Military Paycuts

In my classmate’s blog, “The President, Congress, and the Military,” Mike demonstrates strong convictions against President Obama and Congress in targeting the Military for pay reductions.  I found him to be very credible on the subject as he is a Veteran of 20 years.  His commentary is convincingly written and he delivers his perspective with passion and honor for the men and women who serve in our Armed Forces.  The audience more likely to share his views would be conservative readers, though his message speaks loudly to all.  He makes very interesting points with regards to President Obama’s lack of military service qualifying him to be Commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces and those members of Congress without military experience.   He poses the question, “How can an elected official send the men and women of our Armed Forces into a war zone or away from their family and then vote to freeze their pay?” Yet Supreme Court justices have experience as attorneys and judges qualifying them to interpret the U.S. Constitution.  I completely agree and totally understand his frustration with the points he makes of the President and Congress sending military personnel to war zones yet not adequately compensating them for their services.  His point is accurate in that that the service men and women should not have to worry about their families’ well being, while they go to combat or on missions without adequate supplies.  I agree with his statement that the President and Congress are not in touch with the troops, but I think the new Congress will push to see that our military and their families will be well  taken care of during and after their service to our country.

I think that improving compensation for troops is helping retention and agree with the author that the military are underpaid for their sacrifice.  Cutting spending will threaten security in the years to come and sends a terrible message to our enemies.  How is it that U.S. postal carriers, with no hazardous duty make $70,000 yearly plus significant benefits and are scheduled for another pay increase next year? Congress is discussing filling a $3.8 billion deficit at the federally backed agency, not by salary cuts, but by reducing services such as Saturday delivery. I would challenge anyone to find a civilian job that has the same set of requirements and risks as those experienced by our military personnel.  After Sept. 11th this country was quick to get behind its troops.  How quick the President and Congress forget that we are still in that same war.  This is a ridiculous attempt to balance the budget on the backs of those who are paying or have paid with their blood, sweat, and tears. I enjoyed reading Mikes commentary and have a great deal of respect for his service to our country.

Government Invading Our Privacy

Has the government gone too far with airport screening? Where do we draw the line? The war on terrorism is getting really personal with the Transportation Security Administration (T.S.A.) implementing full body scanners vs. metal detectors at all checkpoints in airports. The high tech scan enables the agents to have full body view not to mention you experience low doses of radiation.  If you refuse, you can have an enhanced pat-down instead, which is not a gentle frisking, but more of an aggressive groping of breast, buttocks, and crotches. People are coming out of these pat-downs shaking, and crying, feeling extremely violated. The Allied Pilots Association calls this a demeaning experience, one pilot referred to it as sexual molestation, some consider it gate rape. Then there is the case of Tom Sawyer, a 61 year old bladder cancer survivor, who was padded so hard at a Detroit airport that his bag spilt urine all over his clothing.  He was humiliated and devastated.  He tried explaining his health issue to the agents but they refused to listen. Is there a limit to the sacrifices of personal freedom that Americans will endure in the name of fighting terrorism? Has Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and others crossed the line? It just so happens that the former Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, represents the company which is selling theses scanners to his former department. There are far too many federal contracts awarded as sweetheart inside deals. As lawmakers reconvene, looking to make budget cuts, this agency definitely should be cut, due to its ineffectiveness and wasteful money spending.
There is no evidence that the TSA has done anything to make air travel more secure since its creation after 9/11.  It was the passengers that discovered the shoe bomber and the underwear bomber not the TSA, they got passed security!  Nor were the cargo bombs and the lunatic pilots discovered by the TSA.    It seems more practical to have licensed people with firearms training on flight to secure the safety of passengers.  Airlines have enormous amounts of money riding on passenger safety. We cannot depend on the government for protection and security. When government does this, they do it by relieving us of our freedom and liberties…and now our right to privacy of our own bodies. I do not think the government has the right to see us naked or aggressively touch us just because we bought an airline ticket. It seems more like awarding expensive government contracts rather than security. Think of the frequent fliers, the elderly, the sick, the young.  It is time to bring common sense back to America. 

