like the 2006 voter level of 37.1%, little will be accomplished in cleaning up the swamp in Washington.
With the importance of elections in our political process there is reason to strive for participation as high as 80 or 90% in a true democracy. Remember your vote is vital in making your voice count, and anyone who neglects to vote is granting a greater possibility of their opponents’ positions prevailing. The sleeping silent majority must be awakened and loudly heard if we are to guarantee the American Way of Life into the foreseeable future.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
THE SAD SHIRLEY SHERROD STORY
There is much to be learned from the sad Shirley Sherrod story that recently dominated the media nationally, regionally and locally. As I have written recently the race-card is a very dangerous one to play, and it has now hurt all sides of this issue. Shirley Sherrod, and the entire American civilized society, has been caught in the cross-fire at a time when many felt we had made real progress against racial name calling.
The first lesson we learned was that we cannot trust our media outlets to get the story right the first time because they think being on the air with a news item first is more important than checking the facts. Andrew Breitbart’s doctored tape started this mess, and then many news outlets and voices jumped to inaccurate conclusions ending up with smudged faces. Some have provided the appropriate apologies, but far too many have not and that is inexcusable.
The second lesson was that sadly, the Obama White House had egg on their faces too, because they came into office promising a color-less administration. By jumping to unsupported conclusions, they again played the race-card inaccurately for political advantage just as they did with the Harvard professor and the policeman incident last year.
Thirdly, as this story continued to develop I became very suspicious of the real story of Shirley Sherrod. Her skirt was not totally clean regarding this incident either, and her prior service at the Department of Agriculture is cloudy at best. I continue to give her the benefit of the doubt, but there is much more to be exposed, and learned before this issue is put to bed as a learning experience for all sides.
The real culprit here was the internet electronic systems that prevail today. The ability to alter Sherrod’s original speech, followed by the misuse of the material for political benefit was disgusting to say the least. Media must be aware of this situation and check and then double check the accuracy of material before going to air or press.
Your Commander was further troubled by the seven minute telephone call from Obama offering Sherrod another position in the USDA. Let me suggest that his actions represented a frantic desire to get the story behind him and out of the eye of the American public.
If the government’s action was so egregious, then a seven minutes call was an insult to all parties. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack clearly made the initial mistake, but he has fallen on his sword for the Administration. I cannot believe for one minute that someone in the White House did not know of the dismissal decision before the deed was done.
The biggest insult to me and the American people was the comment from that sock-puppet Press Secretary Robert Gibbs when he said that the President offered Sherrod her job back, because she possessed “A UNIQUE SKILL SET OF EXPERIENCES.” That was pure Washington-speak! Hell, Obama has never called me or any other citizen for that reason. We all have “A UNIQUE SKILL SET OF EXPERIENCES.”
Maybe this was just the first step in the Administration’s ultimate plan to hire or have on welfare every single American, so we all will feel obligated to vote for their devious game plans.
Personally I suggest the phone call and job offer was an effort to buy Sherrod off ASAP. One must wonder, too, how much that new job of hers will pay. I’ll bet she received a raise that you and I will ultimately pay.
You may be interested in reading a reflective article by Walter Shapiro of Politics Daily titled “The Shirley Sherrod Saga: Lessons From Bureaucratic Blunders,” which you can find at:
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/07/22/the-shirley-sherrod-saga-lessons-from-bureaucratic-blunders/
It is time for this entire unfortunate mess to be thoroughly investigated by a totally honest study group, and then have an objective non-political report delivered to the public. That would make for a sensible “teachable moment” that we all could benefit from. It will be very interesting to see if we ever get the full story, or if this incident will be buried in the tons of political spin and deflection emanating from Washington these days.
COMMANDER GRANGER
The first lesson we learned was that we cannot trust our media outlets to get the story right the first time because they think being on the air with a news item first is more important than checking the facts. Andrew Breitbart’s doctored tape started this mess, and then many news outlets and voices jumped to inaccurate conclusions ending up with smudged faces. Some have provided the appropriate apologies, but far too many have not and that is inexcusable.
The second lesson was that sadly, the Obama White House had egg on their faces too, because they came into office promising a color-less administration. By jumping to unsupported conclusions, they again played the race-card inaccurately for political advantage just as they did with the Harvard professor and the policeman incident last year.
Thirdly, as this story continued to develop I became very suspicious of the real story of Shirley Sherrod. Her skirt was not totally clean regarding this incident either, and her prior service at the Department of Agriculture is cloudy at best. I continue to give her the benefit of the doubt, but there is much more to be exposed, and learned before this issue is put to bed as a learning experience for all sides.
The real culprit here was the internet electronic systems that prevail today. The ability to alter Sherrod’s original speech, followed by the misuse of the material for political benefit was disgusting to say the least. Media must be aware of this situation and check and then double check the accuracy of material before going to air or press.
Your Commander was further troubled by the seven minute telephone call from Obama offering Sherrod another position in the USDA. Let me suggest that his actions represented a frantic desire to get the story behind him and out of the eye of the American public.
If the government’s action was so egregious, then a seven minutes call was an insult to all parties. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack clearly made the initial mistake, but he has fallen on his sword for the Administration. I cannot believe for one minute that someone in the White House did not know of the dismissal decision before the deed was done.
The biggest insult to me and the American people was the comment from that sock-puppet Press Secretary Robert Gibbs when he said that the President offered Sherrod her job back, because she possessed “A UNIQUE SKILL SET OF EXPERIENCES.” That was pure Washington-speak! Hell, Obama has never called me or any other citizen for that reason. We all have “A UNIQUE SKILL SET OF EXPERIENCES.”
Maybe this was just the first step in the Administration’s ultimate plan to hire or have on welfare every single American, so we all will feel obligated to vote for their devious game plans.
Personally I suggest the phone call and job offer was an effort to buy Sherrod off ASAP. One must wonder, too, how much that new job of hers will pay. I’ll bet she received a raise that you and I will ultimately pay.
You may be interested in reading a reflective article by Walter Shapiro of Politics Daily titled “The Shirley Sherrod Saga: Lessons From Bureaucratic Blunders,” which you can find at:
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/07/22/the-shirley-sherrod-saga-lessons-from-bureaucratic-blunders/
It is time for this entire unfortunate mess to be thoroughly investigated by a totally honest study group, and then have an objective non-political report delivered to the public. That would make for a sensible “teachable moment” that we all could benefit from. It will be very interesting to see if we ever get the full story, or if this incident will be buried in the tons of political spin and deflection emanating from Washington these days.
COMMANDER GRANGER
WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU
It grieves your Commander to suggest that you read anything in the New York Times, because it is so liberal in its view-point, but occasionally I think it hits the mark with an opinion piece or editorial. That said, I think the Editorial this past Sunday (8/1/) is correct. See I can be objective, but sometimes it is darn hard.
The point of the Editorial directly addresses one of the questions that I brought forward in my commentary immediately below titled “Two Pressing Questions.” How can we reduce the deficit? Take a look at the Editorial:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/opinion/01sun1.html?
It is tough for this Conservative Constitutionalist to agree with the liberal New York Times, but we ultimately must face the fact that a sufficient number of our fellow citizens are not paying their fair share of the tax burden. Regretfully tax increases will be necessary, but we cannot continue to have 50% of our citizens paying absolutely nothing of the tax burden.
I totally agree that it is fair and appropriate to address reducing the entitlement programs that are all too frequently just political pay-offs and are frequently illegally abused.
One issue not addressed, however, is the massive waste that exists across all government programs, especially in the Defense Department. There are far too many redundancies and inefficiencies. Anyone who has served in the military knows that to be a fact. Cut the waste and corruption, and the tax increases could be significantly less severe.