Immigration Reform A Must

Illegal immigration is a challenging topic filled with many complexities.  It involves people of all ages and cultures, some of which risk their lives to experience the America dream.  In my classmate’s blog “This Whole Immigration Thing," Lina clearly expressed the ethical and humanitarian aspects of immigration.  Her compassion towards immigrant families and their children is obvious.  I did however note conflicting arguments when she stated that to live in America these people should have to play by the rules, but then went on to defend the illegality of immigrant children deserving the right to healthcare, and education benefits.  I think the key word is illegal.  She made the point that that even if immigrants are here illegally and abiding by all our laws in order to provide for their families, then what’s the big deal?  My immediate response is it’s robbing our citizens of resources.  Her position was that one should not be denied the opportunity to live in this country regardless of where their birth place is.  That the desire for a better life, having love for this country, and wanting a safe haven for your family should allow one to live in America.  However, I was not convinced of her argument.  There is no depth in her position that it is fair to break laws even if it is for good reasons.  She concludes her commentary with the issue that tax payer’s money go to supporting these immigrants, blah...blah…blah...WHAT????  Is it selfish not to want this country to be the employment and welfare office of the world?  Her point that immigrants are people and should be treated with respect is totally valid.  We must reform the law so that these people are contributing to public programs not just reaping the benefits.  We must enforce the law to protect our citizens. In reality, immigration is a net drain on the economy; corporate interests reap the benefits of cheap labor, while taxpayers pay the infrastructural costs.

Voter Bribery/Fraudulent Voting: It’s Time to End!

Given this highly contested election year I thought it was important to discuss voter bribery and fraudulent voting. There is currently a law suit pending the illegal actions taken by Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) for voter bribery. CPS Administrators allowed students to be transported during school hours to vote and then taken out for ice cream as a reward for their early casted vote. On October 13th@ 1:00pm a Democrat campaign worker (wearing Democrat stickers on her vest) arrived with Hughes High School students to the Hamilton County Board of Elections. These students were carrying sample democrat ballots in hand as they went into vote. Rather than returning the students back to school they were treated to free ice cream. FREE? Sounds like BRIBERY to me! Four additional high schools were to be transported the following week. This particular school district settled a dispute eight years prior for illegal campaign activity. This is clearly an example of partisan politics during school hours, with school property, and school employees involved. Definitely these early votes should be tossed out. Schools should remain politically neutral. Is this a case of CPS educators encouraging students to register to vote and to vote or more seriously the criminal activity of desperate Democratic campaign workers and leaders of a politically biased community?
Voter bribery is widespread throughout our country. How can it be stopped? The idea that the homeless are being picked up and taken to vote, then consequently rewarded with cigarettes and a FREE lunch is really disturbing. We cannot allow elections to be bought and stolen. This is not what our forefathers intended! We must restore integrity in order to strengthen democracy.
The “Get out the Vote” campaign is an excellent idea, but we must carefully look at the corruption that has evolved and at what the real costs are. Why can’t students vote on election-day? The polls open before school begins and school is definitely out before the polls close. Lackadaisical efforts in implementing procedures at voting polls must be eliminated. A 30-day verification period must be enforced and we must eliminate the restrictions on using voter registration lists to verify voters. I.D.’s are required for driving; purchasing alcohol and tobacco, why not carefully identify voters? The idea that requiring valid I.D.’s suppresses the vote is ridiculous. This will protect the integrity of voters and secure civil rights of voters. In addition, it will keep away illegal aliens and felons from voting. We can clean this mess up America. “We the People” must take action if authorities refuse to.

Passionate or Extremists?

In a blog taken from the Free Republic  a right leaning website in our “suggested sources,” author Ronbo1948 categorizes President Barack Obama as a liar and a demagogue.  He describes President Obama as a dictator who exhibits a destructive and political philosophy.  He goes on to say Obama has emerged as a leader by manipulating the emotions, fears, and prejudices of the people.   His blog commentary is taken from an article in the American Thinker, by Steve McCann.  One of the main points articulated in the article is that Obama campaigned on the premise that he is a political moderate, that he would bring all Americans together and put an end to the divisive politics of the past. 

The article states with passion that Obama has seriously misrepresented the truth in order to achieve power and stature as a world figure.  Mr. Obama is accused of exploiting the issue of illegal immigration as a matter of race and not law in opposing publically the Arizona immigration law.  The article suggests this antic was used as a political ploy to place fear in Hispanic citizens in order to obtain the Hispanic vote.