Just one man’s opinion, but a suggestion for a starting point is an objective non-political addressing of this devastating financial cancer to the American Way of Life.
COMMANDER GRANGER
The point of the Editorial directly addresses one of the questions that I brought forward in my commentary immediately below titled “Two Pressing Questions.” How can we reduce the deficit? Take a look at the Editorial:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/01/opinion/01sun1.html?
It is tough for this Conservative Constitutionalist to agree with the liberal New York Times, but we ultimately must face the fact that a sufficient number of our fellow citizens are not paying their fair share of the tax burden. Regretfully tax increases will be necessary, but we cannot continue to have 50% of our citizens paying absolutely nothing of the tax burden.
I totally agree that it is fair and appropriate to address reducing the entitlement programs that are all too frequently just political pay-offs and are frequently illegally abused.
One issue not addressed, however, is the massive waste that exists across all government programs, especially in the Defense Department. There are far too many redundancies and inefficiencies. Anyone who has served in the military knows that to be a fact. Cut the waste and corruption, and the tax increases could be significantly less severe.
Just one man’s opinion, but a suggestion for a starting point is an objective non-political addressing of this devastating financial cancer to the American Way of Life.
COMMANDER GRANGER
TWO PRESSING QUESTIONS
There are two specific questions on many lips these days, but nobody asks them directly of our President or members of Congress. I am certain that these same two questions have crossed your mind on several occasions, and I suspect that you have a similar concern about the answers.
1. How can the President and the Congress continue to ignore the huge majority of the American people who disagree with the judge’s ruling against the Arizona immigration law?
In my local newspaper this morning the poll reported that 80% of the respondents disagree with the judge’s ruling, but the Administration and Congress continue to ignore border security and indicate they intend to move forward with amnesty for those illegal immigrants currently within the United States. How can our government continue to ignore the people’s overwhelming desires?
2. How does the government intend to reduce the massive financial obligation now confronting our Treasury?
We have daily press conferences emanating from the White House Press Secretary and with members of Congress, but nobody ever asks or answers the huge debt question. Knowing that this is a politically sensitive question, someone must confront the question head-on and insist upon a specific answer.
Everyone is dancing around these two pressing questions, but what really concerns me is that nobody is asking or demanding an answer to these critical problems. Does our government dare ignore the clear desires of the electorate and shove their apparent self-serving agenda forward?
Obviously we should be far beyond who and what caused these problems, and get aggressive in solving these issues ASAP. To do nothing is to further acerbate the problems and bring forth disastrous conclusions. Haste makes waste, but inaction brings chaos.
COMMANDER GRANGER
1. How can the President and the Congress continue to ignore the huge majority of the American people who disagree with the judge’s ruling against the Arizona immigration law?
In my local newspaper this morning the poll reported that 80% of the respondents disagree with the judge’s ruling, but the Administration and Congress continue to ignore border security and indicate they intend to move forward with amnesty for those illegal immigrants currently within the United States. How can our government continue to ignore the people’s overwhelming desires?
2. How does the government intend to reduce the massive financial obligation now confronting our Treasury?
We have daily press conferences emanating from the White House Press Secretary and with members of Congress, but nobody ever asks or answers the huge debt question. Knowing that this is a politically sensitive question, someone must confront the question head-on and insist upon a specific answer.
Everyone is dancing around these two pressing questions, but what really concerns me is that nobody is asking or demanding an answer to these critical problems. Does our government dare ignore the clear desires of the electorate and shove their apparent self-serving agenda forward?
Obviously we should be far beyond who and what caused these problems, and get aggressive in solving these issues ASAP. To do nothing is to further acerbate the problems and bring forth disastrous conclusions. Haste makes waste, but inaction brings chaos.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Monday, August 2, 2010
TEACHING CHILDREN vs. TEACHERS UNIONS
It’s my turn to eat a little humble pie because I am suggesting you read a commentary from that liberal race-baiting voice Leonard Pitts Jr. of The Miami Herald. For years Pitts’ columns have appeared in my local newspaper, and all too frequently he simply blames RACE as the root of all problems confronting minority communities, without considering the many other factors involved. This is not merely a white/black/brown/Asian issue of color.