Another point presented is that Obama is exploiting the future economic woes on the poor.  President Obama refers to the fat cats in corporate America and millionaires as the solution to aiding the financial problems of the average citizen.  Obama’s idea that the average citizen’s problems can be solved by taking away money from the wealthy is a tactic geared to distract citizens by creating anger amongst the people.  As a result citizens are led to believe that government can provide the solutions, thus allowing government to expand. I do find this to be true, and there are far too many citizens expecting the government to solve their financial problems.

In addition, the author bashes Obama and his administration for the lies and false assurances used in the passing the Health Care Reform Act. Obama is accused of taking away liberty from the citizens and vesting it in the government. But, many of the elements of the health-care bill that most outraged conservatives were, in fact, part of the 1993 proposal sponsored by 20 Republicans, including four who are still in the Senate.  The individual mandate to buy insurance, denial of coverage for existing health problems, and the subsidies to the poor to help them buy insurance were part of the 1993 Republican bill.

I think the author is passionate yet somewhat of an extremist and lacking the display of fair politics.  I think President Obama is trying to provide the maximum amount of government services available to the public thus allowing individuals the opportunity to achieve the most benefits possible.

 As leaders of the government, Obama and the Democrats have taken moderate positions, not radical ones.  If they hadn’t they would not have been able to accomplish anything these past two years. 

Government Spending Out of Control

Daniel Henninger, is deputy editor of The Wall Street Journal’s editorial page. In his editorial about excessive government spending, Mr. Henninger explains how the Democrats will be defeated in the next Congressional and presidential elections. His article entitled "It’s the Spending, Stupid”, suggests that the American people are not merely concerned about Uncle Sam’s spending, but that they are furious. The point he articulates is that the public’s concern over spending has exploded from one of concern to that of a broad public movement. Mr. Henninger is a well acclaimed author. He became a staff writer for the National Observer in 1971 and went on to become an editorial page writer for the Journal in 1977. In 1983 he was appointed assistant editor and quickly rose to chief editorial writer and senior assistant in October 1986. In November 1989 he became deputy editor of the editorial page. He has won numerous awards for his editorial writings on a range of issues including being a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize.

Mr. Henninger begins his article with President Obama admitting at a backyard town-hall meeting in Fairfax, VA , that the public has a right to be concerned with the large amount of spending that has take place as the result of the Recovery Act . He argues the point that the President’s refusal to acknowledge the anger of the American people and the political rage of the Tea Party Movement will ultimately result in the transfer of power back to the Republicans. He targets the two $3 trillion-plus budget passed on Obama’s watch and the trillion-dollar health care entitlement. Independents are angry about the economy, and they are ready to remove the party in power. His passion and the statistics he presents are very compelling. Would America be better off without all the bailouts? I think the auto and home industry should have faced the consequences of buying more than they could afford. I think raising taxes to cut the deficit is a bailout for spenders. Henninger seems somewhat conservative in his view, but he is quick to point out that the GOP needs to establish credibility on spending, otherwise the voters two years from now will throw them under the bus.

His editorial criticizes both Democrat and Republican parties as the public spending has been excessively growing for years at the hands of congress. He gives the compelling argument that the President and Congress need to cut spending in order for economic recovery. I don’t understand why the current administration is not listening to their constituencies. I think amongst the younger voters, President Obama’s image was initially viewed as that of hope and change, but now he is viewed as the joker of socialism. I found this article definitely informative and worth reading. I think that many will suffer as a result of spending cuts, but it is imperative in order for our economy to recover.

Children Used in the Afghan Fight

Terrorist’s attacks in this country on 9/11/2001 have led to our fight in the Afghan province.    What I find extremely disturbing is the fact that Afghan children are being used by the Taliban in its war efforts against our U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers.  Does this culture care so little for human life?  Is the Taliban so desperate that they turn children into combatants?  According to an article published in USA TODAY, the Taliban are using children as young as three years of age as human shields.   Marines have witnessed children selling heroin wrapped in torn pages of the Quran and planting roadside bombs.  Teenagers are highly recruited and given motorcycles and money for their efforts to fend off the Marine offensive.  The mission of the U.S. Marines is to work with Afghan soldiers to provide security to allow schools to open and commerce to improve.   President Obama has issued a deadline for withdrawal for June 2011.  I think this article illustrates the desperation of the Taliban and the difficulties our Marines are having in the Afghan fight and is definitely worth reading. Regardless if you believe that the U.S. should be involved in this war, I think we should support our military and finish the mission. 

USA Today