Well lightning finally struck in Pitts’ Sunday 8/1 column titled “Teaching Children vs. Teachers Unions.” It is probably not necessary to read the entire column, but you can find it on the internet. I would like to provide you with the essence of his reflections by quoting a portion as follows, “Enough. It is time teachers embraced accountability. Time parents, students and government did, too.”
Your Commander salutes Pitts, and hopes that other strident voices in the minority community such as Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and their like will join with a loud call for ACCOUNTABILITY by teachers, Unions, parents, students and our government. It is time to stop calling these racial problems, because they are really red, white, brown, black, and yellow failures crossing all nationalities, affecting every school system in our country, and the root of long neglected tribulations.
An old Chinese proverb is apt here, “Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.”
COMMANDER GRANGER
Well lightning finally struck in Pitts’ Sunday 8/1 column titled “Teaching Children vs. Teachers Unions.” It is probably not necessary to read the entire column, but you can find it on the internet. I would like to provide you with the essence of his reflections by quoting a portion as follows, “Enough. It is time teachers embraced accountability. Time parents, students and government did, too.”
Your Commander salutes Pitts, and hopes that other strident voices in the minority community such as Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and their like will join with a loud call for ACCOUNTABILITY by teachers, Unions, parents, students and our government. It is time to stop calling these racial problems, because they are really red, white, brown, black, and yellow failures crossing all nationalities, affecting every school system in our country, and the root of long neglected tribulations.
An old Chinese proverb is apt here, “Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.”
COMMANDER GRANGER
"STAR ISLAND" IS A MUST READ
South Florida is once again the location for Carl Hiaasen’s best-selling, hilarious STAR ISLAND. I know of few authors who are as talented as Hiaasen in presenting a cast of outlandish characters that roam the streets and glades of the southern part of Florida.
Having lived on Key Biscayne for four bazaar years, I can vouch for the fact that many crazy characters are attracted to the sun, fun, and beaches, especially when the weather gets cold up north. In addition to living on the Key, my office was located there, and the biggest decision most local residents had was who they were having drinks with at cocktail hour. The weather and the cast of weirdoes provided a difficult atmosphere where business was concerned.
So far, I have read every book Hiaasen has written over his very successful career, and I assure you that STAR ISLAND is one of his very best efforts. Hiaasen is not for everyone, but I assure you that when you’re reading his books there will be several times when you find yourself laughing out loud. Among the strangest of his cast of misfits, I am happy to report that the unhinged ex-Florida Governor happily returns in his role as Skink, and even briefly abandons his home deep in the Everglade mangrove swamp.
I promise you that once you start reading, you will not be able to put down STAR ISLAND. It took only two sessions for me to complete this totally amusing, enjoyable, wild, wacky read.
COMMANDER GRANGER
Having lived on Key Biscayne for four bazaar years, I can vouch for the fact that many crazy characters are attracted to the sun, fun, and beaches, especially when the weather gets cold up north. In addition to living on the Key, my office was located there, and the biggest decision most local residents had was who they were having drinks with at cocktail hour. The weather and the cast of weirdoes provided a difficult atmosphere where business was concerned.
So far, I have read every book Hiaasen has written over his very successful career, and I assure you that STAR ISLAND is one of his very best efforts. Hiaasen is not for everyone, but I assure you that when you’re reading his books there will be several times when you find yourself laughing out loud. Among the strangest of his cast of misfits, I am happy to report that the unhinged ex-Florida Governor happily returns in his role as Skink, and even briefly abandons his home deep in the Everglade mangrove swamp.
I promise you that once you start reading, you will not be able to put down STAR ISLAND. It took only two sessions for me to complete this totally amusing, enjoyable, wild, wacky read.
COMMANDER GRANGER
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